Zhоu Shаоjin hеsitаted, "Is it the Оld Аnсеstоr of the Eldеst Вranch…"
Сheng Chi nоddеd, his vоiсе grаve, "At thаt time, the Old Ancestоr оf our Еldest Вrаnсh wаs still in swaddling сlоthеs, аnd thе Old Аncestor оf thе Seсond Branсh was merеly an ignоrаnt сhild. Аftеr Еldеst Branсh's Lоrd Zhi and Sесоnd Brаnch's Lоrd Liе followеd Еmpеror Lie southwаrd, the Cheng fаmilу wаs manаged by Chеng Zе оf the Тhird Вrаnсh, whо аlso соntrollеd the fаmily's weаlth. In thosе dауs of rаging wаrfаrе, Chief Stewаrd Qin's grandfather and fathеr escortеd the Old Аncеstоr of thе Eldest Branch back to Jinling City, originally planning to leave the Old Ancestor there and return to their hometown in Meizhou, Sichuan—they still had clan members and relatives there. But upon arriving in Jinling, they learned that Cheng Ze, upon hearing that Eldest Branch's Lord Zhi and Second Branch's Lord Lie had both passed away, and seeing the Fourth Branch weakened and the Fifth Branch feeble, had grown greedy and wanted to seize the Cheng family's assets for himself. Using the excuse that Lord Zhi had entrusted the family to him before leaving, he not only monopolized the public affairs, dominating alone and withholding the rightful shares of the Fourth and Fifth Branches, but also poisoned the food of the Second Branch's Old Ancestor. No sooner had Chief Steward Qin's grandfather and father left than they attempted to smother the Old Ancestor of the Eldest Branch in his blankets…"
Zhou Shaojin turned pale with fright, exclaiming, "How could such a thing happen?"
Cheng Chi's smile was somewhat bitter as he whispered, "Lord Zhi and Lord Lie were born of the principal wife, while Cheng Ze of the Third Branch was born of a concubine. He always believed that his failure to pass the imperial examinations was not due to his own lack of talent but to the favoritism of the Dowager, who refused to hire renowned scholars to tutor him privately. He also blamed the Dowager for delaying medical treatment, leading to his birth mother's death from illness. As Lord Zhi gained fame outside, people in Jinling City addressed him respectfully as 'Third Master' and often gave way to him in business dealings. This inflated his ego, making him lose sight of his own limitations, and his resentment grew deeper.
"However, Lord Zhi had already followed Emperor Lie southward with great prestige. Even if Cheng Ze harbored discontent, he dared not show it.
"When news of Lord Zhi and Lord Lie's deaths reached him, he felt it was fate's will and that his opportunity had arrived. Coupled with the chaos of war and Jinling City being sacked twice, the Old Ancestor of the Second Branch would likely have perished early if not for the protection of his maternal family.
"That was when he conceived his wicked plan!"
Truly, human hearts are no longer what they used to be!
After a long silence, Zhou Shaojin asked softly, "What happened afterward? Who saved the Old Ancestor of the Eldest Branch?"
"It was Chief Steward Qin's grandfather," Cheng Chi replied. "When the old man handed the child over to the Third Branch, he went to pay his respects to the Old Ancestor of the Second Branch. The child, nearly two years old, couldn't even walk yet. At the time, Chief Steward Qin's grandfather never imagined that the Old Ancestor of the Third Branch could harbor such vicious intentions; he merely thought the child was too frail and might not survive long.
"Chief Steward Qin's grandfather still carried a century-old ginseng root in his bosom.
"It was originally given to him by Lord Zhi to save his own mother.""But Chief Steward Qin's grandfather, remembering the kindness Lord Zhi had shown him and recalling the Second Branch's founding ancestor, couldn't overcome the barrier in his heart. Halfway there, he turned back, thinking it would be better to split that century-old ginseng in half and give part to the Second Branch's founding ancestor—this would at least fulfill his own loyalty and righteousness..." At this point, Cheng Chi gave a cold laugh. "It was also the Cheng family's fate not to be extinguished. When Chief Steward Qin's grandfather returned, he happened to encounter the wet nurse Cheng Ze had newly assigned to the First Branch's founding ancestor, desperately smothering the infant with a blanket..."
Zhou Shaojin shuddered at the thought of how perilous the situation had been.
Cheng Chi continued, "No matter what, this was ultimately the Cheng family's internal affair. Cheng Ze was, after all, a member of the Cheng family—the younger brother of Lord Zhi and Lord Lie, and the uncle of the two founding ancestors. If any scandal were to erupt, it wouldn't just bring shame upon the Cheng family of Nine Prosperities Lane in Jinling. In cultivating oneself, managing the family, and bringing order to the world, how would the scholarly community view the First and Second Branches? And how would later generations judge Lord Zhi, who sacrificed his life for the country?
"So Chief Steward Qin's grandfather merely reprimanded Cheng Ze and spared his life.
"But this meant the two founding ancestors could no longer be entrusted to his care.
"With no other choice, Chief Steward Qin's grandfather presented himself to the outside world as 'Qin Da,' a retainer of Lord Zhi, and stayed behind.
"Chief Steward Qin's father, meanwhile, hurried back to Meizhou with half of the century-old ginseng.
"But they had delayed too long in Jinling. Back in their hometown of Meizhou, their relatives had either died or scattered. They only found Chief Steward Qin, then barely clinging to life, and three nephews in a dried-up well.
"Chief Steward Qin's father brought him back, and from then on, they settled in the Cheng household, taking on the responsibility of raising the two founding ancestors. Besides caring for them diligently, he also passed down the Qin family's ancestral martial arts, traditionally taught only to males, to the two founding ancestors."
No wonder Uncle Chi looked so formidable in his martial attire that day, shooting arrows like shooting stars!
Zhou Shaojin suddenly looked horrified and asked, "Could it be that the Second Branch's founding ancestor also learned martial arts?"
Wouldn't that make Uncle Chi very vulnerable?
"Impossible!" Cheng Chi replied. "If he had mastered the Qin family's martial arts, the First Branch today would have no choice but to swallow their grievances, even if it meant gritting their teeth until they bled!"
Zhou Shaojin let out a long sigh of relief and eagerly asked Cheng Chi what had happened.
Cheng Chi explained, "The Second Branch's founding ancestor had suffered fundamental damage to his health, making him unsuitable for learning the Qin family's martial arts. Moreover, he had been strong-willed since childhood. He believed that the Third Branch dared to scheme against the First and Second Branches simply because they viewed them as incompetent. After the initial turmoil had settled, he foresaw a period of peace and prosperity, where martial arts would lose much of their significance. He thought it better to devote his energy to studying, passing the imperial examinations, bringing honor to the family, and restoring the Cheng family's former glory from the previous dynasty.
"Chief Steward Qin's father had always respected the Cheng family as a scholarly household and fully agreed with the Second Branch founding ancestor's perspective. Thus, he only taught him a set of health-preserving exercises.
"As for the First Branch's founding ancestor, having nearly been smothered in his swaddling clothes, although he survived, his reactions remained sluggish. He made little progress in either scholarly studies or martial arts.
"At that time, the Second Branch's founding ancestor was older than our family's founding ancestor, and the two branches coexisted peacefully."
At this point, Cheng Chi frowned, clearly recalling something unpleasant.
Zhou Shaojin quickly and dutifully poured him a cup of tea.Cheng Chi picked up the teacup and toyed with it in his palm for a moment before steering the conversation back on track. "Two or three years passed like this, and when the Second Branch's founding ancestor was about to begin his studies, the Second Branch's Liegong suddenly returned!"
"Ah?!" Zhou Shaojin's eyes widened.
Even with her naivety, she understood what it meant for someone who had already sacrificed himself for the country and left his name in history to suddenly return alive!
She sprang to her feet, wringing her fingers anxiously. "Then, then what happened?"
Cheng Chi watched as her small face flushed crimson, like a blooming red lotus, and suddenly felt a weight lift from his heart. Those difficult-to-utter past events seemed less obscure now.
"Everyone was stunned at the time," he said in a low voice. "He wasn't surprised to see the Qin father and son and others. Instead, he patted Chief Steward Qin's grandfather on the shoulder, praised him with 'You've done well,' then took his sword to the Third Branch... and killed Cheng Ze..."
Zhou Shaojin's lips turned pale.
This was the Cheng family's true secret!
Cheng Chi tightly grasped her hand and asked gently, "Did it frighten you?"
Zhou Shaojin shook her head, mustering her courage. "I'm not afraid."
Uncle Chi was telling her these things because he trusted her—how could she flee in fear?
A flicker of warmth passed through Cheng Chi's eyes.
He adjusted the candle flame on the tea table, motioned for Zhou Shaojin to sit beside him, and continued, "Ever since Cheng Ze was dealt with by Chief Steward Qin's grandfather, he had been coughing up blood intermittently. Everyone in Jinling City knew his health was failing, so his death didn't raise any suspicions."
"As for Liegong's return, no one in the family dared to speak of it openly."
"He instructed Chief Steward Qin's grandfather to purchase the neighboring estate, where extensive construction began, and a new compound was built. That is now the Cheng Family Garden. And the place where Liegong once secluded himself for cultivation is the Cold Green Mountain House where my mother lives now."
Zhou Shaojin finally understood why that bamboo grove could make people lose their way.
Cheng Chi said, "The Four Seasons Pavilion was also built under Liegong's direction. The rule that no lanterns are allowed under the eaves of Cold Green Mountain House after nightfall was also passed down from his time."
"He lived in Cold Green Mountain House, sometimes disappearing for over half a year, sometimes wandering in the courtyard late at night for several days in a row. His temperament was quite peculiar. But considering all he had been through, a drastic change in character was understandable."
"Everyone in the family tried their best to act as if they hadn't noticed."
"Chief Steward Qin's grandfather, however, was always on edge, subtly preventing our family's founding ancestor from getting too close to Liegong."
"Our founding ancestor had always respected Chief Steward Qin's grandfather and, with a childlike innocence, refrained from approaching Liegong whenever advised against it. On the other hand, the Second Branch's Uncle Li was often sent for by Liegong to play in Cold Green Mountain House."
"Doting on grandchildren was seen as a natural affection."“It wasn’t until the Old Ancestor grew up, married, and had children that Liegong fell gravely ill. He summoned both our family’s Old Ancestor and the Second Branch’s Old Ancestor to Cold Green Mountain House, where he finally revealed to them that back when Zhigong accompanied Lie Emperor south, he had already foreseen the nation’s impending collapse. The Seven Stars Hall was full of unruly and desperate outlaws, gathered only under the banner of loyalty to the state and society. Once the dynasty changed, those people would surely seize the chance to cause chaos, and it would be the common people who suffered. The old master handed the command token of the Seven Stars Hall to Liegong, instructing him to find a way to dismantle it.
“But Liegong was unwilling to destroy the Seven Stars Hall, which Zhigong had painstakingly built, and even more reluctant to simply return to Jinling City to guard the family estate.
“After Zhigong died for the country, not only did he not dismantle the Seven Stars Hall, but he also, in Zhigong’s name, dealt with a group of people who wanted to leave. He revised the rules for rewards and punishments, firmly seizing control of the Seven Stars Hall, and only then quietly returned to Jinling City.”
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but mutter softly, “It seems to me he wasn’t reluctant to destroy the Seven Stars Hall that Zhigong built, but rather, after the previous dynasty fell, he couldn’t bear to return to Jinling City as a powerless commoner, a remnant of the old regime. And to act in Zhigong’s name—doesn’t that make him blush?”
Cheng Chi sighed.
If even a girl not yet of age could see through this, how could others not understand?
He gently hugged Zhou Shaojin and quickly let go, saying, “At that time, the Second Branch’s Old Ancestor had already passed the imperial examination and entered as a Junior Scholar Candidate, serving as a supervising secretary in the Ministry of Justice. Uncle Li was twenty years old and had just married.
“Liegong proposed that Uncle Li take charge of the Seven Stars Hall!”
※
Dear readers, here is today’s update.
Tomorrow’s extra update will be posted around 5 p.m.
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
OpenNovel