Chapter 92: Speculation

After Xiao Jingyan knelt in the ancestral hall all night, the Yu Xianrong incident was considered closed in the Xiao household.

Though General Xiao appeared coarse and careless most of the time, he could be meticulous when it came to his two granddaughters.

How would Nanny Ruan react to the incident where her granddaughter “coincidentally” encountered Yu Xianrong on the street? Would she be displeased, feeling that Ping’an was unworthy of learning from her, or even storm off in anger? That would certainly make the two granddaughters heartbroken!

After observing all morning, General Xiao saw no sign of dissatisfaction from Nanny Ruan. On the contrary, Ping’an and Nanny Ruan seemed to grow closer, with Ping’an calling her “Master” affectionately.

“Ping’an truly has a way with people. Even someone so picky has been won over—truly worthy of being my granddaughter,” thought General Xiao with pride. For a man who could turn the dead of winter into springtime bliss as long as his granddaughters were happy, this was enough to lift his spirits. After eating a hearty meal and changing clothes, he cheerfully headed to the Imperial Academy, refreshed and rejuvenated.

However, the three people who arrived at the Imperial Academy before him had no idea General Xiao was in a good mood today. They collectively assumed that, while the general might refrain from openly venting his frustrations on them due to their statuses, his demeanor would be anything but pleasant.

No family would feel joyful about becoming the subject of public gossip. Though the Xiao family was minimally affected as the male party in the incident, one should not forget that the two girls who confronted Yu Xianrong were also members of the Xiao household. Even though public opinion leaned toward favoring the Xiao family, dissenting or critical voices were not completely absent.

Yun Yichen, in particular, eagerly hoped that the sharp-tongued, mischievous little girl would be severely punished—forced to copy texts, kneel in the ancestral hall, or, better yet, be exiled to a remote, desolate village. Perhaps she could even become a nun and never return to the capital again.

But when the beaming General Xiao appeared before them, Yun Yifan and Mu Fengwu felt their uneasy hearts ease, while Yun Yichen was struck by disbelief and unable to process this cruel reality.

“Run 20 laps first, then perform the techniques you learned the day before for my review. After that, learn the next two moves and proceed to archery. As long as all your arrows hit the target, today’s training will be considered complete.”

That was it? No punishment, no scolding? Was this really the same old man who used to torment them at the slightest foul mood? Had he been swapped for someone else?

“What’s the matter? Feeling uncomfortable without punishment? Then—”

“No, we’re completely fine with this!” Mu Fengwu quickly interrupted, his voice obsequious but secretly grumbling in his heart.

While the three began their training as instructed, General Xiao sat leisurely, sipping tea.

“Do you think the old man is acting strange today? Could he have been provoked?” The rumors about the Xiao family had spread widely, drawing the attention of even outsiders. How could the people involved remain unaffected? Perhaps the general had been overstimulated.

“Maybe the shock was too much, and that’s why he’s acting this way,” Yun Yichen muttered, reluctant to accept what he was seeing. He preferred to believe that the Xiao family had indeed disciplined Xiao Jingyan and her sister, and the old man’s cheerful demeanor was merely a façade.

“What a pity!” Mu Fengwu whispered. “I couldn’t attend the Yuan family gathering yesterday because of other commitments. I heard the old man’s granddaughter went head-to-head with Miss Yu and came out victorious. What a spectacle it must have been! I’ve been dying to meet her!”

“It’s better that you didn’t see it,” Yun Yichen replied. “If you had, your idealized image of a lovely little junior sister would have been completely shattered.”

“Wait, does that mean you’ve met her? How does she look? Do they resemble each other? I heard they’re twins. Even if they’re not identical, they should look 80-90% alike, right?”

Yun Yifan leaned in, curious. He had never seen the Xiao family’s two girls either. Surely anyone chosen by Nanny Ruan would not be ordinary.

“They don’t look alike at all. As for her appearance, she’s quite average. She’s sharp-tongued and calculating—not at all like a proper young lady,” Yun Yichen said, his tone tinged with bitterness.

“Did you meet her and argue with her?” Yun Yifan asked. Knowing Yun Yichen rarely spoke about girls, let alone criticized them, he and Mu Fengwu guessed there must have been some unpleasant encounter.

“I didn’t meet her. I just overheard her badmouthing someone behind their back,” Yun Yichen deflected, unwilling to tarnish a girl’s reputation unnecessarily.

“Really? Nanny Ruan has a discerning eye—could she have made a mistake?” Yun Yifan found it hard to believe. Yet, knowing Yun Yichen to be a man of principle, he figured something unpleasant must have occurred between them.

“Have you finished your training?” General Xiao called out, noticing their slowing movements.

The trio quickly refocused on their exercises, putting aside their curiosity about the mysterious little junior sister.

After training, the three moved to the archery area. Yun Yichen began shooting at moving targets, while the other two practiced with stationary ones.

Midway through practice, General Xiao’s booming voice rang out again:

“Make sure to line up to buy those pastries! Ruyi loves them, and Ping’an is fond of the crispy ones. If they can’t finish them, share them with the young masters. After you’ve bought them, have someone deliver them home quickly. They won’t taste good if they sit too long. Once I’ve spoken with these boys, I’ll head home to enjoy snacks with my granddaughters,” he instructed his attendant carefully.

“Hey! Are you trying to kill me? That arrow almost hit me!” Mu Fengwu shouted dramatically, though the arrow hadn’t come nearly as close as he claimed.

Yun Yifan rushed over to check.

“If you injure the Mu family’s favorite grandson, his grandfather will surely grieve,” Mu Fengwu teased.

Yun Yifan couldn’t help but laugh. “The old duke dotes on you so much that he chases you around the courtyard daily. If he didn’t, neither of you would sleep well at night.”

Frustrated, Yun Yichen tossed his bow to the ground. The old man was utterly unreliable, spoiling his granddaughters after their public argument. Clearly, seeking revenge through him was hopeless.

“How could you make such a mistake? What were you thinking?” General Xiao demanded, walking over to Yun Yichen.

Thinking about revenge, Yun Yichen fumed internally. If the general had been more impartial, this wouldn’t have happened.

“Apologies, Mu. I didn’t mean to. How would you like me to make it up to you?”

“Since you’ve apologized sincerely, I’ll let it slide this time. But there better not be a next time!”

Yun Yichen sighed inwardly. If they had experienced his situation, they wouldn’t have been nearly as composed.

“That’s enough for today. Go home!” General Xiao announced.

A year from now, these three brats would no longer be his concern. Then, he could spend all his time with his granddaughters.

But General Xiao, don’t you know? There’s a saying: “Things never go as planned,” and another: “Enemies always meet.”

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