The Glory After Rebirth [ɇÇ”Ÿä¹‹Å°Šè£] Chapter 211- 213

Chapter 211: Yuwen Tong’s Effort to Straighten Ling Zhang Up

Yuwen Tong read the next few pages and found something intriguing. The manuscript said that all emperors of the Xia dynasty had great trust in the Foreseers Agency, that they not only stored in the department manuals on martial formations they collected, but also wanted the department to stand for all eternity, as they believed the Xia would, which was why they conferred on the Foreseers Agency another name – the Deca-millennium Pavilion.

‘The Deca-millennium Pavilion…’ He remembered that the words written on Ling Zhang’s handbook were A phoenix secluded itself in mountains shall transcend eternity.

‘Deca-millennium, eternity… there seems to be some kind of connection between the two.’

His speculation was confirmed in the next few pages of the manuscript, the author mentioned foreseers of the Deca-millennium Pavilion were descendants of phoenixes, which were ancient sacred birds.

First the saying ‘A phoenix secluded itself in mountains shall transcend eternity.

Now this manuscript, plus Deca-millennium…

Yuwen Tong didn’t think this was a coincidence.

Back in that year, as the Xia, a powerful united nation, fell apart splitting into four smaller countries, the Foreseers Agency of the Xia also disappeared in that disaster, but maybe it didn’t thoroughly perish, maybe it survived.

At the end of the manuscript, there was another sentence: A phoenix flying out of seclusion shall rule all.

Yuwen Tong recalled that when he’d been a young boy, he’d once followed his grandfather into this book chamber and accidentally disarranged the books on one of the bookshelves. One of the books had fallen down. He’d picked it up out of curiosity, casually cast an eye over it and seemed to have read this sentence. But he’d been too young, and his memory had not been as amazingly retentive as he’d been afterwards. On top of this, at that time his vocabulary had been quite limited, and after picking up that book, he’d just casually browsed it for a few moments when his grandfather had taken it away and put it back onto the bookshelf, which was why that sentence on Ling Zhang’s handbook had seemed familiar to him but he couldn’t remember where he’d read it no matter how hard he’d tried.

Yuwen Tong finished reading the manuscript in his hand. Most of the contents were about martial formations of the last dynasty. Information about the Deca-millennium Pavilion in it was rather sketchy. The main point of it was about those martial formations collected by the imperial family of the Xia. The manuscript said that diagrams of many formations had been consigned to oblivion with the division of the Xia.

‘Maybe those formations Ling Zhang know about were among those.

Ling Zhang once said that it was his mother who taught him those formations. His mother’s family background was very mysterious, and Ling Zhang has been quite secretive about it…’

Yuwen Tong checked some other books and found that there was no other useful information, but at least he was now positive about one thing: though the Xia had perished, the Foreseers Agency of the Xia had not really disappeared. It’s been hidden in the shadows and unknown to the whole world for centuries.

From Ling Zhang’s unwillingness to talk about his mother’s parentage, it could be deduced that this organization had very strict rules, and members of it were not allowed to disclose its existence to outsiders.

After locking the door of the book chamber, Yuwen Tong, who had a shrewd idea, planned to had his subordinates look into it as soon as he returned.

However, on his arrival at the Ling Mansion, he sensed that something was not quite right in the residence.

“Marshal, Childe Ling came back. He’s in a filthy mood. I think something happened. He wants you to go to the study to see him after your return.”

Yuwen Tong’s brow corrugated in a slight frown. ‘At this hour?’

Miao Shiba walked up on his own account and told Yuwen Tong what Ling Zhang had done earlier this day.

‘The new professor, in all likelihood, is a descendant of a member of the Foreseers Agency of the last dynasty. Did Ling Zhang by any chance go to meet him because he is…’

Yuwen Tong immediately hurried to the study and pushed the door open.

Ling Zhang was sitting inside contemplating, appearing in low spirits. As he saw Yuwen Tong walk inside, his face softened noticeably.

“Yao Yi said that you went back home to look into something. Did you find what you want?”

Yuwen Tong inclined his head. “I did.”

He felt Ling Zhang’s forehead, stroked his cheek and said, “What did that old man say to you to make you so down?”

Ling Zhang’s lips clamped tightly together. After a long silence, he replied, “It was about my parents.”

‘Then it was definitely not some very good news. Otherwise he wouldn’t have been in such a foul mood,’ thought Yuwen Tong. Recalling what he’d just ascertained, he queried, “You want to talk about it?”

Ling Zhang gave a nod. Before Yuwen Tong’s return, he’d been hesitating over it, but now he’d made up his mind.

“Do you know that there used to be a department called the Foreseers Agency in the last dynasty?” Ling Zhang inquired.

‘I knew it.’ Yuwen Tong’s heart gave a slight lurch. He answered, “I do. When the Xia still ruled this land, the Deca-millennium Pavilion’s standing was second to only that of the emperor. It was very influential at that time. Rumor has it that foreseers of the Deca-millennium Pavilion were descendants of phoenixes and wielded great powers. Afterwards the Xia perished and the Foreseers Agency disappeared…”

After saying this, Yuwen Tong told Ling Zhang what he had just found. “Just now I went back home, checked the books in my grandfather’s book chamber and found out one thing – the mental cultivation method you’ve been following is related to the Deca-millennium Pavilion of the last dynasty. Am I right?”

Ling Zhang looked at him in amazement. It’d never crossed his mind that Yuwen Tong would find out about this so quick.

‘It seems that even if I don’t tell him anything, he would ascertain everything sooner or later.’

“Yes.”

With this as a start, telling the rest of the story was much easier. Ling Zhang informed Yuwen Tong of all that his uncle and the old man – the one who claimed to be his maternal grandfather – had told him previously.

“… He hasn’t come back home for so many years, showing a total disregard for our feelings. I should’ve kept hating him, but when it came to my knowledge that he’d sustained severe injuries and narrowly escaped death and had been in a coma all these years, I found that I no longer hated him that much, but the very thought of him leaving me and my grandfather keeps me from granting him forgiveness. And there’s also the matter of the Millennium Pavilion – the relations between my mother and this organization was too complicated, but it was also the reason why my father survived. Right now I’m totally confused as to what my attitude should be towards it. Just now I was in an unquiet state of mind, and I left in such haste that I didn’t even call him grandfather.”

Yuwen Tong a few moments ago had got a shrewd idea of what was going on, but it surprised him that the context of it was so complex. No wonder Ling Zhang was now in a somewhat troubled state of mind.

He was aware that Ling Zhang was telling him these things not only because he trusted him but also because he wanted him to help him make a decision.

Yuwen Tong said, “From the vantage point of the present, the Millennium Pavilion harbors no hostility towards you. Otherwise they wouldn’t have allowed you to teach those martial formations to others. Also, your grandfather specially gave you a handbook on mental cultivation. On top of this, they saved your father’s life. As regards what happened to your mother… I understand what you feel, and I think instead of mulling over it in this room, you might as well ask them, get to the bottom of the business and put an end to it.”

Ling Zhang’s perplexed mind gradually cleared. He looked at Yuwen Tong and asked, “Are you saying that I should go to the Millennium Pavilion and figure everything out?”

Yuwen Tong inclined his head. “If I were in your shoes, I’d talk to people of the Millennium Pavilion face to face and settle it once and for all. You have hatred for the Millennium Pavilion, so you should go there and bring this hatred to an end, but because they saved your father’s life and you don’t know whether it’s right or not to keep hating them, you should also go there and repay this favor. The two of them are not mutually exclusive. Given that these things have just come to your knowledge, it’s normal that you’re in a confused state of mind and your judgement feels clouded, but be it resentment or gratitude, once you talk things through with them face to face, you’ll know what you should do. Besides, you father is still healing his wounds in the Millennium Pavilion. We have to go and see him, no matter what.”

The puzzlement in Ling Zhang’s eyes gradually dissolved. ‘Yuwen Tong’s right. I should go and talk it over with them instead of staying here overthinking. No matter whether I should have hatred for or gratitude to them, sooner or later the day would come when I have to get this matter settled.’

As if a giant rock weighing him down had just been removed, he couldn’t help but heave a deep sigh of relief.

Yuwen Tong, seeing his relieved expression, came to know that he’d come round, so he offered, “I’ll go with you if you like.”

Of course Ling Zhang would like Yuwen Tong to go with him. Yuwen Tong’s company always gave him the feeling that no harm could ever come to him.

“Tomorrow I’ll pay another visit to… my grandfather and talk things through with him.”

The words ” grandfather” still felt unacquainted. Ling Zhang entertained a complaint against the old man as well, but contrary to the complaint, there was also gratitude, for the old man had come to his father’s rescue… Just like Yuwen Tong had said, these were separate issues, and it was undeniable that the old man was his maternal grandfather.

“I’m going with you,” said Yuwen Tong.

Ling Zhang was somewhat hesitant. “He doesn’t know yet that I’ve told you about these things. I fear that…”

Yuwen Tong, who understood what Ling Zhang was worrying about, remarked, “As far as I could tell, given that he’s given you the handbook, he should’ve anticipated that you’d tell me about these things. Tomorrow I’ll pay him a visit with you. After we meet him, we listen to him and play it by ear.”

Ling Zhang gave a bob of his head. “Okay.”

A while ago his mind had been in a whirl, but Yuwen Tong had helped him sort his thoughts out in such a short time. Ling Zhang, having figured out what he should do, was naturally in a much better mood.

He opened his mouth intending to thank Yuwen Tong, but then recalled that Yuwen Tong didn’t like it when he said thanks to him, for it made him feel like a stranger. Therefore, he walked up to Yuwen Tong, hugged him and rubbed his face against his chest. “I feel much better now.”

Yuwen Tong, who understood what he meant, gave a smile, lowered his head and kissed him on the forehead, putting his arms tightly around his waist.

The matter of the Millennium Pavilion was by no means a trifle. Even if the imperial family of the Great Yue didn’t believe this kind of things, once the existence of the Millennium Pavilion came to their knowledge, they would definitely take action, and the other countries would no doubt make their move as well, so for the moment, the fact that the Millennium Pavilion still existed must be kept secret.

It was Ling Zhang’s maternal grandfather that the two of them would be meeting the next day. Though it’d been merely one day that Ling Zhang had come to know the old man’s true identity, it didn’t change the fact that he was Ling Zhang’s elder, which was why Yuwen Tong was now pondering what presents he should bring the old man the next day.

People in the residential compound, seeing Ling Zhang was in a much better mood after Yuwen Tong’s return, all felt a sense of relief.

Had it not been the case, they might have resorted to kidnapping the new professor of the Imperial College.

“The Imperial College is so troublesome. Young Master suffers wrong in there every two or three days. The way I see it, Young Master might as well drop out!” huffed Wang Dashan.

“Tell me about it. Young Master’s admission to it was granted by the emperor, so what? He cannot forbid people from dropping out, can he? Clearly Young Master’s original choice was the Oriental Rite Academy,” sniffed Qiu Bing.

“That’s enough. Cut the chatter. We cannot talk this matter to a settlement,” observed Liu Yi.

Having already returned, Ling Zhang had no intention to go back to school this day. He consulted with Yuwen Tong about what he should say to his grandfather when they met him the next day.

“By the way, my grandfather is in disguise. I don’t know whether Professor Gu is aware of it or not. Maybe people of Gu family have no knowledge of my grandfather’s true identity,” confided Ling Zhang. He felt that this was more likely to be the truth. After all, Gu family had too many dealings with the imperial family. If the Millennium Pavilion really wanted to stay in seclusion, they should avoid getting involved in Gu family’s business.

Chapter 212: A Horse Race

“Tomorrow let’s sound him out. If there’s some kind of connection between the Millennium Pavilion and Gu family, we’d have less misgivings,” said Yuwen Tong.

Ling Zhang gave it a brief thought and felt that Yuwen Tong had got a point. ‘If people of the Millennium Pavilion themselves have already made contact with Gu family, then they’d have no reason to request me to keep these things secret from Yuwen Tong,’ he thought.

In the afternoon, Yuwen Jin and Zhao Jiusi dropped by. Ling Zhang had suddenly left school in the morning without telling them why, so they were all worried about him.

“Did anything happen, Brother Zhang?” Yuwen Jin was the first one to ask him.

His eyes appraised Ling Zhang’s face. Seeing him look well, he felt slightly relieved.

“Not really. I came back because I suddenly recalled there was something urgent I needed to consult with Yuwen Tong about. I’m sorry, but I didn’t have the time to tell you,” replied Ling Zhang in an apologetic tone of voice. His heart seemed to expand and glow as he sensed his friends’ concern for him.

Seeing Ling Zhang’s bearing, Zhao Jiusi, Ji Feng and the others felt that there was probably no problem. Although they were aware that what Ling Zhang just told them might not be the real reason, none of them asked any further questions about it, for it was enough for them to know that Ling Zhang was fine.

“Incidentally, this afternoon the professor said that in a few days he’d take us to the hunting ground in the western suburbs for a horse race, so don’t forget to make preparations,” Yuwen Jin informed him.

“A horse race?” Ling Zhang found it confusing that they were suddenly asked to participate in a horse race.

Seeing his puzzled look, Zhao Jiusi explained, “This is one of the traditions of the Imperial College. Every year, there are two horse races of this kind. This’ll be the first one this year. Apart from horse races, there are also shooting contests, music contests, calligraphy contests and so on, which are held at different times of the year. You’ll have your chance to take part in them in the future. They’re pretty interesting.”

Ling Zhang, who had got a general idea of what this was about, inclined his head.

“Some people have already gone to the hunting ground in the western suburbs to make preparations. It’s said that the prizes are pretty handsome,” said Ji Feng.

‘There are prizes?’ Ling Zhang’s interest was aroused. “What kind of prizes?”

“Well, money is not on the list; they say that it’s too vulgar. Just some calligraphy works and paintings – all by renowned masters. There were occasions when His Majesty personally presented the prizes. Rumor has it that this time His Majesty would do it again,” Ji Feng informed him.

“His Majesty will participate in the contest as well?” queried Ling Zhang.

“Of course not. His Majesty has a myriad of state affairs to attend to every day, so he’ll just present the prizes, but… it’s not that there’s no precedent for that. His Majesty took part in some of the contests held in the couple of years following his enthronement, but he hasn’t in recent years,” responded Ji Feng.

Ling Zhang was slightly relieved. ‘If His Majesty is also going to be a participant, the situation would be very different. It’s best that he won’t take part.”

“Incidentally, it’s said that the Oriental Rite Academy will be competing against us,” said Zhao Turui.

“Students of the Oriental Rite Academy compete with students of the Imperial College in a horse race? Wouldn’t there be a fight?” asked Yuwen Jin.

“There shouldn’t be,” answered Zhao Turui. “Why would they fight?”

“Aren’t there rumors that there is open hostility between students of the Oriental Rite Academy and those of the Imperial College? This is a competition we’re talking about. Wouldn’t there be a fight if the losing side refuses to accept defeat?”

Ling Zhang quietly thought for a few moments and, surprisingly, found that Yuwen Jin actually had got a point, so he looked at Ji Feng and the others.

Zhao Jiusi claimed in a very calm and positive tone, “The Imperial College will not lose.”

Ling Zhang, “…”

He’d begun to act so competitively before the contest even started, yet he believed there wouldn’t be a fight?

“Actually your words served as a reminder to me. It seems that I’ve got to make some preparations. Maybe I should carry a piece of iron or something like that in my sleeve that day,” said Ji Feng, stroking his chin.

Surprisingly, Zhao Turui, Xun Huo and Xie Qing also started considering it. They even consulted with each other about what would be their best choice – pieces of iron or something else, and where they should hide them. Seeing this, Yuwen Jin who had always had a desire to stir up trouble, immediately offered them a lot of suggestions.

“Ling Zhang’s kung fu is very good, right? And he knows some badass moves as well. We should have him teach us a couple of those. I’m sure they’d prove helpful,” remarked Xie Qing, very composed.

Ling Zhang remained silent. ‘Really?’

“That’s right, Brother Zhang. Teach us, so that we can kick those bastards’ asses during the fight!” said Yuwen Jin.

Ling Zhang pulled a wry face. “You really wish there’d be a fight?”

“They will almost certainly be unreconciled to the situation after losing to us. It’s rumored that they have kung fu lessons in the Oriental Rite Academy, that they’re supposed to be adept with both the pen and the sword. The way I see it, they’re just a bunch of boors. You expect them to listen to reason?” sniffed Ji Feng.

Ling Zhang kept silent for a brief moment and then decided to come to his friend’s defense. “Tao Yi, for one, is not an impulsive person.”

“Well, that’s true. Brother Tao does look gentle and refined.” It was after hearing this that Ji Feng recollected Tao Yi.

“There are a great number of students in the Oriental Rite Academy. Brother Tao is indeed gentle and refined, but it doesn’t mean that the others are gentle and refined as well. To be on the safe side, we should take some precautions,” commented Xie Qing.

“Who’s Tao Yi?” Yuwen Jin inquired.

On that day when they went to the manor, Yuwen Jin didn’t join them on the trip because of some family matter, so he had no knowledge of who Tao Yi was.

Ling Zhang explained to him that Tao Yi was his friend whom he had known when he had been in Tanyang.

Yuwen Jin nodded. “That’s great. I may make his acquaintance in the contest.”

Eventually, Ling Zhang was still drawn to the drill ground by them, asked to teach them some badass moves that they could use to defend themselves.

Ling Zhang felt that they were just anxious to see the world in disorder, that deep down inside they all liked to go along for the ride, and maybe on that day they would add fuel to the tension and turn a controllable situation into a fight.

But this was not really a serious matter, so after giving it some thought, Ling Zhang agreed. Of course the moves he taught them were not dangerous ones, just some practical defensive moves and some flexible unconventional ones, which were difficult to defend against and would enable them to secure victory in an ingenious and unexpected way.

The seven of them spent over two hours practicing in the drill ground, sweating buckets. Ling Zhang felt that it’d be inappropriate for him to let them go back just like this, so he had some servants prepare hot water to let them take a bath.

After the bath, it was a little late, so naturally Ling Zhang had them stay for dinner before seeing them off.

Yuwen Tong had never made an appearance so far. Ling Zhang guessed that he probably had left the residence to attend to something.

Unsurprisingly, it was after dinner that Yuwen Tong came back. His travel-soiled clothes seemed to be suggesting that he had gone through a long journey.

Ling Zhang helped Yuwen Tong take off his overgarment and handed it to a servant, telling the servant to bring the food reserved for Yuwen Tong. Then he asked, “Where have you been?”

“First the imperial palace, and then the hunting ground in the western suburbs. The emperor suddenly told me he’d pay a visit to the hunting ground a couple of days later, and he wanted me to accompany him. It’s been quite a long time since the last time I set foot in the western suburbs, so I went there in advance to scout out the lie of the land in the hunting ground lest any accident happen on that day,” replied Yuwen Tong, who then sat down and directly dug in, seeming fairly hungry.

Ling Zhang was amazed to hear this. “His Majesty is actually going to participate?”

“You know about it?” Yuwen Tong looked at him.

Ling Zhang informed Yuwen Tong of the horse race between the Imperial College and the Oriental Rite Academy, and also told him that in the afternoon he had taught Yuwen Jin and the others a couple of moves in case there was a fight on that day.

“Now we can relax safe. With His Majesty’s presence, nobody would dare to pick a fight.”

Yuwen Tong had thought that the emperor had decided to go to the hunting ground on the spur of the moment, for just now the emperor had put it in a quite casual way, as if he was merely asking a couple of officials to accompany him for a walk to relieve boredom. It surprised him that the emperor’s intention was to watch a horse race held by the Imperial College.

If that was the case, then it wouldn’t be just a small matter of the emperor going on an outing in casual clothes. Probably courtiers of all descriptions would be present as well.

As if something had just occurred to him, Yuwen Tong pondered for a few moments and then resumed eating. He asked Ling Zhang, “Do you want to win a prize?”

Ling Zhang was fully aware of his proficiency in riding. He was barely able to ride a horse in a normal way and definitely couldn’t hold a candle to those with consummate skills, but Yuwen Tong should know very well how his horsemanship was. He’d specially asked this because…

“Yeah,” Ling Zhang first answered in the affirmative, and then stared at Yuwen Tong, waiting to hear what he had to say.

‘Who would say no to a chance of victory?’ Ling Zhang believed that he was also a young man of ardour and competitiveness.

Yuwen Tong raised his head, looked at him and replied, “All right. I’ll teach you horsemanship in the next few days.”

Ling Zhang’s eyes lit up. ‘I knew it!’

“Then I’ll ask for a couple of days’ leave after we visit my grandfather tomorrow,” said Ling Zhang, safe in the knowledge that his request for leave wouldn’t be denied as Yuwen Tong would go there with him the next day.

Seeing he was in high spirits with excitement gleaming in his eyes, Yuwen Tong believed that what had happened in the morning would no longer affect Ling Zhang’s mood, so he also felt happy. Had he not been eating, he would give Ling Zhang a kiss.

Beneath his ardent gaze, Ling Zhang, recalling how intimate the two of them had been these days, fully understood what Yuwen Tong meant. He took his eyes off him, a flush spreading over his cheeks.

Yuwen Tong quickly finished his meal, wiped his mouth, rose to his feet and drew Ling Zhang towards the outside. “Let’s go for a walk to help digestion.”

Ling Zhang quietly followed him towards the outside. On the day when the two of them had taken a walk around the drill ground after he overate, Yuwen Tong seemed to grow fond of this exercise. Every day after dinner, Yuwen Tong would draw him outside to go for a walk, saying it helped digestion, which sometimes made Ling Zhang feel as if he and Yuwen Tong had been married for years. And he had an inexplicable premonition that this might be how life would be like after he and Yuwen Tong got old.

There was only one brazier beside the drill ground. Sometimes those guards would come here to practice kung fu at night, but since their two masters were now having a walk here, they naturally wouldn’t be so insensitive as to show up causing a disturbance at this time. In the dim light from the brazier, Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong, hand in hand, slowly strolled around the large drill ground. Night breezes, warm and sweet, were softly blowing by, and their hearts seemed to be involuntarily expanding and glowing.

“The revamp of the drugstore is finished. Let’s go there and take a look after our visit to the Imperial College tomorrow,” said Yuwen Tong.

It was Yuwen Tong who had been taking care of the revamp project of the drugstore for Ling Zhang.

Ling Zhang inclined his head. Wang Qing had reported this matter to him. Earlier this afternoon, he had wanted to go there, but Yuwen Jin and the others had shown up so he had had to give up.

“Reply from Tanyang should arrive during the next few days,” Yuwen Tong added.

Ling Zhang nodded again, oblivious of the expectant look in the eyes of Yuwen Tong who was walking beside him. As soon as the reply from Tanyang arrived, Yuwen Tong would come to know Ling Zhang’s uncle’s opinions and be able to start making preparations…

Ling Zhang was thinking about building a trade caravan. Since the revamp project had been finished, the moment herbs from Tanyang were delivered here, the drugstore would be ready to open for business.

But before that, he had to pick an auspicious date and invite a couple of friends to the grand opening to roll logs for him.

Business prospects in the trading center in the west of the city were very good. The general storekeeper of the Jiang’s Drugstore Chain had even specially paid him a visit and acted as a go-between for him, introducing him to a couple of big clients. All he needed to do was wait for herbs from Tanyang to be delivered to the capital city.

Chapter 213: A Frank and Straight Talk

The next day, the two of them arrived at the Imperial College together, heading directly for the courtyard house of Ji Yin.

Though Yuwen Tong had been trying to keep this visit of his low-key, it still attracted much attention. The principal, on hearing that Yuwen Tong had come again, widened his eyes drastically. ‘I think I handled that matter impartially and without bias that day. Professor Du has been stripped of his title of a professor of the Imperial College and expelled. What else does Yuwen Tong want?’ he thought.

Somewhat anxious, the principal hurriedly tried to find Yuwen Tong, but the one keeping watch on Yuwen Tong’s whereabouts informed him that Yuwen Tong had gone to see the new professor surnamed Li.

‘The new professor surnamed Li? Was there some kind of conflict between Professor Li and Ling Zhang?’

The principal didn’t relax after hearing this. On the contrary, he hastened towards Ji Yin’s courtyard house, fearing that Yuwen Tong might kill that new professor in a fit of temper.

He arrived at Ji Yin’s place only to find that the door was guarded by bodyguards and he was denied entry.

“The Marshal has some private affairs to talk with Professor Li about. Please wait a few moments, principal,” said Yao Yi.

The principal ventured, “Was it because Professor Li came into conflict with Childe Ling, by any chance?”

Yao Yi responded, “That’s not the case. There’s no need for you to be anxious, principal.”

The principal heaved a sigh of relief in the knowledge that there was no conflict between the two. ‘But that professor is new here. Did he and Yuwen Tong know each other?’

Apart from the principal, Professor Gu hurried to this place as well, and he also went skeptical and confused after being told that Yuwen Tong had some private affairs to talk with Professor Li about. It was him who’d recommended Professor Li to the principal, but he had never heard Professor Li say anything about his acquaintance with Yuwen Tong. He remembered that the day before Ling Zhang suddenly came here saying that he wanted to consult Professor Li about some questions, and then Professor Li sent him away on a pretext. ‘Did Professor Li make acquaintance with Ling Zhang first, by any chance?’ A succession of questions flashed across Professor Gu’s mind, but he was unable to get in to find out what was going on inside, so he had no choice but to wait with the principal, both of them in puzzlement.

In the house, Ji Yin seemed to have anticipated that Ling Zhang would come back on this day, and he was not surprised to see Yuwen Tong.

On entering, Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong made a bow with their hands folded in front to pay respects to Ji Yin.

Ji Yin hurriedly led them to the seats.

Although Ling Zhang had had no problem saying the word “grandfather” when consulting with Yuwen Tong in private, he still found it rather difficult to address the old man as such in the presence of him.

Ji Yin looked at Ling Zhang with a mild and expectant expression in his eyes, which naturally was tinged with guiltiness and uneasiness. He was waiting to hear that form of address from Ling Zhang’s mouth.

Eventually, Ling Zhang said, “Grandfather.”

He felt that since he had already made up his mind to admit he owed the Millennium Pavilion a favor, he ought to address this old man as ‘grandfather’.

Just as Yuwen Tong had said, his grudge against them and the favor he owed them deserved to be dealt with in separate ways. Besides, there was bond of blood between them, which was unerasable.

Ji Yin’s eyes gradually lit up. He was very happy to hear Ling Zhang call him grandfather. Holding Ling Zhang’s hands, he said, “Good boy, thank you for calling me grandfather,” all sorts of feelings welling up in his mind.

Both his son and his daughter had died. For him, the past was also a deep scar on his heart. Ling Zhang calling him grandfather brought tears to his eyes. It was with considerable restraint that he managed to keep his emotions from showing on his face.

“You’re my grandfather; nothing would ever change that, and I think my mother would want me to address you this way were she still alive,” observed Ling Zhang.

This remark brought Ji Yin’s thoughts surging like the tide and his mind was flooded with memories for quite a while. It was after involuntarily uttering “Good boy” several times in a row that he calmed himself down.

After the three of them sat down, Ji Yin threw Yuwen Tong a glance and then said to Ling Zhang, “It seems that you’ve told Marshal Yuwen everything.”

Ling Zhang didn’t deny it. “I trust him more than anyone. We’ll get married and become one with each other, sharing weal and woe. I won’t keep anything from him.”

While saying this, Ling Zhang was waiting to see Ji Yin’s reaction to his words. If Ji Yin went angry and tried to do anything to them, then they would immediately leave, regarding this visit as a waste of time.

Fortunately, Ji Yin appeared very composed and had no intention of blaming Ling Zhang for that. He just asked Yuwen Tong a question. “Since this has come to your knowledge, may I ask whether you’re going to tell your emperor about it, Marshal?”

Yuwen Tong understood what Ji Yin meant. He answered, “Just because I’m a servant to the emperor doesn’t mean that I’m under obligation to inform him of everything I know. I understand your misgivings. This matter is a secret between me and Brother Zhang, and I’m not going to divulge it to anybody else. Also, there’s no need for you to worry about me coveting unique kung fu skills of the Millennium Pavilion. I, Yuwen Tong, have been an honest and righteous man all my life. Never once have I broken my promise, and neither have I ever been scared by anything.”

There was a faint change of expression on Ji Yin’s face. He believed Yuwen Tong. Though members of the Millennium Pavilion had been leading a secluded life, they had some knowledge of great events in the outside world. Ten years ago, Yuwen Tong made his appearance on the battlefield and against overwhelming odds saved the situation for the Great Yue, which was on the verge of subjugation. Even the clan leader had paid him a compliment. The clan leader had even remarked that Yuwen Tong was the only one in the world who could have achieved that goal.

In addition, the relations between Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong and their feelings for each other had already come to his knowledge when he’d found Ling Zhang. Before making contact with Ling Zhang and giving him the handbook on internal energy, he’d anticipated that Ling Zhang would tell Yuwen Tong about these things.

“Grandfather, today we came here to see you because there are a couple of matters that I’d like to ask you about,” said Ling Zhang.

Ji Yin looked at him. “Go ahead.”

“You said that it was the clan leader who saved my father’s life. Did that really happen?” queried Ling Zhang earnestly.

Ji Yin inclined his head. “Yes. The clan leader is the only one in the Millennium Pavilion who has reached the eleventh layer of the mental cultivation method of internal energy. Your father’s cardiac meridian would’ve failed had he not gone to his help.”

“Why was he willing to help my father?” Ling Zhang asked another question.

Ji Yin replied, “I know you have a grudge against him because of what happened to your mother, but actually he’s a man firm in speech but soft in heart. Otherwise in that year he wouldn’t have eventually agreed to let your mother leave unpunished. Also, the reason why he saved your father was very simple – he’s your mother’s husband, my son-in-law; I beseeched him, and he agreed.”

“Was he not afraid that my father might disclose the existence of the Millennium Pavilion to outsiders after he saved him?” Ling Zhang inquired.

Ji Yin answered, “He wouldn’t have saved him were he afraid of that.”

Ling Zhang lapsed into silence. Indeed, he wouldn’t have saved him were he afraid of it. This was very simple logic.

“You said that my father sustained some kind of mental trauma and was still in delirium, that a very rare crude drug was required to cure him. What kind of crude drug is that? And what needs to be done to effect a cure if we get it?”

Ji Yin responded, “This rare crude drug is the fruit of a panacea medicinal herb which fruits every twenty years. It can help your father recuperate from his medical condition, and at the same time, it is also a key article that descendants of the Phoenix Clan need to reach the eleventh layer of the mental cultivation. Whether or not we can get it to cure your father is still unknown. If we do get it, a consummate physician in the Millennium Pavilion will be able to treat him.”

Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong exchanged glances. Both of them had come to the realization that the chance of obtaining a precious fruit of this kind was probably very slim, but since there was still hope, Ling Zhang was willing to give it a try. “When will it fruit? What needs to be done to convince the clan leader to use it to treat my father?”

Ling Zhang, though having a complaint against his father, didn’t want him dying delirious.

Ji Yin sighed, “It’s very difficult. There are not many descendants of the Phoenix Clan left, and those who succeeded in reaching the tenth layer of the mental method are few and far between, which is why this kind of fruits are very precious to descendants of the Phoenix Clan in the Millennium Pavilion. It won’t be easy to convince the clan leader to consent.”

“There’s half a year before the herb fruits,” he added.

Ling Zhang gave a bob of his head. “May I have an audience with the clan leader, grandfather?”

Ji Yin looked at him in surprise. “You want to see the clan leader?”

“I have to save my father, and I need to meet him,” replied Ling Zhang.

Ji Yin understood and said, “If you want to see him, I’ll take you to him.”

“Thank you, grandfather,” said Ling Zhang sincerely. Were it not for his grandfather, people of the Millennium Pavilion might not necessarily have gone to his father’s rescue, and neither would they necessarily have allowed him to cultivate the mental cultivation method. In this regard, he was grateful to them.

“Here’s my second question. Back in that year, were you really unaware of my mother’s whereabouts? You didn’t know she was seriously ill and passed away only a couple of years after that matter?”

The look in Ji Yin’s eyes went dim as he heard Ling Zhang’s question. “After the clan leader rescinded the order to have your mother taken back to the mountain, nobody had ever conducted any further inquiries into her whereabouts. The clan leader granted my request, and I couldn’t break my promise to him, which was why I also stopped my efforts to seek her out. Her constitution was not suitable for cultivation of internal energy, but she’d been intelligent since childhood and had a very good grasp of martial formations. Even those sent to hunt her by the clan leader were unable to restrain her and instead got killed by her. I thought that she was more than able to protect herself. It’d never crossed my mind that she would die such an early death.”

Ji Yin felt very guilty about his daughter’s death. “In the final analysis, it was my fault. She would’ve still been alive had I not given up on her.”

Ling Zhang, after a long silence, remarked eventually, “I’m partially responsible for my mother’s death as well. She wouldn’t have died such an early death had she not given birth to me.”

His uncle had once told him that his mother’s health wouldn’t have deteriorated had she not insisted on giving birth to him. After that, she spared no efforts teaching him knowledge of formations, which drained her of energy and led to her death in the end. He had no idea exactly what expectations his mother had had for him, but it was a fact that his mother had died because of him.

So he was in no position to lay blame on others.

Yuwen Tong held his hand and said, “Your mother loved you deeply. If you feel guilty, bear her love for you in mind and live well. Don’t fail her last wish. You still have your grandfather and uncle’s love and expectations. You still have me.”

Ling Zhang inclined his head. He knew that self-accusation couldn’t change what had happened. If his birth had been his mother’s wish, then he should live well. He had no knowledge of what his mother’s expectations for him had been, but he believed that as long as he stayed alive, sooner or later he would find out.

Ji Yin, seeing Yuwen Tong’s words help Ling Zhang pull himself together, came to a new understanding of how much Yuwen Tong meant to Ling Zhang.

“May I accompany Brother Zhang to the Millennium Pavilion?” Yuwen Tong inquired.

Ji Yin was somewhat hesitant. He responded, “I’ll have to ask the clan leader first before I could give you an answer.”

Yuwen Tong nodded. “I’d be obliged to you for that.”

Ji Yin shook his head. “I’m doing this for my grandson. I failed to save his mother, and I must save his father.”

After talking with Ji Yin, Ling Zhang had made a decision. Because of what had happened to his mother, he still bore grudges against the Millennium Pavilion, but people of the Millennium Pavilion had once gone to his father’s rescue, so he was willing to call it even in this regard. He would try his level best to convince the leader of the Millennium Pavilion, and no matter whether his father eventually recovered or not, he would take his father away with him.