Chapter 137

"What's wrong?" Wang Tai asked with concern.

"Nothing." Wang Yang forced a faint smile, picked up his brush again as if gritting his teeth, his arm trembling slightly, face twisted in pain—he wrote one crooked stroke, then cried out, "Ah!" and clutched his arm. "Cousin, I injured my arm in a fall; I can't write for now. Let someone else take dictation—I'll speak it."

Wang Tai looked worried. "Nephew, your injury is serious—you must see a physician at once, or you'll regret it!" He turned to the stoic man. "Wuqian, aren't you skilled in bone and wrist injuries? Go check on my nephew right away."

Wang Yang hesitated. "No need. Just some bruising—it doesn't hurt unless I strain it. Probably nothing serious."

Wang Tai insisted. "No, no! You can't judge injuries by feel!"

The stoic man stepped forward. "Please extend your arm, Young Master."

"Then I'm in your hands." Wang Yang cradled his right arm with his left and slowly extended it.

The stoic man rolled up the sleeve—dark bruising spread across the side of the arm, extending to the elbow, slightly swollen.

He pressed two fingers against the bruised area without expression; Wang Yang gasped in pain.

Wang Tai said, "Be gentle! How is it?"

The stoic man withdrew his hand and reported: "It's a fall injury, but—"

Wang Tai shot him a look of exasperation, cutting him off. "We already know how it happened! Just tell me: how bad is it? Is the bone damaged? What's the treatment?"

"Not serious. No damage to tendons or bone. Rub with bruise ointment, rest a few days, and it'll heal."

"Do we have such ointment at home? If not, buy some. Send it to my nephew's house today—with crab."

Wang Yang's previously calm gaze rippled like a stone dropped in water—his voice thick with emotion. "Cousin, you treat me... truly... far too kindly!"

Wang Tai waved dismissively. "We're family—no need for such words. But Zhiyan, I must say this: a man of wealth doesn't sit near the eaves! You're a scion of Langya. Ride in carriages when you travel. Avoid risky things like horseback riding. Your body carries the entire family's honor—don't take it lightly!"

You old fox, you're good at talking!

"Cousin is right! I'll be careful from now on!"

Wang Yang feigned renewed energy after Wang Tai's "verbal baptism": "Cousin! I've thought of the words! Send someone to write—I'll dictate!"

"What words?" Wang Tai feigned ignorance.

"The ones the Prince of Badong said—"

"Bah! You're injured—why talk about it? Forget him! Your health comes first! Rest and recover!"

"But cousin, I fear the household registration inspection might start suddenly—"

"It won't be that soon. Rest these days. Don't think of anything else. Come to me the first day after Dragon Boat Festival."

Wang Yang understood: his dictation was worthless—he must write it himself.

Both Wang Tai and the mysterious woman had asked him to spy on the Prince of Badong, but they differed greatly.

First, the woman only asked for information; Wang Tai demanded he fabricate accusations.

Second, though the woman was harsh, she genuinely filled gaps in his identity; Wang Tai feigned warmth, but all his "benefits" were empty words—and he subtly threatened him through his men.

Third, Wang Tai seemed more urgent. The woman only said "after Dragon Boat Festival"; she gave no exact date. Wang Tai specified "the first day after Dragon Boat Festival"—this likely meant he was following a fixed plan, step by step!

Fourth—and most practical—the woman never asked him to write down any conversation.

Wang Tai wanted his handwriting.

What did Wang Tai truly intend? What was his next move?

Wang Yang didn't think Wang Tai would use a few lines he wrote to frame a prince—it was too weak, too clumsy.

But he couldn't yet grasp Wang Tai's true motive.

Yet regardless of intent, if he wrote down the Prince of Badong's forbidden words, it became testimony.

Testimony has two uses: one with a witness, the other—no one left to contradict it.

If the former, he still had value—temporarily safe.

If the latter, then the first day after Dragon Boat Festival, the moment he finished writing that testimony, might be the end of his life.

So his original plan must accelerate.

Wang Yang smiled. "Fine, I'll follow cousin's advice. Cousin, come to my home on Dragon Boat Festival—let me show my filial piety."

Wang Tai paused, then declined: "I appreciate your kindness, nephew, but I've already promised an old friend I'd visit him on that day—I can't break that promise. Next time—next Dragon Boat Festival—you come to my house. We'll meet in the capital!"

Wang Yang's eyes flickered with disappointment. "If cousin has plans, I won't insist. I'd planned to discuss a business matter with you on Dragon Boat Festival—but since you're busy, I'll tell you now."

He repeated the business plan he'd told the mysterious woman—but this time, his tone was plain, simple: just pooling money to buy goods, promising great prospects, big profits. The substance was unchanged, but his words, tone, and expression lacked the slick polish he'd used with the woman.

Wang Tai showed far more interest than the woman had—he discussed the business with Wang Yang, praised his cleverness and diligence, and warned him not to sink too deep into commerce and damage his reputation. They talked for half a day—yet when Wang Yang left, Wang Tai still hadn't said whether he'd invest.

After Wang Yang left, Wang Tai sneered: "Fake jade is fake jade. No matter how much he reads, he'll never rise to the surface. Wuqian, don't you agree?"

The stoic man said: "Master, I don't want to fake smiles for him anymore."

Wang Tai chuckled. "You... fine. You won't need to smile much longer. When you checked his injury earlier, you said 'but'—what did you mean by 'but'?"

"But such bruising can also be caused by blunt force applied with precision."

Wang Tai's expression hardened. He replayed Wang Yang's actions, speech, and expressions in his mind, then shook his head with a light laugh. "No—he couldn't have such cunning."

"I didn't say he did. I only commented on the injury."

"If he really injured himself, he's not simple. So young, yet such calculation..."

Wang Tai drew a sharp breath. If Wang Yang truly had this cunning, his entire judgment of him must be overturned. But that would mean Wang Yang had been pretending before him all along?!

If Wang Yang had been acting since their first meeting—and so convincingly—he was terrifying...

Wang Tai suddenly realized he was frightening himself, and laughed aloud: "If that's true, then it's not me playing him—it's him playing me."

"That boy doesn't deserve to be mentioned alongside you, Master."

"He doesn't. Even if he has such cunning, it's meaningless—just delays things a few days. What difference does it make? As long as I hold his fatal weakness, he can't stir up trouble."

"Master's back!" Xiao Little Little Awu was washing clothes in the inner courtyard; seeing Wang Yang, she smiled like a little apple.

"Didn't I tell you not to do this?" Wang Yang saw the washbasin bigger than Xiao Little Little Awu herself and felt the guilt of child labor.

"I'm bored!" Little Little Awu thought: better I do it—otherwise, buying more servants will cost the Master money. Father said the two yard laborers and gatekeeper cost nineteen thousand five hundred coins! Good heavens!! Isn't that wasting the Master's money!!

"Why are you bored? Didn't I tell you to learn characters from Chen Chen Azi?"

"Chen Chen Azi and Father went out on business."

"What business?" Wang Yang was surprised.

"Father asked Chen Chen Azi to help..."

As they spoke, Chen Chen Chen Qingshan entered the courtyard.

Wang Yang asked: "You went to help Blackie? What for?"

"To help you."

"Huh?"

"About the fan. I don't know the details—ask Blackie. He's waiting outside for you."

Since moving into the new home, Blackie strictly followed rules—he rarely entered the inner courtyard. Whenever he needed to come in, he always asked permission first. Wang Yang had told him there were barely any people in the house—no need for such formality—but Blackie insisted, so Wang Yang let it be.

Wang Yang called out: "Blackie, come in."