Chapter 186: Casting the Net
On the other side of the winding corridor, Second Madam Pan bowed slightly, looking at Miss Shi, who was surrounded by a group of young ladies, with concern.
“This child is truly rare,” Mrs. Fu said, standing beside Second Madam Pan and sighing as she looked at Miss Shi from afar.
“Look at her, such a good child, but the Young Lord… alas!” Second Madam Pan patted her chest.
Her heart ached.
“It’s fate, I suppose. Fortunately, this child has come to terms with it. It’s good that she has. She’s so good, she’ll be happy no matter who she marries. You should try to come to terms with it too,” Mrs. Fu advised.
“I’m a heartless person. Her mother wrote to me the other day saying that if there’s anyone suitable in Pingjiang Prefecture, I should ask about Sister Qi. She said Jiangnan is a good place and asked me to keep an eye out for her. What do you think!” Second Madam Pan became troubled again.
“It is indeed quite difficult,” Mrs. Fu said, sighing as she thought of Miss Shi’s age.
At this point, finding a marriage match of comparable age, family background, and character was truly not easy.
“Sometimes, I feel so resentful. If he wanted to break off the engagement, why didn’t he do it sooner? Even a year or two earlier! He broke it off so late! Last time, I told him directly in front of the Young Lord, this is clearly an attempt to harm our Eldest Sister!” Second Madam Pan said indignantly.
“What did the Young Lord say?” Mrs. Fu asked.
“He didn’t say anything, just smiled and said it was all his fault.”
“He knows it’s his fault, but that’s no use,” Mrs. Fu said on behalf of Second Madam Pan, then smiled, “Fortunately, Sister Qi has come to terms with it. That’s better than anything.”
“Yes,” Second Madam Pan said, sighing again as she looked at Miss Shi from afar.
What good does coming to terms with it do? Her marriage prospects will still be as difficult as ever!
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A Wu watched the excitement from the inner room of the gatehouse. Before long, it was A Wu’s turn to be on duty.
A Wu’s post was halfway up a rockery. The steward’s instructions were simple: “Stand and watch. Someone will come to relieve you when the time comes.”
A Wu felt that her task was like the palace maids Mei Jie had mentioned. They had no practical use; the palace maids stood on stage to showcase the scale of the opera troupe, and she stood here to showcase the grandeur of the Prince’s Estate.
Her position offered a truly excellent view, taking in the entire imperial banquet.
The banquet was held in front of a five-bay main hall, with a high canopy erected. Descending from the main hall’s steps, four rows of tables and chairs were arranged on each side, low tables and low chairs, with one table for every two people.
A Wu carefully examined the food laid out on the tables.
That large plate in the middle, the more she looked at it, the more it resembled the flatbread from her hometown.
It definitely wasn’t flatbread. How could an imperial banquet serve flatbread!
But if it wasn’t flatbread, then what was it?
Never mind that for now. On the side, there was a dish, which was clearly a plate of large pieces of pork belly. And on that side, a plate of cabbage?
Is this what they eat at imperial banquets?
A Wu lost her appetite.
No wonder A Nan had said with absolute certainty that she wouldn’t come.
As A Wu was looking listlessly, drums and music sounded from both sides of the main hall’s steps, and the officials, sitting upright, suddenly stood up.
A Wu immediately perked up.
The Crown Prince was coming!
As the drums and music swelled, the Crown Prince emerged from the main hall.
A Wu held her breath, her eyes wide, carefully observing the Crown Prince.
He wasn’t old, tall, neither fat nor thin, quite handsome, but still not as good as the Young Lord. He looked quite amiable.
After carefully observing the Crown Prince, A Wu looked behind him.
Two people followed the Crown Prince, one on his left and one on his right. One was about thirty years old. Standing there, he looked as steady as a mountain. He was quite handsome, but still not as good-looking as the Young Lord.
On this side… Huh! It’s not the Young Lord! Who is this? He’s too young, and quite handsome. Huh, where is the Young Lord?
A Wu dared not turn her head presumptuously. She slightly turned her neck, moving her eyeballs to look around, but couldn’t see the Young Lord.
That’s strange, where did the Young Lord go?
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Around noon, the soldiers who had been blockading the streets of Linhai Town began to form ranks and ran towards the wharf in groups.
From the gaps in the doors and windows of the shops on both sides of the street, people watched the soldiers withdraw. They tentatively opened their doors a crack, then wider, and peered out.
At a glance, the street was filled with heads and upper bodies peeking out and looking around.
The merchant caravans, blocked outside the town, rushed in. The shops quickly closed their doors, and while reopening for business, they instructed their shop assistants or ran out themselves to gather information.
What on earth was going on?
At the Zou Family Residence, Wu Miaozhen, who was sitting in the side room, heard the old woman say that the soldiers on the street had withdrawn. She slowly breathed a sigh of relief and ordered the summoning of all the gang’s leaders, big and small, to come immediately.
She had received the news of the search and seizure to be carried out at dawn the previous night. Before the search and seizure arrived, she had meticulously planned every step.
From the Third Leader to the Seventh Leader had been taken away for interrogation by the Young Lord’s men. This was an opportunity the Young Lord had specifically granted her.
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Niu Cheqian’s hands were bound, his head covered with a black cloth. Mixed in with the people from the Jiangnan Silk General Store, he was pushed out by soldiers, loaded onto a cart, then pushed off the cart and confined in a room, one person per room.
Before long, Niu Cheqian was pulled out by the arm, his ropes untied, and the black cloth covering his head was ripped off.
“I apologize for the inconvenience, sir,” Shi Gun said with a smile, cupping his hands towards Niu Cheqian.
“Not at all, not at all, I wouldn’t dare,” Niu Cheqian said, still a bit dazed, quickly cupping his hands in return.
“The Young Lord instructed me to convey his apologies to you. If you were inconvenienced, this is my personal sentiment,” Shi Gun said, smiling and cupping his hands again.
“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare,” Niu Cheqian said, blinking hard to adjust to the bright sunlight.
“Sir, please come with me. The Young Lord has instructed that you be sent back to your villa to recuperate for a few days. The Young Lord said that after he finishes this important matter, he will discuss your future with you,” Shi Gun said, supporting Niu Cheqian and helping him onto a small wooden cart.
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Gu Yan stood in front of the Maritime Tax Bureau’s main gate, watching the people from the Maritime Tax Bureau’s Silk Department, their heads covered with black cloth, being escorted away, along with boxes of account books and other items. They were lined up, people and boxes together, and escorted into a large military camp that had just been set up.
“Can you get them to confess?” Gu Yan turned to look at Huang Xianzhou.
Huang Xianzhou’s face was slightly pale, but his eyes were extremely bright. He held his breath and nodded, “Your subordinate believes he can.”
“Good, then it’s up to you. Don’t rush, make sure to investigate thoroughly!” Gu Yan was in an excellent mood.
“Yes!” Huang Xianzhou bowed deeply.
“Reporting to the Young Lord, He Chengzhe requests an audience, stating he has extremely urgent matters to report in person,” Wang Gui said, running over and reporting with cupped hands.
Gu Yan frowned slightly, then after a moment, he grunted.
