Chapter 198

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Protagonist:

Xuan Ge

"Father."

Xuan Yao stood before him, lowering his head slightly, his voice steady.

But those golden eyes never dared to meet Xuan Ge's gaze; obviously he had something to say, yet did not know how to begin.

"Let's go." Xuan Ge said softly, not pressing further.

Xuan Yao hurried to catch up, and the father and son walked side by side down the street, silent all the way.

Only the sound of their footsteps beneath them rang especially clear in the somewhat noisy lanes.

Xuan Ge glanced at Xuan Yao beside him out of the corner of his eye.

Seeing his brow slightly furrowed and lips pressed tight, looking as if he were repeatedly organizing his words, wanting to speak yet hesitating, Xuan Ge couldn't help but smile inwardly.

This child, grown so big, still so afraid of him, weighing every word before speaking.

The father and son walked on without a destination, and before they knew it, they had reached Lin Yuan Jing.

On the northern beach, the sea breeze brushed gently, stirring fine waves that lapped against the reefs on the shore with a hushing sound.

The two stood at the edge of the beach, gazing out at the boundless sea, still silent, no one speaking first to break the stillness.

After a long while, Xuan Yao sighed deeply in secret, his shoulders sinking slightly, the conflict in his eyes growing more obvious.

He had been conflicted all the way, and finally could not hold it in—he did not know how to persuade his father to treat his mother Yao Guang better.

Just now, seeing Hei Ta Jie Jie so close with his father, unease had risen in his heart.

His father was about to ascend the throne as emperor, and there were more and more people around him.

If he became emperor, would he cast his mother Yao Guang behind him?

Where would Consort Ling, who had always accompanied his father, be placed?

These thoughts swirled in his mind for a long time, and finally, they overcame the cowardice in his heart.

"Father, you are wrong."

Xuan Yao finally spoke, his tone unusually calm, without a trace of cowardice, instead carrying a kind of desperate resolve.

Xuan Ge: "????"

"I am wrong?" He was stunned for a moment, the calm on his face broken, a flicker of astonishment crossing his eyes.

Then he looked at Xuan Yao's face, utterly serious, and a trace of comfort rose in his heart.

To dare face himself, to dare say he was wrong—this courage had more poise than he himself had when first facing an envoy back then.

But on second thought, he was somewhat confused—where was he wrong?

Wrong to insist on ascending the throne as emperor?

Wrong to defy the gods for him and Xuan Xing?

"Xuan Yao, you are still young and understand nothing." Xuan Ge's face turned cold.

Now even his son did not trust him, so he had all the more reason to go down this path to the end.

"Father, I am not young anymore."

Xuan Yao stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Xuan Ge without the slightest retreat:

"State affairs, military affairs, swordsmanship, and the art of command—I have never neglected any of them."

He took a deep breath and said word by word: "Father, as your son, I do not oppose your ascending the throne as emperor, and I am willing to lend you my strength."

"But I beg you, do not wrong my mother Yao Guang, and do not wrong Consort Ling."

Xuan Yao finally spoke his purpose, gazing at Xuan Ge with burning eyes, waiting for his answer.

Even if he were scolded by his father or beaten by his father, he had to say these words to warn his father.

"I wrong no one, but only your mother Yao Guang and Ling Sha do I not wrong."

Xuan Ge's tone remained flat, without a ripple, yet a trace of warmth flashed in his eyes.

Now he finally understood what Xuan Yao wanted to say.

This child was afraid that after he became emperor, he would neglect Yao Guang and Ling Sha, afraid that he would fail them.

Xuan Yao furrowed his brow, obviously not having received the answer he wanted, and still wanted to press on, wanting his father to give a clearer promise.

But before his words could leave his mouth, Xuan Ge raised his hand to interrupt him.

"What is going on between you and Su Shang?" Xuan Ge changed the subject, looking at Xuan Yao with a half-smile, deliberately shifting the topic.

"I..." Xuan Yao stalled instantly, the firmness on his face fading at once.

In its place came a trace of panic; his lips moved, but for half a day he could not utter a word.

Seeing him at a loss for words, Xuan Ge could no longer hold back, and a clear smile curved his lips:

"How is it? Dare to do it but not admit it?"

"Father, Su Shang and I are just friends, just... just practicing sword together, nothing else."

Xuan Yao took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, avoiding his father's gaze, and explained in a low voice, though his ears quietly flushed red.

"Oh~"

Xuan Ge raised his eyes, pretending not to care as he looked at the distant sea, and said lightly: "So it's just friendship, it seems I, your father, thought too much."

Xuan Yao's heart thumped, and a bad premonition surged into his heart at once.

He regretted it.

He shouldn't have stubbornly argued; seeing his father like this, he was clearly teasing him, and next, surely nothing good would come.

"You've grown up too; it's time to settle a marriage."

Xuan Ge withdrew his gaze, his tone flat: "I'll pick a well-matched girl for you, to help steady your nature, and also put to rest a worry of mine as your father."

"Father!"

Xuan Yao's pupils shrank slightly, his complexion changed in an instant, and he hurriedly dropped to one knee beside Xuan Ge, cupping his fists, saying urgently:

"Your son is still young, has not yet achieved fame and success; settling a marriage like this would risk disappointing Father's expectations, and would also delay the young lady's future."

Xuan Ge looked at his stubborn-mouthed appearance, could no longer hold back, and let the smile at the corners of his mouth spread fully, his tone carrying a few parts teasing:

"No matter, your father has plenty of time; we'll wait until you've achieved fame and success."

He paused, deliberately weighted his tone, and added:

"Besides, Su Shang and you are not well-matched; when your father becomes Emperor, he'll find a good family for Su Shang, so she can live the rest of her life without worry for food and clothing."

Xuan Yao knew his father was deliberately teasing him; continuing to be stubborn would only put him at a greater disadvantage.

"Father, I like Su Shang!"

He simply laid his cards on the table, his voice carrying a few parts grievance, and a few parts determination.

"Hehe~ Follow me." Xuan Ge let out a low laugh, patted Xuan Yao's shoulder, his tone full of doting indulgence.

Xuan Yao slowly stood up, his ear roots red through and through.

He knew clearly in his heart his father's preferences; although he was usually stubborn-mouthed, unwilling to admit it, the straightforwardness and persistence in his bones could not be changed.

"Rest assured, I won't let down anyone willing to follow me."

Xuan Ge collected his smile, his tone becoming incomparably serious, looking into Xuan Yao's eyes: "I won't fail your mother Yao Guang, and I won't fail Ling Sha."

Hearing his father's serious tone, Xuan Yao's suspended heart finally settled, a trace of relieved smile appearing on his face.

But when he saw Xuan Ge's hand slowly reach toward the belt at his waist embroidered with dragon scales...

The smile on Xuan Yao's face froze instantly, he subconsciously swallowed: "Father...?"

"Yao'er, your father was wrong."

Xuan Ge looked at him with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, his fingers already touching the belt's fastening, making as if to undo it, his tone carrying a few parts "danger."

"Wrong in not giving you a complete childhood."

"Father, I know I was wrong!" Xuan Yao did not resist, hurriedly lowered his head, admitted his fault sincerely, his attitude extremely proper.

"Quick to admit cowardice."

Xuan Ge looked at his obedient appearance, smiled helplessly, his hand slowly lowered, returned to behind his back, his tone also eased:

"Jing Yuan should have made proper arrangements for you, right?"

"Reporting to Father, Master had me restrain the Six Generals of Shen Wu."

Xuan Yao hurriedly stood up, collected the panic in his heart, his expression also turning serious again.

"Facing your father's five Envoys, have confidence?" Xuan Ge raised a brow, his tone carrying a few parts test, yet his eyes hid a trace of expectation.

Wei Qing, Zhang Liao, Bai Qi and the others, even back then their strength was not insignificant.

Now, he even divided a portion of the power of Harmony and the Hunt among the five, letting their strength rise another level.

The current five, whether commanding armies or in single combat, are now truly worthy of the title of Envoys.

Moreover, the Six Generals themselves can still shroud the entire Shen Wu Corps with their power, without him personally exerting effort, letting the Shen Wu Corps display its strongest combat power.

The current Shen Wu Corps, if facing the abominations from the Third Abundance War back then, a flat push — "flat push" has never been merely a descriptor.

"Yes!" Xuan Yao did not hesitate in the slightest, nodded.

"Go."

Xuan Ge nodded, his tone carrying a few parts entrustment: "I've already told the five of them to restrain their measure, they won't sink the Luo Fu, and won't harm innocents."

He paused, then added, his tone carrying a few parts teasing:

"And you watch your measure too; if you do something wrong, Jing Yuan beats you, your father will only watch from the side, won't help you."

"I understand, Father." Xuan Yao replied respectfully, bowing slightly toward Xuan Ge.

Then his figure moved, turning into a residual shadow, disappearing on the beach, leaving only a wisp of faint sword intent, lingering in the air.

Xuan Ge looked at the sword intent residual shadow left by Xuan Yao, he fell silent.

Still pretty damn handsome...