Chapter 290: Returning to Tanyang (2)

In that letter, Ling Zhang had merely mentioned to Ling Zhaowen that he’d met his maternal grandfather and also found his father, but hadn’t enlarged on the matter for fear that the letter might be intercepted halfway, so Ling Zhaowen had guessed that Ji Yin should be an old man. He’d never expected Ji Yin to be someone looking so young. His face took on an astonished look in spite of himself.

This time, Ji Yin hadn’t disguised as an old man with gray hair and beard like he’d done when under the identity of Professor Li. He had simply dressed like a common scholar and stuck a fake mustache to his upper lip, appearing to be almost the same age as Ling Zhaowen’s…

“Well…” Ling Zhaowen hesitated. Worried that Ling Zhang might have introduced the wrong person, he tentatively shifted his gaze to Mr. Mu who also had mustache but seemed older.

Butler Li and the others who had accompanied Ling Zhaowen to this place also looked amazed, feeling that both of these men were too young to be their young master’s maternal grandfather.

“Uncle, he’s really my maternal grandfather. I know it’s hard to believe. I’ll explain after we get home,” said Ling Zhang, standing beside Ji Yin.

“I’m indeed Zhang’er’s maternal grandfather. My name is Ji Yin. There are a lot of reasons why this is the first time in so many years that we’ve seen each other. Please forgive me,” said Ji Yin.

As both Ling Zhang and Ji Yin had confirmed it, Ling Zhaowen had no choice but to accept it as the truth, though still in great astonishment. “Please pardon me for my lack of discernment. I’m Ling Zhaowen. Thank you for taking care of my brother for so many years.”

“He’s my daughter’s husband and also my grandson’s father. I only did what I should do,” said Ji Yin.

“Uncle, this is Mr. Mu, the physician who’s been treating my father all these years.” Ling Zhang introduced Mr. Mu to his uncle.

Ling Zhaowen hurriedly expressed his gratitude to him, making a deep bow. Mr. Mu bowed back to him with hands folded in front. “I but did what I was ordered to do. There’s no need for you to thank me, Second Master Ling.”

“No matter what the reason was, you saved my brother’s life and are the Ling family’s savior,” remarked Ling Zhaowen.

Ling Zhang flicked a glance at Ling Zhaowu who was standing by his side and said to Ji Yin and the others, “Grandfather, Mr. Mu, Uncle, I think it’s best if we go back to Tanyang as soon as possible.”

Seeing that he became the focus of so many people’s attention again, Ling Zhaowu went somewhat uneasy.

Ling Zhaowen was now more collected. “Zhang’er, go back into the carriage with your father. We’ll enter the town to have some rest and then set off to return to Tanyang.”

Ling Zhang gave a nod and then supported Ling Zhaowu into the carriage.

…

The next day. In Tanyang.

Ling Xingzhong, along with Ling Maomao and some family servants, were standing at the city gates, looking at the horizon where the main road seemed to end, their faces full of anxiety.

Almost all passers-by knew who Ling Xingzhong was. Some of them walked over and asked, “Old Master Ling, whom are you waiting here with you grandson for?”

“I’m waiting for my son to come home,” Ling Xingzhong replied.

The one who’d asked the question was surprised to hear this answer. Ling Zhaowen had gone on a long journey? But hadn’t they seen him only a couple of days ago? Besides, even if Ling Zhaowen had gone on a long journey, why had Ling Xingzhong specially come here to wait for him? Was Ling Zhaowen supposed to bring back something precious, by any chance?

One of them ventured, “Tongzhi Ling must be bringing back some kind of treasure. When he comes back, don’t hide it from us, Old Master Ling. Let us have a look to widen our horizons.”

Ling Xingzhong didn’t take offence. In transports of sentiment, he looked in the direction that the main road led and responded, “He’s indeed a rare treasure. If I could just see him one more time, I’d feel no regret till my last breath.” (In Chinese, the third-person pronoun referring to an animal or a thing has the same pronunciation as that of the one referring to a person.)

Ling Xingzhong’s putting it so seriously piqued all these people’s curiosity. Those who were in no hurry found a nearby spot to sit down, waiting to see what this treasure that Ling Xingzhong would trade his life for an opportunity to see one more time looked like exactly.

The message passed from mouth to mouth, and soon a lot of residents gathered at the city gates, all of whom had come along for the ride. Those who intended to enter the city found their path blocked by lookers-on, but instead of getting annoyed, they joined them to go with the flow.

Tao Feng was also greatly surprised to hear what was happening at the city gates. The night before, Ling Zhaowen had someone deliver a message to him, telling him that he needed to take a leave of absence to deal with some urgent family business, and then Ling Zhaowen exited the city in a great hurry with some men and still hadn’t come back yet; and this morning, Ling Xingzhong went to the city gates and had been anxiously waiting ever since. Was he really expecting some rare treasure, by any chance?

Tao Feng felt that the circumstances were somewhat suspicious. If Ling Zhaowen was really bringing back some kind of rare treasure, people of the Ling family would without doubt try to keep the whole thing secret from others. On no account would they have disclosed it to so many residents at the city gates, because despite the fact that there were barely any bandits left in Tanyang, there was no telling whether or not robbers from other cities wouldn’t be drawn here by the news. Ling Xingzhong shouldn’t be such a dotard.

“Let’s go and see.”

Tao Feng took some men and also hastened towards the city gates.

Tao Feng was the prefectural governor, so residents naturally didn’t dare get in his way. He walked straight up to Ling Xingzhong and asked, “Old Master Ling, are you waiting for Zhaowen to come back?”

Ling Xingzhong neither inclined nor shook his head. “I’m waiting for my son.”

Exceptionally expectant as he was privately, he feared that his hopes might end up being disappointed, which was why he kept part of the truth back.

Seeing this, Tao Feng believed that he was indeed waiting for Ling Zhaowen to bring something back and reminded him in an undertone, “Old Master Ling, if it is indeed something of a rarity, aren’t you putting your family in danger by telling everybody about it?”

Knowing that he misunderstood, Ling Xingzhong was just about to explain when two horse-drawn carriages and a group of riders came into sight on the main road in the distance. In his eager anticipation, he ignored Tao Feng’s question and took a couple of quick steps forward, straining his neck for a better view of that group of people.

All onlookers were waiting for this moment. Someone in the crowd immediately yelled, “He’s coming! Tongzhi Ling came back!”

“He returned!” Residents were all thrilled, eager to find out what kind of treasure Ling Zhaowen was bringing back exactly. In order to ensure at least a glimpse of it, everybody was trying to squeeze their way to the frontmost or standing on tiptoe or climbing to a high position.

Ling Zhaowen was riding, followed by Butler Li and the stewards who were also on horseback. Distantly, they all caught sight of the uproarious scene at the city gates, stunned. It was not until a loud cheer burst forth from the crowd that they came to realize it was them that those people were waiting for. “That’s him! Tongzhi Ling came back!”

“It seems that they all know First Master returned and came here to see him,” remarked Butler Li.

But Ling Zhaowen had an inkling that something was not quite right but didn’t have the time to give it any more thought, for he saw that Ling Xingzhong and his grandson Ling Maomao were both looking in this direction with eager eyes.

“Grandfather?” Ling Zhang had lifted the carriage curtain and saw the bustle at the city gates in the distance. “What’s going on there…”

“Zhang’er, hold tight to your father after we get there. I don’t know why so many people came here. I worry that your father might be scared by them,” Ling Zhaowen reminded Ling Zhang. Having spent a day with Ling Zhaowu, he had come to know what kind of mental state his brother was in and was deeply concerned.

Ling Zhang tossed a glance at his father who was beside him and craning his neck to look at the crowd in the distance, and said, “I will.”

Ling Zhaowu was frightened of strangers, but as long as strangers around him didn’t stare at him, he wouldn’t panic; on the contrary, he would get very excited like a child. However, on this occasion, it was very likely that all those thrilled residents at the city gates had specially come here to see them. Although Ling Zhang had no idea which part of the plan had gone awry, he did know that he must not expose Ling Zhaowu to this atmosphere.

“Father, Grandfather and Maomao are waiting for you in front. There are also many citizens present. When we get there, you don’t have to get out of this carriage. I’ll go out and explain it to Grandfather. I want you to stay here waiting for me. Can you do that?”

Ling Zhaowu had clapped eyes on the large crowds that were gazing in this direction. A shade scared, he flinched and gripped Ling Zhang’s hand tight. “No!”

“Zhang’er, stop that nonsense. I’ll talk to your grandfather. We’ll enter the city immediately after those people clear off,” said Ling Zhaowen.

Ling Zhang was resigned, but Ling Zhaowu had already begun to feel afraid, and if he left his father alone in the carriage, something might go wrong.

“Okay, Uncle. Ask Grandfather to get in this carriage – and Maomao, too. As Maomao is a kid, my father should be more at ease with him present.”

Ling Zhaowen bobbed his head and spurred his horse to continue progressing.

As the group of them approached, residents at the city gates cheered again and again. “Here he comes! Here he comes!”

“Tongzhi Ling, what kind of rare treasure did you bring back? Please let us have a look!”

“Yeah. I’ve never seen any rare treasure in all my life!”

“Tongzhi Ling, all of us have been looking forward to seeing it!”

Their curiosity piqued, residents couldn’t wait to see what it was, their eyes boring into the two carriages.

At this moment, Ling Zhaowen came to understand what was going on. All these people mistakenly believed that he had brought back some rare treasure, and had come here to see it. He was rather resigned in the knowledge that this must be his father’s doing.

He dismounted from his horse and walked up to Ling Xingzhong who was quite anxious from the long wait.

Ling Xingzhong instantly grabbed his arm with great force and inquired, “How did it go? Did you bring your brother back?!”

Tao Feng who was standing on the side was stupefied at the question and soon came to realize what this was about. Ling Zhaowu, Ling Xingzhong’s firstborn son, had returned?!

Ling Zhaowen nodded vigorously. “I did. He’s in that carriage. Father, he sustained some kind of mental trauma, and the crowd will scare him, so we cannot let him get out of the carriage. Also, you need to have these people clear off, and then you and Maomao should get into the carriage. We’ll talk after getting back home.”

Ling Xingzhong’s heart did a somersault and then slightly sank. He cast a look over his shoulder at the crowd of onlookers. In the knowledge that he’d caused some trouble, he turned around and explained to the residents, “Hey, everybody, I’m sorry I didn’t make myself clear enough previously. What my second son brought back is Ling Zhaowu, my eldest son, who is a rare treasure to me. It’s not what you think. I’d appreciate it if you guys would make way for us so that our carriages could take us back home.”

Ling Zhaowu? Many of the residents had no memories of this person. It was those of a certain age who recalled that he was Ling Xingzhong’s firstborn son, the one who had been missing for over a decade!

Tao Feng had heard Ling Zhaowen’s words just now. Although he was very curious as well, it was obvious that at this moment the most important thing was to make sure people of the Ling family returned home as soon as possible, so he also told the crowd to clear off.

The lookers-on were all rather disappointed to learn that what had been brought back was a person, not some valuable item that they had imagined, but after hearing that Ling Zhaowu, a member of the Ling family that had been unaccounted for for over ten years, they were quite surprised and curious. However, since both Ling Xingzhong and Tao Feng had told them to clear off, they felt it inappropriate to stay around the carriages and parted to allow them to go into the city.

“Thank you, Lord Tao,” said Ling Zhaowen gratefully.

Tao Feng replied, “I did what I should do. But… is it true that your big brother really came back?”

Ling Zhaowen gave a nod. “It’s absolutely true, but my brother suffered grievous injuries and are still recovering. It’s inconvenient for him to see too many people at a time, which is why we let him stay in the carriage. We’ll take him back home to have some rest first. Tomorrow, I’ll invite you around to have a talk.”

A sensible person, Tao Feng said, “This is definitely a blessing from God. You should get going right away.”