What's the point of a succession struggle without the main protagonist? The families of the princess and concubines, as well as the Liu and Chen families, are all extremely anxious. What exactly does Xu Zifan mean? He hasn't given them any hints! His men are completely silent; are they trying to keep a low profile? But at this point, even a low profile can't prevent them from achieving anything!
No matter how worried they were, no matter how anxious the women were, they couldn't get in touch with Xu Zifan, and they didn't even know where he was.
Unable to contain herself, Liu said to her father, "Father, the Sixth Prince visited you before he left. He must have gone to Linyang Prefecture. I think this is a perfect opportunity, a good time for us to pledge our loyalty. I will go to Linyang Prefecture myself, and you can send someone to escort me. This time, we must get in touch with the Sixth Prince."
Liu's father, being an official, was more thoughtful. Even though Liu's mother had appeared to him in a dream asking their ancestors to "manifest their power," he still disagreed. "This is inappropriate. I haven't asked you yet, did you really obtain that fragment in Linyang Prefecture? When did you obtain it? Where did you obtain it? How come I've never heard you mention it before?"
Liu was speechless, and vaguely evaded the question, "I don't remember either. I hadn't paid any attention to it before. I found this fragment when I was airing out the books a while ago. I thought the fragment was useless, but it would be a good gift, so I didn't tell you. Father, the Sixth Prince told you not to reveal this matter. Judging from this, the fragment must be a valuable item. I made the right choice in giving this gift. Now, the most important thing is to cater to his tastes and, ideally, help the Sixth Prince find the complete set. Such a great achievement will surely make the Sixth Prince pay more attention to the Liu family."
Father Liu shook his head. "I can help you find it, but it can only be found by chance and presented to the Prince. You absolutely cannot go there yourself, that would be too… Sigh, go back to your room and stop thinking about this. I will arrange for someone to look for it. The most important thing right now is not this matter, but how to break off the engagement with the Fifth Prince and remarry into the Sixth Prince's household. This matter is too difficult."
Liu hesitated for a moment, then came up with a foolish idea, "Father, how about… I bump into the Sixth Prince at the banquet, and he'll have no choice but to take responsibility?" Liu lowered her head, clutching her handkerchief tightly, and whispered, "Let no one else find out, let only the Emperor know that it was all an accident. The Emperor will grant me a marriage to the Sixth Prince, and he won't blame us."
Mr. Liu was utterly astonished. "You! Do you know what you're saying? A woman's reputation is paramount! How could you be so reckless?"
Liu bit her lip, and before she could say anything more, her father impatiently told her to leave.
Liu knew this method was a risky gamble; if it were discovered, it would tarnish the family's reputation, and even the reputations of other girls in the clan. But in her previous life, she had been imprisoned for her entire life with the Fifth Prince—it had been far too miserable, and the Liu family had fallen into ruin. Wouldn't her fate be even worse?
Besides, she's already cultivating immortality and has a system, so she's almost certain to succeed in this matter and won't let anyone unrelated find out. The Emperor can easily find a reason to change her marriage, and she can finally become Xu Zifan's concubine. When Xu Zifan ascends the throne, given her status, even a concubine title would be the lowest possible honor; some might even become a Noble Consort, or even an Imperial Noble Consort. Wouldn't the Liu family also rise in status along with her?
The more Liu thought about it, the more she felt that this terrible idea was most suitable for her, because she was capable of making it happen. She just didn't know when such an opportunity would come. Without the opportunity, no matter how well the plan was made, it would be useless.
She really wanted to sneak off to Linyang Prefecture to find Xu Zifan, but after thinking it over, she realized that if she did so, the most likely thing the Emperor would do was to let her "die of illness," so it was better not to take the risk and to be more cautious.
Liu returned to her courtyard with regret to concentrate on her cultivation, hoping to increase her cultivation level and receive system rewards, as well as some useful items.
It's a pity that her cultivation is too slow, and she still has to live in this mortal world. If she wants to enjoy wealth and honor, she still has to fight for it. If she could cultivate to the level of an immortal, she could roam freely between heaven and earth and not be so anxious and preoccupied.
Unlike his wife, Liu's father was not so impulsive. After careful consideration, he sent two trusted confidants to Linyang Prefecture, instructing them to thoroughly search places where there might be any fragments of books, and to send them to Xu Zifan immediately once found.
This way, they express their loyalty without being overly eager to curry favor, making things look better on the surface. When it comes to power, you can't just offer it up too readily; you have to be a little reserved and let Xu Zifan take the initiative.
Liu's father made a cautious decision, but when his men arrived in Linyang Prefecture, they discovered that Xu Zifan had already left, and no one knew where he had gone. The two searched every possible place, turning it upside down, but found nothing related to the tattered scroll. Upon receiving this news, Liu's father was at a loss for what to do and could only recall his men and wait for another opportunity.
Xu Zifan left Linyang Prefecture with the children for sightseeing. Since everyone he brought was his own, he wasn't worried about the emperor finding out he was taking money and not doing his job. Besides, he wasn't exactly unproductive; the incomplete scroll was just a cultivation technique, which he could easily complete, as long as he submitted the task at the end.
Xu Zifan personally took care of his newborn son, naming him An'er, hoping he would be safe and sound. Xu Zifan specially refined a batch of pills for An'er. The pills were fragrant and sweet, melting in the mouth. He gave An'er one pill every day, and he could see his health improving.
The wet nurses who accompanied the child were all amazed and often praised An'er for her good constitution, saying that she could be raised even after such a long and arduous journey and that she would surely have great fortune in the future.
Xu Zifan held his adorable youngest son and played with him. Whether he was truly blessed or not, leaving that bizarre home certainly brought him good fortune. The three children were innocent and adorable, and Cheng'er and Xiyun smiled more often.
During the rest period, Xu Zifan led Cheng'er and Xiyun onto their horses and said with a smile, "How about Dad takes you hunting?"
Cheng'er clapped his hands and shouted, "Great! I want to see Daddy hunt, hunt rabbits, hunt rabbits!"
Xi Yun quickly said, "The rabbit is cute, I want to hug it."
Cheng'er patted Xi Yun's little head and sighed like a little adult, "What's the use of being cute? We still have to eat. If we don't hunt rabbits, are we supposed to hunt wild boars? That's too dangerous!"
Xu Zifan chuckled and said, "You know quite a lot, kid. Who taught you that?"
"Mother...it was Mother who taught me. She said that if I go to the hunting grounds in the future, I should stay away from fierce animals. It doesn't matter if I don't catch anything. The guards will help me hunt, and I can still get first place." Cheng'er honestly betrayed the princess.
Xu Zifan kicked the horse's belly and led them to trot. He casually said, "The guards are the best hunters, don't steal other people's credit. Your mother wants you to be safe, which is a good thing, but do what you are capable of. We need to learn our skills so that we won't be afraid even if we encounter a fierce tiger."
As soon as Xu Zifan finished speaking, he shot an arrow, hitting a deer squarely. He then ran forward and fired three more arrows, trapping a snow-white rabbit between the three arrows, rendering it unable to move.
The two children stared wide-eyed, completely stunned!
Cheng'er clapped his hands excitedly, "Dad! Dad, you're so amazing!"
Xi Yun clapped her hands excitedly, "Daddy, little bunny, I want a little bunny!"
Xu Zifan chuckled, dismounted, and took the two children down with him. Cheng'er and Xiyun immediately ran hand in hand to the little rabbit. Xiyun wanted to touch the little rabbit, but hesitated to reach out her little hand. Cheng'er was bolder and carefully touched the little rabbit's back.
"So soft! So fluffy and cute!" Cheng'er exclaimed with delight.
Seeing this, Xi Yun boldly touched it too, a big smile blooming on her little face. "Cute! Soft! Daddy, I want a little rabbit, can I keep it?"
Xu Zifan squatted down behind them and ruffled Xi Yun's hair. "Of course you can have it. Dad specially caught it for you. But you need to have someone train you first so you don't run around or get bitten. We'll give it to you after you've been trained, okay?"
"Okay!" Xi Yun nodded emphatically. Children are so easily satisfied. Xu Zifan thought about how such a lovely little girl had been tormented to death by Li Yurong, and felt that Li Yurong should experience profound pain.
To amuse the two children, he chopped some branches and wove a rabbit cage by hand. He held Xiyun's hand and carried the little rabbit inside, which made Xiyun very happy. She affectionately kissed Xu Zifan on the cheek.
Seeing this, Cheng'er hugged Xu Zifan's neck and kissed him on the other cheek, then said with a grin, "Dad, you're so good to us for taking us out to play. Dad, I want a puppy, the kind that can grow up to be very big, is that okay? When I raise it, it will be my guard, my companion. It will protect me, and I will protect it too."
"Sure, getting a dog is all about fate. When we see a dog that you really like and feel a connection with, we'll let you have it. You have to take good care of it then. No matter what kind of dog you get, remember to take responsibility, just like your dad does for you. If you get a dog, you have to take good care of it. You can't give up halfway or ignore it, understand?"
"We know! We'll work hard and learn from Daddy!" Cheng'er held Xiyun's little hand and patted his chest to assure her.
Xu Zifan gently pinched his cheek, then carried the two children onto his horse and took them back. He had previously wondered if the children would miss their mother and how to comfort them. However, this did not happen, which was a tragedy of feudal society.
Ordinary families are fine, but for those of certain status, especially nobles like them, mothers usually leave their children to wet nurses and servants to take care of them. Their concern is limited to asking about the children a few times and reminding them to take good care of them. They rarely spend time with their children to express their care. They only see them once a day and have a meal together. How much affection can there be?
But this is for the best; this way, the children won't feel the pain of separation. Xu Zifan watched the two children running and laughing on the grass and instructed the cook to prepare all the children's favorite dishes. This is the kind of joy children their age should experience. This trip can be longer; as long as the emperor is appeased, that's enough.
Xu Zifan instructed someone to watch over the children, then returned to the carriage to retrieve pen and ink and wrote a letter. He attached a deliberately aged page to the letter, serving as a sequel to the tattered scroll. With this part, the emperor, with the help of a capable person, should be able to draw qi into his body, nourishing it with spiritual energy and becoming healthier. However, further cultivation would have to wait until the subsequent content was found.
Having tasted success, why would the emperor simply summon him back? He'd definitely let him continue his search. Then he could live a carefree life outside with his child!