After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 82

That jade pendant lay in the bedroom area, having fallen out of a broken box. The jade pendant looked a bit old, and the originally red tassel had faded to a brown color, quietly resting in the dust.

His mother hadn’t saved many things over the years. When she was sent to the estate, she left almost empty-handed, and the few valuable items she had were buried with her in the mountain flood.

That’s why, when it was time to demolish his mother’s old residence, Zhou Xun had no sentiment.

But he didn’t expect to find a jade pendant here.

Zhou Xun cleared the rubble with his hands and discovered the reason the jade pendant had fallen out—the box containing the pendant seemed to have been originally buried at the base of a wall. His mother might have been too hurried to take it with her when she was driven away. If it weren’t for this demolition, the box might never have seen the light of day.

But why would his mother bury such a thing at the base of the wall?

With this confusion, Zhou Xun picked up the jade pendant and held it in his hand. At that moment, he heard the sound of people approaching behind him. Zhou Xun closed his eyes briefly and, when he reopened them, his previous sadness was gone.

“He’s here, he’s here, I saw him come this way!” A servant led some people over and, upon seeing the figure amidst the ruins, his eyes lit up, “Look! He’s right there!”

The two guards stepped forward, swords drawn, to shield Zhou Xun from the approaching group. Zhou Xun, however, calmly patted the guard’s hand, indicating there was no need for concern.

The steward, seeing this, didn’t recognize Zhou Xun at first. He looked at the refined young man before him, as if seeing a stranger, “You mean… this is the second young master?”

It’s not surprising that the steward didn’t recognize him.

In his memory, Zhou Xun had always been solitary and aloof, standing silently in corners and never speaking to others. Compared to the bright and eloquent Zhou Cai, he was just a silent shadow—often carrying a gloomy air of suppression.

——And neglected by everyone.

The young man standing among the ruins now, though still exuding a cold demeanor, showed none of the previous submissiveness.

But the biggest change was in his aura—the person who had always been suppressed seemed to have broken free and stood tall. Like a piece of jade, its outer stone layer had been removed, revealing its luminous essence.

He stood there with a faint gaze that felt like an avalanche of snow cascading from a cliff, rendering the steward speechless.

The servant, seeing the steward’s hesitation, nodded vigorously, saying anxiously, “I used to clean here; I know the second young master’s face very well!”

Zhou Xun looked at the steward. The steward, staring back at him, found his intended “How dare you come back here?” transform into a weak, subservient question, “May I ask what brings the second young master back today…”

As soon as he said it, he mentally kicked himself, cursing how he let someone’s appearance intimidate him.

The usually arrogant steward spoke meekly, but Zhou Xun responded calmly, “I’m here to see how the family property is being divided. And also…”

He smiled slightly, “To pay my respects to my stepmother.”

Ignoring the crowd, Zhou Xun led his two guards towards the main hall. Only then did the others snap back to reality, the steward’s lackey swore and stepped forward but retreated when glared at by Zhou Xun’s guards.

“You useless thing!” The steward, after seeing them walk away, furiously kicked the lackey.

The lackey yelped in pain, wanting to defend himself, but the steward angrily waved at his companions, “Let’s go! We can’t handle just a few of them with so many of us? Throw them out!”

Just as he was about to move forward, a worried adviser grabbed his sleeve, “Steward, listen to me!”

The steward turned, recognizing Zhou Cai’s adviser, usually smug, now looking panic-stricken for the first time, “That second young master can’t be offended!”

“Why not?”

“The guards’ swords he carries, if I’m not mistaken, are used by the imperial guards! Do you know the penalty for offending an imperial guard?” The adviser exclaimed, causing the steward and others to gasp in fear, “The second young master is no longer what he used to be…”

Madam Zhou walked with the patriarch of the Ye family in the garden.

“This hundred-year-old ginkgo tree is indeed worthy of its reputation as an imperial gift,” remarked the patriarch, enjoying his stroll through the garden.

Madam Zhou, walking beside him, was secretly relieved that Zhou Cai’s downfall hadn’t reached Jiangzhou. Though as a secluded woman, she didn’t know much about the outside world, she knew the emperor now loathed the Zhou family—having even ordered their house demolished recently!

‘The emperor is dividing the family assets for the second young master,’ the eunuch who delivered the decree said with a grin, ‘Don’t be upset; the second young master was also once a part of the Zhou family, wasn’t he? Early or late, it had to be divided. Rest assured, the emperor is fair and just; every brick and tile will be equally divided.’

The demolition at the Zhou residence was indeed unseemly, but under the guise of asset division, it became reasonable and lawful. Even the strictest officials, who raised objections, were silenced by the emperor’s argument and “Why are you meddling in the Zhou family’s affairs?”

She knew the emperor was venting Zhou Xun’s anger but couldn’t fathom how his favor shifted from Zhou Cai to Zhou Xun overnight—yet this didn’t stop her from hating Zhou Xun.

More humbling was that high-ranking officials in the capital knew the Zhou family had offended the emperor. Yet to maintain their dignity and deny their fall, they had to swallow this bitter pill and support the emperor’s decision. Today, she had to maintain pretenses in front of her family, preserving her facade as a paper tiger.

“Last I saw your Cai’er was six years ago—now he must be a fine young man,” the patriarch of the Ye family said. Having pressured Madam Zhou without success, he grew frustrated, thinking she looked down on her family. But needing her help and respecting Zhou Cai’s status, he continued with flattery, “Before arriving in the capital, I heard tales of his rare talents. Is he home today?”

His praise wasn’t entirely sincere, more out of necessity.

“He is…”

From afar, Zhou Xun saw Madam Zhou in the garden. To his surprise, a middle-aged man he didn’t recognize stood beside her.

The man seemed very familiar with Madam Zhou, discussing something under the trees. Zhou Xun was about to approach when he heard another voice.

“You’re here.”

Turning around, Zhou Xun’s expression turned cold upon seeing the person.

Smiling, Zhou Cai stood before him.

“Upon hearing you returned to the Zhou residence, I rushed back. How do you find the time to stroll around the Zhou residence today?” Zhou Cai glanced around, “This is, after all, the place that birthed and raised you. Is it pleasing?”

Zhou Xun looked at him, seeing Zhou Cai travel-worn, and finally smiled.

“It’s beautiful,” he said.

Meanwhile, a worker hurriedly entered the Zhou residence through a small gate. Upon seeing the foreman, he whispered urgently, “The palace has been notified; the emperor knows the young master is here.”

“Cai’er has been very busy lately, as you know, the emperor favors him, so he’s not often home,” Madam Zhou lied, “But usually around this time, he should be back.”

The patriarch nodded. Just as he was about to speak again, he noticed a figure in the distance, his eyes lighting up at the sight.

understanding from Madam Zhou’s introduction that the middle-aged man was from the Ye family—probably a high-ranking member—didn’t mind the discomfort and continued with his plan, shrugging and heading this way.

When they both neared, Zhou Cai first bowed. Madam Zhou naturally smiled broadly, while Clan Leader Ye responded with a cold grunt, showing an almost rude lack of warmth. Turning to Madam Zhou, he said, “Wenjiang, your steward can’t be too lenient! He must be taught proper etiquette! If he doesn’t learn, let him be punished so outsiders don’t mock the Zhou family for having such a disrespectful person. It’s better to drive him out early!”

Zhou Cai’s face stiffened; Clan Leader Ye’s words were clearly directed at him. He anxiously reviewed his greeting process, trying to recall where he might have gone wrong.

But no matter how he thought, he couldn’t find an answer. As he looked up to ease the tension, Clan Leader Ye’s eyes suddenly lit up.

—Then he extended his hand.

Zhou Cai’s hand froze mid-air as Clan Leader Ye had already passed him. He took the other young man’s hand, smiling widely, “I heard rumors before and thought they were exaggerated. Seeing you now, the rumors weren’t entirely untrue. My nephew is indeed a dragon among men. After a few years, you’ve become even more outstanding. No wonder all the young women in the capital are infatuated with you. A person like you must be one in a thousand.”

Unlike his previous formality, this praise was heartfelt.

Zhou Cai felt a rush of blood to his head. Madam Zhou’s face turned pale, almost fainting. Her hands trembled, her teeth chattering, feeling as if half her body went numb, and then quickly vanished.

Clan Leader Ye continued to praise Zhou Xun but noticed Madam Zhou’s and the other young man’s odd expressions—when he had used the Lin family’s matter to coerce Madam Zhou earlier, she had maintained her composure. How could she now be trembling upon hearing a single compliment?

Clan Leader Ye couldn’t imagine that he had mistaken Zhou Xun for Zhou Cai!

He had mistaken the illegitimate child Zhou Xun for Madam Zhou’s precious son Zhou Cai and believed Zhou Cai was the illegitimate one!

He was so certain—within his view, who was superior and who was inferior was obvious at a glance!

Madam Zhou, infuriated, staggered back, fortunately supported by a maid, preventing her from collapsing. Never had she wished so earnestly for Zhou Xun to remain silent. But Zhou Xun, contrary to her wishes, spoke up.

“Uncle has mistaken me. I am Zhou Xun, the former Second Young Master of the Zhou family,” Zhou Xun said calmly, “The person beside me is my legitimate elder brother, Zhou Cai.”

Clan Leader Ye stood frozen. He slowly turned to look at the one he had mistaken for a lowly concubine’s child, only to see Zhou Cai’s face turn ashen.

In this suffocating atmosphere, only Zhou Xun smiled faintly. He walked past Clan Leader Ye to bow to Madam Zhou, “I am no longer a member of the Zhou family, but I came today to visit my former stepmother.”

At least things couldn’t get worse. Madam Zhou, discarding all pretense, shouted angrily, “Where are the people? How could they let him come here?!”

“Stepmother, since you are not respectful, as a former child, I must still come to greet you,” Zhou Xun said, smiling, “Back then, when I left the Zhou family in a hurry, I was relieved to see that my belongings were taken away.”

“You!”

“Mother!”

Clan Leader Ye was dumbfounded.

Zhou Xun really wasn’t Madam Zhou’s child? In other words, he was indeed an illegitimate son?

How could an illegitimate child be more outstanding than the legitimate one? The Zhou family had lived in Jiangzhou for over a decade before coming to the capital. The family had always boasted only Zhou Cai, so how had such an outstanding talent been overlooked?

The more astonished he was, the more he scrutinized Zhou Xun’s features, feeling a strange familiarity.

“You’ve really grown wings and rebelled! Zhou family is the place that gave birth to and raised you. This is how you treat the Zhou family? It’s truly unfilial!”

“Those who gave birth to me are my mother; those who raised me are heaven and earth. As a former member of the Zhou family, I had the right to take some of the family’s property. Now, I’ve only reclaimed a part of it. Is stepmother so lacking in grace?”

“Your mother was a concubine, and you are a bastard…” Madam Zhou cursed, her voice full of venom, “You should never have been left alive!”

Zhou Xun remained calm when the insult was directed at him, but he grew cold when his mother was mentioned.

—And then smiled.

—Since it was this way, he would let Madam Zhou enjoy her fill.

“Seeing you in good health now, I am relieved. My mother’s fortune was thin, passing away early, but stepmother should live long,” Zhou Xun said with a smile, “Otherwise, how could you witness my rise and return the favor to stepmother for her kindness? By the way—”

“I heard stepmother is worried about the younger brother. If he committed a crime, he will be exiled, making the family cleaner. But it’s no big deal.” Zhou Xun continued, “Soon there will be another child to fill the family’s void. Father, who has been worried, can smile and enjoy the lively atmosphere…”

“What are you saying!”

Hearing his hint, Madam Zhou’s face couldn’t hide her shock and rage, “What do you know? What did you see? You…”