Victor Fan hesitated, quietly watching Cecilia's back, his mind filled with thoughts of his disciple, Eugene Henderson.
"How can I see you again?"
"I've written down all the Henderson Family matters on bamboo slips. If the child is a boy, he will have to uphold everything about the Hendersons."
"A year is just waiting, a hundred years is still waiting. Time means nothing to ghosts. Mr. Wraithshade already told me: after death, Victor Fan is at Cecilia's mercy."
Victor Fan lowered his head, silent, and nodded.
Cecilia smiled sweetly and placed her hands on Victor Fan's shoulders.
"Victor, Cecilia only hopes you can do one thing for me."
"What is it?"
Cecilia stepped away from Victor Fan, turned her back to him, and began to smile wickedly.
"The child soon to be born into the Henderson Family shares my fate—disaster is written in their destiny, and even after death, there will be no peace. So, Victor, all you need to do is hide this Belle sword beneath the mute girl's bed. Then we can meet again. Your life may be turbulent, but you will live long. Cecilia is growing impatient."
"Victor, in times like these, being born is worse than dying in the womb. The child will bring a storm of blood and chaos to the Henderson Family. Do you really want to see the Hendersons fall into ruin?"
As Cecilia spoke, Victor Fan shook his head.
"A year is just waiting, a hundred years is still waiting. Time means nothing to ghosts. Mr. Wraithshade already told me: after death, Victor Fan is at Cecilia's mercy."
Victor Fan bowed, but suddenly Cecilia cried out, rushed over, and grabbed Victor Fan by the throat.
"Victor, I've missed you so much, I can't wait any longer. Haven't you missed me too? It hurts, Victor. In here, there's nothing. I'm suffering all alone."
Victor Fan woke up drenched in sweat. He looked at his sleeping wife, then got up and went outside, his face full of sorrow as he gazed at the star-filled sky.
"A long life, is it? That's just what Mr. Wraithshade said—I will live a long life."
"Teacher, it's so late. Is something troubling you?"
Behind him, Eugene Henderson's voice made Victor Fan immediately suppress his sorrow.
"I have no worries, just can't sleep tonight. But what about you, Eugene?"
The master and disciple hadn't had a proper conversation in a long time.
"I've written down all the Henderson Family matters on bamboo slips. If the child is a boy, he will have to uphold everything about the Hendersons."
Victor Fan looked at Eugene Henderson, a wave of sadness passing through his heart. He felt sorrow for the child who would soon be born, already burdened with the family's expectations before even entering the world.
According to the doctor's diagnosis, it should be a boy. The whole Henderson Family was delighted—this was their hope, the continuation of their lineage.
Seeing Eugene Henderson seem to have something on his mind, Victor Fan spoke up.
"Go ahead, Eugene. What do you want to ask of me?"
With a thud, Eugene Henderson knelt before Victor Fan and kowtowed three times.
"Teacher, for all your guidance and everything you've done for me, I can never repay you in this life. What I want to ask is, when this child grows up a bit, please teach him with care. Don't let him become a restless failure like me."
Victor Fan nodded silently. He knew Eugene Henderson probably wouldn't wait for the child to be born before heading to Charlesburg. Now that the Henderson Family's lineage was secure, the entire family needed him to act for their future.
"Please, teacher, be strict in guiding this child in the future."
Eugene Henderson bowed once more, then left—his mind clearly made up.
As for the name, he still hadn't decided. He originally wanted Victor Fan to name the child, but Victor refused.
One day, everyone in Henderson Village came out to see Eugene Henderson off as he left for Charlesburg. Maggie Mute didn't shed a single tear; she simply watched quietly. This brief year had been something she never thought she'd have, yet she did. She stroked her pregnant belly, slowly stepping forward, as if to bid her husband, Eugene, a final farewell.
This time, the odds were against him. Even if Eugene Henderson succeeded, he'd be branded a traitor—a man who betrayed his lord. In these times, that was the greatest taboo, and Eugene had decided to bear it all.
Even if he succeeded, there would be no place for Eugene Henderson in this world.
In the long river of history, those who betray their lords never meet a good end. They are always despised by all, and no ruler ever shows mercy to such people.
Victor Fan knew this all too well. He'd once considered betraying King Gavin. During his two years as a hostage, he accompanied Gavin through humiliation. Someone once urged him to betray Gavin—a confidant of Frederick.
The stakes were simple: if Gavin's closest companion claimed Gavin still harbored hatred, Frederick could rightly kill Gavin and seize the Yue Kingdom.
But that was taboo. Gavin never crossed that line, though he thought about it but didn't dare. Even if loyalty only earned cold words or a death sentence from his lord, a servant could only die willingly. At this moment, Victor Fan thought most of his friend, Winston Grant.
He'd heard that after Winston Grant gave Gavin the poisoned wine, he drank it himself, without regret.
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Even if such things are done in secret, even if the betrayal succeeds, the traitor never meets a good end—there are rarely any good outcomes.
As Eugene Henderson headed for Charlesburg, the Henderson Family sent letters to the Chu Kingdom, preparing for the possibility of chaos in the Cao Kingdom. The Johnson Family's request was decisively refused by Henry Henderson.
"Eugene, you've already..."
"Teacher, in this life, I can't repay you. I hope in the next life, I can serve you as a beast of burden."
Eugene Henderson left, his figure growing more distant. Victor Fan's heart was complicated and melancholy. Once again, he watched someone he cared about leap into the fire, powerless to stop it.
After Eugene Henderson left, Henderson Village returned to its usual bustle. Victor Fan, however, was restless, often checking on the soon-to-deliver Maggie Mute.
The child's name was decided: Quentin Henderson. Two simple characters, with three meanings: First, that the Henderson Family must never forget Arthur Jian, their great nemesis. Second, that the whole family should remember Eugene Henderson, who bore infamy for their future. Third, that in the mountains, Eugene had resolved to leave, but Maggie Mute brought him back.
"This child was born carrying such a heavy burden. Maggie Mute, I will help you teach him well in the future."
Looking at the soon-to-deliver Maggie Mute, Victor Fan spoke. Maggie nodded, gently stroking her belly. On the paper, she wrote a few words—characters Eugene Henderson had taught her in the past year. She could write many now, and from here on, Victor Fan would take over teaching her.
It's fine. This child is strong, just like his father.
All night, Victor Fan was plagued by nightmares. He couldn't sleep or eat, tormented by the weight of both conscience and responsibility.
He understood that Maggie Mute meant the child was as fearless as Eugene Henderson—able to bear any burden, no matter how heavy.
Gradually, Victor Fan recalled what Cecilia had said about the child's future. One afternoon, he entered Maggie Mute's room, the Belle sword in hand, still hesitating and torn.
He couldn't bear to see someone he loved lose everything again for any cause. With a clang, Victor Fan shoved Belle under Maggie Mute's bed and left.
"This is fine. It's better this way. Rather than be born into such an era, under such pressure, it's better not to be born at all. As a girl, she can end all this."
After days of pain, Maggie Mute's child, Quentin Henderson, was about to be born. Yet in his dream, Victor Fan saw Cecilia's joyful smile. Cecilia told him the child would be herself—a girl.
When the time came, they could simply say the doctor misdiagnosed, and cover things up—ending all this so-called responsibility and family mission.
At that moment, a beggar arrived at the village entrance, loudly demanding to see Victor Fan.
Victor Fan ran over excitedly—it was Winston Grant. He had returned, looking exactly the same as twenty years before, not having aged at all. The two men clasped hands in excitement.
Everyone in the Henderson Family was waiting, hoping for the birth of the child who carried all their hopes. Winston Grant and Victor Fan drank together.
"Victor Fan, is something weighing on you? It might help to talk about it."
Victor Fan took a deep drink, his face full of sorrow. Slowly, he began to tell Winston Grant everything, bit by bit.
With a bang, Winston Grant's face twisted in anger. He stood up, threw down his wine bowl, and grabbed Victor Fan by the collar.
"Victor, who decided this? Heaven? Earth? To rob someone of the right to live before they're even born—is that your cowardice, Victor? That child, no matter what hardships await, it's their life. Outsiders can't just say a word and remove their burden as if that explains everything..."
As Winston Grant spoke, with a swish, he drew a treasured sword. Thunder roared overhead, blood-red lightning slashed through the sky, and waves of red light illuminated the earth.