Chapter 46 Temporary Farewell

Chapter 46: A Temporary Goodbye

Ning Jia blinked, and a tear slid down her cheek.

Holding the pearl, she asked Xiao Shi, "Then why are you giving this to me now?"

"His Majesty said you are to return to Liao with Prince Heng. Take the pearl with you..."

"And what about you?" Ning Jia asked.

"I have no name, no face. I am not Xiao Ningguo." As Xiao Shi spoke, his expression remained blank, devoid of significant emotion, like a puppet.

Ning Jia was taken aback by his cold detachment, but as they weren't that close, she managed to maintain her composure.

Thinking it over, she could understand. He had been separated from his parents since childhood, living nameless and faceless. He'd finally carved out a place in the Imperial Guard and perhaps found something he truly wanted, so he was naturally unwilling to let it go.

For Ning Jia, this might be for the best.

Because there could not be two Xiao Ningguos in this world. If Xiao Shi were to become Xiao Ningguo again, questions would inevitably arise about who this 'Ningguo' by Yan Huai's side really was.

And Ningguo could only be Xiao Ningguo. If he were Nan Xinyu, a deposed crown prince, he'd end up dead with nowhere to be buried.

Because the identity of a crown prince meant that countless opportunists, driven by their own desires, would rally the displaced people of Nanping under his banner to restore the fallen kingdom. It meant incalculable risk.

Ning Jia dared not gamble on how the Emperor, or even her own foster father, would treat Ningguo if they discovered he was Nan Xinyu.

"Do you resent them?" Ning Jia asked, meaning their parents.

"No." Xiao Shi shook his head, understanding why she asked, and explained to her, "My master treated me very well. The Imperial Guard is also good. I've found my own place and don't wish to leave again."

The upheavals of his early childhood were etched deep into his consciousness. Having finally found a sense of belonging, he was unwilling to change.

Here, he could be nobody. No one would probe or care about his true identity. Being 'nobody' had become his strength, not his weakness.

The palace door closed again, and the lamps were extinguished. Ning Jia placed the pearl around her neck, a faint sadness welled up in her heart, though it remained just that—a faint trace.

The next day, Wei Yan summoned Prince Heng to the Chixin Hall for an audience. Lu Jiming was also present.

Even though Xiao Shi had followed him for a day and concluded that Prince Heng was most likely a true gentleman, Lu Jiming could not be entirely at ease without personally testing him.

Prince Heng appeared proper and measured in his conduct.

"I heard that Prince Heng had a cousin who was still in our Great Qi?" Wei Yan began.

Prince Heng's cousin was once the preeminent noble scion of Liao. The name 'Young Master Xiao' was well-known in the surrounding states, and the incident of his family's confiscation and exile was no secret.

Prince Heng's expression shifted slightly, as if touched. "Your Majesty, my cousin has been missing without a trace for seven or eight years. I was raised by him and share a deep bond with him. If Your Majesty has any news of him, I would be grateful for any information."

Lu Jiming narrowed his eyes. "If Your Highness shared such a deep bond with Young Master Xiao, why did he end up in such a state back then?"

"Xuping, mind your manners." Wei Yan said this, but he wasn't angry; instead, it gave him a nostalgic feeling.

He and Lu Jiming were not always at odds. In the past, they had often performed this act of one playing the 'good cop' and the other the 'bad cop' in front of others.

Prince Heng offered a polite smile. "I am merely a prince without real power, with the will but not the means."

Lu Jiming and Wei Yan both thought at the same time that within a decade, this man would hold the reins of power in Liao, and the daughter he raised was no ordinary figure either. They both smiled in unison.

"I do indeed have some traces regarding Young Master Xiao, only..." Lu Jiming drew out the last syllable. He was testing Prince Heng's sincerity towards Young Master Xiao.

Prince Heng immediately stood up, bowing separately to Wei Yan and Lu Jiming. "Your Majesty, Your Highness, my elder brother is the most important person to me. If I can obtain news of him, as long as it does not involve betraying Great Liao, this humble prince is willing to do anything."

Lu Jiming also stood and walked before Prince Heng. "I want a fifty-year pact of non-aggression between Qi and Liao, with open trade between our two nations, to be friendly neighbors."

Prince Heng gave a wry smile. "This... this humble prince is but an idle noble, with the will but not the means."

"Your Highness may be idle today, but who dares predict what tomorrow holds?" Wei Yan interjected.

"Your Majesty, this..." Prince Heng showed a troubled expression, but a flicker of wariness flashed in his eyes. Could his ambitions be so obvious that even Qi had noticed?

"From what I observe of Prince Heng's bearing, you are not one destined to remain subordinate for long." Wei Yan offered a vague explanation.

Prince Heng bowed once more. "If it truly turns out as Your Majesty says, this humble prince will spare no effort to eternally solidify the friendship between our two nations."

"In that case, Jia'er, come out now." Lu Jiming spoke, calling Ning Jia out from the inner room where she had been hiding.

Ning Jia walked to Lu Jiming's side and obediently called out, "Foster Father."

Prince Heng clearly saw Ning Jia's face. His heart stirred, but he couldn't be entirely sure. Tentatively, he moved his lips. "Jia'er... are you Ning Jia?"

When 'Ning' is used as a surname, its tone changes. Prince Heng was now calling her by her given name, Xiao Ningjia, not using 'Ning' as a surname.

Ning Jia looked up at Prince Heng. "Uncle."

Prince Heng rushed to Ning Jia's front, casting aside etiquette and decorum. Overwhelmed by surprise and joy, he was even trembling slightly. "How are you here? Where are your parents?"

Ning Jia remained silent. Lu Jiming spoke, telling Prince Heng how he had found Ning Jia on the brink of death in a mass grave years ago and had taken her in to raise her.

Prince Heng disregarded everything else, immediately dropping to one knee. "This humble prince kowtows in gratitude for Your Highness's rescue and nurturing grace."

Lu Jiming bent to help him up. "As you are in the capital today, I entrust Jia'er to your care for the time being."

"As long as this humble prince draws breath, no one within Liao's borders will be able to harm her." Prince Heng was no longer the powerless child of over a decade ago. Over the years, he had secretly eliminated many of the Xiao family's enemies, though he couldn't openly search for people within Qi's territory.

Now that he had found Ning Jia, Prince Heng was overjoyed.

"Jia'er is the adopted daughter of myself and the Empress." Wei Yan stated. "If Your Highness fails to take good care of her, I will naturally send someone to Liao to retrieve her."

"She is my flesh and blood. This humble prince dare not be anything less than devoted." Prince Heng said.

Seeing Prince Heng's attitude, Lu Jiming felt reassured. The time had finally come to bid farewell to Ning Jia.

Before Ning Jia's departure, Wei Yan conferred upon her the title of Junzhu (Commandery Princess), granting her Fengpan as her fiefdom. He also dispatched a contingent from the Imperial Guard and a team from the Jinwu Guard to escort her, only to return after seeing her safely to the border between the two nations.

Lu Jiming couldn't bear to part with Ning Jia. He forced himself to see her off, but on the way back to the palace, tears fell.

Wei Yan's heart ached terribly. He pulled Lu Jiming into his embrace. "If you truly can't bear to let her go, I'll send someone to bring her back now. She can still return."

"She's already left. What's the point of coming back?" Lu Jiming wiped away his tears. He wasn't usually prone to crying, but lately, he had been inexplicably sentimental. "How could I make Jia'er leave her homeland just because I can't bear to part with her?"

Wei Yan lifted the carriage curtain and said to Cui Chi outside, "Don't return to the palace yet. Go to the Marquis of Cheng'an's residence."

The carriage immediately turned around.

"What are we going to the Marquis of Cheng'an's residence for?" Lu Jiming asked.

"You miss Jia'er and feel lonely without children around. Let's get you another child." Wei Yan said to Lu Jiming with a roguish grin.

Lu Jiming had kept nothing about Ning Jia and Ningguo from Wei Yan. After much thought, Wei Yan reasoned that since Ning Jia was their adopted daughter, her younger brother naturally became their adopted son.

Now that Prince Heng had taken Ning Jia away, it was only right and proper to get Ning Guo back. After all, the Marquis of Cheng'an's estate was no good place either. To put it bluntly, Ning Guo, who stayed by Yan Huai's side, was raised as a guard dog to protect its master.

Moreover... Wei Yan had seen it clearly in his previous life—Ning Guo was Yan Huai's lifeline.

As long as Ning Guo was in his hands and loyal to him, there would be no need to exhaust efforts in schemes of checks and balances or suppression. The Marquis of Cheng'an's lineage would never harbor disloyalty.

Additionally, Wei Yan loved drama and never missed a chance to stir the pot. If he brought Ning Guo to his side now, that little brat Yan Huai would eventually follow Ning Guo in calling him "Father." The thought alone could keep him laughing for days.

Not only would this cheer up Lu Jiming, but it would also secure control over the Marquis of Cheng'an's lineage and earn him the title of "Father" from Yan Huai. Killing three birds with one stone was too good to pass up.

And beyond that, Ning Guo's background... All in all, it was nothing but upside.

Since Lu Jiming had promised Ning Jia to take good care of Ning Guo, he had considered bringing the boy to his side. He just hadn't brought it up with Wei Yan yet, so Wei Yan's current intention to go there perfectly aligned with Lu Jiming's wishes.

The Imperial Guard had already sent word ahead to the Marquis of Cheng'an's estate. As soon as the carriage arrived outside the gate, the Marquis of Cheng'an opened the main entrance to welcome them.

"Your Majesty and Your Highness went to see the Princess off today. What brings you to this old minister's home?" The Marquis of Cheng'an had already ordered the estate to be cleaned and swept, leading Wei Yan and Lu Jiming all the way to the main hall.

Wei Yan took his seat and addressed the Marquis of Cheng'an, "Xuping and I have been married for some time now, yet we have no children of our own. We only had the Princess as our daughter, and now she has left the capital."

At this point, the Marquis of Cheng'an still had no idea what Wei Yan was getting at.

"The two of us feel lonely without children. The guard by Yan Huai's side is quite well-behaved and endearing, catching both Xuping's and my eye. I must ask Uncle Yan to part with him and give him to us."

The Marquis of Cheng'an's expression instantly froze as he glanced at the guard following behind him.

For generations, the Marquis of Cheng'an's lineage had outwardly appeared as wealthy nobles, holding insignificant positions and relying on the emperor's favor to maintain their standing in court, much like court jesters. In reality, however, the Yan family was a hidden chess piece planted by the emperor within the court.

The Yan family and the Yangsui Guard stood in opposition to the Imperial Guard, mutually restraining and balancing each other while also collaborating to handle affairs for His Majesty. Thus, each Marquis of Cheng'an would have a guard by his side.

Feng Qingyue, Ning Guo's master, served the Marquis of Cheng'an in this capacity, just as Ning Guo served Yan Huai.

Ning Guo had no parents or family. With extraordinary talent and exceptional martial skills, he grew up alongside Yan Huai, destined to protect and serve him in the future—an unswervingly loyal hound. He was also the last line of defense for Yan Huai's life.

Now, the emperor wanted to take Ning Guo away... The Marquis of Cheng'an was truly in a bind.

"What, Uncle Yan is unwilling?" Wei Yan, of course, understood Ning Guo's role but feigned ignorance.

Feng Qingyue, the Marquis of Cheng'an's guard, silently dismissed the servants attending the hall, cleared the courtyard, and stood guard alone to prevent anyone from approaching.

The Marquis of Cheng'an knelt before Wei Yan. "I beg Your Majesty to rescind this command. For Ning Guo to catch Your Majesty's eye is his fortune, but I implore Your Majesty, in consideration of my son's diligent service since childhood, to leave him a way out."