Chapter 211: Qin Momo
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In the following two days, He Yan had been waiting for news from the Xu family’s side. Unfortunately, the progress of finding people through Xu Zhiheng was not smooth, possibly because Xu Zhiheng was also investigating the whereabouts of Qin Momo. At the same time, on the night He Yan and Xiao Jue had met Madam Fan, someone indeed sneaked into the prison with the intention to silence her.
Following Xiao Jue’s warning, Lord Liu increased the guards in the prison in advance. The assassin failed in their attempt, but the masked assailant managed to escape before the prison guards could catch them. Nevertheless, Madam Fan remained in a state of madness. Lord Liu was cautious about using torture, and those connected to the maid who sought death were still under investigation, causing the case to reach a stalemate.
On the day He Yan was attacked in the streets, with the arrival of the city guards, many people boldly gathered to watch. He Yan revealed her identity, making it impossible to keep this incident a secret. The next day, the people of Shuojing knew that Xiao Jue’s fiancee, the honored Marquis Wuan appointed by the emperor, had been attacked in broad daylight and narrowly escaped. For a while, the people of Shuojing reduced their nocturnal activities, fearing encounters with marauders outside.
Until everything was clarified, the people in the capital would only consider it the work of “marauders.”
In the Crown Prince’s residence, beautiful maids were playing musical instruments and dancing.
The Crown Prince had indulged in unrestrained indulgence for quite some time. Although the Crown Prince’s consort was angry, she was powerless. She focused all her thoughts on herself, hoping to bear the eldest grandson soon, which would also secure the Crown Prince’s position. Unfortunately, the Crown Prince’s consort’s belly was uncooperative since entering the Crown Prince’s residence, showing no signs of movement. The more unrestrained the Crown Prince became, the less anyone in the residence could control him.
Today, the Crown Prince hosted a feast and invited Xu Xiang, as well as Chu Zhao.
“Since the imperial marriage, I haven’t had the chance to congratulate Zilan properly,” the Crown Prince said to Chu Zhao with a smile. “This time, Zilan’s wish has come true, marrying into the Xu family, a double joy. Congratulations.” He then raised his wine cup towards Chu Zhao.
Chu Zhao quickly picked up the cup in front of him, repeatedly expressing his humility. Along with the Crown Prince, they emptied their cups.
“Now that Xiao Huaijin has returned to Shuojing,” the Crown Prince sighed, “the envoy from Wutuo is about to enter the capital. Xiao Huaijin will surely do everything possible to obstruct the establishment of the market in Great Wei. But now, most of the courtiers are on our side. I am not worried.” Pausing for a moment, a hint of ruthlessness flashed in the Crown Prince’s eyes. “What I am worried about is the Old Four. If Xiao Huaijin joins forces with Old Four…”
In the court, although Noble Consort Lan had fewer connections than the Crown Prince, and the Lan family was not as influential as the Zhang family, they had a natural advantage—Emperor Wenxuan’s favor.
Emperor Wenxuan favored Noble Consort Lan, and several old and powerful courtiers in the court secretly supported the Fourth Prince, Guangshuo.
“The Fourth Prince is mediocre and noncompetitive. Your Highness need not worry,” Xu Xiang said with a smiling face.
“That kid can’t stand being empowered, just…” The Crown Prince squinted his eyes. “Always feels annoying.”
Most likely, although no one had said it explicitly, everyone knew that his talent and character were inferior to those of Guangshou. Even those who belonged to him thought so. Even this old fox… The Crown Prince’s gaze passed over Xu Xiang, recalling another interesting matter.
“Zilan,” the Crown Prince suddenly looked at Chu Zhao, “I heard that you have a maidservant, beautiful and clever. Is that true?”
Chu Zhao’s heart turned cold when he heard this, as if a basin of cold water was poured over him. However, there was no change on his face, and he respectfully replied, “Indeed.”
“With such a beauty, why have I never seen you bring her with you?” the Crown Prince asked with a smile, but his eyes showed no hint of amusement.
Why? Of course, because once brought to the Crown Prince’s attention, Chu Zhao would not be able to keep Ying Xiang in the Chu family. All along, given the Crown Prince’s character, any beautiful woman he laid eyes on would end up in his mansion. The appearance of Ying Xiang would only bring trouble.
“This girl is not clever with her hands and feet, and her excessive beauty makes it inconvenient to bring her with me. I have always kept her at home, doing some sweeping and rough work,” Chu Zhao replied respectfully.
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince burst into laughter. “Zilan, you’re really wasting a beauty. With your indifferent attitude towards cherishing beauty, you should change that if you plan to marry a gentle and elegant lady in the future, or else Xu Xiang might be displeased.”
Xu Jingfu just sat on the side, sipping tea with a smile, seemingly oblivious to the Crown Prince’s sharp words.
Chu Zhao displayed a somewhat bewildered expression.
“Keeping her in your residence is also wasting her beauty. How about giving her to me?” the Crown Prince remarked casually. “This Highness is currently lacking such a clever maid. The Eastern Palace can also use an extra person for meals. What do you think?”
Chu Zhao was taken aback and looked up at Guangyan.
The sound of the qin in the hall had stopped at some point, and the dancing maids had quietly retreated. In the silence, the air felt thick and stagnant, like viscous blood, carrying a nauseating sense of suffocation.
The young man appeared handsome, but perhaps due to his unrestrained indulgence, there was a distinct darkness beneath his eyes. When looking at others, he always carried a hint of malevolence and frenzy. Despite the smile on his lips, his eyes revealed a trace of disdain.
It was genuine contempt from the heart, the disdain of a superior looking down on a mere ant.
“What’s the matter?” the Crown Prince jokingly said, “Zilan, you’re not reluctant, are you?”
Xu Jingfu remained silent, gazing at the teacup in front of him.
Chu Zhao stood up, walked to the Crown Prince, and bowed down, “How would Zilan dare? If Ying Xiang is chosen by Your Highness to serve in Your Highness’s presence, it is her good fortune. However, this girl is clumsy, and fearing she might offend Your Highness, I have kept her in the residence. If Your Highness favors her, I will immediately send someone to bring Ying Xiang when I return home.”
His respectful attitude seemed to please the Crown Prince. After Chu Zhao kneeled for a while, the Crown Prince helped him up, satisfied, and said, “No need for such formality. You are someone close to me. When she arrives at the residence, I will take good care of her.”
After expressing his loyalty again, Chu Zhao returned to his seat.
On the long table were fine wines and delicacies. He used his chopsticks to feast and drink, looking unperturbed. He did not seem to be affected by the incident. However, when he paused with the cup in hand, his gaze fell on Xu Jingfu beside him.
The old man had a kindly and loving appearance, seemingly magnanimous. He smiled and looked over, displaying the gentle smile he had when Chu Zhao first bowed to him as a disciple.
Chu Zhao also smiled back at Xu Jingfu, raising his cup for a toast. But upon closer inspection, one could see the other hand under the table, fingertips embedded in the palm, oozing a shallow but noticeable bloodstain.
…
By the time he returned to the Chu residence, it was already late at night.
Upon entering the mansion, the smile on Chu Zhao’s face vanished completely. He was accustomed to wearing a refined and gentle smile, even in front of the Chu family’s servants. However, today, it seemed unbearable for him. As soon as he entered the mansion gate, his expression became so unpleasant that it seemed water could drip from it. The servants did not dare to approach.
Everyone in the Chu family knew how remarkable this Fourth Young Master was. When he was sent back to the mansion, people thought he wouldn’t survive long. A child from outside, born to a courtesan, should not have been accepted by Madam Chu. Chu Zhao had faced difficult days before encountering Xu Jingfu. Although he had Chu Linfeng protecting him, Chu Linfeng was not a father who cared for his son. In the corners where Chu Linfeng couldn’t see, Chu Zhao was often bullied and beaten.
But this child endured a lot, enduring until good luck came his way. Xu Xiang picked him, and before long, he became Xu Xiang’s favored student.
After that, Chu Zhao soared to new heights, gradually becoming untouchable by Madam Chu. Chu Linfeng followed his son’s advice obediently. However, Chu Zhao did not undergo any drastic personality changes. He remained gentle and kind to the servants of the Chu family from beginning to end. Over time, many people loyal to Madam Chu secretly pledged their allegiance to Chu Zhao.
For a master with more promising prospects, who was also gentler and more considerate, even fools knew whom to choose.
But today, Chu Zhao seemed to have endured too much, reaching the limits of his patience and refinement.
As he walked into his courtyard, he saw familiar lanterns swaying at the entrance from a distance. Chu Zhao walked in, and Ying Xiang greeted him, “Fourth Young Master.”
He entered the room without saying a word.
Perhaps because his expression today was exceptionally unusual, Ying Xiang was momentarily stunned. She followed him inside, standing beside Chu Zhao, softly asking, “Fourth Young Master, has something happened?”
Chu Zhao looked up at the woman in front of him.
Ying Xiang was exceptionally beautiful, with an alluring charm that could compare to a painting. Even in the palace, her appearance would be more than enough. In the Chu family, if it weren’t for the inconvenience of acting against his personal maids, Chu Linfeng might have long elevated Ying Xiang to his twentieth concubine.
It was hard to imagine that Ying Xiang’s parents had ordinary appearances, how they could have given birth to such a glamorous face.
The first time Chu Zhao saw Ying Xiang was in front of a brothel. Ying Xiang’s father, a gambler, was gripping her wrist, bargaining with the brothel’s madam in a tone of negotiation. He was inquiring whether selling his daughter could fetch a little more money. Ying Xiang’s pregnant mother, standing silently on the side, could only shed silent tears, not daring to say anything.
At that time, Chu Zhao was only nine years old, having just joined Xu Jingfu not long ago. Madam Chu dared not openly mistreat him anymore. Ying Xiang, looking about the same age as him, was dressed shabbily, yet her skin was fair. Even without any embellishments, her features indicated she was a beauty. Her expression had always been calm, not crying or making a fuss. When Chu Zhao stopped across the street and looked at her, the girl raised her head and glanced at him.
Even though she had no particular expression, it seemed as if through her eyes, one could see the profound sadness and despair within her. It was as if she had surrendered to a fate she already understood, powerless to resist.
In an instant, Chu Zhao thought of Ye Runmei.
He instructed a servant to buy Ying Xiang with two silver coins and returned to tell Chu Linfeng that he needed a personal maidservant. Chu Linfeng thought Chu Zhao had some ulterior motive. He not only wasn’t annoyed, but also greatly appreciated his son’s behavior. From then on, Ying Xiang stayed by Chu Zhao’s side.
Over the years, Ying Xiang rarely spoke, and her temperament was contrary to her charming appearance. She became more and more beautiful. Chu Zhao understood very well that her days under his protection were limited.
Perhaps it was the pity in his eyes that Ying Xiang noticed. She was momentarily stunned, and after a while, she pursed her lips and asked softly, “Fourth Young Master, is this matter related to this servant?”
“Today, I went to the Crown Prince’s mansion,” Chu Zhao said. “The Crown Prince now knows about you.”
The room fell silent.
After a while, Ying Xiang calmly said, “This servant understands.”
Her response was obedient and gentle, as if she had accepted her fate naturally, as if she had expected it long ago.
Chu Zhao moved his lips and finally uttered two words, “I’m sorry.”
Instead, Ying Xiang smiled. She walked to the table and poured tea for Chu Zhao as usual. The tea had been simmering on the stove in advance. When Chu Zhao returned, he would drink hot tea to warm his stomach in this cold weather. She handed the teacup to Chu Zhao and spoke softly, “Having followed Fourth Young Master for so long, this servant is already content. In the future, when this servant is no longer here, please take good care of yourself, Fourth Young Master.”
Chu Zhao accepted the tea without saying a word.
Ying Xiang knelt down.
“For so many years, thanks to the Young Master’s care, Ying Xiang has nothing to repay. When departing, let this servant kowtow to the Young Master.” She lightly knocked her head three times in front of Chu Zhao, each knock seeming more valuable than a thousand pieces of gold.
After the last kowtow, she bowed deeply for a long time, not getting up.
Chu Zhao did not stop her actions. After a long while, Ying Xiang stood up again, bowed to Chu Zhao, and said, “Well, this servant will go back to pack up and leave. Young Master, take care.”
After saying that, she was about to leave.
“Ying Xiang,” Chu Zhao called her name.
Ying Xiang stopped her steps, turned around, and a line of expectation suddenly appeared in her eyes. It was a very subtle expectation, but in the night, it shone brighter than the stars.
Chu Zhao avoided her gaze, as if he couldn’t bear to look anymore. After a moment of silence, he finally uttered two words.
“Take care.”
…
He Yan was unaware of the affairs in the Chu family.
During these days, all her attention was focused on the Xu family. With money, you could make ghosts grind millstones. Driven by silver, Fuwang finally found the whereabouts of Qin Momo a few days earlier than the promised eight or nine days.
When He Yan received the news and went to the teahouse near the Xu family, Fuwang approached with a smiling face, as if he had done something proud and was eager to be rewarded.
Seeing him like this, He Yan knew there must be a big harvest and felt happy. She asked, “Have you found her whereabouts?”
“Young Master,” Fuwang was very good at flattering, not mentioning the results first but describing the hardships and dangers of his investigation over the past few days. Only after that did he say, “I risked my life to investigate for you. You can’t be indifferent.”
He Yan smiled and placed the last silver from her sleeve on the table. With this, she was now completely penniless. However, she still had to pretend in front of Fuwang.
“Young brother has done me a favor, and I will certainly reward you. These silver are just a small amount. If you can do more for me in the future, the silver will never run out.”
Fuwang’s eyes brightened upon hearing this. He was afraid that after completing this transaction, the mysterious person would disappear. Since the silver came so easily, he naturally wanted to do more long-term business. The person’s meaning, to give him more tasks in the future, made Fuwang quite happy.
“The whereabouts of Qin Mama, this young one has already found out for the Young Master. Qin Momo has a lover, who used to live in Niujia Village outside the city. However, after Qin Momo ran away to find this lover, they no longer lived in Niujia Village. This lover, surnamed Niu, used to be a blacksmith. Niu Tiejiang has a relative who lives in the desolate mountains ten miles away from Niujia Village. The mountain is so vast that it’s not easy to find a person. But since they live in the mountains, they have to exchange for food and cloth. On the tenth of each month, Niu Tiejiang goes down the mountain to nearby markets to buy food. He also does some odd jobs for others and sells the ironware he forged at a blacksmith shop called ‘Changmao Ironworks.'”
“Young Master, if you want to find Qin Momo, you can first go to the ‘Changmao Ironworks.’ When Niu Tiejiang comes down the mountain on the tenth day, you can find him. Only Niu Tiejiang knows where Qin Momo is.” Fu Wang grinned cunningly, “As for how to make Niu Tiejiang speak, it depends on how Young Master plans to do it.”
“Are the pieces of information you provided true?” He Yan asked.
“Absolutely true, how would I dare to deceive Young Master?” Fuwang quickly said, “But now the master is also investigating Qin Momo’s whereabouts. I had to explore many channels to find this information; the master might also find it. If Young Master is in a hurry, it’s best to go to that ironworks quickly. If the master arrives first…”
He wasn’t genuinely concerned about the mysterious person in front of him. He was just afraid that if the mysterious person couldn’t find Qin Momo, they would disappear, and he would lose the easy silver to spend.
He Yan was also somewhat excited. She had come to the Xu family only intending to find evidence, and she hadn’t expected to locate a living lead. Fuwang’s detailed inquiries were truly an unexpected joy.
“You did well in this matter.”
Receiving praise, Fu Wang was overjoyed, feeling like he was watching a stream of silver coins flowing endlessly towards him. He casually said, “It’s my blessing to help Young Master. If Young Master has any other tasks, just give the order. I may not be good at other things, but I’m diligent with my legs. If I can help Young Master, that would be great.”
Not mentioning it earlier, now that he said this, He Yan was reminded of another matter. After hesitating for a while, she asked, “Do you know if anything unusual is happening with the current Madam Xu at your house?”
“Madam?” Fuwang was startled, feeling that the person in front of him was really inscrutable. First, it was mentioned that Concubine He was his former lover, and now, did this Madam Xu also have some unclear connection with him? If that were the case, the master of his own house would be in trouble. For a moment, Fuwang felt quite sympathetic towards Xu Zhiheng.
He Yan was unaware that this guy’s mind had already gone off course, and she asked, “Do you not know about Madam Xu’s situation?”
“I’m just a gatekeeper,” Fuwang smiled, “The servants and maids in Madam Xu’s courtyard take care of things, and there are very few servants like me. If the Young Master really wants to inquire, I can also run errands, but…”
“But what?” He Yan asked.
Not long after encountering Second Madam He and He Xinying at Yuhua Temple, He Yan encountered an assassin. He Yan pondered and felt that it was all related to He Rufei. Although He Xinying knew nothing, considering He Rufei’s caution, he might not spare her. Although He Yan hadn’t spent much time with this younger sister, she didn’t want anything unfortunate to happen to her.
“However, these past few days, Madam seems to be fatigued and hasn’t gone out much. When the Old Madam goes out, she also doesn’t take her along,” Fu Wang said.
He Yan’s heart tightened.
Old Madam Xu not taking He Xinying along when she went out might not be significant, but given He Yan’s recent visit to Yuhua Temple… It made one unable to help but speculate that He Xinying might be under some form of restraint by the Xu family.
“Fu Wang,” He Yan looked at the person in front of her, “I’d like to ask you to do one more thing for me. Keep an eye on Madam Xu. If anything happens to her or if there are any issues, please go to the teahouse and inform that guy with pockmarks on his face.”
Although Fu Wang was puzzled, he still nodded, “Alright.”
With the tasks assigned, the two parted ways. He Yan went first, followed by Fuwang. Fuwang, when leaving, didn’t notice that on the opposite street corner, in front of a fabric shop, someone was concealed behind the shop’s round pillar. It was only after his figure disappeared that the person walked out.
It was a woman in black.
…
At night, the door of the Xiao family study was opened, and someone entered from outside.
Xiao Jue hung his sword back on the wall, took off his outer garment, and just turned around when someone knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
The person coming in was Luan Ying in black.
Xiao Jue didn’t look at her, walked to the table, and on the table was a stack of letters. He casually picked up a few and flipped through them.
Luan Ying said, “Young Master’s inquiries have some results.”
The young man paused in his movements, glanced at her, and tossed the letters on the table. Sitting down on the chair, he looked at her indifferently, “What did you find?”
Luan Ying hesitated.
Xiao Jue’s hand paused, and he gave her a glance.
It was this one look that made Luan Ying determined. She whispered, “I’ve been waiting at the entrance of the Xu family for three days. Today, I finally saw Miss He.”
The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
“Miss He and the gatekeeper of the Xu family sat in a nearby teahouse for half an hour before leaving. I asked the teahouse waiter, and they had seen each other several times before.”
Xiao Jue threw the paper he held onto the table and sat down in the chair, looking at her indifferently, “What did you find out?”
“The gatekeeper is named Fuwang. Recently, his hands have become much richer, and he’s looking for someone named Qin Momo in the Xu family. Qin Momo used to be the wet nurse for Xu Zhiheng’s beloved concubine He Wanru. However, after He Wanru died of illness, Qin Momo disappeared.”
“I speculate that Miss He gave Fu Wang a sum of money to inquire about Qin Momo’s whereabouts. Strangely, Master Xu Zhiheng is also searching for Qin Momo.”
After Luan Ying finished speaking, she didn’t dare to look at Xiao Jue’s expression. The news that He Yan secretly had some unclear connection with the Xu family was undoubtedly not good news for Xiao Jue. A woman with many secrets would inevitably arouse suspicion.
“Is the whereabouts of this person named Qin Momo found?” Xiao Jue asked.
“Yes, it’s found.” Luan Ying nodded.
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