MFURCC -Chapter 59 Hidden Weapons in the Prince’s Mansion

Her expression was grim.

Fu Yunsheng said, “General Ruan, you can rest assured. My second brother is dead. I am the only son of my parents now, and the only hope of the Fu family in the future. I will persuade them not to cause any trouble.”

“It’s not a question of whether they will cause trouble.”

Fu Yunqi’s death was outside of Liuzheng’s plan.

If he had lived, every guest leaving today would have gossiped about him and Feng Lunian.

But with Fu Yunqi dead, everyone’s attention would shift.

The deceased takes precedence; no one would talk about his affair with Feng Lunian now.

Fu Yunsheng killed Fu Yunqi, and naturally, Liuzheng felt a sense of satisfaction.

After all, this man had conspired with Ruan Mingzheng to insult her chastity. He deserved to die a thousand deaths.

Yet, regarding her plan with Feng Lunian, Fu Yunqi’s death disrupted her scheme.

This was exactly why she had come here.

She explained her considerations to Fu Yunsheng, who only then realized.

“Then… I shouldn’t announce the mourning yet?”

“That’s the only way.” Liuzheng said. “But you must persuade your parents and your third sister. She seems hostile toward me.”

“Yunyi? How could that be?”

“When I left with the maid, she noticed something was wrong but didn’t warn me, and even concealed the maid’s identity.”

Fu Yunsheng was momentarily stunned, then promised, “Don’t worry. Before I bring down Feng Lunian, I will keep an eye on them.”

Liuzheng nodded.

“There’s one more thing.”

She mentioned Ruan Mingzheng and Lianxin.

Fu Yunsheng’s eyes widened.

“Your people set the fire?”

“Exactly. My fifth brother and your second brother colluded to set the trap, which is why your second brother immediately claimed I framed him.”

At this point, she no longer needed to hide the truth from Fu Yunsheng.

She briefly explained Ruan Mingzheng and Fu Yunqi’s scheme.

Fu Yunsheng frowned deeply.

“Seems your fifth brother and my second brother are both ungrateful traitors!”

At first, he thought that Fu Yunqi was accidentally caught up in Liuzheng’s plot against Feng Lunian.

But it wasn’t accidental—it was deliberate.

“What do you want me to do?” Fu Yunsheng asked.

He was already anxious that the disruption could ruin Liuzheng’s plan.

Since they both belonged to Prince Su’s faction, he would be held responsible if the prince demanded accountability.

So he was willing to help Liuzheng, hoping she would show some leniency before Prince Su.

Liuzheng said, “Bury them and claim it was a fire in the woodshed. Two servants happened to be inside and perished together. That way, your visit to buy coffins will also remain covered.”

Fu Yunsheng nodded. “Alright, we’ll do as you say.”

“I must leave now. I still need to report today’s events to the Prince so he can arrange for Feng Lunian to be impeached in court.”

Fu Yunsheng hurried a few steps after her, awkwardly saying, “General Ruan, about my matter… I hope you…”

Liuzheng waved him off. “Don’t worry. Your matter will not be spread.”

They were now on the same boat; if one fell, the other would sink too.

She had no time to gossip about other people’s backyards.

“And the Prince’s side…”

“As long as you follow my instructions and don’t cause trouble, I won’t tell the Prince about you.”

“Thank you, General Ruan.”

“No need!”

Liuzheng flicked her sleeve and left the room, quickly disappearing into the thickening moonlight.

She took Pan Hong with her. With Fu Yunsheng’s assurances, she didn’t need him to keep watch here.

After leaving General Dingyuan’s residence, Liuzheng headed to the Prince’s mansion.

She didn’t enter through the front gate but, like Prince Su, climbed over the wall into the inner courtyard.

First, to test if her lightness skill had weakened; second, to observe the mansion’s defenses.

The approach was smooth, avoiding the guards, but as she neared the main courtyard, several hidden projectiles were suddenly shot at her.

Liuzheng’s heart tensed. She couldn’t hide her presence any longer and leapt to kick away two incoming projectiles.

The weapons clattered to the ground, immediately followed by two burly men appearing.

“Who’s there?!”

Liuzheng sighed and landed lightly under the eaves.

“It’s me. I’m here to see the Prince.”

“General Ruan?” The two men were taken aback, quickly cupping their hands. “We didn’t realize it was you…”

Liuzheng waved them off. “It’s nothing. What were those projectiles?”

“The beams in the room were rigged with a mechanism. Anyone stepping there would trigger it. You weren’t hurt, right?”

Liuzheng’s eyes brightened slightly. After replying, “I’m fine,” she asked, “How is this mechanism designed? Can you teach me…”

Before she could finish, Su Heng, Prince Su, emerged from the study.

From the moment he stepped out, his eyes were fixed on Liuzheng.

Only after confirming she wasn’t injured did he speak coldly, “A front gate exists, yet you take the side? If you die here, I won’t be responsible for retrieving your body!”

The beams’ mechanism rarely missed, and it was lucky she wasn’t harmed.

Liuzheng knew she had been reckless today and bowed first.

“Your subordinate Liuzheng pays respects, Prince.”

“Rise!” Su Heng’s face was grim, clearly displeased that she had climbed the wall.

Liuzheng straightened and explained, “Your subordinate has matters to report regarding Feng Lunian. To prevent being seen, I flew onto the beams…”

“Also, like last time, I wanted to test the mansion’s defenses to see what I could learn. Unexpectedly, there was indeed something.”

“The hidden weapons on the beams are ingenious… Even though I moved lightly, I still triggered the mechanism…”

Su Heng glanced at her and interrupted, “Enough! Stop flattering it! When the two you requested arrive, they’ll set up the mechanisms for you.”

Liuzheng was overjoyed. “Thank you, Prince!”

Her Tinglan Courtyard’s defenses were poor. With such mechanisms, few in the capital could infiltrate her courtyard, preventing incidents like Fu Yunqi’s.

“You mentioned Feng Lunian just now?”

“Yes…”

“Come in and speak.”

Su Heng turned back to the study.

Liuzheng followed, but as she stepped over the threshold, she noticed a black dog drinking water inside.

The dog’s ears pricked up immediately at the intrusion.

Liuzheng still had a shadow of fear toward black dogs, and her heart skipped a beat.

Off balance, her foot caught on the threshold, and she started to fall backward.

Just as she prepared to leap with her lightness skill, she smelled the scent of pine, and a large hand steadied her waist.

Instinctively, she looked up into Su Heng’s dark, inky eyes.

The two men outside wanted to assist but turned away upon seeing the scene.

“Earlier you could fly in easily. Now you can’t even walk? Afraid of those hidden weapons? Where’s the bravery of the General of Zhaoyong?” Prince Su’s voice was full of displeasure.

Liuzheng quickly withdrew from Su Heng’s hold.

“Thank you, Prince, for catching me.”

Then she explained, “I wasn’t scared by the hidden weapons, but…”

Her gaze fell on the black dog.

Su Heng looked puzzled. “Afraid of dogs?”

“A little…”

“I remember you…”

He nearly said “not afraid of dogs” but swallowed the words and corrected himself: “I heard people say you feared death at the border. Now you’re afraid of a dog?”

Liuzheng had her story ready.

“A few days ago, a fierce dog entered my home. I was praying for my brother in the small household shrine and was almost hurt, so I developed a bit of a fear.”

Hearing this, Su Heng’s doubts subsided.

“Useless!” he muttered, then ordered the two men outside, “Take San Tiao away.”

“Yes!” One man approached and quickly pulled out the black dog named San Tiao.

Liuzheng stepped aside and noticed it had only three legs.

In her past life, she became a ghost after dying and avoided Su Heng because of the dog’s intimidating presence.

Never having looked closely, she didn’t realize it was disabled.

Su Heng met her puzzled gaze and explained, “It wasn’t born this way. Six months ago, I was ambushed by an assassin. It protected me with its life…”

After hearing the story, Liuzheng realized the dog had been a stray before Su Heng took it in.

He had once tossed it a bun, and the dog remembered him.

During another attack, it had courageously defended him.

“I kept it. Although it survived, its leg was severed and could not be saved.”

Liuzheng’s fear of the dog faded slightly.

“It understands gratitude better than most humans.”

“Too stupid,” he muttered, but a faint warmth shone in his eyes.

The expression made Liuzheng feel a fleeting resemblance to Xiao Hengzi—but that was impossible…

“Enough about it. Tell me about Feng Lunian.” Su Heng said.

Rumors had already spread throughout the capital; he knew the gist but not the details.

Liuzheng reported everything.

When she mentioned that the plan had started because Ruan Mingzheng tried to frame her, a sharp glint flashed in Su Heng’s dark eyes.

“You Ruan family people, one after another, always want to harm you. Can’t you just kill them all?”

Most were unarmed. With her skill, Liuzheng could have easily killed them.

She gave a wry smile.

“Killing them is easy, but how do I handle the aftermath? Even if I did it meticulously, I just returned to the capital. Even if they died, their innocence wouldn’t be recognized. Moreover, some deserved more than a simple blade to the throat—it would be too easy on them.”

Su Heng saw she wasn’t acting out of needless compassion and slightly relaxed his tightly pressed lips.

“Then deal with them one by one. Find thorough methods to eliminate them without suspicion falling on you.”

“I’m already doing that.” She raised her eyes to meet his gaze, smiling slightly. “Ruan Mingzheng is already dead.”

She had only told half of what had happened.

“I took the opportunity to have the deputy officer knock him out, tied him and the maid who wanted to harm me together in the woodshed, and set it on fire… They were completely burned beyond recognition.”