The old butler hurried to say in a low voice, "After Master took the medicine, he has already fallen asleep..."
"You go and lock up all the followers around that wicked creature, and then go wake up the old man!" Cai Xiao hesitated for a moment before frowning and giving the order.
"W-what about tomorrow? Master hasn't slept well for three consecutive days..." the old butler said quickly in a low voice.
"Sleep, sleep, sleep, what more sleep? What time is it and you're still sleeping! If we don't come up with a plan tonight, I'm afraid the imperial decree to confiscate the house will arrive at our doorstep tomorrow morning!" Cai Xiao glared at the old butler impatiently, making him shrink his neck and say no more.
A moment later, Cai Xiao, dressed neatly, listened with a grim expression as his followers recounted the night's events again. His dark face almost scared them to death, but they still recalled all the details with trembling.
"What's going on?" Not long after, Cai Jing, wearing a padded jacket, finally arrived in the warm chamber. Cai Xiao did not dare to delay, and quickly moved a chair over, laying three layers of soft cushions on it, and then helped Cai Jing to sit down. Even though he was over seventy, anyone in the court, when facing him, had to be extremely careful. Cai Xiao no longer dared to waste time and quickly explained the matter in detail.
After listening to him, Cai Jing's eyes immediately narrowed. "Who is that Han Mo? Is it that young man the Emperor bestowed the Jade Ruyi upon?" Cai Jing said, tapping the armrest of his chair lightly with his finger.
"It should be him!" Cai Xiao replied quickly.
"Where is Shu Ge'er?" Cai Jing asked again after pondering for a moment.
"He's still in the main hall!" Cai Xiao had no time to deal with this scoundrel. If it weren't for him, how could things have escalated to this point.
"It's cold tonight, send someone to fetch him!"
"What are you looking for him for? I'll deal with his punishment later, see if I don't break his dog legs this time!" Cai Xiao said through gritted teeth.
"What's the use of punishing him now? Can it resolve this matter?" Cai Jing merely glanced at him, and Cai Xiao immediately dared not speak.
"Hurry up and bring that wicked creature here!" Cai Xiao dared not waste any more words and quickly turned to the old butler to give the order.
"Father, the situation has reached this point, how should we resolve it?" Cai Xiao finally said in a low voice after all the servants in the warm chamber had been sent out.
"No rush, we'll make plans after Shu Ge'er arrives!" Even though the house was on fire, Cai Jing still sat calmly, showing no signs of worry.
"Grandfather! Your grandson has caused trouble for Grandfather!" Hearing that his grandfather was looking for him, Cai Shu seemed to come alive. Since he was young, his grandfather had been an omnipotent existence in his eyes. Therefore, as soon as he entered, he knelt on the ground and began to cry.
"Get up and hold back your tears! A man's knees are made of gold, but it's only a mere one million guan copper coins, is it worth you kneeling like this?" Cai Jing not only did not blame him, but even had someone bring him a chair.
"It's cold tonight, get him a bowl of ginger soup."
"Father!" This brat caused such a big problem, and instead of punishing him, he was being given ginger soup. Even Cai Xiao couldn't stand it anymore.
"Enβ" Cai Jing did not answer his question, but instead glared at him and grunted. Cai Xiao immediately dared not speak further, gritted his teeth, stomped his foot, and went outside to order the ginger soup to be prepared.
"No rush, tell me about your senior brother Han Mo. What kind of person is he? Tell me everything you know, including any gossip you've heard!" Cai Jing said to Cai Shu with a smile, instead of being angry. Seeing the smile on Cai Jing's face, Cai Shu finally calmed down a little. Although he didn't know how serious the night's events were, he still recounted everything he knew to Cai Jing with utmost detail, out of trust in him.
"According to you, this person is even admired by the Crown Prince!"
"That day, the Crown Prince spoke with him in the Imperial Academy!" With Cai Jing's smile, Cai Shu finally stabilized himself and began to speak more coherently.
"The Crown Prince spoke with him alone?" Cai Jing's brows furrowed.
"For a good half an hour! When the Crown Prince returned, his eyes were a little red!" Cai Shu tried his best to recall the details of that day.
"Eyes red?" Cai Jing seemed to have grasped the crucial detail.
"That's right! It looked like he had been crying!" Cai Shu tried to recall and confirmed again.
"Where did you think of going to Fanlou tonight?" Cai Jing suddenly changed the subject and asked again.
"Th-this was because your grandson heard that Han Mo and the great scholar Zhou were going to Fanlou for a duel, so your grandson had the idea..." Cai Shu said in a low voice.
"While copying books in the mansion, where did you hear this?" Cai Jing, though still smiling, his expression began to become solemn.
"It-it was my personal attendant Wu Sheng who informed me!" Cai Shu was stunned here. Recalling the scene carefully, he finally realized that he seemed to have been tricked... He had originally just intended to watch the excitement, but it was this fellow named Wu Sheng who, with a casual instigation, directly ignited his anger, so he brought all his money without any hesitation and rushed to Fanlou.
"Good, it seems you've realized it yourself. Then stand behind the screen and finish drinking this bowl of ginger soup. Leave this matter to your grandfather to handle, and you can listen from the side!" Seeing the anger on his face, Cai Jing nodded with satisfaction.
"Yes!" Cai Shu lowered his head in shame and, holding the bowl of ginger soup, walked towards the screen behind Cai Jing. He, who originally thought he was exceptionally clever, suddenly realized that he was truly like a foolish donkey! In his shame, he noticed that a couplet was written on the screen: Act with self-reflection, speak with second thoughts. These eight simple characters were like a thunderclap to him now.
"Master, Wu Sheng has committed suicide by poison..."