Even Hua Rongjian himself couldn’t clearly say whether he had any ulterior motives. If it was to gain strength and take revenge on Chu Dingjiang, then how should he account for all the privileges he had enjoyed in the Hua Clan over the years? His father had undoubtedly treated him as the legitimate heir, regardless of whether his stepmother was aware of the truth or kept in the dark. Recalling every detail of their interactions, Hua Rongjian couldn’t deny that her care for him had been genuine.
To give up everything good in his life now for the sake of a concubine would be an utterly unwise choice. Yet, after all, she was his birth mother. To simply pretend this matter didn’t exist—his conscience wouldn’t allow it.
Because Chu Dingjiang understood Hua Rongjian’s feelings, he couldn’t give An Jiu a precise answer. He only said, “As long as there’s shared interest, even enemies can become allies.”
An Jiu asked, “What if he wants revenge on you?”
So that was her concern! Chu Dingjiang smiled and countered, “If he seeks revenge on me, how do you plan to respond?”
An Jiu’s usually expressionless face slowly scrunched into a frown.
“I won’t let you face that day.” Chu Dingjiang patted her head. “Go find Wu Lingyuan.”
He knew An Jiu didn’t have many friends. Though she often mocked others with sharp words, acting as if she looked down on everyone, in truth, she deeply cherished those close to her. If Hua Rongjian really did seek revenge against Chu Dingjiang, even if she was certain she would stand by Chu’s side, she wouldn’t be able to bring herself to harm Hua Rongjian.
“What do you mean?” An Jiu pressed, uneasy. “Whether he seeks revenge or not isn’t something you can control.”
“Do I look like someone who’s easy to kill?” Chu Dingjiang fiddled with the narcissus he had been tending. “Go quickly and come back soon.”
“Fine, I’ll return later.” An Jiu waved the Human-faced Pendant in her hand, signaling that she had to deal with the Bounty Board that night.
“Mm.” Chu Dingjiang appeared entirely at ease, draping an extra fur coat over her before folding his arms and standing under the corridor to watch her leave.
Only when her figure had completely vanished did Chu Dingjiang return inside, sitting cross-legged on the low couch to stroke the tiger’s fur.
Da Jiu, ever the sycophant, eagerly shuffled over and gently rested his massive head on Chu Dingjiang’s knee, closing his eyes in an exaggerated display of bliss. In his mind, this man was the ultimate meal ticket—he had to cling to him tightly!
“Hmm…” After a moment of contemplation, Chu Dingjiang suddenly stood and went to the screen to retrieve his black Mantle.
He rose too abruptly, his knee slamming into Da Jiu’s chin, leaving the tiger momentarily dazed.
“Let’s go.” Chu Dingjiang was already fully cloaked. He bent down and patted Da Jiu’s head.
An Jiu had gone far, beyond Chu Dingjiang’s ability to track, but no matter where she was, Da Jiu could always pinpoint her exact location.
Uncle Chu was conflicted. He felt he had already become an unambitious man. He couldn’t possibly stick to An Jiu like a plaster, never leaving her side for a moment. Yet after much deliberation, he still couldn’t shake his worry about her going out alone. There shouldn’t be any harm in secretly following her, right?
Dragging along the befuddled Da Jiu, the man and tiger slipped off the island in pursuit.
An Jiu didn’t know Wu Lingyuan’s residence, so she first went to the Hua residence to find Hua Rongjian.
Their abrupt departure by letter had left Hua Rongjian feeling down for quite some time. Seeing her return to seek him out, he suppressed his delight. Sipping wine in the warm pavilion, he remarked coolly, “At least you still have some conscience.”An Jiu automatically ignored the meaningless remark and sat down boldly, getting straight to the point. "I came mainly to ask about Wu Lingyuan’s residence."
"Wu Lingyuan?" Hua Rongjian snorted. "What do you want with him?"
An Jiu thought for a moment and decided to share her plan with him. After all, the person behind Wu Lingyuan was Hua Rongjian, and he would find out sooner or later. "I heard he’s been in trouble lately. I have a mutually beneficial proposal to discuss with him."
Hua Rongjian raised an eyebrow with interest. An Jiu wasn’t the scheming type, so this "mutually beneficial" idea was likely the brainchild of that crafty old fox Chu Dingjiang by her side. He’d have to be on guard. "Go ahead, let’s hear it."
An Jiu nodded. "You and Wu Lingyuan are birds of a feather, so telling you is fine too."
Hua Rongjian’s face darkened. "That’s not how you use that phrase! He’s my good friend!"
"Close enough. As a man, don’t nitpick over small details—it’s unbecoming." An Jiu offered this sincere advice before cutting off any rebuttal and continuing, "Have him request a transfer to Hejian Prefecture. I’ll take some people to protect him. In return, once he’s in office, he’ll allocate some Garrison Soldier quotas."
Hua Rongjian’s expression turned serious. "You want to build an army? Is this your idea or Chu Dingjiang’s?"
"He’s already planning to retire at home. Of course, it’s my idea," An Jiu said.
"Retire?" Hua Rongjian scoffed. "He’s in his twenties—what kind of retirement is that? Only you’d believe that!"
As he spoke, he conveniently forgot his earlier mental label for Chu Dingjiang as "that crafty old fox."
An Jiu frowned. "Would it kill you to think more positively? He’s at home playing with birds and walking tigers—he has no mind for these matters!"
"Pfft!" Hua Rongjian burst out laughing. "Playing with birds?"
"Let’s get back to business," An Jiu said sternly.
"Fine, fine! Business it is!" For some inexplicable reason, hearing about Chu Dingjiang playing with birds lifted Hua Rongjian’s mood. "I’ve thought about it, and it’s actually a good plan. Come on, I’ll take you to see him!"
Jokes aside, Hua Rongjian didn’t slack when it came to serious matters. He immediately ordered a carriage prepared.
The carriage stopped directly at the inner gate. Hua Rongjian climbed in first and reached out a hand to help An Jiu up.
An Jiu looked up at his handsome profile, his smile as dazzling as sunlight yet as chilly as early spring. She no longer yearned for this version of Hua Rongjian. "I can manage."
"Alright." He withdrew his hand and entered the carriage without a trace of embarrassment.
They had ridden together several times before. "I always feel a bit uneasy sharing a carriage with you."
An Jiu looked at him questioningly.
"You don’t remember? Our fights were downright brutal!" Hua Rongjian felt nostalgic recalling those days.
"Hmph." An Jiu took the opportunity to educate him on proper perspective. "You’re a fourth-rank martial arts master brawling with a woman who has no Inner Force—what exactly is there to feel uneasy about? Your mind’s been warped lately. Don’t doubt me—I have experience in this area."
Hua Rongjian was left speechless for a long moment.
"Also, Chu Dingjiang isn’t as bad as you think. How much do you actually know about what happened back then?" An Jiu asked.
Hua Rongjian’s expression cooled. "He killed someone. What more is there to know?""As far as I know, back then he only went to discuss your future with your birth mother, and she chose to pave a bright path for you," An Jiu said.
After all, it had been over a decade, and very few clues remained. Hua Rongjian had spent considerable effort uncovering even the slightest detail, so this was naturally the first time he had heard of it. "So she... chose to take her own life?" (To be continued...)
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