Chapter 350
Zhan Feiyu frowned in thought, watching the rain outside subside. "So, is Qian Shipeng playing the pig to eat the tiger, targeting Madam Qian, or targeting me?"
He Nuan was also puzzled. If it weren't for the young lady's hint earlier, she wouldn't have suspected such a dandy as Qian Shipeng. "Perhaps it's to compete for the position of head of the Qian family. Young lady, why don't we eat first, and then I'll have my brother investigate?"
"That's fine too." Zhan Feiyu nodded and picked up her chopsticks again. Since the matter had escalated and might even go to court, it was best to eat her fill first.
Her gaze swept to the side, seeing the innkeeper Zhu, who was doting on the tables and chairs. Zhan Feiyu couldn't help but smile. He Nuan, understanding, tossed over a piece of silver as compensation.
"No, no, you mustn't," Manager Zhu said, shaking his head repeatedly as he took the silver. Although he was reluctant to part with the five taels of silver, he couldn't help but reach into his怀 with a pained expression, thinking of the jade pendant that hadn't even warmed up yet.
Silver was good, but life was more important! Manager Zhu reluctantly placed the jade pendant and the silver on the table. "If the officials come asking later, I beg the young lady to be merciful."
Manager Zhu would rather buy new tables and chairs himself than accept compensation. If he offended these dandies, his inn would likely be shut down.
Zhan Feiyu nodded. "Alright, this matter has nothing to do with the innkeeper."
"Thank you, young lady." Manager Zhu expressed his gratitude with a look of profound thankfulness.
...
The Prefectural Office, the rear hall.
A minor clerk hurried through the corridor, glancing around before heading straight for the rooms on the right. This was where Assistant Prefect Pang handled official business.
The central room was the study, also serving as the conference hall. To the right was a small study connected to a resting room at the back. The attendant guarding the door saw the clerk approaching and went to meet him.
"Is Lord Pang in? I have something to report," the clerk said, peeking inside. However, the doors to both rooms were tightly shut, making the clerk, who was eager to seize the opportunity and gain favor, a bit anxious.
"I will go and report to the Lord." The attendant dared not delay.
After a while, in the study, Assistant Prefect Pang put down his official documents and said with a smile, "Speak, what has happened?"
"Reporting to the Lord, I just..." The clerk quickly recounted what had happened at the inn.
It was by chance that he was eating noodles at a stall and happened to glimpse Constable Hu and his group. He immediately put down his chopsticks and went to the inn's entrance to eavesdrop, which allowed him to rush back to the Prefectural Office to report to Assistant Prefect Pang as soon as possible.
With a nod from Assistant Prefect Pang, the attendant immediately escorted the reporting clerk out, and also slipped him a piece of silver.
In the study, Assistant Prefect Pang narrowed his eyes in thought. People from the Qian family? And Zhao Yi's group was involved? This was interesting. These dandies had kicked a steel plate.
"Someone," Assistant Prefect Pang said again, his gaze returning to the official documents in his hand. Without looking up, he commanded, "Send someone to investigate. Since a ready handle has been delivered to our doorstep, let's start with Constable Hu."
"Yes." The attendant withdrew after receiving the order. Although it was just to deal with a minor constable, the Lord wanted the effect of killing the chicken to warn the monkeys.
Just as the attendant was about to step out the door, Assistant Prefect Pang paused his writing hand and solemnly instructed, "Let Wen Zhen handle this matter."
Since Assistant Prefect Pang had received the news, the Prefect of Suzhou, Prefect Zhang, had naturally also received it, and knew the entire sequence of events.
Prefect Zhang was also about to retire, so he had served alone in Suzhou Prefecture for the past few years. Old Madam Zhang had always stayed at the Zhang family residence in Linzhou Prefecture. Prefect Zhang, being advanced in age, did not bother her further and had been living in the residence behind the Prefectural Office.
"Master, is Qian Shipeng truly foolish or pretending to be? Even the young lady from the Qiu family avoided him, yet he still dares to cause trouble," said the steward of Prefect Zhang. He had been Prefect Zhang's page in his early years and now had white hair and a white beard. Compared to Prefect Zhang, who wore official robes and exuded solemn authority, Steward Bao clearly showed signs of old age.
After taking a couple of sips of the ginseng tea handed to him by Steward Bao, Prefect Zhang, having served as an official for many years, still possessed an imposing aura despite his wrinkled face. His eyes held a hidden sharpness. "Whether it's true or false, the third branch of the Qiu family is finished. The Qian family has lost its backing. What a pity..."
Prefect Zhang did not finish his sentence, but Steward Bao, who had served him for many years, understood the implied meaning. It was an opportunity to take down the Qian family, who had profited handsomely over the years by relying on the Qiu family's connections.
Prefect Zhang had always wanted his eldest son, Zhang Minxian, to advance further. However, although the Zhang family was an official family, their highest rank in recent years had only been Fourth Rank. Moreover, the Zhang family's connections were all in Longyou Circuit.
To help Zhang Minxian advance further, or even be transferred to the capital, required money to grease the wheels of relationships. The Qian family was the best choice.
It was just that the General's Mansion had been reinstated. Prefect Zhang now dared not act rashly. Old General Yang had not retaliated against the Zhang family, but if the Zhang family provided a ready handle, it was hard to guarantee that the General's Mansion would not take action.
After Prefect Zhang finished a cup of ginseng tea, Steward Bao collected the empty cup and couldn't help but ask, "Master, Qian Shipeng offended Zhan Feiyu. If the Qian family gets into trouble, the third young master can also take a share."
If the Qian family were implicated by Qian Shipeng, and the tree fell and the monkeys scattered, the Qian family's businesses would inevitably be divided among other merchants in Linzhou Prefecture.
The third young master mentioned by Steward Bao was a collateral relative of the Zhang family and a cousin of Zhang Minxian. He lacked talent in studies but was adept at business. Seizing the Qian family's assets was a legitimate move and not afraid of investigation.
Prefect Zhang looked coldly at the eager Steward Bao. He was planning to let his grandson also take a share. Truly, as one grew old, their thoughts became impure.
"Do you think the disciple of Scholar Gu can be easily manipulated by you, and then act against the Qian family?" Prefect Zhang's voice was cold and chilling. Although he did not say harsh words, the warning was self-evident. "Zhan Feiyu, with a single move, spent hundreds of thousands of taels of silver that day. She doesn't even look at the Qian family. Don't do anything unnecessary."
Steward Bao's face instantly turned pale. The hand holding the teacup trembled a few times, and he said fearfully, "This old servant understands."
"That's enough, you may withdraw." Prefect Zhang waved his hand, dismissing Steward Bao. He then picked up the secret letter that had been pressed under the official documents and unfolded it again.
From the time Qiu Jingyuan appeared in Linzhou Prefecture, to the subsequent appearance of Qiu Zongzhang and Qiu Feng from the third branch of the Qiu family, and then the massacre at Qiu Zongxi's residence, and Qiu Feng's disappearance, Prefect Zhang, although far away in Suzhou, had received detailed records of everything that had happened from Zhang Minxian, who had sent them by express courier.
Assistant Prefect Pang and Zhao Yi and others did not know Zhan Feiyu's identity, but Prefect Zhang knew from the beginning. He did not dare to send people to monitor Zhan Feiyu, but Zhang Minxian had been monitoring Qiu Jingyuan, which was why he knew everything clearly.
Prefect Zhang fell into deep thought as he read the letter. If he could establish a connection with Zhan Feiyu, not only would he not have to worry about the General's Mansion retaliating against the Zhang family, but with Scholar Gu's connections in the imperial court, it would be much easier for Minxian to be transferred to the capital to serve as an official.
However, thinking of Zhan Feiyu's various actions, Prefect Zhang's expression became even more solemn. The young lady was not even ten years old after the New Year. Not to mention the young ladies in the inner chambers, even the children of officials of this age were still diligently studying for the imperial examinations. Where did Zhan Feiyu possess such precocious intelligence and shrewdness, being as slippery as the old foxes in the officialdom?
This made Prefect Zhang have to treat Zhan Feiyu with great seriousness, at least not to regard her as an ordinary young girl.
But if he missed this opportunity, Prefect Zhang also knew that the Zhang family would not develop for at least fifty years. With the General's Mansion looming over them like a mountain, it would be fortunate if the Zhang family was not suppressed.
...
Zhan Feiyu had no idea that her conflict with Qian Shipeng had made three officials in the Suzhou Prefectural Office start to ponder. After Prefect Zhang and Assistant Prefect Pang received the news, Zhao Yi also informed Assistant Prefect Zhao as soon as possible.
After all, if the matter truly went to court, Zhao Yi and the others would all be implicated.
He Sheng returned to the inn at around 3 PM, also too busy to have eaten lunch.
He Nuan had half a pot of leftover stew from noon. She then asked Chef Huang to stir-fry a dish, and with four steamed buns, this meal was settled.
"What did you say? Qian Shipeng has a problem?" He Sheng quickly swallowed the steamed buns, took the soup handed to him by He Nuan, and drank it down in gulps before asking, "What's wrong with him?"
It was no wonder He Sheng was so surprised. He had been busy all morning with Qiu Wenlan and Madam Qiu's affairs. After all, they still hadn't figured out who had swapped Qiu Jinyu, the barbarian spy, or who among the third branch of the Qiu family had betrayed Daqing Dynasty.
Before any results were found here, Zhan Feiyu had caused a new problem. He Sheng recalled his conflict with Qian Shipeng yesterday. From any angle, he looked like a brainless dandy.
"The young lady told me to strike hard, and Qian Shipeng dodged it. I'm not sure how skilled he is, but he's definitely not a useless dandy." He Nuan recounted what had happened earlier. "It's still uncertain whether Qian Shipeng's disguise is for the Qian family's assets or for some other purpose."
He Sheng understood, but he was still a little confused. "How did the young lady discover that Qian Shipeng was not right?"
"Too much of a good thing is bad. He was too ridiculously stupid." He Nuan felt something was amiss when she thought about it now. Qian Shipeng's fawning over Qiu Jingyuan, and even escorting her back to Qianzhong Road, was all to connect with the Qiu family and then seize power as an illegitimate son.
Even if Qian Shipeng was truly stupid, Qiu Jingyuan herself had avoided the young lady. No matter how brainless he was, he wouldn't have gone to the Suzhou Prefectural Office and then come to the inn to cause trouble. In terms of status, Qiu Jingyuan was much nobler than those dandies like Zhao Yi.