Chapter Sixty-One: The Little Monkey Cannot Escape the Palm

Chapter Sixty-One: The Little Monkey Cannot Escape the Palm

The leaves of the locust trees in front of the Three Locust Hall had all fallen. Master Ge Yuan picked up a chess piece and struck it heavily onto one of his opponent’s, making a resounding thud. He then tossed the captured knight into the chess box and glanced sideways at his opponent without a word. His move was both deft and imposing.

“It’s just that the boy broke eleven bones—he won’t die from it. Brother Ge Yuan, why worry?” The elderly man in a blue robe sitting opposite brushed dry leaves from his shoulder and asked with a smile.

“The wolf cub is starting to bite now—are you truly not concerned?” Ge Yuan pressed.

The blue-robed elder laughed, “He hasn’t bitten anyone yet, has he?”

Ge Yuan frowned. “So you really intend to watch until the little wolf begins his feast before you act?”

“The child of Tan-tan will not become a vicious wolf!”

Ge Yuan laughed heartily. “I do not agree. I believe that boy will not spare anyone who tries to harm his mother. What’s more, I worry he’ll unleash his anger upon your entire Three Locust Hall. I warned you—this boy is no ordinary child. A child who once deceived even me—I dare not look down on him.”

The blue-robed elder pointed at the ancient locust tree behind him and said with a smile, “The old locust bears new branches—an auspicious sign. The shoot that sprouted seven years ago is now as thick as a child’s arm, its lush foliage shielding the hall’s plaque from the sun—a sign of protection and support. Brother Ge Yuan, do you truly not see it?”

Ge Yuan sighed, discarding the chess piece he had just picked up. “The lore of the Book of Changes is unreliable. Back then, you all believed that Xia Song—Xia Ziqiao—had glimpsed its mysteries and trusted in his impromptu judgment, keeping Tan-tan locked away in the inner chambers for four bitter years. She endured more suffering than most could bear—harsh words from her kin, even hostility. Yet you three old men did nothing, as if you’d forgotten the existence of a clever child. As a result…”

The blue-robed elder raised his head and looked at Ge Yuan. “What’s wrong with ‘Auspicious signs appear when meeting water’?”

Ge Yuan stood, adjusting his robe. “Wang Su, are you truly determined to follow the path that was calculated for you long ago?”

Wang Su stood as well, bowing deeply to Ge Yuan. He patted the ancient locust tree behind him. “Brother Ge Yuan, your concern for the Wang family is not lost on me. My brother knows well our current predicament. If the Wang family continues on as mediocrities, we may live in peace and comfort—whether we breed rebellious sons or profligate daughters, we could still enjoy what little glory remains, until our family’s decline. My father single-handedly exhausted the fortune of three generations, yet could not lengthen his days. He passed without finding a suitable retreat for our family, leaving enemies under every tree. At his deathbed, he lingered, as if glimpsing the Wang family’s future, departing this world with only a sigh.

My elder brother repeatedly submitted memorials to incense His Majesty, hoping our clan might be exiled to some remote, perilous province—better a hard life than none at all. Only thus might we eke out survival.

Yet even as my brother opposed His Majesty over the matter of the two empresses, the Emperor endured in silence. Now, there’s nothing left to be done. Should disaster break upon the Wang family, and His Majesty push it along, the consequences are chilling to contemplate.

Though Tan-tan’s fate is bitter, she is marked by adversity giving way to fortune. Whether our family survives depends on her. Now all the omens foreseen in the divination have come to pass—I have no choice but to follow the road set before us.”

Ge Yuan stepped forward, grasped Wang Su’s hand, and gave it two gentle pats before preparing to leave. Just then, a servant in a blue robe and cap hurried into the Three Locust Hall, calling anxiously, “Third Lady was bitten by raw lacquer at the West Market. Her body is now swollen and red, and she has fallen into a coma.”

Wang Su exchanged a glance with Ge Yuan and said in a low voice, “Understood. Quickly seek a renowned physician to tend to Third Lady.”

The servant bowed and withdrew in haste. Ge Yuan, half-smiling, looked at Wang Su. “One with eleven broken bones, another covered head to toe in lacquer rash—your Wang family is certainly beset by misfortune.”

Wang Su chuckled. “Who can say what’s a blessing or a curse? Perhaps this proves my little grandson had no murderous intent after all.”

Suddenly, Ge Yuan asked, “One lies abed for a year with broken bones; the other will take at least several months to recover from the lacquer’s effects. If your family continues to suffer such mishaps, I am very curious—what does that boy plan to do with these months you’ve bought him? Wang Su, if you are not omniscient, should you not use these months to uncover the truth? What makes him so confident that, after a few months, the Wang family can do nothing to him?”

Wang Su was startled. He summoned the old steward and instructed, “Pass my word: from this moment, no member of the Wang family, young or old, is to leave the residence without cause—violators will face family law!”

The steward replied, “Shall I immediately fetch Young Master Huai’en, who is already out?”

Wang Su glanced at Ge Yuan and said resolutely, “Find him at once. No matter what he’s doing, he must return home.”

Ge Yuan watched the steward hurry out, frowning. “It may already be too late. That boy is ruthless—Xia Song once said that when he killed Niu Er, he showed not a moment’s hesitation. Back then, he was weak and alone, yet could manipulate rumors to deadly effect. Now, with the sons of the Yang family and a host of strange youths at his beck, heaven knows what he’ll do.”

Wang Su’s face shifted between worry and resolve, but soon regained calm. He brushed the leaves from his stool, invited Ge Yuan to sit, and once the child had reset the chessboard, said only, “Let’s wait and see.”

Tie Xinyuan, however, had no desire to wait for any outcome. The spectacle of Young Master Huai’en shouting and running wildly through the streets had already drawn enough attention. Most absurd of all, he stripped as he ran, as if his body were aflame—soon, he was stark naked, crying and pleading not to be chased.

Tie Xinyuan swore he’d only wanted to embarrass Young Master Huai’en, so had sprinkled just a tiny bit of mushroom powder in his tea. This reaction was far beyond his expectations.

“What did you do to him?” Tie Xinyuan asked the nimble Xiaoqiao beside him, who was munching beans with relish.

“Your fourth target didn’t show up. I thought it a shame not to use the fake camphor nuts that Xiaofu had worked so hard to find.”

Tie Xinyuan nodded. For Xiaofu, who hailed from Fujian, fake camphor nuts were a common thing. In helping Xiaofu and other children find their families, he’d spent quite a bit. When Xiaofu went missing, he remembered only that there were many fake camphor nut trees in front of his house. The escort agency tasked with searching for his family had, to prove their efforts, brought back quite a few fake camphor nuts. Their juice, if it touched the skin, caused unbearable itching. The plan had been to use them on the sixth young lady of the Wang family, whose sins were lighter, but now Huai’en suffered it all alone.

“Let’s go home. Our goal is achieved. It’ll be hard to find such a chance again, and I doubt the Wang family will give us another.”

Seeing Huai’en had vanished in his naked flight, Tie Xinyuan and Xiaoqiao left the fragrant drinks shop to join his mother for noodle soup.

The Tie family’s soup shop was still bustling. Though a tall building was under construction next door, with timber and bricks everywhere, business was better than ever. The shop now employed four matrons, and Tie Xinyuan spotted Aunt Gu, who blushed when she saw him.

Wang Rouhua said, “Aunt Gu, don’t fuss over a little brat. The shop’s busy—work first, talk later.”

Aunt Gu nodded repeatedly, wiped her hands on her apron, and went back to her tasks.

Shuizhu’er sat in the kitchen corridor with a fox, feeding it scraps while she herself happily ate from a bowl bigger than her head. When she saw Tie Xinyuan and Xiaoqiao, she pointed excitedly to her bowl. “Auntie put a huge slice of meat in here!”

Tie Xinyuan scowled. “You need to eat more vegetables, less meat. Just look at how much weight you’ve gained these past months.”

Xiaoqiao laughed, pinching Shuizhu’er’s plump cheek. “Nonsense—eating meat makes you strong. Don’t listen to Brother Yuan; he’s just stingy about sharing his family’s meat.”

Wang Rouhua smiled at their antics, giving Xiaoqiao’s bowl extra meat while putting only seven or eight boiled greens in Tie Xinyuan’s.

After their meal, the three children helped wash dishes. When the lunch rush ended, the shop finally grew quiet, with only a few latecomers dining at leisure. Tie Xinyuan brewed some tea and sat with Xiaoqiao under the corridor, speaking in hushed tones.

A carriage rolled slowly past the shop. The coachman flicked his whip in the air, drawing Tie Xinyuan’s gaze. An elderly man with a gaunt face lifted the curtain, gave him a meaningful smile, then made a gesture with his hand—a fist clenched and released—before letting the curtain fall and being carried away.

Tie Xinyuan recognized the old man. It was he who came to their shop for pork during the Dragon Boat Festival, praising its flavor. If memory served, he also had a plump granddaughter called Tangtang.

“What did that mean? I mean, what does the old man’s fist gesture signify?”

Tie Xinyuan frowned. “What else? It means we’re all still within his grasp—we can’t escape his Five-Finger Mountain.”

PS: Still begging for recommendations, collections, and clicks. Many thanks—Jie Yu bows in gratitude.