Chapter Sixty-Eight: Shen Duo (Please Subscribe!)

When Jiang Lan saw Qin Shu again, it was truly because he had come to help her "move into her new residence."

"Sir, why do you look so pale? Are you unwell?"

Qin Shu, seeing Jiang Lan’s genuinely concerned expression, realized he still knew nothing of the recent events. Evidently, those under his command kept their tongues tightly sealed.

"Alas, I am finished!" Qin Shu lamented. After being battered by a series of blows, he now felt like a battered boat in a raging storm, leaking wind, rain, and water, utterly miserable.

"My lord, I am truly at my wits’ end! Woe is me!" Qin Shu nearly collapsed in distress. Jiang Lan, seeing this was almost at the point of clutching his leg in agony, quickly stepped aside and, with practiced ease, took a silk handkerchief from the newly installed peachwood rack in the cell and handed it to Qin Shu.

"Don’t cry, sir. Whatever troubles you, let’s talk it through."

Afraid Qin Shu might repeat his earlier outburst, Jiang Lan hurried to the low table and poured Qin Shu a cup of tea.

"Please, Lord Qin."

Qin Shu accepted without hesitation, gulped down a large mouthful, and, clutching the teacup, began to spill out the events of the day to Jiang Lan as if pouring beans from a sack.

"My lord, I am truly unlucky! One criminal was enough to bring disaster, and now there are more than a dozen. If His Majesty dug up my ancestors’ graves, I fear it would still not appease his fury!"

Halfway through, Jiang Lan poured himself a cup as well.

He asked lightly, "How long have you served as Prefect of the Capital?"

"I was transferred from Jiannan Circuit at the beginning of Autumn in the second year of Qingyuan. I worked my way up, and indeed, I had to grease many palms to secure the position."

Jiang Lan smiled. This was frankness. For someone so young, without a powerful patron or backing from an influential faction, even after ten years of hard work he might not have reached his current post.

Do not think that being Prefect of the Capital is not coveted; he is, after all, a capital official.

He handled affairs for all households, major and minor matters in the city. Occasionally turning a blind eye to some things was simply human nature.

"All your troubles stem from cases long past; even if His Majesty lays blame, it cannot truly be considered your dereliction of duty, can it?"

Qin Shu nodded. "You are right, my lord." But then his face fell again. "But there is one, which happened during my tenure, and that is hard to explain."

Jiang Lan shook her head. "Just report the facts as they are."

Qin Shu’s eyes widened. "How so?"

"This trade must have been going on for a long time, so as to avoid detection. Look at the replacements they found—they must have looked very much alike to have lived undetected for so long."

Qin Shu nodded. If he had not decided to test their knowledge of poetry and literature to find a few soulmates for his lordship, the deception might never have been uncovered.

"They resemble each other so closely; clearly, this was meticulously planned. Against such seasoned operators, it's understandable that you were caught off guard." Jiang Lan reached across the table and patted Qin Shu’s shoulder. "Go into the palace and report to His Majesty. Such a grave matter cannot be delayed."

Qin Shu nodded and sprang to his feet, bowing repeatedly to Jiang Lan. "My lord, your great kindness will never be forgotten. Should you ever need me, I shall repay you tenfold."

Jiang Lan waved him off with a smile. "No need for thanks, sir. Go on, quickly."

Qin Shu dashed out, and the cell at No. 23 Bing Street immediately became much quieter.

When the sound of his footsteps faded, Jiang Lan finally picked up her teacup, a smile curling at her lips.

"You’re setting him up."

Jiang Lan’s hand paused. She turned toward the voice. It came from the neighboring cell—a burly man dressed in plain white, with a lock of hair falling over his brow. Sharp brows, thin lips, sun-darkened skin—his whole presence was like a sword unsheathed, exuding a dangerous intensity.

"How do you see that?" Jiang Lan set down her cup and met his gaze.

The man had been sitting in a corner of his own cell. Hearing Jiang Lan’s question, he came over and sat down right by the wooden partition between their cells.

"Your analysis was correct. For those people to act so boldly, they must have planned everything thoroughly and are highly skilled. But you didn’t warn him that these are not people to be trifled with."

Seeing Jiang Lan’s smile deepen, the man leaned in closer and lowered his voice.

"The people who were replaced must be either wealthy or noble—no, certainly both. And with so many involved, there must be an important figure pulling the strings from behind. Worse still, that figure may be someone even His Majesty dares not investigate or accuse."

"Never mind the mastermind—even the implicated noble families, any one of them could crush that Lord Qin. If they so much as stamp their feet, he may not even make it through the palace gates before he’s dead."

"You are clearly sending him to his doom."

Jiang Lan smiled faintly, neither admitting nor denying it. Instead, she turned away, picked up a fresh cup, and poured tea for the man as well.

"I am Jiang Lan. And you, brother?"

"So you are the famous heir of the Duke of Wei, renowned for doting on your sister!" The man took the cup, looking incredulous, then a bit embarrassed at his earlier outspokenness. "I am Shen Duo."

A moment ago, Jiang Lan had thought him shrewd and resourceful; now, upon closer inspection, she found a certain guilelessness about him. Given his stature—he must be nearly eight feet tall—he was a veritable ironclad simpleton.

"I meant no disrespect earlier," Shen Duo explained. "It’s just that in my family, among many brothers, there’s only one little sister. She’s been spoiled since childhood. Our household, like yours, loves its daughters. Meeting you, I felt we were kindred spirits."

Jiang Lan brought out some food and set the table.

"You are fortunate, Brother Shen. Your family thrives, while mine has dwindled, leaving only my sister and me. Of course, I dote on her. Should anyone speak ill of her, I would not let it pass either."

Shen Duo nodded; it was the same with his own brothers.

Thinking of what had just happened, Shen Duo frowned.

"Did you do that to Lord Qin on purpose?"

Jiang Lan sighed. "Didn’t you find him pitiable, with his tears streaming down his face?"

Shen Duo nodded, then paused and shook his head.

Seeing him nod and shake his head by turns, Jiang Lan concluded she had judged rightly—here was a man of military talent, but not a leader of men. He could weigh circumstances, but was too prone to follow his feelings.

Though unfit for the intrigues of officialdom, he would make an excellent friend in conversation.

"Brother Shen, speak your mind. Don’t mind my feelings; I am not so easily offended."

Shen Duo flushed. "He did seem rather pitiful."

The gaps between the wooden posts were narrow, but Jiang Lan passed him a red bean cake.

"He is not to be pitied. This mess was of his own making. If I wanted to change cells, he could have done so quietly, but instead he made a great show of it, sifting through candidates as if holding a beauty pageant."

Shen Duo nodded thoughtfully. "He asked me, too—no doubt he was trying to curry favor with you, sparing no effort in the attempt."

Jiang Lan nodded; she would admit as much.

"But that’s not the real issue. Just now, when he saw me, he wanted to pour out his woes—not just for advice, but to divert suspicion from himself."

"Do you think that if I didn’t go to the palace, he wouldn’t report the truth himself? Impossible!"

Shen Duo was taken aback. In his agitation, he reached through the bars and seized Jiang Lan’s wrist, gripping so tightly it left a red mark.

"So all that weeping was to coax you into reporting to the palace and draw everyone’s attention to you? He meant to shift all scrutiny onto you?"

He was indeed strong; Jiang Lan quickly pulled her hand back, seeing it had turned red.

Shen Duo was mortified. "Forgive me, my lord—I acted in haste and did not mean to hurt you."

Jiang Lan waved it off, unconcerned.

Shen Duo’s respect for the heir of the Duke of Wei only deepened.

"If you knew this, why did you say what you did?"