The sword was drawn. "Zijin, Mutong is still alive and well..."
Kang, the wife of Zhou Quan, the Vice Minister of Revenue, enjoyed collecting paintings and would sometimes play the zither and listen to the rain in her spare time. She would also visit tailors and jewelry shops to select fashionable fabrics and accessories. Everyone in the capital, the imperial court, and the palace knew of Zhou Quan's love for his wife. He devoted most of his monthly salary, along the route he took from the palace back home, to the people of the Great Xia.
He would buy some of the most popular pastries in the capital at the time, then go to Shuiyunlou to order a meal that Kangxi liked, and if he happened to meet a flower girl, he would buy a few bouquets of flowers, which he would then take home to present to the "beautiful lady" in the "golden house".
On this day, which happened to be Kang's birthday, he requested leave from the palace and sincerely invited his colleagues and their families to a tea ceremony and painting appreciation event at his residence. Zhou Quan said that scholars and artists were also welcome to participate. The emperor, having grown accustomed to Kang's temperament over the years, instructed the empress, who in turn sent her head maid, Qingpai, to deliver birthday gifts.
In May, at the turn of spring and summer, all the flowers were in full bloom. The Kang family had their treasured paintings, collected over many years from all over the country, arranged in separate inner and outer courtyards by their maids and servants, and displayed in the garden, accompanied by fine wine and delicacies. In the garden was a clear pond, its water flowing into winding fishponds made of bluestone, extending all the way to the feet of the guests. The sound of the flowing water was crisp and pleasant, and several fish darted about. With beautiful paintings to admire, it was a truly delightful experience.
As noon approached and the sun shone brightly, the guests had finished their meal and drinks in the pavilion in the garden. The men in the front courtyard were getting tipsy, while the women in the back garden were beginning to doze off. Suddenly, a maid rushed in, her face panicked: "Madam, something has happened in the front courtyard."
The female guests turned their gazes over, and Madam Kang gave them a tender look to reassure them. Then, she frowned and asked the maid, "What's the rush? Isn't the master in the front yard? Even if the sky falls, the men in the courtyard will hold it up. We women should just stay quietly in the back garden."
The maid's face was flushed. In the sunlight, all the other women could see was her wiping the sweat from her forehead as she hurriedly said, "Just now, a young man claiming to be a chivalrous knight-errant came and wanted to exchange a painting for another. The master was a little tipsy after being pampered by the Left Censor-in-Chief. In his excitement, the master waved his hand and, without even looking at the painting the knight-errant brought, gave him the painting of a beauty holding a pipa and admiring flowers that you, Madam, had acquired a few days ago. After that, some people wanted to see what kind of painting the master had exchanged for, so the servants in the manor presented it to him."
"It would have been better if he hadn't looked at it. Once he did, the master wanted to smash the painting with a knife. I saw him snatch the butcher's knife from the cook who was watching the commotion in the front yard and faint in front of the painting. He must have been drunk to be unconscious!" The maid, her face flushed under the sun, described the scene vividly.
"Ah!" Madam Kang exclaimed in surprise upon hearing this, and abruptly stood up, saying, "Quickly, have you gone to fetch a doctor? Where is the master now?" As she spoke, Madam Kang was about to walk out.
The maid waved her hands repeatedly: "No, no. Madam, the point is the painting. According to the master's colleagues present, it was painted by the old Duke of Dingguo of the Qin family. The painting depicts the four great families riding horses together, gazing at the distant mountains. Some say it is a painting of ascending to a high place and looking into the distance. The painting also features the late emperor! And the master's colleagues said that there is a title on the painting, something like... 'The Four Swordsmen'!"
The four great families, plus the late emperor, the female guests whispered among themselves. Who else could they be? The Jiang family, the Chu family, the Qin family, and the Luo family. This painting, appearing out of nowhere after ten years, and the connection to the Star Gazing Tower incident, made them wonder if someone from the Qin family was still alive.
Ten years of lying low, just to seek justice? Or to disrupt the capital?
This time, it was Kang's turn to roll her eyes and faint.
The Zhou residence was thrown into chaos in an instant, like ants on a hot pan. Some people rushed forward to inquire about Kang Shi and take charge of the situation, while others took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention and slipped away.
At the Liang residence, Liang Shuwen, a large blister on his lip, sighed repeatedly as he sipped his tea. A servant, sweating profusely, rushed over and whispered something in his ear. Liang Shuwen's hand trembled, and the teacup fell to the ground, shattering and spilling across the room.
Liang Xu walked in with his hands behind his back and a gloomy expression.
Because Gao Jian died suddenly in prison, he was accused of negligence in guarding him and was removed from his position as commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, becoming the second-in-command, the deputy commander.
He had once been merely a junior commander, but through his meritorious service in capturing the heir of the Duke of Dingguo, and through his cautious actions in the capital over the years, he had risen to the rank of commander. Now, however, he had fallen into the mire, becoming a subordinate, watching the newly appointed Marquis of Jingning, who was making a big show of his newfound power, become his constant superior. Recalling the Marquis of Jingning who had been so arrogant yesterday, and the subordinates who had fawned over him and invited him boating and drinking when he was in power, his face darkened even further.
Liang Xu's hair was disheveled, his eyes bloodshot, and he was still wearing his official duty uniform. He had clearly rushed back to the manor and hadn't gone anywhere else, heading straight for the main courtyard. A servant glanced at him, observing his every move. He raised his eyes and shouted sharply, "Get out—"
A servant, shivering, was about to retreat when he was kicked in the chest and couldn't get up from the pain.
Liang Shuwen rose shakily to his feet: "Son! You can't do that!"
“My son! When you leave the manor, you should increase the number of guards. Bai’er’s death was suspicious back then, and I haven’t slept well for years, fearing that someone would come looking for revenge. There might still be some members of the Qin family who have escaped the net! It’s not impossible that they could be imposters.”
Liang Xu sneered: "It doesn't matter. We'll kill them one by one."
Liang Shuwen pondered for a long time: "My son! What if it were the Crown Prince!"
After the rain, the sky cleared and the weather was excellent. Inside the Listening to the Rain Pavilion of the Luo Mansion, Qin Weixi ordered the servants to move the small desk to the courtyard.
Seeing the young woman quietly painting under the sun, Feng Hua didn't disturb her. He ate some sweet pastry beside her and occasionally served her tea. After about half a cup of tea's time, Feng Hua stood up with the sweet pastry in his hand and saw that the outline the young woman was gradually sketching on the silk paper was actually a man with a square face.
The courtyard was extremely quiet. Qin Weixi slowly drew everything from her memory onto the silk paper. She was drawing what she had seen at Jingyun Temple that day: the young man wearing a bamboo hat and exuding a murderous aura, and the man dressed in coarse cloth who was acting suspiciously.
Suddenly, a woman wearing a veiled hat and with her face covered by white gauze walked in through the small gate of the Luo residence. The guards at the gate did not stop her.
"Miss!" Qin Weixi and Feng Hua, who were in the courtyard, heard this voice very clearly.
"Sister Song!" Feng Hua hurriedly got up to look, her voice filled with excitement.
Zijin?
Qin Weixi suddenly put down his pen.
Song Zijin, carrying a small bundle on her back, took off her veil and the bundle, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She smiled and bowed to Qin Weixi, who immediately pulled her up.
Song Zijin turned to Feng Hua: "Do you have any water to drink? You've been parched all the way here. You left in winter and only returned in early summer. Did you miss me?"
Feng Hua nodded with a smile: "I'll get it for Sister Song right away." She hurriedly went off.
Looking at Qin Weixi's face, she saw a genuine smile: "Zijin, you're back."
Song Zijin blinked, opened the bundle placed on the small stool, and took out a large stack of silver notes.
When Feng Hua returned with the water, she stared at it in disbelief: "Good heavens, Sister Song, aren't you afraid some thief will steal it from you?"
Song Zijin patted his chest and laughed heartily: "With the soul of the wooden child protecting me, who would dare to rob me? This is this year's local profit. Apart from what you said about donating to the temple and helping the poor, Zijin brought it all back."
During his ten years in Jiangnan, Qin Weixi, with the help of the Luo family and his maternal grandfather Xiao, opened many teahouses and taverns throughout the Great Xia Dynasty. Based on his fragmented memories from his childhood and his elder brother's description, he drew a portrait of Lu Yu and then left her portrait in various places, all in an attempt to find her. The owners of the taverns were mostly members of the Luo family, loyal servants who had worked for the Qin family and were not affected by the scandal, and members of the Xiao family.
As teahouses and taverns began to open, Feng Hua recounted the late emperor's strict order against engaging in commerce, which had caused Pu Niang some worry. But Qin Weixi said, "We've lost our home, so why should we care about those things?"
Footsteps approached from afar, and the three people inside saw Pu Niang and Luo Yuan hurrying into the courtyard, one after the other, with smiles they had never seen before on their faces.
Qin Weixi rushed over to greet him.
Luo Yuan smiled, a rare sight: "Miss, it's done!"
Then Pu Niang and Luo Yuan looked at Song Zijin, who had just returned to the capital. Pu Niang said, "Miss Zijin is back. Why don't we prepare some wine and dishes today? I will cook myself. After Young Master finishes his work, we can all have a small reunion dinner together."
Everyone looked at Qin Weixi, who smiled and nodded. Feng Hua clapped her hands: "Then I'll go buy some wine."
Pu Niang laughed and scolded, "You greedy monkey, you're not going to buy wine at all, I think you clearly want to buy some snacks."
Feng Hua glared at her angrily, while Zi Jin laughed heartily beside her.
Luo Yuan was about to bow and leave when he suddenly caught a glimpse of the painting on his desk under the sunlight. Because of the square face in the painting, he couldn't help but take another look.
Qin Weixi took note: "What's wrong, Brother Luo?"
Luo Yuan stared at it for a while, then shook his head: "I just feel that it looks somewhat familiar."
Qin Weixi was taken aback: "You've seen it?"
Luo Yuandao said, "At first glance, he does look somewhat like Prince Jing, but not quite."
Prince Jing.
Qin Weixi's mind raced, and he suddenly remembered the time when Chu Yening and Tao Qingyun were arguing about Prince Jing at Xiaguang Peak.
She shuddered violently.
In an instant, she said to Luo Yuan, "Thank you for your trouble, Brother Luo. You can go down now."
Seeing that she was suddenly distracted, Pu Niang helped her to the rose chair in the courtyard.
Upon seeing this, Song Zijin frowned and walked over to ask, "Miss, what's wrong?"
Qin Weixi snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at her. Song Zijin placed a hand on Qin Weixi's forehead and mumbled, "Are you sick? No!"
Qin Weixi pulled himself out of the chaos and looked at her, saying, "Zijin, I have something to tell you. Mutong is still alive."
This time, Song Zijin trembled violently, her eyes widening in astonishment. Her once rosy face turned deathly pale, and her teeth chattered.
“Miss…you…what did you say?” Song Zijin forced a smile: “Miss, you…you’re joking, aren’t you? Are you having another nightmare?” She spoke haltingly, her voice trembling slightly.
Qin Weixi stared at her intently, taking the icy coldness in her hand with one hand.
"Zijin, Mutong is still alive. He is still living peacefully in this world."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
