Chapter 295 - Trousseaus That Ji Yin Added to the List (1/2)

When Ling Zhaowu had regained his memories, Ling Zhang was still on his journey to the capital city. He looked over his shoulder in the direction of Tanyang.

“Childe Ling, people in Tanyang will write a letter to us as soon as your father wakes up. I’m sure he’ll make a full recovery without any trouble,” observed Miao s.h.i.+san.

Ling Zhang slightly inclined his head, withdrew his eyes gazing towards Tanyang and resumed galloping with Miao s.h.i.+san, headed for the capital city.

…

“There might have been unimaginably serious consequences had Zhang’er not promptly used his medicinal jade pendant to detoxify the poison.”

Sitting beside Ling Zhaowu, Ling Zhaowen was telling him about how the Ling family had fallen out with the Jia family. “Their intentions were so evil. It was actually because of me that Zhang’er was incriminated – Jia Zhong was bent on knocking me out to get the appointment as Tongzhi. I failed to protect him. I failed you, Brother.”

The look on Ling Zhaowu’s face changed several times at these words. Eventually, he reached out his hand and held Ling Zhaowen’s shoulder firmly. “No, I failed you. You did such a good job raising Zhang’er up, while I have never done my duty as a father. Who am I to blame you?”

Ling Zhaowen still wanted to say something but Ling Zhaowu lifted his hand to stop him and asked, “What happened afterwards?”

Ling Zhaowen continued telling the story, filling him in on the subsequent events down to every detail. “… This is the surprising part – right at that time, Zhang’er happened to recall the martial formations that his mother taught him and used them to deal a heavy blow to Jia Yuanling and the others, and then things took a turn for the better and have been going fairly smoothly ever since.”

When mentioning the formations, Ling Zhaowen was somewhat cautious for fear that Ling Zhaowu might get angry. To his surprise, instead of being angry, Ling Zhaowu pondered over his words with an earnest face for a while and then, a faint gleam in his eyes, sighed, “Zhang’er is very smart. Back then he was just a little boy, and now he’s become a man capable of handling things on his own.”

Seeing that he wasn’t mad, Ling Zhaowen felt a sense of relief. “Yeah. Any common person in his shoes would definitely have hurled abuse at Jia Yuanling in those circ.u.mstances and wouldn’t have thought of going to the court of law to score a hard hit on the Jia family.”

As if something occurred to him, a look of grief mixed with sorrow flashed across Ling Zhaowu’s eyes, and it was a few moments before he pulled himself out of his trance.

“I want to hear more about that dream Zhang’er told you about at that time.”

Ling Zhaowen’s relaxed face slightly stiffened. “Those were all unpleasant things. What’s the point of hearing them again, Brother?”

Ling Zhaowu gazed into the distance, keeping silent.

Resigned, Ling Zhaowen told him about the content of that dream of Ling Zhang’s once again.

One of Ling Zhaowu’s hand was on the table, and there was nothing out of the ordinary about it, but his other hand, hanging beside him, tightly balled into a fist.

“… I think that dream had something to do with what Zhang’er inherited from his mother. Maybe my sister-in-law’s spirit in the heaven has been protecting Zhang’er and the Ling family,” remarked Ling Zhaowen in transports of sentiment.

Ling Zhaowu raised his head to look into the sky, his eyes brooding and reminiscent. “You’re right. The providence is protecting us, and she is protecting Zhang’er and our family.”

Although Ling Zhaowu had been simple-minded most of the time during the past half a year, he did know key facts about the Blood of the Phoenix Clan. For instance, in order to acquire the ability to foretell the future, one needed to reach the twelfth layer of the cultivation method of the Ji family – at least to reach the level that Ji Yanlai was at currently. However, Ling Zhang hadn’t even got that handbook on internal energy yet at that time…

Had he really just had a prophetic dream or had he experienced the same thing that he had…

Ling Zhaowu privately hoped that the former was the truth, for if that was the case, at least he’d know that Ling Zhang had never undergone that kind of agony.

“Tell me what happened next,” said Ling Zhaowu after a long silence.

Ling Zhaowen nodded and gave Ling Zhaowu a blow-by-blow account of what had happened afterwards in Tanyang.

After hearing it, Ling Zhaowu rose to his feet. “I’m going to the capital.”

Ling Zhaowen was totally unsurprised at these words of Ling Zhaowu’s. He felt that his elder brother was indeed different from the man he used to be now. The big brother he remembered was full of dash, stubborn and even bigoted, but now he had become poised and firm, as though having been through a lot of things. Was it really possible for someone to change so much after being asleep for over a decade and then suffering from amnesia for half a year? Also, Ling Zhaowen kept feeling that something was not quite right, but he couldn’t figure out what it was specifically, so eventually he gave up trying, for no matter how much his brother had changed, he was still his brother, and a poised and steadfast brother struck him as better than an intransigent one.

“Brother, you’re still quite weak. Mr. Mu said that you’ve just recovered and shouldn’t do any traveling, that you must have a rest cure. I know you’re anxious to see Zhang’er, but you need to nurse yourself back to health first. Before leaving, Zhang’er exhorted us to take good care of you. I wouldn’t be able to face Zhang’er if anything happens to you, and Zhang’er would be very worried, too.”

Ling Zhaowu kept silent for a brief moment. “I’ll go and ask Mr. Mu how soon I’d be in a fit state to leave.”

Unable to stop him, Ling Zhaowen had no choice but to immediately follow him.