「The next day.」
Chen Nuo sat on his chair, watching the sparkling, babbling stream with a leisurely gaze.
To his left and right, many Chen Clan members stood guard. But the most conspicuous were the captives from the Hu Family Village, who were all bound hand and foot and forced to sit on the ground.
Beside Chen Nuo were several other seats, occupied by his granduncle and some of the clan's higher-ranking elders.
However, two seats were left empty.
As if they were reserved for someone.
The autumn wind was bleak. Sunlight filled the air, but it was still unavoidably damp and cold by the stream.
"Granduncle, you should go back if you can't bear it. Those medicinal plasters I gave you aren't a panacea. The most important thing is proper rest and care."
On his granduncle's legs were two dog-skin plasters, emitting waves of warmth that protected his kneecaps.
"No, I'm staying to watch. This is a major event. How could it proceed without me?"
