Chapter 130: A Pearl Cast Aside

Rain began to fall at dawn, pattering rhythmically against the bamboo leaves. An Yi finished her morning toilette, retrieved the sleeve arrows she kept locked at the bottom of her chest, and strapped them to her left arm. She then added a stash of sedatives to her golden bracelet. Trouble had already found her, and she had to be prepared at all times to deal with the assassins who might emerge from the shadows.

The An father and son set out for the imperial court early in the morning, braving the rain. After An Yi and An Jian finished breakfast with Madam Luo, An Jian returned to the military camp, and An Yi waited for the carriage that had come to collect her.

The carriage did not head to the Jihuai Hall; instead, it went directly to another of Han Songyan’s properties within the inner city, located on Jide Lane of Hengshan Street.

"We have arrived, Miss," Han Liu said, pulling the carriage to a stop. He jumped down and set the wooden stool in place.

Xiangqin opened the carriage door and stepped out first, unfurling an umbrella. "It is raining so heavily, Miss, please be careful."

An Yi stepped down, looking around. Obscured by the umbrella, she did not notice the man in a coir raincoat holding an oil-paper umbrella who was walking toward her from the other end of the alley; it was Lin Ximin.

Lin Ximin, however, recognized An Yi instantly. Because of his connection to Bai Wuming, he knew this was Han Songyan’s residence. Seeing An Yi visit the home of a man who lived without female company, and without any male family members to accompany her, he was immediately suspicious. Such behavior was contrary to propriety.

Seeing An Yi and her maid enter the house, Lin Ximin hesitated for a moment, closed his umbrella, and vaulted over the wall, deciding to follow and see what was happening.

An Yi’s hearing was not sharp enough to detect Lin Ximin’s subtle movements amidst the sound of the rain. Unaware, she walked toward the room, smiling faintly as she saw Han Songyan standing at the doorway to greet her. "Fourth Young Master."

Han Songyan welcomed her inside, seated her, and poured a cup of hot tea. He said with deep apology, "On such a cold, rainy day, I have had to trouble you to make this trip."

"I should have come to check on the situation anyway. Has he caused you much trouble these past few days?" An Yi knew full well that the person who had urged her to come through the rain was certainly not Han Songyan.

Han Songyan smiled. "It is fine; there has been no great trouble."

"How are his wounds?" An Yi held the teacup to warm her hands. The northern weather was far too cold; she missed the south, where even in the tenth month, there was still a hint of spring.

"His wounds have just closed, but his internal injuries will require slow recuperation."

"Does that mean it is still impossible to send him away?" An Yi asked.

Han Songyan looked surprised. "Where are you planning to send him?"

"Out of the city. If he stays, he might be discovered by people from the Princess's estate." An Yi remained convinced that keeping young Master Gong in the city was a grave risk.

"The inner city is vast. The Princess’s people should not be able to find this place for some time, and they dare not conduct a blatant, large-scale search. There has been no movement in the city these past few days. Let him stay here to heal, and we will find a way to send him out later." Han Songyan had been monitoring the surroundings for days and had seen no sign of a search.

Recalling the calm on the streets yesterday, An Yi nodded in agreement. "I will go in and see him."

Han Songyan led An Yi out through a side door of the main house and along a covered walkway toward the guest room. Neither of them knew that, in the shadows, a pair of eyes was watching them intently.

Inside the room, young Master Gong lay half-reclined on the bed. His handsome face remained pale, and he was draped in a thick quilt over his snow-white undergarments. Seeing the two enter, he pursed his lips.

An Yi glanced at him once before averting her gaze. "Are you alright?"

"I..." Master Gong began to speak, but his gaze suddenly sharpened toward the roof.

An Yi also heard a faint sound from above. Looking up, she saw a roof tile being lifted. She raised her left hand, triggered the mechanism, and with a "whoosh," three sleeve arrows shot out simultaneously. Turning, she dashed to the window and leaped out. The entire sequence was fluid; it was the fastest she had moved since learning light martial arts.

An Yi’s skills were not yet perfected. She landed outside, paused for a heartbeat, and then propelled herself onto the roof. By the time she reached the top, she saw only a retreating figure and an oil-paper umbrella discarded on the tiles, pierced with three holes by her arrows.

An Yi did not give chase. She replaced the tile, retrieved the umbrella, and jumped back down to the room. Master Gong and Han Songyan asked in unison, "Who was it?"

"I don't know. I only saw a back; it was a man," An Yi said, frowning.

"Could it have been Mu Chen?" Han Songyan asked.

"I don't know. He was wearing a coir raincoat, which obscured his figure. I couldn't identify him." An Yi handed the umbrella to Han Songyan. "This is what he dropped."

Han Songyan took the umbrella and examined it closely, noticing the characters carved into the handle. "This was made by the Sanshui Workshop. The ribs and handle are purple arhat bamboo, and the canopy is high-quality small parchment, dyed a sky-blue and coated with seven layers of tung oil. It is durable and costs fifty taels of silver."

In the capital, there were hundreds, if not thousands, of families who could afford a fifty-tael umbrella. It was impossible to identify the man based on this alone. Li Guyu served at the Princess’s estate and could certainly afford such an item, but as An Yi had not seen his face, she dared not make a judgment.

An Yi closed the window and turned back. "There has been no activity for days, but as soon as I arrived, someone began spying. That person must have followed me. Although he escaped, there may be others hidden in the dark."

"This place has been discovered. We must leave at once," Han Songyan said, his brows knit tightly. "Go to my foster brother’s place in the outer city."

"We cannot just go like that. We must create a diversion to confuse them." An Yi lowered her voice. "Fourth Young Master, can you find a way to hire two or three four-man sedan chairs?"

"Yes, there are chairs for hire at the end of the street."

"Have them bring the chairs into the courtyard and then leave. You and Master Gong will take one chair, and the other two will carry stone pedestals. Have Dongqing dress as Master Gong and accompany me in the carriage. Since Master Gong is severely injured, they will assume he is in the carriage and watch it, never suspecting you left by sedan chair. We will depart simultaneously, splitting into three groups. You and Master Gong will head to the outer city, the carriage will go to my home, and the other two chairs will go to Jihuai Hall."

"Agreed. I will go hire the chairs." Han Songyan placed the umbrella on the table and walked out. Whether out of forgetfulness or intent, he left the door open.

An Yi closed the door and turned to look at Master Gong. She asked sternly, "Don't you have something to say?"

Master Gong met her gaze, his eyes deep and enigmatic. "What do you want to know?"

"It is not about what I want to know, but what you should tell the truth about. Who is your enemy? Why are they trying to kill you?" An Yi asked in a low voice.

"Do not tell anyone else what I am about to tell you," Master Gong said solemnly.

"I will decide that after I hear it." An Yi was equally cautious. This matter concerned not just her safety, but that of Han Songyan, Dongqing, Xiangqin, Han Liu, and Han Si. Being dragged into such unknown grievances was incredibly infuriating.

Master Gong looked at An Yi, his lips pressed shut.

A silent battle of wills ensued.

An Yi eventually conceded. "I promise. I will not tell anyone else what you tell me."

Master Gong spoke slowly: "My biological father is surnamed Qin, a member of the imperial family. To be precise, he is the current Emperor."

An Yi was stunned, having not expected to uncover an imperial secret. She was silent for a moment before asking, "You are a prince lost to the common people?"

A flash of pain crossed Master Gong’s eyes. "Because of this inexplicable identity, I have been hunted for four years. It was only a few months ago, when I learned of my origins from my grandfather, that I realized the man I had called 'Father' for nearly twenty years was my uncle, and the aunt I visited every year was, in fact, my birth mother."

"Did he send people to hunt you?" An Yi’s gaze darkened. What kind of father was that? One who did not cherish his own child, but instead sought to kill him?

"Perhaps it is him, perhaps not." Master Gong had no concrete evidence and would not make rash judgments.

"Did you come to the capital to verify this?"

"I am not here to verify; I am here to resolve it. Regardless of whether he ordered it or not, I must tell him that I will not bear the surname Qin. I will always be surnamed Gong. I hope this ends here, and that we have no further contact. I want to live my life." Master Gong held no filial affection for a father he had never met. His arrival in the capital was twofold: to propose marriage, and to confront his father to declare his stance—that he would never acknowledge his royal lineage. From now on, they would live in separate worlds, never to cross paths, never to meet, and he would be free from the fate of being hunted, living a good life with An Yi.

"The palace guards are strict; you cannot get in. Even if you managed to evade the guards and see him, if he is the one behind your pursuit, you would be walking into the tiger's den—a certain death," An Yi analyzed coolly.

"I will not..." At that moment, footsteps sounded outside. Master Gong fell silent.

An Yi opened the door to see Han Songyan approaching with Dongqing, who carried two sets of similar-looking cotton robes.

Seeing An Yi at the door, Han Songyan smiled and walked in. "The carriage and sedan chairs are ready. Let’s go."

"Where to?" An Yi asked.

"Auntie Hua’s house," Han Songyan replied.

Dongqing helped Master Gong change into his cotton robes.

Han Songyan instructed, "Xi’er, take Xiangqin and Dongqing, ride the carriage around the city a few times, and then return here."

An Yi nodded. "Understood."

Master Gong was dressed, and Dongqing changed into a similar robe. Han Songyan helped Master Gong out. Three sedan chairs were waiting. The two men entered one, while stone pedestals were placed in the others to prevent anyone from noticing they were empty.

An Yi, Xiangqin, and Dongqing went to the gate. An Yi and Xiangqin intentionally supported Dongqing as they boarded, with Dongqing feigning a sickly appearance. The carriage departed first, followed by the three sedan chairs. At the mouth of the alley, the carriage turned right, one chair followed, and the other two turned left. Even An Yi did not know which chair Master Gong was in.

An Yi and Dongqing sat on either side, lifting the curtains slightly to observe the surroundings, searching for trackers hiding in the shadows.

As the carriage reached the street corner, the carriage and the chairs split paths.

An Yi caught a glimpse of a coir raincoat behind a stone lion. She narrowed her eyes—the man had returned. She hoped this ruse would be enough to deceive him.

Han Liu drove the carriage slowly through the alleys, creating the impression that there was an injured patient inside and that haste was ill-advised. Following An Yi’s instructions, they circled the city for nearly an hour before heading to the General’s Mansion.

Watching from the shadows, Lin Ximin saw the carriage enter the General’s Mansion. He waited for another quarter of an hour, and seeing no one emerge, he quietly departed.

Lin Ximin had been so focused on trailing An Yi that he completely forgot his appointment with Bai Wuming. By the time he reached the restaurant, Bai Wuming had already finished three pots of tea and five plates of pastries, boredly playing pitch-pot.

"So you finally decided to show up. Which beauty tripped you up this time?" Bai Wuming asked, lounging on the couch, one eyebrow raised.

Lin Ximin sat beside him. "Your Nineteenth Sister."

Bai Wuming’s lazy gaze turned sharp. "Ximin, do not joke about my Nineteenth Sister."

"I am not joking. Because I care about you, I have brought you a pleasant surprise." Lin Ximin grabbed a pastry and stuffed it into his mouth; he was starving.

"What do you mean?" Bai Wuming asked, confused.

Lin Ximin swallowed the pastry and took a few gulps of tea. "I saw her enter your Fourth Brother’s courtyard on Jide Lane. I followed her inside and discovered that she wasn't there to see your Fourth Brother, but someone else. Guess who?"

"I cannot guess. Just tell me who it was!" Bai Wuming had no patience for guessing games.

"Gong Yanqiu."

"Gong Yanqiu of the Holy Garment Gate?"

"Uh-huh, that’s him."

Bai Wuming frowned. "My Fourth Brother has no acquaintance with Gong Yanqiu. How could he be in that courtyard? Are you sure you didn't see wrong?"

"I am certain. Although I only saw him for a moment, his appearance is unforgettable. It would be hard to mistake a man who looks like that," Lin Ximin said with a mischievous grin.

"Nineteenth Sister and Gong Yanqiu are old acquaintances." Bai Wuming recalled seeing An Yi by Master Gong’s side the first time.

"Your Nineteenth Sister is very clever, knowing to seek your Fourth Brother’s help. With all the medicine in Jihuai Hall, no matter how badly injured Gong Yanqiu is, he could be saved."

"What did Gong Yanqiu do? Why are you trying to capture him?" Bai Wuming asked.

"I don't know. I am merely following orders. Since I found him so conveniently this time, I must catch him." Lin Ximin stared at Bai Wuming. "Wuming, you must help me."

Bai Wuming’s brow furrowed deeper. "How?"

"Go find your Nineteenth Sister, or your Fourth Brother, and fish for information," Lin Ximin suggested.

"If you already discovered him there, why not just go and arrest him? Why do you need to fish for information?"

"I was discovered by your Nineteenth Sister. She shot at me with sleeve arrows, scaring me off. By the time I returned, a carriage and three sedan chairs emerged, and they split into three groups. I was alone, and considering Gong Yanqiu’s severe injuries, he couldn't have been in a sedan chair, so I followed your Nineteenth Sister. She circled the city for nearly an hour before returning to the General’s Mansion. I dared not follow her inside. Please, help me." Lin Ximin looked at Bai Wuming pleadingly.