In the monochrome world of my Illusion Sight, the vivid red of A-Li’s lovely face faded, yet her bashful and curious expression remained clear.
Her round, deer-like eyes blinked as she studied us with innocent wonder. Finally, as if unable to hold it in any longer, she blurted out, "You really are Brother Li’s kin. No wonder this gentleman... looks so much like him."
I had already tucked Hanguang back into my sleeve without a trace, letting my hand drop to my side. They did look alike; no wonder she had blushed the moment she saw Wei-daren. In that instant, she had likely seen the image of what she imagined Li Dai looked like before his injuries—a phantom born of her deep affection suddenly made flesh, standing right before her. How could her heart not be stirred?
"A-Dai is indeed my elder brother," Wei-daren replied with a smile. "I left home as a child and was adopted by a friend of my parents. The Wei family owed the Li family a great debt of gratitude, and my parents could not bear to see their line end. Our families haven't been in contact for over a decade. I only recently received word and came specifically to find my brother."
She feigned a sigh, raising a hand to wipe away a tear. "Alas, our parents passed away four years ago. They went so suddenly that they didn't have time to tell me to seek out my kin, leaving us siblings separated for all these years..."
I felt a simultaneous urge to roll my eyes and laugh. She truly was the "brother" of Qian Sui You; she could spin a yarn without blinking an eye.
Wei Qingshan coughed twice, a hint of a smile on his face. Instead of exposing her, he played along. "Our two families traveled the four seas for trade. Our return dates were never fixed, and news was hard to send. A-Yun left early, and then our Li family fell into ruin. I fell ill... For these past five years, I’ve relied entirely on Old Master Xia’s medical skills to keep my life."
*Five years ago...* I made a mental note of the date. Whether he was willing to speak or not, Wei-daren would eventually investigate.
Before I could fully process this, Wei Qingming took my hand in hers and spoke to A-Li with a look of sincere relief. "It is all thanks to the superb skills of Old Master Xia and his wife, and the meticulous care of Miss Xia. My brother says his illness is gradually receding and his health improves by the day."
I had no choice but to join the act. I performed a polite bow and said, "Indeed. My husband and I are eternally grateful."
"I didn't really do much..." A-Li lowered her head, still not quite daring to look at her, her hands fidgeting with the corner of her handkerchief. "Grandfather says that although his condition is stable now, he still can't move much. It would be best if he continues his treatment here for a few more years."
"Is that so?" Wei-daren frowned with regret. "Sigh, very well. I travel often and cannot always be by my brother's side. Old Master Xia is a man of great character, and I wouldn't dare offend him with common coin. Miss, please draw up a rough estimate of my brother's expenses over these five years. My family has some business interests in Leitian; in the future, we shall seek out rare medicinal herbs seldom seen in this country to send to the Old Master, whether for treating patients or researching new medicines."
A-Li didn't dare agree on her own, saying only, "I’ll have to ask Grandfather," before setting down the tea and snacks and tactfully making her exit.
Silence returned to the room. My heart was still pounding slightly. I let out a breath and whispered to Wei-daren, "No abnormalities." With Fourth Brother and the others outside, and Luo Cheng leading men in the shadows, the possibility of an assassin sneaking close was slim. Moreover, given Envoy Wei's special status upon leaving the capital, the Temple had already dispatched a large force to clear the way. It was only natural that there were no abnormalities.
Wei Qingming, of course, knew this better than I. She gave my back a comforting pat before turning back to her brother. Her tone was much softer now, carrying a touch of genuine emotion. "I won't ask what you don't wish to tell me, Brother. But you must at least let me know where Mother is now."
"Ah, Mother is doing very well," Wei Qingshan said with a smile. "She is free from illness and want. You can rest easy."
"Good."
My gaze flickered between the two of them. I sighed inwardly; the Wei family had produced exceptional talents for generations. If Wei-daren was this clever, how could her brother be easy to handle? But there was no rush. Now that he was found, the truth could be uncovered slowly.
And yet... both of their attitudes were strange. They only asked about their mother and not their father. Did they already know something? Wei Che, courtesy name Shuming, the fifth son of the fourteenth generation Duke of Wei. At the time of the incident, he was the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Could it be related to a case he was presiding over back then?
As if reading my thoughts, Wei Qingming gave me a small smile and explained, "Our father was a man of supreme intellect and profound cultivation. His abilities were too great; as long as he didn't lose his life, there is little to worry about." Turning back to Wei Qingshan, she added, "Besides, that likely falls within the scope of what Brother is hiding from me. Asking would be useless."
Wei Qingshan remained unmoved, chuckling. "I can't see anyway, so your attempts to intimidate me won't work. A-Yun, I can still remember you as a child. When you were angry, you’d stare people down without a word, your eyes narrowed like a wolf cub's. Sister-in-law, tell me, is she still like that?"
I stifled a laugh and turned Wei-daren’s face to examine it closely. I agreed wholeheartedly. "She certainly is!"
Wei-daren gave me a deadpan look, appearing uncharacteristically embarrassed and slightly speechless. Just as she was about to say something cold in response, she saw Wei Qingshan raise his hand, reaching out toward her.
"A-Yun..." he said with a tender smile. "I don't even know how tall you've grown, or what you look like now."
Wei Qingming was silent for a breath. She smoothed her robes and sat by his bedside, gently catching his hand as it hovered in the air. That bandage-wrapped hand brushed clumsily against her palm, seeking to touch her face or pat her head. She lowered her head, letting his hand rest atop it.
"It was all to find us..." he sighed. "These fifteen years... must have been very hard."
"But I am sorry, I cannot say. This was also Mother's decision. Now that you know we are well, you need not worry anymore."
She was turned halfway away from me, facing her brother, so I couldn't see her expression. But I saw her shoulders heave a few times. Wei-daren, who had always remained calm—perhaps excessively so—asked him one last time, her voice low and steady: "Even who harmed you... you cannot say?"
There was no answer. There was no hint of compromise on the visible half of Wei Qingshan's face.
Wei Qingming stood abruptly and walked out, clearing the study in just a few strides. Her cultivation had recovered somewhat, and the wind from her movement sent the manuscript papers and writing tools on the small table by the bed clattering to the floor. She had never been so lacking in composure! I knew she was furious—the kind of fury that was utterly beyond resolution...
I used a spell to gather the papers and pens, piling them haphazardly on the table. I couldn't be bothered with etiquette toward this newly found brother-in-law. I cried out, "Brother, can you truly say nothing? Do you know what she has been through all these years... all these years..."
Large tears rolled from my eyes. I stamped my foot in a mix of frustration and sorrow. "You people are too much! Why must you start a fight the moment you meet?"
"Cough." Wei Qingshan said helplessly, "I wasn't fighting with her." He even gave a faint smile. "Go on, go after her."
Seeing how composed he was, clearly of the mindset that "anger is useless, I'm not talking even if you kill me," I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Frantic and helpless, I turned and ran out.
In the small courtyard, Zhu Yixin and A-Li were chatting happily, while Qiao Songlin and Old Master Xia were playing chess. Seeing me rush over alone in a panic, they all turned to look at me in surprise.
"I didn't see her!" Zhu Yixin said, sounding a bit anxious. Qiao Songlin added, "She won't wander off." He meant that she knew her own physical condition and wouldn't be so irrational as to leave the protection of the Yingzhao Temple's hidden guards, so I shouldn't worry.
Old Master Xia, on the other hand, was amused. "Dai-ge has always been the most even-tempered lad. His own kin comes to find him, and the two of them manage to have a falling out?"
A-Li’s mind was entirely on Li Dai. She threw out a quick "I'll go check on Brother Li" and ran toward the study.
Wei-daren indeed hadn't wandered off. She had gone straight to the back of the mountain and summoned Hong Lu and Luo Cheng. She was writing a letter, ordering it to be sent to Mr. Feng by express courier, while simultaneously arranging the return journey. She didn't want to stay here for even another moment. Seeing me finally find her, she stopped writing and looked up at me quietly for a moment, the coldness on her face yet to dissipate.
Hong Lu and Luo Cheng were also bewildered. When I appeared, they both visibly relaxed. I told them, "No rush. Give us a moment."
"He is well here; he told me to rest easy," Wei Qingming said coldly once the others had moved away. "We return to the capital tomorrow."
At this point, I could only stroke her fur the right way. Besides, given Wei Qingshan's physical condition, he couldn't handle long-distance travel, let alone a teleportation array. The climate in Yuzhou was also much more comfortable than the capital; staying here was indeed for the best. My thoughts settled, and I smiled to coax her. "Alright, let's go home. It's already the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month. If we don't leave now, we won't make it back for the New Year."
"In your opinion, A-Zhi, why is he taking this stance?" Wei Qingming tiredly pressed her hand to her brow, frowning. "Is the enemy too powerful, or is the truth something that simply cannot be spoken aloud..."
"I don't know," I said. "But what I am certain of is that he and your mother are truly safe now; they aren't pretending. Since that's the case, what do we have to be anxious about?"
Wei Qingming gave an "Mhm," her expression relaxing considerably. It wasn't that she couldn't figure these things out, but she had been harboring a fire in her heart. How could she endure being so close to the truth yet unable to grasp it? I even thought that letting her vent like this wasn't a bad thing.
I took the pen and paper from her hands, hugged her, and stood on my tiptoes to pat her head. I said with a smile, "You... you're probably still not used to being close to people, are you?"
"Indeed," she said. "He and I probably both don't know how to show kindness to others anymore. Especially me; warmth and vulnerability exist only in memories from too long ago."
She sighed. "The first meeting was indeed not the time to discuss such matters. I lost my composure today."
I took the opportunity to act spoiled. "You scared me. You're not allowed to run off without a word again." Then, I grew worried again. "Who exactly knew your brother's handwriting and wrote that letter to the Yin family so far in advance? Over these past few months, Yin Shuhong and Qian Sui You exchanged letters at least three times, and every time it was his real handwriting. This shows it was premeditated. If it's a trap, why has everything been so peaceful?"
I felt a bit of regret in my heart. When she first recognized Wei Qingshan's handwriting, I was the one who feared the despair of a false hope and didn't let Wei-daren investigate it personally. Who could have thought such a simple link could hide such a massive hidden danger? If the Temple had intervened, they likely would have collected samples of Qian Sui You's correspondence with various bookstores and realized something was amiss upon comparison.
Fortunately, Li Dai really was her brother. This wasn't a complete and total deception.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 黎岱 | Li Dai | Wei Qingshan's alias. |
| 阿云 | A-Yun | Wei Qingming's childhood nickname. |
| 雷阗 | Leitian | A geographical location. |
| 魏彻 | Wei Che | Wei Qingming's father. |
| 疏明 | Shuming | Wei Che's courtesy name. |
| 大理寺少卿 | Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review | A high-ranking judicial official position. |
| 芝兰玉树 | Zhilan Yushu | Lit. "Orchids and Jade Trees"; a metaphor for noble and talented children. |
| 腊月二十九 | 29th of the 12th Lunar Month | The day before New Year's Eve. |
| 冯先生 | Mr. Feng | A subordinate or associate of Wei Qingming. |
| 裕州 | Yuzhou | The region where the village is located. |
