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

"It's really frustrating. Please take a look at the letter first, otherwise give it to me." The old lady said this quickly and hurriedly, tapping her fingers on the coffee table, revealing her inner anxiety.

The scent of sandalwood curled through the hall, but it couldn't dispel the tense atmosphere in the air.

Jing Changning coughed lightly and said calmly, "Among the several princes, Prince Jing has never been close to the one above him, but he never flatters him, nor does he seem like someone who would kick someone when he is down." He spoke slowly, and each word seemed to be carefully considered. His thick eyebrows, which were very similar to his father's, were slightly furrowed, and a few fine lines were carved between his eyebrows.

"really!"

Jing Changjiang nodded heavily, the short beard on his chin swaying slightly with the movement, and then his eyes quickly swept over the letter in his hand.

The old lady was unable to get the letter because Jing Yongcheng suddenly pressed down on the letter. His big, calloused hands pressed the paper tightly like pliers, and the protruding blood vessels on the back of his hands were clearly visible.

Although he opened the letter, the serious expression on his face did not diminish in the slightest. The wrinkles between his brows became even deeper, as if he wanted to burn a hole in the letter with his eyes.

The main hall fell into a long silence again, with only the occasional rustling sound of two people flipping through letters being particularly harsh.

Jing Chunxi sat in an armchair, her legs dangling in the air, bored, her soft-soled shoes embroidered with butterflies appearing and disappearing. She tilted her head to look at her grandfather, her large black eyes filled with confusion.

She thought the adults were so strange. Why didn't they believe what she said? This was clearly a thank-you gift from Prince Jing's Mansion.

She and Brother Xiaokang had clearly saved Prince Jing's family from disaster and awakened Prince Jing's hopes for his nephew. How could it not be worth a few tens of thousands of taels of silver? Since they had given it, they should have accepted it.

The expressions on Jing Yongcheng and Jing Changjiang's faces were identical, starting with serious doubt and then slowly turning into astonishment. They read the letter faster and faster, their eyes scanning the paper almost three lines at a time, and their breathing became rapid.

Jing Yongcheng's chest heaved violently, his gray beard trembling. Jing Changjiang unconsciously leaned forward, his forehead almost touching the letter paper. Then, they both sighed in unison, their tense shoulders relaxing as they slumped back against the chairs, making a creaking sound.

But then, as if startled awake, they sat up straight, their faces relaxed a little, but a solemn expression emerged again. It was an expression mixed with shock, confusion and deep thought.

Everyone was certain that both of them read the letter carefully a second time from beginning to end before looking up.

When they both raised their heads, their gazes fell on Jing Chunxi at the same time. The complex expressions in their eyes made the little girl shrink her neck. Then they looked at each other, and the deep meaning in their eyes was understood only by each other.

But seeing their expressions gradually relaxing, everyone in the hall breathed a sigh of relief - at least, the content of the letter wasn't bad for their family.

"Sister Xi," Jing Yongcheng's voice suddenly rang out, breaking the silence. He deliberately softened his tone, but could not conceal his eagerness, "Xu Ding~ your master~ what did he say to you before leaving? What did he do?" While asking, he gently nudged his wife beside him with his elbow, motioning her to take the letter.

The old lady could no longer contain herself and immediately reached out to grab it upon hearing this. Her white, skinny fingers were as swift as an eagle's claws.

Jing Changjiang also thrust the letter into Jing Changning's arms, moving so quickly and hastily that he nearly tore the paper. Jing Changning's slender fingers trembled slightly as he took it, his eyes eagerly searching the lines, desperate to uncover the truth. His brows furrowed and relaxed, his lips moving silently as he read the letter's contents silently.

"What did you say?" Jing Chunxi was stunned by the question, tilting her head and trying to recall the incident. She remembered everything her master said and did to her—that tall, upright figure always standing silently behind her, like a wall that would never collapse.

The master's nagging voice seemed to still echo in my ears: "Master said, don't tell mother about his recognition of his relatives yet."

"Every time before he goes out, Master is always very long-winded, explaining everything he wants to say. He always discusses some things with Mother repeatedly before making a decision. And Mother also likes to consult Master about anything, and the two of them often spend most of the day talking in the study."

She kicked her dangling calf and added, "Master even checks the wheels himself, and he also carefully selects the horses. Last time, he tried riding that chestnut horse three times before letting me touch it." When she said this, she curled her lips, obviously disapproving of her master's overprotection.

"Is the master treating you and Pu Ge'er well?" When Jing Yongcheng asked this question, everyone in the hall looked at Jing Chunxi. The burning gaze made her shrink her neck involuntarily. She suddenly felt that the letter might not only contain words of gratitude, but also might be related to herself and her brother.

She noticed that when her grandfather asked this question, his fingers unconsciously tapped on the armrest of the chair, making a dull "thump thump" sound.

"He is very good to his younger brother," Jing Chunxi replied with blinking eyes, "Pu Ge'er follows him around like a little tail and calls him Big Brother Jing." She couldn't help laughing when she thought of her younger brother and his friends following their master happily.

Hearing this, the three men exchanged meaningful glances. Jing Yongcheng stroked his beard thoughtfully, Jing Changjiang's lips curled up slightly, and Jing Changning let out a soft "tsk."

However, the old lady who had just finished reading the letter suddenly became unhappy when she heard this, and frowned: "Is he not good to Xier?" The protective tone in her voice was obvious.

"Hmm... so fierce!" Jing Chunxi drawled out his words, deliberately sounding aggrieved. Several men in the hall gasped, exchanged glances, and shook their heads in unison. Seeing this, the old lady's expression darkened even further.

"It's not that he's bad," Jing Chunxi explained quickly, stretching out her tone when she saw the atmosphere was off. "It's just... he's meddling in everything." She counted on her fingers, growing increasingly angry as she spoke, her face flushing red. "Whenever I want to do something, he thinks it's risky and insists on dragging my mother into it!"

The most annoying thing was that every time she was lazy or wanted to do something, her master would frown and blame her mother.

At this point, Jing Chunxi didn't notice that the elders in the room were all smiling knowingly. The old lady's tense expression relaxed, and a kind light flashed in her eyes. Jing Yongcheng's beard twitched, obviously trying to suppress a smile. Even the usually serious Jing Changjiang couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle.

Jing Chunxi closed her eyes and reminisced for a moment, then suddenly said mysteriously, "But!" She deliberately kept everyone in suspense, and when everyone's attention was focused, she lowered her voice and said, "If I hadn't insisted that he stay to protect mother and brother during the last incident in Jiujiang County, he would still be worried and insisted on going with us." At this point, she raised her little face proudly, "Back then, he didn't know what I was capable of!"

She kicked her legs forward, and the pearls on her embroidered shoes sparkled with her movements: "This man is so troublesome! He thought I was his soldier! Why should I care about anything?" After saying this, she made a face, imitating the master's stern face when scolding people, which made the old lady laugh.

Suddenly, she noticed everyone was staring at her with strange eyes, filled with surprise, emotion, and a complex mix of emotions she couldn't quite put into words. Jing Chunxi was afraid they'd misunderstand her and think her master wasn't treating her well, so she quickly waved her hand and explained, "Master is actually very kind!" Her face flushed with anxiety, fearing she'd cause trouble for her master.

In fact, if you think about it carefully, the master treats her very well.

Jing Chunxi suddenly fell into deep thought, and those overlooked details came flooding back. Her master's kindness to her was never just words, but hidden in every subtle gesture and every caring look.

She remembered that when she was leaving, her master stood at the door of the mansion, his figure as tall as a pine tree, and his concerned eyes did not leave for a long time.