The Fang family acted swiftly, almost removing Fang Yuan's name from the family tree on the very day he returned from court and announcing that they were severing all ties with this unfilial son.
The Fengjing government acted next, capturing Fang Yuan directly outside the Fang family gates and throwing him into prison.
Next, there only needed to be three reviews to confirm there were no errors, then he could be beheaded after the autumn assizes.
"He's already in the big prison, it's not like he can suddenly sprout wings and fly out," Zheng Ruqian hugged a pure white lamb, playing with it, "In my opinion, big brother and little sister are just too afraid of the Fang family, scared out of their wits."
"That's right, that's right," Wang Xiaosong echoed at his side, unconditionally fawning over the main branch.
But soon, he received a white-eyed glare from his little sister Xiao Zhu, as well as a shadow carrying a medicine box.
Wen Zhiyun was now running errands at the Imperial Medical Office to avoid suspicion, and had handed over the Wen family medicine hall to Wang Xiaosong who had a shallow knowledge of medicine, busy to the point he was stretched too thin.
Even when his brother who had been away from home for half a year returned, Wang Xiaosong only brought over two bottles of golden sore medicine, and helped massage his shoulders and neck.
"How did I say anything wrong?" Wang Xiaosong pouted aggrievedly, suddenly missing his obedient little sister from their childhood days.
Jiang Si at the side covered her mouth, giggling, "Whether it was wrong or not, we'll know when third brother gets back."
That's right, everything would be clear when Jiang San returned.
However, it wasn't until the sky grew dark that there was a knock at the door of the courtyard.
The people who had been waiting all jumped up, crowding over nervously.
In the flickering lamp light, the person staggering over seemed heavily injured, limping over.
Jiang Sheng fearfully covered her mouth, muttering softly, "Could it be someone intercepted Jiang San and beat him? Or maybe his tail failed and he still got beaten?"
The limping person paused in his steps, quickly straightening and rushing into the bright area, surprisingly the dirt smeared Jiang San.
"Miss, I hope you look forward to some good, why is it all failures and beatings?" He complained bitterly, "Can't I have a good result?"
"You mean, your tail succeeded?" Jiang Sheng's eyes lit up, "Speak, speak!"
Not just her, all the people in the small courtyard pricked up their ears and listened attentively.
Jiang San didn't keep them waiting, clearing his throat to say, "I followed all the way to a courtyard in the outskirts, crawling in the dirty bushes for a long time before finally seeing that carriage set off, returning to the Fang residence, and the young master in that carriage was indeed of the Fang family... This dirt on me is from the outskirts, my legs went numb from squatting, it wasn't from a beating..."
Xu Mo couldn't hear clearly after that.
His mind was filled with Fang Yuan gazing down condescendingly, indifferent and aloof, as well as Jiang Sheng's almost keen intuition and speculation.
No one could remain composed in the face of death.
The more proud and noble the person, the more they feared loss.
Fang Yuan's expression had been too abnormal, no matter how despairing or dejected he was, he still shouldn't have looked indifferent and aloof.
It was as if he scorned death, or scorned Xu Mo.
But the annulment was real, as was imprisoning him in the big prison, and the autumn decapitation even more so.
Unless they broke law and seized him from the execution grounds, or directly died in his place, otherwise Fang Yuan had no possibility of surviving.
Even taking a step back, the "Fang Yuan" identity was already dead, so what if he was still alive?
How could that be?
"Big brother, what are you worrying about, mumbling to yourself?" At some unknown point, Jiang Sheng had come over holding a pie as big as her face, "Just tell us if something's bothering you."
"That's right big brother, it's just us two now that three, four and five aren't home." Zheng Ruqian bared his teeth in a smile, but soon didn't feel like smiling.
There had been six siblings, now three were away.
Inevitably there would be sorrow in the deep of night.
Xu Mo returned to his senses, not hiding anything, "I suspect the Fang family wants to use special methods to protect Fang Yuan, but I have no proof, and it's even hard to probe."
He was just a sixth-rank petty official, without even the right to go interrogate at the Fengjing government.
He could only sigh helplessly, letting the suspicions run wild in his heart.
"This..." Jiang Sheng was suddenly tongue-tied, simply taking a bite of pie, "I have no suggestions for this."
"I also don't really understand," There was suddenly excrement from the little lamb Zheng Ruqian held, and he hot-potatoed it into Wang Xiaosong's arms, "But I have another proposal."
"We can write and ask little fifth brother," He said in chorus with Jiang Sheng, exchanging smiles.
It really was an accurate and great suggestion.
Xu Mo gave a smile, shaking his head as he went into the study to pick up a brush.
Jiang Sheng and Zheng Ruqian crowded close behind him, fighting over the delicious oily pie.
Only leaving Wang Xiaosong standing there blankly with sheep excrement falling all over him, at a total loss.
The saying went that specialization mattered, courtly matters still needed extensive analysis, and he'd received Xu Mo's letter before even a lengthy discourse, with only three fluttering characters: Wang Yuyao.
Everyone suddenly understood.
Miss Wang Yuyao of the Wang family, had rushed over a thousand li from Anshui Prefecture to Fengjing, not only to persecute Wang Fufeng, but to take away all the correspondence between them, only to increase the "evidence" of Xu Mo's fraud in the examinations.
Her actions were no different from how she'd forced Fang Yuan to leave Anshui Prefecture previously, precisely to pledge allegiance to Fang Yuan to become Fang's wife.
Now Fang Yuan's name had been removed from the Fang family records and he would soon lose his head.
From Wang Yuyao's standpoint, she had failed in marrying up, so she would either try attaching herself to another Fang son, or dejectedly return to Anshui Prefecture where at least the Wang and Sun families could shelter her.
Conversely, it signified something different for Fang Yuan.
"I was overthinking and disturbed, actually forgetting about Wang Yuyao," Chilling light spilled from Xu Mo's eyes as he clenched his palms, "Not only do we need to intercept any letters she sends back to Anshui Prefecture now, we need to tail her and see her movements."
"I'll go," Jiang San took initiative to accept the order, "Young master, miss, leave this matter to me."
"No, I'll go," Jiang Si bent at the waist saluting with her hands, "Third brother only just suffered last time, it should be my turn now."
Xu Mo gave his only two remaining siblings three words, "Take turns going."
In the days that followed, Jiang San and Jiang Si took turns squatting outside the Fang residence, spying on and intercepting any letters sent towards Anshui Prefecture.
Unexpectedly, Wang Yuyao was very quiet, neither getting close with any other Fang sons nor packing up to return home, not even sending the Sun family half a letter.
She dispiritedly sunned herself every day, occasionally embroidering a couple flowers, or helping Second Madam Fang tidy up some business matters, extremely similar to Fang Yuan's living widow.
Second Madam Fang was similarly grieved, not even caring much for matters of the rear residence, leaving them to the Buddhist altar to chant sutras, seemingly pursuing spiritual calm.
Even Fang Huairen began nurturing a couple born from concubines, and intended having them adopted into the main house.
The entire Fang family was immersed in their loss, yet also emanated an indistinct bizarre feeling.
After pondering for a long time, Xu Mo finally figured out what was wrong - "No matter the grief, actions were always the best expression of true feelings."
Like Wang Yuyao, an ambitious woman would not remain Fang Yuan's widow without having married in, or act like she had no living husband.
Like Fang Huairen, if he truly believed he had lost his eldest son and heir, he would start considering nurturing a replacement successor.
"If I haven't guessed wrong, Fang Yuan has only told Second Madam Fang and Wang Yuyao about his backup plan," Xu Mo calmly said, "He even hid it from the Fang family head."
