Chapter 305
Unlike Fu Langhuan's death, which was known throughout the streets and alleys, by the next day, no one dared to spread the news of Zhou Shuyao's death.
Magistrate Zhu had imposed a gag order on the yamen's constables. Fearing to offend the Zhang and Zhou families of Linzhou Prefecture, the yamen officials remained tight-lipped. Seeing the government's stance, the people of Xiangwu County were also terrified. They hurried past the alley outside the Zhang family's separate residence, afraid of offending the officials and being thrown into prison.
"Big brother, you're leaving?" Zhan Feiyu's face fell, her eyes filled with disappointment and reluctance.
Even though she knew the Imperial Dragon Guards were busy with official duties, knowing it didn't lessen her heartache. Zhan Feiyu looked up at the window. It was still dark outside; the sky hadn't even dawned yet.
Yin Wuyan hadn't expected Zhan Feiyu to wake up at this hour. The young girl studied diligently, but Xiangwu County was too cold. She woke up at 5:30 AM every day, first for morning reading, then practicing a set of martial arts in her room to exercise, before washing up and having breakfast.
It was now almost 5 AM, and Yin Wuyan had only intended to see Zhan Feiyu before leaving. He hadn't expected her to wake up from her deep sleep.
"Lie down, don't catch a cold." Yin Wuyan bent down and pushed Zhan Feiyu, who was trying to get out of bed, back in. He also tucked in the edges of her quilt.
Looking at the young girl, whose face was like a steamed bun and whose large eyes blinked, Yin Wuyan couldn't help but stroke her head. "I'll stay with you in Xiangwu County for the New Year."
Her previously dim eyes instantly lit up. Zhan Feiyu immediately grinned, her voice cheerful and joyful, "Really?"
Yin Wuyan nodded. In the dim candlelight of the bedroom, his handsome face also showed a hint of a smile. "It's still early, get some more sleep."
After a while, Zhan Feiyu, lying in bed, watched Yin Wuyan blow out the candle and his slender figure walk towards the door. Then, the faint sound of the door closing was heard.
In the darkest moment before dawn, the courtyard was silent. Listening to the footsteps disappear, Zhan Feiyu lay in bed for a while longer, but her sleepiness was gone.
"Miss?" Outside the door, He Nuan spoke in a low voice. As a martial artist, her hearing was excellent. Zhan Feiyu's restless tossing and turning made He Nuan realize she was still awake.
The morning was particularly cold. Even though she was reluctant to leave the warm kang and the cozy bed, a student aiming for the imperial examinations had no right to oversleep. Zhan Feiyu sat up from the bed with a flip. "Nuan, come in. I'm getting up too."
The bedroom candle was relit. He Nuan first brought over the clothes that had been warming on the kang. After helping Zhan Feiyu get dressed, she brought the charcoal basin over. "Miss, I'll go to the kitchen to boil water."
"Nuan, go ahead and be busy. Don't mind me." Zhan Feiyu nodded, sat upright at the table, turned to the page she had read yesterday, and then began to read aloud.
In the darkness, Yang Shoucheng glanced at the two figures who had scaled the wall and left. He then looked towards Zhan Feiyu's courtyard. This person's identity was a mystery, and she could control the overall situation in Longyou Dao on behalf of the Emperor. Coupled with the Imperial Dragon Guard token in Zhan Feiyu's hand, Yang Shoucheng had a general guess in his mind.
"General." The young man standing beside Yang Shoucheng was respectful. He hesitated for a moment and asked, "Should we send someone to investigate?"
Longyou Dao was the Yang family's territory. Even though the Yang family had been in seclusion for eight years, their former subordinates were still around, having merely moved from the open to the shadows.
Previously, they dared not act rashly, fearing they would bring disaster upon the Yang family. But now that the Yang family was about to be reinstated, in this small territory of Longyou Dao, even dragons had to coil and tigers had to crouch. There was no information the Yang family wanted that they couldn't find.
"No need. The other party is from the Imperial Dragon Guards." As Yang Shoucheng spoke, the young man's pupils contracted sharply for a moment.
Even though they were far away in Longyou Dao, they knew of the Imperial Dragon Guards' reputation for killing. Rumor had it that they were a group of bloodthirsty, cold-blooded executioners, each highly skilled in martial arts, who would stop at nothing to complete their missions. Whether it was an old man with white hair or a young nephew, anyone who fell into the hands of the Imperial Dragon Guards would face at least one outcome: death!
The young man thought of Fu Langhuan and Zhou Shuyao, who had died one after another. His expression changed again, and his tone instantly became solemn. "General, could it be that the Imperial Dragon Guards secretly framed the young master? This way, the Emperor would have leverage over the young master."
The Emperor needed the Yang family now, which was why he was reinstating them and clearing their name of treason. But it was hard to guarantee that one day, the Emperor might become wary of the Yang family again, and the same old story of framing the Yang family for "colluding with the enemy and treason" might repeat itself.
However, if Yang Xu had something that fell into the Emperor's hands, when the time came to discard the bow after the birds were gone, or to hunt the hounds when the rabbits were caught, the Emperor could easily deal with Yang Xu by bringing out this leverage. After all, it involved two lives, and who would care how these two people actually died.
Yang Shoucheng had also had a few brief encounters with Yin Wuyan. He didn't believe that Yin Wuyan was responsible for these murders this time, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
In the stillness, listening to the sound of reading coming from the backyard, Yang Shoucheng sternly ordered, "You continue to keep an eye on the Zhang family's separate residence."
Seeing Yang Shoucheng stride towards the backyard after stepping into the night, the young man was stunned for a moment. Was the General planning to personally question Miss Zhan?
...
Tossing and turning all night, Yang Xu hadn't closed his eyes. As soon as his mind went blank, the deaths of Fu Langhuan and Zhou Shuyao appeared in Yang Xu's mind like a shadow play.
At one moment, he thought he had killed both of them. But then, remembering Yang Shoucheng's advice, Yang Xu thought that Zhou Shuyao had deliberately committed suicide to make him indebted to the Zhang and Zhou families, and to help them with all his might in the future.
After a sleepless night, Yang Xu's eyes were dry and uncomfortable, and his head throbbed. His mind was muddled, as if it were filled with paste.
A quarter of an hour later, Yang Xu, having washed up, went straight to the backyard. Since his father had told him to ask Xiao Yu if he couldn't figure things out, she must be awake by now, and it wouldn't be an interruption for him to come over.
"Young Master Xu?" He Nuan looked surprised at Yang Xu, who strode over. She put down the food box and went to greet him at the door. The father and son were quite in sync today.
"Nuan, I'm here to see Xiao Yu." Yang Xu strode into the room. His gaze casually swept over the steaming bowls and plates on the table, and Yang Xu was stunned, mainly because there were two sets of bowls and chopsticks.
Even though Zhan Feiyu treated He Nuan very well, He Nuan maintained her status. A servant was a servant and naturally could not eat at the same table as her master. If it were for convenience when traveling, it would be fine, but whenever conditions allowed, He Nuan strictly adhered to the rules.
He Nuan looked at Yang Xu, whose eyes were bloodshot, and understood that he had likely not slept all night. It made sense; an eight-year-old child who hadn't experienced anything yet, suddenly burdened with two lives, would be heartless if he could sleep.
"Miss is practicing martial arts inside." He Nuan replied, taking out the freshly fried spring rolls from the food box. It was almost time, and they would be ready to eat when the miss came out.
In the backyard, besides three side rooms, the main house had five rooms. There was no dedicated training room, so Qiu Zongxi had the servants clear out a room for Zhan Feiyu to practice martial arts.
"Xiao?" Before he could even call out the character "Yu," Yang Xu, standing at the doorway, looked at the two people in the room in astonishment. His father was actually teaching Xiao Yu martial arts?
Yang Xu looked back at the window outside. The sky was just beginning to lighten. It was so early, and his father wasn't sleeping or getting up early to supervise his martial arts practice, but was here with Xiao Yu.
Thinking of the two sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table, Yang Xu instantly felt a sourness as if his good friend had been snatched away, and at the same time, a suffocating feeling as if his father had been snatched away.
After correcting the direction of Zhan Feiyu's punch, Yang Shoucheng looked at Yang Xu, who stood stiffly at the doorway like a wooden post. "You're up early today."
Although martial artists practiced in the heat of summer and the cold of winter, in this freezing winter, Yang Xu's wake-up time was half an hour later than in autumn.
"Dad, why are you here with Xiao Yu?" Yang Xu asked sullenly. He hadn't slept all night, and his head was throbbing. Yet, his father was teaching Xiao Yu martial arts so early. For a moment, Yang Xu felt like he was a foundling.
Zhan Feiyu stopped her punch and, following the breathing technique, calmed her breathing. Then she smiled and said, "Uncle Yang had something to discuss with me and also to give me some pointers on my punches. I asked Nuan to add an extra set of bowls and chopsticks."
"You go wash up first, don't catch a cold." Yang Shoucheng seemed indifferent to his son Yang Xu, but looking at the delicate and beautiful Zhan Feiyu, his naturally cold and stern face softened, showing perceptible concern.
Zhan Feiyu went to wash up, and Yang Shoucheng took Yang Xu back to the small hall. Without Zhan Feiyu needing to tell her, He Nuan brought another set of bowls and chopsticks when she saw Yang Xu arrive.
Although the Yang father and son were added, He Nuan always prepared plenty of breakfast. What Zhan Feiyu couldn't finish, they could eat. They were all martial artists and had large appetites.