The Great Song Dynasty's Soul-Forging in Progress

Qin Tiehua raised a spirited eyebrow, sheathed "Jinghong" with a crisp "click," and said, "This little injury is much less serious than when I was injured while blacksmithing back then. Don't worry, brother. Tonight's battle actually made me realize that those few points of stagnation in my swordsmanship have suddenly become clear." She paused, a strange light flashing in her eyes, "Perhaps, I really should thank Jingniang for that song 'Qingdu Shanshui Lang'."

Du Ziteng, grimacing as he tended to his wound, chuckled upon hearing this, "Young Master Wang, wouldn't you say we've turned misfortune into blessing? Your 'Snowy Chant,' Miss Qin's 'Stunning Beauty,' plus Miss Liu's unpredictable copper coin hidden weapon—our Xiange Tower isn't so easy to mess with!"

Liu Xinyi slightly raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping across the Stringed Lake in the night, her voice clear and cold like a jade chime, unhurried and unhurried:

"Undercurrents have appeared, and turbulent waves are imminent. But as long as we are united and of one mind, there is nothing to fear."

The wind and snow howled, and the group quickly cleaned up any traces that might reveal their identities. The carriage set off again, soon disappearing into the increasingly dense blizzard.

The lakeshore fell silent once more, save for the mournful sound of the wind. But Wang Zhonghua knew that from this night forward, the Xiange family had truly entered this grand scheme. And that victory celebration would be their first major battle.

He leaned against the carriage, his hand caressing the glass palace lantern Lian'er had given him; its wick still shone brightly in the wind and snow. This light mirrored his resolve at that moment—let the wind rage and the snow lash, I will remain steadfast.

On the sixteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Chenzhou City welcomed a rare sunny day. Sunlight shone on the thin ice of Xiange Lake, reflecting a golden glow. The "Xiange Renjia" restaurant was still bustling with activity. After several days of operation, its unique dishes, elegant environment, and the faintly visible calligraphy of "Ouyang Gong" in the background have firmly established it as the top restaurant in Chenzhou.

At noon that day, two seemingly ordinary green-canopied carriages stopped at the side entrance of the restaurant. The curtains were lifted, and Yao Shi stepped down with the help of Wang Zhuacai, followed by Wang Xiangjun, who was skipping and jumping with a look of curiosity.

Ma Nao and Zhang Simao, who escorted the carriage, stood guard on either side like two javelins. Both were dressed in the uniform blue short jackets of the Lü family's "Drunken Immortal Workshop," which were washed clean. Their appearance was completely different from when they first joined the local militia in Hulu Bay a few months ago. Ma Nao was still short and stocky, but his eyes were steady and his stance was extremely stable; Zhang Simao, on the other hand, had lost much of his childishness, and his eyes showed more alertness and competence.

Upon seeing the Yao family, Du Ziteng and the others immediately stepped forward, clasped their hands in greeting, and bowed in unison, their voices booming: "Madam! Master! Miss!"

Madam Yao was taken aback by the commotion, then smiled kindly: "It's Ziteng and you all. Get up, we're family, no need for formalities." She looked at everyone, her eyes full of satisfaction, "It hasn't been that long since I last saw you, but you all look like completely different people, so energetic! Zhonghua really made the right choice in keeping you here."

Wang Zhuacai simply nodded silently, his large, calloused hands, which he had used to working the land for years, habitually tucked behind his back. His honest face showed no expression, but when his gaze swept over the restaurant's magnificent facade, a complex emotion, extremely difficult to detect, flashed deep in his eyes.

Wang Xiangjun ran up to Du Ziteng with a grin: "Brother Ziteng, where's my brother? This building is so impressive!"

Du Ziteng hurriedly replied, "Miss, Young Master Wang... he is currently in the kitchen overseeing the chefs' training of new dishes. He instructed us to wait here for the Old Madam. He said that you must be tired from your journey, Madam, please rest in the private room in the back courtyard first, and he will be there shortly."

Zhang Simao added, "Don't worry, Madam, the side gate and backyard are guarded by our 'Brotherhood,' so it's absolutely safe and quiet."

As he spoke, his eyes inadvertently swept across the street corner to make sure there were no suspicious people; this vigilance had become a habit.

Looking at Ma Nao and Zhang Simao, the two young men entrusted with important responsibilities by their son, Yao was filled with mixed emotions. She clearly remembered that when her son decided to leave Ma Nao and Zhang Simao in Wangjiagang to be responsible for security and covert communications at "Sanyi Village," he had told her, "Mother, I feel at ease with Steward Shen looking after the family. Ma Nao is steady and has good physical skills, suitable for maintaining the status quo; Simao is clever and learns quickly, a promising talent. In the future, leaving them in Chenzhou will not only be about managing the shop, but also about being our eyes and ears in the city, a 'hidden arrow' planted in Chenzhou. If anything changes in the future, this will be our foothold in the city."

In retrospect, the son's judgment of character was indeed accurate. Under Du Ziteng's guidance, Ma Nao and Zhang Simao not only managed the restaurant inside and out in a short time, but also conspired with Du Ziteng to use the restaurant's convenient access to people from all over the country to secretly pass on messages and collect intelligence for the "Brotherhood," thus becoming a hidden pawn that Wang Zhonghua had laid in Chenzhou.

The group walked through the busy yet orderly kitchen and arrived at a secluded courtyard. Inside, there were artificial hills and lush bamboo groves, creating a tranquil environment that was isolated from the hustle and bustle in front.

Soon, Wang Zhonghua arrived upon hearing the news. When he saw his mother, father, and sister, a genuine smile appeared on his face: "Father, Mother, Xiangjun, what brings you here? You didn't even tell me beforehand so I could have come to pick you up."

Yao held her son's hand, looking him up and down. Although he looked a little tired, his eyes were bright and his demeanor was becoming more composed. She felt both proud and bittersweet. "Why are you taking any more calls? You're so busy here, we know the way. Your father was worried and insisted on coming along to check on things." As she spoke, she glanced at her silent husband.

Wang Zhuacai replied in a deep, muffled voice, "Yes, I came to see." He only said three words, yet they seemed to contain a thousand unspoken words. This man, usually as taciturn as a stone, had extremely complex feelings towards Wang Zhonghua, his son who had been "lost and found" and whose personality had drastically changed. There was confusion, there was worry, but deeper still, there was a silent protection. Yao had privately mentioned to Wang Zhonghua that when he was young and sickly, he had nearly died several times. It was Wang Zhuacai who, disregarding his own safety, would brave the rain and wade through water in the middle of the night to fetch a doctor, or would carry his barely breathing son back from the brink of death with his not-so-broad back. On those harrowing nights, this silent man never said much, but only demonstrated what it meant to be a "father" through his actions.

Wang Xiangjun excitedly hugged her brother's arm: "Brother, your restaurant is huge! It's even bigger than our courtyard in Wangjiagang! I just saw so many dishes I've never seen before, and they smell so good!"

Wang Zhonghua affectionately patted his younger sister's head: "Have the chef make a little of everything later, so our Xiangjun can have a taste."

The family chatted happily for a while. As Yao looked at her son's composed and skillful demeanor, the mixed feelings of joy and unease that arose in her heart due to her son's rapid growth resurfaced.

She dismissed the maids, leaving only Ma Nao and Zhang Simao to guard outside the courtyard. Then she took Wang Zhonghua's hand and whispered, "Zhonghua, you've made something of yourself, and I'm happy for you. But I still feel uneasy." She sighed, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes seeming to deepen. "You've opened a restaurant, started that 'Drunken Eight Immortals' business, and even practiced 'Hidden Arrows'... The bigger the tree, the more the wind will blow. I've been through it all, I've seen... I've seen some storms. In this world, some people can't stand to see others do well, especially someone like you with 'shallow roots' doing well."

Wang Zhonghua felt a warmth in his heart and grasped his mother's rough hand: "Mother, don't worry, your son knows what's important. We won't cause trouble, but we're not afraid of trouble either. We opened the restaurant to make a living, and only by making money can we give Father, Mother, and Xiangjun a good life, support 'Dark Arrow,' and protect those we want to protect. As for those who are envious..." A cold glint flashed in his eyes, "Your son knows what he's doing."

Looking into her son's resolute eyes, Yao knew he was no longer the fledgling she needed to protect at all times. She nodded, then suddenly remembered something and said, "Your restaurant is doing so well, you should have the chefs sign contracts to prevent your cooking secrets from leaking out of town! Can the kitchen really handle just those few hired cooks and waiters? I think we need some truly trustworthy people to help out. Like Ma Nao and Simao, I feel safe using them."

She paused, then casually mentioned, "Speaking of which, I overheard the servants at the Lü residence gossiping the other day. They said that Master Lü seemed to have had a sweetheart maid in his younger days, but she was later sent away from the manor. It seems you mentioned that the maid even left a child for Master Lü... If that's true, that child must have suffered a lot while wandering outside. If we could find her and bring her to live with us, it would not only fulfill our family bond but also give the family another loyal and reliable person. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Yao's words, seemingly casual and mundane, were like a bolt of lightning, instantly illuminating a corner of Wang Zhonghua's mind!

Lü Sanjun! Illegitimate child!