Futile Devices Scans

Hao Guozi was rendered speechless.

Miss Tong truly had been a devoted woman, to have her youth dragged away for five whole years like this. No wonder rumors in the city described her as fierce and overbearing—she had likely been trying to hold firmly to her promise with Cai Fengyuan. Still, this Cai Fengyuan was far too disappointing.

Cai Fengyuan said, “For this provincial examination, I was completely confident I would pass and become a juren. Once I went to the capital for the metropolitan examinations, won distinction in the imperial examinations, and brought honor to my ancestors, only then would I properly be able to ask the Tong family for her hand.”

Elio’s Notes: A juren was a scholar who had passed the provincial-level imperial civil service examinations, granting him prestige and eligibility for official office.

Tao Mo asked in confusion, “Was this a requirement set by Master Tong and Madam Tong?”

Cai Fengyuan replied, “Though they never said it outright, the Tong family is a wealthy and prestigious household. If I possessed nothing, how could they possibly think highly of me? Naturally, I needed to rise above the common crowd before such matters could even be discussed.”

Hao Guozi said, “Well, isn’t that convenient? Now that Miss Tong is dead, you can take as many years as you like taking the examinations, however long you want. At worst, after you finally pass, you can ask the Tong family for a ghost marriage. That would at least fulfill Miss Tong’s lifelong wish.”

Cai Fengyuan was completely choked into silence. Only after a while did he say sorrowfully, “How could I have known… how could I have known she would do such a thing? It must have been her parents being stubborn and unreasonable, forcing her into it. Otherwise, why would she have lost the will to live? Two months ago, she was clearly still perfectly fine.”

Tao Mo asked, “You met two months ago?”

Cai Fengyuan replied, “On the fifteenth of that month, we met at Guanyin Temple. I told her I needed to focus fully on the examinations and temporarily could not see her anymore. She agreed as well. There was not the slightest sign anything was wrong.”

Tao Mo asked, “She voiced no resentment at all?”

Cai Fengyuan’s eyes flickered. “Sh-She had hoped all these years that she could marry into my household sooner.”

Hao Guozi let out a cold snort, yet could not even be bothered to mock him further.

After thinking for a while, Tao Mo realized he could not ask anything else useful and finally said, “If your feelings for Miss Tong were genuine, why not go to the Tong residence to pay your respects? Master Tong and Madam Tong may not necessarily be as you imagine them to be. For white-haired parents to send off their black-haired child is ultimately one of life’s great tragedies. Besides, Miss Tong is already gone. Whatever grudges existed should now be set aside for her sake.”

Cai Fengyuan fell silent.

Hao Guozi once again could not restrain himself. “Everyone knows people pick on the easy targets. The only reason he’s using Young Master as a scapegoat and mocking him is because Young Master is an outsider with absolutely no connection to Miss Tong. But Master Tong and Madam Tong are Miss Tong’s actual parents. What face does he have to appear before them?”

Cai Fengyuan’s face turned deathly pale, as though his innermost thoughts had been exposed.

Tao Mo sighed inwardly and tugged Hao Guozi out the door.

Hao Guozi said, “Young Master, that man is obviously the type who bullies the weak and fears the strong. Don’t bother with him anymore.”

Tao Mo replied, “To lose the one you love is also one of life’s great sorrows.”

Seeing Tao Mo seemingly lost in thought, Hao Guozi feared he was remembering painful old matters and hurriedly said, “Ah, I’m hungry. Why don’t we go eat something first?”

Tao Mo nodded blankly.

The two exited the inn when Hao Guozi suddenly stopped.

Tao Mo asked, “Why aren’t we going?”

“There’s someone over there who’s been staring at us this whole time. Ah, he’s coming over.” Hao Guozi nudged Tao Mo with his elbow.

Tao Mo turned around and saw it was Gu Xiaojia.

Gu Xiaojia came over looking extremely unwilling. “My young master invites you.”

Tao Mo’s eyes instantly lit up. Just as he was about to step forward, Hao Guozi blocked him. “Does your young master get to summon people just because he says so? My young master is the county magistrate of Tanyang County.”

Gu Xiaojia rolled his eyes. “Tsk tsk. Wasn’t someone standing outside my young master’s residence last time, eagerly presenting a calling card? And now suddenly it’s ‘my young master the county magistrate’?”

Hao Guozi eyed him suspiciously. “Who are you?”

Gu Xiaojia said, “Surname Gu.”

Hao Guozi froze. “Gu She?”

Gu Xiaojia’s face darkened. “My young master is Gu She.” Before he could even finish speaking, Hao Guozi had already grabbed Tao Mo and started running in the opposite direction.

“Y-You—!” Gu Xiaojia immediately chased after them and blocked their path. “Why are you running?”

Hao Guozi replied, “Going home to eat.”

Gu Xiaojia said, “I told you my young master invited him.”

Hao Guozi refused to yield even an inch. “Our Old Tao invited him first.”

Gu Xiaojia frowned. “Who is Old Tao?”

Hao Guozi answered, “The person inviting him to eat.”

Gu Xiaojia: “……”

Suddenly Hao Guozi loosened his grip, and both he and Gu Xiaojia turned simultaneously.

Gu She stood beside the carriage while Tao Mo happily scampered over toward him.

Gu Xiaojia smirked smugly. “Looks like Old Tao’s charm only goes so far.”

Hao Guozi: “……”

⸻

Tao Mo ran up to Gu She, his heart pounding wildly. “Y-You… why are you here?”

Gu She replied, “Passing by.”

Tao Mo looked around before suddenly realizing something. “Are you going to the Tong residence?”

Gu She stepped aside slightly. “Get in.”

“Oh.” Tao Mo obediently climbed into the carriage.

When Gu She tried to board afterward, he discovered the carriage entrance was somewhat narrow. Tao Mo was blocking the doorway, and it was unavoidable that they would brush against one another if he entered.

Gu She stepped back down instead.

Tao Mo blinked blankly. “Why aren’t you getting in?”

Gu She replied, “Go inform your servant first.”

Tao Mo slapped his forehead and laughed awkwardly. “I almost forgot about that.”

After Tao Mo climbed back down, Gu She leisurely boarded the carriage.

Gu Xiaojia and Hao Guozi came over while still bickering and tugging at one another.

Gu Xiaojia shouted, “Go tell your Old Tao that your young master was invited away by my young master.”

Hao Guozi’s face darkened. “Old Tao will definitely be furious to death.”

“Haha. That’s because your Old Tao isn’t as handsome and dashing as my young master.” Gu Xiaojia assumed Old Tao would be angry over Tao Mo breaking the meal appointment.

Seeing Tao Mo climb back down from the carriage, Hao Guozi immediately rushed forward. “Young Master, let’s go back to the county yamen.”

Tao Mo glanced at the gleeful Gu Xiaojia and lowered his voice. “I’m going with Young Master Gu. You go back first.”

“Go where?” Hao Guozi asked warily.

Caught off guard by the question, Tao Mo hesitated before replying, “Probably… probably to the Tong residence. I still need to ask Master Tong and Madam Tong about Miss Tong’s case.”

Hao Guozi muttered, “Investigating cases is the yamen’s business. I don’t know why that Gu She insists on joining the excitement.”

Gu Xiaojia had sharp ears. Hearing this, he immediately objected, “Ha! My young master is the smartest person under Heaven. For him to lower himself and help your magistrate young master is already a tremendous blessing, yet you still don’t know how to appreciate it.”

Hao Guozi sneered. “The smartest person under Heaven? Isn’t your claim a bit too modest? Why not just say your young master is the number one genius under Heaven and Earth—peerlessly wise, unmatched in martial and literary arts, spending gold like dirt and sweating like rain.”

“……Since when does my young master spend gold like dirt and sweat like rain?” Gu Xiaojia glared at him.

Hao Guozi could not answer. He had simply been speaking whatever came to mind.

Seeing the two seemed ready to argue endlessly, Tao Mo hurriedly interrupted, “I’ll return soon. It won’t delay anything. Just head back first.”

Hao Guozi did not wish to embarrass his own young master in front of Gu Xiaojia, so despite his reluctance, he muttered, “Yes, Young Master.”

Tao Mo climbed back into the carriage, and Gu Xiaojia drove them straight toward the Tong residence.

⸻

The Tong residence appeared no different from usual.

Gu Xiaojia knocked open the gates. The moment the gatekeeper saw Tao Mo jumping down from the carriage, his expression immediately changed.

Completely oblivious, Tao Mo waited until Gu She descended before following behind him toward the entrance.

The gatekeeper cast Tao Mo a wary glance before respectfully greeting Gu She. “Young Master Gu.”

Gu She asked, “Is your master home?”

“He is.” Yet the gatekeeper’s gaze still lingered uneasily on Tao Mo.

Tao Mo said, “We’ve met before.”

The gatekeeper replied, “This humble one still vividly remembers Your Excellency’s heroic bearing.” A magistrate who wanted to open a coffin for re-examination after burial was indeed unforgettable.

Tao Mo said shyly, “Actually, I’m quite ordinary.”

Gu Xiaojia burst out laughing.

Gu She, who had just stepped through the doorway, suddenly turned back and said to Tao Mo, “Among ordinary people, you count as a rather uncommon one.”

“……”

Gu She… had just praised him?

Tao Mo felt so light he practically floated into the residence.

⸻

When Master Tong heard that Gu She and Tao Mo had arrived together, he was startled and hurried out personally to greet them.

“Young Master Gu, Magistrate Tao.” The difference in the order of address clearly revealed the difference in status each held in his mind.

Tao Mo cupped his hands politely. “Master Tong.”

Master Tong gave him a perfunctory smile before turning toward Gu She. “Please, come inside and take the seat of honor.”

Gu She accepted without hesitation.

Once the three were seated, Gu She indeed occupied the seat above Tao Mo.

Tao Mo did not mind in the slightest—rather, he was delighted by it.

Only after the servants had served tea did Master Tong cautiously ask, “May I ask what brings Young Master Gu here today?”

Gu She replied, “Yesterday Magistrate Tao visited my residence wanting to open Miss Tong’s coffin for re-examination.”

Master Tong’s face instantly darkened. The gatekeeper had already informed him of the matter earlier. He had assumed the burial meant the matter was over. Yet Tao Mo had now brought Gu She along to visit personally. Could it be they truly would not rest without reopening the coffin?

He could not help but hesitate internally. Sending Tao Mo away would be easy enough, but Gu She… Gu She was not someone he could afford to offend.

Tao Mo hurriedly added, “There’s no need to re-examine the body now.”

Master Tong said coolly, “And what moved Your Excellency to show mercy?” The words themselves, however, were far from merciful.

Tao Mo replied, “I acted rashly. Before even taking Cai Fengyuan’s testimony, I hurried here recklessly. I ask Master Tong for forgiveness.”

Seeing Tao Mo soften his stance, Master Tong’s expression eased somewhat. “Easy enough to say. But may I ask who exactly this Cai Fengyuan is?”

Tao Mo answered honestly, “Miss Tong’s beloved.”

Previous

Main

Next