The matter was now clear. Deng Yi asked no further questions and made things difficult for no one, allowing them to leave.
“The ignorant are not guilty,” he said.
The three rejoiced greatly, kowtowing their thanks. Li Niang even boldly asked: “Then this money—”
The Chu family’s young master standing to the side was both shocked and furious: “This is my family’s money! What, you still want to take it?”
Li Niang smiled awkwardly but wasn’t afraid of this young master. This young master wasn’t nearly as frightening as his sister who was several years younger.
“Though you acted without malice, you were greedy and were manipulated into deceiving others,” Deng Yi said. “Naturally you cannot take this money.”
Li Niang quickly said: “Of course, of course. This humble woman just wanted to say we wouldn’t take this money.”
This pleasure house woman still dared to play with words. Supervisor Qi rebuked her: “Get out quickly. If you don’t want to leave, go stay in the county jail.”
Li Niang, the cart driver, and the physician didn’t dare linger any longer and hurriedly retreated.
The Station Master knelt in place without moving. He held an official position—if he also rolled out with them, he truly need never think of returning.
Supervisor Qi glanced at him and said to Deng Yi: “Lord Deng, not one of them is innocent. They shouldn’t be let off so lightly.”
Deng Yi said: “Forget it. It’s not such a major matter.” At this point, his hand supported his chin as he couldn’t help but laugh, looking at Chu Ke. “Young Master Chu, your sister is truly formidable. At such a young age, to conceal her tracks she deployed forces and staged this entire performance. Truly the tiger father has no dog for a son.”
Chu Ke’s eyes filled with vexation as he had servants gather up the money and items piled on the ground.
“She’s truly gone mad,” he said bitterly. “If she wanted to find her father, she should have just said so directly. Who runs away like this after stealing household money and creating all these tricks!”
Deng Yi’s hand supported his chin as he looked at the angry young master, asking: “If Miss Chu had said she wanted to find General Chu, would you have sent her there?”
“Of course not!” Chu Ke answered without thinking. Seeing Deng Yi’s teasing smile, he hastily explained, “Lord Deng, setting aside the fact that she struck someone and the matter isn’t settled yet, when my uncle sent her back, he made it clear—she’s not permitted to return.”
Deng Yi asked curiously: “Why doesn’t General Chu permit Miss Chu to return? I heard that Miss Chu originally always accompanied General Chu in Yunzhong Commandery. When Miss Chu was just born and her mother passed away, Old Madam Chu wanted to bring her back to raise her, but General Chu refused. All these years he personally raised her himself. Why did he send her back now?”
How does he know so much about their family affairs? Chu Ke felt somewhat nervous. He even knew about Grandmother wanting to raise his cousin? Then wouldn’t he also know about Uncle’s disgraceful affair of having illicit relations without a matchmaker, getting an unmarried country woman pregnant and having a child?
On further thought, Chu Ke realized it wasn’t strange. His cousin had nearly caused the death of the Liang family’s young lady, and Minister Liang had filed an official complaint. The Court of Judicial Review would naturally investigate, and Deng Yi, entrusted to find the person, would naturally also investigate. With such investigation, what secrets could their family possibly hide?
Moreover, Uncle had done foolish things known to all, which had always been the laughingstock of the capital.
What utter loss of face! The young man’s face turned red with both shame and anger, his skin thin.
“That’s because, because, my cousin had grown up, and Uncle wanted her to come back to learn proper behavior so she could be married off,” he said with sighs. “This shows Uncle also knew my cousin was incorrigibly willful, so he told the family to discipline her well, and until she became presentable, she wasn’t permitted to return to Yunzhong Commandery.”
Deng Yi made a sound of acknowledgment, appearing thoughtful.
Could he still be thinking about what other disgraceful matters their family had? Uncle had done far too many disgraceful things. With great difficulty, after all these years of keeping his tail between his legs, everyone had gradually forgotten. Now his cousin was carrying on her father’s work, continuing to bring calamity upon the Chu family. The young Chu Ke truly felt distressed, pitying himself as the eldest son who had no choice but to bear all this.
“Lord Deng, since you’ve investigated this far, please don’t delay any longer,” he urged. “Quickly pursue and catch up, bring my sister back, apologize properly to Minister Liang and accept punishment, get this matter settled. Otherwise if it reaches my uncle, he’ll do something improper again and offend His Majesty, and we truly won’t be able to atone even with ten thousand deaths.”
Something improper. Deng Yi smiled slightly: “I entered the capital late, but I was fortunate enough to hear about General Chu’s affairs from years past.”
See, see! Just when everyone had finally forgotten about their family, now these old matters would be dredged up again. Chu Ke’s face reddened as he said hurriedly: “Lord Deng, let’s not mention old matters. Please quickly go pursue my sister.”
Deng Yi no longer made the young man feel ashamed and stopped speaking of it.
“However, your sister won’t be easy to catch up to,” he said, looking at the Station Master. “Station Master Xu, how is the relay soldiers’ pace?”
While they had been talking, the Station Master had been quietly kneeling on the ground. He immediately answered: “Very fast. Moreover, this team of relay soldiers traveling with Miss Chu is even faster. I saw their speed from the capital to here—they were two days faster than other relay soldiers.”
Deng Yi said to Chu Ke: “I’m not being modest—compared to the relay soldiers, my pace truly can’t match theirs. By the time we catch up to her, she’ll already have reached Yunzhong Commandery and seen General Chu.” At this point he shook his head. “This is also my oversight. Actually, from the beginning I should have thought of it—your sister, being General Chu’s daughter, would naturally know that traveling by relay soldier routes is the fastest. She would never look for any escort service.”
“Who knows what goes on in her head,” Chu Ke said angrily, feeling completely at a loss.
He was only an eighteen-year-old youth who had always studied at the academy with his father. This was his first time traveling such a long distance. Exhausted and suffering, he was nearly sick from it all.
What should he do? His parents had instructed him that under no circumstances could Uncle be allowed to get involved in this matter—they must resolve it themselves, because Uncle’s every move affected their whole family, especially his own future prospects—
He thought of his father and mother’s admonitions: “We all know your uncle’s temperament. He has only the tiniest bit of favor left before His Majesty. He and I have already agreed that for the Chu family’s future, we must help you mount your horse and enter officialdom. If this last bit of favor is used on your sister, there’ll be nothing left for you.”
Though he didn’t quite understand why Father would say Uncle still had a bit of favor before His Majesty—Uncle was guilty, and His Majesty had long since cast him aside.
But he also knew that if Uncle made a scene, it would definitely implicate their whole family and ruin his prospects.
He was still a youth with a bright future ahead, a brilliant career to come!
Deng Yi scrutinized the changing expressions on the young man’s face, then suddenly sat up straight: “We can’t catch up, but we can have people ahead intercept her.”
Intercept?
Chu Ke looked at Deng Yi.
Deng Yi looked at the Station Master and asked: “On the route to Yunzhong Commandery, are there any relay stations near Zhongshan Commandery?”
Though greedy for money, the Station Master was still very proficient in his duties. He immediately nodded, answering definitively: “Yes, it’s called the Great Locust Relay Station.”
Deng Yi smiled faintly: “Then there’s a solution.” He stood up and looked at the Station Master again, as if only now noticing he was still kneeling. “Station Master Xu, please stand. You’ve certainly gained experience this time, being led around in circles by a little girl.”
The Station Master smiled bitterly, acknowledging: “This old one has truly lost all face.”
Supervisor Qi scolded him: “It’s all because of your greed for money. You’d better remember this lesson from now on.”
“It’s not shameful, not shameful,” Deng Yi laughed. “Just think of it as being deceived by General Chu himself.”
Chu Ke had no interest in their banter. Hearing Uncle mentioned again only made him more agitated. He urged: “Lord Deng, please quickly say what to do.”
Deng Yi said: “Very fortuitously, the Court of Judicial Review currently has a case requiring communication with Prince Zhongshan. Since Prince Zhongshan cannot conveniently come to the capital, they use carrier pigeons. Now I can borrow the carrier pigeons to send a message to Prince Zhongshan, asking him to assist in intercepting her.”
Prince Zhongshan! Of course—Zhongshan Commandery was Prince Zhongshan’s fief. Pigeons were faster than people. This truly was the best solution.
The only unfortunate thing was that one more person would now be gossiping about the Chu family’s petty troubles. Chu Ke felt his headache worsen, but what could he do?
“Then I’ll trouble Lord Deng,” he said, adding an admonition: “This concerns my sister’s reputation. Please be tactful, my lord.”