Chapter 504 - 486 Danger
At the city gate, although the inspection was rigorous, Lady Thirteen openly brought Xie Xun through the gates.
The Mudan Building was located in a bustling area. The carriage entered directly through its side entrance into the building. Today, Lady Thirteen had taken the girls out horseback riding, so the pavilion was relatively quiet. Nearly all the servants and protectors had been given leave, with only night shifts remaining. Xie Xun was arranged to stay in Lady Thirteen’s pavilion, where she personally prepared the lower floor for him. This room was originally Fengyu’s accommodation whenever she stayed overnight at the Mudan Building.
Xie Xun had no objections to the arrangement. Lady Thirteen, wary of revealing Xie Xun’s identity, dared not let him wander about freely. Upon arriving at the Mudan Building, Xie Xun donned men’s attire to avoid drawing attention. Given Lady Thirteen’s character, having a handsome "younger brother" in her pavilion for amusement would hardly raise suspicion—everyone knew Lady Thirteen favored attractive men around her.
As night fell, the main pavilion of the Mudan Building began entertaining a group of pleasure-seeking scions and nobility. Despite the brutal conflicts between Beiman and Ningzhou, and the even bloodier battles around Sannan and Jiangnan, the Capital City, far removed from the chaos, still maintained an air of serene prosperity. Listening to the debauched music and laughter ahead, Xie Xun’s lips curled into a faintly mocking smile.
Fengyu’s physical condition, wounded from her escape, still required time to heal. Whatever plans Xie Xun had, he needed to wait for full recovery, yet his patience was wearing thin. After changing into men’s attire, he slightly adjusted his appearance through makeup. Fengyu’s stunningly beautiful face—though strikingly conspicuous even dressed as a man—was notably less dazzling after the modification. Xie Xun altered his appearance and left Mudan Building via the side door.
The information network of Marquis Zhenbei Mansion in the Capital had been rebuilt over the past three years by Xie Jue’s Hidden Guards. At Southern City’s Dragon King Pavilion, Xie Xun hung up a yellow lantern.
The following day, Fengyu replaced the yellow lantern with a red one.
Around the Dragon King Pavilion, colorful lanterns were hung, and the change in one lantern’s color scarcely attracted notice. Xie Xun removed the red lantern and found the intelligence left behind by Xie Jue’s Shadow Guards.
Three days later, as Fengyu’s physical injuries gradually healed, the agreed meeting with Ying Si arrived. Xie Xun waited in the northern ruins at midnight, where Ying Si appeared promptly at the agreed spot.
"Third Miss?" Ying Si exclaimed in surprise. The rebuilt intelligence site of the Marquis Mansion was known only to Xie Jue and Xie Xun. The Master had specifically mentioned not informing the Third Miss. But since Third Miss had hung the lantern, Ying Si dared not question further. Xie Xun, reluctant to reveal his own identity, understood that Fengyu’s frail body could not afford to face danger alone; she needed someone to protect her and assist in her operations. Thus, he could only use Fengyu’s identity for activities. Many obstacles arose from this, requiring Ying Si’s involvement in execution.
"Coordinate with Ying Er. Start attending to me immediately. I have tasks for you to carry out."
"Understood!" Ying Si hesitated before asking, "Should I inform the Young Madam about your matters here in the Capital?"
"It’s unnecessary!" Xie Xun didn’t want Feng Shu to worry. Her already challenging situation within the Imperial Palace, dealing with Yuwen Jing, was burdensome enough. If she learned of Xie Xun’s presence in the Capital, she’d only fret more and risk catching Yuwen Jing’s suspicion, which would endanger her further. "Just tell her that I am safe and well."
With Ying Si now by his side, Xie Xun found his operations far smoother. Xie Jue’s group of Shadow Guards in the Capital acted without a trace, excelling at concealing identities and gathering intelligence. With Ying Si assisting him, Xie Xun could stay informed about all developments within the Capital.
Yuwen Jing’s circumstances were worse than Xie Xun had anticipated; he had faced the backlash of raising his "poison insects." Despite Lin Helin’s protests, Yuwen Jing insisted on sending troops to Zhongzhou. Lin Helin, ahead of the imperial decree, secretly dispatched orders to Zhongzhou, instructing Fang Chuning to stay his hand. However, once Fang Chuning chose to heed the decree and dispatch forces, public opinion turned against Yuwen Jing.
At present, resentment filled the court and the populace alike. With public fury boiling across the nation, chaos began destabilizing regions outside the Capital. Several towns in Jiangnan failed to collect taxes—a minor issue compared to the riots incited by opportunists amidst the turmoil. While the battlefields raged in both the north and south, internal fractures appeared. Lin Helin had painstakingly maintained a fragile equilibrium, but this delicate balance shattered. Notwithstanding the brilliance of noble families, even they proved powerless against such mounting fury. The more violently public dissent was suppressed, the stronger the backlash grew.
Yuwen Jing attributed all these failures to Marshal Fang and Fang Chuning’s insubordination. Had Fang Chuning swiftly taken control of twelve states, Yuwen Jing could have unified forces in Zhongzhou to threaten Ningzhou.
Xie Xun, determined to spare Yanyang’s people from war’s devastation, refused outright to wage war with Zhongzhou and deplete resources. His only choice was to cooperate with Zhongzhou to repel the Beiman forces together.
Yuwen Jing had countless strategies to ensure both Xie Jue and Xie Xun perished in this joint defense, leading to negotiations with Beiman and the restoration of the ceasefire agreement.
He possessed both means and cunning. Yet, regrettably, his intentions were corrupt, disregarding the people’s suffering while conniving with foreign enemies.
Most critically, the Empire’s elite troops were pinned in Jiangnan, while Zhongzhou faced disobedience from Fang Chuning. Yuwen Jing lost the edge because Marshal Fang and his son Fang Chuning’s loyalties differed from those bound to imperial authority.
If only Marshal Fang and Fang Chuning aligned fully with the imperial throne, Yuwen Jing might have succeeded in ensuring Xie Jue and Xie Xun’s demise in Ningzhou.
Recently, Yuwen Jing’s health also began showing signs of decline. Ying Si reported that Feng Shu had analyzed Yuwen Jing’s dietary regimen and developed meal plans specifically for him. Hearing this, Xie Xun understood the underlying implications.
Xie Xun instructed Ying Si to locate Zhang Lingzheng. Zhang Lingzheng, stunned by Fengyu’s audacity to reappear in the Capital, was panic-stricken. Xie Xun had no intention of exposing his identity. Zhang Lingzheng, loyal to Marquis Zhenbei Mansion and Xie Zhang, was the confidant of Xie Zhang. However, the Zhang Family’s allegiance wasn’t uniformly tied to the Marquis Mansion; Zhang Lingzheng alone was Xie Zhang’s trusted aide.
This was a fact Xie Xun deduced from Zhang Lingzheng’s repeated interventions after Xie Xun returned to the Capital with his injured leg.
The matter was exceedingly classified; there was no apparent evidence of connections between Xie Zhang and Zhang Lingzheng. Even when Zhang Lingzheng frequently visited the Marquis Mansion during the treatment of Xie Xun’s leg, his presence had ostensibly been under the imperial order.
Zhang Lingzheng’s father was currently serving as the Judge at the Imperial Hospital. The Imperial Hospital remained uninvolved in political factionalism or disputes; its sole task was safeguarding the health of distinguished figures within the Imperial Palace Inner Court.
Yuwen Jing’s pulse condition was known only to Judge Zhang at the Imperial Hospital.
Xie Xun tasked Zhang Lingzheng with uncovering Yuwen Jing’s true pulse condition. Visibly conflicted, Zhang Lingzheng said, "Third Miss, this task is extremely difficult. First of all, Yuwen Jing’s stable pulse condition is known only to my father. Even the records of his pulse in the medical files might be false. Secondly, if I seek answers, my father will undoubtedly become suspicious. Our Zhang Family has practiced medicine for generations, peacefully retiring without ever being tied to political factions. This is an unspoken rule—to never disclose the secrets of the Imperial Palace’s esteemed figures. Should I inquire, my father will certainly suspect."
"Even if the records of his pulse condition are fabricated, surely the medicine he consumes couldn’t be false?" Xie Xun frowned. There must be traces to follow.
"The Imperial Hospital never comes into contact with his medicine residue. From prescribing the drugs, preparing them, to disposing of the residue, my father alone handles it all. Historically, imperial pulse records were strictly forbidden from dissemination." Zhang Lingzheng asked perplexedly, "Third Miss, what is it exactly that you suspect?"
"Yuwen Jing is no ordinary figure. I fear my elder sister might... be deceived by his outward appearances," Xie Xun replied somberly. After hearing Ying Si’s account of palace affairs, he was deeply concerned for Feng Shu’s safety.
Yuwen Jing’s vigilance and paranoia made him far too dangerous for Feng Shu and Lin Yushu to tackle easily.
If they acted recklessly, it would only invite disaster upon themselves. Xie Xun wished only for them to live peacefully within the palace, avoiding all risks and refraining from any dangerous gambits.
Upon hearing this concern for Feng Shu, Zhang Lingzheng nodded decisively. "I understand. I’ll figure out a way."