WangXian Forever Book 8

Chapter 70 Interrogation

After the excitement of the new arrivals dissipated, JingYi took the dragon babies and Zhitiao to the stables where they had spent some time before.

XiChen, Jiang Cheng, Jin Ling and SiZhui watched them go, crowds of people following them. When the courtyard outside the Hanshi was empty, Jiang Cheng turned to his nephews.

"I think you have some explaining to do." And with that, he grabbed XiChen's hand and marched back inside his home.

"Damn....I thought we got away with it." Jin Ling mumbled under his breath.

"I can hear you." Jiang Cheng yelled back, clearly losing patience.

"Wait." SiZhui held his hand. He couldn’t risk saying anything out loud in case either of his uncles overheard and asked questions pertaining to what he did not want to reveal.

The main problem was, his Father Zhan had explained a long time ago, that SiZhui's birth had been among innocent people caught up in a tide of hatred. The cultivation world had suffered great losses through the greed of one man and his Sect, and they needed someone to blame.

Oversimplified maybe, but to his young mind, it made sense and even he could recognise how wrong that was. Father Zhan had told him how only one person had stood in the way of injustice and how much he had wanted to join him.

But the revelation of his Wen surname was perhaps his biggest fear. Hanguang-Jun had told him countless times that no one would understand that he was just a child at the time, or recognise his innocence. His very name meant death, and he had to keep it a secret.

So without saying a word, SiZhui communicated through his eyes, wanting Jin Ling to understand that his heritage had to be kept hidden. They could talk about everything except that.

Jin Ling smiled at him, giving his hand a firm squeeze. He leaned in and kissed SiZhui's soft cheek.

"Don't worry." He said, meaningfully. And then he added as a cover, "my uncles are very understanding, especially JiuJiu. All that anger is just for show."

"Is that so?" Jiang Cheng yelled, followed by the placating tones of someone trying to talk him down.

"Absolutely." Jin Ling came into the Hanshi, leading SiZhui in as they were still holding hands.

"Sit down." Jiang Cheng ordered.

XiChen poured some tea for everyone and rested his warm palm over Jiang Cheng's knee under the table.

"Let them tell us everything first, and then, you can ask your questions." He suggested.

Jiang Cheng gave him a beatific smile.

Then he turned to the kids and...simmered.

"How does he do that...?" Jin Ling mumbled, taken aback.

He had yet to see anyone who could switch emotions as fast as his uncle.

"So...we're extremely sorry." SiZhui bowed while still sitting.

Jin Ling sighed and joined him.

"For what?" Jiang Cheng sounded friendly.

But Jin Ling knew it was a trap.

His uncle had been playing this game since Jin Ling was a child.

The question was, how much trouble could they avoid/get into, and how to limit the number of people implicated.

Jin Ling squeezed SiZhui's hand to stop him talking. At this rate, they would be copying out rules of conduct until they were gray. And then he shuddered, because after taking the Dragon pearl and swallowing it, they might never change...