The Imperial Guard’s Revenge
Chapter 135 Horse Market
While Japanese pirates in the southeast had yet to be eradicated, conflict was flaring up again in the northwest. The imperial court seemed to never have a moment of peace, and the officials resumed their debates.
In the past, government officials typically advocated for peace while military generals pushed for war. This time, it was reversed. A group of military generals, led by Guo Xun, proposed opening horse markets with the Mongols. The court could trade grain and cloth in exchange for Mongolian warhorses, benefiting both sides and avoiding war.
Although Guo Xun had not been on the frontlines in years, he came from a noble military family and understood the Mongols well. Unlike the Japanese pirates, the Mongols inhabited the northern grasslands beyond the Great Wall. The Ming Dynasty could neither remove the grasslands nor wipe out the nomadic tribes entirely. Mongols could not be permanently defeated as driving off one tribe would only lead to another taking its place. So long as the northern plains existed, its frontier would never know peace.
Moreover, the Mongols weren’t inherently warlike. Nomadic people differed from agricultural ones. In the Ming Dynasty, most households could store grain, but nomads had no surplus. If struck by blizzards, droughts, or plagues, they would have no food and would face starvation before winter’s end.
So, their only option was to head south and fight, winning meant seizing food for winter and losing meant dying of hunger. That desperation made the Mongol cavalry especially fierce.
People driven by death were invincible. The lives of the frontier troops should not be wasted in futile clashes with such desperate enemies. The Mongols simply wanted food, so give it to them, and in return they would gain a supply of high-quality warhorses.
Speaking from the experience of a former commander, Guo Xun truly believed that opening the horse markets and allowing mutual trade would benefit both the Mongols and the Ming Dynasty. He submitted a long memorial to the emperor, detailing the benefits of reopening the horse markets, which already arrived at the palace.
Many northwest military leaders agreed with Guo Xun’s view. Even Fu Tingzhou submitted a memorial supporting the idea.
In his memorial, Fu Tingzhou pointed out that the Mongols had been denied tribute eight times, yet their people relied on goods from within the country. With official channels closed, they are forced to rely on private trade, breeding danger that could escalate into a second wave of pirate-like chaos if unchecked. Instead of allowing backdoor dealings, it was better for the court to take control and maintain the upper hand.
Fu Tingzhou also detailed how horse markets should be managed and how military defenses should be adjusted to ensure safety without disrupting trade. It was evident that since taking the frontline command, Fu Tingzhou had grown in capability, his proposals being pragmatic and valuable. The emperor took his memorial seriously and repeatedly summoned officials to the palace for discussion.
The emperor, too, leaned toward reopening the border markets. If conflict could be avoided by other means, who would choose war? The war against the pirates had drained the treasury. There were 41 garrisons in Zhejiang, 439 warships, and the entire military registry had been exhausted. The nation had not yet recovered from this toll, and the emperor was reluctant to face another war.
In the end, with strong support from Marquis of Wuding, Guo Xun, and tacit approval from the emperor, the reopening of the horse markets at the frontier was finalized.
From the 25th to 28th of the ninth month in the 18th year of Jiajing, a horse market was opened at Xian Fort in Datong. The Altan tribe brought their best horses to trade for essentials like millet, beans, and fine silk. The Altan tribe placed great importance on the transaction, and the Datong governor personally oversaw the market. Over three days, all parties remained courteous, and there was no disturbance from the Mongols. The market concluded successfully.
This initial trial run at Xian Fort was a success. The Altan tribe received grain and cloth, as expected, they didn’t head south again that winter. Peace held. Other tribes, hearing of the market, also requested trade. With guarantees from Guo Xun, Fu Tingzhou, and others, and under the collective push of many, a second horse market was held at Huamachi later that winter.
This time the market lasted longer, with several Mongol tribes participating. The leader, Lang Taiji, strictly regulated his people, so both Mongols and civilians kept to their own areas. The local town remained undisturbed by the trade.
In the latter half of the 18th year of Jiajing, thanks to the horse markets, border conflicts significantly declined. The success of the two markets boosted morale, and Fu Tingzhou submitted another memorial suggesting the number of annual horse markets be increased to four and expanded to other frontier garrisons like Xuanfu and Yanning. This would allow locals to trade with the nomadic tribes nearby. As long as trade volume was limited, the Mongol tribes wouldn’t grow too powerful, and grain could be used to control their population and livelihood. In the long run, this would neutralize the Mongol threat to the Ming border.
The emperor accepted Fu Tingzhou’s proposal and tried expanding the horse markets the following year. However, the subsequent trade encounters soon ran into trouble.
In the third month, the Mongols requested to exchange cattle and sheep for grain, but the local commander refused.
The Mongols viewed the trade as an equal exchange, both sides offering what they needed. Poorer herders didn’t have fine horses but brought high-quality livestock instead. However, the court saw the horse market as a form of tribute. If they were bringing warhorses, then bring warhorses, how could they bargain?
Negotiations across the city walls failed, and old blood feuds added fuel to the fire. The herders traveled thousands of miles with their livestock, had already run out of food, and were counting on the trade for grain to feed their families. Now, being turned away empty-handed, they naturally refused to comply and instead attacked the fortress, breaking into the border to loot grain.
These herders-turned-raiders set off alarms about the safety of the horse markets. The court received multiple impeachment memorials accusing frontier commanders of colluding with the enemy and harboring traitors. Guo Xun, the strongest proponent of the horse markets, came under intense scrutiny.
Guo Xun maintained that the incident was a fluke and that most Mongols respected the rules and traded peacefully. He argued that it was wrong to cancel the entire market policy over a few bad apples.
As the government and military officials argued again in court, trouble erupted in Liaodong as well. The Altan tribe, migrating with the seasons, had moved into Liaodong that spring. They requested a market there, but since they had traded with Datong the previous year, the Liaodong garrison refused to take the risk and told them to negotiate with Datong again.
The Altan tribe was enraged, feeling the Han officials were being deliberately obstructive and deceitful. Taking offense, they launched three large-scale raids, plundering grain and livestock across the region.
Once the precedent was set, Mongol opportunists appeared at markets in Xuanfu and Datong as well. They intentionally brought sick or inferior horses to trade, and some even sold horses during the day only to sneak back at night, reclaiming them by force, and fleeing with grain and silver.
In truth, most Mongols still followed the rules, but there were some cunning and evil individuals who were looking to cause trouble. Peaceful exchanges were hard to come by, but all too easy to destroy. Public opinion on the horse markets swiftly turned. What had once been debated among a few imperial censors and generals now drew attacks from all government officials.
The loudest critic was Head Auxiliary Xia Wenjin. He had long clashed with Guo Xun, and now, seizing the opportunity, Xia furiously denounced Guo. He even accused Guo of treason, of colluding with the enemy and establishing the horse markets to secretly aid the Mongols.
At first, the discussion had only been about the horse market. But once Xia Wenjin escalated it to accusations of treason and collusion with the enemy, the entire nature of the matter changed. No one wanted to be branded a traitor. Other officials, afraid of being seen as Guo Xun’s allies, began to impeach him even more aggressively. Accusations of corruption, abuse of power, exploitation of the people, and deceiving the emperor all came out. Even works previously compiled by the Wuding Marquis Mansion, The Biography of Heroes and Water Margin, were dragged into the controversy.
Soon, everyone was framing the matter in terms of morality and righteousness. What started as a trade issue became a moral crisis.
Once something was elevated to the moral level, it lost its original meaning entirely. In the end, even the emperor couldn’t contain the storm and had no choice but to imprison Guo Xun to quell public outrage.
This was a common tactic among government officials to eliminate political rivals. They didn’t argue about the actual issue, but threw heavy moral accusations, crushing the opponent under the weight of loyalty, righteousness, and filial piety. Taking down Guo Xun alone wasn’t enough. Xia Wenjin continued to escalate the matter, implicating Guo’s associates one by one, accusing them of aiding the enemy and betraying the country.
Fu Tingzhou, Guo Xun’s nephew-in-law and an early supporter of the horse market policy, was soon dragged down as well.
The emperor hadn’t expected the situation to spiral like this, but someone had to be held accountable for the horse market’s failure. Regardless, that someone would certainly not be the emperor himself. In the end, Guo Xun became the scapegoat.
Since Guo Xun had been the most outspoken advocate, he naturally became the target. The emperor pretended to be furious and ordered Guo Xun imprisoned, launching a strict investigation into the alleged collusion. No one was allowed to visit him in prison.
Those close to Guo Xun were also punished. Fu Tingzhou was stripped of his military command and removed from his position as commander of Gansu, then jailed on charges of treason. The Marquis of Yongping, his heir, and others closely associated with the Marquis of Wuding were also taken for questioning due to suspected collusion with the enemy.
For a time, everyone associated with the Marquis of Wuding was living in fear.
To Hong Wanqing, it felt as if the sky had fallen overnight. Her uncle had been taken away under charges of treason, her husband stripped of his post on the spot, and her father and brother were also implicated. Everyone she knew was either too busy or actively avoiding her. Those who once fawned over her had now completely changed their attitudes.
Hong Wanqing fell from the status of a noble lady of a marquis’ household to being cast into the dust. She rushed about, begging for help. Once, she had always been the center of attention, surrounded by people wherever she went. Now, she had to wait outside others’ doors, standing under the sun for hours.
Yet even when her dignity was trampled into the mud, no one would help her. Finally, a lady she had once been close with quietly sent a servant to warn her. It wasn’t that they were heartless, there was simply nothing they could do.
Speaking for the Marquis of Wuding now was the same as declaring oneself a traitor. These women all had husbands and sons. No matter how close they were to Hong Wanqing, they couldn’t drag their entire family to ruin. Unless the Marquis of Wuding was proven innocent, no one would dare speak up.
At this point, there was only one person who might still have the power to clear the marquis’ name.
The servant closed the door after saying this, leaving Hong Wanqing to ponder the rest on her own. She walked down the steps in a daze and suddenly collapsed.
Her maids cried out, “Madam Marquis!” as they rushed to lift her up in a panic.
Hong Wanqing had caught a chill and developed a high fever. When she woke, she saw her maids gathered by her bedside, weeping as if the end had come. Her throat was painfully dry as she rasped out: “What time is it?”
“The hour of Wei (1-3 pm).”
Hong Wanqing silently calculated in her head, Lu Heng was extremely busy with official duties and usually didn’t return home until after dark. At this hour, he likely hadn’t left the government office yet. If she waited at the Lu Mansion gate, she could still catch him!
Hong Wanqing struggled to sit up. Seeing the tear-streaked faces of her maids only made her angrier. She scolded: “Why are you crying? My uncle’s family were founding heroes of the dynasty. They fought alongside Emperor Hongwu to unify the country. The Hong family has held the title of Marquis since the founding of the nation. Xia Wenjin is just a civil official who rose to power in the last decade, how could he possibly shake the foundations of the Guo and Hong families? The Wuding Marquis Mansion has been fighting the Mongols for two hundred years. How many men from the Guo family have died on the northwestern frontier. Why would my uncle collude with the enemy? Xia Wenjin is a government official who hasn’t gone to battle nor tilled the land, he just flaps his lips and wants to smear the Guo family’s century-long good name. Help me up, I’m going out to seek justice for my uncle.”
“Madam Marquis…” The maids hastily supported her and tried to persuade her, “Madam, no matter how close you are with your uncle, you’re now part of the Fu family. You must take care of your health.”
“Foolish.” Hong Wanqing rebuked, “My uncle is the pillar holding everyone up. If he’s truly found guilty of treason, the Marquis, the Yongping Mansion, everyone will be dragged down with him. The families of traitors are sold off to pleasure quarters. If I end up there, I won’t even have my life. What’s the point of preserving my health then? Move aside.”
“But you’re still sick…”
“What matters more? Recovering from an illness or staying alive?” Hong Wanqing’s words came too fast and triggered a fit of coughing. She doubled over, coughing violently as if tearing her lungs apart. The maids were heartbroken, kneeling beside her to offer water and wiped away their tears: “You’ve never had to suffer like this before, Madam. Why can’t life just go back to the way it used to be, smooth and steady?”
Yes, why had the world changed so suddenly?
It took a long while for Hong Wanqing’s cough to subside. She leaned against the bedpost, gasping for air. Her face was flushed, and she had no strength left in her body. However, there was no time to be weak. Gritting her teeth, she said with frail determination: “Someone, help me get dressed.”
Hong Wanqing never paid attention to state affairs, matters of the clan had always been handled by her father and brother. She only had to pick out clothes and buy jewelry. But now the great house had collapsed. All the men from the Guo and Hong families had been imprisoned, Fu Tingzhou wasn’t in the capital, and the Wuding, Yongping, and Zhenyuan Marquis Mansions had fallen together. In an instant, Hong Wanqing was cast out from her golden cage into the storm.
Only now did she realize that she was no different from ordinary women whose lives floated like duckweed.
Fu Tingzhou couldn’t be reached. Fu Chang was the only remaining male of the Fu family’s direct line. He should have stepped forward in such a time, but he had long become used to being a hands-off idler, neither his father nor his son ever counted on him. How could a woman like Hong Wanqing rely on Fu Chang?
She might as well rely on herself. Once dressed, Hong Wanqing had a clear goal. As soon as she got into the carriage, she told the driver: “To the Lu Mansion.”
Inside the carriage, Hong Wanqing began to cough again. A maid gently patted her back, wiping her tears: “Madam, you’re so ill, it pains us to see you going out like this.”
The maid sobbed, but Hong Wanqing lowered her gaze and whispered faintly: “Silly girl, it’s precisely because I’m sick that I must go out.”
When she arrived at the Lu Mansion, Hong Wanqing put aside all airs of nobility and stepped forward herself to ask the gatekeeper: “Is Supreme Commander Lu at home?”
The gatekeeper eyed her warily and replied coldly: “The commander’s whereabouts are classified. It’s not appropriate to disclose them to outsiders.”
Hong Wanqing froze. Other noble residences would at least put up a polite front, saying things like they had gone out or were visiting friends. But the Lu Mansion made it absolutely clear, she was not welcome.
Hong Wanqing had never been treated with such indifference before. She felt humiliated. But times had changed, and she was the one seeking help. No matter how unbearable the shame was, she had to endure it.
Hong Wanqing dug her nails into her palm and forced a smile: “I have an urgent matter and wish to request an audience with the Supreme Commander. Would you kindly inform him?”
The gatekeeper remained unmoved. Even when Hong Wanqing had her maid offer silver, neither the gatekeeper nor the guards paid her any attention. Working the gate of the Lu Mansion, they had no shortage of money, why would they care for her petty bribe?
Left with no other option, Hong Wanqing had to wait at the gate. She silently hoped that Lu Heng hadn’t returned home early today. If she was lucky, she might still have a chance!
Indeed, Lu Heng was working overtime at South Fusi today. He rarely took time off, and with the recent surge of imprisonments, business at South Fusi had reached its peak. When he finally finished and was preparing to head home, one of the Lu Mansion guards approached him quietly and reported: “Commander, the Madam Marquis of Zhenyuan is waiting outside the residence requesting an audience.”
Lu Heng raised an eyebrow: “When did she arrive?”
“At the hour of Wei (1–3 pm).”
“Does the Madam know?”
“She’s been stopped outside the gate. We didn’t dare disturb Madam.”
Lu Heng’s expression finally eased a little. Good thing they hadn’t bothered his wife, otherwise, they would be in trouble.
Lu Heng, the man who controlled all intelligence in the capital, was not someone you could just ambush casually on the street. The guard asked: “Shall we go around to the side gate, Supreme Commander?”
“Why would I enter my own home through the side gate?” Lu Heng sneered. “Ready the horse. I’m going in through the front.”
“Yes.”
Back at the gate, the sun had begun to set, and a cool breeze picked up, but no one had come to speak to her. One of the maids supported Hong Wanqing anxiously, glancing at the sky: “Madam, it’s going to rain soon. Let’s go home.”
“No.” Hong Wanqing refused firmly, “We’ve waited this long, if we leave now, it’ll all have been for nothing.”
“But you still have a fever…”
Before the maid could finish, rhythmic hoofbeats echoed down the street. Both she and Hong Wanqing turned around. When Hong Wanqing saw who it was, her face lit up with surprise: “Supreme Commander Lu…”
Lu Heng reined in his horse at the gate but didn’t even glance at her. He handed the reins to his attendant and headed straight inside. Hong Wanqing had prepared a whole speech, but when she saw how thoroughly he ignored her, she panicked. Throwing aside all ladylike restraint, she hurried after him: “Supreme Commander Lu, I am Hong of the Zhenyuan Marquis household. I beg you, please help us!”
Lu Heng stepped up onto the stairs, his expression amused: “So it’s Madam Fu. Countless people want my help, who exactly do you think you are?”
Hong Wanqing felt her heart sink. She anticipated that Lu Heng might be difficult to deal with, but every time she saw him before, he had been courteous and soft-spoken, always smiling politely. She thought, perhaps he wasn’t as cold-hearted as the rumors claimed.
After all, Wang Yanqing had served Fu Tingzhou for so long that even her purity was questionable, yet Lu Heng still made her his legal wife and remained loyal for years without taking a concubine. A man like that must be soft towards women.
But now Lu Heng offered no courtesy at all. To be dismissed with a line like, “Who do you think you are,” wounded Hong Wanqing’s pride deeply. She bit her lip hard, suppressing her shame, and forced herself to go on: “I heard that Supreme Commander Lu once overturned a wrongful conviction for disaster victims in just three days. If you would even help complete strangers, it shows your sense of justice and moral integrity. I may be unworthy, but my family has been falsely accused. I beg you, help me seek justice.”
Lu Heng let out a laugh. He climbed to the top step, smoothed his robes, then turned back. He gave Hong Wanqing a long, curious look: “After all my years in office, this is the first time I’ve heard someone say that I am just. Lady Fu, you are much less discerning than the Marquis of Zhenyuan or the Marquis of Yongping.”
After Lu Heng finished speaking, he turned to enter the Mansion. Hong Wanqing, desperate that neither persuasion nor offers had moved him, quickly said: “If Supreme Commander Lu is willing to lend your aid, I am willing to offer up all my family’s wealth in gratitude for your righteousness.”
“You think I need your family’s meager fortune?” Lu Heng scoffed with undisguised disdain. “And can you even make that decision?”
Hong Wanqing had no answer. It was true, Lu Heng had risen rapidly through the ranks in recent years. He now wielded immense power and was hardly frugal. No one in the capital knew how much wealth he had amassed. That he would turn his nose up at the fortunes of the Zhenyuan and Yongping households was hardly surprising.
Moreover, Hong Wanqing indeed had no authority over the Fu or Hong family estates.
Every move she prepared failed. Gritting her teeth, she suddenly lifted her skirts and dropped to her knees. Everyone around her was stunned. Her maids rushed forward, grabbing her arms in panic: “Madam, what are you doing?”
Even Lu Heng paused, caught off guard. He finally turned around and gave her a proper look. Hong Wanqing knelt on both knees, back straight, and spoke clearly: “The Marquis of Wuding and the Marquis of Zhenyuan have been wrongly accused. They are loyal generals who have served the nation and do not deserve to be slandered with baseless charges. I know, Supreme Commander, you have no obligation to help us. But I have no other options and can only turn to you. If you doubt my sincerity, I will kneel here however long asking for mercy!”
Lu Heng looked down at her and gave her a small smile. He was smiling before, but this one was a subtle expression that suddenly gave Hong Wanqing a chilling sense of danger.
Lu Heng said: “Is Madam Fu trying to use her illness to threaten me? Then you’ve misjudged me. Go ahead, kneel until you die. See if I so much as frown.”
With that, he flicked his robe and headed inside, his voice cold and merciless: “Of all things, I detest people who don’t know their place. If you want to kneel, go kneel in the street. Don’t dirty my gates.”
The gates of the Lu Mansion shut right in Hong Wanqing’s face. The guard stepped forward, extended his arm, and said: “Madam Fu, please.”
The meaning was clear, leave on your own, or be dragged away.
Even in her humiliation, Hong Wanqing still had some dignity left. She bit her lip hard, stood up, walked down the steps, and knelt again, this time beyond the threshold of the Lu Mansion.
If it meant saving both her family and her husband’s, what did a little humiliation matter?
The day had started bright and sunny, but by evening a cold wind had picked up. Thunder rumbled ominously above. Moments later, rain began to pour down.
Rain in the capital was not like the gentle showers of the south, it was merciless, drenching everything instantly. Hong Wanqing’s clothes were immediately soaked through. They didn’t bring an umbrella so her maid tried futilely to shield her from the rain with her hands: “Madam, this rain won’t let up for a while. You’re still running a fever, let’s go back!”
A fever wasn’t a trivial illness, many lives had been lost to one. And now, Hong Wanqing was kneeling sick in the rain, risking her life.
She had long wanted to leave. Raised delicately, the heaviest thing she had ever carried was a needle. How could she endure kneeling in a downpour? But she was gambling, gambling that Lu Heng wouldn’t really let her die outside his door. If he wavered, even slightly, she would still have a chance.
So, Hong Wanqing clenched her teeth and refused to leave. As the rain fell, night quickly descended. The world was swallowed in darkness. The rain poured, the cold wind howled, there was no sound but the storm. Even the guards had retreated inside to take shelter.
It was as if the world had abandoned Hong Wanqing. Soon, she couldn’t even hear her maid’s voice anymore. Then she collapsed into the mud with a thud, her whole body convulsing. The maid was terrified and immediately rushed to her side: “Madam, what’s wrong?”
Hong Wanqing’s face had gone pale, her body trembling violently, but the doors of the Lu Mansion remained tightly shut. At that moment, Hong Wanqing was struck by a devastating realization. Lu Heng had meant it.
Even if she died kneeling at his door, he truly wouldn’t frown.
The rumors in the capital weren’t wrong. He really was ruthless, unscrupulous, and capable of doing anything to achieve his goals. How could someone like that ever be expected to show compassion?
So many officials had been purged under his hands. It was said that even the most beautiful and refined noblewomen begged for mercy, but not a single one had moved him. Even those who offered themselves had failed to stir his heart, how could someone like her hope to sway Lu Heng?
He was a weapon, a killer without morals or limits who could watch the wife of a former colleague die at his doorstep without blinking. But then, why did he treat Wang Yanqing with such absolute tenderness?
Hong Wanqing had been in the rain for so long that she thought she was hallucinating. She actually saw the gates of the Lu Mansion open, and from within emerged a woman draped in a white cloak, holding an orange palace lantern. Several maids followed behind her, cautiously holding up umbrellas to shield her.
The night rain fell like an endless river from the heavens, drenching the earth completely. Yet somehow, it seemed only the spot beneath her feet remained untouched by darkness. The orange light flickered in the wind, illuminating the woman’s face intermittently, making her appear mysterious and ethereal, like a goddess descending into the mortal world.
“Madam Marquis of Zhenyuan.” A cold and graceful voice rang in Hong Wanqing’s ears just before she lost consciousness, “there is nothing we can do for what you ask. It’s late and if you remain here, your life may be in danger. Please seek medical help as soon as possible.”
Inside the house, Lu Heng was playing with their son, Lu Xuan, under the warm glow of a lantern. Hearing footsteps outside, he told the nanny to take Lu Xuan away, then rose and walked to the door: “I told you she was up to no good. Why did you go out there? Did you get wet?”
Wang Yanqing removed her cloak and dried her fingers with a handkerchief: “I’m fine. She’s ill and I couldn’t really let her collapse outside our door.”
“It was on the street.” Lu Heng corrected her. “I made sure she was kneeling outside the threshold.”
Wang Yanqing said nothing. She couldn’t fathom what Hong Wanqing was thinking, trying to use her illness to manipulate Lu Heng. Did she really think he was the type to soften?
It would be easier to stage a prison break than to expect Lu Heng to show compassion.
Wang Yanqing changed out of her damp outerwear and put on a lotus-colored robe. She sat down beside Lu Heng and asked: “Where’s Xuan’er?”
“He was falling asleep. I asked the nanny to take him back.”
Wang Yanqing nodded, then asked: “About the Marquis of Wuding, do you really plan to stay out of it?”
“This is a feud between him and Xia Wenjin. What does it have to do with me?” Lu Heng leaned back against Wang Yanqing’s shoulder, eyes closed, speaking casually. “Leave them be. The emperor knows what he’s doing.”
The horse market scandal caused major trouble. The emperor needed someone to take the fall, and that role landed on Guo Xun. But the emperor knew the truth and he had no intention of doing serious harm to him. After the storm passed, he would be released.
Still, while Guo Xun was imprisoned, his faction would inevitably be weakened.
Lu Heng knew the emperor’s intentions. So did Yan Wei, and probably even Xia Wenjin. But the women outside didn’t know any of this. They truly believed the Marquis of Wuding would be punished for treason. Thinking of Hong Wanqing fainting in the rain, Wang Yanqing felt a pang of emotion and sighed.
She had once been a noble lady too. When Wang Yanqing first met her, Hong Wanqing had been bold and radiant, her eyes full of dominance, like there was nothing in the world she couldn’t seize. Now, she had thrown away her pride and knelt sick outside her former enemy’s home, just for a single word of help from Lu Heng.
The candlelight burned quietly, the room was dim and still. Lu Heng, eyes closed, looked as if he had drifted off to sleep. Then, suddenly, he asked: “Why the sigh?”
Startled, Wang Yanqing replied: “It’s nothing. I was just thinking about how unpredictable life is.”
“Don’t you hate her?”
“Setting me aside and marrying someone else was Fu Tingzhou’s decision. Even without her, I would’ve left the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion. What do I hold against her?”
Although Lu Heng was pleased to hear her say she would have left the Fu family anyway, he still felt bitter at the mention of being set aside to marry another.
If Fu Tingzhou hadn’t pushed her away, given her stubborn devotion, there never would have been a place for Lu Heng. It was a painful thought and one he preferred not to entertain. In Lu Heng’s mind, the best way to get back at his former rival was simple. Get her pregnant with a second child.
And once Lu Heng had the thought, he acted immediately. He opened his eyes, pulled her into his arms, and said: “Qing Qing, don’t you think Lu Xuan is a bit lonely all by himself?”
“What?”
“We should give him a little sister.” Lu Heng said, then paused, adding begrudgingly, “If it’s another son, I suppose that’s fine too.”
The next day, news spread throughout the capital. The Madam Marquis of Zhenyuan had gone to the Lu Mansion to plead for help, but Lu Heng hadn’t even let her through the door, leaving her to kneel on the street for half the night. Upon returning home, she developed a high fever and fell into a coma.
People scorned Lu Heng as cold and heartless, but even so, few were willing to speak up for the Zhenyuan or Wuding Marquis.
In the palace, the emperor heard of the incident as well. When Lu Heng came to report as usual, the emperor asked: “I heard Madam Fu came to see you last night?”
Lu Heng nodded: “That’s right. Her lips were cracked, and her face was flushed, it looked like she had a fever. I assumed she was just putting on a show and would give up soon, so I didn’t bother with her. In the end, my wife couldn’t bear it and had someone send her back to the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion. She even arranged for a physician to see her.”
Hearing this, the emperor understood. Hong Wanqing had already been sick when she came, fainting from illness wasn’t a desperate ploy but simply the natural result. She had brought it on herself.
Criticizing Lu Heng for lacking pity was fine, but pushing all the blame on him wouldn’t do.
To the emperor, these little emotional manipulations by women were nothing more than petty tricks. He said: “She’s still the wife of a meritorious general. Fu Tingzhou performed admirably in quelling the Japanese pirates and has done quite well in Gansu these past two years. No need to go too far and chill the hearts of our military men. In a few days, find a pretext to move Guo Xun into the Zhao Prison.”
The Imperial Guards had their own special prison, the Zhao Prison, which didn’t pass through the usual ministries and had independent rights for reviewing cases. It had full authority to interrogate and imprison. Being moved there meant life or death was in the emperor’s hands, the usual justice system no longer applied.
Lu Heng accepted. Zhao Prison already housed many people like this. They had even created a separate wing specifically for “guilty officials” who couldn’t be released nor executed. Some stayed for two or three years until the emperor’s anger faded.
Following the emperor’s order, Lu Heng didn’t delay. The next day, he went to retrieve Guo Xun. The Imperial Guards had the authority to investigate nobles without needing to present evidence. When Lu Heng requested custody of the Marquis of Wuding, no one from the imperial prison dared object.
The jailer led Lu Heng toward the cell. Unlocking the door, he said: “Supreme Commander Lu, the Marquis is inside. Please proceed.”
Lu Heng looked in. Guo Xun was seated with his back to the door, gazing toward the skylight. Not one to wait for theatrics, Lu Heng pushed open the wooden door and said: “Marquis of Wuding, sorry to disturb you. There are matters requiring your cooperation. Please come with me to Zhao Prison.”
After Lu Heng spoke, Guo Xun remained motionless. Lu Heng, who was no stranger to death, instantly sensed something was wrong. He held out a hand to stop his men: “Don’t touch anything. Call people from the imperial prison and have them check on the Marquis.”
Guo Xun was dead.
The emperor sat behind his desk, face grim, sweeping a slow glance across the court.
All six old scholars of the cabinet, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, Lu Heng, the Minister of Justice, and the Chief Judge of the Imperial Court were present. The emperor looked at them coldly and asked: “What happened to Guo Xun?”
The emperor had intended to imprison Guo Xun, perhaps scare him a little, but he had never planned to kill him. Guo Xun was crucial to the northwestern army. The emperor would have to be mad to risk destabilizing the border.
Lu Heng, who had discovered the body and reported the death, was the first key witness. He glanced at the Minister of Justice and Xia Wenjin with a faint, unreadable smile, then stepped forward and said: “Your Majesty, when the body of the Marquis was discovered, I happened to be on site. I came on your orders to escort the Marquis to Zhao Prison. But when I arrived at the imperial prison, he was seated, unmoving. I sensed something was off and ordered the imperial court officials to check on him. The Imperial Guards never stepped foot into the cell. As for who killed the Marquis… that may be something the Minister of Justice can explain.”
The emperor, struggling to suppress his fury, turned to the Minister of Justice: “The Marquis of Wuding died under your supervision. How do you explain this?”
The Minister of Justice was already drenched in sweat. He had not expected Lu Heng to be so meticulous, he hadn’t even entered the cell, making the pretext they had prepared useless. But before the throne, silence would be even more condemning.
Stammering, he said: “I… I do not know. Perhaps the Marquis, knowing his crimes and unable to face judgment, took his own life out of guilt.”
Lu Heng scoffed openly at the side. The emperor clearly found the excuse laughable as well. With a dark expression, he pointed at Lu Heng: “Lu Heng.”
Lu Heng bowed: “Your Majesty.”
“You have ten days to find out the truth behind the Marquis’s death.”
“Yes.”
After leaving the throne room, the officials walked through the blooming gardens of the Western Garden in silence. As they exited the palace gates, Lu Heng fell half a step behind and came up beside Xia Wenjin. Leaning in close, he said softly: “Head Auxiliary Xia, when it comes to book knowledge, I’m no match for you. But when it comes to killing, you are far inferior.”
Xia Wenjin turned slightly to glance at him. Lu Heng looked back, smiling, his peach-blossom eyes filled with a dense, unfathomable darkness: “You should have never provoked me.”