Everyone was surprised when Huan Che suddenly stopped.
He stood there for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. After a while, he turned his gaze back toward them.
“Go home and get some rest early. We still have to go out tomorrow.”
With that, he mounted his horse and rode away.
Gu Jiayan was stunned.
Was the prince actually speaking to him and his younger sister?
Xie Jing stared at Huan Che’s retreating figure, his face full of confusion.
That man seemed to be extremely wealthy. His behavior was strange, his martial skills were extraordinary, and he even carried a long saber that looked suspiciously like a Japanese weapon…
Seeing Xie Jing’s expression, Gu Jiayan walked over and patted him on the shoulder.
“Stop staring. He’s just a distant relative of my family. Our family connections are so complicated that you’d need to trace them through a hundred twists and turns to understand.”
In any case, the prince had already left and could not hear what he was saying. Besides, since Huan Che had not given them permission to reveal his identity, Gu Jiayan could only make up an excuse.
Xie Jing looked at him suspiciously.
“Why have I never heard of this relative before? And why are you and Doudou still following him around at a time like this?”
Gu Jiayan sighed.
“You haven’t met all my relatives, have you? You can see for yourself that this one is extremely wealthy. If we take good care of him, perhaps he’ll be willing to spend a fortune helping us get my father out of prison. My father has been accused of the serious crime of colluding with Japanese pirates, but you should know that money can make even ghosts turn a millstone. Still, you mustn’t tell anyone about him. Wealthy people like him have strange tempers. Don’t ruin our plans.”
Gu Yunrong thought her brother was getting better and better at making up stories. He was almost convincing enough to make her believe him.
Xie Jing immediately objected.
“Even so, you can’t let Doudou keep following him around!”
Gu Jiayan gave him a sideways glance. Unfortunately, he had no authority to decide that either.
Who knew what the prince was thinking? In Gu Jiayan’s opinion, the man was hardly a respectable gentleman. He was probably interested in his younger sister.
He would have to keep a close eye on him. He could not let his sister be sweet-talked into anything.
Xie Jing looked toward Gu Yunrong.
He still could not bring himself to give her up. Gu Yunrong probably would not agree to another engagement anytime soon, which meant he still had a chance to think things through and find a way to win her back.
After finally recovering from the earlier shock, Qiutang noticed Gu Yunrong looking around.
“Miss, are you looking for something? Did you drop anything? I’ll help you find it.”
Gu Yunrong had been rather careless since childhood and often misplaced things. Her father and mother had scolded her about it countless times, but it had never helped. Qiutang naturally assumed that her young mistress had lost something again.
Gu Yunrong shook her head.
She had simply thought of something and found it rather puzzling.
Why had those spies fled to this particular place?
Had they come here by accident because they were desperately trying to escape, or was there another reason?
Of course, Huan Che had considered the same possibility.
He had already recognized the men as Japanese spies during the pursuit. After capturing them, he became even more certain.
The Japanese were generally shorter than the people of the Great Dynasty, and their appearances were also somewhat different. Anyone who paid close attention could usually distinguish them.
However, after returning to the residence, Huan Che ordered Wuwu and Nayun to interrogate the captured spies, but they obtained nothing.
Despite Wuwu and Nayun’s precautions, the spies still managed to kill themselves.
In truth, this was not unexpected.
Huan Che had long heard that Japanese spies often committed suicide after being captured to protect their secrets. This was not limited to Japanese spies. Many highly trained agents did the same.
What he could not determine was whether these men had genuinely been caught off guard or whether they had deliberately allowed themselves to be captured.
Huan Che’s gaze grew thoughtful.
His decision to go out that night had been completely spontaneous. No one could have predicted it.
Although Listening to the Maples Retreat had been arranged by the officials as his temporary residence, every guard stationed inside and outside had been brought by him personally. The spies were not as skilled as trained warriors, and from the brief fight, he could tell that their abilities were rather ordinary.
They would never have dared to risk entering the residence.
That left only two possibilities.
The first was that the spies had been monitoring his movements from somewhere near Listening to the Maples Retreat, and he had simply happened to encounter them that night.
The second was that they had been carrying out an entirely different mission.
If it was the first possibility, he had nothing to worry about. He already knew that several groups had been secretly watching him ever since he arrived in Zhejiang.
But if the second possibility was true, things could become troublesome.
After thinking for a moment, he suddenly gave an order.
“Investigate everyone living within a ten-li radius of the Gu family residence. Be as thorough as possible. Once the investigation is complete, organize the information into a list and submit it to me.”
Wuwu and Nayun answered in unison.
After giving those instructions, Huan Che asked about their progress in gathering evidence.
Wuwu presented several reports.
“We originally intended to collect more evidence before showing it to Your Highness. Since you’ve asked about it, we’ll submit what we’ve gathered so far for your review.”
Back in the capital, Huan Che had instructed them that their first task after arriving in Zhejiang was to investigate corruption among officials in Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong, especially corruption within the military.
The deeper they investigated, the more shocking the truth became.
While the soldiers were risking their lives on the battlefield, some cunning officials and wealthy merchants were secretly betraying their own country. They were helping the enemy invade, allowing them to slaughter and rob their own people!
Even Nayun, who usually wore an expressionless face, was filled with anger. Wuwu was equally furious.
However, the prince had said that the time was not yet right to deal with these people. They could only continue gathering evidence and prepare for the day when he would restore order and set things right.
Huan Che put the reports away and waved for Wuwu and Nayun to leave.
Then he returned to his bedroom.
The Crown Prince had been very busy since Huan Che’s departure for Zhejiang. Although Huan Che had indeed been handed a difficult assignment, the Crown Prince himself could not figure out their father’s true intentions and was still trying to understand them.
Of course, the Crown Prince was not the only one occupied with such thoughts.
Huan Che lowered his eyes slightly and glanced at the protective amulet hanging against his chest.
No matter who his enemies were, he could face them calmly.
The most terrifying ordeal had already passed. There was nothing left for him to fear.
Perhaps his greatest enemy was himself.
Gu Yunrong woke up very early the next morning.
With so many things weighing on her mind, she had barely been able to sleep anyway.
Huan Che had said that she and her brother would accompany him that day and the following day, but he had not said whether they would continue traveling with him afterward.
That meant she might not have another chance to see him once these two days were over.
His attention was clearly occupied by other matters, and she had no idea when he would finally conclude the investigation. As long as Gu Tongfu remained in prison, she could not truly feel at ease.
She had missed her opportunity the previous day. She needed to make the most of these two days.
The day before, Huan Che had asked Gu Jiayan many questions.
For example, were the daily food allowances provided to students at the government-run prefectural schools issued on time? Were the winter and summer clothing allowances distributed every year as required?
Were the rankings in the annual examinations and the regular school examinations fair?
Were the city walls and defensive structures of Hangzhou Prefecture and its subordinate counties repaired and reinforced every year?
His questions covered a wide range of matters, from small administrative details to major public affairs.
When Gu Yunrong watched her brother answering, she noticed that his expression had become even more respectful. It seemed that his opinion of Huan Che had improved somewhat.
However, that morning, while they were riding in the carriage, Gu Jiayan still reminded her to remain cautious around the prince.
Unable to understand why, Gu Yunrong asked him.
“Yesterday, I saw how seriously he asked those questions. They were all relevant and showed that he understood the problems. I admit that my opinion of him has improved a little. But even if he really came here to investigate the people’s living conditions, that doesn’t prove he isn’t a womanizer.” Gu Jiayan looked at her as though he could not believe how naive she was. “Little Sister, you haven’t experienced much of the world. You’re exactly the kind of girl who could easily be deceived by a man with such a charming appearance.”
Gu Yunrong lowered her head.
All she wanted now was for the case to be settled as soon as possible so she could stay away from Huan Che.
Their first destination that day was the city moat. Afterward, they visited an area near the silkworm houses belonging to local farmers.
Zhejiang was one of the country’s major silk-producing regions.
At least half of the silk sold throughout the empire came from Jiangnan, and much of the silk produced in Jiangnan came from Zhejiang.
Even the silk used by the imperial weaving and dyeing bureau to make fabrics for the royal family was largely supplied by Zhejiang.
The region was filled with mulberry farmers, and rows of silkworm houses stretched across the countryside. Since it was the season when people began raising spring silkworms, women could be seen hurrying about everywhere, tending to the silkworms and gathering mulberry leaves.
Huan Che asked Gu Yunrong several questions about the local silk industry, including how mulberry farmers raised silkworms, sold their silk, and supplied the weaving workshops.
Gu Yunrong could answer some questions, but not all of them.
She usually did some embroidery and other needlework. Although she did not need to earn money by sewing, the Gu family was not particularly wealthy.
Small household items such as embroidered sachets and pouches, as well as some everyday clothes, were made by the maids and the women of the family themselves.
Because Gu Yunrong possessed these skills, she had made all sorts of pouches and small bags for Huan Che after marrying him in her previous life.
She had even pricked her fingers countless times while making them.
However, perhaps because she gave him gifts too frequently, he eventually became annoyed and directly told her not to make such things for him anymore.
Gu Yunrong sighed inwardly.
Some memories were simply too painful to revisit.
If she could not win his affection, there was no point in continuing to try.
Fortunately, once the case was settled, she would no longer have to deal with him.
For now, however, she would have to endure it a little longer.
Since she had been unable to answer some of his questions, Gu Yunrong volunteered to ask the local women who raised silkworms and report back to him.
She had a little plan of her own.
If she performed well and satisfied Huan Che, she might be able to use the opportunity to bring up Gu Tongfu’s case. She wanted to find out when he intended to interrogate her father.
Huan Che glanced at her and nodded in agreement.
Watching his younger sister, Gu Jiayan gritted his teeth.
He almost wanted to grab her by the collar and pull her back.
Had this little girl actually fallen for the prince?
Silkworm houses were usually managed by women, so Gu Yunrong had no difficulty approaching them.
At first, she was worried that the women would not be willing to answer questions from someone they did not know.
To her surprise, everything went exceptionally smoothly.
Not only did they answer all her questions in great detail, but they also crowded around her, eager to strike up a conversation.
At first, Gu Yunrong did not understand why they were so enthusiastic.
But after noticing that the women kept glancing over her shoulder toward the young man standing beside the mulberry grove, she finally understood.
While chatting with her, the women were also trying to find out who the handsome young man behind her was.
Gu Yunrong turned around and glanced at him.
Her elder brother was also a handsome young man with a graceful appearance. However, whenever he stood beside Huan Che, he became little more than part of the background.
Even the Crown Prince disliked standing beside his younger brother for the same reason. Huan Che’s appearance made everyone around him seem less impressive.
The women were obviously asking about Huan Che.
Since he was standing some distance away and probably could not hear them, Gu Yunrong casually told them that he was a relative of hers.
Some of the older women continued questioning her.
Which family did the young man belong to? Was he already married?
It was obvious that they were asking on behalf of unmarried younger relatives in their own families.
Gu Yunrong was overwhelmed by their questions. Once she had gathered the information Huan Che wanted, she quickly stood up and took her leave.
Before she could even reach Huan Che, she saw several women carrying bamboo baskets approaching from behind.
They were mulberry gatherers, and before they had even reached the grove, they began singing a traditional mulberry-picking song.
As they passed Huan Che, they deliberately slowed down. Their singing became even more melodious and graceful, and they seemed to be deliberately gathering closer to him.
The trees cast deep shadows, while their songs drifted through the air.
Their soft Wu dialect voices were gentle and sweet, carrying a warm, flirtatious charm.
Nayun, who was dressed like an ordinary servant, silently glanced at his master’s unpleasant expression.
Then he calmly turned his head away and continued standing with his eyes lowered.
It seemed that His Highness was being flirted with.
Before Gu Yunrong could even greet Huan Che, he asked in an unfriendly tone,
“What did you tell those women?”
Gu Yunrong did not dare admit that she had casually mentioned he was unmarried.
“I only asked them the questions you instructed me to ask. Thanks to your good fortune, I managed to get answers to everything.”
Huan Che had been traveling incognito, so he had allowed the siblings to address him more casually in private.
He found the last part of her answer rather strange.
“What do you mean by ‘thanks to my good fortune’?”
Gu Yunrong thought to herself that it would be more accurate to say it was thanks to his handsome face.
However, what she said aloud was,
“They originally weren’t willing to tell me anything. But once they learned that I had come here with you, they were immediately intimidated by your authority and told me everything.”
“And why did they gather around me and start singing?”
“They probably recognized that you were an important person and wanted to welcome you.”
Gu Yunrong said this with a perfectly straight face.
Gu Jiayan’s mouth twitched.
His younger sister really had the nerve to say such things.
Gu Yunrong honestly reported everything she had learned to Huan Che.
When she saw that he did not respond, she lowered her head and stood quietly, looking as obedient as possible.
As Huan Che considered the information, his gaze briefly passed over her.
The young woman stood quietly in front of him with her head lowered, revealing a delicate, pale stretch of skin at the back of her neck.
His gaze suddenly stopped.
An image from that strange dream flashed through his mind.
He was holding Gu Yunrong in his arms, and when his warm breath brushed against the back of her neck, she suddenly let out a soft cry before breaking into laughter.
She kept pushing him away with her hands, speaking in a breathless, muffled voice.
“It’s so ticklish! Don’t… don’t rub there…”
Apparently, the back of her neck was especially sensitive.
For some inexplicable reason, Huan Che suddenly felt an urge to reach out and tickle her there, just to see whether she was truly as sensitive as she had been in his dream.
When he finally came back to his senses, he realized what he had just been thinking.
He began to wonder whether something was wrong with him.
Strangely enough, after seeing Gu Yunrong the previous evening, he had not dreamed that dream again. In fact, he had managed to enjoy a rare, peaceful night’s sleep afterward.
Afterward, the group went to a nearby coastal wharf.
Although the Great Dynasty had issued a maritime prohibition at the beginning of its founding, the amount of farmland in Jiangnan was limited. For hundreds of years, coastal residents had depended on the sea for their livelihoods.
In practice, the imperial court allowed fishing and coastal trade. What it prohibited was long-distance overseas travel and trade with foreign countries.
This time, Gu Yunrong was not needed.
The wharf was crowded and noisy, so she decided to stay inside the carriage with Qiutang while waiting for Huan Che and Gu Jiayan to return.
The two chatted for a while. At one point, Qiutang casually lifted the carriage curtain to see whether the prince and the young master had returned.
But the moment she turned her head, she let out a quiet gasp.
Gu Yunrong followed her gaze and froze.
Among the bustling crowd, she saw Kou Hu.
He was the man who had nearly abducted her in her previous life and forced her into becoming his concubine.
In her previous life, Kou Hu had driven her into such a desperate situation that she eventually took advantage of an opportunity to become intimate with Huan Che.
Although she had been deeply in love with Huan Che, she had also been fully aware of the enormous gap between their positions and the complicated nature of life in the imperial palace.
Giving herself to Huan Che had actually been a risky decision.
After they had been intimate, Huan Che had completely regained his composure. She had told him about Kou Hu, and after thinking briefly, he had given her eight simple words.
Do not worry. I will take care of everything.
His voice had been calm and emotionless, but those words had immediately made her feel as though the clouds had parted and the sun had finally appeared.
She had felt completely at ease.
After returning home, she had never seen Kou Hu again. It was as though the man had vanished from the face of the earth.
Later, the Gu family moved to the capital, and she gradually put the matter behind her.
But the Kou Hu standing before her now was still only a relatively influential minor leader in the canal transport trade. He was not particularly well-known, and only the people living nearby knew how wicked he was.
Three years later, however, no one knew how he had managed it, but Kou Hu had become the supreme leader of several major wharves. His influence extended across Qiantang County and several neighboring counties.
Gu Yunrong immediately turned her face away.
Aside from dealing with her father’s case, she also needed to think carefully about how to handle Kou Hu.
Otherwise, wouldn’t she simply be repeating the tragedy of her previous life?
Kou Hu was notorious in the surrounding area, and Qiutang recognized him as well. Frightened, she quickly released the carriage curtain and pulled her hand back.
Although she had only lifted the curtain for a brief moment, Huan Che, who was returning from a distance, had already noticed.
His eyesight was excellent. Even in the fading light of the setting sun, he could clearly see Gu Yunrong’s reaction as she sat beside Qiutang.
Her expression had been filled with terror, as though she had suddenly seen some terrifying monster.
He immediately followed the direction of her gaze.
There, he saw a burly man with dark skin and heavily muscled arms. Judging by his clothing, the man appeared to be a canal transport boatman.
Whether intentionally or by coincidence, the boatman glanced toward Huan Che and the Gu family’s carriage before looking away again.
Huan Che’s expression darkened.