knife

Chapter 492 The Truth
“I was also involved in Lin Hong’s death. You don’t mind?” Li Dachui asked.

Xiang Zhuang shook his head. "Although Lin Hong was once under your command, he is obsessed with power and fame, and has parted ways with us. He is adept at playing both sides, being loyal to the Empress Dowager while maintaining certain ties with us, and at the same time desperately trying to strengthen his own personal power. His ambition is too great."

"But you still keep Wang Jun with him?"

"That's why Wang Jun is safe with him!" Xiang Zhuang said. "Under the Tianluo search, there are really not many safe places in the Great Chu. And Wang Jun is unwilling to leave the Great Chu and flee to other places. He always wants to seize the few opportunities he has to overthrow Jiang Qian."

"Understood!" Li Dachui said.

"The Protector-General is quite skillful. With a simple and clever maneuver, he turned Yong'an County upside down. Although we lost one soldier, Wang Jun, in this matter, we also gained a lot!" Xiang Zhuang said, "In a way, we have to thank the Protector-General!"

Li Dachui laughed and said, "It's just a matter of each getting what they need. Yong'an County and Ruyin County are flying on both wings, posing too great a threat to the eight towns south of the Qin River. In particular, Yong'an County controls Fancheng, which is a constant threat to Xiangcheng. At that time, I just wanted to help He Zudao take back Fancheng."

Xiang Zhuang gave Li Dachui a deep look and said, "He Zudao and you, the Protector-General, are hardly family, are they? Why are you helping him?"

“If Xiangyang and Fancheng are united, He Zudao’s value will increase significantly, giving him more leverage to negotiate with the Great Chu and preventing him from quickly siding with you,” Li Dachui laughed. “For me, isn’t that the most advantageous thing?”

"The Protector-General is indeed a formidable figure!" Xiang Zhuang said. "This matter is also a good thing for the Empress Dowager, because Lin Hong seems to be loyal to her, but he is the kind of opportunist who will turn against her at any time. She can kill Lin Hong in a legitimate way, confiscate the Lin family's property, seize a large amount of wealth to reward the soldiers, and distribute the recovered land to the people. Moreover, she can also transfer He Jiong, the deputy governor of Danyang, to Yong'an County, thus completely taking over Yong'an County."

"Is it because He Jiong left, and instead one of your people got the position of deputy governor of Danyang?" Li Dachui asked curiously. "If not, then your losses far outweigh your gains!"

Xiang Zhuang was deeply moved, staring at Li Dachui as if he were a monster. After a long while, he said, "I didn't expect the Protector-General to have guessed even this. You're right, the current Deputy Governor of Danyang is indeed one of our men. Of course, on the surface, he's the Empress's man!"

"You're quite cunning!" Li Dachui exclaimed. "Jiang Qian underestimated you; it looks like she's going to suffer a great loss!"

"The Demon Queen is not so easy to deal with, but for some reason she has been following you, Protector-General, during this time, so we can take advantage of this opportunity to stretch our arms and legs freely. If she returns and focuses her attention on us, we will have to be careful again!"

"You want me to keep bothering her for a while longer?" Li Dachui laughed. "The initiative in this matter is with her, not me!"

"I'm sure the Protector-General has a plan!" Xiang Zhuang said. "However, there's another matter I need the Protector-General's assistance with!"

"Speaking!"

Xiang Zhuang stood up, took out a sealed box from the cabinet behind him, opened the box, and inside was another small sealed porcelain jar. Under Li Dachui's questioning gaze, Xiang Zhuang opened the porcelain jar and poured out its contents.

It turned out to be a pile of medicine dregs.

"This isn't the medicine your late emperor drank, is it?" Li Dachui asked.

"Exactly!" Xiang Zhuang said solemnly, "This is the only dregs of medicine we managed to obtain by any means necessary. The late emperor's health deteriorated too quickly back then, so we were naturally suspicious. However, we examined these dregs carefully and found nothing wrong with them. Nevertheless, we preserved them. We've heard that the Protector-General studied under the renowned physician Fu of Changchun Valley and is extremely skilled in the art of poisons. It's rumored that Emperor Yingzhuo of the Yuan Kingdom died from the Protector-General's poison. Therefore, we would like to ask you to take a look!"

"Don't believe or spread rumors!" Li Dachui shook his head repeatedly: "Ying Zhuo died of natural causes, it was definitely not me who poisoned him!"

Xiang Zhuang laughed heartily, but remained silent.

Li Dachui coughed a few times, picking through the dried dregs of the medicine, examining them carefully, and occasionally bringing them to his nose to smell them. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a slight smile finally appeared on Li Dachui's face. He said, "Good technique! I think I roughly understand what's going on!"

"Was the late emperor truly poisoned to death?"

"It's not really poisonous!" Li Dachui said. "Herbal medicines have mutual interactions and are ever-changing. How to use them depends on one's own understanding."

He reached out and picked out a few dregs of medicine, then said, "If you can find the original prescription, it must have mentioned taking it with something like flower dew. Flower dew isn't unusual, but taking it with these herbs will do more harm than good. The key is that you won't be able to find any clues afterward; you'll just think it's because your lifespan has run out. The person who wrote this prescription was a master."

Xiang Zhuang gritted his teeth: "As expected! If the late emperor hadn't died, how could the wicked empress have ascended to the throne? Thank you for your explanation, sir. Today, we finally understand that nothing was accidental, but rather a deliberate scheme by the wicked empress!"

"What will you do next?"

“Next, we will naturally set things right, and I imagine the Protector-General would be happy to see that happen,” Xiang Zhuang said.

Li Dachui laughed and said, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"The Protector-General has already helped us a great deal!" Xiang Zhuang said. "If the Protector-General can also help us hold off this wicked queen for a while longer, that would be even better."

Li Dachui nodded and said, "Next, we should go to Yunwu Mountain!"

"The Demonic Cult's headquarters!"

Li Dachui nodded: "If she has any designs on me, it should be there."

"Since the Protector-General already knows, why go anyway?"

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Besides, I have some personal reasons for having to go there!" Li Dachui said.

Xiang Zhuang nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

"I've been out for quite a while now, I have to go back!" Li Dachui stood up and said, "Then I wish you all the best!"

Xiang Zhuang also stood up, took out several items from the cabinet, and said, "Protector, you've been out for a while, it wouldn't be right if you didn't buy something to take back. I've prepared these for you, so that the Empress might not become suspicious!"

"That's thoughtful!" Li Dachui said, picking up the items. "So, we're leaving from here?"

Xiang Zhuang nodded.

As Li Dachui stepped out of the courtyard, he reverted to his old self—a bearded, street-smart man with a knife slung over his shoulder and carrying several beautifully packaged snacks—and swaggered back down the street.

(End of this chapter)