Water Margin: Gao Yanei is actually a Gal Genius

In the eastern garden of the Cai family residence in Bianjing (Kaifeng), during the Song Dynasty.

On this day, the household was thrown into chaos.

Yesterday, after the Seventh Prince Cai Xiu hosted a banquet for Princess Maode, he did not return all night after seeing her off. He and his entire group of soldiers vanished without a trace, like snowflakes falling into boiling water.

The Prefect of Kaifeng secretly dispatched hundreds of officials to search the banks of the Bian River, the seventy-two main shops, and the thousands of alleys. In the end, they found the bodies of the soldiers only in a secluded spot in the western garden of the Cai residence.

Cai Jing sat in the waterside pavilion, with a copy of the Spring and Autumn Annals spread out in front of him, but he couldn't bear to look at a single word.

The koi carp stirring up the water made him think it was the footsteps of scouts bringing bad news.

Just as he was feeling annoyed, he suddenly heard the steward outside the hall report in a trembling voice: "Grand Tutor, Official Li has arrived at the mansion by imperial decree and has already passed through the central gate!"

Cai Jing's heart skipped a beat. Li Yan was a close eunuch of the Emperor, and his arrival at this moment was a matter of unpredictable fortune.

He straightened his purple robe and jade belt, and the worry on his face vanished like the tide, leaving only the gentle and profound countenance of a prime minister, as he steadily stepped forward to greet them.

Li Yan, however, did not wear palace robes, but only a dark-colored straight robe with subtle patterns. Accompanied by two eunuchs, he strolled in as if he were leisurely taking a walk in a garden.

Seeing Cai Jing bow, he quickly reached out to help him up, his smile carrying a hint of ambiguity unique to palace people: "Grand Tutor, you are too polite. His Majesty was admiring the osmanthus blossoms at Yanfu Palace today, and seeing the golden osmanthus in full bloom, he remembered a happy event and specially ordered me to come and discuss it with the Grand Tutor."

The two took their seats as host and guest, and a maidservant served them the newly tribute Miyun Dragon Tea.

Li Yan gently skimmed the foam from the surface of the covered bowl, but didn't rush to drink. He casually remarked, "His Majesty often says that Cai Xiu, the seventh son of the Grand Tutor, is a promising young man, gentle and courteous, and destined for greatness. Now that the Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, His Majesty is also thinking of the Imperial Son-in-Law..."

Cai Jing's hand trembled slightly in his sleeve, but a look of fearful joy appeared on his face. He rose from his seat, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty's grace is boundless! My son is unruly; how could Your Majesty have to worry about him? This is truly an honor for the entire Cai family!"

As he spoke, he caught a glimpse of his trusted old steward's pale face behind the screen, indicating that he had not yet found out what the Seventh Young Master meant.

Li Yan accepted his greeting with a smile, and then slowly added, "His Majesty also said that for the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, he must invite the Seventh Prince to the palace to admire the moon. His Majesty wants to personally test his knowledge of the classics, so that he can be promoted in the future."

These words sounded like a gentle breeze, but Cai Jing felt a cold sweat break out on his back. This was an imperial edict, and more importantly, a deadline.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is only two or three days away. If the son is still "sick" or "out" by then, it would be a serious crime of deceiving the emperor.

Just as he was feeling bewildered, Li Yan got up to take his leave. As he walked down the corridor, he suddenly turned back and added a sentence.

"The capital has been quite unsettled lately. The Grand Tutor's mansion is full of treasures, and his nephews and nieces should take good care of them."

Having said that, he boarded a small sedan chair with a blue canopy and left quietly.

Cai Jing stood in the courtyard, watching the sedan chair disappear outside the vermilion gate, his smile gradually freezing.

He slowly turned around and coldly said to the Prefect of Kaifeng who was waiting in the shadows, "Did you hear that? He must be here alive before the Mid-Autumn Festival..."

Cai Jing paused, his Adam's apple bobbing, before uttering the second half of his sentence: "...Even the dead, their bodies must be found."

After the Prefect of Kaifeng left, Cai Jing said to the old steward, "Take a letter and go to see Liang Hu, the godson of the high-ranking official Liang, to find out what happened in the palace today."

"Then, compile a list of everything Xiu'er has been doing recently and report it to me in detail, without omitting anything."

"Find a small building in the West Garden, seal it off, and send food in day and night. Tell them that Xiu'er drank too much last night and is now resting in that small building."

If Xiu'er's body wasn't found, then Xiu'er is still alive. We absolutely cannot let the Emperor think that he, the Grand Tutor, is a useless piece of trash who can't even protect his own son.

That night, more than ten riders galloped out from the back gate of the Cai residence's East Garden, each carrying a vermilion-lacquered token. All the hidden agents at the gates of Tokyo were alerted, as if an invisible giant net had been cast into the darkness.

......

Meanwhile, Gao Qiu returned to his residence and summoned the servants to inquire about Gao Jin's whereabouts that day. Upon hearing that Gao Jin was unable to leave the residence due to a recurrence of an old injury, they nodded repeatedly.

That bastard has finally gotten smarter; he knows how to find reasons and excuses now.

Gao Qiu then asked the servants, "Who came to the mansion today?"

Upon hearing that Chen's daughter and Master Lu Zhishen were present, Gao Qiu remained noncommittal and went straight to his study.

Why should he stop this Chen family woman from rushing into that scoundrel's mouth? He's not the old Taoist priest Chen Xizhen.

Lu Zhishen is a man of great loyalty and integrity, and he is strong and honest. It wouldn't be a bad thing for Gao Jin to spend more time with him.

Gao Qiu was reading the newspaper in his study when, before he knew it, it was already dusk. Then, the steward came to report that a distinguished guest in the mansion had something to do with him.

Gao Qiu understood immediately; it must be about Lin Chong. He waved for the servants in the room to go out and wait, saying, "Let the guest come in and discuss the matter."

Before long, Lin Chong entered, holding his breath, and knelt down on one knee with a thud. "I greet the Grand Commandant."

Gao Qiu raised his hand in a gesture of support, "Have you thought it through?"

Lin Chong stood up and silently clasped his hands. "I have made up my mind. I am willing to serve the Grand Commandant with utmost loyalty. I will go to Liangshan to wave the flag and shout to gather the bandits. When the Grand Commandant leads his troops, we will cooperate from the inside and outside to capture them in one fell swoop and make a contribution to the Grand Commandant."

"If Mo Yan were to become this official, you would certainly not be able to do your job wholeheartedly. You are only going here to gamble for yourself. For my son's sake, you will be rewarded handsomely when the time comes."

"I thank the Grand Commandant."

"When do we depart?"

"I plan to set off after the Mid-Autumn Festival, but..." Lin Chong hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.

Gao Qiu raised his eyes, his face displeased. "Just speak frankly. I won't make things difficult for you for my son's sake."

Lin Chong was really worried that something might happen to Gao Jin, so he made up his mind and told him about Gao Jin's plan to go to Tokyo for fun.

"Snapped!"

At first, Gao Qiu just stroked his beard and listened, but when he heard the sentence "to go to Liangshan Marsh for fun," his two broom-like eyebrows suddenly stood up, and he slammed the newspaper in his hand onto the table.

The candlelight in the study suddenly flickered.

Grand Commandant Gao's face was ashen, veins throbbing at his temples, and he forced out the words through clenched teeth: "This...this wretched child! Does he truly intend to do this?"

Lin Chong stood silently with his hands clasped, not daring to utter a sound.

Gao Qiu abruptly stood up, paced back and forth several times on the scarlet carpet with his hands behind his back, then suddenly stopped, looked up at the sky, and let out three cold laughs.

"Heh heh heh heh! Good, good, Gao Yanei! I was in court, about to argue with Cai Jing and his cronies over a few portions of noodles. This good-for-nothing beast is already thinking about becoming a bandit. What does he take my Gao family's noodles for? If this gets out, won't we become the laughingstock of the entire court?!"

He grew angrier as he spoke, and kicked over the rosewood shelf next to him, shattering a Jun kiln porcelain vase on the ground.

Hearing the commotion, the maids and servants outside fell silent, shrinking back like quails.

Seeing Gao Qiu so angry, Lin Chong began to worry that Gao Jin would really get beaten again, and quickly spoke up to defend his brother.

"Brother Gao Jin is probably just bored at home and wants to go out of the city for some fun. He won't actually become an outlaw."

Gao Qiu turned around, frowning as he looked at Lin Chong. "What do you know? Right now is..." He paused, then...

"...That wretched child has never left Tokyo since childhood. Now he's hanging around with you guys, thinking he's got some skills. I'm afraid he won't even know he'll suffer a great loss later!"

"Why didn't you brothers say anything to stop them!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Chong glared at Gao Qiu with wide, strange eyes. The meaning was clear: Don't you know what kind of person Gao Jin is? He may not do anything particularly evil, but he's truly reckless!

Gao Qiu didn't notice Lin Chong's gaze; he was inwardly blaming Lin Chong.

How come his good-natured son, who only loves beautiful women, has changed so much since he met Lin Chong? He wants to become a bandit and even killed Cai Xiu.

Could Lin Chong be the nemesis of his child?

Lin Chong stared at Gao Qiu for a long time, seeing that the Grand Commandant was just sighing with his head down. After a moment's thought, he came up with a plan.

"Grand Commandant, I have a plan, but I don't know if it's feasible?"