Chapter 583: Chapter 583: He Who Controls Yuzhou Rules the World

Mu Yan got up and opened the secret door, entering a hidden room with Zhan Lan.

Mu Yan lit the candle with a Fire Lighter, and Zhan Lan saw weapons on the wall that were much smaller than adult-sized ones, and she suddenly realized that Mu Yan actually had no childhood.

From a young age, Mu Yan was disliked by his own mother, so little he must have only known to take revenge for the Zhongzhou country!

She caressed these cold weapons, as if seeing Mu Yan’s cold childhood.

She picked up a bent bow, the grip on the bow was already worn quite smooth, clearly showing how hard Mu Yan worked as a child.

“At what age did you start practicing archery?” Zhan Lan turned her gaze towards Mu Yan.

Mu Yan stood beside Zhan Lan, watching her, “I don’t remember, probably when I could hold this bent bow.”

Zhan Lan touched the bow’s cold feel, as if seeing the small Mu Yan picking up the bow as tall as himself, hands trembling as he shot arrows.

Zhan Lan murmured, “Starting archery so young…”

Mu Yan touched her hair, “Otherwise how could I be your master?”

Zhan Lan’s gaze moved down from the wall to see boxes one after another on the table.

Curiously, she opened the first box, which contained Mu Yan’s favorite childhood toys, she spun a rattle-drum, producing a crisp sound, along with a flute, a porcelain whistle, and nothing more.

Zhan Lan continued to open the second brocade box, inside were locks of different styles.

Mu Yan spoke somewhat proudly, “I can open most locks in the world, my mother said if I ever got caught by someone, I could escape myself.”

Zhan Lan saw that some were locks for shackles, thinking how young Mu Yan had to experience the world’s malice, heard him speak of these matters so lightly, made her heart ache a little.

Continuing to look at the next box, it surprisingly contained books introducing Hidden Weapons and Mechanisms, not suitable for children at all.

Mu Yan noticed Zhan Lan’s emotional change, he hadn’t felt anything about his childhood until now but seeing the pain in Zhan Lan’s eyes, he immediately laughed and said, “My childhood didn’t seem so fun, let’s leave!”

“It’s very interesting!” Zhan Lan laughed as she opened the third box, sighed, “Mu Yan, so many calligraphy pieces, no wonder your writing is so vigorous and penetrating.”

Mu Yan was in a good mood, yes, he brought Zhan Lan to see his childhood items, hoping Lan’er would understand him more.

Speaking of which, Zhan Lan saw ledgers, an abacus, and some business books.

Zhan Lan felt a bit sorry for him, everyone thought Mu Yan wielded overwhelming power, wealthy beyond measure, only she saw Mu Yan’s efforts and sacrifices.

Since he could wield weapons, he had to learn to kill and protect himself.

Since he knew how to read, he had to learn business and how to earn Silver.

Zhan Lan opened the last box, and saw inside it was surprisingly a bow and arrow she used as a child.

The string on the bow had snapped, looking worn out, the red string on the grip was tied by her, using a knotting method her grandfather taught.

Zhan Lan looked up to Mu Yan, who had been watching her expression.

“This bow is with you, I thought I lost it!” Zhan Lan exclaimed looking at Mu Yan.

Mu Yan, with one hand behind his back, somewhat awkwardly admitted, “I wanted to replace it with a new one for you, but didn’t know how to give it to you, so I secretly took it.”

Zhan Lan’s mind drifted back to when she was ten, the third month after Mu Yan became her master, her bow was worn out, but Li’s clan wouldn’t give her money for a bow, she didn’t want to ask her grandfather, so she made do.

One day suddenly her bow was lost, she hugged her legs and cried sitting on a rock for a long time.

The next day, Mu Yan passed by and gave her a bow which accompanied her until half a year later when Li’s clan found out she was secretly practicing archery and threw away the bow Mu Yan had given her.

Zhan Lan returned from her thoughts, sighing, “You’ve kept this bow all along…”

Mu Yan took the arrow from her hand, at eighteen he only knew of the master-disciple bond, Zhan Lan was his only disciple, so he kept the arrow.

“This is the bow and arrow you used when you were ten, I brought it from Dayu, the things in this room are what I used before I was ten, so our childhoods did meet, and came together.”

Zhan Lan felt a sweetness and a bit of sourness inside hearing his words, embarrassedly said, “Sorry, the bow you gave me was thrown away by Li’s clan.”

Mu Yan’s eyes froze a little, years ago passing a small grove intending to check if Zhan Lan’s archery improved, halfway he saw his disciple’s bow carelessly tossed amidst a filthy pile, he thought his pupil didn’t like it and threw it away, making him never teach Zhan Lan again from that day.

It wasn’t because he was petty, but the last person who threw away his bow was his mother, saying he could never shoot well in his lifetime, then snatched his bow, threw it in the mud.

So that was the truth, Lan’er hadn’t tossed the bow he gave, but Li’s clan did.

When he first discovered Zhan Lan was his disciple from back then, he knew there must be a reason, but he didn’t care, never expecting Zhan Lan to personally mention this today.

“I’m sorry Lan’er, I misunderstood you back then for throwing that arrow, if I had asked clearly, perhaps I wouldn’t have lost you…”

Zhan Lan finally understood why Mu Yan suddenly disappeared after teaching her archery for half a year.

She smiled brightly, “Luckily you disappeared, otherwise we would’ve only been master and disciple, not husband and wife.”

Mu Yan rubbed her fingers, perhaps, he wouldn’t have developed feelings for the pupil he watched grow up.

Zhan Lan grasped his hand, “See, that’s your nature, disliking explanations and not liking to listen to others’ explanations.”

Mu Yan agreed, it was how he used to be.

But now, he liked expressing his thoughts to Zhan Lan.

“Lan’er, what do you want to know about me, from childhood till now, I’ll hold nothing back.”

Zhan Lan thought for a moment, her eyes flickering, “I’ll ask when I think of something.”

Mu Yan smiled, “I’m ready anytime.”

He suddenly thought of something, told Zhan Lan, “I do have one thing to say.”

Zhan Lan calmly looked at Mu Yan, waiting for him to say what he wanted.

Mu Yan gazed into her eyes, “We are going to Yuzhou, do you know there’s a Shadow Sect there?”

Zhan Lan nodded, “Yes, my older brother learned swordsmanship at the Shadow Sect.”

She continued asking, “It’s said whoever controls Yuzhou controls the world, and the Shadow Sect is the number one sect, do you plan to ally with them?”