Chapter 808: A Visitor from the Lu Prince Manor

One man was around forty, ordinary-looking, with a slightly plump, oily face — most merchants in the salt market looked like that, nothing unusual. His servant was also around that age, pale and beardless, with downcast eyes and a meek expression.

The merchant's face was pale too, but it was the ghastly pallor of fright. After Zhao Jin sized him up a few times, his whole body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Before Zhao Jin could even ask, the merchant cracked first. Shaking, he dropped to his knees, kowtowed several times, and said in a tearful voice, "Master Jin, you must be Master Jin. This lowly one was forced into this — I am not the mastermind behind this visit. I beg Master Jin to see clearly, I beg Master Jin to spare my life!"

No one paid any attention to his weeping pleas for mercy. Everyone was now looking at the attendant who had not knelt, calm and composed. By now, anyone could see that this attendant was no ordinary man.

"In truth, it is I who wished to meet Master Jin. But if I had come openly, Master Jin might not have agreed to see me, so I took a roundabout way, all this concealment — I hope Master Jin will not mock me for it." The attendant spoke slowly, his voice sharp and shrill, carrying a hint of yin energy. He was a eunuch.

Zhao Jin and Wang Zhaojing exchanged a glance. Both found it strange, but at the same time, both knew that the puzzling, bizarre circumstances behind Wang Youshan's arrest for rebellion were about to be answered.

"How should I address you, Gonggong?" Zhao Jin said in a deep voice. Behind the eunuch, Niu Jinbao took a small step forward.

"My surname is Ren, Ren Daohei. My parents were illiterate and had someone pick a name at random. I serve as an attendant under Gonggong Xiong of the Lu Prince Manor in Shandong. I have seen Master Jin." This Eunuch Ren announced his name and origins, bowing in salute.

"The Lu Prince Manor." Zhao Jin's eyes narrowed. He spoke loudly, "Eunuch Ren, you've come such a long way — surely not for sightseeing. State your business."

Judging by Eunuch Ren's speech and bearing, he likely held some status at the Lu Prince Manor in Shandong, but Zhao Jin did not care in the slightest, nor did he offer any hospitality like a seat.

Eunuch Ren did not mind this either. His expression had not changed since he entered. He merely smiled and said, "First, let this Steward Xuan leave. When I sought an audience with Master Jin, I naturally needed someone to lead the way. This Steward Xuan has some connections with the manor's businesses, so I conveniently sought him out. He knows nothing at all."

The merchant, who had been kneeling, kowtowing, and weeping, cautiously raised his head for a look. Zhao Jin waved his hand, and the merchant, as if granted a great pardon, kowtowed several more times and hurriedly ran out. The Internal Guard would certainly investigate this man's background later — there was no need to dwell on it now.

"Speak!"

"Master Jin, our Gonggong Xiong has roots in the capital. The several Gonggong in charge of the Eastern Depot and our Gonggong Xiong all come from the same master. They exchange letters quite often. A few days ago, we happened to learn of a matter — that Wang Youshan, the father of Master Jin's sworn brother Wang Zhaojing, the very one serving as a censor in the Chief Surveillance Bureau, was actually seized by the Eastern Depot on suspicion of involvement in rebellion. Gonggong Xiong thought, Shandong and Xuzhou are so close, we are practically fellow countrymen. Help that can be given should be given. So he sent me here to inquire." Eunuch Ren spoke unhurriedly. His Mandarin carried a slight Shandong accent, but it was still quite authentic.

"You say you are from the Lu Prince Manor in Shandong. Do you have any proof?" Zhao Jin changed the subject.

Eunuch Ren smiled and took his waist token and appointment certificate from his pocket. Wang Zhaojing reached out and took them, examined them with a frown, nodded, and said, "They should be genuine."

Zhao Jin narrowed his eyes. He showed not a shred of courtesy to this eunuch, yet the other party maintained excellent composure — clearly, he had come well-prepared.

"How do you intend to help?"

"Our Gonggong Xiong is familiar with those people in the Eastern Depot. He knows those Gonggong are obsessed with money. Moreover, we've heard that the evidence of Censor Wang's involvement in rebellion is quite conclusive. Arranging matters will certainly not be easy, and the cost will be great. Gonggong Xiong has roughly estimated that if Master Jin mortgages the salt market and the distillery, it should be just about enough."

Wang Zhaojing's face turned bright red. His eyes, fixed on Eunuch Ren, seemed about to spew fire. Zhao Jin, however, remained calm, looking the eunuch up and down.

"Eunuch Ren, you put it rather tactfully. Zhao is a crude man — my understanding may not be correct. What Eunuch Ren is saying is, did you contact people in the Eastern Depot to arrest Censor Wang, and then have us pay silver to ransom him, with this salt market and distillery being the ransom silver? Is that the meaning?" Zhao Jin asked.

"Why must Master Jin be so direct? Wouldn't that harm the goodwill between us? However, our Gonggong Xiong also said that for now, the matter can still be contained. It's merely being locked up for a few days, without torture or interrogation. Once the matter is settled, the person will be released to return directly to Xuzhou and enjoy a life of ease. But if it drags on, then it will truly be prosecuted as a crime of rebellion and treason. You gentlemen have never stayed in the capital, so you wouldn't know — the great prison of the Eastern Depot is the Hall of King Yan. Even a hero cast of bronze and forged of iron will have to yield and bow his head inside. Censor Wang is a man of pure nobility — why should he suffer such torment?"

As Eunuch Ren spoke, Wang Zhaojing's face paled somewhat. Zhao Jin remained as impassive as ever. Eunuch Ren paid no attention to Wang Zhaojing's expression at all. Seeing Zhao Jin's reaction, he continued, "If something were extracted from Censor Wang that implicated Xuzhou... along my journey, I have seen and heard much. There are quite a few things in Xuzhou that are inconvenient to show others. If the court were to decide that Master Jin is also plotting rebellion and dispatches a great army to encircle and suppress, wouldn't that be a huge problem?"

"You are right. If the court sends tens of thousands or over a hundred thousand troops to encircle and suppress us, little Xuzhou could not withstand it," Zhao Jin said.

This Eunuch Ren from the Lu Prince Manor nodded at Zhao Jin's words, but instinctively felt something was off. He glanced at Zhao Jin and found the other man's expression perfectly calm, making it impossible to judge whether it was right or wrong. He simply decided to continue.

"Master Jin is absolutely right. Once the court gets serious, there is nothing it cannot accomplish. In the past, all those White Lotus sects, those White-Clad soldiers, those Tartars and dwarf pirates — whenever the court got serious about dealing with them, weren't they all wiped out one by one? Master Jin must have amassed mountains of gold and seas of silver over these years. With so much wealth, you should properly enjoy your riches. If you end up charged with rebellion, executed and your property confiscated, unable to live in peace — why bring that suffering upon yourself?"

"The salt market and the distillery handed over to you? And the person will be released?" Zhao Jin asked very directly.

"Yes. Our Gonggong Xiong is a man of his word. Once we receive the salt market and distillery, we will immediately send word by fast horse to the capital and have them release the person." Eunuch Ren's answer was equally resolute.

Wang Zhaojing could not help but want to speak, but Zhao Jin waved his hand to stop him. Zhao Jin sneered and said, "This deal is far too disadvantageous for Xuzhou. We give you the benefits, but what if the person isn't released? Wouldn't that be drawing water with a bamboo basket — all for nothing?"

A smile appeared on Eunuch Ren's face. He nodded and said, "Master Jin, every extra day Censor Wang spends in that prison is an extra day of suffering. If he cannot endure and lets something slip, then even our Gonggong Xiong's intervention will be useless. And for Master Jin and Master Jin's subordinates, that would be a calamity of utter destruction!"

"You mean we have no choice?"

"I would never say that. I am merely putting myself in Master Jin's shoes and thinking it over. Wealth is an external thing — compared to one's life, it truly counts for nothing. Master Jin must make a swift decision!" Eunuch Ren's tone became earnest and grave.

Zhao Jin fell into thoughtful silence. Wang Zhaojing wanted to speak but was glared back into silence by Zhao Jin's stern look. Wang Zhaojing's composure was already somewhat rattled; speaking now would only add to the chaos.

After a moment of silence, a smile appeared on Zhao Jin's face. He waved his hand and said, "I've made Eunuch Ren stand for so long without offering a seat or tea — truly negligent."

As he spoke, he made a gesture. Sun Dalin immediately brought over hot tea. Eunuch Ren expressed his thanks and sat down opposite Wang Zhaojing. Zhao Jin, however, called Meng Zhiqi over, whispered a few words, and Meng Zhiqi quickly walked out.

Despite the offer of a seat and tea, the atmosphere in the room did not ease in the slightest. Wang Zhaojing, his face dark, glared fixedly at Eunuch Ren. Zhao Jin's expression remained calm. Eunuch Ren, however, drank his tea with complete ease, perfectly at home.

Not long after, Meng Zhiqi, who had gone out, returned with several household servants. Several wooden chests were carried into the room. The servants withdrew and closed the door.

Meng Zhiqi opened the chests. Instantly, the room brightened somewhat. Eunuch Ren's movements also paused for a moment as he looked inside. The chests were filled with neatly stacked gold ingots. The total across the chests was roughly over a thousand taels.

"Zhao is a crude man and doesn't mince words. Eunuch Ren, you've undertaken this errand for the Lu Prince Manor, working hard and bearing risks — how much silver can you earn? Working for Zhao, this is just the first payment. There will be further rewards afterward. As long as Eunuch Ren can lend a hand, share some information about the Lu Prince Manor, and help mediate a little, all of this is yours. If it's not enough, please, Eunuch Ren, just say the word."

Eunuch Ren stared at the gleaming gold ingots, the smile on his face growing wider and wider. He spoke leisurely, "Master Jin is extraordinarily generous. Even His Highness the Prince within our manor likely could not produce so much at once. Wealth moves the heart — I would indeed like to take these. But I cannot. I have already told Master Jin everything I know. My status within the manor is lowly; I can't help with much. No reward without merit!"

He claimed to be tempted, yet Eunuch Ren's expression was utterly relaxed. Zhao Jin's face darkened. He raised his hand and made a chopping gesture. Niu Jinbao, standing behind Eunuch Ren, nodded and stepped forward to act.

Eunuch Ren glanced back. He knew what was about to happen, yet he showed no panic. He actually remained seated and spoke with a smile, "Master Jin, disposing of me will do no good. If no word reaches the manor in three days, the manor will simply send someone else. If you kill them off one after another like this, murdering a prince's inner attendants and subordinate officials is also a capital crime of rebellion. By then, no matter what is extracted from Censor Wang's mouth, the Depot and the Guard will have to investigate thoroughly, and the court will have to dispatch a great army to encircle and suppress."

Such a display surprised Zhao Jin somewhat. He waved his hand to stop Niu Jinbao's action and asked in a muffled voice, "You are actually not afraid to die?"

Thanks to old friends "Qi Sanwen, Jianwu Fayang, Yuan Heng Lizhen, Cold Night" for the tips. It's the last day of double monthly tickets — please support us generously.