The Right Chancellor said heavily, “What do we do next?”

“To scheme him out of the court step by step now is all but impossible.”

There was a hard cruelty in the plump, pale young man’s eyes. “So it has to be one stroke and a kill. Whatever the means, he has to die… We cannot let him go on getting stronger.”

“That girl called Zisu can be used.”

The Right Chancellor looked at him, not following.

The plump, pale young man smiled darkly. “Ning Chen has two women, and Prince Duan killed the family of each of them… and Ning Chen chose to work with Prince Duan.”

“I have already had the two women told about it… And only a moment ago the girl called Zisu left the Ning residence alone.”

The Right Chancellor gave a start. “Is Prince Duan one of ours too?”

The plump, pale young man shook his head. “No. Prince Duan is a very clever man. He never chooses a side and he has no eye on the throne. He only loves money.”

The Right Chancellor nodded slightly.

True enough. If Prince Duan belonged to the man across from him, he would not be doing this… because if he did, the first man Ning Chen would suspect would be Prince Duan.

The Right Chancellor frowned. “But what use is one weak woman?”

The plump, pale young man smiled darkly. “She is a weak woman, but she is Ning Chen’s woman, and the use is great.”

“A master’s death and a family’s ruin are enough to make her a blade in our hands, and at the right moment she can deal Ning Chen a mortal stroke.”

“The Elegance Garden is exposed. We meet somewhere else from now on.”

The Right Chancellor nodded slightly.

Meanwhile, Zisu, who had left the Ning residence, had taken a room at an inn by herself.

She sat on the edge of the bed with her fine brows drawn together, her face torn.

She loved Ning Chen, and there was a lot of sense in what Yudie had said.

The root of the whole evil was Prince Duan. She should not have taken it out on Ning Chen.

But every time she thought of Ning Chen lying to her all that while, it sat badly with her.

Knock, knock, knock!!!

Someone was rapping on the door.

Zisu was on her guard at once.

She came to the door with a small porcelain bottle in her hand and asked, “Who is it?”

“Guest, I’ve brought the hot water.”

Zisu opened the door carefully.

A young waiter stood outside with a kettle of hot water in his hand.

He came in, filled the teapot on the table, then turned and looked at Zisu and bowed. “Good day to Miss Zisu.”

Zisu’s lovely eyes tightened and she fixed them on him. “Who are you? How do you know my name?”

The young waiter said, smiling, “I know more than Miss Zisu’s name. I know you have just come from the Ning residence.”

Zisu stared at him. “You sent the letter?”

The young waiter inclined his head slightly.

“We have never met. Why send me a letter? What do you want?”

The young waiter said, “Miss Zisu, I have come to help you.”

“Help me?”

“Does Miss Zisu want revenge?”

Zisu looked him over with some contempt. “You? If you sent the letter, then you know who my enemy is.”

The young waiter gave a small smile. “Of course I know. But since I dare come to Miss Zisu at all, I am fairly sure I can help you take your revenge in full.”

“Miss Zisu might as well gamble on it. With only your own strength, revenge is as hard as climbing to heaven… Try trusting me. What if it works?”

Zisu smiled coldly. “There is no free lunch under heaven. What do you want me to do?”

The young waiter said heavily, “That depends on how strong Miss Zisu’s resolve for revenge is.”

“What do you mean?”

“If Miss Zisu is willing to be a woman false to her master and false to her family, and to set aside her master’s death and her family’s ruin, then take it that I never came. If Miss Zisu’s whole heart is set on revenge, we can most certainly help you take your revenge in full.”

Zisu’s face filled with hatred. “I want my revenge, even if it costs me my life.”

The young waiter said, smiling, “Since Miss Zisu’s resolve for revenge is as strong as that, I think we might try working together.”

“Working together how?”

The young waiter took a silver note out of his robe and laid it on the table.

Zisu came forward and looked at it… and her eyes lit up at once. It was a silver note for ten thousand taels.

“Is this… for me?”

The young waiter nodded.

“Why give me silver?”

“We have always been generous to our own people. If Miss Zisu works with us in good faith, there will be more to come.”

Zisu stared at the silver note and could not help swallowing.

The young waiter took in Zisu’s reaction, and the corner of his mouth lifted. Then he said, “Miss Zisu should stay here and set her mind at rest. I will come to you again in a few days.”

With that he went straight out.

Zisu went to the door and put her head out. The young waiter was already going down the stairs.

She shut the door, came back, picked up the silver note, and smiled coldly. “Free with your money, aren’t you.”

Ning Chen came back from the Carefree Escort House, took a bath, and had only just lain down with his arm around Yudie.

Clang!

Something struck the window frame.

Ning Chen got out of bed, went into the outer room, opened the door and stepped out.

At the sight of Xie Siyu, Ning Chen’s brows drew together. “Where is Zisu?”

“At an inn. Perfectly safe.”

Ning Chen said, “If you have come to me now, have you found something?”

“Somebody has been in contact with Miss Zisu.”

“Who?”

Xie Siyu said, “The man went into a house called the Elegance Garden. I meant to go in and look, but the house guards inside are all masters, so I came away.”

Ning Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly. I’ll have to go to the Inspectorate tomorrow and have Geng Jing find a pretext to look into this Elegance Garden.

“What did the man say to Zisu?”

Xie Siyu said, “Only asked Miss Zisu whether she wanted revenge. Miss Zisu said she did. The man left a silver note for ten thousand taels and went, saying he would come again in a few days.”

Ning Chen inclined his head slightly. Standard practice. They can’t take Zisu on trust that easily.

But they sent a man to Zisu the moment she left the Ning residence, which means they are in a hurry.

It may be that my coming back to the court has made them see the danger.

“Elder Brother, keep watching. Nobody else matters. Whatever happens, keep Zisu safe.”

“Here’s what we’ll do. I’ll have Gu Yichun give you a few men. Working alone is too awkward for you — you have to keep going back and forth.”

Xie Siyu shook his head. “Every face in your household is a known one. I’ll draw men from the capital branch.”

Ning Chen thought about it and nodded slightly.

“I’m putting you to trouble, Elder Brother.”

“It’s what I’m for… And the Ghost-Shadow Sect?”

Half Moon Manor was still ringed by the court’s army.

Ning Chen said, “I have to find the man who really murdered Old General Chen and clear the Ghost-Shadow Sect of suspicion. Only then can I plead with His Majesty.”

Xie Siyu made a sound of assent.

“I’ll go, then.”

Ning Chen nodded.

The next day, in the morning.

Ning Chen rode his beloved Diaochan to the Inspectorate, clop, clop, clop.

He came to the first department and found everybody grimed from head to foot and sound asleep across their desks.

Ning Chen, puzzled, went over to Gao Ziping and rapped on the desk.

Gao Ziping opened his eyes, saw that it was Ning Chen, and yawned. “Do you want something? If not, let me sleep a little longer. Last night nearly killed me.”

Ning Chen asked, curious, “What happened? You’re all grimed head to foot and worn out like this.”

Gao Ziping said through a yawn, “Last night a house in the inner city called the Elegance Garden caught fire. The fire was fierce. The city guard, the capital prefect’s men and our own people all went to help… We were at it until daylight before we got the fire under control. The servants inside were all lost in it. A pity.”

Ning Chen’s face changed on the instant.

The Elegance Garden?

He had been about to ask Geng Jing to find a pretext for investigating the Elegance Garden, and now the Elegance Garden had burned.

(End of Chapter 407)