Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 702 Fog
Just as Liu Xifen was speaking, Li Erzhan happened to emerge from the side corridor, approached Yuan Keli, and bowed deeply: "Your Excellency, I take my leave."

Yuan Keli nodded slightly in acknowledgment, and Li Erzhan left without looking to the side, walking steadily as if he didn't see Park and Liu.

Yuan Keli's gaze swept over Li Erzhan's retreating figure before turning back to Liu Xifen, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth: "Judge Liu's information network is truly impressive. I wonder who told you this?"

Liu Xifen broke out in a cold sweat, but forced himself to speak: "Yesterday, when I went to the palace to pay my respects, I saw that Her Highness the Princess was very worried, so I asked her about it. The Princess mentioned that the mourning at Cidian Palace was excessive and the cries of weeping shook the palace. In her words, she even specifically pointed to Judge Li and others."

Yuan Keli stopped, turned to look directly at Liu Xifen, his gaze deep: "Since the Princess Consort has mentioned this matter, she must have also mentioned the Princess's murder and burial under the palace walls. I wonder if Judge Liu knows the inside story?"

Liu Xifen immediately lowered his head, his tone filled with genuine panic and urgent confession: "I had no idea, I had no idea! I only thought that Her Highness the Princess was recuperating in Qingyun Palace, how could I have imagined that such a shocking thing would happen! I beg the Guardian to investigate thoroughly!"

"The massacre of the royal family is of great importance and must be thoroughly investigated. I have entrusted this case entirely to the branch of the Embroidered Uniform Guard under Vice Commissioner Luo for a detailed investigation. The Embroidered Uniform Guard is the Emperor's personal guard, and their integrity is impeccable; they will surely uncover the truth and bring justice to the Grand Queen Dowager and the Princess." Yuan Keli spoke calmly, a faint smile seemingly on his face. But this only made Park Seung-jong, Yoo Hee-bun, and the officials listening intently behind them feel uneasy.

Everyone present was a high-ranking official under the deposed king, and none of them hadn't participated in the "Court Appeal to Depose the Mother." If the matter were truly investigated thoroughly and everything were laid bare, no one would be able to escape responsibility!

Yuan Keli glanced at the crowd, his tone shifting slightly, conveying both reassurance and an invisible pressure: "Gentlemen, there is no need to worry. I always act based on facts. Whatever the Embroidered Uniform Guard finds, that is what it is. Those who are guilty will not escape the law; those who are innocent will not be unjustly implicated. I will never draw conclusions based on one side's story, nor will I engage in any kind of entanglement or extrajudicial investigation."

"Your Excellency's judgment is beyond compare, and we are deeply grateful." Park Seung-jong seized the opportunity, stepped forward, and tentatively asked with his hands clasped, "However... with praise and criticism imminent, and since Judge Lee is involved in this case, perhaps it would be best for him to lay low for a while?"

"Avoid?" Yuan Keli's gaze sharpened as he turned to Park Seung-jong. "I've heard that Prime Minister Park and Judge Lee are in a marriage alliance, and the Regent's Crown Princess is the daughter of your son. Is the Prime Minister asking this now because he's worried that something might happen to his in-laws and implicate him?" Yuan Keli's smile deepened slightly, his words carrying a hint of knowing the answer but actually being amused.

Park Seung-jong's face stiffened, his eyes twitched, and he said awkwardly, "I dare not, I dare not! I... I was only concerned that praise and criticism are matters of national importance, and Judge Lee is involved in a suspicious case, so I was afraid that he might not be able to handle the situation and that it might cause public criticism... I had no other intentions! I had no other intentions!"

Yuan Keli sneered, then said seriously, "As I have already stated, all actions will be based on the results of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's investigation. Whether Li Erzhan and the others are guilty, and who is deeply involved, all await investigation. Until this matter is settled, he remains the Judge of the Ministry of Rites and should diligently perform his duties. The matter of praise and criticism is the cornerstone of the new policy and cannot be compromised. If we were to hastily change his position simply because he is involved in an unclear case, wouldn't that be throwing the baby out with the bathwater? I only act based on facts and will never change course because of rumors, nor will I arbitrarily implicate anyone based on personal relationships. Minister Park can rest assured."

Having said that, Yuan Keli said no more, flicked his sleeves slightly, and strode forward. Park Seung-jong, Yoo Hee-bun, and a group of officials hurriedly bowed and said, "Respectfully seeing off the guardian."

After Yuan Keli's figure disappeared into the distance, everyone straightened up, exchanging complex and unspoken glances. Only a heavy silence remained under the corridor, with only the sound of footsteps casting long shadows on the bluestone slabs.

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The east and west courtyards of the rear hall of Qingyun Palace are separated by only one wall. Yuan Keli had just returned to his signing room in the west courtyard and sat down when the guards at the entrance of the east courtyard noticed the commotion and immediately went inside to report. Shen Yourong, who was anxious about the fire, suddenly stood up upon hearing the news. Her robes fluttered in the wind as she hurried through the moon gate and almost ran into Yuan Keli's signing room.

The cicadas chirped hoarsely outside the window, stirring the sweltering afternoon air. Yuan Keli had just settled down behind his desk, his brow furrowed with the weariness of dealing with tedious tasks, and had just picked up a cup of cold tea when Shen Yourong's tall figure appeared in the doorway, radiating the heat of the day, her face as stern and unyielding.

"Admiral Shen?" Yuan Keli put down his teacup, forcing a semblance of composure. "I just sat down and haven't even had a sip of tea yet. What's the matter that you're in such a hurry?" As he spoke, Yuan Keli waved to his servants, signaling them to serve tea to Shen Yourong.

Shen Yourong did not sit down, but simply clasped her hands in a simple greeting before striding to Yuan Keli's desk. With a furrowed brow, she said, "My lord, a terrible disaster struck Hanyang last night!"

"What is it now?" Yuan Keli's heart tightened, and the forced composure on his face instantly crumbled. Ever since entering Hanyang, one unpleasant thing after another had befallen him, making it impossible to have any peace of mind.

“Commissioner Luo just reported,” Shen Yourong took a deep breath, “that a fire broke out last night at the Zuiyue Tower in Yinchunfang, west of the city! The fire was fueled by the wind and destroyed more than thirty houses, turning most of Yinchunfang into ashes!”

"Hidden Spring Pavilion? Drunken Moon Pavilion? What kind of places are these?" Yuan Keli had only been in Hanyang for two or three days, and his energy was entirely focused on military and political affairs, so he naturally had no time to pay attention to such places of pleasure.

"Yinchunfang is a famous brothel in the west of Hanyang City, and the Zuiyuelou that caught fire was the best among them, and could be called the top courtesan in Hanyang," Shen Yourong explained quickly.

"A brothel?" Yuan Keli's brows relaxed slightly, then he pressed on, "How many casualties?"

"A devastating loss. An extremely devastating loss!" Shen Yourong's voice seemed to carry a slight, dull pain. "According to preliminary counts, the dead number no less than sixty or seventy, and the wounded exceed one hundred. Even more devastating is..." He paused slightly, as if choosing his words carefully, "...in the ruins, the bodies of four officers of our Great Ming Dynasty were recovered!"

"Four officers!?" Yuan Keli jumped to his feet, his desk shaking violently, spilling tea onto his documents. His body stiffened, the last vestiges of calm in his eyes vanishing. "Who are they?"

“The bodies of Zhang Deyong, the battalion commander of the Guardian Battalion, Liang Shi, the battalion commander of the Fourth Divine Machine Battalion, and Li Luosheng, the commander of the Central Army under the Admiral,” Shen Yourong announced the names one by one, her voice almost sinking into her chest at the end, “and Gao Su, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard under Vice Commander Luo.”

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard? How could the Embroidered Uniform Guard be here?" Yuan Keli felt a chill run down his spine. He swayed slightly, barely managing to steady himself by leaning against the corner of the table. "What exactly happened? How did this fire start?"

“The cause of the fire is still under investigation,” Shen Yourong said, “but it can be roughly determined that it was arson.”

"Arson." Yuan Keli clenched his fist, a cold killing intent flashing in his eyes. "Were they coming for us?"

"It shouldn't be." Shen Yourong noticed Yuan Keli's emotions and quickly explained, "The autopsy conducted by Inspector Luo's men revealed that the madam and pimp of Zuiyue Tower had fatal stab wounds to their chests. They were stabbed to death before the fire started! Several fires in the backyard broke out almost simultaneously, clearly indicating that they were murdered to cover their tracks and then set on fire to destroy evidence! Zhang Deyong and the others were just unlucky to have stumbled upon this undeserved disaster!"

"Murder and arson?" Yuan Keli's tense back suddenly relaxed. He slowly sat back in his chair, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table. The initial shock and anger were suppressed, replaced by a more complex caution. Yuan Keli didn't speak for a moment, and only the monotonous tapping and the cicadas chirping outside the window filled the signing room.

Shen Yourong looked at Yuan Keli's unpredictable expression, her Adam's apple bobbed, and she finally spoke: "Lord Yuan, there is one more thing..."

"Is there anything else?" Yuan Keli sighed, his voice filled with undisguised weariness and reluctance.

“According to Luo Qianshi’s account of the eyewitnesses,” Shen Yourong cleared her throat, her voice slightly hoarse. “Before the fire, in the main hall of Zuiyue Tower, two officers with Shandong accents were arguing with a pimp, knocking over candles and setting the curtains on fire.”

"What? Didn't you just say..." Yuan Keli raised his head, his gaze sharp as a needle: "How exactly did this fire start?"

“No!” Shen Yourong said decisively, “That little fire was put out on the spot! The real source of the fire was arson in the backyard!” He paused, his voice slightly hoarse, “But… if the capital finds out that my soldiers were drunk and causing trouble in such places, and that a Jinyiwei captain even died…” Yuan Keli, being as shrewd as he was, immediately sensed something in his hesitation. He leaned forward slightly: “Perhaps what? Explain it more clearly.”

Shen Yourong took a deep breath: "I'm afraid that impeachments for 'lax management of subordinates' and 'complete lack of military discipline' will soon be flying in like snowflakes! Gao Su is an imperial envoy, and Zhang Deyong is a member of the standard battalion. At that time, Vice Commissioner Luo, myself, and even you, sir, will all be implicated! The overall situation in Liaodong may not be able to withstand such a storm!"

He looked directly at Yuan Keli, lowering his voice even further: "I have discussed this privately with Vice Commissioner Luo, and this matter... requires a thorough explanation. It should both report the truth to the emperor, comfort the departed souls, and... silence the gossip and stabilize the situation. I wonder what you think, sir?"

The two words "explanation" fall lightly, yet carry the weight of a thousand pounds.

Yuan Keli remained silent, his gaze fixed on Shen Yourong's face, unfathomable. After a moment, he suddenly asked, "Have the two troublemakers been found?"

"We're looking for them," Shen Yourong said immediately. "I've already sent people to summon officers of battalion commander rank and above from all the camps near Hanyang to come to Qingyun Palace for questioning immediately. If they weren't burned to death inside, we'll be able to find them."

"Where is Vice Commissioner Luo?" Yuan Keli's eyes flickered slightly, then he asked, "Where did he go?"

"Commander Luo has returned to the Yijin Prefecture to take charge," Shen Yourong replied.

"He went back to the Imperial Household Agency?"

“Yes,” Shen Yourong nodded, “that’s what he told me.”

"Who is looking after the scene?"

"The scene was..." Shen Yourong thought for a moment, glancing sideways, "...that Deputy Commander Lu who followed you from Liaodong. He was the one who reported those details to Vice Commander Luo."

Yuan Keli stood up and walked to the door. In the courtyard, a few leaves, wilted by the scorching sun, drooped listlessly.

"Someone come here," Yuan Keli called out in a low voice.

"What are your orders, sir?" A servant quickly approached Yuan Keli.

"Prepare the sedan chair." Yuan Keli's voice was calm and even. "Go to Yinchunfang."

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The official sedan chair passed through the scorched and desolate streets and stopped at the edge of Yinchunfang. Yuan Keli lifted the curtain and stepped out of the sedan chair. A strong stench of burning and a faint sweet smell hit him, making him frown. Before him, the broken walls and ruins resembled the jagged skeleton of a giant beast, a desolate wasteland.

Upon hearing the report, Lu Wenzhao had already led his men to stand solemnly outside the ruins. Seeing Yuan Keli and Shen Yourong alight from their sedan chairs, he immediately stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "This humble servant, Lu Wenzhao, pays his respects to Supervisor Yuan and Commander Shen!"

Yuan Keli nodded slightly, his gaze passing over Lu Wenzhao and landing on the huge, still-heat-filled, charred ruins: "What's the situation here?"

"Back to the monitoring station. The fire is out, but the embers are still warm. The bodies have been moved out and are being temporarily stored in the courtyard ahead." Lu Wenzhao pointed the way.

"Let's go." Yuan Keli didn't say much, stepped over the sedan pole, and took a step.

The courtyard was low-ceilinged, with its gate wide open. The intense, pungent stench of death, a mixture of charred flesh, grease, and decaying entrails, was almost tangible, suffocating the senses. Inside, dozens of twisted, charred black human figures lay huddled together on straw mats and burlap, a scene straight out of hell.

"Where are those two bodies now, the ones with knife wounds in their chests?" Yuan Keli's gaze swept over them, his voice low.

“Over there,” Lu Wenzhao pointed to a corner of the courtyard.

Yuan Keli walked on, his boots making a soft sound as they stepped onto the wet, cold mud. Shen Yourong and Lu Wenzhao followed closely behind. In the corner, two corpses covered with burlap lay relatively intact.

"Lift it," Yuan Keli commanded, his gaze icy.

A member of the Imperial Guard stepped forward and carefully lifted the burlap sack. Two charred corpses were exposed to the murky air, their limbs curled up in a fist-like position, their skin charred and cracked, revealing the dark red flesh beneath. Their faces were unrecognizable.

Yuan Keli's gaze landed precisely on the chests of the two corpses. There, on the charred flesh, were two deep, curled wounds.

He didn't speak, but simply reached out to the side. Lu Wenzhao immediately understood and handed him a small, handy autopsy knife used for coroners.

Yuan Keli took the knife and bent down. Ignoring the nauseating smell, he carefully probed the edge of the wound on the chest of one of the corpses with the tip of the knife, gently scraping away the charred tissue that clung to it. His movements were precise and calm, unlike those of a civil official, but rather those of a seasoned criminal investigator.

He examined it very carefully: although the texture deep inside the wound had been solidified and deformed by the fire, the subtle, inwardly curled contraction marks at the edges, and the dark red color remaining on the inner wall of the wound, blackened by the fire but still discernible, were traces of blood that had seeped into the wound before death and dried by the flames.

He then did the same thing to another corpse, examining its wounds. The same thing happened.

Yuan Keli straightened up and handed the autopsy scalpel back to Lu Wenzhao. He took out a plain handkerchief and slowly wiped his hands, his face expressionless, only the taut string deep in his eyes seemed to quietly relax.

(End of this chapter)