Lady Kelpi Translations

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty:
The Truth 

Lou Ben looked at everyone on the ground with a smile on his face. He clearly saw Wan Songbai and his servant but seemed to hold no grudges. “I am honored to have met Zisheng,” he said confidently. “However, I never had the opportunity to have a deep conversation. Today, I’m fortunate enough to offer you a jar of wine and a long conversation. How does that sound?”

Wan Songbai still couldn’t figure it out and kept asking what was going on. Shaoshang didn’t want to participate in the ‘deep conversation’ between Ling Buyi, Lou Ben, and others. She planned to take the others to a remote place to talk in detail, hoping not to harm Uncle Wan’s little soul. Unexpectedly, Ling Buyi already promised Lou Ben in a loud voice. He grabbed Shaoshang and went to the second floor. 

Wan Songbai and the others had no choice but to follow the guards and rest up. 

Shaoshang smiled apologetically as she climbed the stairs with her skirt bunched to the side. “If you guys talk about things, I’ll just say it’s better for me, as a woman, to avoid it for the time being.”

Ling Buyi remained silent, carrying her upstairs as if he were carrying a grass carp into the kitchen. 

When they arrived in the elegant room on the second floor, Liang Qiu Qi and a team of guards dispersed the surrounding guests, guarded the doors and windows, and left Ling Buyi, Lou Ben, and Shaoshang alone in the room. 

Lou Ben was slightly surprised when he saw Shaoshang was also there. He bent down to greet them and said, “Zisheng, Mistress Cheng, please take a seat.”

“Ziwei is very calm,” Ling Buyi smiled with a sneer. “I just hope to be able to remain so calm in a while.”

Lou Ben turned around. “Lady Shaoshang, you could say that we had a chance to nearly become family. If it weren’t for the trouble with the He family, you would have called me ‘brother-in-law.’”

There was a bitter taste in her mouth. Shaoshang thought to herself that if he knew he was noticed by Ling Buyi because he went to the Cheng mansion to drink betrothal wine, he wouldn’t be so polite. 

Ling Buyi’s smile dropped. He said coldly, “Back then, Emperor Li intended to bring a woman from the Lou family into the palace, but everyone was en route. Fortunately, the rebel army first attacked the accompanying Capital of Emperor Li. In this way, the Lou family and Emperor Li almost became family.”

“It’s the height of winter now,” Lou Ben smiled. “Why is Zisheng so angry? Come and sit down first.”

“I’m a bit warm, I’ll go stand by the window,” Shaoshang said. Her fiancé was a bit dry and restless, she needed to watch him around the candles. 

Lou Ben turned around and scooped wine from the wine jug. When he turned around, he held a wide-mouthed copper goblet with two ears in his hands. He smiled. “The sake here is mellow, fragrant, and sweet. It’s first class.”

“I don’t like drinking alcohol,” Ling Buyi politely declined. “Let’s get down to business.”

“What’s going on?” Lou Ben slowly put down the copper goblet, a small smile at the corner of his mouth. “A couple of days ago, we had a big victory for Shouchun. It’s unfortunate that Zisheng wasn’t here, otherwise, you could have made another great contribution.”

There was a pause. “I heard that you have been devising many strategies these days,” Ling Buyi said. “Whether in field battles or sieging cities, you can be called all-conquering and invincible. Now, everyone says you are the only unparalleled scholar in the nation.”

“That’s not what you want to say to me, is it?” Lou Ben said. 

“Yesterday, I rushed to report to His Majesty that the body of Yan Zhong, the former county magistrate of Tongniu County, and his family had been found under the Wangfeng Pavilion outside the city,” Ling Buyi said. “It seems that Yan Zhong’s defection to the enemy and treason needs further discussion.”

Lou Ben looked as if this was the first time he heard the news. “Oh, there’s such a thing. But Zisheng, you must have acted arbitrarily. Even if Yan Zhong’s family died, it doesn’t mean that Yan Zhong hasn’t defected to the enemy and betrayed the country. Moreover, during the war, everyone is busy planning strategies to respond to the enemy. Zisheng is actually investigating a suspect who stole copper and abandoned the city elsewhere.”

“Only such a talented person can provide advice for the war,” Ling Buyi said with a hint of sarcasm. “I can take the time to investigate the Yan family case.”

Lou Ben’s smile faded. Shaoshang walked back and forth by the window, eager to climb out of the building along the outer wall. 

“Since your words about Yan Zhong’s betrayal seem to have hidden facts, I will listen attentively,” Lou Ben said. 

“I don’t know when Yan Zhong made friends with a descendant of a noble family,” Ling Buyi said. “The two of them were like-minded and had a great conversation, but others in the county were unaware…”

“Since no one knows, how can we know that person is a descendant of a noble family?”

“If that person comes from an ordinary background like Yan Zhong, Yan Zhong didn’t need to conceal it. He can bring him to the county to introduce him to his family. Yan Zhong was diligent in handling things and was not easily punished by the aristocratic family. He was also honest and upright and has been holding a grudge against him until now. He has been hiding his friendship with the son of that aristocratic family for fear of being accused of surrendering to the family.” 

“Zisheng is very thoughtful,” Lou Ben smiled. “Please, continue, Master Ling.”

“Yan Zhong and the son of that noble family occasionally gathered in secluded places. Despite the current situation and their aspirations, they are very similar,” Ling Buyi continued. “Both of them coincidentally hoped that they wouldn’t be seen, but the young man from the aristocratic family had ulterior motives while Yan Zhong had a sincere temperament. Therefore, every time they met, the young man dressed as a lightly armored single rider. Although Yan Zhong didn’t want to be known to outsiders, he didn’t deliberately hide it and only picked some small paths to walk. That’s why he continued to use his ox cart carelessly.”

“Since these two people have been in contact for a long time, are there any letters?” Lou Ben asked. 

Ling Buyi shook his head. “I don’t know the answer for this either. Maybe it’s because the two of them never wrote a letter, or maybe the letters have been destroyed. Anyway, I haven’t found a single word in Yan Zhong’s mansion.”

“Since you can’t find a single word, how can you rely on your own speculation to conclude that there was such a fictional descendant of a noble family?” Lou Ben sneered.

Ling Buyi remained calm. “Of course, it’s not just my guess. Four months ago at Dieshui Temple, Wan Songbai, the Prefect of Xu County, saw this person.”

Lou Ben couldn’t smile anymore. 

“No one has ever seen Yan Zhong gather with friends from various aristocratic families. However, since this gathering place is remote, those who caught sight of them are also some village men and rural women. It doesn’t matter if those ordinary people who are far away from the court saw them, but Prefect Wan was different… Now that things are urgent when I have time and people to spare, I will send them to investigate carefully. I can always find the rural people who have seen Yan Zhong and the nobleman at the top of the fields and mountains. What does Ziwei think?”

Lou Ben’s face was dark. “So what if Yan Zhong does have such a friend from a noble family?”

“Last month, when the army of Marquis Cui arrived, Prefect Wan met him in the middle of a crowd. The aristocratic family’s son saw him in the crowd and only then did he realize they had a hidden danger left behind. It should be noted that if someone didn’t mention something, then everything was in good fortune. Once someone thought about it, it was inevitable that there would be loopholes everywhere. Therefore, during these days, Prefect Wan has repeatedly suffered from assassination attempts and nearly died several times.

“Let me ask you, Ziwei, do you actually know Yan Zhong?” Ling Buyi said sternly. 

The room was quiet. Shaoshang sneakily looked over. Lou Ben huddled his hand in his sleeve as if he had clenched his fist tightly, while the other held the corner of the table. His knuckles were turning white from the force. 

After a long time, Lou Ben suddenly smiled and said happily, “I know Yan Zhong, so what? I could see he had a deep understanding. Amazingly, he has an ambitious mind, but he can’t fully demonstrate his ambitions, so I often meet with him. However, I have no idea about his private actions.”

That was the problem. Even if it could be confirmed that Lou Ben and Yan Zhong intersected, it couldn’t be concluded that Yan Zhong’s actions were influenced by Lou Ben’s knowledge.

Ling Buyi’s answer was very clever, however. “This is true,” he said. “Just like I know you, Ziwei, but I don’t know the slightest thing about your actions. In the future, when you are under the knife, it will also have little to do with me.”

Shaoshang heard the creaking sound on the corner of the table and secretly hoped that he wouldn’t vomit blood in anger. 

“In the end, Yan Zhong didn’t defend Tongniu County but abandoned the city to steal the copper and fled. What’s the point of you dragging me into this?” Lou Ben’s tone gradually became sharp. “Delusional greed and a guilty heart – everyone has seen those words written by Yan Zhong. They are clearly his confession of guilt. Now that your evidence is conclusive, why should you continue to pester?!”

“If it weren’t for someone repeatedly chasing and killing the high-ranking officials of the frontier, courtiers, and officials, I wouldn’t have bothered with this matter.” Ling Buyi remained motionless as if he were a towering mountain.

“Okay, how would you explain those words?” Lou Ben sneered.

“Since Peng Nian rebelled three months ago, several counties in the eastern part of Chen County have fallen into the hands of the thieves. While Tongniu County was in turmoil, some people told Yan Zhong there were some good strategies to ensure the safety of his wife and children. If Yan Zhong followed his character, he must have fought his whole family to defend the city. However, at that time, Yan Zhong’s loyalty was wavering. It was only then that the county magistrate was asked for the first time how to arrange for his wife, parents, and children. The ‘delusional greed’ he wrote was not a fear of death, not a greed for wealth, but a greed for the safety of his elderly parents, wife, and children! His ‘guilty heart’ is not due to his inability to defend the city faithfully and his desire to betray the enemy and surrender, but due to his reputation of sacrificing survival and loyalty for decades!”

A burst of drums and gongs resounded outside. The street market was filled with deafening, thunderous joy. However, the elegant room on the second floor was as quiet as the deep sea. Beneath the sea was a heart-wrenching and cunning plot. 

Shaoshang couldn’t help but turn around and quietly look at Lou Ben. She realized that his facial features were somewhat similar to those of Lou Yao. Lou Yao’s eyebrows were filled with a cheerful and heroic aura. His had more of a scheming aura – was this the seemingly harmless person who repeatedly sent assassins to kill Uncle Wan? You can’t judge a person by their appearance. 

“Yan Zhong believed this friend’s words and not only entrusted his family but also entrusted the two thousand pounds of refined copper to him. He thought that even if he died, he could still speak for himself with the skill of protecting the copper. Unexpectedly…” Ling Buyi paused. “In the pit dug under the Wangfeng Pavilion, I can only find fragments of Yan Zhong’s wife and young son’s winter clothes and fur pockets, but not those of the Yan Zhong couple. That’s probably the reason.

“Left County Magistrate Li Feng should have been bribed in advance to openly promote Yan Zhong’s theft of copper and defection. After confirming Yan Zhong’s charges, he was also of no use and died in prison, along with his wife and children.”

Lou Ben gave a peculiar smile. “Died in prison? That you should have gone to find the person who occupied Tongniu County at that time. Who is that person? Let me think…”

Ling Buyi didn’t wait for him to put on airs. “It was General Ma Rong,” he said directly. “Since he earned the county seal, he had been in charge of affairs within the county seat. However, a few days ago, he also died.”

Lou Ben’s eyes lit up with pride and cruelty. “That’s really a pity. Your guess can only be a guess… however, being able to easily trust others, entrust his wealth with two thousand pounds of refined copper, and ultimately lose his reputation. Magistrate Yan also cannot avoid a name for negligence and oversight.”

“That’s because Magistrate Yan couldn’t think of any reason why that aristocratic friend would betray him.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time but I still can’t figure it out. Yan Zhong is not a young, naïve person. After years of ups and downs in officialdom, how can he be so gullible? It wasn’t until I thought of you that everything suddenly became clear.”

“Watch your words, Zisheng,” Lou Ben said coldly. 

“Okay, let me put this another way. Because Magistrate Yan couldn’t believe that his aristocratic friend had a reason to betray himself and the court.”

“This friend of Magistrate Yan is definitely just like his son,” he continued. “Not only does he have a good reputation and a lot of manpower in the martial arts world, but also his father, brother, and family are all officials in court and highly valued by His Majesty. It’s obvious that Peng Nian was just a temporary clown. In this situation, how could that nobleman vote for Peng Nian? Isn’t it just abandoning pearls and jade and becoming worthless? Therefore, Magistrate Yan naturally believed in his friend deeply! After thinking about it, until he was in front of Wangfeng Pavilion when his whole family was slaughtered, he still didn’t understand.

“There is also General Ma Rong. I met him several times and I have a slight understanding of his character. Since he took over Tongniu County, he has been innocent which was not in line with his previous reputation for being bloodthirsty and greedy. Now it seems that he was waiting for the court to recruit him.”

Lou Ben’s face turned pale blue. After a moment, he forced a smile and asked, “This is all speculation made by you. Do you have any evidence?” 

“Without any evidence, it is indeed all my speculation,” Ling Buyi said.

“Are you going to use these speculations to convict me?”

“I can’t talk about conviction, I just want to hear Ziwei’s opinion.”

Lou Ben sneered. “My opinion is that Zisheng should stop daydreaming and hurry back to Marquis Cui’s camp to receive rewards for his achievements.”

Ling Buyi frowned and turned his head slightly. “Don’t walk around, why haven’t you spoken a word today?” This was said to the girl pacing by the window. 

Shaoshang stopped pacing, her face expressionless. “If you ask me, then…” She turned slightly to the side, facing Ben Lou.

“Second Young Master Lou, did you deceive Magistrate Yan to bring copper out of the city and then slaughtered the entire Yan family? Did you then frame Magistrate Yan to defect and betray the country, then collude with General Ma Rong’s internal and external collaborations? In the end, General Ma Rong was able to escape from the Peng Rebellion camp and surrender to the outside world. And you made great contributions and have been promoted step by step… Do you admit it or not? Although we have no direct evidence, you should admit your guilt!”

This was the reason why Shaoshang was unwilling to get involved today. Without evidence, it would hurt the harmony first, and ultimately, it would all be verbal abuse without good words. To be honest, she was not as confident as Ling Buyi. Although she had the same suspicions, there were what if this and what if that in her head. Wouldn’t it be that Lou Ben was wrongly accused?!

After listening to Shaoshang’s words, Lou Ben looked up and burst into laughter. Ling Buyi’s face darkened. 

Lou Ben laughed long and hard. “Alright,” he said. “Since Zisheng guessed so much, why don’t you ask me to speculate too?” He stood up and walked a few steps forward. 

“At that time, Tongniu County was already a small boat in the ocean, and it seemed difficult to preserve. Yan Zhong couldn’t bear to let his mother and children suffer together, so he secretly joined forces with Ma Rong, intending to exchange the two thousand pounds of refined copper for a way for his family to survive, then returned to defend the city himself. It was considered a sacrifice for his country. Unexpectedly, Ma Rong was ruthless and directly killed all of the Yan family, earning the county seal and using it as a means of promotion, in exchange for future success… can’t this also make sense?

“Ma Rong is already dead. He used to be a narrow-minded and bloodthirsty person and it isn’t a pity he died. This statement can not only reflect the loyalty and righteousness of Magistrate Yan but also doesn’t involve too much. What does Zisheng think?”

Shaoshang knew that this was the stage that Lou Ben was leaving for Ling Buyi. 

Ling Buyi, however, remained silent. 

A fierce expression appeared in Lou Ben’s eyes. “Ling Buyi,” he said, his voice full of resentment. “Although you are His Majesty’s beloved general, I am not an unknown person, and the Lou family is not free to be manipulated by you! If I were to confess my guilt solely based on these speculations, it would be absolutely unacceptable!” After saying those words, he brushed his long sleeves aside and forcefully pushed open the door of the elegant room, and stepped out with great strides. 

Only Shaoshang and Ling Buyi were left in the room. She twisted around and sat next to him. “What did I say?” she said. “Don’t be impulsive, everything should be planned out before taking action…”

“When did you say you wanted to plan before taking action?” Ling Buyi turned his face. “You’ve always been thinking about uncovering the real culprit behind everything! As soon as you found out it was related to the Lou family, you immediately retreated into your turtle shell!”

She looked at her fiancé’s fierce gaze, his slender and tightly clenched fingers were strong and powerful and capable of squeezing her in an instant. 

“I can see the big picture,” Shaoshang gave a hollow laugh. “It doesn’t matter if you clean up Lou Ben, but what should Grand Servant Lou do? According to the customs, good things might not necessarily benefit the whole family, but not a single family member can escape if there is disaster.

“When the Crown Prince was young, he was a disciple of Grand Servant Lou, and he has always been close to him. If something really happens to the Lou family, what should the Crown Prince do? I’m worried about these things! Let’s consider the long-term…” Shaoshang looked worried about the country and the people. 

“What long-term plan? Do you want to pick Lou Yao out of this swamp first?” Ling Buyi said nonchalantly. “According to you, which family is close to the Crown Prince? Their children who commit adultery and crimes cannot be investigated?! Well, Fourth Mistress Cheng, I can see that you have the ability to be a sycophant! Disrespectful!”

Shaoshang couldn’t get rid of the sarcasm on her face. “What can you do?” she said angrily. “Yan Zhong’s whole family is dead. Li Feng and Ma Rong are also dead. There is no evidence left, no physical evidence has been found. Do you want to ‘bully others by force?’” She tried to mimic Ling Buyi’s deep, thick voice. “I have a higher rank than you and am more trusted by His Majesty than you, so whatever I say is what I say!”

“There’s no need to bully others!” Ling Buyi straightened up, giving an arrogant smile. “I’ve never lost the handle I wanted to hold on to!” His gaze touched the wine bottle that Lou Ben had used on the table. He angrily kicked and overturned the jar.

“In his eyes, the women and children of the Yan family are nothing more than pigs and dogs. To promote his career, killing people, setting fires, and endangering people’s lives is not a problem! How could such a person enter the court and become an official? I didn’t expect that two years ago I recommended Lou Ben to the Crown Prince, but fortunately, the Crown Prince didn’t listen to me. I will bring him to justice for being a bully and an unscrupulous brute!”

…

Oh. Boy. I actually think Ling Buyi screwed up here.

Next Chapter: Tongniu County’s Case Closed