Huangming

Chapter 449 Using a false accusation to escape punishment, the winds of change rise in Datong.

A private room on the second floor of the tavern.

Lu Jianxing was staring blankly out the window at the direction of the General Headquarters.

"Brother! Zhang Zhenjian sent someone to summon you, saying it's urgent!"

at this time.

Shen Lian's voice suddenly came from outside the door, sounding somewhat urgent.

He pushed open the curtain and rushed in, his forehead still covered in fine sand, clearly having run all the way.

Lu Jianxing snapped out of his daze, stood up, and said:

"Okay, let's go."

The two hurried downstairs. The Imperial Guards were already lined up outside the building. When they saw Lu Jianxing come out, they all nodded without saying anything more and followed him toward the town's residence.

The street scene in western Datong City was still noisy, with homeless people huddled in corners begging, and the vendors' shouts were muffled by the wind and sand.

But as the Imperial Guards passed by, the surroundings instantly fell silent.

The people either retreated to the side of the street or lowered their heads, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Lu Jianxing walked at the front of the group, his eyes sweeping over the homeless people on the street, but his mind was racing:

What exactly was Wang Wei's purpose in going to the Prince of Dai's residence today?
Before long, the vermilion gate of the town's governor's mansion came into view.

When the gatekeeper saw that it was Lu Jianxing, he quickly pushed open the gate and led him inside.

Passing through the front yard planted with old locust trees, you arrive at the main hall.

As soon as Lu Jianxing entered the hall, he caught a glimpse of a figure standing next to Zhang Wei.

The man was wearing the official robes of a deputy commander-in-chief, with a jade belt around his waist. He had a resolute face and a fierce air about him, typical of Liaodong military generals. He was none other than Zu Dashou.

He was transferred from Liaodong and was promoted to deputy commander-in-chief of Datong for his meritorious service in suppressing the rebellion under Xiong Tingbi. He was a general who was "parachuted" in.

He had his arms crossed in front of him, indicating that he had been there for quite some time.

"Your subordinate Lu Jianxing greets Garrison Commander Zhang."

Lu Jianxing bowed respectfully, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over Zu Dashou. Their eyes met briefly before quickly looking away.

Datong currently has two deputy commanders-in-chief in name only.

Zu Dashou was sent by the imperial court, while Wang Wei had deep roots in the local area. Although there was no overt conflict between the two, their positions were clearly distinct.

After all, what Wang Wei did after Yang Zhaoji left was essentially what the general was doing.

In other words, Wang Wei was only one imperial appointment away from becoming the "General of Datong".

"Sit down. There's something I need to tell you, Commander."

Zhang Wei picked up a piece of paper from the table and pushed it in front of Lu Jianxing.

"Half an hour ago, Wang Wei sent someone to report that Wang Guoliang's widow, Hei Lian'er, was hiding in Liuxi Manor outside the city."

"what?"

Lu Jianxing suddenly looked up, his brows instantly furrowing.

He reached out and picked up the note. The handwriting on it was messy, but it clearly indicated the location of Willow Creek Manor and the number of guards.

This was actually confessed by Wang Wei himself?
His doubts deepened: Wang Wei was hiding Hei Lian'er, which was a capital offense for harboring a traitor, so why did he suddenly confess?

"What does he mean?"

Lu Jianxing put down the note, his tone full of confusion.

"Could it be... that he discovered our people?"

The brothers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard who were spying on Liuxi Manor were all veterans, and they shouldn't have been exposed.

Zhang Wei twirled the sandalwood prayer beads in his hand and asked casually, "Do you think your people will be discovered?"

"will not."

Lu Jianxing's tone was certain.

“The brothers all came from the Northern Garrison Command. They are veterans at surveillance and infiltration. Even Wang Wei’s personal servant did not notice anything unusual. There is no reason for them to be exposed.”

"Was Wang Wei's action intentional?"

Zhang Wei's brows furrowed even more, and his high-pitched voice carried a hint of confusion.

"He knew that hiding Hei Lian'er was a capital offense, so why did he still bring it up? Could he have some other plan?"

Just then, Lu Jianxing suddenly remembered what he had seen in the teahouse that morning and said:

"At 9:00 AM today, I saw Wang Wei's carriage enter the Prince of Dai's residence from Wangchen Tower, and it did not come out until noon."

Could his voluntary confession of Hei Lian'er be related to the Prince of Dai?

"The Prince of Dai?"

Zhang Wei's pupils suddenly contracted, and the prayer beads in his hand abruptly stopped.

Zu Dashou, who was standing to the side, finally raised his head, his face showing a solemn expression.

The Prince of Dai is a member of the imperial family. If Wang Wei gets involved, this matter will not be a simple case of "harboring traitors." It involves imperial relatives, and even the commander of the nine border regions will have to be cautious.

"If Wang Wei really brings the Prince of Dai into this..."

Zhang Wei's voice deepened, and his gaze swept over Lu Jianxing and Zu Dashou.

"Things are complicated. If Wang Wei, the Prince of Dai, and the refugees from Youyu County get entangled, not to mention us, even if Commander Xiong came, he would have a headache."

Zu Dashou finally spoke, his voice low and deep:

“Wang Wei has been operating in Datong for many years, and the offerings from the Prince of Dai’s mansion have never stopped. If he uses his property to curry favor with the Prince of Dai and get the Prince of Dai to speak on his behalf, we really won’t be able to touch him.”

Having witnessed much collusion between officials and nobles in Liaodong, he was well aware of the weight of princes from the imperial clan.

Even if a prince is idle, the court will have to think twice before he speaks.

Zhang Wei was silent for a moment, then suddenly waved his hand, his tone tinged with helplessness:

"Forget it, these are not things we can solve. Let Commander Xiong decide when he arrives."

He looked at Lu Jianxing, his eyes sharpening again.

"The most important thing right now is to bring Black Lotus and her son back."

You must immediately take the Imperial Guards to Liuxi Manor and bring them back alive.

Perhaps we can pry evidence of collusion between Wang Wei and Wang Guoliang out of her, and the matter of the refugees might also be related to her.

"Yes, sir!"

Lu Jianxing stood up and bowed, his movements swift and decisive.

He knew in his heart that capturing Hei Lian'er was only the first step. Wang Wei's unusual behavior, the intervention of the Prince of Dai, and Zu Dashou's predicament all indicated that the waters of Datong were deeper than he had imagined.

"Go ahead and be safe."

Zhang Wei added another instruction.

"Keep the Embroidered Uniform Guards on high alert; Wang Wei's men might make their move halfway there."

"Yes!"

After receiving the order, Lu Jianxing immediately turned and left.

As soon as he stepped out of the mansion gate, Shen Lian and Jin Yichuan immediately surrounded him.

While waiting outside the mansion, the two men saw Lu Jianxing enter the hall with a solemn expression and come out with his brows still furrowed, and they were already sweating bullets.

"Brother, is it because Eunuch Zhang is angry with us for not handling things well?"

Jin Yichuan spoke first, his voice low but unable to hide his anxiety.

They had been following Lu Jianxing in investigating cases for so long, and they had never seen Zhang Wei with such a gloomy expression before, fearing that something had gone wrong.

Lu Jianxing shook his head and raised his hand to brush the sand off his shoulder.

"There's no blame, but something strange happened."

Wang Wei proactively sent someone to inform Eunuch Zhang that Hei Lian'er was hiding at Willow Creek Manor.

"what?"

Shen Lian suddenly opened his eyes wide, subconsciously raised his voice, and then quickly lowered it again.

"Is he crazy? The families of Tibetan traitors are guilty of a capital offense, how could he confess on his own initiative?"
Could it be... could it be that our people have been exposed?

His heart skipped a beat as he remembered the surveillance he had arranged.

They found local people near the manor, gave them enough silver, and told them to observe from a distance. They didn't even let the Imperial Guards get close to the manor. There shouldn't have been any problems.

Lu Jianxing glanced at him sideways, his eyes sharp:
"Think carefully, is it possible that you've given yourself away?"

For example, did the news leak out among the common people, or did someone follow the brothers who delivered the silver?

Shen Lian frowned, carefully recalled the events, and shook his head:

"No. I found the Ma family, who have lived near the manor for thirty years. Their son died in the border army last year. They had no connection with Wang Wei whatsoever. Moreover, I specifically instructed them that he was only allowed to take a quick look at the well outside the manor when he went to fetch water every evening, and he was absolutely not allowed to get close."

The brothers who delivered the silver were also disguised as peddlers and didn't get into any trouble with anyone.

He paused, his tone certain.

"The possibility of exposure is almost nonexistent."

That's strange.

Lu Jianxing rubbed his chin, his doubts growing stronger.

Wang Wei wasn't stupid; he had no reason to walk right into a trap, unless...

He then recalled Wang Wei's visit to the Prince Dai's residence. Could it be that he wanted to use Hei Lian'er to make a fuss?
But there's no time to think about it right now.

"Fine, whatever tricks he tries, let's catch him first."

Second brother, select a hundred elite troops, all equipped with crossbows and embroidered spring knives, lightly armed and on fast horses, and we'll head to Willow Creek Manor.

"You must bring Hei Lian'er back alive; she might have something on Wang Wei."

"The last general takes command!"

Shen Lian and Jin Yichuan responded in unison, then turned and strode quickly toward the waiting Imperial Guards.

In no time, a hundred soldiers in tight-fitting clothes lined up, their horses' hooves wrapped in felt, their embroidered spring knives hidden under their cloaks, and they even deliberately kept their breathing quiet.

Lu Jianxing mounted his horse, cracked his whip, and shouted, "Let's go!"

The procession moved silently out of the city like a dark shadow, quickly disappearing at the end of the dusty official road.

At this moment, Willow Creek Manor was deathly silent.

The manor is located in a willow grove about 20 miles outside Datong City. The walls are not high, only waist-high, and covered with withered yellow vines.

Inside the main room of the courtyard, Hei Lian'er was sitting by the window, clutching a small cloth jacket in her hand.

Those were her youngest son's clothes, the stitches a little crooked, which she had sewn while she had nothing to do at the manor these past few days.

Since fleeing from Xuanfu to here, she has not stepped out of the courtyard, and has not even seen her two sons again.

All she could do each day was stare blankly at the two little outfits, hoping for news from Wang Guoliang.

But what awaited them was only the daily unease.

at this time.

The wooden door outside the courtyard creaked open, breaking the silence.

Hei Lian'er looked up abruptly and saw a man dressed in a blue servant's uniform walk in.

It was Wang Zhong, a close confidant of Wang Wei.

He rarely came here; the old servant was the one who delivered the food and medicine. His sudden appearance made Hei Lian'er's heart tighten for no reason.

"Wang Zhong? What brings you here?" She stood up, her hands unconsciously clenching her cloth jacket, her voice tinged with wariness.

Wang Zhong walked heavily into the room, his face expressionless. His gaze swept over the cloth jacket on the table, then landed on Hei Lian'er, his tone icy:

"Something's happened. The Imperial Guards already know you're hiding here and are heading this way with their men. They should be here in about half an hour."

"what?"

Hei Lian'er was struck dumb, staggered back a step, and bumped into the windowsill. Her cloth jacket slipped from her hands and fell to the ground.

Her face turned deathly pale instantly, and her lips trembled.

"How could this be... This place is so remote, how did they find it?"

Wang Zhong lowered his eyes, avoiding her gaze, and said against his conscience:

"The agents of the Embroidered Uniform Guard are everywhere. Not to mention this manor, even the General's Mansion has been infiltrated by them."

The headquarters just received the news and there's no time to evacuate you.

"Then...what about my two sons?"

Hei Lian'er suddenly grabbed Wang Zhong's arm, her eyes filled with pleading.
"How are they? Have they been moved?"

"Don't worry, the young master has been moved to a safe place."

Wang Zhong pulled his hand away from hers, his tone remaining calm, but a barely perceptible hint of panic flashed in his eyes.

He is lying.

The two children are still in the woodshed in the backyard of the manor. Wang Wei's order is to leave only the children alive, and Hei Lian'er must die.

Hei Lian'er stared into his eyes for a long time, then suddenly laughed, her laughter filled with sorrow.

She was an exceptionally intelligent woman. From Wang Zhong's expression when he entered the room, to his statement that "there was no time to move," and then to his evasive answer, she instantly understood everything.

"So, you came here today not to deliver a message, but to take my life, right?"

Wang Zhong stiffened, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly nodded:
"This is the only way."

The commander-in-chief said that if you are arrested by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and reveal anything, not only will he be implicated, but your two sons will also have no way out.

Only by dying can you save everyone else.

"That's all..."

Hei Lian'er closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, the panic in her eyes had disappeared, leaving only a desperate calm.

She bent down to pick up the cloth jacket from the ground, gently smoothed out the wrinkles, and then took out a small jade bottle from her bosom.

It contained arsenic, which she had brought with her when she escaped from Xuanfu.

She knew all along what the consequences of treason would be. She didn't even want to think about the agony of being slowly sliced ​​to death if she were caught. She'd rather die quickly.

"Please pass on a message to my godfather."

Hei Lian'er uncorked the bottle, and a pungent, fishy smell filled the air. She looked at Wang Zhong, her voice filled with a final plea.

"Make him take good care of my two poor children and prevent them from following in his father's footsteps."

Wang Zhong nodded, turned his face away, and dared not look at her.

Without the slightest hesitation, Hei Lian'er brought the jade bottle to her lips and gulped it down.

The toxicity of arsenic is extremely rapid. In just a moment, she felt a burning sensation in her throat and excruciating abdominal pain. A mouthful of black blood spilled from the corner of her mouth and splattered onto her cloth jacket.

She staggered and fell, her body convulsing in pain on the ground, her eyes fixed on the cloth jacket on the table until her last breath disappeared, at which point her pupils gradually dilated.

Wang Zhong turned around, looked at Hei Lian'er lying on the ground, his face expressionless, but he sighed softly:
"How pitiful..."

Wang Zhong sighed, then went to the woodshed in the backyard, opened the door, and found two children sleeping soundly inside, the younger one clutching a rag doll.

He looked at the child and silently recited in his heart:
If anyone is to blame, it's your father; he shouldn't have gone down the path of rebellion.

He couldn't let the children die. If Hei Lian'er died, these two children would be the "explanation" for the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

He wiped his face, strode out of the woodshed, and gave instructions to the old servant outside the courtyard:

"Keep an eye on the children in the woodshed, don't let them run around."

Then he hurriedly left the manor, leaving behind only the silence of the courtyard and the gradually cooling corpse in the outer hall.

now.

On the official road outside Willow Creek Manor, more than a hundred cavalrymen of the Embroidered Uniform Guard quietly approached the manor hidden deep in the willow grove.

Lu Jianxing reined in his horse and scanned the surroundings of the manor.

The edge of the willow grove, which was usually patrolled by old servants, was now deserted.

The manor's wooden door was ajar, the lanterns hanging above the door were crooked, and even the stone benches at the entrance had been moved, giving off an indescribable eeriness.

"Something's wrong."

Lu Jianxing's hand unconsciously rested on the embroidered spring knife at his waist, and he kept his voice very low.

“Wang Wei just informed on us, and now there’s no one guarding this place. It’s probably a trap.”

He turned his head to look at Shen Lian.

"You take fifty men and climb over the wall from the east side. I'll take the rest through the main gate. Be careful and don't fall into an ambush."

"understand!"

Shen Lian nodded, dismounted, and led fifty Imperial Guards into the willow grove like cats. Their sword sheaths were wrapped in hemp cloth, and their footsteps were so light that they were almost inaudible.

Lu Jianxing, holding his riding whip, slowly walked towards the manor gate.

His unease grew stronger. Wang Wei's unusual behavior, coupled with the silence of the manor, made him feel that something was amiss.

With a creak, the half-closed wooden door was pushed open, and a faint fishy smell wafted out.

Lu Jianxing walked in carrying a torch, the torchlight illuminating the scene inside the courtyard:
A few withered leaves lay on the stone path, and the birdcage under the eaves was empty with its door open, clearly having been hastily discarded.

Passing through the front yard, the curtain of the outer hall was half-drawn, and a huddled figure could be vaguely seen inside.

"Go in and have a look."

Lu Jianxing waved his hand, and two Imperial Guards immediately stepped forward and lifted the curtain.

The moment the flames burst in, everyone froze.

On the floor inside the hall lay a woman dressed in plain clothes; it was Hei Lian'er.

Her face was bluish-purple, with dark red blood foam at the corner of her mouth. A small silver bottle lay beside her, with a few drops of dark red liquid remaining at the bottom, clearly indicating that she had died from poisoning.

"Brother, he's already dead."

Shen Lian checked Hei Lian'er's breathing and reported in a deep voice.

Lu Jianxing frowned even more deeply as he scanned the hall.

The teacup on the table was still warm, and there was half a piece of unfinished pastry next to it. It was clear that Hei Lian'er was drinking tea before she died, and that she had taken poison because of a sudden misfortune.

"Silence them..."

He murmured to himself, already having found the answer in his heart.

Apart from Wang Wei, no one would dare to harm Hei Lian'er at this time. It would not only silence her but also allow the Embroidered Uniform Guard to "confirm" the false impression that Hei Lian'er had "committed suicide out of fear of punishment," thus clearing themselves of any wrongdoing.

"Big brother! There are survivors inside!"

Just then, Jin Yichuan's voice came from the inner courtyard, sounding somewhat urgent.

Lu Jianxing immediately turned around and walked quickly inside. He saw two Imperial Guards protecting two children in a side room in the inner courtyard.

The older one was no more than six years old, and the younger one was only four. Both were wearing brocade jackets and were huddled in the corner, their eyes filled with fear. They were Wang Guoliang's two sons.

"Thankfully, the child is still alive."

Shen Lian breathed a sigh of relief and walked to Lu Jianxing's side, his voice tinged with relief.

"If we don't even have any survivors, our mission will be a complete disaster."

Lu Jianxing didn't relax. He squatted down and tried to soften his tone as he asked the two children, "Where is your mother? Who came just now?"

The older child blinked and said in a tearful voice, "I don't know, who are you?"

Seeing that the two of them knew nothing, Lu Jianxing felt even heavier.

He stood up and instructed Jin Yichuan:
"Take twenty men and chase after them along the path behind the manor. Wang Wei's men can't have gone far. We might be able to catch them alive!"

The rest of you, collect Hei Lian'er's body, take the two children, and immediately return to the town's administration to report!

"Yes, sir!"

Jin Yichuan accepted the order and immediately led his men to chase after them through the back door.

Lu Jianxing picked up the young child, while Shen Lian carried the older one. The group quickly walked out of the manor, and the sound of horses' hooves rang out again as they galloped towards Datong City.

Hei Lian'er is dead, but the child is still alive. However, the situation behind this is more complex than he imagined.

It didn't take long.

Datong Prefecture City.

Inside the main hall of the town's government office, Zhang Wei frowned as he looked at an official document.

"Father-in-law! Commander Lu has sent someone back!"

At that moment, a young eunuch rushed into the hall, holding a secret letter in his hand.

Zhang Wei quickly took it, unfolded it, and his face instantly darkened.

Hei Lian'er committed suicide by poisoning herself, and the two children were captured. It is suspected that Wang Wei's men had arrived at the manor beforehand to silence them.

"What a fine Wang Wei!"

He slammed the secret letter onto the table.

"He did this on purpose! He first betrayed us, then sent someone to silence us, thus clearing his own name and cutting off our trail. He's getting bolder and bolder!"

The eunuch beside him asked cautiously:

"Father-in-law, what should we do now? Should we send someone to arrest Wang Wei's men?"

"Arrest? How do we arrest them?"

Zhang Wei sneered.

"Wang Wei now has the support of the Prince of Dai and holds military power. We have no evidence, and arresting his people will only alert him and might even force him to rebel!"

He paced back and forth, his gaze falling on the writing brush and ink on the table, before suddenly stopping.

"No, this matter must be reported immediately!"

He picked up a wolf-hair brush and quickly wrote two secret letters:

A letter was sent to the capital, detailing Wang Wei's betrayal and Hei Lian'er's silencing, and earnestly requesting His Majesty to pay attention to the situation in Datong.

Another letter was sent to Xuanfu, urgently addressed to Xiong Tingbi, with earnest words, hoping that he could come to Datong as soon as possible to stabilize the situation.

"Send these two letters out on the fastest horses. The one to the capital should be sent via the Imperial Post Road, and the one to Xuanfu should be given directly to Commander Xiong's personal guards. There must be absolutely no mistakes!"

Zhang Wei handed the secret letter to his trusted eunuch.

"My slave understands!"

The eunuch in charge took the secret letter and hurriedly left.

Zhang Wei walked to the window, gazing at the deep night outside, his heart filled with anxiety.

The water in Datong is getting deeper and more murky.

Wang Wei is colluding with the Prince of Dai, the refugees have the support of a military officer, and now there's the added issue of silencing witnesses. If this continues, Datong will descend into chaos before the Mongols even invade.

"Xiong Tingbi, Xiong Tingbi, you must come quickly..."

(End of this chapter)