The Central Plains envoy was surnamed Ma, and his name was Ma Lian. He was in his forties and held a sinecure like Grand Master of the Household in the Central Plains. Sending him to the Western Regions to investigate military merits seemed rather irregular. Wei Song explained, "King Xiao and the Great General are somewhat at odds, so the court sent a civil official to reward the troops. This is precisely a sign of the court's trust in King Xiao."
Wei Song's introduction was brief and differed little from what King Xiao had said earlier. Then, puzzled, he asked, "It seems unlikely that the Dragon King would suspect Ma Lian. As far as I know, he has no grudge against Lord Gu, and they've barely even interacted."
"I have a theory." Gu Shenwei watched every one of Wei Song's expressions but gleaned nothing. The old fox concealed himself perfectly, showing not the slightest crack. "The person who hired Golden Peng assassins to kill my entire family must be a powerful figure in the Central Plains. The news should have reached the Central Plains that I'm pretending to be Yang Zheng's son to avenge the Gu Family. The mastermind behind it all won't sit idly by; he must have sent someone to investigate. Who could be better suited to that task than an envoy? Lord Wei also said Ma Lian's appointment was unusual. Even if the court trusted King Xiao, it should have sent a civil official of high rank and influence to the Western Regions."
Wei Song furrowed his brow slightly and weighed the matter in thought. "The Dragon King's words aren't without reason, but... it's all speculation, with no evidence to support it. I suggest you not act rashly. The situation is excellent at present, and the court