My lord, spare his life!

If I had known this would happen, Zhe Meng would have had his husband bring the child over long ago.

It's not like only Lu Yuan has children.

She had them too, boys and girls, big and small. The older ones were already in school and could say auspicious words, while the younger ones were still toddling around, so cute and adorable. They would definitely allow her adoptive mother to enjoy the joys of grandparent-grandchildren life! Unfortunately, she hadn't thought of that!

Who would have thought that Yulwon would use his child to win favor!

Zhang Yang recalled how the observed sample treated her relatives' children, trying to make her smile appear natural and kind. The first step was to take the child's hand and bring them to her side; the second step was to inquire about the child's recent academic performance. Lu Chu blinked and answered fluently.

Zhang Yang had all those introductory textbooks.

Lu Chu's learning progress was even faster than hers.

Zhang Yang felt no shame whatsoever, only praising the child: "You've learned very well. But you're still young, you have plenty of time to learn and grow up slowly, and you should play when it's time to play. Children should act like children."

Lu Chu secretly went to see He Zhi and He Wen.

Her studies were previously taught by a private tutor and her father. When her father went to war, she transferred to live with her cousin He Wen. He Wen took charge of her studies and would check her homework no matter how busy he was with official duties. She had no say in how much playtime she had each day.

Lu Chu's mind raced, and she gently grabbed Zhang Yang's arm and shook it: "Then Grandmother should help talk to Father and Brother on their behalf."

Zhang Yang: "Don't you need to tell your mother?"

"My grandson's homework is checked by his father and elder brother."

"Okay, I'll talk to them later and let you play a little longer, but while you can play, you can't neglect your studies." Being a parent isn't easy. Tutoring children is a daunting task. Zhang Yang remembers one observation sample who even said they were so angry with their child that they had to go to the operating room for emergency treatment. At first, she thought it was an exaggeration, but after subtly probing, she found that many observation samples had similar sentiments and began to believe it.

Lu Chu smiled and her eyes crinkled: "Grandson will remember."

Cute and sweet-talking children get rewards, and Zhang Yang stuffed her with quite a few gifts as a greeting. Turning to He Wen, she instructed him not to neglect the children's education because of official duties, but also not to be too strict and leave the children no time to play. In short, she wanted it all!

He Wen's lips twitched, and he bowed in response.

After everyone dispersed, Zhe Meng glanced at Lu Chu several times.

Lu Yuan grinned and said, "Isn't it amazing?"

"I have kids of my own, why would I want yours?" Zhe Meng was furious, muttering something under his breath, and stormed off.

As soon as she returned home, she wrote to her husband and elder brother-in-law, Zeng Sheng, instructing them to focus on their child's studies, cultivate a cheerful disposition, a sweet tongue, and graceful manners—to emulate the grandchildren their ancestors most admired. She emphasized that while academics were important, martial arts skills were equally crucial. Since Lu Chu wouldn't follow Lu Yuan's path as a military general, her child could perfectly fill that void. How wonderful!

Regardless of their expressions upon receiving the letter.

Lu Yuan clicked his tongue, unable to hide his smugness.

"The rabid dog must be feeling incredibly jealous right now."

"Lu Bafeng, are you serious?" He Zhi was already used to this, but He Wen found it very uncomfortable. It was one thing to have a godmother, but to be a filial daughter with such genuine feelings was just outrageous. Lu Yuan wasn't this filial even when she was under her former master.

"The stepmother is wonderful, and it's also good to see the rabid dog suffer."

At first, Lü Yuan regarded Zhang Yang as her proper lord and benefactor, but he insisted on making her his daughter. What could she do? Later, she discovered that so many people coveted her adoptive mother and were jealous of her, and she gradually found enjoyment in it. After all, she wasn't losing out.

He Wen: "..."

Lu Yuan laughed and said, "Those who are accomplished are first, those who are first are teachers, and teachers are like parents, so what's wrong with calling my godmother godmother? You can't stop being my mother just because she's younger than me."

He Wen immediately covered his ears.

She has no shame, but I do.

This kind of fallacy and heresy is simply a desecration of the classics!

Lu Yuan was amused and burst into laughter.

Setting off at dawn, Lu Yuan cherished the last precious moments he could spend with his daughter, unable to get enough of looking at her innocent face. He had thought he wouldn't have the chance to see her grow up, and had even made plans for his own funeral, but unexpectedly, things took a dramatic turn.

Lu Chu wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face in it.

As dawn broke, Lu Chu was still fast asleep.

Lu Yuan gazed at her sleeping child, taking one last, reluctant look, carefully memorizing the child's features. With a heavy heart, she looked away, donned her armor, and entrusted the child to He Wen. He Wen sensed her emotions and addressed his uncle, who stood silently, his expression somber, "Uncle, you have followed our lord in expanding our territory and rendered meritorious service. You will surely be promoted in the future. Once the war is over and the situation is stable, I will take my sister to reunite with you. Then our family can be together forever, free from the pain of separation."

There were some things He Wen didn't say because he thought they were unlucky.

In the unfortunate event that his two uncles were to suffer any misfortune, he would treat Lu Chu as his own son and do his best to raise him.

He Zhi nodded: "Mm."

The army set off quietly, without making a big fuss.

As the sun climbed higher overhead, Lu Yuan's mood calmed down considerably.

The two passes enclosed by the Dongfan Mountains and the Youyuan Mountains are named Hejian Pass, which is closer to Dou County and is also known as Hejian Wei by the common people. The other pass, which is closer to Chesi County, is called Songhan Pass and is very close to Dongxian. Looking at this majestic and familiar pass, Wang Ba couldn't help but sigh, "I never thought that one day I could pass through Songhan Pass openly and honestly."

The last time I passed through the checkpoint, I was in a terrible state, escaping with serious injuries.

Wang Ba had already sent a message to Dong Xian in advance, and the army encountered Dong Xian's messenger, who had been waiting for a long time, only half a day after crossing the Song-Han Pass. Unlike the relaxed attitude of Wang Ba and his son, Fan You, Han Wo, and others were highly vigilant, and the previously somewhat lax military formation gradually became solemn and orderly.

Be prepared for a sudden and fierce battle at any time.

Before the dust settles, both Wang Ba and his son may turn on each other and betray each other.

Fan You finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw a familiar face, and his brow relaxed: "Yuan Youzheng, it was you here all along."

The Dongham delegation that welcomed the army was headed by Won Hae.

The presence of Yuan Xie here proves that the potential dangers in Dongxian are not significant.

"It's kind of you to still remember me." Yuan Xie's reaction was rather cold, even tinged with resentment, but he didn't waste time with Fan You. "Where is my lord? Take me to see her immediately."

Fan You paused in his steps.

The joy of reunion vanished without a trace, replaced by distress.

"You're truly incorrigible."

"How dare you say such a thing when you are someone who intends to steal from others?" Fan You felt disgusted when he saw him, and Yuan Xie felt no better when he saw Fan You. Just now, he sent someone to contact the other party's lustful ghost. That lustful ghost was like Fan You entering a clean government office. He was full of resentment and sold Fan You out as soon as he opened his mouth.

Fan You's expression changed drastically: "Don't make false accusations!"

What do you mean by "he intentionally stole from his own post"?

Yuan Xie said "Oh," and then asked, "So, what about your dream?"

Fan You was furious, feeling an urge to tear Yuan Xie and the lustful ghost to shreds—how could that thing say such things? It was slandering his innocent reputation. He said, "That was an illusion created by the lustful ghost, not my intention! If I could control illusions, how could it have any reason to cause trouble?"

Yuan Xie gave a half-smile.

He said slowly, "Didn't I tell you that the evil spirits that descend from the stars originate from the host itself, and share the same source as you?"

Can you really sever ties completely when it comes to something like this?

Fan You was rendered speechless by what he said, his expression changing repeatedly. He gritted his teeth and whispered, "That is my student, and more importantly, my lord, Yuan Youzheng. Don't say things that make me feel ashamed and unjustly accused." If he couldn't be a good teacher or a good subject, then he was meaningless.

Yuan Xie seemed not to have expected Fan You to back down and beg for mercy so quickly.

He said, "That's enough."

I've now gotten hold of his weakness.

If I were to say a few more sarcastic remarks, I'm afraid I might drive someone to their death.

Yuan Xie's previous gloomy and somber demeanor vanished, replaced by a broad smile. He grabbed Fan You's wrist and said, "Quickly, take me to see the lord."

Fan You struggled, but couldn't break free.

I don't know where he got such strength from, being so thin.

"Let go, I can walk by myself—"

Unfortunately, Yuan Xie wasn't looking at Fan You at the moment, so even if Fan You shouted at the top of his lungs, the other party wouldn't hear him. The two of them struggled and wasted time, until Zhang Yang arrived on his own. Yuan Xie suddenly released Fan You's sleeve, and the latter, caught off guard, stumbled backward before regaining his balance.

Fan You cursed in a disheveled manner, "Yuan Youzheng!"

Yuan Xie had already happily walked towards Zhang Yang and performed a grand salute.

"No need for such formalities."

Zhang Yang didn't let him finish the ceremony; he stopped him halfway through.

Yuan Xie looked a little plumper than the last time we met. He was wearing a light green robe and had applied a touch of light rouge to his lips. He had been working hard for the past few months, often sunbathing and eating on time. His efforts had finally helped him regain some health, and his complexion was no longer pale and bluish.

Compared to literati like Fan You, he still appears sickly and frail.

"You're working so hard outside, why did you come all this way yourself?"

Yuan Xie lowered his eyes to look at Zhang Yang's hand resting on his wrist. That hand carried the heat of the journey and also possessed an enviable, abundant yang energy. Sensing the fear emanating from the person inside his ear, the smile on his face deepened: "Xie has missed his lord for a long time. Hearing that his lord is about to arrive, I am overjoyed and do not want to wait a moment longer."

Zhang Yang tilted his head slightly and pondered for a moment.

The observation samples didn't mention how to handle this situation, but they did say that friends shouldn't have awkward silences; responding to each other is the best way to foster relationships. Yuan Xie was indeed sent out to an unfamiliar place like Dongxian to manage the floods; it was truly a difficult task.

Zhang Yang said slowly, "Me too."

Yuan Xie naturally knew that Zhang Yang's response was devoid of any extra emotion, but he couldn't help being happy. He also keenly sensed a circle of gazes with varying emotions directed at him, which made him even happier.

Yuan Xie's gaze swept over the crowd behind Zhang Yang, lingering briefly on the unfamiliar faces. A smile, tinged with provocation and inquiry, appeared on his face: "This time, I see many new faces around our lord, all possessing the qualities of exceptional individuals. For our lord to gain so much assistance so early in his grand ambitions shows that destiny and the hearts of the people are aligned with him. Thus, even though I am far away in Dongxian, I can rest assured..."

Zhang Yang asked, "How is the flood control progressing?"

"I've accomplished my mission; it's almost over."

"Since it's almost over, you don't need to stay in Dongxian any longer. Come back with me this time, so you won't be left without anyone to take care of you on the journey." He's only gained a little weight in the past few months. Either Yuan Xie doesn't know how to take care of himself, or the conditions in Dongxian are really not good, and he's not used to the environment. Yuan Xie's Liexing Jiangli level is too high; it's better for him to stay by her side and recover.

Yuan Xie's smile deepened: "Thank you, my lord."

When Zhang Yang helped him up, his center of gravity shifted slightly. Zhang Yang was incredibly strong, so he naturally didn't feel this slight change in strength, but everyone else was staring at Yuan Xie, watching his "affected" posture, and they all felt a pang of jealousy.

Zhe Meng: "How can there be such a person acting like this around my godmother?"

Lu Yuan remained silent.

Wang Ba glanced at Yuan Xie, then at his own son's stiff frame, and clicked his tongue in amazement. Wang Qi, on the other hand, looked at him with a completely bewildered expression.

"If you don't want your tongue, I'll cut it off."

What's with the smacking sound?

That old man must be thinking about something strange again.

Wang Badao said, "I was just thinking about whether I should write to your aunts and ask them for advice so I can learn properly."

Yuan Xie's attack just now could haunt Wang Qixue for the rest of his life.

Do you remember where they went after remarrying?

Wang Badao: "How could I not remember?"

When he married off his concubines, he arranged for them all to be of the same clan or sisterhood. The families they married into were not only those the women liked, but also those who could be of value to Wang Ba. The social interactions during holidays and festivals were constant, and Wang Ba even backed up some of them. For example, if he accidentally went too far and killed their husbands, Wang Ba would compensate them with a younger, more attractive man.

Wang Qi rolled his eyes: "Mind your own business."

Wang Ba looked at Wang Qi's naturally wild attire and sighed.

Wang Qi's style of dressing is so bad that even consulting a god wouldn't save him.

"What were Youzheng and Shuyan talking about just now?"

Yuan Xie smiled and said, "We were catching up and talked about some personal matters. Since Uncle Yan is reserved and unassuming, I had to take the initiative."

Zhang Yang didn't press for details, but simply blinked and nodded slowly.

She didn't tell Yuan Xie that their conversation was actually recorded in the system logs. Zhang Yang didn't quite understand what they were talking about; it seemed related to him, yet also unrelated. But since they didn't fight, the conflict probably wasn't intense.

Zhang Yang then abandoned the matter.

He Ning ordered a banquet to be held in a nearby city to entertain the three armies.

Slaughter chickens and sheep, and drink as much as you like.

Yuan Xie went out of the city to greet them, while He Ning waited for a long time below the city. When he saw Wang Ba and his son appear, both of them unharmed, his heart, which had been hanging in suspense for many days, finally settled down. He said, "Father, you have returned. I failed to come out to greet you. Please punish me, Father and my brother."

Wang Ba was pleased and was about to speak.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Wang Qi walk past him and draw his sword.

"Wu'an, hide!"

"What's the use of you hiding!" Wang Qi looked at the knife that had missed its target and crashed to the ground, a sinister smile creeping across his face. Seeing that He Ning was already prepared, fully armored and with a knife hanging at his waist, he calmly said, "Heh, so you know you're going to get your hands on by me, huh? Who gave you permission to kill everyone I'm supposed to kill? What do you want me to kill?"

He Ning broke out in a cold sweat: "Godfather! Godbrother!"

Wang Ba: "Spare my son's life!"

"Stop talking nonsense, you old geezer can't protect you!"

With a single slash, He Ning was sent flying.

He leaped into the air, his shadow casting a giant, unrestrained monkey shadow on the ground. Zhang Yang glanced at him, then turned to Wang Ba, who looked constipated, and asked a crucial question: "They're fighting, so will we still be able to eat on time tonight?"

If that doesn't work, she can at least have someone prepare a meal in advance.

? ?(?_?)

The technician came to check at 4 PM and said the motherboard wasn't broken, but the compressor was. It will take three or four days for a new compressor, and the replacement and repair cost will be around 800 yuan... which is acceptable. _(:3」∠)_

If repairs cost a thousand or two, it's better to buy a new refrigerator (it's just a pity this refrigerator was a gift from a relative when we moved in, it was quite expensive).

But it'll be three or four days before the typhoon makes landfall. I'm worried.

The food in the refrigerator is completely beyond saving, sob sob sob.

Finally, I blind-bought two more bottles today. One made me instantly feel detached from worldly concerns, turning my study into a temple. The other tasted just like its name—a miracle! (I discovered that I don't actually have much of a preference; as long as it's not something as abstract as wormwood, I can accept almost anything. Thinking about it.)

PS: Zhang Yang may not understand emotions, but he does understand some things. After all, the observation sample (players) are the type who, late at night, are constantly engaged in online dating/fangirling. #PigHeadIceCreamJPG