An eight-year-old kid emptied his scumbag father's warehouse and followed his grandparents into

Jing Chunxi had already raised a big question mark in his mind about Xu Zize's words.

Seeing that she didn't believe him, Xu Zize continued, "It's just that the garden is a little far from the riverbank, so you can really take a boat out." His voice was neither hurried nor slow, making people feel very calm. He tried to use this tone to increase the credibility of his words.

He paused, as if thinking about how to better explain the situation, and then continued, "I only heard from the Empress Dowager that there is a hidden river in the mansion. This time, Brother Xiaokang has confirmed it with the old patriarch. The entrance is in the back garden. Xi'er, would you please accompany Brother Xiaokang to take a look?"

There was a hint of anticipation in his voice and a hint of tenderness in his eyes.

"Could it be that the Cui Mansion later expanded the back garden just to build the underground river?" Jing Chunxi suddenly realized, her eyes shining a little, as if she had learned something new. Xu Zize had once told her that the back garden was gradually expanded and built after the Empress Dowager was canonized as Empress.

She suddenly opened her eyes wide, with a gleam of excitement in them, and she couldn't wait to go to the back garden.

Xu Zize nodded. He was impressed by Jing Chunxi's intelligence. She had guessed even this. He slowly explained, "Even though the Empress Dowager was constantly favored, she was still concerned that serving the emperor was like living with a tiger. Aristocratic families always have to have some means of survival."

He sighed softly. The Cui family had built the underground river to guard against the unpredictable intentions of the Emperor's grandfather, but who would have thought that he remained loyal to the Empress until her death? The one they needed to be wary of was the vicious person in the upper echelon.

Xu Zize continued, "But the clan leader said that the underground river has not been truly used yet. In the past few decades, several rotten boats have been replaced." There was a hint of a sigh in his voice. Even royal brothers killed each other, so how could the ministers not be cautious for the rise and fall of their family?

In order to prevent accidents before they happen and for the sake of the family's fate, several years of construction and decades of maintenance are required. The cost of saving lives is really not low. A trace of emotion appeared on Jing Chunxi's face.

"Then, let's go!"

Jing Chunxi couldn't help but feel a little curious. He'd seen cellars and secret passages before, but this underground river was completely new and unique. He'd never heard of it before, and he was probably the first of its kind in the entire Daqing Dynasty.

She couldn't wait to see the underground river that had decades of history.

……

"The moonlight tonight is actually brighter than in summer."

Jing Chunxi looked up, feeling the gentleness of the bright moonlight. He also let Xu Zize hold his hand and walk forward.

The intimacy under the soft moonlight dispelled all the awkwardness from before. Not only did she not reject it, she even had a faint fondness for it.

The moonlight was like water, dimming the originally bright and festive red lanterns under the veranda. The mottled shadows of the trees swayed gently in the cold wind, as if telling stories of the past.

In the least conspicuous and innermost corner of the garden stands a rockery that is three or four meters high. It is built with strange rocks and huge stones, and looks like a giant monster in the dark night.

The surrounding trees are lush and green, with several large trees with luxuriant branches and leaves growing on one side of the rockery. A gurgling stream meanders through the garden, passing these trees, then skirting the rockery and flowing along the wall.

The stream is shallow but clear enough to see the bottom, and the moon and stars in the sky are reflected in the water.

Such tranquility! This quiet atmosphere made the entire garden exceptionally peaceful, and Jing Chunxi felt the beauty of silence.

All the way in, Xu Zize did not let go of Jing Chunxi's hand. The two of them were now standing by the stream, facing the rockery in front of them.

Jing Chunxi suddenly felt a little nervous. It was really too quiet in the deepest part of the garden after nightfall, without even the sound of an insect.

Jing Chunxi couldn't help but tightly grasp Xu Zize's four fingers. But her smart yet somewhat uneasy eyes still looked at Xu Zize, she was worried about what was going to happen.

She applied a little pressure to her fingers, still seeking a sense of security. She stared at Xu Zize with a hint of anticipation, then whispered, "What are we going to do next?"

Xu Zize kept looking at the rockery across from him and didn't immediately answer Jing Chunxi's question. However, as if sensing her nervousness, he held her hand tighter.

"You can't even row a boat in a small stream!" The winter stream was so shallow that many rocks were exposed, making it impossible for even the smallest boat to navigate. Jing Chunxi was nervous and puzzled, and couldn't help but whisper.

Xu Zize held her with one hand and put his other arm around her shoulders. He gently pressed Jing Chunxi's slightly cold cheek against his right arm. Under the moonlight, Xu Zize's face was filled with a peaceful smile, which made Jing Chunxi feel strangely at ease.

He said, "Wait a little longer." His voice was low and powerful, giving people an inexplicable sense of security.

"Prince, we have just entered the water. We have to wait a little longer. Come here." Fortunately, the person who suddenly appeared from behind the rockery was not loud, and Xu Zize hugged her, giving Jing Chunxi enough sense of security so that she was not frightened.

The man in black appeared and quickly took off the heavy wooden board from his shoulders.

A long wooden plank, more than a foot wide and half a foot thick, was draped over the stream. It quickly reached their feet, connecting the two banks. The man's foot gently stepped onto the other end of the plank.

Xu Zize gently pushed Jing Chunxi's body in front of him, then held her shoulders with both hands from behind, and said in a voice that only they could hear: "Don't be afraid, Brother Xiaokang will help you."

"Why is it so troublesome?" Jing Chunxi was puzzled. With their current skills, they could just tap the rocks in the stream and easily cross them. Why would they bother with so much trouble?

"Not everyone knows that we know Kung Fu. Just be obedient and walk across the wooden planks." The voice in her ear was very soft, like the whisper of stars in the night sky, and it also dispelled her concerns.

Xu Zize held her shoulders at first, and climbed onto the plank one step behind her. His hand gently rested on Jing Chunxi's shoulder, a gentle yet firm strength, silently telling her that with him around, she had nothing to fear.

Jing Chunxi's movements were a little slow, as Xu Zize had his hands on her shoulders, making it inconvenient for her to move her hands.

Xu Zize tried to move his hand down to her waist. He immediately sensed her discomfort. He let go of his hand and stretched out his arms to protect her body. This made her feel safe without feeling constrained.

Due to the significant height difference between them, Xu Zize practically hunched over, his steps steady. They advanced cautiously, each plank barely a ten-foot step. These ten short steps seemed to represent a journey they had taken together, a foreshadowing of their shared future.

It was the first time he got up close to this seemingly ordinary rockery. Jing Chunxi muttered to himself, "It seems the craftsmen didn't come up with anything new."

Why do agencies always choose to be located under the rockery? Her voice was so low that only she could hear it.

Who would have thought that Xu Zize would pinch his arm lightly. It was a slight touch that didn't hurt, but it was enough to make Jing Chunxi realize that he had spoken out of turn.

Jing Chunxi also understood what he meant, so he kept his mouth shut and didn't say anything more.