Chapter 324: You cannot!

"Jingdu might have something happen." Zhuang Wei looked at his parents, then gave a light smile, "Mom and Dad, I'm uneasy, I want to go check."

Zhuang Yan looked at Zhuang Wei; he didn't speak, not because he didn't want to go, nor because he didn't care, nor because he wasn't worried, but because the Zhuang Clan needed someone to hold the fort.

His parents are old, so he must hold Zhuang City; it's also their rear, a place they can retreat to.

"Good!"

"He's truly a son of the Zhuang Clan!"

Elder Master Zhuang looked at his two sons, burst out laughing, his whole body filled with ease; although his two sons are not suited for achieving great deeds, they are better suited to guarding the city.

But they are people with conscience; that's enough. He doesn't ask how big the Zhuang Clan can be, as long as they are benevolent and righteous merchants, that's fine.

"Zhuang Wei, you go."

The old man leaned on his cane and said lightly, "For all these years, although I'm old, my spirit hasn't aged!"

"Yes!"

Zhuang Wei left, taking a group of people, without a comfortable carriage or any attendants, just bringing trail rations—one person, one horse, a group—and vanished into the night over Zhuang City.

Before leaving, Zhuang Wei took a detour to the sandy ground; there, in a wooden hut, a man held a knife, carving wood, making wooden figures in all sorts of poses, but without faces.

"Han Bing, Jingdu might have something happen; this is a letter from Jingdu."

Zhuang Wei gave the letter to Han Bing, without hesitation, spurred his horse and rode off, raising clouds of dust on this sandy expanse.

Han Bing saw those few characters, his eyes narrowing slightly; it was the Emperor's handwriting.

What happened in Jingdu that could make the Emperor personally take up his brush and write this short note?

Han Bing immediately rose, tucked those little figurines into the house, then assigned all the sandy-ground matters to Donggua; as for the hidden matters, he gave a direction and gave a slight nod.

Then, one person and one horse, disappeared into the forest path.

He and Zhuang Wei did not take the same road; Zhuang Wei's group took the official road, their strength only allowing them to travel the official road.

But Han Bing took the mountain river small path; along the way his face sank as cold as ice, his whole body seeming to be in an ice cellar, the surrounding temperature terrifyingly low.

"Hand it over."

"Hand over the Jia Clan's mongrel."

"Hand over Jia Chuan."

I don't know when, but the soldiers outside still stood, while outside a crowd had gathered, each indignant, each raising their hands, faces flushed red.

"Three days......"

Jiang Yun Hui softly said a sentence; that day everything in the manor came to a halt, they pooled their wisdom, three days had already been the limit of their stalling.

The situation has become even more serious; the people outside have already begun to riot.

"There's likely the hand of the Cao Manor in this." Ning Hanmo had long suspected; otherwise those soldiers couldn't look at Cao Yunshu and act as if they hadn't seen him.

But these people are definitely not something the Cao Manor can mobilize.

But now the gathered populace is likely a big trouble!

A hardline crackdown won't work; it would provoke greater public anger, and the word "empathy" is terrifying.

If we hide in the manor, that's also not an option; what should we do?

The little ones, each racking their brains, Jia Chuan woke up; originally a man of few words, he became even more silent and taciturn.

"Hand me over!"

At that moment, the boy who had been dazed and silent suddenly spoke.

"Jia Chuan, do you know what you're saying?" Kang Wen shouted angrily.

Everyone of them was striving for one goal: to protect him, to protect their companions; yet he said such defeatist words at this time—how could he not be enraged?

"I know."

Jia Chuan lifted his head; a person who was always gentle and mild, this time he was unusually resolute.

"I know you want to protect me; I know how hard these three days of wits and courage have been; I know it all!"

He shouted loudly, and tears streamed from the corners of his eyes.

How could he bear to?

His father and mother are now missing, their situation unknown, yet he can only linger here, watching his companions rack their brains for him.

Does he deserve it?

A single question, just lingering in his mind: Does he deserve it?

His mother is a spy from another state, his father had many military defense maps stolen, he is a sinner of Da Ning; how could he possibly join these heaven‑gifted prodigies?

He doesn't deserve it!

Thinking of this, his heart felt as if stabbed again and again, each thrust dripping with blood.

"But my mother is a spy, I am the son of a spy!"

He painfully crouched on the ground, clutching his head, why? why?

Mother, why!

Why give birth to him? Why!

Everyone froze; finally Ning Hanmo sighed, stepped forward, and said, "We don't care who you are, or who your parents are; I only know that you are Jia Chuan."

"He's my brother, Jia Chuan!"

"As long as you are my brother, I, the elder, will protect you."

"When I stand, you will never lie down, understand? Jia Lao Er!"

Those cries, those sentences, came from the depths of their hearts.

The child crouched on the ground choked out a sound; these days he had been unsettled, but now he could no longer hold back his tears.

No matter how tempered or steady he becomes, he is ultimately just a child!

"Come out!"

「Harboring criminals, come out! 」

Rotten vegetable leaves, stinky eggs, as if they were free, all smashed onto the gate of the Regent Prince's Manor.

「I'll go out. 」

Ningguang stood up; the meaning over there was clear—this is to become a general!

Someone must go out; if we anger the public's resentment, then it will be impossible to contain.

「No! 」

Ning Hanmo shook his head, then looked respectfully at Ningguang, "Mr. Ningguang, you cannot show yourself this time."

How could Ningguang not know?

But now, Yun chu hasn't returned; the only person who can steady the situation is her!

「Child, only I can. 」

She lightly laughed, wanting to push Ning Hanmo away, but found that this child still hadn't dodged, just standing there.

「No! 」

「And me. 」

Ning Hanmo took a step forward; this youth, with his back straight, when his mother wasn't at the manor, he needed to step forward, and also had to step forward.

「Ning Hanmo, you're still young, you're just a child, this isn't something you can participate in! 」

Ningguang was a bit anxious, but the children surrounded her, each one gripping her tightly.

「Ningguang, Jia Chuan is our companion; we are children, we can be young and ignorant, we can defy the imperial decree; you are the Imperial Preceptor, you are Ningguang, a model for the nation's scholars, you cannot! 」 Kang Ziwei looked at Ningguang, her face still bearing that gentle smile.

But she is the oldest; even Zhi Chun is two years younger than her; she has always been all-encompassing, always just a smiling girl, these days she has borne the burden.