The Imperial Guard’s Revenge
Chapter 129 Brother-in-law
The Prefect’s wife was stunned, clearly not expecting this turn of events. She assumed that Wang Yanqing was a fortunate woman who had gained favor due to her youth and beauty, much like other women of the inner courtyard. However, at this moment, Wang Yanqing was holding a dagger, showing none of the previous arrogance or innocence.
The Prefect’s wife quickly realized something was wrong. She hastily pushed her chair back and rushed toward the door in a panic. Realizing her plan had been exposed, the female assassin no longer bothered to conceal her intentions. A hidden gun slid out from her other sleeve, and without hesitation, she pulled the trigger, aiming directly at Wang Yanqing.
Wang Yanqing swiftly dodged and grabbed a wine jug, throwing it directly at the assassin’s face. The assassin was momentarily distracted and couldn’t see clearly. So, Wang Yanqing seized the opportunity to kick at her wrist, causing the weapon to fall.
The commotion inside the private room alarmed people outside. Several men dressed in guard uniforms rushed in, shielding Wang Yanqing, saying: “Madam, it’s dangerous here. Please leave quickly.
After speaking, two men immediately stepped forward to surround and attack the female assassin, while two others escorted Wang Yanqing away. As Wang Yanqing stepped outside, she turned back and saw the female assassin being overpowered by the two men. She was quickly defeated, her throat slit. Wang Yanqing asked: “Where are we going?”
The two guards shielded her from the front and back, saying: “Madam, there’s an ambush in the inn. They laced the wine with a sedative, and many havse already fallen victim. There’s chaos downstairs, and you must not show yourself. The Supreme Commander ordered us to take you down through a secret passage.”
The sounds of fighting could indeed be heard from downstairs. The guards escorted Wang Yanqing, turning left and right, until they arrived at a hidden passage. Compared to the main hall’s staircase, this one was narrow and dim, barely wide enough for one person. One guard went up first, scanning the surroundings vigilantly: “Madam, please follow closely behind me and don’t get separated.”
Wang Yanqing lifted her long skirt and followed, casually asking: “Why isn’t Wang Tao here?”
Another guard quickly stepped behind her and replied: “Master Wang is on the other side and can’t get away.”
Wang Yanqing gave a soft acknowledgment. The long skirt obstructed her view and she held onto the wall, struggling to see the steps in the narrow, dark staircase: “Slow down, it’s too dark here. I can’t see where the steps are.”
The guard in front had to turn back, lighting a firestarter to illuminate the steps for her. Wang Yanqing thanked him softly. When they reached a corner of the staircase, she suddenly and unexpectedly kicked the person in front of her. The guard, caught off guard and holding the firestarter, couldn’t steady himself in time and tumbled down the stairs.
At the same time, Wang Yanqing bent down, dodging the grasp of the guard behind her. The woman who had been struggling to walk moments ago now moved with sudden agility. Using her slender and nimble frame, she slipped past the guard, grabbed the railing, and leaped onto the staircase. Without waiting to steady herself, she turned around and decisively threw a handful of chili powder at the guard behind her.
In Jiangnan, where the cuisine was mild, she had been saving this chili powder for a long time.
The guard’s eyes were stung by the chili powder, and as he rubbed them, Wang Yanqing used all her strength to run back the way she came. Lu Heng brought two thousand Imperial Guards, who were more or less stationed around the inn. Now, the more people there were in the area, the safer it would be for her.
But the physical advantage of men was too great. Soon, footsteps could be heard behind her. There wasn’t enough time for Wang Yanqing to reach the main hall. She pushed open a nearby window, turned, and darted in the opposite direction, randomly choosing an inconspicuous door to enter.
Her luck seemed to have run out. After pushing the door open, she realized there were people inside. The women who were packing up musical instruments gasped in shock at the sudden intrusion. Wang Yanqing immediately signaled for them to be quiet: “Don’t say anything. Just pretend you never saw me.”
With that, she hid behind a screen, using the curtains to conceal herself.
The guard who had been pushed down the stairs by Wang Yanqing had already caught up. Seeing the open window, two guards immediately chased in that direction. The heavy footsteps faded into the distance, and Wang Yanqing had just breathed a sigh of relief when she suddenly heard footsteps returning.
It seemed they had realized the open window was a diversion and began searching the rooms. Wang Yanqing held her breath, carefully listening to their footsteps. There were many rooms in the area, and the two guards outside seemed to split up, each taking a side.
The sound of doors being pushed open and footsteps grew closer. The women were terrified and hid behind Yuzhong. Yuzhong firmly squeezed their hands and said: “Don’t panic. Keep packing the instruments.”
Soon, footsteps stopped outside the door. One of the guards roughly pushed the door open, scanning the room: “Did you see a woman pass by just now?”
Yuzhong shook her head, meekly replying, “No.” The others hid behind her, heads bowed, remaining silent.
This was the room where the singing girls rested, shabby and simple, with everything in plain sight. The guard glanced around and was about to leave when something caught the corner of his eye.
Behind a screen, the curtains hung quietly, but a pair of shoes peeked out from underneath.
The guard smiled subtly, pretending to leave when he suddenly lunged toward the screen. With lightning speed, he pulled back the curtains, only to find them empty, just a pair of shoes placed on the ground.
Caught off guard, the guard froze for a moment. In that instant, a soft silk ribbon suddenly wrapped around his neck from behind, tightening fiercely.
It turned out that Wang Yanqing had deliberately placed the shoes there to lure the guard closer. She had propped herself against the wall behind him and, the moment he entered, used her sash to strangle him.
The guard struggled to breathe, reaching for his knife to cut the sash. Seeing this, Wang Yanqing immediately jumped down from the wall, wrapping her legs around his neck. The sudden added weight caused the guard to lose his balance and collapse to the ground. Wang Yanqing’s back also slammed hard against the floor, but she stifled a cry of pain and quickly kicked the knife away.
This all happened in the blink of an eye, leaving the singing girls in the room stunned. Both Wang Yanqing and the guard were on the floor. Wang Yanqing used all her strength to tighten the sash, while the guard grabbed at it, managing to create a small gap.
The strength difference between men and women was stark. If he broke free, Wang Yanqing would have no chance to escape. If they caught her, they would undoubtedly use her to threaten Lu Heng.
Wang Yanqing tightened the sash with even more force, her fingers bleeding from the strain, but she still couldn’t overpower the guard. Just as the situation was about to turn against her, Yuzhong, who had been hiding to the side, suddenly ran over and pressed down on the guard’s hands. At the same time, she shouted to the terrified sisters: “What are you standing around for? Close the door and come help!”
The singing girls didn’t understand what was happening, but since Yuzhong stepped in, they couldn’t just stand by. If this guard escaped, they would all be doomed.
One by one, they began to act. One went to close the door, while others came over to pry the guard’s fingers open. It felt like an eternity before the guard finally stopped moving. Only then did Wang Yanqing dare release her grip, collapsing to the floor, completely exhausted.
Her first thought was that she had been living a life of comfort and luxury in the Lu Mansion for the past two years, her physical skills had long been neglected. Just this brief struggle had left her gasping for breath.
Her second thought was that she would never doubt Lu Heng’s intentions again. Once she returned, she would definitely work on her physical fitness.
Wang Yanqing was completely exhausted, and the other women also collapsed nearby. For a long time, no one spoke. One of the women leaned against Yuzhong, staring at her trembling hands. She asked fearfully: “Is he dead?”
“He’s dead.” Wang Yanqing replied, getting up from the floor with difficulty. She dragged the guard’s body to the wall and used the curtains to cover it up. After finishing, she couldn’t help but ask curiously: “Why did you help me?”
After all, killing someone was a capital offense. Wang Yanqing was an official’s wife and had protection, but these women, like drifting duckweed, had no such security.
Yuzhong knelt on the floor, her eyes unfocused and her face pale. She took a deep breath, her voice trembling as she said: “Because I know you’re here to deal with the Japanese pirates.”
Wang Yanqing was taken aback. Yuzhong’s eyes seemed to glisten with tears, but she blinked them back: “My younger sister was assaulted by the pirates and couldn’t bear the shame. She took her own life by hanging herself.”
The other women fell silent at this. Wang Yanqing’s expression softened with pity, and she said quietly: “I’m sorry.”
“She wasn’t my biological sister.” Yuzhong said, turning her head slightly. A faint smile touched her lips, “She was the youngest in our troupe, the baby of the group. That day, she had gone out alone to buy me some jade pastry. Everyone else said she had sold herself out and came back pretending to be a chaste and strong woman. But I remember her eyes, clear and pure, like the waters of Suzhou. Because of those beasts along the coast, she didn’t even drown herself.”
Wang Yanqing fell silent. At this moment, any words felt shallow and inadequate. In the stillness, sudden, chaotic footsteps echoed from outside. Wang Yanqing’s heart skipped a beat, and she looked toward the door.
So many people? There was no way she could fight them all…
As these thoughts raced through her mind, the people outside had already reached the door. The door frame shook violently, blocked by the bolt the singing girls had slid into place earlier. When the door wouldn’t open, there was a loud crash. The people outside didn’t even have the patience to ask for it to be opened, they simply kicked it in.
Wang Yanqing stood on the floor, completely exposed to the person outside before she could react. When she saw who was at the door, she froze for a moment, then immediately rushed forward without a second thought: “Lu Heng…”
Guo Tao, who was injured, took in the scene inside the room and quickly turned to step aside. But inwardly, he was amazed. Did the Madam actually call the Supreme Commander by his name in private?
This couple… was truly unusual.
When Lu Heng saw that Wang Yanqing was standing there unharmed, he finally felt his heart start beating again. He pulled her over, only to notice that she wasn’t wearing shoes. He glared at her sternly: “Why aren’t you wearing shoes?”
Even as he said this, he immediately bent down and scooped her up into his arms. Wang Yanqing, thinking of the injury on his arm, tried to avoid him: “Your wound…”
Lu Heng gave her another look, and she quickly quieted down. Lu Heng glanced at the singing girls huddled together in the restroom and asked: “Did anyone come here earlier?”
“Yes.” Wang Yanqing spoke up, “Under the curtains.”
His subordinates came in to search and indeed pulled out a corpse from under the curtains. They checked for a pulse and reported: “Supreme Commander, he’s already dead.”
Lu Heng looked at the purple bruising on the corpse’s neck and, without even asking, coldly ordered: “Slash his throat a few more times, then throw him outside.”
“Yes.”
Lu Heng carried Wang Yanqing out, and the others instinctively made way. He held her all the way back to their room, only then setting her down on the bed. He began to remove her dust-covered socks.
When Wang Yanqing saw this, she reached out to take over: “Let me do it.”
But Lu Heng stopped her, replacing her socks with a fresh pair. He then picked up her shoes and gently slipped them onto her delicate feet. Lu Heng knelt one knee on the footrest, his luxurious robes spilling onto the floor. The Imperial Guards only bowed before the emperor, yet here he was, kneeling before her without a second thought, helping her put on her shoes.
Wang Yanqing looked at his face, then suddenly reached out and hugged his shoulders. Lu Heng supported her back and asked: “Were you scared?”
“No.”
“It’s my fault. I promised you I wouldn’t let you fall into danger, but I’ve failed repeatedly.”
“No.” Wang Yanqing, who was usually very obedient to Lu Heng, now firmly denied his words. ”When I married you, didn’t I know that danger would always surround you? But who made me fall for you? I can only follow the one I’ve chosen, for better or worse.”
Lu Heng knew she was deliberately speaking lightly to comfort him. But he couldn’t forgive himself. He had prepared in advance, yet he still let her fall into danger, nearly causing a disaster. If that man had succeeded today… Lu Heng didn’t even dare to imagine it.
Seeing his silence, Wang Yanqing hugged him tighter and said affectionately: “It’s okay. I can’t always rely on you to protect me. Maybe I learned martial arts as a child just so I could meet you.”
In truth, Wang Yanqing’s escape was also inspired by Lu Heng. When the guards heard the commotion, they rushed in without hesitation, killed the female assassin, and then professionally surrounded her, saying they were following Lu Heng’s orders to escort her to safety. Wang Yanqing didn’t suspect anything at first, but as they went downstairs, she tested them with a question out of habit. Unexpectedly, she exposed the traitors.
When Wang Yanqing asked about Wang Tao, the two guards followed her lead in their answers. But if they had truly been sent by Lu Heng, how could they not know about Guo Tao?
If she hadn’t spent so much time by Lu Heng’s side, learning to test even those she trusted, she wouldn’t have escaped so quickly. If they had taken her downstairs, what awaited her might not have been just two people.
Lu Heng sighed. She always had a way of finding his soft spot, as if she was born to counter him. He held Wang Yanqing and sat her down properly, saying: “I underestimated the enemy. Clearly, I greatly underestimated how deeply the court has been infiltrated. Originally, I thought only government officials had nurtured pirates to avoid fighting, but now it seems a large part of the Imperial Guards have become rotten.”
“Who is it?”
“The Nanjing Imperial Guards.” Lu Heng said with a sigh. “Before, they at least used the pirates as a cover, but now they’re not even bothering to hide. This place was originally a contact point for the Suzhou garrison, under the jurisdiction of Yingtian Prefecture. The people from Nanjing took advantage of their proximity to secretly insert their own into the inn. The men I brought were elites from various battalions, and they weren’t familiar with each other. No matter how strict internal checks were, it was impossible to verify their identities every time they met. Besides, even though the Nanjing Imperial Guards are a bunch of good-for-nothings, they’re still Imperial Guards and familiar with internal procedures. It’s truly near impossible to guard against one’s own people.”
“But now you’ve found them, “Wang Yanqing said. “The more they act, the faster you can root them out, right?”
This was also the reason why Lu Heng had knowingly walked into the trap today. Only by using himself as bait could he lure out more traitors, ensuring fewer lives would be lost on the battlefield in the future.
Soldiers weren’t afraid of dying in battle, but they feared dying meaninglessly, becoming just a number in the transactions of those in power.
As the two of them spoke, there was a sudden knock at the door. Someone outside reported: “Supreme Commander, the group of singing girls from earlier requests an audience.”
Lu Heng raised an eyebrow in surprise: “They’re still here? What do they want?”
“The leading woman said it’s confidential and can only be told to you alone.”
After the series of shocking events, most people would hesitate to take such a risk. But Lu Heng remained calm. He stood up and said: “Let her in.”
When Yuzhong entered the room, she didn’t glance at the furnishings around her. Instead, she immediately knelt and bowed. The hem of a robe stopped in front of her, and beside it was the familiar edge of a woman’s skirt. She recognized the skirt but the shoes beneath them had been changed.
Yuzhong averted her gaze and kowtowed deeply: “I pay my respects, Supreme Commander.”
“What is it?”
“I heard that you’re investigating officials colluding with the Japanese pirates.” Yuzhong said, her forehead pressed to the ground, her eyes open and filled with a clear yet frenzied light, “I am willing to serve you in any way I can.”
There was no immediate response from above. After a moment, the man’s dignified voice slowly rose: “And why should I trust you?”
“I have fallen into disgrace and know my lowly fate. I dare not speak recklessly.” Yuzhong said, her back as slender as a reed but straight and unyielding, exuding a resilience that even wildfire couldn’t burn away, “But it is precisely because I live in the world of pleasure, frequenting places of entertainment, that officials don’t caution themselves around me. I know many of their secrets.”
·
Zhu Yuxiu ran through the darkness, knowing that she needed to save someone, and if she didn’t hurry, it would be too late. But she couldn’t find the exit. She ran for a long time, then suddenly tripped and fell. She kept falling, her heart filled with despair.
It was over. She wouldn’t make it in time.
Zhu Yuxiu was jolted awake by the sensation of falling. She opened her eyes abruptly and found herself lying in bed, her head splitting with pain, her body burning with fever, and her throat feeling as if it had been slashed by a steel blade.
She stared at the bed canopy for a long time, then reached up to touch her forehead, only to feel thick bandages. She was still alive. Who had saved her?
Although Zhu Yuxiu had just woken up, she had been doused with several buckets of water, and her head had been injured again. Multiple ailments combined into a raging fever and she burned for several days, only managing to sit up on her own on the fourth morning.
During her recovery, Zhu Yuxiu gradually learned what had happened after she lost consciousness. On the day of the Qixi Festival, when Lu Heng’s people discovered she was missing, they immediately launched a city-wide search. But there were thousands of boats in Suzhou, drifting along the waterways. In the vast sea of people, who could guess which boat Zhu Yuxiu had been hidden on?
In the end, it was only after intercepting a carrier pigeon and following its lead that they finally found Zhu Yuxiu. Fortunately, they discovered her in time, saving her life.
However, they couldn’t bring back Grandmother Zhu.
When Wang Yanqing learned that Zhu Yuxiu’s condition had improved, she personally went to the guest room to visit her. Zhu Yuxiu’s complexion was much better than a few days ago, but her spirits were low. She leaned against the bed, speaking very little.
Wang Yanqing already knew what had happened that day. She sighed inwardly and comforted her: “Grandmother Zhu chose death over surrender, ending her life to prove her loyalty. She lived up to her name as a loyal martyr. Grandmother Zhu and Governor Zhu died for the bright sun and moon in their hearts. They surely hoped you would live well. Don’t let their sacrifices be in vain.”
Hearing these words, Zhu Yuxiu finally couldn’t hold back her tears. Wang Yanqing didn’t say anything more, silently staying by her side. When Zhu Yuxiu finished crying and her emotions had somewhat stabilized, Wang Yanqing said: “Lu Heng said it wasn’t appropriate for him to come in person, so he asked me to apologize to you. He’s sorry for not discovering the traitor in time that day, causing you and Grandmother Zhu to suffer. He also asked me to thank you.”
That day on the boat, Zhu Yuxiu had refused to reveal the list of officials colluding with the pirates. No matter how the woman in black interrogated her, there were no results, infuriating her immensely. What she didn’t know was that there was no list at all.
At the Zhu residence, when Lu Heng had privately asked Zhu Yuxiu if Zhu Wan had left behind a list, Zhu Yuxiu had been surprised but then shook her head, saying her father had never mentioned one. After that, Lu Heng hadn’t brought it up again. But when Zhu Yuxiu was kidnapped, her captors were desperate to force her to reveal the list’s whereabouts.
Zhu Yuxiu was shocked but quickly realized it was Lu Heng’s plan.
Lu Heng used a non-existent list to make many big fish nervous, forcing them to surface. If Zhu Yuxiu had revealed that there was no list, the high-ranking officials truly involved with the pirates would have retreated into the shadows, making them impossible to track down, and Lu Heng’s plan would have failed. So, Zhu Yuxiu gritted her teeth and said she didn’t know, seemingly refusing to confess, but in reality, she was tacitly confirming the existence of the list.
The woman in black, seeing this, became even more convinced that Zhu Yuxiu had given the list to Lu Heng, and thus her methods grew even more brutal, even implicating Grandmother Zhu.
A song of life and death, soaked in the blood of three generations.
Wang Yanqing quietly left, letting Zhu Yuxiu rest alone. When she stepped outside, she encountered Lu Heng at the door.
Lu Heng seemed to have been waiting there. He asked in a low voice: “Is she doing better?”
Wang Yanqing shook her head: “I asked the physician. The injury on her forehead isn’t serious, but the fever was caused by emotional distress. What’s truly serious is the pain in her heart.”
Lu Heng sighed. After something like this, she could only rely on herself to slowly find a way out. He accompanied Wang Yanqing back to their room, still unable to let go of his guilt: “It was my fault for dragging them into this. They are a family of heroes, yet they had to endure such torment. I am to blame.”
Wang Yanqing’s expression turned serious, and she spoke solemnly: “Magistrate Zhu wrote his own farewell letter and faced death with courage. Grandmother Zhu chose to die by crashing into a pillar rather than bow to those people. Their righteousness and integrity should only strengthen your resolve to see your plan through. Only by purging the corrupt officials, eradicating the pirates, and bringing peace to the coast can you truly avenge the loyalty and sacrifice of the Zhu family.”
Lu Heng fell silent. In moments like this, Wang Yanqing didn’t say much, simply staying quietly by his side. When they returned to their room, Wang Yanqing asked as they entered: “Why did you ask me to thank Zhu Yuxiu?”
She could understand the apology, but where did the thanks come from?
Lu Heng didn’t answer directly. Instead, he asked: “If you were the governor overseeing military affairs across multiple provinces and noticed that some officials around you had ambiguous attitudes toward the pirates, would you write down your suspicions on a list?”
Wang Yanqing thought about it and firmly shook her head: “No.”
The position of governor was perilous. One misstep could lead to disaster. How could he create such a risk for himself? If he could root out the traitors, the list would naturally be in his mind. If even he couldn’t handle it, why leave behind a list that could bring harm to his family?
Lu Heng said: “So, there was never any list of officials colluding with the pirates. When I asked Zhu Yuxiu at the Zhu residence, I was just testing the waters. When I found out there wasn’t one, I wasn’t disappointed. But later, when I interrogated Wu Zhang, I deliberately claimed I had obtained a list. If someone tried to assassinate me afterward, I could follow the trail and uncover the traitors.”
There was no shortcut to rooting out traitors with just a list. Whether it was the spies around him or those in the court, Lu Heng had to rely on his experience and intuition to find them one by one.
At this point, Lu Heng let out a sarcastic laugh: “I made it all up, but I didn’t expect it to actually reveal a list.”
By seeing who couldn’t resist making a move on the Qixi Festival, who secretly facilitated the attack, and who stood by and pretended not to notice, Lu Heng could roughly guess where the traitors were. Combined with the information Yuzhong provided, he quickly formed a plan.
On the day of the Qixi Festival, Lu Heng had several officials arrested on the spot, including the Suzhou Prefect and Deputy Magistrate Yu Xiao. He cut off their connections with the outside world. If it were anyone else, they would have been severely reprimanded, but Lu Heng had the authority and ability to act first and report later.
During this time, Suzhou officialdom was in a state of panic. Others might make threats to intimidate, but Lu Heng was truly capable of killing them. While Suzhou was in turmoil, news also came from another front.
The man who infiltrated Jintai Island had returned, but he was injured and had swum for a long time in the water. He had lost too much blood and was on the verge of death. Afraid he wouldn’t make it to Lu Heng, he used his blood to draw a map of Jintai Island’s defenses and hid it against his chest. As soon as he handed the map to Lu Heng, he collapsed from exhaustion.
Everyone quickly carried him away for treatment. That day, four men had taken advantage of the chaos to board Wu Sheng’s ship and gather intelligence on Jintai Island. Only one had made it back. The other three were still on the island, their fates unknown.
After Shuangyu Harbor was attacked by the court, Jintai Island had become the new trading hub for the Japanese, the westerners, and pirates. This was why Wu Sheng and Wu Zhang had so many firearms and dared to risk stealing military supplies from the court.
Once one man successfully escaped Jintai Island, the identities of the Imperial Guards were exposed, and the other three were in grave danger. Lu Heng had to act quickly to get to Jintai Island and rescue the remaining three. Whether they were alive or dead, they had followed Lu Heng from the capital to the south, and he was determined to bring them back.
However, the Imperial Guards specialized in intelligence gathering, assassinations, and interrogations. Lu Heng had spent years operating in the shadows. While he could influence the outcome of a battle, he would never appear in public. The actual fighting on the battlefield had to be done by the imperial army.
He needed to find someone to cooperate with him.
·
Nanjing, Yingtian Prefecture.
Fu Tingzhou had been overwhelmed these past few days. After arriving in the South, he didn’t dare be careless and immediately went to inspect the troops at the garrison.
In the Ming Dynasty, the authority to train troops and deploy them were separated. Generals were like flowing water, while soldiers were like iron. Recruitment and daily training were handled by local garrisons, but when it came time to fight, the emperor would dispatch generals from the central government to take command of the local troops and lead them into battle.
The Lu family had originally been responsible for managing the recruitment and training of troops in Anlu when they were stationed there. Later, after following the Jiajing Emperor to the capital, they shifted their focus to the Imperial Guards. The Fu family, on the other hand, had been military officers for generations, moving from place to place, spending half their lives fighting battles. They didn’t have their own loyal troops.
This system ensured that those who trained the troops didn’t have the power to deploy them, and those who led the troops into battle didn’t have a strong foundation within the army. This greatly reduced the risk of military officers amassing power and rebelling.
Whether a battle could be won depended not only on the general’s tactics but also on the training and discipline of the soldiers. Fu Tingzhou understood the importance of soldiers, so as soon as he arrived in Nanjing, he familiarized himself with the troops. However, after visiting the camp, he felt that this battle didn’t need to be fought.
He knew the result before even sending out the troops, they would definitely lose. The soldiers weren’t putting in the effort, and the mid-level officers were paying lip service to orders. How could they win?
Fu Tingzhou knew that with the current situation, he would suffer a crushing defeat against the pirates. When that happened, he would be impeached, forced to resign, and stripped of his military authority.
Fu Tingzhou hadn’t traveled all the way to Yingtian Prefecture just to return in disgrace.
Just as he was at his wit’s end, an official suddenly came running to report that someone outside wanted to see him. Fu Tingzhou, already irritated, asked: “Who is it?”
“He didn’t give a name. He only said that he is your brother-in-law.”
The Yingtian Prefectural office wasn’t a place just anyone could enter. The officials would normally ignore people requesting an audience, but this man had an extraordinary presence and claimed to be the General’s brother-in-law. The official, afraid that he might really be a relative of the Marquis of Zhenyuan, decided it wouldn’t hurt to report it. So, he hurried in to inform Fu Tingzhou.
However, when the Marquis of Zhenyuan heard this, he let out a cold laugh and looked at the official with disdain, as if he were an idiot: “Ridiculous. I do have several sisters, but they’ve all been married into noble families in the capital. How could my brother-in-law appear in a place like this?”
The official realized his mistake and thought to himself that he must have been cursed to believe such an obvious lie and even bring it to the Marquis’s attention. He awkwardly apologized and was about to slink away when the Marquis suddenly called him back.
“Wait.”
He turned around and saw the young, stern-faced new General frowning, asking in an indescribable tone: “What did this person look like?”
|| Author’s Note:
Fu Tingzhou: There are always those people who not only stab you in the heart but also make sure to stomp on your sore spots while doing so.