The three-year-old host decides to raise an emperor father for himself.

Upon hearing Xuan Yuanjing's words, Xiao Lanxing obediently opened her mouth and called out "Uncle Pei" in a childish voice, while Pei Qingzhu was a little stunned.

Xuanyuan Jing quickly introduced Pei Qingzhu: "This is my daughter, Xuanyuan Lanxing."

Putting aside how strange Xuan Yuanjing's sudden introduction to the two was, just extracting the information from his one sentence was enough for Pei Qingzhu to imagine a lot.

"A daughter? When did the prince have a daughter? And what about her mother?"

"The prince has a child, such a big event, yet not a single word was leaked before. That's one thing, but how come the news spread everywhere after the prince woke up? Was Chen Li just too happy to keep the news under control?"

"Impossible. If Chen Li were such a careless person, how could I have dared to leave the capital in the first place? Besides, judging from the prince's attitude, there must be another reason for this."

"Never mind, whatever the reason behind this, since Your Highness says so, this is Your Highness's bloodline."

Many thoughts flashed through Pei Qingzhu's mind before she finally realized, "Huh? The Prince wants the young princess to call me uncle?"

"Am I worthy?"

Xuanyuan Jing spoke up at the right moment: "Given our friendship, it's only natural for her to call you 'uncle.' If you feel that calling you that makes you look old, you can call me 'uncle' instead."

It can't be the older brother, anyway.

Pei Qingzhu is several years older than him; he's the older brother. So what is he, the father?

Moreover, the little girl's thoughts were perfectly clear: she just thought Pei Qingzhu was handsome... Tsk, Pei Qingzhu was already married and had a four-year-old daughter, how could he still be called "brother"?

Xuanyuan Jing then added, "I remember that Lady Pei gave birth to a daughter for you before. I wonder if I am mistaken?"

Pei Qingzhu was still a little confused, but he was also very happy. After all, he understood that Xuan Yuanjing's statement showed his closeness to him.

Upon hearing Xuan Yuanjing's words, Pei Qingzhu replied without hesitation, "Yes, my daughter is four years old this year, and will be five soon."

Pei Nannan, whose real name is Pei Wanling, was born in early spring. At that time, Pei Qingzhu was still fighting alongside Xuanyuan Jing and did not have time to go back to accompany his wife during childbirth, which made him feel guilty for a long time.

Xuanyuan Jing only discovered that Pei Qingzhu was secretly holding a family letter with red eyes, and only after asking her did he learn about it.

Xuanyuan Jing: "What about Madam Pei now?"

Mentioning this matter, Pei Qingzhu couldn't help but frown before saying, "Your Highness, I went to the capital immediately after receiving the news. My wife and young daughter need to stay in the area to handle some matters, and they will probably not be able to set off for the capital until after the New Year."

Pei Qingzhu thought to herself, "Sigh, she has suffered these past two years. If it weren't for avoiding some troublesome matters and lowering the guard of the person above, Mu Qing wouldn't have had to suffer with me on the mountain with the child."

"But now that Your Highness has woken up, based on my observation of that person two years ago, he will probably only become more restless and unable to sleep."

"He doesn't even consider that if the prince really had such intentions, he wouldn't be the one sitting in that chair now."

"It's a pity that people's hearts are unpredictable. The prince trusted him so much back then... I wonder if the prince has realized what he's thinking now. If the prince still trusts him as before, I'm afraid I'll have a headache."

Xuanyuan Jing's eyes flickered.

Xuan Yuanjing was aware of Pei Qingzhu's intelligence and her keen understanding of people's hearts.

Perhaps because she lived with her widowed mother in her early years, and despite not being born into a poor family, she still experienced a lot of the coldness and indifference of human relationships, Pei Qingzhu, though young, always showed more maturity than others in this regard.

Knowing the ways of the world without being cynical—that's Pei Qingzhu.

Now that we know Pei Qingzhu has also noticed something amiss, the meaning behind his departure from the capital becomes more nuanced.

Given Pei Qingzhu's character, Xuan Yuanjing believed that he did not flee because he sensed danger. He preferred to believe that Pei Qingzhu left precisely because he had sensed the other person's intentions.

Xuanyuan Jing enjoyed considerable prestige both in the military and among the common people, which is why he was feared.

Although Pei Qingzhu is not as famous as Xuan Yuanjing, he was able to rise to a high position at such a young age based on his solid military achievements, and his own reputation is not low either.

Even because Pei Qingzhu was neither a member of the royal family nor from a prestigious clan, she was more approachable and became a role model for many.

The man wanted to be like him, achieving high rank, making outstanding contributions, and bringing glory to his family at a young age.

The woman also liked him. Compared to marrying Xuan Yuanjing, marrying Pei Qingzhu was obviously easier, especially after learning that Pei Qingzhu's wife also came from an ordinary background. She only got the better deal because she was Pei Qingzhu's neighbor and childhood sweetheart.

What makes Madam Pei even more enviable is that the Pei family has a rule that "one can only take a concubine if he has no son by the age of forty," and Pei Qingzhu has indeed kept this rule.

Everyone knows that Pei Qingzhu only has Madam Pei by his side; he doesn't even have a maid, let alone a concubine.

Many families have similar rules, but there are many loopholes to exploit in this one sentence.

The mere fact that they have no offspring can lead to two different interpretations.

One type is having daughters but no sons, which is called being childless.

One type is those who don't even have a daughter, thus being considered childless.

There's also something to say about taking a concubine.

They don't take concubines, but they can have maids, bed warmers, and servants... Anyone with a ulterior motive can always find a way to exploit this loophole.

General Pei, back then, even rejected his superior's daughter for the sake of his wife.

I heard that he offended his superiors because of this. If it weren't for Prince Jing's discerning eye, there probably wouldn't be the General Pei we know today.

It would be inappropriate for such a well-reputed and capable young general to stay by Xuanyuan Jing's side.

Pei Qingzhu's departure can be seen as an admission of weakness or a concession... In any case, it conveys a message to the other party, making them feel that Pei Qingzhu and Xuan Yuanjing are not as closely connected as they think.

Although it was an illusion, Pei Qingzhu thus conveniently disappeared from public view.

Xuanyuan Jing: "Have you arranged any manpower?"

Pei Qingzhu: "My former subordinates are all over there."

Xuanyuan Jing was somewhat surprised, but considering the relationship between the couple, he didn't say anything.

For Pei Qingzhu, his wife was a very important person. For her safety, he left all his old subordinates there and went to the capital alone...

Yes, it's something he's capable of doing.

Pei Qingzhu hesitated for a moment, then said, "Since Miss is being raised by the Prince, would the Prince like to arrange some playmates for her?"

He thought to himself, "If Nannan goes with the little princess, and the little princess goes with the prince, wouldn't I be able to see Nannan every day?"

Xuanyuan Jing: "..."

I haven't even agreed yet, and you've already made all the arrangements.