Chapter 1069: Helping to Liven Up

Meanwhile, Jian Taiding listened to his subordinate's report and couldn't help but frown. "Yu Yanluo brought two people into the impostor's room and they didn't leave for a long time? Do you know who they were?"

"I don't know," the subordinate replied. "They were covered in cloaks from head to toe, so their appearance was unclear, and we couldn't even distinguish their gender."

"Useless! What good are you if you can't even find this out in my own residence!" Jian Taiding raged. He wasn't usually so short-tempered, but he had been severely wounded a few days prior. That would have been fine, as long as he could remain Duke. However, today an impostor showed up, shattering his pipe dream, which naturally left him deeply irritated.

The subordinate lowered his head in apology, but Uncle Ming, who was standing nearby, interjected, "Second Master, you don't need to blame him. Lady Yu is the head of the Yu family and has always been unfathomable. If she truly intended to hide two people, how could he possibly know?" He then waved his hand at the subordinate. "You may leave for now."

The man gave a grateful look, bowed to both of them, and hurried away.

Jian Taiding said nothing. After the subordinate left, he finally turned to Uncle Ming and discussed, "I truly don't understand my sister-in-law anymore. We used to have such a good relationship, and she always greeted me with a smile. No matter what I said to her, she always responded with a gentle, warm smile, which is why I wasn't so eager to deal with her. But now, it seems she's been playing me for a fool, finding some unknown man to sabotage me!" He couldn't help but feel furious. In his mind, Yu Yanluo had long been his for the taking. Now, not only was she using an imposter Duke to oppose him, but she was also acting intimately with that fellow right in front of him, openly disgusting him.

Uncle Ming sighed. "Lady Yu was once renowned as the most beautiful woman under heaven. Countless heroes and eminent figures succumbed to her charms. It's even said that His Majesty himself harbored feelings for her but ultimately couldn't win her favor. This shows how incredibly resourceful she is. Second Master, you were truly too careless before." He spoke quite subtly, practically implying that Jian Taiding became so infatuated with Yu Yanluo that he was like a fawning admirer.

Jian Taiding's old face flushed. "Indeed, I underestimated her before. This woman is formidable. To suddenly pull such a trick, finding an imposter who looks so similar… If we didn't know the truth, we probably wouldn't have seen through it."

"So, it all depends on Zhang Ji," Uncle Ming said calmly. "As long as she can find evidence, we'll immediately announce it to the world, ruining that impostor completely. We can also use this opportunity to challenge the Yu family."

"Excellent!" A ruthless glint flashed in Jian Taiding's eyes. To dare cross him was unheard of. If they weren't taught a painful lesson, the world wouldn't know who truly ruled Cloudfall Prefecture.

The two discussed the details further. As Jian Taiding saw Uncle Ming off, he inexplicably blurted out, "Uncle Ming, do you think it's possible... I mean, hypothetically, that my elder brother isn't actually dead? Because this fellow looks so much like him."

Uncle Ming's expression hardened. "Second Master, you're letting suspicion breed doubts. How could the Duke still be alive? You and I both saw with our own eyes... Humph, besides, even if he truly came back to life, what then? Cloudfall Prefecture has already changed. The real can become the fake." He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He had previously thought that the Second Master had more potential as a hero than the First Master and could achieve great things together. But now, encountering a minor setback, he seemed so flustered. Was it because his severe injuries had made him psychologically vulnerable?

Jian Taiding was startled, and his expression firmed. "Uncle Ming is right to admonish me!"

They then waited for news from Zhang Ji. Unfortunately, on the first day, the imposter did not summon Zhang Ji to serve him. This was expected; the impostor was fake and would naturally avoid any intimate contact with Zhang Ji, trying to delay as long as possible. However, such matters could only be delayed for so long.

Over the next few days, they covertly stirred up rumors. Gossip spread throughout the Duke's mansion and even Cloudfall Prefecture, claiming that the Duke of Cloudfall was an impostor because he dared not have intimate contact with his former bedmates, fearing exposure. Initially, everyone treated it as a joke, but as the supposed Duke continued to avoid his concubines, people's attitudes gradually shifted. Could that man truly be an impostor?

Zu An, at the center of this storm, was naturally aware of these rumors. He had to admire Yu Yanluo's arrangements. Despite having everything ready, she made him act as if he had a guilty conscience, constantly avoiding contact with Zhang Ji. Now, not just the Duke's mansion but the entire Cloudfall Prefecture's atmosphere was primed, with everyone awaiting the moment the truth would be revealed. The deeper everyone's suspicion of him was now, the stronger their belief in him would be afterward.

Poor Jian Taiding, who had calculated every step, believed he had found the impostor's weakness, never realizing that everything was part of Yu Yanluo's plan. Ultimately, in the eyes of the public, Zu An was cornered and had no choice but to agree to summon Zhang Ji for service, hoping to somehow muddle through.

Jian Taiding and Uncle Ming secretly waited outside his courtyard, expecting Zhang Ji to burst out at any moment. After all, Zhang Ji was a living person and the Duke's former concubine. While he could lead her to believe this Duke was fake and needed verification, he couldn't possibly make Zhang Ji genuinely sleep with an impostor. Jian Taiding and Uncle Ming had also arranged for trusted subordinates to lie in ambush nearby. Once confirmation was received, they would immediately proceed with their planned actions. First, they would capture the impostor, then control Yu Yanluo, and finally spread the news outside the mansion to establish a fait accompli.

In fact, besides them, various other factions had either planted spies within the mansion or stationed people outside the Duke's residence, all eagerly awaiting news of the consummation. Seeing the bright lights in the room nearby, Jian Taiding stroked his mustache contentedly. "I instructed Zhang Ji to keep the lights on, so that impostor can't turn them off and sneak by."

"Second Master is brilliant!" Uncle Ming smiled too. It seemed that despite occasional lapses, the other party was still a suitable choice for a master. After planning for so long, today it would all be settled.

"Why hasn't she come out yet?" As the saying goes, preoccupation leads to confusion. After a while, seeing no movement, even Uncle Ming became anxious. Jian Taiding, who had been somewhat agitated earlier, now seemed remarkably calm. He poured a cup of tea for Uncle Ming and said with a smile, "Uncle Ming, why are you so impatient? Don't worry, everything is under control. Let me play a flute tune to calm your mind."

He then took out an exquisite jade flute, put it to his lips, and began to play, gazing at the nearby courtyard. The flute's melody was actually a secret signal agreed upon with Zhang Ji, indicating for her to hurry, or to send a signal if anything went wrong so they could rush in to rescue her.

The trusted subordinates nearby watched Jian Taiding under the moonlight, smiling as he played the jade flute, elegant and graceful, truly a dashing young gentleman in a turbulent world. His bearing was enviable, and each of them mused that if they had even a tenth of the Second Master's charm, they'd easily win over any woman. Only Uncle Ming secretly frowned, feeling that Jian Taiding's approach was too overly artistic and the kind of useless frivolity popular among noble sons.

The beautiful flute music spread throughout the Duke's mansion. Even the leaders of other factions waiting outside couldn't help but sigh, noting that Jian Taiding clearly had everything under control. This was obviously the message Jian Taiding wanted to convey; he intended to use this to declare to all forces in Cloudfall Prefecture that he was still in charge!

However, as time passed, his smile gradually froze. He had been playing the flute for what felt like an eternity, his mouth dry, yet Zhang Ji still hadn't come out. Seeing Uncle Ming's puzzled look, he forced a smile. "No matter, she's probably delayed by something. After all, that fellow is quite good at acting. Perhaps I should play another tune." Yet, when the tune ended, Zhang Ji still hadn't emerged.

Now Jian Taiding was truly unsettled. He wanted to maintain his dignity but didn't know what to say. His face darkened as he continued to wait, no longer in the mood to play music, his eyes fixed on the courtyard entrance. But he waited and waited until dawn broke, and Zhang Ji still hadn't appeared.

"Those adulterers! Could they be using my flute playing to set the mood?" The roosters crowed, and Jian Taiding finally broke down. He couldn't stand it anymore and stalked away with an ashen face.

Long after daybreak, Zhang Ji finally emerged from the courtyard. Seeing her flushed face, the accumulated resentment in her brows from the past year had vanished, replaced by a sweet, satisfied smile. Everyone around her knew the outcome without needing to ask.

Soon, news from here spread throughout Cloudfall Prefecture. Zhang Ji herself had verified it; he was indeed the authentic Duke of Cloudfall! Upon hearing this news, the entire officialdom of Cloudfall Prefecture experienced a massive shock. However, the version circulating among the populace was different: the Duke and his concubine, reunited after a long separation, were like dry wood meeting a blazing fire. His second brother, Jian Taiding, stood outside the window all night, playing the flute to accompany them.