Silence filled the study. Mu Qingyan, without pressing for answers, continued speaking: “The first time I entered great-grandmother Ouyang’s nursery, I found it strange. The ceiling had numerous rings for hanging cradles, arranged in groups of four. At every location—by the window, bedside, and table—there were eight rings in parallel. This suggests there were two cradles.”
Unable to withstand Mu Qingyan’s cold gaze, Yan Xu glanced at Uncle Cheng, who kept his head lowered. Reluctantly, Yan Xu spoke first, “Young Master, your guess is correct. It’s not a secret; most of the elders know…”
“Few elders remain now,” Mu Qingyan said coolly.
Nervously stroking his beard, Yan Xu stammered, “It was the previous master… uh, Nie Hengcheng, who forbade mentioning the second young master. I didn’t intend to conceal anything.”
“The Mu family doesn’t taboo twins. Why did Nie Hengcheng prohibit mentioning this?” Mu Qingyan asked, puzzled.
“It’s all because of your grandmother, Lady Ouyang!” Yan Xu exclaimed, accidentally pulling out some of his beard hairs in frustration.
Wincing at the lost whiskers, the old man continued, “The second young master was named Mu Yang, born half an hour after the first. All the elders attended their one-month celebration… Ah only myself and that old tortoise Lu Fengchun remain from that banquet. Alas, an unwise marriage brings misfortune to the family!”
“Skip the nonsense. Focus on the important details,” Mu Qingyan said impatiently.
Yan Xu got to the point: “Your great-grandfather merely wanted to take a second wife. What’s wrong with a man having three wives and four concubines? But Lady Ouyang was relentless. Even after the old master retracted his intention, she still demanded a divorce and wanted to take both sons. This was unacceptable! Lady Ouyang could leave if she wished, but the young masters were Mu family descendants. The old master and Elder Chou wouldn’t allow it!”
“Unexpectedly, Lady Ouyang held a blade to her throat, threatening to spill blood if her demands weren’t met. Sigh, the old master, out of sentiment, compromised and let her take the second young master.”
Mu Qingyan coldly snorted, “Womanly mercy, utterly senseless.”
“Well said, Young Master!” Yan Xu applauded, greatly impressed. “The old master’s actions aren’t for us to judge, but this was truly inappropriate. It’s one thing to yield to a woman’s tantrum in small matters, but using one’s heir and flesh and blood as leverage! Young Master, you must stand firm and not let women lead you by the nose…”
“Enough rambling. Continue with the story,” Mu Qingyan’s face darkened.
Yan Xu cleared his throat and resumed: “Everyone thought Lady Ouyang, with her mediocre martial arts and lack of worldly knowledge, would return after a few days of hardship. Who knew she’d be so stubborn and extreme, hiding in the countryside for three years? When the old master found her, she was critically ill, barely clinging to life.”
“What about Mu Yang?” Mu Qingyan pressed.
“Dead,” Yan Xu sighed.
“Dead?” Mu Qingyan was shocked.
Yan Xu explained: “To welcome Lady Ouyang back, the old master brought Nie Hengcheng and us Seven Star Elders. Despite our pleas and inquiries, Lady Ouyang claimed the second young master had died of plague shortly after leaving Hanhai Mountain Range. We dug up a small coffin under an old crooked tree in the backyard, containing a child’s corpse.”
Mu Qingyan slammed the table: “If she couldn’t care for the child properly, why insist on taking him in the first place?”
“Young Master, you don’t understand. Lady Ouyang did it deliberately,” Yan Xu’s voice filled with resentment. “She blamed the old master for being unfaithful and wanted to punish him severely by making him suffer the pain of losing a child! If not for Elder Chou’s adamant refusal, even the first young master might not have escaped an untimely death. Hmph, such a woman, truly… truly…”
He trailed off, likely holding back unsavory words.
“On her deathbed, Lady Ouyang still bitterly accused the old master, blaming him for the child’s tragic fate due to his unfaithfulness. Sigh, the old master, already frail, couldn’t withstand such a shock and fell gravely ill upon returning.”
While Yan Xu continued lamenting, Mu Qingyan sharply asked, “Did Mu Yang die?”
“We all thought so,” Yan Xu frowned. “But over twenty years ago, just after the first young master’s fifteenth birthday, a youth who looked identical to him burst into Jile Palace, claiming to be Mu Yang. According to him, Lady Ouyang couldn’t bear to let her son die of illness, so she left him with a hunter’s family near Hanhai Mountain Range and buried another child’s corpse in the backyard.”
Mu Qingyan raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
“The first young master was overjoyed, and Nie Hengcheng allowed the youth to stay without objection,” Yan Xu continued. “However, a month later, Nie Hengcheng suddenly summoned the Seven Star Elders and publicly accused the youth of being an impostor.”
“Nie Hengcheng brought forth the hunter’s extended family and neighbors. They all claimed the youth was the hunter couple’s biological son who, upon seeing the first young master’s likeness and hearing about Lady Ouyang’s story while working in a mountain village, conceived the idea of impersonation. To climb the social ladder, he even set fire to his parents’ home.”
“The first young master and Elder Chou were skeptical, given the youth’s uncanny resemblance. Nie Hengcheng had Zhao Tianba bring five or six youths of similar age who somewhat resembled the first young master. He argued that these were just from the Hanhai Mountain Range vicinity, and a wider search might yield even closer lookalikes. Nie Hengcheng emphasized that similar appearances aren’t rare, and even identical looks shouldn’t be the sole basis for recognizing kinship.”
Mu Qingyan commented coolly, “Nie Hengcheng’s actions were indeed meticulous.”
Yan Xu shook his head, sighing: “The youth grew desperate and recounted many childhood memories shared with the first young master. Nie Hengcheng then accused him of being a spy from the Six Northern Sects, aiming to disrupt our sect.”
“At this point, no one dared to affirm the youth’s authenticity. After all, Lady Ouyang had insisted the second young master was dead, and we had even reburied the corpse in the Mu family’s ancestral tomb. Even Elder Chou hesitated, fearing the responsibility of tainting the Mu family bloodline if the youth proved false.”
“Nie Hengcheng insisted on executing the youth as a deterrent against future impostors. The first young master refused, and Elder Chou argued that if genuine, they’d be killing the old master’s flesh and blood. Eventually, they compromised: the first young master would keep the youth under watch, and Nie Hengcheng wouldn’t insist on execution. However, they branded a red-hot iris-shaped iron on the youth’s neck, here…” Yan Xu pointed to the left rear side of his neck, “…to distinguish him from the first young master and prevent future trouble.”
Mu Qingyan coldly remarked, “Why not brand his face? Wouldn’t that make it easier to tell them apart?”
“Nie Hengcheng initially wanted to, but the first young master refused,” Yan Xu explained wearily. “Afterward, I heard nothing more of this youth’s whereabouts. I assume the first young master found a suitable place for him. Nie Hengcheng forbade further mention of this impersonator…”
The old man scratched his head, “But it hardly matters now. Most who knew about this have either died or forgotten—compared to the later turmoil in the sect, this impostor incident seems trivial.”
This was true; until yesterday, Mu Qingyan wouldn’t have considered a twenty-year-old impersonation attempt significant.
“That’s all I know,” Yan Xu said, lowering his voice and furrowing his brow. “Young Master, why do you suddenly ask about this? Is there some development outside?”
Mu Qingyan replied, “There’s someone outside claiming to be my uncle, leaving me a mountain of gold.”
“Really?!” Yan Xu’s eyes lit up with excitement.
“No,” Mu Qingyan said coldly. “Thirteen, fetch two jars of aged wine from the cellar for Elder Yan and see him out.”
Yan Xu, embarrassed, stroked his thinning beard and hurriedly left.
Only Mu Qingyan and Uncle Cheng remained in the study.
Mu Qingyan relaxed back into his chair, his expression impassive. “Uncle Cheng, it’s your turn to speak.”
Uncle Cheng bit his lip, then sighed, “This old servant doesn’t care about Nie’s orders, but Young Master Mu Ming left instructions I can’t ignore.”
“Uncle Cheng should know I wouldn’t press you like this if it weren’t important.”
Uncle Cheng reluctantly began, “As Elder Yan said, after Nie branded the youth, the young master took him away… He was housed here in Busi Pavilion on Huanglao Peak. For the next few years, the youth behaved, practicing martial arts by the stream behind the mountain and reading in the Nine Provinces Scriptures Pavilion…”
Mu Qingyan’s brow furrowed, “Father allowed him into the Nine Provinces Scriptures Pavilion? Could he truly be my uncle?”
“Yes, he was Young Master Yang,” Uncle Cheng confirmed. “Though there was no concrete evidence, the young master said he felt an immediate kinship upon seeing him. Moreover, the youth recounted many old stories only known to the brothers.”
“Then why didn’t Father publicly acknowledge his identity?” Mu Qingyan pressed.
“To protect Young Master Yang’s life,” Uncle Cheng sighed.
Mu Qingyan raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Uncle Cheng explained wearily, “Can’t you see, young master? While Elder Chou was uncertain, Nie Hengcheng would never allow Young Master Yang’s identity to be confirmed, regardless of its truth.”
He continued, “Nie Hengcheng maintained his position because the young master showed no interest in competing. But Young Master Yang was different. During his first month in Jile Palace, Nie Hengcheng had people secretly observing his every move… Put simply, if Young Master Yang’s identity was confirmed, he could have challenged Nie Hengcheng’s authority the moment the young master left for his spiritual journey, using his status as the Mu family’s sole young master.”
Mu Qingyan asked, “It seems Mu Yang was ambitious?”
“Indeed. Stubborn, determined, and intense, as if his very soul burned hot,” Uncle Cheng recalled their first meeting, the scarred youth like a blazing flame, his tattered clothes unable to hide his striking beauty.
Mu Qingyan mused, “Such a person, Nie Hengcheng indeed couldn’t ignore. Especially with one aging and one young, the future was uncertain.”
Uncle Cheng continued, “The young master, having grown up beside Nie Hengcheng, knew him best. Nie was resolved to eliminate any threat to his position, even by force if necessary. With his vast influence, open attacks could be avoided, but hidden dangers were everywhere. Afterward, he could claim to have executed a Northern Six Sects spy. The young master had to secretly agree with Nie not to insist on recognizing Young Master Yang, and in return, Nie wouldn’t kill him.”
Mu Qingyan pondered, then asked softly, “Did my uncle resent Father for not acknowledging him?”
“No, Young Master Yang understood Nie’s murderous intent and the young master’s actions. However…” Uncle Cheng hesitated, “It seems he harbored some resentment, or he wouldn’t have later hurt the young master.”
“What? He hurt Father?” Mu Qingyan became instantly alert.
Uncle Cheng explained, “Shortly after your birth, Young Master Yang suddenly returned from outside—he’d been frequently sneaking out those years.”
Mu Qingyan exclaimed, “So it was that time! It wasn’t Nie Hengcheng’s doing, but his! Hmph, Father kindly sheltered him, and he repaid kindness with enmity!”
“No, no! Young Master Yang didn’t intend to harm the young master, but to snatch you away!” Uncle Cheng blurted out.
Mu Qingyan was stunned, and then a wave of indescribable horror washed over him. “Could it be… am I his…?”
“No, absolutely not!” Uncle Cheng, guessing Mu Qingyan’s thoughts, hastily explained, “Lady Ruoshui grew close to the young master, and her pregnancy lasted over a year. During this time, Young Master Yang wasn’t even in the Hanhai Mountain Range. He returned when Lady Ruoshui was already heavily pregnant—you are indeed the young master’s flesh and blood!”
Mu Qingyan straightened, relieved. “Uncle Cheng, please finish your story in one go next time.”
Uncle Cheng, embarrassed, lowered his voice, “This old servant doesn’t know Young Master Yang’s motives for trying to take you. The brothers were talking peacefully, then suddenly quarreled. When I rushed into the courtyard, I saw your wet nurse and maids injured. Young Master Yang was lunging towards a bundle on the ground, forcing the young master to use all his strength to drive him out of Jile Palace. I chased after them but couldn’t catch up.”
Mu Qingyan asked difficultly, “So Father didn’t leave to recover from injuries, but to pursue Mu Yang?”
“Yes,” Uncle Cheng sighed. “I guess the young master chased Young Master Yang far away and was too severely injured to return immediately. Young Master Yang must have been injured too, or his unyielding nature wouldn’t have allowed him to give up trying to take you.”
Mu Qingyan sank back into his chair, his emotions in turmoil.
“That was the last time this old servant saw Young Master Yang. I heard nothing more of him until years later when the young master brought you back to live in Busi Pavilion. One night, Hero Chang brought a frail young woman to visit.”
Mu Qingyan tensed again, “Was it the night I had a fever? Who was that woman?”
Uncle Cheng confirmed it was, adding, “This old servant didn’t know her. After serving tea, I left, but I overheard her say to the young master, ‘I’ve long heard your name, but only now do we meet.'”
Mu Qingyan stared at Uncle Cheng, “So, that night was their first meeting?”
Uncle Cheng nodded, continuing, “They talked most of the night. Hero Chang and the woman left near dawn. When I asked, the young master said she came to return Young Master Yang’s belongings.”
“So Mu Yang died?”
Uncle Cheng replied, “The young master said so. Afterward, he forbade me from mentioning Young Master Yang again.”
Mu Qingyan, his emotions settling, finally said, “…I thought that woman came for Father, but it seems she was connected to Mu Yang.” He had nearly guessed her identity.
“If only the young master had met her earlier,” Uncle Cheng said regretfully.
Mu Qingyan tilted his head, “What do you mean?”
Uncle Cheng hesitated, then sighed, “I’ve served the young master for decades. He’s always been detached, never overly passionate about people or things… I’ve never seen him look at anyone that way or speak so openly as he did that night.”
He recalled, “When I went in to refill tea and snacks, I saw the woman was only moderately pretty, but her eyes were remarkable. To this day, only Miss Zhaozao’s eyes compare.”
“I overheard them chatting about everything under the sun. Despite her frailty, the woman seemed carefree, and fearless even in her illness. I thought they were well-matched—the young master so detached, unbound by fame or fortune. If only they had met earlier…”
Mu Qingyan sat motionless, like a stone statue—finally understanding why he felt a sense of familiarity upon first seeing Cai Zhao in Meilin Valley, why he so loved the way she looked at him.
The feverish five-year-old boy had crawled over, peering through the lattice. Unable to see the visitor’s face clearly, he only remembered those brilliant, carefree eyes and his father’s hearty laughter.
“Did that woman ever come back?” He heard his strained voice ask.
Uncle Cheng sighed, “I secretly asked the young master. He said she was gravely ill, barely able to leave her bed. This visit had already been a great risk. I urged the young master to go find her, but he sighed, ‘She was once an eagle soaring the skies, now confined to a sickbed. How could I face her?’ After that, he forbade me from mentioning her again.”