Chapter 642: What Should We Do?

The man clasped his hands and said, "I have not found the young master, nor have I heard a child's cries."

"But in the Listening Rain Pavilion, I saw the portrait's woman Yun Niang; she was making a child's garment."

Zhou Jinhua clenched his fists tightly—child's clothing?

If the child is not nearby, why bother making any clothing!

Good! It seems yesterday's secret letter was not empty words.

My grandson is actually hidden inside the Ning Prince's Mansion!

However, Prince Qing seizing Yun Niang is one thing; why also raise his own grandson in the Prince's Mansion?

He kept a composed expression as he thought, and the carriage stopped in front of the Marquis's Residence gate.

The man helped him out of the carriage.

Zhou Jinhua gritted his teeth, "Weren't the recent days in Jingcheng filled with rumors of ancestral unrest and the Grand Ancestral Temple showing its spirit?"

"Yes! It has just calmed down a bit these past days. What does Lord Hou mean?"

"Calmed down? Hmph!" Zhou Jinhua sneered, "Send all the elite from the residence out!"

"Make a commotion at the Grand Ancestral Temple for me, bigger than the previous ones!"

"Then spread the rumors of the two princes plotting rebellion and the ancestral temple's unrest even more fiercely!"

The man was startled, "Lord Hou, what are you saying?"

"Speak whatever nonsense you like!"

"Hmph, didn't Prince Qing say we are as close as family? I'm now burning with impatience, and they won't have it easy!"

"Yes!"

"You!" he raised his hand and pointed at the man, "Ignore them; keep a tight watch on that Listening Rain Pavilion!"

"Yun Niang will surely see the child, so guard it well; I must see the young master with my own eyes!"

"Otherwise, don't come back to see me!"

"Yes! I obey! I'll arrange it right now!"

Zhou Jinhua waved his hand, "Go."

Two days later, Chu Yuan returned to the Guoshi Residence with a strange expression, "These past days you were here, and I did not act."

"I don't know why, but the night noises have become louder, and the rumors outside spread more fiercely."

Everyone who heard the words was stunned.

"Why?" Tuan Tuan handed him a piece of red bean paste cake to his mouth, "Master, try it, it's delicious!"

"Auntie's pastries are getting better and better!"

She picked up another piece and handed it to Eunuch Cheng, "Grandpa, you eat too!"

The two smiled and took them.

Xiao Er asked, "National Preceptor, what exactly happened?"

Chu Yuan swallowed the cake in his mouth, and Tuan Tuan hurriedly poured him a cup of tea.

"So well-behaved!" Chu Yuan took a sip, "These past two days, Jingcheng has been truly bustling."

"Last night, two night watchmen passed the Grand Ancestral Temple and said they heard clear cries from inside, which frightened them greatly."

"Those two night watchmen were frightened, so last night they called several more people to go with them. Unexpectedly, everyone who went also heard it clearly."

"Bolstered by their numbers, they boldly approached, and on the wall there was a faint black silhouette resembling a true dragon."

"They were so scared their legs went weak, and a few drops of water fell on the heads of two of them."

"Is the great dragon crying?" Tuan Tuan asked excitedly, as if reading a book, "Who bullied it?"

Xiao Ningyuan patted her little head, "Impossible! Someone must be faking spirits."

"Oh," Tuan Tuan pressed, "What happened next? Master, where did the great dragon go?"

"I'm just about to say that," Chu Yuan laughed, "The two night watchmen described it vividly, and said what fell on their heads wasn't water but blood!"

Blood? Everyone who heard widened their eyes.

"This morning, several blood‑red large characters appeared on the outer wall of the imperial palace."

"Two princes plotting rebellion, ancestors weeping blood."

Feng Zhou, who had just taken a sip of tea, nearly spat it out, "Huh? Who did this?"

Chu Yuan shook his head, "Unclear."

He then sighed, "But it's truly effective, far more straightforward than the methods of me and Wang Mingrui."

"Now this matter has spread throughout Jingcheng, from street to alley, tea houses to taverns, everyone is discussing it."

"Some say that the true dragon is His Majesty."

"Hmph!" Tuan Tuan objected, "Imperial Uncle would never shed tears!"

"Others say the great dragon is weeping for the current emperor; in short, all sorts of rumors abound."

"Although the common people dare not mention Prince Chen and Prince Qing, everyone understands the implication."

Tuan Tuan clapped her small hands, "Great! Who's helping dad?"

"If I knew who it was, I'd definitely send him a box of Auntie's pastries!"

Xiao Ningyuan's eyes flickered, "Could it be Marquis Jinghai?"

"Huh? It's him!" Tuan Tuan thought, "He's done plenty of bad deeds; no need to give him pastries, I'll keep them for myself."

Everyone laughed.

Xiao Er asked, "Does the eldest son's meaning imply that Marquis Jinghai has already taken action to reclaim his grandson?"

He couldn't help but laugh, "Hahaha! I never expected Zhou Jinhua would have a day helping the Prince!"

"Deserve it!" Feng Zhou said resentfully, "Let them dog‑bite dog!"

Xiao Ningyuan thought: "I just don't know what Zhou Jinhua will do next."

Tuan Tuan picked up Xiao Feifei, stroking its fine, dense fur: "As long as he helps Father, it doesn't matter what he does!"

That night, the green‑clothed man returned to the marquis's mansion.

Zhou Jinhua jumped to his feet the moment he saw him: "How is it?"

The man replied: "I have not failed my orders!"

Zhou Jinhua's voice trembled: "Did you see him? Is the young master all right?"

The man's face showed reluctance as he recounted Yunniang and the child's situation in full.

Zhou Jinhua understood: "So that's it—Prince Qing, that beast, actually used the child to threaten Yunniang and manipulate her at will."

"Marquis," the man began, then hesitated.

Zhou Jinhua's heart sank: "What else? Speak!"

The man replied: "Prince Qing said…"

Zhou Jinhua flew into a rage: "Nonsense, Your Highness! Xiao Jichang, you damned traitor!"

"Yes, yes!" the man hastily corrected: "Prince Qing, you damned traitor!"

Zhou Jinhua asked: "What did he say?"

The man replied: "The scoundrel told Yunniang, 'A spoiled mother raises a good-for-nothing son; a man should leave his mother early to become talented, otherwise…'"

Zhou Jinhua frowned: "Otherwise what?"

The man gritted his teeth: "Otherwise, he'll end up like Zhou Jing'an—a worthless playboy!"

Smack!

Zhou Jinhua slammed his palm on the table: "Scoundrel! It was he who sent Jing'an to Yu Province!"

"Because of him, Jing'an's whereabouts are still unknown! He even dares to slander him behind his back!"

The man closed his eyes and swallowed.

Zhou Jinhua's brows knotted into a large lump: "What else?"

"Your Hig—" the man's tongue stumbled, "Your Highness still said…"

Zhou Jinhua couldn't help laughing: "A dog's mouth can't spit out ivory! What else did he say?"

The man fell to his knees with a thud: "He said the eldest young master is dead and will never come back!"

Zhou Jinhua staggered, his face draining of color as he seized the man's collar and pulled his face close: "Did you hear clearly? Jing'an is dead?"

"I heard it loud and clear!" the man wrenched free, knocked his head to the ground, and said, "It was the scoundrel's own words!"

"He kept urging Yunniang, saying the eldest young master is dead and telling her not to dwell on it."

Zhou Jinhua's vision blackened; he spat a mouthful of blood and collapsed backward.

"Marquis!" the man lunged over, not even having time to shout for a doctor, pressing hard on his chest and pinching his philtrum: "Marquis, hold on! You still have the young master!"

In his haze, Zhou Jinhua heard only the three words "young master."

"Young master, he's my grandson!"

"Right, Jing'an may be dead, but my grandson still lives!"

"I will surely rescue him from Prince Qing's hands!"

Zhou Jinhua held his breath and gradually recovered.

The man watched as he slowly opened his eyes, sweat pouring down his forehead as he collapsed: "Marquis, please give your orders—what should we do?"