Chapter 110

 The Truth of the Past—No Forgiveness

Lu Lizhi pressed his lips together and stepped forward. "You surely recognize me, Second Master Lu—or at least this face of mine, which bears such a resemblance to my father's."

"You... you are..."

"There's no need to play dumb. Whatever you're planning, I'll go with you—provided you tell me the truth about what happened back then!"

"Lizhi!" Jiang Baiye tried desperately to stop him, but Lu Lizhi seemed not to hear; he stared unblinkingly at Lu Changhuai, stubbornly determined to get an answer.

A surge of delight rose within Lu Changhuai, though he masked it with a sigh. "If it's that matter you wish to know about... perhaps I can tell you."

He watched Lu Lizhi approach step by step—a scene that reminded him of someone else walking unguardedly toward him all those years ago—and a dark glint flashed in his eyes.

Just then, however, an aged yet commanding voice rang out abruptly—

"What truth about the past?"

Lu Changhuai’s expression shifted drastically as he saw Old Master Lu, Lu Qingchuan, and the steward stepping out from behind the carriage.

"Father... Father? What are you doing here?" Lu Changhuai asked in disbelief.

He had been chasing Lu Lizhi and Jiang Baiye, hoping to lure them into a trap; to his surprise, they had proven incredibly vigilant, evading him at every turn. He knew that if he missed this chance, there was no telling when he might get another.

That was why he had rushed ahead to intercept them, intending to use a pretext to take them away—after which, the rest would have been simple. Unexpectedly—

"What matter is that?" Great-Grandfather Lu asked again, a sense of foreboding rising within him.

Lu Lizhi declared firmly, "My father died without cause on his way to the provincial examinations!"

He enunciated those last four words with heavy emphasis.

Before they even had time to react, the guards behind him hauled a group of men forward and shoved them to the ground right in front of the group.

These were the very men who had just tried to set a trap for them; Lu Changhuai’s eyelids twitched—he suddenly realized that *he* was the one who had walked into a trap!

His intuition was correct; there had indeed been an element of performance in Lu Lizhi’s earlier actions, as they had known all along that Great-Grandfather Lu and the others were waiting there.

Although the specific reason was unclear, they had intended to let the family know anyway. They had deliberately made themselves visible when they went out that day—normally, they would have slipped out unnoticed—but this time, their openness served as a signal to Lu Changhuai that he could make his move.

The words the guard had whispered to Jiang Baiye earlier were not a warning to watch out for others, but a notification that Great-Grandfather Lu was waiting at the academy gate.

Jiang Baiye understood then that the "performance" could begin. They had fled the rest of the way, mixing genuine urgency with acting; Lu Changhuai, true to form, had acted out of desperation—so intent on intercepting them that he failed to notice Great-Grandfather Lu’s presence.

He had been tricked into revealing the truth by Lizhi once again.

Lu Changhuai was thrown into a state of panic but struggled to maintain his composure; the group then returned to the Lu family estate with Great-Grandfather Lu. The guards had deliberately brought these people along as a reminder, yet Grand-Uncle Lu remained lost in the shock of learning that his eldest brother’s only son was dead.

“On the way to the provincial examination... on the way to the provincial examination...”

“Second Uncle, what do you know? And what is the story behind these people?”

Lu Changhuai was startled; his mind raced as he quickly formulated a response. “As for what happened back then... it was actually the very matter you had planned. Aside from that, I had no idea that Lu Changyan had died.”

Jiang Baiye gave a cold, derisive snort.

Lu Lizhi clenched his fists tightly and asked in a strained voice, “What exactly did Dean Lu want my father to do back then?”

The old scholar hesitated, the words hovering on his lips before slipping back—clearly, it was a confidential matter meant to be revealed to Grand-Uncle Lu personally.

Grand-Uncle Lu seemed dazed for a moment. “You didn't know? I... I wanted to return the Lu family estate to your grandfather. Unfortunately, he was already gone by then, so I thought your father would be a capable person to take over.”

At these words, everyone—save for Jiang Baiye and Lu Changhuai, who already knew the truth—was struck with disbelief.

Lu Qingchuan was only just learning of the connection between himself and Lu Lizhi—that the legendary great-uncle who had left home in a huff and never returned was, in fact, Lu Lizhi’s biological grandfather!

Lu Lizhi’s legs gave way, and Jiang Baiye quickly stepped in to steady him. He seemed to realize how his father had died...

"My father would never agree to something like that; he didn't care about such things at all!"

"True, but he also insisted that none of us from the Lu family appear before them or disturb their peace." Great-Granduncle Lu’s expression was complex.

In reality, the tone of that letter had been incredibly harsh—something he still couldn't forget; it seemed they loathed his side of the family, which was one of the reasons he hadn't contacted them for so many years.

Lu Lizhi furrowed his brows. Since his father had made it clear he had no interest in the Lu family, why then...

Lu Changhuai curled the corner of his lips; he had orchestrated this matter flawlessly—no one would ever find out.

Suddenly, a voice rang out: "Great-Granduncle, did you confirm this point personally with Lizhi's father?"

Great-Granduncle Lu was startled. "No." At the time, he had still harbored resentment toward them, hoping that after he extended an olive branch, they would take the initiative.

"Is *this* the letter?"

Lu Changhuai’s brow twitched; he struggled to maintain his composure as the voice spoke again.

"I’m just wondering—what if someone forged Lizhi's father's handwriting?"

As Jiang Baiye said this, everyone’s gaze immediately shifted sharply toward Great-Granduncle Lu.

Great-Granduncle Lu began to panic; he hurriedly ordered the steward to fetch the letter—he had, of course, kept it safe all these years. Lu Changhuai hadn't expected the letter to actually still exist; the tone used in it was vicious—especially considering how the family had treated them!

"Who are you? Why should we take your word for it? Father, don't believe their nonsense. He’s obviously siding with Lu Lizhi; he’s probably still coveting the Lu family estate and wants to snatch it back!"

"All I want is to uncover the truth behind my father's death!" Lu Lizhi enunciated each word clearly, his eyes welling up with tears; it was only because Jiang Baiye was gripping his hand tightly that his fingernails didn't dig into his own palm.

Lu Qingchuan regained his composure. "Mr. Lu is not that kind of person; you can rest assured, Second Uncle."

He had previously addressed Lu Lizhi by his full name, but after the recent exchange, he had switched to calling him "Sir." Lu Changhuai noticed this change, which only fueled his anger further.

"Great-Grandfather, here is the letter!" the steward hurriedly handed it over.

Great-Grandfather Lu verified it; having seen Lu Changyan’s handwriting before, he had no doubt about its authenticity.

"Give it to me!" Lu Lizhi hurriedly took it, but his heart sank the moment he glanced at it. "It’s a forgery—a forgery! This isn't my father's handwriting at all!"

Reading the vicious words within the letter—things his father would never have said—he finally understood why the Lu family here had never contacted them. Beyond the fact that "his father" had used an imperious tone in the letter to forbid them from causing trouble, every sentence was crafted with cunning sarcasm; the words insinuated that Old Master Lu was incompetent and ordered them back to clean up the mess—enough to make the old man cough up blood in rage.

Lu Lizhi reflected on this now: what infuriated him was that someone had dared to forge his father’s handwriting to slander him—and others had believed it implicitly—while his father and the rest of them had remained completely in the dark!

Had there not been that faint clue that kept him persisting all these years, would the truth have remained buried forever?

And would his father have ultimately died without the truth ever coming to light?

"Lu Changhuai, what exactly is going on? You were the one who brought this letter back, weren't you?" Old Master Lu, having completely lost his composure, rose abruptly from his chair.

"Heh, Father, you really have grown senile. That letter was indeed written by Lu Changyan; their denial now is merely a ploy to seize back the Lu family assets." Lu Changhuai adopted an attitude of brazen defiance, certain that the investigation could go no further.

Lu Lizhi felt an urge to clench his fists, but instead found his hand held by another; feeling the steady stream of strength flowing from that grasp, he quickly turned to look at the person beside him.

His gaze was filled with both helplessness and a desperate yearning. He knew Jiang Baiye could do it; whenever he found himself in a desperate situation, Jiang Baiye was the one who pulled him out. He trusted him—even if Jiang Baiye still harbored secrets he hadn't shared...

Jiang Baiye’s heart ached for him; he felt a murderous urge to simply finish those people off. He turned to Great-Uncle Lu and asked, "Since there is a forged letter, does the original letter exist?"

"Second Nephew!" Great-Uncle Lu kept his gaze fixed on Lu Changhuai. The man's earlier attitude had already revealed a great deal; Second Nephew feared losing the Lu family estate and had treated Lu Lizhi with hostility and rejection.

If the letter wasn't a forgery, and the eldest branch didn't intend to reclaim the estate, why was he targeting them so aggressively?

"Father!" Lu Changhuai was full of resentment. "Am I your biological son, or are they? You show them such favoritism—have you ever considered our feelings? For all these years, the Lu family estate has relied on you and on our painstaking efforts to build it up to where it is today."

"And now, they come back whenever they please, claim what they want, and reject what they don't... Hah! How could such a sweet deal possibly exist in this world?"

Lu Lizhi took a deep breath. "Let me reiterate: neither I, nor my father, nor my grandfather have any intention of reclaiming the Lu family estate. Since we have already left, we will never look back!"

Great-Uncle Lu demanded once more, "Does the original letter exist or not!?"

"Stop wasting time—let's just go get it from the secret compartment in his study," Jiang Baiye said impatiently, causing Lu Changhuai’s expression to change once again. Seeing his reaction, Grandfather Lu’s heart sank. "Steward, go fetch it."

He added, "Qingchuan, go along and keep an eye on things."

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the two men hurried off. Lu Changhuai opened his mouth as if to say something, but seeing his father’s demeanor, he felt there was no room for him to argue or resist.

His own father—a man who never played favorites—was now intent on handing over the empire he had built through years of hard work to someone else, showing absolutely no regard for his own son.

"Very well. This will let you see for yourselves whether Lu Changyan truly doesn't care, just as you claimed."

Lu Lizhi suddenly felt a sense of foreboding, but Jiang Baiye gave his fingers a reassuring squeeze. "Trust him."

Only then did some color and life return to his face.

Letters were indeed hidden in the secret compartment of Lu Changhuai’s study. Lu Qingchuan, who had once caught a fleeting glimpse of the mechanism, easily opened the compartment. The two men retrieved the letters but dared not open them on the way back.

Lu Lizhi wondered what the letters contained, yet Grandfather Lu was even more anxious; his hands trembled so much that he failed to open the envelope several times.

In the end, Lu Qingchuan read the letter aloud, allowing everyone else to hear its contents as well. The letter began with a lengthy expression of deep remorse toward Great-Uncle Lu—a message conveyed by Lu Changyan on behalf of his father: "Because of that matter, he remained perpetually despondent and in poor health, eventually succumbing to a sudden illness born of that lingering melancholy."

Great-Uncle Lu’s eyes instantly reddened. "Big Brother..."

Only at the end did the letter address the proposal for him to return to the Lu clan—stating that he would travel to Jiangyi to discuss the details after the provincial examinations. The tone was one of cautious reservation, quite unlike the resolute indifference Lu Lizhi had displayed earlier.

Lu Changhuai immediately scoffed, as if mocking the certainty Lu Lizhi had shown moments before.

Lu Lizhi had already confirmed from the writing style that the letter was indeed penned by his father; when he finally held it in his hands and saw the familiar handwriting, a single tear splashed onto the yellowed paper.

"Lizhi..." Jiang Baiye regretted not simply telling him the plain truth, instead letting him experience all of this firsthand.

Lu Lizhi was choked with sobs, yet he said with unwavering conviction, "My father... he never intended to return to the Lu clan himself. He only wanted... to help cure my muteness."

...

"Lizhi, if you could speak right now, what would you want to say?"

"When our Lizhi can speak, he will surely be the finest young man in the world."

"Father will keep trying; just wait a little longer, Lizhi—it won't be long now..."

...

That was why he had sought to seize this opportunity—to leverage the Lu clan's resources and find someone capable of curing his muteness. "Why? Why wasn't he even given a chance to explain himself properly?"

"He could have... he could have survived."

Lu Qingchuan’s breath hitched as he thought of the misunderstanding—if that was what had led to his uncle's fatal end... He looked at his Second Uncle, who clearly didn't believe a word of it.

Old Master Lu, meanwhile, slumped into his chair, overwhelmed by a crushing wave of regret.

If only he had sought out his eldest brother sooner—perhaps his brother wouldn't have died consumed by regret and self-reproach. If only he had gone to see his only nephew in person and cleared things up... maybe things wouldn't have turned out this way...

Silence filled the room. Eventually, Jiang Baiye helped Lu Lizhi leave.

"Let's go further away; I don't want to be anywhere near this place."

"Leave the rest to me." As for witnesses and evidence—though so many years had passed, it wasn't as if nothing remained. In the original story, Lizhi had painstakingly pieced together the truth from the faintest of clues, eventually bringing Lu Changhuai—who thought his crimes were flawless—to justice.

Jiang Baiye brought him back to where the baby was and settled him down beside the child. Lost in memories of the past, Lu Lizhi wept silently.

"Lizhi..." Jiang Baiye kissed his face tenderly, over and over, yet couldn't kiss away the tears.

It wasn't until the baby reached out a tiny hand and unconsciously patted her father's cheek that the spell broke.

Lu Lizhi gazed at the child's chubby little hand, thinking of the continuation of life. Lu Huaixi—she was a member of the Lu family. *Father, I wonder if your spirit in heaven can feel this.*

*You have a granddaughter.*

*And I... I can speak again.* ...will carry on your dreams and aspirations.

Jiang Baiye and Lu Lizhi remained in Jiangyi until everyone involved in the events of the past had been thrown into prison, leaving their fates to be decided according to the laws of the Great Ning Dynasty.

Lu Lizhi cared nothing for the turmoil or the damage to the family's reputation that the Lu clan in Jiangyi suffered as a result of this affair; he refused to meet with any member of the clan, including the clan patriarch.

Although the events of the past involved significant misunderstandings—and while his grandfather bore a heavy burden of guilt, and even his father might have played a small, inadvertent part—the fact remained: a life had been taken.

There would be no forgiveness.

Afterward, the couple returned straight to Xuanhe Prefecture. They left their little one in the care of his grandparents, then visited Qingshui Village to pay their respects and offer a solemn tribute to the spirits of Lu Lizhi’s departed family members.

The very next day, they set off for the capital to sit for the imperial examinations.

There was only half a month left before the Metropolitan Examination.

To make good time, the journey was incredibly bumpy; whether due to his poor mood or some other reason, Lu Lizhi vomited several times along the way.

Jiang Baiye was frantic with worry, but Lu Lizhi remained calm, gently touching his lower abdomen as he thought to himself: *I must be pregnant again.*