Chapter 169 — A Retainer

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Wu Yi told him, "Madam Mei has passed away!"

Gu Yu turned ashen with shock. "How could Madam Mei have passed away? I never heard the slightest word of it before." In his memory, Madam Mei had always been hale and hearty—how could she simply be gone? Then he thought of how, when he had followed Song Yan to the Jiang household, Madam Mei had made mung bean cakes to welcome them; how he and Xiexiu and the others had romped about while Madam Mei sat beneath the covered corridor watching them with a smile, her eyes full of tender affection. It was as if he had returned to the days when his own mother was alive, when he was a carefree child... That warmth and security was something he could never forget for the rest of his life.

Tears came upon him without warning.

"How could this be? How could this be?" Gu Yu choked out, his vision blurred by tears. "Why didn't Brother Tianci tell me? Otherwise I would have rushed back no matter what..." His heart brimmed with regret, and he asked Wu Yi, "When did Madam Mei pass? How many days has Brother Tianci been gone?"

His emotion infected Wu Yi.

Tears instantly filled Wu Yi's eyes, and he sobbed, "After the Third Master Jiang left, Madam Mei began to feel unwell. Fearing that our Young Master and Second Master would worry, she forced herself to show no sign of it. Shi An was in the outer courtyard and knew nothing. If our Young Master hadn't grown uneasy about Madam Mei a few days ago and sent Mr. Yan with some medicinal herbs and tonics to look in on her, we likely wouldn't even have known that Madam Mei had been bedridden for days... All Madam Mei had time to tell Mr. Yan was to take good care of the Young Master, and then she was gone..."

Gu Yu could not hold back.

A hurried clatter of footsteps came from outside.

"Has Big Brother still not returned from Haozhou?"

The childish voice was full of deep worry.

It was Song Han.

Gu Yu was taken aback and could not help saying, "Why hasn't Tian'en gone to Haozhou?"

Wu Yi lowered his head and murmured, "The Duke of Zhenguo said the road is long, and the Second Master still has much schoolwork left undone; it would be enough for the Young Master to go on behalf of the Ying Duke of Zhenguo's household."

Gu Yu flew into a rage. "Madam Mei was the maternal grandmother of Brother Tianci and Tian'en! Could it be that with Aunt gone, the blood ties are severed as well?"

For the Ying Dukedom to act this way was heartless in the extreme.

The words had barely left his mouth when Song Han came in muttering to himself.

"Brother Gu," he said, noticing Gu Yu's eyes were somewhat red, "have you come looking for my big brother too?"

His ink-dark eyes were as frightened as a fawn's.

Gu Yu's heart softened, and he could not bear to reproach Song Han. He nodded and said, "I've just come back from Jiangnan... I never expected Madam Mei to have passed away."

Song Han's tears fell like raindrops. "Who knows when Big Brother will come back? I didn't even get to see Grandmother one last time... I miss Mother..."

Gu Yu's eyes grew wet, and he clumsily tried to comfort Song Han. "It's all right, it's all right. Brother Tianci will be back very soon, and Madam Mei knew you had a great deal of schoolwork—she won't blame you..."

Song Han began to cry with great gulping sobs.

A guard came in with a respectful expression and, half pleading, half helpless, said in a low voice to Song Han, "Second Master, the Duke of Zhenguo is looking for you everywhere. You had best come back to the upper courtyard with me at once! Otherwise, if the Duke of Zhenguo takes issue with it, this humble one will have no way to answer for it..."

Song Han rubbed at his eyes.

But Gu Yu leapt up and dealt the guard a slap across the face, cursing, "Damn you, is it your place to speak here?"

The guard's name was Li Dasheng. That he had been assigned by Song Cen to serve at Song Han's side was not only because he was utterly loyal to Song Cen, but also because he was highly skilled in martial arts and quick-witted in handling affairs. Though he had not expected Gu Yu to lash out so suddenly, Gu Yu had only practiced boxing and footwork for a few years, and while his hands and feet were quicker than most, compared to a guard like himself who had trained in martial arts since childhood, he was far inferior. With Li Dasheng's skill, it would have been easy to dodge Gu Yu, but Gu Yu's strike was one he had specifically drilled. His slaps never missed, and Li Dasheng was struck square and true.

He stared at Gu Yu in astonishment.

Gu Yu had already retreated several steps and waved his hand. The two attendants who had come with him darted lightning-fast to stand before Li Dasheng, and a punch flew out, the room filling with a sound like tearing silk.

Li Dasheng's expression changed drastically as he recalled the rumors that Gu Yu was always accompanied by two supreme masters bestowed by the Empress herself...

Hastily retreating, he called out to Song Han for help—"Second Master!"—yet dared not counter with full force; the Duke of Ying had once instructed that they were not to lightly provoke friction with the people of the Zhezhi Hall.

But Gu Yu did not so much as glance at Song Han. His face was grim as he stared fixedly at his two attendants.

The two attendants understood and, without mercy, swung their fists at Li Dasheng...

Song Han's gaze was veiled, as though he wanted to speak but held back.

Li Dasheng's skill was no match for Gu Yu's two guards to begin with, and burdened by misgivings he had lost the initiative. In but a few exchanges, he was beaten to the ground by Gu Yu's attendants.

Gu Yu still felt it was not enough to vent his anger and stood there shouting loudly, "What do you think you are? How dare you point your finger at my nose and speak to me. Beat him hard, you two—if he dies, it's on me."

The two attendants continued to beat the already bruised and swollen Li Dasheng, but the force of their blows was noticeably weaker than before.

A clatter of footsteps arose, and a voice came before the man himself: "Young Master Gu, spare him, spare him! It is only that Li Dasheng does not know his place and has offended you. I beg you, for the sake of our Young Master, not to stoop to his level..."

With the voice, Song Cen's retainer Tao Jun hurried in.

"Young Master Gu!" He smiled and bowed to Gu Yu.

Gu Yu wore an expression that said "forget it, I won't lower myself to your level" and gave a slight nod to his two attendants, who hastily rose and took their places behind him.

"Take the man back with you!" Gu Yu said with condescending grace. "If he fails to learn proper manners again after this, don't blame me for showing no mercy."

"Many thanks, many thanks!" Tao Jun hurriedly bowed and cupped his hands, gesturing for those beside him to help Li Dasheng up. He took Song Han by the hand and exchanged pleasantries with Gu Yu.

Song Han tried to pull his hand free of Tao Jun's, but Tao Jun only gripped it tighter.

He obediently stopped struggling.

Tao Jun left Yizhi Hall with Song Han and Li Dasheng.

Gu Yu's eyes were fixed on the hands of Song Han and Tao Jun, clasped together, and his face was dark and brooding.

※※※※※

Song Yan soon learned of the scene that had unfolded in Yizhi Hall.

He drew back the carriage curtain and gazed out the window for a long while without a word.

Yan Che's eyes flickered almost imperceptibly.

They were just then passing through the city of Linzhang.

Would the heir go to see the Fourth Young Lady of the Dou family?

Song Yan watched the distant city walls in silence until they were lost to view, then let the curtain fall, turned, and settled into his seat. "This matter," he said lightly to Yan Che, "I fear I must trouble you, Master Yan, to keep a close watch on in the days to come."

Lady Mei's sudden death meant they had gleaned nothing of the old affairs of Song Yan's parents.