Chapter 251 - The Wise Contemplate Much
The moment the court adjourned, everything was finalized: Qi Zongbi's military power was stripped away, and Ying Gutong was reassigned to the border regions. Only at this point did the officials, upon careful reflection, realize that what had appeared to be a farce between civil and military officials ultimately benefited only Su Yi.
Su Yi's seemingly chaotic yet meticulously calculated series of moves had truly left this group of people utterly bewildered.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with Su Yi was the Grand Marshal of the Imperial Guardians, Yu Shibang. Yu had long maintained a personal friendship with Ying Gutong and held an equivalent rank. However, unlike Marshal Ying, Marshal Yu was responsible for commanding all the palace's imperial guards and had not led troops on external campaigns for many years.
As Yu Shibang brushed past Su Yi, he let out a heavy snort and coldly remarked, "Grand Tutor Su, your tactics are remarkable. I fear that Marshal Ying's reputation will take a serious hit after this round of turmoil."
Su Yi smiled faintly and cupped his hands in reply. "Marshal Yu, you flatter me."
Su Yi was the last to leave the grand hall. This was primarily because he had few allies in the court to begin with, but he also wanted to avoid the scornful glances of the other ministers.
As he walked out of the palace gates and headed toward the carriage waiting to take him home, he suddenly heard someone calling his name. Turning to look, he saw a carriage approaching leisurely.
It was Senior Fan's carriage.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Senior Fan cheerfully poked his head out. "Su Yi, I have been waiting for you for quite a while."
Su Yi was taken aback, then glanced around to ensure that no one nearby was paying attention. Satisfied, he stepped into the carriage. The curtain fell back into place, concealing everything within.
Inside the carriage was a small table, upon which sat a tray holding a small teapot that was steaming gently. A few delicate tea cups were placed upside down beside it.