While the Earl of Changning’s residence was bustling with preparations for Song Yi’s second marriage, Lai Chenglong, who had gone to Yangzhou, finally returned to the capital. The results he brought back were largely the same as those determined by the Three Judicial Offices’ joint trial—there was indeed no collusion between Cui Shaoting and the Yangzhou prefect. He had uncovered much evidence of correspondence between Zhang Tianhe and the former Yangzhou prefect, and also found many who had slipped through the net in the Yangzhou corruption cases. These were all things someone wanted him to investigate and report to Emperor Jianzhang, and he was well aware of this. After entering the capital, his trusted subordinates had already informed him of recent events. As he sat in the office of the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters drinking tea, the two commanders beneath him both arrived.
Jia Yingxin and Xu Liang were trusted confidants personally trained by Chen Xiang. Their abilities had never been weak—otherwise they wouldn’t have been able to establish themselves in the Embroidered Uniform Guard after Chen Xiang was executed by Emperor Jianzhang for such matters. But their ambitions were equally considerable. It was easy for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to destroy someone, even easier to make someone wish for death yet be unable to die. That Zhang Tianhe could commit suicide under the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s very noses—everyone understood the hidden machinations without saying it aloud.
He exchanged a few brief pleasantries with them, then opened the documents for a glance. Sure enough, he saw that the signatures and fingerprints on the documents were all complete, done without any flaws. He merely scanned them once, nodded, closed the documents, and went to the palace to pay his respects to Emperor Jianzhang and report.
By the time all these matters were handled, lanterns were just being lit. The embroidered spring sword at his waist appeared even more chillingly threatening in the reflection of the bright lanterns on both sides of the street. His trusted subordinates who had long been waiting to welcome him back and wash away the dust of travel all came forward to greet him, inviting him into the famous Lion Tower in the capital.
Just a few days ago, this place had still been the property of Wang Ying’s daughter, but now it had already changed hands. Wang Ying didn’t have Zhang Tianhe’s backbone—he stubbornly refused to die. Since he refused to die, naturally he had to produce money and silver to smooth things over. These wine houses and shops had all already found new owners.
Lai Chenglong’s eyes swept over the person who came in to greet and toast him, and Jiang Hong beside him leaned over to quietly tell him, “This is the wife’s younger brother of our Commander Xu Liang. He’s now the owner of Lion Tower.”
Xu Liang had previously profited considerably following Chen Xiang. After Chen Xiang’s death, he turned to Prince of Dongping. Though perhaps “turned to” wasn’t quite right—he was smooth and good at managing relationships, getting along well with many people, just particularly warm with the Prince of Dongping.
It seemed this was the thank-you gift for Zhang Tianhe’s suicide. He raised his cup and clinked it with Xu Liang’s brother-in-law, tilting his head back to drain it in one gulp. Suddenly he recalled what Cui Shaoting had said before: the Embroidered Uniform Guard is not like the battlefield where risking your life can earn you merit—there are many twists and turns. Previously he had merely laughed it off, but now he realized these words were truly golden advice. Even though he had been personally promoted by Emperor Jianzhang, he still couldn’t control the Embroidered Uniform Guard with one hand. Even people like Xu Liang and Jia Yingxin lived better than him. When he was running around in Yangzhou being played like a monkey, these two were sitting comfortably in the capital’s offices quietly making their fortunes.
Jiang Hong also watched the owner leave with slanted eyes, then slammed his cup down on the table and let his complaints burst forth: “Son of a bitch! We risk our lives day in and day out, and in the end we’re not living as comfortably as them. Just because they’ve caught some woman’s coattails, they’ve got wine houses and silver!”
Those who followed Lai Chenglong ended up worse off than these good-for-nothing wastrels. Lai Chenglong tilted his head back and downed another cup of wine, then left early with an expressionless face.
He rarely came to such occasions. If not for having just returned from Yangzhou with Jiang Hong and the others pressing him hard, he absolutely wouldn’t have come. Now that he was leaving early, Jiang Hong and the others didn’t take it too seriously. After trying unsuccessfully to persuade him to stay, they let it go and personally saw him out.
But just as Lai Chenglong took hold of his horse to mount it, he spotted a somewhat familiar small oil-cloth cart with green curtains across the way.
In that moment of distraction, the cart driver who had been waiting for half the day jumped down, came forward to take hold of Lai Chenglong’s horse, grabbed the horse’s head in an embrace, and greeted Lai Chenglong with a smile: “Sir, you’ve kept this humble one waiting forever! Miss Yingchun is waiting for you!”
This was Luo Gui from Song Chuyi’s service. He followed Luo Gui’s gaze upward to the second floor of Lion Tower and saw a window that had just been hastily shut with a bang.
Xu Liang and his gang… He let out a cold laugh, his voice unconsciously rising as he picked up where Luo Gui left off: “What Yingchun or not! Today this master is going to deflower a new virgin! Let’s go!”
Luo Gui responded with an “Ai,” helping Lai Chenglong with his horse while waving at that completely nondescript green-curtained oil-cloth cart, leading Lai Chenglong’s horse out of the alley onto the main street. Only then did he quietly beg Lai Chenglong’s pardon in a low voice: “Please forgive us, sir. Our young lady said…”
Using such an excuse of visiting a courtesan was the least likely to arouse those people’s suspicions. The little girl might be young, but she understood quite a lot. Lai Chenglong thought of this young lady who bore some resemblance in character to Cui Shaoting, and the irritation in his heart lessened considerably. He smiled and cut off Luo Gui’s words: “Enough, I know what your young lady said. What matter brings your young lady to send you today?”
He thought Miss Song Six had come to thank him. After all, the fact that Cui Shaoting’s side could avoid this disaster—his own contribution couldn’t be discounted. The little girl at least had some conscience, not wasting his effort in passing along that message to her. Cui Shaoting had raised a good niece. Thinking this, he couldn’t help feeling somewhat melancholy again. Only he himself, having become an Embroidered Uniform Guard detested by gods and ghosts alike, hadn’t gotten any silver, and the girls in his family still had to worry about marriage prospects.
But Luo Gui shook his head and led Lai Chenglong’s horse into another alley, lowering his voice to say: “Our young lady is waiting inside for you, sir. She says she has something to discuss with you.”
So the little girl had grown more capable—she even dared to have someone investigate his whereabouts and wait here to lead him over.
Luo Gui stopped before a red-lacquered wooden door, knocked on it three times—tap tap tap—then touched his foot to the door. The door inside creaked open with a creak, and Ma Wangkun’s head poked out from within. Seeing Lai Chenglong, he quickly bowed and invited him in: “Our young lady has been waiting for you for quite some time, sir. Please come in quickly!”
Luo Gui led the horse away to feed it, while Lai Chenglong entered and discovered that this seemingly unremarkable courtyard was a world unto itself. Those who had rolled through battlefields were always particularly sensitive to movements in the dark night. Based on experience, he knew that at least five or six experts of considerable skill were hidden here. Song Chuyi was merely a sheltered young lady, yet she could move about freely, possessed such a large private estate, and even had people at her disposal… Were Cui Shaoting and the Cui family, even the Earl of Changning’s residence, being a bit too indulgent with her?
After walking a few more steps around a large tree, Qing Ying, who had been waiting by the moon gate, came forward with a smile and curtseyed, then led him further inside.