Chapter 1720 - 311: Four

"Alright."

So, the family of four returned to the Zhao Mansion.

They passed through the front hall and entered the outer residence of the Zhao family.

Second Master Zhao still had a radiant complexion, holding the hand of the young boy born from his mistress.

Behind them, Zhao Yong was silent as usual, matching his consistent demeanor.

As for the Second Master's wife, her eyes were bruised, and her face bore red marks, evidently from being slapped.

The servants in the outer residence had long grown accustomed to this.

Previously, Second Master Zhao and his wife often had earth-shattering quarrels, only to reconcile quickly afterward.

It could be said that the persona Second Master Zhao and Cui Xinyue had carefully crafted to conceal their flaws greatly simplified the acting challenge for Tan Wenbin and his companions at this moment.

Second Master Zhao, like a victorious general, led his family back to the courtyard of the second house.

Next, they could quietly wait for the ancestral worship two days later.

Early the next morning, Li Zhiyuan awoke according to his biological clock.

Upon arriving at the front hall, Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou were sitting by a round table, having breakfast.

Each house's courtyard was a separate entity, and after dismissing the servants, they were basically undisturbed.

Run Sheng was still not hungry, sitting by the side without eating breakfast.

Tan Wenbin remarked, "No wonder it's zombie meat, it's hard to digest."

Li Zhiyuan ate a little, and the rest was divided between Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou. Neither of them was full.

Tan Wenbin: "It's delicious, but such a small portion is suitable for feeding sparrows."

Lin Shuyou: "Will ordering more breakfast raise suspicion?"

Tan Wenbin: "Smash the bowl and pretend it's a marital argument, let them send it again."

Lin Shuyou: "Good idea."

Li Zhiyuan: "Brother Runsheng, accompany me for a walk outside."

Run Sheng: "Alright."

A newly-entered illegitimate child being taken for a walk by his older brother to familiarize himself with the household environment was completely reasonable.

Li Zhiyuan had no intention of probing or observing the other three houses; Zhao Yi had already handled those tasks. He was genuinely there to appreciate the architectural aesthetics of the Zhao family residence.

This outer residence of the Zhao family was restored following the same scale as the ancestral home in the mountains. The existing ancestral homes either weren't adequately maintained or were simply rebuilt by later generations. Finding one that retained its original essence was very difficult.

Jiujiang has always been rich in culture; things truly rooted in cultural heritage can withstand the test of time without concerns of becoming trendy or obsolete.

As they strolled, Li Zhiyuan and Run Sheng naturally arrived at the Zhao Family Ancestral Hall.

The ancestral hall has always been central in ancient architecture. The Zhao Family Ancestral Hall features eaves that soar on both sides, with a low arch in the middle symbolizing a peng awaiting flight. The moment one ascends the steps, it carries an intense sense of oppression.

The restrictions and arrays here were also the most abundant in the entire residence, though certainly incomparable to the old ancestral home in the mountains.

Crossing the steps and entering, the offering table was carved with a coiling dragon, twisting upward, seemingly enveloped in rain and mist, slim above and wide below. The dragon head held a solitary tablet: Zhao Wuyang.

The subsequent sections were tablets of the direct descendants of the Zhao family through the ages.

Apart from the entrance, the three walls were neatly adorned with paintings, offering tables, and even stone inscriptions documenting their life stories.

Li Zhiyuan circled the coiling dragon and scanned around. Those who had tablets here were considered "figures," yet even with embellishment, it was hard to discern what made them significant.

Being good at management is beneficial, but solely focusing on management, though it can prevent decline, lacks that majestic grandeur.

Ultimately, it felt that the only genuine figure in the entire ancestral hall was Zhao Wuyang on the dragon head.

However, Zhao Wuyang belonged to the era of Jianghu. His presence in the Zhao Family Ancestral Hall was merely due to the later generations casually claiming kinship due to the shared surname.

Grandma Liu's offering table, narrow and simple, squeezes into wherever she resides.

Yet even Alii's dream of a completely cracked and dilapidated offering table has a scope that this Zhao Family Ancestral Hall cannot compare.

True ancestral legacy needs no towering, opulent display.

What people truly revere isn't the name on the tablet, but the story that name represents.

Li Zhiyuan drew out three sticks of incense, lighting them with the candle, and offered them to Zhao Wuyang.

From behind, footsteps approached — light but deliberately exerting a presence, as if challenging the hearing of the person inside.

Li Zhiyuan pretended not to notice and silently completed the incense offering ritual.

"Not bad, born outside but returning to the family's door, understanding the importance of offering incense and honoring ancestors is evidence of being a sensible child."

The newcomer was Zhao Shan'an, Family Head of the Zhao family, father of the fourth house.

Zhao Yi had interacted with him, concluding that... he was a fake.

This person was the most noteworthy.

Because the other four houses could bring their wives and children to the ancestral worship, accommodating entire teams.

Zhao Shan'an hadn't remarried, nominally leading the ancestral worship, but he could only go alone in practice.

Therefore, this impostor was highly likely to walk Jianghu alone.

Later on, anyone who walks Jianghu alone is, without exception, very powerful.

Zhao Shan'an was at least the present-day Family Head of the Zhao family, assumably the strongest in the outer residence, yet he was quietly replaced.

Moreover, this guy was very confident, leisurely hosting "his" birthday banquet while observing the "sons of the fourth house."

Zhao Shan'an approached Li Zhiyuan and reached out to pat the young boy's head.

In an instant, his eyes sharpened, momentarily exuding an aura.

This was the probing Zhao Yi had mentioned.

Li Zhiyuan did not employ the Zhao Family's Secret Technique to respond; he made no response.

A newly returned illegitimate child from outside wouldn't have already mastered the Basic Technique — that would be the greatest flaw.