Chapter 52

Cui Zhi flipped the page and continued, "Oh, it says here that He Zheng is an avid reader, but since Minister He's family has been military generals for generations, all the male heirs, both legitimate and illegitimate, are trained in martial arts. That's why Minister He forced He Zheng to abandon literature and take up martial arts instead."

Xu Wan frowned and said, "What is this nonsense? Is Minister He a stubborn mule? If his son doesn't like martial arts, let him study literature! Does he really think a family full of warriors is impressive? And who knows, maybe He Zheng could become like Zong Zhao and achieve the dual title of both literary and martial champions!"

Cui Zhi flipped two more pages and found the reason, "It's because Minister He was impeached by the civil officials and has developed a deep hatred for them. He even declared that anyone in the family who dares to sneak into the literary academy will have their legs broken."

"So... were any legs broken?" Xu Wan's first thought was this.

Given how many times Little Playboy He Zheng has broken his arms, what about his legs? Are they still intact?

Cui Zhi flipped another page and said, "They were about to break his legs, but He Zheng's mother threw herself in the way to stop it, so they remained unharmed."

Xu Wan: "..."

Minister He really needs to see a doctor. This lack of discipline in He Zheng is truly his father's fault.

"Jin Cheng!" Xu Wan suddenly jumped up from her comfortable chaise lounge, panicking, "He went to Minister's Mansion, could it be to help He Zheng climb over the wall?!"

Cui Zhi: "!!!"

Cui Liu: "!!!"

He Zheng, who had narrowly escaped having his legs broken while trying to escape by climbing over the wall, if Jin Cheng helps him, would their legs be at risk too?

Although both come from influential families, and such incidents are usually not made public, Minister He sounds terrifying, and anything could happen!

"Quick, quick, prepare the horse! We must rush to the Minister of War's Mansion. If we're late, their legs might not be saved." Xu Wan frantically got up, scared out of her wits.

Cui Zhi had never seen Xu Wan so flustered before. Every previous encounter with Young Master Cheng had seen her calm and composed, always in control.

Little did anyone know, Xu Wan was almost going crazy with worry.

She had never even laid a hand on the little devil herself. If something happened to him at Minister He's mansion, Old Marquis and Old Marchioness would surely come back and devour her!

Xu Wan and her group rushed to the Minister of War's Mansion, the carriage speeding along, kicking up clouds of dust.

The onlooking common folk whispered among themselves, making their usual kind-hearted guesses.

"What's going on at the Marquis Manor? It looks like they're fleeing for their lives!"

"I think they're catching a cheater. Otherwise, why would they bring all the maids and servants? Someone to hold them down, someone to cover their mouths, someone to kick them, right?"

"Catching a cheater? Who's cheating? The Young Marquis of Yangyuan Marquis Manor hasn't returned yet, and his son is only eight years old. No matter how precocious, he wouldn't be involved in such things, would he?"

"Then could it be..."

"Could it be..."

"Old Marquis?!"

"..."

Old Marquis, far away in his villa, sneezed violently.

Old Marchioness brought him a cloak and said, "My lord, you must take care. The villa is near the mountains, and even early summer can be cold."

Old Marquis rubbed his nose and confidently said, "I'm not cold. It must be Jin Cheng missing me!"

Old Marchioness: "..."

Hopefully, their little ancestor really does miss you.

On the way, Xu Wan ordered Cui Liu to scout ahead, especially to check if the little devil was lurking by any wall, planning to climb over it.

Only after Cui Liu had disappeared into the distance did Xu Wan remember that the little devil was accompanied by Buyan, a highly skilled martial artist.

"Buyan is there. Nothing serious should happen."

Even if the people from the Minister's Mansion wanted to catch the little devil, Buyan could hold them off for a while.

Thinking this, Xu Wan calmed herself slightly, at least on the surface.

As soon as they alighted from the carriage, they requested an audience with the Minister's wife at the gate. On the way to the courtyard, Cui Liu spotted a figure.

She quickly grabbed Xu Wan and pointed to the corner.

Xu Wan focused her gaze and nearly lost two of her three souls!

Under a wall nearly 10 feet high, a stack of over ten stools wobbled in the wind, on the verge of toppling over at any moment. And there, her little devil was helping another kid climb onto the precarious stack.

The safety of this setup was so poor that they wouldn't just fail to climb over the wall—they'd probably fall off the stools right away!

He Zheng's already broken arms were in even more danger...

"Cui Liu, quickly save them!"

Xu ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‍Wan couldn't care less that they were in someone else's home. The immediate priority was to pull the little devil back, or her family would be in trouble.

"Yes."

Cui Liu responded and flew over.

"Ah... who are you? Let me go! Put me down! If you ruin my plans, do you want me to break your legs?!"

Xu Wan heard He Zheng's shouting and was utterly speechless.

You two really are father and son, using the same threat!

"Buyan, bring Jin Cheng back." Xu Wan called out.

She looked at the two figures behind the little devil—Shunzi, terrified and hesitant, and Buyan, expressionless. It seemed they had been instructed by the little devil not to interfere, so neither had dared to act.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Buyan was obedient. When the little devil was around, he listened to the little devil; when Xu Wan was around, he listened to Xu Wan.

This order of priority had been set by Old Marchioness before she left.

"Buyan! Are you rebelling? I'm your master! Why are you listening to her? Don't pull me, I can walk myself!"

Zong Jincheng kept chattering nonstop, but it didn't stop him from being carried away like a little chick by Buyan.

"Damn it, why are your arms so strong!" Unable to break free from Buyan's grip, the little devil started raging impotently.

The servant leading Xu Wan to the courtyard saw the commotion and hurriedly said, "Young Master Zheng is trying to climb over the wall again! Quickly, inform the mistress!"

Xu Wan, watching the chaos, didn't want to get involved in someone else's family matters, so she said, "Please inform your mistress that Jin Cheng has homework to do at home and will visit your young master another day."

Zong Jincheng's eyes widened in disbelief. "I've already finished my exams; what homework is there? You... mmm... Shunzi, mmm..."

At Xu Wan's nod, Shunzi covered his young master's mouth, ready to drag him away. But He Zheng clung tightly to Zong Jincheng, refusing to let go.

He cried and shouted, "Don't leave, Jin Cheng! You're my best friend! Everyone is against me; you have to help me! We were almost successful..."

Zong Jincheng, with his mouth covered, could only mumble, the two of them acting like a pair of star-crossed lovers being forcibly separated, performing a tragic farewell.

"Pfft..." Xu Wan couldn't help but laugh.

Damn it, that's the downside of having a low laugh threshold.

These two little devils are just too funny...

Xu Wan covered her smile with one hand, laughing and anxious, "Quick, pull them away! If we're late, Minister He will come out and break their legs."