The Glory After Rebirth [ɇÇ”Ÿä¹‹Å°Šè£] Chapter 307- 309

Chapter 307: The Emperor’s Demise

It was after dark that courtiers left the palace, hurrying towards their respective abodes.

In a residential compound.

“Your Lordship, the garrison of Yanzhou has now been dispatched. Youzhou and Jingzhou are the closest to the capital city, but Youzhou is an important border city, and almost all troops stationed there are under Yuwen Tong’s command. Just to the north of Jingzhou is the Luohai Kingdom. There’s no telling whether we’ll be able to rope in the commander of the military presence in Jingzhou. Even if we manage to convince him, it’d be very inadvisable for us to draft his men here, given the threat from the Luohai Kingdom. As a result, our only option is to try our luck in the south. The garrison in Tanyang is at He Xiao’s command, and He Xiao is on bad terms with Yuwen Tong, so I think maybe He Xiao is our guy. What do you say?”

“… Tanyang is where Yuwen Tong’s father-in-law lives, and the Ling family has a very solid foundation there. On top of that, Yuwen Tong stayed in Tanyang for a very long time. I did once considered the military presence in Tanyang, but my conclusion is that it’s not reliable enough.”

“How about Jiangzhou?”

“Jiangzhou is behind Cangzhou and Yanzhou. If the garrison of Jiangzhou is to come, the shortest route would be the one through Cangzhou, but currently we don’t even have the faintest idea what the situation is like in Cangzhou.”

“No matter what, we must select someone and make a decision as soon as possible, Your Lordship. Yuwen Tong almost has all courtiers on his side now. You saw what the Right Prime Minister and the Minister of War did. Those people have stooped to becoming Yuwen Tong’s complete stooges. If we don’t take action right away, we might never have another chance.”

“Then let’s contact them both!”

“Both Tanyang and Jiangzhou? But what if it causes too much noise and Yuwen Tong finds out?”

“That’s a risk we must take. We are having this talk right under Yuwen Tong’s nose anyway.”

…

Cangzhou.

“People of Cangzhou were still living in peace the last time I came here, but now it has been reduced to a city of rubble and refugees,” sighed Ji Yin.

After departing from Tanyang, Ji Yin, Ling Zhaowu and the other two had been galloping all along, heading for the capital city. At this moment, they had just entered Cangzhou.

“No wonder people of Tanyang haven’t been getting up-to-date messages from the capital city. Cangzhou is now swarming with refugees and rebels, and the main road with robbers taking advantage of the chaos. The thoroughfare leading south is barely passable. It surprises me the situation in Cangzhou is so dire,” said Ling Zhaowu.

Except for Mr. Mu and Ling Zhaowu, all of them were kung fu experts, and they had killed almost all those who had tried to rob them. The smell of blood and the murderous air about them had deterred a lot of others who had intended to approach them. If they kept going deeper into Cangzhou, they would encounter more and more robbers and might even run into members of the rebel army.

They had no fear, though. After all, with the two guards and Ji Yin who possessed miraculous powers of laying all kinds of formations, they would definitely be able to make it to the capital city safe and sound, but the sight of the disarray in Cangzhou made them begin to worry about the situation in the capital city.

“I wonder how things are going in the capital city. People there should be the most anxious about the insurrection in Cangzhou. Why are they letting the rebel forces in Cangzhou get stronger? I’m afraid something serious might have happened in the capital city, Father-in-law.”

Ji Yin gazed in the direction of the capital city, a rare frown on his face.

They traveled for another day and reached the central region of Cangzhou, only a short distance away from Wu City.

They had encountered an army of rebels approximately 10,000 strong midway. Having no intention of fighting the rebels head-on, Ji Yin had concealed their traces with a formation and they’d rounded the encampment of the insurrectionary army.

After detouring around the rebel army entrenched near the main road, they finally heard some news about the capital city and came to know that so many things had happened during the past few weeks: the King Duan’s attempted usurpation, the King Yu’s and the King Duan’s perishing together…

“Cangzhou refugees are all heading for the capital city. If officials of the capital city are not competent enough to make arrangements for this matter to be handled properly, large numbers of refugees would put the city under heavy pressure,” observed Ji Yin.

Ling Zhaowu stared in the direction of the capital city, urgently hoping to get to the destination straight away.

Meanwhile, a serious event happened in the capital city.

The emperor was at the gate of death, his breathing feeble, not even having enough strength to keep his eyes open.

All court physicians had been watching over him in the imperial bedchamber day and night. Courtiers were standing outside, their faces grave.

Would the Great Yue continue to exist after the emperor died?

Would the two underage princes be able to shoulder the heavy responsibilities?

Presently, almost the whole capital city was under Yuwen Tong’s control, and he could replace this dynasty with a new one at any moment, but he had been keeping quiet all along and even ordered the court physicians to do whatever they could to treat the emperor. What was he thinking exactly?

Courtiers had their own conjectures, but all their eyes without exception were on Yuwen Tong.

Yuwen Tong was standing in front of all courtiers with his back to them. The imperial bedchamber was heavily guarded. The two concubines and the two young princes were the only ones inside the imperial bedchamber apart from the court physicians, trembling, fear clouding over their faces.

It was at the sight of this scene that all the courtiers came to realize that they were not capable of helping the Great Yue get through this crisis, or deterring enemy states from invading the Great Yue, or making the garrisons in various cities toe the line.

Unless someone offered them enough assistance… Yuwen Tong could make the best helper, but the thought of this made the courtiers feel they’d come full circle –Yuwen Tong’s take on this matter was inscrutable, while the Right Prime Minister and some others had clearly taken Yuwen Tong’s side…

In a word, the courtiers had vaguely guessed something, but none of them dared draw a conclusion.

After quite a long time, a court physician walked out of the imperial bedchamber, up to Yuwen Tong, made a bow and said, “Whether or not His Majesty would last through the night depends solely on his force of will.”

…

In the Ling Mansion.

On seeing Yuwen Tong come back, Ling Zhang hurriedly asked, “Why are you back? Didn’t you say that the emperor was on his deathbed?”

“It seemed that he would linger on for a little while longer, so I decided to come back to grab a bite and then return to the palace,” explained Yuwen Tong.

Ling Zhang, “…”

Why was this guy so leisurely and carefree?

“The emperor wouldn’t make it through this evening. Tomorrow morning you’ll see what I mean.”

“Marshal!”

Yao Yi hurried into the room, an anxious look on his face.

“The Wan Kingdom has broken the agreement and joined hands with the Luohai Kingdom as expected. A secret intelligence report suggests that the allied forces of them would soon finish mustering and advance towards the border. From the time the report was delivered here, it could be deduced that the allied forces have already departed. Jiang Ke and Jiang Xi have received the intelligence and are deploying troops, and so is the commander in the Changsheng Pass.”

After hearing Yao Yi’s words, Yuwen Tong took the secret intelligence report from his hand and carefully read it.

Ling Zhang gave a gasp of astonishment. “Well, this is definitely Murphy’s Law at work.”

After reading it, Yuwen Tong said, “I’ve anticipated that this would happen in the north-west, but it never crossed my mind that it would happen so soon. The dispatch from the border should arrive here in two days. Before that, Jiang Ke and his men will be able to hold the enemy back, but I have to pay a visit to the encampment in the north-west.”

“If you leave, the Right Prime Minister and the others would be left helpless and vulnerable in this city after the emperor dies, and I’m afraid sooner or later the situation would change in an unforeseen way,” said Ling Zhang anxiously.

Yuwen Tong, however, was quite collected. “Mr. Ji and Uncle Ling would soon arrive. With them protecting you, I won’t have to worry about your safety. As regards the capital city, the whole Northern City Garrison Battalion are at my command. Barring interference from another army, they’ll be able to handle everything. The combination of them and Mr. Ji’s abilities would be enough to ensure the security of the capital city.

“I’ve already made some arrangements in the south. The only force we have to keep a weather eye on is the garrison of Jiangzhou. The military presence in that city is not under my command. It’s very likely that they’d be deluded into coming to the capital city. What you’ll have to do is hold them back. When I return from the border, everything will be settled.”

Ling Zhang looked at him. “How do we hold them back?”

“Previously I’ve already taken some precautions by secretly dispatching the garrison of Shengzhou to an encampment near the capital city, so holding them back should be no problem. The key is to stall them. Apart from the garrison of Jiangzhou, we also need to prevent Dai Cheng from catching on to the situation and leading his army back here.”

“Marshal, don’t you think the General Zhongwu (AKA the General of Loyalty and Valor) would be able to stop Dai Cheng?” said Yao Yi.

Yuwen Tong softly tapped the table and replied, “I’ll write a letter to him, and I want you to have it delivered to him as soon as possible.”

“Yes, Marshal!”

After Yuwen Tong finishing the letter, Yao Yi immediately made arrangements for it to be delivered to Cangzhou.

Dai Cheng must die.

This was the most important sentence in that letter.

That very night, the Right Prime Minister and some others covertly came to the Ling Mansion and gathered in the study. They secretly consulted with Yuwen Tong for a whole night and left shortly before dawn.

Word got out from the imperial palace before daybreak that the emperor had passed away.

The emperor hadn’t managed to open his eyes or utter a single word until his last breath.

The death knell tolled in the imperial palace. The whole capital city was cloaked in a weird shroud of hush.

The Ministry of Rites had made preparations some time ago. The emperor’s funeral was quickly held as scheduled. Strips of white cloth could be seen in every street and alley.

Two days later, a dispatch from the border was delivered to the capital city. On hearing that the coalition forces of the Wan Kingdom and the Luohai Kingdom had been massed along the border, all citizens were driven into panic.

“People of the Wan Kingdom are so shameless. It’s barely been half a year since they signed the peace accord, and now they’re breaking it!”

“The Luohai Kingdom seemed fairly peaceable previously and has been acting like a friend of the Great Yue, but at this crucial juncture, they turn out to be back-stabbers. This is outrageous!”

“Complaining about it won’t help. We need to figure out a countermeasure immediately!”

…

“The Ministry of Revenue have no money at their disposal!”

“Whom should we send to the border?”

“It has to be Marshal Yuwen. He is the only one capable of keeping the Great Yue safe.”

“But there are still some matters requiring his presence in the capital city. Who’s going to handle those matters if he leaves?”

…

“As a matter of urgency, we need to give the Marshal the other half of his previous military power back.”

All courtiers present lapsed into silence at this remark.

The Right Prime Minister was the one who had just made this proposal. More than half of the courtiers were in favor of it. Half of the rest kept silent with a wait-and-see attitude, the other half against it. All those against the proposal were on one of the two underage princes’ side, and it didn’t take a genius to guess the reason why they’d raised objections.

However, eventually, the other half of the military power was still returned to Yuwen Tong, and it was one of the young princes who made the decision.

This came as a surprise to everybody.

Yuwen Tong had always been determined to retrieve the other half of his previous military power, and he would definitely get it even if the young prince hadn’t given the order, but this order from a prince did serve to temporarily prevent some courtiers from making unpleasant comments on this matter.

“I’ve some time ago anticipated there’d be another war in the north-west. What with the civil strife and social turbulence in this country, the outbreak of another war is unavoidable. Also, I had everything planned out and was positive that the other half of my original military power would return to my hand,” Yuwen Tong told Ling Zhang after going back to the Ling Mansion.

Chapter 308: Another Father-Son Reunion

Yuwen Tong had re-assumed command of the other half of the armies. In the meantime officials of the capital city were doing everything they could to prepare provisions for troops stationed in the north-west.

“When do you plan to set off?” Ling Zhang asked him.

Yuwen Tong replied, “I’ll wait until Mr. Ji and Uncle Ling arrive to set out for the north-west. I don’t like the idea of you staying here alone.”

“I told you I’m going with you!” remonstrated Ling Zhang.

“No, you’re not. It’s too dangerous.” Yuwen Tong disagreed.

Ling Zhang glared at him. “I can protect myself, and I’ll take Wang Dashan and the others with me, who are now more than powerful enough to keep me safe.”

“Still, the answer is no. The reason why the Wan Kingdom and the Luohai Kingdom are joining forces this time is because they know the civil strife of the Great Yue is a great opportunity for them, and there’s no doubt they’ll stop at nothing to annex this country. Even I cannot predict what kind of dangers might be involved in this situation. You’ll be put in their crosshairs the moment you show your face. There will be countless attacks aimed at you, covert ones and overt ones. What am I supposed to do if by any chance you got hurt? With you at the front, I might not be able to stay focused on directing military operations. It’s too dangerous,” observed Yuwen Tong.

Ling Zhang’s lips clamped together. He knew that Yuwen Tong had got a point, but how could he not be worried in these circumstances? Yuwen Tong hadn’t gone to the north-west yet, but he was already having trouble sleeping at night owing to his deep concern. If Yuwen Tong went to the battleground, how was he supposed to survive the worry?

“Be a peach and stay here. Think about it this way –I need you to keep watch on the situation in the capital city for me. Things here must not get out of control until I return. I’ll handle the Wan Kingdom and the Luohai Kingdom as soon as possible. If the capital city is thrown into chaos, our arrangements will be upset. In that case, we’ll really be in danger,” added Yuwen Tong.

Ling Zhang kept silent for a long time. “Promise me you’ll come back to me in one piece.”

Yuwen Tong swept him into his embrace. “I promise. Under no circumstances will I let anything happen to me knowing you’re waiting for me. We have a wedding to hold.”

Ling Zhang gripped the back of his robe, cuddling him close.

…

The capital city was heavily fortified, and everybody going in or out of the city had to undergo strict security check. Ling Zhaowu and the other four entered the city without alarming anybody or attracting anybody’s attention.

Yuwen Tong had been informed the moment the five of them had approached the capital city, but in order not to rouse anybody’s suspicions, he and Ling Zhang both stayed in the Ling Mansion waiting instead of exiting the city to welcome them.

All the five of them –Ji Yin, Ling Zhaowu, Mr. Mu, Ji Donglin and Ji Chaofang rode into the city. Ji Yin, who was in front, led them to the front gates of the Ling Mansion.

Ling Zhaowu involuntarily tightened his grip on the reins when the plaque of the Ling Mansion came into sight in the distance. The deep apprehension he’d been in throughout the journey ebbed considerably as he saw that the Ling Mansion seemed to be very quiet, though the security was quite tight. At the thought that he would soon meet his son, however, he felt somewhat scared. Although he had recalled Ling Zhang keeping him company in the Millennium Pavilion and bringing him home, this would be the first time the two of them met each other since his retrieval of memory.

“Mr. Ji.” The guards on duty at the front gates were all familiar faces and they recognized Ji Yin. In the knowledge that they were Ling Zhang’s father and grandfather, the guards hastened over to take care of their horses, making it easier for them to dismount. “Childe Ling and the Marshal will be here soon.”

As if on cue, Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong walked out at this moment. The former saw Ling Zhaowu at a glance. Ling Zhaowu, who had been looking forward to meeting him, naturally saw him immediately as well. Eyes instantly brightening, he called in a voice tinged with caution, “Zhang’er!”

Ling Zhang briefly paused and then walked up to him. Although he had prepared himself for this, he still had slightly mixed feelings at the sight of Ling Zhaowu who had recovered his memory and whose bearing was different from how it’d been when he was suffering from amnesia, and the look in whose eyes was different as well, but Ling Zhang hardly showed any signs of it, calmly walked to the front of Ling Zhaowu and greeted Ji Yin first. “Grandfather.”

Then he shifted his gaze to Ling Zhaowu and called, “Father.”

Although Ling Zhaowu was now different from the man he’d been when he had no memories of the past, the gleam in his eyes and his demeanor vaguely struck Ling Zhang as familiar, who faintly felt as if he were seeing the father existing in his childhood memories.

On hearing Ling Zhang call him father, Ling Zhaowu felt a minor sting in his nose. Standing in front of him was his son who was now as tall as him, poised and grown-up. Meeting his son face to face after regaining his memory was a different experience compared with being with him when he’d been amnesiac. Ling Zhaowu was proud and sad and also had a guilty conscience, transports of emotions flooding over him.

He moved two steps closer and considered Ling Zhang. After a few moments, he said concernedly, “Are you okay? I heard about the turbulence in this city on my way here.”

Eyes on him, Ling Zhang answered, “I’m fine. This compound is very safe. The unrest in this city mostly has been contained, and the situation is fairly stable now. You recovered only a couple of weeks ago, but you took such a long journey to come here. Are you feeling all right?”

At first Ling Zhaowu was relieved, and then, as he sensed his son’s concern for him, his fear that his son might feel distant was alleviated significantly. “I’m okay. Thanks to Mr. Mu, I’m almost as good as new.”

While the two of them were having a father-son talk, Yuwen Tong greeted Ji Yin and the others and then stood on the side to give them some privacy. He noticed Ling Zhaowu’s discreet expression and Ling Zhang’s reservedness hidden beneath an affected calmness, and was aware of why they were acting like this. No matter what had happened in the past, the estrangement between the two of them would gradually be dissolved by time. As long as Ling Zhaowu stayed safe and healthy, everything would get better.

“Father, this is Yuwen Tong. Do you remember him?” Ling Zhang drew Yuwen Tong over and introduced him to Ling Zhaowu.

“It gladdens my heart to see you, Uncle Ling. What with an emergency in the capital city, I was unable to accompany you back to Tanyang previously. It is a great relief to see that your memories have been restored,” said Yuwen Tong.

Ling Zhaowu looked appraisingly at Yuwen Tong who was tall, straight, imposing and had a real physical presence. Yuwen Tong appeared confident, unhurried, poised and restrained, bearing little resemblance to the man Ling Zhaowu remembered…

A different expression appeared in Ling Zhaowu’s eyes. It was not a strange one but a familiar one. However, there seemed to be something else buried in it.

The others, though somewhat surprised at first, soon recalled that previously Yuwen Tong and Ling Zhang had stayed with Ling Zhaowu in the Millennium Pavilion for over half a month, so they found it totally understandable that Ling Zhaowu was looking at Yuwen Tong like an acquaintance.

“I remember you. Thank you for accompanying Zhang’er on his journey to see me, and for looking after me,” said Ling Zhaowu, concealing some emotions unknown to the others.

He knew that he was supposed to put on a severe-father act and give this brat who dared to marry his son a word of warning, having him know that he should be good to his son, that the Ling family was powerful enough to protect Ling Zhang, but Ling Zhaowu was fully aware that he was in no position to do that, for Yuwen Tong had given his son a lot, helped the Ling family a lot and been taking good care of his son for a very long time –far longer than he, Ling Zhang’s father, had. Yuwen Tong had already been doing a very good job caring for his Zhang’er and didn’t need any aggressive words of warning from him.

“I’m far from deserving of such thanks, Uncle Ling. You’re my elder, and to some extent, I look up to you as a father, so I just did what I should do,” said Yuwen Tong.

The look in Ling Zhaowu’s eyes fleetingly flickered and with that he gazed earnestly at Yuwen Tong, his face creasing into a smile. “That’s very nice of you.”

“Father, Grandfather, Mr. Mu, Brother Donglin, Brother Chaofang, let’s go inside and talk later,” suggested Ling Zhang opportunely.

Ji Yin inclined his head. “Zhang’er is right. We should all get inside. Given the current situation in this city, there are probably spies everywhere.”

Yuwen Tong was accompanying Ji Yin, so Ling Zhang walked side by side with Ling Zhaowu. The group of them entered the residential compound.

Yao Yi and the other bodyguards, along with Wang Dashan and his men, were all waiting on the drill ground. On seeing them come, they all bowed with their hands folded in front. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Ji, Master Ling.”

Ling Zhaowu looked from Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong to Ji Yin. After Ji Yin gave a nod at him, Ling Zhaowu began, “You may rise, gentlemen. Thank you all for taking care of Zhang’er all this time.”

“We only did what we should do,” they chorused.

After paying their respects, the guards were all very happy –they were happy for Ling Zhang.

Ling Zhaowu was somewhat moved as he saw the manifest, heartfelt delight on these people’s faces. His Zhang’er had really grown up during the years of his absence and had got such a group of loyal subordinates by his side.

After greeting the group of visitors, the guards soon took their leave in order not to cause any disturbance to them, for they knew that this was their young master’s first time meeting his father since his retrieval of memory, that the two of them could use some privacy.

When the guards had left, Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong led Ji Yin, Ling Zhaowu and the other three into a hall in the compound.

They first talked about the situation in Tanyang. After being informed that everything was fine in Tanyang, Ling Zhang felt a great sense of relief.

“How are things going in the capital city?” asked Ji Yin.

They had mainly come to this city to help. Although Ling Zhang and Ling Zhaowu, who had just been reunited, wanted very much to find somewhere to talk privately, briefing the others about the situation in the capital city was a matter of greater urgency.

Yuwen Tong filled them in on the whole circumstances in the capital city. Faces of Ji Yin, Ling Zhaowu and the other three all turned grave at the news.

“So you’ll soon be heading for the north-west?”

“Yes. I’ll have to be away for some time, and the idea of Brother Zhang being in this city alone concerns me. Fortunately you and Uncle Ling have come here. I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you and Uncle Ling to stay here for a few days.”

“Helping you was the very reason why we came here. Since you’re in a hurry to pay a visit to the north-west, naturally I’ll take care of Zhang’er, but it’ll be rather pointless if we just stay in this residence doing nothing in particular. If there’s anything else you need us to do, feel free to tell us. We’d be glad to be of service.”

Yuwen Tong smiled, “Thank you, Mr. Ji. It’s a great relief to hear these words of yours.”

However, there were many matters that couldn’t be made clear in a short time. “There are indeed some issues I could use your help with, Mr. Ji. We may go to the study to talk about the details after the welcome reception.”

Both Ji Yin and Ling Zhaowu bobbed their heads.

The five of them had just finished a long and weary journey and needed to have some rest, so after they got a general idea of what was going on in the capital city, Ling Zhang rose to his feet and said, “Grandfather, Father, Mr. Mu, Brother Donglin, Brother Chaofang, let me show you to your rooms so you could get some rest.”

Ji Yin replied, “You may take your father to his room first. The rest of us would like to do some chatting with Yuwen boy.”

Ling Zhang looked at Ling Zhaowu, who naturally couldn’t wait to be alone with his son, immediately stood up and caught up with Ling Zhang.

Chapter 309: A Father-Son Talk

Ling Zhang led Ling Zhaowu out of the hall and the two of them walked in silence for a certain distance.

“Zhang’er, do you hate me? Back then I was bigoted and overwhelmed by agony. I forsook you, leaving you at home alone, and for over ten years I was absent from your life when I should be supporting you and educating you. What with my doings, you lost your father too when you had already lost your mother, and you spent all your formative years in a parentless family. When you fell over or got hurt or encountered dangers, I wasn’t there to protect you. Never once have I ever offered you help in anything. I wasn’t even there to… I failed in my duties as a father,” said Ling Zhaowu in a deep voice heavy with guilt.

Ling Zhang paused. At this moment, the two of them had already entered a courtyard house, and there was nobody else around to disturb them. He looked at Ling Zhaowu, feeling calmer than he’d expected himself to.

“I hated you, Father.”

Ling Zhaowu’s face paled visibly. Though having some time ago prepared himself for this answer, he still found these words quite painful when he actually heard them. “I’m sorry.”

“But that’s in the past, and now I accept your apology.

I was still a young boy when you burnt all the books in your study and then left home without hesitation. Your receding back threw me into deep distress. For a time I frequently went to the front gates to wait for you, hoping that somehow you would come back to me, but every time my expectation was met with disappointment. I couldn’t fathom out why you left, why you abandoned me, uncle, and grandfather. When I was at school, all my classmates would talk about their parents from time to time, but I had nothing to share with them in that regard. At that time, I barely had any friends, which was why I was very happy about Jia Yuanling being willing to talk with me. Although many of his acts bewildered me and struck me as unacceptable, I still didn’t want to lose this friend, because he did make me feel a suspicion of comfort every now and then, but as regards what happened afterwards… I think you probably have heard of it from my uncle and the others. People change. But all that was in the past. I had my uncle, my aunt, my grandfather, and later on Maomao. All of them are family. I’ve never felt any feelings of estrangement at home. Uncle treats me like his own son, and do does Aunt Caiwei. Maomao is a very meek boy. Though sometimes he could be naughty, he always looks up to me as his biological big brother. Needless to say, grandfather and I are the closest. In a word, despite the fact that you were not with me, I was still having a very good life. Our family is not super-rich, but we were never short of clothing or food. In fact, our economic conditions are far better than those of common households. I’m grateful for it and I have nothing to complain about.

There was a time when I forgot that I used to have a father, and I stopped thinking about it. Uncle Zhaowen and my grandfather never gave up making inquiries about your whereabouts, but I hardly made any contributions to that. Speaking of which, I guess I haven’t always been the quintessential filial son.”

“No, it’s not your fault. I’m the one to blame,” croaked Ling Zhaowu immediately after hearing this, his hands clasped tightly together at the back, his throat stinging, staring at Ling Zhang in distress.

Ling Zhang continued, “I didn’t know that you were grievously wounded and on the verge of death, and neither did I know anything about the pain you were suffering. Father, previously I did have a grudge against you, but now, seeing you alive, I feel there’s nothing more I could’ve asked for.”

Ling Zhaowu was nearly reduced to tears. “I failed you.”

Ling Zhang slightly shook his head. “All the things that I was unable to understand before are understandable for me now. After I started a relationship with Yuwen Tong, sometimes I wonder whether or not I would do the same crazy things as what you did if he dies in front of me. So, I can understand why you acted that way. I feel that maybe you failed our family by making that impulsive decision, but at least you didn’t fail my mother.”

Eyes red, Ling Zhaowu looked at him and shook his head as well. “No. I failed both you and your mother alike. Your mother would only be mad at me were she here to know what I did. I’ll accept responsibility for my mistakes. I haven’t been there for you in the past over ten years, but I’ll be with you from this day on.”

He felt a stabbing pain in the heart at these words of Ling Zhang’s as though someone had just sunk a knife into it. He couldn’t believe that he’d been insane enough to forsake his young son. This mixture of guilt and agony had been torturing him for many, many years, and he had thought that he’d become desensitized to it, but when he heard these words from Ling Zhang, it still hurt so much.

He had feared that Ling Zhang would estrange him and loathe him. It had never occurred to him that his son would say that he understood him, which inflicted on him a misery even more insufferable than the one angry rebuke or curse could’ve caused him, and also made him feel more strongly that the man he used to be was a monster.

There was no doubt that at that time… his son had been subjected to such a traumatic and painful experience. Why was he still saying that he understood him?

The agony in his heart was so intense that Ling Zhaowu felt that he was unable to keep his footing.

Ling Zhang’s lips clamped. The two of them gazed at each other. Ling Zhaowu had an anguished and complicated expression in his eyes, as though something was causing him great emotional distress. Ling Zhang’s heart gave a slight lurch at the sight of this and he worried that what he’d said just now was too much for his father. “Father?”

Ling Zhaowu jerked out of his trance and the misery in his eyes gradually ebbed away. “I’m sorry for my absent-mindedness.”

Ling Zhang was somewhat puzzled. He felt that something was not quite right but didn’t have the slightest idea of what it might be.

Ling family cast his son a deep look. “Your uncle has informed me of the matter of the Jia family. You…”

“You once told your uncle that you had a particular dream.” Ling Zhaowu’s voice was a shade tremulous when he said this, as though it was laden with a mixture of pain and anticipation that he’d been keeping hidden fathoms deep.

Ling Zhang was very observant, so this reaction of Ling Zhaowu’s naturally didn’t escape his notice. He had a rather faint, sneaking suspicion. Also, speaking of that dream… subconsciously Ling Zhang was somewhat on the alert. After all, by describing his rebirth as a dream, he’d been lying to his uncle. Why was his father specially bringing this up? Was it that his father also found it too incredible? Or was it because of some other reason?

“Yes. On that day, I was so drunk that I drifted off to sleep in a gazebo of the Jia family. A lot of horrible things happened in that dream of mine, and I had a lingering fear even after I woke up. It felt so real, so I subconsciously became wary of everything around me. Unexpectedly, Jia Yuanling was really plotting against me. That dream was the very reason why I managed to escape from death and the tragedy that could’ve struck our family was prevented,” answered Ling Zhang, trying to make himself sound as natural as possible.

Ling Zhaowu had been gazing at him all along. After quite a while, he observed, “That was a result of divine intervention and secret protection from your mother’s spirit.”

Ling Zhang smiled faintly, “I also feel that mother has been protecting me. When my maternal grandfather told me that descendants of the Phoenix Clan would acquire the ability to foretell the future if they manage to reach the highest layer of the cultivation method, I was very surprised, believing that maybe it was because of the blood in me that I had that dream and prevented the disaster from befalling our family.”

Ling Zhaowu inclined his head and exhaled deeply. “Fortunately, fortunately…”

Ling Zhang didn’t want to talk any more about this matter. He kept having this feeling that there was something behind the look in his father’s eyes when he’d been staring at him a moment ago. In order to keep his father from sensing his suspicions, he said, “Father, let me show you to your room so you could take a bath and change out of these travel-soiled clothes.”

Ling Zhaowu kept silent for a few moments and then said, “Okay.”

Ling Zhang was leading the way in front. A look of misery mixed with gratitude for his good luck flashed across Ling Zhaowu’s eyes as he watched his son’s back, and then he buried all these thoughts into the deep recesses of his mind.

…

After bringing Ling Zhaowu some toiletries, Ling Zhang took his leave. Standing in the corridor, he quietly thought back to the talk he’d just had with his father. The more details of his father’s mien he recalled, the more skeptical he was. Pity there was still a thin shroud of mystery cloaking this matter, which kept him a step away from a flash of inspiration.

Ling Zhang raised his hand to finger the jade pendant around his neck and then recollected what Mr. Mu had said to him when they’d been in the Millennium Pavilion, and with that the expression in his eyes slightly changed. He had always been meaning to ask his father about it after he woke up.

It took Ling Zhaowu a long while to finish his bath and change clothes. When he walked outside and saw that Ling Zhang was silently pondering over something in the corridor and didn’t even notice him coming, he called, “Zhang’er.”

Ling Zhaowu still sounded quite discreet when talking to Ling Zhang.

Ling Zhang pulled himself back to the present and looked at him. “Father, have you got everything handled? If you do, let’s go to the front yard.”

“Okay.” Ling Zhaowu gave a smile.

Sensing the caution in his attitude, Ling Zhang also had quite mixed feelings.

He could tell that Ling Zhaowu was feeling distress and guilt because of what he’d done previously, but there seemed to be something else behind it.

After all, in that year, his father had insisted on leaving home to look for his mother, and afterwards he’d sustained severe injuries and had been comatose ever since. Half a year ago, he came to but lost his memory, and it was not until a couple of weeks ago that he’d recovered his memory. Theoretically, even if his father had come to realize the mistakes he’d made bigotedly on an impulse, he shouldn’t be acting like he was undergoing some kind of unendurable agony, given that currently the Ling family was fine, and he was fine as well…

What was he overlooking exactly?

Right at the time when Ling Zhang felt he was within an inch of a eureka moment, Ling Zhaowu walked out of the room, bringing his musings to an end, so he had no choice but to give up thinking about it for the moment.

“Do you still have headaches or any other uncomfortable feelings, Father? Did Mr. Mu mention anything about follow-up treatment?” asked Ling Zhang.

Ling Zhaowu answered the questions one by one. “I’m not having any headaches. That pill was a miracle cure. Right now, not only is my mind at ease, I also feel that I’m even more energetic than I’d been before I got injured. My body is returning to its best state as well. But it’ll still take some time for me to be rid of all the symptoms, because after all, I stayed in bed for so many years. Presently, Mr. Mu uses medication and nutritious food to improve my health. On top of that, he also told me to do exercise on a daily basis, saying that I’d fully recuperate in half a year or so.”

Ling Zhang was greatly relieved. “I’m glad to hear that. Nothing would comfort my grandfather and uncle better than the knowledge that you’re okay.”

Ling Zhaowu flicked a glance at him and said, “Before I came here, your grandfather and uncle asked me to take a message to you for them. They wanted you to take good care of yourself in the capital city. Your uncle also said that you and Yuwen Tong should have no misgivings about doing what you wanted to do in this city, that he’d have everything handled in Tanyang.

In fact, these are my family responsibilities as well, but… I’ve been absent from your life during the past over ten years, so I can’t let you face all this alone.”