Back in his still-closed shop, Fang Jie couldn't help but chuckle at the memory of Wu Yidao's precious daughter's discomfiture. That little girl was ruthless; she'd even let her father take the fall just to get back at him. They say no one knows a daughter better than her father, and it was certainly true. Seeing that the pastries brought to him were all sweet, Wu Yidao immediately guessed that Wu Yinyu had no good intentions.
He first sent Du Juan back, then explained the situation to Fang Jie with a touch of helplessness. Fang Jie naturally didn't care about the little girl's prank, but he secretly thought about how he'd have to teach this arrogant and pretty girl a lesson sometime.
After returning home, Wu Yidao lied to Wu Yinyu, saying that Fang Jie had eaten the pastries, and then kept running to the outhouse. Wu Yinyu laughed so hard she almost fell over, but no one noticed something else behind her smile.
After Wu Yidao left, the little maid Dujuan clenched her fist and waved it, saying, "Finally, that brat got a taste of his own medicine."
But Wu Yinyu fell silent, smiling helplessly, "Dujuan, Father lied to me. Most likely, that brat didn't eat any snacks at all. Then I realized, all the dishes served were desserts; Father could have easily seen the problem, so he definitely didn't let him eat any."
"But Master just said we shouldn't do this again..."
"Father just wanted to make me happy, to make me think my little trick worked."
Wu Yinyu swung her arm and walked back to the bedside, sitting down and looking at the gradually darkening sky outside. She sighed, "Ever since Mother left, Father has become increasingly indulgent towards me, trying every possible way to make me happy, not wanting me to feel wronged at all. I know he's afraid I'll be sad thinking about Mother, afraid I'll feel like I have no one to rely on without her." "Damn it. Dujuan...aren't I the same?"
She looked out the window and said quietly, "Father loves and indulges me so that I can be happy. I also try my best to be spoiled and even unreasonable, just to make Father think I'm happy. Only when I pretend to be happy will Father feel a little more at ease. Actually, since Mother passed away...who has ever been truly happy, Father or I?"
Dujuan's nose tingled, and she couldn't help but step forward and hold Wu Yinyu's hand, saying, "Miss, don't be sad. Madam has been gone for two years. You have to be more open-minded."
Wu Yinyu smiled, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and pouted, saying, "Let's not talk about this. What was that brat's name again? Fang Jie, right...don't worry, I'll make him pay sooner or later!"
Back in the shop, Fang Jie mentally processed Wu Yidao's words. He sat at his desk, took a brush, and wrote down the names Wu Yidao had mentioned on the rice paper. Leaving aside figures like Wang Wei, Zhang Kuang, and Mo Xidao, who came from military backgrounds—for even with their impressive qualifications, they were still from humble origins—the scions of prominent families selected from various cities weren't all just empty-headed individuals seeking prestige. Several among them were renowned talents, from illustrious families, and possessed exceptional literary and martial skills. Compared to these individuals, Fang Jie had absolutely no advantage.
Pei Chuxing, the son of the Pei family, was hailed as a child prodigy who could read classic texts by the age of four. It was said that at the age of five, he composed a poem as a congratulatory gift for the opening of the Hongxiu Pavilion, earning praise even from Prince Yang Qi. The Pei family was one of the most prestigious families in the Sui Dynasty, with countless members serving as officials in the court. His father was Pei Yan, a Yellow Gate Attendant, second only to the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat in rank, and a close attendant of the emperor, responsible for drafting imperial edicts.
In his youth, Pei Chuxing's name was known to almost everyone in the capital. In the third year of His Majesty's reign, a grand banquet was held for his officials during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Pei Yan attended with his son. During the banquet, His Majesty found the child charming with his rosy lips and white teeth, and, wanting to test his knowledge, asked him a few questions. Unexpectedly, the child answered with eloquence and erudition, citing classical texts. His Majesty was greatly pleased and immediately bestowed upon him the title of a seventh-rank court attendant.
Xie Fuyao, the young master of the Xie family in Jiangnan, was already a household name in Jiangnan at the age of nine. At only six, his family's tutor was baffled by his tricky and unusual questions. By the time he was nine, it is said that his tutor had no more to teach him and had to resign, thus greatly enhancing his reputation.
Most incredibly, he was also a disciple of the Sanqing Temple on Mount Wudang. It is said that when Master Zhang of the Sanqing Temple visited the Xie family, he immediately recognized the child's extraordinary talent and accepted him as a disciple. Every year, he would send someone from Mount Wudang to the Xie family in Jiangnan to teach Xie Fuyao the Wudang Taoist arts. There's also Cui Pingzhou from the Cui family of Boling, Wang Ding from the Wang family of Jiangnan, and Lu Fan from the Lu family of Chenzhou—all renowned young talents. In short… Fang Jie wouldn't even dream of making a splash in the entrance exam for the Martial Arts Academy; just getting into the academy safely would be a huge success.
After resting for a few days, Shen Qingshan, who could walk on her own now, noticed Fang Jie's slightly furrowed brow. She sat down opposite him, smiled, and asked, "What's wrong? Lacking confidence?"
Fang Jie pushed a sheet of Xuan paper with a long list of names written on it towards Shen Qingshan, saying, "These people are all incredibly impressive. I'm just a lowly border soldier… Sanjin Hou telling me all this clearly means he thinks I can compete with them. What do I have to compete with them? Getting into the Martial Arts Academy would be a great achievement for me."
"That's not right."
Shen Qingshan shook her head, saying, "Do you know why Sanjin Hou told you all this? Doesn't he know…?" "You're no match for these scions of prestigious families?"
"Then what does he mean?"
"He's reminding you that you must compete."
"Why?"
"Because you've already met the Emperor and are highly regarded by several Grand Secretaries. On the surface, you're still just a lowly soldier on the frontier. But in reality, there are probably people in the court already watching you. While you're worrying about the names of these aristocratic scions, they might be ruthlessly plotting against you. In the Sui Dynasty court, aristocratic families hold power, and their interest groups are clearly defined. You might not see anything openly, but they're definitely fighting fiercely behind the scenes." "His Majesty saw you and even praised you in front of several Grand Secretaries. After you return, wouldn't those Grand Secretaries talk about it? Marquis Sanjin must have heard some rumors, which is why he specifically summoned you to give you some pointers."
Shen Qingshan thought for a moment and said, "You've already caught the attention of some powerful figures in the court. Before you rise to prominence, they'll either try to recruit you into their ranks or suppress you so much that you can't hold your head high. His Majesty is extremely busy and can't possibly remember a nobody like you. Those arrogant young masters from noble families will naturally all set their sights on you once they know your name."
"They absolutely..." "They won't allow themselves to be suppressed by someone of such humble origins as you; they'll do everything in their power to make you lose face. Those aristocratic families, if they have children taking the exams, will spare no effort to support them. Those without children will try to recruit other outstanding candidates. The meaning of the Marquis of Sanjin is… if you can't make a name for yourself in the Martial Arts Academy's exams, you'll likely be suppressed by the aristocratic families, and it will be difficult for you to regain your footing!"
"To have His Majesty recall your name from time to time, that's real skill…"
Fang Jie suddenly remembered what Zhuo Buyi had said before, and his expression turned serious. Shen Qingshan was right; those aristocratic families were waiting to see a good show. If he stood out, olive branches would keep being offered. If he was trampled down by those aristocratic children, he would be immediately and firmly suppressed, making His Majesty think he was nothing but a useless piece of trash. Would His Majesty still remember him in less than a year?
Fang Jie finally understood the Marquis of Sanjin's intentions.
In truth, the moment he met the Emperor, he had already forced himself into a position where he had no choice but to fight, though he himself hadn't realized it.
...
...
The rear courtyard of the Imperial Guard.
An inconspicuous low wall divided this large courtyard into front and back sections. On the surface, this low wall seemed merely decorative, but in reality, it separated far more than just courtyards. In the courtyard south of the low wall was the Imperial Guard; the slightly smaller courtyard behind it housed the Intelligence Bureau.
Hou Wenji, the Commander of the Intelligence Bureau, ostensibly held the position of Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard, essentially the same rank as Meng Wudi. But even those in the Imperial Guard who dared to dream of such a position wouldn't dare to think so, nor would any of the officials in the court who knew the details. Within the Imperial Guard, Hou Wenji was on par with Luo Weiran. In fact, one could say that, in terms of the Emperor's confidants, Hou Wenji was even stronger than Luo Weiran.
After all, Luo Weiran came from a江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the martial arts world) background.
Hou Wenji, on the other hand, came from a truly distinguished family.
Leaning back in his chair, Hou Wenji read a book while listening to his subordinates report on the cases handled that morning. Upon hearing the end, he slammed the book shut and looked up, asking, "Confessed?"
Liu Duxiu, one of the seven commanders of the Imperial Guard, known as "Divine Eye," bowed and said, "He couldn't withstand the torture and confessed."
"The two people Mr. Zhuo captured that night, one was Yingjiu, an assistant minister in the Ministry of War. He was a confidant of Yu Donglai, the vice minister of the Ministry of War, but Yingjiu said that the assassination of Fang Jie had nothing to do with Yu Donglai. The reason he killed Fang Jie was because of the Fan Gu case… He had a younger brother who died while accompanying the eunuch Wu Peisheng on an inspection tour to Fan Gu. The military, the Ministry of War, and the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice all said that his brother and Wu Peisheng died in battle, but in reality, it had nothing to do with Fang Jie."
"One wanted to kill the other, but the one who killed was killed by the one who deserved to die…"
Hou Wenji smiled and said, "It's because his brother was useless; he can't blame anyone else."
"What will you say to the outside world?"
Liu Duxiu asked. "A traitor!"
Hou Wenji said calmly, "Some time ago, someone broke into the Ministry of War and killed so many people. How could they have entered so easily without a traitor? Yingjiu, a sixth-rank official in the Ministry of War, actually colluded with spies sent by the Mongol Yuan dynasty to try to steal the map of the Sui dynasty's border military deployment. After the plot was exposed, he joined forces with the Mongol Yuan spies to massacre the Ministry of War. He was captured by our Intelligence Bureau when he tried to escape."
After saying this, Hou Wenji couldn't help but laugh: "Yu Donglai is incredibly unlucky. He's already having a run of bad luck, and now he has such an idiot subordinate causing trouble at this crucial moment. He has no choice but to resign this time! Once he falls, it will be incredibly difficult for him to get back up. We've never been able to get involved in the Ministry of War's affairs because Yu Donglai is too protective. Commander Luo and I have been planning for a long time, but we haven't been able to infiltrate the Ministry of War with the strength of our Imperial Guard and Intelligence Bureau." "Department, this time we finally seized the opportunity."
"Congratulations, Commander."
Liu Duxiu bowed and said, "Yu Donglai has always been tough on our Imperial Guard and Intelligence Bureau. His downfall is a great relief."
"This Fang Jie is truly a lucky star for our Intelligence Bureau. If Meng Wudi had really killed him, where would we find such a series of exciting dramas to watch? Yu Donglai has been fighting me and Commander Luo openly and secretly for so long, but unexpectedly he fell to an unknown nobody. Interesting."
Hou Wenji stood up, straightened his clothes, and said, "I'll go tell Commander Luo first, then meet the other idiot who also confessed. Later, after you've packed up the necessary items, send them directly to the torture chamber. I need to rush to Changchun Garden before dark to discuss this with the master."
"Yes, sir!"
Liu Duxiu responded, bowed, and left.
Hou Wenji finished his tea, feeling annoyed at the thought of the other person who had also confessed. He thought to himself, "Yu Donglai had such a useless subordinate that he might have had to give up his official career. How come all of Luo Wen's subordinates are useless too? I really don't know how Luo Yao chose his people. What's the use of keeping such servants?"
Then he thought of the boy named Fang Jie and couldn't help but sigh.
When he talked to Luo Weiran about it, Fang Jie was just a minor, insignificant character in this game. Now, by some twist of fate, he's become a key pawn. It's a situation no one expected.
"Little guy, your days are numbered... You've only just entered the capital and you've already made yourself so prominent. It seems you don't understand the saying 'The tallest tree in the forest catches the most wind.' Li Fubo is much smarter than you. When he entered the Martial Arts Academy, people didn't even know he was from the Li family of Longyou." And now you've forced yourself into the eye of the storm, how many knives are waiting to tear you to pieces... You helped me a great deal, so I won't personally kill you as a way of repaying a favor, but the insidious methods of those aristocratic scions will still ensure you die a gruesome death.
Hou Wenji smiled to himself, thinking how fortunate Luo Weiran had stopped him back then, otherwise, to cover up Fan Gucheng's secret, he would have killed you long ago and thrown you into some mass grave. Now that you've brought down Yu Donglai, it seems even a useless piece of trash can be of great use.