“Madam, that man is the Black Chrysanthemum Sect branch master, Zhang Zize,” Li Qingquan said between gritted teeth, whispering to Qian Jiaoniang.
Qian Jiaoniang immediately understood that he had come for them. Clearly this Zhang Zize was well informed in Wuzhou—he had even managed to track them here. Through the veil beneath his bamboo hat, she looked at the plump man who wore a constant smile. He seemed a little over forty, with thick lips and large ears, bearing a faint resemblance to the Maitreya Buddha in the temples.
Such a man was hard to arouse instant dislike toward, and precisely for that reason Qian Jiaoniang feared him most—those with kindly faces and gentle eyes who harbored malice in secret. After a brief moment of thought, she whispered a few words to Li Qingquan, then turned and went back upstairs.
Not long after she returned to her room, Li Qingquan brought Zhang Zize up. Zhang smiled broadly and offered her a deep bow. From behind the screen Qian Jiaoniang calmly accepted it, lightly invited him to sit, and said nothing more. Zhang Zize waited a long while, then finally could not restrain himself and asked, “Might I dare ask if Madam is of Lord Xing’s household?”
“Are you the Black Chrysanthemum Sect branch master who caused my husband to be thrown into prison?” Qian Jiaoniang countered coldly.
At her words Zhang Zize knew at once this was no gullible, easy-to-fool wife. His gaze flickered, and he forced a bitter smile. “Madam has wronged this humble one. I have always admired Lord Xing’s character—how could I possibly seek to harm him?”
“Then why did my husband go to meet your sect master, only to be accused of conspiring with the rebels of the former dynasty? Or is it that your sect master himself is one of those rebels?”
Zhang Zize was silent for a moment, then laughed. “And what is this ‘rebel of the former dynasty’? The Wu usurper who seized the throne committed crimes beyond measure. The Bai clan of Yue were the rightful imperial line of All Under Heaven, yet now the usurper brands them traitors.”
Qian Jiaoniang snapped, “Insolent knave! How dare you speak such treasonous words before me! So it is true—you are all rebels, deliberately framing my husband! I shall have you seized and reported to the court this instant!”
Zhang Zize’s smile did not falter. “Madam, wait—this humble one has more to say.”
“What filthy words do you still have? I’ve no wish to hear them. Come, seize him and deliver him to the authorities!”
Li Qingquan and Ah Da stepped forward at once. The smile was wiped from Zhang Zize’s face—he had not expected this inner-chamber lady to be so decisive. Qin Shaoyuan, fearing she truly meant to have him taken, hurried to dissuade her: “Madam, perhaps it would not hurt to hear him out first.”
Only then did Qian Jiaoniang snort heavily. “Then spit it out quickly, if you must!” He thought to toy with her?
Zhang Zize wiped the sweat from his brow and steadied himself. This time he did not dare to speak leisurely. “What use would it be if Madam had me dragged to the authorities? I have already thrown my humble life aside for the greater cause. But if I am taken, I shall say the same as my companion—that Lord Xing conspired with me to restore the Yue dynasty. After all, did he not deliberately befriend me for the sake of the sect master’s martial arts manual? If I say so, even with ten mouths Lord Xing cannot prove himself innocent.”
“You—!”
“Moreover, how can Madam believe the authorities trustworthy? To speak plainly, I myself deliberately leaked word to Commander Xu. Commander Xu must surely have acted only on his master’s orders when he laid his ambush at Fuman Building and seized Lord Xing.” Zhang Zize gave a long sigh, his brow furrowed. “It seems Lord Xing, loyal and devoted as he is, still cannot escape the fate of the cunning hare slaughtered when the hunt is done, or the fine bow discarded once the birds are gone. A pity, a pity! Madam, even had I not laid this snare, the Crown Prince would still have used some other stratagem to eliminate Lord Xing. Otherwise, why would he order Xu Hongzu to lie in wait?”
Qian Jiaoniang let out a cold laugh. “So by your reasoning I should thank you instead?”
“Madam has dwelt sheltered within the inner chambers under Lord Xing’s protection, and so does not know the perils of the world. Only know this: if Lord Xing does not find another path, once he is taken to Yongan there will be no road left but death.”
Qin Shaoyuan understood that Zhang Zize spoke the truth. Rebels of the former dynasty were always the greatest taboo of the throne. And Lord Xing, with his towering military merits, was also a royal taboo. For that reason he had laid down his arms and withdrawn from court. Now the Crown Prince was intent on purging dissent, and the rebels had added fuel to the fire—truly, Lord Xing had been forced onto the pyre.
“Then what do you intend?” Qian Jiaoniang asked coldly.
Zhang Zize rose to his feet and said solemnly: “Madam, my master too has learned of Lord Xing’s dire straits. He cherishes Lord Xing’s rare talent as a general and cannot bear to see him wronged unto death. Thus he was forced to use this desperate measure, hoping to rescue the Marquis from calamity.”
“Framing my husband with a capital crime—is that what you call helping him?”
“My master knows that Lord Xing is upright and resolute, that ordinary persuasion would never move him. And fearing that if we delayed, Crown Prince Wu would make his move first, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and give Lord Xing a hard push—so as to save him from the fire and water.”
Qian Jiaoniang asked, “And how do you plan to save him?”
Zhang Zize lowered his eyes. “So long as Madam persuades the Marquis to turn from darkness to light, we will risk our lives to break him out of prison.”
This was nothing less than trying to force Xing Muzheng onto the path of the rebels! What a fine-sounding “turn from darkness to light”!
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