Futile Devices Scans

Since the case belonged to the neighboring county, they naturally had no desire to overstep their authority. Adviser Jin and Cui Jiong hurriedly gathered up the evidence and handed it over to the neighboring county.

Tao Mo let out a breath of relief in his heart, yet faintly felt a few traces of unease.

Hao Guozi’s words had seemed wildly fanciful, but on careful thought, they did make some sense.

After they returned to the county yamen, Hao Guozi told Old Tao what had happened, and Old Tao also felt there must be something suspicious about it. However, the scout sent to Qunxiang Tower had not yet returned, and the matter still had no leads. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Since that Wan Feng was acquainted with Yi Yu, both emotionally and reasonably, we ought to inform him.”

Hao Guozi glanced at him and, seeing the sharp gleam in Old Tao’s eyes, felt his heart settle. Compared to Mu Chun, who had appeared halfway through, he naturally trusted Old Tao, who had weathered storms together with them all along, far more.

Tao Mo had been planning the same thing earlier, so he said, “That is fine. I will ask Adviser Jin to go with us.”

“Adviser Jin has gone to the neighboring county. I fear he will not return for a while. Why not go ourselves?” Old Tao said. “After all, this matter has nothing to do with Yi Yu. We are only going to inform him, so there is no need to make a great fuss.”

Tao Mo felt this was reasonable, so he had Hao Guozi go harness the carriage while he and Old Tao slowly walked toward the gate.

When they reached the yamen gate, they happened to see Gu She’s carriage driving over from the head of the street. After the theft incident, others dared even less to approach his carriage, and they all stepped aside to avoid it, making it particularly eye-catching.

When the carriage drew near, Gu Xiaojia saw Hao Guozi driving a carriage toward them and said, “Quickly put away that shabby carriage of yours. It is far too embarrassing.”

Because Gu Xiaojia had helped them out earlier that morning, Hao Guozi had originally felt a little goodwill toward him. Now, after being attacked by this burst of words, his face immediately became somewhat hard to maintain, and he sneered, “Why don’t you say you’ll dig out your own eyeballs so that what the eye doesn’t see, the heart won’t grieve over?”

Afraid the two of them would start quarreling, Tao Mo hurriedly asked Gu Xiaojia, “Have you come to the yamen for something?”

Gu Xiaojia wanted to snap back, Can I not come if there is nothing? But then, thinking that Gu She was listening from inside the carriage, he did not dare act recklessly and said in a low voice, “Young Master has come to bring Lord Tao back to the Gu residence.”

Tao Mo’s heart filled with joy, and his mind was completely occupied by the words “Young Master has come to bring Lord Tao back to the Gu residence.” It was only when Old Tao coughed beside him that he abruptly came back to himself and said, “I was just about to go out.”

“Go out? Where are you going?” Gu Xiaojia asked curiously.

Hao Guozi said irritably, “Since when does my young master need your approval, Grandpa Gu, to go anywhere?”

Gu Xiaojia said, “I am only being kind. That carriage of yours is too shabby. Wherever it goes, it is an embarrassment. You would be better off walking on your own two feet.”

Tao Mo hurriedly stopped Hao Guozi, who very clearly had nothing good prepared to say, and said to Gu Xiaojia, “We are going to Young Master Yi Yu’s residence.”

“Yi Yu?” Gu Xiaojia’s voice abruptly rose.

Originally, Tao Mo had not thought anything of it, but when Gu Xiaojia shouted it so openly, he could not help feeling guilty and stammered an explanation. “We are only going to inform him of something.”

“Inform him?” Gu Xiaojia rolled his eyes. “Could it be you are going to inform him that he is not allowed to pester you anymore? Then you might as well bring more people with you. Take those two at the yamen gate along as well.”

Old Tao listened without making a sound. If Gu Xiaojia’s view was Gu She’s view, then Gu She clearly did not care for Yi Yu. Perhaps with Gu She present, they could accomplish twice as much with half the effort. Thinking this, he took the initiative before Tao Mo could deny it and invited, “Since Young Master Gu is so warm-hearted, why not come along?”

Gu Xiaojia knew that the Young Master Gu he spoke of was this Gu and not that Gu, so he did not dare agree on his own and turned to look into the carriage.

Sitting inside the carriage, Gu She lived up to expectations and answered, “That is fine.”

Thus, Tao Mo and Old Tao boarded Hao Guozi’s carriage and led the way in front, while Gu Xiaojia drove the carriage behind them.

Sitting in the carriage, Tao Mo lifted the curtain from time to time to look back, then asked Hao Guozi, “Do you know where Yi Yu lives?”

Without turning his head, Hao Guozi said, “I already found out. I understand the principle that while the monk may run away, the temple cannot.”

Tao Mo: “…”

The residence Yi Yu had bought was neither large nor small, with one courtyard and three rooms. There was no hall in the house, so the group could only sit around the stone table in the courtyard.

The cold air carried over from the twelfth month had not yet fully dispersed. As soon as their backsides touched the stone stools, a chill whistled straight into their bodies.

Peng Xiang and Gu Xiaojia each brought out a hand warmer.

Peng Xiang handed his to Yi Yu, and Yi Yu turned and gave it to Tao Mo. Tao Mo accepted it, then gave it to Old Tao. Old Tao was a martial artist; this kind of cold felt to him no more than a breeze brushing his face. He declined and did not accept it.

Tao Mo turned his head, and his gaze accidentally brushed against Gu She’s, who was seated on his right. The hand holding the warmer trembled lightly, and he immediately returned it to Yi Yu.

Yi Yu accepted the hand warmer, his slender fingers lightly brushing across the back of Tao Mo’s hand.

Tao Mo’s shoulders shrank, and he hurriedly placed his hand beneath the table.

Yi Yu laughed softly. “What wind has blown you here today?” He asked as if no one else were present, as though there was room for no one else in his eyes.

Tao Mo said, “There was a murder case this morning.”

The corner of Yi Yu’s eye twitched slightly.

Tao Mo said, “I identified the body. It seemed to be Wan Feng.”

Yi Yu said in surprise, “Wan Feng?”

Tao Mo said, “He drifted down from the upper reaches of the Yutiao River. The crime scene should be in the neighboring county, and the case has already been transferred to that county magistrate. I thought that you and Wan Feng were old acquaintances, so I came specially to inform you.”

Yi Yu lowered his eyes and fell silent for a long while. When he raised his head again, two streams of clear tears had fallen. “In Qunxiang Tower, only Wan Feng could be counted as my friend.”

Tao Mo sighed softly.

Qunxiang Tower was a place of painted pleasures. People often said courtesans were heartless, but how many patrons were truly faithful? One forced a smile, while the other sought pleasure. Coming and going, all of it was merely playing along for the occasion. Even between male courtesans themselves, lasting affection was difficult to find. A friend from such a place truly could not be bought with a thousand pieces of gold.

Peng Xiang also sighed. “Young Master Wan Feng was such a good person. How could there be someone who would kill him?”

Old Tao said, “How do you know he did not kill himself?”

Peng Xiang froze, then laughed dryly. “Why would a perfectly fine person kill himself?”

Yi Yu wiped his tears with his sleeve and said to him, “The tea is cold. Why have you not gone to replace it?”

Peng Xiang hurriedly answered and left.

Gu She said, “You are someone who loves tea.”

Yi Yu forced a smile. “Why does Young Master Gu say that?”

Gu She said blandly, “If I were grieving, I certainly would not care whether someone else’s tea had gone cold.”

Yi Yu’s smile abruptly collapsed.

Old Tao watched without showing any emotion, but he was greatly satisfied inwardly. It seemed inviting Gu She along had been the right move.

Seeing Yi Yu’s face pale and miserable, Tao Mo comforted him. “The dead cannot return to life. Do not be too sad. If Wan Feng knows anything in the underworld, he must also hope that you can live well.”

Yi Yu said, “Has the murderer been found?”

Old Tao said, “It was a case from this morning. Unless the murderer turns himself in, how could he be found so quickly?”

Yi Yu pondered for a moment, then said, “Wan Feng was cautious by nature. He would never have made enemies with anyone. Could it have been robbers?”

Old Tao asked, “When was the last time you saw him?”

Yi Yu said, “Two months ago, I suppose. I had saved enough money to redeem myself and wanted to come find Tao…” He looked wordlessly at Tao Mo, as though everything he meant was already understood without need for words.

Thinking that Gu She was beside him, Tao Mo felt extremely restless.

Old Tao gave a dry cough. “Then do you know whether Wan Feng had any plans to leave Qunxiang Tower at that time?”

Yi Yu said, “Who in Qunxiang Tower does not wish to leave? Unfortunately, though I had the heart, I lacked the strength. Otherwise, I certainly would have left with him. Alas, had I known today would come, perhaps I should have stayed in Qunxiang Tower back then. Perhaps then he would not have met with such a poisonous hand.”

Gu Xiaojia said, “Why are your words so contradictory? One moment you say it may have been robbers, and the next you say if you had been there, he would not have met with such a poisonous hand. Could it be that you could have beaten back robbers bare-handed?”

Yi Yu said, “If I had been in Qunxiang Tower, he would not have set out alone…”

Gu She cut him off. “Why did he set out alone?”

Yi Yu froze. “Could it be there was someone traveling with him?”

Gu Xiaojia also caught the point and asked, “You have a little attendant at your side, so why did he not have one? And how do you know he did not have one?”

Yi Yu slowly sighed. “Originally, he did indeed have a pageboy with him, but he left not long ago. His feelings with that pageboy were very deep, and he once said he did not want to take on another pageboy, so I thought… Was that not the case?”

Old Tao said, “There was only one body. As for whether that was the case or not, it is still unclear for now.”

Yi Yu looked at Tao Mo, tears faintly glimmering in his eyes. “I ask Lord Tao to pay more attention to this matter.”

Tao Mo nodded. “Do not worry.”

“I have no one to depend on in Tanyang County. Only Lord Tao is my one… friend.” He said the word “friend” extremely vaguely.

Gu She said leisurely, “Since everyone is in Tanyang County, Lord Tao will naturally treat all alike.”

Yi Yu gently bit his lower lip with his pearly teeth and fixed his gaze on Tao Mo, seeming both coquettish and reproachful.

Tao Mo’s gaze darted left and right. “It is getting late. Why don’t we go back first?”

Old Tao had originally wanted to ask a little more thoroughly, but Yi Yu was clearly not an easy person to deal with, and now that he was on guard, further questioning would not yield anything useful. He agreed, “Indeed, we have disturbed you for too long.”

Tao Mo and Gu She stood together.

Yi Yu’s gaze could not help falling on the hand warmer in Tao Mo’s hands.

Tao Mo froze. Only then did he discover that the hand warmer in Gu She’s hands had somehow ended up in his own hands. His face reddened, and he smiled foolishly before hurriedly taking his leave.

Yi Yu looked toward Gu She, only to discover that the other man did not even spare him a glance and simply turned to leave.

After they left, Peng Xiang finally shrank his head and came out from the kitchen. “Young Master, what should we do?”

Yi Yu slowly stood. Only then did he realize that both his feet were trembling uncontrollably. After a long while, he said, “Let me think carefully.”

Tao Mo came out of Yi Yu’s house holding the hand warmer and instinctively followed Gu She, preparing to board the Gu residence’s carriage.

A heavy cough sounded behind him.

Tao Mo turned his head and saw Hao Guozi standing beside their own carriage, giving him meaningful looks. Old Tao stood behind him, his expression unreadable.

Tao Mo awkwardly withdrew his foot, stuffed the hand warmer into Gu She’s arms, and laughed dryly. “Many thanks for Young Master Gu’s hand warmer.”

Gu She asked, “What time will you return to the residence today?”

He asked it so naturally, as though Tao Mo had always lived in the Gu residence, rather than merely lodged there temporarily.

Tao Mo did not dare look at Old Tao’s expression and said, “I will return after dinner. There is no need to wait for me to eat.”

Gu She nodded and sat inside the carriage.

Gu Xiaojia jumped onto the carriage, grabbed the reins, and called, “Go.” The carriage then slowly drove past Tao Mo.

Old Tao said, “They have already gone far.”

Tao Mo came back to himself, lowered his head, and boarded the carriage.

Inside the carriage, Old Tao silently looked at Tao Mo, while countless thoughts surged through his heart. This trip back to Pini Mountain had not only untied the knot in his heart with the Radiant Lord and allowed him to find release, but had also let him see love between men from another angle. He had previously heard quite a few scattered rumors about Marquis Xueyi and the Radiant Lord. At first, he had scoffed at them, but later, the more he thought about it, the more sorrowful he felt. In his view, the reason the Radiant Lord had yielded himself to Marquis Xueyi must have been to sacrifice himself for the Demonic Cult. Otherwise, how could Marquis Xueyi so easily let the Demonic Cult go? But after truly seeing the two of them together, he finally knew just how utilitarian and shallow his previous guesses had been. Those two people, unless they truly liked each other and were certain the other regarded them with the same heart, would absolutely never have been together.

But the Radiant Lord and Marquis Xueyi were the Radiant Lord and Marquis Xueyi, while Tao Mo and Gu She were another matter. Although the Radiant Lord and Marquis Xueyi stood one in the jianghu and the other in the court, it could not be denied that both were rare and extraordinary men of the present age. There was nothing wrong with the two of them admiring and cherishing each other, or even being well-matched in affection. As for Gu She, although Old Tao had only met him a few times, he should count as this sort of man as well. Only Tao Mo…

He looked at Tao Mo’s drowsy face and sighed softly. He had received a life-saving kindness from Master Tao and had spent more than two years with Tao Mo, long since coming to regard Tao Mo as his own nephew. Deep in his heart, he naturally hoped Tao Mo could find an outstanding person who loved him in return. He could see that Tao Mo had feelings for Gu She. As for Gu She treating Tao Mo differently, he had witnessed it with his own eyes today and had some certainty in his heart. If Gu She were a woman, marrying out and following her husband, then Old Tao would not worry. Not only would he not worry, he would do everything in his power to bring the matter about, even if Gu She had no ordinary background. Yet Gu She happened to be a man, and a proud, aloof, peerlessly brilliant man at that. If Tao Mo became entangled with him, Old Tao feared that in the end, Tao Mo would only end up covered in wounds.

Thinking this, he reached out and lightly brushed Tao Mo’s sleeping acupoint, then pushed open the carriage door and said, “Go to an inn.”

Hao Guozi froze. “Which inn?”

“One close to the county yamen. It will also be more convenient to go back and forth in the future.”

Hao Guozi faintly felt something was wrong. He turned back to look at Tao Mo, only to see him with his head lowered, saying nothing. Thinking Tao Mo had silently agreed, he could only obey.

A quarter to midnight.

The tea was cold.

On the crisscrossing Go board, not a single stone had been placed.

Gu She’s fingers unconsciously dipped into the Go bowl, lifted, dipped in, lifted again…

Gu Xiaojia and Sang Xiaotu came in from outside, their faces somewhat pale from the cold.

Gu Xiaojia rubbed his hands together and said, “Young Master, it is so late. He probably rested at the yamen. Why don’t you rest first too?”

Tap.

Gu She picked up a stone from the Go bowl and tossed it back in. “Prepare the carriage.”

“Ah? …Yes.”

Previous

Main

Next