Futile Devices Scans

Madam Tong suddenly slammed the table and stood, her tone sharp and severe. “Do not think you can borrow your father’s name and throw your weight around in my Tong residence! Even if we are relatives, that does not mean a mere junior like you may come here and spout nonsense!”

The young woman said unhurriedly, “Why is Aunt so flustered and angry? I merely have a few points about Yinghong’s matter that I do not understand and wished to ask Aunt clearly, lest Yinghong find no peace even beneath the earth after death. If she cannot make peace with it down there and keeps returning to the Tong residence to visit Aunt, that would hardly be good.”

Madam Tong sneered. “Do not try to frighten me with talk of ghosts and spirits. The Master did not speak of strange forces and disorderly gods. I am not one of those shallow, ignorant women. Yinghong was raised by my own hands. If she is willing to return and see me, I could not ask for more.”

“I hope Aunt truly means that.” The young woman smiled without warmth. “Since Aunt is so certain, why not answer my question directly? Yinghong had private meetings with that man surnamed Cai for so many years, so why did Aunt know nothing at all?”

“Yinghong was sensible from childhood. Naturally, I trusted her completely. If Cai Fengyuan had not seduced her, she should have remained properly at home waiting for marriage, then served her husband, raised children, and passed her life in peace.” As her emotions rose, Madam Tong could not help wiping her tears with her sleeve.

Master Tong could not help drawing her into his arms.

The young woman said, “I never expected Aunt to love Yinghong so dearly. It seems all of Yinghong’s complaints about Aunt while she was alive were misunderstandings. Aunt must never have glared at her coldly or mocked her with cutting words, then?”

Madam Tong said angrily, “She committed such a disgraceful act. Was I not even allowed to scold her?”

Master Tong’s body stiffened.

A hint of slyness entered the young woman’s smile. “So Aunt knew about her and Cai Fengyuan long ago. Then every first and fifteenth day of the month, when you went without fail to Guanyin Temple to offer incense, was that also intentional indulgence?”

Madam Tong realized she had misspoken. Her face grew even paler, and for a long while she could not utter a word.

The young woman’s smile abruptly vanished, and her voice turned sharp. “Aunt! You have been married into the Tong family for nearly thirty years without bearing a single son or daughter. That alone already violates one of the seven grounds for divorce. If Uncle had not taken pity on you, and if he had not pitied the fact that you had no one left in your own family, he should have divorced you long ago! Yet not only were you ungrateful, you first drove to death the three concubines Uncle took, and afterward, you could not even tolerate his own flesh and blood. If you had not deliberately indulged it, how could Cai Fengyuan have so easily approached Yinghong, even meeting her privately for years?!”

Madam Tong’s body went weak. She staggered back a step and collapsed into the chair.

Master Tong looked at her, his eyes filled with disappointment and anger.

Looking at the two of them in silence, the young woman softened her tone slightly. “Uncle, how long do you still intend to tolerate this woman? Do you truly wish for the Tong family line to end?”

“Enough.” Master Tong’s voice was hoarse.

The young woman froze.

Master Tong pointed toward the door. “Leave.”

“Uncle?” The young woman frowned.

“This is ultimately my Tong family’s affair. It has nothing to do with your Yang family.” Master Tong’s tone was hard.

The young woman’s pretty face flushed. Then she said stiffly, “Then I have meddled too much. Farewell.”

Tao Mo looked at the young woman storming out in anger, then at Master Tong and Madam Tong, one seated and one standing in silence. Finally, he looked toward Gu She, who stood nearby. “What exactly is going on?”

“As you heard.” Gu She’s gaze swept over Master Tong with a faint smile that was not quite a smile.

Master Tong immediately felt his face burn. That look was somehow a hundred times more cutting than the young woman’s words, as though he were merely a useless fool not worth a second glance.

“Young Master Gu.” In the end, he did not dare fall out with him, so he could only make his tone heavier. “My household is presently beset by troubles. I dare not keep guests. Please, both of you, see yourselves out.”

“Madam Tong…” Tao Mo began, then did not know how to continue. In the deaths of Tong Yinghong and Cai Fengyuan, Madam Tong had merely been an onlooker. Although one could not say she was completely unrelated, neither could everything be blamed on her. The more he thought about it, the more his head ached. People often said even an upright official found it hard to settle family affairs, and now he finally understood.

He was still hesitating when he heard Gu She say, “Farewell.”

Tao Mo froze, then hurriedly took his leave of Master Tong and chased after him.

After leaving the Tong residence, they saw that the young woman had not yet departed. She was standing in front of Gu She’s carriage.

“Senior Brother.” The young woman smiled, all her earlier aggressiveness within the Tong residence completely gone. “If you had not reminded me that Madam Tong’s behavior was strange and that she had a guilty conscience, I would not have been able to trick her into revealing the truth and finally vent this anger I have held for so many years.”

Gu She said, “I simply dislike fools with poor acting skills.”

Tao Mo still only half understood their conversation. “Are you saying Madam Tong intentionally harmed Miss Tong?”

The young woman smiled. “You are probably the first county magistrate to receive my Senior Brother’s favor.”

Tao Mo’s delight showed immediately on his face. “Truly?”

“Why would I lie to you?” The young woman glanced toward Gu She. “I only wonder why Senior Brother, who has never shown anyone any warmth, would make an exception.”

Tao Mo’s eyes shone as he stared fixedly at Gu She.

Gu She said calmly, “I merely wanted him to know that the truth he believes in may not be the truth, and that what he knows is actually only the tip of the iceberg.”

Tao Mo looked blank.

The young woman laughed loudly. “Senior Brother is still so very… self-admiring.”

Gu She said indifferently, “It is not that I admire myself alone. It is only that there is no one in the world capable of admiring me together with me.”

Tao Mo stared at him dazedly. Clearly, they had been standing so close just moments ago, close enough that if he reached out, he might have touched Gu She’s sleeve. Yet in the time it took for one sentence to be spoken, a chasm had been cleaved open between them.

Tao Mo returned to the county yamen in low spirits.

Seeing this, Old Tao asked him what had happened.

Tao Mo did not dare mention all his thoughts concerning Gu She. He only told him about the young woman provoking Madam Tong.

After listening, Old Tao sighed with feeling. “Everything came from jealousy. As the saying goes, hateful people must have their pitiable sides. So long as people have emotions and desires, love, hatred, envy, and jealousy are unavoidable. But one thought may lead to good, and one thought may lead to evil. Whether good or evil, all arise from the heart.” After saying this, he let out another long sigh, as though something had touched him.

Tao Mo asked, “Old Tao, did you think of something?”

Old Tao replied, “I thought of my past.”

Tao Mo asked curiously, “What sort of past?” Seeing Old Tao fall silent, he hurriedly added, “If you do not want to say it, then do not force yourself.”

“There is nothing much to hide.” Old Tao slowly walked to the window and looked out at the darkening sky. After a moment, he said, “I once betrayed my… employer.”

“Your previous employer?”

“Mm.”

Tao Mo asked, “Then… what happened to that previous employer?”

“He is doing very well.” Old Tao revealed a comforted smile. “He took back the family property that belonged to him.”

“Took back?” Tao Mo asked nervously. “Did bad people seize his family property?”

“You could say that. He went through storms and hardships along the way, suffering countless difficulties. Unfortunately, at the time, my heart and eyes were both blind. I could not see his painstaking intentions, and even kicked him when he was down, adding frost to snow. Fortunately, fortunately, he did not fail the expectations of the old… former employer.”

Seeing Old Tao’s face full of remorse, Tao Mo comforted him. “If he knew you thought this way, he would surely be very happy.”

“Perhaps… perhaps.” Old Tao’s answer was reluctant.

Tao Mo said, “Why not go back and see him? Perhaps he truly has already forgiven you.”

“Go back?” Old Tao froze. He turned back and looked at him faintly for a long time before saying, “Yes. I should go back. But not now.”

“Why?”

The corner of Old Tao’s mouth curved slightly. “I have not yet seen you marry and have children. How could I leave with peace of mind?”

“There is no rush for that.” Tao Mo stammered for a while, then suddenly looked up. “Old Tao, after you go back, do you not intend to return?”

“I fear that may no longer be up to me.” Old Tao smiled bitterly.

Tao Mo was about to ask more when he heard a burst of hurried footsteps. Hao Guozi ran in and said, “Clerk Cui is here.”

Tao Mo remembered that he had previously sent Cui Jiong to Cai Fengyuan’s neighboring county to investigate, so he hurried out to greet him.

Cui Jiong was waiting in the flower hall. Seeing Tao Mo come out, he was just about to salute when Tao Mo grabbed his arm and asked, “Did you find Cai Fengyuan’s family?”

He shook his head. “There is no one left in the Cai family.”

Tao Mo sighed gloomily.

Cui Jiong said, “I remember Cai Fengyuan did not come to Tanyang County alone.”

Tao Mo slapped his forehead. “That’s right. The innkeeper once said he came with a friend. Has that friend still not appeared?”

Cui Jiong shook his head. “The body is still in the mortuary. But if no one claims it soon, it can only be buried at Yunlin Mountain.”

“Yunlin Mountain?”

“A place specifically used to bury those without family or friends.”

Thinking that he and Cai Fengyuan had at least known each other for a while, Tao Mo immediately felt some desire to bury him on his behalf. However, all his money was managed by Old Tao, so he would still need Old Tao’s approval before doing so. He nodded and said nothing more.

Cui Jiong felt no particular closeness toward this county magistrate. Once he had finished reporting official business, he did not linger.

Tao Mo quietly pondered how he should bring the matter up with Old Tao.

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