Chapter Ninety: The First Alliance

In the dead of night, Zhou Tinggou led a squad of soldiers on patrol through the streets. In truth, there was little to patrol; Jinling, being under the Emperor's own feet, had always been peaceful. What was there to watch over? On a midsummer night, the hours dragged on. As the men walked, they chatted about romance, which family had married off a beautiful bride, or which household was suffering from strife between a mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law.

Reaching the vicinity of Yuhua Terrace, they saw a night watchman running toward them in a panic. Seeing Zhou Tinggou and his men, he hurried over and gasped, "Officer, something terrible has happened!"

"What is it? What’s going on?" Zhou Tinggou asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Over there—at the residence of Secretary Zhou, a massive fire has broken out," the watchman said, breathless.

"What? A massive fire?" Zhou Tinggou looked up toward the direction of Qijia Mountain, where faint flickers of fire could indeed be seen.

"Quickly, to the fire!" Zhou Tinggou acted with resolve. While leading his men to fight the blaze, he sent others to summon reinforcements; after all, the vast Han estate could not be saved by their small numbers alone. Although the cause of the fire at the Han residence was unknown, Han Xizai was, after all, a Secretariat Drafter with the duty of drafting imperial edicts. He participated in confidential matters and wielded growing power as a favored minister of the Emperor. Currying favor with him certainly held many benefits.

Zhou Tinggou and his men sprinted toward the estate. As they drew closer, the fire grew more intense, reaching toward the sky and reddening half the firmament. The servants within the Han estate were shouting loudly, hauling buckets of water in a desperate attempt to extinguish the flames.

Han Xizai stood with a solemn expression. No one knew why a fire had suddenly erupted in the kitchen and the bedrooms, especially since several fires had started simultaneously in the women's quarters. The women were terrified, screaming as they fled, which only added to the chaos within the estate.

The Han household was in total disarray. While the servants were busy fighting the fire, Han Xizai did his best to gather the women and keep them from running about blindly.

When Zhou Tinggou arrived at the gates with his men, he found them standing open and led his squad inside. The scene was chaotic; several servants, seeing men rushing in, mistook them for bandits and lunged with blades drawn. A patrolling soldier, caught off guard, was struck down and killed.

Zhou Tinggou was shocked and quickly drew his sword in self-defense. The servants, blinded by the turmoil, continued their assault. The confusion within the Han estate deepened as some fought the fire while others engaged in bloodshed. By the time the reinforcements Zhou had summoned arrived and saw their comrades slain, they were enraged and joined the fray with swords in hand.

Though the servants of the Han estate were fierce, they were no match for trained soldiers. They were pushed back, suffering over twenty casualties. By the time Han Xizai received word, it was already too late. He scrambled to appease Zhou Tinggou and the others, but in the chaos, over a dozen government soldiers had also been killed. Even with Han Xizai arriving in person to calm the situation, Zhou Tinggou and his peers were unable to quell their fury.

Looking over the ruins, Han Xizai offered a bitter smile. This time, the situation had escalated too far. He sent men to search for the Taoist priest who had been present, but the man had vanished. Han Xizai groaned inwardly, wondering who could have been plotting against him.

A fire at the Han residence could not be hidden, especially with the bloody conflict between the household and the soldiers. With over thirty people dead in total, the matter was significant enough to reach the Emperor’s ears in Jinling.

Li Jing was naturally furious when he received the report. Although he favored Han Xizai greatly, the deaths of over a dozen soldiers, coupled with the wailing of their families at the Ministry of War, meant that simple condolences and compensation would not suffice. The matter was truly a headache.

Just then, Song Qiqiu submitted a memorial, stating that the sudden fire at the Han residence was highly suspicious and suggesting that the Emperor dispatch someone to investigate its cause. Li Jing agreed that the matter was strange; after pondering it, he summoned Xiao Yan, a Director of the Court of Judicial Review, to investigate.

Xiao Yan had always been fair and incorruptible. He had once been demoted by Li Jing to Deputy Commissioner of Shuzhou and kept under strict watch, but later, regretting his decision, Li Jing had recalled him. It was precisely because Xiao Yan was not involved in factional strife and possessed a principled character that Li Jing thought of him. With Xiao Yan’s personality, he would surely remain impartial and report the truth.

Inside the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, Yang Lian held a cup of fragrant tea and gazed at the bustling boats on the Qinhuai River. "I never imagined such a simple ruse would lead Han Xizai to walk right into the trap," he said with a smile.

Zeng Yiling, her face still concealed by a white veil, laughed softly. "Men in this world are either lustful, greedy for money, or hungry for power. Han Xizai came from humble origins, yet he is extremely extravagant and possesses a fierce desire for power. When Li Bian was alive, he was suppressed and deeply frustrated. Even though he manages confidential matters under Li Jing’s reign, his rank is only the sixth grade. How could Han Xizai not harbor resentment?"

Yang Lian took a sip of tea. "Your scheme this time successfully burned the Han residence and goaded them into fighting the soldiers. Li Jing will surely be enraged upon hearing the news, though I wonder what punishment Han Xizai will face."

"Han Xizai has always been Li Jing’s confidant. Even with such a grave mistake, he will likely be spared the death penalty. But I suspect he will no longer be allowed to remain in the capital," Zeng Yiling replied with a smile. Their first collaboration had gone smoothly, filling them with confidence.

As they spoke, a woman hurried over. "Miss Zeng, Young Master Yang, news from the palace: the Emperor has sent Xiao Yan to the Han residence to investigate the cause of the fire."

"Excellent!" Yang Lian clapped his hands. "Now, we shall see how Xiao Yan handles it."

Zeng Yiling nodded. "Xiao Yan has always loathed evil. Li Jing sending him might indicate he already harbors some suspicion."

"Not necessarily. Li Jing likely wants to avoid factional strife. Sending Sun Sheng, Xu Xuan, or Song Qiqiu would only incite further chaos. Xiao Yan is fair and would never bend the law," Yang Lian countered. It was precisely because Li Jing trusted Han Xizai that he sent Xiao Yan; had he sent one of Song Qiqiu’s faction, Han Xizai would certainly have been doomed.

Zeng Yiling shook her head, skeptical. "If he had sent Sun Sheng, why would that cause chaos?"

"Song Qiqiu is an old fox. If Li Jing had sent Sun Sheng or Xu Xuan, he would certainly have found a way to attack them. The court has only just calmed down, and the Emperor desires a period of peace," Yang Lian explained.

"He wants peace, but we cannot allow him that. We must add some salt to his life to make it more flavorful," Zeng Yiling said. Her voice remained soft, yet carried an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

Yang Lian turned to look at her. "One must be vigilant in times of peace. Even if Han Xizai is toppled, it only weakens Li Hongji's influence. Sun Sheng remains a Chancellor with great power. This matter must be handled slowly."

"Rest assured, I know what I must do," Zeng Yiling said.

While they spoke, Xiao Yan had already arrived at the Han estate. At a glance, the residence was a ruin, and even the neighbors had suffered; the fire had been truly devastating. Sighing, Xiao Yan stepped into the estate.

Han Xizai came out to meet him, looking dejected. He bowed and said, "Director Xiao."

Xiao Yan waved a hand. "Secretary Han, I heard of the fire at your residence. His Majesty has ordered me to inspect the scene. The fire seems to have been quite large—I wonder if anyone was injured?"

"Three people were burned, all of them neighbors," Han Xizai sighed. Even though he was a high-ranking official and the victims were commoners, the matter could not be hidden under the Emperor's nose, so he spoke the truth.

Xiao Yan frowned slightly but kept his composure. He walked into the estate and looked around, only to find the situation even worse than expected. The ground was littered with debris, and in many places, there were traces of blood—likely from the skirmish with the soldiers the night before.

As Xiao Yan investigated, he learned that because the soldiers had broken in, the servants mistook them for invading bandits and fought back. This diverted manpower from firefighting, allowing the blaze to consume the estate.

When Han Xizai recounted this, he was filled with fury. It was all caused by that Taoist priest, yet the man had disappeared, and he did not know who had sent him. The matter was too suspicious, but Han Xizai could not speak of it and kept his silence.

Xiao Yan was left confused; it seemed Han Xizai had no idea how the fire started. Furthermore, according to his description, the fire had broken out in multiple locations. This was strange. Xiao Yan paced through the ruins, observing. Although the fire was extinguished, wisps of blue smoke still rose from the ground.

Most of the vast estate was reduced to rubble, save for one area where water from the Qinhuai River had been diverted. Xiao Yan let Han Xizai go to attend to his affairs while he continued to pace. He stopped at a certain spot—the very place where the Taoist had performed his rituals the night before. The altar had been burned, leaving only a shell.

Xiao Yan lingered there. On the ground, wax drippings remained. He did not understand why such an anomaly existed here. He crouched down and noticed the earth was loose, showing faint traces of something having been buried. He reached out and began to dig. A small wooden figurine was revealed.

Xiao Yan’s eyelids twitched. He hurriedly plucked the figurine into his palm and took a quick look; his expression shifted dramatically. He tucked the figurine into his sleeve and dug a few more times, revealing two smaller wooden figurines.

With his keen eyes, Xiao Yan clearly read the characters inscribed upon them. His face paled, and he swiftly hid the items in his sleeve. He stood up slowly and took two deep breaths, eventually regaining his composure.

Though he appeared calm, his heart was in turmoil. He could never have imagined that such things would be found at Han Xizai’s residence: witchcraft! If Han Xizai had been cursing someone else, it would be one thing, but the target of his curse held such a special status that Xiao Yan dared not be careless.

Securing the figurines, Xiao Yan took his leave. Han Xizai assumed Xiao Yan had been sent merely to inspect the fire and comfort a veteran official of the princely household; he could never have guessed that Xiao Yan carried a much heavier burden. Xiao Yan hurried out of the estate, boarded his carriage, and raced toward the Imperial City.

This earth-shattering secret had to be told to the Emperor, for him to render the final judgment.