Chapter 85: Teaching Li Wushuang (Thanks to the Patronage of 'Xuanran' and 'Xiao Yu')

Li Hao smiled when Niang Wu brought the topic to him, unconcerned:

“Xue’er should be back in another half year or so.”

The other ladies did not let Li Yun continue to suffer embarrassment; they smoothly shifted the conversation to new topics.

“Isn’t that child Xue’er also a Ninth-Rank Battle Body?”

“So clever—back then…”

Amidst their chatter, the earlier minor quarrel was quietly buried.

Li Hao remained composed, chatting and laughing with the ladies, recalling old memories; across from him, Li Yun’s cheeks flushed with shame, occasionally stealing glances at his father, who had now calmed, smiling warmly as he conversed with Li Hao—Li Yun sighed in relief, yet inexplicably felt a pang of loss.

At that moment, he felt his cramped hand under the table being gently patted; he looked down and saw it was his sister.

Li Zhining smiled at Li Yun, then promptly served him food, the gesture warming his heart…

Gao Qingqing glanced at Li Hao’s calm demeanor, then at her own son, silently sighing.

Aside from cultivation, her son was indeed inferior to Li Hao in every way; Li Hao’s early maturity and wisdom were well known throughout the household, his only regret being the years lost to delayed cultivation.

“Shuang’er has made the Dry Rank. Now that she’s returned home, what are your plans?”

At the midpoint of the banquet, Liu Yuerong asked casually.

Li Wushuang glanced at the boy across from her, two years younger yet speaking with ease; she reached for the dragon liver with her chopsticks, but years of sword mastery allowed her to subtly redirect her motion, grabbing a different dish instead.

As she ate, she said: “No real plans—just want to spar with Cousin Ganfeng.”

This drew glances from several ladies, yet none seemed to truly hear it; they continued eating and chatting as before.

Liu Yuerong’s expression didn’t change; she smiled and said: “Ganfeng just descended from Wu Liang Mountain and will return home soon—let you two spar then. Back then, Xuanli and Tian Gang used to chase each other all over the courtyard…”

Li Xuanli chuckled bitterly: “Second Sister-in-Law, those were youthful embarrassments—don’t bring them up, please.”

The banquet drew to a close, night deepening.

The seven or eight dishes that Li Hao had bought, along with the other dishes prepared by the First Lady, were all served and completely finished.

Li Wushuang ate plenty, unaware which dishes Li Hao had purchased, only thinking they tasted delicious.

Li Hao had no interest in exposing the truth; this incident was a one-time affair—since the dragon liver had been placed on the table, he would never again offer her any food or drink as a gift.

At most, when she marries, he might give a token gift.

Satiated, everyone gradually left Changchun Courtyard; no further friction occurred.

Li Hao bid farewell to the ladies, then returned to Shanhe Courtyard with Zhao Bo and Qingzhi.

Meanwhile, Li Xuanli returned to Piaoxue Courtyard with his wife and children.

Once the three children entered the house, Gao Qingqing halted her husband, who had followed them, on the back path, scolding:

“Why did you say those things about Yun’er at the table? He’s your son—and Shuang’er too, just returned home—and you speak to her like that? How cruel to the children!”

Li Xuanli paused, then sighed: “They’re both at fault. As for Yun’er—his spirit is too weak; if this continues, he’ll never amount to anything. And Shuang’er—though her cultivation has progressed well under Master Qianji, her temper remains reckless.”

“She’s just protective of her brother—isn’t sibling harmony a good thing?” Gao Qingqing retorted sharply.

Li Xuanli thought it over, then smiled: “You’re right.”

“You…” Gao Qingqing fell silent; the men of the Li family were all coarse.

Li Xuanli sensed his wife’s displeasure and said helplessly:

“How could I scold Hao’er? Fourteen years ago, when Seventh Brother finished his campaign, I was injured at the time—otherwise, the Yanbei assignment should have been mine. But Seventh Brother took it. Now, after years of fighting in Yanbei with Qingqing, you and I both know how hard it’s been—how could I possibly scold his son?”

Gao Qingqing was speechless; she knew this was true.

Li Xuanli continued: “Besides, Hao’er did nothing wrong. You saw it yourself—he’s brilliant, speaking confidently to elders, never rude, never annoying. To have such poise at his age is truly rare. Too bad he can’t cultivate—otherwise, our Shuang’er might not even match him.”

Gao Qingqing’s anger, just subsided, flared up again at his praise and comparison.

She flung her sleeve and snapped: “Then go be with your Hao’er!”

She walked into the house.

Li Xuanli stood stunned, bewildered: Did I say something wrong again? Why is she angry now?

Elsewhere, in Shuihua Courtyard.

Liu Yuerong returned to her courtyard, sat on the soft couch, and let out a cold snort, slapping the tea table:

“Little girl—you’re soon to be a married daughter, yet you dare challenge Ganfeng, hoping to seize the True Dragon Seat? Look at yourself—how much do you weigh?”

The girl claimed it was just sparring, but how could she not hear the girl’s true intent? And returning just now—wasn’t it clearly to test herself?

Though the Li family’s True Dragon Seat had, for centuries, always gone to male heirs, it had once been granted to a woman—but that was centuries ago.

That woman never married, managed the household for life, and eventually became a famed female general of Da Yu.

Could this little girl truly intend to emulate her ancestor?

“Hmph—Shenyou Realm, overreaching…” Liu Yuerong thought of something, and a smile curled her lips.

Beside her, the elderly housekeeper, who had followed her, kept her head bowed, silent, though her eyes held traces of sorrow and nostalgia.

Once, when the ladies first arrived, all were harmonious, loving, the nine courtyards without a single rift.

But now, quietly, it had changed.

When had this shift begun?

The old maid had served the Li family for decades; she still remembered faintly.

It seemed to have started when the eldest and third sons of the Li family fell in battle—then, the joyful days vanished.

…

…

The next day.

Li Hao waited on horseback on a side path beside the mansion; soon, hoofbeats approached from behind.

“Hao-ge.” Li Yuanzhao called out, riding up beside him; the two rode side by side toward Tanc Palace.

“Did you eat well yesterday?”

“I ate until I nearly burst.”

“Haha.”

“Hao-ge, my mother’s sharp-tongued—don’t take it to heart…” Li Yuanzhao said after a pause.

Li Hao waved his hand: “Brothers don’t speak of such things—I won’t blame your mother.”

Li Yuanzhao beamed, relieved: “I knew Hao-ge was magnanimous.”

Li Hao smiled.

Li Yuanzhao recalled the banquet’s events and sighed: “The First Lady and others praised Wushuang-tangjie, unaware that your cultivation has long surpassed hers. Hey, Hao-ge—why didn’t you say anything last night?”

Li Hao lazily tugged the reins, letting his horse amble happily: “What’s the point? Fighting for attention like a child? Too childish.”

Li Yuanzhao froze, then burst out laughing—yes, this was his Hao-ge, exactly this feeling.

“If Wushuang-tangjie knew you called her a child, she’d be furious.”

“You’re a child too.”

“Hao-ge, you…”

“Haha.”

Li Hao laughed.

Li Yuanzhao sighed helplessly, but having grown up beside Li Hao, he found nothing strange in it:

“Still, the First Lady and the others will find out about your cultivation soon.”

Li Hao nodded, unconcerned.

Once Li Fu returns from Cangyu City in the next couple days, the news will spread.

The quiet days won’t last long.

Fortunately, Cangyu City lies in Qizhou, under the Xia family’s domain; among hundreds of cities in the province, the demonic disturbances caused little damage, so the news didn’t cause a stir.

Besides, these past years, the Li family’s focus has been on Yanbei; the rest of their attention, already sparse, was scattered across other Li-garrisoned territories, making them less alert to news elsewhere.

“Hm?”

Suddenly, Li Hao tugged the reins; the blood-red horse, intelligent, halted on the spot.

Ahead, beneath the tree shade, a white figure stood still—its silhouette unmistakably Li Wushuang.

Li Yuanzhao narrowed his eyes, recognized her face, and paled: “Hao-ge, it’s Wushuang-tangjie—did she hear what we just said?”

“Whether she heard or not doesn’t matter.”

Li Hao raised an eyebrow slightly, frowning—these kids were becoming a headache—but he rode forward anyway.

Someone waiting for you on purpose—you can’t avoid them.

As the hoofbeats drew near, Li Wushuang turned her head; clearly, she had been watching them. Her expression was cold:

“At the banquet, with all your aunts present, I ignored your bullying of my brother—but this won’t end here.”

“Wushuang-tangjie, that was years ago, and it was Li Yun who provoked Hao-ge first,” Li Yuanzhao hurried to say.

Li Wushuang glanced at him coldly: “Shut up.”

Then she turned to Li Hao: “You’re a few months older than my brother. Today, I’ll repay what you did to him—you’d better not resist, or I won’t hold back.”

Li Hao couldn’t help laughing: “I only spanked that boy’s butt—so you’re going to spank mine?”

Li Wushuang froze, her face chilling: “I’m not hitting your butt—I’m hitting your mouth!”

Before finishing, she lunged forward, covering ten meters in an instant, aiming to slap Li Hao on his horse.

As her palm swept toward his face, Li Hao leaned back slightly, then reached out and seized her wrist—like Taiji redirecting force—pulling her off balance, then using spiritual control to pin her against the horse’s back.

“You—!”

Li Wushuang’s pupils contracted sharply, shock flashing in her eyes.

“Hit my mouth? If you weren’t Li family, you’d be in serious trouble.”

Li Hao snorted, then raised his hand and struck her buttocks hard, whipping her several times.

“You want to avenge your brother? Back then, I didn’t hit hard enough!”