Chapter 917: Xin Xianying

The atmosphere was joyous, despite Xiahou Yuan's cold expression. Liu Bei and Guan Yu both offered toasts to him, and surprisingly, it had a positive effect. After all, with Liu Bei's status and Guan Yu's formidable reputation, having them offer you a drink was a sign of respect. As they continued to drink, Xiahou Yuan's attitude began to soften.

Given Liu Bei's rank and Guan Yu's strength, this act of toasting was a mark of esteem. Before long, Xiahou Yuan began to feel the effects of the alcohol, and none of them used their inner energy to dispel the alcohol, so the drinking escalated.

Naturally, the banquet ended with everyone in good spirits. Apart from Ma Chao, who was eager to challenge the other generals, no major incidents occurred.

Even though Ma Chao had been somewhat disrespectful earlier, Liu Bei didn’t hold it against him. Instead, he found Fa Zheng to be far more obedient and paid little attention to Ma Chao’s challenge proposal. Liu Bei wasn’t particularly interested in Ma Chao’s request for a duel, so he simply left it up to his generals to decide if they wanted to spar with him.

During the feast, Ma Chao quickly gave up the idea of challenging Zhao Yun. He initially thought Zhao Yun was the weakest, but when Zhao Yun casually formed a smooth, jade-like wine cup out of inner energy, Ma Chao didn’t even realize at first that it was made entirely of energy.

After observing the others, Ma Chao eliminated Hua Xiong as a potential opponent, reasoning that he had already fought him and could likely win now—there was no challenge in that. He also dismissed an older man with white hair, thinking that there was no point in fighting someone so advanced in age, even if they were at the Inner Qi Departure realm.

This left Ma Chao with just a few potential targets—Guan Yu, Gan Ning, Zhang Fei, Xu Chu, and Wei Yan. But whether any of them would agree to spar remained a question.

After the banquet, Ma Chao followed Xu Chu, reasoning that the large man seemed like someone who would be easy to approach. As it turned out, Ma Chao was in luck: Wu Anguo was on guard duty that night, so Xu Chu was free to drink. Xu Chu, when not assigned to protect Liu Bei, often seemed at a loss for what to do.

To get Xu Chu to show his true strength, Ma Chao dressed in inconspicuous clothing to conceal his identity and tried to ambush him.

Naturally, Xu Chu beat Ma Chao to a pulp. If Ma Chao hadn’t revealed his identity in time, Xu Chu likely would have mistaken him for an assassin from Hebei and beaten him half to death.

When it came to hand-to-hand combat, Xu Chu was nearly unbeatable unless he faced a monster like Dian Wei. In a pure brawl, he rarely lost.

Embarrassed after injuring a guest, Xu Chu treated Ma Chao with much more kindness afterward and even warned him not to attempt such reckless acts again. Xu Chu emphasized that while he might have let it go, trying something like that on Guan Yu could lead to disaster. A single overreaction from Guan Yu could result in a fatal blow.

Instead of being bothered by his beating, Ma Chao found it fascinating and was eager to continue his conversation with Xu Chu. The fact that this place was even more exciting than Chang’an thrilled him.

Meanwhile, as Chen Xi wandered alone, he found his thoughts drifting to his wife and daughter. Yes, daughter—before the battle between Yuan and Liu, he had received a letter from home. His wife, Chen Lan, had given birth to a daughter, and he was still mulling over what to name her.

Liu Bei’s son had been born even earlier, and though the infant’s nickname was still A’dou, his formal name had yet to be decided. However, it was likely to be Liu Shan, especially given the auspicious omen of swallowing the North Star, which sparked speculation about his future.

While lost in thought, Chen Xi accidentally bumped into someone. Normally, with his constant protection, it was unlikely for him to collide with anyone, but in this case, it was a little girl. Han Qiong, Chen Xi's guard, didn’t consider a three- or four-year-old girl to be any threat.

With a soft “thud,” Chen Xi looked down to see the girl sitting dazed on the ground, leaning against his leg. Clearly, she came from a wealthy family.

“Whose child is this?” Chen Xi reached out to help the girl, who appeared to be about four or five years old. The little girl hesitated for a moment before taking his hand and standing up. Despite the fall, she didn’t cry like most children might.

“What’s your name?” Chen Xi asked, crouching down to meet the girl’s eyes, curiosity piqued.

“Mother said girls shouldn’t tell strangers their names,” the girl answered crisply. Her eyes darted around as if she were lost.

“That’s a sensible thing to say. Where are your parents?” Chen Xi asked gently, still crouching.

“They’re looking for me,” the girl said with a slight frown, her lips trembling just a bit.

Chen Xi chuckled inwardly. This little girl was lost, yet she remained calm. He wasn’t sure whether to admire her maturity or lament that she seemed too grown-up for her age.

“Would you like some help?” Chen Xi offered, amused and figuring he had nothing better to do. Helping her find her parents could kill some time.

“But I don’t know where my father is…” the girl said softly, her voice faltering as her eyes flicked nervously toward Chen Xi.

Chen Xi let out a small, dry laugh. This child was far too cautious for her age—already mindful of whom to trust.

“But I’m willing to trust you,” she suddenly said with a mischievous smile, though she still carefully kept some distance from Chen Xi.

“I’m impressed,” Chen Xi said with a grin. “Alright, where’s your house? I’ll send someone to take you home. You must live nearby. Which family are you from?”

“I can’t say. I want to find my father,” the girl shook her head in refusal.

Chen Xi frowned slightly. “Then at least tell me your surname. I’ll help you find your father.”

“My surname is Xin,” the girl said after some hesitation, clearly realizing that Chen Xi didn’t have any ill intentions.

“Xin?” Chen Xi looked her up and down before recalling a certain family. In Ye City, the only prominent family with the surname Xin was the family of Xin Pi and Xin Ping. Given her age…

“Are you Xin Xianying?” Chen Xi asked, frowning. If he remembered correctly, he had placed the entire Xin family under house arrest. How could Xin Xianying be wandering around outside? Although the Xin family wasn’t imprisoned, they were under soft confinement for specific reasons.

“Ah!” The girl gasped, quickly covering her mouth with her sleeve. “How do you know my name?”

“Escort her back to the Xin residence,” Chen Xi instructed with a hint of irritation. He was both exasperated and amused. He had the Xin family under house arrest—how had this little girl managed to sneak out?

“No! I don’t want to go back! I want to find my father! You promised you’d help me find him, you liar!” Xin Xianying cried, struggling as Chen Xi grabbed her. She began to wail loudly, her voice echoing through the streets.

In no time, a crowd gathered, drawn by the sound of her crying. Judging by the way the onlookers stared at Chen Xi, it was clear they assumed he was some kind of debauched nobleman. After all, with her fine features, Xin Xianying was unmistakably a beauty in the making.

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