Gazing at the throng of Ye City citizens around him, poised to strike at any mont, and at the still-struggling Xin Xianying, Chen Xi couldn't help but sigh. At the very least, people of this era were not lacking in courage.
As the crowd prepared to denounce him, Chen Xi swept his cold gaze over everyone, then raised his left hand. The glittering Gold Seal with Purple Ribbon instantly revealed his identity, as only a handful in Ye City fit both this title and age.
"Clear off, onlookers. And you, calm yourself already." Chen Xi's calm voice reached Xin Xianying's ears.
Xin Xianying's displeasure was evident, but faced with Chen Xi, she found herself with no better options. Surprisingly, she displayed an unnatural maturity for her age. Slightly bowing, she said, "Greetings to Marquis Chen."
"I'm very curious how you managed to get out. Locking down the Xin Family was my order—not only to prevent disturbances but also for peace of mind. I don't believe a four- or five-year-old child could have left so easily," Chen Xi raised his brows slightly. It seed she already knew who he was.
"As a fellow native of Yingchuan, might Marquis Chen show so rcy and help my father?" Xin Xianying's soft, tender voice carried a note of hope as she asked this.
"Now I'm even more curious: how did you learn to say things like this?" Chen Xi clicked his tongue slightly. These were not the words a little girl should be saying.
"When my father was still alive, uncles would often visit. This particular phrase was the most persuasive to him. Whenever soone said it, my father would hesitate but eventually agree. I once asked him why, and he told , 'Away from ho, if a fellow townsman can help, then help.'" With her head lowered, Xin Xianying carefully observed Chen Xi's every move. Seeing his montary pause, her small hands clenched tightly.
"How did you manage to get out?" Chen Xi asked curiously.
"I left the Xin residence in your na, Marquis," Xin Xianying said, nervously twisting her fingers. "There's a big brother who cos by every day around the sa ti. I overheard him say my father was in the city, so I left under your pretext."
Chen Xi nodded. Guan Ping likely hadn't been on guard against a little girl like Xin Xianying. To reassure the Xin family, he must have told her that her father had already joined Liu Bei. Xin Xianying had likely exploited this, claiming to the guards that her father had been taken away under Chen Xi's invitation as a fellow native.
The guards at the gate likely wouldn't have suspected Xin Xianying to concoct such a tightly logical lie. And since the orders were also to avoid troubling the Xin family, coupled with the plausible connection between Xin Pi and Chen Xi as fellow Yingchuan natives, the deception seed quite credible.
"Have you always been this clever?" At this point, Chen Xi had given up on the idea of sending Xin Xianying back. At rely four or five years old, she had already demonstrated such brilliance. What had Xin Pi taught her?
"I don't know…" Xin Xianying said, biting her finger with so confusion. To be honest, she didn't fully understand Chen Xi's words.
"Oh, Old Hann, bring a copy of the *Thousand Character Classic*," Chen Xi turned his head and called to soone behind him. As soon as he turned back, the *Thousand Character Classic* appeared in his hands. Chen Xi wasn't surprised. He waved the text in front of Xin Xianying, saying, "This is for you. I'll read through it once, and your performance will determine whether you can see your father."
Without waiting to see if Xin Xianying understood, Chen Xi handed the text to her. At that mont, Xin Xianying's small face imdiately grew serious. She stared intensely at each character on the page, though it was evident she recognized very few.
Chen Xi gave the page a quick glance and began reading aloud. As his childhood prir, he could still recite the *Thousand Character Classic* word for word without missing a single character. Incidentally, this was sothing he had brought into this era, so he had also modified outdated references to fit the current tis.
Although Chen Xi enunciated clearly, it was, after all, only a thousand-character article, and it took him little ti to run through it. He then put the text away. "Now recite it for ."
Chen Xi clearly noticed that as he took the text away, the previously anxious Xin Xianying let out a small, careful breath of relief. Almost imdiately, in an exact replication of Chen Xi's tone, she began to recite with precise enunciation and rhythm.
Hearing Xin Xianying's recitation, the corners of Chen Xi's mouth curled upward. It wasn't until she finished entirely and anxiously stared at him that he wiped the smile off his face. "How do you write the phrase '鳞潜羽翔' (*scaled creatures sink, feathered ones soar*)?"
This ti, it was evidently not beyond Xin Xianying's capability. She quickly wrote it out. However, it was equally apparent that she had no prior experience with writing. Her characters were clumsy and unsightly—even she noticed this herself.
"Not bad. Follow ." Chen Xi refrained from asking any further questions and imdiately strode forward. A four- or five-year-old girl capable of such feats was an extraordinary rarity. It was likely that even Xin Pi himself wasn't aware of his daughter's extraordinary intelligence.
The site where Xin Pi was being confined was located quite far from the city center. As Xin Xianying remained silent, Chen Xi didn't call for a carriage. After walking a while, Xin Xianying's steps grew less steady than before, though she gritted her teeth and kept up with Chen Xi.
However, having not walked such distances before, she soon appeared red-eyed from the exertion, though she still refused to give up.
"Can you keep going?" Chen Xi asked, noticing her tear-streaked face. She didn't reply, rely nodded determinedly.
Chen Xi stopped in his tracks. He had no desire to tornt her. Looking at this girl, who was described in history books as dazzlingly brilliant, he couldn't help but feel a asure of pity. Such talents in won rivaled those of the era's greatest n. If born as a male, she would have been more than capable of contending with the world's heroes.
Soon, a carriage happened by. "Get in. Don't overexert yourself. Rember, your strength lies in your intellect, not your physical stamina. Use your mind to obtain everything you need," Chen Xi said as he helped Xin Xianying onto the carriage.
Once seated, the little girl finally gave in, sobbing silently at first before bursting into loud cries. Likely, she had never been so aggrieved in her life. Using her intellect to achieve sothing was probably a first for her as well.
"Here, wipe your tears." Chen Xi extended his sleeve toward her. Compared to the strong and precocious Xin Xianying from earlier, she now resembled a true young girl.
However, Xin Xianying stared at Chen Xi's sleeve without moving. Instead, she pulled out her handkerchief to wipe her tears, steadily calming herself. The upheaval in her family had brought far too many realizations to this once-innocent prodigy.
"From now on, rember every word I say to you," Chen Xi said, looking at Xin Xianying, who had mostly subdued her sobbing.
"Alright," she murmured, biting her lip to steady herself.
"You must understand that you are a prodigy. What I showed you earlier—a normal nine-year-old would need three months to learn it. You, however, only needed one look to rember. This gives you the power to sever the chains of fate. You are no longer confined to the role of a wife and mother. There is another path available: a path where you control your own destiny," Chen Xi said, watching Xin Xianying absorb his words with a mixture of comprehension and confusion. (. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian to read.)
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