Published at 20th of November 2021 9:16 am

Chapter 374 Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

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“I put forward this idea by myself. Of course, I should do it by myself!” Jiang Yashuang turned back and looked at his friend, “And apart from us, the fourth branch, who do you think can bear the consequences of this?”

Ou Bicheng paled at his words, “If you were to do it, you might commit fratricide!”

“Nothing serious!” Jiang Yashuang said indifferently, “Back then, I had a reputation of forcing a marriage out of power in order to marry Ningyi. Now, for the sake of the unjust death of Jiang Qizheng, Xing, and Ling Zui, what’s the point of having the notorious reputation again?” He couldn’t help but sneer at this point, “Besides, the reputation of the Jiang Family’s juniors…”

It was already in a shambles! The one who was scolded the most was Jiang Yadan, but he was still living just the same, wasn’t he?

“Do you think Marquess will let you leave Jing City?” Ou Bicheng’s gaze flickered and after a long time, he asked indifferently, “Not to mention you, nowadays it’s probably difficult for messengers you send to contact the Eighth Young Master, right? Moreover, Jing City is thousands of miles away from Shazhou. Even if you were lucky enough to reach there, things would already be settled down!”

Jiang Yashuang said slowly, “That is why I don’t plan to go to Shazhou to fight with them.”

“Given the current situation, they will never return to Jing City anytime soon. By the time they return to reclaim their posts, they will surely have already rooted in the Western Army!” Ou Bicheng said in a deep voice, “At that time, there might not be an opportunity to strike!”

“I never plan to wait for them to return to Jing City either!” Jiang Yashuang shook his head, his handsome face filled with coldness. “I plan to send someone to ambush them on the only way from Shazhou to Kui County! Grandfather is now focusing on my meddling in Shazhou. I should be able to send people elsewhere behind his back!”

Ou Bicheng was shocked, “You… Even though the reputation of committing fratricide is terrible, it can be hidden among your peers. But as for Kui Xiannan and Madame Han, they are your grand uncle and grand aunt!”

“Grandfather has been biased towards the first branch for so many years because of great uncle!” Jiang Yashuang said mockingly, “How could I break his taboo? However, Jing City and Shazhou are thousands of miles apart. Aren’t Kui County and Shazhou even more distant?”

“You want to cheat?” Ou Bicheng pondered for a moment, still disapproving, “It’s true that Jiang Yayue and Jiang Yaqing may not be familiar with people in Kui County. But generally speaking, if there is any bad news in Kui County, it will be reported to Jing City first. Jing City will send someone to inform the juniors and their relatives from all sides… So, people who go to inform the two of them must be from the first branch and the third branch!”

Jiang Yashuang was about to answer when a voice suddenly came from outside, sounding confident, “There is no need for people from the third branch to arrive together, but only those from the first branch will suffice! After all, if there is bad news in Kui County which may affect the future of us, the first branch, it is right for the messengers from the first branch to run faster and leave the messengers from the third branch behind!”

Hearing this voice, Ou Bicheng was first shocked and then stunned, “The Eleventh Young Master?”

Before he finished, Jiang Yahong came through the door, “Bicheng, long time no see!”

“The Eleventh Young Master, do you mean that you will be in charge of tricking Ding Qingyan into going to Kui County?” Ou Bicheng was like a brother to Jiang Yashuang, but his relationship with Jiang Yahong was not so close, just an acquaintance. At the moment, he saw Jiang Yahong get into the middle unexpectedly and Jiang Yashuang even did not remind him beforehand. It was clear that Jiang Yashuang also couldn’t figure out his purpose. Did it possibly mean that he should act as the bad cop to interrogate him for the truth?

At that moment, his face sank and he said nonchalantly, “As far as I know, the Eleventh Young Master, you have suffered a lot under Madame Dou because you are the son of a concubine! It is possible for you to be angry with your official brother because of this! However, this was a serious matter. Given the position of you in the first branch, please forgive me as I put it directly that I don’t see any chance for you to survive if the matter fails.”

Jiang Yahong was not angry at his words, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained! As long as Yashuang allows me to be a minister in the future, what’s the point of taking a risk? Besides, although Yashuang doesn’t care about getting the reputation of fratricide, if he can, why not avoid it?”

He looked at Ou Bicheng and smiled, “The emissary sent by the first branch is a secret pawn hidden by Gu in the early years. It could only blame Empress Dowager Gu for being too insidious. As for whether my mother and father, in their grief, want to dig up Emperor’s mausoleum and drag the Empress Dowager Gu out to flog, it’s not my business! Anyway, what does it have to do with me and Jiang Yashuang?”

Ou Bicheng sneered, “The Eleventh Young Master, you are so thoughtful, but can you be sure that details won’t be found out? Not to mention the Marquess, your parents are not incompetent, are they?”

“I have been waiting all these years in the first branch for such an opportunity to hold my head up and have a promising future!” Jiang Yahong raised his eyebrows, “But I’m not for a bad reputation or a bad end! How could I not be sure of getting through? I sent the man and he reported the bad news. All that Yashuang needs to do is to send someone to wait on the only way. And if it succeeds, he can prove my word! If it doesn’t work, it’s just a wasted trip for the henchmen… Don’t you even dare to try like this?”

Ou Bicheng said disdainfully, “There is no need for you to be so provocative, the Eleventh Young Master! What if it doesn’t go like that? You say nice things but later when Yashuang sends his men over, you just soon blow the gaff to the Marquess, who sends his men over to take a look, and even Jiang Yashuang has not even done anything yet, he is then accused of fratricide? What is to be done?”

Jiang Yahong got a long face, “If Yashuang weren’t moved by my proposal, he wouldn’t have met me discreetly by using Ruan’s Mansion to avoid the spies of my second grand uncle. In that case, why are you dragging your feet like this? Just say what you intend to do!”

Jiang Yashuang and Ou Bicheng looked at each other and the latter coughed, “Unless you write this plan down and make your mark! And it must be written down that it is you who take the initiative to ask Jiang Yashuang for wealth and prosperity, not that he forces and entices you!”

“And then what if Yashuang sells me out after the matter is done?!” Jiang Yahong frowned, “That’s too much, isn’t it?”

“You said it by yourself, nothing ventured, nothing gained!” Ou Bicheng said, “Without your help, even if Yashuang fails this time, he may also have another chance in the future! But you are being suppressed by your official mother and brothers and your official nephew has also grown up. If you miss this chance, there will be no hope in your life!”

He slowed down, “As for your fear of Yashuang betraying you, you are over-worried! You think that if you sell Yashuang out without leaving the goods on you there, you’ll win the attention of your parents! But why should he betray you? If he doesn’t betray you, the fourth branch will be suspected after Jiang Yayue’s death. If he sells you, he just confirms that suspicion! After all, who do you think will believe that you alone can kill your official brother?”

“So, no matter what it turns out to be, Yashuang will certainly not be able to clear himself of suspicion. And then why should he betray you? Keeping you in the first branch would be like arranging a spy there. So, why doesn’t he do so?”

“Fine!” Jiang Yahong’s expression didn’t change for a long time as he saw that Jiang Yashuang always looked calmly and sipped tea, not showing any urgency. Jiang Yahong could not let go of this opportunity to hold his head up and in the end, he gnashed his teeth, “I write! However, Jiang Yashuang, you have promised me…”

Jiang Yashuang then revealed a slight smile, “It’s not easy to promise you the position of the main minister in the future, but I can guarantee that you will have the honor of a Deputy Premier in this life!”

“Deal!” Jiang Yahong sighed, only to see that Ou Bicheng had already rolled up his sleeves and was diligently preparing the ink and paper.

After sending Jiang Yahong away, Jiang Yashuang explained, “He told me about this last night when it was dark, but I was afraid of delay, and so I didn’t consult with you before I…”

“Do you think I will bother about this kind of trivial matter?” Ou Bicheng shook his head and said, “Let’s get down to business. Since you have the goods on him in hand, it seems that Jiang Yahong is determined to sell his brother out for glory. As for Jiang Yayue, we shall follow his plan, but what about Jiang Yaqing?”

Jiang Yashuang narrowed his eyes, “If Jiang Yayue believes the letter reported by the person sent by Jiang Yahong, what do you think he will do?”

“The first branch and the third branch always have a deep estrangement before, but this time as they have done such a thing to the fourth branch, they soon became people in the same boat.” Ou Bicheng pondered for a moment and said, “So even if the first branch is to be in mourning for parent’s death, their primary precaution should still be the fourth branch, not the third branch! I think Jiang Yayue should hand over his power to Jiang Yaqing, lest after he returns to Kui County, Jiang Yaqing is no match for Qiu Jinglan and then they will find that their killing finally becomes a wild-goose chase.”

“However, with the Marquess around, the first branch will never dare to mention the word ‘Duo Qing’ (reducing grief during bereavement)! So, Jiang Yayue has to prepare for reinstating after three years’ mourning, or let’s say, two or three years… But who knows what will happen then? And the first branch and the third branch are also far from being close!”

At this moment, seeing the note left by Jiang Yahong on the table, Jiang Yashuang suddenly thought of something, “Jiang Yayue should also ask Jiang Yaqing to give the first branch the goods in the name of the third branch to ensure that after the first branch reinstates, they will not be ostracized by the third branch and have nowhere to go.”

As for how did Jiang Yayue get Jiang Yaqing to hand over the goods was much too easy! Since Marquess Qin was already at his age, who could guarantee that after the first branch had been in mourning for three years, there would still be this uncle to continue his partiality? If the third branch refused to hand over the goods, then the first branch would be in a crisis with no future!

It would be like forcing the first branch to beg the fourth branch for mercy now! How could the third branch dare to take such a risk?

Jiang Yashuang nodded approvingly, “Exactly right!”

“So, as long as we find the goods after Jiang Yayue’s death, we can take ‘good’ care of the third branch.” Ou Bicheng frowned, “But you’ve still forgotten one thing, the Marquess! As long as he is here, the truth, or the appearance, is far less important than what the Marquess means!”

Jiang Yashuang was indifferent, “But if it really comes down to a matter of life and death, the fourth branch will be more important than the third! Even if my father is to give away his power now, can the third branch be in charge of the Northern Army?”

Ou Bicheng was stunned and then sighed with relief, “You are right!”

The Northern Army is the foundation of the Jiang Family, which must not be given away!

Since Marquess Qin and Sir Jibei had spent decades of hard work to cultivate Jiang Tianchi to take over, how could they possibly feel at ease if someone else was going to taking over?

Therefore, even if the third branch was Marquess Qin’s firstborn son, if he had to choose only one branch, he could only choose the fourth branch.

“No one can replace the military power in father’s hands, but that is not for the position the third branch can take!” Jiang Yashuang’s tone was cold and calm, “As long as we have the evidence and keep the attitude that if the third branch doesn’t hand over Jiang Yaqing, this feud will be unending and grandfather is bound to back down!”

“After all, although Jiang Yaqing is the third branch’s firstborn son, he is not as important as the third branch itself!”

Ou Bicheng sighed, “And we can also reasonably claim the Western Army as compensation!”

While the two of them were discussing the matter, in the backyard of Marquess Qin’s Mansion, Qiu Yelan was asking Su He in surprise, “Qiu Feng? Is it really him?”

Su He nodded in the affirmative, “I heard from people close to Madame that the emperor’s son-in-law, travel-worn and weary, had lost a lot of weight and looked very haggard like a different person! But it is indeed that the emperor’s son-in-law has returned!”

“Let’s go!” Qiu Yelan stood up without saying another word, “Let’s go and see! Where did he go on earth that it took him a whole year to come back?”

But he had come back at the same time as Jiang Qizheng’s bad news was brought back. It was not known how Qiu Feng, who had never been very satisfied with the marriage, would feel when he found out that his wife died as she tried hard to find him.

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