Chapter 1229 – Preparing for Battle, Rest and Recovery (Eight)
Gu Min couldn’t manage it, and this Liu Zhao in front of him couldn’t either.
The former had already paid with her life, and the latter, if he dared to challenge, would likely meet a similar fate.
Mr. Yuanjing’s words brought a look of disappointment to Liu Zhao’s face, his delicate brows clouded with a hint of gray, as if his spirit had been drained.
As he gazed at the familiar face, Mr. Yuanjing’s heart softened slightly.
“You might try trusting Liu Xi. From my observations, she isn’t a mindless killer. This child has a resilient character—”
Liu Zhao responded blankly, “My deceased mother’s letters contained similar hints. Naturally, I trust her, but she and my father, Liu Zhi, are not of the same kind. These two have their own agendas, and it’s obvious they wish for each other’s demise, yet when they meet, it’s all fatherly love and filial piety, making it impossible to spot any flaws. I’m puzzled—what plans do they each have?”
The foundation of trust is honesty.
His deceased mother, Gu Min, and the current Mr. Yuanjing both claimed Jiang Pengji was reliable, yet neither said anything concrete, leaving Liu Zhao feeling insecure.
He trusted Jiang Pengji but wasn’t willing to be fully open; he left himself some leeway.
“No matter what schemes they might have, could they involve the Young Master?”
Mr. Yuanjing tried to reason with him.
“My sister isn’t making any moves, but my father—” Liu Zhao clenched his teeth and said, “Months ago, my father intended to arrange a marriage for me with the daughter of a hunter. I got wind of it, and that hunter girl might be the true body housing my sister Liu Xi’s soul. If I married her, wouldn’t that go against morality? In a panic, I had to ask Aunt Die for help and fled Chongzhou overnight—thinking back, it seems all too strange. I investigated and found out there was no such hunter girl; my earlier deductions were all wrong. It was clearly a bait someone intentionally threw out! I inadvertently exposed my identity, and now my life is likely in danger.”
Liu Zhao’s hasty escape from Chongzhou wasn’t a rational choice; it actually revealed him even more.
Unfortunately, there’s no turning back once the bow is drawn. He had no choice but to seek Jiang Pengji’s protection on the front lines.
After saying all this, Liu Zhao rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
At such a young age, he bore burdens and responsibilities that weren’t his; it was no wonder his head hurt.
Mr. Yuanjing listened, somewhat astonished, and then began to ask Liu Zhao detailed questions about Liu Zhi, pausing thoughtfully without responding.
Liu Zhao, feeling uneasy, asked, “Mr., is there something wrong?”
“Well—there seems to be nothing wrong here.” Mr. Yuanjing regained his composure and waved his hand, “Some matters I cannot divulge to you yet. It’s not that I’m intentionally hiding things; it’s just that the more you know, the more dangerous it becomes. To put it mildly, your mother has left you as her only kin; it might be better to stay out of it or seek Liu Xi’s protection—for your own peace for the night? If she is aware from the afterlife, she would surely feel comforted—”
Though Liu Zhao was clever, his education had not kept up, and even with great talent, much was wasted.
If he had been more careful, he surely wouldn’t have fallen for Liu Zhi’s trick.
But now it was too late.
“But—” Liu Zhao hesitated, “What will happen to my father and sister if I stay out of this?”
When he mentioned “father” and “sister,” he referred to Liu Zhi and the true Liu Xi.
Due to Gu Min’s letters and his own deductions, Liu Zhao suspected Liu Zhi had been possessed, unaware of the deeper context.
After all, their whole family was extraordinary, and as the only normal one, Liu Zhao felt immense pressure; it was only natural he overlooked certain details.
“Your mother hoped to protect them while she was alive; I cannot go against her wishes,” Liu Zhao insisted.
Though he preferred a peaceful life, his character resembled Gu Min’s too much; he held an extraordinary attachment to his family.
Mr. Yuanjing replied, “You are truly stubborn; are you not afraid of death?”
Liu Zhao shivered, his rosy lips turning pale and dry.
“I-I’m not afraid!”
The Liu Zhao in front of him seemed to overlap with a girl from over a decade ago.
【Chun’an, whether you call me greedy or foolish, I want both the fish and the bear’s paw! This daughter is my lifeline; I can’t bear to part with her! But I also don’t want history to change because of me! I can’t be the sinner! I’m sure I can find a way to have it all—】
In the end, Gu Min paid for her “greed” with her life.
Betting everything changed nothing at all.
Mr. Yuanjing had never known how she died, but it certainly wasn’t as simple as illness.
All these years, he hadn’t suspected Liu Zhi, as after Gu Min’s death, he had gone far away to Hujun, surviving numerous life-threatening situations.
Looking back now—
It seemed everyone was lurking deeply.
Filled with disappointment, Liu Zhao left the Yuanjing residence, putting his hood back up to conceal his face as he quietly slipped out through the side gate.
He dared not light a lantern; getting discovered would be a disaster.
Just then—
As he rounded a corner, a tall, dark figure came into view, holding a long knife, sending a jolt of fear through him.
Jiang Pengji scoffed, a teasing smirk on her face, “Such a coward, yet you dare to sneak out at night?”
Hearing that familiar voice, Liu Zhao froze in his crouched position.
“Sister—”
Not only was he scared out of his wits, but he nearly forgot how to speak.
“Let’s go home. Though the city isn’t under curfew, it’s still unsafe for you to be out alone.”
With her left hand gripping the God of War knife and her right hand resting on her hip, she leaned slightly forward against the wall toward Liu Zhao.
“Uh? Uh!”
Liu Zhao trembled to his feet, his eyes darting to the God of War knife, fearing the blade would touch his neck in the next second.
Like a timid wife, he followed two steps behind her, occasionally glancing up at Jiang Pengji’s back.
“Um… Sister—I didn’t mean anything bad by looking for Mr. Yuanjing—”
Jiang Pengji snorted, “I know. If you dare to show the slightest hint of ambition, Mr. Yuanjing will definitely come looking for me.”
Though Mr. Yuanjing hadn’t made a clear stance, it was evident he was on Jiang Pengji’s side.
In this world, only Jiang Pengji could help Mr. Yuanjing realize his “path,” something Liu Zhao couldn’t do. If Liu Zhao truly had ambitions, he couldn’t offer anything more valuable than this, nor could he persuade Mr. Yuanjing to betray her without exposing himself.
Jiang Pengji was confident Liu Zhao wouldn’t do something so foolish.
“Sister.” Remembering Mr. Yuanjing’s and his deceased mother Gu Min’s words, Liu Zhao took a deep breath and asked, “I want to ask you for something—”
Jiang Pengji smiled, “I refuse.”
“Uh?” Liu Zhao choked up, “Why? You haven’t even heard what I wanted yet.”
“I am easy to negotiate with, so long as it doesn’t touch my life, dignity, or principles; everything is up for discussion. Otherwise, there’s nothing to talk about.”
Liu Zhao fell silent, looking somewhat dispirited.
Jiang Pengji pressed her hand on his head, chuckling, “Why look so glum? Come on, give me a smile.”
Liu Zhao managed a smile that was more painful than a frown.
“Don’t overthink, maybe what you seek isn’t as terrible as you imagine?”
Jiang Pengji implied.
