Chapter 858: Good People, Bad People, and the Hidden Hands Behind the Scenes

At the western end of Yangzhou Hutong lies Dong Chang’an Street, adjacent to the north-south oriented Chongwenmen Street. There are no high-ranking officials’ offices in the vicinity, so it was originally a place inhabited by merchants and travelers. The Military Ministry’s Intelligence Division chose a courtyard here as its office. Aside from a few people in the know, no one paid much attention—after all, this was a bustling market area, unlike places like the Jinyiwei’s Eastern Factory. Moreover, the Military Ministry’s Intelligence Division was responsible for gathering military intelligence from the north and had nothing to do with affairs in the capital.

Thus, there was no signboard at the entrance of that three-section courtyard, nor any archway or plaque. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary civilian residence. Those coming in and out through the main gate were mostly merchants and managers dressed in fine silk robes; they certainly didn’t seem like people engaged in secret activities. If an outsider entered the courtyard, they would see it filled with various goods. The people inside spoke loudly, without whispering, exuding a vulgar atmosphere.

In the west wing room, three doors in, Lao Wu, lying on the kang, could clearly hear the constant noise outside. Though it was noisy, the sounds of shouting, footsteps, and laughter gradually calmed his initial anxiety. He had spent years loading and unloading goods at the Zhangjiawan dock and was used to such noise. It was rather the gloomy silence of the Jinyiwei officers that made him feel uneasy—thankfully, they had left.

At that moment, he drank the medicine from the bowl the young man handed him. As he took the last sip, he choked and couldn’t help but cough. Seeing the others rush over with a soft cloth, he felt embarrassed and apologized repeatedly. After wiping away the spilled medicine, as the person picked up the bowl and turned to leave, he finally spoke up, “Sir…”

Before he could finish, the young man turned around and waved his hand frantically, saying, “Don’t call me sir! I’m just a lowly worker! If you have any questions, I don’t know the answers. At most, I can pass your message on when Seventh Master returns. Ah, your illness isn’t cured yet—don’t worry too much. The doctor said if it had been any later, you might have died from the cold. You should focus on recovering first!”

“Sir… Brother, I’m not that precious. Even when I was sick before, I could work after a couple of days. It’s already been two days now—why do I still have to stay in bed?”

Lao Wu tried to push himself up with all his strength, but just as he bent down to put on his shoes, he felt dizzy. By the time he regained his senses, he was already pinned down on the kang, with the thick cotton quilt covered in blue patterned satin draped over him. He struggled and tried to speak, but couldn’t match the young man’s strength and had no choice but to submit.

“The past is the past. This is the present. If not for Seventh Lord saving you, you would have almost crossed into the realm of the dead. Still trying to be tough!”

These words stirred up turmoil in Lao Wu’s heart. He didn’t know what kind of government office this was; he only knew that it was the highest-ranking official here who had saved him. In these difficult times, most people avoided trouble at all costs, and anyone who could save their life was naturally a savior. But he had worked so hard to get this opportunity, hoping his children could live a better life and he wouldn’t have to suffer poverty. That’s why, when someone came to see him, he immediately made such a request. Now, thinking about it, he felt terrified—how could an ordinary person defy the authorities?

“Don’t worry. Seventh Lord said that even if you don’t ask, he will definitely intercede on your behalf. Since he managed to rescue you from the snow, he surely won’t ignore your efforts.”

After saying that, the young man headed out. Just before leaving, he suddenly remembered something and muttered, “Oh no, I’ve been so busy these past few days that I forgot. It’s Laba Festival today, and I haven’t even bought any beans—so I won’t be able to make Laba porridge!”

Laba Festival!

Hearing those words, Lao Wu froze. Counting on his fingers, he realized it was indeed Laba Festival. Lying on the warm kang, he couldn’t help but recall past years.

Due to a lack of coal and firewood, his family’s kang was usually cold most of the winter, with only a few days when it could be heated properly. Of course, it had to be heated on Laba Festival. On that day, he would put on his best clothes with his two children to pay respects to their ancestors and cook a large pot of Laba porridge. The beans were often provided by neighbors, as he needed to save money to buy rice for the children during the New Year. Even so, the children were very happy when they ate those two bowls of hot Laba porridge. He wondered if they would encounter any problems on the road, if they would be treated coldly by relatives in the countryside, or if they would at least have enough to eat and wear… As he thought about these things, his heart gradually ached, and his vision blurred.

Just as tears welled up in his cloudy eyes, he suddenly heard voices outside the door. He quickly turned his head inward and rubbed his eyes fiercely with his hands. Soon after, he heard someone entering the room. He turned around and recognized it as Seventh Master, who had come to ask him questions several times before. He tried to sit up, but was pushed back down.

“No need to rush. It’s important to rest and recover.” Hu Qi entered without any attendants. He pulled a fir wood chair over, lifted the hem of his robe, and sat down in front of the kang. Seeing that the person on the kang looked much better than the previous days, he nodded in satisfaction. “Fortunately, you’re strong. If it were someone delicate, they would have died from the cold that night. Don’t worry about the favor you asked of me—I’ve already reported it to the higher authorities. They said it’s already included in the official document. Following usual practice, you should at least be given the rank of a hundred-household officer.”

Hearing this, Lao Wu could no longer stay lying down. He threw off the blanket and struggled to get up, banging his head against the edge of the kang. His voice trembled as he said, “Thank you, sir! Thank you so much!”

Hu Qi quickly pulled him up and covered him with the blanket again, then said with a smile, “There’s no need to thank me. I just passed on a message to the higher-ups. Whether it succeeds depends on your luck. Since the officials have spoken, there’s a 90% chance it will work. If everything goes well, you might even get hereditary status. Just rest and recover here. You’ve already told everything to the Jinyiwei, so they won’t come to question you again. Also, I sent someone to pick up your two children from the countryside yesterday. That way, you can spend the New Year in the capital.”

After receiving such good news, and hearing that someone had been sent to pick up his children, Lao Wu was overjoyed. He tried to get up to kowtow again, but Hu Qi’s large hand pressed down on his shoulder, forcing him to lie back down. He said in a low voice, “For such great kindness from Seventh Master, even if I have to serve as an ox or a horse in my next life, I will surely repay it…”

“There’s no need to say that. After all, I did a good deed at the city gate this time, and I got a share of the credit. But I also have a warning for you. You’re not originally from a military family. Even if you’re given a military rank, it’s best to just receive a salary without rushing into the military. After all, those places are full of entrenched relationships. It’s easy for outsiders to be excluded, and those involved in your previous lawsuit will surely have allies who will stand up for them…”

Lao Wu didn’t understand any of this, but having spent years at the dock, he had learned a bit about human relationships and social nuances among the laborers. So as he listened, he gradually understood most of it, and a look of deep gratitude appeared on his face. By the end, when Hu Qi finished speaking, he couldn’t help but ask hesitantly, “Elder Qi, I’m just an ordinary poor man. I owe you a great deal for reminding me of these things. May I ask why you care so much about me?”

Pronounced by him, Hu Qi was momentarily stunned. After a long pause, he gave a bitter smile, patted his shoulder lightly, and stood up. “I too have suffered hardship and poverty in the past; my situation wasn’t much better than yours. If it weren’t for others’ trust and promotion, I wouldn’t be where I am now. Naturally, I don’t want you to waste the future you’ve worked so hard to achieve.”

As he spoke, shouts came from outside again, “Elder Qi, Elder Qi! The two children have arrived!”

Hearing this, Hu Qi suppressed that strange emotion deep in his heart and strode outside. In the courtyard, a man in gray was holding one child in each arm, both dressed in tattered clothes. Hu Qi nodded and smiled, “Take them inside to meet their father, and then cook porridge with the bean ingredients I brought back… I was planning to get some porridge from the lord, but he was so generous that he gave these directly to us. There’s only one Laba Festival this year—we can’t just muddle through! Go and buy two pounds of red dates, one pound of lotus seeds, and two pounds of sugar for each person right away!”

“Sure!”

With that, everyone was delighted. The man in gray led the two children inside. After a while, he came back out, rubbing his nose and smiling. “I thought Elder Qi was doing good deeds for no reason, but seeing that father and children reunite just now really touched my heart. The children even knelt down, their faces covered in tears—it reminded me of my own wife and children at home.”

“There are endless injustices in the world, but sometimes a small act of help can save an entire family,” Hu Qi said with a faint smile. Then he gave a signal. When the two attendants outside and the two people here approached, he whispered, “I’ve already reported that matter to the lord. He gave a strict order: whatever it takes, we must get that man to talk! We’ve done good now, but now we have to become ruthless villains!”

Since the leader said so, the others all agreed in unison. Some rolled up their sleeves in coordination, some showed sinister smiles, and others cracked their knuckles… It wasn’t until they reached the three gates that someone murmured softly, “Elder Seven, you just brought back beans from there—now we won’t even be able to have a bowl of longevity porridge.”

“Do people in our line of work really expect longevity just from drinking some porridge?” Hu Qi didn’t even turn around. It wasn’t until they left the gate and mounted their horses that he turned to smile at them. “Once we finish this task, I’ll treat everyone to a good time in Goulan Hutong! Besides, even if we’re over there, it’s not hard to get a bowl of porridge, is it?”

Overnight, the entire capital suddenly became highly vigilant. Guards were stationed in front of the residences of high-ranking officials and nobles, and the Ten Princes’ Mansion was no exception. After all, the emperor’s brothers—big and small—though granted the title of prince, had not yet taken up their fiefs. The Princes of Zheng, Yue, Xiang, Jing, Huai, Liang, and Wei all lived here. Together with the former residences of those princes, this large area was filled with luxurious mansions, yet there weren’t many guards. After all, nobility pales in comparison to power.

In a mansion to the east, it was as quiet as the others at that moment. As a mere mansion, it naturally wasn’t as grand as a prince’s palace, but its main hall was still quite spacious. It was deep winter, and the warm room had underground heating running, with thick sheepskin mats laid out in the center. Two beauties dressed in light clothes sat on either side, while the man in the middle leaned against the naked thigh of the woman on his left, lazily eating raisins fed by her hand, without even glancing at the person kneeling not far away.

“Stop bothering me with these trivial matters. A few maids dying is no big deal. Besides, it was you who invited me here for fun! If the Jinyiwei wants to investigate, let them do it. It’s just a matter of getting scolded a bit—what’s the big deal? With all the chaos outside right now, why should I go to the palace?”

Suddenly, the man pushed aside the naked woman beside him and sat up. His face, resembling Zhu Zhanji’s, showed a fierce expression. “Don’t think you have any leverage over me. Let me tell you—if I turn around now and go to the palace to accuse you of threatening a prince, will you survive?”

“Your Highness, you’re joking. How dare I?” The man hurriedly bowed his head, though his voice lacked true fear. “Of course I wouldn’t dare threaten a royal relative. It’s just a few maids—what’s the harm? But please don’t forget, Your Highness, the emperor is outside. If the crown prince falls ill again in the palace and something happens… You know, Your Highness is not only filial and virtuous but also holds a high status…”

Hearing this, the man’s expression immediately hardened. Thinking of the situation in the palace, he couldn’t help but recall what had happened in the first year of Hongxi, and his expression changed unconsciously. Although the crown prince’s illness should have nothing to do with the empress dowager, who knew what else might happen? Besides, the empress dowager always had the most influence. After much thought, he stepped forward, kicked the man hard to the ground, then stamped on his head, face, and shoulders several times before finally letting out a satisfied snort.

“I’ll find a way to enter the palace later… But if you dare be so bold again, I’ll tear you apart alive!”

The man didn’t even grunt in defiance. Only after the man had vented his anger did he struggle to get up, mumbling, “I wouldn’t dare.” Seeing that he had nothing more to say, the man quietly retreated. Once he was gone, the man angrily smashed a vase. A shard of porcelain grazed a beauty’s right cheek, drawing blood, but she merely covered it frantically with a silk handkerchief, while the man smashing things paid her no attention at all.

“Get out! If you dare leak a word about today’s incident, don’t blame me for using you to fill a pond!”

At the back door, a man wearing a hat successfully passed the Jinyiwei’s inspection, hurriedly left the alley, and got onto a carriage. After circling through streets and alleys for a long time, he got off at another location, now dressed and wearing a hat differently, with only a few bruises on his face. Soon, he turned into the alley in front of the Prince Shi’s mansion. This time, he showed a different face when confronted by the guards. It wasn’t until he entered his own residence and walked through the hall to the warm pavilion that he took off his hat and bowed respectfully to the person sitting inside.

“The task is done. He agreed to go to the palace and investigate.”

“It’s good that someone has taken the initiative…”

The man didn’t lift his head, but his gaze fell on a box on the desk. It was a box directly attached to the desk, designed to look decorative while preventing theft. Moreover, since it was placed openly, no one would pay much attention to it—only he knew what was inside. At that moment, he unconsciously reached out to touch it and murmured something under his breath.

“Once, the emperor and the King of Han were at odds, but my grandfather always cherished you. I never expected you to leave so soon, leaving only these things for me…”