Chapter 110: Conspiracy
Two tall guards escorted Qingxu Taoist Priest before Ye Xian and reported, "Young Master, we've captured him."
Qingxu Taoist Priest was stunned. Young Master? Which noble family's heir would personally come to arrest him?
Ye Xian glanced at the priest and ordered, "Take him back and hand him over to Li Xianhuai for interrogation."
A guard from the Prince of Yanping's household, clad in a thick cotton-padded jacket, stepped forward to greet Ye Xian with a flattering smile and cupped his hands. "Many thanks for your assistance, Young Master! If you'd honor us, this humble servant will report back to the Prince of Yanping immediately!" He then shot a glance at Gu Dezhao—this Magistrate Gu truly had the audacity to interfere with their affairs.
Qingxu Taoist Priest hurriedly pleaded, "Young Master! This is a misunderstanding! This humble priest devotes himself to spiritual cultivation—how could I commit such an act? I truly didn't harm the Prince's eldest son!"
Ye Xian couldn't be bothered to argue. One of the guards promptly dislocated the priest's jaw, leaving him grimacing in pain, his words reduced to incoherent mumbles. The guards then dragged him away.
Jinchao watched from a distance, hearing every word clearly. Only now did she understand why Qingxu Taoist Priest appeared so youthful and rosy-cheeked—it was likely due to long-term arsenic consumption. In her past life, she had heard that small doses of arsenic could beautify the skin. Some concubines would ingest a pinch of arsenic powder daily to maintain their charm and favor.
The Prince of Yanping's eldest son had been bedridden for years. A dose of arsenic would undoubtedly claim his fragile life.
The Changxing Marquis's household had always been on good terms with the Prince of Yanping—no wonder Ye Xian had come personally to make the arrest. Jinchao hesitated as she looked at him... Should she tell him about Xiao Qishan? If she didn't, she would have to watch as Ye Xian walked the same path as in her past life—becoming a notorious villain, condemned for eternity.
Gu Dezhao suddenly paled as realization struck. "The elixirs... Oh no—!" He immediately dashed outside.
Li Guanshi, bewildered by the sudden turn of events, hurried after him. Jinchao, however, understood—her father had just remembered the elixirs sent to Gu Jinrong. She instructed Mama Tong to follow him. "...Tell Father that Jinrong didn't take the elixirs."
Fortunately, she had been cautious enough to warn Gu Jinrong against consuming those so-called "immortal pills." They were nothing but death in disguise.
Ye Xian turned to Jinchao, seemingly puzzled by the commotion.
She approached him with a smile. "Would Young Master honor us by staying for a cup of tea?"
Ye Xian remained silent, slightly displeased that she kept forgetting to address him as "Uncle." After a pause, he asked indifferently, "...Did the cactus you planted survive?"
Jinchao was taken aback before replying with a wry smile, "It's thriving beyond expectation, rest assured."
She led Ye Xian to the flower hall, where a maid served almond tea.
After one sip, Ye Xian frowned—he was notoriously picky about food—and set the cup aside without another glance. He then spoke of Qingxu Taoist Priest. "...Your father, too—how could he believe such a charlatan? Using arsenic for preservation—utterly preposterous."
If he didn't maintain his appearance, he wouldn't be able to swindle others out of their money, Jinchao thought privately. She then asked, "How did you discover the arsenic in the elixirs?"Ye Xian lazily reclined in the armchair and said calmly, "The eldest son of the Prince of Yanping was born frail, yet he indulged in debauchery, which ruined his health long ago. Last night, he died suddenly. The prince suspects poisoning and had all the food his son consumed collected for Mr. Xiao to examine. It turned out there was arsenic in the elixirs... To be honest, even without those pills, his son wouldn’t have lived much longer. Poor Qingxu Taoist Priest, caught in this mess..."
Ye Xian spoke of such licentious matters without batting an eye.
Jinchao found it difficult to comment on this matter, but when Ye Xian mentioned Mr. Xiao, she hesitated inwardly.
"Is Mr. Xiao's courtesy name Qishan?" she asked with a smile. "He treated my concubine, and I thought of carving a seal for him as a gift."
Ye Xian gave an indifferent "Oh" and asked, "Is your concubine better now?"
Jinchao shook her head and replied softly, "She refused to take Mr. Xiao's medicine. After losing the child, her spirit hasn’t been well."
Ye Xian showed little interest in the concubine’s affairs and instead spoke of Xiao Qishan: "His pseudonym is Qishan, but I don’t recall his courtesy name. Back when we were in Guizhou, a fellow townsman came looking for him, and that’s when I learned his real name is Xiao You. Since his name is You, perhaps his courtesy name is Lansheng—just carve whatever you like!"
Ye Xian chuckled carelessly, only to look up and notice Jinchao’s troubled expression.
So it was that Xiao You—the same one who later became Prince Rui’s advisor!
Jinchao’s heart tightened, but when she looked up, she found Ye Xian staring at her as if trying to read her thoughts.
She quickly forced a smile. "Did you live in Guizhou, Uncle?"
Ye Xian’s mood lightened slightly, and he nodded. "I was frail as a child. From the age of five until eleven, I lived in Guizhou—all that time with Mr. Xiao."
Ye Xian must have been very close to Xiao Qishan! The thought made Jinchao even more hesitant to speak. After a pause, she finally said, "A few days ago, when I was in Tongzhou, I heard that bandits from Guizhou had crossed into Xianghe and were secretly transporting weapons to Yanjing."
Bandits from Guizhou? Why was she telling him this? Ye Xian nodded. "Bandits are common in mountainous regions—nothing unusual. But transporting weapons... Did you see this yourself, or did someone tell you?"
How could Gu Jinzhao explain that this involved the Ji family?
Ye Xian was far too sharp—if she gave even a hint, he’d pry out everything she knew. Jinchao decided it was best not to involve herself too deeply. "Uncle, you’ve helped me a lot. I won’t hide this from you. I’ve heard some troubling things about Mr. Xiao—he may have secret ties to Prince Rui. With the Emperor gravely ill, the court may soon face upheaval. You should be careful of those around you..."
With that, she took her leave before Ye Xian could stop her.
Lost in thought, Ye Xian wondered how a sheltered young woman like Gu Jinzhao could know about court affairs. What exactly had she heard?
Most importantly—was it true?
Prince Rui and the Marquis of Changxing’s family were bitter rivals, the most opposed among the nobility. The feud dated back to when the old marquis suppressed the rebellion of Prince Cheng. At the time, Prince Rui had tried to protect Prince Cheng’s son, but Ye Xian’s grandfather executed him. Since Prince Rui and Prince Cheng were brothers, his grandfather had killed his own nephew—and thus the grudge was born.
Ye Xian’s heart clenched. Xiao Qishan had once been Prince Cheng’s advisor...He felt he should investigate this matter thoroughly.
Ye Xian called his guards and prepared to return to his residence. The group hurried along but ran into Gu Lan, who had come upon hearing the news.
Gu Lan had been learning embroidery from a new Suzhou embroiderer when she heard about the soldiers arriving at the estate. She rushed to the Chrysanthemum Willow Pavilion to see what was happening. Instead of soldiers, she saw Ye Xian approaching with his entourage. Her heart inexplicably fluttered as she curtsied and said, "Greetings to the Heir."
Ye Xian paused and saw it was Gu Jinzhao's half-sister, with a piece of hemp cloth pinned to her chest. Gu Jinzhao's mother was also her mother, and she seemed visibly distressed—likely from grief. He nodded slightly. "Second Miss Gu, there’s no need for formalities."
His voice was noticeably gentler than usual.
Gu Lan looked up. Ye Xian was dressed in a moon-white Dark Blue Scholar Gown, his posture elegant, his face as flawless as jade. This picturesque young man was surrounded by a group of tall guards, like stars orbiting the moon. Yet, this very youth also wielded immense power...
She lowered her gaze with a faint smile and stepped aside to let him pass. She remained standing there for a long while, lost in thought.
In her memory, Ye Xian had never been this gentle with her before. Could it mean... she held some special place in his heart?
A faint smile touched Gu Lan’s lips.
Mu Jin whispered beside her, "The Heir is truly remarkable... I doubt even women could rival his beauty. And you, Miss, are just as graceful—standing beside him, you don’t pale in comparison at all."
Gu Lan replied softly, "You and your sweet words! Let’s hurry to the Chrysanthemum Willow Pavilion." But there was no trace of anger in her tone. Mu Jin, sensing she had guessed her mistress’s thoughts correctly, pressed on eagerly, "They say the Changxing Marquis's Heir is indifferent to everyone, yet he was so gentle with you! It must be because of your beauty."
Among the Gu family’s daughters, all were fair, but Gu Jinzhao was the most beautiful—though her reputation was tarnished. Gu Lan smiled faintly. "For a woman, virtue comes first, then appearance. Don’t be so shallow."
Mu Jin quickly agreed, and the mistress and servant gradually walked away.
By the time Gu Dezhao reached his eldest son’s Tranquil Fragrance Study, Mama Tong had finally caught up to him and explained the matter of the elixir: "...The Eldest Miss thought it unwise and advised the young master not to take the pills. You needn’t worry, Master."
Gu Dezhao sighed in relief. Thankfully, his eldest daughter was now sensible. But then guilt crept in—as a father, he had been utterly negligent. He hadn’t even known that Qingxu Taoist Priest dared to put arsenic in the elixir, nearly harming Gu Jinrong! After a long silence, he headed to Gu Jinzhao’s Paulownia Courtyard.
Jinchao was practicing calligraphy in her study—though her mind was far from the brushstrokes, preoccupied instead with thoughts of Ye Xian.
Having lived a second life, she possessed foresight. But this was something she could never reveal to anyone—supernatural matters were taboo, and she knew it well! So there were many things she couldn’t say, not even hint at. How had the Changxing Marquis died in her past life? It was just after Emperor Muzong’s passing—he had led a troop of soldiers into the forbidden palace, only to be cut down by Prince Rui’s sword, accused of treason.
But this explanation was riddled with inconsistencies. The Changxing Marquis had been utterly loyal to the Emperor—rebellion was unthinkable. Even if he had rebelled, who could have stopped him after he stormed the palace and killed the Crown Prince? He was the Changxing Marquis, a man whose very name struck fear into the hearts of barbarians across the land!There was only one explanation: Prince Rui had been lying in wait within the palace, anticipating Marquis Changxing's fatal arrival. But why would Marquis Changxing lead his troops to storm the forbidden palace, especially right after Emperor Muzong's passing?
Jinchao was grateful she had married into the Chen Family in her past life—these matters were clearer to her than to others. Yet no matter how much she knew, there were still gaps in her understanding.
Without knowing these reasons, hinting to Ye Xian to save his father was out of the question.
She pondered for a long time. When Caifu informed her that the master had arrived, she realized her papers were filled with notes about Marquis Changxing and Ye Xian. She took the candlestick and burned them before going out to meet Gu Dezhao.
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