Section 51: Who Is the One Wielding the Hoe? (Part 2)

"Madame Serra, Amango once mentioned to me that you are a person worthy of great respect. Could you not consider helping this poor young man?" Wei Wuji asked with sincere earnestness.

Before him sat the mature and alluring Madame Serra. Since her return, Cecily had appeared extremely exhausted and seemed to be avoiding Wei Wuji, likely to escape further questioning. She had hidden away somewhere under the pretext of being unwell, and she was nowhere to be found in the residence that the Gallic government had specially arranged for Mr. Hegel.

Mr. Hegel was also absent. He had become a pivotal technical figure within the revolutionary army, presiding over the research and development of their weaponry. Before Cecily’s return, he had begun by expanding the small armory within the city, not only increasing the production of muskets but also restoring the facilities originally used by the experimental team to cast cannons; he had already begun trial production.

Cecily’s return had set his mind at ease, allowing him to dedicate himself entirely to the cause of the revolutionary army. Thus, Wei Wuji’s safe return with Cecily was no small contribution to the Hegel family and the entire revolutionary army. As for the female Smay, she was treated as an honored guest and temporarily provided with accommodation. Indira was not dissatisfied with this arrangement. Although she had encountered cold receptions and even pursuit by the orcs during her journey, she had originally shouldered another mission: to observe the conditions and movements of other powers on this continent. Mr. Abraham had specifically cautioned her about this as well. That was why, from the beginning, Indira had arrived at Heldasin first and traveled upward along the route, rather than arriving directly from the distant continent at the newly established Port Orleans, located just below the Gallic region. While that would have been closest to Mount Ctesibius and the fastest route, it would undoubtedly have caused Indira to miss many things.

"How do you expect me to help him?" Madame Serra sighed. She did not consider Amango the ideal candidate for a son-in-law, but if her daughter were to marry him, she believed the boy would at least treat Cecily with his whole heart. Her only concern was that she worried Cecily’s life might not be very affluent if she were with him.

"My friend, Amango, loves Miss Cecily deeply, and Miss Cecily seems to be in a state of conflict right now," Wei Wuji said, secretly observing Madame Serra’s expression. She seemed to be listening intently.

Wei Wuji continued, "It seems Miss Cecily has fallen for someone else. Did you know that, Madame?"

"What?" Madame Serra looked shocked. "How could such a thing be?"

"It is true. She confessed it to me," Wei Wuji nodded.

"Then... did she say who it was?" Madame Serra asked hurriedly.

Seeing that she did not know either, Wei Wuji felt deeply disappointed and said dejectedly, "No. I came to visit you precisely because I wanted to find out who it is."

Madame Serra shook her head. "I don’t think I can help you; I have no knowledge of such a person’s existence. However, Mr. Wei, since things have reached this point, perhaps you should return as soon as possible and try to console Amango."

Wei Wuji scratched his head. "I want to go back, too. As a practitioner, these matters of the heart are not something I can easily assist with. But if I cannot even clarify who Miss Cecily has fallen for, I won't know how to face Amango when I return. Even though he wouldn’t blame me, it would make me look incompetent."

"Madame, do you really not know anything at all?" Wei Wuji asked again, unwilling to give up. "Perhaps if you think back carefully, you might remember something?"

Madame Serra seemed startled by Wei Wuji’s persistence and stood up involuntarily. "What... what are you trying to do?"

"Please don't misunderstand; I don't intend to do anything," Wei Wuji said quickly, though he was truly frustrated and somewhat tempted to intervene. Since he regarded Amango as a friend, he was naturally biased and felt a sense of injustice on his behalf. He truly wanted to see who had stolen his friend's love; if the other party harbored ill intentions, he could take the opportunity to act on his friend's behalf, perhaps even swaying Cecily to change her mind. Wei Wuji dared not reveal this intention, as he felt constrained in matters of romance regardless of his abilities, and could only wait for an opportunity. However, he had to get to the bottom of it before returning; otherwise, if he went back and told Amango, given the young man’s character and deep love for Cecily, he would likely let go and hide in the shadows, wishing his beloved well.

Madame Serra, however, looked terrified, patting her chest as if she had been given a fright. "Mr. Wei, I know you are a man of great ability, but you really shouldn't interfere in such matters. I apologize; I was a bit rude just now. I am going to get some water."

Without waiting for Wei Wuji’s reply, Madame Serra lifted her skirt and walked toward the kitchen. Wei Wuji had no choice but to wait.

In the kitchen, Madame Serra picked up two cups, poured water into one, and drank it in one breath. She closed her eyes, and it took a while before she opened them, her chest heaving violently. Her gaze shifted to the other cup, and she hesitantly pulled a small paper packet from her bodice. Her expression was volatile; she looked at the empty cup and then slowly shifted her gaze to the wall. On the other side of that wall, Wei Wuji was still sitting there.

Finally, she shook her head unconsciously, tucked the packet away, filled the empty cup with water, and carried it out.

"My apologies, Mr. Wei. I still cannot think of any secret affair my daughter might be involved in. Our family discipline has always been strict; could you be mistaken about her?" Madame Serra handed the water to Wei Wuji, stood with her hands clasped together, and tilted her head as she looked at him.

"Perhaps I was mistaken then," Wei Wuji said with a faint smile. "In that case, Madame, I shall take my leave. But I really want to get to the bottom of this; otherwise, I will have no face to see my friend when I return."

"Why must you do this?" Madame Serra asked with a bitter smile, looking slightly uneasy. "I have been through this myself; human feelings cannot be forced. Even if they are tied together, it will only cause both of them pain."

"Thank you, Madame. I think it is time for me to go," Wei Wuji, seeing that there was nothing more to be gained, rose to leave.

"Wait." Madame Serra hesitated for a moment, then suddenly said, "Mr. Wei, although I still cannot recall anything, I don't think it is strange at all that someone would love Cecily. You know what a beautiful and lovely girl she is. Could you truly have the heart to hurt her?"

"I have no intention of hurting her," Wei Wuji sighed, looking directly at Madame Serra. "But to let Amango lose the person he loves most without even knowing the reason—don't you think that is a tremendous hurt to him as well? I am his friend; I do not wish to be unable to even tell him why."