Chapter Fifteen: Swapping Wives with Eldest Brother

  Everyone in the living room was making a statement. Hu Da walked over and whispered to Hu Zhiyong's ear: "Third Master, the eldest master is back."

  "My brother?" Hu Zhiyong excitedly grabbed Hu Da: "Where is he? Quick, take me to see him!"

  "Third Master, the Eldest Master is outside." Hu Da opened his mouth and Hu Zhiyong smiled awkwardly: "I've troubled you. Hurry up and let my brother in. Everyone, I have an urgent matter now, please go prepare first, we'll set out for the First Battalion's camp after lunch!"

  "Yes!" Hu Dajun reported, they all heard very clearly. The brothers hadn't seen each other for many years, and they hastily left. A man in his thirties walked in from outside the door, and Hu Zhiyong was shocked at the sight of him.

  "Big brother, you're tall and handsome, what's the point of that?"

  "Little brother, I've heard about your matter, and I'm truly happy for you!" It was Hu Zhigang, ten years older than Hu Zhiyong. His weathered face showed determination, with a hint of scholarly elegance on his square face.

  Two people hugged each other tightly, then loosened up and looked at each other. Hu Zhigang wore a light blue jacket with black trousers that had patches on the knees.

  "Big brother, where have you been these few years? Why are you so gaunt?" The two brothers sat down, and Huo Feng brought over fruit and hot tea.

  "Third brother, I am in the south!"

  "Jiangsu, Hunan?" Hu Zhiyong looked at Hu Zhigang in astonishment, he didn't dare to believe that this young master of the Hu family was also a devout communist.

  "Jiangsu, but I was sent to Beiping last year and couldn't come back to see you due to the war situation." Hu Zhigang didn't hide anything, but he was even more cautious about his younger brother's cleverness.

  "I get it!" Hu Zhiyong let out a deep breath: "Hei Tuan and you are in contact, right?"

  "Yes!" Hu Zhigang took a sip of hot tea and put it down with a smile: "I heard you two had a falling out?"

  "Hu Zhiyong said with a smile: "Big brother, you're not getting any younger, hurry up and get married and have kids, that's the right thing to do. But I have a good suggestion, why don't you take Hei Niang back home, this way you'll also be able to give an account to Second Uncle."

  "Are you satisfied with Shi Yiping?" Hu Zhigang did not answer directly, but instead turned to scold his younger brother.

  "Of course, I'm willing, but I won't compete with you." Hu Zhiyong tore off his face and stood up to Yinlong. Huo Feng sincerely said to Hu Zhigang: "You and Hei Ni are the ones who share the same aspirations, while Shi Yiping can help me build my hometown better. We each get what we need, isn't that a perfect ending?"

  Hu Zhigang stared blankly at his younger brother, who was talking non-stop, and after a long time, he sighed and said: "Younger brother, Father once said that among the three of us brothers, only you have the most patience and kindness. I didn't expect that you would change to the point where I dare not recognize you! You are indeed the most capable master of the Hu family. The matters concerning Hei Niu and Shi Yinping are not something that I can control."

  "Who can? As long as Hei Dou is willing, Shi Yinping is willing to follow me. I'll go tell Er Shu and San Shu!" Hu Zhiyong said impatiently: "Otherwise, you can take Shi Yinping home now, or else I won't do any business with you." Hu Zhiyong slyly squeezed his eyes, giving orders to his own brother Su Xing for the first time after waking up.

  "Yes, a man should get married when he's grown up and a woman should get married when she's grown up too. You're already 28 years old, do you want our family's daughter to become an old maid?" The speaker was Shi Yinsi, closely followed by Chen Xinwen.

  "This..." Hu Zhigang looked at his younger brother for help, misunderstanding the direct answer from Second Uncle and Third Uncle.

  "Third Uncle, I've decided to swap wives with Big Brother!"

  "What?" Shi Yinshi was startled, and Chen Xinwen was even more stunned by Hu Zhiyong's words.

  "It's simple. I don't get along with Hei Niangzi, our temperaments are not compatible. If you agree, I'll bring Shi Yinpeng sister back home to marry her. If not, I won't want either of them and will spend the rest of my life with Feng Jie."

  Hu Zhiyong said firmly, not giving the two uncles any chance to think. Hu Zhigang thought to himself: "Third brother is indeed extraordinary, a bold and fearless iron man!"

  "I agree!" Chen Xiuzhi walked in, looking coldly at Hu Zhiyong: "Don't worry, I won't cling to you. Dad, whether you like it or not, I won't marry him either. Because he's not the husband I have in mind!"

  "Come here!" Hu Zhiyong suddenly shouted, taking a swift step forward to stand in front of Chen Xizhu. He stretched out his right hand and lightly pulled on her neck with his fingers. The white gold necklace was snapped by the inner force-infused fingers, and the exquisite jade Buddha fell into his hands.

  "Are you willing to marry Young Master?" Chen Xinwen's body trembled with rage, but he clenched his fists tightly to control the anger in his heart.

  "I... am willing!" Chen Xiuzhi lowered her head, her hands awkwardly rubbing the hem of her clothes.

  "Think it over carefully, young master?" Chen Xinwen asked in a cold tone, addressing the young son of his former big brother's household.

  "I——"

  Hu Zhiyong pushed him: "The Jade Buddha has been returned to me, and our engagement is off. If you are a man, settle this matter today!"

  "Third Uncle, Shi Yiping she..." Hu Zhigang regretted coming back this time. He didn't expect his younger brother to cause such an embarrassing situation.

  "Mind your own business!" Shi Yiping appeared at the living room door, a triumphant smile on her face: "I'm already Third Master's person!"

  "What?!" The people in the room exclaimed in unison, Hu Zhiyong's mouth agape, silently cursing: "Damn girl, are you trying to get me into trouble?"

  "I - my heart has long been his, I will help him with the education in Zhuanghe. Hehe, I don't have any private feelings for him, if you don't believe me, ask Ermei!" Shi Yinping's open explanation finally put everyone at ease.

  "Big brother, second brother and you went out together, he now ——" Hu Zhiyong saw Shi Yinping behind Shi Yinhua, only then did he remember second brother.

  "Hmph, he has joined Chen Lifu of the Central Club and his hands are stained with blood!" Hu Zhiyong's heart became unsettled, looking at San Shu Shi Yinsi said: "San Shu, Hu Zhiqiang married Xu Enzeng, the daughter of the head of the Central Investigation Department, and is now enjoying their honeymoon in Nanjing."

  "Alright, as expected, you've climbed high. Second daughter, your old man will choose a good husband for you again, I guarantee you'll be satisfied!" Shi Yinshi was furious when he heard that Hu Zhiqiang had become a special agent. When he also heard that he got married without even telling him, the anger in his heart burst out and became unbearable.

  "Dad, if I take a liking to a man myself, would you agree?" Shi Yin Hua didn't show any disappointment, but instead asked her old dad very shrewdly.

  "You - have you already found a suitable man?" Shi Yin was taken aback, the children had all grown up, this was his fault for not paying more attention.

  "Second sister, tell me and let me hear, who have you set your eyes on?" Hu Zhiyong ran over with a smile, putting his arm around Shi Yinhuas shoulder and looking at her face.

  "You!"

  "What?" Hu Zhiyong was taken aback: "What's going on, big sister?"

  "Second sister, this..." Shi Yinpeng looked at the elders and the Hu brothers with a mixture of fear and anger, wishing she could slap the bold little maid.

  "Dad, sister, if you can find someone better than him for me, I'll consider changing my mind. Otherwise, I won't let him go to anyone!" Shi Yin Hua said in a low voice to Hu Zhi Yong: "Little rascal, you've been bullying your sister for several years, and sister has decided to let you continue bullying her!"

  "Uh... " Hu Zhiyong said with embarrassment: "I've already promised to marry Big Sister, I don't want to go back on my word."

  "Who made you break your promise? You married her, I didn't say I wasn't willing, but you could have also married me!" Shi Yin Hua blushed and pulled her sister out of the living room, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became awkward.

  "Third sister, let's take things one step at a time. First, settle the major issues before we discuss other matters!" Chen Xinwen looked at his daughter: "Hei Tui, marriage is your choice, I won't attend or interfere with your wedding. Here, this is 1,200 silver notes, you and your fiancé decide on the wedding date in Beijing. Third sister, your daughter has good taste!" Chen Xinwen stormed off, leaving the people in the room even more embarrassed as they looked at each other.

  "Three juniors, you are still young now, let's talk about it when you have all matured." Chen Xinwen couldn't stand firm here, and he hastily escaped after throwing out this sentence.

  Only five people were left in the room, Hu brothers, Hei Dou, Yin Long and Huo Feng. Hu Zhiyong pulled down the golden Buddha and jade Buddha from his neck and grasped them together.

  "Big brother, no matter what you want is not difficult, I think you should discuss your own private affairs first. Silver Dragon, Fire Phoenix, let's go!"

  "Third Master, change your clothes." Huo Feng pulled Hu Zhiyong into the inner room, while Yin Long hurried out of the living room to prepare the car.

  Inside the room, Hu Zhiyong's fingers snapped loudly, and the jade Buddha was crushed into powder by his powerful hands. Suddenly, a gold key the size of a match dropped out from the abdomen of the jade Buddha. Huo Feng exclaimed in surprise: "Young Master, this is exactly the secret key to open the Golden Buddha!"

  "Open up the Golden Buddha? Is there a secret inside the Golden Buddha?" Hu Zhiyong felt strange, this was just an expensive decorative item, could it really have secrets inside?

  "Young master, the mistress told me when I was ten years old that the Golden Buddha is related to a great secret of the Hu family for hundreds of years. When your grandfather died, he didn't reveal what the secret was. So, the old master doesn't know either."

  Hu Zhiyong held the key and aimed at the anus of the Golden Buddha, inserting it just right. His fingers turned lightly, and with a "click", a thin roll of sheepskin fell out from inside.

  A smooth surface with no words or pictures. Hu Zhiyong's heart moved, and he put the sheepskin in the washbasin. In an instant, a pattern appeared on the white sheepskin.

  "Isn't this the building in the secret room of Bùyún Mountain? How strange, was it built by Old Master Hu during his time?" Huǒ Fèng looked at him in surprise, not noticing anything out of place.

  "I understand!" Hu Zhiyong excitedly hugged Huo Feng in his arms. He said in a low voice, "Who else knows about the secret room?"

  "There are only two of us, me and Yin Long. Master has instructed that no one else can be told. He said you will understand the subtlety when you enter." Huo Feng was perplexed: "A secret even Master doesn't know, how can you possibly decipher it?"

  "Hu Zhiyong whispered to Huo Feng's ear, 'No one can know about today's matter, it involves a large sum of treasure!'"

  "Young master, I don't see anything strange. I've been to that secret room many times before."

  "This is a mechanism, opening it isn't difficult, what's difficult is that it has various hidden weapons and destructive devices. I read a book before that happened to mention this very thing!" Hu Zhiyong chuckled: "Heaven's will cannot be defied, Flying Fox senior, the secret of the Great Desert Snow Wolf Valley has been moved here by you!"

  Hu Zhiyong smiled triumphantly, while Huo Feng looked up at him with a bewildered expression: "I didn't understand a single word."

  "It's good that you don't understand!" Hu Zhiyong released the firebird and rubbed the sheepskin in his hands, and after a moment, a pinch of powder appeared on the ground.

  "Ah—" Huo Feng was shocked, "Young Master, why did you destroy it?"

  "Don't worry, the secret is safe with me, only heaven and earth know about it, and I know!"