Translator – Xiao He Lian
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Chapter 34
Lu Yan said word by word: “As a Junior Magistrate of the Jingzhao Prefecture of the imperial court, I would like to make a deal with the Left Censorate.”
As soon as he said this, Nie Yuan’s pupils shrank suddenly and he was so shocked that he stuttered, “Jing… Jingzhao Prefecture?”
Pang Chong, who was on the side, was just as shocked as Nie Yuan. He was gasping for air. He obviously didn’t expect that this merchant would be a fourth-rank official in the court.
Nie Yuan looked at Lu Yan, frowning, seemingly disbelieving him, “Are you from the imperial court?”
Lu Yan admitted generously, “Yes.”
Nie Yuan couldn’t help but murmur: “How is this possible?”
Lu Yan changed his flirtatious and dandy demeanor just now and said with a serious expression: “The Emperor has said that those who violate the law and are greedy for money will not be forgiven. Anyone who commits illicit crimes outside the capital will be punished. The law will be enforced according to the crime. Do you still understand what you have done in Yangzhou?”
Nie Yuan’s heart was beating wildly when he heard this. After a while, he trembled and said, “What deal do you want to make with me?”
Lu Yan picked up the cup on the table, put it to his lips, and took a sip calmly.
When he came to Yangzhou this time, the most surprising thing was Zhao Chong’s ability to control Yangzhou. Whether it was the officials who were protecting each other or officials and businessmen that were colluding, there was still no way to find a breakthrough.
It wasn’t until Zhao Chong sent Fuman to drug him that he suddenly realized that the governor held not only wealth and beauty in his hands, but also a dagger across everyone’s throat.
The reason why Lu Yan didn’t hesitate to reveal his identity and wanted to capture Nie Yuan was simple. He thought that as long as he kept an eye on Zhao Chong, he would be able to find Bai Daonian. Who knew that several days have passed and there is still no news.
He guessed that since Nie Yuan dared to betray Zhao Chong, he must have taken the antidote.
However, according to his understanding of Zhao Chong, in order to check and balance Yangzhou’s current layout, he would not give anyone the antidote.
If Nie Yuan can get the antidote, he must know where Bai Daonian is.
Lu Yan said: “Answer me a few questions and I will save your life.”
Nie Yuan said: “What questions?”
“Where is Bai Daonian?”
As soon as he said this, Pang Shu, who had fallen to the ground, yelled with all his strength: “Nie Yuan, if you dare to speak, I will never let you go! I will chop your wife and children into meat paste and scatter them on the ground!”
Hearing this, Nie Yuan trembled.
Seeing this, Lu Yan couldn’t help but curl his lips.
The reason why he didn’t give Pang Shu too much medicine was because he wanted to distinguish the authenticity of the words through the reactions of the two people. He had been lurking around Zhao Chong for so long, and he had already figured out the temperament of the people around him.
Pang Shu is a big and rough person but he is indeed not a meticulous person.
Lu Yan tilted his head and said sarcastically: “Pang Shu, your life is at stake, how can you threaten others?”
Pang Shu smiled and said, “I don’t care if you are Wei Haun of the Wei family or the Junior Magistrate of Jingzhao Prefecture. Let me tell you, I will never betray Lord Zhao. Even if you cut off my head, I will not say half a word.”
Lu Yan raised his eyebrows and asked him, “What about Lord Pang’s family? Doesn’t Lord Pang not care about his wife and children?”
Pang Shy retorted: “Master Zhao and I are brothers. If something happens to me, he will definitely take good care of my wife and children, but you! Do you think you can leave safely if you kill me? This is Yangzhou, not the capital! As long as I disappear, Lord Zhao will definitely suspect you!”
Lu Yan looked at Pang Shu, smiled and said, “What if Lord Pang also gets promoted?”
Pang Shu’s heart sank and he frowned: “What do you mean?”
“Tonight I will send you back to the capital with Lord Nie. Within seven days, your promotion order will reach Zhao Chong’s ears. By then, will he still protect your wife and children?”
After Pang Shu understood the meaning behind it, his face turned pale, he picked up the sword with trembling hands and said: “You villain! This is a scheme…”
Before Pang Shu finished speaking, the little shopkeeper on the side picked up a machete and instantly cut off his tendon.
Blood flowed profusely.
As a civil servant, Nie Yuan had never seen such a scene before. He was so frightened that he was shaking like chaff.
At this time, Lu Yan looked at Nie Yuan again and asked, “Tell me, where is Bai Daonian?”
Nie Yuan glanced at the dying Pang Shu behind him, then at Lu Yan, and made a decision in his heart instantly, “Can you really protect me from being killed?”
Lu Yan pulled out a dagger from his waist, put it at his throat and said word by word: “Do you have a choice?”
It has to be said that killing a chicken to scare the monkey1(punish someone as a warning to others) is always faster than reasoning.
Nie Yuan met his cold gaze and said in a trembling voice: “In the Zhao Mansion… the cupboard in the governor’s wife’s inner room can be moved. And there was a secret room inside and Mister Bai is there.”
Secret room?
Lu Yan’s eyes darkened and he asked, “How do you know?”
Nie Yuan hesitated for a long time, but still couldn’t explain himself. Lu Yan lost his patience, and the dagger in his hand slowly moved sideways on his neck, half an inch, then an inch.
Nie Yuan’s lips turned pale due to nervousness. His survival instinct made him almost unable to breathe. He took a long breath and said, “I had an affair with Madam.”
Lu Yan’s hand stopped and he immediately put away the knife.
After working in Jingzhao Prefecture for a long time, you get used to listening to the most absurd things.
Grandmother hooking up with uncles, widows climbing walls2(having an affair) in the streets, and there are many men with green mushrooms3(Putting a green hat on someone means that their spouse had cheated on them) planted on their heads.
Green head mushroom…4(lol I think he must have been remind that Shen Zhen left him for another guy in their previous life)
Lu Yan frowned…..
After a stick of incense5(30 min), two more people came into the room. They were both Lu Yan’s secret agents, named Fu Qi and Fu Ba.
The two of them saluted and said, “Master.”
Lu Yan said “hmm” and said, “You two set out immediately and must personally deliver these two people to Zhou Shu’an, the minister of Dali Temple.”
The two men immediately tied up Nie Yuan and Pang Shu and skillfully put a piece of cloth in their mouths to prevent them from biting their tongues and committing suicide.
After Fu Qi and Fu Ba left, the young shopkeeper said, “My Lord, when should we take action?”
Lu Yan thought for a moment and said, “During the Lantern Festival6(the Lantern Festival (the fifteenth of the 1st month of the lunar calendar)).”
During the Lantern Festival, thousands of houses were lit with lanterns and Zhao Chong will naturally have a banquet for guests at the Zhao Mansion and with all the people there, it would be the best opportunity.
Lu Yan added: “Let the wine shops spread the news later that I found some girls at Twenty-Four Bridge tonight.” After that, he picked up Shen Zhen and walked upstairs.
The young shopkeeper bowed in response.
But whenever he thought about the recent fabricated news, he couldn’t help but feel ashamed.
Heir Apparent, your reputation for being promiscuous is becoming increasingly prominent. That you’ve had countless women, night after night until dawn, if the rumors continue like this, I’m afraid you will become a legend.
——
Lu Yan carried Shen Zhen up to the second floor and placed her on a narrow couch.
The little shopkeeper followed up and said in a low voice: “My Lord, I still have antidote, do you want it?” .
Lu Yan glanced at it, then whispered: “No need.”
Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, the young shopkeeper quickly stepped back, turned around and went downstairs.
The night outside was getting darker and the fog became thick.
Lu Yan’s eyes stopped on her fair face, as he looked at it, an inexplicable fire suddenly rose in his chest.
There’s also a bit of bitterness in the throat that won’t go away.
Lu Yan sat beside the couch and looked at her condescendingly for a long time.
You are so weak and delicate, if you break up with me, where do you plan to go?
He laughed sarcastically at first, as if laughing at her overconfidence or as if laughing at her wild imagination.
But for some reason, the corners of his mouth froze in place.
There was silence all around.
Lu Yan looked at her quietly without moving his eyes. He was completely different from his usual calm, confident, and shrewd demeanor.
It was a difference that he himself couldn’t even notice.
After a while, he rolled up a strand of her hair and rubbed it slowly.
Shen Zhen’s long eyelashes trembled faintly like butterfly wings, she frowned and turned over without waking up, turning her back to him.
His hand suddenly felt empty.
The wind in the dense forest blew slowly through the window. Lu Yan took back his hand and put his index finger on his lips.
He closed his eyes and contemplated and stayed awake for the rest of the night.
——
Early the next morning, Shen Zhen woke up slowly…
As soon as the faint morning light entered her eyes, she heard a deep voice: “Do you know how long you have been sleeping?”
Hearing such an annoyed tone, Shen Zhen sat up suddenly.
She looked at the daylight outside and quickly got down to the ground. She said with a guilty look on her face: “Why didn’t you wake me up?”
Lu Yan sneered coldly, “I called you but did you hear me?”
Shen Zhen blushed and thought, did she really end up sleeping like the dead?
But after she calmed down, she couldn’t remember what happened last night and she didn’t know how she ended up staying here.
“My Lord, why are we here?” Shen Zhen looked up at him.
Lu Yan not only didn’t answer, but also raised his hand and patted Shen Zhen on the back of her head.
Then he walked away impatiently.
Shen Zhen silently followed.
