As TanTan made her way toward the pavilion, she heard a beautiful guzheng melody drifting through the air.
It seemed Minister Hua was already there, playing the instrument while waiting for her.
The melody sounded strangely familiar. It stirred something deep within TanTan, filling her heart with an inexplicable sense of longing.
Then she remembered.
It was the same melody HuaMuTan's mother used to play when she was little.
"It's nice to see you again, Uncle Hua."
TanTan greeted Minister Hua, who was seated behind the guzheng in the pavilion.
As she approached, she couldn't help observing him more carefully, remembering what ShuangAi had told her earlier.
Is he really dangerous? I wonder what made HuaMuTan afraid of him. He seems like such a nice person to me...
TanTan felt a little disappointed. She had quite liked Uncle Hua, especially because he was one of the few people who had treated her kindly since she came into this world. But now, she wasn't sure whether she could trust him anymore.
Minister Hua stopped playing and rose from his seat, returning her greeting politely.
"It's my pleasure, Young Lady. I've come as promised to hear you play. Shall we begin?"
He gestured toward another guzheng that XiaoRue and ManQi had prepared for TanTan.
"Sure."
TanTan took her seat behind the instrument and swallowed nervously.
She hesitated before touching the strings. She wasn't sure what memories might surface this time, but at the same time, she hoped they would reveal more answers.
Minister Hua noticed her hesitation.
"Is something wrong, Young Lady?"
"Nothing..."
TanTan didn't want him to notice her uneasiness. She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and finally plucked the strings.
Tring...
As the melody began to flow, TanTan gradually lost herself in the music.
And then, HuaMuTan's memories came rushing back.
She saw fragments of her childhood. Little HuaMuTan often witnessed a younger Minister Hua speaking with her mother, Lady LiShuiXian. Their conversations always seemed to end with her mother looking terribly sad.
At that age, HuaMuTan was too young to understand what was happening between them. She had never heard their conversations clearly. All she remembered was her mother carrying her away whenever they met, leaving Minister Hua behind.
But now, through TanTan's eyes, those memories seemed to reveal something more.
Her mother appeared to carry a sense of guilt whenever she was with Minister Hua. And whenever she walked away, leaving him behind, Minister Hua would watch them with an expression that was difficult to describe.
There was anger in his eyes, but also deep sadness.
It was the expression of a broken-hearted man.
Meanwhile, Minister Hua was also lost in his own memories.
He looked at TanTan, but it was as if he were seeing someone else through her.
In his mind, he had returned to the days when he and LiShuiXian were young.
They had once been so close. They had shared countless moments together, and he had believed they would remain together forever.
Until that royal decree arrived.
LiShuiXian had been betrothed to his own elder brother as a reward from the King for his brother's achievements on the battlefield.
Minister Hua had been devastated.
He had even been willing to take her away, abandoning everything they knew.
He could still remember that day clearly. He had held her hand desperately and begged her.
"ShuiXian, let's run away... together!"
But LiShuiXian slowly withdrew her hand.
"I... I can't. I'm sorry, FouQi Ge."
"But... didn't you promise to stay with me forever?"
"I'm sorry, FouQi Ge. I've chosen my path. I... choose him. Please, just forget about us. This is my fault. You deserve someone better than me..."
And then she left.
The memory ended there.
Remembering that painful moment, Minister Hua's expression darkened. His eyes became intense, as though he were once again facing the woman who had broken his heart.
Meanwhile, TanTan had already stopped playing.
She looked at Minister Hua, wondering what had caused such a change in his expression.
Yet he seemed not to notice that the music had stopped.
"Uncle Hua?"
TanTan called out loudly.
Minister Hua finally returned to his senses. His expression immediately softened, and he gave her a smile.
"Ah... forgive me. Your playing really reminds me of your mother."
TanTan was startled by the memories she had just experienced.
Could it be that HuaMuTan's uncle has held some resentment toward her mother all these years? But why?
She decided to probe a little further.
"Uncle Hua, you seemed to be very close to my mother. What kind of person was she?"
Minister Hua appeared slightly surprised by the question, but he quickly composed himself and smiled.
"Well, your mother was... the most beautiful woman and the most skillful guzheng player I had ever met."
He gazed at TanTan for a moment before asking curiously,
"Is there anything else you'd like to know, Young Lady?"
Yes. Like whether you hold a grudge against my mother...
But TanTan kept that thought to herself. She knew she had to be careful.
"Uncle Hua, as you know, I've lost my memory and forgotten many things... including things about my own parents. It would be wonderful if I could hear more about them from someone who truly knew them."
Minister Hua continued watching her.
"Hmm... I see. Well, there are many things I can tell you about your parents. Where would you like to begin?"
"...How about their deaths?"
TanTan deliberately brought up the subject, curious to see how he would react.
As expected, her words seemed to catch Minister Hua off guard.
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"It's... unusual to hear you mention that, Young Lady. In the past, you would become very upset whenever anyone brought up their deaths."
This time, it was TanTan's turn to widen her eyes.
"Really? Why?"
It was another new discovery. Apparently, HuaMuTan had never liked discussing her own parents' deaths.
Minister Hua gave a sad smile.
"You always seemed deeply hurt whenever the subject came up. Your parents' deaths were truly tragic. Your father, my brother, was killed in battle. And your mother... she followed her beloved husband, choosing to leap from a cliff rather than live without him."
He paused, looking at TanTan.
"It was a tragedy..."
Once again, TanTan felt sorry for HuaMuTan. She had lost both parents when she was still so young, leaving her to grow up without their love and guidance.
When TanTan didn't respond, Minister Hua continued.
"And this old man sincerely hopes you will never follow her path."
"What do you mean, Uncle Hua?"
TanTan looked at him in confusion.
"Being able to forget painful things from the past can be a blessing, Young Lady. Some things are better left forgotten, so that you can live without carrying misery in your heart. I hope you'll remember those words."
Minister Hua smiled gently, but for some reason, TanTan sensed that there was something hidden behind that smile.
"Now, if you still wish to learn more about your parents, may I suggest something?"
Minister Hua seemed to consider his words carefully before speaking.
"What is it?"
Knowing more about HuaMuTan's parents might help TanTan uncover the truth.
"Perhaps you still have some of your mother's belongings? If you do, I might be able to tell you more about her through those things."
It sounded like a harmless suggestion. Still, TanTan wondered whether it would really help.
HuaMuTan's memories briefly brought her attention to the large locked chest in her room. She remembered that it contained several old belongings, but she wasn't sure which ones had belonged to her mother.
Minister Hua seemed to notice her hesitation.
"Ah, how thoughtless of me. You probably don't remember your mother's belongings either. Forgive this old man, Young Lady. I simply thought you might still have something special that your mother gave you. Perhaps it could help you remember her."
"Something special? What kind of thing?"
TanTan asked curiously.
"I'm afraid I don't know exactly what it was. But in the past, you once came to me asking about something. You said it was very important and had been given to you by your mother. You intended to show it to me and ask for my opinion. Unfortunately, you had your accident before you could do so, and you seem to have forgotten about it as well."
TanTan paused to think.
If what Uncle Hua says is true, then that thing might still be somewhere in HuaMuTan's room. But what exactly is it?
"I really can't remember anything about it..."
"Then why don't we look for it together? Perhaps I can help you identify it."
The offer sounded reasonable. After all, TanTan knew very little about HuaMuTan's belongings, and she had no idea what she was supposed to look for.
However, as she looked at Minister Hua, she couldn't shake the feeling that there might be another reason behind his eagerness to help.
Perhaps HuaMuTan's uncle has his own hidden agenda. But without any clues, I won't be able to figure out what he's looking for either. Maybe I should observe him a little longer and see what he's really after.
After considering it for a moment, TanTan finally smiled.
"Sure, Uncle Hua. When would you like to look for it?"
"Why don't we do it right now?"
Minister Hua rose from his seat.
"If you don't mind, of course."
"I don't mind."
TanTan stood up and led him toward her room.