The Heir

Сhaptеr 250: Тhе Реtition Drum

It was snowing.

Тhе wind by the rivеr was esресiаllу strоng. Zhen Niang tightеned her thick cloak аs shе steрpеd оff thе stоne рiеr. Shе hаd just sеen hеr parents оff оnto thе boat. Thе peоple оf thе Li Fаmilу’s Ink Маnоr were lеаving Nanjing аnd rеturning tо Huizhоu, marking thе grаdual end оf Li Мo’s glоry.

Neverthеless, Li Mo hаd lеft а prоfound mark on thе glоriоus erа оf thе Мing Dуnаsty’s ink industrу. Аs a dеscеndant of thе Li familу, thаt wаs enоugh.

А suddеn сhill touched hеr forehead. Zhen Niаng reachеd up to fеel а mеlting snowflаke and thought to herself, “No wonder it felt unusually cold when I woke up this morning—it was about to snow.”

Beside her, Xing Hua quickly opened an oil-paper umbrella to shield them from the falling snowflakes. Just as they were about to board the carriage, they noticed someone waving to them from a teahouse across the street.

“Madam, it’s His Excellency the Imperial Uncle,” Xing Hua whispered to Zhen Niang. The “Imperial Uncle” she referred to was Li Fu Gui of Fuxian Pavilion. Of course, Li Fu Gui was no longer the manager of Fuxian Pavilion but had been enfeoffed as a prince. However, he remained low-key, living a reclusive life much as he had during his time at Fuxian Pavilion, with his only indulgence being tea and opera.

Recognizing the Imperial Uncle, Zhen Niang instructed the carriage driver to wait and took Xing Hua into the teahouse across the street to pay her respects to Li Fu Gui.

“No need for formalities,” Li Fu Gui said, gesturing for Zhen Niang to sit opposite him. “I called you over to share some news. Have you heard that Feng Bao has fallen?”

News of Feng Bao’s downfall was impossible to hide from Luo Wenqian. Two days after Feng Bao was impeached, Luo Wenqian had learned of it, and Zhen Niang was also aware—a historical fact she had long known. She nodded.

“I thought you might already know,” Li Fu Gui continued, lowering his voice further. “But last night, I received word that during the raid on Feng Bao’s residence, a thick stack of bearer drafts from Yi Hou Sheng was discovered, totaling over a million taels. According to confessions from Feng Bao’s household, this silver was likely bribes from Minister Zhang to Feng Bao, funneled through Yi Hou Sheng Firm.”

On such a cold day, he would not have ventured out, but this news was potentially fatal for Yi Hou Sheng. It signaled that the court might soon take action against the firm. Unable to visit the Luo residence directly at such a time, he had learned that the Li family was leaving Nanjing today and knew Li Zhenniang would come to see them off. So, he had waited here at the teahouse specifically to pass on this news, repaying the life-saving favor she had once done for him on a boat.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhenniang’s face turned pale. She had thought Feng Bao’s downfall was merely a sign, with over a year still before Zhang Juzheng’s troubles would surface, giving Yi Hou Sheng time to plan gradually.

But she had never imagined that Feng Bao’s fall would expose this so soon. Yi Hou Sheng was in grave danger!!!

“Master Li, I must take my leave,” Zhenniang said immediately, rising and cupping her hands in farewell.

“Go ahead. Don’t worry too much. Even if Yi Hou Sheng faces trouble, Luo Jiu should be safe for now. After all, the Emperor isn’t ready to deal a fatal blow to the Zhang family yet,” Li Fu Gui said, waving his hand. He had delivered the message; what followed would depend on fate.

Zhenniang nodded, then hurried back to the carriage with Xing Hua.

“Quick, to Yi Hou Sheng Firm,” Zhenniang instructed the carriage driver as soon as she and Xing Hua boarded the carriage.The carriage driver, spurred by Li Zhenniang's urgent tone, kept cracking his whip, urging the horses to gallop straight toward Yi Hou Sheng.

But as soon as the carriage entered the official street, they saw crowds lining both sides, with the more curious ones rushing forward. The street was packed, and the carriage couldn't squeeze through at all.

Zhen Niang had the driver stop, paid the fare through Xing Hua, and then hurried along with the crowd. As she walked, she asked someone, "Do you know what's going on?"

"Ah, it's Madam Luo! It's terrible—the authorities have come to seal up Yi Hou Sheng," the person, who recognized Li Zhenniang, quickly replied.

This is bad, Zhen Niang thought with a pang of regret. The news had still come too late.

Pushing past those in front, she ran forward and soon reached the entrance of Yi Hou Sheng Money House. Sure enough, she saw a group of yamen runners and constables sealing the doors, along with a squad of Imperial Guards in Flying Fish Uniforms, armed with Embroidered Spring Sabers, escorting the money house's key personnel. At the front was Mo Lao Da, followed by Gu Pao Zi and Yan Xilai.

"Wait, what about Luo Wenqian? Isn't Luo Wenqian the head of Yi Hou Sheng?" one of the Imperial Guards asked with a stern face.

"Pah! What kind of head is he? Back then, he fled to the north like a stray dog, and I saved him. All these years, I've given him wealth and status. I only let him put up a front because he's from Huizhou and knows the area better. But he wouldn't submit to me, so I drove him back to his hometown long ago. Sir, a true man takes responsibility for his actions. If Yi Hou Sheng has done anything wrong, my brothers and I will bear it. But baseless accusations won't stick to us," Mo Lao Da shouted loudly, his eyes fixed on Li Zhenniang in the crowd.

Li Zhenniang met his gaze and nodded firmly. She understood Mo Lao Da's meaning perfectly. Since Luo Wenqian had already withdrawn from Yi Hou Sheng before this, Mo Lao Da and the others would now take full responsibility for everything related to Yi Hou Sheng, clearing Luo Wenqian of involvement. From here on, it would be up to Luo Wenqian to plan the next steps. Whether they lived or died, whether Yi Hou Sheng could survive—it all depended on Luo Jiu.

Zhen Niang knew well that Yi Hou Sheng had been founded by Luo Wenqian himself. To truly clear him of involvement was impossible—these Imperial Guards were no fools; on the contrary, they were shrewd and cunning.

But as Li Fu Gui had comforted her earlier, the Emperor hadn't yet reached the point of dealing a fatal blow to Minister Zhang. Therefore, for now, these men wouldn't move decisively against Luo Wenqian. The officials in the court merely wanted to use Yi Hou Sheng to implicate Zhang Juzheng's affairs while seizing the opportunity to carve up Yi Hou Sheng.

Now that Luo Wenqian had withdrawn from Yi Hou Sheng, he was no longer relevant to the larger situation. Brother Luo would be safe for the time being—this much Zhen Niang understood.

Just as Zhen Niang had guessed, the Imperial Guard who heard Mo Lao Da's words snorted coldly but said nothing more. Luo Wenqian's identity was sensitive, and until it was clear whether the Emperor truly intended to move against Minister Zhang, he had no desire to act against Luo Wenqian prematurely, fearing that the situation might spiral out of control and lead to greater losses.

By then, the Imperial Guards had already escorted the men far away. The vermilion doors of Yi Hou Sheng were sealed with official strips, the two brass rings on the doors swaying and gleaming, emitting faint clinking sounds that filled the heart with a desolate chill.Only a group of Yi Hou Sheng's minor stewards and clerks remained, unsure of where to go.

The snow began to fall heavily now, large flakes drifting down one after another.

"It's snowing heavily. Everyone should go home first. Don't speak or spread rumors carelessly. It's almost New Year anyway, so stay home peacefully. Rest assured, the wages owed to you won't be short. We'll have someone deliver them to your homes before the New Year," Zhen Niang stepped forward and said. As for anything else, Zhen Niang couldn't promise them anything at the moment. After all, she knew the fates of many people, but she alone did not know her own fate or the fates of those connected to her.

"Ah, what's the point of the mistress saying such things now? You should hurry and discuss matters with the master. We'll be fine," several minor stewards and clerks chimed in one after another. Then, they slowly dispersed.

Watching the crowd disperse, Zhen Niang finally led her people home. When she arrived, Luo Wenqian was not there, and even Luo Ping An and the others were nowhere to be seen. Zhen Niang naturally understood that Luo Wenqian must have taken people to gather information.

In the blink of an eye, it was dinnertime, and Luo Wenqian still hadn't returned. Zhen Niang ate without any appetite. Even Lin Ge Er and Yu Jie Er seemed to sense that something was amiss at home, behaving particularly obediently.

Chou Po, on the other hand, remained calm and composed. In this life, what hadn't she experienced? She could face everything with ease.

At night, during the Xu hour, Zhen Niang sat in the room with only an oil lamp casting a faint, bean-sized light. Outside, there was a rustling sound—the snow was still falling. Luo Wenqian had not yet returned. Unable to bear it any longer, Zhen Niang draped herself in a thick cloak, stepped out of the room, and walked to the entrance to wait. The scattered snowflakes struck her face, chilling her to the bone.

Zhen Niang couldn't help but shiver.

"Madam, the wind is strong outside. You should go back inside. I'll wait here by the door," Xing Hua advised from the side.

"No, if I sit inside, my heart won't settle. Standing here actually makes me feel steadier. Besides, I'm dressed warmly, and if I keep moving, I won't feel cold," Zhen Niang replied, tightening her cloak even more.

Just then, a faint neighing of horses came from the distance, though the sound of hooves was muffled by the snow on the ground.

Soon after, the distant sound of Luo Ping An driving a carriage could be heard.

"Madam, it's Ninth Master and Ping An returning," Xing Hua said, supporting Zhen Niang as they hurried forward, ignoring the falling snow. But when they reached the carriage, they saw only Luo Ping An—the carriage was empty, with no one inside.

"Brother Ping An, where is Wenqian?" Zhen Niang asked anxiously.

"Ninth Brother went to the imperial mausoleum outside the city to see Eunuch Feng," Luo Ping An said.

Hearing this, Zhen Niang's hands clenched tightly. "Why would Brother Luo go to see Eunuch Feng at a time like this?" If others found out, wouldn't it make things even more unclear? Zhen Niang couldn't help but feel anxious.

"It's fine. Ninth Brother changed his clothes at Zheng Shen's place and left the city quietly. He asked me to tell you not to worry," Luo Ping An explained, then added, "This trip to Eunuch Feng couldn't be avoided. It's about the drafts in Eunuch Feng's possession. Ninth Brother said that to clear his name, we must trace the origin of these drafts. But right now, we don't even know who holds these drafts, so to investigate, we have to start with Eunuch Feng."Zhen Niang nodded, indicating she understood. Although the draft was not registered under a name, the drafts issued by Yi Hou Sheng were numbered, and the bank kept records of the origins, so it was still possible to trace where they came from. And with the origins identified, the rumor that Minister Zhang had bribed Feng Bao through Yi Hou Sheng would naturally be untenable.

But lying in bed that night, Zhen Niang’s heart simply could not settle. Brother Luo’s current approach was based on common sense, but what she feared most was that the court simply didn’t care about the origins—they only needed a reason, a reason to carve up Yi Hou Sheng Firm, a reason to continue investigating Minister Zhang.

And so, she lay awake all night.

At dawn, Zhen Niang got up, her eyes stinging from a sleepless night, and soothed them with warm water.

Just then, Li Zhengshēn hurried in: "Zhen Niang, Wenqian has struck the Petition Drum!!!"