Chapter 488: Su Xueyan's Mother

Upon hearing Su Lao's words, Su Xueyan furrowed her brows, and her whole demeanor suddenly sank.

She couldn't help but speak, her tone filled with strong resistance.

"Grandfather, why... are you bringing up that woman again!"

As soon as she said that, Jiang Feng's expression twitched slightly.

Because at that very moment, he sensed Su Xueyan's emotions violently fluctuating.

A complex, oppressive, indescribable thing.

It was only then that Jiang Feng suddenly remembered.

He seemed never to have heard any news about Xue Yan's parents.

From knowing Su Xueyan until now, he had only seen Su Lao.

He had seen those relatives of the Su family, but had never seen Su Xueyan's parents, nor had she ever mentioned them.

He had previously thought they might have passed away, making it inconvenient to mention.

But now it seems the matter is far more complicated than he imagined.

At this moment, Su Lao seemed to have aged greatly.

His face lacked the previous vigor, his whole person seeming emptied out.

He first glanced at Jiang Feng, then turned his head to look at Su Xueyan, his voice low.

"Xue Yan, close the door."

Su Xueyan bit her lip, turned and walked over, closing the ward's door.

The moment the door closed, the light in the ward dimmed somewhat, and the atmosphere grew more oppressive.

Su Lao leaned on his crutch, slowly walked to the bedside, and sat down.

His movements were slow, as if each step required all his strength.

After sitting, he let out a long sigh, that breath carrying fatigue, helplessness, and an indescribable complex emotion.

"Forget it..."

Su Lao's voice was very low, as if he were talking to himself.

"After all, Jiang Feng, you and Xue Yan are about to marry. Regarding Xue Yan's parents, I should also tell you."

He lifted his head, glanced at Su Xueyan, then also looked at Jiang Feng.

"Xue Yan also has the right to know these..."

Upon hearing this, Su Xueyan's body trembled slightly, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.

Her face was somewhat pale, her lips pressed tightly together, and she said nothing.

Su Lao continued speaking.

"Originally, if it weren't for your grandmother coming back, I wouldn't have spoken of these matters."

His voice carried a hint of bitterness.

"But now, your grandmother says she might come back to find you."

As soon as he said that, Su Xueyan immediately became agitated.

Her voice was loud, with a hint of hysteria.

"I am not her daughter!"

Her eye sockets reddened, her voice trembling.

"I am a member of the Su family! I am Grandfather's granddaughter! I have no relation to her!"

Su Xueyan's emotions were highly agitated, her chest rising and falling greatly, her breathing becoming rapid.

Jiang Feng reached out and grasped her hand, feeling it tremble, her palm icy cold.

He said nothing, merely squeezing gently, giving her a bit of strength.

Su Xueyan glanced at him, took a deep breath, and her emotions eased somewhat.

Jiang Feng turned his head, looking at Old Master, his tone calm.

"Old Master, please continue."

Su Lao nodded, his eyes full of vicissitudes.

He fell silent for a moment, as if recalling something from long ago, then slowly spoke.

"Xue Yan's mother was a noble lady from a certain mysterious family in Kyoto."

Su Lao's voice was very low, yet each word was clear.

"It is said that she had some connection to the imperial family."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Feng furrowed his brow slightly.

"A mysterious family in Kyoto? Connected to the imperial family?"

"That is no ordinary family."

Su Lao continued speaking.

"Back then, Xue Yan's father, Su Guohua, once served in the military in Kyoto."

His gaze became somewhat dazed, as if looking at a distant place.

"That child Guo Hua, from a young age was outstanding, healthy in body and sharp in mind, the pride of our Su family."

Su Lao's tone carried a bit of pride, but more sorrow.

"While serving in Kyoto, he met Xue Yan's mother."

"The two quickly fell in love; during that time, Guo Hua would mention her every time he called home, saying she was the finest girl in the world."

Su Lao's mouth corners turned up slightly, revealing a bitter smile.

"Later, after Guo Hua's service ended, he brought her back to Jiangcheng. The two married and gave birth to Xue Yan."

He paused, looking at Su Xueyan, his eyes full of loving kindness.

"That period was the happiest time for the Su Family. Guo Hua had his own little family, his company kept improving, and everything was developing in a good direction."

Su Xueyan lowered her head, silent, but her eyes were already red.

Su Lao's voice grew low and deep.

"But this happiness didn't last long."

His tone carried a hint of hatred.

"That woman was taken away by her family."

Su Lao's voice trembled slightly.

"They sent people who directly took her from the Su Family; Guo Hua couldn't stop them. Those people wore black clothes, each one formidable, and Guo Hua was no match for them."

Su Xueyan's body trembled slightly, and Jiang Feng felt her hand grow colder.

Su Lao took a deep breath and continued speaking.

"After that woman was taken away, Guo Hua went mad, searching everywhere for her, inquiring everywhere about her whereabouts. He went to Kyoto, went to find that family, wanting to take his wife back."

Su Lao's voice grew lower and hoarser.

"But he wasn't successful. That family was too powerful; we Su Family couldn't afford to provoke them."

He paused, his voice filled with endless sorrow.

"Afterward, Guo Hua died in an accident."

Su Xueyan's body jerked, and tears finally spilled out.

Su Lao's eye sockets also reddened, his voice choking.

"Even now, the murderer has not been found."

His voice was very low, very low.

"The Su Family investigated for many years, used all their connections, spent a lot of money, and finally only found one thing: the killer who killed Guo Hua came from Kyoto."

Su Lao lifted his head, looking at Jiang Feng, his eyes full of pain.

"Only that mysterious family could do it. Only they had the ability and the motive."

The ward grew quiet, with only Su Xueyan's suppressed sobs.

Jiang Feng fell silent for a moment, then spoke.

"Which family is that family?"

Su Lao hesitated for a long time, as if making a difficult decision.

His lips moved, wanting to speak but stopping, and finally he spoke.

"One of Kyoto's top-tier clans."

His voice was very soft, but each word carried great weight.

"The Linghu Clan."

Linghu Clan.

As soon as those four words were spoken, the atmosphere in the ward grew even heavier.

Jiang Feng's brows furrowed slightly.

The Linghu Clan, he had heard of it.

That is one of the Four Great Top-tier Clans in Kyoto, with immense power and deep foundations, said to have close ties to the Imperial Family.

In every political, economic, and military domain of the empire, the Linghu Clan's presence can be seen.

Such a family is indeed not something the Su Family can afford to provoke.

Su Xueyan lifted her head, wiped her tears, her voice hoarse.

"Grandfather, I don't want to hear this."

Her eyes were full of resistance.

"I don't want to know who she is, nor do I want to know anything about the Linghu Clan. I have no relation to them."

Su Lao looked at her and sighed.

"Xue Yan, you may not acknowledge her, but she might come looking for you."

Su Xueyan's face grew even paler, her lips trembling, unable to speak.

Su Lao looked toward Jiang Feng, his eyes full of worry.

"Jiang Feng, I'm telling you this not to ask you to do anything, but just hoping you can be mentally prepared."

He paused, then continued speaking.

"If that woman really comes looking for us, with the Linghu Clan's power, they could do anything."

Jiang Feng looked at Su Lao, his expression calm, and said lightly.

"I understand."

His voice was flat, as if speaking of something unimportant.

"No matter who comes, Xue Yan is my woman; no one can take her away."

Su Lao froze upon hearing that, then his eye sockets reddened.

He nodded, his voice somewhat choking.

"Good, good."

Su Xueyan looked at Jiang Feng, tears falling again, but this time not from sorrow, but from being moved.

She leaned on Jiang Feng's shoulder and spoke softly.

"Thank you, Jiang Feng."