Chapter 888 Blood is Thicker than Water (Part )
Teng Sanshi's strange attitude surprised Yun Zhuiyue who was caught off guard.

He didn't understand why Teng Sanshi's reaction was so strange. He even had the attitude of "raising an army to punish the culprit".

"Xiang'er, is there any secret more worthy of concealing than Xunyi's life experience?" Seeing Yun Zhuiyue deep in thought, Teng Sanshi simply got straight to the point, "In fact, it is not a coincidence that I came here late at night, but... I came here specifically to find you. I couldn't find you in the outer courtyard just now, so I guessed you must be here..."

"Looking for me?" In fact, Yun Zhuiyue had already understood what Teng Sanshi meant, but she still pretended to be confused and asked in a confused manner, "Why are you looking for me?"

"I want an explanation from you for what happened today." Teng Sanshi said bluntly, "I have known Qingfeng for most of my life, and I know his temperament quite well. On the surface, he seems to be indifferent to fame and wealth, and he does not compete with the world, but in fact, he is cautious and prudent. From the fact that he raised a daughter like Ling Xiaoxiao, it is enough to see the selfishness and paranoia in his bones. Such a person either does not take action, or once he takes action, he will achieve his goal. Today, he has clearly caught Rou'er's handle of protecting Liu Xunyi, and he could have taken advantage of this to seize the Jueqing Valley in one fell swoop, one to eliminate dissidents for Wudang, and the other to vent Ling Xiaoxiao's anger, but his attitude changed drastically because of your appearance. I don't think Qingfeng's compromise is out of fear of us. Now, you repeatedly prevent Rou'er from avenging Xunyi, and I am worried that your agreement with Qingfeng will go down the drain... I am really curious, what agreement do you have with Qingfeng? In other words, what secrets do you have between you?"

Teng Sanshi's words not only shocked Yun Zhuiyue, but also made Xiao Zhirou, who seemed to understand, frown and cast a suspicious look at Yun Zhuiyue.

"Foster father, Rou'er, do you think Qingfeng and I are birds of a feather?" Teng Sanshi and Xiao Zhirou's suspicion made Yun Zhuiyue feel lost and depressed. "Do you think I have ulterior motives?"

"No!" Teng Sanshi answered firmly, "Xiang'er, I have never doubted your kindness to us and the Teng clan. Originally... I just wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with you. If you have something to hide, I will never force you. But now... I already know Xunyi's life experience. This matter is very likely to be related to the fate of my grandson. I can no longer let it go. I must get to the bottom of it."

“I see…” Yun Zhuiyue’s eyes darkened, and she shook her head and smiled bitterly, “So you think I will harm Liu Xunyi…”

Teng Sanshi's answer disappointed Yun Zhuiyue and broke his heart.

At this moment, he had a strong feeling that although Teng Sanshi kept saying that he treated him as his own son, when it came to a matter of life and death, he still treated him as an outsider.

Yun Zhuiyue had been Teng Sanshi's adopted son for decades, so it would have been fine if her position in his heart was not as high as Xiao Zhirou's, but now she was even lower than Liu Xunyi, whom he had only met a few times. How could he not be angry and jealous at such cruel and ruthless questioning?

This is the reality, and this is the human heart. Even though Yun Zhuiyue was raised by Teng Sanshi since childhood, and even though they are as close as father and son, in front of relatives whose blood is thicker than water, he still seems fragile and vulnerable.

The "adopted son" of decades was ultimately no match for the "grandson" who suddenly appeared.

Yun Zhuiyue had no doubt that if Teng Sanshi was asked to choose between herself and Liu Xunyi to die, he would choose herself without hesitation and protect his precious grandson at all costs.

The sadness seemed like a lifetime ago, and a moment of self-reflection suddenly opened my eyes.

At this moment, the mighty and unyielding Yun Zhuiyue had to face the reality. No matter how hard he tried to please, or even curry favor with Teng Sanshi and Xiao Zhirou, in their hearts... Du Xiang would always be Du Xiang. He could not compare to Luo Tianjin in the past, and he could not compare to Liu Xunyi today.

Or is it that enemies meet on a narrow road? Or is it fate? In their past lives and present lives, Yun Zhuiyue and Du Xiang are unable to escape the shadow of Luo Tianjin and his son, and are destined to have an indissoluble bond with them.

If that's the case, why should he continue to be mysterious and try to cover up the truth?
Thinking of this, Yun Zhuiyue suddenly lost interest. He snorted coldly and gradually restrained his respectful attitude. He slowly straightened his chest in front of Teng Sanshi, who looked stunned.

"What do you want to do?" Xiao Zhirou's eyes changed, as if she had noticed the change in Yun Zhuiyue's momentum.

Through the white veil, he met Xiao Zhirou's eyes, looking at the stunning face that he had been thinking about day and night, and Yun Zhuiyue, who was about to make up his mind and act recklessly, once again "surrendered". His heart as hard as stone gradually melted, his arrogant momentum quickly withered, and in a blink of an eye he returned to his previous humble appearance.

"For you, I can be completely heartless, or I can be extremely compassionate..."

After saying this, Yun Zhuiyue turned his affectionate gaze away from the dumbfounded Xiao Zhirou, and then respectfully bowed deeply to Teng Sanshi, who was unaware of the truth, to show his apology.

Seeing the violent and unruly Lord of Longxiang Mountain willingly bowing before her, Xiao Zhirou's heart seemed to be struck by a bolt of lightning. In an instant, a myriad of thoughts came together in her mind, and scenes from the past appeared before her eyes, making her feel mixed emotions and filled with emotion.

In the final analysis, it was Xiao Zhirou who let Yun Zhuiyue down, not Yun Zhuiyue who owed Xiao Zhirou.

"Foster father is right. There is indeed a secret between Qingfeng and I. And it is related to Liu Xunyi." After hesitating for a long time, Yun Zhuiyue finally made up his mind and revealed the secret buried deep in his heart. "It is because of this that Qingfeng is willing to let it go today."

"What secret?" Facing the serious Yun Zhuiyue, Teng Sanshi and Xiao Zhirou's hearts gradually tensed.

"I've told you this. Rou'er can't act on impulse anymore." Yun Zhuiyue said seriously, "You can avenge Liu Xunyi, but... you can't sneak into Lin'an and take risks."

"This……"

"I promise you!" Before Xiao Zhirou could hesitate, Teng Sanshi readily agreed, "In fact, I was just testing you just now. I know that Lin'an City is extremely dangerous."

"Dad..." "I have made up my mind, no need to say more." Teng Sanshi waved his hand to interrupt Xiao Zhirou's argument, "Xunyi is your son and my grandson. As a father, I am more eager than you to avenge him. But Xiang'er is right. Blindly taking risks is not bravery, but recklessness. Right now, the court is in a state of panic, and the rivers and lakes are full of enemies. Any slight disturbance related to Xunyi may affect the entire body, and even lead to an irreversible disaster."

After saying this, Teng Sanshi took a deep look at Xiao Zhirou who seemed to be in deep thought, and then said to Yun Zhuiyue righteously: "We are a family and we don't have any differences. Xiang'er, tell us everything you know."

"In fact, on the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month last year, the people who really killed Luo Tianjin were not Zhao Yuan and Liu Xunyi, but... Qingfeng and Ling Xiaoxiao..."

Yun Zhuiyue carefully recalled the situation at that time, sorted out his thoughts, and told the truth.

When Xiao Zhirou and Teng Sanshi heard the shocking secret, they were all shocked and stunned.

After a long silence, Teng Sanshi gradually came back to his senses. However, his first reaction after being surprised was not anger, but relief and joy. He was extremely relieved for Liu Xunyi's "innocence" and deeply relieved for his grandson's "innocence".

After all, once the crime of "treason and patricide" is proven, he will be despised by the world. Even if blood is thicker than water, I am afraid that Teng Sanshi will always feel resentful in his heart, and even secretly alienate himself from his grandson.

After all, Teng Sanshi was a man of great pride and righteousness, and he had lived his life with the upright belief that he would rather die than live in disgrace. If he were asked to protect a villain who was unkind, unjust, and disloyal, it would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

After feeling relieved, he was filled with rage. He cursed Qingfeng and his daughter for their despicable behavior and gnashed his teeth in hatred.

"So that's how it is..." Xiao Zhirou was confused and shook her head repeatedly, not knowing whether she felt sad for Luo Tianjin's death or angry for Liu Xunyi's experience, "It turns out that the real murderers who killed him were Qingfeng and Ling Xiaoxiao..."

"The thief cries thief, and then turns the tables!" Teng Sanshi shouted angrily, "Like father, like daughter. What a shameless, insidious and cunning thief and daughter. I have been in the underworld for a lifetime, and I have seen many people who seek fame and reputation, but this is the first time I have encountered such thieves who deceive the world and steal reputation, and confuse right and wrong. Ling Xiaoxiao's revenge on my daughter has not been settled yet, and now she is bullying my grandson. Do you really think I am a soft persimmon?"

"So, that night... you were also in Prince Xian's mansion?" Xiao Zhirou looked at Yun Zhuiyue with complicated eyes and said bitterly, "You have been unwilling to tell me the truth. Are you worried that I will blame you?"

"I swore to heaven that I would never coexist with Luo Tianjin in this life." Yun Zhuiyue said indignantly, "Only by watching him being deserted by his friends and relatives and his family being destroyed can I relieve the hatred in my heart. Rou'er, whether for you or for myself... Luo Tianjin, such a shameless hypocrite with sweet words but a sharp heart, must pay the price with blood... I admit that I did not tell you the truth out of selfish motives. If you want to blame me... I have nothing to say."

"I don't care whether the surname Luo is alive or dead." Xiao Zhirou said with a resolute tone, "I'm just curious, since Xunyi didn't kill him, why did he let Ling Xiaoxiao wrongly accuse him? Why didn't you defend yourself?"

“This…” Yun Zhuiyue was stunned. “Maybe he knows that he can’t beat Qingfeng and Ling Xiaoxiao, and he’s worried that the more he explains, the worse it gets…”

"Instead of thinking about it here, we should find Xunyi as soon as possible." Teng Sanshi was worried and calculated rapidly in his mind, "If I had known Xunyi was my grandson, I would have gone to the Xianwang Mansion last year to save us from being confused. The only solution now... is to split up into two groups. You guys focus on tracking down Xunyi's whereabouts. I will return to Xiangxi immediately and invite everyone who went to the Xianwang Mansion on the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month last year to come and 'reminisce' and see if I can get some clues from them so that I can clear my grandson's name in the future."

"I agree! I learned from the Deputy Privy Councilor that the person who rescued Xunyi was a subordinate of Prince Shao Qin." Xiao Zhirou pondered, "We can follow this clue to investigate..."

"By the way! Where is Tang Afu?" Teng Sanshi asked, "I heard that he has an old relationship with Xunyi, why not send him..."

"Afu was invited by Wanliu Villa to go out for some private matters and has not returned for several months." Xiao Zhirou said absentmindedly, "It may be too late to wait for him. Let's check first, and I will try to contact him later."

"Alright!" Teng Sanshi nodded slowly, "There's no time to lose, let's split up."

Looking at Teng Sanshi and Xiao Zhirou who were talking to each other, Yun Zhuiyue couldn't help but feel relieved and sneered, "Qingfeng finally misjudged my foster father and Rou'er. He said that my foster father would not tolerate any injustice in his eyes and would definitely not tolerate my involvement in the assassination of the 'Master of the Martial World'. He also said that Rou'er still had feelings for Luo Tianjin and would definitely bear a grudge against me. Haha... Now it seems that he was not only misjudged, but was blind."

"If he hadn't made a mistake, today's farce wouldn't have ended so easily."

"That being said, but..." At this point, Yun Zhuiyue's eyes flashed with a hint of entanglement, and her words became hesitant, "But I always have a feeling that I can't explain. Today, Qingfeng and I... seem to be wary of each other. It's like there's a layer of window paper between us, and it's obvious that it can be seen at a glance, but we deliberately avoid it, as if... no one wants to make it clear."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't explain it clearly..." Yun Zhuiyue hesitated, "There is no evidence, it's just a vague feeling, it seems... it seems..."

Hearing this, Xiao Zhirou and Teng Sanshi looked at each other, and a solemn look appeared on their faces at the same time. They said in unison: "It seems what?"

"It seems... Qingfeng has already guessed Liu Xunyi's background, but out of some concerns... he deliberately avoided talking about it."

……

(End of this chapter)