8
The moment Li Taixuan saw his wife and daughter return safely, he rushed forward, pulling them into a tight embrace, not caring about the eyes of others.
Li Zhengqing followed closely behind, his face clearly showing his worry.
Shen Xuefei blushed with embarrassment but understood her husband’s emotions.
She lightly patted his waist, both to comfort and remind him to compose himself.
After another half a cup of tea, the young general finally loosened his arms, carefully inspecting his wife and daughter for any injuries.
Seeing no signs of harm, he sighed in relief.
“I’m fine.
I’m sorry for scaring you.”
“It’s fine as long as you’re okay,” he replied, though his deep voice still carried traces of lingering fear.
It wasn’t that he had never seen death before—on the battlefield, corpses and the stench of blood were everywhere.
But his wife and children were sacred, untouchable by such horrors.
“What exactly happened?” Li Zhengqing asked.
Li Yue Haili quickly explained how she had gone to find her mother and couldn’t locate her.
Then Furen Li recounted her encounter with the bear, how she was chased into the forest, and how she was eventually rescued.
The stories from the two—one child and one adult—came together to form a complete picture.
General Li’s face darkened as he realized just how close his wife had come to death, all while he had been completely unaware.
He clenched his fists so tightly that the sound of his knuckles cracking could be heard.
Just then, two small hands gently pried his fingers apart.
When he looked down, he saw a face no bigger than half his palm smiling up at him.
Dimples pressed deep into her smooth, round cheeks.
The little girl softly called out, “Father.”
Her clear voice, like the sound of wind chimes, felt like a cool rain that quickly soothed his inner turmoil.
Li Taixuan’s anger melted away, and he stroked his daughter’s head, letting out a long sigh.
Such a considerate child—too much so for her age.
“This debt of gratitude to the young prince is immense.
I, Li Taixuan, will never forget it,” the general said as he turned and bowed to Feng Yongyuan.
The young prince sidestepped the bow.
“I only did what was right.
There’s no need for formalities, Uncle,” he said.
“However, there is something I must suggest.
I’m unsure if you’ll accept my advice.”
“Please speak, Your Highness.”
“I believe you should return to the capital for a time.”
“And why is that?”
“The Emperor established the Imperial Academy three years ago.
Children from prominent families have all been sent there to study various disciplines.
The Li family is not a small one, and now that Ying Ying is of age, I expect the Li family in the capital has already sent word to you,” Feng Yongyuan said.
“Though they’re family, Ying Ying likely isn’t familiar with the Li estate in the capital.”
Li Yue Haili turned sharply to look at him.
His words, though seemingly overreaching, contained subtle hints.
Having been through so much, she could read between the lines.
The young prince had touched on multiple points.
First, the Emperor had established the academy, and major families were expected to send their children there.
This implied that both she and her elder brother would be required to attend.
Not doing so could risk displeasing the Emperor.
Second, he repeatedly mentioned the Li family in the capital, whom she wasn’t familiar with, implying they might not be trustworthy.
Li Yue Haili discreetly observed her parents’ expressions and suspected that a message had indeed arrived from the capital, urging her and her brother to be sent to the Li family’s estate.
But the academy had been open for three years—why hadn’t her brother been summoned earlier?
Perhaps the summons had come, but her father had refused.
The Li family might have waited for her to come of age before sending another message, hoping their father would send both siblings at once.
She couldn’t help but wonder if her mother’s close brush with death in the forest had some connection to this situation.
Li Yue Haili knew her father’s temperament well.
If her mother had died suddenly, her father would have been so devastated that he might have neglected his children entirely.
Without their parents to protect them, she and her brother would be sent to the capital, vulnerable and unprotected, becoming mere pawns for others to manipulate.
Li Yue Haili wasn’t someone who saw the world through a pessimistic lens, but she knew enough to suspect those who stood to gain the most.
Having experienced the complexities of aristocratic households, she understood that living with pure-hearted innocence was a fool’s dream.
She cherished her short life too much.
From the beginning, she never considered anyone outside her father, mother, and brother as family—those who shared the same surname were merely people of similar bloodlines.
“I cannot go to the capital without proper orders,” Li Taixuan replied.
He too had caught the implications in Feng Yongyuan’s words.
But as a general stationed at the border, leaving his post without the Emperor’s decree would be considered treason.
It was for this reason that he had always refused to send his children to the capital, even though his Furen could have gone to oversee them.
He simply could not trust anyone with their safety.
“Do not worry, Uncle.
I came to the border specifically to deliver the Emperor’s decree.”
Feng Yongyuan said with a smile, pulling out a luxurious golden scroll.
Without hesitation, he took on the role of a royal envoy.
“General Li, Li Taixuan, accept the imperial decree.”
The four members of the Li family knelt immediately, their hearts pounding in their chests.