When General Mu and the military advisor rushed over, a small figure dashed forward and accurately hugged the general's leg. "Grandpa, hello!"
General Mu was overjoyed. He picked up Shen Baozhu and said cheerfully, "Good, good, good. You're good too. We're all good."
The military advisor paused in his steps and sized up the little girl in the general's arms.
She had a fair and tender face with a bit of baby fat. Her round almond eyes were clear and bright, making her extremely endearing. She was stretching out her arms to show the general the silver bracelet on her wrist.
She was wearing a bright yellow dress with excellent stitching. The embroidery on the hem was vivid. Paired with the small yellow - centered pink flower on her head, it was delicate and dainty, indicating that she came from a well - off family.
"Grandpa, Baozhu has prepared gifts for you and Grandpa Friend. I'll show them to you after dinner," Shen Baozhu blurted out, unable to keep the secret.
General Mu was even happier. He said affectionately, "Baozhu is so filial, knowing to prepare gifts for Grandpa. Grandpa will like whatever you give."
"Grandpa also found some gifts for you in the royal treasury of Xiangyun Country. I'll take you to have a look tomorrow."
When the military advisor heard the little girl's name, his mind went blank. Even though he had lived for decades, he couldn't figure out what General Mu was up to.
But looking at the little girl, he really saw a bit of the shadow of Lanyue.
General Mu carried Shen Baozhu a few steps and noticed that the military advisor was standing still. He urged, "Come on. What are you standing there stupidly for?"
Hearing the urging, the military advisor came back to his senses. He walked to General Mu's side and said discontentedly, "I know you miss Baozhu, but you can't find a substitute granddaughter!"
"Have you ever thought about Baozhu when you do this? Even if she's young, she'll be sad."
"General, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but this is really inappropriate. You'd better send the child back. I won't tell Heqing and the others."
General Mu didn't understand what the military advisor was saying. He glanced at him and worriedly asked, "What are you talking about? Are you sick?"
The military advisor still disapproved and looked at General Mu. "What nonsense? Listen to me. Send the child back quickly, lest Heqing sees her."
"Sees what?" Shen Heqing walked out of the hall and happened to hear his name.
The military advisor nervously looked at Shen Baozhu. Shen Heqing followed his gaze and also looked at Shen Baozhu. "What's wrong with Baozhu?"
Shen Baozhu tilted her head and looked at the military advisor. Following her elder brother, she asked, "What's wrong with Baozhu?"
The military advisor didn't expect Shen Heqing to know about this. He could only sigh.
Lin Yu: [Baozhu, he thinks you're a substitute found by Grandpa.]
Dragon King: [This guy has such a strange idea. The little cutie is a substitute for himself. Hahaha.]
Dragon King: [Little cutie, quickly call him a fool and introduce yourself.]
But before Shen Baozhu could do so, the Princess Jingning, who noticed that Shen Baozhu had been out for too long, also came out of the hall.
The military advisor didn't recognize Shen Baozhu, but he remembered the appearance of the Princess Jingning. He stared at her for a few moments and became even more disappointed with General Mu. He actually found a substitute for Lanyue.
Due to Shen Danqing, a junior, being present, the military advisor had to save face for General Mu and couldn't expose him directly. He could only sigh again. "You, actually, sigh!"
General Mu was completely confused and became even more certain of his thought that the military advisor must be sick and talking nonsense now.
The two had been friends for many years. The general felt very sorry that the military advisor was sick. "You're talking nonsense. Don't worry. I'll find a doctor for you tomorrow."
The military advisor stared wide - eyed and pointed at General Mu, scolding, "You, you, you. You even curse me for being sick. You're hopeless."
The hopeless General Mu was still confused, but thinking that the military advisor was sick, he quickly agreed in order to cheer him up. "Yes, yes, yes. I'm hopeless."
Dragon King: [Hahahahaha.]
Dragon King: [It's so funny. Don't they realize they're talking at cross - purposes?]
Hearing their conversation, Shen Heqing looked at the military advisor in confusion and asked, "Sick? What illness? What did Grandpa do to make you angry?"
Just then, Shen Baozhu missed her elder brother's embrace. She reached out her hand to Shen Heqing. "Brother, Baozhu wants you to hold me."
General Mu passed the child over, and Shen Heqing took her. Their movements were as smooth as flowing clouds and running water, but it left the military advisor stunned.
The military advisor looked at Shen Heqing with an indescribable look in his eyes.
Lin Yu: [This gentleman is probably thinking about why Baozhu's elder brother also accepts the imposter.]
Dragon King: [I bet he won't be able to hold it in when he sees the little cutie call her mother later.]
Just as the Dragon King had expected, when the three walked into the hall, Shen Heqing carried Shen Baozhu and whispered, "Mother."
The military advisor stopped in his tracks and asked in disbelief, "You call her mother?"
General Mu was confused. "What else should Heqing call her if not mother? You're really sick."
"You're the one who's sick. Heqing has his own mother. How can he call someone else that?" The military advisor thought that what had happened today was too absurd. He even suspected that he was dreaming. "I must be asleep and dreaming. I have to wake up quickly."
The military advisor raised his hand and slapped hard. Then he asked, "Does it hurt?"
General Mu grimaced and rubbed his back. "Of course it hurts! What nonsense are you talking about? Why don't you hit yourself?"
The military advisor replied justifiably, "It hurts if I hit myself! No, if it hurts, why haven't I woken up yet? Could this not be a dream?"
The little phoenix flew over, circled around the military advisor a few times, and finally landed on General Mu's shoulder. "Master, the food is getting cold."
The military advisor was stunned and searched for the source of the sound in the hall.
General Mu tried hard not to laugh and pointed at the treasure - hunting rat wearing a veil. "The sound seems to come from it. Go and have a look."
The military advisor believed it and walked a few steps to the treasure - hunting rat and lifted its veil.
The next moment, a scream echoed through the hall.
"Ah! A rat, a half - human - tall rat! This must be a dream."
The military advisor turned around and ran. General Mu initially watched it as a joke, but when he saw the military advisor running past him, he felt a bit uncomfortable. "Aren't you going to take me with you?"
"You're fake. You might be in cahoots with that rat fairy," the military advisor said clearly and continued to run outside.
Shen Danqing stopped him in time and explained the whole story.
The military advisor looked at Shen Danqing in surprise. "Do you think I'm a fool?"
"Can a bird as small as the palm of a hand carry a person and travel a thousand miles overnight?"
The little phoenix was indignant. It flew in front of the military advisor. "I'm not an ordinary bird. I'm a phoenix. I can travel not just a thousand miles but ten thousand miles overnight!"
The military advisor suddenly realized and pointed at the little phoenix. "Bird fairy, rat fairy!"
This made the little phoenix so angry that it chased after the military advisor and spat fire. "I'm a phoenix, not some bird fairy."
Seeing that things were getting out of hand, General Mu immediately explained to the military advisor, but he had already lost the military advisor's trust. The military advisor thought he was a fairy who could change his appearance.
Dragon King: [Now it's good. Everyone is a fairy. Hahaha.]
Finally, it was the Princess Jingning who explained and told the military advisor a past event that only the two of them knew, which made the military advisor believe that they were not fairies.
While the Princess Jingning was explaining to the military advisor, far away in the capital, Shen Qingshan was having a nightmare.