Chapter Twenty-Nine: Arrival at the Residence

At this moment, the joy in Little Fish’s heart was no longer a mere flicker—it had grown into wild elation. The tension that had stretched within him for so long finally eased, and Tie Xinlan could be saved. Little Fish restrained his urge to immediately seek Zhu Yu’s help; instead, he planned to find the right opportunity to meet him.

As for Zhu Yu, his mood was somewhat soured. When he stepped out of the carriage, he was prepared to accept the ceremonial greetings of the Murong family. Yet, as he lifted the curtain, the thunderous reception he had imagined was nowhere to be found. Well, so be it; after all, this was his father-in-law. Zhu Yu was about to step down and exchange a few pleasantries, but as soon as his feet touched the ground, he was startled by Murong Invincible’s booming voice, so much so that his legs felt weak.

Everything that happened was observed by Yu Huatian, who rushed forward to steady the Emperor, then cast a contemptuous glance at Murong Invincible, thinking, “A rustic fellow—becoming the Emperor’s father-in-law hasn’t taught him any decorum.”

“Enough, everyone may rise,” Zhu Yu said, raising his hand casually to indicate that the crowd could stand.

With Zhu Yu’s signal, those within Murong Mansion began to rise.

“Your Majesty, I have prepared your favorite pastries in my residence. Would you care to try some?” The Imperial Concubine, long accustomed to the depths of the palace, was well aware that the earlier ceremony had been somewhat rash. Now, she sought to remedy the situation, and with a glance, she stopped Murong Invincible from introducing the family any further.

“Very well. I’ve sampled the specialties of many regions on this journey, but I do miss the old flavors.” Her words pleased Zhu Yu.

Seated at the place of honor, Zhu Yu savored pastries he had not tasted in a long time, and his mood began to improve. The Imperial Concubine, having served Zhu Yu many times, noticed the relaxation in his expression and felt confident enough to introduce her father’s unspoken words.

“Your Majesty, allow me to introduce my second brother, Murong Zhong, my third brother, Murong Zheng, and my younger sister, Murong Xian.”

She drew the three forward and introduced them in turn. Her brothers, meeting the Emperor for the first time, were so excited they performed the official greeting with many errors. Only Murong Xian, with a flourish, saluted Zhu Yu in the manner of the martial world.

This piqued Zhu Yu’s interest. He asked, “What is your name?”

Clearly, he hadn’t heard a word the Imperial Concubine had just said.

“Your Majesty, I am Murong Xian,” she replied energetically, saluting him again.

Murong Xian? The name sounded familiar. Zhu Yu pondered for a moment before recalling the story: Murong Xian was Little Fish’s wife, but she died before marrying him. In his memory, Liu Xi was responsible for her death, seeking to gather five yang and two yin for a special time to practice martial arts.

The “five yang, two yin” referred to five men born during yang hours and two women born during yin hours, all of whom had to possess martial arts skills. He remembered that one of the five yang was Tie Xinlan’s father, Tie Ruyun. The two yin were Murong Shu and Murong Xian, sisters.

Suddenly, Zhu Yu realized that Liu Xi’s goal was to practice the “Absorption Technique,” extracting skills from a distance, but when capturing An Yunshan, Liu Xi had admitted that such a practice did not exist.

With this plot recalled, Zhu Yu remembered that Little Fish and Murong Xian first met during a birthday celebration at Murong Mansion, though he couldn’t recall why Little Fish had come there.

“Do you know Little Fish?” Zhu Yu asked Murong Xian.

“Little Fish? I don’t know him,” she replied, a hint of panic in her denial.

Among those present, only the two brothers were oblivious; the others immediately saw through Murong Xian’s lie. Zhu Yu, however, didn’t seem to care. But the Imperial Concubine and Murong Invincible were alarmed. To lie in front of the Emperor was a grave offense.

Yu Huatian, serving nearby, heard Little Fish’s name and was puzzled; he knew who Little Fish was, but wondered how the Emperor knew Murong Xian knew him.

“All right, if there’s nothing else, you may go. I’ve been traveling nonstop lately and feel a bit weary. Imperial Concubine, come give me a massage later,” Zhu Yu said.

Having finished his pastries, he looked around at the crowd exchanging glances and grew impatient, beginning to dismiss them.

Back in the palace, Zhu Yu had reveled in nightly festivities. But in the nearly two months since leaving, he hadn’t so much as touched a woman. Though he could control himself, seeing the Imperial Concubine today awakened dormant desires.

Yu Huatian noticed Zhu Yu’s frequent glances at the Imperial Concubine and understood his intentions. He stepped forward to lead the others out.

Murong Invincible was confused at first, but when he saw his daughter’s flushed cheeks, he seemed to understand and helped Yu Huatian usher everyone out.

Now only Zhu Yu and the Imperial Concubine remained. What followed needed no elaboration—it was an intimate encounter.

Outside, Murong Mansion was a secure place, and with the Emperor engaged in private affairs, Yu Huatian couldn’t possibly listen at the door. Bored, he wandered the estate, intending to admire the scenery of the Emperor’s father-in-law’s residence.

But as Yu Huatian strolled through Murong Mansion, he suddenly noticed a servant trailing him. His first reaction was that the mansion was unsafe and the Emperor was in danger.

He was about to turn and kill the servant so he could return to protect the Emperor, but the servant kept his distance, making it hard to ensure a silent kill.

Yu Huatian decided to continue luring him, waiting for a chance to strike. But after quickening his pace, a voice called from behind.

“Steward Tian, Steward Tian, wait for me, I have something to discuss with you.”

Steward Tian? The familiar yet strange address made Yu Huatian stop and look back. The servant approached from afar, and Yu Huatian asked uncertainly, “Little Fish?”

“Yes, it’s me. Steward Tian, your memory is remarkable,” Little Fish replied with a smile.

“What are you doing here?”

“That’s a long story. This isn’t the best place to talk.”

“Why have you been following me?”

“Well, I wanted to find a quiet spot to talk with you.”

“So why did you call out to me now?”

“You noticed me, didn’t you? You’re a grandmaster. If I didn’t call out now and waited for you to approach, I might not get the chance,” Little Fish explained with a grin.

Yu Huatian looked at Little Fish’s cheerful face, and a glint of calculation flashed in his eyes. He decided Little Fish was no simple person.

On second thought, it made sense. Even Yu Huatian admired Hua Wuque, a peerless genius. Anyone who could befriend Hua Wuque surely wasn’t ordinary.

Yu Huatian scanned the surroundings and continued, “If you have something to say, speak. Murong Mansion is quite safe, and there’s no one nearby.”