Chapter 329: This Is the Qi State's Reused Old Trick!

Chang'an has long been permeated by cold.

Thin ice clings to the Stone Steps outside Tian Guan Fu; icicle edges hanging from the eaves glint coldly in the gray sky, and occasional gusts of frigid wind sweep up shards of snow, striking the vermilion doors and producing a tinkling sound.

Zhao Qian wrapped his heavy Brothel tightly, sat on an ebony chair in the outer hall, and fixed his gaze on the faint sparks in the charcoal basin before him; that trace of warmth could not at all dispel the heaviness in his heart.

After a moment, boot sounds suddenly rose from outside the hall, first a light "clack" of Bodyguard armor rubbing, followed by a servant's low announcement: "Grand Tomb Governor has arrived—".

Zhao Qian sprang to his feet, moving with a speed uncharacteristic of a man over sixty, hands clasped before his abdomen, back straight as a ruler; when the figure appeared at the hall entrance, he bowed in a standard salute, his graying sideburns swaying lightly, and in a steady voice said, "I have the honor of meeting the Grand Tomb Governor!"

Yuwen Hu raised his hand and waved it; the dark‑gold threads at his cuff caught a faint glimmer in the dimness, and his voice, still a little hoarse from the morning, said, "Old Pillar of State, no need for formalities!"

He gave Zhao Qian no further glance and walked straight to the main seat in the hall.

A thick fox‑fur cushion lay on the ebony chair; when he sat down, a gust rose, making the sparks in the charcoal basin flicker.

The Brothel's hem draped casually over the footboard, and the snow clinging to his boot soles melted bit by bit, leaving faint damp marks on the dark wood.

Zhao Qian took his seat at the side, his back still perfectly straight.

Just as he was about to speak, Yuwen Hu lifted the hot tea presented by the servant, lightly skimming the foam with the lid, then smiled; his deep eyes turned to him, and in a tone oddly casual he said, "Why are you, sir, free today to come to my Tian Guan Fu?"

His smile appeared gentle, yet his eyes were veiled with a thin mist, making his depth impossible to gauge.

Zhao Qian felt a chill in his heart—this was clearly feigning ignorance while knowing the truth—he raised his hands and said, "The matter is of great importance; I shall not beat around the bush, but speak plainly…"

Yuwen Hu took a sip of the hot tea, a soft swallow sound echoing in his throat; when the cup was set back on the table, the blue porcelain struck the wood with a crisp chime, and he lifted his gaze to Zhao, the Old Pillar of State, eyebrows slightly raised, saying in an even tone, "Old Pillar of State, feel free to speak!"

Zhao Qian placed both hands on his knees, the Brothel's folds deepening further; after a brief pause as if weighing his words, his gaze swept over the bronze beast incense in the hall, and he slowly spoke, "I suppose the Grand Tomb Governor has also heard of the recent uproar over the verses and the stone statue, hasn't he?"

"Of course."

The sparks in the charcoal basin flickered again, casting shifting light on Yuwen Hu's face, and he responded with unwavering certainty.

He reached out and nudged the copper paperweight on the table; the paperweight bore intricate cloud patterns, which he turned half a circle and said, "The one‑eyed stone man unearthed from the Wei River was actually brought back personally by Director Chen of the Bright Mirror Office…"

His words were laden with implication.

"Those are all baseless fabrications!"

Zhao Qian watched the Jade Ring on his fingertip tap the paperweight lightly; the previously steady voice suddenly rose, tinged with a deliberately feigned fury, even the white hairs at his temples trembling, as he exclaimed, "There are treacherous men who deliberately use this method to slander and frame me!"

At the mention of 'frame', he slammed the table hard; the tea cup on it quivered, splashing a few drops of hot water onto the Blue Bricks.

Immediately, he breathed out, his chest rising with agitation, while a flash of shrewdness flickered in his eyes.

Wind slipped through the window crack, stirring the ash in the charcoal basin into a whirl, yet it could not disperse his resolute demeanor.

Today, Zhao Qian did not come to Tian Guan Fu of his own accord, but was forced to come to 'explain'…

Lest he be caught with a handle, giving Yuwen Hu a pretext to make trouble!

After all, the verses and the stone statue inscriptions have been fermenting in Chang'an, gaining ever‑greater momentum.

But now is not yet the time to lay the cards on the table.

"Hmm."

Yuwen Hu heard this, a half‑smile curving his lips, and replied slowly, "Hmm."

It was as if he were appreciating a finely staged drama.

His trailing tone was drawn out, making it impossible to tell whether he believed it.

He lifted his gaze to Zhao Qian, and a hint of amusement blossomed in his deep eyes, softening the fine lines at the corners, and said, "The Old Pillar of State is a pillar of Great Zhou; how could I be so gullible?"

The words 'how could I be so gullible' were spoken earnestly, the ending slightly rising, carrying an indescribable playful nuance.

He paused, then said with righteous solemnity, "I know even better that the verses and the stone statue were concocted by schemers to provoke our internal strife!"

Those words sounded like full of trust…

Yuwen Hu, of course, knew this had nothing to do with Zhao Qian, and also knew that the schemers behind it all bore the surname Chen!

Because he had approved all these matters.

Hmm? How could Yuwen Hu's attitude be so abnormal today? …… Zhao Qian, watching this scene, was filled with doubt, pondered briefly, and tentatively asked, "Does the Grand Tomb Governor doubt me?"

At that moment, Zhao Qian felt as if Yuwen Hu were being possessed by someone else.

He didn't seize the chance to make trouble, nor to kick a man when he's down, but instead found a convenient excuse to exonerate himself!

"Hahaha!"

Yuwen Hu suddenly clapped his hands and laughed heartily; the laughter echoed through the spacious hall, shaking dust from the beams which fell in a few specks.

"Isn't that exactly what the Qi State people desire?" he raised an eyebrow at Zhao Qian, the amusement in his eyes suddenly sharpening, his voice ringing like metal striking metal, "You and I merely disagree in policy; however fierce our rivalry, we must not give the East any opening!"

Immediately, he raised his hand, pointing first at himself, then at Zhao Qian.

He spoke with such lofty righteousness that no flaw could be found.

Yuwen Hu, that fellow, was astonishingly clear… Zhao Qian jerked his head up; the surprise and doubt on his face had not yet faded when a perfectly timed shock washed over him, and he said in a measured tone, "I, too, think this is the Qi State reusing an old trick!"

"Last time they weren't present, they made a story out of Yang Gong; this time they turned it directly onto me!"

"Truly, their hearts are deserving of execution!"

That statement, unsurprisingly, was false.

Zhao Qian never imagined that Yuwen Hu, after such a prolonged rivalry, could be so enlightened!

"But for me, believing the Old Pillar of State is useless…"

Yuwen Hu smoothed the folds at his sleeve cuff, his fingertip lightly tracing the dark‑gold pattern, then his tone suddenly shifted as he laughed.

Finishing, he lifted the tea cup again, tapping the cup rim intermittently with the lid, producing a delicate clink, and said, "The pressing priority now is to seal the endless gossip of Chang'an's citizens!"

"Grand Tomb Governor, rest assured!"

Zhao Qian showed no hesitation, immediately replied, and promised, "I will see to it that everything is handled…"

As long as there is no interference from Yuwen Hu or Chen Yan, any verses or one‑eyed stone statues will be easily resolved!

Yuwen Hu suddenly halted, the tea lid hovering mid‑air, and looked at Zhao with interest, "I will do my utmost to assist the Old Pillar of State in calming this turmoil…"

Zhao Qian's eyes flickered rapidly, full of scheming, then he stepped forward, a sincere smile spreading across his face, and said with resolve, "To handle this properly, I still need to request an item from the Grand Tomb Governor…"

"What does the Old Pillar of State require?" Yuwen Hu asked.

"That one‑eyed stone statue!"

"Fine." Yuwen Hu heard that and, without any sign of hesitation, replied directly.

He paused briefly, then continued: "The stone statue is in the Mingjing Office; I, the king, will make the proper arrangements, so the old Pillar of State may send people to fetch it!"

He looked as if he were about to fling open a door of convenience.

Is today's Yuwen Hu being too easy to talk to? ………Zhao Qian stared at his exceedingly agreeable political rival, doubts sprouting in his mind, and still bowed and thanked: "Thank you, Grand Tomb Steward!"

Zhao Qian always felt something was off, yet could not put it into words.

At noon the sun barely pierced the clouds, offering little warmth; the stone slab road in Xi Shi of Chang'an was thinly iced, and the passing horses' hooves creaked as they stepped.

Chen Yan gathered his dark cloak, leading Yuwen Ze wrapped in a heavy fur, with Lu Cangfeng, Zhu Yi and Hongye following behind, and they stepped onto the second‑floor private room of a tavern by the street.

The lattice window faced an execution ground not far away, which at the moment was still empty, with only a few bare execution pillars standing; crows perched on the beams, hunching their necks and occasionally emitting hoarse cries.

The waiter quickly brewed hot tea; the charcoal fire in the copper furnace burned brightly, casting a flickering light on Yuwen Ze's face. He lifted the tea cup, took a sip, and asked, "A Xiong, what are we here for?"

His brows were full of bewilderment.

He hadn't heard of any execution scheduled for today!

"To watch a play!"

Chen Yan lifted the tea cup; the rim of the celadon cup brushed his lips, the scalding tea slid down his throat, and he slowly uttered two words.

As he spoke, his fingertips brushed the icy crackle on the cup's bottom for a moment, then he lifted his eyes toward the window, a faint, half‑smile at his mouth: "If we miss this fine performance, it would be a lifelong regret!"

"But what good play could be in Xi Shi?"

Yuwen Ze's eyes brightened a bit; the earlier confusion was swept away by curiosity, he leaned forward, his knee bumping the table leg with a light sound that he ignored, and asked, "A Xiong, what have you arranged this time?"

Yuwen Ze knew well that being described so by his own A Xiong meant this performance would certainly not be simple…

"Hahaha!"

Chen Yan laughed heartily, meaningfully saying, "It's just that someone wants to drink poison to quench thirst!"

Poisoned wine—drink it and you die, refuse it and you also die.

Only the speed of death differs…

"Oh?"

Yuwen Ze blinked, "But you must savor it properly!"

"It's coming!"

Chen Yan raised his hand, tapped the window lightly with his fingertip, and the point landed exactly at the center of the execution ground.

"It's actually old Zhao the scoundrel?!"

Yuwen Ze looked in the direction he indicated, his gaze passing through the crowd of Human Heads, then suddenly fixed—on the high platform at the center of the execution ground, a familiar figure was slowly ascending.

The person wore a dark four‑claw python robe, the gold threads at the collar glinting coldly in the dim sunlight—it was Zhao Qian.

Yuwen Ze stared closely and saw Zhao Qian's right hand tightly gripping a Bald Man, and he asked in puzzlement, "Why is he holding a person in his hand?!"