"I'm happy." Zeng Xian's face was alight with joy, his spirited demeanor a stark contrast to moments before. "I'm happy. I want to see him slaughter all loyal ministers and destabilize the realm, watch him ruin this splendid empire, witness his worthless sons invite wolves into the house and tear each other apart. I'm happy—I've dreamed of this day."
"But you still stopped."
"I did not!" Zeng Xian roared. "I did everything I could! I poisoned Wu Yong, united those brutes, successfully planted our people in key positions, secured terms with tribes beyond the frontier—yet Hua Yizheng effortlessly uprooted every one of our agents. And Wu Yong... it was you who cured his poison, wasn't it? You came with Hua Zhi before the New Year. No one else could have saved him but you."
"It was me." Gu Yanxi stated calmly once more. "You still stopped."
"I did not!" Zeng Xian refused to admit it, a gray pallor gradually spreading across his cheeks as if his vitality had drained away in an instant. He looked toward his son, his hand lifting halfway before pausing and settling on the armrest of his wheelchair.
"Every official in the Ministry of Revenue is corrupt—they have to be. Those who aren't are ostracized, not treated as one of their own. So I was corrupt too. But that silver—I didn't embezzle it. Everyone high and low knew it wasn't me, yet they all accused me. Within two days, I was convicted, sentenced to confiscation and exile—given no chance to see anyone. Outside the city gates, I saw my pregnant wife tied up waiting for me."
Zeng Xian laughed like he was crying. "She was exactly three months along. After a previous miscarriage, we followed our hometown custom of not speaking of it before three months. We'd barely passed that mark, even prepared red eggs... only to face utter ruin. On the road, I begged those men to report upward and spare my wife. Do you know what they said? They said their superiors knew—they intended to eradicate us root and branch. Hah! They meant it!"
He threw his head back in wild laughter, which broke into rasping coughs halfway. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Zeng Han watched, then reached out to touch it, staring blankly at the crimson on his fingertip.
"You think that was the end? No. They had orders to eliminate the child. How? They violated my wife—right before my eyes, they violated her! Hah! But my son was tenacious—he wouldn't be lost. To preserve my lineage, my wife secretly bled herself, making them think she'd miscarried. They left her alone only because they deemed her unclean. That's how Han'er survived. Still, they wouldn't let us be. Nearing our destination, they abandoned me outdoors. My legs froze until they rotted—they thought I'd die. But I didn't. My wife died. She died after giving birth to Han'er. She'd long resolved to die—only clung to life long enough to bear him. Hah! She died. She died!"
Zeng Xian's laughter turned hoarse, tears streaming down his face—all his pain and despair flowing in those tears.
"I always believed Han'er had no chance at life. I'd long decided to take him with me when I died—to spare him this vile world. But that day... Hua Zhi told Han'er to grow up well. She told him to grow up well..."Zeng Xian laughed heartily, bending forward and backward. "I never imagined Han'er could grow up well. With no father or mother, how could he possibly grow up well?"
So, was it because of Zhi Er's words 'grow up well' that saved them? Hua Yizheng didn't know whether to lament Zeng Xian's suffering or rejoice in the Hua family's fortune—grateful that the Hua family had escaped disaster, and even more grateful that he had such a granddaughter.
"Regardless, the Hua family..."
"No need." Zeng Xian decisively cut him off. Blood continuously trickled from the corner of his mouth, yet he seemed completely unaware, feeling no pain at all. "The one who owes me is Hua Zhi."
Hua Pingyu immediately objected, "We will take responsibility..."
"It's Hua Zhi! It has nothing to do with the rest of the Hua family. Therefore, Hua Zhi is responsible for ensuring my son grows up well."
Gu Yanxi was about to refute when he felt movement in the hand he was holding. He quickly looked down and, sure enough, A Zhi had opened her eyes.
Gu Yanxi no longer cared about anyone else. Leaning over the bedside, he asked softly, "You're awake? Are you uncomfortable? Does anything hurt?"
Hua Zhi was actually feeling sore all over, her entire body numb with pain. But in her dazed state, she had caught a few words. No matter how many wrongs Zeng Xian had committed before, the fact remained that he had sent his son to warn her, allowing the Hua family to avoid disaster. If this debt had to fall on her, she would bear it without complaint.
Unable to speak, she moved her fingers slightly, gently hooking them around Yanxi's.
Gu Yanxi sighed inwardly. He shouldn't have allowed Zeng Xian to come here just because he couldn't bear to leave A Zhi's side for even a moment.
Taking the water handed to him by Hua Pingyu, he half-lifted her and leaned her against himself to help her drink a little. Seeing her grow drowsy again, he said gently, "Sleep. I'm here."
Hua Zhi blinked again, a faint smile clearly appearing on her face.
Gu Yanxi's heart softened with a mix of emotions, wishing he could fulfill her every desire. Turning to Zeng Xian, who was clinging to his last breath, he said, "A Zhi has agreed. She will ensure your son grows up well."
Zeng Xian's vision was already blurred, and his ears were ringing, but he still heard these words. He had vaguely guessed this man's identity. If it was him, he should be able to make that person pay the price. Good. Hadn't he collaborated with him precisely to ensure his utter ruin?
They thought he didn't know whose pocket the last sum of silver had ended up in. But he knew.
Zeng Xian strained to open his eyes, wanting to see his son one last time, but all he could make out was a blurry image. The child resembled his mother—he didn't need to see to remember what he looked like.
Trembling, he reached out his hand, but halfway, it was caught by a pair of small, cold hands. As if knowing what he wanted to do, the hands guided his to the child's head, then down along the cheek. After that, his hand lost all strength and slipped downward.
The child paused for a moment, then grabbed his father's hand and pressed it against his own face. After a short while, it slipped down again. He picked it up once more, repeating this several times.
Some could no longer bear to watch and turned away. Even Wu Yong, who had been furious earlier, sighed quietly to himself, letting go of the past. Those matters, after all, had nothing to do with the child.
He crouched down and said to the child, "Your father..."
"I know. He's dead." Zeng Han opened his large eyes, which held no innocence or any emotion. "Dead means gone. I know where to bury Father."Wu Yong paused for a moment before asking slowly, "Did your father give any instructions?"
Zeng Han nodded and pointed at Hua Zhi, saying, "After burying him, I'm to follow her."
Wu Yong suddenly felt that Zeng Xian had made a wise decision. This child had experienced too much of the world's hardships at such a young age. Without proper guidance, he might grow up to become a menace to society. But if he followed Hua Zhi, she would never allow the only son of Zeng Xian—who had shown her kindness—to turn out that way.
PS: Crying uncontrollably. Why does writing about a minor character make me cry? There's still one more chapter to come.
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