Inside the house, Hua Zhi was sharing her feelings of separation with her family, while outside, Gu Yanxi had no intention of resting either.
"Shaoyao, stay by her side without leaving even a step."
Shaoyao nodded eagerly, "Yan Ge, where are you going? Hua Hua will ask."
"I'm meeting someone. I'll definitely be back before dark. Tell her not to worry."
"Yes."
Although Shaoyao usually didn't involve herself in affairs, she wasn't ignorant of matters. In fact, during missions when they encountered difficult decisions, they would rely on her sharp intuition. She had seen that Chen Tu before—once when he was severely injured and nearly lost his life, she had stayed by his side for two nights, pulling him back from the brink of death.
The Heir had stationed him in that small village with a purpose, and it was certainly of great importance. Now, The Heir was leaving to meet someone without even resting—it could only mean that Chen Tu had reported something crucial, and it was related to Yinshan Pass.
Some people are really annoying, Shaoyao thought as she pricked up her ears to listen to the commotion inside.
Gu Yanxi didn't go to meet anyone immediately. Instead, he first walked around the city, then changed his appearance before riding off toward his destination.
Among the various departments in the Yinshan Pass government office, the Revenue Department was widely known as the most lucrative and hardest to enter. Everyone there had their own connections, and when they stepped out, they carried themselves with their noses in the air, looking down on ordinary people.
At that moment, the few on duty were discussing the arrival of the Hua family's young lady from the capital, their words tinged with admiration.
The Hua family was no ordinary clan—even in the capital, they were highly renowned. One could tell how pampered the children of such a family were from the fact that several of them had fallen ill upon arrival. Yet, a young lady dared to come all the way here. If nothing else, the freezing weather alone must have caused her great hardship.
"If my family had a daughter like that, I wouldn't even mind not having a son to carry on the lineage."
"Who wouldn't say the same? It's truly rare."
"I heard the young lady is also quite beautiful. Who knows which family will be fortunate enough to marry her someday?"
A young man sitting at a desk further inside, who had remained silent until then, sneered, "Enough of that. Those people in the capital would never fancy a girl who runs around outside. What they want are those who stay within the inner quarters and never show their faces. Besides, given the Hua family's current situation, who would dare take her?"
His words were unpleasant to hear but undeniably true. Powerful and influential families sought well-bred young ladies from respectable households—a girl like the Hua family's daughter was likely unwanted by anyone.
They might have considered seeking her hand for their own sons or nephews, but they also knew their place. A daughter of the Hua family, even in reduced circumstances, was beyond their reach.
A yamen runner lifted the heavy curtain and entered, bringing a chill with him. He cast a longing glance at the brazier in the room but didn't dare approach, staying by the door to report, "Officer Xu, there's a young master surnamed Lu outside asking for you."
The man who had just poured cold water on his colleagues' enthusiasm flickered his eyes and said coldly, "I don't know any young master surnamed Lu. I won't see him."
"Yes, sir. I'll go send him away right away."
Everyone in the government office knew that Xu Gui from the Revenue Department was difficult to deal with. It wasn't as if no one had tried to make things hard for him, but he had held his position firmly since taking it. Over time, people realized he had powerful backing and it was best not to offend him.
After interacting with him for a while, they also learned that he was merely sharp-tongued—compared to those who schemed behind others' backs, he was much better. Strangely enough, he ended up being quite well-liked.Seeing him refuse so decisively, a colleague advised, "It might be someone important with urgent business. We're not busy right now, so meeting them wouldn't hurt."
"Exactly, go and see them. Who would venture out in such bitter cold if it weren't for something important?"
Only then did Xu Gui set down his brush, tidy the items on his desk, and leisurely put on his cotton robe before heading out.
Upon seeing the person outside, Xu Gui approached with an unchanged expression. "Who are you? What brings you here?"
"I was entrusted by the Xu family to deliver something to you."
Xu Gui's expression softened slightly. He tossed a small piece of broken silver into the yamen runner's arms and said, "Go inform Chief Clerk Yu of the Household Department that someone from my family has come. I request leave for the afternoon."
The yamen runner responded with great enthusiasm, dashing inside with brisk steps.
Xu Gui led the person back to his residence—a small, detached house. Though modest in size, it was quiet and peaceful.
Once the door was closed, Xu Gui promptly knelt down. "Your subordinate pays respects to The Heir."
"Rise and speak."
At this moment, Xu Gui bore no resemblance to the detested figure he appeared to be at the yamen. Apart from his appearance, his demeanor had completely transformed.
"Is there anything unusual at Yinshan Pass?"
Xu Gui hesitated for a moment before voicing his intuition. "On the surface, everything at Yinshan Pass appears normal, but I can't shake the feeling that something is amiss. From the beginning of last year until now, nine military officers have been demoted and sent here. In the previous five years combined, only four were demoted here. I am unaware of the situation in the capital, but Yinshan Pass is a crucial border stronghold. The concentration of demoted military officers here does not bode well."
After a pause, Xu Gui continued, "I have tallied the numbers. Each demoted officer brought over forty servants—and that's only the visible ones. There are more in secret, though I haven't uncovered the exact count. Those servants are no ordinary attendants; from what I've observed, each possesses considerable martial skill."
Gu Yanxi nodded inwardly. Placing the meticulous Xu Gui here had indeed been the right decision. "Before coming to see you, I took a walk around the city and noticed that the number of foreigners has increased significantly since my last visit. Yet Yinshan Pass has clearly imposed a market ban. What are they doing here? What has Wu Yong said about this?"
Xu Gui abruptly knelt again. "Your subordinate has failed in his duties. I only recently discovered that General Wu has been ill for three months. The news was sent back just three days ago."
Gu Yanxi frowned. "What illness?"
"This matter has been tightly concealed. Since learning of it, I have been investigating continuously, but I have yet to uncover the details. He has not summoned any outside physicians and still makes public appearances, seeming no different from before. If not for the solid evidence, I would suspect he isn't ill at all. However, it is a fact that General Wu's control over the city has significantly weakened."
Gu Yanxi stood up and began pacing back and forth. If it were merely a common illness, Wu Yong would not have concealed it so thoroughly. The more he hid it, the more it suggested the matter was far from trivial.
The Wu family had guarded Yinshan Pass for generations. To them, Yinshan Pass was not just a vital strategic point but also their home and foundation. Their desire for the pass's stability could be said to be even more urgent than the Emperor's.
They also understood well that, as border garrison commanders, martial prowess meant everything. Thus, children of the Wu family learned to ride horses before they could walk, honing solid and formidable skills. Yet some matters were beyond human control. In Wu Yong's generation, he was the only male heir—a perilous situation. Should anything happen to Wu Yong..."Keep a close watch on those military officers. Reinforcements will soon arrive to be at your disposal."
"Yes."
"And one more thing." Gu Yanxi looked at him. "If there is any unrest at Yinshan Pass, do your utmost to protect the Hua family. Seek counsel from Old Master Hua, and whatever he advises must be implemented immediately, regardless of whether you agree with it or not."
"Yes, I will remember that, sir."
PS: This chapter follows the main storyline. Kongkong dislikes stories that constantly revolve around romantic entanglements and petty squabbles. Comparatively, Kongkong prefers grand narratives with sweeping scope. Love, family bonds, and friendship serve as nourishment for this story.
To answer another reader's question: Character design refers to the establishment of a character's attributes. For example, before writing this book, I had to define Hua Zhi's personality, her values, how her romantic relationships would develop, her background, her interpersonal connections, her eventual fate, and all other aspects. This determines whether a character feels vivid and memorable enough to leave an impression. Of course, improvisation is often necessary during writing - if everything is too rigidly predetermined, the character would lack vitality.
Additionally, Kongkong won't include such tangential remarks in the paid word count.
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