Chapter Eight Decision

  I drifted in like a wisp of wind, passing by the Zhang family's gate, and stood quietly in front of my mother's chamber door. At this late hour, the entire household was shrouded in silence. My mother's soft sobbing was clearly audible, and my heart suddenly felt an intense pain that surged from my chest to my whole body. I couldn't control myself, and tears fell onto my face, landing on the ground with a clear "plop". Was it because my hearing was too good? I didn't know.

  "Who is the mistress?" My mother's voice rose anxiously. I could no longer bear it, I pushed open the door and looked at my haggard mother.

  "Mother, mother..."

  "Xiao San, Xiao San, am I dreaming...?" Mother stood by the table, seemingly still in a daze.

  I rushed to my mother's front, tightly hugging my mother, and my mother tightly held me in her arms. I could clearly hear my mother's heartbeat "thump, thump......" beating very fast, very fast.

  ......

  After a while, mother slowly let go of me, staring at me constantly, "Xiao San, Xiao San..." gently stroking my face, saying my name repeatedly.

  "Mother, is the discussion in the courtyard over? Is my elder brother Lang Feng and his mother all right?" I asked my mother calmly.

  "The trial cannot begin without the person being punished present, even if they don't show up, it can only start after a week. Tomorrow is the seventh day, you just happened to return, and even if you didn't come back, the trial would still be held. Don't worry about your brother Wolf Fang and his mother's affair, your big mother and second mother will drive them away. Luckily, your father intervened in this matter, he is still good to you, it's for the sake of the family's interests, don't always resent your father, he is also helpless. You know that at the time, all the elders came forward, but the result couldn't be changed." My mother looked at me, trying her best to make me forgive my father.

  "I know he did it for the sake of the family, but at least he should have thought of me first. Even if the result was still that I got kicked out of the house, by then, I wouldn't have resented him. But from start to finish, he didn't say a word for me. You know how heartless he was towards me? Ah! He wants me to forgive him? Hmph!

  Just thinking about his expression when he said "yes" at the end makes my anger surge and I lose control."

  "Little Three..."

  "Mother, don't say that, let's not talk about those things anymore. Let's have a good chat, there won't be many opportunities in the future, but I'll come back to see you often." I said, looking at my mother.

  "Xiao San, do you know why your father drove you out of the house just because of this matter? And when you asked me before, why your big mother and second mother treated you with such hostility?" Mother looked at me and said.

  "Is there some secret?" I looked at my mother, these two things I really couldn't think of together.

  "This is actually not a secret, it's something that the four major families all know and acknowledge. That is: for the sake of the family's legacy, each generation can only pass it down to the eldest son, and only when the eldest son dies will it be passed down to the second son. And the eldest son's bodyguards are all high-ranking experts, including a second-rank guard captain. Moreover, if it is discovered that the eldest son's death was orchestrated by the second son, then the second son will be expelled from the family and not receive even one or two silver coins. When the eldest son takes office, the second and third sons are evaluated by the Council of Elders to determine which one has performed better and becomes an elder. And your second brother is indeed born to your mother's sister, who was very close to your mother since childhood and didn't have any sons of her own, so she naturally supports the second son, that is, your second brother. Now you know why your mother and aunt treat you this way?" My mother told me all this."

  "Oh, I see, then why did Father drive me out of the house because of this matter?" I asked my mother.

  "This is the same principle, every generation's second and third sons who don't become elders must leave home to start their own businesses. Of course, they all have a startup fund of 2 million taels of silver. You're just leaving early, only deleting your name from the family tree. Also, you only have the red envelope money for the past five years' Spring Festival, about 100,000 taels of silver, and Mother has tens of millions more, take it out and live a good life!" At this time, Mother started crying again. Actually, thinking about being separated from my mother in the future makes me feel very sad too."

  "Mom, don't say that, how can I use your private money? Besides, having 100,000 yuan is already enough, just don't worry about it." I looked at my mother and forced a smile.

  "No, you must bring money with you. Your mother is at the mansion, and everything we eat, drink, and buy is paid for by the mansion, so your mother doesn't need to spend a single silver coin. Don't worry about it, do you understand?" Mother immediately tried to persuade me again.

  "Mom, no way, you have to believe in my ability, mom..."

  "Xiao San, don't be so stubborn, listen to your mother's words. Bring the money with you."

  ......

  I had no choice but to take the 100,000 taels of silver notes from my mother. Alas, I knew she was doing it for me to have a better life after leaving home. The kindness of parents is truly pitiful. Mother, I will definitely be filial to you in the future.

  I looked at her and she smiled back at me, her eyes fixed on mine as if trying to etch my appearance deeply into her memory. Dawn was breaking, and with a bitter smile, I knew it was time for me to leave.

  "Mother, I won't attend the family meeting, I'll go call Wolf Peak and leave with them. Mother, I'm leaving." I stood in front of the door, looking at my mother, not knowing how long it would be before I could see her again.

  "Go, little three, I know you've been different since childhood, very sensible, mom believes in you, go and walk your own path well, mom will always support you." My mother said with a smile, although she hid it very well, but my incredible eyesight still saw the tears that my mother was strongly holding back.

  I smiled and turned around, walking directly towards the Star Peak Pavilion. I didn't look back until I had left my mother's courtyard and reached a place where she couldn't see me. Only then did I turn my head to take a glance. The tears hadn't even flowed out yet when they were easily evaporated by my True Yuan energy.

  I quickly passed by the servants who had already gotten up for work at home and entered my former residence - Xingfeng Pavilion.

  Chun Yu was sitting in front of the door of my original room at this time, muttering to herself: "Young master, why haven't you come back yet."

  "A Yu, you go back inside and take a nap. I'll wait for Young Master here," said Wang Shu, putting his coat over Chun Yu's shoulders.

  "Lin, I'm really worried about Young Master. He's never lived alone since he was a child, and now that he's suffered a setback, he's been out there by himself for a week already. How can you expect me to go back home and sleep soundly? Young Master grew up under our care, and you know how proud he is - I have no idea how he's managing on his own." Chunyu leaned into Wang Shu's embrace.

  I didn't realize that Uncle Wang is almost 25 years old this year, and Chun Yu is also 22. They are really a good match with their talents and looks. As soon as I left home and settled down, the first thing I did was to arrange for them to get married.

  "Hey, you two are still being so affectionate, how long do I have to stand at the door? No one has even come to greet me yet." I said with a straight face.

  "Master is back! Master has returned! It's great, really great! Madam will be so delighted!" Chunyu exclaimed excitedly.

  "Haha, I'll wait until you two are done being affectionate before I see my mother, don't want to give her a heart attack, haha! Hey, why is your face red? It's even redder now! Uncle Wang, your face is also red! What should I call you from now on? Should I just call you Brother Wang? Ah, hahaha...!"

  I actually found that the usually expressionless Uncle Wang was smiling too, no, it's Brother Wang now, Brother Wang was smiling, this is a rare sight, and I couldn't stop laughing.

  Looking at their faces getting redder and redder, I really couldn't laugh anymore. Taking a deep breath, I prepared to continue laughing.

  "Master..." Spring rain is being coy, haha.

  "Second brother, it's really you, you've come back, I'm so happy to see you! Mother has been thinking of you all the time." Eldest brother Lang Feng rushed over from the small wooden bridge in the west wing, and as soon as he saw me, he excitedly shouted out loud.

  As soon as I saw my sworn brother, I felt very excited. We had only known each other for less than two days, but we had already been separated for seven days. Yet, I deeply felt the bond of brothers who share life and death.

  "Big brother, I plan to leave this mansion immediately. You and your mother will either come with me or go to the countryside to live a peaceful life." I actually really want to venture out into the world with Wolf Fang big brother, but big brother's mother's illness requires constant care and attention.

  "What did you say? We brothers have sworn to live and die together, aren't you looking down on me now? Do I look like someone who would abandon his brother as soon as he encounters difficulties?" Wolf Blade Big Brother immediately began shouting loudly at me.

  "Big brother, don't get agitated, you and I will leave, but what about our mother? Are we going to let her wander around with us too? Can you bear to see our mother suffer like this?" I said to my big brother.

  Big brother calmed down, he also knew that his mother was in poor health and needed to rest and recuperate all the time, but it was hard for him to accept being asked to leave me just because of this.

  "Feng'er, you and Third Master go together, Mother will also go with you." Wolf Feng's mother stood on the small wooden bridge, saying firmly to us.

  "Old lady, your body."

  "Third Master, don't worry, I know my own body. I've been much better these past few days, and even if we go out together, it's not like it's a big deal. It's still better than chopping wood on the mountain, right? Don't worry about me." The old lady seemed very happy, showing off her healthy side.

  "Second brother, as long as we take good care of Mother on the road, it's fine. Besides, Mother was in great physical condition when she lived in the mountains before. And with so many people on the road, what is there to worry about?" Wolf Fang also started persuading me.

  As I looked at the old lady, I thought of my own mother and felt a surge of emotion. I will definitely take good care of her.

  "Spring rain, Wang Ge, Lang Feng, you guys go ahead and pack things up first, I'll wait for you. Bring some important stuff, we can buy the rest later."

  As I watched them return to their rooms, I also entered mine. The round table, where I almost every night sat beside and read books. Inside the wooden chest were the black iron clothes I wore when I was a child...

  My whole body suddenly shook, and my spirit clearly felt a gaze on me. I could clearly feel from the bottom of my heart that intense longing and concern, as well as that apology.

  It's father!