roccoschili Chapter 92 Donglin Undercover Agent
Chapter 92 Donglin Undercover Agent
The autumn rain has been falling steadily for two days and two nights.
Inside the study of the Lu family mansion, the candlelight flickered, casting the shadows of the window frames onto the walls, resembling rows of iron bars.
Lu Yan sat behind his desk, clutching a thin, almost translucent piece of paper in his hand. Shen Qing had delivered it half an hour earlier; it contained only a few words, yet every word was chilling:
"The situation in the capital is tense. Wei Zhongxian is purging the Donglin Party, and the number of those implicated is growing daily. Zhao Nanxing, Gao Panlong, Yang Lian, and others are all on the wanted list. Some of their families have fled south and have already reached Shandong."
He brought the note close to the candlelight, watching the flame lick the paper, the writing twisting and shrinking in the firelight, until it finally turned into ashes and fell silently into the copper basin.
"Come in."
The door opened silently, and Shen Qing slipped inside.
Today he was dressed in a drab, gray short-sleeved brown coat, his face smeared with soot, looking exactly like a peddler going from street to street. But his eyes, flashing in the candlelight, were as sharp as two poisoned daggers.
"Sit down." Lu Yan gestured to the chair opposite him. "Tell me the details."
Shen Qing did not sit down, but stood to the side of the desk and said in a low voice:
"My informants in Texas report that three groups of people are coming from the north."
"The first group is Zhao Nanxing's youngest son, Zhao Qian, who, along with his mother and two servants, disguised themselves as merchants and headed south. They are currently hiding in an inn outside Dezhou City, and they have enough money for their journey for a while."
"The second group was Gao Panlong's nephew, Gao Shitai, who brought several boxes of manuscripts from the Gao family and an old servant. They traveled by canal and just passed Linqing yesterday."
"The third wave..."
Shen Qing paused, her eyes flickering slightly.
"The third group consisted of Yang Lian's widow, Madam Zheng, with her seven-year-old son."
Lu Yan stopped tapping his fingers on the table.
Yang Lian.
The Left Vice Censor-in-Chief was a pillar of the Donglin Party. He was the one who wrote the memorial impeaching Wei Zhongxian for twenty-four major crimes. Now, Wei Zhongxian held immense power, and Yang Lian had been imprisoned, his fate unknown.
Where is Zheng now?
"In a dilapidated temple south of Jinan," Shen Qing's voice lowered even further, "After Yang Lian was imprisoned, Zheng sold her possessions and fled the capital with her child. Along the way, she dared not seek refuge with relatives or friends, fearing she would implicate others. Her travel expenses were almost exhausted, and she dared not show her face in public, so she could only hide in the dilapidated temple."
Where is the child?
"Seven years old, named Yang Zhiyi," Shen Qing replied. "My men went to check from a distance, and the child was skin and bones, his face sallow; he's probably been starving for days."
The study was quiet for a moment.
The sound of rain outside the window seemed to have grown louder, pattering against the banana leaves.
"Master," Shen Qing finally spoke, a hint of hesitation in his voice, "these people are family members of the Donglin Party. Master, you're currently affiliated with the Wei Party; if you take them in, and word gets out…"
"I know."
Lu Yan stood up and walked to the window.
The rain was still falling, and the bluestone slabs in the courtyard shone brightly from the rain, reflecting the dim yellow light of the lanterns under the eaves.
"Shen Qing, you served in the Embroidered Uniform Guard and have met more important figures than I have. How long do you think Wei Zhongxian can remain smug?"
Shen Qing paused for a moment before replying, "When I was in the Northern Garrison, I saw far too many people who wielded immense power. Liu Jin, Yan Song, Zhang Juzheng… none of them met a good end. Although Wei Zhongxian is powerful, his foundation rests entirely on the Tianqi Emperor. If anything were to happen to the Emperor…"
"you're right."
Lu Yan turned around, his gaze deep and intense.
"Everyone in the palace knows that the Tianqi Emperor is in poor health. If he passes away and Prince Xin ascends the throne, Wei Zhongxian's good days will be over. At that time, the Donglin Party members who are persecuted today will be important officials in the court tomorrow."
"And those who helped their families today..."
Shen Qing interjected, "It's a debt of gratitude they owe each other for a lifetime."
"It's not just about personal relationships."
Lu Yan walked back to his desk, picked up a teacup, but did not drink it.
"When Wei Zhongxian falls from power, his entire eunuch faction will be purged. Who will speak for us then? Who will prove that our hearts are with Han even though we are in Cao Cao's camp?"
He put down his teacup and said, word by word:
"These are the people."
Shen Qing finally understood.
This is not kindness, it's a scheme.
It was during Wei Zhongxian's most triumphant moment that he quietly prepared a way out for himself.
"Your master is a man of profound wisdom and foresight; I admire him greatly."
"Stop flattering me." Lu Yan waved his hand. "Tell me your plans."
Shen Qing stopped smiling and said seriously:
"My idea is to proceed in three steps."
"The first step is to make these people 'disappear' from the public eye. For Zhao Qian, I'll arrange for someone to meet him in Dezhou, give him a new set of identity documents, and have him pose as merchants traveling south to visit relatives. For Gao Shitai, I'll have my informants in Linqing intercept him and take him by land, bypassing government checkpoints."
"The second step is to find a safe place to settle them. Not in Jinan city—too many people, too many eyes and ears, it's easy for word to leak out. Not along the Grand Canal either—that's a prime target for government checks. My suggestion is to settle them on estates outside the city. Give them the status of 'tenant farmers,' they should stay indoors and out of sight, their food, clothing, and other necessities secretly provided by my men."
"The third step is to sever all contact. Once these people are settled, I will cut off all leads. The people who sent them will not know where they live, and the people who supplied them will not know who they are. Only I will have all the information and report directly to the master."
After listening, Lu Yan pondered for a moment.
"There's one thing that needs to be changed."
"Please speak, sir."
"Yang Lian's widow and young son should not be left on the estate."
Shen Qing was taken aback: "Then where should we put it?"
"Place it at the Lu residence."
"The Lu residence?" Shen Qing frowned. "Master, this is too risky. What if someone—"
No one will know.
Lu Yan's voice was calm and firm.
"We'll tell everyone that she's a distant relative I brought from my hometown in Yanzhou—a widow with children, seeking refuge with her relatives. This kind of thing is perfectly common in wealthy families; it won't attract attention."
"But--"
"Shen Qing."
Lu Yan interrupted him, looking him directly in the eye.
"Yang Lian's son is only seven years old. His father has been imprisoned and his fate is unknown. His mother has been wandering with him, penniless. What if a seven-year-old child falls ill while living in a remote village?"
Shen Qing opened her mouth, but didn't say anything.
"I know what you're going to say—the master shouldn't ruin such a big deal because of womanly compassion."
Lu Yan gave a wry smile.
"But if I can't even protect a seven-year-old child, how can I talk about important things in the future?"
The study was quiet for a moment.
The sound of rain outside the window seemed to have grown louder, pattering against the banana leaves.
"Understood."
Shen Qing bowed and clasped his hands in greeting.
"We'll act tonight. I'll personally go and fetch Madam Zheng and her son, and deliver them to the Lu residence before dawn tomorrow."
"Okay." Lu Yan nodded. "Remember, no one else is allowed to know about this except you and me. Zhao Changying, Hu Jingshui, and Fan Fu—not a single one can tell."
"yes."
Shen Qing turned to leave, but then stopped.
"Master, there's one more thing."
"explain."
"A message came from an old acquaintance of mine in the capital: Wei Zhongxian is currently looking for 'his own people' in Shandong. He seems quite interested in his master..."
Lu Yan raised an eyebrow slightly: "What do you mean?"
"There's a man named Tian Ergeng by Wei Dang's side who has now been promoted to Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard," Shen Qing's voice carried a hint of coldness. "He recommended his master to Wei Dang, saying that his master is 'young, promising, and loyal.'"
Tian Ergeng.
Lu Yan's eyes narrowed slightly.
Shen Qing had mentioned this name before. It was he who intercepted Shen Qing's intelligence before the Battle of Sarhu, leading to the deaths of 40,000 soldiers in Liaodong.
What did Wei Zhongxian say?
"Wei said, 'Let's wait and see,'" Shen Qing replied. "But I think this is a signal. Wei is assessing our employer; if we perform well, we might have a greater 'opportunity.'"
Lu Yan remained silent.
opportunity?
In Wei Zhongxian's eyes, the so-called "opportunity" was nothing more than being a more obedient dog.
But he is not in a position to refuse yet.
"Understood." Lu Yan nodded. "Continue to keep an eye on this matter. Report any unusual activity to me immediately."
"yes."
Shen Qing bowed and left silently.
After Shen Qing left, Lu Yan sat alone in the study, looking at the night view outside the window.
Protecting the families of Donglin Party members—if word gets out, Wei Zhongxian will immediately turn hostile.
But what if we don't do it?
Four years. The Tianqi Emperor can hold on for another four years. Four years later, a new emperor will ascend the throne, Wei Zhongxian will fall from power, and the Donglin Party will rise again. At that time, those who are in trouble today will be honored guests tomorrow.
"A timely help in need," Lu Yan murmured to himself.
He recalled what the old project manager had said in his previous life in Africa: "You have to leave a ladder for everyone who might get ahead. That way, no matter who wins, you'll have a way out."
Now is the time to leave the ladder.
He looked away, picked up the ledger on the table again, and continued to look through it.
The study fell silent again.
Lu Yan walked to the window and opened it.
The autumn rain swept over us, carrying a scent of earth and osmanthus blossoms.
He took a deep breath and suppressed his surging emotions.
Donglin Party, Wei Zhongxian, Tian Ergeng...
This game of chess is getting more and more complicated.
But he wasn't afraid.
Because he knew that the outcome of this game had already been written in the history books.
All he had to do was put himself in the right position before the game turned around.
Outside the window, the rain is still falling.