Chapter 1396 — Uncle Zhu's Elder Brother
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"Yes, Father, I will go and spread the word at once..." Pi Zhifeng nodded, deeply instructed. As the heir the Pi family had groomed with care, he was no slouch at scheming and calculation; only at times he was a little rash. Clearly, that flaw of rashness would have to be corrected.
The Pi family had channels enough for spreading word, so in less time than it took to stretch one's limbs, every clan that bore a grudge against Wei Zhao had gotten wind of this bit of gossip — Zhao Qibing among them, who learned of it at the very first moment.
"Uncle Zhu, Medicine King, what do you make of this news?" Zhao Qibing had been frightened witless by Ergoudan not long before and still had not recovered his spirits these past days; hearing such news so suddenly, he had no way to tell true from false.
"That is hard to say. Word like this is half true and half false — who can know, without going to see for himself?" The Medicine King waved a hand. "Still, analyzing such things is not my strength. I am only talking."
"This news, I think, is not necessarily false — eight parts in ten it is true," Uncle Zhu said. "It names no source, true enough, but it was let out through the Pi family's channels. Any clear-eyed man knows it was the Pi family who put it out. If it were false, the Pi family would hardly fare well either — spreading false word to deceive people is a grave taboo among the hidden clans, strictly forbidden by the Arbitration Council!"
Uncle Zhu understood a good deal about the inner workings of the hidden clans, and so he pondered a moment and spoke as he did.
"But even if the news is true, it is only conjecture. Whether Ergoudan truly lost his strength is impossible to say, since the Pi family's information is not so reliable either!" Li Cihua said. "This time I reckon the Pi family means to borrow a blade to kill — the news is real, but even they do not quite believe it, so they let other clans go and probe for them. A textbook trick for landing others in the pit..."
"Mm, indeed! We must not be the bird that pokes its head out first. We have no fine fighters on hand to pit against him, so for now we leave it alone!" Zhao Qibing nodded, wholly convinced.
As the several of them were talking, Su Jiaonang knocked and came in, saying, "Young Master Bing, an old man has come to our bar. He says he is Uncle Zhu's elder brother and wishes to see Uncle Zhu. What do you say..."
"Uncle Zhu's elder brother?" Zhao Qibing was struck dumb for a moment, unable to fathom how Uncle Zhu had produced an elder brother.
"Yes, the man calls himself Uncle Zhu's elder brother..." Su Jiaonang nodded.
Meanwhile, upon hearing Su Jiaonang's words, Uncle Zhu grew exceedingly agitated: "My elder brother? Is it truly my elder brother who has come?"
"Let him in. Whether he is or not, Uncle Zhu will know at a glance," Zhao Qibing ordered Su Jiaonang.
If the man came with ill intent, blocking him would be useless — he would force his way in all the same. And if he truly was Uncle Zhu's elder brother, then there was no need to block him. Better to let him through and be done.
Uncle Zhu's expression was agitated, his eyes fixed tight upon the doorway. Before long, Su Jiaonang led an old man in, and at the sight of him Uncle Zhu grew more stirred still, his face showing a mingling of nostalgia and excitement: "Elder brother, is it you?"
"Little brother... it is I. After all these years, I can finally see you!" The newcomer was excited as well. "Long ago, the clan head sent me out on a mission; I could not meet you in private. But your elder brother has missed you sorely!"
"Then you now..." Hearing that it was the clan head who had forbidden his elder brother to see him, Uncle Zhu's expression changed at once. Zhao Qibing was right there in the room, after all — if the clan head had not permitted him to come and he had come of his own will, the consequences, should the clan head learn of it, would be grave.