Chapter 367: Abandon

Grandmother Pan was even older than two years ago; her hair was nearly all white. Seeing Pan Yun, she startled to her feet, eyes slightly damp as she scanned her up and down twice, voice choked: "You've grown—how did you grow so much?"

Pan Yun smiled with pursed lips: "Grandmother, are you relieved to see me? My senior brothers and sisters treated me well, even my junior disciples looked after me—that's why I've grown so well."

Seeing Pan Yun, taller by a full head, her face plump and healthy, Grandmother Pan could not bring herself to say, "You've suffered."

Because this child had been raised far better than when she was in the Pan household.

When she was in the Pan household, at eight she looked six; now, at ten, she looked like eleven or twelve.

Grandmother Pan sighed, stroking her head, then pushed aside her loosely fitted hat, revealing the truth.

Grandmother Pan immediately removed the hat, and seeing the half-finger-long hair, her eyes reddened: "Do Daoist Priests have to shave their heads too?"

Pan Yun quickly explained: "This wasn't shaved—it was struck by lightning."

Grandmother Pan's tears streamed: "How could lightning strike you? Our Pan family has never done evil—what happened to you out there…?"

"I didn't do anything wrong," Pan Yun said at once, solemnly: "Grandmother, I'm just like Father—a good person."

Grandmother Pan exhaled, gripping her hand: "Being good is enough, Yun'er. Though young, you studied with your brothers. Our Pan family has never produced traitors. Your father, even with a knife at his throat, never falsely accused Xue Shaoqing. You…"

Pan Yun said solemnly: "I would never falsely accuse Xue Shaoqing."

"Good, good," Grandmother Pan said, deeply comforted: "You mustn't do any other evil deeds. I heard from your Pan Ershu that you want to clear your father's name—how do you plan to do it?"

"I have no idea yet, Grandmother—do you have any advice?"

Grandmother Pan tightened her grip, then after a moment's silence said: "What advice can a little old woman like me offer? Even your Pan Ershu—he has no official rank, just a minor scholar degree, barely able to teach at a private school."

Pan Tao protested: "Mother—"

Grandmother Pan clutched Pan Yun's hand, shot Pan Tao a warning glance, then continued: "Your father's case was ordered by Wang Zhen and personally sanctioned by the Emperor—how easy do you think it is to overturn?"

"Unless Yang Ge-lao speaks up and submits a petition," Grandmother Pan sighed, "but Yang Ge-lao hasn't been involved in affairs for a long time."

"Everyone knows Xue Shaoqing's case was a miscarriage of justice—Yang Ge-lao only said one thing back then, without fighting harder—if he had…"

"Child, you're still young, and you have a long road ahead. Your two older brothers have already secured their positions in the military…" Grandmother Pan gripped Pan Yun's hand, but the next words stuck in her throat.

Pan Yun understood: Grandmother Pan no longer wanted to reopen the case, no longer wanted this to drag down the Second Branch and the entire Pan family.

Pan Yun understood. She nodded, changed the subject: "Father can't serve you filially—he feels guilty. But at least we have Pan Ershu. Pan Ershu, I entrust Grandmother to you from now on."

Pan Tao forced a smile and replied: "You must be hungry. Bai-ge, go tell the waiters to bring the dishes."

Pan Bai agreed and hurried out.

Grandmother Pan wiped her tears, guilt heavy in her heart, still holding Pan Yun's hand: "What do you like to eat? Tell your Third Uncle—he'll order it for you."

She pulled her to the table: "You haven't greeted your Second Aunt yet—go on, say hello."

Wang Shi had stood quietly beside them. As Pan Yun stepped forward to bow, Wang Shi caught her arm, then brushed her hand: "Your hands are all calluses…"

Pan Yun: "From practicing swordplay."

Wang Shi paused, squeezed her arms and shoulders, then smiled: "You've grown so strong—if I saw you on the street, I wouldn't recognize you."

Grandmother Pan's mood eased, nodding repeatedly: "Exactly! This child has grown so fast—thankfully her face resembles her father's, or I'd worry she's an imposter."

Pan Yun felt as if struck by lightning, touching her own face: "I—I look like my father?"

Wang Shi burst out laughing: "Don't be afraid—you only have your father's eyes. Your face… still resembles your mother more."

Pan Tao added: "Your father was very handsome in his youth."

Grandmother Pan nodded vigorously: "Exactly! Look how beautiful you are—you're the most beautiful among all your brothers."

Pan Tao nodded too.

Pan Xiaohei, perched on her shoulder, chuckled mockingly—only then did they notice the black cat on her shoulder.

Its jet-black eyes stared at them, making Wang Shi step back: "Where did this cat come from? Black cats are spirit-linked—this one looks…"

"Very spirit-linked, right?" Pan Yun smiled. "This cat came from Jingcheng. I saved it, and later it helped me—so I've kept it ever since."

The three adults fell silent for a moment, then said: "That's fine—having a companion is good."

The innkeeper soon brought the dishes. Pan Yun ate with them, and not once did they mention the wrongful case—or even Pan Hong and his son's exile to Datong.

Everyone maintained a facade of joy through the reunion meal. Pan Yun gave Grandmother Pan the pastries she had bought, then prepared to take her leave.

Grandmother Pan held her back, pulled an envelope from her bosom, and pressed it into her hand: "Child, you don't say it aloud, but I know you're as stubborn as your father. My words probably won't sway you."

"I can't help you more—take this money. A poor home, a rich journey—when traveling, always carry extra cash."

Pan Yun refused: "Grandmother, I can earn money now…"

"You earning is yours; what I give is mine," Grandmother Pan said. "Don't worry about your Pan Ershu and Second Aunt—this money comes from family land and shops, not your Pan Ershu's teaching stipend." Pan Tao added: "A senior's gift must not be refused—take it quickly."

Wang Shi nodded.

Pan Yun could not refuse further, and accepted it.

Though no one was watching them, Pan Yun still refused to appear in public with them, so she made them leave first.

Once they were gone, the large private room held only one girl and one cat.

Pan Xiaohei leapt lightly from her shoulder onto the table: "It seems the Pan family has been crushed these past two years—Grandmother Pan is afraid."

Pan Yun: "Fear of power is human nature. That Grandmother hid you back then was already remarkable."

Pan Xiaohei: "I just don't understand—why do humans change so fast? Back then she risked her entire family's life to hide you—why won't she risk it now to clear Pan Hong's name?"

"Dying later is still more living than dying sooner."

Pan Yun: "Hearing you say that proves you've never been human—you don't understand."

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She said: "Someone who has died once, if asked to die again, will almost always fear death."

"Back then, filled with righteous passion, she was willing to risk her entire family's lives for justice. But now, two years later, your father and brothers survived on the frontier; your Pan Ershu's branch has settled in Changzhou; everything is stable. Naturally, she doesn't want to risk it again."

Pan Yun pulled him into her arms, stroking his sleek fur: "Pan Xiaohei, now it's just you and me to overturn this case."

Pan Xiaohei: "What about Seeing Miao Zhen and the others?"

Pan Yun gently tapped his head: "If you know it means death, why drag them into it? Let them just listen to my complaints—we'll handle this ourselves."

Pan Xiaohei: "I'm not a person, but I think you're dreaming. Given how you two are inseparable right now, do you really think you can do anything without them noticing?"

The person and the cat were chatting away when someone knocked on the private room door.

Pan Yun turned her head, and the door was pushed open — Pan Tao had come back.

Pan Yun stood up. "Pan Ershu?"

Pan Tao said, "Yun'er, don't take your grandmother's words to heart. On the matter of clearing the case, Pan Ershu will go along with you."

Pan Yun: "I appreciate Pan Ershu's kind intentions, but you still have Grandmother to look after, Second Aunt and Third Brother to take care of. Grandmother's concerns are the right ones."

Pan Tao said with a grave face, "Yun'er, your father's wrongful case doesn't only involve your father and brothers. There's also Xue Shaoqing, a Judge Zheng of the Ministry of Justice, a Reviewing Officer Zhou of the Court of Judicial Review, and the four parties who were wrongfully killed, along with their families behind them."

"Clearing the case isn't only about saving your father — it's also for the wrongly slain He family and others, and for their families."

Pan Yun opened her mouth, but Pan Tao's expression of "my brother can be wronged, but the wrongly slain He family and others cannot be wronged" left her with nothing left to say to dissuade him.

After a long pause, she asked, "Then what about Grandmother?"

Pan Tao said with a grave face, "Keep it from her."

Pan Yun raised an eyebrow.

Pan Tao said, "You don't tell, I don't tell — how would she ever know what we're doing?"

Pan Yun: "But if Second Aunt and Third Brother get implicated…"

"It was your Second Aunt who urged me to come find you," Pan Tao said. "Your Second Aunt may be timid, but she knows what matters to greater righteousness. Your Third Brother is young, but this is precisely the time for him to learn."

"If I and your Second Aunt fear the powerful and abandon our own kin, how can I teach him to be loyal, filial, humane, and righteous?"

Fine, teachers really do have the gift of gab — as a student, Pan Yun couldn't out-talk him.

Pan Yun handed an envelope of money back to him. "Pan Ershu, keep this money. I'll plan out the case-clearing myself. Until then, don't make any moves."

Pan Tao pushed the envelope back. "You keep this money…"

"A single Peace Talisman of mine can sell for twenty taels of silver."

Pan Tao's hand froze.

Pan Yun continued, "One formation disk can sell for at least a hundred taels. I can make one formation disk in three days, and draw twenty Peace Talismans in a day."

Pan Tao then took the envelope. "You… Yun'er, work on improving your lightness skill. I've heard that in the jianghu, those with top-tier lightness skill — even if their martial arts are weak — are the best at escaping, and even people with far superior martial arts can't catch them."

Pan Yun: "Don't worry, Pan Ershu. Everything I sell is the real deal — no one will come after me."

Pan Tao tugged at the corner of his mouth; how much of it he actually believed, only he knew.

Still, the talismans Pan Yun had given them were indeed quite valuable. Well, useful or not, it was her good intention — he'd better wear them when he got back.

(End of chapter)