Chapter 753: Bury it back, take revenge again [Seeking monthly votes]
"You...you are Luan Gongyi?"
Although Luan Cheng addressed Luan Xin as both "father" and "uncle," the latter's identity was obvious to anyone, Luan Cheng still harbored a sliver of hope. What if the person Luan Cheng was addressing was from some collateral branch of the Luan family? But when he saw Luan Xin's face clearly, the features of the young scholar from years ago gradually overlapped with the man before him, and his face turned deathly pale, ashen.
Luan Xin lowered his eyes and sneered: "It's rare that such an important person still remembers."
The sarcastic tone, tinged with contempt and mockery, sent a bitter chill down his spine. Even a fool could tell the other person's attitude was hostile. Others might not know, but he certainly understood why he and Luan Xin had become enemies.
Luan Gongyi's legs were crippled by someone he ordered to be destroyed!
He even nearly ruined his future.
Such deep-seated hatred could only be forgiven by the deities within the Buddhist shrine. This realization plunged him, who had just escaped death, into an icy abyss, his mind reeling. He nervously bit his lip, wetting his chapped skin, and asked, "What do you intend to do?"
The commotion here also caught the attention of a group of former officials of the Xin Kingdom.
The group exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with doubt and curiosity. However, they were unaware of the full story and dared not speak rashly and offend anyone—this group had saved them, but their stance was unclear; they could save them, but they could also kill them.
Having finally escaped death, who wants to die?
“The primordial spirit rises from the ashes, and what goes forward will surely return.” Luan Xin looked at his anxious enemy with great interest, and uttered words that chilled the other to the bone: “Back then, you went too far, stealing my qualifications and crippling my legs. How could the tables have turned today? There’s something you might not know. Li Shisong, who served you so obsequiously, has already lost his life at my hands!”
Upon hearing of Li He's death, his expression turned deathly still.
Ultimately, Li He was merely an accomplice acting under his orders, yet he was still purged and killed; how much more so would he, the main villain, be?
His lips moved uncontrollably.
Staring intently at Luan Xin, he asked, "Is Li He really dead?"
Perhaps Luan Gongyi was deliberately scaring himself.
Luan Xin said, "I personally beheaded him."
Upon hearing of Li He's fate, his facial muscles twitched violently, as if he were both suppressing his emotions and struggling with something. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "Luan Gongyi, what do you want to do today? Pay you for a leg? Or pay you for both legs? Or pay you for your life?"
He clenched his fists, his voice strong and forceful, showing no trace of his earlier fear. He appeared to be completely reckless, even somewhat defiant. Seeing this, the former officials of Xin Kingdom rushed forward to pull him back, warning him not to court death.
Unfortunately, the other party had no intention of appreciating it at all.
He raised his hand and aimed his firepower at Luan Cheng behind Luan Xin.
He cursed, "Who told you women of the Luan family to be so shameless, flaunting your charms and seducing men, only to produce such a bastard! And you, Luan Xin, a beggar from a lowly background, dare to call yourself a scholar. It's already lenient of me to cripple you by breaking one leg!"
How could Luan Xin and the other man tolerate such words?
The hot-blooded young Luan Cheng was so angry he wanted to kill someone.
Unfortunately, he was only wearing prison clothes, and his sword had been confiscated. He casually drew Luan Xin's sword and pointed it at the other man.
He roared in fury, "You bastard, watch your mouth!"
The other party was not only unafraid, but his arrogance grew even stronger. He spat and said, "Luan Cheng, how dare you, a bastard, be so insolent in front of me? If you have the guts, come and stab me with your sword and see if the law and social norms can tolerate you! I've been putting up with you, you little beast, for far too long!"
The former officials of the Xin Kingdom were terrified upon hearing this.
Although Luan Cheng's background wasn't a secret within the industry, and the discord between the two was common knowledge, no one dared to gossip about it out of consideration for their relationship. After all, they would run into each other frequently, and some things were better left unsaid. They usually treated each other like air when they met.
I never expected that the person in question would reveal it publicly, right in front of Luan Cheng's uncle. Isn't that just asking for trouble?
Someone tried to smooth things over.
"Don't be angry, don't be angry. This kid has gone insane from being locked up."
This guy's loose tongue is one thing, but don't drag them down with him.
They were not worried that Luan Cheng would kill his brother with his own hands.
Leaving aside the fact that the two were half-brothers, the most important thing was that Luan Cheng's status was disadvantageous; he was indeed a "son born of adultery," born from his parents' extramarital affair. Even though Madam Luan never acknowledged Luan Cheng as his biological father, the biological father's legal wife kept spreading rumors. Furthermore, scholars valued propriety, and a son born of adultery who killed his elder brother would inevitably have his reputation ruined.
but--
Luan Cheng's inability to take action doesn't mean Luan Xin is incapable!
Just as Luan Cheng was about to thrust his sword in anger, Luan Xin raised his hand and knocked the sword out of his hand. As the sword hit the ground, Luan Xin flicked the hilt with his toe and caught it firmly. Luan Xin's eyes were cold: "Cheng, step back! Who gave you the right to speak here?"
Luan Cheng was somewhat afraid of this uncle.
"...But Uncle..."
His mother always spoke of him with regret and guilt, repeatedly instructing Luan Cheng that if he ever had the chance to see Luan Xin again, he must be filial and obedient. Luan Cheng was usually unassuming and well-behaved, so he naturally kept his mother's words in mind.
Luan Xin, slightly impatient, said, "Step back!"
Luan Cheng had no choice but to comply. Luan Xin then looked at the former officials of Xin State, his eyes full of warning: "The rights and wrongs between him and me must be settled today. I ask outsiders not to interfere!"
If you get caught in the crossfire and get hurt, then you're just out of luck.
Now that things have come to this point, outsiders naturally shouldn't interfere, lest they bring trouble upon themselves. Besides, they don't have a good relationship with this man and have little personal connection with him. When the State of Xin still existed, he relied on his family background to seek official positions abroad, levying exorbitant taxes, flattering superiors and bullying inferiors. After the State of Xin was destroyed, he continued to bully the weak and oppress the widows, and harass men and women in private, but because of his family's influence, no one dared to touch him.
Luan Xin stepped forward with his sword drawn, and under the resentful and provocative gaze of the other man and the watchful eyes of the former officials of Xin State, kicked him back into the pit. A scream of pain came from the pit—the pit had been dug large and deep to bury them.
Luan Xin gave orders to his men with a sinister expression.
"Bury it!"
The former officials of Xin Kingdom: "..."
Luan Xin turned to them and said, "Just assume he wasn't rescued, just assume he was buried alive in the pit long ago. If anyone wants to seek justice for him, come at me, Luan!"
Luan Cheng looked at the large pit: "Uncle, did you really bury him?"
Luan Xin said, "If it's not a real burial, then is it a fake one?"
He originally intended to cut off the man's head, but only out of respect for Luan Cheng, he left the man with a complete corpse.
Luan Xin's murderous intent was not due to the other party's insults, nor even related to Luan Cheng. It was purely because he remembered the half of his patella that had been cut off, the tendons in his Achilles tendon that had been severed, and the leg flesh that had been scalded by boiling water! He deserved to pay with his life!
The soldiers under Shen Tang were efficient; they wouldn't fill the pot with shovelfuls of soil. With the help of valiant warriors, they finished in no time. Their speed was so great that the former officials of Xin State had no time to react, and the shouts and curses below abruptly ceased.
Those who witnessed this subconsciously touched their necks.
If this efficiency belongs to Zheng Qiao's troops...
Even if reinforcements arrive quickly, they won't be able to save them.
As for Luan Xin's act of burying and killing his enemies—
Regardless of what they thought in their hearts, at least outwardly no one objected.
After dealing with the large pit, the uncle and nephew talked privately for a while. Luan Xin mainly comforted Luan Cheng, because being insulted to his face as an "illegitimate son" would make anyone uncomfortable: "Don't think too much about what that person said."
Luan Cheng's emotions were more stable than he had imagined.
He was in the same circle as that "elder brother," and there were some occasions where he couldn't avoid it. This wasn't the first time he'd been scolded like this.
only--
Luan Cheng still felt a bit resentful.
"...I didn't think about those things, I just don't understand...why did Mother choose that man back then? After all, he was a married man." Even though she later took in a son-in-law as a substitute father, that was just to fool outsiders. Luan Cheng and his biological father looked at least 60% alike, anyone with eyes could see that. "...Anyway, she was just looking for someone to conceive a child, wouldn't it be better to borrow a background that wasn't too much trouble?"
He had kept these words bottled up inside for many years, but had no one to confide in, and dared not let his mother know. When he met his uncle who stood up for him, he blurted them out as if possessed.
Luan Xin: "..."
He looked at Luan Cheng and sighed softly.
He said, "It's not that simple."
Luan Cheng looked at him in confusion, and Luan Xin said, "Your mother wasn't entirely free either, and her relationship with your biological father wasn't entirely consensual; there was a bit of coercion involved. It's just that your older sister couldn't say anything, so she had to swallow her grievances. Your biological father was powerful and insisted on pursuing her; what could a weak woman do? When she found out she was pregnant, she hesitated and considered having an abortion."
At that time, Luan Xin was still young and inexperienced. He could only help her block the elders of the collateral branches, but it was not enough for her to stand tall and prevent outsiders from coveting her territory. Luan Xin focused on studying and cultivating her skills, and the Luan family's businesses were all managed by the female ruler herself. When dealing with outsiders, she inevitably encountered difficulties.
Luan Cheng had no idea that he almost wasn't born.
"And then what happened?"
Luan Xin sighed softly, "I don't know how the news got out, but when they found out your mother was pregnant, they came to visit in person... It was only after you were born that I was finally free from their entanglement."
Luan Cheng dared not think about the details.
A wave of nausea rose in his throat, and he said angrily, "If that's the case—why does their matriarch still treat people like this?"
"The world is always harsher on the weak." Etiquette and law are the constraints that the strong impose on the weak. Just as a wife hates her husband's extramarital affairs more than his inability to control his lust.
Luan Cheng still didn't quite understand.
"But he himself has a son... Why force Mother to give birth to a... me? Why make trouble for herself?"
Is the phrase "There's an adulterous child outside" really catchy?
Unexpectedly, Luan Xin said something shocking: "Oh, there's more to this story. It's because you are his only biological son. He couldn't take you away from the Luan family, so he could only force your mother to give birth to you. This is what your biological father said to you when he came to visit back then."
Luan Cheng: "...Then what about him?"
He pointed to the large pit that had been filled in.
Luan Xin said, “Many women from noble families have one or two close male friends before marriage. Your biological father also has some health problems, making it difficult for women to conceive. The time of the man at the bottom of the pit doesn’t match up… but he didn’t expose him to hide his illness. Regardless of whether he is his biological son or not, once he is on the family tree, they are nominally father and son.”
Sometimes, nominal relationships are not much different from blood relationships.
Luan Cheng pointed to himself: "I might not be either!"
His mother's male confidant has at least one hand!
"I reckon he's taking a gamble. Anyway, once you're born and your features have developed a bit, there won't be any more rumors about his hidden illness, so he can preserve his reputation." Wanting a child is a pretense; wanting face is the real reason. Otherwise, he wouldn't have allowed his wife to spread that matter around.
Luan Cheng was so angry upon hearing this that he gritted his teeth: "Shameless! Hateful!"
Luan Xin said, "Ignore it."
The situation is different now than it was back then.
Even the most powerful and privileged cannot maintain any semblance of dignity in the face of war and chaos. If they do not fall into his hands, all will be well; but if they seek their own demise, Luan Xin would not hesitate to send them on their way.
Upon seeing Luan Cheng, he reminded Luan Xin of something.
He wanted to borrow someone from Chu Yao to pick up Luan's eldest sister.
"Although the Luan family also employs some servants and guards, money can be a powerful motivator, and it's hard to guarantee that they won't have malicious intentions along the way."
Chu Yao said, "Your concern is not without merit."
After all, that's how his apprentice Lin Feng and his family suffered.
Sending someone to pick them up would be more prudent.
but--
Chu Yao asked, "Does Gongyi no longer harbor any resentment towards the Luan family?"
Luan Xin smiled bitterly and said, "It's hard to repay such kindness."
The culprit back then wasn't his sworn sister. His heart turned cold as he left, more because he understood his own position. If he was still uneasy, the two families could simply cut off all contact in the future. Compared to his own grudges, the other party's life was naturally more important.
After Luan Xin left, Gu Chi peeked around curiously.
Gu Chi said, "When did I peek in?"
Chu Yao chuckled and said, "Looking at the tide, one knows for oneself."
He was a little confused about the relationship between the two—Gu Chi was always keeping an eye on Luan Xin, and they were always at odds, both openly and privately, but at other times he was very concerned about him. He really didn't know what Gu Chi was after.
Gu Chi said, "Keep an eye on him to prevent him from causing trouble."
Chu Yao frowned slightly, setting up a spell to prevent others from eavesdropping. He said solemnly, "Public-spiritedness and affection are important. The lord has been very kind to him. How could he cause trouble? Wang Chao should be careful with his words."
Gu Chi: "It's precisely because he's sentimental that we need to keep an eye on him."
Even favors have an order of priority.
Even if the possibility of Luan Xin betraying them is extremely slim, and even if the chances of him harming himself are higher than if he were to act rashly, we still need to keep an eye on him. Who knows, maybe one day we can save Luan Xin from self-harm.
Chu Yao: "..."
After rescuing the former officials of Xin, they began to plan their next move. The situation in Ganzhou was dangerous; one wrong move and they could be dragged into the chaos of war. The Imperial Seal was far too easy to expose its location.
Even if they had no intention of stealing, they couldn't stop others from having the same thought, nor could they stop the other side from speculating about them. They only had two choices—either carefully avoid the melee and stay away from it, or join the fight and defeat their opponents.
Coincidentally, Kang Shi was also troubled by this matter.
"I just don't know when our lord will return..."
The two groups need to meet up as soon as possible for their safety.
Gong Xichou crossed his arms and interjected, "Instead of worrying about Mama, you should worry about yourselves. Mama's forces are stronger; who can't she escape from? Can you handle it? With so few men, you won't even last two rounds."
"While they haven't reacted yet, we should run. We're the gentlemen who take revenge even after ten years, but those over there, the scoundrels take revenge from morning till night." According to Gong Xichou, they should escape as soon as possible; any later, and escape might be too late—
As soon as he finished speaking, Kang Shi suddenly tightened the reins, his expression contorted.
Gong Xichou scoffed, "What I said came true."
(へ╬)
I just finished showering and was about to go to bed when I browsed through book reviews and found a huge plot hole. Gong Xi Chou was on Ji Shou's route. To avoid significantly altering the ending, some details were added to correct it (anyway, Kang Shi was quite unlucky, so encountering enemies was normal. Wu Hui's route involved moving grain warehouses).
(End of this chapter)
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