Chapter 87

Red Blood Horse!

Li Tiangang sat steadily on the back of the Flood Lion, seeing the teenager in the middle of the official road at the end of his sight.

He immediately recognized the warhorse the other party was sitting on, and then looked at the teenager's face, which was actually very handsome and clear, especially between the eyebrows, there was the outline of the lover engraved in his heart.

Li Tiangang's heart shook.

Li Hao was also staring at the strong and steady man.

The blurry image in his memory seemed to become clear at this moment, it was the man who rubbed his head with rough hands fourteen years ago.

Fourteen years without seeing each other, but this short collision of gazes, both recognized each other's identity in a very fast time.

Swoosh! Li Tiangang jumped suddenly, soared from the back of the Flood Lion, and landed in front of the teenager's Red Blood Horse.

And the teenager also turned off the horse at high speed, naturally there was no reason to talk to his father while riding a horse.

"Hao'er?"

Li Tiangang's voice was a bit trembling.

Li Hao felt the concern and thick emotion in his voice, and the original few unfamiliar feelings disappeared instantly.

Perhaps, this is the feeling of blood connection?

"Father."

Li Hao also opened his mouth, although a bit difficult and a bit embarrassed, but he knew that the father of this life was the man in front of him.

Li Tiangang excitedly took Li Hao into his arms.

Fourteen years without seeing each other, his child had grown so big! His mood was agitated.

That broad embrace, powerful rough arms, Li Hao immediately felt a solid sense of security.

At this moment, his heart seemed to settle down.

His hands also gently hugged his father's waist, but suddenly thought of something, his eyes scanned around, and asked: "Where is Mother?"

As the words came out, he suddenly felt the man holding him, his body shook violently and lightly.

Li Hao's face changed suddenly, and his whole body's blood seemed to have a tendency to solidify instantly.

Li Tiangang slowly let go of Li Hao, his dark and deep eyes actually revealed a bit of bloodshot and pain: "Your mother... she is gone."

Gone?

Li Hao's thinking seemed to be stuck.

That woman with bright and concerned eyes in his memory... gone? It was like a beautiful painting broken in the darkness.

Li Hao looked at the triumphant team behind him suddenly. The countless envious and concerned gazes and voices cast from both sides of the road were ignored and shielded by him at this moment, only those wounded soldiers.

But inside, there was no beautiful figure who held him fourteen years ago.

Li Hao's face turned ugly, and he said: "How could it be? Isn't Mother always with you? Aren't you living and dying together?"

Li Tiangang's lips moved slightly, but he didn't say a word.

Li Hao looked at him suddenly: "When did Mother leave, why have I never heard the Eldest Lady say it?"

"A few months ago."

Li Tiangang was slightly silent: "I blocked the news and didn't spread it."

Speaking of this, he saw Li Hao seemed to want to say something, and his thick palm patted his son's shoulder: "Let's go, let's go back first and talk."

Li Hao's original full joy was now a bit lost.

The common people on the roadside were still cheering, praising Xing Wu Hou's triumph, praising the Li Clan's great battle achievements.

Only Li Hao, who was pulled onto the back of the Flood Lion by Li Tiangang and rode with his father, knew.

He lost his mother on this day.

Returned to the Divine General's Mansion.

He Jianlan, Liu Yuerong, and many other ladies were all gathered together, having long arrived at the Shanhe Courtyard to wait.

Li Xuanli even ran to the mansion gate, pacing back and forth anxiously, until Li Tiangang appeared, and the brothers both revealed smiles.

After deeply hugging each other.

Li Xuanli forcefully hammered Li Tiangang's chest armor, then rubbed Li Hao's head beside him, smiled and looked around:

"Where is the sister-in-law?"

Li Tiangang's face changed slightly, shook his head and said: "Let's talk when we return to the mansion."

Li Xuanli was stunned, his face changed suddenly, and only then did he notice that when he rubbed Li Hao's head, this little guy didn't move at all.

The smile on Li Xuanli's face also disappeared, nodded slightly, and accompanied them back to the mansion.

In the Shanhe Courtyard.

With Li Tiangang's return, it was very lively, but soon, they learned that the Seventh Lady Jiang Qingqing didn't come back.

Li Tiangang only said two simple words, gone.

The atmosphere in the courtyard immediately turned cold.

Everyone looked at each other, all revealing a trace of sadness and sighing in their eyes. They had experienced such things many times.

Everyone came forward one after another to comfort Li Tiangang and Li Hao.

Only He Jianlan looked from afar, sighed, and didn't say anything.

Li Wushuang, who had been beaten up by Li Hao this morning, still had some lingering pain in her buttocks at this moment, but she looked at the teenage figure standing alone beside his father, not saying a word, but there was no schadenfreude in her heart, instead, there was some shock and unbearable, and the resentment in her heart suddenly disappeared.

Although she wanted to teach Li Hao a lesson before, and was angry that the other party humiliated her, she was ultimately a blood relative, all Li Clan members, and had never really had the idea of harming the other party.

The originally prepared celebration ended sparsely, but the meal had to be eaten after all. During the banquet, everyone spoke in soft voices, asking about the situation in Yanbei over the years.

Although there were occasional major events, military reports were sent home, but it was generally inconvenient to talk in detail. At this moment, the words accumulated for many years could be revealed one or two.

When the sun set, the ladies of each courtyard also left. Li Xuanli wanted to stay here to accompany the Seventh Brother, but was pulled away by his wife.

Gao Qingqing saw her husband's thoughts, felt unpleasant in her heart, pulled him to a small path aside and secretly said:

"Is this kind of thing something you can comfort in a few words? People haven't seen each other for many years, father and son, what are you doing here?"

Li Xuanli reacted as if enlightened, grabbed his wife's soft hand and sighed secretly, it was his blessing to have such a virtuous wife. Then he said goodbye to Li Tiangang and led his wife and children back.

The courtyard was soon left with only Li Tiangang, his personal followers brought back from Yanbei, plus Li Hao, Uncle Zhao, and other people in the courtyard.

During the meal, Li Hao listened to other aunts asking, and also learned about many things in Yanbei.

Ordinary wars lasted at most two or three years, and there were few great wars that lasted seven or eight years. This time, it could be deadlocked for more than ten years, mainly because the Holy Palace forces on the demon side wanted to tear Yanbei apart, use this as a gap, and occupy a favorable terrain to deal with Emperor Da Yu.

Through conversation, Li Hao also learned that although Emperor Da Yu was a prosperous age, a prosperous age did not mean that the frontier was peaceful.

In any dynasty, frontier defense was always guarded by people, because there were always invaders, just a matter of quantity.

But judging from this battle, Emperor Da Yu's external enemies were obviously not completely cleared, or in other words, the territory opened up by the Emperor Da Yu ancestors and the demons deterred by them, now thousands of years later, had a trend of making a comeback.

Emperor Da Yu was like an aging male lion, and the prosperous age had signs of decline.

Just don't know how many hundreds of years this remaining power could deter?

Li Hao wanted to ask about the details of his mother's accident, but as soon as he mentioned it, Li Tiangang shook his head with an ugly face, only saying:

"Hao'er, I am sorry for your mother. From now on, there will only be the two of us in this courtyard."

Li Hao was silent.

He suddenly realized that he was not the only one who was heartbroken by his mother's accident.

She rushed to the frontier with her husband day and night, showing deep affection between husband and wife.

Over these years, Li Hao had also heard many interesting stories about his parents' love when they were young in the mansion.

He had only been with that mother for less than a hundred days, but his father had been with her for more than ten years. The depth of their friendship was probably not something he could compare to.

After a short silence, Li Hao still asked:

"Then, has Mother's revenge been avenged?"

Li Tiangang's body shook, then nodded: "Avenged."

Li Hao breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good."

Father and son looked at each other, both speechless.

Li Hao originally had many things to say, many things to ask, but listening to his father and aunts talking during the meal, he already knew about many things that happened in Yanbei, the hardships of the war, etc., and the resentment he had held for many years dissipated.

And now, for a while, he couldn't think of what else to say.

It seemed that since ancient times, father and son were often easily silent.

In this silence, it was Li Tiangang who spoke first, saying softly: "Hao'er, I haven't been by your side with your mother for these years, it's been hard for you."

Li Hao shook his head slightly, revealing a smile: "Not hard, Uncle Zhao accompanied me, Second Uncle taught me fishing, Fifth Uncle accompanied me to play chess, Eldest Lady was also very good to me, Ninth Lady occasionally sent delicious royal snacks to me..."

He told these interesting things over the years to this father.

But Li Hao didn't notice that Li Tiangang was smiling at first, but as he listened, he slowly frowned.

"So, you cleared your meridians later, and didn't practice much?" Li Tiangang asked in a deep voice.

Li Hao was stunned, scratched his head and said: "Practiced, just that there's nothing to say about practice."

Li Tiangang looked at him twice, sighed slightly in his heart, and said: "I see it's getting late today, you go back and rest early."

Li Hao saw his tired face, thinking of rushing back from Yanbei, the long journey, and the fatigue of the journey, he didn't say anything more, nodded, and got up to leave.

After Li Hao left, Li Tiangang called Uncle Zhao.

"Where is Li Fu?"

"Li Fu is in Cangyu City. Young Tianren Zongshi apprenticed to the Tan Palace Academy, previously went there to perform a mission, Li Fu protected him secretly, accidentally got injured and recuperated there, previously sent a letter back saying he is rushing back."

To this man who watched him grow up and was already a famous general in the world, Uncle Zhao smiled and said respectfully.

Li Tiangang's face changed slightly: "Injured? Did Hao'er encounter an assassination?"

"No, he just said let me take good care of the young master, saying that there is a great happy event to say when he returns." Uncle Zhao said.

"Great happy event?" Li Tiangang was suspicious. There is a happy event even when injured? He thought about it, Cangyu City is in the territory managed by the Xia Clan in Qizhou, it's not far or near, if he whips the horse, he will return to the mansion in two days.

"Uncle Zhao, tell me about Hao'er's situation over these years."

Li Tiangang pointed to the cushion beside him and said.

Uncle Zhao was stunned, sat down and smiled: "Old Tianren Zongshi, why don't you ask the young master directly? You haven't seen each other for so many years, you must have a lot to say, wouldn't it be good to chat about these?"

Li Tiangang shook his head slightly, sighed:

"I see Hao'er's conversation is casual, his behavior is a bit dissolute, lacking some etiquette. Over these years, I think no one has disciplined him, and his temperament has become a bit wild. You should tell me."

"Old Tianren Zongshi, you are being serious. Although the young master is a bit scattered in temperament, he is definitely a good child. He is kind-hearted, never harsh to the servants in the courtyard, and is polite to the elders of each courtyard, never overstepping. Over these years, he hasn't caused any trouble. At most, a few years ago, he went to the kitchen to tinker with some strange things..."

"Just tell me about his cultivation situation." Li Tiangang waved his hand and interrupted him.

Uncle Zhao was stunned, thought for a while and said: "This..."

Seeing Uncle Zhao unable to speak for a long time, Li Tiangang's face changed: "So he hasn't practiced at all?"

"Not entirely..."

Seeing Uncle Zhao stammering, Li Tiangang's face sank:

"Is he discouraged? It's not easy to clear his meridians. Even if he didn't establish a foundation, what if his cultivation is a step behind others? With my imperishable bloodline, he can surpass his peers in the early stage!"

"When he reaches the Soul-Inheriting Shenyou, with the assistance of the Listening Rain Building's cultivation technique and the help of the ancestors in the ancestral hall, he can also rank among the Qian Ranking. At least he will have the power to protect himself in the future. He is actually so degenerate!"

Uncle Zhao's face was embarrassed, and said: "Actually, the young master is still very hard-working..."

"Hard-working at playing?"

Li Tiangang glanced at him sideways. This glance had the majesty left over from the battlefield, making Uncle Zhao's heart tremble slightly.

"It seems you have all indulged him too much. Proud of being favored, do you know this is harming him?" Li Tiangang said severely.

Uncle Zhao couldn't sit still, hurriedly stood up: "Old Tianren Zongshi, it's all my lack of care, it's this old servant's fault."

Li Tiangang was stunned, suddenly realizing that he was too serious. The ten-plus years of tense battlefield life made him not used to relaxing yet.

Looking at this steward who watched him grow up bowing to apologize, he felt a bit guilty in his heart, sighed long, and said: "This has nothing to do with you, it's that Hao'er has received too much favor."

Uncle Zhao lowered his head, not daring to answer again.

Li Tiangang suddenly lost interest, waved his hand and said: "You go down and rest first."

Uncle Zhao hesitated, lowered his head and retired.

The next day.

Li Hao slept in.

Father is back, he naturally wants to accompany him more. He doesn't have to go to the Tan Palace Academy these two days. Anyway, he has nothing to do when he goes, nothing more than going to the cold pool to paint, or find Old Shen to play chess and drink.

Perhaps it was because of the thoughts before going to bed yesterday, in his dream, Li Hao vaguely saw those eyes, holding him and coaxing him to sleep, but suddenly a large number of demons surrounded him.

"Young Tianren Zongshi!"

Suddenly, a soft call came from his ear.

Li Hao was startled, woke up suddenly, opened his eyes and looked, seeing a young man standing by his bed.

"When did you come in?" Li Hao couldn't help but say.

He recognized this young man, a personal follower who followed his father back from the war yesterday, looking to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a thin figure and sharp eyes.

"Young Tianren Zongshi, the Old Tianren Zongshi asked me to call you to practice in the front courtyard."

The young man named Yu Xuan said with a smile.

Li Hao sighed in his heart. It seemed his leisurely days were gone.

Thinking of the beautiful dream that was just disturbed, he darkened his face and said: "In the future, without my permission, you are not allowed to enter my room without authorization."

Yu Xuan nodded: "Yes."

Li Hao then got up unwillingly, called Qingzhi, and prepared new clean clothes for him to wear.

Seeing Li Hao's rich young master style, Yu Xuan stood quietly on the side, his expression without any ripples.

However, Li Hao's movements were slower than he imagined, standing there openly, letting the maid slowly dress and button up, he couldn't help but prompt: "Young Tianren Zongshi, the Old Tianren Zongshi is already waiting for you."

Li Hao was stunned, immediately moved himself and put on his clothes in two or three strokes: "Let's go."

The two left the room and walked toward the front courtyard.

Just passing by the main room, Li Hao glanced casually, suddenly stunned, shocked, and hurriedly rushed into the main room.

Only to see that the calligraphy and paintings he had piled up here over the years were all gone.

"Uncle Zhao!"

Li Hao hurriedly called.

Uncle Zhao hurried from the front courtyard: "Young Tianren Zongshi."

"Where are my paintings!"

Li Hao rarely showed an angry expression to Uncle Zhao.

Uncle Zhao's face changed slightly, hesitating: "These paintings, the Old Tianren Zongshi saw them this morning, and he had someone move them all away."

"Where did you move them?"

"Firewood room..."

Li Hao heard this, and suddenly felt a burst of anger rushing to the top of his head. Firewood room? Was this going to burn all his paintings as garbage?! If it were other paintings, it would be fine, but in those paintings, there was his mother whose memory was already blurry!

"Move them back to me immediately, move them all back, no one is allowed to touch my paintings in the future!" Li Hao bit his teeth and said word by word.

This was the first time Uncle Zhao saw Li Hao get so angry over these years, a bit stunned, and hurriedly said: "Young Tianren Zongshi, don't worry, I'll go right away."

But just as he was about to leave, he was blocked by a hand beside him.

Yu Xuan blocked Uncle Zhao, still with that calm face, and said to Li Hao: "Young Tianren Zongshi, these paintings were moved by the Marshal. You should go practice with me."

Li Hao also guessed it. In this courtyard, besides the father who just returned yesterday, no one dared to touch his paintings.

But hearing the other party say it, he still felt a strong anger in his heart, unable to suppress it.

"Get out of my way!" Li Hao glared at him angrily.

Yu Xuan looked at Li Hao calmly, but his arm didn't move. In the army, he only obeyed Li Tiangang's orders.

It was the same in this Shanhe Courtyard.

Because that one was the master here.

Li Hao's fists clenched, staring at him: "I'll say it again, get out!!"

"Who do you want to get out?" Suddenly, a voice came from the side. Li Tiangang walked over, but his face was a bit gloomy.

Yu Xuan lowered his arm and bowed to him.

"Father, those paintings have..."

Seeing his father come over, Li Hao hurriedly said.

Before he could finish, Li Tiangang shook his head and said coldly: "Apologize to Uncle Yu Xuan!"

Li Hao was stunned, then opened his eyes slightly, looking at him in disbelief.

Uncle Zhao's face also changed, hurriedly saying: "Old Tianren Zongshi, the young master is just anxious about those paintings. Those are all the young master's hard work for many years. He was just impulsive for a moment and his tone was a bit..."

"Shut up!"

Li Tiangang rarely scolded him.

Uncle Zhao was stunned.

Li Tiangang's face was angry. He was already a bit dissatisfied last night. Seeing calligraphy and paintings everywhere in the main room this morning, as well as chessboards, and several fishing rods, all randomly placed on the shelf beside the main hall, it was simply a mess, and he immediately got angry.

Just looking at these things, he knew that Li Hao was not just not practicing, he was simply playing with things and losing his ambition!

But unfortunately, these people in the mansion were so indulgent to him.

He knew that Li Hao was his son, the young master here, with a noble status, and Uncle Zhao and the others didn't dare to disobey Li Hao.

The Eldest Sister-in-law and the others probably couldn't discipline him strictly.

But now that he was back, he must reverse all this and properly get Li Hao on the right track and practice the right path! "Immediately, right now, apologize to Uncle Yu Xuan!"

Li Tiangang finished drinking, turned to look at Li Hao, and said severely.

Li Hao looked at him blankly, feeling a bit strange, a bit incredible, as if meeting for the first time.

Clearly yesterday...

Suddenly, he felt a bit funny in his heart.

Yes, clearly they just met yesterday, and how much did he know about this father?

And how much did this father know about him? He stared at the man in front of him and said: "Is it because you think I haven't practiced? What if I say, I have practiced, and my realm is very high?"

Li Tiangang's eyes didn't change at all, and he said seriously and coldly: "I don't care how much ability you have. Your Uncle Yu Xuan has been living and dying with me for these years. Do you know how many demons he has killed? Do you know how many people he has saved?"

"He is in the Heavenly Human Realm, he is a Tianren Zongshi!"

Li Tiangang said word by word: "A Tianren Zongshi cannot be insulted. Even if you are my son, you must apologize today!"

Hearing this, Li Hao couldn't help but want to laugh, just feeling his smile was very sad:

"A good 'Tianren Zongshi cannot be insulted', but do you know what's in those paintings of mine..."

Before he could finish, a figure suddenly rushed into the courtyard. When he saw Li Tiangang and Li Hao, he immediately called out excitedly: "Marshal, Young Tianren Zongshi!!"

The two turned their heads to look. The one who rushed in was Li Fu, who was full of excitement at the moment.

Li Fu rushed back from Cangyu City all the way. Just as he returned to the official road tens of miles outside Qingzhou City, he heard travelers drinking tea at a tea stall on the roadside discussing that the Li Clan's Marquis of Xingwu had returned.

Hearing this news, Li Fu was overjoyed and rushed back at full speed.

"Li Fu."

Li Tiangang saw Li Fu, his face eased a bit, but then he found that the other party actually rushed in like this, looking reckless, which was not like the rigorous and calm appearance when he followed him before.

Several years without seeing each other, he actually became so undisciplined.

Li Hao saw it was Uncle Fu, but his eyes didn't change much. After all, it hadn't been long since they parted.

"Several years without seeing each other, why are you so undisciplined now." Li Tiangang frowned slightly and said.

Li Fu was stunned, realized, and hurriedly saluted.

Then he looked at Li Hao again, his face hard to hide his joy, and said: "Marshal, I sent a letter to you, did you receive it?"

"Letter?"

Li Tiangang said: "Was it sent to Yanbei? When was it sent? I didn't receive it."

Li Fu realized that it seemed that when he sent the letter, the Marshal had already set off to return to the mansion.

He inquired about the process of the Cangyu City battle during the recuperation process, and after understanding it carefully, he was a bit unbelievable.

He later questioned the city guard Yue Shuhong, and after confirming it from his mouth, he was convinced of this matter.

The first time he learned about this, he didn't send a letter back to the mansion first, but sent it to Yanbei.

After all, this kind of shocking good news was naturally to be notified to Li Hao's parents first, who were the most trustworthy people.

As for sending a letter to the mansion, it was secondary. He planned to return and tell the Second Uncle and the others in person, and by the way, he wanted to ask if the Second Uncle and the others already knew about Li Hao's situation.

"It doesn't matter if you didn't receive it. Since you are back, Marshal, it's the same if I tell you in person."

Li Fu smiled, looked at Li Hao, and his voice revealed a bit of excited trembling: "The Young Tianren Zongshi is already in the Fifteen-Li Realm!"

(End of chapter)