The autumn sun was blazing, and the streets of Jin Cheng were already covered in yellow leaves. The bustling market of yesteryear was now sparse, with only a handful of people as a gust of cold wind swept through.
Zhong Li stood within the Dali Temple, gazing at the empty doorway. The autumn had arrived abruptly. In what felt like a blink, she had been in Jin Cheng for a full year.
"It seems our country has had some unpleasantness with Ying Zhou lately," Hua Yao said, wrapping a windproof cloak around herself as she walked over to Zhong Li. She handed Zhong Li a cup of hot red tea and spoke in a low voice.
Zhong Li sipped the tea, warming herself, and replied, "Half a month ago, Minister Lan and the Heir discovered discrepancies in Ying Zhou's trade prices with our country. They reported it to the Emperor. His Majesty suspected internal collusion with external forces, and we still haven't found any results."
"I heard several translators have been interrogated. Some are dead, some are disabled, yet they still haven't revealed the mastermind," Hua Yao chimed in.
Zhong Li nodded. She actually admired these translation officials. The cruel and unusual punishments of Nan Yue's officials were formidable, and if they couldn't pry information from them, it made her wonder what leverage the mastermind held over them.
"Currently, the envoy is restricted from returning home, effectively being held under house arrest. Based on Minister Lan and the Heir's progress, I believe we will have results soon," she said, leading Hua Yao towards the inner hall of the Dali Temple.
Recently, Jin Cheng had been peaceful. The two of them had been busy with old cases. They had been too tired and had taken a break to clear their minds, but now they had to get back to work.
Zhong Li returned to her seat, picked up her pen, and opened the case files to continue her annotations.
Some cases were too old and had passed their statute of limitations, while others were unsolved cases submitted from various regions. After making her annotations, she planned to distribute them to her subordinates, tasking them with researching and investigating further in those areas.
Just as she was engrossed in the case files, a clamor of noise suddenly erupted from outside the Dali Temple. Before Zhong Li could react, voices called out from the courtyard, "Is Lord Zhong present?"
Zhong Li and Hua Yao exchanged glances. The voice sounded like Eunuch Hua's.
Zhong Li set aside her work and quickly went to greet them.
"Eunuch Hua, what is it you seek from Zhong Li?" Zhong Li cupped her hands in greeting.
Eunuch Hua's expression was grave as he glanced around.
Zhong Li understood and said to Hua Yao, "Yao'er, please take the others and help me organize the unfinished case files."
Hua Yao glanced at Eunuch Hua, nodded, and returned inside.
Seeing that only he and Zhong Li remained, Eunuch Hua said, "Something has happened. His Majesty has instructed me to invite Miss Zhong to the palace."
"Something happened? What is it?" Zhong Li asked as she walked with Eunuch Hua.
Eunuch Hua escorted Zhong Li into the carriage and whispered, "The envoy from Ying Zhou has been murdered."
"What?" Zhong Li's eyes widened.
"Yes, you heard correctly. Shen Tu Jue's body has been dismembered. It is currently in Zhaoyang Hall."
"Quick! Let's go!" Zhong Li urged the carriage driver as soon as she heard.
At this moment, in Zhaoyang Hall.
Lu Jing'an sat on the dragon throne, looking at the six Ying Zhou envoys standing in the hall. They had all accompanied Shen Tu Jue to Jin Cheng. Now, Shen Tu Jue's remains were displayed in the hall, leaving him unsure how to explain.
"Emperor of Nan Yue." A man among the six, who understood some of Nan Yue's language, quickly stepped forward and addressed Lu Jing'an.
"Ying Zhou has always been on good terms with Nan Yue. According to our plan, we should have returned to Ying Zhou ten days ago. But for some reason, Your Majesty has gone to great lengths to keep us trapped in Nan Yue, under the guise of asking us to stay longer for hospitality. However, everyone knows that you intend to keep us under house arrest in Nan Yue, don't you?"
Lu Jing'an's brow furrowed. Just as he was about to speak.
Lu Wu Xie, who had been standing nearby, stepped forward and said, "My good sir, what you say is not entirely accurate. The so-called house arrest is merely your unilateral perception; our country has never stated such a thing."
"Hmph! Lu Wu Xie, is that your name?" the envoy glared at Lu Wu Xie and said, "If I recall correctly, when my Lord Shen Tu wished to leave Jin Cheng and return to Ying Zhou, it was you who stopped him, wasn't it?"
"Indeed!" Lu Wu Xie's lips curved as he answered frankly.
"Hmph, you have the nerve to admit it?"
"What is there to be ashamed of?" Lu Wu Xie countered, looking at the envoy. "I believe the envoy also knows why I stopped Lord Shen Tu. The trade agreement between Nan Yue and Ying Zhou has not yet been signed, and the reasons are obvious. Nan Yue is currently investigating. Not to mention how you will account for yourselves to your Emperor, but Lord Shen Tu disregarded our country's advice, sneaking to Lin Zhou and losing his life. Does this not suggest considerable intrigue?"
"You!" The envoy glared at Lu Wu Xie, his finger trembling with anger as he pointed at him. "Well done, Lu Wu Xie! The envoy of my Ying Zhou died within your country's borders, and not only do you not offer an explanation, but you also try to shift the blame onto us. We are Ying Zhou people, not Nan Yue people. If we don't want to be confined in Jin Cheng, can't we just return to Ying Zhou?"
"Return to Ying Zhou?" Lu Wu Xie chuckled at his words and retorted, "If I recall correctly, the route back to Ying Zhou should pass through cities like Liao Cheng and Jin Zhou. Lord Shen Tu is an adult, surely he knows north from south? May I ask why he went to Lin Zhou? That is a border city between our country and Bei Di!"
"Good! A very good official of the Judicial Inspection Office, eloquent and sharp-tongued. I cannot win an argument with you!" The envoy, hearing this, flicked his sleeve, deciding not to engage with Lu Wu Xie further.
He turned to Lu Jing'an and said, "Emperor, now that my country's envoy has met with misfortune in your country, judging by your attitude, you do not intend to provide an explanation? Very well, I would like to see whether our navy is more formidable than your Nan Yue navy!"
"This envoy, your words are not right. I have never intended to create discord with Ying Zhou. What my nephew Mo Cang said is factual. As for Envoy Shen Tu..."
"I don't care. If you don't give me an explanation today, my lord's body will remain in this court, so that your people can see every day how the royal family of Nan Yue treats foreign peoples!" Before Lu Jing'an could finish speaking, the Ying Zhou envoy interrupted and became aggressive.
Lu Jing'an narrowed his eyes, his hand gripping the dragon's head involuntarily tightening. Just as he was about to continue, the doors of Zhaoyang Hall were pushed open, and Zhong Li entered with Eunuch Hua.
"Envoy, we meet again. If I remember correctly, your surname is Shang Yuan?" Zhong Li glanced at the situation in the hall and walked directly to the envoy confronting the Emperor, cupping her hands in greeting.
Shang Yuan Hong gave Zhong Li a sideways glance, showing no favor.
Zhong Li paid him no mind, her gaze falling on a package placed on the floor. She squatted down and slowly opened it to take a look, her eyebrows rising slightly before she quickly covered it again. "I heard what you said in the hall just now."
"Hmph!" Shang Yuan Hong still ignored her.
Zhong Li smiled and moved closer to Shang Yuan Hong, saying, "Lord Shang Yuan, there are some things our country does not wish to say too harshly, and some actions we do not wish to take too far. But you should know that you are currently on Nan Yue's territory, and your life is not entirely your own to decide."
Shang Yuan Hong was startled. Once he recovered, he glared at Zhong Li as if his eyes were spitting fire.
His thin lips trembled, and just as he was about to speak, Zhong Li moved closer again, her delicate eyebrows raised, saying, "With just a word from our Emperor, the six of you in this hall will instantly become sieves. Even if the Emperor of Ying Zhou learns of your deaths, our country will not fear war. Ying Zhou is, after all, a small country with limited land and dense population. Much of your sustenance relies on trade. As they say, no army moves without provisions. If you are killed, and our country breaks its alliance, cutting off your grain and trade, how many chances do you think you have of winning a naval battle?"
"Are you threatening me?" Shang Yuan Hong's face had turned green, his lips white with anger.
"I dare not!" Zhong Li smiled and said, "What you want is merely an explanation for Lord Shen Tu's death. If it escalates to this point, what do you think our country will do?"
"You!" Shang Yuan Hong was speechless, unable to utter a word for a moment.
Zhong Li smiled at Shang Yuan Hong, then, lifting her robe, knelt on the ground and said to Lu Jing'an, "Your Majesty, your subject will surely find the murderer of Envoy Shen Tu and provide Ying Zhou and the envoys with an explanation."
由来碧浪银河畔，可要金风玉露时