Chapter 88 - The Truth

◎ His eldest son is still alive! ◇

Back to the small forest on the hill.

Amidst the snow-covered landscape and the solemn atmosphere, the village at the foot of the mountain and the grand farmhouse lent a sense of warmth and vitality.

Zhu Ying was in a good mood. Scaling the hill served as a warm-up for him. Upon reaching the summit, he drew his sword to practice. However, just a few swings in, a wooden sword suddenly appeared from the side, almost grazing his wrist. Zhu Ying instinctively withdrew and counterattacked, but halfway through his move, he caught sight of the wielder of the wooden sword and hastily halted. Carried by his momentum, he took two steps back.

A deep male voice spoke, "Don't stop. Let's exchange a few moves."

Without waiting for a response, the man attacked with his wooden sword. Although Zhu Ying was perplexed, seeing the blade heading straight for his face, he had no choice but to defend himself. However, his opponent wielded a wooden sword, while his own was an exquisite longsword forged by a master at great expense for their lord. It was capable of slicing through iron like butter—how could he dare to touch it lightly?

He could only dodge left and right, calling out to Master Hua to stop.

After a while, the darkly handsome young man was cornered with nowhere to hide. With a pained expression on his tanned, handsome face, Hua Zhan sheathed his sword and stood tall. He tossed the wooden sword aside, his hands clasped behind his back, and let out a long sigh.

"Hua'er... He's still alive?"

At first, he wasn't quite sure, but when he saw this young man not even dare to exchange moves with him, for fear of harming him in the slightest, that courteous yet respectful demeanor was precisely how his own subordinates used to treat their lord.

This also explained why, when he was unconscious and rescued by this young man earlier, he heard someone anxiously call him 'Marquis.'

Only the subordinates of his eldest son would address him like that, treating him and his family with respect and even an unconditional sense of closeness and flattery.

If it were an ordinary martial artist or a young hero, who would willingly spend every day on a farm helping out? Not only would they have no complaints, but they would do so happily, warmly and politely towards everyone in the household, without the slightest hint of the arrogance that usually accompanied such heroes.

Hua Zhan's face remained calm, but his hands clenched tightly behind his back, veins bulging as a surge of overwhelming joy washed over him. If not for the presence of others and the lack of confirmation from Zhu Ying, he wouldn't be able to contain his excitement.

His Hua'er... was still alive!!!

Zhu Ying froze, staring at the Marquis in disbelief. Did he know? Did the Marquis know? Was he testing him?

After a long moment, Zhu Ying managed to regain his composure. He tried to laugh it off, saying, "What are you talking about? I don't understand."

Hua Zhan gave him a fleeting glance. "What did Hua'er instruct you? Why aren't we allowed to know that he's still alive? Where is he now? Is he involved in some dangerous matter?"

He knew his son well. His eldest had grown up by his side, displaying remarkable intelligence and wisdom from a young age. Many times, Hua Zhan had felt a sense of inferiority, acknowledging that he was far from his son's match. He was just a warrior, at best called a God of War for his battlefield prowess, but when it came to character and strategy, he couldn't hold a candle to his eldest.

The eldest son was more composed and capable of great achievements than he was. Considering Hua'er's character, if he hid from them the news of his survival, it certainly wasn't to toy with their emotions; he must be engaged in some perilous endeavor. He would keep it secret to prevent them from worrying or getting entangled, but, out of concern for their safety, he sent his subordinate to secretly protect them.

Zhu Ying was surprised by how profoundly the Marquis understood his master, having already guessed most of his intentions and the circumstances surrounding his survival. The only thing he couldn't fathom was how Hua Ji had orchestrated everything, how he managed to stay alive, what he was currently doing, and whether his life was in danger.

Having lost his beloved eldest son once before, Hua Zhan would rather he lead an ordinary life than witness him face any more troubles. Moreover, they now had an intelligent, capable, and devoted daughter-in-law who excelled in every aspect and was flawless in every way. Since Hua'er was alive, how could he possibly let her down again?

In the Marquis's second inquiry, not only was he utterly convinced of his master's survival, but he directly asked the most critical question: Why hadn't he contacted them? Why was he hiding from them?

And what was he doing now?

Zhu Ying felt utterly disoriented, as if standing in the midst of a howling wind. It was over... it was all over. The Marquis had truly uncovered the truth. He wasn't deceiving her or testing her; he was now utterly convinced of this reality!

This realization puzzled Zhu Ying greatly. He had thought that his disguise as a young hero, transitioning from the shadows to openly protecting his master's family, had been quite successful. Where had he left a clue?

When the Master instructed me to come, he emphasized repeatedly not to divulge the secret of his survival, nor to reveal my true identity. He insisted that they must continue living their lives normally, and that I should only intervene if their safety is jeopardized.

Now that the Marquis has discovered this, what should be done?

Before Zhu Ying could piece together what was happening, Hua Zhan suddenly pulled a letter from his sleeve. The paper was eerily familiar—it was the very same note he had penned last night, tears streaming down his face and nose running. After a few brief lines about family matters, it went on to describe how the young madam had wept for her lord while drunk, and how heart-wrenching that sight was. It even subtly criticized the master for his indifference, asking if he could perhaps share some news with the young madam. Otherwise, wouldn't she be too pitiful? What if her longing for her lord turned into illness?

Yet, the letter not only didn't get sent, it was now in the hands of the Marquis?

Zhu Ying: ...

This time, there was no way to deny it.Caught red-handed by the Marquis, how could he possibly make any excuses?

Zhu Ying sat down on the cold, uneven boulder, letting go of that precious sword and setting it aside. He decided to come clean with the Marquis.

"Yes... Lord, he's still alive."

Those words were more potent than any medicine in the world.Hua Zhan felt his heart, which had been gradually growing cold since his eldest son was forced to take the blame for a crime and they were separated by death, come back to life.A rush of warmth spread rapidly from his heart throughout his body and limbs, and he barely managed to suppress his overwhelming joy.

His eyes reddened, and his voice became hoarse with emotion, barely holding back sobs as he asked, "Hua'er... Is he well? Tell me everything that has happened, in detail." The last part was said with an unwavering tone of command.

He desperately needed to know what his eldest son was doing! This was the absolute right of a father who had died and come back to life.

Sitting on that rough stone, Zhu Ying ignored the discomfort as the jagged surface dug into his buttocks.His demeanor was unusually serious and solemn.

He began recounting everything he knew to the Marquis, speaking in a measured tone.

On that fateful night, he was supposed to be a nimble-footed combatant, fighting alongside his master at the palace gates. Instead, he found himself as a messenger, relaying battlefield updates until the late hours of the night. Assuming all was well, he was on the verge of dozing off when he received an urgent summons from his master – the most exigent command within their secret organization, one that demanded he risk life and limb to obey.

Few were privy to this secret code. Zhu Ying summoned all his martial prowess and arrived at his master's side in less than half an hour. The situation at the palace gates was still under control, with his master's forces holding several entrances, awaiting his command to charge.

Unexpectedly, his master instructed him to lead the covert unit into retreat, finding a place to hide and remain unseen no matter what transpired. He was also given a silk pouch, to be opened only upon his return.

After they retreated, Zhu Ying ventured out alone to gather information. It was then he witnessed his master being captured, as a large troop emerged from the palace gates, all skilled warriors. Among them were the forces of the Seventh Prince's maternal clan, the powerful General who suddenly turned traitor, directing their weapons at his master and the Marquis.

Overnight, the Seventh Prince became the hero who foiled the rebellion, while his master and the Marquis were labeled traitors. The prince who loathed his master the most ascended to the throne as the new emperor.

In the blink of an eye, the victor rules and the defeated falls. Our master was cast into the depths of the prison, and soon rumors spread that he had confessed to the charges, awaiting only the final verdict of execution.

He and his fellow covert agents were so anxious that their hair was almost falling out. It was only upon opening the silk pouch given by their master that they learned he had sensed something amiss at the last moment, discovering that the Seventh Prince had betrayed their side and allied with the Third Prince. At that time, the Third Prince's forces were already lying in ambush within the palace, and their own General who stabilized the nation might also turn against them at any moment. Thus, their master could only arrange for their secretive group, unknown to all but him, to evacuate and go into hiding.

The master's last resort was to confess, take all the blame, and ensure the release of the entire family, even if it meant being demoted to a commoner. It mattered little to him, for Prince San only sought his life. Not only would he spare the others for the sake of his reputation, but he would also not harm the elderly, women, or children out of fear. This was their only chance at survival.

Subsequently, in accordance with their master's stratagem, they suppressed their urgency and proceeded to disperse the majority of their forces out of the Capital City, breaking them down into smaller groups. Meanwhile, a portion of their troops remained behind to execute the "Assault on the Execution Ground" plan.

First, they implicated the then notorious corrupt Minister of Revenue and his son. According to the laws of our dynasty, corruption was not pardoned, and thus, the father and son were sentenced to death alongside their master. Coincidentally, the Minister's son resembled the master in appearance. They then orchestrated a commotion, pretending to intercept the Minister's son while secretly rescuing the master. A prisoner, disguised to resemble the master, was substituted to face the execution, misleading the soldiers responsible for escorting and executing the prisoner into believing that they had failed to seize the Minister's son.

Only upon the execution would the emperor be certain beyond doubt that his nemesis was truly dead, thus allowing him to grant clemency to the nemesis's family with a clear conscience.

Seemingly straightforward, executing this plan was no easy task. Fueled by the emperor's hatred, the best and most trustworthy were dispatched to oversee the execution. They had to ensure that no suspicion arose, leaving no room for error. Otherwise, the master's meticulous planning would crumble, and his family would suffer the consequences.

Fortunately, fate seemed to intervene with a heavy downpour that day, and unexpectedly, the master's betrothed, the sixth lady of the Marquis House, declared her intention to marry the "dead" master in defiance of her own family just as he was being escorted to his execution.

Lady Consort's decision to wed the doomed man diverted much attention, and amidst the resulting chaos, they successfully rescued the master.

And then...

Zhu Ying suddenly rose to her feet, composed herself, and knelt half on the ground, addressing the nobleman as "Lord Hou."

"I didn't deliberately conceal the truth, my lord. I was instructed to keep my identity hidden unless absolutely necessary, and under no circumstances was I to divulge any information to Lord Hou or others."

Hua Zhan had already been listening with bated breath. At this moment, he let out a long sigh and said, "Hua'er must be harboring resentment and planning a comeback. However, she's probably afraid that we would worry and be frightened, or even fear that it might implicate us. That's why she doesn't want you to tell us that she's still alive, isn't it?"

With Hua'er's temperament, she has always been one to bear her burdens alone, never relying on others, nor wanting to cause worry for her family. Could it be that he fears if his endeavor succeeds, it would be fine, but if it fails, he would quietly meet his end without us knowing, so as to spare us the agony of hoping only to be disappointed again? Is he afraid that we might not be able to withstand such emotional turmoil? Hence, he chooses to conceal everything. Is that correct or not?

Zhu Ying was left speechless; the Marquis had astonishingly deciphered his master's thoughts so thoroughly. As a subordinate, all he knew was that his master didn't want his family to worry, hence concealing the fact that he was still alive. After all, he was undertaking a grand endeavor that even the bravest souls in the world dared not dream of.

To his surprise, the Marquis's analysis was so insightful. He suddenly understood his master's painstaking efforts. The Master wasn't heartless towards the young madam; he wasn't blind to her virtues. It was just that he knew if he failed, it would mean another loss for the young madam, adding to her sorrow.

It was better not to give her hope and then take it away again. If he could accomplish his great mission and return in glory, the young madam would enjoy endless blessings and prestige for the rest of her life. If not, he would quietly pass away, accepting his fate without causing anyone else pain.

Hua Zhan helped Zhu Ying up, only to see the youth's eyes reddened, filled with tears. With a trembling voice and clenched teeth, he said, "When the Master was rescued, he seemed fine, but in reality, he was severely injured. The whip marks were deep enough to expose the bones, and his tendons were severed. That ruthless emperor didn't spare him even on the brink of death."

"Later... If not for a divine physician we had met years ago, the Master might have become an invalid even if he survived. Then, he recuperated while planning our grand scheme, sometimes staying awake until late at night. The Master claimed to be busy, but we knew he was thinking of you, Marquis, worrying about you. He kept himself occupied to cope. Even though I was later transferred to your side, I'm sure the Master never stopped for a moment, and I wonder if his injuries have fully healed."

"The Master... really suffered a lot..."

Hua Zhan's eyes grew redder, his fists clenching so tightly that they seemed ready to crush his own bones. With a hoarse voice, he said, "The Third Prince has now ascended to the throne, and the current situation is stable, despite occasional unrest at the borders and the watchful gaze of neighboring tribes. But for now, the foundation remains unshaken. Hua'er is pulling out teeth from the tiger's mouth, walking on a broken bridge over a cliff..." Hua Zhan took a deep breath. "If you can contact Hua'er, write him a letter, urging him not to take unnecessary risks. If possible, even if he has to live incognito as an ordinary citizen for the rest of his life, without coming to see us, that would be acceptable."

This was the greatest wish of a father. He didn't crave for the family's fortunes to be restored or for his eldest son to achieve greatness. He had already experienced the pain of losing his eldest son once, and now he just hoped he could survive this ordeal, everything else being secondary.

Zhu Ying scratched his head. "I'm not sure what plans the Master has either. But, Marquis, the Master has always been a man with a strategy. Since his teenage years, he has nurtured our secret division, and he wasn't much older than us, even younger than some. Yet, no one could fathom his thoughts and actions. We all followed his lead, obeying him alone! Even if the Master fails in his revenge, it won't be due to a whim. He must have his own plan. Remember, in that urgent situation at the palace gate, the Master made a swift decision to evacuate and hide, planning for the future. Why would he act recklessly now?"

Wiping away his tears, he smiled. "Besides, there's the wonderful young madam waiting for his return."

Upon hearing this... Hua Zhan glared fiercely at Zhu Ying.

Zhu Ying, the queen of imagination, huh-huh-huh.

Hua Ji: How would you know that?

Zhu Ying: Hehehe.