By the time Yuxi arrived in Maicheng, it was already the end of the fourth month. At the city gates, she told Momo Quan, "I'm ...
By the time Yuxi arrived in Maicheng, it was already the end of the fourth month.
At the city gates, she told Momo Quan, "I'm afraid we won't reach Haocheng until the end of the fifth month." For the sake of Zaozao and Liu-er's health, they had to stop and rest for two or three days at every stop, which naturally delayed their journey considerably.
That very evening, Yang Duoming brought Fu Qingluo to pay their respects.
Xu Wu's gaze lingered on Fu Qingluo for a couple of seconds before he finally said, "Come in with me." Fu Qingluo had once been the centre of attention wherever she went. Although only a year had passed and she looked no different, her flamboyant air of confidence had disappeared—she had become an ordinary woman.
Yuxi glanced at Fu Qingluo and noticed that her belly was flat. Though she had questions in her heart, she did not voice them.
After paying her respects, Fu Qingluo smiled and greeted Yuxi, "It's been a year, Madam, and you are as radiant as ever."
Yuxi wore a pale lotus-blue gauze robe that accentuated her slender waist. Her hair was arranged in a 'flowing-cloud' bun and adorned with a single jade hairpin; she also wore a pair of red jade drop earrings. This simple attire only served to enhance her graceful charm.
Yuxi chuckled lightly. "A year apart, and you're still as good with words." She thought to herself that in the past, Fu Qingluo could hardly speak tactfully—if she didn't choke people with her words, that was already good enough.
Yang Duoming apologised to Yuxi before explaining, "Qingluo gave birth prematurely, and I couldn't leave at the time. Otherwise, I would have gone to the city of Lanzhou to see you in person."
Yuxi smiled slightly. "There's no need to be so formal. Qingluo's health comes first—you were right to stay with her. News can always be sent through others just the same."
Yang Duoming glanced at Xu Wu, then turned to Yuxi. "Madam, I have come upon some news these past two days, but I am unable to verify it."
Yuxi asked, "What news? Let's hear it."
Yang Duoming replied, "A few days ago, I heard that Old Dog Ji has a gold mine in Yongzhou." If they could find the gold mine, that would be an outstanding achievement!
Xu Wu forgot himself and blurted out, "Where in Yongzhou is the gold mine?" before Yuxi could speak. If there really were a gold mine, the General would no longer have any worries about funding.
Yang Duoming answered, "All I know is that it's somewhere within Yongzhou, but I don't know the exact location. I suspect the miners who worked there have already been k!lled by Ji Xuan."
Yuxi asked calmly, "Are you sure?" Until the gold mine was actually found, it was just 'the moon in the water and the flower in the mirror1'. Until then, it was nothing to get excited about.
Yang Duoming nodded. "I'm sure. The man told me because he knows I work for you, Madam." This gold mine was not something just anyone could mine. Without the capability to mine a gold mine, that was seeking death.
Yuxi nodded and said, "Once we reach Yongzhou, have people investigate carefully. As long as the information is true, we'll definitely find it. Now that we know it's somewhere in Yong Province, at least we have a place to start."
Seeing how calm Yuxi was, Xu Wu felt a bit ashamed after realising he had been fussing over nothing. "Madam, I'll send people to search the mine right away."
Yuxi shook her head. "Since the gold mine is said to be in Yongzhou, it's not going anywhere. If we are going to look for it, we can only do so in secret — it's best not to let too many people know."
Looking puzzled, Fu Qingluo said, "In the past, people had to hide their gold mining activities because they feared punishment from the Imperial Court. But now, why do we still have to do it in secret?" Since Yun Qing controls the northwest, there was no need to be so secretive about digging a mine.
Yuxi smiled slightly before replying, "If everyone in the world knows, we'll be the ones who suffer in the end." The fundamental rule was to 'get rich quietly' — why should they make a show of it?
Fu Qingluo shook her head and commented, "You're far too cautious."
Yuxi wasn't angered, simply responding, "A cautious sailor can sail his ship safely for ten thousand years2." If the news of the gold mine spread, it would undoubtedly make other people's eyes turn red3. Should those people join forces to attack them, this gold mine would become their death talisman4.
Fu Qingluo didn't quite agree with Yuxi's view, but she knew her place and dared not argue further. "Madam, how is my brother now?"
Yui nodded and replied, "Don't worry — he's fine, nothing serious. With another two or three months of good rest, he'll be fully recovered." After a pause, she asked Fu Qingluo, "And your child? How is the little one?"
Fu Qingluo looked sorrowful as she answered, "During my pregnancy, I was constantly on the run and didn't take proper care of the baby. The foetus was unstable, and when the child was born, he wasn't breathing."
Yuxi tried to comfort her, saying, "You're still young — you'll have more children."
Xu Wu interjected, "General Fu's son, Lil Boy Qi, has passed away as well." Having both experienced the heartache of losing a child, the siblings were just like those who shared the same illness, pitying each other5.
Fu Qingluo knew that Chen Shi had given birth to a son whose health was poor, but she didn't know that Little Qi had already passed away. She quickly asked Yuxi, "How did Lil Boy Qi lose his life?"
Yuxi knew the matter quite well: "Chen Shi gave the child indiscriminate doses of medicine, and they were too strong — it cost the boy his life." When Yuxi first heard this from Yun Qing, she was utterly speechless. Chen Shi had brought disaster upon herself, and the price she paid was her own son's life.
Fu Qingluo exclaimed in disbelief, "How could that be? My Saozi6 had been waiting for the stars and moon7 for Lil Boy Qi's birth — she treasured him more than anything. How could she have given him medicine carelessly? Madam, is there more to this story?"
Yuxi replied, "There's nothing more to it. The general gave your elder brother a rare elixir. When your sister-in-law saw how much it improved his health, she gave some to Little Qi. But the child was too young and frail, and the medicine was far too potent. After taking it, he vomited blood and died."
Upon hearing this, Fu Qingluo quickly asked, "Then how is my Saozi6?" Although Lil Boy Qi was her nephew, she had never met him and naturally felt little attachment to him. However, she had lived with Chen Shi as sisters-in-law for over ten years, and their bond ran deep.
Yuxi's expression grew strange; from the look on Fu Qingluo's face, Yuxi could tell that the woman still hadn't realised that Chen Sho had been using her. "The child is gone, and she's not in good spirits, but her life's not in danger." Yuxi didn't want to talk about Chen Shi anymore. Chen Shi had only herself to blame for being muddled.
Feeling very worried, Fu Qingluo requested, "Madam, I wish to return to Yu City with Duoming." She was anxious not only for Chen Shi but also for Fu Tianlei.
Before Yuxi could reply, Yang Duoming immediately refused, "Qingluo, we can't return to Yu City now. Your body is so weak — how could you endure such a long journey?"
Yuxi had no intention of letting Yang Duoming go to Yu City — with so many affairs to handle, losing a capable person would only add to her burden. "You both come with me to Haocheng!"
Yang Duoming was startled. "Madam, given my position, it would be improper for me to appear in public!" For an intelligence agent, the fewer people who knew him, the better.
Yuxi chuckled lightly. "I'm only asking you to gather more intelligence. I never said you couldn't show yourself in public." Since so many people already knew Yang Duoming, it was actually more dangerous to keep him hidden. It was better for him to be in plain sight so that he could manage what was above the surface.
Footnotes Full List
- "水中月, 镜中花" (shuǐ zhōng yuè, jìng zhōng huā) — a classical metaphor for something beautiful but illusory or unattainable, like a mirage or a dream.
- "小心驶得万年船 (xiǎo xīn shǐ dé wàn nián chuán)" — This idiom means being careful ensures lasting safety or success.
- "让人眼红 (ràng rén yǎn hóng)" — literally "make people's eyes red," meaning to arouse envy or jealousy.
- "催命符 (cuī mìng fú)" — literally "a death talisman." It metaphorically means something that brings about one's doom or disaster.
- 同病相怜 (tóng bìng xiāng lián) is an idiom meaning people who suffer from the same problem or misfortune sympathise with one another. It literally describes people with the same illness feeling compassion for each other's pain.
- 嫂子 sǎozi: elder brother's wife; sister-in-law
- "盼星星盼月亮 (pàn xīng xīng pàn yuè liàng)" — literally "to wait for the stars and the moon." This idiom means to long for something eagerly for a long time.
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