In her fear, Chuxia calmed down, reaching back to draw a silver hairpin from her bun, thrusting it towards the source of the sound. Before her wrist could move an inch, it was firmly grasped. Memories flashed through her mind, and she could no longer restrain herself, screaming loudly. However, the person made no further move, gently pulling her into an embrace, whispering, “Girl, what’s wrong?” Chuxia continued to scream, but her fear gradually subsided. She stopped trembling and asked, “My lord?” The man gently brushed her hair with his chin, softly saying, “It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” His chest was warm and firm, carrying a faint scent of dragon’s brain… How could she not recognize it? Startled, Chuxia didn’t have time to wipe away her tears, looking up blankly at him, “Is… it you?” Ye An, the lord, reached out to wipe away her tears, softly saying, “What ‘is it me’?” The moonlight was hazy, intermittently revealing him; he was just an inch away. Chuxia looked at his slightly upturned eyes, his clear, radiant features, and murmured, “When I have nightmares at night… is it you?” Ye An was taken aback, slowly letting her go without answering, only asking, “Why did you come back alone?” Chuxia then remembered and urgently said, “Aqing… has something happened to Aqing?”
Ye An furrowed his brows slightly, taking the silver hairpin from her hand and casually throwing it outside. With a swish, someone caught it and flipped into the room with a somersault, standing before them with a grin, bowing to Ye An. “My lord.” “Are you okay?” Chuxia, wiping her tears haphazardly, ran to Aqing, looking him over, “I thought you were like the one in the pond—” Aqing examined her and chuckled, “You scaredy little girl! I was just scaring you!” Chuxia was stunned, her eyes welling up again, “You scared me?” “Who told you not to eat? I wanted to scare you so you’d run back here and get hungry. Besides… courage grows through fear…” Aqing said proudly, “Shame on you, crying so ugly.” Chuxia bit her lip, almost speechless with anger, then turned to Ye An, stomping her foot, “My lord, look at him…” Ye An stood quietly, expressionless, watching Aqing. He wasn’t stern, nor did he show any signs of anger; his lips were slightly pursed as usual, as if always holding back a smile. But Aqing quickly lost his grin, sensing trouble… Ye An might really be angry this time. “Aqing, everything has its limits. Have I taught you this or not?” Ye An said calmly. “Yes.” Aqing lowered his head even more, wishing he could escape through the window. Ye An’s tone remained calm, “Then, about today’s incident, how do you propose to handle it?” Chuxia sniffled, moving closer to Ye An, only to hear Aqing say, “I… will accept my punishment—” She glanced at Ye An, seeing no reaction, thinking he might really banish Aqing from the mansion, and couldn’t help but say, “My lord…” Ye An hummed, his expression softening slightly. “Aqing was just playing with me. I’m… not afraid anymore.” Chuxia said carefully, “Please don’t banish him, okay?” Aqing looked at her, then at Ye An’s face, obediently shutting up. Chuxia continued, “He’s just a bit lazy and greedy, but otherwise, he’s good… Why don’t you just withhold his allowance for this month?” Aqing gave her a strange look, trying to hide his smile. Ye An couldn’t help but laugh softly, shaking his head, “Alright. We’ll do that.” “And one more thing—” Chuxia lifted her head, her clear eyes sparkling, and said to Aqing, “You have to apologize to me and call me sister.” Aqing’s face stiffened, looking at Ye An for help. Ye An… seemed to give a tacit approval. With so many hidden guards around Linjiang Pavilion… if he called her sister, everyone would hear, and his reputation would be ruined. Aqing looked at Ye An pitifully, pleading, “My lord, I’d rather take the punishment.” But Ye An, seeing the lively expression on the little maid’s face, nodded, backing her up, “Do as she says.” “Sister Chuxia, I’m sorry for today,” said the great Qinglong, after much hesitation, speaking as fast as he could before flipping out of the window like lightning, his mind set on silencing all the guards on duty tonight to save face. Only two remained in Linjiang Pavilion, and Chuxia grew happier the more she thought about it, her smile radiant in the dim light. Ye An glanced at her and smiled, “Feeling better now?” Chuxia turned her face, wiping it randomly, nodding vigorously. The flickering light made her long lashes seem to tremble with it, a subtle emotion stirring in Ye An, who then averted his gaze. “My lord, there’s something… I’m really curious about,” Chuxia said after laughing to herself, looking at Ye An, “I look at the albums every day, and I suddenly thought of something.” “What?” Ye An seemed to see through her thoughts, “Don’t beat around the bush.” “I was wondering if ‘The Ballad of Mountains and Rivers’ is actually… a treasure map?” Her eyes were bright with curiosity, fixed on Ye An, trying to read his expression for any clues. Ye An only smiled, neither confirming nor denying, “Why do you think that?” “You’ve asked me to find clues in albums from various places, isn’t it like seeking a horse by its picture? Could it be that you’ve spent so much just to find this place for a leisurely visit? I can’t think of any other reason.” Ye An pondered for a moment, approvingly said, “You’re right.”
“Then I would guess… the person who sent this ‘Mountain and River Ballad’ surely had no good intentions.” Chuxia continued, “Who would be foolish enough to give away such a grand gift for no reason? By doing so, the purpose of the previous two lavish gifts becomes clear: they want everyone to know that the treasure map is now in the hands of the Young Master.”
The Young Master’s eyes showed increasing admiration as he sighed softly, “Girl, do you still remember that nursery rhyme? It’s just an ordinary song, yet it has become so widespread. That in itself is quite strange.”
“Young Master, what exactly can one find with this treasure map?” Chuxia was very curious, “A lot of money? Or… the martial arts manuals that you martial artists care about most?”
The Young Master playfully tweaked her nose and laughed, “How would I know?”
Chuxia pouted, “What harm would there be in telling me? I spend my days looking at these scrolls; every time I close my eyes, I see mountains, rivers, and clouds everywhere. Besides, I can’t beat you in a fight, and my indenture is still in your hands. It’s not like I could compete with you for it, right?”
The Young Master genuinely laughed, “I really don’t know.”
Chuxia studied him for a long time, then said dejectedly, “Even the Young Master doesn’t know?”
“I only heard my father mention the name ‘Mountain and River Ballad’ when I was very young. Back then, no one found the treasure, and the matter gradually faded. Those were distant, ethereal tales, only brought to mind recently when I heard you sing that nursery rhyme,” the Young Master said slowly. “At that time, my father also mentioned that few knew about the treasure hunt. Now, over a decade has passed; those of that generation have either retired or passed away, yet the song has become even more popular, which is somewhat suspicious.”
Chuxia breathed a sigh of relief, laughing, “Well, that’s good then. At most, people will think the Young Master got a famous painting, and we can make a fortune quietly!”
The Young Master’s eyebrows relaxed as he smiled, but he flicked Chuxia’s forehead, “Silly girl, those who don’t know about the ‘Mountain and River Ballad’ are fine, but those who do, either keep it hidden or are eyeing it closely. It’s not something that can be easily dealt with.”
Chuxia exclaimed in surprise, her small face filled with worry, “Then… I should hurry up and study this. As long as this painting remains in our mansion, there’s danger, isn’t there?”
