Chapter 505: The Beginning of the Drama

“Eunuch Lord, Eunuch Lord!”
Cheng Jiu rushed in like a gust of wind. Seeing Lu Feng calmly adjusting his clothes, he darted forward a few steps before panting heavily and saying, “News just came in—Wang Guan has left. It seems he’s going to see Lord Zhang! He’s already at the courtyard on Ba Zhen Street. What should we do? Everything down there is ready already…”
“As long as it’s ready, that’s fine. Who he goes to see doesn’t matter!”
With murderous intent, Lu Feng grabbed a fur robe from nearby, flung it over himself with a rustle, then turned to scold, “Useless! You’ve been following me for so long, yet you still act so rash! Wang Guan isn’t a fool. Yuan Fang sent me ten men directly, and Mu Ning also brought twenty mercenaries for us. If he doesn’t take action now, he doesn’t deserve to hold the position of eunuch commander in Xuanfu Town for another five years! But him going to see Zhang Yue… Tsk tsk. Does he think that famous butcher is a fool who can be easily bribed?”
Only then did Cheng Jiu come to his senses. He quickly stepped forward to help pull at the hem of Lu Feng’s robe, then raised his head cautiously and asked, “Does Eunuch Lord mean Wang Guan is desperate and reaching out in panic?”
“That’s obvious. I have an old friendship with Zhang Yue, but he has a grudge against him!”
Lu Feng kicked the timid attendant with the tip of his foot impatiently, signaling him to stand up. He thought to himself that if this kid hadn’t remained just as fearful over the past two years, he might have chosen another unremarkable person from the household retinue as his confidant. With that in mind, he said nonchalantly, “Hurry up and change into clothes suitable for meeting people. We can’t mess up this opening act today! Yuan Fang’s message was right—to show everyone our strength, we must start by taking back control of the Jinyiwei here! How’s the task I assigned you at the general’s office going?”
“Don’t worry, Eunuch Lord. When the Marquis of Wu’an heard you needed men, he readily provided two hundred troops who can set out immediately!”
Regarding Marquis Zheng Heng’s attitude, Lu Feng couldn’t help but compare him to the previous Marquis of Xing’an, Xu Heng, and concluded that this one was far superior. The Marquis of Xing’an, a high-ranking earl, was held back by Wang Guan, hesitating between seeking his help and acting decisively. He deserved to be recalled to the capital to enjoy comfort! If he failed to overthrow Wang Guan this time, he would reverse the character for “Lu”!

The Jinyiwei had always only had stations in the provincial capitals of major provinces; in other places, they relied on low-ranking officials such as post masters as spies, except in key towns like Xuanfu and Datong. The Jinyiwei station in Xuanfu was located in Xianhua Alley, just two streets away from the commander’s headquarters. Though the name sounded pleasant, it was as gloomy and desolate as those in other locations.

Yet that afternoon, both ends of Xianhua Alley, usually avoided by ordinary people, were crowded with onlookers, as they witnessed a rare sight—a street that had been sealed off! It was said that beneath the Xuanfu commander and the eunuch governor was the Jinyiwei. Though this claim was an exaggeration, it was true. The station consisted of one hundredenier, two chief standard bearers, six junior standard bearers, along with low-ranking officers and soldiers. Despite their low status, they held great power, and few dared to provoke them.

“These seem to be soldiers from the commander’s headquarters… That old marquis is so bold as to confront the Jinyiwei?”

“That bunch of damned guys should have been dealt with long ago. When the old marquis was in Xuanfu, he never allowed them to act arrogantly. Hey, this is going to be interesting—truly satisfying!”

“They do need to be dealt with, but who knows how? Hope it doesn’t end with thunder but no rain!”

While the people of Xuanfu city rejoiced, the managers of various Shanxi merchant firms who heard the news were shocked. Having heard that the Jinyiwei and the eunuch governor’s office were closely linked, they had tried every means to bribe those officials, going to great lengths to fill that bottomless pit. If the commander’s headquarters really turned against the Jinyiwei, wouldn’t all their efforts be in vain? Thus, some impatient ones began to mutter.

“Could it be the commander’s headquarters wants to keep all the benefits for itself?”

The senior managers, having figured this out, though heartbroken, felt somewhat reassured, thinking they understood the situation. But the more experienced ones sensed something was amiss.

After all, the commander’s headquarters and the Jinyiwei station were independent of each other—neither interfered in the other’s affairs. Even if Marquis Wu’an Zheng Heng was a high-ranking noble, he shouldn’t be that reckless. The Jinyiwei were the emperor’s personal troops; targeting them was a violation of the rules!

When these two alleyways were blocked, the Jinyiwei in the military post were naturally alarmed. Even the officers who usually acted tyrannically felt something was wrong and had no choice but to step forward and argue in a feisty yet weak manner. Yet no matter how they questioned them, the soldiers blocking the entrance remained silent, their solemn and almost indifferent attitude unprecedented. Just as everyone was on the verge of erupting in chaos, a stir suddenly appeared at one end of Xianhua Alley.

A young flag bearer peeked around for a while before suddenly shouting, “It’s Lord Lu!”

Hearing this, all the Jinyiwei were overjoyed. Although the ten officers sent that day merely wandered around and left without even staying to take a look, they had made them feel a deep sense of crisis. But now, if the general’s office really turned against them, the only one they could rely on was indeed Lu Feng. After all, the head of the Eastern Depot was the one in charge of the Jinyiwei. Only with his intervention would the Marquis of Wu’an, who was likely planning something, hesitate to act!

However, when they saw the dozens of fierce-looking men behind Lu Feng, the Jinyiwei, who had thought they had reinforcements, grew nervous. Mustering their courage, they stepped forward to pay their respects, and the hundredman bravely said, “Lord, we Jinyiwei are always under the direct control of the Eastern Depot and only follow the emperor’s orders. Now that the general’s office has blocked Xianhua Alley, it’s an overreach. Please intervene on our behalf!”

Looking down at this hundredman who had always feigned obedience while actually defying him, Lu Feng narrowed his eyes slightly before saying with a fake smile, “Intercede for you? As the supervisor of the Eastern Depot who controls the Jinyiwei, of course I must stand by them… But why should I intervene for you traitors?”

With that, he swung his horsewhip sharply, the sound of the whip cutting through the air as it struck the hundredman’s face. Caught off guard, the hundredman stumbled back several steps before covering his face and wailing in pain. Everyone around was stunned, and it took a long time before two people rushed forward to support their superior.

“Someone, arrest all these traitors who are corrupt and greedy!”

Having been trapped in Xuanfu for nearly a month, Lu Feng had accumulated so much anger that when he shouted at that moment, he felt utterly relieved. At that instant, the skilled veterans sent by Yuan Fang and the strong foreigners dispatched by Mu Ning pounced like wolves; it didn’t take much fighting before those Jinyiwei who had previously refused to comply were pinned to the ground one after another. Watching them tied up with ropes and their mouths stuffed with burlap, his smile grew deeper, until he finally burst into wild laughter.

Seeing that everyone, including the chief officer he had spent a lot of money to buy off, was tightly bound and unable even to beg for mercy, he took a deep breath and then said slowly, word by word, “Leave five people to guard them; the rest go in and search! Remember, first, that ledger, and second, the stolen goods and silver. You have one hour—find them, and I’ll reward you handsomely. If not, you’ll face severe punishment! Be thorough and do your best!”

Lu Feng’s shrill voice naturally reached the outside. At first, the people were frightened, but as they gradually understood what was happening, they erupted in loud cheers, even those who had never suffered at the hands of the Jinyiwei. They knew these once-arrogant men were about to suffer, and watching others suffer was always a joyous sight, even if they themselves gained nothing.

The merchants, who had initially managed to stay calm, now looked pale as death, seemingly forgetting how to swallow. Dealing with officials was an essential part of their business, and bribery was their most effective tool. It didn’t matter if this head of the Eastern Depot dealt with the Jinyiwei—but if he used the ledger to extort them heavily, then Xuanfu wouldn’t only fail to make any money but might even suffer heavy losses!

After sending Wang Guan away, Zhang Yue strolled calmly to the general’s residence, which was right nearby. Since he hadn’t been seen for several days, everyone in the general’s residence knew he was “recovering from illness.” Now that they saw him in such high spirits, many came to greet him. Yue Jiayuan, the commander of the Left Guard in Xuanfu who had just returned, was already familiar with Zhang Yue from his earlier mission to Xinghe. After greeting him, he smiled and nodded in the direction of the main hall.

“Lord Meng Xiao is back too; he’s inside talking with Marquis Wu’an! Tell Lord Zhang a news item: When Arutai led his troops in retreat, he happened to encounter the forces of King Tianping of the Oirat. A fierce battle ensued. That King Tianping is really useless—he was completely defeated by Arutai. If not for Prince Anle Tuboluo arriving in time, Arutai would have left the battle immediately and headed back to his homeland, and likely King Tianping would have been killed by him! Tsk tsk. But if Arutai really died, the emperor wouldn’t have launched a northern expedition either. This guy is really troublesome!”
I wish Arutai were really dead!
After feeling regretful in his heart, Zhang Yue and Yue Jiayuan exchanged a few more words before ascending the steps to enter the main hall. Unlike when he first returned in a disheveled state, Meng Jun seemed quite energetic, with a relaxed expression he usually didn’t have. Since Marquis Wu’an Zheng Heng was not an outsider, the two in-laws avoided any formalities and simply bumped fists as a greeting. Just then, a loud announcement came from outside.
“Report! Eunuch Lu has arrived at Xianhua Alley. His followers have captured everyone from the Xuanfu Garrison of the Jinyiwei!”
“I know. Report again if there’s any news!” Zheng Heng ordered expressionlessly, then nodded at Zhang Yue. “The drama has already begun, but you’re not part of it anymore!”
“Although it’s regrettable not to take revenge personally, sometimes using someone else’s hands might be a good strategy,” Zhang Yue said. Seeing Meng Jun’s confused expression, he ignored him and instead smiled and bowed to Zheng Heng. “Weren’t these the teachings of Uncle Zheng?”
Zheng Heng couldn’t help but laugh heartily. “Enough, you little fox! It’s clearly your own idea. I’ve never taught you such things!”