That mansion was imposing beyond measure. Even the stone lions guarding its entrance had been carved from single blocks of white marble, grander than those at a prince's residence. Its tall walls stretched on and on, disappearing into the distance. The guards at the gate all had bulging temples and steady, controlled breathing. They were clearly skilled practitioners of internal martial arts.
For the past two days, he had pretended to be a scholar who had lost his way, trying to spy on the Gu Residence from different angles. But every time, he was pinned down by an almost imperceptible gaze. Those looks clung to him like maggots, making even a top Imperial City Directorate agent like him feel as if thorns were pricking his back.
He gave up on the foolish idea of sneaking in directly.
"Have you heard, sir? The fleet belonging to that good man, Gu, was robbed by Japanese Pirates at sea again last month!" Two merchants at the next table were speaking in hushed voices.
"Tsk, tsk. What a run of bad luck. I heard they lost over a hundred thousand taels' worth of silk!"
"That's not all! I heard the Gu family's manager is worrying himself gray-haired. In a fit of rage, that good man Gu offered a reward of fifty thousand taels of silver for the Japanese Pirates' heads!"
"Fifty thousand taels? My heavens! That's enough to buy a three-courtyard residence in the Capital City!"
Wei Ya lifted his teacup and took a sip. The scalding tea slid down his throat, but his heart remained cold.
He had heard these stories at least ten times over the past two days.
Dockworkers, tavern owners, courtesans—as if everyone in Suzhou City was talking about Gu Shen's "misfortune."
It was too deliberate.
It was as if