It took three months to complete the restoration of Rao Manor. The manor that had been burnt down finally came back to life. During the three months, Yongzheng had taught the last twenty moves to Rao Zhengsheng.
After Rao Zhengsheng finished practicing the butterfly swords, he put the swords behind his back. Rao Zhengsheng and Yongzheng returned to the hall and had lunch with everyone. At the main hall, there were only Xiurong and Cao Yanmei.
Rao Zhengsheng asked, "Where is Horan?"
Cao Yanmei said, "He is out."
Rao Zhengsheng, "Where?"
Cao Yanmei said, "Rao gege, he is old enough, to goes where he wishes to go. He is not a prisoner in this manor, he can go wherever he wants."
Just when Dong Shun saw that Yongzheng was about to leave. He quickly said, "Yongzheng, you stay and have lunch with us. Today our family are all here. I want to have a happy lunch."
Yongzheng had no choice but to sit down beside Cao Yanmei. Cao Yanmei happily picked up some food and handed it to Yongzheng.
Cao Yanmei, "Xiurong jiejie taught me how to cook. Try it. I made this dish."
Dong Shun complained, "I personally think you two should learn butterfly swords together."
Yongzheng said, "Dong shushu, we have already talked about this."
Rao Zhengsheng said, "Dong shushu, don't make it difficult for Yongzheng. It takes a lot for Yongzheng to finally call you shushu."
Dong Shun said, "Fine…fine…fine…I won't complain." He smiled. "Well, at least you two don't fight for the leader's seat."
Yuan Zixin, "Zhengsheng, on the banquet tonight, I want to announce the wedding of you and Xiurong. Do you have any objections?"
Rao Zhengsheng said, "No." He paused and looked 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 said, "I don't mind being his family at the wedding." He looked at Rao Zhengsheng. "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 and said, "Leader Yuan and Dong shushu, you two may not know, but I promised Horan that I will marry him with Xiurong."
Dong Shun shouted, "Are you crazy? How can you marry him…he…"
Rao Zhengsheng said, "I know what you are going to say, but I have promised him."
Yuan Zixin said madly, "Zhengsheng, I have helped you every step of the way from the beginning to the present. If you marry Horan, the Yuan will no longer support you. This is also an insult to Xiurong."
Rao Zhengsheng said, "Leader Yuan, Xiurong knows and accepts it."
Yuan Xiurong, "Father, I accept it."
Yuan Zixin said decisively, "Xiurong may accept it, but I will not accept it. Many martial artists in the martial arts world will not accept it."
Rao Zhengsheng, "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 angrily. Dong Shun said, "Zhengsheng, marrying Horan will create trouble for you. Leader Yuan will not let Xiurong marry you, he will take back everything he used to support you."
Rao Zhengsheng, "I know, but this is a risk I am willing to take."
Yuan Xiurong said, "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 Is looking at the people sitting in 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, "If Horan is willing, this will not violate your agreement with him. Zhengsheng, do you agree?"
Rao Zhengsheng sighed, "Is there any other way?
Yuan Xiurong, "No, this is the best way for the three of us."
Rao Zhengsheng asked, "Does everyone agree?"
Yongzheng said, "No, I don't agree with this plan. This is a slap in the face for Horan, who had done nothing wrong." He stood up and looked at the people sitting on the table. "Everyone here has no right to make this decision for him. The only person who can make this decision is Horan." He stood up and walked away.
Dong Shun, "Leader Yuan, why don't we postpone the wedding after the fighting competition in Shaolin."
Rao Zhengsheng, "Leader 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 that Xue Horan was feeding the fish in the lotus pond. He stood beside Xue Horan.
Yongzheng said, "Zhengsheng and Xiurong are getting married?"
Xue Horan smiled and said, "Really? When is the wedding date?"
Yongzheng said, "No date yet, but Zhengsheng wants to marry you with Xiurong."
Xue Horan looked up at Yongzheng, "What do you think?"
Yongzheng said, "What I think is not important, what is important is what do you think?"
Xue Horan said, "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. He 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 asked, "Where are you going?"
Xue Horan said, "I don't know. This is a journey without a destination." 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."
Yongzheng asked, "Is this the reason why you went out today?"
Xue Horan, "Yes, I got two horses and a small carriage."
Yongzheng asked, "When do you plan to leave?"
Xue Horan said, "I'm not sure yet."
Yongzheng smiled and said, "I respect your decision."
Xue Horan smiled at him. He said, "Yongzheng, maybe there is only one tenth of a hundredth parts 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 inside his arms. "Yongzheng, I'm sorry. Also, thank you for everything."
That night, everyone was eating dinner, and Yongzheng knew that Xue Horan will be leaving in a few days. He stared at Xue Horan and captured his image. When he looked at Xue Horan, he found that Xue Horan was also looking at him. Xue Horan act as if there is nothing wrong. The next day, Xue Horan was still talking happily with Yuan Xiurong and Rao Zhengsheng in the back yard.
Early in the morning on the third day, Xue Horan walked out of the Rao Manor. He walked out of the Rao Manor and down the dirt path. When he reached the small pavilion and he saw the small horse carriage he prepared many days ago. He walked to the table and Dong Shun was waiting for him.
Dong Shun said, "Xue gongzi, remember your promise."
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."
Xue Horan said, "Thank you." He jumped into the carriage. He whipped the horse, and the small carriage started to drive down the mountain road.
Dong Shun grabbed the letter and began to tear it apart. Then he began to eat the letter piece by piece, and two servants carried him up the mountain back to Rao Manor.
The servant put Dong Shun in a small pavilion in the backyard. He recalled that time when he stood here alone with Xue Horan. Before the sun rose, it was like this early morning. He happened to cross path with Xue Horan.
Xue Horan asked, "Dong Shushu, why are you crawling around like this, let me help you."
Dong Shun crawled to the small pavilion. 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 said, "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. "Xue gongzi, 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, "Seeing two brothers killing each other for you."
Xue Horan said, "Dong shushu, I will leave, but I want to stay until da shixiong finally reestablish Rao Manor, so I can rest assured. Also, I want to spend time with Yongzheng."
Dong Shun, "No."
Xue Horan, "If you don't agree, I won't leave."
Dong Shun sighed, "For what?"
Xue Horan, "I want to slowly convince Yongzheng that I don't love him. That will make him not to chase after me when I leave. Moreover, this also creates a good opportunity for Lanying."
Dong Shun sighed, "Fine, but when the time comes, you must leave."
Xue Horan knew that Yongzheng was very angry with Xue Horan that night, after learning the truth about Yongzheng's past. He cooked some dishes of food and walked to Yongzheng's room. He made up his mind to pour his broken heart into Yongzheng's hands, and let Yongzheng pick up those broken pieces and glued them back together again. That night, every kiss from Yongzheng filled his lungs with air, and every touch slowly rebuilt his broken heart piece by piece.
When 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."