Chapter 25

“It’s him…” Qi Sheng’s eyes widened.

Su Jinyuan said, “After he was humiliated, he was demoted and sent off to serve in a frontier garrison. In just three years, he climbed to the rank of Commandant—though by some unknown means, he won Duke Yu’s favor. On this occasion, he was sent to capture Sixth Brother, as well as the one who, together with Duke Yu, interrogated and forced a confession out of him in prison.”

“When Sixth Brother refused to implicate the Xiao family and Prince Duan Mansion, he resorted to brutal torture—breaking his leg bones.”

“Had they not been too timid to outright take Sixth Brother’s life, he would have long since been dead at his hands—giving him a chance to vent the old humiliation of three years ago.”

If Duke Yu had really conspired to harm Prince Duan Mansion, Qi Sheng might be doubtful; however, once Luo Yu became involved, he was about eighty percent convinced. He still remembered what happened back then—and he remembered the man who, on the street, knelt begging for mercy, only to have his head battered and bleeding.

Xie Yunyan merely saved his life, yet Luo Yu repaid him by breaking his leg bones. Back then, he and his father were the chief masterminds who forced Luo Yu to suffer endless humiliation. If the aim was to vent old grudges, then by all accounts, the target must be the Prince Duan Mansion.

“The Prince Duan Mansion has never offended Duke Yu…”

“Does it really matter whether they offended him or not?” Su Jinyuan sneered coldly, “Duke Yu is nothing more than a blade in His Majesty’s hand. As long as it is something the Emperor wishes to see, wherever his sword points, he will do everything in his power for His Majesty.”

“It might be one thing if you and Prince Duan had always behaved properly, but with your dealings with the Xiao family—what do you think the Emperor is to make of that?”

Qi Sheng’s expression kept shifting, and after a long moment he finally asked, “What exactly do you want me to do?”

“Since you’re well aware of the predicament of Prince Duan Mansion, you must also understand that I have no business meddling in matters concerning the Xiao family.”

“If I were to truly go rescue Xie Yunyan, the entire Prince Duan Mansion would end up being sacrificed to the Xiao family. Besides, I don’t have the means to force my way into the Ministry of Justice’s prison.”

Su Jinyuan continued, “I’m not asking you to stage a daring prison break nor to step out in person to defend Xie Yunyan. It’s just that the Xiao family’s compound is so heavily guarded on all sides that neither I nor the people inside can come and go freely.

“I simply need you to help me with two tasks. First, trace the whereabouts of a few individuals—find them before the remains of my husband and his cohorts return to the capital. Second, please arrange a meeting with a military commander on good terms with the Xiao family.”

“Heir, don’t be so quick to refuse.” Noticing that Qi Sheng was about to speak, Su Jinyuan added, “I know that meeting these people right now carries risk, but since you have managed to remain hidden for so many years, evading the palace spies should not be too difficult. Moreover, you must understand that, since ancient times, military generals have always been different from civil officials.”

“They are steadfastly loyal in character, with clear distinctions between favor and enmity.”

“You are well aware of the esteemed position the Xiao family holds in the military, and all those on good terms with my father are high-ranking generals at court. I did not ask you to meet with them to incite rebellion; I merely want you to deliver a message on my behalf.”

“Moreover, you can secure these generals’ goodwill without taking on too much risk—what is there not to like?”

Qi Sheng’s expression shifted slightly; he understood that while adding flowers to a brocade is easy, it is far harder to send charcoal in the snow.

The Xiao family is now in dire straits, shunned by everyone. If, at this moment, he could campaign on behalf of the Xiao family, he would gain the favor of many. After all, a reputation built on loyalty and steadfast principles is powerful enough to accomplish many things.

But…

Su Jinyuan, as if knowing exactly what he was about to say, continued: “Heir, you need not worry about incurring misfortune because of this. The families I have selected all have extremely close ties with the Xiao family—and they are life-and-death comrades with my father and my husband. Even if they refuse to lend assistance, they would by no means add insult to injury.”

“Provided that you keep any information on your side under wraps, they will not publicize the fact that you delivered my message; neither the Emperor nor Duke Yu will ever come to know about it.”

At that, Qi Sheng’s last concern vanished, yet he was also startled by how this woman seemed to guess what lay in his heart. Such a keen insight into one’s inner thoughts was, indeed, formidable.

Qi Sheng kept rubbing his fingers, carefully weighing the potential gains and losses. Su Jinyuan did not press him further; she simply waited in silence.

After a while, Qi Sheng finally looked up and asked, “Who exactly do you want me to find?”

“The family of one of the deputy generals serving alongside my father.”

Su Jinyuan then recounted the sudden departure of the Feng Kui family to him: “Please locate them as quickly as possible! And if they are alive, you must see them in person; if they are dead, you must see the bodies.”

“That’s easy,” Qi Sheng replied. “It’s only a few people. As long as they have ever appeared in the capital, there must be traces left behind. I will immediately dispatch someone to look into it.”

Su Jinyuan warned, “Be extra cautious—they might not have left of their own accord.”

Qi Sheng paused in surprise and said, “You mean…?”

“It is highly likely that the deputy general is the one who betrayed the Xiao family.”

His eyes immediately darkened, and he understood Su Jinyuan’s meaning. In a serious tone, he said, “I understand. I will have them proceed with caution.”

Su Jinyuan then handed Qi Sheng the materials she had long prepared. “These are the people I want you to visit, and everything that needs to be said is written here. Please arrange it as soon as possible—do not let the opportunity slip by.”

Qi Sheng took the paper, glanced over it, and nodded, “Very well.”

Without lingering at Pengyun Pavilion any longer, Su Jinyuan concluded her business and took her leave.

After she departed, Qi Sheng looked at the paper in his hand with a slightly grave expression. After a pause, he murmured, “How fortunate the Xiao family is…”

Once, the entire Xiao clan had enjoyed a formidable reputation. Now, in their misfortune, to have secured Su Jinyuan on their side was an unexpected boon. Not only was her loyalty unwavering, but her ability to manipulate hearts was astonishing—just a few words from her had completely changed his mind.

“Lord, are you really going to help the Xiao family?” one of the assistants from the Prince’s Mansion asked.

Clutching the paper, Qi Sheng responded firmly, “I will help!”

As Su Jinyuan said, the Prince’s Mansion could not forever act on Emperor Qing’s behalf. Given the Xiao family’s current plight, once they recover, they will naturally become valuable allies. Even if they ultimately cannot withstand this calamity, Qi Sheng could still leverage their reputation for loyalty to solidify his own standing. It’s a win-win situation.

“Send someone to quickly find out the whereabouts of that member from the Feng Kui family, and arrange for me to meet with these individuals,” he ordered.

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After leaving Pengyun Pavilion, Su Jinyuan’s taut composure finally broke. Leaning against a wall, she clutched her throat and began coughing.

“Young Madam, are you alright?” someone asked.

“I’m fine…” she replied.

Taking a deep breath, Su Jinyuan felt a sharp pain in her neck. When Qi Sheng had struck earlier, he had shown no mercy—she had almost believed, for a moment, that he would have snapped her neck outright. Even now, her throat throbbed painfully.

After a few coughs, she managed to compose herself and looked up. “Uncle Xiang, how’s it going at the Ministry of Justice? Have they found an opportunity for me to see the Sixth Young Master?”

Xiang Lei shook his head. “The Ministry is under extremely strict guard, and since Luoyu makes trips there frequently, our men haven’t found an opening to get in. However, Yang Hong has kept his promise—he’s taken some people to tend to the Sixth Young Master’s injuries.”