“School Anniversary Performance. The stage lights fell, injuring several students!”
The following day, the school celebration’s accident was reported in the local newspaper. Parents of the students all accused the school of inadequate inspections, while Governor Yan Zhan also asked for a thorough investigation regarding this matter.
The school and the police station worked overtime for many nights to investigate the incident. In the end, it turned out that the screw on the connecting rod of the light fell off, which was deemed as a completely random accident.
Yan Zhan honestly didn’t expect the police station to find out anything else. After learning from Chu Jiao that Du Shourong and his daughter were unscrupulous, he ordered some of his people to keep a close eye on the Du Family Theater and didn’t expect to find something out about them.
After Du Xiruo succeeded in getting her hands on the dragon seal, she immediately dropped out of school the very next day. She had originally enrolled in the school to slyly avoid the previous manhunt, which was being rigorously conducted throughout the entire city. The police searched for half a month but ultimately could not catch the real criminal. Yan Zhan had learned the truth from Chu Jiao, so he asked the police to withdraw the arrest warrant. Since she was afraid that something unfavorable might unexpectedly happen if they were to delay any longer, Du Xiruo quickly returned to her Lord Du outfit upon leaving the school and returned to her rightful place in the Pear Theater.
She believed that she was absolutely safe. Even if Chu Jiao discovered that her pendant was gone and harbored suspicions towards ‘Fu Xiruo,’ even if they turned over the whole Zhi Li province, they wouldn’t be able to find any signs of her. After all, her two identities and genders were different. Who would suspect an actor who hadC never even read a book before?
Back when she switched identities and disappeared as Lord Du from the public eye for some time, Du Shourong publicly announced that Lord Du had fallen ill. And as such, with the pillar of the renowned theater not appearing on stage for quite some time, the business of the Pear Jade Theater steadily deteriorated.
However, Du Shourong did not worry, because his good daughter brought with her a piece of the long-awaited good news he had been wanting to hear and found the jade seal!
What was this theater worth!? Once he had the jade seal in his hands, he would become the greatest minister, who had the power to restore the monarchy and would undoubtedly support the new young emperor!
Du Shourong quickly sought help from the underground party he had been secretly keeping in contact with. The underground party was preparing to establish a Manchurian government to contend with the current Beiping government, but they had insufficient strength and lacked manpower, so they had no other choice and could only secretly accept support from the Japanese Empire. The Japanese sent Yoshida Hideaki this time to assist Du Shourong on his mission.
Yoshida Hideaki arranged for a few ninjas to help Du Xiruo create the stage light accident and erase any traces they may have left behind afterward. This was why neither the police nor the school could find anything substantial in their investigation.
On one hand, Du Shourong wanted to use this wealth to free the soon-to-be-established Manchurian government from the Japanese’s control and restore full imperial power, whereas on the other hand, the Japanese wanted to seize the treasure and embezzle it all for themselves.
Both parties had their own plans about the hidden wealth, but at the moment, when the treasure still had not been found, they maintained a harmonious relationship on the surface.
Du Shourong has been searching for that seal and the treasure since his grandfather’s generation. All these years, he had been scouring through several places where the treasure might be hidden. Finally, after years of researching, he confirmed that the likeliest place it could be in was Jin Di’s Wutai Mountain.
Wutai Mountain has always been known to be the place where Emperor Shunzhi left home for. Moreover, the emperors of the previous dynasties, including Qianlong and Kangxi, have visited this place many times back then. Without a doubt, this place held great significance to the royal family.
Du Shourong had already arranged for some people to keep an eye out on Mount Wutai, and upon obtaining the precious jade seal, he wanted to go and visit the place immediately. However, although the Jin Di warlord, Zhang Chong, was illiterate, he had reigned over the Central Plains area with an iron hand and was also cunning by nature. Even if the treasure was really in Mount Wutai, it would be simply impossible for Du Shourong to transport such massive valuables without Zhang Chong’s knowledge.
Fortunately, Zhang Chong did not smoke opium nor did he play Pai Gow1Paigow (牌九): a gambling game played with dominoes. But, he did have a penchant for something else, and that was, watching operas. At the same time, he also particularly liked to play opera.
Before Du Xiruo fell ‘ill,’ Marshal Zhang had been continuously attending the Pear Jade Theater shows for a month. Everyone knew well that he admired Lord Du a lot and was even quite fond of him.
“Xiruo ahh… Marshal Zhang values you so much. He even personally asked you to go to his mansion to perform for him. This is such a great opportunity!” Backstage at Pear Jade Garden, Du Shourong casually stroked his beard and earnestly told his daughter the news.
“I’m not going!” Du Xiruo angrily threw her head ornament down on the dressing table, “It’s not as if you don’t know how he feels about me!”
“Xiruo ahh… The bigger picture is more important…” Du Shourong explained with reason, “Think about it. Even though Marshal Zhang is an uncouth fellow, he’s still a warlord, so his power over the Central Plains won’t lose compared to Governor Yan’s. If you do manage to gain his respect and something happens to me in the future, he’ll still be able to protect you…”
Du Xiruo’s eyes flickered upon hearing Governor Yan being mentioned, but they quickly dimmed once again, “Father… Don’t say that… I, I’ll go…”
In the Yan mansion, Adjutant Li was reporting the information he had recently received to Yan Zhan.
“Oh? Zhang Chong is going to take in another mistress again?” Yan Zhan was currently peeling grapes for Chu Jiao and had asked this without much thought, “What number is this?”
“It’s… the fifth time.” Adjutant Li wiped away the sweat on his forehead.
“Wow, for an old man, he sure is ‘strong’,” Chu Jiao sighed while chewing on the grapes the Governor had personally peeled for her. “I remember Big Brother Yan saying that this marshal is almost fifty years old?”
“48 in Chinese years2In Chinese years, one is aged 1 year old at birth and increases by one upon the first solar term rather than on one’s birthday, kind of like Korean years..” Adjutant Li was relieved that his investigation was very comprehensive.
“Who is he marrying? Was she worth you taking a trip to send out invitations all night?” Yan Zhan knew that his adjutant was knowledgeable about the situation.
Adjutant Li presented the invitation card, “It’s the Pear Jade actor you asked me to keep an eye on.”
Chu Jiao and Yan Zhan shared a look.
Well, that was… completely unexpected.
[Completed]
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