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

"Go on." The King of Yan's voice was low and rapid, his eyes fixed on the blank space. His fingers tapped unconsciously on the table, revealing his inner anxiety.

Jing Chunxi noticed that there were several old scars on his knuckles, which were marks left by years of holding the sword.

Xu Zize gently put the couplet down and solemnly unfolded the rubbing of the inscription "Shelter from the Rain" with both hands. The paper made a slight crisp sound in his hands, and the ink shone with a deep luster under the light.

Jing Chunxi's commentary was perfectly synchronized with his movements: "The two characters we copied back are exactly the same size and font as '遮风'."

Prince Yan took two steps at a time and approached, his boots clacking against the bluestone floor. As he took the rubbing, Jing Chunxi could smell the faint scent of ambergris mixed with rust on him.

His thick brows were furrowed, and his fingertips gently stroked the uneven lines on the rubbing. Suddenly, he said in a deep voice, "Is there a problem with Daqingshan?"

Jing Chunxi secretly marveled at the prince's keen sense. She nodded, the pearl hairpin in her bun swaying gently with her movements. "We found this on the top floor of the rain shelter."

She took the pattern out of her bundle and slowly spread it out on the table. The parchment made a slight crisp sound, but the ink lines on it were still clearly visible.

Xu Zize had already walked around Jing Chunxi and stood beside his father. His sleeve brushed against the back of her hand, bringing the coolness of the night breeze.

Watching Xu Zize's slender fingers accurately pointing at the Qingshan Villa on the pattern, Jing Chunxi stopped talking at the right time. She quietly stretched her stiff neck, and the friction of the fabric made a subtle sound.

Xu Zize spoke concisely and clearly, describing the locations of the two cave entrances in just a few words. His voice was not loud, but each word was powerful.

"Back then, my father was too naive." After hearing this, the King of Yan did not show joy as expected. Instead, it seemed as if some painful memories were brought back to him.

A trace of pain flashed across his deep eyes, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes seemed to deepen. "If your father hadn't been blocked at the border, your royal grandfather wouldn't have been so passive." He finished speaking with a heavy sigh, as if to release the frustration in his chest.

When he sat back down heavily in the chair, the rosewood chair creaked under the heavy weight.

Jing Chunxi couldn't help but look at Prince Yan a few more times.

In the candlelight, his square face looked even more resolute. Beneath his thick eyebrows were a pair of piercing eyes, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes showed the traces of time. His resolute face reminded her of her uncle, a man of integrity.

She thought to herself, "As expected, a tiger father will have a dog son." This realization solidified her decision to help the Prince of Yan and his son. While there was indeed a selfish desire to overturn the Jing family's case, that wasn't the primary motivation.

"And this, too. It should have been left by the retired emperor. The Empress Dowager probably doesn't even know about it." Jing Chunxi said, gently pushing the rusty iron box across the table. The metal scraped against the wood, making a harsh sound.

Just a glance and the King of Yan suddenly became serious.

He stretched out his hands and gently dragged the iron box towards him. His movements were incredibly gentle, as if he was touching some fragile treasure.

The rust on the iron box appeared dark red in the candlelight. But he did not open it immediately. Instead, he used his fingertips to repeatedly stroke the edge of the iron box, his movements so gentle that they were almost pious.

At that moment, a rare softness appeared on his resolute face. What he held in his hands was not cold metal, but the last token left by his loved ones.

The two of them sat down quietly, and the only sound in the room was the sound of dripping water from the copper leak.

Prince Yan's heavy breathing was particularly clear in the silent hall. His chest rose and fell, as if he was suppressing some surging emotions.

The candlelight cast flickering shadows on his angular face, making his deep-set eye sockets look even deeper.

It wasn't until a long time later that the King of Yan spoke. His voice seemed to come from far away, so low that it almost blended into the night, without a trace of emotion. "Xiaokang, open it!"

These few short words seemed to have exhausted all his strength. After he finished speaking, his Adam's apple rolled noticeably, and then he pushed the iron box over.

"Yes, father!" When Xu Zize pulled out the dagger from his waist, the blade rubbed against the sheath, making a slight "clang" sound.

Jing Chunxi supported his chin with his left hand and rested his elbow on the armrest of the carved chair, feeling the cool touch of the wood texture through his sleeves.

Like the King of Yan, she closely followed Xu Zize's every move.

Just as she had pried open the gold brick, Xu Zize also began by gently prying the four corners of the iron box. The tip of the dagger scraped against the rust, making a subtle "rustling" sound that was particularly harsh in the quiet room.

After the lid was a little loose, he used the blade of a knife to carefully scrape off the rust and beeswax on the upper and lower joints. His movements were so cautious, as if he was disassembling some fragile treasure.

The candlelight danced on his focused profile, revealing his furrowed brow and tense jawline.

The waiting time was perhaps too long, and the occasional sound only served to make one appreciate the stillness of the night. Jing Chunxi could hear his own steady breathing.

Prince Yan's fingers tapped the armrest unconsciously, the rhythm sometimes fast and sometimes slow, revealing his inner anxiety.

With a final "clang" sound, the lid of the iron box was suddenly opened, and the sound of metal collision was particularly harsh in the silent night.

The lid bounced a few times on the table, making a crisp "tapping" sound every time it fell, and finally landed steadily in the middle of the table where King Yan had just sat, as if it was God's will.

The iron box lid shone with a cold metallic luster under the candlelight, and the mottled rust on it looked like a mark of time.

The direction the iron cover bounced and where it landed left the three of them stunned for a moment. Jing Chunxi noticed that the Prince of Yan's pupils had slightly contracted, while Xu Zize seemed relieved.

For a moment, the only sounds in the room were the three people's light breathing, and even the crackling sound of the burning candle could be clearly heard.

The box was pushed in front of King Yan by Xu Zize again.

As the bright yellow scroll came into view, Prince Yan stood up abruptly, his chair legs creaking against the floor. His wide sleeves whipped up a gust of wind, nearly snuffing out a nearby candle.

He held the bright yellow scroll in his hands, his movements as reverent as if he were holding a holy object. His fingertips trembled slightly, revealing his inner excitement.

As the bright yellow paper slowly unfolded, the neatly written words gradually emerged in the candlelight, the ink still as clear as new, as if it had traveled through time. The three of them held their breath at the same time, and the room was so quiet that they could only hear the subtle sound of the paper being unfolded.

The contents of the will were clearly visible in the candlelight, each word weighing a thousand pounds. Jing Chunxi noticed that the Prince of Yan's hands were trembling slightly, and Xu Zize's breathing had become noticeably faster. As the candlelight flickered, the seal on the will glowed a dark red, like a drop of congealed blood.