Yun Zhengze raised his head.
"During the three years that Tiedan spent in Black Wind Stronghold, it was Yun Shuyue who gave him food."
It was Yun Shuyue who led him into the Prince's mansion.
"It was Yun Shuyue who sent him to school, taught him to read, and worried about him getting cold or hungry."
Gu Moran paused, his gaze falling on Lady Wang's face.
"That's the eldest daughter of the Yun Clan in your household, the one you find an eyesore, the one you cut off your monthly allowance from, the one you always want to kick out completely."
If it weren't for her, your son would have died long ago.
Lady Wang's hand froze in mid-air.
Yun Shuyue was fastening Tiedan's collar, Tiedan, with his head tilted back, was still muttering that he wanted to eat meat that night.
He never glanced at Yun Zhengze or Lady Wang.
The wind and snow swirled in from outside the temple, causing the pearl hairpins in Lady Wang's hair to clink softly.
She opened her mouth.
He never managed to utter the word "Good Yue'er."
In a back alley in the south of the city, Chen Qing huddled behind a pancake cart.
He wore a tattered straw hat on his head and had two streaks of soot on his face.
Besides trying to please Batuer, he has not forgotten to keep an eye on things all over Yi Prefecture these days.
He noted down anything amiss in his notebook, from the Yi Prefecture Flower-Between Pavilion branch to the Gan Family's shop and the night market goods store.
He recently followed Flower-Between Pavilion and discovered this new person, Yang Tie.
This really put him in a bit of a predicament.
Chen Qing thought for a moment and remembered that his colleague Zheng Hao had said that if there was anything he wanted to inquire about, he should go to the Gan Family.
He brushed the dirt off his robe, walked through two alleys, and headed straight for the Gan Family's timber shop in the south of the city.
The fire in the stove inside the shop was burning brightly.
Gan Lingmu was sitting behind the counter, flipping through account books, with a half-cup of hot tea beside him.
He raised his eyelids slightly when he saw Chen Qing enter the room wrapped in a tattered coat.
What brings you here?
Chen Qing looked around and lowered his voice.
"Manager Gan, may I speak to you in private?"
Gan Lingmu didn't move.
Chen Qing sat down at the counter, mysteriously took out a waist token from the Prince An's Residence from his sleeve, and placed it on the table.
Gan Lingmu stopped.
Seeing Chen Qing felt even more confident.
"I'd like to ask you something. Your family is also in the timber business, so you must know who Yang Tie is."
Gan Lingmu pushed the waist token back and led him into the secret room, but his tone remained indifferent.
"A timber merchant from Cypress Village. He owns three houses outside the neighboring county town and employs many people."
What kind of business did he do with the Flower-Between Pavilion?
"Charcoal, spice boxes, medicine cabinets, and crates for storing goods. He needs these regularly."
Chen Qing stared at him.
Why would timber merchants need these?
Gan Lingmu picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"He could concoct some elixirs, which he claimed could replenish yang energy. In previous years, many wealthy merchants believed him and would send gifts to his house during holidays, even calling him 'Old Master Yang.'"
Chen Qing's breath hitched for a beat.
Timber merchant.
Refining elixirs.
There are believers.
A sudden realization dawned on him—all the clues connected.
Prince Yi collected all the filth in the city, digging ditches, repairing toilets, transporting excrement, smelting iron, and setting fire to the heavens.
Yang Tie sells wood, uses his alchemy furnace to refine the Supreme Yang Elixir, and has a group of followers.
What's this?
This is the best person to deal with Gu Moran!
One is a malevolent, filthy, and poisonous substance; the other is a precious elixir of pure yang.
The more Chen Qing thought about it, the more frighteningly intelligent he felt.
While His Highness Prince An was training troops, amassing wealth, and building his reputation in Anyang, even his most trusted confidant had unearthed such a hidden master in Yi Prefecture.
"Manager Gan."
He suddenly leaned forward.
You all underestimated Yang Tie.
The teacup in Gan Lingmu's hand stopped in mid-air.
How so?
He's not a timber merchant at all.
Chen Qing slammed his hand on the table and said in a low voice, "The timber is just a cover! He's using the wood and fire to refine elixirs; he's a remarkable person capable of countering Prince Yi's witchcraft!"
Gan Lingmu looked at him without saying a word for a long time.
Seeing that he was stunned, Chen Qing became even more smug.
"Why does Prince Yi collect manure? Why dig pits? Why transport manure into the workshop? It's to nurture evil spirits! Yang Tie can suppress them!"
Gan Lingmu slowly put down his teacup.
You mean... excrement? Excrement from Yang Tie Town?
The point isn't the excrement!
Chen Qing.
"It's breaking the curse! Using fire to break the yin, using yang to suppress the evil, how can you not even understand this?"
Gan Lingmu raised his hand and pressed his forehead; he had a headache.
But he dared not offend the people of Prince An's Residence.
Chen Qing stood up excitedly and walked around twice with her hands behind her back.
"If His Highness Prince An can obtain Yang Tie's assistance, what is there to fear from that corrupt witchcraft of Yi Prefecture?"
Gu Moran has public toilets, we have alchemy furnaces.
Gu Moran a manure cart, we have believers.
Gan Lingmu's lips twitched.
"Your Prince An's Residence... is meddling quite a bit these days."
That's called being prepared for a rainy day.
Chen Qing turned to look at him, her eyes extremely serious.
"Manager Gan, how do I get to the back gate of the Yang residence?"
Gan Lingmu stared at him for a long time.
"East end of the stone bridge in Cypress Village."
"Good."
Chen Qing put the waist token back in his pocket and straightened his collar.
"You have done a good job providing the clue today."
Once this strategist and Elder Yang have reached an agreement on this important matter, His Prince An will not forget the Gan Family's contributions.
Gan Lingmu waved his hand at him.
"Then I'll wait for good news."
Chen Qing left the shop and walked very quickly.
Gan Lingmu sat behind the counter, listening to his receding footsteps, and then looked down at the account books.
After hesitating for a long time, the old steward finally asked in a low voice, "Manager, this person..."
Don't ask.
Gan Lingmu put the lid on the teapot.
"Let him be."
late at night.
Cypress Village.
There was a knock on the back door of the Yang residence.
The old gatekeeper opened the door a crack and first saw a face wrapped in cotton cloth.
Chen Qing's nose was still tied with two thin ropes, and the cotton cloth was stuffed with herbs and cotton soaked in vinegar.
The old servant was startled.
Who are you?
Chen Qing raised his chin.
"From Anyang."
Which one in Anyang?
"The family your master should meet most."
Seeing his strange behavior, the old servant was about to close the door when Chen Qing had already wedged his foot in the threshold.
"Hurry and tell Yang Tie that Prince Yi has his eye on him."
The old servant's expression changed, and he turned and ran inside.
In the backyard pharmacy, the charcoal fire burned brightly.
A black pottery stove sat on the fire, its opening emitting a bitter medicinal odor mixed with an overwhelming fishy smell.
Yang Tie stood by the furnace, wearing a thick cotton robe with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, holding a thin bamboo stick in his hand, poking at the medicinal mud in the furnace.
He was nearly forty years old, with a kind face and gentle features, looking more like an amiable businessman.
But at that moment, no one in the house dared to approach him.
Two servants stood guard by the door, their noses and mouths covered with cloths, and dared not look in the direction of the medicine stove.
Yang Tie sniffed the smell and frowned.
"The fire's gone down."
The servants hurried to add more charcoal.
Yang Tie had just closed the furnace lid when a soft sound suddenly came from outside.
The gatekeeper was running so fast that his shoes slipped in the mud, and he almost fell into the yard.
"Sir, there's a strange man outside."
Yang Tie didn't turn around.
"Which family is seeking medicine this time?"
He said he came to save the Yang Family.
Yang Tie stopped holding the bamboo skewer.
"Save the Yang Family?"
The doorman swallowed hard.
He said Prince Yi has his eye on us.
Yang Tie slowly turned his head.
"Bring it in."
When Chen Qing entered, Yang Tie stared at him for a long time.
The man's eyes were furtive, yet also held a strange air of seriousness.