Cheng Zhiyuan wiped his face, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “What nonsense are you spouting? Your father’s home is right here. Where would I have a wife and children besides you?”

“Then why don’t you stay at home?” Cheng Shu muttered quietly.

Lin Shi’s ears were sharp. She chimed in, “That’s right, Elder Brother. Home is so wonderful. Can you really stand looking at those yellow-haired people overseas every day?”

Cheng Zhiyuan looked at Lin Shi, bitterness hidden in his eyes.

Wanqing was still the same—simple and carefree. No matter how great the troubles, once she had cried and scolded, she let them go.

Still the way… he liked her.

Cheng Zhiyuan hurriedly suppressed this thought firmly, cursing himself for being shameless.

He and Wanqing had grown up together. When he came to understand the taste of romantic feelings, this silly girl was already in his heart.

He still remembered that day when he had mustered his courage, wanting to confess to his adoptive father and mother, only to have Wanqing fly in like a happy bird and tell them she had set her sights on someone.

That someone was the newly appointed scholar Wen Rugui.

Adoptive Father and Adoptive Mother had only this one precious daughter. Unsurprisingly, after Wanqing’s repeated wheedling, they complied with her wishes.

Very quickly, the silly girl he secretly liked became someone else’s wife. The matter of the heart he had gathered courage to speak of could only remain a matter of the heart from then on.

Adoptive Father said he couldn’t let the Cheng family line die out, or else he would be a sinner who wronged his good brother. So then he married a wife, had a son, and lost his wife.

The Cheng family had an heir. He finally didn’t need to remarry to continue the family line. But Wen Manor was so close to the General’s Manor, and Wanqing returned so frequently. He knew he had to go far, far away, so his sordid thoughts wouldn’t break through reason, and so he wouldn’t feel his heart being cut by knives because of Wanqing’s intimacy with that man.

Sure enough, after leaving, it became much more bearable.

“Elder Brother, what are you thinking about?” Seeing Cheng Zhiyuan spacing out, Lin Shi pushed him.

Cheng Zhiyuan came back to his senses and began talking about overseas customs and local conditions. Everyone listened in fascination.

“I brought back quite a few interesting things this time. Running into Wanqing and A’Hao so suddenly, I didn’t have time to bring them.” Cheng Zhiyuan explained the reason for this return. “News of our opening up maritime trade spread there. Some foreign merchants decided to come see for themselves. When I heard about it, I came back with them.”

“Zhiyuan, do you want to engage in maritime trade?”

Cheng Zhiyuan didn’t know Old Madam’s attitude toward this matter, but he knew his adoptive mother had always been open-minded and tolerant, so he never thought of concealing it. “I do have this idea. This child is familiar with the situations in various overseas countries, can speak their languages, and over these years has also acquired my own cargo ships and personnel. If the court’s news about opening maritime trade is true, it would be a pity not to pursue this business…”

Lin Hao listened quietly, hearing quite a lot from this uncle’s modest account whom she hadn’t seen in many years.

At sea there weren’t just merchants—there were also pirates. To protect one’s own cargo ships, the so-called “personnel” certainly weren’t that simple.

At this moment a maid reported that Second Son-in-law had arrived.

Cheng Zhiyuan turned his head and saw a young man upright as a pine tree walk in.

That somewhat familiar handsome face made him look uncertainly at Lin Shi.

This young man seemed to be from the neighboring household—

Before his confusion could continue, Lin Shi smiled. “A’Hao married in April this year. She wed Prince Jing’s heir. Elder Brother, you’ve met him before.”

Cheng Zhiyuan couldn’t help but be shocked.

It really was that sickly boy!

His sharp eyes swept over the young man with a smile at the corner of his mouth, becoming increasingly surprised and doubtful.

He too had practiced martial arts since childhood and had solid skills. Naturally he could see that the young man before him had bright energy and clear spirit, with restrained vitality. His constitution certainly couldn’t be weak.

“Hearing that Uncle had returned, I came late. Please don’t take offense.” Qi Shuo cupped his hands and bowed.

The moment Cheng Zhiyuan saw the dignified young prince being so courteous, his heart settled.

This world constrained women greatly but was far more tolerant toward men. A man of noble status showing respect and deference to his wife’s family was mostly because he respected and cherished his own wife.

After exchanging pleasantries with Qi Shuo, Cheng Zhiyuan asked, “Where is Chan’er?”

There was no reason his return would only be reported to Second Son-in-law.

Old Madam smiled. “Chan’er has also married. She’s recently with child. Since it was late today, we didn’t send word. We’ll have her come back tomorrow.”

“Which family did Chan’er marry into?”

“The grandson of the Han family from the Minister of War’s manor.”

“Truly wonderful, truly wonderful.” Cheng Zhiyuan nodded repeatedly.

When he had left last time, Lin Chan and Lin Hao were still young girls. Now both had found good matches. His mood inevitably became somewhat stirred.

He looked at Cheng Shu again.

Cheng Shu was bewildered by the expectation in his father’s eyes.

Old Madam guessed what her adopted son wanted to ask and said with a smile, “Recently I’ve been inquiring about several families for Shu’er. Since you’ve just returned, you can help make the decision.”

Cheng Zhiyuan hurriedly waved his hands. “Shu’er’s marriage is entirely for Adoptive Mother to decide. This child is rarely in the capital—how would I know which family’s daughter is good?”

Cheng Shu’s eyes lit up. “Grandmother, you’re arranging a match for me?”

Previously Grandmother had asked him once, but then there had been no movement. He had no idea why.

“Eager to marry a wife?” Old Madam asked with a chuckle.

Cheng Zhiyuan had thought his son would blush at the elder’s teasing, but unexpectedly Cheng Shu grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth. “Then you can hold your great-grandson all the sooner.”

Cheng Zhiyuan: “…” Now he knew why his son still hadn’t married—the foolish boy hadn’t caught on yet.

The sky had darkened. A maid came to inquire about serving dinner.

Old Madam rose. Lin Hao stepped forward to support her arm, and the family walked together toward the dining hall.

Cheng Zhiyuan looked at the family members gathered around and still asked, “Is brother-in-law… busy?”

At these words, Cheng Zhiyuan felt the atmosphere suddenly drop, and everyone’s faces lost their smiles.

He immediately thought of Adoptive Father who had died of illness and looked at Lin Shi in shock.

Could it be that Wen Rugui was also gone?

The moment this conjecture arose, his first reaction was heartache. Heartache that Lin Shi had lost her beloved husband, heartache that the Lin Hao sisters had lost the father who was their support.

Then other emotions surged up.

Even someone as slow as Lin Shi understood the look in Cheng Zhiyuan’s eyes. In the tense atmosphere she actually snorted with laughter. “Elder Brother, what are you thinking? Evil lives a thousand years—he couldn’t possibly die. We severed our义 bond.”

“Severed the bond?” With a clatter, the chopsticks in Cheng Zhiyuan’s hand fell onto the table.

By now Lin Shi had long since let it go. In a few brief sentences she explained the matter clearly. Listening made Cheng Zhiyuan’s face turn iron-blue, wishing he could immediately grab a blade and hack that dog to pieces.

“Elder Brother needn’t dirty his hands. Whether he’s well or poorly in the future has nothing to do with us.”

In fact, the current Wen Rugui could be described as living a fate worse than death.

“Wanqing, you’re right.” Cheng Zhiyuan showed a hearty smile identical to his son’s.

That night Cheng Zhiyuan naturally stayed at the General’s Manor. Lin Hao and Qi Shuo returned to the prince’s manor and discussed Cheng Zhiyuan’s return to the capital.

“A’Shuo, since Uncle wants to cooperate with the court on maritime trade, help make an introduction for him.”

“I’m afraid it won’t be necessary.”

The next day indeed confirmed Qi Shuo’s words—Cheng Zhiyuan was actually summoned into the palace.