“My master also has a blood feud with Wei Yan,” said Zhao Xun. His naturally smiling eyes gave people a false sense of approachability, yet they held a distinct detachment. “Getting close to the Marquis wasn’t about using your influence. My master believes that once you learn the truth about the Jinzhou Battle from sixteen years ago, you too would want to kill Wei Yan. We didn’t deliberately conceal our identity earlier—my master was simply waiting for the right moment to reveal it to you.”
Marquis Xie Zheng’s eyes turned sharp as steel, and though he had already formed a guess in his mind, he still asked, “Who is your master?”
“The one who survived the great fire in the Eastern Palace sixteen years ago,” Zhao Xun replied.
Xie Zheng’s lips curved into a cold smile. “The Imperial Grandson? If he were still alive, shouldn’t he have sought an alliance with Imperial Tutor Li’s faction? Why wait until now to seek out a defeated dog of Pingyang like myself?”
Zhao Xun’s expression grew troubled. “You’ve investigated the traces of the Jinzhou Battle from sixteen years ago. You must know that old traitor Wei Yan always cuts off loose ends, leaving no evidence behind. When the Crown Prince died and the Eastern Palace burned, even though the late Emperor ordered both the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review to investigate thoroughly, they couldn’t uncover the truth. How much harder would it be now, when everything has changed? Imperial Tutor Li may lead the honest officials at court, but he wouldn’t risk everything to oppose Wei’s faction for my master’s sake. You’re different, Marquis. General Xie died in battle and his corpse was displayed on the city walls for three days by the Northern Yue—Wei Yan had a hand in that too. Don’t you want revenge?”
Xie Zheng’s fingers clenched, and a murderous aura seemed to seep from his very bones, making the spacious private room feel suffocating. “Tell me what happened sixteen years ago.”
Zhao Xun replied, “My master has been lying low for years but hasn’t found a single clue about the Jinzhou Battle. When the Eastern Palace burned, the Ministry of Justice and Court of Judicial Review blamed it on palace servants accidentally knocking over candles while sleeping on duty. But according to my master’s loyal servant, assassins infiltrated the Eastern Palace that night. The Crown Princess ordered the servant to flee with the young prince while she stayed behind with the prince’s playmate. The body found in the sleeping chamber by the Court of Judicial Review was that of the prince’s childhood companion.”
“Crown Prince Chengde died, the late Emperor passed away, and only Wei Yan has been manipulating the court for over a decade. It’s hard not to suspect the Jinzhou Battle was his doing. General Xie’s death alongside them was merely to clear Wei Yan of suspicion.”
Xie Zheng raised his dark eyes, impatience creeping into his brow. “I want evidence, not speculation.”
Zhao Xun smiled slightly. “When Prince Changxin rebelled in Chongzhou, one of his strategists was my master’s man. He suggested raising the banner of ‘Cleanse the Court, Eliminate Wei’s Faction’ and spreading rumors that Wei Yan orchestrated the Jinzhou tragedy to gain popular support. The aftermath, as Your Lordship knows, was that merely investigating the Jinzhou case files made Wei Yan want you dead.”
Xie Zheng narrowed his eyes sharply, letting out a cold laugh. “So I too was part of your plan.”
Zhao Xun’s face stiffened. “Your Lordship speaks too severely. My master merely wished to gain you as an ally.”
Seeing Xie Zheng’s displeasure, he quickly added, “That old traitor Wei truly showed his hand when provoked. His death squads crossed seventeen prefectures to kill over ten people. My master has identified some of them—all former retainers who once served Wei Yan before retiring.”
“What about the butcher Fan’s family? I assume you’ve identified them too?” Xie Zheng asked.
Zhao Xun’s face showed shame. “That butcher Fan’s identity is too well concealed. My master’s people investigated thoroughly, but whether in his ancestral home or this town, everything checked out. Even the official records show his caravan guard work from over a decade ago. It seems someone in the government deliberately helped cover up his past.”
Xie Zheng’s mind flashed to Fan Changyu’s expression when speaking of her parents’ past. He was momentarily lost in thought until a snowflake landed on his hand, its melting coolness bringing him back to the present.
He leaned back slightly, resting one arm on the huanghuali wood armchair. His most casual pose carried the most intense pressure. “Expecting me to believe your master is the Imperial Grandson who supposedly died in that fire sixteen years ago based on your words alone is laughable.”
As Zhao Xun’s face changed and he was about to speak, Xie Zheng continued, “I’ll investigate the truth behind the Jinzhou Battle myself. I don’t care if your master is the real Imperial Grandson or an impostor. If you don’t want this alliance to end here, better have him meet me in person.”
Zhao Xun’s face darkened, but he could only bow and reply, “I will relay Your Lordship’s message.”
As Xie Zheng rose, he looked down lazily. “Also, have him consider what he’s willing to exchange for those two hundred thousand shi of grain.”
Zhao Xun bowed even lower. “Yes, my lord.”
As Xie Zheng left, he placed the jade ring—originally meant as a token of alliance—on the huanghuali wood table.
He had played along with this Zhao person for so long merely to determine which faction he represented. The Imperial Grandson’s answer was truly unexpected.
He wasn’t worried about tracking their movements. When he sent Zhao to purchase grain, he had already had his people monitor Zhao’s family’s intelligence network. By investigating these threads, he could soon expose the mastermind even if they didn’t show themselves.
While he indeed had a grudge against Wei Yan, for someone to dare manipulate him before everything was settled, merely to gain his support—they truly thought him too kind.
Leaving the bookstore, Xie Zheng saw that the Fan sisters hadn’t returned yet. His brows furrowed slightly as he walked toward Constable Wang’s residence.
He hadn’t gone far when he encountered Fan Changyu and Changningg. Changningg’s cheeks were stuffed with candy as she bounced along, her small chubby hand held by Fan Changyu, whose face bore a bright, spirited smile.
Seeing Xie Zheng, her smile didn’t diminish at all. She waved from afar, and when closer, said, “We’re not returning to town tonight.”
Looking at her smile, the gloom and displeasure in Xie Zheng’s heart lessened. “Why?”
Fan Changyu explained, “Manager Yu has another Yixiang Restaurant in the county seat. A wealthy merchant’s son is getting married, and they’ve booked the banquet here. They need lots of braised meat tomorrow, and Manager Yu worried about time, so she asked me to help with the marinades early tomorrow. Plus, there’s a lantern festival in town this year—we can visit it tonight.”
“Shall we find an inn first?” Xie Zheng asked.
Fan Changyu shook her head. “Manager Yu has already arranged accommodation. The kitchen helpers at Yixiang Restaurant get not only meals but free housing—Manager Yu rented a neighborhood nearby for them to live in.”
Xie Zheng raised an eyebrow. “This Manager seems quite remarkable.”
Fan Changyu smiled. “Indeed! Manager Yu is wonderful, and all the restaurant staff trust her completely. I heard from Chef Li in the kitchen that when other restaurant owners in the county were jealous of Yixiang’s business and tried to poach the restaurant manager Yu had personally trained, offering twice the salary, the manager didn’t leave.”
Xie Zheng merely said, “Sometimes, loyalty indeed works better than money.”
Fan Changyu enthusiastically told him more about Yu Qianqian, but seeing his tepid response, she stopped. Noticing his empty hands, she asked, “Weren’t you buying paper and ink? Why are you empty-handed?”
Thinking of one possibility, her expression grew complex. “Don’t tell me you spent all your money buying things for Ning? You should have told me if you needed money…”
Xie Zheng smiled slightly, the gloom from the bookstore largely dissipated. “That’s not it.”
Under Fan Changyu’s suspicious gaze, he said, “Things in the county bookstore were too expensive. We’ll buy them when we return to town.”
“Then why did you stay in the bookstore so long?” Fan Changyu asked.
“I was reading books and lost track of time,” Xie Zheng answered.
Fan Changyu asked curiously, “You read for so long without buying anything—didn’t the bookstore owner give you attitude?”
Xie Zheng glanced at her. “Who told you that?”
Fan Changyu wanted to say that Song Yan had been like that before—only reading at the bookstore without buying anything, getting attitude from the owner, and coming back sulking for days. Even later when mentioning it, he would mock the bookstore owner’s money-grubbing nature.
But remembering how Yan Zheng would turn venomous at the mere mention of Song Yan, she swallowed her words and muttered, “Just guessing.”
Xie Zheng gave her several looks, making Fan Changyu’s neck instinctively tense, fearing he would say something cutting the next moment.
Fortunately, he didn’t mock her the entire way.
Though it was late, since they’d decided to stay in the county for the night, Fan Changyu still wanted to take Xie Zheng and Changningg to see the lanterns. Instead of going to the lodgings Yu Qianqian had arranged, they first went to get some late-night food.
On New Year’s Day, those eating out were usually from relatively well-off families.
At a neighboring table, a young couple appeared to have finished their meal. When the waiter went to settle the bill, he smiled at the man and said, “Young master, that’ll be one tael and two qian.”
The man looked scholarly and frail, his manner somewhat timid, appearing quite ill at ease.
The woman beside him said, “He has no money. I’ll pay.”
The woman’s voice was quite loud, drawing the attention of many diners.
People whispered among themselves: “A grown man having a woman pay for his meal—how shameful!”
“Tsk must be a kept man!”
“I know him—he’s the live-in son-in-law of the An family. Just a parasite. Wonder what that An daughter saw in such a weakling!”
The man’s face burned red with shame, wishing he could sink into the ground.
After the woman paid, he practically fled the restaurant with his head down.
Xie Zheng had already finished his meal and watched the scene with a cold expression.
Sitting across from him, Fan Changyu finished her third bowl of rice. The dishes on the table were cleaned spotless before she finally set down her chopsticks contentedly and called out, “Waiter, Bill please!”
Fan Changyu had a big appetite, and since it was New Year’s Eve, they had ordered generously. Though they hadn’t ordered any alcohol, it wasn’t an outrageous amount.
The waiter counted and said, “Eight qian of silver.”
As Fan Changyu was about to pay, Xie Zheng, sitting like a jade statue across from her, said, “I’ll pay.”
Both he and Fan Changyu were exceptionally good-looking, already drawing attention in this small restaurant. When he spoke, even more people cast glances their way.
Seeing his offer to pay, Fan Changyu remembered the earlier couple’s incident and stopped reaching for her money pouch.
As Xie Zheng reached into his robes to search, his expression changed slightly.
Seeing this, Fan Changyu quickly shot him a questioning look.
After a moment, Xie Zheng withdrew his hand and looked at Fan Changyu: “You pay.”