Chapter 59: The Old Man: I Was Once a Member of the Yue Family Army

At dusk, the twilight descended, and the crimson clouds over West Lake were gradually fading.

At that moment, a hurried carriage suddenly stopped in front of the gate of the Lakeside Mountain Villa.

"Senior sister, senior sister, we're home."

After Niu Dingtian got out of the carriage, he lifted the curtain and called softly toward the interior.

After days of exhausting travel, Sister Bao could not bear the fatigue and had already fallen asleep.

"Hmm? Arrived?"

A lazy voice sounded, and Bao Xiruo gradually woke up.

"We've arrived; senior sister, get out first, I'll go knock on the door."

"Dong dong dong"

Niu Dingtian helped Sister Bao down and then went to knock on the villa's main gate.

"Master of the villa?"

The newcomer was delighted.

"You took my senior sister to look for the lady, had her arrange lodging for my senior sister; I'll first go check on the Niu Butler."

Niu Dingtian quickly gave the order, then turned back and said gently to Sister Bao:

"Senior sister, later you should go with sister-in-law Jin'er to rest well; you both have met in childhood. After I'm done, I'll come see you."

"Hmm, Dingtian, the matter is urgent; no need to worry about me."

Sister Bao replied softly, then followed the guards, walking gracefully toward the inner courtyard; now there was no need for restraint, yet she still found the name Dingtian endearing.

Seeing this, Niu Dingtian did not linger and headed straight for Niu Wuye's residence.

"Master!"

"How is the Niu Butler?"

"Sir, the Niu Butler is still asleep; once he wakes, he'll ask whether the master has returned."

Niu Dingtian pushed open the door and entered; a strong medicinal scent hit his nose.

At the bedside, he saw the withered old man asleep on the bed and, with a heavy heart, approached him.

"Niu Wuye."

"Niu Wuye, I'm back."

Grasping the frail hand, he slowly transmitted his true Qi, while softly calling out continuously.

"Young master, you finally returned."

After a while, Niu Wuye slowly opened his cloudy eyes, and a strained smile appeared on his ashen face; this time, he no longer addressed the master, but, as in his youth, called out to the young master.

"Uncle, uncle, you're back."

Just then, Chen Jin'er'er entered, her pretty face showing surprise, her chest rising and falling, evidently having rushed in.

"Sister-in-law, I'm back."

He replied softly, and Niu Dingtian looked again at Niu Wuye.

At this moment, Niu Wuye, as if reflecting light, seemed revitalized with vigor and, with effort, spoke:

"Young master, the old man is near death. Before he leaves, he must tell you your lineage."

Having said that, he glanced shakily at Chen Jin'er'er beside him, clearly wishing to speak to her alone.

Understanding, Chen Jin'er'er lifted her foot to leave the room, but Niu Dingtian suddenly said:

"Sister-in-law, wait!"

Then, looking at Niu Wuye, he gently urged:

"Niu Wuye, sister-in-law Jin'er has been dependent on me since childhood; there is no lineage she cannot bear to hear, so stay here."

Behind him, Chen Jin'er'er felt a warmth in her heart, closed the door, and silently stood behind Niu Dingtian.

At that moment, she was eager to learn the younger uncle's background.

Niu Wuye saw this, nodded, and then a trace of nostalgia appeared on his withered face as he slowly recounted the past:

"Old man, I was once a member of the Yue Family Army, and also a personal guard of Deputy Marshal Niu Gao."

"Back then, Marshal Yue fought the Jin in the north, seeking to erase the humiliation of Jingkang, determined to bring back the two emperors Hui and Qin, but because of this, Emperor Gaozong grew hostile, and eventually he was brutally killed on fabricated charges."

"However, Deputy Marshal Niu and Marshal Yue were close, even sworn brothers. Qin Gui and Emperor Gaozong, fearing revenge from the Yue Family Army, in the seventeenth year of Shaoxing, Qin Gui, under the pretense of celebrating a border general's victory, poisoned them with toxic wine."

Niu Dingtian knew this history; regardless of how the annals record it, the truth behind the records is never as simple as it appears, and he hadn't expected it to be linked to his own lineage.

"Cough cough cough"

At this point, Niu Wuye became somewhat agitated, coughing a few times, perhaps recalling something, then let out a sneering chuckle:

"In the end, it's our emperor who couldn't tolerate the Yue Family Army. Without his covert orders, that treacherous Qin Gui wouldn't have had the nerve to casually poison the border general."

"Niu Wuye, what happened later?"

Hearing this, Niu Dingtian felt a stir of speculation but, unsure, asked:

Niu Wuye, after hearing Niu Dingtian's question, thought of something, tears glimmering in his eyes, then hoarsely said:

"But after they harmed Deputy Marshal Niu, they were still unsatisfied; the Niu clan was entrenched in the army, and fearing retaliation, they sought to root them out, beginning a massacre and purge of the Niu family."

"At that time, the few surviving Niu descendants, protected by the personal guards, fled and lived a life of constant wandering. I, the old man, also then settled in Niu Village, staying there and often going to Lin'an City to gather information."

"And you, young master, were conceived by your mother during the escape; you are the youngest grandson of Deputy Marshal Niu."

Niu Dingtian, upon hearing this, felt sudden turmoil; he had thought himself a pure native of Niu Village, only knowing that his mother died at his birth, never imagining this hidden identity, and was at a loss for what to feel.

Behind him, Chen Jin'er'er, upon hearing the news, froze in surprise, standing dumbly in silence, her thoughts unreadable.

Niu Wuye gasped for breath, then said:

"The Zhao Song dynasty, though it changed emperors and pacified Marshal Yue, still bore a blood feud with the Niu family; upon learning someone escaped, they never ceased dispatching men to hunt them!"

"A year before the Qingyuan era, the young master and young lady secretly went to Purple Cloud Cave by West Lake to worship Deputy Marshal Niu, but their trail was discovered. In the urgent situation, to preserve the Niu bloodline, I protected the pregnant young lady and hid in Niu Village, while the others fled separately, drawing the pursuers away."

Niu Wuye's eyes were dull and unfocused at this moment, as if he had fallen into his memories, still panting heavily as he continued speaking:

"Later, I worried that one day my whereabouts would be exposed, implicating the young master still in my womb. After much discussion, the young mistress disguised herself as a fugitive fleeing south and sought refuge with Zhuang Ge'er's family. I never expected. I never expected that after the young mistress gave birth to the young master, she also died directly."

Niu Dingtian finally understood why, when he was young, Niu Wuye had always taken such good care of him, looking at him with special affection—there is no such thing as love without reason in this world.

"Hehe. After Emperor Gaozong abdicated, he was still doing fine, even living until two years before the young master's birth; his adopted son Emperor Xiaozong had just ascended the throne and dared to directly rehabilitate Marshal Yue, but it was merely to fool the people, merely to fool the people, haha."

"Cough cough. Young master."

"You must remember. You must remember."

(End of chapter)