“Papa, you’re leaving?” Yun Xia asked, her voice filled with sadness as she looked at her father with teary eyes.

Yun Ling’s heart ached after seeing the pitiful expression that his daughter had on her face. He almost hesitated to leave and to instead, just stay with her. In the end, he steeled his heart and made a decision.

“Xiaxia, it won’t take long. Papa will be back soon so obediently wait here for me, okay?” Yun Ling crouched down to her level and softly said as he wiped the tears in her eyes.

They were currently outside the clan compound, just right in front of their main gate. His family was also there to see him off right before he leaves. His father watched him with a steady gaze while in contrast, his mother looked at him with a bit of worry. His grandmother was just smiling at him, while his grandfather, in a rare moment, looked at him with pride.

Yue Dongmei was also there standing just a few meters behind Yun Xia. She didn’t have any particular emotion on her face but Yun Ling didn’t really expect her to have one. It would’ve been weird if she started acting otherwise.

His cousin and aide, Yun Yi merely smiled at him with the same pleasant smile he always had.

Almost everyone from his family came. Even their servants and some other clansmen were there, looking at them from a distance. The only ones who weren't there were Yun Ling’s two siblings who were currently away from the capital and his uncle who was Yun Yi’s father.

After comforting Yun Xia for a bit, Yun Ling gave his family a dull stare, “You guys, this isn’t the first time I’m leaving for some mission or something so why are you even here to see me off?”

“Don’t be like that, Young Master,” Yun Yi looked at him playfully, “the Golden Dragon Election is an important event in the empire after all. This isn’t like the usual mission assigned to you by the clan master. Right now, quite a lot of influential people had their eyes set on you, and the other two, supreme geniuses, to see how you’ll fare in the task the emperor gave you. You’ll have to be extra careful this time, Young Master,” Yun Yi’s playful countenance disappeared as he told Yun Ling that seriously.

“Ling, be careful, okay?” his mother, Li Jing, said.

Yun Ling rolled his eyes at them but nodded. He turned to his father afterward and said, “Father, please watch over Yun Xia for me.”

“She’s my granddaughter, of course, I’ll watch over her,” Yun Zhan stated. “Besides, Dongmei is here too so you have nothing to worry about.”

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Upon hearing that, Yun Ling looked at the aforementioned woman, “I’ll leave her in your hands.”

“You don’t have to tell me that,” Yue Dongmei cooly said.

‘So cold,’ Was the inner thought of everyone else.

“Don’t forget to bring us some souvenir, Ling’er,” his grandmother, Ye Lin reminded.

“Alright.”

“Make sure to bring some Monstrous Bird meat too when you come back,” Yun Wei added making Yun Ling a little surprised.

‘Does he know something?’ Yun Ling thought as he looked at his grandfather in slight suspicion. Sighing, he waved off his thoughts. There’s no point in figuring it out, it’s not worth thinking and wasting time over it.

After speaking with everyone else, Yun Ling faced Yun Xia once again.

“Papa...”

“You know what, if Xiaxia behaves, Papa will bring you a present,” Yun Ling gently smiled at her.

Yun Xia shook her head, “Yun Xia doesn’t want a present. Yun Xia just wants Papa.”

Yun Ling felt as though an invisible arrow had just pierced his heart. He started having second thoughts once again.

“Don’t talk too much and just go,” Yun Wei said as he kicked him on his butt. Normally, Yun Ling would’ve easily avoided that in a heartbeat. He was too distracted with Yun Xia however and failed to see his foot coming.

Yun Ling staggered a few steps forward upon contact, and immediately avoided Yun Xia lest he hit her with his body’s momentum. He quickly managed to regain his balance afterward as he glared at his grandfather hatefully. His chest heaved up and down, the veins on his hands were bulging as he tried to prevent himself from lashing out in anger.

An intense aura was emanating from him as he stood still for a few moments. The visible anger on his grandson’s countenance made Yun Wei sweat a bit.

“My beloved grandson, this... grandpa was just joking with you,” Yun Wei defended himself weakly.

Yun Ling’s gaze went even colder.

“Courting death!” was the only thing Yun Ling said as he launched a fist towards his grandfather’s face.

…

After giving a painful lesson to his grandfather, and reassuring his daughter that he’ll be back soon, Yun Ling mounted his horse and strode off.

He was still angry at his grandfather for what he did earlier, and it showed on his face as he wasn’t trying to hide it. Pretty much everyone he met on his way outside the capital immediately avoided him upon seeing the expression on his face in fear of accidentally offending him and becoming an outlet for his anger.

Just as he was about to exit the capital’s gate, Yun Ling saw a hunchback old man blocking his way. The street was quite big, able to accommodate several carriages side by side with no difficulty. Yun Ling could have easily steered his horse to avoid him and just go on his way but he didn’t. It’s because Yun Ling was familiar with this old man. Not to mention, the old man was looking at him intently showing no signs of moving. He figured that he probably wants something from him.

Yun Ling halted his horse and stopped a few steps away from the old man. Yun Ling coldly looked at him while the old man calmly watched him.

“Looks like you’re not in a good mood. Did this old man offend you somehow by stopping you?” the old man started with a kind smile.

“No. It’s something else,” Yun Ling said as he tried to calm his emotions. “Grand Chancellor Zheng Yi, do you need something from me?”