Chapter 1702 - 309:

But Zhao Hengcheng was no longer interested in personal marriage matters. After his master gave birth to a pair of twins for him, he never considered the family's proposal for a formal wife, and often went into seclusion to meditate.

Later, the family turned a blind eye to it as well. Although the master's concubine did not have the status of a wife, she was silently recognized as the fourth chamber's main wife.

When Zhao Yi arrived at the fourth courtyard, he learned that the master, lady, and his two cousins from the fourth courtyard had all announced they were going into seclusion four days ago and would not be awakened until the morning of the old man's grand birthday.

Most likely, this fourth room had also been replaced.

Moreover, the person who replaced them chose a method that fit their character and was lazy, by directly going into seclusion and refusing to perform.

Zhao Yi sighed, thinking to himself, "Ha, it's really a total wipeout."

Although the true foundation of the Zhao family was in the old family house in the mountains, where the elders and the ancient, undead members of the Zhao family were still asleep, it was indeed absurdly bizarre that the core members of the outer family had all been silently replaced.

But if you consider that this was a wave, with Jiang Shui pushing forward, all contemporary talents involved, then it's within reason.

This group of people would never have been able to gather together to do this if it weren't for "Lighting the Lamp and Walking on the River."

No wonder many family sects would suddenly disappear and decline in the Jianghu stories I read before.

When the specific reasons couldn't be explored, onlookers would attribute it to fate, sighing that destiny is capricious.

What is happening to the Zhao family now is nothing short of a realistic rendition of fate, isn't it?

Zhao Yi moved around in the residence again; he still had to confirm one thing next, and that was the contemporary Family Head of the Zhao family, his grandfather by blood.

He was unfamiliar with this grandfather because this grandfather viewed him just like the elders in the family; he never experienced that closeness from across generations.

In contrast, he once had dinner at Li Zhiyuan's grandfather's house, and although Li Weihan and Cui Guiying had many children and grandchildren, he could feel their love towards Li Zhiyuan.

"Old man, I hope you haven't been replaced too?"

The old man lived alone in one courtyard. After the old lady passed, he didn't remarry and stayed away from women completely.

There were many people here, with people continuously coming in to report various duties.

With the identity of "Zhao Xu," it was impossible to get a private meeting with the Family Head; he could only watch from afar.

The old man was methodically handling various affairs, personally making appropriate arrangements.

He didn't look like someone who had been replaced. If he was replaced, yet still managed the family's affairs from there, how much would the one replacing the old man love to perform?

But instinct told Zhao Yi that in the state of "Walking on the River," the more impossible something seems, the more likely it becomes possible.

Moreover, with the old man's temper, approaching his seventieth birthday, with his eldest son sick, the second son indulging outside, the third son playing a Confucian scholar, and the fourth son in seclusion.

How could you manage to hold back your temper?

Unless you knew why they weren't coming out to do things, knew why they were avoiding the spotlight.

And from previous encounters and understandings, Zhao Yi suspected that the members of the fourth room might not know they had each been replaced.

Because according to past "Walking on the River" habits, such small team collaboration waves rarely let you know everything at the start, making you explore and guess whether there's another team.

So, this old man might be the highest-ranking figure in this wave, with the clearest view, and his strength was unmatched by others in the fourth room. Therefore, it's very likely that he not only has the best view but also the greatest strength.

At this moment, the old man seemed to notice Zhao Yi standing at a distance; he paused his work and looked over.

The people standing around him also collectively looked over, and upon seeing it was Zhao Xu, their expressions relaxed again.

The second room's conduct was always offbeat, and consequently, the young master of the second room wasn't highly valued by the family.

The old man Zhao Shan'an raised his hand and waved at Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi, somewhat incredulous, pointed at his own face and then hesitantly shuffled over.

Zhao Shan'an: "What's the matter?"

Zhao Yi: "It's my mother who asked me to come to find you, hoping you would uphold justice."

Zhao Shan'an: "Go back and tell your mother I don't have time to deal with your second room's mess. Isn't it embarrassing enough already?"

Zhao Yi quickly nodded: "Yes, yes, grandpa."

As he turned to leave, he was called back again.

"Come here."

"Grandpa?"

Zhao Shan'an spread his hand on the table, gesturing for Zhao Yi to place his wrist there.

Zhao Yi timidly placed his wrist there.

What seemed like taking a pulse was actually, in the moment of contact, the old man's eyes glaring fiercely, instantly placing pressure on Zhao Yi.

When faced with such sudden circumstances, people react instinctively, and the members of the Zhao family would automatically activate their Family Secret Technique at that moment.

Zhao Yi was "scared" into activating it.

This was a very subtle probing, so subtle it couldn't even be called a probe. Even if someone pretending to be a family member was confronted with this situation, it would be difficult to understand immediately what the other person was doing.

Zhao Shan'an released his hand, spoke gruffly: "So young, with such great loss of kidney essence, embarrassing, go back and restrain your desires, then get some tonic pills from the pharmacy and eat them."

Everyone around laughed upon hearing this.

Zhao Yi looked ashamed and said: "Okay, grandpa, I understand."

"Get lost."

Zhao Yi bowed again, leaving sheepishly.

The old man was testing to see if I had been replaced?