QYT - 30

The princess looked at Jiang Cizhou and finally asked, “Now that you have married the Wen family’s daughter, what do you plan to do?”

The lamplight in the hall was hazy, and Jiang Cizhou lowered his eyes, his gaze shifting.

“I don’t know.” After a long while, he said, “I have an old friendship with Uncle Wen. Since she is Wen Qingwei, she... is different from others after all.”

________________________________________

Walking back to the East House along the deep palace corridor, the last part of the journey was silent.

Cao Kunde was getting old. After walking for an hour, he was hunched over and gasping for breath. Qingwei helped him back to the courtyard, returned the palace attendant’s cloak to Dunzi, and put on her black robe. “Godfather, I’ll take my leave now.”

“Going back to the Jiang family?” Cao Kunde asked, staring at her back.

Qingwei stopped. “Yes. For now, I have no other place to stay in the capital besides the Jiang family.”

“Is what you’re looking for at He Hongyun’s estate?” Cao Kunde asked again, leisurely.

Qingwei was silent for a moment.

Lately, her actions had been kept from Cao Kunde, showing she didn’t trust him. But who was Cao Kunde? How could a little girl deceive him? He was the Supervisor of the Inner Province, the top eunuch. This kind of person might not be powerful in other ways, but by walking through the deep palace and maneuvering between the emperor and his officials, their ears and eyes were the most well-informed.

“We can probably guess what Xue Changxing entrusted you with before he jumped off the cliff at Gushan, Ningzhou. You are our hands and feet outside the palace. We won’t make things difficult for you, and we can even help you. Just one condition,” Cao Kunde said in a soft voice. “He Hongyun has an old case on him, and your husband is keeping an eye on it. If you can get any clues from Jiang Cizhou, no matter how small, you must tell us everything.”

He had laid it out so plainly that Qingwei thought for a moment and, without beating around the bush, asked directly, “What is this old case you’re talking about, Godfather?”

“A plague case in Ningzhou from five years ago.”

Cao Kunde said, “Zou Ping from the Inspection Office tried to kill Jiang Cizhou and has been arrested by the Court of Judicial Review. His father, the Minister of the Court of the Imperial Insignia, was also suspended due to his son’s actions. How could He Hongyun, a mere director of the Water Bureau, afford to support so many guards? The heavy security at his estate was most likely the work of the Zou father and son. Now that Zou Ping has been convicted, He Hongyun is worried about being implicated and has ordered his men from the Inspection Office and the Court of the Imperial Insignia to be removed from the estate. Although he has added secret sentries, we have secretly investigated the Zhuning Estate, and the defenses are not as strong as before. Now is the best time to look for Miss Fuxia. Also, we heard that He Hongyun rescued a courtesan named Fudong from the Kyōfu Prefecture jail yesterday and sent her back to the estate. Aren’t you looking for her?”

When Qingwei heard this, she was slightly stunned.

She had gone to the Cui Residence this morning to ask Cui Zhiyun for help in finding out about Fudong, but she never expected He Hongyun to act so fast and take Fudong back.

Cao Kunde was proposing a fair trade. She understood this and no longer feigned ignorance.

“Thank you, Godfather. If I find anything suspicious about the Ningzhou Plague, I will report it to you immediately.”

________________________________________

The carriage stopped outside the corner gate of the east wall. Jiang Cizhou lifted the curtain and sat inside, his mask already back on.

Chaotian was waiting in the carriage and, seeing him enter, immediately reported, “Everything went according to your plan, young master. After the gunpowder explosion at the Zhezhiju, the Zou father and son were both suspended. He Hongyun was reprimanded by He Shiqing and is under house arrest. He is worried about being implicated by the Zou family and has ordered the men from the Inspection Office and the Court of the Imperial Insignia to be removed from the estate. Although he has deployed more secret sentries, this subordinate secretly investigated the Zhuning Estate, and the security is not as tight as it used to be. Now is the best time to look for Miss Fuxia.”

Jiang Cizhou said, “I asked you to investigate Fudong before. Have you done it?”

“Yes, I have.” Chaotian paused and said, “This Fudong is from Chongyang County, Lingchuan.”

Jiang Cizhou was surprised and looked at him.

The Xijintai was built in Chongyang County, Lingchuan, five years ago.

“Go on.”

“She was originally a singer in a private garden in Lingchuan. About a year ago, she bought her freedom and, with the help of an official acquaintance, assumed the identity of a widow. She came to the capital, claiming to have some money and wanting to open a wine shop in Liushui Alley.”

“The storefronts in Liushui Alley are expensive. After much searching, she chose the Zhezhiju, where someone had died. Her business was initially bad, but because her wine had a unique fragrance, she sent a few jars to Donglaishun, and her reputation gradually spread. It is said that she met He Hongyun at Donglaishun. Somehow, she then became the head courtesan at He Hongyun’s estate.”

Chaotian looked a little guilty, with his head down. “It was too rushed, so this is all I found. I failed to carry out the task you gave me. Please punish me, young master.”

Jiang Cizhou fell silent after hearing this.

The Zhuning Estate had a courtesan named Fuxia, who was linked to the Ningzhou Plague case five years ago. After the plague case, this Fuxia suddenly fell ill and hadn’t been seen for five years.

He had approached Fudong in every way possible simply to find an excuse to go to the Zhuning Estate and look for Fuxia. He never expected this Fudong to also have a secret.

Jiang Cizhou had a feeling that Fudong’s appearance at He Hongyun’s estate was not so simple.

On the day of the gunpowder explosion at the Zhezhiju, Qingwei had cornered Fudong and questioned her repeatedly. It was clear she was investigating something.

What was Wen Xiaoye investigating?

“Young master?” Chaotian called out. “Should I go and investigate the Zhuning Estate again?”

Jiang Cizhou thought for a moment. “Has Fudong already been taken back by He Hongyun?”

“Yes, Liu Chang took her back to the estate yesterday.”

The carriage turned into the alley of the Jiang Residence, and Jiang Cizhou pondered, tapping his folded fan.

It was as if a puzzle had been split in two. He held one half, and Qingwei held the other half that he wanted to know.

But she was very guarded against him. Their cooperation at Donglaishun was a matter of convenience. Now that the enemy was temporarily gone, they were back to their respective roles. If he asked her directly, she would either be evasive or fight him with her fists. She wouldn’t say a single extra word.

How could he get the clues out of her?

The carriage arrived at the Jiang Residence. Jiang Cizhou stopped at the gate and, in the darkness, slowly tapped the folded fan in his palm. After a while, he called out, “Chaotian.”

“Young master?”

“Give me a workout.”

________________________________________

Qingwei returned to the mansion, intending to gather her ropes and dagger and go to the Zhuning Estate again tonight. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a carriage stopping in the front courtyard. She was stunned and listened carefully. Someone outside the mansion was calling, “Young master.”

It was Jiang Cizhou returning.

Qingwei’s heart sank. He Hongyun wouldn’t leave the Zhuning Estate unguarded, so tonight was the best time to find Fudong. But Jiang Cizhou was not a simple man. Now that he was back, he would surely try to get something from her, and she wouldn’t be able to get away.

A moment later, footsteps rounded the corridor and headed toward her courtyard.

Seeing that she was still in her night clothes, Qingwei quickly took off the black robe and hid it, along with her ropes and dagger, in her dowry chest. She thought that no matter what, she had to keep Jiang Cizhou in the mansion. She took a sleeping incense, hid it under her ponytail, put on her outer robe, and went out to greet him.

The door creaked open just as Jiang Cizhou arrived in the courtyard. Their eyes met, and after a brief moment of surprise, they both smiled.

Jiang Cizhou called out softly, “Wife.”

Qingwei replied gently, “My husband is back?”

Jiang Cizhou said “Mm” and entered the room. “You’re still up so late. Were you waiting for me?”

Liufang and Zhuyun also woke up from the commotion and waited outside with Chaotian and Derong. Qingwei didn’t answer Jiang Cizhou’s question immediately. She instructed the two maids to fetch water for Jiang Cizhou’s bath before saying, “My husband went to the palace to recover from his illness. I was alone at home, with long days and nothing to do, so I was waiting for you.”

As she spoke, she turned and looked at Jiang Cizhou, who was sitting at the table. “The palace is not like home. It must have been very uncomfortable. My husband has worked hard these past few days. Why don’t I serve you in your bath tonight?”

Jiang Cizhou stared at Qingwei. The hazy candlelight reflected the smile on his lips. “Alright.”