The Foolish Agent

Chapter 59

"Mother! Third Sister! Have you finished practicing? Father is waiting for you in the hall for breakfast!" Leng Yangtian, the young master of the Leng family, called out to the two people in the field from under the corridor.

"They've arrived!" Madam Leng replied casually. She took the soft sword from Leng Jie's hand and handed it to the approaching maid. Taking Leng Jie's hand, she walked towards the corridor. Even as they reached her son's side, she couldn't help but mutter a few words to herself:

"How could I, Fang Qiuyin, have raised such a useless scoundrel like you? You clearly have a physique naturally suited for martial arts, yet you insisted on becoming a useless scholar like your father. Now you can't lift a finger, let's see what you can do!"

In the past, Leng Yangtian might have argued with his mother, lecturing her on grand principles like how knowledge is essential for governing the country. But now, he truly regretted not listening to his mother and insisting on learning martial arts. Spoiled by his parents, he had chosen to study literature as a child out of fear of hardship. Now, though he was full of knowledge, he had no use for it. And now, when he needed to use his martial arts, he was, as his mother had said, utterly powerless. Thinking of this, Leng Yangtian felt both frustrated and remorseful!

Madam Leng was initially puzzled to see her son listening obediently to her nagging, which was unusual for him. Then, noticing her youngest daughter standing nearby, she figured her son might be acting this way because he felt he had lost face in front of his younger sister, so she didn't think much of it. She simply stopped nagging.

Seeing Leng Yangtian's dejected silence, Leng Jie knew he was blaming himself for being powerless to protect his family despite being a grown man. She naturally took his large hand and squeezed it firmly. After gazing at him encouragingly for a moment, she turned to Madam Leng and said:

"Mother, you're being too extreme. We live in a peaceful and prosperous era, and what we need are people like Father and Brother who are capable of governing the country. As the saying goes, everyone has their own talents, and both studying literature and martial arts will be useful. Besides, aren't we martial artists all about strengthening our bodies? Even without martial arts, Father and Brother are still very healthy!"

Hearing Leng Jie praise her husband and son, Madam Leng felt as sweet as if she had eaten honey, but she still playfully scolded her:

"Hmph! How could Xiaojie side with them to refute her mother? I've loved you so much, you little traitor!"

As they spoke, the three had already reached the hall entrance. Hearing the commotion, the Cold Prime Minister stepped forward and greeted them, smiling as he asked:

"Who's the little traitor?"

Leng Jie immediately replied, feeling wronged, "Father! Mother is talking about me! I just spoke up for Father and Brother! And Mother has already excluded me from the ranks of good daughters!"

"Hehe! Your mother's just teasing you! How could she bear to exclude you, a daughter who can accompany her in martial arts practice?" Leng Xiang laughed loudly. Then, quite naturally, he stepped forward, put his arm around Madam Leng's shoulder, and led her to the dining table. He considerately pulled out a chair for her, and only after she was seated did he sit down beside her. Then, quite naturally, he served Madam Leng food and poured her water…

Although this scene plays out at least three times a day, Leng Jie is always captivated by it. She doesn't know how other families live, but her own family, due to everyone's work, lived a fast-paced, stressful life. Her parents were like that, and she continued this lifestyle after marriage. She never knew that a marriage could be so warm and natural. From the tacit understanding between the couple, it's clear that their lifestyle wasn't something that developed overnight, but rather over decades.

Leng Jie couldn't help but wonder, in a context where men have the right to have multiple wives and concubines, how could the Prime Minister, at the center of power, not be busy with his work? Didn't he have opportunities to have other women? What kind of power could make him so devoted to only one woman for decades?

"Xiao Jie! Have a steamed bun." Seeing Leng Jie staring blankly at her parents again, Leng Yangtian picked up a steamed bun and put it in her bowl, bringing her back to her senses.

Yang Tian understood Xiao Jie's expression perfectly. Anyone who had witnessed the extent of his parents' affection would be terrified. They'd been married for decades, yet they always acted like newlyweds, their love so intense it was almost sickening. But he was used to it anyway. On the contrary, he'd be terrified if he ever saw them being polite and completely separate.

Leng Jie happily ate the large bowl of steamed buns and pastries her older brother had put on her plate. After the meal, she came to another conclusion: the men in the Leng family were all very gentlemanly. The older ones took meticulous care of their wives, while the younger ones meticulously looked after their younger sisters.

After breakfast and dinner, Leng Xiang would take his wife for a walk in the garden, a routine that had remained unchanged for decades, regardless of wind, rain, thunder, or lightning. Before leaving, Leng Xiang would specifically turn back and give her a few words of advice:

"Xiaojie, come to my study later, I need to talk to you about something."

"Yes!" Leng Jie replied crisply. Then she turned to Yang Tian, who had changed his expression, and said, "Brother, I'm going back to my room now!"

"Okay, go back and wash off the sweat!" Yang Tian replied considerately.

Back in her room, hot water had already been prepared for her. Leng Jie quickly washed and washed up, then applied a light, inconspicuous layer of makeup. In truth, even without the makeup, Leng Xiang and the others wouldn't have associated her with Leng Ruier. Leaving aside the fact that she couldn't possibly have become so clever, they hadn't seen her for over three years. When she entered the palace at thirteen, she was a real little girl. But now she had become a mature young woman. Not only had her physical appearance changed drastically, but even her voice had changed.

Leng Jie's only concern was that she looked too much like her mother. If she didn't change herself, she would look like two sisters when she walked next to Madam Leng. This was the conclusion Yuan Zheng and Yang Pu reached the moment they saw Madam Leng.

Just as I finished tidying up, Yuan Zheng's voice came from outside the door.

"Xiao Jie! I'm back."

Leng Jie hurriedly went over and opened the door, saying:

"Come in and speak!"

Unlike the first time, Yuan Zheng didn't say anything about men not being allowed in a woman's bedroom; he simply stepped inside.

Seeing that he was sweating profusely from rushing, Leng Jie poured him a cup of tea and gestured for him to drink it before continuing.

"Thank you, Miss!" Yuan Zheng said, taking the tea and drinking it all in one gulp. He then continued:

"As Miss instructed, we sent men to follow that man surnamed Zhong out of Qizhou. Just as Miss predicted, they really headed towards Jianzhou. However, when they were almost entering Jianzhou, they changed course and headed towards the capital. So Yangpu asked me to come back and ask Miss if we should inform the Second Master and the others to send people in the capital to continue following them?"

"Of course we must! Didn't I tell you? Apart from my personal matters, we can't tell them anything about this matter concerning the Crown Prince. We must report everything to them and ask for their full support. Otherwise, do you think the three of us can stop the Crown Prince, who has been preparing for this for many years?" Leng Jie said seriously.

"Yes, I understand. You can say anything except that Miss has become the adopted daughter of Prime Minister Leng." Yuan Zheng nodded in response. He then took out a letter and handed it to Leng Jie, saying, "This is a letter from the sect leader to you."

"News already?" Leng Jie happily accepted the letter. The words "To Leng Jie" on the envelope were large and bold, written in a flamboyant style. Tearing open the seal, she unfolded the letter and saw three sheets of A3-sized Xuan paper filled with dense writing. Leng Jie involuntarily frowned as she read it. The words, besides concern and greetings, were filled with longing. Only on the last page did he mention the matter of the Jianzhou grain seeds that Leng Jie had reported to him in her first letter. He had already followed her suggestion and distributed rice seeds free of charge to all farmers in Jianzhou who had planted millet after the New Year. He had also replaced her with a prefect from the south. Finally, he asked where she planned to go next and when she would return to the capital. He didn't mention the matter of the Crown Prince, which was what she most wanted to know.

It seems she hasn't received the last letter yet. Leng Jie knows very little about the Crown Prince, but since she claimed to have been sent by the Emperor specifically to handle the Crown Prince's affairs, she couldn't possibly ask Prime Minister Leng, who knew about the Crown Prince's past. And besides Prime Minister Leng, the only person she could ask was Xuan Yuan. Of course, Qing Feng could be there, but it would be more difficult to find him now that he had returned to Bei Feng Kingdom.

So, five days ago, after returning from the Leng residence, she wrote a letter to Xuanyuan detailing what she had learned that night, and asked him to send her detailed information about the Crown Prince. But now, five days later, she finally received a letter, only to find it full of useless information. How could she not be disappointed? Leng Jie was once again speechless at this era without modern communication facilities. At the same time, she felt even greater admiration for prophets like her master.

Yuan Zheng kept a close eye on the Third Sect Master's expression as she read the letter, noticing her face growing increasingly dark. He asked worriedly, "Did the Sect Master assign you something difficult?"

Leng Jie looked up and glared at him, then said in a sharp, annoyed voice:

"Don't ask questions you shouldn't know. I'll tell you what you need to know. How's the matter of me asking you to secretly protect the Leng residence going?"

"Don't worry, Miss. We've already placed our people in the villages surrounding the Leng residence as you instructed. And we're keeping a close eye on the movements of any suspicious individuals!" Yuan Zheng replied cautiously.

"Okay, then you go back to the inn first! I have something to do tonight, so you and Yangpu should both come back to the Leng residence to keep watch." Leng Jie nodded and instructed.

"Yes!" Yuan Zheng nodded in response and ran off in a flash. Today he finally realized that this usually kind, gentle and beautiful Third Sect Master could be just as strict as the other two Sect Masters when she got serious.

Yuan Zheng hurriedly went to the door and ran into Yang Tian, who had come to call Leng Jie to the study. He nodded and called out, "Young Master!" before running off from Leng Jie's room. This left Yang Tian completely bewildered. Watching his retreating figure, he asked:

"Miss, what's wrong with Yuan Zheng? Look how scared he is! He looks like he's seen a tiger!"

Upon seeing the gentle, sunny sky, Leng Jie's mood immediately improved. She then replied with a smile:

"Brother, don't you know your sister is a tiger? There's a song that goes like that!"

"Ah!" Leng Yangtian was taken aback. What kind of woman would call herself a tiger? But seeing Leng Jie's smiling face, he knew he'd been tricked by his adopted sister again. He pressed on bluntly, "You're talking nonsense again. What song is that? I've never heard of it before."

"The little monk went down the mountain to beg for alms, the old monk gave him instructions. The women down the mountain are tigers, if you encounter them, you must stay away..." Leng Jie sang "That Woman is a Tiger" once. She then asked the dumbfounded Yang Tian:

"So, did I tell you? I wasn't lying, was I?"

"Heavens! Which eminent monk composed this piece? It's such a apt and vivid description! But it's just a pity for that little monk!" Yang Tian exclaimed four times in a row.

"Hehe! The person who composed this piece probably wasn't a real monk." Leng Jie said with a smile, then reminded him, "Brother, you're here to call me to the study, aren't you? If you don't leave soon, Father will come to fetch you himself."

Reminded by Leng Jie, Leng Yangtian immediately remembered the purpose of his trip and hurriedly turned around to lead the way to the study.

In the imperial study, Xuan Yuan Yun Shuo, who had just received Leng Jie's second letter, was so happy that he didn't jump up and shout. He held the letter in his hands, reluctant to open it.

Eunuch Fu and Zi Ying chuckled silently to themselves. Ever since they learned that the exceptionally intelligent and quirky Leng Jie was a woman, they had been waiting in the palace to see what would happen. But then came her recklessly jumping off the cliff to save her, and the two of them living alone at the bottom for two days and two nights. At that moment, they wondered if the drama had escalated to its peak.

To their surprise, the Emperor returned to the capital alone. Eunuch Fu and Zi Ying couldn't help but wonder if they had guessed wrong again. Did the Emperor still see her as a man? Otherwise, why would he let a woman he hadn't found repulsive leave with someone else? Although they desperately wanted to know the reason, neither dared to ask the Emperor. Since returning from Jianzhou, he had reverted to the cold-faced monarch he had been a few months prior.

Two days ago, when he received that letter from Qizhou, they saw hope again. From the moment the Emperor received the letter from the Third Gatekeeper, a blissful smile graced his face—a smile they had never seen before in all their years with him. Then they saw him write, tear up, and write again, tossing and turning all night before finally completing a reply. Even the most oblivious person would know that the Emperor had hopelessly fallen into the whirlpool of love! They were happy for him, but also very worried. Especially after seeing the contents of that letter, they were even more anxious for the Emperor. Because it wasn't a letter at all; it was practically a standard memorial to the throne.

But Xuanyuan didn't see it that way. In his eyes, Xiaojie was sharing his burdens. Just seeing her unique notes and her insightful perspectives on things made him feel more satisfied than any sweet words of love. He was especially excited when he learned that she was truly traveling alone. He had long seen the love Qingfeng had for Lengjie in his eyes. But because they were fellow disciples, he couldn't stop them from returning to Wuyou Valley together. Now that they were separated, how could he not be happy and relieved?

"Your Majesty! Please take a look at what Xiao Jie wrote. Could it be something important? There's an 'urgent' symbol on the letter." Zi Ying reminded him, seeing him holding the letter, unsure whether he was reluctant to part with it or afraid of seeing the same content as last time.

Xuanyuan opened the envelope and saw a "very urgent" mark on the back. He quickly and carefully tore open the envelope and read the letter. His gentle smile suddenly turned deathly pale, then slowly turned bluish-purple. He muttered, "Impossible! Impossible?"

"Your Majesty! What has happened?" Eunuch Fu asked worriedly.

At the same time, Zi Ying asked urgently, "What do you mean it's impossible? Has something happened to Miss?"

Xuanyuan composed himself, casually handed the letter to Ziying, and turned to Eunuch Fu, saying:

"Xiao Jie said that the Crown Prince isn't dead, and that he orchestrated the cases involving the Shangguan family. His goal is to control the secret service and then return to the throne. She also said they've already started their operation and are planning to kidnap Prime Minister Leng to help him. But Prime Minister Leng refused, so Xiao Jie is staying there to protect his family. She wants me to send him all the case files related to the Crown Prince from three years ago. She wants to persuade Prime Minister Leng to feign cooperation with the Crown Prince and his group, and then wipe them all out..."

"The Crown Prince really isn't dead? I knew it! Someone as cunning as the Crown Prince, how could he possibly do something like self-immolation?" Eunuch Fu said with sudden realization. Seeing that the Emperor's expression was still very bad, he added:

"Your Majesty, you can't let brotherly affection get in the way this time. Even if you hand over the throne to him now, he'll still demand your life before he'll be satisfied. Remember how you didn't fight him for anything back then? He still couldn't tolerate you."

After reading the letter, Zi Ying's expression also turned grave. He folded the letter and handed it back to Xuan Yuan, solemnly saying:

“I think Xiaojie makes a lot of sense. Regardless of whether you wanted to be emperor in the first place, now that you’ve taken on this responsibility, you have to be responsible to the people of Jinghe. The law applies to all citizens, not just to princes. He killed so many people for his own selfish gain. We must find him now and bring them all to justice.”

But he was his only brother, his own flesh and blood! Xuanyuan Yunlu just couldn't understand why his elder brother, the Crown Prince, couldn't accept him. Just as Eunuch Fu had said, even if he returned the throne to him, he still wouldn't accept him! If it were before, he might have truly abandoned this burden and left without a second thought. But now he didn't think that way. Because he had someone to care about, someone he wanted to protect. He couldn't let Xiaojie live that kind of turbulent, hunted life with him. Xuanyuan thought for a moment, then, as if having made a great decision, resolutely said:

“Let’s do as Xiaojie says! She’ll be in full charge of this.” He paused, then added:

"This matter is of utmost importance. I am worried about Xiao Jie being alone there. Ying, take the documents and go to Qizhou to help her!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey!" Upon receiving the order, the shadow had already vanished.

Seeing that the Emperor had finally moved on from the deep brotherly bond of his childhood, Eunuch Fu said with relief:

"Your Majesty is right! The brotherly bond between you and the Crown Prince was severed long ago, when he repeatedly failed to poison you and then hired someone to kill you. Everything he is doing now is his own fault. You don't need to blame yourself."

"Don't worry, Eunuch Fu, I actually feel relieved now. Although I blamed him for not tolerating me back then, the thought of him dying because of it made me feel like I had done something wrong to deserve his treatment. But now that I know he's not dead, I don't need to blame myself anymore."

Chapter Ninety-Four: The Crown Prince's Secret

When Leng Yangtian led Leng Jie to the study, Prime Minister Leng was indeed already waiting there. Leng Jie quickly apologized, "I'm sorry! I kept Father waiting!"

Seeing his two daughters arrive hand in hand, a satisfied smile involuntarily appeared on Leng Xiang's face. What did his Leng family do to deserve such a sweet and adorable daughter out of nowhere!

Seeing that his father only smiled and remained silent, Leng Yangtian explained, "It's all my fault. I forgot to talk to my third sister!"

"Alright! Father doesn't mean to blame you!" Leng Xiang said with a smile, pointing to the two chairs that had been prepared by the desk, "Come and sit down, Father has something to say to you."

Yang Tian pulled out a chair for Leng Jie and let her sit down. Then he poured a cup of tea for both Leng Xiang and Leng Jie, and sat down himself.

Leng Xiang took a sip of tea and asked seriously, "Xiao Jie, tell your father honestly how much you know about the relationship between the Crown Prince and the Emperor?"

Leng Jie was taken aback. Had he seen through her? Feigning ignorance, she asked, "Why do you ask that, Father?"

"Girl, your father has been in the court for decades, serving three emperors. If I couldn't even see through this little thing, I would have died countless times already!" The Prime Minister said calmly, staring into Leng Jie's eyes.

"Yes! He's a hunter! Compared to him and my master, she's just a little fox at best." Leng Jie chuckled awkwardly, feeling utterly helpless, "Hehe, Father saw through me! I really don't know anything about what's going on between them. Actually, I've only known the Emperor for a few months. Although I've heard that the Crown Prince sent people to hunt down the Second Prince, I don't know the specifics. So, I was just about to ask Father."

Leng Xiang nodded in satisfaction and said, "I don't think you could possibly know either. Even the Emperor himself isn't entirely clear about that matter."

Even the Emperor doesn't know? Leng Jie and Leng Yangtian looked at the Prime Minister in astonishment, waiting for his explanation.

Seeing the surprised expressions on the brother and sister's faces, the cold prime minister said with certainty, "You don't need to doubt it. His Majesty really didn't know about what happened three years ago. Because at the time of the incident, he was fighting on the frontier. Only three people knew about it: your father, the late emperor, and the crown prince."

That makes sense. It's precisely because he wasn't the only one who knew what happened back then that Xuanyuan always suspected Leng Xiang! Leng Jie was thrilled that Leng Xiang would tell him on his own initiative!

After taking a sip of tea, the Prime Minister's tone suddenly turned heavy as he said, "I originally intended to take this matter to my grave. But now that the Crown Prince is alive and still harbors his treacherous nature and ambitions, and considering that this matter concerns the fate of you three siblings, I have no choice but to break the late Emperor's promise."

The matter seems serious! Leng Jie listened attentively.

After a moment's pause, Leng Xiang recalled, "You've all heard the story of the late Emperor and Empress, right? I won't go into details. The late Empress only gave birth to two sons in her lifetime. The elder was made Crown Prince at birth and was the recognized heir apparent. He received an imperial education from the start. Not only did he look like his father, but his personality was also very similar to his father's."

The second prince resembled the late empress in both appearance and personality. This was why the late empress was particularly close to him. The crown prince, being the elder brother, couldn't bear that his mother only cared for his younger brother and harbored resentment. However, even at a young age, he was already quite cunning. To get his parents' attention, he consistently disguised himself as a loving older brother. Therefore, everyone, including the late emperor, empress, and the second prince, believed they were good brothers.

After the late Empress's death, the late Emperor felt guilty towards the Empress because the Second Prince looked so much like her. Although he wanted to treat him well, he dared not visit him often, only instructing his servants to give the Second Prince the best of everything. However, he didn't realize this would bring the Second Prince even more trouble. One night, the late Emperor secretly went to see the Second Prince and inadvertently discovered that the eight-year-old prince was covered in bruises and had a fever. Only a eunuch was caring for him; no imperial physician had been summoned. Upon learning that his beloved son had been bullied by the women of the harem, the late Emperor was enraged.

From then on, he took the Second Prince to live in his palace, showering him with care and affection. This only fueled the Crown Prince's hatred for the Second Prince. Like the late Empress, the Second Prince was naturally aloof and loved freedom. Furthermore, having inherited her martial arts skills, he was highly proficient. Therefore, upon his coming of age, the late Emperor intended to entrust him with the secret service, so he could assist his only elder brother. However, this matter somehow reached the Crown Prince's ears. Driven to insane jealousy of his younger brother, the Crown Prince finally lost his temper and repeatedly attempted to poison the Second Prince. However, each time, the secret guards assigned to the Second Prince by the late Emperor discovered the plot and replaced him.

When the late emperor found out, he simply couldn't believe it. The two brothers had always had such a good relationship, and besides, he was already the crown prince, and the second prince had no intention of vying for the throne. He couldn't understand why the crown prince would poison the second prince. Moreover, he had only allowed the late empress to bear him two sons precisely because he feared fratricide.

At this time, the Second Prince happened to propose going out to experience the martial world, and the late Emperor readily agreed. He planned to investigate the poisoning incident thoroughly after the Second Prince left the palace to see if someone had deliberately framed the Crown Prince.

Leng Xiang stopped and took a sip of tea.