Chapter 62: The Truth Exposed!

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"Zhi'er, why have you been stopping us from going out these past two days?"

Inside the Fu family residence, Lady Tao gave her husband a glance, then turned her curious gaze to her nephew, Fu Zhi.

Grandfather, Old Liu, and Lady Tao all furrowed their brows at this moment, silently looking at Fu Zhi. Their expressions clearly demanded an explanation.

"I wasn’t stopping you..."

Seeing his wife's helpless look, Fu Zhi lowered his head.

But Fu Zhi had never been a good liar since childhood. As soon as he uttered this, not only Lady Tao but even Zhang Shi stepped forward and lightly rapped him on the head, making him shrink his neck in fright.

"Speak!" Zhang Shi scolded, her face stern as she glared at her son. As she spoke, her eyes swept the room and finally settled on a thick staff.

"Mother!" Fu Zhi was startled when he saw his mother moving to pick up the stick.

"It's Zihou!"

Fu Zhi knew that even if he braved a beating and kept silent, his uncle, aunt, mother, and Old Liu would still go out.

"Zihou?" Grandfather's brows knitted together at his words. He exchanged a puzzled look with Fu Rui and Lady Tao, then turned his gaze to Fu Zhi.

"Isn’t Zihou at the Li household, looking after Madame Cui’s friend?" Grandfather asked, bewildered.

Lady Tao, growing anxious at the thought that something might have happened to her son, hurried to Fu Zhi, grasping his shoulders.

"Zhi'er, what has happened? Tell us quickly!" she urged, her voice trembling.

With everyone’s eyes upon him, Fu Zhi shrank back, barely daring to breathe.

"A few days ago, the rebels outside Qinghe County were utterly defeated! I was the one who kept lying to uncle, saying that the city was still recruiting soldiers..." Fu Zhi explained, stealing a guilty glance at his uncle Fu Rui.

"What?" "The rebel army has already fled?"

Grandfather, Old Liu, and Fu Rui were all shocked by Fu Zhi's words. Even Zhang Shi and Lady Tao exchanged stunned glances.

For the past few days, Fu Zhi had been saying that there was a draft to reinforce Qinghe County, so everyone in the Fu family had stayed home, unwilling to venture outside.

Recalling how Fu Zhi always hung his head while speaking, everyone had assumed he was worried about being conscripted himself.

Little did they know...

Fu Zhi had been lying from the very beginning!

"Then what does this have to do with Zihou?" Lady Tao pressed anxiously, her brow tightly furrowed. Suddenly, her eyes widened in fear. "Did Zihou go to Qinghe County?" she blurted out, staring at Fu Zhi in panic.

"Yes," Fu Zhi replied with a slow nod.

At that moment, Lady Tao's eyes grew wide, her mind buzzing, her breath coming in gasps, her expression dazed.

Judging from Fu Zhi's demeanor, Lady Tao had a terrible premonition—something must have happened to Zihou for Fu Zhi to keep it from them.

"What? Zihou went to Qinghe County? That foolish nephew! Isn’t that like jumping into a fire pit..." Zhang Shi scolded, her brows knit in anger and worry.

"Wasn’t Zihou at the Li household..." Grandfather’s aged face was clouded with concern. The mere thought of Qinghe County filled him with dread.

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Everyone in the Fu family knew the terror that the rioters could bring, not to mention the rebels. Grandfather still could not understand why his youngest grandson would go to Qinghe County.

Fu Rui, anxious for his wife, stepped to her side and exchanged a look with Old Liu. They both realized that Zihou must have feared their disapproval and so had deliberately concealed his journey to Qinghe County.

At that moment, as they gazed at Fu Zhi, recalling how he had been hiding news of Zihou for days, a terrible fear gripped them all—that Fu Zhi would say Zihou had died in Qinghe County.

"Zhi'er, what exactly happened?" Lady Tao asked, her face pale, her eyes red with panic and fear, on the verge of tears.

"Aunt, you’ve misunderstood!" Tai Shi, seeing that Grandfather and Aunt had taken her husband’s words the wrong way, quickly stepped forward to reassure Lady Tao.

As everyone looked at her—Grandfather, her mother-in-law, Old Liu, her uncle and aunt—Tai Shi suddenly understood the heavy burden her husband had borne.

"In fact, Jing’er and my husband only learned the truth a few days ago, from the old matron at the Li household," she explained, glancing at her husband and then the rest of the family.

"Previously, Qinghe County was attacked by the rebel leader Zhang Jinchen and his forces. For several days, Tiao County sent troops to reinforce them, but the losses were heavy. Everyone thought Qinghe County would fall to the rebels. Just as hope was lost, news arrived that a force had launched a surprise attack on the rebels from behind, crushing their army and scattering them. The siege of Qinghe County was lifted!"

Tai Shi paused, meeting the eyes of Grandfather, Old Liu, and her mother-in-law Zhang Shi, then looked to her aunt and uncle.

"According to the soldiers who came to the rescue, the one who led them was none other than Zihou!"

"What? Zihou?" "Zihou!"

Old Liu exclaimed in astonishment, and Grandfather, Fu Rui, and Zhang Shi were no less taken aback.

The siege of Qinghe County had been broken by a relief force, and the commander of that force was Zihou!

Zihou leading troops into battle!

The impact of this news on the Fu family was immense. The family had declined into obscurity; only their great-grandfather had once held office, but never had anyone in the family led soldiers into battle.

And now Zihou had not only led troops, but lifted the siege of Qinghe County and defeated the rebels...

As these facts sank in, the whole family was left dumbfounded, their minds reeling.

When they finally came to their senses, they all turned to Fu Zhi once more.

Why had Fu Zhi and Tai Shi kept this a secret?

"Mother, Aunt..." Sensing what everyone was thinking, Tai Shi continued, "Later, in the Li household, an official from Qinghe County said in person that, on that day outside Qinghe City, Zihou, fearing that the rebel Zhang Jinchen would return, led a handful of soldiers in pursuit of him after routing his army. Since then... there has been no word."

At her words, Lady Tao nearly collapsed, only kept upright by her husband’s support. Her mother-in-law Zhang Shi quickly joined in to help steady her.

Only now did Old Liu and Zhang Shi understand why the Li family, along with Fu Zhi and Tai Shi, had kept it all a secret.

"Why keep chasing him!" Grandfather’s face was drawn with worry, his earlier excitement vanishing in an instant, his heart in his throat.

That grandson of his—was he trying to worry them to death? Why not just come home safely?

If only he would return to Tiao County unharmed, the Fu family would have honor for generations, and their descendants could proudly recount his deeds.

Why keep chasing after Zhang Jinchen?

If the rebel had escaped, so be it—what did it matter to the Fu family?

Thinking thus, Grandfather’s face was full of grievance and sorrow.

So many days had passed, and still there was no word from Zihou. How could they not be worried?

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"Hurry to the Li household and ask if there’s any news of Zihou!" Grandfather urged Fu Hong and Fu Zhi as he watched his second daughter-in-law weeping.

Fu Zhi quickly nodded. Seeing the worried looks of his mother and Old Liu, he set out immediately for the Li household.

Zhang Shi sighed at the sight of her sister-in-law’s tears and sent Fu Rui to the Li household, staying behind with her daughter-in-law to comfort Lady Tao.

As Fu Rui departed, Zhang Shi turned to Lady Tao.

"Don’t worry about Zihou. He’s a capable lad," Zhang Shi softly reassured her.

Compared to her husband, her sister-in-law, and Grandfather, Zhang Shi, besides Old Liu, was perhaps the one who had the most faith in Zihou.

In her heart, she believed her young nephew would be safe.

...

Outside the city of Liyang.

Feeling the biting wind, watching as a few townsfolk passed by, Fu Zihou waited on the plain outside Liyang with Cao Yong and the others.

After a long while, a carriage appeared in the distance, surrounded by a dozen sword-bearing guards.

At this, Cao Yong and Xiong Ruixiang grew wary, their hands unconsciously tightening around their swords.

When the carriage came to a halt—

"Are you the young master of the Fu family?" the driver asked, raising his hand.

"Fu Zihou," he replied, raising his hand and stating his name.

Upon hearing this, the driver produced a letter and a token from his sleeve, handing both to Fu Zihou with both hands, then said, "The man is inside. The master instructed—cause no unnecessary trouble."

With that, the driver stepped back and led the guards away.

Fu Zihou opened the letter, read it, and put it away. He then lifted the carriage curtain and saw a large chest inside.

He stepped into the carriage, opened the chest, and found a man bound inside, his face twisted in terror as he let out muffled cries.

Fu Zihou didn’t bother to ask if the man was Xie Yan—after all, Cao Yong and the others were outside. He believed the Xie family would not deceive him.

Images flashed through his mind: Madam Bao’s tearful face, Lady Li’s sorrowful eyes, Li Yue’s helpless sobs, Li Zhaotian running back to her room, Li Cha’s self-reproachful actions of the past, and Grandfather’s lifelong wish to repay the Li family.

"Woo-woo-woo~~!"

Fu Zihou looked coldly at the bound man, then, in the man’s despairing gaze, closed the lid, ensuring there was air, before stepping out of the carriage.

"Back to Tiao County! Once we’ve collected the gold, distribute the money to everyone and let’s have a good New Year!" Fu Zihou instructed Cao Yong, Xiong Ruixiang, and the others.

"Yes!" "Yes!!"

At his words, Cao Yong and the others exchanged glances, their faces alight with excitement and anticipation. They had bought many fine things in Liyang, all waiting to be brought home to their families!