The Jade Kylin

Chapter Quote: The undercurrent finally breaks the ice, and the blue sky returns to Daming City. The grievances of the loyal and good are redressed, and they regroup and wait for the storm.

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The sudden arrival of the imperial guards from the capital was like a boulder dropped into the already turbulent Daimyo Prefecture, stirring up a thousand waves. Though small in number, this small contingent represented the will of the Privy Council, and perhaps even a deeper one; its attitude was crucial.

The captain of the imperial guards was named Wang. He acted decisively and swiftly. After arriving at the inn, he did not immediately meet with the prefect Wen Wenbo. Instead, he first "inspected" the city defenses, and then went straight to the government prison to demand that Lu Junyi be brought to trial.

Wen Wenbo was shocked and angry, but he did not dare to openly disobey the "imperial envoy" from the Privy Council, so he had to accompany him.

Inside the prison, despite being tortured, his clothes ragged, and his wounds covered, Lu Junyi remained straight and his eyes sharp as ever. He had long since learned of Yan Qing's return and the changes in the outside world from the jailer's gossip, and he felt both worried and relieved.

Captain Wang frowned when he saw Lu Junyi's miserable state. He then looked at the so-called "evidence" presented by Wen Wenbo (which was a backup, as the originals had been stolen). Most of them were letters that were based on hearsay and difficult to verify. The only witnesses, Jia and Liu Kongmu, were already dead, and there was no way to testify against them.

"Sir Wen, just based on these, you use severe punishment on Mr. Lu, an official appointed by the court and a well-known virtuous person. I'm afraid... it will be difficult to convince the public, right?" Captain Wang's tone was calm, but it carried unquestionable pressure.

Wen Wenbo, sweating profusely, argued, "Captain, we have Yan Qing, his servant, who is indeed the leader of the Liangshan bandits and has murdered people and escaped. This can serve as evidence! How could Lu Junyi not know the deep bond between him and his master?"

"Oh?" Captain Wang's eyes flashed. "Where is Yan Qing now? Have you got any evidence to prove that he conspired with Mr. Lu?"

"This..." Wen Wenbo was speechless. Yan Qing's whereabouts were secretive, and they really couldn't get direct evidence to prove that Yan Qing and Lu Junyi were "conspiring".

At that moment, a soldier from the Imperial Guards hurried in, whispered something in Captain Wang's ear, and handed him something. Captain Wang took it, revealing a smooth jade pendant engraved with the character "Lu." It was the same jade pendant Yan Qing had thrown into Zhou Jin's mansion that night! At the same time, the soldier briefly reported the surging public opinion outside.

Captain Wang stroked the jade pendant, looked at Wen Wenbo, who was pale and trying to remain calm, and Lu Junyi, who was imprisoned but still had an extraordinary demeanor, and he already understood about 70% of the situation.

He ignored Wen Wenbo and turned to Lu Junyi, saying in a deep voice, "Mr. Lu, there are rumors circulating that you have been wronged. I have been ordered to investigate this matter. Do you have anything to say?"

Lu Junyi raised his head and spoke in a resounding voice: "Lu's actions are worthy of heaven and earth! I am loyal to the court and have a clear conscience towards the people! The so-called collusion with Liangshan is purely a frame-up by villains! Yan Qing is my loyal servant. Everything he did was to save Lu, not to collude with bandits! Wen Wenbo is colluding with Liu Kongmu and the Jia family, intending to kill Lu and embezzle my family property. Please investigate!"

Every word is sonorous and powerful!

Wen Wenbo was so angry that he was shaking all over. He pointed at Lu Junyi and said, "You...you are slandering me!"

Captain Wang waved his hand, halting the argument. He had already made up his mind: further entanglement would only lead to chaos and be detrimental to the overall situation. Furthermore, before setting off, General Su had issued a secret order...

"This matter is fraught with doubts, and the evidence is insufficient," Captain Wang said slowly. "Mr. Lu is gravely injured and should not be held in custody any longer. Effective immediately, he will be released from custody and transferred to the inn. I will assign someone to 'protect' him until the case is fully investigated. Sir Wen, do you have any objections?"

The word "protection" is very meaningful. It not only protects Lu Junyi's safety, but also puts him under house arrest and surveillance, temporarily depriving him of his freedom, but it also gives both parties a way out.

Although Wen Wenbo was extremely reluctant, the situation was more pressing than he thought. The people from the capital had made their position clear, Zhou Jin's military command remained inactive, and public opinion was boiling. If he insisted any further, he might be in danger. He gritted his teeth and said, "Everything... is at the discretion of the captain!"

When the news came out, Daming Prefecture was shocked!

Although Lu Junyi was not completely exonerated, he was able to leave the dark and damp prison and be moved to a guesthouse, where he was guarded by the Privy Council. This was of a completely different significance! It was almost equivalent to the official acknowledgment that there were major doubts in the case!

The people in the market were jubilant, all praising the heavens for their good fortune. The people gathered in front of the Lu residence even burned incense and prayed, thanking the heavens.

Yan Qing, hiding in the dark, could not help but burst into tears when he learned that his master had escaped, although he only had limited freedom. He knew that the most crucial step had finally been taken!

That night, Yan Qing took another risk. With his familiarity with the terrain and extraordinary skills, he avoided the guards outside the inn (mainly for Wen Wenbo to see) and quietly sneaked into the room where Lu Junyi was.

"Master!" Seeing Lu Junyi leaning on the couch with a pale face but bright eyes, Yan Qing could no longer bear it, and knelt on the ground with a choked voice.

"Xiao Yi!" Lu Junyi was also very excited when he saw him, and struggled to get out of bed, "Get up quickly! You...you have suffered!" He looked at the faintly visible scars on Yan Qing's body and the weather-beaten face, feeling guilty and grateful.

The master and servant held hands, both speechless and choked with emotion. After a moment, Lu Junyi sighed, "I've heard it all. Xiaoyi, if it weren't for your selfless devotion and your desperate efforts, I, Lu Junyi, would have died!"

"Master, you're too kind! This is Xiao Yi's job!" Yan Qing said hurriedly, "Although Master has escaped from prison for the time being, his crimes have not been cleared. Wen Wenbo and the people behind him will never let this go."

Lu Junyi snorted coldly, "A clown, what's the point of talking about him? After this incident, I've seen many people more clearly and understood many things. This Daming Prefecture, and even this court... Sigh." He sighed and stopped talking. Instead, he asked, "Xiao Yi, what are your plans next?"

Yan Qing carefully took out the original framed letter and poison he had obtained from Liu Kongmu, and presented them to Lu Junyi: "Master, this is irrefutable evidence! It is enough to prove that Wen Wenbo and Liu Kongmu were guilty of conspiracy! However... now is not the time to completely overturn the verdict."

Lu Junyi looked at the letters and poison with anger in his eyes, but after hearing Yan Qing's words, he calmed down: "That's right. Wen Wenbo is just a clown in front of the stage, there must be a greater force behind him. The situation in the court is delicate now. It would be bad to rush into things. It's not easy to get to the current situation."

He looked at Yan Qing, his eyes full of trust and reliance: "Xiao Yi, after this great disaster, I know who I can trust around me. I will entrust all the affairs of the mansion and even external contacts to you! Just go ahead and do it. Whether it succeeds or fails, I, Lu Junyi, will share the responsibility with you!"

"Master!" Yan Qing felt a warm feeling in his heart and knelt down again, "Xiao Yi will definitely live up to your trust!"

With Lu Junyi's full authorization, Yan Qing's actions became more expedient. He secretly contacted Zhou Jin and presented partial evidence, demonstrating that Lu Junyi had no intention of escalating the incident and only sought to clear his name. He hoped Zhou Jin would maintain military neutrality and stabilize the situation in Daming Prefecture. With solid evidence and the attitude of the people from the capital, Zhou Jin was happy to go along with it and tacitly approved Yan Qing's covert activities.

At the same time, Yan Qing also informed Gongsun Sheng and Shaohua Mountain of the situation in Daming Prefecture through the "Yinyi" channel, and asked them to pay attention to the movements of Liangshan to prevent Wu Yong from doing anything desperate.

Under Yan Qing's covert leadership, the Lu family began to quietly reorganize its power. They eliminated some wavering servants who might even be colluding with Wen Wenbo, promoted loyal and reliable elders, and rebuilt a secret intelligence network with the help of the Cao Gang and the underworld.

Despite the apparent calm, the situation in Daming Prefecture was quietly changing. Wen Wenbo's power was thwarted and he temporarily lay dormant. Although Lu Junyi was residing in the inn, he was able to remotely control many of the affairs of the Lu Mansion and even Daming Prefecture through Yan Qing.

After this disaster, the edge of "Jade Unicorn" seems to be much more restrained, but its foundation is more solid. The master-servant relationship with Yan Qing has also experienced the test of blood and fire and become indestructible.

However, both Lu Junyi and Yan Qing knew that the turmoil was far from over. The threat from Liangshan still existed, and the undercurrent in the court was still surging.

A temporary calm is only to prepare for a bigger storm.

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Chapter 27 End