Chapter 103 - Encirclement (160 Monthly Votes Bonus)

Words : 1479 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 103: Chapter 103 - Encirclement (160 Monthly Votes Bonus)After having lunch, they strolled around the street for another half an hour before finally returning to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion. Su Jin and Xingxing were riding in a carriage. The others were on horseback. Su Yang and Su Chong shared a horse. As they reached the street where Dongxiang Marquis Mansion was located, they saw their home surrounded by soldiers. There was a soldier every ten steps, standing with perfect posture. Young Master Su’s heart sank. He had just gone out for a bit, and their home was completely besieged. He had planned to sneak out and have some fun while his father was away at the border. Last time, he at least managed to climb the wall, but now, with so many people beneath, how could he escape? "Big brother, our home is already surrounded, should we still go back?" Su Yang asked Su Chong. "We were just feasting at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, and no one came to arrest us. It seems we are not that important," Su Chong replied after some thought. "...." Although they didn’t have to be captured, why did those words feel so hurtful when spoken? Aren’t they the Young Master of Dongxiang Marquis and Young Master? Is it alright to be so disregarded? They moved forward and arrived at the main gate of Dongxiang Marquis Mansion. Su Chong and Su Yang stayed on horseback as the commander of the soldiers approached them. "Who sent you to surround our Dongxiang Marquis Mansion?" Su Chong asked. "If we go in, can we come out as we please?" Su Yang asked. "...." The commander’s face went dark. Never had he seen anyone whose home was being surrounded yet remained so calm. Truly befitting bandits from Qingyun Mountain, for whom being surrounded is a habit, thus maintaining such composure. "The Emperor sent us to surround Dongxiang Marquis Mansion," the commander replied. Su Yang turned to Su Chong, "Big brother, it was the Emperor who sent them." Su Chong remained silent. He was contemplating the Emperor’s intention behind this move. Su Yang was much simpler in his thinking. He didn’t want to be caged; he wanted to resist. He looked over at Xie Jingchen and said, "Brother-in-law, can I stay with you for a few days?" Xie Jingchen furrowed his brows tightly. Leaving Duke Zhen’s Mansion was as easy as pie for him. Xie Jingchen turned to the commander and asked, "Did the Emperor say that people inside are not allowed to enter or leave?" Commander, "...." Does that even need saying? Isn’t being surrounded always a case of no one being allowed out once they are in? Slightly relaxed would mean allowing the purchasing servants and maids to come and go, but strictly speaking, even vegetables would be listed and paid for to be delivered outside for buying. If people could freely come and go, it wouldn’t be called a siege but a guard. With what Dongxiang Marquis did, would the Emperor send people to guard Dongxiang Marquis Mansion? Thinking—— The corner of the commander’s mouth twitched. No, that’s a real possibility. The commander coughed lightly and said, "The Emperor didn’t say, I will go and ask to clarify." As they watched the commander turn and walk away. Su Chong, "...." Xie Jingchen, "...." Inside the Imperial Study. The Emperor, feeling a bit drowsy from reading memorials, rubbed his eyes for a break. The little eunuch came in and softly called out, "Your Majesty." "Get to the point," the Emperor said. "Commander Tie has sent me to ask, Your Majesty, since Dongxiang Marquis Mansion is surrounded, are the Young Masters of Dongxiang Marquis Mansion allowed to leave?" the little eunuch asked. "Why ask such a question?" Eunuch Fu frowned and said. "Because both the Young Master and Young Master Su of Dongxiang Marquis Mansion are outside the mansion. If they aren’t allowed to leave, they plan to stay at Duke Zhen’s Mansion," the little eunuch replied. "...." Eunuch Fu was dumbfounded. They really don’t take the Emperor’s siege seriously, do they?! Although outwardly it seemed a siege, the Emperor was actually safeguarding Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, yet all the officials and generals were watching. Could they not maintain some semblance of the Emperor’s dignity? Thinking of how Dongxiang Marquis had snatched the horses and clothes of the Iron Cavalry sent by Duke Chong to block them, Eunuch Fu wiped the metaphorical black lines from his forehead. The Emperor’s face turned green, and Eunuch Fu quickly advised, "Your Majesty, it might be wise to allow them movement, just imagine how troublesome the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion already is for Duke Zhen’s Mansion. Add two more, and won’t the place be turned upside down?" The Emperor slapped the Dragon Desk in anger, "Allow them to come and go?! Did I send Commander Tie to watch over an empty house?!" Eunuch Fu, "...." Eunuch Fu shivered slightly at the scene of Dongxiang Marquis’s wife shopping with her two sons. If that truly happened, wouldn’t the Empress Dowager and Duke Chong be up in arms? Seeing the Emperor fuming, Eunuch Fu quickly said, "Your Majesty, think carefully, all those assassins sent to kill Dongxiang Marquis ended up dead. If it gets rough, the people of Dongxiang Marquis Mansion might not be easily stopped by Commander Tie’s men...." "If Dongxiang Marquis Mansion really takes over Duke Zhen’s Mansion and Dongxiang Marquis goes to the border, Duke Zhen will definitely be affected." "Your Majesty, when comparing two evils, choose the lesser." The Emperor looked at Eunuch Fu. So obvious was his biased stance towards Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, could the Emperor not notice? Anger flared within the Emperor’s eyes. Eunuch Fu maintained a grave expression. However, in his mind, a sentence spoken by Dongxiang Marquis lingered: While I am not in the Capital City, note down whoever speaks ill of me before the Emperor, when I return, we’ll settle accounts. If the Emperor gets too angry, help calm him a bit, know whom you should support, alright? A threatening glance came over: The last one who disobeyed, the grass on their grave is waist-high, like you, Eunuch Fu. Surely Eunuch Fu had some idea by now? How could Eunuch Fu not have an idea? From Qingyun Mountain, when he banged the table in front of the Emperor, demanding him to fetch the whip from the lake, he had been crystal clear in his mind. The Emperor frowned and said, "What did I order?" Eunuch Fu’s eyes lit up, and he answered, "Your Majesty, you instructed Commander Tie to surround Dongxiang Marquis Mansion and not let Dongxiang Marquis’s wife step out. It was my failure to deliver the message clearly...." The Emperor, vexed, retorted, "Miscommunicating the orders warrants deducting half a year’s salary." Eunuch Fu, "...!!!" Soon, the message reached Commander Tie’s ears. Commander Tie, with a stern face, said, "Keep a close watch on Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, do not allow Dongxiang Marquis’s wife to step out, violators will be executed!" The soldiers responded in unison, "Yes!" Once Commander Tie turned away, the soldiers found it hard to maintain composure. They looked at each other, one after the other. All with twitching mouths, faces lined with dark lines. The Emperor actually ordered them soldiers to protect bandits... So fierce are the bandits, do they even need protection? If assassins came, who protects who isn’t certain. The news reached inside the house, and Su Yang laughed, "Mother, before Father returns, you won’t be able to leave the mansion." Mrs. Tang sipped her tea with a smile, "A month will pass quickly." Su Yang, "...." Was she telling him his happy days were limited to a month? "Mother, can Father really return to the Capital in a month after transporting grain and grass to the border?" Su Chong doubted. Mrs. Tang put down her teacup and said, "If it were the court transporting grain, a month wouldn’t suffice, but your father has more people, the brothers from Qingyun Mountain are fast, plus five hundred horses, they travel day and night, taking turns to rest, a month is more than enough." "Does Father need to rush that much?" Su Yang frowned with a small face. "The court’s grain supplies to the border have to guarantee ninety percent delivery, so many people to feed, if they don’t move quickly, how can your father explain to Duke Zhen?" Mrs. Tang said. "...." "So Father drove the grain transport officials away because he thought they were too slow and wasted food," Su Yang sighed with realization. "But traveling so fast consumes energy, leading to eating more," Su Chong calculated, concluding it’s an impossible task. The brothers of Qingyun Mountain, not only being numerous, have appetites twice that of ordinary troops. "Looks like some granary will have to bear the bad luck along the way," Su Yang sighed. "...."

Chapter 103 - Encirclement (160 Monthly Votes Bonus)

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