Chapter 166: Will an Old Friend Return?

"Enough, you may step out now."

After waving the page boy away, Minister Meng turned to look at Minister Sun.

"Old Sun, say something, will you!"

Minister Sun cast him a leisurely glance.

"What's the rush?"

"He wants to borrow troops from them, but they may not even be willing to lend them."

……

The news from the Capital was carried by fast horses to every corner.

Upon receiving the news, the Cheng Family were so astonished they were speechless for quite a while.

"What—what was he thinking?"

Cheng Qiuluo felt that anyone who wasn't out of their mind would have a hard time coming up with such a scheme.

"Has his brain gone soft?"

The others nodded in deep agreement.

Cheng Old Madam, however, wore a calm expression as she looked toward Cheng Chengxuan.

"Is everything packed?"

"Mm."

Cheng Old Madam looked toward the door.

"Then let's set off!"

Cheng Chengxuan nodded solemnly.

"Yes."

Watching her second brother's back as he led the others away, Cheng Qiuluo grew a little excited and looked at her grandmother with eager anticipation.

"Grandmother, what about us?"

"What's the rush? It's not time yet."

After saying this unhurriedly, Cheng Old Madam took Yu'an's little hand and walked out of the main hall.

Only after the figures of the old and the young had disappeared from sight did Cheng Qiuluo dare to pout and mutter under her breath.

"Still have to wait—how long are we supposed to wait?"

Cheng Qiuruo patted her shoulder.

"Grandmother has her own considerations. The timing must not be right now."

"Rushing won't help either. We'd better use this time to make more preparations."

Then Cheng Qiuruo walked briskly toward the Kufang.

She needed to prepare more gunpowder.

The others all got busy as well.

Seeing this, Cheng Qiuluo also rushed out of the courtyard and headed up the Mountain.

Her sister was right—she needed to go keep training Da Huang and the others!

While the Cheng Family were making intense preparations, on the other side of the Snow Mountain, in Muyuan Kingdom—

Inside the Imperial Study of the palace.

Shang Gu, clad in a black-and-gold dragon robe, held the Da Yin Emperor's state letter in one hand and the secret letter from the Cheng Family in the other.

Suddenly, a young eunuch came in to report.

"Reporting to the National Lord, the National Preceptor requests an audience."

Shang Gu casually tossed the state letter onto the desk and gave orders toward the outside.

"Invite the National Preceptor in at once."

After he ascended the Throne, the first thing he did was send for his Master, Daoist Priest Yuanchen, to come to Ducheng, and converted his former Crown Prince's Residence into Guoshi Fu.

"Master, what brings you here?"

Daoist Priest Yuanchen glanced at the desk behind him.

"Something weighing on your mind?"

Shang Gu helped him sit down in a chair, poured him a cup of hot tea, and said with a smile.

"There's truly nothing I can hide from you."

He brought over the two letters.

"Please have a look."

Shang Gu let out a derisive laugh.

"The Shunhe Emperor actually wants to borrow troops from our Muyuan—and a hundred thousand men at that."

After reading the letter, Daoist Priest Yuanchen's face remained quite calm.

Mm, very much the Shunhe Emperor's style.

"What are you thinking?"

Shang Gu gave a cold laugh.

"Lend them!"

"If he dares to ask, I dare to lend!"

"Only my Muyuan army is not some free hired thug he can summon and dismiss at will!"

Daoist Priest Yuanchen watched him with a faint smile.

"It seems you've already discussed it with that boy from the Cheng Family."

Shang Gu stared fixedly at him.

"Master, once you've chosen a path, you must keep walking it. Isn't that what you always say in my ear?"

As he spoke, his gaze was resolute, and a hint of dominance crept into his tone.

"Muyuan cannot remain a vassal of Da Yin forever!"

He held the Cheng Family's letter in his hand.

"Besides, the Cheng Family has shown me a great kindness. No matter the reason, I have to help."

Hearing this, Yuanchen Daozhang nodded with satisfaction, then a thoughtful look crossed his face.

"Speaking of the Cheng Family, two days ago, I cast a hexagram for them."

"The reading was very strange."

Hearing this, Shang Gu's brows knit slightly.

"Is there something amiss about this course of action?"

Yuanchen Daozhang slowly shook his head.

"Favorable timing, terrain, and support — what could possibly be amiss?"

"That's not what I meant. The hexagram shows…"

Yuanchen Daozhang let out a soft breath, his face puzzled.

"An old friend shall return?"

Hearing this, Shang Gu was briefly taken aback.

"Could there be another member of the Cheng Family who survived the battlefield?"

Yuanchen Daozhang did not answer him, but slowly rose and walked out.

Left behind, Shang Gu likewise wore a thoughtful expression.

……

Over in the Modern Era, father and son, who hadn't seen each other for a month, sat on the carpet, building blocks together, enjoying some parent-child time.

Suddenly, Cheng Sitao's phone rang.

He didn't know what was said on the other end, but Cheng Sitao glanced at Yu'an's small figure and nodded slightly.

"Understood."

After hanging up, he walked over to the little one with a smile, hooked his hands under Small Dumpling's armpits, and hoisted the little fellow high into the air.

"Mm! Hahaha!"

Suddenly lifted up high, the little fellow instinctively widened his big eyes, then happily grinned, his big eyes curving into two little crescent moons.

Small Dumpling joyfully stretched out his arms and waved his little ones twice.

"Haha, again, again!"

Cheng Sitao smiled indulgently and lifted him up a few more times.

"Alright, we'll play more later. Daddy has to go do something important. Does Yu'an want to come help?"

Hearing there was a mission, Yu'an's big eyes instantly lit up, and he nodded eagerly.

"Okay, okay! Yu'an will help Daddy!"

"Then let's change our clothes and go."

Yu'an pointed his chubby little index finger toward the door, strutting bravely — but his voice was milky, and every word made the baby fat on his cheeks wobble.

"Ace Squad, move out!"

In the parking lot downstairs, the little fellow was just about to climb into the car when his big eyes suddenly lit up, and he ran off on his short little legs toward a certain direction.

"Elder Sister!"

Seeing the little fellow barreling toward her like a little cannonball, An Luo quickly set down what was in her hands, crouched, and opened her arms, catching the soft, squishy Small Dumpling in a full embrace.

Then she buried her face in the little fellow's neck.

Snuggle!

A little milky dumpling — honestly, too snuggable to resist.

And the little fellow was whispering sweet nothings into her ear in his milky little voice.

"Fairy Sister, Yu'an missed you so much!"

"Missed you so much I couldn't even eat properly. Did Fairy Sister miss Yu'an?"

An Luo: "……"

Oh my god, who could possibly resist that?

"Missed you, missed you! Elder Sister missed Yu'an too."

The little fellow pointed at his daddy a few steps away.

"Yu'an is going to help Daddy. Does Fairy Sister want to come too?"

An Luo glanced at Cheng Sitao.

Would that be inappropriate?

Cheng Sitao said with a smile.

"Once things get busy, I might not be able to keep an eye on Yu'an. If Miss An is willing to come help, that would be wonderful."

An Luo nodded at him.

"Then I'll be in your care."

Then she curled her index finger and gently scraped the little fellow's delicate little nose bridge.

"Then let's go."

The little fellow bared his tiny teeth and nodded vigorously.

"Mm!"

An Luo and Yu'an sat in the back seat, chatting in soft voices along the small path.

Watching this scene, a touch of sadness crossed Cheng Sitao's face.

If only A Qin were here too—how wonderful that would be?

Thinking of this, a hint of urgency rose in his eyes.

Soon. Very soon.

Their family would be reunited very soon.

There were too many cars on the road; the intersection was jammed up. After waiting a few minutes, An Luo felt a bit stuffy, so she simply rolled down the car window for some air.

Looking at the long queue of cars outside, Yu'an opened his little mouth wide.

"So many cars!"

An Luo pinched the little fellow's baby fat, smiling as she looked at Small Dumpling.

"Yes, but we'll be able to keep moving forward soon."

Suddenly, she frowned slightly and glanced outside.

Had she just sensed a gaze filled with malice?