Exposure

It wasn't easy to find out who had returned the White Silk. Gu Shenwei had little contact with the other five boys, and he couldn't question them outright. All he could do was observe and analyze them in secret.

Several of them were ruled out first. Lei Nu, Zhao Nu, and San Nu had once been Han Jinu's men before switching sides and pledging themselves to Yao Nu. It seemed unlikely that Yao Nu would entrust such an important object to those three.

That left only Xin Nu and Qian Nu. While Yao Nu was alive, both had been his loyal followers. Xin Nu was rather timid; he had been so frightened in Heart Washing Courtyard that he wet himself. If he had been keeping the White Silk, he would certainly have confessed then.

That left Qian Nu as the prime suspect.

Qian Nu was the same age as Gu Shenwei, a relatively mature and reserved boy. He knew just how much to flatter someone: enough to please them without making himself seem overly servile.

The more Gu Shenwei thought about it, the more certain he became that Qian Nu was the one who had returned the White Silk. But without direct evidence, he couldn't confront him. Especially not now, when doing so would bring no benefit. Gu Shenwei didn't want to kill another person, and he had no way to do so anyway. Since Qian Nu hadn't revealed the secret of the White Silk, perhaps it was best to wait and see.

Still, the matter remained a thorn in Gu Shenwei's heart. Qian Nu couldn't read, so he wouldn't know what was written on the White Silk. Yao Nu probably hadn't told him, either. But he still held a secret, and no one could say how long he would keep it.

Gu Shenwei continued to watch Qian Nu's every move in secret, until something he never expected interrupted him.

Nearly a month after Kindling Courtyard reopened, the young madam, perhaps believing the turmoil had finally settled, once again summoned the boys to pay their respects.

The one who led the six boys away was still Xue Niang. The new steward of the courtyard was a smooth operator: not only did he make no attempt to stop them, he was also exceedingly deferential toward the Eighth Young Madam's wet nurse.

In the Eighth Young Master's residence, the boys and the other servants endured a storm of curses, accusations, and tearful complaints.

Because of Han Shiqi's death, Great Head God's daughter had been implicated as well. Qi Nu and Xie Nu had been brought by her, so at the very least, she was guilty of failing to keep watch over them. And the reason for the assassination was so ugly that it made it seem as if the young madam had deliberately sacrificed her own people to curry favor with her husband's assassins.

That wasn't what had happened, of course, but that didn't stop rumors from spreading.

The young madam felt she had suffered a grave injustice. Her husband, Shangguan Nu, had even grown cold toward her, as if he believed this bandit's daughter had brought bad luck.

Behind a screen, the young madam wept as she accused everyone of ingratitude. She even declared that she would return to her father the very next day and have Great Head God punish everyone there.

It took Xue Niang and several personal maids considerable effort to calm the young madam down.

Looking at the ground, Gu Shenwei thought little of her. A month had already passed. She hadn't left then, and she couldn't leave now. Besides, this was Golden Peng Fortress. Even Great Head God's daughter couldn't come and go as she pleased.

She was a spoiled, foolish woman, not one ten-thousandth as good as his sister, Gu Cuilan. Gu Shenwei silently passed judgment on Luo Ningcha.

That same day, after the servants had repeatedly sworn their loyalty to the young madam, everyone else was allowed to leave. Gu Shenwei alone was told to stay.

The order came from Xue Niang.

Gu Shenwei wasn't particularly surprised. He had been waiting for this day. Xue Niang had once admitted that she had taught Yao Nu Internal Force, taking full responsibility for the Qi Deviation that had driven him mad. There had to be a reason.

After everyone else had left, Gu Shenwei followed Xue Niang to the rear courtyard, where he entered a room for the first time.

A thick screen had already been set up in a side room. The young madam sat behind it, and the maids had all been sent away. Only the blind, tongueless girl remained to serve her. She could hear, but couldn't speak, see, or write. She was the ideal person to keep a secret.

After treating this slave girl cruelly, the young madam now kept her close as a confidante. She saw no contradiction in it.

Xue Niang ordered Huan Nu to kneel, then said to the young madam behind the screen, "It's him."

There was a moment of silence behind the screen. The young madam seemed to be scrutinizing the boy in front of her, though all she could see through the screen was a blurred shadow.

"So he really was the one who killed that madman?" The young madam could no longer remember the boy who had once practiced martial arts in the courtyard. All she recalled was his wild laughter.

Though Gu Shenwei had been prepared, the young madam's bluntness still startled him. He couldn't admit to killing Yao Nu. "It wasn't me. I..."

Xue Niang kicked him in the ribs. Her toes were as hard as her fingers, and Gu Shenwei felt his inner breath seize up. He couldn't finish his sentence.

"Silence," Xue Niang ordered coldly. Then, softening her tone, she said to the young madam behind the screen, "It was him. There's no doubt."

"And he made that madman's death look like an accident?" There was no anger or accusation in the young madam's voice. Instead, it held a trace of curiosity.

"He has a little cunning."

"Treacherous and ruthless." The young madam pronounced each word slowly, yet without a trace of feeling, as if the one kneeling outside the screen were a savage dog she had raised and commanded.

"Exactly. Treacherous and ruthless—that's just the sort of person you want."

For a while, no one spoke. Gu Shenwei's mind raced. What did the young madam want with a treacherous, ruthless person? And what could he gain from this?

"Let it be him," the young madam finally said. "But make sure he's utterly loyal."

Great Head God's daughter wasn't entirely foolish. The servants' everyday oaths had pleased her, but they hadn't earned her trust.

"That's easy." Xue Niang sounded full of confidence. She turned to Gu Shenwei and began questioning him.

"Huan Nu, tell me your real name."

"Yang Huan."

"Hmph. Your name is Yang Huan, and after entering the fortress you were named Huan Nu. What a coincidence."

"Yes, it's a coincidence, but that really is my name."

"Where did you live before?"

"Shule City. My master's surname was Lin..."

Xue Niang kicked him in the ribs again. "You dare lie to me? Tell me, what's your connection to the Gu Family of the Central Plains?"

Gu Shenwei's heart jolted. She had seen through him.

The Hehe Jin he had taught Yao Nu must have betrayed his secret. But Xue Niang knew he was connected to the Gu Family and still hadn't informed the Eighth Young Master, Shangguan Nu...

Many things converged in Gu Shenwei's mind, shifting like clouds in a thousand shapes. He had to make a decision quickly—a bold one.

"Please forgive me, young madam. Please forgive me, Xue Niang. This slave lied because he had no choice..."

"Cut the nonsense. Tell the truth."

"This slave's name really is Yang Huan. My father was Yang Zheng, an instructor for the Gu Family."

"The son of an instructor could learn the Gu Family Martial Arts?"

"The... The family martial arts were something I could learn. My father had a bond with Master Gu Lun that went beyond the usual. They were master and servant in name, but brothers in truth. So he was exceptionally granted the family's Internal Force and Dual Mastery of Blade and Spear. My father also secretly taught me some of it, but only the basics. I never learned it properly."

"That sounds almost like the truth. Let's see how much of those 'basics' you've learned."

Xue Niang's hard palm pressed against the back of Gu Shenwei's neck. A scorching stream of Internal Force burst violently into his body, surging in all directions and charging straight toward his lower abdomen and dantian.

Gu Shenwei's Internal Force was shallow. He had only just reached the first level of the yin and yang forces and was nowhere near able to wield them freely. Faced with this sudden pressure, his body resisted on its own before he could even circulate his Internal Force, exposing his true foundation.

Compared with Xue Niang's force, his was pathetically weak, like a cup of water flung at a roaring blaze.

Gu Shenwei felt his whole body shudder. His dantian seemed to burst in an instant. Before he could understand what had happened, he passed out.

When he woke, he heard the young madam ask curiously:

"Is he dead?"

"No. He didn't lie this time. He really only learned the basics. Yao Nu was blind to choose such a half-baked student to learn Internal Force from."

Gu Shenwei felt somewhat relieved, though his cheeks burned a little.

"Tell me, why did you sneak into Golden Peng Fortress?"

"I want to avenge my father." Gu Shenwei pushed himself upright. He deliberately made his voice sound filled with grief. That was easy enough; his listeners thought he meant Yang Zheng, but he was thinking of his real father, Gu Lun.

"The Eighth Young Master killed your father."

Xue Niang's voice was cold and emotionless. At her words, the young madam behind the screen suddenly let out a short laugh, as if she had heard a joke but was embarrassed to laugh aloud.

"No. My father was killed outside the manor. His killer was an assassin. That assassin was... one of the Eighth Young Master's men."

"You'd be better off taking revenge on my husband. Then I could return to Iron Mountain," the young madam said wistfully.

"Young madam! Take those words back. You belong to the Shangguan Family now, for the rest of your life. Never speak of returning to Iron Mountain again."

Xue Niang's tone was exceedingly stern, as if she were scolding an immature little girl. It was completely different from her usual deferential manner. With so few outsiders there, she didn't need to pay special attention to the distinction between master and servant.

The young madam didn't treat Xue Niang like an ordinary servant, either. She gave an unhappy snort but didn't lash out. In a low voice, she said:

"I don't need you to tell me. I know that perfectly well."

Xue Niang turned back to Huan Nu. "If I hear you wagging your tongue, I'll throw you off a cliff while you're still alive."

"I wouldn't dare. This slave heard nothing at all. This slave is utterly loyal to the young madam and Xue Niang. Heaven can bear witness."

That string of "this slave" crushed the last remnant of Gu Shenwei's self-respect. From then on, "the young master of the Gu Family" was nothing to do with him. He would never return to that life.

He had no choice. If he remained the young master of the Gu Family, he would never find his sister or avenge his family's massacre.

"Hmph. You couldn't match the Eighth Young Master's little finger even if you trained for a hundred years. Who was the assassin who killed your father? Was it Han Shiqi?"

"No. This slave still doesn't know who my enemy is."

Xue Niang circled Gu Shenwei twice, inspecting him closely like a shrewd merchant appraising goods she might buy.

"You want revenge. It's not impossible, but for now you must stop. You're not to act on your own, and you're not to investigate in secret. If you behave well, the young madam will reward you. Do you understand?"

"I understand. This slave is willing to go through fire and water for the young madam and Xue Niang, without the slightest hesitation."

"Starting today, you'll learn martial arts from me in Yao Nu's place. In a month, I'll send you to East Fortress as an apprentice. One day, you'll become a Golden Peng Assassin. If you can't, you'll take your own life. If you dare harbor disloyal thoughts or defy me in the slightest, you'll meet the same fate as your father. Remember, when Xue Niang wants to kill someone, she doesn't need schemes or informers."