"Second Madam."
Upon seeing the beautiful woman, the entire Patrol Team immediately became respectful. The middle-aged man at the front, with a stern face, subtly moved his hand away from the hilt of his blade.
"What's going on?"
The beautiful woman approached with a smile, asking curiously.
The Patrol Team captain quickly replied, "Reporting to Second Madam, someone of unknown identity has infiltrated the Outer Estate. We are about to apprehend him."
Hearing this, the Second Madam instinctively turned her head and saw the young man standing on the Arched Bridge. He was shivering in the cold wind, but his eyes were unusually resolute. The boy's patched clothing was already soaked, and strangely, he was clutching something that looked like a quilt around his waist. It looked very odd.
When she noticed the young man's Deep Blue, lively eyes, the Second Madam's eyebrows twitched slightly. She seemed to have seen those Deep Blue, beautiful eyes somewhere before…
"Second Madam, please step back a little. Allow us to capture this person of unknown identity first," the Patrol Team captain respectfully said, then waved his hand. In an instant, the other nineteen Patrol Team members spread out with great coordination, completely blocking off any escape routes for Huo Yuhao.
Everyone reached for the hilts of their knives, their eyes sharp, waiting for the captain's order to seize the person in front of them.
"I'm not a thief. I have proof that I can freely enter the Outer Estate."
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath and said loudly. Then, he quickly took out the White Tiger Dagger from his waist. However, this action also made the Patrol Team wary. They didn't listen to him at all. The captain of the Patrol Team's eyes turned cold, his muscles tensed, and he immediately rushed towards Huo Yuhao like a gust of wind.
In a short moment, he had rushed out seven or eight meters.
But at this crucial moment, the Second Madam suddenly remembered something and shouted in slight surprise, "Stop!"
Hearing this, the Patrol Team captain, who had already rushed out more than ten meters, instantly stopped. He turned back, puzzled, and looked at the Second Madam.
The other patrol members also looked at the Second Madam. In the Duke's Manor, although the Second Madam was only a concubine, her status was only second to the First Madam and the two young masters. Moreover, the Second Madam's father was the current Imperial Defense Force's Chief Instructor, holding a position that was considered quite good.
"Are you Huo Yun'er's son?" The Second Madam's voice was very gentle, her beautiful eyes fixed on Huo Yuhao.
The Patrol Team's captain's expression shifted slightly at the mention of Huo Yun'er. He'd heard some things about the happenings within the Duke's Mansion.
"Yes," Huo Yuhao replied with a solemn nod. Taking this opportunity, he raised the White Tiger Dagger in his hand and said to the Patrol Team captain, "This is the White Tiger Dagger personally bestowed upon my mother by the White Tiger Duke. As a member of the Duke's Mansion guard, you should recognize it."
As he spoke, Huo Yuhao presented the side of the scabbard bearing the white tiger to the others for inspection. Seeing the exquisite white tiger design, the faces of the Patrol Team members subtly changed.
Their previously tense moods indeed relaxed somewhat. In the Star Luo Empire, no one would dare to impersonate the White Tiger family's exclusive emblem to deceive others.
Huo Yuhao observed the changes on their faces, and he sighed inwardly. Frankly, using the White Tiger Dagger to prove his identity was an extreme measure. If they didn't recognize it, he was finished. But there was no other way. Compared to hurting someone and then fleeing the Duke's Mansion, only to be caught halfway and tortured to death, taking this all-or-nothing gamble offered a sliver of hope.
He hadn't chosen the path of forbearance that the original Huo Yuhao had taken. He chose to resist the bullying of these servants, and the course of history had been altered at that moment.
What the outcome would be, Huo Yuhao himself didn't know.
But no matter what, Huo Yuhao was still very grateful to the Second Madam. If she hadn't called a halt, the Patrol Team captain would have been able to catch him within seconds.
"I know this person. You can go now, don't delay your patrol duties." Second Madam's tone grew sterner. She was also a Soul Master, and moreover, a Soul Ancestor. When she spoke, a wisp of soul power laced her words, making them impossible to ignore.
Upon hearing this, the Patrol Team collectively looked towards their captain. The captain took a deep look at the White Tiger Dagger in Huo Yuhao's hand before saying, "Everyone, reform the formation."
Soon, the entire Patrol Team regrouped.
Under Second Madam's gaze, the entire patrol quickly departed, heading to other areas to patrol. In fact, there were eighteen patrol teams in the Duke's Manor every night. They each had their own area to check, without overlapping. This was why Huo Yuhao hadn't encountered any other patrols along the way.
"Thank you."
Seeing the patrol gone, Huo Yuhao relaxed his tense body. He looked exhausted as he thanked Second Madam. Rain kept washing over his frail body, and he shivered occasionally from the cold.
Seeing Huo Yuhao's condition, Second Madam sighed inwardly. She had once seen Huo Yun'er's difficult life and offered help, but it had earned the First Madam's dislike. The First Madam even secretly had people in the government target her father. There was nothing she could do. After that incident years ago, she couldn't help anymore. She never expected that after so many years, the woman with the lively eyes was dead, leaving behind only a child not yet eleven years old.
Thinking this, Second Madam stepped forward and walked onto the Arched Bridge. She slightly shifted the umbrella in her hand, sheltering Huo Yuhao under it as well.
Huo Yuhao was taken aback, but he instinctively took a few steps back, retreating into the rain.
"Creak!"
At this moment, the Fallen Maple Courtyard, which had been tightly shut with lights blazing inside, opened. Two figures stood at the gate. The one in the lead had graying hair and many wrinkles on his face. He wore a simple gray robe and looked to be about seventy years old. Despite his age, his eyes were remarkably clear, without a trace of cloudiness.
Beside the old man stood a boy who seemed even younger than Huo Yuhao. The boy had a stubborn little face, seemingly displeased about something.
"Mom." Suddenly, the little boy saw the Second Madam holding an umbrella. A smile immediately appeared on his stubborn face, and he excitedly ran out of the gate, splashing water everywhere and wetting his pants.
Before long, the little boy had thrown himself into the Second Madam's arms. The Second Madam looked at the boy with a doting expression, and pretended to scold him, saying, "You naughty child, you had to run out in the rain. Now, your pants are wet."
This must be Dai Luoli... Huo Yuhao stood in the rain, lowered his head, and thought thoughtfully.
Suddenly, he felt a gaze fixed on him without any pretense. He quickly reacted and searched for the source of the gaze, only to see the old man in the gray robe standing at the gate of the Fallen Maple Courtyard staring at him. This person was the butler, Chen Hongsheng, who had followed Dai Hao in battle for decades. Generally, people in the estate called him Old Chen.
The Second Madam didn't know what Huo Yuhao was thinking. She thought he didn't like anyone getting too close to him, so she averted her gaze. Seeing him looking towards the Fallen Maple Courtyard, she asked, "You came to the Fallen Maple Courtyard just to find Old Chen?"
"Mm." Huo Yuhao retracted his gaze and nodded respectfully. "Could I trouble you to introduce me?"
Although the Second Madam didn't know what Huo Yuhao was up to, she didn't refuse his request. She led Dai Luoli, who was watching Huo Yuhao with some curiosity, towards the Fallen Maple Courtyard. Soon, the Second Madam and Old Chen seemed to have a conversation, and Old Chen nodded as well.
Afterward, the Second Madam returned, holding Dai Luoli's hand. Smiling, she said to Huo Yuhao, "Go ahead."
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath and bowed, saying, "Thank you." He didn't say anything about repaying the great kindness in the future, but he deeply engraved this favor in his heart.
After saying that, Huo Yuhao quickly ran toward the Fallen Maple Courtyard.
"Mom, who is he? Is he also here to learn from Grandpa Chen how to cultivate soul power like me?" Dai Luoli asked his mother, looking up at her.
"Are you hungry?" The Second Madam didn't reveal Huo Yuhao's identity.
Hearing this, Dai Luoli immediately forgot his question and instead raised his hands excitedly, saying, "I'm already hungry. I feel like I could eat a cow."
Second Madam affectionately patted Dai Luoli on the back of the head, smiling, "Alright, let's go back and eat."
In the misty rain, Second Madam led Dai Luoli, followed by six maids. The group chatted and laughed as they departed, until their figures disappeared from sight.
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