Chapter Fifty-Two: Exposed

The next day, Zhu Yu summoned Little Fish and explained that Jiang Yuyan had pleaded for him the previous day. He also conveyed his agreement to help, but with the condition that Yan Nantian be brought into the palace for treatment, to avoid any further mishaps. Since he had promised to help, he would see it through to the end.

Little Fish was overjoyed at Zhu Yu’s words—there was no reason to refuse—so he immediately took his leave to fetch Yan Nantian.

More than half a month later, Little Fish brought Yan Nantian and Su Ying, the daughter of the Poison Doctor Su Rushi, into the palace.

In the days that followed, Zhu Yu was even more anxious than Little Fish, keeping close watch on Yan Nantian’s recovery.

As was his habit, Zhu Yu visited Little Fish every few days to check on Yan Nantian’s progress. But today, as he walked along the path, a crucial matter he ought never to have forgotten suddenly came to mind.

Namely, with Yan Nantian, Inviting Moon, and Pitying Star all gravely wounded, who should be sent to eradicate the Palace of Shifting Flowers?

In the original story, Liu Xi had acted on his own to take advantage of the situation at the Palace of Shifting Flowers, effortlessly capturing Inviting Moon and Pitying Star and locking them up.

But in Zhu Yu’s heart, Liu Xi never quite matched up to Cao Zhengchun or Yu Huatian—there was always a trace of distrust, an uneasy feeling he could not shake.

After a moment’s reflection, Zhu Yu turned and made his way to the Western Depot, the closest out of the two secret police organizations.

Zhu Yu could not possibly walk about the palace alone; attendants had already gone ahead to notify the Western Depot of his arrival. When he neared the depot, Yu Huatian was waiting at the gate with a retinue of officials to receive him.

After excusing the formalities, Zhu Yu kept Yu Huatian behind for a private conversation.

Zhu Yu intended to exchange a few casual words before addressing his true purpose, but Yu Huatian surprised him first.

“Your Majesty, this humble servant has uncovered a major case in the capital recently.”

“A major case? I haven’t heard of any disturbances in the capital of late. Besides, shouldn’t such cases be handled by the Six Doors?” Zhu Yu was puzzled by Yu Huatian’s mention of a major case.

“Your Majesty misunderstood. This is no ordinary case. I heard that some time ago, you had a confrontation outside the palace. I could not stand idly by and ordered an investigation. What we uncovered was significant.”

“What was it?” Zhu Yu asked with a frown.

“The headquarters of the infamous assassin organization Blackstone is right here in the capital. Had it not been for Your Majesty’s great fortune, I might never have discovered it. The person who confronted you that day was Blackstone’s newly minted assassin, Ye Zhanqing.

I have already begun assembling forces to eradicate Blackstone in one fell swoop!”

Hearing this, Zhu Yu’s face turned livid. All his painstaking efforts to bring Blackstone to heel, and now Yu Huatian wanted to wipe them out?

“I am aware of this matter. Without my express command, do not act against Blackstone,” Zhu Yu said coldly.

“Ah? But…”

“But what? Did you not hear me, or do you simply not wish to obey?” Zhu Yu shot Yu Huatian a sharp look.

“Please forgive me, Your Majesty, that was not my intention. It’s just… Ye Zhanqing of Blackstone has already been detained in the Western Depot for some days,” Yu Huatian replied, sensing ill fortune but forcing himself to continue.

“What? Take me to her at once!” Zhu Yu commanded, eyes wide.

The moment Zhu Yu saw Ye Zhanqing, he finally understood why people across the land feared the prisons of the Eastern and Western Depots like the plague.

The disheveled figure before him hardly resembled a person. Were it not for Yu Huatian’s assurance, Zhu Yu would never have believed this was Ye Zhanqing.

“Save her! If anything happens to her, you can take off that uniform and serve tea to Cao Zhengchun and Liu Xi instead,” Zhu Yu said, his cold tone making Yu Huatian’s hair stand on end.

“What are you waiting for? Quickly, take her to the Imperial Medical Bureau!”

Yu Huatian immediately ordered the depot guards to carry Ye Zhanqing for treatment.

The guards dared not hesitate; they lifted Ye Zhanqing and rushed toward the medical bureau.

During the move, perhaps a wound was jarred, for Ye Zhanqing opened her eyes weakly under the pain. The first thing she saw was Zhu Yu in his dragon robe.

Ye Zhanqing, seeing Zhu Yu’s face, subconsciously murmured, “Chief…”

But before she could finish, she lost consciousness from exhaustion.

Her voice was so faint that none present heard what she said—except for one: Yu Huatian, a grandmaster of martial arts.

Those simple words left Yu Huatian petrified. What had Ye Zhanqing just called Zhu Yu? If she addressed him as chief, then the chief of Blackstone was the Emperor himself!

This realization left Yu Huatian drenched in cold sweat. It all became clear—Ye Zhanqing had not been making trouble but was passing a message to the Emperor. Jiang Yuyan was unaware, so she had only complained to him.

And then… the Emperor’s painstakingly cultivated secret force was almost destroyed by his own subordinate—right in front of him!

Yu Huatian dared not meet the Emperor’s gaze, repeatedly wiping the cold sweat from his brow.

“Who told you that Ye Zhanqing had a dispute with me outside the palace?” Zhu Yu, sensing something amiss, questioned Yu Huatian.

Yu Huatian would never implicate Jiang Yuyan. He still relied on her in the harem, and besides, he believed she was unaware of the truth.

“It was just a rumor, Your Majesty. I wished to curry favor with you and acted on my own accord.”

He wiped the sweat from his forehead again and steeled himself to take responsibility.

Although Zhu Yu still harbored some doubts, he said nothing further. After all, he knew nothing concrete and could only accept Yu Huatian’s explanation.

“You interrogated Ye Zhanqing for quite some time. Did she confess? What did she say?” Zhu Yu suddenly thought this was a good opportunity to test Ye Zhanqing’s loyalty to Blackstone.

Yu Huatian immediately understood—Zhu Yu’s questions were not truly about intelligence, but about loyalty.

“Your Majesty, because her arrest was kept secret, Ye Zhanqing did not know she was in the Western Depot. At first, she openly declared herself a member of Blackstone, boasting that their headquarters was in the capital and that they would soon find her. She issued all manner of threats. But after some days, when she realized I was only after Blackstone’s secrets, she fell silent.”

After a moment’s thought, Yu Huatian replied.

Strictly speaking, he and Ye Zhanqing were colleagues in a way. Secret organizations were often granted special privileges. Given the harsh interrogations, he chose to cover for her, lest she speak ill of him to the Emperor.

In fact, after only a few days of interrogation, Ye Zhanqing had confessed everything about Blackstone—except for its chief, the Emperor himself.