A weight lifted off her shoulders, and warmth followed suit.

  Hua Ruyi walked to her sister's side and tied the cloak, this boat was full of dowry people, in this position he didn't have to worry about his sister being seen by others.

  "If you were so unwilling to leave home, why did you agree to marry in the first place? You can trust your parents and brothers more. If you don't agree, our Hu family will defy this imperial edict. The world is so big, what's there to worry about finding a place for us to settle?"

  Hua Ru Chu leaned her head against her brother's chest, "Brother, Father and Mother are old, I want them to live a peaceful life. Being the leader of the martial arts alliance is just a title, it's troublesome and you have to bear with it. When things get tough, you can't back down, especially when others might play dirty tricks, but Father won't, he'd rather die than do that. However, others will, Brother, in another year, it'll be the martial arts conference, you must think of a way to prevent Father from becoming the leader."

  "Doesn't it affect you? Don't forget, the reason you married into the Qi family is because you are the daughter of the Wulin Alliance Master, and you were married to unite the Wulin and the imperial court."

  "Brother, you underestimate me too much. One year is enough for anything. If the General's Manor is worth my stay, and that man Qi You is worth my efforts, then I will also make plans for the General's Manor. But if they are not worth it, what difference does it make whether Father becomes the leader of the Martial Alliance or not?"

  Lifting her head from her brother's chest, Hua Ru's smile curved at the corners of her eyes, hiding the faint regret within. "Brother, haven't you seen Hua Jiu for a long time?"

  Hua Ruyi thought carefully and indeed it was true, "It's been a year and a half since we last saw him on Father's birthday, where did you send him?"

  Hua Ru stepped forward and leaned against the railing, gazing at the sparkling river surface with an excited expression. "I spent a lot of money to get some information that there is a small island near Qingzhou Sea area, only as big as a small town, but it's full of birdsong and fragrance, people describe it as a paradise on earth. Most importantly, there is fresh water, fish in the water, and fruit trees on the island, which are enough for human survival. I've already sent Hua Jiu to lead some men to set up an advance camp."

  Hua Ru turned back, "He has sent back several messages, and indeed there is such a small island. The situation on it is better than described, and it's not far from Qingzhou. However, the place is hidden and difficult to find. Brother, do you know what I want to do?"

  Hua Ruyi felt a sourness in her chest, "You've been planning this for a year and a half?"

  "No, even earlier, brother, I'll say something unpleasant, don't get angry. People in the martial arts world like to talk about being heroic and chivalrous, but I think they're just simple-minded and physically strong. They rely on their superior skills to show off everywhere, but once they're schemed against by someone with ill intentions, they become cannon fodder. Why can't the martial arts world ever be at peace? If it weren't for those malicious people stirring up trouble, the martial arts world wouldn't be in opposition to the imperial court like this. Under heaven, everything belongs to the king, and if a wise emperor appears in the Southern Dynasty, it will be a disaster for the martial arts world. At that time, even if Father is no longer the Alliance leader, as long as someone with ill intentions provokes him with a few words, he'll still take action to help. So, I want to send Mother and Father far away, and you should also hide far away."

  "Your meaning is that the imperial court will produce a formidable emperor?"

  Hua Ru lowered her head to look at the lines on her palm, intersecting and overlapping, a few thick ones were clearly visible. The fortune teller said that she was born with a worrisome fate, and it seemed to be true.

  "Brother, I've investigated the Qi family. Do you know what I found out through Linglong Pavilion?"

  "I always thought Linglong Pavilion was just a business." Huajun Yi suddenly felt that the sister in front of him seemed to have been underestimated by him, even though he had repeatedly raised his estimation of her in his heart.

  "It was originally a business." Hua Ruochu smiled slyly, "But no one has stipulated that only business can be done. Besides, buying and selling information is also a kind of business."

  Hua Ruyi couldn't help but feel a bit relieved, these days she hadn't seen a good expression on his face finally had some smile, "Then tell me what you've found out?"

  "Let's go inside and talk."

  Back in the house, the maids stood quietly behind Miss after serving tea, a habit that Hua Ru had instilled in them from the beginning. As long as she didn't tell them to leave, they didn't need to avoid her.

  "Go on, you've piqued my curiosity."

  "I won't say much about Qi You, but the mud he dug up has left a deep impression on me. I decided to investigate further and indeed found some interesting things. The current crown prince, Wen Yuandan, is the object of support from the Qi family. Qi You's relationship with him is not ordinary; they have been together since childhood, and their emotional connection is different from others. It can be said that if the crown prince falls, the Qi family will also be finished. This crown prince has some ability; he is the son of the former empress dowager. Fortunately, the Southern Dynasty has always established the crown prince early, and with the Qi family and other external relatives fighting to protect him, otherwise, this position as crown prince would be uncertain."

  Hua Ru chuckled and took a sip of hot tea, continuing: "The current emperor's son is only three years younger than him, with superior means and demeanor. He has used every trick in the book to harm others without anyone suspecting him, and his reputation is excellent. Many people support him, so it can be said that he and the crown prince are already in a stalemate. Judging from the current situation, the crown prince is weaker than the second prince."

  Hua Ruyi stood up abruptly, her voice laced with anger. "Since you know so clearly, why are you still jumping into this fire pit? Once the Crown Prince is finished, the Hua family will be done for too. Are you prepared to give your life for whom?"

  "Brother, brother, don't be angry, listen to me first, I'm really scared, how would I go and seek death? I haven't finished speaking yet." Hua Ru Chu grabbed her brother's arm and shook it, rarely acting cute to calm down her brother's anger.

  Hua Ruyi also knew her own sister, what relationship did the Qi family have with their Hua family? With Xiao Mei's temperament, how could she sacrifice herself for someone who wasn't worthy? It was only possible that... "She was scheming against someone again?"

  "Brother, I'm not always calculating people, think better of me."

  Hua Ru Yi hummed twice and looked at her, using his eyes to urge her to confess quickly.

  "I'm telling you, there's someone next to the Second Prince who really interests me."

  "Is it a man or a woman?"

  "The woman, his woman, if she hadn't appeared when the second prince had already established his consort, with her abilities she really could have become a princess consort, even without her having an illustrious background."

  "How about it? Are you even more formidable than me?"

  Is she even more formidable? Hua Ruochu smiled as if spring had arrived and flowers were blooming, "We are not on the same level."

  "So you're still interested in her?"

  "Watching others work hard but getting nothing in the end, don't you think it's quite entertaining?"

  Hua Ruyi had already completely calmed down, "You still haven't explained why you agreed to marry into the Qi family despite knowing the inside story."

  "It's simple, because the Crown Prince is more stable than the Second Prince, one step at a time, not too fast, but with a solid foundation. Even if everything collapses above him, he won't be shaken and will have a chance to turn things around. This kind of person can go far. The Second Prince has gotten everything too easily, if it weren't for that woman behind him, after some tempering, he would definitely be the Crown Prince's rival, maybe even defeating the Crown Prince. Unfortunately, there is that woman, and he relies on her too much. That woman seems fierce but is actually... just a paper tiger. As long as you tear off this paper tiger, the Second Prince will fall apart. Of course, I won't remind Qi You of this, the Second Prince is currently a good whetstone."

  Hua Ruyi looked at her own sister and didn't know what to say, "Do you want to give birth to a wise ruler?"

  "It's all peaceful under heaven, I can do business well! Brother, I have to support my family!"

  "The Huas don't need you to support them, are you planning on supporting the Qis?"

  "What does Qiguan have to do with me? I still need to support my parents and siblings!"

  Looking at her smiling little sister who looked like a fox, Hua Ruyi felt a bit itchy in her hands, "We don't need you to support us."

  "Let go, brother, being able to support oneself and willing to support others is a great happiness, you can't deprive me of my sense of happiness."

  P.S: DuoDuo told me to ask for recommendation votes at the back, will you give me some? Will you give me some? Give me some!