Chapter 51: Unification of the Front

Chapter 051: Unifying the Front

With just a single leaf, Fang Rulai’s innocence was proven without the need for further explanation—she truly had fainted earlier. Thus, the question of who had actually shattered the jade lion’s head could only be posed to Wang Suzhi, whose suspicious conduct included knocking Fang Rulai unconscious with a mere tea leaf.

Xu Chunhua volunteered herself to the matron to interrogate Wang Suzhi in the woodshed, a request the old lady granted. At last, those gathered in the back hall were permitted to disperse.

Now, only Fang Rulai and Lady Lin remained in the hall where the coffin was placed.

After a moment’s silence, Lady Lin spoke first. “That young man called Mu Zhijin—is he also one of yours?” She may not have shown herself since Fang Rulai’s arrival, but not a single event at the entrance had escaped her notice.

Lady Lin was unfamiliar with Mu Zhijin, but she had long heard of his mother, Madam Mu of the Hundred Flowers House. It was said that in her youth, Madam Mu had fallen for a poor scholar, resulting in Mu Zhijin’s birth. Yet, when that scholar achieved scholarly honors, he married the daughter of the Minister of Rites and never returned to Pingcheng. Madam Mu, who had already ransomed herself, was forced by necessity to return to the pleasure house, managing both guests and business without complaint. Her son, whom she sent to Shengjing for his studies, made her proud by taking first place in the imperial examination three years prior.

Just as the whole city was envious of Madam Mu’s turn of fortune—preparing to change her fate in the capital—the truth of Mu Zhijin’s heritage as the son of a courtesan was exposed. The top scholar, famed for a single day, was by night demoted and sent to the Chuguan House, becoming a young entertainer.

The city’s people gloated over Madam Mu’s endless misfortunes, yet she remained unruffled, declaring: even as a mere entertainer, her son’s face alone would ensure he reigned supreme among his peers. True enough, upon entering Chuguan House, Mu Zhijin was immediately kept by a mysterious patron, who not only paid for him, but for the entire building and its land.

An entire building in Shengjing—what did that signify?

Moreover, to this day, no one had learned who was backing Mu Zhijin. This could only mean that his supporter was either exceptionally wealthy or noble, able to carry out such a bold move without revealing their identity. And whether wealthy or noble, such a person would never let their possessions be claimed by another, not even a discarded one.

And yet—he dared to propose to Widow Zhu? If not for his patron being utterly besotted with him, then all of this must have been within the patron’s consent.

Or perhaps, the deeper meaning behind the letter received yesterday stating, “Mu Zhijin and Fang Rulai, Widow Zhu, arrived in Pingcheng one after another,” was simply: they are working together as one!

Though Lady Lin framed her words as a question, she was already eighty percent certain in her heart. That Mu Zhijin, who appeared at the perfect moment, was there specifically to divert public attention, discreetly resolving Fang Rulai’s crisis.

Could this not prove he was one of Fang Rulai’s people?

Fang Rulai neither nodded nor shook her head at these words, but replied, “Lu Lao Ba is Lady Lin’s man.”

She didn’t even bother to feign doubt; the information carried by the little leaf Mu Zhijin had brought her went far beyond its ordinary use.

Fang Rulai smiled politely at Lady Lin, as if they were merely discussing the weather—a topic so mundane as to be unremarkable.

Yet, it was precisely Fang Rulai’s calm demeanor that made Lady Lin feel a cold sweat trickle down her back from the pressure.

Yes, Lu Lao Ba was hers—one among a group she had long planted, ready to be bought off by money and to leak secrets. But how did this little monk across from her know?

She had always communicated with Lu Lao Ba through a single line, and even he likely did not know his ultimate commander was Lady Lin of the Zhao family. Moreover, by all accounts, Lu Lao Ba’s position at the time seemed more allied with the veiled stranger.

So how could this monk expose the truth with a single comment? Could he really be as capable as those in Shengjing claimed—so skilled that, within a day of arriving in Pingcheng, he had already installed spies at her side without her knowledge?

Lady Lin’s gaze grew profound, yet she made no pretense of denying it. The look Fang Rulai cast her was clear as day: “Whether you admit it or not, these are facts already set.”

Lady Lin steadied herself and continued, “To save you, Mu Zhijin drew all attention upon himself. Thus, he will not have the time to return today to help you contend with Wang Suzhi and Xu Chunhua.”

Indeed, she was well aware that the one who had laid this trap was more than just Wang Suzhi. She knew exactly how clever her eldest daughter-in-law was. Such a sequence—first using public opinion, then immediately turning to a more insidious scheme upon failure—could only have been devised by her usually reticent second daughter-in-law.

Fang Rulai nodded in agreement. “Wang Suzhi obtained the tea leaf, Xu Chunhua is adept at masking her emotions. The two complement each other’s weaknesses, working together to entrap this humble monk.”

“And you alone, contending with the joint scheme of Wang Suzhi and Xu Chunhua, while also extracting the crucial tea leaf without drawing notice?” Lady Lin shook her head resolutely. “Impossible! I am certain there is a fourth person at your side.”

Fang Rulai’s smile was more grim than amused. “Lady Lin, your mind is meticulous. Even knowing your two daughters-in-law were conspiring, you remained silent—not only refraining from warning me, but also secretly assisting Wang Suzhi and Xu Chunhua, ensuring their plot succeeded. Your sole purpose was to force out the unseen power at my disposal.”

Back when Lady Lin was still in charge, she would never have allowed her eldest daughter-in-law to hold the only key to the tea warehouse that was vital to the Zhao family’s salt business. Wang Suzhi’s ability to retrieve the tea leaf unnoticed was thanks, above all, to Lady Lin having previously withdrawn all surveillance from the warehouse.

Later, when Fang Rulai feigned being tricked, it was Lady Lin once again who had preemptively sent Xu Chunhua away, leaving Wang Suzhi alone to deal with her. The contest was a ruse; the real intent was to sow discord between the two women, deepening their mutual suspicion.

On the surface, it seemed Wang Suzhi and Xu Chunhua had joined forces to ensnare Fang Rulai; in truth, it was Fang Rulai and Lady Lin, each hidden in the shadows, quietly testing the other’s character and abilities.

As for the outcome—

Lady Lin suddenly fell to her knees with a thud. “I beg you, Master, to uncover the true cause of my son’s death, to console his soul in the afterlife!”

She had willingly sacrificed her own informant, and had deliberately made it easy for Wang Suzhi to take the leaf, all for the reason Fang Rulai had stated—to see whether Fang Rulai could extricate herself safely, to judge whether her ability and resources were sufficient to unravel the mystery of her son’s death.

Fang Rulai sat upright across from her, not evading her gaze in the slightest. If she had not sensed something last night, if Banxia had not acted swiftly, then had she been taken to the authorities today, she would likely not have survived the night. This old woman’s excessive caution for the sake of her son—she could understand! But understanding did not mean forgiveness. Had she made a single misstep, ending in her own death, Lady Lin would likely only have remarked that her skills were lacking.

“Lady Lin, I hope today’s incident is both the first and the last,” Fang Rulai said coolly. She did want the salt traders’ network in Lady Lin’s hands; thus, being pragmatic, she would not dwell on the matter now. This first time, she would treat it as the initial test of sincerity between new partners. But if there was ever a second...

Fang Rulai reached into the coffin and drew out the other intact white jade lion. As Lady Lin wondered if this was to be an offering of apology, Fang Rulai loosened her grip, and the lion crashed to the ground, shattering to pieces.

Fang Rulai’s voice was icy. “Do not test my abilities again, Lady Lin. All you need to know is that, as partners, we ought to trust one another.”

“Yes, yes, I understand,” replied Lady Lin, showing not a trace of regret for the ruined lion. If it would reveal the truth behind her son’s death, not only would she smash the jade lion, but the jade ruyi as well if necessary.

It was reminiscent of a duel between worthy adversaries who come to respect one another. Having each tested the other, Fang Rulai and Lady Lin, for the first time, clarified their partnership, and so began their joint counterattack.

“Master, what are our next steps?”

“Wang Suzhi, Xu Chunhua, and Lin Wan’er are the top three suspects I’ve identified. Yet after crossing paths with Lin Wan’er yesterday, I have all but ruled her out. That leaves Wang Suzhi and Xu Chunhua. However, after today’s encounter, though both are clearly scheming, neither is a match for the ever-sharp Lady Lin. This suggests that behind them, or at least behind one of them, is a fourth force we have yet to uncover.”

“Master, you are perceptive. Since my son’s untimely death at the end of last month, my first suspects were Wang Suzhi and Xu Chunhua. I placed no fewer than eighty or a hundred eyes around them. Yet, aside from discovering their ambition to seize control of the Zhao family, I found not a single clue related to my son’s demise.”

“The answer is simple: the force behind them is beyond your reach.”

“I know. But the more I know, the less I can accept it. Who is it that has set their sights on the Zhao family?”

“Amitabha.” Fang Rulai again reached into the coffin, this time producing the jade-green ruyi scepter. “Perhaps, Lady Lin, your investigative methods are not the right ones. If we cannot find out, why not force the real culprit to reveal themselves?”

Lady Lin’s eyes brightened. “Master, do you have a clever plan?”

Fang Rulai smiled slyly. “If Xu Chunhua’s intelligence surpasses Wang Suzhi’s by five percent, then her courage is five percent less. As the saying goes, no one knows the enemy better than their own rival. Since those two can both collude and clash, why not serve them a bloody, half-cooked feast—a test that will turn them against each other?”

What could be more satisfying than reaping the rewards when the snipe and the clam wear each other down?

Thanks to dear Ri Weiyang, Stinky Egg Haha, and &! Manman! ^_$ for your encouragement and support—it means a lot!

Lately, the days have grown noticeably longer—it feels like the warmth is returning. Then suddenly, I had a sense from the soles of my feet to the crown of my head: time flies so quickly, is this how I grow old day by day? How I wish I could possess the ageless genes of the Tianshan Child Elder. Or, perhaps the Buddha might grant me a Do Minjun? Amitabha~

This book is first published here.