Rebuilding the mansion was costly and time-consuming, but the Grand Duke felt it was worth it to please Ji Bozai. Ji Bozai, being grateful, immediately expressed his indignation about the Grand Duke’s situation: “I’ll confront Bo Yuankui tomorrow for an explanation, but the weak security in the palace is also punishable.”
The Grand Duke nodded: “You make a valid point, but the inner courtyard patrol captain Meng Xin has some royal connections. It’s not easy for me to simply dismiss him…”
What royal connections? He was just a distant relative of the former Grand Duke’s consort who didn’t know his place.
Ji Bozai continued: “Muxing City is at a critical time for development. If we punish the lower ranks but not the higher-ups, it may cause unrest. Your Highness should handle this according to the rules. If he has any complaints, I’ll deal with them on your behalf.”
The Grand Duke liked his attitude, presenting himself as a loyal warrior ready to charge into battle for him, making him feel secure and at ease.
So he smiled and said: “Good.”
To the Grand Duke, Meng Xin was just an insignificant figure, and he was content to leave the matter to Ji Bozai. What he didn’t know was that as soon as he returned to the inner courtyard, Ji Bozai had Meng Xin tied up and brought to the half-burned Green Tile Courtyard.
The esteemed inner courtyard patrol captain, not even properly dressed, was thrown onto the dusty stone floor. He immediately started cursing: “Which blind bastard dares to tie me up? Do you know who I am?”
Xun Mama, leaning on her cane, struck him on the head: “Who else could it be, you scum!”
Meng Xin winced in pain and turned to look at her. He felt she looked familiar but couldn’t remember where he’d seen her. Just as he was about to retaliate, a burst of Yuan Power flipped him over, leaving him bound and unable to move.
“Captain Meng is the most impressive, entering and leaving the inner palace as if it were his own home, betraying his master without even blinking an eye,” Bu Xiu said expressionlessly, sitting down beside him with a tray.
“Who are you?” Seeing him pick up a knife, Meng Xin panicked. “We have no past grudges or recent conflicts. What are you doing?”
“The Captain’s memory isn’t very good,” Xun Mama shook her head and gave him another hard whack with her cane. “Bu Xiu, go ahead, help him remember.”
Bu Xiu nodded, removed Meng Xin’s pants, and placed the sharp blade against his manhood.
Sweat poured down Meng Xin’s forehead as he suddenly realized: “I remember now! I wronged her! I’m sorry!”
“Good that you remember,” Bu Xiu smiled, and the knife fell.
…
The white cloth covering the spirit tablet fluttered slightly in the breeze. Ji Bozai stood in the room, glanced at it, and gently smoothed it down.
Outside, it was the end of spring and the beginning of summer. Brilliant sunlight shone through the flower-patterned window, making him squint slightly.
Another summer had arrived. It had been several years since he’d seen her in a silver gauze dress, twirling and asking him who was more beautiful – her or the lotus flowers in the pond.
The Huamanlou brothel was full of gauze dresses, with girls giggling as they moved among the wealthy patrons.
Someone paid a high price to have ten girls gather in one private room to serve a sick person.
Hearing the price, the madam quickly smiled and said: “No matter what kind of patient it is, my girls can make him stand up.”
When the patient was carried in, he was pale and unconscious. The men carrying him stood at the main entrance and explained seriously: “This is Captain Meng Xin of the inner courtyard patrol. If you can revive him tonight, the Meng family will reward each person with 5,000 bei coins. But please keep this confidential and don’t speak about the master’s condition to outsiders.”
Many officials and nobles upstairs burst into laughter upon hearing the name. Meng Xin was known for his promiscuity, how had he ended up in such a state?
The girls were excited and quickly welcomed him into the private room.
However, after a short while, complaints could be heard from inside, followed by the madam’s angry voice: “How can we revive him? Even the heavens couldn’t bring him back. What bad luck!”
“Madam, there’s too much money at stake. Should we call more sisters to try?”
“Let’s try. I’ll call Mudan to take a look too!”
The madam thought it made sense. If they couldn’t earn the big reward, at least they could earn the per-person bonus. They said they’d give 1,000 bei coins to each girl who came to look.
She immediately went to each private room with a smile, borrowing girls for just a moment, saving a table full of drink expenses.
In less than half an hour, all the girls in Huamanlou knew that Meng Xin was impotent and beyond medical help.
So when his body was found in the backyard well the next day, the girls weren’t surprised. When the Grand Duke’s dismissal order came down, everyone abandoned the Meng family’s requests, and they felt free to say: “Captain Meng really couldn’t be revived, that’s why he committed suicide.”
This explanation quickly spread among the officials and nobles. When Judge Zhao was asked by the Grand Duke, he casually replied: “He committed suicide.”
The Grand Duke nodded, not particularly concerned, but looked at him and said: “You’re retiring now. I’ll miss you.”
“This old official is too advanced in years to assist Your Highness anymore. Fortunately, young Master Situ, though young, is extremely intelligent. Your Highness can rely on him.”
Situ Ling stood behind, already dressed in the judge’s official robes, his features handsome and bright.
The Grand Duke nodded with a smile: “I’ve experienced his capabilities. He’s reliable.”
This was his strategy to keep Ji Bozai in check.
Judge Zhao retired successfully, leaving the city with his wife to return to their countryside home.
Situ Ling stood on the city wall, watching the shadow of their carriage, slightly surprised: “Ji Bozai let him go. He had also submitted a petition against the former Grand Duke’s consort back then.”
He hadn’t spared even Meng Xin, who occasionally showed attitude to the former Grand Duke’s consort. Why did he spare Judge Zhao?
Fu Yue shook his head, expressing his confusion: “That man, his thoughts are strange.”
“I was trying to predict the next victim, but I didn’t expect to be wrong,” Situ Ling turned around, puzzled. “How can there be someone in this world I can’t figure out?”
Fu Yue looked ahead: “Master isn’t truly omniscient.”
“Hmph, before I met him, I was infallible in my strategies,” Situ Ling raised his chin. “Why don’t we make another bet? Will Ji Bozai come to our mansion on his own?”
“He’s a proud man. Even if he regrets it, he’d only send someone to fetch Miss Ming. He might not come personally.”
Situ Ling laughed again, jumping into the carriage and shaking his head: “You understand Ji Bozai so well, but you haven’t looked at the one in our mansion.”
Fu Yue didn’t understand but said nothing more.
The carriage passed the end of Twenty-nine Street, where people had already started clearing the ruins, preparing to rebuild the mansion.
Ji Bozai looked at the rebuilding plans with a headache: “Can’t you handle these trivial matters?”
“The layout of your mansion has already been leaked once, my lord. We can’t risk a second time,” Bu Xiu said seriously. “It’s best for you to review it personally and then burn the plans afterward.”
Remembering this, Ji Bozai felt annoyed: “It would have been less trouble if I had just killed her. Who else would have the audacity to betray me like that?”