21 Ryukichi

While A-cuo was carefully plotting on his side, the two elder sisters were absent. Qinglan was accompanying Han Yueqi on some errand, but Lingbo’s side truly encountered an unexpected event.

To recount properly, among the Ye family’s servants, the sharpest was Liu Ji. Unlike Yang Hua, who was a native-born child of the household, both Xiao Liu and Liu Ji were siblings originally purchased by the Ye family. Back when Madam Ye was still alive, she would distribute porridge every winter, saving countless poor souls. Even after falling ill, she never ceased this charity. The Liu siblings were refugees from the great flood in the third year of Yongxi; their parents had died on the road, leaving the brother and sister, only seven or eight years old, struggling to even snatch porridge from others. They were truly pitiful. Madam Ye took pity and took them in.

Even then, Liu Ji showed remarkable cleverness and responsibility. When surrounded and beaten by several people, he refused to hand over the steamed bun he clutched to them. Madam Ye had her servants stop the refugees and, upon inquiry, learned that Liu Ji intended to bring the bun home for his sister. Such compassion and resolve were rare for one so young.

Later, after joining the Ye household as a servant, Madam Ye maintained strict discipline but treated the staff with kindness, fostering goodwill among the servants. Liu Ji thrived in this environment, well-fed and clothed, learning to drive carriages, tend horses, shoe hooves, and repair saddles and bridles. He was diligent and self-motivated, even learning to read and write, standing out among the servants. While most servants were obedient but somewhat slippery and unambitious, Liu Ji was reliably steadfast. The Ye sisters trusted him greatly; he handled guests, correspondence, and gift deliveries, effectively acting as a deputy steward.

Naturally, this time was no different. Since Ye Lingbo entrusted him with tailing Pei Zhao, he had taken the matter seriously. Though still responsible for the sedan chair and horses, after escorting the young ladies to their destination and instructing the other servants to guard the horses under Uncle Yang’s command, he left on horseback and rode to Qingshao Alley in Ping’an Ward.

Waiting there was a man—Yang Xiaolai, Yang Hua’s cousin, who admired Liu Ji greatly. As soon as he saw Liu Ji, he grabbed the horse’s reins and called out repeatedly, “Brother Liu Ji!”

Liu Ji hadn’t formally learned to ride; he wasn’t a noble youth and had no chance to master horse riding. But he was quick-witted and, having seen noble youths coming and going in the capital, had quietly picked up some skills and managed to avoid falling off. This was quite impressive among servants.

“Well? Did you follow him?” Liu Ji asked proudly.

“Yes, yes, I did.” Yang Xiaolai, nicknamed for having had scabies as a child—a name that stuck despite recovery—reported eagerly: “That Pei fellow entered this alley just after midnight and hasn’t come out yet.”

“So long?” Liu Ji frowned, scanning around. “I didn’t hear that Ping’an Ward has any gambling dens. It’s just a commoners’ neighborhood. Though there are two laundries here for sure.”

“Maybe there’s a secret entrance here, and they’re holding a gambling game inside,” Yang Xiaolai suggested.

Liu Ji lightly tapped his head. “Don’t talk nonsense. He’s Northern Garrison troops—not that lowly.”

“It’s true! The laundries suffer a lot. Li Xiaoba, a servant at the He family mansion, his family works there. His father died early; his mother washed clothes until her hands cracked and two fingers turned black from the cold, but still couldn’t support him. She had to sell him to the He family as a servant, or else she would have had to work at a secret entrance. He still cries when he talks about it.”

“Enough,” Liu Ji scolded, glaring at him with frustration. Yang Xiaolai dared not speak further.

“We are servants of the manor. When we go out, we represent the ladies’ honor. Don’t spout nonsense about secret entrances—those are brothels. You can’t just call people that. The Flower Letter Banquet is at a critical moment; keep your mouth shut unless you’re guarding the gate. Don’t claim to see things you haven’t.” After the reprimand, Liu Ji dismounted.

Yang Xiaolai dared not say more and helped lower him from the horse, admiringly saying, “Brother Liu, you’re amazing—you even ride horses.”

“Practice and you’ll learn. It’s not difficult,” Liu Ji replied.

“No, I’m afraid the horse will kick me,” Yang Xiaolai said.

Liu Ji said nothing, glanced down the alley, and asked, “Which house did he go into?”

“Don’t know,” Yang Xiaolai admitted honestly. “I didn’t dare follow, afraid he’d notice.”

“So what if he notices? What, he’ll beat you up?”

“The Northern Garrison soldiers all know martial arts; if they hit me, it’d hurt a lot,” Yang Xiaolai said.

Liu Ji looked at him disdainfully, pondered a moment, then handed him the reins. “I’m going in to check. You watch the horse.”

Yang Xiaolai was delighted but then frowned. “What if I can’t watch it?”

“Don’t you usually go out with Uncle Yang to drive the carriage? You watch all the horses then. How come this time you can’t?”

“The horses in the carriage are harnessed, so they can’t run away. This one’s the best horse in our family, specially gifted by Second Miss for you to ride. It’s even more valuable than the carriage. What if it gets lost and someone finds it? Li Xiaoba stole one of my silver buttons and still won’t return it,” Yang Xiaolai fretted.

Liu Ji laughed, pulled the reins over, and tied the horse to a tree at the alley’s entrance with a knot.

“Done. Just watch so no one unties it. Got it?”

“Got it.”

After securing the horse and tidying his clothes, Liu Ji knocked on a wooden door with faded cloth strips tied to it.

“Coming,” a yellow-haired girl no older than ten peeked out, sizing him up. “Cleaning a big garment is one wen per piece, small clothes three wen per piece, mending costs extra.”

“I’m not here to wash clothes,” Liu Ji said. “I’m asking if a military officer came here this morning looking for someone. Did you see?”

“No,” the girl replied and tried to close the door, but Liu Ji blocked it with his foot, smiling and revealing a small pouch of money.

The girl quickly reopened the door. “I didn’t see the officer, but my granny surely did—she knows everything about everyone in the street.”

Liu Ji went inside to inquire. Meanwhile, Yang Xiaolai waited boredly at the alley’s entrance. Such a poor neighborhood was unfamiliar to him. As a servant of the Ye family, he was better off than most ordinary children and never worried about food or clothing, so he found the scene amusing.

A pear vendor wheeled his cart, shouting. Immediately, about ten ragged children swarmed around, asking prices. One finally bought a pear, but just as he got it, someone bumped into him and the pear fell to the ground. As the children scrambled to pick it up, the buyer was bitten several times. He began wailing and demanding compensation, but the biter was no pushover and a fight broke out among the children. Yang Xiaolai found it entertaining and cheered them on: “Fight, fight! I just saw it—he bit him!”

Laughing heartily, Yang Xiaolai reached back to pat his pocket—and found it empty. He turned around in horror: Liu Ji’s horse was gone.

“Thank you, ma’am.” After gathering information, Liu Ji thanked the yellow-haired girl, who clung to him saying, “Brother Liu, you promised to buy me pears.”

“All right, all right. I’ll buy you some.” Liu Ji was in high spirits after finishing his business and was about to take her to buy pears when, by chance, the figure in blue appeared ahead. The girl pointed at him: “Brother Liu, that’s the person you’re looking for…”

Liu Ji quickly covered her mouth, but Pei Zhao had clearly heard and smiled at him. “So it’s you. Here to find me?”

“No, no,” Liu Ji waved his hands, smiling. “I’m just visiting my aunt who lives here. This is my cousin…”

“Really not?” Pei Zhao smiled.

“Really not.”

“Well, then I’m off. If you want to find me again, you’d better bring your lady with you.”

“General, you jest,” Liu Ji denied firmly. “I’m just visiting family, dare not seek the general.”

Pei Zhao started to leave. Liu Ji thought he had escaped, but before Pei Zhao reached the alley’s entrance, Yang Xiaolai ran in with a distressed face. Seeing Liu Ji, he looked like both a savior and a plague, afraid to come forward and only offering a pitiful expression.

Liu Ji didn’t need to ask; one glance at him and then at the tree outside told him everything.

Yang Xiaolai, seeing Liu Ji understood, explained hurriedly: “Brother Liu, it’s not my fault. I don’t know where a bunch of wild kids came from…”

Before he finished, the children ran in, surrounding Pei Zhao, calling him “Brother Pei,” sniffling and begging for sweets. Pei Zhao didn’t mind; he even picked one up—the same child who had bought the pear earlier.

Liu Ji, so clever, couldn’t help but realize he had been blinded by his own eagerness. The Northern Garrison soldiers, indeed, had some skill.

Steeling himself, he stepped forward and smiled apologetically at Pei Zhao, surrounded by children. “General Pei, I apologize for any offense earlier. You’re magnanimous. You know, I’m just carrying out my mistress’ orders… That horse was originally mine…”

Pei Zhao didn’t even glance at him, only smiling as he played with the children.

“Didn’t I say?” he teased with a charming smile that was almost infuriating. “If you want to find me again, bring your lady with you.”