Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Late into the night, yet as it was the Lantern Festival, the capital was still ablaze with lights everywhere. The city's inhabitants reveled in the rare joy of a night without curfew, making the most of the festive freedom.

The officers of the Five City Police and the Capital Prefecture worked through the night, interrogating suspects and following leads to conduct arrests. Thanks to their swift and decisive actions, by dawn, they had achieved a solid breakthrough—capturing the entire gang and rescuing all the children who had not yet been transported away.

When the notices were posted at daybreak, the families who had lost their children were overjoyed. They expressed endless gratitude to the unusually efficient authorities and hurried to reclaim their missing children.

In the Duke of Dingguo's residence, the first thing Pei Ze did upon waking was to "visit" the boy who had been taken in for the night for rest.

The effects of the drug had worn off, and the boy, waking to an unfamiliar environment, still felt nervous, even with the maids fussing over him. Sitting at the table, he hesitated for a long while before daring to take a bite of the steaming breakfast laid out before him.

For the first time, Pei Ze encountered a child his own age in the Duke's estate. Though they were strangers, he felt a giddy thrill. Led by Nanny Zhou to the guest courtyard, he strutted up the steps with his hands clasped behind his back, pausing slightly at the threshold before turning to signal Nanny Zhou to lift him over.

Once inside, Pei Ze walked with measured steps toward the boy, hands still behind his back, and peered up at him, trying to sound grown-up. "Are you comfortable in my home?"

Being so young, his attempt at mimicking adult manners came off as adorably serious. The boy found it amusing, and the lingering jitters from waking up in an unfamiliar place began to fade.

Though he had been drugged the night before, his memories and upbringing remained intact. Now that his nerves had settled somewhat and he was faced with a younger child, he relaxed a little. Softly, he said, "Thank you for saving me. My name is Mu Qing. I'm six years old. What's your name?"

Hearing the word "thank," Pei Ze puffed up with pride. Copying Ming Tang's usual demeanor, he waved his hand with a put-on humble act. "I'm Pei Ze. No need to thank me—it was only right."

Without waiting for Mu Qing to respond, he dove into a dramatic retelling of the previous night's events, which in his mind grew more heroic with each recollection.

Though many details were exaggerated or distorted in his telling, Mu Qing listened attentively, piecing together what had happened after he was drugged.

Moreover, he developed a deep admiration for the "mother" Pei Ze spoke of.

In Pei Ze's account, his "mother" had a sharp eye for spotting villains at a glance and could subdue villains with mere words. Before even meeting her, Ming Tang had already taken on the image of a larger-than-life hero in Mu Qing's mind.

Encouraged by his captivated audience, Pei Ze grew even more enthusiastic, pouring out the pent-up urge to tell his tale that had gone unsatisfied the night before with Mrs. Pei. He spoke for nearly a quarter of an hour before finally pausing, his mouth dry. He licked his lips, itching to say more, his eyes lingering on the soup bowl on the table.

Noticing this, Mu Qing stood up hesitantly and reached for a small bowl, intending to serve Pei Ze some soup.

The maids nearby, seeing his clumsy movements, quickly intervened, taking the bowl and serving soup for both boys.

Pei Ze held the small bowl and, finding the temperature just right, drank it all in one go. Letting out a satisfied sigh, he announced grandly, "This can count as your rent for last night!"

"Rent?" Mu Qing was puzzled.

Seizing another opportunity to expound, Pei Ze launched into an explanation of what rent was.

"But... this soup was already brought by your household. How can it be used to pay rent to you?"

Pei Ze blinked, scratching his head in thought: *Hmm, that does make sense...*

As the two boys pondered this dilemma, Nanny Zhou lifted the door curtain with evident delight. "Young Master Mu, your uncle has come to fetch you."

Mu Qing's eyes lit up, all his fears melted away. He immediately jumped down from his stool, thanked Nanny Zhou, and hurried out.

Pei Ze, equally curious, held his arms up to Nanny Zhou, asking to follow.

The group left the guest courtyard, with Mu Qing trailing Nanny Zhou toward the reception hall. When he caught sight of the familiar figure seated inside, his steps faltered, and he broke into a run, flinging himself into his uncle's arms.

Mu Yan, seeing his nephew unharmed and in good spirits, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Holding back tears, he patted the boy's head lightly before rising to express his gratitude once more to Mrs. Pei and Ming Tang.

Their act of kindness—not only rescuing his young relative but also taking him into their home—left Mu Yan utterly grateful. His impression of the Duke of Dingguo's household was entirely reshaped. Previously, he had seen them as aloof aristocrats, but now they seemed as warm and down-to-earth as any ordinary family.

His gratitude was unmistakably genuine, and his early morning visit, combined with his obvious affection for Mu Qing, made the situation downright strange—after all, this was the child they had rescued from kidnappers just the night before.

Ming Tang empathized. Yesterday, they had made extensive preparations before taking Pei Ze out, with layers of guards both visible and hidden, resulting in an uneventful night. The Mu family was also a prominent clan in Jin, inherently wealthy, yet they had lost the nephew of their family head—clearly, there was more to the story.

Perhaps aware of the oddity of the situation and that the child had been rescued by the Pei family, Mu Yan didn’t bother with pretense. With a bitter smile, he vaguely explained, "The family is large. This child lost his mother young, and his father is posted at the frontier, never remarrying. Naturally, some might harbor ill intentions."

Mrs. Pei hadn’t known the child’s identity until now. Hearing this, she raised her brows slightly in surprise.

The Mu clan of Jin was sprawling, with members scattered everywhere and engaged in all sorts of professions. Though the Pei family had no ties with the Mu clan, Mrs. Pei could recall a few Mu individuals with just a little thought. And since "posted at the frontier" was the descriptor, the child’s father must be Commander-in-Chief Mu of Gansu.

Commander-in-Chief Mu and his wife had been deeply devoted. In their early years, they had only one daughter, who married the Prince of Yan and became the current Princess Consort of Yan. Later, his wife bore a son late in life, but her health never recovered from childbirth, and she passed away a few years later. Mrs. Pei had mourned her passing back then.

With this context, Mrs. Pei understood. Commander-in-Chief Mu was a general at the border, naturally wealthy, and with only this one son—it was inevitable some Mu clansmen would scheme.

Mu Yan, meanwhile, mused bitterly to himself: seeing how harmoniously the Duke of Dingguo’s heir and his wife interacted, so natural and affectionate, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy compared to the mess in his own family.

He could only hope that the elders of his family were unaware of this affair, that it was merely the younger generation acting out of greed. Otherwise, caught between his brother’s family and the elders, it would be a difficult situation to handle.

Lost in thoughts of what awaited him upon returning home, Mu Yan exchanged a few polite words with Mrs. Pei, expressed his sincere gratitude once more, left tokens of gratitude, and prepared to take Mu Qing home.

Mu Qing, who had been standing obediently by his uncle’s side, hesitated for a moment before tugging his sleeve and whispering something to him.

A flicker of surprise crossed Mu Yan’s eyes. After a brief contemplation, he untied a jade pendant from his waist and handed it to Mu Qing.

Mu Qing took it, his face lit up instantly. He trotted over to Pei Ze, glanced curiously at Ming Tang—who sat in a chair, looking gentle and kind—and, unsure of her identity, offered a clumsy bow. Rising, he handed the pendant to Pei Ze and whispered, "Here’s your rent~"

Pei Ze’s face lit up with delight. He took the pendant, turned to Ming Tang, and announced, "Mother, A Ze earned rent!"

Clutching the pendant gleefully, Pei Ze waved goodbye to Mu Qing with great hospitality, "Qing, visit again~"

And, of course, remember to pay rent like today.

Since Pei Ze was the first peer he’d met after waking, Mu Qing had instinctively taken a liking to this adorable and well-behaved little brother. Hearing Pei Ze’s words, he waved back and nodded emphatically, "Mm!"

Then, glancing at Ming Tang, his eyes filled with confusion: This didn’t look at all like the towering, heroic figure A Ze had described?

But once he realized that this seemingly slender frame held the immense power Pei Ze had spoken of, Mu Qing couldn’t help but feel even more reverence. He took Pei Ze’s hand, and the two boys leaned close, whispering secrets.

Mu Yan, eager to take the child home, had no choice but to play the spoiler, calling for Mu Qing to leave.

And so, everyone watched as the two newly acquainted little friends held hands, eyes brimming with reluctant tears, bidding each other a lingering farewell.

Mu Qing was genuinely reluctant to part, while Pei Ze was half-sad and half-regretful that he couldn’t collect rent for a few more days.

After all, since everyone in the house already had a place to stay, opportunities to collect rent were rare!

Ming Tang, now well-acquainted with Pei Ze’s ways, took one look at his expression and knew exactly what he was thinking. Glancing at Mu Qing’s genuine sorrow, she sighed inwardly for him: Wasted sincerity.

While the Dingguo Duke’s residence re-enacted a tearful farewell, the Emperor, upon learning that child-snatchers dared operate so brazenly under his very nose, was furious. With the Prince of Yan, Pei Yue, and others petitioning for a crackdown, the first court session after the Lantern Festival saw orders for a joint operation to purge the capital’s underbelly.

The usual bullies who preyed on small vendors, relying on their "connections," found themselves in trouble. Shady operators were forced to lay low. Nobles skirting the law grew nervous, fearing the Emperor’s next move might be a full purge.

The campaign against crime and vice raged on, though the common folk noticed nothing amiss—in fact, life seemed more peaceful than usual. Even the usual street thugs, who loved throwing their weight around, seemed to have transformed overnight into polite gentlemen, even helping elderly pedestrians cross the road.

Though, if one didn’t look closely, the expressions of the "helped" elderly and the "escorted" criminals were nearly identical—both bore a grim, resigned determination.

The stark contrast soon became a darkly humorous trend in the capital.

People no longer greeted each other with "Have you eaten?" but instead asked, "Has anyone around you been arrested?"

In a quiet mansion nestled within the bustling capital, Pei Tang listened to his servant’s report with growing irritation. During the Lantern Festival, he had spent a fortune hoping to stir up trouble for Pei Ze amid the crowds. Yet his *esteemed* nephew Pei Yue had gone out with an army of guards, visible and hidden, leaving his men no opening. They had returned empty-handed.

If that were all, it wouldn’t have mattered. But for some inexplicable reason, the Prince of Yan, who had always been silent before, shocked everyone by suddenly submitting a petition—and the Emperor actually approved it.

Those who took his money and agreed to carry out such deeds were naturally not exactly model citizens. With the sudden crackdown in the capital, those involved in large sums of suspicious money transfers inevitably drew scrutiny.

After repeated investigations, the very fact that they had failed to find an opportunity to act that day—which had infuriated Pei Tang at the time—became the best reason for him to remain untouched. The only loss was the money, which had gone to waste.

Slamming his palm heavily onto the desk, Pei Tang was filled with regret: Had he known this would happen, wouldn’t it have been better to spend the money on something else?

Better than now—spending money, making plans, riding this emotional rollercoaster—while his dear nephew likely remained completely unaware that anyone had even intended to trouble him. It made Pei Tang feel like a fool putting on his own show.

Pei Yue, who had just been giving some pointers to his subordinates in archery at the yamen, naturally had no idea someone was seething over his actions. Had he known, he would have offered consolation: In truth, he hadn’t been entirely oblivious—it was just that, after waiting so long without any sign of what those people intended to do, he had simply dismissed it.

To be honest, a few nosy looks were old news to him. If he had to pay attention to every little thing, he might as well never leave his home.