Regent, please maintain your aloof image.

That day, Su Qianrou returned from Shengming Academy. As soon as she got off the carriage, she heard a familiar voice, "Sister Qianrou." Upon hearing this, she looked in the direction of the voice and exclaimed with delight, "Xiao Yi, you're back!"

Li Peiyi walked over, and behind him were several carriages and a number of people.

"Now I should call you Xiao Ye."

"Whether it's Xiao Yi or Xiao Ye, they are both me. Qian Rou can call me whatever she wants."

"Well, you're finally back. Did the journey go smoothly? Did you bring your grandfather and the others back?"

"They've all been brought back."

"That's good."

At this moment, Old Master Li and Old Madam Li and others came over, knelt down, and said, "This humble person/woman greets the Regent's Princess."

Presumably they were Li Peiyi's family, Su Qianrou hurriedly said, "Please don't stand on ceremony, everyone, please rise."

"Your Highness has restored my son's innocence and saved me from dire straits. We will never forget such a great kindness and virtue. We have no way to repay you in this life but to kowtow and thank Your Highness." After saying this, Old Master Li kowtowed heavily.

Others followed suit.

"No, no, old man, please get up. You're making me feel terrible," Su Qianrou said as she helped Old Master Li up. Then she added, "Xiao Yi, hurry up and help your grandma up."

Only then did the Li family members get up.

"Now that you're back, Xiao Yi is at ease. I've already had the Li residence furnished, so you can move in as soon as you get back. I don't know if you'll like it, but that's alright, there's plenty of time. You can decorate it according to your own wishes later."

"Thank you, Your Highness. If it weren't for Your Highness's help, we probably wouldn't have been able to return so quickly."

“Old man, you don’t need to be so polite. Xiao Yi is my younger brother, it’s only right.” Then he added, “You’ve traveled a long way and must be tired. Go back and rest early. Xiao Yi, take your family back to rest.”

"Okay, then we'll head back first."

"Well, go ahead."

"Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Second Uncle and Second Aunt, let's go."

After they boarded the carriage, Su Qianrou turned and entered the Prince's Mansion.

But that's not the only good news today.

In the afternoon, Mu Jinchen brought her another piece of good news.

Yanxi Palace

The two sat on the couch, and Su Qianrou said with surprise, "What you said is true, Lanzhou has really been recovered."

"Yes, General Yang's report is correct."

"Great! Lanzhou has been taken back, and Liangzhou will probably be next soon."

"We will be able to recover it within half a month."

"So, Xiaoyu and the others will be able to come back in October."

"This won't work."

Su Qianrou looked at him, puzzled.

"The Western Regions have been far too arrogant this time. They must be taught a lesson to prevent them from becoming arrogant and ignorant. Therefore, I have instructed General Yang to give them a good scare."

"Yes, that's true, otherwise we wouldn't know who the mountain king is." Then he asked, "Are Xiaoyu and Xinyue alright? Are they injured?"

"General Yang didn't say anything, so I suppose everything should be fine."

"Xiaoyu is the same. He's been gone for so long and hasn't written a letter. I'll definitely have to give him a talking to when he comes back."

"He was on the front lines, and writing letters was not easy, let alone now that he was just an unknown soldier, how could he possibly write letters?"

Su Qianrou looked at him with a probing gaze. "Speaking of which, when did you and Xiaoyu become so close? You even spoke up for him. And him too. In the past, he would always ask me if I had been bullied or wronged, and he never gave you a kind look. But that day when we returned to the Su residence, he actually told me to live a good life with you and said that you were someone I could entrust my life to. I found that strange. Tell me honestly, what exactly happened?"

"Do you think he went to the Northwest to fulfill his own wish?"

"Isn't that so?"

"Not entirely, he did it for you too."

"For me, what does that mean?"

Mu Jinchen did not hide anything and told him about Su Haoyu coming to the palace to find him that day.

******

imperial study room

Su Haoyu asked angrily, "Why won't you let me go to the Northwest and to the front lines?"

"I am not preventing you from going, but you are still too young. Please wait two years before you go."

“I’m not young anymore. You went to the battlefield when you were thirteen, and I’m already fourteen now.”

"It is precisely because I have been on the battlefield and know its dangers that I do not want you to take risks. If something happens to you, what will your sister do?"

"I... my sister will understand."

"Next year, next year I will definitely let you go."

"No, it has to be this year, and it has to be this time."

Upon hearing this, Mu Jinchen looked up at him and said, "Give me a reason."

"I want to avenge my sister. The Western Regions forced my sister to marry into a foreign power by using Lanzhou and Liangzhou. I must make them pay the price. I want them to know that my sister is not so easy to bully."

"You did it for your sister."

"I only hate that I am still too weak now. Otherwise, how could the Western Regions dare to be so arrogant and want my sister to be married off? I said that I would be my sister's protector and not let her be bullied, but I failed to do so and in the end, she was forced to marry you."

"You think it's not good for your sister to marry me?"

"It's not that she's bad, it's just that she doesn't like you."

"If you don't like it now, how do you know you won't like it in the future?"

Su Haoyu was unable to refute.

Mu Jinchen put down his pen and then said, "Do you know that I said the same thing as you?"

Su Haoyu looked at him in confusion and asked, "What?"

"You should know that as a backer for your sister, no one in the entire Yunyue can compare to me. So rest assured, no one can bully your sister."

"Who said there isn't?"

"Who is he?" Mu Jinchen really couldn't think of anyone in Yunyue Kingdom who could compare to him.

"you".

Mu Jinchen was taken aback; he hadn't expected this answer.

"It is precisely because you are so powerful that I must become even stronger, so that you will not dare to bully my sister at will."

Mu Jinchen couldn't help but smile.

"why are you laughing".

“You’re telling me these things, aren’t you afraid I’ll nip you in the bud?”

Su Haoyu then realized what had happened and couldn't help but feel regretful. He thought to himself, "Why did I tell him the truth? Wasn't I being foolish?"

"Alright, I'm not so petty as to argue with you about these things. You want to be your sister's support, and I'm giving you that chance. But you must come back alive. I don't want to see your sister sad and heartbroken."

"So, you agree?"

"I have no reason not to agree."

"Very good".

"If there's nothing else, you can go back and prepare."

Su Haoyu looked at him, hesitant to speak.

"What else do you want to say?"

"Can you promise me something?"

"explain".

"Please take good care of my sister while I'm away."

"Your sister is my wife, and I will take good care of her."

"Also, we must not bully her."

"Why do you think I would bully her?"

"Because I don't think you're a good person," Su Haoyu thought to himself, but he didn't say it aloud. "Anyway, you can't bully her."

"will not".

Su Haoyu was relieved and said, "Then I'm leaving," and walked out.

Mu Jinchen did not take offense at his rudeness, and then lowered his head to continue reviewing the memorials.

******

"I never expected that he did this for me," Su Qianrou said, feeling both touched and heartbroken.

"He treats you, his older sister, very well."

"He has always been so good to me," so good that she felt a little guilty.