“Elder Feng.” Zhao Yusheng looked at Elder Feng and called out softly.

Elder Feng shook his head and didn’t stop walking.

“Big Brother, just come back with us. Don’t make Father angry anymore.” Zhao Xiaoxiao was anxious too.

Big Brother’s nerve this time had really gone too far — it was only natural Father would be angry.

Helpless, Zhao Yusheng turned to look at Feng Jiu’er.

“It’s fine, let’s go back and see.” Feng Jiu’er nodded lightly.

“But, Jiu’er, what my father means is that you have to come back with us too.” Zhao Yusheng’s brow creased as he spoke in a low voice.

“It’s fine.” Feng Jiu’er gave him a reassuring look.

Only after getting Feng Jiu’er’s consent did Zhao Yusheng nod and turn around.

“Everyone, stop making a fuss. I’ll come back with you.” Zhao Yusheng said flatly, glancing at the men.

With no need to come to blows, the brothers naturally let out a sigh of relief.

No one wanted to raise a hand against their own Young Master, but with the old patriarch’s order given, they had no choice but to take it seriously.

Zhao Yusheng glanced back once, then rode his horse forward.

Seeing Feng Jiu’er and the others move forward as well, Zhao Xiaoxiao spurred her horse and caught up with Zhao Yusheng.

“Big Brother, was it fun out there? That wasn’t very nice of you, leaving without taking me along.”

“By the way, why did you come back — have things over at the Ninth Prince’s side all been settled? Bringing my sister-in-law back at a time like this, is it to introduce her to Mother?”

Zhao Xiaoxiao was just as curious about the world outside, but unfortunately, being a girl, leaving was even harder for her.

“Xiaoxiao, Jiu’er is our general, not your sister-in-law. Stop saying nonsense.”

Zhao Yusheng’s gaze only swept briefly over Zhao Xiaoxiao before settling on a man approaching from ahead.

“Young Master.” The approaching man gave Zhao Yusheng a cupped-fist salute, then turned his horse to ride alongside him.

“How is the investigation I asked you to handle coming along?” Zhao Yusheng asked him quietly.

“Young Master, I’ve already sent men out to search. There’s no word back yet.” The man’s voice answered.

“During this period, very few outsiders have fallen into our people’s hands — there shouldn’t be the person you’re looking for, Young Master.”

“Are you certain there’s no one?” Zhao Yusheng’s thick brows knitted slightly.

The man composed himself and shook his head. “There shouldn’t be. I went and checked twice myself, and didn’t see anyone matching your description.”

“Going by the route my bird traced here, the person I’m looking for is very likely somewhere around this area.” Zhao Yusheng glanced around at the surroundings.

“If he hasn’t fallen into our hands yet, he’s likely hiding somewhere nearby.”

“A’Lang, my friend is badly wounded and needs treatment as soon as possible. Speed up the search and find him.”

“Yes, Young Master.” The man nodded. “Now that the Young Master’s back, it’ll be easier for us brothers to get things done.”

No sooner had he spoken than the man saluted Zhao Yusheng once more with cupped fists.

“Young Master, we’ll go get to work then.”

“Mm.” Zhao Yusheng waved a hand.

Watching the man leave, the now-ignored Zhao Xiaoxiao looked thoroughly put out.

“Big Brother, I was talking to you, didn’t you hear me? Jiu’er is a general, but she’s also my sister-in-law — you two already had a wedding ceremony, so why won’t you admit it?”

Glancing sideways at Zhao Xiaoxiao, Zhao Yusheng instinctively looked back.

Seeing no trace of displeasure on Feng Jiu’er’s face, only then did he relax and look away again.

“Xiaoxiao, Jiu’er is our general. Don’t talk nonsense like that again.”

Zhao Yusheng didn’t know why Feng Jiu’er was willing to go back to the stockade with the rest of them — if she hadn’t wanted to, slipping away wouldn’t have been hard for her at all.

Besides, with him there, he wouldn’t let anyone harm her.

“Big Brother, what’s wrong with you? You go out once and come back talking to me so harshly — I don’t want to deal with you anymore!”

With a cold snort, Zhao Xiaoxiao tugged on the reins and quickened her horse’s pace.

“Xiaoxiao.” Zhao Yusheng watched her leave and reached out a hand.

Zhao Xiaoxiao didn’t stop — if anything, she dug her heels into the horse’s sides and rode off quickly.

Zhao Yusheng withdrew his hand and let out a soft sigh.

Feng Jiu’er rode her horse up beside Zhao Yusheng.

“Go and coax her. You’re her big brother — how can you hold things against your own little sister?”

Glancing at Feng Jiu’er, Zhao Yusheng nodded.

“I was a bit anxious just now and didn’t notice.”

“It’s fine. Xiaoxiao’s always been sensible — who knows, maybe she ran into something troubling that made her upset. She’ll be fine in a bit.”

Zhao Yusheng made no move to chase after her — with the people he’d brought back still here, he couldn’t simply walk off.

Looking at Zhao Yusheng, Feng Jiu’er’s mouth curved up slightly.

Wasn’t it him, the big brother, who’d been the one to upset her in the first place?

“Jiu’er, you…” Zhao Yusheng met her gaze and frowned slightly. “If you don’t want to go back to the stockade with me, I can just go on my own.”

“As for my father, he’s actually not that hard to persuade — it’s not that he lacks great ambitions, it’s just that the near-destruction of our Zhao Yu clan back then left too deep a mark.”

“I can understand the old patriarch’s feelings.” Feng Jiu’er looked at him and nodded lightly.

“But, from what I can see, the old patriarch isn’t someone content to settle for the way things are either. You’re his only son — talk to him more, try to persuade him.”

“Jiu’er, are you saying you want me to convince my father to leave the mountain stockade?” Zhao Yusheng met Feng Jiu’er’s gaze, utterly startled.

Such a thing — he hadn’t even dared to imagine it.

Zhao Yusheng knew well enough that his father wasn’t simply a stubborn old fool.

Everything that had led to where things stood now was because of what had happened back then — it had taken the Zhao Yu clan all these years just to reach this point, and it hadn’t been easy at all.

That was exactly why his father had opposed his leaving, time and again.

“All these years, has the old patriarch been building up the Zhao Yu clan’s strength just to keep everyone fed?” Feng Jiu’er asked softly.

Zhao Yusheng looked at Feng Jiu’er, his brows knitting slightly.

“Jiu’er, what you mean is…”

“The people of the Zhao Yu clan number a great many now. Just the young brothers alone are more than a few thousand — feeding everyone has long since stopped being a problem.”

Feng Jiu’er looked ahead, the corners of her mouth curving up slightly.

Even though all that lay ahead was a stretch of dark forest, she seemed able to see the first light of dawn within it.

“Your ancestors, all those years ago, were already a power to be reckoned with in this region.” She composed herself, her voice rising again.

“Even after surviving near-annihilation, they still managed to rise again, never giving up. They could absolutely not have been cowards.”

“Of course not.” Zhao Yusheng shook his head with certainty.

“I know that too.” Feng Jiu’er nodded in response.

She turned her head to meet Zhao Yusheng’s gaze, her expression still cheerful.

“Have you ever considered that your way of thinking is, in fact, the very same as your father’s — even your grandfather’s?”

“As for why, despite all their passion, they still don’t dare leave the mountain stockade — you understand that better than I do.”

Feng Jiu’er didn’t deny that she had her own selfish motives, but if they truly didn’t have it in them, nothing she said would matter anyway.

But if it turned out they really did have such aspirations, she would certainly be willing to lead them all in conquering the world together.

“Either way, the descendants of the Zhao Yu clan will face the world sooner or later. And right now, the key to that is you.”