After the cannon fodder father and daughter married into the family, the whole family regretted it

The Fang brothers exchanged a glance and couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

"The late emperor once had a Dragon Hidden Guard, but it disappeared many years ago and few people remember it anymore. This is the symbol of the Dragon Hidden Guard."

Fang Tong's expression instantly turned serious.

The strange behavior of Chen's troops, coupled with Yao Xin's reminder, had already aroused suspicion among their own people.

But at most, it is suspected that Chen's retainers had already betrayed their master, or that someone was impersonating them.

But they never imagined that they weren't from the Chen family, but rather from the late emperor.

No wonder they didn't help their daughter when she was in danger several times.

No wonder the Dragon Guards were first exposed at the imperial mausoleum.

How could the Chen family's troops possibly sneak into the imperial tomb?

More importantly, they were likely being used by the Dragon Guards to draw the attention of those powerful families.

Don't forget, the Dragon Guards were also being hunted down.

Fang Yin's expression was solemn, his gaze like a sharpened sword, piercing into one's heart: "Lord Yun is quite capable, managing to control the Dragon Shadow Guard with one hand. But I wonder, Lord Yun, what schemes do you have against our Fang family?"

This is a misunderstanding.

They mistakenly believed that the Dragon Guards, who claimed to be Chen's troops, had come to the General's Mansion at his instigation.

Yun Congsheng gave a wry smile: "General Fang, you misunderstand. I only learned about the Dragon Hidden Guard after you brought Shadow Six back."

What the Dragon Guards did before was none of his business.

“However, being considered a member of the Chen family’s retinue doesn’t count as impersonation,” he continued.

Fang Tong unconsciously clenched his fist. What did that mean?

"The legendary Chen clan's troops were originally the Dragon Hidden Guards," Yun Congsheng pointed out directly.

Fang Tong was so surprised he almost stood up.

The vanished Dragon Guards followed Chen Zijun? No, they should never have disappeared.

The late emperor trusted Chen Zijun, so it must have been he who gave the man to Chen Zijun.

Then, thinking back to the secret that Shadow 4 couldn't be made public, was it a task that the late emperor had given to Chen Zijun?

The task may not have been completed yet, because Chen Zijun is dead.

For a fleeting moment, Fang Tong wanted to pull his second brother away.

He was a minor official, and his second brother could barely be considered a "newly rich" official. Neither of them had deep roots. They were involved in the secrets left behind by the late emperor. What good could come of it?

This time, Fang Tong was genuinely not curious and didn't want to know more.

But he can't leave. Is Chen Zijun's death related to this "job"?

Before Zixi died, was he unable to let go of Chen's fate?

Fang Yin pursed her slightly dry lips, her brows furrowed into a deep frown.

"Lord Yun, did you invite us here because you need our help?"

Yun Congsheng nodded slightly.

“My current situation is perhaps the same as that of Prime Minister Chen back then, but I do not have Prime Minister Chen’s power.”

Are we in the same situation?

Fang Tong pondered these words carefully. Could it be that the Dragon Hidden Guard had found Yun Congsheng and wanted him to complete the task left behind by the late emperor?

That's pretty unlucky.

It could very well be a matter of life and death.

"I would like to ask you two to help me introduce me to the Crown Prince."

From the day he "acquired" the Dragon Guard, he had been thinking about how to make it happen.

Perhaps it will take time to accumulate experience and wait until he has served as an official for many years and his status and position have been elevated before he can do certain things.

Ke Yuncongsheng knew all too well the importance of connections in officialdom.

Chen Zijun is a good example; if he couldn't do it when he was in power, Yun Congsheng doesn't think he can.

He needs to find allies.

Perhaps the Fang family could help, since the Fang brothers came from humble backgrounds, even worse off than him, and had no connections with powerful families.

They are naturally on the same side on certain issues.

But it's still not enough for a behemoth with hundreds of years of accumulated wealth, no matter how many more people from humble backgrounds he tries to win over.

In this world, only imperial power can rival the aristocratic families.

The Dragon Guard once mentioned that the late emperor felt that this matter was too dangerous and that if the emperor himself were to do it, there was a risk of the dynasty being overthrown.

In fact, the late emperor and Chen Zijun's plan was that when Chen Zijun had taken most of the action, the emperor would then step in to finish things off.

Which emperor wouldn't be wary of powerful families?

After all, those were the ones vying for power with him.

It doesn't matter if the next emperor harbors illusions about the aristocratic families and is unwilling to eradicate them completely.

The Dragon Guards possess an imperial edict from the late emperor, just in case.

Despite the late emperor's meticulous planning and Chen Zijun's talent and power, she still lost the struggle.

Although Yun Congsheng was confident, he did not believe he could compare to Chen Zijun.

Therefore, he cannot rely solely on himself. If the combined strength of all the poor scholars in the world is not enough, what about adding the Crown Prince?

Yun Congsheng's selection of the crown prince was also the result of careful consideration.

Their crown prince was different from previous crown princes. He was unconventional but not ignorant of human relationships. He had clear likes and dislikes but would not act rashly.

Furthermore, the Crown Prince himself treated the aristocratic families in a very ordinary way, just like he would treat ordinary people.

Very few members of the royal family have this kind of mentality.

What finally made Yun Congsheng make up his mind was seeing officials from aristocratic families being forced to kneel as punishment for several days in a row, and the emperor's attitude at the morning court session that day.

Yun Congsheng saw the current dislike and helplessness towards aristocratic families.

That way, the emperor won't stand against him, which is very important.

Yun Congsheng still wanted to be a loyal subject.

These considerations, coupled with the fact that the time was right.

Yes, timing.

Through the Dragon Guard, he knew more inside information than ordinary officials and clearly sensed that this was the time for the emperor to suppress powerful families.

This time, although it won't cripple them, it will still hurt them financially.

He must seize this opportunity.

Besides these considerations of the big picture, Yun Congsheng also had his own ambitions.

He agreed to the Dragon Guard's request because he himself was questioning the existence of aristocratic families.

What ordinary people painstakingly obtain, powerful families can seize by force and plunder by virtue of their superiority over court officials and the law.

Why?

If he suffers such injustice and must endure it, will his descendants also live a cowardly life if they encounter similar situations in the future?

His parents sacrificed their lives, planting the seeds of hatred in him.

Perhaps the Dragon Guards chose him for this reason.

This is for him personally, and for his family.

In the stillness of the night, Yun Congsheng often pondered whether or not to send his wife, daughter, and son back to their hometown.

He was worried that one day, assassins recruited by the Dragon Guards would harm his family.

Yun Congsheng believed in the strength of the Dragon Hidden Guards, each of them being a master, but even the strongest can't fight against overwhelming odds.

Wasn't the incident at the imperial tombs a case of people blocking the entrance?

Six members of the Dragon Guard were killed and ten were injured before they managed to escape in different directions.

But Yun Congsheng felt that sending his family back to their hometown might not be safe. If those people really wanted to retaliate, they would definitely send people to look for them.

He felt that rather than being passive, it was better to play his cards openly.

If the Dragon Guards, who have been missing for many years, were to reappear, they would, on the surface, represent the late emperor.

Who's crazy enough to openly attack the Dragon Guards?

After considering all of the above, Yun Congsheng made a difficult decision to surrender to the Crown Prince.

Without joining forces, his current official rank wouldn't qualify him for that.

Even if he rashly sought an audience with the Crown Prince, there was a very high chance he would not be able to see him.

It's not easy for a low-ranking official of the fifth rank, with no family background or fame, to get close to the crown prince.

Fang Tong understood what he meant; he wasn't trying to get them to join him in his journey, but rather that they wanted to get on the Crown Prince's ship.

He pondered for a long time, then asked, "What is Lord Yun's opinion on Chen Zijun's case?"

Having learned of the existence of the Dragon Guard, Fang Tong finally understood that Chen Zijun was not the kind of person who would betray his country.

With the late emperor's men watching him every day, if he were to commit a serious act of treason, would the Dragon Hidden Guards let him go?

This also leads to the conclusion that the Dragon Guards were fully aware of, and perhaps even involved in, the circumstances surrounding Chen Zijun's death and what exactly happened back then.

But they didn't reveal their identities back then and went to the emperor to plead for Chen Zijun.

After Chen Zijun's death, they never told anyone the truth. Even when Zhizhi asked, Ying Si said he didn't know anything.

To be honest, Fang Tong felt sorry for Chen Zijun because of this attitude, and thought it was not worth it.

The Dragon Shadow Guards will always be the Dragon Shadow Guards; perhaps only the "duty" left by the late emperor remains in their hearts.

Nothing else matters.

In other words, Chen Zijun served the royal family like a slave, died in the end, and was still branded a treacherous minister.

All the clansmen were exiled and suffered greatly.

It's not worth it at all, what's the point?

Did the emperor truly know nothing about the Dragon Guards, or was he feigning ignorance and simply disliked Chen Zijun, wanting to kill him?

Fang Tong felt a chill run down his spine. No wonder people say that serving a ruler is like serving a tiger; it's truly terrifying.

Seeing that his expression wasn't good, Yun Congsheng could guess what was going on.

Because he had thought of this earlier.

He believed that the Dragon Guard would do everything in their power to assist him, but he did not believe that the Dragon Guard would protect his family and allow him to have no worries.

Otherwise, why would he even consider sending his wife and daughter away?

“I think some things should be made public, and done openly and honestly,” Yun Congsheng said.

Fang Tong finally felt satisfied.

This means that if necessary, the Dragon Guards should step in and explain everything.

Given their status, they don't need any more evidence to convince people.

"Lord Yun, if the knife injures your hand, it's better to discard it sooner rather than later," Fang Yin casually reminded him.

This is asking, are you sure you can do it? Can you make the Dragon Guards obey your orders?

"Thank you for the reminder, General Fang, but a sheathed knife is always much safer."

The "sheath" that Yun Congsheng mentioned was not him, but the former emperor.

Unless the person wielding the knife is gone one day, this sheathed knife will not find another owner.

“We will tell His Highness the Crown Prince the truth about this matter, but whether the Crown Prince is willing to see you depends on his wishes,” Fang Tong said.

Even if he was certain that the Crown Prince would most likely agree, he couldn't just accept the offer on behalf of the prince.

"Thank you for your help, Lord Fang, General Fang."

After finishing their business, none of the three lingered.

Yun Congsheng left first, while Fang Tong and Fang Yin deliberately lingered a bit, eating some snacks before leaving together.

Only Bai Wu and his group knew about this meeting; no, Ying Shiba was also there.

Among the Dragon Hidden Guards, the one most skilled at concealing his presence was Shadow Eighteen, who secretly protected Yun Congsheng after he took over their command.

The fact that Bai Wu and the others didn't notice shows just how powerful they are.

Bai Wu didn't know what the three of them would say when they met, but he had a feeling that they didn't need to explore the secret room anymore.

Ying Shiba guessed something and her first reaction was to turn around and tell the captain. But then she thought, what's the point of telling him?

They used to hide their identities because they hadn't found the right person, but now that Yun Congsheng is in charge, they naturally have to obey him in everything.

The Dragon Guards have always been very self-aware; they are merely following the late emperor's orders and finding suitable people to assist them, not actually deciding what to do.

In other words, they don't understand the power struggles within the imperial court; they are simply hidden guards and protectors!

Fang Yin went to the East Palace in the afternoon and successfully met Qing Yan, explaining his purpose.

Coincidentally, Qingyan's people just found out that the manor is the one where the late emperor is said to have kept a mistress.

Since Chen was exiled, most of the staff in the village have not been replaced.

This is very strange. When Chen was exiled, all his former servants had to be resold.

However, someone covered it up at the time, and the servants on the estate were "sold" to the new owner of the estate, meaning that they remained on the estate.

Who buys servants and then lets them run wild without training them?

Qingyan was beginning to suspect that these servants might be Chen's retainers.

After hearing Fang Yin's words, he was certain that they were the Dragon Hidden Guards. The manor bestowed by the late emperor was the place where the Dragon Hidden Guards were kept.

After thinking for a moment, Qingyan disguised himself and left the palace to go to the Yun residence.

In these turbulent times, fewer people are keeping an eye on the Crown Prince, especially since he takes detours and uses body doubles to cover himself up after leaving the palace.

Therefore, when he arrived at the Yun residence, Yun Congsheng was completely unprepared.

The servants reported that General Fang brought a young man to the door.

When the others were invited in, Yun Congsheng was startled and wanted to kneel down.

Qingyan sat in the main seat and discussed serious matters with him.

"For example, the bargaining chips held by the Dragon Shadow Guards?"

"What were the things that the late emperor and Chen Zijun planned to do to the aristocratic families?"

"What is Lord Yun's view on the general trend of the world?"

"If Lord Yun were to one day hold a high position in the government and have many children, would he ever think of passing on his wealth and honor to his descendants for generations?"

Fang Yin was alarmed by this question.

He put himself in her shoes and thought about it; the answer was yes, who wouldn't? To have blessings for future generations is their pride.

But what if, after becoming a family of trustworthy individuals, some of our descendants turn out to be utterly immoral?

Yun Congsheng pondered for a long while.

"I dare not deceive you. I do have my own thoughts, and I believe that most people in the world think the same way."

"Who wouldn't want to be blessed with good fortune for generations to come?"

"But I believe that while the prosperity of the entire clan is good, it cannot compare to the prosperity of the whole country."

These are his honest thoughts, but he doesn't know how to put them into practice, or how he can achieve them.

Qingyan gave him a deep look, and after chatting for the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, he was about to leave.

Yun Congsheng wanted to see him off at the gate, but Fang Yin stopped him.

His Highness wants to keep a low profile.

After leaving the Yun residence, Fang Yin couldn't help but look back.

The Crown Prince has graced us with his presence. He didn't believe the Dragon Guards were unaware of his arrival, yet he didn't come out to pay his respects.

What does it mean?

But when Fang Yin thought about how Shadow Four died to save the Crown Prince, he understood something more.

The Dragon Guards are stubborn and believe that although they should belong to the royal family, their primary role now is to assist Yun Congsheng.

To assist Yun Congsheng meant to follow the late emperor's wishes, which meant that in their hearts, the late emperor was more important than the crown prince.

The Crown Prince did not return to the palace, but went to the residence of Grand Princess Mingzhu again.

I only stayed inside for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before coming out.

After he left, Grand Princess Mingzhu sat there for a long time, and finally sighed.

"The county princess's pregnancy is stable and she can go out and walk around. Why don't we let her go to Yuanguang Temple to donate some incense money and accumulate blessings for the child in her womb?"

"You should accompany them yourself. There's no rush to come back. They can stay for half a month."

The old woman standing nearby was surprised; half a month was not as simple as just praying for blessings.

"Yes, Your Highness, regarding the county horse..."