Someone Arrives from Yan Capital

Just as he was about to continue on, Old Zhou, the estate steward, hurried over.

"Young Master! The Prince requests your immediate presence in the study!"

Old Zhou bowed deeply, his manner ten times more respectful than usual.

Mu Bai raised a brow. "Father is looking for me?"

"Yes. The Prince had only just finished handling official business this morning. Upon hearing that Young Master had awakened, he immediately ordered this old servant to invite you."

Old Zhou lowered his voice. "The Prince also said... if Young Master can walk, you are to go there yourself. If not, he will come see you personally."

Warmth filled Mu Bai's heart.

Though his reputation was poor, his father still cared deeply for him, his eldest son.

"I'll go now." Mu Bai straightened his bloodstained robe and endured the pain as he headed toward his father's study.

Along the way, the estate servants all stepped aside and bowed, their eyes full of admiration.

Mu Bai even saw several servants who had once mocked him behind his back. They were now kneeling on the ground, trembling with fear, terrified that he would settle accounts after the autumn harvest.

Outside the study, Mu Bai drew a deep breath, suppressed the churning blood and qi in his chest, and lightly knocked on the door.

"Come in." His father's steady voice came from within.

Pushing open the door, he entered the study, where sandalwood incense curled through the air.

Carefree Prince Mu Rongyi stood before the window with his hands behind his back, dressed in a black robe embroidered with serpents. His silhouette stood as immovable as a mountain.

Hearing the sound, he turned around. His sharp gaze swept over Mu Bai, and his brows immediately furrowed.

"You're injured so badly—why aren't you lying down and resting? What are you running around for?"

Mu Rongyi's voice was stern, but he quickly strode over to support his son.

Mu Bai smiled. "How could your son dare not come when Father summoned him?"

Mu Rongyi snorted and helped Mu Bai sit down. Wang Cang hurried forward, pressing his palm against Mu Bai's back as a stream of gentle true qi flowed into his body.

Mu Bai immediately felt the congested blood and qi in his chest ease considerably.

"Always trying to act tough!" Only after seeing some color return to Mu Bai's face did Mu Rongyi speak. "Do you think Master Dehua's Dragon Elephant Divine Skill is so easy to receive? If your foundation hadn't been solid, ten lives wouldn't have been enough to throw away!"

Mu Bai lowered his head and accepted the reprimand, but warmth surged through his heart.

His father might be strict, but this concern was undeniably genuine.

"However..." Mu Rongyi suddenly changed the subject, a trace of pride flashing through his eyes. "You hid yourself deeply enough. Even I never noticed that a Grandmaster of Martial Arts had been right beside me—and that it was my most disappointing eldest son!"

"You fought that battle beautifully. Master Dehua had been famous throughout Great Yan for decades, and the number of masters he had defeated was already beyond counting. You defeated him. I am very gratified."

Mu Bai gave a bitter smile. "But that means the strength I hid for so many years has now been completely exposed."

Mu Rongyi's expression turned grave. "That is precisely what I wanted to discuss with you."

He walked to the desk and took out a secret letter. "The imperial court has already sent someone. It is the Crown Prince's confidant, Minister of War Liu Yi. He will arrive tomorrow."

Mu Bai's gaze sharpened. "They came quickly."

"You became a Grandmaster at the age of twenty-two, and you even defeated a peerless expert such as Master Dehua. There is no way the imperial court would not take notice."

Mu Rongyi said in a deep voice, "Especially now, when the Crown Prince's position is unstable. With strength like yours, who would not want to win you over?"

Mu Bai pondered for a moment. "What does Father mean?"

"This can indeed be considered a good thing!" Mu Yuanshan sighed with feeling before continuing, "Now that your strength has been revealed, some of His Majesty's plans will likely be difficult to carry out any longer." He paused slightly, as though considering something, then went on, "Unless they can invite another Grandmaster of Martial Arts to come out and help. But I think inviting Master Dehua was already their limit. Asking another Grandmaster of Martial Arts to intervene is probably utterly impossible!"

Mu Rongyi stroked his chin as he considered the matter solemnly.

After a while, he slowly said, "In that case, we may as well go with the flow. Leave the affairs of the imperial court to me. You only need to recover from your injuries first. As for everything else... we can discuss it at length."

The corners of Mu Bai's lips lifted slightly as he smiled. "Then I'll have to trouble Father to put in more effort."

Yet seeing Mu Bai like this, Mu Rongyi shook his head helplessly and said irritably, "You... are now the most important person in the Carefree Prince's Estate. Your most important task is to recover in peace. As for those trivial matters, I will naturally handle them for you."

As Mu Rongyi finished speaking, his gaze shifted to Ling Meng, who stood at the side.

Startled by his sudden scrutiny, Ling Meng's body trembled involuntarily. But she quickly recovered and hurriedly bowed. "Yes, this servant obeys."

The other maid standing beside Ling Meng also hastily bowed, declaring that she too would take good care of Young Master.

Seeing this, Mu Rongyi's expression softened slightly, though his voice remained stern. "Remember, you must ensure that Young Master rests properly. There must not be the slightest negligence."

"If anything happens to Young Master, I will hold you two accountable!"

Ling Meng and the other maid exchanged a glance, each seeing a trace of fear in the other's eyes.

They knew full well how formidable Mu Rongyi was and did not dare be careless in the slightest.

Thus, the two hurried to Mu Bai's side and carefully reached out to support him as they slowly led him back to his room.

Mu Rongyi's gaze remained fixed tightly on Mu Bai. He stood there in silence, watching as Mu Bai gradually walked farther away until he vanished from sight.

At last, Mu Rongyi slowly withdrew his gaze and turned to look out the window.

His lips moved faintly as he murmured, "Su'er, our child has grown up. Did you see that?" His voice was low and gentle, as though only the wind outside the window could hear his words.

Mu Rongyi's eyes were slightly unfocused, as if through the window he saw that long-departed figure.

The corners of his lips lifted slightly, revealing a relieved smile. "He's already a Grandmaster now. Don't worry—I promised you I would protect him."

Yet that smile was quickly drowned beneath endless longing.

Mu Rongyi's gaze gradually turned vacant, and his thoughts drifted away with it, as though he had returned to those days he had spent with Su'er.

Only after a long while did Mu Rongyi come back to himself.

He took a deep breath, doing his best to calm his emotions.

Then he slowly rose to his feet, walked over to the desk, reopened that book on military strategy, and continued reading.