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Though early spring wasn't bitterly cold, it was far from warm. Yet Lu Chang, sitting across from Jia Qu, felt sweat trickling down his spine.
The fire outside the city last night had alarmed the people of Anyi.
Though the blaze was quickly extinguished, it left Lu Chang with an unsettling feeling.
He had ordered a headcount of the wall guards overnight, only to find one junhou and over twenty soldiers missing!
The result nearly made Lu Chang jump up and curse.
Anyone with half a brain could guess where they'd gone. But as the acting governor of Hedong while Wang Yi was "ill," Lu Chang was the de facto leader. That fire outside the city felt like it was burning his own backside!
If this escalated and wasn't handled well, Wang Yi could easily claim ignorance, saying, "While I was recovering, some miscreants caused trouble," shrugging off blame. But what about Lu Chang?
Who could he pass the blame to?
No one!
With Wang Yi "ill" and no duwei appointed in Hedong, Lu Chang was responsible for troop movements and guard duties. If he said the junhou had taken men off the wall without orders—though true—who would believe it?
The intricacies were clear to Lu Chang's scorched backside, but where was the evidence?
Without evidence, he could say nothing!
Yet the bodies left outside the city were undeniable proof!
How could Anyi's soldiers end up outside?
Could he claim over twenty armed men were just strolling under the moonlight?
Lu Chang tried to make his round face exude sincerity and honesty, dropping formalities as he looked at Jia Qu. "Jia, my friend, I truly had no knowledge of this… It really has nothing to do with Anyi…"
Jia Qu coughed lightly, replying earnestly, "Lord Lu, I'm only a scribe, not an aide."
"Oh, you'll be one soon enough… But that's not the point. Nephew, this really has nothing to do with Anyi. You think I'd order someone to burn Lord Fei's grain?!"
Fei Qian had just raised the banner to reclaim Shangjun, only for his grain to be torched. Though Lu Chang, as Hedong's deputy, was only half a rank below Fei Qian and outranked Jia Qu significantly, he spoke humbly. At such a delicate moment, if this incident spread, it would sound bad!
Wang Yi, newly appointed as Hedong's governor, was still building his reputation. If word got out that he wasn't bold in leadership but in backstabbing, how could he face the shame?
Lu Chang believed Wang Yi already knew the situation. It now depended on how he handled it. A misstep, and even without court intervention, Wang Yi—despite their good personal ties—wouldn't hesitate to throw him under the cart to take the blame…
Lu Chang widened his eyes, trying to project sincerity. "Nephew, you must believe me!"
"…" Jia Qu remained stoic, blinking. "If you were in my place, would you believe it?"
Lu Chang was stumped, stammering before slumping. "…But it really wasn't me, and it has nothing to do with Anyi!"
Jia Qu gazed at the hem of his robe, as if it held infinite fascination. After a long pause, he said softly, "Do you have proof, Uncle?"
Lu Chang's stout frame stiffened, his round face quivering. But moments later, he deflated, smiling bitterly. "For something like this… what proof could there be?"
Silence fell between them.
Lu Chang wasn't the only one who knew; Jia Qu could guess too. Getting a junhou to do something like this required more than just money—it needed someone with the power to cover it up if things went wrong.
In Anyi, few had the audacity to stir such a pot and the influence to make others trust they could fix it…
But even if Lu Chang guessed who, even if he knew, he was powerless and dared not confront them.
This time, one junhou died. How many remained?
At least one, maybe two—unknown.
And the lower ranks, like tunchang or duibiao?
No one knew.
Moreover, with years of cultivated influence in Hedong, who would dare challenge without ironclad proof or overwhelming strength?
Last night, when Jia Qu followed orders to set fire to the rear camp, he cautiously stationed trusted veterans as sentries around the camp. Surprisingly, they detected movement…
After repelling the attackers and inspecting the bodies, Jia Qu recognized them as Anyi's city guards. His first thought was Wang Yi and Lu Chang, but upon deeper reflection, he realized neither had reason to attack Fei Qian or gain from it.
Were Wang Yi and Lu Chang fools?
Clearly not. So why would they leave such a glaring flaw?
Unless someone deliberately created that flaw…
And why create such a flaw?
Fei Qian's letter had instructed Jia Qu to burn some grain, create a disturbance, and shift the narrative from mere trade disputes to obstructing military efforts and undermining the reclamation of Shangjun, then use that leverage. But Jia Qu keenly saw room for further maneuvering…
That's why he personally visited Lu Chang today, to confirm his suspicions, which aligned closely with his deductions…
After a long pause, Jia Qu adjusted his headpiece and said softly, "But I have evidence."
Lu Chang sighed, eyelids drooping, barely registering Jia Qu's words. With so many dead outside, including a junhou, it was undeniable evidence. A check against Anyi's roster would reveal everything…
Jia Qu repeated slowly, "I have evidence…"
Lu Chang waved dismissively, replying instinctively, "I know, I know you do…"
Suddenly, he froze, neck snapping toward Jia Qu as if whipped, nearly leaping from his seat. "Nephew, you mean…?"
Jia Qu silently pulled a document from his sleeve, placed it on the desk, and tapped it. "This is the contract between the Zhang family in the east and my lord for selling grain. Two days ago, they brazenly broke it, demanding a higher price, which I refused…"
Lu Chang stared at the document, reaching for it, but Jia Qu pressed it down.
Lu Chang looked up, puzzled.
Jia Qu repeated earnestly, "I only have evidence…"
Lu Chang suddenly understood, his brows furrowing as he weighed his options. Finally, gritting his teeth, he said, "Nephew, rest assured, I have evidence too!"