PCA Chapter 80

Li Shi and his group hurried back to Yangzhou city early in the morning.

 

The Prince Ning, who should have been in the capital, suddenly appeared in Yangzhou with fleeing criminals, frightening Governor Xue Zhi and others nearly to death. Accompanying them were Jia Wangchun, who should have died in the fire, and Su Cen, the Assistant Magistrate of the Dali Temple, who had been posing as Li Xu in Yangzhou for a long time.

 

Astute observers could see that the Prince Ning was about to turn Yangzhou upside down, but after arriving, he merely made an appearance and didn’t even stay at the imperial residence in Yangzhou. Instead, he went straight to the Su family’s mansion and stayed for two days.

 

This was like a sword hanging in the air, causing anxiety among those involved. Some were eager to act, but no one could be sure of the Prince Ning’s intentions.

 

Little did they know that the Prince Ning was leisurely fishing in the Su family’s back garden.

 

Su Lan woke up in a small house the second day after his disappearance. The house was ordinary, but in the center of the courtyard were three chests full of gold.

 

Su Lan knew where this gold came from and had nowhere to put it. Coincidentally, with the Prince Ning staying at his house, Su Lan brought it out, considering it as turning it over to the authorities.

 

Li Shi couldn’t help but smile as he held two gold ingots. The Su family was indeed generous – a dowry of 3,000 taels of gold right off the bat. This would force the Xingqing Palace to sell everything to prepare a matching betrothal gift.

 

Qi Lin and Qu Ling’er also returned with Su Lan.

 

Both were covered in blood. Qu Ling’er was pale as paper, with a bloody hole in his chest that Qi Lin was trying to cover with his hand, but blood kept seeping out. Su Cen directed his servants to take Qu Ling’er from Qi Lin’s arms and met Qi Lin’s eyes, almost frightened by what he saw.

 

Those eyes seemed stained with fresh blood, terrifyingly crimson, yet with a gaze cold enough to freeze, as if covered by a layer of ice that would never see the sun.

 

Su Cen could clearly see that Qi Lin’s Qinghong sword, from hilt to sheath and even the small exposed part of the blade, was covered in blood stains. The blood had dried in the patterns, like an indelible layer of rust.

 

Su Cen summoned the best doctor in all of Yangzhou. After a day and night of effort and various miraculous medicines, they managed to snatch a life back from the King of Hell.

 

Qi Lin remained as he was when he arrived, standing guard outside the door in his blood-soaked clothes for a day and a night.

 

When Su Cen saw him again the next day, he had reverted to his former self as Guard Qi.

 

Only his eyes were colder now, following Li Shi closely and never again setting foot in the courtyard where Qu Ling’er was staying.

 

After two days of Li Shi remaining unmoved, Su Cen was unsure of the old fox’s intentions. He chose an afternoon to lean on his cane and try to gauge the royal opinion, only to find someone had beaten him to it when he reached the door.

 

Inside, someone was chatting animatedly. Through the slightly open door, Su Cen saw that the person standing was Feng Yiming.

 

After waiting for three years, Li Shi finally showing up now was unexpected. Su Cen had no interest in such reunions and heartfelt conversations, nor did he want to eavesdrop in the corridor. He was about to leave when he heard Feng Yiming’s slightly hoarse voice suddenly say, “My lord, I want to return to Chang’an.”

 

Su Cen frowned and stopped in his tracks.

 

Li Shi didn’t rush to answer. After a while, he said, “Yangzhou is quite nice. It suits you better.”

 

“Why?!” Feng Yiming demanded, his voice rough and tinged with a sob.

 

Su Cen had never seen Feng Yiming like this before.

 

In his memory, Feng Yiming was arrogant, sharp, and even a talented scholar he envied a little. He had endured in Yangzhou for three years, maneuvering through various challenges, surviving in the cracks, and even betraying the Secret Door for Li Shi.

 

Honestly, Su Cen wasn’t sure he could have gone to such lengths himself.

 

Yet this person, so proud that others looked up to him, was now humbled to dust before Li Shi.

 

Feng Yiming asked “why” several times without getting a response from Li Shi. Finally, he stopped asking and mumbled, “It’s because of him, isn’t it?”

 

“I knew it. Once I hurt him, there was no way back,” Feng Yiming laughed bitterly. “But people are so despicable, always wanting to take a gamble. What if, what if without him, you might think of using something else as a replacement?”

 

Li Shi sighed and raised his hand to wipe away Feng Yiming’s tears. Feng Yiming grabbed that hand, holding it to his chest, his shoulders slightly trembling.

 

Li Shi calmly withdrew his hand: “You already know, so why ask?”

 

Su Cen silently descended the stairs with his cane.

 

He had never understood why Feng Yiming had released him in Chuzhou. If he truly feared Li Shi’s disapproval as he claimed, he wouldn’t have captured Su Cen in the first place.

 

Feng Yiming must have known that in that competition, it was either him or Su Cen. He gambled with the resolve to die. Since Su Cen didn’t die that night, Feng Yiming had already lost.

 

As he was leaving the courtyard, Su Cen heard a hoarse low roar from the room, “Why him?”

 

Why? He knew what Feng Yiming was asking. They were so alike, why him?

 

He had asked himself the same question. Perhaps it was because he appeared at the right time when Li Shi needed someone by his side, and he happened to present himself. Or perhaps the royal favor hadn’t passed, new people laugh while old ones remain silent. He was the new person now, but one day he would become the old one.

 

But they were ultimately different.

 

At least he wouldn’t tear off his facade and make himself so miserable after knowing there was no possibility left.

 

After Feng Yiming left, Su Cen came back, pretending to be nonchalant, as if he knew nothing.

 

Li Shi asked directly, how much did you hear?

 

Su Cen was secretly amazed at how Li Shi seemed to know everything.

 

Li Shi smiled and said, “Next time you eavesdrop, don’t use your cane.”

 

Su Cen looked at the cane leaning against the table and silently wrapped a layer of cloth around its foot.

 

Li Shi patted Su Cen’s head, smiling, “Zixu is so clever.”

 

Knowing Li Shi was teasing him, Su Cen gave him a mild glare before turning to ask about important matters. How to deal with He Xiao? How to handle the salt affairs? How to clean up the officialdom?

 

Instead of answering, Li Shi asked, “How is your leg?”

 

Su Cen was slightly stunned, then heard Li Shi continue, “Your case, I’ll leave it to you to handle. Do you dare?”

 

Su Cen thought for a moment, then smiled.

 

“I dare.”

 

He suddenly understood what Li Shi had been waiting for these days.

 

Li Shi said, “A newborn calf isn’t afraid of tigers.”

 

Su Cen replied with a smile, “I won’t give up until I hit the south wall.”

 

Li Shi said, “Aren’t you afraid that people in the court will deliberately make things difficult for you? The abolition of the salt monopoly decree will face huge resistance, and salt merchants from various places may oppose your Su family. This matter is far-reaching, and when some people are pushed to desperation, they will surely use ancestral systems to pressure you.”

 

Su Cen’s eyes were frighteningly clear, “With you, I’m not afraid.”

 

Li Shi smiled, “My Zixu is indeed clever.”

 

He only spoke of the unpredictable road ahead, without explicitly stating that he would be behind Su Cen.

 

Li Shi tapped the table, “Su Cen, receive the imperial edict.”

 

Su Cen was about to stand up but suddenly remembered his injured leg, fearing he couldn’t kneel down.

 

Just as he was in a dilemma, he saw Li Shi’s hand on the table and couldn’t help but smile.

 

With two fingers slightly bent, Su Cen made a kneeling gesture on the table.

 

Li Shi smiled slightly and said, “Promote Assistant Magistrate Su Cen of the Dali Temple to temporarily serve as the Junior Chief Magistrate of the Dali Temple, to thoroughly investigate the salt affairs in Yangzhou. Wherever he goes, it shall be as if this Prince were there in person.”

 

Su Cen was slightly stunned, then solemnly said, “I accept the edict and thank you for your grace.”

 

 

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