CHAPTER 191: CHAPTER 189: TAKING AND GIVING

Song Xian had previously said that as long as Xie Liangchen didn’t want to bring it up, he wouldn’t ask.

Song Xian gave her this kind of trust, so she wouldn’t be on guard against him everywhere.

Song Xian instructed Chang An to pour tea, and Chang An understood. The master didn’t want him to hear what Miss Xie was about to say, so he quickly walked out.

Xie Liangchen continued, "When Prince Guangyang died in battle, my grandfather rescued my mother from the Prince Guangyang Mansion. The entire village protected her all the way to Zhenzhou, where she finally settled and became part of what is now Chen Family Village."

Song Xian looked at Xie Liangchen, "Your mother is Prince Guangyang’s daughter."

Xie Liangchen nodded, "At least I believe what my grandmother said."

Song Xian pondered slightly; just this news alone revealed a lot of inside information.

Miss Xie’s mother, the commandery princess of Prince Guangyang Mansion, certainly didn’t trust the current Emperor, otherwise she wouldn’t have hidden her identity and stayed in Chen Family Village.

Xie Liangchen continued, "When I was young, I wasn’t kidnapped by child traffickers, but rather my parents hid me. All this was an act for others to see."

"After I was taken away, my parents used the excuse of looking for me to actually reunite with me and intended to leave Zhenzhou with me."

"Something must have happened midway, causing my parents to entrust me to Mr. Li and his wife who raised me, and both of them remain missing."

"Grandmother said that my father had been to the vicinity of Yizhou and Xiong State that year, and he also mentioned Zhao Xingzong."

"After Zhao Xingzong was taken by the Liao people, my father carelessly mentioned before my grandmother that Zhao Xingzong had privately interacted with the Liao people. Unfortunately, Zhao Xingzong didn’t die in that battle."

Song Xian, hearing this, said, "Zhao Xingzong was captured in the Seventh Year of Yuanping; you went missing from Zhenzhou in the Eighth Year of Yuanping."

Xie Liangchen nodded, "Maybe my parents discovered Zhao Xingzong’s personnel in Zhenzhou, which made them determined to take me and leave Zhenzhou."

Song Xian continued, "In the Ninth Year of Yuanping, I was kidnapped and taken to sea; a family rescued me. Afterward, I had people search all over the sea but couldn’t find their trace. I once thought it might be the Liao people who kidnapped me took them away."

Xie Liangchen raised her eyes, meeting Song Xian’s gaze.

Song Xian’s eyes showed a hint of emotion, "The family who rescued me happened to be parents with a daughter. To conceal their identity, they told me fake names and household registration, and you still have that half jade pendant. Do you think there could be such a coincidence in the world?"

Everything just happens to fit together.

Xie Liangchen recalled her grandmother saying that her father thought National Guardian General Song Qizheng at the time was the only one who could deal with the Liao people, so maybe her father knew Song Xian? They were always dealing with the Liao and discovered Song Xian’s whereabouts, thus reached out to help?

Then, when her parents took her far away to hide their identity, they naturally couldn’t casually inform Song Xian, so they provided a fake name and left Song Xian that half jade pendant, afraid that in difficult times, they might still be able to mention this kindness to the Song Family, leaving her a way out perhaps?

Song Xian said, "So you are most likely the one who rescued me back then."

Song Xian wondered what he felt in his heart; he always wanted to find the person who saved him. When he learned that Xie Liangchen’s family might be his saviors, he once thought perhaps this was destiny.

Gradually developing other feelings for her, each time he recalled this matter, he felt some joy.

But now when everything seemed about to come true, he preferred she wasn’t. Not because he didn’t want her to be his lifesaver, but because he thought those past events were too cruel for her.

Being his lifesaver wasn’t beneficial; her parents’ whereabouts were unknown, and she would inevitably face difficulties.

He wished she would be smooth and safe.

Thinking of this, Song Xian slightly frowned, "If only I had thought of more ways to search for them that day."

Xie Liangchen said, "Mr. Cheng once told me that after General was rescued by General Cheng, he refused to leave, because he was looking for... that family."

"No matter who the benefactor is, General has done enough and doesn’t need to feel guilty."

Is she trying to comfort him?

Song Xian looked down, hiding his joyous expression, and after a moment said, "Your mother conceals her identity, and now Chen Family Village and you should do the same, not letting the court know this secret. When Prince Guangyang’s territory was besieged, the Emperor didn’t send troops to rescue; there might be some unknown inside stories."

Xie Liangchen responded, "In the previous life, my brother’s death might not have been as simple as it appeared on the surface. At that time, I didn’t know anything."

Even if it’s a past matter, it’s inevitably frustrating to think about it.

Song Xian wasn’t good at comforting others; he thought carefully before speaking, "I didn’t know such inside stories existed either."

Thinking about the causes and effects of all these things, Xie Liangchen sighed, "Had I known, I wouldn’t have let He San deliver the letter to the master back then."

After all, she would return to twelve years ago, why drag Song Xian into it? It left such a huge favor owed.

"Do you regret it?" Song Xian said, "Even if it was in the previous life, Zigeng died because of Ji Yuan. Not killing Ji Yuan that day is now something you should regret because you can never return to that time to make Ji Yuan pay."

Xie Liangchen didn’t argue, "The master is right, but it troubled the master."

Luckily it troubled him; otherwise now he knows nothing about her past, and just thinking about it would leave regrets.

Song Xian said, "You aren’t afraid of troubling me; you’re afraid I’ll make you keep promises and repay debts."

Song Xian’s voice was different from usual, rather resentful; Xie Liangchen’s mood, which was slightly gloomy, was suddenly changed by Song Xian’s mixing and churning.

Song Xian continued, "You only remember the bad parts, not the good ones."

"Did I say I’m always good to my own people? No matter what happens, you can instruct Chang Yue to come find me. As long as you don’t deliberately harm me, I won’t threaten your life or Chen Family Village’s."

"Have I gone back on my word?"

Xie Liangchen raised her eyes, and Song Xian’s gaze seemed to reflect moonlight, exceptionally bright. Perhaps due to the lighting, his eyes and cheeks appeared slightly red.

Though what Song Xian said was ordinary, it somehow sounded coaxing, his voice softer than usual, as if afraid of scaring someone.

Xie Liangchen opened her mouth but didn’t make a sound.

Song Xian continued, "It will be the same in the future, everything I promise you, I will fulfill, without breaking my word."

Seeing Xie Liangchen’s expression slightly change, Song Xian nailed this vow firmly, "Resentments have heads, debts have owners; back then the Liao people also targeted me, and sooner or later, I’ll settle new and old scores with Xiao Xingzong. I have eyes in Liao, and I’ll have them search for your parents’ whereabouts."

Having said this much, afraid she’d feel indebted to him again, Song Xian acted like a creditor; she could spar with him, but now she’s unsure how to refuse.