Chapter 1306: The Truth Is Out
Editor: Atlas Studios
Lu Aotian came to the Hundred Flowers Palace today with news that Eldest Young Master and Third Young Master had returned to the island…
… and freeloaded a bag of jelly beans.
The Palace Lord carried Wei Xiaobao and sat in the small garden of the Hundred Flowers Palace to bask in the sun. The three little ones were training Sihu with Jing Yi.
Ling Yun was playing chess with Su Mo at another stone table.
Su Mo was no match for Ling Yun.
“Let me help you.”
Scholar Wei moved a stool and sat beside Su Mo.
Su Mo said, “No need.”
Ling Yun placed a piece down. “You lost.”
Su Mo was speechless.
Su Xiaoxiao brought Xing’er over.
Lu Aotian smelled the fragrance of the jelly beans and reached out to grab them from the tray.
Xing’er freed her hand and slapped his claw away.
Lu Aotian muttered, “Can’t I even try one?”
“Mother.” Su Xiaoxiao sat down beside Mother Palace Lord and pinched the little fellow’s face. “Xiaobao.”
Wei Xiaobao was sleeping soundly.
Su Xiaoxiao looked at Lu Aotian. “By the way, Sect Master Lu, is there any recent news of my sister-in-law?”
Lu Aotian shook his head. “It’s been a while since she came to the Fire Slaughter Sect. I came today to tell you that Xiahou Zheng and Xiahou Yu have returned.”
“Who are they?” Su Xiaoxiao asked.
Lu Aotian said, “The City Lord’s two adopted sons, Eldest Young Master and Third Young Master, were originally biological brothers and were adopted by the City Lord together.”
Su Xiaoxiao said thoughtfully, “They’re actually biological brothers… The two of them should be the ones sent to the Western Jin, right?”
Lu Aotian said seriously, “I don’t know! Back then, I was only ordered to follow Xiahou Yan to the Great Zhou. No one told me where Eldest Young Master and Third Young Master went.”
Su Xiaoxiao was not surprised. Xiahou Qing did not need to explain his work to Lu Aotian.
Lu Aotian was not as ambitious as Lou Bufan. He only cared about what he was doing and could not be bothered to ask.
“Just as we dealt with Madam Ru and Lou Bufan, an Eldest Young Master and Third Young Master came. Xiahou Yi hasn’t made a move yet…”?
Lu Aotian said in a daze, “Why, why is Second Grandfather involved again? What exactly does he want?”
He suddenly felt a little fl.u.s.tered!
“Here’s your candy.”
Xing’er distributed a bag of jelly beans to him.
With the candy in hand, he had the world. Why should he panic?
Lu Aotian straightened his back.
Su Xiaoxiao said, “I’m really curious how they completed their mission in the Western Jin. Did they meet Eldest Brother and Second Brother?”
City Lord’s Mansion.
Xiahou Qing saw Xiahou Zheng and Xiahou Yu, whom he had not seen for a long time.
The two of them stood in the meeting hall and bowed respectfully to Xiahou Qing. “Foster Father!”
Xie Jinnian cupped his hands and bowed to Xiahou Zheng. “Brother.”
Xiahou Zheng nodded. “Second Brother.”
Xiahou Yu called Xie Jinnian Second Brother.
“Why don’t I see Fourth Brother?”
Xiahou Zheng asked.
Xiahou Qing said, “Your fourth brother failed the mission and didn’t come back alive.”
Xiahou Zheng frowned and said, “Who killed Fourth Brother?”
Xie Jinnian said, “The murderer hasn’t been found yet.”
Xiahou Qing looked at him. “Second Brother, you’ve been in the Southern Wilderness for so long. Have you completed the mission?”
Xie Jinnian had been lying low in the Southern Wilderness for the longest time.
Xie Jinnian looked ashamed. “I failed. Zongzhengm Ming is dead, but Zongzheng Wei has taken over and I’ve been exposed.”
“What about you?” Xiahou Qing asked the two brothers.
Xiahou Zheng looked up and smiled. “Although I encountered some obstacles and couldn’t kill the Western Jin Emperor, I still gained something. When the Western Jin Emperor leaves, I can use this bargaining chip to control the Western Jin royal family again.”
Xiahou Qing was interested. “Oh?”
Xiahou Zheng turned to look out the door and said loudly, “Bring them in!”
A man and a woman with shackles on their hands were pushed in.
The two of them were in a sorry state, but their royal aura were not diminished. There was unyieldingness between their eyebrows.
Xiahou Qing sized up the two of them. “They are…”
Xiahou Zheng introduced, “The Eldest Prince of the Western Jin, Yuwen Huai, and the Princess of the Western Jin, Yuwen Xi.”
Yuwen Xi said sarcastically, “You were chased out like stray dogs.”
Xiahou Yu raised his hand and slapped.
Yuwen Huai pulled Yuwen Xi to the other side of him.
The palm landed on him.
His chest hurt, and blood rushed to his throat.
Yuwen Xi said coldly, “Who asked you to block it for me?”
Yuwen Huai said calmly, “I’m afraid that if you die, Father will suspect that I killed you.”
Xiahou Qing waved his hand.
Xiahou Yu understood and instructed, “Take him away!”
The guard brought the two of them out of the meeting hall.
Xiahou Qing looked at his two adopted sons solemnly. “What happened in the Western Jin?”
Xiahou Yu frowned. “Foster Father, originally, Eldest Brother and I were about to succeed, but Mr. Zhuge appeared halfway and messed up our plan! Fortunately, Eldest Brother was wise and captured the two most valued heirs of the Western Jin Emperor. The future emperor of the Western Jin will definitely be one of them.”
Xiahou Qing’s expression was unreadable.
He said to the two of them, “You’re tired after sailing to the island for so long. Go back and rest first. We’ll talk about other things another day.”
The two of them cupped their hands. “Yes.”
Xiahou Qing stood up and walked towards the door.
When they brushed past each other, Xiahou Zheng suddenly said, “Foster Father, I heard something when I returned to the island. I have two more brothers. Is it true?”
“Yeah.”
Xiahou Qing nodded.
Xiahou Zheng’s eyes moved as he smiled and said, “Congratulations, Foster Father.”
Xiahou Qing nodded and left.
Looking at his adoptive father’s departing back, Xiahou Zheng restrained the respect on his face and said to Xie Jinnian with a faint smile, “Second Brother, you seem to be very free on the island?”
Xie Jinnian asked, “What’s wrong with being idle?”
Xiahou Zheng sneered. “You clearly had the chance to attack, but you insisted on leaving it for Third Brother and me. Do you want to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor?”
Xie Jinnian said calmly, “Father has a biological son. One is the blood of the Heavenly Jade Hall, and the other is the blood of the Hundred Flowers Palace. Brother, do you think we can still fight them?”
Xiahou Zheng threatened, “Since you want to quit, it’s best if you quit completely. Don’t block my path!”
Xie Jinnian looked at him in a manner that was neither servile nor overbearing. “Brother, go ahead.”
After Xie Jinnian left, Xiahou Yu asked strangely, “Brother, he must be pretending! He wants to use us to eliminate Yun Lin and Xiahou Chen! That anonymous secret letter was most likely sent to Brother by him! He was anxious to tell us about the situation on the island because he hoped that we would hurry back to deal with Heavenly Jade Hall and the Hundred Flowers Palace!”
However, Xiahou Zheng didn’t answer Xiahou Yu. Instead, he looked at Xie Jinnian’s back and muttered, “Fourth Brother is dead, but he escaped. What a pity. However… didn’t he leave behind the hidden weapons of the Hundred Flowers Palace? Why did Foster Father say that he didn’t find the murderer? Does Foster Father still trust the Hundred Flowers Palace so much?”
–
In the dead of night.
Xiahou Zheng carried a box of ginseng to the side courtyard of the City Lord Manor.
Xiahou Yi was sitting in a wheelchair and looking up at the endless starry sky.
A puppet guarded him.
Xiahou Zheng came to him and knelt on one knee, taking out the anonymous secret letter.
“Granduncle, I received your letter. I’m back.”