Lu Beiming had made time today to drop by and observe the proceedings. He was not presiding; he was merely a spectator. It was clear that there was something scandalous going on between Song Mingjian and the First Madam, likely nothing more than domestic dirt. After watching for a while, he lost interest and was just about to leave when a report from one of his guards made him stop.
Song Yanqing was still alive?
The guard gave a brief summary: "The Second Young Master was indeed ambushed and murdered, but he did not die when he fell off the cliff. My men tracked down a farming family in the valley at the foot of the cliff. They took the Second Young Master in for a night. When he left, he gave them his personal jade pendant as a token of gratitude. Both the portrait and the jade pendant confirm that it was indeed the Second Young Master. Although I have not yet located him, he should still be alive."
Chapter 31