Chapter 60: Dou Jiande’s Intentions

Inside the residence.

In the quiet atmosphere, the members of the Gao family gathered around the fire for warmth.

Changsun Wuji watched his younger sister’s smiling face, a little helpless—she truly wasn’t afraid of their uncle, not noticing that his expression had grown so dark it was almost unsightly.

“Father!”

At that moment, Gao Jin hurriedly burst into the room, looking to his father, Gao Shining.

“The people from Gaojibo say that Lord Dou has already left with Yingkai, Cao Zhan, and Cui Lvxing!”

Gao Jin reported breathlessly.

At these words, not only Gao Shining, Xiao, and Changsun Wuji’s mother, Lady Gao, but even Guanyinbi, Changsun Wuji, and Gao Lvxing knew why Dou Jiande had left Gaojibo, and where he had gone.

“Maybe we should just let the matter with the Li family go,” Xiao said softly, glancing at her son, Gao Jin, who looked lost and uncertain, then at her husband, whose face was clouded with anger, and sighed. After all, Li Cha was her own granddaughter, and though that boy from the Fu family was a merchant’s son, he had now proven himself a talented young man.

“Don’t bring up that matter again! A baseborn wretch is a baseborn wretch! No matter how skilled in warfare, he can’t change his lowly birth!” Gao Shining snapped at his wife, his rage erupting as he glared at her, eyes wide with fury.

Old as she was, Xiao could only fall silent at the sight.

“Lvxing! Go to the Li residence!” Gao Shining, knowing that after what he had said to Li Cha and Changsun Nonggui at the door the other day, he had thoroughly fallen out with the Li family, and that neither he nor Gao Jin should go, could only turn to his nephew, Gao Lvxing.

“Tell Dou Jiande that if he still wants the support of the Gao family, he must not keep that wretch as a subordinate! If he does, he will have nothing more from me!” Gao Shining commanded.

“Yes, Uncle!” Gao Lvxing rose and saluted his uncle with utmost respect.

Hearing his uncle’s words, Gao Lvxing understood the gravity of what was being said. He knew that his uncle had returned, aside from the ancestral rites, with the express intent to aid Lord Dou and persuade both the Gao and Xiao families to support him.

“Don’t let my cousin go to the Li family! We’ve already broken with them—why send him there just to be humiliated?” As Gao Lvxing prepared to leave, suddenly Guanyinbi’s voice rang out.

Gao Shining’s face, already flushed with anger, grew even more taut with veins bulging at the sight of Guanyinbi.

“Brother, come with me. Let’s deliver Uncle’s message to those people ourselves.” Guanyinbi addressed Changsun Wuji, ignoring their uncle’s expression, rising slowly, and looking at her cousin, Gao Lvxing. “Cousin, you stay at home,” she added, her tone as gentle as could be.

Though Gao Lvxing was much older than Guanyinbi, at this moment, seeing her, he felt a rare sense of peace and security and nodded obediently.

“Uncle, I will accompany my sister,” Changsun Wuji said, rising and saluting Gao Shining.

Hearing his sister’s departing footsteps, Changsun Wuji realized clearly that his uncle’s decision to make Gao Lvxing go to the Li residence, disregarding his cousin’s feelings, had deeply angered his sister.

He recalled that when he, his sister, and their mother had been driven out by the Changsun clan, it was their uncle, Gao Shilian, who had personally brought them home and broken with the Changsun clan for their sake. Now Gao Shilian had been exiled to Jiaozhi, far away, and while their uncle neglected Gao Lvxing, his sister could not bear to do the same.

“Mother, I’ll be going out for a while,” Changsun Wuji said, saluting his mother before leaving.

On the streets of Tiao County.

Changsun Wuji walked with Guanyinbi, hearing people along the street discussing the matters of Qinghe County.

“I never thought that Fu Zihou had such talent! He truly cannot be underestimated!” Changsun Wuji remarked.

Listening to the people talk about those prisoners who, by their achievements, had won not only freedom for themselves and their families but also wealth, Changsun Wuji could not help but marvel—he had clearly misjudged that gentle, refined youth, never suspecting he possessed such ability.

At least Changsun Wuji admitted to himself that he did not have such talent.

“When we return to the capital, I must tell Shimin of this! With such ability, if left to others, even Shimin would blame me for letting him slip away!” Changsun Wuji said.

Guanyinbi, walking beside him, stopped and looked at her brother with exasperation. “Dou Jiande will certainly go to see Uncle in person and try to persuade him. Brother, do not speak rashly!” She knew all too well what her brother was thinking—ever since meeting her husband Shimin, he had devoted all his attention to him, wishing to give him anything good.

“Sister!” Changsun Wuji laughed awkwardly, hurrying to catch up and walk alongside her.

“But we can’t just stand by and watch such a brave and resourceful man serve... rebels!” Changsun Wuji said as he walked, glancing at Guanyinbi and then at the other passersby.

“Sister, not only are you Shimin’s wife, but for the sake of our cousin Li Cha, we cannot let Fu Zihou consort with those rebels!” Changsun Wuji, though somewhat intimidated by his sister, could not hide his dissatisfaction in his words.

“Strictly speaking, Fu Zihou is also Shimin’s cousin-in-law...” Changsun Wuji muttered.

Guanyinbi sighed, stopped, and looked at her brother. Seeing her expressionless face, neither angry nor smiling, Changsun Wuji quickly broke into an awkward grin, though he still felt he wasn’t wrong.

“Do you really think Dou Jiande can persuade Uncle?” Guanyinbi asked softly.

“But what if he can?” Changsun Wuji replied, relieved she wasn’t angry, but growing serious at the thought of Dou Jiande.

“Sister, you and I have both met Dou Jiande. In speech and in character, he’s truly exceptional. It’s said he is full of loyalty and righteousness—when his family died, a thousand people came to the funeral, and even now in Gaojibo, he eats and lives with the soldiers, giving all his rewards to them!”

There were too many virtues to praise in Dou Jiande, and Changsun Wuji didn’t want to enumerate them all—surely his sister could see for herself.

“I’ve been asking you to visit the Li residence with me these days, but you’re too afraid to go!” Guanyinbi said, exasperated, glancing at her brother’s puzzled face before continuing forward.

“Old Master Li is already sixty-eight. Perhaps because the river froze early this year, and the weather is so cold he can’t travel on horseback, he didn’t return to Tiao County this year. Now that the engagement between the Fu and Li families is set, after New Year, both families will have Fu Zihou pay a visit to the old master. Besides, with Fu Zihou’s recent victory over the rebels and his lifting of the siege on Qinghe, the local magistrate Yang Shanhui and the Cui clan will recommend him for official recognition at court!”

Guanyinbi glanced at her brother.

“No matter whether Dou Jiande can persuade Uncle, or whether he can win over Fu Zihou, after the New Year, Shimin will have the chance to meet Zihou,” she said, watching her brother’s stunned, then delighted, then elated expression, and found herself unable to bother with him any longer.

“That’s right! Sister! Why didn’t I think of that? Once Zihou meets Shimin, and with our uncle’s connection, how could he not stay? Hahaha!” Changsun Wuji laughed excitedly in the street, watching his sister, who walked a step or two ahead, with boundless admiration.

The Li Residence.

In the main hall, several braziers burned with charcoal.

Dou Jiande, Yingkai, Cao Zhan, and Cui Lvxing were all kneeling behind their tables.

Having learned that the rebel army outside Qinghe County led by Zhang Jincheng had been defeated by a youth named Fu Zihou, who had commanded a force made up of prisoners, and that the rebel champion Xu Jinpeng had been slain on the battlefield, Dou Jiande had waited several days, and only after confirming that Yang Yichen had led his army north did he hasten to Tiao County and the Li residence.

“Brother Jingjie, to speak frankly, my last visit here was also for Fu Zihou. I merely kept it quiet to avoid drawing attention, and I hope you can forgive my earlier concealment,” Dou Jiande said, raising his hand in respect and laying his intentions bare.

If Dou Jiande’s desire to meet Fu Zihou had already reached its peak before, now, looking at Li Jingjie, the very thought of Fu Zihou made his breath short.

The judgment shown at Wanqiu, the boldness to rally the prisoners, the ingenious ruse to lure Zhang Jincheng’s army, and finally, the courage to lead the troops in person—all these things, which Cao Zhan and Cui Lvxing had praised so highly, Dou Jiande now understood the full weight of. He not only grasped their earlier enthusiasm, but realized that his own desire to meet Fu Zihou now surpassed even theirs.

“Lord Dou, to be honest, we at the Li residence have had no news of Zihou for several days,” Li Jingjie replied with a wry smile, raising his hand to Dou Jiande.

Compared to Dou Jiande’s candor, Li Jingjie now felt rather embarrassed, for this was tantamount to admitting he had lied and kept things hidden before.

His mother, on hearing of Lord Dou’s arrival, had simply gone to chat with the womenfolk in the rear courtyard, leaving him to face the guest alone.

“This...” Dou Jiande glanced at Cao Zhan and Cui Lvxing. Even Yingkai looked suspiciously at Li Jingjie, wondering if he was still hiding something from them...

“Brother Jingjie, may I ask, was there once a misunderstanding between you and Zihou? For when he arrived in Tiao County, he specifically instructed that if either of your names were mentioned, he must be said to have already left!” Li Jingjie, seeing Dou Jiande and the others’ concern, looked at Cao Zhan and Cui Lvxing in puzzlement, explaining the reason for his prior secrecy.

“What?”

“...”

Cui Lvxing and Cao Zhan were both dumbfounded at this.

So Li Jingjie had concealed things because of them, and at Fu Zihou’s request no less! The two of them could only shake their heads in disbelief—was it really necessary to be so wary of their revenge over such a trifling matter from the past?

“How muddle-headed!” Cui Lvxing shook his head, smiling and exasperated. Even Cao Zhan could not stop laughing. So it was all because of that old incident! Fu Zihou was guarding against them!

Inside the main hall.

Seeing Li Jingjie’s confusion, Cao Zhan raised his hand and explained the misunderstanding from before.

“What? Back then, Zihou had already done such things at Wanqiu?” Li Jingjie was astounded, hearing from Cao Zhan how Fu Zihou, just by observing at the city gate, had deduced that bandits had entered the city, and later reasoned that their leader was probably the long-missing Lu Mingyue, and in the end, had given all the credit to others, caring nothing for reputation or reward.

Was this truly the same Fu Zihou he had seen with his own eyes? The boy he had glimpsed at the Li residence gate, standing by the old master’s side?

“Brother Jingjie, please, do not let this be known,” Dou Jiande said gravely when Cao Zhan had finished.

The matter in Qinghe County might have already spread, but people like Gao Shida still knew nothing of what had happened at Wanqiu.

Outside the main hall.

Li Qiong, accompanied by Guanyinbi and Changsun Wuji, was about to go see her father and Lord Dou.

But hearing the conversation inside the hall, Li Qiong’s beautifully delicate face took on a dazed look—only now did she realize all that had happened at Wanqiu.

Behind her, Guanyinbi and Changsun Wuji exchanged glances, their expressions filled with surprise, but even more with concern.