Chapter 151 — Futility
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 2 of 4
"Bring her to me!" Song Cen, his face ashen, gave Libai a thorough dressing-down: "...If I catch you failing to keep an eye on the second young master again, I'll break your legs!"
Libai was too frightened to speak; she could only kowtow to Song Cen again and again.
Song Cen kicked her square in the chest. "Get out of my sight!"
The pain drew cold sweat to Libai's forehead. Clutching the terrified Song Han, she fled the inner chamber in disgrace.
Only then did Song Cen feel a little better.
He asked the guard, "Still no word from Guard Chang?"
The guard was quick-witted and at once said, "I'll go and see right away!" He cupped his hands to Song Cen and hurried out of the inner chamber.
Song Cen let out a long breath, sat down, and took a sip of tea.
Song Yan must be hiding in Yizhi Hall.
Of the handful of men around him who were of any use, some were not in the capital, and others had been taken into custody. Even those few who had always been loyal to him were persons of no consequence, and he had long since had them watched; in any case, they were in no position to rescue Song Yan from the mansion. And even if they did get him out, they would have nowhere to put him...
The thought flashed through his mind, and he could not help sitting bolt upright, inwardly crying out that something was wrong, a cold sweat breaking out at the small of his back.
How could he have forgotten Gu Yu!
If Song Yan had escaped, the likeliest thing was that he would turn to Gu Yu for help, and Gu Yu was the only fool reckless enough to take Song Yan in, heedless of the consequences.
"Attend me!" he called, and a guard came in with a respectful air.
Song Cen instructed him, "Send someone at once to keep watch on Gu Yu, the eldest son of the Viscount of Yunyang." The words were scarcely out of his mouth before he thought better of it and amended, "No, send four men! Have them follow him at a distance, and the moment the heir is spotted, send someone back at once to report."
The guard answered and withdrew.
Song Cen was somewhat reassured, but could not help turning the matter over in his mind again.
Besides Gu Yu, who else might take Song Yan in?
Zhang Xuming, the Lu family, or that Ma Youming, deputy commander of the Shenshu Camp... What sort of disreputable cronies had he been keeping, anyway?
Song Cen felt as though his heart were on fire.
Guard Chang hurried over, ill at ease. "My Lord Zhenguo, there is no sign of the heir. But a retainer of Yizhi Hall named Chen Bo has gone missing, and we found marks of iron claws on the eastern wall of the courtyard."
"What?" Song Cen's face went white as paper in an instant, and he sprang to his feet. "What did you say?" His voice had changed entirely.
Guard Chang was secretly puzzled.
Why did Lord Zhenguo seem somewhat afraid of the heir?
He quickly repeated what he had said.
Song Cen stood woodenly, as if struck dumb, and then collapsed onto the kang.
"How could this be? How could this be?" he muttered to himself, looking so panic-stricken and helpless that Guard Chang watched him mumble the same phrase over and over, and after waiting a long while still got no decision out of him.
Guard Chang had no choice but to say in a low voice, "My Lord Zhenguo, shall we arrest the two young servants who attended Chen Bo and question them?"