Zheng Yan also discovered someone else gathering intelligence on Wu Haoze and his caravan while investigating Wu Haoze.
More importantly, Wang Dong knew this person.
It was Sima Zhongda.
Before his rebirth, Wang Dong had dealt with Sima Zhongda many times.
Sima Zhongda was an illegitimate collateral descendant of the Jin Family. In other words, he came from a very low-status branch and was among the most marginal members of the family.
Not only was his birth humble, but his family was also very poor.
His parents had both died when he was young, leaving him and his younger sister to depend on each other.
With his intelligence and steady efforts, Sima Zhongda not only restored the family fortunes but raised them to new heights.
If his story had ended there, his rise would have been a model example of a collateral descendant making good.
Unfortunately, Sima Zhongda's birth determined the limits of how far he could rise within the Jin Family.
Once he reached a certain level, obstacles appeared, both openly and behind the scenes.
At the same time, remaining independent became impossible. Under the circumstances, Sima Zhongda had no choice but to join Sima Decao's camp.
Sima Decao had only accepted the mission to pursue Yuan Shu and the War Axe because Sima Zhongda had recommended it.
Sima Zhongda had also orchestrated the defection of the War Axe's crew and the ambush on Yuan Shu, directly causing Yuan Shu's death.
However, Sima Decao had made mistakes in carrying out the plan, giving Yuan Shu a chance to escape. He managed to cling to life for another twenty-four hours, allowing the War Axe to pass into Wang Dong's hands.
After losing track of Yuan Shu and the War Axe, Sima Decao was forced to summon Sima Zhongda for support.