Chapter 19

Standing behind the two little ones, the three adults couldn't help but laugh after hearing their conversation.

"Haha..." Li Er's hearty laughter made Li Kuan and Li Lizhi react. The two stopped haggling and moved straight to the final step, hooking their pinkies. Li Kuan originally didn't plan to hook pinkies with Li Lizhi in front of Li Er and Changsun, as it would be too undignified. However, he couldn't resist the little girl's big, tearful eyes, which stared straight at him, looking pitiful like a lost kitten unable to find its way home.

"Fine, so be it! I can't refuse this little girl anyway!" Li Kuan thought to himself, then extended his hand.

Seeing Li Kuan extend his hand, Li Lizhi was delighted. Her lips curled up, her eyes squinted, and her happy little face was incredibly adorable. With a smile like sunshine, she let out a clear, bell-like laugh: "Hehe..."

"Hook pinkies, swear to the heavens, a hundred years, no changing, whoever changes is a dog! Meow!" Li Kuan and Li Lizhi said in unison.

Watching this scene, the three adults had different feelings: Li Er was just happy that his children were so affectionate, as he and his brothers were now at odds, with the Crown Prince and Prince Qi both hoping to see him dead. He didn't want his children to follow in his footsteps. He felt both joy and relief.

Changsun Wujì, however, saw something else. He noticed Li Lizhi's dependence on Li Kuan, which made him frown slightly. He and Li Er had already agreed that Li Lizhi would marry his son, Changsun Chong. Although Li Kuan was Li Lizhi's brother, he felt that Li Kuan's feelings for Li Lizhi seemed a bit off, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Changsun felt a mix of relief and pain. The two children in front of her reminded her of the other two children waiting below the city wall. Their affection made her think of the other two's rivalry. Could they really not coexist peacefully? If the older generation was like this, would the younger generation be the same? Was Li Kuan just an exception, or did his sensitivity and tolerance come from his sister Shao Hua's peaceful nature?

Regardless of what they thought, they all genuinely cheered for the brother and sister. For people in their high positions, the most ordinary and sincere family affection was what they lacked the most. The imperial family had no kinship, and the same was true for the noble families, where intrigue and plots were rampant. Siblings turned against each other, and it was not uncommon for them to fight to the death. This was partly because most of the nobles had barbarian blood, and their ancestors' wild nature, deeply ingrained in their bones, made them unwilling to accept their current status, always striving for the best, even if it was just a dream.

After hooking pinkies, Li Kuan lifted Li Lizhi down from the city wall. The little girl clung to her second brother like a koala, her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, unwilling to let go. Her small head rested on Li Kuan's chest: "Hehe... Second Brother, you protected me. I cried so much just now, Father can't see me like this!" The little girl was shy.

"Really? Then Father must see. Where is my cute little flower cat?" Li Er was in a great mood, temporarily forgetting about the injuries of Princess Pingyang, which had troubled him on the way. He teased Li Lizhi.

"No, I don't look good. Father, don't look!" The little girl buried her face in her second brother's chest, leaving only the back of her head visible. Her long black hair was tied into a ponytail, which she had done herself that morning. Since Li Kuan taught her, the little girl refused to wear any other hairstyle.

"Then, let Uncle see? Li Lizhi has grown into a young lady in half a year. Let Uncle take a good look!" Changsun Wujì also spoke, feeling a bit uncomfortable seeing Li Lizhi and Li Kuan so intimate.

"No, Uncle can't see either!" The little girl still didn't raise her head, determined to play the ostrich.

"Li Lizhi, get down! If you don't, Second Brother can't greet Father!" Li Kuan gently patted the little girl's back. Because he was holding Li Lizhi, he hadn't greeted Li Er yet, which was very impolite. If the old scholars found out, Li Kuan would be beaten again. Last time, he was beaten with five bamboo sticks for not bowing to the teacher when leaving school.

"No need! Kuan looks much better! Good, Shao Hua will be very happy!" Li Er waved his hand, indicating that Li Kuan didn't need to be so formal. He looked at Li Kuan's rosy cheeks and said with some sadness.

"Thank you, Father!" Li Kuan, though not used to it, forced himself to thank Li Er. In the Tang Dynasty, he felt like he was becoming a bowing worm. Every morning, he had to greet Changsun, bow to the teacher at school, and sometimes even Li Yuan would visit the school. The school was next to the Eastern Palace, where he would often encounter the Crown Prince's wife, Lady Chang, and the imperial concubines. In this era, where bowing was necessary to show respect, Li Kuan had bowed more in two months than he had in his entire life in the future. However, he wasn't against bowing; he just didn't like calling a man of his own age 'Father'! In the future, he was about the same age as Li Er, in his thirties, the prime of life!

"Look up, let Father see. I didn't expect that when you left, you were still lying in bed, and now you can run to the city wall to welcome Father with drums!" Li Er was very pleased. The drum beats just now had shocked his soul, reaffirming his long-held stance. A man should be passionate and roar on the battlefield, be unashamed before the sky and unashamed before the earth, and live a life that benefits the people and serves the country, bringing peace and prosperity to the world, even if it means sacrificing his life.

Regardless of Li Er's thoughts, Li Kuan finally saw his adoptive father's face. He had to admit that Li Er was very handsome and manly, with an extraordinary aura. In him, Li Kuan saw the determination of a soldier and the benevolence of a king, as well as a hint of dominance. Li Kuan, from the future, had seen many world leaders on TV and the internet, and while they were all impressive, none could match Li Er.

"I wonder if the Founder's demeanor was like Li Er's! He was probably stronger, as Li Er hasn't reached his peak yet! He probably can't match the Founder!" Li Kuan thought. The Founder of the Republic was the only person he could think of who could match Li Er. Perhaps there was another, the Han Emperor Wu, who defeated the Xiongnu for three thousand miles, and the First Emperor of Qin, who unified the six kingdoms. They might not be inferior to Li Er, but their eras were too distant, and the historical dramas about them were often exaggerated, so he had lost interest.

"Guanyin seems to have taken good care of you all! Even Kuan is much better! Haha..." Li Er looked at Changsun, who had been silent, and gave her a grateful look. She was his virtuous wife and the woman he loved most in his life.

"Who praises their wife like that? You really are..." Changsun Wujì interjected with a smile. Knowing his sister, he realized something must have touched her, as she was usually talkative. Seeing Li Er still happy, Changsun Wujì felt a bit resentful. While Li Er truly loved his sister, he wasn't a good husband. His sister had been married to him for twelve years, but the constant wars had prevented him from truly understanding her, and he didn't know what she really needed. Li Er wasn't a qualified husband.

"What, I'm praising not only my wife but also your sister!" Li Er still didn't understand the situation. He had a natural talent for politics and military affairs, but when it came to love, his intuition was lacking.

Changsun Wujì almost wanted to knock Li Er's head open to see if it was filled with tofu! His lord and brother-in-law was truly unromantic. But then he thought, as a great general who had fought for years and won every battle, it was understandable that he wasn't good at romance. It was just a pity for his sister!

Changsun still didn't speak, just staring at Li Kuan holding Li Lizhi, lost in thought. For a moment, she seemed to see her childhood days with her brother at her uncle's house, when she was just as dependent on him. But at some point, they had grown apart.

Thinking of her childhood, Changsun's eyes misted over, like the rainy south.

Changsun Wujì, who had been watching his sister, sighed deeply when he saw the tears welling up in her eyes: The past was hard to return to. The little girl who used to cuddle in his arms and act cute was now a wife and a mother. His innocent sister had learned to be cunning and to plot in secret to help her husband gain advantages. He longed to return to those days, to see that innocent girl, the one who laughed and asked him to push her on the swing.

Changsun Wujì closed his eyes, a warm smile spreading across his lips, like the warm autumn sun.

Changsun came back to her senses and looked at Changsun Wujì, who was standing beside her, subtly protecting her. She was deeply moved, realizing that even after so many years, her brother was still protecting her, even though she no longer needed it and had even found it a bit annoying in the past.

"Thank you, Second Brother!" Changsun said silently in her heart.

"Thank you, Li Kuan! Even though I still don't like you!" Changsun Wujì thought to himself.

PS: Thank you, hytuh100, for the起点币 (Qidian coins) donation! This is the first donation for the Tang Dynasty story. Thank you! Bow!