Chapter 84: Teaching Li Wushuang a Lesson
Li Hao saw Fifth Madam shifting the topic to him. He smiled lightly, not minding it much.
"Xue'er should return in about half a year."
The other Madams didn’t push Li Yun into further embarrassment. They smoothly transitioned the topic to something else.
"Xue'er is also a Ninth-Class Battle Body, right?"
"She’s so clever. I remember that year..."
Their casual chatter covered up the earlier minor quarrel.
Li Hao remained calm, chatting and laughing with the Madams, recalling past events. On the other side, Li Yun, with flushed cheeks, occasionally snuck a glance at his father. Seeing that his father had already suppressed his anger and was smiling comfortingly during his conversation with Li Hao, he felt both relieved and inexplicably disappointed.
At that moment, he felt a small hand brush against his under the table. Lowering his head, he realized it was his younger sister.
Li Zhining smiled at Li Yun and immediately served him some food. Her actions filled his heart with a warm glow.
Gao Qingqing glanced at the composed and graceful Li Hao, then at her own son. She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
Outside of cultivation, her son truly fell short of Li Hao in many ways. Li Hao’s precocious wisdom and sensibility had long been well-known within the family. The only regret was that his early years were delayed, leaving his cultivation lagging behind.
"Shuang’er has now entered the Qian Kun Ranking. Since you’ve returned to the family, what plans do you have for the future?"
Halfway through the conversation, Liu Yurong casually asked.
Li Wushuang glanced at the calm and composed boy across from her, who was two years younger. She reached out with her chopsticks, aiming for the dish of dragon liver. However, with years of control honed through her sword dao, she skillfully redirected her chopsticks to a different dish.
After delivering the food to her mouth, she chewed as she replied, "Nothing much. I just want to spar with Cousin Qianfeng."
This remark caught the attention of several Madams, though they seemed uninterested and continued eating and chatting.
Liu Yurong’s expression remained unchanged, her smile unwavering. She replied warmly, "Qianfeng just descended from Boundless Mountain. He’ll return to the estate in the next few days. When he does, you two can spar. Back in the day, Xuanli and Tiangang were always chasing each other across the entire courtyard..."
Li Xuanli smiled wryly. "Second Sister-in-law, those were youthful indiscretions. Please, let’s not bring them up."
The banquet gradually wound down as night deepened.
The seven or eight dishes Li Hao had Yuan Zhao purchase, along with the follow-up dishes prepared by the First Madam, were all served and eaten.
Li Wushuang, having eaten quite a bit, remained unaware of which dishes were purchased by Li Hao. She only thought they tasted delicious.
Li Hao had no interest in revealing the truth. After all, this was a one-time occurrence. The moment the dragon liver was served at the table, he had no intention of offering her any more food or drink gifts.
At most, in the future, he might send a token gift when she gets married.
...
Once everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they gradually departed from Changchun Courtyard without any further incidents.
Li Hao bid farewell to the Madams and then returned to Shanhe Courtyard with Zhao Bo and Qingzhi.
On the other side, Li Xuanli took his wife, daughter, and son back to Piaoxue Courtyard.
Once all three children entered the house, Gao Qingqing pulled her husband, who was about to follow, aside on a small path. She reproached him with displeasure.
"How could you say such things about Yun’er during the banquet? He’s your son. And as for Shuang’er, she just returned. What you said must have hurt her feelings deeply!"
Li Xuanli froze, thought for a moment, and sighed. "It was their fault in the first place. As for Yun’er, let’s not even talk about him. He’s overly petty. If this continues, he won’t achieve much in the future. And Shuang’er, while her cultivation has progressed under Daoist Ganji’s guidance over the years, why has her personality become so reckless?"
"She’s simply protective of her younger brother. Isn’t sibling harmony a good thing?" Gao Qingqing snapped irritably.
Li Xuanli thought about it and agreed, laughing softly. "That’s true."
"You men from the Li family..." Gao Qingqing sighed in exasperation, shaking her head.
Seeing his wife’s dissatisfaction, Li Xuanli responded helplessly, "I couldn’t possibly criticize Hao’er, could I? Fourteen years ago, when Seventh Brother had just finished his campaign, I happened to be recovering from injuries. Otherwise, the task in Yanbei would have fallen on my shoulders instead of his. Now, after years of hardship in Yanbei with Qingqing, how can I possibly admonish their son?"
Gao Qingqing was momentarily speechless. She, of course, understood his reasoning.
Li Xuanli continued, "Besides, Hao’er did nothing wrong. You saw it yourself during the banquet. How intelligent and composed he is, confidently conversing with elders without showing the slightest sign of fear, and speaking without giving offense. Such temperament at his age is truly rare. It’s a pity he can’t cultivate. Otherwise, Shuang’er might not even compare to him."
Gao Qingqing, having just calmed down, grew incensed again at his words of praise and comparison.
She flung her sleeves angrily. "Then why don’t you go live with your precious Hao’er!"
With that, she stormed into the house.
Li Xuanli stood there, dumbfounded. "What did I say wrong? Why is she angry again?"
...
Elsewhere, in Shuihua Courtyard.
Liu Yurong returned to her quarters. As soon as she sat on the soft couch, she let out an annoyed huff and slapped the tea table with her palm.
"That little girl! A future married woman dares to challenge Qianfeng and dreams of competing for the True Dragon Seat. Doesn’t she know her own limits?"
Although the girl had merely said "spar," Liu Yurong clearly understood her underlying intentions. Returning at such a time was a deliberate move to make her ambitions known.
Even though the Li Family's True Dragon Seat had been held by the main branch's men for millennia, there had been exceptions. One such case was a woman centuries ago, who, though she never married, oversaw the family's affairs and became a renowned general of Dayu.
"Does that girl think she can emulate her ancestor?" Liu Yurong scoffed. Her tone softened, yet the corner of her mouth twitched into a subtle smile.
Beside her, an elderly maidservant lowered her head, not daring to make a sound. Yet a trace of sentiment and melancholy flashed in her eyes.
How harmonious and loving the nine courtyards had been when the family’s wives had first arrived. There had been no divides.
But when had things started to change?
Having served the Li family for many years, the maid vaguely recalled.
It seemed the joyous days had ended when the family’s first and third sons perished in battle, leaving behind a heavy shadow over the Li household. From then on, the atmosphere of harmony gradually faded, replaced by subtle rivalries and unspoken grievances.
...
The next day.
Li Hao waited on horseback along a side path near the estate. Before long, the sound of galloping hooves echoed from behind.
"Brother Hao," Li Yuanzhao called out cheerfully, guiding his horse to join Li Hao’s side. The two rode together toward Tangong Academy.
"Did you get enough to eat yesterday?" Li Hao asked casually.
"Enough to burst, almost," Li Yuanzhao replied with a laugh.
Li Hao chuckled.
"Brother Hao," Li Yuanzhao hesitated for a moment before continuing, "my mother has a sharp tongue. Please don’t take her words to heart..."
Li Hao waved a dismissive hand. "There’s no need for that between us brothers. I won’t hold a grudge against your mother."
Relieved, Li Yuanzhao broke into a broad grin. "I knew Brother Hao wouldn’t mind."
He couldn’t help but think back to the events of the previous night and remarked, "At the banquet, everyone was praising Wushuang Cousin, but they don’t realize your abilities have already surpassed hers. By the way, Brother Hao, why didn’t you say anything about that last night?"
Li Hao gently pulled on the reins, letting his horse trot leisurely. "What’s the point of bringing it up? Competing with children for attention is beneath me."
Li Yuanzhao froze for a moment before bursting into laughter. "That’s exactly the kind of thing Brother Hao would say."
"If Cousin Wushuang hears you calling her a child, she’ll probably explode with anger," he added.
"You’re a child too," Li Hao teased with a smirk.
"Brother Hao, come on!" Li Yuanzhao exclaimed in mock exasperation.
Li Hao laughed heartily.
Though initially a bit flustered, Li Yuanzhao soon grinned again. Having spent much of his childhood around Li Hao, he found such banter natural and endearing.
"Still," Li Yuanzhao said thoughtfully, "your cultivation progress will soon become known to the others, Brother Hao. First Madam and the others will find out eventually."
Li Hao nodded, unconcerned. "Once Fu Bo returns from Cangyu City in the next couple of days, the news will likely spread."
He glanced toward the distant horizon and added, "The peaceful days won’t last much longer."
...
Suddenly, Li Hao tugged on the reins, prompting his Crimson Blood Horse to halt. The steed, attuned to its master’s commands, stopped immediately.
Under the shade of a tree ahead stood a figure dressed in snow-white. Judging by the silhouette, it was none other than Li Wushuang.
Li Yuanzhao squinted, recognizing her and paling slightly. "Brother Hao, it’s Cousin Wushuang. Do you think she overheard our conversation just now?"
"Whether she did or not doesn’t matter anymore," Li Hao said calmly.
He furrowed his brow briefly, sensing that avoiding her was unlikely to work. With a sigh, he urged his horse forward.
As they approached, Li Wushuang turned her head, revealing an icy expression. Clearly, she had been waiting for them.
...
"During yesterday’s banquet, I held back because our aunts were present," she said coldly. "But don’t think I’ll let you off the hook for bullying my brother."
"That was years ago! Besides, Li Yun provoked Brother Hao first," Li Yuanzhao quickly interjected.
Li Wushuang shot him a frosty glare. "Stay out of this."
She turned her gaze back to Li Hao. "You’re only a few months older than my brother. The way you bullied him back then, I’ll pay you back today. It’s best if you don’t resist—my strikes may lack restraint."
Li Hao raised an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I hit the boy’s backside back then. Are you planning to hit mine too?"
Li Wushuang froze, her expression turning frosty. "Not your backside—I’ll slap your mouth!"
With that, she suddenly dashed forward, closing the dozen or so meters between them in an instant. Her hand shot out toward Li Hao’s face, her movements honed through years of sword dao training.
Li Hao leaned back slightly in his saddle and countered effortlessly. His hand snapped up to catch hers, redirecting her force as if practicing tai chi. The sudden shift in momentum threw her off balance, and with a subtle application of object manipulation, he pressed her firmly against the horse’s back.
"You—!" Li Wushuang’s pupils shrank in shock as a trace of fear flickered in her eyes.
"Slap my mouth?" Li Hao snorted, his tone cold. "If you weren’t family, you’d be in real trouble."
Without another word, he raised his hand and delivered several sharp smacks to her backside.
"Here’s the revenge for your brother. I went too easy on him back then!"