Chapter 591 Planning to Return to Dahe Village

Cheng Wanwan's expression immediately turned serious.

"This young master He is truly a sentimental man," Granny Qi said from the side. "Back then, when the second young master of the He family colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, even the father, Lord He, didn't care. Only the eldest young master was still running around trying to save the second young master's life. He knelt at the palace gate for three days and three nights... And now that Madam He is critically ill, he actually took a month's leave to go to Nanyang to find a miracle doctor. There are very few stepsons in the world as filial as him..."

“She is indeed filial.” Cheng Wanwan pursed her lips. “It only takes one night to travel by boat from Hekou County to Nanyang…”

He didn't actually want to go to Nanyang to find the divine doctor; he wanted to go to Dahe Village to find He Xiao's whereabouts.

For Young Master He to personally travel such a far distance, it seems that He Ling is quite wary of He Xiao's existence...

If He Xiao can't be found in Dahe Village either, then He Ling will definitely take his anger out on the villagers of Dahe Village...

Cheng Wanwan looked out the car window. People were laughing and joking, and the moon was like a silver hook in the sky. Before she knew it, it was already the end of July. Counting the days, it had been more than four months since she left Dahe Village. It was time to go back.

But we can't just go back like this.

The carriage passed through the bustling market and stopped at the gate of the courtyard.

As soon as Cheng Wanwan went downstairs, Zhao Sidan pulled her into the yard: "Mom, I drew a picture, can you help me see if it's good or not..."

As he spoke, he pulled her into the bedroom.

As soon as she entered the room, Zhao Sidan closed the door and whispered, "Mom, Master is here."

It was dark at this moment and there was no light in the room. Zhao Sidan hurried to light the light, and then she saw a figure standing in the dark. It was He Xiao.

"Mother, you talk to Master properly, I'll go out and take a look."

Zhao Sidan turned and left, quietly closing the door behind him. When he saw a palace maid coming to sweep, he immediately dismissed her.

This is the Empress's residence, and there are palace spies everywhere. He doesn't want his master's whereabouts to be exposed.

He took a book and sat by the bedroom door, warily watching his surroundings.

Cheng Wanwan sat down at the table and said in a low voice, "Xiao He, you shouldn't have come to the capital at a time like this. Do you know how many people He Ling has sent to look for you? If he finds out... you won't be so lucky this time."

“He Ling set off for Nanyang at noon today.” He Xiao’s lips were pressed tightly together, his eyes dark, with firelight flickering within them. “I thought everything would be fine as long as I hid, but I never expected him to use so many tricks to force me to show myself… He harmed my mother, which is her own fault… But he shouldn’t have gone to Nanyang…”

He said he was going to Nanyang, but he was actually going to Dahe Village, which was his second home. How could he allow his family to be harmed...

“I’m here to say goodbye to my cousin.” He Xiao’s gaze was firm. “I’m planning to leave for Dahe Village tonight. There are some things that I have to settle with him face to face.”

Cheng Wanwan looked at him: "Settle it off? How do you settle it off? You are all alone, while he has the entire He family. Not to mention, you are also burdened with the stigma of treason! If it's done in the dark, you are no match for the entire He family. If it comes out in the open, the imperial court will send troops to arrest you directly. In any case, you only have one ending, which is death."

"I should have died the autumn of the year before last." He Xiao smiled. "I've survived for nearly two years. That's enough."

"You..." Cheng Wanwan's face was filled with disappointment. "He Xiao, are you really willing to accept this? Are you really willing to die with this stigma? Well, even if you are willing, even if you don't care about your own life, what about the thousands of villagers in Dahe Village? Do they deserve to be charged with harboring a fugitive by He Ling just because of you? The people of Dahe Village can say they knew nothing and the law doesn't punish everyone, so they might be fine, but what about me and my family? What should we do?"

He Xiao was shaken to his core.

His cousin saved him, allowing him to live in Dahe Village as a distant cousin. If he were to actually meet He Ling in Dahe Village, it would confirm that he had lived there for over a year… His cousin was convicted of harboring traitors, and the entire Zhao family of over a dozen people would likely be…

He thought that once he died, the matter would be over.

But would He Ling really be willing to let go of Dahe Village that took him in, and let go of the Zhao family that took him in?

"Xiao He, I'm not trying to morally blackmail you. I just think you shouldn't die in such a cowardly way." Cheng Wanwan softened her tone. "You know your former subordinates? Because you were a traitor, they were all demoted and had an extremely hard time. But they never blamed you and kept running around to redress your name. Even if the villagers of Dahe Village knew your true identity, I think they would be willing to fight He Ling for you... Everyone wants you to live an upright life under the sun, so why are you so obsessed with death?"

"I……"

He Xiao lowered his head in shame.

His former subordinates are indeed still searching for evidence to exonerate him, but he has been uncooperative, and the matter has made no progress...

In his view, what good was proving his innocence? What good was returning to the He family? He was tired of fighting with He Ling, tired of being suspected by his own parents...

It wouldn't matter if he died, but there are so many others...

"Cousin, I was wrong." He Xiao clenched his fists. "What do you think I should do now?"

Seeing that he had figured it out, Cheng Wanwan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She pondered for a while before speaking, "As long as you continue to bear the stigma of treason and collusion with the enemy, this matter will never be resolved. You shouldn't go to Dahe Village now, but rather contact your former subordinates and find out the truth about what happened two years ago as quickly as possible to clear your name. As long as you are not a traitor, then my taking you in is not a crime, and this matter will naturally be resolved."

He Xiao was a little anxious: "But He Ling has already left for Nanyang. Before he arrives in Nanyang, in such a short time, I may not be able to find out what happened two years ago... He looks gentle and polite on the surface, but he is actually cruel and ruthless. I'm afraid he will hurt people in Dahe Village. I don't want anyone to suffer because of me..."

"I will set off for Dahe Village as soon as possible," Cheng Wanwan said slowly. "You stay in the capital and investigate the truth. I will go back to Dahe Village to stop He Ling from doing evil. Don't worry, Dahe Village is my hometown, and I will protect them."

He Xiao still looked worried: "He's a third-rank official, he can easily find an excuse to..."

Cheng Wanwan smiled easily and said, "I already have a solution."

She was extremely glad that she had rejected the emperor's reward before, because the emperor's reward was nothing more than gold, silver and slaves. At most, he would promote her to the next level. The difference between the sixth rank and the fifth rank was really not that big. She would be no match for the third rank official.

Now is the perfect time to ask the emperor for a reward.

Although asking for things is not a good idea, there is no better way now.