Chapter 53: Metamorphosis

Lu Song was quite inspired after listening to Yuan Zonggao’s words.

When he contacted Centurion Lin that night, he knew what should be said and what should not. Most importantly, he had to ensure that the Embroidered Uniform Guard would never know that Zhu Houcong had fallen into the fire and been rescued by Zhu Hao.

If the Embroidered Uniform Guard found out that he and Zhu Hao not only failed to help eliminate Zhu Houcong but instead saved him, the punishment from the guard would likely be severe.

On Zhu Hao’s side, he seized the opportunity that night to thoroughly discuss recent business strategies with Mother Zhu.

"Xiao Hao, our business with Householder Su is still going on, and we are earning more and more silver, but the more I think about it, the more uneasy I feel. If the authorities find out... we will be plunged into an abyss of eternal misery... There is still a long time before you reach adulthood. What I have in mind is to save a bit more silver and then divest from this business..."

After learning that her son had encountered danger in the royal estate, Mother Zhu felt that her persistence lost much of its meaning.

It would be better to return to the Zhu family with her son. Even at the worst, her son could practice martial arts. Even if he did not inherit the position of Centurion left by his father, mother and son could still live in peace through hard work. Living a mediocre life forever was far better than letting her son take risks in the royal estate and lick blood from the edge of a blade every day.

Zhu Hao smiled and said, "Mother, the magistrate's son of Changshou is now my classmate, so he won't make things difficult for us. Because I am in the royal estate, the Zhu family won't trouble us either... We survived such difficult times back then. Isn't it a bit too early to talk about giving up now?"

Mother Zhu didn't say anything, but it was clear she had her own plans.

A widow with a young son—she wouldn't obey her son in everything. When action was required, she would still take matters into her own hands.

......

The next morning, while Zhu Hao was discussing with Yu San about recruiting men outside the city to increase the number of salt pans, Zhu Ting ran over in a flurry: "Brother, Grandmother is here."

Lady Zhu’s arrival was well within Zhu Hao’s expectation.

Putting aside the matter at hand, he went to the main hall to see Lady Zhu.

At this moment, Lady Zhu was sitting before her son's spirit tablet with a gloomy expression.

Aunty Li was tending to the shop business in the front and hadn't come over, while Mother Zhu stood nearby, tears streaming down her face like pear blossoms in the rain.

Clearly, before Zhu Hao arrived, Mother Zhu had already pleaded with her mother-in-law, hoping that Zhu Hao would no longer enter the royal estate, only to be ruthlessly refused.

"Zhu Hao, what on earth happened inside the royal estate yesterday?" Lady Zhu asked with a sullen face.

Zhu Hao aggrievedly said, "Someone wanted to burn me to death."

Lady Zhu did not find it particularly surprising and said with a stern face, "Are you saying the fire in the estate is related to you? I heard a child was rescued from the fire. Was it you?"

Zhu Hao had long anticipated that an event as major as a fire in the royal estate would cause an uproar. As the Zhu family keeping watch on the estate and the Embroidered Uniform Guard behind them, it was impossible for them to remain completely unaware.

Zhu Hao said, "At that time, I was almost choked unconscious by the smoke. I... I don't know..."

This would depend on how Lu Song reported to Centurion Lin, and how much Centurion Lin had told Lady Zhu.

From Zhu Hao's perspective, he could easily gloss over this matter. As long as Lady Zhu knew the fire was aimed at him and that he had been placed in danger, that would be enough.

Lady Zhu clearly did not know the details and continued to ask with a dark face, "Then why are you at home today instead of returning to the royal estate?"

Mother Zhu dropped to her knees. "Mother, Xiao Hao's identity has been exposed, and the royal estate has harbored malicious intentions... Isn't sending him back now sending him to his death?"

That might be so, but how could Lady Zhu relent?

"He exposed his identity through his own carelessness; who can he blame? Besides, it was a task he undertook himself. Does he want to back out now? If so, wouldn't everyone in Anlu know that my Zhu family harbors ulterior motives toward the Prince of Xing's estate?" Lady Zhu glared angrily at her daughter-in-law.

"Ahem!"

Zhu Hao coughed and said, "Grandmother, allow me to ask a question: before I entered the royal estate, was the Prince of Xing's estate unaware of the Zhu family's purpose in moving to Anlu?"

Lady Zhu angrily rebuked, "Impertinent wretch! Third Branch's wife, is this how you educate your son? Is this how you speak to your elders?"

Zhu Hao was unrelenting. "Grandmother, I am merely speaking the truth... On my very first day in the royal estate, the people around me were discussing that I am a member of the Zhu family, and that Senior Official Yuan of the estate had given instructions to closely monitor me and avoid excessive contact with the prince..."

"I couldn't understand why I was being targeted at the time, until I experienced being set on fire yesterday and almost burned to death in the flames. I finally figured it out—from the very first day, they never intended for me to stay long in the royal estate!"

......

It was still an act of defiance, but this time Lady Zhu was not as furious as before.

It was plain to see; the Prince of Xing's estate wasn't foolish. When recruiting a study companion for the young prince, would they fail to investigate the child's background?

Knowing that this child came from the Zhu family, would they allow him an opportunity to touch the core secrets of the royal estate?

What did the Prince of Xing's estate care about most?

Naturally, it was the absolute safety of Heir Zhu Houcong!

"You must go back!" Lady Zhu ordered sternly.

Zhu Hao did not reply this time.

Your words are precisely what I wanted!

The reason Yuan Zonggao was not in a hurry to fetch him back was probably also waiting for the Zhu family to pressure him and his mother. By forcing your way here, you haven't escaped their plans, nor have you exceeded my expectations.

Since it follows a logical course, going back is just going back!

"Mother..."

Mother Zhu’s attitude was resolute; she knelt on the ground and kept kowtowing, hoping the old lady's heart might soften.

Yet Lady Zhu remained unmoved. She stood up, walked toward the door, and coldly flung out a sentence: "If you don't go, the family will take your son back and send him to the kiln as a laborer, never to get ahead in life... Weigh it and do as you see fit!"

Mother Zhu’s body shook violently.

Could there truly be such a grandmother?

Zhu Hao was of the direct bloodline of the Zhu family!

Failing to fulfill the Zhu family's mission meant being sent to a labor kiln? Did the people of the Zhu family possess any human empathy at all?

......

"Mother, get up."

Seeing the old lady slam the door and leave, Zhu Hao shook his head, sighed, and bent down to help Mother Zhu up.

If anything, the old lady visiting in person served a major purpose: it made Mother Zhu, who had always held expectations for the family, recognize reality—her son entering the royal estate was an absolute necessity.

Had the old lady not come to make threats, Mother Zhu would never have allowed her son to return to the royal estate.

Mother and son went to the back courtyard to see Lady Zhu off, only to find Steward Liu standing abruptly in front of the moon gate.

Zhu Hao noticed that Steward Liu’s expression was rather abnormal. He suddenly recalled that when he was talking with the old lady in the main hall earlier, there had been a dark shadow outside the window. Could it have been Steward Liu eavesdropping out there?

Later, because the old lady's departure from the room was sudden, Steward Liu had retreated in a flurry, leaving him now standing outside the second gate of the back courtyard, whereas he should have been waiting at the back courtyard entrance.

Zhu Hao muttered to himself, "This old fellow appears honest, loyal to the family, and deeply trusted by the old lady. Why would he pry into the internal affairs of the Zhu family, especially regarding my situation in the royal estate? Could he also be a man of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

"Old Mistress."

Steward Liu’s expression quickly returned to calm, as if he had just entered from the back door to welcome Lady Zhu.

Lady Zhu ignored him and walked straight toward the back door.

Mother Zhu had wanted to follow and plead, but the old lady suddenly turned around and glared fiercely at her. Mother Zhu trembled all over and could only watch Lady Zhu depart heartlessly.

Steward Liu followed them out the door, and as he turned back to close it, he glanced at Zhu Hao intentionally or unintentionally.

Originally, Zhu Hao hadn't paid attention to this person, but due to his covert snooping into the Zhu family's affairs, doubts arose in his heart, and he began to ponder the reasons behind it.

......

After Lady Zhu left, Mother Zhu looked ashen.

She walked toward the front courtyard with her son, her mind in a daze, and almost tripped over a wooden frame lying horizontally on the ground. Fortunately, Zhu Hao stepped forward in time to steady her.

"Mother, I've said it before, the Zhu family owes us no kindness. If there is a chance in the future, we must break free from the family's control,"

Zhu Hao said, "However, I can understand Grandmother's thoughts... With an insider to spy on the royal estate's intelligence, how could she possibly allow me to leave just like that?"

Mother Zhu said no more.

For the rest of the day, Mother Zhu’s expression remained abnormal. She didn't converse with her son, only silently packing bedding and luggage for him.

That afternoon, as Zhu Hao prepared to end his leave and report back to the royal estate, Mother Zhu finally spoke to her son: "Mother has thought it over. In the future, I might take our business to Jianggan, transporting salt eastward along the great river... If feasible, Mother will find a way for you to travel and study in Jianggan, and never return to Anlu."

Hearing this, Zhu Hao held Mother Zhu in even higher regard.

A feudal, conservative woman who had previously worried that trafficking illicit salt would affect her son's future, she had thought of quitting early and returning to the family.

Yet now, for her son's sake, she was contemplating letting him leave the borders of Huguang, presumably figuring that no matter how influential the Zhu family was, they wouldn't be able to reach into Jianggan.

Her son studying elsewhere could minimize the chances of him getting entangled in the disputes between the Zhu family and the royal estate.

"Mother, your intentions are deeply appreciated... I want to tell you a secret, but please make sure to keep it strictly confidential." Zhu Hao wore a mysterious expression.

"Hmm?" Mother Zhu was puzzled.

Zhu Hao smiled and said, "Do you know why the Senior Official of the Prince of Xing's estate came to our house in person? Actually, during the fire yesterday, I rescued someone from the flames. It was the Prince of Xing's heir, the only son of the Prince of Xing... I risked my life to save him from the brink of death. Do you think the people in the estate would still harm me?"

"Ah?"

This time, Mother Zhu’s face was filled with utter shock.

Zhu Hao continued, "My entry into the estate was indeed fraught with crisis, but the Prince of Xing's heir and I are good friends. If the current Emperor continues to remain childless, the Prince of Xing's heir will be the first in line to the throne in the future, equivalent to the Crown Prince..."

"I saved the Prince of Xing's heir from peril. If the people of the royal estate return kindness with enmity and continue to harm me, that would be defying the will of Heaven. How could they ever be qualified to inherit the throne?"

The look of astonishment on Mother Zhu’s face had still not dissipated. She hastily said, "Xiao Hao, do you know what you are saying?"

Zhu Hao smiled broadly. "I actually wanted to tell Mother that I am perfectly safe in the royal estate... Only by painting my experiences in the estate as perilous would Grandmother feel a sense of indebtedness to us, and thus stop making things difficult. This helps Mother with her business and aids our family's survival in Anlu."

"So, Mother, you don't need to consider my traveling to Jianggan for studies for now. I will study diligently in the royal estate, strive to become the heir's right-hand man, and rise smoothly in the future to win a noble title of honor for you."

Mother Zhu never expected such words to come from the mouth of a child, and that child was her own son.

Such insight—how could an ordinary person possess it?

"Mother, let me tell you another secret. Actually, saving the Prince of Xing's heir was already the second time; there was another time before that... Don't you think I have a profound destiny with him? Whenever he is in danger, I appear by his side. If he truly gets the chance to become emperor in the future..."

Mother Zhu simply couldn't listen any longer. She extended her slender hand to cover her son's mouth, cutting him off from speaking further.

"Xiao Hao, as long as you are safe and sound in the royal estate, regardless of your academic progress, Mother won't have to worry so much. You... take good care of yourself!"

Mother Zhu’s goal was simple: as long as her son was unharmed, everything else was ephemeral.

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PS: This book will soon leave the new book rankings. If you haven't added it to your bookshelf, please be sure to do so; otherwise, where in the vast sea of books will you find it? This matter is very important, I am counting on you!