Zhao Zhongyu then strode forward. The guard trotted to keep up, explaining, “The Earl is in quite a sorry state too. He says they encountered Xiongnu soldiers on the road and were also pursued by refugee troops. In the chaos, they got separated.”

Zhao Zhongyu stopped and asked, “What about Dalang, Da Niang, Er Niang, and Si Niang? Are they safe?”

The guard quickly nodded. “They’re safe.”

Zhao Zhongyu couldn’t suppress his anger and burst out, “They’re all safe, so how did all the people from the first branch get lost? Does he take me for a fool, or does he take the whole world for fools?”

With that, he turned and angrily went back to his tent.

After Zhao Ji caught up with the main army, it took considerable effort to find Zhao Zhongyu. After the Imperial Guards confirmed his identity, they let him stay in Zhao Zhongyu’s tent.

At this moment, the family was still somewhat shaken. The experiences of the past two days had been truly dangerous.

Zhao Zhongyu lifted the tent flap and entered. The people inside immediately stood up, their eyes brimming with tears as they called out “Grandfather.” Even Zhao Ji called out tearfully, “Father.”

But his words had barely left his mouth when Zhao Zhongyu slapped him across the face.

The tent fell silent. Everyone looked at Zhao Zhongyu in shock, saying nothing.

Zhao Zhongyu’s hand stung from the impact. He clenched it into a fist at his side, suppressing the urge to strike again, his face iron-dark. He said to his grandchildren, “You all go outside first.”

Zhao Hewan quickly led her younger siblings out. The guards also hastily withdrew, and the servants filed out after them. In an instant, only Zhao Zhongyu and the couple Zhao Ji and his wife remained in the tent.

Once everyone had left, Zhao Zhongyu could no longer contain his fury. He stepped forward and slapped him again, his eyes full of rage as he glared at him. “I’m asking you—where is your uncle’s coffin? Where are Wang Shi, Erlang, and Sanniang?”

Zhao Ji’s face was pale as he covered his face and said, “It’s your son’s incompetence. I got separated from them on the road.”

“You!” Zhao Zhongyu was so angry he closed his eyes briefly, then asked, “I left you so many people—the household guards and servants, plus Zhao Ju’s retainers…”

He remembered and asked, “Where is Zhao Ju?”

Zhao Ji couldn’t help raising his voice. “Zhao Ju never showed up at all. Father, where would I have had people to use?”

“The city descended into chaos too quickly. He might have been delayed, or perhaps…” All dead. Zhao Zhongyu’s heart ached in waves. These were retainers the Zhao family had spent great effort cultivating. “Now isn’t the time to discuss this. Even without Zhao Ju, with the Zhao family’s current manpower, you shouldn’t have lost everyone from the first branch.”

The more he spoke, the angrier he became. “Tell me, where did you lose them and how? Before I left, didn’t I tell you over and over to discuss matters with Sanniang if anything came up, to get through this crisis first? You’re already the Earl of Shangcai—why must you still quarrel with two children? Wang Shi is just a woman. Even if she’s sharp-tongued at times, what harm can she do to you…”

Wu Shi saw Zhao Ji being scolded until his face was bloodless and couldn’t help interjecting, “Father-in-law, you don’t know—Sanniang sent her replacement dowry to the Fu family several days ago…”

Zhao Zhongyu was stunned, then held his head, retreating two steps in pain before collapsing into a chair.

“Clearly she didn’t trust us from the start. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have sent the dowry away in advance…”

Seeing her continue to chatter on, Zhao Zhongyu flew into a rage, pointing a trembling finger at her as he scolded, “Shut up! A virtuous wife brings fewer disasters to her husband. I think all these disasters were instigated by you.”

Zhao Zhongyu’s face was dark red with anger as he glared furiously at Zhao Ji. “Is that her dowry? That’s Erlang’s family property! She signed the deed in front of you. Those things belong to the siblings. As long as this money ends up back in Erlang’s hands, why do you care how she handles it? Why are you angry? Did you want to seize those things for yourself as well?”

Zhao Ji’s face flushed red with shame as he protested, “Your son didn’t.”

“If you didn’t, why are you complaining? Why did you abandon them? You really are, you really are…” Zhao Zhongyu was so angry his hands and feet went weak. Unable to catch his breath, his vision went black and he fainted directly.

Zhao Ji was shocked and quickly stepped forward to support him. “Father, Father—”

Wu Shi was also terrified. If something happened to Zhao Zhongyu, it would be because they had angered him to death. If such an unfilial reputation spread, not only would the two of them be finished, but their children would be ruined as well.

Wu Shi quickly came forward and together with Zhao Ji helped him onto the bed, then ran out to have someone fetch a physician.

Zhao Zhongyu had just been promoted and his lodgings were not far from the central tent. When Prince Donghai heard he had fallen ill, he readily sent an imperial physician to examine him.

The physician’s diagnosis came quickly. “Excessive fatigue combined with shock and rage caused him to faint. He must rest and recuperate well, being careful not to become agitated again.”

Zhao Zhongyu fainted for only half an hour before waking up. The instruction not to become agitated again was already quite difficult, because as soon as he woke and saw Zhao Ji, his expression soured and his heart-fire began rising.

The physician observed his complexion and tactfully stood up, adding a reminder: “You mustn’t get angry, but if you truly cannot suppress it, let it out. Otherwise, keeping it bottled up inside is even worse for your health.”

Although Zhao Zhongyu was full of rage, he wouldn’t lose his temper with his son and daughter-in-law in front of outsiders. Once the physician left, he suppressed his fury and said heavily, “Send people back to search!”

“You must find them and the coffin.” His gaze fell sharply on Zhao Ji as he warned, “If Erlang and Sanniang are unharmed, that’s one thing. But if they and your uncle’s coffin cannot be found, you’re finished for life. Dalang will be finished, and the Zhao clan will be finished!”

Zhao Ji’s face turned deathly pale.

Zhao Zhongyu gripped his wrist tightly, staring intently at him. “Do you think your uncle resented me, yet why didn’t we divide the household in all these decades? Because above individual interests is the small family, above the small family is the greater family, and above the greater family is the clan!”

“You lost the mother and three children of the first branch, and you lost your uncle’s coffin. Do you think you can justify it with the excuse of wartime chaos?” Zhao Zhongyu said, “No one will believe you. Your wife and children returned without a single one missing, all safe and sound. How is it that not one person from the first branch remains? And living people can get lost, but what about your uncle’s coffin?”

“That was your uncle’s coffin, his coffin! Why didn’t you get lost along with it!” The more Zhao Zhongyu spoke, the angrier he became, wishing he could throw this son out to let him cool down.

When Zhao Changyu intended to let Zhao Ji inherit the title, some in the clan proposed having Zhao Ji inherit from both branches, or directly adopt him to Zhao Changyu.

First, he was unwilling; second, Zhao Changyu was also unwilling, so the matter was dropped.

Although it was dropped, the world tacitly assumed that since Zhao Ji inherited Zhao Changyu’s title, he should treat him as a father. Abandoning his “father’s” corpse to flee alone would invite the contempt of the world.

“If this matter gets back to the clan, even as clan leader I cannot protect you, let alone that scholars will be ashamed to associate with you. Zhao Ji, didn’t you think of the consequences before you acted?”

Zhao Ji and Wu Shi knelt pale-faced before the bed without speaking.

Zhao Zhongyu closed his eyes and said, “What are you still kneeling for? Why haven’t you sent people out to search?”

Zhao Ji came to his senses and quickly stood up to withdraw.

—