Chapter 194: Concealing (Part 1)
Shen Miao had left Ding capital for more than a month.
One did not know Prince Rui’s wedding entourage was currently at but it was sure that one would not be able to catch up with it. In this month, the grandeur of the ten Li (1 Li = 1 mile) of the dowry had not stopped at all. The storytellers in the restaurant would speak of the grand occasion of the day Prince Rui married Rui WangFei and as usual the seats would be fully occupied as the storyteller would shake his head as he retell while the guest felt the same.
After all such a scene was not something that anyone could afford.
After Shen Miao became Rui WangFei in a shake of her body and followed Prince Rui to the faraway Great Liang, two things happened in Ding capital.
First was that Feng Xian Pawnshop, that had been opened in Ding capital for so many years suddenly closed down and the manager to the attendents disappeared overnight. Feng Xian Pawnshop and the few stalls were all sold to others cheaply and one heard that the manager’s family of Feng Xian Pawnshop had some emergencies and required money thus they left so suddenly. These made people somewhat sad as it was a pity for Feng Xian Pawnshop’s business as the things that were pawned were very valuable that commoners could not afford. However they were here for so long thus it was difficult for someone to not feel right.
It was only after the ownership was changed before the commoners discover it. After so many years no one had seen the appearance of the manager of Feng Xian Pawnshop.
The second thing was that the Formidable Great General Shen Xin had been promoted after Shen Miao gotten married and was in charge of the Yu Ling Army of the Imperial court.
On the surface it was a promotion but in reality it was not. First of all, it was only the power to transfer order and no power to train or drill troops. It was only an empty shell of a position. Even though it was more generous General title, but everyone knew that Shen Xin had been training the Shen family army all the time and the Shen family army was his closest army thus when it was changed to Yu Ling Army, which were the Emperor’s people, one feared that Shen Xin could really move them.
So those who had eyes and brains new that Emperor Wen Hui was guarding against Shen Xin. Shen Miao had married to Great Liang and Shen Xin was one who doted on his Di daughter, with the current Great Liang and Ming Qi’s delicate situation, if Shen Xin sided his daughter and secretly sought refuge with Great Liang and did something bad to Ming Qi, it would not be good.
Although Shen Xin had been Ming Qi’s Great General for so many years and his loyalty could be seen from Heavens and Earth, it was a pity that since history, Monarchs were full of suspicions and he was an official. One could only blame him for being unlucky.
The people in court could see it clearly but the commoners were crying out against the injustice for Shen Xin as the Imperial family was truly too unfeeling. It was clearly a marriage bestowed by Emperor Wen Hui but now because of this matter, place the blame on Shen Xin. It was truly frustrating.
Emperor Wen Hui would not care about these things. Currently he was putting all effort to please the Qin Emperor as he did not know why but Great Liang always made him feel unease, as if it was an existing danger. At least with the alliance of Qin country, he would not be restless every day.
The residence of Prince Ding was not very happy recently.
Fu Xiu Yi had a sullen expression as he said, “It had been a month and there is still no information on Pei Lang’s whereabouts. Could it be that he flew to the skies? If one is alive, one have to see the person and if one is dead, one have to see the corpse, if he is not found, all of you do not need to return.”
The spies that were below complied and Fu Xiu Yi waved his hand in annoyance, “Get out.”
The few people withdrew out.
He sat back down and pressed his forehead with a somewhat unhappy expression.
The people who rescued Pei Lang had burned down his underground prison and previously he did not think of it before but these days, it was not convenient for Fu Xiu Yi to do anything. Many of the people in the underground prison had other purposes for him but that fire had burned all of it cleanly. One could only imagine the annoyance in Fu Xiu Yi’s heart.
What was most frustrating to him was that there was not a trace of clue to Pei Lang’s whereabouts to this moment. Fu Xiu Yi had always thought that his ears were smart and eyes were clear in Ding capital but if one was unable to find the whereabouts of a person, it could only show that the other party’s means were more brilliant than his own. With such an opponent, it was not something to be happy about.
Fu Xiu Yi had always suspected that the person behind Pei Lang was the Shen family but after investigating, all the Shen family’s doubts were ruled out. But if it was not the Shen family then who would it be?
“Your Highness, there are no sightings of Pei Lang in the Ding capital at all. Could it be that Pei Lang had already left the city?” The adviser said to Fu Xiu Yi as a reminder.
“Not possible.” Fu Xiu Yi said, “There are my people in the city gates guarding and these days there were portraits of people who left the city so it was just impossible for Pei Lang to get through safely.”
When the advisor heard it, he frowned and did not know what else to say.
“However some people do not need portraits.” Fu Xiu Yi suddenly said, “When Prince Rui married a consort and left the city, the guards and solders of the residence of Prince Rui left the city, there was no one that stopped them.”
The advisor’s eyes brighten, “Could it be that Pei Lang had mingled into Prince Rui’s entourage and had gotten out together with them?”
Fu Xiu Yi laughed coldly, “The residence of Prince Rui is so arrogant so how would one be able to mingle into it? Moreover Pei Lang do not have any relation with Prince Rui so on what basis.” He suddenly stopped his words, “Relation.”
At this moment, Fu Xiu Yi suddenly thought about a matter. All these time he had regarded Pei Lang as the ‘Shen family’s’ people and the one who made the decision in the ‘Shen family’ was Shen Xin but he had neglected one point. Actually looking from many matters, be it intentionally or unintentionally hindering his great cause, they all were related to Shen Miao.
If the ‘Shen family’ and ‘Shen Miao’ were viewed separately then Pei Lang was not loyal to the ‘Shen family’ but to ‘Shen Miao’ then everything would make sense.
Pei Lang was Shen Miao’s people and Shen Miao was now Rui WangFei and those little previous unclear relations with Prince Rui, Prince Rui would help to save Pei Lang, based on the consideration of Shen Miao.
Then Pei Lang would have relations with Prince Rui.
Fu Xiu Yi stood up abruptly and the more he thought about it the more he felt that there was this possibility. In the entire Ding capital, to have the ability to set fire to the residence of Prince Ding’s underground prison and could still escape successfully and not leave any clue, there was only this mysterious Prince Rui that could do so.
“Damn it.” Fu Xiu Yi slammed his hand on the table. He had always wanted to know what secrets was Prince Rui hiding but on the night before Shen Miao married, all the spies that he had sent out did not returned and it was likely that they were discovered and eliminated. If not he would have known Prince Rui’s deeply hidden secret.
Just when he was frustrated, he saw a guard entering in a rush from outside. This person was Fu Xiu Yi’s confidant and he quickly came forward and took out a letter from his embrace, “The Princess residence send out a letter to the Palace. This subordinate intercepted the letter and made a copy. May Your Highness take a look.”
Fu Xiu Yi’s heart moved as he quickly took the letter. With regards to the matter of Prince Rui, Princess Rong Xin’s behaviour was very abnormal. Fu Xiu Yi had the intention to enquire about it but ever since Prince Rui and Shen Miao left the capital, be it Princess Rong Xin or the residence of the Count of Ping Nan, there was nothing special as what was supposed to happen every day was per usual, so he could not take action.
Princess Rong Xin had been widowed for many years and was not close with Emperor Wen Hui and it was rare for her to even enter the Palace in a year, much less writing a letter. It was fortunate that Princess Rong Xin kept away from Palace matter for many years so that Fu Xiu Yi was able to easily duplicate her letter this easily.
Fu Xiu Yi took out the letter and could not wait to start reading. First his expression was only somewhat anxious but as time went on, his expression changed.
As if he was extremely shocked and the extreme anger that he had made his five facial features distorted. When the advisor at his side saw him as such, he did not even dare to breath loudly and in a moment later, Fu Xiu Yi suddenly place his hand on the table before flipping the teapot on the table violently.
The tea from the overturn teapot splashed onto the floor and the advisor and confidant were shocked. Till now Fu Xiu Yi was considered one who did not display joy or anger and even though there would be angry moments occasionally, it would not be exposed that much. It seemed that this was the first time he lost control of himself.
Fu Xiu Yi only spit out a “Good” word and threw the letter to the advisor face. The advisor accepted it and was shocked upon reading it.
In Princess Rong Xin’s letter, one thing was mentioned and it was about Prince Rui. Everyone knew that because Princess Rong Xin had a very good relationship with Princess Yu Qing that she took great care of Xie Jing Xing that Princess Yu Qing gave birth to. For Xie Jing Xing, she did not even hesitate to fall out with the residence of the Marquis of Lin An. Two years ago when Xie Jing Xing died in the battlefield, Princess Rong Xin was very upset about it.
Naturally Princess Rong Xin understood Xie Jing Xing and in the letter, Princess Rong Xing mentioned a sensational matter. Princess Rong Xing felt that Prince Rui of Great Liang and Xie Jing Xing were very similar.
This was unfounded. To suddenly mention that Prince Rui of Great Liang was similar to someone who was head for more than two years, the first reaction would be that it was simply ridiculous. However Fu Xiu Yi had already monitored the Princess residence for such a long time and had discovered early on that Princess Rong Xin was being abnormal thus Fu Xiu Yi could almost certainly confirm that what Princess Rong Xin spoke of was the truth.
There was no need to doubt. That Prince Rui of Great Liang true identity was Xie Jing Xing.
The advisor’s hand almost was unable to hold on to this letter. What did Xie Jing Xing being Prince Rui represent? It represented that Xie Jing Xing had played the entire Ming Qi in the palms of his hands. If when Xie Jing Xing was the heir of the residence of the Marquis of Lin An, he had already had private dealing with Great Liang, then one feared that Great Liang was well aware of everything that happened in Ming Qi.
“Your… Your Highness.” The advisor looked towards Fu Xiu Yi as a hint of fear appeared in his eyes.
Fu Xiu Yi slowly calmed down but if one looked carefully, his hands seemed to be trembling a little.
“Since Xie Jing Xing did not die then the matter of Xie family army in Northern Jiang must have been exposed.” He said slowly.
There were people of the Imperial family that were mixed in the Xie family army and it was Xie Ding’s confidant that gave Xie Jing Xing a deadly stab. Since Xie Jing Xing did not die, it was most likely he had investigated the matter clearly. This meant that Xie Jing Xing had fully seen everything that they did to the residence of the Marquis of Lin An. This time in Ming Qi tribute, was what Xie Jing Xing did revenge?
Fu Xiu Yi held onto the table.
The advisor was at a loss of what to do and paused before speaking, “Since the Princess had already send this letter to the Palace, there would be some actions once His Majesty know about it.”
“It’s useless.” Fu Xiu Yi interrupted his words, “Xie Jing Xing had already left Ding capital for more than a month. Imperial Father fear Great Liang’s power and would not dare to oppose him. If Xie Jing Xing had not left, one would be able to use the people under Heavens to provoke disputes but unfortunately it was too late.”
The advisor also sighed, “Whey did the Princess not bring this letter out earlier? If one was a step earlier, it would not be helpless as the current situation.”
Fu Xiu Yi took a glance at him and seemed to be unhappy with his subordinate stupidity. The advisor was flustered by his look when he heard Fu Xiu Yi speaking, “Stupid fool. The Princess definitely had thought of informing Imperial Father and perhaps had done so the night before the wedding. However at the end, like my people, it was stopped by Xie Jing Xing.”
Although he did his best to control his anger, he could not hide the annoyance in his eyes, “Xie Jing Xing hide it too deeply.”
“That Shen family?” The advisor asked.
“Continue monitoring.” Fu Xiu Yi sneered, “I want to see if the Shen family is ignorant of Xie Jing Xing’s identity or was putting up an act for all these years.”
At this moment, everyone in the Shen mansion did not know that such a matter arose in the residence of Prince Ding.