Chapter 43: Yu'an: Did He Discover My Secret?!

"Quick, quick, quick, put me down right now."

"Hey hey, don't shake, don't shake!"

The voices gradually grew louder, tinged with a hint of panic.

The next moment came two 'thud thud' sounds of something hitting the ground.

"Ouch!"

"That hurts!"

Yu'an quickly ran outside following the sound, and at the base of the courtyard wall found Chen Yijiang sprawled out on his back with his two legs propped against the corner of the wall, as well as…

The little servant who had cushioned his fall.

Yu'an looked down at him.

"Weren't you sick? How did you get out here?"

Yi Jiang scrambled up from the ground, wincing, instinctively wanting to rub his sore bottom, but seeing the little sister in front of him, he moved his hand to the front instead.

No, that would be unrefined.

"Um…"

He lowered his head a little shyly and bashfully.

"I already know, it was you who saved me."

His grandfather and father had both told him, but in his view, since the medicine came from Little Sister's grandmother, rounding up, it was Little Sister who saved him!

Yi Jiang, with his head hanging down, didn't see that the moment Yu'an heard those words, her eyes instantly widened in terror.

What did he mean by that?

Could he have discovered my secret?!

What should I do?

Realizing this, Yu'an's heart was a panicked mess, so anxious she was almost about to cry.

How did he find out?

Fairy Sister won't be angry, will she?

Yet Yi Jiang opposite clearly hadn't noticed the little one's emotional shift; he was still lost in his own thoughts.

"Um…"

"Are you still upset? Can I apologize to you now?"

Not getting a response for a long while, Yi Jiang raised his head in confusion.

The moment he looked up, he saw Yu'an so anxious she was drenched in sweat, her face tense and at a loss, on the verge of tears.

Yi Jiang was startled and quickly stepped forward, looking at her with concern.

"What's wrong with you?"

Yu'an pressed her little lips together, her big eyes fixed tightly on him, her baby voice trembling, with a sob in it.

"Did you really see… does anyone else know about this?"

Yi Jiang scratched the back of his head in puzzlement.

What thing?

Suddenly, his gaze fell on the little wooden sword in Yu'an's hand, and he had a sudden realization.

It must be that Little Sister's elders don't allow her to practice martial arts, so she can only secretly train when no one is around, and he happened to catch her.

Yi Jiang immediately thumped his chest in assurance.

"Don't worry, I'm the only one who saw, I absolutely won't tell anyone!"

He would definitely help Little Sister keep her secret!

He really did find out!

Yu'an's heart sank with a thud, and the suspended heart finally died after all.

No, I can't panic!

He pursed his lips and thought for a while, then extended his little pinky, his little face set, staring at him with unusual solemnity.

"You have to keep your word, let's pinky swear!"

"Pinky swear… a hundred years no changing…"

The ceremony over, both little ones were very satisfied.

In the hearts of these tiny people, a pinky swear was the most solemn, most serious, most unbreakable oath.

The little one set her mind at ease, let out a small breath of relief, and said generously.

"I forgive you, but you must remember our promise, absolutely can't tell anyone."

Yi Jiang nodded hurriedly.

"Don't worry, my lips are sealed tight!"

Yi Jiang's heart was bubbling with joy; this meant he and Little Sister shared a secret now.

Only the two of them knew, this feeling was wonderful!

"Little Sister, let's practice together, okay? Teach me."

There were almost no peers his age in Beihuang City, and now that a Little Sister had finally come, he had a little companion from now on, how wonderful!

Hearing that form of address, Yu'an knit her delicate brows, very resistant.

"Call me Yu'an."

He was not a Little Sister at all!

"Okay, Yu'an, let's practice together, hurry and teach me."

Under the big tree in the courtyard, this scene unfolded.

Two children, one big and one small. The smaller one held a little wooden sword in his hand, while the bigger one clutched a tree branch, following behind the smaller one and mimicking the sword swings.

With every swing, he even added fierce sound effects.

"Hah! Ha!"

"Your stance is wrong. You should grip it like this."

Yu'an would also imitate the aunts, piping in a childish, earnest voice to give pointers.

The big one teaching seriously, the small one learning seriously—for a moment, the scene turned very warm.

Watching this from beyond the screen, An Luo smiled and shook her head.

Children's friendships—truly wondrous things.

Who could have imagined that these two little ones playing so well together had been at daggers drawn just yesterday?

……

In the main hall, the Chen father and son sat across from Cheng Old Madam.

Father and son exchanged a glance, then Chen Delin drew a deep breath, looked at Cheng Old Madam, and asked point-blank.

"Old Madam, when does the Cheng Family rise in rebellion?"

At those words, Cheng Old Madam's grip on her cane tightened slightly.

"You—"

As if knowing what she meant to say, Chen Delin spoke first.

"Old Madam, this old Chen has been holding a breath in his chest. If the Cheng Family means to rebel, count me in!"

He slapped his chest with a broad palm.

"Just like when the Old Marquis was still here—your subordinate will take the vanguard for you!"

Hearing this, Cheng Old Madam's heart gave a jolt.

Though Bei Huang was a place of exile, it sat at the border between two nations. Though Muyuan Kingdom had bowed in submission to Da Yin, it still had a great army garrisoned there.

But that army had nothing whatsoever to do with Beihuang City.

All the Chen Family could control were the few thousand city guards within and around Beihuang City.

But hearing him speak like this…

Chen Ying quietly cleared her doubts for her.

"What Old Madam does not know is that the commander of the Snow Mountain Outer Camp is actually my sworn brother. Thirty years ago, my father brought him back from the battlefield. Few people know of this."

So that was how it was.

Cheng Old Madam nodded in understanding.

Chen Delin added in a quieter voice.

"Three years ago, we discovered a mineral vein in the mountains outside the city!"

"After three years of accumulation, it can already supply new equipment for a hundred thousand soldiers."

At those words, Cheng Old Madam's breath caught, then quickened. She drew a deep breath to steady herself, then gazed out the window and said slowly.

"Then it all depends on when Da Yin falls into chaos."

Chen Delin gave a cold snort.

"When the Emperor tried to wipe out the Cheng Family root and branch, he should have known that the day would come when Da Yin plunges into great turmoil!"

"Just wait and see—there will come a day when he's the one panicking!"

The Shunhe Emperor was indeed quite on edge.

In the Capital, another day of Early Court.

No one knew where the rumor had started, but word spread that Pingnan Marquis Manor had been framed for colluding with the enemy and committing treason.

Then the news of the Cheng Family women's deaths reached the Southern Border Camp, and the Cheng Family Army began to stir.

In an instant, the Imperial Court turned into a boiling pot of chaos.

The Shunhe Emperor's brows were tightly knit.

Even he had only received the news three days ago—how had it traveled to the border so quickly?!

Who exactly was scheming behind the scenes?

Listening to the civil and military officials arguing in a clamor, the Shunhe Emperor grew increasingly irritated.

He slammed the armrest of the Dragon Throne heavily and bellowed.

"Have you argued enough!"

"Tell me then—how should this matter be handled?"

But the Civil and Military Officials all hung their heads low, and not a single one stepped forward.

The Shunhe Emperor grew even more furious.

These useless good-for-nothings!