26 The Poisonous Scheme

The night was deep. Outside the city gates, a few prison guards stood watch over a flatbed cart, upon which the corpse of Pang Cong lay covered by a tattered mat.

Pang Renmei feigned deep grief, bowing to the men in thanks while handing out a few silver coins to reward them. Seeing the guards depart, Pang Renmei felt a surge of joy; the plan had succeeded. He hurried to have someone change Pang Cong’s clothes.

"Master..." a shrill cry pierced the air.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed? Screaming like that in the middle of the night—you'll scare the life out of someone!" Pang Renmei barked in anger.

The servant trembled, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. "Master, the Young Master is dead. He’s already gone cold and stiff!"

"What did you say?" Pang Renmei’s body swayed, nearly collapsing to the ground. He stumbled, shoving the servant aside.

A physician examined Pang Cong’s body thoroughly and shook his head at Pang Renmei. "Your son died of poison."

"Poison?" Pang Renmei clutched his son's corpse, patting and striking it, only to be met with an icy chill. He wiped away his tears, his face turning frost-covered and his expression cold, a frigid glint flashing in his eyes.

Internally, a storm of fury raged. Was it the Prince of Qin who poisoned my son? Did my son, Pang Cong, take the fall for everything? Only the dead keep secrets. Was that it? He simply withheld his aid, knowing my son was already facing a death sentence? Did he want to have his cake and eat it too, keeping the Grand Tutor’s manor serving the House of Qin? The Prince of Qin is truly deep and unfathomable!

The blood debt of a murdered son is irreconcilable. With this bitter thought, Pang Renmei ordered the body to be taken to the Grand Tutor’s manor. He followed behind, stumbling as if he had aged many years in an instant.

***

Protected by his personal guards who fought to the death, Jing Ming returned to the capital in a sorry state, nursing a wound on his left shoulder. Of the two thousand men who had set out in high spirits, fewer than a hundred returned.

Emperor Hong was furious. "Useless! A complete waste! Not a single one of you brings me any peace of mind."

Jing Wei comforted him, saying, "Father, perhaps it was just Third Brother’s lack of experience. He was careless, greedy for merit, and charged in blindly, which led to such a disastrous defeat. Given time, once he has mastered the military classics, he will surely be able to annihilate the bandits and root out the threat forever."

Emperor Hong pondered this and nodded. "Fine. Confine Jing Ming to his manor for three months. He is to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors and is not to step outside without my decree!"

***

Although Jing Wei felt a twinge of regret that Jing Ming had escaped, he was secretly pleased. Upon returning to his own manor, he received reports from Bai Sheng, the "Daytime Rat," and Zhou Tong, the "Little Overlord," two of the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends.

Pang Cong had died of poisoning. The proprietor of the De Yi Restaurant, Wei Qing, was the younger brother of Li Lingli’s sister-in-law, Wei Hongying. Furthermore, the "Immortal’s Drunkenness" and "Concubine’s Smile" spirits sold at the restaurant were creations of Li Lingli. Most importantly, the De Yi Restaurant was the property of the Princess of Qin, Yang Simin, who leased it at an extremely low price to a horse trader named Huang. All intelligence suggested that the De Yi Restaurant had deep, tangled ties to the Manor of the Prince of Xiaoyao.

Hearing this, Jing Wei’s face darkened. He said with a sinister chill, "Guard against the day, guard against the night, but the thief within is the hardest to defend against! I have been incompetent. My own wife is turning her back on me, and I knew nothing of it! Better to mend the fence after the sheep is lost than not at all. One must secure the home front before resisting external threats. Do not blame me for being heartless! This is beyond endurance!"

He summoned Dongfang Ying, and they conspired for a long time. Dongfang Ying proposed three strategies. The first: host a birthday banquet for Jing Chen to test whether he was truly simple-minded. The second: infiltrate the Manor of the Prince of Xiaoyao with trusted agents to steal the brewing methods and destroy the workshops, cutting off the Prince of Xiaoyao’s source of wealth. The third: poison Jing Xuan to the point of muteness, using this as grounds to divorce the Princess of Qin, Yang Simin, while framing the De Yi Restaurant to ruin its business.

The plan was brilliant, and undeniably vicious.

Jing Wei hesitated. He truly disliked Yang Simin. When a man despises someone, he finds fault with everything they do, good or bad. He even looked at the son she bore with distaste. But to take action against his own flesh and blood? His heart wavered. Even a tiger does not eat its own cubs, let alone a man.

Dongfang Ying sensed his hesitation. "Wei-er," he said, "when you chose the path of the imperial succession, your future was destined to be filled with thorns and brambles. We cannot shrink back; we must hack our way through, pressing forward through wind and rain! Even if there are storms and earthquakes ahead, we must forge on, undeterred. A man must be ruthless to achieve greatness! Those who aim for the top do not get hung up on trifles. When you stand at the peak and gaze down upon the world, you will see all living things as mere grass, while they see you as a towering mountain! One step forward is the world; one step back is the abyss. I respect your choice. If you wish to give up, I shall simply return to wandering the world and laughing at life!"

Jing Wei was deeply encouraged. He drew a deep breath and bowed ninety degrees. "Master, your disciple has been taught well. In the future, I will rely on your guidance. I am deeply grateful for your devotion."

A fleeting look of cunning and malice flashed in the depths of Dongfang Ying’s eyes.

***

At court, Jing Wei knelt before the Dragon Throne. "Father, the Dragon Boat Festival is approaching, which is also the birthday of my seventh brother, Jing Chen. Between domestic affairs, state matters, and the business of the world, I know you are burdened with much. On this auspicious occasion, it would be a double celebration. I humbly request your permission to organize the birthday banquet for my seventh brother!"

Emperor Hong was pleased. "What you say aligns with my heart. Permission granted."

The Happy Burger shop and the Prince’s Cake shop opened on the same day. Gongs and drums thundered outside the doors, and firecrackers roared. Jing Chen had his manor guards perform a lion dance, chasing the colored ball to win good fortune, drawing a massive crowd of onlookers. Furthermore, there were gifts for entering the shop and free samples.

In just one day, everyone knew of them. Everything in the shops sold out, yet a constant stream of people continued to flood in. French fries, fried chicken wings, chicken tenders, drumsticks, nuggets, chicken burgers, chicken fillet burgers... cream cakes, breads, and cakes inlaid with fresh fruit—it was an unprecedented experience. It stimulated the taste buds and caused a sensation throughout the capital!

"Brother Chao, what are you doing here?" a man asked, his eyes filled with envy.

Wang Chao replied in surprise, "Pi San? It’s been years! Where have you been hiding?"

"Don't even mention it, Brother Chao. We were servants at the Manor of the Prince of Qi. After the crushing defeat during the bandit suppression led by the Third Prince, the Prince of Qi, Jing Ming, we were kicked out. We’re penniless and have nothing to do. I was hoping to find some work, and I never expected to run into you. You’ve done well for yourself; don’t forget your old brothers! Who are you working for? Could you introduce us?" Pi San looked distressed.

"I’m at the Manor of the Prince of Xiaoyao. Our Prince and Princess are excellent people. I’ll ask the Princess for you, as the manor is currently short-handed. But listen, you mustn’t be lazy or shifty, or don’t blame me for turning on you!" Wang Chao said with a stern face.

The three men exchanged glances, a flicker of triumph in their eyes. Wang Chao took it all in, remaining calm.

After hearing Wang Chao’s report, Jing Chen said lightly, "Let them come. Have them start with menial tasks, keep them entirely separated from the brewers, and forbid any contact. Monitor them closely!"

"Your Highness, why not hand them over to the Manor’s Brocade Guards? I don’t believe they wouldn't spill their secrets!" Wang Chao suggested.

"Rather than just guarding against thieves, it is better to use their own strategy against them." Jing Chen finished, the corners of his mouth curling upward in a faint smile.