A Bribe of Thirty Thousand Taels of Silver

"Greetings, Commander Niu!"

Cao Renqi cupped his hands and bowed to Niu Ren, who sat at the head of the main hall, speaking respectfully.

Niu Ren raised a hand. "Please have a seat, Lord Cao. Someone, serve tea."

Cao Renqi took a seat in a chair below, and a maid brought him tea.

Niu Ren took a sip of tea and asked blandly:

"Lord Cao, what brings you to the Imperial Guard office?"

Cao Renqi leaned forward and cupped his hands. "A few days ago, this humble official was attacked. I sent my steward to ask the Imperial Guard for help apprehending the assassin. Commander Niu sent Battalion Commander Huang, who used a small trick to capture him. I have come specifically to thank Commander Niu for your assistance. These five hundred taels of gold are what this humble official promised before."

With that, he beckoned. An accompanying guard carried over a brocade box and placed it on Niu Ren's desk.

Niu Ren opened the box and glanced inside. Ten large gold ingots, fifty taels each, lay neatly arranged within, gleaming with golden light.

Niu Ren closed the box and smiled faintly. "Lord Cao is too courteous."

"It is only proper." Cao Renqi smiled fawningly, then asked, "May I ask whether that assassin has already been locked in the Imperial Prison?"

Niu Ren nodded. "Assassinating a Principal Fourth Rank court official makes him an important criminal. Naturally, he must be confined in the Imperial Prison. We must also interrogate why he wished to assassinate Lord Cao."

The fat on Cao Renqi's face twitched involuntarily. He cupped his hands and said:

"That assassin was originally a centurion under this humble official. Later, I discovered that he was colluding with the Japanese pirates, so I led men to arrest him. Who would have thought that he would jump from a cliff and survive?"

"Ten years have passed, and his martial arts have greatly improved. He bore a grudge because this humble official exposed his collusion with the Japanese pirates, ruining his reputation and leaving him disgraced. Thus, he came to assassinate me. Fortunately, Battalion Commander Huang captured him."

"But that wretch actually turned the tables and fabricated an absurd tale to frame this humble official, hoping to win Battalion Commander Huang's sympathy. He is truly vile and sinister beyond measure!"

Cao Renqi struck his fist into his palm, his face filled with indignation, as though he had suffered some monstrous slander.

Niu Ren sneered repeatedly in his heart, but his expression remained unchanged as he deliberately asked:

"Oh? What tale did this assassin fabricate to slander Lord Cao?"

Cao Renqi could not help freezing. "Did Battalion Commander Huang not report this matter to Commander Niu?"

After Huang Shaojie escorted Wu Zhen away, Cao Renqi had been unable to sit or stand still in his residence.

He believed Huang Shaojie would certainly report the matter truthfully to Niu Ren. If this Imperial Guard Commander pursued what had happened all those years ago, then disaster would likely come crashing down upon Cao Renqi.

After much thought, Cao Renqi concluded that Wu Zhen had been nothing more than a lowly centurion back then, with no backer or influential force behind him.

Meanwhile, Cao Renqi was now a dignified Principal Fourth Rank commandant, holding more than ten thousand troops in his hands.

Although the Imperial Guard would not take such forces seriously, as long as Cao Renqi was willing to spend heavily, Niu Ren should not go so far as to reopen Wu Zhen's case.

Niu Ren took a light sip of tea and said, "Battalion Commander Huang only reported to me that he had captured the assassin. He did not say a single word about anything else."

Cao Renqi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought Huang Shaojie would return to the Imperial Guard and embellish the matter before reporting it to Niu Ren. He had not expected the boy to mention nothing at all.

It seemed this official had wronged Huang Shaojie.

Yet now Cao Renqi felt somewhat awkward. Had he known Huang Shaojie had not reported this matter to Niu Ren, he should not have brought it up himself just now.

Now that Niu Ren had pressed him for details, he did not know how to begin.

"Lord Cao, why have you fallen silent? What exactly did this assassin slander you about?"

Holding his teacup, Niu Ren looked at Cao Renqi with meaningful eyes as he asked.

Cao Renqi gave a dry cough. "That Wu Zhen actually slandered this humble official, claiming that I violated his wife back then and framed him for colluding with the Japanese pirates because I feared his retaliation. It is utterly laughable! Though Lady Wu has some beauty, this humble official is hardly a man who has never seen a beautiful woman. How could I commit such a deed, worse than a beast?"

Niu Ren sneered inwardly. The man had admitted that Lady Wu was beautiful; clearly, he had harbored lustful thoughts at the time.

He smiled faintly. "Lord Cao, rest assured. The Imperial Guard will certainly investigate this matter thoroughly and restore Lord Cao's innocence."

Upon hearing this, Cao Renqi panicked.

I came here hoping you would show mercy and stop investigating. Yet here you are, solemnly saying you will restore my innocence.

If I were innocent, would I need to come here and deliver gold and silver to you?

How many officials nowadays have clean backsides? Though the matter from back then may be difficult to investigate, if they uncover any of my other crimes, I will be thrown into the Imperial Prison.

Cao Renqi hurriedly said, "How could the events of so many years ago possibly be investigated clearly? Commander Niu need not waste the Imperial Guard's manpower. This Wu Zhen first colluded with the Japanese pirates, and now he has attempted to assassinate a court official. His crimes are unforgivable. Better to execute him early and close the case."

Niu Ren sneered inwardly, but spoke unhurriedly. "No rush. Wu Zhen is implicated in collusion with the Japanese pirates and has also attempted to assassinate a court official. He must be strictly interrogated to see whether he has accomplices. How can we close the case so hastily?"

Cao Renqi thought to himself: As an Imperial Guard Commander, Niu Ren must suspect that Wu Zhen has been wronged. Perhaps he is deliberately using this matter to squeeze me. If that is the case, it will be easy enough to handle.

Thinking this, he rose and cupped his hands. "Commander Niu, this humble official has a matter to discuss with you in private."

As he spoke, he glanced at the guards in the main hall.

Niu Ren understood and waved a hand. "All of you, withdraw!"

The guards all left the main hall.

"Lord Cao, what is it you wish to discuss? You may speak now," Niu Ren said.

Cao Renqi rose and walked before Niu Ren. From his sleeve, he took out thirty banknotes with a face value of one thousand taels each and respectfully placed them on the desk with both hands.

With a fawning smile, he said, "Commander Niu, these banknotes worth thirty thousand taels are a small token of this humble official's regard. Please accept them with a smile!"

Niu Ren looked at the banknotes on the desk and frowned. "Lord Cao, what is the meaning of this?"

Cao Renqi cupped his hands. "I ask Commander Niu to execute Wu Zhen as soon as possible. Otherwise, this humble official can neither eat nor sleep in peace, fearing that he may escape one day and come to assassinate me again."

Though it was only a clumsy excuse, some things were inconvenient to state outright. As long as Niu Ren accepted the banknotes and understood what was meant, he only needed to dispose of the man.

Good for you, good for me, good for everyone.

Niu Ren gathered up the banknotes and smiled faintly. "I understand Lord Cao's intentions. Rest assured, Wu Zhen will not live past tonight."

Cao Renqi was overjoyed and bowed. "Many thanks, Commander Niu."

Afterward, Cao Renqi took his leave.

Watching Cao Renqi's departing back, Niu Ren sneered inwardly.