Fu Zhen returned to the residence and immediately sent someone to the Liang Family to inform Liang Chen of what had just happened. Only upon hearing the reply did he realize that Liang Chen had also arranged for the guard Liang Ting to be ambushed at the Zhe Family, so he was already aware of what had transpired.
That makes things easier.
Liang Chen could then oversee the situation at the Dali Court, while Fu Zhen continued to keep an eye on Xu Yin, and Zhe Yu would recuperate for now, waiting for the right opportunity to return to Princess Rong’s side without haste.
Fu Zhen had a screen erected between his bed and Pei Zhan’s couch. If not for the fact that he had been unaccustomed to having maids accompany him at night since childhood, he would have had no choice but to have Ziyan and the others guard his side.
Fortunately, the night passed without incident.
Pei Zhan was rather quiet on the other side; once he lay down, there was no further movement. It was only at the third watch that some rustling sounds were heard—this was when he got up early to attend the court.
Fu Zhen rose at the fifth watch, and Guo Song was already waiting outside the courtyard gate.
Fu Zhen stepped out: "Any news?"
Guo Song replied, "The assassin at the Dali Court has been silenced."
Fu Zhen asked while adjusting his sleeves.
Guo Song responded with a "hmm," "but didn’t die completely."
Fu Zhen, just about to swing his stick around a couple of times, stopped. "Can’t you stop speaking so suspensefully?"
Guo Song continued, "We reminded the Dali Court just in time. They were well-prepared when the attack came. The weapon, which was initially aimed right at the heart, deviated by two inches. The person was seriously injured but not dead." This content belongs to novel•fire.net
Fu Zhen asked, "Have they received medical treatment?"
"It’s now in the hands of the Dali Court. As long as he can be saved, they likely won’t let him die. But it also depends on his luck."
Fu Zhen pondered for a moment and then asked, "What about Xu Yin?"
"There were four people who came to assassinate last night and retreated safely. However, they were intercepted by Liang Ting halfway, and two were injured. But they are highly skilled. According to Liang Ting’s description, they should be more skilled than the assassin in the Dali Court."
Fu Zhen frowned deeply. "Where on earth did this Xu get so many skilled experts?"
Guo Song said, "Typically, guards with such a uniform martial arts style weren’t gathered in a short period; they must have been raised over a long time."
She understood this all too well.
However, the guards around Xu Yin were increasingly formidable, highlighting the suspicions surrounding him.
It’s unnecessary for a mere court official to raise such powerful guards. It’s evident at first glance that they are used to carry out special tasks for their master.
And why does Xu Yin raise them? What mission is he trying to accomplish?
"What about Mrs. Zhang?" she suddenly remembered.
"Since the unfruitful interrogation last night, there has been no movement from Mrs. Zhang."
Fu Zhen pondered for a moment, then twirled the stick in his hand, "Xu Yin encountered obstruction; he certainly won’t act hastily again. I suspect he’ll covertly investigate the masked man Zhe Yu mentioned. Have someone keep an eye on Lian Rong. The person handling this will definitely be him. At the right time, it wouldn’t hurt to offer some clues to lure them in and see if they can reveal any flaws?"
Guo Song bowed his head, "Yes!"
Fu Zhen raised the stick and was about to practice a few more moves. As he looked up, he saw Pei Mu in full armor passing through the small garden and suddenly remembered he was about to pass through Huzhou on his way south. He quickly put the stick down and ran back indoors, saying, "Quick, prepare breakfast! After eating, I need to find Mother!"
Mrs. Ning spent the morning at Wanbin Building.
Mrs. Pei was originally supposed to come along, but the Empress suddenly summoned her to the palace, so she sent Fu Zhen ahead by himself.
While reviewing the account books, Mrs. Ning listened to Fu Zhen’s reason for coming and indeed became thoughtful: "That’s good news. Your grandfather still has many old friends in Huzhou, and we haven’t had the chance to send someone to visit them individually over the years. If Little General Pei goes, it would greatly help me."
Fu Zhen said, "Unfortunately, he has official duties and limited time, so I’m afraid he won’t be able to visit each one."
"That’s alright," Mrs. Ning replied, "There’s a place called Sanhe Town in Huzhou, where there’s someone named Master Feng. He’s your grandfather’s sworn brother. Little General Pei only needs to pay a visit to The Fengs."
Fu Zhen said, "I think visiting two or three families is feasible and not necessarily just The Fengs."
"No," Mrs. Ning shook her head, "Others are fine to overlook, but The Fengs must not be taken lightly."
"Could it be that this Master Feng is also extremely wealthy, and our family business is closely tied to his?"
"Not at all," Mrs. Ning put the pen down and said solemnly, "The Feng family is indeed a wealthy merchant. However, besides being your grandfather’s sworn brother, he also has a favor with our family.