Volume One, Chapter Eight: Protecting the Lord

The inner courtyard of the Wen Mansion was bustling with activity. Servants hurried back and forth, carrying box after box of documents into a side room in the back yard. Wen Tiren stood beneath the corridor, his expression dark as he watched everything unfold.

“Sir,” the steward whispered, “everything is ready.”

Wen Tiren nodded and stepped into the side room. Inside, piles of crates filled the space, each containing years’ worth of his correspondence. He reached out and flipped open the top volume, his eyes scanning the pages.

“Burn all of these,” he said in a low voice. “Leave no trace behind.”

“Yes, sir,” the steward replied and stepped back.

Wen Tiren continued to sift through the documents. These pages held evidence of his dealings with the Jianzhou Jurchens; if exposed, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Meanwhile, inside the East Factory prison—

“Sir,” a eunuch hurried in, “I’ve learned there’s movement at the Wen Mansion.”

Wei Zhiren set down the file he was reading. “Speak.”

“Today, many boxes were moved to the back courtyard, seemingly to destroy something.”

A sharp glint flashed in Wei Zhiren’s eyes. “Tell Wang Wu to prepare for action.”

“Yes!”

In the mansion’s backyard, several servants carefully emptied the documents from the crates, preparing to burn them.

“Wait,” Wen Tiren suddenly said, “check once more and keep the important ones.”

The steward quickly agreed and began inspecting the papers with others.

At that moment, a commotion arose outside the courtyard wall.

“Who’s there?” the steward called out, alert.

There was no answer. Suddenly, several black shadows flashed by and in the blink of an eye, scaled the walls.

“Protect sir!” the steward shouted.

Wen Tiren’s face changed drastically as he turned to flee. But the shadows were faster, encircling them in an instant.

“Sir Wen,” the leader of the black-clad men sneered, “what are you doing here?”

Wen Tiren forced himself to stay calm. “Who are you?”

“Agents of the East Factory. Cooperate,” the man said as he moved forward to search.

“Stop!” Wen Tiren shouted fiercely, “I am a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. How dare you—”

Before he could finish, a shadow moved swiftly, and a sharp pain struck the back of his neck. He immediately lost consciousness.

“Search!” the leader ordered with a wave.

The others sprang into action, rifling through the crates. Soon, piles of documents were uncovered.

“Sir,” one of the men called, holding several documents, “found them!”

The leader took the papers, glancing over them with a cold smile. “There’s definitely something suspicious. Take him away!”

They hoisted the unconscious Wen Tiren and vanished into the night.

Back in the East Factory prison, Wei Zhiren was interrogating a prisoner.

“Sir!” another eunuch rushed in, “we’ve caught someone!”

Wei Zhiren’s eyes lit up. “Did you find the documents?”

“Yes, all here.” The eunuch handed over a thick stack.

Wei Zhiren flipped through them quickly, his expression growing darker.

“Wen Tiren,” he sneered, “you dared to collude with the Jianzhou Jurchens!”

“Should we report this to His Majesty immediately?”

“No rush,” Wei Zhiren waved his hand, “let him stay in the prison awhile longer. I want a thorough interrogation.”

Just then, another eunuch came running over. “Sir, about the Wen Mansion...”

“What is it?”

“I discovered a secret chamber there. It seems to hold something important.”

A sharp light flickered in Wei Zhiren’s eyes. “Keep watching closely. Don’t alert them.”

“Yes.”

Suddenly, a scream echoed from deep within the prison. Wen Tiren had awakened.

“Sir Wen,” Wei Zhiren approached with a cold smile, “ready to talk now?”

Wen Tiren lifted his head, terror flashing across his eyes. “You… you can’t do this!”

“Why not?” Wei Zhiren shook the documents in his hand. “This evidence is solid.”

“Those are all…”

“All what?” Wei Zhiren sneered. “Letters to the Jianzhou Jurchens? Or records of bribery and corruption?”

Wen Tiren’s face went pale. “You…”

“What now?”

“The Wen Mansion… it’s on fire!”

Wei Zhiren’s expression darkened. “When?”

“Just now. A fire broke out in the backyard and it’s already…”

“Worthless!” Wei Zhiren shouted, “Go put out the fire immediately!”

The eunuchs hurried off. Wei Zhiren looked at Wen Tiren with a cold smile. “Looks like you were prepared all along.”

Wen Tiren remained silent, but a faint glint of triumph flickered in his eyes.

Wei Zhiren saw it and inwardly cursed. This old fox had indeed saved a trick.

“Take him to the cells!” he ordered sharply.

Several eunuchs stepped forward and carried Wen Tiren away.

“Wait,” Wei Zhiren suddenly said.

Wen Tiren turned to look at him.

“Sir Wen,” Wei Zhiren said with a cold smile, “do you think burning those documents will solve everything?”

Wen Tiren’s face changed. “What do you mean?”

“Your guess,” Wei Zhiren waved the documents. “These aren’t all.”

Wen Tiren’s heart skipped a beat. Could there be other evidence?

“Sir!” a eunuch ran in again. “Outside the city…”

“What about outside?”

“Suspicious individuals were spotted. They seem to be Jianzhou Jurchen spies!”

Wei Zhiren’s eyes gleamed. “Were they caught?”

“Two escaped, one was captured.”

“Bring him here!”

Soon, a disheveled man was dragged in.

“Speak!” Wei Zhiren barked, “Are you a Jianzhou Jurchen spy?”

The man said nothing, only stared coldly.

“Silent, huh?” Wei Zhiren sneered. “Take him for a thorough interrogation!”

Several eunuchs stepped forward with various torture instruments.

The man glanced at the tools and suddenly spoke. “You won’t get anything out of me.”

“Oh?” Wei Zhiren narrowed his eyes. “Why not?”

“Because,” the man cast a glance at Wen Tiren, “everything that needed burning was burned.”

Wen Tiren’s face turned ashen.

Wei Zhiren, however, smiled. “Is that so? Then how about this?”

He pulled a letter from his sleeve and waved it before Wen Tiren.

Wen Tiren stared at it, his face draining of color. “This… this is…”

“Recognize it?” Wei Zhiren sneered.

Wen Tiren trembled all over. “Where… where did you get this?”

“That’s none of your concern now,” Wei Zhiren said, pocketing the letter. “Take them all away!”

“Wait!” Wen Tiren suddenly shouted, “I confess!”

Wei Zhiren stopped. “Oh?”

“I… I did correspond with the Jianzhou Jurchens,” Wen Tiren gritted his teeth, “but it was under secret imperial orders…”

“Nonsense!” Wei Zhiren roared, “How dare you slander His Majesty!”

“I’m not slandering!” Wen Tiren urged anxiously, “It’s true! Back then…”

“Enough!” Wei Zhiren cut him off with a wave. “Take him away!”

The eunuchs seized Wen Tiren and dragged him off.

“Just wait,” Wei Zhiren said as he watched his retreating figure, “you’ll regret this.”

At that moment, another commotion erupted outside.

“Sir!” a eunuch ran in, flustered, “another Jianzhou Jurchen spy was caught!”

“Where?”

“Near the Wen Mansion!”

Wei Zhiren’s eyes sparkled. “Bring him in!”

Soon, another man was brought in. He was dressed like a merchant but his gaze was fierce.

“Speak!” Wei Zhiren demanded, “Are you a Jianzhou Jurchen spy?”

The man sneered. “You’ll find nothing.”

“Is that so?” Wei Zhiren smiled back. “What about Wen Tiren? Is he your accomplice?”

The man’s face changed. “You…”

Suddenly, another uproar came from outside.

“Sir!” a eunuch ran in, panicked, “bad news!”

“What now?”

“The Wen Mansion… weapons were found in the cellar!”

Wei Zhiren’s eyes lit up. “What kind of weapons?”

“Firearms, gunpowder…”

“Excellent!” Wei Zhiren slammed the table. “The evidence is conclusive!”

He turned to the merchant-spy. “What else do you have to say?”

The man’s expression flickered before he suddenly shouted, “Kill!”

Before the words faded, he lunged at Wei Zhiren with a dagger drawn from his sleeve.

“Protect sir!” the eunuchs shouted.