How could such a matter possibly be concealed? Leaving aside the difficulty of keeping Lady Fan quiet, even if they went to the extreme of killing her, there would still be Han Yueheng. Even if she went to Japan, it wouldn't mean total isotion. With the Ninth Princess's influence, she could still send letters to the capital or to Datong. Eventually, if the stories from both sides differed, it would only deepen Han Zhengqing's suspicions.

  In other words, this was a hot potato, and Consort Fan had made a monumental blunder.

  Zhou Weiqi shook his head with a sigh. "For now, don't worry about anything else. Go to the Marquis of Jinxiang's residence, take enough people with you, and bring ample gifts. If they're overwhelmed, you may as well stay and assist."

  There would be much to handle—retrieving Han Zhi's body from the mortuary, negotiating with the Jinyiwei and the officials there. Lady Fan, as a woman, was likely ill-equipped to manage all of this on her own.

  After sending Qian Ying off, Zhou Weiqi, suppressing his irritation, went to pay respects to the Crown Prince. To his annoyance, he learned from the attendant that the Crown Prince was not in the Eastern Pace, as he was accompanying the Emperor and Zhou Weizhao in discussions with Master Zhang in the pace.

  Frustrated, he headed directly to Consort Fan's pace and, without preamble, asked her, "What expnation does Mother intend to give Uncle about my cousin's matter?"

  His tone was blunt, cking the respect he once held toward her. Consort Fan raised an eyebrow in surprise and retorted, "Expnation? What expnation?" She rolled her eyes and smiled slyly. "The excuse is right there for the taking. Do I need to spell it out for you? Don't you have advisors? Han Zhi provoked the Song family, lured their sons into a trap, and then, in a fit of rage, tried to kill them. The Song family, well-prepared, reported him to the authorities, exposing the gambling den. Do I really need to remind you?"

  But in doing so, they would inevitably offend the Song family as well. Moreover, the Changning Marquisate wouldn't be foolish enough to sit idly by and let themselves be framed.

  Consort Fan appeared impatient with this concern. To her, it didn't even qualify as a "problem." She gnced at her son, who held his anger in check, and repeated in a calmer tone, "I'll handle this with your uncle myself. Don't worry."

  Worry? How could he not worry? Zhou Weiqi shot her a look, wanting to speak but holding back from saying anything that might hurt her. She was, after all, his mother, and a son should not criticize his mother's faults. He decided to wait until Qian Ying returned to make a decision.

  ___

  Meanwhile, in the Song residence, Song Chuyi was listening to Song Jue's account of Han Zhi's incident. "He refused to leave the boat and had untied the ropes, intending to sail away, so the Jinyiwei acted decisively and set it abze with fire arrows."

  By that point, there had been no other options, but still... who knew if it was truly Han Zhi in the boat? Who could be certain he was dead? She gnced at Song Chengru, who sat silently at the desk, and then at Song Yan, who appeared deep in thought, and asked, "Was Han Zhi's body recovered?"

  Song Jue stood by the window, his arms crossed, his brow furrowed. "That's the issue. The number of bodies in the boat matches, but they were all burned to charcoal. The northwesterly winds fanned the fmes that day... The remains turned to dust underfoot. How can anyone say for certain if Han Zhi was among them?"

  Song Chengru remained silent for a moment before finally speaking. "Let him be."

  Song Yan was taken aback but quickly remembered their previous analysis. Han Zhi's greatest hatred was no longer directed at the Marquis of Changning or Song Chuyi. His heart was now filled with a sense of betrayal, a grudge against those who had abandoned him in his time of need and had even tried to kill him—Consort Fan and Zhou Weiqi. Under these circumstances, if Han Zhi were still alive... it might not be such a bad thing.

  Song Jue immediately understood his grandfather's intent, coughed in acknowledgment, and then smirked. "Speaking of which, besides the Jinyiwei, there were also people from Assistant Minister Wang's family who came to help capture the 'thief' that day... Han Zhi will surely remember that bitterly. If he manages to escape with his life, it might be a blessing in disguise. He certainly won't dare return to the capital—he's not foolish; he knows he'd die the moment he sets foot here. He'll most likely head northwest, perhaps to Datong to stir up trouble and file a grievance... Han Zhengqing will surely begin to harbor suspicions about Consort Fan and Zhou Weiqi."

  Song Chengru shared the same thoughts. He gnced at his eldest grandson, who wore a mischievous smile, and his goatee quivered slightly. "Send some people to search near the canal and inquire in nearby vilges for any unfamiliar, injured people seeking shelter. If you find him... do what you can to encourage him to go to Datong, provided he stays clear of the capital."

  One couldn't remain passive, waiting for trouble to come to them. Sitting in this position meant there was no such thing as a peaceful life. Sometimes, offense was the best form of defense. Old Master Song had endured the Chen family's schemes for long enough, and now he had no intention of holding back. To deal with the Chen family and bring Fang Xiaoru into their fold, he needed to start by keeping Consort Fan and Zhou Weiqi occupied.

  With their hands full, they'd have no time to meddle elsewhere.

  Song Jue readily agreed, rubbing his chin with a half-smile as he added, "The third day after the Buddha's manifestation ceremony is the day the Ninth Princess departs for Japan as a diplomatic bride. I'll make sure to bring that bit of lively news to Han Zhi. If he's still alive... let him see just how his mother and sister, left as widows and orphans, are being bullied. It might help him recognize who his true mortal enemies are."

  Song Jue's disdain for Han Zhi was now at an extreme. Even after hearing Zhang Run describe Han Zhi's twisted upbringing, he found it impossible to sympathize with someone so bitter and vindictive.

  Standing quietly in the corner, Song Yan listened attentively, not missing a single word, and pondered the deeper meanings behind each line from his grandfather and eldest brother. Suddenly, he heard Song Jue call his name.

  "Starting tomorrow, you should come out and accompany me more often." Song Jue patted him on the head. "Staying at home reading all day will turn you into a bookworm. Let me tell you, 'eating, drinking, and pying' has a lot more depth to it. Useless aristocrats waste time on indulgences, but those with ambition and skill see it as an art."

  Old Master Song had no objections to this, and, looking at Song Yan's uncertain expression, he coughed a few times before nodding. "It's time you went out and broadened your horizons, to see just how much lies beneath the gmorous surface of things."