Chapter 308 - 216: Private Investigation and Secret Visit

Her words were quite astonishing.

Wei Zheng looked at her with an intense gaze, their eyes met, and Feng Yun’s expression remained calm with a shallow smile, the depths of her eyes unfathomable.

A woman impossible to see through.

Wei Zheng sized her up for a moment, his sword-like eyebrows lifting.

"What should Wei do then? Please enlighten me, Madam."

Feng Yun said, "Song Shou’an was brought to the Empress Dowager by Fang Fucai, was he not?"

This topic irritated Wei Zheng. It was precisely because Fang Fucai offered Song Shou’an to Li Sangruo that he had lost his favor. Otherwise, the position of chief of the Imperial Cavalry Division should have been his long ago.

"That old eunuch, just because we do not get along, cannot bear my indifference to his sycophantic ways, has always seen me as a thorn in his side. His schemes are quite audible."

Feng Yun sneered inwardly.

The pot calling the kettle black.

Didn’t he also want to fawn over and tempt Li Sangruo?

Unfortunately, he did not have a face like Pei Jue’s.

She pursed her lips and spoke deliberately, "The part about Song Shou’an that displeased the Empress Dowager is nothing more than visiting brothels and soliciting prostitutes, making a laughingstock of himself and tarnishing the Empress Dowager’s reputation. However, soliciting prostitutes is a matter of romantic charm and not a grave sin that can be tied to Fang Fucai..."

A pause.

The atmosphere sank to an extreme low in the silence.

With a slight raise of her delicate eyebrows, she continued, "But what if Song Shou’an has committed other offenses? And what if his offenses happen to involve Fang Fucai?"

"Such as?" Wei Zheng asked.

Feng Yun chuckled frostily inside, her face expressionless as she looked at him.

"Fabricating charges, deliberately framing, slinging mud, and cunningly settling cases—aren’t these the specialties of the Imperial Cavalry Division? Does Chief Wei still need my instruction?"

Wei Zheng smiled awkwardly.

He wanted to explain something but felt embarrassed to do so.

"Then doesn’t the Empress Dowager want to kill Song Shou’an even more?"

Feng Yun’s lips tightened.

"Kill him she must, but not hastily or by your hand. As the Chief, you must show loyalty; upon spotting any doubts, you must keep him so that the Empress Dowager can personally interrogate him, and if you uncover the mastermind behind the scenes, that would be a great achievement for you as well."

Wei Zheng roughly understood her meaning.

Play the fool and stir up trouble first.

Whether the Empress Dowager was pleased or not, there would be no fault traced back to him.

Feng Yun curled her lips slightly and gently stroked her cup.

"As the Chief considers the interests of the Empress Dowager’s nation, the Empress Dowager will surely understand your earnest loyalty. As for the Great General, he will see that despite the risk of offending the Empress Dowager, you still do as instructed; he will certainly remember the favor... Isn’t this a case of killing two birds with one stone?"

Wei Zheng fell silent.

No matter how appealing Feng Yun’s words were, he was well aware that there was risk involved.

Yet...

Fortune favors the bold.

Without bringing down Fang Fucai, with a villain stirring trouble between him and Li Sangruo, he couldn’t be secure in his position.

He asked, "Will the General truly remember my favor?"

Feng Yun smiled, "Isn’t that what I’m here for? With me speaking well of you to the General, Chief Wei, do you fear losing face?"

Not offending either side, favor found on both ends.

Wei Zheng mulled it over carefully, and it made sense.

"Madam’s plan is ingenious."

He bowed with hands clasped, smiling, "Luo Ji truly does not deceive me."

Feng Yun laughed softly, "What bad things has Ah Yue said about me?"

Wei Zheng replied, "Luo Ji told me that she and Madam are as close as sisters and that you are the only family she has in this world. Before my departure from the capital, she specifically instructed me to seek your help if in trouble. She also said, if you faced any difficulties, I must lend a hand and not stand idly by."

Another sigh followed.

"Otherwise, why would I bother to offend people and secretly pass you notes?"

Feng Yun began to smile.

Regardless of how much truth was in Wei Zheng’s words.

But Luo Yue had played her move right.

This was like finding a relative within the Jin Court.

"I am called sisters with Ah Yue. If it weren’t for the inconvenience in front of others, I would be calling Chief Wei my brother-in-law..."

With that single sentence, she set Wei Zheng afloat.

He understood.

It was necessary to keep it a secret from the public.

To strengthen their private relationship meant mutual support.

In this chaotic world, everyone needs a backer. Otherwise, why would those at the imperial court form factions? He was the same; despite sitting in the esteemed seat of the chief of the Imperial Cavalry, without strong backing, he had to look to the father-daughter Li Family for approval.

He was fond of Li Sangruo, no doubt, but he was well aware that the father-daughter Li Family viewed him only as an obedient dog; Li Sangruo did not have him in her heart.

He had previously asked Luo Yue.

What kind of man do women like?

Luo Yue thought for a moment and answered with three words.

"The powerful ones."

He pondered it and it was indeed so.

Li Sangruo liked Pei Jue because Pei Jue was powerful, and although he considered himself somewhat capable, he did not measure up in Li Sangruo’s eyes.

Because for her, anyone could sit in his position as chief.

A man who could be easily replaced would naturally be considered dispensable in the eyes of the Empress Dowager.

He needed to become irreplaceable.

To do so, he must become stronger...

But it was obviously not feasible to rely on the Li Party; no one treasures the icing on the cake.

But what if he had Pei Jue as his backing?

He worked as a spy within the Imperial Court, and Pei Jue held heavy troops outside the court. Who would dare to provoke him? Even the Li Family and their daughter had to give him face, didn’t they?

Originally, Pei Jue never aligned with any factions, and Wei Zheng trying to win him over was akin to dreaming.

Now that Feng Yun served as a link, with Luo Yue’s "sisterly affection", what Wei Zheng had not dared to consider before, he felt he could now entertain.

He suddenly realized Luo Yue was a treasure.

Ever since he had her, everything had been going his way...

-

Wei Zheng did have some abilities after all.

Upon returning from Chunmeng Hall, he secretly interrogated those underlings of Song Shou’an.

Fabricating charges was the Imperial Cavalry Division’s specialty, and their ruthless methods never disappointed. In less than two hours, not only had he collected many of Song Shou’an’s secrets, but following the thread regarding Fang Fucai’s use of Song Shou’an for profit, he concocted twelve serious crimes.

Aside from corruption, licentiousness, forming cliques for personal gain, and private collusion, one of the accusations was Fang Fucai’s deception of Li Sangruo.

Initially, a person surnamed Fang brought Song Shou’an into the palace, claiming to cheer up Li Sangruo by saying that he was a virgin who had never been with a woman.

Unexpectedly, he had left himself a disaster in the making.

The man surnamed Song had a wife called Zhen Niang, who had been poisoned to death before he entered the palace...

Of course, Wei Zheng did not think the Empress Dowager would hold Fang Fucai accountable for Zhen Niang, but she would be disgusted. To think that the man who had been by her side for so long was a beast who had poisoned his own wife—how frightening the thought?

Also, because of Fang Fucai’s "twelve serious crimes," Song Shou’an could not die just yet.

He must at least wait for the Empress Dowager to arrive and clear up the truth.

Feng Yun had not met with Wei Zheng again. She received a note sent by his people, read it, put it into the stove, and burned it to ashes.

Everything was ready, just waiting for the east wind.

She quietly waited for the peace negotiations to arrive.

-

In the neighboring Lianfeng Academy, Chunyu Yan lounged in a soft chair, his lips curled in an amused smile, with snacks placed on the table before him and the tea in the pot emanating a bubbling sound, the epitome of elegance.

Chunyu Yan was quite content.

"Princely Heir."

A retainer dressed in a blue robe with a slow gait hurried inside, bowed to Chunyu Yan, and spoke in a solemn, hushed tone.

"I’ve found some clues."

Chunyu Yan gave a low response, his slender fingers holding the teacup as he sipped the tea, appearing as if his irritation had not subsided.

"Mr. Quding, please sit down and speak."

Quding glanced around at the surrounding servants.

Chunyu Yan got the hint, "All of you, leave us."

The attendants complied and filed out.

Only then did Quding approach, sitting at a lower position to Chunyu Yan.

"Feng Shi Er Niang suddenly fell ill that day and called for Puyang Jiu because she was poisoned with a charm drug. And this poison is related to what happened in Andu County."

Chunyu Yan’s heart tightened.

The way Feng Twelve had reacted to the charm drug in the carriage back then was somewhat similar to that night in the villa...

He scoffed, laughing coldly.

"Are you saying it was residual poison?"

"It seems to be the case," Quding nodded.

Another thought occurred to him: if you’re not a strategist with outstanding insight as a Princely Heir’s retainer, then you’re just another face in the crowd.

So, even when there’s nothing to do, he had to create something to do.

"These kinds of despicable methods used by concubines in the backhouse to fight for favor are common, but one thing, which I have thought through from left to right, baffles me."

Chunyu Yan flicked open his beautiful eyes, "What is it?"

"I don’t know, should I say it or not..."

Chunyu Yan, "Anything related to Feng Twelve, you may speak freely..."

Quding stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes, adopting the persona of a cunning and calculating strategist, as he began another analysis.

"Before Pei Jue returned to his estate, a concubine poisoned Feng Shi Er Niang. Wasn’t that looking for an opportunity to receive Pei Jue’s favor? It’s self-contradictory."

After speaking, he glanced at Chunyu Yan.

"That day, Princely Heir, when you took Feng Shi Er Niang away, it was an unintentional act, right?"

Chunyu Yan made an affirming sound.

Quding asked again, "And the window latch was not fastened at that time, is that correct?"

Chunyu Yan nodded again, "Not only that, but all the guards were struck by heatstroke and were fast asleep under the cooling shelter."

If it were not so, he would not have been able to take her away so easily.

"That’s right," Quding finally felt a glimpse of a strategist’s wisdom, "Princely Heir, think about it. You did not even know you were going to abduct Feng Twelve. How could the poisoner have anticipated it?"

"You mean..." Chunyu Yan narrowed his eyes.

Quding, "The concubine was framed. If the poisoner was not Princely Heir, there must be someone else."

Chunyu Yan stroked his chin.

No wonder Pei Wangzhi always beat him so fiercely...

"Does Pei Jue suspect that this was my doing?"

Quding did not quite think so.

But since the Princely Heir asked, he saw an opportunity for himself.

"Maybe... General Pei might suspect such a thing. If the affair was managed this meticulously, it was not a concubine, then naturally it was the Princely Heir himself."

"Investigate!" Chunyu Yan’s eyes darkened.

"Find out the truth, and this Princely Heir will reward you handsomely."

Quding was overjoyed.

The Crown Prince of Yunchuan was generous. Being his retainer was exactly for the sake of wealth.

So, with sincere respect towards money, Quding bowed deeply to Chunyu Yan.

"Understood."