The Aloof Lord's Mysterious Wife
Chapter 406: Soon Reunited with Close Kin

Chapter 406: Soon Reunited with Close Kin

Chu Hanming wanted to find his mother to argue his case, but this time, Lady Tian finally lost her temper and sternly said, "Enough! How much more of a fuss are you going to make? It’s because of your usual laziness and petty greed that Big Brother is treating you this way!"

"I’m just trying to get a bit more silver so that you can live a better life," Chu Hanming defended himself.

"Enough with that nonsense! If you hadn’t been involved in those shady activities, would we be getting kicked out of the marquisate? What’s the point of pretending to say these things now?" Lady Tian scolded.

Chu Hanming was now feeling wronged, "Are you despising me now? Don’t forget, you were born a concubine, and it was me who begged Mother to make you the principal wife!"

Lady Tian responded, "I know exactly how you’ve treated me. All I ask is that you don’t cause any more trouble in the future. Maybe we’ll still have a chance to return to the marquisate."

Chu Hanming, though useless and unambitious, still cherished his wife. He grabbed Lady Tian’s hand and handed her the box, saying, "My dear, this is all my fault! From now on, you’ll manage the money. I won’t be wasteful, and I’ll listen to you in everything."

Having been expelled from the marquisate, he had only Lady Tian by his side. If he continued to speak harshly and drove her away, he would truly be left alone.

Lady Tian had been heartbroken for a long time, her face clouded with gloom. But hearing Chu Hanming’s words now, she finally showed a smile. She nodded, "My lord, life outside may not be as comfortable, but as long as we stick together, I’m not afraid of any hardship."

"My dear..." Chu Hanming was both touched and regretful, holding Lady Tian in his arms.

---

Chu Hanlin brought Nanli to his study. Although it was called a study, the western room held many weapons. Upon returning, he habitually picked up a cloth to wipe his cherished weapons, but today, with his daughter present, he smiled awkwardly, put the cloth and dagger back, and said, "Look at me, getting caught up in wiping these swords and almost forgetting about you, A’Li."

He invited Nanli to sit down and poured two cups of tea. The tea had been kept warm on a brazier and was at the perfect temperature.

Nanli took a sip and asked, "Father, do you have something you want to ask?"

Chu Hanlin nodded, his expression serious, "About your fifth brother... Since we’ve started this conversation, I want to ask you--do you know if your fifth brother’s parents are still alive?"

Nanli replied, "They’re not. But judging by his facial features and palm lines, he still has a close relative alive in this world."

Chu Hanlin’s brows first relaxed, then furrowed tightly again, "I wonder if that relative has been looking for him."

Nanli couldn’t quite grasp her father’s intentions and asked, "You had Second Uncle swear to keep the secret because you don’t want Fifth Brother to know his origins, right? You also don’t want that relative to find him, correct?"

"Exactly," Chu Hanlin nodded, "Your fifth brother is actually from Qi Nation."

Nanli was stunned at first but soon understood his concern. Mu Nation and Qi Nation had been at war for years, with relations far from friendly. Her fifth brother had dreams of joining the battlefield to repel Qi soldiers and protect Mu Nation’s borders.

Curious, Nanli asked, "Then why did you adopt Fifth Brother, Father?"

Chu Hanlin sighed and began to recall the past. Years ago, he was leading troops on a patrol along the border when he encountered a mother and child being pursued by assassins. Although they were Qi Nationals, he couldn’t just ignore them. He killed the assassins and saved the pair. The woman was already gravely injured and close to death. She clung to his hand, begging him to take care of the baby in her arms: "General, this child was born at the cost of my lady’s life. He was saved by you today, so he is fated to be with you. Please take him in."

It turned out they weren’t mother and son. The fact that assassins were after the child indicated that he must have had a high status. Despite feeling pity for the baby as he looked at its sleeping face, Chu Hanlin initially refused: "I’m sorry, I can’t."

The woman, panicking, coughed up blood but refused to let go: "General, please take him back. Even if he becomes a servant, that would be enough..."

At that moment, the baby started to cry. Chu Hanlin became anxious, thinking of his four sons at home. If they were ever in trouble, wouldn’t he hope for someone to save them too? In the end, he decided it wouldn’t hurt to take in one more child, given that he already had four. He took the baby into his arms and said, "Alright, from now on, he is my son, and his name is Chu Yan."

Seeing that he agreed, the woman, knowing she had entrusted the baby to a reliable person, finally closed her eyes in peace.

Later, Chu Hanlin returned to the capital with Chu Yan, telling everyone that he had fathered the child with another woman while at the border, and that she had died in childbirth. Madam Shen, the Grand Lady, and Chu Hanming were all aware of the truth. Even though Madam Shen was initially reluctant to raise a child of unknown origin, her attitude softened when she became pregnant again and later gave birth to the daughter she had longed for. From that point on, she no longer harbored any prejudice against Chu Yan; whatever the other sons had, Chu Yan had too.

Nanli, hearing this, asked curiously, "Did the woman say whose child Fifth Brother was?"

Chu Hanlin replied, "She wanted to, but she couldn’t catch her breath and passed away."

"..." Nanli’s mouth twitched; she should have expected that. But Chu Hanlin thought for a moment and then took out a red jade pendant, saying, "But your fifth brother had this with him. Look, this jade is unique and exquisite; it must be rare. We could use it to trace his origins."

"Father, do you mean..."

"Although I don’t want to make things difficult for your fifth brother, he only has one close relative left. If that person is searching for him..." Chu Hanlin paused. The Grand Lady and others only knew that Chu Yan had been adopted, not that he was from Qi Nation. He had carried this secret for over ten years, and it was only today that he opened up to Nanli about it. Hesitating, he hoped his daughter could help him decide. In some matters, he found that Nanli had a clearer perspective than he did.

Nanli carefully examined the red jade. Thanks to Ye Siheng and Second Brother, she had seen her fair share of valuable items, but this piece of red jade still caught her eye. It was indeed a fine piece, not something an ordinary wealthy family could possess.

She said, "Fifth Brother will soon be reunited with his close relative. It’s better to leave the decision to him."

Everyone has their own fate and path to walk. There are some things she shouldn’t interfere with.

"Is... is that so?" Chu Hanlin seemed dazed upon hearing this. Closing his eyes, he felt a wave of sorrow wash over him. Even though Chu Yan wasn’t his biological son, he was still his child! If Chu Yan chose not to stay in the marquisate or in Mu Nation in the future, what would he do? Yet he couldn’t control his son or dictate where Chu Yan would go. To have the fate of being father and son for a time was a blessing from the heavens.

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