TNIBFT -Chapter 247 Be Careful Not to Stop Growing

Ye Shuangxue’s voice was childish, full of innocence.

Everyone in the hall wore expressions of gossip and curiosity.

Their eyes flitted between Fang Shenghu and Duan Yingying.

Hearing this, Duan Yingying’s cheeks instantly flushed crimson. She looked up to steal a glance at Fang Shenghu, only to see him frozen in place, showing no reaction. Her heart sank to the bottom of a pit. She quickly wiped the tears from her face.

She had been imagining things—Big Brother Fang didn’t care about her at all.

The more she thought about it, the heavier her heart felt.

Lowering her head, Duan Yingying got up and, with everyone watching in shock, covered her face and ran toward the backyard.

“This…”

“What happened? Old Fang, why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Yeah, isn’t this making Miss Duan embarrassed?”

The Ye family’s guards muttered among themselves, pointing fingers at Fang Shenghu without restraint. Fang Shenghu’s face turned as red as pig liver. “I… I… ah!”

He froze there, helpless and at a loss for what to do.

Well… it seemed he had messed everything up himself.

Ye Shuangxue shrank her neck nervously, her large eyes darting around the hall, and quietly returned to eating obediently.

Seeing Ye Tian looking her way, she grinned and said, “Hehe…”

“I was just trying to help them, really!”

Fearing that Ye Tian might not believe her, she added this for emphasis.

Meanwhile, before the father and daughter could finish their conversation, Duan Qingshan anxiously set down his chopsticks and bowl without even wiping his mouth, and stood up, ready to chase after Duan Yingying.

“Sister?”

“Wait for me!”

Just as he took a step, Old Yang grabbed his arm.

“What are you doing?” Duan Qingshan turned, annoyed.

Old Yang said without expression, “I bet your sister wants to see Big Brother Fang right now. Don’t go making a scene.”

With that, Old Yang let go of Duan Qingshan’s arm and resumed eating heartily.

Duan Qingshan, furious, cast a cold glance at Fang Shenghu.

That scoundrel had hurt his sister again and again. In the next few days, he had to find a way to make Fang Shenghu marry her.

“Go see,” Ye Tian said leisurely, setting down his own chopsticks.

Only then did Fang Shenghu nod, thinking for a moment before entering the backyard.

As he left, the hall erupted with chatter again. People laughed: “I bet there’ll be a wedding celebration in a few days.”

“They look perfect together—a match made in heaven.”

“Old Fang should finally have a family!”

The crowd continued to chatter. Ye Shuangxue, holding her bowl and chopsticks, cautiously approached Ye Tian and whispered, “Shall we go see how Uncle Fang admitted his mistake?”

Seeing the fire of curiosity in his daughter’s eyes, Ye Tian could only sigh. “Just eat your food.”

“Kids worrying about this stuff—be careful not to stop growing!”

Rejected, Ye Shuangxue rolled her eyes at Ye Tian and muttered softly, “I just wanted to help…”

Speaking of matters between men and women…

Zhu Heyu quietly looked at his son. Since Zhu Zhongyi returned from Honghekou, he had grown even more silent, seeming lost in thought…

Or perhaps pondering something.

“Eat your vegetables!”

Zhu Heyu placed a piece of braised pork onto Zhu Zhongyi’s bowl. Zhu Zhongyi came back to himself and began devouring his rice.

Father and son exchanged no words.

Both silently and quietly ate their meal.

Across from them, Liao Fan’s soldiers watched the interaction between the father and son of the Zhu family. He sighed in admiration, “Truly, heroes emerge early. This child, Zhongyi, drew off the pursuing troops at a critical moment and distracted the enemy vanguard. That’s why our losses weren’t so severe.”

“Zhongyi is the true hero of this mission!”

Everyone nodded in agreement, looking at the ferocious wounds on Zhu Zhongyi’s face with a mix of regret and respect.

Someone asked, “Zhongyi, do you know who the girl you saved really is?”

Zhu Zhongyi quickly looked up at Ye Tian.

Seeing that Ye Tian remained silent, Zhu Zhongyi shook his head and, without saying a word, continued eating.

At the dining table, the Ye family’s personal guards all wore expressions of gloom.

Zhu Heyu said, “This girl is skilled in martial arts. If she were to join us, it would be like adding wings to a tiger.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Liao Fan’s soldiers remarked, “I notice that these people are led by a woman. Their status must not be simple. And judging by their weapons, they look like people from Da Zhou!”

“Da Zhou people?”

Everyone was stunned.

One person said, “If they’re from Da Zhou, why would they help us?”

“Exactly, Da Zhou people are cunning. There’s bound to be some hidden agenda!”

“The armor they wear looks very familiar. Most likely, they are Da Zhou people…”

The others spoke through gritted teeth.

Ye Tian looked at Zhu Heyu. Zhu Heyu frowned and said, “The General has spent his whole life defending Da Liang. Our country has had the most clashes with Da Zhou. Back in the day, the very mention of the General’s name would terrify Da Zhou people, even their Empress would show him some respect.”

Empress?

Da Zhou actually has a female emperor?

Ye Tian became curious.

He feared this Empress was like Wu Zetian—outlived her husband, deposed her son, and seized the throne for herself.

Seeing Ye Tian interested, Zhu Heyu continued, “There are many things you, the young master, don’t remember. As for the Da Zhou Empress, rumors say she has a broad, muscular frame, a fierce countenance, and enjoys drinking children’s blood to preserve her youth. That’s why every time the Da Zhou army reaches a city, they search for children.”

“A few years ago, they didn’t even spare two- or three-year-olds.”

Ye Shuangxue’s little face went blank.

Could there really be such a terrifying tyrant in the world?

Ye Yunting frowned, “This is a cruel ruler. The good days of Da Zhou are coming to an end.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Zhu Heyu said, “It’s said that Da Zhou’s political situation is unstable. The Empress has been indulgent and ungoverned for years, leaving officials and bureaucracy in chaos. The court is in turmoil. But let’s not dwell on that…”

Zhu Heyu waved his hand, then looked up at Ye Tian. “Young master, today you must not get too close to this girl.”

“She may know your identity and exploit it. Though she appears to help us, for the Ye family, this could all be a trap. Back then, Da Zhou generals accused our General of giving Da Liang’s troop movements to Da Zhou, causing Da Liang to suffer repeated defeats. The emperor was furious, and the evidence was clear. The General could not defend himself.”

“The General being framed is directly connected to Da Zhou. Over the years, we’ve uncovered some clues—the troop movements were actually always in the hands of the Left Chancellor.”

Left Chancellor?

Qin Fengyi posed as the Left Chancellor’s son-in-law—what’s the connection here?

“Isn’t Meng Yuquan the son-in-law of the Da Zhou Left Chancellor?”

A shop assistant whispered this to them.

Ye Yunting quickly looked up, his eyes wide with shock at Ye Tian.

What exactly is going on?

For the moment, Ye Tian couldn’t figure it out. He looked at the bowls and chopsticks before him. “I’ve eaten. If your injuries aren’t serious, this afternoon we’ll go report to Master Tao and let him assign duties.”

Everyone stood up, obeying Ye Tian’s orders.

…

Elsewhere,

Qin Fengyi returned to the post station, already dressed in Meng Yuquan’s casual clothes.

She sat upright at the desk, wearing a long robe with dark patterned blue fabric. Her skin looked pale and cold in contrast, almost porcelain-like. Her expression was serious, brows slightly furrowed. She flipped through books while reaching for the teacup on the desk.

Nanfeng glanced at his master, then tentatively asked, “Lord, are you really going to tell Ye Tian your identity?”