Chapter 113: Sowing Discord

The death of Aguda was a secret known to no one but Zhao Yu and Gongsun Sheng. Unless Gongsun Sheng were to confess it himself, it would remain a secret forever—but how could Gongsun Sheng ever let that slip?

In an instant, an idea formed in Zhao Yu’s mind. *So, you want me to show you something extraordinary? Fine! I’ll show you what it means to spout nonsense with total conviction.*

"Since this official trusts me so much, I would be remiss to decline."

Everyone present was stunned by Zhao Yu’s words. It was obvious to all that the site where Aguda had been blown to pieces was hundreds of miles from Huining. Even if one were to travel there to investigate, the time required for the round trip would long since have passed the date of Aguda’s funeral.

Some even thought that Wanyan Xiyin was clearly trying to frame Zhao Yu, as this was an impossible task. They had pegged the Han youth as cunning and sharp, assuming he would never fall for such a trap; they never expected him to actually agree.

Even Wanyan Xiyin couldn't help but ask, "You—you agree?"

Zhao Yu shrugged. "Do I have a choice? Besides, I can give you the answer right now, provided you guarantee my safety."

Suddenly, everyone’s curiosity was piqued. This case was of earth-shattering importance; the Jin Empire had exhausted all its resources for months with no results. For this Han youth to claim he had the answer immediately was nothing short of miraculous.

Wanyan Xieye, who leaned toward favoring Zhao Yu, spoke as soon as the youth finished. "Rest assured. If you identify the killer, you will be a great benefactor to our entire Jurchen people. Anyone who dares to disrespect you will be the enemy of our entire race."

The other Jurchen nobles nodded in agreement.

Zhao Yu sighed helplessly. "Fine! Since you insist on forcing me to say it, I will. The truth is, the killer is in this very hall."

"What!"

The hall erupted. The gathered men had considered a thousand possibilities, but never this. Before anyone could object, Zhao Yu continued.

"It is easy to imagine that you have all been focusing your investigations on outsiders—some have even tried to cast suspicion on me. But I suggest you analyze this carefully: when the Emperor traveled, how could outsiders know his itinerary and route? That is the first point. Secondly, if the Emperor were to meet with an accident, who would be the greatest beneficiary?"

"I will be frank: upon hearing the news of the Emperor’s tragic death, I analyzed the situation. The sheer amount of gunpowder used could not have been transported from the Central Plains or the Liao Kingdom. It must have been stolen from your own military depots. Surely, your military stores are not so easily pilfered, are they?"

"Synthesizing these suspicions, I dare assert that this crime was committed from within, and the culprit is likely in this hall right now."

A chilling silence fell over the room. Everyone looked at one another, then back at Zhao Yu. Just as he said, all previous investigations had looked outward, ignoring the possibility of an inside job and overlooking the details he had just laid out. Now, with his analysis, a thought began to gnaw at them: *Could it be? How could we have overlooked such a possibility?*

"Boy, are you trying to incite internal strife among us Jurchens?"

The question came from Wanyan Zonghan. However, the flicker in his eyes betrayed that he, too, was swayed by Zhao Yu’s logic.

Zhao Yu sighed slightly. "This is the second time I’ve been asked that. I’ve said my piece; whether you believe it is up to you. You can also choose to ignore it and proceed with electing your next emperor as you see fit."

It is said that the human heart is the most difficult thing to face directly, especially in such delicate times. Though they kept telling themselves not to trust the boy, everyone couldn't help but whisper among themselves. After Aguda’s death, who stood to gain the most? It was supposed to be Wuqimai, but he was dead too. So who was next? It was a deadly question—one they were terrified to pursue, yet unable to ignore.

"Is that it? You said the killer was in this hall! Why don't you name them?"

Zhao Yu shook his head at Wanyan Zonggan. "My good sir, I truly worry for your intellect. Do you really want to tear the Jurchens apart with civil war?"

The mine had been planted; when it would detonate was now their own problem. Yet, Zhao Yu had to maintain an air of compassionate concern for the Jurchen people. Wanyan Xiyin finally understood why Wanyan Ang had said that if this man could not be used by the Jurchens, he must be killed. With just a few words, he had sown the seeds of a catastrophic crisis—he was truly diabolical. Wanyan Xiyin suddenly regretted ever bringing this issue to light at such a time.

"Xieye suggested you could take on the role of Assistant Minister of State. What do you think?"

"If I refuse, will you kill me?"

"Yes."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s begin the policy discussions."

Zhao Yu’s reaction made the Jurchen lords laugh. Was this boy a fox? How else could he be so slippery?

Zhao Yu didn't care what they thought; he was feeling a complex swirl of emotions. *What kind of mess is this? First the Governor of Youzhou, then almost the son-in-law of the Liao, and now an Assistant Minister for the Jin. If this gets back to the Central Plains, the moralists will have a field day tearing me apart.*

Having lived two lives, Zhao Yu knew well that many loved to stand on a moral pedestal to judge others as if they were paragons of virtue. He despised such people. A man’s path is his own to choose; as long as his conscience is clear, why care what others say?

Curiously, although everyone desperately wanted to know who had the strongest motive to kill Aguda, they all implicitly agreed to stop bringing it up. Wanyan Xieye had already decided: he had to bring this Han man into his camp. If he did, his own chances of ascending to the throne would be much greater.

"Little Han... that Assistant Minister, they say you people have many clever tricks. Let me ask you: how should we go about electing our new emperor?"

Wanyan Zonggan’s sudden outburst caused Wanyan Xiyin and Wanyan Zonghan to frown. They had intended to announce the election process during Aguda’s funeral, and they didn't want this fool Zonggan bringing it up now.

Zhao Yu smiled slightly. "There is a way to select the ideal candidate without offending anyone. It is called a 'secret ballot.' I wonder if you gentlemen have heard of it?"

Though the term was new, it was not difficult to grasp. The eyes of Wanyan Xiyin, Wanyan Zonghan, and the others lit up. As for the rest, their prevailing thought was: *This Han boy truly is full of devious tricks to come up with something like this.*