Volume One Carefree Journey Through Indistinguishable Mulberry Leaves Chapter Fifty-Four Stray Dog

Breakfast was not delivered personally by Gu Qinghan, but brought by a maid from the residence. Yang Ning realized that his momentary lapse earlier must have made Gu Qinghan suspicious. He thought to himself that this beautiful young widow was not a frivolous woman, so he ought to be more cautious in the future.

Gu Qinghan's conduct and manner truly earned Yang Ning's admiration. To be fair, everyone appreciates beauty, and Gu Qinghan's delicate features and graceful figure would inevitably stir any man's heart. Yet Yang Ning knew well enough that if he acted rashly, it would surely create a distance between them later.

Gu Qinghan cared for him attentively, almost like a gentle elder sister who understood his every need. Deep down, Yang Ning cherished this warmth and had no desire for anything to disrupt it.

After breakfast, Yang Ning wandered around the residence. He had already decided to continue impersonating the heir for some time, so it was necessary to familiarize himself with the layout of the Jinyi Marquis's household.

The place was even larger than he had imagined: front courtyard, main hall, east and west wings, and a rear garden, as well as a stable and a martial training ground. The Jinyi Marquis for two generations had been military men, and the residence boasted a spacious practice arena used for martial drills. Altogether, there were more than thirty guards in the household, nearly all former soldiers, who trained and sparred daily in the arena.

Dressed in his newly donned brocade robes and jade belt, Yang Ning now cut a rather dashing figure. Walking along a shaded path near the western garden, flanked by lush greenery and a scenic view, he noticed a clear stream running beside the road, evidently man-made.

"I can't wait any longer!" Just as Yang Ning was enjoying the moment, a low, angry voice reached him from nearby. He followed the sound and saw a row of flowerbeds not far away. It was late autumn, yet the foliage remained verdant. He recognized the voice immediately—it was Qi Yu.

Though they had crossed paths several times in recent days, Yang Ning and Qi Yu had not exchanged a single word. Qi Yu wore a perpetual scowl, as if the whole world owed him money.

Yang Ning frowned and quietly approached, soon hearing Lady Qiong's voice: "My dear, keep your voice down! There are eyes and ears everywhere. He's riding high now, and everyone in the residence wants to ingratiate themselves with him. If you're overheard, word will surely reach him."

"What if it does?" Qi Yu sneered. "I've endured this for over ten years. Why should he trample over me? Just because his mother was the legitimate wife? In the end, it's your incompetence. Why did you settle for being a concubine? Why did you give birth to me? If you hadn't, I wouldn't have to suffer this humiliation, letting an idiot lord it over me."

Yang Ning smirked inwardly.

He knew Qi Yu had never accepted his status as a secondary son. In Qi Yu's mind, he was the rightful heir to the Jinyi Marquis, but because of his birth, the title remained tantalizingly out of reach.

A sharp slap rang out.

Lady Qiong, her voice subdued with anger, hissed, "You beast! How many times have I told you? Patience is a knife above the heart—endure, and the clouds will part in time. If you can't control yourself, how can you accomplish anything?"

"Endure, endure, endure! How much longer must I endure?" Qi Yu raged. "I thought he'd never return alive, but… If he'd died outside, the title would have been mine. Now, even though he's a complete fool, I have to stand by and watch him inherit the marquisate."

"What's your hurry?" Lady Qiong sneered. "The imperial edict hasn't arrived yet. The heir is not the marquis. Until he's officially invested, no one can guarantee the title will be his. At times like these, you must stay calm and never let small matters ruin the big picture." She snorted coldly. "Only the one who wins in the end is the true victor. Don't you understand that?"

Yang Ning's expression grew cold and stern. He realized this mother and son were up to no good. Their eagerness to play the filial son before was clearly a ploy to replace him and seize the marquisate.

Thinking about it now, had he not returned to the residence posing as the heir, the title would likely have fallen straight into Qi Yu's hands, just as they had hoped.

The Jinyi Marquisate was hereditary—a golden rice bowl. If the legitimate eldest son died, Qi Yu, as the bloodline of Qi Jing, still qualified for succession.

Suddenly, Yang Ning wondered if the attack at the Loyal Mausoleum's villa could be connected to this pair.

From a motive standpoint, if he had been killed by the assassins, Qi Yu stood to gain most. Seeing how far they were willing to go for the title, it was not impossible they had hired the killers.

Yang Ning had already resolved to uncover the mastermind. He understood that since the attempt had failed, the perpetrator would not simply vanish; more moves were inevitable. He need not chase after clues—just stay vigilant and wait for the enemy to reveal themselves.

Duan Canghai and the others were fiercely loyal; neither Duan nor Qi Feng nor Zhao Wushang were ordinary men. With their support, he might yet track down the true culprit.

Yet he thought, before the funeral, Qi Yu probably had no opportunity to reach the Loyal Mausoleum's villa. Despite their venomous nature, Yang Ning doubted they could orchestrate such a meticulous assassination plot. Qi Yu was shrewd, but without evidence, he could not link them directly to the attack.

"How can we win?" Qi Yu's voice was anxious. "In at most a month, the imperial decree will come down, and the marquisate will be his. By then, it'll be too late."

Lady Qiong sneered, "Foolish child, what do you mean too late? There's still a month left, isn't there? We won't let him take the title without a fight. Even if, heaven forbid, he does get it, until he has an heir, you remain the marquis's bloodline. If anything happens to him, the title passes to you."

Yang Ning's heart sank. What a vicious woman.

"Mother, have you thought of something?" Qi Yu pressed urgently. "Tell me, what should we do? Remember, only if I become the Jinyi Marquis will you have a chance to be granted a noble lady's rank. Otherwise… you'll always be a mere concubine!"

"Whether I become a noble lady or not is unimportant. Everything is for you," Lady Qiong said coldly. "We've endured humiliation for years. The day you become the Jinyi Marquis, we'll repay every grievance."

"Gu Qinghan!" Qi Yu spat her name, his voice seething with hatred. "One day, I'll make sure that woman wishes she were dead. The Qinhuai River is filled with pleasure boats—I'll send her to one and make her a plaything for thousands, only then will my rage be appeased."

Yang Ning's patience snapped. Hearing Qi Yu insult Gu Qinghan with such vile words, his anger flared, and he shouted coldly, "Which stray dog is barking in the courtyard? Get out here!"

For Qi Yu and Lady Qiong, this was a bolt from the blue. Qi Yu leapt over the flowerbed, emerging from the foliage with surprising agility, clearly possessing some martial skills. Seeing Yang Ning standing not far away, hands clasped behind his back, Qi Yu's face turned deathly pale. He opened his mouth but could not utter a word.

Lady Qiong also stepped out from behind the flowerbed, heavily made up, adorned with gold and jade, still carrying a certain charm. Yet she, too, was pale at the sight of Yang Ning.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Qi Yu quickly regained his composure, fists clenched, eyes full of venom as he glared at Yang Ning, looking for all the world like a provoked wild dog ready to pounce.

"So it was you two. I thought it was a stray dog making such noise." Yang Ning sneered. "What? Eavesdropping? This is the Jinyi Marquis's residence. I am the heir. Every flower, blade of grass, tree, and stone belongs to me. I go wherever I please. Only those plotting behind my back need to sneak and scheme—I have no need to eavesdrop on anyone."

He repeatedly referred to himself as "the master," which made Qi Yu's fists clench tighter, veins bulging on the backs of his hands, his glare icy, yet he said nothing.

Lady Qiong recovered herself, but did not speak further. She said coldly, "Come, Yu'er, let's go!" She turned to leave, Qi Yu cast a venomous look at Yang Ning and followed, but Yang Ning called out coldly, "Wait!"

Lady Qiong turned first, sneering, "Qi Ning, you are not yet the Jinyi Marquis. Even if you were, I am your stepmother. You have no right to order me about."

"You—turn around!" Yang Ning ignored Lady Qiong and pointed at Qi Yu. "Father has passed. I am now the head of the family. When the father is gone, the eldest brother steps in his stead. Why do you not pay your respects when you see me?"

Qi Yu spun around in anger. "You…!"

"You what?" Yang Ning sneered. "Don't like it? Qi Yu, if you don't understand, your mother should have told you—no respect, no order. Breaking the rules of the Marquis's household means I can expel you at any time."

"You dare!" Qi Yu shouted. "Qi Ning, don't push me too far! I've always known you despise me. Now that father is gone, you think you can do as you please? Go ahead and expel me—let the whole Qi family see if you have the guts. The Third Elder…!"

"I know you want to invoke the Third Elder," Yang Ning smiled calmly. "But you forget, though he shares our surname, he is not part of the Marquis's household. The Third Elder may keep you in the family register, but he has no say over whether I expel you from the residence." His tone was icy. "I am only expelling you from the residence, not from the clan. With your cleverness, you shouldn't starve outside."