Chapter 440: Must Not Be Offended, How Could There Be No Regrets?

"Madam. It’s been a while."

Qi Peiyao’s expression shifted as she seemed to wrack her brain, trying to recall when she had ever met such a stunningly beautiful girl.

Suddenly, she pushed herself up in bed and sat bolt upright, exclaiming with delight, "It’s you!"

Hu Lie and Wei Ting were still locked in close combat, their movements a dazzling, chaotic blur to all who watched.

Watching from the side, Zhao Mingyan watched their every move with a frown, showing no intention of stopping them. Li Yuzong, in turn, stood quietly to the side.

Qi Peiyao raised her voice. "Hu Lie! You knock it off for me, right now!"

Hu Lie’s great hammer was a blur of afterimages. He managed to shout back, "Wife, I’m about to win! Just a moment longer!"

Qi Peiyao placed her hands on her barrel-like waist and said, "Hu Lie! If you don’t listen to me, when this child is born, I won’t even let you have a single look!"

Hu Lie froze. This was his greatest fear, and he immediately pulled back.

Wei Ting hastily broke off the engagement. He wasn’t skilled in close-quarters combat to begin with, and beads of sweat had already formed on his forehead.

Hu Lie, panting like an ox, said, "You brat, you’re more slippery than an eel in water."

Wei Ting gave a slight bow with his hands clasped and chuckled. "And you’re stronger and sturdier than a black bear in the mountains."

Qi Peiyao got out of bed, slipped on her shoes, and walked over to Ji Qingwu. She circled her once.

"It is you. I knew it."

Such a fine figure, such incredible medical skills... how could you possibly be just an ordinary village woman?

Qi Peiyao took her hand, guided it to her own belly, and said with starry eyes, "This is how you should look. So beautiful I could stare all day. If my child could grow up to be as beautiful as you, I’d be one satisfied mother."

Li Yuzong thought to himself: ’In your dreams. Our Miss Ji’s beauty could topple cities. That’s not a wish easily granted.’

Qi Peiyao, now on a roll, asked, "Where’s that little husband of yours? Why isn’t he with you?"

Wei Ting frowned, recalling how Ji Qingwu had spouted nonsense back at Black Wind Village, even claiming she had seven children.

Ji Qingwu tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"You must be mistaken, Madam."

At the time, she never thought she’d see this den of bandits again, which was why she’d spouted such nonsense.

But she certainly never imagined that her cover would be blown right in front of Emperor Wu Su.

Qi Peiyao glanced at Wei Ting and said, "Ah, I get it. I understand."

The moment Ji Qingwu saw her expression, she knew Qi Peiyao didn’t understand at all. She wanted to cover the woman’s mouth, but as she raised her hand, Qi Peiyao thought she wanted to hold hands. She grasped Ji Qingwu’s hand in return and lowered her voice to inquire.

"Is this your new flame? He looks quite dashing. He even fought Hu Lie for you, trying to protect you. Not bad."

Qi Peiyao thought she was whispering, but everyone present was a martial artist with sharp hearing and had already heard every word.

Wei Ting’s brow twitched, and he turned to look at Ji Qingwu’s expression.

Ji Qingwu couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on.

She stole a glance past the crowd at Emperor Wu Su, who had been silent ever since he entered the room.

Zhao Mingyan’s gaze met hers, his eyes filled with dark, heavy clouds.

Ji Qingwu couldn’t discern the emotions in his eyes, but she could feel the gloomy calm before a storm.

’It’s over... it’s all over...’

Qi Peiyao could see with her own eyes that Ji Qingwu was flustered, her eyes glittering like scattered stars.

She also glanced at the man standing off to the side, then suddenly pinched Ji Qingwu’s arm.

Qi Peiyao had seen Li Chengxun, so she knew the heights of male beauty. She had also met General Zhenbei, Wei Ting, and understood what an elegant and dashing general could look like.

But neither of them was as dazzling as the man before her now—breathtaking at a single glance.

Qi Peiyao pointed and said, "Hey, that one... the one over there..."

Seeing her dare to point at the Emperor, Ji Qingwu quickly pushed her hand down and whispered, "This man’s status is extremely high—"

Qi Peiyao cut her off, unable to hide her excitement. "Is he interested in you?"

Her voice was too loud for anyone to pretend they hadn’t heard.

Ji Qingwu was speechless. "..."

"See? He even raised an eyebrow! I was right," Qi Peiyao continued. "He’s been staring at you this whole time."

Ji Qingwu took a sharp breath. Of course she knew he was looking at her; his gaze felt like a heavy weight on the top of her head.

Her back went stiff. She tugged on Qi Peiyao’s sleeve.

"You mustn’t offend this person."

"I know, I know. I definitely won’t make a move on a man you like. I definitely won’t offend him," Qi Peiyao sighed. "No wonder you didn’t want me to introduce you to anyone. Both of these men are one in a million."

Ji Qingwu said, "And that one is the dragon among dragons—the kind of true dragon who can have your head removed from your shoulders."

Qi Peiyao stared blankly at Ji Qingwu. "For real?"

Hu Feng overheard what Ji Qingwu said. A man of high status, a "true dragon"... who else could he be?

He took a deep breath, immediately stepped forward, and knelt. "Hu Feng pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

Hu Lie and Hu Chen froze for a moment, then scrambled to kneel behind their older brother.

"We pay our respects to Your Majesty!"

Qi Peiyao also came to her senses and knelt behind Hu Lie, hoping the Emperor would forget her audacious remarks.

Only then did Zhao Mingyan leisurely step forward to stand before them all.

Hu Feng said, "This commoner did not know of Your Majesty’s arrival, which is why... which is why I was disrespectful."

Zhao Mingyan’s gaze swept over the tops of their heads. Just as everyone’s palms began to sweat, he said, "There is no crime in ignorance."

The Hu Family’s Three Brothers breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear that cold voice speak again.

"What is your relationship to Old General Hu?"

Hu Feng’s brows furrowed, a thousand different emotions welling up inside him.

The Hu Family had been loyal and valiant for generations. Both their grandfather and their father had died in the battle to defend Yuezhou. Their mother, overcome with grief, passed away from sorrow within two years.

Hu Feng had to be both father and mother, struggling to raise his two younger brothers.

Their once-great house of ringing bells and elaborate feasts fell from grace. It wasn’t easy for him, a grown man, to provide for his two younger brothers.

Hu Lie could eat five huge bowls of rice in one sitting, but he trained hard in martial arts and never slacked off. Hu Chen was clever, with a fondness for strange and peculiar things, and he loved to read books on military strategy, his mind always active.

As the eldest brother, Hu Feng would have sold the pot from his stove and the iron from his walls to support them.

A few years ago, Hu Feng had wanted to take his brothers to enlist in the renowned and high-spirited Northern Border Army. But when the garrison commander in Longzhou was recruiting, he not only went through the motions but also demanded bribes for enlistment spots.

When a man’s luck runs out, even drinking cold water can get stuck in his teeth. A wealthy local gentleman in Longzhou falsely accused Hu Lie of stealing Silver Taels and wanted to hand him over to the government for punishment. This forced the eldest brother, the most righteous of them all, to abandon the proper path and flee into the night with his two brothers to become bandits.

Afterward, they were targeted by spies from Xijin... By the time Hu Feng discovered that the "brothers" who had helped them establish their own mountain stronghold were actually Xijin agents, it was too late.

A family of loyal generals for generations, forced by circumstance to become outlaws in the wilderness. How could these strapping young men, in the prime of their passionate youth, not be filled with regret?

Zhao Mingyan repeated his question, his gaze profound.

"Old General Hu, who defended Yuezhou with the vow that he would stand as long as the city stood, a man overflowing with noble righteousness—what is he to you?"

Tears welled up in the eyes of the Hu Family’s Three Brothers. They cried out in unison.

"He was our grandfather!"