Volume One: Carefree Travels Amidst Mistaken Mulberry Leaves Chapter Seventy: The Family Heirloom

Trouble continued to beset the Marquis of Brocade’s household one after another. Gu Qinghan, bearing the weight of the immense estate, remained composed before others but was already exhausted in spirit. After this arduous night, she returned to the manor utterly worn out. Yang Ning comforted her, and only then did Gu Qinghan find a brief moment of rest.

Yang Ning knew well that if Qi Jing were still alive, none of these calamities would have transpired. Yet with Qi Jing’s passing, many schemers seized the opportunity to kick the Marquis’s household while it was down.

Though Dou Lianzhong had revealed himself, Yang Ning sensed that this man was indeed entangled with various parties, but doubted the Dou family was the true hand behind the scenes. The Minister of Revenue held high office in the empire, but to bring down the Marquis of Brocade’s house, the Dou clan alone lacked the strength. Though the household appeared in decline, two generations of Marquis of Brocade had earned distinguished merits, both renowned military commanders, and their influence in the army remained deep. The favor shown by Xue Lingfeng, commander of the Tiger God Battalion, was proof that the networks established by the Marquis had not vanished with Qi Jing’s death. Anyone seeking to move against them would have to think twice.

The tax silver from Jiangling was long overdue. The villa at Zhongling had been attacked. Now a fire had broken out at the pawnshop. On the surface, these events appeared unrelated, but Yang Ning keenly felt a thread tying them together. He even sensed that the Marquis’s household now teetered on the edge of a precipice, and their adversaries would not stop here. If his intuition was correct, more machinations were yet to come, and a single misstep could spell total ruin.

His instincts for danger were acute, and at this moment, that sense was overwhelming. Most infuriating was that the Qi clan itself was fractured, scattered like loose sand. The Third Elder and Qi Yu’s mother and son were clearly colluding, acting in concert against the household. All the stalwarts who could bear responsibility had passed, leaving only drunken wastrels behind—useless to the household, and in fact, poisonous burdens.

Yang Ning felt no genuine affection for the Marquis’s house, but he understood that while Gu Qinghan handled affairs with skill, she was ultimately a woman. If there were truly someone plotting against them, their foes would not be weak. Gu Qinghan might manage internal unrest, but facing storms from outside would be a daunting task.

Within the imperial city, schemes swirled beneath a calm surface. The capital seemed tranquil, yet Yang Ning felt it was merely the calm before a tempest. He could not foresee how great the coming upheaval would be, but he knew that a single mistake could shatter the Marquis’s house, leaving Gu Qinghan and the rest in a tragic fate.

If he were to leave now, given the current situation, the household would hardly expend much effort to pursue him. Yet to abandon them so, Yang Ning could not find peace in his heart. He resolved to preserve what he could for now, and only when things became truly uncontrollable would he reconsider his course.

Dou Lianzhong proved true to his word. Soon after the sun rose, Yang Ning received word that the Minister of Revenue’s son had arrived to call.

Yang Ning wasted no time and instructed that Dou Lianzhong be shown into the manor.

Zhao Xin accompanied Dou Lianzhong, guided by a servant to the main hall. Yet Yang Ning was not present; the servant explained that the heir was washing up and would soon come to receive them.

Tea was served. Dou Lianzhong took a sip—it was indeed fine tea. Though he was the Minister’s son, he had never sat so confidently in the main hall of the Marquis’s estate. Now, coming as a creditor, he felt a strange satisfaction.

“I hear the third lady manages all affairs in your house. I am here for business today. Whether I see the heir matters little—I must meet the third lady,” Dou Lianzhong said, holding his tea and glancing at the servant. “Frankly, your young master can’t handle such grave matters.”

He had long known that the household was managed by a beautiful widow, yet had never met her. After seeing her last night, he was stunned. Although he was a frequent dweller among women, and had seen many noble ladies and beauties, rarely had he encountered someone like Gu Qinghan.

The servant bowed his head and said nothing.

Seeing that no one else was around, Zhao Xin whispered, “Young Master, Qi Ning seemed quite confident last night. Is it possible they really have over ten thousand taels of silver? The Marquis’s house looks wealthy; perhaps that sum isn’t much to them.”

“Outwardly splendid, inwardly rotten,” Dou Lianzhong sneered. “I know their situation well. I had men monitoring the estate last night—Qi Ning never left after returning. It’s impossible they could produce so much silver overnight.” His confidence was unshaken. “Just wait and see how I deal with them today.”

They waited and waited, but neither Gu Qinghan nor Qi Ning appeared. Dou Lianzhong’s patience ran thin. He rose and demanded, “Where is your third lady? Does hiding from creditors solve anything?”

The servant finally looked up, saying, “The third lady is unwell. All affairs are handled by the heir for now.”

Dou Lianzhong was disappointed, but pressed, “If the heir is in charge, where is he?”

“Well…” The servant hesitated. “He’s busy in the side hall…”

“What could be more important than repaying debts?” Dou Lianzhong rolled his eyes and strode toward the door. “Lead the way.”

Still uncertain, the servant was pressed by Dou Lianzhong’s harsh command, “Why are you dawdling? Lead the way. I have no time to waste here.”

With no choice, the servant led the way. Dou Lianzhong and Zhao Xin followed, passing through a long corridor to the rear door of the side hall. The door was slightly ajar; Dou Lianzhong peered inside and saw Yang Ning sitting at a table, hands supporting his chin, staring at something on the table, unmoving, as if lost in thought.

Dou Lianzhong was puzzled. As the servant was about to announce their arrival, Dou Lianzhong signaled him to stop and quietly entered. Sunshine bathed the courtyard, but the side hall was dim. Only then did he see that a piece of antique art lay on the table—a glass figurine of a horse. Dou Lianzhong, well-versed in such things, immediately recognized it as a glass steed.

He walked with hands clasped behind him to stand behind Yang Ning, who seemed unaware. Dou Lianzhong glanced at the glass horse, thinking it hardly valuable—at best worth a few dozen taels. Glass was not rare, though the horse was lifelike, hooves raised as if galloping.

He secretly laughed, deeming the Marquis’s estate truly fallen. The heir, captivated by such a trifling bauble, seemed unfamiliar with fine things.

“What are you looking at, heir?” Dou Lianzhong deliberately startled Yang Ning, slapping his shoulder. Yang Ning cried out, nearly leaping from his seat. Seeing Yang Ning’s alarm, Dou Lianzhong burst into laughter. “Heir of a martial family, and yet so timid?”

Yang Ning was embarrassed, forcing a smile. “So it’s you, Brother Dou…”

Dou Lianzhong’s face darkened. “Heir, even brothers count their silver. Today, there’s no brotherhood. You know why I’m here.” He signaled Zhao Xin, who entered, bowing with a smile. “Heir, as promised, I have come.”

Yang Ning scratched his head. “I was just thinking about this. Since I promised, I will not break my word.”

Dou Lianzhong sat heavily in a chair. “We’re not strangers. I am straightforward. Can you really produce fifteen thousand taels of silver? And I mean ready silver.”

“Ready silver?” Yang Ning frowned. “To be honest, I don’t have that much in cash.”

Dou Lianzhong’s face fell. “No silver? Yet last night you vowed to repay your debts. The Marquis’s reputation was built over two generations. If you renege, word will spread and ruin the name. What you’ve built will be destroyed in an instant.”

“Don’t be hasty,” Yang Ning said. “I never said I wouldn’t repay.” He pointed to the glass horse and smiled bitterly. “I’m just considering whether to use this treasure to settle the debt.”

“Treasure?” Dou Lianzhong glanced at the horse and laughed. “Heir, you can’t be serious about paying with this trinket? Frankly, this thing wouldn’t even pass the threshold of the Minister’s estate. At best, it’s worth fifty taels. You imagine it could cover your debt? Do you not know value?”

“Worthless?” Yang Ning laughed as well. “Do you think it’s merely a glass horse? If it were, how could it be our family heirloom?”

Dou Lianzhong was surprised. “You say this is your family’s heirloom?”

Yang Ning sighed. “It was passed down from my grandfather, always kept by my grandmother. Now, with the estate lacking ready silver, she reluctantly brought it out. In ordinary times, few would ever see it. Brother Dou, you claim to be a connoisseur—why do your eyes fail you now?”

Yang Ning’s seriousness made Dou Lianzhong wonder if he had overlooked something. The Marquis’s estate once flourished, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they had priceless treasures. If Yang Ning claimed the glass horse was their heirloom, perhaps there was more to it.

“Heir, may I examine it closely?” Dou Lianzhong prided himself on his expertise and didn’t want to lose face before Yang Ning.

Yang Ning hesitated but finally nodded. “You may. It will likely be handed over to you anyway, but be careful.”

Dou Lianzhong carefully picked up the Marquis of Brocade’s family heirloom.