"Why investigate without any reason?"
Long Er raised his eyes, a half-smile on his face. "Did Your Majesty know about this beforehand? Are you going to blame me for going to the trouble? Rest assured, Your Majesty, I did not alert them. They are all in their positions, thinking that nothing has happened. If Your Majesty has other plans, I will certainly not have caused any trouble."
The Emperor stared at the chessboard and said slowly, "I only just learned of this matter, but I know your character all too well. Forming cliques and cultivating a private army are serious crimes. But unless one holds a high position of power, no one would dare to do such a thing. You know very well that offending someone of high rank and power is not a good thing. Especially since what you showed me was not conclusive evidence. To put it bluntly, it smacks of false accusation. If there is no solid evidence to bring these people to justice, then the person who reported it will be in deep trouble. With your shrewdness, you would never go looking for trouble."
"These people are detrimental to the Emperor, so naturally they are detrimental to me. How can I be considered to be asking for trouble?"
“You shouldn’t be the one to stick your neck out. Normally, you would find a loyal and courageous minister who isn’t very bright, stir things up a bit, and he would rush to me to complain without hesitation, instead of doing what you did.”
Long Er remained calm: "Someone like me wouldn't arouse suspicion. Although these are only supporting evidence, who knows if this is just the tip of the iceberg? Letting others expose me would certainly keep me out of trouble, but it would put the Emperor in a difficult position. Your Majesty, will you give me a word or not? Will you investigate those who form cliques or not? If Your Majesty investigates, that faction will be implicated, and any movement will cause a major upheaval. What can Your Majesty possibly find out then? If Your Majesty doesn't investigate, how will you appease the loyal and righteous ministers? That faction will surely be greatly disappointed and disheartened. Where will the Emperor's authority be then?"
These words sounded reasonable, but the emperor was displeased. He threw down a chess piece and complained, "I asked you to serve as an official to assist me, but you refused. With a brain like yours, how many things could you have accomplished for me if you were in court?"
"Can't I serve the Emperor just as well outside the court?" Long Er toyed with the chess pieces. "There are so many officials in the court, and many who are loyal and shrewd. What the Emperor lacks are people to keep hidden. Isn't that why the Emperor didn't insist on making me an official in the first place?"
The emperor remained silent, his gaze fixed on the chessboard. Long Er knew he was deep in thought. It was one thing for the emperor to plant his own spies, but quite another for his ministers to secretly build their own power bases. Moreover, Ding Sheng was far too ambitious and unrestrained; he had likely already crossed the emperor's line.
"What is your purpose?" the emperor suddenly asked.
Long Er raised his eyes and met the emperor's gaze directly at him, and said, "I only ask that my entire family in the Long family be safe and sound."
The emperor looked at him and suddenly said, "So you couldn't wait to marry that blind girl again?"
Long Er smiled, not denying it.
"No wonder the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Sister wanted to arrange this; it must have been your doing. If you just wanted to marry a woman, you wouldn't have needed to make such a big fuss."
“My wife is no easy person to deal with either. If I were to talk to her properly, I don’t know how long it would take, and then this matter would never be resolved. So, in all things considered, I have to thank the princess and the empress dowager for their help.”
"What exactly did the Ministry of Justice do to make you do this?"
“My wife almost died at the hands of a spies secretly planted by the Ministry of Justice. That night, someone burned down her house, and if my guards hadn’t happened to be passing by, my wife would have been dead. This matter is probably common knowledge in the capital, but everyone thinks it was the work of petty thieves. It was only through my investigation that I discovered this matter was hidden behind the Ministry of Justice.”
The emperor frowned: "Why would a spy from the Ministry of Justice want to kill your wife?"
“I don’t understand either. My wife is also clueless. She is blind, so she can’t afford to offend anyone. I suspect that she may have accidentally witnessed some scandalous act by a spy from the Ministry of Justice, and the spy thought she had seen something and acted rashly. My wife escaped with her life by chance, and when I investigated the murderer, I found out that there was a spy from the Ministry of Justice. Weighing the pros and cons, I dare not pursue this matter with the government, so I came to report to the Emperor first.”
His words were perfectly reasonable. The Emperor had heard Long Er mention that Ju Mu'er had witnessed a murder at an inn and was nearly silenced by the killer who thought she had seen it. So when he encountered this matter again, he felt it was reasonable. It was just that the blind lady was too unlucky.
"Your Majesty is wise and surely understands the humble subject's unwavering loyalty." Long Er quickly flattered him.
The emperor rolled his eyes at him, "Your flattery skills are better than anyone else in the palace or the court."
"Then they must not be as sincere as I am. Loyalty without sincerity is in vain."
Long Er spoke with utmost seriousness, which drew a cold laugh from the emperor: "Although I have a feeling you've set me up, you're right. The Ministry of Justice is indeed too powerful. Ding Sheng has amassed many officials on his side, which makes it difficult for me to act decisively in some matters. The matter of privately keeping spies can be serious or minor, but the evidence presented in this case file is not very useful. He can find many excuses to cover it up. Most importantly, you haven't found any illegal or unlawful activities by these spies, and the charge of treason is not something that can be easily imposed. Once the officials question it, I will definitely have to convince them."
Long Er hurriedly said, "Your Majesty is quite right. If we delve too deeply into this matter directly, it will inevitably lead to many connections, alert the enemy, and end up with nothing to show for it. In that case, Your Majesty will lose face, which is certainly not advisable. Moreover, this matter is of great importance, and the Ministry of Justice has deep-rooted factions. I'm afraid that whoever in the court is entrusted with handling this matter at present will have some concerns. I think it's best if Your Majesty is aware of this matter and doesn't touch it for now. Instead, we can approach it indirectly, starting with other matters. Once the surrounding soil is loosened, the roots will naturally be exposed."
The emperor thought for a moment and nodded. "The Ministry of Justice has some thorny cases that haven't been solved yet. If I put them on hold, they'll definitely have to take action."
“I will go and talk to the prefect and other officials to see if there are any difficult or major cases that I can report to the court for help. This way, the emperor will also have a reason to put pressure on the Ministry of Justice.”
The emperor snorted: "You're quite clever, you've paved the way for me."
Long Er smiled and said, "Once the Ministry of Justice takes any action, I will be able to find out some details. At that time, I will test the various factions in the court to see their reactions. I do not hold an official position in the court and do not favor any side, so they will naturally not be wary of me. Then the Emperor will know who he can entrust this matter to. If it is confirmed that the Ministry of Justice has the intention to rebel, then it will naturally not be tolerated. If not, we will find incriminating evidence against its spies, expose the matter, dismiss them from their private businesses, and punish them as a warning to others."
The emperor narrowed his eyes, considering the matter carefully. If handled well, this would indeed purge the rebellious officials in the court and enhance his imperial prestige. If anything went wrong, it wouldn't be officially his doing; he would merely be supervising the investigation, a task befitting a wise and virtuous ruler. He could simply reprimand a few people to deflect the blame and drag the matter out. For him, it was a win-win situation either way.
He glanced at Long Er; he trusted this man. The reason wasn't just because he had helped him ascend the throne, but also because Long Er didn't crave power; he craved money. Moreover, like himself, Long Er was a man with clear goals, but also one who knew what to do and what not to do. He was meticulous in his work and hadn't caused him any trouble so far. Like this time with the spy operation, he hadn't rashly made a scene to force him to take a stand, but instead first secured a way out for him before discussing anything further.
Intelligent and calm.
He had thought more than once that it was fortunate this man only loved money. Although he felt that his entry into the court as an official would greatly benefit him, he also worried whether this man would ultimately become a friend or foe if he became an official.
So, thankfully, he only loved money. He was a businessman, and he was an emperor. This relationship worked out perfectly. He was on the emperor's side, and the emperor was very satisfied.
Long Er smiled. He firmly believed that the higher a person's position and power, the more suspicious they were. No matter who that person was or how good your relationship was, it wouldn't change that fact.
Whether it's the Emperor, Ding Sheng, Yun Qingxian, or even Shi Zechun, everyone is the same.
The friendship may be genuine, but interests are important, and so is distance.
Long Er played chess with the Emperor for two hours before heading back home.
As they left the palace, a light snow was falling. Long Er climbed into the sedan chair, wondering what his wife, who was afraid of the cold, was doing at that moment. As the sedan chair passed Langyin Pavilion, Long Er glanced out from behind the curtain and, thinking of the 88,000 taels of gold, snorted inwardly.
Just as he finished humming, he saw Yun Qingxian and Ding Yanxiang, a married couple, walking out of a perfume shop.
Ding Yanxiang was smiling at Yun Qingxian, speaking gently as if she were talking to someone. Yun Qingxian was holding an umbrella for her, his expression also gentle, listening patiently.
Looking at the two of them, Long Er suddenly wondered how a man could love another woman in his heart, yet still show such an expression to his wife?
If it were him, and he couldn't marry Mu'er but married someone else, would he still act the same way?
Long Er thought carefully about his past conversations with other girls, and he realized that perhaps he couldn't do it. But then again, if he couldn't marry Mu'er, what would be the point of marrying other girls? They were all boring, and he would be bored to death every day.
Ding Yanxiang and Yun Qingxian passed by Long Er's sedan chair. Long Er saw Ding Yanxiang smiling happily. He suddenly remembered the day he met Ding Yanshan. Her face did not show any joy, only stubbornness.
Actually, the young master of the Zhou family is quite good; he's refined, knowledgeable, and polite, and his character is fairly upright. Should he do him a favor and try to set Ding Yanshan up with him? Thinking about this, Long Er decided to go back and praise him to Mu'er. Her husband is not only intelligent but also kind, and he's incredibly handsome and charming. Wouldn't she be delighted?
If she is happy, they will go to bed to celebrate; if she is not happy, they will go to bed to discuss the reasons for her unhappiness until she is happy.
When Long Er returned to the manor, before he could even boast to Ju Mu'er about his merits, he met Li Ke.
He received a message from Li Ke, informing him that he had found a clue and would be returning home soon, but wasn't this return a bit too fast?
When Li Ke met Long Er, he reported the information he had gathered along the way. "Zhuo Yishu was from Meilin Village in Guishan County. She married a local hunter. Her father died early, and she and her mother depended on each other for survival. After marriage, she continued to raise her mother. Later, the hunter died, and they were gossiped about in the village, living a very difficult life. Then, the village was flooded, and they left. Nothing particularly special happened along the way; they did odd jobs or worked as maids to earn a living. Later, they went to the capital with a couple who made sesame cakes to do small business. Later, the sesame cake stall failed, and the couple went elsewhere to find work, but Zhuo Yishu's mother became seriously ill, so they didn't leave."
"Was her life all clean before, without any particular people or events involved?"
“There is indeed no indication that she associates with people from the martial arts world. Those relationships probably started after she entered the brothel.” Li Ke took a breath and continued, “But I have found out something else.”
"explain."
"It is said that Minister Shi Zechun and Na Zhuoyishu are from the same hometown. He is also from Meilin Village, and his original name was Li Dongwang."
"What?" Long Er was taken aback. "Isn't he the young master of a once-prosperous but now-declining family in Dongyang City?"
"I never expected this either. But when I investigated who else had gone out of this village, the old folks mentioned this. They said there was a man named Li Dongwang who was very talented. He not only wrote excellent articles but also played the zither very well. He went to the capital to take the imperial examinations and never returned."
"How can this prove that it is Shi Zechun?"
"The old man said that Li Dongwang had a birthmark shaped like a qilin on his shoulder. At that time, everyone in the village said that this child was destined to be a pillar of society. I had carefully reviewed the case file of Minister Shi before, and his autopsy record stated that he had a birthmark shaped like a qilin on his shoulder."
Long Er suddenly realized, "So that's how it is."
89. Laying out a hidden trap for a tit-for-tat confrontation
"It's no use being good. The wine is for me to drink, you're in charge of playing the piano."
"If playing the zither makes my husband happy, will I be allowed to go to Guishan County?"
"cannot."
"But I know the zither, so maybe I can find something out from the sound of the zither."
"You're not the only one who understands this."
"Besides me, only Bao'er in the Long family understands this. Does Second Master intend to send Bao'er?"
Long Er rolled his eyes at her again, saying that it was one thing for him not to know, but to drag his whole family into it was another. Even though it was the truth, it was still unfair to belittle her husband's family like that. His wife was getting more and more arrogant. Besides, she dared to say Bao'er knew; he bet he was better than Bao'er.
Ju Mu'er could imagine Long Er's expression without him saying a word, and she couldn't help but chuckle. That chuckle didn't escape Long Er's notice, and he poked Ju Mu'er's forehead. "Always causing trouble."
"I'm not causing trouble. I want to find out the truth as soon as possible so that my whole family can be safe and sound."
He had said those words before. Long Er felt a warmth in his heart, took her hand, and said earnestly, "That's precisely why you can't go. Now, your every move is being watched. Going to Guishan County would be too commotion and alert the enemy. Staying in the Long Mansion and not going out is the best course of action. I understand your reasoning. Having someone who knows how to play the zither to investigate would indeed be useful. I thought of that, so I sent Lin Yueyao."
"Miss Yueyao?"
"She knows it's about Shi Boyin's case, about clearing Hua Yibai's name after his wrongful death, so she'll definitely go all out. Don't worry, with Hua Yibai's guidance, discerning the sounds of the zither won't be a problem for her. Besides, she's spent so much time with Ya Lili, so she knows a thing or two about the pieces you played for her. She's been missing for a long time, so no one is on guard against her, and the spies from the Ministry of Justice won't notice. Her going will be much more useful than yours."
Ju Mu'er thought for a moment and nodded: "You're right."
“Of course you’re right.” Long Er became arrogant immediately after receiving the praise. “I’m very strategic and have everything under control. I was too careless before, which is why you were in such danger. Trust me, I will never let them have another chance to hurt you.”
"And the Dragon Palace."
"Of course, I will protect both you and the Long family."
Ju Mu'er smiled and suddenly said, "In that case, Second Master, please have someone take the sheet music to Miss Yueyao. With the sheet music in hand, she can find out more."
"What sheet music?"
"It is the score of the peerless zither piece that Master Shi played on his deathbed."
"You have?"
"I have it, but I've hidden it."
Where?
"It's in my husband's hands."
"I didn't hide any sheet music for you." Long Er paused abruptly after saying this; he suddenly remembered that he did have sheet music. But…
"The sheet music you used to annoy me back then, the one that caused all that chaos?"
“That’s not some lousy sheet music. I put a lot of effort into simplifying it and rewriting it backwards. It’s tucked inside a children’s sheet music, so at first glance you won’t see anything wrong with it. But if someone knows the piece, they’ll figure it out after a while. Give the sheet music to Miss Yueyao and have her look at it backwards. Every one or two pages there’s the sheet music. Since she knows the piece, she can also see the clues in this sheet music.”
Ryuji was dumbfounded. "You actually sent the evidence to me so early?"
“Because you don’t know anything about the zither, and you’re completely unrelated to that case. Besides, no one in the Long family will investigate, so it seems quite safe to leave it with you.”
"Safety?" Long Er raised his voice: "I almost tore up your lousy sheet music."
“My husband stole my bamboo cane, but returned it instead of throwing it away. And when I gave him the zither, he didn’t smash it either. So I thought, if I give him another zither score, maybe he will keep it safe.”
"Maybe?" Long Er really wanted to crack open his wife's head to see what was inside. "Maybe I really will tear it up, then what will you do?"
"A cunning rabbit has three burrows, and this is naturally not my only copy. After Brother Yibai died, I was terrified. So, before I went blind, I desperately saved three copies of the qin score. I kept them in a safe place, hoping that one day, a noble person would appear and these scores would come in handy. So, if my husband really did accidentally tear it up, I still have two copies. If my husband didn't tear it up, and I died mysteriously, if someone investigates my death, they will definitely look for relevant people to question. At that time, my husband and I were arguing, and the whole city knew about it. Someone with ulterior motives might ask my husband if I had given him anything. If Heaven is destined to clear the name of this matter, then the qin score might see the light of day again and the truth will be revealed."
"You seem to have quite a few ideas." Long Er was very unhappy. That sheet music was a token of his love, but it turned out that he had been used by his wife.
"Husband." Ju Mu'er called him softly, reaching out to take his hand. Long Er offered his hand, letting her hold it. "Back when Bao'er was learning the zither, didn't I confirm with you where the sheet music was? You didn't lose it."
"Where are the other two books?"
“One of them was in my music room. I took it apart, inserted a page into another book according to its contents, and then rebound it. It barely makes sense now. I marked every single book in my music room, noting which one had it, which one didn't, and on which page it was. It's hard for ordinary people to tell the difference.”
Long Er was somewhat stunned; how much effort must this have taken to figure out? "So you're not worried when others come to borrow books to read?"
"My only worry is that if I show any unease, others might notice. Now that my music room has been burned down, all those books and scores are gone." His words revealed deep regret; many of his collections were probably lost forever.
Long Er's mind raced. He couldn't talk to her about the music room anymore. She had her eye on a music instrument for 88,000 taels of gold. If he wanted to find her burned books, how much money would that cost?
Long Er quickly changed the subject: "What about the other one? Did you bury it again?"