Though Chu Dingjiang’s martial skills far surpassed Hua Rongjian’s, he was unwilling to take advantage. Knowing he couldn’t match Chu Dingjiang, Hua Rongjian didn’t use his internal energy either. The two men remained locked in a test of pure strength.
The intense pain in his wrist caused a thin layer of sweat to appear on Hua Rongjian’s forehead.
Chu Dingjiang, however, remained calm and unperturbed. “I once thought I could have both the fish and the bear’s paw. Now that I’ve given up the fish, whoever dares to touch my bear’s paw will have to kill me first.”
“Is that so?” Hua Rongjian’s forehead veins bulged, but his tone remained as flippant as ever. “Instead of asking me to give up, why don’t you kill me first?”
“I won’t kill you,” Chu Dingjiang said, lightly waving his arm to use his internal energy to push Hua Rongjian half a zhang away. “Even if I were to die an untimely death in this life, it certainly wouldn’t be by your hand. You’re too weak.”
Hua Rongjian was not on the same level as Chu Dingjiang in terms of both cunning and martial prowess. Even though he was rapidly improving, he was no match for Chu Dingjiang, who had lived two lifetimes.
“When it comes to matters of the heart, nothing is certain,” Hua Rongjian said with a smile. He had spent much of his recent time contemplating life and was no longer as easily provoked as before.
Inwardly, Chu Dingjiang didn’t dismiss Hua Rongjian as lightly as his words suggested. Perhaps Hua Rongjian was inferior in many aspects, but there were two things Chu Dingjiang could never reclaim:
Youth and passion.
Because of youth and lack of life’s trials, one possesses abundant emotions – both love and hatred are vivid and intense.
Such emotions are truly captivating. In comparison, the feelings Chu Dingjiang could offer were bland and world-weary. His love would never be impulsive or lose control, lacking any real excitement.
“A’Jiu, would you prefer this kind of love?” Chu Dingjiang asked her.
An Jiu couldn’t answer.
So Uncle Chu sat alone by the window, consumed by worry and doubt.
When he came to his senses, Chu Dingjiang couldn’t help but smile wryly. It seemed that everyone who fell in love became a bit delusional.
Thinking about such matters was futile. It was better to consider what he could do for An Jiu.
He had disbanded all his subordinates, keeping only a few loyal followers. Unwilling to wait passively, Chu Dingjiang went out to search for items that could aid mental strength when Mei Yanran came to visit An Jiu. He sought things like fragments of celestial books and those jade boxes.
Under Chu Dingjiang’s instructions, Zhu Pianpian began purchasing such items.
However, good things are hard to come by. The expensive items they acquired didn’t prove very effective. Fortunately, Lou Xiaowu contributed an ice soul pillow.
This item could help concentrate mental energy. The Lou family’s ancestral mountain had such things, which was why the women of the Lou family were invariably intelligent and strong-willed. It was quite beneficial for nurturing mental strength.
An Jiu rested on the ice soul pillow, and Mei Jiu came to talk to her every day. However, her body continued to waste away, her once full cheeks becoming sunken.
Chu Dingjiang watched with an outwardly calm expression, but streaks of frost appeared at his temples.
Mei Jiu felt that at times, he resembled a stone monument standing alone in the wilderness. Year after year, weathered by the elements, he appeared particularly desolate and lonely. Yet he was also so distant and resolute that people felt unable to comfort him, only able to watch helplessly as he grew increasingly world-weary.
Chu Dingjiang cared nothing for others’ opinions, focusing solely on doing everything within his power.
Originally, he hadn’t wanted any further entanglement with the Hua family. But now, items provided by the Hua family and those secretly sent by Hua Rongjian were all placed around An Jiu. As long as they could have even the slightest effect, he would accept them despite his resentment towards the Hua family.
This deep affection – looking back, he couldn’t pinpoint when it had begun.
Lost in thought, Chu Dingjiang heard Mei Yanran’s footsteps approaching.
“Someone from the Mei family is here. Will you see them?” Mei Yanran asked.
“The Mei family,” Chu Dingjiang remembered that the Mei family hadn’t been completely wiped out. Mei Zhengjing remained with a few younger members, hiding in the capital. They had been quiet for so long, it was as if they had disappeared. “With the new emperor’s ascension, they’ve become active again.”
“The new emperor desperately needs strength,” Mei Yanran said.
With internal affairs in shambles and strong enemies surrounding them, taking over such a mess required power. Zhao Huan urgently needed to cultivate his forces. The declining but experienced Mei and Lou’s families were undoubtedly good choices. At least in the short term, they could be utilized, and their power wouldn’t be beyond his control.
“Is the Mei family here to see me or An Jiu?” Chu Dingjiang asked.
Mei Yanran stared at the white hair at his temples and replied, “You.”
After a moment of silence, Chu Dingjiang said, “Tell them that taking anything from me will come at a great cost. They must also have a convincing reason. Otherwise, don’t waste time.”
This tone didn’t displease Mei Yanran at all. She sometimes wondered why, despite Chu Dingjiang being much younger than her, he could speak with the air of an elder without seeming out of place. When conversing with him, she often forgot his age entirely.
Mei Yanran quickly refocused. “I think Mei Liu understands this clearly.”
Having left home early, she wasn’t very familiar with Mei Zhengjing, but she knew her cousin was intelligent and pragmatic.
“Then bring them in,” Chu Dingjiang said.
Mei Yanran acknowledged and went to escort them.
This courtyard was within the Hua mansion’s grounds but had a side door leading directly outside. Given the Hua family’s grandeur and strict rules, Mei Yanran preferred not to use the main entrance, treating this side door as her main entrance.
Soon, the sound of footsteps could be heard in the courtyard.
Fearing they might disturb An Jiu, Mei Yanran led the Mei family members to a side room.
Only after Mei Yanran came to watch over An Jiu did Chu Dingjiang rise to meet them.
Mei Zhengjing sat in the side hall, lost in thought. Noticing the room suddenly darken, he looked up to see a tall man with a full beard enter. His steps were so light they didn’t stir a speck of dust, yet he appeared incredibly steady. His eyes contained a subdued brilliance, and despite deliberately suppressing his aura, he still exuded an overwhelming pressure.
“This junior Mei Zhengjing pays respects to the elder,” Mei Zhengjing stood and bowed.
Behind him, Mei Tingzhu and Mei Tingwan also bowed.
Mei Yanran hadn’t told them Chu Dingjiang’s age.
“Sit,” Chu Dingjiang took the main seat, skipping pleasantries and getting straight to the point. “What brings you here?”
“This junior knows the elder holds great prestige within the Konghe Army. Your contribution to His Majesty’s ascension to the throne is immeasurable. The Mei family now seeks to rise again but no longer wishes to engage in assassinations,” Mei Zhengjing, seeing Chu Dingjiang’s directness, didn’t beat around the bush either. “We wonder if the elder knows the whereabouts of the ‘Konghe Secret Manual’.”
The ‘Konghe Secret Manual’ contained information about the shadow guards and methods to control them. The new emperor had ascended through a coup and lacked the previous emperor’s legacy, so he surely didn’t know the manual’s location. They needed to destroy it before the emperor could find it. This way, the Mei family wouldn’t be at a disadvantage or repeat past mistakes. It was their only chance.
The manual was crucial and undoubtedly well-hidden, but it would eventually be found, posing a constant threat to the Mei family.
Chu Dingjiang had anticipated the Mei family’s request, but Mei Zhengjing’s repeated use of “elder” reminded him of something An Jiu had once said. She had remarked that despite being about the same age as Hua Rongjian, he looked like Hua Rongjian’s uncle.
Sensing that this serious and aloof man seemed to be in a decent mood, Mei Zhengjing added, “If the elder has any tasks, as long as the Mei family can accomplish them, we won’t hesitate.”
“Do you know that the Mei family has a grudge against me?” Chu Dingjiang said quietly.
Mei Zhengjing’s heart sank. He hadn’t witnessed the incident at Baohua Gate, but Elder Zhi had likely sided with the crown prince. Beyond that, he couldn’t think of anyone else capable of offending the man before him. “Is the elder referring to Elder Zhi? He’s now a fool, living a fate worse than death.”
The once brilliant mind had suffered massive mental trauma, leaving him with less intelligence than a three-year-old child. Living was indeed more miserable than dying.
“Does he still enjoy archery?” Chu Dingjiang asked casually.
Some people are indeed exceptionally intelligent and talented. With a bit of cunning, they could manipulate others at will. But in Chu Dingjiang’s view, Elder Zhi wasn’t a strategist because he was too obsessed with archery. That kind of fanaticism could make him disregard everything else.
A qualified strategist shouldn’t be too obsessive or fanatical.
For Elder Zhi, the hardest thing to let go of wasn’t his intelligence, but archery.
As long as he could still touch a bow and arrow, he wasn’t entirely useless.
Mei Zhengjing understood Chu Dingjiang’s meaning but hesitated to respond. He wanted to keep Elder Zhi alive. Setting aside familial ties, Elder Zhi’s mental powers might have been destroyed, but his pure internal energy remained, which could still be very useful to the Mei family.
“Unless this person is destroyed, my hatred cannot be quelled,” Chu Dingjiang stood up. “If you haven’t made up your mind, don’t waste your breath.”
Mei Zhengjing steeled his heart. “This junior will hand him over to the elder.”
If Elder Zhi could be exchanged for the entire Mei family’s freedom, it would be worth it. Schemers are almost heartless. Elder Zhi had contributed to the Mei family but wasn’t close to its members. Although reluctant, as the family head, Mei Zhengjing had to weigh the pros and cons and make this heartless decision.
Backlit, Chu Dingjiang’s face appeared blurred and mysterious. His slightly curved lips seemed cold and cruel. “Even if your Mei family doesn’t agree, killing him would be effortless for me. Why would I need your consent?”
The three Mei family members’ expressions changed slightly.
Mei Tingzhu asked, “Do you mean you want us to kill him ourselves?”
Elder Zhi had devoted his life to the Mei family, apart from his obsession with archery. To end up being killed by Mei family members… All three felt Chu Dingjiang was extremely cruel.
However, Chu Dingjiang was far more ruthless than they imagined.
“Kill him?” Chu Dingjiang shook his head and tossed a small bottle to Mei Zhengjing. “Not only do I not intend to kill him, I plan to help him regain his memory. The price is his pair of hands.”
The medicine in the small bottle had been acquired at great expense, specifically for treating mental power trauma aftereffects. But An Jiu had lost her mental power entirely, let alone aftereffects, so this medicine naturally did not affect her. Chu Dingjiang was unwilling to recklessly give An Jiu medicine, only using various items beneficial to mental power recovery to nurture her. He had received news from Sui Yunzhu that Mo Sigui was on his way back. Only after a proper diagnosis could they administer targeted treatment.
“I’ve taken the ‘Konghe Secret Manual’ in the past few days. You have one month to exchange Elder Zhi’s hands for it,” Chu Dingjiang said.
Mei Zhengjing pressed his lips together in silence, almost crushing the porcelain bottle in his hand.
Mei Tingzhu asked, “If we don’t make the exchange, what do you intend to do with the manual?”
“I don’t want to threaten too overtly, but since you ask, I’ll tell you: good things never lack buyers,” Chu Dingjiang’s voice lingered, but his person had already vanished.
The room’s occupants were left feeling as if they had plunged into an icy abyss.