Chapter 190: The Descendant of an Old Friend

Ximen Yong's gaze swept up and down over Duan Rong's figure, finally fixing on Duan Rong's eyes...

Ximen Yong smiled slightly.

Looking at him face-to-face now, he was almost certain that these eyes were the very same eyes from Heihu Gang.

There could be no mistake!

Duan Rong felt puzzled by Ximen Yong's stare; he had been masked at Heihu Gang, and Duan Rong did not believe Ximen Yong could recognize him.

Ximen Yong took a slice of melon from a tray, handed it to Duan Rong, and said, "Escort Duan, try this melon. It has just been chilled; it is fragrant and sweet."

Duan Rong accepted it respectfully and said, "Thank you, Master!"

Ximen Yong smiled and said, "Kankan calls you Brother Duan; if you don't mind, you can call me Uncle in the future."

Duan Rong's heart skipped a beat. He looked at Ximen Yong, but saw that Ximen Yong was just smiling humbly with a normal expression, showing no sign of anything unusual.

Duan Rong said, "My status is lowly. The way the young master of the Ximen Family and I address each other is merely a playful term between friends; how could I dare to claim such a connection?"

"Escort Duan, if you are unwilling to call me Uncle, I suppose my conduct and character must not be worthy of such a title from you. This is a lack of virtue on the part of my Ximen Family!"

"How could that be?" Duan Rong immediately exclaimed, "Uncle Ximen is above; please accept this bow from your nephew!"

Ximen Yong reached out to help Duan Rong up and smiled, "That's more like it!"

Ximen Yong actually took Duan Rong's hand and sat down on two grand chairs, saying, "Nephew, it is not that your uncle is relying on his age to bully you or trying to take advantage of you. If we address each other this way, we can be closer in the future. When we visit each other during the holidays, it will give us a proper standing, won't it?"

"What is Uncle saying? It is clearly I who am taking advantage. I am but a person of humble origins; for Uncle to call me nephew, I am truly filled with trepidation!"

"Heroes are not judged by their origins; you need not be overly modest, nephew," Ximen Yong said. "I have prepared a family banquet in the flower hall at noon. I wonder if you would be willing to do me the honor of joining this old man for a simple meal?"

"How could I dare to refuse?" Duan Rong said, cupping his hands.

Ximen Yong stood up with a smile. As he left, he glared at Ximen Kankan, who was busy gnawing on melon over there, and scolded, "That ice-pattern melon was cut for Nephew Duan. How many pieces have you eaten?"

The ice-pattern melon was very juicy, and Ximen Kankan was choked by the scolding, coughing repeatedly.

By the time he wiped the juice from his mouth and stopped coughing, Ximen Yong had already left Xueyan Residence.

Ximen Kankan looked at the two melon slices on the side table and muttered to his father's retreating back, "Didn't I only eat two pieces?"

Afterward, Ximen Kankan and Duan Rong ate the ice-pattern melon while playing chess and chatting. Soon it was noon, and Ximen Kankan went with Duan Rong to the flower hall in the front courtyard.

As the two walked over, they happened to see several Personal Attendants carrying trays toward the flower hall. Ximen Kankan grabbed one of them and asked, "Who made the lunch?"

"Xu Lao made it."

"Old Xu?" Ximen Kankan's eyes lit up and he said, "Is there Eight Treasure Gourd Duck?"

"There is."

As soon as Ximen Kankan heard there was Eight Treasure Gourd Duck, his mouth began to water. He pushed Duan Rong and walked quickly toward the flower hall.

When the two reached the entrance of the flower hall, Meiqin, who was waiting there, suddenly stopped Ximen Kankan and said, "The master only invited Escort Duan Rong."

"What about me?" Ximen Kankan asked with an innocent face, "Didn't you say it was a family banquet?"

"Please forgive Meiqin for not knowing," Meiqin said, curtsied, and led Duan Rong inside.

Duan Rong rubbed his nose and looked back at Ximen Kankan. Ximen Kankan's resentful expression was like that of a young bride who had been forced into a bad marriage.

When Duan Rong walked in, several cold dishes had already been placed on the table. Meiqin unsealed a jar of aged wine, poured a cup for each of them, then retreated and stood guard at the door.

As soon as Duan Rong sat down, a Personal Attendant brought over a covered tray. When it was opened, it was that very dish: Eight Treasure Gourd Duck.

Ximen Yong did not know that Duan Rong had already eaten, so he introduced it specially.

The two began to chat while eating and drinking.

However, as they talked, Duan Rong gradually discovered that Ximen Yong was asking him various questions by beating around the bush.

After a few questions, Duan Rong was certain that this old man, for some reason, had already guessed that he was the person from Heihu Gang. Although he did not know how Ximen Yong had guessed it, Duan Rong had already made up his mind to deny it to the death.

Ximen Yong asked many questions, but seeing that Duan Rong always gave vague and evasive answers, he finally understood that Duan Rong was still unwilling to reveal his identity.

Ximen Yong sighed deeply, finally gave up on pestering him about this matter, and turned to chatting with Duan Rong about interesting anecdotes from the pugilistic world.

Ximen Yong was long accustomed to the pugilistic world and had no shortage of stories in his belly; the two soon began to talk quite happily.

The lunch lasted for nearly an hour before Ximen Yong reluctantly took Duan Rong's hand and personally saw him to the door.

Before leaving, Ximen Yong said, "Nephew, if you encounter any difficulties, you must tell me. Only if you think of me when you are in trouble do you truly treat me as your uncle; you must not be a stranger!"

Ximen Yong said this while patting Duan Rong's hand. A warm current surged in Duan Rong's heart, and he bowed in thanks repeatedly.

Duan Rong said his goodbyes and left. After descending the steps, he turned back and bowed again before departing. This bow was made sincerely to Ximen Yong, and it was not merely a formality.

Throughout the meal, Ximen Yong's deep and earnest affection—Duan Rong was not made of wood, so how could he not feel it?

Just as Duan Rong passed the stone lion, Ximen Kankan flashed out from behind it. With his hands behind his back, acting like an old man, he blocked Duan Rong and asked in an old-fashioned tone, "Tell me, what did you do? My father is closer to you than to his own son?"

Duan Rong was slightly tipsy. He glanced at Ximen Kankan, rubbed his belly, and smacked his lips, saying, "Sigh... why is the Eight Treasure Gourd Duck so delicious..."

"Don't bring up things that shouldn't be brought up!" Ximen Kankan said angrily, "Tell me quickly, what is going on?"

"Actually, I don't know either," Duan Rong shook his head and said, "Perhaps it is because of the time we sparred with blades. Just now at the table, your father said your blade technique had greatly improved."

Ximen Kankan's eyes widened in astonishment, and he said, "Has my blade technique greatly improved?"

"Thinking back, it has improved quite a bit," Duan Rong said.

"Is that so?" Having received the answer, the doubt in Ximen Kankan's heart finally vanished a little.

"I still have things to do, I'm leaving first." Seeing that Ximen Kankan was no longer pestering him, Duan Rong waved his hand and left.

Ximen Kankan looked at Duan Rong's back and curled his lip, saying, "What's so good about Eight Treasure Gourd Duck? I've long since grown tired of eating it..."

After saying this, Ximen Kankan walked back, looking grumpy.

Inside the main courtyard's flower hall, Ximen Yong sat there alone, sipping tea and deep in thought.

Duan Rong had not only kindly advised Kankan but also saved his life at Heihu Gang; it was clear he treated the Ximen Family very well, yet he seemed to have some unspeakable secret that made it inconvenient to reveal his identity.

Ximen Yong was calculating and speculating in his heart. The teacup he had brought to his lips suddenly paused, because he thought of a reason—a reason that made his whole body turn cold.

"Yilin, could this person be the descendant of that old friend of yours?"

After this answer flashed through Ximen Yong's mind, the more he thought about it, the more he felt it was possible.

Li Yilin's family was originally a prominent household in Yuanyang Prefecture, but back then, Li Yilin insisted on marrying Ximen Yong, and for this, she did not hesitate to sever ties with her family.

The Li family also struck her name from the family genealogy!

In life, she would not enter the Li family gates; in death, she would not enter the Li family tomb!

Yet, only three years later, the Li family was involved in a major case and the entire household was executed. Because Li Yilin had been struck from the genealogy, she escaped the disaster. But when she learned that her family had been completely slaughtered, her spirit was damaged, and she died of melancholy within half a year.

Ximen Yong guessed that Duan Rong might be the surviving descendant of the Li family who had escaped.

If it were not so, how could Duan Rong have such deep feelings for the Ximen Family, and yet still refuse to reveal his identity? He was likely worried about leaking his background as a descendant of a disgraced family.

Thinking this way, Ximen Yong raised his head and saw the painting Duan Rong had made for Ximen Kankan again; the earnest, admonishing intent in the inscribed poem made him even more certain of his guess.

He decided to call someone to hang this painting in Kankan's bedroom, so that Ximen Kankan could observe it daily and contemplate it with a focused heart, so as not to let down Duan Rong's good intentions.

(End of chapter)