Before dawn, the lights in the Li residence were already shining brightly.
"Mingke, have you made up your mind?" Li Zengqing's voice was choked with sobs.
Li Mingke bowed deeply to her, saying, "Your unfilial son has caused Mother worry for many years, and even now, as an adult, I have failed to fulfill my duties as a child."
Li Zengqing's tears streamed down his face.
Wu Xilan gently embraced his wife, who was weeping silently.
Li Jianshi patted Li Mingke on the shoulder, "Go ahead, we all believe in you."
After paying respects to his grandfather and parents, Li Mingke bowed to Yingxue, Li Zengqing's personal maid, and said, "Sister Yingxue, although I am the young master of the Li family, I have not fulfilled my duties as young master for many years. Now that I am leaving, I do not know when I will return. My younger sister, Li Pinyue, is qualified to assume the position of young master in both character and cultivation..."
"sister!"
Li Pinyue stood to the side, silent until now. Seeing the tragic tone of Li Mingke's words, which sounded like entrusting her son to someone, she felt sad and loudly stopped her from saying anything.
Li Mingke patted her head, "I didn't say I wouldn't come back. Let's settle things at home first, just in case..."
"There's no 'what if'!"
Li Pinyue hugged her, "Don't say such things... Sister, you'll be back soon."
Compared to Li Mingke, Li Pinyue has always been calm and collected, more like the older sister. But now, her inner vulnerability has finally been fully exposed.
Li Mingke stroked his sister's back with a bitter expression.
She looked towards the back of her mother, and Yingxue nodded slightly to her, placing her hands together on her forehead.
Li Mingke felt relieved.
The family held hands, tears welling in their eyes. Although they had so much to say, they didn't know which words to utter.
It was already broad daylight.
"I'm leaving."
Although reluctant to part, we had to say goodbye.
Li Mingke opened the door, and He Xun had been waiting outside for quite some time.
"Walk?"
"Walk!"
After taking one last look at his family, Li Mingke finally turned around and, with He Xun in tow, walked towards the door.
They would pass through the gates of the Li family, cross Pengzhou, and enter into endless chaos and confusion.
Too many people are waiting for them.
The heavy gates of the mansion finally closed, and the two figures disappeared from sight. The cries in the deep courtyard could no longer be suppressed.
Li Mingke and He Xun concealed their identities and traveled light, finally arriving at Daye Jiangtian after many twists and turns.
He Xun's emotions went from being completely calm to being in turmoil.
"Humans are so insignificant..."
Li Mingke handed the two men's tokens to Jiang Tian's gatekeeper to confirm their identities, then led their horses into the city.
"Of course, even cultivators are helpless against nature."
He Xun sighed.
"What should we do next?" she asked.
Li Mingke replied, "I have already discussed it with His Majesty Wu... and I will need your help from now on."
Wu Xiyu sent his left prime minister, Zuo Qiuran, to meet the two.
"Young Master Li, I am Zuo Xiao, the eldest daughter of the Left Prime Minister, and currently a fifth-rank official. Please come to the Zuo residence to rest."
Li Mingke handed the horse to a servant of the Zuo family and got into the Zuo family's carriage with He Xun.
Left Chancellor Zuo Qiuran was a veteran official and a loyal member of the royalist party. The late emperor respected him greatly, and after Wu Xiyu took office, he devoted himself to assisting him.
Looking at Zuo Xiao now, he exudes a heroic spirit that inspires awe.
Li Mingke sensed that He Xun beside him was a little stiff, so he squeezed her hand.
Zuo Xiao noticed He Xun's unusual behavior and asked softly, "Is Lady Yao feeling unwell?"
"The journey was long and I was a little tired, but thank you for your concern," He Xun explained after coughing twice.
Before long, they arrived at the Left Prime Minister's residence, where the people there were already waiting and ready.
This was the first time Li Mingke had truly looked at Zuo Qiuran.
She had visited Jiangtian several times before, but her attention was not on the Prime Minister Zuo. Today, she finally understood why the Zuo family had stood strong and produced so many talented people.
Zuo Qiuran is over sixty years old, which suggests that she must have had cultivation experience in her youth, as she looks young and has a radiant appearance.
Zuo Xiao looks a lot like her mother.
The Left Prime Minister was very enthusiastic, "Young Master Li, Lady Yao, I am so sorry for not greeting you sooner!"
Li Mingke spoke with her, explaining his purpose. The Left Prime Minister nodded repeatedly, saying that His Majesty had already told her, and she would make the necessary preparations.
Li Mingke initially thought He Xun wasn't feeling well and wanted her to rest first. But when he turned around, he found that He Xun was a completely different person. She had a smile on her face, was dignified, and had the air of a well-bred lady. There was no sign of fatigue at all.
He Xun smiled warmly, maintaining a perfect distance from the Prime Minister, neither distant nor overly affectionate.
"As expected of Lady Yao, your demeanor is unlike that of an ordinary person." The Left Prime Minister clicked his tongue in admiration, then pulled his daughter Zuo Xiao over, "Your Excellency and my daughter should be about the same age, but when my daughter stands next to you, she is like heaven and earth."
He Xun's smile widened. "Your daughter has become a minor official at such a young age. She is truly promising. Like mother, like daughter. I can't help but envy her." He then revealed a sorrowful expression. "I am pitiful for having neither father nor mother. I envy mothers who are kind and daughters who are filial."
The Left Prime Minister readily agreed, taking He Xun's hand and saying, "If Lady Yao is willing to become my goddaughter, I would be overjoyed. It would truly be a blessing I earned in my past life."
The two clasped their hands together, showing a deep mutual respect.
Li Mingke could sense that although He Xun said that, it was definitely not her true thought.
To prevent the plot from going in a strange direction, Li Mingke quickly stopped the two of them.
"Your Excellency, we have come from afar and are exhausted. May we find a room to rest?"
"Yes, yes, yes, take a rest first, the rooms are all ready." With a wink from the Left Prime Minister, someone immediately came to lead Li Mingke and He Xun to their rooms.
The room the Left Prime Minister prepared for them was an extremely quiet place. After the maid left, Li Mingke leaned closer and asked He Xun, "Do you really want to be the Left Prime Minister's daughter?"
He Xun rolled his eyes. "Who cares!" He raised his chin and spoke of the Left Prime Minister with a hint of disdain.
Li Mingke blinked, indicating that he did not understand.
On the other side, the Left Prime Minister and his daughter were also discussing Li Mingke and He Xun.
"Mother, have you really taken a liking to that Yao girl surnamed He?"
The Left Prime Minister sneered, "What Yao girl? If His Majesty is willing to fawn over her, I, as his subject, will do the same. Who knows which remote and impoverished place she comes from, yet she puts on such a convincing act."
Zuo Xiao didn't know what He Xun had done to offend his mother, since she had seemed fine just moments before. So he chuckled awkwardly and changed the subject.
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