Chapter 30: Hidden Gate Remnants

Prince Jia Shun looked startled and muttered to himself, “How did he come here? We only reported to Zhen’an Prefecture—how did he get wind of this?”

Saying this, Prince Jia Shun turned and glanced at Prefect Zhang Shou of Zhen’an, his gaze querying.

Zhang Shou froze for a moment, about to say he had not notified the Tuishishi Academy, but quickly realized something and his face darkened.

Zhen’an Prefecture must have planted spies in the Tuishishi Academy—that’s why the news spread so fast.

When the Tuishishi Academy was first established forty years ago, its authority lay outside the Three Departments, investigating secret and major cases, granted imperial privilege to penetrate everywhere.

When His Majesty first ascended the throne, the political situation was turbulent: internal threats from Wu Wang’s remnants, external chaos from Hidden Gate remnants; to stabilize the realm, His Majesty once relied heavily on the Tuishishi Academy to clear obstacles.

Though the Tuishishi Academy delivered extraordinary service to the Emperor, its methods were arrogant and brutal; countless civil and military officials died at its hands—back then, the very name “Tuishishi Academy” could silence crying children in the capital.

Later, once His Majesty’s throne was secure, court officials detested the Tuishishi Academy’s tyranny and repeatedly risked their lives to petition jointly for its abolition.

To quell internal and external outcry, and since the Tuishishi Academy had already accomplished its mission, it was time to sheathe the blade.

Thus, its powers of investigation, prosecution, and espionage were divided among the Three Departments, the Five Military Directorates, and the Ministry of War.

Prince Jia Shun’s Nanxi Literary Gathering faced constant setbacks: first, Qiu Xuan publicly humiliated someone, ruining the gathering’s elegance; then, Wu Jinrong was murdered in broad daylight.

“I heard that Hanlin Academy’s junior scholar Wu Jinrong was killed—I came specifically to investigate.”

Prince Jia Shun, known as a virtuous prince, naturally recoiled from this infamous tyrant.

Now, with the notorious tyrant Zhou Jun arriving uninvited, this Nanxi Literary Gathering’s reputation was tainted—Prince Jia Shun’s mood sank into deep gloom and anger.

“Your servant, Deputy Minister of the Temple of the Imperial Horses, Zhou Jun, pays his respects to Your Highness.”

More importantly, Wu Jinrong may have been killed by Hidden Gate remnants—curbing the Hidden Gate is the Tuishishi Academy’s core duty; I must pursue this to the end.”

“The Tuishishi Academy has always handled secret and major cases. Wu Jinrong was killed in my villa—this is a civil criminal matter.

Behind him stood over a dozen muscular men, all clad in black, each carrying blades and swords; when Zhou Jun first entered the capital, Jia Cong had seen these men guarding him constantly.

Now, for reasons unknown, he is being reactivated by His Majesty—there are no invincible bureaus, only the Emperor’s absolute will, a sovereign’s heart as hard as iron, turning clouds upside down with a flip of the hand.

Before Zhou Jun took office, the Tuishishi Academy had lain dormant for years; yet in barely ten days, he had already planted spies in Zhen’an Prefecture, one of the capital’s most vital offices—his efficiency and intent were truly alarming.

He is my Tuishu Academy’s subordinate; I oversee the Tuishu Academy, and when one of my subordinates is murdered, I cannot stand idle.

Though he bears the reputation of a tyrant, his abilities are formidable—he is a man not to be underestimated.

Jia Cong stood among the crowd and saw Zhou Jun, in his early thirties, with a lean face, regular features, a neatly trimmed beard, and an imposing bearing—not at all the look of a corrupt minister.

“Director Zhou oversees the Tuishishi Academy—what brings you to my villa today?”

The Tuishishi Academy had become a toothless stray dog; for the past six or seven years, it had vanished into irrelevance.

I have already reported this to Zhen’an Prefecture—Prefect Zhang is already investigating. It seems no trouble is needed from Director Zhou.”

“Your Highness may not know—Wu Jinrong was recommended by me, and His Majesty approved his transfer to the Tuishishi Academy as a Geshizhong; he was to assume office after the New Year, once the Ministry of Personnel issued his appointment.”

Court officials, civil and military, might fear this Tuishishi tyrant—but Prince Jia Shun is a full-blooded prince, with no such restraint; his tone clearly implied dismissal.

Prince Jia Shun’s expression changed: “You claim the killer is a Hidden Gate remnant—what evidence do you have?”

Since the founding of the Great Zhou, the Hidden Gate has been abolished; every emperor has regarded it as a dire threat—any connection to the Hidden Gate is treason, punishable by death; this naturally made Prince Jia Shun wary.

Zhou Jun’s face was as still as water, revealing no emotion: “There are indications, but no conclusive proof yet—I cannot speak further.”

Prince Jia Shun could not tell whether Zhou Jun was using the Hidden Gate as leverage against him, or whether the murder truly stemmed from the Hidden Gate.

“Hmph, if so, Director Zhou, join forces with Zhen’an Prefecture to investigate—find the killer swiftly, ease everyone’s fears, and bring justice to the dead.”

At that moment, one of Zhou Jun’s black-clad men stepped to his side and whispered something in his ear.

Jia Cong in the crowd saw clearly—the black-clad man held a post in the Tuishishi Academy; just now, he had exchanged a few words with Prefect Zhang Shou, likely inquiring about the investigation’s progress.

Zhou Jun stepped forward and asked, “Your Highness, Zhen’an Prefecture has already questioned all attendees of the gathering and found nothing suspicious.

May I ask, besides the attendees, who else has access to this place?”

Wang Dong stepped forward and replied, “I am Wang Dong, Chief of the Prince’s Household Office. Besides the attendees, only the palace maids who serve tea and wine come and go.

The Prince’s guards remain stationed outside and rarely approach or disturb.”

Zhou Jun asked, “Could Master Wang summon all the maids on duty today? I wish to question them—perhaps something will emerge.”

Jia Cong in the crowd thought: Zhou Jun is indeed meticulous—Prefect Zhang Shou focused only on the scholars attending the gathering.

He failed to realize that the maids, who could enter and exit the gathering unnoticed, were far more likely to be the killer—compared to Zhang, Zhou Jun was far superior.

Wang Dong’s face hardened—this was suspicion cast upon the Prince’s maids. He glanced back at the Prince, who gave him a slight nod.

Soon, the female attendants gathered all the maids on duty that day—over twenty in total.

Zhou Jun asked, “Master Wang, are all the maids on duty present? None missing?”

Wang Dong scrutinized the group, then suddenly asked, “Where is Rui Zhu? I recall she was on duty today.”

One of the maids answered, “I saw her earlier, but now I don’t know where she’s gone.”

Wang Dong’s face changed; Zhou Jun’s brow lifted: “Rui Zhu is suspicious—find her immediately!”

Liu Xiangyong left some men to guard the stone pavilion.

He himself led a portion of the guards, while Zhou Jun took the dozen black-clad men and Zhen’an Prefecture’s officers, splitting into three parties to search every corner of Shuyun Villa.

Less than a cup of tea passed before someone discovered a maid, stripped of her palace robes, bound and gagged, hidden beneath a bed in a secluded wing.

She was indeed Rui Zhu—she claimed she had been knocked unconscious and knew nothing of what followed.

Both Zhou Jun and Wang Dong were sharp-eyed—they saw the fourteen-year-old maid trembling and sobbing uncontrollably, and both concluded she was innocent.

The killer’s method was now clear: he had knocked Rui Zhu out, taken her palace robes, donned them, and disguised himself as a maid to infiltrate the gathering.

At the time, Jia Cong’s plum blossom poem had stunned everyone; many had crowded around the scribe’s desk, creating chaos.

The killer seized that moment, murdered Wu Jinrong unseen, then vanished swiftly.

Though the Prince’s guards sealed all four gates immediately, there was a window between the moment Wu Jinrong was killed and when Qiu Xuan discovered his body.

Had the killer escaped Shuyun Villa? Or, with the gates sealed, was he still hiding somewhere within?

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(End of Chapter)