After Rescuing The Sickly White Moonlight - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Liang Yi’an sent over some easily digestible food. Although the group wasn’t particularly hungry, they couldn’t resist taking a few bites when it was placed before them.

“Since we know this isn’t a plague, things are much simpler. Rest for a day, and the day after tomorrow, I’ll send men to escort you back,” Liang Yi’an said. He took a sip of the tea Lin Yu had brewed, stiffened, and set the cup down with a hesitant expression. “Xiao Yu… you put a bit too many tea leaves in this. You won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

Lin Yu, confused, took a sip himself. It was so concentrated it was bitter. He quickly stopped Zheng Qingyun, who was about to try it: “Don’t drink this, or you’ll be up all night.”

Zheng Qingyun: “Oh.” He obediently put the cup down.

Coo-coo—

A pigeon landed on the wooden windowsill, a small bamboo tube tied to its leg. Liang Yi’an took the tube and shook out the letter.

Zheng Yanzhang hadn’t written much, just a few lines summarizing his conversation with Zheng Heng. Combined with what Li Su and Li Xiu had overheard that night, they managed to piece together the events of years past.

Back then, Suo Lou and Zheng Heng had served together guarding the border in Suzhou. For reasons unknown, they had a falling out. Suo Lou ordered his subordinates to embezzle grain and fodder, attempting to cut off Zheng Heng’s supplies on the battlefield. However, Zheng Zhili’s sudden illness disrupted the plan. When the Emperor ordered Suo Lou to lead the troops instead, Suo Lou ended up sabotaging himself, nearly dying in the process. The twenty-seven survivors, unaware that Suo Lou had caused the deaths of their brothers, remained loyal to him. Suo Lou shifted the blame onto Liu Yang’s elder brother, securing his own place in the imperial court.

Later, when Liang Jin ascended the throne, Suo Lou’s niece, Lady Zhang, became the Imperial Concubine and gave birth to the Second Prince. Suo Lou’s status soared, and he sought to join forces with the Prince of Yin to ruin the Zheng family, unseat the Crown Prince, and pave the way for the Second Prince.

Lin Yu thought to himself that the “epidemic” in the three southern cities was likely a trap set for the Crown Prince. In his first life, the Crown Prince had been sent south to “cool off” by the Emperor, only to discover the plague. His reports were obstructed by Suo Lou’s faction, leading to the loss of evidence. Ultimately, while the Prince of Yin was found negligent, he was merely moved to a different fief to continue his life of luxury.

In this life, they hadn’t expected the plan to be disrupted. Liang Yi’an’s relationship with the Emperor remained steady, the bond between the Zheng family and the Crown Prince was unbreakable, the Prince of Yin had been exposed early and punished, and Suo Lou had also been reprimanded. However, the remnants of the Prince of Yin’s faction remained, which is why the poisoning incident still occurred.

Linking his past and present lives, Lin Yu couldn’t help but marvel at the “butterfly effect.”

Just as Zheng Qingyun was about to speak, his throat itched. He gave a light cough, only to spit out a small mouthful of blood. Lin Yu, who had been lost in thought, was scared half to death. He lunged forward, grabbing Qingyun’s hand to check his pulse.

Liang Yi’an, Cheng Yizhong, and Zheng Zhili were also startled. Lin Yu had taken such good care of him lately; other than the day they discovered the poisoning, Qingyun hadn’t coughed up blood since. Liang Yi’an hurriedly called for a physician. The room became a chaotic blur of activity.

Lin Yu carefully wiped the blood from the corner of Qingyun’s mouth, but he noticed that despite the blood, Qingyun’s complexion wasn’t bad. His pulse was normal—weak as always, but stable. He began to doubt himself until the Imperial Physician finished the examination.

Under the immense pressure of everyone’s stares, the physician finally spoke: “The Young Master is fine. Coughing up blood is simply the body’s way of clearing out waste. Sometimes, spitting blood isn’t necessarily a bad sign. There is no need for such tension.”

Everyone exhaled in unison. Zheng Qingyun coughed twice and said, “Really, you don’t need to be so nervous about me.”

Liang Yi’an tapped him on the head. “You child… fine. Don’t worry about these matters anymore. Rest well. I’ll send you back to Yun City the day after tomorrow, and once this is settled, I should head back as well.”

Lin Yu asked, “How does Your Highness plan to report this to the Emperor?”

Liang Yi’an replied without thinking, “I’ll report the truth, of course.”

Zheng Qingyun pondered for a moment before saying: “If this is investigated thoroughly, it will likely only lead to the Prince of Yin’s subordinates hiding a vein and mining cinnabar. It won’t touch Suo Lou. In fact, Suo Lou might strike back, claiming that Liu Yang is deliberately slandering him out of a grudge over his brother’s death.”

Liang Yi’an narrowed his eyes. “Are you saying… we should ‘hide half’?”

Zheng Qingyun nodded. “Liu Yang’s manor must hold physical evidence against Suo Lou; that’s why Suo Lou hasn’t dared to move against him. What we need to do is find that evidence.”

Liang Yi’an watched the two of them finish each other’s thoughts. Though young, they spoke like seasoned veterans of the political world. Cheng Yizhong pointed his finger at Zheng Qingyun and then at Lin Yu, clicking his tongue in wonder. “You two truly are… a match made in heaven.”

Liang Yi’an nodded in agreement. The two boys were stunned for a moment, and then Lin Yu broke into a smile. His own talent and strategy had been learned from Zheng Qingyun; he was simply doing his master proud.

Liang Yi’an asked encouragingly, “Do you two want to take the Imperial Examinations and become Top Scholars like your eldest brother?”

Lin Yu looked at Zheng Qingyun. The boy’s eyes were full of longing, and his voice was bright: “Of course I do!”

Lin Yu’s heart ached. It had always been Zheng Qingyun’s dream to participate in the examinations, to become the Top Scholar and wear the red robes. But his frail body couldn’t handle the strain. Without proper care, a single provincial exam might kill him.

Lin Yu made a decision. “Your Highness, I won’t be considering it. I think I’m better suited for medicine. It’s better to follow in my father’s footsteps.”

Liang Yi’an hissed. He was about to say that he hadn’t heard Lin Yu mention inheriting the family business in years, so why the sudden change? But he figured Lin Yu had simply matured and changed his mind, so he didn’t press the issue.

Zheng Qingyun gave Lin Yu a meaningful look. Lin Yu didn’t notice, and Qingyun said nothing. However, a wave of warmth washed through his heart; he was deeply touched by Lin Yu’s choice.

No one knew that Liu Yang had been kidnapped. His household assumed their master was simply away on business again, unaware that he was bound and gagged in a dark underground room. Liu Yang squirmed on the floor. He had been sleeping soundly in his room only to wake up in this strange place. He tried to think of who he might have offended. Suo Lou? No, not yet. The Crown Prince? Cheng Yizhong?

Just as his mind was racing, the door opened, and two more people were tossed in. Liu Yang twisted around to look. It was the Prince of Yin’s subordinates, Zhang Tong and Meng Liang. Both were bruised and battered, lying on the floor like piles of mud.

Two guards stood by the door, and then Liang Yi’an and Cheng Yizhong entered. Cheng Yizhong stroked his short beard with a happy smile. Liang Yi’an beckoned, and Li Su and Li Xiu entered, closing the door behind them.

Li Su pulled the cloth from Liu Yang’s mouth but didn’t untie him, instead propping him up to kneel. Liu Yang’s hair was disheveled, his clothes wrinkled, and his face sallow. He gasped for air, his face full of terror. “Your Highness, My Lord, this official does not know what wrong he has committed to warrant such a commotion. I hope Your Highness can enlighten me.”

Cheng Yizhong laughed. “You’re the type who won’t shed a tear until you see the coffin. Do you see those two? Do you still not know why you’re here?”

Cold sweat broke out on Liu Yang’s forehead. After a long silence, he closed his eyes as if making a final resolution. He slammed his head against the ground several times with such force that it made the observers’ foreheads ache. When he looked up, blood was streaming down his face, mixing with sweat and dirt.

“Your Highness, My Lord, this official is guilty! But I was forced! The Prince of Yin threatened me! If I didn’t do as he said, my entire family would have no way to live!”

His wailing and howling were so loud that Liang Yi’an felt his head throb. It reminded him of Lin Yu’s occasional grumbling about his “head hurting.” Combined with the bloody face, it was a gruesome sight.

The two men on the floor began to grunt and thrash like freshly caught fish, staring at Liu Yang as if they wanted to tear him apart. Liu Yang ignored them and continued to howl.

Liang Yi’an raised his hand, and Liu Yang instantly shut up. Li Su removed the gags from Zhang Tong and Meng Liang. Zhang Tong immediately began cursing at Liu Yang: “You son of a bitch! You’re the one who wanted to take down the Prefect! You’re the one who begged the Prince! The Prince didn’t agree until you said you had secrets to trade! And now that the Prince is gone, you’re throwing filth on him? I spit on you…”

Meng Liang was equally indignant: “Stop distorting the truth and slandering the Prince’s reputation!”

Liang Yi’an and Cheng Yizhong stood by and watched the three of them argue—one claiming the Prince was tragic, one claiming he was innocent, and one cursing up a storm. They shared a look and silently agreed not to stop them. It was quite a show.

Zheng Qingyun and the others had set off for home that morning. Lin Yu and Zheng Qingyun shared a carriage. The weather was beautiful, and Zheng Qingyun kept trying to lift the curtain to see the scenery. Lin Yu wouldn’t allow it: “There’s a breeze. What if you catch a cold?”

Zheng Qingyun dejectedly lowered his hand. Lin Yu draped a cloak over him, muttering, “Dress warmly in spring and coolly in autumn. Don’t get sick.”

Zheng Qingyun held a teacup and took a small sip. He paused and looked into the cup; it wasn’t tea, but seemed to be perilla water. Lin Yu noticed and explained, “Perilla ginger sugar tea. How does it taste? I thought it was pretty good.”

Zheng Qingyun traced the rim of the cup. “When did you make this?” Lin Yu was almost always by his side; when did he find the time?

Lin Yu poured some for himself, checked the temperature to ensure it wasn’t too hot or cold for Qingyun, and then said: “I asked the Crown Prince. The omnipotent Crown Prince. He was the first to drink it when it was brewed; the taste wasn’t great at first. After a few tries, it got better. Second Brother doesn’t like it, but the Prince and Lord Cheng tried it. You shouldn’t drink too much, though. I heard you coughing and sneezing this morning; you must have kicked off your blankets last night.”

Zheng Qingyun gave a sheepish smile and stiffly changed the subject: “Ah, I wonder when we’ll arrive.”

Lin Yu wasn’t about to let it go. “Qingyun, I was only away from you for one night, and you caught a cold. You…”

Zheng Qingyun was too embarrassed to say that he couldn’t sleep because someone was missing from his side. He had tossed and turned until midnight. He let out a small “Aiya” and covered Lin Yu’s mouth. “Alright, alright, Brother Yu. I just stayed up a bit late. Stop nagging. You’re only two years older than me, yet you’re more talkative than my father.”

Lin Yu was speechless. He thought to himself, I might actually be older than your father. But he dropped the subject.

As the sun began to set, the carriage stopped in front of the Zheng Manor. Zheng Zhili knocked, and an old man opened the door. Seeing them, he cried out in surprise: “Second Young Master! Third Young Master! You’re back!”

He immediately called people to help with the luggage, tears of excitement in his eyes. “The Master sent a letter, but didn’t say when you’d arrive. Everyone has been so worried! Come in, come in! The Old Madam is asleep; we’ll tell her in the morning. I’ll have someone prepare food right away. Your old courtyard has been cleaned several times lately. Young Master Lin, your courtyard is right next to the Third Young Master’s…”

Zheng Zhili and Zheng Qingyun interrupted Uncle Zhang’s rambling with a laugh. “Uncle Zhang, let’s go inside first. It’s not good to stand at the door.”

Uncle Zhang slapped his forehead. “Right, right! Come in!” As they walked, he continued, “The Second Master passed away a while ago. After the funeral, Miss Mingtang moved back to stay with the Old Madam. She’s been here for ten days. She’s in low spirits and doesn’t come out much. Oh, careful…”

Zheng Zhili frowned. His Second Uncle had refused to join the army in his youth, complaining it was too hard. Even after marrying, he hadn’t improved, remaining lazy and idle. His wife, however, was very capable; she opened her own shops and did a roaring business. Unable to stand a life with no future, the two had divorced. However, she remained on good terms with the Zheng family’s Old Madam and visited occasionally. Her only daughter, Mingtang, was close in age to Zheng Qingyun—sensitive and very clever.

The Old Madam only had two sons, but she couldn’t bear to see her eldest son’s family so dejected. After the family split, they lived separately and hadn’t been in touch for years.

“Why did he pass away so suddenly?” Zheng Zhili asked.

Uncle Zhang sighed. “Ai, who knows if the Second Master finally had a change of heart? He insisted on finding work, but no one wanted him. Later, for some reason, he went to the mining fields. When he came back…”