After listening to Mr. Cheng's extremely detailed account, Xu Qiguang didn't suspect him of making things up without evidence. Some of these matters couldn't stand up to scrutiny anyway.
For instance, He Youfeng would have needed travel permits to go anywhere, but there was no way Xu Qiguang could admit that his two boys had definitely snuck off to the South this summer.
It wasn't a matter of trust. Even if their grandfather's speculation was correct, as long as the two boys weren't caught red-handed, he, as their father, could never admit to it.
"Last summer, I heard our two boys mention Shen Jiahui," Xu Qiguang said, choosing his words carefully. "That boy, Weimin, told me someone was going to great lengths to thank him. He was quite startled at first when he received a letter forwarded by a distant clansman.
