Shao Qing was rather anxious, his hands tightly clenched as he confided in Song Jiyun, "It’s been three Shichen since we’ve heard from the Young Master. One can’t fight off four hands with two fists. If anything happens to the Young Master... I... I would never be able to live with the guilt!"
However, Song Jiyun had her own worries. She said, "That Prince Ning, does he really dare to be so reckless and bold? No matter what, Young Master Yuan is the Inspector General, the imperial envoy. If not for the monk, then for the Buddha’s face, wouldn’t he fear the emperor’s reprimand?"
Shao Qing gave a bitter smile and responded, "Perhaps it’s precisely because the Young Master is a close official to the emperor that Prince Ning is deliberately making things difficult for him!"
Upon hearing this, Song Jiyun became increasingly agitated, picked up the tea cup, took a couple of sips, found the tea had cooled and tasted bitter, so she set it down again.
Is there a way to resolve this?
She racked her brains in search of a solution.
Magistrate Jiang left Xu Guangzeng and Deng Chen and walked over.
His expression was somewhat solemn as he spoke in a low voice to Song Jiyun and Shao Qing, "Deng Chen just confirmed it; Prince Ning has come to Liang County. His boat is docked at South Gate Crossing Wharf. Soon, Xu Guangzeng will go to visit Prince Ning, and Deng Chen and I will take some men to the south to see if we can discover anything."
The Changjiang River meanders past Liang County and Jingde Town, the wharf at Liang County is called South Gate Crossing Wharf, and the one at Jingde Town is called Changjiang Wharf. South Gate Crossing Wharf is used by people, Changjiang Wharf by goods. For convenience, the Inspection Division is situated at Changjiang Wharf.
"No wonder we didn’t notice Prince Ning’s arrival in Liang County," Shao Qing said with a frosty look in his eyes as he cursed under his breath.
Magistrate Jiang ignored him and instead said to Song Jiyun, "Miss Song, please take good care of yourself."
Song Jiyun acknowledged, saw off Magistrate Jiang and the others, and asked Nanny Zheng to invite the tailor who often made clothes for their family into the mansion to make new garments.
The women of the Song Family were all gathered in Madam Qian’s room, selecting fabrics, looking at styles, matching colors, and chattering away enthusiastically—no one had the mind to wander around.
Song Jiyun nodded to herself, involuntarily beginning to think about Yuan Yunzhong.
She went to Yinyu Hall.
Shao Qing was pacing back and forth in the courtyard. Upon seeing her, he quickly said, "I’ve arranged everything on my end. As long as Prince Ning’s men don’t pass the Weeping Flower Gate, nobody dares to lay a finger on you."
But what if they did pass the Weeping Flower Gate?
Song Jiyun did not ask such a disheartening question.
She wanted to help find Yuan Yunzhong as quickly as possible and asked Shao Qing, "Didn’t the Young Master show any signs of anything unusual when he received the letter?"
Otherwise, Shao Qing would not have so easily allowed Yuan Yunzhong to stay by himself.
Shao Qing shook his head, "Whenever the Young Master encountered something that displeased him, he would dismiss me in this way. If I had known he was going to leave, I would never have left Yamen."
Song Jiyun sighed, "He has always been headstrong. Even if you had known, you probably couldn’t have stopped him."
As she spoke, she couldn’t help but voice her doubt, "Could Magistrate Jiang be overreacting? Although I am Young Master Yuan’s fiancée, since he has already gone to the appointment, I am of no use to Prince Ning."
"Could it be that Magistrate Jiang is afraid that Prince Ning intends to harm the Young Master and would use me to threaten him?
"But now that the Young Master’s whereabouts are unknown, finding him is the top priority."
Before Song Jiyun finished speaking, her heart skipped a beat.
Unless, Magistrate Jiang felt she could definitely threaten Yuan Yunzhong’s safety!
And Yuan Yunzhong had merely wanted to get Shao Qing out of the way. Why make such an effort to send Shao Qing to her?
Suddenly, she had a bold guess.
Could it be that Yuan Yunzhong did it to protect her?
The more Song Jiyun thought about it, the more she felt this was possible.
Even though Prince Ning was powerful, Yuan Yunzhong was not a nobody. Even if Prince Ning asked to meet Yuan Yunzhong, if he refused, Prince Ning wouldn’t be able to do much to him, at least not immediately.
It was only her, an ordinary civilian, defenseless, whom Prince Ning could target without even having to give an order himself.
She had become Yuan Yunzhong’s weakness.
Song Jiyun couldn’t sit still anymore.
Yuan Yunzhong was proud, aloof, biting in his critiques, and provocative, yet she still wished he could stand in the world with an unclouded gaze and a spirited visage. Not because of her, bound by others due to their grip on his vulnerability.
Song Jiyun thought it over and went to her mother.
She quietly told Madam Qian about Yuan Yunzhong’s situation, pleading, "Please, take good care of my younger sisters for me, I want to go find Young Master Yuan with Shao Qing."
Madam Qian was utterly startled, her voice altered, "Go quickly, go quickly. Young Master Yuan has done a great favor for our Song Family, we cannot be ungrateful. I’ll look after everything at home, and if I can’t decide on something, I’ll seek advice from Nanny Zheng or Steward Wu, and make sure not to hold you back."
Song Jiyun hugged Madam Qian and smiled, "Just keep everyone busy making clothes in your room, that’s all."
Only then did Madam Qian realize her daughter’s intention; she felt both amused and heartbroken, finally clinging tightly to her daughter’s hand.
Shao Qing, learning of Song Jiyun’s decision, strongly objected, "We already have so many people, there’s no need for a frail woman like you to go."
Song Jiyun said, "You can’t think that staying at home is safe, can you? If it were so, why would Magistrate Jiang insist on having you guard me? As you can see, I’m at risk anywhere. Rather than sitting at home, trembling with fear, I’d rather go with you to find him."
Shao Qing also wanted to find Yuan Yunzhong. She argued him into submission in no time, and the two of them entrusted the Song Family affairs to Zheng Quan. Song Jiyun changed into servant boy clothes and quietly left Song Mansion with Shao Qing.
Liang County City was under curfew, and even with the token of a sixth-rank military officer, Song Jiyun and Shao Qing were still hoisted out of the city in baskets.
Shao Qing took Song Jiyun to the Inspection Division to inquire about Magistrate Jiang’s whereabouts. Learning that Magistrate Jiang and Deng Chen had gone to South Mountain, Shao Qing borrowed a horse carriage from the Inspection Division, intending to chase after them with Song Jiyun.
Traveling at night, Song Jiyun found the carriage inconvenient and decided to borrow two tall horses from the Inspection Division, riding towards South Mountain.
Seeing Song Jiyun ride, Shao Qing’s jaw dropped in astonishment. Ignoring the summer wind pouring into his mouth, he shouted, "Boss Song, how can you ride a horse?"
Of course, she knew how from her past life.
Song Jiyun said, "My father hired a master to teach me since I was young."
In those times, horses were controlled as military resources, and having money wasn’t enough to own one.
Shao Qing was even more surprised and asked, "How did your father think to hire a master to teach you horse riding?"
"Maybe because everyone could," Song Jiyun said with an obvious evasive tone.
Shao Qing, persistent, wanted to ask more.
Song Jiyun gently tugged on the horse’s bridle, the horse neighed and lunged forward half its length, quickly leaving Shao Qing behind.
Shao Qing hastily followed, and it wasn’t until they arrived at the foot of South Mountain that they saw torches in the distance. Slowing down, Song Jiyun and Shao Qing headed towards the lights.
Soon, Song Jiyun and Shao Qing saw Magistrate Jiang, Xu Guangzeng, and Deng Chen surrounded by a group of people, standing shoulder to shoulder.
Seeing Song Jiyun on horseback, everyone could hardly conceal their amazement.
Not wanting to explain too much, Song Jiyun dismounted, led the horse towards them, and asked, "Have you found anything?"
Only after she finished speaking did she notice that Magistrate Jiang was holding a piece of bloodstained clothing.
Under the torchlight, the bloodstained clothing with a broken piece of sweet white porcelain amulet was clearly visible.
Song Jiyun’s heart pounded violently; she stepped forward and snatched the bloodstained clothing.
The amulet bore the faint pattern of green bamboo.
This was what Song Jiyun had made for Yuan Yunzhong.
Yuan Yunzhong liked it very much and often used it to hold down the lapel of his right robe.
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