Chapter 209: The Secret Agent

Chapter 209: The Secret Agent

In the capital.

Wen Renyue arrived at the outskirts of the capital around dusk on the first day of the second month.

Following Le Wuya's instructions, he found a hill south of the city and prepared to dig a deep pit to bury the two thunderclap bombs.

He left his horse at the post station at the foot of the mountain and climbed on foot.

It must be said, Wen Renyue was still too eager to dispose of these two ticking time bombs.

When he realized he hadn't brought any digging tools and could only stand halfway up the mountain, caught between laughter and frustration, a man dressed as a woodcutter emerged from the sparse woods.

Seeing that Wen Renyue was dressed as a scholar but had the build of a martial artist, the woodcutter hefted his hatchet in his hand and approached with a smile: "Oh, sir must be heading to the capital for the exams, right? What's a fella like you doing out here?"

Wen Renyue answered without missing a beat: "I was looking for a sheltered spot to rest for the night."

Wen Renyue was travel-worn, his clothes not at all expensive—the very picture of a poor scholar.

There were wealthy candidates and poor scholars alike; many examinees couldn't pay for lodging, and figuring they were close to the capital and safe, would pick a secluded spot to rest and save a few coins. It made perfect sense.

But the woodcutter, being a man who'd seen plenty of people, could tell at a glance this guy had an extraordinary presence, easy and confident—a far cry from the timid, bookish types he usually ran into. He didn't seem like a nobody with no connections.

The woodcutter's eyes greedily locked onto the bulging pouch at his waist, and he warned him: "This spot's got a curse on it! A few years ago, a high official did something terrible, and they tossed his corpse into the ravine north of the mountain. Ever since, this area's been crawling with ghosts. You're a scholar—best be careful those unclean spirits don't latch onto you and hijack your body!"

Hearing this, Wen Renyue paused for a beat, then smiled with his lips pressed together.

He knew who the woodcutter was talking about.

Brother Gu did have a knack for inhabiting other people's bodies.

But he was hardly the type to raise a ruckus as a ghost.

He was a good boy.

Even if he did turn into a wandering ghost, Brother Gu would at most spook folks walking at night, making them fork over melon seeds and snacks as protection money, so he could legitimately protect them from getting bullied.

Wen Renyue gave a courteous smile: "Thanks for the heads-up, brother. I'll be on my way down now."

The instant he turned, the woodcutter behind him hastily raised his hatchet, aiming at his back.

But the blade had barely cleared the air when it froze mid-swing.

Wen Renyue caught his wrist in a reverse grip and used the momentum to slam the unprepared robber onto the ground in front of him, kicked the fallen hatchet a good yard away, said "Sorry about this," and casually scooped up a rock the size of a rice bowl from beside him, smashing the man's kneecaps to pulp in a few blows.

Amid the man's blood-curdling screams, Wen Renyue straightened up, looking rather apologetic: "This is a bit harsh, I'll admit, but I can't just leave a piece of trash like you to terrorize the area."

With that, he chopped the man unconscious with the side of his hand to put him out of his misery, then picked up the hatchet, sniffed it, and easily caught a faint whiff of blood.

The hatchet was on the long side, not the kind you'd use for butchering pigs or chickens.

That smell of blood was mighty suspicious.

Wen Renyue found a secluded spot nearby, used the stolen hatchet to dig a pit about a foot deep, buried the thunderclap bombs, then dragged the unconscious robber down the hill and headed back to the inn. Under the postmaster's astonished stare, he asked coolly: "Excuse me, could you tell me about what time the Five City Patrol comes by here? There's a mountain bandit here who tried to kill a passerby and rob him—I've caught him."

...

It all ended well for everyone.

When the squad leader of the Five City Patrol got the report, he came right away, took the man into custody, and searched his home, where they found a bunch of clothes that didn't fit him, a bunch of trunks and chests, and several ID papers belonging to different people—which sealed his fate.

After wrapping up that little incident, Wen Renyue quickly got settled in the capital.

At this point, there was still a month until the metropolitan examination.

Spring in the capital was windy, with dust filling the air, making it hard to go out.

One day, Wen Renyue ordered a plate of dried tofu at the inn where he was staying, warming himself with rice wine while reviewing his studies.

He had heeded Le Wuya's advice and didn't skimp on lodging, choosing a quiet, elegant first-class room equipped with a study and writing materials, with no noise around—perfect for focused exam preparation.

But today was somewhat unusual.

The night before, two people had checked into the room next door.

Today, those two suddenly started arguing about something.

Even though Wen Renyue had no intention of eavesdropping, their voices drifted through the window.

"Brother Li, the benefits of maritime trade will benefit a thousand generations... The southeast region is rich in resources..."

"How can we lightly open maritime trade... The Dayu dynasty's wokou troubles came precisely because of this... And once commerce flourishes, the people will abandon farming for trade, farmland will lie fallow, and the nation's foundation will be shaken..."

"Agriculture is the foundation of the state, commerce serves the state—they can coexist..."

Wen Renyue listened to the two argue without resolution, and recalling that Le Wuya's current work was closely related to the very topic these two scholars were debating, he marveled inwardly. He shook his nearly empty wine flask, preparing to return the flask and dishes and stretch his legs.

But just as he stepped out the door, the door next to his burst open, and a scholar in a green headscarf—round-faced, with large ears, about thirty-five years old—strode out, nearly colliding with Wen Renyue.

"My apologies, my apologies."

Wen Renyue said mildly: "No harm done."

The newcomer clasped his hands to Wen Renyue: "My surname is Li, given name Wenshan, style name Ziyuan, from Baoning, Huangzhou. I see you carry yourself with distinction, brother—surely you're also here for this session's metropolitan examination?"

Wen Renyue: "Brother Li is too kind. I am Ming Xiangzhao, from Yizhou."

"May I ask your courtesy name?"

"My style name is Shou Yue."

After brief pleasantries, Li Wenshan gestured to the room: "The two of us were just deeply engrossed in debate and didn't realize someone was next door. Our voices were a bit loud—did we disturb you, Brother Ming?"

Wen Renyue said: "You're too polite. Your insights are truly impressive. Listening to your debate, Shou Yue has gained much inspiration."

Li Wenshan's eyes lit up: "Then, Brother Ming, what are your thoughts on maritime trade?"

Wen Renyue: "...Ah?"

Before he could react, he was whisked into the room by Li Wenshan like a whirlwind: "Brother Su, since the two of us can't reach a conclusion, let's have this young friend weigh in—what do you think?"

The scholar he called "Brother Su" appeared somewhat younger than Li Wenshan, but his demeanor was far more composed than the impetuous and enthusiastic Li Wenshan.

He bowed to Wen Renyue, then chided Li Wenshan: "Brother Li, you're being ridiculous again. The man was just passing by, and you forcibly drag him in—what kind of reasoning is that?"

Both spoke with Huangzhou accents, presumably fellow townsmen attending the examinations together.

Li Wenshan, unconcerned, took the empty flask and bowls from Wen Renyue's hands: "All scholars under heaven are one family. Since fate has brought us together under the same roof, what harm is there in an occasional conversation?"

Wen Ren's words carried a hint of helplessness: "I grew up in the southwest, hundreds or thousands of li from the southeast—how would I know anything about maritime defense?"

Li Wenshan waved his hand and said firmly, "You've got it wrong, brother! We are scholars—we should keep our ears to the ground and our eyes peeled, know the affairs of the world, and debate the principles of all sides. How can you plead ignorance?"

The one called "Brother Su" also spoke up: "Brother Ming, this matter of maritime defense is now a hot-button issue stirring up the court and the streets—it's likely to appear on this year's metropolitan examination. The two of us were debating precisely to hone our skills and strive for perfection. If such a question truly appears on the exam, wouldn't it be too late to claim ignorance then?"

Seeing the two of them playing off each other and pressing the matter this far, Wen Ren found it hard to decline further: "I know little of maritime defense, but let me take a stab at it... I'm from a craftsman's family, not well-off and not well-traveled in my thinking. I can only see the big picture through my own small world. Now that our great Dayu grows ever stronger, this is the perfect moment to strike while the iron's hot. If we do not open maritime trade and open up new streams of income, how are we supposed to cover the growing costs of running the country?"

This view happened to be exactly on the same page as that of Juren Su, who supported opening maritime trade.

He raised a cup of wine, pushed it toward Wen Ren, then filled his own and said, "This is a perspective I hadn't considered. Here's to you, Brother Ming."

Wen Ren dutifully knocked it back.

Li Wenshan, who opposed opening maritime trade, hadn't expected to have pulled in someone who disagreed with him. Not about to back down, he shot back, "Opening maritime trade is a matter of national destiny—it must not be taken lightly! If the court could build a navy and pacify the wokou threat, then perhaps it could be attempted. But until then, the ban on maritime trade should still be upheld!"

Wen Ren held his cup and said gently, "What Brother Li says also makes sense."

A feast, a conversation—everyone left happy and satisfied.

After Wen Ren weaved out, a little unsteady on his feet, Li Wenshan, clearly buzzed, hailed the waiter to fetch some water to wash up.

The waiter came, carrying a copper kettle, and prepared a basin of warm water.

Li Wenshan reclined on the couch, his earlier hearty and unrestrained demeanor gone, and said in a low voice, "Reporting to Fifth Master: this Ming Xiangzhao, though vague in his words, is leaning a certain way—he's basically on the same page as Sixth Master, advocating for opening maritime trade. Over to you, Fifth Master."

The waiter didn't look up, replying, "Brother Li, I understand."

Meanwhile, "Brother Su" made an excuse to step out for some air, left the inn, and walked toward a wine shop across the street.

The shopkeeper across the way smiled and said, "Guest, care to buy some wine?"

Juren Su said, "Spring breeze, wine, apricot rain."

The shopkeeper's expression turned serious. After glancing around, he responded, "At midnight by the lamp, the guest knows his own mind. ...Guest, what message shall I deliver to Lord Zhang?"

"Do me a favor and tell Lord Zhang that Ming Xiangzhao's made it to the capital. I'm right next to him, keeping tabs on his every move. Tell the lord not to worry his head about it." Juren Su paused, then added, "Fifth Master also asked me to keep watch on him. I wonder..."

He choked back the second half of that ill-timed question.

But he was truly curious.

As a distant cousin of Zhang Yue, Minister of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, through a convoluted family line, Juren Su was also a staff member of the Fifth Prince.

After all, Zhang Yue's rise to prominence came precisely from hitching his wagon to the former Crown Prince—now His Majesty Xiang Zheng—climbing step by step to his current position as a third-rank capital official.

As a close minister to the emperor, Zhang Yue couldn't personally brown-nose the Fifth Prince, so he dispatched his distant relative Juren Su to get in good with the Fifth Prince while he's hot.

Previously, the Fifth Prince had been highly favored by the emperor, holding the status of a "shadow crown prince." But you never know what fate has in store—recently, the emperor had begun favoring the Sixth Prince, cherishing him greatly. This left Zhang Yue riddled with doubt and indecision, and just then, urgent news arrived by fast horse from Tongzhou—a piece of bad news.

Juren Su only knew that ever since reading the letter from his nephew Zhang Kai, Zhang Yue had often seemed gloomy, sometimes staring blankly with a look that could only be described as terrifying.

After that, Zhang Yue ordered him to keep a close watch on Ming Xiangzhao, the Yizhou provincial graduate coming to the capital for the examination, and to report his every move.

This command coincided perfectly with the Fifth Prince's own wishes.

Juren Su wondered: what kind of prized asset was this, that a prince of the realm and the Minister of the Imperial Ancestral Temple would both attend to him in turns?

...

Meanwhile, Wen Ren, having returned alone to his room to rest, closed the door and let the "drunkenness" fade completely from his face.

He had wondered—he had visited several inns, and all the first-class rooms were packed with examination candidates, overflowing with people. Why was this one so unusually quiet?

...So it had been prepared especially for him.

But Brother Gu had instructed him: if someone deliberately tried to approach him, he should let them approach.

Just wait and see what moves they made.

What truly unsettled his heart was still Le Wuya.

In recent days, due to the wokou troubles and maritime defense matters, the only one transferred to serve as prefect of Tongzhou was Brother Gu.

The only one who had made sweeping changes to the military and boosted trade was also Brother Gu.

Could Brother Gu, far away in Tongzhou, truly wield such influence from afar that he could even affect the questions on this year's metropolitan examination?!

Author's note:

The crow in Tongzhou flaps its wings, and a storm erupts in the capital

—historically known as the Crow Effect.