Wandering Swordsman |

He raised his head, a stubborn glint in his eyes: "Father is getting old, and the affairs of the city are becoming increasingly burdensome. Yet there are always people who say that I only got the position of heir because I am the eldest son. They say I am indecisive, not as decisive as Leonard; they say I have never achieved any military merit and am not worthy of leading the Silvermane Iron Cavalry..."

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice trembled: "So... I want to carve out a vast canyon. If I succeed, it will not only expand my territory, but also let everyone see—I, Adrian, will secure this position of succession not through bloodline, but through merit!"

Hua Tianyou listened quietly, his eyes revealing just the right amount of approval and regret. After a moment, he asked casually, "Then... who suggested you expand the canyon? Was it Young Master Leonard?"

Adrian paused, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes: "Yes, it was Leonard. He said he heard from Northern merchants that there are ancient mines deep in the canyon, and if they could be tapped, Silvermane City wouldn't have to worry about taxes for ten years. He also said..."

His voice lowered, "He said that you are too kind, elder brother. If you don't make great contributions, the common people of Silvermane City might not accept it when Father passes on the title to you."

At this point, he suddenly realized something and abruptly looked up: "Holy Envoy, how...how did you know it was him who suggested it?"

Hua Tianyou did not answer directly, but sighed softly, his gaze like a deep pool: "Young Master Adrian, I dare not repay your life-saving grace. But as a holy envoy, I have witnessed too many tragedies of brothers turning against each other and family members killing each other. Sometimes, the closest people are the most dangerous knives."

He lowered his voice, almost whispering, "Have you ever considered... that your brother's advice to enter the canyon might not be out of brotherly affection, but rather... for that position?"

"Impossible!" Adrian blurted out, his face instantly flushing red, his eyes filled with shock and resistance. "You... how could you assume such a thing about Leonard? We've slept in the same bed since we were little, read the same books together, and he even walked thirty miles to fetch a doctor when I fell from my horse at eighteen! Since I returned from being poisoned, he's stayed by my bedside every day, feeding me medicine and wiping my sweat, his eyes are even dark from lack of sleep! How could he... how could he..."

His voice choked, and he could barely continue speaking; tears welled up in his eyes. They were not tears of weakness, but the pain of a wavering belief—he would rather believe he was terminally ill than believe that the brotherly affection was a deception.

Hua Tianyou said no more, only gently patted the back of his hand and said softly, "Perhaps I was overthinking it. May the Holy Light protect your brotherly bond and keep you from ever having any grudges."

However, after a brief pause, Hua Tianyou seemed to remember something and continued speaking.

There was no coercion in his eyes, only a gentle compassion, as if he could see through the wavering resolve in Adrian's heart.

"Young Master Adrian," Hua Tianyou's voice was as gentle as morning mist, yet every word was clear, as if each syllable was wrapped in dew and sank into people's hearts, "If you really don't believe me... actually, there is another way to verify it."

Adrian looked up abruptly, his eyes first wide with shock, then with a struggle, as if his chest had been ripped open in pain.

Those eyes, once clouded by miasma, now trembled violently, reflecting the turmoil within them—on one side was their younger brother, with whom they had depended for survival since childhood, and on the other was the cold, sharp deduction of their savior from the previous night.

He remained silent for a long time, his Adam's apple bobbing several times, before finally squeezing out three words from his dry lips: "What method?"

Hua Tianyou did not answer immediately. He walked slowly to the window, his movements as composed as if he were strolling through a church corridor.

He reached out and gently pushed open a small window with stained glass.

In an instant, the morning breeze, carrying the cool and refreshing scent of night-blooming jasmine, rushed into the room, fluttering the hem of his silver robe and dispelling the lingering medicinal smell.

Outside the window, white doves fluttered their wings and flew past the fountain in the courtyard, the water droplets shattering into stardust in the sunlight.

With his back to Adrian, his figure was outlined in the morning light as an almost sacred silhouette, but his voice was as deep as a whisper from the earth: "You only need to pretend that your illness is recurring—that although you have recovered, your strength is not what it used to be. Then have your personal attendant spread the word that you have asked Earl Mason to hold the succession ceremony as soon as possible and officially take over Silvermane City."

He paused, then slowly turned around. The morning light fell on his face, half of him radiant like a saint, half hidden in shadow like a judge.

He stared at Adrian, his gaze piercing through flesh and reaching the depths of his soul: "If your brother truly cares for you, upon hearing these words, he will be extremely anxious and stay up all night; but if he harbors ulterior motives..."

Hua Tianyou lowered his voice even further, almost to the level of a whisper, "Then we will take the opportunity to do two things: first, secretly confirm whether you have really lost your fighting ability; second... find a way to make you die 'accidentally' before the official handover of the title."

After he finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence.

Adrian's pupils suddenly contracted, as if he had been stabbed in the chest.

He was breathing rapidly, his chest heaving violently, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

This plan was too sharp, so sharp that it almost tore apart the last layer of warmth and embellishment that was supposed to be a fig leaf for brotherhood.

But deep within this tearing pain, a faint yet stubborn voice cried out:

Give it a try...

If he is innocent, he will be fearless and at ease.

If he feels guilty, he cannot hide it.

He recalled Leonard's figure standing in the corner last night—why did those eyes flash a barely perceptible hint of panic when he coughed up black blood and his complexion improved?

Then I remembered the inexplicable heaviness I felt in my body every time I drank the medicine my younger brother brewed over the past three months... Could it really be a coincidence?

"I..." Adrian's voice was hoarse and almost incoherent, "How am I supposed to pretend? How am I supposed to keep watch?"

Hua Tianyou's lips curled slightly, but there was no smile in his eyes: "Later, you can practice your sword in the courtyard. Deliberately slip and drop your sword, panting heavily. Then summon the steward and announce in public: 'My father is old, and now that I have recovered, I should quickly inherit the title to appease the people.' — The news will naturally reach the ears of the person who is to deliver it."

He took a step closer and lowered his voice: "Remember, no matter what happens, don't show any doubt. The more convincing your act, the more obvious the flaws will be."

Adrian nodded slowly, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes replaced by determination.

Hua Tianyou said no more, nodded slightly, and turned to leave.

Shen Mo stood silently by the door, his black robes as dark as ink, without uttering a word. But in the instant they brushed past each other, Adrian clearly felt an invisible chill run down his spine—it was Shen Mo's gaze, and also the undeniable, supreme aura of pressure.

Adrian would never know that the method Hua Tianyou mentioned was actually transmitted to Hua Tianyou by Shen Mo, who then spoke it through Hua Tianyou's mouth.

The morning light is still gentle, and the night-blooming jasmine is still fragrant.

But the air in Silvermane City has already been quietly filled with the smell of rust and lies.