Chapter 90 Your name is Achan?
After two days at sea, Ah Chan was really bored, so she went to the deck and started fishing with the old boatman.
The boatman chuckled and agreed.
As they fished, the two chatted about the past. The elderly boat captain told Achan about his past experiences making a living on the Ji River.
Finally, he couldn't help but sigh, "Back when we were struggling to make ends meet, everyone worshipped the water god, but unfortunately, there was no water god at all. Later, a dragon god actually came, but life didn't get better. Every time we went out to sea, we had to prepare offerings for the dragon god. If the dragon god was not satisfied, we couldn't even save our lives. One of my old buddies accidentally angered the dragon god, and his ship was destroyed and he died. His body was never found, leaving behind an orphan and a widow who had to compensate the owner for the ship. This was a death sentence."
“Now that the Flood Dragon God is gone, things will get better,” Achan said.
The boatman shook his head and said sadly, "The Flood Dragon God is gone, but what else is there? We in Yongzhou, we don't know which deity we offended, but monsters keep causing trouble. Our village was recently afflicted by a monster, and the whole village had to raise money to hire a demon hunter."
Achan was somewhat surprised: "Why didn't you report this to the Mingjing Division?"
The boat captain was also helpless: "We reported the case years ago, but those monsters are very difficult to deal with. They would disappear as soon as the government officials arrived, and then come back after the officials left. They would keep tormenting us. We didn't catch the monsters, but instead offended the officials."
Later, someone told them that demon hunters were powerful, so everyone chipped in to hire one. Although it was expensive, they could get rid of the monsters, and after that, everyone got used to hiring them, considering it a way to avoid trouble.
Achan asked with great interest, "Where did you find such skilled demon hunters?"
"Does the young lady know the Shen family of Xiling? It's their family. Last time our village was plagued by demons, I personally came to Xiling to invite them. The Shen family's mansion is only a little smaller than the Prince's Mansion, but it's very impressive."
Achan feigned surprise: "Really? I'll have to take a good look around when I get to Xiling."
The conversation between the two ended with Achan catching a small fish about the length of a finger.
That was her only catch in that hour. Ah Chan couldn't help but think that it would be great if the fish in the water were as easy to catch as that dragon.
At midday, Bai Xiuming looked at the pot of stewed fish on the table and asked Achan, "Which fish in this pot did you catch?"
Achan's hand holding the chopsticks froze. If she had known the fish in the Ji River would be so uncooperative, she wouldn't have boasted that she would treat Bai Xiuming to fish.
The boat captain, who was eating nearby, chuckled and chimed in, "The fish that the young lady caught hasn't grown big yet. You'll have to wait two years. Young master, you can make do with the fish that this old man caught for now."
Bai Xiuming looked at A Chan and said jokingly, "So it was because I was too impatient. But it's really not easy to have a meal with you. It's been two long years."
Achan resolutely refused to admit that it was her fault and immediately blamed the fish in the Ji River: "It's all the fish's fault for not knowing what's good for them!"
Fish: Glug glug?
At the beginning of the hour of Wei (1-3 PM), the boat finally arrived at the dock in Xiling Prefecture. The boatman stood at the bow and loudly called for the passengers to disembark.
Achan, who was walking behind Bai Xiuming, noticed that he had suddenly stopped and curiously peeked out: "What's wrong?"
Immediately, she saw a group of black-armored guards standing quietly not far away, and a middle-aged man dressed in a purple python robe, exuding an air of nobility, surrounded by the black-armored guards.
Although the man looked a bit older, he was still quite tall and upright. His face was expressionless, appearing very cold and aloof, making him seem like someone difficult to get along with.
After this person appeared, the previously noisy dock fell silent almost instantly.
Some commoners recognized his identity and immediately knelt down and kowtowed: "This humble subject pays respects to the King of Xiling."
The others also knelt down, their voices rising and falling in greeting to the prince.
Achan turned her head to look at Bai Xiuming, whose eyes were lowered and whose expression was indifferent. Although the father and son did not look that alike, some of their expressions were surprisingly similar.
Once the surrounding crowd had quieted down, the King of Xiling spoke calmly: "Rise, all of you. No need for formalities."
He then looked at Bai Xiuming and asked, "What, do I have to personally invite you off the ship?"
Bai Xiuming glanced at the other party coldly, strode over, and only spoke when he stood before the King of Xiling: "Greetings, King of Xiling."
A flash of anger crossed the King of Xiling's face: "You've only been away from home for a little over ten years, and you won't even call me 'Father' anymore?"
"I remember the King of Xiling said back then that he would sever his father-son relationship with me. Why is he suddenly remembering that he has a son now?"
Seeing that the two were locked in a stalemate and neither was willing to back down, Liu Qi, the chief secretary behind the Prince of Xiling, hurriedly stepped forward to persuade him: "Why should the young master hold a grudge over a remark the prince made many years ago? The prince has always kept the young master in his heart all these years. Otherwise, why would he have come to greet you in person today?"
"Is that so? I misunderstood the King of Xiling." Bai Xiuming's tone remained indifferent, but it sounded much more gentle than before.
The King of Xiling gave a soft hum, seemingly acknowledging what Chief Secretary Liu had said.
Ah Chan, who was watching the commotion from the sidelines, thought to herself, "Your young master's paranoia is incurable. Even if you were lying to him, he wouldn't believe it. Why put on such a hard show?"
However, Liu Changshi did not understand Bai Xiuming as well as A Chan did, and seeing this, he thought he had performed very well.
He calmly stepped back, leaving the rest to the prince.
The Prince of Xiling swept his sleeves and said, "Let's go. A banquet has been prepared in the manor. You haven't returned for many years, and it's time for everyone in the manor to know your identity."
These words were like a veiled assurance to Bai Xiuming that the position of heir apparent would definitely belong to him.
Just then, a red figure appeared. Upon seeing the King of Xiling, Shen Yingzhu hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Yingzhu greets Your Highness."
"Oh, it's the Shen family's girl." The Prince of Xiling's tone was somewhat gentle. "What brings you here?"
Shen Yingzhu glanced at Bai Xiuming, a hint of embarrassment on her face: "When I saw the prince's ship being attacked that day, I was worried about him, so I asked my father to send people to guard the dock so that I could check on the prince's safety as soon as possible."
"You've put your mind to this." The King of Xiling nodded in satisfaction and said to Bai Xiuming, "You should know Yingzhu now, she is..."
“Miss Shen.” Achan stepped forward gracefully, interrupting the King of Xiling, “I didn’t expect Miss Shen to care so much about Lord Bai’s safety. However, Miss Shen is probably worried about the wrong person. After all, it was me who was attacked by that evil dragon.”
Upon seeing that Achan was unharmed, a hint of hidden resentment flashed in Shen Yingzhu's eyes.
This woman actually escaped from the Dragon King!
Not only did she survive, but the Dragon King was also in trouble. The clan sensed something amiss and, to protect their secret from being revealed, had no choice but to eliminate it.
The Dragon King was the most talented of all of the Dragon Mother's children. If he had just waited a few more years, he might have grown to be as powerful as the Dragon Mother. He was the biggest trump card for his brother to take over his father's position, but now it has all been destroyed.
Shen Yingzhu dared not lose his composure in front of the King of Xiling, so he could only force a fake smile: "It's wonderful to see that Miss Ji is safe and sound."
Ah Chan smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words, Miss Shen. I also owe a lot to Lord Shen of the Mingjing Division for his help."
"Really?" Shen Yingzhu's fake smile could no longer be maintained.
“That’s right.” As if she hadn’t noticed her abnormality, Achan vividly described the horrific state of the dragon’s corpse to her.
Finally, he added, "That evil dragon committed numerous atrocities and truly deserved to die."
“Achan”.
A familiar voice suddenly rang out, and Achan's face immediately lit up with a smile as she waved to Chen Hui and Shen Huixue, who were walking over quickly.
"A-Chan, are you alright?" Shen Huixue asked anxiously, ignoring the stares from those around her.
"You're not injured, don't worry."
Compared to Shen Huixue's anxiety, Chen Hui appeared much calmer. Her gaze swept over A Chan, and she felt relieved.
However, the guards of the Prince of Xiling, seeing the two arrive, shouted angrily: "You filthy and lowly creatures, how dare you be so disrespectful in front of the Prince!"
He was about to draw his sword when a golden bean struck his hand. He cried out in pain and the sword fell to the ground.
Those with cultivation levels present all looked at a figure not far away.
Zhang Jinghuai bowed before the King of Xiling: "Your humble servant Zhang Jinghuai greets the King of Xiling."
"Lord Zhang, there's no need for such formalities," the Prince of Xiling said in a neutral tone. "May I ask why you attacked my guards, Lord Zhang?"
"Your Highness misunderstands. I did this to save him," Zhang Jinghuai explained, glancing at the guard who was clutching his hand and looking angry.
"Oh, then I'll hear Lord Zhang's reasons."
Zhang Jinghuai looked at Bai Xiuming: "I think Lord Bai should know better than anyone else."
“I have been suspended from my duties.” Bai Xiuming said coldly, “However, since the King of Xiling is curious, it’s fine to speak. The two of them bear the seal of the Mingjing Division. Attacking them without cause is tantamount to provoking the Mingjing Division.”
After saying this, Bai Xiuming said meaningfully to the King of Xiling, "When the time comes, it's not certain who will come to demand an explanation."
The King of Xiling seemed to recall some unpleasant memories, and his expression suddenly turned extremely ugly.
Only a few people present knew about this past event, and Bai Xiuming, as one of the parties involved, was also an insider.
When the demons of Xiling were running rampant, an official from the Mingjing Bureau tried to intervene but lost his life in the process.
Then, Xiling was greeted by the Ming King, who happened to be passing by. No one knows if it was truly a coincidence, but from then on, no one dared to easily provoke the Mingjing Division.
"I see. It was my guards who were being presumptuous." King Xiling said meaningfully, "Lord Zhang was so nervous just now because he was worried about my guards."
Zhang Jinghuai remained expressionless: "That's certainly true."
"I have other matters to attend to today, so please make yourself at home, Lord Zhang." The King of Xiling probably rarely saw such a shameless person, and he curled the corner of his lips.
"Respectfully seeing off Your Highness," Zhang Jinghuai said respectfully.
The Prince of Xiling glanced at Bai Xiuming, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly before his expression softened. He said to him, "Let's go, it's time to return to the manor."
Bai Xiuming left with the King of Xiling. Looking at the distant and complicated relationship between the biological father and son, Achan thought to herself that something very interesting was going to happen in Xiling. Lord Bai never disappointed.
It really made her look forward to it.
“Achan, let’s go too.” Shen Huixue took Achan’s arm and said to her, “Huiniang is renting a place near my mother’s house, so we can see each other more often these days.”
"That's wonderful. Come to think of it, I should visit your mother first."
Shen Huixue hesitated for a moment, but thinking that A Chan could easily accept her when she first met her, she figured she wouldn't care about her mother's current appearance, so she nodded and said, "If you don't mind, of course you can."
Shen Yingzhu, who was about to leave, chuckled upon hearing their conversation. She glanced at Zhang Jinghuai standing to the side and said, "Hui Xue, you've known Lord Zhang for many years. You've been fortunate to have his care in the capital all these years. Why don't you invite Lord Zhang over?"
After saying that, she turned and left.
Shen Huixue remained silent for a moment, her fingers, hidden in her sleeve, curling slightly as she looked at Zhang Jinghuai: "Does Your Highness have time?"
Zhang Jinghuai did not answer, but said, "There are still important matters in the army, so I must leave today. You will stay here for the next few days, and I will send guards to protect you."
Although nothing was said, the rejection was made clear.
In truth, Shen Huixue knew in her heart that he would not see her mother, regardless of whether her mother was a normal person or a madwoman.
Shen Huixue wore a polite smile: "Alright, Your Highness, please take care on your journey."
Zhang Jinghuai left first, leaving four guards and a carriage to take the three of them back.
After Shen Huixue's mother's mental state deteriorated, she moved out of the Shen family home and now lives in a three-courtyard house not far from the dock.
After all, she was once the legitimate daughter of the Shen family. Although her situation had been difficult in recent years, no one dared to mistreat her.
The carriage stopped outside a mansion. The three of them got off the carriage. The gatekeeper was surprised to see Shen Huixue bring people, but he did not dare to stop them.
They went straight to the main courtyard, and before they even reached the gate, they heard shouts and curses: "Get out of my way! You bitch, were you sent by Shen Qingying?"
What followed was a series of loud slaps.
Shen Huixue stopped outside the courtyard gate, smiled slightly awkwardly, and explained to Achan and Chen Hui, "My mother is sometimes in a bad mood, but she won't be like this when she sees me. Maybe someone mentioned someone she dislikes, which provoked her."
Ah Chan didn't think there was anything wrong with it, but she still felt that Uncle Liu's taste was somewhat unique.
Soon, a middle-aged woman covered her face and hurriedly came out of the courtyard. She bumped into Shen Huixue, glared at her with displeasure, and then quickly left.
"Isn't this person a maid in the manor?" Achan asked, noticing Shen Huixue's unusual expression.
Shen Huixue shook her head: "She is my mother's cousin-in-law."
"Who is Shen Qingying that your mother mentioned earlier?" Achan asked casually.
"I don't know, I've never heard of that name before."
Soon, the courtyard gate opened again, and Shen Huixue's mother rushed out like a colorful butterfly, interrupting their conversation.
"My precious Huixue, why don't you come in? Do you hate your mother?" After saying that, she cupped Shen Huixue's face and kissed her twice.
The woman who spoke appeared to be very young, and although her makeup was somewhat exaggerated, it couldn't hide her beauty.
She was also wearing a bright red dress adorned with butterflies and flowers, which was festive and radiant.
"Mother, let me go first. I brought a friend to visit you."
"My Huixue actually has friends now." The woman murmured, seemingly a little sad, but still smiled as she looked at Achan and Chen Hui.
Upon seeing this, Shen Huixue quickly said, "My mother's name is Shen Qingwu, you can call her Miss Qingwu."
"Chen Hui has met Miss Qingwu," Chen Hui said first.
Shen Qingwu nodded with a smile: "Okay, good child."
Chen Hui simply smiled and did not show any displeasure at the form of address.
When it was Achan's turn, Shen Qingwu acted somewhat strangely.
Achan bowed to Shen Qingwu and said softly, "Achan greets Miss Qingwu."
Shen Qingwu's somewhat silly smile vanished: "Your name is Achan?"
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