Chapter 6: This Young Master Has a Sharp Memory

After leaving the study, Meng Yuxi found the words of Meng Hongchang lingering in his mind.

Why was the old man so insistent that he study poetry as soon as possible? Could it be that in the Great Li Empire, the imperial examinations were entirely based on poetry? Who would expect someone who hadn't touched a book in nineteen years to suddenly sit for a civil service exam? This seemed far too urgent; if he were to take an exam, surely a military one would be more fitting.

Was it possible that his performance moments ago had been too stunning, raising expectations?

Meng Yuxi shook his head, feeling that now was not the time to dwell on such things. Before him lay a more pressing matter: the culprit who had kicked him into the water in an attempt to end his life had yet to be found.

Although the area around the Huanhua Pond had been chaotic, the abundance of sand and gravel near the water’s edge had made it easy to leave footprints. While observing the changing expressions of the crowd earlier, he had carefully compared the footprints left on the ground. None of them matched the ones left behind him. Women could be ruled out; the footprints were unmistakably masculine.

He hadn't expected that his ability to memorize eight decks of cards in his previous life would first be put to use tracking footprints after transmigrating. Since he couldn't catch the culprit on the spot, framing Meng Mingzhe was a decent alternative. It would serve three purposes: to test his standing in Meng Hongchang’s eyes, to intimidate Meng Mingzhe and his band of sycophants, and to probe the loyalty and courage of Xiao Cui.

This "one move, four gains" strategy was truly ingenious if one dared to execute it. Whether in this life or the last, he felt no moral qualms regarding his enemies. As a small player, survival came first. Once he occupied a high position and possessed greater power, it wouldn't be too late to talk about morality.

Fiddling with the seal Meng Hongchang had given him, Meng Yuxi returned to the edge of the Huanhua Pond. The servants who had been kneeling in the courtyard were gone. He guessed that, from now on, no one would dare step foot in this place without an invitation—which suited him just fine; it would at least be quiet.

Meng Yuxi walked along the walls, inside and out, repeatedly checking for anything out of place. After several thorough inspections, he finally discovered a clue: a faint gray mark was perched unexpectedly on the top of the outer wall of the pond. He guessed it was a footprint left by a shoe as someone pushed off to vault over.

He ran about twenty paces outward before finding half a footprint of a forefoot on the ground. It matched the one that had kicked him perfectly, though the impression was much lighter. Looking up, he saw the main gate of the Meng estate just a few dozen paces away.

So, the perpetrator had fled immediately after the deed. Intuition told him that there were quite a few people both inside and outside the Meng estate who wanted him dead.

"Zhang Long! Zhao Hu!" Meng Yuxi called out to the air.

He felt a bit foolish when there was no response for a long time. He suspected the servants working nearby thought his "idiocy" had flared up again.

"Ahem, you two, come out!" He glanced sideways to avoid the strange looks from the laundry workers and urged in a low voice.

"Subordinate Zhang Shilong."
"Subordinate Zhao Senhu."
"We thank you, Young Master, for the names! We await your orders!"

Two black shadows flashed from behind the white wall and knelt on one knee behind Meng Yuxi, responding in clear, resonant voices.

Meng Yuxi turned and reached out to help them up. As he did, he felt their bodies were incredibly heavy, like mountains. Supporting them with one hand each was surprisingly difficult, forcing him to plant his feet and use the strength he would have needed to lift a bronze tripod.

The two men swayed slightly but regained their composure in a breath. Just as Meng Yuxi was about to exert more effort, they slowly stood up, bowed their heads, and said in unison, "The Young Master possesses natural divine strength! We are in awe!"

"Think nothing of it," Meng Yuxi replied with a smile. Only then did he have the chance to properly examine these "elite death-sworn guards" that Meng Hongchang had spoken of.

He was initially startled by the bizarre masks they wore. It was fortunate that it was daytime; at night, it would be impossible to tell if these green-faced, glaring, red-fanged things were man or ghost.

The guards who had appeared at the pond earlier had not worn masks, and he still remembered their faces and physiques clearly. None of them had possessed the build of these two. Although the pair before him had slightly stooped backs and modest bellies, their overall appearance was soft, natural, steady, and powerful—a harmonious blend of contradictions.

This was vastly different from the martial arts masters he had seen in traditional films, bearing more resemblance to the tailor from *Kung Fu Hustle*.

"From five paces inside the courtyard wall, leap toward me with all your strength. Let’s see who can jump further," Meng Yuxi said with a smile. Since he couldn't gauge their true strength, he would test it directly. The current spot was where the assailant had landed; if they could jump further than that, they were likely more skilled than the man who had attacked him.

Zhang Long and Zhao Hu exchanged glances and nodded.

In an instant, they leaped over the wall. Their techniques were vastly different. Zhang Long rose high without touching the wall, his movement ghostly, gliding through the air like a serpent. Zhao Hu was more ferocious; after a powerful push off the wall, he moved through the air as if running. With a few heavy strides, he landed twenty paces behind Meng Yuxi. Zhang Long landed lightly beside him, nearly clearing the main gate. The two turned and knelt on one knee again.

Meng Yuxi praised them while walking toward them. This was far more spectacular than any wire-fu stunt; the old man certainly knew how to pick his men.

"There is no need for such formalities between us. I’m not used to all this kneeling. You two, go fetch Xiao Cui from my courtyard and bring her here. Remind her to lock the door behind her."

The two men acknowledged the order and retreated. Meng Yuxi then walked to the main gate. The two gatekeepers, seeing the Young Master approach, beamed and bowed.

During the commotion at the pond, Meng Yuxi recalled that these two had been brought by the death-sworn guards and were not among the crowd that had watched with cold indifference. He felt no malice toward them and smiled, telling them to rise.

"When did you two start your shift?"

"Are you asking when we started working at the gate, Young Master?"

Meng Yuxi nodded with a smile.

"Reporting to the Young Master, we started last night. We only left for a brief moment, but we locked the gate tightly before leaving. There were no lapses, I assure you!"

"Did anyone enter or leave this morning?"

"This morning? The Eldest Young Master, several death-sworn guards, the estate physician, Auntie Deng He, and a few miscellaneous servants."

"Earlier than that? Before Meng Mingzhe left?"

"The Third Young Lady, the Fifth Young Master, Miss Qin Ming, and their attendants."

"What time did they leave? Tell me in detail." Meng Yuxi cursed inwardly. Could they stop pulling teeth? If he didn't ask, they wouldn't volunteer a single extra word.

"Reporting to the Young Master, the Third Young Lady and the Fifth Young Master left together during the night and have not returned. Miss Qin Ming was the first to leave after sunrise."

"Who is this Miss Qin Ming?"

"Reporting to the Young Master, Miss Qin Ming is the top courtesan at the Piaoxiang Pavilion. Heh heh, I’m not sure if it was the Eldest or the Second Young Master who brought her here to enjoy her company. That Miss Qin Ming is truly bewitching; sometimes she accompanies the Eldest, sometimes the Second, and sometimes both at..."

Meng Yuxi waved his hand to cut him off. These two were clearly enjoying the gossip far too much, and any more would likely come with a price tag.

"How does one get to the Piaoxiang Pavilion? Is it a brothel?"

"Fourth Young Master, are you interested too? Heh heh, I hear that Miss Qin Ming has many tricks in her room. She even left wearing men’s clothing this morning. Oh, that figure, those looks, tsk tsk tsk..."

The two men's faces were now full of unhidden lust.

"Show me the way!"