Vol. 2 - Ch. 11 - The Hen Announces the Dawn

A small pavilion by the lakeside.

The wind blew gently.

The lake’s surface rippled as the breeze brushed over it.

Red and white koi fish swam through the water, eagerly gathering near the pavilion.

A tall, elegant man, his face as refined as jade, stood by the pavilion. In his hand, he held a small pouch of fish feed, which he scattered into the lake.

The feed was made from roasted flour, forming light yellow crumbs. As soon as they touched the water, they were quickly devoured by the fish below.

The man watched the lake in silence.

His hands were long and slender, fair and immaculate. He reached into the pouch, grabbing another handful of feed, and scattered it in three different directions.

The golden crumbs fell like rain.

The koi swarmed together, jostling against one another as they fought for the food.

On the lakeside path—

A man dressed in a blue archer’s outfit moved with light, swift steps, crossing the distance in a blink and stopping just outside the pavilion.

He knelt on one knee and respectfully announced, “Lord Left Envoy has sent word!”

The man scattering the fish feed did not respond immediately.

He continued to toss the remaining crumbs until the pouch was empty. Only then did he turn around.

He picked up a handkerchief from the stone table in the pavilion and wiped his hands.

The pristine white fabric glided over his pale, jade-like skin.

It was clear that he treasured his hands.

Rather than wiping them, it looked more like he was caressing a lover’s face.

His movements were slow, deliberate, meticulous.

Only after ensuring every trace of flour was gone did he set the handkerchief down.

Then, he spoke.

“Speak.”

The kneeling man reported, “After Lord Left Envoy’s investigation—”

“Princess Jiangzhu is indeed in Yuhang County.”

“A second-rank senior eunuch, Zhang Heng, from the palace is guarding her.”

“Lord Left Envoy suspects that Wang Cairen is also with them.”

The man in the pavilion listened, his brows slightly furrowing.

“Useless.”

“They still failed to bring her back.”

The kneeling man quickly explained, “Lord Left Envoy said that the Profound Ice Demonic Art has thin inner strength and is not suited for prolonged combat.”

“There were also some unexpected mishaps…”

The man’s gaze flickered slightly as he listened. Then, he said indifferently, “This failure means there won’t be a next time.”

“It won’t change the grand scheme of things, but it remains a loose end.”

He stood motionless for a moment, lost in thought, before murmuring to himself, “Still… not entirely without gains.”

His lips curled into a cold smile.

“As expected, a hen announcing the dawn.”

“I was wondering where this ‘Second Prince’ suddenly appeared from.”

“Yuzhu and Jiangzhu, the two princesses.”

“It seems that the noble Princess Yuzhu couldn’t bring herself to eliminate her own sister.”

“Fifteen dead princesses to forge a single Emperor of Great Wu.”

“To entrust this empire to a woman—my dear uncle-in-law is certainly bold.”

Turning back to the lake, he gazed at the rippling water with a detached expression.

“But… still not ruthless enough.”

“He left Jiangzhu as a fatal flaw.”

The lake’s surface rippled gently. With no more food left, the fish gradually dispersed.

The kneeling man outside the pavilion asked, “Lord Left Envoy inquires when you plan to depart.”

“What’s the rush?”

“Qiong Aohai hasn’t even reached Anhui yet, has he?”

The man replied unhurriedly.

Standing by the lake, he gazed at the water with a deep, contemplative look.

…

The sound of firecrackers bids farewell to the old year.

Second year of Zhenghe, the eighth day of the first month.

The new year had just passed, and the atmosphere at the orphanage was still filled with lingering joy from the celebrations.

In the spacious courtyard, several children ran about, laughing and playfully chasing each other.

Chen Ye sat on a reclining chair, casually reading a book while keeping an eye on the children.

Sun Sheng approached, carrying a bundle over his shoulder, a mischievous grin on his face.

“Foster father,” he called out. “The new year is over, and I was thinking…”

Chen Ye set his book aside and glanced at Sun Sheng with a calm expression.

“You want to go back to Lake Tai again?”

Sun Sheng nodded obediently.

Chen Ye sighed lightly.

“You’ve always had a wild nature. If you want to go, then go. But remember what I told you.”

“Rob the rich to aid the poor—don’t stray down the wrong path.”

Sun Sheng’s face lit up with joy. “Thank you, Foster father.”

Chen Ye waved a hand dismissively. “Go on.”

Sun Sheng bowed respectfully, bid farewell to the children at the orphanage, and left the courtyard.

Before heading to Lake Tai, he had one last matter to take care of.

He walked along the long street until he arrived at Yihong Courtyard.

The two burly guards standing at the entrance, fierce-looking as they were, shuddered the moment they saw him.

Sun Sheng cast them a glance before swaggering into the brothel.

Inside the main hall, Madam Liu was present. The moment she saw Sun Sheng, her face darkened instantly, turning the color of pig liver.

She stormed toward him, fuming with anger.

“You little brat! You dare show your face here again?”

“I’ll have someone beat—”

Before she could finish, her eyes froze mid-sentence.

Sun Sheng had pulled out five silver banknotes, each worth ten taels, totaling fifty taels.

He slapped them onto the table with a sneer, then turned on his heel and walked away without a word.

Madam Liu quickly counted the silver notes, and a broad smile spread across her face.

“Young Master Sun, come back anytime!”

“I’ll save Cuihong just for you!”

She called out excitedly after him.

Sun Sheng didn’t look back.

Leaving Yihong Courtyard, he cast one final glance toward the orphanage.

His eyes carried a trace of reluctance.

Once he returned to Lake Tai, he wouldn’t be coming back anytime soon.

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