Chapter 37: Jia She Attacked, Capital Under Martial Law

Cao Duke had already invited Jia She to dinner more than once; since their occasional encounter at Fan Pavilion last year, they had become acquainted,

After that they often drank and made merry together, and were already quite familiar.

So Cao Duke didn't play games with Jia She, but got straight to the point.

"This..."

Jia She showed some hesitation in his expression, he hesitated,

For ordinary small matters, out of respect for Cao Duke's sincerity, he would just agree directly.

But last time Cao Duke told him to pledge loyalty to the Retired Emperor, this is a major matter, so he couldn't help but hesitate repeatedly.

Cao Duke's eyes flashed, and he advised:

"Grace Marquis Brother, what's there to hesitate about! I'm not asking you to help raise troops and rebel, just to lend verbal and memorial support."

"Besides, when you have free time, go more often to Dragon Head Palace to see the Retired Emperor, keep him company and chat to relieve his boredom."

"Who knows what will happen in the future? The Retired Emperor is famously wise; if he truly could regain the throne, Grace Marquis Brother would also have another path!"

"I went to see the Retired Emperor today, and he even mentioned you!"

"He said that he used to get along well with the old Duke of Rong as ruler and minister, but the Jia Family now only inherits a first-rank general title, which really lets down the old duke, and he wants to see the old duke's descendants..."

Jia She felt somewhat moved inside, for he currently holds no office or position,

only an empty title, rarely attending court, with nothing worth the Retired Emperor's scheming.

Perhaps the Retired Emperor merely recalled his late father, the old Duke of Rong, and wanted to bestow favor upon the Jia Family.

As for Jia Jing, Jia She never considered him, he has always looked down on this bastard son.

He merely relies on his ancestors' residual influence, achieved a little success, what's so great about that!

Jia She pondered, put down his wine cup, stroked his beard, and said:

"The Retired Emperor has always been wise; I, too, have long admired him! If I could often be by his side to hear his teachings, that would naturally be most desirable!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Duke felt relieved; as long as Jia She agreed to go see the Retired Emperor, that would be fine.

As long as he frequently visits Dragon Head Palace, they get along well, and rewards keep coming, to outsiders he would appear to be the Retired Emperor's man.

When the time comes that you really need to exert effort, you won't be able to refuse!

"Haha! Grace Marquis Brother, you're straightforward! I won't harm you; in the future you might even be able to regain the title of Duke of Rong!"

Cao Duke laughed and said.

The two again called each other brothers and began drinking,

Until they were slightly tipsy, Jia She couldn't wait to go to Cao Duke's guest room.

At midnight,

In Cao Duke's guest room at that time,

Jia She released all his pent-up lust onto Cuihong's body.

Jia She panted heavily; years of debauchery have left him increasingly unable to keep up,

He soon lost the struggle, turned over and gazed at the ceiling.

"My lord, you're truly vigorous as a dragon and tiger!" Cuihong's eyes flashed with contempt,

Yet she still spoke words not from the heart, cooing in a soft voice: "You don't know how to pity me at all..."

"My lord, I've long had the money to redeem you and take you home as my wife to enjoy your fragrance!"

Jia She seethed whenever he thought of his bastard son Jia Jing.

Not sending back the seized goods from the front lines is bad enough, but he even refuses to accommodate his own desire to engage in smuggling!

Not sending the front-line seized goods back home is bad enough, but even wanting to run a little smuggling business, they refuse to make any allowances!

How many of these martial nobles in the capital don't engage in smuggling?

Take Cao Duke, for example—he's been stripped of office, where does he get the money to squander on such extravagance?

It's nothing but tribute from the Shanxi merchants' smuggling.

Wait until that little beast comes back, I'll settle accounts with him!

Jia She felt quite resentful; these days he had wanted to rely on that bastard's influence to move back to the Hall of Prosperous Happiness, but the old matriarch blocked him!

Jia She felt quite resentful; these days he had planned to rely on that scoundrel's influence to move back into the Hall of Glory and Happiness, but was also thwarted by the old matriarch!

I hope that by following the Retired Emperor in the future, I can gain some benefits!

Even if not regaining the title of Duke of Rong, just being a marquis or count with real power would still bring endless wealth and glory.

Thinking of this, Jia She finally felt a bit glad, looking at Cuihong beside him, he felt a stir of interest again.

Ah, spring nights are all too brief!

Jia She fished out a secret pill from a pouch, hoping to summon renewed vigor with its potency.

Jia She drew a secret pill from a pouch, hoping to rally his remaining strength with its medicinal power.

but he heard a commotion outside, then the night watchman's hoarse shout:

But then a commotion came from outside, followed by the hoarse, exhausted cries of the night watchman.

Jia She was initially a bit tense, but hearing that shout he breathed a sigh of relief,

He pushed open the door, stood in the courtyard and looked toward the direction of the shout—that was east of the Li Manor, still far from here,

He pushed open the door, stood in the courtyard, and looked toward the direction the shouts came from—that was the east side of the Li residence, still far from where he stood.

"Who's unlucky, ruining the mood!"

Saying that with a cold snort, he turned and went back inside.

"Plop!"—this soft sound Jia She didn't hear, because outside there was some noisy din masking it.

He returned to the room, his mind still on Cuihong's charming face, his heart itching as if grabbed by several hands.

He returned to the room, still thinking of Cuihong's charming face in his heart, his heart feeling as if several hands were scratching an unbearable itch.

Again he heard a faint moan from the crimson-haired person on the bed; he grunted:

"You filthy hoof! Weren't you fed just now?"

The moan on the bed stopped, Jia She walked in, had just lain down, a hand seized his throat.

Jia She hadn't reacted yet when an ox-ear pointed dagger was already pressed against his right eye.

Then he heard a muffled voice say:

"If you make a sound, I'll stab you to death!"

At this point, even if Jia She were stupid, he knew the Li family had been invaded by bandits; his legs trembled and his teeth chattered:

"Hero… spare my life! I dare not make a sound……"

"You Li mansion enjoy all riches, eating and drinking nothing but the people's fat and ointment, living such a happy life!"

That muffled voice had a slight retroflex, seeming to carry a Shandong accent: "Sir asks you, where is the money kept?"

"Hero… admit… wrong… person…" Jia She's denying words hadn't finished when he felt a chill on his cheek,

Then pain came from the side of his face; immediately after, the bandit picked something up from beside his head and threw it at his face:

"This ear is yours; sir asks what, you answer what; if you dare speak nonsense again, I'll stuff your other ear into your mouth!"

Jia She had never suffered such agony; his eyes rolled back, and he nearly fainted.

The bandit seemed to know he was about to faint, and with a fierce swing of his hand delivered a hard slap that instantly woke Jia She again.

"Yes, yes, I have money……"

"I have bank notes from the Great Transit Money House in my clothing pocket, worth two thousand taels, all for the hero!"

Jia She now dared not play tricks, nor utter any irrelevant nonsense.

"Hero sir! I've confessed everything! No hidden secrets! Please show mercy and spare me!"

Jia She thought of losing an ear and two thousand taels of silver; his heart was both anxious and angry, yet his mouth kept begging.

"Talk more and I'll kill you!" The dagger jabbed again at Jia She's face.

"Hero sir! Spare my life! I'm not from the Li mansion! The Li mansion truly has wealth, not only money but many beautiful women in the inner quarters!"

"I'm willing to show the way… I only beg you to spare my life!"

At this moment Jia She didn't think much; to save his life he would say anything.

He felt he had been robbed and suffered; he wished the Li mansion would also be robbed, so that if he fared badly, nobody else would fare well.

As soon as he said that, the masked bandit blinked, his eyes flashing with deeper killing intent.

Immediately he stopped wasting words on Jia She, gave a contemptuous smile, and an invisible swift blade already swept across Jia She's body.

"Ah!"

Jia She collapsed at the sound!

In an instant, the Li mansion burst into huge flames, firelight filling the night!

…………

The next day.

The whole Shenjing city, today's atmosphere again grew oppressive; countless soldiers of Shuntian Prefecture and the Five City Military Command patrolled the streets.

Even the Imperial City Guard Cavalry, rarely seen on ordinary days, rode about everywhere.

Especially at the city gates, the Shenjing Nine Gates were placed under strict lockdown, with every person leaving the city subjected to rigorous inspection.

Without a permit issued by the authorities, ordinary people were not allowed to leave the city.

Gradually, a piece of explosive news spread throughout Shenjing city.