Chapter 202: Peace and Harmony
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Zhiwei stood outside the study, twisting his fingers anxiously on the steps.
It had been a while since they had moved from Huanyi building to the separate courtyard. Although everything regarding food, clothing, shelter, and transportation was excellent, the Shizi had been busy all this time and hadn’t met him yet.
For the past few years, he had been well cared for and hadn’t served anyone, but now, he had suddenly been summoned over, making him nervous.
Former companions used to whisper strange things, saying that the Shizi had peculiar preferences in bed, preferences that could take lives.
The steward lifted the cotton curtain at the door and waved him in, “the Shizi is calling for you.”
Inside the room, silver charcoal was burning, making it so warm that one couldn’t help but lower their guard.
Before he could kneel down, Liu Zhongming beckoned him over with a wave of his hand, “Can you grind ink?”
Casual conversation like this made Zhiwei relax. He moved to the table, gently picked up an ink stick, and watched as Liu Zhongming wrote a few characters with steady strokes. He couldn’t help but praise, “Really beautiful.”
Liu Zhongming looked up at him and smiled, “Have you learned to write?”
Zhiwei shook his head, his voice wavering, “No, no! Your servant is unskilled in this, I only find things that look good, please forgive this offense, Your Highness…”
“What kind of offense is this?” Liu Zhongming waved his hand dismissively and asked, “I’ve never asked you before, where are you from?”
“My hometown is in Hekou… my original name is Yang…”
“Hekou?” Liu Zhongming pondered for a moment, “I have some business there too. I don’t hear that accent in your speech, though.”
Zhiwei’s fingers pinched the ink stick until they turned white.
“I’ve been away from home for too long, coming and going in the building. The Momo taught me to speak the official language.”
Liu Zhongming nodded, “I heard your family suffered from a disaster. Your parents and siblings aren’t there, and your extended family is gone too, right? I don’t lack people to serve here. In that case, do a good deed. I’ll grant you freedom and send you back to find relatives to support you. Would you be willing?”
Zhiwei’s face turned pale, and he immediately knelt down, “Your servant doesn’t have any relatives left in my hometown. I also don’t want to be raised by someone else! If Your Highness wants to send your servant away, is it because I haven’t served well? If your servant did something wrong, then… your servant asks for punishment!”
“Get up, just speak freely. There’s no need to be so anxious. I’m not going to eat you,” Liu Zhongming said casually, “I recently went to Dingling Hill for official business, and I went to Shimao County.”
He glanced at Zhiwei, who had just been panicked and restless, but couldn’t discern any changes in his expression after hearing the three words “Shimao County.” He couldn’t figure out what was in his mind.
But based solely on two paintings, neither he nor Qu Chenzhou could be certain that they were truly lucky enough.
Whether any of Zhou Huaishan’s four sons had survived by hiding in a well, and whether there was a connection between Zhiwei and Zhou Huaishan, remained unknown.
To pinpoint Zhou Huaishan’s weak spot with a single strike, mere speculation wasn’t enough.
Although he had previously arranged for Qu Chenzhou to “accidentally encounter” Zhiwei on the street, unfortunately, it had yielded no results.
The time for palace maids to undergo physical examination was still a little way off, and they had to prepare for this matter during this time. If Zhiwei was the one, it would be ideal, and if not, they would still need to find a way to make him the one. However, the risk would certainly be much higher.
There was also the possibility of alerting the enemy by acting hastily, which was not a good idea.
“I’ve got two more portraits.”
Liu Zhongming decisively walked over and pulled out those two papers from the compartment under the table. He carefully observed Zhiwei’s expression while slowly unfolding them.
However, compared to his earlier anxiety, confusion seemed to dominate Zhiwei’s face.
“Look at these two people. Do they both resemble you a bit?” Liu Zhongming asked.
“Your servant apologizes…” Zhiwei kept his head low and mumbled softly, “Your servant doesn’t know…”
This made Liu Zhongming thoroughly puzzled.
In fact, Qu Chenzhou had reminded him before. So many years had passed; could a child who was only ten years old at the time really remember what he looked like back then?
Liu Zhongming had also tried to recall the past. He couldn’t remember his parents’ youthful faces, and he had even forgotten what his brother looked like back then. Even in his dreams, his brother’s face was a blurry mess.
Was this a glimmer of hope for them, or were they being overly optimistic?
“Just a joke, there’s no need to ask for forgiveness,” Liu Zhongming waved his hand to dismiss the matter and let the servants withdraw. He then saw Zhiwei standing hesitantly at the doorway, clearly wanting to say something. He asked, “Do you have something else to say?”
“Your Highness…” Zhiwei kept his head low, “Your servant saw Young Master Qu on the street before…”
“Hmm?” Liu Zhongming remained composed.
Seeing that he didn’t seem angry, Zhiwei plucked up the courage to continue, “Your servant feels… Young Master Qu isn’t a bad person…”
“Don’t use ‘your servant,’ just say ‘I,'” Liu Zhongming chuckled and laughed, understanding that Zhiwei probably heard a lot of idle gossip at the Huanyi Building. “What makes him a bad person? What makes him not a bad person?”
Zhiwei’s fingers twisted anxiously in his sleeves, and he mumbled in a low voice, “I don’t know… I just heard people say that one’s demeanor reflects their heart. Young Master Qu has clear eyes… he’s not a bad person.”
Not a bad person?
After lingering for quite a while, he finally descended the stairs and followed a winding path. As expected, there were people waiting.
He thought… well, he was a big villain.
Spread out on the table were the morning’s news obtained from the Liu family. Hearing footsteps behind him, Qu Chenzhou was about to turn around when a pair of hands covered his mouth. The index and middle fingers rubbed against the corner of his lips, and then gently pried open his teeth, holding down his soft tongue.
“Don’t move!” Liu Zhongming pressed him down onto the desk, his voice cold and threatening, “Jinxiu Ying inspector!”
Qu Chenzhou grabbed the edge of the table with one hand, turned his head aside, and his voice was like water as he gently bit the fingers in his mouth. He mumbled, “Lord, this is a misunderstanding. I am a law-abiding citizen.”
“Law-abiding? You look more like a fox that’s turned into a person. Do you have a tail or not?”
“Lord is joking. It’s broad daylight; how could there be…” Qu Chenzhou’s soft hum suddenly caught in his throat, his head resting on the desk, and his shoulders trembled slightly.
“How could I just listen to your excuses?” Liu Zhongming’s hand was underneath, and he said coldly, “I need to thoroughly inspect.”
Both of them were leaning over the table. He could see the spread-out papers. Liu Zhongming casually asked, “Is the next target Dong Chengyu?”
The information had come through him, so he naturally knew this person’s background.
Even though the Salt and Iron Transport Commissioner was stationed outside, he handled a vast amount of money. Since he had heeded the prophecy of “Golden Mountain Collapse” during the spring season, this year at the end of the year, he naturally needed to send a capable subordinate to audit the accounts.
This person was Dong Chengyu.
He was also on the list—Qu Chenzhou had said that these people genuinely trusted and supported Huai Wang, and were as mad as Ren Rui. They had little to no connection with the Song family.
People like Dong Chengyu were placed by Huai Wang near his uncle to guard against the Song family at any time.
Unless Huai Wang committed a grave crime like Ning Wang, it would be hard to execute them directly. But Huai Wang was shrewd, how could that happen?
“Dong Chengyu is going… to audit the accounts in the capital. He will go through the Ministry of Revenue…”
Qu Chenzhou squinted his eyes and replied, his breathing in response became soft and then heavy.
Originally, he was being held in someone’s hand, but soon warm and moist lips touched the back of his neck. Just as he was arching his body as if electrified, he was released.
His body felt weak, and he turned his head weakly, saying, “You d*mn scoundrel… Just help me relieve my frustration properly…”
Liu Zhongming wiped the fine sweat from his face, leaning close to his ear and whispering, “If you want relief, shouldn’t you use me? After coming back, you haven’t had the chance yet.”
In a previous encounter, just as things were getting started, the sound of a bell summoned Chenzhou away.
“I’ll have to enter the palace in a little while, time is short… Your words…” Chenzhou responded lazily with a nasal tone, suddenly letting out a soft hum, closing his eyes. “You’re playing with me, leaving me…”
The scent in the air gradually grew stronger, as if the stone nectar was slowly blossoming.
Liu Zhongming placed him on his back on the desk, twirling his fingertips, and was about to lean down when a pair of hands pushed into his hair and pushed his head outwards.
“Don’t mess around, just clean up for me…”
“Don’t worry, I’m helping you with that, aren’t I? No one will find out.”
Still in the aftermath of their pleasure, just with a touch, he curled up again, and then was spread out by Liu Zhongming.
Liu Zhongming lowered his head and continued his earlier words vaguely.
“Just received news about Dong Chengyu, I’ve already informed my Second Uncle about it. We can’t let him return just like that this year. But Second Uncle is currently out of the capital, so he won’t be back for about three to four days.”
“Before, when we investigated Dong Chengyu, you’ve seen it, right? He was able to become a Duzhi Langzhong because several positions above suddenly became vacant, and it was his turn.”
“This time, if no issues are found in the accounts, I’m thinking of starting from this angle.”
“You can handle the arrangements,” Qu Chenzhou lazily responded, “Be on guard against… Mu Jingyan… How’s it going with Zhiwei?”
“I mentioned Shimao County and showed him the portraits. I’ll be paying attention to his reactions there recently.”
Qu Chenzhou nodded and was lifted back into his seat by Liu Zhongming. He glanced at Liu Zhongming’s waist and reached out to grip him.
“Or how about now…”
A small bell hanging at the entrance of the corridor rang with a ding, abruptly shattering the enchanting atmosphere in the room.
It was a bell from the Qu mansion.
The two exchanged a glance—Steward Lin was shaking the bell up there. There must be an urgent matter.
After entering the palace, Qu Chenzhou didn’t meet Emperor Yu’s face. Instead, he was met by a Jinwu Guard, who relayed the imperial edict to him and guided him to Zhongyu Palace.
The Jinwu Guards outside had already surrounded the residence of Consort Xian. When they saw him approaching, they made way for him.
Inside Zhongyu Palace, seated at the main seat was naturally Liu Qingru, while Consort Yu and Consort Xian sat on either side. It was an interrogation—one was questioning, the other was being questioned.
“This official pays respects to the three noble consorts,” he bowed and saluted, then continued, “His Majesty sent me here to cast a divination for Consort Xian.”
Liu Qingru didn’t immediately respond, but she asked, “Qu Sitian, do you know what has happened?”
“This official humbly fears he just learned about it recently,” Qu Chenzhou paused briefly and lowered his voice, “Someone secretly informed the Emperor, claiming that Jing Wangye is not His Majesty’s own flesh and blood…”
“Now that you know, then go.”
He lifted his gaze slightly, catching a nearly imperceptible gentle shake of Liu Qingru’s head. He understood—she didn’t want him to take risks for the matter concerning Consort Xian.
Although he had long expected that Huai Wang would definitely be paying attention to Dong Chengyu’s movements, knowing that there would be issues with the account examination at the Ministry of Revenue, he didn’t anticipate that Mu Jingyan would strike at the crucial point.
Everyone knew that Consort Xian was on good terms with the Liu family. Even though there had been some tension between Jing Wang and Liu Zhongming before, it had gradually subsided over the past year.
More importantly, even if no one revealed the anonymous letter to him, he could deduce that the person mentioned in the letter who had an affair with Consort Xian must be Liu Weixian.
In this way, they were killing three birds with one stone—throwing them into chaos, let alone having the time to deal with Dong Chengyu.
Ever since their return from Dingling Hill, Ding Leikang died and the small actions Huai Wang made to approach him suddenly ceased.
Qu Chenzhou could guess that after the death of Ning Wang, Huai Wang must be suspecting his relationship with Liu Zhongming.
If he were to manipulate the case involving Consort Xian, he would arouse suspicion and end up doing more harm than good. Hence, Liu Qingru gestured for him to stay out of it.
He walked leisurely to Consort Xian’s front, meeting him with slightly red eyes that had just been crying. He softly said, “Noble Lady, this subject has been quite offensive.”
On a nearby table, there were already prepared flower-and-grass-patterned paper. After a moment, he dipped the brush in ink and, before the brush had even touched the paper, he heard Liu Qingru exclaim, “Qu Sitian!”
Qu Chenzhou raised his eyes and saw the rare unrest in Liu Qingru’s expression. His hands held in front of him were trembling slightly.
“Qu Sitian… Ben Gong advises you to be cautious in your words and actions!”
Suddenly, Consort Yu, who had remained silent on the side, spoke as if consoling, “Niang Niang, don’t be alarmed. Qu Sitian’s words are always accurate. He will undoubtedly provide His Majesty with a proper explanation. If Niang Niang continues like this, the words that spread won’t be beneficial to Consort Xian.”
Liu Qingru glanced at him and coldly asked, “Then, tell me, how is Ben Gong?”
Consort Yu had intended to say more, but she stopped herself with an effort.
Qu Chenzhou clenched his sleeve, steadying his trembling wrist, and left two characters on the paper amid the floral patterns—’Peace and Harmony’.
A result that surprised everyone.
Behind him was Liu Qingru’s concern, Consort Yu’s astonishment, and Consort Xian’s silence. He couldn’t spare any thought for them.
Standing outside the study for a while, without waiting for a summons, Qu Chenzhou left the palace without any hesitation.
This outcome wasn’t something he had even guessed; when he cast the divination for Consort Xian, he couldn’t recall any significant matters. Hence, Consort Xian’s “Ning He” was a natural outcome, not because of his involvement.
Given his understanding of Huai Wang, since he dared to bring this matter to light, he must have made thorough preparations.
The records in the Jingshi Room, the testimonies of the Imperial Physicians and midwives from that year, even possibly detailed accounts of Second Uncle’s whereabouts—everything was likely meticulously documented.
Otherwise, with Consort Xian’s poise and dignity, how could the Emperor simply order the sealing of the Zhongyu Palace based solely on an anonymous tip?
The only possible interpretation of Peace and Harmony pointed in eight or nine cases out of ten to Liu Weixian.
And Liu Weixian was returning to the capital in a few days. Would something happen to him on his way back, leading to a “death due to fear of punishment,” or something similar?
Just now, under the pressing circumstances, he had actually been negligent and hadn’t thought about this aspect.
He didn’t know what would happen to this case if Second Uncle safely returned to the capital.
“Zhongming… Big Brother…”
He didn’t dare to gallop on his horse, fearing that people might notice his anxiety.
“Make sure Second Uncle returns safely.”
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