Chapter 84: Distrust (Part 1)

A planned day would often go by very quickly. On the third day, when Shen Miao came to the Feng Xian Pawnshop, the Chen brothers had been waiting for a long time.

Compared to before, both of them seemed to have changed a lot. Especially Chen Yue Shan, that bold and uninhibited air was gone and replaced by dense clouds. Shen Miao gave Chen Yue Shan and Chen Yue Hai a glance and had an idea about it in her heart. In all likelihood both of them had already inquired about the younger Chen sister's information, perhaps had also personally saw her. To witness for themselves the miserable situation that their sister had fallen to, was the greatest provocation for someone who was decisive in killings in the pugilist world. Otherwise in the previous life the Chen family would not have recklessly went forward to assassinate Prince Yu.

"Shen Young Lady." Chen Yue Hai first spoke, "Previously Shen Young Lady said that there was a way to let the Imperial family not being able to trace the matter back to the Chen family. Is it possible to tell us brothers?"

Ji Yu Shu looked at his cup, as if he could see the flowers inside but was deliberately not looking at Shen Miao.

Shen Miao sighed, "I naturally want to help but just like what was said before, the risk I am taking would be great. In some ways, the Shen family is tied to the same boat as your Chen family, so if anything goes wrong, the Shen family will also suffer."

Chen Yue Shan paused before saying, "I knew that this action is forcing one to do things against one's will, so if Young Lady is willing to help, half of our Chen family business and everything would be given to the Shen family."

Once his words were said, even Ji Yu Shu could not help but raise his head and look at Chen Yue Shan.

The Chen family was the richest in JiangNan which was a fertile land since ancient times. The Chen family's money was estimated to be much more than the Imperial family had, and now to take the initiative to give half of this business, for the Shen family, it must be asking a tiger for its skin.

Shen Miao heard what was said and when she saw Chen Yue Shan pleading expression, she could not help but be in a daze. The Chen family sisters had experienced torture and because of revenge the Chen family was willing to pay such a price. They obviously knew that even if she helped, one could not truly sleep in comfort without worries. Even so, they were willing to gamble. This could be said that the Chen sisters had such a position in the Chen family heart. In the previous life when she was imprisoned and when she was isolated in the Inner Palace, if at that time the Shen family was still around, would her parents and Elder Brother also spared no cost to save her.

"Shen Young Lady." Seeing Shen Miao lost in thought, Chen Yue Shan spoke out to call her attention.

Shen Miao recovered to her senses and smiled gently, "Do not bother about half the family business, I will help with this matter but not because of your family business but to build a relationship. In the future if there is any need for your Chen family, one hope that one would not decline. Secondly, I have also have a blood debt with Prince Yu residence and if the Prince Yu of the First Rank residence is not exterminated, there will be a day when trouble will come." She looked at Chen Yue Shan, "Today, we are all on the same boat."

Chen Yue Shan looked at Shen Miao, her eyes were clear and her tone was sincere, as if all the words and phrases she said had substance and everything that she said could be done. From the first encounter to the present, she did not have the display of a budding young lady. Chen Yue Shan could not help but think that if the Chen sisters had the temperament and means of the young female in front, perhaps they would not be so miserable now.

Thinking about the Chen sisters, Chen Yue Shan mood turned slightly better before darkening again. He said, "What is Shen Young Lady's approach?"

"Regarding the Imperial family, you temporarily need not ask as it would get better in these days. Furthermore if you want to take action, it is best to do it next month. Next month, Prince Yu will be marrying my TangJie over and during the second day of marriage the surroundings would be lax, so you should start it in the early morning to be absolutely safe."

"You." Chen Yue Shan wanted to say something but at the end he shook his head, "How could you conclude the Imperial family side in one month?"

Shen Miao glanced at the tea drinking Ji Yu Shu with a smile but yet a smile, "You need not worry about that. The current matter of vital importance is to convene men and horses." After pausing, she then continued, "The Prince Yu residence is not small, you must first find out the layout and on the day of execution, other than my TangJie, after rescuing, you must cut the weeds and dig up the roots."

"Rest assure, us brothers know." Chen Yue Hai said.

"One do not know what rules are there in pugilist world's extermination of the household. The cutting of weeds and digging up of roots that I said meant that regardless of womenfolk, children or the old or servants and concubines, there must not be one alive. The entire Prince Yu of the First Rank residence must completely become a grave."

Chen Yue Shan and Chen Yue Hai were surprised for a moment before Chen Yue Hai frowned, "The servants and concubines are mostly the pitiful people that Prince Yu took captive."

Shen Miao smiled bitterly, "A centipede dies but never falls down. If Gentleman Chen want to be merciful, it would only harm the Chen family and our Shen family people would also be implicated."

She said callously and in a moment later, Chen Yue Shan nodded his head, "We would definitely not leave a survivor and implicate Young Lady."

"It would be the best." Shen Miao said, "Then one wish that both of you would be able to avenge the deep hatred and wash the Prince residence with blood."

After speaking with the Chen brothers for a while, they then stood up to leave. After they left, Ji Yu Shu finally spoke, "Shen Young Lady, you are still young of age but know a lot of things. Just now I see it clearly, the Chen brothers are experienced and knowledgeable people and they actually went along with your arrangement. Shen Young Lady, it is my first seeing such an intelligent and beautiful female like you. One do not know if there is any opportunity in the future to take a walk with you in the outskirts on a spring day, admire the lake on a summer night, in the deep autumn…" The words in front were still fine but the later words were getting outrageous, they were like a lecher's words that teases unmarried young females.

"Manager Ji." Shen Miao asked, "It cannot be that you only want to say these stuff to me."

"Ke." Ji Yu Shu cleared his throat, "In fact I only want to tell Shen Young Lady that the information had been created and spread into the Palace. One think that it would not take for long for Shen Young Lady to achieve the result desired."

Shen Miao was secretly slightly surprised. Although she knew that the Feng Xian Pawnshop had the ability, but she did not know that other side's action would be this fast, presumably there were also people in the Palace that were colluding, else there would be some twists and turns to get the message quietly penetrated into the Palace. The waters of the Feng Xian Pawnshop really ran very deep. Just now she did not concealed the deal with the Chen brothers because she knew that it could not be covered up.

"Thanking Manager Ji for the trouble." Shen Miao's eyes hang down, "When the matter is successful, the promise made with Manager Ji will be done as pacted."

Ji Yu Shu was silent for a moment before asking in a rare serious tone, "Shen Young Lady, this one do not understand one thing."

"Please speak."

"Shen Young Lady represent the Shen family to do business with me, are not you not afraid that there will be a day where I will want the Shen family to do dangerous things, and push the Shen family into where the wind and waves are the fiercest, making this deal not be such worthwhile?" Having said that, Ji Yu Shu stared at Shen Miao to pay attention to her expression.

Shen Miao did not blink and lightly said, "As for worrying about future difficulties, it would be better to worry about the problem on hand. If there would really be such a day, one can only say that it is my Shen family's fate."

Ji Yu Shu spoke with some doubt, "Really?"

"It is fake." In the secret room, Xie Jing Xing heard the movement at the other side and lazily said.

"Only Ji Yu Shu, that fool, would believe her words." Gao Yang said, "This girl's deceptive abilities is at the point of perfection. How is Ji Yu Shu her opponent?"

"No worries." Xie Jing Xing said leisurely, "Once boarded my ship, it is not so simple to get out."

When Shen Miao got up to greet Ji Yu Shu with her goodbye, Ji Shu Yu suddenly said, "Oh yes. Shen Young Lady, previously you requested of me to inquire about Young Lady Liu Ying, there seems to be some news. If Shen Young Lady is anxious, there could be a result in these couple of days."

However Shen Miao's reply made Ji Yu Shu shocked, Shen Miao said, "No rush. Manager Ji can slowly search and I can slowly wait."

After she left, Ji Yu Shu then shook his head and spoke as he walked into the house, "Truly a female who is more difficult to understand than Young Lady Shao Yao. At least Young Lady Shao Yao would be happy when she is given pearls, could it be that this one will be happy if one send her a human head?" He shuddered as he hurried into the house.

*****

In the Palace.

In the Emperor's study, the memorandums on the desk were stacked way high. Emperor Wen Hui sat in front of the table with the report spread out but he did not take a single look. He had already reached the age of a cycle of sixty years, although he was hale and hearty, he had stepped into the passage of time and his temples had white spots. In this word, it was by large just a reincarnation, he had experienced the will and spirit of a youth, moments full of vim. That even though his strength was not there but the people that were looking at him saw an elderly and old tiger.

There would always be new tigers to inherit his position.

At this moment Emperor Wen Hui's expression was very serious. As he grew older, he became thinner but his skin was lax as if it was paste onto the bones, making it a strange elderly sight. When he spoke in a hoarse voice, one could vaguely hear the monstrous anger inside.

"Old Eleven really killed a guard that looked exactly alike to that assassin ?"

The two black clad men in front said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, yes, the people caught was tortured. In addition, Prince Yu's trusted aide that was captured in the residence of the Prince of First Rank, had also personally admitted that a few days back there was a masked guard that was killed by the Prince of First Rank."

Emperor Wen Hui closed his eyes and threw his hand violently. The paperweight on the table flew out and clattered as it broke into a number of pieces. After a moment he laughed out coldly, "Old Eleven, Zhen really underestimated him."

There were numerous eyes and ears in the Palace. Concubines, officials and even the Empress use these eyes and ears to survive in the Palace. Whoever was able to gather more information, whoever would gain the decisive opportunity to win. The Emperor was no exception, only when his eyes and ears were everywhere, he would be able to sit more securely on this dragon seat.

Initially when he heard from the spies of the matter by accident, that Prince Yu of the First Rank had killed a person who looked like the original assassin, Emperor Wen Hui could not believe it in his heart. The Imperial family's feeling was that thin and he had stepped on all his brothers' corpses to seat on this Imperial position. He only left the then ranked eleventh Prince Yu aside, because Emperor Wen Hui always remembered that dangerous night where Prince Yu used his body to block, and was drenched in blood as he saved his life.

Emperor Wen Hui often thought that after so many years, his good treatment to Prince Yu was only just because of the gratitude of that leg but since then it represented that Emperor Wen Hui still had affection and kindness. When sitting in the position of an Emperor, the feelings behind everyone's treatment were no longer pure, even his sons were filled with a calculating heart. But Prince Yu was able to remind Emperor Wen Hui that there was still someone who could ignore safety, and block a sword for him and that he still had a close brother.

But now, this was like the greatest joke. Apparently that act was just a scene arranged by this 'close brother', so much that Emperor Wen Hui suspect that Prince Yu's deposed leg was also fake.

What kind of plans that Prince Yu had to seize the throne, that he had concealed one's strength and bide one's time for so many years? Emperor Wen Hui felt furious and insulted when being cheated.

To be betrayed by a trusted person, not only would that trust be returned, but doubts would also be intensified. The people in the Imperial family were naturally paranoid, previously one did not suspected Prince Yu because of his devotion but now that devotion had become a false front, the seed of doubt that the Imperial family had, immediately grew into a towering unshakable tree.

"Send people to guard Prince Yu residence. Zhen want to see what kind of tricks he want to play.

Gao GongGong lowered his head and looked quietly down at his toes, as if he had not heard the Emperor's anger. But his heart sighed slightly. Troubled times. Troubled times.