novelSusiti Chapter 75 Confirmation
Chapter 75 Confirmation
Chapter 75 Confirmation
It was past midnight, and the mansion of Lord Pingyuan was brightly lit. Armored soldiers patrolled back and forth, and maids hurried by carrying basins of water and medicine for wounds.
The corpses in the front courtyard had all been removed, but there were still bloodstains on the ground that had not been washed away. Several servants squatted by the pillars of the corridor, brushing the remaining bloodstains on the blue bricks by the light of lanterns.
Inside the main hall, most of the guests were still there.
Given this turn of events, the Lord Pingyuan's residence dared not let anyone leave. All guests, regardless of their status, were temporarily detained in the residence until the guards verified their identities against the register. Some dozed off on their mats, some huddled together whispering, and some sat pale-faced in a corner, constantly fidgeting with their sashes.
Several Zhao officials sent from the palace sat at the table, talking in hushed tones, their faces grim.
Today should have been a joyous occasion, but unexpectedly, someone plotted to cause trouble at Lord Pingyuan's birthday banquet. The key issue is that most people say the assassin was targeting Lord Xinling, and is most likely from the Qin state.
It's not impossible, after all, Lord Pingyuan is old and sick, and his days are numbered, so there's really no need for him to waste his time on this.
On the other hand, if it weren't for Lord Xinling, the State of Zhao would probably have been destroyed by the State of Qin back then. Moreover, Lord Xinling was always accompanied by Zhu Hai as a bodyguard when he went out, so perhaps only in such a situation could an assassin find an opportunity.
But upon closer examination, it seems there are quite a few oddities.
However, given that such an event occurred, and that many nobles were either killed, injured, or taken hostage, no one dared to make any hasty judgments.
Mao Sui, holding the list of guests who had been injured or killed, went from the side courtyard to the back hall.
The deceased have been placed in a side room in the courtyard, and the injured have been treated by the physician of the manor. He has seen all the bodies of the assassins that have been found and has made a plan in his mind, but the most important thing right now is the disappearance of Young Master Heng.
As he approached the moon gate of the back hall, he encountered a steward. The steward said that Lord Pingyuan had just taken his medicine and was about to rest.
Mao Sui let him in to inform him that the matter was urgent and could not be delayed.
The steward went inside for a moment, then came out and invited Mao Sui inside.
Lord Pingyuan leaned against the couch, his face sallow, with a damp handkerchief draped over his forehead. Lord Pingyang, sitting beside him, also looked preoccupied, his fingers tapping on his knees.
Lord Pingyang had managed to hold on for most of the day during his birthday banquet, but with this misfortune befalling his household, the signs of his advanced age and exhaustion were now fully revealed. Upon seeing Mao Sui enter, he slightly raised his hand, indicating that he should dispense with the formalities.
Mao Sui didn't stand on ceremony and recounted the whole story of Zhao Heng's disappearance. He said that Zhao Heng got separated in the chaos and had not yet been found. He dared not say whether Zhao Heng had been kidnapped or had hidden himself, but he was definitely no longer in the mansion.
Lord Pingyuan remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, "Back then, when Handan was relieved, Zhao Yi (Lord Chunping) willingly went to Qin as a hostage, taking a blow for the state of Zhao. When he left, his son couldn't even walk yet. Now, his son has gotten into trouble in my residence. How can I explain this to him?"
As he spoke, he began to cough, his whole body trembling, and a wet handkerchief slid down his forehead.
Lord Pingyang picked up the handkerchief for him, soaked it in water in the copper basin, wrung it out, and handed it to him.
Lord Pingyuan waved his hand, refusing to take the item, and instead gazed at the top of the tent. Suddenly, he said, "Today's commotion has nothing to do with Wuji; it's aimed at me. Those assassins are so familiar with the inside and outside of this mansion; they're no ordinary people. I have three thousand men who come and go from this mansion every day, yet today assassins have infiltrated—there must be someone acting as an inside agent."
This was said to Lord Pingyang, but Lord Pingyang did not respond; he simply draped the handkerchief over the former's head again.
Although Lord Pingyuan's birthday banquet could not compare to a grand palace feast, the security was still quite tight. Yet the assassin managed to infiltrate the main hall disguised as a servant and launch his attack at the very end of the banquet, indicating that someone must have been providing backup.
Mao Sui didn't say much, only saying, "The most important thing right now is to find the young master; we can investigate the others later."
Lord Pingyuan nodded and instructed Mao Sui to continue sending men to pursue the assassins in the direction they had fled. He then added, "Let's keep this matter from Lord Chunping's household for now. Lady Han has managed the household alone for many years; her son is her life. Don't let her know until the news is confirmed."
Mao Sui agreed and then asked the guests how they would be accommodated that night.
Lord Pingyuan said, "Don't let any of them go. Have the guards check the names on the register one by one. Detain those who are suspicious and interrogate them carefully. Let those who are not suspicious stay until dawn."
Mao Sui accepted the order and withdrew.
As night fell, the lights in Chunping Jun's residence were gradually lit up.
Lady Han retired early today. News arrived this evening that there had been chaos at Lord Pingyuan's residence, with some dead and injured. Because the matter was serious and the cause unclear, Lord Pingyuan, out of concern for Zhao Heng, kept him and several of his retainers at the residence, saying they might have to stay there for the next couple of days.
Although she didn't know the specifics of what had happened, and had vaguely heard that there had been chaos in the city at night and that soldiers were tracking someone, Lady Han was finally somewhat relieved to know that her son was being protected by Lord Pingyuan.
She went back to her room early, but hasn't rested yet even at this hour.
She felt uneasy, though she couldn't quite put her finger on why; her left eyelid was twitching violently. Her mother combed her hair, the comb making a soft, rhythmic sound as it went, a way to pass the time.
Looking in the bronze mirror, Madam Han suddenly said, "This child has become much more sensible lately, but he's also becoming more and more opinionated. Sometimes, even I, as his mother, can't figure out what he's thinking."
Madam Fu smiled and said, "Young Master has now gained some fame in Handan. Even several emperors look at him with special regard. Madam, you don't need to worry."
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the bedroom. The maid on night duty announced in a trembling voice, "Madam, Supervisor Zhao has returned and says he has urgent business to discuss."
Madam Han and Madam Fu exchanged glances, both somewhat surprised. Weren't they supposed to have stayed at Lord Pingyuan's residence?
Madam Han put on her coat and got up, the unease in her heart suddenly becoming concrete and intense.
As Fu's mother escorted her to the front yard, she saw Zhao Su, his face covered in dirt, who had apparently run back from somewhere, immediately collapse to the ground and weep bitterly. His robes were stained with mud, his knees were chafed in two places, and he was trembling all over from crying.
Madam Han's face immediately turned pale, and she asked repeatedly, "What happened?"
Zhao Su trembled all over and recounted the events that had occurred at Lord Pingyuan's residence in fits and starts.
He said that some wandering knights had infiltrated the birthday banquet, disguised as servants, and suddenly attacked people, killing many. He said that because he was not qualified to be seated, he wanted to find his young master after the chaos in the mansion, but he was separated by the crowd and had to hide first. After the turmoil subsided, he heard that his young master had been kidnapped by assassins and his fate was unknown, so he could only rush back to report the news.
He spoke incoherently, sometimes saying that the assassins were shouting that they wanted to take Lord Xinling's life, and sometimes saying that the Crown Prince of Yan had also been kidnapped and Lord Jianxin had been abducted. He interspersed his words with snippets of information he had overheard from others. The more he spoke, the more confused and anxious he became.
Halfway through her conversation, Madam Han's face drained of all color. She stared intently at Zhao Su, her lips moved a few times, then suddenly swayed and fell backward.
Madam Fu reacted quickly and caught her, while several maids rushed forward to support her. Madam Han sat back in her seat, her eyes tightly closed, tears streaming from her eyes. She trembled uncontrollably, but made no sound; only tears flowed uncontrollably.
Madam Fu's eyes also reddened. While patting her back to soothe her, she asked Zhao Su sternly, "Where are Meng Ben and Luan Ding?"
Where are they?
Zhao Su shook his head blankly, his face streaked with tears and dust, looking utterly disheveled: "Never seen him again—I don't know if he's dead or alive."
These words were like adding insult to injury. Madam Han's lips turned as white as paper instantly, and Madam Fu also panicked, quickly sending a maid to fetch Gongsun Yang.
Gongsun Yang rushed over, not even bothering to bow, and simply asked Zhao Su to repeat what had happened.
Zhao Su repeated himself incoherently, and Gongsun Yang's brows furrowed even more as he listened. After a moment's thought, he finally said, "Madam, please don't worry. The young master is a lucky man; he may not have really met with misfortune. The most important thing right now is to stabilize the household before we go and confirm the news."
Madam Han looked at him with teary eyes: "Mr. Gongsun, do you have a solution?"
Gongsun Yang said, "We should first send someone to the palace to inform them that the young master has not returned from the banquet and ask them to send someone to inquire about the exact situation at Lord Pingyuan's residence. At the same time, we should also send someone directly to Lord Pingyuan's residence to inquire about the young master's whereabouts. It's better to take two steps at the same time than to wait here idly."
Just then, there was another commotion outside, as Master Xu and Master Ban arrived.
The two men rushed over after hearing the commotion in the mansion, and upon seeing the scene, they both became serious.
After listening to Gongsun Yang's brief account of the situation, Master Xu remained silent for a moment before saying to Madam Han, "Master Gongsun is right. Right now, we must confirm the information first and not panic. Although Prince Heng is young, he is quick-witted and far more intelligent than ordinary boys."
Master Ban, who was standing nearby, also said, "Although I haven't known you for long, I can tell that this young man is a man of his own mind and won't easily suffer a loss."
Hearing these words, Madam Han slightly stopped crying, but her face remained frighteningly pale. She asked in a hoarse voice, "My son—could something really have happened to him?"
Master Xu and Master Ban exchanged a glance. Master Ban hesitated for a moment before speaking, "We have been keeping something from you, Madam, but we might as well tell you now. Brother Xu and I are both disciples of the Mohist school, and we have fellow disciples and old friends in Handan. For the past month, Young Master Heng has treated us with the utmost respect, treating us with the utmost courtesy. Now that he is in danger, we cannot stand idly by. Tonight, we will contact the Mohist disciples to gather information and search for clues, and we will do our utmost to rescue him as soon as possible. Leave this to us, Madam, please rest assured."
Madam Han stared blankly at the two men, no longer caring about their sects or factions, and struggled to rise and pay her respects. Master Xu quickly offered a helping hand, saying, "Madam, please rest well, we will take care of the rest."
The division of labor was immediately agreed upon. Gongsun Yang stayed at the mansion to oversee the situation, while Master Xu and Master Ban separately contacted the disciples of the Mohist school.
Lady Han then instructed Madam Fu to prepare two documents, one to be sent to the palace and the other to Lord Pingyuan's residence, inquiring about the whereabouts of Prince Heng.
Madam Han then looked at Zhao Su. Zhao Su was kneeling in the corner, still trembling, his robes stained with mud and someone's blood. Seeing his condition, Madam Han ultimately did not reprimand him, only saying, "Go back to your courtyard and rest. I have something to ask you tomorrow."
Zhao Su kowtowed and staggered out.
When he returned to his small courtyard, his legs were still trembling.
The scene that afternoon was too intense. If he hadn't dodged quickly, he would have been a fugitive. Even when the assassins took hostages, they were selective about who they were dealing with. They dressed according to the person's status. Someone like him would have been dealt with with a single stab.
He closed the courtyard gate and stood with his back against the door for a while until his calf cramps stopped before he groped his way into the house in the dark.
Some of what he said to Madam Han was true, but some of it was embellished.
Fearing that he hadn't made it sound serious enough, and that Lady Han would blame him for abandoning Zhao Heng and fleeing alone, Zhao Su said that the assassins were hacking at anyone they saw, that corpses were everywhere, and that he himself had almost died under a hail of blades. The more he talked, the more justified he felt, and by the end, he almost believed it himself.
But whether Zhao Heng was kidnapped or hid himself, he didn't actually know.
Upon hearing that something had happened, he huddled in a storage room and only dared to come out after the sounds of fighting outside stopped. He never even considered looking for Zhao Heng in the meantime.
Just then, he remembered to reach for the flint on the table, wanting to light a lamp.
The moment my fingers touched the flint, I felt a sudden chill on my neck.
It was a sword. A chill ran from the side of my neck to my ear, and then from my ear to my scalp.
Zhao Su froze, his hands hanging in mid-air, too afraid to move or utter a sound.
A voice came from behind me. I couldn't tell if it was male or female, or how old it was. It was just cold and devoid of any emotion.
"Don't look back. Answer my questions. If you tell a lie or cry out, you will die."
Zhao Su's teeth chattered as he nodded frantically.
Then he heard someone behind him say, "Are you one of Guo Kai's men?"
Zhao Su's mind went blank for a moment.
He dared not ask who this person was, much less which side this person belonged to.
But his mind raced. This man had appeared right after the young master's disappearance, sneaking into Chunping Jun's residence to question him, most likely to be looking for Zhao's whereabouts. If he were Guo Kai's man, he probably wouldn't have come to question him.
Upon realizing this, Zhao Su dared not delay any longer and cautiously said, "I do have some dealings with Mr. Guo. But my actions were mainly arranged by you, young master."
There was a moment of silence behind me.
Why was it arranged this way?
Zhao Su secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He steadied himself, adopting a frank and open demeanor, and said, "After the young master fell into the water, Mr. Guo noticed some changes in him and wanted to test his true intentions. The young master, not wanting to be seen through, sent me to deal with Mr. Guo. But Mr. Guo, being on the young master's side, couldn't handle the matter personally and could only rely on me to understand the young master. And so, I became—the middleman—between the young master and Mr. Guo?"
"What does Guo Kai mainly understand?"
Zhao Su thought to himself that there was no need to fake these things, so he carefully answered, "The main question is about who you have associated with. For example, you have dealings with the hostage prince of Qin, which Mr. Guo is very concerned about. He also asks if you have been studying hard, and who you are close to—these are all trivial matters."
There was no response from behind. The person seemed to be pondering something, or perhaps trying to determine the truthfulness of his words.
Zhao Su's heart was pounding with anxiety. Then he remembered something else and thought that if he brought it up himself, it might make him seem more credible. So he said, "Today at Lord Pingyuan's residence, I had a private meeting with Mr. Guo. Mr. Guo was very pleased to hear that you, my lord, had been in contact with Prince Dan of Yan and General Li Mu a few days ago."
The blade twitched slightly, as if the topic had suddenly caught the swordsman's attention.
"Why does Guo Kai need to know all this?"
Zhao Su hesitated for a moment. This was a difficult question to answer. However, after thinking for a while, he cautiously replied, "In my humble opinion—Mr. Guo probably wants to see if the young master has great ambitions and dares to compete with Young Master Yan for the throne. But I am foolish and ignorant."
Before he could finish speaking, the person behind him interrupted, "Has Young Master Heng met and spoken with Guo Kai recently?"
Zhao Su shook his head repeatedly, but after shaking it twice, he felt the blade getting even closer. He quickly stiffened his neck and said, "No, no. Young Master and Mr. Guo are of different statuses, and it would be too conspicuous for us to meet. We've never done that before."
After saying that, he felt his statement was too absolute and therefore unbelievable, so he added, "However, the young master's whereabouts are often unpredictable, so logically speaking, there's no possibility that the two of them could meet in private. But shortly after the young master spent the night in the palace last time, he went out alone for a whole day, and we don't know where he went. Was it that day—"
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt the chill on his neck disappear.
He remained frozen in place, barely daring to breathe, and swallowed back the words that were about to come.
After a few breaths, there was still no movement behind him. He slowly turned his head, only to find that there was no one behind him.
Zhao Su then slumped against the edge of the couch, panting heavily. The sweat on his back had soaked through the shirt he was wearing, and the night breeze made it feel cool against his skin.
Just then, a knocking sound came from outside the courtyard.
Zhao Su trembled and sprang up from the couch, exclaiming, "Who?"
A servant's voice came from outside the door: "Zhao, are you inside? The lady has instructed that someone from the palace or the Pingyuan Lord's residence may come to inquire later. Please tidy up and wait at the front. We'll probably be busy all night."
Zhao Su recognized the voice as that of a servant in the manor. His legs went weak, and he braced himself against the edge of the bed. He took a few deep breaths, steadied his voice, and went to open the door. After leaving the room, he subconsciously glanced around. Everything was empty, which reassured him slightly.
Two servants stood outside the door. One carried a lantern, the other a tea tray. The foreman, noticing his pale face, asked, "Zhao, why do you look so unwell?"
Zhao Su opened his mouth, wanting to ask the two if they had seen anyone, but he swallowed the words back. He simply raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead and said, "—I was just frightened today, it's nothing. Let's go, let's go ahead."
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