Chapter 49: A Witty Rebuke, His Home

The urgent call immediately drew the attention of Murong Huan and Xiao Muchen.

The two looked toward the approaching figure and recognized him as the head of the Su family: Su Qing, the Marquis of Wuyi County.

Su Qing’s expression appeared deeply anxious, tinged with profound guilt, yet the moment he caught sight of Murong Huan, a relieved smile involuntarily broke across his face.

Heaven knew how far he had run today. Having originally learned at the Dali Temple that Murong Huan had accompanied Xiao Muchen to the Guo residence, he had rushed over there only to be turned away at the gates by the doorkeeper. After waiting and waiting in vain, he simply ran off to the Xiao estate to wait. After a full two hours without seeing Xiao Muchen return, he sprinted back to the Dali Temple to make inquiries. There, Lu the Eleventh of the Dali Temple informed him that Murong Huan and Chief Imperial Censor Xiao had departed just moments before his arrival. Thus, he had chased all the way here following the carriage bearing the Xiao family crest.

"Eldest uncle—" Murong Huan showed a trace of surprise upon seeing him.

"Won't you come home with me? After all, you are an unmarried young lady; you cannot keep showing your face in public like this. It is terribly detrimental to your reputation. I know your grandmother has a harsh temper and holds many misunderstandings about you. I will explain this to her, and henceforth I shall set strict family rules forbidding anyone in the Su family from bullying you ever again.

"If you wish to study at the Imperial Academy, your eldest uncle agrees as well. Whatever you wish to do, your eldest uncle will support you. Will you come?"

Murong Huan was slightly moved.

"Eldest uncle, I left the Su family neither because grandmother dislikes me, nor because anyone else in the Su family treated me poorly."

"Then why?"

Murong Huan then signaled Xiao Muchen to take out a portrait and display it before Su Qing: "Eldest uncle drew this painting, didn't you?"

In the painting, a young maiden stood beneath a crabapple tree playing a flute. She wore a somewhat worn white robe, her hair tied in a high ponytail, revealing only her profile. She looked exceptionally heroic and spirited, yet possessed a distant, mystical air.

Upon seeing the portrait, Su Qing was equally startled and exclaimed, "Indeed! That day, when I saw you playing the flute beneath the crabapple tree, the scene was so lovely it reminded me of your father. In a sudden flash of inspiration, I painted this. Why do you ask?"

Xiao Muchen then continued, "Someone used this portrait to dump a corpse at the Ruyi Tower, attempting to frame her. Marquis Su, do you know who it is?"

Su Qing’s expression changed drastically: "What did you say? Frame Ah Huan?"

News of the murder at Ruyi Tower had spread through Luoyang City early this morning, and Ah Huan had not returned all night, which was why he had been anxiously searching for her in person at the Dali Temple with several family retainers.

Hearing Xiao Muchen say this, he was struck with sudden dread: Could this murder case actually be connected to Ah Huan?

Immediately, Su Qing recalled the night before last, when his third younger brother, Su Yu, had run into his study, laid eyes upon this portrait, and showered it with praise, declaring that he too wanted to learn brush painting, before taking the painting away.

Seeing him deep in thought with a look of disbelieving realization, Xiao Muchen pressed on, "I have heard that Su Minghe, the second young master of the Su family, and his wife once traveled the realm relying on their medical skills, befriending many righteous martial artists and merchants. Madam Su the Second was even the leader of a merchant association. Therefore, even if Su Minghe and his wife unfortunately passed away, they surely would have left at least a portion of a dowry for their daughter. Yet why would the Su family send her away to an estate far from the divine capital of Luoyang, withhold an orphan girl's dowry, and go so far as to frame their own niece like this?"

Xiao Muchen's words struck like daggers, leaving Su Qing too ashamed and embarrassed to utter a single reply.

"Marquis Su, I, Xiao Muchen, am not short of money, nor am I capable of the shameless act of embezzling an orphan's property. So rest assured, I shall certainly treat your niece well. Furthermore, she is a physician I invited to treat my illness, which makes her a benefactor in my eyes.

"To a benefactor, I will always repay kindness tenfold."

Xiao Muchen finished with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes, leaving Su Qing utterly speechless. He stood stunned for a long while before nodding with a forced smile and repeating several times, "Yes, indeed! Lord Censor Xiao speaks with absolute reason..."

"Therefore, you should return! If Murong Huan were to stay in your Su family, that truly would be the height of peril, wouldn't it?"

...

In the end, Su Qing was left utterly without retort, too ashamed to even face Murong Huan. He returned to the Su estate in dejected defeat accompanied by a few retainers. Upon seeing his crestfallen appearance, Old Madam Su instantly flew into a rage and demanded, "What is the meaning of this? Has that girl actually taken up residence at the Dali Temple? Does she intend to carouse with a pack of men from now on? Does she even remember that she is a young lady of a respectable family?

"Truly utterly vulgar! Let us simply pretend our Su family has no such person, and have nothing more to do with her from now on!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Qin and Madam Qiu could not conceal their gloating delight.

Feeling utterly powerless, Su Qing could only say, "Mother, does your conscience truly not ache when you speak such words? Erlang left behind only this single child, and yet our Su family now enjoys the honor and the commercial wealth that Erlang once brought us. Why must we continue to pin the misfortunes of the past upon a mere child?"

"She will not return. Perhaps this fulfills Mother's wishes, but from this day forth, our Su family shall never again see the glory of restoring our family's standing. Mother, should the day of regret arrive in the future, do not blame me for failing to warn you."

With that, Su Qing strode away and reached Su Yu’s chambers, only to find him languidly draping an extremely luxurious ice-blue robe over his shoulders in preparation to go out. He rushed forward, grabbed Su Yu by the collar, and demanded angrily, "Why did you take the portrait of Ah Huan that I painted and use it to frame her for murder? Sanlang, whom on earth are you working for now?"

"Father spent his entire life serving the country with utmost loyalty, ultimately willing to die on the frontier just to prove our Su family's innocence. He always taught us to restrain ourselves, observe propriety, to covet neither power nor cozy up to the influential. Those who swagger proudly in purple robes and jade belts with the spring breeze in their faces today are quite likely to find themselves thrown into prison tomorrow. Do you not understand these simple truths?"

"Eldest brother, what on earth are you talking about? Whom am I working for? I have always been guarding the family's wealth and working for the Su family's interests. Or perhaps you expect us to rely on your meager official salary to support the entire Su family?"

"Did you take the portrait I painted to frame Ah Huan?" Su Qing demanded once more.

Su Yu replied with a brazen show of righteousness, "No, why would I frame her? Am I out of my mind?"

Unable to extract an answer, Su Qing had no choice but to leave Su Yu’s room, heavy with worry.

...

Though the exterior of the Xiao estate looked simple and unpretentious, the interior layout made one feel as though they had stepped right into a misty, ethereal landscape painting.

Rockeries and ponds, twisting vines and trailing plants, with colorful birds flitting among them, and cats occasionally darting up and down.

An overwhelming aura of vibrant vitality rushed to greet them.

"Lord Censor Xiao, your home is so lovely. Living here, keeping company with these little animals every day, your mood must always be wonderful, right?"

As she spoke, a colorful bird alighted upon her outstretched palm.

"This bird is so pretty and adorable!"

"Its name is Fire Phoenix. It was the first gift my master gave me, along with that cat and a fox. Every time my master visits, they always leave me a gift, and they are always small animals."

"Ah, Lord Censor Xiao's master must be a very interesting person!" Ah Shu exclaimed with emotion.

Xiao Muchen nodded with a smile: "Indeed, a very interesting person. They once told me that when one grows weary of the strife in the imperial court, one should spend more time observing these birds and beasts, as it helps prolong life!"

"Really? Then I shall watch them more often in the future too!"

Murong Huan noticed that Xiao Muchen's expression and demeanor today were entirely different from the past. Previously, his smiles had only ever felt like a hypocritical facade meant to mask his true inner emotions. But at this moment, he was truly relaxed, genuinely and heartily happy and joyful.

Therefore, his master was actually utilizing these birds and beasts to help him purge his inner loneliness and hatred, allowing him to genuinely experience happiness and thereby keep the icy silkworm poison under control.

Who on earth was his master?

Why was their style of action so remarkably similar to that of her own master in Taoyuan Village?

Xiao Muchen led Murong Huan to a courtyard on the southern side, above whose gate were inscribed the three characters "Courtyard of Pure Heart."

A middle-aged man and a middle-aged woman walked out together and bowed respectfully to Xiao Muchen.

Both appeared exceedingly kind, and the woman, casting a glance at Murong Huan, beamed with joy and said,

"My lord, you have returned!"

Xiao Muchen nodded and said to Murong Huan, "These two are Uncle Lu and Aunt Ning, the stewards of my Xiao estate. If you have any needs henceforth, you may speak directly to them."

Murong Huan acknowledged with a "Very well."

Indicating the courtyard before them, Xiao Muchen added, "You will stay here from now on!" He then pointed to a courtyard across the way. "I live over there, in the pavilion called Changqing Pavilion. Should you need anything, you may seek me out at any time!"

Murong Huan acknowledged once more.

"Then you may go inside and settle in!"

With that, Xiao Muchen turned as if to head toward Changqing Pavilion opposite, but Murong Huan called out, "Wait, I am coming to your courtyard right now. I need to treat your illness!"

This girl truly was impatient!

Xiao Muchen chuckled: "No rush. Tomorrow, when we go to the Princess Taiping's estate, we may well have a great battle on our hands. Get a good rest today!"