Chapter 314
The risk of imprisoning his illegitimate sister, Zhang Yiyi, in the Zhang family was immense. If discovered, the Zhang family would be branded for aiding a prisoner and harboring a fugitive.
However, Zhang Minxian understood this was a shortcut to aligning with the Yang family. He was Yang Xu's maternal uncle, and the Zhang family of Linzhou Prefecture was his maternal family. Lending a hand when Yang Xu needed it was the true meaning of mutual support among close kin.
Under the dim candlelight, Zhang Minxian calmly observed Yang Xu, who stood as straight and tall as a pine tree. Though his face still held the immaturity of a child, his eyes conveyed a newfound resilience. His small, dark face was set with a determined gaze, truly embodying the spirit of a general's son.
Zhang Minxian did not agree immediately, nor did Yang Xu press him. Yang Xu had much to consider. Perhaps it was the experience of bloodshed and death in the military that had stripped away some of his childlike innocence. He now possessed a different understanding of kinship, blood ties, life, and death.
"Little Xu, you've truly given your uncle a difficult choice," Zhang Minxian said with a sigh, as if both helping and refusing to help would be equally troublesome.
Considering the imminent restoration of the Yang family's fortunes, Zhang Minxian leaned towards helping. After all, Zhang Yiyi was Yang Xu's birth mother. Currently, Yang Xu harbored little affection for her.
But what about ten or twenty years from now? After Yang Shocheng's passing, or if Yang Shocheng remarried in a few years, Yang Xu's hatred for his birth mother might fade. Furthermore, if Yang Xu were to have children and become a father himself, he might soften his heart.
If their mother-son relationship were to be mended then, the Zhang family would truly be Yang Xu's maternal family.
Having made up his mind, Zhang Minxian looked at Yang Xu. Even if he were to help, the Zhang family could not wait twenty or thirty years to reap the rewards. Currently, the Zhang family was risking confiscation and even annihilation by harboring Zhang Yiyi. The Yang family could not possibly offer no compensation.
"Little Xu, this matter is of great importance. Perhaps you should let your father come. You are still young, and this is a matter for adults," Zhang Minxian said with a gentle smile. "As for your mother, I will arrange her placement first. I will ensure no one knows you brought her to Linzhou Prefecture."
Yang Xu did not appreciate the suggestion. "Zhou Biao's death made me think a lot. Father said I am not mature enough and need experience, so I will handle this matter entirely on my own."
"Little Xu, Shuyao's death has nothing to do with you. She was simply overwhelmed by despair and guilt over Fu Langhuan's death. If I, as your uncle, had been more attentive, I would have noticed Shuyao's unusual emotions in those days. Otherwise, she would not have been driven to such despair and taken her own life."
Zhang Minxian's stern brows were tinged with regret. He closed his eyes, as if to conceal the profound and heavy pain within them.
In the dim light of the main hall, Yang Xu's gaze remained fixed on Zhang Minxian. Listening to his suppressed voice and observing his grief-stricken expression, Yang Xu found no flaw.
If not for his absolute trust in Zhan Feiyu, Yang Xu would never have believed that Zhou Shuyao had met her end at the hands of this man. He was Zhou Shuyao's own uncle, and his pain, both then in Xiangwu County and now, seemed so genuine and profound.
His grandfather was right. If one could not be sure whether the person one faced was loyal or treacherous, one could only hold fast to one's own nature. As long as one's will was firm, no one could deceive or mislead them.
Just like now, Yang Xu was certain he would never agree to harbor a fugitive of the imperial court. Those eight thugs, even if not killed by her directly, were certainly killed on her orders. The guards of the Zhenbian Marquisate were the murderers, and she was the mastermind. According to the laws of Daqing, she would still be executed after the autumn.
And Zhang Minxian's silence and evasive words, Yang Xu understood, were the typical "no reward, no service." Without benefits, he would not agree. Letting his father come was merely to negotiate better terms.
In the silence, a sharp cry suddenly rang out. It was distant and indistinct, and after the first cry, it ceased.
Yang Xu looked up through the window at the dark exterior. He surmised that the effects of the medicine had worn off, and the person had woken up and cried out, only to be immediately silenced by the guards.
Zhang Minxian, also hearing the cry, turned his head towards the window. Judging by the direction of the sound, the person was likely confined in the side room to the left of the main hall.
Having seen through the situation, Yang Xu no longer wished to waste time here. Moreover, the New Year was approaching, and Yang Xu was eager to return to Xiangwu County, whether to Stone Village or the Qiu Residence.
"Little Xu?" Seeing Yang Xu's sudden firm expression, Zhang Minxian felt a pang of unease in his chest.
"I will leave the person at the Zhang family, as long as she is kept alive. And I will have repaid my debt of birth," Yang Xu said word by word, his tone serious. Before Zhang Minxian could respond, he continued, "As the price for this exchange, I will consider Zhou Biao's death as a suicide, rather than her neck being cut after her wrists were grabbed."
Zhang Minxian's expression changed abruptly. He shot to his feet, his movement so sudden that the chair behind him crashed to the ground with a clatter. In the silent night, the sound startled Feng Pingqing and the guard captain outside the courtyard, who couldn't help but call out, "Master!"
"It's nothing, no need to come in!" Zhang Minxian said urgently, looking at the pale-faced Yang Xu with lingering shock. How could he possibly know?
A cold, mocking smile touched Yang Xu's dark face. He turned and walked towards the door, opening it. The chill from outside swept in. "If you don't want anyone to know, don't do it!"
With that, Yang Xu strode into the night. He gestured, and instantly four figures emerged from the courtyard, while two more came out from the side room where Zhang Yiyi was held.
In the courtyard, the guard captain and his subordinates immediately became alert.
Yang Xu, however, walked briskly towards the outside, followed closely by the six figures. After a while, the sound of the main gate opening and closing was heard, followed by the sound of horses' hooves.
"Mr. Feng?" The guard captain was somewhat bewildered. Young Master Yang had just left like that?
He felt as if something had deviated from its original course. Feng Pingqing frowned, looking in the direction Yang Xu had left. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Send someone to follow them from a distance. See if they entered the city or left, and in which direction they went."
"Your subordinate understands." The guard captain bowed and retreated. Several figures, using the cover of night, quickly pursued Yang Xu's departure.
A gust of cold wind swept through. Feng Pingqing, who had been standing in the courtyard for nearly two quarters of an hour, rubbed his cold hands before stepping towards the main hall.
Closing the door behind him, Feng Pingqing looked at the overturned chair on the ground and Zhang Minxian, who stood beside it in a daze. He couldn't help but ask, "Master, what happened?"
Returning to his senses, Zhang Minxian rubbed his temples and sighed deeply. Recalling the events in Xiangwu County that day, his expression grew even more grim.
"Master, when the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally straighten. When the willows darken, another village appears." Feng Pingqing, who had walked over, righted the chair on the ground. Thinking of the departed Yang Xu and the left-behind Zhang Yiyi, he asked, "Young Master Xu is determined to keep her here?"
Sitting down on the chair, Zhang Minxian remained silent for a long time. A chill spread from the soles of his feet to his entire body. After moving his cold hands and feet, Zhang Minxian finally spoke, "Yang Xu knows the truth about Shuyao's death."
"What?" Feng Pingqing's expression changed dramatically. He was so shocked that he didn't know what to say. Seeing Zhang Minxian nod, he finally understood why he had heard the sound of the chair falling earlier.
"We underestimated the Yang family!" Zhang Minxian was truly regretful now. He had personally killed his niece, but not only had he failed to make Yang Xu feel guilty and remorseful, thereby helping the Zhang family in the future, but he had also inadvertently pushed Yang Xu further away.
Feng Pingqing quickly reviewed everything that had happened in Xiangwu County that day and carefully considered every detail. "Master, Fu Langhuan's death had nothing to do with you or me. Both she and Miss Shuyao were given large doses of Gui Cao. Miss Shuyao was disoriented and ultimately accidentally strangled Fu Langhuan."
Although Magistrate Zhu later came to investigate the case, and Miss Shuyao insisted she had no memory of what happened that night, citing the excessive dosage of the drug, Feng Pingqing knew that Zhou Shuyao was both terrified and deeply remorseful.
It made sense. As a pampered daughter of an official, Zhou Shuyao had once beaten a servant to death in a fit of anger. However, she had only given the orders; it was the servants who carried them out, and they were always taken to the most secluded corner of the courtyard, gagged, and died without a sound.
But Fu Langhuan's death was different. Zhou Shuyao had personally strangled her. Even though she was disoriented by the Gui Cao at the time, fragments of the memory played in her mind, and she could clearly recall the scene of the murder.
Zhang Minxian had agreed to Feng Pingqing's proposal at the time, ensuring everything was foolproof before proceeding. "Shuyao listened to me that day and deliberately had a big argument with Yang Xu, even saying she would exchange her life for his. Afterward, Yang Shocheng brought Yang Xu over, and Qiu Zongxi also came."
"I remember that Young Master Yang Xu only stood outside the door and did not enter. Qiu Zongxi stood by his side, accompanying him. General Yang entered the room alone, but only glanced at Miss Shuyao's body before coming out. The entire process took less than fifteen minutes," Feng Pingqing added.
The next day, after placing Miss Shuyao's body in a simple coffin, their party left Xiangwu County. Half an hour before their departure, they sent someone to deliver a message to the Qiu Residence.
Although General Yang had brought Yang Xu, they had only met at the city gate. Some paper money was burned, and the coffin was taken away in a carriage. So, how did they discover that Miss Shuyao's death was not a suicide? Where had the flaw occurred?
What Feng Pingqing couldn't understand was also what Zhang Minxian couldn't figure out. They believed the matter was foolproof, which was why they dared to kill Zhou Shuyao, making Yang Xu indebted to the Zhang family for a life, and using Yang Xu's guilt and remorse to help the Zhang family when necessary in the future.
"Master, the first person to arrive at the別院 was Zhan Feiyu," Feng Pingqing suddenly said, his expression changing abruptly. "Zhan Feiyu was accompanied by someone else. I suspect that person was from the Imperial Guards!"
Wasn't Zhang Yiyi imprisoned precisely because Zhan Feiyu sent someone with the Imperial Guards' token to the卫所? Commander Dou personally dispatched troops to arrest Zhang Yiyi. However, due to Yang Xu's identity and the restraint of the Zhenbian Marquisate, the arrest was made, but Magistrate Zhu dared not hold court, so she could only be kept in prison.
"Imperial Guards?" Zhang Minxian's face turned ashen. The hands resting on his knees trembled slightly.
No matter how secretive a matter was, if the Imperial Guards investigated, they would surely uncover the truth! Zhang Minxian even suspected that when he killed Zhou Shuyao, the Imperial Guards were watching from the shadows, perhaps even witnessing the entire process of his murder.
Feng Pingqing, not noticing Zhang Minxian's panicked and flustered expression, was carefully recalling the room where Zhou Shuyao died that day. From the bloodstains to the scissors lying on the ground, to Zhou Shuyao's body, he replayed every detail, finding no flaws.
Then why did the Imperial Guards know that Zhou Shuyao did not commit suicide but was killed by his master? Feng Pingqing also clenched his fists. He too considered the most unthinkable possibility: when his master acted, the Imperial Guards were in the shadows, but they had simply not discovered them!
After a long silence, Zhang Minxian and Feng Pingqing's expressions were extremely grim. If only Yang Shocheng and Yang Xu knew the truth, they would not be afraid. After all, Zhou Shuyao's body had been buried. Even in winter, after so many days, the body would have begun to decay.
Even if the coffin were exhumed for an autopsy, no evidence would be found.
But if the Imperial Guards knew, it meant the Emperor knew. Zhang Minxian suppressed the panic in his heart. "Forget it. It's useless to say more now. Let's see if there will be an imperial decree from His Majesty."