Chapter 304: Meeting the Parents

After a grueling half-day of waiting, Gu Yanxi finally found himself face-to-face with Wu Yong.

"Your Highness," Gu Yanxi greeted, his tone steady, sharp, and wrapped in restrained authority.

"Spare the formalities," Wu Yong replied curtly, his voice as blunt as his demeanor. Gu Yanxi's sharp gaze narrowed as it swept over Wu Yong, clad head to toe in full armor. His voice cut through the air like a blade, "Why the war gear? Are we bracing for battle?"

Without a word, Wu Yong removed his helmet, placing it heavily on the table, and drained an entire pot of tea like a man who hadn't had a moment's peace in days. Only then did he speak, his voice weighted with fatigue, "The grasslands are stirring with unrest. I heard you were in the city last night and planned to meet you at the manor. But before the sun even thought about rising, news of trouble

Gu Yanxi leaned back slightly, his mind already dissecting the implications. "Word has it the grasslands haven't seen rain in over three months. The fields are ruined, and the livestock—cattle, sheep, everything—are dying by the hundreds."

Wu Yong nodded, his tone grim. "Correct. I've already filed a report."

Gu Yanxi's brow creased, his thoughts razor-sharp and unforgiving. "I'll bring it to His Majesty's attention when I return. For now, act as you see fit. Handle it swiftly."

Wu Yong's shoulders seemed to loosen slightly, though his edge remained. "That would be ideal. I won't sugarcoat it—our borders are a hair's breadth from chaos."

Gu Yanxi's lips curved into a wry smile, sharp as a knife. "When have our borders ever been stable? It's the same dance every year—guard the gates and hold the line."

For a moment, Wu Yong was caught off guard, then laughed—a short, bitter sound. He couldn't argue. The Wu family had been bred for this very purpose, after all.

Without another word, Gu Yanxi pulled a folded piece of paper from his chest, extending it toward Wu Yong. "Keep these people under close watch."

Wu Yong opened the document, his eyes scanning the names with the sharp precision.

Weren't these the same notorious folks who once ran wild in Yingshan Pass? "Are they playing at something deeper?"

"It's far too soon to pin them with ulterior motives, but one thing's for sure—they've got their own schemes brewing. Now, if I told you they're working as a group, would you believe it?"

"A group?" Wu Yong's expression turned stormy. These people? Sworn enemies, every last one of them. He'd heard his men endlessly gossip about their constant clashes—skirmishes that left neither side backing down. And now they expect us to buy into this charade? Who the hell do they think they're fooling?

"Keep your eyes on them," came the calm yet cutting order.

"Understood," Wu Yong replied stiffly.

Gu Yanxi lifted his teacup, taking a measured sip, his tone sharp but detached. "The Hua family must not draw undue attention. Keep their movements controlled."

Wu Yong's grin, however, betrayed defiance. "Your Highness, the Hua family's current standing has nothing to do with me. Elder Hua's talents are undeniable. One effortless move, and he's achieved all this. A man like him in my ranks, and you expect me to leave him untapped? That's not going to happen. With him here, everything runs smoother for me—and honestly, I'm aiming for an even easier ride."

"How you use them is up to you," he cautioned, "but when you write your report, don't mention them excessively. You should understand the principle of 'too much of a good thing is a bad thing'."

Wu Yong, clearly understanding his concerns, nodded. "Then I'll take credit for some of the achievements."

"Use them as you see fit," Gu Yanxi warned with a measured edge, "but when you draft your report, don't go overboard singing their praises. A little discretion will save you from drowning in the old truth: too much of a good thing turns sour fast."

Wu Yong, catching the drift with a knowing smirk, gave a sharp nod. "Fine, then I'll claim a slice of the glory for myself."

"See that you do," Gu Yanxi shot back, his eyes locked on the man whose spirits seemed noticeably brighter. "And tell me—are you fully recovered?"

"Yes, those two masters are impressive," Wu Yong said, his gaze flickering with something unreadable. Then, with a calculated pause, he asked, "But why didn't you bring the Junzhu along this time?"

Gu Yanxi's stare hardened, cutting through the air like a blade, and Wu Yong, sensing the shift, was on the brink of steering the conversation elsewhere when Gu Yanxi's voice came low and deliberate. "She'll be here in a few days."

That lit a spark in Wu Yong's eyes, but he quickly masked it, smoothly pivoting the conversation to safer ground.

Gu Yanxi thoughtfully watched him. He had always let Shao Yao do as she pleased, and she would never be without a place to go.

*

The sun was setting when the study door finally opened.

Hua Baili, standing vigil like a restless sentinel, first cast a sharp glance at his elder sister before delivering the news with a measured edge: "Mr. Lu has been here for quite some time."

The father and sons felt a mix of emotions, but no matter what they thought in their hearts, they had to meet. Strictly speaking, they were already involved in a clandestine relationship.

If others found out, who knew what kind of rumors would spread?

Once they met, even if their relationship wasn't officially recognized, it would be out in the open. The Hua family's unspoken approval would silence prying tongues, leaving outsiders powerless to judge or interfere.

Hua Pingyu pursed his lips. When had the scholarly Hua family ever been involved in such a thing? Yet, his daughter Zhi'er had poured her very soul into the family's survival, enduring sacrifices that would have broken lesser spirits, and as her father, he had to grit his teeth and bear it.

Gu Yanxi lingered in the grand hall, sharing space with the second branch of the esteemed Hua family. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation, his senses alert to every sound. The moment the soft echo of footsteps reached his ears, he straightened, moving forward with purpose. As Hua Yizheng and the rest strode in, commanding the room with their presence, Gu Yanxi dipped into a respectful bow, his voice steady yet reverent. "This junior pays his respects to all esteemed elders."

The weight of the moment hung heavy, the kind that pulls at a man's composure. Meeting the family of one's lover—it was a blend of awkwardness and vulnerability. Hua Zhi stood nearby, her cheeks flushed with the unmistakable warmth of embarrassment and joy colliding. Yet, despite the swirl of emotions, her lips curved into a radiant smile—a quiet but undeniable declaration of her happiness.

Hua Yizheng glanced at him and sighed inwardly. He softened his expression and waved his hand, "No need for formalities. Our home is simple. Don't laugh at us, Mr. Lu."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Gu Yanxi answered with perfect courtesy, though beneath the surface, his nerves betrayed him. He could stand tall before an emperor without flinching, yet right now, his palms were damp, and his pulse hammered in his ears.

Hua Yizheng's gaze lingered, dissecting this man named Lu—a figure he'd crossed paths with only a handful of times. Zhi'er's cryptic words echoed in his mind: Lu's background was a tangled web that couldn't be unraveled lightly. This wasn't just some run-of-the-mill character. The way Lu carried himself, radiating a quiet authority, made it clear he wasn't a subordinate. But then, where in the hell had someone like this emerged from in the capital?

Could he be a newcomer?

He didn't want Zhi'er to be involved with someone with a complicated identity, but Zhi'er's reasoning struck hard and true. No man would stick around for meal after meal unless he was genuinely interested. And no man would follow her thousands of miles unless he truly cared. And the way he treated her—with such deliberate respect—wasn't just noticeable; it was downright disarming.

And there was another cold, hard truth that couldn't be ignored. Zhi'er's future prospects for marriage were slim at best. She was too formidable, too sharp. Men would line up for her competence, her skills, her ability to dominate any room she walked into—but not for her. Not for the woman behind all that brilliance. Most men couldn't stomach being eclipsed by their wife, and that imbalance would turn any marriage into a ticking time bomb.

But here was a man—a rare one—who didn't just tolerate Zhi'er's fire but matched it, step for step. A man who could stand alongside her, not in her shadow. If someone like that appeared in her orbit, it wasn't just a matter of interest—it was a decision that required serious consideration.

Sighing again in his heart, Hua Yizheng said, "Zhi'er told me you've looked after the Hua family with great care. I owe you my gratitude for that."

Gu Yanxi shrugged it off with effortless grace. "I haven't done much. If anything, it's because Ah Zhi is so capable. Honestly, she's been the one helping me more than I've helped her."

The tension in the room eased just slightly. It was a relief that he wasn't flaunting arrogance or puffing up his ego. They'd all been bracing for a man who might dismiss Zhi'er's value simply because of his contributions to their family.

But Hua Pingyu broke through the moment with his pointed words. "Mr. Lu, do your elders approve of how entangled you've become with the Hua family?"

Gu Yanxi met the challenge without flinching, his tone cool but sharp. "Please, just call me Yanxi, Uncle. My parents passed away years ago. I don't answer to anyone but myself."

His parents were already gone?

Hua Pingyu looked at his father. In other words, they didn't have to worry about his family looking down on Zhi'er.

That was good.

The atmosphere was a little awkward, and everyone felt a little uncomfortable. Hua Zhi, clearly unable to endure the suffocating silence any longer, shot to her feet with a forced smile and declared, "I'll go check what's in the kitchen." Her exit, though abrupt, was a welcome reprieve for her.

But the absence of her presence only deepened the oppressive stillness. The quiet stretched on, unbearable, until Gu Yanxi finally decided to shatter it, his voice steady but laced with a raw determination. "My feelings for Ah Zhi are genuine," he said, his gaze sharp and unflinching. "I respect her, I treasure her, and I swear to remain loyal to her. I will never—ever—do anything to tarnish her name. I need you to believe that."

His frank attitude made people feel good. Hua Yizheng's sharp eyes swept over the man standing below, assessing every detail. The scar etched across his face gave him a rugged, almost menacing air, but it couldn't hide the truth revealed in his actions. The moment he'd walked into the room, his gaze had instinctively sought out Zhi'er, and the flicker of tenderness in his eyes had been unmistakable—genuine, raw, and impossible to counterfeit.

Even now, the subtle tension in his posture, the way his nerves betrayed him as he stood before them, spoke volumes about how much their opinion mattered to him. Whatever doubts they had about him faded slightly in the face of these truths. For all his rough edges, this man wasn't half bad.



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