Chapter 358: Please Forgive Your Second Brother
Chapter 358: Chapter 358: Please Forgive Your Second Brother
Shen Ningning blinked. "What surprising discovery?"
Xie Ming’an pulled over a stool and sat down across from her.
"Those people are spies planted in our Cangyun Country by Changliu Country."
Upon hearing this, Shen Ningning’s small mouth formed a surprised "O."
Then, she clenched her small fists in a fit of anger.
"How can Changliu Country be so evil? Why would they try to assassinate me?"
She thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "Could it be because that... what’s-his-name, Matsuboto, lost last time? He went back, couldn’t accept it, and decided to use such a dirty trick."
Xie Ming’an shook his head.
"They found out you used Spirit Grass to supply my older brother, which allowed the soldiers of Cangyun Country to hold the lone city and remain undefeated for many days."
"They also heard of your reputation as a blessed girl from other sources, and that’s why they want you dead."
"They probably think that if they kill you, there will be no more Spirit Grass, and the morale of Cangyun Country’s soldiers will be greatly diminished."
Shen Ningning’s bright, watery eyes stared blankly for a moment.
’Coming up with a plan to deal with a little child like me... they really are evil!’
Xie Ming’an brought over a cup of hot water and had the little one drink it.
Seeing that she no longer seemed as repulsed by him as before, a subtle smile graced Xie Ming’an’s thin lips.
"I followed the trail of clues and discovered that there’s far more to this than just a few assassins."
"Did you know that your friend, Jiang Zhi, at the Fire Soldier Camp, was implicated because of the gunpowder you took?"
Shen Ningning, who was sipping water, jerked her little head up.
"But that gunpowder was my own!"
She spoke with a worried tone, quickly throwing off the small blanket. "Was Brother Jiang punished? I’ll go clarify!"
Xie Ming’an pressed down on the little one’s shoulders. "You just stay in bed. General Chen didn’t punish him."
Hearing this, Shen Ningning settled back onto the bed.
Xie Ming’an said, "They believed you stole gunpowder from the Fire Soldier Camp and used it to injure the villagers of Xitai Village."
"Jiang Zhi vehemently denied it. After an investigation, it was confirmed he had no opportunity to steal anything, but the Fire Soldier Camp was indeed missing some gunpowder."
"I suspected there was more to it, so I pursued a thorough investigation and discovered four spies from Changliu Country within the Fire Soldier Camp as well."
Shen Ningning was shocked. "They’ve even infiltrated Uncle Chen’s camp?"
Xie Ming’an nodded.
"They’ve been stealing for two years. Because they only took a tiny bit each time, they were never discovered."
"If we hadn’t accidentally exposed these spies this time, they would have used the materials they’d stored to make gunpowder and found an opportunity to detonate it during a festival in the Capital City. The casualties would have been devastating."
"I’ve already reported this matter to the Emperor. It’s reasonable to suspect that besides these locations, they must have other insiders within the city."
Shen Ningning was left speechless, her watery eyes staring blankly.
’Thank goodness we found out in time. Otherwise, if they had actually succeeded, how many people would have died?’
The little one came back to her senses. She tilted her head, looking at him with her sweet, adorable face.
"What are you trying to say by telling me all this?"
Xie Ming’an watched her expression with his sharp eyes. "I want to praise you for being amazing."
A look of exasperation slowly crept onto Shen Ningning’s delicate, fair little face.
"I’m not a three-year-old anymore."
Xie Ming’an pressed his thin lips together.
A suspicious flush appeared on his perpetually handsome, cool, and fair face.
Shen Ningning furrowed her little brows, looking at him in confusion.
After a moment, Xie Ming’an finally mustered his courage.
He said, "Before, I misunderstood you, was harsh with you, and bullied you. It was my fault. I was wrong."
He stood up, clasped his hands, and bowed to Shen Ningning. "Please forgive your second brother."
The little one finally understood.
’Xie Ming’an had laid all this groundwork just to apologize.’
His words were sincere, and his gaze was intense and dark in the candlelight.
"Ningning, the reason I didn’t accept you before was because Father and Eldest Brother both kept it from me!"
"I wasn’t willing to let just anyone come and take my sister’s place, so I was a bit harsh with you."
"I was wrong. Can you... can you forgive me?"
With that, he suddenly drew the dagger from his waist.
He knelt on one knee on the footstool, took Shen Ningning’s hand, and placed the dagger in it.
"You can punish your second brother however you wish."
’He had accidentally cut her ear back then.’
Thinking about it now, Xie Ming’an felt like killing himself.
’This was his sister, his very own sister whose return he had dreamt of day and night!’
Seeing his sharp, bloodshot eyes, Shen Ningning slowly shook her little head.
She threw the dagger on the floor.
"Regarding you and my godfather... let me think about it some more."
"It’s getting late. You should go back."
After speaking, the little one lay down, leaving him with only her small back.
Her voice, soft and muffled by the blankets, said, "Your hands were frostbitten. Remember to change the dressing often."
Xie Ming’an’s eyes shone, and a warm current seemed to flow through his heart.
’Even though they had hurt her so deeply, she still thought to care for him.’
’He had such a wonderful sister. From now on, he would definitely treasure her.’
"Alright. I will wait for the day you forgive me." After saying this, he tucked the little one in.
「After Xie Ming’an returned to his residence.」
He walked into the courtyard and saw the icy pond.
Shen Ningning had used her special ability to make the sun reappear above everyone’s heads.
But the ice and snow had been accumulating for a long time and still needed time to melt.
Right now, a thin layer of ice covered the pond’s surface.
Xie Ming’an walked silently to the edge of the pond. His eyes were dark. Suddenly, he rolled up his sleeves and reached into the pond to retrieve something.
The servant boy beside him jumped in fright.
"Second Young Master! You mustn’t! You just applied medicine to your hand."
But Xie Ming’an acted as if he hadn’t heard him.
He extended both hands, searching.
Finally, he even stepped into the freezing pond water himself.
The cold water rose to his knees.
The servant boy hurried off to find a long-handled net to help fish it out.
"Second Young Master, what are you looking for? Just tell this servant, and I’ll retrieve it."
"My bow! I’m looking for the bow my sister gave me!" Xie Ming’an’s eyes were bloodshot, filled with immense regret.
’When he had first met Shen Ningning, he had been so blind.’
’After he snapped the bowstring, he’d thrown it into the pond.’
’Now, enduring the cold to search for it was exactly what he deserved.’
The pond was not small. Three or four servant boys were dredging it from all directions.
Xie Ming’an stood in the middle of the pond, feeling his way forward bit by bit.
Finally!
His fingers touched something hard.
He pulled it out of the water and scraped the mud off with his fingertips.
The Silver Feather Carved Bow revealed a brilliant silver gleam under the moonlight.
Even with its broken string, a gentle tug could still produce a whooshing sound.
This showed that its power must be immense.
’What a divine weapon. Shen Ningning had given him this treasure, yet he had thrown it into the pond.’
’Not only had he trampled on her good intentions, but he had also wasted such a perfectly suited weapon.’
’The reason Shen Ningning had given him a bow was probably that she had found out beforehand that he excelled at archery.’
’She did it to cater to his preferences...’
Xie Ming’an stood in the freezing pond, the wind WHOOSHING through the pines and cypresses around him.
His heart ached as if a thousand needles were piercing it.
’He hoped it wasn’t too late to make amends.’