Such a direct question would never be answered by professional kidnappers, but judging from the entire kidnapping incident, these two were amateurs. After being severely beaten, they were now quite docile and stammered:
“In our line of work, we never know our client’s background. The person who paid us just wanted us to kidnap a maid in water-red clothes, leave a note, and threaten whoever came to rescue her. They said if the threats didn’t work, we should give her poisoned vermillion paper to make her do it herself.”
Yin Gezhi entered just as he heard this statement. As An Shichong turned to speak with the yamen officials, he walked in and asked, “Even after releasing the maid, she would still act?”
Trembling, the two kidnappers turned to see this god-like figure stride through the doorway. His tone was gentle, completely different from the fierce young man who had just been yelling at them.
Feeling slightly relieved, one kidnapper quickly said, “That person also gave us poison, saying we should make the maid take it, and she’d only get the antidote after completing the task.”
The other kidnapper nodded. Seeing this handsome young man in blue robes with his slender frame looking like a scholar, his eyes darted about as he said, “We still have the antidote here. If you want it, perhaps you could ask the others to step out.”
Xu Huaizu became displeased: “If you have the antidote, just hand it over. Why do we need to leave?”
“In our line of work, there are certain unwritten rules,” said the burlier kidnapper. “Clear the room, and we can discuss terms.”
“That’s right, otherwise we might as well all perish together – we’re dead either way,” the other kidnapper chimed in, having caught his companion’s intention.
Now that they were facing trial, they were truly doomed. Before that, they had to find a chance to escape!
The young man in brocade clothes looked fierce and carried a sword – a trained fighter. This scholar before them seemed easier to deal with, all soft and weak, without any weapon for protection. If they could just get everyone else to leave, they could use the excuse of getting the antidote to… hehe!
Their eyes met, and both kidnappers found this plan quite feasible!
“Wait outside for a moment,” said Yin Gezhi.
Not at all worried about his master, Xu Huaizu led everyone out, leaving just the two kidnappers and the seemingly frail scholar in the hall.
“The antidote.” Yin Gezhi extended his slender hand, his tone still gentle.
With a glance at each other, one kidnapper reached into his clothes to get the antidote while the other flexed his wrist. His gaze suddenly turned sharp as he struck swiftly at Yin Gezhi’s neck!
Without even raising an eyebrow, Yin Gezhi slowly dodged the strike and reached into the man’s clothes, quickly retrieving the medicine bottle.
The kidnapper’s pupils constricted in shock – he hadn’t even seen how this man had moved, yet somehow the medicine bottle was already in his hand.
The scholar’s face turned ice-cold after obtaining the bottle like a soul collector returned from hell. He slowly approached and before the kidnapper could react, a sharp pain shot through his stomach. His world spun as he was thrown heavily against the wall.
There were cracking sounds from his limbs and internal organs. Unable to even cry out, he collapsed to the ground, mouth agape and convulsing.
The other kidnapper stood dumbfounded. Yin Gezhi turned to him, and without hesitation, grabbed his wrist and twisted it violently with both hands!
A sharp crack was followed by the kidnapper’s anguished scream: “Ahh—!”
“Master,” Xu Huaizu called carefully from outside, “Please go easy on them.”
An Shichong blocked the Prefect of Beijing beside him and explained with cupped hands: “Master is just retrieving the antidote as they requested, not killing anyone.”
Wiping sweat from his brow, the Prefect forced a smile, though his eyes showed clear disbelief.
After about fifteen minutes, the door opened and Yin Gezhi emerged to bow to the Prefect: “Thank you for your trouble.”
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare,” Chen Liufang hastily returned the bow. “These criminals were so brazen as to attempt the assassination of His Highness. We will certainly investigate thoroughly!”
Yin Gezhi nodded: “Since the Zhu Laicai case, I’ve known that Your Honor is upright and impartial.”
That wasn’t really about his uprightness – it was clearly because the Crown Prince wouldn’t let go of the matter and was determined to pursue it to the end. Now he was caught between pressure from the Three Judicial Offices, truly walking on thin ice.
“The Zhu Laicai case?” An Shichong asked further, “Is that the accountant from the Three Judicial Offices?”
“Indeed.”
“Still no verdict?” Xu Huaizu’s face darkened in anger. “A life for a life – plotting against a royal hostage should implicate the entire family! Since the culprit has been caught, what are we waiting for?”
Yin Gezhi sighed softly: “The magistrate has his difficulties.”
“Difficulties?” An Shichong said, “If it’s difficult, why not transfer it to the Court of Justice? Minister Zhao fears no power and will surely make a fair judgment. Since we’re here today, Your Honor might as well hand over the evidence and criminal to me – I’ll deliver them to the Court of Justice on my way.”
“This…” Chen Liufang wiped the sweat from his brow. “It’s not such a major case, to trouble the Court of Justice…”
How would he explain this to the Chief Justice?
Xu Huaizu’s brows shot up as he coldly laughed: “Not a major case? Your Honor means to wait until His Highness is harmed and war breaks out between our nations?”
“I wouldn’t dare!”
“Then there’s nothing more to discuss. Bring out the prisoner,” Xu Huaizu commanded. “The Zhenyuan General’s guards are all outside – more than enough to escort one criminal.”
Forced into a corner and unable to resist, Chen Liufang sighed, feeling somewhat relieved as well. He quickly had them take away the prisoner – one less headache for him.
So Xu Huaizu very seriously escorted the prisoner to the Court of Justice.
“Master, don’t worry. Minister Zhao is an old friend of my father and they’ve always had a good relationship. With him in charge, the case will be settled quickly,” An Shichong said as he rode beside him.
Yin Gezhi nodded: “You’ve had a trying day – better return to the Marquis Manor. There may be celebrations tonight, and you are the host after all.”
“Very well, take care on your way, Master.” After bowing to him, An Shichong gripped his Buhui sword and galloped toward the manor.
Finally finding peace, Yin Gezhi looked down at the medicine bottle in his hand.
Would someone as cunning as her be poisoned?
Remembering how she had bounced around on his back, he shook his head and moved to throw the bottle away, then paused and tucked it into his robes instead.
“Master.” Guanzhi was waiting at the gate and hurried to take his horse.
Walking into the manor, Yin Gezhi asked, “Is she in the main courtyard or guest quarters?”
Guanzhi replied with a complex expression: “She returned to Menghuai Tower.”
“Hmm?” Yin Gezhi stopped and turned back, confused.
“Lady Fengyue came back earlier saying everything was done, then left with Lingshu.” Guanzhi was also puzzled: “You hadn’t even asked her to leave, yet she left on her own.”
He had thought she would want to stay here.
Yin Gezhi’s brow furrowed then smoothed as he continued walking toward the main courtyard, saying coolly: “She must not have been poisoned. Otherwise, she would have been demanding I save her rather than having the leisure to return to Menghuai Tower.”
“What poison?”
“Nothing. Just deliver a thank-you gift to Menghuai Tower.”
Another thank-you gift – it felt like every time his master was displeased, he would send gifts to Menghuai Tower. Guanzhi wanted to say that many things could be resolved with just a few words, without needing to be so wasteful.
But seeing his master’s ice-cold face, he gave up. Better go select some gifts instead.
Back at Menghuai Tower, Fengyue had taken a good bath, changed clothes, and transformed back into an alluring enchantress. Standing on the third floor of Menghuai Tower, she cast flirtatious glances at the crowds passing below on the street.
Though Menghuai Tower was still closed for business, some girls secretly received customers, so it wasn’t completely dead. As Fengyue continued casting her glances, she heard a sharp voice behind her: “Oh, you’re still here? Coming and going as you please – I thought someone had bought out your contract.”
Duanxian’s voice always carried a sharp, grating quality like a needle scratching iron, making people physically uncomfortable.
However, Fengyue still turned to smile at her: “No customers? You have time to mock me.”
“Hmph, I just don’t feel like taking customers.” Standing beside her and scanning the crowd below, Duanxian’s dramatic eye roll was quite a sight: “Unlike you, unable to get customers and having to flirt with passersby. Why are you so undiscriminating?”
Glancing at her face, Fengyue paused and handed her a handkerchief: “Your eye makeup is smeared.”
“Mind your own business!” She snapped fiercely, but immediately pulled out a small mirror to check. After fixing her makeup, she sighed: “Beauty fades with the setting sun, few horses and carriages stop at my door now.”
“Wow, you even know poetry!” Fengyue clapped: “How talented!”
“You think everyone’s like you, only knowing how to strip?” Looking at her contemptuously, Duanxian gazed at the vast crowd below again, her eyes showing loneliness: “It’s just pitiful for people like us. At least having a vendetta gives purpose – without even that, who knows what kind of life we’re living.”
Fengyue paused.
Duanxian was a refugee from a wealthy family, captured in wartime and repeatedly abused in military camps. To protect her younger sister, she gave up everything, asking only that they spare her sister. Unfortunately, her sister was still sold off like property, suffering abuse before finally dying at the hands of some commander.
Six months ago, Duanxian had collapsed at Menghuai Tower’s entrance with barely a breath left.
Six months later, this woman bloomed like a flower, though her heart was probably rotting, just waiting to achieve her revenge before smiling in death.
They were all just hanging on.
“Give it a rest,” Fengyue sneered. “Look at that face, aging like you’re forty or fifty. Instead of sighing and lamenting, better take care of yourself, or you’ll scare away customers and starve to death.”
Duanxian froze, her expression instantly turning savage: “Who are you calling old?!”
“If the shoe fits!”
“You…”
“Fengyue! My darling, come down quickly!” Madam Jin’s loud voice rang out again, carrying in all directions: “A patron has sent you more gifts!”
Duanxian’s face darkened. The woman before her preened like a proud peacock, shaking her tail feathers at her before fingering her bracelet and saying: “Miss should focus on saving up for her coffin first, rather than thinking so much.”
With that, she swayed her hips and went downstairs.
Pulling herself together, Duanxian grabbed her skirt and rushed down. She gathered several girls including Weiyun and stood ominously beside the main hall, watching Fengyue smile like a flower as she checked her gifts.
“I want such a generous patron too,” Weiyun pouted. “And so forgiving – not even blaming her for the poisoning!”
“Just lucky,” Jin Ling snorted. “There are always a few foolish rich clients each year.”
The girls nodded in agreement, gossiping like ordinary courtesans. Where was the deep blood feud now? Just girls’ petty jealousies and rivalries, chattering and squabbling.
Checking the inventory, Fengyue smiled.
For girls, it’s better to live simply – arguing and competing for customers, how nice.
Of course, her life couldn’t be simple. Yin Gezhi hadn’t come to Menghuai Tower, presumably busy with other matters. But at dusk, Ye Yuqin came.
“Just finished the birthday banquet at the An Marquis Manor and need to return to the palace. Thought I’d stop by to see you,” he said with a smile, fanning himself though his eyes held more complex emotions. The Crown Prince drew close to her and said gently: “Fengyue, you’re quite capable.”
Her heart skipped a beat as Fengyue bowed low: “What does my lord mean?”