When the name “Cao Hai” was mentioned, Lu Chang immediately noticed Ming Shu’s change in demeanor. She clenched her fists but still struggled to maintain control as she coldly said, “Why are you suddenly bringing up General Cao? When did you hear Cao Hai’s name outside Shuixian Temple? If I had heard it, why wouldn’t I have told you?”
“Ming Shu, there’s no need to pretend nothing’s wrong in front of me, and no need to lie,” Lu Chang replied. Based on his understanding of Ming Shu, she couldn’t fool him, especially since he had long suspected Cao Hai.
“When Tang Li threatened you with Zhou Xiuqing, he told me that you were in grave danger, with a sword hanging over your head. This proved the culprit was close to you.” If not for this statement, he wouldn’t have been so alarmed at the time. “Although I initially suspected Tang Li might have been bluffing, subsequent events confirmed his claims one by one.”
Ming Shu remained silent, turning her head to look at the gradually darkening sky, with only Lu Chang’s voice in her ears.
“Apart from trusted confidants, no one else knew about the secret investigation into Zhou Xiuqing—not even Uncle Wei. How did the assassin know about my arrangements? From that day’s circumstances, they must have been following for a long time before finding the right opportunity, rather than acting on impulse. This person must either be one of my men or… someone hidden among us who could access all our conversations and arrangements to execute such a precise assassination. The men were provided by Uncle Wei, each with verifiable backgrounds and identities. After the incident, we investigated each of them, making the possibility of a traitor extremely low. In other words, this person is likely someone hidden in our midst, someone of considerable rank.”
Lu Chang stood behind her, analyzing point by point.
“On the same day, there was also a fire at the meditation platform. All personnel near the platform that day had been screened by the Imperial Guards. Even Prince Yu could only tamper with the platform itself and couldn’t insert anyone. Outside people definitely couldn’t infiltrate. But that night, there was an exception. You and Cao Hai entered because of the Tang Li matter, didn’t you? Upon investigation, when Uncle Wei took you to meet the Third Prince, Cao Hai remained in the pavilion west of the meditation platform. That pavilion was originally Uncle Wei’s observation post to monitor the entire area. When checked, it provided a direct view of the platform steps. In other words, he could see you ascending the platform at a glance.”
Everyone assumed the platform fire, if staged, targeted the Third Prince, overlooking that Ming Shu had also climbed the platform. The fire’s origin was closer to Ming Shu’s side.
The morning after Ming Shu regained consciousness, Lu Chang personally re-examined the scene around the meditation platform and climbed the western pavilion. That position provided an easy overview of the entire area.
Ming Shu’s daily movements were protected, and she lived in Wei Zhuo’s mansion, making it difficult to harm her normally. Therefore, when Cao Hai found the opportunity that day, he wouldn’t let it pass, perhaps using stones as hidden weapons from a distance, using the monks to create an accidental fire.
“At that time, your memory hadn’t recovered, and he repeatedly tested your soul-leaving condition, fearing you might have heard something that would trigger your memories. Therefore, besides Zhou Xiuqing, you were also one of his targets for silencing.”
Lu Chang spoke increasingly faster: “Then there’s Shi Cai. He inexplicably hanged himself while en route to the capital, leaving only a confession letter admitting all crimes. When combined with these two later incidents, don’t you find it too coincidental? Cao Hai was precisely the one responsible for escorting Shi Cai to the capital. It would have been easy for him to force Gao Shi Cai to confess and commit suicide without anyone knowing.”
Lu Chang pulled Ming Shu to face him and continued: “You’ve also read the case files. In the first conclusion, the authorities reported that the mountain bandits had been eliminated, with their leader killed during the suppression. Which army eliminated the bandits and killed their leader? It was still the Jiangning Garrison! Directly under Cao Hai’s command. Don’t you find all of this too coincidental?”
The deaths of Shi Cai, Zhou Xiuqing, the bandit leader, and the danger to Ming Shu all had direct or indirect connections to Cao Hai. How could there be so many coincidences in this world?
“Furthermore, Shi Cai was just a Jiangning Deputy Magistrate, a mere civil official. How could he have the ability to control both legal and illegal activities in Jiangning? How could he raise private armies and forge weapons? Someone was secretly colluding with him, sharing mutual benefits. Who is Cao Hai? The Commander of Jiangning Garrison commanded over ten thousand troops. Although subordinate to the Imperial Army, and ranked below palace commanders, he was still a local despot. Local garrison troops recruited from vagrants were incorporated into the Imperial Army, but if Cao Hai had ulterior motives and wanted to raise private armies… mountain bandits would be the easiest cover for private troops, either through collusion or direct support under his command.”
If the other culprit was Cao Hai, everything would make sense.
This was originally a case of local civil and military officials colluding to plunder wealthy silver, with the mountain bandits serving as a front. Shi Cai sought career advancement—if the Jiangning Prefect fell, he could become Jiangning’s top official. Cao Hai sought wealth and troops, cooperating with Gao Shi Cai, targeting the vulnerable Jian family, with Zhou Xiuqing betraying the Jian family from within. By disguising themselves as bandits entering the city to rob and kill, after success, many Jiangning officials would inevitably fall, allowing Shi Cai to naturally take over. They would only need to pretend to suppress the bandits, find some scapegoats to conclude the case, and who would investigate the details.
But the problem arose when the Jian family’s only daughter disappeared after overhearing Gao Shi Cai and Zhou Xiuqing’s conversation at Shuixian Temple—her disappearance caused Shi Cai to panic. They weren’t sure what Ming Shu had heard, nor could they determine if she would return to expose them, so they could only wait.
While waiting, they first encountered Prince Yu and Tang Li. Initially, Tang Li probably thought like them that the real culprit was only Shi Cai, who had an affair with Zhou Xiuqing, so he only revealed to Shi Cai that Ming Shu was in the capital, causing him to act desperately to silence her, exposing more clues and forcing Cao Hai to take action personally.
Coincidentally, Wei Zhuo recommended he escort Shi Cai to the capital, allowing Cao Hai to legitimately enter the capital and silence both Shi Cai and Zhou Xiuqing.
“What if it is Cao Hai?” Ming Shu finally spoke, “Even if everyone in the world knows it’s him, without evidence, we still can’t convict him.”
Even if they guessed correctly, what could they do?
All important witnesses in this case were dead, and those remaining couldn’t implicate Cao Hai. Even though Ming Shu had heard Cao Hai’s name from Shi Cai and Zhou Xiuqing at Shuixian Temple, it couldn’t serve as evidence—she hadn’t seen Cao Hai personally, and aside from conversations with the now-dead couple, she had no other substantial evidence. In court, Cao Hai could easily refute everything. Her testimony alone wasn’t enough to convict Cao Hai, but it would alert him.
She certainly couldn’t speak up. Not only could she not speak, but she also had to pretend to be cordial with this enemy who had killed her father and entire family. Each time she faced Cao Hai, her guilt and pain deepened… Thirty-seven lives of the Jian family—she wanted to eat his flesh raw and flay him alive.
But only if Cao Hai believed her memory had recovered, believed she hadn’t heard his name at Shuixian Temple, would he be temporarily reassured and truly return to Jiangning… Even if it was just temporary safety, and he might still try to silence her, this small amount of time was the most advantageous condition she could secure for herself.
“The inability to convict him is only temporary. Now that we know who it is, we can follow the trail and eventually find evidence to bring him to justice,” Lu Chang wiped her slightly reddened eyes.
She closed her eyes but didn’t cry.
“How long will that take? A year? Two years? I don’t want to wait anymore… not even for a moment!”
“Then what do you want to do?” Lu Chang’s finger remained gently caressing her cheek, offering comfort.
“Nothing specific, I just want to go back,” Ming Shu suddenly pushed his hand away, rejecting his gentleness.
“I’ll go with you,” Lu Chang repeated the same words.
“There’s no need. Lord Lu, I’ll always remember the life-saving grace and care you’ve shown over these past months, but the Jian family matters have nothing to do with you, and you don’t need to get involved,” Ming Shu stepped back half a step, drawing a line between them. “I know what you’re thinking, but since that day you spoke clearly in Jiangning, you’ve ceased to exist in my heart. Don’t delude yourself—I will never marry you! If you’re willing, I can still view you as a brother; if not, then let’s be as we were that day.”
As they were that day… never to meet again, strangers for life.
Her harsh words fell like stones.
With each word she spoke, Lu Chang felt as if his heart was being pierced by needles, gradually becoming riddled with wounds until even breathing became difficult.
On that day of parting in Jiangning, did she feel the same way he feels now?
“Your feelings toward me, you can say what you will… but Ming Shu…” he paused, finding the beginning difficult, but the latter half was resolute, “I brought you to the capital, and I will certainly see you safely back to Jiangning.”
“Lu Chang!” Ming Shu’s brows furrowed tightly, anxiously calling his name, “I said this has nothing to do with you, why do you insist on interfering?”
Lu Chang’s face also turned cold, stating unequivocally: “You need not say more, I won’t let you go back alone. I’ll arrange the return to Jiangning immediately, we can leave in five days at the earliest.”
Ming Shu drew in a sharp breath, unable to help grabbing his sleeve: “I said I don’t need your company!”
Lu Chang caught her hand in reverse, pressing her against the corridor pillar, his eyes staring at her like a predator, saying in a deep voice: “This matter is not up for discussion!”
His breath was like flames, transforming into formless claws and fangs, fiercely confining her.
Ming Shu had never seen him so domineering and tyrannical. That suppressed ferocity belonging to the former Lu Chang poured out, momentarily stunning her. By the time she came to her senses to argue, he had already pulled her toward the outside, calling out as they walked.
“Qing Yao, from now on, you will guard her twelve hours a day, not leaving for even a moment. If there’s the slightest mistake, you will be held responsible.”
Qing Yao, who had been called by name, ran out surprisingly from Madam Zeng’s room into the courtyard. Lu Chang’s voice didn’t stop, continuing: “I will assign additional people to guard you day and night nearby. If you want to go out, you can, but come find me first.”
This was a form of house arrest.
Ming Shu was furious: “Lu Chang, have you gone mad?”
“It’s good that you understand,” Lu Chang turned back coldly, his gaze devoid of warmth.
“You have no right to control me!” Ming Shu raised her voice in anger.
Lu Chang simply ignored her.
All the servants in the courtyard were startled by their commotion. Wei Zhuo and Madam Zeng also hurried out of the room, standing in the courtyard looking at the two with shock and worry. Madam Zeng was deeply concerned, stumbling slightly, her eyes reddening as she said: “What’s happening? What’s wrong…”
Wei Zhuo quickly supported her wrist to steady her, rarely becoming angry at Lu Chang and Ming Shu, his face darkening as he scolded: “How much more worry do you two want to cause your mother?”
Just this one sentence made both Lu Chang and Ming Shu fall silent.
Lu Chang released his hand, and Ming Shu looked at Madam Zeng, then at Lu Chang—
She couldn’t, absolutely couldn’t let Lu Chang accompany her leaving the capital.
This journey would have no return—she was heading to Lin’an, not Jiangning.