Immortality: Starting with a grave, I'm invincible when burying corpses.

That's great! That's how it should be! We won't have this kind of treatment in a few years!

When they grow up, won't they become the most trusted confidants among confidants?

Wang Le was secretly pleased, but his expression remained unchanged; he feigned concern.

"Did it hurt?"

Wang Pingshan took a sip of soup and shook his head.

"It's not like it's you, Dad. Butler He doesn't hit people at all."

Wang Le frowned. "How dare you talk like that? How many times have I actually hit you?"

"But you hit me too hard!"

Beside her, Wang Le's wife burst out laughing. She looked at the two bickering lovers, one big and one small, and asked deliberately.

"What about Mother? Mother is good to you, and she's gentle with you."

Wang Pingshan finished the chicken soup in one gulp, stood up, and ran back to his room without looking back.

"But you've hit countless times!"

"You little brat, trying to make fun of your old mother, huh?"

"Sister! Help! Mother's going to kill someone!"

……

In the third year of Tianxin's reign, the entire Great Qi Dynasty was in turmoil, with rebellions erupting everywhere.

After half a year, just as the New Year was approaching, the nine larger rebel groups were finally wiped out.

Among them, the Seven Kill Army, the Tiger Legion, and the Heavenly Constellation Army, three elite combat troops, performed the best.

Over a period of more than six months, the three armies traveled thousands of miles and annihilated two rebel groups, quelling rebellions in multiple locations with minimal casualties.

The Flying Eagle Guards, who had been inactive for a long time, traveled 50,000 li to suppress the rebellion in the northwest of the Great Qi Dynasty.

Reports of great victories were sent to Qi'an City from all over the land.

In just six months, more than three million prisoners were captured across the country, and as many as two million rebel soldiers were killed. The killings were numerous, and the blood flowed like rivers.

The Great Qi Dynasty proclaimed to the world in the most violent and bloody way that this world still belonged to the Great Qi Dynasty, and that a few rebels could not shake the foundation of the Great Qi Dynasty's rule.

The martial arts world fell silent as various sects withdrew their influence to avoid the imperial court's wrath.

But it's clear to anyone with eyes to see that the Great Qi is already in decline, its control over the local areas is becoming increasingly weak, and it may completely collapse at the first opportunity.

Whether it was the Marquis of Zhennan, who had dominated the southwest for over a century, the Duke of Zhenbei, who held sway in the northeast, or the Marquis of Haining, who suppressed the East China Sea, their attitudes were all more assertive than ever before.

Then there's Qishan Dao, residing in Lingzhou. As a rising star, the Qishan Dao Grand Commander's behavior can only be described as arrogant.

Alone with his sword, he traversed thousands of miles, and without revealing any information to the imperial court, he rushed to Qingzhou and wiped out the entire Chu family of Qingjiang.

This single battle shocked the world.

Memorials were submitted to the court, and complaints poured in.

Such actions went unpunished, demonstrating that the Daqi court's control over these powerful lords had waned to its limit.

The fact that rebels in various regions could only be suppressed by the central army of the Great Qi Dynasty already reflects many problems.

When a tiger begins to show signs of weakness, countless jackals will naturally pounce from all directions and bite off a piece of its flesh.

……

The second day of the second month of the fourth year of Tianxin.

The Mu residence, the drill ground.

"It's so cold outside, and it's snowing. Lin Hu, aren't you cold wearing so little?"

On the training ground covered with a thin layer of snow, Mu Ling'er was wrapped in layers of clothes, looking just like a chubby little penguin.

She tugged at her collar a couple of times, then, stepping through the thin snow, walked up to Lin Hu, who was practicing his horse stance.

Following behind her was Wang Pingshan, who was also wrapped up like a ball.

Compared to Mu Ling'er's thick clothes, Lin Hu was only wearing a thin undershirt, and he was currently in a horse stance with his arms outstretched.

The swirling snowflakes turned his hair white, and a thin layer of snow accumulated on his shoulders.

Upon hearing Mu Ling'er's voice, Lin Hu, who had been looking straight ahead, immediately lowered his head, his gaze shifting downwards and settling on the thin layer of snow on the ground.

Mu Ling'er glanced at him and muttered, seemingly dissatisfied, "You don't even look at people. I've told you so many times, you're so rude."

Despite grumbling, Mu Ling'er looked at Xiao Ping beside her and gave her an order in a rather arrogant tone.

"Get him some clothes. If he gets cold, people will say that our Mu family mistreats its servants, which will damage Da'an's reputation."

Xiao Ping smiled helplessly. She picked up the blanket she had prepared and draped it over Lin Hu's body, then gently ruffled the boy's somewhat frizzy hair.

"Practicing martial arts for a day or two won't make a difference. It's not worth ruining your health. Listen to me, go back inside and warm up."

Lin Hu lowered his head even further. He was secretly relieved that it was very cold today, so cold that his cheeks were red. Otherwise, his unusual behavior would not have escaped the notice of the observant Xiao Ping.

He obediently stood up and bowed to Mu Ling'er.

"Thank you for your concern, Miss."

As he looked up, he secretly glanced at Xiaoping out of the corner of his eye.

Mu Ling'er was oblivious to these things. She waved her hand dismissively and then asked curiously.

"Aren't you cold? Or are martial artists not afraid of the cold?"

Before Lin Hu could answer, she muttered to herself.

"It seems that's really the case. I think Da'an is like that; he wears a long gown all year round, and he's not afraid of the cold or the heat. It's amazing!"

After saying this, she looked at Wang Pingshan, who looked like a ball, next to her, and then at herself, who looked similar, and muttered to herself.

"Xiaoshanzi, you can't do this! Look at him, then look at yourself. How can you be as bad as me?"

As she spoke, she gestured with her hands, sometimes pointing to herself, and sometimes picking up a clump of snow from the ground.

Wang Pingshan just smiled憨厚ly. He looked at Mu Ling'er's little hands, which were red from the cold, and took out a pair of gloves from his pocket.

"Boss, put your gloves on. If the head steward of the University of Holland sees us, we'll get yelled at again."

Not wearing gloves was Mu Ling'er's last act of defiance, but the words "He Da Steward" always held immense pressure for her, so much so that she reluctantly put on the gloves.

Even so, Mu Ling'er didn't forget to wave her fist at Wang Pingshan, looking like she was very powerful.

"Big sister, I'm not cold at all, and I'm not afraid of Grandma He at all. I'm only wearing gloves because I'm giving you face."

"I'm telling you, this spring, I'll definitely get Da'an to teach me martial arts, and you'll learn with me then, understand?"

Xiaoping couldn't help but laugh out loud at his little fist-waving gesture and his arrogant words.

She put her arm around Mu Ling'er's shoulder and nodded repeatedly.

"That's right! Our Miss Ling'er is the best!"

"That's right! I, Mu Ling'er, am going to become the most powerful person in the world, even more powerful than Da'an!"

"Our leader is awesome!!!"

A few meters away, Lin Hu, wrapped in a blanket, stared blankly at Xiao Ping, who was laughing.

"Big Sister!" Wang Pingshan suddenly spoke up, as if he had just thought of something.

"What's wrong?" Mu Ling'er smiled happily and looked at Wang Pingshan.

"We lack nothing, so why would we need to practice martial arts?"

"Of course, it's to become the best in the world!"

"How high is the level of the world's number one martial arts master? And what can you do even if you become the world's number one?"

When asked about an area where she had no knowledge, Mu Ling'er's mind clearly went blank for a moment.

She touched her chubby chin, thinking for a long time but still couldn't figure it out. Suddenly, she turned her head to look at Lin Hu.

"Lin Hu, why do you practice martial arts?"

Lin Hu lowered his head, his gaze fixed on his feet. A thought flashed through his mind, but he blushed and couldn't bring himself to say it.

Seeing that Lin Hu kept his head down, Xiao Ping smiled and helped him out of the predicament.

"Miss, the people in this manor practice martial arts to protect you! You mustn't bully them..."

Xiaoping and everyone else in the manor are willing to give everything to protect you...

If that day ever comes, even if I, Xiaoping, die, I will still protect you, Miss…”

The voice reached his ears, and the boy lowered his head, silently making up his mind.