CHAPTER 188: CHAPTER 186: ORIGINS

Old Mrs. Chen looked at Chen Zigeng, who was holding on to Liangchen and refused to let go. Everyone said Zigeng was smart, but in front of Liangchen, he was just like any other little child.

Clinging to his sister’s hand, as if afraid someone would take her away.

"Alright," Old Mrs. Chen said, "let your sister rest a while, and don’t make a fuss, or you’ll wet the bed again when you go back."

Chen Zigeng’s face flushed red.

Xie Liangchen pressed her lips into a smile, and looked up at Old Mrs. Chen, "Did Grandmother take out the bran she hid again?"

This time it was Old Mrs. Chen whose eyes flickered, "The family’s grain is enough to eat."

"Grandmother, Second Aunt, and people in the village are hoarding grain again," Chen Zigeng said, "Mixing bran in the rice and lying to us that it’s miscellaneous grains. How could we not recognize bran?"

Xie Liangchen could imagine Old Mrs. Chen secretly cooking bran and, being caught, still denying it with wide eyes.

Old Mrs. Chen pursed her lips. Her grandson was competent, always complaining in front of his sister: "The village didn’t stew chicken for you guys? No rice in these few days?"

Chen Zigeng laughed and said, "That was given by General Song."

At this, Chen Zigeng looked at Xie Liangchen, "Sister, General Song also roasted eggs with us, but he was busy and only came once."

Xie Liangchen didn’t expect Song Xian to have quietly visited Chen Family Village.

Old Mrs. Chen said, "Your Fourth Uncle and Chu Er are doing well in Zhaozhou; the blacksmith’s furnace over there hasn’t stopped working."

Xie Liangchen nodded. In her previous life, many people in Chen Family Village were lost due to this epidemic. Luckily, in this life, everyone was fine, and they even saved Gouzi and his sister.

Xie Liangchen said, "How is Gouzi’s sister?"

Chen Zigeng said, "Second Aunt is looking after her, saying she needs a period to recover before getting out of bed. It’s fortunate that General Song’s people arrived in time; those people were about to hurt her."

Xie Liangchen asked again, "What about Gouzi’s father and brother-in-law, are they gone?"

Chen Zigeng nodded, "Killed in front of Gouzi’s sister. Gouzi said once the epidemic is over, he’ll find his father and brother-in-law’s remains and bury them properly."

Old Mrs. Chen sighed and said, "Poor children."

"It’s those Liao people who are cruel," Chen Zigeng said, "This is a man-made disaster. One day, we will become strong, and those people will not dare to cause trouble again."

Speaking of Gouzi’s family, Old Mrs. Chen couldn’t help but think of the secrets hidden in her heart. In fact, she intended to wait until Liangchen returned to Chen Family Village to speak about these things...

Xie Liangchen said softly, "Grandmother, is there something you want to say to me? Rest assured, General Song’s people are guarding outside."

Chen Zigeng, although not knowing what Grandmother ready to say, noticed that after his sister spoke, Grandmother’s expression became much more serious.

Old Mrs. Chen sighed a long sigh after a while: "Geng was right. This is a man-made disaster, with those Liao people spies around, we can’t have peace."

After saying this, Old Mrs. Chen fell silent again.

"Grandmother," Chen Zigeng said softly, "if there’s something you need to tell Sister, Sister is so smart; she would definitely have a good solution."

Old Mrs. Chen looked at her granddaughter and grandson, finally deciding to share the burden she carried with them.

Old Mrs. Chen said, "I actually recognized Mr. Xu. I know she’s from the territory of Prince Guangyang."

A vision of Old Mrs. Chen pacing in front of the Familiar Medicine Institute appeared in Xie Liangchen’s mind. At that time, she thought Grandmother was worried they couldn’t make finished medicine; now it seems she was also hesitating whether to mention this matter.

Old Mrs. Chen continued, "Because we are also refugees from the territory of Prince Guangyang, the entire Chen Family Village is."

This didn’t make Xie Liangchen and Chen Zigeng too surprised because previously, Old Mrs. Chen had said that Chen Family Village had fled together due to the wars after the previous dynasty’s fall, moving through several places before finally arriving at Chen Family Village.

So even if Chen Family Village came from Prince Guangyang’s territory, it was very normal.

Old Mrs. Chen looked deeply at Xie Liangchen and continued, "We fled from Prince Guangyang’s territory because we brought your mother. Back then, she was fourteen, just experienced the destruction of her family. If she appeared publicly, her life would be in danger. We had to hide her properly."

Listening to Old Mrs. Chen, Xie Liangchen’s ears were filled with her own frantic heartbeat. Her limbs were numb, unable to react.

Chen Zigeng’s eyes were also wide open.

The words "destruction of her family" was enough to make him understand the truth of a matter.

Chen Zigeng said, "Grandmother... Aunt... isn’t your child?"

Old Mrs. Chen shook her head, "She’s not. She’s..."

Xie Liangchen finally found her voice, "The daughter of Prince Guangyang?"

Old Mrs. Chen almost thought her granddaughter had remembered the past, but seeing Xie Liangchen’s gaze seeking confirmation, she understood. Everything was Liangchen’s speculation.

Old Mrs. Chen nodded, "Your mother is the only bloodline left by Prince Guangyang and the Princess."

Old Mrs. Chen didn’t mention the difficulties of taking the Little Princess out of the territory back then. Many people from Chen Family Village lost their lives along the way. The entire village united under the guidance of the village chief at the time, who was Old Master Chen.

The few who knew the truth helped cover it up.

The people in Chen Family Village didn’t inquire much about the extra daughter of Chen Lizheng.

Those who knew the truth were of the same age as Old Master Chen and gradually passed away, leaving only those who followed Chen Yongjing into the barracks. Except for Chen Yongsheng and Chen Yongyi’s brothers who returned alive, the others all died on the battlefield.

Before Chen Yongjing passed away, he entrusted Chen Family Village to Chen Yongsheng, so Chen Yongsheng also knew some of the inside story.

Old Mrs. Chen said, "Those women in the village, though they didn’t say much openly, would often mention privately, claiming your mother was your grandfather’s child with someone outside. They said that during the escape, there was no option but to make it public with me. I was just a child bride of the Chen family, unable to resist, and had to silently endure.

Even though such words seem unfair to your mother, they did create a plausible story for her appearance."

Here, Old Mrs. Chen gave a cold humph in her heart. If Old Master Chen truly had someone outside, how could she have been so complacent? Those women in the village were ignorant, assuming all child brides were meant to suffer silently.

Xie Liangchen said, "Then my mother and father..."

Old Mrs. Chen said, "Your father was someone we met while fleeing. He ran small trades in the territory and had once delivered something to Prince Guangyang Mansion, having seen your mother once. However, along this journey, he said nothing, helping us every step of the way. Later, your grandfather found out, nearly beating him to death. It was your mother who pleaded for him.

Looking back now, your mother didn’t misjudge him."

Xie Liangchen tried to recall everything about her father and mother, but found her mind blank.

Knowing these facts brought even more questions to Xie Liangchen’s mind. If her mother escaped and married her father, giving birth to her, what caused them to leave Zhenzhou? Was she really kidnapped by human traffickers?