Chapter 1745: [Brothers] (Part 2)

Zhou Mo stared blankly, then reacted. He said with complex feelings: "Third brother..." He had never imagined that in his lifetime he could still hear Hu Xiaotian call him elder brother.

Hu Xiaotian smiled and nodded, saying, "We'll talk later!" He turned his gaze to Li Honghan: "Lord Li, I have come to Xizhou on the court's commission: first to offer condolences for Grand Marshal Li, second to request a posthumous title of Prince Zhongwu for Marshal Li—this is the imperial edict the court has entrusted me to bring."

Li Honghan coldly stared at Hu Xiaotian, his lips curled with contempt: "Hu Xiaotian, I think you've come to the wrong place. If it weren't for your status as a Dakang envoy, I would never be polite to you. My father was killed by your Dakang assassins, and now you hypocritically come to confer a title—what are your intentions?"

Hu Xiaotian stood his ground: "I'm not forcing you to accept the edict for a task entrusted to me, but since the court commissioned me, I must still deliver it."

Li Honghan nodded, reached out to take the edict Hu Xiaotian offered, just about to tear it up in front of him, when he heard Li Wuyou beside him say: "Elder brother, why don't you look at what the edict actually says?"

Li Honghan's hand stopped; he looked at his fifth sister with blame, evidently thinking she shouldn't speak at this moment.

If Li Wuyou hadn't spoken, almost everyone would have overlooked this frail, pale girl; but once she spoke, no one could ignore her presence. Although frail, under everyone's gaze she showed no trace of fear, instead revealing a composure and strength beyond her peers.

Li Honghan said: "You all go in first!"

Li Wuyou said: "Mother said that if a Dakang envoy arrives, I must inform her."

Li Honghan shouted: "I told you to go in!"

Li Wuyou completely ignored him, her clear eyes calmly fixed on her brother; her three other sisters stood beside her, clearly having chosen a side.

Even an outsider could see that Li Tianheng's children seemed to have internal problems.

Huo Ge said: "Honghan, this is your fault. Since the mother-in-law has spoken, we children must obey. How can you defy your mother's orders while your father-in-law's bones are still warm?" He promptly blamed Li Honghan.

Li Wuyou reached out: "Give me the edict!"

Li Honghan almost thought he had misheard—his usually frail younger sister publicly confronted him and even demanded the edict. As he was about to flare up, the steward Qiu Yuanchang beside him said: "Young master, perhaps this matter should be left to the mistress to decide."

Li Honghan hesitated a moment, then handed the edict to Li Wuyou, sneering: "What use is this scrap of paper?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "You should feel lucky; if you dared to tear the edict, Commander Mu Rongzhan would already have twisted your neck."

Mu Rongzhan had been watching silently from the side; hearing Hu Xiaotian mention him, he inwardly smiled bitterly. Hu Xiaotian was clearly trying to drag him into trouble. Even if Li Honghan really tore the edict, on his own turf in Xichuan he wouldn't act rashly, but thinking that, he couldn't show weakness, so he coldly said: "Consider yourself lucky."

Hu Xiaotian turned and left the room, stepping outside, when a soft voice called out: "Hu elder brother, wait!"

Hu Xiaotian recognized Li Wuyou's voice, stopped, turned with a smile, only to see Qiu Yuanchang pushing her wheelchair out; Li Wuyou still firmly gripped the edict in her hand.

Hu Xiaotian went to meet her, respectfully saying: "May I ask what instructions Miss Wuyou has?"

Li Wuyou softly said: "You should have heard my words just now—my mother is at Shadow Moon Mountain Villa; if Elder Brother Hu is willing…"

Before she could finish, Hu Xiaotian nodded and replied: "I naturally am willing."

Qiu Yuanchang said to Hu Xiaotian: "Please, Prince, accompany my lady; I'll go ready the carriage."

Li Honghan watched from the spirit hall as Li Wuyou and Hu Xiaotian conversed outside; his face turned livid with anger, but in front of everyone he couldn't erupt, so he quietly summoned his trusted warriors and whispered: "Keep an eye on them, see where they end up."

Huo Ge stood aside watching Li Honghan's actions, inwardly scoffing: "This man's mind is truly narrow; Li Wuyou is just a paralyzed girl—what could she possibly accomplish?"

Qiu Yuanchang lifted Li Wuyou into the carriage, Hu Xiaotian helped hang her wheelchair on the rear hook and then got inside. Before boarding, seeing Mu Rongzhan silently watching him, he smiled and said: "Commander Mu Rongzhan, no need to worry—go back and wait for my news."

Although Mu Rongzhan was someone Hu Xiaotian wanted to win over, Hu Xiaotian couldn't trust him; the situation in Xichuan was murky. Today, coming to offer condolences, he discovered the Li siblings were at odds—a pleasant surprise for him. Perhaps Li Honghan's family had already seen everything clearly.

After the carriage left the marshal's residence, Li Wuyou unfolded the edict and glanced at it, her long black lashes fluttering as her gaze moved. Hu Xiaotian stood beside her, silently watching Li Wuyou—this was the second time he had seen her. She looked so frail, yet he sensed her inner strength. Hu Xiaotian secretly wondered: which of her and Xi Yan is the real Li Wuyou?

Qiu Yuanchang's voice came from outside: "Fifth Miss, someone is following us from behind."

Li Wuyou closed the edict, saying calmly: "My brother is really becoming more and more useless! Let him follow; if he dares to enter Shadow Moon Mountain Villa, kill him on sight."

Hu Xiaotian's heart jolted—he could never have imagined such harsh words coming from the mouth of such a frail Li Wuyou.

The carriage stopped outside the gate of Shadow Moon Mountain Villa. Qiu Yuanchang parked the carriage, Hu Xiaotian helped take down the wheelchair and asked Li Wuyou to sit; Li Wuyou waved her hand: "Uncle Qiu, go attend to matters—just have Elder Brother Hu push me inside."

Qiu Yuanchang nodded.

Hu Xiaotian pushed Li Wuyou into Shadow Moon Mountain Villa; after entering the gate, Li Wuyou pointed to the viewing pavilion at the highest point and said: "Elder Brother Hu, please push me up there."

Hu Xiaotian looked ahead; although the viewing pavilion wasn't tall, reaching it required climbing nearly two hundred steps, but a ramp had been built beside the stairs evidently for Li Wuyou's convenience. He pushed her wheelchair up and soon arrived at the pavilion. From inside, one could see the scene of Xizhou's inner city, with the marshal's residence also in view. Hu Xiaotian was thinking about meeting Lady Li, but Li Wuyou had brought him here first, surely she had something to say to him.

Li Wuyou said: "My mother is ill, so I don't want anyone to disturb her."

Only then did Hu Xiaotian realize that coming to Shadow Moon Mountain Villa was merely Li Wuyou's own wish, not representing Lady Li. Since the opposition between Li Wuyou and Li Honghan in the spirit hall, Hu Xiaotian had changed his opinion of her; Li Wuyou actually possesses extraordinary strength.

Li Wuyou said: "My father had decided before his death to lead his troops back to Dakang; after his assassination, those who had initially proposed the return were all imprisoned or killed within a single night."

Hu Xiaotian had already heard something about this, but hearing it from Li Wuyou made it more credible.

Li Wuyou said: "You came on a commission from the Dakang court—are you here to clarify that you had nothing to do with my father's assassination?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "Even from a bystander's perspective, Dakang had no possibility of assassinating Uncle Li, and the benefits after his death did not go to Dakang."

Li Wuyou said: "After deciding to return to Dakang, my father gave me the tiger talisman symbolizing supreme military authority for safekeeping; but after his death, I found the talisman had lost much of its meaning, as the army had already been taken over by Yang Hao Ran."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Is that the Yang Hao Ran who betrayed his adoptive father for profit?"

Li Wuyou said: "This is quite unusual; although I lack experience, I can still see some loopholes. After my father's death, we never even saw his last sight—his body was cremated. I had worried the Xichuan army would descend into chaos, yet everything remained surprisingly stable."

Hu Xiaotian said: "This shows your brother still has some ability."

Li Wuyou shook her head: "The one actually controlling military power isn't him, but Yang Hao Ran. You must have heard that the Heavenly Fragrance Kingdom agreed to lend grain to Xichuan—Xichuan and that kingdom have had no prior dealings, so why would they extend aid in a crisis?" She paused, then added: "I suspect someone is using my brother! This upheaval in Xichuan is likely connected to the Heavenly Fragrance Kingdom."

Hu Xiaotian secretly gasped: "If that's true, then the Golden Jade Alliance I just built would be in name only! No—Long Xuanjiao had previously shown sufficient sincerity; what made her suddenly choose to betray? Could Hu Buwei have played a role?"

Li Wuyou said: "Elder Brother Hu, I know my request is excessive, but I have no one else I can trust nearby."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I too have taken over much of Xichuan; why do you choose to trust me?"

Li Wuyou said: "Xichuan's ultimate fate doesn't matter; as long as the people can live in peace, whose rule they're under makes no difference. I only want to uncover the cause of my father's death and give him justice."

Hu Xiaotian gazed at Li Wuyou's resolute eyes, secretly admiring her. Li Tianheng had been killed, and the one who finally sought justice for him was actually his disabled daughter. Hu Xiaotian sat opposite Li Wuyou and softly asked: "Do you recognize Xi Yan?"

Li Wuyou blinked, a faint smile touching her lips: "Have you seen her?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded.

Li Wuyou said: "She is my best friend; if she were here, none of this would have happened." She then sighed helplessly: "I'm so useless; in times like this I can't help at all."

Hu Xiaotian gazed at Li Wuyou, his heart filled with love, pity, and sympathy for her; he reached out and took her pale, thin hand, and whispered, "I will help you!" (To be continued~^~)