forty
As night deepened and midnight approached, Bianjing City fell into slumber, with only the occasional sound of the night watchman's clapper echoing through the silent streets.
Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang, like two ghosts, silently approached Yongfeng Grain Store in the west of the city. The grain store was quite large, with three courtyards, high walls, and a tightly closed black gate. Two lanterns hanging in front of the gate swayed gently in the night wind, exuding a somewhat eerie atmosphere.
The two men crouched in the shadows of the opposite rooftop, observing carefully. The grain store was pitch black and silent, as if it were deserted. But Zhan Zhao keenly sensed that in several key corners, extremely faint breathing sounds could be heard.
"As expected, there were hidden sentries." Bai Yutang lowered his voice, a smile of excitement curving his lips. "Two in the left corner, one by the right gate, and one on top of the granary in the backyard. They're all quite skilled."
Zhan Zhao nodded and gestured, indicating that they should proceed as planned and sneak in through the side wall of the backyard. It was close to the stables, where the mixed smells would make it easier to conceal their presence.
The two moved like wisps of smoke, using the cover of night to leap over the high wall like cats and land in the courtyard. A few soft snorts came from the stable, but they did not alert them. Holding their breath, they avoided the sight of the sentries and crept into the inner courtyard.
The inner courtyard housed the accounting offices and warehouses. One of the accounting offices still had a dim light on, and faint voices could be heard coming from it.
Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang exchanged a glance, then silently approached, crouching under the window and listening intently.
“…This shipment must be sent out as soon as possible; King Yelü is pressing us hard,” a slightly hoarse voice said.
"Don't worry, the route has been arranged, and we can set off in three days. However, Kaifeng Prefecture is cracking down hard these days, so we must be careful." Another voice, higher-pitched and cautious, said.
"What's there to be afraid of? With Lord Zhang protecting us, who dares to inspect the vehicles of Yongfeng Grain Store?" The hoarse voice said dismissively.
"Better safe than sorry. I heard that at the palace banquet that day, Xuanyuan Tianyi and Zhan Zhao made King Yelü very embarrassed. Bao Heizi was not idle either."
"Hmph, Zhan Zhao? He's just a lucky guard. Once things are settled, he'll be in for a beating..."
The conversation between the two people inside the room reached Zhan Zhao's ears clearly. His eyes turned cold. It was indeed related to Zhang Hong, and the "goods" they were talking about transporting were definitely not ordinary goods.
Just then, Bai Yutang nudged him and winked in the direction of the granary. Zhan Zhao looked in the direction he pointed and saw what appeared to be a movable wooden plank on the floor in the corner of the granary, with a very faint light shining through its edges.
An underground secret chamber!
The two understood each other and were about to try to get closer to investigate when they suddenly heard a series of urgent barks coming from the front yard!
"Oh no!" The conversation inside the room stopped abruptly, followed by the sounds of tables and chairs clattering and swords being drawn.
"We've been discovered!" Bai Yutang cursed under his breath.
Zhan Zhao made a decisive decision: "Attack with force!" Since their whereabouts have been exposed, we might as well take advantage of their panic and seize them by force.
Before he could finish speaking, Bai Yutang kicked open the accounting room door like an arrow, and several pebbles he was holding shot out, aiming straight for the vital points of the two people inside! At the same time, Zhan Zhao drew his Juque sword, and with a flash of light, attacked the man with the hoarse voice.
The two men inside were clearly caught off guard by the other's swift arrival and hastily engaged in battle. The hoarse-voiced man was no slouch, wielding his ghost-head saber with impressive skill as he grappled with Zhan Zhao. The other man, with a shrill voice, was overwhelmed by Bai Yutang's hidden weapons and rapid attacks.
At the same time, the sentries hidden in the courtyard were alerted and appeared, surrounding the accounting office. In an instant, the courtyard was filled with the glint of swords and shouts.
Zhan Zhao's swordsmanship was exquisite, and his inner strength was profound. In just over ten moves, he found an opening in his opponent's defenses. The spine of his giant sword struck the hoarse man's wrist, and the ghost-head saber clattered to the ground. Zhan Zhao then stepped forward and struck his acupoint.
Bai Yutang had also succeeded, subduing the one with the shrill voice and binding her tightly with rope.
"Speak! Where is the entrance to the underground chamber? What's inside?" Zhan Zhao pointed his sword at the hoarse man, his voice icy.
The man was quite tough; he spat out a mouthful of blood and grinned maliciously, "Don't even think about it!"
Just then, a muffled "boom" came from the direction of the granary! The loose wooden plank was smashed open from below, and several dark figures pounced out like wolves and tigers, rushing straight towards Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang! These people were all agile and ruthless, clearly the real masters guarding this place.
"As expected, there was an ambush!" Bai Yutang cursed, waving his fan to meet the enemy.
Zhan Zhao remained composed, his giant sword flashing a chilling arc as he parried all the incoming weapons. His swordplay was steady and flawless, while he kept a close watch on his surroundings.
In the midst of the melee, a man in black silently circled behind Zhan Zhao, his poisoned dagger aimed straight at Zhan Zhao's heart!
"Cat, watch out!" Bai Yutang exclaimed.
As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Zhan Zhao slightly shifted his body, and his giant sword spun to parry, deflecting the short sword with a crisp "clang." However, the blade of another man in black was already at his ribs!
At the critical moment, a white figure shot in like lightning! Leng Moyan appeared out of nowhere, flicking his finger and sending a wisp of wind precisely striking the wrist of the black-clad man wielding the knife. The black-clad man felt a numbness in his wrist, the steel knife nearly slipping from his grasp, and his attack abruptly halted.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhan Zhao's sword aura surged, forcing back the two men in black in front of him, and forming a triangular formation with Bai Yutang and Leng Moyan back to back.
With Leng Moyan's arrival, the battle situation instantly turned around. Although these men in black were brave, they were quickly at a disadvantage against Zhan Zhao's upright swordsmanship, Bai Yutang's agile and cunning, and Leng Moyan's unfathomable martial arts.
Zhan Zhao seized the opportunity, knocking away the weapon of the last stubborn resister with a single sword stroke, the tip of his sword pointing straight at his throat: "Surrender!"
The man in black looked desperate and gritted his teeth. Zhan Zhao knew something was wrong, but it was too late to stop him. A trickle of black blood spilled from the man's mouth, and he died instantly. Seeing this, the other men in black who had been subdued followed suit, and in the blink of an eye, they were all dead.
"Suicide by poison..." Bai Yutang frowned. "They're a bunch of mad dogs!"
Zhan Zhao's expression was solemn as he walked to the movable wooden plank. Below was a downward stone staircase, its bottom unseen, with flickering firelight. He gestured for Bai Yutang and Leng Moyan to be on guard, then took the lead and descended the staircase with his sword.
The secret room wasn't large, but it was filled with chests and boxes. Zhan Zhao opened one, and inside were gleaming silver ingots! Another chest contained finely crafted bows and arrows! Several other chests held drafts of secret correspondence with the Liao Kingdom, and... several complete maps of the Song army's border defenses!
"A wolf in sheep's clothing!" Bai Yutang, who came down next, gasped.
Zhan Zhao picked up the defense maps, his fingers turning slightly white from the pressure. If these maps fell into the hands of the Liao Kingdom, the consequences would be unimaginable! Zhang Hong, as the Vice Minister of War, dared to privately draw and leak such confidential information!
"Search! See if there's any other evidence!" Zhan Zhao said in a deep voice.
The three men carefully searched the secret room and found an account book in a hidden compartment in a corner. It meticulously recorded financial transactions with several officials in the court, detailing the dates, amounts, and those involved. Zhang Hong's name was prominently listed, and the amounts were substantial. In addition, there were several letters personally written by Yelü Zongzhen to his "collaborators," filled with promises and attempts to win them over.
The evidence is conclusive!
Zhan Zhao carefully put away the account books and letters, and left the secret room with Bai Yutang and Leng Moyan. At this time, Wang Chao and Ma Han had arrived with the constables of Kaifeng Prefecture and took control of the grain store. Qian Yongfeng and the accountant with the shrill voice, who had been captured alive, were ashen-faced and were being held aside.
"Lord Zhan, Young Master Bai, are you alright?" Wang Chao asked with concern.
"It's alright." Zhan Zhao shook his head and handed the account books and letters he had found to Wang Chao. "Brother Wang, these are important pieces of evidence and need to be presented to Lord Bao immediately. You can handle this here. Brother Bai and I still need to go to Zhang Hong's private residence to prevent him from fleeing after hearing the news."
“Alright! Leave this to us!” Wang Chao accepted the evidence solemnly.
Zhan Zhao, Bai Yutang, and Leng Moyan exchanged a glance. Without further delay, the three of them leaped up and flew towards the east of the city like night hawks.
However, when they arrived at the private residence registered under the name of a Jiangnan merchant, they found the gate wide open, the courtyard in a mess, and a faint smell of blood in the air.
Zhan Zhao's heart sank, and he rushed into the inner room. There lay Zhang Hong, the Vice Minister of War, in a pool of blood, a dagger embedded in his chest, his eyes wide open, already dead. It seemed he had been silenced.
"We're still a step too late!" Bai Yutang stamped his foot.
Zhan Zhao crouched down, carefully examining Zhang Hong's body and the surrounding environment. The dagger was the most ordinary type, without any markings. Zhang Hong seemed to be tightly clutching something in his hand. Zhan Zhao carefully pried open his fingers; it was a small piece of torn clothing, made of the finest lake silk, in a rare sky-blue color after rain.
"This is..." Zhan Zhao frowned and tucked the hem of the garment into his pocket.
Leng Moyan walked around the room and shook his head: "They did it cleanly and efficiently, leaving no clues. They acted very quickly."
Zhan Zhao stood up, his expression grave. Zhang Hong's death, while confirming his guilt, also severed a crucial lead in investigating the mastermind behind it all. The speed and ruthlessness of the other side's reaction far exceeded expectations.
"It seems that Zhang Hong is not the only venomous snake lurking in the court," Bai Yutang said coldly.
Zhan Zhao nodded silently. Yelü Zongzhen's conspiracy was like a huge net, and Zhang Hong was perhaps only a relatively important link in it. Uncovering the "mastermind" deeper inside and eliminating all the hidden agents was the most urgent task.
He looked out the window; the eastern sky was already showing the first hint of dawn. The long night was about to end, but the dark clouds over Bianjing seemed to grow even heavier.
By the time they returned to Kaifeng Prefecture, it was already broad daylight. Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce, who hadn't slept all night, were waiting in the study. Upon seeing Zhan Zhao and the other two return, they hurriedly inquired about the situation.
Zhan Zhao reported in detail the evidence seized at Yongfeng Grain Store and the murder of Zhang Hong.
Bao Zheng stared at the ledger detailing numerous officials' bribery records, his face turning ashen. "Corrupt officials! Corrupt officials of the nation!" He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. "Zhang Hong's murder was a case of the enemy sacrificing a pawn to save their king. This matter must be reported to His Majesty immediately!"
"My lord, this was found in Zhang Hong's possession." Zhan Zhao presented the piece of sky-blue clothing.
Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce examined it carefully. Gongsun Ce pondered and said, "This kind of Huzhou silk is a tribute from Jiangnan. There are not many people in the capital who can use it. The sky blue color after rain is even rarer... It seems that the Eighth Prince is quite fond of this color."
The Eighth Prince?
Zhan Zhao's heart skipped a beat. The Eighth Prince was highly respected, a leader of the upright officials in the court, and Zhao Zhen's trusted uncle. Could it be him? But Zhang Hong clutched this hem of his robe tightly before his death. Was he trying to identify the murderer, or... was there another hidden story?
"This matter is of great importance and cannot be judged hastily," Bao Zheng said in a deep voice. "I will go to the palace to see the Emperor immediately. Guard Zhan, you have worked hard all night, go back and rest first. The follow-up matters will be decided after I discuss them with His Majesty."
"Yes, sir." Zhan Zhao was indeed feeling somewhat tired, and he took his leave along with Bai Yutang and Leng Moyan.
Stepping out of Kaifeng Prefecture, the first rays of dawn shone on the bluestone slabs. Bai Yutang yawned, "After a busy night, I, Fifth Master, need to go back and catch up on some sleep. Cat, what about you?"
Zhan Zhao looked in the direction of Xiao You's villa, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes: "I'm going back too."
After parting ways with Bai Yutang, Zhan Zhao and Leng Moyan walked silently along the somewhat deserted streets in the early morning. The fierce battle of the night and the shocking revelation of the truth left him deeply troubled. Zhang Hong's death, and that piece of sky-blue clothing, were like a new fog, shrouding the already complex situation.
When he returned to Xiaoyou Villa, Xuanyuan Tianyi was sitting at the stone table in the courtyard, on which lay a bowl of congee and side dishes. The morning light filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on her. Leng Moyan glanced at Xuanyuan Tianyi, then went back to her room alone.
"You're back?" She looked up at him, her voice carrying a hint of morning languor.
"Mm." Zhan Zhao sat down opposite her and took the bowl of porridge she handed him. The warm porridge dispelled some of the night's chill and fatigue.
He briefly recounted his experiences from the previous night to her, including Zhang Hong's death and the piece of clothing.
Xuanyuan Tianyi listened quietly, scooped up a spoonful of porridge, and said calmly, "I will have An Yu keep an eye on the Eighth Prince. However, given his character, it's unlikely. Perhaps someone is deliberately creating a diversion."
Zhan Zhao shared the same sentiment: "I think so too. However, the other party has deep-rooted influence in the court, and their ability to silence Zhang Hong so quickly shows that their power should not be underestimated."
“Now that the fox’s tail has been revealed, there will always be a time to catch it.” Xuan Yuantian put down his spoon, his gaze sweeping over the man’s slightly tired face. “Right now, you need to rest well. Zhen and Lord Bao will take care of the rest.”
Her tone was calm and resolute, carrying a calming power. Zhan Zhao looked at her, and the tension and doubts of the night gradually dissipated. He reached out, covered her hand resting on the table, and gently held it.
"good."
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