Doted By The Regent King

Chapter 1767: Chapter 1705: Portrait

Wufu followed Hua Wushuang into the study, with Steward Mei attending beside them, and the servant named Ah Zheng, after serving tea, retreated to watch the door from outside.

Hua Wushuang took a scroll of painting from the bookshelf beside him and handed it over. Wufu, somewhat hesitant, took it and opened it. Inside was a woman with a faint smile, looking at her with a harmonious appearance.

"This..." Wufu’s hand hovered over the woman’s face in the painting, somewhat surprised, and said, "Did you have someone paint this?"

The person in the painting was Madam Zhou, and it bore a remarkable likeness to her.

"I painted it."

Wufu was even more astonished. To avoid damaging the painting with moisture or sweat from her hands, she only pretended to touch it from air, saying, "Hidden talent indeed."

The painting captured the very essence of Madam Zhou, demonstrating great skill.

Hua Wushuang pressed a fixture on the wall, causing half of the wall to slide open, revealing a secret chamber inside.

He walked into it, and Wufu thought for a moment before following him in.

In the chamber, several Luminous Pearls the size of a baby’s fist on the candlesticks illuminated the room as bright as day. On the walls, hung two paintings: one of an old man and one of a woman.

"This is my grandfather and my mother." Hua Wushuang pointed at the two paintings.

"Grandfather..."

Hua Wushuang took the painting of Madam Zhou from Wufu’s hand and hung it beside the two others while saying, "Since my biological father married into the family, he is naturally considered a member of the Mei family. Hence, I was born a Mei family member and bear the surname Mei. My mother’s father, naturally, is also called grandfather."

He adjusted the painting, looked at it with his hands behind his back, and said, "Your mother resembles the Mei family more."

Wufu walked beside him, compared the paintings, and after a while, said, "No wonder I thought my mother doesn’t resemble Xueli and the others or even Old Lady Zhou much."

"Not being full siblings, naturally they don’t resemble each other." Hua Wushuang looked at her and said, "You look more like Wu Lihong, but the essence is identical to your grandmother."

Wufu gazed at the person in the painting, adorned in splendid attire, with exceedingly beautiful features. The eyes slant upwards at the corners, displaying a sharp, decisive aura.

It was hard to imagine such a person would have had a romantic night with Old Scholar Zhou, and even willing to accept his care until giving birth to Zhou Meiniang before leaving.

Whatever thoughts she harbored while with Old Scholar Zhou remain unknown, perhaps she disregarded love and passion or considered herself like a man, enjoying just a fleeting moment?

No matter what it was, she is gone, and Wufu couldn’t surmise.

"I plan to open the ancestral hall in a couple of days and inscribe Changsheng’s name in the Mei Family Genealogy," Hua Wushuang remarked.

For some reason, Wufu detected a hint of tension in his voice.

But she didn’t dwell on it, her mind was focused on the inscribing of the name, falling silent.

Once the name is recorded, Changsheng would officially be a member of the Mei family, potentially Hua Wushuang’s heir.

And that inheritance, the Mei family is secondary; the main significance lies in the Eagle Hall as its Eagle Master.

"Are you still hesitating?" Hua Wushuang frowned as he observed her silence.

Wufu pondered briefly and said, "I don’t want Changsheng to bear such burdens from an early age, especially concerning the Eagle Hall."

Hua Wushuang looked at the paintings on the wall and said, "Don’t forget his destiny; if he becomes the Eagle Master, the entire Eagle Hall will be under his command, even if his fate is extremely cold and stern, who could threaten him?"

Wufu pursed her lips.

"To gain something, one must sacrifice, especially for a boy; sheltering him under wings will only make him a weakling, harmful instead of beneficial."

Wufu lowered her eyes and said, "If one day he says he’s tired, I will take him away."

Hua Wushuang’s lips curled slightly; she had agreed.