Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 697 The Scapegoat and the Brothel Fire

"Lord Li, who has arrived?" As soon as Li Erzhan returned to the reception room in the back hall, a minor official standing near the door immediately went up to greet him and ask.

"Did Imperial Envoy Yuan and his men give any instructions?" another person asked.

Li Erzhan ignored them and silently walked to his previous seat under everyone's gaze. He took a sip of tea, put down his cup, and said, "That's all for today, everyone go back. If there are any arrangements later, I'll send someone to let you know."

Some people, filled with trepidation, curiosity, or something else, wanted to inquire further about "Lord Li," but the words caught in their throats when Li Erzhan's sweeping gaze made them choke back down. "Go back! I don't want to say it a third time."

Only then did the people rise to bid farewell to Li Erzhan.

"Li Tingbiao, come back!" Just as the reception room was about to be emptied, Li Erzhan's voice came out from the deepest shadows.

Li Tingbiao froze, cold sweat pouring down his face. He turned back, filled with fear, while the others quickened their pace after a brief pause.

"Li, Li," Li Tingbiao stammered as he approached Li Erzhan, his face ashen. "Does Lord Li have any orders?"

"Sit down." Li Erzhan smiled and gestured to the seat next to him.

“How dare I stand shoulder to shoulder with Lord Li!” Li Tingbiao not only did not sit down, but instead knelt heavily on the ground.

"Why did you suddenly kneel down?" Li Erzhan stood up, took Li Tingbiao's arm, and pressed him into the seat. "I told you to sit, so sit."

As soon as Li Erzhan let go, Li Tingbiao sprang up. "I've always been timid, so please don't scare me, Lord Li!"

"Why would I scare you?" Li Erzhan smiled kindly, but his actions showed no sign of softening. He grabbed Li Tingbiao's shoulders and pressed him back into his seat. "Sit still. I'm doing this for your own good."

Li Tingbiao remained frozen in his chair, his pupils trembling violently.

“Come,” Li Erzhan walked to the seat where Li Tingbiao had been sitting, picked up the tea that Li Tingbiao had drunk from, which was now completely cold, and placed it on the tea table. “Let’s drink and talk.”

“Say what, say what?” Li Tingbiao turned his head blankly and stared straight at the teacup.

"How many years have you been following me?" Li Erzhan picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"It's been almost thirteen years, hasn't it?" Li Tingbiao swallowed hard and subconsciously reached for the teacup, but the moment he touched the cup, he pulled his hand back as if he had been pricked by a needle.

"What's wrong? Hehe," Li Erzhan said with a smile, looking at Li Tingbiao. "This is your tea. I just drank it, but it's a little cold."

"I... I don't want to drink cold tea. Could you please give me a hot one, Mr. Li?" Li Tingbiao was breathing heavily, his voice already trembling with barely concealed sobs.

"Of course, it's just a cup of tea." Li Erzhan nodded, then turned and shouted towards the door, "Someone come here!"

"Master!" A trusted servant rushed in.

"Take it away." Li Erzhan pointed to Li Tingbiao's cup of tea, but even as his trusted servant carried the tea away, he did not suggest serving a new one.

"How have I treated you in these thirteen years?" Li Erzhan looked at Li Tingbiao with a smile on his lips, but a hint of sadness flickered in his eyes.

"It's like being reborn." As soon as he finished saying these four dry words, two drops of turbid tears slid down the wrinkles on Li Tingbiao's face.

"You sent people to kill Princess Zhenming, didn't you?" Li Erzhan shook out his sleeves and wiped away Li Tingbiao's tears.

“No,” Li Tingbiao suddenly stood up, then knelt down heavily again. “I didn’t do it!”

"You sent someone to kill Princess Jeongmyeong!" This time, Li Erzhan didn't pull Li Tingbiao up again, but just lowered his head and stared at him. "Last autumn, on the 23rd of the ninth month of the 48th year of Wanli, you received a secret message from the deposed king in the rear garden of Changdeok Palace. The deposed king ordered you to send someone to infiltrate Gyeongun Palace and assassinate Queen Dowager Kim."

"Your men sneaked into the Xiyu Hall on the night of September 24th, intending to assassinate Queen Dowager Kim, but on their way to Queen Dowager Kim's bedroom, they encountered Princess Jeongmyeong getting up in the middle of the night."

“Your men mistakenly killed Princess Zhenming and then fled Qingyun Palace. Later, when you learned that the plot had failed, you personally killed the body to silence them and buried it next to an abandoned Taoist temple in the east of the city.”

"I didn't, I didn't!" Li Tingbiao knew exactly what Li Erzhan meant. He shook his head repeatedly, tears streaming down his face.

"You did this." Li Erzhan stared intently at Li Tingbiao. "You did it!"

"But isn't Princess Zhenming still alive?" Li Tingbiao shouted. "You and Judge Zhang submitted that joint memorial not long ago!"

"Queen Kim said that Princess Jeongmyeong is dead, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard has also dug up the princess's remains in the backyard of the Former Imperial Palace." Li Erzhan's voice was as steady as before. "The reason why Zhang Wan and I submitted that memorial together was simply because we, and the people of the world, were kept in the dark by you and the deposed king. We didn't know that the princess was dead."

"No, no!" Li Tingbiao almost roared. "Princess Zhenming is definitely still alive! That remains were just those of an ordinary palace maid!"

“Yes, she was just an ordinary palace maid.” Li Erzhan took a deep breath slowly. “But Consort Jin insisted that it was Princess Zhenming, and the Imperial Guards also believed that it was Princess Zhenming, so she must be Princess Zhenming.”

"Then you should find the person who killed her to take the blame!" Li Tingbiao's eyes gleamed with pleading. "Give me some time. A month, no! Half a month! Just give me half a month, and I'll definitely find that person!"

“No. It doesn’t matter who did the killing anymore.” Li Erzhan sighed and shook his head. “Queen Kim named names, in front of the three imperial envoys, the regent, and the queen, saying that you and Zheng Hang killed her daughter, so it must be you.”

“This is revenge! I didn’t do it at all!” Li Tingbiao glared at Li Erzhan, his eyes flashing with anger.

“Yes, it’s revenge out of personal vendetta. But what can you do about it?” Li Erzhan chuckled softly. “You take the blame. I’ll arrange for someone else to take the place of your two sons. I’ll also take care of your elderly mother until her death.”

Li Tingbiao's body went limp, but he still had one last straw: "You should let Zheng Hang take the blame; he has clearly betrayed you."

“Zheng Hang will commit suicide soon out of fear of punishment, and his whole family will die.” Li Erzhan gently patted Li Tingbiao’s head, then left without looking back.

He also wanted to arrange for someone to bury a corpse next to the Taoist temple he had just mentioned.

The night was hot and humid, like an oil-soaked cotton cloth, heavily draped over the walls of Hanyang. Cicadas chirped hoarsely in the dense shade of the trees, but could not dispel even a trace of the heat.

Ever since Admiral Shen Yourong led the Ming army into Hanyang, this Joseon capital has lost its former vibrancy, leaving only a listless silence squeezed out by the armor.

After the curfew gong sounded, the streets were deserted, except for the small patrols of Ming soldiers wearing chainmail and carrying waist knives, whose slow, heavy steps made a monotonous sound as they rubbed against the cooling stone slabs.

Lu Jianxing, a probationary commander of the Imperial Guard, unbuttoned the top button of his dark blue cotton robe and wiped the fine sweat from his neck. He wasn't on official business; he was simply feeling incredibly stifled tonight and wanted to find a place to drink some cool wine and relax. As one of the Imperial Guards stationed in Hanyang, he understood and spoke Korean, which allowed him to easily slip into the darkness of this conquered land.

His destination was clear: Zuiyue Tower in Yinchunfang, west of the city. That area was one of the few places in Hanyang that had maintained its dignity and liveliness even after the Ming army entered the city, and had even become more lively.

The red lanterns hanging at the entrance of Zuiyue Tower looked listless in the windless night, casting a dim red glow. The pimp, with his sharp eyes, immediately recognized the unfamiliar face as someone of extraordinary origin. So he greeted him with a fawning smile.

"Find me a private room by the window." Before Gui Gong could speak, Lu Jianxing took out several brand-new Wanli Tongbao coins and threw them over.

"Alright, please come in!" Upon discovering that the other party had thrown over "Tang coins," the pimp immediately smiled even more obsequiously.

The building was even more stuffy and hot inside than outside. The air was filled with a strong smell of sweat, cosmetics, rice wine, and cheap mosquito repellent, creating a stale and dizzying atmosphere.

The music was weak and listless, mixed with the forced coquettish laughter of women and the drunken clamor of male guests.

Lu Jianxing was led to a private room on the second floor by the window, where at least there was some draft. He didn't have any specific goal for the night; he just wanted to find a girl he liked to keep him company with a few drinks of cold wine and some music to while away the unbearable summer night. The pimp eagerly handed over a list of names, introducing several "unmarried courtesans" with great enthusiasm.

“They are all impeccably clean virgins,” even in the private room, the pimp’s voice was deliberately kept low: “Their figures and looks are impeccable, specially trained to serve distinguished guests…”

Lu Jianxing listened casually, his mind already drifting to the rice wine chilled in a deep well. He had just pointed to a name, preparing to have the pimp call someone in.

at this time--

Bang—crash—!
A loud cracking sound and a woman's scream suddenly erupted from the lobby downstairs! This was followed by a man's rough cursing and the sounds of a struggle!

"You dog of a lackey! You blind fool! You've spilled wine all over me!" a man with a heavy Shandong accent roared.

"Sir, spare me! Spare me! I deserve to die! The ground is slippery..." another voice pleaded in Korean, its tone trembling with tears.

"Damn it, what are you babbling about? Watch out or I'll chop off your hand!" This shout was followed by the sound of a blade scraping against its sheath.

Chaos quickly escalated! Tables and chairs were overturned, cups and plates were shattered, women cried out, pimps tried to mediate, and other guests exclaimed in surprise... all sorts of sounds erupted downstairs!

"Tsk!" Lu Jianxing frowned, his newly aroused interest instantly waning. He got up and walked to the door of the private room, holding the armrest and looking down. In the center of the hall, two Ming military officers, their faces flushed from drinking, were grabbing a pimp by the collar. On the overturned low table beside them, wine was spilled all over the floor, and a large copper basin of cold water was tilted on the ground, the icy water quickly spreading across the mat.

"Damn it!" Lu Jianxing cursed under his breath. He wasn't sympathizing with anyone, he was just annoyed. However, just as he was about to close the door and drink alone, out of sight, out of mind, his gaze fell upon an oil lamp that had been knocked over near the overturned copper basin!
Lamp oil gushed from the broken lamp, and the faint flame of the wick stubbornly licked the oily wine that had been spilled on the ground!
"This is bad!" Alarm bells rang in Lu Jianxing's mind.

The moment the thought flashed through his mind, a blue flame suddenly erupted from the area on the ground mixed with wine and lamp oil! The flame spread rapidly along the flowing water like a venomous snake, greedily lunging towards the thin, hanging gauze curtain beside him!

"The fire is coming!"

This scream was filled with real, heart-wrenching fear!

The fire was still small and had just started. As one of the most elite Imperial Guards, Lu Jianxing reacted extremely quickly. He ripped off his robe and rushed down the stairs to the vicinity of the fire. Ignoring the scorching heat, he swung his wet cotton robe and fiercely pounded at the flames that had ignited the gauze curtain! His movements were swift and effective, extinguishing most of the small patch of fire in just a few moments.

However, just as Lu Jianxing relaxed, thinking he had the minor incident under control, and was about to reveal his identity to make the two captains behave themselves—

"what!"

A sharper, almost distorted scream suddenly came from the depths of Zuiyue Tower! The direction it came from was clearly the passage leading to the back kitchen and servants' quarters!

Then came the second and the third sound! The sound was filled with unprecedented despair!
Lu Jianxing suddenly looked up and followed the sound! At the entrance of the passage, a much thicker plume of black smoke, smelling of burnt wood, surged out like ink bursting from a dam! Orange-red flames followed closely behind the smoke, instantly illuminating the ceiling of the passage!
Not just one place! But two, three places. Almost simultaneously!

A chill instantly overwhelmed the surrounding heat, shooting up Lu Jianxing's spine!

"The backyard! The backyard is on fire too!" someone cried out.

Finished!

Zuiyue Tower was primarily a wooden structure, and with the dry, hot summer weather, once a spark ignited, it spread like wildfire, impossible to contain! The newly started fire in the backyard, fueled by the piled-up firewood and debris, and the gauze curtains hanging throughout the brothel, spread at an alarming rate!
Thick smoke, like a tangible monster, instantly engulfed most of the space, its pungent, acrid smell suffocating! The scorching heat made one's skin burn!

"Run! Run!"

"Help! Cough cough cough..."

In an instant, cries, screams, the crackling of burning buildings, and the deafening roar of collapsing structures filled the air! Everyone was pushing and shoving like madmen, desperately searching for any possible exit! The fires in the front hall and back courtyard quickly spread, turning the entire Drunken Moon Pavilion into a giant, roaring furnace!

Lu Jianxing coughed repeatedly, choked by the thick smoke, his eyes stinging and watering. He glanced at the inferno that had engulfed the staircase and passageway behind him, then at the raging flames engulfing the backyard. Fighting the fire? A drop in the ocean! Staying meant certain death!
He made a decisive decision, abandoning all thoughts of putting out the fire! His sharp gaze swept across the chaotic surroundings, quickly locking onto a window facing the street!

He forcefully pushed through the scattering crowd and rushed to the window. Without hesitation, he pushed aside the thin prostitute who was clinging to the window but couldn't climb out, and then jumped out!

The landing wasn't elegant; stepping on the damp, slippery stone slabs kicked up mud and dust.

"Come on, I'll pull you out!" Lu Jianxing was calm but not cold-blooded. After escaping, he didn't just turn around and leave, but pulled out one by one the prostitutes, pimps, and even clients gathered around the window.

But he was destined not to save too many people.

Boom! A beam, scorched by flames, snapped off from the second-floor corridor and crashed down, sparks flying everywhere!
The scene before them was suffocating. The three-story Drunken Moon Pavilion was more than half engulfed in flames! Huge tongues of fire licked the night sky, illuminating the entire Hidden Spring Quarter as if it were daytime! Thick smoke billowed, forming massive black columns. The crackling of burning wood was like popping beans, and burning fragments, carrying sparks, constantly fell, igniting the thatched roofs of neighboring houses! Soon, two or three new fires broke out in the surrounding streets! Cries, shouts for help, the sounds of collapsing buildings, and the distant, urgent gongs, commands, and the clatter of buckets from the fire brigade… all blended into a deafening, apocalyptic chaos!

(End of this chapter)