Chapter 96: Key Figure

To suppress Sun Hong, who had entrenched himself in Jiangling for twenty years, in a single night?

Imperial Preceptor Qi Yuan truly lives up to the “Emperor” character in his title! [In Imperial Preceptor(帝师) the character 帝 means emperor.]

While the informed individuals marveled, the military officer retrieved a brand-new official robe and hat from one of the soldiers behind him, holding them respectfully in both hands as he presented them to the old beggar.

Looking at the official attire he had parted with over twenty years ago, the old beggar sighed as he reached out to take it. “It’s been over twenty years since I’ve worn this—I’ve almost forgotten how to fasten the belt.”

Hearing this, the officer paused and offered, “Shall I assist you, sir?”

“No need.” The old beggar shook his head. “Just wait for me a moment.”

The officer nodded. “Understood!”

Straightening his back, the old beggar carried the official robe and walked steadily step by step toward his room. Once he was inside, Ren Yue couldn’t help but quietly ask, “Master Wen! Is Old Master Wen a prefect? And who is Sun Hong? Is there really a rebellion in Jiangling Prefecture?”

Faced with her barrage of questions, Li Xunshan gently squeezed Ren Yue’s delicate hand and whispered, “This isn’t the time to discuss it. I’ll tell you later.”

“Oh.” Ren Yue nodded softly, her eyes shimmering with affection.

Not long after, Wen Songmo emerged from his room, having changed out of his beggar’s rags into the official uniform.

With a black gauze cap on his head, a crimson official robe, and a golden belt around his waist, Wen Songmo had completely transformed from a beggar into a dignified official.

Wei Hai stroked his chin stubble, clicking his tongue in amazement. “The old saying is true—clothes make the man, just as a saddle makes the horse. This old beggar looks like a completely different person in that official uniform!”

Wen Songmo, now solemn and composed, glanced at Wei Hai and said indifferently, “Wei Hai, why aren’t you kneeling before this official?”

Wei Hai spat in response. “Kneel, my foot!”

“How dare you, insolent commoner! You dare defy a court official?” Wen Songmo waved his hand grandly. “Guards, seize this scoundrel and drag him out for punishment!”

In the blink of an eye, two soldiers charged into the courtyard, grabbed Wei Hai from either side, and restrained him. It seemed they were about to take him out for a beating.

The scene left everyone present utterly stunned.

Wen Songmo hurriedly shouted, rushing forward, “Wait, wait, wait! I was joking with a friend! Let him go immediately!”

Hearing this, the soldiers quickly released Wei Hai. Freed, Wei Hai twisted his shoulders with exaggerated motions and grumbled, “Wen Songmo! You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Misunderstanding! It’s a misunderstanding!” Wen Songmo replied, looking embarrassed. “I just wanted to tease you, but I forgot my guards are actually here now…”

“Hmph!” Wei Hai pointed at Wen Songmo, baring his teeth. “I don’t care. This won’t settle without at least ten or eight feasts of good food and wine!”

Hearing this, Wen Songmo chuckled. “Forget ten—I can’t even afford one.”

At this moment, the officer interjected, “Master Wen, Lord Qi is still waiting at the yamen.”

“Oh! Oh! Oh!” Wen Songmo hastily moved to leave. “Let’s go, then.”

“Also,” the officer added after a pause, “Lord Qi said that if any of last night’s visitors wish to witness the trial, they are welcome to accompany us.”

As soon as the officer finished, Wei Hai turned his head and declared, “I’m not going. I’m jealous.”

“I think I’ll also decline,” Li Xunshan said, cupping his hands in polite refusal.

The officer hesitated and then asked, “Is there not another gentleman among you?”

At this point, Patriarch Ren finally understood.

The so-called invitation for last night’s visitors to join was primarily aimed at Mr. Gu. Li Xunshan and Wei Hai were merely included incidentally.

However, given the commotion outside, the fact that Mr. Gu remained in his room and had yet to come out likely made his stance clear.

Wen Songmo was not a dull man. What Patriarch Ren could deduce, he naturally could as well. Smiling, he waved a hand at the officer and said, “Mr. Gu was up all night and is still resting. Let’s not disturb him.”

“This…” The officer hesitated briefly before saying, “In that case, sir, please follow me.”

“To all of you, farewell!” Wen Songmo called out to the others before striding away.

The onlookers, watching the scene unfold, sighed in amazement…

…

“Does avenging a blood feud feel immensely satisfying?” Qi Yuan reclined leisurely in a grand chair, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan, his expression utterly relaxed.

Dressed in his official attire, Wen Songmo bowed and said, “It is thanks to your intervention, Lord Qi, that this malignant tumor has been eradicated from Jiangling Prefecture.”

Qi Yuan waved his fan lightly. “Ah, but it couldn’t have been done without your perseverance and the evidence you gathered.”

“With you here, I believe Jiangling Prefecture will become clean and thriving in the days to come.”

“You flatter me, Lord Qi.” Wen Songmo bowed again. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, “And what of Tu Qian…?”

“Rest assured,” Qi Yuan replied with a faint smile. “If Lady Tu were still a youthful beauty, perhaps she could save Tu Qian’s life… But now? Forget about saving her brother—even her own safety is precarious.”

Hearing this, Wen Songmo finally felt a sense of relief.

“By the way,” Qi Yuan asked casually, “you spent quite some time with Mr. Gu. What extraordinary qualities did you notice about him?”

The offhand question left Wen Songmo momentarily stunned.

After some thought, he responded, “He has an extraordinary aura, remains calm in the face of crises, possesses quick wit, profound knowledge, and is well-read…”

After rattling off dozens of idioms, Wen Songmo was finally interrupted by Qi Yuan, who cast him a sidelong glance but said nothing, merely waving him away.

…

Inside the side room, Ren Yue paced back and forth, holding a cup of hot tea.

“Yue’er, what’s on your mind?” Li Xunshan asked as he watched her furrowed brows.

“Xunshan, do you know who the key figure in everything you’ve told me is?” Ren Yue stopped and asked seriously.

“Key figure?” Li Xunshan paused to think. “I think everyone is pretty important.”

“Oh, come on!” Ren Yue stomped her foot, set the teacup on the table, and continued, “It’s Mr. Gu!”

“Don’t you realize? In everything you’ve described, Mr. Gu may not have acted overtly, but he’s been guiding you all along!”

Li Xunshan frowned. “Mr. Gu is wise and resourceful. It’s not surprising he would guide us, is it?”

Ren Yue extended her jade-like finger and tapped his forehead. “Think carefully.”

“When you encountered the river bandits, remember the strange gust of wind that capsized their boats? How did Mr. Gu react then?”

Li Xunshan replied, “He stood his ground, completely unperturbed.”

Ren Yue pressed further. “And think about that tracking powder—do you really believe it could be removed so easily with a single slap?”

“And what about the stones used to disable the assassins completely? Among the four of you, your strength is the greatest, right? Could you honestly hurl a stone with enough force to knock out a hundred-pound pig, let alone an assassin?”

At this point, Li Xunshan began to realize that everything indeed seemed too smooth to be mere coincidence.

“I suspect Mr. Gu is no ordinary person,” Ren Yue concluded, looking intently at Li Xunshan.

Li Xunshan remained silent for a moment before smiling. “Whether Mr. Gu is an ordinary person or not makes little difference to me… I only know that he is a friend who has shared life-and-death experiences with us. That’s enough.”

Hearing this, Ren Yue sat on Li Xunshan’s lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and smiled. “I’m not trying to speculate about Mr. Gu’s background. I just want to remind you to remember his kindness…”

“If you hadn’t met him, we might have been separated by fate—or even by life and death. Do you understand?”

Just as Li Xunshan was about to nod in agreement, a loud voice rang out from the doorway.

“Come out! A man and a woman alone in a room—is this proper behavior?!”

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