[However, Second Uncle had no idea that his subordinate was actually a spy from the State of Qi. That spy had been lurking by his side for years, waiting for the right moment to undermine the Zhao army—and in the end, he succeeded.]

[The death of the eldest uncle and the injuries of the second uncle were all orchestrated by them. Their grandfather, devastated by the loss of one son and the injury of another, suffered an emotional breakdown. The grief and anger took a toll on his heart and lungs, and he had been in poor health ever since.]

[If the State of Qi were to launch an attack now, would Grandfather even survive the battlefield?]

Lin Yuxin looked at Zhao Yingfeng, feeling heartache for him.

A family of generals carried too heavy a burden.

Zhao Yingfeng stiffened as he listened to Lin Yuxin’s thoughts.

That’s right—he had guessed it.

Because when Lin Yuxin spoke those words in her mind, her lips never moved, yet he could still hear her.

So, was he actually hearing her inner thoughts?

And more importantly—what she said about Qi launching an attack… was it true?

At this moment, Zhao Yingfeng no longer cared about past grievances.

If the war was imminent, then given the current state of his family, going to battle would be nothing short of suicide.

A sense of urgency washed over him.

He looked at Lin Yuxin, about to ask something, but then hesitated.

He reconsidered—what if this was just a hallucination?

He had been locked away in this house for too long.

Instead, he decided to ask his father if there were any recent signs of activity from Qi.

Zhao Yingfeng changed the subject and said, “Good child, your Second Uncle didn’t want you to come because he was afraid I might scare you.”

“I’m not scared. Second Uncle is a hero,” Lin Yuxin shook her head, trying to comfort him.

After all, people who had been trapped in hardship for years often carried deep insecurities.

Zhao Yingfeng chuckled lightly. Then, he reached into his robe and took out a small box, handing it to Lin Yuxin.

“This is a gift I prepared for you. I had planned to have your aunt deliver it later, but since you’re here, I’ll give it to you myself.”

“Really? Thank you, Second Uncle!”

Lin Yuxin excitedly took the wooden box and opened it. Inside was an exquisitely crafted silver bracelet, its design fresh and unique.

She immediately put it on. It fit perfectly. She happily raised her wrist and showed it to her uncle.

“Second Uncle, does it look nice?”

“It does. But this is no ordinary bracelet—it can transform into a dagger. See the patterns on it? The raised part is a switch. Press it, and it turns into a blade sharp enough to cut through iron like butter,” Zhao Yingfeng patiently explained.

Lin Yuxin’s eyes lit up in amazement.

Could it really do that?

She followed Zhao Yingfeng’s instructions, and sure enough, the bracelet transformed into a dagger.

She picked it up and swiftly threw it at the nearby wall.

“Bang!”

The dagger embedded itself three inches deep into the wall.

Zhao Yingfeng raised an eyebrow. This niece of his was no ordinary girl! Though he had been bedridden for years, he had once been a warrior on the battlefield—his martial skills were not weak.

And just now, when she threw the dagger, even though she had no internal strength, she used a clever technique to achieve precise aim and power.

Moreover, the way she moved carried an air of decisiveness—completely unlike a typical noblewoman.

Lin Yuxin ran over to retrieve the dagger, absolutely delighted.

Earlier in the main hall, her uncles and aunts had also given her gifts, mostly jewelry and precious stones. But this dagger—this was the one that truly spoke to her heart.

Although her eldest brother had also gifted her a dagger, which she carried with her daily, the one from her second uncle was much easier to conceal and much more practical.

“As long as you like it,” Zhao Yingfeng said, pleased to see her so happy. At least he still had some value.

“Second Uncle, since you’ve given me a gift, I’ll give you one too!”

Lin Yuxin admired the dagger for a moment, then turned it back into a bracelet and put it on her wrist. She looked at Zhao Yingfeng with a bright expression.

“A gift for me?” Zhao Yingfeng was stunned.

“Second Uncle, give me your hand,” Lin Yuxin gestured.

Zhao Yingfeng had no idea what she was planning, but as her uncle, he trusted her unconditionally. He instinctively felt that she wouldn’t harm him.

So, he obediently stretched out his frail hand toward her.

Lin Yuxin smiled sweetly and placed her fingers on his pulse.

“Yuxin, what are you doing?”

Both Zhao Yingfeng and Zhao Chendong were taken aback.

This didn’t seem like the action of giving a gift—it looked like… she was taking his pulse?

Lin Yuxin didn’t answer.

She closed her eyes and concentrated.

A long while later, she opened her eyes, her gaze sharp. [As expected.]

She looked at Zhao Yingfeng seriously and asked, “Second Uncle, do you trust me? I would never harm you.”

Zhao Yingfeng met her clear, sincere eyes.

After a moment of silence, he smiled.

“Yuxin, speak.”

Lin Yuxin was overjoyed by his unwavering trust. This is what family is about. Her heart warmed.

She then turned serious.

“Second Uncle, I can cure your legs. If everything goes well, you’ll be able to walk and live like a normal person again. Your paralysis wasn’t caused by spinal damage—it was due to poisoning.”

“Poisoning? How is that possible?”

Zhao Chendong exclaimed in shock.

His father had been bedridden for years.

Countless doctors had examined him and all concluded that his spine had been injured beyond repair, making treatment impossible.

After all, there was a visible spinal injury.

Zhao Yingfeng was also dumbfounded.

He had been paralyzed for so many years—and now, someone was telling him that he had actually been poisoned?

And that he might be able to walk again? Was this a dream?

“It’s true. But I need more time to analyze what kind of poison it is. Before I can find the antidote, I can at least help relieve your pain and start your recovery.”

Lin Yuxin nodded firmly.

“Yuxin, are you sure?” Zhao Chendong asked hesitantly.

“Second Brother, don’t worry. When I was in the countryside, I met an old traditional healer who taught me a few things. I wouldn’t attempt this if I weren’t confident. If you’re still unsure, I can first administer a treatment to ease Second Uncle’s pain as proof.”

She understood their skepticism.

Asking them to believe that a young girl could cure a ten-year-old illness was a tall order.

“Second Uncle, your legs hurt every day, don’t they? You’ve been enduring it all alone. When I came in earlier, you acted as if nothing was wrong—but in reality, you’ve been suffering in silence, haven’t you?”

Lin Yuxin looked at Zhao Yingfeng, her eyes filled with admiration.

A person can endure pain for a moment—but enduring it for a lifetime takes unimaginable strength.

Zhao Chendong’s eyes turned red.

He looked at his father, guilt filling his heart.

He had no idea his father had been in pain every single day.

“I… I’ll go call Grandfather and Mother,” he stammered, feeling lost.

Then, he turned and ran out.

Zhao Yingfeng lowered his gaze to his legs, his expression unreadable.

After a long silence, as if making up his mind, he looked up at Lin Yuxin with determination.

“Yuxin, I’ll entrust myself to you. Whatever happens… it can’t be worse than this.”