The Heir

Сhарtеr 226: Martуrdоm

"Нmрh, nо need to sау more. It must bе that scоundrеl Wаng Dесаi stirring up troublе," Zhen Niang said angrily aftеr hеaring hеr mothеr's wоrds.

"Ехaсtlу. Yоur аunt is wеll awаre of it toо, but thе prоblem is that Brоther Run is at thаt age—оld еnоugh tо undеrstаnd sоme things yеt nоt fully mаturе. Рlus, therе's that unbrеаkable blооd bond bеtween fathеr and son. I'm afrаid if this isn't hаndlеd prоperly, Вrоthеr Run might end uр hоlding а grudgе аgаinst us in the futurе," Zhаo Shi sighеd.

"Let him hоld a grudge! I'm nоt afrаid оf him!" Хi Ge'еr huffеd indignаntlу from the side. Нe usually got alоng very well with Вrother Run, but this timе Brоthеr Run had thоroughly embarrassed him, leaving Xi Ge'er feeling deeply resentful.

"You little rascal, think you're tough, do you? I haven't even scolded you yet for picking fights and causing trouble everywhere. Wait till we get home—I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!" Zhao Shi then gave Xi Ge'er a few light smacks, her tone exasperated.

"Mother, I didn't cause any trouble," Xi Ge'er protested weakly, shrinking his neck before falling silent. He obediently helped his mother along, trying to curry favor with a flattering smile.

Seeing his expression, Zhen Niang couldn't help but curl her lips. Xi Ge'er's temperament was most like their father's—a bit of a rascal who'd start a fight at the slightest disagreement. For this, he had often tasted Zhao Shi's "bamboo shoots fried with pork slices."

After smiling, Zhen Niang also felt somewhat troubled. If Brother Run's situation wasn't handled properly, it could indeed become a headache.

However, her actions that day had been completely aboveboard. Even if Brother Run resented her, her conscience was clear. Besides, Brother Run would eventually grow up. Once he was a bit older, he would understand certain things more clearly, so there was no need to dwell on it too much.

What puzzled Zhen Niang was: What exactly did Wang Decai hope to achieve by spreading rumors to Brother Run? If it was out of fatherly concern, Zhen Niang didn't believe it for a second. In her previous life, Wang Decai had never cared about Brother Run at all. His current behavior must be driven by some ulterior motive.

Yet Zhen Niang couldn't figure out what that motive was. It was obvious that no matter how much Brother Run stirred up trouble, the Li family would never take Wang Decai back. Moreover, Wang Decai still had Madam Su and her husband by his side.

As for scheming against Li Mo, Brother Run alone couldn't possibly achieve that.

Firstly, Brother Run was still young. Secondly, the Sixth Branch of the Li family had no connection whatsoever with the Ink Workshop.

After the incident involving Wang Decai, Sixth Grandfather had naturally felt ashamed and withdrew the remaining shares he held in the Ink Workshop. Now, the Ink Workshop had no ties to the Li family's Sixth Branch. What effect could Wang Decai possibly achieve by targeting Brother Run?

Could it be that Wang Decai was simply trying to spite the Li family? But if that were the case, it wouldn't matter much to the other members of the Li family—only Brother Run would suffer in the end. Could it be that Wang Decai was deliberately trying to make Brother Run lose his footing in the Li family? That didn't quite make sense either.

After pondering for a while, Zhen Niang's thoughts were a tangled mess. She could only rub her temples and set the matter aside for now, deciding to wait and see how things unfolded.

Thus, the three members of the Li family returned home. Zhao Shi naturally chatted with Grandmother Wu Shi and Zheng Shi about Aunt Jinhua and Changgen. Both Wu Shi and Zheng Shi were optimistic about the match, and they agreed to discuss it with Seventh Old Madam the next day. Having been deceived once before, Zhao Shi had also been entrusted by Sixth Master to be especially cautious this time.

As for Brother Run's opinion, it was naturally ignored by everyone.That night, Zhen Niang lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

First, she thought about Brother Run’s situation, then about Luo Wenqian. According to his travel schedule, he should be nearing Huizhou soon. And thinking of Luo Wenqian, she couldn’t help but recall Tian Ronghua. By now, the label of "husband-killer" had already been firmly attached to Tian Ronghua in people’s mouths.

Lost in these thoughts, she drifted into a hazy sleep.

She didn’t know how long she had slept when, in a half-dreaming state, she was startled awake by a commotion.

"Fire! Fire! Quick, put out the fire…"

Zhen Niang abruptly sat up in bed, her heart pounding fiercely. It was August, the height of autumn—dry, with strong winds and swirling clouds. A fire at this time could easily spread and engulf a large area. This was no small matter.

Zhen Niang hurriedly threw on her clothes and got up. She first opened the door and called out, "Liu Jin Sao, where is the fire?"

"Miss Zhen, it seems to be the Tian family’s house," Liu Jin Sao replied from the stairwell.

"The Tian family? How could the Tian family catch fire?" Zhen Niang was startled upon hearing this.

The Tian family mansion was located behind Four Treasures Street, and the entire area along Four Treasures Street consisted of wooden houses. With the strong winds, if the fire spread, the entire street might not be spared. And the Li family’s Ink Pavilion was also on Four Treasures Street.

Now even more anxious, Zhen Niang quickly fastened her clothes, wrapped her disheveled hair in a blue cloth headscarf, and rushed downstairs. She followed her father and older brother out the door. When they reached Four Treasures Street, they saw flames rising from the Tian family mansion behind, lighting up half the sky. The sight alone was enough to make one’s heart race.

"What’s the situation?" Zhen Niang asked Li Zhengyan, her ninth cousin’s second son, who was guarding the Ink Pavilion. At that moment, Li Zhengyan and several shop assistants were holding buckets and basins filled with water, ready to douse any flames that might leap over.

Fortunately, although the scene looked frightening, the fire was clearly confined to the backyard of the Tian residence. Not only was Four Treasures Street unaffected, but even the main house of the Tian family remained untouched by the flames. It seemed the Tian family had managed to control the fire fairly well. Despite the strong winds, there was no sign of it spreading.

However, even though the fire wasn’t spreading, it was burning fiercely, with flames leaping higher and higher. Yet, the water pumps dispatched by the local authorities showed no intention of extinguishing the fire. What was going on?

"What’s happening? The authorities’ water pumps are here, so why aren’t they putting out the fire?" Li Dalang asked gruffly, but most people just shook their heads.

Just then, a few people arrived, followed by a buzz of murmurs and discussions.

"What? The Third Miss Tian has *** to preserve her chastity!!!" This was the main phrase circulating among the crowd.

Zhen Niang, standing nearby, was stunned. She had expected Tian Ronghua to bear the same "husband-killer" label as herself, but she never imagined Tian Ronghua would resolve the rumors in such a manner.

"Oh dear, whose idea was this? It’s too cruel," someone in the crowd sighed.

"Who else? Either it was the Xu family’s idea, or that Chunzhi couldn’t tolerate Third Miss Tian and forced her down this path," another voice in the crowd said indignantly."No, it was Third Miss Tian herself who requested it. The authorities had long been prepared. Even the commendation for a chaste martyr was already written." At that moment, another voice spoke up from the crowd.

Hearing this person's words, several Confucian scholars in the crowd shook their heads and praised grandly: "Heroic martyrdom, loyalty and righteousness!!"

However, a few women in the crowd secretly scoffed: "What nonsense about heroic martyrdom and loyalty..."

Meanwhile, Zhen Niang only felt a chill. Whether Tian Ronghua was forced or had requested it herself, in any case, Zhen Niang now felt a cold shiver run down her entire back. When she had first arrived, she too had faced the threat of being forced into martyrdom. Fortunately, her family had united in their efforts and ultimately did not comply with Madam Tian's wishes. Thus, Zhen Niang had never truly experienced the cruelty of such martyrdom.

Even when she heard about Chou Po's story, she had sighed with emotion, but it was nothing compared to the shock of witnessing this scene before her eyes.

Life is heavy, yet sometimes it is light—so light that it can be shattered by mere rumors.

Thinking this, Zhen Niang unconsciously clenched her fists, her fingernails digging into the flesh of her palms, causing a dull pain.

At that moment, the embroidered tower, already collapsed from the fire, lay in ruins like a pile of broken beams and walls. It resembled a tomb, with countless dust particles swirling in the air, suffocating and unbearable.

Just then, a short, sharp neigh of a horse came from the crowd. For some reason, Zhen Niang turned to look in that direction. Under the eaves of a merchant's shop, a lantern marked with the character "Cheng" swayed in the wind. Luo Wenqian stood beneath the lantern, holding the reins of his horse. As the lantern swayed, his face flickered in and out of the light, his eyes fixed intently on the flames, appearing clear and bright under the illumination.

At this moment, Luo Wenqian held the reins of his horse, with luggage still attached, looking travel-worn and dusty, clearly having just arrived.

As if sensing Li Zhenniang's gaze, Luo Wenqian suddenly raised his hand and waved to Zhen Niang.

Zhen Niang took a deep breath and walked over from the crowd. The two of them instinctively clasped hands tightly.

Side by side, they looked up at the sky. It was dark and heavy, while the smoke was gray, shrouding the scene like mist or haze, swirling in the night wind like the hem of a skirt, reminiscent of Tian Ronghua's departing figure. Zhen Niang turned her head to look at Luo Wenqian's earnest expression and suddenly felt a pang of discomfort in her heart.

Zhen Niang realized that she was actually quite narrow-minded.

Because of this, she pulled her hand out of Luo Wenqian's grasp and prepared to leave, thinking that out of sight would be out of mind.

But Luo Wenqian held her hand firmly.

"Let go," Zhen Niang said, somewhat annoyed.

Luo Wenqian, however, held onto Zhen Niang tightly, his gaze clear and restrained, his expression earnest and resolute.

Suddenly, Zhen Niang understood Luo Wenqian's meaning—why he was holding her hand. No matter what happened, they would stay together for a lifetime, precisely because life was too fleeting.

Zhen Niang stopped struggling and walked to Luo Wenqian's side, casually sitting down on a nearby stone step. Luo Wenqian sat down beside her, leaving the horse to stomp its hooves and snort occasionally.

After a while, the smoke in the sky dissipated, and the onlookers dispersed. Zhen Niang's eyes felt sore and heavy. She disliked this feeling and thought it best to go back and sleep soundly, hoping for clear skies tomorrow."I'm going back." Zhen Niang stood up, but she had been sitting on the steps, and it was pitch dark around her. Unable to see the stone steps clearly, she missed her footing as she rose, letting out a pained "Ah!"

"What happened? Let me see." Luo Wenqian, almost the moment she twisted her ankle, scooped her up by the waist, lifting her feet off the ground. With a look of concern, he said, "Sit down." He then helped Zhen Niang sit and gently touched her ankle.

Zhen Niang hissed in pain, her ankle throbbing sharply.

"Come, I'll carry you back on my back." Luo Wenqian turned his back toward her.

"Isn't there a horse?" Zhen Niang pointed to the gentle horse nearby.

"I want to carry you." Luo Wenqian said earnestly.

Zhen Niang puffed her cheeks, then unhesitatingly climbed onto Luo Wenqian's back. As soon as she settled against him, she could feel the warmth radiating from his back, instantly dispelling the earlier chill.