Chapter 9 of 100

Chapter 9: Cleansing

17 min read4,230 words

The Mid-Autumn Festival was a grand celebration during the Song Dynasty. In the days leading up to the festival, a festive atmosphere permeated the air. Stores would redecorate their colorful pavilions, and everything would be renewed. New wine would be opened for sale, and it was the season for crabs and a variety of fruits. Fruit shops were piled high with fresh produce, including pomegranates, lychees, pears, jujubes, chestnuts, grapes, and various citrus fruits, all newly available on the market. The Mid-Autumn night was the most lively, with the main activity being moon-watching. The nobility and wealthy families would enjoy the moon from their own pavilions, accompanied by elegant music that continued until dawn. Ordinary citizens would vie for seats in taverns, where music and entertainment would accompany their meals, and they would eagerly await the moonrise. Even the poor would buy some wine and food, chat, and enjoy the bright moon. Children were the happiest, staying up all night to play.

The village was bustling with activity, but the Wang residence was filled with a solemn and deadly atmosphere, devoid of any festive spirit. Huang Jingchen had returned a few days earlier, bringing not only imperial rewards but also a large number of personnel. All the old staff members were gathered and interrogated in the stables, and new people were placed in various positions.

"Jianxi, how is everything going?" Zhao Cheng asked while lying in the bathtub, with Jianxi attending to him.

"Second Master, everything is done. I have brought Fengxi, Guihua, and Huahua back!" Jianxi quickly replied. He had not only escaped the purge but was also promoted two ranks, from a high-ranking attendant to a regular attendant, now holding an official rank of the eighth grade, with a monthly salary of eight strings of coins. In the inner court, his rank was only below Huang Jingchen, who was the deputy chief of the palace, a position of high standing.

"Hmm, did they suffer much?" Zhao Cheng asked again.

"Second Master, Fengxi was beaten with a board, his buttocks were bruised, but his bones were not injured. The two girls were only whipped and brought back by me, with minor injuries but quite frightened!" Jianxi still felt a chill thinking about the scene in the stables. The people from the Imperial City Office were like little devils from the underworld, ruthless and cruel. The former chief and second chief were beaten beyond recognition, two gardeners were already dead, and Old Zhang was in a state worse than death. The young Taoist Mingyue was being tortured, his body covered in wounds. If the prince had not helped him, he would have suffered even more. Thinking of this, Jianxi became even more respectful.

"Alas, they were all implicated. Mingyue and Old Zhang probably won't survive. You should be more cautious in the future. If you hadn't insisted on seeing the python, this disaster wouldn't have happened!" Zhao Cheng sighed.

"Yes, Prince, Jianxi is grateful for your life-saving grace. If you need me, I will face any danger without hesitation!"

"Alright, no need to pledge loyalty. In the future, being less greedy for silver is more important than anything!" Zhao Cheng knew that Jianxi was now his man and couldn't help but tease him.

"Ah?! Prince, how do you know everything?" Jianxi was shocked, almost dropping his jaw. What he thought was a secret, the prince already knew. He suddenly felt that the prince, whom he accompanied every day, was not a child but a cunning old man, even more so than Huang Jingchen.

"Hehe, because I am a demon!" Zhao Cheng laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

"Even if you are a demon, I will follow you for the rest of my life!" Jianxi, seeing that the prince was not angry, breathed a sigh of relief and helped the prince into the bathtub, gently applying soap to his body.

"Jianxi, why does this soap smell different?" Zhao Cheng asked.

"Prince, this soap is a gift from the palace, made according to the 'Qianjin Fang.' It contains seventeen ingredients, including cloves, agarwood, green wood incense, peach blossoms, stalactite powder, pearls, jade powder, Sichuan water flowers, quince blossoms, plum blossoms, pear blossoms, red lotus flowers, plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, white蜀葵 flowers, and musk. It is very precious, and ordinary people have never even seen it!" Jianxi quickly replied.

"Is that so? It's just too luxurious!" Zhao Cheng shook his head and said no more, allowing Jianxi to attend to him. Jianxi, feeling the prince's frail body, realized that despite his weakness, he had easily killed a skilled assassin, which was truly incomprehensible. Could he really be a demon?

"Prince, why did you bring Fengxi and the others back?" Jianxi asked while splashing water.

"You really are a fool. Fengxi and the others are with me every day. How could I not know who they are? Guihua is greedy and often steals, and Huahua likes to gossip, but they are simple-hearted. They serve me every day; how could I let them suffer without helping?"

"Yes, Prince, what about the others?" Jianxi asked again.

"Hehe, I don't know about the others, but there are definitely more spies among them. I can't identify them all, so they have to suffer!" Zhao Cheng said with a slight frown. "This time, we were in danger, and it wasn't the work of one person. First, Old Zhang spread the rumor about the python, deliberately telling Mingyue. Mingyue, being young and naive, immediately told us. You are impulsive, and I am young, so we couldn't resist the curiosity and insisted on seeing it. They took advantage of our weaknesses, leading us into a trap. The person behind this must be very cunning, knowing our every move. Only someone close to us could have such information. Otherwise, the outer court's chief Li couldn't have done it alone!"

"Ah!" Jianxi felt a chill. As the prince's companion, he was the most familiar with the prince's movements and was a prime suspect. If the prince hadn't helped him, his fate would have been the worst.

"Later, go to Doctor Wang to get some medicine for Fengxi and the others. Don't assign them any tasks for a few days, let them recover. If the chief asks, tell him I said so!" After bathing, Zhao Cheng dressed and instructed Jianxi.

"Yes, they will be grateful for your kindness!" Jianxi felt warm inside, appreciating the prince's consideration.

Jianxi helped Zhao Cheng to bed, arranged for two young attendants to guard the door, and then went to Doctor Wang for the medicine.

"Jianxi, is the prince asleep?" As soon as Jianxi left, he encountered Huang Jingchen, who was followed by two people. Jianxi had seen them in the palace; they were from the Imperial City Office, with grim faces that made him uneasy.

"Yes, Chief, the prince is asleep!" Jianxi quickly bowed and replied.

"Hmm, you've worked hard these past few days. All the staff have been interrogated. If you have nothing to do, come and listen. See if there's anything wrong!" Huang Jingchen felt old and exhausted from the continuous work.

"Chief, take care of your health!" Jianxi understood that the chief now considered him one of his own and quickly offered to support him.

"Hmm, I've been busy these days. You need to be more attentive to the prince!" Huang Jingchen appreciated Jianxi's attitude and instructed him.

They arrived at Huang Jingchen's residence, and Jianxi quickly ordered the young attendants to light the candles and serve freshly brewed tea, pouring it for them personally and then standing by Huang Jingchen's side, massaging his shoulders as he had done before.

"Go out and guard the door. No one is to approach!" Huang Jingchen waved the young attendants away, leaving only the four of them in the room. "Qian Er, with no outsiders around, tell us what you found out these past few days."

"Father, Ma San and I have thoroughly investigated the staff. We used torture on the most suspicious individuals, and everything points to the deceased chief Li. He bribed the gardener Old Zhang to spread the rumor about the python, deliberately telling the young Taoist Mingyue. He knew the prince's routine and that he would visit the temple on the first day of the month. He calculated that the prince would want to see the python and instructed Old Zhang to lead the prince to the ambush site on the back mountain. However, he didn't expect to be killed by Jianxi."

"Ah!" Jianxi was shocked. The results of Qian Er's interrogation matched the prince's analysis, and the prince had been hiding in the room since the incident, which left him amazed.

"What's wrong, Jianxi?" Qian Er's words were interrupted by Jianxi, and Huang Jingchen frowned, displeased.

"Forgive me, I was used by the villains, putting the prince in danger. I deserve to die!" Jianxi, being quick-witted, immediately knelt down, his face full of fear, but he didn't reveal that the prince had already predicted the outcome.

"You did make a mistake, but it's not entirely your fault. They planned it too well!" Huang Jingchen raised his hand, allowing Jianxi to stand, who quickly stood aside, not daring to speak again.

"Ma San, did you find out about Chief Li's background?"

"Chief, based on the wooden token found on Chief Li, he was a Night Gate assassin. His identity was fake, and we couldn't trace his origin. However, I found out that he was introduced to the residence by someone from the residence of the Duke of Cui, who died of a sudden illness shortly after."

"Oh, is the Duke of Cui the father of Consort Cui in the palace?" Huang Jingchen sat up, asking.

"Exactly!"

"Consort Cui, why would it be her?" Huang Jingchen stroked his smooth chin, speaking softly. Consort Cui came from an official family and had been involved in the palace intrigue to frame Empress Wang, but she had only given birth to two princesses and shouldn't be involved in the struggle for the throne. Could there be a hidden agenda? "Are there any others involved?"

"After thorough interrogation, we found that several other consorts in the palace had also planted spies, mostly low-ranking attendants and servants. However, they only passed messages and were not involved in the assassination plot," Ma San said.

"Hmph, they mistook me for a sick cat!" Huang Jingchen said coldly, his face showing anger. "You two, take care of the remaining matters. Leave no one involved in the assassination alive. You know how to deal with the spies. Anyone with an unknown background or connections inside or outside the palace should be sent to the authorities and charged. This matter must be handled well, and we must not辜负 the trust of the consorts!"

"This charge is easy to find. These chiefs bullied the young prince, dividing the public funds of 3,000 strings of coins among themselves. Their audacity is astounding. This alone is enough!" Ma San smiled.

"Those who bring disaster upon themselves cannot live. Do your job cleanly and don't leave any loose ends!" Huang Jingchen said.

"Yes, we will handle the matter well and leave no lingering issues!" Qian Er and Ma San bowed in response.

"Alright, clean up the matter and return to the capital tomorrow. The consort is grateful for your hard work and has prepared gifts for you two. You can take them when you return!" Huang Jingchen smiled.

"Thank the consort for her kindness, and thank the chief. We will do our best!" The two looked at each other, unable to hide their excitement. This was a win-win situation, and with the support of a palace consort, their future was bright.

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