“It’s getting late, and I estimate Zhong Xingxiao will be back soon. Uncle Feng, you should rest early…” Xiao Rongyan still had to wait here for Zhong Xingxiao to bring back useful information from the meeting with Lu Jin, and he also needed to let Zhong Xingxiao know that he had gone to the palace and returned empty-handed.
As soon as Xiao Rongyan finished speaking, Yue Shi rushed in hurriedly, breathing heavily: “Master, something terrible has happened! Someone from our delegation… attempted to assassinate Great Zhou’s Minister of Rites Liu Rushi, and the person has already been captured by the Liu residence! Master Liu’s injuries should be quite serious—the Liu family has already sent someone with a name card to request an imperial physician!”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Rongyan’s palms tightened, and his expression suddenly darkened: “Whose man?”
“It’s… It’s someone brought by the National Uncle!” Yue Shi spoke through gritted teeth. This National Uncle was always causing trouble for their master, not a single day of peace.
Xiao Rongyan sat steadily in his chair and spoke slowly: “Uncle Feng, send Pingyi personally to pay respects to Master Liu on this prince’s behalf. Also… tell the Liu residence that even if it’s Yan people committing violence on Great Zhou’s territory, they should be handed over to Great Zhou for punishment. We Yan absolutely will not protect our own, and we have no complaints!”
He hoped Liu Rushi would be alright, otherwise… at this critical juncture, for Zhong Xingxiao’s people to assassinate the Minister of Rites who was presiding over the national wager—this was simply not wanting negotiations but wanting direct war!
“Also, Yue Shi, go investigate this guard’s background. Find out clearly why he moved against Master Liu!” Xiao Rongyan tapped the table once, his expression cold and stern. “When Zhong Xingxiao returns, tell him to come crawling to see me!”
If this Zhong Xingxiao weren’t the sister-in-law’s brother, given Xiao Rongyan’s usual methods, the grass on this Zhong Xingxiao and his son’s graves would probably already be over three feet high.
When Xiao Rongyan’s cold voice reached him, Zhong Xingxiao, who had already received the news, was about to enter. Hearing the Regent’s voice as cold as ice shards, he quickly lifted his robe hem and assumed a terrified appearance as he ran into the Regent’s room. Because he was running too fast and frantically, he nearly tripped over the threshold, fortunately caught by the quick-handed Feng Yao.
Feng Yao still wore his smiling expression: “The Old National Uncle should be careful!”
Zhong Xingxiao was overwhelmed, thinking he indeed needed to be careful. He immediately lifted his robe hem and knelt before Xiao Rongyan, kowtowing in apology: “Regent, please forgive me! This humble minister also doesn’t know what happened. This humble minister was the first to support His Majesty’s national wager strategy. Before coming, the Empress Dowager and His Majesty earnestly instructed me—even if this humble minister died ten thousand deaths, I would not dare to feign compliance while acting contrary, doing something like ordering the assassination of Great Zhou’s important ministers!”
Zhong Xingxiao was a very astute person. He understood that now, being in Great Zhou with the Regent, and being the brother of Yan Empress Dowager who had harmed the Great Zhou Emperor’s brother, if the Regent wanted to eliminate him, especially now when his guards had caused trouble by assassinating Great Zhou court officials, the Regent could easily hand him over to Great Zhou. Would he still have his life?
Xiao Rongyan looked at Zhong Xingxiao’s appearance, said nothing, lifted his robe hem, crossed his legs, and gazed down at Zhong Xingxiao kneeling at his feet: “According to reason, the guards Master Zhong brought this time should all be trusted confidants! Master Zhong’s confidants are going to assassinate Great Zhou court officials—how do we know Master Zhong isn’t putting on one face in front and another behind, deliberately opposing His Majesty, feigning compliance while acting contrary?”
“Regent, this humble minister is wronged!” Zhong Xingxiao kowtowed heavily. “This humble minister knows I am the Empress Dowager’s brother, and since coming to Great Zhou, I’ve been trembling with fear all along, afraid of making any mistake that might displease the Great Zhou Emperor. My life might be forfeit here! After all, our Yan country is now weak and pleading with the Great Zhou. If the Great Zhou Emperor truly spoke up, this humble minister would have to die for Yan’s sake. But this humble minister is also human… also fears death. Why would I seek my destruction? I beg the Regent to see clearly!”
“Do you know the background of the person who assassinated Liu Rushi?” Xiao Rongyan picked up his teacup and asked, seemingly in no hurry.
Xiao Rongyan’s attitude made Zhong Xingxiao even more anxious, fearing the Regent would hand him over. He quickly turned to signal his old servant to bring detailed information about that guard to Xiao Rongyan.
Yue Shi received the bamboo scroll and handed it to Xiao Rongyan. Only then did Xiao Rongyan leisurely unfold the scroll and examine it carefully. While his eyes weren’t idle, neither was his mouth: “Master Zhong is truly efficient. This incident just happened, even I, the Regent, only just received news, yet Master Zhong already has this person’s complete background documents ready.”
Zhong Xingxiao kowtowed again in fear: “Reporting to the Ninth Prince, the people brought this time were all carefully selected. Before coming, fearing something might go wrong, I brought along their indenture contracts and background documents.”
“Fearing something might go wrong, or making it convenient for you to deploy them and protect your escape…” Xiao Rongyan’s gaze never left the bamboo scroll in his hands, only saying, “Master Zhong need not play mysterious in front of this prince.”
Zhong Xingxiao only continued crying his innocence, kowtowing, not daring to say anything else.
Xiao Rongyan finished reading the bamboo scroll and casually threw it in front of Zhong Xingxiao, startling him.
“Master Zhong has always been clever and cunning. How could Master Zhong believe without doubt such a background full of holes, and even bring this person to the Great Zhou to cause trouble!” Xiao Rongyan’s voice was stern.
“I beg the Regent’s forgiveness and ask for guidance! This minister’s death is a small matter, but if it delays His Majesty’s national wager strategy, even ten thousand heads wouldn’t be enough to bear the responsibility!” Zhong Xingxiao placed himself in an extremely humble position. After speaking, thinking that Xiao Rongyan hoped the national wager would fail, he kowtowed to Xiao Rongyan again, putting on an extremely heartbroken appearance, saying with worry: “Moreover, the Empress Dowager has been frail since childhood. Since the late emperor passed, the Empress Dowager often grieves excessively. This minister’s death doesn’t matter, but I fear the Empress Dowager will learn of it! If the Empress Dowager’s phoenix body falls ill because of this minister’s death, this minister would truly be beyond redemption even in ten thousand deaths!”
Before coming to Great Zhou, Zhong Xingxiao knew that his life was entirely in the Regent’s hands.
He had originally begged the Empress Dowager to find a way to avoid sending him to Great Zhou, but his Empress Dowager sister was unwilling to disappoint the Regent, so she had someone relay a message to him, saying the Regent would not let him come to harm in Great Zhou for her sake.
Seeing that his sister couldn’t be relied upon, he had carefully selected over a dozen expert guards to protect him. Who knew that after arriving in Great Zhou, these guards would assassinate Great Zhou court officials! Who could Zhong Xingxiao turn to for justice?
“A way out…” Xiao Rongyan looked at Zhong Xingxiao with a half-smile. “It’s simple. Such a major incident has occurred—the Great Zhou Emperor has surely received news by now. You should now take these documents and personally go find Master Lu, whom you just visited. Show your sincerity and cooperate unconditionally with Great Zhou’s investigation of this case. Say… even if they want to imprison you, you have no complaints. Be forthright!”