The servant hurried through the residence of Minister Hu.
When he eventually arrived at the training area, Master Lin Moa—one of the minister's most powerful enforcers—and another guard were training.
Lin Moa was a large man with a disciplined face and rarely displaying emotion in his eyes.
"Master Lin Moa," the attendant said, gasping for air.
Lin Moa stopped and raised his sword. With a swift turn of his head, he looked at the servant. Lin Moa said, "Speak," in a tough, cold tone.
"Master Hu has given you the order to return the boy, Chen Gou, to his village," the servant said in a calm and polite tone.
Lin Moa nodded, a brief look of confusion crossing his face. Why is he back so soon? he thought.
Minister Hu had said the boy would stay at the palace for two to three days. Suppressing a sigh, Lin Moa handed his sword to a nearby guard and turned away.
After quickly changing into formal clothes, he headed to the guest house where Chen Gou was waiting as the servant had informed another servant to bring Chen Gou to the guest room.
Without saying anything, he signaled for the boy to follow. Chen Gou moved cautiously, his eyes nervously flicking toward Lin Moa. The man stayed silent, his face unreadable, as they walked to the carriage.
Lin Moa opened the door and motioned for Chen Gou to get in with a brief nod before climbing in after him. Soon, they were on their way, the carriage moving down the road to the village, by the driver as instructed by Lin Moa.
….
Two hours later, the carriage returned to Chen Gou's village.
He stared intently at Chen Gou as he stepped out of the carriage. Lin Moa pulled a small leather bag from his pocket, the sound of the silver softly jingling inside. With a quick, almost careless gesture, he handed the bag to Chen Gou.
"Take this," Lin Moa said sharply, his voice lacking warmth and filled with cold practicality.
Chen Gou took the bag, sensing the heaviness of the silver inside. Despite having the money, a sense of worry filled him.
He glanced at Lin Moa, his eyes showing fear and uncertainty. Lin Moa's face was blank, but his eyes conveyed a warning.
Chen Gou nodded quickly, sensing the threat in Lin Moa's cold stare.
Without saying anything more, he walked through the village.
As he passed by, villagers looked at him with disgust and disdain because of his look's.
With his shoulders bent against their silent criticism, he continued to keep his head down and walk towards his house.
The sun began to set, casting a warm, golden glow over the village. Small houses made of weathered wood with wood roofs lined the narrow dirt paths that wound through fields and patches of wild grass.
The sky was filled with shades of orange and pink as the sun dipped behind the hills, casting long shadows across the village.
Chen Gou quickly arrived at his house, a tiny wooden structure that was distinct from the rest.
The walls of the little home were made of old faded wood. Age and wear and tear were evident in the door.
An old cloth hung over a little window on the side to keep out the chilly night air. It was the one spot in the community where he felt comfortable, despite its plain appearance.
At the door, he paused, his palm resting on the uneven surface. He inhaled deeply and knocked gently. After a short while, the door opened, revealing his mother. When she spotted him in the dim light, her eyes widened in surprise.
"Chen Gou," she said, her voice a mix of relief and confusion.
"Chen Gou, you're back so soon!" she exclaimed, still surprised. The guards had told her he would be at the minister hu's place for three to four days.
She had felt uneasy about sending him away, unsure of the reasons given. They had shown her Minister Hu's orders, and even the village chief had insisted that the powerful minister had invited Chen Gou.
She had agreed with some hesitation, hoping it was linked to the recent event at school.
There were rumors that the queen was touring the kingdom and might even visit the school.
She wondered if Chen Gou was called because the queen heard about his mistreatment and probably asked ministers to solve it.
The guards also claimed it was a school matter, and even though it seemed odd that it would take three to four days, she held onto the idea that the queen was helping her boy.
Now, it appeared that the issue had been settled sooner than she thought.
Seeing him return so quickly made her heart heavy with concern. She loved her son deeply, no matter how he appeared or how the villagers treated him.
To her, he was simply a child who had been wrongly judged and misunderstood.
Chen Gou tried to remain composed and managed a smile while holding up a bag of silver. "Look, Mom," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "They gave me money as compensation."
His mother's face softened immediately, her worry melting into a gentle smile. She reached out and cupped his face in her hands, her thumbs caressing his cheeks.
"Oh, my boy," she murmured, her voice filled with pride and relief. "Your father will be happy to hear this.
"Come inside and tell me everything. Oh, I almost forgot," she exclaimed, putting a hand to her forehead. "Are you hungry?"
Chen Gou nodded, his stomach rumbling slightly; he had only eaten once that was in the morning at Minister Hu's home and some of the food while staying in the guest house.
"While I prepare some food for you, you go and rest," she said warmly, gently guiding him inside.
Chen Gou felt a surge of warmth envelop him. In that moment, the fear and confusion he had experienced with Lin Moa faded somewhat. In his mother's arms, he felt secure.
For a brief time, he allowed himself to believe that everything would turn out fine.
As they entered the house, Chen Gou looked back at the road, where the carriage was already fading from view.
Lin Moa's words lingered in his mind—a dark, unspoken threat. If he ever revealed what had really happened, even mentioning the queen, his family would be in serious danger.
A chill ran down his spine as he recalled Lin Moa's icy gaze and the potential consequences of disobedience.