CHAPTER 123: CHAPTER 80: SELF-REPROACH EDICT_2

"Sir, I truly never expected to see you again upon my return. I always thought... I thought..."

Zheng Fan was trying to force out some tears, perhaps because he’d just had a drink, but instead, a loud:

"BELCH!"

Escaped him. As the belch sounded, Zheng Fan immediately bowed his head.

After so many days enduring the desert sands, my acting skills have really deteriorated.

Fortunately, Hui Wenzu paid no mind to this minor detail. He reached out, intending to grasp Zheng Fan’s hand, but Zheng Fan withdrew his. Instead, Hui Wenzu found himself taking a roast chicken that Zheng Fan offered.

Hui Wenzu, holding the roast chicken, was momentarily stunned.

Zheng Fan said with emotion, "Sir, you’ve gotten thinner."

"You’re telling me! You’re telling me!"

Hit in a sore spot, Hui Wenzu lowered his head and took a large bite of the chicken, chewing vigorously as he lamented, "Three days! I was lost in the desert for three days! One of my two horses died of exhaustion. It was only with great difficulty that I finally made it back!"

Zheng Fan’s mind raced. He also noticed several silk threads entwined around the beams in the hall above. This meant Siniang and Liang Cheng were already on guard outside, a signal that he had nothing to worry about.

"Sir, how did you survive? I wept for days and nights beside the wreckage of that carriage.

I nearly went mad when I saw that barbarian lift the carriage you were hiding in.

And when he smashed the carriage against the memorial archway, I completely lost it! I drew my sword, ready to fight that barbarian to the death!

You’ve been so incredibly kind to me, Sir. In my entire life, apart from the Lady of the County, you’ve treated me with the greatest benevolence and kindness!

At that moment, Centurion Yang Wenzhi, loyal and courageous, also drew his sword, willing to go with me.

Distance tests a horse’s strength; time reveals a person’s heart. Even now, when I recall Centurion Yang Wenzhi’s integrity, I am filled with deep admiration.

Who would have thought that the barbarian, knowing there was no escape, would then try to assassinate the Prince?

If the Prince were killed within the Marquis’s manor, wouldn’t that give those vipers in the Imperial Court the perfect excuse to slander our manor? Besides, I was already in a frenzy from the ’news of your death,’ so I charged in with my sword and fought the barbarian without a second thought."

At this, Zheng Fan opened his robe to show Hui Wenzu the bandaged wound on his abdomen.

"Fortunately, Heaven has eyes. The barbarian was slain, the Prince survived, and I was lucky enough to be rescued.

Only Centurion Yang Wenzhi... his body was shattered by a single punch from the barbarian. Not even a complete corpse could be found. Alas."

Hearing Zheng Fan’s account, seeing his wound, and combining it with the news he’d received from the manor upon his return, Hui Wenzu said at once, "Zheng Colonel, you have suffered greatly."

"Half of this life I owe to the Lady of the County, and the other half, I owe to you, Sir. It was what I ought to do.

However, Sir, you still haven’t told me... how did you manage to survive?"

"Sigh... It was sheer luck. I had an upset stomach at that moment and had just stepped out of the carriage to find a place to relieve myself."

Zheng Fan was utterly speechless. Damn it all! How could he be so incredibly lucky? I specifically had Shatuo Queshi smash him to death, to be done with it! And he says he just happened to be off relieving himself? Any other reason, fine! But *this* reason? Hearing it, I really just want to grab a knife and chop this fat bastard in front of me to pieces!

"Sir, your good fortune is boundless!" Zheng Fan gritted out, each word sounding like it was forced through his teeth.

Then, Zheng Fan quickly composed himself and continued to ask, "Sir, since you were unharmed, why didn’t you come to find me?"

Actually, Zheng Fan knew perfectly well why Hui Wenzu hadn’t come looking for him. Back then, Zheng Fan was at the manor, and Hui Wenzu couldn’t have entered without revealing his identity. Moreover, Yang Wenzhi, who had been Hui Wenzu’s informant within their ranks, had been cut into pieces by Siniang, so he was no longer around to assist. Most importantly, Hui Wenzu’s identity as the Recruitment Envoy could not be exposed at the manor!

"Sigh." Hui Wenzu let out another sigh.

Zheng Fan pressed on, adding, "I reported your situation to the Old Lady, speaking of your loyalty to the manor. At the time, I believed you had sacrificed your life for the manor, and I felt the manor should not forget your contributions. It’s just that..."

"Just what?" Hui Wenzu immediately pressed.

"It’s just that the Old Lady only gave me a three-word reply."

"Which three words?"

"’Understood.’"

"’Understood?’ Understood... Understood."

A look of realization dawned on Hui Wenzu’s face. He immediately dropped the half-eaten roast chicken, rose from the table, and knelt facing north. He then kowtowed solemnly three times. This startled Zheng Fan, who also quickly stood up.

"The Old Lady’s benevolence! The Old Lady’s benevolence!"

"Sir, what exactly is going on?" Zheng Fan asked as he moved to help Hui Wenzu up.

Damn it, I can’t spin this any further. You fill in the blanks!

"Zheng Colonel, it was the Old Lady who protected me! The Old Lady protected me! The Old Lady knew I had come, and she understood my purpose. That’s why she protected me and arranged for my departure. That’s the meaning behind those three words she said to you."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Fan’s expression immediately turned solemn. He said, "The Old Lady is truly wise and resourceful."

"Indeed." Hui Wenzu sat back down at the table.