Yun Zhengze's Adam's apple bobbed as he shifted his gaze from Tiedan to Zhao Wuxu's corpse.
The pool of blood at his feet was still wet; the dilapidated temple was drafty, and cold air seeped up through the cracks in the bricks.
"My question is, how will you explain this man's death here?"
Gu Moran, holding onto Uncle Fu's hand, slowly took two steps forward.
"How does Lord Yun intend to explain this?"
"Examine the body according to the law."
"OK."
Gu Moran raised his hand and pointed to the temple gate.
"Then summon the city patrol, the coroner, and the clerks from the Provincial Surveillance Commission."
Yun Zhengze paused in his words.
Gu Moran coughed twice, took the handkerchief handed to him by Uncle Fu, and pressed it to his lips.
"Let them investigate thoroughly how the governor's adopted son knew that the Yun Clan's child, who had been missing for many years, was in my residence."
Why is Zhao Wuxu calling out for Lady Wang 'Lady Wang mother while holding a knife and intending to cripple her own son?
Lady Wang was holding Tiedan, suddenly shrank her shoulders.
Yun Zhengze stood still, the hem of his official robes covered in mud.
Having served as the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner for so many years, how could he not understand the meaning behind Gu Moran's words?
Once the matter was brought to the forefront, Zhao Wuxu's kidnapping of his own son was just the beginning.
Too many people want to see the Yun Clan humiliated.
By then, every teahouse in Yi Prefecture City will have to say a few words about it.
The Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's office recognized a heartless ingrate, and almost had that ingrate cripple their own son.
Wouldn't that make him the biggest idiot in the world?
If you can't even manage your own family affairs, it might affect your career...
Yun Zhengze teeth ached from grinding together, and after a long pause, he finally said, "This matter involves the Yun Clan's private affairs..."
" Lord Yun is right."
Gu Moran nodded and smiled again.
"Then I will also give Lord Yun some face. The one who died in the temple today will not Zhao Wuxu, but a bandit from outside the city."
This man, who had taken a child hostage with the intent to commit murder, was discovered by Pu Hua, a night soil collector in the Prince's mansion, who killed him on the spot.
Yun Zhengze raised his eyes.
Gu Moran slowly and deliberately straightened his cuffs.
"As for Zhao Wuxu, the adopted son of the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, he went out on business today and it is unknown when he will return."
What does Lord Yun think of this statement?
The dilapidated temple fell silent.
Lady Wang lowered her head and hugged Tiedan even tighter.
She understood; Gu Moran was covering up the Yun Clan's shame and forcing the Yun Clan to owe her this favor.
But she couldn't utter a single word of rebuttal.
Zhao Wuxu's words, "You're blocking my way," were still echoing in her ears.
Her godson, whom she had doted on for so long, had long planned to ruin her real child and continue to enjoy his life in the Yun Clan, stepping on Tiedan's blood.
Yun Zhengze remained silent for a long time before finally squeezing out a sentence through gritted teeth.
"As Your Highness has said."
Gu Moran looked at Pu Yunshan.
Pu Yunshan was still standing beside Zhao Wuxu's corpse when he heard the words "Night Fragrance Craftsman Pu Hua " and his eye twitched.
Yun Zhengze followed Gu Moran's gaze, his expression darkening further.
"Although this person stopped the attack, he still killed someone. He may be spared the death penalty, but he cannot escape punishment."
" Lord Yun is fair."
Gu Moran raised his hand and patted Pu Yunshan's shoulder, quite forcefully.
"In that case, punish him by making him pick three more night-blooming jasmine flowers."
Pu Yunshan's hands were taut.
Murong Xue burst out laughing beside her, and the sunflower seed shells she couldn't help but drop to the ground.
"Your Highness is truly kind-hearted. Is three months enough? I see that this Young Master Pu is in good health; even another six months wouldn't be too tiring for him."
Lin Qingdai, holding the knife, added coolly, "He's quite the expert; he walks steadily while carrying the bucket, so he doesn't spill anything."
Pu Yunshan felt a tightness in his chest.
He wanted to argue.
He is the young master of Mount Qingcheng!
However, there were people from the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's Office and guards from the Prince's Mansion blocking the entrance to the temple, and Lin Qingdai and Murong Xue were standing nearby.
If he were to reveal his identity now, all the suffering he had endured in the past few days would have been for nothing.
Well, at least I did a good deed today.
This prince doesn't seem like an unreasonable person. I used this opportunity to go back and beg him to release those eight men, and let them go back to the mountain to inform my father to come and find a solution!
That's the only way.
Gu Moran saw that he didn't speak.
" Pu Hua, did you hear that?"
Pu Yunshan lowered his eyes.
"... I heard you."
"Good."
Gu Moran nodded in satisfaction.
"Tomorrow at 7:00 AM, report to public toilet number 12 as usual."
Murong Xue finally couldn't hold back anymore and turned her back, laughing so hard her shoulders were shaking.
Yun Zhengze had no interest in listening to any of this; his gaze remained fixed on Tiedan, and he took a step forward.
"My son, my Wangchuan."
Upon hearing this unfamiliar name, Tiedan immediately broke free from Lady Wang's embrace and tried to burrow into Yun Shuyue's side.
My name is Tiedan.
Yun Zhengze's throat was dry, so he squatted down and tried to soften his voice.
"Calling Tiedan is fine. You... you come home with your father first. There's hot food, new clothes, and—"
Suddenly, Tiedan raised his foot and kicked him hard in the ankle.
Caught off guard, Yun Zhengze's knees buckled, and he nearly fell to his knees.
"Who's your son?!"
Tiedan's eyes widened, and when he turned around and saw Gu Moran, he rushed over and hugged her leg tightly.
"Your Highness! They're beggars!"
Gu Moran was jolted by his lunge.
Tiedan hugged even tighter, tilted his head back and shouted, "They just pulled down my pants to look at my butt!"
I don't want to go with them! I want to go back to the Prince's Mansion, I want to find Sister Yun! I have no parents, I don't want to leave you, sob sob sob..."
Tears streamed down Lady Wang's face again.
She took a step forward, her voice trembling, "My child, I... I am your mother."
"The prince told her to leave, but I don't want her."
Tiedan buried his face in Gu Moran, only half of his ear showing.
Lady Wang stopped in her tracks.
Yun Zhengze looked at the child, his lips moved, but in the end he didn't dare to reach out again.
He dared not think about how much hardship his child had endured outside.
Lady Wang tried to get closer, but Tiedan picked up half a broken tile from the ground and held it to his chest.
"Don't come any closer!"
"I... I won't touch you," Lady Wang's voice was trembling. "I just want to look at you."
"You can't even look at it."
Tiedan gripped the tile tightly, his little face tense and serious.
"Sister Yun said we shouldn't trust outsiders blindly."
Yun Zhengze stood to the side, his face extremely grim.
He wanted to scold the child, but then he saw the torn edges of Tiedan's sleeves and his little hands, red from the cold, and swallowed all his words.
Gu Moran raised his hand and rubbed Tiedan's head.
" Lord Yun, perhaps you shouldn't rush to take him away."
Yun Zhengze, they rise.
Your Highness--
"This child is only seven or eight years old. He was just stuffed into a sack and is afraid of everyone."
If you force him to go back today, he'll wake up in the night thinking he's been kidnapped again.
Gu Moran's tone was very ordinary.
"Let him return to the Prince's Mansion first, and continue eating and going to school as usual."
You are welcome to visit him whenever you have time. Once he is willing to acknowledge you, we can find a suitable reason to let the child be recognized by his ancestors.
Yun Zhengze remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.
Lady Wang wiped away her tears, not daring to say anything.
Upon hearing that he didn't need to leave, Tiedan finally released Gu Moran's leg and turned to look for Yun Shuyue.
"Sister Yun, let's go home."
Yun Shuyue squatted down and brushed the dust off the burlap sacks on his body.
"Go home."
She only said two words, but her hand lingered on Tiedan's back for a long time.
Gu Moran looked at Yun Zhengze and his wife, and suddenly spoke.
" Lord Yun, there's something you should all know."