After watching the farcical wedding, the two of them chuckled, happier than words could express.
The next day, they rejoined the main group. Seeing her elder sister-in-law return after a few days' absence, and in such high spirits, Pingting eagerly linked her arm through Zhao Jiaqi's, whispering, "Did the Emperor summon you back for something good? Tell us, so we can be happy too!"
Zhao Jiaqi chuckled, poked Pingting's little nose, and said with a laugh, "What good could the Emperor possibly have for me? I'd be grateful if he didn't cause me more trouble!"
Upon hearing it wasn't good news, Pingting's smile vanished, and her lips pouted. "I knew this emperor was full of bad intentions. What good could he possibly have for you and my elder brother?"
Zhao Jiaqi hummed in agreement. "It's a marriage alliance with Xue Kingdom. The Prime Minister recommended Yu Meng to the Emperor for a peace marriage, and my husband and I were summoned back to the capital to handle this matter."
"Ah?" Pingting straightened up, exclaiming in surprise, her eyes wide. "Is this Prime Minister crazy, or what? Suggesting our daughter for a peace marriage? Why doesn't he offer his own daughter? What sort of person is he? Elder sister-in-law, you didn't agree, did you!"
Zhao Jiaqi glanced at the naive girl and asked, "Am I that unreliable?"
"The one marrying for peace is the Prime Minister's youngest daughter. Then, my husband and I found a wife for the Prime Minister's son. She's not particularly attractive and is a village girl. They look down on village girls, so this time, I'm delivering it right to their doorstep."
The main reason this marriage was difficult to refuse was that it was an imperial decree. The Prime Minister's family couldn't annul it.
They couldn't beat her, scold her, or even wish her dead. Every day, they would have to face Cui Hua. Zhao Jiaqi felt like she was about to fly with joy just thinking about it.
Pingting couldn't quite imagine what "not particularly attractive" looked like, but judging by her elder sister-in-law's sly smile, this girl was probably not good-looking at all.
"Elder sister-in-law, you did the right thing. I support you."
Pingting didn't know the specific details, but whatever her elder sister-in-law did, she would fully support, even if it was wrong, in her eyes, it was right.
After being away for several days, everyone else was back, but Fan Lao Er and Yu Meng were nowhere to be seen.
She asked Pingting, "Where are their uncle and nephew?"
"Fan Lao Er and Yu Meng are restless. This town isn't far from that forest outside the capital. Every morning, they ride horses into the woods to hunt, and they only return when it's dark. I've told them several times, but they just won't listen."
Pingting sighed and muttered, truly exasperated with the pair. It was understandable that Yu Meng was young and energetic, but Fan Lao Er was almost thirty and still couldn't stay put, which was a headache.
After her complaints, she realized her elder sister-in-law might worry about the child's safety and immediately added, "Elder sister-in-law, don't worry. Xu Dong said he would definitely look after the child and wouldn't let Yu Meng get hurt."
"I know. As long as they don't encounter tigers or wolf packs, ordinary prey shouldn't be a problem."
Yu Meng hadn't exactly grown up in the mountains, but she had learned a lot of hunting skills from Fan Zehao. She trusted her daughter's intelligence and believed she wouldn't get hurt by the prey.
As dinner was just being laid out on the table, there was a commotion in the inn's courtyard.
She stepped out of the room and immediately saw Yu Meng running towards Fan Zehao, holding something, her face beaming with excitement.
The warm scene of father and daughter chatting and laughing was deeply etched in her mind. With a gentle smile, she walked over.
"Little rascal, you've played too much, haven't you? You don't even know to come back when it's getting dark."
Yu Meng peeked out from her father's embrace and stuck out her tongue at her, giggling, "No way, Mother, you're just talking nonsense."
She pointed at the sky. "The sun is still up, it's not dark yet."
"Sharp tongue. Let me see what you brought back. That little tail is wagging!" Zhao Jiaqi poked her forehead, laughing.
Her mother's words reminded Yu Meng. She quickly pulled away from her father's embrace and presented the little creature in her arms.
Zhao Jiaqi and Fan Zehao both felt a sense of familiarity with the little thing. After a moment of stunned silence, their expressions changed drastically.
Fan Zehao took the little creature, trying his best to keep his voice calm. "Do you know what animal this is?"
"A wolf! A wolf cub. I know."
Zhao Jiaqi's blood pressure immediately surged. She grabbed Fan Zehao's sleeve. "Did you hear that? This child actually knows it's a wolf cub, and she still dared to bring it back! Tell me, doesn't she deserve a spanking!"
Her wife's hands were already itching, about to form a slapping palm. He quickly changed the subject. "Wife, don't be angry. It's all her uncle's fault. Fan Lao Er knew the child was holding a wolf cub, and he didn't stop her. Just you wait, I'll beat him up to vent my anger. He's corrupting my daughter."
Without another word, he placed the wolf cub into his wife's arms, lifted his robe, and went to find Fan Lao Er.
Yu Meng was a little bewildered, watching her father chase her uncle around the courtyard with a confused look. What was wrong with her bringing back a wolf cub?
"Mother, why is Father hitting Uncle?"
Zhao Jiaqi glared at the instigator. "Wolves are social animals. Didn't your father teach you that?"
"I know, but this wolf cub was given to me by the old wolf. I didn't snatch it from a wolf den. After the old wolf gave it to me, it left. Uncle said that wolf was dying, and this was entrusting its cub."
Zhao Jiaqi: ...
Old wolf? Entrusting its cub?
She called out to Fan Zehao, who was still chasing and hitting. "Husband, come back."
Fan Zehao stopped, slightly breathless, glared fiercely at Fan Lao Er, and said menacingly, "If you dare take my daughter to such a dangerous place again, I'll break your legs."
Fan Lao Er had no idea what he had done wrong. He dejectedly walked to his wife's side, seeking comfort.
In the courtyard, everyone was used to this scene, but Helian Jinli and Baili Fengge were seeing it for the first time.
The Regent was chasing the King of Dingbei around the courtyard, while everyone else stood by with their arms crossed, watching the show, not at all worried that the two princes might get into any trouble.
No one even tried to stop them. The two looked at each other, surprised in their eyes.
At that moment.
Zhao Jiaqi repeated Yu Meng's words to her husband and asked uncertainly, "Could the old wolf Yu Meng mentioned be Er Lang?"
Fan Zehao stroked the little wolf cub in her arms and secretly calculated the time. The child was fourteen this year, so the wolf would also be fourteen.
"If it really is Old Wolf, then this cub is likely its offspring. It's rare for a wolf to live to fourteen."
Fan Zehao sighed, his mind recalling the time he first saw Da Lang and Er Lang. But Da Lang had died protecting his mate, and Er Lang was released back into the deep mountains.
A few years ago in the capital, they had gone to visit them in the mountains, but the next time they went, they never saw them again.
He hadn't expected his daughter to encounter Er Lang while hunting this time.
"Wife, Er Lang might have recognized Yu Meng, which is why it brought its offspring to her. Raise this wolf cub well. I suspect Er Lang still cares about us, otherwise, it wouldn't have brought out its newborn cub."
Zhao Jiaqi nodded silently, agreeing with her husband.
The old folks always said, when a wolf turns back, it's either for revenge or to repay a kindness.