Chapter 358

Gu Rongjin gritted his teeth and scooped up his daughter.

"Father, I was wrong, don't be angry." The little crown prince, who can yield and stand firm, caught red-handed by his father, had no choice but to submit.

Mu Yumo frowned: "You're also a spoiled brat, yet you criticize me!"

"She's a little girl; being coquettish is normal, boys shouldn't act like that, all prim and proper." Gu Yutong said righteously.

"This is called cleverness." Mu Yumo said, then tugged at Mu Yuanzhi's arm, shaking it: "Look, Father even hugs the younger sister; why don't you hug her too?"

Gu Rongjin jumped ahead: "You're all grown up, still want Mother to hold you?"

"I want to be Mother's little padded jacket, no matter how old I am!" Mu Yumo made a face at his father.

Mu Yuanzhi laughed and shook her head, about to hug the adorable spoiled brat, when a hand scooped him up first.

Gu Rongjin intercepted the son, holding one in each hand without complaint, and smiled at Mu Yumo: "Come be your father's little padded jacket."

Mu Yumo disliked: "No!"

"Feeling itchy?"

Mu Yuanzhi reached out and pulled Mu Yumo close: "Why are you yelling at my son?"

"Exactly, exactly!" Mu Yumo clung to his mother like an octopus: "Mom, Father is so scary!"

Gu Rongjin gritted his teeth, how did he raise this son to be so twisted? He always opposes him—just like a miniature Qilin, infuriating!

He glanced again at his son and Mu Yuanzhi's identical faces, taking back his previous remark.

That little brat isn't nearly as cute as his son.

His two children are also strange: the son takes after his mother's beauty, while the daughter takes after him, looking more heroic.

Could it be because the daughter shares his surname, she subtly becomes more like him?

He often worries that the daughter will grow ever more aloof, so that by then no one in the capital will dare to marry her!

"What are you scheming that's improper, Father?" Gu Yutong furrowed his little brow, his chubby short hand patting his father's face.

"Do you know mind-reading?" Gu Rongjin eyed Gu Yutong suspiciously: "Have you been getting close to Uncle Sima lately? He's a strange uncle—don't go running off with him!"

Gu Yutong dismissed: "Uncle Sima is amazing! He's also handsome! But still nowhere near as good as Father!"

At the end, the little crown prince still didn't forget to pat his father's flank—i. e., flatter him.

"Having good taste, girls should be just as discerning as you." Gu Rongjin found it pleasing.

"Flattery!" the young duke's heir scoffed: "Father told you not to learn bad habits—don't change the subject!"

"What idiom are you showing off with?" Gu Yutong likewise scoffed: "Father, were you just thinking about impropriety? Your gaze at others is so judgmental!"

"There's none, my little Tong is pretty and smart—how could Father be critical? A perfect young lady!"

Mu Yuanzhi looked helplessly at these three troublemakers; ever since the kids could run and jump, the Grand General's mansion has been filled with laughter and joy every day.

Once the gate was deserted; now it's finally thriving.

Our parents in heaven would surely feel relieved.

Such ordinary yet happy days, Mu Yuanzhi cherishes every single one.

"Mother, mother!" Mu Yumo tugged at Mu Yuanzhi: "When will we go see Uncle? It's almost New Year—let's go visit Uncle, okay?"

Mu Yuanzhi thought it over; she's been free lately, indeed able to make time for Juechen Valley.

Three years have passed; when they previously parted, both sides thought they could meet at least once a year, but in reality various things always obstruct the planned meeting before it can happen, leaving them unable to be in two places at once.

Either they're busy in Jingcheng, or the Qilin can't leave Juechen Valley.

They haven't seen each other for three years.

"Shall we go, Rongjin?" Mu Yuanzhi asked Gu Rongjin.

"Let's go—it's rare to have free time before the New Year; this year we'll spend the New Year in Juechen Valley!" Gu Rongjin said.

Gu Yutong perked up at once: "Great! Let's go see Uncle!"

The two little beans, though they've never met their uncle, receive many novel and fun gifts from him each year, so they're eager to finally meet this uncle they've never seen.

Besides, they'll get to go out and enjoy the scenery—how delightful!

"I'll go ask His Majesty for an extended leave, and return after the New Year!" Mu Yuanzhi said.

After she went to court to request the leave, Pei Di learned of it, his face full of wanting to go as well.

But as heir apparent, he can't lightly leave the capital; no matter how much he wants to go, he can only give up.

Gu Rongjin urged him to try, but Pei Di said: "Father Emperor has been worried about my marriage lately; if I make this request now, he'll surely use it as a bargaining chip."

"You're nineteen, right? As heir apparent, discussing the crown princess is appropriate." Gu Rongjin said.

"I don't want to; without someone I fancy, I won't marry. Father Emperor can stubbornly wait for the Empress to come and be crowned, so I can be stubborn too!" Pei Di insisted.

Mu Yuanzhi: "Pei Di, don't you have someone you like?"

Pei Di shook his head.

"Speaking of which, the Qilin isn't married either—I'll go urge him!" Gu Rongjin gave a sly smile.

Mu Yuanzhi helplessly: "You want to be a father again? And you call me a precious mother!"

"Not the same—I want to be a great father!" Gu Rongjin raised his eyebrows.

Pei Di envied them, being able to be with whom they like and live happily.

He also faces marriage pressure—Father Emperor urges, officials urge; clearly it's just his personal matter, yet it's elevated to affairs of state.

If only there were that kind of storybook elixir—drink a sip of mother-and-child water and you could conceive life—then those people wouldn't bother him!

Mu Yuanzhi and Gu Rongjin didn't know that Pei Di's wild imagination was conjuring some shocking ideas; they waved goodbye to him.

The next morning at dawn, the family of four set off for Juechen Valley.

The family was still making their first long-distance trip together; the carriage brimmed with an excited, happy atmosphere.

The two little beans couldn't sit still; whenever they passed a new town, they wanted to get out of the carriage to stroll.

"You two rascals, at this pace we won't reach Juechen Valley even after the New Year." Gu Rongjin felt this couldn't continue; they needed to change tactics: "Want to play? We can do that on the way back, okay?"

Mu Yumo and Gu Yutong exchanged a glance, then nodded.

"Alright, everyone listen to Dad!"

"That's more like it—don't keep your uncle waiting too long; he's been eagerly awaiting you at Juechen Valley!"

Thus, the carriage got back on track and sped toward Juechen Valley.

Soon they arrived at the small town where Juechen Valley is located, which is already within Juechen Valley's sphere of influence.

"There used to be many border outposts here in Juechen Valley, but I don't know if any remain." After getting off the carriage, Mu Yuanzhi gazed over the whole town and sighed.

"Didn't the little Qilin say he had already revived Juechen Valley to its former glory?"