The Imperial Guard’s Revenge
Chapter 136 Destroyed
Wang Yanqing was at home watching Lu Xuan as he practiced calligraphy. Next year, he would enter the palace as a reading companion to Prince Yu, so his manners and studies could not be neglected. Wang Yanqing did not hope for wealth or fame, she only wished for his safety and peace.
Halfway through writing, Ling Xi suddenly entered hastily and bowed: “Madam.”
Wang Yanqing saw the expression on Ling Xi’s face and knew something serious had happened. She instructed Ling Luan to make sure Lu Xuan finished the remaining lines, then brought Ling Xi outside. Once they were alone, she asked: “What is it?”
Ling Xi leaned in and whispered: “Madam, the Marquis of Wuding died suddenly in the Imperial Prison. The Supreme Commander has been ordered to investigate the cause.”
Wang Yanqing’s eyes widened in shock. The Marquis of Wuding was dead?
Last night, Lu Heng told her of the emperor’s orders to transfer Guo Xun to the Imperial Guard’s Zhao Prison, likely a sign of leniency. Everyone knew the charge of treason against Guo Xun was baseless.
The emperor allowed Xia Wenjin to impeach Guo Xun, and even implicated the Yongping and Zhenyuan Marquises after Guo Xun’s imprisonment, clearly intending to use the situation to rein him in.
In recent years, Guo Xun had become increasingly arrogant, even daring to write The Biography of Heroes and aggressively grew his wealth, interfering with military operations and purging dissenters in the army. The emperor treated the Guo family generously in gratitude for their support of his ascension. After Guo Xun published The Biography of Heroes, the emperor even honored Guo Ying.
But that didn’t mean the emperor’s tolerance was limitless, especially as Guo Xun’s influence in the army became too great. The Northwestern army was the emperor’s army, not the Guo family’s.
Still, reprimand was one thing. No one had expected Guo Xun to die. His influence among the nobles was immense, with roots throughout the military. If he suddenly died without explanation, it could destabilize the entire Northwest.
And now, just before his transfer to Zhao Prison, he died. The timing was far too coincidental. Wang Yanqing quickly asked: “How is Lu Heng?”
“The Supreme Commander is fine. He noticed something was wrong in time and never entered the cell. No matter what, the Marquis’s death can’t be pinned on him.”
Wang Yanqing let out a breath of relief. Lu Heng had always been at odds with Guo Xun’s faction, if suspicion fell on him now, it would be a disaster.
Once she confirmed Lu Heng was safe, she asked: “What did he ask you to do?”
“The Supreme Commander sent me to escort you. You’ll disguise yourself as a coroner’s maid and accompany us into the prison for an autopsy.”
“Alright.” Wang Yanqing agreed without hesitation. She was no stranger to South Fusi and did not fear prison the way ordinary women might. Wang Yanqing said: “I’ll go settle Xuan’er first. Tell the men from South Fusi to wait at the second gate.”
“They are not from South Fusi.” Ling Xi said. “It’s the Ministry of Justice.”
Wang Yanqing and Ling Xi disguised themselves as maids and followed behind the coroner into the prison. Coroners covered their faces during autopsies, which suited Wang Yanqing just fine, it allowed her to hide her striking appearance beneath a white cloth.
After Lu Heng discovered Guo Xun’s body, he ordered the Imperial Guards to seal the cell and forbade anyone from tampering with the scene. Guo Xun’s body still lay in his original cell.
Guo Xun was a Marquis, so even though he was a prisoner, he hadn’t been kept in the common holding area. His cell was spacious and clean, with a bed and a chair. Upon news of his death, many people had rushed to the scene. The Imperial Guards stood guard at the door, allowing no one in, so the corridor was packed with people unable to enter.
Wang Yanqing followed the coroner to the cell, but the crowd blocked their path. The coroner, being a man, could squeeze through, but it wasn’t appropriate for Wang Yanqing to push her way through a mass of men. The escorting Imperial Guard coughed and raised his voice: “Supreme Commander, the coroner has arrived.”
Lu Heng was inspecting the scene inside. Upon hearing the announcement, he came out at once and strode quickly toward them: “Why are you so late? Come in and examine the body.”
As Lu Heng stepped out, the crowd instinctively parted to let him through. He appeared to be escorting the coroner in, but in truth, he subtly used his body to block others’ view. Taking advantage of the moment, Wang Yanqing lowered her head and slipped in behind him into the cell.
The coroner quickly greeted the officials present, then opened his toolbox and began examining the body. Wang Yanqing stood beside him, passing tools as needed, though in truth, she hardly had to lift a finger, Ling Xi took care of everything. Wang Yanqing’s role was simply to stand quietly and observe the surrounding crowd.
Once the coroner entered, the guards no longer blocked the door. Without the Imperial Guards stopping them, the onlookers couldn’t resist stepping into the cell to watch the examination up close.
After all, the body lying there was the Marquis of Wuding, so the coroner didn’t dare cut open his body. He checked Guo Xun’s mouth, eyes, and neck temperature, then examined his body for wounds. After thoroughly inspecting him, the coroner stood up and addressed Lu Heng looking somewhat troubled: “Supreme Commander, there are no strangulation marks, no external injuries, and no signs of poisoning. For now, I can’t determine the cause of death. It might have been a sudden illness.”
Upon hearing this, many officials visibly relaxed. Lu Heng, however, fixed his gaze on the coroner and asked: “Sudden illness? Are you certain?”
The coroner stammered: “I truly can’t find a cause, so I can only make such a guess.”
An official nearby interjected: “The Marquis of Wuding did suffer from chronic illnesses. It’s not impossible that being imprisoned triggered an old ailment.”
“Yes, indeed.” Others echoed in agreement.
Lu Heng silently observed these men, then suddenly said to the coroner: “Give me your gloves.”
The coroner froze, reaching for a new pair of gloves, but before he could, a veiled maid quietly picked them up and handed them to Lu Heng. As Lu Heng took them, he flipped his hand over, signaling her to put them on.
This small gesture, though subtle, struck the watching crowd as strange, though they couldn’t pinpoint why. Only Wang Yanqing, whose face was mostly covered, revealed a fleeting glance from the corner of her eye. She lowered her head obediently and deftly helped Lu Heng wear the gloves.
As she withdrew, Lu Heng’s fingers lightly hooked her palm. Wang Yanqing quickly glanced at the crowd ahead, then discreetly pulled her hand back and stepped away.
With the gloves his wife personally put on now in place, Lu Heng waved his fingers, signaling the coroner to turn Guo Xun’s body over. The coroner hesitated, he had already checked the back and found nothing. Why was the Supreme Commander insisting?
But he dared not question it. Carefully, he turned the body over. Lu Heng crouched beside Guo Xun, undid his hairpiece, and began feeling the back of his head. Before long, he pulled out a thin, long needle from the base of Guo Xun’s skull.
A collective gasp echoed through the room. Lu Heng examined the bloodstained needle, placed it on an evidence tray, and stood up: “The Marquis of Wuding did not die of sudden illness. He was drugged and, while unconscious, someone pierced his brain with this needle. That’s why there were no visible injuries and no blood on his clothes.”
An official couldn’t help but ask: “But how did you know the weapon was hidden in his head?”
“Yes. It’s so well concealed. Aside from the murderer, who else could have known?”
Lu Heng smiled slightly: “Gentlemen, you are all learned men, but perhaps you should also observe the real world a bit more. Though the Marquis’s cell was separate from the common prisoners, flies are impossible to keep out. When the coroner turned him over earlier, I noticed that flies gathered only around his hair. That made me suspicious, so I investigated. I didn’t expect to discover the murder weapon that killed the Marquis of Wuding.”
He deduced this from the behavior of flies. Wang Yanqing couldn’t help but admire him. This sort of keen observation was truly impressive.
The officials from the Ministry of Justice fell into a tense silence. There had long been rumors that Lu Heng never left a case unsolved. It was said that during the Southern Patrol, he overturned a wrongful conviction in just three days, completing both investigation and arrest with remarkable speed.
Peers were prone to envy and many from the Ministry of Justice looked down on Lu Heng’s reputation. But now, seeing him uncover the murder weapon so swiftly, their confidence wavered. They had all arrived together, yet only Lu Heng noticed anything.
Another official asked: “But how do you know he was drugged unconscious?”
“That’s even simpler.” Lu Heng said, pointing at the needle. “A needle of this length would cause excruciating pain if driven into the brain. If the Marquis had been awake, he would have struggled. Yet his body was relaxed, his eyes peacefully closed, clearly there was no struggle before his death. Given his military experience, he wouldn’t have failed to sense someone approaching while he slept. Eliminating the impossible, the murder could only have drugged the Marquis of Wuding before taking the opportunity to murder him.”
The officials remained silent. Lu Heng continued: “The corpse reveals more than that. When I arrived, the Marquis was seated with his back to the corridor. A person rendered unconscious wouldn’t stay seated upright. Thus, the murderer must have posed him that way after. When I saw something wasn’t right, I immediately called the Imperial Prison jailers to come in and check. At that time, the Marquis of Wuding’s body was slightly stiff but could still be laid flat. Given current temperatures, I estimate his death occurred within the past half to one hour. Investigate who delivered food or a drink to the Marquis during that time, and you’ll find the killer.”
The officials exchanged glances, speechless. Lu Heng looked at them with a faint smile, then asked: “Well? Can none of you esteemed gentlemen from the Ministry of Justice even track down who brought him his last meal?”
It was the sixth month, and the smell near the corpse was unpleasant. Lu Heng moved to wait in the outer hall, with Wang Yanqing and the coroner standing behind him. The Minister of Justice wanted to go out to look for people but was forcibly kept behind by Lu Heng. After a long wait, the Assistant Minister of Justice hurried back from outside and reported with a bow: “We’ve identified the person who delivered the food, a temporary replacement man.”
“Where is he?”
“We just found him, he fell into the canal and drowned.”
Lu Heng led his men out of the Ministry of Justice. The coroner, who had been transferred from the South Fusi, followed him as well. An Imperial Guard behind Lu Heng said: “Supreme Commander, the suspect drowned right after being found. There is something fishy about this.”
“Of course.” Lu Heng said. “A temporary food delivery, no one in the Ministry of Justice knows his background, and likely there’s no evidence at his home either.”
Hearing this, the Imperial Guard grew anxious: “Supreme Commander, why did we conduct the autopsy at the Ministry of Justice? If we had brought him back to South Fusi, the culprit wouldn’t have escaped. Now we’ve alarmed the enemy, and the clues are cut off. How will we investigate further?”
“What use is there in catching a mere food deliverer?” Lu Heng said. “Can I settle the score with him? The Marquis of Wuding’s murder was intended to fall on the Imperial Guards. That’s not something an ordinary person would dare. There must be a high-ranking official orchestrating this. What I need to find is the hand behind the scenes, not some petty killer.”
The Imperial Guard nodded thoughtfully, yet he still felt stuck: “But now there are no clues at all, how do we find the mastermind?”
“Who said there was none.” Lu Heng’s gaze swept behind him, smiling. “We’ve already found them.”
The attendants all looked surprised, utterly at a loss, but praising the Supreme Commander’s brilliance was always safe. Lu Heng chuckled softly and sighed: “Solving the Marquis’s death doesn’t need ten days. One day is enough.”
Behind him, Wang Yanqing rolled her eyes, unable to endure it any longer.
“Supreme Commander, then what should we do next?”
“No rush.” Lu Heng said. “Let’s return to South Fusi first.”
At South Fusi, the coroner was taken to the back, but Wang Yanqing, a supposed maid, appeared instead in the private quarters of South Fusi’s highest officer. Lu Heng personally removed the white cloth covering her face, scrutinizing her from side to side: “Such a beautiful face, how can you hide it under rough cloth every day? Don’t be a coroner. Why not become my wife instead?”
Wang Yanqing shot him a glare: “Doesn’t the Commander already have a wife? I heard your son is even three years old now.”
“Oh, right.” Lu Heng nodded seriously. “I almost forgot. No matter, she can be my lady at home, and you can be my lady here at South Fusi.”
Hearing this, Wang Yanqing pinched him hard, forcefully shaking off his hand: “I dare not accept the Supreme Commander’s favor. I’ll leave now.”
Lu Heng laughed and hugged her from behind: “Qing Qing, I’m counting on you. If you leave, what will I do?”
“Go find one of your dear subordinates.”
This was Lu Heng’s own doing. He shot himself in the foot. He sat down, still holding her, and softened his tone to coax her: “I was wrong. What subordinates? You’ve been to South Fusi so many times, besides prisoners, have you ever seen any other women here?”
This reminded Wang Yanqing of something and she suddenly realized: “Right, there are female prisoners. I’ve heard that many young noble ladies have offered themselves to the Supreme Commander, just to help their families escape punishment.”
Lu Heng snorted, disdainfully: “Let them keep dreaming. All the benefit is theirs. What good does it do me?”
Wang Yanqing stared at him: “You could enjoy the company of young, fresh beauties.”
Lu Heng smiled as he fixed his gaze on her: “None of them are as beautiful as you, as fair as you, as soft as you. With the time I’d waste on them, why wouldn’t I go home to my Qing Qing instead?”
Wang Yanqing’s face flushed bright red. Embarrassed and angry, she bit her lip and scolded: “You’re speaking nonsense.”
Lu Heng thought to himself, how was this nonsense? Every word came from his heart. But he knew well when to stop. If he pushed further, he wouldn’t get to enjoy any sweet favors tonight.
Lu Heng held Wang Yanqing and said: “I was just joking. Don’t be angry. Qing Qing, did you notice anything today at the Ministry of Justice?”
Lu Heng had deliberately conducted the autopsy at the prison not only to preserve the scene but more importantly, to observe everyone’s reactions. Whoever showed guilt or nervousness while listening was at least aware of something.
Wang Yanqing nodded, then said with difficulty: “But, I don’t know who any of them are.”
“No problem.” Lu Heng wrapped one arm around Wang Yanqing, while his other hand picked up a brush from the desk. He wet the brush, dipped it in ink, and moved fluidly. He effortlessly drew a map of the prison room. “You tell me the expressions of the people in each spot. I remember who they are.”
Wang Yanqing clearly remembered that when the officials entered the cell, they had chosen their positions randomly, and people kept moving afterward. The fact that Lu Heng could remember all of this was truly terrifying.
With the aid of the sketch, Wang Yanqing recalled everyone’s expressions one by one, pointing out those who seemed abnormal. Lu Heng listened while nodding. Wang Yanqing spoke until her mouth went dry. She picked up Lu Heng’s teacup, took a sip, and asked in surprise: “You’re not going to take notes?”
Lu Heng paused, then nodded as if being taught: “Madam is right. I’ll note them down now.”
Lu Heng sat in the most powerful hall of the South Fusi, with his delicate wife on his lap, occasionally jotting down officials’ names, pondering who would be next to fall. With Wang Yanqing’s help, Lu Heng quickly got a clear picture of the Ministry’s officials. He put down his brush, brought the freshly written paper to the candle, and watched it burn to ash: “Similar to what I thought.”
Wang Yanqing asked: “Who do you think is behind the Marquis of Wuding’s murder?”
In this case, finding the killer was meaningless. The mastermind wouldn’t personally act, and after silencing the assassin, there’d be no evidence left. Therefore, Lu Heng gave up on looking for the real murderer from the beginning but deliberately used this incident as bait to test the others’ reactions.
Without hesitation, Lu Heng sneered: “It’s obviously Xia Wenjin. Who else must need Guo Xun dead? Who else can command the Ministry of Justice so directly?”
“Head Auxiliary Xia?” Wang Yanqing was puzzled. “But, Head Auxiliary Xia and the Marquis of Wuding don’t seem to have a deep personal grudge. Why go to such lengths?”
Lu Heng held Wang Yanqing and slowly said: “Qing Qing, in the officialdom, no one needs a deep blood feud. To survive, you must strike first to eliminate the other. Xia Wenjin and Guo Xun have always been at odds. This time, Xia Wenjin has completely offended the Wuding faction. That group is full of dukes and marquises, if Guo Xun gets out, will they spare Xia Wenjin?”
The Guo family was a 200 year old clan, their legacy as long as the Ming dynasty itself. Xia Wenjin was just one man, his entire standing dependent on his position as Head Auxiliary. Once he was out of the Inner Cabinet, he’d be an ordinary old man, torn apart by powerful families like the Guos and Hongs.
If Xia Wenjin couldn’t kill Guo Xun this time, once Guo Xun was freed, Xia Wenjin would be dragged down from his post. By then, it would be Xia Wenjin’s daughters and granddaughters kneeling outside other mansion gates.
But Xia Wenjin shouldn’t have involved Lu Heng. Before, when the court quarreled fiercely, it was actually just a personal duel between Xia Wenjin and Guo Xun. But now that Xia Wenjin dragged Lu Heng into this, he could only blame himself.
Thinking of such brutal political struggles, Wang Yanqing could only sigh. She still couldn’t figure out one thing, so she asked: “Even if it was Head Auxiliary Xia, how did he know you were going to see Guo Xun?”
“They could make it to the Inner Cabinet. None of them are fools.” Lu Heng’s eyes darkened, as if pondering someone’s name. “It must have been overheard by an attending eunuch during my conversation with the emperor yesterday, who then passed it to Xia Wenjin.”
“Do you know who it is?”
“I have a good idea.” Lu Heng patted Wang Yanqing’s hand. “I’ll send you back to the Mansion first. Lu Xuan isn’t safe alone at home. I’ll come home early tonight.”
“Alright.”
Lu Heng had already identified the suspect on the first day, but he still needed to give the emperor a proper report, which required at least some evidence. While Lu Heng was gathering evidence, something peculiar happened at court.
Lu Heng was impeached.
It had been a long time since Lu Heng had experienced what it felt like to be impeached.
That night, back home, Lu Heng hugged his soft, fair wife and complained: “Qing Qing, I got impeached today.”
Wang Yanqing asked gently: “What happened?”
“Someone accused me of corruption.” After speaking, Lu Heng raised his brows, exasperated, “That’s one accusation I truly can’t refute.”
Corruption was an all-purpose brick in officialdom, used wherever needed. After all, an Imperial Guard’s salary could never support the luxurious expenses of the Lu Mansion.
Wang Yanqing immediately asked with concern: “Who impeached you?”
“A few imperial censors.” Lu Heng chuckled, “But I know who instigated it. The emperor had just ordered me to investigate Guo Xun’s death, and then I get impeached. What a coincidence.”
“You mean Head Auxiliary Xia?”
“Who else but him?” Lu Heng tightened his embrace around his wife’s slender waist. With such warmth and beauty in his arms, he felt she deserved to be adorned with all the silk and jewels in the world. A couple of impeachment charges were nothing.
Wang Yanqing didn’t notice his wandering hands. Her mind was focused on the impeachment: “What did the emperor say?”
“The emperor said nothing.” Lu Heng smiled faintly. “Qing Qing, don’t worry. Their impeaching me for corruption means they have no other hold over me. The emperor knows this as well and he won’t be bothered by it.”
Wang Yanqing felt slightly at ease upon hearing that. But Lu Heng was no longer content with simply hugging and holding her. He supported Wang Yanqing’s back and laid her down on the couch, saying: “But I won’t let them impeach me for nothing. If they dare to impeach me, they must also be prepared to bear the price of offending me. I think there’s no need to wait ten days. Tomorrow, I can present the truth of Guo Xun’s death to the emperor.”
Lu Heng kept his word. The next day, he went to the Inner Western Palace to report the facts about the sudden death of the Marquis of Wuding. After the report the emperor was silent for a long time before saying: “I understand. You may withdraw.”
Lu Heng cupped his hands: “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Lu Heng had known the emperor for many years and understood his thinking well. Once he left that room, he could no longer speak of Guo Xun’s death. A founding nobleman murdered with a fine needle in the prison of the Ministry of Justice. It was far too shocking. It would damage both the Guo family and the court’s reputation. It was better to let Guo Xun leave peacefully under the label of sudden illness.
As he exited the palace, Lu Heng told the Imperial Guard’s: “Notify the Wuding Marquis Mansion to come collect the body.”
After the autopsy at the prison, Lu Heng had the body transferred to South Fusi. It was now the sixth month, and corpses could easily rot and swell. Thankfully, they had kept it chilled with ice throughout the process, and the body was not too badly deformed.
They had worked together in court for many years. Sending him back to his family with dignity after his death was Lu Heng’s final gesture of respect to his old rival.
The Marquis of Wuding, who had dominated court politics for half his life, suddenly died. The women of the Guo Mansion wept until they became like flowing tears. Hong Wanqing’s fever had just subsided, and now, upon learning of her uncle’s death, she burst into sobs in her room.
The Marquis had died suddenly in prison. After that, the Imperial Guards took his body, and there was still no official explanation. Although Guo Xun was nearly fifty, he had always been in good health, how could he die so inexplicably?
Of course, the Guo family didn’t believe it so easily, but there were no wounds on Guo Xun’s body, no signs of poisoning on his lips. Without Guo Xun, the household became a pile of loose sand, and ultimately, nothing came of it. Guo Xun was buried under the official claim of sudden illness.
The emperor lightly punished a few minor officials in the Ministry of Justice, scolding the Minister and Assistant Minister for dereliction of duty. After all, the Marquis of Wuding had died of sudden illness in their prison, and they had failed to notice, scolding them for negligence and injustice was not undeserved.
The Minister of Justice listened in cold sweat, but fortunately, after the scolding, the emperor did not pursue it further.
The Minister sighed in relief. They had cleaned up the evidence well. The food delivery man was dead. There were no leads. No one knew how that needle ended up in Guo Xun’s skull, nor who was behind it. No matter how capable Lu Heng was, he could not make a dead man talk.
Even if everyone knew the death was suspicious, without evidence, it had to be left at that. Though the Minister of Justice had been scolded, he was neither dismissed nor demoted, and Xia Wenjin wasn’t implicated at all. It seemed the emperor still trusted the Head Auxiliary and had not been swayed by Lu Heng’s claims.
The Minister of Justice finally relaxed after several tense days and thought, Lu Heng is no more than this.
At the Lu Mansion, before heading out, Lu Heng instructed the steward: “Today is the Marquis of Wuding’s funeral. We were once acquaintances, send a generous gift in his honor.”
“Yes.”
Lu Heng mounted his horse, calm and composed, holding the reins as he rode toward the Rear Military Office. The sound of hooves echoed crisply through the streets of the capital, carrying the distinct rhythm of an early morning in the imperial capital.
A cool breeze brushed Lu Heng, rustling his robes. The snake dragon embroidery on the fabric looked as if it might leap out. Lu Heng stared ahead as his mind lingered on the Marquis of Wuding. Making one move determines the whole game. In life, one must look beyond short-term outcomes.
Lu Heng shook his head quietly. Guo Xun had become arrogant and so had Xia Wenjin. The emperor had clearly not intended to kill Guo Xun, but Xia Wenjin acted on his own, this crossed the emperor’s line. Although the emperor hadn’t punished Xia Wenjin for it, suspicion had already taken root. When Xia Wenjin made even the slightest mistake later, it would revive that doubt.
Everything Guo Xun suffered would one day return, double, onto Xia Wenjin.
Hong Wanqing forced herself to attend her uncle’s funeral. The Guo household was shrouded in sorrow, everyone in mourning. They all believed Guo Xun’s death had sealed his charge of treason, never to be cleared. Yet unexpectedly, many people sent funeral offerings. Among them, Hong Wanqing even saw one from the Lu Mansion. As people looked on in confusion, Cabinet Scholar Yan Wei arrived in person, solemnly offered three sticks of incense to the Marquis of Wuding and even stepped forward to offer a few words of comfort to the Madam Marquis.
Hong Wanqing followed beside her aunt, vaguely sensing that there might be a turning point in her uncle’s case.
The Madam Marquis of Wuding gratefully saw Yan Wei off. Not long after, news came from the front gate that even the palace had sent someone!
A eunuch offered incense before the Marquis of Wuding’s memorial. Wiping away a few tears, he reminisced with the Madam Marquis about Guo Xun’s years of meritorious service. The Madam Marquis also wept silently. The eunuch dried his eyes with a handkerchief and said meaningfully: “Madam Marquis, please restrain your grief. If one’s heart is upright, one need not fear a crooked shadow. As long as their loyalty is true, it will not go unrewarded.”
Hearing these words, the Madam Marquis seemed to understand something. Sure enough, the next day, though the charges against the Marquis of Yongping and his son were not cleared, they were released. The Marquis of Zhenyuan was suspended from his Gansu command and escorted back to the capital for questioning.
Guo Xun’s death swiftly shifted the one-sided debate over the horse market. Though the Yongping Marquis and Fu Tingzhou still bore charges, the eunuch’s attitude at the funeral showed that the emperor still acknowledged Guo Xun’s role in securing the throne. Seeing the palace’s stance, government officials no longer pressed the Wuding Marquis Mansion.
After all, there was no real treason, everything was driven by Xia Wenjin from behind the scenes. Yan Wei publicly attending Guo Xun’s funeral and consoling his widow subtly signaled a challenge to Xia Wenjin. But from then on, Xia Wenjin would be busy managing the Inner Cabinet and didn’t have energy to interfere elsewhere.
When Fu Tingzhou returned to the capital, Guo Xun’s funeral had long ended. He offered three sticks of incense before Guo Xun’s memorial tablet and sighed: “Madam Marquis, please restrain your grief and take care of your health.”
In just a few days, the Madam Marquis of Wuding had grown gaunt. Since Guo Xun’s imprisonment, she hadn’t smiled once. After his death, the once-mighty Guo clan seemed to deflate overnight, no longer holding the air of power they had when they were publishing books and dominating the court.
Her sons were unpromising, and the Marquis of Yongping held no real influence at court. Now, among the Wuding faction, only Fu Tingzhou had any real say. In the blink of an eye, the standing of the Guo and Fu families had reversed. What was once the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion relying on the Wuding Marquis Mansion had now become the Madam Marquis of Wuding depending on Fu Tingzhou.
The Madam Marquis spoke lifelessly: “I’m already old. Now, I merely look after the family in the Marquis’s place. There’s no question whether I take care of them or not. But you, any progress on the matter of clearing our name?”
Fu Tingzhou replied: “I submitted a memorial to the palace. Though I haven’t seen the emperor, the memorial wasn’t returned. The Marquis of Wuding worked hard over the years, and his advocacy for the horse market was all for the stability of the frontier. The emperor sees clearly and won’t let loyal service go unrecognized.”
Hearing Fu Tingzhou’s words, the Madam Marquis was reassured. Fu Tingzhou likely still had a chance of reinstatement. If he could be reinstated, their faction still had hope.
The Madam Marquis invited Fu Tingzhou to sit in the main hall and asked: “Why didn’t Wanqing come along today?”
Fu Tingzhou replied calmly: “She’s recovering at home, afraid of passing on her illness to the Madam Marquis, so she did not come. Madam Guo, is there any progress on the matter of inheriting the title?”
The Madam Marquis sighed: “Those eunuchs hesitated, unwilling to give a clear answer. In my view, we’ll still need to make arrangements.”
In the past, if the Wuding Marquis Mansion wanted something, eunuchs would rush to curry favor. Who would have dared force money from the Guo family? But now, the tiger had fallen to the plain, bullied by dogs. She even had to seek out connections to ensure her son’s inheritance of the title.
Fu Tingzhou said: “Madam Marquis, don’t worry. I’ll help inquire. I heard the Marquis’s body was retrieved from South Fusi. Did the Imperial Guards get involved as well?”
“Yes.” The Madam Marquis nodded. “The palace eunuch said the emperor assigned Supreme Commander Lu to investigate the Marquis’s death. Supreme Commander Lu was even impeached for several days because of this. Unfortunately, in the end, they couldn’t find anything.”
Fu Tingzhou frowned in thought. Those who impeached Lu Heng must have been instigated by Xia Wenjin. In the end, the emperor still ruled it as a sudden illness, meaning Lu Heng had lost to Xia Wenjin. Fu Tingzhou couldn’t say whether he felt disappointed or disillusioned. Lu Heng, said to never lose in political struggles, seemed to have been overexaggerating.
Suddenly, Fu Tingzhou thought of something and asked: “I remember Cabinet Scholar Yan attended the Marquis’s funeral that day?”
“Yes.” The Madam Marquis nodded. “He even spoke some words of comfort to me. We never had much connection with the Yan family before, but in our downfall, he was willing to offer kind words.”
Fu Tingzhou narrowed his eyes slightly, then said to the Madam Marquis: “Perhaps, Cabinet Scholar Yan is a potential ally.”
Originally, Fu Tingzhou followed his grandfather’s teachings, government and military officials should not mix. As military men, they should focus on fighting well and avoid getting too close to government officials. But after this experience, Fu Tingzhou deeply felt how difficult it was to have no one speak for him at court.
He had been far away in Gansu yet was dismissed without warning. The decree came so suddenly that he hadn’t even made follow-up arrangements, forced to watch as enemies ravaged the borders while he stood powerless. Half a year’s worth of preparation was destroyed in an instant.
If there had been a government official speaking on his behalf at court, he wouldn’t have been so helpless.
The Wuding Marquis Mansion had offended the Head Auxiliary. As long as Xia Wenjin remained in that position, Fu Tingzhou’s career would never be stable. This time was merely a temporary dismissal, if next time, Xia Wenjin deliberately withheld provisions for the front lines, or intentionally delayed reinforcements from the court, what would he do then?
Fu Tingzhou thought, perhaps, he too needed an ally in the Inner Cabinet. In the future, should anything happen, at least someone could give him a warning.
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Lu Heng was now running between the Five Military Offices and South Fusi. While handling accumulated business at South Fusi, he suddenly received news. Today, Cabinet Scholar Yan had entered the palace to present a ceremonial prayer to the emperor and casually mentioned the Marquis of Zhenyuan.
Soon after, the emperor summoned the Marquis of Zhenyuan to the palace. In front of the emperor, Fu Tingzhou defended himself, saying that he was wholeheartedly loyal to the country and its people. His original intention in proposing the horse market was to reduce frontline casualties, and he harbored no ulterior motives. The emperor was moved by Fu Tingzhou’s words and reinstated him as General of the Datong Prefecture.
Being reinstated as the General of Datong meant Fu Tingzhou had passed this ordeal. As long as he performed well in Datong, his career prospects remained bright.
Datong was a critical frontier town. As long as he didn’t make any major mistakes, military achievements would naturally follow.
Lu Heng clicked his tongue softly. That fellow Fu Tingzhou was indeed fortunate. Because of Guo Xun’s death, the emperor felt guilty toward the Wuding faction, and Fu Tingzhou happened to seize this moment to resurface, securing his reinstatement. It seemed that the remaining power of the Guo faction would eventually be absorbed by Fu Tingzhou.
Having spent years away, Fu Tingzhou had grown wiser, knowing how to leverage others, using Yan Wei’s hand to contend with Xia Wenjin. Unfortunately, Fu Tingzhou was still not smart enough.
Today, borrowing Yan Wei’s influence to return to office would make everyone see him as part of Yan’s faction. It is easier to invite a god than send one away. By involving himself in Yan Wei and Xia Wenjin’s cabinet struggle, it will be difficult for him to extricate himself later.
However, this had little to do with Lu Heng. Everyone thought Lu Heng had lost to Xia Wenjin last time, but in reality, it was the opposite. Just like the emperor, truly skilled hunters never entered the fray themselves. They achieved their goals by stirring up infighting among other prey, never expending a single soldier.
Xia Wenjin had won in the short term, but Lu Heng had won in the long run. Lu Heng didn’t need to defeat Xia Wenjin, Yan Wei would do that for him.
He could return home to play with his beloved wife and young son. In a few years he would reap the benefits effortlessly. Wasn’t that better?
Lu Heng was the first to receive the news. Later, Fu Tingzhou’s reinstatement as the Governor of Datong slowly spread to the public. When Hong Wanqing heard of Fu Tingzhou’s return to office, she breathed a long sigh of relief. She knew that the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion had landed safely from this storm.
However, the Wuding Marquis Mansion had suffered heavy losses and was beginning to show signs of decline. Thinking of her sisters and cousins, Hong Wanqing felt a pang of emotion. She had once resented Fu Tingzhou’s coldness toward her, but now, she realized she had married the right person. At least her life was secure, unlike her other sisters, who might soon fall out of the capital’s social circles.
After Fu Tingzhou was appointed General of Datong, he quickly set out to take up his post. This time, neither Hong Wanqing nor Madam Chen dared to stop him and urged him to go.
But this time, Fu Tingzhou did not bring along Hong Liu. Hong Liu wept like a pear blossom in the rain yet failed to change his mind. Watching from the side, Hong Wanqing faintly grasped Fu Tingzhou’s intentions.
Wang Yanqing’s hometown was precisely in Datong. Fu Tingzhou not bringing any concubines to Datong, could it be that he regarded it as a place of memories shared only with Wang Yanqing, unwilling to let other women disturb it?
Three years ago, if Hong Wanqing had discovered this, she would have been jealous and made a scene. But now, upon realizing it, she felt no emotional stir.
Perhaps her mother was right, love was but a fantasy in opera scripts. After enough time passed, a husband and wife were merely strangers who lived together.