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"Please get up," Li Xia helped Yu Yu to her feet. She sincerely wanted to repay the grandmother and granddaughter.

Grandma Yu and Yu Yu left with the noble lady. The villagers helped pack their belongings, and Grandma Yu gave away what they couldn't take or didn't need to the villagers. The Yu family, grandmother and granddaughter, rode in a carriage, leaving amidst the envious gazes of the villagers.

To have more time to talk with Li Xia, Lu XuanNing had Lu Liucheng and Lu Xuanyu ride in the same carriage as the Yu family. He and Li Xia rode in another carriage. "Xia Xia, don't be angry anymore."

"How dare I be angry? You're a great general now." Li Xia snorted lightly, turning her head away from Lu XuanNing.

"Xia Xia, if you're unhappy, you can hit me. But please don't ignore me," Lu XuanNing whispered in Li Xia's ear, his warm breath causing her to shift.

Seeing that Li Xia was softening, Lu XuanNing pressed on. Li Xia didn't want to talk to Lu XuanNing, so she patted her shoulder.

Lu XuanNing immediately began massaging Li Xia's shoulders. Li Xia closed her eyes to rest, while Lu XuanNing carefully coaxed her the entire journey. By the time they reached Hai City, he had managed to get a smile from Li Xia.

After being away from Hai City for over two months, they returned to find significant changes. The streets had far fewer pedestrians, and nearly half of the shops had been sealed.

Qiu Shui was waiting with others at the entrance of the general's mansion. When the carriage stopped, Qiu Shui stepped forward to lift the curtain and help Li Xia down.

"Qiu Shui, thank you for taking care of the house during this time," Li Xia said as she alighted from the carriage with Qiu Shui's assistance, looking at the noticeably haggard Qiu Shui.

"My lady, it wasn't hard at all. You're the one who's lost weight," Qiu Shui thought about how Li Xia had been seasick for months on the ship. She couldn't help but shed tears of joy at seeing her return safely, thinking about how she must have eaten and slept poorly. However, not seeing Qiu Chan and Qiu Ling, she felt a bit worried.

"Qiu Shui, these are Grandma Yu and Yu Yu. They saved my life. Please arrange for them to stay in the guest quarters."

Qiu Shui acknowledged Li Xia's instructions and led people to arrange accommodations for Grandma Yu and Yu Yu.

Half a month later, Qiu Chan, Qiu Ling, Xiao Changning, and Jiang Chong returned with a letter from Zhou Heng.

In his letter, Zhou Heng said he would stay on Crescent Moon Island for some time, as he had many ideas to discuss with the Poison Mistress. Since Zhou Heng wasn't returning, naturally, Qing Niang wouldn't return either.

Liu Ping, the prefect of Hai City, was transferred, and a new prefect was appointed. Hai City was being redeveloped and replanned.

With the Poison Mistress mediating, the cargo volume at Hai City's port increased daily. To ensure the safety of merchant ships, Lu XuanNing often had to lead naval patrols to protect the sea area.

Lu Liucheng and Lu Xuanyu frequently accompanied Lu XuanNing on naval patrols. They even went to Crescent Moon Island once with Lu XuanNing. They met their great-grandmother, and the Poison Mistress took a great liking to Lu Liucheng, even wanting him to inherit her position as the island's ruler.

Li Xia neither refused nor agreed, leaving the decision to Lu Liucheng's own wishes.

Hai City developed well, and they stayed there for six years. Lu Xuanyu had returned last year to participate in the imperial examinations.

Lu Liucheng was now 14 years old, as tall as Lu XuanNing. He wielded the Lu family spear with extraordinary skill, and at 12, Lu XuanNing had him join the army as a naval officer. Now, Lu Liucheng was already a small team leader.

With Lu XuanNing's support, the Poison Mistress occupied Crescent Moon Island, Snake Island, Homecoming Island, and several other major sea islands, becoming a veritable queen of the seas with formidable power.

The new emperor, upon ascending the throne, lavishly rewarded Lu XuanNing and summoned him back to the capital. It was evident that the new emperor was somewhat wary of the Lu family. Lu XuanNing had made Hai City very prosperous and controlled the navy. Externally, he had the support of the Poison Mistress.

In fact, even if the new emperor hadn't decreed their return to the capital, Li Xia and Lu XuanNing were planning to go back. Marquis Lu had written that Old Marquis Lu didn't have much time left. Lu XuanNing had to return no matter what.

After making arrangements for the handover, the family returned to the capital.

When they had come to take up the post in Hai City, they had ample time and traveled slowly. But this time, wanting to see Old Marquis Lu one last time, they traveled day and night. Upon reaching the capital, they went to the Beining Marquis Manor. There, they saw Old Marquis Lu on his sickbed.

Old Marquis Lu, upon seeing Lu XuanNing and Lu Liucheng, managed to say "Good, good" twice before passing away.

Li Xia moved into the Morning Dew Courtyard, changed into mourning clothes, and followed Madam Zhou's arrangements for Old Marquis Lu's funeral. When her family came to visit, Li Xia only exchanged brief words before returning to her duties.

After seven days of lying in state, the emperor personally came to pay his respects.

Old Marquis Lu was then laid to rest in the Lu family ancestral tomb. Lu XuanNing took Li Xia back to the Mansion of Marquis of Pacifying the South to observe the mourning period publicly. Lu XuanNing had just been rewarded for his great achievements, but now had to resign from his official position to observe mourning. Many people felt it was a pity that he had to give up the power and prestige he had just gained.

However, Lu XuanNing didn't feel any regret at all. Old Marquis Lu's death had a profound impact on him.

Li Xia gave Lu XuanNing half a month to grieve. But a month passed, and Lu XuanNing was still in a daze.

She walked into the study to find Lu XuanNing absent-mindedly stroking a spear. It was the one Old Marquis Lu often used, which Lu XuanNing had specially brought back to the Mansion of Marquis of Pacifying the South.

"The sun is nice today. Come walk with me in the garden," Li Xia said, reaching out to take Lu XuanNing's hand.

Lu XuanNing put down the spear and accompanied Li Xia to the garden.

"XuanNing, we're all deeply saddened by grandfather's passing, but the living must look forward," she said.

Lu XuanNing embraced Li Xia, saying, "Xia Xia, don't leave me."

Li Xia didn't respond, and Lu XuanNing continued to plead in his heart, "Don't leave me."

"Master, Madam, the Second Young Master has arrived," a servant reported.

The couple went to the front hall to see Lu Xuanyu, who looked troubled.

"Brother, please talk to Mother," Lu Xuanyu said helplessly. He was at his wit's end.

For the past two years, Madam Zhou had been looking for potential brides for Lu Xuanyu. They were about to settle on one when Old Marquis Lu passed away, and Lu Xuanyu had to observe three years of mourning. The girl's family couldn't wait three years – it wasn't a short time, and who knew what might happen?

Madam Zhou understood this reasoning. Zhou Luoer had waited three years for her fiancé before, and things had gone wrong.

After much deliberation, Madam Zhou decided to arrange Lu Xuanyu's marriage within a hundred days of Old Marquis Lu's passing.

Lu Xuanyu disagreed with Madam Zhou's decision. He insisted on observing the full three years of mourning for Old Marquis Lu before discussing marriage. Right now, all he wanted to focus on was studying for the imperial examinations.

Madam Zhou wouldn't agree and threatened suicide at home to force Lu Xuanyu to comply.

"Mother, why such a rush?" Lu Xuanyu was only 17 this year, and even after three years, he would only be 20. It wasn't considered late for a man to marry at that age. There was no need to be so urgent.

"It's all because of that Zhou Luoer's instigation," Lu Xuanyu said in a very displeased tone. Mentioning his maternal relatives now filled him with annoyance.

During Old Marquis Lu's funeral, people from the Zhou family had come to pay their respects, including the now-married Zhou Luoer. Seeing the increasingly prosperous Lu family and comparing it to the declining Zhou family, how could she not have some thoughts?