The Eighth Year of Shenchu
The Situation Is Tense
Back in the house, Xiaohua went to the kitchen. Lingbi was attending to things inside the room, not even glancing at Zhen Wenjun. Zhen Wenjun knew she was still angry, so she didn’t dare to say much. She only answered each question that Wei Tingxu asked her.
Wei Tingxu was very interested in how she earned twenty thousand taels of silver, so Zhen Wenjun started by talking about the great fire in Jun County.
Three days ago, she had only over four thousand taels of silver, still far from the task her sister had assigned. Seeing that she was at a loss, a sudden great fire broke out in Jun County, burning almost half of the city’s houses to the ground. The county magistrate took it very seriously, rushing to the scene to help put out the fire immediately. This showed that the magistrate, whether out of public duty or personal interest, was a good and capable official. Jun County’s geographical location is unique, serving as a crucial mountain route for Dongchun. If the road were blocked due to the fire, the transport of goods for many merchants in Dongchun would be severely affected. With the cooperation of the magistrate and various merchants, Jun County had to recover quickly. Therefore, a large amount of timber was needed to rebuild workshops, shops, and temples. Zhen Wenjun saw the opportunity in this.
She invested all her four thousand taels in purchasing and transporting timber, which still wasn’t enough.
“Fortunately, at that time, Sister Lingbi graciously helped me out, contributing the money needed to buy the timber. Truly, it was a moving act of generosity. Sister Lingbi’s great kindness, I will certainly repay someday.”
The lady was present, so Lingbi could only give her a perfunctory smile: “Lady Zhen, there’s no need to be polite. This is my duty.”
“The second day after the timber arrived, the magistrate ordered it all, agreeing on a price of forty thousand taels. However, he didn’t have that much silver on hand, so he could only give me twenty thousand taels as a deposit, compensating the rest with grain. He asked if I would accept. Of course, I accepted. In a famine year, grain is worth more than silver. I figured my sister would need grain too, so I agreed. Thus, I managed to complete my sister’s task within twenty days.”
Wei Tingxu sliced the wolf peach into thin pieces, dipped them in snow sugar, and slowly placed them on the glass plate in front of Zhen Wenjun: “Sister, try this fresh delicacy from the Hu Kingdom. It’s both sour and sweet, and tastes even better with snow sugar.”
Wei Tingxu listened to her story of making a big profit with a smile, without any praise or comment, leaving Zhen Wenjun a bit disappointed. However, she thought again, did she really expect Wei Tingxu to praise her? As long as Wei Tingxu saw her ability to make money and remembered that she was a resourceful person, nothing else mattered.
This wolf peach looked tender, appetizing, and bright red, yet it had such a fierce name. How strange. She had never seen a wolf peach before and was quite curious. Just as she put a piece in her mouth, she heard Wei Tingxu casually say:
“Do you know why it’s called a wolf peach? It’s said that after eating it, one will develop red rashes and tumors, and within three days, the whole body will fester and die.”
Half of the wolf peach was already down her throat, with the other half still in her mouth, neither daring to eat nor move. Wei Tingxu found her frightened look amusing and added two more pieces to her plate, saying:
“But sister, don’t be afraid. This wolf peach is actually just an ordinary edible berry, very delicious. It is said to aid digestion, strengthen the spleen, promote circulation, and reduce stasis.”
“Oh… I see.” Zhen Wenjun’s lifted heart slowly settled down, her sour cheeks began moving again, and she slowly swallowed the remaining half of the wolf peach. What was originally a refreshing taste now seemed flavorless.
Just as her tense thoughts were about to calm down, Wei Tingxu raised her eyes suddenly, and her gaze shot over like lightning:
“Someone has leaked my identity. My father’s political enemies now know that Wei Zizhuo is a woman, and her real name is Wei Tingxu.”
As Wei Tingxu said this, the two were in a state of mutual gaze. This sudden revelation caught Zhen Wenjun completely off guard, and the eyes fixed on her seemed to be waiting to capture the moment of her guilt.
Zhen Wenjun slowly blinked, not retreating but advancing, her upper body slightly lifting towards Wei Tingxu. With seventy percent confusion and thirty percent worry, she asked, “Why is this so? Hasn’t sister’s identity always been well-hidden? How did your father’s political enemies find out? Could it be…”
Wei Tingxu looked at her: “Could it be what?”
“Could it be,” Zhen Wenjun’s gaze shifted to Lingbi standing beside them, lowering her voice, “that there is a spy beside sister?”
Wei Tingxu also leaned forward, the corners of her mouth revealing an excited smile, saying the word “yes” with deep meaning.
“Sister, do you have any clues?”
Wei Tingxu responded with a “hmm” and said: “The likes of the Xie family only know that Wei Zizhuo, the youngest of the Wei family, is sinister, cunning, and has committed numerous evil deeds, hiding behind his father to plot and causing the deaths of many loyal and patriotic men. If this scourge is not eliminated, once he gains power, he will surely wreak havoc on the court. Unfortunately, they never considered that the person they are so eager to assassinate is actually a woman, and more so, a disabled person sitting in a four-wheeled vehicle. Even if I were to swagger to the front of the Xie Mansion today, they would never think that I am Wei Zizhuo. This is also why I have always been able to stay in the shadows and maintain an advantage. Now that my identity is exposed, I fear there will be no more peaceful days. But sister, you need not worry. I already have clues about the traitor. Tomorrow, this person will reveal their true colors.”
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Zhen Wenjun did not know how to continue the conversation. She wanted to ask Wei Tingxu how she planned to uncover this person from the shadows, but would asking make her seem too deliberate? As she hesitated and struggled with the proper response, Xiaohua brought in freshly prepared dishes.
As Xiaohua arranged the plates, Wei Tingxu finally moved her gaze away from Zhen Wenjun’s face, allowing cold sweat to trickle down.
This person seemed to know everything, and anyone attempting to pry information from her would surely pay a heavy price. She said the spy would reveal themselves tomorrow, but who knows what scheme she had in mind.
Zhen Wenjun held a large bowl of chicken soup, drinking earnestly while constantly pondering.
Although she had been trying to show herself recently, she certainly had not exposed any flaws. Even if the informant sending messages to the Xie family was discovered by Wei Tingxu’s people, considering that she was the most important pawn of the Xie family, Xie Taihang and his men wouldn’t be foolish enough to directly expose an assassin who had managed to get close.
Thinking this way, the spy Wei Tingxu mentioned should not be herself; otherwise, she wouldn’t be chatting and eating with her here.
Then who could it be?
In this small courtyard, besides Lingbi, most of the people were slaves who couldn’t even enter the inner courtyard. And those in the inner courtyard had followed Wei Tingxu for many years. Even if there was a spy from the Xie family, how could they have passed so many years without sending a single word back?
So, the person Wei Tingxu was referring to was the one from the horse stables.
Zhen Wenjun put down her bowl and chopsticks and served Wei Tingxu a bowl of soup.
“The weather is cold, sister. Drink more chicken soup to replenish your energy.”
“Thank you, sister.” Wei Tingxu held the bowl, her peach-colored fingertips moving along the rim.
Her mind was elsewhere; she had murderous intent.
Late at night, Zhen Wenjun lay in bed. There was a small brass buckle shaped like a beast’s face on the canopy above her. Every sleepless night, she would stare at that beast’s face in a daze, wondering where her mother was and what she was doing at that moment.
The beast’s face had two horns on its head, and its open mouth seemed to be smiling. Its protruding fangs were vividly lifelike, creating a terrifying image.
She had thought that earning money beautifully would bring her one step closer to Wei Tingxu and allow her to rest for a moment. She had completely forgotten that she had already passed her own identity to the Xie family and forgotten that Wei Tingxu was still a formidable opponent.
Zhen Wenjun was deeply exhausted. Her eyes were so sore that she could barely keep them open, yet she couldn’t fall asleep.
Finally, after falling into a brief sleep, she was awakened by Lingbi’s knocking.
“It’s time to depart.”
“Coming.” Zhen Wenjun struggled to get up from the bed, opened the door, and asked her, “Where are we going?”
Perhaps because the sky hadn’t fully brightened yet, half of Lingbi’s face was illuminated by the gauze lantern, while the other half was submerged in a layer of bluish morning light, looking quite unfamiliar.
When she got on the carriage and learned that they were heading to the horse stables in the suburbs, Zhen Wenjun completely abandoned any hope. The fact that someone from the Xie family had contacted her secretly at the horse stables was undeniable. Wei Tingxu’s instincts were indeed sharp.
Does this mean my identity is also exposed?
Zhen Wenjun and Lingbi shared a carriage, swaying as they progressed towards the horse stables. The carriage with Wei Tingxu and Xiaohua followed behind.
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Maybe not, maybe Wei Tingxu only knew that a spy from the Xie family had infiltrated the horse stables.
But considering Wei Tingxu’s ruthless methods, I fear that once the spy is caught, they won’t endure the torture and will confess about me. What should I do?
No, I must take the initiative. As soon as the spy appears, I must kill him immediately; otherwise, my situation will be extremely perilous.
Zhen Wenjun was already prepared. She had thought that her Golden Cicada Knife would be used to kill Wei Zizhuo and those hypocrites from the Xie family, but now it turned out that the person who stirred her killing intent was someone she had never met.
She must not be soft-hearted. Zhen Wenjun warned herself that this was a life-and-death struggle and she must strike first.
Upon arriving at the horse stables, several grooms and slaves were cleaning the grounds and grooming the horses. Seeing Wei Tingxu and her entourage arrive, they all looked over. They had never seen the legendary owner of the stables. Perhaps because Wei Tingxu’s true identity had been exposed, she unabashedly let Xiaohua push her across the entire grounds to settle under the tent.
Zhen Wenjun sat beside her, with Lingbi and Xiaohua standing behind them. Slaves brought forth various wines, vegetables, fruits, and a roasted, aromatic, and juicy leg of lamb.
As Zhen Wenjun poured wine for Wei Tingxu, she seized the opportunity to observe the surroundings.
The horse stables was large, with the surrounding trees already stripped of their leaves, pruned to just neat trunks, making it impossible to hide anyone. The stables were low and open, with no places for concealment, and they were quite far from where they were sitting. She wondered where Wei Tingxu’s shadow guards were in such a terrain. If someone were to suddenly jump out to kill Wei Tingxu, unless reinforcements descended from the sky, it would be impossible to rescue her in time.
No matter how she looked, the situation was fraught with danger, making her heart race.
As she put the wine pot back, Wei Tingxu asked Lingbi, “Where is the Yunzhong Feixue that I acquired earlier?”
Lingbi replied, “In response, my lady, Yunzhong Feixue has been prepared and is being led over.”
As they spoke, a hunchbacked groom led over a horse that was blood-red all over with gleaming white hooves.
Wei Tingxu said that this horse was a descendant of the famous steed “Feiyan.” During a great calamity in the State of Chu Yan, it carried the princess of Chu Yan and galloped for three days and nights until it shook off all enemy troops. It became famous, like flying snow in the clouds and a rainbow in the clear sky. Although Wei Tingxu could not ride a horse, she had always loved them, and obtaining this horse had taken a lot of effort.
“I have been looking for an owner worthy of her, and you are the most suitable,” Wei Tingxu said, patting Zhen Wenjun on the shoulder. “Go and try your new mount. I hope you like it.”
Zhen Wenjun’s entire focus was on the groom leading the horse, trying hard to discern any traces of an assassin. She never expected Wei Tingxu to suddenly gift her a horse.
“This… I am not very good at riding horses,” Zhen Wenjun said truthfully. She could manage driving a horse-drawn carriage, but she had never ridden a horse. Although she had always admired the impressive way Xie Suishan and Ah Xun rode horses as a child, no one had ever seen the daughter of a gardener with her own horse. The steed before her had evenly distributed muscles and gem-like eyes, without a single stray hair. Was such a fine horse really meant for her?
“I can see that you, Wenjun, have great ambitions and must have a fine steed. Riding a horse is not difficult for those of you with healthy limbs. Go and try it.”
Zhen Wenjun carefully mounted Yunzhong Feixue, expecting some resistance, but to her surprise, the horse was docile and did not resist at all. After strolling around the horse stables twice, she dismounted and returned to sit beside Wei Tingxu.
Now was not the time for wild galloping. Wei Tingxu, fully focused, began to talk about the various rare and marvelous horses she had seen, drinking as she spoke, seemingly in high spirits. By the end, even Zhen Wenjun wondered if she had truly forgotten what she had said the previous day.
Wasn’t she supposed to expose the spy? Why was Wei Tingxu getting drunk herself?
After ten cups of wine, Wei Tingxu rested her head on her hand, her cheeks flushed, and her gaze unfocused.
“Sister, you should drink less,” Zhen Wenjun advised.
Wei Tingxu closed her eyes and smiled, without saying a word.
After the wine was finished and the leg of lamb was mostly cut up, the slaves brought more supplies.
The slave bringing the food was a pregnant woman, her belly already very large, looking as if she could give birth any day. With both hands, she held a large fruit platter. As she walked over with her head down, Zhen Wenjun was suddenly dazzled by a flash of light. When she looked closely, she found that a dagger was hidden under the fruit platter.
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In an instant, as their eyes met, the woman’s tired demeanor vanished completely when she was just a step away from Wei Tingxu, her eyes quickly revealing a sharp gleam.
This was a trap.
This was a small trap set by Wei Tingxu, indeed luring the person who wanted to kill her to reveal themselves.
Perhaps the assassin also understood that this was a trap, but it was also a heaven-sent opportunity, and she had to take this risk. Wei Tingxu had gauged the assassin’s mindset accurately, knowing that after lying in wait at the horse stables for so long without being able to approach the target or gather useful information, the assassin would be extremely anxious. Now, suddenly learning Wei Zizhuo’s true identity and having such an excellent opportunity, even the most experienced assassin couldn’t resist taking the plunge. Zhen Wenjun understood this feeling; two months ago, she had felt the same way, unable to eat or sleep well, even developing a desire to die together with Wei Tingxu.
The plan she had set earlier was to kill the assassin immediately upon seeing them to protect her own identity, but who would have thought the assassin would be a heavily pregnant woman!
Lingbi and Xiaohua, standing behind, and even Wei Tingxu had their vision blocked and did not see the dagger; only Zhen Wenjun saw it.
The woman must have been the spy who had hidden the hemp cloth in the steamed buns to pass secret messages with her, knowing that Zhen Wenjun was from the Xie family and thus did not guard against her, even intentionally revealing the dagger to get her to cooperate in the assassination.
In an instant, the atmosphere became tense, and killing intent surged.
To kill or to save, the decision had to be made in a flash.
