28 Trends

After the assassination of Prefect Sheng's son, Sheng Qinghong, Suian City seemed to brace for a coming storm, ushering in a period of calm before the tempest.

The men dispatched by the prefectural office and the Sheng family dredged the river for quite some time before finally recovering Sheng Qinghong's corpse, yet the assassin who had struck him down remained at large.

Sheng Qinghong's death had already caused an uproar in the city. Mobei was a remote region, and North Prefecture was a borderland—the heavens were high and the Emperor was far away. Ever since Prefect Sheng had taken office, he had acted like the local emperor of Suian City. Now that his precious son had died at the hands of an outsider, one could only imagine how massive this incident would become.

In these passing days, a rumor gradually began to circulate throughout Suian City: the cause of Sheng Qinghong's death was not an assassination after all.

It was not only Sheng Qinghong who had died at the Linjiang Immortal restaurant, but also He Xiping, a cousin from the He family. The assassin's true target was He Xiping, not the prefect's son; Sheng Qinghong's death was undoubtedly a case of mistaken identity.

The true culprit was none other than the eldest young master of the He family. This matter involved the infighting between the main branch and the side branch of the He family. The eldest young master had hired a killer, only to strike the wrong target, and in doing so, he had dragged everyone into a deep quagmire.

"The He family is finished this time. Once Prefect Sheng flies into a rage, it will be like a thunderbolt striking; the winds and clouds will change color, and the very heavens over Suian City are likely to shift!"

"I don't think it's necessarily so. The He family has been rooted in Suian City for a long time, with businesses and properties intertwined like tangled vines. Prefect Sheng may not dare to move against them, or else half of Suian City would inevitably be dragged into the fallout..."

"Hahaha, what a joke! If the Prefect truly wanted to deal with the He family, why would he need to go through such trouble? He only needs to find an excuse to cut off their financial lifeline. Without money, what is an eldest young master? Nothing but a ball of dirt!"

For the past few days, rumors of this nature had been rampant, spreading like wildfire through the streets. Without exception, they all pointed their fingers at the He family and its eldest young master, He Ping.

He Mansion.

"Eldest Young Master, if things continue like this, our He family will be finished!"

"Ten of our shops have already been sealed by the bailiffs, claiming we were disrupting market order. Several brokers have also come to trouble us with tax disputes. This cannot go on..."

"Young Master, could you perhaps plead with Prefect Sheng and ask him to show some leniency? If this continues, we won't be able to conduct business at all."

Several haggard-looking shop managers had come to seek out He Ping.

"I have already heard everything you have to say."

He Ping sighed and slowly set down the porcelain cup filled with tea.

"I will go and speak with Prefect Sheng about this matter. Furthermore, the rumors outside are nothing but baseless gossip—pure fabrications. Do not listen to them."

Upon hearing this, the managers of the He family's grain shop branches exchanged glances. One of them sighed.

"Since you have said so, Eldest Young Master, we have nothing more to add. We shall take our leave."

The grain shop manager bowed and retreated.

The other three looked at each other, could only offer their collective farewells, and hurried out of the reception hall.

"Young Master, this situation is difficult to handle!"

The steward, He Fusheng, wore a troubled expression.

"I didn't expect this Prefect Sheng to strike so quickly. To target our shops directly—this is a fierce and aggressive approach!"

"Not necessarily."

He Ping shook his head.

"Could there be more to this than meets the eye?"

He Fusheng looked puzzled.

"Indeed."

He Ping nodded.

"I originally thought that perhaps Prefect Sheng had discovered something and was moving against our He family, but now it seems that is not the case..."

"Why do you say that?"

Steward He Fusheng asked with some doubt.

"The logic is quite simple."

He Ping sneered.

"If Sheng Qingzhi wanted to deal with our He family, he would have no need to spread these rumors throughout the city. I suspect someone is stirring up trouble from the middle. By the way, send a few men to tail these branch managers who came here today. See where they go after leaving the He Mansion..."

"Understood."

He Fusheng nodded.

"But, Young Master, who do you think is causing us this trouble?"

"In my view, it can be none other than my uncle, He Jin."

He Ping analyzed the situation calmly.

"He Jin's ambition is vast. Now that his son is dead, he will only harbor hatred toward me. To become the head of the family, he will certainly use every means to undermine my position... The death of He Xiping is the perfect opportunity for him to drive a wedge, splash 'dirty water' on me, and find a few familiar bailiffs and brokers to file official complaints. By ordering the shops to be sealed and disrupting the He family's business, he creates panic within our ranks..."

The scheme was indeed clever. He Jin was using his own son's death to frame He Ping, making outsiders believe the trouble stemmed from family misfortune and internal strife.

(I just wonder if that old ghost knows his son was actually killed because I orchestrated it...)

He Ping couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, though at the same time, he grew more wary of He Jin's deep-seated cunning.

"So that is how it is! Looking at it this way, it all makes sense."

He Fusheng slammed his palm against his fist.

"Whether that is the case remains to be seen after we investigate."

He Ping picked up his teacup once more and took a sip.

"I am certain that as soon as those men leave, they will head straight for He Jin's estate. They are coming to our door, and it is likely at He Jin's behest."

"But, Young Master, what is Prefect Sheng's intention in all this?"

He Fusheng asked another question.

"That man surnamed Sheng has lost his precious son; naturally, he will not let this matter rest. To avenge his son, I expect this Prefect Sheng intends to turn all of Suian City upside down."

He Ping closed his eyes.

To avenge his son, I expect this Prefect Sheng intends to turn all of Suian City upside down.

Regrettably, Cheng Zhi's plot to assassinate Sheng Qinghong, as well as his escape via the river, were all part of He Ping's arrangements. It could be said that every aspect of this current situation was his own handiwork.

Once Cheng Zhi escaped the city, he followed He Ping's instructions and, under the cover of those sent to meet him, fled at full gallop toward Four Peaks Mountain.

"Sheng Qingzhi is the local prefect, but he has no authority to mobilize the frontier troops... Furthermore, I have heard that he is on bad terms with the Inspection Bureau and the Regional Military Commission. Even if he wanted to pull troops from the Inspection Bureau, it would not be easy. Unless something unexpected happens, the only men he can command are those few in the Governor's Office..."

The problem is, how many men are actually in the Prefect's Office, and what could they possibly accomplish? Besides, this is merely the pursuit of an assassin; Prefect Sheng Qingzhi cannot seek aid from the Governor's Office that oversees the Northern Pass Circuit. Even if he had the intention, he could not bypass the massive mountain that is the "Prince of Northern Pacification."

Since the founding of the Great You Dynasty, there have been four dukes and eight marquises, all of whom are the pillars of the court, possessing immense prestige. Among them, the Yuwen clan of the Prince of Northern Pacification are descendants of the previous dynasty. Because their ancestors performed outstanding service and aided in the founding of the empire, they were enfeoffed in the Tongyan region of the Northern Pass Circuit.

The Yuwen family has been showered with imperial grace; the first Emperor of You granted them special permission to be exempt from tribute and court attendance, allowing them to garrison troops and govern themselves. Their status is akin to the rulers of small states like Yinnan, Heqing, Baiyi, and Xinling in the Nanpu Circuit.

The Prince of Northern Pacification's clan has been deeply grateful, voluntarily guarding the Northern Pass for the Great You Dynasty. For a hundred years, they have been diligent and conscientious, with every generation remembering the ancestral motto: "Serve the sovereign with a loyal heart, and worry for the nation as one would for their own home." They built fortifications along the Tongyan region, becoming a vital line of defense against the iron hooves of foreign tribes invading from the south.

On the other hand, the Yuwen family wields immense power throughout the entire Northern Pass and even the Mobei region, though they have always maintained a low profile. The old Prince who helms the Yuwen family also holds the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Pass Circuit. For many years, he has personally led his troops to resist the cavalry of the Tiele people beyond the Northern Pass, earning great merit through arduous service.

If Sheng Qingzhi prides himself on being the local emperor of Suian City, then the Yuwen family of the Prince of Northern Pacification is the supreme sovereign of the Northern Pass Circuit and the Mobei region.

Every prefecture within the Mobei territory, and even the various garrisons throughout the Northern Pass Circuit, are under the jurisdiction of the Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Pass Circuit. This creates a conflict with the Governor's Office, which is supposed to govern the Northern Pass.

In truth, the actual administrative body of the Northern Pass Circuit is the Governor's Office, but because of the existence of the Yuwen family, the Governor's Office is no different from a paper tiger; it is utterly incapable of asserting its authority.

Even if Prefect Sheng Qingzhi were to seek aid from above, he would never obtain any substantial assistance.

Over the past few days, the eyes and ears dispatched by He Ping have learned that Prefect Sheng has directly conscripted several hundred yamen runners from the various counties surrounding North Prefecture to head up the mountain.

This group, relying on their pursuit like hounds chasing prey, followed Cheng Zhi to the borders of Four Peaks Mountain. Only then did they remember that this great mountain hides man-eating mountain demons, and they could not help but tremble, each of them hesitating to take another step.

Only after being whipped and driven by their superiors into Four Peaks Mountain did these yamen runners become suspicious and fearful at the slightest rustle of grass or wind.

Everyone knows that the One-Horned Mountain Demon is a man-eating monster with infinite strength, moving as swiftly as lightning. Even a top-tier martial artist from the pugilistic world would find no advantage in a confrontation.

Unless an army of thousands were to press in with bows and crossbows, there would be no way to drive it off. If one truly wished to exterminate the mountain demons dwelling in the deep mountains, it would be even more difficult than ascending to the heavens.

It is easy to see that, firstly, Sheng Qingzhi is unlikely to accomplish anything relying on these government yamen runners; and secondly, for his meager force to enter the mountains to search for a man is nothing more than a pipe dream!