Turning around, Gu Zhong looked at Gu Yang with a grin, a sly smile playing on his lips.
"It seems Yang will have to empty his pockets tonight, so please be careful with your spending, brother."
Gu Yang feigned heartache as he took out his purse from his bosom and handed it to Gu Zhong with a reluctant expression.
"I'm sorry to bother you all..."
Just as the three were joking around, a deep voice came from behind them.
A sense of danger rose within Ling Yan, as if she were being watched by some terrifying beast.
She turned around first and saw a young man dressed in white cloth smiling gently at them.
He held a purse in his right hand, which appeared to be the one Gu Zhong had lost, while his left hand seemed to be easily holding down a wriggling beggar, who was unable to break free.
This is a handsome man with a very good appearance.
"Young master, what brings you here?"
Despite the unwavering warning in her heart, Lingyan took a step forward and asked, though it was rather impolite.
However, she didn't notice that when she spoke first, Gu Zhongxian glanced at her with some surprise, then shifted his gaze to the man and frowned.
"I just happened to see this thief take advantage of the chaos to pickpocket this young master's purse."
The man paused for a moment, then bowed respectfully in Gu Zhong's direction and replied.
If Ling Yan hadn't been paying close attention to his expression, she probably would have missed the fleeting glint of calculation in his eyes, which made her even more certain that this person was after Gu Zhong.
This encounter is a carefully prepared play, with singing, recitation, acting, and fighting, all depending on the skills of the people on stage.
"This young master has a good eye."
Gu Zhong walked slowly toward the man. Ling Yan was puzzled and her heart tightened.
Thank you!
Gu Zhong picked up the purse in his right hand, weighed it in his hand, then opened the seal, took out a gold leaf, and threw it into his palm.
"What does this mean?" The man was clearly not prepared for this turn of events.
"This young master seems to be a scholar from a humble background? His honesty in returning lost property is commendable; this should be considered a reward."
Besides, with the special exam just around the corner this year, you should be focusing all your energy on preparing for it. This small amount of money should relieve you of many worries.
Gu Zhong explained calmly, then turned his gaze to the beggar.
"As for this thief, I'll trouble you, young master, to hand him over to the authorities. Even if life is difficult, he shouldn't have committed theft. He deserves to be taught a lesson."
"Young master, that's wonderful!"
A hint of coldness flashed in the man's eyes, but he put on a grateful expression and bowed to Gu Zhong.
"I thank you in advance for the gift of gold, young master! May I ask where your residence is? When I pass the imperial examination, I will surely repay your kindness."
"It's just a small amount of money, no need for such formality."
Gu Zhong's brows twitched slightly, and Ling Yan knew that she had no patience to continue dealing with this person.
"We have other important matters to attend to, so we will take our leave first."
As expected, she merely gave a perfunctory bow and then turned to walk towards them.
"My name is Chen Muxian, please remember me, young master!"
Seeing that there was no possibility of continuing the conversation, the man stopped pestering him and simply announced his name aloud from behind.
It really was him!
Lingyan turned around and glanced at him again. Chen Muxian still had that gentle and kind face. When he saw her turn around, he just smiled slightly and bowed his hands in thanks once more.
Indeed, if one were not adept at disguise, how could one deceive the world into changing hands?
Just then, the beggar struggling under his grasp raised his head. His face, filthy as if he had rolled out of a mud puddle, revealed a pair of strikingly bright black eyes, full of ruthlessness.
She was unaware of how Gu Zhong and Chen Moxian had come to know and cherish each other in the originally planned course of events.
For many years, she has used all the resources at her disposal to search for this deeply hidden prince of the former dynasty, but to no avail.
Is it destiny? The trajectory of fate drives the plot forward, allowing no room for error. Those who are meant to appear always appear at the right time, leaving one at a loss.
"Sir, you seem to care a lot about this person?"
After walking a short distance, Gu Zhong hesitated before asking a question.
"They are just wicked people with malicious intentions."
Ling Yan chuckled, surprised that Gu Zhong was even more nervous than she was.
"Zhong also thinks so, always feeling that he has some ulterior motive in his behavior."
Gu Zhong seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, which drew Ling Yan's sidelong glance.
This first encounter, meticulously planned by Chen Muxian, seems to have failed to achieve its intended effect.
No, it can't be said that it had no effect at all; at least it left a bad impression on Gu Zhong.
Logically speaking, even with such a clichéd script, before knowing the plot, one would at least have some goodwill towards the talented man who returned the lost money. It's unclear what Chen Muxian did to provoke Gu Zhong's suspicion.
"But that thief... is quite interesting."
Pulling her wandering thoughts back, Lingyan recalled the last look she saw in someone's eyes—the eyes of a lone wolf, the kind of look that only someone desperately trying to survive would have.
"Later, let Zhao Zhao go to the Jingzhao Prefecture to take care of that beggar boy. According to the current laws, the lightest punishment would probably be tattooing and exile..."
Laws cannot be disobeyed, but Lingyan didn't mind paying a little attention to people who interested her, especially since she had a feeling that Chen Muxian wouldn't let this beggar off easily.
In the future, Chen Muxian will be able to overthrow the current dynasty, not only with the help of the former dynasty's loyalists and their plot to seize military power.
Crucially, he had a group of assassins under his command—the Faceless Ones—who were ruthless and insidious, serving as his henchmen and intimidating all officials.
That beggar boy was clearly the right choice.
There's no need to worry that Chen Muxian will secretly detain the person and substitute someone else for him.
A wise person never does anything that arouses suspicion. When he does favors someone, choosing to do so when the lone wolf is seriously injured makes his actions all the more effective in demonstrating both kindness and authority.
According to Lingyan's deduction, the tattooing incident occurred during his exile.
"Okay." Gu Zhong didn't ask any more questions and readily agreed. She never objected to Ling Yan's suggestions.
Lingyan then whispered a few more instructions to Zhao Zhao.
After this incident, the three of them lost interest in continuing their sightseeing and, after discussing it for a while, decided to return to the palace as soon as possible.
After escorting them into the palace, Zhao Zhao then hurried off towards the Jingzhao Prefecture.
"Grand Tutor, Sister Wang, you must be tired today. Please rest early. I'll take my leave now." After seeing the two off at the entrance of Changli Palace, Gu Yang said goodbye.
Historically, after a prince is granted a title, he should either leave the palace to establish his own residence or go to his fiefdom.
However, Emperor Gu, mindful of his second daughter's young age, felt reluctant to part with her and allowed her to stay in the palace for a few more years.
It is unknown whether this was the origin of the succession struggle that Chen Muxian would exploit a few years later.
After Lingyan washed away her fatigue in the hot spring, she sat in her study with her long, damp hair flowing freely. By the flickering candlelight, she carefully sorted through the information that had gathered from all directions, meticulously unraveling the threads of this newly established dynasty in dire need of rebuilding.
Zhao Zhao returned, but he didn't bother Gu Zhong again and went straight to Ling Yan.
"Grand Tutor, everything is taken care of."
He knelt on one knee at the door of the study, his head bowed respectfully, his dark purple eunuch's robes lying smoothly on the floor, just like his posture.
"how?"
Lingyan casually placed a secret letter from the border over the candlelight and lit it, asking indifferently.
"The beggar's name was Yunzhong, and he lived in the west of the city..."
"What are you yelling for?!"
Before Zhao Zhao could finish speaking, Ling Yan interrupted him sharply with an urgent question.
"In the clouds".
Zhao Zhao's tone remained unchanged, and he answered respectfully as always.
"In the clouds... is it really her?"
Lingyan murmured to herself, her slender fingers, as thin as scallion roots, curled up and gently tapped on the desk, the sound particularly loud in the quiet room.
"continue."
She picked up the jade brush with sheep's hair on it, spread out a clean sheet of Xuan paper, and solemnly began to write.
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Author's Note:
The scumbag has arrived!
Chapter 5 The Imperial Tutor and the Crown Princess (Part 4)
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He lived in Liuying Lane in the west of the city. His father was unknown, and his mother was seriously ill.
Everyone in Xijing City knows where Liuying Lane is; it is a place even more regrettable than Hongxiufang, a place of brothels.
The women in the alley engaged in prostitution with all sorts of people, earning just enough food and money to fill their stomachs.
When they grew old and faded, or unfortunately fell seriously ill, they lay in damp, dark wooden houses and died silently. Their bodies were then hastily wrapped in straw mats and thrown into mass graves outside the city, turning into skeletons. This was their life.
Yunzhong's mother was one of them, but she was lucky because she had a daughter.
Judging from Yunzhong's dirty and beggar-like appearance, her mother must not want her to follow the same path as the girls in the alley.
To be honest, being a beggar is definitely better than selling smiles.
"So, did she steal to save her seriously ill mother? Or was she acting on someone else's orders to steal His Highness's purse?"
Lingyan put down her pen and ink, picked up the paper with Yunzhong's information written on it, and blew on it lightly.
"The Grand Tutor is truly a prophet. Even if that brat is stubborn, he lacks experience and cannot be easily fooled."