After being exiled, I led my whole family to rebel.

Chapter 341 What is Freedom
Xu Yinxi and others naturally had the help of Lian to settle them. As soon as she entered the palace, she couldn't wait to see Feng'er. Coincidentally, Fang Ningmo also found her along the way.

Xu Yinxi heard Feng'er's laughter from a distance, and as soon as she entered the house, almost all the girls on the exile road gathered together.

Fang Ningmo took her hand and walked into the house. "I was just talking about this, but you are missing. This is a rare reunion for us. Almost all of those who were exiled with us on the road are here."

Xu Yinxi glanced around and said with a smile, "I am the only one missing. All the sisters of the Xu family, including Zhaodi and Ruyu, are not here yet."

Feng Er had just heard Fang Ningmo talking about Fang Ruyu. She slapped her thigh and said, "Oh! I just found out that the weak and frail Miss Fang actually dared to enter the enemy camp alone and even killed Zhou Heng!"

Fang Ningmo was a little embarrassed, "Sister Feng'er, you should have read the newspaper a long time ago, right?"

"The newspaper was vague and I don't know the details. When I heard Ning Mo talk about it, I felt the danger and really admired her. It is said that one should look at a man with new eyes after three days of absence. I never thought that Miss Fang had such courage and means. It's a pity that she is still promoting universal education in the East Territory, otherwise I would really like to take a good look at her. I heard that she even won a plaque of 'House of Honor' for the Fang family. I'm afraid she will become the apple of Mrs. Fang's eye."

"You, you are still the same as before. I am embarrassed to say this." Fang Ningmo poked her forehead with his ten pointed fingers. "How dare you say that about us? You are still the same. You have been running around for His Highness all these years and have not had a few days of peace and stability in Jinzhou Prefecture. Do you know how anxious we were when we heard that you disappeared in the palace? You also said that my sister is brave, but I think you are braver than her! You dared to cause a coup in the palace and almost became a hedgehog by thousands of arrows! If you like the plaque of 'House of Glory', we will also jointly write to His Highness to ask him to give you one."

Xu Yinxi smiled and said, "Don't worry, His Highness will not treat the heroes in our house badly. To be honest, every girl in our house has made outstanding contributions. How can we not be worthy of the plaque of 'House of Honor'? I would like to ask His Highness to give one to each of us!"

Everyone in the room laughed.

In an instant, she burst into laughter.

Feng Er sighed and said, "It's a pity for Zhao Di. She could have had a bright future like us, but she could only marry and become a concubine at an early age."

Everyone in the room was silent.

After a long while, Fang Ningmo said, "We met her when we passed by Fengxiang Mansion. She... is pregnant again, and the master of the Zheng family didn't want her to travel a long distance, so she didn't come with us to Bianjing."

"Pregnant again?" Feng Er was a little surprised. "I remember she just gave birth not long ago?"

Xu Yinxi's face was indescribably gloomy. "Yes, she got pregnant again less than half a year after giving birth. Not only that, the master of the Zheng family also divorced Madam Zheng and sent her back to her parents' home. Now Zhaodi is the legal wife of the Zheng family."

Feng Er was stunned, "Then Madam Zheng didn't make a scene?"

Then she changed her mind and thought, how could Mrs. Zheng dare to make trouble?

Now that His Royal Highness Prince Zhao was about to ascend the throne and become the emperor of the new dynasty, and Li Zhaodi was his close friend, Madam Zheng dared not speak out even if she had the guts to do so.

Fang Ningmo said: "From this we can see that the master of the Zheng family is also a calculating person."

Xu Yinxi said, "It's true that I don't love Zhaodi. This woman got pregnant again right after giving birth. My mother said that this is the most harmful to her health. I saw that Zhaodi was so thin that she looked like she would fall down if the wind blew. Her face was pale. I... really wanted to do something powerful and bully people and order them to separate!"

Feng Er didn't hold back when talking to her friends in the room. After so many years, she was still the outspoken girl. She said bitterly, "Master Zheng is treating Zhao Di as a money tree! He thought that by having another child, he could trap Zhao Di and control us at the same time. What a shrewd calculation! It used to be said that women are good at calculating, but I think men are not bad either. When it comes to their own interests, men are calculating!"

"What can we do about it? I think Zhaodi feels very grateful to Mr. Zheng, except for feeling sorry for Madam Zheng. They are living in harmony with each other now. Do we really want us to be the bad guys? We feel sorry for Zhaodi and hate her misfortune, but what if she doesn't feel that way?"

Fang Ningmo suddenly felt a breathless feeling in his heart, and said: "She has never seen the vast world outside, the snow in Xining, the mountains in Jinzhou Prefecture, and has never learned the principles in books. She has only lived in that square backyard all her life. She doesn't even understand why we feel unfair for her. Is this a blessing or a curse for her?"

Everyone was a little silent.

Yes, if the person concerned does not feel that she is unfortunate, then why do they insist that she understand those big truths and make her feel that the marriage that she is proud of is a joke in their eyes?
After a long while, Fang Ningmo said, "It turns out that ignorance can blind people's minds. Even if their rights are trampled upon, they are unaware of it."

The girls were all silent.

Li Zhaodi chose a path that was completely different from theirs.

How could this not make them sad?

"Perhaps only Your Highness knows the answer." Feng'er said.

So later in the evening, when Xu Yinxi went to see Xu Zhenying, she also mentioned the matter of Li Zhaodi and expressed the confusion of the other sisters about the matter.

Unexpectedly, Xu Zhenying also remained silent.

Xu Yinxi thought Xu Zhenying didn't know whether Li Zhaodi's choice was a blessing or a curse, but Xu Zhenying finally said, "I personally think that whether a person's choice is a blessing or a curse depends on whether the person understands the truth and whether he can bear the consequences of his choice. If Li Zhaodi doesn't think that she is being used and calculated in this marriage, and can't even see what kind of person Mr. Zheng is, then she is ignorant and unaware."

"But if Li Zhaodi is aware of her situation and has no choice but to live according to the current lifestyle, and is even prepared to trouble us in the future if the Zheng family has problems, it means that she knows the nature of this marriage. There is no need for us to worry about her."

"What is in your heart is like a maze of thousands of feet, thousands of miles away, with no boatman to ferry you across. Life is like a long river, with thousands of boats ferrying you across, but the only way to truly ferry yourself across is to ferry yourself across. I have always said that girls should read more, understand more about the truth, have the ability to stand in the world, dare to make different choices, and dare to bear the consequences. Whether you want to be a virtuous wife or a lady at home, or go out and be a female clerk or a female general, as the people in power in this world, the only thing we can do is to create a soil where they can voluntarily make various choices, give them the courage to break through themselves, and give them a way out of the system."

Xu Zhenying smiled, "Perhaps one day I will choose not to be an emperor, but just be an idle wanderer, or just be a woman in the deep palace, playing with cats and dogs every day, waiting for my husband to come home——"

"Stop." When Xu Yinxi heard Xu Zhenying say that she wanted to be a woman in the deep palace, she couldn't help but feel a chill on her back. "I understand what your highness means. You mean that our girls should dare to make various choices, have the ability to bear the consequences of their choices, and have the ability to stand up again."

Xu Zhenying smiled, "That's about right. A good society should be able to accommodate different voices and different choices. If you want to be a female clerk, then do it, but you can't force all girls to be as aggressive as you. What if some girls are naturally soft and kind and like to take care of their families? Are you going to push them to the forefront and force them to take the clerk exam and become a strong person who can stand on their own?"

Xu Yinxi was silent for a moment, but nodded frequently.

She actually wanted to go left.

Previously, there was a female clerk who resigned to go back to take care of her husband and children. Although she did not show it on her face, she could not help but get angry with her secretary. In her heart, she couldn't help but feel that these girls who gave up halfway had betrayed them.

The girls in Jinzhou Prefecture all rushed forward like a rope, competing with the men for positions and fighting for more rights for the girls, but some people retreated.

What is this if not a traitor?
But Xu Zhenying's words made her feel a little more open-minded.

Yes, they have worked hard to create this fair and free world, so can't they allow different people to exist?

After thinking about it, Xu Yinxi remembered something else.

She glanced at Xu Zhenying's face. Under the light, the woman had a pretty face, dark eyes and a firm look, as if nothing could ever shake this woman.

Xu Yinxi asked, "Can I ask for the reason about Jiang Yongkang's matter?"

Xu Zhenying frowned slightly.

Xu Yinxi immediately said, "It's okay if you don't want to say it. It's just that Jiang Yongkang has a special status. After all, he has been with you for so long and has made great contributions in the wars. You suddenly ignore him like this, which makes the people under you a little panicked."

Xu Zhenying sighed.

It has been four months since I last parted ways with Jiang Yongkang.

Now that I think about it, my methods at that time were a bit ruthless and my handling of the situation was a bit radical.

Perhaps he was betrayed by his closest relatives, and he was so angry that he lost his rationality.

She doesn't regret the result, but just feels that she should have done better at the time.

Jiang Yongkang had a special status and was very prestigious in the military. If I suddenly drove him away, what if Jiang Yongkang led the soldiers to mutiny?
In the final analysis, she trusted him too much at the time, and subconsciously thought that Jiang Yongkang would not rebel. Otherwise, she would have taken a more gentle approach, silently removing Jiang Yongkang's arms and making him lose all prestige in the army.

But who knows?
Since ancient times, people's hearts are unpredictable. Xu Zhenying rarely showed her soft side. She thought that Xu Yinxi was also Li Zhaodi's friend, so she could listen to Xu Yinxi's opinion on this matter.

So he motioned Xu Yinxi to sit down.

Xu Yinxi knew that Xu Zhenying wanted to open up to her, and she was actually a little flattered.

Although she and Xu Zhenying are sisters, she has regarded Xu Zhenying as her monarch since a long time ago.

She is a servant and a subject.

Although Xu Zhenying seems friendly, that is intentional.

After all, how can those in power, whose every move affects so many people, be truly friendly?
Xu Zhenying has always been a qualified monarch. Although she never listens to one side or the other, she is always decisive in killing.

Everyone is allowed to express their opinions, but few can change her mind.

It had been a long time since Xu Zhenying had such a heart-to-heart talk with her sisters.

Sometimes Xu Yinxi felt that this sixth sister was very pitiful.

Although she seemed to be in a high position and had great power, she had more and more ministers but fewer and fewer friends. She seemed to be walking on a lonely and dark road, calm and composed.

The back view looks a bit lonely.

This is probably the path that kings of all dynasties would take.

Xu Yinxi sat down quietly, waiting for Xu Zhenying to continue.

"When we invaded Lan County, I asked Jiang Yongkang to go to the red-light district in Lan County to look for Zhaodi...but he let her go without permission."

Xu Yinxi's mind went blank.

Seven years ago... Li Zhaodi was sold... They used black powder to attack the city for the first time... Zhaodi jumped into the moat... No trace of her body was left...

As the dusty past events were uncovered one after another, Xu Yinxi was dazed and unable to recover.

"Why would he do this?"

Xu Zhenying had a mocking look on his face. "He had the intention to rebel at that time. I don't know why he chose me. He believed that based on my feelings for Zhaodi, if he sacrificed Zhaodi to the gods, it would definitely make me completely rebellious. Thanks to him, I also planned to rebel after learning that Zhaodi was dead. I have to say that he knows me very well."

Xu Yinxi's breath caught in her throat, and her mind slowly sorted out.

But she also thought of one thing.

She had always wondered when Xu Zhenying decided to rebel. After all, they only had Lan County at that time, and the Xu family had not yet come to their senses, and everyone had different thoughts.

And Xu Zhenying actually had the intention of rebellion so early, and then step by step let the Xu family follow her footsteps, and finally they united as a team to rebel.

It turns out...she was actually being used by Jiang Yongkang.

Xu Yinxi was still a little confused.

In public, Jiang Yongkang played with the monarch.

Personally, Jiang Yongkang betrayed his friends.

If Jiang Yongkang had not let Li Zhaodi go at that time, perhaps Li Zhaodi would have had a bright future like them, instead of being displaced and ending up as a concubine.

It is not necessarily true that Jiang Yongkang was a bad person. After all, the safest way at that time was to kill Li Zhaodi and eliminate the root of the problem.

Jiang Yongkang is very skilled in martial arts, so it is easy for him to get rid of the powerless Li Zhaodi.

However, he chose to send Li Zhaodi away, leaving such a big flaw, which instead created a rift between his once close comrades.

Xu Yinxi imagined how sad and angry she would be if she were Xu Zhenying.

Yes, Jiang Yongkang is not only a comrade-in-arms, but also a subject.

A person who completely sees through the monarch, understands the monarch's preferences, and even uses the monarch as a puppet to achieve his own goals... is truly terrifying.

Xu Yinxi somewhat understood Xu Zhenying's decision at the time, and also understood why Jiang Yongkang was ignored by Xu Zhenying.

Xu Yinxi was silent for a long time before she said, "I... don't know how to evaluate it. I think he brought this upon himself, but I also feel that he is somewhat pitiful."

Xu Zhenying smiled bitterly, "Right. This is also what I am struggling with. After all, that happened seven years ago. Seven years ago, he and I were just friends who met in the exile team. I cannot expect him to be loyal to me at that time. But keeping such a reckless minister is really risky. I am afraid that he will do the same trick next time."

Xu Yinxi's heart was beating like a drum. She sighed repeatedly, but there was a look of self-blame on her face. "If that's the case, I might have ruined your plan."

"How to say it?"

"Before coming to Bianjing City, Jiang Yongkang came to ask for permission, saying that he had avenged his great hatred and wanted to come back to place his parents' bodies and visit his old house." Xu Yinxi felt more and more guilty. "Although I know that he is somewhat unwilling to sit on the bench, I thought that His Highness did not take away his power, but only ordered him to recuperate temporarily, so he cannot be considered a prisoner. So I took the initiative to allow him to return to the capital."

Xu Zhenying frowned slightly, looked at Xu Yinxi who seemed a little bewildered and said, "This is not a big deal. Where are the others?"

"I'm afraid it's in the original Jiang Mansion at this moment—"

"The Jiang Mansion has been taken back and given to a top-ranked scholar to live in. Now there are people living in that house, and Jiang Yongkang won't be able to enter without our company."

Xu Zhenying sighed slightly, feeling mixed emotions, "Forget it, Secretary Zhou——"

Xu Zhenying shouted something outside the door, and soon Zhou Houfang came quickly.

"Secretary Zhou, go to Mr. Zhang in the Hanlin Academy and tell him that his current residence is the old residence of Minister Jiang. Ask him to open the door and allow Minister Jiang to visit." Xu Zhenying added, "Don't say it's my order. Save your face, Secretary Zhou."

Zhou Houfang took the order and left.

Then Xu Yinxi asked, "Your Highness, are you going to leave Jiang Yongkang alone forever?"

After that, she hesitated again, "Minister Jiang is a rare talent. It would be a pity to discard him, but it would be risky to use him."

Xu Zhenying smiled, but there was a cold smile in his eyes, "My Jinzhou Prefecture has many talented people, and even more loyal ones. Without Jiang Yongkang, there will be Li Yongkang, Zhao Yongkang——"

When Xu Yinxi heard this, a thin layer of sweat appeared on the back of her thin clothes.

She knew that Jiang Yongkang's road to success would end here.