Chapter 19: A Brand That Shouldn't Be There

With He Jianzhong's death, many eyes immediately turned toward the He family.

Huo Yun knew he had to act quickly.

Upon receiving Yue Tang's command, he left the He residence immediately and headed straight for the alley where the Zhang family resided.

The Zhang family lived in a residence at a busy street intersection, surrounded by a dense crowd of street vendors and tea stalls. He found the liveliest tea stall and ordered a pot of tea.

Having been summoned to the Marquis's manor earlier that morning alongside He Jianzhong to receive a scolding, Zhang Shaode did not dare say anything regarding Madam Zhang's death.

The Marquis of Guangling could elevate their official ranks, and he could just as easily crush them like ants.

Although the death of his daughter, Madam Zhang, was stifling and grief-inducing, the living were ultimately more important.

After returning home, he immediately sent his only son, Zhang Ji, to replace He Xu in searching for Wei Zhang.

After sending the boy out, he had barely sat down in his room when Madam Zhang rushed in in a panic: "So many people outside are saying... saying He Jianzhong is dead!"

Zhang Shaode thought he had misheard: "Who did you say died?"

"He Jianzhong!" Madam Zhang slapped her thigh. "Just now at Liu's Tea House outside the gate, a crowd was discussing the He family's affairs, saying He Jianzhong was just killed by his wife! The rumors are incredibly detailed; many people are heading toward the He residence to watch the spectacle!"

Zhang Shaode's jaw dropped. He set down his cup and strode out the door.

The He family no longer had a master capable of managing affairs; the only one left who could be considered functional, He Hui, had gone to the yamen, and no one knew why he hadn't returned.

By the time Zhang Shaode arrived, the He residence was already in chaos.

Servants throughout the manor were screaming and fleeing, while several stewards were shouting orders at them.

The main hall was a gruesome sight. He Jianzhong lay on his side on the floor, and Madam He was sitting there with a blood-soaked body, laughing inanely.

On the way there, Zhang Shaode had been skeptical, but upon entering, he realized it was true. It was only after seeing this scene with his own eyes that he had a clear realization: He Jianzhong was truly dead!

Just over an hour ago, his in-laws were still bickering with his own family; in the blink of an eye, they had become a corpse!

"What happened here?" he asked those around him.

If He Xu's death felt sudden and Madam Zhang's death felt infuriating, then He Jianzhong's death, occurring only one night later, made everything feel profoundly abnormal!

In just two days and nights, three people had died in the He family!

And it wasn't just anyone—it was the head of the household, the eldest son, and the eldest daughter-in-law!

Not only that, but He Jianzhong had been stabbed to death by Madam He herself! And Madam He had gone mad at that very moment!

He Jianzhong was a military officer, while Madam He was a frail and sickly woman; how could she have killed him?

Even if she had caught him off guard and landed the first blow, she could absolutely never land a second!

Zhang Shaode was no fool; he smelled the eerie strangeness lurking behind this scent of blood.

"The Mistress did it with a knife!..."

The manservant spoke incoherently.

"Who saw it when it happened?!"

The manservant trembled as he recalled: "The doors were closed. At the time, only the Mistress's newly hired medical lady was present."

"Where is the medical lady?"

"She ran away in terror long ago!"

Zhang Shaode frowned deeply.

The only witness was a newly hired medical lady, and she had fled immediately after the incident?!

He quickly scanned his surroundings, then swiftly knelt to examine the corpse on the ground, feeling around.

Aside from the extreme strangeness of He Jianzhong being unable to resist being killed, Madam He's sudden madness was also abnormal.

After Madam Zhang's death by suicide yesterday, he had heard from the nearby servants the cause of the argument between Madam Zhang and He Xu—it was this very medical lady!

It was her appearance that had triggered the argument between the couple, after which things spiraled out of control.

This medical lady was suspicious!

He Jianzhong definitely did not die at the hands of Madam He!

He knelt quickly and searched He Jianzhong's body, finding nothing. He began to turn the body over.

At that moment, as the right palm, which had been pressed against the ground, was flipped over, a bright, unmistakable Imperial City Commander's token appeared starkly before Zhang Shaode's eyes!

...

The Marquis of Guangling returned from the Prince of Jingyang's manor and sat staring blankly at his walnut wood desk carved with the pattern of the Wenchingsing star.

He repeatedly pondered Yan Bei's tone and demeanor, feeling that this trip had not been as simple as it seemed.

The Du family had originally been highly meritorious founding marquises. Even after other marquises of the same rank had had their titles revoked, the title had still been passed down to him, Du Minghuan.

However, it wasn't until he was twenty that he secured a minor position in the Imperial City Bureau, and he had remained there for seven or eight years.

It wasn't until the year he accompanied Prince Duan to accompany the late Emperor on an inspection, and managed to make his presence known to Prince Duan halfway through, that the Prince remembered the merits of the old Marquis of Guangling and promoted him to Deputy Envoy.

This position was a height the Du family had never dared to dream of for decades.

But that was the limit.

Prince Duan and the late Emperor were full siblings. The late Emperor was benevolent, and Prince Duan respected his elder brother; thus, even though the imperial branches were not numerous, imperial power was as solid as an iron plate.

Prince Duan had controlled the Imperial City Bureau since the late Emperor's ascension, and he had received imperial decrees more than once stating that when Prince Duan grew old and abdicated, the Imperial City Bureau would be handed over to Prince Duan's descendants.

In short, due to various reasons, three years ago, the Marquis of Guangling had taken a risk and moved against the Prince Duan's manor.

Subsequently, his cousin, the Prince of Jingyang, returned to the capital to assist in government following the late Emperor's deathbed edict, which made him overjoyed.

The current Prince of Jingyang not only held military power but was also a regency minister in the imperial court. With such a powerful backer, why would the Marquis of Guangling's manor worry about future glory and honor?

But this cousin of his was truly difficult to approach; one could almost say he was indifferent to all kin!

In these three years, aside from visiting the Old Madam once when he first returned to the capital, he had never come again.

Even when the Marquis of Guangling repeatedly sent invitations to pay his respects, he was lucky if he was admitted once in ten attempts. And that one time, it was only because the Prince of Jingyang had official business to discuss.

The only consolation was that during festivals, the Prince's manor would still send seasonal gifts to the Old Madam according to the etiquette of a junior.

But this was not enough; it was simply not enough!

The Marquis of Guangling knew better than anyone that having committed such a major crime three years ago, if someone ever caught him for the assassination attempt on the Princess, he would be guilty of treason against the Emperor!

He had to leave himself a way out.

The all-powerful Prince of Jingyang was his way out.

He had to hold onto this kinship tightly so that on the day the truth might come out in the future, the Prince of Jingyang would protect the Du family.

For this Old Madam's birthday banquet, the manor had made full preparations and released the news early; he had also intended to use public opinion to entice the Prince of Jingyang to visit and offer birthday greetings.

Who would have thought... on such an important day as the Old Madam's sixtieth birthday, the Prince of Jingyang had no intention of showing any respect!

He sat in gloom for a long while, going nowhere.

When the steward brought up the guest list: "The invitations have been sent to the Top Scholar, the Second Scholar, and the Third Scholar. All three gentlemen have agreed on the spot that they will attend."

Only then did his expression brighten slightly: "Remember to arrange the Top Scholar's banquet table in the same row as the Second Uncle."