The Rebirth Of An Ill-Fared Consort-Chapter 175

Chapter 175 : Setting The Granary on Fire

All that could be seen was Zhang Ji stumbling out from the midst of a group of guards. His attire was disheveled and crumpled and his hair seemed to have been tousled so much that it was in disarray. Presently, his entire face was flushed with indignation, as if he had suffered a great insult. He did not utter a single word before kneeling down before the Emperor. He gave a few solemn bows, then proclaimed, "Your Majesty, this old official has been wronged!"

Zhang Ji had served as an official in the imperial court for many years, and could be counted as someone of prominence. His current sorry state was something that had never been seen before. Even the Emperor was not rash in reprimanding nor calling for him to be beaten, as this would dishearten the rest of his court officials. Instead, he said, "Beloved Official, please rise."

Zhang Ji raised his head but did not rush to stand up. Raising his head with indignation in his eyes, it was almost as if he would pass out in the next second. Pausing for a moment before speaking, he said, "After self reflection and soul searching, I know that in this life I have not done any despicable things, yet someone is currently determined to throw this bucket of dirty water onto my head, utterly destroying my reputation. The culprit's intentions are truly exceedingly dangerous and sinister. Begging Your Majesty to do right by this old official!"

The Emperor sighed deeply, as his gaze abruptly turned towards Xuan Hua. Xuan Hua's mouth was slightly parted, as if he was still reeling and had not yet recovered from the sudden shift in the current plot. Immediately, he sensed the Emperor's gaze and when he raised his head, he was stunned and his heart chilled at the frigid coldness emanating from the Emperor's eyes. He felt as if he was like a block of ice, frozen where he stood, utterly afraid to make any movement at all.

Zhang Ji had been found innocent and all the provisions were accounted for so this situation naturally indicated that someone had deliberately framed him. Zhang Ji had been an official all his life, and his position was of some prominence, so anyone with a brain would not have used him as a scapegoat. The other possibility was that this situation was meant to implicate and cause trouble for the person backing Zhang Ji. Had Zhang Ji actually fallen into the trap, then the first person to be implicated and most likely suspected would be Xuan Li. Moreover, everyone in the nation was well aware of who would consider Xuan Li as the biggest obstacle and eye sore, and that person would naturally be Fifth Prince, Xuan Hua.

Those officials who had just been happily 'tossing stones into the well'[1] were all silenced. Xuan Hua and his faction were too afraid to speak[2] as none of them was clear on what had just transpired. All the information that they had on hand indicated that Zhang Ji would be found guilty of stealing military provisions, however, it was clear that he had now been cleared of all charges. This meant that their information was incorrect, so how could they further exacerbate the situation and bring disaster upon themselves[3].

[1] 落井下石 (luòjǐngxiàshí) – to throw stones at somebody who has fallen down a well (idiom); to hit a person when he's down.

[2] 噤若寒蝉 (jìnruòhánchán) – to keep quiet out of fear (idiom); silent as the cicada in winter. The cicadas in winter are silent. Now it is often used as a metaphor for having scruples and not daring to speak.

[3] 往枪口上撞 (wǎng qiāng kǒushàng zhuàng) – lit."throw oneself onto the muzzle of a gun"; fig. bring about one's own destruction, ask for trouble.

In contrast, all the court officials in Xuan Li's faction were fired up to watch a good show, totally unable to disguise the arrogance in their eyes.

With a sigh, Xuan Li gently consoled, "Zhang Daren, please do not be disheartened. After all these years, everyone knows that you have held your official position with integrity and honour. Imperial Father will definitely give you justice."

With fury, Zhang Ji stated, "I could put this aside if it was merely to insult me, but this entire debacle was obviously intended to delay and hold up the deployment of the provisions. As long as the provisions and funds are delayed for a day, our soldiers have to suffer another day of bitter cold. This... Obviously, someone is harbouring sinister intentions, seeking to sabotage and make things difficult for our Great Jin's soldiers at the borders!"

After his words, everyone present was stunned speechless, including the Emperor who was seated on his dragon throne. His eyes immediately flashed a sliver of coldness.

Internally, Xuan Hua's heart cried out that things were not looking good. What had just been the result of the undercurrents and overtones between princes, was now being convoluted by this old official into a tale linking this to the war at the borders. Who did not know that it was taboo to bring up matters related to the current war between the Great Jin and Tian Jin. On the surface, because of the presence of the Jinyi Guard, Great Jin was able to receive continuous reports of victory, however, the actual dangers and treacherous situations were not known to the masses. It was like a huge sword hung over the brightly lit and splendidly decorated palace, of which no one dared to touch on. But at this moment, Zhang Ji had brazenly taken the sword and thrown down the gauntlet before everyone. Furthermore, he had drawn blood from that sword. The Emperor had always been known to have a fastidious and suspicious heart, so what would the Emperor conclude from all of this? Would he infer that he (Xuan Hua) was planning to become the destroyer of the nation, or upon further thought, consider him to be a traitor who had aligned himself with the enemy!

Since there was insufficient evidence in this case, there was no one to convict of the crime. Moreover, there was something rather peculiar as to how the information had been disseminated. Even Xuan Hua was not able to ascertain the original source of the information. Additionally, the Emperor was unable to find out the perpetrator who had sparked the rumours and so his heart grew even more unsettled as he believed that Xuan Hua's influence and power was growing to the point that he (the Emperor) was no longer able to control and manage him. To an emperor, this was absolutely unacceptable.

"Beloved Official, there is a probable reason behind this matter, but rest assured, zhen will provide you with recourse," the Emperor strongly emphasized. The hidden meaning behind his words brought about a chill within the hearts of everyone in the assembly. It didn't matter if the Emperor was normally seen as bright, cheerful and open minded because ingrained into his very bones was an awe inspiring majestic presence that could not be violated. Today, someone had the audacity to make a mockery of him behind his back, and should the perpetrator be ferreted out, could he even expect to get away without repercussions? As he looked at a tear stained woebegone Zhang Ji kneeling on the ground, he comforted, "Zhen still needs you, and the soldiers of Great Jin need you too. Zhen will definitely ensure that the perpetrator pays the price for today's debacle. However, at present getting the provisions delivered quickly to the borders is of utmost urgency, so I will have to trouble this Beloved Official to reconvene here at a later time to address this situation. As it is already getting late, let's change the set off date until tomorrow. Beloved Official, you should head home today and have a good rest and allay your frazzled nerves. Zhen will shortly draft a new edict."

This was both to placate Zhang Ji and to also ensure that there would be an in-depth investigation into this matter. The more Xuan Hua heard, the more he felt that things were going awry. However, if he were to speak up at this moment, it would undoubtedly add fuel to the fire, thus it was best that he held his peace and completely swallowed his resentment. Unfortunately, his face betrayed his emotions, and he looked as if he was about to storm off in a huff.

Since the Emperor had already lowered himself, there was no reason for Zhang Ji to carry on striking a pretentious pose. So with a clasping sound, he thanked the Emperor for his imperial benevolence and might, and brought about a sense of calm after the raging furor regarding the military provisions. Obviously when Zhang Ji returned to his fu, he would receive compensation from the palace. Afterall it was not a pleasant thing for an elder official to have his reputation tarnished. On the surface, it seemed that Zhang Ji had been wronged, but in reality it was all rather superficial and ambiguous. Ultimately, this incident caused the Emperor to trust him even more. At the end of this whole debacle, the ultimate loser was only Xuan Hua.

While the Emperor had not rebuked Xuan Hua, he was now alerted to his every move and action after today's debacle. The Emperor would now have much to consider and he would also set some measures in place. There were times when one did not need to have obtained all the evidence or have all the confidence needed in order to achieve one's goal. All that was needed was to plant that tiny seed of doubt in a person's heart and just wait for it to germinate and sprout. Eventually there would come a day when that seed would flourish and evoke an enormous power when an opportune situation arose. Today's situation was merely to subtly plant that seed of doubt into the Emperor's heart, causing the Emperor to be cautious and dubious towards Xuan Hua. Henceforth, it would not matter what Xuan Hua would do because after it entered the eyes of the Emperor, there would undoubtedly be doubts toward his intentions. Ultimately, this would shut down any of his opportunities even before he could begin.

While today's loser was Xuan Hua, then the biggest winner was Xuan Li. He didn't have to do a thing at all, he didn't even have to get involved, yet he had so easily won the Emperor's sympathy and truth. He was even able to pave the way for his next move. Slowly he passed by Xuan Hua's side. Smiling, he noted Xuan Hua's shuttered gaze almost as if he was trying to mask his contempt. Xuan Hua had to clench his fist tightly as he tried to control his urge to swing a punch at Xuan Li.

However, behind Xuan Li was a pair of smiling eyes perusing him. This gaze came from the crowd of officials and was not particularly noticeable. This was a young man attired in a purple court robe, sporting a small beard and his eyes reflected a significant profoundness. When he retracted his gaze, he was rather surprised to notice another person who was standing not too far from him, quietly watching Xuan Li. The person's build indicated that he had yet to be fully grown and was merely a young boy. He was beautiful and delicate, and his eyes shone like the brilliance of high quality precious stones. Yet his gaze was cold and solemn, and looked somewhat familiar.

That young boy seemed to have sensed his observation and turned to look. He was pierced by those cold eyes when a young eunuch rushed over to catch up, "Thirteenth Highness, do slow down..."

Qi Feng was slightly taken aback, but turning, he shook his head as he too made his exit.

* * *

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Zhang Ji returned to his fu, and as expected, the Emperor's edict arrived soon after bestowing him with some gold and silver as compensation. After placating everyone in the fu, it was already late in the night. Zhang Ji returned to his study and lit an oil lamp. From under the study desk, he felt for a small box and took it out to hand to the person facing him.

Obviously that person had been waiting in the study for quite some time and watching Zhang Ji's actions, he smiled in satisfaction. "Indeed Zhang Daren is very quick and a shrewd operator. I will make haste to report back to His Highness. In the future when His Highness' big plans are accomplished, he will most definitely take into account Zhang Daren's effort and assistance."

Zhang Ji smiled in reply, "I don't deserve such praise, Young Master Jiang. I am but an old man with one foot about to enter into the yellow earth, so what can I do with great wealth and high positions? It really ought to be said that Young Master Jiang is really a hero at such a young age and in future you will achieve meteoric success and become a legend in the Great Jin dynasty."

The person in the study was none other than Jiang Chao. At this moment, both Zhang Ji and him were mutually flattering each other's achievements, having established a tacit understanding. This alliance of theirs was based on the fact that they had a common interest but the reality of their sincerity or hypocrisy was for them to resolve and decipher. Internally, Zhang Ji was silently rebuking the youth before him as having sinister and vicious intentions, to the point that he was willing to be Xuan Li's dog and use his impeccable face to beg for food from Xuan Li's hands. On the other hand, Jiang Chao was also inwardly despising his blase attitude because in fact he was still trying to wrestle for more power.

Nonetheless, regardless of their internal discourse, outwardly they were cordial and full of smiles. Zhang Ji looked at the small box that he had handed to Jiang Chao, and smilingly said, "Inside the box is the key to the military provisions warehouse and there is a total of eight hundred wagons. Do be savvy, Young Master Jiang, and handle matters carefully so that we don't leave behind anything that can be held against us."

"Naturally," Jiang Chao smiled in return, "This happens to be an important task in aid of His Highness' great cause, so how can there be any margin for errors. Today, it's thanks to Zhang Daren for giving us the key. I will now wish Zhang Daren a safe passage tomorrow."

Smiling in return, Zhang Ji replied, "Let it be as Young Master Jiang's auspicious words wish."

After they had both said their piece, Jiang Chao exited through the back door of the Zhang fu. It was already past midnight and the capital was pitch black with nary a star to be seen in the sky, promising that it was about to rain. The moon was also nowhere to be seen, as gloomy dark clouds hung in the sky. It was really a night whereby one would not have been able to see one's hand even if it was raised before one's eyes.

Jiang Chao hurried away riding a horse all the way to the east side of the capital, where there was a huge warehouse. The warehouse looked imposing and unapproachable, its height was about half that of the city walls, and all of the military provisions that were going to be deployed were stored inside. Stationed outside were all the troops present and accounted for and Jiang Chao presented the key to the person standing at the front. The man took the key and opened the door to the warehouse, and appearing to have received a directive, the rest of the troops that were quietly waiting began to uniformly move into action. Some began to unload things from the wagons, and some were taking things into the warehouse, while yet another group were taking things out of the warehouse.

This was what was known as 'stealing a rafter and replacing it with a column'[4], essentially perpetuating a fraud. Jiang Chao looked on with glee when a person walked up beside him, "Has it all been organized well?"

[4] 偷梁换柱 (tōuliánghuànzhù) – lit. to steal a rafter and replace it with a column / to replace the original with a fake / to perpetrate a fraud (idiom).

Jiang Chao turned his head to look and saw Xia Jun standing in the dreary night holding onto a small torch. The fire from the torch made his eyes glow somewhat red and look strange. His expression momentarily froze, "Everything has been completely organized and tidied up, including all those people that were involved behind the scenes. They have all been killed."

Xia Jun nodded his head as he turned his gaze towards the people entering and exiting the enormous warehouse. However, his face did not reveal any expression of delight. When Jiang Chao noticed his expression, he curiously asked, "Cousin, what are you still worried about?"

Xia Jun shook his head, but a smidgen of uncertainty escaped from his gaze, "I don't know why, but I seem to have a feeling of unease..." Everything had transpired too smoothly. Whether it was Zhang Ji's self orchestrated and enacted 'play' before the imperial throne, or the current secret exchange in the warehouse, everything that had happened seemed to have happened too naturally and too smoothly. Immediately a pair of raised coquettish eyes, the slightly arched eyebrows, looking like they were smiling while the pupils seem to speak profoundly of ridicule and taunt, appeared to cross his mind. Xia Jun's heart startled, feeling as if a bucket of cold water had just been poured down his head. Instantly he sucked in a mouthful of cold air.

Unhurriedly he addredded Jiang Chao, "Has there been any unusual moment on Jiang Ruan's side?"

"She had holed herself all day within the Jinying Wangfu, and did not even enter the palace." Jiang Chao sniggered, "Cousin, you don't have to worry too much, she has been at the Jinying Wangfu and has not left at all, so how would she be privy to our plans? It can't be that she is clairvoyant?"

Xia Jun's eyes flickered, "That's true, there is no way she is clairvoyant." For someone who was always residing within the wangfu, it was to be expected that receiving news would be delayed, as the source must come from outside. Thus, there was no way that Jiang Ruan could have known anything about their plans and by tomorrow, this new batch of provisions would be escorted by the military supply unit far away to the borders. Moreover, the fact that these provisions were not the actual sanctioned supplies was top secret, and even if Jiang Ruan were to figure out that something was amiss with the information, by then, it would be too late.

For example, the exchange that they were orchestrating right now, Jiang Ruan could not possibly know about it, so how could she even prevent what was happening? There was no way she would be privy to their plans unless she wasn't a human and she was clairvoyant.

Eventually, Xia Jun calmed down and slowly said, "Let's continue since it is still dark...." Since it was dark, let everything be engulfed in the darkness. And as for Jiang Ruan, it was destined that she would be the loser in this battle. As the unchanging age old principle says, 'the winner is crowned as king, and the loser a bandit'.

* * *

On this night, in the Jinying Wangfu, the lights in Xiao Shao's study had not yet been extinguished. Looking from the outside in, the flame appeared to be like fireworks, brilliant and warm on a pitch black night. The scene was almost as if when one pushed open the door, one would find the appearance of a cold and detached young man, dressed in black, sitting behind the desk. At this moment, there was indeed a person sitting behind the desk, however, it was an elegant and graceful young lady.

A delicate smell of tea wafted about, a spiral of steam rising like a screen separating the desk. Under the illumination of the fire light, a beautiful flower seemed to be blooming, and even more beautiful than the spiraling steam was the young lady's face. She was dressed in a moonlight-white garment but on top of it, she had draped a dark purple cloak which further emphasized a face that was like a precious sculptured high quality white jade. Her features were so exquisite that it was like the heavens had carefully, in great detail, carved and refined each of them, every single feature was exceptionally matchless, a beauty made by the heavens. Innately, from her very depths, she naturally effused a beautiful charm. Every movement of this beautiful person was alluring, except that her enticing eyes were cold and unwavering. Her cold eyes were capable of dimming down her charming allure, very much like the devil's trumpet[5], a flower that blossomed under the moonlight, distinctly cold yet alluring.

Datura – Wikipedia

[5] 曼陀罗 (màntuóluó) – Devil's Trumpet (Datura stramonium). It is a genus of nine species of highly poisonous, vespertine-flowering plants belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae. They are commonly known as thornapples or jimson weeds, but are also known as devil's trumpets. Other English common names include moonflower, devil's weed, and hell's bells. All species of Datura are very poisonous and potentially psychoactive, especially their seeds and flowers. Due to their effects and symptoms, they have occasionally been used not only as poisons, but also as hallucinogens by various groups throughout history. Traditionally, psychoactive administration of Datura species has often been associated with witchcraft and sorcery or similar practices in many cultures.

Jiang Ruan looked at the young man dressed in purple in front of her. Although Qi Feng had devoted his whole life to being enthralled and fascinated by the study of politics, he couldn't help but be slightly lost in the face of this exquisite beauty.

Among all the beauties of the earth, it was rare to find one who was not only good looking but also clever.

Jiang Ruan smiled, "Today was all thanks to your help, Young Master Qi." From the beginning to the end of play that Xuan Li and Zhang Ji had co-ordinated to enact, she had not once thought about interfering or preventing, however, Qi Feng had been able to use his art of political stratagem to manipulate the court because he had another 'status' within the imperial court. The position was rather inconspicuous, as it was neither a high position nor could it be said to be lowly, but it was rather a delicate presence. Should there be a need to influence or manipulate the imperial court, his position made it very easy to blend into the shadows without ever being noticed. Fortunately, Qi Feng had done what Jiang Ruan had instructed which was to give a subtle nudge to facilitate the 'play' that Zhang Ji was enacting, allowing for his orchestrated play to be ever so successful and enjoy smooth sailing.

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It was just that... in addition to his manipulation from the shadows, it would seem that there was another power at work too. The reason why Zhang Ji's play today was consummately perfect was because of the assistance of the other person, but the person's motives and objectives were unknown, and the identity of the person was still in the shadows. Suddenly, the face of that young boy that he had encountered appeared in his head. His eyes narrowed as he turned and remarked, "They have already made their move." He waved the missive that he had in his hand, his gaze deepening, "If I had not seen it for myself, I would have found it hard to conceive that Xuan Li would be so impetuous to take such a huge risk."

Leisurely, Jiang Ruan raised the white tea cup before her and sipped the tea before flatly replying, "Today they have stolen a rafter and replaced it with a column, by completely replacing the whole warehouse of military provision with moldy grains and rations, and halving the original amount. Other than what was in the front wagons, the rest of the provisions were now dried grass. And with today's play that Zhang Ji had performed, there would not be any further 'accidents' tomorrow. Once the military supplies wagons departed, it would be much too late to do anything. Thus, in the end, the ones who would suffer the repercussions would naturally be the soldiers at the borders. Without funds and provisions, it would only be a matter of time before they would be in dire straits. And upon the total defeat of the military there, who would dare to seek out Zhang Ji to take responsibility? Even if there was 'a fish that escaped the net' and sought redress, they would definitely have their ways and means to eliminate. This is indeed a very profitable transaction."

Qi Feng took a deep breath before speaking, "As a prince of Great Jin, Xuan Li can go so far as to forsake and sacrifice the lives of the tens of thousands of soldiers merely for selfish gains. He truly must be deranged to take the Great Jin dynasty and its land as his playing field."

Jiang Ruan seemed to be smiling and yet not as she cast her eyes on him, "Oh? Do you really think so?"

In that moment, Qi Feng felt as if all his evaluations and deductions seemed to no longer hold any substance when he saw those eyes on him. He was usually very detailed and spot on with his ability to see the big picture, but somehow when he was in the presence of this young lady who was so much younger in age to him, he felt defeated. Awkwardly, he scratched his head and smiled, "Third Sister-in-law, there is something that I wish to ask you. What did you instruct Jin Er and the Jinyi Guards to do?" 𝒇𝗿𝙚ℯ𝑤ℯ𝑏𝒏𝑜ѵe𝙡.c𝐨ｍ

Before Xiao Shao had left, he had assembled all the Jinyi Guards from within the capital and had assigned them to Jin Yi and Jin Er, in turn, both Jin Yi and Jin Er were completely under Jiang Ruan's command. So in actual fact, Xiao Shao had entrusted all of the Jinyi Guards in the capital to Jiang Ruan. To Qi Feng, this was the most unfathomable thing to have happened. For one, while the Jinyi Guards were mostly secret bodyguards, each one of them was elite and very talented when compared to normal guards. And usually talented and accomplished people tended to be lofty and arrogant, but for them to wholeheartedly submit to Jiang Ruan, even with Jin Yi and Jin Er as their leaders, was no small feat. Moreover, when they had heard the command given by Jiang Ruan, they had all set about the task without even a word of objection. This clearly showed the position Jiang Ruan had in their hearts. The second point was that Xiao Shao wasn't a person to easily trust another, and from the time he was young, he had grown accustomed to going about his own way and doing everything alone, so how did it come to be that he would offer his most hidden secret guards to Jiang Ruan. Obviously Jiang Ruan's position in his heart was not usual.

Suddenly Jiang Ruan laughed, "Young Master Qi, you are intelligent and astute, so why are you speaking in riddles in front of me? Obviously you know why Xuan Li would want to swap the military provisions."

Qi Feng was stunned as he looked at Jiang Ruan, while Jiang Ruan quietly returned his gaze. In the firelight, her smile was soft and tranquil, yet her eyes were distant and deep, almost as if she was looking past the firelight to see into the future for the next few decades. Her gaze had a clarity and understanding of the affairs of life, much like someone who had already seen the whole play and was seeing it all over again from the beginning... but then again, those cold eyes were only like that of an observer looking from the outside. No matter how each play unfolded with its struggles and vastitudes, she was forever beyond the mortal realm, cognizant yet cruelly looking at the unfurling of everything.

Slowly he shook his head and laughed bitterly, "Third Sister-in-law, you are intelligent to a degree that causes others to feel afraid and intimidated. That's right, I do know why and have known about Xuan Li's alliance with Tian Jin for a long time. The reports and intel from the Jinyi Guard are top notch and there isn't much we are not aware of." Other than what your secret is, he silently added in his heart.

"That's right. Since Tian Jin has formed an alliance with Xuan Li, wouldn't Xuan Li be expected to show his sincerity. Or perhaps it can be said that with this war, he must ensure that Tian Jin wins. It is a large amount of military funds and provisions and as long as it is in his hands, it will be a hot potato. Xuan Li does not want to have these things remain in the capital, so his only option is to find a way to quickly send it out as soon as possible. And to fully maximize the use of this large quantity of military provision safely, there is only one option." Jiang Ruan coolly explained.

"Deliver it to Tian Jin, and replenish their supplies." Qi Feng completed her sentence for her.

Talking to another intelligent person was really easy and convenient. Jiang Ruan smiled, "Not bad, but to my thinking, this plan of Xuan Li's is really not that good."

"This plan does look easy on the surface, yet it commands a hefty price. And because it is very dangerous, no one would ever think of it. This was Xuan Li's intention, and can be considered ambitious and ruthless. Moreover, to come up with a plan to dispatch the provisions, he must have a foolproof plan in place. Thus, what I don't understand is what you meant by it not being a really good plan?" Qi Feng asked. He didn't believe that a cloistered and genteel young lady like Jiang Ruan could be better than Xuan Li, who was a natural born schemer. Furthermore, even if she could surmise the heart of a person, with regards to matters of the imperial court, it wasn't sufficient enough to achieve anything merely by being able to decipher the motives of others.

"Regardless of what you do, you must never leave behind anything that can be used against you," Jiang Ruan's eye slightly turned frigid, "and by leaving behind this batch of military provisions, he is in fact leaving behind something that can be used against him. And it is precisely for this reason that I have the opportunity to destroy his plan. If I were standing in his position, I would most definitely not hold on to those military provisions. Once the goods have been exchanged, I would immediately burn them to completely wipe out everything so that there would not be any evidence left behind."

Qi Feng looked at her, completely baffled, "Burn them?" From Jiang Ruan's eyes, he could not see any jest- she was speaking the truth. If she would have exchanged roles with Xuan Li today, she would seriously have all the rations burned. Heavens, how did she have such audacity? What did she eat growing up?

Jiang Ruan smiled, "Didn't you ask me what I had the others and Jin Er do? I will now tell you. They have gone to set a fire. Everything that Xuan Li has orchestrated is good, but it is lacking in a little fire control. However, in regards to this particular fire, it will not be up to him to control."

"Do you still not understand?" Jiang Ruan's smile was gentle, "In this instance, I want them to lose everything and watch it all go up in flames and yet not be able to say a word."

* * *

All the provisions from the warehouse had been transferred to the designated holding area and at this moment, inside a warehouse at the east of the capital, a person had just shut the doors to the warehouse and handed the keys over to Jiang Chao.

The main door of the warehouse was returned to its original state, completely shut and sealed as if it had not been opened at all and everything was restored to its proper place. At a glance, it looked exactly as it had during the daytime.

Xia Jun stood beside Jiang Chao but he could not fathom why his heart fluctuated with a sense of unease almost as if an unknown emotion was about to emerge. In contrast, Jiang Chao was looking at the whole scene with deep satisfaction and said laughingly, "It looks like everything has been done well, and after we have reported back to His Highness, we will definitely be rewarded for our meritorious deeds." Once this matter was wrapped up, Xuan Li would be halfway on the road to achieving success for his grand ambition, and Tian Jin would naturally credit him for his effort and contribution. In the future, he could envision his rapid rise in power, and there was no limit to his future prospects. Then all the effort and sweat he had endured would not be in vain.

"Daren, it looks like everything has been completed, would you like to return now?" the guard asked.

"Let's..." the last two words, "return home" had not even been uttered before a loud 'boom' sounded and something seemed to drop from the sky. All of a sudden, it smashed onto the roof of the warehouse. Then, the roof of the warehouse tilted and with a rumbling sound, it came tumbling down before them. All the guards were given an enormous fright as they rushed to protect Jiang Chao before retreating a few paces. They took their light torches and bravely went forward to investigate after establishing that the thing didn't show any movement. Their investigation was devastating, and the guard that took in the scene was so shocked that his bottom plonked right down onto the ground, his torch falling. With quivering lips he uttered, "Daren.... Daren..."

Jiang Chao found his actions to be rather strange, so he went up curiously. He was shocked by what he saw. On the ground was not some random person, it was the supply unit chief, Zhang Ji. His whole body was rigid and there was a trail of blood across his throat. Both his eyes were engorged, and it was obvious that he was dead.

Jiang Chao had left him not more than four hours ago, and it had never crossed his mind that on their next encounter Zhang Ji would be a dead corpse. He could not help turning pale with fear. However, before he could recover himself, he heard whooshing sounds, and saw a few dark shadows flashing by. No one saw how the door of the warehouse was opened, and no one saw how those flashes of sparks appeared within the warehouse. All they saw was how quickly those sparks ignited the dried grass and with a bang, the flames rose high. There was no need for further kindling, just like wildfire, it spread fast and furious. In no time at all, the entire warehouse was engulfed in a sea of fire.

The brilliance of the fire seemed to illuminate the entire street, and it was as bright as if it were daytime. The fire seemed to glower like blood and there was a strange indistinct aroma. No one had anticipated this unforeseen situation. Jiang Chao and Xia Jun were both stunned and rooted in their place as those black attired people came and left without a trace, leaving no sign of them ever being there at all. Xia Jun's heart sprung into action, and just as he was about to issue the command to retreat, he heard someone shout, "FIRE, HELP, the warehouse is on FIRE!"

Soon after, he heard the sound of horses galloping down the street towards them. Following was an orderly trail of lit torches shining and a loud shout was heard, "Brazen crazy bandit, how dare you set fire to the military supply warehouse. Arrest them!"