Silent Lover (The Silent Concubine) - Chap 172

Chapter 172 – Han’er? Yu’er?

At the end of the mountain road, a massive boulder blocked the path, flanked by sheer stone walls. Chu Ling dismounted and walked up to the boulder. He kicked at a few scattered rocks on the ground. From a distance, Shen Yu noticed that the stones seemed disorganized yet faintly arranged in a pattern.

Suddenly, the ground behind the boulder trembled, and to Shen Yu’s astonishment, the towering boulder, several meters high, began to move on its own.

Shen Yu’s jaw dropped. Truly, the Chu clan’s mastery of craftsmanship was unparalleled, filled with ingenious mechanisms and wonders. He couldn’t help but marvel.

Behind the boulder was a narrow passageway, just wide enough for two horses to pass side by side. Chu Ling led the group forward, and after about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the passage gradually widened until it opened into a vast expanse.

What lay before them was a sprawling area. Scattered houses dotted the landscape, interwoven with fields and pathways. Shen Yu had assumed the Chu clan’s secluded dwelling would be a couple of houses hidden in the forest, but this looked more like a small town.

Distant mountains encircled the area, concealing it from the outside world. Without a guide, it would be nearly impossible for an outsider to find this place.

As they moved closer to the center, the houses grew more concentrated, arranged in a layout reminiscent of a palace. The central buildings were grand and imposing, comparable to the residences of wealthy families, though not as rigidly dense as a royal palace.

Along the way, people greeted Chu Ling with bows and salutes, and he responded graciously to each one.

“We’re here.”

Finally, the group stopped in front of the “Chu Residence.” Chu Ling dismounted with excitement.

When Jun Xuanxiao helped Shen Yu down from the horse, his legs felt a bit stiff.

“Thank you, Dark Guard,” Shen Yu said, then tilted his head and exclaimed, “Dark Guard, did a bug fly into your eye? Why are they so red?”

Jun Xuanxiao awkwardly turned his head, thinking, If you’d just sat still on the horse, would my eyes be like this?

“Oh, I get it! You must be excited to be back in your hometown. Dark Guard, you really are a man of deep emotions,” Shen Yu said earnestly, even standing on tiptoes to pat his shoulder in comfort.

“Yu’er!” Chu Ling called out. “A few days ago, I sent a message back home by pigeon. Great-Grandfather must be eager to meet you. Let’s go inside.”

“Alright.”

Following Chu Ling into the residence, Shen Yu felt a bit nervous. Seeing this, Chu Ling turned back and held his hand reassuringly.

“Yu’er, there’s no need to worry. From now on, this is your home. All the direct descendants of the Chu clan live in this residence. Later, I’ll introduce you to two siblings. Nearby, there are relatives with more diluted bloodlines, and farther away are followers of the Chu clan and descendants of officials from the previous dynasty. But you don’t need to concern yourself with them yet—you’ll understand over time.”

Shen Yu nodded hesitantly, his attention drawn to the elegant layout of the residence. The entrance opened into a large garden with a pond at its center. They passed through moon gates and corridors, walking by several courtyards where curious faces peeked out to look at them, giggling and waving as they passed.

Finally, Chu Ling stopped outside the Chenxiang Courtyard. Straightening his clothes, he led Shen Yu inside.

In the courtyard, a hunched old man with white hair and beard leaned on a cane, pacing anxiously. Occasionally, he glanced toward the entrance. Surrounding him were several elders and children.

“It’s already late in the afternoon—why aren’t they here yet? Ling’er said they’d arrive today…” the old man’s raspy voice murmured.

Someone stepped forward to steady him, trying to comfort him. “Great-Grandfather, don’t worry. They’ve come all the way from the capital, and the journey takes about half a month by carriage…”

“They’re here! They’re back!”

“Great-Grandfather! I’m back!”

Chu Ling greeted the old man warmly. Shen Yu, hiding behind him, curiously observed the scene. The first person who caught his eye was the white-haired elder. Judging by how everyone stood behind him, he was undoubtedly the oldest and most respected person there.

“Han’er? Let Great-Grandfather have a look!”

The old man’s and everyone else’s gazes fell on Shen Yu, making him feel as though he were being scrutinized like a curiosity, sending shivers down his spine.

“Yu’er, Great-Grandfather is calling you,” Chu Ling explained softly. “He’s using the name recorded for you in the clan’s genealogy. My Great-Grandfather and yours were brothers, so you should call him the same.”

“Han’er?”

Hearing himself addressed by another name felt strange to Shen Yu. The name “Yu’er” was already deeply etched into his heart.

“Han’er, come here…”

The old man smiled kindly and beckoned to him. Though Shen Yu didn’t know this unfamiliar elder, he still walked over obediently.

“Han’er, you’ve suffered so much all these years…”

The old man affectionately rubbed Shen Yu’s head and pinched his cheeks, mumbling to himself. His eyes reddened, and tears began to fall.

“Great-Grandfather, he’s called Yu’er now,” Chu Ling reminded gently.

The old man stubbornly replied, “But now that he’s home, shouldn’t his name be restored? Han’er, what do you think?”