My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

Xiang Yu and Li Cunxiao knelt upright on the bluestone slab, their two unruly heads bowed low, holding their breath.

The dust from the collapsed courtyard wall still seemed to linger in the air, mixed with the winter chill, making the scene even more desolate.

Ji Xuanyuan stood before the steps, wrapped in a thick white fox fur coat. His angry reprimand had exhausted his already meager strength.

He leaned against a pillar with one hand and covered his mouth with the other. His thin shoulders were hunched over, and he coughed repeatedly, each cough more painful than the last. His pale cheeks flushed with a sickly red from the violent breathing, and he swayed precariously.

"Big brother!"

Xiang Yu abruptly looked up, his double pupils filled with panic. Forgetting his kneeling posture, he crawled forward two steps, but dared not touch Ji Xuanyuan. He only said urgently, "We were fools! We know we were wrong! Brother, please don't be angry, please take care of yourself!"

Li Cunxiao panicked as well. This towering man was at a loss for what to do: "Brother, I'll never do it again! I'll repair the wall right away, and make it even stronger than before! Please calm down!"

Dian Wei quickly handed over a warm medicine cup.

Ji Xuanyuan reluctantly accepted it, his fingertips trembling coldly, and a little of the medicine spilled out.

After swallowing several mouthfuls of bitter medicine, the burning pain in my chest and lungs, like being scraped by a knife, subsided slightly.

He caught his breath, his lips still pale and translucent. Looking at his two younger brothers, their faces full of regret and still childish, the anger in his heart had long been replaced by a deeper weariness and pity.

One is fifteen, the other sixteen; they are at the age when they are full of vigor and have nowhere to vent their energy.

With my frail body, how many more years can I take care of them?

If we discipline them too strictly, we might dampen their spirits.

If left unchecked, they might not realize the seriousness of the situation and hurt themselves or others... This role of elder brother is truly difficult.

"Brother Yu, Jingsi..." His voice was weak and hoarse, with panting.

"My elder brother's health is failing him. I'm afraid he won't be able to take care of you for much longer. You're acting so recklessly; what if you hurt each other or disturb the people? How can my elder brother be at ease?"

These words, spoken calmly, caused Xiang Yu and Li Cunxiao more heartache than any harsh rebuke.

Their eyes immediately reddened, and they kowtowed heavily: "Brother! We swear we will never act so recklessly again! We will remember your teachings, diligently practice martial arts, strictly abide by military discipline, and never let you worry about us again!"

"Get up." Ji Xuanyuan waved his hand weakly, which triggered another light cough.

"You shall repair the courtyard wall yourselves, laying every brick and tile by hand. When you practice together in the future, when you go to the training ground outside the city, you shall not damage public property or disturb the mansion again."

"Yes!" The two were relieved and quickly got up, but dared not leave immediately, only looking at Ji Xuanyuan with worry.

Zhen Yan, who had been observing quietly from the side, took in all of this, his heart filled with turmoil.

He saw that the legendary Prefect Ji, who was said to be infallible and had a multitude of fierce generals under his command, was so sickly and helpless in front of his younger brother.

Furthermore, one can see that those two incredibly strong and unruly generals have a deep-seated awe and reliance on their elder brother.

What truly stirred his heart was his younger sister, Zhen Mi, standing in the shadows of the corridor. Her usually calm and composed eyes were now fixed intently on Ji Xuanyuan, revealing a complex mix of emotions surging within them…

Is it a deep-seated anxiety beyond one's age?

Or was it some kind of focused admiration that he couldn't fully decipher?

Zhen Yan couldn't make out what was going on, but he felt that gaze was heavy and pressing on his heart.

Ju Shou, Tian Feng, and Guo Jia also rushed over upon hearing the news, and were all greatly shocked upon seeing Ji Xuanyuan's expression.

Tian Feng solemnly replied, "My lord, please take care of your health! Leave these trivial matters to us."

Ju Shou also advised, "The task of repairing the wall can be handled by craftsmen. Why bother Generals Xiang and Li? My lord should return to his room to rest."

Guo Jia didn't speak, but quietly placed the hand warmer in Ji Xuanyuan's cold palm. His eyes were full of self-reproach and heartache. If it weren't for his foolishness some time ago, perhaps his senior brother's already heavy body and mind wouldn't have been burdened with more worries.

After being persuaded by everyone, Ji Xuanyuan was finally half-supported and half-carried back to his inner room by Dian Wei to rest.

However, the news that "Prefect Ji's cough has worsened and he is bedridden" somehow leaked out from under the high walls of the prefect's mansion.

Over the next two days, an even more astonishing scene unfolded for Zhen Yan.

First, two or three old farmers, carrying winter lotus roots and eggs still smelling of earth, shakily arrived at the gate of the mansion. Not daring to disturb them, they whispered to the guards, "Is the general's illness any better?"

They left their belongings and then departed.

Subsequently, more and more people gathered around.

Women carried newly sewn, thick cushions, hunters put down wild rabbits that were still dripping blood, and children held wild pears that were said to stop coughing... The items were not particularly valuable, but they filled the side room on one side of the mansion gate.

What moved Zhen Yan even more was that as he strolled through the city, he saw many people spontaneously going to the various temples and shrines within the city to burn incense and kneel in prayer, chanting incantations. Upon closer listening, he realized that they were all praying for Ji Xuanyuan's well-being.

He stopped an elderly man with white hair who had just come out of the City God Temple and couldn't help but ask, "Old man, Prefect Ji has only been in office for a few months, why are the people so fond of him that they burn incense and pray for him?"

The old man glanced at him, noticing his distinguished attire and bearing, and sighed, "This young man must be from out of town. You have no idea of ​​the kindness our General Ji has shown you!"

The old man pointed to the school construction site in the distance, which was beginning to take shape: "Look there, the school run by the general. I heard they'll start accepting children in the spring, regardless of wealth, and the tuition is extremely low. My grandson will finally have a school to attend! Isn't that an immense act of kindness?"

A wood seller nearby chimed in, "More than that! In previous years, the yamen runners would have been pressing for all sorts of taxes by this time, but what about this year? The general said that those affected by war would be exempt from taxes for a year! Those who reclaimed wasteland would not have to pay rent for three years! My family has only managed to eat a few decent meals this year!"

A middle-aged woman carrying a bag of medicine wiped her eyes: "A few days ago, my husband was injured by a falling roof beam. We had no money for treatment. It was the general who happened to pass by. He not only treated his injury but also left money for his medicine... The general himself is so ill, yet he still cares about the lives of us common people..."

An old woman, though pale and sickly, but neatly dressed, said, “I fled from Julu. I thought I was going to starve and freeze to death by the roadside. But the general opened the granaries and distributed porridge to us refugees, giving us wasteland and seeds, saying, ‘As long as you have strength, you can live.’ Zhuojun is our place of survival!”

Everyone chimed in, their words simple yet heartfelt.

There were no flowery praises, only real rice, barren fields, schools, medicine, and the hope of "survival" found in dire straits.

Zhen Yan listened in silence. He had traveled to many prefectures and counties and had seen too many so-called "famous scholars" and "capable officials" who were either seeking fame and fortune or were tyrannical and fierce. He had never seen such a deep-seated expression of the people's will.

This prefect, who was only sixteen years old and frail with illness, managed to subtly and effectively cultivate his prestige and image in the hearts of every resident of Zhuojun in a short period of time, like a gentle spring rain.

That aura that inspires people to believe and follow you comes not only from the many valiant generals under your command, but also from the solid foundation of popular support.

The contempt and suspicion that Zhen Yan felt stemmed from his aristocratic background and his subconscious disdain for newly rich people from humble backgrounds crumbled at this moment.

My father's words, "This child is destined for greatness," no longer sound like a vague expectation, but a statement that is being constantly proven by facts.

Perhaps linking my younger sister's future to such a person is not absurd, but rather a kind of... far-sighted planning.

On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, with the end of the year approaching, Zhen Yan had to take Zhen Mi back to Wuji.

The carriages and horses were ready in front of the prefect's mansion.

Zhen Mi stood in the snow, wearing the same plain white fur coat she had come in.

She walked up to Ji Xuanyuan, who was being supported by Dian Wei and insisted on coming out to see him off, and looked up at him quietly for a moment.

Then, she took off the jade pendant from her waist. It was a smooth and flawless mutton-fat jade pendant carved with simple cloud patterns.

"Little sister, you..." Zhen Yan saw the jade pendant that her mother had left for her little sister before she passed away. She wanted to say something, but in the end, she swallowed her words.

"General." Her voice was still clear and cold, but there was a slight, almost imperceptible hesitation in it.

"This pendant was left to me by my mother. They say that jade can nourish a person and protect its owner. I give it to the general, wishing him good health and peace year after year."

She tiptoed and gently placed the jade pendant, still warm from her body, into Ji Xuanyuan's cold palm.

Ji Xuanyuan was stunned.

The jade pendant in his palm was warm and translucent, yet it seemed to weigh a ton.

He knew, of course, that this was no ordinary ornament, but rather the most precious sentiment and hope that an eight-year-old girl could offer.

Refusing would be too cruel.

To accept it, this sentiment is too heavy...

The snow fell silently, and time seemed to stand still.

Looking into Zhen Mi's calm yet stubborn eyes, he finally slowly closed his fingers, holding the jade pendant in his palm, and whispered, "Alright... I'll accept it. Thank you, Mi'er. Take care on your journey. Please give my regards to Lord Zhen."

Let's just keep it as a memento.

He thought to himself.

Zhen Mi nodded almost imperceptibly, said nothing more, and turned to be helped into the carriage by her maid.

The carriage curtains fell, the wheels creaked as they rolled over the snow, and it slowly drove away.

Wrapped in a white fox fur coat, Ji Xuanyuan stood motionless in the swirling snow, gazing at the direction the carriage had gone. Even after the dark figure disappeared completely at the street corner and into the vast snow curtain, he remained standing there, as if he had transformed into another snowman.

"My lord, the carriage has gone far away and can no longer be seen."

Dian Wei whispered a reminder, his eyes full of worry: "It's too cold outside, you can't stand it. Shall we go inside?"

Ji Xuanyuan suddenly came to his senses and realized that the chill had already penetrated to his bones.

The jade pendant in his palm still retained a trace of warmth.

He nodded slightly, letting Dian Wei support him, and turned to walk towards the warm but suddenly empty gate of the mansion, coughing almost inaudibly twice.

The carriage traveled smoothly on the official road.

The car was warmed by a heater, creating a stark contrast to the icy, snowy landscape outside.

As Zhen Yan looked at his younger sister sitting quietly opposite him, the image of her solemn expression when she presented him with the jade, and Ji Xuanyuan Xuezhong's lingering gaze, resurfaced in his mind.

After a long silence, he finally couldn't suppress the complex and indescribable curiosity and inquiry in his heart, and spoke softly as if possessed:

"Little sister..."

Zhen Mi's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her gaze slowly focused, landing on her brother's face.

Zhen Yan carefully considered his words before slowly asking, "What kind of person do you think Ji Xuanyuan really is?"

Inside the carriage, only the sounds of wheels grinding through the snow and the occasional crackling of the stove fire remained, awaiting the answer that the eight-year-old girl might give, an answer far beyond her years.