HNYWEF -Chapter 171 A Clear Goal

Dusk gradually settled in.

The lanterns in the alley still hadn’t been lit. Only the last streak of dark red remained on the horizon, casting a dim, murky glow across the stone pavement.

Zhou Yi was still standing at the gate. His legs were sore from standing so long, but he hadn’t moved an inch.

He looked toward the mouth of the alley once.

Then again.

Still empty.

He turned back and glanced into the courtyard.

Zhou Xiong sat beside the stone table. The book was still lying open in front of him, yet not a single page had been turned.

He simply sat there, staring toward the gate—the exact same direction Zhou Yi had been watching.

The father and son had spent the entire afternoon like this, barely speaking, just waiting.

Zhou Yi turned back again and continued watching the alley entrance.

The dusk deepened. The dark red sky faded into grayish purple, then into a bluish gray.

It was time to light the lanterns.

Old Chen walked over from beneath the corridor, carrying a fire starter, just about to head for the lanterns—

When the sound of horse hooves came from the alley entrance.

More than one horse.

Zhou Yi lifted his head.

Three horses turned into the alley, their hooves clacking against the stone pavement, especially clear in the evening gloom.

He recognized the horse in front—a tall chestnut steed with a steady gait.

And he recognized the man riding it too.

Zhou Yi froze for a moment, then turned and shouted into the courtyard.

“Dad! His Majesty’s here!”

Zhou Xiong sat by the stone table without moving.

The three horses stopped outside the marquis estate.

Li Shimin dismounted, followed by Cheng Yaojin and Qin Qiong.

Li Shimin walked in front, stepped over the threshold, passed the screen wall, and entered the courtyard.

He saw Zhou Xiong sitting motionless by the stone table. He saw Zhou Yi standing beneath the corridor, his face still carrying the exhaustion of waiting all afternoon.

He stopped walking.

Zhou Xiong raised his head.

The moment he saw Li Shimin’s face—and Cheng Yaojin and Qin Qiong behind him—his expression changed instantly.

He shot to his feet so quickly that the stone stool scraped half an inch backward across the bricks with a harsh screech.

“Li Er!”

His voice was thunderously loud. Old Chen visibly shrank back under the corridor.

Cheng Yaojin froze for a moment. Qin Qiong’s brows twitched slightly.

Zhou Xiong strode forward a step, pointing at Li Shimin with a trembling finger.

“You damned bastard, did you go back on your word?!”

Li Shimin looked at him.

“Where’s my daughter-in-law, huh? What did you say in court this morning? ‘Permission granted’? Granted what exactly? Granted my ass! Where is she?!”

His voice grew louder and more urgent, as if all the frustration he’d suppressed for the entire afternoon had burst out at once.

Li Shimin simply stood there, waiting for him to finish cursing.

Then he spoke, his voice calm and steady.

“You want her traveling at night?”

Zhou Xiong’s words got stuck in his throat.

Li Shimin looked at him and continued unhurriedly:

“Tomorrow morning, I’ll definitely send her over.”

Zhou Xiong stood there with his mouth still open. The curses had already reached his lips, only to be shoved back down by those words.

He stared at Li Shimin’s face.

That face carried no obvious expression, but there was a trace of amusement in his eyes.

Not mockery.

More like: Can you let me finish talking first?

Zhou Xiong shut his mouth.

He stood there, chest still rising and falling, but more than half his anger had already dissipated.

Cheng Yaojin poked his head out from behind with a grin.

“Bear-brain, you waited the whole day? This anxious already?”

Zhou Xiong ignored him.

Li Shimin walked two steps farther into the courtyard and glanced around.

Then he withdrew his gaze and looked at Zhou Xiong.

“How about going out for a gathering tonight?”

Zhou Xiong looked at him for two breaths.