Futile Devices Scans

Tao Mo murmured to himself, “I have not heard of any recent murder case.”

Gu She said, “I merely asked in passing.”

Tao Mo felt ashamed. “Actually, when it comes to the laws of our dynasty, Adviser Jin is the one who is well versed in them. I was only talking nonsense off the top of my head.”

Gu She said, “Was sentencing Sang Xiaotu to enter my residence as a servant also Adviser Jin’s idea?”

“That was not.” Tao Mo repeated what Adviser Jin had told him at the time, then sighed. “Although everything he said was reasonable, he did not mention a single word about how to judge the case, so I could only blindly think up a solution myself.” Seeing that the corners of Gu She’s mouth had been slightly lifted from earlier until now, he felt puzzled. “Does Young Master Gu think my method was childish and laughable?”

Gu She said, “Have you ever seen small children playing with mud?”

Tao Mo thought Gu She was taking his feelings into account and was unwilling to directly admit it, so he had changed the topic. He obediently answered, “I have.”

“Did you find it childish and laughable?”

Tao Mo said, “Although childish, it was not laughable.”

“Then it can be seen that not everything under Heaven becomes laughable merely because it is childish. Sometimes, childishness can also be very worthy of respect,” Gu She said slowly.

For a moment, Tao Mo could not quite turn his mind around it.

Gu She looked at the sky. “It is getting late. Why not have dinner first?”

“All right.” Tao Mo nodded blankly and followed him out, walking all the way toward the main hall.

Only after the two of them were seated, and Sang Xiaotu, with a plaster on his head, followed behind Gu Xiaojia to help serve the dishes, did he suddenly realize that Gu She’s implied meaning earlier had actually been to praise him as worthy of respect. He looked at Gu She’s calm profile, uncertain whether he was indulging in wishful thinking and had misunderstood, or whether Gu She had truly meant it that way.

Gu She suddenly extended his chopsticks and placed a piece of meat into Tao Mo’s bowl.

Tao Mo felt overwhelmed by favor.

Gu She said blandly, “Eat.”

“Yes.” Tao Mo lowered his head and picked up the meat, but he did not eat the whole piece at once. Instead, he took one small bite and paired it with a large mouthful of rice, then another small bite with another large mouthful of rice. By the end of the meal, he had actually finished an entire bowl of rice with just that one piece of meat.

Gu Xiaojia almost laughed watching him.

Hao Guozi could not help glaring at him.

Gu She set down his chopsticks. “Go?”

Tao Mo hurriedly set down his bowl and nodded repeatedly.

Speaking of it, ever since the spring outing to Long Mountain that day, they had not played Go again. Thinking back on that game of blind Go, Tao Mo felt, for the first time, an interest in playing Go stirred by the game itself, and not merely because his opponent was Gu She.

Gu Xiaojia set up the Go board and called Sang Xiaotu to leave.

Tao Mo suddenly turned his head. “Has your father been buried?”

Sang Xiaotu abruptly stopped walking. His knees bent, and he knelt down, about to kowtow again.

Gu Xiaojia and Hao Guozi hurriedly grabbed him.

Sang Xiaotu said, “For the great kindness and virtue of Your Excellency and Young Master Gu, Xiaotu will repay you even if he must become an ox or a horse.”

Tao Mo said awkwardly, “I only wanted to ask whether your father had been buried, and whether you needed my help.”

Sang Xiaotu wiped away his tears and said, “Many thanks for Your Excellency’s concern. The village chief and the villagers pooled together some money, and he was buried yesterday.” Though it was called a burial, in truth, it had merely been buying a coffin, finding a few people to carry it to Yunlin Mountain, and burying him there.

Tao Mo nodded.

Gu She suddenly said, “From now on, you may follow Tao Mo.”

Sang Xiaotu’s body trembled. It was not that he was unwilling, but this was the first time he had heard this important figure of Tanyang County speak, and he was nervous. He quickly said, “Many thanks, Young Master Gu. Many thanks, Lord Tao.”

Gu Xiaojia pulled him up. “Don’t disturb Young Master’s pleasure in playing Go here. I’ll take you around the Gu residence, so you won’t get lost later.”

Hao Guozi muttered, “Why did I not see you being so kind when I came?”

Gu Xiaojia said with a smile that was not quite a smile, “Sang Xiaotu is a servant of my Gu residence. It is only right and proper for me to take him around the Gu residence. I wonder what relation Lord Hao has to my Gu residence?”

Hao Guozi was blocked speechless.

Having won a round, Gu Xiaojia felt pleased and put extra effort into introducing the Gu residence to Sang Xiaotu.

Hao Guozi followed behind him without a word. When Tao Mo and Gu She were playing Go, the only way for him to pass the time in the Gu residence was to follow Gu Xiaojia.

The three of them wandered around the Gu residence once. Gu Xiaojia calculated that the time was about right before bringing them back to the main hall. Just as they were about to enter the courtyard gate, they happened to see the gatekeeper coming out from inside. Gu Xiaojia said in shock, “A visitor came to the residence?”

The gatekeeper said, “He came to look for Lord Tao.”

Hao Guozi said in delight, “Could it be Old Tao has returned?”

The gatekeeper said, “It was Young Master Yi Yu.”

Hao Guozi’s face instantly turned cold. “What did he come for?”

The gatekeeper said, “To deliver something to Lord Tao.”

Gu Xiaojia also frowned. “Where is he? Was he sent away?” From the previous exchange between Gu She and Young Master Yi Yu, he knew that his own young master did not like this person. For that reason, he was afraid the gatekeeper might lack tact and let him in, disturbing Gu She’s pleasure.

The gatekeeper said, “He left after putting the thing down.”

Hao Guozi said, “Where is the thing?”

The gatekeeper said, “It has already been delivered into Lord Tao’s hands.”

Hao Guozi immediately turned and walked inside.

Gu Xiaojia and Sang Xiaotu followed at once.

When Hao Guozi entered the room, he saw that the item had been placed on the table. Although it had not been opened, judging by its appearance, it should be a ready-made garment. The roots of Tao Mo’s ears were a little red, while Gu She still looked as calm and light as clouds and wind.

“Young Master?” he asked tentatively.

Tao Mo was startled, then immediately let out a breath of relief. “Put the thing away.”

Hao Guozi answered and was just about to take it back to the room when he heard Gu She say indifferently, “You are not going to open it and see?”

Hao Guozi looked at Tao Mo.

The roots of Tao Mo’s ears turned so red they were almost purple. Only after a long while did he say, “Opening it to have a look is fine too.”

Hao Guozi could only unwrap the oil paper outside. As expected, it was a ready-made garment. It was sky blue, with faintly visible cloud patterns, and there was also a white jade-buckled belt that looked valuable at a glance. He secretly looked toward Tao Mo.

Tao Mo opened his mouth, then secretly glanced at Gu She.

Gu She was inscrutable.

“One should not accept rewards without merit. I think I will return it tomorrow,” Tao Mo said. He did not say this to curry favor with Gu She, but because he sincerely felt that he and Yi Yu truly did not have such a close relationship. Back then, he had invited Yi Yu to stay at the county yamen only because of the ties of their acquaintance. In the end, they were fellow townsmen, and meeting in a foreign place was fate. As for the other ties between them, they had long since been severed cleanly when he burned that handkerchief.

Gu Xiaojia said, “The quality of this material is quite good. I fear it cannot be bought in Tanyang County.”

Tap.

The sound of the stone being placed was crisp.

Tao Mo hastily returned to himself and refocused his attention on the Go board. But although his gaze had returned, his mind was still somewhat distracted. The hand holding the stone hovered over the board for a moment before finally choosing a spot and placing it down.

Tap.

A different crisp sound.

Tao Mo lifted his head in a daze, only to see Gu She stand and walk inward.

“The game…” he said hesitantly.

Without turning his head, Gu She said, “Since your heart is not in it, why linger?”

Tao Mo looked back at the Go board and repeated blankly, “Since your heart is not in it, why linger?”

Since your heart is not in it, why linger…

Hao Guozi turned over and sat up, pressing his aching forehead as he could not help saying, “Young Master.”

“Mm?”

“I have listened to those words all night.” So much so that now, even when Tao Mo was not saying them, those words kept circling and circling endlessly in his mind by themselves.

Tao Mo said, “What do you think those words mean?”

Hao Guozi said, “Perhaps he saw that Young Master had no heart to play Go? Or perhaps…” He was referring to Young Master’s attitude toward Young Master Yi Yu? He froze, then was startled by his own thought. What did Young Master’s attitude toward Young Master Yi Yu have to do with Gu She? It could not be that he was jealous, could it?

…It should not go that far, right?

Hearing Hao Guozi only say half a sentence and then stop, Tao Mo pressed, “Or perhaps what?”

Hao Guozi desperately shook the thought from his head. “Gu She’s thoughts are deep and unfathomable. Who can guess them?”

Tao Mo turned over, pressing his palm against his ear, and continued worriedly chewing over those words again and again.

Hao Guozi said, “Why must Young Master care so much about Gu She’s words? Perhaps he only said it casually.”

Tao Mo did not answer immediately.

Thinking of Tao Mo’s feelings toward Gu She, Hao Guozi wanted to pour cold water on him, yet could not bear to do it, so he could only say faintly, “Old Tao will be back soon. Young Master, it would be better for you and Gu She not to grow too close.”

At the mention of Old Tao, Tao Mo’s thoughts finally burrowed out from those words. His respect for Old Tao was not only because Old Tao considered everything for his sake and arranged everything properly for him, but also because Old Tao had, in many moments, taken the place where his father should have stood. Some words Old Tao did not need to say. Some matters Old Tao did not need to consider. But he said them and considered them, not because Tao Mo was his young master, but because this had been Tao Mo’s father’s dying wish.

Father…

The hand pressed against Tao Mo’s cheek suddenly grew damp.

When he went out in the early morning, moisture floated in the air.

Tao Mo rubbed his somewhat stiff hands together, and his gaze was drawn by the carriage at the roadside.

Peng Xiang sat on the carriage with his eyes half-narrowed, seeming to be dozing.

Tao Mo took the oil-paper parcel wrapped around the garment from Hao Guozi’s hands and walked toward him.

Peng Xiang, who had been just about to sink into sleep, was lightly pushed by someone and instantly woke with a start. Seeing Tao Mo, he hurriedly rubbed his eyes and said, “Lord, Lord Tao?”

Hao Guozi said irritably, “What are you doing here so early in the morning?”

Peng Xiang said, “Young Master asked me to send Lord Tao to the county yamen.”

Hao Guozi said, “The county yamen has plenty of carriages. There is no need to trouble you.”

Peng Xiang asked in return, “Where is the carriage?”

Hao Guozi choked.

Yesterday, after court ended, Tao Mo had come on foot and had indeed not taken a carriage.

He looked at Peng Xiang suspiciously. “How did you know Young Master did not come by carriage?”

Peng Xiang said, “I only came to try my luck. Since Lord Tao truly has no carriage, why not allow me to send you on your way?” He smiled at Tao Mo. After all, he had spent so many years struggling and living in Qunxiang Tower. How could there not be the slightest trace of rouge and powder clinging to him? This smile alone already held seventy or eighty percent of the charm those male courtesans had when seducing others, truly alluring and tender.

But Tao Mo did not answer. Instead, he handed the oil-paper parcel to him and said, “One should not accept rewards without merit. As for your young master’s item, I return it intact to…” He glanced at Hao Guozi.

“Return it intact to Zhao!” Hao Guozi loudly supplied.

Elio’s Notes: “Return it intact to Zhao” comes from the Chinese idiom 完璧归赵, literally “to return the jade intact to Zhao.” It means returning something safely and completely to its rightful owner. Here, Hao Guozi is helping Tao Mo finish the idiom correctly.

Peng Xiang did not take it and only feigned puzzlement. “Could it be that the garment does not fit Lord Tao? But my young master said he would absolutely not misjudge Lord Tao’s figure.”

Tao Mo said, “This gift is too valuable. I cannot accept it.”

Peng Xiang lowered his head and sighed. “Why must Lord Tao reject others from a thousand li away? Thinking back then, the silver Lord Tao spent on my young master was far more than the cost of this one robe. Now Young Master is merely returning jade for peaches and plums.” His tone softened. “Does Lord Tao understand Young Master’s feelings?”

“A wolfish heart—who could understand that?” The moment Hao Guozi thought of what had happened back then, anger surged up.

Tao Mo still refused. “The peaches and plums and jade of that day have already been settled between us. Please tell Young Master Yi Yu there is no need to keep it in mind.”

Peng Xiang said, “Why must Lord Tao wound someone’s heart this way? Although Young Master never says it, I know that this time, he actually came to Tanyang County to look for Lord Tao.”

“Hah! You finally told the truth, didn’t you?” Hao Guozi sneered. “Sure enough, he thought he had not harmed my young master enough before, so now he hurried over to deliver another stab.”

Peng Xiang said angrily, “You are measuring a gentleman’s heart with a petty man’s measure!”

“Gentleman? Where?” Hao Guozi said. “Back then, if not for you colluding with Huang Guangde, how could my young master have fallen to this state?”

Peng Xiang said, “My young master was powerless too. He was in Qunxiang Tower, and what he received was business, was customers! Could it be that when Huang Guangde came to the door holding money, he could refuse?”

Hao Guozi’s throat caught.

Tao Mo said, “Back then, I proposed redeeming him.” In those days, he had been hurt by Yi Yu’s words and had felt affection stirred by him, but now, speaking of this matter again, there was not the slightest ripple of emotion, only a sigh made on the facts.

Peng Xiang’s voice weakened. “Young Master had no choice either. Even if Lord Tao had been willing to pay silver to redeem Young Master back then, the deed of sale was held in the hands of that Zhang fellow. He feared Huang Guangde like a mouse fears a cat; how would he dare let my young master leave?”

Hao Guozi was just thinking that this sounded reasonable, but on second thought, he felt something was wrong. “Since that was the case, why did your young master not explain everything clearly to Young Master back then? Why did he insist on keeping him close yet distant, leading him on?”

Peng Xiang said, “Young Master is also human, and all humans have selfish desires. What is wrong with his being unwilling to separate from the one he loves?”

“The one he loves?” Hao Guozi scoffed. If Tao Mo were truly the one he loved, then how could Yi Yu have watched with wide-open eyes as Tao Mo stepped into danger, neither asking nor caring, as though he had seen nothing?

Clop, clop, clop.

Through the morning mist, the sound of horse hooves and rolling carriage wheels came from far to near.

The fierce argument therefore slowed.

A carriage emerged through the mist. Gu Xiaojia sat on the driver’s seat, holding the reins in both hands, his expression lazy.

Hao Guozi had never before felt that his face was as lovable as he did now.

Gu Xiaojia drove the carriage to a stop beside Tao Mo.

The carriage curtain was lifted from inside by Sang Xiaotu, revealing Gu She leaning against a fox-fur blanket.

Gu She said, “Get in.”

And so Peng Xiang saw Tao Mo hurriedly shove the oil-paper parcel into his hands and climb into the carriage without looking back.

Hao Guozi jumped onto the driver’s seat and sat beside Gu Xiaojia.

As if no one else were present, Gu Xiaojia drove the carriage away.

Only Peng Xiang remained behind, standing blankly in the faintly damp morning mist.

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