This treasure was stolen from the Xiliang dowry chest, and before it could even be warmed, it was taken again.
If he were to rashly send people to search for it, it would surely arouse the suspicion of others. If it were discovered that she had stolen from the Xiliang dowry, it would be a crime punishable by extermination of the entire clan. He knew the weight of such matters.
If he pretended nothing had happened, it would be like drawing water with a bamboo basket, all in vain.
"My lord, then we won't investigate?" the servant asked tentatively.
He had been furious just moments ago, demanding a thorough investigation, and now he had changed his mind. Should he investigate or not?
"Not for now..." Zhang Kun reluctantly said, still clinging to the idea of recovering his treasure.
After a long pause, Zhang Kun felt increasingly uneasy. That chest was no small item. For someone to have taken it from his mansion so stealthily, leaving no trace, was impossible.
This was likely the work of an insider. With this realization, Zhang Kun quickly gathered everyone and had his trusted men search them one by one, but they found nothing.
"I'll give you one more chance. If you confess, I will be lenient and pretend this never happened."
As soon as he spoke, the room fell silent. No one uttered a word.
"Good! You ungrateful curs!"
Zhang Kun, seething with rage, grabbed a whip and lashed out at everyone.
"My lord, Lord Fan has sent someone to summon you."
Only then did Zhang Kun drop his whip. He spat at the beaten men and left.
...
When Zhang Kun arrived, Fan Shun, unlike his usual arrogance, stood respectfully. This was because the person seated at the head was Ling Mohan.
And his lost chest, how did it appear here?
Zhang Kun's heart sank, and he anxiously looked to Fan Shun for help, but to no avail.
Ling Mohan, unwilling to waste more time, cut to the chase: "You are Zhang Kun?"
"This subordinate is Zhang Kun. Does General Ling have any instructions?" Zhang Kun's fawning nature resurfaced as he approached Ling Mohan, desperately trying to draw attention to himself.
"Do you recognize this box before you?"
Zhang Kun's heart sank further, and he quickly denied, "No, I don't recognize it. I've never seen it."
"But this box was dug up from the backyard of your residence. Are you sure you don't recognize it?"
Ling Mohan's tone was calm, yet it carried an unspoken pressure.
"I... I..." Zhang Kun's heart trembled, his lips quivering. He couldn't offer any defense.
"I warned you long ago not to harbor wicked thoughts, yet you insisted on this. Now that it has come to this, I can no longer protect you!"
Fan Shun, worried that Zhang Kun might accidentally reveal other matters, stepped forward. "I will look after your aging mother and your wife and children!"
Zhang Kun's face turned ashen. He looked at Fan Shun in disbelief, his heart burning with anger. But remembering his mother, wife, and children, he finally chose to yield.
Before Ling Mohan could interrogate him, he confessed to all his misdeeds.
The matter was progressing so smoothly that it left Ling Mohan feeling somewhat helpless. It had all happened too quickly, and his carefully prepared strategies were rendered useless.
Fortunately, Lu Shi played his part perfectly and added, "Young General, I have inspected the gold. Half of it is fake. The inside is just copper, coated with gold powder."
"Bang!"
Ling Mohan slammed the cup in his hand onto the floor, shattering it into pieces.
"Zhang Kun, I had intended to spare your life out of leniency for your confession. To think you would stoop to such trickery. You are beyond redemption!"
"General Ling, I truly did not. After I stole these items, I kept them in the box and never opened it. It's impossible that I would have swapped them."
Zhang Kun desperately explained. He had been fearful ever since he stole the items and wouldn't have dared to swap them. He had no idea why the gold inside had turned out to be fake.
"Such a stubborn tongue! Lu Shi, go and re-inventory the dowry gold and silver. I want to see what is truly missing from the dowry chest, and how many thieves are in Yuncheng!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
Lu Shi bowed and agreed. He then turned to the men beside him, "You all come with me to do the inventory."
Although it was a staged performance, Lu Shi conducted the search with utmost professionalism, leaving no corner unchecked.
After a significant pause, Lu Shi returned, followed by men carrying two large chests.
"Reporting to the Young General, after our thorough inspection, the contents match the gift list precisely."
Hearing this, Fan Shun finally breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing more was missing.
"However... I was concerned about the possibility of fake gold. During the inspection, I specifically had a goldsmith brought in. After examination, we found a total of two chests of fake gold, all of which were in different boxes."
Lu Shi's words were like a lifeline to Zhang Kun, who quickly said, "General Ling, General Ling, you've seen that there was already fake gold here. I absolutely did not... did not swap the gold, absolutely not..."
"Has Baili Xuan arrived?"
"Reporting to the Young General, Baili Xuan has arrived outside the city gates."
"Take all of that dowry to Baili Xuan."
"Yes, Young General."
Lu Shi bowed and hurried away with his men to transport the dowry.
Baili Xuan had waited at the city gates for nearly an hour before the people arrived.
"What is the meaning of this?" Baili Xuan looked at the dowry chests before him, bewildered. "You in Dongchu accept the dowry and then send it back? Do you not take Xiliang seriously!"
"I should be asking you Xiliang people, your skill in passing off fakes for real is truly remarkable."
Ling Mohan gestured behind him. Men stepped forward, carrying out the two chests.
"This is your Xiliang dowry, made of brass coated with gold powder, passed off as gold!"
Baili Xuan's brow furrowed, his face a mask of confusion. He had never been privy to these dealings.
After a pause, Baili Xuan questioned Ling Mohan, "This dowry belongs to the Princess of Xiliang. How dare you open it without authorization!"
"It is indeed the dowry of your Xiliang Princess. However, this marriage alliance is a matter of state, concerning the diplomatic relations between two nations. Xiliang's deception with the dowry is an insult to Dongchu that we cannot tolerate. Guards, return the dowry."
"Yes, Young General!"
"Ling Mohan, you!"
Baili Xuan gritted his teeth and pointed at Ling Mohan, his chest burning with rage.