Chapter 458: Fermentation! (2/2)

But even someone as intelligent as Yao Guangyi could not understand why this Wang Clan brat had done such a thing.

Several hours had passed since he had received the news, but even after all this time, Yao Guangyi had still not been able to understand Wang Chong's actions.

In the past, Yao Guangyi had at least been able to see through Wang Chong's intentions and pin down his goal.

But this time, he truly was perplexed.

Had he really gathered so many forces to kill an insignificant and negligible Turkic Hu? How could that be possible?

Yao Guangyi didn't even remember his name.

If the Wang Clan thought he would believe that, then it was insulting his intelligence.

”That shouldn't be!”

Yao Guangyi's brows leapt up as vexation plagued his mind. This inability to understand his opponent was an excruciating feeling for him.

And there was also a deep sense of defeat.

”Father, Wang Chong's abilities are still far from reaching that level! Could this really be the doing of the figure standing at the upper echelons of the Wang Clan? But isn't this method too straightforward, too childish? Your son has thought about this over and over and still finds it unreasonable. I ask Father for instruction.”

Yao Guangyi took in a deep breath and then suddenly turned his head. Looking toward his father quietly seated in the room, he gave a deep bow.

His father normally resided in the Four Quarters Embassy, and he had issued an order that it was forbidden to seek him out in the Four Quarters Embassy unless the Yao Clan had a very important matter to discuss.

And as his father aged, he appeared less and less. Yao Guangyi, using their relationship as father and son, had been able to get a few meetings, but the other members of the Yao Clan…

In the past, they were able to meet three or four times a year, but in the last few years, even one meeting was a rarity. Even for Yao Guangyi, the Yao Old Master had clearly indicated that he should visit the Four Quarters Embassy less in the future.

Authority was something that became less effective the more it was used, and being used less made it all the more revered.

More mysterious things inspired more respect.

Yao Guangyi was well aware that this was the Old Master's guiding rule in life. However, this incident was very unique, so he had still come.

The room was quiet.

The Yao Old Master's hands rested on a five-foot-tall rattan cane, but his body was hidden in the shadows. The shadows cast by the flickering candle light shrouded his entire face, obscuring his true appearance.

But the flickering candle light also seemed to twinkle on the cloth robe he was wearing.

After some time, the Yao Old Master finally spoke, his voice steeped with some mysterious flavor. ”Wang Bowu is not this sort of person.”

(TN: 'Bowu' is Wang Jiuling's courtesy name.)

The person who understood one the most was always one's enemy.

Although he had struggled against Wang Jiuling for several decades, Yao Chong had to admit that his neighbor was truly one who united action and knowledge, the inside and outside.

Other people might be modest, humble, frugal, and restrained to build a reputation, but Wang Jiuling really was this sort of person.

If not for his inflexible personality, then with Wang Jiuling's achievements in assisting the current Emperor, his status as Prime Minister, and his role in opening the Great Tang's golden age, the Wang Clan would have been rolling in wealth and honor. How could his Yao Clan have been able to suppress it?

The Wang Clan and Wang Jiuling had placed these constraints on themselves.

But even so, this reputation had led Wang Jiuling to be loved and admired by the world. Yao Chong wouldn't be able to learn to do this even if he wanted to.

”I understand what you want to say. However, even if the Wang Clan wants to avoid suspicion by dirtying its name itself, it wouldn't use these methods. At the very least, Wang Bowu would not use them.”

The Yao Old Master gripped his cane and closed his eyes, seemingly deep in thought.

”Although I don't know what's going on, there's probably an eighty or ninety percent chance that the child really was behind this incident and that it has nothing to do with Wang Bowu.”

A tinge of doubt could be heard in his voice.

There truly weren't many matters that the Yao Old Master couldn't understand, but today's incident had left both him and Yao Guangyi puzzled.

Although he couldn't understand the crux of incident, he could still conclude that it was completely Wang Chong's idea. But he did not understand why Wang Chong had done it.

That Hu was just a Hu. There was nothing special about him. Wang Chong had probably never met him before. But then why did Wang Chong act so crazily?

He didn't even mind offending Zhang Shougui!

The Yao Old Master closed his eyes and fell into deep thought.

”For the moment, our Yao Clan will not involve itself in this matter. We should first observe before making a decision on how to respond,” the Yao Old Master finally said.

”Yes, Father.”

A hint of astonishment flashed through Yao Guangyi's eyes, but he quickly lowered his head and respectfully agreed.

”But Father, this is such an excellent chance. Are we really not taking the opportunity to beat them down?”

”Hmph, what you want to do is your own matter. However, don't use your authority in the Bureau of Military Personnel. If you really want to do something, you have to inform the Court of Judicial Review.”

”Yes!” Yao Guangyi elatedly said.

”In addition…”

The Yao Old Master seemed to think of something and added, ”Investigate that Hu. In the future, he might be useful…”

”Yes!”

Though shocked, Yao Guangyi quickly replied in the affirmative.