I just wrote a love poem, how did that make me so powerful?

Chen Chengbo accidentally knocked over the teacup.

Chen Chengsong's hands finally gave way, and he slowly stood up, leaning on the table. His lips moved slightly, and his voice was a little hoarse.

"Your Highness..."

Li Jinghuan waved his hand, not allowing anyone to interrupt him.

"Listen to me. Your patriarch wanted to secretly carry out his plan before the news got out. But once this news spread, your family won't be able to withstand the investigation. You took advantage of the fact that the current emperor is about to reinstate a meritorious official's absence to forcibly marry his daughter. If people find out, your Chen family will simply disappear."

Li Jinghuan spoke the last few words.

Although the tone was very calm, it weighed heavily on the Chen family.

Chen Chengsong stood by the table, and suddenly looked ten years older.

He opened his mouth, but he didn't have the strength to say anything.

Chen Chengbo and Chen Shijin both felt their legs go weak.

After a long while, Chen Chengsong finally spoke, his voice even more hoarse.

"Your Highness, I know nothing of this. I only heard from my father that he wants Jin'er to marry a daughter of the Song family. I thought it was a normal marriage."

Li Jinghuan sneered, stood up, and walked to Chen Chengsong with his hands behind his back.

Although he was twenty years younger than Chen Chengsong, he stood in front of Chen Chengsong at this moment.

The oppressive aura emanating from his very bones forced Chen Chengsong to lower his head, not daring to raise it at all.

"Lord Chen, your family has been influential in officialdom for many years. You don't even believe what you just said, do you?"

Chen Chengsong didn't reply, and large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

This was the effect Li Jinghuan wanted. He took half a step back and straightened his robes.

"I'm not here today to interrogate you, but to make you make a choice. If you choose wrong today, then you will face eternal damnation."

Chen Chengsong quickly replied, "Young Master, please rest assured, I will write to Father right now to explain the situation. After all, the family needs his approval to take sides in matters like this."

Li Jinghuan snorted coldly. "I don't care who's in charge in your family, and I can't wait that long. If you don't give us your opinion, then the news will be released."

Chen Chengsong gritted his teeth in resignation.

"So, Your Highness, what exactly do you want us to do?"

Li Jinghuan sneered: "It's simple. Do me a favor, consider it a pledge of loyalty. After that, we'll be on the same side."

Chen Chengsong's voice lacked confidence: "What is it?"

Li Jinghuan: "Don't worry, the first one won't be too difficult. I need to see Gu Zhiyi, but she's not cooperating and is being very fussy. Go and cause her some trouble, teach her a lesson."

Upon hearing this, Chen Chengsong felt a slight sense of relief and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, okay, okay."

Li Jinghuan nodded, turned around and walked towards the door. When he reached Chen Shijin's side, he stopped.

I glanced down.

Chen Shijin was still kneeling on the ground, his forehead touching the ground, his whole body trembling.

Li Jinghuan said it casually.

"Young Master Chen, you are still young and have a long road ahead of you, but some roads you take wrong and there's no turning back. You have to think it through carefully."

After saying this, he stepped over the threshold and walked into the night without looking back, with his entourage following silently behind him.

The group gradually blended into the night.

The lights in the main hall flickered.

Chen Chengsong remained standing by the table, motionless.

Chen Chengbo sat in the chair, looking down at the shattered teacup.

Chen Shijin then slowly stood up.

"Father, Second Uncle, please say something! What should we do?"

After a long while, Chen Chengsong finally let out a long sigh, his voice still hoarse.

"Sigh, send a message to the capital and tell my father that things are not going to go well for the time being with the Song family."

After saying that, he sat back down in his chair, looking as if he had lost his soul.

Chen Chengbo nodded, his eyes also glazed over.

"What you say is true, brother. Now that things have come to this point, if we still try to harm Song Yao, we'll be walking into a trap."

Chen Shijin sat on the chair at the lower end, his hands gripping the fabric of his body tightly.

"Then what should we do? Just let Song Yao's matter pass like this? Even though I can't have her, the thought of Xu Qing marrying her makes me unwilling."

Chen Chengsong glanced at him, his tone icy.

"What can we do if we're unwilling? Just as Li Jinghuan said, if the emperor finds out, my Chen family won't even know how we died."

Chen Shijin lowered his head and bit his lip hard.

Chen Chengbo took over the conversation from the side, lowering his voice.

"Brother, we can't touch Song Yao, but we might still be able to make a move on Xu Qing."

Chen Shijin suddenly raised his head: "Second Uncle, what do you mean?"

"Isn't that kid getting close to the most beautiful courtesan at Chunhong Courtyard?"

Chen Chengbo changed his teacup, picked it up, and his tone regained some of his former composure.

"I heard that Gu Zhiyi has some connection with Xiao Mingyuan and Xu Qing, and even gave him some gifts."

Chen Chengsong looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Chen Chengbo put down his teacup and leaned forward a few inches.

"The fact that a poor scholar is suddenly being treated differently by a courtesan is enough to make Song Yao feel uncomfortable. If word gets out, it will only make her more upset."

Chen Chengbo paused.

"Once that courtesan has Xu Qing completely bewitched, will he still care about a country bumpkin? He probably doesn't even know that Song Yao will soon become the eldest daughter of a third-rank official."

Chen Shijin's eyes lit up immediately.

He clenched his fist, a wicked smile playing on his lips.

"Second Uncle's method is good. Second Uncle is really clever and cunning. He doesn't need to touch Song Yao at all. As long as Xu Qing goes astray, Song Yao will naturally no longer belong to him."

Chen Chengsong also regained some composure, but still waved his hand dismissively.

"That's not enough. Jin'er, didn't you mention something else? The Xiao family's cloth shop has been supplying goods to Chunhong Courtyard recently. Is that information accurate?"

Chen Shijin became interested and rubbed his hands together.

"Father, don't worry, the information is very accurate. The manager of Xiao Family Cloth Shop has already started spreading the word."

Upon hearing this, Chen Chengsong's eyes gleamed, and he slammed his hand on the table.

"Perfect timing! Let's take action now. Following Li Jinghuan's instructions, let's publicize this matter extensively, and even exaggerate it. Let's teach Chunhong Courtyard, the Xiao family, and Gu Zhiyi a lesson."

Chen Shijin's eyes darted around, and he understood immediately.

He grabbed his folding fan and fanned himself smugly: "Father, do you mean the silk merchants in the prefectural city?"

Chen Chengbo nodded. "That's right. Whoever's business the Xiao family steals, they let them deal with it. The connections in the prefectural city are more rudimentary than ours. They can make their own decisions about what they want to do without us having to get involved."

Chen Shijin stood up and bowed.

"Understood, I'll take care of it right away."