Hidden Shadow – CH 190

Chapter One-Hundred-Ninety: Siblings

Zhu Pianxian froze, turned around, and exclaimed in surprise, “Oh dear! Who made my brother so angry! Tell me quickly!”

“Sit down!” Yu Pianfei snapped.

Zhu Pianxian carefully sat down on the edge of the chair, looking at him expectantly, like a submissive little wife.

“Yu Pianxian!” Yu Pianfei was annoyed just looking at her.

“Zhu,” Zhu Pianxian whispered a reminder.

Yu Pianfei remained silent, only staring coldly at her.

Zhu Pianxian wisely said, “Whatever you say.”

Yu Pianfei suppressed his anger and tried to remain calm. “Yu Pianxian, do you know who that person surnamed Chu is?”

“Is he not from the Konghe Academy? People outside are saying that a lost token was found, and the massacre of the people in the town was all the work of the Konghe Academy,” Zhu Pianxian said with a smile.

“Be serious! Stop grinning!” Yu Pianfei glared at her.

Seeing her stop smiling, Yu Pianfei continued, “Do you remember who bought your life from Piaomiao Mountain Mansion?”

“That guy surnamed Chu,” Zhu Pianxian answered honestly.

“You have no grudge against them, yet he’d sell you out for his own schemes. If you get any closer to someone like that, you will be nothing but bones!” Yu Pianfei calmed his anger and sighed heavily. “Sister, this man is cunning and ruthless. I am always on edge when cooperating with him. I, Yu Pianfei, have always been known for my unconventional methods; everyone in Yangzhou calls me Yu the Bold. But this is the first time in my life I’ve regretted my decision. If he does not want to cooperate with me, fine, but you are not allowed to go to Bianjing with him!”

Zhu Pianxian blinked innocently. “I did not say I wanted to go with him!”

“Yu Pianxian! I’ve known your little schemes since I was a baby! Do you think I cannot see what you are thinking?!” Yu Pianfei returned her earlier words.

“I said I did not, and I did not!” Zhu Pianxian retorted stubbornly.

Yu Pianfei sighed. “Father promised you that you could choose your own husband, but he went back on his word and forced you into a political marriage. I know you are resentful, but no matter what, you are still my sister. We’ve been together since birth, more connected by blood than ordinary siblings. I cannot just watch you die.”

Zhu Pianxian’s eyes welled up with tears. “Do not talk about me! You scoundrel, you never leave any room for maneuver in your actions. The past of the third head of the Feng family is a bloody lesson. Do you have to fall to that point before you learn to be more tactful?”

Openly, Zhu Pianxian often caused trouble that Yu Pianfei had to cover for. But secretly, she also did her share of networking for Yu Pianfei, carving out a sliver of hope for his ruthless actions.

Yu Pianfei knew all this, and because he knew his sister would help him, he dared to gamble recklessly.

“With you causing trouble like this, why not hurry up and get married to carry on the Yu family line? Otherwise, the Yu family will die out one day!” Zhu Pianxian said, then got up and hurriedly left.

Watching her rush out, Yu Pianfei wiped his moist eyes.

He leaned back, picked up his teacup, and looked content. He thought to himself, “This time she will not run away, will she…?”

Zhu Pianxian ran to the arched bridge, touched her face, and thought smugly, “I’ve really improved a lot. Especially with tears welling up in my eyes, about to fall, I covered my face and ran away… Tsk tsk, I fooled that kid this time, did I not?”

Although both of them thought this way, they had both heard and understood each other’s words to some extent.

Zhu Pianxian’s cheerful steps slowed down. She glanced back at the warm pavilion and murmured, “Silly brother. You’ve gambled too much this time. I do not know if I can cover for you. I am afraid this is the last time I can help you.”

Yu Pianfei’s eyes welled up again. He put down his teacup, pushed open the window of the warm pavilion, and saw Zhu Pianxian looking over.

Zhu Pianxian paused, then made a face at him.

Tears suddenly fell from Yu Pianfei’s eyes.

The crumbling Yu family was in his hands. Bearing the hopes of the entire clan, remembering his father’s dying gaze filled with earnest hope, he could not be afraid; he could not back down!

But, “Sister, actually, I am not brave at all. You do not know; I am afraid even in my dreams…”

So he dared not marry. He was afraid of being seen as cowardly, afraid of his secret being revealed to a complete stranger.

The sunlight was blinding.

The snow was melting; these past few days had been especially cold.

The snow in Yangzhou had come fiercely, but it had melted quickly, leaving only remnants in just four or five days. Although the town where the battle had taken place had been cleared, the blood-soaked ground still reeked of blood. Scattered pieces of flesh lay on the walls and ground, attracting numerous vultures.

Passersby pointed and whispered, “I’ve never seen so many vultures.”

“Yes, it is an ominous sign…”

A magnificent carriage moved unhurriedly along the official road. Two white horses, their heads adorned with white tassels, rode on a canopy carved from huanghuali wood. The window handles were inlaid with lustrous green jade, and the carriage walls were decorated with plum blossoms and cranes, each plum blossom adorned with a pale yellow gemstone. White lanterns hung from the four corners of the carriage, their bases dangling with pale yellow tassels that swayed gently back and forth with the carriage’s movement.

Such grandeur drew the attention of passersby.

The carriage followed the official road into the city and stopped in front of a large mansion. A man in blue alighted, looking up at the two characters “Yu Mansion” on the plaque.

A servant stepped forward, knocked on the door, and handed over his visiting card.

Shortly afterward, Yu Pianfei hurried out. Seeing the young man’s appearance, he paused. “Rongjian, you are dressed in blue, and there seems to be sorrow in your eyes. What happened?”

The man was Hua Rongjian.

The two had met by chance in Bianjing many years ago, enjoyed each other’s company, and considered each other close friends. They had maintained correspondence but only met once or twice a year.

“A friend recently passed away, hence this attire,” Hua Rongjian said.

Although Hua Rongjian and Lu Danzhi were close friends, he could not wear mourning clothes for him; otherwise, people would think that Prime Minister Hua had died! Hua Rongjian could only keep everything simple, using only plain colors for his clothes and belongings to express his grief.

Yu Pianfei welcomed him inside.

The two sat down in the hall, and Yu Pianfei poured him a cup of tea. “Rongjian, what have you been thinking all this time?”

Hua Rongjian shook his head. “My mind is in turmoil, so I have not returned to the capital. I’ve been wandering around. I will tell you when I’ve thought things through.” The words Lu Danzhi had spoken to him the night before his death echoed in his mind.

He knew he had suffered a serious illness as a child and had been cared for at a Taoist temple for a long time—his father said three years—but he had no memory of that period! He remembered when his father brought him home; his mother hugged him tightly, crying so hard she almost fainted, repeatedly saying, “My son has suffered so much! You are still so thin and frail after all this time!”

At the time, he thought it was normal for him to be thin and frail since he was so ill and had no memories, so he did not think much of it. When he first saw his mother, he felt no familiarity at all; she was like a stranger to him. It was only later, with her loving care and affection, that they gradually became acquainted.

But now, thinking about it carefully, why did he lose his memories? Why did he spend three years at the Taoist temple? Was it related to concealing his age?

If his age was concealed, then was he still Hua Rongjian…?