A Quiet Dinner 6

It took a good while, before the silent Duke made a sound again.

It was a grunt. Just a simple, bland-sounding grunt. And in normal times, Jin Yuhe would be quick to respond to it. It was part of his job, after all. And after all those years, those decades of watching over the Duke, and caring for him, it was almost second nature to the man whose name had been all but forgotten. A man who was only known as Butler Jin.

But Jin Yuhe didn't respond.

No, to be honest, he refused to respond.

He knew that the Duke was after. But he refused to give his old friend what he wanted. Not without compromising his own ideals. And he knew that it wasn't possible to ignore what had just happened. He couldn't do it, and still be the same Jin Yuhe.

"Was I so wrong then?"

The man who had served as a butler, as a companion, for more than four-fifths of his life, managed to keep his smile from his voice as he replied coldly, "Yes. You were wrong. You were more wrong than any other time in your life."

Jin Yuhe stepped forward then, as he had never done since he took up his position as the Butler in the Ducal Palace. And before the eyes of his stunned employer, and his oldest friend, he sat down in the seat that had just been abandoned by the Duchess.

"You should not have pushed so hard against the young man. They are headstrong and sure of themselves. And will never bow their head if they feel that they are right. You know this. You have even warned your older son about this. Why have you forgotten it now?"

Jin Yuhe smiled grimly at the Duke, and started to arrange the dishes that still remained on the stone table, stacking away those that were empty and could be taken away. "Or were you just jealous, that Changhai had managed to find such a worthy fellow. Changhai, and not Changtian?"

"Do not be ridiculous! This has nothing to ..."

"This has everything to do with your sons. Did you not realize it yourself? What Feng Xueli said is true. You have been biased against Changhai from the moment that he was born. Where are the military honors that you gave to Changtian when he was but sixteen? Why didn't Changhai receive them? He is already twenty-three, and you still have not granted him command of any of your forces!

"Even Li Biyun, your cousin's son, has command of the Red Eagles. Do you think that no one can see that? Even the servants have been gossiping about this!"

"I ... I ..."

The Duke floundered, and Jin Yuhe let him be. He would have to find the answers himself. There was no other way that he would believe them. All that he could do, as a friend, as a subordinate, was to wait.

And it did not take too long, for the Duke to come to see what was before his eyes. After all, he had it pointed out to him. By no less than three persons already!

"I do not want my sons to fight over my Seat."

"As you have fought for your place, your position? Against your older brothers? And what you did? To push them out of the running? I remember. I was there.

"But Sanlang is not you. And Changtian is not like any of your brothers. What in all that they have done makes you believe that they will fight over your position after you are dead? Even Sanlang's mother has made it clear that she will not interfere. Although I am not so certain about her now. You have succeed in infuriating her, and who can say what she would do now."

Jin Yuhe leaned about two inches forward then, and succeeded in drawing the Duke's eye. And drew a finger across his own throat, making those same eyes widen incredulously. Just as he had planned. "If you are so concerned, you might as well have Sanlang killed. It would not be too difficult to arrange, since there has already been so many attempts on his life."

"No! No. He is also my son. And ... Xueli will never forgive me."

"Feng Xueli is already unwilling to forgive you for what you have done. Or what you have failed to do. As she said, your actions are sufficient to make it known that you wish your second son dead. So why not make that a reality?"

The Duke pounded on the stone table in front of him the moment that he heard that. And it was clear from the crack that appeared in the same, that his strength had not deteriorated too much. Jin Yuhe allowed himself a smile when he saw that.

"I will not ... kill my son. But I ... do not want them to fight over the Duchy, after I am gone."

Jin Yuhe snorted as soon as he heard that. But inwardly, he could not be more pleased. Finally, he was getting to his oldest friend. "Do you think that you can control that? By keeping the two of them separate? By pushing all the best advisors, the best martial experts, into Changtian's camp? What does that do but force Changhai to think of other means, if he truly wishes to snatch the Seat? You are forcing them to be rivals, not brothers!

"What would your brothers do, if they had been treated the same way as you are treating Changhai? Do you think that they would give up? Do you think that he would give up, if he was like them? I tell you there will be a fight, once you are gone, if you continue to keep them apart like this. Like what your father did to you and your brothers."

The Duke fell silent again. But this time, Jin Yuhe knew that it was because he was remembering his own youth, and drawing parallels between what had happened then, and what he was doing at present. And it did not surprise him, to see Li Yuanqi's face go dark, as he realized that he was not that different from his own father.

Whom he had never stopped resenting.

Then the Duke sighed, and looked about ten years older after he let out that mouthful of air. "So ... you are saying that I should ... take steps, and ... make it up to Sanlang? To show that I am not entirely against him?"

Jin Yuhe nodded slowly. "It might not be too late. You can say that ... you were testing his companion earlier, but did not count on that Qin Feng fellow to have such a volatile temper. And praise the young man too. That should give Sanlang the impression that you approve. And encourage him to make peace on your behalf. I am certain that your treasury can afford a few useful items as gifts to the young fellow."

Then he nodded in the direction of the residences of the Duke's family members. "I believe that you should throw a few of the more precious ones to Changhai as well. It is not as if they are doing any good, sitting in your treasury. And why not assign more guards to that detail that your in-laws sent? It is rather clear that they mean for them to remain with Sanlang too.

"That should also count as an elaborate apology, if you sell it the right way to your wife."

The Duke's face showed a look of relief, then of concern. Before he looked up at Jin Yuhe once again. And his voice, when he finally asked the question that the Butler had been waiting for, was much softer than it had been before:

"Do you think that ... that he will be content with my arrangements then. And Sanlang will not seek other means ... of gaining power?"

* * *