QYT - 38

A waiter came into the bamboo cabin to serve the food and quickly left.

Jiang Cizhou glanced at the table full of dishes but didn’t pick up his chopsticks. He said nonchalantly, “When the Young Prince Zhao and I went to oversee the construction of the Xijintai together, I earned his trust. Now that he is recuperating in the palace, and the emperor has no one else he can use, he has given this task to me.”

“The emperor gave you such an important and dangerous task?” Qingwei said.

She pressed on, pushing him further. “Let’s assume the emperor truly has no one else and had to use you, even appointing you as the Commander of the Black Hawk Agency. However, within the Black Hawk Agency, Wei Jue and Zhang Luzhi seem to respect you, but they don’t actually obey you. The emperor, in entrusting you with such a heavy responsibility, would not want to see a Black Hawk Agency that is a plate of loose sand. He Hongyun’s case is pressing. In such a short amount of time, what identity do you plan to use to command the respect of the entire Black Hawk Agency?”

“I don’t need Wei Jue to trust me,” Jiang Cizhou said calmly. “A plate of loose sand has its own advantages. My lady will understand soon enough. As for your other questions—”

He smiled and looked at Qingwei. “Are you this inquisitive because you’re curious about me?”

Qingwei paused.

Right. They had an agreement to exchange clues and not interfere with each other. She was the one who proposed it first, and now, her repeated questioning was a violation of that agreement.

Qingwei pursed her lips, reining in her inexplicable curiosity, and brought the conversation back to the topic. “You just said that He Hongyun knows Fudong’s purpose in approaching him?”

“It only took me three days to find out Fudong’s background. She came to the capital over three months ago. How could He Hongyun not know who she is? Since he knows she came from the Piaoxiang Estate and is an old acquaintance of Xu Shubai and Xu Tu, there must be a reason for him to keep her by his side and make her the courtesan of the Zhuning Estate.”

“What purpose?”

“He Shiqing has been in a high position for too long. There are plenty of people who want to take down the He family, and those are the real big fish He Hongyun is looking for. What threat could a weak woman like Fudong pose to He Hongyun? You need bait to catch a fish. Keeping Fudong by his side is the best bait. Wouldn’t you agree that a fish like you and me has already taken the bait and shown our true form?” Jiang Cizhou said. He stood up and lifted a porcelain lid from a dish on the table. A burst of delicious steam wafted out. Donglaishun also served fresh fish, and although it wasn’t as authentic as Zhuning Estate’s, just by smelling it, one could tell it was delicious. Jiang Cizhou served a bowl for Qingwei and placed it in front of her. “But there’s no need to rush,” he said. He caught Qingwei’s hand as she reached for her chopsticks. “It’s still hot. Let it cool down before you eat.”

________________________________________

“Bang—”

A porcelain vase shattered on the floor. He Shiqing paced back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back.

“Don’t you know who this Jiang Cizhou is?! He is the Young Prince Zhao, the Young Prince Zhao! I have warned you repeatedly not to provoke the Jiang family, but you went and did something so shocking behind my back! Are you happy now? You’ve lost both your wife and your soldiers!”

He Shiqing was rarely this angry.

He had not been in the capital before. When he received the news that Zou Ping was convicted and Zou Gongyang was dismissed, he rushed back to the capital, taking less than ten days to get home from Lizhou.

He Hongyun’s house arrest had just been lifted. He had gone into the palace this morning to greet the empress dowager and received a few scoldings. Now, returning home, he ran into He Shiqing and was reprimanded in front of people again. He couldn’t keep his composure and couldn’t help but say, “He’s been idle in the Jiang mansion for the past two years. Who could have guessed he was the Young Prince Zhao? Father, didn’t you just find out yourself? If the emperor hadn’t suddenly made him the head of the Black Hawk Agency, we would probably still be in the dark. At first, I was only suspicious and told Zou Ping to find a chance to test him. We only fired a few crossbow bolts at the banquet. Who knew he would seize the opportunity...”

Seize the opportunity, use the gunpowder, and counterattack, dragging the Patrol and Inspection Agency and the Court of the Imperial Guards, which were the He family’s most reliable allies, down with them.

“Didn’t Zhang Lanruo also try to test him by having him demolish the wine shop? Xie Rongyu and Jiang Cizhou were two completely different people. Without seeing it for ourselves, who would dare to conclude that they had swapped identities?” He Hongyun said. “Besides, I don’t understand. So what if he’s the Young Prince Zhao? His name isn’t even Zhao! He’s just the son of an imperial son-in-law, who was only granted the title of prince because the late emperor thought highly of him.”

“So what if he’s the Young Prince Zhao? I can’t believe you even asked that question!” He Shiqing pointed outside. “Why did the late emperor send him to oversee the construction of the Xijintai? At the grand sacrificial ceremony that year, why was his seat second only to the crown prince? Don’t you understand? The Great Zhou values scholars and literati. The scholars who drowned in the Canglang River were like a knife to the heart of the court’s officials! Was the Young Prince Zhao only granted the title of prince because he had royal blood? No, it was because his father was the top scholar of that year, the scholar who was most highly regarded and tragically lost during those years, a life that willingly sacrificed itself for the prosperity of the Great Zhou! The growth of the Young Prince Zhao inherits his father’s legacy and the high hopes of all the civil officials! Forget the Young Prince Zhao, just look at the Zhang family’s second son, Zhang Yuanxiu. His ancestors were just farmers, but because his father was Zhang Yuchu, who drowned in the Canglang River, he is now more precious than any of you noble sons!

“Later, when the late emperor was gravely ill and the court was in chaos, several generals grabbed power. The literati and Hanlin officials were not skilled in power struggles. They lamented the many lives lost under the Xijintai and all fell silent in their own sorrow. But now the emperor has reinstated the Black Hawk Agency, and it is starting to gain momentum. The court is gradually stabilizing. When those civil officials recover from their pain, do you think they will still be silent mules? At a time like this, not only did you not act with discretion, but you went and provoked the Young Prince Zhao. What am I to do with you!”

He Hongyun listened to He Shiqing’s lecture and felt that he had been in the wrong. In truth, he was not unaware of the Young Prince Zhao’s status among the literati. His words were mostly out of spite. Now that he had calmed down, he said sincerely, “Father’s lesson is noted. Your son will remember.”

He Shiqing glanced at him. Of all his many children, He Hongyun was the most clever and most like him. Although the fourth son had been business-minded since childhood and valued money above all else, if he was properly groomed, his future achievements would not be inferior to his own.

“Fortunately, the court today is also very different from before. It’s no longer the sole opinion of the literati and Hanlin officials. There are many factions and severe divisions. That’s a good thing. Xie Rongyu has not yet gained the full trust of the Black Hawk Agency, so if he wants to move against you, he’ll have to weigh his options. We have plenty of time,” He Shiqing said. He changed the subject and asked He Hongyun, “You went to the palace to see your aunt today. What did she say?”

He Hongyun lowered his gaze. “The same as before. She spoke in half-sentences and was ambiguous.”

He hesitated for a moment, then couldn’t help but ask, “Father, do you think Aunt in the palace has known all along that Jiang Cizhou is the Young Prince Zhao? Otherwise, why would she be so fond of him? She knew all along but didn’t tell us...”

“She must have only guessed,” He Shiqing said. “The emperor was raised by Princess Ronghua. Your aunt is just his mother on the imperial family registry. The ‘loving mother and filial son’ act is for outsiders. Even if the emperor knows that the Young Prince Zhao has taken on Jiang Cizhou’s identity, it’s impossible that he would tell her. But, being in the palace, she can always see more than outsiders. It’s likely she’s been suspicious for a while. As for why she never leaked anything to the outside...”

He Shiqing sneered. “Do you think it’s still like a few years ago, when your aunt depended on us for everything? It’s completely different now.”

When the late emperor ascended the throne, the court was in turmoil. Empress Dowager He, as Emperor Jianing’s “birth mother,” had to rely on He Shiqing to stabilize the court to secure her position in the western palace. But it’s different now. The court is gradually stabilizing. Even if Emperor Jianing doesn’t have a lot of genuine affection for Empress Dowager He, he’s at least willing to put on a show. What more could Empress Dowager He, who came from a simple concubine’s background, hope for after achieving her current status?

“Every man for himself,” as they say. To put it bluntly, even if Empress Dowager He devoted herself to helping the He family and even helped them rebel against Emperor Jianing to put He Hongyun on the throne, could her position be higher than that of the current empress dowager of the western palace?

So she has begun to look out for herself. She has a good idea of what’s going on but is just keeping it a secret from both sides.

He Shiqing said coldly, “You don’t need to go see your aunt these next few days. The Zhang family’s second son, Zhang Yuanxiu, will be returning from his post in Ningzhou soon. That was the place where you oversaw the plague case. Don’t let anyone get a hold of any evidence against you at a time like this.”

“Father is right to remind me.” He Hongyun bowed his head in a salute.

He Hongyun came out of the main hall and was just walking down the corridor when Liu Chang hurried over. “Fourth Young Master.”

“Speak,” He Hongyun said with a gloomy expression. He didn’t stop, continuing to walk toward the back courtyard.

Liu Chang followed behind. “It’s Fudong. These past few days, she has been intentionally and unintentionally asking people on the estate about Fuxia.”

He Hongyun said, “Mm.” He had already anticipated this and only asked, “Why is she asking about Fuxia?”

“That...” Liu Chang hesitated. “The people on the estate said they don’t know. Maybe... maybe because Fuxia was the head courtesan five years ago, and Miss Fudong is the current one...”

“Don’t know?” He Hongyun said angrily. “This Fudong came all the way to the capital and tried so hard to get close to me, all for the Xu family! She was always so careful and guarded in her words before. Why is she suddenly asking about Fuxia, and the people on the estate don’t know why? Am I raising a bunch of idiots? Do they not have brains?!”

Liu Chang quickly bowed and apologized. “Please calm your anger, Fourth Young Master. Your subordinate will send people to investigate immediately.”

“No need to investigate,” He Hongyun said, flicking his sleeve. “Someone has been to the estate.”

“Someone has been?” He Hongyun’s words were mysterious. It took Liu Chang a moment to understand. “Fourth Young Master, you mean that ‘female thief’ has secretly been in contact with Miss Fudong?”

“Otherwise, how would Fudong know about Fuxia? It must be that the thief came again and asked her to help inquire about Fuxia, and she did as she was told,” He Hongyun said.

Liu Chang blamed himself. “The female thief’s martial arts are too good. She came and went without anyone on the estate noticing.”

“It’s not entirely their fault,” He Hongyun said, calming down slightly. “The Patrol and Inspection Agency and the Court of the Imperial Guards have been withdrawn, so the estate was already lax in its security. And I deliberately brought Fudong from the Capital Prefecture and put her in this unguarded estate precisely to lure the fish to the bait.”

He asked, “Did you finish investigating Cui Qingwei as I asked you to?”

“I did,” Liu Chang said. “This Cui Qingwei does seem to be the daughter of Cui Yuanyi. The one who was originally engaged to the Jiang family was Cui Zhiyun, the daughter of Cui Hongyi. Cui Zhiyun was in love with the second young master of the Gao family, so Cui Qingwei married into the Jiang family on her behalf. However...”

“However what?”

“However, your subordinate found out that Cui Yuanyi’s youngest daughter has been in poor health since childhood. She learned martial arts mostly to strengthen her body. It is completely unbelievable that this Cui Qingwei’s martial arts are so good. Just as you suspected before that Jiang Cizhou might not be Jiang Cizhou but the Young Prince Zhao, your subordinate suspects that Cui Qingwei is also not Cui Qingwei, but someone else. It was by a strange coincidence that these two people ended up together.”