Chapter 572: Wei Shaokuan's Determined Resolve

Yuwen Ze, standing not far away, watched the scene and muttered to himself, "The introducer? My brother's future father‑in‑law, the person he went out of his way to introduce—could it be…?"

Thinking of this, his gaze instinctively drifted behind Wei Shaokuan and fell on the slender, shy‑eyed girl.

In an instant he understood, and a barely perceptible smile tugged at his mouth.

It seemed they were about to have my brother meet his future side‑wife formally; such a scene was rather amusing.

Wei Shaokuan turned slowly, lifted his hand and gently guided Wei Yingxue forward, bringing her from behind him to the front.

When his gaze rested on his daughter, his tone softened a few degrees.

He then looked up at Chen Yan and solemnly introduced, "A Yan, this is my little daughter Yingxue. She has been with me at Yubi these years, a bit shy, unaccustomed to such a grand occasion; please be patient with her!"

Wei Yingxue, pushed forward by her father, flushed crimson, clenched the hem of her skirt with trembling hands, her gaze darting away, daring only to lower her head.

Her long lashes quivered lightly, exuding a timid, delicate charm that displayed the girl's shyness and innocence.

Chen Yan's eyes fell on the girl before him, examining her closely.

He saw Wei Yingxue wearing a plain, light‑pink dress, its hem embroidered with faint orchid patterns, accentuating her slender figure, her skin as white as jade.

Her dark hair was tied with a simple Jade Hairpin, a few stray strands hanging on either cheek, covering most of her face, leaving only a petite chin and reddened earlobes exposed.

Her curved brows and eyes were clear and lively; though a hint of shy avoidance lingered, it could not hide her natural delicate grace and gentle temperament.

The old Wei's little cotton jacket? Indeed a timid, cute little girl… While pondering, Chen Yan slightly bowed, clasped his fists, and with modest and solemn tone saluted Wei Yingxue, loudly saying, "Pleased to meet you, Miss Yingxue!"

Wei Shaokuan saw his daughter standing still, head lowered, cheeks flushed, evidently too nervous to bow, and hurriedly whispered, "Yingxue, haven't you bowed yet?"

The father's voice snapped Wei Yingxue back; she quickly raised her head, flashed a glance at Chen Yan, then hurriedly lowered it again, cheeks even more flushed, her voice as thin as a mosquito's, tinged with timid softness, she slightly bowed and said, "Pleased to meet you, Chen Zhuguo."

Her voice was soft and gentle, bearing the unique girlish charm, warming the listeners' hearts.

Chen Yan, seeing this, smiled calmly, his gaze full of tenderness, and sincerely praised, "Miss Yingxue, your bearing is elegant and poised, truly a paragon of the inner chambers!"

Such blunt praise made Wei Yingxue's cheeks burn even hotter, her shyness nearly spilling over, her ears tinged with a deep crimson.

She bit her lower lip tightly, daring not to lift her gaze at Chen Yan, her voice growing softer, a hint of panic as she replied, "Chen Zhuguo, you overpraise me!"

"I am merely a country girl, unworthy of such praise; I cannot accept it!"

Wei Shaokuan watched his daughter's shy demeanor, then glanced at Chen Yan's expression, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

He then raised his hand and pointed to a nearby open meadow, away from the crowd, secluded and tranquil.

He looked at Chen Yan and said solemnly, "A Yan, may I have a word?"

Hearing this, Chen Yan raised his hand in a beckoning gesture toward Wei Shaokuan and respectfully said, "Wei Gong, please."

Wei Shaokuan nodded, then turned, his gaze landing on his nephew Wei Heqing, and sternly instructed, "Heqing, take good care of your sister!"

Wei Heqing quickly bowed and nodded, saying earnestly, "Yes, Uncle, rest assured!"

Seeing this, Wei Shaokuan said no more and turned toward the open meadow.

Chen Yan followed closely behind.

The two, one ahead of the other, soon reached the meadow's center, far from everyone's sight and the clamor behind them.

Only the rustling of wind through the grass broke the profound silence.

Wei Shaokuan halted, slowly turned, hands clasped behind his back, his gaze fixed on Chen Yan, sharp and deep, both scrutinizing and solemn; after a moment of silence he spoke in a low voice, "A Yan, you are the legitimate eldest grandson of my elder brother Chen Hu…"

"Your grandfather and I were life‑and‑death comrades, once marching together under the Grand Chancellor, sharing birth and death, our bond deep!"

After a pause, his tone grew more earnest as he continued, "Now you, an Outstanding Talent, so young yet already distinguished in battle, holding high office, of upright conduct, modest and courteous, without the impetuousness of a rising youth; I, the old man, am extremely satisfied with the Grand Preceptor's arrangement of this marriage for my little daughter Yingxue…"

Chen Yan stood quietly, seeing through Wei Shaokuan's thoughts, and asked with a weighty tone, "May I, as a junior, venture a guess: you, Wei Gong, worry that Miss Yingxue, having grown up in Yubi, is simple and timid, and after entering my Wei Guo Gongfu she might suffer grievances?"

Wei Shaokuan heard this, nodded slowly, and replied, "Exactly."

The words fell, he sighed lightly, his gaze swept past Chen Yan, then turned back toward his daughter a short distance away, where Wei Yingxue stood beside Wei Heqing, still in that timid posture.

Her hands clenched the hem, her brows and eyes full of pure innocence; sunlight bathed her, making her skin even fairer.

She resembled a delicate flower unshaped by the world.

Wei Shaokuan's eyes softened instantly, his tone tinged with concern and worry, and he said gravely, "Yingxue, that child has been carefree and pure since childhood, simple and kind, her thoughts very straightforward; these years at Yubi, she has endured many hardships with me, seeing only the frontier sands…"

"She knows nothing of the intricate intrigues of noble houses, nor how to scheme with others!"

"I am not afraid she will suffer a great injustice; I merely pity her soft nature—if she truly encounters trouble, she may not even know how to plead, merely bottling it up; I cannot rest easy…"

Chen Yan took in the tenderness and worry in Wei Shaokuan's glance toward his daughter.

That gaze, full of indulgence and concern, concealed a father's deepest love for his daughter, with no concealment.

He pressed his lips in a faint smile, feeling a touch of sentiment, and said sincerely, "Indeed, a parent's love for their child leads to far‑reaching plans!"

Wei Shaokuan withdrew his gaze, looking at the wilderness before him, his thoughts drifting back to the seventeen years in Yubi.

Those days of swirling sands, those nights on guard, his daughter's companionship was his sole solace.

He exhaled a breath of stale air slowly, the oppression in his chest easing, his voice bearing a hint of world‑worn reverence as he said, "In my life I have had many sons, but only one daughter…"

"These seventeen years, Yingxue has been with me, guarding that lonely fortress, enduring one arduous day and night after another…"

Wei Yingxue is not only Wei Shaokuan's daughter but also his spiritual pillar.

It's not that I don't wish to bring my son, but the son must stay in Chang'an as a hostage…

Chen Yan smiled calmly and said, "Junior understands your paternal worries, Wei Gong; I can comprehend this concern and will never betray your trust."

Having said that, a deep glint flashed in his eyes as he added, "Rest assured, Wei Gong, when Miss Yingxue marries into my Wei Guo Gongfu, she can return to the Yun Guo Gongfu each day to pay her respects to you!"

The implication of those words could not be clearer…

Even if Yingxue suffers any grievance in the Guo Gongfu, she can instantly return to her natal home to complain.

With Wei Shaokuan, the newly appointed Yun Guo Gong, Senior Pillar of State, Left Guard General, backing her, no one dares to truly trouble her.

Wei Shaokuan, so perceptive, instantly grasped Chen Yan's intent, raised his hand to point at him, a satisfied smile on his face, and said, "You rascal!"

"No wonder the Grand Preceptor relies on you so heavily!"

Having said that, the two exchanged a glance, each understanding the other.

Then, without prearrangement, they burst into hearty, exuberant laughter, their voices echoing across the open wilderness.

All the previous worries and restraint were dispelled, leaving only mutual trust and tacit understanding.

"Hahaha!"

As the laughter fell, the wind over the Wilderness seemed to soften a bit, and sunlight poured onto the two of them, warm and gentle.

Chen Yan was the first to restrain his smile; his expression instantly became solemn, and his steady gaze fixed on Wei Shaokuan as he said earnestly, "Moreover, the matriarch of the State Duke Mansion is a sensible, magnanimous person who would never make trouble for Miss Ying Xue!"

"He would only treat her as a younger sister…"

Wei Shaokuan heard that, and the last trace of doubt in his heart completely vanished.

He shouted loudly, "Alright! Then I entrust Ying Xue to you!"

Chen Yan immediately clasped his fists, bowed deeply toward Wei Shaokuan, and said with utmost solemnity, word for word, "Father‑in‑law, rest assured; your son‑in‑law will protect Ying Xue throughout her life."

The word "Father‑in‑law" was both acknowledgment and promise, fully sealing the father‑in‑law and son‑in‑law relationship between them.

Wei Shaokuan nodded with satisfaction, slowly raised his hand to help Chen Yan up, and said softly, "Hmm."

After speaking, after a moment of contemplation, his gaze fell on Chen Yan, and he solemnly instructed, "A Yan, choose an auspicious date soon and welcome Ying Xue into the household."

In that moment, Wei Shaokuan made up his mind…

In his lifetime, he will spare no effort to support this son‑in‑law!

Chen Yan quickly nodded in agreement, and respectfully replied, "Yes."

Wei Shaokuan nodded, said no more, slowly lifted his gaze toward the capital city whose outline grew clearer in the distance, the hometown he had been away from for seventeen years…

Chang'an.

He took a deep breath, his tone carrying a hint of relief and resolve, and said, "Let's go, it's time to return to Chang'an!"