"It was Long Shengzhe, Master Zhuge, and Marshal Qi who personally came, wasn't it? Also, that divine battle occurred eight years after my mother's death, the year I turned eight."
Jiang Wuming corrected, looking thoughtfully at Ye Zheng.
When he read Xia Xueqin's diary, Xia Xueqin had written Gu Zhengze's name and described him as the helmsman of Long Country.
For this reason, Jiang Wuming had specifically asked Xia Xueqin. Xia Xueqin had said she heard it was Gu Zhengze at the time, and only later learned it was Long Shengzhe. As for the writing error, she hadn't corrected it.
She felt that diary was written in memory of Jiang Zhan, and no one else would read it; it was enough for her to know what had happened.
As for the timing...
That year, during the divine battle, Jiang Zhan fell, Su Ronghua was killed, and Su Yuanshan encountered a mysterious person wearing a ghost mask. He learned that Jiang Wuming was in danger and deliberately found an excuse to drive Jiang Wuming's family out of the Su family. Jiang Wuming followed Liu Guifang and Su Shiyun to the Liu family, and didn't leave with Daoist Tianlong until he was twelve, heading to Longhu Mountain to learn martial arts, entering the world at sixteen.
Jiang Wuming was very sensitive to the time markers of eight years and twelve years.
And now, Ye Zheng also mentioned Gu Zhengze and got the timing of the divine battle wrong, which made Jiang Wuming feel something was amiss.
"Oh, right, it was Grand Elder Long Shengzhe. The divine battle was eight years after your mother's death."
Ye Zheng nodded, then asked, "It seems you know some of the secrets involved?"
"I only know the general outline of what happened; I'm not aware of the specific secrets."
Jiang Wuming shook his head, then stared sharply at Ye Zheng. "However, I'm very curious, why would you misstate the person's name and the time?"
"That year, your father massacred the Zhao family, including ordinary people. Gu Zhengze, in charge of the Ministry of Justice, was supposed to go to the ancient city of Loulan with Qi Wufu and Zhuge Lingjun, but it was vetoed by Grand Elder Long Shengzhe, who went personally. I was momentarily careless and referred to Grand Elder Long Shengzhe as Gu Zhengze. As for the time, it was a slip of the tongue," Ye Zheng explained.
Jiang Wuming said nothing, only staring at Ye Zheng, a thought flashing through his mind: Did Ye Zheng really make a mistake? Did he intentionally mention Gu Zhengze? If Jiang Wuming hadn't known, would he have concealed the truth and intensified Jiang Wuming's animosity towards the Gu family?
"It seems you don't believe my explanation," Ye Zheng said, seeing through his thoughts.
"You are shrewd and your schemes and calculations are unparalleled. I find it somewhat hard to believe that you would make such a slip of the tongue,"
Jiang Wuming stated truthfully, then added, "I hope that from now on, whether intentional or unintentional, you will not make any more verbal errors."
"Alright."
Ye Zheng nodded and didn't dwell on the matter.
"Do you know the specific details of my mother's murder?" Jiang Wuming asked.
"I do."
A trace of sadness appeared on Ye Zheng's face, and he sighed, saying,
"That day was the day before your due date. Your father was going to send your mother to a city near the ancient city of Loulan. Unexpectedly, enemies from outside the territory descended. Your father then led his soldiers to the battlefield and arranged for escorts for your mother to that city. However, on the way, your mother was ambushed. She fought desperately to save your life."
"Why did the Zhao family want to harm my mother?" Jiang Wuming asked the crucial question.
"The murder of your mother was not the will of the Zhao family; rather, some individuals within the Zhao family were controlled. The mastermind behind it should be your father's enemies from abroad," Ye Zheng said.
"Is it that bastard Anthony Roman?"
A name instantly surfaced in Jiang Wuming's mind.
"It seems you know quite a bit."
Ye Zheng glanced at Jiang Wuming with some surprise, then said, "It was not determined who controlled that Zhao family member, but it is certain that it was your father's enemy."
"Why wasn't it investigated? With Long Country's intelligence network, investigating this shouldn't be difficult," Jiang Wuming frowned.
"They had a one-on-one connection. The person who controlled the traitor within the Zhao family died after your mother's incident, and the lead was lost."
Ye Zheng first explained, then added, "Of course, if they had pursued the matter thoroughly at the time, they might have found the true mastermind, but the investigation was not continued. This was the result of discussions between Long Shengzhe and your father."
"My father compromised with Long Shengzhe for my sake and the greater good, deciding to let the matter rest?"
Jiang Wuming, recalling Ye Zheng's earlier words, suddenly understood something and narrowed his eyes slightly. "But in reality, both of them had already identified the true mastermind, didn't they?"
"Yes, they both inferred that the true mastermind was likely the person you mentioned. And that person's family controls the War God Temple."
Ye Zheng nodded and said, "This left your father with two choices. First, lead the Loulan soldiers and kill their way to the War God Temple. Second, let the matter rest.
After your father massacred the Zhao family that year, the Long Country's government and populace were shaken, and various factions demanded your father's execution.
This was because he not only severely violated the regulations of the Military Department and the law but also broke the rules!
In that situation, if your father had left Loulan with his soldiers to seek revenge, even if the War God Temple didn't exert pressure on Long Country, the pressure within Long Country itself would have been immense.
No one could withstand that pressure and allow your father to seek revenge!
If your father had acted that way, the Dragon Gate and the Military Department would have been forced to stop him!
Your father was well aware of this.
Of course, the reason your father gave up on revenge was not out of fear of the Dragon Gate and the Military Department.
The Dragon Gate and the Military Department could stop the three thousand Loulan soldiers, but if your father left alone, no one could stop him!
As I said before, your father did it to protect you and for the greater good.
Protecting you is a simple logic. Your father had offended so many people and forces back then; if he had met with an accident while seeking revenge, you would have certainly died!
As for the greater good.
Your father held immense prestige within the Loulan Legion, and indeed throughout the Military Department and the military. If he had withdrawn from the Military Department and the Loulan Legion, the impact would have been unimaginable, causing significant repercussions for Long Country.
Speaking on a larger scale, if your father had killed his way to the War God Temple, regardless of the final outcome, it would have been a mutually destructive confrontation.
At that time, if your father did not have irrefutable evidence, the War God Temple would definitely use it as a pretext to sanction Long Country, which would be detrimental to Long Country and to the global effort to resist external enemies!
Ultimately, your father chose the greater good to ensure your safety, and Long Country declared the Zhao family guilty of treason, not holding your father responsible for the massacre of the Zhao family, but demanding that your father defend the ancient city of Loulan for the rest of his life."
"Heh, my father, for the greater good, for Long Country, for this world, willingly gave up revenge, but what did he get in return? My father died on the battlefield in the end, and I wasn't even allowed to have a name, living a precarious existence for twenty years?!"
Jiang Wuming laughed in extreme anger, his laughter filled with sorrow.
"Not everyone harbors the greater good. As I said before, your father was a hero, and you cannot be a hero, and that is why.
As for why you don't have a name and the arrangements made for you, I don't know the specific details. If you want to know, you can only ask Long Shengzhe."
Ye Zheng was not surprised by Jiang Wuming's reaction.
He firmly believed that if Jiang Wuming were in Jiang Zhan's place back then, he would have made a different choice!
"After my father's death, my adoptive father and other members of the old Dragon Special Forces had incidents..."
Jiang Wuming calmed himself and continued in a low tone.
"Regarding this matter, neither I nor the Military Department conducted a thorough investigation, also out of consideration for the bigger picture. As I said before, only a few individuals within the Zhao family were controlled, not a collective defection. Your father held grudges, and naturally, the Zhao family members also had their grievances. This involves a matter of balance, which, with your intelligence, you must understand."
This time, Ye Zheng interrupted Jiang Wuming, saying, "One general's success is built upon the bones of ten thousand soldiers; the peace of a nation is not easily won. In this world, many things are difficult to categorize as right or wrong; one's perspective is determined by their position.
My family and I both intervened after your mother's incident. I even slammed the table at the Elder Council, demanding that the culprits be severely punished! But I didn't expect your father to massacre the Zhao family first to avenge your mother!
And as I said before, your father's actions severely violated Long Country's laws and the regulations of the Military Department, breaking the established rules. At this point, if your father wanted to continue his revenge, neither I nor the Ye family could stop him; if your father was willing to let the matter rest, he wouldn't have any problems without my and the Ye family's intervention!
Therefore, on that matter, neither I nor the Ye family said a single word from beginning to end."
"There's no need to say it so nobly. The reason you and the Ye family didn't intervene is primarily due to self-interest—you feared it would affect the Ye family!"
Jiang Wuming said coldly. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be appearing at the Su family, let alone not having a name, but growing up in the Ye family—the Ye family feared my existence would bring trouble to them, so they didn't take me in!
Even after my identity was revealed, you and the Ye family ignored me, unwilling to have any connection with me!
Only when I gained the support of the Military Department, revealed my true strength, and was recognized by the Li family did you, in order to help Ye Feng regain his spirit, perform a complete 180-degree turn and try every means to get me back to the Ye family!"
Jiang Wuming said with a mocking tone.
"As the head of the Ye family, everything I have done is impeccable."
Ye Zheng responded calmly.
"Give me the letter."
Jiang Wuming stopped talking and directly ended the conversation.
"Alright."
Ye Zheng nodded, then stood up and walked to the bookshelf. He opened the bookshelf door, took out a box, and from it, retrieved an old envelope. He then turned and walked back to Jiang Wuming, handing it to him.
Jiang Wuming took it with trembling hands, holding it carefully, as if holding the most precious treasure in the world.
It was not a treasure, but the only memento left to him by his parents!
...