[Wuxia] The Number One Ding Under Heaven (Complete) - 31

Chapter 218 Pan

Yinlian Makes a Scene in Kaifeng! ? In the carriage heading straight for Kaifeng, Fourth Brother cried out, almost stammering,
"Yes, she's the wife of Wu Sanlang, the pancake seller in the north of the city. My master, along with Fourth Master, has done a good job with the *Great Song Dynasty Weekly*, and when Master is happy, he allows him…allows him…" Gao Dawei stammered more and more.
"He allows Third Master Gao to kill Wu Sanlang and take his beautiful wife, Pan Yinlian, as a concubine, right?" Pang's memory was excellent; he remembered immediately.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes." Gao Dawei nodded frantically.
Pang's face darkened instantly: "Your master didn't bribe some old hag, first getting in touch with Pan Yinlian, then having her poison Wu Sanlang with arsenic, and then seducing him?"
"Yes, yes, yes, yes… Fourth Master, you're amazing! You even guessed that." Gao Dawei looked at him with admiration.
Pang had to exert a lot of effort to… Resisting the urge to kick him off the carriage, she grabbed Gao Dawei's clothes and snorted, "This Pan Yinlian wouldn't have a brother-in-law named Wu Song, would she?"
"No, no." Gao Dawei shook his head frantically, then added evidence, "He has an uncle named Wu."
Pang almost choked on his tea.
"Wu... no, Wu went to your door to beat up your master, but was intercepted by the guards of the Imperial Guard, and was hacked to pieces. Then this matter became a big deal, and Bao Zheng found out, and then came to arrest him, right?"
"No." This time, Gao Dawei shook his head decisively, "Wu found out about this and went straight to Kaifeng Prefecture to complain, accusing my master of poisoning his brother. Then on the way to Xiange, my master's carriage was intercepted by the yamen runners of Kaifeng Prefecture, and then... waaaaah, two constables took my master away..."
Pang ignored him and wailed loudly. She turned to look at Qian Dajin.
Qian Dajin stammered out the explanation. It turned out it really wasn't what he initially thought. Bao Zheng was deliberately picking on him, targeting the princelings. It was Gao Yanei and Qian Shicai, those two good-for-nothing scoundrels, hopeless wastrels. Of all times, they had to commit crimes!
Compared to Gao Yanei, who almost created a shonen version of *Jin Ping Mei*, Qian Da Jinye's actions were even more outrageous. He went to a newly opened brothel in the capital. He didn't like the girls, but he took a fancy to the maidservant serving them. This girl was from a poor family and had no choice but to work in the brothel to earn a little money to support her family. She wasn't selling herself! Qian Da Jinye, who always preferred mature women, either lost his mind or suddenly changed his ways, took a liking to this girl, and insisted on buying her to serve him. This girl had been betrothed to Zhang Asan from the next village since childhood. They were childhood sweethearts. How could she possibly agree to sell herself to him? Old Man Qian was furious. He immediately threw down ten thousand strings of cash. "Sleep with me for one night! This is all you've got!
Ten thousand strings of cash! What does that mean? It could lift my whole family out of poverty. I could buy land on the outskirts of the capital and become a landlord! Just one night's sleep, and I get this much money. Normally, a young girl who has stooped to a brothel to support her family wouldn't refuse. But the girl Old Man Qian had his eye on had backbone. She simply refused!
Old Man Qian was enraged. He was furious. In his eyes, money was omnipotent. He didn't believe there was anything money couldn't buy. If you couldn't buy it, it was because you hadn't paid enough value—a poor girl. Ten thousand strings of cash for one night wasn't enough? Fine! Old Man Qian added another ten thousand. Twenty thousand strings of cash. He wanted this girl to spend the night with him. The girl still refused. This was another great insult to the sacred place "money" held in Old Man Qian's heart. Old Man Qian had lost all face. Knowing he'd be a laughingstock if word got out, he flew into a rage and grabbed a gold coin from his pouch, throwing it at the girl's head.
A gold coin! A pure gold coin! It weighed about four or five bricks. And Mr. Qian threw it with perfect aim. It hit the girl squarely on the temple—to be precise.
The girl died instantly. Mr. Qian didn't care; he just dusted himself off and left, heading to another brothel to continue his pleasures.
When Wu Gongzheng was the prefect, Mr. Qian had killed quite a few people. Did the Kaifeng Prefecture dare to interfere? At most, they'd arrest a few servants to cover it up. But Mr. Qian forgot one thing—now in charge of Kaifeng Prefecture was the incorruptible Judge Bao, the Judge Bao who dared to execute even the Grand Tutor's son and force the current Empress Dowager to her death!
The brothel reported to Kaifeng, so Bao Zheng naturally wanted to deal with it severely. Moreover, it seemed he knew that the *Great Song Dynasty Weekly* publishing house, under the Crown Prince's name, was having a party that night, and deliberately wanted to give Fourth Brother a hard time. He arranged for constables to ambush Gao Ya Nei and Qian Shi Cai on their way to the pavilion, arresting both of them. Then he released Gao Dawei and Qian Da Jin to report, causing Fourth Brother's hard work to go to waste!
Damn it!! Fourth Brother was furious. He kicked Gao Dawei and Qian Da Jin off the carriage, and with a yank of the curtain, roared, "Let's march to Kaifeng Prefecture! Nobody's sleeping tonight, you idiot!"
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"Dong dong dong dong dong dong dong dong!
" "Dong dong dong dong dong dong dong dong!"
"Dong dong dong dong dong dong dong dong!"
At midnight, a
drumbeat rang out outside Kaifeng Prefecture. The drumbeat was powerful and stirring, clearly the work of a "professional."
"Who is it? Who is this? Drumming in the middle of the night! If you want to cry for justice, wait until tomorrow morning... Ah!" The gate of Kaifeng Prefecture opened a crack, and two constables poked their heads out to complain. But before they could finish their sentences, they were grabbed by the collar and dragged out. Two rags were stuffed into their mouths, and then...
"Bang!" "Bang!" Fourth Brother personally took action, knocking one of them down with a brick.
"Continue." He turned around and winked at Pang Lei, the Grand Tutor's guard who was drumming. Just from his name, you could tell what he was good at—he was a drummer in the army before he retired.
"Dong dong dong dong dong dong dong dong!"
After about half a cup of tea's time, more constables poked their heads out.
"Liu Biao, Li Tai, what are you doing? Someone's drumming and you don't even care... Ah!" They were dragged out again, and knocked down again with a brick.
"Continue." “Gou Dan, Hou Bing, where are you? Didn’t I tell you to come out and stop banging… Ah! ‘Bang!’ ‘Bang!’” This happened for the third time, then the fourth, the fifth… There are so many fools in Kaifeng Prefecture. Eight batches of seventeen yamen runners came out one after another, ready to be blown up by Fourth Brother. Fourth Brother didn’t hold back, he just blew them all up, blood flowing everywhere.
Finally, after banging for a full half hour, disturbing the peace inside and outside Kaifeng Prefecture, preventing anyone from sleeping, and with blood flowing everywhere from the blown-up heads, Bao Zheng finally changed into his official robes, leading his clerk, scribes, and a large group of fully armed constables and yamen runners, his face dark as he appeared at the open gate.
“Lord Tian Ding, what are you doing?” Under the throbbing of his fists, the veins on Bao Zheng’s dark forehead throbbed.
“Oh dear, Lord Bao, shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Fourth Brother looked very surprised.
“Ask me what?” Bao Zheng asked him, suppressing his anger.
Pang put the gleaming silver brick back into his pocket, clapped his hands, and sneered, "Lord Bao, you've inexplicably arrested my Marquis's two sworn brothers. Shouldn't you give me an explanation?"
"Young Masters Gao Yanei and Qian Shicai have committed the serious crime of murder. This prefecture has arrested them according to the laws of the Great Song Dynasty. If Lord Tian Ding has any questions, you can consult the *Song Xing Tong* (a comprehensive compilation of the laws of the Great Song Dynasty, consisting of twelve chapters) at any time." Bao Zheng's face was expressionless, but the fierce look in his eyes sent chills down one's spine. "But Lord Tian Ding, you beat the drum in the middle of the night, deliberately disturbing the sleep of everyone in Kaifeng Prefecture. How are we supposed to conduct business tomorrow morning? This is the crime of obstructing a case..."
"Lord Bao!" Pang interrupted him rudely, coldly questioning, "Which chapter, article, or clause of the laws of our Great Song Dynasty states that one cannot cry out for justice in the middle of the night? If the common people are wronged and come to Kaifeng Prefecture to seek justice, must they wait until you, Lord Bao, have had enough sleep before they can plead their grievances? If you, Lord Bao, are not awake, then they have no justice at all? Is this how Lord Bao, the upright and just judge, handles cases?"
Bao Zheng was speechless. Yes, the laws of the Song Dynasty didn't explicitly state that one couldn't cry out for justice at night, but the court only held hearings during the day. What commoner would be so idle as to come and beat the drum and cry for justice
in the middle of the night? It was Fourth Brother who was idle—no, he was deliberately seeking revenge, deliberately seeking revenge for Bao Zheng disrupting his victory celebration. He deliberately came in the middle of the night, banging the drum loudly, making sure Bao Zheng couldn't even sleep peacefully!
"Since Lord Tian Ding has come to cry out for justice, then may I ask what your grievance is?" Bao Zheng stared at him and asked in a deep voice.
Pang didn't speak, showing a shocked and very troubled expression.
"If there's no grievance, then you're disrupting the court!" the useless clerk yelled again.
"Slap!" Fourth Brother slapped him across the face, sending him flying, giving Bao Zheng a taste of his power on the spot.
"Who says I'm innocent? Huh?" He tossed his head high, his expression arrogant and disdainful, and gave Bao Zheng the middle finger. "Young Master Gao of Gaoya and Young Master Qian Shicai, two law-abiding young men, were arrested by Kaifeng Prefecture for no reason. Lord Bao, shouldn't you give me an explanation?" When
Fourth Brother became arrogant, the usually arrogant Kaifeng Prefecture constables were all too scared to utter a sound. Only Bao Zheng retorted sharply, "Gaoya instructed the criminal Pan Yinlian to murder her husband Wu Sanlang, and Qian Shicai openly killed the maid Xiao Cui with a gold ingot in Piaoxiang Tower in the north of the city. Both cases are irrefutable. How can there be any injustice!"
"Injustices, right? Yes, plenty of them. For example, Pan Yinlian coveted the power of the Gao family and killed her husband, hoping to rise in status and marry into the Grand Commandant's household. But the truth came out, so she shifted the blame, saying it was the Gao family's doing. Also, I sent someone to Piaoxiang Tower to inquire. Xiao Cui's health has always been poor; she falls ill every few days. Could it be that the young master Qian smashed Jin Luozi's weapon on a young girl who suddenly fell seriously ill and was on the verge of death? He couldn't bear to see her suffer so much, so he thought it was an act of kindness to send her on her way sooner?"

Chapter 219: The Difficulty of Bao Long's Scheme

. Lord Bao, have you considered these seventeen points? "
In the main hall of Kaifeng Prefecture, Pang slammed his fist on the table and roared at Bao Zheng.
Bao Zheng sat in the hall, his face extremely dark, looking as ugly as could be.
This damned Pang servant, with his sharp tongue and iron teeth, had fabricated seventeen so-called "suspicious points" in the cases of Gao Yanei and Qian Shicai, pushing all the responsibility onto Pan Yinlian and the dead little girl, as well as the little girl's parents (the daughter was sick, so wasn't it the parents' responsibility?). The crimes of Gao and Qian were completely cleared, especially Master Qian, who not only died but was also accused of doing good deeds!
Bao Zheng had been a lifelong impartial enforcer of the law, redressing countless grievances for the people. How could he allow him to distort the truth and confuse right and wrong like this? He slammed his fist on the table and roared, "Lord Pang, this prefecture has already investigated and found that you were not at the scene of either of the bloody incidents. Now you come to Kaifeng Prefecture to spout nonsense and obstruct this official's case. Do you know what crime you have committed?"
"Hehe, Master Bao." "Man, what you're saying is quite interesting. I'm not here now, but were you? I don't know the details of the case, but do you?" Pang slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and roared, "Blindly believing the plaintiff and the plaintiff's witnesses is a cardinal sin in handling cases! Lord Bao, don't you even understand this?!"
Bao Zheng's face turned ashen, yet he couldn't find a word to refute him. He coldly asked, "What does Lord Tian Ding intend to do?"
"Hey, Lord Bao, don't get angry." Fourth Brother leisurely sipped his tea and smiled. "As you say, Lord Bao, everything in a case should be based on evidence. I, on behalf of the Palace Guard and the Bianliang Merchants' Guild controlled by Young Master Qian's family, request that Lord Bao re-examine the plaintiff and hold a public trial."
"Alright." Bao Zheng immediately agreed, "Tomorrow morning..."
"However..." "Pang interrupted him without hesitation, "Lord Bao, the Emperor has decreed that the top priority for Kaifeng Prefecture is to investigate the case of the rebels and quell the Southern Tang traitors. Lord Bao, as the Prefect of Kaifeng, a pillar of the state, instead of fulfilling your duties and eliminating traitors for the Song Dynasty, you are fixated on two trivial matters while ignoring a bloody case that has shocked the court. Aren't you afraid of being impeached by the Censorate for dereliction of duty and favoritism?"
Fourth Brother was really angry. He unleashed a barrage of sarcastic remarks: "Or perhaps! Lord Bao once served as the Vice Censor-in-Chief, in charge of the Censorate, the Palace Censorate, and the Investigation Bureau. Although you have left office, your influence remains, and your trusted subordinates have long controlled the Censorate. You are certain that no one will dare to impeach you. That's why you are so audacious, ignoring the Emperor's decree and the suffering of the people. You know that the rebels who attacked the Emperor are entrenched in the capital, yet you remain indifferent. Bao Zheng, you are breaking the law!" "
Bang—" In a battle of wits, Bao Zheng was clearly no match for his fourth brother. He could only slam the gavel to bolster his own authority: "How dare you! You dare say that a murder case is a minor one?"
"Is a murder case more serious than a rebellion?" Pang Yi rushed to the table, coldly glaring at him. "Or does Lord Bao believe that two lives are more important than the fate of our Great Song Dynasty, the peace and prosperity of the nation!!!"
Bao Zheng was utterly speechless. This servant was so shameless and so glib. How could he bring up national affairs in everything? An ordinary official would probably be truly intimidated,
but Bao Zheng was no ordinary official. He was the most ruthless, the most capable, and the most troublesome official in the Great Song Dynasty. He took a deep breath, rallied his spirits, and said, word by word: "Regarding the suppression of the Southern Tang rebels, this prefecture and the entire Kaifeng Prefecture have never slackened. Currently, more than thirty suspects have been arrested and imprisoned.
This prefecture firmly believes..." "With my repeated interrogations in Kaifeng Prefecture, I'm sure I'll be able to extract more information from them within three days. But!"
"But!" Pang interrupted him again without hesitation, emphasizing with the authority of Bao Zheng. "But Lord Bao, you hold a position of power and must fulfill your duties as the Prefect of Kaifeng. Therefore, these two murder cases must also be investigated. Isn't that right?"
Bao Zheng sat upright on the shore, his face solemn and dignified: "Exactly, and..."
"And!" Pang interrupted him again without hesitation, as if deliberately going against him (what do you mean "as if," it means "exactly!"), "And, we can't delay the trial of these two cases because of the arrests, right?"
His words were exactly what Bao Zheng was thinking. Although Bao Zheng knew that with the cunning and treacherous nature of this servant, there must be some trap hidden in his words, he could only reply: "Yes, even if I work day and night, in addition to arresting the rebels, I will investigate these two murder cases thoroughly."
"Good!" "Pang Fei quickly interjected, "Lord Bao is devoted to the people, I admire him, but... Hmph, Lord Bao is loyal to the emperor and loves his country, I believe he certainly wouldn't let two minor murder cases among the common people cause the national affairs of apprehending traitors and investigating internal spies to remain unresolved for so long, right? Lord Bao, the Emperor, the court, the Yang family, and the people of the capital are all very anxious. If you only focus on other cases and fail to find the internal spies colluding with the remnants of the Southern Tang within three to five days, and fail to bring them all to justice, that would be a dereliction of duty. The censors are afraid of you and dare not expose you, but my Grand Tutor and Grand Commandant Gao are not afraid. When this matter is exposed, let's see how you face the people and how you repay the Emperor! Let's go!!!" Pang
waved his hand and led Chuixue and the others out, not lingering for a moment longer, but the meaning was very clear—
either you stay out of these two cases, or if you do, fine, you'll get Zhao Yunbi convicted in three or five days, and Grand Tutor Pang and Grand Commandant Gao will jointly impeach you in court, accusing you of dereliction of duty and perverting the law!
×××××××××××
"Fourth Brother, you're truly brilliant, brilliant! You've turned the tables on Bao Zheng, making him lose face instead."
"Of course, what kind of damned Bao Qingtian is he? He's been tricked by Fourth Master in just a few words. Now let's see if he'll solve the case or keep his official hat!"
"Official hat? Hmph, Fourth Master's brilliant strategy is not that simple. Bao Zheng will either obediently release the people, or he'll make sure Zhao Yunbi is convicted of colluding with rebels. Otherwise, just for dereliction of duty and delaying the arrest of rebels, he'll be exiled!" (In the Song Dynasty, civil officials were not executed; the most heinous crime was exile or military service.)”
After leaving Kaifeng Prefecture, he took only a few steps and was surrounded by sycophants. Chuixue, Gao Dawei, and Qian Shicai were all masters of flattery and sycophancy, praising Pang’s wisdom incessantly.
"Hmph." Pang suddenly stopped, a cold smile playing on his lips.
"You think Bao Zheng would really be scared and wouldn't dare to try these two murder cases?"
"Isn't that right!?" The three sycophants exchanged bewildered glances.
Fourth Brother didn't even bother to pay attention, quickening his pace—talking to idiots lowers your intelligence!
Leaving the three far behind, he coolly tossed his hair and snapped his fingers.
A gust of wind blew past, and Long Wu lay prostrate, ready for orders.
"I'll give you a list in a bit. Call everyone on it, tonight."
"Yes." Long Wu replied, turning to leave.
"Aren't you going to ask me why I'm gathering people?"
"Young Master has his reasons for doing things, and I shouldn't ask."
"Hahaha—" Pang laughed, satisfied with this aspect of him. He did whatever his master told him to do, regardless of whether he should or shouldn't ask. However, Pang still spoke up, just like Bao Zheng, who would feel uncomfortable if he didn't reveal the process of solving a murder he had uncovered.
"I know Bao Zheng. He sees himself as the embodiment of justice and fairness, and would never bend the law for personal gain or tolerate any oppression of the good. So, he might actually produce some 'ironclad evidence' within three to five days, concluding that Zhao Yunbi really colluded with the Southern Tang rebels."
"Isn't it exactly what you, young master, want if Zhao Yunbi's crimes are confirmed?"
"Yes, but I, young master, am a man of honor. I can't disregard my brothers. If Bao Zheng is determined to punish Zhao Yunbi, he certainly won't let the third and fourth brothers off the hook either. As the eldest brother, how can I not think of ways to exonerate them beforehand? Alas, these days, people's hearts are easily scattered, and it's hard to lead a team."
××××××××××××
"Pang Ban, go and break the leg of Wu Sanlang's brother, that Wu something-or-other. If he doesn't go to Kaifeng Prefecture to withdraw the lawsuit within half a day, hehehe, his head will be broken."
"Pang Xie, find some gossipy women living nearby and spread rumors about Pan Yinlian's greed, vanity, and recent discord with her husband. Oh, and she got a beating from Wu Sanlang a few days ago. Make up some other things that might cause marital discord." All the neighbors felt that Pan Yinlian had ample reason to plot and poison her husband, then use her beauty to seduce the third son and get close to the Grand Commandant's mansion. "
Pang Tong, invite the owner and madam of Piaoxiang Tower, as well as the girl Gao Laosan called over the other day, to the Grand Commandant's mansion for tea. Lord Tian Ding has something to say to them." "
Pang Xiao, tomorrow, pretend to be from Kaifeng Prefecture and take the dead girl's parents to Baozhitang for a checkup. The two elders might have some hereditary disease that affected their daughter's health. A checkup will help Kaifeng Prefecture confirm that the fourth son's attack was just a trigger, and the real cause of the girl's death was some pre-existing illness. Inside the room, Fourth
Brother issued a series of orders to the group of experts summoned by Long Wu.
Pang Ban, a very domineering name, reminded Fourth Brother of someone from a certain book, and indeed, he possessed a sinister aura, clearly destined for evil!
Pang Xie, a very ordinary name and appearance, so ordinary that anyone who saw him would easily overlook his looks unless they deliberately tried to remember him. Pang Tong, resembling Pang Tong
, was ugly and sleazy, but shrewd, making him ideal for coercion and dealings with casinos and brothels.
Xiao, true to his name, always wears a smile, but it's the kind that hides a knife beneath. He'll call you "brother," but he'll be pulling out a weapon at his waist, ready to strike you down when you're not looking.
These four men were carefully selected by Fourth Brother, who had secretly observed them for a long time before discovering them among the hundred-plus servants of the Grand Tutor's mansion—alas, Chuixue is useless; he only knows how to flatter and fawn. Asking him to do anything would definitely ruin things. We need to find some other shrewd and capable subordinates.

Chapter 220: The Troubles of Not Having Women.

Those who achieve great things must know how to use people. Didn't Emperor Gaozu of Han say, "In terms of strategizing within the tent and winning battles a thousand miles away, I am inferior to Zhang Liang; in terms of comforting the people and supplying provisions, I am inferior to Xiao He; in terms of leading a million troops, fighting decisive battles, and winning every battle, I am inferior to Han Xin. However, I can know how to use people well and give full play to their talents. This is the true reason why I gained the world and achieved victory." "
Pang is far superior to that man who forgets his roots after gaining power. He knows how to use people well and doesn't concern himself with trivial matters. Even if it's just carrying firewood, jumping into water, or sweeping the latrines in the Grand Tutor's mansion, if someone has talent, he'll give them a chance.
Pang Ban, Pang Xie, Pang Tong, Pang Xiao—in today's terms, they'd be thugs, hooligans, bullies, and swindlers. But Fourth Brother knows how to use
people well. From today onwards, he's training all four of them into capable individuals who will be able to stand on their own in the future." "Remember all of you, get to work at dawn. Don't delay, time is precious." After instructing everyone, Fourth Brother added another reminder.
The four men obeyed and left.
"With these people dealt with, both cases should be foolproof, right?" Pang squinted, gazing at the cold, bright moon hanging high in the sky outside the window. A strange depth lurked in his wicked smile.
"Young Master, it's getting late. Shouldn't you rest early?" Long Wu respectfully inquired.
"Rest?" "Those who do great things know no midnight or daytime." Pang stood up abruptly, grabbed his clothes and put them on.
"Come on. Come with me to Baozhitang."
"Bao... Baozhitang!?" Long Wu was astonished. The young master was neither injured nor ill. What was he going to a clinic so late?
"Go and give a loud greeting to Physician Lin. The young girl's parents have a medical evaluation tomorrow. They have to do it my way." "Fourth Brother smiled faintly. 'Killing someone and then saying the deceased had a heart condition, the cause of death being a sudden heart attack—isn't that the most common thing in our harmonious society? We're time travelers. We should make good use of modern methods.
Uh... If Pang Ban, Pang Xie, Pang Tong, or Pang Xiao mess things up, and they mess things up tomorrow, Fourth Brother can just say they're temporary workers.
What? You're saying the little girl was killed and you're going to shirk responsibility, blaming her parents for passing on their illness to her? That's too ruthless.
Please. Fourth Brother doesn't believe in Brother Chun; we can't bring the little girl back to life. What can we do now that she's dead? Are we going to make Young Master Qian pay with his life? Impossible. People of high status and low status don't have their lives exchanged; even in a harmonious society, that's how it is. Let alone in ancient times. At most, after the case is closed, we'll give her parents a large sum of money to ensure they'll have no worries about food and clothing. That's enough. The daughter is dead and can't come back, right? Fourth Brother has done everything he can!
Swift and decisive !" That was Fourth Brother's usual style. That very night—no, it should have been the early hours of the next morning—the Grand Physician Lin of Baozhitang had already been dealt with. But it didn't actually take much effort; he swaggered in and dragged the Grand Physician Lin, who was in bed with his two newly acquired fourteen-year-old concubines, out. He threw him into the outer hall, and the furious Grand Physician Lin, seeing it was Fourth Brother, immediately calmed down, patting his chest and guaranteeing that even if Fourth Brother wanted to give the girl's parents a diagnosis that would cause them to kick the next day, he could definitely "diagnose" it.
Grand Physician Lin was the top doctor in the capital's medical field, second only to the Imperial Medical Academy; if he said the girl's parents were sick, then they were definitely sick. Fourth Brother even considered whether to have him perform a mental evaluation on Pan Yinlian. A woman with intermittent mental illness who poisoned her husband—what did that have to do with the young master Gao?
He went home and rested for a while. Pang Ban, Pang Xie, Pang Tong, and Pang Xiao all returned.
"What!? They're gone!? All gone!?" "Fourth Brother almost jumped up.
"Yes, when we went there, Wu Bai and Pan Yinlian's neighboring families were all gone."
"Xiao Cui's parents too, nowhere to be seen."
"Piaoxiang Tower is deserted. Only... only one letter was found."
"A letter?" Pang Yi was stunned. "Let me see it."
The letter opened, containing only a short line: "They're all here with me, we'll talk in prison."
Signed: Zhao Yunbi.
Kaifeng
Prefecture. The prison.
In the five-star luxury cell where Pang had once been, two people now sat: Gao Yanei and Qian Shicai, two once arrogant and domineering young masters who ran rampant in the capital. Now, they were subdued.
This was understandable. Only the resolute Fourth Brother could endure the emptiness and loneliness of prison. Which other young master could bear the environment here—ever since the incident of the poisoning, Bao Zheng had thoroughly tightened control over the prison. No matter how powerful or influential the prisoners were, they were not allowed to receive food from outside. They had to eat the three meals a day uniformly provided by Kaifeng Prefecture, and drink the tea uniformly brewed by Kaifeng Prefecture… Actually, the conditions weren't too bad, but the most important thing was the lack of women. Without women, wouldn't that be the death of Third Master Gao and Fourth Master Qian?
“Little Fourth, you’re incredibly resourceful. Hurry up and get a few girls in here, Third Master can’t hold back anymore!”
“I say, Third Master Gao, you’ve only been locked up for a day, and you can’t even hold back for a day?” Through the iron bars, Fourth Brother peeked inside with utter contempt.
“Not a day. Two days, two days!!!” Ya Nei was almost crying in desperation, “Didn’t you say that Big Brother, Big Brother, is hosting a dinner party? All four beauties will be out. I was just thinking of taking the opportunity to get close to them. That’s why I’ve been holding back for a day. I plan to get my fill of them all at once.”
Vulgar, so incredibly vulgar. The son of a dignified Grand Commandant, how could he say such things?
Before Pang could even speak up for “himself” and make a few sarcastic remarks, another ghostly voice rang out from the side: “Little Fourth, Little Fourth, you’d better think of a way to get us out of here, this hellhole is no place for humans—”
“Don’t call me Little Fourth. I’m not a person of low character or shamelessness.”
Gao Ya Nei and Qian Shicai were both stunned, not understanding. What does Xiao Si have to do with being morally corrupt and shameless? (Don't understand? Just Google "Sanmao copied Si," Xiao Si is truly a synonym for shamelessness.)
"Fourth Brother, can I call you Fourth Brother now?!" The lustful man on the cliff almost knelt down. "Hurry up and get some young woman to jail, I'm really holding back..."
Fourth Brother, being a gentleman, could never agree to such an rude, shameless, and inhumane request, and resolutely refused. "Women? No. But if you two gentlemen want to get out as soon as possible, you must honestly answer a few questions for me."
"What questions? Tell me! Tell me quickly!!!" Qian Shicai answered quickly.
"Young Master Qian, haven't you always preferred women a bit older than you, around eighteen or nineteen, in their early twenties? How come you've suddenly changed your mind and come to Piaoxiang Pavilion to pick out a young girl?" "A young girl? Bah!" Qian Shicai cursed, "Young Master has been playing with women for so many years. How could he not tell the difference between girls of different ages? That girl is a bit petite, like a little girl, but she has full breasts. And a slender waist, tsk tsk tsk, her little butt sways as she walks. Isn't that exactly the kind of girl Young Master likes? Whether she's a maid or a young lady, if Young Master takes a fancy to her, he'll sleep with her; if he
can't, he'll make sure she dies, dies, dies!" Fourth Brother completely ignored the latter part of Young Master Qian's arrogant remarks. However, the first part made him frown slightly: "Don't you know that young girl's family is poor? She comes to the brothel to serve the girls and earn a few coins. Doesn't she actually sell herself?"
"Bullshit!" Young Master Qian jumped up. “That girl is obviously not from a poor family. Although the young master hasn’t slept with as many women as his elder brother, when it comes to judging women… humph, daughters from poor families have either worked in the fields or done laundry and mending; do you think their hands wouldn’t have calluses? No! That girl has nothing on her hands! If she’s from a poor family, the young master must be blind!”
Pang frowned even more, then turned to Gao Yanei and asked, “When did you take a liking to Pan Yinlian?”
“Well, uh… this young master has too many women he likes. I can’t remember.”
Pang got up and left.
"Wait, wait, wait. I remember now, I remember, it was probably... about a year ago... She used to be quite virtuous, so she didn't have a chance to seduce anyone. It was recently... um. It was around the time you castrated that little bastard Zhao Shiqing, that old hag from her neighborhood, a woman surnamed Wang, secretly gave her a handkerchief for personal use, and that's how we started our affair—no, wait, she secretly slipped out to serve the young master a few times while her husband was out selling steamed buns."
"Was poisoning Wu Sanlang your idea?"
"No, the young master wouldn't do something so low. The young master's usual way of dealing with people is to find a crime and drag them to the commander's mansion to be beaten to death. He wouldn't stoop to such low tactics as poison." He'd been in jail for a day and a night already. Young Master Qian still hadn't learned his lesson, shouting "Young master!" all day long.
Pang Zhen wished he could lock him up for a month, curb his arrogant nature, and then let him continue hanging out with Fourth Brother. He continued, "Then why did you let her poison you? Couldn't you have 'taken care' yourself?" "
It was Lian'er who said to give it to her. In bed, the young master never refuses a woman's requests."
Pang didn't want to ask any more. Asking again would drive him crazy! He stood up and left.
"Hey, Fourth Brother! Fourth Brother, where are you going!" The two young masters, Gao and Qian, shouted frantically behind him.
"Going to find a way to save you."
"What about the woman?"
"The woman?" Pang sneered.
"You were ruined by this woman. You think you've suffered enough? Want to continue?"
As he walked out of the prison, Long Wu waited at the door.
"Fourth Brother, aren't you going to see Zhao Yunbi?"
"Why see him?" "
The plaintiff and witnesses are in his hands. If we don't bring them back, Third Master and Fourth Master will surely die!"
"Hmph, bringing them back. That's when they'll truly be dead." Pang's voice was low and menacing, carrying a chilling aura that made one's breath catch and their spine go cold.
"Pan Yinlian is controlled by Zhao Yunbi. That's why she actively seduced Gao Laosan. Xiao Cui was simply someone Zhao Yunbi hired to impersonate her. Even Piaoxiang Tower was built to frame Qian Shicai. Poisoning people, smashing people to death—what nonsense! It was all Zhao Yunbi's doing, instructing his subordinates to do it all. Then he framed us!"

Chapter 221 Dogs Biting Dog

Zhao Yunbi, Zhao Yunbi, how dare you scheme against Fourth Brother? Bah!
This scoundrel had planned it all along. He thought that by taking advantage of Anle Hou's serious illness and inability to retaliate, he could frame him and eliminate Anle Hou, making the capital the domain of the Prince's faction. But then a clever and brave servant suddenly appeared in the Grand Tutor's mansion, turning the tide and thwarting his carefully planned conspiracy.
Zhao Yunbi refused to give up, so a series of conspiracies followed. He used Pan Yinlian to seduce Gao Yanei, claiming that he was the mastermind behind the murder of her husband. He used this opportunity to eliminate the second-in-command of the Crown Prince's faction.
This was all planned long ago. The reason it hadn't been launched yet was because the time wasn't right.
Zhao Yunbi remained still. His fourth brother struck first, using the case of the Southern Tang rebels to frame him and send him to prison. Although Zhao Yunbi was caught off guard and fell into his fourth brother's trap, unfortunately becoming the prime suspect,
Zhao Yunbi, as the leader of the Prince's faction, was no fool to sit idly by and wait for his doom. He immediately turned the tables, instructing Pan Yinlian to "launch" the framing of Gao Ya. At the same time, he devised another scheme to drag Qian Shicai into the mess as well.
His plan was meticulous. He was certain that his fourth brother, being the most loyal, would compromise to ensure the safety of his two brothers. He would offer to stop framing Zhao Yunbi and hand over all the fabricated evidence in exchange for the release of the witnesses. But in reality, both the plaintiff and the witnesses were his own doing. Even if his fourth brother "bribed" the witnesses before bringing them to court, they would suddenly change their minds and betray him. At that point, his fourth brother would have no decisive evidence, and Zhao Yunbi would be safe. Meanwhile, Gao Ya Nei and Qian Shicai, because of the plaintiff and witnesses' insistence and his subsequent manipulation, would surely be convicted and face death! A
perfect counterattack, orchestrated by the Prince of Beihai. Successful
? Successful my foot! His fourth brother, after only a few questions in prison, had already uncovered this elaborate conspiracy. So why bother talking to Zhao Yunbi? Was he just walking into the line of fire?
Playing along is out of the question. Turning the tables is impossible. Zhao Yunbi isn't that stupid. He'll insist on letting him go first, then handing over the witnesses. Even if Fourth Brother had immense power, he couldn't reverse that. So, we won't even meet or talk. We'll just leave.
Fourth Brother isn't in a hurry, not at all. What's the rush? Rebellion is a capital offense, punishable by immediate execution. Killing someone can be dragged out until the autumn execution with a little manipulation. There are still a hundred days until then, why rush? If anyone
's going to die, it'll be Zhao Yunbi first. Fourth Brother isn't in a hurry, not at all. Really. Aside from appropriately appeasing the brothers at the publishing house, he went about his business for the next few days, focusing most of his attention on guiding the development of Pang's products, and spending a small portion of his time sleeping at the bedside of the beautiful Zou in Qixiufang. He didn't concern himself with the case. Why would he ask? Let's see if Zhao Yunbi can hold out. Fourth Brother's patience is truly remarkable. As for those two good-for-nothing underlings, hmph. I've only ever heard of people dying from exhaustion. When have they ever been so consumed by lust for women that they couldn't bear it anymore… Fourth Brother, being a man of honor, had someone send a drill in, to make a hole in the wall and poke around. It's time they suffered a bit. These two纨绔子弟 (spoiled brats) who only know how to eat, drink, play, and sleep with women, if they continue like this, their lives will be ruined. Fourth Brother isn't just good at using his body to relieve the worries of lovesick young women; he's also very adept at using his mind to save pleasure-seeking young masters. In the blink of an eye, three days had passed. As a good man who cares for his family and loves his wife, Fourth Brother didn't go out. He spent the whole day with Xiuxiang. But as the saying goes, "A mountain monk doesn't know the passage of time, but a falling leaf tells him autumn is here," Fourth Brother, staying at home, was still fully aware of the situation in the capital. Ever since Yang Yan caused a scene at Kaifeng Prefecture and was slapped in public by Mu Guiying upon her return, locking herself in the woodshed and crying all night in grievance, the veteran generals who had watched their young lady grow up and doted on her most had completely erupted. They led their respective troops and personal guards to Kaifeng Prefecture to cause trouble—not to demand Bao Zheng quickly solve the case and give them an explanation, but to force Kaifeng Prefecture to hand over Zhao Yunbi. They wanted him chopped into pieces! The capital's garrison, guarding the four gates of Bianliang and maintaining daily order, was under the command of the Grand Commandant's office. Grand Commandant Gao was a principled official. Normally, he wouldn't side with either side. But since Bao Zheng dared to arrest his precious son, Grand Commandant Gao was furious. He instructed the gate guards that anyone from the Yang family army carrying weapons into the city should be allowed to pass unconditionally; those without weapons should be given weapons. If Kaifeng Prefecture sent someone to request support… they absolutely had to go. However… The Imperial Guard's Office has been busy searching for rebels from the Southern Tang Dynasty. Their manpower and military strength are extremely limited. A squad leader with ten soldiers arrives every half hour, but they are all unarmed—too many soldiers have been sent out to search for rebels, and the armory is empty! In short, Kaifeng Prefecture has been almost completely destroyed in the past few days. The gates are broken and repaired. Before they're fully repaired, they're smashed again. Repair again, and they're smashed again. Repair again, and they're still smashed. The Kaifeng Prefecture's constables, after finishing their "duty," are guaranteed a beating on their way home, often with a sack over their head as they turn a corner. Then they're beaten until their heads are swollen like pigs. Those who live further away can be beaten eight times on a single trip home. And it's not just at night; the beatings happen during the day too. They're fast, ruthless, and retreat even faster. They disappear in the blink of an eye after the beating; their training is definitely better than the Imperial Guards! A semi-riot has broken out at the Yang Family Army camp on the outskirts of the city. Mu Guiying can no longer control them. It's not that she hasn't tried. Conversely, without her forceful control over the army as marshal, and with Grand Commandant Gao's almost complete blind indulgence, those few second-generation military men in the Yang family army who had long admired Yang Yan—Jiao Xiaozan, Meng Xiaoliang, and Yue Xiaosheng—could have easily gathered three to five thousand men and burned Kaifeng Prefecture to the ground! The situation in Kaifeng Prefecture can only be described as "tragic." The main gate is rotten, beyond repair. As soon as it gets dark, people throw rotten eggs and vegetable leaves over the wall. The Kaifeng Prefecture's yamen runners and constables, who used to be able to get out of the way of thugs and hooligans wherever they went, now if you see someone in official robes being beaten and screaming in pain on the street, nine times out of ten they are from Kaifeng Prefecture… In just a few days, the prestige of the capital city has been completely destroyed, and it's not just the Yang family army causing trouble; the prince's faction is also making trouble. Zhao Yunbi has been arrested by the Kaifeng Prefecture. Listed as the prime suspect, the prince's faction descended into chaos. With their leader in trouble, how could the underlings not panic? They went home and started causing trouble. They insisted that the Kaifeng Prefecture had bullied the imperial family, leaving Bao Zheng overwhelmed with problems at the yamen. At court, he was constantly besieged by a large group of powerful relatives, including Zhao Yunbi's father, Prince Zhen Zhao Yuanwo; Zhao Zonghui's father, Prince Runan Zhao Jie; Zhao Shikai's father, Prince Pingyang Zhao Shengyun. Even Prime Minister Lü quietly advised him: "Xiren (Bao Zheng's courtesy name), don't go too far. Investigate whichever side you want and then release them accordingly. Give me a clear answer! This ambiguity is making you offend all the imperial family and ministers. How can the case continue? You're receiving a salary from the Song Dynasty; you should be eliminating traitors for the country!" Even at this point, Bao Zheng remained unrepentant. He insisted on continuing his "fairness," trying both sides. He wanted to win over both sides. The investigation into Zhao Yunbi's alleged collusion with rebels was intensified, and the cases involving Gao Yanei and Qian Shicai were subjected to simultaneous trials. Aside from routine court appearances, he was almost constantly working on the cases. In stark contrast, his fourth brother ate, drank, and slept well, living a carefree and leisurely life. He relied on the timely reports compiled and delivered by his subordinates to keep him informed of major events in the capital without ever leaving his residence. The prison was in complete chaos. Zhao Yunbi, who had initially remained calm and believed his loyal fourth brother would compromise and negotiate, waited for three days without seeing him. He was frantic and on the verge of tears. Through his information channels, he learned that Bao Zheng had amassed more and more evidence of his "collusion with rebels." And the Marquis of Anle seemed completely disregarding his brother's life, refusing to negotiate. It appeared he was prepared to trade two lives for one of Zhao Yunbi's, a fight to the death. The death of two纨绔 (playboys) in the Crown Prince's faction is no big deal, but the Prince's faction will be completely destroyed without him! When Zhao Yunbi realized his "negotiation plan" had utterly failed, it was too late. Bao Zheng, in order to uphold his so-called "justice," needed to solidify Pang's charges before he could rightfully sentence Gao Yanei and Qian Shicai according to the law, even before Pang himself went to court to report on the Kaifeng Prefecture's disregard for arresting rebels over a trivial case. Pang, at home, continued to selflessly supply evidence to the Kaifeng Prefecture. After all, the rebels were in cahoots with him; they had all the genuine evidence—small items proving their identities, correspondence, and agreements between the two sides. No need for forgery; with Zhao Yunbi imprisoned and the Beihai Prince's Mansion in chaos, there was no one in charge. Just bury some under trees, stuff some in cabinets. Easy. And what about the Yang family army? Some were resentful and wanted to beat up the Kaifeng Prefecture officials on the road. But the Kaifeng Prefecture also had its own experts. They would often retaliate quietly, with Fourth Brother sending Long Wu with a group of skilled fighters. Their specialty was finishing off the culprits. For example, if someone in Kaifeng Prefecture was badly beaten by the Yang family army, and after the Yang army fled, before the sacks covering their heads were removed, Long Wu and his men would stab them a couple more times. Let them bleed a little—uh. Fourth Brother was a civilized man; he didn't order his men to kill people indiscriminately. How could someone die? Who would go back and expose who stabbed them? Of course, the Yang family's people would also seek revenge on the Prince's faction. The same old routine. You fight. I'll stab you. Provoking conflict between the two sides. Let them fight like dogs.

In short, the capital is in chaos. Emperor Renzong has ordered his officials to suppress the news. The carefully maintained harmony of Bianliang has become a battleground where Kaifeng Prefecture, the Yang family army, and the Prince's faction are locked in a fierce struggle.
The Fourth Prince, who orchestrated this century-long conflict, is now standing aside, leisurely watching the drama unfold at home, waiting for Zhao Yunbi, desperate to survive, to come begging him for mercy and a way out!
Sure enough, that very night, someone visited the Grand Tutor's residence.
However, it wasn't someone from the Prince's faction, but rather…

Chapter 222: A Hard Stand

Against Zhao Xuanhuang. There are usually two kinds of handsome men. One is breathtakingly handsome, with unparalleled strength and elegance. Like Chu Liuxiang's handsomeness, or the Fourth Prince's, where even a glance or a smile is breathtakingly handsome. No woman in the world can resist it; the other kind of handsomeness is a man with feminine features. It can be roughly understood as many beautiful young ladies disguising themselves as men, their fair faces and jade-like features inadvertently captivating other girls who fall in love with "him" at first sight. They vow to marry no one but him. Countless similar anecdotes exist in novel reviews throughout history.
Yes, that's right, Zhao Xuanhuang is the second type of handsome man, even though he's a pure man. Pure as a man could be, yet when he wears a snow-white robe, his hair tied up with a jade crown, the black and white contrasting beautifully with his handsome features, he appears as a refined and elegant gentleman, refined and otherworldly. If he were to hold a jade flute or something, he would be like a celestial being who has accidentally fallen to earth.
But unfortunately, Fourth Brother only likes women. So now, with the pure man Zhao Xuanhuang standing before him, no matter how alluringly handsome that face is, he's like looking at a piece of wood, showing no reaction whatsoever.
"This king wants to see your Marquis," Zhao Xuanhuang said directly.
"Ah?" Pang Bantian remembered that there was someone in front of him. Not being a block of wood, he casually replied, "No."
"Why?" A prince, a prince of the first rank! Rejected so bluntly by a mere servant, Zhao Xuanhuang remained unperturbed. He simply stared at him, a flicker of doubt crossing his long, phoenix-shaped eyes.
"The Marquis is ill," Fourth Brother blurted out. Then, realizing this was a curse, he quickly added, "The Marquis is still recovering from a serious illness and cannot receive guests. Please forgive him, Prince Chen."
Zhao Xuanhuang smiled faintly, maintaining his usual composure: "I have important matters to discuss with your lord in person. You can go and report truthfully. I believe Marquis Anle won't refuse me even this small favor."
Fourth Brother completely ignored him. He wasn't even bothering to pretend to go back to Chunmanyuan to "report." He shook his head directly: "I'm sorry, Your Highness. My Marquis has ordered that he will not see anyone."
"Not even me?"
"No. "
"Really not. " "No." " Can't you make an exception?" "No." "Really not?" Fourth Brother was annoyed by the questions and wondered if Zhao Xuanhuang was deaf. He couldn't understand his standard Beijing-accented Mandarin. If this wasn't his future brother-in-law, Long Wu would have thrown him out long ago, regardless of whether he was a prince or not. "It—is—not—anything—cannot!!!" He drew out the words and repeated them very seriously. "Outrageous!" Zhao Xuanhuang finally got angry and shouted. "Although Marquis Anle is the son of the Grand Tutor and the current emperor's brother-in-law, am I inferior to him? I came to visit today. He won't even see me. What is the reason for this?" "There is no reason. The Marquis simply cannot receive guests." Pang rolled his eyes. Zhao Xuanhuang raised his beautiful eyebrows and smiled instead of getting angry: "Are you forcing me to force my way in?" Pang shrugged. He chuckled, "Your Highness is a man of refined taste. To be stopped by a mere servant, to force your way in would be a disgrace to your family." Zhao Xuanhuang was experiencing firsthand his cunning and manipulative eloquence. However, unlike others who were ridiculed by their fourth brother, he didn't fly into a rage. Instead, he smiled and took another half-step forward, almost meeting Pang's gaze directly. He said with a confident and resolute tone, "No matter what, I must see Marquis Anle today." Pang's mind raced. He had already vaguely guessed Zhao Xuanhuang's purpose. "Your Highness, please forgive me. My Marquis truly cannot receive guests." He repeated the words he had said countless times. "Your Highness can speak to me. I will convey your message." "How dare you!" The middle-aged swordsman behind Zhao Yunbi roared. "What is your status? You dare to challenge my Prince…" Zhao Xuanhuang waved his hand to stop him. He stared unblinkingly at Pang. Pang couldn't possibly lose in terms of imposing presence. So he was also staring at him—damn, at the last launch ceremony, there were so many guests that he'd chatted with his future brother-in-law about business and hadn't noticed him, but now, up close, he was striking. He exuded a captivating elegance, his brows veiled in a light mist, his eyes brimming with autumn water, and he actually… actually possessed a beauty that surpassed even that of a woman! If it were a woman, she'd probably be mesmerized. Pang, however, felt a chill run down his spine—"I only love beautiful women. Forget about backstabpers, get out of here!!!" Seeing Zhao Xuanhuang like this… Pang had no more patience for stalling or haggling and cut to the chase: "What exactly does Your Highness want to discuss with my Marquis?" Zhao Xuanhuang slowly replied, word by word: "About Yunbi, and Your Highness's faction." "What!?" Pang was taken aback, instinctively taking two steps back—actually, he couldn't bear being so close to a man who was overly dashing and effeminate, even more so than a woman. "It's a matter of great importance, and I must discuss it in detail with Marquis Anle in person." Zhao Xuanhuang shrugged. He took a step inside. "Wait!" Pang suddenly appeared, blocking his way again. Again and again, he had obstructed him. Zhao Yunbi's personal guard, the middle-aged swordsman whose face was as cold as iron and hadn't changed since entering, was finally enraged. His thick eyebrows furrowed, and his tiger-like eyes flashed with a chilling light. He grabbed Pang's shoulder, ready to throw him around and beat him half to death. "Severely punish this audacious servant of the Grand Tutor's mansion who dared to disrespect the Prince time and again! " "Fengxian. Stop!" Zhao Xuanhuang, true to his name, still managed to stop his subordinate, maintaining his usual composure. Then, he uttered only one sentence. One sentence. "If Marquis Anle does not see me, I guarantee he will regret it for the rest of his life." Pang paused for a moment, then abruptly changed to a solemn expression: "Please dismiss your attendants, Your Highness. I can only speak to you alone, and please do not divulge this to anyone else." ... "Atypical swine flu!?" Zhao Xuanhuang looked up in astonishment. His long, delicate phoenix eyes stared at Pang with suspicion. "Yes, Your Excellency has contracted a very, very strange illness. At first, the symptoms resemble the common flu or typhoid fever, such as coughing, convulsions, and excessive phlegm. But after three to five days, the body suddenly develops intermittent high fever, accompanied by headache, sore throat, weakness, and severe muscle pain. Then comes vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Within just ten days of onset, bleeding occurs uncontrollably from all parts of the body—nose, eyes, ears… brownish-red blood gushes out. Necrotic internal organs even spill out of the mouth! This is no exaggeration. The scene… oh my… it's terrifying… the patient eventually seems to melt away right before your eyes!" Pang used both hands and words, describing it in a very horrifying way. There was no other way. He had to dissuade this guy from meeting him in person, otherwise everything would be exposed. He had no choice but to make things up, exaggerating the most horrifying aspects. But Zhao Xuanhuang was not deterred. Instead, his gaze became increasingly suspicious.

"Ah. I didn't explain clearly." Pang said calmly. He added slowly, "My lord did contract this disease. But he is a lucky man, protected by the gods. He fought against the disease for a full forty-nine days and finally pulled through. Since then, the virus has produced antibodies in his body. He will not get sick again. However, he can still transmit the virus to others—Your Highness doesn't understand? Oh. Then let me explain it this way, Your Highness knows about plagues. It's when a large-scale outbreak occurs, initially one person gets sick. Then it spreads to two people, two people get sick, then it spreads to four people, four people spread to eight…Your Highness, do you understand what I mean?"
Zhao Xuanhuang's deep, dark eyes swept over him, and he nodded slightly: "Last year, a plague broke out in Jinghu South Road. I was ordered by the Emperor to go to Tanzhou, Jiezhou, Daozhou, Yongzhou and other places to appease the people. I personally witnessed the plague ravaging the area. Within a hundred miles, all households were wiped out, nine out of ten houses were empty. How could I not know how terrible the plague was?"
"That's good. Now that Your Highness understands, you can better understand my master's predicament. Your Highness, you know, right? People who initially contracted the plague usually recover and are no longer susceptible to infection. However, they can transmit the plague to others. My Marquis is in this situation now. He is fine himself, but as soon as he comes into contact with someone, that person will be infected with the disease. He will die within ten days, and there is no cure!"
Seeing that Zhao Xuanhuang still had her delicate eyebrows furrowed. Pang emphasized again, “Your Highness, to be honest, my lord is currently ‘isolated’ in a secluded basement in Chunman Garden. Besides me, wearing seven layers of clothing and covering my mouth and nose with coarse cotton cloth, carefully delivering his three meals a day, no one else is allowed near him—Your Highness, don’t think I’m exaggerating. This is the preventative experience we gained after twenty-five servants, eleven maids, and five doctors in our household contracted the plague while serving or treating the lord. Medicine was ineffective, and they all died bleeding from all seven orifices!”
Zhao Yunbi smiled faintly, “It’s alright. Since you can risk contracting the disease to deliver food to the Marquis of Anle, can’t I take the risk and try it myself?”
"Your Highness, you are mistaken!" Pang Yizheng interrupted him sternly. "I am but a lowly servant. I owe my current wealth and honor to the Marquis (the new leader of the Crown Prince Party and CEO of the Pang Group—isn't that wealth and honor?). Taking care of the Marquis's daily needs is my duty. I would be willing to die from the disease. But Your Highness is different. You are of noble birth; how can you risk such a terrible fate? What if… if you also contract the disease and die? Our Grand Tutor's Mansion truly cannot bear this responsibility. Even if I die ten thousand times, it wouldn't be enough to atone for Your Highness's sins."
Hearing this, Zhao Xuanhuang finally understood—the Marquis of Anle's infectious disease might not be so terrifying. Perhaps he was simply recuperating at home, and the order not to receive guests might have been given, but Zhao Xuanhuang still had to give him face. However, this lowly servant named Pang Yizheng was afraid to take responsibility. Afraid to die! If a prince were to truly contract the disease, someone from the Grand Tutor's Mansion would definitely have to take responsibility. That was undoubtedly Pang Si! So whether it was an exaggeration or a false order, Pang Si was adamant about not letting him see Marquis Anle.
He took a deep breath, maintaining his elegant smile: "Since your master cannot receive guests, then I, the King, have come to ask Marquis Anle to be lenient and spare Yunbi. Who in the manor can make that decision?"
"Me!" Pang pointed to himself, his arrogance barely concealed in his smile.
~~~~~~~~

Chapter 223 The Imperial City of the Great Song Dynasty, I Am the Only One

"I."
"I really can't understand." In the reception room, Pang Yu smiled as he looked at the handsome and refined young prince opposite him. "I really can't understand why Your Highness would come. Zhao Yunbi has gone to great lengths and devoted himself to his career, just to lead the imperial family and enter the court to govern. But Your Highness would rather give up the power and fame that are within your grasp and live a free and unrestrained life. Such a noble and unworldly Prince Chen has come to ask my family to let Zhao Yunbi off the hook. This..."
"Isn't this too unbelievable?" Zhao Xuanhuang picked up his teacup with his slender fingers, which were comparable to those of a woman, and took a sip of the fine pre-Qingming Longjing tea.
"It's not just unbelievable, Your Highness. If you hadn't long ago been a prince whom Zhao Yunbi could only dream of, I would have almost thought you were his accomplice."
"If I were Yunbi's accomplice, I really wouldn't need to come to Marquis Anle for help." Zhao Xuanhuang sighed leisurely.
"Your Highness is at someone's behest, and has no choice but to come to my master for help?" "More or less." "
Prince Zhen, Zhao Yuan?"
"And Prince Runan and Prince Pingyang, three imperial uncles have come together for a visit. I cannot refuse such an honor."
"Oh, is that so? So Your Highness has your reasons." Pang Yu gave a knowing smile.
"Not entirely." Zhao Xuanhuang shrugged, a glint of shrewdness hidden in his warm eyes. "Even if my uncles hadn't come knocking, I wouldn't have stood idly by." His expression suddenly turned cold: "Does Your Highness, like Bao Zheng, consider yourself a champion of justice? Or do you have a grudge against my master and resent the Crown Prince's growing power?" For
a mere servant like him to speak to the most powerful young member of the imperial clan in such an attitude would terrify even the servants of the Grand Tutor's mansion, who had often witnessed their fourth brother's audacity. Zhao Xuanhuang remained unperturbed. He smiled faintly and countered, "What do you think the Emperor will do if Yunbi is found guilty of colluding with rebels? What will become of the Crown Prince's faction and the Prince's faction?"
"The Prince's faction? Hahaha—" Pang Yu laughed loudly, his laughter arrogant and conceited. "Zhao Yunbi colluded with rebels. The evidence is conclusive. Who in the Prince's Party can escape involvement? The Prince's Party... Heh heh. From now on, these three words will be swept into the dust of history like a grain of sand. A gust of wind, and perhaps not even a shadow will remain." Zhao Xuanhuang narrowed his phoenix eyes. His smile held a rare hint of deep shrewdness. "From ancient times to the present, in dynasties like Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang, even under wise rulers, factional strife in the court was never truly eradicated. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, veteran officials like Tian Anguo, Han Anguo, and Zhuang Qingzhai repeatedly attacked young generals like Li Guang and Wei Qing. Emperor Wu knew that the Han dynasty relied solely on these two to protect it, yet he did not punish the veteran officials who attacked them, lest the two generals seize power and become too powerful, overshadowing the emperor. During the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang, the old Guanzhong cliques and meritorious generals engaged in open and covert struggles. Emperor Taizong, a sage of the ages, did not suppress them but instead deliberately maintained a balance between the two factions, leading to the unprecedented prosperity of the Tang Empire during the Zhenguan era. However, in the later Tang dynasty, factional strife raged, and politics became chaotic. From the Niu-Li factional struggle to the eunuch's monopoly of power, every ten years or so, a group of people would emerge victorious from the factional struggle, controlling the court, becoming dominant, and acting recklessly, ultimately leading to the downfall of the empire..."
Pang Yu was incredibly intelligent; how could he not understand his meaning? He sneered, "Your Highness thinks too highly of us. The sons of high-ranking officials and members of the imperial family fighting over women, snatching guns and getting into fights—what kind of factional strife is that?"
"But you also said that the battles of wits and strength among you young nobles are no child's play. Your intrigue and deception are no less than the factional struggles in the court." Zhao Xuanhuang stared into his eyes, his deep gaze seemingly able to see right through him. "His Majesty is a benevolent ruler throughout the ages, with the well-being of all people at heart. Although the Crown Prince's faction and the Prince's faction have committed many misdeeds in the capital before, they have always been mutually opposed and restrained, so neither side can truly harm the other. The harm they cause is ultimately limited. His Majesty, out of consideration for the imperial family and certain ministers, has turned a blind eye and remained indifferent. But this time, Zhao Yunbi is embroiled in a major treason case. If he falls, Bianliang City will become the domain of your Prince's faction. At that time, I fear your lawlessness and recklessness will be so great that even Lord Bao cannot restrain you. Do you think His Majesty would tolerate such a powerful faction that harms the people?" "
Then, Your Highness, how do you think His Majesty will ultimately handle this case?"
"If..." Zhao Xuanhuang smiled faintly.
“If all the evidence and witnesses are there, even the Emperor can't save Yunbi. But right now, Judge Bao only has physical evidence proving Yunbi colluded with the rebels. As for witnesses… hehehe. Pang De is already dead. And even if he were alive, he could only prove that Yunbi bribed the Grand Tutor's family.
” You're saying that because the evidence is incomplete and ambiguous, even if Judge Bao wants to impose a heavy sentence, the Emperor has sufficient grounds to pardon Yunbi, so my lord can't destroy the Prince's faction with this alone.”
“That's right.”
"You're wrong!" Pang Yu revealed a smug smile, waving his hand at him with amusement.
"Witnesses, there are, and it's Tie
Zhao Xuanhuang." Huang opened his phoenix eyes wide, looking at him in surprise, then suddenly realized: "You mean... the Yang family?"
"Yes, the Yang family." Pang Yu leisurely raised his teacup and took a sip. "The Yang family's army saw the assassin enter Zhao Yunbi's mansion with their own eyes. Before dying, he used his last breath to tell the brothers who came to his aid. All the Yang family's army brothers who heard his last words are witnesses."
"Entering the mansion could also be just passing by."
"Your Highness can think that way, but the Yang family won't." Pang Yu sneered, "Even if His Majesty is willing to maintain the balance between the two powerful playboy factions in the capital, he still has to give the Yang family and the Tianbo Mansion an explanation." "The tens of thousands of Yang family soldiers currently stationed outside the city are all straightforward, iron-blooded men. They don't care about the law..."
Pang Yu deliberately paused, abruptly rising from his seat, looking down at the handsome prince opposite him with an arrogant and domineering air of controlling the world and having everything under control.
"Murder is punishable by death."
Zhao Xuanhuang shuddered, unable to hide the astonishment on his face.
"Chuixue, see the guests out—" He waved his hand, turned around, and went to the backyard without looking back.
"Wait! Come back!!!" Zhao Xuanhuang called after him, but his fourth brother ignored him. Later, in the reception room, Chuixue stammered,
"When I was seeing the guests out... Prince Chen seemed... seemed very angry... Will the consequences... will they be... very serious, ah!"
With a scream, she was kicked in the buttocks and flew out, rolling around on the ground.
"What do you know?" "Pang Yu sneered and glanced at him sideways. "Since Zhao Xuanhuang was willing to come to my door, and even lower himself to talk to a mere servant like me for so long, it means he truly has some reason why he can't let Zhao Yunbi die. So don't be fooled by my order to leave this time; he'll be back soon."
Zhao Xuanhuang, oh Zhao Xuanhuang, why are you getting involved in my feud with Zhao Yunbi?
Looking at the half-finished teacup left by his future brother-in-law across the table, a glint of ice flashed in his eyes. "I'm destroying the Prince's faction to avenge Xiuxiang. I'm determined to take Zhao Yunbi's life. Anyone who dares to stand in my way will die!" When has
Fourth Brother's brilliant strategy ever failed?
Zhao Xuanhuang, whom he had just seen off in the morning, had indeed returned by evening.
"What is the purpose of Marquis Anle's desire to kill Zhao Yunbi and destroy the Prince's faction?" "Once both sides were seated, Zhao Xuanhuang got straight to the point.
"My lord has no great ambitions. He doesn't care about power, fame, or anything like that. He just wants to be a carefree playboy, without anyone standing in his way or constantly opposing him." Pang Yu spoke slowly, as if chatting with a friend, his words devoid of any sharpness. "What the lord wants is for all the young masters and playboys in the capital to bow down at his feet, to be obedient and subservient to him. If the lord wants something done, someone will rush to do it; if the lord dislikes someone, someone will rush to trample on them; if the lord takes a fancy to someone's woman, that person must obediently offer her up. No one can disobey the lord's will; anyone who dares will disappear from the world..." "
In short, it's just eight words." Pang Yu propped himself up on the table with one hand, half-standing up and looking down at him. "
In the capital of the Great Song Dynasty, I am the only one who is supreme
." "Supreme, huh..." Zhao Xuanhuang smiled knowingly, raised his head to meet his gaze, and faint blue veins appeared on his slightly translucent face.
"Even without kicking someone when they're down and accusing them of colluding with rebels, you could still ensure that the only playboy in the capital is Marquis Anle, that the two young masters Gao and Qian remain unscathed, that the Crown Prince's faction dominates Bianliang, and that even the lives of the Yang family and Bao Zheng are in Marquis Anle's hands. I wonder if Your Highness is interested?"
Pang Yu raised an eyebrow slightly and smiled, "Your Highness's conditions sound quite tempting."
Zhao Xuanhuang also smiled, "Not my conditions, but the conditions that the Prince of Zhen, the Prince of Runan, the Prince of Pingyang, and Yunbi in prison can promise Marquis Anle, and..." He imitated Pang Yu, deliberately drawing out his words, "And I've heard that Yang Paifeng of the Tianbo Mansion and Yang Yan, the eldest daughter of the Yang family, have always been at odds with Lord Tianding. If Lord Tianding can persuade Marquis Anle to spare Yunbi's life, these two women..." "
are at my disposal?"
"Yes."
"Your Highness, don't boast. The Yang family isn't so easily dealt with..."
"Rest assured, I never make promises lightly, but once I do, I always keep them." This time it was Zhao Xuanhuang's turn to interrupt him, a wicked smile playing on his gentle, almost feminine lips.
"Well, Lord Tian Ding, could you speak on my behalf and persuade Marquis Anle?"
"Hmm, I'll try." Pang Yu returned a lewd smile, a glint of cunning flashing in his eyes.

Chapter 224 Strange Sounds in the Prison

Kaifeng Prefecture, the prison.
Dim, yellowish light illuminated the narrow passageway, stretching deeper and deeper into the inner sanctum of the powerful.
The further in you go, the higher the rank of the prison cells. Given Bao Zheng's penchant for punishing the powerful and wealthy, these cells should be the most crowded. However, the incorruptible Judge Bao has been overwhelmed by cases involving rebels and two murders of "quasi-top-level powerful figures," leaving him with neither the will nor the power to intervene in other cases. Therefore, only Zhao Yunbi, Qian Shicai, and Gao Yanei
are currently imprisoned. The Crown Prince's faction and the Prince's faction are sworn enemies! This is common knowledge throughout the capital, and Bao Zheng is no exception. Therefore, Zhao Yunbi's, Qian Shicai's, and Gao Yanei's cells are far apart, even on different paths. Otherwise, even with three or five cell doors separating them, they could argue all night long, not even sleeping.
From Gao Yanei and Qian Shicai's cells, a very strange sound is coming from afar—definitely not something that should be coming from a prison!
Is this possible? This is a prison, not a brothel!
"Slap... slap slap slap slap... slap slap slap slap—" That's how it should sound!
A dense series of "slap slap slap slap slap" sounds.
Slap slap slap slap!? How could there be such a sound in the prison!? Even poking at the wall wouldn't sound like this!
Fourth Brother was puzzled and strode in to see what was going on. Fifth Brother listened intently but couldn't figure out what was happening inside. He whispered, "Fourth Brother, something's not right. Let me go in first..."
"It's alright." Pang Yu knew his two useless underlings' capabilities. In this airtight prison, where only a few people were allowed in for visits by Bao Zheng, they couldn't pull off anything.
When Pang Yu went in, the sound continued. Unlike last time when Qian Shicai clung to the bars inside the high cliff, eagerly waiting for his "rescue," this time when he opened the passageway door and stood facing the cell looking inside, both of them were doing their own thing, completely ignoring the arrival of their savior.
Gao Ya was curled up in a corner of the cell, legs up, fast asleep. You could say he was asleep, but our Uncle Gao was still muttering, "Lian'er...good Lian'er...my dear, sweet Lian'er. Come...sit on your lap...your lord will love you...oh...ah...so tight...oh oh oh oh...ah ah ah ah..." His body trembled violently as he cried out. His crotch was soaked. Damn it
. Is this all he's got?! Fourth Brother almost kicked him. But Qian Shicai's strange behavior in the next room (uh, a two-bedroom VIP ward) caught his attention.
Grandpa Qian, who treats money like dirt—too much money is like dirt, isn't it? At this moment, our Grandpa Qian was actually sitting properly on the small table opposite the bed. Countless yellowed notebooks were piled up beside him. Grandpa Qian held an abacus in his hand, his ten fingers flying across the page with a "clack, clack, clack, clack."
This...this...this...he's doing arithmetic?!
Fourth Brother was dumbfounded.
He had been a good student since childhood, winning the provincial abacus championship at the age of seven. In those days when computers were far from widespread, almost all data calculations were done using this thing. He remembered when he went to the provincial math olympiad center for special training to prepare for the national competition, the center invited so-called abacus experts to guide him. Now, recalling it, that so-called top abacus expert in the bank
was like the difference between Zhan Zhao and the fairy sister in swordsmanship compared to our Grandpa Qian.
Too damn fast!
Besides swearing, Fourth Brother really couldn't think of any words to describe the speed at which Qian Shicai picked up the abacus. Normally, abacus calculation is primarily done with the right hand. The left hand assists in moving numbers, proceeding from the highest to the lowest digit. Even with rapid movements, the general order is still discernible. But our Uncle Qian, with both hands hanging limply over his golden jade abacus, his head swaying wildly, his ten fingers moving like the wind, flicking, twisting, hooking, and moving—it was unbelievably fast!
I can't keep up! I can't keep up!! I absolutely can't keep up!!! As a former abacus expert, Fourth Brother's sharp eyes, capable of seeing through even mosaics, were completely unable to keep up with Qian Shicai's speed. Only the rapid, heavy "clack-clack-clack-clack" sounds echoed in the cell. Occasionally, he would stop to pick up a yellow book and then suddenly accelerate again, so fast…so fast that Fourth Brother could only see afterimages!
"What…what is he…doing?" Fourth Brother became increasingly confused, completely unable to understand. If Uncle Qian was really calculating, what was he calculating?
"What else could he be doing? Accounting, of course." "Gao Ya Nei woke up sometime earlier, staggering over and yawning lazily.
"Accounting!?"
"He can do accounts?" Fourth Brother almost jumped up, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.
"Of course, Fourth Brother's father started from scratch. When he first started doing business, Fourth Brother was only five years old. The family was poor, desperately poor. They couldn't even afford an accountant. His father was busy running around doing business and couldn't spare the time, so he had to leave all the accounts to Fourth Brother."
"Five years old and doing accounts?"
"Yes, don't underestimate Fourth Brother." Old Master Gao was probably suffering from too much nocturnal emission, resulting in kidney deficiency and physical weakness, even his voice was weak: "I heard from Uncle Qian that Fourth Brother was very accurate at accounting back then. Don't underestimate him because he was young, he never made a mistake, it's simply a natural talent! A genius!!!" "
Uncle Qian was pitiful. He came to the capital alone to make his way in the world, and his first wife died of illness. He only had this one son by his side. He didn't trust outsiders to manage the accounts, so he had Lao Si do it for two years. Later, as the business grew bigger and bigger, he found a trustworthy accountant, and Lao Si was finally freed. However, by the end of the year, when the Qian family's business was spread all over the country, it would take ten accountants ten days to finish the accounts before they could be handed over to Lao Si. At most, it would take three days, and they would guarantee that the accounts would be clear and without any mistakes."
Pang Yu was even more incredulous. I said, "This Mr. Qian, who always calls me 'Young Master,' acts eccentrically, and is arrogant and unrestrained, actually has such a glorious history!?"
"Sigh—" Gao Ya sighed, unusually moved, "When I first met Lao Si, he wasn't like this. He was a very intelligent young man, really, smart and quick-witted. It was only after he met Big Brother and we became sworn brothers that Lao Si started to follow us around in our debauchery." "Going to brothels, gambling dens, and whoring—after a while, his brilliance will disappear. Hey, don't glare at me! The Qian family has weathered it all, they're rich and powerful now, they have money to burn, why bother with accounting? Enjoying life is only right!"
"Only right? Hmph, hehehe!" Pang Yu nodded and smiled. He understood why Qian Shicai occasionally had flashes of brilliance; a person who does arithmetic, how could their mind not be sharp? It seems that wine, women, wealth, and anger haven't completely corrupted his innate talent. If some effort is put into salvaging and nurturing it, his future might be very promising.
Gao Ya was still rambling on: "This time, if it weren't for the fourth brother being locked up in jail, and having no women to do with, and being so bored, he probably would never touch an abacus again in his life." "Accounts?"
"The complete account books of the Qian family's 125 shops in the capital over the past ten years."
"How long has it been?"
"About... three days. Or four days?" Gao Yanei tapped his head, "I slept too much and don't remember."
Pang Yu almost kicked him in anger. Qian Shicai stopped at this moment.
"Finished, 18,973,514 guan and 7 wen in income." Young Master Qian's expression was very handsome at this moment. He had the demeanor of a master.
"Snap!" Suddenly, a large hand pressed down on the golden abacus in front of him.
"Rest for a while, there are still some accounts you need to calculate later—Long Wu, go and get the publishing house's account books, quick!" After a short while, the sound of the abacus being struck rang out in the cell again.
Pang Yu sat opposite him, touching his nose, his eyes deep, not knowing what he was thinking.
After a short while, the "snap" stopped.
"Income: 41,380 strings and 500 cash; Expenses: 3,415 strings and 1 cash; Net Profit: 37,965 strings and 499 cash." Qian Shicai turned to look at Pang Yu, his eyes unusually clear and bright, completely devoid of his past arrogance.
Long Wu and Chuixue exchanged bewildered glances. My God, this figure was calculated by the young master with the manor's accountant for half a day, and he only used a stick of incense!
"Clap! Clap! Clap!" This time, it wasn't the sound of abacus beads, but Pang Yu clapping and laughing. Genius! Genius!
I never knew this young master Qian had this skill. If he were to die in prison like this, wouldn't it be that Fourth Brother misjudged people, couldn't understand people, and didn't even know how to use people?
As they left the prison, Fourth Brother patted his chest, guaranteeing that he would get the two young masters out within three days. Then, passing the fork in the road leading to Zhao Yunbi's cell, he didn't even glance at it, continuing on his way out. Long Wu followed closely behind, hesitant to speak.
"If you have something to say, ask quickly. Working with Fourth Brother, it's good to understand some things."
Long Wu moved closer, his voice devoid of emotion: "Since Fourth Brother has decided to get Third Master and Fourth Master out as soon as possible, are you prepared to agree to Prince Chen's conditions?"
"What do you think?" Pang Yu asked with a smile.
"This subordinate doesn't know."
"If you don't know, then I'll tell you." Pang Yu suddenly stopped, his smile bright. "Fourth Brother is a straightforward person; I usually choose the option that brings the greatest benefit."
"But..." The smile froze abruptly, replaced by a ruthless glint in his eyes.
"No matter the process, my original intention and the final result will not change!"

Chapter 225 I Also Want to Set Three Rules

The next day, Zhao Xuanhuang did not come.
As expected, Fourth Brother knew he couldn't come because although he set the conditions, someone else "gave" them. Zhao Xuanhuang didn't contribute himself and didn't care. Plus, he was aloof and indifferent to fame, fortune, or power. For example, when certain things were mentioned, he felt it was nothing and readily agreed. But when he went back and discussed it with his own people, he realized that the agreed-upon conditions couldn't be fulfilled! Fourth Brother wasn't worried. He slept soundly at home, and casually summoned a few pretty young maids to give them priority access to samples of the research center's recently developed products. He figured he should keep the profits within the family and make sure they got the best deal!
Having already won over all the pretty maids in the manor, and using the guise of testing skincare cream to touch their soft, delicate hands twice, Zhao Xuanhuang finally arrived early on the third day.
The two began their discussion at the usual spot.
"If Marquis Anle spares the Prince of Beihai, I can agree on three rules between the Prince's faction and Marquis Anle."
"Three rules...?" Pang Yu, who had waited so long, was extremely displeased to receive only "three rules."
"Yes, firstly, in brothels and entertainment venues, no one from the Prince's faction will ever compete with Marquis Anle, Young Master Gao, or Young Master Qian for girls; secondly, the Prince's faction will never send anyone to disrupt the Crown Prince's businesses and properties; thirdly, wherever Marquis Anle goes, the Prince's faction will give way and will never contend with your lord. How about that?"
"That's it?" Zhao Xuanhuang nodded slowly.
Pang Yu was even more displeased, snorted, and said with a forced smile, "Oh dear, this Zhao Yunbi has committed a heinous crime of rebellion, the evidence is conclusive, it's not easy to exonerate him ."
Zhao Xuanhuang seemed to have anticipated that the other party would not be satisfied with the conditions he offered. He had already thought of a countermeasure. He said unhurriedly, "So far, although Kaifeng Prefecture has conducted a vigorous search and found a lot of circumstantial evidence, the only truly decisive evidence is a bloodstained garment. If Marquis Anle is willing to cooperate even a little and deny the bloodstained garment..."
Pang Yu sneered, "Your Highness wants me to overturn my own testimony, saying that the bloodstained garment wasn't placed in Chunman Garden by an insider from the Grand Tutor's mansion at Zhao Yunbi's behest, then it must have originally been in the Grand Tutor's mansion? Fine, if you do that, Zhao Yunbi will be fine, but my master will become the insider colluding with the rebels."
"Lord Tian Ding misunderstands," Zhao Xuanhuang said calmly, his smile gentle and refined. "My intention is to ask Marquis Anle to cooperate in proving that the bloodstained garment is fake. Yunbi was eager for revenge, so he obtained a fake bloodstained garment and had it smuggled in secretly. Yunbi made a mistake, daring to offend Marquis Anle. He cannot be released so easily. He must be imprisoned for a while longer on charges of framing someone so that Marquis Anle can feel better. Is that right?"
"A fake bloodstained garment? Does Your Highness not know that the authenticity of the bloodstained garment was pointed out by Chief Censor Song in front of Judge Bao?"
"If I can even persuade Marquis Anle, what is the point of Chief Censor Song?" His calm tone held an unusual charm. "If Marquis Anle is willing to accept the conditions, Young Master Gao and Young Master Qian can be released from prison safely within two days."
"Even if my Marquis does not agree to Zhao Yunbi, there are still ways to save them. What I am concerned about is..."
"The two women of the Yang family?" Zhao Xuanhuang glanced at him intently. Though she possessed an elegant, feminine appearance, her eyes gleamed with a wicked light that only men could discern.
"What does Your Highness take me for!" Fourth Brother rebuked him righteously. "I am a loyal and devoted servant. My greatest concern is my master. The conditions Your Highness offers are worth considering. However, what if I let Zhao Yunbi go, and he later reneges on his promise? Wouldn't that be a huge loss!" Zhao
Xuanhuang had long heard that Pang Si, a servant of the Grand Tutor's mansion, loved to boast. Seeing him excitedly slamming his fist on the table, emphasizing and reiterating his self-praise, Zhao Xuanhuang almost couldn't help but laugh. He finally managed to focus his "jade-like face" and slowly said, "My promise is not false."
"Why should I believe Your Highness?" Pang Yu asked quickly.
*Slap!* "This time, Zhao Xuanhuang leaned on the table, half-standing and looking down at him. Her gentle, almost feminine eyes subtly reflected a domineering aura completely incongruous with her 'appearance.'
Finally, she's stopped feigning arrogance and is showing her true abilities, unleashing her aura to 'shock' me, huh? Pah! !"
"Hahaha—good, I agree on behalf of the Marquis." Pang Yu laughed loudly.
"However, I also want to make three rules with the Prince." He stood up, leaning on the table, already a head taller than Zhao Xuanhuang. A cold smile played on his lips, his chilling gaze sweeping downwards. He too exuded domineering power; a mere servant dared to overpower the uncrowned king among the young nobles of the imperial family!
"First, I want Zhao Yunbi to kneel and beg for forgiveness before the Grand Tutor's mansion; second, it would be best if Zhao Shiqing, who has been demoted to commoner status, contracted some illness and died quickly—of course, this is the public statement, you must hand him over to me for disposal; and third, I want the Prince's Party to be disbanded, and there can be no second organization in the capital resembling the Crown Prince's Party!"
"Impossible!" Zhao Xuanhuang refused without hesitation. Agreeing to these three conditions would be worse than death for Zhao Yunbi, even though it had nothing to do with him, and in fact, if it weren't for someone's repeated requests, the Prince Chen, who only wanted to live a carefree and unrestrained life, wouldn't have bothered to come. However, since he was here, as the "special envoy" of the imperial clan, he couldn't possibly agree to such humiliating conditions!
—The Prince Chen hadn't made a move in ten years, and now he was losing to a mere servant—what kind of image would that be!
"What, Your Highness won't agree?"
"These... are these really the Marquis of Anle's intentions?" Zhao Xuanhuang looked at him suspiciously. Even if Marquis Anle hated Zhao Yunbi to the core, he wouldn't be so arrogant as to force the Prince's faction to disband. Wouldn't that be tantamount to this? Could it be that this servant is just trying to claim credit, making such outrageous demands?
"Your Highness, rest assured, this servant is merely relaying the Marquis's words; there's no exaggeration," Pang Yu laughed. With his sharp eyes, how could he not see through Zhao Xuanhuang's little scheme? Hmph, you heard right, three rules—this is Marquis Anle's—meaning!
"That's too much! I cannot agree to your three rules!" Zhao Xuanhuang resolutely refused, but sat back down. The sudden display of fierce aura vanished in an instant, but his bright yet resolute gaze still met Pang Yu's. He wasn't afraid of his fourth brother's glare; besides his black-hearted father and eighth uncle, there was another one.
A serious Prince Chen was not easy to deal with.
"Your Highness must agree," his fourth brother said with a smile, but his words carried an oppressive pressure.
Zhao Xuanhuang was no spoiled prince or good-for-nothing young master. His noble lineage and birth endowed him with an innate, transcendent classical charm. He could be indifferent to fame and fortune, see through the ways of the world, and have no attachment to wealth and glory. However, he carried the purest blood of the Song Dynasty royal family (pure-blooded noble, understand?). Once he shed his carefree and leisurely nature and became serious, he was not so easily overwhelmed!
"This—is—impossible!" Zhao Xuanhuang only uttered three words, but his aura was completely different from before. It was a unique temperament, distinct from his ruthless and cunning father and his scheming eighth uncle, yet its intimidating power was in no way inferior to theirs. Fourth Brother couldn't suppress him in terms of aura for a moment.
—A servant choosing a prince—Fourth Brother was at a disadvantage from the start, a typical unfair situation.
But, please don't forget, Fourth Brother also has a sharp tongue.
"Your Highness, have you thought this through?"
"No matter how long I think about it, it will always be the same three words: Impossible."
Fourth Brother smiled leisurely: "Does Your Highness know that this is the last chance for the Prince of Beihai? If my Marquis insists on not letting go, he will only have one path: death." "
If he agrees to the three rules of the Marquis of Anle, Yunbi will be no different from being dead."
"But at least he can still live and continue to be his Prince of Taiping, can't he?" Pang Yu revealed a confident smile, "Is it better to bear the infamy of treason and die without a burial place, or to give up that little bit of dignity and disband a prince's party that will never amount to anything? Prince Chen, if you were in his shoes, what would you choose?"
Zhao Xuanhuang remained silent in deep thought.
"Ah, that's right. Your Highness is different from others. Power, position, and fame are like fleeting clouds, you don't care about them at all. But Zhao Yunbi is ambitious and tries his best to scheme, just to have power in his hands. Prince Chen, I think you can't make a decision on this matter. You should go back and ask Zhao Yunbi before giving me an answer."
Faced with Pang Yu's threatening ultimatum, Zhao Xuanhuang laughed: "Lord Tian Ding's firm stance is certainly out of loyalty to his master, and he's considering Anle Hou's interests in every way. But if this matter remains unresolved, the young masters Gao and Qian in prison will be living a life of leisure, indulging in their fantasies. Even if Master Qian has his own agenda, he'll still be enjoying himself in the doghouse or outhouse."
"It's alright, it's alright. Even if we can't reach an agreement, Zhao Yunbi will be the first to be beheaded. The Marquis's two sworn brothers will have to wait until the autumn executions. There's plenty of time to work things out. The Prince of Beihai is already buried; who knows what the witnesses will say when the case is reopened, or how Judge Bao will rule?" This was a blatant threat. If Zhao Yunbi were executed, the witnesses he had arranged to frame Gao Yanei and Qian Shicai would lose their master. With Anle Hou's methods, controlling these people, changing their testimonies, and completely overturning Bao Zheng's judgment would be a piece of cake.
"Hahaha!" Zhao Xuanhuang laughed loudly, "Lord Tian Ding, you have quite the sharp tongue. No wonder Marquis Anle values you so much. Very well, then I will pass on your message. Whether to accept or reject it is entirely up to you."
Zhao Xuanhuang got up to take his leave, but just as he was about to leave, his fourth brother stopped him.
"Your Highness, please remind Zhao Yunbi that I can wait for his reply, and my Marquis can wait too, but Bao Zheng seems unable to wait, and the people of the capital cannot wait even more, so..."
"So he doesn't have much time to hesitate."

Chapter 226 The Man Behind Zhao Xuanhuang

After opening the Grand Tutor's Mansion, Zhao Xuanhuang boarded the carriage waiting at the door, but instead of heading straight to the west, he turned east and soon arrived at Hezhong Street in the north of the city.
Bianliang, once a prosperous and bustling city known as "the city that never sleeps," has been forced to reinstate its long-abolished curfew due to the recent rebellion and numerous murders. Every night, after the "daytime" hour of the Kaifeng Prefecture government office's water clock has ended, six hundred "closing drums" are sounded; and at 3:00 AM, another four hundred "opening drums" are sounded. Anyone walking on the city streets without permission after the "closing drum" and before the "opening drum" is guilty of "nighttime violation." Previously, this would only result in twenty lashes, but now they might be suspected of being "accomplices to rebels" and spend ten days or more in Kaifeng Prefecture under house arrest with several beatings. Even previously, exceptions were made for official business such as delivering messages for the government, or buying medicine for weddings, funerals, or illnesses—actions that could be overlooked—but these are now strictly restricted.
When Zhao Xuanhuang left the Grand Tutor's residence, curfew was approaching. The streets were sparsely populated, especially the main street and the central street, which were lined with high-walled mansions. Red walls and golden tiles marked government offices, while white walls and black tiles represented noble residences, inhabited by high-ranking officials, nobles, and imperial relatives. Therefore, nighttime patrols and guard duties were exceptionally tight, with sentries every three steps and guards every five, all manned by the elite Imperial Guards.
Given Zhao Xuanhuang's noble status, he naturally didn't need to care about these people. Even Grand Commandant Gao, who commanded the Imperial Guards, would respectfully bow and address him as "Prince Chen" before allowing him to pass. However, for some reason, Zhao Xuanhuang seemed to be deliberately concealing his identity. His carriage, in both style and decoration, was completely unbecoming of a prince, lacking even the insignia of the Prince Chen's residence. Naturally, the carriage was stopped by the patrolling Imperial Guards, and since curfew had already begun, it was only natural that they would take him to Kaifeng Prefecture.
With a "thud," a document was thrown out and landed in front of the captain leading the group. The captain looked down and saw the blood-red, nine-fold seal script on the document. The four large characters "Seal of the Privy Councilor" were like a death warrant (Note: The Privy Councilor was the highest military officer in the Song Dynasty, the superior of the Grand Commandant). He was so frightened that he was scared out of his wits. He hurriedly moved the barricades aside, ordered the soldiers to retreat, and respectfully let the carriage pass.
The carriage continued its journey, passing through unimpeded thanks to the official seal. It wound its way into a small alley, where Zhao Xuanhuang alighted. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, he waved for the carriage to leave. After walking a short distance, he entered the back gate of an elegant mansion
. The mansion was large, with many gates and winding corridors, but Zhao Xuanhuang seemed very familiar with it. He quickly found himself in front of a small pavilion, silently entered, and closed the door behind him. The person sitting behind the desk looked up in surprise, then put down his book, raising a thick eyebrow: "You're so late. Did you persuade Pang Si?"
"Thump!" Zhao Xuanhuang knelt on the ground, head bowed, saying, "Xuanhuang is incompetent; he even imposed a 'three-point agreement' on me."
"Hahaha—" the man laughed, "So that's how it is. I never thought Xuanhuang could be so stumped and helpless. Get up."
"Xuanhuang dares not."
“Nothing I wouldn’t dare to do. Pang Si isn’t an ordinary servant. If he agreed to Zhao Yunbi’s conditions so easily, it would truly be a waste of your efforts, Xuanhuang, to negotiate with him, and it would also prove that I overestimated him. By the way, you said he also gave you a three-point agreement. What are those three points? Tell me.”
Zhao Xuanhuang stood up and said so.
“Hahaha!” The man laughed again. “What a loyal servant! It’s amazing that he could come up with such conditions that make Zhao Yunbi feel worse than death. Tell him about it tomorrow. I’m afraid he’ll be so angry that he’ll vomit blood on the spot.”
“Xuanhuang will go to Kaifeng Prefecture in a while.”
“No rush. You’ve worked hard these past few days. Rest for the night and go tomorrow morning.”
“Yes.”
“Ah. By the way, Xuanhuang, what do you think of Pang Si?” the man asked casually.
"He has extraordinary vision and considerable ability. The sensational 'Great Song Dynasty Weekly' in the capital and the sold-out Pang's perfume were both his creations. His eloquence is also first-rate; even Lord Bao has been repeatedly challenged by him. It's truly a pity that such an outstanding talent is relegated to being a servant in the Grand Tutor's mansion."
In the darkness, a hint of approval shone in the man's eyes.
"However," Zhao Xuanhuang changed the subject, "Pang Si is overly radical and lacks composure. Some of his ideas are feasible, but they are undeniably too audacious."
"Young people, who doesn't rebel? Besides, he has the capital to be arrogant. Why should he restrain himself?"
"Yes, if he could enter the court and gain ten years of experience in officialdom, tempering his current excessive arrogance, he could become a great man in the future. But unfortunately, he..." Zhao Xuanhuang paused, unable to hide his regret.
"He's just a servant."
"So what if he's a servant?" The man smiled faintly.
"Even a commoner like myself struggles to gain a foothold in the court, let alone a lowly servant in the Grand Tutor's household..."
The man's voice suddenly sharpened: "If I say it's possible, then it's possible!"
"Yes."
"Xuanhuang," the man sighed, "Do you know what's most important in this era?"
"Xuanhuang is dull-witted."
"It's talent!" The man stood up, sweeping his sleeves with a "whoosh," "The current imperial examination system of our Great Song Dynasty is riddled with deep-seated problems and flaws. Countless talented people have been buried because they have repeatedly failed the exams, and the constraints of family background and social status have caused countless poor scholars to waste ten years of hard study. Those in power should recruit talent without being bound by convention. What if they are servants? What if they are household servants? As long as they are talented and can become pillars of the nation, even if they are prisoners, they should be employed!"
"Yes."
The man sat back down, and Zhao Xuanhuang respectfully asked, "How should we handle the case of Yunbi's collusion with rebels?"
"What do you think?"
"Xuanhuang doesn't know."
"Sigh—" the man sighed, "Are you afraid of trouble and complications, so you say you don't know anything? Xuanhuang, in terms of talent, you are no less than Pang Si, so why are you unwilling to enter the court and serve the country?"
"Xuanhuang...afraid of trouble."
"..."
"Alright, then I'll give you the answer now. One wants money and women, the other wants power, to govern, to rule the world. For the sake of the Song Dynasty, Xuanhuang, you know who to choose!"
"Yes, Xuanhuang understands."
×××××××××××××××××
Three Judicial Offices Joint Trial!
Two days later, at the morning court, Emperor Renzong issued an imperial edict ordering a joint trial by the three
judicial offices to investigate the major case of traitors. Only a month had passed since the last joint trial, the location was still Caishikou, and it was still a public trial. However, this time,
the suspect was Prince Zhao Yunbi of Anding, while Pang, who had been beheaded on the guillotine last time, was now sitting there smiling, legs crossed, waiting to stab him in the back.
The situation was completely different from last time. Today, Pang was no longer just a newly recruited servant in the Grand Tutor's mansion, but had been recognized as the acting leader by most members of the Crown Prince's faction. Even the high-ranking officials, such as Kong Daofu, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and Zhang Fangping, the Censor-in-Chief, had received instructions from Grand Tutor Pang to act according to his wishes during the trial.
Making a call was actually useless. Last time, it only involved the Marquis of Anle, and even high-ranking officials like Kong Daofu and Zhang Fangping, who were staunch supporters of the Grand Tutor, dared not speak out. This time, it was a major case personally ordered by the Emperor to be handled strictly. The Crown Prince's faction, the Prince's faction, the Yang family, the Kaifeng Prefecture, and the entire imperial family were all fighting endlessly over it. Who would be so foolish as to risk their life to get involved in this mess?
Nobody!
Therefore, despite the loud pronouncements of a "joint trial by the three judicial departments," the three departments were essentially incompetent; the one truly presiding over the case was Bao Zheng alone.
Compared to the last time when he simply sentenced the completely innocent Fourth Brother to beheading, Bao Zheng dared not act rashly this time. He summoned thirty-seven witnesses and produced more than twenty boxes of case files. These were the results of the Kaifeng Prefecture's tireless efforts, reflecting Bao Zheng's determination to quickly resolve the case and then continue to uphold justice, bringing Gao Yanei and Qian Shicai's gang to justice!
Thirty-seven witnesses and more than twenty boxes of case files—wasn't this irrefutable evidence? Although Cai Guanliao, the top lawyer in Bianliang who defended Zhao Yunbi, was known as the "Golden Tooth Lawyer," skilled in "ambiguous arguments and endless rhetoric," and whose "arguments were well-founded and logical," his eloquence was unmatched in the legal profession. However, he could not, after all, turn black into white and white into black with just his words. Faced with the mountain of evidence, the "Golden Tooth Lawyer" was utterly defeated.
"I am innocent! Innocent! This is a frame-up!!!" "Bao Zheng, you shameless bastard! How dare you fabricate evidence to frame me!" "I am innocent! I did not rebel!!!" Zhao Yunbi knelt in the center of the hall, his hair disheveled, his eyes bloodshot, desperately trying to defend himself. His voice was hoarse from shouting, but no matter how much he yelled and screamed, not a single member of the imperial family or the civil and military officials who were on good terms with him dared to stand up for him.
Rebellion has always been a taboo subject. No matter how high your rank, how much the emperor's favor, or how popular you are
, once you are involved in this matter, you are already halfway to the gates of hell. Even if you manage to pull yourself out, your life will likely be ruined. If you are an official, you will only be demoted or exiled, never to be promoted again. If you are a member of the imperial family, you will likely be stripped of your title and reduced to a commoner, never to think about "wealth and honor" again.
The correspondence and alliances with the rebels, the weapons and armor used by the rebels during the assassination, and the compelling testimonies of two squad leaders of the Yang family army, who were deeply trusted by the people, all proved that the rebels fled into the Beihai Prince's Mansion after the attack, and that the mansion was burned down and those in the know died tragically. Add to this the most compelling evidence: the female assassin, as personally identified by Chief Inspector Song, was wearing a silver night-clothes when she attacked the emperor—each piece of evidence was irrefutable!
"Thump—" The once arrogant Zhao Yunbi was now ashen-faced, his lips trembling, his hands shaking, his body quivering, his knees buckling, and he collapsed miserably to the ground.
"Um… I'd like to say…" The fourth brother, who had been observing coldly, suddenly raised his hand.

Chapter 227: The Fourth Brother's Great "Righteousness"

—What Instructions Does Lord Tian Ding Have? "Bao Zheng asked.
"Oh, how dare I, a mere servant, instruct Lord Bao? I merely have a question—yes, it's that bloodstained garment that Lord Bao just mentioned… the first piece of irrefutable evidence…" Fourth Brother deliberately dragged out his words, speaking slowly, "Whether that bloodstained garment was worn by the female assassin or not, please verify it, Lord Bao."
Bao Zheng was slightly taken aback, staring at him and saying, "The bloodstained garment was passed down by the female assassin, didn't you, Lord Tian Ding, say it yourself?"
"Alas, Lord Bao, don't speak carelessly!" Fourth Brother stood up, pointing at Bao Zheng very seriously, "You are the foremost judge of this dynasty, you must be especially careful with your words and actions, otherwise, it would be bad if misunderstandings were caused. I don't know who owns that bloodstained garment, I brought it to Kaifeng Prefecture hoping that Lord Bao would make a judgment for me."
"But you clearly said…"
"It was Emperor Cizu of Song, the Chief Justice, who first said that it was the night clothes worn by the female assassin on the night of the assassination!" "Fourth Brother raised his voice and reiterated, "Like Lord Bao, I have complete faith in Chief Inspector Song's forensic skills. If Chief Inspector Song says it is, then I also believe it is 'yes.' When Chief Inspector Song says it is not, then I also believe it is 'not.' I follow Chief Inspector Song's lead. Please make sure you understand this point. Don't say that I deliberately framed the Prince of Beihai!" If
you didn't frame him, then it must be Bao Zheng framing him. That's what Fourth Brother secretly meant.
Bao Zheng was confused. Weren't Marquis Anle and the Prince of Beihai sworn enemies? How could his trusted subordinate suddenly change his mind and help Zhao Yunbi get away with it?!
What confused him even more was yet to come. Pang continued, "As for the letters, covenants, weapons, and water armor, I really can't understand why, after the assassination failed, these things weren't burned immediately, but instead put away, hidden, and buried, just waiting for Lord Bao to send people to search them." "Everyone, think about this. Use your common sense. If the Prince of Beihai were colluding with the rebels, the Prince of Beihai would clearly be in a stronger position. He'd be the one fearing the rebels would renege on their promises, not the other way around. Letters and agreements are things only the rebels would keep as a constraint on the Prince of Beihai to prevent him from breaking the agreement. Why would the Prince of Beihai keep these things? To wait for Lord Bao to come and arrest him?"
This explanation not only lessened everyone's suspicion of Zhao Yunbi, subtly suggesting someone had fabricated evidence, but also completely cleared himself of suspicion.
—Was the Marquis of Anle just bored? If he had fabricated evidence to frame Zhao Yunbi, why would he now have his servants publicly expose him, accusing himself?
Bao Zheng felt increasingly uneasy. He asked in a deep voice, "Lord Tian Ding, what exactly are you trying to say?"
The fourth brother tossed his head with a flourish and said righteously, "Although my lord, the Marquis of Anle, has a private feud with the Prince of Beihai... However!" When faced with major events concerning the nation's affairs and the people's livelihood, personal grudges are long forgotten. Such things as kicking someone when they're down or beating a drowning dog are things my lord would never stoop to…”
He called Zhao Yunbi a “drowning dog.” Zhao Yunbi couldn't even refute him; he had to look up at him, repeatedly replying, “Yes, yes! Marquis Anle is a paragon of virtue, a model for all the young talents in the world!”
Pang glanced at him, as if looking at a dog he owned, raised his proud, sword-like eyebrows, and shouted, “My lord often tells me that since we eat the Song Dynasty's food, we must be loyal to the Song Dynasty, even if it means dying ten thousand times. Personal grudges and old feuds are all insignificant in the face of matters concerning the nation's survival! Furthermore, Lord Bao, I now seriously suspect that someone is deliberately fabricating evidence to frame the Prince of Beihai, and you, Lord Bao, are turning a blind eye to it.” "No investigation, no prosecution. Instead, they rushed to close the case. They're very likely accomplices!"
"You're talking nonsense!" the clerk shouted. "Lord Bao was forced by you..."
"Forced? Forced what? Forced Lord Bao to quickly convict the Prince of Beihai? Me, a mere servant, daring to force the Prefect of Kaifeng? That's a joke! Besides, if I were forcing Lord Bao, what would I say now? I'd just wait for Lord Bao to convict the Prince of Beihai. One must have evidence to speak, not just make things up!"
"Oh right, now that you mention it, I just remembered. My lord's two sworn brothers, Young Master Gao of Gaoyan and Young Master Qian of Qianshicai, were imprisoned by you, Lord Bao, for two wrongful convictions. I'm saying, Lord Bao, are you perhaps displeased with my lord, Young Master Gao, Young Master Qian, and other scions of noble families, as well as the Prince of Beihai, the Prince of Kuaiji, and other members of the imperial clan, and that's why you went to such lengths to send them to prison, each of them sentenced to death?"
The entire room erupted in uproar.
"Nonsense! The murders committed by Gao Yanei and Qian Shicai are undeniable. All witnesses and physical evidence are readily available. I have examined them all and confirmed their guilt. How can you deny it?"
Pang sneered. "Lord Bao, do you dare to interrogate the witnesses and confront them in court?"
"By imperial decree, the Three Judicial Offices are conducting a joint trial today to investigate the case of the Prince of Beihai colluding with the rebels of Southern Tang. This case is not yet closed. How can we interrogate another case separately?"
"Why not?" Kong Daofu, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, retorted sarcastically
. "If what Lord Tian Ding says is true, and Lord Bao is distorting the facts and deliberately convicting the two young masters Gao and Qian based on fabricated evidence, then it is not impossible that Lord Bao is turning a blind eye and intending to frame the Prince of Beihai."
"Yes, Lord Bao," Zhang Fangping, the Censor-in-Chief, chimed in. "To prove your innocence, it would be best to summon the witnesses and re-examine them in front of the ministers of the Three Judicial Offices."
"Lord Zhang is right." "Retrial! Retrial!" "We beg the Three Judicial Offices to uphold justice for the young master!" The officials from Grand Tutor Pang's faction who came to hear the trial, along with the men from Grand Commandant Gao's residence, all echoed this sentiment.
Bao Zheng, having served as an official for over twenty years and weathered countless storms, had long suspected that the unanimous demand for him to bring back the plaintiff and witnesses for a face-to-face confrontation was a trap. However, he was now caught in a dilemma by Pang's words. If he insisted on refusing, it would be seen as a guilty conscience. Helpless, he had no choice but to hastily order his constables to bring all those involved in the case from the prison to the execution ground, and to gather the relevant witnesses for the hearing.
The first to be brought in was Pan Jinlian. This woman had an apricot-shaped face and peach-blossom cheeks, full breasts and a plump bottom, possessing a certain alluring charm. Her loose prison clothes could not conceal her curvaceous figure, and her pair of watery peach blossom eyes were particularly captivating. No wonder Gao Ya was so infatuated with her; the mature charm of this young woman was exactly to his liking.
"Bang!" Bao Zheng slammed his gavel and said sternly, "Pan Yinlian, you criminal, I ask you, who instructed you to kill your husband, Wu Sanlang? Was it Gao Taiwei's son, Gao...?"
"Lord Bao!" Pang interrupted him, "This is trying to induce a confession, it's unacceptable!"
Bao Zheng really couldn't do anything about him, and snorted, "Pan Yinlian, just tell the truth. Minister Kong of the Court of Judicial Review, Vice Minister Song of the Ministry of Justice, and Censor Zhang are all here. They won't wrong you for no reason."
Pan Yinlian knelt obediently on the ground, only daring to raise her head when asked, and timidly said, "Your Honor, it was... I myself who poisoned my husband, Wu Sanlang, it wasn't under anyone's instruction."
Bao Zheng's expression immediately changed, and he shouted, "Didn't you insist during the last interrogation that it was Gao Taiwei's son who suggested you poison Wu Sanlang?"
"Someone privately approached me, offering me benefits, and asked me to confess like this."
"Who is this person?"
"It's Lord Bao sitting right there!"
"What!?" Even though Bao Zheng was prepared for the unexpected, he was still so shocked by her clean and decisive recantation that he almost cried out—recruiting is one thing, but implicating me?!
Pan Yinlian knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face as she looked pitifully at Kong Daofu and the others before her. "After I was arrested and thrown into prison, I knew I was going to die, so I planned to confess. It was this corrupt official who secretly approached me and asked me to change my testimony, insisting that I was instructed by Young Master Gao to deliberately poison my husband! I am just a weak woman, how dare I oppose the Prefect? In the courtroom, I had no choice but to... I had no choice but to cruelly frame Young Master Gao. Today, seeing you gentlemen, I am willing to die to expose this corrupt official's true colors. Please, gentlemen... do justice for me!" She finished speaking and was already sobbing uncontrollably.
"Lord Bao, what happened?" Zhang Fangping asked coldly.
Bao Zheng's face was ashen, and he remained silent.
Kong Daofu asked again, "Pan Yinlian, why did you poison your husband?"
"My husband was originally a family-oriented man. We had been married for three years, and we were a loving couple. Although we weren't wealthy, we lived a harmonious life.
This March, my husband became addicted to gambling. He stopped selling his pancakes and spent all his time in the gambling den… Waaah, once a man becomes addicted to gambling, he goes astray. Last month, he got involved with Xiao Taohong from the brothel near the East Gate and spent all our savings of the past three years on that vixen. That day… that day he came home saying he needed to raise money to redeem Xiao Taohong, and if he didn't have enough, he would… sell me to a brothel! I've been married to him for three years, washing and cooking for him, working like a slave, and in the end… I've ended up like this. I couldn't bear it, and in the night, I put arsenic in his tea and poisoned him."
"Is this true?"
“Every word is true. If there is even a single falsehood, may I die a horrible death!” Pan Yinlian cried uncontrollably, her sobs uncontrollable. Even her fourth brother was somewhat impressed by her acting skills.
“Good!” Zhang Fangping was extremely excited and agitated. He snatched the gavel and slammed it down heavily. “I ask you, did the young master Gao in Gaoya know about your poisoning of your husband?” He had been suppressed by Bao Zheng in the Censorate for three whole years, constantly harassed and restrained, with no chance to gain any benefits for himself. He had finally endured until Bao Zheng left and he was promoted. Now he had caught the other party in the act of bending the law for personal gain, so why wouldn’t he be the first to jump out and seek revenge?
“About poisoning my husband… I only told the young master Gao about it the next day.”
“So that means that Wu Sanlang’s death from poisoning has absolutely nothing to do with the young master Gao?”
“Yes.”

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