Chapter 104: Shen Shi’s Plan

"A honey trap? What is this all about?" Bao Zheng asked.

By this point, Shen Shi had largely unraveled Zhao Zongyong’s scheme, though a few questions remained. He turned to Bao Zheng and asked, "Lord Bao, the Song Dynasty’s warhorses shouldn't fall under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Clan Court, should they?"

"That is true. However, the Imperial Clan Court does indeed keep horses," Bao Zheng replied after a moment of reflection.

"Just as I thought," Shen Shi nodded.

The Prince of Runan wanted warhorses, but these horses belonged to the state. The horses kept by the Imperial Clan Court were merely a private endeavor of the Zhao family. Nominally, the Song Dynasty’s warhorses did not belong to the clan authorities. In broad terms, this was the difference between an unwritten rule and an official system. Generally, no one would dare break the unwritten rule; once the Prince of Runan’s estate stepped in, the horses would be theirs.

But where there are general circumstances, there are exceptions. What would happen if they encountered a stubborn official? After witnessing Wang Daoling’s display of illusion, everything became clear.

"Lord Shen, what is actually going on?" Shen Shi understood, but Bao Zheng remained in the dark.

"Lord Bao, it is like this..." Shen Shi gathered his thoughts and explained everything in detail. Naturally, he omitted the fact that the Prince of Runan was eyeing the throne; that was a matter for the future, and speaking of it now would be futile.

"What? He intends to swindle horses?" Gongsun Ce, standing nearby, was shocked. "How is that possible? Surely not!" The reputation of the Prince of Runan’s estate was so impeccable that no one dared to believe such a thing.

"Why wouldn't it be possible? Look, the direction those horses are heading—isn't it straight toward the horse ranch?" Shen Shi pointed out the destination of the illusion.

"They are a princely estate; they must be very wealthy. If they want horses, they could just buy them," Shen’s father added, still unable to believe it. It seemed as absurd as a billionaire snatching a bun from a beggar.

"Buy them? Across the entire Song Dynasty, there are at least ten or twenty thousand warhorses. Does the Prince of Runan’s estate have that kind of wealth?" Shen Shi laughed. "Warhorses aren't cheap. Even if they had the money, would he be willing to part with it?"

That hit the nail on the head—would he be willing? And if not, what then? They would resort to theft, robbery, or fraud. Whether it was horse bandits or the peculiar talents kept by the Prince of Runan’s estate, they were all engaged in such dirty work. Wang Daoling was no exception.

Hiss...

Everyone stopped questioning. After all, Bao Zheng never dismissed a suspicion simply because of a good reputation. As long as it was logical and reasonable, nothing was impossible.

"Abominable! Where does this leave the laws of the imperial court?" Bao Zheng said, incensed.

"My Lord, don't be hasty. Perhaps it isn't what we think," Gongsun Ce advised.

Bao Zheng thought for a moment and remained silent. As he stayed quiet, Shen Shi said nothing either. After all, Zhao Zongyong’s status and position meant that without concrete evidence, nothing could be done to him. Even with evidence, it was doubtful; these were only a few horses. Even if he had swindled them, the Emperor would not punish him.

Of course, that was assuming his swindle succeeded. Everything went exactly as Shen Shi had anticipated; Zhao Zongyong’s "horses" ran into the ranch and then vanished.

"Lord Bao, these are the estate’s horses. Why not let my men take them?"

"Your Highness, these horses are indeed raised by this county."

"Raised by you? Everyone saw my horses run in here."

...

What followed was a great deal of bickering. Zhao Zongyong insisted they were his, and Bao Zheng insisted they were his own. Zhao Zongyong claimed everyone saw his horses enter the ranch, while Bao Zheng countered that the horses he raised all bore official marks.

...

In the end, the horses were led away by the people from the princely estate. Wang Daoling smiled happily, knowing he was about to receive a handsome payout.

"Shi'er, what should we do? Without the horses, my official duties..." Shen’s father was deeply worried about his position.

"Father, don't worry! It will be fine. We have raised these horses for a long time; they know who their true master is," Shen Shi said with a faint smile.

Shen Shi didn't care much for the position itself, but he could not ignore the "fortune" or "fate" (qiyun) that came with an official post. As previously mentioned, the Shen family lacked the natural talent for cultivation. This was a major problem. To solve it, one would either need to find souls capable of improving their aptitude or be reincarnated. Neither was possible for Shen Shi at the moment. There was only one thing he could rely on—fortune.

When fortune arrives, the heavens and earth work in your favor. If the fortune is sufficient, one could be "piled" into an immortal. Of course, Shen Shi preferred that they cultivate using that fortune rather than just having it heaped upon them. After all, what one cultivates is truly one's own, whereas fortune is an external commodity. Even the imperial fortune gained through helping a dragon ascend is incredibly short-lived for an immortal. Once the dynasty that provides the fortune collapses, the "fortune-made immortal" may not turn back into a mortal, but their supply of fortune will be cut off, dwindling with every use.

Therefore, Shen Shi gave a subtle look to the horses they had raised. These steeds, having breathed in spiritual energy, were highly intelligent. Seeing Shen Shi’s signal, they did not struggle but obediently followed the men from the estate.

"Lord Bao, you see? They are so obedient to my estate; they must be my horses," Zhao Zongyong said gleefully. These dozens of warhorses were the finest in the ranch, some even superior to the estate’s own thousand-mile steeds. Most importantly, they were docile and willing to follow him. Zhao Zongyong laughed heartily, his anger completely forgotten. It was clearly a case of a fine steed recognizing its master! These horses were worth it; they were much better than people.

"You..."

Bao Zheng was a man of fierce integrity. Later, when he became the Prefect of Kaifeng, he would become a "calamity for men." An imperial son-in-law? Execute! The brother of an imperial consort? Execute! You can tell a man's character by the time he is three. Bao Zheng was much older than that now; his nature was set. If something was "right," it was "right." He didn't care if the other party was a prince.

"Lord Bao, these are indeed not our horses," Shen Shi spoke up at this moment. But he was siding with Zhao Zongyong.

"Lord Shen, what are you saying?" Bao Zheng couldn't believe Shen Shi would act this way. Having spent much time together, he trusted Shen Shi deeply, but he could not fathom this behavior.

Shen Shi did not explain, smiling instead: "My Lord, have you forgotten? Our warhorses are all kept at my home."

"Huh?" Bao Zheng was dumbfounded, as was everyone else. If one only looked at Shen Shi's expression, one would truly believe him, but the problem was that those dozens of horses were undoubtedly their own.

"You see? Your warhorses weren't kept here after all. These are our horses. Come, take them back," Zhao Zongyong said immediately, then added to Shen Shi, "You are a sensible man. If you wish to work for the estate, you may come to see me."

Zhao Zongyong was an insider; he knew full well these were not the estate's horses. Thus, in his eyes, this was Shen Shi bowing to power and showing favor—the only thing missing was a kowtow. Though Shen Shi might lack character, the estate could use his talent while ignoring his morality.