I slaughtered my way through the border at the start, I am the Great Ming's Night Raider!

The two crawled out of the carriage and found themselves in the backyard of Biyun Temple.

It was surrounded by vegetable gardens and woodsheds, and was very secluded.

Qin Xiang led them into a woodshed, moved aside a pile of firewood, revealing a hidden door.

"Go down from here, and it leads directly to the meditation room inside the temple," she said. "The Grand Princess will be waiting for you there."

Behind the hidden door is a narrow secret passage, only wide enough for one person to pass through at a time.

Qin Xiang was in front, Chen Yuan was in the middle, and Chen Jin was at the rear.

The secret passage was very dark, with only a small lamp in Qin Xiang's hand providing illumination.

After walking for about half an incense stick's time, a light appeared ahead.

It was a quiet room, simply furnished with only a meditation bed, a futon, and a small table.

An oil lamp was lit on the table, and a person sat under the lamp.

a woman.

She had her back to them, dressed in plain clothes, and her hair was tied up with only a wooden hairpin.

But you can tell from his posture and demeanor that he is not an ordinary person.

Hearing footsteps, she slowly turned around.

Chen Yuan saw her face.

It was an extremely beautiful face, around forty years old, with exquisite features and an elegant demeanor.

But there were fine lines at the corners of her eyes, and her gaze carried a deep weariness and sadness.

Her eyes were exactly the same as Chen Yuan's.

Grand Princess Zhu Mingyue.

She looked at Chen Yuan with a complex expression, a mixture of excitement, guilt, relief, and fear.

Her lips trembled slightly; she wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

After a long silence, she finally spoke, her voice soft and trembling: "You...you look...very much like him."

Chen Yuan stood there, unsure of what to say.

This was the first time he had met his biological mother.

This woman has appeared countless times in my dreams, yet remains a blurry figure.

This woman who gave birth to him and then abandoned him.

This woman, who now wields immense power but is in a precarious position.

"sit."

The Grand Princess pointed to the prayer mat.

Chen Yuan sat down, and Chen Jin stood behind him.

Qin Xiang left the quiet room and closed the door.

Only the three of them remained inside.

The flame of the oil lamp flickered, casting a swaying shadow on the wall.

"How have you been all these years?" the Grand Princess asked, her voice still very soft.

"It's alright," Chen Yuan said. "The Chen family has treated me very well."

"Chen Xi..." The Grand Princess's eyes reddened. "He's a good man. It's my fault...it's my fault that he's been dragged into this."

"Do you know that the Chen family was wiped out?" Chen Yuan asked.

The Grand Princess nodded, tears finally falling: "By the time I found out, it was too late. The Eastern Depot acted too quickly, I... I couldn't save them."

"Why?" Chen Yuan stared at her. "Why would the Eastern Depot do this?"

The Grand Princess wiped away her tears and took a deep breath: "Because someone knows about your background and wants to use this to bring me down. The Chen family knows about it, so they have to be silenced."

"Who is it?"

"Cao Jixiang," the Grand Princess said, "but he has someone behind him. It could be some ministers in the court, or it could be... a vassal king."

"What do they want?"

"They want power." The Grand Princess sneered. "The Emperor is seriously ill, the Crown Prince is young, and as the Regent, I wield too much power, blocking their path. So they want to overthrow me, preferably by killing me."

Chen Yuan was silent for a moment, then asked, "What about me? What do you plan to do with me?"

The Grand Princess looked at him, her eyes tender: "Child, I will not punish you. You are my flesh and blood, I owe you so much. If you want to leave, I will arrange for you to go to a safe place, to live out your life in anonymity. If you want to stay..."

She paused. "If you want to stay, I will acknowledge your identity. But then you will face endless dangers: enemies in the court, spies in the palace, and... those who want to use you."

Chen Yuan remained silent.

Chen Jin couldn't help but speak up: "Your Highness, Brother Yuan... he has suffered a lot over the years."

The Grand Princess looked at Chen Jin with gentle eyes: "I know. You are Chen Jin, right? Your father mentioned you. He said you were very smart, but a little too soft-hearted. Now it seems... you've grown up."

Chen Jin's eyes reddened, and she lowered her head.

"My child," the Grand Princess looked at Chen Yuan again, "I know you hate me. You hate me for giving birth to you and then abandoning you. I don't ask for your forgiveness, I only hope... I hope you can live a good life."

Chen Yuan looked at her. This woman, who should have been high and mighty, was now like an ordinary mother, vulnerable, guilty, and longing for her child's forgiveness.

The resentment in his heart suddenly faded a little.

"I don't hate you," he said, "but I need to know the truth. The whole truth."

The Grand Princess nodded: "I will tell you. But before that, you must make a choice: to leave or to stay."

Chen Yuan stood up and walked to the window.

Outside the window, the night was pitch black, and the distant sound of bells could be heard, long and drawn out.

He thought of Xuanfu, Zhang Meng, his dead scout brothers, and the tragedy that befell the Chen family.

I remembered the blood and fire that had accompanied us along the way.

Then, he turned and looked at the Grand Princess.

"I stayed."

The voice was calm, but firm.

The Grand Princess's eyes lit up: "Have you thought it through?"

"I've made up my mind," Chen Yuan said. "I want revenge. For the Chen family, for Zhang Meng, for everyone who died because of me. I also need to figure out which path I should take."

The Grand Princess stood up, walked up to him, and reached out to touch his face, but her hand stopped in mid-air and she withdrew it.

"Okay," she said, "but remember, from now on, your life isn't just your own. Every decision you make could affect the lives of countless others."

"I see."

"Furthermore," the Grand Princess looked at Chen Jin, "Young Master Chen Jin, are you willing to stay and help Chen Yuan?"

Chen Jin answered without hesitation: "Yes. Only Yuan-ge and I are left in the Chen family, and I want to be with him."

The Grand Princess nodded: "Alright. Qin Xiang will arrange your new identities. From today onwards, Chen Yuan will change his name to Zhu Mingyuan. He is my distant nephew who has come to the capital to seek refuge. Chen Jin is your cousin. You will stay with Qin Xiang for now, and when the time is right, I will arrange for you to enter the palace."

"Zhu Mingyuan..." Chen Yuan murmured.

This name signifies that he has formally acknowledged his bloodline.

This also means that he has stepped into that bottomless vortex.

"There's one more thing." The Grand Princess took out a jade pendant from her bosom and handed it to Chen Yuan. "This was left to you by your father. Back then, I gave it and the dagger to Eunuch Qin to pass on. But Eunuch Qin said the time wasn't right and he hasn't given it to you yet."

The jade pendant is made of mutton-fat white jade and is carved with a coiled dragon, its eyes inlaid with rubies, making it lifelike. The back is engraved with four characters: "Hidden Dragon in the Abyss".

Chen Yuan took the jade pendant; it felt warm and smooth to the touch.

"The dragon lies hidden in the abyss..." he recited.

"This is the name your father gave you," the Grand Princess said. "He said he hoped you would be like a dragon hidden in the abyss, silent until it roars, then astounding everyone when it does. Now... the time has come."

Chen Yuan gripped the jade pendant tightly, feeling a warm current flow from his palm to his heart.

This was the first time he had ever touched a trace of his biological father.

Although that person is no longer here, what he left behind remains.

"Thank you," he said.

The Grand Princess shook her head: "I'm the one who should be saying thank you. Thank you... for still acknowledging me."

Her tears flowed again, but this time, they were tears of relief.

A knock came at the door, and Qin Xiang's voice said, "Your Highness, it's getting late; it's time to return to the palace."

The Grand Princess wiped away her tears and regained some of her composure: "I should go now. Be careful in everything, and follow Qin Xiang's arrangements."

She glanced at Chen Yuan one last time before turning and leaving.

The door closed, leaving only Chen Yuan and Chen Jin in the quiet room.

The flame of the oil lamp flickered.

Chen Yuan looked down at the jade pendant and dagger in his hand.

A hidden dragon lies in the abyss.

Now, the dragon is about to emerge from the abyss.

No matter what lies ahead, whether it's a mountain of knives and a sea of ​​fire, or an abyss.

He was determined to try his luck.

Because this is his destiny.