Simply Trading 202 Each To His Own Plans 2

The attack on the Ducal Palace Gatehouse in the middle of the day was something that no one expected. First of all, who would have thought that someone would dare make such a move? This was not some small magistrate's jailhouse but the Palace of the Duke of the Westlands! Not to mention the most powerful man in all of Yanyun City! To dare to strike at his Palace Gatehouse was not something that even the most rash, most amply endowed* outlaw would consider!

Secondly, it happened in the bright light of day! During the guards' lunch break at that! Never before had something so outrageous taken place before, and almost everyone in the City was certain that the Guard Commander was going to be facing heavy punishment for letting something so crazy take place, under his Watch!

And lastly, it was most curious how all the infiltrators had managed to vanish without the smallest trace whatsoever! Not to mention how they got a lone prisoner away from the same, without causing too much damage to the premises or the guards. Oh, the ones who were watching over the same had a few bruises and there were two or three who had mild concussions - including the said Guard Commander! But there were no serious injuries and certainly no deaths!

All of that came together to form an unusual rumor: the Duke had managed to lay his hands on some disciple of some powerful Sect, for some misdemeanor or other, and the Sect had sent its people to s.n.a.t.c.h him back!

If that was the case, the whole situation could be easily explained. And it would also be a reasonable excuse for the poor Guard Commander, who was likely to lose his rank and his standing, if he was not believed.

Of course, the ones who had come up with the whole story were patting themselves on the back at the moment, within the d.u.c.h.ess' personal courtyard, the moment that Zhou Jinhu's rescue was confirmed.

Butler Jin Yuhu, who had been the one to orchestrate the whole affair regarding the rumors and the gossip, was making his report to the Duke of the Westland's young wife. He had been a little skeptical when she insisted that he prepare such an excuse and to organize the tale-bearers to spread the word when it happened. Just as he was the first one to be shocked, when things turned out exactly as she had predicted!

Which was why he was making his report to her, rather than to her husband. And why he was not in the least surprised, to find a somewhat agitated Li Changhai beside her, when he was led into her courtyard. And to her table.

The d.u.c.h.ess seemed more relaxed than Jin Yuhu expected her to be, given the news that there was a rescue attempt being mounted on the fellow who had attacked her son. Or rather, her son's companion. Li Sanlang, on the other hand, seemed as upset as Butler Jin felt himself.
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Could it be that she didn't care so much about the matter, now that she knew that Zhou Jinhu's target had been Qin Feng, rather than Li Changhai? That would have been a reasonable explanation, of course. But Butler Jin had already revised his mindset when it came to the d.u.c.h.ess; she was not the sort of person who would be reasonable at a time like this!

Of course, there was no one else in the entire Duchy of the Westlands who knew the truth about this second wife of his Duke, Jin Yuhu knew. He had sent out for extra single sc.r.a.p of news involving the d.u.c.h.ess almost a full day earlier, and had only started to received the reports that arrived that morning. Reports that were almost enough to give him a heart attack!

How could the Duke have picked such a woman to be his wife? Was he secretly a m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t? Or did he really not know about how she had destroyed all of her enemies while she was studying at the Capital?

"In fact, Butler Jin, it may be to our advantage that he has escaped. Oh, we shall need to put up a good show, so that we can confidently say that we had put in all effort in trying to retain him. But it would be best if he gets away from us at this moment. That would be enough to warn our enemies. As well as give Sanlang here something to strive for, in the future."

Jin Yuhu turned to glance at the Second Ducal Prince, who was standing beside his mother. And saw how the latter was giving her a worried look. But the d.u.c.h.ess merely smiled, and waved a hand towards the Ducal Dungeons, in the distance.

"Zhou Jinhu, or Fatty Zhou as you prefer, is no longer a threat to us. At least, not as he is, with one arm short. But his escape will give us an excuse to make trouble for our in-laws, the Zhao Family, who definitely has the motivation to rescue him. So ..."

"You wish to play on that presumption? And to make life difficult for the Zhao Family?"

Butler Jin was a little quicker to catch it. But the look on Li Sanlang's face told the old man that the Second Ducal Prince understood what his mother was after. Which was enough to prompt the Butler to ask his question.

To his surprise, it was the Second Ducal Prince who gave voice to his own understanding of the situation. And what the Ducal Palace should be doing, faced with such an embarra.s.sment:

"That should give us an excuse to look into everyone, every business, that has ties with the Zhao Family, doesn't it? And they wouldn't dare to kick up a fuss either. Not with one of theirs having escaped from our 'justice', hmmm? Especially when everyone thinks it was an attempt on my life?"

"That would suit us best, don't you think?" The d.u.c.h.ess chuckled as she asked that, and Jin Yuhu noticed how she was glancing his way as she spoke.

Which was enough to make Jin Yuhu smile back. It seems he had been underestimating his d.u.c.h.ess for far too long. Although he did wonder why she had never taken a hand, when she clearly had a firmer grasp on what needed to be done, to secure the Duchy against its enemies? Had she been confident that the Duke would do what needed to be done previously?

Or had it been this attack on Sanlang that has awoken this female tiger? Like all mothers, Jin Yuhu had no doubt that she would destroy everything that would threaten the safety of her child.

And strangely, he no longer thought that was such a bad thing.

Perhaps it was time that he started getting her opinion on certain matters himself!

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