Chapter 291: Old Friend

Chi Nan Yi hurried forward and checked his pulse.

"How is it?" Bai Lao looked at her tightly knit brows, unable to hide his worry: "Is he beyond saving?"

"He's still alive." She placed the pill into his mouth and helped him swallow it with Spirit Spring Water.

After a short while, the man's breath became much more even.

The knife wound at his waist was extremely deep; it was a mortal wound that, without treatment, would soon claim his life.

After washing the wound with Spirit Spring Water, she crushed the pill and applied it to the wound; the once gruesome cut visibly swelled down, even showing slow signs of healing.

Seeing the miraculous scene before her, Bai Lao's eyes brightened.

Her medical skill was truly astonishing.

Divine Doctor Si Yi.

Who exactly is she?

After bandaging the final wound, the man finally showed some movement.

"Cough cough…" He slowly opened his eyes, looked at Chi Nan Yi, and weakly said, "Thank you, benefactor. My father—where is my father?"

"Here!" Bai Lao hurried forward, still holding two uncooked wild chickens: "You stinky brat, I thought you were dead! Thanks to little brother Si Yi, otherwise your dog life would have been over."

Dog life?

Chi Nan Yi's mouth twitched.

Is this really his own son?

"I am Bai Yu, thank you, brother Si Yi."

Hearing that name, Chi Nan Yi's hand paused.

The old man is called Bai Shan, and his son is called Bai Yu.

Bai…

The veteran general of the Bai family, named Bai Heshan, has a son named Bai Yuqi.

How could such a coincidence exist in this world?

Looking again into their eyes, Chi Nan Yi finally recalled why, when she first met Bai Lao, she found his gaze so familiar.

His eyes were downcast, the corners slightly lifted.

These eyes were unmistakably identical to Mo Junyan's.

Seeing the change of expression in her eyes, the two Bai family members felt a chill in their hearts.

A flash of caution crossed Bai Lao's eyes; with one hand behind his back, he seized the broken blade hidden at his waist.

Chi Nan Yi watched them and halted her actions; at that moment, the cave was extremely quiet, with only the crackling of firewood echoing in her ears.

Beads of sweat subtly seeped from Bai Yu's hand, his eyes fixed on her without wavering.

After a long while, Chi Nan Yi whispered, "Since I am the savior of both of you, have you nothing you wish to confess to me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Bai Lao, you should be the head of the Bai family who was ordered to be executed by the Daqi Emperor a decade ago, Bai Heshan, right? And the one beside you is your son, General of the Daqi Tiger Camp, Bai Yuqi."

The two heard this and felt a heavy weight in their hearts.

Bai Lao tightened his grip on his twin swords, wary: "What are you saying? I don't understand."

Seeing their reactions, Chi Nan Yi smiled: "When I first met you, I felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. I thought perhaps we had met once before and paid it no mind, but now I finally recall where that familiarity comes from."

"Prince Li of Daqi, Mo Junyan, and… Qing Shan."

Their pupils contracted sharply, and their muscles tensed instantly.

"What are you talking about? We don't understand."

Chi Nan Yi heard this, gave a soft laugh, and removed the mask from her face.

The two stared at that extremely familiar face, unable not to be stunned.

"You are…"

"My father's compound surname is Situ, his given name is a single character Fu, and my mother's surname is Chi."

As the words fell, Bai Lao stepped forward, examining her in shock.

"You are… you are Situ Fu's child?" Bai Lao's eyes burned as he looked at her, his joy nearly spilling over: "Yes! Yes! You look exactly like your father!"

Looking closely at her face, Bai Lao laughed: "I always thought you were a little brother, never expecting you to be a young lady. I'm old, my eyesight is failing."

"I, the junior, deliberately pretended to be a boy, so naturally my gestures and movements resembled a man's."

"Heaven has eyes! Heaven has eyes! I thought the Situ family would be wiped out, never expecting you to be alive, your father…" Mentioning Situ Fu, Bai Lao's eyes reddened: "He saved my life many times; when he was gravely injured saving me, I never imagined that my old bones would cause his death."

"If one could die on the battlefield wrapped in armor, no soldier would feel wronged, but a father dying unjustly, murdered by a hidden plot, not only him but tens of thousands of soldiers who never fought…" Chi Nan Yi said gravely, "All this is the result of a massive conspiracy."

"Indeed," Bai Lao said admiringly, "No wonder you're of that boy's lineage."

"Bai Lao, you and…"

"What should I call you, Bai Lao? It feels distant. Since you are Situ Fu's daughter, just call me 'Grandfather.'"

"Yes, Grandfather Bai."

"Back then the Bai family was framed and betrayed, colluding with the enemy and selling out the nation. At that time the Emperor had just ascended the throne, the court was unstable, foundations shallow, factions divided, and the Emperor found it difficult to seize power. The Bai family had been loyal to the court for generations, loyal to the Emperor, never forming cliques or seeking personal gain, nor pretending to be a snake. They had long become a thorn in many people's sides, a target to be eliminated. Thus, they devised this plan." Bai Heshan sighed: "The Bai family could not defend themselves; the Emperor knew we were innocent yet was powerless. The Bai family was seized, sentenced to execution after autumn, thinking this life would end in a hasty conclusion, but just before the execution, we met a person in the Heavenly Prison."

"Who?"

"Your maternal grandfather, Chi Zhongshan."

What?

Maternal grandfather?

"How could…"

"I don't know exactly why your maternal grandfather was there, but he saved us. He brought several people whose faces were covered with human‑skin masks, rescued us from the Heavenly Prison, and helped us leave Daqi."

Chi Nan Yi heard this, and a storm of shock rose within her heart.

No wonder… no wonder the Chi Family would leave Daqi; it turns out there was such a matter in between.

But how exactly did the maternal grandfather accomplish it?

In and out of the heavenly prison, swapping death prisoners.

Any such thing is extremely hard to accomplish.

"I have already accepted the kindness of your maternal grandfather, and now you have saved the two of us, father and son; I'm afraid this debt of gratitude won't be repaid in this lifetime."

At that moment, the bedridden Bai Yuqi said weakly: "Girl, you just mentioned Qing Shan… what happened to him?"

Qing Shan is Yunfan's nickname.

"He is fine, but because he didn't know you were alive, he has always lived in hatred—hating the court, hating the Emperor, hating... Mo Junyan."

"Alas, these years have been hard on them, Ah Yan…"

"Prince Li is brave and battle‑savvy; I suppose he inherited that from the Bai family."

After a few chatted for a while, Chi Nan Yi whispered: "Grandpa Bai, besides the two of you, does the Bai family have anyone else now?"

He shook his head, sighed low: "No, only us remain."

Bai Yuqi gritted his teeth, fists clenched: "Damned Seek Dragon Gate, these chief culprits must be cut to pieces!"