Chapter 22: I'll Go Join the Fun Too

A single sentence made the Marquis of Guangling grit his teeth again.

If it wasn't Wei Zhang, then this person's identity would be even harder to guess.

So many people had died, yet the mastermind remained untouchable; how could one not feel anxious?

Du Yu stepped forward: "Father, there is no need to rush. In fact, if we want to eliminate future troubles, we should find a way to seal the breach completely.

"As long as no one can prove that the incident back then was a premeditated plot, then no matter who appears, as long as no one can prove we did it, they won't be able to stir up any trouble."

"How else can we seal it?" the Marquis of Guangling asked. "All the assassins involved back then were orphans with no families; most of them died that very night, and the survivors were killed off one after another over the next three years, leaving only the He and Zhang families.

"Now, only He Hui from the He family knows the truth, and Madam He has gone mad. Are you suggesting we kill them too?!"

"Why not?" Du Yu spread his hands.

The Marquis of Guangling was momentarily speechless.

Du Yu sneered, "The He family is down to just He Hui and Madam He. What if He Hui, driven to desperation in prison, tries to blackmail us like the Liu clan did? Wouldn't we be in a passive position again?

"In my view, it would be better to just kill them all!"

The Marquis's facial muscles trembled: "To kill him now—wouldn't that be like pointing a finger at ourselves in front of the entire capital? Wouldn't we be inviting the Imperial Court to intervene and follow the clues straight back to us?

"If we are pushed into the spotlight, we will be no further from death!"

"My Lord!"

Just as Du Yu was about to speak, someone burst through the door like a gust of wind: "My Lord, General Zhang's daughter-in-law just took her young son back to her maiden home. She was accompanied by seven or eight servants!"

The Marquis of Guangling paused: "The Zhang family?"

Glancing outside, he added, "The sun has already set. Why would they suddenly go visiting relatives at this hour?"

Du Yu also stepped forward: "Which city gate did they head toward?"

"The West Gate!"

"The West Gate? That's not the direction to Songyang. That is the direction Zhang Ji headed today to pursue Wei Zhang!"

Du Yu turned abruptly, "Father, I am certain the Zhang family isn't actually visiting relatives. Zhang Shaode is preparing two different moves!

"He sent his daughter-in-law out of the city to ensure she could follow Zhang Ji and inform him of the escape!

"And if the mastermind takes this opportunity to strike at Zhang Shaode, our Du family will definitely be the ones blamed for the murder to silence him!

"When Zhang Ji finds out, he will surely retaliate and turn against us!

"We will be completely led by the nose!"

The Marquis of Guangling clenched his fists tightly, then dismissed the messenger.

Du Yu said in a low voice, "Father, we must strike first.

"The fewer people in this world who hold our secrets, the safer we are!

"Whether it is the He family or the Zhang family, they are useless to us now. Keeping them is nothing but a burden and a threat!

"Rather than wasting effort protecting and winning them over, it is better to settle this once and for all!"

"Easy for you to say!" the Marquis of Guangling hissed through gritted teeth. "There are so many people; can you kill them all? You know the rumors have already spread; if something happens again, they will soon trace it back to us!"

"They won't!"

The corners of Du Yu's mouth curled. "At this stage, who says we must kill them openly?

"We only need to set a trap to ensnare both He Hui and Zhang Shaode."

The Marquis paused: "So you already have a plan."

"Indeed!" Du Yu nodded. "And my plan will not only ensnare He Hui and Zhang Shaode, but will also draw the true mastermind behind the scenes into it!"

The Marquis was puzzled: "How can you be sure he will come out?"

A triumphant smile appeared on Du Yu's face: "If the mastermind's goal is the Du family, then his most powerful move against us is that incident from three years ago.

"Think about it. He Jianzhong is already dead; would he truly be willing to let us kill Zhang Shaode as well?"

The Marquis's expression instantly changed: "Are you suggesting this person is actually using us to force Zhang Shaode to defect?"

"Zhang Shaode is your confidant, Father. Unless it is a matter of life and death, how could he ever betray you?"

The Marquis's expression shifted rapidly: "So this person has set a chain of traps to force Zhang Shaode to step forward and expose me?"

"I cannot say for certain, but I do know that if Zhang Shaode truly dies, then unless the Princess of Yongjia is resurrected, no one will ever be able to prove it was a conspiracy."

Du Yu's face turned cold. "Therefore, I suspect that as long as Zhang Shaode is caught in a dead end, he will definitely appear!

"I refuse to believe he would be willing to give up Zhang Shaode!

"When the time comes and he jumps into the trap himself, wouldn't that be much easier than us fruitlessly searching for his tracks?"

Hearing this, the Marquis's fists gradually tightened: "Correct. Rather than searching for a needle in a haystack, it is better to lure the guest into the urn!"

He turned: "Then what do you intend to do?"

Du Yu bowed: "I need Father to first send someone to the Zhang residence to summon Zhang Shaode. Then, grant me permission to go to the Shuntian Prefecture to bail out He Hui..."

***

Inside the Prince of Jingyang's manor, Yan Bei was reviewing military reports in a side room. Behind him, on a screened couch, Ali was asleep.

The small belly under the grey mouse-patterned blanket rose and fell with his breathing, making one instinctively hold their breath in focus.

Gao An walked softly to the desk: "News has arrived from the Du family. A quarter of an hour ago, the Marquis of Guangling bailed out He Hui."

Yan Bei stopped: "The case hasn't been closed, yet he bailed him out?"

Gao An nodded: "Not only did he bail him out, but he just brought him directly back to the Marquis's manor. The Heir of Du went personally, bringing very few people and using an ordinary carriage to avoid drawing attention.

"Furthermore, just as Du Yu went to Shuntian Prefecture to retrieve the man, the Marquis's other confidant, Zhang Shaode—who is also He Jianzhong's in-law—was also invited to the Marquis's manor."

Yan Bei glanced at the twilight outside the window and said slowly, "That is becoming increasingly interesting.

"To bail him out so quickly shows they are concerned about the He family.

"If they are concerned, why only bail the man out instead of urging the authorities to investigate the murder thoroughly?"

"...Father!"

Ali woke up on the bed.

Yan Bei immediately turned around, walked over, and picked him up: "Did you have a nightmare?"

Ali shook his head, smacking his lips as he leaned against Yan Bei's shoulder: "I dreamed of braised goose. Father, I want to eat braised goose."

Gao An was delighted: "Is his illness gone?"

He hurriedly reached out to feel the child's forehead and was even more pleased: "The fever has indeed subsided!"

Yan Bei also breathed a sigh of relief: "Good, I'll have the kitchen prepare braised goose for you. What else do you want? How about some porridge?"

The child reached his hand toward Gao An again: "I also want the pancakes Grandpa Gao makes."

Gao An hurriedly scooped him up: "Alright, alright, little ancestor, this old one will go make pancakes right away."

Having said that, he looked at Yan Bei.

Yan Bei lowered his head, wiping a few ink stains from his fingertips: "It seems something will happen at the Du family tonight.

"Lull Ali to sleep early.

"When the time comes, come tell me.

"I want to go see."