Linjiang Building, second floor elegant room,
Beneath the window, a river of clear water flows.
Zhang Yao leaned against the window, wearing a crimson official robe, the red was so glaring that it made his face look like cold jade.
He lowered his eyes slightly, his long eyelashes casting a small shadow under his eyes, his fingers casually rested on the edge of the tea bowl, and his fingertips tapped the wall of the bowl from time to time.
The emerald green tea in the bowl was rippling, reflecting his handsome yet slightly weary profile, revealing a sense of nonchalant alienation.
"Master, Lord Qin is here." The servant stepped forward and reported in a low voice.
Zhang Yao raised his eyelids and said, "Well, let's have someone serve the wine and food. It's hot, pick something refreshing."
He stood up and looked at Qin Gong who pushed the door open.
Zhang Yao politely said, "Lord Qin looks so energetic and full of spirits. This makes me feel ashamed. I was exhausted from paperwork last night, and this morning, when I looked in the bronze mirror, I could hardly recognize the person with the black eyes."
This was a teasing remark. Qin Gong raised his eyes and said, "Master Zhang, you are too modest. You have worked tirelessly on this case day and night. Your diligence is admirable."
Zhang Yao smiled and they both sat down.
Exquisite Jiangnan side dishes and fine wines soon filled the table.
During the meal, the two drank a few glasses of wine.
Zhang Yao dismissed the attendants and said, "Sir Qin, in this case involving the former prince, every time we investigate to the critical point, something unexpected always happens: assassination, fire, the sudden death of a key witness. Each and every one of these events is too coincidental. There must be someone in the court who is protecting us."
Qin Gong's idea coincided with his. The court today was roughly divided into several forces. One of them was the surrendered ministers of the previous dynasty. Among these ministers, there were good and bad people. Some of them just wanted to live in peace regardless of the new or old court, but there was also a group of people who had other thoughts. Especially when there was a rumor that the prince of the previous dynasty was still alive, these people became even more restless.
It is still a mystery whether the former prince is still alive, but some people may use this news to stir up public opinion.
"Please allow me to ask a question," Zhang Yao suddenly raised his glass of wine and raised it towards Qin Gong from a distance, "Is there any conflict between Lord Qin and the Second Prince?"
Qin Gong nodded without any intention of avoiding the question.
This was no secret, as many people in the court knew about the old incident several years ago. He was ordered to investigate, and only took his personal guards deep into the dangerous area. The Second Prince's men, who were supposed to support him, did not move at the critical moment, and delayed the investigation until he was seriously injured and fell into the countryside, his whereabouts unknown, before they finally arrived.
Qin Gong raised his glass and gently clinked it with the cup in Zhang Yao's hand without saying anything more.
Although the current emperor does not have many children, a few princes are enough to cause fighting. It is not uncommon for princes to form cliques, collude with court officials, and form factions for personal gain.
The two of them talked about official business for a few more words before dropping the topic.
Zhang Yao raised his glass to drink, and heard a few calls from the corner of the private room.
He glanced sideways, and Qin Gong naturally heard it.
"It's a puppy." Zhang Yao said.
The elegant room overlooking the river was Zhang Yao's permanent residence in the capital. He rarely returned home, and his daily life was settled here.
Qin Gong's eyes fell on the fluffy little dog in the servant's arms, a touch of surprise. In his impression, this kind of elegant pet-raising was mostly enjoyed by the women of the inner court. For example, the Duke's wife had three dogs and three cats. Whenever the Duke argued with them, he would inevitably be pounced on by the dogs or scratched by the cats.
He had once kept a dog in his yard. It was an elderly yellow dog that Wen Tang had timidly begged him to bring home when she married four years ago. She had tugged at his sleeve and whispered that it was extremely docile and would never bark or bite anyone.
Although Qin Gong didn't like cats and dogs, he nodded when he saw her timidly and bravely asking him for help.
However, Qin Gong soon discovered that the old yellow dog was not what she had promised. In front of her, he was docile and well-behaved, tilting his head to rub her palm and asking for a pat, looking very cute. But once he left her sight and saw him alone, his expression immediately changed, he would growl and bar his teeth while paddling the ground.
After about a year, the old yellow dog passed away. I returned home late at night, and the courtyard was strangely quiet. I didn't hear the dog barking. As I entered, I saw her wiping tears, the dim candlelight outlining her thin, trembling shoulders.
The servant of the Zhang family was breaking up a piece of soft cake and feeding it to the puppy.
Zhang Yao turned his head and saw Qin Gong's eyes fixed on the dog. The corners of his lips curled up slightly, "Does the master like to keep dogs too?"
"No, it's my wife who likes it."
The beautiful smile on Zhang Yao's face paused for a moment before slowly spreading out, and he said slowly, "So it's because my wife likes it."
"Yes, my wife had one before. It was the same color as the puppy you have here."
"In that case, why don't you take one back with you, Master Qin? This is my Ah Huang's newborn cub. I'm keeping it here just for peace of mind, in case the servants aren't careful enough to take good care of it."
As Zhang Yao spoke, he stood up and walked over. Ah Huang looked very cute, with round eyes. Seeing his owner approaching, he immediately rubbed against him affectionately. Zhang Yao smiled and flicked his forehead with his finger, "Ah Huang, be good. I will find a new owner for the kids in your litter." Ah Huang whimpered softly, seeming puzzled.
Fu Jiu followed beside him and took the puppy from Zhang Yao. The puppy whimpered.
"I'll invite you to have a chat someday," Qin Gong said.
Zhang Yao smiled and bowed, "How dare I, how dare I." After seeing Qin Gong off, he stopped smiling and turned back to the house.
In the elegant room, the remaining seats have not been removed.
Zhang Yao sat alone at the desk, pouring himself a drink and finishing several cups in a row. The wine went down his throat, burning his thoughts.
The safety lock that Qin Gong wore around his waist should have been made by his wife.
Zhang Yao's face showed his usual nonchalance. He drank a few more cups. His cold white skin gradually turned a faint red. He raised his long fingers and rubbed his eyebrows hard.
When Ah Huang saw the outsiders leave, he immediately became lively and circled around his owner's legs, wagging his tail happily.
Knock knock,
There was a knock on the door.
Zhang Yao raised his eyes and saw that the person who came in was his confidant Ah Fu.
Zhang Yao leaned over and took Ah Huang, who was circling around him, into his arms, and gently combed the soft fur on the back of its neck with his fingertips.
"Master," Ah Fu observed his master's expression and said carefully, "You have been staying at Linjiang Tower since returning to the capital. The old lady misses you terribly and has asked about you many times. Will you return home tonight?"
--
After leaving the restaurant,
Fu Jiu held the puppy in her arms and followed the old man, frantically asking, "Grandpa, should we send it to Grandma now?" The puppy was limp and squirmed in his arms.
"At night." Qin Gong got into the carriage.
Fu Jiu understood that Master would take her back personally.
He breathed a sigh of relief, freeing up a bit of his attention. His gaze drifted to the red gold safety lock hanging from the master's waist. He had been pondering this item all morning, and the more he looked at it, the more familiar it looked. It was clearly one of the gifts the Duke's wife had given the master when he was discussing his marriage with the eldest daughter of the Wen family. Back then, the lady had dressed the master up beautifully. The task of buying the girl's favorite snacks, toys, and jewelry fell entirely on Fu Jiu.
God have mercy on him, how could a young boy like him understand these things? The master was even more hands-off and didn't ask about anything. He was the one who sent someone to pick out the safety lock.
What is the uncle wearing this for?
Fu Jiu was stunned.
Fu Jiu wanted to ask something, but before she could open her mouth, she was interrupted by someone who came over to report something. Fu San was taciturn and just took out a letter and handed it to her.
Fu Jiu felt overwhelmed when she saw the familiar envelope.
It's the little princess again. There are a lot of letters this year.
Fu San said, "Master, the little princess sent a message to ask if you were satisfied with the gift she gave you for your last birthday."
"Leave her alone and don't write."
"The little princess said that the emperor has been in poor health recently, and she and I are both thinking of you, hoping that you will come to the palace more often to accompany us..."
Fu Jiu had keenly sensed the sudden chill in the car. She quickly stepped forward to take the letter, then stopped Fu San from continuing to deliver the message.
"Return the letter intact." A cold voice came from the carriage.
Fu Jiu grabbed Fu San's sleeve as he was about to speak, "Remember who your master is."
"I hate unfaithful people."
--
In the back garden of Duke Qin's mansion, summer is in full swing, and the dense shade of the trees creates a cool atmosphere.
Under the shade of a tree, Wen Tang and Su Yi sat opposite each other, with two bowls of freshly delivered iced drinks in front of them to cool them down.
"Can you see it clearly?" Wen Tang asked.
Su Yi, holding the letter, widened his eyes. "Great! There's even an acrostic poem hidden in it."
Wen Tang felt a headache when he saw her looking at the fun, "You, stop watching the fun, this is not a good thing."
"That's not necessarily true. From what I've seen, she's quite good at finding people." Su Yi pointed at the letter. "Here, hold it upright and look at it. Zhang Yao."
"This guy actually wrote back to her." Su Yi, who had read too many storybooks, had bright eyes. "If she hadn't replied, that arrogant fourth girl wouldn't have kept writing letters, and today's letter was so full of affection..."
Su Yi was talking non-stop, completely unaware that Mother Zhou, who was standing beside him, was stunned with astonishment.
Wen Tang's fingertips slowly traced the wall of the cup. After a moment's hesitation, he asked in a low voice, "Am I seeing this correctly?"