The restoration of Rao Manor was a monumental undertaking that spanned three grueling months, transforming the desolate, fire-scarred ruins back into a vibrant, functional home.
Teams of carpenters, stonemasons, and laborers, funded by Yuan Zixin's generous resources and overseen by Rao Zhengsheng's meticulous direction, worked tirelessly from dawn until dusk. Charred timbers were carefully removed and replaced with fresh, honey-colored wood. The roof, which had collapsed in sections, was fully reconstructed and capped with dark, elegant tiles.
The main courtyard was cleared of debris, and new, sturdy walls were erected to replace the crumbling stone. The entire process was a symbolic resurrection, bringing the manor that had stood for generations back to life.
Concurrent with the physical rebuilding, a crucial, secretive exchange took place. Honoring Xue Horan's pleads; Yongzheng diligently taught the last twenty moves of the Butterfly Swords Manual to Rao Zhengsheng. This instruction took place in quiet, secluded hours, binding the two estranged brothers together through their shared martial legacy, even as their ideological differences continued to simmer. This period was not just about restoration; it was about re-establishing the Rao House's foundation in both stone and skill.
After finishing his practice, Rao Zhengsheng and Yongzheng returned to the main hall for lunch. Only Yuan Xiurong and Cao Yanmei were present.
Rao Zhengsheng immediately noticed the absence of his beloved junior brother. "Where is Horan?" he asked.
Cao Yanmei, still sharp-tongued, replied, "Rao gege, he is old enough to go where he wishes to go. He is not a prisoner in this manor; he can go wherever he wants."
As Dong Shun saw Yongzheng preparing to leave, he quickly intervened, hoping to foster family unity. "Yongzheng, you stay and have lunch with us. Today our family are all here. I want to have a happy lunch."
Yongzheng reluctantly sat down beside Cao Yanmei, who happily offered him some food. "Xiurong jiejie taught me how to cook. Try it. I made this dish," she said, eager for his approval.
Dong Shun, still pushing his familial agenda, complained, "I personally think you two should learn butterfly swords together."
"Dong shushu, we have already talked about this," Yongzheng replied wearily.
Rao Zhengsheng stepped in to calm the situation. "Dong shushu, don't make it difficult for Yongzheng. It takes a lot for Yongzheng to finally call you shushu."
Dong Shun conceded. "Fine… fine… fine… I won't complain." He then smiled. "Well, at least you two don't fight for the leader's seat."
Yuan Zixin announced his plan. "Zhengsheng, at the banquet tonight, I want to announce the wedding of you and Xiurong. Do you have any objections?"
Rao Zhengsheng said, "No." He paused, looking at Dong Shun. "Dong shushu, my shifu and shimu are dead. Horan will not have anyone as family on his side on the wedding day. If Dong shushu doesn't mind, will you act as his parents at the wedding ceremony?"
Dong Shun readily agreed to the request. "I don't mind being his family at the wedding." He then expressed confusion. "I didn't see Horan interested in any lady. I didn't know he would get married too."
Yuan Zixin asked confusedly, "Will Horan get married on the same day as you?"
Rao Zhengsheng smiled, revealing his controversial promise. "Master Yuan and Dong shushu, you two may not know, but I promised Horan that I will marry him with Xiurong."
Dong Shun shouted in shock, "Are you crazy? How can you marry him… he…"
Rao Zhengsheng cut him off. "I know what you are going to say, but I have promised him."
Yuan Zixin reacted with fury, laying down a non-negotiable term. "Zhengsheng, I have helped you every step of the way. If you marry Horan, the Yuan family will no longer support you. This is also an insult to Xiurong."
"Master Yuan, Xiurong knows and accepts it," Rao Zhengsheng insisted.
Yuan Xiurong confirmed, "Father, I accept it."
Yuan Zixin was decisive. "Xiurong may accept it, but I will not accept it. Many martial artists in the martial arts world will not accept it."
Rao Zhengsheng stood his ground. "No matter what others say, I want to marry Horan. That is a promise made by me to him, shifu, and shimu. I intend to keep it."
Dong Shun looked at Rao Zhengsheng, worried about the political fallout. "Zhengsheng, marrying Horan will create trouble for you. Master Yuan will not let Xiurong marry you; he will take back everything he used to support you."
"I know, but this is a risk I am willing to take," Rao Zhengsheng concluded.
Yuan Xiurong then proposed a desperate compromise to satisfy her father and the martial arts world. "Everyone, I have thought about it several times, but in order to keep it secret, we will ask Horan to announce to everyone that he is a woman wearing men's clothes. If we are going to a certain place in public, he can wear women's clothes." She looked at the room. "I know this may be unfair to Horan, but it will make the three of us happy. Moreover, this is something I am willing to accept. I know that if I take the time to explain to Horan, he will also accept it."
Dong Shun conceded, "If Horan is willing, this will not violate your agreement with him. Zhengsheng, do you agree?"
Rao Zhengsheng sighed, recognizing the necessity of the sacrifice. "Is there any other way?"
"No, this is the best way for the three of us," Yuan Xiurong stated.
Rao Zhengsheng asked for final approval. "Does everyone agree?"
Yongzheng stood up, refusing to participate in the plan. "No, I don't agree with this plan. This is a slap in the face for Horan, who has done nothing wrong." He looked around the table. "Everyone here has no right to make this decision for him. The only person who can make this decision is Horan." He then stood up and walked away.
Dong Shun interjected to save face for the family. "Master Yuan, why don't we postpone the wedding after the fighting competition in Shaolin."
Rao Zhengsheng was unwavering. "Master Yuan, it doesn't matter if you like it or not. I care about Xiurong very much. I want to marry her, and the same goes for Horan."
Yongzheng walked to his residence and found Xue Horan feeding the fish in the lotus pond. He stood beside him.
"Zhengsheng and Xiurong are getting married," Yongzheng said.
Xue Horan smiled brightly. "Really? When is the wedding date?"
"No date yet, but Zhengsheng wants to marry you with Xiurong," Yongzheng informed him.
Xue Horan looked up at him. "What do you think?"
"What I think is not important, what is important is what do you think?" Yongzheng countered.
Xue Horan dismissed the topic with a forced cheerfulness. "I think da shixiong and Xiurong are a good match. They will be a perfect couple." He smiled. "I think their children will be beautiful too." He put the fish plate on the table, reached into his robe, and handed Yongzheng a money bag. "The old one is dirty. I made a new one for you." He sat down. "Yongzheng, I am leaving in a few days."
Yongzheng's expression hardened. "Where are you going?"
"I don't know. This is a journey without a destination," Xue Horan confessed. He smiled. "Maybe I will go up north to enjoy the northern cuisine first, and then go to the south. I didn't set a destination. Life is as simple as three meals a day and a warm blanket at night."
"Is this the reason why you went out today?" Yongzheng asked.
"Yes, I got two horses and a small carriage," Xue Horan admitted.
"When do you plan to leave?"
"I'm not sure yet."
Yongzheng sighed. "I respect your decision."
Xue Horan smiled at him sadly. "Yongzheng, maybe there is only one tenth of a hundredth part of love that is sweet, but that one tenth of love will forever be buried in the deepest part of my heart." He stood up and hugged Yongzheng tightly. "Yongzheng, I'm sorry. Also, thank you for everything."
That night, everyone was eating dinner. Yongzheng knew Xue Horan would be leaving soon and stared, trying to capture his image. He found Xue Horan looking back at him, acting as if nothing was wrong. The next day, Xue Horan was still talking happily with Yuan Xiurong and Rao Zhengsheng.
Early on the third morning, Xue Horan walked out of Rao Manor. He reached the small pavilion and saw the carriage he had prepared. Dong Shun was waiting for him.
"Xue gongzi, remember your promise," Dong Shun said sternly.
Xue Horan nodded and smiled. "Dong Shushu, don't worry." He handed a letter to Dong Shun. "Please give this to da shixiong."
Dong Shun accepted the letter. "I will." He looked at Xue Horan. "There's enough money for you to spend a lifetime of travel."
"Thank you," Xue Horan said. He jumped into the carriage, whipped the horse, and drove down the mountain road.
Dong Shun immediately grabbed the letter and began to tear it apart. He then began to eat the letter piece by piece, before two servants carried him back up to Rao Manor.
Dong Shun was placed in a small pavilion in the backyard, where his mind flashed back to the morning he had forced the promise from Xue Horan.
He was crawling to the small pavilion. Xue Horan had spotted him.
Xue Horan asked, "Dong Shushu, why are you crawling around like this, let me help you."
Dong Shun then said angrily, "Xue gongzi, we have a deal. Why don't you stay down there?"
Xue Horan, "Does Dong shushu know that there is a secret passageway?"
Dong Shun sighed, "I don't know."
Xue Horan asked, "Dong shushu, why can't I stay with them?"
Dong Shun pleaded, "Xue gongzi, you will only bring them destruction. I know from the way Yongzheng sees you. I can't let this happen. You know that there are only two survivors of the Rao clan. He pleaded. Please leave them. If you love them, leave them. This will make them both forget you. Soon, Zhengsheng will forget you because he has Xiurong. As for Yongzheng, Lanying will take care of him. He looked at Xue Horan. Xue gongzi, do you know what the most terrible disaster in a family is?"
Xue Horan shook his head. "I don't know."
Dong Shun revealed the fear that drove him. "Seeing two brothers killing each other for you."
Xue Horan agreed to leave but asked for a delay. "Dong shushu, I will leave, but I want to stay until da shixiong finally re-establish Rao Manor, so I can rest assured. Also, I want to spend time with Yongzheng."
Dong Shun refused. "No."
Xue Horan pressed. "If you don't agree, I won't leave."
Dong Shun sighed. "For what?"
Xue Horan explained his selfless motive. "I want to slowly convince Yongzheng that I don't love him. That will make him not chase after me when I leave. Moreover, this also creates a good opportunity for Lanying."
Dong Shun eventually conceded. "Fine, but when the time comes, you must leave."
Down the mountain path, Xue Horan's mind drifted back to that night, the first and last night he had made love to Yongzheng. He vividly recalled the deep sadness that had consumed him after the devastating truth about Yongzheng's assassin past was revealed.
At the time, he hadn't fully grasped the raw pain Yongzheng saw reflected in his eyes, but for his own part, as he had stared at his lover, he was filled only with pity and a profound regret that he hadn't met Yongzheng earlier—before the shadows of both their pasts had closed in. Before he knew it, Yongzheng was already consumed by his own fury and ready to leave.
Driven by a sudden, desperate resolve, Xue Horan had swiftly cooked a few simple dishes and carried them to Yongzheng's room. He had made up his mind: he would pour his broken heart into Yongzheng's hands, allowing Yongzheng to pick up and mend the shattered pieces. That night, every kiss Yongzheng pressed upon him felt like a surge of life-giving air to his lungs, and every tender touch slowly, irrevocably, began to rebuild his broken heart piece by piece.
As the sun began to rise in the early morning sky, Xue Horan wiped his tears with his sleeve and whispered softly, "Yongzheng, I'm sorry, I don't want you to be a killer again because of me."