Chapter 3: An Accident, a Return to the Marquis Estate
With such a major event happening tonight, how could anyone at the villa have the slightest inclination to sleep?
After some discussion, they decided to split up. Two of the fastest runners were sent back to the Marquis Estate to report the news. The others either guarded the assassins or took turns keeping watch through the night.
However, just as the men heading to the city to report the news had led out their horses, before they could even set off, another unexpected change occurred.
The assassins had committed suicide!
Hearing this from her room, Su Zhenyue was startled, her face paling. “Dead? But just now…”
Shen Ji’s anesthetic took effect extremely quickly, but its effective duration was only about half an hour. In that long dream, the assassins had quickly regained consciousness. Seeing that their mission had failed and they were now captives, they had decisively taken the poison hidden in their teeth and killed themselves.
Su Zhenyue had wanted to change this outcome, so she had feigned a casual reminder to Zhao Eryong and the others.
“We took out the poison they had hidden in their mouths, but who would have thought they’d bite their own tongues to commit suicide?” Zhao Eryong stood outside the door, both angry and anxious.
Su Zhenyue’s heart jolted. Biting their tongues to commit suicide?!
Amid her disappointment and shock, she faintly felt that perhaps it wasn’t so surprising after all.
“It’s all my fault for being careless. If I had known, I would have just pulled out all their teeth,” Zhao Eryong said, full of regret. “Sigh, now it’s going to be difficult to find the mastermind.”
Su Zhenyue closed her eyes, trying her best to steady herself. She said in a gentle voice, “Second Uncle Zhao, you don’t need to blame yourself. They were determined to die; how could we have stopped them? Even if you had pulled out all their teeth, I’m afraid they would have found another way to kill themselves.”
She spoke softly and gently, and her use of the word “we” intentionally or unintentionally closed the distance between them.
Zhao Eryong found her words reasonable, and his heart felt much more at ease. He scratched his head. “That’s true. Miss Su, you should rest first. I’ll go take another look.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Second Uncle Zhao,” Su Zhenyue said through the door.
As the footsteps faded away, she sank weakly into a chair at the table.
It was not yet dawn, but Su Zhenyue had no desire to go back to sleep. She sat motionless, carefully contemplating the path she should take from now on.
“Miss, you should go lie down for a while,” Nanxing said softly, walking to her side. “You haven’t recovered from your illness yet.”
The Frost’s Descent solar term had already passed, and the Start of Winter was approaching. It would be best if falling into the water didn’t leave behind any lingering health problems.
Su Zhenyue shook her head. “I can’t sleep. I feel a little panicked. You go to bed first.”
—Now that she had verified that everything in her dream was real, she had no choice but to plan for herself and for the future.
“Is it because of the assassins? Miss, you don’t need to worry too much. Although those men are dead, they must have left some clues. With the Marquis Estate’s help, we’ll surely be able to find the culprit,” Nanxing said, her face pale with lingering fear, yet she still forced herself to offer words of comfort.
Su Zhenyue didn’t speak, only managing a faint smile in response.
The culprit? They would never be found. These assassins were all meticulously trained sworn assassins who would rather die than betray their master. How could they have left any clues? Besides, even if they did find out it was Princess Cheng Ping who had ordered it, what could she, an orphan with no power or influence, do to His Majesty’s own sister?
At that point, it was uncertain whether she could even protect her own life.
But there was no need to voice these worries to Nanxing and make her worry for nothing.
…
The news quickly reached the Jing An Marquis Estate.
Just as the sky was beginning to lighten, the lamps in Chunhui Hall were lit.
Old Madam Wen was advanced in years and had always been a light sleeper. The previous day, there had been a considerable commotion involving her grandson, Gu Yuanchen. With matters weighing on her mind, she had slept restlessly and woken up early.
She was half-reclining on the Luohan bed, resting with her eyes closed, when she asked, “Where is the Heir Apparent?”
“Still kneeling in the ancestral hall,” the head maid, Jialan, replied softly.
Old Madam Wen snorted lightly. “Go ask him if he knows his mistake. If he does, tell him to go to the Princess’s Estate at once, bring his wife back, and live a proper life with her.”
—Old Madam Wen was fully aware of what had happened yesterday: Su Zhenyue falling into the water and her grandson Gu Yuanchen’s dispute with Chang Le Princess. She knew very well that her grandson was dissatisfied with this marriage, but it was an imperial decree. Who could refuse? Regardless of whether the feelings between Gu Yuanchen and Su Zhenyue were real or feigned, they had to be cast aside. Old Madam Wen had specifically sent Su Zhenyue to the villa in the suburbs to “recuperate” in order to make her grandson give up the idea, yet something like this had happened again.
“Yes,” Jialan acknowledged, lifting the curtain to exit.
Not long after, she hurried back in, followed by a somewhat familiar servant.
“Old Madam, something has happened!”
“Hm?” Old Madam Wen frowned, a hint of impatience in her voice. “What’s with all the panic? What happened now?”
The servant took a few steps forward, knelt, and reported, “Reporting to Old Madam, assassins were discovered at the villa last night.”
He then recounted everything that had happened at the suburban villa the previous night in detail.
“How outrageous!” Old Madam Wen’s face darkened. “To be so audacious, right under the Emperor’s nose!”
The servants waiting on her all lowered their gazes, not daring to make a sound.
Old Madam Wen pondered for a moment, her brows knitting even tighter. “Were those assassins really after Miss Su?”
“They did indeed head straight for the courtyard where Miss Su was staying. If not for the two righteous men lodging there who intervened in time, I’m afraid Miss Su would have… last night…”
Old Madam Wen closed her eyes and remained silent for a long time.
Jialan observed her expression and quietly asked for instructions, “Old Madam, about the villa…”
“What a cursed fate!” Old Madam Wen slowly opened her eyes and let out a heavy sigh.
She had thought that sending Su Zhenyue to the villa would put an end to the matter. Who would have expected this string of events? That girl from the Su family was a maiden of the inner boudoir. What kind of grudge could she have with anyone? The answer to who wanted to kill her was almost self-evident.
After a long while, Old Madam Wen finally asked, “Does the Marquis know about this?”
“The Marquis just found out as well. His Lordship’s intention is to bring Miss Su back first. Our Marquis Estate is heavily guarded and ultimately safer than outside. As for the mastermind behind the assassins, we can investigate slowly.”
Old Madam Wen sighed again. “That’s all we can do for now.”
—In her heart, Old Madam Wen did not want to bring Su Zhenyue back to the Marquis Estate right now. Her grandson, Gu Yuanchen, had nearly defied an imperial decree and refused marriage because of her. It had taken great effort to have her temporarily reside at the villa under the pretext of “recuperation” so that her grandson’s marriage to Chang Le Princess could proceed as scheduled. Who would have thought…
But Old Madam Wen didn’t dare to let Su Zhenyue continue staying at the villa either. If there were more assassins and she lost her life because of it, where would the Jing An Marquis Estate hide its face?
Moreover, Su Zhenyue’s biological father had died on the battlefield shielding the Jing An Marquis, Gu Nianzhang, from an arrow. For the sake of both sentiment and reason, the Gu family had to ensure her safety and could not disregard her life.
…
The person the Jing An Marquis Estate sent to handle the assassination attempt at the villa was the Jing An Marquis’s own younger brother—the Gu family’s Second Master, Gu Niansheng.
Second Master Gu was in his forties. He had studied literature and practiced martial arts, but unfortunately, he excelled at neither. Thankfully, his family was wealthy, and he had purchased a sinecure. He spent his days helping his elder brother manage the family’s domestic affairs.
But this was the first time Second Master Gu had ever encountered something like assassins appearing at a villa. He wasted no time, bringing a group of men and heading straight for the suburban villa.
By then, it was broad daylight, and Zhao Eryong and the others had been waiting for a long time.
Traces of the fight were still visible, and the bodies of the black-clad men were laid out in the woodshed.
Second Master Gu gave them a brief look before having someone take the Marquis Estate’s calling card to report the case to the Capital Prefecture. —Since lives were lost, it was not something that could be handled privately.
“Have Miss Su pack her things. She will return to the estate with us later,” Second Master Gu instructed. Then, remembering something else, he asked, “What about that Young Master Shen from last night? Is he still at the villa?”
“Yes, he is.”
“Come, take me to see him.” Second Master Gu was extremely curious about the identity of this Young Master Shen who had appeared so coincidentally.
—The man was a scholar who held an academic degree and had helped the Gu family last night. Second Master Gu did not want to be neglectful, so he went to his lodging in person.
At that moment, Shen Ji and his servant were still in the side courtyard.
Their original plan was to stay for only one night. But because of last night’s events, it was now awkward for them to leave immediately this morning.
—Everyone at the villa had earnestly pleaded with them to wait a little longer, until the person in charge from the Marquis Estate arrived.
Ping An, with his childlike disposition, was growing impatient from the wait. He asked curiously, “Young Master, why do you think those assassins wanted to kill Miss Su? It’s strange. Miss Su seems so gentle and refined. How could she have such a vicious enemy…”
The image of a pair of eyes, as clear as water, unexpectedly surfaced in Shen Ji’s mind.
He had his own questions, but with Ping An asking now, he merely lifted his eyelids. “They’re other people’s affairs. Why are you asking so many questions?”
Ping An was unconvinced. “Even if they are other people’s affairs, isn’t this place…”
Shen Ji cut him off. “Someone’s coming.”
As he spoke, Second Master Gu had already arrived at the entrance of the side courtyard.
He was quite tall and well-dressed, clearly different from the menial servants at the villa.
Ping An knew this was most likely the person in charge and quickly composed himself, standing behind his young master.
Sure enough, he heard Zhao Eryong make the introduction: “Young Master Shen, this is the Gu family’s Second Master.”
Shen Ji stood up. “Second Master Gu.”
The moment he saw Shen Ji, Second Master Gu was stunned for an instant. He hadn’t expected Young Master Shen to be so young and handsome. Moreover, there was a faint, inexplicable sense of familiarity in his features.
“A hero is known in his youth…” Second Master Gu’s face was wreathed in smiles as he lavished praise and had someone bring out the prepared gift of thanks. Then, he began to inquire about the other’s identity, hometown, and age…
“My name is Shen Ji, from Qingzhou…”
The man had only spoken eight words when Second Master Gu exclaimed, “Aiyo! Shen Ji from Qingzhou? You, you, is your esteemed father’s name ‘Yunjing’?”
“That was indeed my late father,” Shen Ji nodded, not at all surprised by his reaction.
—When he had sought lodging the previous night, he had learned the identity of the villa’s owner from the servants. As it turned out, he had some connection to the Gu family.
“Ah, why didn’t you say so earlier? And you’re calling me Second Master Gu. According to seniority, you should be calling me Second Maternal Uncle.” Second Master Gu’s face lit up with joy. “No wonder I thought you looked familiar. It turns out you’re one of our own relatives.”
—Old Madam Wen originally had two sons and two daughters, but unfortunately, both daughters had died young. She then adopted an orphan girl from the Gu clan and raised her as her own to find some solace.
After the adopted daughter grew up, she was married off to a distant family in Qingzhou. Because of the long journey, she never returned to the capital before she passed away.
The Jing An Marquis Estate only knew that she had left behind a son named Shen Ji, who had just won first place in the autumn imperial examinations and was preparing to participate in the spring examinations next year. They had thought he was still on his way, never expecting that he had already arrived in the capital and had even helped the Marquis Estate in the nick of time.
Second Master Gu was overjoyed. Forgetting everything else, he fervently invited Shen Ji to go to the Marquis Estate with him to pay his respects to the Old Madam.