At noon, Lady Huang hurried through the door of her home. Without stopping to comfort her crying child, Xiao Bao, who was reaching out for her embrace, she rushed straight toward the main hall.
“Da-lang! Da-lang!” she called out in an uncharacteristically flustered tone even before stepping inside.
The maids by the doorway quickly bowed in greeting.
“The master is with–” they began.
But before they could finish, Lady Huang had already entered the hall.
“Da-lang, something terrible has happened – I heard–” she said urgently.
Inside, Fan Jianglin and a young man both turned to look at her. Each held a wine bowl, clearly in the midst of drinking.
Lady Huang’s words broke off abruptly.
“Sixth Young Master,” she said, somewhat embarrassed, and promptly bowed in greeting.
Zhou Fu nodded in return, drained his wine in one go, and said, “I shall take my leave now.”
Fan Jianglin stood to see him out, but Zhou Fu had already strode away with large steps.
“Da-lang,” Lady Huang finally spoke up quickly, “I just heard big news on the street. Bandits are causing chaos in Qingyuan County, and many people have been killed. The rumors are spreading everywhere, and even the capital’s troops have been mobilized. Judging by the timing, our sister and her party should have just arrived there. Should we send someone to ask about it?”
Fan Jianglin simply pointed toward the outside.
“Young Master Zhou has already gone to inquire,” he said. “He encountered messengers at the city gate and followed them to ask at the magistrate.”
“So, is it true that bandits are causing trouble?” Lady Huang asked urgently.
Fan Jianglin’s expression turned somewhat strange.
“It’s true,” he replied. “And they really did kill a lot of people.”
Hearing this, Lady Huang didn’t feel nervous anymore.
If something had really happened to their sister, Young Master Zhou wouldn’t have been here drinking with Da–lang.
As a woman, she understood better than anyone how Young Master Zhou felt about this sister.
That was why she hadn’t brought up the matter in front of Zhou Liu-lang earlier.
She had truly been afraid that, upon hearing these rumors, Young Master Zhou might have gone mad with worry.
“Among those killed were people we know,” Fan Jianglin said as he sat down and poured himself a drink. “Guess who?”
Lady Huang, looking astonished, quickly sat down beside him.
“People we know?” she said.
They didn’t have many acquaintances in the capital, and those they befriended were all decent folks. If something had really happened, her expression grew tense and sorrowful.
“Who is it?”
Fan Jianglin raised his wine bowl with a smile.
“Young Master Gao,” he said.
Lady Huang’s eyes widened in shock.
“Who?” she cried out involuntarily.
“Gao Lingjun’s third son, the fourteenth son of the Gao family – the same Gao Shi’si-lang who fought with Si-lang over the courtesan at the brothel,” Fan Jianglin explained slowly, the smile on his lips growing broader.
This time, Lady Huang finally understood, her astonishment not fading but deepening.
“How is that possible?” she said.
How could bandits kill the fourteenth son of the Gao family? Or rather, how could Gao Shi’si-lang possibly be killed by bandits? He wasn’t some ordinary merchant hauling goods or a scholar traveling alone. He was Gao Shi’si-lang, the fourteenth son of the Gao family – the foremost family in the land.
“Why would it be impossible?” Fan Jianglin said. “When Third Brother and the others died, their names were tarnished and their honors stolen by those black-hearted scoundrels. Could you have imagined that one day their names would be cleared and their glory restored? Could you have thought that Xiao Bao, who couldn’t even walk yet, would be granted an official title? Could you have foreseen that Maoyuan Mountain would become known to everyone in the capital and beyond? Or that so many scholars and literati would write and recite the names of Third Brother and other brothers over and over?”
With each question, Lady Huang shook her head.
Unthinkable. How could any of it have been imagined?
People as lowly as them, once dead, were simply gone – like dust scattered to the wind.
Yet never did she imagine that their stories would spread among the common folk, be recorded in the writings of scholars, and carved onto stone tablets and whitewashed walls.
This was the dream so many spoke of and chased their entire lives – to leave a name in history.
“So, nothing is truly impossible,” Fan Jianglin said with a faint smile. As long as that girl was there.
He raised his wine bowl and drained it in one go.
…
Inside the Qin residence, Madam Qin walked straight toward the door of the room. No servants or maids stood outside – it seemed utterly quiet and empty.
Without hesitation, Madam Qin reached out and forcefully pulled the door open.
Qin An, sitting upright inside, gave a slight start. Seeing it was her, he relaxed.
“What is it?” he asked.
“What is Shi’san doing?” Madam Qin asked directly, her face devoid of its usual smile.
“Didn’t I already say?” Qin An replied with a faint smile. “Wu Biao is celebrating his birthday. I sent him to offer congratulations on my behalf.”
Madam Qin stared at him.
“I failed Shi’san,” she said. “I gave birth to him with a disabled body. He is the greatest sin of my life.”
As she spoke, her eyes reddened.
Qin An stood up.
“How could that be your fault? If anyone is at fault, it is my sin,” he said, reaching out to wrap an arm around her shoulder.
Madam Qin stepped aside, avoiding his touch.
“If he dies, Qin Qi-lang, you will never atone for your sin in this lifetime,” she said, her gaze fixed firmly on him.
Qin An’s expression darkened slightly.
“Don’t overthink it. Why talk about life and death when all is well?” he said, reaching for her shoulder once more.
“Do you take me for a fool?” Madam Qin shouted, pushing him away as tears streamed down her face. “In this entire world, who wants Gao Shi’si-lang dead more than Shi’san does? The more he cares for Cheng Jiao-niang, the more he hates Gao Shi’si-lang! If trading his own life for Gao Shi’si-lang’s were an option, he wouldn’t even blink!”
As she spoke, she grabbed Qin An’s lapel tightly.
“He’s already lost his mind. How could you follow him into this madness? How could you agree to let him take on such a dangerous task? Give Shi’san back to me now – make him come back at once!”
Qin An reached out to hold her, trying to offer comfort, but footsteps sounded outside, and the door was pulled open.
A chill ran down Qin An’s spine, his expression turning instantly icy. Madam Qin’s cries also ceased abruptly.
This was their private residence – how dare anyone barge in like this, especially while such words were being spoken!
“Ah!”
A clear, bright voice sounded from outside the door, breaking the tense stillness inside.
A young man turned away and raised his sleeve to cover his face. “What should not be seen, I shall not look – my apologies for the intrusion.”
Qin An finally felt a heavy breath escape him. Madam Qin pushed past Qin An and rushed forward, wrapping her arms around Qin Hu as she burst into loud sobs.
“You fool! For a woman, you would abandon your own mother? You unfilial son!”
Qin Hu chuckled softly and embraced his mother in return. “Mother, when you hit someone, avoid the face; when you scold someone, don’t expose their weaknesses. What woman do I have? I have only you, Mother.”
What woman did he have? He had none anymore…
These words struck an inexplicable pang in Madam Qin’s heart, and her tears flowed even more fiercely.
This foolish son! Oh, this foolish son!
“Gao Shi’si is dead?”
Meanwhile, upon hearing the news, Chen Shao also wore an expression of astonishment. “The fourteenth son of the Gao family was killed by bandits? How is that possible?”
“Whether it was bandits is still uncertain. Although Qingyuan County reported it as the work of bandits, the Gao family insists it absolutely wasn’t them and demands a thorough investigation. This confirms that Gao Shi’si is indeed dead,” his attendant explained.
Chen Shao seemed unable to process this.
“Gao Shi’si is dead?” he repeated. “Killed by bandits? On his way back home?”
He murmured the words once more to himself.
“How is this possible? It’s all too coincidental…”
As the word “coincidental” left his lips, it was as if a bolt of lightning struck his mind. Chen Shao abruptly rose to his feet.
“Bandits! Qingyuan County!” he exclaimed.
It wasn’t just the Gao family passing through Qingyuan County at this time!
Duke Jin’an was also there.
No – not just Duke Jin’an, but also those accompanying him.
Chen Shao instinctively glanced toward the screen in the room.
Suddenly, many things began to make sense.
Gao Lingjun’s eager agreement to return home was actually a ploy to have Duke Jin’an killed along the way.
And the rumors circulating in the capital days earlier about bandits causing trouble were not unfounded after all.
So there was never any such coincidence in this world! Every seemingly unrelated event was ultimately converging toward this very day.
“When did this happen?” Chen Shao asked.
“Last night,” the attendant replied.
Last night – an ordinary rainy night, yet such a monumental event had taken place.
He could only imagine how perilous it must have been.
Unable to stay still, Chen Shao paced a few steps around the room.
But in the end, it was someone else who died.
He stopped walking, let out a sigh, and stood still before the screen, gazing silently at it.
Gao Lingjun readily agreed to return home to have Duke Jin’an killed along the way. But why did that girl and Duke Jin’an agree to leave the capital?
Following this fleeting thought unconsciously, Chen Shao was struck again, clarity dawning in an instant.
The dispute outside his own doorstep had ultimately steeled his resolve, giving her the opportunity to leave the capital.
She agreed to depart, offering Gao Lingjun the chance to act.
And Gao Lingjun’s move gave her the opportunity to act in turn.
Opportunities – everyone had their own opportunity.
“He schemed, I schemed, yet in the end, we were all within your scheme,” he murmured slowly. With a bitter smile toward the screen, he picked up a brush and added a heavy, dark dot upon it.
…
“So it turns out that Madam was indeed prepared in advance,” Master Gu said inside the carriage, his expression tinged with excitement. “Was Master Chen’s impeachment and our expulsion from the capital something you had agreed upon in secret?”
Cheng Jiao-niang shook her head.
“How could that be?” she replied. “I truly wished to leave the capital. If it was a coincidence, it was merely that my thoughts aligned with Master Chen’s.”
“To accomplish something, one must think as others think,” Duke Jin’an interjected, glancing at Master Gu with a slight frown and a trace of impatience.
Master Gu pretended not to notice and continued questioning Cheng Jiao-niang.
“Thinking as others think – that clarifies it. Madam anticipated what Master Chen would think, as well as what the Gao family would scheme. That is why success was possible,” he mused with some satisfaction, stroking his beard. “So you prepared that… firearm, which repelled the Gao family’s ambush in one decisive strike.”
Cheng Jiao-niang nodded in agreement.
“But how did you know where Young Master Gao would be?” Master Gu asked, another point of confusion surfacing. “After all, Young Master Gao wasn’t present at the ambush site.”
“I added a special kind of incense to the firelances,” Cheng Jiao-niang explained. “I thought those who escaped would likely report back to their leader. Perhaps we could follow the trail to its source.”
Master Gu uttered an “Ah” of understanding. “So that’s how it is,” he said. “No wonder Madam didn’t allow us to pursue those who fled. It was to let the tiger return to its lair.”
Cheng Jiao-niang remained silent.
Duke Jin’an gave a light cough.
“Your Highness, Eunuch Jing specially prepared soothing tea,” Master Gu quickly added, glancing at the teacup on the nearby small table. “Please have a sip to moisten your throat.”
“I know,” Duke Jin’an replied. “I’m just tired.”
Tired – do you understand what that means?
Master Gu chuckled dryly. In his mind, he went over all the events once more to confirm whether everything was clear. Then he paused yet again.
“But what if those people didn’t go to seek out the mastermind?” he asked.
Cheng Jiao-niang smiled. “I think my luck has always been rather good. Perhaps this time, it will hold as well.”
Luck.
Everything had sounded meticulously planned up to that point, but to suddenly attribute success to luck at the end made the whole affair seem somehow… light, almost frivolous.
“Do not underestimate luck,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, as if reading his thoughts. Slowly, she rolled her fingers, three large coins shifting and disappearing into her palm. “Luck is not easily gained.”
“If those people hadn’t gone, she would have simply returned safely, remaining still to counter their moves. They would have acted again eventually – there’s no point dwelling on ‘what ifs.’ If it didn’t happen, it didn’t. We would simply wait for the next opportunity,” Duke Jin’an said impatiently.
That was also true.
Master Gu smiled and nodded.
“However, was Madam’s handling of this matter thorough? If discovered…” he began again. Noticing Duke Jin’an’s deepening frown, he quickly sped up his words. “Yes, I know. Regardless of evidence, the Gao family will certainly suspect our involvement. What I mean is, we must ensure they cannot obtain any proof that could be openly presented…”
Cheng Jiao-niang smiled and shook her head.
“This thoroughness was not my doing,” she said.
As soon as the words left her mouth, the carriage came to a halt.
“Your Highness, we have arrived at the relay station,” someone announced from outside.
Master Gu hurriedly stepped out of the carriage and lifted the curtain.
In the distance, the stationmaster and his attendants approached respectfully to greet them.
“…We are relieved to see Your Highness arrive safely. The bandit trouble in Qingyuan County was truly terrifying…”
Bandits?
Master Gu froze for a moment before sudden understanding dawned. He turned to look at Cheng Jiao-niang.
Cheng Jiao-niang was just being helped down from the carriage by Duke Jin’an.
“That is why I said my luck is sometimes quite good,” she replied with a faint smile.
