"The Jiang Family is truly despicable."
Jiang Yankun scolded angrily, turning to Ma Yiyang, who was seated below him, and said, "Now that the Ministry of Punishment is under your control, quickly arrange for a few trusted subordinates to go to Cang County..."
After Jiang Yankun entered the cabinet, Ma Yiyang had become the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, and now the entire ministry followed his orders.
Ma Yiyang immediately stood up: "Rest assured, sir. I will ensure that we reach Cang County before the Emperor's men."
Cang County, part of the capital, was located less than fifty miles below Yunyang County and was known as the opera hub of Great Yan. Cuiyu Tower, which had gained fame many years ago due to a talented singer, was a household name.
Ma Yiyang knew the gravity of the matter and dared not delay. As soon as he left the Jiang residence, he mounted his horse and hurried to the Ministry of Punishment.
He had two officials under him, both of whom he had personally promoted after Jiang Yankun's departure.
Jiang Yankun was excellent in every way, but his methods were not ruthless enough. He followed the path of a scholar, which made him suitable for the cabinet but not for the Ministry of Punishment.
Ma Yiyang was different.
He came from humble beginnings, having grown up among the lower classes and frequenting street gambling dens. His martial skills were taught by a few enforcers at the gambling house, combined with his own natural talent.
He had a fierce and unyielding demeanor, a kind of bandit-like aura that made people tremble at the sight of him.
He was more suited to be the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment.
This was also the reason Jiang Yankun had promoted him when he left.
Of course, the more important reason was that Ma Yiyang was fiercely loyal to the Crown Prince, the Empress, and the Jiang Family.
For those in power, loyalty was the most important quality, even more so than ability.
And Ma Yiyang was a rare talent who possessed both loyalty and skill.
"Giddy-up! Giddy-up! Giddy-up!"
Several sleek black horses galloped past the entrance of the Jiang Family's main residence. Ma Yiyang noticed the constant stream of carriages at the gate and asked with some surprise, "Is there a celebration at Governor Jiang's house recently?"
The two young men behind him reined in their horses and stopped as well. "Sir, haven't you heard? The Empress's eldest cousin is about to turn twenty. If she doesn't marry soon, the authorities will force her into a match. The Governor's wife has been actively looking for a suitable family to marry Miss Jiang Yunxia off!"
However, the marriage agreement between the Jiang Family and the Su Family had been widely known, and in the end, the Su Family's young master had become a monk. Many families were reluctant to offer their promising sons to Jiang Yunxia.
"I heard that those ladies are pushing their own illegitimate sons, which has infuriated the Governor's wife."
"Honestly, where do they get the nerve? She's the Empress's cousin, with beauty and talent beyond compare. And she's gentle and virtuous. The Su Family's young master chose to become a monk rather than marry another woman, which shows how noble Miss Jiang's character is. They..."
"Xiao Zhong, watch your words!"
Ma Yiyang shot a warning glance at the chattering Xiao Zhong. "She has no connection to the Su Family anymore. Don't mention them together."
He flicked the reins in his hand and said, "Let's go! The Empress's matter is urgent and cannot be delayed."
A stone bridge spanned a flowing stream, surrounded by flowering vines and lush grass. A winding corridor led to a secluded area, where a delicate pavilion appeared behind a round archway.
In the lady's chamber, a dressing table made of yellow poplar wood was adorned with a round glass mirror that reflected everything clearly.
The person in the mirror had features as delicate as a painting, her beauty unparalleled, like a carefully nurtured orchid in full bloom.
"Sigh..."
Jiang Yunxia had sighed dozens of times, so much so that Jiang Yuncai sat up from the bed and said, "Why don't you just tell Mother that you want to marry Minister Ma? Otherwise, with all these matchmaking meetings, if you don't get dizzy, I will."
Four or five meetings a day, all with illegitimate sons—no legitimate sons in sight, and even those who were legitimate wanted her sister to be a concubine.
They all said her sister had been promised to someone else and that her reputation was tarnished.
Her sister was pure, virtuous, and kind—how was her reputation tarnished?
She really wanted to smash their heads.
Jiang Yunxia blushed and said dejectedly, "As a young lady, should I be the one to propose to the Ma Family? I don't even know if Minister Ma has any feelings for me. If I rashly tell Mother and she disagrees, wouldn't I just be causing trouble for him? It's better not to say anything."
The Ma Family...
They were an ordinary family, not even considered wealthy in the capital. The household consisted only of an elderly mother and a sister who had divorced her husband.
It was said that the ex-husband was a heavy drinker who would beat his wife when drunk. At first, the sister had kept it hidden, not daring to let Ma Yiyang find out.
But as the abuse grew worse, the sister's injuries became impossible to conceal. When Ma Yiyang found out, he beat the scoundrel severely and forced him to sign a divorce agreement at the local government office.
Later, it was said that whenever Ma Yiyang saw the man on the streets, he would beat him up and even threw him into the Ministry of Punishment's prison, where he was tortured until he lost his mind.
With such a fierce brother, no one dared to marry the sister, and she remained unmarried to this day.
How could her family possibly agree to let her marry Ma Yiyang?
She didn't even dare to mention it, fearing that her parents might think Ma Yiyang had seduced her and go after him, ruining his future.
With his humble background, it had been hard enough for him to rise to his current position. If he were suppressed by the Jiang Family because of her, she would feel immensely guilty.
Cang County—
Following the address Jiang Yankun had provided, Ma Yiyang easily found Lan Xiaolou's home. But he was cautious. The Emperor's men might arrive just a few steps behind them, leaving no time to cover for the Empress.
So, he stopped a few children who were wandering the streets and some vendors at the city entrance, gave them some silver, and instructed them to direct anyone asking for the location of Cuiyu Tower to Ji Family Village, next to Lou Family Village in Cang County.
"Giddy-up! Giddy-up! Giddy-up..."
The galloping horses left a trail of dust in their wake. In the Emperor's study, Lan Xiaolou, now dressed in male attire but still strikingly beautiful, stood in the center, his posture slightly bent. The Emperor remained silent, and so did he.
After a long while, the Emperor smiled and said, "Should I call you Master Cui or Master Lan?"
Lan Xiaolou knelt on the ground with a straight back and replied, "Your Majesty, this humble one's surname is Lou."
The Xuanwu Emperor didn't care about his surname; he had only spoken to break the silence.
"How old are you now?"
Though the Emperor knew he was the same age as Yue'er, he still asked. Lan Xiaolou understood perfectly—the Emperor's casual questions were meant to lower his guard.
Once he was lulled into a false sense of security, the real questions would follow.
"This humble one turned nineteen this past March."
"How many people are in your family?"
"My parents passed away long ago. I am alone, with no relatives."
...
