My vicious dog, my horse, I can do whatever I want with it

When Zong Yan arrived, Han had been waiting for a while.

She raised her eyes and saw Zong Yanli coming in, followed by two boys, one tall and one short. They followed closely and their expressions and temperaments were so similar to Zong Yanli's that Han's eyes turned red and she couldn't help but shed tears.

Maybe it's because I'm getting older, and I become sentimental when I think about something.

Han suppressed the bitterness in her heart, tried to put on a smile, and invited Zong Yanli and the two children to take a seat.

"I'll prepare a list of guests for the banquet later and let mother take a look." Zong Yanli tried to slow down his eating speed as much as possible, cooperating with Han, and said, "Does mother have anyone to invite? If it's a banquet, then let's go together."

"Yes." Han responded, "Now that you have just been named the King of Zhenbei, you will inevitably have to deal with officials in the court in the future. Some bureaucrats need to be made friends with early."

Han whispered to Zong Yanli about the details. Zong Yan had been in Beijing for so many years and had made friends with many bureaucrats. Because of Zong Yanli's relationship, there were inevitably many people who wanted to curry favor with the powerful. The most of them were members of the royal family who wanted to marry their daughters to Zong Yanli as concubines.

Now that Zong Yanli has been conferred the title of King of Zhenbei, appointed as the Prince's Grand Tutor, and in charge of the three armies, those women back then are all sighing in regret, probably regretting why they didn't try harder to propose marriage.

This is great. Zong Yanli’s current status is not something that children from ordinary aristocratic families can achieve.

"Now that Daqian's territory is expanding, many famous scholars have flocked to the capital. If there are any you like, you can recruit them into the Zong Yan family and send them to the court in the future." Han put down her bowl and chopsticks, looked at Zong Yanli with a gentle expression and said, "The war has subsided for now, but it is inevitable that it will happen again in the future."

"Mother is right." Zong Yanli nodded seriously. She had had this idea a long time ago.

"I know you have your own ideas, so I won't say more, mother." Han nodded with satisfaction and looked at Zong Yanli with eyes full of love.

"There is one more thing..." Han paused as he thought about it, then turned to Zong Yan Guanghe and Zong Yan Haoyan and said, "Guanghe, your brother is not good at martial arts, go and teach him some advice."

Zong Yan Guanghe was no longer a child, so he naturally understood that his grandmother had something to say to his father. He stood up obediently, responded, and took Zong Yan Haoyan out.

Han turned around and asked the servants to leave. When only the mother and son were left in the room, Han spoke, "Ali..."

"Mother has thought about this for a long time. After much deliberation, I still want to ask you, now that you are under the emperor's grace, if you tell the world that you are a woman at this time, your twenty years of military merit will be enough to save your life." Han looked at Zong Yanli with distressed eyes and said, "Ali, do you really not want it?"

“Then my efforts over the past twenty years will be in vain.” Zong Yanli shook his head slowly, his eyebrows peaked with a bit of sharpness as he whispered, “The death penalty can be spared, but the Zong Yan family will definitely not be able to survive any longer. The foundation that my father risked his life to build, and the position that the Zong Yan family has finally reached after a hundred years, will all become a joke.”

"Mom, that's not what I want to see."

"My vision is not limited to this. What I want is not temporary fame, but lifetime achievement."

"One day, women will be able to serve as generals, standing in government offices and fighting on battlefields."

“The capable will occupy the place, and the capable will prevail.”

"Mom, this is what I want."

Zong Yanli looked deeply at Han and said, "Mother, don't worry about me. Since I have embarked on this path, I have no intention of taking a step back. I am willing to do it."

Han looked at Zong Yanli in a daze. After many years, she had walked through the flames of war and rain of swords, guns and arrows, but the firm belief in her heart remained the same as before. The words that answered her were the same as before, and she did it willingly.

Han's eyes were filled with tears. She choked for a long time, then slowly nodded and called out, "Ali..."

"Mother, please don't worry too much." Zong Yanli reached out and gently held Han's hand and said, "Now I can stay at home with mother at ease."

"Okay, okay." Han raised the back of her hand to wipe away her tears, then smiled at Zong Yanli.