Yangzhou City. Xiangdai Pavilion Workshop
Under the cover of darkness, Mao Pengyi stealthily climbed over the courtyard wall and headed straight for the warehouse.
The main ingredient for this season's cosmetics was plum blossoms, hence the air in the warehouse was filled with their fragrance. Mao Pengyi rubbed his nose and carried a pile of food to a corner. There lay Feng Yunxian, covered in wounds. Seeing him, he struggled to sit up: "Any news? How are my wife and children?"
Mao Pengyi said, "Lord Feng, eat first. I'll tend to your wounds after you've eaten."
"You tell me first."
"I'm afraid you won't be able to eat after hearing it."
Feng Yunxian's body sagged by eight-tenths. After a long while, he managed to speak with difficulty: "They... they were harmed?"
"Not quite. The entire prefectural yamen has been surrounded by Situ Jue's men. All the streets and alleys are now spreading rumors that you privately led troops out to sea, causing heavy losses to the military camp. Wanted posters are everywhere, just waiting to apprehend you and bring you back for questioning."
"Heh, privately led troops, and out to sea? Does he think everyone who defended the city on New Year's Eve is dead? What's the point of such a lie?"
Mao Pengyi remained silent for a while. When he looked up again, his eyes were red: "I went out to scout. The brothers who survived that night's desperate defense are all gone."
"What did you say?" Feng Yunxian was horrified. He never imagined Situ Jue would be so ruthless.
A great sense of grief and indignation welled up in Mao Pengyi's heart. He haphazardly wiped the tears from his face with his sleeve: "On the fourth night, a group of Japanese pirates appeared from God knows where. Situ Jue led the troops to resist them, annihilating fourteen hundred of them. Our side suffered even heavier losses, with two thousand and one soldiers killed. Lord Feng, everyone who knew the truth has been silenced by him."
Feng Yunxian stared blankly for a while, then suddenly grabbed Mao Pengyi's hand: "Damao, Situ Jue is putting so much effort into silencing people, I'm definitely not going to survive. But you're different. He doesn't know about you. So, consider this my plea."
He struggled to his feet, then knelt down again, kowtowing heavily to him: "You must save my family."
Mao Pengyi's mind was usually slow, but this time he was exceptionally quick: "You're going to sacrifice yourself?"
"Don't you see? If I die, none of my family will live. My daughter is not yet married, and my son is only eleven. I beg you, you must send them to a safe place, and don't let them seek revenge. I only hope they can live in obscurity, as long as they are alive."
Mao Pengyi's eyes widened: "No, my lord, please don't think so highly of me. How could I have such ability? Hey, please get up first, I can't accept your grand gesture."
"I won't get up until you agree."
"My lord, it's not that I don't want to agree, it's that I'm afraid I can't do it."
If he had a choice, Feng Yunxian would not entrust his children's lives to this simple-minded giant. But now, he had no one else to turn to. Judging by Situ Jue's actions, if he killed himself, he would surely cut all ties to prevent future trouble.
Finally, with tears welling up in his eyes, Damao agreed to his request.
The Imperial Palace. Imperial Study
The head of the Dragon Armor Guard knelt and presented a scroll: "Your Majesty, this is a portrait of Lord Gu's concubine."
Emperor Changwu slowly unfurled the scroll. The woman in the painting wore her hair up in a bun and smiled sweetly, a fair and beautiful lady. Emperor Changwu handed the painting to Song Ruifu.
Song Ruifu exclaimed in surprise: "Isn't this Linglong, the maidservant by Consort Rong's side?"
The Dragon Armor Guard said: "Indeed. When Consort Rong was persecuted, her head maidservant, Hongdou, impersonated Consort Rong and died in the palace fire. But after Consort Rong escaped, she parted ways with Linglong and the Seventh Prince. Consort Rong's whereabouts are unknown, but Linglong, carrying the Seventh Prince, happened to meet the Marquis of Guangling. The Marquis of Guangling at the time had just been diagnosed with infertility, so he brought Hongdou back to his mansion and acknowledged the Seventh Prince as his eldest son."
Song Ruifu breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that His Majesty hadn't been cuckolded.
Emperor Changwu was also quite pleased and had the leisure to gossip: "Then how did his wife become pregnant later?"
The Dragon Armor Guard: "Perhaps she met a divine doctor."
Emperor Changwu: ...
Song Ruifu: ...
This fellow was also quite talented.