sjar Chapter 381 Yuan Family Crisis
Chapter 381 Yuan Family Crisis
Chapter 381 Yuan Family Crisis
"Let me in, let me in!" Lin Fei had just wanted to rest for a moment when he heard a commotion outside the Imperial Study: "I have important matters to report to His Majesty the Emperor!"
"That won't do, Miss Yuan. Without His Majesty's permission, you can't just barge into the Imperial Study. If His Majesty blames us, none of us can bear the consequences!" Although the noisy voices were some distance from the Imperial Study, Lin Fei, with his keen hearing, could clearly hear them.
Hearing the commotion, Lin Fei frowned – after all, the imperial palace was a forbidden area, where loud noises were strictly prohibited. This was especially true in front of his study, where he conducted official business. Even high-ranking officials like Prime Minister Wang You dared not speak loudly here without being summoned by Lin Fei.
Lin Fei frowned and asked, "Chief Steward Wang, why is it so noisy outside? I don't think there are any female officials in my court?"
The voice of Steward Wang came from outside the door: "According to what I've written, she is Master Yuan's sister, the eldest daughter of the Yuan family in Jiangling. Even my men don't dare to lay a hand on her."
Lin Fei had thought the voice sounded familiar; it turned out to be Yuan Daotong's younger sister, Yuan Qingqing. He had met this girl once before, but he didn't know why she would barge into the Forbidden City.
"That brat Yuan Daotong, despite holding the title of Protector of the Nation, is even more irresponsible than I am. I haven't seen him twice since I returned to the capital. And why is his sister causing trouble in my study again?" Lin Fei instructed Chief Eunuch Wang, who was waiting outside the door, "Alright, let the guards let her in. This is a forbidden area of the palace; what kind of behavior is this, making such a racket?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Chief Steward Wang responded, and soon brought Yuan Qingqing to Lin Fei's study.
Lin Fei glanced at Yuan Qingqing standing below and chuckled, "Alright, girl, just say what's on your mind! What's the big deal that made you come all the way from Jiangling to my study? Your good-for-nothing brother is even more carefree than me. Where is he hiding now, enjoying his retirement?"
Lin Fei remembered that when he returned to Beijing last time, he heard from Prime Minister Wang You that Yuan Daotong had resigned due to illness and returned home, but he still hadn't returned.
At Yuan Daotong's level of cultivation, how could he fall ill so easily? It's likely that guy, like Lin Fei, is only diligent for three days and rests for two, and has disappeared somewhere.
However, Lin Fei was a hands-off manager, so he naturally had no reason to expect others to be diligent. Besides, all matters of state, big and small, were handled by the civil and military officials, so Yuan Daotong, the Celestial Master, didn't have much to do. At most, this charlatan would come out to cast a divination for important events like the investiture of Heaven and ancestral sacrifices. Therefore, Lin Fei didn't pay much attention to him.
Upon hearing Lin Fei's question, Yuan Qingqing, who was standing below, immediately reddened her eyes and knelt down in front of Lin Fei with a "plop": "Your Majesty, please save my brother, my brother, he is about to die!"
"What's going on?" Lin Fei was stunned when he saw this.
You must understand, Yuan Daotong is now the Celestial Master Protector of the Southern Tang Kingdom. Given his status, there are probably very few people in the entire Southern Tang Kingdom who would dare to harm him. If someone really wanted to harm the Celestial Master Protector of the Southern Tang Kingdom, it would probably have been the talk of the entire court long ago, and Prime Minister Wang You wouldn't have remained completely silent when he met with him earlier.
Given Yuan Daotong's cultivation level, it would be difficult for ordinary villains to threaten his life.
Seeing Yuan Qingqing's eyes red from crying, Lin Fei knew she was not talking nonsense, and hurriedly asked, "What exactly happened? Didn't your brother go home on sick leave? How could he be in danger again?"
Yuan Qingqing sobbed, "I... I don't know the full story either. I came to the capital secretly this time. My brother's health has been deteriorating since he returned home, and lately he's been coughing up blood every day, just like when Father was on his deathbed. My brother told me not to make a fuss, so I secretly ran away to the capital. In the entire Southern Tang Kingdom, apart from His Majesty, I'm afraid no one can save my brother! I beg His Majesty to remember our past friendship and save my brother's life!"
Hearing Yuan Qingqing's words, Lin Fei's brows furrowed even deeper. He knew that the heads of the Yuan family throughout history had all died before the age of fifty because they had revealed heavenly secrets while practicing the Tui Bei Tu.
However, Yuan Daotong is not even thirty years old yet. He should still have a long time before the age of fifty, which is the traditional limit for the heads of the Yuan family. It is highly unlikely that such a situation would occur.
Yuan Qingqing couldn't explain the specifics clearly. She was extremely anxious and just kept sobbing, but she couldn't say for sure how serious the situation was or what had happened to Yuan Daotong.
Lin Fei suddenly stood up and said directly to Yuan Qingqing, "Stop crying. Let's set off for Jiangling now and check the situation first!"
Lin Fei agreed so readily that even Yuan Qingqing was caught off guard. She thought that Lin Fei was too busy to agree to her request so easily, and at most he would send someone with her to Jiangling to check the situation. But she didn't expect that Lin Fei would go there in person without saying a word.
Yuan Qingqing had even prepared herself to make a scene, resorting to crying,闹事, and threatening suicide, determined to get Lin Fei to come in person. But things went surprisingly smoothly.
"Thank you so much, Your Majesty!" Yuan Qingqing was still a little dazed, seemingly unable to come to her senses for a moment.
"No need to thank me." Lin Fei waved his hand dismissively. "Not to mention that Brother Yuan is the Heavenly Master who protects the nation of my Southern Tang. I was already acquainted with Brother Yuan before I ascended the throne. Even if he were not the emperor of Southern Tang, as a friend, I would have no choice but to help him if his life was in danger."
Yuan Qingqing was moved to tears by Lin Fei's words. She had thought that Lin Fei, now the emperor, a dignified ruler of a nation, the supreme sovereign, was vastly different from before. But she hadn't expected that Lin Fei would still treat Yuan Daotong as a friend. In a daze, Yuan Qingqing even thought that the person standing before her wasn't the dignified emperor of Southern Tang, but the little Taoist priest in his robes from before. Unconsciously, her attitude towards Lin Fei grew even closer.
……
Lin Fei originally planned to recuperate for a while after returning to the capital, but he didn't expect to hear the shocking news that Yuan Daotong's life was in danger before he could even settle in.
Without wasting any more time, he followed Yuan Qingqing and rushed towards Jiangling without stopping.
At the same time, Lin Fei was also full of doubts. What exactly happened that caused Yuan Daotong to be in mortal danger, and even Yuan Qingqing to travel thousands of miles to the capital to beg Lin Fei for help?