Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

Upon hearing the words "to be buried in peace," tears finally streamed down Ayan's face.

But he didn't wail. He just held tightly to Tao'er's clothes, looked up at her with a stubborn gaze, and asked persistently, "Sister Tao'er, Grandmother wasn't burned in the fire last night. She... she can still be laid to rest, right?"

She doesn't have to turn to ash, right?

Although Ayan was young, he knew the meaning of the phrase "to be buried in peace".

His grandmother used to often tell him how beautiful the scenery of his hometown in Jiangnan was.

She said that when they grow up, she will go to Jiangnan to retire.

I just didn't expect...

In a child's world, the concept of life and death may be vague, but he clearly remembers how terrible the fire that devoured everything was.

Tao'er looked at Ayan's tear-streaked face and felt as if her heart was being torn apart.

She couldn't voice her cruel suspicions about the conspiracy in her heart; that would be too cruel for Ayan at that moment.

He's too young; I shouldn't add to his fear and stress.

Tao'er knelt down and gently wiped away Ayan's tears with her sleeve, her voice soft yet incredibly strained: "Ayan, be good. The old lady was kind all her life. She didn't really die; she just went to live in another place..."

That place is paradise, a paradise without any conspiracies or bad people.

She'll be doing very well in heaven, and the old lady will be watching over us from up there, though she won't be able to talk to us.

So you don't need to be too sad.

These words were merely meant to comfort Ayan.

White lies can sometimes be useful.

"Really?

Can people go to heaven after they die?

Grandmother went to heaven, she didn't really die?

"Sister Tao'er, do you mean that Grandma is only physically dead, right?"

Tao'er nodded. "Ayan is really smart. That's basically what he meant."

However, not everyone who dies can go to heaven; only good people can go to heaven.

Bad people go to the deepest hell when they die, so Ah Yan, you can't harm people carelessly in the future!

But you can't let others bully you!

If you don't fight back when others bully you, they'll think you're easy to bully, you know?

Ayan nodded as if he understood, but one thing he did understand was that his grandmother had not actually died; she had simply gone to another wonderful place.

Moreover, his grandmother could see him, which instantly eased Ayan's depressed mood.

Old Chen didn't understand what Tao'er meant by those words. He had never heard of any paradise in all his years of life.

However, he assumed that these were Tao'er's words to comfort the young master.

He thought to himself that this girl was indeed a clever and intelligent young lady, no wonder the old lady valued her so much.

He entrusted the young master to her.

"Sir, where did you get this information from?"

After Tao'er comforted Ayan, she looked up and asked.

"I went to the street today and heard a lot of people talking about it. Then I secretly went to the outside of the Prime Minister's residence and found a young man in a python robe scolding people at the entrance of the residence."

I pretended to be passing by and overheard something, so I quickly ran back.

After listening to what Old Man Chen said, Tao'er's brows furrowed even more.

She needed to talk to Ayan alone and sort out her chaotic thoughts.

Tao'er stood up, trying to keep her voice steady, "Uncle, thank you for taking such a big risk to tell us this news."

You've worked hard, go back to your room and rest!

"After all this happened, Ayan must be feeling terrible. I... I'll take him back inside and try to comfort him."

Looking at Tao'er's pale yet resolute face, and then at Ayan who was trying to suppress his grief, Old Man Chen nodded heavily, his cloudy old eyes also glistening with tears.

"good……

Peach Girl, please speak with the young master.

I... I'll stay here in the yard, don't worry.

"No one will be allowed near the room you're staying in."

As the old man spoke, his back hunched, he walked out of the main room, one step at a time.

The door closed, blocking out the afternoon sunlight, and the room immediately became darker.

Tao'er held Ayan's cold little hand and led him through the simple main room to the inner room where they would temporarily stay.

Ayan obediently followed with his head down, his brows furrowed, but he began to worry about his father's safety.

Grandpa Chen just said that the Third Prince will escort his father back to the Prime Minister's residence tonight to hold a funeral for his grandmother.

Will the Third Prince harm his father?

As soon as he stepped into the inner room and closed the door behind him, Ayan's taut nerves seemed to snap instantly.

He suddenly threw himself into Tao'er's arms, and the sobs he had been suppressing for so long finally poured out. But it wasn't a wail; instead, it was a muffled, intermittent, animal-like whimper that was so heartbreaking to hear.

Her small body trembled violently, and scalding tears quickly soaked the coarse cloth clothes on Tao'er's shoulders.

Tao'er was stunned for a moment. She had thought that her comforting words had made the child feel less sad.

I never expected that Ayan would still be, well, he's only five years old.

"Sister Tao'er..."

I'm sorry, I couldn't hold it in, I just wanted to cry for a while...

After a long while, Ayan raised his teary eyes, which were as clear and clean as if they had been washed by rain.

"It's okay, Ayan, just cry if you want to!"

Crying is good for your health.

Tao'er took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away Ayan's tears, speaking softly to him.

Suppressing sadness for a long time is indeed bad for your health.

Tao'er was fine when she didn't say anything, but as soon as she did, A-Yan buried his face in her arms and started sobbing again before he had even finished wiping away his tears.

Why………

With a sigh, he simply tossed the handkerchief onto the bedside table and decided not to wipe himself anymore.

She simply held him tightly, letting him cry, her fingers gently combing through his slightly disheveled hair.

When Ayan's crying gradually subsided and turned into sobs, Tao'er put her hand on his shoulder and made him look at her.

She carefully wiped away the tears on his face with a handkerchief, her voice low and serious: "Ayan, listen to what your sister has to say."

"I know you're crying because you're heartbroken for Grandma and miss Father and Mother, but now is not the time to cry."

Ayan's eyes were red and swollen, and he was sobbing as he tried to concentrate on listening to her.

"Sister Tao'er, Grandpa Chen said that tonight Father will be escorted back to the mansion by the Third Prince to handle Grandmother's funeral arrangements."

I want to see my father one last time. I'm afraid I won't see him for a long time to come.

Ayan finished speaking in broken sentences, sobbing, his eyes filled with longing as he looked at Sister Tao'er.

He was actually more afraid that he would never see his father and the others again…

Tao'er was completely stunned. So this guy was so sad just now because he was worried that the Prime Minister would die.

Did he understand what Old Man Chen said earlier?

Such keen insight at such a young age!

She was still trying to keep it from him, but he misunderstood. The Third Prince's true purpose was probably not that simple.

His aim was to lure the snake out of its hole, intending to capture the only son of the Prime Minister, Ayan.

The old emperor has issued an imperial edict, so the third prince cannot act now. If he were to act, it would be by assassination during his exile!

Even if the Third Prince were stupid, he wouldn't make a move in Shengjing.

"Ayan, the Prime Minister will indeed be escorted back to the Prime Minister's residence by the Third Prince tonight. I will try my best to find a way to let you and your father meet, okay?"

But that would put us in great danger; we might escape only to be caught again.

Tao'er thought for a long time and then made a decision.

"The Emperor has asked your father to return to bury your grandmother; that sounds like a good thing."

But why do you think the Third Prince had to personally escort them back?

Ayan shook his head in confusion.

"This could be a trap."

They might be trying to use the grandmother and father to lure out anyone who still cares about the Xiao family and might want to help, and then capture them.

However, I suspect their main objective is to capture you and me.

It's like... luring mice out of their nest with delicious food.

Ayan's eyes widened slightly, and fear resurfaced.

"Sister Tao'er, then let's not go. I believe that good people will be blessed, and we will still be able to see our father and the others in the future."

Also, we can't let Dad's friends risk their lives to save Dad and me.

"Sister Tao'er, we need to find a way to inform them, to tell them that this is the Third Prince's conspiracy."

Ayan shook his head in fear; he didn't want the changes in the Xiao family to implicate more people.

Tao'er held his hand tightly and said very seriously, "Ayan is great, you are right to think that way."

Therefore, we must find a way to notify them.

Ayan nodded, then asked, "Sister Tao'er, how should we inform these people?"

Should we prevent them from losing their lives?

Ayan went from being sad to being worried.

"Ayan, don't worry, Sister Tao'er will have a solution."

Sister Tao'er will not only prevent these people from dying, but will also allow you and your father to meet.

But right now you don't need to think about anything, just get some sleep and recharge. I'll wake you up after lunch.

We're going to do something big tonight!

Tao'er revealed a mysterious smile.

Ayan obediently lay down and nodded vigorously.