Chapter 525: 532: Beyond Reproach

“I, of course, wouldn’t take our partnership as a joke, but it seems that Young Master Sikong does exactly that. Why else would he detain my wife? It is said that a friend’s wife should not be coveted. Since we are supposed to be allies, Young Master Sikong, behind my back, has designs on my wife, which is something I cannot commend,” Han Yu said. Although he couldn’t completely see through Sikong Ling, having chosen to cooperate with him at the beginning, he had certain insights into Sikong Ling’s nature and had roughly guessed the purpose of his cooperation with him.

Business is business and personal is personal; however, Han Yu wasn’t like Sikong Ling, who could sacrifice even his wife for the sake of family interests. Initially, Han Yu held his disgust and cooperated with Sikong Ling because, although Sikong Ling harbored certain feelings for Su Wenyue, he restrained himself and didn’t covet her, which showed openness and decency. Now, the situation had clearly changed.

Sikong Ling, despite his thick skin, felt a bit embarrassed when prodded by Han Yu. The truth was, when he had agreed to collaborate with Han Yu, he truly had no intention of touching Su Wenyue; he even felt protective of her, which was why he chose to cooperate with Han Yu. Han Yu’s consistently expressed attitude was that he cared deeply for Su Wenyue. If Sikong Ling had harbored such thoughts, collaborating with Han Yu would not have been a wise choice.

“I haven’t done anything, and as for Lady Yue, even though I admire her, I have never harbored any improper thoughts. It was your incompetence that lost her, and you almost got her killed. Since you’re unable to protect her, I see nothing wrong with my actions. Do you think the person who took Lady Yue was just anybody? If she hadn’t encountered the Phantom by chance, even if she had jumped off the cliff and escaped death, her fate wouldn’t have been much better. She probably would’ve lost her life long ago, and here you are questioning me!”

Sikong Ling was no pushover. Although a flicker of guilt crossed his face when questioned by Han Yu, he quickly regained his composure. Even if he did intend to keep Su Wenyue this time, it was done in secret. With Han Yu having no proof, even if he knew in his heart, he couldn’t do anything about it. The subsequent difficulties were merely an outlet for his frustration, though part of him still held a glimmer of hope.

Han Yu could feel guilt and regret towards Su Wenyue, but he wasn’t going to play such games with Sikong Ling: “I indeed have wronged Lady Yue by putting her in danger, but it’s not for you to hold me accountable. What happens between me and Lady Yue is none of your business, and it certainly isn’t a reason for you to betray our agreement. Of course, I’m grateful that you saved Lady Yue, otherwise, I wouldn’t be here talking to you.”

“Whether or not it’s my place to speak isn’t for you to decide. You should know that you are currently on the ground of my Peach Blossom Valley, and I call the shots here. I don’t want to discuss Lady Yue now; I just want to know your plans for the situation in Yiyang Prefecture and see if you still qualify to collaborate with me,” Sikong Ling said, his gaze sharp as he looked at Han Yu. He didn’t believe that Han Yu had made no plans; if that were the case, Han Yu wouldn’t have the qualifications to continue their collaboration, let alone take Su Wenyue away.

Sikong Ling initially chose to ally with Han Yu after noticing the growing strength of Han Yu’s power, a force that made even Wang Mang wary. This allowed him to restrain Wang Mang because the emperor had to divert his attention, and eventually, Han Yu became a significant threat to Wang Mang. Most importantly, Han Yu was smart and had potential, making him an excellent choice.

The Sikong Family might appear to have a powerful influence, revered even by Wang Mang, but the reality was fraught with crises. For Wang Mang to pay respect to the Sikong Family was also a form of apprehension. As a ruler, no one wants a presence that extends beyond their control. If it weren’t for the troubles both inside and outside the Imperial Court that preoccupied Wang Mang, he might well be planning to deal with the Sikong Family right now. As such, Sikong Ling naturally had to find ways to keep Wang Mang occupied so that he wouldn’t have time to contemplate dealing with the Sikong Family.

Among the various factions of the Rebel Army, Liu Xiu’s force was the most capable, and within it, Han Yu played a crucial role in challenging the Imperial Court. With Han Yu now away from Yiyang Prefecture and Liu Xiu’s army threatened by the Imperial Court, this was a situation Sikong Ling did not wish to see.

“You don’t need to worry about that; I have my own judgments. As for whether we should continue to cooperate, it’s not just for you to consider; I must also rethink it. After all, no one wants a partner who’s always ready to poach from them,” Han Yu said, showing no sign of yielding and quite arrogantly at that. His confident demeanor made it difficult for others to underestimate him.

Sikong Ling also felt that Han Yu wasn’t someone who acted without considering consequences. Seeing Han Yu’s attitude and response, he became more convinced that Han Yu might have some plans.

“Regardless of your plans, the situation in Yiyang Prefecture is grim. If you don’t hurry back, I fear there will be significant problems. With your current power, relying solely on Liu Xiu and his men isn’t enough to confront the Imperial Court. Are you sure you won’t go back?”

Sikong Ling asked tentatively, actually hoping that Han Yu would prioritize his career. For one, to stabilize the situation and restrain Wang Mang, keeping him from acting against the Sikong Family. Secondly, Su Wenyue could not leave Peach Blossom Valley at present, so if Han Yu were to leave, Sikong Ling would naturally find opportunities to develop a relationship with her. Even if he couldn’t win her over from Han Yu, spending more time with her and giving Han Yu some trouble was desirable. Of course, Sikong Ling admitted that merely being with Su Wenyue felt satisfying and comfortable.

“If the situation were truly dire, Yiyang Prefecture would surely send word. So far, I haven’t received any notice from my lord, not even a letter, which indicates they can handle it. I don’t need to rush back,” Han Yu replied, aware of Sikong Ling’s probing. Since they hadn’t yet parted ways, and their stands coincided on some matters, Han Yu didn’t mind revealing some information. Thus, his seemingly ordinary words were laden with much significance.

Sikong Ling was intelligent enough to understand the subtext in Han Yu’s words. He realized the dire state of Yiyang Prefecture and yet, no message had been sent to Han Yu, indicating they didn’t want him to return. The reasons for this were clear enough; perhaps Liu Xiu saw Han Yu as a greater authority than himself, the lord, and wanted to take this chance to consolidate power. If Sikong Ling were in Liu Xiu’s position, he would have the same concerns with a capable subordinate like Han Yu. However, rushing to monopolize power without considering the imminent danger was not a very advisable move. Unless Liu Xiu was too senseless, then Han Yu must indeed be too much of a concern for him.