Gone?

Inside the main hall of the Northern Guardian Marquis's Estate.

Jiang Jingcheng sat upright in the seat of honor, holding a teacup and drinking with an expressionless face.

Yet he had blown on that tea over and over, while scarcely taking a sip.

On the other side, Shen Yun sat with undisguised worry between her brows, glancing outside from time to time.

"Xiaobai went out first thing this morning, and he still hasn't come back..."

Shen Yun sighed softly, her voice full of concern. "Could something have happened to him?"

At her words, Jiang Jingcheng paused slightly with his teacup in hand, then snorted. "What could possibly happen to him?"

"With the way he behaves, the worst he could do is make a spectacle of himself out there!"

Despite his words, his gaze involuntarily swept toward the door afterward.

Seeing that, Shen Yun could hardly miss that he was putting on a tough front. She rolled her eyes at him. "You talk tough, but I bet you're even more anxious than I am."

"Nonsense!"

Jiang Jingcheng's expression darkened, and he immediately denied it. "Why would I worry about him?"

"If he really died out there, at least he wouldn't keep causing me trouble!"

But his words had barely fallen.

A sudden flurry of hurried footsteps sounded outside.

Then a servant rushed in, his face visibly alight with excitement.

"My lord, my lady, the young heir is back!"

"What?"

Shen Yun immediately rose to her feet, her face filled with delighted surprise.

Even Jiang Jingcheng, who had been leaning back in his chair, instinctively started to stand.

But halfway through the movement, he seemed to remember something. He sat back down, stiffened his expression, and gave a heavy snort.

"So he's back. What's all the fuss about?"

"Quick, have him come see me at once!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Hearing Jiang Jingcheng's contradictory remarks, the servant visibly froze, his expression turning rather odd. Then he answered respectfully and hurried out.

Before long.

Jiang Xiaobai entered the hall with his guard, Zhang Xinnian.

Shen Yun went to meet him almost immediately. She looked him up and down, making sure he had no injuries and hadn't lost so much as a scrap of flesh, before finally letting out a breath of relief.

"You little rascal!"

Both angry and aching with concern, Shen Yun raised her hand and gave Jiang Xiaobai's shoulder a light smack. "Why did you come back so late?"

"You had your father and me worried all this time!"

"Oh, I wasn't worried!"

Jiang Jingcheng said expressionlessly, "This unfilial son might as well die out there, so he can't keep sprouting fresh branches of trouble!"

"That's enough out of you!"

Shen Yun immediately turned and glared at Jiang Jingcheng.

As though he hadn't noticed, Jiang Jingcheng set his teacup on the table with measured force, then raised his head and fixed his gaze on Jiang Xiaobai.

"Well, tell me. How did your visit to the Lin Estate go?"

"Did you knock on their door all day without even crossing the threshold, then come slinking home with your tail between your legs?"

At those words, the hall fell a little quieter.

Looking at his father's stubborn front, Jiang Xiaobai smiled helplessly. "Father, I have successfully become Elder Lin's disciple."

The moment he said that.

Jiang Jingcheng, whose expression had been cold and stern, seemed to freeze in place.

Then, in a flash!

Jiang Jingcheng sprang straight out of his chair.

He stared fixedly at Jiang Xiaobai for several breaths before speaking coldly. "So you've learned to lie now?"

"You'd dare make up something like this?"

"My lord, the young heir isn't making it up!"

Standing behind Jiang Xiaobai, Zhang Xinnian braced himself and stepped forward, cupping his fist in salute. "I can bear witness!"

"The young heir... he truly has become Elder Lin's disciple!"

As Zhang Xinnian finished speaking.

Jiang Jingcheng's expression finally changed, and a clear flicker of astonishment passed through his previously skeptical eyes.

He looked at Zhang Xinnian, then at Jiang Xiaobai, his brows drawing tighter and tighter.

For a moment, an oppressive atmosphere settled over the entire hall.

After a brief pause, Jiang Jingcheng slammed his palm onto the table, his voice rising sharply. "Unfilial son! You unfilial son!"

"Our Jiang Family is a line of military men! For generations, which of our ancestors didn't take a blade into battle and face being brought home wrapped in horsehide?! When have we ever produced some scholar wielding brush and ink?"

"You little brat, not only did you go and take a Literary Master as your teacher, you chose Lin Fengshuo!"

"If word gets out, where will that leave our Jiang Family's honor?!"

"Didn't you promise not to get angry?"

After that reply, Jiang Xiaobai couldn't help muttering under his breath, "Besides, we didn't have any honor left to begin with..."

He was about to marry into another family. Surely what little face the Jiang Family had left was already teetering on the brink!

"Hmm?"

Jiang Jingcheng shot him a sharp look, his hand settling on the saber at his waist. "What are you muttering over there?!"

"Nothing, nothing."

Jiang Xiaobai glanced at Jiang Jingcheng's great saber and hurriedly waved his hands.

"You unfilial son! You're going to be the death of me!"

The more Jiang Jingcheng thought about it, the angrier he grew. Finally, he flung his sleeve and turned to march into the rear hall.

He looked as though one more glance at Jiang Xiaobai might make him unable to resist drawing his saber.

"Xiaobai, don't listen to your father's nonsense!"

Shen Yun, however, didn't take it too much to heart. Instead, she looked at Jiang Xiaobai with delight. "This is a good thing. A wonderful thing!"

Her delight deepened as she continued. "Who is Elder Lin? Others couldn't obtain such an opportunity even if they begged, yet you managed to get it!"

"Don't worry. I'll speak to your father for you!"

"All right!"

Jiang Xiaobai smiled and cupped his hands toward Shen Yun. "Sorry for the trouble, Mother."

He paused briefly, then added, "Oh, and I still have an essay to write, so I'll head back first."

"An essay? You?"

Shen Yun froze, her expression turning odd for a moment. In the end, however, she asked no further questions and replied, "All right, all right. Off you go, then!"

"Yes. I'll take my leave!"

Jiang Xiaobai nodded, then withdrew with Zhang Xinnian.

Once their figures had disappeared completely beyond the hall.

Jiang Jingcheng, who had stormed off in a rage earlier, suddenly poked half his body out from the rear hall doorway.

"Gone?"

Shen Yun gave him an exasperated look. "Gone."

Only then did Jiang Jingcheng emerge again. He returned to his original seat as though nothing had happened and casually picked up the teacup on the table.

But he had barely lifted it when a sudden snicker escaped him.

At first, he held his laughter in, but it soon grew louder and louder, until even his shoulders began to shake.

"Hahahaha! I have to say, I really underestimated that little rascal!"