Chapter 40: Calling for Backup

There was no need to look at them directly; the uniform alone spoke volumes. In the Imperial Palace, those who never leave are eunuchs, and those who do, if they aren’t eunuchs, are not to be trifled with. In a place like the Warm Fragrance Pavilion, Wang Lu found that his status allowed him to do almost anything without resistance.

Putting aside whether the madam and her patrons held any real influence, the core question was whether a woman like Zhou Miaotong was worth the risk of having one’s entire clan executed. The Embroidered Uniform Guard—the Jinyiwei—were backed by Wei Zhongxian of the Eastern Depot. The Commander, Tian Ergeng, and the Magistrate of the Northern Internal Security Bureau, Xu Xianchun, were both foster sons of "Old Wei." Even with the Tianqi Emperor, Wei’s patron, lying bedridden, a starving camel is still larger than a horse. Furthermore, although the Emperor had not fully recovered since his fall into the water, his condition had clearly stabilized over the past few days.

As Wang Lu approached Zhou Miaotong, the crowd around her dissipated within a few breaths. Those who had originally hoped to catch a glimpse of her legendary beauty scattered, fleeing as if their feet were winged.

"My lord, you’ve come." Zhou Miaotong’s face lit up with a joy that finally broke her usual, mask-like expression. She stepped forward and clung to Wang Lu’s arm, appearing genuinely delighted.

The madam exhaled in relief. She was glad she had held firm against the others earlier; had Wang Lu caught them bothering her, she would have been lucky to escape with her life, let alone her skin.

"Oh, my lord, you’ve finally arrived! I truly couldn't have held off that lot much longer," the madam said, drawing out her tone to sound aggrieved.

Wang Lu ignored her. He patted the hand Zhou Miaotong had resting on his arm and said, "The curfew is almost upon us. I will stay here tonight. Go and prepare."

The coldness of his tone did not offend the madam; rather, she found it fitting for a Jinyiwei officer. She hurried off to make the arrangements.

A short while later, Wang Lu and Zhou Miaotong sat at a table drinking wine. The room was prepared, and the faint, lingering scent of incense seemed to have aphrodisiac qualities. Before long, Zhou Miaotong, who was serving him from his left, began to look at him with amorous eyes, pressing her body against his.

After Wang Lu drained a cup of wine, Zhou Miaotong brushed her soft, white fingers against the corner of his mouth, her gaze locked onto his face without wavering. Wang Lu smiled faintly; it was a professional brothel, after all, and the incense was indeed potent. For him, however, a slight narrowing of focus and a steadying of his breath were enough to dispel its effects.

It was time to work, and Wang Lu was not confident enough to juggle business with pleasure. If nothing else, the example of "Brother Mountain Chicken" was fresh in his mind. With a woman like Zhou Miaotong, whose acting skills were superb, Wang Lu couldn't be sure if her feelings were genuine. But one thing was certain: if one intended to collaborate, it was best not to get entangled in emotional complications, especially with women.

"My lord..." Zhou Miaotong bit her lip, her orchid-scented breath brushing against his neck as she pressed her soft form against him. "Is Miaotong not beautiful enough? Why are you so unmoved? Last time, you left me feeling as if I were in paradise..."

"We are strategic partners, and this is the time to discuss our cooperation," Wang Lu said, looking down at Zhou Miaotong, who was twisting in his arms like a serpent in heat. He chuckled softly.

He was neither proactive nor dismissive.

If they weren't already at the start of a tight, pivotal plot, Wang Lu might have allowed himself to relax. But he had not yet reached the pinnacle of his cultivation, and it was better to be cautious.

"If you slept with me a few more times, wouldn't our partnership be even more intimate?" Zhou Miaotong’s voice trembled slightly—a tone any man would recognize as coquettish and shy.

"Do you not believe I will send you away with Yan Junbin?" Wang Lu asked.

"I believe you. But, my lord, are you harboring a grudge because I had an affair with Yan Junbin?" she asked with a dazed look.

"Actually, I do have the ambitions of Chancellor Cao, but now is simply not the time."

At the hour of the Tiger the next morning, when Wang Lu awoke, he found Zhou Miaotong watching him with a resentful expression. The scent of the aphrodisiac incense had long since faded, and she was clearly much more sober. As Wang Lu put on his clothes, she suddenly embraced him.

"Are you leaving already, my lord?"

"What else?" Wang Lu pinched her nose. "My dear, I am a very busy man."

Zhou Miaotong didn't understand his strange phrasing, but she paid it no mind, looking lost as she said, "You are a gentleman. You came here, yet you didn't ask me to do anything. Is it true that you are willing to go to such lengths to redeem me?"

"Rest assured. A small place like the Warm Fragrance Pavilion cannot stop me. I will have the Ministry of Justice’s pardon documents soon. I will buy you a house in Beijing, hire a couple of maids, and return you to your position as the eldest daughter of the Zhou family."

Zhou Miaotong shook her head gently. "I no longer wish to be the eldest daughter of the Zhou family. I only want to live out the rest of my life in peace."

Wang Lu was speechless. Who would believe that? Did she really think that a beautiful woman like her could live a life of plain tea and simple rice, like Wang Baochuan?

He said nothing. Much like after a massage in the past, he simply stated, "I must go."

Romantic entanglements were fine, but there was no need for them to drag on. Feeling refreshed and light in body, he knew it would be a waste not to put this state to good use.

Zhou Miaotong helped him with his clothes, and Wang Lu left the Warm Fragrance Pavilion with his hand on his sword, not uttering another word. He left her standing by the door frame, watching his back until he disappeared around the corner.

The sky was just beginning to brighten—the moment when the guards were most lax. With little time left before the curfew was lifted, Wang Lu calculated his timing, hoisted Guo Zhen onto his shoulder, and, shielded by the last remnants of the night, hurried back home.

There was no one at home. Wang Lu tossed Guo Zhen to the ground. The man groaned but quickly fell back into a deep sleep. Since he was already bound, it took little effort for Wang Lu to hoist a large ceramic vat from the courtyard and cover him with it. He clapped his hands, locked the door, and headed for the Northern Internal Security Bureau.

The office was not yet fully staffed. Only Lin Guo'er, yawning, and another minor officer came forward to kneel and salute. "Greetings, my lord."

"Have you learned your lesson this time?" Wang Lu asked with a smile.

Seeing Wang Lu, Lin Guo'er forced himself to perk up. He smiled bitterly and said, "I truly know I was wrong this time. In the future, I will pay one hundred and twenty percent attention to your orders."

"Hmph. Rise," Wang Lu said coolly, walking straight to his desk.

A stack of documents lay on the desk. Wang Lu glanced at them and asked, "Have those 'gentlemen' in the imperial prison confessed?"

The minor officer nodded. "These testimonies have been verified three times. They only await your seal, my lord."

The conclusion of the "Case of the Six Gentlemen" was being handled by the Northern Internal Security Bureau; the Jinyiwei of today was essentially working for Wei Zhongxian. Wang Lu waved his hand, and the two bowed and left.

After processing the paperwork that had accumulated over the past two days, the sky outside had brightened. Wang Lu spread out a sheet of paper and wrote several large characters:

"No. 3, Jia, Xinglong Lane, Chongnan Ward, East City. Today, at the hour of the Rooster. Guo Zhen."

Once the ink was dry, Wang Lu took out a bank note, placed it with the paper, folded them together, and sealed them in an envelope with paste. He then stood up and headed to the Eastern Division.

Yang Chen, the disciplinary officer of the Eastern Division, took the envelope from his subordinate and, after checking the seal, asked, "Where is the person who brought this?"

"The Hundred-Man Commander left it and departed. I saw your name on it, my lord, so I brought it directly to you."

Yang Chen opened the envelope immediately. His eyes sharpened the moment he saw the words inside.