Yu Mingyue suddenly recalled the Qianji Fireworks shop that Li Fu had investigated last year during the Wang family case.
Li Fu had discovered gunpowder and firearms there, along with assassins and guards. He had managed to find the place because of some trouble at the Qianji Fireworks shop, and he had slipped in amidst the chaos.
Even then, she had felt that the place was far more complex than just a mere fireworks shop. Later, Qianji had vanished, and her brother Jiayan had told her to stop investigating, which further confirmed her suspicions.
She was now certain that it was a stronghold for the Armaments Bureau to manufacture firearms, and those assassins were likely after the new type of firearms.
Song Yu understood the implications of something being lost from the Armaments Bureau. Looking at the well-trained assassins tonight, he feared it was truly connected to foreign powers.
"I didn't expect your first case to be such a monumental one. If you can uncover the mastermind, you might even be promoted directly to Assistant Minister," Song Yu said, feigning lightness.
It seemed there were indeed traitors within the Great Wei court. No wonder those Tubo spies had learned the news in advance. The few captured were mere pawns, unable to reveal anything.
Yu Mingyue knew Song Yu was deliberately joking to help her relax. The harrowing events of the night were bound to leave a shadow.
Fortunately, she was not one to be easily fazed. Though scared, she would not back down.
The doctor brought by Lu Jingxing was indeed skilled. Zhu Yu finally woke up after a day and a night of unconsciousness.
However, the wound on her back was too long and deep, requiring careful recovery for some time. Even after healing, it was destined to leave a scar.
"It is my fault for dragging you down, my lady," Zhu Yu said, her voice hoarse.
Yu Mingyue had stayed by her side until she woke up, her eyes red from lack of sleep.
"Nonsense. You've been protecting me all these years. It's finally my turn to have a chance to rest for a couple of days," Yu Mingyue said with a smile, comforting her.
News from the capital arrived swiftly. Yu Mingyue's guess was correct; Zhang Changsheng was indeed a technician at the Armaments Bureau. However, at the bureau, he used the name Zhang Qisheng, given to him by his master.
Last year, Li Fu was able to infiltrate Qianji because the shop had lost its blueprints. Zhang Changsheng and several of his fellow disciples had gone missing.
Because the lost blueprints were for artillery still under development by the military and not yet officially deployed, the matter had been kept secret.
After Zhang Changsheng and his disciples disappeared, the Lijing Guard had been secretly investigating and searching for them. Apart from Zhang Changsheng, the other disciples were all dead.
Zhang Changsheng was alive but did not return to the Armaments Bureau, suggesting he knew there was a traitor within and did not trust them.
After careful consideration, he returned to his younger brother's hometown, Furong Town, using his original name. Later, perhaps believing enough time had passed and he had escaped detection, he wished for a peaceful life and returned to his hometown with Madam Li.
Little did he know that the Tubo spies were still searching for him. Zhang Changsheng must have realized he was being targeted and, not wanting to endanger his family, chose to commit suicide.
However, it was certain that the blueprints were not seized by the Tubo people, otherwise, Zhang Changsheng would not have been driven to suicide.
Now, with Zhang Changsheng dead, the blueprints were likely to remain unknown to anyone.
...
With the case solved, Yu Mingyue and her party, who had been delayed in Rong County for a long time, had to depart for the capital.
However, Zhu Yu's injuries were too severe, and her wound could not withstand the bumpy journey. She had to remain in Rong County to recuperate and would depart after her wound healed.
Fortunately, Madam Cui had sent a clever maidservant from the capital, so Yu Mingyue could rest assured that someone was looking after Zhu Yu.
On the day Yu Mingyue left Rong County, Madam Li, with her pregnant belly, came to see her off. Upon seeing Yu Mingyue, she knelt down: "Thank you, my lord, for saving my life."
Yu Mingyue reached out to help Madam Li up: "What are your plans for the future?"
Madam Li was beautiful, but indeed a woman of ill fortune. She had lost two husbands in one year. Even if Zhang Changsheng's death was not her fault, gossip would not spare her. Such was the world, always unfair to women.
"I wish to return to the countryside with my mother-in-law. My mother-in-law said the Zhang family still has a few acres of meager farmland in the countryside, enough for us to get by," Madam Li replied.
With her husband's cause of death clarified, her mother-in-law no longer resented her, and she did not wish to dwell on the past. They were all unfortunate souls.
Yu Mingyue nodded: "That's good. Take good care of the child in your womb. Things will get better."
Madam Li took out a pair of black cloth boots from her bundle: "I saw that your boots were torn, so I sewed a pair. Please do not refuse them, my lord."
This time, besides her official attire, Yu Mingyue's casual clothes were all men's wear. For convenience, she wore a pair of small leather boots.
During the assassin's night raid, the outside of her boots had been scratched, but the inside was intact, so they were still wearable. With Zhu Yu injured, Yu Mingyue had no time to attend to herself and continued to wear them.
Yu Mingyue was delighted: "Thank you, I will accept them then."
Yu Mingyue got into the carriage and waved to Madam Li through the window. Madam Li also waved back, turning to leave only after the carriage had driven far away.
"Did you give it to Lord Yu?" Madam Li's mother-in-law asked.
Madam Li nodded: "Your daughter-in-law sewed it inside the boots. My lord will discover it when she wears them."
Madam Li wiped away her tears: "That was something my son died trying to protect. Although I don't know what it is, it's not wrong to give it to her."
"My husband was a hero."
...
Song Yu, seeing Madam Li's reluctant farewell to Yu Mingyue, couldn't help but tease: "I almost thought Madam Li was going to return to the capital with you just now."
"Brother Song, please stop teasing."
"Why don't you try them on?"
"If Brother Song isn't worried about his fiancée getting jealous, or my brother beating you up, I'll try them on right now," Yu Mingyue said, pretending to take off her shoes.
This thoroughly frightened Song Yu, who quickly covered his face with his hand: "This subordinate was presumptuous. I momentarily forgot that my lord is a female official."
Yu Mingyue was indeed beautiful. Among their rough group, she stood out like a crane among chickens, a gem in the forest.
However, after working with her, one would discover her cheerful disposition and her often heroic demeanor, making people frequently forget she was a woman.
Yu Mingyue was not skilled in needlework, but she could tell good craftsmanship from bad. Madam Li's needlework was like Madam Li herself, pleasing to the eye.
These short boots were in a man's style, but considering Yu Mingyue was a woman and cared about appearance, a row of black buttons was added to the side as decoration, making them look both heroic and exquisite. Yu Mingyue truly liked them.
As Yu Mingyue examined the boots, she suddenly noticed something unusual. She reached into the boot shaft and, as expected, found something inside. She took it out and saw a piece of cloth, on which was clearly a blueprint for artillery.
The sheepskin cloth was stained with blood. This was what they, fellow disciples, had protected with their lives.
Yu Mingyue and Song Yu exchanged a look: "We found it."
"The artillery blueprint?" Song Yu's expression was a mixture of surprise and joy.
Yu Mingyue nodded: "Precisely!"
After the initial surprise, Yu Mingyue's expression was a mix of joy and worry: "The traitor in the court has not yet been found. I wonder if the artillery blueprint that Zhang Changsheng and the others protected with their lives will cause further trouble."
"Are you scared?"
"What am I afraid of? It's just a life. I'm afraid it will fall into the hands of the Tubo people and be detrimental to our Great Wei," Yu Mingyue glanced at Song Yu.
If she feared death, she would not have chosen to be a female official. Since she had entered officialdom, she would do what she wanted and have a clear conscience.
"As expected of a general's daughter. The Tubo spies hid for so long without success, and now you have found it. This is fate and destiny; it was not meant for them. Once we return to the ministry and hand it over to Minister Zhang, he can present it to His Majesty."