When Uncle Fu entered, Gu Moran was spreading out a blank sheet of paper and flattening it.
"Your Highness."
"Does Tiedan have any birthmarks? Go ask him." Gu Moran picked up her pen. "Ask Auntie Zhao. Just say you need to take Tiedan measurements for clothes, and you're just asking casually."
Uncle Fu's eyelid twitched.
"This old servant understands."
"Don't disturb too many people."
"Yes."
Uncle Fu left, Gu Moran closed her eyes.
Zhao Wuxu wanted Yun Zhengze "elsewhere".
The words "elsewhere" are the truly ruthless part. If the news were to leave the Prince Yi's Residence's residence, it would be seen as Prince Yi returning his son, a gesture of kindness.
If the news comes from the streets, from the common people, or from the mouth of someone who is jealous of Prince Yi, then it is because Prince Yi deliberately hid it, out of hatred.
Gu Moran recalled the most suspicious person in the Hall of Supreme Ultimate Chang'an.
If this matter were to reach the capital, he could even write the exact wording for the censors, "Prince Yi, occupying a strategic location in Jiannan, has detained the son of the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner in his residence as a hostage, using his inspection documents to carry out acts of disloyalty."
Half an hour later, Uncle Fu returned, his face showing a suppressed excitement.
"The old servant asked Auntie Zhao. She said that when the child was first brought back, he was covered in pustules, and she was the one who washed him. After washing him, she noticed a reddish-brown mark on his right buttock, which looked like half a jade ruyi, with a hook at the bottom. She even said at the time that the child had an official's seal on his buttock."
Gu Moran put down the teacup in his hand.
"Who did Auntie Zhao say that to?"
She said she'd casually mentioned it once to two old women in the kitchen, but those women gossiped all the time and nobody took it seriously.
"Keep a close eye on those two old women," Gu Moran said calmly. "If they interact with outsiders, tell Xue Huan to keep an eye on them."
"Yes."
"And another thing," Gu Moran got up and walked to the window, "Starting tonight, only Aunt Auntie Zhao is allowed to bathe and change Tiedan's clothes. Tell the teacher at the school that the child can be punished by kneeling, but he is not allowed to be stripped or spanked."
Uncle Fu was taken aback for a moment, then understood, and bent down even lower.
"This old servant will go immediately."
Uncle Fu is gone.
Gu Moran also turned around and went out, passing through the corridor to the west wing.
Liu Ruyan was still awake, arranging the dozens of papers delivered by the Flower-Between Pavilion branch by prefecture, her sleeves rolled up to her forearms, a speck of ink on her fingertips.
She tilted her head as he came in.
"My husband, you're not here to listen to music, are you?"
"Investigate an old matter concerning the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's Office." Gu Moran sat down across the table.
Liu Ruyan picked up her pen and began to write as she spoke.
" The Flower-Between Pavilion has a copyist in the prefectural government office who can access the imperial archives. What else does Your Highness need to investigate?"
Gu Moran looked at the tip of her pen.
"When and how did Yun Shuyue's birth mother die?"
Liu Ruyan stopped writing.
She looked up at him.
"Does Your Highness believe there's something fishy about her death?"
"I don't know," Gu Moran said, "That's why I'm asking for your help."
Liu Ruyan lowered her head and wrote this down as well, then drew a small circle in the corner of the paper.
"Everyone says he died of illness, so we can check the easiest pharmacy first," she said. "Pharmacies in Jiannan change their registers every three years. They don't dare burn the old registers for fear of government investigation, so they're all piled up at the back. People who buy expensive medicine or medicine urgently will leave their names."
"How long will it take?"
"Old records take three days, funeral and medicine accounts take about five days." Liu Ruyan paused for a moment, "If anyone from that year's funeral is still alive, it will be even faster."
Gu Moran nodded and stood up, but turned back again as he walked to the door.
" Ruyan."
"Um."
"Don't let Yun Shuyue know about this yet."
Liu Ruyan looked at him for a while.
"Good."
On the same night, in the backyard of the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's residence.
Zhao Wuxu washed his hands three times, changed into clean clothes, and, carrying a lamp, went to deliver calming soup to Lady Wang.
Lady Wang leaned against the couch.
" Wuxu."
"Mother."
Where did you go today?
"Inquire about my younger brother for my mother." Zhao Wuxu knelt beside the bed and brought over the soup bowl.
"Mother, I heard someone talking about something today in the south of the city."
Lady Wang raised her eyes.
Zhao Wuxu swallowed half of his words, only saying, "I've heard that Prince Yi's Residence's mansion is raising quite a few seven- or eight-year-old children he picked up. Is the prince planning to raise assassins?"
Upon hearing the age of seven or eight, Lady Wang's hand trembled, and a little soup spilled out.
"Found it..."
"My son is too talkative." Zhao Wuxu quickly grabbed a handkerchief to wipe his mouth. "Mother, don't overthink it. There are plenty of lost children in the world."
"But I have an idea, Mother. Could you please persuade Father to give me some real power? If I can enter the Prince's residence, I will definitely be able to investigate thoroughly."
He lowered his head to wipe, his lips pressed down.
Tonight, we'll only knock three nails into the first hole.
As dawn broke, the bluestone in front of the old Prince's Mansion was swept clean. Auntie Zhao walked out of the east courtyard with a broom in hand, cursing the two cats in the kitchen who were stealing food as she went.
Gu Moran sat in a rattan chair under the porch, wearing a fox fur coat, with a thin blanket covering her knees and a water affairs booklet in her hand.
Uncle Fu strode in through the side door, carrying a gold-embossed visiting card. He bowed before handing the card over to the person in the corridor.
"Your Highness, this is from the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's Office. Madam Lady Wang says she has been restless at night since the beginning of winter. She has heard that Madam Shen in the manor is a skilled physician and wishes to come and ask for a prescription to calm her nerves."
Gu Moran took the letter and glanced at it. The paper was good, but the handwriting was done by someone else. The signature line, " Lady Wang of the Yun Family," was written neatly and correctly, without a single flaw.
"Seeking medical help." He placed the post on his lap and chuckled.
Uncle Fu didn't respond to that, but only said in a low voice, "This old servant thinks she wants to come in and take a look."
What are you looking at?
"Let's see how Miss Yue is doing in the manor, and also see what kind of people the Prince's manor is keeping." Uncle Fu paused.
Half a head peeked out from behind the pillar, and the pom-pom on the snowman's hat jiggled first.
Yun Shuyue hadn't slept well all night, her eyes were dark and she was still clutching half of an urgent delivery slip in her hand. When she heard the name " Lady Wang," she tensed up completely.
What's she doing here?
"Seek medical help." Gu Moran closed the booklet. " Yue'er, if you're afraid of her, don't go out today."
"I'm not afraid of her at all." Yun Shuyue took two steps forward, her boots scraping against the stone steps, leaving a little snow water. "It's just that that woman is very wicked, and I'm afraid she'll see Tiedan!"
"If Tiedan is taken back by her, she'll corrupt him."
Gu Moran looked up at her.
His eyes were red, but his chin was held high.
"Don't worry," he said slowly, "I understand what you're thinking."