Chapter 22: I’ll Go Watch The Fun Too
One sentence made the Marquis of Guangling grit his teeth again.
If it wasn’t Wei Zhang, then this person’s identity would be even harder to guess.
So many people had died, yet they couldn’t even catch a glimpse of the mastermind behind it all—how could that not make one anxious?
Du Yu stepped forward: “Father need not worry. Actually, to eliminate future troubles, we might as well try every means to completely seal off the opening.
“As long as no one can prove that the incident back then was premeditation, then no matter who shows up, no one can prove it was us who did it, and it won’t stir up any waves.”
“How else to seal it?” the Marquis of Guangling said. “All the assassins who participated back then were orphans without family or home, and they were mostly killed that very night. The rest were gradually killed off over the next three years, leaving only the He Family and the Zhang Family.
“Now the He Family has only He Hui left who knows the secret. Madam He has gone mad—surely we’re not to kill them too?!”
“Why not?” Du Yu spread his hands.
The Marquis of Guangling was speechless for a moment.
Du Yu sneered: “The He Family is already down to He Hui and Madam He. What if He Hui, desperate in prison, jumps the wall like a cornered dog and threatens us like Liu Shi did? Wouldn’t we be passive again then?
“In my view, we might as well kill them all!”
The Marquis of Guangling’s facial muscles trembled: “Killing him now—wouldn’t that be like giving everyone in the Capital City eye drops? Wouldn’t that be waiting for the court to intervene and follow the vine to find us?
“If we’re pushed to the forefront, we’re not far from being killed!”
“Marquis!”
Just as Du Yu was about to speak, someone came from outside the door, bringing a gust of wind as they rushed in: “Marquis, General Zhang’s daughter-in-law just took her young son back to her maternal home. She was accompanied by seven or eight servants!”
The Marquis of Guangling paused: “Zhang Family?”
Glancing outside, he added: “The sun has already set—visiting relatives at this hour?”
Du Yu also stepped forward: “Which city gate did they head to?”
“West City Gate!”
“West City Gate—that’s not the direction to Songyang. This direction is the one Zhang Ji set off in today to chase Wei Zhang!”
Du Yu abruptly turned around. “Father, I can be certain the Zhang Family isn’t really visiting relatives—Zhang Shaode is making two-handed preparations!
“He sent his daughter-in-law out of the city to catch up with Zhang Ji and tell him to flee!
“And if the killer behind this strikes against Zhang Shaode at this moment, we’ll be saddled with the charge of silencing him through murder!
“When Zhang Ji finds out, he’ll surely retaliate and turn the tables on us!
“We’ll be completely led by the nose!”
The Marquis of Guangling clenched his fists tightly, then waved the person out.
Du Yu said gravely: “Father, strike first to gain the advantage.
“With one less person in this world hiding our secret, we gain one more share of safety!
“Whether it’s the He Family or the Zhang Family, they’ve outlived their usefulness to us. Keeping them is a burden and a threat!
“Rather than wasting effort protecting them and currying favor, better to settle it once and for all!”
“Easier said than done!” The Marquis of Guangling gnashed his teeth: “So many people—can we kill them all? You know word has already spread outside. Any more incidents and it’ll soon lead right to us!”
“It won’t!”
Du Yu tugged at the corner of his mouth. “At this point, who says we have to kill them openly?
“We just need to set up a trap and scheme both He Hui and Zhang Shaode into it.”
The Marquis of Guangling paused: “So you already have a plan.”
“Exactly!” Du Yu nodded. “And son’s plan will not only scheme in He Hui and Zhang Shaode, but also lure in the real culprit behind the scenes!”
The Marquis of Guangling was puzzled: “How can you be sure he’ll show up?”
A smug smile floated at the corner of Du Yu’s mouth again: “If this behind-the-scenes culprit’s goal is the Du Family, then his most powerful strike against us is that incident from three years ago.
“Think about it—He Jianzhong is already dead. Would he really be willing to let Zhang Shaode be killed by us too?
The Marquis of Guangling’s expression instantly sobered: “You’re not saying this person is actually borrowing our hand to force Zhang Shaode to defect?”
“Zhang Shaode is Father’s confidante—how could he betray Father if not at a life-or-death juncture?”
The Marquis of Guangling’s expression abruptly changed: “So this person set up interlocking traps precisely to force Zhang Shaode to step forward and expose me?”
“Son dare not say it’s certain, but I do know that if Zhang Shaode really dies, then unless Princess Yongjia comes back to life, no one else can prove it was a conspiracy.”
Du Yu’s face turned cold.. “So son guesses that once Zhang Shaode enters the death trap, he will surely appear!
“I absolutely do not believe he would be willing to abandon Zhang Shaode!
“When he jumps into the trap himself then, won’t it be far easier than us painstakingly searching for his tracks?”
Hearing this, the Marquis of
He turned his head: “So what do you plan to do?”
Du Yu cupped his hands: “But I must ask Father to first send someone to Zhang Mansion to summon Zhang Shaode over. Then allow the son to go to Shuntian Prefecture to bail He Hui out…”
……
Inside Prince Jingyang’s Mansion, Yan Bei was reviewing military reports in the side room. On the couch behind him lay A Li, who had fallen asleep.
The little belly under the gray squirrel blanket rose and fell with his breathing, making one unconsciously hold their breath in fascination.
Gao An tiptoed to the desk: “There’s news from the Du Family. A quarter of an hour ago, the Marquis of Guangling got He Hui out.”
Yan Bei paused: “The case isn’t closed, and he’s already bailing him out?”
Gao An nodded: “Not only did he bail him out, he just now took the man straight back to the Marquis’s Mansion. It was the Du Family Heir Apparent who went personally, without bringing many people, and he took an ordinary horse carriage—not very conspicuous.
“In addition, just as Du Yu was heading to Shuntian Prefecture to bail him out, another confidante of the Marquis, Zhang Shaode—that is, He Jianzhong’s in-law—was also invited to the Marquis’s Mansion.”
Yan Bei glanced outside the window at the dusk and said slowly: “That makes it all the more interesting.
“To bail him out so quickly shows they’re quite concerned about the He Family.
“If they’re so concerned, why just bail him out, instead of urging the government officials to quickly conduct a thorough investigation of the murder case?”
“…Daddy (Wang)!”
A Li on the bed woke up.
Yan Bei immediately turned around, walked over, and picked him up: “Did you have a nightmare?”
A Li shook his head, smacked his little lips, and nestled on his shoulder: “I dreamed of braised goose. Daddy, I want to eat braised goose.”
Gao An was delighted: “Does this mean he’s better?”
He hurriedly reached out to feel his forehead and was even more delighted: “The fever’s gone indeed!”
Yan Bei also breathed a sigh of relief: “Good, we’ll have the kitchen make braised goose for you right away. What else do you want? How about some porridge?”
The child reached out toward Gao An again: “I also want to eat the pancakes made by Grandpa Gao.”
Gao An hurriedly took him over: “Yes, yes, yes, little ancestor, I’ll go make pancakes right now.”
After saying that, he looked at Yan Bei.
Yan Bei lowered his head to wipe the ink stains from his fingertips: “It looks like something’s happening at the Du Family tonight.
“Get A Li to sleep early.
“Come tell me when the time comes.
“I’m going to go take a look.”
