Yue Ling gave serious thought to the matter of gathering evidence against Huang Guangde and bringing him to justice.
While Yue Ling was lost in thought, Gu She steadily encroached upon Black’s territory, move by move, until White had taken control of the Go board.
By the time Yue Ling came back to himself, the outcome was already beyond saving. “I concede.” He tossed down his stone.
Gu She rose. “Get some rest. Tomorrow I’ll have Gu Xiaojia take you over.”
“Wait.” Yue Ling coughed dryly. “I gave it some careful thought, and I believe Huang Guangde has committed such monstrous acts that neither Heaven nor the world can tolerate him. If we can rid the world of him, it would be a virtuous deed.”
“Too late,” Gu She said, the words carrying more than one meaning. “Brother Yue, get some rest.”
Yue Ling: “…” As if he could possibly sleep after that!
Early the next morning, Gu Xiaojia was sent over by Gu She to wait for him.
Yue Ling dawdled until noon before finally leaving.
The two had never gotten along, so there was nothing for them to say on the way.
Gu Xiaojia delivered Yue Ling to the entrance of the county yamen. Only after Yue Ling had climbed out of the carriage did he hesitate and ask, “Young Master only told me to bring you here. He didn’t say whether I was supposed to take you back. Do you want me to wait?”
“Your young master’s lifelong happiness is in my hands,” Yue Ling said. “What do you think—should you wait or not?”
Gu Xiaojia froze.
Yue Ling had already turned and walked into the county yamen.
Word of his arrival had reached them in advance, and Tao Mo and Old Tao both came out to greet him.
Yue Ling cupped his hands. “Lord Tao, one day apart feels like three autumns. Have you been well?”
Tao Mo blinked. “Very well, thanks to your good wishes.”
“There is something I would like to discuss with Lord Tao,” Yue Ling said. “Might we find somewhere private?”
Tao Mo and Old Tao both assumed that whatever Yue Ling wanted to discuss concerned Huang Guangde, so they led him all the way to the study.
Adviser Jin was handling official business inside. When he saw Yue Ling enter, he quickly rose and greeted him.
Yue Ling returned the courtesy.
When Yue Ling still did not speak after some time, Tao Mo suddenly realized what he thought the problem was. “This is Adviser Jin. There’s no need to keep these matters from him.”
Realizing that Tao Mo had misunderstood him, Yue Ling hurriedly said, “Actually, I came today about… a different, private matter.”
Tao Mo and Old Tao were both taken aback. They truly could not imagine what private matter Tao Mo could possibly have to discuss with the Chief Steward of Prince Lingyang’s residence.
Adviser Jin, however, reacted quickly. Understanding the situation, he tactfully found an excuse to leave.
After he left, Old Tao hesitated for a moment before ultimately choosing to remain. They hardly knew Yue Ling, after all. A little caution would do no harm.
Yue Ling had no objection to Old Tao staying. He turned to close the door, chose a chair, sat down, and asked at an unhurried pace, “May I ask whether Lord Tao already has someone in his heart?”
Tao Mo’s entire body stiffened. His face slowly turned red, while his head began shaking from side to side before he had even thought about it.
Old Tao seemed to realize something.
Yue Ling coughed dryly. “Lord Tao is still young, yet you are already the magistrate responsible for an entire county. You could certainly be called young and accomplished. It is about time you gave some thought to the great matter of your marriage.”
The color drained from Tao Mo’s face. “Yes.”
“What sort of person does Lord Tao like?”
Tao Mo turned to look at Old Tao.
“Young Master, just say whatever is in your heart,” Old Tao said. “Mr. Yue is well acquainted with Young Master Gu. I’m sure he can offer you some useful advice.”
Tao Mo’s heart clenched. He was so nervous that he could scarcely force the words out.
Unable to bear watching him struggle, Yue Ling took the initiative. “Actually, I came here today to act as a matchmaker.” Gu She had never told him whom he wanted Yue Ling to approach, but judging from the way he treated Tao Mo, coupled with the fact that he had specifically sent Gu Xiaojia to bring Yue Ling to the county yamen today, there was no longer any doubt about his intended match.
“A matchmaker?” Even though Old Tao had guessed part of the truth, he had not guessed all of it.
Tao Mo lowered his voice. “Thank you for going to the trouble, Mr. Yue. But I… I have no intention of marrying for the time being.”
Yue Ling stared at him. He had never expected his first attempt at matchmaking to meet with failure right out of the gate, much less that someone like Gu She could actually be rejected.
Old Tao hurriedly said, “Young Master, Mr. Yue hasn’t even told you whom the match is with. You might as well listen before making up your mind.”
Tao Mo’s lips moved, but in the end he did not object.
Yue Ling said, “The person who asked me to make this match has a face like finest jade, comes from a respectable family, and possesses talent without equal in this age.”
Tao Mo’s heart began pounding wildly.
Could it be… could it really be him?
But if it was not him, then who else beneath Heaven could possibly deserve the words brilliantly talented and without equal in this age?
But… how could it possibly be him?
How could he possibly be proposing marriage to Tao Mo?
Seeing Tao Mo’s expression flicker ceaselessly, Yue Ling knew exactly what was running through his mind and quickly added, “What’s more, he and Lord Tao are already very close. You know each other inside and out.”
Tao Mo gulped. He truly could not think of a second possibility. Not even someone who came remotely close. Could it really be… could it really be…
“That person is my old classmate and closest friend, Gu She—Gu Xianzhi.”
The moment Yue Ling said it, Tao Mo’s face seemed to pass through every color imaginable—red and purple, then blue and green—until his expression became impossible to describe.
“Young Master.” Seeing Tao Mo standing there in a daze, utterly speechless, Old Tao could not resist giving him a gentle nudge with his elbow.
Tao Mo abruptly turned toward him. “You… you heard what he just said?”
“I did. He said—”
“Pinch me. Pinch me!” Tao Mo was so agitated that he was nearly incoherent.
Old Tao lightly pinched the back of his hand.
Tao Mo stared blankly. “That didn’t hurt. I really am dreaming.”
Yue Ling walked over and gave his arm a hard pinch.
“Ah!” Tao Mo hunched his shoulder in pain.
Yue Ling smiled. “Definitely not a dream.”
“If it isn’t a dream, then… then are you lying to me?”
Yue Ling shook his head. “Even if I were bored, I would not be bored enough to play a joke like this.”
Tao Mo clutched his arm. “If I’m not dreaming, and you’re not lying to me, then… then is Xianzhi lying to me?”
“Knowing him as I do, he would not be bored enough to play this sort of joke either.”
The shock to Tao Mo’s heart was simply too great. His thoughts were in complete disarray, and he still could not understand why Gu She would send someone to propose a match.
Seeing that Tao Mo was unlikely to recover anytime soon, Yue Ling turned to Old Tao. “Marriage is a lifelong matter and naturally deserves careful consideration. Why doesn’t Lord Tao take a few days to think it over before giving an answer?” With that, he turned and opened the door.
The door had barely opened when someone seized his arm tightly.
Yue Ling turned around to find Tao Mo staring at him with shining eyes.
“Lord Tao?”
“I-I agree.” Tao Mo was so nervous that he stammered. “Whatever the terms are, I agree.”
“Brother Gu did not set any conditions.” Yue Ling still had plenty of complaints about Gu She making him handle the matchmaking, but once entrusted with the task, he intended to carry it through faithfully. He therefore spoke up on Gu She’s behalf. “I believe Brother Gu is sincere.”
Whether it was merely his imagination or not, Yue Ling thought Tao Mo’s face seemed to be gleaming like gold.
Tao Mo’s grip on his arm tightened as he asked shyly, “Then… then when are we getting married?”
Yue Ling: “…” His first attempt at matchmaking had turned out this successful. Was he supposed to feel pleased or embarrassed?
After returning to the Gu residence, Yue Ling recounted everything from beginning to end, then said smugly, “Well? Aren’t you glad I was the one who went?”
“Anyone could have gone. There was no chance it would fail,” Gu She said. He knew Tao Mo’s feelings for him very well.
Although Yue Ling knew that was true, he was still thoroughly annoyed by the remark. “Then why didn’t you have Gu Xiaojia do it?”
“Matchmaking is a serious matter.”
Yue Ling smiled to himself. So Gu She had indeed valued his status and standing.
Gu She continued slowly, “Which is precisely why using an outsider shows greater sincerity.”
Yue Ling drew in a deep breath. “You truly intend to marry him?”
“If I did not intend to marry him, why would I need a matchmaker?”
“Do you think Chancellor Gu will agree?”
“I’m choosing the person who will spend his life with me, not with my father.”
Yue Ling shook his head. “I have a feeling that ship you planned to take overseas may still come in handy.”
“If I ever board a ship and sail overseas, it will be because I wish to see the scenery beyond the seas. It will never be because I am running away.”
“You’re planning to go head-to-head with Chancellor Gu?”
“I know what I’m doing.”
“Then when do you plan to hold the wedding banquet?” Yue Ling asked. “I won’t be staying here much longer. If I could drink a cup of wedding wine before I leave, at least this trip would not have been wasted.”
“That depends on how quickly you arrange it.”
“I’m arranging it?” Yue Ling pointed at himself.
“Gu Xiaojia doesn’t understand these things.”
Yue Ling smiled without humor. “And what makes you think I do?”
“You’re smarter than he is.”
Yue Ling found himself completely cornered by that answer. After a long moment, he finally held out his hand.
“What?”
“Your Eight Characters. If you want to marry, the first thing we have to do is compare your birth charts.” Yue Ling said irritably, “Then we’ll find a fortune-teller to select an auspicious wedding date.”
“I’ll calculate it myself. You only need to prepare the betrothal gifts.”
“…” He was the Chief Steward of Prince Lingyang’s residence, not the Chief Steward of the Gu residence!
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