In truth, Zhao Qian felt a bit annoyed with Zhao Fang's family, but after listening to her daughter and future daughter-in-law's scolding, she let go of her anger.
The other party was clearly returning to show off, and given their temper, they wouldn't just let things go after suffering two setbacks.
"Auntie, shall we go for a walk?"
The clan meeting wouldn't start until tomorrow; today was just for each family to sign in.
Accustomed to city life, Mu Hanqi had never seen the countryside.
It was very cold this year, so much so that the river flowing through the center of the village was completely frozen. At least in the city, Mu Hanqi had never seen an entire river frozen over.
Rural temperatures were always three to four degrees lower than in the city.
"Woohoo!"
Realizing something, Mu Hanqi became exhilarated and cheered.
Ye Longlin stood on the bank, silently lighting a cigarette.
"You'll be in court tomorrow. As of three o'clock, the Director of the Dragon Investigation Bureau has given me the list. I'll send it to you shortly," Xuan Niao said softly, standing behind Ye Longlin.
Yuan Gang hadn't returned yet, but he was expected back today. It remained to be seen how many people he would inspire fear and dread tomorrow.
"Are the files unsealed?" Ye Longlin suddenly asked.
Xuan Niao shook his head. "Not yet. We plan to unseal them tomorrow and hand them over to the presiding judge privately before the trial."
"Have her leave with me tonight. If she stays here, I'm afraid she'll be wronged," Xuan Niao suddenly chuckled. "Boss, you've really fallen for Mu Hanqi. Are we in Dragon Pavilion going to have a sister-in-law?"
If that were the case, Mu Hanqi's status would undoubtedly undergo a qualitative change. Being the Heavenly King's wife was no ordinary status.
Ye Longlin said with annoyance, "The clan meeting won't be this peaceful. Moreover, the southern province is inherently exclusive. Leaving her here alone might cause trouble for Aunt Zhao and Xiao Yu. There's no need for that."
On the small river, as soon as Mu Hanqi stepped onto the ice, her feet slipped, and she performed a split, sliding away on the ice with a whoosh.
"Ah—"
Mu Hanqi was both scared and excited. Since childhood, Mu Ye had protected her too well, let alone enduring hardship in the countryside.
Therefore, she had never been before, and rivers in the southern province that froze solid enough to bear the weight of play were even rarer.
After extinguishing his cigarette, Ye Longlin strode forward and helped her up, saying with annoyance, "Are you stupid!"
Mu Hanqi sniffled, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I did it on purpose!"
Ye Longlin tapped her forehead with mild exasperation.
Through her down jacket, Mu Hanqi gently hugged Ye Longlin's waist, resting her head on his chest.
The ice beneath their feet began to crack, indicating it could only support one person.
"Crack crack—"
As the ice shattered, a small hole appeared beneath them.
Ye Longlin's toes touched the water's surface, and a ripple spread out, shattering the entire ice layer and sending it to the bottom.
Hearing the sound, Mu Hanqi opened her eyes and nearly fell in from fright.
"Ah ah ah!!! It's broken, it's broken, Ye Longlin!!!"
Mu Hanqi's pretty face turned pale with fright. Her legs clamped onto Ye Longlin's body, and she clung to him like a koala, her arms wrapped around his neck.
Ye Longlin chuckled. "Now you know to be scared?"
Mu Hanqi tilted her head up, nudged Ye Longlin's chin, and pouted aggrievedly, "You only know how to bully me. I'm going to tell Aunt Zhao."
"Believe it or not, I'll throw you in the water," Ye Longlin threatened with a stern face.
Mu Hanqi giggled and made a face. "You won't. You can't bear to. How could you throw a girl like me into the water, especially such a cute girl?"
Ye Longlin rolled his eyes, stepped forward, and with a few steps on the water's surface, returned to the bank.
"Aren't you getting down?" He looked down at Mu Hanqi, clinging to him like a koala, with great helplessness.
"No, I'm not getting down."
In truth, the young girl had come with dreams in her heart, captivated by his scent. Even though she knew he had done it on purpose, she still didn't want to get down.
Xuan Niao, standing nearby, also showed a rare smile at this scene.
For people like them, love was truly elusive. If they were to start a family, they would need to consider the factors and influences of family.
Military dependents.
While the term sounded good, bestowing a status, being a military dependent also meant bearing certain risks.
Not at the lower levels, but certainly at the higher levels!
Over the years, countless criminals had taken desperate measures, holding military family members hostage to threaten them.
"Alright, there are people watching," Ye Longlin said softly. Mu Hanqi turned and saw Xuan Niao, her face flushing slightly, whether from the cold or from her secret thoughts being discovered.
"We depart precisely at five o'clock. We'll return after resolving matters tomorrow."
Mu Hanqi directly took Ye Longlin's hand, not bothering to ask if he agreed, just holding on. But Ye Longlin showed no resistance?
"Okay."
...
The news of the upcoming court session sent ripples through the high-level circles of the southern province, with many expected to attend.
The original plan was for this military trial to be held in private, but due to overwhelming pressure, it was eventually decided to be public.
Inside the military courtroom.
The presiding judge sighed as he looked at the vast amount of information before him.
"This matter has far-reaching implications, involving families from the capital, as well as pressure from various families and groups across society. And to have a public trial, it's a disgrace to the identity of a soldier."
The presiding judge stared at the documents, his brow furrowed. It was rumored that a Three-Star General was personally involved.
This... was the largest military trial in nearly twenty years.
"Haven't you noticed that Ye Longlin himself has not appeared throughout this entire affair?" The presiding judge suddenly spoke, causing the副审判长 (deputy presiding judge) beside him to pause, his eyes narrowed, lost in thought.
"You mean to say, there's a twist to this matter?" The deputy presiding judge shook his head slightly, tapping the table. "Who knows until the verdict is out?"
It wasn't just the court; the Dragon Investigation Bureau, at the center of the storm, was feeling pressure from all sides. Most importantly, he had already received several calls from the capital.
Some directly stated that Ye Longlin should be killed.
But others vowed to protect Ye Longlin.
If anyone felt the most pressure in this entire affair, it would undoubtedly be him, the director.
"Trouble, so much trouble." However, Xie Wenzhan, standing nearby, suddenly said, "There's no trouble. From beginning to end, this matter has only one outcome."