Chapter 433 - 431
The Crown Prince naturally did not oppose Tan Weixian’s proposal. He said, "Alright, this is an important matter. Gather everyone in the afternoon for a consultation. We must select competent people for the task. However, even if Lao Liu is indeed doing it for profit, we can no longer allow him to act on his whims. Now that he has returned, we cannot let him leave again. I will find a way to deal with Imperial Father. Send word out; tell the capital’s yamen and the counties around the capital to be vigilant. If Lao Liu tries to buy land to establish a cattle farm or dairy workshop again, find an excuse to block him."
Tan Weixian agreed and then tentatively said, "I feel that we shouldn’t let Ye Xinyan go unchecked either. If she can’t be won over, we must restrict her. The guard she brought from Yuyuan Prefecture is named Guan He, and he is no simple man. Today, during the opening of the railway business, there were many idle men loitering around. Guan He weaved through the crowd a few times, and quietly, he managed to lead away over a dozen people without causing any commotion. Bringing such a capable guard to the capital is quite thought-provoking."
The Crown Prince asked in surprise, "Where did he take them? Did he knock them out? If he is injuring people without cause, then have the government officers arrest him and lock him up. Let’s see just how capable he really is."
Tan Weixian replied with a helpless smile, "If he had left such evidence, he wouldn’t be considered capable. Guan He made his move in a dense crowd without alerting anyone. It seemed he simply used gestures like patting on the back to round up over a dozen idle men. These people appeared to have no external injuries, but their limbs were numb. It took them a long time to recover, and they had to massage and pat each other before they could leave Changping Street with difficulty."
"It will be difficult to control Guan He with government officers," continued Tan Weixian. "No one saw him make a move, and our men, pretending to be passersby, casually inquired about it. Those people hurriedly made excuses, acting as if they were just strolling around. It seems they were thoroughly frightened and will no longer dare to appear at the railway business."
The Crown Prince said indifferently, "Then let it be; no matter how skilled he is, he’s just a guard. If you think that Ye Xinyan should not be left unattended, why don’t we first arrange for an official of modest rank to have his family members get to know Ye Xinyan? We’ll see if they can win her over and sound her out in the process. Considering the incident from the year before last, which woman would want to associate with her? She would be desperate for any acquaintance."
Tan Weixian consented, but added, "Your Highness’s method is good. However, as you said, with such a reputation, I’m afraid no woman would want to involve herself with her. Perhaps Your Highness could suggest to His Majesty that Qi Ye is a corrupting influence. If His Majesty were to suppress her, there would be no problem. His Highness Prince Yu got himself in all sorts of trouble after his dealings with Ye Xinyan. If Ye Xinyan were confined to the inner chambers, Prince Yu would have no further issues and would go back to his carefree ways, seeking pleasure elsewhere."
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