Chapter 244: Epilogue (4)

After the bailiffs from the Dali Temple left, the stone steps outside the Duke of Chen’s residence were even muddier.

They were covered in a mixture of snowmelt and mud.

But no one cared.

The members of the Cheng family were preparing to take their leave as well.

“Fourth Brother, thank you!” Zhou Yuanshen cupped his hands toward Cheng Chao, then said to Cheng Ying, “I’m sorry to have gotten Third Sister injured.”

Cheng Ying smiled faintly. “It’s only a minor injury. Nothing to worry about.”

Cheng Chao also told him not to stand on ceremony.

“Thank you for today, Fourth Brother.” Cheng Zhao rarely showed Cheng Chao such respect. “You noticed that something was wrong, and with one strike, you slashed that assassin’s face. You forced her to reveal her true identity. That was both brave and clever!”

Whether man or woman, anyone whose cheek was slashed would instinctively become completely guarded and fight back.

It had nothing to do with vanity. It was an intense sense of danger.

The head was vital yet fragile, and the face was particularly vulnerable to injury. The moment it was wounded, a person would feel as if they were facing a formidable enemy. Before reason had time to intervene, the brain would already compel them to strike back.

Cheng Chao had identified this weakness precisely.

He had easily broken through the assassin’s most vulnerable defense.

“It’s rare to hear you say something nice about me,” Cheng Chao remarked with a sigh.

The people present could not help laughing.

Zhou Yuanshen continued, “I have another favor to ask.”

Everyone put away their smiles.

Cheng Zhao glanced at him as well.

“The Duke Protector General’s residence will probably need some matters settled afterward. I can’t leave now, and I don’t dare depart rashly. I’d like to ask all of you to go to the Fan residence and take a look at the situation. If it’s convenient, send someone back to report to me. You’re different from ordinary attendants—you’re able to see through certain problems.”

Cheng Chao asked, “What happened at the Fan residence? Wasn’t a wedding being held there today?”

“Many years ago, two generals served under my maternal grandfather. They were bitter rivals. General Wei was exceptionally talented at strategy, but narrow-minded. General Xu was brave and skilled in battle, but hot-tempered. The two of them were at odds for seven or eight years. After General Wei’s younger son died, their conflict escalated to the point where one of them had to die.

“General Wei falsely accused General Xu of treason and had all the evidence prepared. My maternal grandfather believed him at the time and ordered men to arrest General Xu.

“General Xu had an impulsive nature. He resisted and fled. My maternal grandfather ordered his men to pursue him, so General Xu killed himself to prove his innocence. His wife and children fled. Later, it was proven that he truly had been innocent.

“This caused my maternal grandfather years of regret. Even on his deathbed, he could not let it go. He ordered us to continue searching for the Xu family’s surviving relatives, and he wanted to clear General Xu’s name.”

Zhou Yuanshen spoke very slowly.

The story was not complicated and was easy enough to understand.

Political persecution did not occur only at court; it happened in frontier armies as well.

Both men were great generals with the potential to become marshals one day. They had been at odds for years, and their minor conflicts had gradually accumulated into a major feud. Once a death was involved, their hostility became irreconcilable.

However, Cheng Zhao and the others did not understand why he had suddenly brought up this old affair.

“...Vice Minister Song’s ancestral home is in Songyang Prefecture. When I heard that name, I became wary, because I discovered that the last place where General Xu’s wife and children disappeared was near Songyang Prefecture.

“Bandits have run rampant there in recent years. Their tactics are refined and their knowledge of military strategy is impressive. They don’t seem like ordinary bandits. General Xu’s two sons also grew up with the border troops, just as I did.

“I sent people to investigate in secret. Vice Minister Song himself has no apparent problems, but his daughter is highly suspicious. The temple where she has been cultivating in seclusion has been attacked by bandits several times, yet she has always remained unharmed.

“She was probably being controlled, or perhaps she was bribed and willingly worked for them. There are also signs that Prince of Andong had bribed officials in Songyang Prefecture.

“The marriage was arranged so hastily, with the excuse that they feared Duke of Pi. I suspect someone is manipulating things behind the scenes. If I told my maternal uncle and grandmother, they might soften and let the matter go.

“The massacre that year was the result of the conflict between the Xu and Wei families. At most, my maternal grandfather had been negligent. If my maternal uncle and grandmother took pity on the survivors and spared them, those people would not be grateful. They would simply wait for another opportunity to rise again.

“Besides, they had become bandits over the years, plundering and robbing countless people and committing grave crimes. I kept this from my maternal uncle and did not tell him beforehand. Instead, I dispatched fifty of my personal guards from the general’s residence. Only after my maternal uncle had gone to escort the bride did I send someone to inform my grandmother.

“The matter over there should be over by now, and the losses ought to be minor. I’d like to ask you to go and see what happened.”

Cheng Zhao: “...”

Her eldest sister asked, “This wasn’t a wedding at all, but a planned massacre meant to wipe out the entire Fan clan?”

“Yes.”

“Such a serious matter, and you waited until the bridal sedan was almost at the gate before telling us?” her eldest sister asked again.

“Yes.”

Her eldest sister: “...”

Cheng Zhao found it both infuriating and absurd. She could not help laughing.

Third Sister said, “Let’s go take a look. Though the plan was risky, it was like catching turtles in a jar, and the odds of victory were extremely high. Yuanshen truly deserves his reputation as a battle-seasoned general.”

Cheng Zhao found those words pleasing to hear.

Perhaps a trace of a smile had appeared on her face, because Third Sister glanced at her with a smile. Cheng Zhao immediately schooled her expression.

The Cheng family left, while Cheng Zhao and Zhou Yuanshen returned to Chengming Hall.

The Second Madam had already departed.

The maid said, “Madam said she was too tired. She went back to change and rest, and will return in an hour.”

Cheng Zhao could understand.

The Second Madam must have been terrified just now. There had been a fight, too.

The entire reception hall was in disarray, with bloodstains and broken porcelain scattered across the floor.

Cheng Zhao’s clothes were soaked through with sweat, and she now felt cold. She sneezed. Zhou Yuanshen’s shoes, socks, and trouser legs were all drenched with snowmelt, and he had lost all feeling in them from the cold.

“Bring in a bucket of hot water,” Cheng Zhao ordered.

The maid acknowledged the command.

Cheng Zhao divided half the water between them, quickly wiped herself down, and changed into clean underclothes. Zhou Yuanshen also tidied himself up without delay.

The couple sat facing the window on the heated brick bed, each holding a cup of hot tea, yet they still felt cold.

The chill had penetrated deep into their lungs, and it would take a while to warm up.

“Surely there were no casualties at the Fan residence?” Cheng Zhao asked.

“Mingyu returned to report that two deputy commanders suffered minor injuries, but everyone else is fine. The wedding escort consisted of more than thirty people, and they were all captured—including the bride,” Zhou Yuanshen said.

Cheng Zhao asked, “Who was the bride? One of General Xu’s subordinates, or his daughter?”

“His daughter. She had disguised herself and taken Miss Song’s place. Miss Song had been away from home for nearly nine years. Her parents and relatives only thought she had changed somewhat, so they didn’t look too closely into the reason.”

Cheng Zhao sighed.

“Mother doesn’t know yet. She’s bound to be disappointed. She’s been constantly concerned about my maternal uncle’s marriage.”

When the Second Madam had heard that Fan Xiao was going to marry, she had been overjoyed, as though a heavy burden had finally been lifted from her shoulders.

As the eldest sister, she regarded her younger brother as practically half a son. He was nearly thirty and still all alone. How could she not worry about him?

“His match simply hasn’t arrived yet,” Zhou Yuanshen said. “My maternal uncle already has someone in his heart.”

“Who?” Cheng Zhao momentarily forgot the cold and leaned a little closer.

Zhou Yuanshen said, “I probably don’t know her. He didn’t say. But he must have someone he loves but cannot have. Whenever he mentioned getting married, every sentence sounded like he was trying to comfort himself by saying, ‘I’ll just accept my fate.’”

Cheng Zhao said, “Go find out.”

Zhou Yuanshen glanced at her.

For the first time, Cheng Zhao saw an expression of difficulty on his face.

He had always been clear about right and wrong. If something could be done, he said so; if it could not, he said that too.

“All right, all right. You don’t have to ask around. I’ll have Mother and Zhou Yuanqi investigate next time,” Cheng Zhao said.

Zhou Yuanqi would certainly be willing to handle this sort of matter.

“...I’ll look into it for you. There’s no need to involve Yuanqi.” Zhou Yuanshen seemed to steel himself, gritting his teeth as he agreed.

Cheng Zhao hadn’t meant to provoke him, yet it seemed he had achieved precisely that: Zhou Yuanshen was unwilling to lose to his younger brother...

How had he become so childish too? Why was he competing with a child like Yuanqi?

Cheng Zhao slowly finished his cup of tea.

The warmth eased him, and his mood lightened somewhat.

“Yuanshen, was Helian Xuan the one manipulating today’s chain of schemes from behind the scenes?” Cheng Zhao asked him.