He was in the Ming Dynasty, and his adoptive father was Governor Cao.

When Xiao Ting opened his eyes again, he was already back at the Pearl-Collecting Bureau.

He glanced around and found himself lying in an elegantly furnished room.

Beneath her was a soft brocade mattress, and she was covered with a silk quilt. In a corner of the room, calming sandalwood incense burned.

It was dusk outside the window, and the rain seemed to have stopped.

He quickly recognized that this was the original owner's bedroom. He felt relieved. His adoptive father had finally softened his heart. Otherwise, given the trouble he had caused, even being locked up in the dungeon would have been a lenient punishment. Being kidnapped was secondary; he had also released quite a few privately mined pearls.

These people are the main force in pearl harvesting.

If they are released, the number of pearls harvested will be insufficient, and Cao Guangxian may even risk dereliction of duty and loss of power.

The original owner did do good deeds, but the price behind it was Cao Guangxian and the entire Pearl-Picking Division.

"The master is awake. How are you feeling?"

A middle-aged man with a square face and three long tufts of beard stood by the bed, looking down at him. A roll of silver needles was beside him. He said gently, "Don't move yet. You have many hidden injuries and are too exhausted. You need to rest and recuperate."

Xiao Ting's mind was still a little confused, but the original owner's memories quickly flooded back—Wen Buqi!

He was a top-notch doctor in Lingnan, with extremely high medical skills. It was said that he had the ability to "bring the dead back to life and heal flesh and bones." He also had a deep connection with the "Wen family of Lingnan" and was invited by Cao Guangxian at great expense to serve as a retainer.

"Mr. Wen?"

Xiao Ting, his voice hoarse, tried to move his fingers. He was still a little weak, but his internal energy was circulating smoothly. The burning pain under his ribs was also greatly relieved. He had a bitter taste in his mouth, like ginseng soup.

Wen Buqi nodded, poured a bowl of thick, dark medicine from the medicine pot, and handed it over: "Lord Cao instructed that you must take this. This medicine strengthens the body's foundation and is very beneficial for repairing hidden injuries to the meridians."

Xiao Ting took the medicine bowl; it was warm to the touch. Without much hesitation, he tilted his head back and gulped it down.

bitter!

The intense bitterness exploded on the tip of the tongue, but then a warm current rose from the stomach and quickly spread to the limbs, invigorating the spirit.

"Mr. Wen, my godfather..." Xiao Ting put down his bowl and asked tentatively.

Wen Buqi said, "He has important business to attend to. He will come to see you later and tell you to rest well. You don't need to worry about anything else for now." He paused and added, "He also said, 'You are not allowed to go anywhere until you are fully recovered.'"

Well, it's still a form of house arrest.

However, compared to going to the dungeon, this treatment is worlds apart.

Just then, light footsteps came from outside the door, followed by a high-pitched voice: "Mr. Wen, Master ordered me to prepare some food for my junior brother."

"Come in," Wen Buqi said.

The door was pushed open, and Sun Huai walked in carrying a mahogany tray with several kinds of congee and side dishes on it.

Seeing that Xiao Ting had woken up, he smiled broadly: "Junior Brother is awake? That's a relief. Master instructed that you should take good care of your injuries, and we'll talk about the rest later."

The imperial eunuchs had a habit of adopting sons, which was a kind of compensation for "having no offspring" and a necessity for maintaining the power system. They usually had a large number of adopted sons and placed them in important positions.

Cao Guangxian was an exception.

He had only one adopted son, Xiao Ting, and the other four close eunuchs were his apprentices.

Sun Huai was the fourth child. Among the three eunuchs besides the eldest, he was the most tolerant of the original owner. After all, the original owner not only despised eunuchs but also often caused trouble for Cao Guangxian. It was difficult to give such a person a good face, both in public and private.

The adopted sons addressed each other as fellow disciples.

Xiao Ting nodded: "Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother Sun."

Sun Huai smiled in surprise, "This must be the first time Junior Brother has called you Senior Brother, it's truly an honor."

"..." Xiao Ting suspected that he was being sarcastic.

Wen Buqi stroked his beard and said, "It's fine to put the things down now. Guard Sun, go and do your work."

Sun Huai readily agreed, put down his things, glanced at Xiao Ting again, and was very curious about his changes. Seeing that he couldn't talk to him any longer, he withdrew and gently closed the door.

The room returned to silence.

Xiao Ting looked at the steaming bowl of porridge, and his stomach started growling uncontrollably.

Wen Buqi smiled and said, "Your pulse has stabilized, but your mental state is greatly depleted. You need to get some rest tonight. I'm in the next room. If you feel unwell, please call me anytime."

"Thank you, Mr. Wen."

Xiao Ting sincerely thanked him.

With this expert protecting me, at least I don't have to worry about my injuries worsening or someone secretly sabotaging me.

Wen Buqi nodded, picked up his medicine box, and went out.

After he left, Xiao Ting stopped pretending, picked up the bowl of porridge, and began to wolf it down, stuffing food into her mouth while trying to sort out her chaotic thoughts.

Time travel, desperate situation, murder, talent, pirates...

All of this happened too fast, but in any case, the most dangerous moment seems to have passed.

The question now is, how do you explain the counter-attack...?

Concealing one's abilities is useless. With Cao Guangxian's peak cultivation level, he has already seen through the original body. Now, the only concern is that he might suspect possession or body swapping—who knows, high-level martial arts might have such methods? If it really comes to that, it's all over.

Xiao Ting couldn't come up with a good solution even after finishing his meal, so he simply sat cross-legged and practiced his martial arts to heal his injuries.

No matter the situation, having more strength is always a good thing.

I don't know how much time passed.

As darkness fell, footsteps sounded outside the door and stopped at the entrance.

Xiao Ting's heart tightened, and when he looked up, he saw the door open and Cao Guangxian, dressed in dark red casual clothes, walk in.

He was in his early forties, with a fair complexion and no beard. His appearance was refined and slender, lacking any of the sinister air of an ordinary eunuch. Instead, he resembled a serious, middle-aged scholar-official. His gaze swept over the bowls and plates on the table, and he nodded: "You have quite an appetite."

Xiao Ting steadied himself and replied in a natural tone, "When you're starving, everything tastes good."

Cao Guangxian remained noncommittal, casually picked up a huanghuali wood chair, lifted his robes and sat down, his movements relaxed yet carrying an indescribable sense of oppression.

He looked directly at Xiao Ting and got straight to the point: "It seems the suffering of the past two days wasn't in vain. What are your thoughts on this kidnapping?"

coming!

Xiao Ting's mind raced. He wanted to play dumb and act, but if he wanted to change people's opinion, he would have to reveal something. Now, he could only explain it as having encountered a great calamity, undergoing a drastic change in temperament, and suddenly realizing the truth.

Isn't there a saying?

The prodigal son does not exchange for gold.

Since we've already turned back, why not go a little further?

Working under Cao Guangxian was too difficult, dealing with so many troubles and having to pretend to be someone else while constantly being on guard against being exposed. So I decided to play himself and take this opportunity to gamble!

Xiao Ting took a deep breath and said directly, "Li Si is a traitor within the Angry Dragon Gang."

—The one who initially encouraged the original owner to secretly release the pearl at Yong'an Pool, causing trouble for Cao Guangxian.

Cao Guangxian nodded, his expression unchanged: "They've already been silenced. The operation was clean and efficient; they're professionals. The leads pointed to street thugs, but that's gone."

Xiao Ting was not surprised and continued, "Wang Tong, the guard of Yong'an Pond, also has problems."

—The commander of Haizhai, who was in charge of guarding the perimeter of Zhuchi, was also the breakthrough point for He Shan to break through the encirclement.

Cao Guangxian glanced at him again: "There is insufficient evidence for this matter, and this person is also under surveillance. Wang Tong has a knife wound on his chest, deep enough to expose the bone, which could have been fatal by a hair's breadth; it is a genuine wound."

Having learned from He Shan's experience, Xiao Ting now knows that this kind of control is nothing special.

"He Shan's ship was already destroyed, and he was carrying me, making it difficult for him to move. It was Wang Tong who suddenly appeared with his team. The defeat, the loss of the ship, and the opening of the breach—it was too much of a coincidence!"

Xiao Ting didn't believe it was just a coincidence, and pondered, "I just don't understand who's behind him... The Angry Dragon Gang isn't worth his allegiance, and even the larger pirate force, the 'Shangshui Alliance,' doesn't seem worth him betraying the Pearl-Gathering Division and gambling his future..."

Cao Guangxian didn't answer that question, but instead asked, "Anything else?"

Xiao Ting paused for a moment: "Of the three senior brothers, one of them is colluding with the Angry Dragon Gang."

"..."

Cao Guangxian paused abruptly as he poured the wine, then looked up at Xiao Ting with a sharp, piercing gaze.

An invisible pressure pressed down like a mountain!

Xiao Ting held her breath, forcing herself to meet that gaze and not look away.

Following his prepared statement, he calmly analyzed, "Li Si is my servant. He has been with me at the Pearl Digging Division in Bailong City. I arrived at Yong'an Pond on the evening of the fourth day... He released the people, while the pearl divers at Yong'an Pond were imprisoned for illegal mining on the morning of the fourth day. The two places are sixty li apart."

"No one informed Li Si, so he wouldn't have found out so quickly; no one conspired with the Angry Dragon Gang, so the Angry Dragon Gang wouldn't have set up an ambush so quickly; this person must be familiar with my style and know that I can be willful. To be familiar with my temper, know the inside story of the Pearl-Picking Bureau, and be able to connect the two, there can only be... someone close to me."

After he finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence.

The candlelight crackled softly.

Cao Guangxian squinted and carefully examined Xiao Ting from head to toe, remaining silent for a long time.

The scrutinizing gaze sent chills down Xiao Ting's spine.

Cao Guangxian was no ordinary man to stand out from among the 100,000 eunuchs and palace maids in the imperial palace!

Time seemed to stretch out.

Just as Xiao Ting's back was breaking out in a cold sweat, and he was about to succumb to the pressure—

Cao Guangxian suddenly smiled.

"very good."

Cao Guangxian nodded in satisfaction. He rarely smiled, but now he showed a genuinely gratified expression: "It seems this brush with death wasn't in vain. You've become more thoughtful and your eyes have sharpened. You're much better than your father was back then..."

Upon hearing this, the huge weight in Xiao Ting's heart finally lifted.

I passed the test...

"You don't know how difficult something is until you experience it."

Cao Guangxian's gaze fell on Xiao Ting's face, his eyes filled with complex emotions, a mixture of lingering fear and relief.

He sighed softly, as if speaking to Xiao Ting, yet also to himself: "We've always known you're not truly confused, nor are you a hopeless case. Deep down... you have your father's chivalry, and his stubbornness, but over the years, we've protected you too much, and you've been too... too obstinate. This time you've hit a wall, seen the blood, and finally 'got it.' Truly, life is unpredictable, fortune and misfortune are intertwined."

"..."

Xiao Ting timely revealed a look of regret on his face, speechless in his heart: "Then you really... overestimated him." Of course, he absolutely could not say these words out loud.

He could only lower his head, feigning shame and gratitude at having his secret exposed, and whispered, "Father... I was so ignorant before. It wasn't until this life-or-death situation that I realized who was good and who was bad, and I've caused you so much trouble..."

He still had some doubts; Cao Guangxian seemed to have accepted it too easily.

He didn't even doubt why he was able to kill those people...

Is it not uncommon in this world to "experience great changes and be reborn"?

Cao Guangxian waved his hand and said gently, "There's no need to bring up the past. Now that you see the pit under your feet, you'll know how to proceed from here... Ting'er, your godfather has three paths for you to choose from."