Chapter 235: This Is My Ninja Way! Monthly Ticket Bonus Chapter 33
Qingzhou, Prince of Qi’s Mansion, secret room.
The candlelight cast flickering shadows on Zhu Fu’s face, contorted by rage and anxiety.
He paced restlessly in the secret room with its luxurious carpet, like a beast trapped in a cage, his heavy footsteps threatening to break through the floor.
“Waste! All of you are waste!”
He suddenly grabbed an exquisite jade paperweight from the table and smashed it on the ground, shattering the jade instantly.
“A censor who can’t even wring a chicken’s neck! Under your noses, he actually escaped?! And he took things with him?! What am I keeping you for!?”
Several trusted generals and guard leaders knelt before him, all of them silent as cicadas, their foreheads pressed to the ground, not daring to look up.
“Your Highness, please calm your anger!”
The leading guard leader’s voice trembled: “That Zhao Fengman appears weak, but he is as cunning as a fox… We have already sealed the entire city and are searching house by house. He definitely won’t be able to escape!”
“Won’t be able to escape?”
Zhu Fu abruptly stopped pacing and bent down, grabbing the guard leader by the collar, his eyes filled with undisguised brutality and killing intent:
“He’s been flying for days and nights! Do you know what he took with him?! Huh?!”
As he finished speaking, he shoved the guard leader away, trembling with rage.
“If that thing falls into Imperial Father’s hands… I… I…”
He dared not think further, a chilling coldness surging from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
He regretted it, regretted being so greedy back then, blinded by immense profit, getting entangled in the mire of grain transport corruption, and even condoning some more outrageous matters.
Now, retribution had arrived.
“Your Highness—!”
Just then, a calm and steady voice echoed from the doorway of the secret room.
Zhu Fu turned his head abruptly, and upon seeing the person, his taut nerves seemed to relax slightly, as if he had grasped a lifeline.
The person was about forty years old, with a gaunt face, a three-strand beard, dressed in a dark green scholar’s robe, with a gentle demeanor but deep, unfathomable eyes.
This was Prince Qi Zhu Fu’s most trusted confidant—Cheng Ping.
“Mr. Cheng! You’re here!”
Zhu Fu hurried forward, his voice filled with urgency and dependence:
“You know the situation? That scoundrel Zhao Fengman is still not found! Imperial Father must have received the news by now! What should we do?!”
Cheng Ping first bowed respectfully, then his gaze swept over the kneeling figures, and he said lightly:
“You can all leave now. Continue the search, expand the scope, and do not miss any suspicious areas.”
“Yes! Mr. Cheng!”
As if granted a great amnesty, everyone quickly withdrew, leaving only Zhu Fu and Cheng Ping in the secret room.
“Your Highness, please remain calm.”
Cheng Ping’s expression was composed. He gestured for Zhu Fu to sit down and personally poured him a cup of hot tea: “Things may not be as bad as you think.”
“This isn’t bad?!”
Zhu Fu almost jumped up: “Sir, don’t you know Imperial Father’s temper?!”
“Your Highness, please listen to me first.”
Cheng Ping’s tone remained steady, possessing a convincing power:
“Think carefully, who are the people involved along the grain transport route?”
Without waiting for Zhu Fu to answer, he counted on his fingers:
“His Highness Prince Qin, as the principal overseer of the disposal of stolen goods, took the largest share.”
“His Highness Prince Jin was the key person who set up this route initially, and he also took quite a bit.”
“Although His Highness Prince Zhou appears innocent, where does the money for his research into pharmacology and his collection of rare medicines and books come from? Isn’t it also from the grain transport route?”
After speaking, Cheng Ping looked up at Zhu Fu, his gaze deep:
“As for Your Highness, you merely took some small profits from this route. Compared to His Highness Prince Qin and His Highness Prince Jin, what you took doesn’t even count as a small portion, let alone being the mastermind.”
“Even if the Emperor pursues this matter, the main culprits are His Highness Prince Qin and His Highness Prince Jin. At most, you are an accomplice, and one with limited knowledge.”
Zhu Fu was stunned. He pondered Cheng Ping’s words carefully, the panic in his eyes slightly receding, but his doubts remained:
“But… but Eldest Brother and Third Brother have already been dealt with by Imperial Father, haven’t they?”
“That was because they were involved in plotting against the Crown Prince! They deserved their punishment! It has no connection to the grain transport route!”
Cheng Ping smiled, picked up a cup of tea, and took a sip himself before continuing:
“But it doesn’t mean their crimes will be lessened just because they have already been dealt with by the Emperor!”
“Now, although the Emperor has dealt with three princes, their influence remains. At least along the grain transport route in their fiefdoms, it is still operational.”
“You mean…”
Zhu Fu mused: “To shift the blame to them? Since they are already burdened with so many debts, they won’t care about adding more?”
“Yes and no!”
Cheng Ping shook his head and continued:
“Your Highness, perhaps you should think carefully. After the Emperor dealt with the three princes and issued the decree to abolish the salary system for princes, why did he not touch the princes’ mansions?”
Zhu Fu looked bewildered: “That’s right, why?”
“Because the Emperor still cherishes paternal affection!”
Cheng Ping reminded him with a half-smile:
“Your Highness, think about it again. If the Emperor were to make a major move against you for such a minor matter, wouldn’t that make the Emperor seem cruel and ungenerous, unable to tolerate his own son?”
“The Emperor is a brilliant strategist who values his reputation above all else. He would never do something so unwise!”
“After all, he has already dealt with three princes. Does he intend to punish all his sons without mercy?”
“Does he really want to be a lonely emperor!”
“So…”
He paused, his voice lowering, with a hint of seduction:
“The top priority now is to find Zhao Fengman. The key is not to kill him, but to understand how much he knows and what he has obtained.”
“If he merely heard some rumors and obtained some inconsequential scraps of information, that would actually be for the best.”
Cheng Ping’s lips curved into a subtle smile:
“Your Highness could even ‘assist’ him in delivering this evidence to the Emperor.”
“At that time, the Emperor will see that it is a trivial matter. At most, he will reprimand you for poor management of subordinates, fine your salary, admonish you, or even give you a minor punishment and confinement for a period.”
“This way, it will not only quell the uproar but also make the Emperor believe you are honest, thus dispelling his suspicions.”
“This…”
Zhu Fu’s eyes flickered, clearly swayed.
If this matter could be resolved with the least cost, it would naturally be the best course of action.
“Of course!”
Cheng Ping changed the subject, a cold glint in his eyes:
“If that Zhao Fengman is ignorant of his own fate and truly obtains something fatal… then we cannot be blamed for being ruthless.”
“But we haven’t found Zhao Fengman yet!” Zhu Fu said with some annoyance.
Cheng Ping smiled faintly, his smile unfathomable: “Your Highness, please rest assured! Although Zhao Fengman has escaped, he has no travel permit and cannot leave Qingzhou.”
“In my opinion, he is like a turtle in a jar. Being caught is only a matter of time. The key is how we respond before he is found.”
“How to respond?” Zhu Fu couldn’t help but ask eagerly.
“First, Your Highness must remain steady.”
Cheng Ping said slowly: “You must remember, you are a prince, connected by blood to the Emperor.”
“As long as there is no irrefutable evidence placed directly before the Emperor, he will not easily act against you. Losing your composure now will only arouse suspicion.”
Zhu Fu took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down slightly: “Sir is right.”
“Secondly!”
A sharp glint flashed in Cheng Ping’s eyes: “We must be prepared for both eventualities.”
“The first, naturally, is to find Zhao Fengman as soon as possible. Our people are already working on this with all their might, so Your Highness need not worry too much.”
“More importantly, the second…”
He lowered his voice and leaned forward slightly:
“Your Highness, why do you think Zhao Fengman was able to escape so easily? We merely invited him to a banquet, so why was his reaction so extreme?”
Zhu Fu’s expression changed: “Sir means… there is an inside informant in the Prince’s Mansion?”
“Not necessarily an informant, but there must have been negligence, or someone was exploited.”
Cheng Ping said meaningfully:
“This indicates that there is more than just Zhao Fengman targeting Your Highness and trying to bring you down at this opportunity.”
He paused and continued to insinuate:
“Your Highness, over the years, for the foundation of the Prince’s Mansion and to stand out among the various princes, you have indeed done some… extraordinary things.”
“But precisely because of this, you hold considerable power, especially ‘Bi’an Organization’…”
Upon mentioning ‘Bi’an Organization’, a confident gleam flashed in Zhu Fu’s eyes.
This was a force he had secretly built, a hidden and efficient organization with its own intelligence network and operatives, specifically handling unsavory matters for him. It was also an important tool for his involvement in grain transport corruption and even larger schemes.
He had always believed it was entirely his own force, his sharpest weapon built with the help of Mr. Cheng.
“Sir means… to deploy ‘Bi’an Organization’?”
Zhu Fu hesitated: “But the existence of ‘Bi’an Organization’ is a top secret…”
“Your Highness, these are extraordinary times!”
Cheng Ping’s tone intensified, carrying an undeniable decisiveness:
“Hesitation leads to disaster! The existence of ‘Bi’an Organization’ was precisely to protect Your Highness and achieve great things at critical moments!”
“Now, Zhao Fengman is missing, and the Emperor will undoubtedly be furious. He might even send someone else to investigate, such as… that lunatic Zhang Biao!”
Hearing the name ‘Zhang Biao’, Zhu Fu’s eyelids twitched, clearly showing great apprehension towards this name.
“We must act first and control the situation!”
Cheng Ping’s voice had a hypnotic quality:
“I request Your Highness’s authorization for ‘Bi’an Organization’ to intervene fully! On one hand, to assist in the search for Zhao Fengman; he absolutely cannot escape ‘Bi’an Organization’s’ eyes and ears.”
“On the other hand, we must proactively ‘clean up’ potential hidden dangers, such as… some subordinates who know too much and are not loyal enough, or… some clue nodes that might be discovered.”
He made a throat-slitting gesture, his eyes icy.
“This…”
Zhu Fu hesitated. A large-scale silencing would be too conspicuous.
“Your Highness! Those who accomplish great things do not quibble over minor details!”
Cheng Ping took a step closer, his tone inflammatory:
“Think about it, if the Imperial Envoy sent by the Emperor ‘accidentally’ dies in Qingzhou, or if all clues are severed midway through the investigation… what will the Emperor think?”
“Will he think you, Prince Qi, possess immense power, or will he think Qingzhou is too dangerous, that even the Imperial Envoy was lost, making him hesitant to act?”
“As long as we get through this hurdle and clear all evidence and witnesses, with no proof to confront, even if the Emperor is suspicious, what can he do to you without concrete evidence?”
“Moreover… Your Highness, don’t forget, you are not fighting alone.”
Cheng Ping’s final sentence was spoken with deep meaning.
Zhu Fu suddenly looked up at him.
Cheng Ping nodded slightly and said in a low voice:
“‘That side’… will also assist us in secret and will absolutely not stand by and watch Your Highness fall into despair.”
“After all, if Your Highness falls, it will be of no benefit to ‘that side’.”
The ‘that side’ he mentioned immediately put Zhu Fu at ease.
He had always believed ‘that side’ were his allies within the alliance of princes, partners who jointly resisted the imperial court and sought greater interests.
Under Cheng Ping’s successive coaxing and seemingly thorough analysis, Zhu Fu’s fear was gradually replaced by a desperate ferocity.
Yes, who am I, Zhu Fu?
I am the Prince of Qi who dominates Qingzhou, whom even Imperial Father’s repeated reprimands could not restrain!
How can I be cornered by a mere Zhao Fengman, or a potential Zhang Biao?
I have ‘Bi’an Organization’, Mr. Cheng, and allies from ‘that side’!
“Good!”
Zhu Fu slammed the table heavily, a ferocious glint in his eyes:
“It shall be as Sir says! Grant Sir full authority over ‘Bi’an Organization’! Have them search! Have them clean up! Better to kill by mistake than let go!”
“I want to see, in this region of Qingzhou, whose blade is sharper!”
Looking at Zhu Fu’s incited brutality and determination, Cheng Ping’s lips curved into an almost imperceptible, cold smile.
He bowed respectfully: “Your subject obeys.”
“With ‘Bi’an Organization’ acting, Your Highness can rest assured. No matter where Zhao Fengman hides, or whether Zhang Biao comes or not… this Qingzhou will only be their burial ground.”
“Everything is under control.”
“Hahaha!”
Zhu Fu, successfully persuaded, couldn’t help but laugh heartily: “Having Mr. Cheng is like Emperor Gaozu having Chen Ping!”
On the other side.
Upon learning of Zhao Fengman’s disappearance, Zhang Biao calmed down slightly before gravely pressing Old Qian: “Zhao Fengman disappeared in Qi territory?! Is the news confirmed?!”
“It is absolutely certain! It was… it was reported by a commoner who just arrived with news.”
Old Qian nodded solemnly:
“He said Prince Qi invited Censor Zhao to a banquet, and afterward, Censor Zhao vanished. The Prince of Qi’s Mansion is now searching the entire city!”
“A commoner?”
The shock and anger in Zhang Biao’s eyes were quickly replaced by a cold sharpness.
He stared intently at Old Qian and pressed further:
“What kind of commoner? How does he know so much? How can an ordinary commoner easily hear about the Prince of Qi’s Mansion searching for an Imperial Envoy and accurately find us to report it?”
Old Qian was taken aback by the question. After thinking carefully, he also felt something was off:
“The person was dressed ordinarily, and their accent sounded local. But their demeanor was certainly not as fearful as an ordinary villager’s, and they spoke coherently.”
“Go!”
Zhang Biao immediately gave the order, his tone decisive: “Find that ‘commoner’ who brought the news immediately! I want to question him myself!”
“Yes!”
Old Qian didn’t dare to be negligent and turned to leave quickly.
Zhang Biao remained alone in the Signing Room, the scorched air seeming even more stagnant.
He slowly sat back in his chair, his fingers tapping the desktop unconsciously, his eyes flickering.
【 Zhao Fengman… missing… Prince Qi Zhu Fu… search and arrest… 】
【 A stranger commoner brought news… 】
This sudden news was like a boulder dropped into the lake of his mind, which was focused on the Raozhou Guard, stirring up enormous waves.
But after the crest of the waves, what remained was not panic, but a bone-chilling coldness and a smile that saw through everything.
Before long, Old Qian returned, his face filled with confusion and a hint of unease:
“Sir… it’s strange, that person… is gone.”
“I asked the brothers on guard outside, and they all said they didn’t notice when he left, as if… as if he vanished into thin air.”
“Gone?”
Zhang Biao repeated, the corner of his mouth slowly curving into an extremely sarcastic, yet knowing, smile.
He leaned back in his chair and let out a chuckle of unknown meaning:
“Heh… hehe… what a skill, truly a remarkable skill!”
Old Qian was still somewhat bewildered: “Sir, what do you mean?”
“What I mean?”
Zhang Biao’s voice was cold, carrying a weariness and mockery of seeing through a charade: “Our Hongwu Great Emperor has sent this official another knife.”
He looked up at Old Qian, his eyes sharp as knives, as if able to pierce through layers of Palace Walls and see the figure sitting on the Dragon throne in Huagai Hall, plotting profoundly:
“How could an ordinary commoner know such classified information? And deliver it to me precisely before vanishing into thin air?”
“Besides our all-powerful Emperor, who else has such ability and such intentions?”
Old Qian gasped and immediately understood: “The Emperor… the Emperor intentionally let us know? He wants Sir to investigate Prince Qi?”
“Otherwise?”
Zhang Biao sneered repeatedly:
“Zhu Fu is his own son! Without ironclad proof, could this father easily lay a heavy hand on his own flesh and blood?”
“If he acted ruthlessly without evidence, how would his other sons view him? Would they still be able to serve him with peace of mind, protecting the country?”
“Therefore, he needs a knife, a ‘mad knife’ like me, to plunge in regardless, to blow the lid off the Prince of Qi’s Mansion and turn everything inside out!”
“If it succeeds, it will be said that he, the Emperor, has keen insight and upholds justice by punishing his own kin. “
“If it fails, or if it incites public anger, then I, Zhang Biao, will be accused of being arrogant and slandering a Prince!”
“At that time, all the hatred and backlash will be borne by me alone!”
“He sits comfortably in his high seat, holding the banner of filial piety in one hand and the handle to control me in the other, all while saying, ‘Look, you’ve committed such a great offense, and I haven’t let you die. You ungrateful wretch…'”
“Damn it, killing two birds with one stone! What a masterful scheme!”
The more he spoke, the colder his tone became, and the clearer his eyes grew.
Anger? Of course, he was angry!
Li Mo assassinated, Zhao Fengman missing, both were brothers he acknowledged!
There must be an earth-shattering conspiracy behind this!
But more than that, it was a sickening feeling of being manipulated like a chess piece, and a solemn awe of Old Zhu’s imperial tactics, as deep as the sea, using everything to his advantage.
Old Qian listened with a pounding heart and lowered his voice: “Then… Sir, what should we do? The Prince of Qi’s side is clearly a dragon’s lair!”
Zhang Biao was silent for a moment, the speed of his fingers tapping the table gradually slowing down.
He stood up again and walked to the Window Side, gazing at the still somewhat chaotic Raozhou Guard outside, his eyes deep.
“Zhao Fengman… should not have fallen into Zhu Fu’s hands yet.”
He suddenly spoke, his tone analytical:
“Based on Old Zhu’s understanding of his sons, if Zhao Fengman were truly captured, or even killed, by Zhu Fu, he would never have let me know in such an indirect way.”
“He would have directly demanded the person from Zhu Fu, or resorted to more drastic measures.”
“Because he knows that if a Prince truly dared to openly kill an Imperial Envoy, I, Zhang Biao, would cause utter chaos, and the situation would be beyond his complete control.”
“So, the most likely scenario is… Zhao Fengman escaped!”
A sharp glint flashed in Zhang Biao’s eyes:
“He sensed danger when Prince Qi invited him to a banquet, or obtained some crucial item, and then found a way to escape!”
“Now, he’s probably hiding somewhere, and Zhu Fu is frantically searching for him!”
“Old Zhu ‘leaked’ this news to me for two reasons: first, to use me as a knife to stir up trouble in the Qi region and force Zhu Fu to reveal his flaws; second, it’s probably also hoped that I can find Zhao Fengman and obtain the evidence he holds!”
After understanding all this, the sarcasm on Zhang Biao’s face slowly subsided, replaced by an expression mixed with gravity, determination, and a hint of frantic scheming.
For the Grain Transport corruption case, he had originally planned to investigate indirectly, starting with the loss of Garrison system and Military Equipment.
But now, Old Zhu had handed him the knife, and Prince Qi Zhu Fu was a visible Target right before him.
Li Mo’s blood, Zhao Fengman’s perilous situation, the vengeance for his brothers.
Old Zhu’s schemes, the ruthlessness of the mastermind.
All of this whipped at him like invisible lashes.
He took a deep breath, turned abruptly, and looked at Old Qian, his eyes now filled with cold resolve:
“Old Zhu wants to use me? Fine! I’ll let him use me this time!”
“However, not according to his plan!”
“Pass down the order!”
Zhang Biao’s voice was decisive, carrying a desperate madness:
“On the Raozhou Guard side, continue to dig deep! ‘Water Monkey’, Timber, Black Wind Gully, no line can be neglected! This is our foundation!”
“In addition, select a group of alert and daring brothers, give them my token, and you will personally lead them to infiltrate Qingzhou.”
“You have two tasks: First, find Zhao Fengman at all costs and bring him out safely!”
“Second, keep a close eye on the Prince of Qi’s Mansion. I want to know Zhu Fu’s every move, especially his interactions with strangers!”
“He’s searching? Then we’ll play the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!”
Old Qian’s spirit lifted, and he immediately accepted the order: “Yes, Sir! I’ll go prepare now!”
“And one more thing!”
Zhang Biao called him back, the corner of his mouth forming a cold curve:
“Find a way to ‘accidentally’ release rumors of what we’ve uncovered, about Military Equipment possibly flowing to unknown forces through Grain Transport. It doesn’t need to be explicit, but it should make people associate it with the Qi region.”
“Since we’re going to stir up trouble, let’s make it even muddier!”
“I want to see if the Prince of Qi’s blade is faster, or my net is denser!”
“Old Zhu wants to reap the benefits? I’ll completely stir up this pond, so no one can stay clean!”
At this moment, Zhang Biao was no longer just a lonely official seeking to avenge personal grudges and cooperating with Old Zhu.
The blood of his brothers and their disappearance, the Emperor’s schemes and coercion, had completely pushed him to the forefront.
But he did not retreat; he would use his own methods to end this perilous Chess Game.
Because, if one must die, they die together; that was his way of the ninja.
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