Chapter 67 The sword was being carefully examined by Wei's father...
The sword was carefully played with in Wei's father's hands. Po Jun rarely had the opportunity to be touched, and it couldn't help but raise its sword head and press it against Wei's father's arm. Wei's father stared blankly at his moving sword.
"Po Jun, don't frighten Lord Wei," Lu Hun gently scolded.
"It's alright." Father Wei seemed to enjoy Po Jun's closeness. He looked at Lu Hun again, scrutinizing the boy from head to toe. After a long while, he spoke to the boy in a low voice: "If I'm not mistaken, the sword on your body is the Emperor's sword, Po Jun. I once overheard the Emperor mention it, saying that a few years ago, when he returned to the capital from the northern expedition, he passed by the grave of a scholar who had hanged himself. After hearing about the scholar's story, he buried Po Jun in front of the scholar's grave."
Lu Hun lowered his head, his thin lips pressed tightly together, and it was clear that he was listening to Wei's father.
Father Wei's eyes were sharp as he continued, "Five years ago, I vaguely heard that a young man who had studied at my Wei family school committed suicide in the fire at the Bodhisattva Temple on the very night he passed the imperial examination. I heard that this scholar who hanged himself happened to be surnamed Lu, and I think his name was... Lu Hun... right?"
Lu Hun remained calm.
Mr. Wei frowned and asked, "Young Master Lu, are you the scholar who hanged himself in the temple on the night he passed the imperial examination?"
Lu Hun was silent for a moment, then nodded, "Yes, Lord Wei, I am him."
Wei's father's eyes twitched, seemingly incredulous. "So, you're not human?"
Lu Hun did not reply with words, but instead made no attempt to conceal it by forcefully slicing his arm with his fingertip, and a stream of black blood flowed out.
Normal people don't bleed black blood.
Wei's father stared wide-eyed. Wei Yin took out her handkerchief and placed it on his arm. "Father, don't be scared. Lu Hun is indeed a ghost, but don't worry, he won't harm anyone."
Mr. Wei waved his hand at her, "Old Master Pei is inside alone, you go in and keep him company."
Wei Yin realized that her father wanted to send her away so he could speak with Lu Hun alone. Wei Yin didn't want to leave, but Lu Hun squeezed her hand and smiled, inviting her to go in first, saying he would come over later.
Only Wei's father and Lu Hun remained in the corridor.
Father Wei looked at the young man in front of him. He was handsome and upright, with clear eyes and a bright face. He was a good and honest boy, but he had a pair of extremely melancholy eyes, as if he was hiding a great sorrow in his heart.
Wei's father pondered for a while until Wei Yin left and returned to the dining room before he spoke: "Lu Hun, there are some things I didn't say while Yin'er was here. To be honest, the case of your suicide was handled by one of my colleagues, and he told me some things about your case."
Lu Hun listened obediently as he continued.
“My colleague said,” Wei’s father said, “you probably didn’t hang yourself.”
Lu Hun remained silent throughout.
Father Wei observed his expression. "He investigated your behavior throughout your life. He said that although you were somewhat introverted and melancholic from a young age, on the day you passed the imperial examination, while you weren't as joyful and excited as others, you never had any suicidal thoughts. An old lady from your neighborhood, Granny Lu, said that although your grandmother had already passed away, you swore before her that you would never take your own life and would live well. She also said that you seemed to have a girl you liked, who was in our Wei family school. And after much investigation, it's clear that after learning you had passed the examination..." You even visited the examiner who presided over the examination with your classmates who also passed. According to them, you truly had no intention of hanging yourself and were wholeheartedly preparing for next year's imperial examination. You were even worried that next year's examination would coincide with the anniversary of your grandmother's death, so you specifically asked your neighbor, Granny Lu, to do it for you if you missed the exam to sweep her grave and offer incense. You could visit her grave after the exam. How could a scholar who had no suicidal thoughts and was preparing for next year's exam suddenly set fire to the temple that night and hang himself?
“My colleague always felt that you didn’t seem like the type to hang yourself, but no matter how he investigated, you did end up hanging yourself.”
As Lu Hun listened to Wei's father's words, although he kept his head down, his thin body stiffened noticeably, as if he had remembered something he didn't want to recall.
For quite a while.
He came to his senses, forced a smile, but couldn't manage a genuine laugh. "Lord Wei, you're right. I've been melancholic since childhood. My grandmother was afraid that after she passed away, I would have no one to hold me back. She kept telling me and even made me swear that I wouldn't dare to disappoint her. So, I didn't do anything rash."
Wei's father looked at the boy with pity. He was only sixteen years old, yet he had passed the imperial examination with top honors. If he hadn't died, he would have had a bright future.
But the pity lasted only a moment before Wei's father changed the subject, "So, that girl you like, could it be Yin'er?"
Lu Hun blushed slightly and gave a soft "hmm."
Father Wei sighed, “I don’t care how you died back then, but you should know that the living and the dead are different, and you shouldn’t be following Yin’er around every day.”
“Lord Wei.” Lu Hun finally raised his face. “I know very well, which is why I haven’t dared to show myself for the past five years. But not long ago, I discovered something about my sister.”
Father Wei was completely taken aback and exclaimed in shock, "What? It's related to Yin'er?"
Lu Hun nodded.
"What is it?" Wei's father pressed.
"It's hard to say. I just sensed that person might have some ill intentions, but that's just my speculation," Lu Hun explained. "But if my speculation is correct, that person might actually do it, which is why I appeared by Sister Wei's side. Once this matter is resolved and Sister Wei is no longer a threat, I will leave on my own. Lord Wei, you don't need to worry."
Father Wei had no idea that this young man was hiding so many things in his heart.
and.
He knew all along that a relationship between him and Wei Yin was impossible.
They had already planned to leave once everything was settled.
After the two finished talking, they returned to the dining room. Only Wei Yin was there. Old Master Pei had gone back to his room to rest. Wei Yin was worried that his father would make things difficult for the young man, but seeing that his father's expression was kind and that he treated Lu Hun with great gentleness, he felt a little relieved.
Wei Yin was about to pour wine for Wei's father, but seeing that Elder Pei had left, Wei's father waved his hand and decided not to drink anymore.
Just as he was about to get up and leave, a servant came to find Master Pei and hurriedly reported that Master Pei had already retired for the night, and that he should just tell him what was going on.
Knowing that Wei's father and the others were close to Elder Pei, the attendant immediately said, "Just now, my men were patrolling around the house. When we got to the other side of the garden, we suddenly heard a loud noise coming from the back wall. When we went over to check, we saw a young man in his early twenties climbing over the wall. We caught him on the spot. He was dressed neatly, but he was acting strangely. It was one thing for him to barge into the garden, but he insisted that a boy had also entered the garden. He said that the boy disappeared after entering the garden, and that we must have kidnapped the child again. He demanded that we hand over the boy immediately. And now, he's still in the garden, holding onto one of our men and refusing to let go, demanding that we hand over the child."
"He said some children went into the park?" Mr. Wei asked.
“That’s right,” the attendant said. “They insist that a child came in, but we were resting by the garden gate at the time. If a child had come in or gone out of the garden, how could we not have heard or seen anything? Besides, I had people quickly check the garden and even search the entire house, but we didn’t find anything. Even the guards at the gate said they didn’t see any child go out from the gate. But that person just wouldn’t believe it and insisted that we hand over the child.”
"Don't wake up Old Master Pei," Wei's father said. "Just take us to see it."
The garden of the Wen family's old residence was completely dark, without a single ray of light. It was much more deserted than when Wenxuan and the others were alive, and Old Master Pei rarely paid any attention to the scenery in the garden.
But those ginkgo trees are still there, and they are still growing very well.
The attendant led them to a back wall of the garden.
Several attendants holding lanterns stood here. Among them, at the corner of the back wall, a young man was holding an attendant tightly by the collar. Several attendants tried to help, but the young man was surprisingly strong. He squatted on the ground, holding the attendant tightly with both hands, and no matter how the others tried to pull him away, they couldn't budge him. The young man glared fiercely, as if afraid that the attendant in his hands would escape.
"It's him. He insists we hand over the child. I've never seen such a crazy and strange person," said the attendant who led them there.
Father Wei frowned and walked over with Wei Yin and Lu Hun. As they got closer, they finally saw the young man's face clearly.
The young man was dressed in a practical outfit that allowed for easy movement. He had broad shoulders and a tall stature. Although he appeared rather slender, he was not actually weak. On the contrary, he had strong arms and long legs. His appearance was of the bright type, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. He was handsome and upright.
Upon seeing this person, Wei Yin was taken aback, and Wei's father followed suit, asking questions in a daze.
"Jiayu, it's you?"
Wei Yin stepped forward and got a clearer view. "Young Master Ji?"
Upon hearing this voice, Ji Jiayu, who had been shouting for his attendants to hand over the child, looked back in confusion. When he saw Wei's father and Wei Yin, especially Wei Yin, he suddenly blushed, sprang up from the ground, and began to straighten his clothes.
But one hand remained firmly in place, tightly gripping the attendant.
Seeing the scene before him, Wei's father laughed, "Jiayu, what are you doing? This is so rude! Let go!"
“Uncle Wei!” Ji Jiayu said emphatically, “These people have hidden a child. You must go to the yamen quickly and not let them get away.”
Wei's father scolded, "What nonsense are you talking about? This is Elder Pei's attendant. Why are you hiding the child? Let go."
"Old Master Pei?" Ji Jiayu was stunned for a moment, but quickly remembered. However, he did not let go immediately. Instead, he argued with Uncle Wei, "Uncle Wei, I really saw a child enter this garden and then disappear immediately. If it wasn't these people who did it, how could the child just disappear for no reason?"
"There are no children here! No children came in at all!" the attendant retorted angrily. "We only saw you climb over the wall and break in, and now you're grabbing us and refusing to let go!"
Wei Yin also said, "Young Master Ji, these are all people who have followed Elder Pei for many years. Elder Pei's people wouldn't talk nonsense. You must be mistaken."
Ji Jiayu was stunned.
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