Song Mo wasn’t home.
Wu Yi informed Gu Yu, “Madam Mei has passed away!”
Gu Yu was shocked. “How could Madam Mei have died? There wasn’t even a whisper about it before.” In his memory, Madam Mei had always been spirited and healthy. How could she have left so suddenly? He recalled visiting the Jiang family with Song Mo, where Madam Mei had served them mung bean cakes. As he and Xie Xiu played around, Madam Mei sat on the veranda, watching them with a loving smile. It reminded him of when his mother was alive, and he was a carefree child. That warmth and security were unforgettable.
Tears suddenly welled up in his eyes.
“How could this happen?” Gu Yu choked, his vision blurred by tears. “Why didn’t Tian Ci tell me? I would have rushed back…” Filled with regret, he asked Wu Yi, “When did Madam Mei pass? How long has Tian Ci been gone?”
His emotions affected Wu Yi, whose eyes were also filled with tears. Sobbing, he explained, “After Third Master Jiang’s departure, Madam Mei felt unwell. Fearing our Young Master and Second Young Master would worry, she hid her condition. Shi An, being in the outer courtyard, didn’t notice anything. If our Young Master hadn’t sent Mr. Yan with medicine and tonics to check on her, we might not have known she had been bedridden for days… Madam Mei only had time to tell Mr. Yan to take good care of the Young Master before she passed…”
Gu Yu’s heart ached unbearably.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached from outside.
“Hasn’t Big Brother returned from Huaizhou yet?” A young voice filled with deep concern called out.
It was Song Han.
Gu Yu was stunned. “Why didn’t Tian En go to Huaizhou?”
Wu Yi lowered his head and mumbled, “The Duke said the journey was too far, and the Second Young Master had many unfinished lessons. The Young Master would represent Duke Ying’s household at the memorial service.”
Gu Yu exploded in anger. “Madam Mei was Tian Ci and Tian En’s grandmother! Has the bloodline been severed just because their mother is gone?”
Duke Ying’s actions were too heartless!
As he finished speaking, Song Han entered with a pouting expression.
“Brother Gu,” he noticed Gu Yu’s reddened eyes, “Are you here to find my Big Brother too?”
His ink-black eyes were filled with fear, like a startled fawn.
Gu Yu’s heart softened, unable to blame Song Han. He nodded, “I just returned from Jiangnan… I didn’t expect Madam Mei to have passed away.”
Song Han’s tears fell like raindrops. “I don’t know when Big Brother will return. I couldn’t even see Grandmother one last time… I miss Mother…”
Gu Yu’s eyes moistened, and he awkwardly comforted Song Han, “It’s alright. Tian Ci will be back soon. Madam Mei knew you had many lessons; she won’t blame you…”
Song Han began to cry loudly.
A guard entered respectfully, half-pleading and half-resigned, speaking softly to Song Han, “Second Young Master, Duke is looking for you everywhere. Please come back to the upper courtyard with me! If Duke scolds us, it’ll be hard to explain…”
Song Han wiped his tears.
Gu Yu, however, leaped up and slapped the guard, shouting, “Damn you! Who gave you the right to speak here?”
The guard, named Li Dasheng, had been assigned to Song Han by Song Yichun not only for his loyalty but also for his exceptional martial skills and resourcefulness. Though surprised by Gu Yu’s sudden outburst, Li Dasheng knew that Gu Yu’s few years of training with a boxing master were no match for his lifelong martial arts practice. Normally, Li Dasheng could easily dodge such an attack, but Gu Yu’s move was well-practiced and caught him squarely.
He stared at Gu Yu in disbelief.
Gu Yu stepped back, waving his hand. His two attendants rushed forward like lightning, throwing a punch at Li Dasheng. The room echoed with the sound of tearing fabric.
Li Dasheng’s face changed dramatically as he recalled rumors about two top-tier guards assigned to Gu Yu by the Empress…
He retreated hastily, calling out “Second Young Master” to Song Han for help, but dared not counterattack fully—Duke Ying had instructed them to avoid conflicts with people from Yizhi Hall.
Gu Yu, ignoring Song Han, stared coldly at his attendants.
Understanding his intent, they mercilessly attacked Li Dasheng…
Song Han’s gaze darkened, wanting to speak but hesitating.
Li Dasheng, already at a disadvantage in skill compared to Gu Yu’s guards and further hindered by his hesitation, was quickly overwhelmed and beaten to the ground after just a few exchanges.
Still unsatisfied, Gu Yu shouted, “Who do you think you are, daring to point at me and speak? Beat him hard! If he dies, I’ll take responsibility!”
The two attendants continued to pummel the already bruised and swollen Li Dasheng, though their blows were noticeably less forceful than before.
A commotion of footsteps approached, and a voice called out, “Young Master Gu, please show mercy! It’s all Li Dasheng’s fault for offending you. Please, for our Young Master’s sake, don’t take it out on him…”
Tao Qizhong, Song Yichun’s advisor, hurried in as he spoke.
“Young Master Gu!” He greeted Gu Yu with a smile and a bow.
Gu Yu adopted an “I’ll let it go this time” expression and nodded slightly to his attendants, who quickly stepped back behind him.
“Take him away,” Gu Yu said condescendingly. “If he’s this disrespectful again, don’t blame me for being merciless.”
“Thank you, thank you!” Tao Qizhong bowed repeatedly, gesturing for someone to help Li Dasheng up. He took Song Han’s hand and exchanged pleasantries with Gu Yu.
Song Han tried to pull away from Tao Qizhong, but the latter’s grip tightened.
He stopped struggling and complied.
Tao Qizhong left Yizhi Hall with Song Han and Li Dasheng.
Gu Yu’s eyes followed their joined hands, his expression gloomy.
Song Mo quickly learned of the incident at Yizhi Hall.
He lifted the carriage curtain and gazed outside for a long while, silent.
Yan Chaoqing’s eyes flickered.
They were passing through Zhending County.
Would the Young Master go to see the Fourth Miss Dou?
Song Mo quietly watched the distant city walls until they disappeared from view. He then lowered the curtain, sat back, and said calmly to Yan Chaoqing, “This matter will trouble Mr. Yan to pay more attention in the future.”
Due to Madam Mei’s sudden death, they hadn’t been able to investigate Song Mo’s parents’ past affairs.
The Jiang family now had only the elderly and the young, with no one to make decisions. Fortunately, Shi An was there with his wealth of experience in the jianghu, at least ensuring the safety of the Jiang family’s women and children.
Yan Chaoqing respectfully answered “Yes,” and comforted Song Mo, “Young Master, don’t worry. There are no secrets that can’t be uncovered. As long as we stay vigilant, we’ll eventually gather some information.”
“Let’s hope so,” Song Mo sighed softly.
All leads had been cut off now!
He thought of Dou Zhao.
What would she do in this situation?
When they first met at the farm, Chen Qushui had merely discovered his identity, yet she deduced that his uncle had encountered trouble, that he was on a mission to escort the child to the Tan family estate, and quickly devised a strategy that forced him to compromise. When Mr. Yan and Xu Qing desperately sought her help, even without knowing why they were being pursued, she quickly realized something had happened to him and arranged for her guards to ride to the capital overnight… She had always been skilled at noticing subtle anomalies, and then unraveling mysteries piece by piece.
If he could have her assistance…
As soon as the thought arose, Song Mo shook his head.
He couldn’t involve Dou Zhao again.
If his father found out, he would surely deal with her ruthlessly.
I wonder what she’s doing now?
Song Mo recalled her agile tree-climbing, her serene figure crouching in the chrysanthemum garden under the autumn noon sun, and her calm demeanor as she pointed out the okra soup.
He smiled to himself and asked Yan Chaoqing, “How are things going with Gu Yu?”
Yan Chaoqing grinned, “I never imagined that Young Master Gu could be more arrogant than anyone when showing off, yet more serious than anyone when focused… He’s flattered several department heads in the Ministry of Works to the point where they can’t tell north from south. They say that Luo Wei, a secretary in the Ministry of Works, has petitioned the Emperor to dredge the old waterway east of Kaifeng, and the Emperor has approved. They want Young Master Gu to speak with the Minister of Works and Grand Secretary of the Zhongji Hall, Mu Chuan, to smooth things over, so they can seek Young Master Gu’s help with future matters in the Ministry.”
“That’s the Wang family’s business,” Song Mo also smiled. “He’s snatching food from the tiger’s mouth; he’d better be careful.”
“That’s why I say Young Master Gu can be quite capable when he’s serious,” Yan Chaoqing laughed. “These days, Young Master Gu has been close to Wang Qinghuai, the heir of the Marquis of Yan’an. He plans to work on the Kaifeng River section dredging project with Wang Qinghuai.”
Song Mo raised an eyebrow and sighed, “Gu Yu has grown up.” His tone was a mix of pride and melancholy, like parents whose children had just started to walk and talk on their own.
Yan Chaoqing laughed heartily.
Song Mo joined in the laughter for a moment, then his expression grew serious. He pondered, “The Yellow River has breached its banks at Kaifeng for five consecutive years. The Ministry of Works has proposed rebuilding the old city of Kaifeng several times, but the Emperor has withheld approval. The national treasury isn’t particularly full these years, so why would the Emperor agree to dredge the Kaifeng section of the Yellow River in addition to clearing the Grand Canal? This matter likely involves a power struggle among several Grand Secretaries… Liang Jifang’s abilities are limited and insufficient to intimidate the other ministers of the Grand Secretariat. It’s still unclear who will ultimately sway the Grand Secretariat’s decisions. We must pay close attention.”
Yan Chaoqing nodded solemnly and said, “Young Master, I’d like to recommend someone to you.”
Previously, when Song Mo was merely the heir of Duke Ying’s household, with Duke making major decisions, Yan Chaoqing only needed to assist Song Mo from the sidelines. Now that Song Mo and Duke were at odds, matters had suddenly become more complex, and Yan Chaoqing felt somewhat overwhelmed on his own.
Song Mo was also keen on cultivating his team of advisors but hadn’t found any suitable candidates. He smiled and said, “Please, Mr. Yan, go ahead.”
“This person’s surname is Liao, given name Qing, courtesy name Bifeng. He passed the provincial examinations in the Guimao year and is from my hometown…”
As Yan Chaoqing spoke, Song Mo’s mind began to wander.
Chen Qushui would be a talented addition, but unfortunately, Dou Zhao couldn’t do without him.
The thought flashed by, and he quickly refocused his attention, listening carefully to Yan Chaoqing’s introduction of Liao Bifeng.
Meanwhile, Chen Qushui was discussing the Song family’s affairs with Dou Zhao: “…Most people who know me have likely fallen victim to Song Yichun’s purge. If I disguise myself, no one should recognize me.”
“Not!” Dou Zhao rejected Chen Qushui’s proposal without hesitation. “Until Song Mo gains absolute advantage, you must not show your face in the capital. I’ll have Cui Shisan handle this. He has Tian Fugui to help him now and has plenty of free time.”
“Miss,” Chen Qushui’s expression turned serious, “Regarding breaking off the engagement with the Wei family, the key lies with the Jing Duke’s daughter-in-law. Do you think someone of Cui Shisan’s age can truly understand her thoughts?”