The candlelight flickered. The Old Duke listened, his deeply wrinkled face showing no trace of surprise, only his weathered eyes growing even deeper, like the cold depths of an ancient well.
He had guessed it as well. In this capital, who else but the princes and imperial princes coveting the throne would have the courage and the means to abduct the duke’s residence legitimate grandson? And with such ruthless methods, the prime suspect was Prince Duan Zhao Sheng, who had been rising in prominence lately and had shown displeasure after repeatedly failing to win them over.
Father and son exchanged a glance and remained silent. All along, Duke Zhenguo’s Residence had been staunch royalists, never participating in the struggles among the princes. Now it seemed they had been bullied right to their doorstep and could no longer avoid being drawn into the fight for the succession.
The Old Duke slowly let out a turbid breath, his fingertips tapping the rosewood desktop with dull thuds. “Since we cannot avoid it, we can only meet it head-on. Lin’er,”
“Father, please give your orders.” Chu Lin rose and bowed in acknowledgment.
“Post guards to secretly keep a close watch on every move at Prince Duan’s Residence… his dealings with court officials, especially military officers. And your second brother, Chu Yun…”
A flicker of guilt toward his eldest son passed through the Old Duke’s eyes. “After he moves to the old residence, secretly watch those who come into contact with him and investigate them thoroughly. I want to see just how deep he has sunk!”
“Yes, your son understands.” Chu Lin nodded, then added, “As for the gold-flecked paper used for the envelope, it only circulates among the households of the powerful and noble. I will secretly send people to trace the source of the paper… it should be a lead after all.”
“Mm, be cautious, and do not startle the snake.” The Old Duke nodded, approval showing in his eyes. “Prince Duan holds great power. Though His Majesty is in the prime of his reign, he relies on him heavily. We must plan carefully before acting… do not move rashly.”
“Your son understands.”
…
Pingyang Marquis Residence, the study.
Shen Ji was flipping through the account ledgers and documents Zhong Bo had sent over with some irritation when light footsteps sounded outside the door.
“My Lord Heir.” Shuo Feng’s voice came from outside the door. It had been over a month, and he could already move about… his injuries seemed to have healed well.
“Enter.”
Shuo Feng pushed the door open and stepped in. He wore a moon-white long robe, and the bruises on his face had mostly faded. The youth was as fair as jade, radiant and brilliant.
Having escaped his former miserable circumstances, though still thin, his entire bearing was completely different… far removed from the pitiful little wretch in Shen Ji’s memory. Suppressing the surprise in his eyes, Shen Ji looked up and turned a questioning gaze toward Shuo Feng.
Shuo Feng stepped forward and made a deep bow to Shen Ji. “Shuo Feng thanks the Heir for the life-saving grace. Now that my injuries have healed, I wish to do everything in my power to repay the Heir’s kindness.”
Shen Ji set down the account ledgers in his hand, his gaze resting on him as he fell into thought.
A flicker of complexity passed through Shuo Feng’s eyes, pain and hatred intertwined. After a pause, he spoke in a low voice: “To be frank with the Heir, my real name is Li Wenruo. I was originally the youngest son of the Li family, imperial merchants of Jiangnan.”
He took a deep breath and slowly recounted that blood-deep grudge: “It was only because Prefect Wang Youcai coveted the Li family’s wealth accumulated over generations, and relied on the fact that his sister was a favored concubine of Prince Li, that he schemed against us. He falsely accused the Li family of substituting inferior silk for the tribute goods and even concealing rebellious patterns within them… His Majesty flew into a rage, and the Li family was immediately stripped of their property and exiled. My parents and elder brothers all died with their grievances unredressed… I was sold from place to place, and in the end, I ended up at South Wind House, taking the name Shuo Feng.”
Though he tried his utmost to remain calm, tears could not stop falling from his eyes. He had been a pampered young master, but in a single day, he had fallen into the mire and had nearly died miserably in a mine.
“Before the Li family fell, I had already begun learning to manage the family property early on, following my father and elder brother. I had a hand in shops and properties in both Jiangnan and the capital… and I earned considerable praise from my father and brother.” Shuo Feng looked at Shen Ji, his gaze earnest and resolute. “The Heir has shown me great kindness. Wenruo has nothing to repay it with. If the Heir does not disdain me, Wenruo is willing to do his utmost to manage the Marquis Residence’s property for the Heir and will never fail the Heir’s trust!”
“Good.” Shen Ji did not hesitate at all. He was in need of someone to reorganize the Marquis Residence’s property, which Lady Liu had hollowed out by nearly half, and he needed even more to establish his own eyes and ears in the capital to monitor the movements of Prince Duan and the Liu family.
He directly handed the stack of account ledgers in his hand over to him. He then called for Zhong Bo and instructed that from then on, Wenruo… the name Shuo Feng to be forgotten like a past life… would take over the Marquis Residence’s property, while Zhong Bo would only need to manage the household well.
Zhong Bo readily agreed. After all, he was already at the age for enjoying his grandchildren, and being temporarily pulled in by Shen Ji to manage the Marquis Residence again was somewhat taxing for him. Wenruo, meanwhile, bowed repeatedly, thanking Shen Ji again and again for his trust and vowing to manage the Marquis Residence’s property well and handle the tasks the Heir assigned.
Shen Ji dismissed Zhong Bo with a wave. After pondering for a moment, he spoke: “Aside from managing the property, I want you to use commerce as a cover to gradually spread and establish hidden posts throughout the capital, keeping a close watch on the movements of Prince Duan’s Residence and the Liu family. Can you do it?”
A sharp gleam flashed in Li Wenruo’s eyes as he instantly understood Shen Ji’s deeper intent. He nodded solemnly. “Wenruo understands! I will see this done. Please rest assured, my Lord Heir.”
“Go on, then.” Shen Ji waved his hand.
Wenruo bowed once more, then turned and withdrew from the study. It was as if he had returned to the confident, flamboyant young man he had been before leaving home… his steps firm, his bearing tall and straight.
Shen Ji simply lay back at his leisure. With both inside and outside the residence no longer requiring his worry, as for the original owner’s grievances, he could take his time. It was rare to get a fresh start in a new world… what harm was there in stealing a moment of leisure?
…
Duke Zhenguo’s Residence
The guard secretly watching Chu Yun sent word that he had seen him sneak off to visit Prince Duan’s Residence in the evening.