The banquet hall fell completely silent. Everyone was stunned for a moment before belatedly paying their respects to Zhu Nanxian.
Chamberlain Ma knelt prostrate on the ground, trembling like chaff for some reason. In contrast, Zeng Youliang displayed the demeanor of welcoming an honored guest. He poured a cup of wine and handed it to Chamberlain Ma, saying with a smile, “Chamberlain, what great honor you have today that even the Thirteenth Prince deigns to grace your full-moon celebration. Shouldn’t you hurry and toast His Highness?”
Chamberlain Ma lifted his eyes and stared at Zeng Youliang with hollow eyes, finally understanding—
This was a trap. He had originally thought himself the one setting the trap, never imagining he was merely a dead piece within the game.
The wine cup was thrust before him with no room for refusal. The whiskers on Chamberlain Ma’s face trembled as he received the cup and raised it high, bowing to Zhu Nanxian.
Zhu Nanxian hesitated for a moment and was about to receive it when Su Jin in his arms suddenly said in a low voice, “Don’t drink it.”
Zhu Nanxian came to his senses. Without a word, he pulled the cloak’s hood over Su Jin’s face, grasped her hand, and strode rapidly toward the estate’s exit, tossing out a remark, “No need. This Prince is not accustomed to such fare.”
It was nearly midnight. The streets and alleys were as silent as death.
Zhu Nanxian brought Su Jin along, walking swiftly in the direction of the palace. The rapid pace stirred up night wind against their faces, so cold it was somewhat chilling.
Su Jin’s mind raced rapidly.
Judging from the situation just now, Chamberlain Ma must have been a chess piece kept in the dark—a scapegoat for this entire scheme.
Someone had probably told him to use the full-moon celebration as a trap, using the Seeking Moon Tower madam as bait to lure and kill Su Jin. But he never imagined that this trap was truly designed to lure and kill the Thirteenth Prince.
This also explained why there were two groups of people helping in the Ma estate’s kitchen. The other group helping from outside the estate should have been planted there by the true scheme-setter—ostensibly helping to arrange the banquet, but actually preparing poisoned wine for the Thirteenth Prince.
No wonder Chamberlain Ma had looked deathly pale upon seeing Zhu Nanxian.
Luring and killing a magistrate was nothing, but if one lured and killed an imperial son born of the Empress, that would be a capital crime warranting the execution of nine generations of kinsmen.
But who was this scheme-setter with such audacity to dare lure and kill an imperial prince?
As Su Jin thought this far, her mind rang with a buzzing sound—Emperor Jingyuan was elderly, and the various princes used their fiefs to assert their power. They might submit to Emperor Jingyuan but would not necessarily submit to the Crown Prince about to ascend the throne. And Zhu Nanxian was the Crown Prince’s full brother, commanding the Golden Guards military authority. If not eliminated early, when else would be better?
Su Jin stopped in her tracks and called out in a deep voice, “Your Highness!”
Zhu Nanxian turned back. He pressed his lips together as if wanting to say something but swallowed it back, only saying, “Rest assured, this Prince will certainly protect you completely.”
Su Jin shook her head and asked, “When Your Highness travels out, how many shadow guards follow at your side? Has Your Highness now noticed that you cannot detect any sign of these shadow guards?”
Zhu Nanxian froze, lowered his eyes without answering, and gripped Su Jin’s hand even tighter, as if trying to set her mind at ease.
But Su Jin said, “We cannot go forward.”
She stood still on the long street and looked around. The surroundings were utterly silent. The tranquil moonlight struck the blue brick walls and tiles, occasionally reflecting a cold glint. Without looking carefully, one might mistake it for the gleam of weapons.
Su Jin said in a low voice, “Your Highness, do you know why they haven’t made their move yet?” She took a deep breath and raised her eyes northward, looking toward the end of the long street. “Go any farther, and we’ll reach the Fourth Prince’s palace.”
The Fourth Prince was enfeoffed in Beiping and controlled the strategic northern throat of the realm. If they could kill the Thirteenth Prince before the Fourth Prince’s palace and splash this dirty water on him, wouldn’t that kill two birds with one stone?
Zhu Nanxian fell silent for a moment, then pulled Su Jin eastward, wanting to take a detour back to the palace.
Su Jin shook her head again. “We cannot go there either.”
She had always suspected that someone was instigating behind the scholar riots earlier. Looking back at the events of that day, there were indeed clues to be found.
During the riots, Vermillion Bird Alley was in complete turmoil. The Southern City Military Commission was like a single pillar struggling to support a collapsing house, truly unable to control the situation, yet the Eastern and Western City Military Commissions, which were closest to the city’s south, delayed their arrival.
Su Jin had asked about this, and Tan Zhaolin’s exact words were—the Eastern and Western City Military Commissions had gotten into a fight with violent bandits on the road.
Upon careful consideration now, no matter how chaotic the capital might be, how could there be bandits capable of blocking the Military Commissions’ path?
Most likely these two Military Commissions had already been bought off by someone with ulterior motives, deliberately allowing the situation to escalate.
So going west or east, they would certainly encounter the two City Military Commissions blocking their path.
Su Jin offered no explanation, but Zhu Nanxian already understood. He said, “Then we’ll go south. Tan Zhaolin is Zuo Qian’s man.”
Su Jin grabbed Zhu Nanxian’s hand and said, “Since they’ve carefully set up this trap, they must have laid an inescapable net. Even if the Southern City Military Commission’s commander is General Zuo’s man, what about his subordinates? Or could there be others lying in ambush?” She paused, released Zhu Nanxian’s hand, and looked toward the only place in this deep night where lamplight burned. “Your Highness, listen to me. There is still one place that is safe.
“Though this subject has not guessed who the scheme-setter is, Uncle and Nephew Zeng must certainly be involved. They want to use Chamberlain Ma as a scapegoat to clear themselves of suspicion, so they cannot do without witnesses. Therefore, in that banquet hall, there must be a third type of person—those who know nothing and truly came as guests. If Your Highness had just now accepted the poisoned wine, they would happen to be able to testify that the banquet was arranged by Chamberlain Ma, the wine was prepared by Chamberlain Ma, and this cup of poisoned wine was handed to Your Highness by Chamberlain Ma.
“So, Your Highness, with these people present, Uncle and Nephew Zeng definitely won’t dare openly move against you. Your Highness need only return and set up a table beside them. When someone serves food, have them taste it first. When someone offers wine, have them sample it first. Wait until dawn tomorrow…”
“Wait until dawn tomorrow, and my imperial brother will certainly come to the rescue,” Zhu Nanxian said. “But what about you? If I return, what will you do? In your current disguise, if discovered by anyone, you’ll have no way out.”
Su Jin said decisively, “I’ll go north. Your Highness, return. Those lying in ambush will see us separate and will certainly find it suspicious for a moment and won’t dare act rashly. This will buy Your Highness time to return to the Ma estate.”
Zhu Nanxian froze. “You want to trade yourself for me?”
Su Jin raised her eyes to gaze at Zhu Nanxian. “Yes. If this subject’s life can be exchanged for Your Highness’s life, it’s all profit, no loss.”
The cloak’s hood was large, covering most of Su Jin’s face. Zhu Nanxian could only see moonlight faintly flowing into the depths of her eyes, melting together with the fierce fire within, revealing a soul-stirring light.
Zhu Nanxian let out a brief laugh and also gazed into Su Jin’s eyes, saying, “You don’t understand.”
But he didn’t clarify what exactly she didn’t understand. Then he took Su Jin’s hand and said in a low voice, “This Prince will take you away, whether back to the palace or out of the city. If anyone wants your life, this Prince will take theirs.”
He turned southward and, without looking back, said again, “With this Prince here, no one can harm you.”
Shen Xi briefly explained the matter of Lu Yuwei to Liu Chaoming and continued, “The Ma estate has set up such an elaborate trap—it definitely wasn’t to lure Su Jin. Su Jin is just bait. The one they want to lure and kill is someone else.”
As he spoke, he stared fixedly at Liu Chaoming. “If Lu Yuwei was bought off by the Seventh Prince, and tonight’s trap was set by the Seventh Prince, then killing whom would be most advantageous to the Seventh Prince?”
The answer was already laid out before them.
The Seventh Prince’s fief was in Huaixi. If he harbored ambitions for the throne, then leading troops from Huaixi into Yingtian Prefecture, the greatest threat would be Zhu Nanxian.
Currently, Emperor Jingyuan was still alive and military authority remained in the emperor’s hands. But Zhu Nanxian hadn’t spent five years commanding troops in the northwest for nothing. When Emperor Jingyuan passed away, Zhu Minda, as the eldest legitimate son, would rightfully inherit the throne, that went without saying. But even if at that time the Seventh Prince had strong troops and could march straight from Huaixi, he couldn’t prevent the Northwest garrison from heeding Zhu Nanxian’s commands and attacking from the rear.
Therefore, for the Seventh Prince, if he wanted to seize the throne, Zhu Nanxian was undoubtedly his greatest concern.
Liu Chaoming listened with his hands clasped behind his back. After brief consideration, he said, “Since the Seventh Prince has set the trap, sending people to follow halfway would be futile. There’s an inescapable net there. Among the Five Cities Military Commissions, there must be his people. I’m afraid even Zhu Shisan’s shadow guards have met with misfortune.”
Shen Xi nodded. “Correct. I’ll go to the Eastern Palace now to report to the Crown Prince.”
In the palace, only two princes could command personal guard troops—one was Crown Prince Zhu Minda’s Feathered Forest Guard, and the other was the Thirteenth Prince Zhu Nanxian’s Golden Guard.
Looking at the current situation, probably only Zhu Minda leading the Feathered Forest Guard there could be a match for them.
Shen Xi took a deep breath and said, “After I finish reporting to the Crown Prince, I’ll rush to the Ma estate.” As he spoke, his eyes suddenly turned cold as he smiled. “Trying to turn an official of this court—how splendid. All of you just stay at the Ma estate. Not one of you will escape.”
Liu Chaoming watched Shen Xi’s figure disappear into the night. After a moment of silence, he suddenly called out, “Qian San’er.”
Qian San’er emerged from the side of the court hall. “My lord, should I have the patrolling censors accompany you?”
Liu Chaoming gave a faint “mm” and added, “Also invite Lord Wei.”
Qian San’er froze.
The Lord Wei that Liu Chaoming spoke of was none other than Wei Zhang, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
But the Embroidered Uniform Guard answered directly to the Emperor and received orders from no government office. If Liu Chaoming went to invite Wei Zhang, wouldn’t that make people suspect a connection between the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Imperial Censorate?
Qian San’er said, “Lord Liu, should we have Lord Wei go there as if by coincidence under the pretext of pursuing bandits?”
Liu Chaoming shook his head. “No. Have him go precisely to rescue Zhu Nanxian.”
Qian San’er looked completely puzzled. “My lord, but this…”
Liu Chaoming glanced at him and turned to gaze at the clear, pale moonlight. “Tell me, if tonight Shen Qingyue at the Ma estate captures all of the Seventh Prince’s confidants in one sweep, and Zhu Minda leads the Feathered Forest Guard to clear out the Seventh Prince’s people from the Five Cities Military Commissions, what will the situation in the palace be like afterward?
“His Majesty is elderly, and the balance of power among the princes would be disrupted. With the Eastern Palace growing too powerful, our Imperial Censorate would inevitably only be able to attach itself under the Eastern Palace. After that, conducting our affairs would become difficult.”
Since tonight’s situation was a conflict between the Crown Prince and the Seventh Prince, if the Embroidered Uniform Guard went and rescued Zhu Nanxian, the first one Emperor Jingyuan would suspect would definitely not be the Imperial Censorate, but rather that the Crown Prince had connections with the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Thus, the final result would inevitably be both sides receiving equal punishment. The Crown Prince and the Seventh Prince would still balance each other, and who would ultimately sit on the imperial throne would remain to be seen.
Qian San’er suddenly understood and bowed admiringly. “My lord’s wisdom is profound. This subordinate was short-sighted.”