Volume Two: The Great and the Small, Chapter Seventy-Two: A Day of Change (Part I)

It is often said that birds of a feather flock together, and the residential landscape of Beijing is no exception. For instance, districts like Renshou Ward, where the Huang family resides, and many neighboring residential areas, are home to high-ranking officials due to their proximity to the Imperial City.

In contrast, the western part of the city—areas such as Mingyu Ward and Xianyi Ward—is primarily inhabited by wealthy merchants. Consequently, property prices in these areas have consistently remained high, often even exceeding those in places like Renshou Ward. This is because this area connects to the canal wharves, making the loading and unloading of goods exceptionally convenient, which naturally attracts merchants to settle there and gradually expand their operations.

On the morning of the eighteenth day of the sixth lunar month, the sun was still scorching. As carts laden with all manner of goods entered through Xizhi Gate, the area around Mingyu Ward quickly bustled with activity. The relevant merchants had made arrangements well in advance, and the laborers waiting for work rushed out from the shade, vying for the chance to secure a job.

Even for such grueling manual labor, work was not something an ordinary laborer could simply claim. It required the oversight of the headmen accompanying the carts, who would either drive down wages or have already pre-arranged for their own workers to be waiting near their storefronts. The Jinxiu Association adopted the latter approach. As a massive trade guild, it possessed not only numerous silk merchants but also hundreds of hired hands. At the signal from their lead overseer, dozens of brawny men in short tunics swarmed forward, rapidly offloading the dozens of carts of silk and transporting them into the nearby warehouses.

Then came the methodical process of counting and recording the inventory. By the time this was completed, it was already noon. He Hui, the accountant, tucked the ledger—its ink barely dry—under his arm and hurried toward a grand mansion deep within Mingyu Ward. This was the residence of Zhu Yuntong, the third chairman of the Jinxiu Association, who was currently staying in the capital to oversee operations.

The mansion spanned seven or eight acres and consisted of over a dozen courtyards. It was filled with countless buildings, pavilions, and meticulously curated gardens, with winding paths so complex that a stranger would easily lose their way without a guide. Even the residences of high-ranking cabinet ministers appeared modest by comparison. A century ago, during the Hongwu reign, the owner of such an extravagant and illicit estate would have long since been convicted and executed. But now, over a hundred years later, the imperial court had long since turned a blind eye to such excesses. Even here in Beijing, at the very feet of the Emperor, as long as one had money and had greased the right palms, it was never an issue.

Nevertheless, whenever He Hui walked along this familiar path, looking at the pavilions and towers, he could not help but mutter to himself, "What would happen if the authorities really came to conduct a strict investigation?"

Little did he know, this thought would become reality today.

As he ventured deeper, several stewards, looking anxious and hurried, caught up from behind. As they walked, they asked those around them, "Is the master handling business in the Jinguan Pavilion today?"

"Yes, and the master is waiting for Mr. He to come in and report the accounts," a servant replied, glancing at He Hui.

He Hui nodded slightly at the stewards who were also looking his way. It seemed they were all headed to the same place; clearly, some urgent matter had arisen. He was not a man of many words and simply continued forward. The stewards, however, whether to curry favor or because they were deeply uneasy, kept pace and spoke to him: "There are some Embroidered Uniform Guards outside. They say they want to see the master. We have managed to stall them for now, but I fear we cannot hold them off for long..."

"The Embroidered Uniform Guards... why have they come for the master?" He Hui asked, his brow furrowed in anxiety.

"We do not know, but they certainly do not come with good intentions. They even refused the bribe money we offered. Something major must have happened!"

As they spoke, they passed through three more courtyards and finally arrived before a spacious bamboo pavilion overlooking the water. The pavilion sat beside a lake, shaded by trees—a perfect spot to escape the summer heat. This was where Zhu Yuntong, the third chairman of the Jinxiu Association, conducted his business.

Zhu, who was reviewing some documents behind his desk, looked up, slightly puzzled by the arrival of so many people. "Is there something you need?"

Before He Hui could speak, the stewards stepped forward. "Master, the Embroidered Uniform Guards are at the gate. They say they are here to escort you to the Commander’s Office for questioning."

Zhu Yuntong’s body jolted, and a flash of unease crossed his eyes, though he suppressed it immediately. "We are law-abiding merchants; on what grounds would the Embroidered Uniform Guards arrest us? Just hold them off. Times have changed—they are no longer as formidable as they once were."

The stewards looked at each other in stunned silence, none daring to obey the order. No matter how much the Embroidered Uniform Guards had declined, they were still notorious for their ruthlessness. How could they possibly have the nerve to bar them from entering?

Ignoring their hesitation, Zhu Yuntong simply huffed, "Are you not going to do as I said?"

The men pulled long faces, gave a reluctant acknowledgment, and turned to leave. He Hui took the opportunity to step forward and present the ledger. "Third Chairman, these are the accounts for the silk that arrived in the capital this month. I have reviewed them carefully, and there are no discrepancies. Please, have a look."

Perhaps Zhu Yuntong would have scrutinized the ledger under normal circumstances, but he had no interest now. He reached out and took the book casually, not even bothering to open it. He nodded and said, "I understand. Thank you for your hard work. You may go for now..."

"Well, there is nothing else, except that there seems to be a slight color difference in this batch of goods from Sichuan. May I point it out to the Third Chairman?" He Hui added, taking another two steps forward.

Zhu Yuntong frowned, but prioritizing the crisis, he nodded, signaling the accountant to come over and point out the issue in the ledger.

At that very moment, from far outside, a sudden clamor of shouting erupted.

"What are you doing? How dare you trespass! Do you not fear we will report you to the authorities?"

"We, the Embroidered Uniform Guards, act on imperial decree! Never mind a mere merchant—even a cabinet minister or a minister of state can be taken if we so choose! Where is Zhu Yuntong..."

Zhu Yuntong, who had been about to look at the ledger, turned ashen. No longer concerned with business, he raised his head to look toward the entrance, his body tensing as if to stand.

At that very instant, while everyone’s attention was fixed on the intruders bursting in, He Hui—the accountant who had appeared the most unassuming and whose presence there had seemed the most logical—made his move.

Without a word, without the slightest change in his expression, he stood beside Zhu Yuntong. His right hand flicked, and a flash of cold steel struck out, burying itself directly into the side of the chairman’s neck.

With a single strike, blood sprayed!

The Third Chairman did not even have time to scream. He merely turned his head in astonishment toward the assassin beside him, his eyes wide, before slumping limply to the ground as the blade was withdrawn.

At that moment, the Embroidered Uniform Guards reached the entrance of the Jinguan Pavilion, witnessing this sudden, violent scene.

Everyone present stood frozen in absolute shock.

"Seize the assassin! I want him alive!"