Chapter 67

Sui Yuanhuai examined the child who had suddenly barged in.

The boy did not resemble him.

Yet when Aunt Lan first saw the child, she had remarked that he looked exactly like Sui Yuanhuai had as a child.

Sui Yuanhuai no longer remembered what he had looked like back then.

The only memories that remained were the agony of the flames and the hideous scars left by the fire.

Supporting his temple with one hand, he looked at the child standing nervously by the door and sneered.

“Father? Who allowed you to call me that?”

Yu Bao’er tightened his grip on the calligraphy sheets in his hands.

He was obviously at a loss.

Looking at the man sitting high above him in his cloak, he did not know what else to call him.

In the end, he simply remained silent, pressing his lips together.

He looked obedient and pitiful.

He had been traveling south with his mother.

Unfortunately, before they reached Jiangnan, their convoy had been intercepted by a group of black-armored guards.

That day had also been the first time he saw this man.

Snow had been falling thickly.

The sickly-looking man sat inside a carriage surrounded by black-armored guards, one pale hand lifting the curtain.

His gloomy eyes had stared at the mother and son, carrying traces of cruelty and the satisfaction of impending revenge.

Yu Bao’er had been terrified of him.

His mother had seemed even more frightened.

When she held him, her body had trembled faintly.

Since that day, he had never seen his mother again.

After being brought here, he had not been mistreated.

People cared for his meals and daily needs.

But whenever he asked about his mother, the servants would become evasive.

Only an elderly nanny who was especially fond of him dared reveal bits of information.

The nanny had told him that this man was his father.

If he behaved well and pleased him, he might be allowed to see his mother.

Ever since arriving here, Yu Bao’er had been obedient.

Yet no one ever mentioned letting him see her.

Two days ago, unable to bear it any longer, he had cried loudly and refused to eat in protest.

Eventually, a stranger had come to him.

The man told him that if he studied diligently and learned to read and write well, he might be allowed to see his mother.

So he obeyed.

Today, for the first time since arriving here, he had been allowed to leave the courtyard where he was confined.

Looking at Yu Bao’er’s timid appearance, Sui Yuanhuai’s face filled with mockery.

His gaze landed on the calligraphy practice sheets clutched tightly in the boy’s hands.

“I heard someone has been teaching you calligraphy. Bring it here and let me see.”

Even sitting there, Sui Yuanhuai seemed enveloped in endless gloom.

His mere presence inspired fear.

Yu Bao’er was afraid too.

Yet he still took determined little steps toward him.

The part of him that most resembled Yu Qianqian was probably his eyes.

They were dark and round, with slightly drooping corners, making him look gentle, harmless, and inexplicably lovable.

When Sui Yuanhuai watched the child approach, his expression froze briefly.

For a moment, he seemed to see through the boy to the woman who had never abandoned thoughts of escape, even while pregnant.

She had been so weak that he could have crushed both mother and child with a single finger.

Yet no matter how many times she was punished, she never learned.

Whenever she found an opportunity, she would run without hesitation.

Like a deer trapped in captivity, forever longing to return to the forest.

Only when Yu Bao’er thrust the calligraphy sheets in front of him did Sui Yuanhuai return to reality.

For some unknown reason, his expression became even darker.

His pale, slender fingers flipped through the pages one by one.

Yu Bao’er nervously clenched his clothes.

After a while, Sui Yuanhuai casually flung the entire stack of calligraphy practice sheets into the air as though they were worthless scraps of paper.

With a cold snort, he said,

“What kind of rubbish is this? The writing is weak and spineless. Rewrite it.”

Looking at the sheets he had painstakingly completed one by one in hopes of seeing his mother, Yu Bao’er’s eyes reddened.

But he said nothing.

Very quickly, attendants entered with bated breath.

They set up a small desk along with brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone.

Throughout the entire process, they barely made a sound.

Everyone serving in the residence knew that Sui Yuanhuai’s temper was unpredictable.

Serving him was like carrying one’s head on one’s belt.

No one dared let their guard down.

Watching all this unfold, Yu Bao’er looked somewhat lost.

From behind his desk, Sui Yuanhuai lifted his eyelids and glanced at him.

“Practice here.”

Gathering his courage, Yu Bao’er asked,

“If I write well, can I see my mother?”

The mockery in Sui Yuanhuai’s smile deepened.

“Who taught you to say things like that to me?”

Tears welled up in Yu Bao’er’s eyes.

Yet he stubbornly refused to cry.

“No one taught me. I just miss my mother.”

Picking up a bamboo scroll from the table, Sui Yuanhuai said coldly,

“Practice your writing.

“If you cry again, you’ll never see her for the rest of your life.”

Yu Bao’er obediently went to the low desk.

His tiny body sat sideways as he struggled to hold a brush thicker than his fingers.

Tears dripped onto the paper, leaving small wet stains.

Afraid of being discovered, he dared neither wipe his tears nor make a sound.

He only slowed his breathing and cried in secret.

He thought he was hiding it well.

Yet the man seated above saw every little movement.

His half-lowered eyes were filled with darkness.

Sui Yuanhuai disliked this child.

Not only because that woman had refused to know her place.

But because the child’s existence had become a serious threat to his position.

Compared to a cripple dependent on medicine and incapable of practicing martial arts, a healthy young child who could easily be controlled was clearly the preferable choice.

The closer the Zhao mother and son grew to the child, the more wary Sui Yuanhuai became.

Back then, in order to survive, he had endured the agony of fire and been left with lifelong illnesses.

Later, in order to face people again, he suffered countless inhuman torments to gradually replace the burned skin on his body.

The pain of being flayed alive was a punishment normally experienced only by the dead.

Yet he had endured it while alive.

He had struggled so hard to survive.

Anyone who dared stand in his way deserved to die.

As these thoughts filled his mind, his expression became increasingly twisted.

His grip on the bamboo scroll tightened until the pale joints of his fingers seemed on the verge of snapping.

A maid entered carrying tea.

Unexpectedly catching sight of his expression, she let out a startled cry.

The tea spilled from her hands.

The cup shattered against the floor.

By then, every trace of blood had drained from her face.

She collapsed to her knees and trembled.

“Y-Young Master… Young Master, please spare me…”

Sui Yuanhuai despised the terrified looks servants gave him, as though they had seen a ghost.

His thin lips curved upward.

But the words that left them were cold and bloody.

“Drag her away. Beat her to death.”

People immediately entered.

The maid did not even manage another scream before her mouth was covered and she was dragged away.

The entire process was swift and silent.

Like a shadow puppet show performed without sound.

Seated at the writing desk, Yu Bao’er stared blankly at the scene.

A drop of ink fell from his brush onto the paper, staining the page he had nearly finished.

The man behind the desk watched the child’s pale face coldly.

Then, with deliberate cruelty, he said,

“If you don’t behave, your mother will end up just like her.”

Yu Bao’er was visibly terrified.

After returning from Sui Yuanhuai’s study that day, he fell ill.

For several days he suffered from fever and nightmares, crying for his mother in his sleep.

Back when Aunt Lan escaped from the Eastern Palace, she had married a wealthy merchant and helped Sui Yuanhuai develop his influence outside the capital.

During the period when his burns were at their worst, she had not remained by his side.

Now, seeing Yu Bao’er, she felt as though she were looking at the little imperial grandson she had once cared for.

Her heart ached with pity.

She went to plead with Sui Yuanhuai, hoping he would let the child see his mother.

In return, she received only a mocking response.

“He got sick because he watched a servant beaten to death?

“Aunt Lan, have you forgotten?

“When I was his age, I had just survived the fire in the Eastern Palace.”

Looking at the cold amusement spreading through Sui Yuanhuai’s dark eyes, Aunt Lan ultimately dared not plead further.

Three days later, Yu Bao’er slowly recovered.

But he became unusually withdrawn.

He rarely spoke and barely interacted with anyone.

The one thing he did every day without fail was practice calligraphy.

Afraid the child would be permanently traumatized, Aunt Lan ordered the servants to find several clever children to serve as his companions.

Yet Yu Bao’er ignored them all and simply focused on his own activities.

Back in Qingping County, Zhao Xun had been ordered to monitor Yu Qianqian.

He knew that she and her son had been close to the Fan family.

Gathering his courage, he suggested to Aunt Lan,

“Why don’t we bring the Fan family’s younger daughter here?

“Perhaps seeing her will encourage the Young Master to speak again.”

Aunt Lan hesitated.

“That child is currently being presented to the outside world as the Marquis of Wu’an’s daughter.

“She is under strict guard in the residence.

“How are we supposed to bring her here as the Young Master’s playmate?”

Zhao Xun replied,

“The Heir is very close to His Highness and is fond of the Young Master as well.

“If Mother doesn’t ask, how can we know he won’t agree?”

Aunt Lan stared at her son for a moment before saying,

“Xun’er, even if it’s for the Young Master’s sake, we must first ask His Highness.”

Zhao Xun immediately lowered his head.

“I was only worried something might happen to the Young Master and became anxious.”

Aunt Lan said sternly,

“The entire Zhao family fortune now rests in your hands.

“Your decisions affect the survival of the whole Zhao family.

“Do not act foolishly.”

Respectfully, Zhao Xun replied,

“I will remember Mother’s teachings.”

When Aunt Lan went once again to see Sui Yuanhuai, she found him unusually interested in his meal.

Normally he had little appetite.

As always, attendants tasted every dish before he touched it.

Aunt Lan glanced at the strange assortment of food on the table and immediately recognized that it must have been prepared by Concubine Yu.

That woman appeared soft and harmless, yet was astonishingly stubborn.

Aunt Lan had tried to discipline her in the past but never succeeded in breaking her spirit.

Now she was suddenly trying to curry favor with Sui Yuanhuai.

Most likely she had learned that Yu Bao’er had fallen ill and hoped to use this opportunity to see her son.

As for how news had reached her heavily guarded courtyard, the answer was obvious.

The person before her had deliberately allowed it.

Aunt Lan could not help frowning.

Even now, she still could not understand Sui Yuanhuai’s feelings toward Concubine Yu.

Back when his health had been deteriorating rapidly, she feared the worst and selected several bedchamber attendants for him.

Sui Yuanhuai knew exactly what that meant.

Though he found it repulsive, he still needed an heir and was forced to choose a woman to bear a child.

Sometimes Aunt Lan thought that was when he had truly stopped trusting her completely.

Yet even if given another chance, she would make the same choice.

She had been the Crown Princess’s trusted confidante.

If the imperial grandson could not survive, then she had to ensure he left behind blood descendants to continue the path of revenge.

Only then could she face the Crown Princess in the afterlife.

Among all the beautiful and seductive attendants she selected, Sui Yuanhuai chose none of them.

Instead, he selected Concubine Yu—the timid, rabbit-like girl who was obedient and easy to control.

Unfortunately, she was apparently frightened by his unpredictable temper.

Already timid by nature, she remained dazed and fearful after sharing his bed.

Later she even fell seriously ill.

The servants privately gossiped that she had been scared into sickness by Sui Yuanhuai.

He punished those who spread the rumors.

He had even intended to dispose of Concubine Yu as well.

But when the physician examined her, he discovered she was pregnant.

That pregnancy saved her life.

Yet after recovering from her illness, she seemed to become an entirely different person.

Outwardly she remained obedient.

Behind the scenes, however, she constantly schemed.

She seized every opportunity to escape.

Even when captured and brought back, no matter how furious Sui Yuanhuai became, she always focused on ensuring she lived comfortably.

When morning sickness became severe, she cooked her own food in the kitchen.

Even while confined, she ate and drank well, taking excellent care of herself.

Then, the moment she spotted an opportunity, she vanished again like a rabbit darting into the wilderness.

Several years ago, when she was seven months pregnant, she successfully escaped.

She had persuaded Sui Yuanhuai to stay at an estate for a while to relax.

Then she personally prepared a meal and secretly drugged it.

After incapacitating everyone at the estate, she fled with her jewelry, a trusted maid, and a guard.

When Sui Yuanhuai woke up, he nearly smashed the entire estate apart.

He constantly cursed her as nothing more than a lowly servant.

Yet he mobilized nearly everyone he had to search for her.

That search lasted five or six years.

Only then did they finally find her in a tiny place like Lin’an Town.

Aunt Lan had assumed that once he captured Concubine Yu and her son, he would kill the mother and keep the child.

Instead, he merely separated them.

He neither mistreated them nor paid much attention to them.

Aside from occasional sarcastic remarks, he seemed to do little else.

Even now, Aunt Lan could not understand what he was truly thinking.

While eating, Sui Yuanhuai noticed Aunt Lan standing nearby and hesitating for quite some time.

“Aunt Lan, do you need something?”

Unsure whether this was the right time to mention Yu Bao’er, she reluctantly spoke.

“The Young Master’s condition has not improved.

“This servant heard from Xun’er that Concubine Yu was close to the Fan family in Qingping County.

“The Fan family’s youngest daughter also happens to be here in the residence.

“I was wondering… perhaps she could temporarily act as the Young Master’s companion and improve his condition.”

Sui Yuanhuai did not believe Changning would ever leave here alive.

The meal happened to suit his tastes, so he was in a relatively good mood.

Moreover, he had no intention of granting that woman’s wish to see her son so soon.

Resting his chin on one hand, he pondered briefly.

Then he smiled.

“Aunt Lan already has a plan.

“Go ask Qingdi.”

When she left the room, Aunt Lan still found it difficult to believe.

Today, Sui Yuanhuai had been far easier to talk to than usual.

After Sui Yuanqing brought Changning back to the Prince of Changxin’s residence, he simply tossed her to the servants and ordered them to keep her alive and prevent her from freezing or starving.

Using Sui Yuanhuai’s name as justification, Aunt Lan requested Changning as a playmate for Yu Bao’er.

Sui Yuanqing agreed immediately without asking a single question.

Guided by an elderly servant, Aunt Lan went to retrieve Changning.

When the woodshed door opened, they found a little girl curled up in a pile of straw.

She looked as though she had not washed for many days.

The little buns atop her head were messy.

Her face was dirty.

The cold had reddened her cheeks.

Yet her eyes were astonishingly bright.

Like those of a young deer, they were clear, wary, and alert as she examined them.

Aunt Lan had come from the imperial palace.

She had seen countless beauties in her lifetime.

Even so, she was briefly surprised.

Once this little girl grew up, she would undoubtedly become a rare beauty.

—

Jizhou.

With a single kick, Fan Changyu sent the bandit guarding the dungeon entrance flying.

The black iron butcher’s cleaver in her hand came down with a fierce strike.

Sparks flew.

The lock on the cell door dropped to the ground.

The government soldiers chasing after her finally caught up, panting heavily.

“Miss Fan, don’t run so fast! There are still plenty of bandits ahead—”

The latter half of the sentence died in his throat.

The ground was already littered with groaning mountain bandits.

Ignoring the tardy soldiers, Fan Changyu entered the dark dungeon.

As she lifted one groggy child after another to inspect them, she continuously called Changning’s name.

Recently, several cases of child abduction had occurred throughout Jizhou.

The authorities believed a gang of traffickers was taking advantage of the chaos to kidnap children.

Fearing Changning had also fallen into the hands of traffickers, Fan Changyu clung to a sliver of hope and followed government soldiers around the region, raiding trafficking dens one after another.

She still had not found Changning.

However, news of the woman wielding a butcher’s cleaver and charging fearlessly through enemy ranks had already spread far and wide.

Whenever a trafficking ring dealing in children or women was destroyed, she always earned the greatest merit for her ferocity in battle.

The problem was that she was not an official officer.

As a result, the authorities could only reward her with increasingly large sums of silver.

As Fan Changyu watched the stack of banknotes in her possession grow thicker by the day while still receiving no news of Changning, she became increasingly anxious.

After interrogating the traffickers, the authorities learned that some children had already been sold to other provinces.

Fan Changyu carefully recorded every girl matching Changning’s description.

She left half of her money with Aunt Zhao.

Carrying the other half and several butcher’s cleavers on her back, she prepared to cross multiple provinces in search of her sister.

To make the search easier, the authorities suggested finding someone to draw Changning’s portrait.

Only then did Fan Changyu remember that she already had one.

A scholar had painted it during the New Year celebrations.

She had even mounted and hung it inside the room she shared with Changning.

But when she returned home and turned the house upside down searching for it, she could not find the painting anywhere.

Previously, Fan Changyu had been overwhelmed by other matters and never thought about it.

Now that the painting had mysteriously disappeared, alarm bells immediately rang in her head.

The painting was not the work of any famous artist.

Who would steal it?

Furthermore, after Qingfeng Stronghold massacred the town, Lin’an Town had become virtually deserted.

Almost no one came there anymore.

Even petty thieves seeking valuables would target wealthy households, not the impoverished homes in the western district.

The more Fan Changyu thought about it, the more she became convinced of one possibility.

The only person who could have taken the painting was that bastard she had held hostage that night—the one who had almost certainly returned afterward to search the dry well for whoever had been hiding there.

The painting included herself, Changning, and Yan Zheng.

Anyone seeing it could easily mistake them for a family.

After Qingfeng Stronghold was destroyed, only that bastard and a female bandit had escaped.

Could they have used the painting to identify Changning and abducted her as revenge against Fan Changyu?

Realizing that Jizhou was no longer a place where that man could hide, Fan Changyu remembered that he had originally been a soldier from Chongzhou.

Perhaps he had already fled back there.

At last, she had a direction to pursue.

That very day, she bought a horse.

Following every lead she could find, she set out toward Chongzhou.