Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Eavesdropping

The man in black did not answer. Upon being discovered, he immediately turned around, and with a few agile leaps along the rooftop, he dashed away into the night.

The Hidden Guard closely pursued him, and within the span of half a tea session, caught up to him and kicked him to the ground.

The two began fighting in the street.

The Hidden Guard hailed from the Imperial Palace and had survived countless battles. How could the man in black be his match?

In no time, he was pinned to the ground, and his masked face covering was pulled off.

If Sang Yan had been there, she would have recognized him as her father’s personal guard, Duan Yang.

“Who are you really?”

The Hidden Guard, bending his arms behind him and stepping on his back, demanded, “What are you doing spying on the Jiang Family?”

Duan Yang, face against the ground and breathing heavily, retorted in a sorry state, “Aren’t you also spying on the Jiang Family? What are you trying to do?”

“You vanquished coward! Do you have the right to ask?”

The Hidden Guard stomped hard twice on Duan Yang’s back.

Duan Yang grimaced in pain, but his pride remained intact. “Bah! Show some respect! I advise you to mind your business! I have powerful backers!”

The Hidden Guard, guessing he was acting for some Minister, then asked, “Who? Which Minister are you working for?”

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“You don’t deserve to know!”

Duan Yang remained loyal to the Sang Family and abruptly turned his head away, sealing his lips shut.

Seeing his stubbornness, the Hidden Guard decided to take him to the Imperial Palace.

When Duan Yang reached the palace gates, amidst his panic, he speculated, “Are you working for the Emperor?”

The Hidden Guard coldly replied, “Of course, I am Yan Tong, a Hidden Guard from the Emperor’s side.”

Hearing the word “Emperor,” Duan Yang instantly thought of Sang Yan and blurted out, “We’re family! Family! Please let me go, we’re really family!”

Yan Tong: “…”

Half-believing Duan Yang, Yan Tong asked, “Family? Who are you? How can you prove that?”

After thinking, Duan Yang still revealed, “Since you are from the Emperor’s Hidden Guard, you must know Lord Sang. Lord Sang knows me. You can take me to see her.”

Since Yan Tong was acting on orders from Sang Yan, upon hearing this, he took him back to Long Chan Temple.

Long Chan Temple

It was past the third period of night.

Sang Yan had gone to bed early.

The lights in the room were also turned off.

Seeing this, Yan Tong decided not to wake her but instead tied the man up and made him kneel at the door of her room.

Thus, when Sang Yan came out early in the morning to recite her morning prayers, she saw Duan Yang with a grim face, kneeling in the courtyard.

“Eh?”

She was surprised and looked at the Hidden Guard next to her in confusion. “What’s going on?”

Kneeling down, Yan Tong explained, “Replying to Lord Sang, the person you had me watch was Second Young Master Jiang from the Hanlin Academy, the brother of the Hanlin Academy Scholar Jiang Chongyu. To find out more about him, I stayed a bit longer on his rooftop, and that’s when I encountered this man. He was spying on the Jiang Family, likely serving some court Minister. I was planning to take him to the Imperial Palace for the Emperor to handle, but when he reached the palace gates, he claimed that you knew him and that he was family.”

Sang Yan did indeed know him.

But she wished she didn’t!

This Sang Kun, always causing trouble, even sent someone to spy on court Ministers!

“Did my father send you?”

Sang Yan looked at Duan Yang and asked, “What is he trying to do this time?”

Duan Yang wouldn’t foolishly divulge that he was out to dig up dirt on Jiang Chongyu. Instead, he half-heartedly replied, “Not much really. The master heard some rumors about Jiang Chongli, saying he, a grown man, got pregnant. Just curious, he sent me to find out more.”

Sang Yan frowned upon hearing this: That eccentric person… pregnant? Isn’t it some strange disease? How could a man be pregnant? A woman disguised as a man?

Thinking, she turned to the Hidden Guard, “What’s the true story? Tell me everything you know.”

Yan Tong didn’t hold back, and told her plainly, “That Second Young Master Jiang was in a distressed state when he descended the mountain; he rushed to the river, apparently intending to drown himself. Since you asked me to watch him, I intervened and saved his life. Later that night, however, he tried to commit suicide by slashing his wrists. Thankfully, he was promptly rescued and wasn’t in any deadly danger, but it alarmed Mr. Jiang. Mr. Jiang questioned those attending to him–

“Miss, can you untie me?”

Duan Yang, tied up and having kneeled for most of the night, felt utterly exhausted and in pain as if he were falling apart.

He couldn’t wait for Sang Yan to suggest untying him himself, so he reminded her.

Sang Yan came back to her senses, glanced at him, and thinking of Sang Kun behind him, she frowned and asked, “Tell me the truth, is my father trying to cause trouble for Mr. Jiang?”

Was Sang Kun bold enough to harass fellow officials now?

Had those fifty canes not knocked some sense into him?

How infuriating!

Absolutely infuriating!

This was just suicidal!

Seeing Sang Yan’s displeasure, Duan Yang dared not say more, only saying, “I was just following orders, unaware of the master’s intentions.”

Sang Yan sneered upon hearing this, “You didn’t know? Do you want to taste the methods of the Prison Department at the palace?”

Duan Yang: “…”

Hanging his head, he dared not betray Sang Kun, and simply pleaded, “Miss, spare my life! Please spare my life!”

Seeing this, Sang Yan didn’t release him but instead ordered the Hidden Guard, “Go to Sang Mansion and have my father come fetch this man.”

She had to see Sang Kun in person.

*

In the pavilion, Sang Kun lay on the soft couch, being carried as he admired the full pond of lotus flowers, listening to captivating music.

A beautiful maid was feeding him fruits and pastries.

He was in complete leisure.

It was during this time that Yan Tong arrived, “I am Yan Tong, a Hidden Guard appointed by the Emperor to protect Lord Sang. Now, I have come on behalf of Lord Sang to request your presence at Long Chan Temple.”

Hearing this, Sang Kun frowned, “In this condition, she doesn’t come to see me but asks me to visit her with my injuries?”

He was still resentful that Sang Yan hadn’t exempted him from punishment.

Sang Yan’s present attitude–

Well, never mind. Having the aura of a noble from the palace was probably a good thing.

“Do you know what it’s about?”

He put on a smiling face, gestured for him to sit and have some tea, trying to pry some information.

Yan Tong remained unmoved, his voice cold, “You’ll know when you get there.”

Sang Kun: “…”

All right then.

He ordered his attendants to prepare the carriage.

The carriage was large and luxurious,

ample enough to accommodate a soft couch.

Sang Kun was still carried into the carriage.

When they arrived, he was carried into the temple, and eventually in front of Sang Yan.

“Oh my–It hurts–I’m dying–Oh my–I can’t live anymore–”

He started his act from afar, grimacing and gasping dramatically.

To the uninformed, it seemed he had just sustained severe injuries.

When Sang Yan learned of his arrival, she came out to greet him and seeing him put on such an act, her feelings were mixed: What was the meaning of this? Playing tricks in front of his daughter, failing to maintain dignity, completely disrespectful due to his age!