.

  Chen Qu's eyes were bitter with tears.

  Deserting the city and fleeing, without regard for the lives of the common people! Coward! Criminal!

  Wouldn't anyone who knew about his experiences laugh at him?

  He couldn't help but lower his head and muttered: "Miss, I'm getting old, every time it's windy and rainy, my knees ache unbearably, I'm afraid I can no longer serve you, after the rain stops, I'll go back to True Definition..."

  The hall was quiet and soundless, Du Zhao neither spoke to retain him nor let him leave easily, the oppressive silence made the sound of rain outside even clearer, and the hall seemed even more quiet.

  Chen Qu Shui raised his head in surprise and saw Dou Zhao sitting there stupidly, his eyes wide with fear.

  He couldn't help but be shocked in his heart and loudly shouted "Fourth Miss": "You, you, what's wrong with you?"

  Dou Zhaixin's mind was in a daze and she didn't hear clearly what Chen Qu Shui said.

  She was trying hard to recall things from before.

  In her previous life, soon after the Jiang family's downfall, the British princess consort passed away. While still in mourning, Song Mo was expelled from the British prince's mansion and went missing.

  She has never experienced any of these things.

  Song Mo is one year younger than her.

  At that time, she was only thinking about how to marry into the Jin'ning Marquis's mansion and was indifferent to people and things outside of the Jin'ning Marquis's mansion. It wasn't until she married into the Jin'ning Marquis's mansion and entered the noble circle in the capital that she gradually heard some rumors about what had happened back then.

  The Dingguo Gongfu was established with military merit, and it was common for sons to be sent to the barracks at the age of 14 to hone their skills. As a result, many rose through the ranks and became wealthy, but more died quietly on the battlefield. To ensure the prosperity of their descendants, the Jiang family had a habit of taking in many concubines, and there was no clear distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children. They all followed their masters to learn martial arts and attended school at the Jiang Family Academy, where only those with military talent were recognized. This practice was criticized by the aristocratic families of Kyoto, but it also led to the emergence of many famous generals from the Jiang family, whose relatives spread across the country.

  Jiang Meihua was the sixth generation Dingguo Gong. He had twelve brothers, only five of whom were adults. In the third year of Yongming, he was ordered to garrison Fujian, and except for his fifth brother Jiang Baishan who stayed in Kyoto due to his young age, his second brother Jiang Zhushan, third brother Jiang Lanhua, and fourth brother Jiang Songhua all followed him south.

  In the eighth year of Yongming, Jiang Zhutong died in battle and was posthumously awarded the title of Marquis Qinghai by the Emperor.

  In the eighteen years that Jiang Meiheng served as the commander-in-chief of Fujian, he achieved great military successes and almost completely eliminated the Japanese pirates along the coast. As a result, private ships in Fujian and Zhejiang did not dare to sail during the day, causing great difficulties for the wealthy merchants who smuggled goods in the south. Many people were offended by him, but he was on good terms with several high-ranking officials in the imperial court, so no matter how much the censors criticized him, he remained unscathed and continued to enjoy the emperor's favor. Gradually, nobody dared to provoke him anymore.

  But that time I don't know why. Suddenly, there was an impeachment by the censor, Jiang Meicun killed the good and took credit, raised the bandits to be heavy, and after the emperor received the memorial, not only did he ask for punishment, but also ordered the Brocade Guard to bring the Jiang brothers to the Grand Court of Justice in Kyoto for trial.

  What's even more astonishing is that Jiang Meihua and Jiang Lanhua, brothers on their way back to Beijing, were executed and died. Jiang Songhua was imprisoned in the Temple of Justice and took his own life out of fear of punishment. The entire Jiang family was later beheaded.

  It is said that Madame Mei, the wife of the Jiang family, received the imperial edict and took advantage of the Jin Yiwei's house search. She brought all the female members of the Jiang family, including a three-year-old and a two-year-old granddaughter, to take poison and die together.

  At the time of the execution at Caishikou, there were men from the Chiang family but no women.

  In the following decades, there was no one in Fujian who could resist the Japanese pirates, and they repeatedly appeared on the shore to slaughter cities.

  Kyoto people often shake their heads and sigh when they hear such things, saying "If Lord Yoshimasa were still alive, it would be better."

  After the King of Liao ascended to the throne, he pacified the rebellion for the Jiang family. The portrait of Jiang Meiying was moved into the Shrine of Loyalty, and the Dingguo Duke Mansion, which had been bestowed upon Grand Princess Ningde by the previous emperor, was also taken back. The King of Liao even specially invited Song Mo to ask if there were any surviving members of the Jiang family.

  Song Mo replied that the Jiang family had no more descendants.

  However, there have been rumors circulating among the people that Jiang Meihua's younger brother, Jiang Baikui, had a posthumous son who was still alive. When the Jiang family encountered difficulties, he was secretly taken away by a loyal servant of the Jiang family and raised in Qishan Alley.

  Madam Guo, the wife of Xuan Ning Hou, told her about this matter and laughed: "Since it's a case of exterminating the entire family, the Jin Yiwei must have taken a headcount. Not to mention Jiang Baiqian's son, even the personal attendants and managers with a good reputation wouldn't be missing one person. Those commoners just like to fabricate these things, making people think that good people will definitely have good fortune..."

  Calculating the time, Song Mo was driven out of the house in the 14th year of Chengping.

  Going further back, Lady Britton probably died in the summer of Tempo 14... or possibly in the spring, or in the winter of Tempo 13.

  The Jiang family should have been in the 13th year of Chengping.

  It is now April of the 13th year of Chengping...

  Dong Zhao jumped up.

  That is to say, Jiang Meihua was ordered to be held accountable for his crimes at this time!

  Dong Zhao thought of the infant who was less than a hundred days old.

  She suddenly broke out in a cold sweat and asked Chen Qu Shui: "Mr. Chen, you said, will it be that something happened to Ding Guo Gong?"

  Chen Qu Shui was asked by Zou Zhao, and he couldn't understand the meaning of it. He thought to himself: "It shouldn't be possible, right? Ding Guo Gong seems rough on the surface but is actually meticulous, everything is in his heart. As a general guarding one side, if something happens, there should be news coming out. Now we haven't heard anything, and Ding Guo Gong has a very good private relationship with Zeng Yi Fen..."

  He said up to here, and couldn't help but change color, looking towards Tuo Zhao Wang.

  Dòu Zhāoyě zhèng zǎo zhe tā wàng guòlái.

  English Translation: Dou Zhao Ye was staring at him with a straight face.

  The two people looked at each other and exclaimed in unison: "Xiang Yunfen is dead now..."

  Yes, Zeng Guofan is dead now. The cabinet is at a time of transition between old and new. Several senior officials have passed away without concern for the distant future. Where is there still room to care about Jiang Meixiu who is far away in Fujian?

  If anyone has a grudge against Jiang Meiqing, now is the perfect opportunity to take action.

  "Could it be that something has really happened to Dingguo Gong?" Chen Quanshui's forehead also broke out in fine sweat, "That, that child..."

  "Entrust an orphan!" Duan Zhao said, taking a long breath.

  Only with the support of the orphaned can such a secretive affair be carried out, and only then can the British noble's son, Song Mo, travel lightly and simply, personally escorting the expert all the way.

  She tried to calm her emotions down slowly, calmly saying: "Now we can only pretend that we don't know anything." Then she raised her head and looked at the roof, muttering: "I hope this rain stops soon, even if it doesn't stop, let it be lighter."

  They set out early in order to make haste on their journey.

  Chen Qu Shui's face turned very unsightly, he looked at Duan Zhao with a difficult-to-speak expression and said in a low voice: "I'm afraid things aren't that simple..."

  Dou Zhaowei furrowed his brow and listened intently to what he was saying.

  "Did you notice the young scholar in green standing beside Song Shizi?" Chen Quanshui said with difficulty, "His surname is Yan, his name is Yun, and his courtesy name is Chaogong. He was once one of the most capable advisors under the command of Dingguo Gong. When I left Fujian, I heard that he had been favored by the sister of Dingguo Gong - the wife of Yingguo Gong, to be a teacher for her own son. It was only because I recognized him that I guessed the young master was Song Mo, the son of Yingguo Gong."

  Dong Zhaoming suddenly understood and hastily asked: "Did that person recognize you?"

  "At that time, Yan Chaoqing was a red person in front of Ding Guogong, and I was just one of Zhang Kai's many staff members. But this person had a meticulous mind and the ability to remember everything he saw, and was therefore entrusted with managing the documents of the General's Office." Chen Quanshui said frankly, "As soon as I saw him, I hastily retreated back into the room, I don't know if he saw me or not."

  ※※※※※

  Song Mo didn't sleep either.

  There was no light in the room. He stood in front of the window with the window open wide, looking out at the heavy rain outside. His expression was calm.

  A gust of wind blew by, scattering the rainwater like threads, and the air was filled with a moist mist.

  A thin figure emerged silently from the darkness and stopped three feet away from Song Mo, saying in a respectful tone: "Young Master, be careful not to get wet. Do you want me to close the window?"

  Song Mo didn't respond to him and asked: "Has Mr. Yan not returned yet?"

  That person was just about to respond when he suddenly cocked his ear to listen, then broke into a smile and said: "Young Master, Mr. Yan has arrived."

  Song Mo nodded and sat down on the armchair beside him.

  Yan Chaoqing and a somewhat rustic-looking man walked in, drenched from head to toe, with water droplets falling from the hem of their clothes onto the green brick floor.

  "Sir." The two of them bowed to Song Mo and he pointed to the armchair beside him, indicating for them to sit down and talk.

  The slender figure was unaffected by the night color, and with nimble hands and feet, he poured a cup of tea for each of them, then retreated silently into the darkness.

  Song Mo asked calmly, "Have you found anything?"

  Yan Chaoqing and the man who came with him exchanged a glance, both revealing a smile with a hint of bitterness: "Young master, it seems we're in trouble this time!"

  Song Mo looked at the two of them with a calm and peaceful expression.

  The man who came with Yan Zhaoqing said, "We met a staff member under Zhang Kai." Then he told the story of Jiang Meixiu and Zhang Kai's feud, "This person is named Chen Bo, also known as Qu Shui, and his courtesy name is Yuechuan. He is well-versed in literature and history, skilled at judging people, and has a sharp tongue, with talent comparable to that of Zhang Yi. In the past when Zhang Kai led troops to attack Du Bian's Fifty-fourth Lang, it was this person who persuaded Zhejiang Governor An Daoquan to send troops to assist by speaking on his behalf. He is now working as an accountant in this household."

  "Can you be certain?" Song Mo's face showed a serious expression for the first time.

  "Absolutely!" Yan Chaoqing said with certainty, "Xu Qing had me wait outside his door for almost half an hour, and he was very restless, constantly sending servants to inquire if Miss Duanmu had woken up. It seemed like he wanted to say something to her, and I think he recognized us."

  Song Hei fell silent for a moment, then spoke in a low voice: "There's an outer family guard who has reached the pinnacle of martial arts, and an accountant who used to be Zhang Kai's aide. Plus a dozen or so formidable attendants. This Fourth Miss Duan is not simple at all." Xu Qing," he smiled and instructed the man who had come with Yan Zhaoqin, "keep a close eye on this mansion, don't let anyone in or out." He then turned to Yan Zhaoqin and said, "Tomorrow we'll probably be stuck here for another day, sir. You should get some rest early!"

  Yan Chaoqing and Xu Qing's expressions suddenly became tense.

  Their whereabouts have been exposed, and this is what the young master meant by silencing them.

  Xu Qing hesitated: "There are twenty or so people in total..."

  "All the more reason to be cautious." Song Mo's expression didn't change, his tone was light and calm.

  The two men said nothing more, nodded in unison and backed away.

  Song Mo regarded the dark night as if it were nothing, calmly passing through the furnishings in the house, lifting the curtain and entering the warm pavilion behind.

  In the warm pavilion, only a small oil lamp was lit.

  The gentle and soft wet nurse was lying beside the baby, hearing a noise she immediately sat up vigilantly, seeing it was Song Mo, she let out a breath of relief, softly calling "young master", then got up from bed.

  Song Mo made a gesture, indicating that she shouldn't wake up the child. Then he bent down and gently stroked the child's black hair, smiling: "Is the child okay?" The smile was very warm and peaceful under the lamp light, making people feel at ease as soon as they saw it.

  The wet nurse nodded, a smile spreading across her face: "The young master is very well-behaved, not crying or throwing a tantrum." As she said this, she thought of the child's mother who had hanged herself to keep the secret, and tears welled up in her eyes.

  "Don't worry," Song Mo comforted her in a warm voice, "we'll be there soon."

  The milkmaid nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with trust as she looked at him.

  Song Mo walked out of the warm pavilion with a straight and upright posture.

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  Sisters and brothers, pink votes, pink votes...

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