Chapter 69 The Difficulty of the Shu Road (Part 3) "His Highness the Crown Prince is so kind..."
This room is located at the very end of the top floor. The environment is not as neat and simple as the other private rooms. There is an old screen placed in the corner by the window, which is half covered by a curtain. It is barely enough for two people to squeeze in, but it is very crowded.
Just as the two had stopped, several people pushed open the door and entered. Looking around and seeing no one inside, they decided the secluded spot was perfect for a private conversation. However, no sooner had they sat down than someone knocked on the door, saying the waiter had brought tea.
Shi Xi exchanged a glance with the other two men, then got up to open the door. Boss Du saw that he had opened the door a crack with extreme stinginess, reached out to take the teapot, and then closed the door again. He sneered sarcastically, "It's just business. Eunuch Shi is being so cautious, it's like he has a guilty conscience."
Although Shi Xi still wore a fake smile, he slammed the teapot down with a loud thud. Another eunuch quickly smoothed things over: "It's always good to be cautious. Boss Du has come from afar and must be tired. Today's gathering is just business; the exchange of money is a sign of goodwill. Why make things so unpleasant?"
Seeing that Boss Du refused to speak, the middle-aged eunuch coughed and cut to the chase: "I know Boss Du is unhappy because of those three hundred salt permits. But you have to understand us too. You must know that according to the ancestral system of the dynasty, even a vassal state can only have three hundred salt permits, each permit allowing the collection of two hundred catties of salt. In Huainan, each salt permit is for four hundred catties, but in the past two years, the Huainan government has been cracking down on smuggled salt, and the official granaries of the transport office are unreliable. We are helpless. Moreover, eunuchs make a living under the emperor's nose, how dare we act rashly?"
Boss Du stroked his teacup, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes: "Don't try to fool me, sir. Two hundred catties per small batch—that's from the time of the founding emperor. What's there to compare it to now? Besides, the government has been watching private salt for a long time, but when have they ever actually banned it? It's just that the transport department finds it troublesome, so they allow merchants to buy salt from the saltworkers. It's been like this all along, and nobody has really done anything about it. You're just bullying people with your power. That 'Master Hu' you mentioned has never shown his face. How can I trust you? On the other hand, when I was picking up goods in Sichuan, the famous tea merchant Cheng Zhaoyi even invited me to taste Mengding tea."
Shi Xi frowned and said, "Boss Du is a businessman, why be so narrow-minded? We believe we have treated you quite well in the capital."
Boss Du clicked his tongue lightly: "I heard that this batch of goods is a tribute to the masters in the palace, and it seems to be exclusively for the use of the Crown Prince. It is extremely precious. I'm sure you eunuchs have received quite a bit of benefits, so why be stingy with my mere three hundred salt certificates?"
Both men's expressions changed drastically. The middle-aged eunuch quickly concealed his surprise and tried to keep his tone calm: "Where did you hear these things, Boss Du? We are all servants of our masters, doing our bidding for them. What benefit do we get? Alright, it's just a salt permit. I'll get it for you within three days." He then made a "two" gesture with his fingers, saying to Shi Xi, "Tomorrow, give Boss Du an additional two thousand taels of silver as compensation for your journey."
Shi Xi snapped out of his daze and quickly replied, "Yes."
Mr. Du then smiled slightly and bowed slightly, saying, "Your father-in-law is so understanding. I thank you very much!"
The middle-aged eunuch said nothing more, picked up his teacup, and stood up, heading towards the window. The two men behind the curtain were both startled and held their breath. Boss Du spoke again: "Now that the business is settled tonight, I'll take my leave."
"Shi Xi, please see Boss Du off properly."
"yes."
As soon as the two opened the door, they bumped into a young servant in blue standing guard outside. The servant peered anxiously inside, then looked at the completely unfamiliar guests before him, scratching his head in bewilderment: "You two are... have you seen my master? I clearly remember it being the last room, and I even asked the waiter to bring tea, so why is he nowhere to be seen now?"
The middle-aged eunuch inside the room suddenly changed his expression, strode towards the servant, and asked in a deep voice, "What is your master's name? Is he in this room?"
Before he could finish speaking, the door slammed shut. The servant was filled with worry, but he had no choice but to leave for the time being. The eunuch inside was even more suspicious. Looking around the room, he felt that this small private room was full of hidden dangers, so he strode towards the window.
.
The following afternoon, Shen Wei and Zhou Shaoyun finally found an opportunity to go to the Eastern Palace to meet the Crown Prince. Fortunately, Shen Wei frequently visited the Eastern Palace, which gave her an advantage over others, thus avoiding some unnecessary trouble. The two entered the study and recounted the events of the previous night in detail.
"I don't know the eunuch Shi that the merchant mentioned, but I remember that he seemed to have worked in the Eastern Palace. Later, that Boss Du kept saying that the batch of smuggled goods was presented to the Eastern Palace, so we had doubts and came to report to Your Highness."
Although Shen Wei's reply was calm, there was still some worry in his heart. He looked up at Yan Chao and found that she did not seem very surprised. So he couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness does not seem surprised. Did you expect this?"
“Not exactly,” Yan Chao raised his chin, his eyes deep and unfathomable. “Shi Xi is indeed in the Eastern Palace’s Imperial Kitchen. Lately, he’s been betraying us, colluding with others to bring some unclean things in from outside the palace. I’m investigating him myself. But his movements are so secretive that it’s not easy to track him down. I didn’t expect you two to run into him. These clues will be of great help to me.”
Zhou Shaoyun hurriedly said, "It is our duty to help Your Highness solve your problems. However, I heard from Eunuch Shi's tone last night that he had contacted many people behind the scenes, as if he had been plotting something for a long time. Although Tan Ze and I did not intend to find out this information, we are afraid that we might alert the enemy and ruin Your Highness's plans."
Yan Chao couldn't help but glance at Zhou Shaoyun a few more times. He was very quick-witted and immediately saw the key point.
"You didn't leave any clues about the eunuch's death, did you?"
"Your Highness, rest assured, it was an accidental drowning. We took care of everything before leaving."
Zhou Shaoyun answered fluently, while Shen Wei, still shaken by the perilous situation of the previous night, felt lingering fear. The eunuch had clearly realized someone was behind the curtain; Zhou Shaoyun acted decisively, rushing forward first, while Shen Wei had no choice but to assist. Together, they subdued the eunuch. Only when the body thudded into the stinking ditch below did they breathe a sigh of relief.
Yan Chao pondered for a moment and asked, "According to Shi Xi, that eunuch holds a high position, and news from the palace should spread soon. Have you been keeping an eye on any official reports?"
"Your Highness, I heard this morning that the Military Affairs Bureau has sealed off the scene and begun an investigation. We do not yet know the current situation."
Yan Chao nodded, then called Liang Lu in and asked, "Has Shi Xi returned from leaving the palace yesterday?"
"Your Highness, Shi Xi did not return last night. He was scheduled to return to the palace this morning when the palace gates were just opening. He is currently on duty at the Imperial Kitchen as usual."
"Palace servants are not allowed to return overnight when they go out to make procure supplies, unless there are special circumstances; otherwise, they will be punished according to palace rules. How did he manage to escape?"
"Your Highness, please forgive me. I haven't had time to investigate thoroughly yet. But judging from Shi Xi's past behavior, he probably sought help from his superiors to cover it up beforehand, or he colluded with the eunuch in charge of the investigation."
"What you said is as good as saying nothing at all." However, the focus was not on that at the moment, so Yan Chao did not delve into it further and asked again, "Did any outsiders come to the Eastern Palace to deliver a message to him today?"
Liang Lu replied that he did not.
Yan Chao grunted and didn't ask anything further. Shen Wei, standing to the side, couldn't help but speak up: "Logically speaking, since the authorities have already started investigating last night's events, whether it's Boss Du or that eunuch, they should have first found Shi Xi, the only person who accompanied them. It's been quite a while now. Is it because they really haven't found him, or is there something else going on?"
Zhou Shaoyun exchanged a glance with him: "Our understanding of the situation is really limited; we need to see how His Highness the Crown Prince decides."
Yan Chao did not respond. After a short while, the guard Duan Shou entered the hall, saying he had important matters to report. Seeing that there were two officials present, he hesitated for a moment, but quickly stepped forward and whispered his report at Yan Chao's signal. After speaking, he also presented a secret letter.
After reading the document, Yan Chao's expression darkened slightly. He then turned his gaze back to Zhou and Chen: "If you two hadn't informed me, I wouldn't have known about this secret meeting. The case falls under the jurisdiction of the government. Since this matter hasn't been reported yet, it won't involve you for the time being. Just remain calm and let things continue as usual. If you discover any new developments, or if you have any doubts or difficulties, you can report them to me."
"Yes." The two understood and then took their leave.
Yan Chao casually tossed the slip of paper in his hand to Liang Lu and instructed him: "Send someone to the Imperial Kitchen and tell them that I want to eat a sweet dew cake. Shi Xi happens to be from Chuzhou, so I specifically asked him to make it. Once it's done, bring it to the study. When it's almost time, go and deliver the imperial decree, ordering him to fill the vacancy in the Imperial Kitchen."
Liang Lu should be the one.
"Duan Shou, immediately accompany me out of the palace in disguise."
"yes."
.
Since the emperor had not been in the palace for a long time, and because he devoted himself to Taoist cultivation, he had no energy to deal with those trivial matters. The Crown Prince was no longer under strict supervision and had more freedom, making it easier for him to act.
The weather in Beijing has been unpredictable lately, with torrential rain one moment and scorching sun the next, making it feel like the height of summer. After midday, a rain shower could alleviate the heat, but today the heavens seem to be holding their breath, making the heat unbearable.
Yan Chao, who usually didn't find the heat unbearable while staying in the palace, found it harder to adjust than others after suddenly leaving, and her heart was inevitably a little restless. The sedan chair traveled through the streets and alleys, finally arriving silently at the Lan residence. Lan Huaien had already made preparations at the residence and went forward to greet her and lead her to the back hall.
Instead of leading her inside, he first invited her to sit in the pavilion until she had cooled down from the heat, before moving her to the inner room. Inside, a cool breeze blew through the air.
Lan Huaien offered tea and fruit, his solemn expression containing a slight smile: "It is truly an urgent matter that has forced Your Highness to grace us with your presence today, and we have no other choice."
"I know, you tell me."
Yan Chao's expression suddenly changed, and he almost blurted out, "That eunuch, is he from the Directorate of Ceremonial?"
As expected, Lan Huaien replied, "Yes, this person is a court attendant from the Directorate of Ceremonial, named Ma Chu. He also left the palace last night, but did not return this morning. I inquired and learned that he had an accident at the Suiyun Tower in the capital last night. It is said that he choked while drinking tea, and then, in a moment of confusion, he accidentally fell out of the window and into the ditch. I was initially just feeling sorry for him, but then I heard that someone from the Crown Prince's Palace was also with him. In addition, a merchant died around the same time, which I found very suspicious, so I ordered people to investigate carefully."
What did you find out?
"It will probably take some time to clarify the relationship between the three of them. The news from the government is quite interesting," Lan Huaien said, raising his head and looking at Yan Chao with a meaningful gaze. "The eunuch Ma Chu died in an accident, and the merchant Du Youjin also died in an accident. The horse in the carriage was startled and hit its head in the bumpy ride. The government questioned Du Youjin's attendants, and they testified that this was indeed the case."
Yan Chao was slightly surprised when he learned the cause of Ma Chu's death: "Du Youjin is a witness, but what about Ma Chu?"
"This is why I invited Your Highness here today for a detailed discussion."
Lan Huaien kept everyone in suspense, then changed the subject: "Your Highness, don't be in such a hurry. Have some tea to ease your mind."
What's the point of trying to relieve boredom at a time like this? Yan Chao ignored him, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over the table and noticing a folding fan. He leaned forward to pick it up, but the fan turned out to be quite heavy. Lan Huaien sighed but didn't stop him.
"It's so hot!"
It's neither regular script, nor clerical script, nor running script, but you can barely recognize the characters.
Yan Chao: "..."
The atmosphere froze for a moment, then she spat out four words through gritted teeth: "What a waste of resources."
"No." Yan Chao lowered his head and sipped his tea.
"All right."
A few wisps of icy wind wafted into her sleeve. She set down her teacup and recounted the whole story. She started by talking about discovering the nectar tea, and then moved on to using Shi Xi as a pretext for a counterattack. Although last night's events were more advantageous to her, they also disrupted her original plans.
"Don't worry, there's nothing serious for now. Cut your losses and take your time to recover, and you'll be fine."
Yan Chao waved him back to his senses and shared some of his guesses: "Last night's events were also an accident for Shi Xi. He has most likely already communicated with the mastermind outside the palace. I originally guessed that the person behind the scenes was protecting him, which allowed him to escape suspicion and return to the palace smoothly. But thinking about it carefully on the way here, something doesn't seem right: if Shi Xi confessed the truth to that person in his fear, anyone would consider whether it was necessary to spare his life; if he was more careful and didn't mention Ma Chu's accident, or didn't contact anyone else at all, how could he have avoided questioning by the authorities on his own? He would naturally wish that both of them were accidents, but in the end, they weren't accidents either."
"Your Highness has given this much thought. As I just mentioned, the key point is why I invited you here today. It is I who covered for Shi Xi. This is not difficult. In the past, if an inner court official committed a crime, it was handled by the Ministry of Justice, but later it was handled by the Palace Attendants Bureau. Although it is not a fixed rule, there are precedents to refer to. Ma Chu is from the Directorate of Ceremonial, so it is reasonable for me to take over this case."
Yan Chao immediately understood, but still had some doubts: "Even if Shuntian Prefecture can let this serious case at the foot of the capital lightly, can Dali Temple let it go? These two accidents are not without flaws."
She didn't know about others, but if Deng Xunyi, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, were to take it seriously, he might be able to find out the truth about Shen Wei and Zhou Shaoyun.
“Your Highness is so kind,” Lan Huaien exclaimed sincerely, spreading his hands. “Using power to oppress others and bullying people is exactly what I am best at.”
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