Chapter 334 Just Need a Goddaughter

Qiu Yelan’s sudden visit not only made Xue Chang realize Qiu Jinglan’s crisis, but also tipped Marquess Qin off.

He summoned Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi to his study that night, “Do you know that Qiu Yelan went to see Xue Chang?”

They looked at each other, “Yes, we do.”

“Xue Chang shouldn’t be messed with,” Marquess Qin said calmly. “It is because not only he is powerful, but also our country will be in chaos without him!”

Seeing that his nephew and his eldest son didn’t agree with him, he squinted his eyes, “Do you know why they call Tao Yinsong the Pillar of the State, but just call me the Defender of the State after I spend my whole life defending our country?”

“Because I’m skilled at military operations. But when it comes to run the country, let alone Tao Yinsong, even you, Tianao, are better than me!” Marquess Qin said flatly, “Our country is still prosperous even if we’ve been fighting with Empress Dowager Gu for power for several years. It’s true that the two sides know when to stop. But mostly it’s because of Xue Chang! If it hadn’t been him who led the centrists to meditate and focus on running our country, our country would have been ruined a long time ago! So, even though Empress Dowager Gu lost the fight, we shouldn’t go after Xue Chang!”

He paused, “So don’t be hostile to Qiu Jinglan anymore! Xue Chang wants him to be his successor. He almost lost one of his favorite successors, Xue Nongying. If something happens to Qiu Jinglan, he definitely won’t let us off the hook! You have seen what he did to Prince of Zhou. Don’t underestimate him just because he doesn’t have an army. If he were to put up a desperate fight with our family… Although we aren’t afraid of him, it doesn’t need to come to that!”

Jiang Tianao couldn’t help saying, “Uncle, you’re so talented, but you aren’t involved in the administration of the country. Don’t you decline it out of modesty? You always give me advice when I don’t know what to do.” He always thought that his uncle was the most capable man. How could he find it difficult?

“I didn’t say that I couldn’t!” Marquess Qin frowned, “I’m just not better than Xue Chang! I only gave you advice on the overall situation. You figured out all the details. You would have gained much more if Xue Chang had given you advice!” He made his fortune from nothing. Besides his military exploits and accurate political views, he knew himself.

He was nothing compared to Xue Chang when it came to the administration. Xue Chang managed to mediate between Empress Dowager Gu and Empress Jiang who were both unreasonable for years and they both wanted to win him over. Also, Darui was prosperous because of him. He was so talented that even if Tao Yinsong were alive, he would only be superior to him in military talent.

Besides, Xue Chang never commanded an army before. Who could know whether he was as good as Tao Yinsong if he went to war?

Marquess Qin didn’t want to lose a talent like him even though he wasn’t totally on his side.

After all, he hadn’t found anyone more capable than Xue Chang in running the country. Why didn’t the two empresses cross the line in their years of struggle? Because they were afraid that they might get a failing country which they needed to save before they could enjoy their victory even if they won by desperate means.

So Marquess Qin was very patient with Xue Chang as long as he didn’t trick the Jiang Family. Xue Chang’s talent deserved his patience. So, he was willing to put some thought into Qiu Jinglan’s arrangement for Xue Chang. Besides, Qiu Jinglan was also a rare talent. Why should they kill him if he could be used for the Jiang Family? What a waste of him!

Frankly speaking, Marquess Qin was disappointed in his nephew and son, “Killing everyone in their way is a reckless move! Why couldn’t they consider winning Qiu Jinglan over?” They would rather figure out the cost of killing him than make effort to gain him. Qiu Jinglan was Qiu Yelan’s brother. He adored her which meant that he was definitely on the fourth branch’s side. Even so, they shouldn’t give up without trying. Marquess Qin was frustrated about their EQ and behavior. They surely couldn’t achieve greatness like that!

“Father, in this case, we’ll follow your lead!” They didn’t know what Marquess Qin thought. Jiang Tianqi said after pondering, “However, Tianchi already has the Northern Army. It’s inappropriate to hand over the Western Army to Yashuang’s brother-in-law, isn’t it? Besides, it isn’t good for him to stay in the army since Xue Chang wants him to be his successor!”

Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi had no grudge against Qiu Jinglan. They wanted to kill him partly because they wanted to weaken the fourth branch’s power. But mostly because they wanted the Western Army. After Marquess Qin emphasized Xue Chang’s importance and the consequence of falling out with him, they immediately thought that Xue Chang worked with their family stealthily to trick Empress Dowager Gu for his grandson. Who could know if he would work with Jiang Tianchi to trick them for Qiu Jinglan?

That thought made them listen to Marquess Qin and give up killing Qiu Jinglan. They thought they should go for the Western Army directly! After all, the fourth branch that had total control over the Northern Army was now in total control of the lifeblood of their Family. When Marquess Qin died, they could abandon them and rule over the country with Xue Chang’s help!

They might as well go for the Western Army directly! Marquess Qin approved it at least.

As expected, Marquess Qin nodded after hearing what his son said, “We must have the Western Army. But we can’t transfer Qiu Jinglan back now. Ruan Qiu’s old subordinates aren’t stupid. We have promised we won’t burn bridges when we asked for their help! If we were to transfer Qiu Jinglan back and send one of our men there right after the Kuangs fell from power, how could they rest assured? They have been in the army for a long time and are deeply rooted. It will be troublesome if they work together to squeeze us out because of fear!”

Jiang Tianqi said, frowning, ” Qiu Jinglan would get a chance to follow in his father’s footsteps if we should leave him there, wouldn’t he?” Commander Wang told him that those men all needed Qiu Jinglan’s approval when it came to business even though they all got money from the Jiang Family. So, how could he trust Qiu Jinglan to stay there?

Qiu Yelan was the daughter-in-law of the fourth branch and Jiang Yashuang wasn’t easy to be manipulated. Otherwise, he would have asked Madame He to force Qiu Yelan to call her brother back.

Marquess Qin said flatly, “It’s okay. We just let him stay there for a few years. With him being the intermediary, our men won’t easily antagonize the old subordinates of the Western Army. You don’t need to worry about him following in his father’s footsteps. He’s too young. Do you think Ruan Qiu’s old subordinates will hand over the military power to him just because he got accepted to the Hanlin Academy when he was 18 years old? Without the military power, he only acts as the intermediary. What are you afraid of?”

“If you’re still worried, have you forgotten that he’s not married?” Marquess Qin glanced at them and smiled, “Find a smart lady for him to keep an eye on him. We can ask him to come back by using his wife’s family as an excuse after our men gain a firm foothold in the Western Army.”

Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi were happy to hear that at first. But then they felt bitter, “A lady… It’s hard to find a girl of his age and background lately!” Their daughters were married. So, they couldn’t be Qiu Jinglan’s father-in-law. Jiang Tianao resented his wife and daughter inwardly while thinking that. He originally planned to marry Jiang Qiyun to Qiu Jinglan. He even asked Jiang Yashuang to sound him out! However, Jiang Qiyun had a fallout with Qiu Yelan before she could meet Qiu Jinglan. She came back home and spoke ill of him in front of Madame Dou. She refused to marry him no matter what it would be! Jiang Tianao wasn’t so eager to fulfill his plan after hearing his wife and daughter bad-mouthing Qiu Jinglan. And then he gave up his plan after hearing that the Xue Family also wanted to marry their daughter to Qiu Jinglan.

He wouldn’t be so worried if he had married Jiang Qiyun to Qiu Jinglan! His daughter was a princess. But she was “recovering from an illness” on a farm outside the city. She would be there for the rest of her life as planned! And his son-in-law was too useless to accomplish anything!

His eldest granddaughter was good. She was talented and beautiful who was worthy of a good husband. But Jiang Yashuang married Qiu Yelan. He couldn’t marry his granddaughter to the brother of his nephew’s wife, could he? Unlike the royal family, they really couldn’t approve the marriages of close relatives.

Other than his daughter and granddaughter, his niece belonged to another branch. Jiang Tianao definitely wouldn’t consider her. And then there were only his sister’s daughter and the nieces in his wife’s family. But his sister’s daughter didn’t live in Jing City. They were basically strangers. It was so easy for a playboy like Qiu Jinglan to win a girl’s heart. Jiang Tianao wasn’t willing to marry his sister’s daughter who he ever never saw to Qiu Jinglan!

His wife’s family, the Dou Family, just fell from power. The Dou Family’s juniors were all being trained in the Jiaofang! He also never met his wife’s sister’s daughter before. He couldn’t trust her either!

He should stop thinking. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he would get!

Jiang Tianao was full of regret. And Jiang Tianqi was frustrated, too. Empress Jiang was Marquess Qin’s only daughter who was alive. And she only had one daughter, Princess Yongfu. His wife’s family was powerful enough. But they only had one daughter of the right age, He Shuijin, who was his son’s wife. Otherwise, He Shuijin might be smart enough to win over Qiu Jinglan.

Marquess Qin knew what troubled them. So, he advised, “Your subordinates should have marriageable daughters, shouldn’t they? Find an obedient, smart, and good-looking girl. Take her as your goddaughter and let your wife train her. It’s not the right time for Qiu Jinglan to get married since they are still at war. I think she should be close with our family when they get married.”

Obedient girls valued their families. As long as they had her family, they would have a hold on her even if she fell for Qiu Jinglan. She needed to be smart enough to keep an eye on Qiu Jinglan! And she needed to be beautiful considering Qiu Jinglan’s taste. He wasn’t like Jiang Yashuang. Judging by those two courtesans, he wouldn’t be lack beautiful women. If his wife wasn’t beautiful, she might end up like Madame Tao Junior who was a wife but more like his husband’s housekeeper!

They didn’t need her to be close with their family. They couldn’t raise her for too long before they married her to Qiu Jinglan. They were at the marriageable ages. So, they only got a few months or a little more than a year. How could they bond with each other over such a short time? They had to control her via her family.

“That’s the only way!” They couldn’t think of any better idea and decided to carry out that plan.

Their attitude towards Qiu Jinglan totally changed after Marquess Qin’s persuasion, from killing him to winning him over by marriage. However, Qiu Yelan didn’t know!

“Allying with the Xue Family isn’t enough!” The life of Qiu Yelan’s brother was at stake. She couldn’t treat it lightly! While wooing the Xue Family, she also thought, “The Jiang Family is too arrogant! Jiang Yadan and Jiang Qiyun are both capable of anything! Although Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi are afraid of Prime Minister Xue, who knows if they will kill my brother impulsively? I need multiple insurances!”

So, she thought of Empress Jiang, “Yashuang told me that she hated the first branch and didn’t like the third branch. She supports our branch! Then she should be happy to see us gaining power instead of the first branch and the third branch!” No one on Empress Jiang’s side wanted the Western Army anyway!

Also, “Empress Jiang is the second important one in the Empress’ party. She should be able to keep an eye on Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi even if she couldn’t stop them, shouldn’t she? She’s Yashuang’s aunt after all!”

With such an idea, she began to woo Empress Jiang. She went to visit her when she didn’t need to go to the Xue Family. And she brought various gifts with her on her visit. She didn’t mind the cost since she had plenty of dowries.

Empress Jiang didn’t know what she was up to at first. She was happy to see her nephew’s wife who had a bad temper become obedient. Especially that she felt guilty about Qiu Yelan. So, when Qiu Yelan treated her well, she grew fonder of her quickly.

She was disappointed when she figured out her purpose. But on the second thought, “I want the fourth branch to gain power even she doesn’t try to woo me, don’t I? Why should I blame her?” So, she gave Qiu Yelan what she wanted by revealing Jiang Tianao and Jiang Tianqi’s moves.

So, Qiu Yelan knew that they took two goddaughters shortly after her visit.

Since they tried to kill Qiu Jinglan before, Qiu Yelan didn’t think that those two girls were used to win over Qiu Jinglan. She thought, “They want those two girls to kill my brother!”

So, she begged Empress Jiang to summon those two girls to the Palace for her to meet!

She wanted to see if she could kill those two girls in Empress Jiang’s place.