Chapter 70 A Crying Woman is Truly Terrifying

The night was deep and heavy. At some point, the rain had ceased, and the scattered clouds drifted away, leaving a pale, slender crescent moon hanging against the western wall.

Cao Heyong had always governed his household with an iron fist, enforcing strict and ruthless rules. Within the Cao residence, whether master or servant, no transgression was ever lightly forgiven.

It was precisely because of this merciless and stringent discipline that from top to bottom, not a single person in the Cao household dared to pry into Cao Heyong's whereabouts or official business without authorization.

Whenever Cao Heyong gave an order, no one dared to approach within three zhang of his bedchamber.

Sheng Yanming had long since heard of Cao Heyong’s draconian household management, and seeing it tonight, he found it to be truly well-deserved. Setting down his teacup, he said sincerely, "I have long heard that Lord Cao excels in managing his household, and seeing it today, it is indeed as rumored. I am deeply impressed."

Ordinarily, this would have been a compliment, but the complication lay in the fact that Cao Heyong had been demoted precisely because he was implicated by his worthless nephew. Thus, Sheng Yanming's words sounded rather like a mocking sarcasm.

Inwardly, Cao Heyong harbored bitter resentment, yet his expression betrayed not a trace of it. Leaning weakly against the head of the bed, he breathed as if through a thread and said, "Lord Sheng flatters me too much. I wonder what urgent business brings Lord Sheng here at this deep hour of the night?"

Sheng Yanming placed no faith in Cao Heyong's pretexts of age, illness, and inability to rise. Deciding to cast aside pretense and speak frankly, he stated, "Lord Cao, Prefect Tan has met a violent death, and the murderer remains at large. The prefectural yamen has plunged into complete chaos. As the Vice Prefect of Dengzhou, Lord Cao should step forward at this time and take charge of all affairs at the yamen."

Cao Heyong coughed heavily several times, his complexion as pale as paper and devoid of human color. After struggling to catch his breath, he managed to say, "Lord, Lord Sheng speaks, speaks the truth. This old, this old man shall go, shall go to the prefectural yamen tomorrow."

Every word was breathless and disjointed. Failing to catch his next breath, he rolled his eyes back and collapsed against the head of the bed.

He looked thoroughly unconscious.

"Lord Cao! Lord Cao! Lord Cao!" Sheng Yanming grasped Cao Heyong's arm, shouting urgently. He had seen plenty of people feigning illness, but he had never seen anyone fake an illness so well that they actually passed out.

Steward Cao had long been waiting for Sheng Yanming's loud cries. Hearing the commotion, he immediately rushed into the room with the estate physician. While directing the physician to check the pulse, he wiped away tears and wailed loudly, "Master! Master, what has happened to you? Just a moment ago, weren't you showing signs of recovery? Why has your condition suddenly worsened after exchanging just a few words with Lord Sheng?"

Sheng Yanming: "......"

Wait, what was that supposed to mean? Was Cao Heyong actually angered into unconsciousness by him?

At that very moment, a series of shrill, weeping cries echoed from outside.

A group of young and beautiful women rushed into the room, sobbing and wailing hysterically. They threw themselves onto the edge of Cao Heyong's bed with a tragic intensity, resembling a funeral mourning ceremony.

"Master, what has happened to you? Master, wake up!"

"My lord, you cannot abandon me!"

Sheng Yanming was completely dumbfounded.

Weren't people saying that Cao Heyong never indulged in women and that his inner courtyard was exceptionally austere?

Where on earth did these dozen or so heavily scented women pop up from?

His head thumping with a dull pain from the clamor of these chattering, weeping women, Sheng Yanming abruptly drew his long sword and shouted sternly, "Silence! The Military Security Department is here on official orders to investigate a case. If any of you continue to cause such a disturbance, this official will arrest every single one of you and throw you into the department's prison for rigorous interrogation!"

This stern roar carried considerable intimidation, startling the group of women into a shiver that temporarily halted their weeping.

Sheng Yanming nodded inwardly and slid his sword back into its scabbard.

Yet no sooner had quiet descended than one of the women muttered under her breath, "This humble maid was merely weeping for the master and for her own fate. How does that violate the law? Why would we be thrown into a prison? My lord need not try to frighten us; we are not ignorant country women, either."

As soon as these words were spoken, it was like a drop of oil falling into boiling water; the surface instantly erupted into a crackling commotion.

Emboldened by their numbers, the women, who had just ceased their wailing, turned their collective ire upon Sheng Yanming.

Sheng Yanming had never encountered such a spectacle in his life.

The people he usually dealt with were hardened martial men who would resort to blows at the slightest disagreement, often forging friendships through the exchange of fists.

His own household was exceptionally serene, boasting only a single virtuous wife who invariably reasoned with others using logic.

He was instantly stunned by this style of rolling on the ground and making a scene.

He considered drawing his long sword to injure a few of them as a deterrent, but upon second thought, now was not yet the time to completely tear faces with Cao Heyong. If he wounded Cao's female dependents and drove the man into a fit of rage, wouldn't matters become even more intractable?

Suppressing the surging anger in his heart, Sheng Yanming kicked and shoved his way, managing with great difficulty to break free from the enclosure of swirling perfumes.

Seeing that his objective had been achieved, Steward Cao gently tugged twice on Cao Heyong's sleeve.

Cao Heyong timely revived, opening his eyes just in time to witness this intensely chaotic scene.

With a sharp *clatter*, he smashed a teacup. As if he had exhausted every ounce of his remaining strength, he panted heavily and rasped, "What, what kind of system is this among you all! How, how can you be so presumptuous, so presumptuous toward Lord Sheng! Get out, all of you! Return to your quarters and reflect on your misdeeds behind closed doors!"

"Master!"

"My lord!"

Cao Heyong smashed another teacup, but the vessel landed precisely at Sheng Yanming's feet, splashing scalding water all over his robe. Upon seeing this, Cao Heyong offered profuse apologies and excuses, turning his fury on the group of women as he cursed, "A pack of blind, brainless beasts! Ignorant wretches! Can you not see that this old man is ill? Are you trying, are you trying to hounded this old man to death with anger? Get out, all of you, get out!"

The group of women instantly became as docile as quails and, without uttering another word, departed cleanly.

How could Sheng Yanming fail to discern the hidden barbs in Cao Heyong's reprimand? Yet he had not yet obtained what he came for, so it was unfeasible to openly break ties with Cao Heyong right then and there.

After all, Cao Heyong was a former Minister of the Privy Council whose disciples and old associates filled the imperial court, and he enjoyed the deep trust of Empress Dowager Wen. Even if his Military Security Department paid no heed to reason, it was impossible to detain and torture him without concrete evidence.

"Lord Cao's inner courtyard is certainly lively," Sheng Yanming said, his words freighted with deeper meaning.

Cao Heyong caught his breath and replied weakly, "It has made, made Lord Sheng, witness, witness a joke."

Sheng Yanming paused, choosing to abandon the games of truth and falsehood with Cao Heyong. He asked directly, "After Tan Jinlong's death, his newly taken concubine vanished without a trace. This official has received intelligence that shortly after Tan Jinlong died, a woman was brought into Lord Cao's residence. Might I ask where that woman is now?"

Cao Heyong's expression did not change in the slightest as he calmly replied, "Is that so? How could such a thing happen? It is due to this old man's lax governance that someone in my residence would harbor a fleeing concubine, making a laughingstock of me before Lord Sheng. Cao Lin."

Hearing himself called, Steward Cao hurriedly stepped forward, bowing deeply.

Cao Heyong instructed in a clear voice, "Go and summon everyone in the residence to the front courtyard so that Lord Sheng may question them one by one."

Steward Cao acknowledged the order and strode away swiftly.

Witnessing this scene, Sheng Yanming's heart sank.

It seemed Cao Heyong had already obtained what he wished to secure.

And that woman had already been sent where she needed to go.

His trip today, it appeared, was destined to yield nothing at all.