Chapter 28: Wings Untouched by Dew

When they returned to the courtyard of the Zhibin Residence, Qiufen heard voices and came out of the room. Seeing strangers present, she obediently stood with her hands folded and said, "Young master, you have returned?"

Xu You nodded, pointed at He Ru, and smiled, "This is Master He. He will be settling with us in Qiantang from now on. Come quickly and pay your respects."

Qiufen bowed respectfully and said, "I am Qiufen, a humble servant. Greetings to Master He!"

According to traditional etiquette, she ought to have knelt, but Xu You had instructed her not to kneel except on important occasions, so she merely bowed.

He Ru knew that Qiufen was a trusted companion who had followed Xu You through mountains of corpses and seas of blood. In particular, when they were in Yixing, she had stood her ground before Shen's wicked servants, which had left a favorable impression on him. His attitude toward her was entirely different from his attitude toward Zuo Wen. He made a gesture as if to help her up and said, "There's no need for such formality."

Out of the corner of his eye, Xu You caught sight of two servants in blue peeking into the courtyard from outside the gate. He suddenly called out in a loud voice, "Has anyone unusual been lingering around the courtyard?"

Qiufen replied, "Some servants came by to inquire about your whereabouts, young master. I told them you had gone to enjoy the scenery at Qiantang Lake. They then asked when you would return and whether any meals should be prepared. I rebuffed them and said that if you wished to dine, the kitchen would be instructed accordingly. Otherwise, nothing unusual happened... Young master, did I say anything wrong?"

It seemed that Zhan Ting was no fool and had likely arranged for secret eyes to watch over Zhan Wenjun's residence. Upon seeing Xu You and his party visit there, he must have sent people to inquire.

"You are clever as always; your answer was perfect. Go now, have the kitchen send some wine and dishes. Supervise them as they cook, to avoid any tampering."

Qiufen accepted her orders and left. At the gate, she spoke with the two snooping servants, who hung their heads in dejection and followed her away.

Xu You sighed, "It seems we can no longer stay at Zhibin Residence. Tomorrow, we must look for another house. Master He... Ah, I’ve only just realized I haven’t asked your courtesy name. Calling you Master He feels overly formal..."

He Ru, adopting a slightly haughty air as if to say, 'Now you remember,' replied, "Since childhood, my uncle bestowed upon me the courtesy name Qiyi."

"Fenghu, let me test you: where does Master He's courtesy name come from?"

Zuo Wen laughed, "Young master, you’re teasing me. I may know a few characters, but how could my learning compare to you two gentlemen? I truly do not know the source of this name!"

Xu You also laughed and said, "This name has a grand origin. With this single character, you can see Master He's lifelong aspirations—beyond the reach of ordinary men."

How He Ru felt about Xu You’s jesting was anyone’s guess. He simply tilted his head and glared sideways. Zuo Wen, intrigued by this display, said, "Please enlighten us, young master!"

"There is a poem in the Classic of Poetry, 'Waiting for Someone.' In short, it says: 'The worthy man is relegated to low office, mediocrities hold high positions.' Master He's courtesy name is taken from the line, 'The pelican stands on the fish weir, yet its wings remain dry.' This means that the pelican, standing on the weir, need only stretch its neck and peck to catch a fish, without ever getting wet. This is thanks to its special position, allowing it to gain effortlessly. He chose 'Qi yi,' omitting the 'not,' signifying that he aspires to lofty virtue and refuses to be tainted by the world. Fenghu, you should learn from such integrity."

Zuo Wen, knowing his place, refrained from joining in the banter. Xu You could jest with He Ru without consequence, but he could not. He replied, "Master He is a man of grand ambition and talent. Such aspirations befit him; I cannot compare."

He Ru snorted coldly. "I have always forgotten to ask: Seventh Young Master, you are well-versed in the Five Classics and renowned for your calligraphy—who, after all, was your teacher?"

Xu You did not expect the conversation to turn on him. He deflected with a laugh, "With my Xu family background, it is not strange that there should be several great scholars, unknown to the world, residing in our household. Since childhood, I served by their side, learning through immersion. What I have mastered is but the surface, not enough to impress the truly learned."

Everyone knew this was not a solid explanation, but no one could refute it. He Ru had not meant to press the matter; he was merely returning Xu You’s teasing.

The three of them entered the room and closed the door. Xu You asked directly, "Have you seen Lady Song, the Divine Consort, before?"

He Ru shook his head. "No, I had not. Today was quite a close call. At first, I was fooled, thinking she was Zhan Wenjun herself. Later, watching Qianqin’s demeanor, I noticed that although she was intimate with her, she didn’t act like a servant to a mistress. Especially when discussing Old Minister Zhan, she called him 'Master Zhan' rather than 'my lord,' and spoke openly about family secrets. That aroused my suspicion. Furthermore, when Lady Song heard of Zhan Ting’s plot to seize the family estate, she was more resigned than angry, which did not make sense. On closer observation, I noticed cracks on her fingertips and remembered the tales of Lady Song favoring white robes and carelessly tied hair—thus I realized she was a decoy, not the real one."

There is only one truth; reasoning must follow evidence, not mere guesswork. He Ru’s ability to detect subtle clues and unravel the layers to reach the answer spoke to his keen mind and powers of observation—no easy feat.

Xu You pondered a moment. "Are you truly determined to help Zhan Wenjun through this crisis? Know that Du Jingzhi is not to be trifled with, and the Prefectural Governor’s office behind him is even more formidable!"

He Ru smiled, "Seventh Young Master, are you afraid I’ll drag you into an abyss of no return?"

"I’m not afraid for myself. Our lord specifically stationed me here, and with the care of the Gu, Lu, Zhu, and Zhang families, as long as we don’t commit treason, I doubt Liu Quan would dare act against me. Du Jingzhi is troublesome, but the Celestial Masters have dealt with the Xu family for many years; there are ways to cope. However," Xu You looked steadily at He Ru, "to help a stranger who gifted you a thousand coins, yet risk offending the two most powerful factions in all of Sanwu before we’ve even established ourselves—Qiyi, versed as you are in secret arts, is this a bargain worth making?"

"A losing business should never be done. But in business, what matters isn’t immediate gain or loss. If you look further ahead, by helping Zhan Wenjun and saving the Zhan family, we can make Guo Mian owe us a huge favor. Over the years, Guo Mian has always been the one collecting favors, never the one in debt. Were it not for this series of disasters, with all sides closing in on him, he would not have needed us to save Zhan’s. Seventh Young Master, last night I thought to myself, perhaps fortune truly smiles on you—such a golden opportunity may only present itself once in a decade. For long-term benefit, this little trouble now can be entirely overlooked."

"Guo Mian?"

Xu You frowned. "His Golden Banner Ship is probably now just a pleasure barge in the governor’s garden. However powerful he was as a merchant, before Liu Quan it’s all for nothing. With things come to this pass, he may not even save his own life. What use is gaining his favor?"

He Ru laughed, "If Guo Mian were merely a wealthy merchant in Sanwu, he would indeed be of no use to us. But behind him stands a man."

Xu You recalled what Zuo Wen had once said. "Prince Jiangxia?"

He Ru was surprised. "So you knew?"

"I heard it from Fenghu—he is well-informed," Xu You said, pointing at Zuo Wen, who hastened to deny any credit.

Letting the matter drop, Xu You continued, "But given Prince Jiangxia’s status, there must be no shortage of merchants close to him. Guo Mian’s connection, even if real, may not be so intimate. Besides, this time Liu Quan himself has taken action—it’s no trivial matter. Is Guo Mian’s influence enough to sway Prince Jiangxia to protect him?"

He Ru turned to Zuo Wen, "Fenghu, please stand guard outside. No one within thirty feet!"

Zuo Wen glanced at Xu You, who nodded. "Understood. Rest assured, Master He!" He left, shutting the door behind him.

He Ru lowered his voice, "I am still investigating the precise relationship between Guo Mian and Prince Jiangxia, but one thing is certain—they are much closer than you imagine. If I had to describe it, I would say that apart from his own kin, among those Prince An Xiuruo trusts most, Guo Mian—Guo the Dog—would rank not just in the top five, but perhaps the top three!"

This time, Xu You was truly astonished. After a pause, he said, "You mean Guo Mian is actually An Xiuruo’s confidant?"

"Undoubtedly. Sanwu is home to nearly all the wealth under heaven. Anyone with ambition would not let it slip by. It’s expected that he would plant his own agents to manage affairs here..."

Ambition?

Among the imperial princes, An Xiuruo was the most powerful—Grand Preceptor, Imperial Attendant, General of Chariots and Cavalry, Prefect of Jingzhou, Commander of military affairs in Jing, Chu, Yong, Yu, and Jiang—he held a third of Chu’s military power and was both valiant and decisive, well favored by the emperor. For such a man, already at the peak of ministerial rank, if he still harbored ambition, could it be that he aspired to replace the Crown Prince?

Xu You fell silent. He Ru lifted his gaze, a strange look in his eyes. "Moreover, I have always felt that there is something odd about Guo Mian, and perhaps that oddity holds the key to unraveling the mystery between him and An Xiuruo..."