Daishan Turns The Wind Chapter 28

The Perfumer Case (9)

Knowing that Sun Zhengmo was from the Prince of Dong’an’s Estate and understanding the blood feud between her and Fu Qingmu, it was confirmed that the six people who escaped were Fu Qingmu and her subordinates.

They intended to act against General Yang Yi to exact revenge.

Feng Yuluo then asked the Crown Prince if he knew they were also involved in the assassination attempt.

If that group of people were the Crown Prince’s subordinates, and the Crown Prince wanted to eliminate Yang Yi, then why would he have Zhu Quan pursue the six escapees?

The leader of those six was Fu Qingmu. Given the shared blood feud, would the Crown Prince kill her just to shift the blame?

Feng Yuluo and Shan Wuzhou had already investigated the past, guessed that the escaping assassin was Fu Qingmu, and also guessed that Sun Zhengmo was a survivor from the Prince of Dong’an’s Estate. Since things had reached this point, Sun Zhengmo no longer concealed the truth. After admitting the past, she stated that the Crown Prince was unaware of their involvement.

Shan Wuzhou saw his Grandmaster slightly relax. The fact that the Crown Prince hadn’t intended to kill Fu Qingmu to shift the blame made him feel there was still a shred of humanity left, but the Crown Prince’s subsequent ruthless decision to silence the assassins still made him feel deeply uncomfortable.

Feng Yuluo pondered for a moment, then quickly tensed up: “I still feel like something doesn’t add up.”

Shan Wuzhou said, “That’s because we still have several unanswered questions.”

It wasn’t just that. Feng Yuluo paced a few steps and said, “It’s the issue of silencing all the assassins.”

He sorted through the facts.

The main mastermind of the assassination was the Crown Prince, but at the time, there were several different factions among the assassins: those belonging to the Crown Prince, those belonging to Fu Qingmu, some from the martial arts world, and likely some family members of victims driven to death by Yang Ye.

Yang Yi’s son, Yang Ye, was killed by his enemies. The other groups who failed to assassinate Yang Yi retreated and were subsequently silenced. Fu Qingmu and her group escaped.

If the Crown Prince wanted to silence them to destroy evidence and prevent Yang Yi from tracing it back to him, why would he kill the other assassins?

Even if Yang Yi found out about those people, they had no connection to the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince had nothing to worry about, and their discovery could even help divert attention, which would benefit the Crown Prince. Therefore, there was absolutely no need to silence the others.

Furthermore, the assassins belonged to different factions, and their escape routes should have been different. How was it that, apart from Fu Qingmu’s group of six, all the other assassins were captured that night?

If it was the Crown Prince, could he capture top-tier martial arts experts but fail to capture those six relatively weaker assassins?

Shan Wuzhou mused, “Are you suggesting that the Crown Prince did not order the silencing? Is there another person hidden behind the scenes?”

Both men looked at Proprietress Sun.

“…” Sun Zhengmo said helplessly, “It wasn’t Mu Mu who silenced them. After her assassination failed, she immediately returned to the palace.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Feng Yuluo frowned, pulling his mind out of the fog and shaking it clear. He looked at Shan Wuzhou: “I remember you once said that when the Emperor sends people to assassinate, he sends death warriors who won’t stop until the goal is achieved. The Crown Prince should be no exception, yet the killers he sent retreated at the time.”

Shan Wuzhou looked uncomfortable: “I read that in a storybook.”

Storybook? What storybook? Feng Yuluo glanced at him, but didn’t press the matter, as the current situation was more urgent. He instinctively clawed at the air while thinking.

“The killers were well-trained, yet they retreated promptly. That suggests the Crown Prince’s objective wasn’t just to kill Yang Yi. Yang Yi returned to the city with hundreds of elite soldiers. What confidence could a few dozen assassins have in killing a battle-hardened general?”

Feng Yuluo suddenly looked at Sun Zhengmo, suspicious: “When Fu Qingmu led the assassination, was she only trying to kill Yang Yi for revenge?”

Sun Zhengmo’s lips moved, but she didn’t speak.

Shan Wuzhou and Feng Yuluo were both surprised.

Feng Yuluo slapped his hand: “You all knew that this wouldn’t kill him, yet you arranged a perilous assassination attempt. Heh, you were setting a trap. You had subsequent arrangements!”

Sun Zhengmo’s heavy makeup couldn’t hide the crack in her expression, but she still remained silent.

It was understandable. For two orphaned girls who survived a bloody massacre, eliminating the Protector General was incredibly difficult. If they truly had subsequent arrangements, they would be even more dangerous and required strict secrecy.

The two men looked at her deeply, considerately choosing not to ask further questions.

To ease the heavy atmosphere, Feng Yuluo chuckled: “Well, you set a trap and dragged the two of us into it. I hope we haven’t caused you any trouble.”

Sun Zhengmo gave them a helpless look: “You two acted on your own and barged in.”

Indeed, that was true. Shan Wuzhou threw stones, and Feng Yuluo banged the gong. They had actively drawn Yang Yi’s attention before walking in.

Shan Wuzhou sighed softly. After going in circles, the truth was finally revealed.

Sun Zhengmo, showing her favoritism, offered comfort: “I never blamed you. If it weren’t for Shan Wuzhou, Fu Qingmu would have lost her life.”

Hearing this, the two men didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Then…” Feng Yuluo thought for a moment, “We still have a few remaining questions. First, who was the person who silenced the assassins, and what was their motive? Second, whose subordinate was the body hider, and what was their motive for hiding the body?”

Shan Wuzhou continued, “And the Crown Prince’s objective and subsequent plan. Does it overlap with your revenge plan? Are you working together? If it’s inconvenient, you don’t have to say.”

Sun Zhengmo was silent for a moment: “We are not working together. The Crown Prince doesn’t know what we are doing. But I can probably guess part of his objective.”

Her eyes held a look of empathetic sorrow.

The ‘Bright Pearl and Jade’ case had shocked the capital. However, at the time, the Emperor was in his prime. The Crown Prince and the Heir Apparent were just two clever, good children in his eyes. Though talented, they lacked the power to form a faction, so the Emperor wasn’t wary of them, but rather favored them.

But the Emperor couldn’t help but be wary of Yang Yi. He commanded heavy troops and was deeply calculating—a sharp blade. Standing behind anyone, he was a disaster.

To show loyalty, Yang Yi pinned the charge of “sorcery” on the Prince of Dong’an’s Heir Apparent, offending both sides. But knowing the Emperor favored the Crown Prince, he held back, not pushing the Crown Prince to a dead end.

Yet, the Crown Prince’s hatred had taken root. Plotting the assassination was a declaration of war against Yang Yi, forcing Yang Yi to choose another prince to support. Once a general and a prince formed a faction, it was treason. The Emperor would never allow it and would inevitably find a way to eliminate Yang Yi.

She looked up and smiled, a deeply mournful expression.

The Crown Prince and the Prince of Dong’an’s Heir Apparent admired each other’s talent and were close friends.

But Yang Yi fabricated the great case. The Heir Apparent died, the Grand Tutor died, brilliant talents, and hundreds of lives were lost due to corruption. The Crown Prince had many reasons to eliminate Yang Yi.

“So that’s what the Crown Prince was thinking,” Feng Yuluo confirmed. “Then it’s even less likely that the Crown Prince silenced the assassins. He wanted Yang Yi to know that he was the mastermind behind the attempt.”

Shan Wuzhou said, “The Crown Prince wanted to expose himself, but the assassins were silenced. This person must be trying to protect the Crown Prince.”

To protect the Crown Prince, and to be able to quickly dispatch people after the assassination to capture and kill assassins fleeing in different directions, destroying the evidence so thoroughly that even the General couldn’t trace it—that could only be…

Feng Yuluo said, “The Emperor.”

Hearing this speculation, Sun Zhengmo paused, then suddenly smiled: “The Emperor appears cold to the Crown Prince on the surface, but in reality, he still favors him.”

Shan Wuzhou further speculated: “Then the body hider must also be the Emperor’s subordinate. In the process of destroying evidence, they discovered someone carrying a body—and it was the person who caused trouble during the day. So, they hid the body to be discovered the next morning, naturally drawing Yang Yi’s attention to the Sui’an Perfumery.”

Feng Yuluo felt a chill run down his spine: “The Emperor casually makes a move, and a group of us are running around in circles.”

Sun Zhengmo was speechless.

Now, they knew which factions the assassins belonged to, the Crown Prince’s motive for the assassination, the identity of the person who silenced them, the body hider, and their respective motives.

The bloody feud of the past, and the ultimate goal of Fu Qingmu and Sun Zhengmo, were also known.

They just didn’t know the specifics of the two women’s plan yet.

Feng Yuluo summarized everything and asked if there were any remaining questions.

“Yes,” Shan Wuzhou said coldly, “Zhu Quan, the Minister of Rites—why did he ask us to pursue those six people?”

Now that the Crown Prince’s objective was clear, some previous assumptions had to be overturned.

Yang Yi also knew the Crown Prince was the mastermind, and arranging the incense offering through the Ministry of Rites was meant to warn the Crown Prince. But the Crown Prince wasn’t afraid of Yang Yi knowing he harbored murderous intent, and the silencing of the assassins wasn’t his doing.

So why was Zhu Quan still pursuing the six escapees?

They had previously thought it was for silencing or shifting blame, but now it seemed not.

If it wasn’t the Crown Prince’s order, it could only be Zhu Quan’s own initiative.

Sun Zhengmo said, “Perhaps Zhu Quan is not a key confidant of the Crown Prince and was unaware of the situation. He might have acted on his own, fearing Yang Yi would make trouble for the Crown Prince.”

Feng Yuluo noticed a hint of doubt in her expression, as if she was concealing something. His heart stirred, but he didn’t press the issue.

They didn’t know Sun Zhengmo’s plan, and she hadn’t told them. Many things that seemed inexplicable, the way Feng Yuluo and Shan Wuzhou were led in circles, might all be the result of these people setting a trap.

Perhaps only when Yang Yi was definitively dealt with would they understand everyone’s intentions.

Another day passed. Sun Zhengmo delivered the packaged incense products separately to Chief Steward Liu, Minister Zhu, and General Yang, simultaneously offering money to seek the opportunity to supply incense to the imperial harem.

With money paving the way, Fu Qingmu arrived at the Sui’an Perfumery the day before the Emperor’s birthday.

She was in her early twenties, wearing the red official uniform of the inner court and a black official hat. Her expression was cold. She was accompanied by two supervising matrons, four palace maids, and two squads of guards.

Sun Zhengmo presented the two boxes of finished incense.

Feng Yuluo and Shan Wuzhou stood behind her.

The air seemed to stand still.

In the solemn silence, Fu Qingmu opened the boxes to inspect the contents.

The Phoenix Incense, dedicated to the Empress, was housed in a container carved from green jade, with two phoenixes poised for flight on the curved lid. It was ancient and elegant.

The Dragon Yu Incense, for the Emperor, was a square, gilded container with a golden dragon coiled around a pillar, magnificent and clearly a product fit for the supreme ruler.

Although Sun Zhengmo had been deceptive with the ingredients, the incense containers looked quite respectable.

The two matrons behind her also inspected the items in turn. After confirming there were no issues, they closed the boxes and retreated outside.

Once the door was closed, Fu Qingmu immediately pulled off her hat, drank a cup of tea in one gulp, sat down, and complained bitterly, “This heat is killing me.”

Sun Zhengmo fanned her with a bamboo fan and laughed: “Who told you to come personally?”

Fu Qingmu said, “For such an important matter, of course I must come myself, or I won’t feel involved.” As she spoke, she seemed to remember something and turned to look at Shan Wuzhou and Feng Yuluo.

“Are you the new assistants? I heard you are quite capable.”

Feng Yuluo carefully looked into her eyes and cupped his hands: “Greetings, Your Excellency.”

“No need to be so polite!”

Fu Qingmu looked well-cared for under the Empress’s wing. Aside from having to maintain a facade in front of subordinates, she was full of youthful energy. She sprang up from the chair, picked up her hat, rolled her eyes as she put it on, and muttered, “I need to go back.”

Sun Zhengmo saw her off and leaned against the door, panting, seemingly burdened by worry.

Seeing her state, Shan Wuzhou guessed that their plan was set for tomorrow. He asked, “Is there anything you need us to cooperate with?”

Yang Yi was deeply wicked and deserved his fate. Shan Wuzhou wanted to know in advance how Sun Zhengmo intended to kill him, to avoid accidentally interfering again.

When Sun Zhengmo turned around, her face was full of excitement. She clapped her hands: “There is indeed something! Let’s take inventory.”

“?”

“If the incense I made satisfies both the Emperor and the Empress, then the Sui’an Perfumery will supply the imperial harem. Hurry and package the goods! Let’s clean up and prepare to make money!”

To be so resolute and composed on the eve of revenge, not even forgetting to earn money—what extraordinary spirit!

However, making money was one of Proprietress Sun’s strongest desires, and now it was about to be realized. Feng Yuluo was happy for her.

He said, “Congratulations on your prosperity! Alas, if we had planned to make incense for the Emperor and Empress from the start, we wouldn’t have needed to bribe Eunuch Xu and Eunuch Liu, and we wouldn’t have gone through all the trouble of investigating, running around, being jailed, investigating again, and losing two hundred thousand taels.”

Sun Zhengmo’s foot slipped, and she nearly fell.

She suddenly fell silent.

Shan Wuzhou also sank into thought.

Feng Yuluo: “…”

He slapped himself, chuckled awkwardly, and went to the backyard to find exquisite boxes.

Shan Wuzhou followed, calling out with a slight smile, “Grandmaster.”

“What is it?”

“You know, if we had gone to inquire about Sun Zhengmo’s past from the beginning, and learned the cause and effect of the tragedy five years ago, we would have clearly understood everyone’s actions and motives. Wouldn’t that have saved us from all the detours and investigative breakdowns these past few days?”

“…” Feng Yuluo shouted, “What is wrong with you, young man? You speak without thinking, always stabbing people where it hurts.”

This person was turning the tables on him.

After a long pause, Feng Yuluo sighed: “It was truly a wise decision to hand over the position of Sect Master to your master so long ago.”

Shan Wuzhou smiled without speaking.

Feng Yuluo moved the boxes, glanced at him, and added, “I am very worried about tomorrow.”

Shan Wuzhou sighed: “Are you afraid Proprietress Sun’s plan will fail?”

Feng Yuluo said, “Five years ago, Yang Yi was acutely aware of the Emperor’s intentions. Wouldn’t Yang Yi be even more vigilant after this assassination attempt?”

He believed that since the Emperor had been moved to action five years ago, and the Crown Prince had been offended, and now the Crown Prince had explicitly made a move, the Emperor’s intentions would only deepen. Yang Yi’s only way to protect himself was to climb higher—either by supporting another prince or by making a move himself.

In this situation, what if he actually raised troops?

Tomorrow, on the Emperor’s birthday, the imperial family and all officials would be gathered. If Yang Yi made a move, one swing of his blade could kill many people.

So, in the afternoon, they went to the roof of the General’s Estate to monitor Yang Yi’s movements.

All they could do was keep a close watch.

The roof was scorching hot, baked by the sun. The two looked at each other and sighed simultaneously.

Feng Yuluo said, “You only need to observe. Do not intervene. If anything happens, let me handle it.”

“Why?” Shan Wuzhou asked. He had noticed that his Grandmaster often prevented him from doing things, and the reason didn’t seem to be fear of danger.

Feng Yuluo was momentarily surprised that he didn’t understand. He said, “You are naturally heavy with spiritual energy, but your fortune is weak. You cannot touch things that are too terrible or dangerous; it will affect your growth. We specifically named you Shan Wuzhou to make you easy to raise. Didn’t your master tell you?”

Shan Wuzhou genuinely didn’t remember. His expression was a little strange: “So, you were always rubbing dirt on my clothes, making me roll in the mud, making me run on the mountain, and giving me that ugly pendant—was all that to suppress my spiritual energy?”

“Yes, to ground you a bit, to make you easy to raise.” Of course, some of it was also due to Feng Yuluo’s mischievous nature, but he couldn’t say that; he couldn’t win a fight against him now.

After so many years, finally understanding the reason, Shan Wuzhou felt stifled inside. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, yet the more warmth he felt. He simply turned his head away, refusing to speak to the man.