Chapter 20: The Eldest Son’s Rozen Gate

Ever since Yi She made a trip down to the foot of Mount Pan, he had been deeply unsettled.

He felt that if he hadn’t tried to appear more respectful to the Clan Master than the First and Second Stewards, arriving at Phoenix Mountain several days early to attend the heir’s wedding, he wouldn’t have been assigned to receive the spirit.

Had he not been sent to receive the spirit, he wouldn’t have interrogated that bandit and inadvertently uncovered a secret too dangerous to reveal.

But now that he knew, he could no longer feign ignorance, and so he had to steel himself to report it to the Clan Master.

Indeed, it was wishful thinking to think he could remain uninvolved...

By the time he entered Mingde Hall, the rain was nearly over, yet Steward Yi’s mood remained damp and chaotic.

He knew that the Clan Master and the second elder of the Suo family had conspired to stage this grand spectacle to kill multiple birds with one stone—and he was one of those birds.

The Clan Master intended to use this public occasion to force him to take sides.

If he uttered the words, “Yu Huanhu is the murderer of the young master,” even if prefaced by “according to the bandit’s confession,” he would have no choice but to side with the Clan Master.

But Steward Yi did not want to take sides; he wanted to struggle a little longer.

So, upon arriving at Mingde Hall, Yi She evaded as much as possible, his tone ambiguous, hoping Yu Huanhu would see through his half-heartedness and not treat him as an enemy.

However, Yi’s evasiveness greatly displeased Yu Xinglong. Couldn’t this alone force Yi She to take his side?

Was the Clan Master really so unworthy of loyalty in the eyes of his retainers?

Seeing Yu Xinglong’s increasingly dark expression and Suo Hong’s relentless pressure, Yi She could no longer hold out and resorted to a diversion.

He said, “Second Master Suo, since you claim that Lady Tu heard it with her own ears and reported it to the young mistress, perhaps the young mistress herself should come and clarify this matter.

I was originally ordered by the Clan Master to receive the spirit and am not fully aware of the circumstances surrounding the young master’s death. I only briefly interrogated that bandit and have little else to say.”

Yu Huanhu said coldly, “I did not know my niece-in-law actually suspects me of murdering her husband. Clan Master, why not summon her as well? I want to question her face to face!”

…

The rain ceased. Yang Can pushed open the window, and a fresh breeze filled the room.

The apricot blossoms after the rain were all the more radiant, a tree in full seductive bloom.

Suddenly, Suo Chanzhi appeared from the side gate, accompanied by two elder maids and two young attendants.

She had changed out of her mourning clothes; the people of Longshang, influenced deeply by nomadic tribes, did not observe strict mourning customs.

Among the many ethnic groups of Longshang, some practiced wife sacrifice burial or remarriage immediately, but none required mourning attire.

Thus, Suo Chanzhi was merely advised against wearing overly bright or gaudy clothing; otherwise, it made little difference.

At this moment, she wore a combination of black and white, which only accentuated her bright eyes and pearly teeth, making her all the more ethereal and exquisite.

Suo Chanzhi walked gracefully along the stone path. When her eyes briefly met Yang Can’s, they dimmed slightly before she quickly averted her gaze without another glance.

However, the young attendant Qingmei behind her, taking advantage of the distraction, slyly cast a glance at Yang Can.

It was not a flirtatious look, but a silent message.

Yang Can’s heart leapt—the moment he had long awaited had finally arrived!

…

The plaque of Mingde Hall still gleamed golden after the rain.

When the young mistress Suo Chanzhi entered, all eyes in the hall turned toward her.

Everyone’s gaze instinctively fell on her abdomen.

The situation regarding the first son of the Yu clan’s primary branch was extremely delicate.

Logically, with the heir’s death, this branch should be dissolved.

But no one could yet confirm whether Yu Chengye had truly left no heir.

They needed to see if the young mistress was pregnant, which would require about half a month.

At present, even the most skilled physicians could not detect a pulse.

If the young mistress were with child, everyone would have to wait another nine months to determine whether it was a boy or a girl.

This blind-box uncertainty was rather... thrilling.

Yet, a quick glance showed that the young mistress’s waist remained slender, with no sign of pregnancy.

Suo Chanzhi began by recounting the events of the day Yu Chengye was killed.

At that time, the entire wedding procession was setting up camp, the formation loose and defenses weakest.

The bandits’ sudden attack came at this exact vulnerable moment.

This gave rise to suspicions of an insider leaking information—a collusion of internal and external forces.

She also mentioned that many of the Suo family’s dowry items were scattered within the camp.

Because they planned to load the goods early the next morning, they hadn’t gathered them centrally.

Yet the bandits, supposedly after wealth, ignored these valuables and headed straight for the camp’s center.

After killing Yu Chengye, they immediately tried to break through. The goods they took were seized in their escape.

Though Suo Chanzhi did not explicitly accuse Yu Huanhu, these anomalies, combined with the bandit’s confession, nearly pointed directly at him as the murderer.

Yu Huanhu’s face darkened as he said, “Niece-in-law, if there were no bandits at the foot of Mount Pan, who killed Lady Tu of the Suo family?”

Suo Chanzhi shook her head. “I have no idea either. Lady Tu was just a maid who came with my dowry. Who would kill her? And why?”

Yu Huanhu sneered bitterly, “Niece-in-law, I underestimated you. Your tongue is sharper than any sword!”

Suo Chanzhi’s eyes brimmed with tears as she lamented, “I have only told what I know and have seen before the elders of the clan. The one who lost her husband is me, the bride who just married and now bears an ill omen, condemned to a lifetime of widowhood. Do you think I have any reason to falsely accuse you?”

At this, tears finally streamed down her face.

The hall grew quiet, many moved by her words. Indeed, the bride should be the one to hate the culprit most; even if she were misled and her accusations unfounded, it was unfair to accuse her of ulterior motives.

Yu Huanhu looked up and laughed sorrowfully, “Ha ha ha! Niece-in-law, you have no reason to accuse me, but how wronged I am!

According to you, my nephew lived at the camp’s center under the protection of your Suo family.

Then tell me, how could I have bribed anyone in your family to act as my insider?

Lady Tu’s murder is even stranger—who would kill your housekeeper and why?

At that camp center, there should have been no one from our Yu family, right?”

Suo Chanzhi’s beautiful eyes turned to Steward Yi.

She remained silent, but her eyes spoke volumes.

Yi She, who had been secretly relieved at escaping the storm with his diversion, turned pale. No, not again! First the Clan Master forces me to take sides, then Second Master Suo stirs the waters, and now the young mistress won’t let me off either... I...

Facing the suspicious gazes of the family heads and elders, Yi suddenly remembered someone.

Yang Can!

Yang Can had once said the Suo family was the most suspicious regarding the young master’s death.

Of course, that was nonsense—what motive would the Suo family have to kill him?

Still, at this moment, it was worth bringing him in to deflect some suspicion.

With that reckless youth here causing a stir, I might just slip away again!

Yi She quickly used his diversion tactic once more and bowed to Yu Xinglong, “Clan Master, I suddenly thought of someone who holds a different view on the young master’s death.”

…

When Yang Can stood before Mingde Hall, the spring sunlight was bright and clear.

The breeze was fresh, carrying the scent of grass and spring blossoms.

The gilded characters “Mingde Hall” above the door gleamed brilliantly.

The bronze threshold was over a foot high, shining and spotless.

Yang Can took a deep breath and stepped over the golden threshold with his left foot first.

At that moment, every person inside turned to look at him.

It was as if all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and Vajras in a sacred mountain temple had simultaneously cast their gaze upon a young novice monk bringing incense—a tremendous invisible pressure.

Suo Chanzhi sat where the heir Yu Chengye had been, barely glancing at Yang Can before quickly withdrawing her eyes.

There were too many people here, and all were seasoned and shrewd; she feared revealing anything.

Yu Xinglong said in a low voice, “Yang Can, you were my son Chengye’s advisor and the master of ceremonies at his wedding. Chengye was tragically murdered, and the true culprit remains elusive.

I have heard you hold a unique perspective on his death. Now, before all the Yu family and Second Master Suo, please share your views.”

“I obey your command!” Yang Can bowed deeply to Yu Xinglong and calmly stepped to the center of Mingde Hall, standing firm.

Was he nervous? Of course.

But not because of those present.

His nervousness stemmed from lacking the necessary insight.

How much experience had he gained in his past life? Though mostly from the internet, indirect experience was still experience.

Moreover, he had privately pondered this moment countless times and mentally prepared himself.

His anxiety was solely over whether his “unorthodox” approach was right—today would be the test!

Standing tall and composed, Yang Can said, “Clan Master, Second Master Suo, esteemed family heads and elders, I am honored to have served the young master as his advisor. I accompanied him to Jincheng for the wedding and acted as master of ceremonies along the way…”

He began recounting from the time they left Jincheng with the bride Suo Chanzhi, how the Suo family regarded themselves highly and monopolized everything, how they unilaterally commanded the journey and camps.

Even during rest and defense, the close guards protecting the young master were all Suo family retainers; except for him—a powerless scholar—all Yu family members were barred from approaching the camp center.

Some of Yang Can’s details overlapped with Suo Chanzhi’s, others did not.

Yet even on the same facts, their differing positions and allegiances led to completely different interpretations.

According to Suo Chanzhi, the many anomalies pointed suspicion toward Yu Huanhu.

But from Yang Can’s perspective, the Suo family became the primary suspects.

For a moment, Yu Huanhu’s gaze softened as he looked at Yang Can.

[End of excerpt]