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Gōng Chěng gazed at Shěn Táng's retreating figure. His lips twitched: "This matter... I'm sorry..."
The extermination of the Shěn clan was inextricably linked to the Gōng clan. They should have protected the last surviving bloodline of the Shěn clan, but failed. This left the naturally straightforward young man, facing "wife's elder brother" Shěn Táng, with an agonizing and unspeakable sense of guilt and profound shame.
"What good is apologizing to me?" Shěn Táng seemed to snap back to reality, turning around, her dark eyes, filled with a thousand unspoken words, looked indifferently at the shame-faced Gōng Chěng. "I know very well who the enemy is! What's the point of taking my anger out on you, a fellow victim?"
Gōng Chěng was stunned. A hazy mist, imbued with a rosy flush, spread from the corners of his eyes. He almost choked out, "Thank you."
In just two short months, his life had been turned upside down. From a proud, spirited young noble, riding fine horses and wearing luxurious clothes, he had overnight become a prisoner, his entire clan exiled. Let alone saving his clansmen, even his own life was saved by an old friend. Seeing Shěn Táng, he had mentally prepared himself to be grabbed by the collar, beaten, and cursed, but he never expected the other party not to blame him.
"The one who deserves to die is Zhèng Qiáo!" Shěn Táng paused, then added with a murderous look, "You don't need to apologize!" She couldn't stand seeing others cry, especially young, good-looking ones. When they cried, her head ached, fearing she'd be drowned in tears.
Her resonant words, like a sharp blade, cut through the confusion, despondency, and gloom that had accumulated in Gōng Chěng's heart these past days—Yes, the current ruler of Gēng Kingdom, the former favored "Empress Zhèng," Zhèng Qiáo, is the culprit, the instigator—His lifeless, stagnant eyes flickered for a moment. An emotion called "hatred" generated new momentum, spreading inch by inch through his limbs and body. His hand, hanging at his side, slowly clenched into a fist. He repeated Shěn Táng's words, word by word, as if speaking to himself.
"Yes, you're right... Zhèng Qiáo is the one who deserves to die!"
The courtesan, seeing this, finally felt his suspended heart settle. Gōng Chěng's Dān Fǔ was crippled, and after more than a month of walking in shackles, he had personally witnessed his accompanying relatives being humiliated by the escorting officials, or dying from severe injuries, or succumbing to illness, or starving to death... Though he survived, he had little will to live. His heart was burdened, his spirit collapsed, and with the foundation of his body destroyed, even with the best medicine, he was merely clinging to life. If he could come to terms with it himself, he should recover quickly.
Shěn Táng: "..."
Alright, fine ┐(`д´)┌
Wife's elder brother, if you like it.
Her gender was truly Schrödinger's gender. Ordinary people called her xiǎo niáng zi (young lady), while those with scholarly hearts (wén xīn) or martial courage (wǔ dǎn) called her xiǎo láng jūn (young master). Everyone agreed that the other party had something wrong with their eyes.
The young man, who had been silent for a long time, swept his gaze over Shěn Táng, seemingly contemplating and observing something. He asked her, "Forgive my presumption, but Zhèng Qiáo ordered the extermination of the Shěn clan. The action was swift as lightning, and no news leaked out. How did young master Shěn manage to escape?"
Shěn Táng: "I wasn't there at the time; I managed to save my life in the chaos."
The young man mused, "Oh?"
Shěn Táng sneered coldly, retorting sarcastically. "What, that Grandee Wǔ Dà Fū of the Gōng clan could flee and survive, and I'm not worthy of being lucky enough to save my own small life?"
These words fully demonstrated the art of sarcasm and also stabbed Gōng Chěng's heart. He quickly interrupted the young man, saying, "Mr. Gu, the Shěn family are all loyal and brave, not fearing power nor death. They would never be as you surmise."
The young man's face darkened: "..."
Did Gōng Yún Chí know what he was surmising? Did he think he suspected that this young master Shěn before him was a coward who feared death, heard the news, fled faster than a rabbit, and abandoned his entire clan? Questioning his character and virtue? Shallow! He clearly felt that this "wife's elder brother" of Gōng Yún Chí had some problems! He had mentioned the Shěn clan's extermination several times. Such intense hatred, hundreds of lives owed—even with perfect emotional control, flaws would show. Yet, this person's heart was completely blank! Was this logical? It wasn't logical! If she had used a 言灵 (power of speech/word soul) to resist his mind-reading, that would be one thing. But she hadn't activated her scholarly essence (wén qīn). In other words, this young master Shěn was deliberately emptying her mind, neither thinking nor dwelling, constantly guarding against him. So cautious, how could she be without secrets?
The courtesan, however, noticed a detail. "That Grandee Wǔ Dà Fū of the Gōng clan is fleeing?"
Shěn Táng nodded: "That's what I heard, but it's month-old news. I don't know if he's been caught now."
Gōng Chěng's eyes suddenly lit up. He excitedly grabbed the courtesan, saying, "Wǔ Dà Fū... Wēng Zhī, Mr. Gu, that must be Second Uncle!" Don't underestimate the rank of Wǔ Dà Fū, which is only the ninth rank among martial courage ranks. But Gōng Chěng's Second Uncle was still young, his talent was universally acknowledged as excellent, a paragon of youthful success, and he had enormous potential for growth. Without this turn of events, his future achievements would have been no less than Fourteenth Rank Yòu Gēng! This was the best news he had heard in many days. As long as his Second Uncle was alive, there was still hope for the future!
Shěn Táng couldn't bear to pour cold water on him. The words she wanted to say rolled in her throat several times, but she eventually swallowed them back. "If there's nothing else, I won't trouble you any further." She felt completely uncomfortable being in the same space and breathing the same air as that young man named Gù, who could read minds.
Gōng Chěng said, "Wife's elder brother..."
Shěn Táng inwardly suppressed her wildly twitching veins and her burgeoning violent impulses, forcing a very strained smile: "Since the three bows were not completed, and she has also passed away, let's dispense with that title."
Gōng Chěng's face instantly turned pale: "But..."
"I am Shěn Táng, courtesy name Yòu Lí. Call me as you wish." Shěn Táng's expression was blank. Anything is fine, as long as it's not "wife's elder brother" anymore. She didn't need to be reminded repeatedly that, despite having a pretty young girl's face, she was constantly mistaken for a boy. It was too heartbreaking.
Gōng Chěng breathed a sigh of relief: "Alright, Yòu Lí."
Shěn Táng bowed perfunctorily: "Farewell."
"Wait!" Gōng Chěng struggled to stand up, looking sincerely at Shěn Táng, "If there is ever a place where you need my help in the future, I will not hesitate." He had originally wanted to say that Shěn Táng could come to him if she had trouble—this former "wife's elder brother," with his handsome face and youth, wandering alone, would undoubtedly encounter many difficulties. Not to mention, just food and clothing would be enough of a headache—but then he thought, he himself was even more destitute than she was. His former "wife's elder brother" at least had an intact Dān Fǔ; even if his scholarly heart (wén xīn) wasn't high-ranking, he could barely get by. But what about himself? He was an injured person, still relying on old friends for assistance and care. If trouble truly arose, it was hard to say who would be helping whom.
Thus, he could only offer a promise for the future.
Shěn Táng's footsteps paused, her expression complex. "Alright, I'll remember your words."
The moment she left, the young man immediately asked, "Yún Chí, how much do you know about the Shěn clan? How many people are in the main family line?"
Gōng Chěng, with the help of the two, returned to the bed and lay down. "Mr. Gu, why do you ask these things?"
"Your 'wife's elder brother' said that these paintings..." The young man said, handing the few provocative paintings that made both men and women fantasize to the bewildered Gōng Chěng. "They were all painted by what your 'wife's elder brother' called his 'elder brother.' So, how many offspring does the Shěn clan have?"
Gōng Chěng took them, completely unprepared, and opened them. The shock hit him squarely. The next instant, his fingers felt as if licked by flames. Terrified, he quickly threw the paintings away, an expression of utter disbelief and profound shock on his face.