The usually bustling capital was teeming with people, countless individuals crammed together, yet soldiers firmly held them back. The cacophony of voices was incredibly loud.
A man dressed in bright red, dressed as a top scholar, rode a tall horse, his face and eyes beaming with joy. Countless women watched him shyly from the side, their handkerchiefs falling like snowflakes, hoping to win the favor of the top scholar.
A fragrant breeze wafted by, and Liu Yishui, brimming with pride and confidence, felt a sense of triumph. All his years of hard work and studying had finally paid off; it truly was a case of "ten years of studying in obscurity, but one success that makes him famous throughout the land."
The group quickly arrived at a small courtyard. A woman dressed simply but with delicate features walked out, supporting her pregnant belly. Her eyes widened slightly, filled with surprise.
"Liu Lang, you're back!" The woman rushed forward and grabbed Liu Yishui's arm, bursting into tears of joy.
"Don't cry, I'm back now, aren't I?" Liu Yishui reached out and patted the woman's shoulder, pulling her into his arms with a tender expression.
With tears in her eyes, the woman leaned against the man's not-so-broad shoulder, feeling a sense of peace and contentment. After a while, receiving no response, she couldn't help but feel a little confused. She looked up slightly, her pupils shrinking in surprise.
A gleaming sword was held to his neck, and Liu Yishui's expression froze. Cold sweat poured down his face, soaking his official robes and making the once-proud top scholar look rather disheveled.
"Who...who are you?" Liu Yishui mustered his courage and stammered as he looked at the unfamiliar man in front of him.
"Who I am is none of your business." The handsome man in white glanced at Liu Yishui with a cold look, and Liu Yishui felt a chill run down his spine.
Only Kong Qingyan stared wide-eyed at the familiar face before her, her lips moving but unable to speak, "Senior Brother..."
If Liu Xi had seen Kong Qingyan looking so helpless in the past, he would have felt sorry for her. But now, he had been hardened by experience, after all, the scar on his arm was still hurting!
"You still remember that I am your senior brother." Liu Xi said this, his expression unreadable.
Senior brother? Liu Yishui's brow twitched slightly. Could it be that Qingyan was hiding something from him? Thinking that they had been married for three years, and that she was still keeping such an important matter from him, he couldn't help but feel a little displeased.
"Senior brother, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have run away. But Liu Lang and I are truly in love, and I don't want to go back. Please, for the sake of our many years as fellow disciples, forgive me this time and just pretend you didn't see me."
Tears welled in Kong Qingyan's eyes. Her senior brother had found her, which meant her parents knew too. Thinking of the changes her father had undergone over the past thousand years, she felt even more reluctant to go back. In recent years, her father had become increasingly strange and domineering, even forcing her into arranged marriages against her will. He was no longer the loving father she once was.
In the past, Liu Xi might have genuinely felt sorry for his junior sister and let her go. However, his master had recently issued a clear order: anyone who dared to conceal information would have their cultivation revoked, be expelled from the Lingyun Sect, and become its enemy. The Tang Sect had already launched an attack, and the Enforcement Hall had also begun its operations. If the Lingyun Sect couldn't hand over their junior sister, it would likely escalate into a conflict between the two factions. The marriage proposal had failed, turning into a feud.
Although Lingyun Sect has been famous for many years, it is still no match for the power of Tang Sect, especially since they are indeed in the wrong. The only way to appease Tang Sect's anger is to have Junior Sister found.
Although he felt great pity for his junior sister, his master's orders were more important.
“Come with me—” Liu Xi wrapped his arms around Liu Yishui’s neck, his sword held against her neck. With just a little force, she would be decapitated. “Junior Sister, don’t even think about resisting. You can’t beat me.”
Besides, your husband is still in my hands. Liu Xi silently said these words to himself, glancing at Liu Yishui's handsome and frail face. He just couldn't understand how his junior sister, who was cherished by the entire sect, could fall for such a weak scholar.
Liu Xi had indeed caught Kong Qingyan red-handed. She could disregard anyone or anything, but she couldn't disregard her husband, the father of the child in her womb.
"Senior brother, do you really think I'm like my father, willing to sacrifice my happiness for the support of the Tang Sect? Have you ever cared about my feelings?" Kong Qingyan held her stomach, tears streaming down her face, and cried out in grievance. How could this little girl, who had always been pampered, bear even the slightest grievance?
Seeing a hint of reluctance on Liu Xi's face, Kong Qingyan pressed on, "I'm already pregnant with Liu Lang's child, so there's no way I can marry Tang Chi. Tang Chi won't be interested in me, so let's break off the engagement. Our Lingyun Sect is very powerful and doesn't need the Tang Clan's support at all."
Little did he know, these words instantly changed Liu Xi's mind. He looked at Kong Qingyan with resolute eyes, "Junior Sister, now is not the time for your willfulness. How could a mere mortal be worthy of you? This child shouldn't even exist. Come back with me—"
"My wife, don't let me hold you back. Protect our child. In broad daylight, I don't believe he would dare to kill me." Liu Yishui's eyes were firm. After all, he was a man, how could he let his wife be controlled by others because of him?
Moreover, the law is all-encompassing and inescapable; he simply couldn't believe that these people could continue to act so recklessly.
As a wife, Kong Qingyan naturally understood her husband. In the past, she admired her husband's wisdom, justice, and determination, but in this situation, she seemed naive.
After all, immortals are not bound by worldly constraints.
“I…” Kong Qingyan took a deep breath, and was about to say “I will go back with you” when she was interrupted by a voice.
"Of course they're going back, but not with you, they're going with us." The arrogant male voice echoed unrestrainedly in the courtyard, and then a flamboyant red figure drifted into everyone's sight.
Liu Xi's expression tightened upon seeing this man; the other's aura was definitely no less than his own, perhaps even stronger. Moreover, it carried a strangely familiar feeling, making him very uncomfortable. Liu Yishui, held hostage by this man, also looked at him with some confusion.
"What? You don't recognize me after three years? You used to call me father-in-law so affectionately." The handsome man in red smirked as he spoke.
"You... how could this be?" Liu Yishui had a good memory and immediately realized the other person's identity, but looking at the two completely opposite faces and figures, it was really hard to equate the two people.
"It's you?" Liu Xi's face was tense. More than two years ago, he had already discovered his junior sister's whereabouts. Each time, he was stopped by the three of them and even suffered injuries many times, which prevented him from bringing his junior sister back as he wished, resulting in the current dilemma.
"These two are under my protection. If you know what's good for you, get lost!" Tang Chi stood on the wall, looking down at them.
Li Mu, standing beside him, looked proud, while Wuyou, dressed in a blue robe, had a blank expression, still as impetuous as ever.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
