The Kou clan members staying at the inn looked extremely grim. Uncle Kou slammed his fist on the table, "Enough, you don't need to cry anymore. Do you think our Kou family isn't unlucky enough already?"
Mother Kou, sitting on a round stool, paled and lowered her head in fear and unease. She dared to fight back before because she had Kou Yuanxing as her son, and she was unwilling to let dozens of mu of fertile land fall into the hands of the Kou family.
But now that her son was dead, Mother Kou had no one to rely on, and her imposing manner immediately weakened. An old woman who had lost her husband and son, with no one to support her, had her spirit broken.
"Hmph, she's cursed her husband and now her son, and she'll probably curse us to death too!" Aunt Kou poured herself a cup of tea and drank it, looking at Mother Kou with disgust, her hatred undisguised.
Mother Kou and the Kou clan had long been at odds. When the Kou clan failed to seize more fertile land, and later when Kou Yuanxing showed literary talent under Tutor Xiao, Mother Kou immediately became assertive. In those years, she had often squeezed Aunt Kou and the others, and the two sides were in constant conflict.
"You few go out first." Uncle Kou's eyes signaled his wife, indicating that she should take the women in the room, including Mother Kou, outside.
After a while, only a few Kou men remained in the room. A young man in his thirties asked, "Eldest cousin, what should we do now?"
If it weren't for the hundred taels of silver, who would be willing to abandon their farm work and rush to Nanxuan Prefecture to collect Kou Yuanxing's body?
Uncle Kou, with a dark expression, pondered. He had seen clearly in the courtroom that even a high official like Scholar Chen could not deal with a young girl, and that young girl was helping Prefect Zhang. It would be difficult for their Kou clan to falsely accuse Prefect Zhang of forcing Kou Yuanxing to his death.
Another Kou man spoke with worry, "That's the prefect, who knows if he'll retaliate against us? I was planning to send Da Waizi to a private school."
Since ancient times, the common people did not fight against officials! But they had offended the Prefect of Nanxuan. Let alone their children studying for the imperial examinations, they were afraid that Magistrate Zhao of Huai County, in order to curry favor with Prefect Zhang, would take action against them. If they were forcibly conscripted for labor, few of the Kou men would survive.
"This?" The others in the room looked panicked, nervously rubbing their hands. Wealth moved people, that was a hundred taels of silver! But at this moment, they truly regretted coming to Nanxuan Prefecture. They might even endanger the lives of their families.
Uncle Kou looked up, his face grim, "Third brother, take Qingzi to order a simple coffin. I'll find a carriage, and we'll return to Huai County overnight."
The Kou family members were stunned for a moment, but compared to offending Prefect Zhang and losing their lives, the money was unimportant.
"Big brother, I understand." Third Brother Kou nodded, then hesitated and asked, "What about cousin-in-law?"
They were all familiar with Mother Kou's difficult and shrewish nature. Fortunately, now that Kou Yuanxing was dead, she, as a woman, could not cause much trouble.
"If she's willing, take her with us. If she makes trouble, leave her alone. Yuanxing's body must be taken back to the ancestral graves for burial." Uncle Kou's voice deepened, and those present understood the hidden meaning.
In the past, they couldn't take away the fertile land because Kou Yuanxing was surnamed Kou and was good at studying, so they had no justification. But now, the Kou family's assets couldn't be taken by a woman.
By the time Zhan Feiyu received the news, the Kou clan members had already left Nanxuan Prefecture.
"They've all left?" Zhan Feiyu put down her brush in surprise.
The Kou clan members were one thing; if the situation was unfavorable and they couldn't gain any benefit, they left. But wasn't Mother Kou concerned about the truth of Kou Yuanxing's death by smashing himself against a wall?
"Compared to her dead son, she cares more about herself." Yin Wuyan's clear voice held no mockery or disdain, merely stating a common occurrence.
Although a mother's love can be strong, there were also selfish mothers like Mother Kou. She forced Kou Yuanxing to study and didn't even care about his health, all for the sake of becoming the mother of a child prodigy, a scholar, or even a successful candidate in the imperial examinations. What she desired was power and wealth.
The reason Mother Kou desperately fought with the Kou clan back then was also for those fertile lands and family property. Now that Kou Yuanxing was dead, Mother Kou, without anyone to rely on, immediately restrained her temper. Pursuing the truth would only offend the Kou family, and she dared not stay, so she left with them.
Zhan Feiyu, being intelligent, naturally understood. She only felt it was not worth it for the wrongly deceased Kou Yuanxing. He studied diligently, and the ten-year-old boy was so thin that his features were sunken. Yet, now that he was dead, even his last relative had abandoned him.
Having seen Zhan Feiyu's mischievous side, Yin Wuyan couldn't help but stroke her head when he saw her frowning. "Tutor Xiao stayed behind."
"Big brother, why did Kou Yuanxing commit suicide? He was so young." Even though Kou Yuanxing hated her, Zhan Feiyu didn't care. He wanted to avenge Wang Linlang but didn't use any underhanded tactics; he just wanted to defeat her in the imperial examinations.
But who would have thought that he would lose his life after being imprisoned? At this moment, Zhan Feiyu felt guilty and remorseful. If it weren't for her, Prefect Zhang might not have canceled Kou Yuanxing's ranking.
The little girl sitting in front of him looked up, her dark, round eyes clouded with a layer of gray. Yin Wuyan felt a prick in his chest, filled with heartache.
"Little Yu, Kou Yuanxing's death has nothing to do with you!" Yin Wuyan said seriously, placing his hands on Zhan Feiyu's shoulders, and continued word by word, "Since Chen Minzhong wanted to target Prefect Zhang, the prefectural examination was the opportunity. And Kou Yuanxing was emotionally unstable and hostile towards you, so the Chen family would find him sooner or later."
The thirteen-year-old Kou Yuanxing cared most about three things: the imperial examinations, his mother, and his childhood sweetheart Wang Linlang.
The latter was already dead, and the Chen family would not use the imperial examinations to force Kou Yuanxing to his death. Therefore, only his mother remained as the reason. Thinking of Tutor Xiao's kidnapped son, Kou Yuanxing chose to yield, chose to die, just to protect his mother. Yet, the mother he protected with his life was so selfish and heartless after his death.
Zhan Feiyu didn't dwell on things, but her heart still felt heavy and uncomfortable. "Big brother, before we return to Shangsi County, I want to go to Huai County to pay respects to Kou Yuanxing."
I did not kill伯仁, but伯仁 died because of me.
...
In the study, Chen Xuezheng, who was pacing back and forth, dismissed the subordinate who reported to him. The Kou family had fled with Kou Yuanxing's body, and Chen Xuezheng didn't care. What he truly cared about was why the Imperial Dragon Guards were involved, and why they were following Zhan Feiyu as guards!
Any scheme or trick was vulnerable before the Imperial Dragon Guards! Chen Xuezheng walked to the desk and sat down. He picked up his brush, but after writing less than a line, he angrily crumpled the paper into a ball.
Failure at the last hurdle! Chen Xuezheng was unwilling to let Zhang Chengli off the hook like this, but he was also wary of the Imperial Dragon Guards and dared not make any further plans. After a long silence, Chen Xuezheng quickly wrote down what happened in Nanxuan Prefecture, then sealed it with wax, "Send it back to Zhongzhou Prefecture immediately and deliver it to my father."
"Yes, sir!" Yan Hui took the letter with both hands, placed it in his怀中, bowed, and immediately exited the study, rushing back to Zhongzhou Prefecture on horseback.
The Imperial Dragon Guards were connected to Zhan Feiyu, or rather, to Scholar Gu. Chen Xuezheng's eyes turned fierce. If handled well, it would surely sow discord in the Emperor's heart. If the Scholar Gu, the Commander of the Imperial Dragon Guards, and the Prince Yu were colluding in secret for the great cause of the First Prince, they must be eliminated!
Three days passed in a flash, and the case of Kou Yuanxing's death by smashing himself against a wall was concluded under the authority of the court. It was finally ruled as suicide, and his blood-written confession was merely an accusation against Prefect Zhang due to dissatisfaction with the cancellation of his prefectural examination ranking.
"What a pity, he was still a child, how could he have such a temper?" Passerby A, leaving the prefectural yamen, shook his head regretfully. Their own mischievous children were unmanageable without a good beating, and Kou Yuanxing was diligent, hardworking, and talented in his studies, yet he ended up smashing himself to death.
His companion walking beside him chimed in, "Precisely because he was a child, he was arrogant and couldn't bear not being on the list, so he committed suicide. Look at those white-haired scholars, their grandchildren are already being tutored, and they are still taking the imperial examinations."
"That's true. If you commit suicide after failing once, you won't go far on the path of imperial examinations." Passerby A nodded with a smile. To them, Kou Yuanxing was just a topic of conversation.
By the next prefectural examination, someone would probably mention him a few times. In a few years, or even decades, no one would remember a talented young man who tragically died because of the prefectural examination.
Zhan Feiyu also packed her luggage and prepared to return. After hearing Chong Guang's report, her heart skipped a beat. "Big brother, are you returning to the capital?"
Not truly a nine-year-old girl, Zhan Feiyu was actually accustomed to Yin Wuyan's unpredictable movements. However, perhaps due to the sadness brought about by Kou Yuanxing's death, at this moment, she suddenly felt reluctant to see Yin Wuyan leave.
Rarely seeing the little girl show reluctance, Yin Wuyan said in a deep voice, "I'll accompany you to Huai County."
A smile bloomed on her lips. Zhan Feiyu was definitely playing coy. She mumbled softly, "Actually, it's okay if big brother is busy. I can go to Huai County by myself."
"It's nothing, it's not a big deal." Yin Wuyan gently exerted force with his hands, steadily helping the little girl into the carriage, and then got in himself. "Let's go."
Wasn't this a big deal? Chong Guang, left behind, rolled his eyes speechlessly. Old Master Chen's secret letter to the First Prince, one could guess with their toes that it was about Seventh Master and the chubby girl having connections. The Imperial Dragon Guards and Scholar Gu's disciple being together, this news was definitely enough to shake the imperial court!
He Sheng, in the carriage, picked up the whip and glanced at Chong Guang.
"Fine, if the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up!" Chong Guang laughed heartily and got into the second carriage to sit with He Nuan. Seventh Master wasn't worried, so why should he worry unnecessarily!
After Old Master Chen's message reached the capital, Chen Shuduo, after reading his grandfather's secret letter, immediately took another secret letter for the First Prince and went directly to the First Prince's mansion.
After dismissing the servants, the First Prince opened the letter and read it quickly. With a bang, he slammed the letter onto the desk. "A loyal minister? Only Father trusts him. Otherwise, how could the Imperial Dragon Guards wield such power!"
If he hated anyone, the First Prince truly hated the all-pervasive Imperial Dragon Guards. It was precisely because of the existence of the Imperial Dragon Guards that he, as the First Prince, dared not easily win over court officials. Even though he had established his own mansion, he was still just a common prince, without even a princely title.
Moreover, there were no capable ministers in the court, so naturally, no one would help him petition the Emperor to grant titles to adult princes.
"Does Your Highness intend to inform the Emperor directly?" Chen Shuduo inquired. Involving the Emperor's most trusted two people, even reporting it required careful handling, otherwise, it would only lead to trouble.
The First Prince pondered, then glanced at the letter on the desk. "My maternal grandfather is right about one thing. Father is in his prime, and not establishing a crown prince represents Father's attitude. I should be biding my time now. A rash and impulsive First Prince naturally fits Father's intentions."
If an adult prince was too shrewd and capable, the Emperor on the golden throne would have more to think about, perhaps even becoming wary, and more seriously, he might take action to suppress him and clip his son's wings.
Of course, impulsiveness could only be shown to the Emperor, not to court officials, otherwise, it would be counterproductive. Therefore, after formulating his statement, the First Prince mounted his horse and headed straight for the palace.
Imperial Study.
Except for the attending eunuch, Eunuch Liu, all other palace maids and eunuchs retreated outside the palace. At this moment, upon hearing Gu Qingzhou's words, the Emperor's hand trembled, and a white chess piece fell onto the chessboard with a snap, then rolled onto the floor.
"Is this the Emperor's new move to take back a move?" Gu Qingzhou said lightly, picking up his teacup and taking a sip of tea. In terms of chess skill, Gu Qingzhou and the Emperor were evenly matched.
Waving to Eunuch Liu, who was about to pick up the chess piece, to step aside, the Emperor looked speechlessly at the calm and collected Gu Qingzhou. "You say Wuyan fancies your little disciple? I remember that little girl is only eight or nine years old, right?"
"She's nine years old, and she's a tender little thing, her features haven't even fully developed yet." Mentioning Zhan Feiyu, Gu Qingzhou's smile deepened. A little girl like a finely carved jade, softly calling you teacher, tsk, who could resist? He wished he could pluck the stars from the sky.
"Even if you dislike Wuyan's actions, you can't slander him like this!" The Emperor chided him with a mixture of amusement and helplessness.
Even if he said Yin Wuyan had found someone he fancied, the Emperor found it impossible, let alone a nine-year-old girl. To use Gu Qingzhou's own words, her features hadn't even fully developed, she was just a child.
Gu Qingzhou said leisurely, "Although I am unmarried, I still have a good eye for people. Your Majesty, you haven't met my little disciple. She is charming, intelligent, and most importantly, her eyes are clean and clear. Yin Wuyan is raising her like his own daughter right now, he's trying to snatch her from me."
Even though Gu Qingzhou's words had some logic, the Emperor still didn't believe it, until the First Prince's voice came from outside the door.
The First Prince, who was summoned into the inner hall, was surprised to see Gu Qingzhou sitting there drinking tea. After a moment of愣, he immediately said to the Emperor, "Father, I received a letter from my maternal grandfather from Zhongzhou Prefecture today."
The Emperor smiled, took the letter presented by Eunuch Liu, and quickly scanned it. Old Master Chen's letter was devoid of much emotion, merely stating the facts of the Imperial Dragon Guards' presence beside Zhan Feiyu to the First Prince.
"Father, does Scholar Gu have private dealings with the Imperial Dragon Guards?" The First Prince accused him in front of Gu Qingzhou. The Chen family had clashed with Zhan Feiyu multiple times, so the First Prince and Gu Qingzhou were considered enemies.
It was well known that the Imperial Dragon Guards only obeyed the current Emperor, and no one else had the authority to command them. If a minister was involved with the Imperial Dragon Guards, then the purpose of the Imperial Dragon Guards would be lost.