Soon, Fu Tingyun realized she had misunderstood Manager Ye.

The day after Manager Ye visited her, the Emperor, who had been on the throne for forty-one years, passed away. The Imperial Academy examination scheduled for three days later was temporarily suspended. According to the late Emperor’s will, Prince Zhuang inherited the throne.

The bells of temples and monasteries outside the capital rang throughout heaven and earth to bring blessings to the departed Emperor in the netherworld.

The Ministry of Rites, together with the Cabinet and Hanlin Academy officials, gathered to present funeral rites protocols for the late Emperor to the succeeding Emperor. They discussed the dates for the national mourning period, the time and ceremonies for the new Emperor’s ascension, drafted the enthronement edict, bestowed posthumous titles on the deceased Emperor and Empress, and arranged for civil and military officials of the third rank and above, along with titled ladies in the capital, to enter the palace through the Xihua Gate to mourn at the Sishan Gate twice daily, morning and evening. Ordinary citizens also hung white curtains and white lanterns at their doors. At once, the prices of white cloth and white lanterns in the capital rose, and some shops even ran out of stock due to inadequate preparation.

Shi Family Alley housed mostly official families, so the funeral atmosphere was even more solemn.

Fu Tingyun naturally couldn’t deviate from custom. She instructed Zheng San’s couple to buy white curtains from the street and found two old lanterns from the storeroom. Together with A Sen, she covered them with white paper and hung them outside the door.

Zheng San Niang returned and said with a smile, “Everyone is saying that it’s been more than forty years since they last saw an imperial coffin procession. When the departed Emperor’s funeral takes place, they need to go early to secure a good spot!”

She had a completely curious mindset.

Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but smile.

But it was just a smile. She was more concerned about the task she had given to Yu Wei: “How is it? Have you still not met my brother?”

Yu Wei nodded, her brows furrowing: “Do you think the young master might be on vacation due to the Emperor’s passing? Didn’t they say even the Imperial Academy examination was canceled?”

Successful jinshi graduates typically started as county deputy magistrates, some even as chief clerks. But if one passed the Imperial Academy examination, it was different. They would remain at the Hanlin Academy for observation and governance, being taught various political knowledge by experienced instructors. After three years, they would be assigned to the Six Ministries as chief officials or censors. Because of this high starting point, there was a greater chance of rapid advancement, hence the saying: “No one enters the Hanlin Academy without being a jinshi, and no one enters the Cabinet without being from the Hanlin Academy.” Even those with unsatisfactory evaluations at the end of their term, if allowed an external appointment, could at least become a prefect or deputy prefect.

Without the Imperial Academy examination, it meant that this batch of jinshi graduates had no opportunity to enter the Hanlin Academy for observation and governance.

Fu Tingyun had also heard about this. When Yu Wei mentioned it again, she couldn’t help asking: “Is this information reliable?”

“It is,” Yu Wei said. “I heard that the second son of the Ji family was preparing with all his might to pass the Imperial Academy examination to bring glory to his family, but now that the court has suspended the exam, he’s completely stunned. He lay in bed for several days without eating or drinking. It was only after Madam Ji repeatedly consoled him and had the steward take Young Master Ji to the Western Hills for a few days to clear his mind that he finally recovered.”

This must be fate, right?

Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but sigh along, speaking of sending the letter to her brother: “Then we can only look for another opportunity.”

Yu Wei lowered her head and responded with a “Yes.”

Zheng San Niang walked in with a smile: “Miss, I’ve prepared all the Dragon Boat Festival gifts you asked me to arrange.”

For the Dragon Boat Festival in the capital, Fu Tingyun had prepared not only a substantial gift for Duke Fu’s mansion but also one for Four Happiness Alley.

This was her first time sending festival gifts to her family.

Upon hearing this, Fu Tingyun immediately stood up with excitement and called out to Yu Wei with a smile: “Come on, let’s go take a look!” Then she led the way out of the inner room.

Yu Wei let out a long breath, gazing at Fu Tingyun’s back, grieving silently.

She had met the young master.

However, when the young master heard about her purpose, not only did he refuse to accept his sister’s letter, but his words implied that since the young miss had been taken by bandits, why hadn’t she maintained her honor through death? Those harsh words felt like a heavy stone pressing on her heart even as she heard them. How could she repeat them to her mistress?

Yu Wei could only drag things out, hoping for good news from the madam’s side.

Thinking of this, she quickly gathered her emotions and followed with a smile and quick steps.

…

The festival gifts that Master Lü sent to Duke Fu’s mansion were reciprocated with two bottles of imperial wine, two boxes of plain rice dumplings, two boxes of pastries, two baskets of assorted fruits, and a reward of two 80% pure silver ingots for Master Lü.

The festival gifts that Yu Wei took to Four Happiness Alley, however, were brought back untouched.

Fu Tingyun sneered: “Since he is heartless, he shouldn’t blame me for being unfilial.” She then instructed Zheng San Niang, “Put these things away, we’ll use them ourselves during the Dragon Boat Festival.”

Zheng San Niang didn’t know what had happened and hurriedly carried the items away.

Fu Tingyun was so angry that she stood under the eaves, taking deep breaths.

Master Lü smiled and told her about matters outside: “…I heard the managers from Duke Fu’s mansion discussing privately. They said the late Emperor originally wanted to establish Prince Qin as the heir apparent, but the Supervisor Eunuch of the Ceremonial Office, Hong Du, had a grudge against Prince Qin. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the late Emperor rewarded officials with mooncakes, Hong Du knew very well that Prince Qin couldn’t eat sugar, yet he deliberately instructed the little eunuch delivering the mooncakes to replace the vegetarian mooncakes the Emperor had awarded to Prince Qin with iced sugar mooncakes. He even used the pretext of transmitting an imperial edict to make Prince Qin eat them immediately. As a result, Prince Qin fell ill after eating them…”

Fu Tingyun was shocked. Before Master Lü could finish, she immediately gestured for him to follow her into the hall to talk.

“How did you hear about this?” she asked Master Lü in a low, serious tone after Yu Wei closed the door.

Master Lü was quite surprised by Fu Tingyun’s gravity and said: “When I went to deliver the festival gifts, the head manager of Duke Fu’s mansion was just seeing off the manager from Marquis Zhuangsu’s mansion, and I overheard the two managers whispering about it.”

Fu Tingyun listened with trepidation: “Were they discussing this while walking?”

After her comment, Master Lü realized something was wrong. His face paled: “Miss Fu, what do you think about this matter…”

“Go out quickly and find out what people outside are saying,” she urged.

Master Lü hurriedly left.

Fu Tingyun paced back and forth in the hall.

She thought of Zhao Ling.

The Marquis of Yingchuan was the Emperor’s brother-in-law, and the Marquis’s ancestors had once produced an Imperial Consort. How could their managers privately discuss such matters?

She had also heard recently that when the late Emperor was on his deathbed, the Chief Eunuch serving by his side was Hong Du, and the late Emperor’s will was sealed with the imperial seal by Hong Du, who personally delivered it to the Cabinet… He was the trusted eunuch.

The more she thought about it, the more alarmed and fearful she became.

What exactly had happened?

She thought of the Mo family, and of Li Rujin, who served as the Military Commissioner of Shaanxi…

Fu Tingyun called loudly for Yu Wei: “Quick, go to the street and find me a geographical gazetteer. I want to see which provinces one must pass through from Sichuan and Huguang to reach the capital!”

Yu Wei didn’t know what had happened, but Fu Tingyun’s panicked expression made her heart tense as well. She hurriedly acknowledged and called for Zheng San, then hastily left.

At dusk, Master Lü returned to Shi Family Alley looking tense and exhausted.

“Outside, people are saying all sorts of things,” he said. The wrinkles under his eyes seemed to have suddenly increased, making him look several years older. “The general idea is that Hong Du formed factions for personal gain, deceived the late Emperor, disrupted court affairs, not only caused Prince Qin’s death but also instigated the Commander of the Tengji Guard, Shi Wenbin, to impeach Prince Shu on false charges while the late Emperor was gravely ill, resulting in Prince Shu being demoted to a commoner and the Songfan Governor Liu Ruihao being executed… As for the framed officials, there were even more, from the Minister of War He Hui, who was executed in the marketplace years ago, to Censor Du Qianwen, who was put to death in recent days for impeaching the Left Commander of the Tengji Guard, Hong Du’s adopted son Liu Hu. All of these were supported or tacitly approved by Hong Du.”

Fu Tingyun was drenched in cold sweat.

Others who heard this might only be surprised that so many incidents were attributed to Hong Du, but she knew there was also a Sixteenth Lord involved.

Xiang Zhuang dances with his sword, but his real target is Liu Bang!

She urgently said, “Quick, go invite Manager Ye here.”

Master Lü was startled, and although the curfew was approaching, he immediately turned and went to the Datong firm’s branch on the External Main Street in front of Zhengyang Gate.

Shortly after he left, Yu Wei returned, carrying a stack of geographical gazetteers with sweat covering her forehead.

Fu Tingyun said nothing, gesturing for Yu Wei to place the gazetteers in the study room in the west wing. She lit a lamp, sat by the desk, and began turning the pages.

Yu Wei watched and didn’t mention having dinner, instead grinding ink beside her.

From Sichuan to the capital was 10,771 li, passing through Shaanxi and Shanxi to reach North Zhili and then entering the capital; from Huguang to the capital was 5,170 li, passing through Henan to reach North Zhili and then entering the capital.

Fu Tingyun’s heart was pounding wildly.

From outside the door came Zheng San Niang’s voice: “Miss, Manager Ye is here.”

Fu Tingyun stood up, and suddenly the world started spinning.

Yu Wei quickly supported her: “Miss, what’s wrong with you?” A trace of worry flashed in her eyes.

“It’s nothing, it’s nothing,” Fu Tingyun murmured. “I’ve been reading too long.” Glancing at Yu Wei’s somewhat sallow face, she suddenly realized that Yu Wei had been serving her with writing materials the whole time.

“You should go rest!” she hurriedly said. “You haven’t had dinner either, have you?”

“Neither have you,” Yu Wei said, supporting Fu Tingyun. “Let me accompany you to see Manager Ye.”

That’s good. Without resolving this matter, forget about eating or sleeping—she wouldn’t even be able to sit still.

Fu Tingyun didn’t refuse and went with Yu Wei to the hall in the south wing.

Manager Ye stood up when he saw Fu Tingyun.

There was no one else in the hall, so Fu Tingyun didn’t stand on ceremony with him and got straight to the point: “Where was the Ninth Lord’s letter to you sent from? Who delivered it to you?”

On the way, Manager Ye had already learned from Master Lü about Fu Tingyun’s purpose in inviting him. Since Fu Tingyun was so intelligent, it would be disrespectful to give her evasive answers.

Nevertheless, Manager Ye looked at her young face and remained silent for a moment before saying softly: “It was entrusted to the Ye family’s merchant caravan to deliver to me… brought from Huguang.”

Upon hearing this, Fu Tingyun’s vision darkened, and it was only due to Yu Wei’s quick reflexes in supporting her that she didn’t collapse.

That bastard, that bastard…

Fu Tingyun’s tears fell in streams.

No wonder when she was leaving, he had embraced her regardless of propriety and said those sweet words.

No wonder he had hurriedly sent her to the capital, deceiving her by saying she should go first to persuade her parents to agree to their marriage.

No wonder he had asked her to sell the land in Lu Village and West Huai Village.

No wonder he had asked her to buy a residence in the capital.

That bastard, that bastard…

She asked Manager Ye chokingly: “What else did he tell you?”