The study was enveloped in silence. Mu Qingyan didn’t press for answers but continued on his own, “The first time I entered my grandmother Madam Ouyang’s nursery, I found it odd. The beams were embedded with many hooks for hanging cradles—by the window, beside the bed, near the table… all in different positions. These hooks were arranged in sets of four, yet no matter the location, there were always eight hooks in a row on the ceiling—meaning there must have been two cradles.”
Unable to withstand the icy gaze, Yan Xu turned to Cheng Bo for help. Seeing Cheng Bo standing motionless with his head lowered, he had no choice but to speak first. “Young Master, your guess is correct. This isn’t some secret—many of the older generation knew…”
“There aren’t many of the older generation left in the sect now,” Mu Qingyan remarked coolly.
Yan Xu nervously tugged at his beard, nearly pulling out a few strands. “It was the former sect master—uh, Nie Hengcheng—who forbade any mention of the Second Young Master. It wasn’t my intention to hide it from you.”
“The Mu family has no taboo against twins. Why did Nie Hengcheng forbid mentioning him?” Mu Qingyan found it strange.
“All because of your grandmother, Madam Ouyang!” The mere mention of her made Yan Xu furious. In his agitation, he yanked out several strands of his beard. Staring at the broken hairs in his palm, the old man winced in pain. “The Second Young Master was named Mu Yang, born half an hour after the Eldest Young Master. At their full-month celebration, all the elders of the sect attended the banquet… Well, of those who were present back then, only this old man and that old tortoise Lu Fengchun remain. Ah, in short, marrying the wrong wife brings misfortune to the family!”
“Cut the nonsense. Get to the point,” Mu Qingyan said impatiently.
Yan Xu had no choice but to get straight to the matter. “Back then, your grandfather, the old sect master, merely wanted to take a second wife. What’s wrong with a man having multiple wives and concubines? But Madam Ouyang refused to relent. Even after the old sect master withdrew his decision, she still insisted on a divorce and demanded to take both sons with her. How could that be allowed? She could leave if she wished, but the Eldest and Second Young Masters were descendants of the Mu family. Even if the old sect master agreed, Elder Chou wouldn’t have!”
“But then Madam Ouyang pressed a blade to her own throat, threatening to kill herself if they refused. Sigh, out of lingering affection, the old sect master compromised and let her take the Second Young Master.”
Mu Qingyan scoffed. “Foolish sentimentality. Utterly senseless.”
“Well said, Young Master!” Yan Xu clapped in admiration, greatly impressed. “Though it’s improper to criticize the old sect master’s actions, this matter was truly mishandled. Giving in to a woman’s tantrums over trivial matters is one thing, but how could he yield when it came to the family’s heirs? Young Master, you must stand firm—don’t let a woman lead you by the nose…”
“Enough digressions. Continue,” Mu Qingyan’s expression darkened.
Yan Xu smacked his lips and went on, “At first, everyone thought Madam Ouyang’s martial arts were mediocre, and she knew nothing about managing affairs. They assumed she wouldn’t last long in hardship and would return soon. Who knew she’d be so stubborn and extreme, hiding in the countryside for three years! By the time the old sect master found her, she was already gravely ill, barely clinging to life.”
“What about Mu Yang?” Mu Qingyan pressed.
“Dead.”
“Dead?” Mu Qingyan was startled.
Yan Xu sighed. “To persuade Madam Ouyang to return, the old sect master brought Nie Hengcheng and us Seven Stars Elders along. After repeated pleas and questions, she claimed that not long after leaving the Vast Sea Mountains, the Second Young Master had contracted an illness and passed away. We dug up a small coffin from under an old crooked tree in the backyard, and sure enough, it held the body of a child.”
Mu Qingyan slammed the table in anger. “If she couldn’t even take care of the child, why insist on taking him away in the first place!”"The Master doesn't know, but Lady Ouyang did that deliberately." Yan Xu's voice was full of indignant blame. "She resented the old master for his unfaithfulness and wanted to punish him severely, making him suffer the pain of losing a child! If Elder Chou hadn't firmly opposed it, even the eldest young master might not have escaped an early death. Hmph, such a woman is truly... truly..."
He didn't finish, but the words left unsaid were likely unpleasant.
"Before Lady Ouyang passed away, she screamed hysterically at the old master, saying the child's tragic death was all because of his heartless betrayal. Alas, the old master was already frail, and after such a heavy blow, he fell ill upon returning and never recovered."
Yan Xu continued sighing, but Mu Qingyan pressed on sharply: "Did Mu Yang really die?"
"He was supposed to have died." Yan Xu wrinkled his aged face. "But over twenty years ago... hmm, I remember it was the month after the eldest young master's fifteenth birthday, a youth who looked exactly like the eldest young master barged into Paradise Palace, claiming to be Mu Yang. According to him, Ouyang Xue ultimately couldn't bear to let her own child die of illness, so she abandoned him near the Hanhai Mountains with a hunter's family and buried another child's body in the backyard instead."
Mu Qingyan raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"The eldest young master was naturally overjoyed, and Nie Hengcheng reluctantly allowed the youth to stay." Yan Xu continued, "But little over a month later, Nie Hengcheng suddenly summoned all Seven Stars Elders and publicly declared the youth an impostor."
"Nie Hengcheng brought forward the hunter's aunts, uncles, and neighbors. They all testified the youth was the hunter couple's biological son, who had merely seen the eldest young master's appearance while doing odd jobs in a mountain village and heard about Lady Ouyang's past, thus hatching this scheme. To climb the social ladder, he even burned his own parents to death."
"The eldest young master and Elder Chou were both skeptical, given the youth's uncanny resemblance. Nie Hengcheng then had Zhao Tianba bring forth five or six other youths of similar age, all bearing some likeness to the eldest young master. Nie Hengcheng said these were just from the Hanhai Mountains area—if they searched the entire world, they might find even closer matches. Similar appearances aren't rare; even identical ones aren't unheard of, so looks alone shouldn't determine kinship."
Mu Qingyan remarked coolly, "Nie Hengcheng leaves no loopholes."
Yan Xu shook his head and sighed: "The youth panicked and frantically recounted many childhood incidents involving the eldest young master. Nie Hengcheng then claimed this proved he must be a spy sent by the Big Dipper Six Sects to sow discord within our ranks."
"At this point, no one dared assert the youth's authenticity. After all, Lady Ouyang had sworn the second young master died—we even exhumed and reburied the body in the Mu family tomb. Even Elder Chou couldn't insist, lest the youth be fake and we all bear guilt for polluting the Mu bloodline."
"Nie Hengcheng insisted on executing the youth as a warning against future impostors. But the eldest young master refused, and Elder Chou argued that if there was any chance he was genuine, they'd be killing the old master's flesh and blood. Eventually they compromised: the eldest young master took custody of the youth while Nie Hengcheng dropped the execution demand, though he had a white-hot iris-shaped brand pressed against the youth's..."Yan Xu pointed to the left side of his own neck. "A crimson brand was seared there to distinguish him from the Eldest Young Master, preventing that youth from causing trouble again."
Mu Qingyan scoffed, "Why not brand his face instead? That would make it even clearer."
"Nie Hengcheng initially wanted to brand the youth's face, but the Eldest Young Master absolutely refused," Yan Xu said with a bitter expression. "After that, this old man never heard of the youth's whereabouts again. Presumably, the Eldest Young Master arranged for him to be properly settled somewhere. Nie Hengcheng then forbade anyone from mentioning the impostor youth again..."
The old man scratched his head. "But whether it's mentioned or not hardly matters now. Those who knew of this back then are mostly dead, and those still alive have largely forgotten—compared to the earth-shattering events that followed, this impostor youth wasn't such a big deal."
That was the truth. Before yesterday, Mu Qingyan wouldn't have considered someone impersonating a Mu family member over twenty years ago to be significant.
"This subordinate only knows this much," Yan Xu said in a hushed voice, his forehead creased with wrinkles. "Why does the Master suddenly ask about this? Has something happened outside?"
Mu Qingyan replied, "There's someone outside claiming to be this lord's uncle, leaving a mountain of gold for me."
"Really?!" Yan Xu's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Fake," Mu Qingyan said coldly. "Thirteen, dig out two jars of aged liquor from the cellar for Elder Yan and see him out."
Yan Xu sheepishly stroked his sparse beard and quickly scurried away.
Only Mu Qingyan and Cheng Bo remained in the study.
Mu Qingyan leaned back in his armchair, his expression indifferent. "Cheng Bo, it's your turn to speak."
Cheng Bo bit his lip and finally sighed. "This old servant pays no heed to what that Nie scoundrel ordered, but the words left by the Young Master (Mu Ming) cannot be ignored."
"Cheng Bo should know I wouldn't press you like this unless it were important."
Cheng Bo had no choice but to speak, his words slow and deliberate. "As Elder Yan said, after Nie branded the youth with the mark, the Young Master took him away..."
He glanced around. "He was settled here in the Huanglao Peak's Buzhai. Over the next few years, the youth remained quiet, usually practicing martial arts by the mountain streams or reading in the Nine Provinces Treasure Scroll Pavilion..."
Mu Qingyan's brow furrowed. "Father allowed him into the Nine Provinces Treasure Scroll Pavilion? Could he really be my uncle?"
"Yes, it was Young Master Yang," Cheng Bo said. "Though there was no definitive proof, the Young Master said he felt an inexplicable closeness to the youth upon meeting him. The youth also recounted many old stories that only the two brothers would know."
"Then why didn't Father publicly declare Uncle's identity?" Mu Qingyan pressed.
"To protect Young Master Yang's life," Cheng Bo sighed.
Mu Qingyan raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Cheng Bo said weakly, "Can't the Young Master see? At the time, Elder Chou was half-convinced, but Nie Hengcheng would never allow Young Master Yang's identity to be confirmed, whether it was true or false."
He continued, "Why was Nie Hengcheng able to sit so securely in the Master's seat? Because the Young Master had no intention of competing for it. But Young Master Yang was different. During his first month in Paradise Palace, Nie Hengcheng had people secretly observe his every word and action... To put it plainly, if Young Master Yang's identity had been confirmed, the moment the Young Master stepped down to wander the world, he could have rallied all forces under the Mu family's sole legitimate heir to challenge Nie Hengcheng's authority."
Mu Qingyan asked, "So Mu Yang was an ambitious man?""Yes. Stubborn, unyielding, profound, as if his very soul was ablaze." Cheng Bo recalled the first time he saw him—a youth covered in wounds, like a searing flame, his tattered clothes unable to conceal his striking beauty.
Mu Qingyan murmured softly, "Someone like that—Nie Hengcheng indeed couldn’t afford to ignore him. Especially with one growing older and the other still young. The balance of power shifts, and who knows what the future holds?"
Cheng Bo said, "The young master said that having grown up by Nie Hengcheng’s side, he understood him better than anyone. At that time, Nie Hengcheng had already made up his mind—even if it meant using force, he would eliminate anyone who posed a threat to his position. Besides, the Nie Clan’s influence was vast. Open attacks are easy to dodge, but hidden arrows are hard to guard against. Once the deed was done, they could simply claim to the outside world that they had executed an imposter spy sent by the Big Dipper Six Sects. So the young master had no choice but to secretly make a deal with Nie—he wouldn’t insist on reclaiming Young Master Yang’s identity, and in return, Nie Hengcheng wouldn’t kill him."
Mu Qingyan turned his face slightly, lost in thought for a moment before speaking leisurely, "Did Uncle ever blame Father for not insisting on acknowledging his identity?"
"No, Young Master Yang understood that Nie Hengcheng was determined to kill him, and he accepted the young master’s decision. But..." Cheng Bo hesitated, "Looking back now, Young Master Yang still harbored resentment. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have harmed the young master later."
"What? He hurt Father?!" Mu Qingyan instantly tensed up.
Cheng Bo explained, "It was shortly after you were born. Young Master Yang suddenly returned from outside—truth be told, he often slipped away in those years."
Mu Qingyan was stunned. "So it was that time! It wasn’t Nie Hengcheng’s doing after all—it was him! Hmph! Father took him in out of kindness, and this is how he repays him—with treachery!"
"No, no! Young Master Yang didn’t mean to harm the young master. He wanted to take you away!" Cheng Bo blurted out.
Mu Qingyan froze, then a wave of indescribable dread washed over him, like cold, damp moss creeping up his heart. "Could it be... am I... his...?"
"No, no!" Cheng Bo guessed his thoughts and nearly laughed in exasperation. "Lady Ruoshui grew close to the young master, and by the time her belly swelled, over a year had passed. Young Master Yang wasn’t even in the Hanhai Mountains during that time—who knows where he was wandering? When he returned, Lady Ruoshui was already heavily pregnant. You, young master, are undoubtedly the young lord’s flesh and blood!"
Mu Qingyan, who had stiffened in alarm, finally relaxed. "Cheng Bo, next time, say everything in one go."
Cheng Bo flushed slightly and lowered his voice. "As for why Young Master Yang tried to take you, this old servant doesn’t know. The two brothers were talking peacefully in the room, but somehow, they started arguing. When I rushed into the courtyard, I saw your wet nurse and maids either injured or dead. Young Master Yang kept lunging for the swaddled bundle on the ground, forcing the young master to strike back fiercely, driving him all the way out of Paradise Palace. I chased after them but couldn’t catch up."
Mu Qingyan asked with difficulty, "So Father didn’t leave to recuperate from injuries—he left to pursue Mu Yang?"
"Yes." Cheng Bo sighed. "I suspect the young master chased Young Master Yang far away and was too severely injured to return immediately. Young Master Yang must have been wounded too—otherwise, given his relentless nature, why wouldn’t he have come back for you?"
Mu Qingyan trembled and slumped into his seat, his heart a turmoil of emotions.
"That was the last time I saw Young Master Yang. After that, we never heard from him again." Cheng Bo sighed. "Until a few years later, when the young master brought you back to live in Buzhai. One night, Great Hero Chang came to visit with a frail young woman."Mu Qingyan tensed up again. "Was it the night I had a fever? Who was that woman?"
Cheng Bo confirmed it was indeed that night and added, "How would this old servant know her? After serving tea, I left. Just before stepping out, I heard the woman say to the young master, 'I’ve long heard of you, but never imagined we’d meet only today.'"
Mu Qingyan stared at Cheng Bo’s face. "So, that night was the first time that woman and Father met?"
Cheng Bo again confirmed it and continued, "They talked late into the night. It was nearly dawn when Great Hero Chang and that woman left. I asked the young master afterward, and he said the woman had come to return the late Young Master Mu Yang’s belongings."
"Mu Yang is truly gone?"
Cheng Bo only said, "The young master confirmed it. After that, he forbade me from ever mentioning Young Master Mu Yang again."
Mu Qingyan’s emotions surged. After a long silence, he murmured, "...I thought that woman came for Father, but it turns out she was connected to Mu Yang." He had already guessed who the woman was.
"If only the young master had met that woman earlier," Cheng Bo sighed, his tone full of regret.
Mu Qingyan tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
Cheng Bo hesitated before sighing again. "I’ve served the young master for decades. He’s always been indifferent by nature, never overly passionate about people or things... This old servant has never seen him look at anyone the way he looked at her that night, nor have I ever seen him so unreservedly happy."
He lifted his head in recollection. "Later, I went in a few more times to replenish the tea and fruits. The woman’s appearance was merely delicate, but her eyes were extraordinary. To this day, the only eyes I’ve seen that could compare are Zhao Zhao’s."
"As I listened to the young master and that woman chat freely about all manner of things, I found her remarkably unrestrained. Even though she was gravely ill, her words were bright and fearless. I couldn’t help but think—the young master is indifferent to fame and fortune, and she was so free-spirited. They would have been a perfect match. What a pity... Ah, why couldn’t they have met sooner?"
Mu Qingyan sat motionless, as if carved from stone. At last, he understood why he had felt an inexplicable familiarity when he first saw Cai Zhao in the Plum Grove Valley, and why he so adored the way she looked at him with that playful glint in her eyes.
The feverish five-year-old boy had crawled over in a daze, peering through the lattice screen. He couldn’t make out the visitor’s face, but he remembered those dazzling, carefree eyes—and the sound of his father’s laughter.
"Did that woman ever come again?" he heard himself ask hoarsely.
Cheng Bo sighed. "I secretly asked the young master once. He said her injuries and illness were so severe she could barely leave her bed, and that visit had already been a great risk. I urged him to go see her, but he sighed and said, 'She was once an eagle soaring the skies, yet now she’s confined to a sickbed. How could I face her?' After that, he forbade me from mentioning her again."
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