Chapter 2: The King Who Guards the Country, Chen Zhong

  "Master, Old Master Wang is in the study and wants to see you."

  In the courtyard, an old man with white hair smiled benevolently at the moon shining on the roof.

  "Grandpa is looking for me, what's up?"

  The night is slightly quiet, and the corners of his mouth are immediately raised, revealing a faint hint of coldness. The world is like a chessboard, and all people are pawns!

  Reborn again, before Chen Ye had time to clear the chaotic thoughts in his mind, this route immediately began to continue on the trajectory he had experienced in his previous life.

  "The old slave doesn't know either, Old Master Wang is waiting for you in the study room, hurry up and go!"

  The old man with white hair is smiling, and in the depths of his eyes, a hint of regret and pity flashes by, barely noticeable.

  "I know, I'll go right away." Having gone through it before, how could he not know? Today the old master called him over, what was it about?

  Actually, it was only a day ago that I saw the old man, but this one day has separated us by an eternity, as if a lifetime has passed.

  Climbed down from the rooftop, Chen Ye smiled at the old man with white hair and then walked towards a quiet place in the mansion.

  He can't wait to see the old master and ask, why when the Chen family is facing a life-and-death crisis, you didn't lift a finger to save them? Why after sending me away, did you tell me not to hold grudges and not to think about revenge?

  Is it really that in your heart, the benevolence of the Holy Master is greater than the lives of hundreds of people in our entire family?

  However, Chen Ye really wanted to ask, but these things couldn't be asked for the time being, because Grandpa hadn't experienced what would happen six years later yet.

  The old man with white hair, who was gazing at his back, suddenly stiffened. The young master of their own family had not spoken to anyone else since the incident at North Mountain four years ago, and he hadn't smiled either.

  Just now, I not only talked to myself in a sky-shattering way, but also laughed...

  Deep in the mansion, there is a small place. Here, there is no luxury and extravagance like the town's national palace, nor is there noise and excitement. There is only extreme quietness. A small bamboo fence surrounds a small thatched cottage, which is nestled in the middle.

  In front of the thatched cottage, there were some little chickens and ducks being raised on the empty land. Nearby, some vegetables were planted, looking like a rural farmhouse. Where was the Town National Wang Fu inside?

  As he walked into the small courtyard, Chen Ye took a deep breath, and although under the same sky, only here could make his heart feel calm. No wonder the world's recluses all liked to live in the countryside.

  In fact, from his heart, Chen Ye also likes this quiet life!

  "Night, since you've all arrived, why don't you come in?"

  At this moment of unease, a familiar yet aged and warm voice came from the thatched cottage, making him feel like crying instantly.

  No matter what Grandfather's final choice was, Chen Ye had grievances in his heart, but never hatred. In this world, except for his parents, the one who treated him the best was Grandfather.

  Especially in recent years, I have changed a lot because of my mother's disappearance. My grandfather has never given up on me and warned everyone in the house not to mention this matter, even if it's behind his back.

  Grandpa knew everything, openly and secretly, he had sent people to investigate the events of that day... And as a person who has lived for two lifetimes, Grandpa's difficulties were even clearer.

  With a calm mind, he shook off all negative emotions on that night and slowly came to the front of the thatched cottage, pushed open the door and walked into the house.

  The house is small, but it's very clean inside, and all the decorations are arranged in a harmonious way, making it impossible to tell how crowded it is. Right opposite the door, there is a desk with an old man sitting behind it, wearing a traditional Chinese robe.

  The old man was radiant, with a smile all over his face. The ravages of time seemed to have only made him look like an old man, but everything else about him was as vigorous as a young man. His entire being exuded a vitality that even young people couldn't match. However, at this moment, there was a hint of coldness lurking in the old man's eyes.

  This old man is none other than the current Town Guardian King, Chen Zhong!

  "Come here, little one, come and sit by Grandpa!" As soon as he saw Chen Ye, Old Man Chen's cold eyes instantly warmed up with a loving smile.

  Chen Ye stood in front of the desk and asked, "Grandfather, I heard that Eldest Uncle has returned?"

  He knew what the old man wanted to say when he called him, so none of this mattered. In this life, he not only had to change himself but also had to change the old man's temperament. Everything would start changing from today.

  So, Chen Ye took the initiative to ask questions, wanting to lure the old man step by step to "see with his own eyes" the hidden crisis behind him.

  Upon hearing this, Old Master Chen's heart suddenly felt the same astonishment as he had with that white-haired old man earlier. He knew his grandson's temperament all too well; for years, the latter had hardly spoken a word, and yet today, he had taken the initiative to speak up.

  "Yes, the Emperor let him return to report for duty. Now he's probably in the palace with the Emperor making preparations!" Old Master Chen smiled, though unclear what had happened tonight, but this was a good thing! A solitary person is destined to be lonely and miserable!

  "Return to the capital to report for duty?" Zhenye's mouth twitched slightly, with a hint of disdain, but quickly returned to normal. The old master is no ordinary person, it's best to be moderate, excessive behavior will only have the opposite effect. I believe the old master can see and understand this.

  He immediately smiled and asked: "Grandpa, what can I do for you?"

  Suppressing the astonishment in his heart, Old Master Chen's voice sank slightly as he said, "Ye Ye, didn't you go to Bei Wang Shan again a few days ago?"

  "Yes!"

  In front of the old man, there is no need to hide anything.

  Seeing this, Zhen Zhong silently sighed heavily and after a moment, said solemnly: "Ye Ye, why must you do this again?"

  "Grandpa, it's been four whole years since Mother left, I have to go."

  In his past life at this moment, the old man asked similarly, and Chen Ye also replied to him in the same way, but now is different from before, the same words, combined with his expression at this time, reflect different meanings.

  Tonight can't let the old man see him continue to be depressed!

  "That year I was careless and unexpectedly ended up with a family that cannot reunite today. For four years, I have been wanting to do something, but had the heart without the strength..."

  Her voice paused for a moment, Chen Ye smiled and said seriously: "But Grandpa, I believe that as long as I don't give up and persist, one day I will be able to do what I want to do."

  "Haha!"

  Grandpa Chen seemed to see Chen Ye for the first time, staring at him for a few seconds before bursting into loud laughter: "Don't give up, persevere! Well said, this is my good grandson Chen Zhong!"

  "Yè ér, you think to do, go ahead and do it, Grandpa and the Chen family will be your strongest backing!" From this time on, Old Man Chen finally believed that his youngest grandson had become completely different from before.

  As soon as the words fell, Old Master Chen's eyes gleamed with a hint of coldness: "Ye Ye, one month from now, Grandfather will be summoned to the palace by imperial decree. The Emperor has a banquet to bestow upon us, and he specifically mentioned you and me, grandfather and grandson!"

  "Alright, I understand. When the time comes, I will follow Grandfather into the palace." Chen Ye's heart turned cold, and he bowed his head to leave the thatched cottage.

  After Chen Ye walked out, the coldness in Old Man Chen's eyes suddenly magnified infinitely.

  "Old Hu, it's not that I want to be an enemy of your descendants, but rather your descendants won't tolerate me and my family, leaving us no choice. For the sake of my family, I can only apologize to you."

  "I'll wait till another day, after I've gone to the Yellow Springs, and then come back personally to apologize to you. But for now, it's impossible!"

  "But..."

  Grandfather Chen's gaze condensed for a moment, and then a hint of bitter helplessness appeared at the corner of his mouth. He said solemnly: "It's been almost five years, that last step, I just can't take it out. That step is not taken, I really don't have that confidence!"

  "Hehe, but whether or not I have confidence, I must do it anyway. Even my son has been reminding me every night, and I couldn't let him down!"