Gao Yuexing put away her dagger. “The miasma in Lushu Mountain isn’t lethal yet. I suspect you were set up by someone with malicious intent. Have you been keeping a close watch on the grain carts?”
Zhao Tongsheng admitted with guilt, “There was a moment when we startled the horses and lost the grain cart. It wasn’t until we were about to leave the mountain that we found it again. At the time, we were just relieved it wasn’t damaged, but it turns out it had already been swapped. I was in too much of a hurry and didn’t think to inspect it…”
His quick reaction was fitting for a commander of an army.
Looking at the cart full of sand and rocks, he immediately began to analyze. “It took us almost three days to mobilize the grain in the capital. Based on the original schedule, we should’ve arrived within five days. However, we were delayed in the mountains for five and a half days. The grain cart was lost on the first day. That means the five days were used by the culprits to swap the grain. They covered their tracks meticulously and pretended nothing happened, letting us leave afterward. To pull this off in five days, their team must be small, Princess Consort.”
Gao Yuexing asked, “Where would they hide the grain?”
Zhao Tongsheng responded, “Not far away.” He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword and said, “Since the grain is gone, there’s no point heading to Jiangnan. Brothers, mount your horses! Follow me back to turn this mountain inside out and retrieve the grain!”
As he turned, he saw Gao Yuexing leading her horse and lowered his voice. “Princess Consort, allow me to assign two men to escort you back to the capital.”
Seated firmly on her horse, Gao Yuexing replied, “No need. I’ll join you. We’ll recover the grain and deliver it to Jiangnan immediately.”
Zhao Tongsheng gritted his teeth. “Understood. The Princess Consort has been working tirelessly for over half a month for the disaster in Jiangnan, even exhausting herself. Now she’s personally leading the charge. Men, raise your morale!”
They led their troops back overnight, abandoning all their carts.
The sacks filled with sand and rocks weren’t worth keeping.
Gao Yuexing asked, “Where do you think they would hide the grain?”
Zhao Tongsheng replied, “It can’t be far. Such a large quantity of grain would create too much noise when moved. We would’ve noticed. Princess Consort, I think they might have waited until we left to transfer it.”
Gao Yuexing nodded.
The group that swapped the grain went to great lengths to make it look like nothing had happened. They must have an ulterior motive.
Gao Yuexing said, “From here to Lushu Mountain, a fast horse would take about a day and a night. A round trip would be two days and nights. In two days, how far could they have gone?”
Zhao Tongsheng replied, “Beyond Lushu Mountain lies an open plain with towns and cities. If they headed south, they couldn’t avoid us. If they went north, they couldn’t bypass the capital. It’s likely they hid the grain somewhere near Lushu Mountain.”
Gao Yuexing had seen the scale of the carts before.
It would take a large manor to store that much grain.
And near Lushu Mountain, there happened to be such a manor.
It leaned against the mountain ridge of Lushu Mountain, with a gentle slope on the sunny side, resembling a lone hill. The place was covered with crabapple trees.
It was the suburban estate of Li Fuxiang, the Haitang Palace.
Gao Yuexing abruptly reined in her horse.
Zhao Tongsheng turned back. “Princess Consort?”
Gao Yuexing was dazed for a moment and said, “It’s nothing. I think… I know.”
It was raining in the suburbs of the capital too.
However, compared to the disaster-stricken areas in Jiangnan, it was just a light shower. The rain soon stopped, and the skies cleared.
In the early mornings, Lushu Mountain was prone to mist. The dense, white fog would only disperse when the midday sun grew strong enough. It never cleared in the morning.
A carriage exited the capital, heading straight for the suburbs.
Fu Yun knew she had been leaving the city too frequently lately, which had aroused suspicion in Yagu’s eyes.
Recently, Yagu had been watching her with guarded vigilance.
But she had no choice. Her only living relative, her elder sister, had fallen into someone else’s hands.
She didn’t want her sister to suffer torment and lose her life, so she could only obey.
Today would be the last time she left the city.
Once she reached the place where the grain was stored, handed over all of it to that lord, she would no longer have to go against her conscience.
That person had promised her—this was the last time. Once she delivered all the grain, she would no longer bear the burden of guilt. She could return to the light, bring her sister back to her side, and live together again.
On the way, Fu Yun clenched her hands tightly and kept telling herself: Don’t be afraid. You haven’t done anything wrong. You’re just lending your master’s villa to them temporarily. Once they’re done, they’ll return it. You haven’t harmed anyone. The Prince and Princess Consort won’t die. They’ll return safely soon, and everything will seem as if it never happened.
With such thoughts, she arrived at Lushu Mountain. Fu Yun didn’t even dare lift her head to glance at the mountain. Trembling, she reached the Crabapple Villa and used her key to unlock the gate.
The empty courtyard opened up before her, and several grain-laden carts were parked in the yard.
Fu Yun looked around and saw no one.
So, she sat under the veranda to wait.
She waited for a long time until she finally heard the rumble of carriage wheels.
Someone was coming.
Fu Yun eagerly leaned against the door to look out. She saw the carriage stop at the gate. It was solitary and simple, with no embellishments. The coachman jumped down, lifted the curtain, and helped someone out.
When Fu Yun saw the person’s face, her eyes widened. “P-Prince Xin?”
Prince Xin, holding a box in his hand, steadied himself and frowned when he saw her. “Why are you here?” He thought for a moment, then seemed to understand, laughing bitterly. “No wonder they arranged to meet here. This is your master’s territory, isn’t it?”
Prince Xin looked dispirited. After entering the courtyard, he handed her the box and said, “I’ve brought the money you asked for. Can you release the person now?”
Fu Yun was puzzled. “What are you talking about?”
Prince Xin stared at her for a moment. His eyes, first filled with suspicion, soon turned confused as he realized her reaction didn’t seem feigned. “One of my concubines was kidnapped. Weren’t you the one who wrote me a letter demanding 200 taels of gold, instructing me not to report to the authorities and to come here alone to ransom her?”
Fu Yun stammered, “Huh? No, it wasn’t me. I’m just here waiting…”
What was she waiting for?
Fu Yun suddenly realized something and froze.
Prince Xin, however, grew anxious. “Not you? Then who? The kidnapper clearly arranged to meet here at this hour to exchange money for the hostage!”
As he spoke, Prince Xin moved to search the courtyard.
Just as he stepped inside, he noticed the several grain-laden carts parked in the yard and stopped. “Huh? Aren’t these the disaster relief grains? Why are they here?”
Prince Xin naturally recognized the disaster relief grain carts.
After all, he had run back and forth tirelessly to help mobilize them.
Still unable to process the situation, he muttered, “Based on the timing, the relief grain should’ve arrived by now. Why is it parked here?”
Fu Yun covered her mouth with her hands.
She remembered the instructions from that person, telling her to wait in the villa courtyard at this specific hour, saying someone would show up.
Was it him?
Or was it not?
Fu Yun was completely bewildered.
But then, another commotion came from outside—this time, it was the thunderous sound of hooves, indicating the arrival of a large group.
Both Fu Yun and Prince Xin turned to look toward the gate.
Dust billowed outside, and soon, figures appeared. The leader pushed open the gate—it was none other than Minister of Revenue Kong Shishu. Behind him stood the Prefect of Jingzhao, accompanied by numerous government soldiers and constables.
Prince Xin, perplexed, asked, “Minister Kong, what’s the meaning of this?”
Kong Shishu’s face bore a serene, almost benevolent smile. He replied unhurriedly, “Prince Xin, privately seizing disaster relief grain and appropriating it for yourself—it’s rather inappropriate, don’t you think?”
Prince Xin looked at the imposing formation outside and then at the disaster relief grain carts inside. Finally, even he realized he’d been set up.
As for who the culprit was, wasn’t the answer standing right before him?
Enraged, Prince Xin coughed violently, finally catching his breath. He spat out through gritted teeth, “Kong Shishu, you truly are incorrigible!”
Kong Shishu, unbothered, even appeared smug. “Incorrigible? Haha, Prince Xin, I think you’re mistaken about our roles here. Right now, I am the official, and you are the criminal. The one embezzling disaster relief grain is you, not me. With the Prefect of Jingzhao present, along with witnesses and evidence, if you have anything to say, you can explain it in prison.”
At his signal, the soldiers surged forward.
Prince Xin, unwilling to yield, shouted, “Kong Shishu, you framed me! You kidnapped my concubine, lured me here, and planted false evidence to incriminate me!”
Kong Shishu crossed his arms and sneered. “Prince Xin, should I let you die with a clearer understanding? What kidnapped concubine? Do you know why the Prefect of Jingzhao and I are here today?”
Prince Xin froze, genuinely asking, “Why?”
Kong Shishu didn’t answer, but the Prefect of Jingzhao spoke righteously. “Your Highness, your concubine Jiang brought your handwritten letter to the magistrate’s office, accusing you of bribing people from Prince Xiang’s household, intercepting disaster relief grain, and hiding it in Prince Xiang’s villa. I stationed officers here according to the time specified in your letter, and sure enough, we found you. With both witnesses and evidence, Prince Xin, how could you be so foolish as to meddle with relief grain?”
Prince Xin was incredulous. “I didn’t—”
The Prefect of Jingzhao cut him off. “Would your closest companion falsely accuse you?”
Prince Xin was momentarily speechless.
The constables swarmed forward, pinning him to the ground. As his head lowered, his eyes fell on the box he had brought, its contents spilled across the ground—gold scattered everywhere.
Kong Shishu theatrically exclaimed, “Oh my, this money must’ve been for silencing witnesses. Perfect, more evidence to convict you!”
Prince Xin, staggering, was hauled to his feet.
Kong Shishu gazed at his disheartened demeanor and sighed. “Prince Xin, if this had been a few years ago, I might have felt sorry for you. Back in your youth, you were so brilliant and full of promise. How did just a few years reduce you to this pitiful state?”
Prince Xin ignored him.
Kong Shishu shook his head. “What a pity.”
With a wave of his hand, Prince Xin was about to be taken away. Kong Shishu’s greedy eyes turned toward the grain carts in the courtyard and said, “The disaster relief grain parked here serves as evidence. Take it back as well.”
They were just about to wrap up and leave when the previously silent Crabapple Villa suddenly erupted with noise.
The tightly shut doors of the main hall were suddenly kicked open with a loud bang.
Kong Shishu frowned and turned around, only to see a row of crossbows aimed directly at his face. Startled, his legs gave way, and he staggered back a few steps.
From behind the row of crossbows, Gao Yuexing stepped forward out of the shadows and said coldly, “—Hold it right there. The disaster relief grain, I haven’t agreed to let you take it yet.”