Chapter 38: Eerie and Wondrous

Ma Peicheng, holding the rank of a third-grade Assistant General, outranked Cheng Xu, a fourth-grade Garrison Commander, by two levels. His Left Patrol Battalion was responsible for the security and patrols of the eastern suburbs. Today, he was the one leading the troops to carry out the task ordered by Wang Ziteng, while Cheng Xu served merely as a guide.

Cheng Xu also believed that Jiang Nian might indeed have a close relationship with the Thirteenth Prince, and he was terrified of offending His Highness. Therefore, seeing Ma Peicheng agree to Jiang Nian’s request, Cheng Xu did not intervene—nor could he have, for the most part. However, he was secretly calculating that he should go and report this to Wang Ziteng.

Jiang Nian pulled He Yun into a corner and whispered a few instructions to him. Having understood the situation, He Yun deliberately raised his voice and played along, "Yes, I shall go and invite the Thirteenth Prince at once!" With that, he turned to leave.

Jiang Nian suddenly remembered something and called out, "Wait."

He Yun turned back and asked respectfully, "Does the Master have further instructions?"

Jiang Nian stepped forward and asked in a loud, intentional tone, "Have the items that needed to be purchased been brought back?"

He Yun replied, "Not everything was procured, but a portion has been bought. Zhong’er and his mother are still shopping. I have led the shop assistants to deliver what we have already collected, along with dinner, thinking that you must be hungry and should eat as soon as possible. The assistants are waiting outside; it is improper to keep them waiting long, so I was just preparing to send them off."

Jiang Nian nodded and asked, "Among what has been delivered, is there any seating?"

"Yes, there is," He Yun answered.

Jiang Nian turned to Ma Peicheng with a composed expression and requested, "My lord, I have just moved into this place today, and the house is quite empty. I had my steward go out to purchase necessities, and they have just arrived. May I allow the assistants to bring the items in so they may finish their errand and depart? Among the items are chairs; you may sit on one and wait with me for the Thirteenth Prince, so as not to tire yourself by standing."

He intentionally displayed this calm and collected attitude to make Ma Peicheng more convinced of his close ties to the Thirteenth Prince and the veracity of his words. Furthermore, he wanted the shop assistants to move the items inside so that the Jiang family’s own servants would not have to do the labor.

Jiang Nian had expected Ma Peicheng to refuse this time, yet after a moment of deliberation, Ma Peicheng nodded. "Very well!"

Ma Peicheng even instructed a junior officer to go and tell the guards at the gate to grant them passage. Immediately, the sound of He Yun’s leather boots clattered as he walked out of the inner courtyard, passed through the front rooms, and exited the gate. Outside, a group of guards stood watch, alongside a cluster of shop assistants who had gathered there to deliver the goods.

The items were piled up outside the gate, including beds, couches, tables, chairs, stools, and food boxes. A steward from the Qin family, named Peng Jizhong, was also waiting outside. Because Qin Ye had been at the Jiang residence for quite some time without returning, and seeing the house surrounded by so many soldiers, the Qin family had grown worried. Qin Keqing had sent Peng Jizhong to check on the situation. When he arrived, the soldiers would not let him in, and he remained unaware that his master lay dead inside.

Seeing He Yun emerge, Peng Jizhong hurried forward and asked, "Steward He, is my master inside? Why has he not come out yet?"

He Yun already knew that Qin Ye was dead, but it was inconvenient to inform the Qin family for the time being. He prevaricated, "He is still inside. You had best go back and wait; matters inside will not be settled for a while."

He then ordered the assistants, "Move everything inside."

The assistants, having been terrified to see the house surrounded by soldiers, were stunned by He Yun's order. Two of the bolder ones thought that if He Yun gave such an order, nothing terrible could happen to this household, and even if it did, it would not implicate them. Summoning their courage, they picked up a couch and headed toward the gate. With these two taking the lead, the others braced themselves and followed with the rest of the goods.

A chaotic symphony of footsteps and the clatter of furniture filled the air. He Yun, knowing he could not delay, asked the junior officer to oversee the unloading, then leapt onto a horse he had just purchased—which proved unexpectedly useful—and galloped away toward the Prince Zhongyi Mansion. The sound of hoofbeats kicked up a cloud of dust and vanished at the end of the road in the blink of an eye.

There were many items to move, including large and heavy pieces. Yet, the assistants worked harder than usual, moving with nimble speed, fearful that lingering for even a moment longer would bring trouble. Though they moved quickly, they seemed flustered, their eyes darting toward the soldiers, terrified of making a mistake.

Ma Peicheng, Cheng Xu, dozens of soldiers, and the Jiang family servants were all crowded into the inner courtyard, watching the assistants unload. The items were stacked in a corner, making the already cramped courtyard even more congested; some soldiers were even jostling shoulders. The atmosphere in the inner courtyard became strangely surreal.

At that moment, Jiang Nian personally carried two official-style chairs and walked toward Ma Peicheng and Cheng Xu with a steady gait. He set the chairs down firmly and said calmly, "My lords, please sit."

Ma Peicheng and Cheng Xu were both taken aback, exchanging bewildered glances. What was happening here? They had arrived with great aggression, intending to arrest everyone in the house; how had it turned into this?

After a moment’s hesitation, Ma Peicheng sat down on one of the chairs and turned to Cheng Xu. "You should sit as well. If we are to wait for the Thirteenth Prince, it may take some time."

Cheng Xu, however, could no longer restrain himself. He remained standing and said, "Lord Ma, it would be better to report this to Lord Wang. You wait here, and I shall go report it myself."

Though Ma Peicheng was displeased, he could not well refuse and nodded. "Very well."

Cheng Xu departed immediately, intending to ride straight to the Left Patrol Battalion office, where Wang Ziteng was stationed. Jiang Nian watched Cheng Xu’s retreating figure vanish past the hanging flower gate. His brows furrowed slightly, but he immediately smoothed them out.

Ma Peicheng pointed to the empty chair beside him and looked up at Jiang Nian. "You should sit and wait as well." He wanted to cultivate a rapport with Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian did not decline. With a faint smile and a polite "Thank you, my lord," he sat down with ease.

The two sat side by side. All the soldiers and servants in the courtyard watched. In the middle of the yard, a large burlap sack lay silently, containing the corpse of Qin Ye. The assistants continued their work, the sound of their footsteps and the clatter of furniture intertwined. The atmosphere grew increasingly bizarre and surreal.

Meanwhile, He Yun and Cheng Xu were both galloping at full speed—one toward the Prince Zhongyi Mansion in search of the Thirteenth Prince, the other toward the Left Patrol Battalion office in search of Wang Ziteng.