Futile Devices Scans

The cause of Wan Feng’s death remained unclear.

The woodcutter remained imprisoned.

Yi Yu’s bones were scarcely cold.

Peng Xiang’s whereabouts were unknown.

Everything was tangled beyond measure.

Yet when it rains, it pours. Tao Mo had only just returned to the county yamen from Yunlin Mountain, the chill mountain mist still clinging to his outer robe, and was about to warm himself in his room when Adviser Jin anxiously dragged him into the study.

Seeing his heavy steps and worried expression, Old Tao followed them inside uneasily.

Adviser Jin did not object when he entered. He merely closed the door behind him, took an invitation from inside his robes, and handed it to Tao Mo.

The moment Tao Mo saw the writing on it, his head began to ache.

Old Tao tactfully accepted it and drew out the letter to read.

Seeing Old Tao’s brows knit more tightly with every line, Tao Mo grew faintly uneasy. “What happened?”

“It is a letter from the Prefect of Qin City.” Old Tao read it carefully once more. “He invites you to the prefectural yamen tomorrow afternoon as his guest.”

“Me?” Tao Mo was greatly startled.

The Prefect of Qin City was his immediate superior. Before taking office, Tao Mo had visited him once with Old Tao and Hao Guozi. However, only an aide had received them. After exchanging a few perfunctory words, the aide had sent them away on the grounds that the prefect was occupied with official business and had no time to spare.

Tao Mo had already been afraid of meeting the prefect. Hearing that explanation had instead relieved him, and he had been happy to avoid the trouble. Who could have expected that after only a few months, the prefect would suddenly remember him again?

Old Tao turned toward Adviser Jin.

Adviser Jin shook his head and sighed. “The Prefect of Qin City is notoriously difficult to deal with. I fear this invitation carries no good intentions.”

Tao Mo’s heart sank.

Old Tao said, “We have never even met him. The only connection between us is Young Master’s visit before taking office. He sent only an aide to receive us. If anyone was discourteous, he was the one who showed discourtesy first. What reason could he possibly have to seek trouble with Young Master now?”

“Did you perhaps…” Adviser Jin cast Old Tao a meaningful glance, leaving the rest unspoken. Tao Mo certainly would not have concerned himself with such matters. Only Old Tao appeared to understand the ways of officialdom.

Old Tao silently nodded.

Tao Mo asked blankly, “Did we perhaps what?”

Adviser Jin coughed dryly and ignored him, speaking directly to Old Tao. “If that was taken care of, he should have no excuse to make an issue of it.”

Old Tao suddenly asked, “Could this be connected to Huang Guangde?”

“That is not impossible,” Adviser Jin said. This was not the first time he had heard Huang Guangde’s name from them, and he knew there was probably some enmity between the two sides. But after serving as an adviser for so many years, he naturally knew what should and should not be asked. He therefore pretended ignorance and discussed only the matter at hand. “However, I have never heard of any dealings between the two prefects. Since they serve under the same governor-general, they would ordinarily be too busy competing with each other—unless they truly share the same ideals.”

“Colluding in wickedness is also a form of sharing the same ideals,” Old Tao said.

Adviser Jin did not respond.

Tao Mo asked, “Then what should we do now?”

“We certainly must go,” Adviser Jin said. “But before going, it would be best to make some preparations.”

Tao Mo did not understand, but Old Tao did. “Does Adviser Jin know what the Prefect of Qin City usually favors?”

“He does have certain preferences, but they are probably of no use to you,” Adviser Jin said. “In any case, there is one thing very few officials dislike. Simply prepare some of that.”

Old Tao understood.

After Adviser Jin left, Tao Mo quietly asked Old Tao, “Was Adviser Jin suggesting that we send a gift?”

“Young Master need not concern yourself with that. I will prepare everything properly,” Old Tao said.

Tao Mo lowered his voice. “Since my family fell into ruin, there has not been much property left. What remained was all spent buying this office. We hardly have anything now. I think… perhaps we should not send anything?”

Old Tao felt deeply gratified. Since arriving in Tanyang County and becoming its magistrate, Tao Mo had grown far more thoughtful in handling affairs and was no longer as inexperienced and weak as he had once been. His father’s death had, after all, awakened the resilience within him. The sole flaw was that he could not rid himself of his preference for men. Still, associating with someone like Gu She was better than becoming entangled with Yi Yu, so it counted as an improvement overall. Old Tao knew he should not be too impatient. Seeing Gu She hold Tao Mo in his arms and gently comfort him that day had slightly shaken Old Tao’s determination to separate the two. But it had done no more than shake him. He was still immeasurably far from giving them his blessing.

Taking all of this into account, Old Tao decided to tell Tao Mo certain things ahead of time. “Young Master, you need not worry about money.”

Tao Mo looked at him in confusion.

Old Tao said, “In truth, Master Tao was not entirely unaware of what Huang Guangde was secretly doing back then. He merely knew but could not speak, and therefore had no choice but to pretend he had seen and heard nothing.”

Tao Mo only half understood.

Old Tao explained more plainly. “Master Tao had already hidden away a sum of money for unforeseen needs. Before his death, he entrusted it to me so that I could pave the way for Young Master’s future. Master Tao said that if Young Master was willing to relinquish his hatred and travel far away, the money should be used to purchase an estate and several plots of land. You could live on the estate, collect rent, and pass the rest of your life peacefully. If Young Master could not release his hatred, then I was to use it to purchase an official post for you and send you into government service. Whether that proved good or bad would be left to fate.”

Tao Mo said softly, “Father hoped I would choose the latter path.”

“Not necessarily,” Old Tao said. “All parents hope their children will achieve greatness, but they also hope they will live safely and peacefully. Ultimately, whether Young Master chose a quiet life or rose rapidly through officialdom, what Master Tao wanted was for you to follow your own wishes.” That was why, even after learning that his son frequented Qunxiang Tower, Master Tao had merely pretended not to know.

Remembering his father’s voice and appearance in life, Tao Mo’s eyes reddened slightly.

“There is one thing Young Master must remember,” Old Tao said. “Master Tao’s death was not caused by you. Even without Young Master, Huang Guangde would still have moved against him. Master Tao had originally intended to explain this to you, but I repeatedly advised him against it, and so the truth was concealed until now.”

The corner of Tao Mo’s mouth moved. With his head lowered, he said, “I understand. You wanted me to remember the hatred.”

“Yes.” Old Tao did not deny it. Hatred was an iron whip that drove a person to grow, while guilt was an iron nail driven into the mind, forcing growth at every moment. The whip struck and then paused, but the nail remained buried deep within the head. Even if removed, it left behind a hole that could never be filled. “But I am telling Young Master today because I hope you can set aside your hatred for the time being.”

Tao Mo slowly raised his head.

“Hatred and infatuation are alike,” Old Tao said. “If either emotion fills a person completely, it blinds the eyes and prevents one from seeing the truth. Young Master can now let go of hatred.” Because even without hatred, Tao Mo had already found a path forward.

Tao Mo stared at him in disbelief. “You want me to spare Huang Guangde?”

“Not spare him,” Old Tao said. “Huang Guangde’s crimes are countless. Even without considering his debt to Master Tao, death a hundred times over would not absolve him. Why not set aside your private vengeance and, for the sake of the people, bring him to justice according to the law?”

Bring him to justice…

Tao Mo remembered saying those same words to Gu She. At the time, Gu She had asked how he intended to deal with Huang Guangde. What Old Tao was now asking was how he intended to regard Huang Guangde. The questions appeared different, yet their purpose was the same.

“Young Master.”

“Mm?”

“Do you blame me?”

Tao Mo returned to himself and looked at Old Tao in surprise.

After remaining silent for a long while, Old Tao said, “In truth, if Young Master wished it, I could kill Huang Guangde at any time.”

Kill Huang Guangde?!

Tao Mo’s heart gave a violent leap.

Had Tao Mo heard these words before coming to Tanyang County, he would undoubtedly have nodded without hesitation. But now, his state of mind had changed. “Did you not say we should bring him to justice?”

“That is true. But if Young Master gives the word, I will act immediately.” Old Tao paused, then said heavily, “Back then, had I acted decisively and rescued Master Tao, he would not have died.”

Tao Mo remained silent for a long while before saying softly, “Matters have already reached this point. Why dwell on what might have been?” When he awoke from dreams in the middle of the night, had he not also wondered countless times what would have happened if only he had not…? But no medicine for regret existed in this world. One could only tread the road ahead with greater care.

Old Tao said, “I was afraid the Demon Sect would find me. I did not dare reveal myself, and so…”

Tao Mo suddenly laughed softly. “You made mistakes, and I made even greater ones. Since that is so, let us simply place all these debts on Huang Guangde’s account.” In terms of personal vengeance, the hatred between him and Huang Guangde was already as deep as the sea. Presumably, Huang Guangde himself would not mind one more charge added to the tally.

At last, the knot between Old Tao and Tao Mo was completely undone.

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