Chapter 87: Jiang Mingyu

“What’s happened? Are the barbarians attacking?”

Hearing that trouble had broken out in camp, Tuxesuo instantly lost all sleepiness; he leapt off the kang in a flash, fumbled for his sword on the table, his face filled with tension and urgency.

The messenger soldier quickly blocked him: “It’s not the barbarians—it’s something wrong inside the camp.”

“This morning, more than a dozen men died silently in the camp.”

“They had knife wounds—clearly someone slipped into camp unnoticed and killed them in their sleep.”

Upon hearing this, Tuxesuo’s eyes widened, his peach-pit-like pupils filled with disbelief; he barked sharply: “Take me to the scene at once!”

At the broad parade ground, more than a dozen soldiers in military uniforms lay still on the snow, the surrounding white snow stained crimson with blood, like blooming poppies.

Each soldier’s neck bore a fatal knife wound, still smeared with congealed blood.

Around them, circles of soldiers had gathered, chattering anxiously; the air was thick with panic and dread.

“Why did so many suddenly die? What’s going on?”

“Could it be the barbarians? How could there be no sound at all?”

“Not even footprints—could this be a ghost?”

“…”

Hearing the murmurs, Tuxesuo furrowed his brows and pushed forcefully through the crowd.

The onlookers, seeing the Black-Faced Yama arrive, fell silent, leaving only the howling north wind.

Tuxesuo crouched down, examining the wounds and bloodstains closely, trying to deduce the killer’s method. Half an hour later, the Shangmu County Magistrate’s Office.

“What did you say? A repeat offender?” Jiang Mingyu frowned deeply, listening to Tuxesuo’s report with a gloomy expression.

Tuxesuo, having come from the city defense camp, slowly nodded: “I examined each of the corpses’ wounds.”

“Each was a single fatal strike—no hesitation, no mess. Clearly, the killer is an expert.”

“Most importantly, the killer left no footprints—would an ordinary person bother cleaning up after a murder?”

Jiang Mingyu stroked his folding fan while gazing out at the swirling snow beyond the window, murmuring: “All our recruits are local farmers—how could such a cunning, ruthless criminal be among them? And what grudge could these ordinary civilians possibly hold against a repeat offender, warranting such a brutal extermination?”

“A grudge? Impossible. How could a single repeat offender have enemies among more than a dozen men? Impossible.”

But Tuxesuo saw it differently: “My lord, when did I say only one person was responsible?”

“Though each corpse suffered a single fatal blow, the depth and force of each wound vary from body to body.”

“Based on my experience, at least a dozen men killed these soldiers.”

Jiang Mingyu’s frown deepened; he paced silently within the room, lost in thought, before finally speaking softly.

Jiang Mingyu said gravely: “If that’s true, then these killers’ target isn’t ordinary soldiers—they aim to kill me.”

Tuxesuo looked baffled: “My lord, what do you mean?”

Jiang Mingyu replied coldly: “It means they intend to throw the city defense camp into chaos, thereby plunging all of Shangmu County into disorder.”

“I’ve already ordered increased patrols and inspections at all four gates of Shangmu—this rules out the possibility that they are barbarian spies.”

“If they aren’t barbarian spies, why risk infiltrating the camp to kill?”

“The only conclusion: they want to disrupt the city defense camp and strip me of my protective shield.”

“Then, amid the chaos within the city, they’ll seize the chance to eliminate me and achieve their goal.”

Tuxesuo also frowned tightly: “My lord, with merely a dozen men, how could they possibly create chaos within tens of thousands of troops? This seems too strange.”

Jiang Mingyu countered: “Besides my theory, can you think of any other explanation? Even a single rat’s dropping can spoil an entire pot of soup—how much more so when a dozen living men deliberately sow chaos?”

Tuxesuo fell silent. After a long pause, he asked: “Then who ordered this? The Prince of Qi or Huang Chaoran?”

Jiang Mingyu didn’t hesitate: “The Prince of Qi is absolutely impossible—I’ve already explained why.”

“He’s busy trying to explain himself to His Majesty—he has no time for a minor figure like me.”

“Huang Chaoran is another matter—he’s spent years in officialdom and, with his vast wealth and connections, must know plenty of underworld figures.”

“Besides, my feud with him runs deep; for him to do this is entirely plausible.”

Tuxesuo sighed softly: “My lord, what should we do now?”

“Everyone in the city defense camp is terrified, fearing they’ll be the next to die.”

“If we don’t resolve this quickly, once morale collapses, it’ll be a disaster.”

Jiang Mingyu thought for a moment: “The best course now is for you to secretly monitor the camp and uncover the spies as soon as possible. I suspect this isn’t their final move—when they strike again, we’ll have our chance to catch them.”

Tuxesuo nodded solemnly: “Understood. Tonight, I’ll lead men to surveil secretly. I’d like to see who dares use such reckless tactics under my nose—it’s suicide!”

Inside the Sima Mansion of Yasimo’s regional command, Tang Cheng’an frowned with thin, elongated brows, listening solemnly as Huang Chaoran recounted the events; his brow remained tightly knotted, unable to relax.

Tang Cheng’an was around forty-five, slender and gaunt, with an ordinary face—easily lost in a crowd.

Only his neck, unnaturally long and thin, stood out starkly against his wide collar.

He chewed over Huang Chaoran’s words repeatedly, then finally spoke gravely: “Huang brother, are you certain these events are truly accurate?” His tone brimmed with disbelief.

Huang Chaoran calmly sipped his tea, steady as stone: “Tang brother, we’ve been friends for decades—do you think I’d deceive you over something this grave? Jiang Mingyu has indeed recruited tens of thousands of troops in Shangmu—I sent my own trusted man there to witness it firsthand. If you doubt me, I’ll summon him immediately so you may question him yourself.”

Tang Cheng’an waved him off: “Since you say it yourself, I believe you without question. But why didn’t you report this directly to Inspector Wang Zhe? Why come to me?” His tone carried suspicion.

Huang Chaoran shook his head and sighed: “Inspector Wang holds Jiang Mingyu in high regard—he wouldn’t listen.”

“More importantly, I know you’ve always been at odds with Inspector Wang.”

“He’s long held grievances against me, yet you are my closest friend.”

“If Jiang Mingyu’s illegal recruitment and intent to rebel can be crushed at the outset, it will be a matter of great consequence to the Great Feng state.”

Huang Chaoran expounded at length on the advantages, then his eyes flickered, and he added in a fawning tone: “Affairs have near and far, people have close and distant ties, Tang brother—I should let you claim this merit, not hand it to Wang Zhe.”

“Besides, you and I both know the Rabbit Chancellor and the Crane Chancellor.”

“Moreover, striking Wang Zhe now greatly benefits the Rabbit Chancellor—we should unite to lend him our strength!”

Tang Cheng’an fell into deep thought, his fingers gently tracing the rim of his teacup as if pondering.

“You mean I should report to court that Wang Zhe knew of Jiang Mingyu’s rebellion and concealed it?”

Huang Chaoran, sensing the moment was ripe, pressed on: “Precisely. You need only submit a memorial stating Wang Zhe knew of Jiang Mingyu’s treason and conspired with him—this will utterly destroy Wang Zhe’s political life. Then the Rabbit Chancellor gains greater leverage to seize the post of Chief Minister, and you stand a chance to replace him as Inspector. It’s a perfect two-for-one strategy!”

Huang Chaoran’s words struck Tang Cheng’an’s heart perfectly.

The humiliation of being expelled from the Inspector’s office still kept him awake at night—this was the perfect chance for revenge!

Tang Cheng’an was convinced: “Huang brother, tell me what to do.”

Seeing Tang Cheng’an’s resolve, Huang Chaoran felt certain of victory and declared: “It’s simple—just go to Shangmu County yourself.”

“Witness Jiang Mingyu’s recruitment and rebellion firsthand—everything will fall into place, with no loose ends.”

To go to Shangmu County—Tang Cheng’an’s face darkened instantly: “This…”

Hearing he must go to Shangmu, Tang Cheng’an turned pale; his brow knotted, fists clenched, his hesitation and dread palpable.

Huang Chaoran caught the subtle shift in his expression and immediately interjected: “Tang brother, your reaction suggests you’re worried about barbarian invasion?”

Tang Cheng’an’s face twitched—Huang Chaoran knew he’d guessed right. He quickly reassured him warmly: “Don’t worry—Jiang Mingyu already commands forty to fifty thousand troops; he can certainly protect Shangmu’s safety. Your journey will be perfectly secure.”

Huang Chaoran’s eyes flickered again, adding aptly: “Frankly, even if the barbarians truly attack, think twice. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to strike Jiang Mingyu and topple Wang Zhe—if you let it slip now, you and I may never recover. When Jiang Mingyu and Wang Zhe join forces to rebel, do you think Wang Zhe will spare you, his lifelong enemy?”

Tang Cheng’an’s brow tightened as he sank into thought. After a long moment, he slammed his thigh and shouted to the door: “Someone! Prepare my carriage—I’m leaving for Shangmu County at once!”

For the Rabbit Chancellor, for his own career—he resolved to take this risk.