But how could this matter possibly be concealed? Leaving aside the difficulty of covering things up on Little Fan Shi’s end, even if they went all-in and simply killed Little Fan Shi as well, there was still Han Yueheng to consider. Even if Han Yueheng went to Dongying, it didn’t mean contact would truly be severed. Borrowing the favorable wind of the Ninth Princess, she could always send a letter to the capital or send a letter to Datong. When both sides compared notes and found completely different accounts, it would only arouse Han Zhengqing’s suspicions even more.

So this was a hot potato. Imperial Concubine Liangdi had truly done an enormously foolish thing.

Zhou Weiqi sighed and shook his head: “Let’s not mention other matters for now. First make a trip to the Marquis Jinxiang Estate. Take more people and bring sufficient gifts. If they’re too busy to manage, just stay there and help.”

They still had to go to the mortuary to search for Han Zhi’s corpse and wrangle with the Imperial Guard and the yamen mortuary people. There would be plenty of matters to keep busy with afterward. As a woman of the inner chambers, Little Fan Shi probably truly couldn’t manage it all.

After sending Qian Ying away, Zhou Weiqi suppressed his anger and first went to pay respects to the Crown Prince. But who knew the Crown Prince wasn’t in the Eastern Palace? According to the palace attendant, today Zhang Tianshi had entered the palace to discuss the Way with His Majesty, and the Crown Prince and Crown Grandson were both in attendance.

Zhou Weiqi couldn’t help but grow even more vexed. With a flick of his sleeve, he went to Elder Fan Shi’s palace and asked her straight out: “Regarding cousin’s matter this time, how does mother plan to explain it to uncle?”

His tone was somewhat stiff, nowhere near as respectful toward Elder Fan Shi as before. Elder Fan Shi looked at him in surprise, raising her eyebrows, and asked back: “Explain? What explanation?” She rolled her eyes and smiled charmingly: “The ready-made excuse is right in front of you—do I still need to teach you? That bunch of advisors and retainers of yours, are they dead? He provoked the Song family, lured Song family members into his trap, and in a fit of anger tried to kill someone. The well-prepared Song family reported him to the authorities, exposing the gambling den. Do I still need to remind you of this?”

But doing it this way would inevitably offend the Song family again. Moreover, the Earl Changning Estate wasn’t foolish enough to wait for them to frame and slander them.

Elder Fan Shi was clearly somewhat impatient with this question. In her view, this didn’t even qualify as trouble. She glanced at her forbearing son and suppressed her temper to explain once more: “I will discuss this matter with your uncle myself. Rest assured.”

Rest assured?! How could he rest assured?! Zhou Weiqi looked at her with words on the tip of his tongue but ultimately didn’t say anything that would hurt Elder Fan Shi. She was his mother after all. A son doesn’t despise his mother for being ugly—what standing did he have to criticize his mother? Everything should wait until Qian Ying returned before deciding.

At the Earl Changning Estate, Song Chuyi was also hearing from Song Jue about Han Zhi’s matter: “The person was on the boat and refused to disembark. The ropes had already been untied and the boat was about to drift away when the Imperial Guard people made a snap decision and released fire arrows.”

At that point there was no other solution. But this way… who knew whether the person in the cabin was really Han Zhi, and whether Han Zhi was really dead? She glanced at Song Chengru sitting silently at the desk, then looked at Song Yan beside him who seemed lost in thought, and voiced her question: “Was Han Zhi’s corpse found?”

Song Jue’s brows knitted together as he stood by the window with his hands behind his back: “The problem lies precisely here. Although the number of people in the cabin was correct, they were all burned to charcoal. That day a northwest wind happened to blow and stoked the flames… This way, when people stepped on them, everything on top turned to powder. Who knows if Han Zhi was really among them?”

Song Chengru was silent for a while before suddenly speaking up: “Let it be.”

Song Yan was startled, but then recalled the analysis from last time. What Han Zhi hated most now was no longer the Earl Changning Estate and Song Chuyi. His heart was now filled with the sense of betrayal from being abandoned by his relatives. What he hated most should be Imperial Concubine Liangdi and Prince Dongping, who at the critical moment disregarded him and even struck deadly blows. Under these circumstances, if Han Zhi was still alive, it might not necessarily be a bad thing.

Song Jue immediately understood his grandfather’s meaning. He coughed and agreed, then smiled mischievously: “Speaking of it, those who took action that day included not only the Imperial Guard but also people from Vice Minister Wang’s household who rushed over to help capture the criminal… Han Zhi will probably remember it to his bones. If he truly manages to escape with his life by chance, that’s also a good thing. He definitely can’t enter the capital anymore. He’s not stupid—he knows entering the capital means certain death. He’ll definitely run toward the northwest. Once he goes to Datong to make a scene and lodge a complaint… I’m afraid Han Zhengqing’s heart won’t be able to remain without misgivings toward Imperial Concubine Liangdi and Prince Dongping, will it?”

Song Chengru had the same thought. He lifted his eyelids to glance at his eldest grandson who was smiling somewhat cunningly, and his goatee couldn’t help but quiver: “Send some people to search near the canal. Also inquire at those nearby villages to see if there are any strangers who were injured and sought lodging. If there are, ensure he doesn’t return to the capital while doing your best to facilitate his going to Datong.”

They couldn’t always sit passively waiting, letting others come to their door. Sitting in this position destined them to never lead peaceful, calm days. But sometimes offense was the best defense. Old Master Song had endured the Chen family’s tactics to his limit and no longer planned to endure it. Now that he was preparing to free up his hands to deal with the Chen family and win over Fang Xiaoru, he needed to prepare first by keeping Elder Fan Shi and Prince Dongping busy.

Once they were busy, they wouldn’t have time to meddle everywhere.

Song Jue agreed readily. Rubbing his chin with a half-smile, he picked up the conversation: “The third day after the deity’s manifestation is the day the Ninth Princess goes to Dongying for the marriage alliance. No matter what, I should bring this lively news to Han Zhi’s attention. If he truly isn’t dead… let him take a good look at how his mother and sister, a widow and orphan, are being bullied. It would also help him see clearly who exactly is his mortal enemy.”

Song Jue had grown sick of Han Zhi to the extreme. Even though Zhang Run had told him about Han Zhi’s somewhat twisted upbringing, he couldn’t summon sympathy for such a paranoid and gloomy person.

Song Yan stood in the corner listening very carefully, not missing a single word, turning over and over in his mind the deep meaning contained in grandfather’s and eldest brother’s every sentence. Suddenly he heard Song Jue call his name.

“Starting tomorrow, come out with me and move about more.” Song Jue patted his head: “Staying home reading all day will make you stupid. Let me tell you, those four words—eating, drinking, pleasure, and entertainment—contain plenty of subtleties. Wastrel good-for-nothings indulge in eating, drinking, pleasure, and entertainment, but people with aspirations and methods likewise regard eating, drinking, pleasure, and entertainment as a field of study.”

Old Master Song had no objections. He glanced at the flustered Song Yan and coughed heavily several times, actually nodding: “You should indeed go out and broaden your horizons, see just how much substance lies hidden beneath the splendid prosperity.”