Chapter 21: So, This Was the Play All Along

Upon hearing these words, Song Shiwei cast a sharp, cold glance toward the old man and the young boy not far away.

Sweet potatoes delivered to the courier station...

She quietly sized up the pair. Both were dressed in very ordinary attire; the old man’s face was weathered by hardship, and the boy’s skin was rough. Narrowing her eyes slightly, she looked at Aunt Chun beside her. Aunt Chun possessed a round, kindly face that would put anyone at ease upon first glance.

Aunt Chun understood. She walked over to the father and son, pretending to shop, and pricked up her ears to listen to the conversation between the two and the onlookers nearby. Song Shiwei then led Mother Song and the others into a shop to make purchases, preventing anyone from noticing anything unusual.

"I’m asking you, where are the sweet potatoes?" Old Man Zhang yanked his son’s ear hard, his anger flaring. "I checked with the people at the courier station. They said the weight of the sweet potatoes you delivered was wrong and that part of the quality was substandard."

This was the son’s first time delivering sweet potatoes to the station, and fearing trouble, the father had gone to make inquiries immediately after the delivery.

The Zhang boy grimaced in pain, not daring to resist. "Dad, Dad, I did deliver the sweet potatoes to the station! Maybe the people there were dissatisfied or wanted to pocket some money, so they..."

Before he could finish, he was cut off by Old Man Zhang’s roar. "Bullshit! That is a courier station established by the imperial court; is that just some common place?" He grew angrier as he spoke. "Tell me the truth—what is going on with that batch of sweet potatoes?"

The onlookers whispered among themselves.

"Is this the first time the Zhang boy has delivered to the station? He’s made such a huge blunder; it’s likely they won’t accept the Zhang family’s produce anymore."

"Why do I feel like there’s more to this? The boy isn’t a fool; he knows how important this business is to their family."

"Hey, don't say that. There is definitely something wrong with the boy. I saw with my own eyes that he just bought a whole heap of goods—must have cost at least several taels of silver."

"Are you implying that the boy’s sudden wealth is connected to the sweet potato delivery?"

Hearing this, Aunt Chun’s heart skipped a beat. Their family happened to be passing through the courier station to rest when this incident occurred, and she did not believe for a moment that the two events were unrelated. She just didn't know how they were connected.

Old Man Zhang heard the chatter as well and instantly sensed the gravity of the situation. His face turned pale. He dragged his son toward home, his heart pounding with panic. If his son had truly done something illicit, what was he to do?

Aunt Chun glanced around, then, feigning a casual stroll, quietly followed the father and son. Old Man Zhang was so preoccupied with questioning his son that he didn't notice they were being followed.

The pair arrived in a secluded alley. Old Man Zhang checked the street, and after confirming no one was watching, he whispered, "Tell me the truth." His voice trembled. "Did someone give you silver to tamper with the sweet potatoes?" With that, he raised his hand and slapped his son across the face. "Tell me the truth!"

The Zhang boy had no intention of hiding it. His face beamed with excitement. "Dad, someone gave me one hundred taels of silver to deliver that batch of sweet potatoes to the station. That’s a hundred taels! It’s enough for our family to live comfortably for a lifetime." He had agreed without hesitation the moment he saw the money. With this, they wouldn't have to toil away in misery, and he could enjoy the good life just like those young masters.

Old Man Zhang felt the world go black; he nearly fainted. "You..." It took him a long time to recover his breath. "How did I raise such a moronic son?"

The boy was indignant, his voice laced with anger. "Dad, I earned a huge sum of money! If it weren't for me, this family would still be living in poverty."

Old Man Zhang pointed a trembling finger at him, cursing, "You idiot! What kind of place is a courier station? It was established by the imperial court! It’s filled with officials. If something happens there, do you think the court won't investigate? Do you think they won't track it back to us? Once they find us, our whole family will be dead!"

The Zhang boy remained unbothered. "Dad, you're making a mountain out of a molehill. Even if the court investigates, they won't find us. Besides, nothing happened at the station, did it?"

Old Man Zhang was about to retort when his eyes widened, and he clutched his throat, which was spurting blood. The last thing he saw before death was his son’s throat being slit by a masked figure in black.

As his consciousness faded, he could only sigh. He had known that if his son took on such a task, the other party would surely silence them. After all, dead men tell no tales.

...

Just as Song Shiwei and her party finished buying pots and bowls and emerged from the shop with their attendants, they saw Aunt Chun running toward them, looking frantic.

"Aunt Chun, where did you go? And in such a state?" Mother Song asked with concern.

Aunt Chun quickly composed herself and forced a smile. "Back to you, Madam, I was just wandering around nearby." She suddenly added, "Eldest Miss, I see many vendors selling food over there."

Song Shiwei caught her meaning. She smiled at Mother Song and the others. "Mother, why don't you go over there and have a look? Aunt Chun and I will go over there for a moment."

Mother Song understood that they had matters to discuss and nodded. "Very well. But be careful, both of you, and don't stray too far."

Song Shiwei hummed in agreement and walked aside with Aunt Chun. Aunt Chun covered her mouth with a handkerchief and whispered what she had discovered. When she mentioned the murder of the Zhang father and son, she trembled. "Eldest Miss, it is clear that they are coming for us." She had been terrified when she secretly witnessed the killings.

Song Shiwei patted her shoulder to soothe her. "Don't worry too much. Those people wouldn't dare do anything to us in broad daylight." Her eyes, however, were as cold as blades, filled with a murderous glint. It seemed that some people were desperate to see their family dead.

Aunt Chun remained shaken. "Eldest Miss, I fear such incidents will not be few on this journey. Even if we remain vigilant, we may not be able to prevent it all." She had already enjoyed most of her life and wouldn't mind if she were the one assassinated, but the Eldest Miss and the others were still so young.

Song Shiwei understood this well, yet she remained calm. "As long as we are cautious about what we eat and wear, we should be fine. For the rest, we will find a way." She added, "You have worked hard this time."

Aunt Chun replied, "I do not find it hard, but..." She sighed, "This cannot go on."