Chapter 49 Meeting in the Imperial Garden
"Just as Lord Pei found out, there are thirty-seven people in total, ten of whom are assassins from the Secret Sect," Chun Tao said, holding the secret report sent by Ying Ge. "The envoy named Agula met with the Third Prince's former subordinates at the post station outside the city last night."
Ye Wanning looked at the attendant who was hurrying along beside the camel sedan chair with his head down. He was wearing an ordinary gray cloth shirt, but when he bent down to adjust the camel's reins, he revealed a plum blossom birthmark on his wrist—exactly the same as the black-clad man in the dungeon of the Duke of Li's mansion.
“They’re waiting for the tiger tally,” Ye Wanning said softly. “Although the vassal king is dead, the agreement still stands.”
“But the tiger tally isn’t in our hands,” Chun Tao said anxiously. “The vassal king’s men searched every temple and couldn’t find the tiger tally; they’ll definitely become suspicious.”
“They don’t want the tiger tally,” Ye Wanning sneered, “the rubbing of the military tally. The vassal kings are just bait; their real target is the rubbing that allows them to mobilize the vassal kings of the Western Regions.”
She turned around and took a brocade box from her makeup case. Inside was a talisman that Pei Zhi had made in imitation. At first glance, the material and patterns were exactly the same as the original, except that it did not have the notch that could fit into the rubbing.
"Send this to the Pei residence and have Lord Pei give it to the Commander of the Imperial Guards," Ye Wanning said. "Tell him to proceed as planned; we will meet in the Imperial Garden at 3:45 noon."
As soon as Chun Tao left, a quarrel broke out downstairs. Ye Wanning turned her head and saw that one of the guards in the envoy's procession had knocked over an old man selling sugar paintings. Instead of paying for the damages, he stomped on the old man's sugar syrup pot and smashed it.
"Barbarians are barbarians, they have no manners!" someone nearby cursed.
The guard drew his sword, and the crowd immediately stirred. Ye Wanning was about to tell her assistant to report to the authorities when she suddenly saw the attendant with the plum blossom birthmark quietly slip a paper package into the sugar painting old man's hand. The old man opened it, glanced at it, and his expression changed instantly, and the crowd fell silent.
Ye Wanning's heart skipped a beat. She recognized the old man as a local ruffian from the southern part of the city, who had just been released from prison last month. It was no coincidence that a ruffian, bribed by the remnants of the prince's faction, would appear at a crossroads that the envoy's procession was bound to pass through.
"Go and find out where that old man is staying," Ye Wanning said to the Shadow Pavilion guards who had just returned. "Also, keep a close eye on the west gate—they want more than just the rubbings; they want inside help."
The guards obeyed and left. Ye Wanning walked to the window, watching the procession slowly heading towards the palace, and suddenly recalled the old shopkeeper's eyes before his death. He wasn't protecting the secret of the Tiger Tally; he was stalling for time, letting them see the enemy's true plan.
It was already noon. Ye Wanning changed into a white cloth dress, hid the real rubbing of the military tally in her hair bun, and put a tube of anesthetic silver needles in her sleeve. She knew that the banquet in the Imperial Garden on the day the Western Region envoys entered the city would be far more significant to her than any sea of fire in a temple.
On the day the envoys from the Western Regions entered the city, the entire city turned out. Ye Wanning stood at the window on the second floor of the rouge shop, looking down as the procession slowly approached from the center of the street, and she frowned.
At the head of the procession were twenty camel riders, all with high noses and deep-set eyes, each carrying a curved sword at their waist, and their faces bearing an air of arrogance. In the middle was a camel-drawn sedan chair, lavishly decorated with gold and jade; it was said that the envoy Agula was inside. Behind them followed dozens of large horse-drawn carriages, filled with so-called "tribute," completely concealed by black cloth.
"Quite a grand display," Chun Tao said, pursing her lips as she entered carrying a teapot. "I heard that these camels alone have consumed a considerable amount of the imperial court's grain."
Ye Wanning remained silent, her gaze falling on a servant standing beside the camel-drawn sedan chair. The man had his head bowed, his hat pulled low, but Ye Wanning still recognized the plum blossom birthmark on his hand—exactly the same as the one on the black-clad man from the Duke of Li's residence.
"Any news from Black Wind?" Ye Wanning asked.
"A messenger just reported that these envoys met with several suspicious individuals last night while resting at the post station outside the city. Judging by their attire, they seemed to be members of the Tantric sect," Chun Tao said in a low voice. "They also mentioned that several boxes among their tribute were unusually heavy, and they don't know what's inside."
Ye Wanning swallowed her tea, her hands feeling a little cold. Esoteric Buddhism, Duke Li, envoys from the Western Regions… these seemingly unrelated things were actually connected. The rubbing of the military tally was just one possibility among many for what they wanted to do.
Just then, a commotion broke out downstairs. Ye Wanning peeked out and saw a guard knock over a roadside vendor's stall. Instead of apologizing, he kicked the vendor's basket, scattering apples all over the ground.
"Barbarians are barbarians, they have no manners at all." Chun Tao stomped her feet in anger.
Ye Wanning saw the guard kick over the basket and stuff something into the vendor's hand. The vendor's face immediately changed color, and he lowered his head, remaining silent.
“There’s a problem,” Ye Wanning said. “Send Black Wind to investigate that vendor.”
Not long after, Black Wind sent someone to report that the peddler was a habitual thief who had just been released from prison. The guard gave him a silver ingot and a note that read, "Meet me at the west gate at midnight."
"What are they trying to do?" Chun Tao asked in surprise.
"We're planning a coordinated attack from within and without." Ye Wanning's face darkened. "Have someone keep a close watch on the west gate. Also, go and tell Lord Pei to strengthen the palace's defenses."
That afternoon, news spread from the palace that the emperor would be hosting a banquet for the envoys from the Western Regions in the Imperial Garden, with all officials in attendance. Ye Wanning, this rising star and "meritorious official," naturally received an invitation as well.
"Should we go?" Chuntao asked worriedly. "What if they try to take advantage of you?"
"Of course I'll go." Ye Wanning took the invitation and sneered, "I'd like to see what tricks they have up their sleeves."
When Ye Wanning went to the banquet, she deliberately chose a plain-colored dress and wore only a jade hairpin in her hair. She placed the rubbing of the military tally in the sachet she carried, and having learned from her mother's medical books how to use silver needles to paralyze someone in a short time, she prepared the silver needles in her sleeve, "just in case."
In the Imperial Garden, food and wine had already been prepared, and the atmosphere was peaceful and harmonious with singing and dancing. Ye Wanning chose an empty seat, but her eyes were fixed on Agula, who sat in the center. Agula was about forty years old, tall, and wore a robe embroidered with gold lines. He spoke to the emperor with a fake smile. His eyes occasionally darted between the officials present, as if searching for something.
Just as the banquet was halfway through, Agula suddenly stood up and said in broken Chinese, "Your Majesty, the Great Qi Emperor, our Western Ming tribe has brought a treasure to present to Your Majesty. However, that treasure is bound to a specific owner and requires someone who can use the Tiger Tally to open it."
All eyes turned to Ye Wanning. Ye Wanning's heart skipped a beat: Oh no, they've really come.
The Emperor glanced at Ye Wanning: "Second Miss Ye, since that's the case, why don't you cooperate with the envoy?"
Ye Wanning stood up, neither humble nor arrogant: "May I ask what treasure the envoy has brought?"
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