Conclusive evidence
Xu Fengyan was taken aback, clearly surprised by Xu Chang'an's words. He turned to Xu Chang'an and smiled, "No need. I'll follow the rules. If we go through the main gate today, the master will probably punish you. Your words are enough. Fengyan swears... he will never betray the Xu family." Although Xu Chang'an didn't understand why Xu Fengyan suddenly did this, he knew Xu Fengyan's loyalty. He waved his hand, "Suit yourself. I know your loyalty. Remember my words, don't get close to Tang Feng recently. I'll handle the rest."
Tang Feng's health had finally improved these past two days, so Zhou Ziliang hurried back to the military camp to deal with matters that had piled up for months. Before leaving, although Tang Feng repeatedly assured him that he would take care of his health and take his medicine on time, Zhou Ziliang was naturally worried because of Tang Feng's past record. So he called Zhang Mobai over to help. Zhang Mobai poured some warm water for Tang Feng and handed it to him. "So, you've investigated almost everything?" Tang Feng sighed. "I know what Ziliang means. He wants to ease my mind and make me feel better, but he doesn't know about my relationship with Han Jiuhua, so he's always thinking about helping me finalize this matter to avenge Liu Liu." Zhang Mobai was surprised that Tang Feng hadn't told Zhou Ziliang everything. "You didn't tell him everything?" "What am I supposed to say?" Tang Feng slumped against the bed, his hand still holding the water he hadn't drunk. "Should I say I only went to Qinghui Brothel because I wanted to pick up girls? Or that we got to where we are today entirely because of Han Jiuhua's words? I did say some things, and Ziliang probably didn't hold it against me because I was sick, but..." "But you didn't say a word about the important things," Zhang Mobai rolled his eyes, pointing at Tang Feng for a long time without being able to speak. "You! What can I say to you? Han Jiuhua wanted to kill you, but he also helped you. If you're really torn, find some leverage and send him to the Sixteen Riders of Yanshan. Let them execute him among themselves. Whether he stays or goes won't be up to you then." After weighing the options, Tang Feng nodded. "That is indeed a solution."
"Yes, so why are you torturing yourself like this? Your health isn't good to begin with, and with all this worry, how can you take care of yourself?" Zhang Mobai also felt sorry for Tang Feng. Like Zhou Ziliang, he had watched Tang Feng grow from a spirited young man into the knowledgeable strategist he was today. He knew Tang Feng's true intention wasn't this, so he naturally felt even more sorry for him. "Sigh, it's the same whether I take care of myself or not. Everyone has their own destiny. This is my destiny, there's no need to force it." Tang Feng nodded and smiled, propping himself up on the bed. "I didn't want to drag you into this, but you know I can't go to court now. Mobai, if you're willing, could you find some time to call Lin Siwen over for me?" Zhang Mobai didn't know what Tang Feng wanted to do. Although he nodded in agreement, he still asked just in case. "It's possible, but I have to ask, what do you want him for? Lin Siwen is someone you protected for the Ninth Prince, now..." "You've fallen out with the Ninth Prince, isn't it inappropriate to see him again?" "It's alright, who I'm doing this for isn't important. They probably don't have time to pay attention to my actions right now. I need Lin Siwen to help me investigate this matter. In a few days, I also need to go to the palace. I can't sit still until Han Jiuhua's matter is resolved." Zhang Mobai understood Tang Feng's meaning, and sighed, "I know you're stubborn, what else can I say? I'll help you." Tang Feng chuckled at Zhang Mobai's words, "Then I'll have to trouble the little madman." Zhang Mobai acted quickly. He had just agreed to Tang Feng's request and went to the military camp that afternoon to inform Lin Siwen to go to the Zhou residence. Lin Siwen was taken aback at first, then asked, "Lord Zhang, if I may say something, isn't it inappropriate for the Grand Tutor to see me now?" Zhang Mobai patted Lin Siwen's shoulder, "He's weighed it. Don't worry, among these subordinates, he trusts you the most."
Tang Feng met Lin Siwen in the afternoon. He had been sitting by the window, lost in thought, when suddenly he met a pair of eyes, startling him. "Grand Tutor!" Tang Feng exclaimed, recognizing Lin Siwen standing outside the window, smiling at him. "You silly child, were you trying to scare me to death?" Lin Siwen entered and pulled up a stool to sit beside Tang Feng. "It's been a long time since I've seen you, Grand Tutor. I've been worried about you ever since you were seriously injured, but because of my sensitive position, I haven't dared to act, afraid of causing you trouble." Tang Feng smiled. "It's nothing, just a minor injury, nothing to worry about. Besides..." "I won't die until the matter concerning His Highness the Ninth Prince is finished," Tang Feng said, wrapping up the oranges on the table and handing them to Lin Siwen. "I've come to see you today for some personal matters. If you're not busy, could you help me investigate?" "What are you saying? I'm just a free man. The military camp won't miss me. Just tell me what you want to investigate." Lin Siwen was someone Tang Feng had gone to great lengths to rescue, so he naturally respected Tang Feng greatly. In addition, Lin Siwen was meticulous and quick-witted, so Tang Feng valued him highly. "I know you've been by General Lin's side for many years and have strong investigative abilities, so I'd like to ask you to go to Qinghuifang."
"Ah? Grand Tutor... I haven't even come of age yet, and my family rules are very strict..." This terrified Lin Siwen. The Lin family had strict military discipline and strict family rules; how could Lin Siwen dare to go to a brothel? "I'm not asking you to go there to find me girls, I'm asking you to go there to investigate something for me." Lin Siwen breathed a sigh of relief; he almost thought the revered Grand Tutor was a womanizer. "Then tell me, what do I need to investigate?" "There's a courtesan in Qinghuifang named Han Jiuhua..." "Han Jiuhua! I've heard of her." Tang Feng immediately slapped Lin Siwen on the head. "Didn't you say your family rules were strict? How did you hear that?" "No, Han Jiuhua originally..." "It's normal for someone to be famous; the news spreads everywhere." Seeing Lin Siwen's anxious attempt to prove his innocence, Tang Feng remembered that he had secretly visited brothels with Tang Zhaonan when he was sixteen. "Um... find a day when Han Jiuhua isn't around and make your move. Go to her room and look for anything suspicious, like letters or a mask." Lin Siwen nodded. "Don't worry, that's no problem. Although my skills are average at home, I can still easily outwit a courtesan." Tang Feng immediately knew that Lin Siwen didn't take Han Jiuhua seriously and quickly cautioned, "She's not an ordinary courtesan; she's one of the Sixteen Riders of Yanshan. Be careful and don't alert her."
Late at night, Xu Fengyan returned to Qinghui Lane, sat down at his dressing table, and looked at himself in the mirror. He couldn't help but smile. With Xu Chang'an's reply today, he could die without regrets. Before he could even sit down properly, he heard a faint clattering sound of tiles hitting the roof. He could guess that Tang Feng had secretly sent someone to investigate him. Xu Fengyan placed the half of the mask that had been shot in the drawer on the table and wrote another letter. He wanted to tell Tang Feng his identity. He understood Rong Ji's meaning very well: he was a pawn to be discarded. He was going to use his life to cover up their secrets. But Xu Fengyan was not afraid, nor did he regret it. He was born in a brothel, barely able to afford food. His mother had only given birth to him after a one-night stand with the Prime Minister of the Xu family. He had not had a good life in the Xu family either. He was an orphan who had been abandoned outside the family. He lived worse than a servant in the mansion. He had had enough of living in fear and danger for so many years. As Lin Siwen climbed in through the window, a strong smell of rouge and powder assaulted her senses, making her nearly faint. "Good heavens, this brothel smells so strong! My mother won't kill me when I get back..." She then peered into the room, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw no one was there. Lin Siwen began to toss and turn on the wooden bed, frowning as she did so. "Is anyone actually living in this room? It's so clean. Where could someone be out so late at night? Ah... that's right, she's a courtesan, she must be quite busy." Lin Siwen stood up, supporting herself on her knees, and put her hands on her hips to catch her breath. "There's nothing here. If they don't keep important things under the covers, what are they going to do with them out in the open?" Han Jiuhua, who was sitting on the roof, heard Lin Siwen's complaints and relaxed her guard. It seemed that Tang Feng hadn't sent anyone. Instead of Zhou Ziliang, they sent a greenhorn. Tang Feng couldn't help but sneer, "Tang Feng, are you underestimating me?" Meanwhile, Lin Siwen had searched every possible hiding place in the room, but found nothing. Just as he was about to sit down and rest, he saw a tattered mask and a letter on the dressing table. Lin Siwen stared at the contents for a long time, never expecting such an important item to be so openly displayed. "Now... is being an undercover agent this blatant?" Despite his confusion, he didn't delay any longer. After climbing out the window, he slipped away through the back door. Han Jiuhua watched Lin Siwen's departing figure, leaning against the corner of the roof and muttering to herself, "Tang Feng, what will you do if you find out the truth? Will you kill me?"
After receiving the things Lin Siwen brought, Tang Feng was relieved to see that he was alright. "You were quite efficient this time." "Sigh, it took a lot of time. Is Han Jiuhua really one of the Sixteen Riders of Yanshan? Such an important thing wasn't hidden, it was openly placed on the dressing table, making it hard for me to find." Tang Feng paused, raising an eyebrow as he opened the letter. "You found it openly?" Lin Siwen nodded. "I've checked discipline in the army before. These important things, not hidden under the bed, but left in the open, always feel a bit awkward to me." Tang Feng opened the letter, which clearly stated the time Han Jiuhua would next assassinate him. Tang Feng placed the letter on the table, smiled bitterly, and tapped the letter on the table with his finger. "He probably already knows I'm investigating him." "But he wasn't there when I went." Tang Feng waved his hand. "No, it's not that you were exposed, it's that he probably already knew. The fact that he didn't hide at this time, but chose to confront me directly, either means he looks down on me, or he..." Tang Tang Feng picked up the shattered mask and sighed. "Does he want to die?" Lin Siwen didn't quite understand Tang Feng's meaning. She sat down next to him and asked, "Grand Tutor, what you're saying... I'm a little confused. He's been trying to assassinate you for so many years, and he hasn't succeeded. Why would he reveal his identity and ask you to arrest him?" "Everyone has their own destiny," Tang Feng glanced at Lin Siwen and smiled slightly. "You don't know what his fate is, so you don't know why he's so eager to die. He doesn't know what I've been through, so he blindly pursues me." "Then he wrote down when he's going to assassinate you. I'll arrange for someone to do it," Tang Feng waved his hand. "No, I plan to talk to him. I... I don't want to kill him. He's been trying to assassinate me for so many years. I can forgive and forget, but there's one thing I can't do. So I need to find out." Tang Feng had considered Zhang Mobai's method, but he still wanted to deal with things one step at a time. Essentially, if Han Jiuhua hadn't done anything besides trying to assassinate him, then he wouldn't pursue the matter any further, and Han Jiuhua wouldn't have to die. Lin Siwen was unaware of Tang Feng's past, but listened carefully. After Tang Feng finished speaking, she asked softly, "Then, Grand Tutor, how can I help you?" "I'll need your help a lot in the future, but I'll handle this matter." Tang Feng patted Lin Siwen's shoulder and was about to leave when Lin Siwen called out to him, "Grand...Grand Tutor." Seeing Tang Feng turn to look at her, Lin Siwen suddenly became embarrassed, fidgeting for a while before sniffing her clothes. "Grand Tutor, could I stay in your guest room tonight...? I smell like rouge and powder all over me. If I go home, my mother will definitely beat me to death. Even if she doesn't, my father might die of anger. If I go back to the military camp and General Meng smells it, I'll definitely get a beating..." Tang Feng burst out laughing. "Alright, alright, I'll have Uncle Jia prepare your study. You can stay here tonight."
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