The study.
The Wen Family Dowager sank into a brief silence before saying, “I don’t know very much about your mother, Ye Yufei. I just heard a few rumors in passing.”
Su Yi sat leisurely across from her and nodded. “Just say it.”
“Thirteen years ago, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, your father suddenly ordered that your mother was to be stripped of her status as a proper wife, and furthermore, that she was to be confined to the Raincloud Hut for the rest of her life, never to take so much as a single step outside.
A look of reminiscence arose in the dowager’s gaze. “Back then, everyone at all levels of the Su Family was stunned, including me. This was because, before that day, your parents’ relationship was excellent. People even described them as a pair of immortal lovers….
“The family head never said why he suddenly decided to strip your mother of her status, much less why he placed her under permanent house arrest as if she were a criminal.
“But ever since, a rumor has spread throughout the Su Family. They say that your father realized that your mother was actually the agent of a mysterious organization, a pawn they’d placed by his side. They say he stripped her of her position in a fit of rage.”
When she said this, the dowager looked up at Su Yi, only to discover that his expression was calm, without the slightest ripple of emotion.?Almost as if he didn’t care about any of this in the least.
The Wen Family Dowager took a moment to calm her nerves, then continued, “In a peak-level clan like the Su Family, the family head dismissing a wife or concubine is an ordinary occurrence. After entering house arrest on the fifth day of the fifth month, your mother fell gravely ill. The next year, on the second day of the second month, she left this mortal world. You likely have an impression of that part, Third Young Master.”
Su Yi nodded.
That year, he was four years old. He could already remember quite a bit.
Including the day his mother, Ye Yufei, passed away.
He had an extremely deep impression of that particular day.
Because, by perfect coincidence, that was also the day of his fourth birthday!
Ye Yufei had already been sick for quite some time, but she nevertheless made him a bowl of birthday noodles.
Outside their window, fierce winds howled, and it was pouring rain. Their room was poorly lit, and beneath the dim light, mother and son sat across from each other.
He ate his noodles in big gulps, happy as could be. His mother watched him with a smile, then silently passed away.
He remembered it all vividly, down to the smallest details, as if the memories had been carved into his heart. This was his greatest obsession.?Even after awakening the memories of his past life, every time he remembered what had happened, uncontrollable rage and hatred rose within his heart.
This was hatred for his father, Su Hongli.
As well as hatred for the entire Su Family. .𝙘𝙤𝙢
His hatred had long since taken root and grown into an obsession.
“If I don’t avenge this grudge, I’ll never be free of my inner demons….” Su Yi muttered to himself.
“Third Young Master, I’ve already told you everything I know. Whether it’s true or false, I cannot say for sure. The family head wouldn’t have stripped your mother of her position for no reason, but if you want to know the full truth, you’ll likely have to investigate for yourself.”
The dowager spoke slowly, her tone carrying a hint of self-mockery. “After all, I was ultimately just one of the Su Family’s servants. I couldn’t possibly get mixed up in something so monumentally important.”
Su Yi thought about it, then said, “One of these days, I’ll naturally look for Su Hongli and have him clear up my doubts, one by one. But before that, there’s something I’ve never understood. Why does that woman, You Qingzhi, treat me with such enmity?”
The dowager was briefly stunned, and her expression was complex. “I don’t know the true reasons either, but to the best of my knowledge, when your parents’ relationship was at its best, You Qingzhi was consistently slighted and cold-shouldered. Both her status and the treatment she received paled in comparison to your mother.
“It was only after your mother lost her status that You Qingzhi became your father’s most beloved wife. I imagine…. that she hates you because of her former jealousy for your mother?”
“Oh,” said Su Yi, but he didn’t take her conclusion at all seriously.
It was true that jealous women could sometimes commit unbelievable acts of cruelty.
Still, Su Yi certainly didn’t believe that You Qingzhi treated him with such enmity for so long over mere lingering jealousy.
There had to be some secret reason behind all this.
But Su Yi couldn’t be bothered to worry about that now. Later, when he went to the Jade Capital, he’d have them clear up his doubts, one by one, and be done with it.
This was a matter he could resolve simply by swinging his sword around. There was no need to overcomplicate it.
Su Yi rose and said, “Alright, you can gather up?Wen?Changjing and the others and be on your way.”
The Wen Family Dowager hesitated, then warned him, “Third Young Master, making the Su Family your enemy will likely mean making an enemy of the entire Great Zhou. His Majesty the Emperor will absolutely not permit the Su Family to fall!”
“Becoming enemies with the entire Great Zhou?” Su Yi laughed dryly but didn’t explain.
Before long, both he and the dowager returned to the pond.
Cha Jin was there, chatting with the other Wen Family members. When they saw Su Yi arrive, all of them immediately rose to their feet. Their expressions were already frantic, terrified, and deeply awed and reverent.
Su Yi glanced at Wen Changtai and Qin Qing, “You were once my in-laws, at least in name, but I’ve never once acknowledged you as such.”
“That’s only natural. You and Lingzhao were both opposed to this marriage arrangement. We know that already,” said Wen Changtai apologetically.
Su Yi smiled faintly. “In the Wen Family, they all say you’re simple, honest, and mediocre. However, in my eyes, you’re an elder worthy of my respect.”
Wen Changtai was so simple and guileless that it made him somewhat inept, but during Su Yi’s year in the Wen Family, he’d never once exchanged barbed words with his live-in son-in-law.
This alone was enough to merit calling him “respectable.”
The way Su Yi saw it, Wen Lingxue had likely inherited her kindness from her father.
Wen Changtai frantically waved the compliment away. “I…. What’s respectable about me? Don’t say that. In the past… It was our Wen Family that mistreated you.”
“That’s all in the past,” said Su Yi with a smile. “No need to discuss it.”
“Alright, we won’t discuss it.” Wen Changtai nodded repeatedly.
It was then that Qin Qing couldn’t help but ask, “Su… Su Yi. Is there really no room for reconciliation between you and Lingzhao?”
Just now, she’d witnessed one shocking scene after another, which turned her worldview upside down.
The way she saw it now, Su Yi’s current position was more than enough to make him a match for her daughter.
If anything, the Wen Family was marrying above its status….
Without even waiting for Su Yi’s response, Qin Qing continued, “Rest assured, I’ll be sure to persuade Lingzhao. She’s already an inner sect disciple of Heaven’s Origin Academy. She ought to know even better than me that this marriage arrangement has only benefits and no disadvantages for her. Also….”
The more she spoke, the more excited she got. She was even starting to daydream about the days to come.
For example, with a son-in-law like Su Yi around, even in the Imperatorial Provincial Capital, who would dare disrespect her?
Who would be so blind and foolish as to offend her then?
But the Wen Family Dowager snorted coldly, then directly relieved her of her delusions. “Enough! Aren’t you embarrassed?”
Wen Changjing had watched this entire exchange play out. He wanted to interject, “How is this embarrassing!? Qin Qing said that for the good of the entire Wen Family!”
But he dared not argue with the dowager, especially not here and not now.
Some things, only Qin Qing could get away with. If he, the family head, tried it, it would make others look down on him. But then, that was the least of it. His real concern was that it might provoke Su Yi’s displeasure.
On the off chance Su Yi decided to pursue the Wen Family’s earlier mistreatment of him, they’d be doomed.
Before long, the dowager led the other Wen Family members away.
Su Yi thought about it, then ordered Cha Jin to see them?to Heaven’s?Origin Academy.
Cha Jin keenly picked up on why; Su Yi had almost certainly done this out of consideration for Wen LIngxue.?She muttered to herself,?It’s been almost ten days since Miss Lingxue left, right? The young lord might not say anything out loud, but in his heart, he definitely misses her.
Su Yi leaned back into his wicker chair and started pondering his upcoming trip to Bloodthistle Yao Mountain.
Today, when Ning Sihua and Shen Jiusong came over to visit, they mentioned something highly out of the ordinary—
This time, the beast wave was to be far grander than in previous years, both in terms of scale and in terms of danger-level.
Shen Jiusong had received word that the beast wave was due to break out in seven days, but that strange things were already happening deep within Bloodthistle Yao Mountain.
Bloody mists blocked out the skies, lingering and stubbornly refusing to disperse.
Cryptic whispering sometimes emanated from the depths of the mountain, off and on, faint and ethereal.
Regardless of whether they were human or spirit beast, it left anyone who heard it in agony; they felt as if their souls were ripping apart. Spirit beasts in particular lost their rationality and went berserk.
Although beast waves happened once a decade, in prior years, nothing so strange or out-of-the-ordinary had ever occurred.
This was what led Ning Sihua and Shen Jiusong to judge that this year’s beast wave at Bloodthistle Yao Mountain would likely be completely different than in years prior.
Su Yi sank into thought.?A bloody mist permeating the air… Cryptic whispering…. Are these omens preceding the descent of a mighty yao? Or of the arrival of some peerless treasure?
He’d already planned to visit Bloodthistle Yao Mountain.
First, because he’d told the Spiritmartial Marquis, Chen Zheng, that he would.
Second, because he’d already discovered that the piece of soul jade that had once housed Qing Wan had highly likely originated from Bloodthistle Yao Mountain.
In other words, if he wanted to learn more about Qing Wan’s past, he had to visit Bloodthistle Mountain.
But there was one final reason as well: relying solely on hard work and diligence as he was now, it would take him at least two more months to fully refine his true essence into Dao Astral Force.
But if he could temper himself through rigorous combat, he could significantly reduce the time needed to achieve the same result.
And there was no doubt about it: for now, Bloodthistle Yao Mountain was the best place to do that.
Oh, I wonder how Huang Qianjun is doing in the Greenplate Army….?
In three days, I’ll visit and see for myself.