Chapter 402 Assassination

Chapter 402: Assassination

Guang Zishun and Superintendent Yao, who were rumored to have both hired assassins and taken Li Xiuwen's family hostage, had no idea of all the things they were accused of doing. In fact, after Guang Zishun silenced the clerk managing military colony lands, he had no idea the clerk had left a backup plan before dying—secretly hiding a draft manuscript and finding a way to deliver it to Prefect Li Xiuwen.

Song Tingzhou had only pieced together a guess about the relationship between Guang Zishun, Yao Jing, and Li Xiuwen from fragments of information Ge Quan had gathered. He laid a trap and sprung it, never expecting it to actually smoke out Li Xiuwen.

"Why would Li Xiuwen invite us at a time like this?" A rather shrill voice emanated from a pale, clean-shaven middle-aged man. His shoulders sagged slightly as he sat on a wooden chair in a private room of a restaurant, his eyes darting about nervously. Two burly guards loomed protectively behind him.

Besides the master and his two men, there was another imposing figure in the room. He stood silently at the window, gazing down. "It might be that Lord Deng has some important matter to direct us on."

Yao Jing furrowed his thin brows impatiently. "What instructions? Isn't it just about dealing with the imperial inspector from Shengjing? We've already disposed of all the land holdings under our names. When he arrives, he'll come up empty-handed. What's there to fear? Our Suzhou isn't like those good-for-nothings in Yangzhou who spilled their guts at the slightest scare, practically groveling at people's feet to lick their boots."

His features were naturally sharp and harsh, so such a sneering, sarcastic remark didn't seem out of place on him.

Guang Zishun listened to his idiotic speech and inwardly despised Yao Jing as a eunuch without a spine—greedy and foolish, as expected. But the Suzhou Weaving and Dyeing Bureau was an imperial workshop serving the royal household exclusively, and Yao Jing, as deputy director, held the livelihoods of half of Suzhou's weaving households in his hands and had direct access to the throne. Guang Zishun had many benefits to extract from Yao Jing without anyone being the wiser, so he had tolerated him for years without ever having a falling out.

Now he only offered a perfunctory agreement. "Superintendent Yao speaks sense. But Li Xiuwen is an inscrutable one—he never goes out of his way to associate with us. For him to suddenly invite us to a banquet, there must be more to it than meets the eye."

He had eyes and ears in the city and knew that Li Xiuwen had, for reasons unknown, suddenly sent his family out of the city. Guang Zishun guessed that the Yangzhou affair had spooked Li Xiuwen—perhaps this prefect had some skeleton in his closet he feared the Jiangnan Governor-General about to arrive in Suzhou might uncover, so he had moved his family out of harm's way first.

Yao Jing was about to say more when Guang Zishun suddenly lowered his voice. "He's on his way up."

A moment later, the door to the private room was pushed open from outside. Li Xiuwen came up the stairs with a grim expression, but the moment he pushed the door open, his face immediately composed itself.

He first greeted Yao Jing with a cupped-fist salute, then nodded at Guang Zishun by the window, and went straight to the host's seat, casting a brief glance at the two bodyguards behind Yao Jing.

Yao Jing understood what Li Xiuwen meant. The man was extremely cautious about his own safety, always keeping two capable fighters by his side wherever he went. But seeing that Li Xiuwen seemed to have something secret to discuss, he hesitated for a moment before waving his hand. The two burly guards immediately bowed and withdrew from the room, quietly closing the door behind them.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew heavy, with only the faint sounds of the bustling streets drifting in from outside, making the room feel even quieter by contrast.

Li Xiuwen kept his voice low, unable to hide the exhaustion in it. "Word from the grain transport route says that Lord Song left the Yangzhou docks by boat two days ago. If all goes well, he should reach our Suzhou docks by the day after tomorrow at the latest."

The waterways of Jiangnan made travel convenient. Yangzhou was only four to five hundred li from Suzhou, and with favorable winds, a boat could make the journey in three days.

He always had the best information of the three. Yao Jing suspected nothing. Though he had just claimed there was nothing to fear, his heart tightened despite himself, and his voice grew even shriller. "When he comes, we'll do as we agreed—go through the motions of cooperation, and once he's gone, we go back to business as usual. He can't stay in Suzhou forever!"

Guang Zishun felt that Li Xiuwen's gaze toward him was different from usual, as if it concealed something. He said warily, "My spies in Yangzhou haven't reported back in several days. I hear Song Tingzhou was extremely formidable in Yangzhou—he took down Cao Jinfang in under a month and drove a wedge between him and the Yangzhou great families, breaking apart their seemingly unbreakable alliance. He's a force to be reckoned with. We must not be careless."

Suzhou was close to Yangzhou, and they had been following the events there closely. Mentioning Yangzhou made Yao Jing relax instead. "Cao Jinfang was just a pathetic pushover controlled by the great families. Our Lord Li won't be so easy to handle. Besides, which of the weaving households under us doesn't depend on the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau to make a living? If anyone dares to harbor disloyal thoughts, I'll cut off their livelihood! Even if Song Tingzhou could move heaven and earth, when he sets foot in Suzhou, he'll have to watch his step around us."

Guang Zishun's brows knitted slightly. Yao Jing's smug, self-satisfied demeanor disgusted him—if not for the backing of the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau, would such a eunuch even be worthy of sitting at the same table as him?

He placed more weight on Lord Li's opinion and shifted his gaze, trying to glean something from the man's expression, but Li Xiuwen kept his eyes downcast the entire time.

"But I recall Superintendent Yao also holds a fair amount of land, doesn't he? If Song Tingzhou were to find out, what would you say then? I don't have the power to protect Superintendent Yao from Song Tingzhou." Li Xiuwen suddenly said something cryptic.

Yao Jing and Guang Zishun exchanged a covert glance. The matter of Yao Jing using Guang Zishun to pass off private fields as military surplus land—the fewer people who knew, the safer it was. They had no intention of letting Li Xiuwen in on it.

Yao Jing said with affected nonchalance. "That needn't trouble Lord Li. The land under my name has already been scattered. It's just a matter of losing some land—once Song Tingzhou leaves Suzhou, I'll just take the time to reclaim it all one by one. I only hope Lord Li won't turn around and betray us like Cao Jinfang did. Don't forget, we're all grasshoppers tied to the same rope. If one of us dies, the other two won't escape unscathed either."

If Li Xiuwen hadn't known the truth, he wouldn't have noticed the silent exchange between the two. Now that he was aware, those words made his blood run cold. His family had already been taken hostage by these two—wasn't this a brazen threat?

Li Xiuwen's hands on his knees clenched quietly, his nails nearly digging into his palms, but his expression remained impassive. He slowly lifted his gaze, letting his eyes travel across Yao Jing and Guang Zishun's faces before coming to rest on Guang Zishun. His tone was level and unreadable: "The two of us serve under Surveillance Commissioner Lord Deng. We rise and fall together. Why would I do something so stupid as to destroy our own foundation? I've already disposed of anything unnecessary. But Song Tingzhou is not someone to be trifled with—what happened in Yangzhou is a cautionary tale. If he could bring Cao Jinfang to his knees, he must have an endless bag of tricks."

Those words hit home with Guang Zishun. That was exactly his concern. Moreover, he was a military officer—technically Song Tingzhou had no authority over him. But the emperor had sent a Jinyiwei Commander bearing the imperial sword of authority to accompany Song Tingzhou. Didn't that mean he had authority over both civil and military officials?

At the end of the day, no official had clean hands. Song Tingzhou's methods in Yangzhou had been lenient—no blood had been shed. If it were just corruption, Guang Zishun would rather part with his money. But if it involved something more...

"As expected of Lord Song. I thought the equal-field reform, which shook the foundations of the great families, would stir up endless trouble. But he made it look so easy, bringing the Yangzhou magnates to heel so effortlessly."

In the next private room, several like-minded scholars were holding forth. The entire literary world of the south was discussing Song Tingzhou's implementation of the new policies, and these scholars were no exception.

"Exactly. This is the first time I've seen such a vigorous and decisive style from Lord Song. Clearly not something ordinary officials can compare to."

"His Majesty is truly wise. We misjudged Lord Song before."

"Back then, we mentioned Lord Fang Rushan to Lord Song. I wonder if Lord Song still remembers."

"What are you suggesting, Brother Jiang?"

"With the Yangzhou affair concluded, Lord Song's next stop is Suzhou. Why don't we arrange to welcome him outside the city and plead with him to redress Lord Fang's injustice?"

"Brother Jiang is right. I was just thinking the same thing."

"Good! It's decided then. We'll all go together to request an audience with Lord Song."

The young scholars grew more and more fired up. Guang Zishun's temples throbbed slightly, his hand nearly snapping off a corner of the table. He gritted out through clenched teeth, "Which academy do those scholars next door belong to?"

Yao Jing didn't know why he was asking, but he sent someone to find out anyway. After a moment, Yao Jing's man returned—not only with information but also carrying a book. "They're scholars from Jinghuan Academy. The second son of the Jiang family, Fifth Master of the Yun family, and Third Young Master of the Zhou family."

Guang Zishun's mouth twitched. All were sons of Suzhou's great families, each with formidable backgrounds.

He took the book coldly from Yao Jing's man and flipped through a few pages, his veins bulging again.

It turned out to be a remarkable book. Even though Guang Zishun wasn't much of a reader, he knew Suzhou had never seen anything like this—picture-based, with vivid illustrations accompanied by simple text explanations that even illiterate people could easily understand. The content was none other than what he feared most: a High Official of Suzhou auditing land holdings, standing in opposition to the country gentry.

The story wasn't finished, and the protagonist didn't share the surname Fang. But anyone who had lived through those events would immediately think of Fang Rushan upon reading it.

That old case from years past had been sealed away perfectly. Who would have thought it would resurface in front of everyone in such a manner?

Guang Zishun gripped the book tightly, a single thought consuming his mind—Song Tingzhou must not be allowed to reach Suzhou alive.

—

Today was overcast again, clouds shrouding the sun, heavy masses pressing down on the sails. Even the green willows on both banks seemed dim, and a dampness permeated everything. Fang Jinrong stood irritably on the walkway by the ship's railing, getting some air. "Suzhou's scenery is beautiful, but there's one drawback—too much rain. Clothes won't dry properly."

"That's because you didn't bring enough clothes, not because you don't have enough to wear," Meng Wan responded from inside the cabin upon hearing his complaint. At the same time, he scribbled a few strokes with a charcoal pencil on rough paper, but the boat swayed and it was awkward, so he tossed the pencil aside and leaned against Song Tingzhou, eating fruit.

They had taken a roundabout route, boarding a boat at some small town between Yangzhou and Suzhou, heading back toward Suzhou.

Fang Jinrong didn't even bother asking questions anymore. He just followed Meng Wan and Song Tingzhou wherever they went. Inwardly, he sighed that going out alone with Ge Quan was more fun. Once Song Tingzhou finished his business and safely delivered them back to Shengjing, he'd insist on going on a jaunt with Ge Quan.

Outside the boat, dark clouds rolled across the sky. Song Tingzhou held Meng Wan with one arm and idly stroked a teacup with the other, his eyes gazing through the wooden window at the boundless water in the distance.

They had hired a small boat, carrying only their own people. Water transport in the south was well-developed, and merchant and passenger vessels frequently passed by their little boat, the waves rocking them before settling back to calm.

"What are you thinking about?" Meng Wan looked up and asked, splitting a ripe spring apricot in half and feeding one piece to Song Tingzhou's mouth.

Song Tingzhou bit into it, the sweet juice spreading across his tongue, slightly dispelling the tangled thoughts in his mind. He looked down at Meng Wan's eyes, more beautiful than the sweet apricot, chewed the flesh thoroughly, and swallowed before speaking in a low voice. "This journey is dangerous."

"You're afraid Li Xiuwen will turn?" Meng Wan immediately caught on to Song Tingzhou's meaning.

Song Tingzhou slowly shook his head. "No. I can't gauge Guang Zishun's resolve. He's a veteran who came off the battlefield—he's truly seen blood. Climbing to his position, he's far more ruthless than the likes of Yao Jing."

Ge Quan, who was outside accompanying his own husband, overheard this and leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed. "As long as he doesn't bring an army, I can guarantee your lives."

Song Tingzhou curled a faint smile at the corner of his lips, looking at Ge Quan with a measure of trust. "An army wouldn't be necessary—that would be rebellion, not assassination. But knowing you're here, he'll probably bring a few hundred men at least."

"A few hundred? Tsk, he's really willing to spend." Meng Wan split another red apricot and, as before, gave half to Song Tingzhou. "We'll reach Suzhou dock by dawn tomorrow. He'll probably make his move tonight. Dark and windy—kill someone in the water and no need to bury the body. Weigh it down with a stone and it's done."

Guang Zishun had no idea that Meng Wan and his men had already calculated exactly when he would strike. He and his men set out in more than twenty small boats, silently approaching the vessel carrying Song Tingzhou under the cover of night.

The night was as dark as ink, with even the moonlight failing to pierce the clouds. Not a single star could be seen in the sky. A dense cluster of black-canopied boats glided silently across the water's surface, the sound of oars dipping into the water reduced to a bare minimum. The narrow boats were crammed with wiry, sturdy men, all clad in black, nearly blending into the darkness itself. The cold gleam of their blades carried a chilling murderous intent.

The small boats quickly surrounded a modest passenger vessel on the water. Guang Zishun, masked from head to toe, personally led his men aboard the passenger boat, which swayed slightly—revealing that he too was skilled in martial arts.

Relying on their numerical advantage, he made no effort to conceal his movements, intending only to retreat quickly once the deed was done. Within moments, over twenty men had boarded the passenger vessel, while the remaining hundreds encircled it in small boats, ready to kill anyone who tried to escape.

As Guang Zishun drew his blade and hacked open the first cabin door, Ge Quan, who had been lying in wait, immediately dropped down from above. It turned out he had been observing from the masthead all along, waiting until he confirmed Guang Zishun's intent to attack before bursting into action.

Guang Zishun had long heard that the new Jinyiwei Commander was skilled in martial arts, assuming he was merely of second-rate caliber like himself. That was why he had personally led men to hold him off. But he had underestimated his opponent. Ge Quan was a first-rate master, unmatched on water or land. In a single clash, he cut off Guang Zishun's right arm with his sword. Fortunately, Guang Zishun had brought several highly skilled subordinates, or he would have been killed in that first encounter.

Seeing Guang Zishun collapse to the ground, his face pale as paper, clutching the gushing stump of his severed arm and trembling with pain, the men immediately lunged forward with their blades, their strikes fierce and aimed directly at Ge Quan's vital points.

Ge Quan remained unflustered, his form moving like a phantom through the narrow cabin corridor. His long sword danced in an impenetrable web of steel. A rapid series of clangs rang out as he deflected the men's blades, then with a flick of his wrist and a whirl of his sword, screams followed in quick succession. Within moments, the leading black-clad attackers lay fallen in pools of blood, their wounds clean and precise—clearly fatal strikes.

"Quick, get me out of here! Retreat!"

Guang Zishun clutched his bleeding stump, his face deathly pale, staring at Ge Quan, who seemed like a god of slaughter before him. A terror he had never known surged through his heart. He had come to kill Song Tingzhou to save his own life, yet now he realized he had walked straight into his own demise.

"Friend, why leave so soon after arriving?"

Splash after splash sounded from the water. Amid churning, bloodied water and faint screams, figures surfaced from the river one after another, each swimming with effortless grace, as if born to be fish in these waters.