TIGR Chapter 109

The Imperial Guard’s Revenge

Chapter 109 Traitor

The next morning, Lu Heng personally arrived to pick up Wang Yanqing and then they headed towards the Imperial Palace.

On the way, like yesterday, Lu Heng claimed to be injured and rode in the carriage instead, though one could wonder how he managed during his previous encounters with the pirates. As the carriage rolled along, Lu Heng took the opportunity to discuss the strategy for today’s investigation with Wang Yanqing.

“Let’s start with Yang Jinying. We need to investigate who she has been in contact with recently, both people and things. Pay special attention to the valuables in her room, gold, silver, jewelry, clothing, and accessories, including any small items that don’t belong to the palace. The Imperial Guards can’t search or ask questions conveniently, so it will be up to you. I’ll arrange for people from the East Department to assist. You manage the questioning, and they will handle the physical searches.”

Wang Yanqing was a bit surprised, but then she thought this was exactly the kind of thing Lu Heng would do: “You called in both East and West Departments?”

The emperor entrusted Lu Heng with the authority to investigate the palace. Although the Imperial Guards were not in a position to check the palace attendants, it wasn’t impossible. However, Lu Heng decided to delegate the tasks to the East and West Departments, sharing the credit so that everyone could benefit. This way, everyone was happy, and the eunuchs also felt gratitude towards Lu Heng.

After all, the eunuchs were the closest to the emperor, and maintaining good relations with them was definitely beneficial. By giving them a share, Lu Heng could count on them to speak well of him in the future and discreetly notify him if anything important came up, which could yield immeasurable benefits for him.

Lu Heng was skilled at chess. A smart player focused not just on each individual move but on long-term strategy.

Wang Yanqing marveled at how well Lu Heng navigated social dynamics. It was no wonder he remained steadfast in his position. While the cabinet changed through four different Head Auxiliaries, Lu Heng continued to hold his position as the Imperial Guard commander. Wang Yanqing, caught in Lu Heng’s web, agreed to his terms somewhat unknowingly, which was to be expected.

“Yes.” Lu Heng nodded and said, “The inner palace is still something they’re more familiar with. There’s no need to encroach on each other’s territory since we see each other often. Let them handle the investigation in the inner palace, and I’ll have someone investigate Yang Jinying’s background and the other fifteen. I’ll send a few Imperial Guards to accompany you, and the East and West Departments will also send people. You can give them orders without worry. I’ll be with the emperor all day today, so if anything unexpected happens, just have someone send a message to Yikun Palace. I’ll see you out of the palace tonight.”

Gathering intelligence was the Imperial Guard’s specialty, and they were better at investigating external relationships. Wang Yanqing nodded in agreement. With Lu Heng present, she wasn’t worried about her safety. If someone as capable as Lu Heng couldn’t handle the situation, then no amount of caution on her part would matter.

Embracing an optimistic attitude, accepting fate and understanding that wealth and nobility were determined by the heavens, she went to the inner palace to investigate the most problematic assassination case. The carriage stopped outside the palace gates, where many eunuchs were already waiting. Their leader saw Lu Heng and quickly approached to greet him: “Greetings, Master Lu.”

Lu Heng smiled and nodded: “Hello, Eunuch Zhao. This is my wife. I hope you will take good care of her.”

Eunuch Zhao naturally agreed without hesitation. Face, after all, was only gained through mutual support. Lu Heng asked the East and West Departments for help, citing his unfamiliarity with the inner palace, and the Imperial Guards took the initiative to show respect to the eunuchs. Eunuch Zhao naturally recognized Lu Heng’s goodwill.

The East Department dispatched a few eunuchs, led by Eunuch Zhao from the West Department. After exchanging some pleasantries, the two parted in a friendly manner. Lu Heng went to Yikun Palace to watch over the emperor, while Eunuch Zhao clasped his hands and smiled toward Wang Yanqing: “May Madam Lu have many blessings. I’ve heard that you have sharp eyes and can see through anything, so I’ll be counting on you.”

Wang Yanqing, not as quick to talk as Lu Heng, simply smiled and deflected the compliment. Eunuch Zhao raised his hand and said: “Madam Lu, please.”

Although the Imperial Palace was vast, not all palace maids and eunuchs could reside within the palace. Only a select few who served the concubines closely lived in the assigned quarters with their masters, while the rest resided in the outer Imperial Palace. The Six Western Palaces were small, and there wasn’t enough space for all the concubines, making it impossible to accommodate many palace maids.

Yang Jinying and the other sixteen maids lived outside the palace, taking shifts in three groups, each working for four hours. On the night of the twenty-seventh, it was Yang Jinying and her group’s turn to serve the night shift at Yikun Palace.

Since Yang Jinying, Zhang Jinlian, and the other sixteen were in the same shift, they could gather. Accompanied by Eunuch Zhao, Wang Yanqing went to the maid’s quarters in the outer Imperial Palace to investigate.

Yang Jinying’s quarters had long been sealed off, in disarray, having been searched multiple times. Upon seeing the scene, Wang Yanqing had little hope left, but she still entered the room to carefully look for any suspicious items.

Given the educational level of the palace maids, if there was indeed a mastermind behind the scenes, they likely communicated through verbal instructions rather than written orders. Therefore, Wang Yanqing focused her search on their belongings. Yang Jinying’s quarters were very simple, cramped enough for eight people, with nothing but a bed and a trunk as personal belongings.

The eunuchs were afraid to let Madam Lu handle anything, so as soon as Wang Yanqing’s gaze landed on something, the eunuchs hurriedly stepped forward to help sift through the items. Yang Jinying’s room was practically turned upside down, with even the linings of old clothes torn apart, yet there was no gold or silver to be found.

This aligned perfectly with Wang Yanqing’s expectations. Several days had passed, even if there were crucial pieces of evidence, they would have already been taken by Empress Fang, the Imperial Guards, or others. Wang Yanqing quickly abandoned her search for items and turned her attention to questioning people.

With Eunuch Zhao from the West Department overseeing things, it was very easy for Wang Yanqing to bring people in for questioning. She began with the maidens from Yang Jinying’s quarters, calling them in one by one for private inquiries. Each maiden entered trembling, terrified that one wrong word might cost them their lives. Wang Yanqing tried to soften her voice as she questioned them, noting any keywords on paper. Seeing this, a nearby young eunuch quickly said: “Madam Lu needn’t trouble yourself with writing. Just tell me what you want to write, and I’ll do it for you.”

Wang Yanqing politely declined, saying that having a eunuch write for her was a privilege meant for the emperor. She wasn’t so fortunate, so she preferred to write it herself. After questioning five palace maids, she sent the fifth one away and looked down to add some notes to her paper. Eunuch Zhao, watching from a distance, tentatively asked: “Madam Lu, I’ve heard that you can tell who is lying just by looking at them. Did any of those maids lie just now?”

Wang Yanqing finished adding her last line, flipped the notebook over, and replied: “You flatter me, Master Zhao, it’s not that miraculous. I’m just making educated guesses. This group has no problems. Let’s bring in the next batch.”

Wang Yanqing spent the entire day at the maid’s quarters, questioning dozens of people until her throat was dry. While a normal person might feel overwhelmed after such a long session, her thoughts became clearer as she progressed.

Others might feel dizzy with too much irrelevant information, but Wang Yanqing could immediately discern which details were true, which were deliberately distorted, and which were merely the speaker’s own misconceptions. She extracted useful information, and the more people she questioned, the clearer the picture in her mind became.

Although everyone’s accounts varied, they generally described a similar picture. Yang Jinying was poor and strong-willed, and while she might initially seem difficult, over time one would find she was quite loyal. As for wealth, everyone claimed they never saw Yang Jinying wear gold or silver, and her living conditions seemed unchanged from before.

The other fifteen women were closely connected to Yang Jinying’s circle, and Wang Yanqing, mixing her inquiries, didn’t find anything that stood out as suspicious. As the sky began to darken, Eunuch Zhao, who had been listening all day, felt dizzy even though he hadn’t asked a single question. Eunuch Zhao thought to himself that it was no wonder she was Lu Heng’s woman, she was just as persistent in investigating a case.

Quietly stretching his limbs, he stood up and said: “Madam Lu, it is almost the evening. What do you think about wrapping up for today…”

Wang Yanqing also intended to finish, as she had pretty much exhausted her questioning of the sixteen palace maids’ social circle, and continuing would serve no purpose. She readily stood up and said: “I’ve asked enough for now. Thank you very much, Eunuch Zhao, for your help today.”

“Madam Lu is too polite.” Eunuch Zhao donned a greasy, slightly fake smile as he said, “I should be the one thanking Madam Lu. Following you today has taught me a lot.”

Eunuch Zhao escorted Wang Yanqing back to the palace and sent someone to inform Lu Heng. When Wang Yanqing arrived at the east gate, Lu Heng was already waiting there. After talking all day, Wang Yanqing had no desire to speak anymore. She was too lazy to get out of the carriage and just sat inside, listening to Lu Heng and Eunuch Zhao exchange pleasantries outside. Once the formalities were finally over, Eunuch Zhao left with his entourage. Then the curtain of the carriage swayed, and a gust of cold air rushed in as Lu Heng entered.

Lu Heng skillfully settled next to Wang Yanqing and noticed her listless demeanor. He asked: “I heard from Eunuch Zhao that you questioned over forty people today. Are you tired?”

Wang Yanqing shook her head. It wasn’t that she was overly tired, but she simply had no desire to talk. Lu Heng, perceptive to her mood, gently put his arm around her shoulders. Wang Yanqing suddenly opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on his hand, asking: “What are you doing?”

Lu Heng blinked innocently and said: “You look tired, so I thought you might want to lean on me for a bit.”

“No need.”

“Shall I give you a massage?”

“I wouldn’t want to trouble you, Master Lu.”

“But we agreed yesterday that for these three months, you can’t avoid me no matter what I do.”

Wang Yanqing raised an eyebrow, looking at Lu Heng with displeasure: “Did we really say that yesterday?”

“You didn’t say I couldn’t,” Lu Heng replied earnestly, “I only have three months. Of course I want to showcase my strengths. Giving massages is one of my abilities.”

Seeing that Wang Yanqing didn’t object, he took it as her consent. He supported her shoulders, leaning her against him, and said: “There’s no rule in the world that says I can’t give a lady a massage while pursuing her. Just relax, it’s still a long way home.”

Before Wang Yanqing could think of a reason to refuse, he pushed her down. His fingers pressed on her temples, massaging gently yet firmly. When she saw he had no intention of taking things further, she reluctantly relaxed and allowed him to continue. As Lu Heng savored the familiar warmth in his embrace, he asked: “Did you find anything about Yang Jinying?”

Wang Yanqing closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. Lu Heng was not surprised and let out a soft sigh: “Her family didn’t notice anything unusual either. They haven’t traveled outside and had no contact with the capital, they appear to be an ordinary family. So, there are two possibilities now. First, someone acted in advance, cleaning up all traces after instigating the maidens in attempting an assassination; second, this was initiated by Yang Jinying and her sixteen associates, with no outside involvement.”

Lu Heng’s logic was sharp, unraveling details one by one, and any inconsistencies couldn’t escape his notice. Wang Yanqing cleared her mind and listened to his analysis with ease.

Lu Heng didn’t reveal his own inclinations but continued to methodically dissect the situation: “Let’s assume the first scenario. If the mastermind put in such great effort to scheme, they undoubtedly would have gained enormous benefit from it. If something were to happen to the emperor, who would benefit the most?”

Wang Yanqing thought immediately: “The three princes?”

“The three princes are still quite young; such a thing could only be orchestrated by their mothers. If the emperor were to die without a decree, it is customary for the officials to install the eldest prince. So, among the three consorts, the second prince’s mother, Senior Concubine Wang, would be the most suspicious.”

When the emperor considered succession, he looked at preferences and abilities, but the officials would simply support the eldest. So, if Yang Jinying truly succeeded, the second prince, Zhu Zaihe, would become the next emperor.

Wang Yanqing said: “In that case, Senior Concubine Wang is indeed very suspicious. Should we look into her next?”

Lu Heng didn’t answer right away, his fingers gently kneading Wang Yanqing’s hair. He spoke slowly: “While Concubine Wang is indeed suspicious, that’s only in comparison to the mothers of the three princes. If the second prince was already fifteen or sixteen, the immediate benefits might tempt her to take risks. But since he’s not even a year old yet, even if he were to be installed as the new emperor, he would certainly need officials to assist in governance. At that point, power would fall entirely into the hands of the cabinet. What would Senior Concubine Wang gain from that?”

It was possible that Senior Concubine Wang had motives, but there is really no need for her to take such a risk. As long as her son grew up safely, she would be the one with the greatest chance of success. Why would she risk assassination?

Wang Yanqing asked: “Are you suggesting the cabinet?”

“In the cabinet, there are Xie Wenjin, Zhai Luan, and then there’s the old fox Yan Wei. They would have the means to manipulate Yang Jinying. But Xie Wenjin just took the position of head auxiliary. His foundation is unstable, and he needs the support of those in power, so he wouldn’t want an upheaval at such a critical time. Zhai Luan is the second assistant. Even if he were to become the head auxiliary, he would still be blocked by Xie Wenjin, and the affairs of state wouldn’t be in his hands. His primary goal should be to oust Xie Wenjin, not commit assassination. As for Yan Wei, it makes even less sense. He just entered the cabinet, and by qualifications and reputation, he wouldn’t even be considered for the auxiliary department. How could a good-natured guy like him, who got along with everyone, undertake something so radical?”

Wang Yanqing sighed and directly asked: “So who do you think it is?”

“After considering all this, the one who stands to gain the most appears to be me.” Lu Heng exclaimed, a look of disbelief crossing his face, “Could the traitor is actually be me?”

|| Author’s Note:

Lu Heng: The traitor is actually me.

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