Yuan Fuyu replied calmly, “Before going to the Pei residence, I instructed all seven of them—no matter what they’re asked, answer truthfully.”
“Since Miss Cui told your people to be honest with Pei Du, then… how did Miss Cui and Ah Yu meet, and how do you communicate? Why not tell us as well,” Su Ziyi said.
Yuan Fuyu chuckled lightly, “I could tell them to answer truthfully because they know nothing. Moreover… whether it’s me, He Yichen, or my martial maids, if even one person bears injuries, then if I publicly claim that Pei Du never colluded with Minister Xie to betray his lord, Uncle of the Emperor from the Zhai family would have grounds to argue. Minister Xie isn’t foolish enough for that.”
“Then how did you and Ah Yu meet? There’s such an age gap between you…” Yu Yunyan had already accepted the Cui Siniang before her as one of their own, “We’re all on the same side here! Surely you can’t know everything while we know nothing!”
“I’ll tell you what you need to know. Don’t ask about what you shouldn’t,” Yuan Fuyu’s voice remained gentle.
“Hey! This temper of mine…”
Just as Yu Yunyan was rolling up her sleeves, Li Yunping tugged at her sleeve, “You’re a mother now, you should rein in that temper a bit.”
“I think I’m beginning to understand why Miss Cui became Ah Yu’s confidante,” the stubble-bearded Du Rongbao said with curved eyebrows, “Miss Cui and Ah Yu are very similar—not in appearance, but I can’t quite pinpoint where the resemblance lies.”
Su Ziyi, sitting nearby, also nodded, “She does carry the bearing of an old friend.”
Li Yunping nodded with a smile as well.
Xie Huaizhou sat at the desk in his study, reviewing the brocade letter sent by Pei Du and the testimonies of the six guards.
“From the testimonies of Cui Siniang’s seven guards, three years ago during the Wu City flood diversion, Cui Siniang once relayed messages on behalf of the Xiaoshi Bureau Inspector Commandant to the newly appointed local prefect,” Pei Du stood before the desk, “This means if Cui Siniang truly had contact with the Princess, the Xiaoshi Bureau must have been aware of it.”
Thus, the appearance of He Yichen—former School Affairs Office Military Pacification Guard Commander—together with Cui Siniang seemed logical.
Under the flickering candlelight, Xie Huaizhou lowered his gaze to carefully examine the testimonies.
Yuanping Fourth Year, June 23rd: Cui Siniang relayed messages on behalf of the Xiaoshi Bureau Inspector to Prefect Liu Chengzhang.
His eyes grew darker, their focus shifting with the candle’s flicker between light and shadow, making his emotions unreadable.
“According to Xiaoshi Bureau records, who was responsible for the Wu City area? Is that person still alive?” Xie Huaizhou asked.
Pei Du shook his head, “After the Princess’s sudden death, He Yichen insisted the Xiaoshi Bureau investigate the matter. To intimidate and control the situation at that time, we executed one group and replaced them with another. Many records were destroyed too. Moreover… if the Princess truly had confidantes besides me and He Yichen, the messengers sent for communication wouldn’t be recorded in Xiaoshi Bureau files—they should have reported directly to the Princess.”
Based on the information Pei Du currently possessed, this Cui Siniang’s identity appeared genuine.
Yet, why would the Princess—who so despised merchants—make a merchant’s daughter her confidante?
What was the purpose?
Pei Du had no clues whatsoever.
“The Princess never acted without purpose. To learn the truth, we can only interrogate Cui Siniang herself,” Pei Du said.
“What about Cui Siniang’s father and second uncle? Have they been brought back?” Xie Huaizhou asked.
“We arrived too late. I heard the Golden Wu Guards had already surrounded the Xing Sheng Restaurant early on. When they heard the whistle arrow, they went in and took Cui Siniang’s father and second uncle away,” Pei Du replied.
Qiancheng had kept a backup plan. To avoid being ensnared by He Yichen and Yuan Fuyu, he had his trusted subordinates surround the Xing Sheng Inn where the Cui Family entourage was staying.
Whether he captured He Yichen and the others or not, the Golden Wu Guards would arrest Cui Siniang’s father and second uncle as soon as the signal arrow was heard.
“He Yichen said he won’t reveal anything unless we tell him what happened the night the Princess died,” Pei Du asked. “Should we interrogate Cui Siniang?”
“Not yet.” Xie Huaizhou placed the confession papers on the corner of the desk and looked up at Pei Du. “That Cui Siniang is even more difficult to deal with than He Yichen. Right now, there’s a more urgent matter to attend to.”
In the center of the room, the white smoke rising from the golden Boshan Censer—the Princess’s favorite—wavered for a moment as a gust of wind blew in through the window.
Xie Huaizhou, his expression calm and detached, rested his hand on the desk and spoke unhurriedly…
“The news that He Yichen and the suddenly emerged confidante of the Princess, accompanied by the Golden Banner Eighteen Guards, came to kill you and me must have already spread.”
“But in reality, the situation is… Cui Siniang, the Princess’s confidante, and He Yichen arranged to meet with Xie Huaizhou, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and Pei Du, the Chief of the Mystic Eagle Guards, at the Pei Residence in Anxing Ward.”
“Zhai Heming, upon receiving the news, colluded with the Qianjin Pavilion and led the Golden Wu Guards to the Pei Residence, intending to kill He Yichen and the Princess’s confidante, Cui Siniang, and frame the Chief of the Mystic Eagle Guards for treason.”
“The Golden Banner Eighteen Guards arrived in time and, together with the Mystic Eagle Guards, protected Cui Siniang and He Yichen. Zhai Heming then dispatched the Golden Wu Guards to arrest Cui Siniang’s father and second uncle at the Xing Sheng Inn, hoping to use them as leverage to force Cui Siniang to frame Chief Pei and sever Minister Xie’s support.”
“Understood,” Pei Du replied.
Those who knew what had happened at the Pei Residence in Anxing Ward were limited to the Mystic Eagle Guards and the Golden Wu Guards.
Did Zhai Heming think he could take advantage?
It wasn’t as if Zhai Heming was the only one with a mouth. Both sides would present their own versions of the story and muddy the waters first.
“As for the Thousand Gold Workshop…” Xie Huaizhou tapped his fingers idly on the confession papers. “Release all the information about the relationship between Madam Wei of the gambling house and Qiancheng, the Left Commandant of the Golden Wu Guards, their ties to the Qianjin Pavilion, and the Liu Family behind the Qianjin Pavilion.”
Since Xie Huaizhou and Zhai Heming were both implicated, the noble families shouldn’t expect to sit back and watch unscathed.
He had worked so hard to stabilize the court; he couldn’t just watch the noble families grow stronger.
“If this escalates, the wild card… will be that Cui Siniang,” Pei Du frowned, deeply concerned. “Now that she’s in our hands, we can’t kill her or touch her. Are we supposed to let her do as she pleases?”
Xie Huaizhou chuckled softly.
Cui Siniang had set up this scheme, exploiting the power struggle between him and Zhai Heming, to solidify her position as the Princess’s confidante.
Xie Huaizhou understood this, yet he had no choice but to play along and assist her as she intended.
Especially now that the situation had escalated, even if Xie Huaizhou and Zhai Heming set aside their enmity and cooperated, they still couldn’t break the deadlock.
And the cost of forcing a resolution was too high, too difficult.
Particularly with Zheng Jiangqing’s expedition date already set, maintaining court stability was of utmost importance.
Cui Siniang had chosen this critical moment to strike, leaving them no choice but to enter the game.
But that didn’t mean Xie Huaizhou would let Cui Siniang have her way entirely.
“Quickly summon the best physicians in the city to the Princess Manor. The Princess’s confidante, Cui Siniang, was injured by the Golden Wu Guards and is now fighting for her life. We are doing everything we can to save her! From today onward, the Mystic Eagle Guards will strictly guard the Princess Manor.”
“Yes.” Pei Du responded and went out to handle the matter.
Xie Huaizhou sat at the desk, turning his gaze toward the depths of the heavy drapes hanging from the sandalwood beam…
The desk and all the writing implements the Princess had used during her lifetime remained arranged exactly as they were when she was alive.
Now, he still sat here, but there… was no longer the figure of the Princess frowning over memorials.