?

  Looking at Hangzhou gradually appearing in the field of vision, a team dressed as business travelers gradually turned from noise to quiet, especially that middle-aged man galloping forward on horseback.

  This middle-aged man, although in his thirties, had a handsome and elegant face, exuding the dignity of a person in a position of power. However, at this moment, his eyebrows, which were shaped like a river due to his frequent deep thinking, subtly revealed an expression that was hard to describe as either tense or melancholic.

  At this time, a horse-drawn carriage approached, and then a young woman's voice came enthusiastically, "Su brother, is that Hangzhou? Hehe, it's been over a decade since I've seen Ah Gui, she'll be so happy to see me!" The woman was no longer young, but her tone and expression still had a kind of naive cheerfulness, as if the upheavals in the world and the open and secret struggles within families were all irrelevant to her. She simply grew old happily and peacefully over the past decade or so.

  Upon hearing the young woman's question, Su Da Ge cleared his throat and said in a low voice, "Yes, that is Hangzhou." As soon as he finished speaking, a knight rode forward on horseback. He ordered the young woman, "A Lu, speak more softly." Lowering his own voice, he warned, "You're not unaware that Sui and Chen are enemy nations. If the Sui officials find out Su Da Ge has arrived in Hangzhou, who knows what measures they might take."

  The middle-aged man who spoke had the thick eyebrows and deep eyes of a foreigner, with a rare beauty shining through his features. He was actually a handsome man. Although this middle-aged man's appearance was far superior to that of the young woman A Lu, when he looked at her, the indulgence and joy on his face were palpable, something that anyone with discerning eyes could see at a glance.

  Looking at the loving couple beside him, Su Wei shifted his gaze. He looked at the tall Hangzhou city wall and said bitterly: "After arriving in Hangzhou, you two go visit them, I won't go." He said in a low tone: "Knowing she's doing well is enough."

  Although he said so, his tone still revealed a hint of reluctance.

  When Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou announced his intention to abdicate, he had a glimmer of hope in knowing the character of Emperor Houzhu of Northern Qi. That glimmer of hope was cruel and selfish for Zhang Gui - that with Gao Longxu's obstinately loyal nature, he would surely die at the hands of the ruler of Northern Qi. He once fantasized that if he died, as soon as he died...

  But he did not expect that Gao Changgong, who was deeply in love with his own country, would choose to flee to the ends of the earth rather than share life and death with the state of Qi.

  He left, taking Ah Qiu with him, and this departure lasted for over a decade. For over a decade, no one knew their whereabouts, not even whether they were dead or alive. If it weren't for this time, their son would have revealed his tracks in Su Di, if it weren't for paying attention to their son, he would have discovered that the couple had settled in Hangzhou. He is still searching.

  What's the use of tracing back anyway? Past events are just a lingering dream. Having traveled thousands of miles to get here, I only wanted to take one last look, just one last look.

  Perhaps this is the way of heaven. The way of heaven is often lacking, and no one in the world can achieve true perfection. Only by embracing what is left and making do with what is missing can one follow the usual order of things.

  A Lu didn't notice Su Wei's melancholy at all, she was happily looking around, after smiling foolishly for a while, she glanced at the laughter of young men and women coming from the horse carriages behind her. Suddenly, she smiled at her husband and said: "Ah Qiu, I heard that Ah Qi only has one son? Hehe, in this regard, she is far inferior to me."

  This time, as soon as A Lu's voice fell, her husband He Zhiqian sighed and said: "You don't know that their son is not simple."

  A Lu heard this and was not happy, she pouted and retorted: "Our children are not simple either..." Before she could finish speaking, suddenly from the front of the official road, came the rumbling sound of horse hooves.

  At this time of spring's splendor, the official road to Hangzhou was usually bustling with people coming and going. But at this moment, everyone was drawn in by the rumbling sound of horse hooves, and before they knew it, one by one, they all looked up towards the front.

  Seventeen or eighteen knights came riding up ahead, and as they moved, the smoke and dust on the official road rose high, and all around was quiet!

  A Lu stared with wide eyes at the front, and after a while, she took a deep breath and exclaimed: "Only, only a dozen or so people!"

  Yes, just over a dozen people. But these dozen or so people had a strange aura that made all the merchants and travelers who came and went stop in their tracks.

  In the swirling dust and smoke, those dozen or so knights drew closer and closer.

  After a while, He Zhen exclaimed: "Su brother, look at their horses! Good heavens, where did they find so many fine horses?"

  Su Wei furrowed his brow and stared straight ahead without blinking, saying in a low voice: "I wonder whose son he is?"

  Not bad, the dozen or so knights that appeared in their field of vision were like dragons, with both horses and men exuding an aura of majesty. The high-headed black horses had a robust physique, their coats gleaming with a dark, clean luster in the sunlight. These horses were so magnificent that even He Zhiyi, who was born and raised outside the Great Wall, couldn't help but gasp in amazement.

  But that's secondary. What really catches the eye is the dozen or so young men sitting upright on horseback, all wearing light blue robes with purple trim and wide sleeves. The young men stand tall, each one slender and handsome, with pale complexions. In this chaotic world, who would be as refined and elegant as they are, with their majestic demeanor and clothes fluttering in the wind? These aren't a dozen knights, but rather a dozen young masters from noble families, sons of aristocrats. The only difference is that they're dressed alike.

  A dozen or so handsome and majestic young men came riding in on horseback, their elegant demeanor and aura of superiority rendering the surroundings completely silent.

  The knights finally arrived before Su Wei's troops amidst the sound of horseshoes "klang klang klang".

  Just as everyone thought they would rush through, a low shout suddenly came from among the young people. Then, after a clear whistle, the riders stopped in their tracks, and the young people parted to make way for a path.

  A young man wearing a bamboo hat rode out on horseback and slowly approached Su Wei and the others.

  This young man's attire was slightly different from the others, his robe with a purple border was blue and white. The youth appeared slender, under the tightly pressed hat. Others could only see a chin as perfect as jade.

  In "Da Da Da", the young man slowly came before Su Wei.

  He looked up and glanced at Su Wei, who was majestic but not revealing his emotions. The young man clasped his hands together in a salute and smiled, his voice like jade striking jade, "I've known that Lord Su would arrive, I've been waiting for a long time."

  Su Wei stared at him with a complex gaze. Until he spoke, he replied in a low voice: "Are you Ah Qi?" He looked up at the back of the young man and muttered: "Do you know I'm coming?"

  "My parents are unaware, only I know." Ah Qi smiled slightly and slowly leaned forward, approaching Su Wei. He said in a low voice: "Su Gong, my mother is weak and can't take the shock... uh, some things, such as those small incidents that happened in Zhou's place, don't need to be told to her. What do you say?"

  It turns out that this young man put on such a big show and came all the way to greet himself just to shut his own mouth?

  Su Wei couldn't help but find it a bit amusing, and as he glanced over at the young man, he caught a glimpse of the fleeting look of embarrassment on his stunningly handsome face.

  That little rascal who used to be fearless also knows how to be afraid now.

  Su Wei smiled slightly, and his expression softened. He asked worriedly: "Your mother, is she not feeling well?" Not feeling well? She's fine! But if I didn't say that, would you so readily agree to my request? If I weren't so shy and modest, would you be so gentle and courteous to me?

  The young man had not yet replied when a woman on one side, Ah Lu, exclaimed: "Are you Ah Qi? Are you the son of Ah Gui, Ah Qi?"

  She widened her eyes, getting more and more excited as she called out. At the same time, a chorus of voices came from the carriages behind, "Mother, is that Brother Ah Qi?"

  "I've heard that Brother Ah Qi is extremely handsome, hehe, quickly take off your bamboo hat and let me see!"

  "You're also eighteen, huh? Hmph, Southerners are the best at boasting, and yet you say something like 'you're a scholar of heaven and man'!"

  "Hey kid, stop hiding your head and showing your tail, quickly take off your bamboo hat and let's have a fight."

  These noisy cries were from Ah Lu's three sons and two daughters, who immediately turned the originally quiet official road, which had been subdued by the young men's momentum, into a bustling marketplace.

  A Lu heard the children's chaotic cries, not only did she not scold them, but instead smiled complacently and said: "A Ji, they are your younger siblings, come quickly to pay your respects." As she spoke, her hand had already pulled at A Ji's hat, completely unaware that A Ji's face had turned bitter. Behind him, the sixteen young masters who were as still as mountains, one by one shook their heads in dismay.

  Gao Xue naturally knew that the woman in front of him was his mother's what. To say he wasn't afraid of heaven or earth, but he was afraid of his mother. His mother had other tricks up her sleeve that didn't faze him, but her final trick, the tearful assault method, was a move that could break all defenses, and it was simply unbeatable, winning every time.

  If mother knew that I was disrespectful to Aunt A Lu, I would at least have tears in my eyes.

  So, when Ah Lu's hands came attacking, Ah Qi could only desperately cover his head with both hands, after several struggles, he hunched over and panted, wanting to slip away without regard for appearances.

  In just a short while, Ah Green's several children also rushed over. These kids were big and small, but they were all lawless people. Seeing Gao Jian struggling happily, one by one was excited, and suddenly they swarmed up, following their mother to pull down his hood together.

  Just as several hands grabbed his collar, Gao Jie was startled and loosened his grip, and the bamboo hat was snatched away by a small hand!

  As the Doukeshan went away, the crowd was in an uproar at the same time. In a pair of silly and stupid eyes, Ah Jian covered his eyes with unparalleled sadness and said sorrowfully: "It's you who wants to tear off the Doukeshan..."

  After a long while, Ah Lu muttered: "Child, why don't you look like anywhere else, but your eyes are just like your mother's?" Her lips moved slightly, and she said with difficulty: "This... this isn't going to make it hard for you to find a wife, is it?"

  This Ah Jian in front of him has a handsome face, with seven parts resembling his father and three parts surpassing him. Such a appearance is already stunning and astonishing, but he also has a pair of charming and seductive phoenix eyes that are slightly slanted, with a gaze that seems to be about to speak but hesitates, and a divine aura that can captivate one's soul. Who in the world can resist this?

  Born as a man, growing up so demonic, what can he let his wife do?

  Upon hearing Ah Lu's sympathetic words, Gao Jian felt inexplicable sorrow and said with a heavy heart: "My young nephew knew this all along, which is why he spent his childhood trying every medicine in the world and experimenting with all sorts of deadly poisons. If he hadn't mastered the art of disguise at the age of nine, I really don't know what would have become of him!"

  His words were filled with sorrow and indignation, his expression painful. But as soon as these words spread, the young masters behind him were busy rolling their eyes.

  A Lu was infected with the sadness of the young man. Her eyes turned red, and she sighed again: "Don't mind, kid, no matter what, being born well is better than being born poorly."

  She had just said that, when suddenly a clear and cold laughter came from behind her. "Auntie, don't be deceived by him. This kid was born to stir up trouble everywhere. Not long ago in Zhou's territory, he even disguised himself as a woman to tease an old enemy! Hmph, that guy also had great prospects, but unfortunately his future is now ruined. He's currently searching all over the world for his soulmate."

  He said with a sneer, "If this face were on someone else, they wouldn't dare show themselves to people. It's on his face, so as long as it doesn't cause chaos in the world, that's already something to be grateful for."

  Upon hearing this, Ah Lu was taken aback for a moment, and Su Wei also felt the headache of Gao Chang's couple after a moment of surprise. The child in front of him, born so clever, and skilled in disguise and astrology. Plus his mischievous personality, it's really... really... how he didn't know anymore.

  Just as everyone was stunned, Gao Xue had already taken the bamboo hat from Ah Lu's daughter. The silly-looking girl with a red face handed over the bamboo hat.

  The conical hat reached his hand, and Gao Qi still took the time to wink at the young girl who was just starting to open her eyes, making the girl even more distracted. Then he put on the conical hat with one hand.

  Until the conical hat covered his face, everyone came to their senses. Su Wei urged his horse forward and patted his shoulder, warning in a low voice: "Child, you should know that the most unbearable thing in this world is the heart of man." However, he stood by and watched with cold eyes as the eldest daughter of Ah Lu's family was infatuated with Gao Xue.

  Gao Xian was taken aback by her words, and after glancing at the shy girl who was looking down in embarrassment, he lowered his head and said, "Elder Su's teachings are correct." As a young man, whenever he revealed his face to the people around him, they would all stare blankly at him. To him, it was only natural that the girl would be shy and embarrassed when she saw him, and he had never thought that this would lead to romantic entanglements.

  When Gao Xiao frankly admitted his mistake, Su Wei's expression eased a bit. He continued, "And that matter of dressing up as a woman to tease others is also not acceptable." Pressing his lips together, Su Wei gazed in the direction of Hangzhou. This child wouldn't understand: human hearts are most easily hurt; if you don't meet, then you won't miss each other; if you don't see each other, then you won't owe each other anything.

  When these words came out, Gao Xiao tilted his head and pondered for a while. After a good while, he frowned and said: "I think that in all things in the world, if you want to succeed, you can't do without using some means. Like me dealing with enemies, killing them with swords or plotting against them is no problem, but I absolutely cannot seduce them with beauty?"

  He gazed at Su Wei with sparkling eyes, both puzzled and innocent. "Both sides are hurtful, why can't there be a heart that doesn't want to hurt people? Moreover, if his heart is like a rock, how could he be infatuated with illusory appearances?"

  He asked seriously, and his expression really treated Su Wei as an elder.

  Seeing the bright eyes of the young man in front of him, Su Wei's heart was filled with compassion and he almost reached out to stroke his head. His hand hovered in mid-air before he forced it back down, and Su Wei said in a low voice: "Child, you are a man, a husband, and yet you disguise yourself as a woman, which is already shameful, not to mention using your feminine appearance to deceive others? This is not the way of a saint."

  Su Wei spoke with a heavy tone and loud voice.

  Gao Xian was a man of extremely clever nature, and from an early age, he had been decisive in his actions, with a hint of ruthlessness, willing to do whatever it took to succeed.

  Because he was used to being reckless, and children generally don't like communicating with their parents, Zhang Gui and his wife still don't know what he's been up to in Zhou Di, let alone give him targeted education. His master is a famous scholar from the south, and as a famous scholar, he values doing whatever he wants, so even if it means seducing someone with sex, or stripping naked and chasing after the woman he desires until she runs away in shame, that's something a famous scholar would dare to do.

  It can be said that Su Wei's words were something he heard for the first time.

  He lowered his head, and after a moment of contemplation, he suddenly looked up with an enlightened expression. "Sir Su, I understand your intention now. I will read more Confucian classics and learn from the sages' teachings. From now on, when dealing with others, I won't deviate from the righteous path. I'll try to win with upright and honest means; if that doesn't work, I'll use cunning strategies. As for despicable tricks like this one, I'll minimize their use."

  Su Wei was taken aback by these words, and before he knew whether he should continue to educate him, Ah Green's children had already swarmed up, calling out "Brother" in unison as they surrounded Gao Xue. In no time at all, they had dragged Gao Xue over to the group of young knights, where they laughed and played together.

  Under the deliberate arrangement of Gao Qi, A Lu's eldest daughter soon discovered that this newly recognized brother did not have any intention towards her and even subtly ignored her. After being slightly hurt for a while, the girl gradually let go of that sudden emotional entanglement.

  A group of people continued driving in the direction of Hangzhou.

  After playing for a while, Gao Ji came to the middle of Su Wei and A Lu again. A Lu was extremely delighted with her own niece's only son, pulled him over and started talking about past events.

  Speaking of the hardships of the past, Ah Lu shed tears several times. Listening to this, Gao Xue said seriously: "Auntie, you don't have to be sad, I've avenged my mother's grievances." He smiled and said: "The family of my parents' uncle, I punished them lightly not long ago, including her biological mother, who has already received retribution (the specific details are recorded in the extras of the physical book), so you don't have to be sad anymore. In this world, there is no one who can hurt my mother." Happily saying this, he couldn't help but add a sentence in a muffled tone: "Only she has the share of hurting us!"