Chapter 194: Six of One, Half a Dozen of the Other

Cheng Chengxuan returned to the outside of the broken-down temple where the squad was temporarily staying.

Cheng Xin and Cheng Yao were anxiously waiting outside.

Noticing his figure, the two hurriedly ran up, looking him over with concern.

"Young General, are you alright?"

"Why did you take so long? Did something happen?"

"It was raining heavily just now—did you find somewhere to take shelter?"

Hearing this, Cheng Xin gave Cheng Yao a smack.

"Can you stop talking nonsense? Can't you see the Young General's clothes are all wet?"

Saying so, he turned and ran.

"This subordinate will go boil some hot water for you right now!"

Cheng Yao also ran inside after him.

"Then this subordinate will go find you a set of dry clothes, so you can change out of the wet ones."

Watching the two of them bustling about, and seeing the Cheng Family Army soldiers around them casting covert glances his way, their eyes also filled with worry.

Cheng Chengxuan smiled at everyone, a touch of warmth in his eyes.

He turned, looked at the night, sighed softly in his heart, and his gaze grew resolute.

Capital, I've returned.

……

At night, on the farm, Cheng Sitao was working the fields together with his well-behaved son.

"Yu'an, have you fetched the water?"

What answered him was a little voice full of energy, soft and sweet as rice pudding.

"Coming!"

Yu'an tottered toward the field, gripping a water bucket in both hands.

Taking up a small ladle, he began watering the cornfield.

Father and son were busy as could be.

At that moment, Cheng Old Madam arrived.

"Great-grandmother!"

The little one had just set down the water bucket, and now spread his small arms and ran toward her.

Cheng Old Madam laughed and crouched down, scooping the little one into a full embrace.

Looking at the mud smudges on his face and the specks of dirt on his body, she couldn't help but laugh and shake her head.

A little dumpling that usually smells of milk is almost turning into one of those—what do you call them—dirty buns.

She indulgently helped the little one wipe his small cheeks.

"Let Great-grandmother have a good look—who's this little calico cat, then?"

"Hehe."

Yu'an bashfully lowered his little head, his foot scuffing at a clod of dirt on the ground.

"It's Great-grandmother's, of course."

Having said that, the little one shyly covered his own flushed little cheeks.

Seeing how adorable the little one was, Cheng Old Madam and Cheng Sitao exchanged a smile.

The Old Madam ruffled Yu'an's little head.

"Alright, Yu'an play by yourself for a while, take a little rest, don't work anymore for now. Great-grandmother has something to discuss with your daddy. Once we're done talking, we'll plant together."

The little one obediently nodded.

"Mm!"

Then he bounced over to the side, sat down on a wooden stool, and quietly took out a lollipop and popped it into his mouth.

His little cheeks puffed in and out, his small mouth sucking away, savoring the sweet candy.

His big grape-like eyes squinted with pure delight.

Grandmother and grandson's gazes drifted away from the little one.

"Grandmother, Chengxuan and the others will be entering the Capital soon, and Zhou Old General has also led his men back to Nan Jing. The matters that follow can be left to him to handle. Shouldn't we set out as well?"

Cheng Old Madam's expression grew solemn.

"If that's the case, then let's move!"

"Oh my, my precious great-grandson! Your Great-great-grandfather has missed you to death!"

Yu'an lifted his little head from Meng Shilang's arms, blinking his big, drowsy eyes.

"But, Great-great-grandfather, didn't we just see each other yesterday?"

"Uh…my precious great-grandson, you don't understand. Isn't there an old saying? One day apart feels like three autumns."

"Let's not talk about that for now. My sweet, sweet great-grandson, this time, you absolutely have to save your Zengwaizufù, me!"

Hearing this, Yu'an immediately set his chubby little face stern, his delicate little brows standing on end. With one hand he tightly gripped his Great-great-grandfather's finger, and with the other he clenched a small sickle in his hand.

"Great-great-grandfather, don't be afraid. Yu'an will protect you!"

"Quick, tell Yu'an—who exactly bullied you?"

Meng Shilang: "……"

It doesn't need to be that serious.

"Ahem!"

"Who would dare bully me?"

"Do you still have that black, prickly stuff that makes you burp after drinking it?"

"Get a few more bottles for Great-Great-Grandfather."

The more she listened, the more confused Yu'an's little face became.

"Oh right, and cakes, chips, and little biscuits — bring some of each. You have no idea, that stingy old Sun actually got angry at me just because he didn't get any of these snacks."

Minister Meng went on and on, complaining away.

Yu'an pressed her little lips together: "..."

She understood now.

So... you were just craving snacks, weren't you?

Beside them, the grandfather and grandson who had been talking also fell silent, quietly watching this scene.

Seeing his father-in-law trash his own image over a few snacks, Cheng Sitao helplessly pressed a hand to his forehead, head aching.

This is genuinely... a little embarrassing. What do I do?

So... there's no one here his father-in-law cares about his image in front of anymore?

Does he have to be this shameless?

"Ahem!"

Truly unable to watch any longer, he coughed heavily twice.

"Father-in-law, let's talk business first."

"Oh, oh, right."

Noticing there were still others present, Minister Meng's old face flushed red. He rose to his feet, clasped his hands behind his back, and once again resumed his usual refined, wise, and dependable manner in front of outsiders.

The three members of the Cheng Family: "..."

"I've already found the person the Old Madam mentioned earlier."

"When she heard the Cheng Family had run into trouble, she moved house that very night and even changed her name. But that couldn't stump me — though it took some effort, I still found her in the end."

Cheng Old Madam lowered her head slightly and smiled her thanks.

"Many thanks, Minister Meng."

"For these next few days, I'll have to trouble Minister Meng to settle her in first."

Minister Meng waved his hand.

"We're real relatives — no need for such formality. Just rest assured, Old Madam."

With business concluded, Minister Meng hugged a big pile of snacks and happily went on his way.

Meanwhile, having helped Yu'an tend to the two plots of land, it was also time for Cheng Sitao to leave.

Multiple parties were all making intense, hurried preparations.

The Capital was no exception.

These past few days, both the Sun and Meng families had been quietly packing their luggage.

On the Dark Pavilion's side, disguised as an ordinary merchant caravan, they had already helped smuggle out over a dozen cartloads of belongings.

Of course, this also required the two families to send people to negotiate with the garrison troops — all the smuggled goods had slipped past inspection.

In the small hours before dawn this day, the sky was still dark.

At the back gate of the Sun Residence, Minister Meng waited anxiously by the Horse Carriage, craning his neck to peer inside every now and then.

"That old Sun, dawdling like that — why hasn't he come out yet?"

The moment the words fell, they heard a *creak* — the sound of a door bolt being slid open.

The Sun Family's grandfather and grandson, along with the steward, came out carrying five or six large bundles.

"I tell you, old Sun — so many days, so many cartloads, and you still haven't finished moving? How is there still this much?"

Seeing the few scrolls of books clutched in his arms, Minister Meng's eyelid twitched wildly.

"You don't need to bring these, do you? Just hide them well — we're not never coming back, after all."

Minister Sun glared at him.

"What do you know? These are all rare editions! I won't feel at ease unless I carry them on my person!"

Minister Meng shook his head and clicked his tongue twice.

"So fussy."

Minister Sun's eyes flicked sideways, and he immediately walked over to flip open the Horse Carriage curtain, revealing inside a chessboard, tea set, and all sorts of other miscellaneous things.

"Heh!"

Minister Sun gave a cold snort and glanced at him sideways.

"And you're any different?"

Six of one, half a dozen of the other — neither of us has any right to look down on the other!