Chapter 300: Gu Yuan must be protected to the death. If he dies, the Jiangnan gentry must also die.
“Duke, this person is too presumptuous.”

After the Yang family left, Lu Dunxin said angrily, “How dare he make decisions? Who does he think he is?”

“You don’t even have an official title, yet you are making such a fuss in front of the Duke…”

Lu Dunxin felt extremely humiliated. From beginning to end, the other party simply ignored him, a senior official of the fourth rank.

As if he didn’t exist.

How can he not be angry?
“Don’t be impatient.”

Xiao Yu glanced at him calmly and said, “Are you so impatient?”

“Duke, he…” Lu Dunxin said anxiously: “This is simply outrageous!”

“If you get angry, you’ll fall into their trap.”

Xiao Yu said: “The purpose of his coming here is actually very simple. First, he wants to test us, and second, he wants us to feel disgusted with Gu Yuan.”

“Do you have any problem with Gu Yuan now?”

“If it weren’t for him, what just happened wouldn’t have happened.”

Hearing this, Lu Dunxin was stunned. He became extremely dissatisfied with Gu Yuan.

As soon as Xiao Yu saw him, he knew he was right, “This is their purpose.”

“They can get rid of Gu Yuan, but if they anger us and use us to get rid of Gu Yuan, the impact will be extraordinary.”

“Have you ever thought about what danger is lurking behind this?”

Lu Dunxin’s face suddenly turned ugly and he said, “If we take action and suppress Gu Yuan, it would be equivalent to going against the court and going against the will of the prince…”

“The prince doesn’t like us. If he treats us coldly, not only will the Shandong family get rid of Gu Yuan, but it will also create a rift between us and the prince…”

For a while.

Lu Dunxin looked pale.

If they were really fooled like this, then the situation in which the Jiangnan gentry, which had finally gained momentum with the support of the crown prince, would be destroyed in an instant.

A Jiangnan gentry without the support of the crown prince, not to mention others, even Xiao Yu would be brought down, and would never be given a chance to turn things around.

What’s the point of fighting with the Shandong family?

“Duke, what should we do then?”

“how to respond?”

Lu Dunxin said anxiously.

“Originally, we could have just stood by and watched, letting Gu Yuan lead the charge.”

Xiao Yu couldn’t help but sigh and said, “Now, we must protect Gu Yuan.”

“Gu Yuan…”

“Nothing can happen.”

Lu Dunxin was puzzled and asked, “Didn’t the Duke just say that we should wait and see what happens, not get involved, and continue to target Xu Jingzong?”

“Why are you trying to protect Gu Yuan again?”

Xiao Yu then showed a trace of anger. How could the Jiangnan gentry stand up when they were with such a stupid guy?

He said angrily, “Yang came after us just to play a trick.”

“We were drinking tea and talking here, and he came straight to us, opened the door and came in and said this.”

“The door wasn’t even closed. Do you know what that means?”

Lu Dunxin subconsciously said: “If we talk to them, the news will spread immediately.”

“what?”

“This bastard, they are framing us…”

He is not stupid. If he were an official in the court, a stupid person would have died long ago.

However, because his mind was still on Gu Yuan, he didn’t think too much. Only after Xiao Yu reminded him did he realize how serious this was.

What is meant by taking advantage of the situation, what is meant by drastic measures, and what is meant by cleaning up the house.

It was said not only for Xiao Yu and the others, but also for the people of Chang’an to hear.

Not only did he mock the Jiangnan gentry, but he also put Xiao Yu and others on the spot.

From the outside, it seems like a sneer, saying that the Jiangnan gentry did not have strict discipline and that their own territory caught fire first, which makes people doubt whether the Jiangnan gentry is falling apart and each serves his own master.

With this kind of cognition, no matter what, the outside world would think that the Jiangnan gentry would definitely clean up their house and take action against Gu Yuan.

But taking action against Gu Yuan would be tantamount to resisting the imperial court and going against the will of the Crown Prince. This is a sign of parting ways.

The Jiangnan gentry must never take action against Gu Yuan.

Even though they didn’t take any action, the Shandong family was willing to do it for them.

This is because, if Gu Yuan were to fall, it would not be the fault of the Shandong family, but only the Jiangnan gentry’s own actions.

This is not yellow mud, but it is forced into the crotch of the Jiangnan gentry.

It’s hard to explain.

“So, we can only protect Gu Yuan, and we have to protect him with our lives.”

“There must be no mistakes.”

Lu Dunxin closed his eyes and smiled bitterly: “Do they really want to go to war with us? What’s the benefit for them?”

Xiao Yu said: “Because they are absolutely sure that they can defeat us.”

“We can’t explain ourselves even if we have a reason…”

Lu Dunxin said: “Where are they from?”

“Where did it come from?”

Xiao Yu stood up and walked towards the door. Suddenly he stopped and said, “Go back and tell the people in each family to see if anyone has been restless recently.”

“what?”

Lu Dunxin exclaimed: “You mean…?”

“It’s hard to prevent a thief from robbing your own house, even if you guard against him day and night.”

Xiao Yu left in a hurry after saying this.

Lu Dunxin had a dazed look in his eyes. The traitor was only a member of the Jiangnan gentry. Their own people came out to report and expose Gu Yuan, leading to his death.

Only then can we completely put the blame on the Jiangnan gentry.

In this way, even though the prince knew that the Jiangnan gentry were being harmed, he had to be suspicious of them.

This is enough.

“What a cruel method, what a sinister calculation.”

“This is to push us, the Jiangnan gentry, into the opposite side of resisting the imperial court…”

Lu Dunxin suddenly shuddered and felt cold all over. The coldness invaded his whole body and he couldn’t control his trembling at all.

He also thought that the Crown Prince would doubt their loyalty, so what would the Holy Emperor think of them?

If the Holy Emperor completely hates them, then they are really doomed.

“Gu Yuan.”

“We must keep it, keep it…!”

Lu Dunxin stood up suddenly and ran outside.

……

Xiao Yu has been an official in the court. To have come this far, what kind of swords and spears, open guns and secret arrows has he not seen?
He relied on nothing else but the ability to see through the subtleties and benefits of the situation. When the Holy Emperor first ascended the throne, he fought for power with Pei Ji and other old ministers of Emperor Gaozu.

Even if the intensity is no less severe than this, he can remain safe and sound.

Not to mention the current calculations of the Shandong families.

It was because he immediately saw through Yang’s intention of breaking into the room that he remained unmoved and did not get the point at all.

With just one sentence, “You are teaching me how to do things,” most of the open and covert attacks were blocked.

There is no need for others to tell the Jiangnan gentry how to do things.

He, Xiao Yu, is not some random person who can come and make trouble or gossip about others.

After leaving with Lu Dunxin, he did not return to the mansion, but instead ordered his butler to secretly travel around Chang’an.

Sure enough, the news of the conversation between him and the Yang family spread.

“Humph!”

“He has a small skill, but he still dares to do the same thing.”

“If it was before, I would still be a little bit afraid, but now…”

Xiao Yu whispered: “Go to the East Palace!”

“Yes!”

The butler responded, and the carriage immediately turned around and headed for the East Palace.

When Xiao Yu met Li Chengqian, he found that the prince seemed to have known that he was coming to pay a visit.

“Your Highness, do you know the news that has begun to spread in Chang’an?” Xiao Yu asked after greeting him.

“How come you see?”

Li Chengqian asked with a smile.

Xiao Yu shook his head and said, “I guessed.”

Li Chengqian pointed at Xiao Yu and said, “You old fox.”

Xiao Yu’s old face turned red. It was rare for him to hear these three words from the prince’s mouth.

“Your Highness, the rumors outside cannot be true. Gu Yuan is investigating the population and land in Jiangnan to do things for the court.”

Xiao Yu said: “What about cleaning up the house? It’s completely nonsense.”

“Jiangnan has produced such a talented person who is loyal to the court. I am so happy that I cannot express it in words.”

“The Yang family suddenly went insane, confusing right and wrong and talking nonsense.”

“It’s really ridiculous to spread such rumors.”

He was explaining this to the prince.

It was also an assurance to the prince that they would never touch Gu Yuan in any way.

It also clears the Yang family’s words are a joke and cannot be taken seriously.

Di Renjie placed the peeled and pitted chilled lychees in front of Li Chengqian’s desk. Li Chengqian picked one up with his hand and put it in his mouth without saying a word.

Xiao Yu continued, “Some newspapers in Chang’an have been criticizing Gu Yuan. This is absolutely malicious accusation and wanton slander.”

“I believe that we must clear Gu Yuan’s name and clarify his affairs in the newspaper…”

He knew that the prince was waiting for him to tell him how to protect Gu Yuan’s plan.

The prince didn’t say anything, but he was still not satisfied.

“Gu Yuan is in Jiangnan, so he won’t encounter any obstacles or difficulties…”

Xiao Yu made another promise.

Li Chengqian continued to enjoy the refreshing feeling of iced lychees. Di Renjie, with a slight smile, held a plate of pitted lychees and placed it on the low table in front of Xiao Yu.

“Duke Song, please try this. These are top-quality lychees sent from Lingnan this year. They are juicy and full of flesh.”

Li Chengqian said.

“Thank you for your grace, Your Highness. The appearance of these lychees is extraordinary.”

“Only here with Your Highness can I enjoy such exquisite lychees…”

Xiao Yu breathed a sigh of relief. His Highness’ giving Litchi was a sign of his approval.

When you take a bite of an iced lychee, all your worries seem to disappear.

At this time, Di Renjie placed a piece of paper in front of Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu just took a look and his pupils suddenly shrank.

“I think what the Yang family said is right. It’s time to clean up the family. Be decisive when necessary.”

“An ungrateful person cannot be kept alive.”

Li Chengqian said with a smile: “Duke Song, what do you think?”

Xiao Yu broke out in a cold sweat all of a sudden.

He never expected that while he was still wondering who the thief in his family was, the prince would put the name in front of him.

How deep is the prince’s secret concern?

How did he predict that there would be a traitor among the Jiangnan gentry and find out who it was?

What was even more unexpected was that it was them.

“I thank His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for his kindness!”

Xiao Yu stood up and bowed deeply.

Because the prince was saving his life.

Once these people were instigated to jump out, they would stab Gu Yuan in the back.

Then it’s all over.

He was now truly grateful that he had made the right choice today.

If I hadn’t come, I can’t imagine how serious the consequences would have been.

“Ok!”

Li Chengqian responded indifferently and said nothing else.

Xiao Yu knew that it was time for him to leave and clean up the mess.

He bid farewell to the prince and hurried out of the East Palace with a gloomy and terrifying look on his face.

The traitor within almost brought ruin to the entire Jiangnan gentry.

When Xiao Yu thought of that scene, he was determined to kill.

Never be soft!

“Your Highness, if Duke Song doesn’t come today, will this paper be given to him?”

“He will come.” Li Chengqian said calmly.

“Ah? Your Highness is so sure?” Di Renjie said in great surprise.

He knew that the prince did not show up and did not speak, but he was always paying attention.

Li Chengqian didn’t even raise his eyelids.

“Can’t help him!”

(End of this chapter)