Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 201 The Truth About Jian Ce

After reading the five volumes of bamboo slips, Zhou Wenzong pondered for a long time: "No wonder Lord Shentu tried every means to preserve them back then. He guessed that he would not be able to escape those traps when he accidentally collected these pieces of evidence."

Shen Tu Zhuo remained silent, feeling both absurd and unwilling.

The so-called travelogue was a record of Shen Tu Jianzhi's observations and deeds during his mission to the western border. When it was finally compiled into the Grand Herald's office, the five volumes in front of him were missing.

In these five volumes, he describes his encounter with a strange caravan outside Yangguan. At the time, he was traveling with the Li family's caravan towards Mohe, and his interaction with that caravan was brief.

The odd thing was that the caravan claimed to be traveling to the western countries to sell silk and tea, yet the crates carrying their goods were wrapped tightly, and the camel tracks were unusually deep. Boss Li often transported these goods, and in his experience, those carts of silk and tea shouldn't have looked so heavy.

Moreover, the people in that caravan always had serious faces and didn't speak. Even when they stopped to rest, they would just quietly eat some dry rations and drink some water, without anyone talking or laughing. Unlike here, where the pots were set up steaming hot, the young men would go to the puddles to scrub themselves, catch fish, pick some wild fruits for a snack, and some would even wrestle over a piece of dried meat, shouting and jeering.

Boss Li had approached them to discuss a potential barter arrangement, hoping to establish a good relationship. However, they gave a vague answer, stating that their goods were all pre-ordered and they couldn't sell them freely; more or less wouldn't do. Since that was the case, Boss Li didn't press the issue. He simply chatted privately with Shen Tu Jianzhi, remarking that these people didn't seem to know much about business, being too rigid and lacking the shrewdness and sophistication of merchants.

Since they were just strangers who had met by chance, they didn't want to interfere with how others did business, and Shentu Jianzhi didn't take it too seriously.

Not long after, the two caravans parted ways. Since Shentu knew that he was going to visit an oasis marked on a map to see if there were still villages inhabited by the Hu people there, he arranged to meet Boss Li in the small town of Wuxu and led the delegation to the location vaguely marked on the map.

However, it was here that he found himself in the most dangerous situation.

Shen Tu Jianzhi was surprised that the caravan that had turned towards Yangma Kingdom three days ago would detour and appear in this valley, and that they were making a deal with the Ti Nu Iron Cavalry.

Those goods were not silk or tea, but rather refined weapons and ironware from the Great Xuan Dynasty.

Using the canyon rocks as cover, Shentu Jianzhi overheard the two sides communicating in Tinu language. They sounded very familiar with each other, mentioning "Qi Zhengchu," "the Fifth Prince," "the Zhenxi Army," and "border riots" several times.

Clearly, there are people in the court secretly colluding with the enemy.

He knew then that he was probably in deep trouble.

The delegation was later discovered by those people. The guards and subordinates fought desperately to protect them, and Shentu Jianzhi managed to escape and go to Wuxu to meet up with Boss Li.

When Boss Li saw that he was in a disheveled state and had no servants left, he was shocked and asked him what had happened.

Shen Tu Jianzhi only knew that he had encountered vicious bandits, and did not tell him the truth.

What happened next was what King Qin and Shen Tu Zhuo speculated about.

Upon returning to the capital, Shentu Jianzhi indeed faced fierce impeachment, accused of numerous crimes. Evidence and witnesses were readily available, leaving him no way to defend himself. Fortunately, he wasn't entirely without a plan. Before returning to Andu, he secretly contacted Boss Li and handed him five volumes of written documents. Upon reading the documents, Boss Li, realizing their gravity, rushed to Andu to provide support, hoping to testify and overturn Shentu Jianzhi's case. However, before he even arrived, the matter was already settled. He could only settle for second best, taking over the Shentu family's old residence and secretly monitoring the capital's movements. Unfortunately, this also aroused suspicion and suppression from that faction, destroying his business built over many years and nearly costing his entire family dearly.

However, he was cautious and ultimately managed to preserve the five volumes of bamboo slips. Perhaps before heading to Andu, he had made the worst-case scenario plan and left the important task entrusted to him by his old friend in an absolutely safe place.

Later, Shen Tu Jianzhi was demoted all the way to Zhangye County, and Boss Li also moved his family to Dunhuang.

As time passed and the truth of what happened back then was hidden under the Buddha's seat, it has only now been revealed to the world.
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Cai Zhu'er asked in confusion, "But I don't understand. Now that we have evidence of Qi Zhengchu's crimes, why doesn't Lord Shentu make it public? That's a serious crime of treason!"

Zhou Wenzong replied, "Because there is no chance of winning. The other side has already dug his grave. As long as he steps on it, he will surely be smashed to pieces. Given the situation at the time, the Prefect of the Capital, Minister Lu, and all those who falsely accused Lord Shentu were all Qi Zhengchu's lackeys. If he were to confess to these five volumes of bamboo slips, he would truly be on the verge of death."

Shen Tu Zhuo said, "That's right. These five volumes of bamboo slips will be destroyed or altered before they reach His Majesty's presence. If we fail to bring down the other side, they might become evidence against us instead. Only by hiding them can we make the other side hesitate and not dare to go all out. I must say, Father has made the best choice to protect himself."

"Wait, the weapons and ironware of Da Xuan... were transported to Ti Nu?" Cai Zhu'er realized, "When the marriage alliance was attacked, could the scimitars used by those assassins be these weapons?"

"What is described in the document is very similar to what I found at the Zhenxi Army." Zhou Wenzong nodded.

"Now that we have obtained the document, can we exonerate Lord Shentu?" Caizhu asked indignantly. "At the very least, we should bring down Grand Minister Qi Zhengchu, right? He has been colluding with Ti Nu for many years, making secret deals! These people will definitely not sit idly by and watch Da Xuan and Mo He form an alliance to fight against Ti Nu. So, Princess Alan's assassination was also his doing, wasn't it? My father and brothers... died unjustly at his hands!"

"Don't rush, Caizhu, calm down." Zhou Wenzong soothed her gently. "I understand how you feel, but if you want to take revenge, these five volumes of bamboo slips are far from enough."

"Why isn't that enough? Isn't this irrefutable evidence?"

“No, these are not irrefutable evidence, but rather evidence that the dead cannot testify,” Shen Tu Zhuo said helplessly. “Now that both Aweng and Boss Li have passed away, none of the people who witnessed this event back then are still alive.”

"If we accuse Qi Zhengchu of treason based solely on these five volumes of documents, he can easily turn the tables and accuse me of fabricating evidence to exonerate my father. He has many cronies in the court, while I am merely a newly appointed Grand Master of Ceremonies. How can I possibly stand against him? In the end, I will only become the second Grand Master."

"Alright." Cai Zhu suppressed her anger. "So this is what Aunt Jun has been worried about all along."

“This document only records their trade in weapons and ironware, but it cannot directly prove that he was the mastermind behind the assassination of the marriage alliance and the killing of your father and brothers,” Shen Tu Zhuo said. “We need more direct evidence—such as his secret letters with Ti Nu, or the testimonies of those who participated in this matter.”

"So what should we do now? Are we just going to let him go like this?"

"Your Highness, what do you think?" Shen Tu Zhuo asked Zhou Wen Cong.

"This matter involves many things and should not be rushed. I will immediately report to the Crown Prince and ask him to secretly investigate Qi Zhengchu's recent dealings with Ti Nu. As soon as there is any news, I will send someone to deliver the message."
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Next chapter: That caravan still exists.