The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 180 - The Death Knell

The dispute between Cen Biliang from the Ministry of War and the Jinyiwei escalated, causing widespread anxiety throughout the capital. Those with keen senses among the noble families had already locked their doors early, strictly forbidding anyone from entering or exiting.

Shen Xiaohai, Duke Ying's heir, was uncharacteristically restless, forgetting to maintain his imposing demeanor even in front of He Shi, his wife. His brow was furrowed, and he appeared visibly uneasy.

Although Lady He was somewhat dull, she had heard about the altercation between the Jinyiwei and Cen Biliang today. She realized that her husband, who was usually skilled at maneuvering through politics, was worried about something, which made her feel anxious as well. Fidgeting with her hands and feet, she nervously asked her husband, "Do you think Shi Tongzhou... will implicate you too?"

After all, Shen Xiaohai had established connections with Xingfu's power, engaging in quite a bit of "business" with the Tartar, especially involving war horses. Any of these matters, if exposed, could be catastrophic for the Duke's household.

It was unfortunate that when Song Chuyi had visited the Duke's mansion last time, something had gone awry, preventing her from gathering any useful information from her.

However, she then thought that the news about Shi Tongzhou had also reached the Jinyiwei and the King of Zhennan's household. Perhaps the Song family truly was unaware of the insider details. She couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated with herself for missing the small details and forgetting to visit the Princess of Zhennan more often. Otherwise, she might have been able to uncover something...

Shen Xiaohai was already feeling frustrated, and Lady He's comments only increased his irritation. He slammed the table and said, "He hasn't even entered the palace yet, and you're already worrying about this? Don't worry, I won't die yet!"

That guy, Xing'an, had gone to Desheng Gate with Chen Xiang to intercept Cen Biliang and his group, but there had been no news from Xingfu. Others might not understand Xingfu's character, but he did. Xingfu was certainly not the type to sit idly by and accept his fate. If he had no other options, he wouldn't easily allow Cen Biliang and the others to enter the city.

Moreover, the three judicial offices all had Xingfu's confidants. As long as the case was handed over to people from the three judicial offices for review, Xingfu wouldn't truly suffer. Although he felt anxious, it was not excessive worry.

His only concern was whether Xingfu's relationship with the Emperor was strong enough for the Emperor to let this matter pass lightly...

Lady He, scolded by him, didn't dare to say anything more. Her hands clenched tightly together as she nervously glanced out the window. Shen Xiaohai had already sent people out to gather news, and by this time, there should be some updates coming back.

Fortunately, they didn't keep anyone waiting too long. Before long, a maid came in to report that Tian Yuan had returned. Tian Yuan was a trusted confidant of Shen Xiaohai, having followed him for nearly twenty years. He had now been promoted to chief steward and was very astute and perceptive. It was precisely because of this that Shen Xiaohai felt at ease sending him out to gather intelligence.

The autumn days had already turned quite cool, but Tian Yuan was still drenched in sweat. He didn't have time to wipe his forehead before he abruptly knelt down in front of Shen Xiaohai and Lady He with a thud.

"Don't kneel just yet; tell me what the situation outside is like!" Shen Xiaohai stood up anxiously and pointed at him, asking, "What exactly is going on?!"

Tian Yuan gasped for breath as he replied, "Report to Master, it's a standoff between Minister Cen and Commander Chen, and it's getting quite heated. Eventually, they were on the verge of blows. The people from the Ministry of War are certainly no match for the Jinyiwei, and one of the officers from the Armory Department was even killed..."

Someone died?! Lady He's eyes widened in shock, and she quickly covered her mouth to stifle an impending exclamation.

Shen Xiaohai's expression darkened even further—someone had died in the Ministry of War, and that old bastard Cen Biliang would surely become even more unyielding. This matter was likely to escalate. How could Chen Xiang be so foolish as to actually let his subordinates kill someone?!

After saying this, Tian Yuan calmed down a bit. He wiped his forehead and continued, "Then the fighting broke out. The Ministry of War has at least two or three deaths, and there were casualties on the Jinyiwei side as well... Later, someone came from the palace..."

"Someone came from the palace?!" Shen Xiaohai finally couldn't help but interrupt Tian Yuan, asking urgently, "Who came? Did they take anyone away?"

"The one who came was Eunuch An, delivering the Emperor's decree." Tian Yuan took a deep breath, still feeling apprehensive. "He summoned Minister Cen to bring Shi Tongzhou into the palace."

This was the end! Not only did Lady He's face turn pale instantly, but Shen Xiaohai was also so shocked that he could hardly move, finally collapsing back into his chair after a long pause.

Xingfu hadn't stopped Cen Biliang, which meant he must have gone to plead with the Emperor. But now it seemed that even with all his efforts, Xingfu couldn't change the Emperor's mind.

"It's getting late today. Tomorrow, you should head to the Changning Marquis's residence early," Shen Xiaohai quickly calmed down and instructed Lady He. "See if you can find out some news from the Song family."

Lady He's nails were almost piercing through her palm, and she didn't immediately hear Shen Xiaohai's words. It wasn't until Shen Xiaohai coughed a few times that she snapped back to reality, her voice trembling with a hint of tears and hidden dissatisfaction as she rarely countered, "Go to the Changning Marquis's residence? We've been there several times without any results, and it's even less useful now. It would be better to go to the King of Zhennan's residence to gather some information... after all, they've captured Shi Tongzhou to see Minister Cen, so they might know something..."

Shen Xiaohai could no longer tolerate Lady He's ignorance. He raised his hand and slapped her, causing her to stagger. He then spat on the ground and said, "What do you know?! It's precisely because the Changning Marquis's residence hasn't been involved in this matter at all that it's good to ask them. The Ye family is already caught up with Ye Jingchuan and Yuan Hong; do you expect them to tell you any truths? If they were really willing to tell you, would they keep the matter of Shi Tongzhou hidden from you? Instead, the Song family, with Old Master Song being a senior official in the cabinet, has no vested interest in this matter, so they might actually have some information to share."

Lady He was left confused by his words, and it took her a while to process their meaning before she timidly nodded.

Shen Xiaohai turned to Tian Yuan and instructed, "You should go ask your uncle about this and see if any news can be relayed from the palace."

Although his father was old and useless, and his mother was merely a nominal relative with no real power, there were still some advantages to this. After all, news from the palace could be pried out to some extent.

Tian Yuan knew that this matter was a matter of life and death, so he didn't dare delay. He immediately nodded in agreement and went to the storeroom to fetch gifts.

The death knell for Xingfu was about to toll, but Duke Ying's residence could not accompany him in death. He had to think of a way...