TGCFNM -Chapter 429 I Don’t Believe It

Wan Xing looked at everyone’s appearance, furrowing his brows slightly. “Let’s head back for now. We can talk once we’re back at the manor.”

Chu Ling and the others examined themselves, sniffed their own clothes and skin, and then, after wobbling through the entourage of the eldest Young Master Wan’s carriage, finally returned to their own carriage.

Zhang Dong drove the carriage, trotting along as they departed.

Steward Zhu stared at the dirt on his arms, dumbfounded. “Lord Chu and the young master… was this on purpose?”

Wan Xing glanced at his own sleeve and confirmed firmly, “It was on purpose.”

Steward Zhu’s eyes went blank in disbelief.

Wan Xing could only laugh through tears. “They’re just kids having fun. You know how strict Uncle Hong is, right? Let’s go—we’ll stay at the Wan Manor tonight for now.”

Steward Zhu acknowledged with a nod and helped Wan Xing onto the carriage.

Trotting along, Zhang Dong and Xiao Hua, along with the rest of the eldest Young Master Wan’s entourage, reached the city gate. The men under Mei Gao, seeing their disheveled appearance, suddenly understood why Lord Mei had been complaining about a headache.

They, too, frantically waved their hands, signaling for them to hurry along.

Once Chu Ling and the others, along with Wan Xing’s group behind them, entered the city, Mei Gao’s men muttered to themselves, “They really were sent to fetch someone? Fetching someone, yes—but why did they end up looking like this? Did they run into bandits?”

Meanwhile, after Steward Liu brought everyone back, he froze in surprise. “How did you all end up like this?”

“It was pitch black, couldn’t see a thing,” Wan Sanjin said, peering at his hands under the lamp and clicking his tongue. “It’s… really dirty, huh.”

Wan Xing instructed Steward Liu to prepare hot water for them to wash up first, leaving their later matters for afterwards.

Steward Liu nodded and went to make the arrangements.

Zhang Dong and Xiao Hua also prepared to leave. Before going, Xiao Hua asked, “Senior Wan, are you going to eat some noodles too?”

Wan Xing paused, glancing at the sky outside. “Weren’t you done eating already?”

“Yes, but we’ve been doing physical work,” Xiao Hua said plaintively.

Wan Xing smiled. “Then have the kitchen prepare some for us as well.”

Xiao Hua happily let out a little sound of delight and tugged Zhang Dong down the stairs first.

Chu Ling, Wan Sanjin, and the others returned to their courtyard to wash up with the hot water first.

After Wan Xing’s group left, more lamps were lit in the front hall, brightening the room. The servants brought in tea shortly after.

Soon after, Uncle Hong, having received the news, arrived at the Wan Manor.

Wan Xing sipped his tea lightly, set the cup down, and looked at Uncle Hong. “What did they go out to do?”

Uncle Hong recounted the case in detail. “It seems the kids felt sorry for the prison warden and wanted to give him a proper burial.”

“So it was still about that case,” Wan Xing murmured. “I thought we might have had a chance to overturn it… but someone interfered.”

Uncle Hong nodded. “Indeed… it’s not clear who could be so skilled. By the way, about the beggars Lord Chu mentioned, there’s already a lead across the capital. We’ve also tracked the person Han Jin followed that day.”

“Eldest Young Master, the hidden influence this person wields in the capital is unimaginable… I don’t even know when they started setting things up, yet they’ve reached such a scale.”

Wan Xing lightly hummed in acknowledgment. “They do have some skill.”

Uncle Hong’s eyes narrowed. “Should we try to capture this person as soon as possible?”

Wan Xing shook his head. “You won’t be able to catch them, but we can be on guard… Also, for the business in the capital, cut off what needs cutting, handle what needs handling. Cui Wan’s shop can remain as is for now.”

Manager Hong nodded. “But, Young Master Wan, is the Si family really finished this time?”

Wan Xing let out a cold laugh. “The Xuanyuan family has protection inside the palace, but the Si family has none. And the Si family must be abandoned.”

Manager Hong stood up. “I will go take care of it immediately.”

Wan Xing nodded, letting both Manager Zhu and Manager Hong leave to handle the follow-up matters.

Once everyone had left, the few who had gone to wash up earlier returned to the front hall.

The kitchen brought in bowls of noodle soup.

As Chu Ling placed her bowl in front of her, a thought suddenly occurred. “Young Master Wan, when you went to the pawnshop back then, you said the person across from you looked very young—how young exactly?”

Wan Xing smiled. “He was in disguise, but there were many flaws in the details. I even thought he might be a small child.”

Chu Ling’s mouth dropped open. A small child?

What a prodigy!

Wan Xing continued, “But there were a few strange things. First, his movements were very proper, as if he’d been raised in a large family and taught from childhood. Second, his way of handling matters didn’t match his apparent age—very decisive, and even his tests never made people uncomfortable.”

Chu Ling recalled that Manager Hong had said the person across from Wan Xing had tried to befriend him, but Wan Xing was cautious, so the other person didn’t persist.

“You were smart back then, Young Master Wan. Otherwise, if he had gotten tangled with you, there would’ve been trouble later on,” Chu Ling said earnestly.

Wan Sanjin, sitting nearby, looked astonished. “How could my elder brother get into trouble? If there’s trouble, it’s him who gets it—my elder brother never loses out.”

Su He nodded. “Judging from the skull, very impressive. Definitely not the type to be taken advantage of.”

Wan Sanjin froze mid-bite. “I consider you a good brother, and you’re staring at my elder brother’s skull?”

Wan Xing: “……”

“Well, not really,” Su He replied.

Wan Sanjin: “……”

Chu Ling looked at Wan Xing. “If you met him again, could you recognize that person from back then?”

Wan Xing shook his head. “Back then, there was a gauze curtain in between, so I couldn’t see the face clearly. And it’s already been eight years… However, if we could talk face to face, maybe I could catch a clue. But that would be difficult.”

Chu Ling hugged her bowl and sighed. “This mysterious person is really hard to catch.”

Wan Xing chuckled lightly. “Indeed, hard to catch. But since he’s done so much, he can’t stay hidden forever… And with the Wu family incident this time, him showing himself voluntarily means he’ll eventually appear publicly.”

Chu Ling’s eyes hardened with determination: then she has a chance to catch him.

Wan Sanjin looked at Wan Xing. “Elder brother, you’ll stay in the mansion for now, right?”

Wan Xing nodded slightly. “Manager Hong wants me to stay here—so I can keep an eye on you all, and act as the mansion’s protector.”

“Keep an eye on us for what?” Wan Sanjin was stunned.

Wan Xing looked at him amusedly. “I’d like to ask Manager Hong the same—why he looks as if he’s committed a grave sin, begging me to stay here and watch over you.”

Wan Sanjin’s eyes darted around. “Elder brother, Hong is lying to you. Surely it’s because the accounts at the bank aren’t settled, so he wants to send you away for a few days.”

A smile appeared in Wan Xing’s eyes. “When I came tonight, I happened to catch you burying a body. Seems like you often do some outrageous things.”

Wan Sanjin’s eyes widened, staring at Wan Xing. “Elder brother, we didn’t! Please believe us.”

Wan Xing raised an eyebrow. “I don’t believe you.”