Chapter Forty-One: Murder

Night fell upon the capital. At the State Guesthouse, Zhu Yu did not return to the palace after receiving new intelligence. Instead, he went directly to the quarters of the Izumo embassy, determined to verify the truth behind the latest rumor.

He slipped into the guesthouse without a moment’s hesitation, heading straight for the room where, according to the report, the Empress Dowager was being held captive.

Arriving outside the chamber, he found it shrouded in darkness, yet from within came the persistent sound of voices. Zhu Yu did not rush in; instead, he paused to listen.

“Your Majesty, I must strongly advise you to dismiss the palace’s tailor. In this sweltering heat, to make such a thick outer robe—is he trying to roast you alive? If Yun Luo weren’t forcing me to wear it, I wouldn’t touch it at all.”

A man’s voice drifted from inside, leaving Zhu Yu utterly bewildered. Who was this person? And what nonsense was he spouting?

“Young Master Cheng, you know Yun Luo? Truly, fate is mysterious. Hurry and think of a way for us to escape,” came a woman’s voice—unmistakably the Empress Dowager herself.

The name “Young Master Cheng” sparked a flash of realization in Zhu Yu’s mind: Cheng Shifei!

Before he could dwell on this further, the conversation inside resumed.

“Yes, I know Yun Luo. To be honest, her temper is abominable—she beats people at the slightest provocation. I’m always getting knocked about by her. She only gets away with it because she’s in the palace; toss her outside and I guarantee she wouldn’t last three days. As for escaping, don’t worry, Your Majesty. Once I’ve expelled the poison I’ll take you out of here. And don’t call me Young Master; Yun Luo begged me to come help you, that’s all.”

“Then hurry and purge the poison. Yun Luo still has a conscience, after all,” the Empress Dowager sighed, then, as if to defend Yun Luo, continued, “I know the girl’s temper leaves much to be desired, but her heart is kind. She’s only become this way because of the Emperor. He’s her brother, after all; she follows his every example.”

“Blame the Emperor? I don’t see it. He’s not bad at all; there are far fewer corrupt officials now, and the people’s lives have improved,” Cheng Shifei objected mildly.

“You’re not in the palace, Young Master Cheng; you can’t know. Most of these reforms came from the late Emperor’s ministers—especially the former Prime Minister, Chancellor Cai. The Emperor used to follow their advice, but ever since he took power himself, he’s ignored all good counsel. He’s become a foolish, incompetent ruler. Worse still, he’s bloodthirsty. Chancellor Cai was my own brother. He devoted himself to the state from the previous Emperor’s reign, yet in the end, his own nephew accused him of treason and had him killed,” the Empress Dowager explained, her voice laden with grief.

“Am I hearing this right? You’re the Empress Dowager, yet you call the Emperor a tyrant? The world has never seen the like,” Cheng Shifei replied, half in disbelief, while inwardly growing suspicious of her.

He withheld comment on the first half of her story, but the latter half he could not accept. The treachery and malice of Chancellor Cai were common knowledge—how could the Empress Dowager claim he was a loyal minister wrongly condemned?

Unaware of Cheng Shifei’s thoughts, the Empress Dowager continued, “Though I am not his birth mother, I raised the Emperor from infancy. No one knows him better than I do. If things go on like this, the nation will be ruined.”

She paused, seeing that Cheng Shifei did not respond, then spoke again.

“I saw how you fought the bandits yesterday, Young Master Cheng. Your martial skill is exceptional. Had you not been poisoned by those villains, you would never have fallen into this plight. Driving out the poison should be a trivial matter for you, is it not?”

“Well, of course! No wonder you’re the Empress Dowager, your insight is sharp. If they hadn’t poisoned me yesterday, you’d already be back in the palace by now. Don’t worry—by tomorrow at the latest, the poison will be gone and I’ll take you out,” Cheng Shifei said, beaming at the imperial praise and forgetting his earlier doubts entirely.

The Empress Dowager, reassured, deliberated a moment before voicing the wish she had harbored ever since the late Emperor’s passing.

“Young Master Cheng, I have another favor to ask of you.”

“Please, Your Majesty, there’s no need for such formality. Yun Luo is a good friend of mine—just say what you need.”

“In the Emperor’s hands, this nation is doomed. Someone must save it. My own son is now fourteen years old. I hope you will guide him, and when he comes of age, help him ascend the throne and restore our country to greatness. For the sake of our countless people, I beg you to grant this request.”

At these words, Cheng Shifei’s mind went blank. His first thought was of several notable figures: the Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi, the Eastern Depot’s Grand Director Cao Zhengchun, the Western Depot’s Grand Director Yu Huatian, and the Head Constable Zhuge Zhengwo of the Six Doors.

At the thought of these men, he shuddered. What madness was this? Was the Empress Dowager trying to get him killed as thanks for saving her life?

Before he could voice a refusal, the door swung open. He barely glimpsed the newcomer before a sharp pain struck his neck, and he collapsed, unconscious.

Upon seeing the intruder, the Empress Dowager’s face, flushed from feigned grief, turned ghastly white. Her lips moved soundlessly, unable to form a single word.

Zhu Yu’s heart blazed with fury, his gaze as sharp as a blade as he regarded the Empress Dowager in silence. “Never would I have imagined,” he murmured, his face expressionless, “that the first life I would take with my own hands after mastering martial arts would be yours. My so-called mother. After all these years, could you not simply enjoy your twilight in peace?”

As he spoke, he placed his palm atop her head. Before he finished, he channeled his inner force and struck softly.

Once he confirmed her lifelessness, Zhu Yu turned, scrutinized Cheng Shifei for a moment, and muttered, “He’s not even good-looking. What does Yun Luo see in him?” Shaking his head, he left.

Not long after Zhu Yu’s departure, Cheng Shifei cautiously opened his eyes. Glancing warily around the room and ensuring he was alone, he rotated his aching neck and muttered, “Yun Luo’s interested in me? Impossible. Besides, she’s so fiery-tempered, and her imperial brother killed the Empress Dowager without batting an eye. If I really married Yun Luo, I might not live to see another day. No, I can’t be with a woman like that.”

Just as Cheng Shifei resolved to keep his distance from Yun Luo, someone else stepped inside.

Had Zhu Yu still been present, he would have recognized the newcomer at once: none other than Duan Tianya, the number one secret agent of Dragon Guard Manor.