Chapter 278: I, a Jiedushi, Have Watched More Than a Thousand Episodes of Detective Conan

Fang Chongyong, as a "person bearing a crime", although not detained, cannot freely stroll the streets; to avoid suspicion he stayed indoors for several days, posting a "Closed Door, No Guests" sign outside and keeping a very low profile.

No choice—who else but a "suspect" who has been named by an assassin as the mastermind?

However, the "Closed Door, No Guests" sign can block ordinary visitors but not unwelcome guests. Early that morning an unwelcome guest arrived, and it was Zheng Shuqing, the Grand Justice of the Dali Temple!

Fang Chongyong, holding the third‑rank honorary post of Imperial Censor‑in‑Chief, has no authority to interrogate in either Chang'an County or the capital prefecture; even the emperor himself cannot intervene directly in the case. He must borrow the Dali Temple's "white gloves" to inquire.

"Jiedushi Fang, do you know you've run into big trouble this time."

After seating Zheng Shuqing in the study, this middle‑aged Tang official, who somehow rose to become the Dali Temple's chief minister, couldn't help letting out a long sigh toward the heavens.

"I know, this matter is not simple."

Fang Chongyong gave a slight nod, saying nothing more.

"You all stay here to record; do not go out."

Zheng Shuqing waved his two attendant officials, signaling the two who were about to stand to sit down.

Once everyone was seated, Zheng Shuqing fixed his face and said, "What actually happened is clear to many, but how to reach a verdict is another matter. I am merely handling this officially; I hope Jiedushi Fang understands."

Huh?

Fang Chongyong was stunned; he never expected Zheng Shuqing to speak like that.

So what does "understand" really mean? He truly doesn't understand at all!

"Minister Zheng, may I ask… who do you think is the mastermind behind this?"

Fang Chongyong asked in a deep voice, treating the two clerks beside Zheng Shuqing as if they were nothing.

"Jiedushi Fang, you are a person bearing a crime. Is this the kind of question you're allowed to ask?"

Zheng Shuqing was amused by his anger and couldn't help retorting.

"I'm just asking casually; if you don't want to hear me, say something else."

Fang Chongyong stammered, then poured Zheng Shuqing a cup of wine.

"No need to drink; it's just a formality, a incense‑burning's worth of time, Jiedushi Fang can just state the matter directly.

I ask you, do you know the assassin named He Chang?"

Zheng Shuqing spoke in a strictly official manner, offering no personal connection.

"I don't know him, never heard of him; I don't even know whether he's male or female."

Fang Chongyong shook his head.

"But he comes from the Doulu army, so logically you should have some connection."

Zheng Shuqing continued his precise questioning, while his clerks recorded each line.

"The Doulu army numbers seven thousand full‑strength; each year some retire and new recruits join. Over four years that's more than ten thousand faces."

"At that time I was the military governor of Shazhou, and I was indeed familiar with the Doulu officers stationed locally, but I couldn't name every individual."

"Moreover, they're just ordinary soldiers, right?"

"I, Jiedushi, have never heard of this He Chang."

Fang Chongyong's expression remained calm as he shook his head.

"Hmm, that makes sense."

Zheng Shuqing nodded slightly and asked the clerk, "Have you recorded everything?"

"Yes, Minister Zheng, everything has been recorded, not a single line missed."

The clerk, who had been writing nonstop at the desk, answered cautiously. The Hexi Jiedushi before him could not be offended, and Zheng Shuqing, his direct superior, was even more untouchable; a slip could ruin the matter.

"I have already learned about Jiedushi Fang's situation; unless there is a command from a sage, you should stay in Chang'an these days and avoid frequent visitors."

"I take my leave."

Speaking in a solemn, oil‑free polite manner, Zheng Shuqing rose and left. He spoke only empty words, yet maintained the full official bearing, which gave Fang Chongyong a certain impression.

Though Zheng Shuqing seemed to say nothing, he was actually hinting at crucial information. Because outsiders were present, he could not speak plainly; when they were absent, private meetings would risk complications. Fang Chongyong had already guessed the hint, but still needed to verify it.

Fang Chongyong escorted Zheng Shuqing's party out of the house, then returned to the study to brood deeply.

The news that Du Gu Li had delivered a few days earlier—whether it was due to his loose mouth or some other circumstance—remained unclear.

In any case, the rumor that An Lushan was involved in assassinating a court official had already become gossip in the taverns along Chang'an's streets.

These days Fang Chongyong had his subordinate Fang Dafu disguise himself and go to Xinghua Hall to inquire, hearing many discuss the attempted murder of Minister of Revenue Pei Kuan, with some even claiming An Lushan was the true mastermind, aiming to prevent Pei Kuan from traveling to Hebei for his appointment, lest he block the path of Hexi Jiedushi.

Unfortunately, Fang Chongyong could not go out, so he could not obtain first‑hand information.

He sighed lightly; from the current situation it seemed he could only wait for An Lushan to come to Chang'an, then confront him face‑to‑face in the Dali Temple, and then "prove his innocence" himself.

The whole scheme felt odd—not because it was too tight, but because there were so many loopholes that it bordered on "baseless".

On the other hand, that is precisely because the planner understood human wickedness; rumors and gossip can cause great damage to those involved.

Even if the accused proves his innocence, he cannot articulate a convincing explanation, and others will not accept it.

In other words, the onlookers are only after amusement; they don't care about right or wrong. To quell a piece of amusement, you must find a bigger one; explanation is just cover‑up, and no one listens.

Just like the online harassment Fang Chongyong suffered in his past life.

So who would actually kill Pei Kuan?

In fact, Fang Chongyong thought that, based solely on motive, Li Linfu was very likely to have killed Pei Kuan, but the assassin framed him, which instead indirectly proved Li Linfu's innocence.

Moreover, Pei Kuan's enemies were not limited to Li Linfu.

Pei Dunfu, also of the Hedong Pei clan, hated Pei Kuan to the bone, his hatred even surpassing Li Linfu's.

Pei Kuan had served for decades in high office, upright and inflexible; over the years he may have offended many people.

If you only look at murder motives, you can find at least a dozen people who bear a grudge against him.

As for the mastermind, one does not necessarily have to be on the scene; in ancient times it was hard to find an alibi, and solving this case would truly be a ghost hunt.

Fang Chongyong called Fang Dafu over and whispered, "When will my grandfather return?"

"He left without saying when, and anyway he hasn't been home for several days."

Fang Dafu wore a troubled expression and said, "Fang Youde not only didn't return home, but also brought Fang Laique along."

"Hmm, then like this."

"Go to Du Gu Li's residence and tell them I'm confined at home, lonely and restless, and I want Du Gu's Thirteenth Lady to come over to chat with me."

"Make it more explicit; you can mention that Wang Yunxiu is pregnant and cannot attend to conjugal duties, and that as a man I can hardly endure, needing a beautiful woman to warm the bed."

"You can also hint that Du Gu's Thirteenth Lady should dress delicately and wear less when she comes to me."

Fang Chongyong gave detailed instructions.

Fang Dafu looked at him with a strange expression and finally couldn't help asking, "Is this about having Du Gu's Thirteenth Lady come to the house to attend to the young master?"

"Attending to conjugal duties is definitely out of the question; it's just chatting on the bed without clothes. Don't get any ideas."

Fang Chongyong chuckled, his face twisted in a lecherous grin.

"Lady Wang is pregnant; isn't it improper for the young master to act like this?"

Fang Dafu scratched his head, not knowing which act Fang Chongyong was performing.

No matter how you look at it, demanding a woman from another household is a grave disrespect! Not to mention she's a young lady from an official family who hasn't even left the pavilion.

"It's indeed not proper, but my lower half can't stand it any longer. A man will die without a woman to serve him."

"When I was in Liangzhou, King Ying sent someone to say his wife, Du Gu's Thirteenth Lady, admires me and wants to come to Liangzhou City with someone to enjoy the sunset over the Long River."

"Now that someone is in Chang'an, if she wants to come, it's just a few steps away, saving her a thousand‑plus li trek to Hexi. That shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"You just go and do it for me."

Fang Chongyong patted Fang Dafu's shoulder, lowered his voice, and laughed.

Fang Dafu, looking thoughtful, saluted with a clasped‑hands gesture and immediately changed clothes to go to Du Gu Li's house on business.

After he left, Wang Yunxiu entered the study with an embarrassed face; she had heard every word of the conversation between Fang Chongyong and Fang Dafu.

Honestly, she wasn't angry at all; she just found the whole matter absurd.

"Young master, you've had Du Gu's young lady strip completely and come to your house to attend to you; that's excessive."

"Even if I were to give up my face, don't you think this is disgusting?"

Wang Yunxiu stepped opposite Fang Chongyong, helplessly asking.

"I'm the Hexi Military Governor who's watched over a thousand episodes of Detective Conan; how could I not understand this little trick?"

Fang Chongyong smiled and said.

"Detective… what's that?"

Wang Yunxiu, hearing a string of incomprehensible terms, asked with a bewildered expression.

"Don't worry about the details; in at most an hour the mystery will be solved."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand lightly, inviting Wang Yunxiu to sit beside him.

Sure enough, in less than half an hour, Fang Dafu returned, his hair and face dusty, unscathed but clearly having endured a harsh scolding, his complexion looking bad.

"What did Du Gu Li say?"

Fang Chongyong gestured, asking Fang Dafu not to waste words.

"Not much, just that he swung the rebel's stick out."

Fang Dafu sneered.

"Hmm, go rest then; you really helped a lot this time."

Fang Chongyong said indifferently.

"Actually it wasn't much help; I just don't understand why the young master did this."

Fang Dafu said, puzzled.

"I only wanted to see whether Du Gu Li was still dreaming; now it seems his mind is quite awake."

Fang Chongyong crossed his arms, a flash of sharp light in his eyes; he had roughly guessed the main thread of the matter.

Of course, the details are hard to explain.

Pushing Fang Dafu aside, Fang Chongyong clasped Wang Yunxiu's shoulder and said, "The mastermind behind Pei Kuan's assassination must be the one in Xingqing Palace."

"A saint?"

Wang Yunxiu gasped, then covered her mouth, fearing someone might hear her.

"Heh, isn't that our mischievous saint?"

Fang Chongyong's face showed a bone‑chilling cold smile.

"Addicted to playing with power, that's an old relic passed down from Ji Ge's ancestors."

"Madam, suppose—just suppose—that the Wang family must ally with a great clan, which is crucial. The person for the alliance is already married, so a Wang daughter could only become a concubine. Yet for the sake of the family, the matter is basically settled."

The Wang clan must form a marriage alliance with some great clan—this was extremely important. And the man chosen for the alliance already had a wife, so a Wang daughter going over could only be a concubine. But for the sake of the clan, this matter was essentially settled.

Fang Chongyong asked slowly.

"Seen everywhere."

Wang Yunxiu replied with four words.

"What's so rare about it? Your family's flirtatious cousin did exactly that! For a great clan, what is a woman anyway?"

"For family interests, a daughter may be divorced, become a concubine, remarry, or even commit suicide; all are ordinary matters."

"Alright, then that Du Gu Thirteenth Lady, King Ying originally wanted to send her to Liangzhou to attend to me."

"A few days ago Du Gu Li himself came to remind me that the mastermind behind Pei Kuan's case is An Lushan. That's more than just friendly, quite sincere, right?"

A few days ago her father Dugu Li even came to remind me, saying that the mastermind behind the Pei Kuan affair was An Lushan. That counts as showing consistent goodwill and considerable sincerity, wouldn't you say?"

Wang Yunxiu nodded slightly and said, "Indeed, sending a girl in that manner is practically glued to the face; later the young master won't be able to refuse."

"But when I just sent Uncle Dafu to Du Gu Li's house, explicitly hinting that Du Gu's Thirteenth Lady should come to my home to attend to me, they got furious and beat Uncle Dafu with a stick!"

But just now when I had Da Fu Shu go to Du Gu Li's residence and blatantly hinted that Du Gu Shi San Niang should come to my house to serve in bed, they actually got furious and beat Da Fu Shu with sticks!

What does this indicate?

Fang Chongyong's painstaking analysis finally made Wang Yunxiu realize something unusual.

The little lady's father even pretended to be a monk to warn Fang Chongyong about An Lushan, and today he let her stay over to sleep; from now on everyone will be like one family. Isn't this rather awkward?

There is a major logical contradiction here.

Du Gu Li came to the door, at least because he sees Fang Chongyong's future as promising and wants to increase the bargaining chips between the two families. Shouldn't he feel pleased that his own daughter slept in Fang Chongyong's bed?

So what exactly are this family angry about today?

Is it that they are angry that the noble family's daughter's chastity, radiant and untouchable, is being defiled?

"Alang says that Du Gu Li may have simply been following orders, merely passing the information to us. He might even have done so reluctantly!"

Wang Yunxiu suddenly realized and grasped the key point!

All the inconsistencies disappear if we add one condition: the Son of Heaven orchestrated Pei Kuan's assassination.

Then every inconsistency becomes oddly logical.

Du Gu Li cannot refuse the Sage's command.

Zheng Shuqing has no need to investigate the case earnestly; he merely goes through the motions mechanically.

Even Li Linfu kept quiet, not sending anyone to privately contact Fang Chongyong to discuss a plan.

Why is Li Linfu not panicking? Why is he not hurried to defend himself?

Because he has probably realized that there is no need to defend himself, and even if he did, it would be useless.

Moreover, stepping outside the logical frame of "a minister or an enemy killed Pei Kuan," from Ji Ge's perspective everything becomes clear.

Why kill?

Thunder and rain, all are the ruler's grace!

It's that simple!

Because the Son of Heaven needed Pei Kuan to die for his political machinations to achieve his own goals, he had him killed.

I will kill you; why do I need your consent?

This is the supreme authority belonging to an emperor.

"No wonder the mastermind behind the scenes dares to frame Alang, the Hexi military governor, yet isn't afraid of retaliation later.

Ordinary officials lack such courage, but for the Son of Heaven, removing a military governor is just a matter of a single sentence."

Wang Yunxiu murmured to herself, then gave a wry smile and tightly clasped one of Fang Chongyong's arms.

She knows well that the expansionist mindset of the Kaiyuan–Tianbao era continues to ferment in society.

The status of warriors has actually risen considerably since the Wu Zhou period. Achieving merit and establishing a career has become one of the few upward pathways in society.

The power of the Qiu Ba lies not in their official rank but in their ability to easily take a knife and slaughter an entire family!

Du Gu Li cannot fathom the Sage's attitude toward Fang Chongyong, but he knows that since Fang Chongyong has been framed by the Sage, his future is bound to be bleak.

Today Du Gu Li swung a staff wildly at Fang Dafu, not because his own daughter must not be defiled, but because he fears that his household, having gotten onto the Fang family's ship, will sink together into the sea!

If after a while Fang Chongyong extricates himself from this case and heads to Hexi, the Du Gu family will also become "arrogant first, humble later," and even hastily send their little lady into Fang Chongyong's arms!

Today, refusing to let them touch is human nature; tomorrow, refusing to let them leave is also human nature.

"At the beginning of Tianbao, the Sage established the system of ten military governors, each direction split between two governors to check each other.

In the Western Regions there are the Anxi and Beiting families.

In Longyou there are the Hexi and Longyou families.

In Hebei there are the Fanyang and Pinglu families.

On the northern steppe there are the Shuofang and Hedong families.

Jiannan and Lingnan are so remote that they are not divided into families.

Now the great Tang's neighboring powers are watching closely; it is inevitable for one person to hold two prefectures. The Sage is probably planning, perhaps intending to entrust both the Fanyang and Pinglu families to An Lushan.

I guess this scheme is meant to test An Lushan's loyalty."

Fang Chongyong said to Wang Yunxiu with a solemn expression.

A thought suddenly sprang into his mind: if it truly is to test An Lushan, then the follow‑up must contain highly pointed evidence that overturns the assassin's earlier testimony and then points the blame at An Lushan.

To balance power, it's even possible that Ji Ge arranged a plot of "An Lushan framing Wang Zhongsi's son‑in‑law."

"Is the world truly this chaotic now?"

As she heard Fang Chongyong's analysis, Wang Yunxiu grew increasingly frightened.

"Who knows? When An Lushan arrives in Chang'an, I'll ask him whether he wants to mount a horse and duel with me, just a single bout to decide the winner and spare the trial."

Fang Chongyong scoffed.

(End of chapter)