Chapter 656: Clue to the Descendants of the Jiang Clan (IV)
Mu Ruoyi could vaguely see the words on the slip of paper. She mustered her eyesight and finally deciphered them all.
“Master Chen,
Madam Chen, I apologize for the intrusion. My actions are truly out of desperation. I beg for your understanding! In fact, this is a baby girl, not a baby boy. The reason I could not state it clearly is due to an unspeakable secret!
The Chen family are descendants of loyal subjects of the previous dynasty. You should have heard some past events. When the Daqi Kingdom’s Imperial Palace was breached, the rebels carried out inhumane massacres. Later, it was rumored that the Jiang clan was annihilated. In reality, this is not the case. Princess Yingyue managed to escape the Imperial Palace at that time and married and had children outside, preserving the royal bloodline.
Unfortunately, good times did not last long. The Lin family soon discovered this matter and thus pursued the descendants of the Jiang clan. Although the descendants of the loyal subjects of the previous dynasty tried their best to protect them, there is now only one surviving descendant, and that is the baby girl you adopted.
It is well-known that the Chen family’s ancestors were loyal subjects. Although their official positions were low, their integrity was noble. I hope Master Chen can raise the little county princess well. If there is no possibility of restoring the country, you must absolutely not reveal her identity, and it is best to temporarily conceal her gender, because the court already knows she is a little county princess. If absolute secrecy is not maintained, it may lead to a disaster!
By the way, her parents have already chosen a name for the little county princess, named ‘Jiang Fu’, pronounced the same as ‘Fu Guo’ (restore the country). Please remember it. For the sake of safety, you can give her another name.
Thank you again, Master Chen and Madam Chen. If the Daqi Kingdom can be restored, you will be meritorious ministers for all time!
Of course, if you are afraid of being implicated, I cannot force you. You can take her out. Consider it as the Daqi Kingdom’s fate is sealed.”
This was the entire content of the slip of paper.
Mu Ruoyi was overjoyed. She had finally found a clue to the survivors of the Jiang clan. By following the clues, she would surely be able to witness the final outcome of “Jiang Fu” with her own eyes.
“I didn’t expect her to be a county princess of the previous dynasty. No wonder that beggar was so secretive.”
“Mas… Master… What should we do now? The court has been purging the remnants of the previous dynasty all these years. If we are discovered to have adopted her, our entire families will surely be implicated.”
Madam Chen immediately fell into a panic, as if falling from heaven into hell.
Master Chen began to pace around the room, his heart caught in a more intense struggle, because he understood that the choice he made this time concerned the lives of his entire family, and even his entire clan.
“Master, why don’t we quietly take her out and have someone else raise her? As long as we don’t say anything, no one will know her identity, and she might be able to grow up safely.”
Madam Chen quickly compromised.
“No, if we do this, even if she can grow up safely, then there will be no hope for the restoration of the Daqi Kingdom. You must understand that the beggar entrusted us not only with a county princess of the previous dynasty, but with the hope of restoring the Daqi Kingdom.”
Master Chen shook his head decisively.
“But… but I’m really scared.”
Madam Chen said with a trembling voice.
“I know!”
Master Chen sighed, then said softly, “Madam, why don’t you go back to your parents’ home?”
“What did you say?”
Madam Chen asked in disbelief.
“I don’t want you to be implicated in this matter. As long as we draw a clear line, even if something happens, you won’t be implicated,” Master Chen explained.
“Does that mean Master has already made his choice?”
Madam Chen took a deep breath.
“Madam, my Chen family’s ancestors were loyal subjects of the previous dynasty. Although their official positions were small, they always cherished the emperor’s grace. Therefore, on the day the Daqi Kingdom was destroyed, he hanged himself to follow the emperor in death. If I were to take the little county princess out now, how could I face him after my death?”
Master Chen spoke word by word.
“A chicken follows its owner to marriage, a dog follows its owner to death. Since you have already made your decision, I will support you with all my heart.”
Madam Chen said without hesitation.
“Thank you, Madam!”
Master Chen, deeply moved, held his wife’s hand.
After a moment of tenderness, Master Chen began to arrange the subsequent matters in an orderly manner: “Madam, to ensure the utmost secrecy, absolutely do not leak this matter to anyone, including our son. If anyone asks, say that we adopted a baby boy from another region.”
“I understand, but we have to conceal her gender as well. Our son will definitely find out after some time,” Madam Chen said with some worry.
“Don’t worry, I will find a reason to deal with him. After all, in this era, for safety reasons, most ordinary people choose to keep it secret when they have a daughter. We are not an exception in doing this,” Master Chen explained.
“What about Ah Hua?”
Madam Chen asked again.
“I will dismiss him immediately.”
Master Chen made the decision without hesitation.
“But even so, she will eventually grow up, and it will be difficult to conceal her gender then,”
Madam Chen thought of another tricky point.
“Don’t worry, there is still such a large walnut tree in the courtyard. When I save up enough money, I will take you to live in a neighboring country as soon as possible, and bring her back when the time is right.”
Master Chen revealed his plan. Because of the food shortage in this era, things like walnuts were very expensive, and it could barely support his plan.
“This is a good idea. As long as we go to the neighboring country, it will be temporarily safe.”
Madam Chen saw hope and breathed a sigh of relief.
In the following days, Master Chen carried out his plan in an orderly manner, thus not arousing anyone’s suspicion.
Master Chen’s son, Chen Kai, learned that his parents had adopted a sister and was
extremely excited, as he understood that he would also benefit immensely from this. Therefore, he obediently followed the arrangements of the elders and claimed to outsiders that his parents had adopted a younger brother.
The matter went smoothly at first, but unfortunately, man proposes, and God disposes.
One evening, a neighbor girl came to the Chen family’s main door and called Chen Kai out.
Chen Kai was very excited, as she was his desired partner. They had grown up together and had reached the stage of discussing marriage. He thought he had it in the bag, but he didn’t know that the duck in his grasp could also fly away.
“Xiao Li, since you’ve come, why don’t you come in and sit for a while? We’re about to have dinner.”
Chen Kai greeted her enthusiastically.
“No, Brother Kai, I’m here to bid you farewell.”
The girl named Xiao Li said with a blank expression.
“Farewell? Where are you going?”
Chen Kai asked blankly.
“I’m going to settle in the Immortal Sect. My parents have already gathered enough money for me.”
Xiao Li’s expression remained very cold.
“What?”
Chen Kai felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his lips trembling. However, he still asked with a glimmer of hope, “Then… will you come back?”
“Since I’m settling down, I naturally won’t come back,”
Xiao Li casually replied, then bid a symbolic farewell, “Alright, that’s it. I have to go. Take care.”
Chen Kai looked at Xiao Li’s retreating back with unwillingness, wanting to speak but stopping himself. After struggling for a while, he found a reasonable excuse to stop her: “But if you leave, what about your younger brother?”
“My brother?”
Xiao Li slowly stopped.
“Yes, if you go to settle in the Immortal Sect, you will definitely spend all your savings and even incur a large debt. What will your younger brother use to get married and have children in the future?”
Chen Kai questioned.
Xiao Li fell silent upon hearing this. People’s hearts are made of flesh and blood, and she was no exception.
“Xiao Li, marry me. I will definitely treat you well.”
“I will definitely treat you well.”
Chen Kai boldly confessed.
“I’m sorry, Brother Kai, I only have sibling affection for you, not romantic love,”
Xiao Li politely refused. Even a fool could tell that this was a perfunctory excuse.
“…”
Chen Kai’s pupils trembled violently, and tears began to well up in his eyes. He never imagined that his confession would receive such a reply.
A moment later, Chen Kai took a deep breath, his expression becoming cold. He said, “It’s okay, feelings can be cultivated.”
“Then I’ll be direct. Even if I really choose to stay, I may not choose you. After all, among those pursuing me, there are plenty of people who are better off than you,”
Xiao Li said straightforwardly.
“But they can’t find a wife for your brother!”
Chen Kai said, his words stunning.
“What did you say?”
Xiao Li asked, unable to believe it.
“Do you know? Actually, my parents adopted not a baby boy, but a baby girl. As long as you marry me, I will have her marry your brother in the future, and our two families can have an exchange marriage.”
Chen Kai revealed his trump card.
“Exchange marriage?”
Xiao Li was slightly moved.
“Yes, my sister is still young. When she grows up, my parents will surely be gone. As the saying goes, the elder brother is like a father. Who she marries will be up to me to decide then,”
Chen Kai revealed a hint of pride on his face.
Xiao Li fell into complete silence. If marrying Chen Kai could bring a sister-in-law, then it was not impossible to consider. After all, she did not want to leave her parents.
“I cannot make this decision. I have to go back and ask my parents,”
A moment later, Xiao Li gave her reply.
…………
Upon seeing this, Mu Ruoyi sighed helplessly. She now understood why the little county princess of the Jiang clan had met such a tragic end.
