In the inner courtyard of the Zhenbei Marquis's mansion.
Ge Jun watched the heir of the Zhenbei Marquis still looking hesitant, as if unwilling, while the situation outside grew increasingly urgent. To prompt a swift decision from the heir, he unhesitatingly struck the child in his arms, killing his own son with internal energy.
"My Lord Heir, my son is dead. Do not hesitate any longer. I believe the old Marquis would never betray the country or surrender to the enemy. With the current Emperor's foolishness, this is the only way to ensure your family's bloodline continues! I am still young and can have another son later. Time is short, please do not waver!"
The Zhenbei Marquis's wife, standing beside him, no longer persuaded with just her eyes but spoke directly.
After a few more minutes, the Zhenbei Marquis's heir, Su Yong, reluctantly agreed. Next came the exchange of the two children and their disguises. After these preparations were complete, Su Yong specifically divulged some of their family's hidden assets to Ge Jun, and cautioned him:
"If my son shows exceptional talent in martial arts in the future, have him join the Kunlun Holy Land. If he can break through to the Martial Saint realm one day, then tell him the truth. If his martial talent is ordinary, and he can only live as a common man, then do not reveal the truth or his heritage. Let him live as a wealthy gentleman and continue the bloodline. I implore you. For this great kindness, I shall repay you as an ox or horse in my next life!"
Ge Jun, moved, expressed his loyalty and then, with the help of the Zhenbei Marquis's heir and his wife, left the inner courtyard and returned to his own residence, the outermost area of the Zhenbei Marquis's mansion. He calmly awaited capture, hoping Emperor Zhangtai would keep his word. They would only kill the Zhenbei Marquis's direct lineage. Servants who did not resist would be spared.
After Ge Jun left, to make the imperial family believe the deceased child was indeed theirs, the Zhenbei Marquis's heir and his wife consulted briefly before formally deciding. The heir, Su Yong, personally struck his wife to death. Then, holding their child, he severed his own heart meridians and died, staging it as if they were unwilling to be taken to the execution ground and chose to die for honor.
When the Ministry of Justice personnel arrived, they found the family of three dead together. The coroner examined them and confirmed there were no issues. The scribe responsible for recording noted in his ledger that the Zhenbei Marquis's heir, unwilling to suffer humiliation, had killed his wife and son before taking his own life. Thus, the matter was concluded.
The relevant personnel took the bodies to report. Emperor Zhangtai, to save face, did keep his promise and did not harm the servants and guards in the Zhenbei Marquis's mansion who had not resisted. Those who had formally sold themselves to the Zhenbei Marquis's household were resold by the court. The others, who had not sold themselves, were beheaded after the Zhenbei Marquis's collateral branches were executed, and then allowed to return.
As soon as he was released, Ge Jun feigned a proper funeral for his wife. On the surface, the mourning hall displayed his wife's memorial tablet and coffin, but in secret, he continually offered sacrifices to the Zhenbei Marquis and the heir. After the funeral, he declared his deep affection for his deceased wife, stating he would never remarry and would dedicate himself to raising their child. This earned him widespread praise from his neighbors, who lauded him as a rare good man and felt his wife was fortunate to have married him, even in death.
Another six months passed. Feeling that staying in the capital was too dangerous, Ge Jun again used his wife as an excuse, claiming she had appeared in a dream, expressing regret that she never visited the Xiangnan water towns in life and wished to see them after death. He then departed the capital with his child and his wife's memorial tablet. Ostensibly heading for Xiangnan, he actually changed course northward shortly after leaving the city, intending to claim the Zhenbei Marquis's remaining assets. Only by obtaining those assets could he provide his child with the best education and daily tonics and medicinal baths from a young age to build his foundation.
It was during his journey north that Emperor Zhangtai officially activated the Fortune-Seizing Formation. He predictably broke through to the Grandmaster perfect realm, replenishing his foundation, but again failed in the final transformation to Martial Saint. The gathered fortune rushed northward, falling into the body of the orphaned Su heir. As he had not yet begun cultivating, this fortune greatly enhanced his foundation, potential, and aptitude. No outward changes were apparent, but he would soar once he began his cultivation.
Ge Jun, merely a congenital martial artist with no significant foundation, was unaware of these developments. After taking possession of the Zhenbei Marquis's remaining assets, he quickly left the north with his child and headed for Xiangnan, narrowly missing the imperial envoy sent by Emperor Zhangtai to search for the Zhenbei Marquis's remnants in the north.
Subsequently, he dedicated himself to raising his child. From the age of three, he began teaching the Su family orphan, whom he named Ge Huaisu, to read and write. At six, he started teaching him martial arts. At the age of twelve, he sent Ge Huaisu, who had already reached the congenital realm, to the Kunlun Holy Land. With his talent in reaching the congenital realm at twelve, Ge Huaisu was smoothly accepted as a disciple by the Kunlun Holy Land's Sect Master, becoming the highest-ranking disciple. He did not disappoint his master, breaking through to the Grandmaster realm at sixteen and achieving the Grandmaster perfect realm at eighteen, becoming the youngest Grandmaster in history. To help him become the youngest Martial Saint as well, the Kunlun Holy Land invested significant resources, finally enabling him to break through to the Martial Saint realm at the age of twenty-three, also becoming the youngest Martial Saint of the era. The Kunlun Holy Land's reputation thus soared, almost surpassing the Jade Pond and Pure Land Holy Lands, becoming the preeminent Holy Land in the eyes of many.
It was only then that Ge Jun revealed the entire truth to Ge Huaisu, telling him his real name was likely Su Yu and urging him not to forget to clear his family's name and seek revenge. Upon learning his true identity, Su Yu accepted his fate after a few days and immediately began using the resources of the Kunlun Holy Land to investigate the events of that year. With the intervention of the Holy Land's influence, the truth and the culprits quickly came to light. Su Yu did not personally kill Emperor Zhangtai but presented the evidence to his Sect Master, seeking his judgment.
The Kunlun Holy Land had already designated Su Yu as the successor to the Sect Master position and naturally could not tolerate their future leader being bullied or their family name tarnished. Therefore, the Kunlun Sect Master personally intervened, mobilizing the top aristocratic families and sects of Daqian to directly attack the capital, hold a public trial for Emperor Zhangtai, and hang him. The new Emperor, upon ascending the throne, had no choice but to posthumously vindicate the Zhenbei Marquis's lineage and enshrine the Zhenbei Marquis in the Imperial Ancestral Temple for worship.
Only then was Su Yu somewhat satisfied. The matter was thoroughly concluded. As the related news spread, Su Yu's story became widely known. Even Ge Jun, who had sacrificed his own son's life to save the Zhenbei Marquis's heir, gradually became a symbol of loyalty and righteousness. Countless songs and praises were sung. In later generations, a play titled "The Orphan of the Su Family" became popular. While people celebrated loyalty and righteousness, no one cared about the child who was beaten to death or his mother. They were nameless, faceless, and unpitied.