Chapter 79: Moonlight Bewitches the Eyes

After Xu You finished explaining the sequence of events, Zuo Jun’s mouth hung agape, leaving him momentarily speechless. As for Qiufen and Lishuang, their eyes were wide with such astonishment they seemed ready to pop from their sockets. To them, a woman like the Princess of Haiyan was a figure of legend; the mere thought that she was currently within Mingyu Mountain felt surreal, like a dream.

He Ru, however, remained calm and composed, showing little concern. Xu You glanced at him sideways and said, "You guessed it long ago, didn't you?"

He Ru chuckled dismissively. "I am not Du Jingzhi; how could I have guessed such a thing? It is simply that the Princess of Haiyan has been too close to the Crown Prince and the Prince of Hengyang, and she is embroiled in the scandalous moral failings of the imperial family. If the capital were at peace, she might have managed to linger on, playing the princess and enjoying her glory. But once the winds of change blow, for someone like her, being demoted to Qiantang is the least of her worries—being presented with a cup of poisoned wine would hardly be a surprise."

"Qiufen, go tell the kitchen to warm some wine. I suspect there will be no sleep for us tonight."

Qiufen acknowledged the order and left. Lishuang, sensing that they had serious matters to discuss, stood up as well and said, "I will go with my sister."

Once the two had left together, Xu You picked up a copper snuffer to trim the candle wick, and the room instantly brightened. He tilted his head, his eyes appearing unfathomable in the flickering light. "Are you saying that her departure from the capital is linked to the turmoil within?"

"Nine times out of ten!"

He Ru tucked his hands into his sleeves. The early winter night was bone-chillingly cold. He narrowed his eyes, his brilliance hidden, and continued: "An Zidao’s dissolution of the Crown Prince’s two guards was certainly not a momentary impulse; he must have prepared for it for a long time. Calculating from the time Princess An Yuyi of Haiyan fell ill, she has been confined to her quarters for five months. She must have been punished by a secret imperial decree from An Zidao. If my deduction is correct, she was handed over to An Xiuruo, the Prince of Jiangxia, for custody—after all, she is his legitimate daughter, and An Zidao could not bring himself to kill her. An Xiuruo, having received the decree, found it a thorny matter. Keeping her in the open would only invite the Crown Prince’s hidden arrows, so he had her secretly escorted thousands of miles to Qiantang to be handled by Guo Mian. The old man who fought with Feng Hu the other day must have been either from the Imperial Household or one of An Xiuruo’s men. Only they would have the power to command a minor grandmaster to serve as a gatekeeper."

He Ru’s mind was agile, unparalleled by any other. In a brief moment, he had deduced the matter clearly and convincingly, leaving no room for argument.

Xu You remained silent; only the sound of the burning candle wick filled the empty room. After a long while, he laughed softly. "No wonder when I was at the Yuan estate, I tentatively asked Yuan Zuojun if the rumors about the Prince of Hengyang and the Princess of Haiyan were true. He reprimanded me sternly and nearly had me flogged. Now that I think about it, that old fox must have known long ago that the Princess of Haiyan had been locked away by the Emperor, which explains his overreaction."

He Ru laughed as well. "I have never associated with Yuan Jie, but I have heard people say that he is a man of deep, hidden motives and no ordinary person. Calling him an 'old fox' is entirely fitting."

Zuo Jun stood by, looking embarrassed and silent. Xu You apologized, "Lord Yuan was your former master; Qiyi and I should not have mocked him. That was impolite."

Zuo Jun quickly replied, "My lord, you are too kind. I have long since severed ties with Lord Yuan. It is only out of past considerations that I find it difficult to participate in your discussion."

He Ru patted him on the shoulder. "A great man acts according to his own heart. Yuan Jie showed you no loyalty; why bother saving face for him? If it were me, I would leak some of his private affairs and ruin his reputation to vent my anger."

Zuo Jun could only offer a bitter smile.

The door opened.

Qiufen and Lishuang entered with trays and a brazier. They swiftly cleared the table, set down the food, warmed the wine, and filled the three men’s cups.

Xu You picked up the pot and filled the cups for Qiufen and Lishuang as well, then raised his own, saying, "Come, let us drink to the Guo family’s narrow escape and to the fact that the great tree we lean upon need not fall just yet. Cheers!"

They drained their cups in one gulp.

Xu You set his cup down and asked, "As for Li Ji, how do you think we should handle him?"

"He cannot be released, but it is a pity to kill him. In my view, if the Quan Jing really possesses half the capability rumored, we could take him into our fold. Placing him by the Prince of Hengyang’s side in the future might yield unexpected results."

This was a case of great minds thinking alike. Xu You smiled, "I only fear he might be duplicitous; once he escapes, he might turn around and bite us."

"That would be of no consequence. If it works, we gain an informant; if it fails, at least we have lost nothing."

"True enough."

Xu You drank another cup of wine and said to Lishuang with a smile, "How do you find teaching that group of storytellers these past two days? Have you encountered any difficulties?"

Lishuang, having had a few cups of wine, felt her fair, cicada-wing-like cheeks flush with a rosy, translucent glow, making her look stunningly beautiful. She pursed her lips and smiled. "It is fine. A few of them were disgruntled at being taught by a woman, so they gave me some trouble... but it is well. With the weight of your authority, young master, they are all much more obedient now."

Lishuang had grown up in the Qingyue Pavilion in Wu County. A brothel was perhaps one of the most treacherous places on earth, and anyone who could emerge from there possessed a mastery of human nature that was nothing short of perfection. A handful of provincial scholars were no match for her. Xu You was truly at ease having her handle this matter.

"Good. Teach them for three more days, and then these people will be released. Take your time; there is no need for excessive detail or perfection. As long as they grasp the general method and can handle the basics, that will suffice."

Lishuang replied, "Understood!"

As they drank, Xu You rose and pushed open the window. The bright moon hung high in the sky, its cold, lingering radiance casting a faint silver glow upon the ground. His profile was bathed in this pale light, showing little of his emotions, yet his tall, elegant silhouette possessed the weight of a mountain.

Lishuang lowered her head and toyed with her wine cup, a complex look flashing through her eyes before vanishing in an instant.

Wan Qi’s figure emerged from the darkness outside the courtyard gate. Xu You knew she had come to summon him. He turned back and said, "Shi Shu has returned; I must go see Zhan Wenjun. Feng Hu, guard this place well. Do not leave for even a moment. May tonight pass in peace!"

Upon seeing Zhan Wenjun again, besides Shi Shu, Qian Qin and Song Shenfei were also present. This was within Xu You’s expectations. He had previously advised Zhan Wenjun to use the resources of the Ship Pavilion and the Quan Jing to spread rumors of Guo Mian’s return. Since Qian Qin managed the Ship Pavilion, it was only natural for her to be here for instructions. As for Song Shenfei, seeing that she could impersonate Zhan Wenjun to receive guests, her status in the estate must be significant; it was not strange for Zhan Wenjun to summon her for consultation.

Qian Qin still wore an expression of disdain toward Xu You, snorting and turning her head away. Song Shenfei was much more cordial, offering Xu You a faint smile and a bow.

Xu You returned the gesture and said, "It is truly a hardship for you to come up the mountain so late, lady."

Song Shenfei laughed lightly, her frame trembling. "It is only right that I exert myself for my own family’s affairs. I am just touched to see you, Master Xu, staying up all night, exhausting yourself for my Wenjun’s sake."

Xu You had not expected Song Shenfei to tease him in front of Zhan Wenjun and was unsure of her intent. He smiled magnanimously, "I am a newcomer here, and thanks to the Lady’s kindness, I have a place to stay on the mountain without spending a penny on food or clothing. If I can offer some ideas and help out a little, it is truly insignificant; you need not mind it."

Song Shenfei glanced at Zhan Wenjun. Seeing that her expression remained unchanged and that she met Xu You’s gaze with a smile, showing no signs of jealousy or discomfort, she smiled slightly and dropped the subject.

"Shi Shu, continue your report."

Shi Shu kept his head low. "After interrogating those wanderers, it is certain that Li Ji spoke the truth. He came to Qiantang without the support of the Prince of Hengyang; the manpower and resources he used were gathered locally, and the money came from his own pocket. Precisely because of this, he knew he could not sustain the effort, so he took a desperate gamble, taking the Baihua family hostage in an attempt to find clues quickly. That is also why he could not resist Baihua’s proposal and fell easily into our trap."

Song Shenfei stood up, her graceful form appearing even more breathtaking in her plain white garments. She walked leisurely to Zhan Wenjun’s side, placed a jade hand on her shoulder, and stood beside her. "The matter of the Prince of Hengyang can be set aside for now. Li Ji should not be kept long. Leave him to be handled by the Quan Jing. It must be done cleanly and efficiently; not a whisper of this must leak out."

Shi Shu did not answer, but instead looked toward Zhan Wenjun. Song Shenfei smiled indifferently, leaned over until she was close to Zhan Wenjun’s cheek, and whispered, "Wenjun, what do you say?"

Zhan Wenjun stood up, subtly avoiding Song Shenfei’s red lips. "Keep Li Ji alive for now. As for his use, I will explain it to you, sister, at a later time. Qian Qin, you are in charge of the Ship Pavilion. Starting tonight, send everyone out. Ensure that within one day, every county in Wu Commandery knows that the Master has returned safely. Shi Shu, disperse the workers of the Quan Jing to various regions. Anyone who dares to slander the news of the Master’s safety is to be dealt with at your discretion."

"Wan Qi, take the estate’s troops and divide them into twenty teams. You are responsible for the safety of those storytellers. At the right moment, incite the crowds and guide public opinion so that the name of the 'White Snake' spreads throughout the three Wu regions!"

After these arrangements were made, Zhan Wenjun turned to Song Shenfei. "Sister, do you see any flaws in this plan?"

Song Shenfei’s smile did not fade. "Well-coordinated and with the poise of a great general. With you here, my Guo family will surely survive this crisis!"

With the plan decided, the others departed. Zhan Wenjun kept only Xu You behind. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "Master, there is something, and I do not know how to tell you..."

Xu You, being the person he was, understood the situation from her expression. He sighed and said, "If Baihua can be spared, we should be content. The estate truly cannot keep her any longer. If the Lady has a kind heart, why not revoke her slave status and let her return home?"

"As you say! However, the official document for her manumission requires my uncle’s signature before it can be reported to the county office. I will let her return home first and handle the revocation of her slave status later."

Xu You nodded. Such an arrangement might not necessarily be better for Baihua’s life, as being a slave in a wealthy household was often more comfortable than being a peasant woman, but with things having reached this point, this was the only option.

"Tomorrow morning, I will go down the mountain to find Zhan Tian and the others to divide the Zhan family’s property... If we succeed in the future, there will come a day when we can rebuild the Zhan family. If we fail, whether the Zhan family exists or not will no longer matter!"

Although the Prince of Hengyang was no longer an immediate threat, pacifying Zhan Tian and the others to buy time was of the utmost importance. Xu You said sternly, "Do not worry, Lady. Within a month, I will ensure the Zhan family is back under your control."