Chapter 1794: Chapter 1732: Surprise

Ah Jiu’s voice was menacing, causing Yuan Ye’s body to stiffen as he knelt on one knee.

Liang Bang looked a bit dazed, wondering why the scene had turned out this way.

"It’s my fault," Yuan Ye said.

Ah Jiu snorted coldly and said, "Keep it in mind, and later, go and receive twenty strokes of the plank yourself." He looked at Yuan Ye, saying, "No matter the matter, nothing is more important than your master’s health. Do you think if the Princess Consort finds out, you’ll only get away with twenty strokes of the plank?"

Yuan Ye broke out in a cold sweat.

"Stand up and speak." Ah Jiu said, "Sometimes, there’s no need to put on a whole show."

Thinking about spending the night with a prostitute made him feel disgusted.

Yuan Ye stood up.

"Tell me about Yang Kuan."

"Yes. Last night, after Yang Kuan left the Flower Tower, he went to a small courtyard in East Willow Alley, where his concubine, Madam Liu, lives. Madam Liu was once a dancer at Marquis Xuanwu’s Mansion. Three years ago, Yang Kuan visited Marquis Xuanwu’s Mansion and was astounded to find the dancer mesmerizing. Marquis Xuanwu then gifted this dancer to him."

"Marquis Xuanwu?" Ah Jiu asked, "Hasn’t Marquis Xuanwu been safeguarding the Northern Region for about ten years now?"

"Yes." Yuan Ye replied, "It seems Marquis Xuanwu and Marshal Gao don’t quite get along."

"Marshal Gao was sent by the emperor last year to take some of Marquis Xuanwu’s power. It’d be strange if the two got along." Liang Bang said coldly, "One mountain cannot house two tigers. Great Marshal Gao comes from a poor family and the wilds, while Marquis Xuanwu hails from a prestigious family. Getting along seems implausible."

"I recall Marquis Xuanwu commanding about a hundred thousand troops, right?"

"It’s been reduced to eighty thousand now. Last year, the emperor decreed that twenty thousand be reassigned to the Northern Shaanxi Army."

"Ha, no wonder Marshal Gao exploded. He just had twenty thousand soldiers transferred to his camp, yet the military pay disappeared. Whether he wants to assert authority or regain credibility, he needs to retrieve that disaster relief silver. Otherwise, how can he explain to the soldiers? Not to mention, these twenty thousand were just taken from his sworn enemy’s camp." Liang Bang laughed.

Yuan Ye added, "That’s also why, after Prefect He’s death, Marquis Xuanwu filed a complaint, accusing Marshal Gao of abusing power and even framing Prefect He, claiming that he himself embezzled the disaster relief silver. At the time, Marshal Gao immediately went to Marquis Xuanwu for a fight."

Ah Jiu fell silent, running his thumb over another finger’s ring, contemplating slightly, then asked, "Yang Kuan is one of Marshal Gao’s lieutenants. Is his concubine’s affairs widely known?"

"No one knows that Madam Liu was once part of Marquis Xuanwu’s Mansion. Madam Liu lives a secluded life, attended only by two girls, an old woman, and a gatekeeper."

Liang Bang said, "That’s not surprising. If people knew, could he still earn Marshal Gao’s trust? Who knows if he’s secretly allied with Marquis Xuanwu."

Ah Jiu shifted the topic, "Has that disaster relief silver indeed reached Prefect He’s hands, can it be confirmed?"

"It indeed arrived, the silver was lost at Prefect He’s place." Yuan Ye said.

Ah Jiu fell silent again and said, "Continue monitoring Yang Kuan, see if he has any connections with Marquis Xuanwu, and send someone to investigate Marquis Xuanwu’s Mansion for any peculiarities."

"Yes."

"Sir." Chi Liu entered, holding a note, his face somewhat excited and joyful.

Ah Jiu raised an eyebrow, "What’s up?"

"It’s a courier hawk from the young lady. We’ve noticed someone observing us for the past two days, so we didn’t dare let the hawk land." Chi Liu handed over the note, smiling, "Just found the opportunity to intercept the hawk, it’s a message from the young lady, who is now in Yanzhou."

"What!" Ah Jiu exclaimed, both surprised and pleased, snatching the note and glancing at it, "Why has she come to the Northern Region, such a reckless move!"

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