After Rescuing The Sickly White Moonlight - Chapter 15

Chapter 15

A-Cheng Yu stayed quiet for only a brief moment before he began prying again.

“Do you have any siblings, Top Scholar?” He leaned in close.

Zheng Yanzhang: “…I believe I told you I am heading south to visit my younger brothers.”

A-Cheng Yu let out an “oh.” “Then how many brothers do you have?”

Zheng Yanzhang: “Three. And one younger sister.”

A-Cheng Yu rubbed his chin, thinking for a while, before blurting out: “Your parents must really love each other.”

Zheng Yanzhang’s grip on his book tightened slowly, the pages crinkling under his fingers. “Could you be quiet for a moment?”

A-Cheng Yu puffed out his cheeks and pulled aside the curtain to look outside.

Finally, there was peace. Zheng Yanzhang smoothed his brow, preparing to continue reading. He picked up his teacup and brought it to his lips.

Empty.

He picked up the teapot. Also empty.

Zheng Yanzhang closed his eyes and endured it, refusing to stoop to the boy’s level.

“Hey, are you married?” A-Cheng Yu couldn’t help himself.

Zheng Yanzhang set the book aside and took a deep breath. “No.”

“Do you have a fiancée? Will the Emperor make you a Prince Consort? That’s how it goes in the storybooks—the Top Scholar becomes the son-in-law, double the happiness!” With every word A-Cheng Yu spoke, Zheng Yanzhang’s face grew a shade darker.

Enough was enough. He called out toward the window: “Guan Qi—”

Guan Qi “whooshed” inside. A-Cheng Yu, startled by the sudden appearance, scrambled back. “Wh-wh-what are you doing?”

Guan Qi remained expressionless. He produced a length of rope from behind his back, pinned A-Cheng Yu down, tied him up firmly, gagged him, and then nonchalantly exited.

A-Cheng Yu glared at Zheng Yanzhang, while the latter contentedly resumed his reading. The carriage continued its steady pace down the road.

As the first light of dawn broke, Zheng Qingyun raised his arm to cover his eyes against the piercing brightness. Lin Yu reached over, felt his forehead, tucked his stray hand back under the covers, and placed his own palm over Qingyun’s eyes to block the light.

Zheng Qingyun lay there for a while but couldn’t fall back asleep, so he sat up. Lin Yu woke instantly, immediately checking Qingyun’s complexion.

Seeing that his lips were only slightly pale and his face looked decent, Lin Yu breathed a sigh of relief. He pulled the collar of Qingyun’s inner robe down slightly; the marks near the collarbone had faded somewhat. Lin Yu traced them with his finger, asking softly, “Does it hurt?”

Zheng Qingyun shook his head, still in the mood to joke: “Do I smell like a medicine jar now? Like a herb spirit come to life?”

Lin Yu let out a snort of laughter, his voice warm. “You’re thoroughly marinated. I feel like the whole bed is made of herbs.”

Zheng Qingyun reached out to poke him, just as Guan Yi spoke from outside the door: “Young Master, it is time for breakfast.”

The two got ready and ate with the Old Madam. The weather was perfect, so Zheng Qingyun brought out the assignments his teacher had set. Lin Yu sat nearby, studying the medical texts his father had left behind, while Zheng Zhili headed to the training grounds. Zheng Mingtang had returned to her mother’s house.

Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, the day of Zheng Yanzhang’s arrival came.

As the sun began to set, a carriage pulled up before the Zheng Manor. Uncle Zhang joyfully welcomed Zheng Yanzhang, running off to tell the Old Madam that “The Top Scholar is home!”

A-Cheng Yu stood in the back, curiously scanning his surroundings.

Hearing that their eldest brother was home, the three younger ones rushed out to meet him. The Old Madam was overjoyed and ordered the small kitchen to prepare a feast for a reunion.

Lin Yu’s gaze, however, landed on the unassuming A-Cheng Yu standing in the crowd. Although the boy had changed his clothes, his light brown pupils were unmistakable. Lin Yu remembered that light brown eyes were a symbol of the Chiying nobility.

Seeing Lin Yu’s look, Zheng Yanzhang mouthed silently: No harm. Lin Yu relaxed.

Zheng Yanzhang went to his room to rest, and the others followed. Guan Yi and the two others stood guard at the door.

“The boy’s name is A-Cheng Yu. He claims to be an orphan with a father from Rong and a mother from Qinchuan. He fainted from hunger on the road; I gave him some food, and he’s been clinging to me ever since. I couldn’t shake him off,” Zheng Yanzhang explained, knowing what they wanted to ask.

Lin Yu’s eyes grew sharp. “He’s lying. While people from Qinchuan do have unique eye colors, their eye sockets are much deeper and their brow bones higher. Even if his father wasn’t from Qinchuan, those traits would be prominent. He looks more like…”

Zheng Yanzhang finished the thought: “More like someone from Chiying.”

“What’s his goal in approaching us? Another move by Suo Lou?” Zheng Zhili lightly struck the table, careful not to make too much noise.

Zheng Yanzhang shook his head. “It’s unclear for now. Zhili, I won’t be staying long; I have to return to take up a post in the Six Ministries. How about you keep him by your side? Keep a close watch on him.”

Zheng Zhili patted his chest. “Leave it to me, Big Brother.”

Zheng Yanzhang turned to Zheng Qingyun and Lin Yu. “Qingyun, Xiao Yu, before I left, Physician Chen gave me some things for you.” He produced several paper packets. Lin Yu opened them to find herbs and prescriptions covered in dense writing.

Lin Yu tucked them away carefully. “Big Brother, please thank Physician Chen for me.”

Zheng Yanzhang waved it off. “No need for such thanks; Qingyun is my brother after all.”

Zheng Qingyun asked, “Big Brother, how long can you stay?”

Zheng Yanzhang ruffled Qingyun’s hair. “About ten days. Why?”

Zheng Qingyun explained the situation with Zheng Mingtang in detail. Zheng Yanzhang’s expression grew increasingly solemn.

When Zheng Mingtang returned from her mother’s and heard that Zheng Yanzhang had arrived, she hurried to find him. She saw them still sitting at the stone table. Looking at the eldest cousin she hadn’t seen in so long, her eyes welled up, and she threw herself into his arms. “Cousin, you’re finally back…”

Zheng Yanzhang’s eyes also reddened. Being the eldest of their generation, the younger ones had all been attached to him since they were children. Since Mingtang had no other siblings, she always clung to them whenever they visited.

“I’m back. Don’t be afraid, Mingtang. It’s alright,” Zheng Yanzhang soothed, patting her back. He had learned the gist of the situation from Qingyun and felt a deep sorrow. No matter how idle his Second Uncle had been, he was still family. Although Zheng Heng had been frustrated by his brother’s lack of ambition, he had always supported him. Now that he had met with an accident—likely because of Suo Lou—it was infuriating.

Zheng Yanzhang instructed Zheng Zhili to take Guan Yue and Guan Qi to inspect Zheng Hong’s residence with Zheng Mingtang. Zheng Qingyun pulled Zheng Yanzhang aside and suggested, “Big Brother, you should also have someone look around the docks.”

Zheng Yanzhang understood immediately. He nodded and told Guan Qi to take men to investigate the pier. As for A-Cheng Yu, he was left at the manor. Zheng Yanzhang told him, “If you want to be my servant, you must follow my rules. Go learn protocol first.” He then handed the boy over to Uncle Zhang.

Uncle Zhang led him away to learn etiquette; A-Cheng Yu suffered in silence.

Pingjing City

Liang Yi’an couldn’t sleep. He sat up and wandered to his desk, picking up a brush to doodle. By the time he realized what he was writing, he had already finished a letter to Zheng Yanzhang.

Liang Yi’an looked at his own handwriting: “Mother wants to choose a wife for me,” “When will you return,” “Help me decide.”

He propped his head up with his hand for a long while before summoning a carrier pigeon and sending the letter out. “I wonder if he can even make it back in time,” he whispered. He stood by the window, watching the pigeon fly into the distance, then smiled and lay back in bed, rubbing the Hetian jade pendant Zheng Yanzhang had given him.

As drowsiness took hold, it occurred to him that he hadn’t seen Liang Yinán in a long time.

“Oh? He didn’t go to Chiying?” Imperial Concubine Zhang leaned lazily on her couch, listening to a servant’s report.

“Yes. Lord Suo said he also weeded out several of the Prince of Yin’s subordinates. They… headed south,” the messenger replied.

“Ha. Fine. Consider it a gift of a few more years of life from this Palace. How is the Little Prince?” she asked, waving a hand dismissively.

“The Prince… he…” the man began to stammer.

Concubine Zhang grew impatient. “Stop hesitating! Speak!”

“Have mercy, Your Highness! The Prince… he’s missing. He only left a letter saying he was going on a trip.” He knelt, pleading for his life.

“That brat. Fine. Let the men wait at the usual place; he’ll come back when he’s had his fun. But tell him—don’t forget the real business.” Her voice was chilling. The man hurriedly agreed.

She continued, “The Empress wants to choose a Crown Princess. Does Suo Lou know?”

“Reporting to Your Highness, the Lord is aware.”

“Good. While we’re at it, see if there’s a suitable girl for Nan’er too.” Concubine Zhang’s expression changed into a beaming smile. Liang Yinán was fourteen now—old enough to start looking. She thought she must find her son a top-tier girl to be worthy of him.

“By the way, how is the Empress?” she asked suddenly.

A maid stepped forward. “The Empress is the same as always. Your Highness need not worry.”

Hearing this, Concubine Zhang stroked the fox-fur cloak in her lap and nodded with satisfaction. “Good. Then I am at ease.”

Three days later, it was time for Zheng Qingyun’s medicinal bath again. Zheng Yanzhang shared his findings while observing Qingyun for any discomfort. Qingyun was doing better this time, having enough energy to listen.

“There are arrow marks on the doorframe of the study, but no arrowheads were found—someone likely collected them. There are scratches on the window frame, possibly from a sword,” Zheng Yanzhang said, producing a small paper packet. He smiled. “I always seem to be wrapping things in paper packets lately.”

Lin Yu took it. Inside was a substance like sand or silt, with a salty, fishy smell—not like the mud from a river.

Listening to Lin Yu’s description, Zheng Qingyun suggested, “Could it be seawater?”

Zheng Yanzhang agreed. “Possible. Guan Qi found out that several merchant caravans claiming to be from the North arrived recently. They have about a hundred men. They claim to be doing business, but they haven’t rented any shops or unloaded any cargo from their ships.”

Lin Yu recalled the medicinal herbs Zheng Mingtang had brought over and a thought suddenly struck him: “Sea vessels? Are they smuggling?”