Chapter Fifty-Six: "Cousin"

Zhang Xuan lifted his head to observe the situation between the two fighting groups. Their battle was drawing to an end; if he were to act as the "third party" at this moment, he could easily "reap the rewards," capturing both factions in one fell swoop. Yet this was merely a fleeting thought—he didn’t even know who these two groups were. If things weren’t handled thoroughly, and someone was left with evidence or rumors began to spread, it would hardly be worth the risk.

Gazing at the combatants ahead, Zhang Xuan asked, “Xiao Yun, do you recognize anyone among them? One side is barely holding on—if the fight continues, do you think the person you know might be in danger, or perhaps… is it already game over for them?”

“Brother Xuan, what does ‘game over’ mean?” Zhao Yun responded. “The person I might know isn’t part of the fight. I see he’s being protected by a few others, so for now, he’s quite safe.”

“Who could it be?” Yuwen Chengdu interjected, eager not to be left out of the conversation.

“I think that person might be my cousin, Zhao Ding. But as far as I remember, he left with my uncle and has been gone for quite some time. I haven’t seen him in ages, and besides, I don’t see my uncle among these people. So I can’t be sure if it’s really my cousin or just someone who looks like him.”

“Might be? That’s the answer you give after sneaking out without a word? That won’t be easy to explain. But since the one you might know is still quite safe, let’s keep watching this fight. Once it’s over, we’ll stroll over for a look. If it truly is your cousin, so much the better; our little morning escapade won’t have been in vain. If it’s not, then after confirming, we’ll just turn back or walk straight ahead without lingering. Otherwise, they might think we’re here to take advantage. I’d love to play the ‘third party’ today, but let’s save it for another time. Understood?” Zhang Xuan looked at Yuwen Chengdu, Yang Hu, and Zhao Yun as he spoke.

“Understood!” the three of them replied in unison.

While the four watched the scene unfold from their perch on the small hill, Yang Zaixing had already returned to the Yan household. He first reported that Yang Hu and Zhao Yun had gone missing to Uncle Yang, recounting how he and his two brothers searched for them, discovered their likely whereabouts, and then tracked Zhang Xuan and Yuwen Chengdu in that direction, marking the path as they went.

“Wait, Zaixing, are you certain Yang Hu and Xiao Yun have truly gone missing? Or is it possible they just can’t find their way back to the Yan house? Perhaps while you were out searching, they were also looking for the way back, and you simply missed each other,” Uncle Yang asked for confirmation.

“Uncle Yang, if that were the case, they should have returned by now—it’s been quite a while already.” Yang Zaixing paced anxiously, worried for Yang Hu and Zhao Yun’s prolonged absence and frustrated at his own helplessness.

Uncle Yang noted Yang Zaixing’s anxious demeanor. “Don’t worry for now. Go inform Elder Tong of the situation—see if he has any ideas. Also, tell me which direction Zhang Xuan and Yuwen Chengdu went. I’ll head there first, so I can respond quickly if something happens.”

Yang Zaixing nodded, realizing there was no use in fretting here. He led Uncle Yang to the courtyard and roughly described the direction Zhang Xuan had taken. Once Uncle Yang was sure, he hurried off.

Watching Uncle Yang leave, Yang Zaixing suddenly realized he didn’t know where Elder Tong lived. He tapped his forehead in frustration, then, with the help of the Yan family, found Elder Tong’s courtyard. Elder Tong was instructing his son in martial practice when Yang Zaixing arrived. The warm scene brought a fleeting wave of childhood memories, but he quickly shook his head and focused on the urgent matter. Approaching Elder Tong, he relayed the morning’s events, adding that Uncle Yang had already set out, following Zhang Xuan’s trail.

After considering the situation, Elder Tong asked, “Zaixing, are you sure Yang Hu and Zhao Yun headed in the direction the villagers indicated?”

“I’m not sure. According to Yuwen, from the villagers’ description, the two people they saw should be Yang Hu and Zhao Yun.”

“All right, let’s go check for ourselves.”

“Elder Tong, just the two of us? Shouldn’t we bring more people?”

“We’ll be fine. Perhaps Zhao Yun saw someone he knew and followed them—there shouldn’t be any real trouble. Besides, Yang Hu is with him; nothing major will happen.”

“I hope you’re right. Let’s hurry, Elder Tong! The sooner we find Brother Hu and Xiao Yun, the sooner I can be at ease. We haven’t had a moment’s peace all morning.” With that, Yang Zaixing and Elder Tong set off in the direction Yang Hu and Zhao Yun might have gone.

“Look, one group is almost down for the count. Should we wander over and have a look?” Yuwen Chengdu, seeing the fight reach its climax, suggested to Zhang Xuan and the others.

“Before we go, let me ask—are you confident you can handle the rest of them? If so, we’ll go take a look. Maybe we’ll even get lucky.” Zhang Xuan glanced at Yang Hu and Yuwen Chengdu. As for Zhao Yun, Zhang Xuan didn’t count on him—in the future, Zhao Yun would be more than capable, able to lead them all into battle even against a full-strength crowd. But at his current age, Zhao Yun still had a long way to go. At that moment, Zhao Yun’s attention was wholly absorbed by the fight, oblivious to Zhang Xuan’s doubts; otherwise, he would surely have given Zhang Xuan a piece of his mind for underestimating him.

Yang Hu and Yuwen Chengdu counted the remaining opponents, exchanged a glance, and nodded. “With just those few left, the two of us can handle it.”

“So that means you’re taking charge and I’ll have no chance to step in? All right, I’ll just cheer you on then. Our clothes are dirty and torn, so I’ll approach them under the pretense of begging for breakfast or some food. Once we’re close, Xiao Yun, you confirm whether that man is your cousin. If it is, greet him; if not—well, I was going to let them go, but since you two are confident you can take them all down, let’s seize the opportunity. After all, we’re a bit strapped for cash these days! Brothers, go for it—don’t hold back on my account.”

“Brother Xuan, I finally understand why Master Tong and Brother Zaixing are always giving you the finger,” Zhao Yun couldn’t help but remark at Zhang Xuan’s behavior.

“Oh? Why is that? Xiao Yun, if you don’t give me a good reason today, just wait until we’re home for a sound beating. In fact, even if you do, you’ll still get one—just to help you remember, or you’ll never understand why the flowers are so red.”