It must be said, this method of selecting a family head was quite clever.

It gave every son and grandson an opportunity. Whether one could rise to the position depended on whether heaven granted the talent.

This approach both ensured each family head’s exceptional ability and left the unsuccessful with no grounds for complaint.

Finally, using secret arts to empower the new family head gave him the strength and confidence to command absolute authority within the Zhu clan.

Which Zhu ancestor conceived this strategy?

Absolutely brilliant!

Yan Sanhe suddenly called out, “Second Master?”

Second Master Zhu responded very respectfully, “Please speak, Miss Yan.”

Yan Sanhe asked directly, “Are you jealous of your brother?”

Second Master Zhu clenched his hands into fists, feeling belittled.

“Miss Yan, how could I be jealous of my brother? He surpasses me in every way. The family head position should rightfully be his.”

Yan Sanhe turned, “Third Master, what about you?”

Third Master Zhu glanced at his elder brother and decided to speak truthfully. “I am jealous.”

Yan Sanhe asked, “Jealous of what?”

Third Master Zhu first laughed awkwardly at himself.

“Jealous that he was the first to emerge from Mother’s belly. He got all the good things—not only is he intelligent and spiritually gifted, even in appearance we can’t compare.”

Zhu Yuanmo hadn’t expected his brother to think this way. “Third Brother, you…”

“Elder Brother.”

Third Master Zhu looked at him and sighed. “Though Mother favors me, as long as you’re before her eyes, her gaze is only on you. You simply haven’t noticed.”

Was Mother looking at elder brother?

No!

Mother was looking at Father in his youth.

“Now that Third Brother mentions it, I remember too.”

Second Master Zhu pressed his lips together. “Though Father favors me, when conversing with outsiders, his words are full of you, elder brother, with pride written all over his face.”

Father was both elder brother’s father and his master.

Only a strict master produces exceptional disciples.

So he couldn’t pamper or dote on elder brother—only be stern.

Thinking of this, Second Master Zhu finally understood why he didn’t feel jealous of his elder brother—because Father favored him.

But in reality…

The person Father cared about most was always elder brother, only deeply hidden.

“Second Brother, Third Brother.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s eyes grew somewhat moist. “No need to envy me. This family head position isn’t easy to hold.”

As he said this, he glanced at Yan Sanhe.

If this had been three months ago, he definitely wouldn’t have said such words. Becoming the Zhu family head was his life’s pursuit—he felt he was born for this.

But now…

Zhu Yuanmo couldn’t help recalling something his father had once told him: The more one gains, the more one must give.

Wait—should he mention this to Miss Yan?

He pondered silently for a moment.

Forget it, better not.

These words weren’t particularly important anyway.

Yan Sanhe had no idea what was going through Zhu Yuanmo’s mind. She’d just asked about “jealousy” to probe the relationship between the three Zhu brothers.

The result of her probing: It was good.

This confirmed that Old Master Zhu’s heart demon had nothing to do with his three sons.

The next step was to trace backward.

“In Old Master Zhu’s generation, there were five brothers—legitimate and illegitimate. Did the illegitimate Old Master Zhu stand out from childhood to adulthood, overwhelming the other four legitimate sons?”

Zhu Yuanmo thought for a moment. “It seems so.”

“Seems?”

Yan Sanhe pressed, “Why aren’t you certain?”

Zhu Yuanmo explained, “Before we three brothers reached fifteen years old, we couldn’t inquire about household affairs. All our thoughts had to be on learning.”

Second Master Zhu quickly added, “This is a Zhu family rule—when the sky falls, there are taller people to hold it up.”

Third Master Zhu also said, “Our Zhu family has another rule—before fifteen years old, no relations with women.”

Yan Sanhe asked, “Why?”

Third Master Zhu replied, “Learning our craft cannot tolerate distraction. The character for ‘lust’ has a knife above it—when that knife falls, nothing good comes of it. Father said First Uncle was misled by beauty.”

First Uncle?

That would be Old Master Zhu’s eldest brother.

Yan Sanhe asked, “So your First Uncle’s divination skills were considerable?”

“That’s what Father said.”

Third Master Zhu continued, “Miss, if you want to know about past events, it’s best to summon the Old Steward. He served my grandfather and knows some things more clearly than we do.”

Yan Sanhe glanced at Li Buyan, who immediately went to fetch him.

When Zhu Jing entered, he brought in a gust of cold air.

He didn’t dare sit, only standing in the center of the room, saying to Yan Sanhe, “Miss, whatever you wish to ask, just ask. This old servant will certainly not conceal anything.”

Yan Sanhe picked up her teacup. “Sit down, then I’ll ask.”

Zhu Jing turned to look at First Master. Seeing him nod, he finally dared sit on half a buttock.

Yan Sanhe posed the same question.

“In Old Master Zhu’s generation, there were five brothers—legitimate and illegitimate. Did the illegitimate Old Master Zhu stand out from childhood to adulthood, overwhelming the other four legitimate sons?”

The Old Steward thought carefully. “No.”

Third Master Zhu looked astonished. “Old Steward, how could it not be?”

“Besides our Old Master, First Old Master and Fifth Old Master both had exceptional natural talent.”

The Old Steward glanced at Third Master. “Especially Fifth Old Master—the Old Grand Master said he was only disadvantaged by his physical health.”

“Wait!”

Yan Sanhe suddenly sensed something wrong.

She remembered Madam Mao had told her that Old Master Zhu had four brothers—the eldest and fifth youngest had died, while the second and third remained.

Such a coincidence?

The two who died were both talented individuals?

The Old Steward was startled by Yan Sanhe’s “wait.” “Miss Yan, did this old servant say something wrong?”

“No.”

Yan Sanhe collected herself. “Tell me in detail how First Old Master and Fifth Old Master died.”

The Old Steward said, “Fifth Old Master had poor health from childhood, always sickly. Not long after the household division, he passed away. As for First Old Master, he…”

“My First Uncle’s death wasn’t very glorious—he died on a woman.”

Zhu Yuanmo interjected, “He was always lustful, sleeping with any woman. He’d long since depleted his body.”

Yan Sanhe asked, “How are those two households doing now?”

Zhu Yuanmo replied, “Both have declined, completely dependent on my father’s support.”

Yan Sanhe pressed, “How does he support them?”

The Old Steward answered, “The Old Master gives them three thousand taels of silver annually. Great wealth and honor aren’t possible, but they can live comfortably and securely.”

Yan Sanhe asked, “When did this start?”

The Old Steward replied, “After First Old Master and Fifth Old Master passed away.”

Yan Sanhe continued, “Every year?”

The Old Steward confirmed, “Every year, without fail.”

Yan Sanhe asked, “What about Second Old Master and Third Old Master’s households?”

The Old Steward said, “They’re doing well. Though they don’t have our Old Master’s abilities, by helping people with feng shui and calculating eight characters, silver comes flowing in.”

Yan Sanhe pressed on, “During the three-year assessment period, who were Old Master Zhu’s strongest competitors?”

The Old Steward replied, “Also First Old Master and Fifth Old Master.”

Yan Sanhe asked sharply, “How specifically did they lose? Tell me.”

The Old Steward looked troubled. “Miss Yan, these matters occurred in the secret chamber. This old servant truly doesn’t know.”

Yan Sanhe’s tone grew heavier. “Then… after First Old Master and Fifth Old Master lost, were they convinced?”

“Well…”

His face showed even more difficulty.

Yan Sanhe’s gaze darkened.

“Zhu Jing, these aren’t matters from the secret chamber.”