Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

Li Ruoyue and Li Jing clung to each other, spending this seemingly simple yet incredibly warm and ordinary New Year's Eve together. For this father and daughter, such a warm New Year's Eve was truly a luxury and a long-awaited moment. However, warm moments are always fleeting. As the New Year's Eve bells gradually faded and the new year quietly approached, Li Jing, filled with reluctance but also with helplessness, whispered to Li Ruoyue, "Yue'er, father must leave. There are still many matters in the military camp that need your attention."

Li Ruoyue stared at her father's embarrassed expression. She knew very well that her father had a heavy responsibility, so she suppressed her inner loss and attachment, and tried to force a smile to comfort her father: "Father, I understand. National affairs are more important than Mount Tai. You can go without worry!" Although she said it lightly, her eyes had already turned slightly red.

Li Jing gazed at his daughter's smiling face, a wave of guilt suddenly welling up in his heart. For all these years, his daughter hadn't been by his side, relying solely on simple letters to express their thoughts and concerns. Now, having finally had the chance to spend an unforgettable New Year's Eve with her, he had to bid her farewell in a hurry to return to the army to attend to the complexities of his duties. The thought of this pierced his heart.

Li Jing gazed into his daughter's eyes and spoke solemnly, "Yue'er, you can rest assured! Your father will drive those Xiongnu out of the country and let them know the power of the Central Plains. After this battle, they will not dare to invade our borders for years to come. As long as they hear the great reputation of our Northwest Army, they will never dare to invade the south again!"

Li Ruoyue looked at her father's solemn expression, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly, revealing a gentle smile. She responded firmly, "Father, you have always been the most remarkable hero! I firmly believe that you will achieve immediate success and return triumphantly. However, father, I do have a plan, but I wonder if it will work? Although this plan may be somewhat unfavorable to the harmony of nature, it will not harm the interests of the Great Shun Kingdom in the slightest."

Li Jing's originally solemn expression instantly became even more solemn after hearing his daughter's words. He said in a deep voice, "Yue'er, neither you nor I are saints. It's difficult to have the best of both worlds. The situation is urgent now. All we can do is to protect the people of Dashun with all our strength. As for other things, it's difficult to take care of them all. As long as we have a clear conscience and serve our country, that's enough!"

Li Ruoyue stared at the answer her father handed her, and the confusion in her heart gradually dissipated. She raised her head and looked at her father with a firm gaze, her expression solemn and serious. She slowly said, "Father, in my opinion, in this vast universe, all things follow certain natural laws, as if everything is predetermined. Look at the spring, when the flowers bloom and the earth is full of vitality; then, when autumn comes, the leaves fall and the fruits are abundant. And the sun hangs high in the sky, rising in the east and setting in the west every day. This scene has never changed since ancient times. The four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter alternate and repeat themselves, which is also an eternal and unchanging law."

Li Ruoyue paused, took a deep breath, and continued, "When we calm down and carefully explore the laws underlying this, we'll readily discover that spring is a beautiful season of rebirth, a crucial time for all living things to thrive and reproduce. If we were to launch a war and send our armies out at this time, what would the consequences be? Remember, at this very moment, both birds and animals, as well as humans themselves, are in the process of nurturing new life. If these newly born hopes were ruthlessly strangled in their infancy, wouldn't that race or ethnic group lose the precious opportunity to thrive and multiply? A single occurrence might be tolerable, but if this behavior were repeated repeatedly, what would the ultimate outcome be? I'm afraid that by then, the entire race or ethnic group would decline, unable to continue their offspring!"

After listening to the entire plan quietly, Li Jing felt a chill run down his spine, and sweat instantly broke out. Although he knew that if this plan was successfully implemented, it would undoubtedly be an excellent way to solve the current predicament once and for all, he was also well aware that it contained huge risks and violated the principles of heaven.

Yet, as he recalled the crimes the invaders had committed against him, his anger flared up again. These despicable invaders had brazenly invaded their homeland, arbitrarily seizing their fertile land. They had mercilessly slaughtered innocent civilians, even sparing helpless women and young children. Their heinous atrocities were too numerous to list! Now, they were simply retaliating, tooth for tooth. What was there to hesitate about?

While ethics and morality might have a restraining effect on those with a conscience, facing such a ruthless and unscrupulous enemy, insisting on so-called morality, ethics, and humanity would be profoundly irresponsible to one's own people and the people one deeply loves. Thinking of this, Li Jing's restless heart gradually calmed. Once his mind had fully calmed, he turned to his daughter, Li Ruoyue, with a solemn yet calm expression, and slowly said, "Yue'er, I already know how to handle this matter. You need no longer interfere in this matter. Leave everything to me."

Li Ruoyue stared at her father quietly, her eyes revealing a hint of obedience and cleverness. She nodded slightly and softly replied, "I understand, father." As soon as he finished speaking, Li Jing slowly extended his broad, warm palm and gently stroked Li Ruoyue's silky hair. He looked at his daughter lovingly and spoke earnestly, "Yue'er, let me take on all the hard work that requires charging into battle and risking life and death. As for you, just stay at home peacefully, continue to be the daughter of a wealthy family, and do whatever makes you happy and satisfied. As for adventures like this one, which are full of risks and unknowns, it's best to avoid getting involved in them as much as possible in the future. Only in this way can I, your father, fight bravely on the front lines without any worries, open up a vast territory for our family, and allow you to freely pursue your dreams and realize all your wishes."

After hearing her father's affectionate words, Li Ruoyue felt a mixture of emotions, a whirlwind of emotions. She recalled a past life in which this same loving father had protected her at all costs, only to be tragically killed and his head severed. The thought brought tears to her eyes, and she fought back the tears. She nodded more firmly, saying, "Don't worry, father. I understand. In this life, no matter what hardships or obstacles we face, I will do my utmost to protect you. I will never let you fall into such danger again because of me!"

Li Ruoyue, dressed in a simple, elegant long dress, gracefully emerged from the house with Li Jing. Their faces were as calm as water, as if the external world couldn't even stir a ripple in their hearts, and no particular emotion could be seen.

Seeing this, Luzhu, who was standing nearby, quickly quickened her pace and arrived at the door of the wing room after two hurried steps. She calmed herself down a bit, then raised her voice and shouted to the inside of the room: "Brother soldiers, the master is preparing to return to the barracks!" The sound was crisp and loud, and instantly spread throughout the courtyard.

Upon hearing this, the soldiers resting inside sprang into action, as if ignited by fire. They shouted in unison and quickly grabbed their sabers and swords, their movements perfectly coordinated and well-trained. Then, like a tide, they filed out of the room and arrived at Li Jing's side in the blink of an eye.

Li Jing and Li Ruoyue walked leisurely to the gate of the courtyard. Li Jing nimbly jumped onto the powerful horse and sat firmly on its back. He reached out and firmly reined in the horse's head, turning it half a circle on the spot so that it was facing Li Ruoyue. Then, Li Jing looked down at his daughter and said in a gentle but slightly majestic tone: "My dear daughter, go back and rest quickly. Don't worry about your father's affairs anymore. As long as you are happy every day, your father will be satisfied. As long as you are safe, your father will not hesitate to go through hardships." After speaking, Li Jing tightened the reins again, kicked the horse's belly lightly, and drove the horse away at a gallop.

Li Ruoyue stood still, watching the group led by her father drift away. Finally, they vanished into the boundless darkness, blending completely into the vast night, impossible to distinguish. Yet, Li Ruoyue stared intently at the direction her father had left, refusing to move for a long time, as if trying to trace his retreating figure through the thick night. She stood there motionless, like a statue, her heart filled with worry and reluctance for her father, completely oblivious to the night dew soaking her skirt.

Seeing the young lady staring at the direction where the master was going away, Luzhu quickly took the young lady's hand and rubbed it, then put her already cold palm to her mouth and said with hot breath: "Young lady, let's go back quickly. It's so cold here that people can freeze to death! If you keep looking at it like this, don't catch a cold. Then the master will be worried again!" Li Ruoyue looked at Luzhu's anxious look, chuckled, and said: "Okay, let's go back. Today is the first day of the new year. We must all welcome the new year happily!"