Chapter 82: Xiao Yujing

“What’s this?”

Seeing the gift carefully prepared by Zhao Bo, Li Hao opened the gift box and found inside a delicate, small dragon-horn comb, along with a tiny vial.

Li Hao picked up the porcelain vial and shook it; Zhao Bo hurriedly said, “This contains Zhusen Pills—they enhance spiritual power. I heard Miss Wu Shuang has already reached the Spirit Wandering realm, so she must find them useful.”

“Zhao Bo is truly thoughtful, considering everything so well.”

Li Hao couldn’t help but praise.

He understood Zhusen Pills: they could be taken by those in the Spirit Wandering realm, each increasing spiritual range by about a hundred meters; after ten pills, one generally reached the upper limit—no more could be absorbed.

Ten pills accumulated amounted to one kilometer.

That was enough to surpass four or five years of hard cultivation.

The only drawback was that spiritual power enhanced by pills differed ever so slightly from that cultivated naturally; in ordinary combat, the difference was negligible and hard to detect, but among top experts, it became a vulnerability.

This was what martial cultivators often meant when they said: “Reliance on pills leads to unstable foundations and a hollow body.”

Li Hao couldn’t absorb pills—taking them had no effect—but even if he could, he wouldn’t choose to, since he’d heard Second Master and Feng Master never relied on pills, at most consuming energy-rich spirit foods and treasure herbs to strengthen sinews, bones, and blood.

Because Second Master and Feng Master weren’t body cultivators, nor did they bother with body refinement.

Thus, using external aids to slightly boost physical strength was harmless and beneficial, but their own cultivation realms remained utterly pure, untainted by even a trace of medicinal energy.

Zhao Bo smiled faintly—he knew Li Hao hadn’t taken this to heart—and earnestly advised:

“You haven’t returned in many years. If you still find Wu Shuang’s temperament bearable, spend more time with your cousin—strengthen your bond. After all, she trains under the Thousand Mechanisms Sect; it’ll be helpful for your future.”

“Understood.”

Li Hao smiled in reply.

Zhao Bo sighed inwardly and followed behind Li Hao like an old servant.

Not long after, Li Yuanzhao arrived at Shanhe Courtyard, calling out Li Hao’s name as if entering his own home.

“It’s Young Master Yuanzhao,” Zhao Bo said, his face breaking into a warm smile.

Over the years, Li Hao’s idle nature and lack of martial talent had caused other courtyards to sever ties with Shanhe Courtyard.

He had also noticed Li Yun and his sister distancing themselves from Li Hao.

Among the direct-line third-generation youths his age, only Young Master Yuanzhao still came to Shanhe Courtyard to keep Li Hao company.

He couldn’t blame others for their opportunism; as steward of Shanhe Courtyard, Zhao Bo had ears everywhere and trusted contacts in other courtyards—he knew the reason wasn’t solely Li Hao’s fault.

It was because other courtyards had heard rumors from the Yanbei battlefield.

After more than a decade of prolonged warfare, countless whispers had spread.

The Li family, though a Divine General’s Mansion with boundless wealth, certainly had political enemies and jealous rivals in court.

With constant warfare in Yanbei, their losses were too great to complain about while the conflict raged on.

But the drain on the people and treasury required imperial funding and logistical support—giving others ample ammunition.

Don't assume that just because soldiers fight on the front lines, no one dares to speak ill of them behind their backs; quite the opposite—it depends on the environment and public sentiment.

“Big Brother, the dishes you asked me to buy are all ready—I’ve delivered them to Big Mama’s courtyard,” Li Yuanzhao said cheerfully as he approached.

Zhao Bo, hearing this, was surprised and glanced at Li Hao—he hadn’t expected him to have prepared in advance, and his eyes softened with quiet approval.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Li Hao patted Yuanzhao’s shoulder and said, “Let’s head over then.”

“Mm.”

Zhao Bo followed the two young masters, bringing along Li Hao’s personal maid, Qingzhi, to join the banquet.

The carriage rattled out of Shanhe Courtyard; Li Yuanzhao said he needed to stop by Linglong Courtyard first—it was Fourth Lady’s residence, his adoptive mother.

Li Hao had no objection and instructed the personal guard driving to turn toward Linglong Courtyard.

At Linglong Courtyard, Li Yuanzhao leapt from the carriage, asking Li Hao and Zhao Bo to wait, then dashed inside.

Soon, Li Hao saw Li Yuanzhao emerge slowly, accompanied by a graceful, dignified noblewoman.

Fourth Lady was Xiao, named Xiao Yujing; her ancestors had produced an ultimate powerhouse of the Four Standing realm. Her husband was Li’s Fourth Son, who, on their wedding night, was summoned to the frontier and had to abandon his new bride to rush to the border.

Who knew he never returned.

Since then, Fourth Lady had lived as a widow in name only, childless.

Thus, after Li Yuanzhao’s parents died, the matriarch arranged for him to be adopted into the Fourth Branch.

Seeing Li Hao and Zhao Bo waiting with the carriage curtain lifted, Xiao Yujing’s frown darkened.

As a child, Li Hao remembered Fourth Lady once hugged him—he’d found her kind and gentle.

But over the years, she’d grown increasingly cold and withdrawn.

And every time she saw him, she seemed angry—he didn’t know what he’d done to upset her.

“Didn’t I tell you today that your cousin Shuang is returning? I told you to prepare a gift—why are you running around with him again?”

Xiao Yujing didn’t care that Li Hao was right beside her—she turned and scolded Li Yuanzhao to his face. Li Yuanzhao scratched his head and replied sheepishly, “Mama, I went with Big Brother to prepare the gift—we already delivered it to Big Mama’s courtyard.”

“What kind of gift did you prepare?” Xiao Yujing frowned.

“A crispy roasted goose from Hongxiang Restaurant…” Li Yuanzhao answered honestly.

Before he finished, Xiao Yujing could no longer listen and snapped angrily:

“You’re truly foolish. She’s been traveling outside for years and has made the Qiankun List’s Qian List—what delicacies hasn’t she tasted? Does she need your measly little gift? How many silver coins is this? Sending something so cheap won’t even look decent!”

Li Yuanzhao glanced at Li Hao, then regained some confidence: “Mama, what doesn’t our Li family have? Weapons, cultivation techniques—she can pick whatever she wants. Why do we need to prepare anything? She hasn’t returned to Qingzhou in years—she’s surely never tasted our local delicacies.”

“She hasn’t tasted them, but do you think she cares to?”

Xiao Yujing rolled her eyes slightly, her beauty still evident, and retorted irritably: “Whether she needs it or not is one thing—but your gift mustn’t look cheap. Whether they accept it is their business, but at least you must be able to present it with pride. If people find out you gave nothing but food and drink, they’ll laugh themselves to death!”

Saying this, she turned toward the carriage and spotted the gift box beside the curtain. She sneered: “Look at this—what’s this?”

Zhao Bo, realizing her misunderstanding, quickly said, “Madam Xiao, this is what this old servant prepared for Young Master Hao, to ensure he doesn’t offend Miss Shuang.”

“Hmph.”

Xiao Yujing turned to Li Yuanzhao: “See? You treat him as your Big Brother, but he doesn’t truly care for you—he’s fooling you into running around like a fool while he secretly prepares a lavish gift.”

“Now you’re empty-handed—what will you present to your cousin?”

Li Yuanzhao opened his mouth slightly, sounding wounded: “But this gift was prepared by Zhao Bo for Big Brother—it’s not his fault…”

“You!”

Xiao Yujing nearly raised her hand to strike him—what spell had Li Hao cast on this fool that he refused to listen? She held back, remembering Li Hao and Zhao Bo were watching, and swallowed her anger:

“Enough. I’ve already prepared a gift for you. Zhuxiang, bring it.”

A maid stepped forward and respectfully handed Li Yuanzhao a gift box.

Li Yuanzhao was curious and reached to open it, but Xiao Yujing glared at him—he quickly withdrew his hand, slumping his head in submission, trailing behind his mother.

“We have our own carriage—we won’t ride together,” Xiao Yujing said coldly to Li Hao and Zhao Bo.

“Mama…”

“Shut up.”

Li Hao felt helpless—Fourth Lady always seemed to harbor inexplicable hostility toward him, leaving him baffled.

“Yuanzhao, we’ll go ahead—you go with your mother,” Li Hao said, sparing the chubby boy from being caught in the middle, and winked at him.

Li Yuanzhao nodded immediately: “Big Brother, we’ll be right behind you.”

He turned aside, hiding from his mother, and gave Li Hao a secret grin, showing two rows of white teeth.

Li Hao smiled and departed with Zhao Bo.

“Mama, why do you always forbid me from being with Big Brother? He’s actually…”

“Shut up.”

Xiao Yujing shot him an irritated look: “I told you to spend more time with Piaoxue Courtyard—why do you keep hanging around him? He could only refine his body before, and though his meridians are now open, his cultivation started too late. That’s fine—I’m not a snob. But I don’t want you to get burned by association, do you understand?”

“Huh?”

Li Yuanzhao was bewildered—how would he get burned?

“You won’t understand. Just listen to me—get closer to that little girl, Zhining,” Xiao Yujing whispered.

Li Yuanzhao felt puzzled—he’d asked before, but his mother never answered. This time, he didn’t ask either, only pretended to be obedient and murmured, “Mm.”

…

…

“When Madam Xiao married, Fourth Master died on the battlefield. Over the years, she’s held resentment toward the Li family.”

Inside the carriage, Zhao Bo whispered to Li Hao, speaking cautiously.

This was the master’s private matter—servants shouldn’t speak of it—but he feared Li Hao might develop ill feelings toward Xiao Yujing, and being too young, might inadvertently cause trouble.

Li Hao nodded slightly—he’d considered this possibility. He understood the bitterness of a widow.

He bore no anger toward Fourth Lady—after all, her coldness toward him was always openly shown, never hidden behind backstabbing.

In contrast, Second Lady of Shuihua Courtyard always greeted him with sweet smiles and warm inquiries, which truly unsettled him.

And with Yuanzhao around, Li Hao wouldn’t hold ill will toward Xiao—after all, she treated Yuanzhao genuinely well.

Soon, the carriage arrived outside Changchun Courtyard.

Outside the alley, several carriages were parked—other courtyards’ ladies had clearly arrived ahead.

Before even entering, the courtyard echoed with lively voices, faintly praising, “My Shuang is so amazing!”—likely the ladies gathered around the heavenly daughter, lavishing praise.

Li Hao, holding the gift box Zhao Bo had given him, walked slowly into the courtyard.

(End of Chapter)