For half a month, I shed a layer of skin in the prison of the Eastern Depot. I personally led the guards to infiltrate the Zhang residence at night and brought back the secret account book containing three million taels of embezzled silver, slamming it intact onto Wei Wuyuan's desk. Not only did I survive, but as Wei Wuyuan's accompanying guard, I openly stepped into the imperial palace's night banquet.
The sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air. The moment Wei Wuyuan took his seat, the surrounding clamor seemed to be abruptly cut off by someone. The courtiers, who had been talking and laughing, all averted their eyes, not even daring to breathe heavily. I lowered my eyes and stood quietly in the shadow behind Wei Wuyuan.
In the center of the hall, Crown Prince Li Chongjing was raising his cup, toasting the emperor and empress on their high seats. Zhang Beiyu sat in the most prominent position below. She carried herself with elegance, receiving the admiration of the surrounding noble ladies. The highlight of tonight's banquet, everyone knew it in their hearts, was that the crown prince would take the opportunity of presenting an auspicious gift to formally propose marriage to Zhang Beiyu, the legitimate child of the Zhang family.
"Father, your servant recently obtained a blood coral from the Eastern Sea. It is truly an auspicious gift from heaven. Your servant wishes to present this auspicious gift to Father. At the same time, your servant has an audacious request. Beiyu, the legitimate child of the Zhang family, is gentle and virtuous. Your servant has long admired her. I beg Father to grant this marriage."
Li Chongjing waved his hand, and two eunuchs carried a brocade box covered with red silk up into the grand hall. Immediately, a chorus of flattering congratulations echoed throughout the hall. Zhang Beiyu stood up at just the right moment, walked to the center of the grand hall, and knelt down by Li Chongjing's side. In her lowered eyes, there was nothing but the arrogance and smugness of being on the verge of getting her wish.
At the exact moment the emperor and empress were about to nod with a smile, Wei Wuyuan, who was sitting in front of me, picked up his wine cup and gently tapped his slender finger against the rim.
This was the signal.
"Wait."
The crisp voice cut through the festive mood of the grand hall like a sharp blade. All eyes instantly focused on me. Kneeling in the center of the hall, Zhang Beiyu whipped her head around upon hearing the voice. The moment she clearly saw my face, her pupils constricted sharply. The poised mask she had been maintaining instantly shattered, and a look of utter disbelief and horror flashed in her eyes.
"How is this possible? You're actually not dead."
Although Zhang Beiyu kept her voice very low, that ghastly lapse of composure still caught the attention of several nearby ministers.
"You seem very disappointed, elder sister. My life is cheap, and the King of Hell refused to take me, so I had to return to congratulate you."
"Impudent. How dare a servant of the Eastern Depot disrupt this night banquet and interrupt my petition? Director Wei, is this how you discipline your subordinates?"
I didn't look at him, but walked straight to the brocade box and whipped off the red silk cover.
"To answer Your Highness the Crown Prince, this blood coral is indeed an auspicious omen, except it is also stolen goods from the Jiangnan water transport embezzlement case."
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall went into an uproar.
"You slander me. I acquired this at a great cost."
"According to the laws of the Great Ye, in all cases involving major embezzlement, all physical evidence is to be examined by the Eastern Depot. Your Highness keeps insisting that you acquired it at a great cost. But did you know that on the bottom of this blood coral, the private seal of the Jiangnan water gang is carved? Half a month ago, the Jiangnan Canal gang transported three million taels of dirty silver to the capital. This blood coral was the cargo-securing gift that came with the ship into the capital. Your Highness, by insisting on keeping this stolen property, could it be that you wish to take the fall for the Jiangnan Canal gang's treason?"
My words were sharp and precise, each sounding like a resounding slap struck hard across Li Chongjing's face. The contents of the Zhang family's private ledger had been flawlessly pinned onto this coral by me. Regardless of whether it was stolen goods, as long as the Eastern Depot said it was, this marriage could not proceed.
Forced back a step by me, Li Chongjing had blue veins bulging on his forehead. He looked toward the emperor on the high throne as if pleading for help. But the emperor's face had already completely darkened. Embezzlement cases were a sore spot for the emperor. Anyone who touched them would perish.
Zhang Beiyu finally snapped back to her senses.
"Nanji, you were driven from the house because of your mistakes. I can understand the resentment in your heart. But in front of His Majesty, how can you be allowed to fabricate evidence for a personal grudge and falsely accuse the crown prince?"
Zhang Beiyu was trying to chalk everything up to my personal revenge.
Wei Wuyuan, who had been silently watching the show, finally let out a soft chuckle at this moment. He stood up unhurriedly and slowly walked down the steps.
"With those words, Eldest Miss Zhang, are you questioning my Eastern Depot's ability to handle cases? This girl is right. The private ledgers from Jiangnan are right on my desk. This coral presented by the crown prince is something I must take back to the imperial prison for examination. As for the imperial marriage, Your Highness, you had better first explain clearly the origin of this stolen property before talking about matters of the heart."
The grand hall fell into a dead silence. No one dared to voice any congratulations anymore. Li Chongjing's face turned pale, and he could only swallow his anger in silence, watching helplessly as the Eastern Depot guards carried the blood coral away in front of all the civil and military officials.
I cast a cold glance at Zhang Beiyu, who was kneeling on the floor. The grand wedding ceremony she had meticulously planned had completely turned into a joke in the eyes of the civil and military officials. Not only did she fail to secure her grand marriage in style, she was also tainted by association with this piece of stolen goods.
The moment we brushed past each other, I spoke. "My dear eldest sister, this is only the first round."
Zhang Beiyu's body trembled violently. She bit her lower lip hard, almost drawing blood.
I did not look back as I strode out of the hall behind Wei Wuyuan. With the night wind blowing against my face, I tasted the sweetness of revenge for the first time. Zhang Beiyu, your days of falling from the clouds have only just begun.