The night outside was deep and dark, concealing the fine drizzle that fell without cease.
Inside the main hall, Gu She and Tao Mo sat facing each other, their full attention fixed on the Go board between them.
Gu She was still giving him a five-stone handicap and the first move.
Yet the game progressed even more slowly than yesterday’s.
At first, Gu Xiaojia and Hao Guozi had patiently stood nearby watching, but as one stick of incense burned away and then a second, they drifted farther and farther from the board until only the crisp, decisive sound of stones being placed remained.
The night grew ever deeper.
The rain gradually stopped.
Gu She calmly placed another stone.
Tao Mo swept his gaze across the densely packed board, then, completely satisfied, tossed down his stone in resignation. “I lost.”
Pointing to a move in the upper-right corner of the board, Gu She said, “You were reckless here.”
Tao Mo nodded. “I tried to steal a chicken and ended up losing the rice used to bait it.”
Gu She said nothing.
Uneasy, Tao Mo asked, “Did I use the saying incorrectly?”
“Not exactly.”
“Not exactly?” Tao Mo said awkwardly. “Then I still used it wrong?”
Gu She replied, “I simply don’t like being associated with chickens.”
Tao Mo smiled apologetically. “I won’t make random comparisons anymore.”
Seeing how flustered he looked, Gu She relented. “Actually, it’s fine.”
“Hm?”
Gu She glanced at the sky outside. “It’s late. You should get some sleep.”
As if they had calculated the timing precisely, Gu Xiaojia and Hao Guozi appeared in the hall at that very moment. Hao Guozi was even carrying an umbrella.
“To Liuxian Residence?” Gu She asked.
Not understanding what he meant, Tao Mo nodded. “Yes.”
The only one who understood was Gu Xiaojia. He immediately said, “I’ve already had people prepare Yayi Pavilion. It should be completely ready by tomorrow.”
Hao Guozi reacted at once. “We’re moving again?”
Gu Xiaojia laughed dryly. “You come here every day to play Go. Staying so far away isn’t very convenient.”
Hao Guozi muttered, “Moving back and forth is such a hassle. Why didn’t we just stay somewhere closer from the start?”
Still stubbornly holding his ground, Gu Xiaojia said, “I already told you. Yayi Pavilion wasn’t ready when you arrived.”
Seeing the two of them arguing, Tao Mo hurriedly said, “It’s getting late. We’ll head back first.” The latter part was directed at Gu She.
Gu She gave a slight nod.
Looking at his refined and handsome features, Tao Mo felt a warm glow spread through his heart. Even walking through the fierce, cutting wind, he felt no chill at all.
Gu She watched him disappear into the darkness before finally withdrawing his gaze.
Unable to hold back any longer, Gu Xiaojia asked, “Young Master, why do you treat him so well?”
“Treat him well?” Gu She raised an eyebrow.
Gu Xiaojia said, “You’ve never been particularly courteous to anyone else, let alone allowed them to cross your threshold and live in the Gu Residence. Tao Mo may be honest and good-natured, but he’s completely uneducated and lacking in scholarly accomplishment. He’s nothing like the people you’ve associated with in the past.”
After thinking for a moment, Gu She murmured, “Perhaps it’s precisely because he’s different from the people I’ve associated with before.”
Gu Xiaojia looked at him. He vaguely sensed that something was off, yet he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. All he could do was silently remind himself to pay closer attention to the movements of this master and servant pair in the future.
As it happened, Gu She’s special treatment of Tao Mo was obvious not only to Gu Xiaojia. Even Tao Mo himself, usually slow to notice such things, had begun to sense it. Gu She’s gentle eyes even found their way into his dreams, so much so that when he woke the next morning he felt refreshed and invigorated. By the time he headed to the county yamen, he was positively radiant.
Still unwilling to let the matter go, Hao Guozi muttered, “Young Master, don’t tell me you’re happy again just because you’ll get to see Yi Yu?”
Tao Mo stared blankly at him. After a long moment, he said, “Ah, Yi Yu.”
Seeing his expression gradually grow thoughtful, Hao Guozi naturally realized that Yi Yu had nothing to do with his earlier mood. Smiling, he asked, “Could it be that Young Master was thinking about Gu She instead?”
A faint flush crept onto Tao Mo’s face, but he did not deny it.
“Whether it’s character, talent, family background, or bearing, Gu She is far superior to Yi Yu,” Hao Guozi declared, producing an opinion completely opposite to the one he had once held. “Young Master should spend more time with him in the future.”
Tao Mo shook his head helplessly. “You’ve managed to say both the good and the bad.”
Hao Guozi snorted. “The only reason is that there aren’t many people in this world more annoying than Yi Yu.”
Tao Mo said, “No matter what, a guest is still a guest. If you can’t stand him, then simply leave him be. There’s no need to make things difficult for him.”
“Make things difficult for him? I’d dirty my own eyes just doing that!” Hao Guozi made no attempt to hide the disgust in his heart.
“Young Master Tao.”
Peng Xiang’s voice sounded from outside.
Hao Guozi suddenly raised his voice and said, “Young Master, don’t you think some people are strange? They’re obviously men, yet they insist on having names with words like ‘fragrance’ in them, making themselves sound like the personal maidservants of some noble young lady.”
Tao Mo lowered his voice. “Didn’t you just say you didn’t want to dirty your eyes?”
Just then, Peng Xiang entered the room. Covering his eyes, Hao Guozi headed outside. “Out of sight, out of mind!”
Tao Mo smiled apologetically at Peng Xiang. “Please don’t take offense.”
Peng Xiang: “…” Originally, he had intended to pretend not to realize the remarks were directed at him, but after Tao Mo said that, he could no longer play deaf. All he could do was smile awkwardly. “I know he still bears a grudge.”
Tao Mo opened his mouth, yet had no idea how to refute that, and could only let out a faint sigh.
Peng Xiang had originally hoped Tao Mo would give him an opening to smooth things over, but since Tao Mo remained silent, he could hardly force the issue. Instead, he changed the subject. “My young master sent me to ask whether Young Master Tao has any free time today. If you do, would you be willing to visit his room for a while? Young Master personally prepared several dishes and wishes to reminisce with you.”
To Tao Mo’s ears, however, those words stirred entirely different emotions.
Back then, he had dreamed of such a scene hundreds upon hundreds of times, only for those dreams to shatter in the end. Now that very scene was unfolding before his eyes, yet instead of joy, all he felt was a strange sense of unreality.
“Young Master Tao?” Peng Xiang prompted softly.
“Very well.” Coming back to himself, Tao Mo smiled and said, “Once I’ve finished dealing with these matters, I’ll come over.”
Judging from his expression, Peng Xiang had been worried he might refuse. Hearing him agree so readily, he relaxed at once and hurried off to report the good news to Yi Yu.
Tao Mo remained where he was for a moment before looking toward Adviser Jin, who sat in a corner surrounded by stacks of documents and had been completely ignored by everyone.
“Adviser Jin.”
Adviser Jin lifted his head from the mountain of paperwork, his expression blank. “Even an upright official cannot settle family affairs. Besides, I’m only an adviser. Don’t ask me.”
Tao Mo lowered his voice. “I was only going to ask if Adviser Jin could also review the remaining documents.”
“…” Adviser Jin angrily set down his brush on the inkstone. “Where’s Mu Chun? He’s becoming quite the hands-off manager!”
Tao Mo said, “I haven’t seen him at all today.”
Adviser Jin said, “Doesn’t that make you angry in the slightest?”
“Why should I be angry?”
“He takes a salary without doing any work.” Of course, what angered Adviser Jin even more at the moment was being the one who took a salary and actually did the work.
Sure enough, Tao Mo said, “Perhaps he has urgent matters to attend to. If Adviser Jin doesn’t mind—”
“I do mind! I very much mind!”
“Since Adviser Jin is apparently so free and so idle, then naturally the more idle one is, the more work one can do.” Mu Chun entered with a smile.
Adviser Jin snorted coldly. “No matter how idle I am, I can’t compare to Adviser Mu. You disappeared first thing this morning.”
“I was repairing the roof for our master,” Mu Chun replied.
Adviser Jin said, “A trivial matter like repairing a roof requires Adviser Mu’s personal attention?”
Mu Chun said, “My experience is limited, and I am hardly suited for great responsibilities. Naturally, I must begin with small matters like these. The important affairs of the yamen still depend upon Adviser Jin.”
Though he had no idea how sincere those words were, hearing his rival praise him so openly in front of Tao Mo naturally put Adviser Jin in a good mood. He replied mildly, “You may avoid the first day of the month, but not the fifteenth. Sooner or later, you’ll have to get involved in these matters.”
Having dealt with Adviser Jin, Mu Chun was preparing to leave when Tao Mo called out to him.
“The roof still isn’t repaired?”
Mu Chun had always been quick to grasp what lay behind people’s words. He immediately replied, “Young Master Yi Yu is an honored guest. How could I possibly neglect him? Naturally, he was given one of the better rooms.” Compared to the others, whose leaks were far worse, Yi Yu’s room was indeed among the better ones.
Tao Mo never thought any deeper than that and simply nodded. “That’s good.”
Adviser Jin suddenly interjected, “Isn’t our master planning to visit his room later? You’ll find out then.”
A gleam flashed through Mu Chun’s eyes. “Our master is going to Young Master Yi Yu’s room?”
Tao Mo said, “He personally prepared some dishes and said he wanted to reminisce.”
“That would be improper of our master,” Mu Chun said with clear disapproval. “He is a guest. How can we allow him to cook personally? Our master should be the one hosting him at Xianwei Tower.”
Once Mu Chun pointed it out, Tao Mo also felt he had been discourteous. “Then should I go tell him now?”
“Why doesn’t our master first reserve a table at Xianwei Tower? I’ll invite Young Master Yi Yu myself.” Seeing Tao Mo hesitate, he added, “I’ve heard that Xianwei Tower has been packed with customers lately. If you arrive too late…”
Before he had even finished speaking, Tao Mo was already hurrying away.
Mu Chun turned around and found Adviser Jin watching him with an amused smile.
Smiling in return, Mu Chun asked, “Would Adviser Jin care to join us at Xianwei Tower?”
Adviser Jin replied, “If we’re going, then we’re going.”
Futile Devices Scans 
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