Chapter 151 — Futility
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Song Cen stood beneath the covered walkway outside the main hall, watching the guards scurry about the courtyard, and felt a chill seep through his whole body.
Song Yan had actually vanished!
How had he escaped?
And who had rescued him?
Had he known, he would have posted a man to stand watch inside the room.
But that son of his was not only full of schemes, he had a silver tongue as well; even if he had posted a guard, the man might well have been won over.
At the thought, his temple began to throb.
Guard Chang came over, his face dark.
"Lord Zhenguo," he said, cupping his hands in salute, "we have found nothing!"
"Found nothing?" Song Cen flew into a rage. "Could he have flown up to the heavens?"
The words had scarcely left his mouth when both men started, exchanged a glance, and hurried together into the inner chamber.
In the inner chamber's ceiling, several of the dust panels showed unmistakable signs of having been pried open.
"Someone come, quickly!" Song Cen's face lit with delight.
In a short while, Guard Chang led several men up into the ceiling.
"Lord Zhenguo," Guard Chang soon poked his head down from the opening, "the roof tiles have been lifted, and there are marks left by iron claws—someone climbed in from the eastern alley and carried the heir away."
The eastern alley—right beside Yizhi Hall.
Song Chunyi's gaze sharpened. "Surround Yizhi Hall!" he said in a low, hard voice. "Dig three feet into the ground if you must, but find me those men!"
"Yes, sir!" Guard Chang took his men to Yizhi Hall.
Song Cen, however, slumped down onto the large heated kang by the window in the inner chamber.
What was he to do now?
His original plan had been to beat Song Yan half to death, leave him drying in the inner chamber for the night, and then, at the clan hall meeting the next morning, drive him out of the family... Someone would surely have spoken up for him, but so long as he delayed a few days, even if Song Yan were eventually brought back, his injuries would likely finish him within days—no need at all to petition the Emperor.
But if Song Yan had been carried off by rescuers, that road was closed.
The only reason he had captured Song Yan so smoothly was that the schemer had taken the unsuspecting. Once Song Yan recovered his breath...
At the age of ten, Song Yan had already gone into battle and killed Japanese pirates!
Song Cen could not help but shudder.
Damn that Jiang Meisun—it was all his doing, raising his son to be like this!
How was this Song Cen's son? This was plainly Jiang Meisun's son!
He was silently cursing his late brother-in-law when a guard came in, trembling with fear. "Lord Zhenguo, ..."
Song Han!
Song Cen was much surprised. He thought for a moment. "Let him in," he said, and then softly sighed.
Song Han ran in with reddened eyes. Seeing his father alone in the room, he tugged at his sleeve. "Father, I want my elder brother! I'm watching over Mother all by myself, and I'm scared!" With that, he burst into loud sobs.
Song Cen's brows knitted tight, and he berated his second son in a loud voice. "How old are you now? All you know to do when something happens is cry! When your brother was your age, he already knew how to help his father with affairs—can't you learn from him?" At the mention of his eldest son, his anger flared anew. "It's your mother who has spoiled you rotten!" He flung the boy aside. "Cry one more time and I'll send you to kneel in the clan hall!" He looked thoroughly impatient.
Song Han stared at his father, mouth agape, too stunned to weep.
In the past, his father had scolded him, but never with such loathing as today.
Song Cen found the sight even more irritating and shouted for the guards. "Who brought the second young master here?"
A guard hurriedly replied, "It was Libai, the maid who serves the second young master."