Chapter 89: A Pleasant Face and a Graceful Figure

The County Princess’s Residence in Xiangcheng.

Outside the window, the rain came down in a relentless roar. On a soft couch, Wei Linglan reclined in a silk sleeping gown, the lamplight gilding her face with an indefinable allure. Her expression was a smile that was not quite a smile, tinged with unmistakable disdain.

Because thunder had not ceased for days, Miao Xiaoyu, who had shared her bed with Wei Linglan, had gone to care for her younger sisters and therefore knew nothing of the great deeds her husband had accomplished outside.

In Wei Linglan’s hand was a sheet of fine paper, on which had been neatly copied the newly composed poem from tonight’s Moon-Watching Tower gathering.

So that little rogue Zhao Hengyi claimed he could not write poems or lyrics? If that were true, then what exactly was this she held?

At the thought of Zhao Hengyi’s solemn assurances, Wei Linglan’s teeth itched with irritation.

A man who, when preparing arithmetic texts for the younger sisters, could write mistake after mistake and character after character wrong, yet now had produced such a lyric—it was almost enough to make one marvel at the difficulty of it.

And yet, for such a dazzling piece of verse to bear the title “A Thousand Autumns” was unexpected; this Zhao, merchant though he was, certainly knew how to cultivate advantage.

Late at night, with no sleep, listening to the storm sweeping across the land, Wei Linglan was far from the only one admiring Zhao Hengyi’s masterpiece by candlelight.

In a secluded residence belonging to Su Shenchang, the governor of Jiangling, beneath a bright lamp, the official whose chest had been slashed by a sword and was already neatly bandaged also held up a sheet of paper. Its contents were identical to the one Wei Linglan was reading.

“Alas, who would have thought that Zhao the merchant truly possessed such great talent?”

With this piece, no matter how much Su Shenchang disliked Zhao Hengyi, in the eyes of outsiders the two would surely be seen as belonging to the same camp, despite the vast difference in their status.

Indeed, from this point on, if Su Shenchang did not sufficiently defend Zhao Hengyi, he would invite criticism from others, and might even incur the displeasure of the Lady Chen, who enjoyed exclusive favor in the inner palace. This left Su Shenchang with the sour sense that he had labored to embroider robes for another man’s wedding.

As a civil official, Master Su naturally understood the power of this lyric.

Such a magnificent work was bound to be sung throughout the realm. In every line and phrase, it seemed to compress and gather all the bustle and splendor of one night in Jiangling City, then present it all at once before one’s eyes. It truly deserved to be called a literary marvel of the ages.

And the lively celebration he had staged, disregarding face and reputation, specifically to offer a remote birthday tribute to Lady Chen, seemed to have become mere background before this lyric.

It was as though one had painstakingly built a stage, gone to immense lengths to summon an audience, only for someone else to step up and perform at the end. Su Shenchang’s heart was full of bitterness, and with it came a loss he could not voice.

“Brother Shenchang, do not underestimate this Zhao Hengyi. In Yonggu City, when Lady Chen’s younger brother stole his military merit, he did not say so much as a single word from beginning to end.”

The man sitting with Su Shenchang was a dignified middle-aged gentleman. “Though in the end, fearing unrest among the border troops, they granted the boy the title of Baron of Cangwu County, he left Yonggu City without a word, and after returning to Dangyang County, he never mentioned his title to anyone. Even now, County Magistrate Liu Rui of Dangyang does not know of it.”

“In that case, he is quite the restrained and gifted man.”

Though displeased, Su Shenchang had no choice but to reassess Zhao Hengyi.

“At first, everyone thought the boy was merely a sensible fellow who understood when to retreat from the rapids.”

The middle-aged man clearly knew Zhao Hengyi’s affairs in the border army very well. “But looking at it now, he is also a man of deep schemes.”

“Your Highness, are you saying that after his military merit was stolen, Zhao Hengyi was simply waiting for an opportunity like tonight?”

That was a little too frightening, wasn’t it? Even the old fox Su Shenchang could not help but be moved.

“Who can say? Beneath heaven there are many heroes; perhaps among them lie one or two hidden prodigies.”

The middle-aged man, known as the Prince, wore an inscrutable expression. “Besides, Zhao Hengyi and the Baron of Dangyang are said to be as close as brothers. The tale spread all over Yonggu City. The Baron of Dangyang comes from a family of deep learning; it is not impossible that he planned this on behalf of his brother.”

Su Shenchang appeared enlightened and immediately began flattering the prince in every possible way, yet inwardly he was full of disdain.

A nobleman of merit—what cleverness are you showing off before me? How arrogant.

Still, at present, Su Shenchang had to rely on this Prince of Qi. The Ningwu Army stationed near Jiangling was under the prince’s command.

This younger brother of the former emperor was deeply trusted by the current ruler. That he served as military commissioner of the Ningwu Army in the capacity of a prince naturally drew the attention of the court’s most powerful ministers.

Since he had been assassinated tonight, if not for the prince’s personal guards, Su Shenchang might well have lost his life. And with one bandit still at large, he had no choice but to treat this Prince of Qi with the utmost care.

Rain had fallen through the entire night and did not stop until dawn. The streets were everywhere flooded, and even the moat had risen noticeably.

After making sure the borrowed carriage from Hengtong Trading House was thoroughly cleaned and bore not the slightest trace of blood, Zhao Hengyi finally climbed aboard. With several of his men, he joined Manager Liu and went together to the broker’s office.

The blacksmith they had been waiting for had supposedly arrived in Jiangling City the night before, together with five apprentices, all to be sold off. No one knew what crime they had committed within the Ministry of Works.

Manager Liu rode with Zhao Hengyi in the same carriage and first praised the lyric Zhao Hengyi had written at Moon-Watching Tower the previous night. Then he brought up the matter of the prefectural governor’s assassination.

“The world is growing more and more chaotic. That bandit actually dared to claim the governor was involved in smuggling and trafficking people. Utter nonsense!”

Manager Liu seemed to have some hidden meaning in his words. He mentioned it lightly and said no more, instead speaking with great relish about the escaped female outlaw, who was said to be attractive and strikingly graceful in figure.

You shameless old man. That beautiful and shapely female bandit is hiding in the inn where this merchant is staying. If you are willing, I could arrange an introduction.

At the broker’s office, relying on the County Princess of Xiangcheng’s insignia, Zhao Hengyi and Manager Liu were led to a secluded courtyard where the six blacksmiths awaiting sale were being held.

After a few exchanges, they seemed honest enough. Asking the broker’s steward about the matter, they learned that the middle-aged master blacksmith had stolen another man’s prominence and been framed by a scheme, which had landed him in the broker’s hands for sale.

As for the five apprentices, they were completely dragged down by their master.

This damned world was ever more determined not to let good people live.

With the Nine-Flower Jade Dew business at his back, Zhao Hengyi was now flush with money. Without blinking, he spent three hundred taels to buy the six blacksmiths together.

“Master, I beg you, have mercy and buy my wife and daughter as well. Please, Master, I will repay your kindness by working like an ox or a horse!”

After receiving their bond papers, before Zhao Hengyi could even begin instructing the blacksmiths, the blacksmith who had been framed fell to his knees and pleaded.