Chapter Seventy-Nine: Confrontation

At the mourning banquet in the Jiangyuan Prince’s residence, Feng Yewu and Zheng Tianlan sat quietly to one side, observing the crowd that had come to pay their respects. Beside the memorial tablet of the late heir, the princess, now in her middle years, was already overcome with grief, her sobs uncontrollable.

Feng Yewu noticed a middle-aged general standing by the princess, his face marked with sorrow as he gently tried to comfort her. Somewhat puzzled, she asked the steward in a low voice, “Who is that man?”

Throughout the entire banquet, all of Zhu Bangyan’s subordinates sat at the round tables below, taking their meals. Only this man took a place of honor among the mourners, almost as if he were a close relative of the Zhu family.

The old steward glanced over and answered quietly, “That is Wang Kang, the heir’s deputy general and the prince’s adopted son. It was he, gravely wounded, who brought back the heir’s body.”

Zheng Tianlan looked at Feng Yewu’s thoughtful expression, then pressed the steward further. “Was the deputy general the only one who returned that day?”

Upon hearing Zheng Tianlan’s question, the old steward’s eyes shone with admiration and relief. He nodded with a sigh. “The Tidii are savage by nature. If not for Deputy General Wang’s desperate efforts, the heir’s body would never have been recovered.”

There were many matters to attend to at the banquet, so Zhu Bangyan had instructed the steward to treat Feng Yewu and her party with special care, not revealing their true identities. Noticing now that Lu Jue was absent, the steward asked in puzzlement, “My lords, where has the refined young gentleman gone?”

Feng Yewu smiled faintly, raised her teacup, and replied, “Don’t trouble yourself, steward. He’s gone to buy something for me, as an offering to the heir.”

After speaking, her gaze grew inscrutable as she quietly watched Wang Kang, a hint of amusement playing about her lips.

Seated to one side, Zhu Bangyan glanced at the princess and sighed helplessly before turning, his voice hoarse, to address Wang Kang. “Kang’er, you grew up with An’er since childhood. Now that he is gone, I must entrust the affairs of Jiangyuan to you in the future.”

Wang Kang, startled by these words, immediately knelt on one knee and replied in a steady voice, “Father, those Tidii fiends murdered the heir. This enmity is a blade in my heart and cannot go unavenged. Once the mourning is done, I beg you to let me lead our best troops to utterly destroy them and wash away this blood debt!”

His words instantly roused the assembled officers and soldiers, who all voiced their agreement, the hall erupting in noise.

Bang!

“That’s enough!” Zhu Bangyan’s face flushed red as he slammed the table, silencing the crowd with a shout.

When quiet was restored, he stood slowly, his gaze briefly passing over to Feng Yewu before clasping his hands behind his back. “I, Zhu Bangyan, have fought the Tidii all my life and have never once shrunk back. My son’s death will not go unavenged! But I am old now, a warhorse at sunset. Someone must succeed me in Jiangyuan to defend our northern border.”

At this, he looked deliberately at Feng Yewu, whose expression remained unreadable; she only nodded for him to continue.

“The Zhu clan has only a single heir. Now, with none left, Kang’er—whom I raised from childhood and who has proven himself on the battlefield—is the one I trust most. The Prince of Beichang wrote just yesterday, offering to join forces with the Zhu family against the Tidii. I will gather my old troops and march out myself, while Kang’er will be entrusted with the governance of Jiangyuan.”

Hearing this, Wang Kang was overjoyed, but just then a voice called out from beyond the gates, “Your Highness, please wait!”

Lu Jue entered with a calm smile, leading a man by the arm, interrupting Zhu Bangyan’s speech. Zhu Bangyan, displeased by this lack of decorum, looked annoyed, while Wang Kang, upon seeing whom Lu Jue had brought in, was startled and his expression changed dramatically.

A furrow formed between Zhu Bangyan’s brows as he coldly rebuked Lu Jue, “Master Lu, though you serve as a close confidant of His Majesty, you have no right to meddle in Jiangyuan’s affairs.”

Lu Jue casually pushed the man forward, bowed to Zhu Bangyan, then turned to Wang Kang with a cold laugh. “Deputy General Wang, do you recognize this man?”

Wang Kang quickly composed himself, stood, and replied warily, “Of course. He came to the residence yesterday, sent by the Prince of Beichang to deliver a mourning couplet.”

Lu Jue nodded, smiling, and pressed on, “Then why did this man, after leaving the residence yesterday, go to your home and deliver such a lavish gift?”

As he finished, Lu Jue tossed a bundle before the crowd. With a clatter, a heap of silver ingots spilled out.

“You slander me!” Wang Kang, recognizing the bundle, was alarmed. He immediately shouted at Lu Jue, then hurriedly knelt before Zhu Bangyan to protest his innocence. “Father, this messenger did try to bribe me, but I refused him outright. Please do not believe these accusations.”

Zhu Bangyan glanced at the silver on the floor; indeed, some of the ingots bore the words “Beichang” engraved beneath. “It’s of no consequence. Stand up.”

With a wave of his hand, Zhu Bangyan dismissed Wang Kang’s protest, then turned away, sinking despondently into his chair. “Today is An’er’s memorial. Let us leave these matters for another time.”

Now that Zhu An had been killed by the Tidii, Zhu Bangyan had lost all interest in such palace intrigues. His earlier words made clear that, once the mourning was over, he would lead his troops to seek vengeance on the enemy. Life and death held no fear for him now; what did he care for these shifting schemes?

Lu Jue, seeing Zhu Bangyan’s demeanor, sneered. “Does Your Highness mean to let the real murderer go unpunished? Are you content to be a tool in another’s hand?”

Zhu Bangyan, stung by Lu Jue’s mockery, was instantly enraged. “Lu Jue! I have tolerated you out of respect for your position. Do not think this old general is powerless to act!”

He cared only for destroying the Tidii now, no longer wishing to pursue whether Wang Kang had colluded with Beichang. Yet his outburst, on the surface directed at Lu Jue, was really a warning to Feng Yewu.

All around the hall, Zhu Bangyan’s officers, hearing the anger in his voice, drew their swords as one, the atmosphere growing tense.

Seeing this, Feng Yewu rose and walked to Lu Jue’s side, fixing Wang Kang with a cold, piercing gaze. She addressed Zhu Bangyan. “There is no need for anger, Your Highness. Why not let Lu Jue finish?”

Zhu Bangyan, seeing her intervene, snorted and waved for his men to lower their weapons.

Only then did Lu Jue continue, “You have fought the Tidii for many years, Your Highness. Have you ever seen them use our weapons? It is remarkable that Deputy General Wang escaped the enemy lines alone—and recovered so quickly in just a day or two. The heir must be avenged, but as for who the true murderer is, Your Highness would do well to look closely.”

Zhu Bangyan’s expression shifted at Lu Jue’s words. Stricken with grief, he had lost his clarity, but now, awakened by this reminder, he began to suspect.

Seeing Zhu Bangyan’s hesitation, Wang Kang grew flustered and angrily retorted, “Do you suspect me, sir? The Tidii ambushed us by bribing our scouts and spreading false reports, which led to the heir’s death. The wounds were all inflicted by their elite. I fought my way out by chance. Would you rather we all perished?”

Lu Jue regarded the agitated Wang Kang calmly, asking with a hint of doubt, “Your skill is without question, General. But tell me—why, apart from the heir, was not a single other body recovered?”