Xiao Zheng granted Li Tie two days off. Li Tie was the type who couldn’t sit still. Changing into his casual clothes, he gathered his brothers and headed to a tavern for some drinks.
Just as the place was bustling with noise and laughter, a waiter hurried over, carefully balancing a pot of freshly brewed tea. He was almost at their table when, inexplicably, his foot slipped. The waiter stumbled forward, and the tea on his tray surged like an uncontrollable wave, splashing all over Li Tie.
“Hey! You waiter, how can you be so careless? Can’t you watch where you’re going?”
One of Li Tie’s companions immediately snapped at the waiter, sensing trouble.
The waiter turned pale, dropping to his knees with a loud thud, repeatedly kowtowing and begging for forgiveness.
“Please have mercy, sir! I really didn’t see what I stepped on. My foot just slipped. I’m terribly sorry!”
“Alright, alright, stop kneeling. You can go now.”
Li Tie’s brows knitted into a deep frown, frustration clear on his face. He lifted his sleeve, soaked from the tea spill. Wrapped around his arm were several strips of cloth, now damp at the edges, faint brown stains seeping through.
“Just my luck. I only changed the dressing this morning, and now it’s all wet!”
He muttered angrily, his eyes full of impatience.
“Whoa! Brother Tie, you’re wounded?”
One of his brothers teased.
Li Tie felt embarrassed to bring it up—it hurt his image—so he waved his hand dismissively.
“I’ve got plenty of wounds on me. This is nothing. Remember back in Shuozhou? Man, my chest was gushing blood, but I didn’t even flinch. Still drank my wine like nothing happened. A little scratch like this? Child’s play!”
With that, he tore off the soaked bandage.
The waiter, not daring to slack off, quickly brought fresh cloth strips to help Li Tie change the dressing.
In the corner, Xiao Huan watched Li Tie’s right hand wound, feeling as if a huge stone had sunk deep into his heart.
……
Inside the main hall of the Lu family residence.
Two men, one tall and one short, arrived, dusty and weary from travel.
“Young master, the tasks you entrusted to us have all been handled properly!”
Qiu was the first to step into the hall, still dressed sharply in men’s clothing, his face carrying a confident and spirited air—just like a refined young nobleman. Following closely behind was Shi Liu, whose physique had grown sturdier, his skin darker, and his gaze steadier and more composed than before.
Although Yingchuan was relatively prosperous, it was still a long way from the capital, making communication and information exchange difficult. After much consideration, Lu Chao had sent Qiu and Shi Liu to gradually shift the family’s business operations toward the capital. After more than half a year, the work was nearly complete.
“Young master, take a look!”
Shi Liu stepped forward and carefully placed a heavy bundle on the table. He untied the wrapping to reveal several thick ledgers neatly stacked inside.
He grinned broadly, flashing a set of white teeth.
“Young master, we’ve brought all the account books! Rest assured, there’s plenty to go around for the bride! Our young master isn’t the kind to—hiss!”
Qiu elbowed Shi Liu sharply in the ribs, causing him to grimace in pain.
Lu Chao took in the entire scene with a quiet chuckle. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Qiu quickly compose herself and ask with genuine concern,
“Young Master, I heard you were ill a few days ago? We were all terribly worried. Are you feeling much better now?”
Lu Chao stood up and spun around leisurely, his eyes filled with interest as he appraised Qiu and Shi Liu. Suddenly, a flicker of curiosity crossed his gaze.
“I’m perfectly fine. No need to worry about me. I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of rumors along the way. Come on, tell me all about them!”
Shi Liu scratched his head, his face clouded with hesitation. He stammered a few times but couldn’t bring himself to speak.
He glanced secretly at Qiu, his eyes silently pleading for help.
Qiu furrowed her brows and waved her hand as if to sweep away all those unpleasant gossip and nonsense in one fell swoop. Then, she smoothly changed the subject.
“Young Master, you mustn’t listen to any of that. It’s all nonsense—just some baseless gossip unfit for polite ears. Don’t let it spoil your mood.”
As she spoke, her eyes darted around, as if suddenly remembering an urgent matter that needed addressing. Her voice unconsciously rose a notch.
“Oh, right! Young Master, since you’re back, I have to have a serious word with you! You wouldn’t believe how much trouble Shi Liu caused me on the way here. I worked my fingers to the bone, finally securing a lucrative trade route in Suzhou. We were on the brink of closing a major deal, and then—”
Qiu pointed her finger accusingly at Shi Liu.
“He suddenly jumped in and snatched the deal right out from under me! Young Master, tell me, was that fair or not?”
Shi Liu was immediately riled up.
“What do you mean I snatched it? Don’t listen to her nonsense, Young Master. If I’d landed that order, I could have earned you this much! Qiu can’t even come close!”
Qiu had had enough. She slapped Shi Liu sharply on the arm. The sinewy muscle throbbed painfully under her palm.
“You’re talking rubbish! Like you could pull that off!”
Lu Chao watched the two bickering like an old married couple, rubbing his temples with a helpless smile.
“Alright, settle it yourselves.”
“Tomorrow I’ll be on duty. You two, if you have time, go out and explore the city, get a feel for the market in the capital. If you spot any good business opportunities, don’t hesitate to pursue them. And if you need working capital, come to me anytime for funds.”
With that, he pushed a land deed and some silver notes across the table.
“You’ve had a long journey. Rest up first. I’ve arranged rooms for each of you, just separated by a wall, so you can keep an eye out for each other.”
Upon hearing this, Qiu and Shi Liu quickly bowed, expressing their gratitude.
“Thank you, Young Master, for your kindness and consideration. We are deeply grateful.”
Lu Chao waved them off gently, signaling them to rise, his expression softening with concern as he reminded them,
“For now, focus on getting some rest. It’s your first time in the capital; be cautious in all things. Your safety comes first. If you run into any trouble, remember to come back to the mansion and find me.”
“Understood!” they answered in unison.
The next day.
Lu Chao strode down the official road, his steps swift and sure.
“Master Lu, long time no see! You’re up early today! Looking at your vigor, are you fully recovered?”
A colleague approached, eyes wide with surprise at Lu Chao’s appearance.
Lu Chao quickly cupped his hands in salute, his smile bright and genuine.
“Thank you for your concern. I’m indeed much better now.”
If this illness hadn’t improved, who knows what rumors would be spreading outside. By now, word had it that he was on his deathbed, his end near. What was even more infuriating was not just the gossip about him, but the slander that Xiao Zheng was a wife-beater! He had originally planned to rest at home for a while longer, but now he simply couldn’t afford to stay idle.
As soon as he stepped into the Ministry of Works, Lu Chao sensed something unusual.
Cen Chou, who usually took great care of his appearance, was now scruffy and unshaven, dark circles under his eyes. He was slumped over the desk, as if drained of all energy.
Lu Chao was about to greet him when a tall man, nearing forty, walked past without so much as a glance.
Seeing the man take a seat at the desk beside Cen Chou, Lu Chao realized this must be Secretary Liu, who had recently returned from a business trip.
“Since Lu Chao is back from his leave today, I’ve arranged things accordingly. The Ministry has quite a few affairs on hand, and now there’s an additional task. Everyone must go through these dossiers today and find the plans for the imperial mausoleum’s construction.”
“The imperial mausoleum?”
He had only been ill for seven or eight days—how could they already be talking about building a mausoleum?
