The Wife of a Loyal Servant - Chapter 48

He pondered for a while, unable to make sense of it, then called out loudly, “Summon Song Chao to see me.”

Ying Liu was puzzled by his sudden decision to call Song Chao, but didn’t ask further. She only said, “Should I have someone fetch a doctor for Lai Kun?”

“Go! No matter why he suffered this punishment, he is still a member of the household. It is only right to have a doctor examine his injuries,” said Prince Qi, Zhao Yi.

All he wanted now was to determine whether this was a personal grudge or a warning from the Crown Prince.

If it were just a personal grudge, he could let it go. But if it was a warning, he needed to prepare in advance.

Ying Liu left to carry out his order, and soon Song Chao entered.

“Is Cheng Shaotang, the deputy commander of the guards at the Crown Prince’s residence, your sworn brother?” Zhao Yi asked after Song Chao had bowed.

Song Chao was taken aback. “I do have a sworn brother named Cheng Shaotang, but whether he is the same person at the Crown Prince’s residence, I have no idea.”

Brother Cheng should be serving as a constable in Qinghe County. How could he now be deputy commander at the Crown Prince’s residence? Surely His Highness must be mistaken.

He was filled with suspicion.

Zhao Yi gently stroked the waist token in his hand. After a long moment, he handed it to Song Chao and said meaningfully, “You brothers have been apart for so long. It’s time for a reunion.”

Song Chao was stunned. So, the person at the Crown Prince’s residence really was Brother Cheng?

After Zhao Yi gave him a few more instructions, Song Chao seemed to awaken from a dream and hurriedly replied, “Yes, Your Majesty!”

When Ling Yu returned from the Crown Prince’s residence, she felt very satisfied. The Crown Princess’s favorable attitude toward the Jade Face Cream had greatly boosted her confidence.

Yang Suwen, however, looked dejected. “My father is so capable, and I, as his only daughter, haven’t even learned thirty percent of his skills. Am I useless?”

Ling Yu rarely saw her so downcast and comforted her, “You’re doing fine. You single-handedly redeemed Huichun Hall and made so much money. You should know how many families in Qinghe County would love to marry you!”

Yang Suwen considered this and felt encouraged. “Hearing that, sister, I think I’m quite capable too, not at all inferior to my father!”

Ling Yu suppressed a smile and nodded repeatedly. “Yes, that’s the right way to think.”

Back at home, Ling Dachun, who had already returned, immediately greeted them, his face radiating indescribable joy. “Xiao Yu, Suwen, I’ve found a suitable shop!”

Hearing such good news, Ling Yu and Yang Suwen were both surprised and delighted, asking in unison, “Where is it?”

“It’s near Shili Lane on East Street. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to see it. If you like it, we can reserve the shop,” Ling Dachun said happily.

Ling Yu asked him for more details about the shop, becoming increasingly satisfied and eager to see it in person. The next morning, after breakfast, the three of them, along with Xiao Shitou, headed to East Street.

“How’s my judgment? If you all think it’s good, we’ll pay the deposit first. A month from now, after the shop owner clears out his goods, we can start preparing,” Ling Dachun asked with a smile.

“It really is excellent. The key is the location—so much open space in front makes it convenient for customers,” Ling Yu said with satisfaction.

“I’ve heard East Street is one of the busiest streets in the capital. Opening a shop here shouldn’t go wrong!” Yang Suwen added cheerfully.

All three were satisfied, and Ling Dachun walked toward the shop owner, who had been waiting for their decision.

The owner, a middle-aged man around forty, negotiated with Ling Dachun for some time. Eventually, they agreed on the price: Ling Dachun would pay a 10% deposit, the owner would have a month to clear out his goods, and the shop would officially transfer in two months.

With the shop arrangement settled, Ling Dachun prepared to return to Qinghe County to begin sourcing goods.

He glanced hesitantly at Yang Suwen, who was happily playing with Xiao Shitou. Ling Yu understood his thoughts and teased in a low voice, “What’s wrong? Worried about Suwen?”

Ling Dachun glanced at her and muttered, “Isn’t that a question you already know the answer to?”

That girl is impulsive and prone to trouble. The capital is full of nobles, and if she offends someone, it could be messy.

“Don’t worry! I’ll keep an eye on her. But what gives you the right to be so concerned about her?” Ling Yu asked, her tone teasing.

Ling Dachun, unusually embarrassed, met her playful gaze and straightened his resolve. “When I return, I’ll tell my parents. They worry about my marriage every day anyway, so I might as well be upfront and stop them from worrying.”

“You should’ve done that long ago. You’re always scheming and overthinking. Better to be straightforward and just marry her,” Ling Yu said with a relieved smile, as if saying, finally, you’ve figured it out.

“What are you two talking about?” Yang Suwen asked, carrying Xiao Shitou over.

“Nothing!” Ling Dachun quickly replied.

Ling Yu smiled, saying no more.

Yang Suwen looked at the siblings suspiciously, about to ask more, but suddenly remembered something and swallowed her question.

“Since we’ve stayed this long, why not wait until Shaotang returns before leaving? He probably has some things for you to take back to your mother-in-law and Shaoan,” Ling Yu suggested.

Ling Dachun thought it over and agreed.

Cheng Shaotang returned in the evening, accompanied by Song Chao, Tang Jinyuan, and a young woman dressed as a married lady.

“Long time no see, sister-in-law! How have you been?” Tang Jinyuan greeted Ling Yu with a warm smile.

Ling Yu noticed the woman closely following him. Seeing her slightly rounded belly, she immediately guessed, “Is this your sister-in-law?”

Tang Jinyuan smiled, a bit naively, but didn’t deny it. “Mingju, greet your sister-in-law!”

The woman named Mingju stepped forward to curtsy, but Ling Yu stopped her. “We’re all family. You’re pregnant, so no need for formalities.”

Mingju smiled shyly.

With guests arriving, Ling Yu and Yang Suwen personally prepared a lavish dinner. Cheng Shaotang, Song Chao, and the others gathered in the main room, while Ling Yu, along with Xiao Shitou, Yang Suwen, and Mingju, dined in the small adjoining hall.

Xiao Shitou fussed, wanting to find his father, but after Ling Yu scolded him sternly a few times, he sulkily sat down. Mingju, perhaps because she was pregnant, adored children. Seeing this, she tenderly drew him close, gently coaxing him until his little face brightened with a joyful smile.

“With such patience, sister-in-law, you’ll surely be a good mother,” Ling Yu said lightly, then asked, “How many months pregnant are you?”

“Four months,” Mingju replied.

Ling Yu asked more about her pregnancy, learning that Mingju had originally been a maid in Prince Qi’s mansion, sold into servitude at a young age, and had no living relatives. She had only married Tang Jinyuan six months ago. Speaking from experience, Ling Yu offered advice on what to pay attention to during pregnancy.

Mingju carefully took notes, occasionally asking questions about things she only vaguely understood.

The two engaged in a lively conversation, the atmosphere surprisingly harmonious.

Meanwhile, in the main hall, Cheng Shaotang and the others had a few drinks, and the atmosphere grew boisterous.

“I never thought you’d become such a favorite of the Crown Prince. I always assumed you’d stay in Qinghe County, serving as a constable under Lord Guo,” Song Chao said with a sigh.

“Although we brothers can’t work together now, at least we live closer, and we’ll have more opportunities to meet in the future, which is something to be happy about,” Tang Jinyuan said, hiccupping and smiling.

“Jinyuan is absolutely right. By the way, isn’t Xiao Mu also at the Crown Prince’s residence with you? Why don’t we see him?” Song Chao suddenly asked.

“Xiao Mu is on duty today and can’t get away. I’ll bring him along another day to meet the brothers,” Cheng Shaotang replied.

Ling Dachun wasn’t well acquainted with Song Chao and Tang Jinyuan, so he mostly sat quietly, eating and drinking, occasionally refilling their glasses without disturbing their reunion.

“You said you didn’t want much contact with the imperial family and nobles, so you chose to stay in Qinghe County. Now you’re working at the Crown Prince’s residence. If I didn’t know you, I’d think you were looking down on Prince Qi’s modest household,” Song Chao said, already a little tipsy after a few drinks.

“Brother, you flatter me. Many things happened unexpectedly, and I don’t know where to begin. I can only say it was fate,” Cheng Shaotang sighed.

“But it’s good. Serving His Highness the Crown Prince, there’s bound to be a bright future,” Song Chao added with a sigh.

Brothers who once risked their lives together now served different masters. Fortunately, Prince Qi was generous and never sought to compete with others. Otherwise, the brothers’ futures would have been precarious.

Thinking of this, Song Chao took the waist token he had been keeping in his bosom and gently pushed it across the table toward Cheng Shaotang. “Take a look at this.”

Cheng Shaotang froze, then exclaimed in surprise, “This… isn’t this the waist token worn by the Crown Prince’s guards? Why would you have one?”

Song Chao stared intently, observing every flicker of expression, and asked cautiously, “You really don’t know what happened? That day, a servant from Prince Qi’s residence went out to buy supplies and was inexplicably struck with a club. He’s now seriously injured and bedridden. This is what he found at the scene.”

Cheng Shaotang’s heart skipped a beat. “Is that so?!”

He carefully examined the waist token, his thick brows furrowing ever tighter. “I’ll investigate thoroughly tomorrow when I return to the manor, to find out exactly who committed this heinous act.”

After a brief pause, he asked, puzzled, “Brother, by what you just said, are you implying that His Highness the Crown Prince ordered this?”

Song Chao hadn’t expected such a direct question. He instinctively wanted to deny it, but in the end said nothing, tacitly allowing the implication.

Cheng Shaotang sighed almost imperceptibly, then said in a serious tone, “I can guarantee that this matter has absolutely nothing to do with His Highness the Crown Prince. With His Highness’s status, how could he possibly harm a servant in a brother’s household? It’s absolutely impossible.”

Song Chao was skeptical, wanting to ask how he could guarantee such a thing, but seeing the resolute look on his face, he believed him at least partially.

“If it’s a personal grudge, outsiders shouldn’t interfere. I was just afraid this token might fall into the wrong hands, which is why I returned it to you.”

Cheng Shaotang knew it was merely polite talk, yet a deep sense of powerlessness welled up within him.

Each serving their own master… At this moment, he found he loathed those four words more than ever.

“Alright, alright, let’s not talk about other people’s business anymore. Come on, drink this!” Tang Jinyuan raised his glass at just the right moment, helping to ease the slightly tense atmosphere.

After everyone had finished their drinks, Tang Jinyuan, with a fawning smile, said, “Brother Cheng, you know my wife and I are both orphans, and now she’s pregnant. We don’t have anyone competent to help us. I was thinking that if your wife has some free time, she could come over often to give advice, so that your eldest nephew is born safely.”

Cheng Shaotang smiled slightly, “We’re brothers. This is only proper; no need to be so polite!”

“Thank you very much then! Come, let me toast you again!” Tang Jinyuan said, overjoyed.

Ling Dachun silently observed the three of them, carefully weighing everything in his mind.

After Song Chao and the Tang couple took their leave, Ling Dachun casually poured a bowl of hangover soup for Cheng Shaotang. Watching him drink it in one gulp, he slowly said, “While their visit may have partly been to reunite with old friends, I’m afraid they were primarily here to gather information for His Highness Prince Qi.”

Cheng Shaotang, of course, knew this and sighed deeply.

“Shaotang, I’m not trying to drive a wedge between you and your brothers. But now that you serve the Crown Prince, and they serve Prince Qi, although the Crown Prince and Prince Qi are presently at peace, the future is uncertain… You need to be mentally prepared.”

Cheng Shaotang rubbed his temples, wincing, “That’s not urgent. There’s something more important. I need to think about how to settle accounts with Xiao Mu tomorrow!”

“Xiao Mu? What does that have to do with him?” Ling Dachun asked, puzzled at the sudden shift in topic.

Cheng Shaotang, not wanting to speak bluntly, patted him on the shoulder. “It’s getting late, Brother Dachun. You should rest early.”

“Really… these officials always speak half-sentences, never getting to the point!” Ling Dachun muttered in discontent, watching his retreating figure.

After returning from that mischief with Ling Yu, Xiao Mu discovered his waist token was missing. He thought it over carefully and concluded it was likely lost at the scene of the beating. He had searched discreetly when no one was looking, but found nothing. For days, he was so anxious he couldn’t eat properly or sleep, and dared not tell anyone. The consequences of losing an official token could be severe.

He knew, however, that he couldn’t hide it for long and planned to confess to Guard Commander Chu Liang at the right moment.

Until Cheng Shaotang found him…

“Brother Cheng, what do you need me for?” Xiao Mu asked, feeling uneasy as Cheng Shaotang stared silently at him.

Cheng Shaotang’s gaze was complex as he looked at Xiao Mu’s still somewhat “innocent” face. After a moment, he lowered his eyes and asked calmly, “Where’s your waist token?”

Xiao Mu instinctively clutched his waist, his face paling.

How did he know?

Immediately, Xiao Mu saw Cheng Shaotang take something from his sleeve and toss it to him. He instinctively caught it and was overjoyed.

“So you found it! I’ve been on tenterhooks these past few days!”

“I didn’t find it. It was Brother Song from Prince Qi’s residence who returned it.” As soon as Cheng Shaotang said this, Xiao Mu’s smile froze.

“Why did you beat that servant named Lai Kun from Prince Qi’s residence?” Cheng Shaotang continued.

Xiao Mu’s breath caught, and he tried to feign ignorance. “Lai Kun? I don’t know him.”

But when he saw Cheng Shaotang’s grim expression, any words of excuse died in his throat.

“You didn’t even know him, yet you beat him nearly to death. You didn’t even notice that his waist token was lost and picked up by someone else, leaving this fatal piece of evidence. It even made Prince Qi suspect that the Crown Prince deliberately targeted him.”

Hearing that the Crown Prince was implicated, Xiao Mu finally lost his composure. “Brother, this was entirely my doing. It has nothing to do with anyone else. His Highness the Crown Prince wouldn’t allow such a thing. You must find a way to prevent Prince Qi from misunderstanding the Crown Prince.”

Seeing that Xiao Mu finally realized the severity of the situation, Cheng Shaotang sneered. “Now you understand the magnitude of the disaster you’ve caused? But why weren’t you more cautious in the first place? Tell me—why did you go after Lai Kun?”

“I have some old grudges with Lai Kun. I happened to run into him that day, and anger welled up inside me. Feeling indignant, I gave him a beating, but I never intended to kill him.”

“Lai Kun has been at Prince Qi’s residence in Changluo City for the past few years, only returning to the capital two months ago. How could you possibly have an old grudge with him?” Cheng Shaotang didn’t believe him.

But Xiao Mu insisted, “My grudge with him goes back a long way. He’s done many wrongful things and may not remember them, but I am different. A gentleman takes revenge—even after ten years. Since I ran into him, I must settle this score.”

Seeing this, Cheng Shaotang didn’t press further, but his expression grew darker. “Whether you have a grudge with him or not, I won’t concern myself with that. What angers me more than your secret attack is your recklessness and lack of caution!”

Xiao Mu paled and lowered his head in shame. “I know I was wrong.”

Cheng Shaotang shook his head. “Knowing you were wrong once is of little use. Xiao Mu, you must understand: many of our future missions are covert. Accidentally revealing your identity might not only risk your life. It could also jeopardize His Highness’s grand plans.”

“I won’t pursue why you hit him, but your recklessness demands further training. From today, you are suspended from all duties. Once I consult Brother Chu, we will make new arrangements.”

Xiao Mu bit his lip, wanting to plead, but in the end, he quietly said, “Yes, I will follow your arrangements.”

“Go back and reflect carefully on my words,” Cheng Shaotang said again, his face stern.

What angered him most wasn’t that Xiao Mu had injured someone, but his recklessness—and recklessness was their greatest taboo.

Since arriving at the Crown Prince’s residence, Xiao Mu’s tasks had all been aboveboard, but who knew when he might be assigned some covert duties? If his identity were exposed, the resulting consequences wouldn’t be something he could bear with his life alone.

If it came to that, it would be far beyond his capacity to handle.

Xiao Mu left with his head hanging low.

That evening, Ling Yu learned of the incident. Her face changed, and she was too guilty to meet Cheng Shaotang’s gaze. However, the usually observant Cheng Shaotang was lost in thought and didn’t notice her unusual behavior.

Ling Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing Xiao Mu hadn’t exposed her, and was extremely grateful.

Still feeling guilty, she said little, instead dutifully offering him a clean cloth to wipe his face.

Cheng Shaotang worried for Xiao Mu, unaware that he himself was being slandered before Crown Prince Zhao Yun.

Cao Cheng had served the Crown Prince for many years. Among the guards, only Chu Liang was more senior. After the last purge in the manor, he had hoped to at least secure the post of deputy commander, even if he couldn’t surpass Chu Liang. Unexpectedly, Cheng Shaotang had appeared, taking the position that should have been his and gaining the Crown Prince’s deep trust. Cao Cheng was secretly annoyed, but Cheng Shaotang’s meticulousness left him with no way to act.

Who would have thought that today would finally present such a golden opportunity?

“Technically, I shouldn’t speak too freely, but Commander Cheng now serves His Highness and is also Deputy Commander of the Guards. There are some matters he should handle cautiously to avoid suspicion.”

“However, those men from Prince Qi’s residence, as soon as they returned to the capital, were eager to meet him. They call it a reunion, but who knows what they’re really after? Commander Cheng is loyal to His Highness, but I’ve heard these men are his sworn brothers of many years, having risked life and death together, loyal to one another…”

Cao Cheng quickly glanced at Zhao Yun. Seeing his gloomy expression, he bowed and withdrew, understanding the art of stopping at the right moment.

Zhao Yun, his face grim, tapped the desk lightly with his right hand. After a short pause, he summoned Chu Liang.

“I vaguely recall that Zhao Yi once pleaded with me on behalf of the bodyguards of a security escort agency in Qinghe County. Later, I heard that many of those guards joined his ranks. Is that true?”

Chu Liang, surprised that the question came up again after so long, replied, “It is indeed true.”

“Was Cheng Shaotang also one of those bodyguards?”

Chu Liang, startled but unwilling to conceal the truth, said, “Brother Shaotang was indeed one of them.”

Zhao Yun sneered, “So, you mean I wanted to take his life that day, and Zhao Yi was his savior?”

“Your Highness, I cannot agree with that. Prince Lu was the mastermind, but it was you who truly held their lives in your hands. If we are being precise, it was Your Highness who saved Brother Shaotang from Prince Lu,” Chu Liang said solemnly.

Zhao Yun sneered again. Chu Liang could not fathom his thoughts and dared not speak further.

“What do you think of Cheng Shaotang?”

“Brother Shaotang is loyal and kind, extremely sentimental, and acts prudently and cautiously. However, he is somewhat too upright,” Chu Liang replied carefully.

“Extremely loyal and sentimental…with a touch of uprightness…” Zhao Yun pondered for a moment, then instructed, “Let him handle the matter of Cai Wenxiang.”

Chu Liang was taken aback. “Brother Shaotang… I’m afraid he’s not quite suitable.”

“He will have to face this challenge eventually. I do not keep soft-hearted people around me,” Zhao Yun said coldly.