Raising Orphans, Not Assassins

Zhao Jiangzhu sat on the stone bench, her small face stiffened as she resumed her poised and dignified appearance.

She cleared her throat twice, then said faintly, “You may leave now.”

Da Ming tightly clenched the brocade pouch in his hand, with his right hand still holding the firewood he had chopped. He gave a simple, honest smile and nodded.

Seeing Da Ming's honest expression, Zhao Jiangzhu's lips curled slightly, and she almost couldn’t help but laugh.

She quickly forced her face to remain serious and held back the smile.

Da Ming turned with his goofy grin and prepared to leave.

“Wait a moment.”

Zhao Jiangzhu called out.

Da Ming’s palms became sweaty, his heart fluttering nervously, and he turned back again.

“I want your firewood.”

Zhao Jiangzhu lightly lifted her head, her gaze resting on the firewood Da Ming held in his right hand.

“Okay…”

Da Ming stammered, “I... I’ll give it to you.”

“No need for money.”

Saying this, Da Ming handed the firewood to Zhang Heng beside him.

Zhang Heng: “???”

“Pfft…”

Zhao Jiangzhu couldn’t hold it in anymore and let out a soft laugh.

After laughing, she hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand.

A rosy hue spread across her delicate face.

Zhao Jiangzhu’s eyes curved with delight, thoroughly amused by Da Ming.

She wanted to laugh but couldn’t, feeling it improper to laugh out loud.

She struggled to contain it.

---

Zhang Heng took a deep breath, glanced at Da Ming, and took the firewood.

Da Ming, his face red with embarrassment, scratched his head, still smiling foolishly.

Zhao Jiangzhu purposely straightened her small face and said flatly, “Alright, you can leave now.”

Da Ming nodded, still grinning, and turned to leave.

Zhang Heng watched the simple young man slowly disappear into the distance, then looked down at the load of firewood in his hands, sinking into silence.

Zhao Jiangzhu smiled slightly as she watched Da Ming’s retreating figure, her bright, round apricot eyes twinkling.

Zhang Heng’s lips twitched twice before he walked over and respectfully said, “Your Highness, this man has some strength. We could bring him back to the palace.”

Zhao Jiangzhu’s eyes lit up. “Can we?”

Zhang Heng nodded. “After he’s cleansed, he could serve as your personal eunuch.”

Zhao Jiangzhu blinked in confusion. “???”

---

Da Ming walked down the street, a gentle feeling of joy and excitement filling his heart.

He felt as if every step he took on the stone-paved road was like walking on clouds.

His face was still adorned with a foolish grin, unable to stop smiling.

After walking a few steps, Da Ming suddenly remembered the wink Zhao Jiangzhu had given him.

He quickly opened the brocade pouch and saw that, besides the tiger fang necklace, there was also a small note inside.

He unfolded the note.

The note was written in fine, delicate characters.

“Tomorrow at noon, Dao Xiang Zhai.”

Upon reading these seven characters, Da Ming blinked in surprise.

Dao Xiang Zhai was the most famous pastry shop in Yuhang County.

It was said that even the cheapest pastry there cost fifty copper coins per piece.

Only the wealthy in Yuhang County would buy from it regularly.

Poor families could never afford it.

So, the note meant that Zhao Jiangzhu wanted him to go to Dao Xiang Zhai tomorrow at noon?

Da Ming held the note, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Why did that girl want him to go to Dao Xiang Zhai tomorrow?

Suddenly, Da Ming slapped his forehead as he remembered something.

He had forgotten to ask the girl's name.

He quickly returned the note to the brocade pouch and tucked it into his chest.

Luckily, he still had tomorrow to ask her name.

Da Ming smiled goofily, a glimmer of light in his eyes.

As he walked back to the Yu Ying Tang, it felt as though he had only taken a few steps before reaching the street where it was located.

It was fast, almost unbelievable.

As Da Ming entered the red alley where Yu Ying Tang was located, he suddenly heard a soft and delicate voice calling from behind.

“Da Ming Ge!”

Hearing this, Da Ming’s body stiffened.

He turned around, eyes wide with surprise.

A girl, wearing a water-blue winter outfit, stood behind him.

She appeared to be around ten years old, with an ordinary appearance and her hair styled in a smooth ponytail.

She carried a small bamboo basket on her arm.

When the girl saw Da Ming, a slight, shy smile appeared on her lips.

Standing there in a graceful manner, she exuded a gentle and delicate charm.

Da Ming instinctively called out, “Wan’er?”

Zhang Wan’er smiled lightly, her face carrying a slight, shy expression.

This gentle girl was Da Ming’s fiancée.

“How did you get here?” Da Ming asked with his usual goofy grin.

For some reason, upon seeing Wan’er, he felt strangely unsettled.

It was a strange feeling, as though he had done something wrong to Wan’er.

Zhang Wan’er set down the small basket on her arm and spoke softly, “My mother asked me to deliver some osmanthus cakes to Director Chen.”

She lifted the red cloth covering the basket, revealing the white cakes inside.

Upon seeing the osmanthus cakes, Da Ming nodded eagerly, laughing, “Father still really enjoys snacks.”

Zhang Wan’er chuckled lightly, looking around the street.

This street, where the Yu Ying Tang was located, wasn’t very crowded since it was near the Yihong Courtyard.

Normal families rarely came this way.

Seeing no one around, Zhang Wan’er picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, decorated with red dots, from the basket.

“Da Ming Ge, try this.”

Zhang Wan’er smiled gently, softly handing the osmanthus cake to Da Ming.

Da Ming took the piece of cake and popped it into his mouth, chewing it up in one bite.

Swallowing the cake, Da Ming grinned foolishly and said, "It’s really delicious."

Hearing this, Zhang Wan'er’s face turned slightly red. She smiled shyly and asked, "Really?"

Da Ming nodded. "Yes, it’s delicious."

Zhang Wan'er pursed her lips into a soft smile and took another piece from the basket, also decorated with a red dot, handing it to him.

Da Ming shook his head, still grinning. "I’ve had enough."

"I’ll leave the rest for Father."

Zhang Wan'er glanced up at Da Ming and said softly, "Da Ming Ge, these few pieces with red dots are for you."

As she spoke, a deeper shade of red bloomed on her fair cheeks.

Da Ming scratched his head in confusion. "Why?"

"Those pieces... I made them myself."

Zhang Wan'er lowered her head slightly, not daring to meet his gaze.

"But yours tastes good too. Why not give some to Father?"

Da Ming’s face was filled with confusion.

Zhang Wan'er shot him a quick glance, her cheeks still tinged with red, and remained silent.

With light steps, she carried her basket and walked toward the Yu Ying Tang.

Da Ming walked alongside her, the two of them side by side.

As they entered Yu Ying Tang, the sound of crying rang through the courtyard.

A few small children clutched half-eaten green tangerines, their faces scrunched up as they wailed from the sourness.

The culprit, Xiao Fu, stood with her hands on her hips, laughing gleefully.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Zhang Wan'er and Da Ming.

"Sister-in-law!"

The mischievous Xiao Fu called out crisply.

Just as Zhang Wan'er stepped into the courtyard, her face instantly flushed bright red.

Xiao Fu ran up to her and grabbed the corner of her sleeve with her small hands.

Zhang Wan'er smiled gently and secretly took out a piece of osmanthus cake with a red dot, slipping it into Xiao Fu’s hand.

Seeing the cake, Xiao Fu’s big, bright eyes darted around mischievously.

She eagerly took a bite, her cheeks lighting up with joy.

But before her smile could last, someone suddenly lifted the back of her collar.

Her face filled with terror as she turned around to see Xiao Lian glaring at her with a frosty expression.

"Xiao Lian Jie…"

Xiao Fu wanted to defend herself, but before she could say anything, Xiao Lian simply nodded at Zhang Wan'er in greeting and carried Xiao Fu off.

The other children in the courtyard, seeing Xiao Fu being taken away, all burst into laughter through their tears.