The table happened to be the very one where Lu Zhenxue and Tao Mo had first met. Seated there, they could hear the people upstairs making the staircase creak and groan beneath their footsteps.
The four of them sat down in order, with Lu Zhenxue directly opposite Mu Chun. “And this gentleman is…?”
Mu Chun cupped his hands and smiled. “My name is Mu Chun. I am Magistrate Tao’s newly appointed Adviser.”
“An Adviser?” Lu Zhenxue was taken aback. Although he could not claim to have seen every kind of person, he knew enough to judge character. This Mu Chun carried himself with the elegance and bearing of a young master from a distinguished family. His background was clearly anything but ordinary, and the lively intelligence in his eyes did not resemble someone whose family had fallen into ruin and who had drifted through the jianghu. That such a person would come to Tanyang County and become Tao Mo’s Adviser was certainly food for thought.
“That’s right,” Tao Mo confirmed.
Lu Zhenxue smiled. “It seems that Magistrate Tao keeps many hidden talents at his side.”
“You flatter me, you flatter me,” Mu Chun replied. Having said that, he immediately summoned a waiter and began ordering dishes, showing not the slightest interest in asking about Lu Zhenxue’s identity.
Lu Zhenxue felt displeased, though none of it showed on his face. Turning to Tao Mo, he asked, “What brings Magistrate Tao to Xianwei Tower today?”
“I was coming from the Tong residence and happened to pass by.”
“The Tong residence? You mean the residence of Old Master Tong Zhangwei?”
“Precisely.”
Lu Zhenxue’s interest was piqued. “I never imagined that Your Excellency was acquainted with Old Master Tong.”
Seeing where the conversation was headed, Mu Chun intended to steer it elsewhere, but Tao Mo had already blurted out, “Because there was a dispute between the Qiu family and the Liang family in front of the Tong residence.”
“The Qiu family? The Liang family?” Lu Zhenxue searched his memory for people bearing those surnames but came up empty.
“It’s only a trivial matter,” Mu Chun interjected. “Why spoil Young Master Lu’s enjoyment of his meal by bringing it up?”
Lu Zhenxue waved a hand. “As a litigation master, I’m always eager to hear about disputes.”
After some thought, Tao Mo said, “The matter involves a young woman’s reputation. It would be better not to discuss it.”
A young woman’s reputation?
Immediately, Lu Zhenxue thought of the ill-fated Tong Yinghong. Could it have something to do with her? Though that was what he was thinking, he merely said aloud, “In that case, I was being too inquisitive.”
Just then, the waiter arrived with dishes and set out four pairs of bowls and chopsticks.
Hao Guozi blinked. “Eh? Young Master Lu hasn’t even ordered anything yet. Why are they setting out chopsticks already?”
Lu Zhenxue had just raised his chopsticks to take some food. At those words, they froze awkwardly in midair.
Lowering his head, Mu Chun focused intently on the plate of greens in front of him, concealing the slight upward curve of his lips.
Tao Mo hurriedly tried to smooth things over. “Young Master Lu invited me to a banquet last time. This meal is my way of returning the favor.”
Things would have been better had he not mentioned that banquet. The moment he did, the flush of embarrassment on Lu Zhenxue’s face deepened.
Hao Guozi muttered, “Wasn’t all we got from that banquet a stomach full of anger?”
Tao Mo did not see it that way. If Lu Zhenxue had not invited him that day, he never would have spoken to Gu She. Thinking about it now, he felt he actually owed Lu Zhenxue thanks. As the thought crossed his mind, he picked up the teacup before him.
“I never properly thanked Young Master Lu for the banquet at your residence. Please forgive my discourtesy.”
Lu Zhenxue assumed that Tao Mo and Hao Guozi were playing good cop and bad cop to mock him. Immediately, he withdrew the hand holding his chopsticks, picked up his teacup, and replied with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes, “Think nothing of it, think nothing of it.”
Both men took a sip of tea.
Tao Mo repeatedly urged him to eat.
Feeling that ordering his own dishes now would only make him appear petty, Lu Zhenxue half-reluctantly picked up his chopsticks once more.
Hao Guozi eyed him sidelong.
The atmosphere grew somewhat stiff.
Not knowing what to do, Tao Mo looked toward Mu Chun.
Mu Chun casually picked up a mouthful of greens and placed them into Hao Guozi’s bowl. “Don’t worry. No one’s going to steal them from you.”
The chopsticks Lu Zhenxue had been directing toward the vegetables abruptly changed course halfway and landed in the stir-fried pork and mushrooms instead. He picked up a slice of meat and was just about to put it into his mouth when Hao Guozi muttered unwillingly, “Who wants vegetables? Meat is obviously what I like.”
…
Lu Zhenxue felt that this piece of meat was perhaps the least satisfying morsel he had ever eaten.
They were only halfway through the meal, and not all the dishes had even been served, when Lu Zhenxue hurriedly took his leave.
Tao Mo tried to persuade him to stay, but failed.
After he left, Tao Mo fixed Hao Guozi with a stare. “Don’t do that again in the future.”
Hao Guozi pouted. “Who told him to humiliate Young Master in public back then?”
“My being illiterate wasn’t his fault.”
“So what if you’re illiterate? He’s just a snob.”
“A snob? Not necessarily,” Mu Chun said with a faint smile.
“I think he’s actually a decent person,” Tao Mo agreed.
Mu Chun glanced at him. “That’s even less certain.”
Hao Guozi looked at him eagerly, waiting for him to reveal some unflattering opinion of Lu Zhenxue, but Mu Chun left the matter there.
After hesitating for a moment, Tao Mo turned back to Hao Guozi. “In any case, you should change that habit.”
“All of it?” Hao Guozi stared blankly. “Who else is there?”
Tao Mo buried his head in his rice bowl and said nothing.
Realization dawned on Hao Guozi. “You mean Gu She?”
Tao Mo’s eating motion halted, and then he immediately began choking.
Since Hao Guozi was seated opposite him, he could only glare at Mu Chun, who continued eating as though nothing had happened.
“Hurry up and pat Young Master on the back!”
Mu Chun looked at him, then slowly stretched out a hand and gently patted Tao Mo’s back twice.
Watching this, Hao Guozi grew anxious and was about to rush over himself when Tao Mo finally stopped coughing.
“Young Master, are you alright?” Hao Guozi asked nervously.
His face red from choking, Tao Mo nevertheless forced himself to remain calm and waved his chopsticks. “Let’s continue eating.”
“…Alright.”
Ordinarily in Tanyang County, disputes over marriage contracts rarely made their way to the county yamen. Hiring a litigation master to mediate was usually far quicker than bringing the matter before the authorities. However, the Liang family seemed utterly determined. No sooner had Cui Jiong persuaded them to return home than they submitted a formal complaint to the county yamen.
Criminal Affairs Adviser Jin took the complaint to Tao Mo to ask whether it should be accepted.
At the time, Tao Mo was discussing military conscription matters with the Military Office Clerk, while Mu Chun listened from the side with a solemn expression.
As for this new adviser who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, Adviser Jin remained reserved in his judgment. In one respect, however, he agreed completely with Lu Zhenxue: no matter how one looked at Mu Chun, he did not seem like the sort of man who would be content serving as an Adviser in a county yamen.
When the Military Office Clerk saw Adviser Jin arrive, he hurriedly excused himself and left.
“What is it?” Tao Mo asked.
Adviser Jin handed over the complaint. “The Liang family is suing the Qiu family for breaking their promise and attempting to marry one daughter into two families.”
Tao Mo looked at the densely packed characters on the page, then at Adviser Jin.
“What does the complaint say?”
“Those two charges are essentially the summary.”
Hearing this, Mu Chun took the document, glanced through it, and nodded. “Adviser Jin’s summary is quite accurate.”
“When shall we hold court?” Tao Mo asked.
Adviser Jin blinked. “Your Excellency intends to accept the case?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Noticing Mu Chun looking at him, Adviser Jin replied, “I was merely asking casually.”
In a casual tone, Mu Chun added, “The signature on the complaint appears to belong to Lu Zhenxue.”
Tao Mo froze. “Lu Zhenxue?”
Only then did Adviser Jin realize that he had neglected to mention that detail. To make up for the omission, he hurriedly launched into an explanation of Lu Zhenxue’s reputation as one of the county’s most famous litigation masters, as well as his family background and various other details.
“What an impressive Young Master Lu,” Mu Chun remarked with a smile. “He only learned of the matter yesterday, yet he had already accepted the case by today.”
“The only question now is whom the Qiu family will hire,” Adviser Jin said.
Though he spoke as if uncertain, he was already convinced that the person would be one of Master One-Hammer’s disciples. Given the relationship between Old Master Tong and Master One-Hammer—not to mention the fact that Lu Zhenxue was Lin Zhengyong’s prized disciple—the matter was more than enough to attract the attention of Master One-Hammer’s school.
“It doesn’t matter who they hire,” Tao Mo said. “What matters is ensuring that Second Miss Qiu isn’t harmed.”
Adviser Jin paused, then laughed. “I never expected my employer to be such a sentimental man.”
“I simply don’t want to see another innocent woman suffer,” Tao Mo replied.
Just as Adviser Jin had predicted, the moment the Liang family’s case was accepted, the Qiu family sprang into action. Sure enough, the person they hired was one of Master One-Hammer’s disciples.
Adviser Jin once again provided Tao Mo with a detailed introduction.
“This Sun Nuo is not particularly outstanding among Master One-Hammer’s disciples. Compared to Lu Zhenxue, he falls far short. However, he is close friends with Gu She. I’ve heard that several of the difficult cases he handled after entering the profession succeeded only because Gu She secretly helped him. As a result, although his talent is ordinary, he has never lost a lawsuit.”
The moment Tao Mo heard Gu She’s name, his spirits lifted.
“So Gu She will help with this case as well?”
“That’s certainly possible.” Seeing the anticipation on Tao Mo’s face, Adviser Jin added, “However, Gu She never appears in court. Even if he helps, it will only be by advising Sun Nuo behind the scenes. He would never personally take the field.”
“Does Adviser know why he never appears in court?”
Although Adviser Jin did not understand why Tao Mo had suddenly changed the subject, he still answered.
“That, I truly do not know.”
Tao Mo secretly pondered: Could it be that Gu She has some painful past he cannot bear to revisit?
One look at his expression told Mu Chun exactly what he was thinking, but he could not be bothered to correct him. Given Gu She’s pride, he was probably unwilling to bow to a county magistrate in open court.
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