Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 271 He also said he wanted to overthrow the imperial court!

"Spare your life! Spare your life!"

The sharp sound of the blade slicing through the air had not yet faded when the cold light stopped just three inches from Cui San's neck.

His plea for mercy, forced out from his throat, trembled like a broken wind, and cold sweat trickled down his temples and into his collar, soaking his coarse cloth shirt with dark watermarks.

The hundred or so cavalrymen around them held their breath, their hands unconsciously tightening around the reins.

The torches crackled and sparked, reflecting a mixture of surprise and doubt on everyone's faces.

No one expected that this usually "kind" man from Wen County would actually be so ruthless as to take lives when he wielded his knife.

Chen Dahai slightly loosened his grip on the long sword at his waist, a knowing glint in his eyes.

The young master was truly enraged.

"Tell me, who's behind you?!"

Wen He slightly lowered his wrist, and the blade pressed a thin line of blood into Cui San's neck.

His voice was as calm as a frozen lake, revealing no emotion whatsoever, yet it sent chills down Cui San's spine.

Cui San's Adam's apple bobbed violently, swallowing what was either saliva or fear, the sound of his teeth chattering was exceptionally clear: "It really was Zheng Wu who made me do it! But... he... he's a member of the Cui family now, he... he was part of the Zheng family's dowry to the Cui family..."

"interesting."

Wen He suddenly let out a sinister laugh, the chilling aura in that laugh making Cui San's vision go black.

He tossed the knife to Chen Dahai with a backhand motion, the hilt striking the other's palm with a dull thud, as if hitting the heart of everyone.

"What does Mr. Wen mean by this? I'm completely confused."

Zhao Qin took off his helmet, revealing his forehead soaked with sweat. He scratched the back of his head with his fingers, looking completely bewildered.

Just moments ago, Zheng Shi had barely made her appearance when Cui Shi was dragged into the mix, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

"Confused?" Wen He chuckled lightly, a hint of self-mockery in her voice, then sighed deeply and said softly, "Those people probably think I'm confused too."

He looked up toward the direction of the wool workshop. Although the fire had gradually died down, the smell of burning still drifted on the breeze, like a heavy weight pressing on his heart.

This series of moves was truly ingenious. If Cui San hadn't blurted out a flaw in his panic, he probably would have really fallen headlong into this quagmire.

The gentry are cunning and scheming; burning down the wool workshops was just an appetizer, and they actually had a vicious plan that would kill three birds with one stone.

Wen He unconsciously rubbed her sleeve with her fingertips and said coldly, "When Zheng Yunhao came to threaten us earlier, his fearless attitude was the seed of our conflict."

"Now that the wool has been burned, both Your Majesty and I would immediately assume that it was the work of the Zheng family of Xingyang."

Zhao Qin exclaimed "Oh!" as if suddenly realizing something, then quickly frowned: "But just now Cui San said that it was Zheng Wu who made the move, and that he was from the Cui family..."

"That's their brilliance."

"Next, I will lead a hundred cavalrymen to investigate. If we capture those two arsonists and follow their confessions, the clues will definitely point to Zheng Wu. And Zheng Wu does indeed have a close relationship with the Cui family, that's an undeniable fact."

He paused, his voice suddenly turning cold: "If I were to be consumed by rage now and lead a hundred cavalry straight to the Zheng family mansion in Xingyang..."

"Yup!"

Zhao Qin slapped his thigh hard, then froze.

"But if that happens..."

"That would mean falling into his trap."

Wen He finished speaking for him, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

"The Zheng family only needs to claim that Zheng Wu has long since left the clan and is now a member of the Cui family, and they can exonerate themselves completely. At that time, if I cannot produce any witnesses, it will be a serious crime of trespassing on the residence of a third-rank official, and it is the Zheng family of Xingyang, one of the five noble families and seven prominent clans."

The torchlight illuminated his young face, revealing a composure beyond his years: "Those aristocratic officials in the court will surely impeach me. Even if His Majesty wants to protect me, he cannot silence the public opinion. The Hundred Cavalry will be disbanded, and I will be stripped of my title and dismissed from office. This is the first blow."

"What about the second eagle?"

Zhao Qin pressed for answers, already terrified by the layers of scheming.

"With the wool workshops destroyed, the soldiers in the northern frontier have no winter clothes. In order to stabilize the morale of the army, His Majesty has no choice but to turn to the aristocratic families for supplies."

Wen He's voice became colder.

"They not only ruined my business, but they also forced the imperial court to buy their overpriced goods. They're really cunning."

Chen Dahai couldn't help but ask, "What about the third eagle?"

"The third advantage is the distribution rights."

Wen He looked towards Chang'an City, where the outlines of the palaces were faintly visible under the rising sun.

"If I am convicted, the distribution rights I control will naturally change hands. Those aristocratic families have probably been hoping to take over this lucrative piece of meat for a long time."

He chuckled lightly, his laughter filled with chill: "Killing three birds with one stone, oh no, if you include the loss of His Majesty's hundred cavalry and mine, it should be considered killing four birds with one stone."

The skill these ancient people had in manipulating power is truly admirable.

"Young master, what should we do now?"

Zhao Qin clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Wen He turned around, her face now bearing a gentle smile, though the cold glint in her eyes remained: "Unfortunately, they overlooked one thing. The Hundred Riders need evidence to investigate cases, but I have the power to act expediently."

"Although the case of embezzlement of military funds has been closed, His Majesty has never issued an edict to revoke this privilege."

Zhao Qin was taken aback at first, then his eyes lit up: "That's right! The power to act expediently that His Majesty personally promised!"

He had previously assumed that once the case was closed, his power would naturally become invalid, forgetting that a ruler's word is law and that an order is valid until it is received.

"But even if we have the right to take advantage, we don't have any solid evidence."

Zhao Qin quickly frowned again. Cui San's testimony was too weak, and Zheng Wu's identity was too complicated.

"Evidence? Who says there isn't any?"

Wen He raised an eyebrow and smiled, then turned and walked toward Cui San, who was still lying on the ground.

When Cui San saw him approaching, he recoiled as if he were being stared at by a venomous snake, using both hands and feet to shrink back, ignoring the pain as his lower back hit the gravel.

The ferocity of that stab was still fresh in his mind, and the more benevolent the boy's smile was, the more his scalp tingled.

"How much money did Zheng Wu give you?" Wen He squatted down, her voice as warm as a spring breeze. "Three...three hundred strings of cash..."

Cui San answered tremblingly, his eyes fixed on the ground, not daring to meet his gaze.

"I'll give you a thousand strings of cash."

Wen He lowered her voice.

"Afterwards, I'll bring your whole family to work in my household, and I'll guarantee you a life of plenty. All I want is for you to tell me the truth."

Cui San looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with disbelief. One thousand strings of cash!

That's enough for him to buy a house with a courtyard in Chang'an, hire two servants, and live a life of comfort and ease for the rest of his days.

Can……

He stole a glance at Wen He, and the innocent smile on her face sent a chill down his spine.

"Sir! What I'm saying is absolutely true!"

Cui San kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead thumping against the bluestone slab.

"It was Zheng Wu who instigated this; I dare not lie!"

"Not enough." Wen He slowly shook her head, her smile deepening, like a child begging for candy, but she lowered her voice in Cui San's ear, each word as cold as ice.

"You only mentioned Jung Oh, but you didn't mention Jung Yunho, who's behind him, did you?"

He blinked, and that innocent look took on a strange quality under the torchlight.

Cui San shuddered, his pupils shrinking to needle size.

He instantly understood that Wen He wanted him to expose the core figure of the Zheng family!

This matter isn't difficult in a way; Jung Yunho's relationship with Jung Oh is already ambiguous, but dragging this eldest son of the Jung family into it...

He instinctively shivered.

"Do you think you can survive tonight if you don't help me?"

Wen He deliberately lowered her voice.

"This matter has alarmed His Majesty. Afterwards, those people will definitely kill your whole family to silence you in order to appease the Emperor's wrath. You should know the methods of the aristocratic families better than I do."

These words struck Cui San's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Yes! It's Jung Yunho!"

Cui San suddenly raised his voice, as if he wanted everyone to hear him, in order to prove that he had not helped to fabricate evidence.

"It was Jung Yunho who sent Jung Wu to find me! Jung Wu is his half-sister's dowry, so naturally she obeys his orders! Yesterday at noon, at Qingyue Tower in Pingkang Ward, Jung Yunho personally gave me three hundred guan, and said that there would be a greater reward after the matter was settled!"

"You know him?" Wen He pressed, her eyes piercing.

“I recognize him! I saw him with my own eyes yesterday! He was wearing a moon-white brocade robe, and a piece of mutton-fat jade pendant was hanging at his waist!”

Cui San spoke with absolute certainty, and the details were so clear that they didn't seem fabricated.

Wen He stood up, dusted off his robes, and had already made up his mind.

Whether Cui San had actually seen it or was just going along with it, he was determined to get this witness.

"Keep an eye on those three," he instructed Chen Dahai, his gaze sweeping over the other two bound arsonists.

"When Xu Jingzong arrives, take him with you."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from afar.

The black armor of the hundred-cavalry squad gleamed coldly in the sunlight, and the two leaders were Xu Jingzong and Huang Chun.

"Where is the traitor?"

Huang Chungang reined in his horse, then jumped off the saddle with his sword in hand, his voice booming like a bell.

When he saw the three people in plain clothes kneeling on the ground, he was stunned.

"Just these three?" Xu Jingzong dismounted, his face full of doubt. "Jiaying, the traitors you mentioned... are they them?"

The three men were sallow and thin, looking more like street thugs than anyone else of plotting a rebellion.

Before Wen He could answer, Cui San suddenly cried out, "Sir! It was Zheng Yunhao who ordered me to set the fire! He even said he wanted to overthrow the court!"

This was a bit of an exaggeration, and even Wen He was taken aback, as this wasn't something he had prompted.

This was purely Cui San's own interpretation.

Xu Jingzong's eyes widened: "Jung Yunho? The one from the Zheng family of Xingyang?"

"Old Xu, Old Huang, bring your men and come with me."

Wen He didn't give them a chance to ask further questions and walked to Zhang Wenxiao's side. The latter immediately dismounted and steadily lifted him onto the saddle.

"Where is Jiaying going?" Xu Jingzong quickly followed.

"Shouldn't someone at least know what kind of case they're handling?"

Wen He turned her head to look at him, a smile playing on her lips: "You'll know when we get there. I told you in advance because I was afraid you wouldn't dare to come."

Xu Jingzong retorted, "As the Chief of the Hundred Cavalry, what storms haven't I weathered? Is there any place I wouldn't dare to go?"

Even so, he felt uneasy.

For Wen He to say such a thing, it must be no ordinary place.

Huang Chun sneered from the side: "I think you're just a coward!"

"nonsense!"

Xu Jingzong roared and spurred his horse to catch up with the group.

"I would gladly die ten thousand deaths to rid the country of traitors!"

He stole glances at Wen He's retreating figure, muttering to himself, 'Is she going to the Zheng family in Xingyang to arrest Zheng Yunhao?'

(End of this chapter)