53
The first rays of dawn dispelled the chill of the night. Zhan Zhao, having had a hangover at Bai Yutang's place, awoke with a slight headache, but his mind was clearer and more resolute than ever before. He bid farewell to Bai Yutang, and instead of returning directly to Kaifeng Prefecture, he went to Xiaoyou Villa first.
Xuanyuan Tianyi was having breakfast when she saw him return. Her expression remained unchanged, as if the conversation about revealing their true identities the previous night had never happened. She merely glanced at him and said calmly, "There's some hangover soup warming on the stove."
Zhan Zhao felt a warmth in his heart. He walked over, ladled himself a bowl of soup, and sat down opposite her. The two ate their breakfast quietly, the atmosphere not awkward, but rather one of tranquility and tacit understanding after weathering some storms.
"I will be going to the palace today," Xuan Yuantian said suddenly, putting down his chopsticks.
Zhan Zhao paused slightly, then understood what she was about to do. He nodded: "Okay."
No need for further words; we understand each other implicitly.
After having breakfast, Zhan Zhao changed into his official robes and headed to Kaifeng Prefecture. His expression was calm, and his steps were steady, no different from usual, except that something deeper seemed to have settled in his deep eyes.
When Bao Zheng saw him return, he asked with concern about the recovery of his injuries, without mentioning the failure to capture Yelü Zongzhen. Instead, he said, "Guard Zhan, you've returned just in time. The Eighth Prince's investigation into the Pearl of the East Sea case has yielded some results, uncovering several clues related to the old case of the Prince of An's mansion. This mansion intends to work with the Prince to thoroughly investigate this case."
Zhan Zhao understood; he knew this was not just about investigating a case, but also about taking action against the remnants of the Prince of An's faction, who had been hiding for many years. He bowed and clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice clear and firm: "It is my duty!"
Meanwhile, Xuanyuan Tianyi had quietly entered the palace and met Zhao Zhen in the imperial study.
Zhao Zhen had just finished the morning court session, and his brows showed a hint of fatigue. He was somewhat surprised to see her, and then waved his hand to dismiss the servants.
"Why are you here at this time?" Zhao Zhen asked.
Xuanyuan Tianyi walked over and sat down opposite him, poured himself a cup of tea, and said in a calm tone: "Zhan Zhao already knows about his background."
Zhao Zhen's hand, holding the brush, suddenly paused, a drop of vermilion ink falling onto the memorial and quickly spreading. He slowly put down the brush, raised his head, and looked at Xuan Yuan Tianyi. His deep eyes held a complex mix of emotions—surprise, understanding, and finally, a barely audible sigh.
"How... did he react?" Zhao Zhen's voice was somewhat low.
"It was calmer than I expected." Xuan Yuantian took a sip of tea. "He went to Jing'an Palace and saw that portrait."
Zhao Zhen remained silent for a moment, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the dragon desk. After a long while, he smiled helplessly, a smile carrying a complex mix of bitterness and relief: "In the end... I still dragged him into this." He looked out the window, his gaze distant, "I originally hoped that he could always just be Zhan Zhao."
“He is Zhan Zhao, that has never changed.” Xuan Yuan Tianyi put down his teacup and looked at him calmly. “It’s just that now he knows why he is Zhan Zhao. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Now that he is involved in some responsibilities, knowing the root of them will allow him to move forward more clearly.”
Zhao Zhen withdrew his gaze and met her eyes, seeing the certainty in them. He understood Zhan Zhao and trusted Xuan Yuan Tianyi's judgment. That seemingly gentle younger brother possessed a resilience and sense of responsibility that rivaled anyone else's.
"Very well." Zhao Zhen took a deep breath, his expression regaining the composure and decisiveness of an emperor. "Since he already knows, there's no need to hide it anymore. The remnants of Prince An's faction colluded with the Liao Kingdom, wreaking havoc on the court, and even extending their reach into the palace. Their crimes deserve to be punished! It's time to thoroughly purge these parasites!"
He looked at Xuan Yuan Tianyi, his eyes sharp: "Tianyi, tell Zhan Zhao that I need him. I need the sword in his hand, to cut down the treacherous officials for me and for the Song Dynasty!"
“I will pass on the message to him.” Xuanyuan Tianyi nodded.
The news quickly reached Kaifeng Prefecture. After receiving Zhao Zhen's explicit decree from Xuan Yuan Tianyi, Zhan Zhao's heart, still troubled by his origins, finally calmed down. His Majesty needed him, the Song Dynasty needed him, and that was enough. His identity as the person standing there was irrelevant.
He, along with Bao Zheng and the Eighth Prince, quickly integrated all the clues at hand—from the financial network implicated in the Zhang Hong and Wang Jin cases, to the military equipment and stolen goods hidden in the Rongguo Duke's mansion, to the code name and some action plans of the remnants of the Prince of An mentioned in Yelü Zongzhen's secret letters, and finally to the old grudges and personnel connections in the palace pointed to by the Donghai Pearl case.
A vast network hidden in the imperial court, the palace, and even the martial arts world is gradually becoming clear.
“Based on the existing evidence, besides the deceased Zhao Zongji, there are two other key figures among the remnants of Prince An’s faction,” Bao Zheng said in a deep voice, pointing to the compiled dossier. “First, there is the ‘official’ hidden in the court, who is very likely a high-ranking official among the Nine Ministers, possessing great power and influence, which allows him to mobilize resources and cover up traces so easily. Second, there is the ‘Blade Bearer’ who is responsible for specific actions and liaisons with the martial arts world. This person is highly skilled in martial arts, moves mysteriously, and is very likely related to the former subordinates of Prince An’s mansion.”
The Eighth Prince added, "The flow of the Pearl of the East Sea ultimately points to several clandestine estates connected with the imperial family and former nobles. These estates are very likely their bases for money laundering and information transmission."
Zhan Zhao listened intently, his mind racing. He suddenly remembered that several seemingly insignificant business names had appeared repeatedly in the ledgers he had found at HSBC, but he hadn't investigated them at the time.
“My lord, Your Highness,” Zhan Zhao began, “I recall seeing the names of businesses such as ‘Longchang’ and ‘Yongsheng’ in the Rongguo Duke’s account books. They have close financial ties with Zhang Hong and Wang Jin. Could you please investigate the background and recent activities of these businesses?”
Bao Zheng and the Eighth Prince exchanged a glance, both feeling that this clue was important, and immediately ordered Zhan Zhao to join forces with the Imperial City Guard to investigate.
The investigation proceeded swiftly. Meanwhile, in the imperial court, the public disclosure of evidence regarding Yelü Zongzhen's hasty escape and his collusion with the remnants of the Prince of An's faction sparked a surge in calls for war. Emperor Zhao Zhen seized the opportunity, simultaneously deploying troops to strengthen border defenses in preparation for potential retaliatory actions from the Liao Dynasty. At the same time, he swiftly began purging officials with close ties to the Liao envoys or suspected of corruption and dereliction of duty, including several previously vocal pro-peace officials. The atmosphere in the court instantly became more solemn.
A few days later, the Imperial City Guard brought crucial news.
"My lord! We've found out!" An official from the Imperial City Guard rushed into the Kaifeng Prefecture study, his expression excited. "The mastermind behind Longchang and Yongsheng both points to Zhou Jingyao, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices!"
“Zhou Jingyao?” Bao Zheng frowned. The Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was in charge of the palace’s food and sacrifices. Although it was not a core power department, the position was crucial, making it easy for him to access the inner palace. Moreover, his noble status made him less likely to arouse suspicion.
"Not only that," the official continued, "our subordinates secretly monitored the Zhou residence and discovered that a steward named Zhou Lu has been acting suspiciously lately, frequently entering and leaving the 'Drunken Immortal Pavilion' in the south of the city late at night. And the owner of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, upon investigation, was once a retainer of the Prince of An's residence!"
Zuixianlou! It was a famous restaurant in Bianjing City, a gathering place for all sorts of people.
“It seems that this Drunken Immortal Pavilion is one of their important contact points,” the Eighth Prince stroked his beard and said. “Zhou Jingyao… is probably the ‘official’ hiding in the court.”
Target locked!
Bao Zheng immediately ordered: "Zhang Long and Zhao Hu, take men to closely monitor the Zhou residence and Zhou Jingyao, and do not alert them! Wang Chao and Ma Han, secretly control all entrances and exits of Zuixianlou and monitor all people coming in and out! Guard Zhan and Young Hero Bai, you two are on standby at any time. Once the 'Blade Bearer' is confirmed to have appeared, or Zhou Jingyao makes any unusual moves, immediately carry out the arrest!"
"Yes!" The group accepted the order and went about their tasks.
Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang were eager to make their move; the long-awaited moment to close the net was finally about to arrive.
However, the remnants of Prince An's faction, having cultivated their influence for many years, possessed an extremely keen sense of smell. Zhou Jingyao seemed to sense that things were turning sour, and suddenly feigned illness and took leave, remaining secluded at home. Zuixianlou also seemed to become unusually "clean" overnight, with no further unusual activity.
"Old fox, you're quite alert." Bai Yutang spat.
Zhan Zhao pondered for a moment and said, "They are in the dark while we are in the light. A direct attack may not be successful and could even force them to take desperate measures, destroy crucial evidence, or flee again."
"What are your thoughts, Guardian Zhan?" Bao Zheng asked.
"Perhaps... we can stir up trouble and lure them out." Zhan Zhao's eyes sharpened. "They must still have hidden channels or contingency plans that we don't know about. We can deliberately reveal some flaws, create tension, and force them to use their last escape route, then we can wipe them all out in one fell swoop!"
Once the plan was agreed upon, Kaifeng Prefecture and the Imperial City Guard began to intentionally or unintentionally increase the number of patrols around Zhou Mansion and Zuixianlou, creating a sense of impending doom.
This tactic worked. After two days of silence, late at night, the sentries monitoring the Zhou residence discovered that a seemingly ordinary water truck had quietly driven out of the back gate, but its tire tracks were noticeably deeper than those of a normal vehicle!
Something's up!
The news reached Zhan Zhao immediately. He and Bai Yutang then led a team of elite soldiers and quietly followed the water cart.
The water truck did not head towards any wells or waterways, but instead meandered through various alleyways, eventually entering a chaotic and complex shantytown in the west of the city, and stopping in front of an extremely inconspicuous, dilapidated courtyard.
The driver looked around warily before quickly knocking on the gate. The gate opened a crack, and after the person inside confirmed his identity, he quickly pulled the water cart inside, closed the gate, and locked it.
"This is it!" Bai Yutang whispered.
Zhan Zhao carefully observed the location and structure of the small courtyard and noticed that its backyard was right next to a stinking ditch leading to a tributary of the Bian River. A thought struck him: "They probably intend to escape by water!"
We can't wait any longer!
Zhan Zhao gave a signal, and he and Bai Yutang acted simultaneously! The two leaped onto the wall like owls, and inside the courtyard, Zhou Jingyao, now dressed in coarse cloth, was speaking in hushed tones with a thin, sinister-looking man in black. The man in black wore a strangely shaped curved sword at his waist; he was presumably the "Blade Wielder." Several guards were carrying heavy boxes onto a small sampan moored beside a stinking ditch.
"Lord Zhou, where are we going?" Zhan Zhao's cold voice rang out in the night sky like a thunderclap!
Everyone in the courtyard was shocked!
The man wielding the blade reacted with lightning speed, drawing his curved sword with a backhand motion, the blade flashing like a bolt of lightning as it hurtled towards Zhan Zhao! At the same time, he shouted sharply, "Stop them! Protect the master as he boards the ship!"
Zhou Jingyao, his face ashen, staggered toward the small sampan, supported by two guards.
"Where do you think you're going!" Bai Yutang laughed loudly, unfolded his folding fan, and attacked the guards like a butterfly flitting among flowers, instantly blocking their way.
Zhan Zhao drew his giant sword, its aura chilling, and engaged the "blade wielder" in battle. The clash of blades raged fiercely in the narrow courtyard, sparks flying. The "blade wielder's" martial arts were indeed unpredictable and ruthless; his curved saber techniques were tricky, his strength both subtle and powerful, and he was evenly matched with Zhan Zhao.
But Zhan Zhao's will was firm, and his swordsmanship was upright and dignified. After dozens of moves, he spotted an opening in his opponent's defenses, and with the Giant Sword emerging from the abyss like a dragon, he executed the move "White Rainbow Piercing the Sun," precisely piercing through the opponent's net of blades and striking his wrist!
"Clang!" The curved knife fell to the ground.
The man wielding the blade groaned, still trying to resist, but Zhan Zhao's sword tip was already pressed against his throat. "Surrender!"
On the other side, Bai Yutang had already taken down several guards and stopped Zhou Jingyao, who was pale as a ghost.
Large contingents from Kaifeng Prefecture and the Imperial City Guard arrived at this time and quickly took control of the entire courtyard.
The search revealed not only a large amount of gold and silver jewelry in those heavy boxes, but more importantly, a list of personnel, financial ledgers, and remaining secret letters between the remnants of Prince An and the Liao Kingdom! Among them were the names of several other officials they had hidden in the court, as well as an unimplemented plan to create chaos in the border garrisons through collusion with external forces!
The evidence is irrefutable!
Zhou Jingyao and the "wielder" were taken back to the Kaifeng Prefecture prison. Subsequently, based on the list, the Kaifeng Prefecture and the Imperial City Guard joined forces to launch a swift and decisive purge in Bianjing and throughout the country. Dozens of remnants of Prince An were arrested, and his long-established network of influence was completely eradicated.
This malignant tumor that had plagued the Song Dynasty for many years was finally eradicated thanks to the tireless efforts of Zhan Zhao, Bao Zheng, and others.
When the news reached the palace, Zhao Zhen looked at the final case file presented by Zhan Zhao and remained silent for a long time. He walked outside the hall, looked at the clear sky, and a great weight was finally lifted from his heart.
He knew that eliminating internal threats was only the first step. Yelü Zongzhen, who had fled back to Liao, would never accept defeat, and border warfare would likely be unavoidable. As for Zhan Zhao, his younger brother, having experienced the revelation of his true identity and the pacification of internal troubles, he would undoubtedly face even greater challenges in the future with greater maturity.
But Zhao Zhen believed that no matter what lay ahead, Zhan Zhao would always be the sharpest sword and the strongest shield in his hands, protecting the Song Dynasty together with him.
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