Volume Two: Inherited Honor, Bloodstained Brocade Chapter 116: The Test

Chief Steward Qiu shuddered slightly and gave an awkward laugh. “You flatter me, Young Master. I have been eagerly awaiting your and Madam Third’s return to the manor day and night.” He shook his head with a sigh. “If you and Madam Third don’t come back soon, Mistress Qiong will surely throw the Marquis’s residence into chaos.”

Yang Ning asked, “Chief Steward Qiu, I heard you inherited your position from your father, who also served as steward here back in the day.”

“That’s right. My father and I have both served the Marquis’s household for two generations,” Qiu said with deep feeling. “The late Marquis and the Grand General have bestowed immense kindness upon us. I can never repay them in this lifetime.”

Yang Ning smiled gently. “Chief Steward Qiu, tell me honestly—between Qi Yu and me, who do you think is more suitable to inherit the noble title?”

Qiu was taken aback for a moment before quickly replying, “How could Qi Yu compare to you, Young Master? You are the Grand General’s chosen heir; it is only right and proper that you inherit the title.”

Yang Ning smiled knowingly. “Chief Steward Qiu, are you sure those words are sincere? Let me ask—do you know Zhao Yuan?”

“Zhao Yuan?” Qiu stiffened. “Young Master, I... I have never heard of that person.”

Gu Qinghan’s voice suddenly turned cold. “Zhao Yuan is the accountant at the old estate. You’ve been the one liaising with that side all along. You don’t even know the old estate’s accountant?”

Qiu slapped his forehead. “Ah, Madam Third, now that you mention it, I do recall someone by that name. I was negligent—I only knew there was a Mr. Zhao but never thought to inquire his full name.”

“Since you know Zhao Yuan, you must also know Qi Cheng,” Yang Ning said. “Chief Steward Qiu, I heard that the old steward Qi Hong suffered a stroke three years ago and was sent to Jingzhou City to recuperate. The old estate is now managed by his son, Qi Cheng. Surely you know this?”

Qiu frowned. “Is that so? Young Master, Madam Third, every year someone is sent from the old estate to deliver tax silver. I personally count and verify it. I have never heard that the old steward suffered a stroke.”

“If you don’t know Qi Cheng, how do you know Zhao Yuan?” Yang Ning said coldly. “Don’t you realize Zhao Yuan is employed by Qi Cheng?”

“I truly didn’t know that,” Qiu said calmly. “They deliver the tax silver, I verify the accounts. They mentioned that the estate’s accounts are handled by a Mr. Zhao.”

Madam Third, the affairs of the Marquis’s residence are already complicated enough. The old estate has been somewhat neglected—this is entirely my fault. Please feel free to punish me as you see fit.”

Yang Ning sneered and suddenly roared, “Chief Steward Qiu, are you still not being honest?”

His voice thunderous and earth-shaking, Qiu was startled and fell to his knees. “Young Master, I have served loyally in the residence for many years and would never deceive you. Madam Third, you know my loyalty. If I have erred, punish me, but...!”

At that moment, Qi Feng entered. “Young Master, Madam Third, Mistress Qiong and the Young Lord have left.”

“They’ve gone?” Yang Ning asked. “Did they go to see the Matriarch?”

“No, and they didn’t take anything with them. I followed for a while—they seemed to be heading toward the Third Old Marquis.”

“So they’ve gone to seek help,” Yang Ning smiled. “Good. I was about to find him. If he comes on his own, I won’t need to go myself.” He added, “Take good care of the man you brought along.”

Qi Feng was momentarily stunned but hurriedly said, “Young Master, rest assured—I’ve already...!”

Before Qi Feng could finish, Yang Ning waved him away. After Qi Feng left, Yang Ning turned to Chief Steward Qiu. “Do you know whom I asked Qi Feng to take care of?”

“I... I don’t know!” Qiu stammered.

Yang Ning smiled leisurely. “You said you’ve never met Zhao Yuan. This time, I brought him here so you can get acquainted.”

Gu Qinghan’s eyes flickered with surprise but quickly understood Yang Ning’s intention. Yang Ning was clearly referring to the disheveled man in the black cloak but was using Zhao Yuan’s name to test Chief Steward Qiu.

Qiu’s complexion shifted slightly but he forced a smile. “The Young Master brought back Mr.... Mr. Zhao?”

“But Zhao Yuan confessed that he knows you,” Yang Ning said. “By the way, I forgot to tell you—we encountered trouble in Jiangling. I nearly died there, but fortune favored me and I survived. Do you know who tried to harm me?”

“I... I don’t know,” Qiu’s eye twitched nervously. “Young Master is blessed by heaven and will be safe.”

Yang Ning laughed. “You may not know, but something strange happened at the old estate. The old steward’s son, Qi Cheng, is an impostor. That Mr. Zhao, Zhao Yuan, was the mastermind behind it all. I narrowly escaped death and gathered troops from the Jiangling governor to capture these rebels in one sweep.” Leaning forward, his smile cold and insincere, he said, “Under severe interrogation, Zhao Yuan confessed quite a lot. Did you know they secretly collected forty percent of the taxes from the fief without the Marquis’s knowledge? But to keep the Marquis’s household unaware, they still delivered every coin of tax silver to the residence.”

Qiu’s eye twitched again. “Those people... they are despicable. They deserve nothing less than death.”

“That’s not possible,” Yang Ning said with a smile. “If they were all killed, many truths would remain buried. They told me that this year’s tax silver was sent to the capital and handed over to the Qi family—not the Marquis’s household.”

Qiu gasped, “Could it be...?”

“Could it be what?” Yang Ning stared intently.

“N-nothing. Young Master, where is the tax silver now?”

“Rest assured, I will retrieve every penny. It’s just temporarily kept elsewhere.” Yang Ning added, “By the way, Zhao Yuan mentioned you...”

Qiu’s face turned pale. “Young Master, don’t believe his words! He is framing good people. I have never had any secret contact with him. This kind of man deserves to be killed without mercy.”

Gu Qinghan sneered. “Chief Steward Qiu, you don’t even know what he said, so how can you claim he is framing you? What do you think he said?”

Qiu was momentarily speechless.

Gu Qinghan sighed softly. “So it was really you—the spy inside the Marquis’s household was you?”

She stood suddenly, anger flashing in her eyes. “Qiu Yi, what wrong has the Marquis’s household done to you? Apart from me, everything here is managed by you. You and your father have served loyally for generations. Neither the late Marquis nor the Grand General ever wronged you. Why betray us and collude with those traitors?”

Though Yang Ning’s probing had not yet forced Qiu to confess, Gu Qinghan was certain he was the traitor secretly working with Zhao Yuan. The disaster in Jiangling bore Qiu’s shadow, fueling her fury.

Qiu hurried to explain. “Madam Third, I swear I never contacted Zhao Yuan in secret. Those villains are utterly wicked and must be... must be maliciously slandering me.”

Yang Ning sighed. “Chief Steward Qiu, do I have to bring Zhao Yuan here before you confess? Regardless, you have served here many years, and for your father’s sake, I will handle this matter quietly. If you admit now, I promise no harm will come to you. But if I have to bring Zhao Yuan here for confrontation, I’ll have no choice but to hand both of you over to the authorities.”

Qiu lowered his head in silence. Yang Ning shook his head and shouted, “Send someone to fetch that man, Qi Feng...!”

“Young Master, wait!” Qiu suddenly looked up, eyes full of fear. “I... I cannot hide it. Actually... this is all... all the doing of the Third Old Marquis. I... I had no choice. Please spare me this once.”

“The Third Old Marquis?” Gu Qinghan’s eyes narrowed sharply. “Qiu Yi, don’t recklessly accuse others here.”

Qiu hurried on, “Madam Third, it’s true. The Third Old Marquis wants Qi Yu to inherit the title, so... so he has been targeting you, Young Master. I do know Zhao Yuan and have long been aware that the one managing the old estate is named Qi Cheng. But I truly did not know they were secretly raising taxes there.”

“Why does the Third Old Marquis want Qi Yu to replace me?” Yang Ning’s smile vanished, his voice icy. “What deal lies behind this?”

“There is one,” Qiu said bitterly. “Qi Yu and Mistress Qiong promised the Third Old Marquis that if he inherits the title, half the tax revenue from the fief would be handed to him. The Third Old Marquis currently only controls taxes from five hundred households. Once Qi Yu inherits, that will increase to fifteen hundred. Moreover, several hundred acres of the Marquis’s private fields in Jiangling will also be divided, half going to the Third Old Marquis’s branch.”

Gu Qinghan’s breathing grew rapid and her chest heaved angrily. “You’re not lying?”

“Never,” Qiu said grimly. “Mistress Qiong also promised to give me two hundred households and eight hundred acres separately. I was blinded by greed and was dragged into their scheme.”

“Was this all arranged after the Grand General’s death?” Gu Qinghan frowned. “Otherwise, while the Grand General was alive, no matter what tricks you played, Qi Yu could never inherit the title. Yet you’ve been secretly contacting the old estate for three years. It couldn’t have been decided just recently.”

“The Third Old Marquis is shrewd,” Qiu said. “Three years ago, when the Northern Han forces attacked, the Grand General went to lead the defense. The Third Old Marquis said the General was badly wounded and might survive if given years to recuperate. But if he went off to battle as he did—whether by death or exhaustion—he would not live long.”

He hesitated, then added, “The Third Old Marquis also said that although the Qinhuai army of Chu State is commanded by the Grand General, it is not completely unified. While most soldiers respect the General, some may harbor resentment. The General went to war and did not return. So from the day the General left, the Third Old Marquis prepared for Qi Yu to replace you.”