Although Huang Keji was only sixteen, he didn’t look like a sixteen-year-old.

 

His skin was dark, his appearance mature, and his hands were covered with thick calluses. If Xiao Rong hadn’t noticed that there weren’t many bloodshot veins in his eyes, he might have thought Huang Keji was already twenty-six or even thirty.

 

Like Xiao Yi, Huang Keji was also from a prestigious family, but Xiao Yi had never experienced luxury in his life and certainly didn’t end up looking like Huang Keji. It was worth noting that the Huang family was still alive, and Huang Keji hadn’t been expelled.

 

He was a very silent person. As he listened to Xiao Rong speak directly, he didn’t show much surprise. He only slightly raised his head, glanced at Xiao Rong’s expression, then lowered his head again.

 

Xiao Rong: “…”

 

There were no records of Huang Keji in history, he must have died very early. 

 

Without Qu Yunmie’s intervention, Huang Keji would’ve still been an obstacle for Huang Yanji. Huang Yanji would have taken care of him before the uprising, as it was in line with his usual style.

 

Xiao Rong continued, “I don’t want to beat around the bush with you. You don’t have much time, and I’m also busy. The Northern Army just arrived in Chenliu City two days ago, and now the city is bustling. Let’s just be direct.”

 

Huang Keji placed his hands on his knees and clenched his fists. After a while, he finally spoke. “I’m willing to hear more.”

 

Xiao Rong: “…”

 

His voice was even so mature. He had a naturally smoky voice. If he were better looking, he would surely become the dream of many young girls. Unfortunately, he had grown up too quickly.

 

After a brief pause, Xiao Rong collected his scattered thoughts. “The matter of the sword offered yesterday must have some hidden meaning. I’m sure you understand that Huang Yanji is ruthless and bloodthirsty. He could discard you and step on your head to benefit himself. If he’s willing to do that, he’s also willing to kill you on the battlefield for his own safety. If I’m not mistaken, you’re not going to make it back to Jianning.”

 

Huang Keji lowered his head. “Why is the Prefect telling me all this?”

 

Xiao Rong sighed. “There are many reasons. I can’t stand Huang Yanji harming his own brother’s bloodline. I also fear that he might pin this on the Northern Army without distinguishing right from wrong. Besides, it’s only natural to lend a hand when someone is in trouble. But no matter how valid these reasons are, what compels me and the rest of the Northern Army to act is your identity.”

 

Huang Keji stayed silent, gripping his hands even tighter.

 

Xiao Rong glanced at his hands, then continued, “As for the events of the past, everyone has their own judgment, and I won’t say more about it. Today, we’ll focus on the present, and I can assure you that as long as the King is still alive, as long as the Northern Army is still here, and as long as those who have received your father’s favor are still alive, we will never allow his bloodline to be oppressed and harmed.

 

“In the past, the Northern Army didn’t know what Huang Yanji was doing, so we didn’t come to your aid. But now, that’s changed. You and I are sitting here, and this is the King’s command. It’s ironic. Huang Yanji makes things difficult for you because you are your father’s son. Yet, with the same identity, you are treated like a VIP here with the Northern Army.”

 

Xiao Rong looked a bit regretful. He was about to say something even more emotional when he was shocked to see that, although Huang Keji still kept his head down, water droplets fell from his face and landed on his legs.

 

Xiao Rong: “…”

 

Is he crying already?!

 

I haven’t even begun to pull at his heartstrings yet!

 

What Xiao Rong didn’t know was that Huang Keji has always lived under immense pressure. As the person directly involved, he could feel Huang Yanji’s hostility toward him clearly, but he had no place to go. The Huang family was still his home.

 

Thus, Huang Keji had always felt deeply wronged. He was the son of Huang Yanqin, and he shouldn’t have been treated this way. His deceased father shouldn’t have caused him to end up like this.

 

Xiao Rong hit on the most sensitive point for him. No matter how mature Huang Keji looked, he was still only sixteen, and he had just gone through a life-and-death crisis. Now, he was at his most vulnerable.

 

Xiao Rong appeared calm on the outside, but inside he was panicking. How did he make him cry so easily? He wasn’t good at comforting people!

 

He wanted Huang Keji to quickly regain his composure, but the more caring he was, the more tears Huang Keji shed. Eventually, his tears fell like pearls from a broken string.

 

Xiao Rong: “…”

 

This is insane.

 

After nearly a quarter of an hour, Huang Keji finally stopped crying. His eyes were red, but he still looked so dark and mature. Xiao Rong’s feelings were complex. After a long while, he finally remembered his lines. “I originally wanted you to leave Huang Yanji, but seeing you cry…. It seems you’ve suffered quite a bit over the years.”

 

Huang Keji sniffled, and his tears seemed ready to fall again.

 

Xiao Rong quickly stopped him, “–but I’ve changed my mind! I want to give you two choices!”

 

Huang Keji held back his tears and looked at Xiao Rong in confusion, asking in a heavy voice, “What are the choices you speak of, Prefect?”

 

…

 

After Huang Keji left, Xiao Rong felt completely exhausted.

 

People of this era never expressed their emotions so openly. Xiao Rong had been here for so long and had never seen anyone cry.

 

The only exception was the elderly lady at home, who, when confused, even mistook the vegetable seller for her own mother and would cry, asking, “Mother, how did you fall into such a state?”

 

…

 

Xiao Rong was sitting in the pavilion by the lake, lost in thought, as this was his way of recharging.

 

Suddenly, a figure hopped into view across the lake.

 

Danran didn’t know how she got there. She looked around for Xiao Rong and, when she finally spotted him, her eyes immediately brightened. She quickly ran toward him.

 

Xiao Rong had asked Qu Yunmie’s plan for the Butuw tribe. Qu Yunmie’s answer was to let them find a mountain on their own and build houses there. This was how the Butuw tribe had lived at Yanmen Pass, with only Agusheja and the group of healers staying in the palace.

 

Their stay in the palace wasn’t because Agusheja wanted to live with his nephew, but because the mountain they had chosen was a bit far from the army. If something happened, they wouldn’t have enough time to treat the wounded, so they had to stay at the foot of the mountain.

 

Chenliu City was different. The terrain was flat, the roads were convenient, and the army was stationed at the base of a mountain. Agusheja immediately decided to have the entire tribe stay together.

 

Xiao Rong didn’t quite agree with their behavior of not entering the city or interacting with others. Outsiders wouldn’t understand why they did this. They wouldn’t realize that the Butuw tribe was avoiding suspicion. Instead, they’d think the Butuwu people were hard to get along with, unwilling to even enter the city, and that they looked down on the people of the Central Plains.

 

If the tribe were simply following Qu Yunmie, Xiao Rong wouldn’t have cared where they stayed. However, they weren’t just any tribe—they were Qu Yunmie’s maternal family, and their actions reflected his wishes.

 

When Danran ran up to him, Xiao Rong was still thinking about these matters. When she reached him, Xiao Rong suddenly smiled faintly and politely cupped his hands toward her. “Miss Danran.”

 

Danran was stunned for a moment and then abruptly stopped. She stood there helplessly for a while, then bent her knees slightly, mimicking what other women did, “Young Master Xiao.”

 

The posture Danran copied looked a bit comical. Xiao Rong was amused and chuckled. He cleared his throat and suppressed the laughter, then asked, “Miss Danran, do you need something from me?”

 

Danran scratched her head. Xiao Rong’s sudden reaction startled her and made her forget. After thinking for a while, she finally remembered. “Old Lady asked me to come and ask when you have time. She wants to go over your meridian flow again.”

 

Xiao Rong: “…”

 

“Well… I’ve been busy with official duties lately. Maybe next time.”

 

Danran curiously asked, “When do you mean by next time?”

 

Xiao Rong calmly smiled at her. “When I have some free time, I’ll send someone to inform you.”

 

Danran: “…”

 

Why did it sound like there wouldn’t be a next time?

 

Danran wanted to ask more specifically, but Xiao Rong called her over, asking her to sit in the spot where Huang Keji had just been. He also pushed a plate of fruit toward her. “Miss Danran, you grew up among the Butewu people, didn’t you?”

 

Danran stared at the fruit, wanting to eat but feeling too shy. After a while, she finally looked up at him and smiled slightly. “Mm.”

 

Xiao Rong asked, “Then could you tell me some interesting stories about the Butewu tribe?”

 

Danran blinked. When Xiao Rong saw that she didn’t speak, he pushed the fruit plate closer to her.

 

…

 

Half an hour later…

 

Danran was really too honest. With just a bit of fruit, she ended up revealing everything about her tribe. Xiao Rong learned about the Butewu tribe, such as how Danran referred to Qu Yunmie as “Minji.” The term “Minji” could mean uncle, elder uncle, as well as maternal uncle, uncle-in-law, or father-in-law. Basically, it was a title for any male relative of the same generation as the parents. Sometimes “Minji” even referred to one’s father, but to distinguish which one was the biological father, they called their father “Zhalaminji.”

 

Xiao Rong asked her why fathers had specific titles, but mothers didn’t. Danran said it was because whether it was the mother or the mother’s sisters, they were all the heads of the household, the pillars of the family. The children in the Butewu tribe grew up together, and fathers had to clearly recognize their role. When fathers grew old, they would each take care of their own, but mothers were to be cared for together, so there was no need to differentiate so strictly.

 

Xiao Rong: “…”

 

He asked, “How many sisters does your mother have?”

 

Danran was likely not going to have five or six mothers to care for in her old age.

 

Danran blinked in confusion. “It doesn’t matter whether my mother has sisters or not. She’s from the Central Plains, and I call her ‘A-niang.’ I’ll only take care of her from now on.”

 

Xiao Rong was stunned. He had thought Danran’s mother was from the Butewu tribe, which was why she seemed so naturally like a Butewu girl.

 

So, she was from the Central Plains. Could a person from the Central Plains accept this way of raising children? Shouldn’t Danran be kept at home, learning various household skills?

 

As this thought crossed his mind, Xiao Rong suddenly remembered the day Li Xiuheng was punished. That day, Xiao Rong saw two people dressed as commoners standing outside the crowd, and there was a child, but it was too far for Xiao Rong to see clearly. He suddenly asked, “Did you go to see Li Xiuheng being punished?”

 

Danran nodded.

 

Xiao Rong then asked, “And the woman next to you, was she your ‘A-niang’?”

 

Danran nodded again. However, she felt that just nodding wasn’t enough, so she added, “Old Woman said my A-niang is sick, a sickness even she couldn’t cure. My A-niang doesn’t want to go outside or speak to anyone. That day was the first time I went out with her. She held my hand like this.”

 

With that, Danran demonstrated how her A-niang held her hand, in a simple manner.

 

Even so, Danran smiled very happily, and her whole face brightened up. She hadn’t looked so happy even when eating the fruit earlier.

 

Xiao Rong almost understood something. He pressed his lips together without speaking, and just smiled at Danran.

 

Not continuing with this topic, Xiao Rong waited for a while before speaking again, shifting Danran’s attention. “The tribe leader, Agusheja, is very passionate about medicine. Last time, she helped me with my meridian flow, and I felt much better right away. But there’s a saying—’close the door and build a cart.’ Staying inside and studying medicine leads to very little progress. Since there’s no war right now, I wonder if Agusheja would be willing to come to Chenliu City, find a place, and offer free medical treatments to the citizens? No need to treat major illnesses—just focus on what you’re good at, like injuries. If you want to distribute herbal medicine, I’ll cover the costs, but please don’t use things like ‘salt women ginseng.’ The Northern Defending Army is low on funds, and we can’t afford such costly herbs.”

 

Danran, being young, didn’t realize that Xiao Rong was subtly trying to involve the Butewu tribe with the outside world. She just touched her face and thought about it. “What we’re good at? That should be treating injuries and broken bones.”

 

Xiao Rong nodded. That’s right, since they were hunters, they all knew a bit about bone setting.

 

Danran started smiling again. Just as she was about to ask Xiao Rong for more details, suddenly a deep voice came from the lakeside not far away. “Danran?”

 

Danran’s back stiffened. She immediately stood up and quickly ran away.

 

Xiao Rong: “…”

 

Seeing Danran’s familiar running posture, Xiao Rong couldn’t help but remember what she had said before—that he and Qu Yunmie’s appearance were exactly the same.

 

Soon, the “exact same” Qu Yunmie walked over with large strides, almost making the pavilion feel too small for him. He had to tilt his head slightly to fit through the entrance.

 

Danran ran too fast, and Qu Yunmie couldn’t catch up. He gave up on chasing her and instead looked at Xiao Rong with a sharp gaze, asking, “What did you two talk about?”

 

Xiao Rong looked at Qu Yunmie and suddenly squinted his eyes. “The King said the same thing last time.”

 

Qu Yunmie froze.

 

Xiao Rong stood up, took a step toward Qu Yunmie, and Qu Yunmie instinctively took a step back. Seeing his reaction, Xiao Rong smiled charmingly. “I wonder what exactly the King is worried about—that I’ll say something to Miss Danran? Does the King want to tell me here, or should I wait until I meet Miss Danran again and ask her properly?”

 

Qu Yunmie: “…”

 

You’re getting more and more audacious!

 

Don’t ask, do you hear me?!

 

 

Edited by: Antiope

 

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