In the courtyard at the northeast corner of the backyard, Guan Nianshan walked to the easternmost room and knocked on the door.
The family of three, who were taking a nap, opened their eyes. Qu Ya got up and comforted his wife.
"You and the child go back to sleep. I'll get the door."
Opening the door, he saw it was Guan Nianshan. Having known him for years, Qu Ya immediately noticed that something was wrong with his expression.
Closing the door, he asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"
The two walked to a corner to speak in hushed tones.
"Zeng Qing's son, Zeng Boyan, has come to Suining City. I ran into him at the medical clinic."
Qu Ya's expression changed, his gaze turning as sharp as a falcon's.
"Did he recognize you?"
Guan Nianshan shook his head. "He didn't recognize me at all."
"I don't know if the Young Master has gone to find Zeng Qing. I was wondering if I should go test the waters with Zeng Boyan."
Qu Ya immediately shook his head.
"No. The situation is unclear right now. Asking Zeng Boyan rashly might bring trouble to the Young Master."
Guan Nianshan thought for a long while before sighing.
"Everything is going well working under the County Princess now. If I wasn't so worried, I wouldn't want to get involved either."
Qu Ya fell silent for a moment before speaking in a low voice.
"Song Jinzhao had a purpose in bringing us to Suining. The Young Master is currently working under Mu Ji'an, and she is just taking precautions."
Guan Nianshan lowered his head and muttered to himself, "If only the Young Master were on good terms with the County Princess."
A stable home and job, with his son studying at the academy and having a guaranteed future—he truly didn't want anything to change.
Qu Ya clenched his jaw and said nothing.
Unless Song Jinzhao rebelled against the imperial court, it was impossible for them to ever be on good terms.
But was that even possible?
In the front hall of the clinic, Gu Baozhu sat opposite Song Shixue, watching her grind medicine while occasionally glancing toward the back.
"I wonder if the true mastermind behind the scenes is Yang Cedong or Yang Cexi. To strike so ruthlessly against their own younger brother's family—it's utterly inhumane. They have no brotherly affection at all."
Song Shixue replied, "The royal family is just the same. Before Prince Qi's downfall, he and Prince Ying fought fiercely. Even the Emperor..."
Seeing her trail off mid-sentence, Gu Baozhu understood.
She leaned in, resting half her face on the table, and spoke to Song Shixue in a meaningful whisper.
"The Emperor was also suspicious and wary of Prince Qi and Prince Ying, afraid their power would grow too great and threaten his throne, right?"
Song Shixue looked around warily.
"Keep your voice down. If anyone hears us, we could lose our heads. Who told you all this?"
Songzhou City was so far from the capital, yet Gu Baozhu had hit the nail on the head. Someone must have told her.
Gu Baozhu pouted in tacit admission.
"I heard my father complain about it a few times. He worries about the country and the people, and he's terrified the next emperor will be an incompetent tyrant."
Song Shixue's eyes widened.
She really dared to speak her mind. Being far away certainly made one bolder.
While the people outside were speaking in low voices, the people inside were also whispering.
Sweeping his gaze over his three remaining confidants, Yang Cenan gave a meaningful look to the subordinate standing in the corner.
Yang Zhong looked at him, and the man immediately walked over to the bed and bent down.
"Return to Panzhou immediately. There is a matter you must handle before I get back..."
Listening closely by his ear, the man's expression gradually changed.
After pondering for a moment, he stood up, cupped his hands in a salute, and spoke with a resonant and forceful voice.
"I will not fail the Young Master's trust."
Watching the guard turn and leave, Zeng Boyan suppressed his inner doubts, stepped forward, and said, "The clinic is crude, and there are so many yamen runners standing guard outside. This humble official believes it would be more appropriate to move to an inn."
Yang Zhong had his concerns. "But the County Princess said the Young Master cannot get out of bed yet."
Zeng Boyan replied, "He can be carried out on a stretcher. The clinic has one. The patient rooms aren't soundproof; if we speak even a little too loudly, the people outside can hear everything clearly."
"The inn is right next to the clinic, less than half a quarter-hour's walk away. It's very convenient."
Yang Cenan decided, "Then we shall move to the inn."
