Xiangyun Kingdom.
Familiarity breeds ease. General Mu knew it was Shen Baozhu coming as soon as he heard the familiar sound. He walked out happily only to see Shen Baozhu pulling a strange girl along.
General Mu stopped in his tracks and stood there stunned, subconsciously sizing up the girl.
She had a rather dark complexion and walked with vigor. She didn't seem like a young lady from a boudoir but rather a girl from a poor family. Her features were fairly regular, and her eyes were incredibly bright, much like those of Gao Guangying in his youth.
Shen Baozhu pulled Gao Shan over and said, "Grandfather, Sister Gao Shan is Uncle Gao's daughter. Third Brother said that Sister Gao Shan should spend more time with Uncle Gao."
General Mu stared into Gao Shan's eyes, making her feel nervous. Just when she was scared, General Mu suddenly clapped his hands and shouted, "Good! Excellent!"
"Baozhu, take Gao Shan in first. I'll call the others so they can also meet Gao Shan."
An incense stick's time later.
The military advisor was running over with his shoes in his hand, shouting, "Where's the fire? Where?"
Shen Baozhu was sitting on a chair with Gao Shan and shook her head. "There's no fire. Did you mishear, Grandfather Military Advisor?"
"No, the general said there was a fire here and told me to come put it out quickly. Where's the fire... Who's this girl? She looks a bit familiar." The military advisor looked around and bent down to put on his shoes.
Gao Shan held Shen Baozhu's hand tightly and summoned up her courage. "I, my name is Gao Shan. I'm here to find my father. My father's name is Gao Guangying."
"My mother's name is Lin Qingqian. She died half a year ago and told me to come to the capital to find my father, asking him to give me a bite to eat and help me find a good marriage."
The military advisor stared blankly at Gao Shan, and his shoe fell to the ground. He didn't even bother to pick it up. "Ghost! Ghost!"
Shen Baozhu corrected the military advisor. "Wrong, wrong. It's not a ghost. It's Baozhu and Gao Shan."
"No, she, I, Lin Qingqian has been dead for more than a decade!" The military advisor wanted Shen Baozhu to realize the seriousness of the matter.
Little Phoenix flew from the table onto the military advisor's head. "I can tell. You humans really believe in ghosts and gods. Gao Shan said her mother died half a year ago. You know her mother better than Gao Shan's mother herself and insist that she's been dead for more than a decade."
The military advisor finally reacted. "Lin Qingqian died half a year ago. You're not a ghost? But something's not right. Who said Lin Qingqian died with the baby in her womb? How vicious!"
Shen Baozhu raised her arm and said actively, "I know, I know. Baozhu knows who it is! It's the bad Lin Qingwan. She was jealous that Sister Gao Shan's mother found such a good husband in Uncle Gao, so she deliberately harmed her mother and even stole Uncle Gao's money."
"Gao Shan came to the capital to find Uncle Gao half a year ago. Lin Qingwan didn't want Gao Shan and Uncle Gao to recognize each other as father and daughter, so she stole Gao Shan's luggage, causing Sister Gao Shan to live in the mountains for three months!"
After learning the truth, the military advisor was extremely angry. "It's so despicable! We must bring Lin Qingwan to justice. We have to think of a way to deal with her."
Shen Baozhu looked at the military advisor in confusion. "The bad person has already been put in jail. The kind uncle said that the best outcome for her is to be sent to the border as a soldier, and the worst is to be executed by slow slicing. Is bringing her to justice scarier than slow slicing?"
The military advisor gave her a strange look. He asked in disbelief, "When did you discover the truth? How did you manage to send the person to jail so quickly?"
Dragon King: [Be shocked by Shen Haiyan's speed!]
Dragon King: [He's already sent the person to jail and taken care of all the procedures.]
Lin Yu: [He also went to He Qing's courtyard and gave all the manuscripts in his study to Teacher Li.]
Lin Yu: [Teacher Li was overjoyed and immediately asked his apprentice for help.]
Lin Yu: [Ming Li also gave money to the jailers to take good care of Lin Qingwan and Zhao Qing in every way.]
After a while, General Mu finally dragged Gao Guangying over.
But today's Gao Guangying was different from the one Shen Baozhu had seen last time. He was wearing a clean and well - fitting set of clothes, his hair was neatly combed, and his eyes were filled with tears as he looked at Gao Shan.
He said nervously, "Um, I, the general said you're my daughter. Has your mother been reincarnated? Is she okay?"
General Mu felt dizzy for a moment. He didn't expect Gao Guangying to misunderstand his words like this. He actually thought that Gao Shan was his daughter reincarnated.
Gao Shan didn't understand. She said blankly, "I don't know. It's been half a year. Mother should have been reincarnated."
The military advisor found that Gao Guangying was even more foolish than himself. He patted him on the shoulder. "This is your daughter with Lin Qingqian. Lin Qingqian raised your daughter alone and passed away half a year ago. Before she died, she told Gao Shan to come and find you."
Gao Guangying stood there stunned, his mind filled with the military advisor's words. His eyes gradually turned red. He clenched his fist tightly and then suddenly let it go.
He stretched out his only hand, wanting to touch Gao Shan. "It's my fault. It's all my fault. If only I could have found you and your mother..."
General Mu and the military advisor exchanged a look. They were extremely in sync. One picked up Shen Baozhu, and the other carried the treasure - hunting rat, leaving the private space for Gao Guangying and Gao Shan.
Running outside the hall, the military advisor suddenly burst out laughing. "General, I never thought in my life that I'd be able to hold such a big rat."
Shen Baozhu was a bit angry. She corrected him seriously, "Grandfather Military Advisor, it's a treasure - hunting rat, not a rat."
General Mu kicked the military advisor without hesitation. "Did you hear that? This is a treasure - hunting rat."
The treasure - hunting rat took out some food from its mouth and gave it to Shen Baozhu. "Squeak, squeak, squeak."
Master, eat something delicious!
Under the moonlight, the three of them and the rat were eating on the steps.
The military advisor was cracking sunflower seeds and casually asked, "Baozhu, what do you usually do?"
"Have breakfast, study, collect rent with Brother Ming Li, play games with Fourth Prince Qiuqiu, paint with Sister Ruxia, and complain to Sister Miaochun..." Shen Baozhu listed them one by one, naming countless people.
General Mu was delighted. He slapped his thigh. "See? Baozhu takes after me. She has good popularity and a wide network of connections!"
The military advisor was curious about the identity of the fourth prince. "Baozhu, are you on good terms with the fourth prince? I've heard you mention him several times."
"I remember Haiyan saying that he was cured and is very smart now. Does he still live in the princess's mansion?"
Shen Baozhu shook her head. "The fourth prince has returned to the palace. He's been very busy these days. He was even choosing a formal dress in the palace today. It seems he'll be crowned the crown prince soon."
The military advisor was overjoyed. He nudged General Mu with his body. "General, have we found a backer in the future emperor? This is a great patron!"
General Mu disdained. "Look at your spineless look. What's the future emperor? Baozhu has even got a god as a backer!"
Dragon King: [That's right. It must be the little cutie who's more powerful!]
Lin Yu: [Is the Dragon King's pearl ready?]
Dragon King: [I've been ready for ages. I'm just waiting for the day when the crown prince is crowned.]
Although General Mu disdained it on the surface, when the military advisor wasn't paying attention, he quietly pulled Shen Baozhu aside. "Baozhu, how's your relationship with the fourth prince?"
"The late emperor was so hateful. Can you ask the fourth prince to pretend to be the late emperor so I can vent my anger?"
"Baozhu is the best. Please help me?"