Chapter 109: The Difference Becomes All The More Apparent
The atmosphere outside the study was unusually solemn.
The heavy wooden doors remained tightly shut.
Two guards stood silently on either side of the entrance, their hands resting lightly upon the hilts of their swords. Neither spoke a word as the faint voices from within occasionally drifted through the thick wooden doors.
"...this one has never met him..."
"...Madam Liu..."
"...answer truthfully..."
The words were indistinct, impossible to piece together, yet anyone passing by could tell an important matter was being discussed inside.
Just then, a young maid approached with a wooden tea tray in her hands. Steam still curled gently from the spout of the teapot. Before she could ascend the stone steps, one of the guards stepped forward.
"The Master has given strict orders." One of the guards stopped her, "No one is permitted to enter."
The maid immediately lowered her head.
"Ah... This servant was instructed by the kitchen to replace the tea." She explained.
"The tea inside has not yet gone cold." The guard’s eyes narrowed sharply, "You may return."
"This servant understands." She offered a respectful curtsy before quietly turning away.
The two guards merely resumed their positions. Neither found anything suspicious.
Thinking back, she was simply a maid carrying tea.
Only after she disappeared beyond the corner of the corridor did her footsteps become noticeably quicker. She glanced behind her once, ensuring no one had followed, then she continued toward the end of the covered walkway.
A graceful figure was already waiting beneath the shade of a flowering tree.
The woman stood with her back facing the corridor, a delicate round fan concealing the lower half of her face.
Without turning around, she spoke softly. "Well?"
The maid immediately bowed. "Miss. The Young Master has invited Madam Liu into the study."
The fan paused ever so slightly. "Has the questioning begun?"
"This servant believes so." The maid nodded. "The doors have remained shut since Madam Liu entered. And... the guards have forbidden anyone from approaching."
Silence lingered for a brief moment.
Then, a quiet chuckle escaped from behind the fan.
"I see. Continue watching. The moment the study doors open... report to me immediately."
"This servant understands." The maid bowed once more before quickly departing.
Left alone beneath the flowering branches, the woman gently tapped the edge of the open fan against the bridge of her nose.
The breeze rustled through the blossoms, carrying a few pale petals past her figure.
Though the fan concealed most of her face... The faint curve of her lips was enough to reveal that everything was unfolding exactly as she had anticipated.
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After leaving the main courtyard, Wang Gege had no intention of returning to her own courtyard immediately.
The conversation inside the study was unlikely to end anytime soon, and Xie Rong had already promised to tell her everything afterward.
With nothing else to do, she decided to wander around the residence.
Qing’er followed half a step behind, quietly accompanying her.
"This way leads to the western garden, Young Madam."
Wang Gege nodded absentmindedly. The moment she stepped through the moon gate, however, she stopped in her tracks.
"Wow."
Before her lay a tranquil pond, its clear surface shimmering beneath the morning sunlight. Clusters of lotus leaves floated gently across the water, while colorful koi leisurely swam beneath them. A small stone bridge arched over the pond, connecting two winding pathways lined with flowering shrubs.
A gentle breeze rippled the water, carrying with it the faint fragrance of blooming lotus.
Wang Gege blinked, "I didn’t know there was a pond inside the residence."
Qing’er smiled, "Young Madam has only visited a few courtyards since your marriage. The residence is much larger than it appears."
Wang Gege slowly walked onto the stone bridge, resting her hands lightly against the carved railing as she looked across the water.
"This is already bigger than the public park near my..." She caught herself just in time before the word apartment slipped out, "my hometown."
Qing’er tilted her head, puzzled. "Hometown?"
Wang Gege immediately laughed awkwardly, "I mean... Shen Residence..."
Her gaze swept across the seemingly endless gardens beyond the pond.
Rockeries, pavilions, covered walkways and even another courtyard was visible in the distance.
Wang Gege stared across the tranquil pond before asking curiously, "Qing’er..."
"Hm, Young Madam?" Qing’er looked at her instantly.
"What exactly is Father’s official position?" Wang Gege asked.
Qing’er blinked. "Young Madam wishes to know the Master’s rank?"
Wang Gege nodded. "I know the Xie Residence outranks Minister Gu’s household... But I don’t actually know what Father does."
Qing’er smiled helplessly. "It is no wonder Young Madam is confused. The officials of the Imperial Court are divided into many ranks and responsibilities."
She paused briefly before continuing, "Minister Gu oversees only one ministry. But Master...assists His Majesty in governing the affairs of the entire court."
Wang Gege blinked, "The entire court?"
Qing’er nodded, "Many ministers discuss state affairs with His Majesty. But before reaching the throne... those memorials first pass through Master’s hands."
Wang Gege slowly turned toward the endless garden.
The winding corridors... The lotus pond... The elegant pavilion standing quietly upon the water.
"No wonder." She blinked a few times before turning back to Qing’er, "Then... what about Hu—"
Realizing what she was about to say, she quickly cleared her throat. "Ahem... I mean, Young Master..."
Qing’er smiled faintly, pretending not to notice her slip of the tongue. "Young Master has yet to inherit Master’s official position."
Wang Gege nodded. "That much I know."
"However," Qing’er continued, "throughout the capital, few would dare offend Young Master."
Wang Gege tilted her head. "Because of Father?"
Qing’er shook her head. "Partly. But more importantly... because the Young Master earned his reputation himself."
Wang Gege raised an eyebrow. "His reputation?"
Qing’er nodded, "Young Master entered the Imperial Court at a remarkably young age. Although his official rank is not as high as Master’s, His Majesty places great trust in him."
She paused for a moment before lowering her voice. "There has also been... a rumor circulating among the officials."
Wang Gege blinked curiously. "A rumor?"
Qing’er hesitated, as though wondering whether she should continue, "Young Master has always been exceptionally intelligent. However... Ever since his eyesight was injured a year ago... many have said he has become even more formidable."
Wang Gege frowned, "More formidable?"
Qing’er nodded. "This servant has heard that no matter how difficult a case or how complicated a memorial may be... once it reaches Young Master’s hands, he is able to resolve it with remarkable efficiency."
She smiled faintly. "Some even say... that Heaven took away Young Master’s sight... only to bless him with greater wisdom."
Wang Gege fell silent.
Qing’er quickly added, "Of course, those are merely rumors."
She cleared her throat before lowering her voice once more. "Many court officials believe that once the Master retires... there is no one more suitable to succeed him than Young Master."
"That is only natural."
Xie An’an’s gentle voice startled both Wang Gege and Qing’er, causing them to turn around in surprise.
She approached with graceful, measured steps, an embroidered fan resting lightly in her hand.
"Elder Brother has always been exceptional." Her lips curved into a warm smile, "Whether in talent or character, few among the younger generation could hope to compare."
She paused briefly before her gaze settled on Wang Gege.
"It is only... when one walks beside a brilliant person... that the difference becomes all the more apparent."