Hidden Shadow – CH 171

Chapter One-Hundred-Seventy-One: Sheng Changying

Do not let Sheng Changying’s seemingly all-encompassing management at the Konghe Institute fool you; he was actually quite lazy in his personal life. So lazy that even arguing with someone was exhausting. Chu Dingjiang knew this, which was why he insisted that Gu Jinghong bring him here against his will.

Sure enough, he sighed and said, “The Feng family only started their shipping business in Yangzhou three generations ago. They initially just had a few cargo ships transporting goods. Back then, the Song Dynasty did not have government-run docks, so the Feng family bought many properties and built docks for easier navigation, eventually building their current business. That’s all many people know about the Feng family.

But actually, the Feng family’s history… I do not know exactly which dynasty or era it dates back to. It is said that their ancestors traveled to the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty, and most of the men in the family were merchants all over the country, daring to…

A daring and enterprising family, the Feng clan migrated to Yangzhou during the Five Dynasties period. During the Tang Dynasty, with many nations paying tribute, many merchants prospered through trade, and the Feng family was one of them. However, due to the turbulent times and the risks of trading, the Feng family declined, and by the current dynasty, they had stopped trading altogether. Even so, the Feng family gradually lost its former glory.”

“The Feng family now has docks all over the country; no wonder some people say they’ve fallen on hard times.” Chu Dingjiang had not expected the Feng family to have prospered for so long. If such a family truly had some connection to the Piaomiao Mountain Mansion, it would be a real headache.

Chu Dingjiang pondered for a moment, then asked, “Do you know anything about the three heads of the Feng family?”

Headmaster Sheng looked at him with a hint of resentment. “Feng Fang is the eldest grandson of the Feng family, but he did not inherit the daring and adventurous qualities of the Feng men. He’s been weak-willed since childhood, and his father personally mentored him. In his early years, all his decisive decisions were guided by his father. Feng Hang comes from a second wife and does have some intelligence, but the late patriarch of the Feng family favored the eldest son born to his first wife. Feng Hang grew up spoiled and is willful, lacking composure, and often makes impulsive and wrong decisions. He’s also a womanizer with six concubines. The third head of the Feng family is an outsider named Qin Zheng. He’s quite capable…” Headmaster Sheng recounted Qin Zheng’s experiences in detail, almost identical to what Zhu Pianxian had said.

His knowledge was so detailed, as if the Feng family had always lived next door to him, that An Jiu admired him from the bottom of her heart.

The group turned south and traveled by land to Yangzhou.

On the way, Chu Dingjiang kept asking Headmaster Sheng about the Piaomiao Mountain Mansion. Two hours later, exhausted, he collapsed in the carriage and fell asleep.

His last words before falling asleep were, “Chu Dingjiang, you are so inhuman.”

Only Gu Jinghong, Chu Dingjiang, and An Jiu remained in the carriage. Gu Jinghong asked, “Brother Chu, are you acquainted with Headmaster Sheng?”

“We’ve known each other for some years,” Chu Dingjiang replied, unwilling to elaborate.

Gu Jinghong said, “I’ve heard that Headmaster Sheng is usually aloof and does not like to get close to people. It is truly surprising that Brother Chu is so familiar with him.” Headmaster Sheng’s name was Sheng Changying, nicknamed Luzi. The Sheng family was also part of the Konghe Clan, and by Sheng Changying’s generation, he was the only surviving member.

Young Sheng Changying was destitute and had to take the family’s token to the Konghe Clan, but unfortunately, he was born with a crippled meridian. No matter how hard he tried, he would never become a master. Initially, he could only do menial tasks like sweeping and cleaning at the Konghe Academy. He had to work at least seven hours a day, and unwilling to spend his life like that, he would also squeeze in an hour or two of reading. Chronic sleep deprivation made him very sick. While the Konghe Academy was generous with its resources, this was only for those who risked their lives. For someone like him, with no hope of martial arts training and a low social status, it was difficult to obtain anything beyond food, clothing, and a monthly stipend.

The Konghe Academy trained cold-blooded killers, almost devoid of human warmth. Sheng Changying had risen from a lowly servant to where he was today entirely through his own efforts and unwavering will. He appeared kind and rarely refused requests from others, a consequence of his childhood menial work. However, in reality, he was extremely aloof and cold. To date, Sheng Changying only had one friend, Xu Zhi, who had entered the Konghe Academy with him from their hometown, and was only acquainted with Chu Dingjiang.

He and Xu Zhi arrived at the Konghe Academy together. Later, Xu Zhi, possessing potential in mind-reading, was sent elsewhere to study under a master, and the two were separated for ten years. Chu Dingjiang, having heard of Sheng Changying’s reputation, approached him with ulterior motives. He never feigned goodwill but openly expressed his desire to use him. Because of his honest and forthright nature, coupled with his shameless persistence for seven years, Sheng Changying gradually lowered his guard against him, and now they could be considered friends.

Chu Dingjiang did not respond to Gu Jinghong’s words, and the carriage fell silent.

An Jiu leaned against the carriage wall, closing her eyes to rest.

About an hour later, Chu Dingjiang saw her suddenly sit up straight and asked, “What is it?”

“Mo Sigui.” An Jiu opened the window, leaned out, and looked back. She saw someone leading a small tiger, panting as they ran towards them. The two tiger cubs, raised in the Konghe Courtyard, were curious about everything now that they were out in the open. They sniffed the flowers and grass, driving their owners crazy.

“Stop the caravan,” Gu Jinghong said.

Mo Sigui was panting heavily. With so many people on the road, he was already drawing attention by leading the tiger cubs. He could not loudly shout and thought he would not be able to catch up with the caravan. But then they stopped! He quickly grabbed the two tiger cubs and carried them under his arms, rushing over with all his might.

As he got closer, Mo Sigui spotted An Jiu immediately, went straight to the carriage, and easily climbed inside.

The carriage was already large, cramped enough for four people. With one more person and two tiger cubs, the space became extremely limited. Finding no place to sit, Mo Sigui plopped down on Sheng Changying, gently placing the two tiger cubs on his chest. “Huh? This person’s body is so weak; will he not die from me sitting on him?”

Though he said this, he still sat firmly on him, pulling out a fan and fanning himself for a while.

A cool breeze emanated from the black, icy dragon-head fan, clearing his mind and making the entire carriage feel more refreshing.

“How did you find our trail?” An Jiu asked, her gaze drawn to the two tiger cubs.

The two tiger cubs were chubby, lacking the fierce appearance of typical tigers, instead looking rather dazed. Besides, their dark blue eyes distinguished them from other tigers. One of them wobbled off Sheng Changying, nuzzling against An Jiu’s leg affectionately. The other seemed quite agitated, persistently scratching at Sheng Changying’s clothes.

An Jiu’s question was exactly what Gu Jinghong and Chu Dingjiang wanted to ask: how had they been able to expose themselves while concealing their tracks?

Mo Sigui slammed his fan shut. He grabbed the little tiger, its head buried in his long robe, and pulled it over. “They came with me. This divine physician has just made tracking incense. These two tigers are tracking tigers. Hmm, but I accidentally fattened them up a bit. They run so slowly that I could not ride my horse and almost died of exhaustion on the way! I’ve decided to punish these two little rascals by not letting them eat meat for two days!”

Chu Dingjiang frowned slightly, noticing one of the tiger cubs being so affectionate with An Jiu. “You used tracking incense on her?”

An Jiu did not know about this kind of incense. Hearing this, she looked up. “When did this happen?”

“We are like brothers; it is normal to use tracking incense.” For Mo Sigui, this was just a matter of lifting a finger; even someone as perceptive as An Jiu would not notice. He smiled and answered An Jiu’s question, “It was when you said goodbye to me before you left.”

Chu Dingjiang glanced at An Jiu, slightly annoyed: “A life-or-death friendship…” As if everyone else was not.

Thinking this… Chu Dingjiang was taken aback. He was usually very easygoing, so why was he being so calculating this time?

An Jiu stopped talking and focused on rubbing the little tiger.

“Divine Physician Mo,” Gu Jinghong greeted him with a cupped-fist salute.

Mo Sigui then remembered to be polite to these two unfamiliar men. “I am sorry for my poor eyesight. You two are…”

“I am Gu Jinghong, Deputy Envoy of the Divine Strategy Team of the Konghe Army,” Gu Jinghong said.

Chu Dingjiang said, “I am Chu Dingjiang, Chief Instructor of the Konghe Academy.”

“Oh dear, I was indeed blind.” Mo Sigui tucked his folding fan behind his collar and bowed formally.

Mo Sigui was a carefree person with little regard for hierarchy, even when facing the Emperor. He probably would not flatter or fawn.

Lou Mingyue, in the other carriage, naturally saw Mo Sigui. Her mind was in turmoil, so she closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

Late on the fifth night, the group arrived in Yangzhou City.

Since Piaomiao Mountain Mansion was located in Yangzhou, they were intimately familiar with the city’s affairs. Disguising themselves to enter the city was unwise, so they removed their disguises, scaled the city walls, and infiltrated, gathering at a secret location belonging to the Konghe Army.

These past two days, the Yu family had already finalized the shipping price with the Feng family’s docks, awaiting Chu Dingjiang’s return before transporting the goods to the docks.

In a courtyard in a corner of the city, a fox-eyed man wandered aimlessly, sighing every so often.

Sheng Changying had slept for several days in a row, but upon waking, he felt even more unwell, as if his sleep had been weighed down by a heavy object, leaving him feeling particularly exhausted. Furthermore, he usually spent eight hours a day handling affairs, and now, with nothing to do, he was bored out of his mind.

After feeding the two tiger cubs, Mo Sigui took them out for a walk. Seeing Sheng Changying standing with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky and sighing, he proactively greeted him, “Eh? This brother is awake?”

Sheng Changying turned away, bowed, and said, “So it is Physician Mo. I am Sheng Changying.”

“Ah, I know, Brother Sheng’s nickname is Luzi.” Mo Sigui chuckled as he stepped forward. “I see Brother Luzi is not feeling well. If you do not mind my humble medical skills, I’d like to take a look at him.”

Sheng Changying pursed his lips, then coughed lightly. “Physician Mo is too modest. I am honored by your kindness.”

He could not help but add, “If you do not mind, please call me Changying…”

Mo Sigui nodded seriously. “Alright, Luzi, let’s sit in the pavilion. I will take your pulse.”

“…” Sheng Changying’s temperament meant he would not leave in a huff, and the two eventually sat down in the pavilion.

Two tiger cubs were playing separately, each chasing someone in the courtyard. Uncontrollably, they ran towards their respective targets.

Lou Mingyue sat against the wall inside, sword in hand. Sensing something darting towards her with her mental power, she abruptly opened her eyes and stared at the object.

The tiger cub, which had been leaping and bounding about, was startled by Lou Mingyue’s murderous aura as it approached. It trembled, its legs gave way, and it fell to the ground, its wet eyes looking at her anxiously.

Lou Mingyue hesitated for a moment, then reached out her hand.

The tiger cub immediately perked up and ran over, nuzzling her hand affectionately. It had found its target for the first time, and the unique scent of its tracking made it tremble with excitement.

Lou Mingyue picked up the tiger cub, a faint smile appearing on her face.

In the courtyard, Mo Sigui took Sheng Changying’s pulse. Seeing that both tigers had disappeared, a slight smile played on his lips.

A moment later…

Mo Sigui had Sheng Changying use his other hand.

After taking his pulse, Mo Sigui said, “Luzi, you have many chronic illnesses that require careful recuperation. Right now, you only feel fatigued and weak, but if this continues, you will not live long. I will prepare some pills for you so you can take them easily.”

Sheng Changying, knowing that Mo Sigui could sense his condition and was not exaggerating, was grateful to hear that he was preparing pills. “Thank you so much, divine physician. May I ask about the consultation fee and the cost of the medicine…?”

“No need to be so formal,” Mo Sigui said gently. With a folding fan in hand, he smiled and said, “I, Mo Sigui, judge people by feeling and practice medicine by mood. I find Luzi quite agreeable, so why talk about money? Besides, I actually heard from Chu Dingjiang that Luzi knows everything under the sun, and I have some things I need your help with.”

Sheng Changying also found Mo Sigui agreeable and said, “Then I will not stand on ceremony. If the Divine Physician can help me, Changying will do his best.”

Chu Dingjiang, inside the house, had incredibly sharp hearing. Hearing these words, even the most magnanimous person could not help but feel a little resentful! He had spent seven years on this, and Mo Sigui had managed to settle things with just two cups of tea! This was a heavy blow to his personal charm and social skills!

Chu Dingjiang had not felt so annoyed by anyone in a long time.

“Mo Sigui.” Lou Mingyue, carrying a little tiger, appeared in the courtyard at some point.

Mo Sigui stiffened for a moment, then turned around, his peach blossom eyes smiling as he looked at her.

“When did you put the tracking incense on me?” Lou Mingyue questioned coldly.

“You and Fourteenth Young Lady are truly of the same ilk, asking the same questions.” Mo Sigui had gone to great lengths to drug Lou Mingyue. He knew she was always the first to arrive for meals, so he had the kitchen prepare an eel soup, hiding the drug in it.

This was Qiu Ningyu’s favorite dish, and Lou Mingyue took it without hesitation.

Mo Sigui hesitated for a long time before deciding to test her. Once he knew she was Qiu Ningyu, he would protect her for life—a vow he had once made, now a burden. Therefore, he remained hesitant. However, being in the inner circle, he was unaware that his actions had already made the decision for him.

His fear of constraint, yet his decisive entry into the Konghe Academy, was only partly due to An Jiu.

Mo Sigui tossed her a small bottle. “You were not careful enough to notice when you were drugged. Why should I tell you? Here’s the antidote. Believe it or not.”

Lou Mingyue put the little tiger down, and it snuggled close to her, unwilling to leave.

She glanced at the bottle in her hand, poured out a pill, and swallowed it. She knew Mo Sigui would not harm her, but she did not underestimate Mo Sigui’s medical expertise.

The pill was actually another kind of tracking fragrance. After ingestion, it would quickly mask the original medicine. The little tiger would not be able to detect this fragrance and would not cling to Lou Mingyue anymore. However, if Mo Sigui changed the little tiger’s food and medicine for a while, it would become attached to the new tracking fragrance on Lou Mingyue.