Chapter 69

The last trace of light in the room was extinguished, and Qinghui Garden fell completely into darkness. In the distance, the roof’s eaves stretched out a sinister tendril towards the sky. Birds and nocturnal beasts hid in the pitch-black forest, poised to strike. The night was eerily quiet, like the calm before a storm.

In this inconspicuous dark night, a manure cart stopped at the corner gate of a house. Two men in black brought down an old man in shackles from the cart. The old man’s legs were crippled, as if he had lost the ability to walk independently. The men in black dragged him forward. His face was covered in mud, and he was disheveled and filthy. His high cheekbones jutted out, with only a thin layer of old skin covering them. His appearance was both terrifying and pitiable. His eyelids drooped powerlessly, seemingly unable to look around.

After a moment, the men in black dragged him from the back corridor into the courtyard, along the winding stone path to the base of a rockery. They bent down and pulled him into the rockery filled with dry grass. After a while, they reached a hidden area and descended a wet staircase into a dark tunnel leading to the depths of hell. The old man’s legs were dragged, bumping against the cold, hard steps. No one cared if he could endure it. He was dressed in thin, dirty clothes that barely covered his bony frame, already numb from the cold.

Soon, the old man was brought to a clean cellar. Bright light hit him, and since he hadn’t seen light in a long time, he instinctively raised his trembling, skinny arms to avoid it. The two men in black ruthlessly threw him onto the ground, but instead of the expected pain, he landed on soft cotton bedding. He curled up in the bedding, showing no intention of opening his eyes. His wrists, marked with bloody imprints from heavy chains, rested painfully on his chest as he tried to sleep.

The cellar was extremely quiet, with only the crackling of burning candles. Then, a voice, different from the men in black, spoke from behind him. “Zhang Yi, it’s been thirty years. I thought you had died in the countryside back then, but it seems you managed to escape… You are the first person to escape from my grasp.”

The speaker sat leisurely in a chair, wrapped in a black coat, his face indistinguishable.

Hearing this voice, Old Master Zhang’s hunched back shrank slightly, but he didn’t respond.

The man continued, “You’ve been hiding, changing your appearance and name, fooling others but not me. You wouldn’t speak before, but now that you’re in the capital, you must talk, right?”

“Of course, if you don’t speak, it doesn’t matter. Someone is always looking for you, aren’t they? Do you need that girl to break her head and bleed before she finds you? She was raised by you; you wouldn’t want her to die, would you?”

“Hand over what you obtained all those years ago, and I’ll let you and your granddaughter live. You know I am a man of my word, never breaking my promises. Thousands of people have died at my hands, none of them were my match.”

Hearing these words, the old man curled up in the bedding finally moved. He breathed laboriously and spoke intermittently, “I am just a woodcutter… named Qiao, not the Zhang Yi you are looking for… If you don’t believe me, just give me a quick death… or bring that girl you mentioned here… see if I frown…”

The visitor had long heard that the old man was tough, resistant to torture and threats. Today, he experienced it firsthand.

However, his expression remained unchanged, and he chuckled lightly, “Fine, then we’ll wait.”

With that, he stood up and walked out slowly. As he stepped outside the cellar, a guard approached him respectfully and asked, “Master, what should we do? This Zhang Yi is not an ordinary person. I’ve tried every method, but he won’t speak.”

The man shook his head and interrupted, “Whether he speaks or not doesn’t matter. The important thing is that he is now a bait. Set the trap, and use him to hunt Pei Muheng!”

“Understood!”

The cold wind blew in from the entrance of the rockery as the man tightened his coat and walked out. When he rounded the rockery, the eastern sky was already tinged with white, indicating it was time for the morning court. Outside the Zhengyang Gate, officials were yawning and crossing the white jade bridge one by one.

Su Ziyan, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, was among the crowd. He deftly exchanged pleasantries with various officials, as he was the Empress’s nephew and the Twelfth Prince’s closest cousin. Many saw him as the next successor to the Cabinet, and they flattered him whenever they saw him.

Su Ziyan handled them skillfully and then leisurely made his way to the Wenzhao Hall. When he entered, all officials above the third rank had arrived. Leading them was the Prime Minister, Xun Yunhe. Standing at the steps, he addressed everyone, “His Majesty caught a cold and won’t be attending today. Eunuch Liu is here, so please discuss any matters with the Cabinet and Eunuch Liu.”

The Emperor’s absence from court was not a new occurrence. It had become routine for the princes, cabinet ministers, and eunuchs to handle affairs in his stead. The officials had grown accustomed to it, and the atmosphere in the hall was much more relaxed when the Emperor was absent. Various officials took advantage of the situation to bring up difficult matters that they would not have dared to present before. As a result, the Wenzhao Hall was bustling with activity.

Su Ziyan and the other two officials from the Ministry of Works immediately submitted the ministry’s expenses for the year to the Cabinet for approval, along with next year’s budget. The Ministry of Works was always the department with the largest expenses, overseeing water channels, palace buildings, and more. Naturally, this led to heated debates between the Cabinet and the eunuchs. Su Ziyan dealt with them patiently, and after a long and arduous session, he finally returned to the Ministry of Works for a brief rest.

Su Ziyan had an office at the Ministry of Works. As soon as he arrived, a young attendant lifted the curtain and welcomed him in, saying, “Sir, please come in.”

Recognizing the voice, Su Ziyan immediately looked up and saw a familiar face, showing a hint of surprise, “Your Highness is here?”

The attendant was none other than the one who usually served Pei Xun.

With a cheerful smile, the attendant said, “His Highness has been waiting for you for a while.”

Hurriedly entering the room, Su Ziyan saw a man sitting behind the desk, dressed in a crimson royal robe with a handsome and relaxed demeanor. It was none other than the Twelfth Prince, Pei Xun.

“Why have you come, Your Highness? Wouldn’t it have been better to summon me to your residence if you had any instructions?”

Pei Xun rarely visited the Ministry of Works, as they usually met at the prince’s residence.

Pei Xun leisurely turned his face, reclining against the backrest, and said casually, “No particular reason, just passing by and thought I’d visit you.”

He rested one leg on a footstool and rubbed an old injury.

Su Ziyan sat beside him, his gaze falling on Pei Xun’s ankle, “It’s freezing cold. Has Your Highness’s leg injury completely healed?”

Pei Xun said, “I was just walking to the Zhengyang Gate and accidentally slipped. I thought I hurt myself, so I came here to sit for a while. But now that I touch it, it doesn’t hurt.”

Su Ziyan sighed in relief and quickly smiled, “That’s great, it should be completely healed.”

“Miss Xu truly has miraculous healing hands!”

Hearing this, Pei Xun’s eyes involuntarily softened, and his gaze fell on his ankle. He couldn’t help but recall the first day he met her. Her slender fingers pressed on his injury, inch by inch, always easily finding his pain points. Later, when Yin Xing took over, it lacked her effortless precision.

“Her medical skills are indeed unparalleled.”

Su Ziyan was a careful person, and he didn’t miss the softness in Pei Xun’s tone and the hint of longing in his eyes. He quickly realized something and felt a heavy burden in his heart.

Su Ziyan and Pei Xun had grown up together, with Su Ziyan being a few years older. He often took care of Pei Xun and was very familiar with his personality. Pei Xun appeared carefree, but deep down, he was both proud and stubborn. He considered the throne to be his and worked tirelessly to achieve it. He had never cared about any woman, and marriage was always just a pawn in his struggle for power. He stubbornly pushed aside all emotions and desires, being too harsh on himself.

As his cousin, Su Ziyan did not like to see this. He hoped Pei Xun could live a normal life and even wished he could enjoy wealth and have many wives and concubines like Prince Qin.

Now, Pei Xun finally had feelings for someone, but that person was married and from the enemy camp, which made Su Ziyan very uncomfortable.

For a moment, he thought that once Pei Xun succeeded in seizing the throne and defeated Pei Muheng, it wouldn’t be impossible to bring the Xun family woman into the palace.

Pei Xun didn’t know how much his cousin worried for him. After confirming that his leg was fine and drinking a cup of tea, he said, “I won’t keep you from your work any longer.”

The Minister of Works and another official, having heard of Pei Xun’s presence, came to see him off. Su Ziyan didn’t mind them and returned to his office to review the day’s documents. He had only been seated for a moment when an official from the Ministry of War was led in. The official handed a document to Su Ziyan and said, “Minister Su, in April, you requested a transfer order from the Cabinet, moving over a hundred river workers from Tongzhou to Yingzhou. The Cabinet charged this expense to the Ministry of War’s Yingzhou Garrison. This isn’t right; it should be your Ministry of Works’ expense. So, either you return these hundred workers to Tongzhou, or sign this document to transfer the expense to your ministry.”

Su Ziyan’s expression tightened unconsciously when he heard this. He had issued that transfer order on someone’s behalf, using Xun Yunhe’s influence to do so, and later recorded it under the Ministry of War to avoid suspicion. But now, the Ministry of War had come knocking.

Even though this was a minor issue, and it didn’t matter whether the expenses were recorded under the Yingzhou Garrison or the Ministry of Works. For the Cabinet, it made no difference where the expenses came from.

“Who sent you?” Su Ziyan asked warily.

The young official replied confidently, “I manage the Ministry of War’s expenses, and the year-end accounts come to me for verification. This is procedure. Minister Su, you’re always sharp and perceptive. Surely you understand this?”

He implied that no one had specifically sent him.

His reasoning was sound, and Su Ziyan had no response.

Returning the workers was not an option, so Su Ziyan had no choice but to sign the document and dismiss the man with a heavy heart.

Though he didn’t know why the task was entrusted to him, he felt uneasy. Should he send a message to inform that person that someone was looking into the matter? The thought crossed his mind, and Su Ziyan quickly changed into his regular clothes and left the Ministry of Works.

As he reached the Zhengyang Gate, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

No, this was a scheme to rattle him.

The opposition was surely using this opportunity to unsettle him, expecting him to report to the person behind the scenes, and then trace it back.

Realizing this possibility, Su Ziyan swiftly turned around, scanning the surroundings sharply. The Zhengyang Gate area was crowded with government offices and bustling with people, faces flashing past him. Some smiled, some frowned, and it was impossible to discern anything at a glance. But Su Ziyan firmly believed that someone was watching him from the shadows, so he strode back purposefully.

Wang Fan, who was hiding in the shadows, felt very disappointed upon seeing this situation. He quietly took a detour to the Ministry of Revenue and reported the matter to Pei Muheng.

“Su Ziyan was extremely vigilant. He walked to the Zhengyang Gate and then turned back.”

Pei Muheng propped his hand against his forehead and slowly laughed.

Xun Yunhe informed him about Pei Xun’s visit. They suspected there was someone else behind the scenes, so they planned to trace Su Ziyan. However, he was very cunning and didn’t take the bait.

The opponent was highly experienced, so the plan to startle the enemy didn’t work, and they had to think of another way.

It was the fourth day of the winter month. After two days of sunshine, the sky gathered some clouds by the afternoon. Layer upon layer of dark clouds hung over the government office area, making it hard to breathe.

It was the early part of the evening. At this hour, the officials in the government office area should have been leaving, but not many had left. Every year-end, the central government was the busiest, and despite the overcast sky, the government office area remained brightly lit.

Liu Xiwen, the chief eunuch in charge of the Department of Ceremonies, finished reviewing the last stack of documents for the day and stretched lazily. As he stood up, a diligent young attendant hurried over to help him away from the desk and towards a nearby luohan bed for tea.

“Rest a while, Master. These documents can be given to Hu Tao and Chen Li for their review.”

Since the removal of Lu Han and another, the emperor had promoted two new officials for the job. Including the previous two, there were now five in total, including Liu Xiwen. However, Liu Xiwen shook his head, “Those two are still young. With the year-end approaching, these are important matters and cannot be handled carelessly.”

Although Liu Xiwen was a eunuch, he took his responsibilities seriously, ensuring the well-being of the people with great care. The young attendant praised him, “You’re truly the prime minister of the Jin Dynasty. The chief eunuch is indeed the head of the Cabinet.”

Liu Xiwen, who was always modest, smiled and waved his hand, “Don’t flatter me. Have you attended to the Emperor?”

The young attendant’s face turned serious, “I didn’t dare to disturb you, but the Emperor caught a cold this afternoon and his cough has worsened. He forbade me from telling you.”

Hearing this, Liu Xiwen’s expression changed. He threw aside the duster in his hand and hurriedly walked towards the imperial study.

Behind the imperial study, there was a warm chamber where the emperor rested during winter. Due to his recent illness, the Emperor lay motionless on his bed, attended by a few close eunuchs. Liu Xiwen entered the warm chamber and saw the emperor lying on the bed with his eyes closed, occasionally coughing. He quickly composed himself and approached with a few smiles, “Your Majesty…”

The Emperor opened his eyes slightly and saw Liu Xiwen’s anxious and concerned face. He let out a faint sigh, his lips moving as if he wanted to speak stubbornly as he used to, but after hesitating, he didn’t say anything. He simply asked, “Is there any of the potion that Yunxi girl left? If there is, apply some to my chest.” He pointed to his chest.

For some reason, Liu Xiwen saw an unprecedented fatigue on the Emperor’s face, and he felt a sense of foreboding.

“Yes, yes, the County Princess Consort sent some new potion yesterday through the Prince.”

The emperor was delighted to hear this. “She’s a filial child.”

Liu Xiwen fetched the potion and personally helped the emperor apply it. As the cold liquid touched his chest, Liu Xiwen carefully massaged him. Soon, a warm sensation spread, and after a few violent coughs, the Emperor spat out a mouthful of phlegm, feeling much more relieved.

The Emperor leaned back against the pillow, took a deep breath, and gazed at the bright yellow curtains above. “Xiwen, I might not make it this time…”

Liu Xiwen’s heart skipped a beat, but he sternly rebuked the emperor, “You’re talking nonsense. Every winter, don’t you fall ill a few times? You’ll be better after a few days of rest.”

The Emperor shook his head. This year’s illness felt different from previous ones. He felt as if his body were a decaying machine, unable to muster any strength. Even breathing was a struggle. The Emperor didn’t argue with him and simply said, “It’s time to establish a crown prince.”

Liu Xiwen felt a chill down his spine, and a cold sweat ran down his back. However, having served the emperor for many years, he was well-practiced at maintaining his composure, and his face showed no sign of it. With a smile, he said, “This matter is up to Your Majesty’s discretion. Whatever you decide is what it will be.”

In reality, Liu Xiwen, having served the Emperor day and night, understood the situation better than anyone.

The Emperor had intended to establish the Twelfth Prince as the crown prince for some time. However, the Twelfth Prince’s actions against Prince Xi’s household had made the emperor wary and displeased.

“What do you think of Xun’er?” the Emperor asked.

Liu Xiwen replied with a smile, “Which of Your Majesty’s sons isn’t excellent? The Twelfth Prince is the legitimate son of the Empress, both literary and martial, with the same vigor Your Majesty had in his youth.”

Since the Emperor had already chosen Pei Xun, he naturally pleased when he heard Liu Xiwen praised Pei Xun. “Actually, Xun’er is more suitable for this position than the eldest and second princes. He has a clear mind and the necessary skills. I can rest assured entrusting the kingdom to him.”

Liu Xiwen agreed repeatedly and finally managed to get the Emperor to sleep. He then left the warm chamber and went to his office in the rear hall. Closing the door behind him, he was enveloped in darkness, drenched in cold sweat.

What to do? The emperor seemed intent on establishing a crown prince, and once a crown prince was established, it wouldn’t be long before he became emperor.

Once Pei Xun became emperor, Liu Xiwen could foresee his own fate.

Years ago, Pei Xun had tried to win over Liu Xiwen, but Liu Xiwen, loyal to the Emperor, had gently refused. Later, Pei Xun repeatedly inserted his men into the Department of Ceremonies, especially during the Yangzhou incident. Pei Xun had his foster son Xu Rong assassinated in an attempt to use him to eliminate Qu Weizhen, the Governor of Liangjiang. Their relationship had completely soured since then.

Not long ago, the incident with Lu Han left a shadow in Liu Xiwen’s heart.

If Pei Xun were to ascend, Liu Xiwen would feel as if he had swallowed a fly.

Liu Xiwen knew that the moment of life and death had arrived. As the emperor’s most trusted confidant, he should have smoothly awaited the new emperor’s ascension and then requested to retire, but Liu Xiwen did not.

At this time, Pei Muheng’s years of silent efforts began to pay off.

First, Pei Muheng’s subtle gestures of goodwill, and later, twice helping Liu Xiwen fend off Pei Xun’s advances, tipped Liu Xiwen’s balance towards Prince Xi’s mansion.

More importantly, the incident with Qu Weizhen showed Liu Xiwen Pei Muheng’s superior qualities compared to Pei Xun. He displayed the qualities of an emperor with both strategy and a moral compass.

Qu Weizhen was crucial to Jiangnan and Zhejiang. For his own power, Pei Xun would eliminate him without a second thought. Pei Muheng, however, despite having the chance to remove Prince Qin, held to his principles for the sake of the people of Jiangnan and protected Qu Weizhen.

A person’s character is most evident in such moments.

Perhaps it was confidence—confidence in managing both Prince Qin and Pei Xun within the court.

Liu Xiwen, alone in his office, weighed his options for a moment and took a great risk to send this information to Prince Xi’s mansion.

At that moment, Prince Xi’s mansion received a visitor in the late, heavy dew of the night. It was the late-returning Xun Yunhe, disguised with a hood, who slipped through the corner gate into Prince Xi’s mansion’s study.

Xun Yunhe hurried in, his expression very grave, and sat in the circle chair, panting.

Pei Muheng personally poured him a cup of hot tea.

Prince Xi asked him, “What happened to bring you here so late, Shuzhi?”

Xun Yunhe took a sip of hot tea to dispel the cold in his chest, slowly recovering, and said, “Liu Xiwen sent word that His Majesty will soon make Pei Xun the crown prince.”

Prince Xi and Pei Muheng were both shocked.

“Why the sudden decision to establish a crown prince? Could it be…”

Xun Yunhe met Pei Muheng’s questioning gaze and responded, “His Majesty’s condition is critical.”

Pei Muheng’s throat tightened, and his face changed color several times.

Prince Xi felt heavy-hearted, “No, we must reveal the truth to the world before His Majesty’s condition worsens.” He couldn’t let his father leave this world bearing resentment towards him.

In the past few days, after the emperor caught a cold, only Liu Xiwen, the chief eunuch of the Department of Ceremonies, and General Zuo Xiaolin of the Imperial Guards were allowed to visit. These two were the Emperor’s trusted confidants. Liu Xiwen sending out this information was not only a significant risk but also an opportunity for Prince Xi.

They had to seize this opportunity.

Pei Muheng got up and paced the room, quickly pondering a plan. “With the old man’s whereabouts unknown and Su Ziyan being extremely cunning, refusing to reveal his tracks, we must take drastic measures. We need to lure the snake out of its hole and also stop His Majesty from establishing the crown prince.”

Prince Xi and Xun Yunhe both looked at him, “What do you plan to do?”

Pei Muheng turned to face the two elders, his eyes dark as ink. “Report the truth about the death of Princess Mingyue thirty years ago directly to His Majesty!”

Prince Xi was taken aback, “There’s no evidence or witness, just empty words. How will we convince His Majesty?”

Pei Muheng’s expression was resolute, “Whether His Majesty believes it or not is not important. What matters is planting a seed of doubt in his mind. This will slow down his decision to establish a crown prince and force the Empress to reveal her true colors.”

Prince Xi was skilled in warfare but not in court intrigues. He looked to Xun Yunhe for advice.

Xun Yunhe squinted at Pei Muheng, feeling a sense of admiration. “This is indeed the best plan. Although bold, it hits the mark. Sun Ziyan might be waiting for us to rescue the old man, hoping to catch us. We must outsmart him.”

Prince Xi felt that the two of them were thinking too quickly for him to keep up and hurriedly said, “Hey, hey, hey, you need to think this through. How will we tell His Majesty? Who will tell him? How will we bring up a matter that has been buried for thirty years? We have no solid evidence; empty words won’t suffice!”

Finding the old man is the key to bringing down Pei Xun.

Pei Muheng and Xun Yunhe exchanged a glance and both smiled.

Pei Muheng explained to Prince Xi, “Father, have you forgotten who was the chief examiner of the Tongzhou case? From the beginning, it was Assistant Minister Liu Yue of the Court of Judicial Review. Chen Mingshan is still in his hands. Liu Yue said that while investigating the case, he came across a river worker in Tongzhou who claimed to be a disciple of Imperial Physician Liu from thirty years ago and had inadvertently learned the truth about his death…”

In short, Pei Muheng and Xun Yunhe had pieced together the truth. Without a real witness, they would fabricate one. By leveraging this case, they would expose Pei Xun and the Empress, creating chaos for Pei Xun and providing the best opportunity to find the old man. Once they had the old man, they could clear Prince Xi’s name.

The Emperor might not be able to handle this news, and the more chaotic the situation, the more advantageous it would be for Prince Xi’s mansion, as they held military power.

After hearing this, Prince Xi broke into a sweat. “Brilliant plan!”

In terms of strategy, ten of him couldn’t compare to his son’s intelligence. Pei Muheng was truly three steps ahead with an unerring plan.

Thus, the next afternoon, Liu Yue rushed to Fengtian Hall in the swirling snow to report the case to the Emperor. The Emperor was gravely ill and had no time for him, so Liu Xiwen and Zuo Xiaolin were granted an audience with Liu Yue.

When Liu Yue revealed the case, both Liu Xiwen and Zuo Xiaolin were shocked. They managed to keep Liu Yue quiet while quickly seeking an audience with the Emperor. Upon hearing this old case, the Emperor spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted on the spot.

Liu Xiwen quietly summoned the Imperial Physician Fan Ruji to Fengtian Hall and had Zuo Xiaolin control the palace defenses. The two worked together to stabilize the situation.

Pei Xun had informants in the Court of Judicial Review, and one hurriedly sent the news to him. At that moment, Pei Xun was taking an afternoon nap in the Twelfth Prince’s residence, planning to visit the Emperor later. The news struck him like a blow, and he was left in a daze.

His mother was the real culprit behind Princess Mingyue’s death?

How could that be?

Pei Xun couldn’t catch his breath and hurriedly rushed to Kunning Palace with a grim expression.