Volume One, Chapter Five: Her Father Is the Most Handsome Man in the Capital

The commotion regarding the two children tossing the embroidered ball to find their father had only just begun, and while the streets were buzzing with the news, the gossip had not yet reached the inner chambers of the residence.

Second Master Shu, a man without rank or occupation, spent his days idling about. It was only after hearing that his nephew had brought a child home that he hurried back in a panic. The General’s Mansion was a rising household, relying entirely on the military achievements of his elder brother’s family. If an extra child were added to the mix, his own share of the inheritance would be significantly reduced!

Consequently, Second Master Shu vividly recounted the story of little Kaixin tossing the ball to find her father. However, because he had not set out early enough, he had not witnessed the scene himself and was merely repeating rumors; he was unaware that another child had been taken away by the Emperor.

"Is the capital really in such a state now? A woman who has already borne a child has the audacity to go out and toss an embroidered ball?" Liu Yanran murmured, feigning shock. She spoke at a volume perfectly calibrated to be heard by everyone in the room.

Little Kaixin, who had been listening to Second Master Shu’s story with great interest, was instantly offended. She pointed her chubby little finger at Liu Yanran, puffed out her cheeks, and said angrily, "You’re being mean! Mother says that any woman who makes things difficult for another woman is a bad woman!"

Liu Yanran’s eyes instantly turned red, tears welling up as she looked at Shu Zijun with a pitiful, choked expression. "Brother Zijun, I didn't—I never said that."

Shu Zijun didn't even glance at her. Instead, he crouched down beside Madam Shu, anxious to comfort the upset Kaixin. "Kaixin, don't be angry. If you make yourself sick, your father will be heartbroken."

"Brother Zijun—" Liu Yanran called out delicately, attempting to regain his attention.

"Grand Aunt, I am being wronged." Seeing that Shu Zijun ignored her, Liu Yanran immediately shifted her target. "Please, be the judge for me."

Madam Shu likewise ignored Liu Yanran, instead smiling as she asked Kaixin, "Did your mother teach you to say that?"

Liu Yanran gritted her teeth. *Fine! One, two, three—they all ignore me! Hmph, is the General’s Mansion so impressive? They are just peasants by origin; what right do they have to look down on me? Shu Zijun is nothing more than a playboy. If it weren't for the prestige of the General’s Mansion, would he even be worthy of her pursuit?*

Seeing that Madam Shu was ignoring the "bad woman," Kaixin’s face brightened, and she proudly lifted her little chin. "No, Grandmother. Mother only said it once. I overheard it and remembered it. Am I very clever?"

"Clever, clever, Kaixin is the most clever!" Shu Zijun was the ultimate cheerleader.

Madam Shu also nodded with a smile. "That’s right. To remember such a difficult phrase, our Kaixin is truly brilliant."

"By the way, why did you toss the ball to find your father? Does your mother know?"

Kaixin shook her head. She frowned and thought carefully—her brother hadn't told her she couldn't say this. So, she said proudly, "Because tossing the ball to find a father is fun! Besides, it’s well-known and causes a big enough stir. Mother will surely hear about it, and then she can come to the capital to find us."

"Otherwise, we wouldn't know how long it would take to see Mother again. I miss her so much."

Her brother’s actual words had been, "Mother will surely receive the news immediately. Even if she doesn't want to enter the capital, she will have to come." Kaixin didn't know why her mother was reluctant to enter the capital, but if her brother said she had to come, then she must come. If she wouldn't come on her own, they would lure her in. Her brother was always right, so she just listened to him.

Madam Shu clearly grasped the situation. "Are you trying to lure your mother into the capital?"

Recalling her brother’s words, Kaixin nodded triumphantly. "Mother doesn't want to come to the capital. Is our plan good?"

Madam Shu praised her, "It is. Kaixin is so smart. But why do you want to lure your mother here?"

Kaixin thought for a moment. Her brother hadn't forbidden this, so she honestly confessed, "Because I overheard Mother say that Father is from the capital. And that he is the best-looking man in the entire city."

"I just don't know why Mother won't let us find him. She even told me to pretend he doesn't exist." As she spoke, Kaixin’s mood dampened. Other children had their fathers with them; only she and her brother did not. She was so envious.

*A man from the capital? The best-looking man in the entire city?* Madam Shu instinctively glanced at her son. Could it be that this good-for-nothing brat had caused trouble and broken a young woman's heart, leading her to leave the capital in sorrow, refusing to step foot in it ever again? If not, why was Kaixin so close to him? And why, as a woman who had always been rational and composed, was she so instantly fond of this child the moment she saw her? Could it be the bond of blood?

Liu Yanran, left out in the cold, clearly realized this possibility as well, and her fists clenched tightly inside her sleeves. *Very well. Not only is Shu Zijun a useless, unmotivated playboy, but now he has brought back a little wild seed to treasure! And he’s made it the talk of the capital—how stupid! How ridiculous! If I marry into the General’s Mansion, I will certainly purge him of these crooked ways!*

"Thump!" The Old Madam slammed her hand on the table, her expression turning colder. She said sternly, "Hmph! A child who doesn't even know who her own father is, and a mother who is clearly unreliable! Now, immediately, throw this wild child of unknown origin out of the General’s Mansion!"

"Just because she claims her father is from the capital, she tries to pin it on Zijun? Our General’s Mansion will not be made into a fool!"

Second Master Shu rolled up his sleeves and prepared to step forward. Liu Yanran regained her senses and hurriedly pulled on the Old Madam’s sleeve, whispering a warning, "Old Madam, she brought over a hundred people with her."

To throw them out so aggressively might provoke them. If they were pushed to a desperate fight, the current guard of the General’s Mansion might not be able to defeat them. If she were caught in the crossfire, the loss would outweigh the gain! *The Old Madam is so old, yet she acts with such recklessness and ignorance. As expected of someone from a small, provincial family—so short-sighted.*

Although she was the Old Madam’s grand-niece, by her father’s generation, the family had relied on the General’s Mansion to become wealthy landowners in the county. To avoid appearing unrefined in front of other prominent families, her father had spent heavily to hire tutors for all his children. She had been carefully cultivated by several teachers since childhood. Compared to the Old Madam, the difference was like heaven and earth.

To her surprise, the Old Madam ignored her completely, speaking with full confidence: "They are merely a group of swindlers—what can they achieve? Never mind a hundred people; even if there were a thousand, would our General’s Mansion be afraid of them?"

"Not to mention anyone else, Zijun himself is now a Supervising Inspector; he has a voice even among the Imperial Guards!"