The Tyrant's Beloved Empress

10

Before, Xiao Zhige only told him to think and did not give him an answer yet.

Xiao Zhige lowered his head and his chin rested nicely on An Chang Qing's head, "What do you think?"

An Chang Qing thought for a while and hesitated, "Design a plan to expose Fei Cui's identity to An Zhi Zhou and his wife?"

Xiao Zhige shook his head, "Now's not the right time. An Zhi Ke can still easily make up excuses and it would not drive the brothers apart."

"Then what should I do?"

"Wait." Xiao Zhige replied, "Wait for An Changqi's death then divulge hints about Fei Cui's identity. Leave the rest to An Zhi Zhou and his wife to find out. A lot of times, people are more prone to believe what they discovered by themselves."

"But what if An Changqi doesn't die?" An Chang Qing was in doubt.

Xiao Zhige looked towards him in the dark, "He won't live past tomorrow's night."

The reason Xiao Zhige agreed to spare An Changqi's life was that he had done the calculation. With a broken hand and the degree of amputation on his leg that even included his reproductive organ, unless the gods intervened, his death was ascertained.

An Zhi Ke was inexperienced with medicine but Xiao Zhige had been in the army for many years, he was quite well informed about the human anatomy.

An Chang Qing widened his eyes in surprise, "So you've planned this ahead. But what if An Zhi Zhou and his wife still sided with An Zhi Ke? After all, we don't have evidence that he had ordered her to do anything."

"The doctor who is treating An Changqi comes from De Ren Hall," Xiao Zhige felt the body in his arms getting closer with excitement, "De Ren Hall is the property of Madame Li's maternal family."

An Chang Qing was flabbergasted. Not to mention how An Zhi Zhou would react, his wife, Madame Sun who loved their son as her life would definitely find a place to vent her grief. She couldn't take it out on the Northern Warlord and his Wangfei but if at this time, she discovered that Fei Cui had been planted beside An Changqi and had caused the dispute between An Changqi and An Chang Qing, she would definitely not let this go. As her suspicion grew, what would happen once she also found out that the doctor who had treated her precious son was related to Madame Li?

Even without substantial evidence, she would still turn against An Zhi Ke.

A scorned woman was difficult to deal with. Especially one who had just lost her son. Besides, An Zhi Zhou had always been dependent on his wife. When this matter turned for the worse, the entire An household would not be able to live in peace.

It was indeed killing two birds with one stone.

After analyzing the situation, An Chang Qing's eyes were filled with admiration towards Xiao Zhige, "Was that why you stopped me from killing him?"

Xiao Zhige patted him on the back. With words meant as guidance, he said, "If you lose eight hundred just to kill a thousand, that's not a desirable outcome."

An Chang Qing thought over his words and nodded, "I understand."

Xiao Zhige touched his head, "Go to sleep. You'll be able to think clearer tomorrow."

...

The next day, Xiao Zhige had to leave for the barracks. After An Chang Qing sent him out, Steward Wang brought the ya po to see him.

The ya po brought with her ten youths who were all carefully selected. Although wearing commoner's clothes, the boys all had a bright appearance.

An Chang Qing interviewed each of them and picked out four honest-looking ones. He did not put them to work in the yard but instructed Steward Wang to find a mentor to teach them how to read.