Chapter 845
Breakthrough
"Now do you know what to do?" Zheng Yi asked.
Guo Tianyou raised his head and looked at Zheng Yi, his eyes flashing with a complex light.
“Sir, I…I need your help,” he said. “My third brother’s power is far greater than I imagined. If he is truly connected to the Poison Sect, I alone cannot deal with him.”
"You want me to help you deal with your third brother?"
“Yes,” Guo Tianyou nodded. “Sir, it is an undeniable fact that my third brother poisoned my father. He is my father’s murderer, and I must avenge him. But my third brother is too powerful; I am no match for him alone. I implore you, sir, to intervene and help me avenge my father.”
Zheng Yi remained silent for a moment.
The sunlight streaming in through the window shone on his face, making his expression appear somewhat unpredictable.
“Okay,” he finally said. “I’ll help you.”
"Thank you so much, sir!" Guo Tianyou stood up and bowed deeply to Zheng Yi. "I will never forget your great kindness!"
“But I have one condition,” Zheng Yi said.
"Sir, please speak."
“I’ll help you deal with your third brother, but you must promise me that you’ll treat your second brother well after it’s done.” Zheng Yi looked at Guo Tianyou. “You are brothers; you can’t kill each other. If your second brother is willing to submit to you, you must accept him. If he isn’t, you can only drive him away; you can’t take his life.”
"Rest assured, sir," Guo Tianyou said. "Although my second brother and I are not on good terms, he has not committed such a heinous act as patricide. I will treat him well."
“Okay.” Zheng Yi nodded. “Then let’s get ready to go.”
"Now?"
"Not now, but tomorrow," Zheng Yi said. "You should rest today, and we'll go to Hongyun City together first thing tomorrow morning."
"Yes, sir." Guo Tianyou bowed again, then turned and left.
After Guo Tianyou left, Zheng Yi stood by the window, gazing at the sky outside, a thoughtful expression on his face.
The wind chimes emerged from the shadows.
“Sir, are you really going to Hongyun City?” she asked.
"Yes." Zheng Yi nodded.
“However, the situation in Hongyun City is very complicated,” Fengling said. “The three Guo brothers are fighting, and outside forces are also getting involved. If you go there, sir, you will probably be drawn into a chaotic battle.”
“I know,” Zheng Yi said, “but Guo Tianyou is right. Rather than waiting to be killed, we should take a gamble. Although the Guo family cannot compare to the nine great families, they are still a well-known clan in the Tianyuan Domain. If we can form an alliance with the Guo family, it will greatly benefit the development of Qingyun City.”
“And,” he paused, “I also want to see what kind of forces are behind the scenes.”
Feng Ling was silent for a moment, then said, "Sir, I will go with you."
"No need," Zheng Yi shook his head. "You stay in Qingyun City and keep an eye on things here for me. The Sun family, Zhao family, and Lu family all have strongholds in the city. Be extra careful while I'm away."
“Yes, sir,” Fengling replied.
Night fell, and the moonlight was like water.
Zheng Yi stood alone on the city wall, gazing at the distant night sky.
The stars twinkled, as if telling a story. A gentle breeze blew by, bringing a touch of autumn coolness and the distant chirping of insects.
“Hongyun City,” he murmured, “hopefully this trip won’t be too troublesome.”
The next morning, Zheng Yi and Guo Tianyou set off together, heading towards Hongyun City.
They didn't bring many people with them, only Zheng Yi, Guo Tianyou, and a few of Zheng Yi's confidants: Tieshan, Xiao Tianxing, and Su Wanqing.
"Sir, are we really only taking this many people?" Xiao Tianxing asked with some concern. "The situation in Hongyun City is very complicated. What if we encounter danger..."
“Too many people are actually inconvenient,” Zheng Yi said. “Our purpose here is to help Young Master Guo reclaim his position as head of the family, not to fight anyone. Fewer people will allow for more flexible maneuvering.”
“You’re right, sir,” Guo Tianyou nodded. “Moreover, your strength is enough to intimidate all heroes. With you here, I have nothing to worry about.”
The group hurried on their horses toward Hongyun City.
The distance from Qingyun City to Hongyun City is about four hundred li. If you travel at full speed, you can arrive in a day and a night.
They barely rested along the way, only stopping briefly in a small town to eat and replenish their energy before continuing their journey.
As dusk fell on the second day, the outline of Hongyun City finally appeared on the distant horizon.
It was a city much larger than Qingyun City, with tall, thick walls and magnificent gate towers. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the city walls, bathing the city in a golden-red glow.
"We've arrived." Guo Tianyou gazed at the distant city, a complex light flashing in his eyes. "This is my home, Hongyun City."
"Young Master Guo, what should we do next?" Zheng Yi asked.
“Let’s go into the city first,” Guo Tianyou said. “I have some trusted men in the city; we can contact them first to find out the current situation.”
"it is good."
The group continued walking towards Hongyun City.
At the city gate, the guards saw them and immediately stepped forward to question them.
"Halt! Who are you?"
Just as Guo Tianyou was about to speak, Zheng Yi stopped him.
“We are merchants who have come to Hongyun City on business,” Zheng Yi said. “We’ve heard that Hongyun City is the most prosperous city in the eastern part of Tianyuan Domain, so we came here specifically to take a look.”
The guards looked them up and down, their faces showing suspicion.
“You guys don’t look like ordinary businessmen,” he said.
“We’re from out of town.” Zheng Yi took out a silver ingot from his pocket and handed it to the guard. “Brother, please do us a favor.”
The guard took the silver, weighed it in his hand, and his suspicion turned into a smile.
"No problem, no problem, please come in." He waved his hand and made way for them.
The group entered Hongyun City.
The moment Zheng Yi stepped through the city gate, he felt a tense atmosphere wash over him.
Pedestrians hurried along the streets, their faces etched with worry. Shops were still open, but many had closed early. There were several times more soldiers patrolling than usual, moving in groups of three or five, their eyes wary. "Something's not right in the city," Tieshan murmured.
"The Guo family is in turmoil, and the people in the city are filled with fear," Guo Tianyou sighed. "It's all my fault; I failed to stabilize the situation."
“Now is not the time for self-blame,” Zheng Yi said. “Young Master Guo, you said you have trusted confidants in the city. Where are they?”
“It’s in a mansion in the west of the city,” Guo Tianyou said. “It’s a secret stronghold of the Guo family, known only to me and a few trusted confidants. Let’s go there first, contact them, and then we’ll talk.”
"it is good."
The group headed west of the city.
After walking for about half an hour, they came to a secluded alley.
The alley was lined with high walls covered in moss. It was quiet, with only a few stray cats foraging in the corners.
“This is it,” Guo Tianyou said, pointing to a house deep in the alley.
He stepped forward, knocked on the door, and then knocked three times in a peculiar rhythm.
Footsteps came from inside the door, and then the door opened a crack.
A middle-aged man's face appeared through the crack in the door. Upon seeing Guo Tianyou, his face lit up with surprise and delight.
"Young Master! You're back!"
“Old Zhou, it’s me,” Guo Tianyou said. “Open the door quickly and let us in.”
"Yes, young master."
The door opened, and a group of people filed in.
After entering the courtyard, Zheng Yi looked around.
This was a small courtyard house with an old locust tree in the middle and several stone tables and chairs under the tree. There were also a few people in the courtyard, who all came forward to greet Guo Tianyou when they saw him enter.
"Young Master, you're finally back!"
"Young Master, we were all so worried about you!"
"Young Master, something has happened in the city!"
"Don't rush, tell us one at a time," Guo Tianyou reassured them. "What exactly happened?"
The middle-aged man named Old Zhou said, "Young Master, the day after you left, the Third Young Master suddenly launched an attack. He led a group of men into the City Lord's Mansion, saying that you had already escaped and were not qualified to be the head of the family. He also said that he had found out the cause of the Master's death—it was...it was you, Young Master, who poisoned him!"
"What?!" Guo Tianyou's face changed drastically. "He's talking nonsense! He poisoned my father, how dare he turn around and accuse me!"
“I know the Third Young Master is talking nonsense,” Old Zhou said. “But he has produced ‘evidence,’ claiming that he found traces of poison in your room, Eldest Young Master. Many people believe him, and now the whole city is saying that you, Eldest Young Master, poisoned the Master in your struggle for the position of family head.”
Guo Tianyou's face turned ashen.
"Third brother... Third brother, how cruel you are!" he said through gritted teeth. "Not only did you poison my father, but you also tried to frame me!"
“Young Master Guo, calm down,” Zheng Yi said. “Your third brother is trying to shift the blame and strike first. The situation is unfavorable for you now; you can’t act impulsively.”
Guo Tianyou took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart.
“Sir, you are right,” he said. “I cannot act impulsively. I must find a way to expose my third brother’s conspiracy and clear my name.”
"Old Zhou, where's my second brother?" he asked. "What's his attitude?"
"Second Young Master," Old Zhou hesitated for a moment, "...is standing with the Third Young Master now."
"What?!" Guo Tianyou's expression changed again. "My second and third brothers have joined forces?"
“Yes,” Old Zhou nodded. “After the Third Young Master made his move, the Second Young Master announced his support, saying that you, Eldest Young Master, committed patricide and regicide, a heinous crime that should be punished by being expelled from the Guo family. Now everyone in the city knows that the Second and Third Young Masters have joined forces to deal with you, Eldest Young Master.”
Guo Tianyou's face turned pale.
He originally thought that dealing with his third brother alone would be enough. Unexpectedly, his second and third brothers joined forces, making his situation even more difficult.
“Sir,” he turned to Zheng Yi, his eyes filled with helplessness, “what… what should we do now?”
Zheng Yi was silent for a moment, then said, "Young Master Guo, please don't be anxious. Although things have become complicated, they are not yet hopeless."
"The fact that your second and third brothers have joined forces shows that they are also wary of you. If they were truly confident in eliminating you, they wouldn't need to join forces. Their alliance precisely demonstrates their insecurity."
"Furthermore, the accusations your third brother made against you are full of holes. As long as we can find evidence to prove your innocence, we can expose his conspiracy."
“Sir, you’re right.” Guo Tianyou’s expression calmed down slightly. “So, what should we do next?”
“First, we need to find the missing servant, Li Fu,” Zheng Yi said. “He is the only eyewitness. If we find him, we can prove that your third brother was near the palace on the night your father died.”
"Secondly, we need to find evidence of your third brother's collusion with the Poison Sect," Zheng Yi continued. "The fact that your third brother was able to obtain 'Silent Dew,' a poison, indicates that he has dealings with the Poison Sect. If we can find evidence of his dealings with the Poison Sect, we can prove that he, not you, was the one who poisoned your father."
“Sir, neither of these matters will be easy to accomplish,” Guo Tianyou said. “Li Fu has been missing for so long; he’s probably already been silenced by my third brother. And my third brother’s deal with the Poison Sect must have been very secretive, making it difficult to find evidence.”
“Difficult doesn’t mean impossible,” Zheng Yi said. “Young Master Guo, tell me everything you know about your third brother. Where he likes to go, who he often associates with, any unusual habits—all these details could be a breakthrough.”
“Alright, I will tell you right away.” Guo Tianyou nodded.
The oil lamp in the courtyard burned all night.
Guo Tianyou told Zheng Yi everything he knew about Guo Tianen. From Guo Tianen's personality and habits when he was a child, to the friends he made as an adult, to some of his suspicious behaviors over the years, he told him everything in detail.
“My third brother has always loved raising all sorts of strange insects and snakes since he was little,” Guo Tianyou said. “My father thought it was a waste of time and often scolded him. But while he outwardly obeyed, he never stopped secretly.”
"What kind of insects does he raise?" Zheng Yi asked.
“I’m not entirely sure either,” Guo Tianyou shook his head. “But I do remember once accidentally wandering into my third brother’s room and seeing him keeping a whole room full of poisonous insects. There were centipedes, scorpions, venomous snakes, and some other things I couldn’t name. Those insects were absolutely terrifying to look at.”
"It seems your third brother has a long-standing interest in poisons," Zheng Yi said. "It's not surprising that he's become involved with the Poison Sect."
"Is there anything else?"
Guo Tianyou thought for a moment, then said, "My third brother has a villa in the west of the city, which he acquired himself and doesn't belong to the Guo family. He often goes there alone, sometimes staying for several days at a time. I once asked him what he was doing there, but he only said it was for cultivation and told me not to ask any further."
"A villa in the west of the city?" Zheng Yi's eyes lit up. "Where exactly is it located?"
“Deep in Willow Lane in the west of the city,” Guo Tianyou said. “It’s a rather secluded place, rarely visited. Third Brother probably chose that location to avoid being disturbed.” (End of Chapter)