**Chapter Translation:**
Cu Siau-thian let out a long sigh.
He sounded deeply troubled, "Because I've harbored fear in my heart for too long, I've grown accustomed to living this way. It's impossible to change overnight.
Moreover, everyone wants to live.
Who wants to die? If you anger Leng Souw-hiang, there's no other path but death."
"You said earlier that my father killed Hui Taiya and then killed Hiong-ki. The third person would be you. Is this just a wild guess, or do you have solid proof?"
"Of course, I have proof."
"Then please tell me."
"Wie Ceng came here earlier to warn me."
"Earlier?"
"Yes. He said if I couldn't restrain Tu Liong, and if Tu Liong continued to meddle in this matter, he would come to kill me before sunset."
"If you truly want to restrain Tu Liong, you just need to ask him, and he will surely follow your orders."
"But I am unwilling to restrain him."
"Why?"
"The younger generation has their own thoughts; why should I restrain him?"
"Very well!" Wie Kie-hong seemed to have made a sudden decision, "From now on, I won't stray far from you. I won't let just anyone come here and harm you."
"You?" Cu Siau-thian asked in surprise, "You want to protect me? You don't care if you have to go against your own father?"
"Everyone must do good for others. Public good and personal desires are always at odds. I want to ask my father directly why he is doing all this."
As he spoke, a house servant suddenly entered. He whispered in Cu Siau-thian's ear. Cu Siau-thian waved his hand, and the servant quickly left.
"There's a guest."
"Oh...?" Wie Kie-hong was momentarily stunned. "Don't be surprised, it's not your father. This guest is Thiat-yan."
"If that's the case, I should hide."
"Hide behind the cupboard."
Wie Kie-hong immediately concealed himself behind the cupboard. Just as he finished hiding, a woman's voice could be heard in the room.
"Cu Taiya?" Thiat-yan asked coldly.
"Not at all, I am not the master."
"I am usually called Thiat-yan, the daughter of Tiat Liong-san... Today, I come to ask for an explanation from you."
"Miss Tiat, please sit."
"Standing is fine... I just want to ask about an item."
"I know."
"You know? Please tell me."
"A yellow leather suitcase."
"That's right."
"If you wish to find that leather suitcase, you've come to the wrong person! That suitcase is not with me. I've never even seen it."
"Then with whom is it?"
"With Leng Souw-hiang."
Thiat-yan said coldly, "Cu Taiya, why are you doing this? Don't think of me, Thiat-yan, as a child. You are the mastermind behind my father's murder. The others are merely your accomplices."
"Please, Miss, consider this. I am just a nameless wanderer, while Leng Souw-hiang is the right-hand man of the Su-cen king. If we are compared, our statuses are worlds apart. Do you think he would listen to me? Or should I be the one listening to him?"
These words were not unreasonable. Power suppresses people; at that time in Pakhia city, Leng Souw-hiang indeed held a strong position in the government. How could he be controlled by a wanderer?
"So you say the yellow leather suitcase is currently with Leng Souw-hiang?"
"That's correct."
"Can you ask him directly?"
"Of course, I can."
"Alright! Then let's go."
"Go where?"
"Go find Leng Souw-hiang and ask about the item."
"Miss! Is your goal all this time to retrieve the suitcase, or to find out what really happened?"
"Is there a difference between the two?"
Cu Siau-thian replied, "Actually, there are two very clear differences between those words. If you just want to uncover the truth, I will surely accompany you to Leng Taiya's residence and immediately prove my words. If you want to retrieve the suitcase, you need to use strategy."
"Oh...?" All this time, Miss Thiat-yan had always held a subjective view of Cu Siau-thian, as he was the main perpetrator who harmed her own father. Now it seemed her view was wavering. Listening to his reasoning, it seemed inevitable.
"In that case, I'd like to ask for guidance."
"I don't dare offer guidance. Miss should first tell me your motivation."
"Of course, I want to retrieve that leather suitcase..."
"Do you truly want the suitcase, or the items stored inside?"
"The suitcase is my father's keepsake. Its value is priceless. Naturally, the items inside are equally valuable."
"I should first visit Leng Taiya so he doesn't get agitated. I will then ask him about the suitcase and whether the items stored inside are still there. If they're not, would you still pursue it? Whatever the outcome, I'll definitely return to inform you. How does that sound?"
"Is this a strategy to deceive me?"
"HUH...! This is not the right way to resolve the issue. I wouldn't do such a thing. Miss Tiat, please remain calm."
"Very well! How long until I hear your answer?"
"Tonight before the lights are lit."
"By then, I will surely return."
Miss Thiat-yan bid farewell and immediately left. Wie Kie-hong quickly emerged from his hiding place.
"Kie-hong! You must have heard everything."
"Hmm..."
"From my conversation earlier, you should understand a bit more about what truly happened. I am just a pawn. Leng Taiya is the one playing the chess game... Wie Kie-hong, do you know what was stored inside Tiat Liong-san's leather suitcase?"
"I don't know."
"Inside that suitcase were a hundred Eastern pearls."
"Oh... Eastern pearls? Aren't those pearls extremely valuable?"
"Given the current market conditions, one Eastern pearl could be worth hundreds of thousands in foreign currency. Tiat Liong-san lost his life defending this precious item."
"How do you intend to divide the hundred valuable pearls?"
"I don't understand your words."
"You helped Leng Taiya harm Tiat Liong-san to obtain these pearls. Did you not divide the spoils? Shouldn't the hundred valuable pearls be divided fairly?"
"At that time, we all depended on Leng Souw-hiang to survive in Pakhia city. Who dared to ask for a share from him?"
"You promised Miss Tiat that you would provide an answer before sunset today. When do you plan to meet Leng Taiya?"
"Right now."
"Then I will go with you. At the same time, I would like to ask you to inquire about my father."
Wie Kie-hong spoke with great sadness, "All this time I've lived in lies, in false affection. It would be better to expose everything at once."
Cu Siau-thian seemed to contemplate for a moment. He then said, "Wie Kie-hong, it seems unwise for you to accompany me. Everyone has their pride, like a tree has its bark. If you go along, you will surely wound Leng Taiya's pride. He might become emotional."
Wie Kie-hong fell silent. He contemplated Cu Siau-thian's words and then made a decision, "Very well! I won't go. I will await your news with Thiat-yan before sunset."
With that, Wie Kie-hong also bid farewell and left. Now he intended to meet Tu Liong. He should have managed to gather some information from his adoptive father, Leng Souw-hiang.
0-0-0
The two had arranged where and when they would meet. Wie Kie-hong went to the main road intending to flag down a carriage to go to the meeting place. But just as the carriage stopped, Tu Liong had already appeared to meet him.
"Tu toako, how did it go?" the moment he saw Tu Liong, Wie Kie-hong immediately asked.
"There are many people here, discussing it feels uncomfortable. We should go somewhere quieter, and then we can talk more thoroughly."
Eventually, they both boarded the carriage. They went to a teahouse. By the time they arrived, it was already midday. It was precisely the time when people came to the teahouse to rest. The atmosphere was even less conducive for discussion. So once again, they changed locations.
After reaching the main road, they again tried to find a carriage. After boarding the carriage, Tu Liong instructed the carriage driver to go wherever he pleased.
Seeing Tu Liong's deeply troubled demeanor, Wie Kiehong's heart became clouded. It was very apparent that Tu Liong had received some unpleasant news.
"Tu toako, what exactly happened to you?"
"I spoke at length with Leng Taiya, and throughout my words, he only said three sentences."
"And those three sentences were...?"
"The first sentence was that I should feel guilty towards you... then I should feel guilty towards Miss Thiat-yan. Lastly, I should feel guilty towards myself."
"What does it mean?"
"How would I know?" After he said this, no matter what questions I asked or how hard I pressed, he just closed his eyes and said nothing."
"Tu toako, I've spoken a lot with Cu Taiya...." After that, Wie Kie-hong recounted everything he had experienced. In response to this story, Tu Liong only spoke coldly, "Wie Kie-hong, do you believe it?"
"If you, do you not believe Cu Taiya's words?"
"I don't believe it."
"Why not?"
"Your father's martial arts aren't weak, but compared to Cu Siau-thian's skills, the difference is still vast."
---
**
Glossary:**
- **Taiya**: A respectful term used for someone with high status, like "Master" or "Sir".
- **Toako**: A term used to address older brothers or senior male figures, often translated as "Elder Brother".
- **Kopor kulit kuning**: Yellow leather suitcase.
- **Mutiara dari timur**: Eastern pearls, indicating valuable items.