Casting Nets to Catch a Husband

Chapter 201: Liu Yanzheng

Liu Yu was still busy with the spring collection. With three branches of Ruyi Embroidery House now open and the distribution network expanding into neighboring counties thanks to Liu Yanqing’s efforts, there was plenty to keep her occupied, even without needing to handle other concerns. Just managing the workroom alone was enough to fill her schedule.

Lu Chengxiao watched her enter the workroom before going to find Liu Yanqing.

Liu Yanqing had stayed out late in Dongling Alley the previous night. When he saw Lu Chengxiao coming, he greeted him, “I was just about to find you.”

The two went inside to talk. Liu Yanqing told Lu Chengxiao about the movements of Liu Dalang and Wu Shi the previous night. Though he left out Wu Shi’s foul words, he shared how unsettling the whole situation had been, even without clearly seeing Liu Dalang’s expression in the dark.

Lu Chengxiao glanced at Liu Yanqing. “Big Brother, do you think what Yu’er is doing is wrong?”

Liu Yanqing hesitated, then shook his head. “Liu Dalang came with bad intentions, and this is the best way to handle him. We can’t keep guarding against a madman forever; there’s always a chance we could slip up, and letting him lurk around here is too dangerous. I’m just worried about Yu’er getting entangled in karmic consequences. She doesn’t seem as calm as she’s showing, does she?”

If she were truly bent on revenge, she wouldn’t have ignored the Liu Family in Liujiacun for so long. In the end, this was a defensive response.

Lu Chengxiao’s gaze flickered, inwardly admiring how observant his quiet brother-in-law was. He indeed understood Liu Yu well.

Seeing Lu Chengxiao’s reaction, Liu Yanqing knew he’d guessed correctly and asked, “So, what do you need from me?”

Lu Chengxiao leaned in and quietly shared his plan.

Liu Yanqing’s brows lifted. “Are you sure?”

Lu Chengxiao nodded. “I don’t want her carrying the weight of this forever. I’ll stay with her for the next few days; I just need to trouble you to handle things on that end.”

A smile spread across Liu Yanqing’s face. “No worries—leave it to me.”

It was the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, and the Lantern Festival was approaching.

Around midday, a grand ship, about ten zhang (approximately 100 feet) in length, sailed into the waters of Anyi County and soon docked at the local wharf. Although there were many boats in Jiangnan, most were either small passenger boats or larger cargo vessels; a luxurious ship of this caliber was rare and quickly drew a crowd of curious onlookers.

The first to disembark were a dozen young men, a few of whom immediately began asking for directions. Two headed into town, while another hired a carriage.

Liu Yanzheng helped an elderly man out of the cabin, followed by Doctor Mo, who had been tending to the old man.

The old man, thin and frail, gazed at the dock with visible excitement. “Yanzheng, help me down.”

Liu Yanzheng nodded, carefully assisting the old man off the boat.

The man who had gone to hire the carriage quickly reported, “Young Master, Yan Si and Xu Liu have already gone ahead to reserve rooms at the largest inn in town. We can head over now.”

The old man frowned. “Ask for directions to Xifeng Town directly. Let’s go to Xifeng Town first.”

His voice was weak and frail.

Liu Yanzheng glanced at Doctor Mo, who immediately shook his head. “Sir, your health won’t take much more strain. Let’s settle down here and rest for a few days first.”

Understanding that simply advising him to rest wasn’t enough, Liu Yanzheng gently coaxed, “Grandfather, we don’t know the exact location of the person you’re looking for in Xifeng Town. Your health is delicate, and we have a large group. The town likely won’t have an inn big enough for us all. Let’s settle in the county first—I promise, we’ll find the person you’re looking for within three days. Is that alright?”

The old man knew finding the person would take time, so he relented, nodding and letting Liu Yanzheng help him onto the carriage.

The carriage set off, followed by a dozen uniformed young men on foot. A glance back at the dock revealed that the boat hadn’t left; it was still anchored, with some men remaining onboard, at least a dozen in all.

“What a grand display. They must be from a very wealthy family,” some people murmured, watching.

The onlookers at the dock marveled and speculated about the identity of the visitors.

The Liu family’s attendants, under the guise of finding an inn, had nearly booked out all the remaining rooms. As soon as the elder settled in, he asked about his grandson. Liu Yanzheng understood that this matter was a lifelong worry for his grandfather. Smiling, he said, “Don’t worry, Grandfather, I’ll send someone out to inquire right away.”

Turning to Doctor Mo, he said, “Please keep a close eye on him.”

Doctor Mo nodded. “Rest assured, Young Master.”

Without delay, Liu Yanzheng left the elder’s room. Soon, several of the attendants dispersed to go toward Xifeng Town.

Liu Yanzheng himself stayed at the inn, choosing a table by the window to quietly await any news.

As the sun set, the sky turned gold and red, and then dusk fell, with the first lights of evening beginning to appear.

It was nearly the end of the hour of You (around 5-7 p.m.), and Liu Yanzheng still sat in the same place. One of his attendants, unable to resist, approached to ask if he would like something to eat.

Liu Yanzheng wasn’t feeling hungry, but noting the time, he agreed it was time to eat. Drawing his gaze from the window, he asked, “Did my grandfather have a good dinner?”

The attendant nodded. “Doctor Mo made medicinal porridge, and the elder ate a bowl.”

Satisfied, Liu Yanzheng said, “Alright. I’ll go out for a walk and see what’s available to eat.”

The attendant withdrew respectfully and, after conferring with the others, assigned two men to discreetly follow Liu Yanzheng at a distance.

Liu Yanzheng didn’t ask for the best restaurant in the county. He walked aimlessly, observing this small county town as he went.

Could the person his grandfather and uncles had waited nearly thirty years to find really be in such a small place?

Too many years had passed; only a few elders on the island were still alive. Few people knew why that island had existed in the first place.

Liu Yanzheng didn’t know much more himself. There was only one thing his grandfather had told him on the day he took charge of the island’s affairs. He hadn’t understood it then and still didn’t entirely understand, but this trip to Yuanzhou had given him some faint suspicions.

Lost in thought, Liu Yanzheng was suddenly drawn out of his reverie by the lively sounds nearby, different from the ordinary bustle of the marketplace. He stopped to see a gambling house, the noise coming from within.

He had no interest in it and continued walking. Soon, he caught the smell of delicious food and, strangely, stopped.

It was a modest eatery, but lively and crowded with patrons.

Perhaps drawn by the bustling atmosphere or the aroma wafting out, Liu Yanzheng paused and turned to enter.

In his fine attire, with a jade ornament hanging from his waist, and his striking looks and presence, he drew all eyes in the small eatery. The waiter warmly greeted him and, feeling hesitant to lead him into the noisy main hall, instead guided him to the best table by the window.

Pouring tea, the waiter asked enthusiastically, “What would you like to eat, sir?”

Liu Yanzheng glanced at the dishes on nearby tables and, looking back, said, “Bring me a good pot of wine. For the rest, just bring whatever you think is best.”

He tossed a piece of silver on the table.

The waiter’s eyes sparkled, and he accepted the order with a smile, eagerly going to prepare.

When the food and wine arrived, it was already the first quarter of the hour of Xu (around 7-9 p.m.). Liu Yanzheng poured himself a drink, sipping and watching the street outside. He hardly touched the dishes, his casual manner making the simple eatery seem more like a grand restaurant.

He already had the look of a nobleman, carrying an air about him that defied description. Now, as he leisurely poured his own drinks, his relaxed demeanor drew the quiet attention of everyone in the eatery, from the shopkeeper to the customers.

Throughout the place, people noticeably slowed their eating, their eyes subtly drawn to the gentleman by the window.

Two quarters of an hour passed, and while most people would have finished their meal and paid, not a single table had moved that day.

The two attendants who had come with Liu Yanzheng, seated at another table, exchanged amused glances—they were well accustomed to such scenes.

“Murder!”

“Help!”

A piercing scream suddenly shattered the quiet.

It was a woman’s voice, shrill with terror, almost enough to burst eardrums and break the tranquility of the street.

At last, the patrons turned their attention from the distinguished guest and rushed toward the door, craning their necks to see what was happening outside.

Liu Yanzheng also looked toward the street in the direction of the cry.

A disheveled woman, her hair in disarray and her clothes askew, was fleeing in terror, screaming for help as she ran.

With his trained eyes, Liu Yanzheng instantly noticed the bloodstain spreading on her shoulder.

“Liu Qingfeng, you’re mad!”

“Help!”

The woman, Wu Shi, was frantic, shouting the name of her assailant, Liu Dalang, as she fled. Barefoot and clutching her sash, she glanced back repeatedly to see how close he was. When she realized he was only a few feet behind, her face twisted with fear, and she fled with all her might.

In one of these glances back, her hair flipped to the side, and Liu Yanzheng caught a clear view of her face.

The sight jolted him to his feet.

The woman’s face overlapped with the face of someone from his dreams—one of the four people he had often seen.

He was just about to step outside when her sharp cry rang out again, “I didn’t mean to! Please spare me!”

A surge of something hit Liu Yanzheng’s mind like a lightning bolt.

“We didn’t mean it! We didn’t mean to sell Yu’er! Please forgive me, forgive me!”

The same fearful voice, the same desperate plea echoed in his mind, their words eerily identical.

We didn’t mean to sell Yu’er.

Yu’er? Yu’er?

A flash of white light crossed Liu Yanzheng’s mind, followed by a rapid image—a lonely grave, a headstone inscribed with the name Liu Yu.

On the street in Anyi County, Wu Shi had been slashed.

She screamed a blood-curdling cry.

Each scream overlapped with the images in Liu Yanzheng’s mind.

The woman’s desperate plea, the lonely grave, the inscription, and the memory of a servant pointing angrily at her while scolding—all of it replayed in his mind.

A stabbing pain tore through Liu Yanzheng’s head, and he instinctively clutched it, his mind blanking out. In that instant, he couldn’t tell if the pain was worse in his head or in his heart.

Outside, Wu Shi was struck hard in the leg with an axe. As a second blow came down, a group of constables rushed forward.

The third blow fell.

The sounds of the woman’s agonized screams, the man’s frenzied shouts, the shouts of “Stop him!” and “Help!”—the constables’ commands, the gasps of the crowd—all blended into chaos.

Amidst this din, Liu Yanzheng slumped back into his seat, trying to focus on the woman outside, only to lose consciousness in the next moment.

Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5 review.