The person Old Marquis Qi went to ask was none other than the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor and also the Grand Secretary of the nation, Chu Bo.
It was not that Old Marquis Qi’s face carried such weight that the Grand Secretary would personally help with an introduction.
Rather, it was because Scholar Fan just so happened to be opening lectures and accepting disciples in Shuzhong, while Lord Chu Bo happened to be from Shuzhong himself.
When Chu Bo returned home and saw Old Marquis Qi, he was somewhat shocked.
After all, nobles and civil officials had never really associated with one another.
One had to know that nobles all lived off the merits accumulated by their ancestors, whereas most civil officials had only obtained official rank through years of bitter study.
The nobles thought civil officials were all poor sour scholars, a bunch of pedantic Confucians.
The civil officials, meanwhile, thought the nobles were parasites lying on the book of past achievements, crude boors who only knew fighting and killing.
The Chu family and the Qi family, even more so, had never had any dealings.
Seeing Old Marquis Qi suddenly come over, Chu Bo instantly began thinking a little too much.
The first thing he thought was that Old Marquis Qi had come because of Duke Cheng Manor’s case.
So after host and guest had taken their seats, Chu Bo first said: “If Old Marquis has come because of Duke Cheng Manor’s case, then Chu has nothing to say. This case was personally interrogated by the Imperial Guards from beginning to end and reported only to His Majesty.”
He also knew that the useless grandson of Duke Cheng had switched the hunting dogs, and that it was the Qi family’s child who had been bitten.
But there was no need to come looking for him over this matter.
Duke Cheng Manor was now practically reduced to an empty shell.
Old Marquis Qi gave an “ah?” and looked even more shocked than Chu Bo: “What happened to Duke Cheng Manor?”
Had this matter not already been concluded?
Duke Cheng died in the Imperial Prison, Duchess Cheng smashed her head to death against the stone lion at the entrance, and the Duke Manor was confiscated.
What else could there be?
Chu Bo frowned: “You still don’t know?”
Old Marquis Qi truly did not know. His face was full of confusion: “Wasn’t the case already closed?”
Chu Bo frowned, then coughed before asking: “Then what did you come here for today?”
“Oh, this time I came because I wanted to ask you, what exactly is the arrangement for Scholar Fan accepting disciples and opening lectures in Shuzhong?” He reacted: “There’s a child in our family who has admired Scholar Fan for a long time and wants to enter under Scholar Fan’s tutelage.”
Chu Bo calmly swept a glance over Old Marquis Qi: “Scholar Fan has only accepted one hundred and three disciples in total. Every one of them is either a renowned scholar of a region or an official serving in court.”
Old Marquis Qi nodded. Of course he knew that.
If not for that, how could Scholar Fan’s reputation possibly be so resounding?
People all said: the court has its Grand Secretary, the countryside its great scholar.
Meaning that Scholar Fan could stand on equal footing with the Grand Secretary who serves as the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor.
If not for that, how could a child like Shen Jialang even know of someone like Scholar Fan?
He savored the meaning for a moment and instantly caught onto the implication.
Chu Bo thought their family was a household of crude martial folk, how could they possibly produce a scholar?
Without revealing the displeasure in his heart, he said calmly: “We also know Scholar Fan’s reputation is illustrious. It’s just that the child in our family is firm in his determination, so I thickened my old skin and specially came to ask.”
Chu Bo did not say anything further. Stroking his beard, he said deeply: “In that case, this old man does happen to have an invitation here, it is precisely an invitation to Scholar Fan’s lectures. With this invitation, one may go to Shuzhong to attend lessons. As for other matters, this old man’s reach does not extend that far.”
Having this invitation was already an unexpected delight.
Old Marquis Qi was delighted beyond measure and could not suppress his joy as he stood up and sincerely thanked Chu Bo.
Chu Bo smiled and shook his head: “This was also sent by one of my students. It’s just that I’m occupied with too many affairs, and none of the children in my household are suitable either, so leaving it unused is still leaving it unused.”
Those words were naturally only polite formalities.
How many people were lining up waiting to attend Scholar Fan’s lessons?
Could it really be that the Chu family could not pick out a suitable candidate?
It was merely that he deliberately said so in order to do the Qi family a favor.
Old Marquis Qi understood perfectly well. Returning home, he handed the invitation to Qi Yuan and sighed: “Speaking of which, Yuan Jie’er, this is truly thanks to you.”
Previously, he had hated dealing with these civil officials the most.
Mainly because every one of these officials appeared more courteous than anyone on the surface, while in reality each and every one of them had their eyes growing on top of their heads.
This time, with Chu Bo being so accommodating, Old Marquis Qi would never think his own face really carried that much weight.
After reflecting on it afterward, he understood.
In this matter involving Duke Cheng Manor, Qi Yuan was an indispensable figure.
Especially Xiao Yunting’s regard for Qi Yuan, anyone with eyes could see it.
For Chu Bo to become Grand Secretary, he was the sharpest among the sharp.
A convenient favor like this was naturally something to do whenever possible.
Qi Yuan merely smiled faintly and placed the invitation onto the table. Just as she was about to speak, Bai Zhi anxiously lifted the curtain and entered from outside, looking at her with panic and unease: “Miss, Liujin has come!”
Liujin?
Qi Yuan narrowed her eyes and immediately said: “Let him in.”
Liujin entered shortly afterward and dropped to his knees with a thump, his face pale: “Miss Qi… the Crown Princess…”
His complexion was white, his lips trembling: “Something has happened to the Crown Princess.”
The teacup in Old Marquis Qi’s hand instantly fell to the ground.
Qi Yuan immediately asked in a low voice: “What happened?!”
Liujin’s voice choked: “It happened last night. The Crown Princess attempted suicide…”
Old Marquis Qi’s expression changed abruptly: “What?!”
Unable to stop himself, he glanced at Qi Yuan and saw that her entire person resembled a sword about to leave its sheath, almost radiating sharpness.
Liujin’s expression was grave: “She has already been taken down, but she is still unconscious…”
Old Marquis Qi let out a sigh of relief.
At least she was not dead.
Otherwise, Xiao Yunting would first have his maternal family suffer disaster and then lose his mother as well. That would truly be far too tragic.
Qi Yuan’s expression darkened: “Why would the Crown Princess suddenly choose suicide?”
She had endured all these years of discord with the Crown Prince, and she had likewise endured through the Lu family’s disaster.
Now that matters had finally shown a turn for the better, the Crown Princess instead suddenly lost the will to live?
She did not believe there could be such a coincidence in this world.
Liujin shook his head: “It’s still unknown. Those who served the Crown Princess have already all been sent into the Office of Punishments. The Crown Princess has not yet awakened, so the reason still cannot be confirmed.”
Qi Yuan made an immediate decision: “Have Divine Doctor Xue enter the palace to treat the Crown Princess.”
The Crown Princess absolutely could not come to harm. She knew that Xiao Yunting held no so-called father-son affection toward the Crown Prince, but his feelings toward the Crown Princess were genuine.
If even his mother left him too, then his suffering would truly be too great.
Old Marquis Qi’s emotions became uncertain and unsettled: “Yuan Jie’er, today when I went to Chief Grand Secretary Chu’s place, Chief Grand Secretary Chu told me that if I had gone because of Duke Cheng Manor’s matter, then he had nothing to say. Could it be related to this matter?”
At the time, he had already felt something was wrong.
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