Volume One: A Wanderer Who Cannot Tell Mulberry Leaves from Paper, Chapter Ninety-Two: A Letter

He was not yet forty, broad-shouldered and sturdy, with a rather plain, honest look about him. Yang Ning said indifferently, “Steward Qi has excellent hearing. You could hear my words all the way outside the door.”

Qi Cheng bowed respectfully. “This humble one handles many affairs in the old residence. My ears cannot help but stay sharp. If I let anything slip, and matters are not handled properly, then I would be failing the Marquis of Brocade Robes.”

“Get up first.” Yang Ning withdrew the cold blade pressed to Zhao Yuan’s throat, and after Qi Cheng rose, he asked, “You said just now that I was wrong. Where was I wrong?”

Qi Cheng looked at him and said, “The Young Lord said that the accounts arranged by Mister Zhao showed no errors, and therefore suspected that the disappearance of the Third Madam had something to do with Mister Zhao. That, of course, was mistaken.”

“Your hearing is indeed keen, and your mind quite clear,” Yang Ning said. “Is that not a problem?”

“Of course it is not.” Qi Cheng’s expression turned grave. “When we invited Mister Zhao here, it was precisely because he was quick-witted and exceptionally capable at handling accounts. The Qi family’s books are numerous, but Mister Zhao was prepared from the very beginning. The yearly income from each village, as well as the expenses and revenue from our own fields, were all clear from the start. Once the accounts from each place were gathered together, so long as one remained careful and prudent, errors would naturally not arise. It is much like building a house: once the foundation is laid well, there will not be major flaws when the house is raised.”

Yang Ning saw that his eloquence was excellent, quite unlike his plain appearance, and smiled faintly. “So this Mister Zhao is a man of great talent?”

“At the very least, the books here in the old residence are absolutely no trouble for him,” Qi Cheng said solemnly. “Mister Zhao has worked diligently these past few years, assisting this humble one in managing the old residence. Even if he has no great merit, he has certainly earned credit through his labor. For the Young Lord to treat him like this is chilling to the heart.”

Yang Ning chuckled. “Steward Qi, when you speak of hard work, do you mean yourself?”

Qi Cheng replied calmly, “This humble one knows the Young Lord will have many misgivings, but in my view, the most urgent matter now is finding the Third Madam.”

“You know I have many misgivings?” Yang Ning fixed him with a stare. “What misgivings do you think I have?”

“The Young Lord and the Third Madam returned to the old residence without prior notice, suddenly, and with few attendants. That was clearly a hasty return,” Qi Cheng said. “For the Third Madam and the Young Lord to come back so urgently, there must have been some failing on the old residence’s side. Since the Young Lord now suspects something is wrong with the accounts, and even suspects that the Third Madam’s disappearance is connected to Mister Zhao, then if this humble one has not guessed wrongly, in the end the Young Lord is suspecting that I myself made some error, and thus bears doubts toward me.”

At once Yang Ning felt that Qi Cheng was indeed no simple person.

“This humble one did not return last night because, seeing my father in such a state of unconsciousness, I felt pained and remained there to care for him through the night, so as to fulfill filial duty. Had I known the Young Lord had arrived, I would never have delayed,” Qi Cheng said in his respectful tone. “This humble one does not know why the Third Madam and the Young Lord suddenly came to inspect the accounts, nor do I know what doubts the Young Lord holds against me. I will explain all of this carefully in due time and dispel the Young Lord’s suspicions. But for now, finding the Third Madam is urgent. I wonder what the Young Lord thinks?”

Yang Ning asked in return, “Then what do you think should be done to find the Third Madam?”

“Within a radius of several dozen li, there are not many households, but the Qi family has eyes everywhere here. The common folk in the surrounding villages can all become our eyes and ears,” Qi Cheng said, looking at Yang Ning. “If the Young Lord agrees, we can send people out at once to search within twenty li. If someone has taken the Third Madam away, then as long as someone saw it, we will be able to question them and find out.”

Yang Ning thought that Qi Cheng’s method was not unreasonable. He knew there was no time to waste, and that regardless of whether the accounts were real or false, finding Gu Qinghan was the urgent matter. He nodded. “Send people at once to notify the villages in all directions. If anyone discovers any trace of the Third Madam, there will be a heavy reward.”

Qi Cheng was crisp and efficient as well. At once he ordered several men from the old residence to ride out and notify the nearby villages, and then commanded the maidservants to search every part of the manor carefully.

There were not enough hands, so several guards and Zhao Yuan also joined the search.

Seeing Yang Ning’s cold expression, Qi Cheng said from the side, “Young Lord, in this humble one’s opinion, the Third Madam only returned to the old residence yesterday, and disappeared before even a full day had passed. It is quite possible that you were already being watched on the road here.”

“Oh?” Yang Ning frowned. “You mean someone followed us all the way to the old residence? Then why would they abduct the Third Madam?”

“Kidnapping the Third Madam should not have been their ultimate purpose,” Qi Cheng mused. “Could they have been aiming for the Young Lord?”

He then frowned again. “The Young Lord and the Third Madam traveled lightly and quietly this time, and even the old residence knew nothing of it. They should not have been discovered.”

Yang Ning thought that if anyone had been following him, he would have noticed long ago. Why would there be any need for this man to tell him? Yet he also felt he could not be so absolute, after all the ugly man in the black cloak had trailed after him, and he himself had not detected it.

Still, seeing Qi Cheng’s grave expression and the worry in his eyes, as though he were truly concerned for Gu Qinghan, Yang Ning wondered if he had misjudged him. Could it be that Qi Cheng was truly devoted to serving the Qi family, and that he had suspected him all along without cause?

“You think they came for me?” Yang Ning asked.

Qi Cheng said, “The Third Madam is only a woman of the inner quarters. What purpose would there be in abducting her? This humble one suspects that those people could not find the Young Lord in the old residence, so they simply snatched the Third Madam first. Their true goal is still to use her to coerce the Young Lord. If I have not guessed wrongly, it will not be long before they take the initiative to contact us.”

“What would they coerce me for?” Yang Ning asked. “Money?”

Qi Cheng shook his head. “That, this humble one cannot know for certain.”

After a pause, he continued, “The Young Lord’s whereabouts should already have been exposed, and there are too few guards at your side. I am worried for your safety. Should we send for more men?”

“You think that group still means to harm me?” Yang Ning smiled faintly. “Could it be that the Qi family still has many enemies here?”

Qi Cheng hesitated before saying, “This humble one is not worried about local enemies. I am worried that... enemies may have followed us from the capital.”

Yang Ning’s brows tightened.

Qi Cheng’s words reminded him that the Marquis of Brocade Robes Manor was currently in a low period, and had many enemies in the capital. Not to mention anyone else, before he came to Jiangling he had already formed enmity with the household of the Minister of Revenue, the Dou family. Could it be that, just as Qi Cheng said, he had already been watched as soon as he left the capital?

Apart from the haunted courtyard, nearly every part of the manor had been searched. Everything was exactly as Yang Ning had expected: there was not the slightest trace of Gu Qinghan.

By dusk, Wei Tong suddenly came hurriedly limping over. Upon seeing Yang Ning, he immediately said, “Young Lord, thi... there’s a letter here...!” He raised his hand, and in it was indeed a letter. Yang Ning rushed forward and took it. The envelope was blank, without a single character upon it.

“Young Lord, thi... this was found at the back gate,” Wei Tong said. “The letter was just left outside the back gate. No one knows who put it there.”

Yang Ning had already opened it and scanned it a few times before asking Qi Cheng, “Where is Crescent Mountain?”

“Crescent Mountain?” Qi Cheng said immediately. “Less than twenty li west of here is Crescent Mountain. It is not large, and there is a river at the foot of the mountain. We have several hundred mu of fields there ourselves. Why does the Young Lord mention Crescent Mountain?”

“Is that river called the Red Sand River?” Yang Ning handed him the letter.

Qi Cheng nodded. “It is.” Taking the letter, he saw that it contained only two brief lines.

The person is at the warehouse by the Red Sand River at Crescent Mountain. Come alone, and she will remain unharmed!

Qi Cheng said in a deep voice, “We should go there at once.”

Yang Ning shook his head. “It says to come alone. This letter is naturally aimed at me. If you all follow, I’m afraid it will not be good for the Third Madam.” He asked, “What does it mean by a warehouse?”

“Every year at the autumn harvest, sudden heavy rain often comes. To guard against rain, several stone sheds were built by the Red Sand River, specifically for temporarily storing grain,” Qi Cheng said. “The harvest is already past, so those stone sheds are empty now; otherwise, someone would be guarding them. Young Lord, if the letter says the Third Madam is there, could it be a trap?”

“A trap?”

“The letter says to come alone and forbids the Young Lord from bringing anyone. This... this is far too dangerous,” Qi Cheng said, frowning. “The Young Lord is of noble and precious rank; how could you so lightly put yourself in danger? Whether true or false, the Young Lord cannot go.”

“If I do not go, then what of the Third Madam?” Yang Ning said. “She is certainly in their hands. I naturally cannot stand by and ignore it for my own safety.”

Qi Cheng sighed. “It seems their target really is the Young Lord, not the Third Madam. If the Young Lord goes to the meeting, he will be walking straight into their trap.” After a pause, he said, “Young Lord, I will take some men and hurry there secretly. We will act according to the circumstances. If there is a chance, we will rescue the Third Madam, and you—”

“And if there is no chance?” Yang Ning cut in. “I need the Third Madam to be absolutely safe. If we go against the enemy’s wishes, then she will be even more endangered.” He glanced at Qi Cheng. “Prepare a horse for me. I will do my best to reach there before nightfall.”

Qi Cheng was still trying to persuade him when Yang Ning’s voice turned cold. “Enough. Stop talking and prepare the horse.”

Qi Cheng showed a helpless expression and went to prepare the horse himself. Yang Ning did not delay either, and as he stepped out the door, Qi Cheng led the horse over. Still worried, he said, “Young Lord, I will go at once to the county office and bring some constables over...!”

“Without my orders, none of you are to go anywhere. Stay here in the manor and wait,” Yang Ning said indifferently. “It is not some mountain of blades or sea of fire. No matter who the opponent is, if he knows when to retreat, I may yet give him a chance. Otherwise...” His eyes turned icy as he said coldly, “Otherwise, he is courting death.”

He said no more, flicked the reins, and urged the horse westward.

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