Chapter 3, The First Encounter

Ning Jin was taken aback upon hearing this: "Blind!" He had shared a meal face to face with Xiao Chen, yet he had not realized that Xiao Chen was actually blind in both eyes.

"In a state of utter confusion," Bai Yingyu, who was just about to step forward to pay her respects, stood frozen in place, momentarily at a loss for how to respond. Before the incident involving Bai Baozhen, she had always been a refined young lady, living a life of seclusion, and had never encountered anyone speaking so disrespectfully.

Gongsun Ce nodded: "The student understands"

Xiao Chen suddenly frowned and said, "Go call Xiao Qi back."

My second elder brother's skills are truly remarkable, Mo Yan compared in her heart and hesitated, I estimate he should be about the same as Zhan Zhao. With him accompanying me to the capital, there is no need to look for officials anymore

Xiao Chen's expression turned cold, and he fell silent

It was precisely so that Xiao Chen keenly gleaned some useful information from it. For instance, he learned that his father's deputy general back then was named Sima Yang; his father also had a young attendant who had been with him since childhood, among other minor details

At this moment, only Xiao Chen and Bai Yingyu remained at the table

As expected of senior and junior disciples, they all emerged from the same nest, so arrogant. Ning Jin shook his head inwardly and then said: "I thought it would be more appropriate to seek assistance from the authorities."

The faint fragrance of osmanthus mingles with the aroma of tea indoors, creating a tranquil and gentle atmosphere

Xiao Chen said lightly: "Do they not have legs?"

Mo Yan awkwardly kicked the blue brick on the ground with her toes and hesitated, saying: "No, Second Brother. I promised Lord Zhan to ensure their safe arrival at Kaifeng Prefecture"

It was indeed his good fortune that, upon arriving in Yangzhou, he was staying at an inn and was in the midst of his meal when suddenly, a person rushed over, warmly tugging at his sleeve, nearly causing the dishes he was holding to fly out of his hands

The student understands

She asked in confusion, "Oh, then... where is she?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen's expression turned even colder, and his tone took on an irritable edge: "What, you received a worthless title and now consider yourself family with Zhan Zhao, disregarding me?"

As if seeing a faint candlelight in a mass of chaos, Xiao Chen slowly organized his thoughts and then closed his eyes to sleep

Bao Zheng fell silent again, gazing out of the window with a deep sigh

"If it hurts, just call out." He said淡淡道.

Xiao Chen frowned, clearly showing his impatience: "Did you not hear her say she was going to get some fodder?"

Xiao Chen interrupted her, saying: "Nonsense, how can a well-mannered young lady be casually touched by others..."

Xiao Shimei's safety was also a concern for Xiao Chen, and after some thought, he decided to head south to search for them. Anticipating that Bao Zheng would try to stop him due to his blindness, he chose not to inform Bao Zheng and left on his own.

Second elder brother! The voice is crisp and sweet.

What will they do?" Mo Yan was taken aback.

Xiao Chen could naturally discern such perfunctory words, but he was not an unreasonable person. Moreover, the two individuals before him had no prior acquaintance with his father. Given that it was their first meeting today, it was already generous of Gongsun Ce to speak so much to him. Therefore, he did not wish to impose upon them. Considering that he would be staying in Kaifeng Prefecture for some time, he decided to take his time to find a way to inquire further. Thus, he stood up, expressed his gratitude, and took his leave.

You have been led astray more and more during these days." Xiao Chen's face was stern as he gently turned Mo Yan's arm a few times, ensuring there was no harm, before sitting back down.

On this day, he learned from Gongsun Ce that Lord Zhang, the Minister of the Three Departments, had urged several times for Lord Bao to quickly bring Li Xu to court, but Lord Bao had stubbornly found excuses to refuse. This Lord Zhang even approached the Emperor, requesting the Emperor to urge Lord Bao, putting Lord Bao in a very difficult position

"Because I am blind," Xiao Chen said淡淡道, slowly turning his face towards her

My second elder brother's skills are quite impressive, not at all inferior to your family's Wu nanny. Mo Yan tried to smooth things over, "With him around, we..."

He seemed to be quite disgusted by her daze, and Xiao Chen could hardly be bothered to speak, merely nodding slightly.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the capital? How come you are here again?" Mo Yanqi inquired.

Due to having heard what Xiao Chen had said earlier, Bai Yingyu felt extremely awkward being alone with him. She took small sips of tea, occasionally stealing glances at Xiao Chen, only to find him sitting quietly, not only was his tea untouched, but even his eyes did not move, resembling a statue carved from ice.

Mo Yan smiled and said: "The governor of Yangzhou is currently not here. If it takes him three or four days to return, wouldn't that delay matters? It is truly fortunate that I can meet my second brother right now. I just want to remind you, please do not get into an argument with my second brother on this journey; he is not as easy-going as I am."

Mo Yan waved to Ning Jin and Bai Yingyu, signaling them to sit down at the table. Bai Yingyu complied without much hesitation, while Ning Jin was rather reluctant, hesitating for a while before finally sitting down sideways.

His tone was extremely sarcastic. Bai Yingyu, after all, was a young lady from a prominent family; how could she endure such baseless insults? She replied with slight annoyance, "Since you know, why don't you go find it yourself?"

Bao Zheng furrowed his brows and shook his head: "I do not know... By the way, this child has difficulty with his eyesight, but it is evident that he possesses a very stubborn character. I do not wish for him to be trapped in past events, therefore I am reluctant for you to continue speaking."

It is Mo Yan, and Xiao Chen's lips slightly curl upwards; it's good that this girl is fine

It is unknown where Mo Yan and Ning Jin have gone, and after a while, they have not returned. The thought of having to travel alongside this person makes her feel increasingly anxious at this moment

The next time he asks again, you should speak to him about his father's leisure activities, and refrain from mentioning the case any further

Perhaps, father is not as bad as he seems

"Well, he had something to attend to and left early." Mo Yan pulled Ning Jin and Bai Yingyu closer, "This is Liu Jin, and that is A Bi. Right now, I am heading to the capital with them... This is my second senior brother, Xiao Chen."

Ning Jin was almost thrown off balance by these words and was about to lose his temper, but when he looked up, he saw Mo Yan vigorously shaking his head at him, with a rare hint of a smile in his eyes, signaling him not to take Xiao Chen too seriously, so he had no choice but to suppress his anger for the time being

Do adults also believe that Xiao Yi was falsely accused back then

"I dislocated it," she said helplessly

He originally thought that upon mentioning the name of Xiao Yi, both Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce would undoubtedly reveal their disdain and aversion in their tone, and he had long been prepared to endure such contempt. He merely wished to learn a little more about his father from those who had seen him, as any information, whether good or bad, would be far better than the hearsay circulating in the martial world.

Apart from their appearance, there should be other outstanding qualities in a person that could evoke feelings of regret in Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce

Bao Zheng gently patted him and comforted him, saying: "I understand your feelings. In those years, Xiao Yi was so proud and dignified. Although you do not speak of it, you hold him in high regard in your heart. Naturally, seeing an old friend again brings joy to your heart. Regarding that case from back then, I also found many points of doubt, but unfortunately, I was powerless to investigate. I have always felt a sense of guilt towards Xiao Yi."

In the following days, life was quite peaceful. He even visited the prison to see Xiao Wu, Li Xu, and learned that Xiao Wu was doing well. However, during several encounters with Gongsun Ce, their casual conversations became much more restrained. Gongsun Ce did not mention a word about the case from years ago, instead diverting the conversation to trivial matters or asking about the reason for his blindness, inquiring if there were any remedies available.

His words caused Bai Yingyu, who was beside him, to turn slightly pale, and she lowered her head slightly

The window was half open, and Xiao Chen leaned against the bed, appearing to be resting, but in reality, he was meticulously recalling every word spoken by Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce

Ning Jin and the other person listened to Mo Yan obediently, not only refraining from retorting but also showing no intention of offering even a half-hearted explanation. They couldn't help but feel puzzled, unaware that Mo Yan had been accustomed to being reprimanded by Xiao Chen since childhood and had never dared to speak back.

When they reached the stable, it wasn't long before Ning Jin strolled over leisurely, glaring at her with displeasure: "Your senior brother has quite the temper, even more so than I do."

Gongsun Ce understood the situation and secretly regretted having said too much, so he smiled at Xiao Chen and said, "Many years have passed, and I can no longer remember clearly"

"... ... it's not that painful," Mo Yan gritted her teeth and endured the pain, casually saying, "It's a pity that Zhan Zhao is not here; last time he helped A Bi with her ankle, it didn't hurt at all."

In the study, only Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce remained.

Xiao Chen did not answer, but instead asked her: "Aren't you with Zhan Zhao?" Following behind Mo Yan, the footsteps of the person who came were heavy and slow, clearly not someone trained in martial arts; he could tell with just a slight listen.

"No, no..." Mo Yan hurriedly said, "This is all for the matter concerning Brother Wu." She then leaned close to his ear and softly explained the reason. Xiao Chen's expression eased somewhat, but he still said, "If that is the case, then let us proceed together. However, since I am here, there is no need to seek the authorities any further. Being with officials would only draw attention and make it easier to attract assassins"

Xiao Chen had not seen her for a long time and was quite concerned about her. At this moment, hearing her plead with kind words, his heart softened, and he chose not to say anything further. Although Ning Jin felt displeased, he managed to refrain from expressing his frustration in front of Xiao Chen. The group ordered their meals, hastily finished, and then had some tea. Just as they were enjoying it, Mo Yan took the opportunity to excuse herself to feed the horses, casting a glance at Ning Jin before slipping out the door.

Mo Yan was accustomed to seeing Xiao Chen like this, and smiled as she said, "They are not disorganized people... I can't explain it clearly at the moment, I will talk to you about it later."

A brief silence

"As an adult, I feel ashamed for the student's indiscretion." Gongsun Ce acknowledged that he had spoken a bit too much, feeling regretful.

Despite having dislocated her shoulder, she remained silent. Xiao Chen's already frosty expression became even colder as he stood up and moved to Mo Yan's side, supporting her injured arm and gently lifting it; the bone had already been reset.

Mo Yan slowly sat down, supporting herself with her hands. Although Xiao Chen could not see, he sensed that something was amiss

Hmm? She was taken aback, "Me?"

Xiao Chen naturally did not care who they were, and coldly said to Mo Yan: "Who are you associating with this time?"

"Second Brother, would you like to go to the capital with us?" Mo Yan moved her arms a few times and smiled at Xiao Chen

You are also considered to have a good temperament, Ning Jin secretly shook his head

However, Zhang Zhao and Mo Yan have not returned for a long time, and Bao Zheng is very worried about whether they can successfully obtain the evidence

The person beside her, dressed in the plain coarse cloth of an ordinary citizen yet still unable to conceal his noble aura, is Ning Jin, the Prince of Ning and the younger brother of Emperor Renzong; and the delicate and beautiful young girl, Bai Yingyu, is the daughter of Bai Baozhen, the Suzhou weaver who was murdered in the capital. She has come to the capital this time specifically for this case

Gongsun Ce once said that the motives of his father were not clarified at that time, so what could this motive be

That letter, that letter... He must know exactly what was written in that letter

Xiao Chen coldly interrupted her: "Whether my skills are good or not has nothing to do with them. Why do you meddle? Am I begging them for anything?"

Xiao Chen originally intended to go to Gusu to find her, but unexpectedly encountered her here, secretly relieved not to have missed the opportunity. At this moment, upon hearing Mo Yan's words, he had already agreed in his heart and simply said, "You will accompany me to the capital." The implication was that he was unwilling to travel with Ning Jin and Bai Yingyu.

Even though Mo Yan had just informed Ning Jin of Ning Wang's identity, Xiao Chen's tone remained unchanged, as indifferent as ever: "Since you believe that Xiao is incapable, please feel free to do as you wish"

It is all for the matter concerning Fifth Brother. Second Brother, could you please make an exception this once, alright?

Of course, do not be misled by his blindness, for it does not affect him at all...

The six pounds she mentioned, A Bi, are aliases created by Ning Jin and Bai Yingyu for convenience during their journey

Is your senior brother really that skilled?

What happened to your hand

However, contrary to his expectations, someone as sensitive as he was did not detect any tone of contempt; instead, he perceived a heavy sense of regret and sorrow in their words