His attempt at flattery had failed, so Liu Gui could only keep agreeing, and quickly hurried to Yu Qing’s bedroom to urge him to hurry up.
Wen Xin, meanwhile, strolled over as if taking a leisurely walk in a courtyard. She stopped under the eaves opposite the bedroom to watch secretly. She needed to confirm that the inventory list handed to her was written in Yu Qing’s own hand.
There really were not many entries and exits for sundries over the past month, so it took less than half an hour to finish writing.
Taking the list from Yu Qing, she stared at the wet, uneven handwriting on it. The corners of Wen Xin’s mouth tightened. She raised her eyes to look at him. Even though she had seen him write it with her own eyes, she could not help but ask, “Is this your handwriting?”
Yu Qing bowed and nodded repeatedly. “Yes, my handwriting is poor. I hope Third Miss will not laugh at it.”
How could he possibly show her his real handwriting? He had deliberately submitted the barely legible style he used when he first joined the Wen household, just to get by.
Wen Xin’s gaze fell on the crooked characters once more. It looked nothing like the writing she had seen last time.
This confirmed one thing to her. This person was indeed deliberately hiding his true self.
Why hide it? Would it not be better to show off good handwriting? There was no harm in writing well, was there?
Why conceal his talents? Was he afraid people would know he was too outstanding?
She grew more convinced that her suspicions were true. This servant in her household might actually be the person from the rumours. At this thought, her heart could not help but beat faster.
Speaking of handwriting, Song Pingping and Xiao Hong, who had been guarding beside Purple Dragon, walked over as well, wanting to take a look. Wen Xin casually folded and closed the list to keep them from seeing it. She feared it would give things away, since they had previously seen the fine characters A Qing could write.
If he really was that person, and if that person truly did not want outsiders to know he was here, she felt there was no need for her to expose him.
Of course, the matter was too unbelievable. She could not, and did not dare to, be certain.
She really wanted to question Yu Qing properly about some of these doubts. However, she could never find a chance to speak with him alone, as people followed her everywhere, even within her own home.
“Let us go.”
Without staying long, Wen Xin left those words behind and departed with her attendants.
Once they left, Liu Gui followed suit and departed as well. Only Yu Qing remained in the sundries courtyard, sighing heavily.
He also wanted to find a chance to speak with Wen Xin. It was not for any romantic matters. Although he liked her and wished to be closer to her, often stealing glances in secret, he had enough self awareness to know he was not her match. He knew a poor boy like him could never rise to the level of the Wen family.
He simply wanted to find an opportunity to gather some information about the Wen Shu Pavilion from Wen Xin.
Lao Qi had learned that Wen Xin was exactly the sort of person who could enter and leave the Wen Shu Pavilion quite easily.
Given such a golden opportunity, Lao Qi naturally urged him frequently to try his luck with Wen Xin while he could.
At present, apart from Wen Xin, it was difficult for them to approach anyone of higher status within the Wen household. This was entirely because they had deliberately kept a low profile from the start. They had no standing to socialise with people of rank in the Wen estate. Those people disdained interacting with them, and would not even look directly at them if they greeted them first.
At most, they could mingle with servants of slightly higher rank. Yet the vast majority of those servants had never even stepped foot inside the Wen Shu Pavilion grounds.
Even if they could not get Wen Xin to personally help them scout out the current name of “Shiji Bay”, or if they wanted to sneak into the Wen Shu Pavilion themselves, they at least needed to know something about the interior. They had heard it was guarded, and it certainly would be.
Lao Qi felt all of these points were suitable to inquire about through Wen Xin.
Yu Qing agreed completely. However, with people constantly around Wen Xin, he did not even have a chance for a private conversation. It was truly difficult to bring it up.
Under the eaves, Wen Mao stood with his hands behind his back, watching raindrops fall.
Wen Kui reported beside him, “It is basically confirmed that the fat man and the large man are in league with Niu Youqing. We checked their external backgrounds. Like Niu Youqing, they are hard to pin down. Without forceful methods, we cannot clarify where the three of them came from. However, their methods of covering their tracks show no deep planning. They appear rather superficial, just some low level martial world tricks. They might work against small households that lack long range investigative capabilities, but they are truly inadequate before the Wen family. One proper investigation and they will be exposed.”
Wen Mao said, “Oh, they dare to cause trouble for my Wen family with such a flimsy background?”
Wen Kui replied, “This old servant finds it strange as well. By the way, after monitoring them, we found that the fat man and the large man are always deliberately or accidentally asking people about the ‘Wen Shu Pavilion’.”
“Inquiring about the Wen Shu Pavilion?” Wen Mao pondered for a long while, then spoke slowly. “Could there be something inside the Wen Shu Pavilion that they want?”
Wen Kui said, “It is unclear. Master, rather than waiting for them to reveal themselves, should we go with the flow and set a trap to lure them out?”
“Lure them?” Wen Mao stroked his beard and pondered. “What would we use as bait?”
Wen Kui bowed and remained silent, trusting that his master would make a wise decision.
In a quiet and elegant courtyard, water dripped from the large trees. The drops were heavier than rain.
Fan Wuchou paced under the eaves in front of the main hall. Inside, his disciple Zou Yunting opened windows one by one to let in fresh air.
Outside the courtyard gate, Song Pingping ran through the light drizzle, holding up her skirt. She called out from far away, “Master, Senior Brother, you are back.”
Seeing her bold manner as she splashed through puddles, Fan Wuchou could not help but pinch his forehead. He pointed at her as she bounded up the steps. “Be more ladylike. Be more ladylike. How many times have I told you to act like a lady?”
Song Pingping’s excitement vanished instantly. She pouted. “I practise martial arts. How am I supposed to be ladylike?”
“I really wonder, what does that have to do with martial arts? Do you not know the saying, move like a fleeing rabbit, stay still like a maiden? Being ladylike refers to one’s mindset…” Fan Wuchou trailed off, speechless. He realised his female disciple had no interest in listening at all, as she had already run towards her senior brother.
Song Pingping entered the room, found Zou Yunting, and asked with a smile, “Senior Brother, was it fun going out this time?”
“It was not a leisure trip.” Zou Yunting shook his head, then asked, “How was that Purple Cloud Beast while Master and I were away?”
At this, Song Pingping became enthusiastic. “It is doing very well! Senior Brother, you do not know, but the problem of the Purple Cloud Beast refusing to eat has been solved. We found an excellent keeper for it…” She chattered on, explaining how they had handed it over to Yu Qing to feed.
Hardly had she finished when Fan Wuchou’s reprimand came from outside. “This is utter nonsense!”
The two disciples looked over and saw their master striding towards them in a rage, pointing at someone.
Song Pingping shrank her neck. “What is it now?”
Fan Wuchou poked her forehead with his finger. “Do you have a pig for a brain? Spiritual pet, spiritual pet. Do you not understand? Whoever raises it owns it as their spiritual pet. You handed the Purple Cloud Beast over to someone else. If another person raises it from scratch, what does it have to do with Wen Xin? Will it not just become someone else’s spiritual pet? Did I not warn you? Wen Xin must raise it herself!”
Hearing this, the two disciples realised they had indeed caused quite a mess.
Song Pingping defended herself. “We have never raised one before, and you did not explain it clearly. How were we to know?”
Fan Wuchou said, “Why are you just standing there? Do you really want to wait until the spiritual pet subtly accepts someone else as its master? Go and bring it back quickly!”
Song Pingping stuck out her tongue and hurried away.
“Everyone tried feeding it and it refused, yet it only eats when that servant feeds it. I find that rather suspicious.” Zou Yunting rolled down his sleeves. “Master, I will go and take a look as well.”
Fan Wuchou neither agreed nor disagreed.
Taking the silence as permission, Zou Yunting quickly grabbed an umbrella from outside the door and walked out into the rain.
Song Pingping did not use an umbrella. She ran to the sundries courtyard in the drizzle and banged on the door. “A Qing, open the door. A Qing, open it quickly.”
With a creak, the door opened. Yu Qing stood behind it and looked at her in surprise, seeing her clothes soaked from running. He asked, “What is wrong?”
“You almost got away with a huge favour,” Song Pingping muttered. She pushed him aside and barged straight in.
Without any other fuss, she found Purple Dragon, picked up the iron cage along with it, and carried the bag of special feed in her other hand.
Yu Qing was bewildered. “Miss Song, what are you doing?”
“We will not trouble you any longer. Xin’er will raise it herself.” Song Pingping left those words behind and walked away with her belongings.
Yu Qing was speechless. He simply did not understand why. He had finally found a point of contact with Wen Xin, and now it was gone just like that?
Carrying things in both hands, Song Pingping ran into her senior brother on the path. He was walking towards her with an umbrella.
Seeing her carrying things in the rain, Zou Yunting immediately stepped in and reached out. “Come, let me help you take it to the Jade Garden.”
“No need.” Song Pingping dodged at once. A hint of wariness showed in her eyes. “The Jade Garden is where women live. Senior Brother, it is not appropriate for you to go there.” Saying this, she walked around him. She would rather get wet herself than let him help.
Holding his umbrella, Zou Yunting had no reply. He suddenly turned back and asked, “Junior Sister, where is that servant you mentioned who keeps the spiritual pet?”
Song Pingping looked back and replied, “Walk straight ahead. It is the courtyard with a gate.”
Zou Yunting watched her disappear through the gate to the inner courtyard. He then turned and continued forward. He only stopped when he reached the courtyard gate. After a brief look, he stepped up to the platform and knocked.
The door opened quickly. When Yu Qing saw who it was behind the door, he froze on the spot. An unpleasant scene from the family temple flashed through his mind. He had never expected this person to come looking for him voluntarily.
Zou Yunting looked Yu Qing up and down, paying particular attention to the fading bruises on his face. He asked, “Are you that Niu Qing or whatever?”
Yu Qing answered respectfully. “This humble one is Niu Youqing. You must be Young Master Zou. I wonder what orders you have?”
Confirming he had found the right person, Zou Yunting walked straight in. He strolled around the courtyard under his umbrella, looking at everything. He did not even spare Yu Qing’s bedroom.
Yu Qing had no choice but to accompany him in the light drizzle as he looked around.
After slowly closing the umbrella, Zou Yunting rested it on the ground. He faced outwards from under the eaves. “I heard that spiritual pet, Purple Dragon, refuses to eat from anyone except you. Is that true?”
Yu Qing was puzzled. “It does not eat from others? Is that so?”
Zou Yunting let out an oh. “You do not know?”
Yu Qing shook his head. “This humble one truly does not know.”
This was not a lie. He genuinely did not know that this was the reason Purple Dragon had been handed over to him. No one had told him.
Zou Yunting extended a hand to catch rainwater dripping from the eaves. “It does not matter if you do not know. Tell me, what method did you use to get Purple Dragon to eat? Teach me, and I will not treat you unfairly.”
Ever since hearing that someone could feed Purple Dragon, he had been interested. If he learned how, he could go to the Jade Garden to lend a hand.
Yu Qing had been warned not to feed it anything else. How could he dare tell the truth? “I just feed it directly, and it eats. I do not know any special method.”
Thud! The umbrella handle in Zou Yunting’s hand suddenly struck backwards.
Caught off guard, Yu Qing clutched his stomach and stumbled back against the wall in pain.
Before he could even catch his breath, Zou Yunting had spun around, grabbed his head, and slammed it against the wall as if ready to crush it. He spoke coldly, “Think carefully. Once you have thought it through, say it again.”