[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-if-you-will-not-reject-me-i-wish-to-bow-and-take":3,"chapter-if-you-will-not-reject-me-i-wish-to-bow-and-take-if-you-will-not-reject-me-i-wish-to-bow-and-take-chapter-20":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","If You Will Not Reject Me, I Wish to Bow and Take You as My Adoptive Father",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2276747,4454,"Chapter 20: Hengsha Pass","if-you-will-not-reject-me-i-wish-to-bow-and-take-chapter-20",20,"\u003Cp>Xiao Yu left the desert for the first time in her life and encountered the civilized lands of this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was a little disappointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, Hengsha Pass was not as majestic as she had expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The city walls were only over three zhang high, worn and dilapidated, with peeling plaster and cracks in the structure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention a divine-magic world like Journey to the West, even compared to the mighty passes of her past life’s materialist world, it was far inferior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Hengsha Pass was not large enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After entering the pass with Xiang Huchen and standing on the street, she could see the opposite wall and gate at a glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The buildings inside the pass were old and ruined, and the pedestrians were sparse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for Hengsha Pass’s superior geography—with two rugged mountain ranges stretching a thousand li each on either side, blocking the northern wilderness from the southern fertile lands—it would merely be an ordinary border town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the soldiers guarding the pass were unprofessional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They did not enforce strict guard duties at all, gathering in groups of three or five to sunbathe and chatter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was after the Thirty-Six States Rebellion!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when the black-armored cavalry arrived at the gate and shouted up did the gate official panic and order soldiers to open the gates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They did not even check the iron cavalry’s entry token or Xiang Huchen’s personal identity plaque.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, you’re finally back! The northern desert is cold and perilous; these past half-months must have been terribly hard on you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Xiang Huchen even dismounted, a plump middle-aged man in the guise of a steward ran over, knelt beside Chiyan’s steed, and showered him with warm inquiries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Zhong, is Lord Rongyang inside the pass?” Xiang Huchen asked, reining in his horse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guan Zhong stepped closer and whispered: “Just two days after you left with the Iron Cavalry, the new monarch of Giant Elephant State was assassinated—apparently linked to the remnants of Lu State...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice dropped even lower, nearly pressing his lips against Xiang Huchen’s saddle—the stallion was towering, and his height barely reached the saddle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though the Thirty-Six States Alliance has collapsed, no state is at peace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who doesn’t have loyal servants?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The royal houses that had ruled for a thousand years possessed deep foundations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Visible power is easy to eradicate, but hidden cards concealed in the shadows—only their own lords can fully understand them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I received a wax-sealed letter from the Elder Master, a rumor he heard in the Shu King’s palace: those damned rebels have reformed the ‘Thirty-Six States Anti-Qin Blood Assassination Alliance.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ‘Blood Assassination Alliance’ no longer attacks our Great Shu, but has become even more dangerous—specializing in assassinations and ambushes, targeting the new monarchs and royal families installed by Great Qin in each state.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially those nobles who came from Great Qin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Lord Rongyang soon left Hengsha Pass again, rushing northwest to quell unrest and stabilize the new regime of Giant Elephant State.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...In just half a month, Lord Rongyang slaughtered another 150,000 in Xiang City—wait, who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Guan Zhong spoke of Lord Rongyang once again becoming a “human butcher,” his expression turned strange, his voice dropping even lower, his head leaning closer to Xiang Huchen’s waist as if to whisper against his armor—then his gaze collided with a pair of glittering almond eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yu poked her small head out from beneath Xiang Huchen’s cloak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guan Zhong startled back two steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Zhong, I’m ‘Guan Yu.’ My righteous father took pity on me and brought me out of the wilderness, back into civilization. Ah, just call me Xiao Yu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guan Yu—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—What a fierce name! And “righteous father”? The Master’s adopted daughter? Why?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guan Zhong’s stout frame trembled slightly; his doubts deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he was the most seasoned and shrewd steward of the Guan household, Xiang Huchen’s personal attendant, possessing both depth and experience—he was startled by Xiao Yu’s surprise but did not neglect his duties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In about three or five days, Lord Rongyang will return to our Western Shu, but he won’t pass through Hengsha Pass.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Lord will go directly to Feixian Ferry, cross the river back to ‘Luo Capital,’ or head to Tianmen Town’s Shahe Pass.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Huchen frowned: “In just half a month, Lord Rongyang resolved the Thirty-Six States... but where are the Thirty-Six States now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least he was certain “Shaqiu State” was utterly destroyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sand Barbarians had neither the capability nor the opportunity to form an ‘Anti-Qin Blood Assassination Alliance.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The so-called ‘Thirty-Six States Blood Assassination’ was likely as inflated as the claim of ‘eighty thousand troops.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The rebels of the Thirty-Six States won’t be so easily resolved. During your absence, Lord Rongyang has been solely occupied with affairs in Giant Elephant State—he’s killed many, but the results...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a public street; discussing the well-known “Western States’ affairs” with his master was fine, but to “slander” Lord Rongyang would earn him a beating from the Snake Flame Whip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough, cough—Master, you don’t know: the Central Kingdom has dispatched another minister to cross the Liusha River; he’ll arrive in our Great Shu soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Rongyang’s return to Shu may also involve Tianmen Town, specifically to welcome the new noble from the Central Kingdom,” Guan Zhong said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who is this new noble? What is his status, that Lord Rongyang must personally greet him?” Xiang Huchen asked, startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guan Zhong shook his head: “This old servant doesn’t know. Even the officials in Luo Capital are unaware.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder Master specifically wrote to instruct Master to follow Lord Rongyang closely after returning from the Western Sand Barbarians—never leave his side again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you can learn anything about the great noble from Lord Rongyang, the Elder Master can prepare in advance for his reception.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve already been assigned to the Lord’s personal guard and will accompany him back to Great Qin—I naturally must stay by his side,” Xiang Huchen said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he not heard from Guan Zhong that Lord Rongyang would return to Feixian Ferry in a few days, he would have ridden alone directly to Giant Elephant State to join Lord Rongyang’s main force after submitting his “Western Sand Barbarians” campaign report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, in the Western Garden of Hengsha Pass’s Prefectural Office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Danzi, Xiao Yu is about to part ways with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yu pressed her hand on Danzi’s shoulder and warned solemnly: “Perhaps in the next few days I’ll come to see you, but we’ll likely end up in different places.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Xiang Huchen submitted his report at the Prefectural Office, the Iron Cavalry’s expedition was essentially complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danzi, as the “captured barbarian prince,” remained at the Prefectural Office awaiting further orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yu had just accompanied Xiang Huchen to meet “Prefect Zhang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Huchen informed the Prefect that he had received permission from the Central Kingdom’s envoy (Qingsong Daoist Child) to adopt Xiao Yu as his daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her status as “Guan Family’s Adopted Daughter” was now officially recognized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Xiang Huchen bowed to the Prefect and called himself “your humble general,” his tone was far from respectful—yet Prefect Zhang not only didn’t mind, he even flattered Old Guan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Prefect Zhang was not the true mastermind behind the “Western Sand Barbarians” campaign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danzi’s future fate will likely be decided by Qingsong Daoist Child or Lord Rongyang—the Central Kingdom’s nobles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ve finally left Shaqiu, Danzi—do you understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Auntie Yu, I don’t understand,” Danzi replied honestly, his face blank with confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yu felt weary—Danzi was still too young, only two and a half years old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he were already an adult, mentally mature... well, if he truly grew up, “Auntie Yu” wouldn’t bother with him at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once people grow up, they must rely on themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he were the son of an old friend, Xiao Yu would only offer a few words of advice and let him struggle, live or die as fate willed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only because he was so young, and out of affection for his grandfather, his mother, and herself, did she offer him a little pity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll teach you a few phrases—you must memorize them by heart.” Xiao Yu stared into Danzi’s eyes, as if imprinting her next words as a spiritual mark deep into his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May Great Qin be blessed forever, may the Emperor’s holy life endure without end...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t understand,” Danzi said blankly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Serve Great Qin. The Emperor is ten thousand years. Short. Got it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Serve Great Qin. The Emperor is ten thousand years,” Danzi nodded reluctantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yu taught him a few more blessings—Qin-style translations of “God bless you” and “You are very very gregeous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When facing nobles, best to keep your mouth shut, say nothing—just listen carefully and work diligently.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you absolutely must speak but don’t know what to say, first roll ‘Serve Great Qin. The Emperor is ten thousand years’ over and over in your mind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At all times, remember ‘loyalty’—loyal to Great Qin, sincere to its nobles.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Danzi’s face still half-confused, half-frightened, Xiao Yu felt genuinely helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You must obey—obey the words of Great Qin’s nobles, forever serve the Great Qin Emperor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She broke it down, mashed it apart, and chattered on at length.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She essentially made Danzi understand the four characters: “Obey quietly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, she made him memorize phrases like “May Great Qin be blessed, the Emperor ten thousand years”—even if he didn’t understand them now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He doesn’t need to understand now; when he grows up, he’ll naturally comprehend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What she feared was that he wouldn’t live long enough to grow up...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yu didn’t expect Danzi to lie low, endure hardship, and bide his time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hoped he would forget Shaqiu—though that was probably impossible; he might forget, but others would constantly remind him of his Sand Barbarian identity—she hoped he would fully embrace his identity as a loyal servant of Great Qin, wholeheartedly, with no delusions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A person must be useful to be used; only with value can one be deemed worthy of survival in others’ eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be useful to Great Qin’s nobles, one must possess talents others lack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danzi was too young; Xiao Yu saw no extraordinary talent hidden within him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, being too outstanding was also dangerous—trees that tower above the forest are struck by the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Xiao Yu’s view, the most “premium” talent for nobles was loyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how loyal you are, others won’t admire you—they’ll secretly mock you as foolish; but in the eyes of those who control your fate, no matter how loyal—even if loyalty borders on stupidity—it’s never a flaw, but a great advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, she was teaching Danzi to trade loyalty for survival—not because she herself believed in loyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that she had finally stepped into the dazzling outside world, she felt the spirit of testing her “Great Annihilation Dad’s” sword against the heavens—how could she possibly become a loyal servant?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet she would dress herself as the most faithful, filial daughter in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Loyalty was both the “universal survival method” she prepared for Danzi and her own advertisement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yu understood: no matter when, no matter how quietly she spoke, her conversations with Danzi would be heard and recorded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Mu carved “Jing Zhong Bao Guo” on Yue Fei’s back—the world didn’t know Yue Mu, yet all revered her loyalty and righteousness; if the world ever learns of Auntie Yu, they will surely praise Auntie Yu’s loyalty and righteousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just then, after giving Danzi a stern lecture, Xiao Yu crossed the stone sculpture screen wall and saw Qingsong the Daoist acolyte standing by the outer gate, arms folded behind his back, smiling warmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yu silently praised herself, then put on a look of delighted surprise and bowed respectfully. “Old Ancestor, I’m so happy to see you again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re doing well—clever indeed. Among the princes and royal youths accompanying this little Daoist back to Great Qin, your nephew will likely survive the longest,” Qingsong the Daoist acolyte chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Xiao Yu notice that along the long corridor behind Qingsong stood more than thirty young acolytes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some wore luxurious robes; others, like Danzi, dressed as “barbarians.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others were plain children in coarse hemp and blue cotton.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their ages varied widely—some as young as four or five, seven or eight; others older than Xiao Yu, appearing sixteen or seventeen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Ancestor, Danzi is honest but foolish—if he fumbles and makes a mistake, please punish him severely!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yu bowed again, then took her leave voluntarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Huchen was still waiting outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Iron Cavalry Camp would remain at the Prefect’s residence for rest; the Guan family had their own trading house and mansion in Hengsha Pass—living in their own grand estate would surely be far more comfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Righteous Father, I saw Old Ancestor Qingsong...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yu trotted behind Chiyan’s steed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving the Prefect’s residence, Xiang Huchen no longer let her ride with him.\u003C\u002Fp>",2151,"2026-06-20T00:29:13.334Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","1ba1dcfca089ee16a1cee58b98e0c3069bd7e8fbcca433588e56c3908e10f050","if-you-will-not-reject-me-i-wish-to-bow-and-take-chapter-21","if-you-will-not-reject-me-i-wish-to-bow-and-take-chapter-19",840,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fif-you-will-not-reject-me-i-wish-to-bow-and-take-cover.jpg"]