Nightfall

To clarify when Censor Zhang Yiqi would visit the brothel, what was the route he would take after entering the brothel and the details of him leaving the brothel, Ning Que unavoidably had to visit the House of Red-Sleeves brothel for the next few days. However, he could not let anyone discover that he was concerned with such matter, in case others started to get suspicious of him following the trace. Hence, when he was in the brothel, he would spend most of his time fooling and joking around.

The relationship between Dewdrop and him had drawn closer, where other ladies and manservants were starting to get used to this penniless lad coming in and out of the brothel. Moreover, he was Mistress Jian’s most adored scholar, thus no one dared to comment about it.

Though it was because Xiaocao had fabricated the rule passed down by Mistress Jian, Ning Que could only hug and jokingly flirt with the ladies but nothing more. Thus, it was natural that he need not pay a cent for spending a night there. However, no matter how thick-skinned a person was, he would at least give some tips to the menservants and maidservants. As a result, after a few trips to the brothel, the sharp reduction in funds in the store had caught Sangsang’s attention.

When Ning Que returned that night and was faced with the questionings by his handmaiden, he did not hide the truth and briefly told her about what he did for the past few days. He said, “I’ll need to be their regular customer and should anything happen to the brothel in future, the officers would not suspect me. If I were to just visit the brothel once on the night that the censor was found dead, such coincidence was good enough for the Chang’an Local Government to suspect me.”

He then smiled and added, “After this matter, I would not need to spend time at the brothel anymore. By then, I’ll not expend much.”

“Why, I could feel a sense of unwillingness from young master’s words.”

Sangsang lifted her small face and stared at him, as she sternly advised. “But if you stop visiting the brothel after censor’s death, won’t people suspect as well?”

Ning Que was taken aback by it and realized that it was indeed an issue he had overlooked. This somewhat made him pleased instead of pissed as he snuggled Sangsang’s head and replied, “Well, if that’s the case, I would need to visit a few times more after the matter. Help me check how many silvers are remaining.”

Sangsang responded and was prepared to start on her favorite task of counting the silvers. Just then, Ning Que suddenly remembered something as he hurriedly stopped her and took out a foundation case from his chest. He hesitated for a moment before he handed it over to her and said, “This is given by a lady named Dewdrop in the brothel. She’s… a nice person.”

In fact, he had used his handsome face to beg Dewdrop for this foundation case. His main purpose was to cheer Sangsang up. As for why he had added the three words “a nice person” was because he was worried that Sangsang would dislike the status of those ladies in the brothel and thought of it as dirty.

Sangsang took over the foundation case. Her dark-toned little face revealed a sense of joyfulness as her eyes were smiling with happiness. There was no look of dislike, and she said, “I’ve long heard that those ladies in the brothel had their own secret recipe for foundation case, and some are even better than the ones sold in Chenjinji Cosmetics Store.”

“Do you like it?” Ning Que grinned and looked at her.

Sangsang hugged the case tightly and lifted her small face to look at him. She tightened her lips and refused to speak a word, but it was obvious that she was already smiling.

She placed the case together with the foundation case she had bought from Chenjinji Cosmetics Store a few days before. She then carried a pot of warm water to serve Ning Que in washing his feet, before she washed her own feet using the remaining water. Next, she spread out two sleeping mats, unbuttoned her outer coat and quickly snuggled into the blankets. She then murmured that it was much colder without a fireplace.

In the late night, sound of the night watchers was faintly heard outside the store. Sangsang, who did not fell asleep and was staring at the roof with her bright eyes that looked like a black diamond dazzling in the dark, suddenly opened her mouth and asked, “Young master, that censor… when will he visit that brothel?”

Ning Que kept silence for a long time before he replied softly, “Tomorrow”.

Sangsang didn’t know that the Chang’an city was a more dangerous hunting ground than Min Mountain and grassland. Hence she was not worried about the safety of the young master. Instead, she was worried about other matters. She grabbed the corner of the blanket with both hands and lowered her head to look at the bed. She said in a serious tone, “Young master, since that censor is going to die tomorrow, then shouldn’t you explain to him the reason for his death before that?”

“You’re right.” Ning Que stared at the roof, frowned and added, “Well, revenge is a thing whereby… if the other party doesn’t know the reason for my revenge, it would be useless as well.”

“Then tell him.”

“I’m representing Haotian to destroy you because of those happenings?… If I said it briefly and straightforward, would I appear to be too casual and not serious? Are there any other ways that make me sound more stern and serious so that I look more professional?”

Sangsang frowned her brows as she thought hard of a solution to his question. After a while, she nodded her head forcibly on her pillow and said, “Young master, compose a poem.”

“Poem? I’m not good at that.”

“Then I’ll compose for you?”

“Sure.”

Sangsang seriously read aloud a few sentences which she had composed on the spot, while Ning Que genuinely listened to her carefully as he edited and modified them to make the poem better. Finally, he seriously concluded. “This poem is much better than what I’ve written.”

…

…

The Assistant to the Imperial Oversight Advisor in the Department of Provincial Censor from Tang Empire, who was of the Sixth Rank, was responsible for checking the officers and impeaching the illegal. Though his rank was not considered high, his power was big. Anyone would be pleased to be taking over such a position. However, Zhang Yiqi was never pleased. After all, he was already an inspection censor 13 years ago with a bright future, and after so many years of hardwork, he still remained as a high-class yet useless censor.

However, he did not dare to grumble much, for he knew the real reason behind his stagnation—after he got involved with the case of Xuanwei General Lin Guangyuan that year, his promotion was slowed down. Moreover, after the massacre in a village at the Yan territory seven years ago which promoted him from the Department of Provincial Censor secretary to the Assistant to the Imperial Oversight Advisor, there was no more promotion from then on.

Since he had helped the prince and General Xia Hou to settle matters, he should not have gotten himself into such a state as reward. If say, these two bigwigs did not want anyone to know their past secrets, then they should have thought of several ways to silent him off, instead of leaving him at the Department of Provincial Censor. Weren’t they afraid that Zhang Yiqi would let the cat out of the bag due to the hatred within him?

For his own bright future, Zhang Yiqi had thought hard about it for two years and four years ago, he finally realized the truth. This made him shivered with fear.

To be able to let a successful censor falling into the pit of his life overnight, to be able to easily destroy the bright future which the prince and Xia Hou had prepared for him, as well as without letting anyone else be aware of these, there was only one person who could achieve it. That was His Majesty.

In the commoners’ eyes, though His Majesty was not considered as a bad leader in Tang Empire, but compared to the previous emperors, he was indeed more conservative and weaker.

Though it was kind of ridiculous, the thing that drew the whole world into such a conclusion was that ever since His Majesty took his place, the relationship that Tang Empire had with other countries became less violent and things became more negotiable.

Even though Tang Empire still held the biggest authority, but having a reasonable robber was still much better in the eyes of the commoners.

However, Zhang Yiqi and the other officers were very clear that His Majesty was undoubtedly neither a weakling nor a conservative person.

His Majesty loved literature and calligraphy since young, so he was considered a scholar under the dragon’s robe. Sometimes, he would also be lazy and casual.

However, His Majesty was, after all, from the Lee’s family. The blood that flowed in his body belonged to the arrogant and violent Tang royals. Should anyone pissed him off, that person would be scared off by His Majesty’s temper.

As for two cases of the betrayer Xuanwei General and the massacre at the Yan territory, all doubtful points were cleared and no evidence or witnesses were left. Even so, His Majesty did not fully trust the investigation result by his officers, but since no evidence was found at all, His Majesty did not bother to do much to raise the cases again. However, those officers that raised his suspicious would never expect any bright future in their lives again.

The prince was His Majesty’s most adored younger brother, and Xia Hou was His Majesty’s most favorite general, so His Majesty was able to forgive both of them temporarily. As for a small censor like Zhang Yiqi, why should he even bother?