Did her father already prepare for her future before he wassent to prison? Thinking about the last time she had seen her father…, wastedaway with only skin and bone, but still with a loving expression, Zhao Jin Yu’stears flowed even more, it was extremely quiet in the house, no one saidanything…, after a while Zhao Jin Yu used her sleeves to wipe her tears,resolutely and decisively she said, “I don’t need what birth parents, I canlook after myself.”
Zhao Jin Yu wasn’t being pretentious, it was because she wassimply a girl who travelled through time, without much expectations of socalled birth parents.
Liu Ba Yan exclaimed, “Foolish child, you’re still young,you don’t know how difficult it is to be in the world as a girl…”
“Thankyou for your good intentions uncle, but I already have a plan.” Zhao Jin Yugradually stopped crying, she clearly enunciated, “I only have one father in mylife.”
“Good child, if your father knew your feelings I wonder howhappy he would be. However child…”
Liu Ba Yan deeply released a breath, as ifhe was getting rid of all the emotions in his chest, he said, “First let mefinish speaking before you decide, your birth parents are also not simple.”
Zhao Jin Yu watch Liu Ba Yan.
“There was once a large family, an extremely extraordinaryperson came from this family, a lot of
people with outstanding talents camefrom the younger generation, the family prospered, with outstanding reputation,one of the most influential families in the great Zhou, only when it reachedthe ninth generation, the sons of the first wife of the head of the familyfaded away, only a son was left, that young son was bright and outstanding as achild, distinguished and accomplished in literary talent, and was a rarecharacter, he was not willing to stay at home, he liked to travel around, thenhe actually fell in love with the daughter of a Jianghu hero.”
Chen Rong’s complexion deepened, lifting her head to look atLiu Ba Yan, Liu Ba Yan also looked at her…, slightly nodding his head at her,with a look that he could see the things of the world clearly, he continuedspeaking, “When the son returned home he was insistent on marrying that woman,how could the family agree? That was when they knew they had indulged him toomuch before, afraid that he would once again cause trouble, he was placed underhouse-arrest, and found a woman from a family matching them in social status,in just three months they were married.”
“Then?”
“That son originally did not want to complete the marriage,he had no choice because his parents were dead…, three months later the bridewas found to be pregnant, that son also gradually gave up.
If what happenedafter didn’t happen, perhaps everyone would have lived well.” Xiu Ba Yanwatched
Zhao Jin Yu with a pitiful gaze, “Ten months later when the bride wasgiving birth, a woman came to the door holding a female baby, saying it wasthat son’s child.”
“That woman was the wet nurse of the Jianghu woman, she told them the Jianghu woman had died during the difficult childbirth, only thechild was left behind, wishing for the child to be delivered to be by herfather’s side, when that son found out, he suddenly became mad, holding thechild he ran out, because he was too deranged at that moment, a lot of peoplecould not stop him..., half a year later his corpse was found in Shanyin, thechild had also disappeared.”
“That bride was also pitiful, such an extreme thing happenedwhile she was in labour, a spurt of anxiety and anger attacked her mind, abirth without complications became a difficult birth, it almost became amournful occasion, the child also died young, when she heard the news of herhusband’s death she couldn’t carry on and pa.s.sed away. So the main branch ofthe family ended like this.”
“I am the child that was left outside?”
Liu Ba Yan nodded, “Child, when you become a parent in thefuture you will understand, no one does not love their child dearly, you beingleft to wander in dest.i.tute outside wasn’t their intention.”
Zhao Jin Yu rubbed her tears, with a resolute expression shestood saying, “I understand. I’ve delivered the letter, if there’s nothinguncle, I will leave.”
“You child…”
“Maybe they had their own difficulties, but my father whopicked me up from the ma.s.s of beggars, he has taught me from childhood, it wasalso my father who loved me dearly, I won’t change my mind.”
The corners of Zhao Jin Yu’s eyes teared up, decisivenesshowever still in her voice. Seeing that Zhao Jin Yu was leaving, Liu Ba Yanfinally couldn’t help but say, “Do you know who your birth father is? He isfrom Hangzhou’s number one influential family, the Zhao family who produced thedivine calligrapher, your birth father also wasn’t from a side branch of thefamily, he is the only son of the main branch!”
Zhao Jin Yu never thought she had such a past, she halted…,but still stubbornly she pretended to not have heard walking out.
“You don’t want to rescue your father? Other people may notbe able to help, but if it was the Zhao
family that’s a different matter.” LiuBa Yan patiently persuaded.
“Would they step in?” As expected hearing these words ZhaoJin Yu stopped to ask.
“You are the eldest daughter of the Zhao family, and elderbrother Zhao was your saviour, the Zhao family has always repaid kindness, evenjust based on this they would spare no effort to help, ignoring anything else youneed to preserve your father’s life.”
Zhao Jin Yu clenched her teeth, to her being a young lady ofan influential family meant nothing, when she thought of a completelyunfamiliar home, and subjected to the strict customs of the family she feltbreathing would be an uneasy matter as well. However for her adoptive fathershe couldn’t help be moved somewhat.
In the evening, Chen Rong and Zhao Jin Yu returned to thetavern, Zhao Jin Yu’s mind was in a mess and restless, but did not know who tospeak to…, however after a while, Chen Rong came knocking on the door, asking,“Jin girl, are you asleep?”
“Auntie Chen.” Zhao Jin Yu opened the door welcoming ChenRong in.
The two people drank tea, not speaking for quite a while,the atmosphere was somewhat rigid, finally it was Chen Rong who couldn’t helpspeak, saying, “Lady Zhao, I truly did not expect your birth father to be ZhaoYing Guan.”
“Auntie Chen also knew this person?” Regardless if it wasZhao Jin Yu, or Chen Rong, they never doubted Liu Ba Yan’s words, apart fromZhao Chang Chun’s trust in him, common people could not simply just makeirresponsible remarks about the number one Zhao family in Hangzhou.
“That person is considerably well known, he is the child thehead of the family Zhao Xing Kun had when he was twenty-nine, a son in hismiddle age, and the only son, you can imagine how his life was going smoothly,bright as a child, he would know poetry and literature from being taughtinstantly, just from a glance he could copy calligraphy with grace and beauty,before he could walk he practiced writing characters with his father, laterwhen he was still young he surpa.s.sed his father, every said if he was stillalive perhaps the Zhao family would produce another divine calligrapher.”
“Actually we are related.” Chen Rong paused here, “the womanZhao Ying Guan loved, wasn’t actually a common Jianghu hero as they said, she was the daughter of the Jinlingmartial arts influential Chen family, my younger female cousin Chen Cui Jing.”
“Then aren’t you my…” Zhao Jin Yu dropped the teacup ontothe table in shock.
“You should actually call me auntie.”Chen Rong said then forced a smile, “If Cui Jing could see how big you’vegotten, and is thoughtful and clever like this, I wonder if she would be atease?”
Zhao Jin Yu did not have any feelings about her birthparents, but having spent all this time with Chen Rong, all in all it wasdifferent…, when she thought of her birth mother as Chen Rong’s younger cousin,some thoughts and feelings unconsciously appeared.
Chen Rong voice suddenly rose, “The Zhao family was notwilling for my cousin to marry into the family, but did we think they aresuitable? A pity on my younger cousin…, pa.s.sing away at such a young age, myuncle has six children in total, losing such a daughter, don’t you think hisheart hurts?”
The sky gradually darkened, the fragrance of evening meal waftedin the tavern, Chen Rong rose saying, “Let’s eat, don’t starve.” An endearmentof an elder relative appeared in her eyes as she looked at Zhao Jin Yu.
The two people went downstairs, Zhao Jin Yu asked, “AuntieChen, when my father first came to you for the a.s.signment, did he know of ourrelationship?”
“Perhaps not…, but, I agreed then to go on the a.s.signmentbecause I owned your father a favour.”
Chen Rong shook her head as she spoke,she had long ago stopped taking a.s.signments, this time it was actually becauseof Zhao Chang Qing, immediately thinking of Zhao Jin Yu’s situation, shesighed, saying, “Jin girl, if you don’t want to go to the Zhao family, I willtake you back to Hanjing, your maternal grandfather has always been looking foryou over these years, if he knew you were still alive and well, how happy hewould be, and your young uncles, elder uncles, they will also love you dearly.”
Zhao Jin Yu lowered her head not speaking.
Chen Rong seeing Zhao Jin Yu not responding, changed herapproach, “If you don’t want to go to Jinling that’s also fine, come back withme to Xiantian bodyguard establishment, so long as I’m here, I can protect youso you don’t suffer at all, what sort of live do you want, auntie will make ithappen.” Chen Rong was the head escort of the Xiantian bodyguard establishment,young, and a woman…, it obviously wasn’t easy for her to be in such a position.This remark wasn’t exaggerated.
After a good while, Chen Rong heard Zhao Jin Yu say, “Idon’t want to return to the Zhao family, but I miss my father.” Zhao Jin Yusaid with red eyes all of a sudden, “I want to save him, I want him to bewell…”
Far away in the the capital’s Ministry of Justice prison,Zhao Chang Chun leaned against the cold wall, wanting to sleep but feeling thecold wind howl all around, as cold as if he was outside, a white fog came withhis breath, his body numb like it wasn’t his, his stomach rumbled with hunger,however facing the black mouldy hard steamed bun it was hard to eat,unconsciously he recalled the rice b.a.l.l.s Zhao Jin Yu had brought a whilebefore.
That really was delicious…, that child has always beenstrange from young, more and more ideas emerged from her head, especially to dowith food she would always have a peculiar way. A warm l.u.s.tre appeared in ZhaoChang Chun’s eyes.
It was almost two months, she ought to have arrived atHangzhou right? Did Liu Ba Yan allow her to stay…to return to the Zhao family?That stubborn girl must not have lightly agreed to return to the Zhao family.
To be honest when he first adopted Zhao Jin Yu he had alittle selfish motive, he had thought the child looked particularly familiar,as if he had seen her somewhere before, it was only later when he found out shewas the daughter of Hangzhou’s Zhao family, at the time when their family hadrun into misfortune and his father was good friends with Zhao Ying Guan whoonly watched with folded arms…, it made him secretly angry all along.
He clearly knew the Zhao family was looking for this childeverywhere, but he deliberately hid the child, at that time he had badintentions, but later she really became the pearl in his palm, reluctant to letgo.
The matter…of his implication, it was something the emperorcouldn’t bear the most, he was afraid that in the end he wouldn’t be able tosave his daughter, that’s why he could only reluctantly allow her to return tothe Zhao family, based on the Zhao family’s influence, they naturally couldprotect her. Later she would marry and give birth, live a life of wealth…, ZhaoChang Chun suddenly felt tears rushing out when he thought to here, he couldn’thelp use his dirty sleeves to wipe at them, consoling himself he said, as longas the child is well everything is fine, what was there to be upset about?
His real name was Zhuang Luo Pu, he changed his name andsurname, drifting and living without a purpose for so many days was already ablessing, his wife Xu Shi knew this day would come, his son Zhuang Qing alsounderstood, only Zhao Jin Yu…, he was the eldest daughter of the Zhao family,she simply should not be implicated.
This was for the best…, Zhao Chang Chun rubbed his tearsthinking.
Previously Zhao Jin Yu called Chen Rong auntie in a casual way, Chen Rong isasking her to call her maternal aunt.