Chapter 797: Disappearing Password Book

“Is he moving on to greener pastures?”

“How does he know you?”

“Young Master, he knows a lot about my past, and he knows you rescued me from that hellhole.” Zhu Xiuer gazed at He Lingchuan. “You’re the connection between Sun Hongye and me!”

He Lingchuan touched his nose.

“I know Sun Hongye well. He never visits for no reason. Why would he kindly go out of his way to help you?”

“He proposed a collaboration,” Zhu Xiuer smiled faintly. “A mutually beneficial arrangement.”

“How so?”

“My enemy is related to He Liwen, the Grand Censor of the current dynasty. Sun Hongye just happens to want to teach He Su, the second son of the He family, and He Jing, the third son, a lesson.”

He Lingchuan recalled that before Sun Hongye joined him, he had been a study companion to the He family’s third son.

Back then, when Generals Wu Di and Ke Jihai breached Woling Pass, they used a strategy contributed by He Jing, the Grand Censor He Liwen’s third son. He Jing was heavily rewarded for this. However, that strategy was actually devised by Sun Hongye. He Liwen took the credit, attributing it to his third son, and merely dismissed Sun Hongye with a few dozen taels of silver before kicking him out of the house.

Later, at Luming Garden, He Su, the He family’s second son, had someone tamper with Sun Hongye’s carriage. As a result, Sun Hongye was nearly killed by a demon ape on his way down the mountain, saved only by He Lingchuan’s timely intervention.

He Lingchuan had once told Sun Hongye that he should take revenge for his own grievances, leaving the He family for him to deal with.

It seems Sun Hongye had taken it to heart and never forgotten. As soon as he returned to Yuandu, he began to make plans.

Born into poverty, he had few allies in Yuandu, and He Chunhua was even less likely to concern himself with such matters. Therefore, partnering with Zhu Xiuer to deal with their shared enemies was a good idea.

“His idea was good, and we carried it out successfully,” Zhu Xiuer said softly. “I won’t go into the specifics; it’s a dirty business, and I don’t want to sully your ears with it. Anyway, both my enemies and his suffered greatly.”

“I was overjoyed and invited him to a celebration at Yuefu Restaurant. My husband joined me that day,” Zhu Xiuer sighed. “Although Sun Hongye came, his eyes kept darting around, as if something was on his mind, and he was distracted during our conversation. I noticed he had brought his luggage, and after barely two cups of wine, he announced he was leaving Yuandu.”

“Where to?”

“He said he was going east, to Beijia,” Zhu Xiuer replied. “We asked him what was wrong, but he just shook his head and gave me a book. He said if you returned, I should give it to you; if you never appeared, I could dispose of it as I saw fit.”

“Left for me?” Those last two sentences greatly surprised He Lingchuan. “Where’s the book?”

“That’s where the strange part comes in,” Zhu Xiuer said with a wry smile. “The day after I took it home, the book disappeared.”

“Disappeared?” He Lingchuan kicked a small pebble away from his foot. “Where did you put it?”

“In a secret compartment in my bedroom,” Zhu Xiuer said. “I checked it that morning before leaving home, and it was there. When I returned home in the evening, it was gone.”

“Who saw you hide the book?”

“My husband,” Zhu Xiuer stated seriously. “He came with me to Yuefu Restaurant and met Sun Hongye with me, so he also knew I hid the book in the secret compartment by the bed. But he’s an honorable and straightforward man. If he says he didn’t take it, then he didn’t. I believe him.”

“No one else?”

“I also questioned the maids in my courtyard; they all swore on their lives,” Zhu Xiuer sighed deeply. “It’s my fault. The item Sun Hongye entrusted to me was lost in my care.”

He Lingchuan shook his head. “It was a deliberate act against someone unprepared. Someone was targeting Sun Hongye, which is why he wanted to transfer the book to you. But they were still one step ahead.”

He said gravely, “Sun Hongye was thoughtless. This could easily bring trouble upon you.”

Zhu Xiuer bit her lip. “Perhaps he had no one else to trust, so he could only ask for my help?”

“What’s the book called?”

“‘Commentary on Elegant Flowers’,” Zhu Xiuer replied. “It was a handwritten original, and I flipped through a few pages. There were even signs of revisions on it. It seems to have been written by a scholar in Yuandu thirty years ago. It’s quite obscure; I’d never heard of it before.”

He Lingchuan nodded. “Alright, I understand.”

Zhu Xiuer stood still. “You’re very different this time you’ve returned.”

“Oh?” He Lingchuan chuckled. “How so?”

“It’s as if...” Zhu Xiuer scrutinized him, choosing her words carefully, “you’ve become much more reliable and composed, and...”

This reliability and composure were the result of time’s refinement and accumulation, something others couldn’t imitate or feign.

What had happened to him in just one year?

Zhu Xiuer smiled faintly. “You’re also more appealing to girls.”

The young man’s eyes were so bright and expressive, as if they could see straight into the deepest parts of one’s heart. Which young woman could withstand his gaze?

He Lingchuan, being thick-skinned, always accepted compliments gracefully. “Sister Xiuer, are you going to introduce me to young ladies from Yuandu?”

“Yuandu? What young lady here could be a match for you?” Zhu Xiuer’s tone held a hint of disdain. “You deserve better!”

“Where would that be?”

“Certainly not here.” In contrast to his casualness, Zhu Xiuer was quite serious. “After I returned from Xianling Lake to my grandfather, I once thought of marrying just anyone. But only after marriage did I realize how important that person truly is.”

She looked at He Lingchuan and said earnestly, “It’s the same for you. When choosing a wife, you must choose a virtuous one. Never let your family arbitrarily assign one!”

“I’m enlightened,” He Lingchuan said, cupping his hands to her. “Sister Xiuer, your insight is truly profound.”

“I must go now. I need to accompany my grandfather out this afternoon.” With the important matters discussed, Zhu Xiuer bowed to him and took her leave.

Her respect for He Lingchuan had always been evident.

He Lingchuan called for someone to bring some special products from Xiazhou and gave them to her, then watched her leave the residence and board her carriage.

“Like your brother, she’s also someone Sun Hongye entrusted something to,” the Soul-Devouring Mirror in his arms groaned. “But the book Sun Hongye entrusted to her has been stolen. Can those sets of ciphered numbers still be deciphered?”

“Not until we find the book,” He Lingchuan’s expression darkened. “Sun Hongye’s departure must be closely related to the message he wanted to pass on to me.”

He paced around the residence a few times before going to find Steward Wu.

The steward was busy assigning duties within the He residence. He paused, startled, when He Lingchuan mentioned Sun Hongye.

“Sun Hongye?” Steward Wu was taken aback. “Yes, Mr. Sun resigned from the master three days ago, collected fifteen taels of silver from me, and left.”

“Didn’t he state a reason? There’s always a reason for resigning, isn’t there?”

“He cited poor health and an intention to travel east. I offered to call a doctor for him, but Mr. Sun insisted it wasn’t necessary. The master even offered him a raise, but he still didn’t stay.” Steward Wu scratched his head. “Mr. Sun did fall ill twice during our journey from Xiazhou to Yuandu. His health isn’t very robust, and his complexion wasn’t good when he came to collect his money.”

“How did he perform in the residence over the past year?”