After talking with Song Yan all night, Song Chengru only went to Old Madam Song at Ningde Courtyard early the next morning. After having breakfast and waiting for Song Jue to come pay his respects, he asked him, “How did it go?”
The gambling den had already been sealed, with Magistrate He’s officers controlling everything from top to bottom. The Marquis of Jinxiang’s estate also had government soldiers searching it. No matter how capable Han Zhi was, he couldn’t sprout wings and fly away. He would definitely have to return to the Marquis of Jinxiang’s estate to seek aid.
He had just fallen out with the Prince of Dongping and Grand Lady Fan, so that side definitely wouldn’t help him either. At this moment, he had no choice but to go to the Marquis of Jinxiang’s estate to get some silver money and run to the Northwest where Han Zhengqing was—there was no other way.
Song Jue nodded. “Last night the Imperial Guard was already stationed at the gates of the Marquis of Jinxiang’s estate. Although the number of people coming and going from the Marquis’s estate suddenly multiplied several times over, with their sharp eyes they managed to spot Han Zhi’s personal attendant among so many people. Right now the Imperial Guard has already followed him out of the city.”
Both the Imperial Guard and Magistrate He were putting in all their effort. No matter how formidable Han Zhi was, he was still flesh and blood. Running into these Imperial Guards who killed without batting an eye, death was the only outcome.
Old Master Song tapped his fingers on the tabletop and asked Song Jue again, “No movement from the Crown Prince’s residence?”
Logically speaking, there shouldn’t be no movement at all. After all, although they could completely distance themselves from the gambling den affair and pretend to know nothing, they couldn’t dare to stand by and watch regarding Zhang Run’s matter. Zhang Run was after all Zhang Tianhe’s son. If he still had other evidence about the Yangzhou corruption case in his hands and submitted it, or if he was forced to confess by the Imperial Guard, then both Grand Lady Fan and the Prince of Dongping would be unable to escape punishment.
Song Jue glanced at Song Yan standing to the side, then suddenly turned his head to ask him, “If you were the Prince of Dongping, what would you do?”
They indeed hadn’t cared enough about Song Yan. First, it was because he lost his mother at a young age and spent two years recuperating at the Cui family. Second, it was because he nearly died in that fire and was sent to Shu to study. After three years, he had only just returned, so inevitably they had indulged him somewhat.
But some mistakes couldn’t be made. Having suffered a loss once, Song Yan should learn his lesson, and they should properly teach and guide him.
These past two days, both Cui Yingshu and Old Master Song had been analyzing the court situation with him. The Yangzhou corruption case and the matter of Cui Shaoting in the Northwest over these two years had all been simplified and explained to him, trying to make things as accessible as possible so he could understand clearly.
Therefore, Song Yan knew why Song Chuyi had turned the tables and sowed discord between Han Zhi and the Prince of Dongping. To deal with the venomous snake that was Han Zhi, they first had to cut off his escape routes. Now was precisely the time.
“If I were the Prince of Dongping, regardless of what Zhang Run might say, I would find a way to kill him to silence him.” When Song Yan spoke the words “silence him,” he no longer felt the initial shock from being confronted with human death. Perhaps he felt grandfather and uncle were right—in some people’s eyes, human lives were something that could be sacrificed at any time. “And there’s also Han Zhi… he’s now fallen out with the Prince of Dongping, and his relationship with Lady Liangdi Fan isn’t as close as before. Most importantly, as soon as the Prince of Dongping withdrew his stake, the gambling den was sealed. He will certainly think that Lady Liangdi Fan and the Prince of Dongping are kicking him while he’s down…”
Seeing both Song Chengru and Song Jue looking at him, he thought carefully before continuing, “If he’s captured at this time, he will definitely have a mentality of mutually assured destruction. Therefore, if I were the Prince of Dongping, I wouldn’t allow him to be brought back to the capital alive for trial.”
Song Jue noncommittally shifted his gaze to Old Master Song and Old Madam Song, unconsciously slowing his voice considerably. “Today the Prince of Dongping invited Vice Minister Li from the Ministry of Justice to drink at Juyi Tower.”
Vice Minister Li of the Ministry of Justice—rumor had it his wife had already taken a fancy to Commander Lai Chenglong’s second daughter, planning to take her as the legitimate wife for their legitimate eldest grandson.
At this time, the Prince of Dongping inviting him for drinks—the purpose was self-evident.
Old Master Song nodded. “Help them along.”
Song Yan was somewhat shocked and raised his head to look at Song Chengru. “Grandfather, you’re saying we should help them kill Han Zhi?”
“Can’t figure it out?” Old Master Song took the tea Song Jue handed him, calmly took a sip, and looked at him with burning eyes. “What would happen if Han Zhi was captured and brought back?”
What would happen? Song Yan froze in place. After a long while, he finally began to process Old Master Song’s words.
He had never engaged in scheming with others before. The things he had heard these past two days were like Arabian Nights tales to him. Now, thinking carefully—yes, what would happen if Han Zhi was brought back?
Even Zhang Tianhe, a frontier official holding such great power, could die under Xu Liang and Jia Yingxin’s hands in unclear circumstances, with documents made flawlessly. What more of Han Zhi? His previous power all came from the Marquis of Jinxiang’s estate and Lady Liangdi Fan at the Crown Prince’s residence. Now that he had committed a crime himself, the Marquis of Jinxiang’s influence couldn’t be mobilized, and Lady Liangdi Fan would only wish he died sooner.
Even if he came back, it would be useless.
Moreover, given the Prince of Dongping’s character and that of Elder Chen beside him, they absolutely couldn’t allow him to return alive.
Seeing his appearance, they knew he had figured it out. Old Madam Song tugged at Old Master Song’s sleeve, signaling him to proceed gradually. Old Master Song nodded. “Alright, from now on when you encounter matters, you must use your brain. Think thrice before acting on anything.”
Old Madam Song beckoned him over, and seeing his listless state, couldn’t help but smile. “People eat five grains, so there’s no one who doesn’t make mistakes. When your grandfather was your age, he only knew how to study diligently. If it hadn’t been for the later dispute over inheritance, the Marquis’s estate changing drastically and losing its hereditary rank, and your great-grandfather falling gravely ill, your grandfather wouldn’t be the way he is now. The sharp edge of a sword comes from grinding, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold. This time you did wrong, but you’re still young. As long as you can change, it’s a good thing.”
Teaching children required taking it step by step. Grandfather, father, and elder brother played the stern roles, so naturally she and her granddaughters had to play the gentle roles. Otherwise, if they pushed too hard, a perfectly good child could easily be ruined.
As Old Madam Song spoke, she leaned back against the cushion and asked Song Yan, “That fellow disciple of yours…”
Song Yan had already mentioned this matter to Song Jue, so Song Jue took over. “Yan’er ignored him and left him at the gambling den. Later Magistrate He arrested him as a gambler.”
Old Madam Song glanced at Old Master Song and instructed Song Jue, “Have your second brother take a calling card and make a trip to Magistrate He’s residence. Don’t let that person say anything unpleasant.”
This kind of despicable person, having reached this point, would definitely drag Song Yan in to beg for his life.
She looked at Song Yan and laughed once. “Since ancient times, the heartless have always been scholars. Someone who studies until his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys are all blackened, who throws all the words of the sages behind him—such a person truly deserves to die. Falling to this state is something he brought upon himself. He can blame no one.”
Song Yan didn’t speak up to plead for mercy. From the moment he walked out of the gambling den, he had already anticipated Aheng’s fate. Upon hearing this, he only pressed his lips together and nodded.