Chapter 537: Chapter 51: The Hidden Hand Behind the Scenes (Part 2)
Mei Nian couldn’t help but give a bitter smile inside her heart, never expecting that her hidden ailment would be discovered by Xiao Xian. After Mei Xiang left, Mei Huainian had been searching for a way to make a breakthrough. However, her cultivation method was different from Mei Xiang’s. Her own Spiritual Energy was gentle, making it difficult for her to gain a foothold in the domestic Cultivation World.
After Mei Xiang’s departure, Mei Nian swore to revive the Mei Family, braving death to ascend to Heavenly Mountain alone, where she obtained a piece of Ten-thousand-year-old Cold Ice from the Heavenly Mountain Ridge. Using the Cold Ice as a guide, she drew it into her body, forcibly merging her own Spiritual Power with the cold of the Ten-thousand-year-old Cold Ice to produce an Ice Blade.
Although the Ice Blade was incredibly hard and could fend off powerful enemies, elevating her cultivation level and Attack Power, it also caused Mei Nian to suffer from the cold entering her body, which eroded her internal organs.
Every winter, Mei Nian had to fly to a hot place to escape the cold. What’s more, for the rest of her life, she would no longer have the opportunity to conceive a child with the person she loved.
The events that happened to Mei Nian, she never mentioned to anyone, including Yu Gang and Huang Yaoshi. They were all completely unaware. Unexpectedly, Xiao Xian, relying on her sensitivity to Spiritual Power, had detected it.
"Really don’t know whether I should praise you or... never mind, your Spiritual Energy is different from everyone I’ve met, perhaps by receiving your Spiritual Energy, I might benefit," Mei Nian said with a dim expression, folding up the mat.
By this time, Huang Yaoshi and Yu Gang had already come out.
Yu Gang signaled Xiao Xian to go inside, saying that Yu Shan Yang had something to tell Xiao Xian.
Yu Shan Yang had already awakened, and when he saw Xiao Xian, he humphed first before muttering, "You have the same stubborn temper as your grandfather, doing as you please without considering whether others are willing or not."
"I don’t know what kind of person my grandfather was in the past, but he’s not as grouchy now." Xiao Xian, having just spewed a stream of reckless words that nearly cost Yu Shan Yang his life, felt somewhat guilty.
"Tell me about your grandfather’s situation," Yu Shan Yang seemed interested, and Yu Gang looked anxiously at Xiao Xian, fearing she might say something to upset her father.
For more than five years, Xiao Xian took over an hour to narrate all the significant events that had taken place in Ge Village.
When the topic came to Zhu Shijun’s hospitalization, Yu Shan Yang’s expression changed. When it was mentioned that he turned misfortune into a blessing and recovered, Yu Shan Yang’s tense face relaxed slightly.
"Did you say your Ge Village is the same Ge Village in the southwest of Guizhou that produces grains?" Yu Gang was taken aback when he heard Xiao Xian was from Ge Village.
In the past few years, the fragrant rice from Ge Village has sold well nationwide, and it has been designated as a provincial-level model village by the State Council. Yu Gang had arranged for an inspection trip to Ge Village for the second half of this year.
"Leaving aside the matter with the Guizhou Police Station, my grandfather is doing very well now, and I apologize for what I just said." Looking at the old man who was about the same age as her grandfather, she felt a pang of shame.
"Zhu Shijun is Zhu Shijun, he wanted to prove to all of us that even if he can’t stay in the tobacco industry, without a foundation, he can still make a difference. At such an age, only he would have such determination," Yu Shan Yang said with deep emotion.
"Dad, what about that?" Yu Gang had already told Yu Shan Yang about Xiao Xian lending a hand to save someone.
"The incident back then, it was I who reported your grandfather," Yu Shan Yang said with fiery eyes, "As for the origin of that batch of poisonous tobacco, I can only tell you, your grandfather was innocent. This matter involves many people; for your safety and your grandfather’s safety, I can only say this much." That was all he could reveal.
"Xiao Xian," before Xiao Xian could ask further, Mei Nian came back, "Come out with me first."
Seeing Mei Nian return and Yu Shan Yang unwilling to say more, and given that he had recently recovered from a serious illness, further questioning was futile, so Xiao Xian left Yu Gang and his father inside for the time being.
Mei Nian pondered for a moment, "The incident with Zhu Shijun happened five or six years ago. If I remember correctly, six years ago, Yu Gang went to Xinjiang, and got into an accident on the way. When I received the news, Yu Shan Yang had already brought him back from Xinjiang. After that, the Tobacco Bureau went through a major personnel shake-up. It seems that was the time when Yu Shan Yang reported your grandfather. Judging by his attitude towards your grandfather’s case, there must be a problem."
"But he refused to speak, and I’m powerless in this matter. I can’t just force him," Xiao Xian also sensed some issues, but for the time being, she didn’t see a breakthrough.
"Every person has weaknesses, and it’s clear that your enemy understands how to exploit human nature’s weaknesses better than you do." Yu Shan Yang is an upright person, even if he had disagreements with Zhu Shijun, why would he act against Zhu Shijun at the time of his retirement after enduring for ten years.
"Weakness, his only weakness could be..." as Xiao Xian spoke, Yu Gang came out of the pharmacy. Today had been full of shocks for him, causing a cold sweat, but now that his father was safe, he let out a sigh of relief.
Mei Nian nodded, the only weakness Yu Shan Yang had was Yu Gang, his only relative in the world.
"Xiao Xian, I’m really sorry about your grandfather’s case," Yu Gang hadn’t yet realized Xiao Xian and Mei Nian were already plotting against him and was still very sincerely apologizing.
"Yu Gang, I remember that six years ago, you went to Xinjiang, and later it was Uncle who brought you back, right? What exactly happened to you there?" Mei Xiang had asked a few times before, but Yu Gang had always dodged the question.
"This matter shouldn’t have anything to do with Xiao Xian’s grandfather’s case. I got sick in Xinjiang and was saved by someone, then brought back to Beijing afterward." Yu Gang’s own recollection of getting sick in Xinjiang wasn’t very vivid.
"What sickness did you have? And who saved you?" Xiao Xian asked persistently, as she seemed to have touched upon some clues.
"It was an American, she just happened to be traveling in Xinjiang," Yu Gang spoke hesitantly, not particularly willing to bring up the American tourist who saved him.
Mei Nian caught every slight change in his expression, "Male or female?"
Yu Gang hesitated more, stammering, "Female."
"Who?" Mei Nian raised her voice an octave, causing people in the front hall to peer in their direction.
"Ah Nian, don’t overthink it, I have no relations with Celeste, it was just a chance encounter," Yu Gang hastily clarified.
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