Chapter 6 — I am the Fourth Thien Co

“My real treasury.”

“It's not just about silver.”

“Inside there is a list of people who have taken money from me.”

I looked at those two lines of text for a long time. After a while, I slowly folded the paper again. Thuong Minh Chau truly does not disappoint as the richest man in Dai Chu. Others left money behind to escape. She left behind money, books, a network, and conveniently buried a trap for those who wanted to swallow all her efforts. I put the ledger, key and seal in my sleeve. But when I returned to Ninh Vuong Palace, my heart was not at all relieved. Co Thanh Hoa left the way. Thuong Minh Chau left behind silver. So what will Ky Truong Anh leave behind? I don't know. But my intuition told me. What she left behind was definitely not simple. We entered the secret room again. This time, we stand in front of the third painting. Ky Truong Anh in the painting is wearing a black robe, his hair is tied high, his eyes are so sharp that people don't dare to look at him for a long time. Two previous paintings. A hidden letter and diary. One hides the key and ledger. And this painting. I ran my hand along the picture frame. There are no organs on the left. There is no right organ. Let's try pressing the bottom corner. Still no movement. I frowned. Could it be that Ky Truong Anh didn't leave anything behind? A person who established military medicine, reformed grass, and established the Tay Canh secret line will absolutely not leave this game of chess quietly. We look closely at the painting. Finally, my eyes stopped at the sword at her waist in the painting. Not a picture frame. It's that the hilt of the sword is drawn more prominently than other places. I reached out and touched that spot. A very soft "click" sounded. The wall below the painting slowly opened. Not the room. Not the treasury. Just a small rock hole. Inside is an iron box. The box is very heavy. No pattern. There is no decoration. So simple that it looked like something brought out of a military camp. We open the box. Inside there are only two objects. An envelope. And half a piece of armor. I was stunned. Compared to Co Thanh Hoa, who gently wrote several pages of long letters. Compared to Thuong Minh Chau, he was both instructive and sarcastic. Ky Truong Anh left behind too little. So little that it makes people unconsciously stressed. I picked up the envelope. On the envelope there were only four words written. Fourth person. Not a sister. Not the lady. It's the fourth person. Indeed, very similar to the person in the painting. Inside there are only two lines.

“If you don't come back.”

“I will fight the final battle for you.”

I sat still in my seat. Haven't moved for a long time. Obviously just a dozen words. But I don't understand why. It's heavier than anything we've ever read before. Co Thanh Hoa told me not to believe it. Thuong Minh Chau told me to hold the money. And Ky Truong Anh. She didn't tell me to avoid it. Nor did he tell me to run. She gave me an unfinished battle. I bowed my head and looked at the half-piece of amulet in the box. Black talisman. The material is very cold. Above is engraved a falcon with wings. I have seen this symbol in Thuong Minh Chau's books. Tay Canh former camp. An army once followed Ky Truong Anh. After she was accused of being an enemy, that army was disbanded and her name was erased from the military records. But now. Half of this warrior talisman still remains. It's hidden here. That means Ky Truong Anh didn't just leave an envelope. She left someone behind. Leave the force. Leaving another path that Co Thanh Hoa and Thuong Minh Chau could not leave behind. Someone let tears again. Someone left money behind. Ky Truong Anh left behind an unfinished battle. I was just about to put away the military talisman. Outside the door of the secret room suddenly came the very soft sound of rolling wheels. My heart immediately sank. That sound is so familiar. Tieu Lam Uyen. I quickly closed the iron box, but before I could push the painting back, the stone door opened. Tieu Lam Uyen sat in a wheelchair outside the door. His eyes glanced at the painting of Ky Truong Anh. Then it fell into the box in my hand. In the secret room. No one spoke up. After a while, he slowly said:

“You touched all three of your things.”

I hold the iron box, not backing down.

“Do you want it back?”

He looked at me for a long time. His eyes are no longer cold like before. But still so deep that it's hard to predict.

“Do you know what that half-piece of soldier talisman represents?”

I bowed my head and looked at the soldier talisman.

“Representing Ky Truong Anh was not willing.”

Tieu Lam Uyen was silent. I look at him.

“It also represents that maybe she didn't really lose that year.”

His fingers placed on the wheelchair armrest slightly tightened. I suddenly realized something wasn't right. Tieu Lam Uyen knows. He knows more than he says. But before I could ask, my eyes accidentally fell on the inside half of the soldier talisman. Inside there is a very small inscription. So small that you almost have to get close to see it. I bowed my head to read. There are only six words.

“I have never admitted defeat.”