"Brother, Sister, don't just stand there. Come over and eat this huge spread of food," Li Wuya urged as she saw her siblings hesitating.
Seeing Li Wuya so carefree, Li Sanlang and Li Erya couldn't help but feel exasperated.
Li Erya walked over, saying, "You can still eat at a time like this?"
Li Wuya immediately replied, "The universe revolves around eating. No one should think they can influence my appetite. I can't stand the feeling of an empty stomach."
Seeing Li Sanlang and Li Erya both frowning, she continued, "Brother, Sister, for now, the Jiang family is just strangers to us. Can't you eat just because they're not eating?"
Li Sanlang approached the table, picked a few dishes, and set them aside for Li Changsen and Jin Yue'e. Then he picked up his chopsticks and started eating. "Wuya is right. We should carry on as we always have. We can't easily be influenced by others."
Li Wuya, munching on a braised pig's trotter, nodded in agreement. "Brother is absolutely right. This pig's trotter is so delicious. Sister, you should eat quickly. We still have classes in the afternoon."
"Well, if everyone loves eating out like this, the food at this restaurant is really good. Once the pharmacy starts making money, I'll buy food from here every day too."
After a few bites, Li Sanlang put down his chopsticks. "Both of my children want different things. I can understand that. But what I don't understand is, why did Dad and the Li family have to be switched? It's not something that's hard to talk about. So why did they need to make up an excuse that Dad was kept outside the family?"
Li Wuya put down her braised pig's trotter, speaking thoughtfully, "Why else? To protect that Li family child, to prevent him from being criticized."
"We all can see that Dad and the Li family child were intentionally switched. I refuse to believe the Jiang family and the Shi family don't know."
"Earlier, I intentionally steered the conversation towards the Li family, but that Jiang madam interrupted me. Why did she do that?"
"Nothing more than trying to keep this hidden, so we can get along well with that Li family child. The essential reason is that they believe the Li family child is more valuable than us, capable of bringing greater benefits to the Jiang and Shi families."
She paused for a moment.
"True, they've invested a lot over these thirty years. The more you invest, the harder it is to let go. I can understand that."
Li Erya looked over. "If you understand that, then why did you get angry just now?"
Li Wuya replied, "Because I'm Dad's daughter, and understanding is one thing, but taking a stand is another. I'll definitely stand by Dad's side and protect his rights."
Li Sanlang coldly sneered, "Protecting the Li family child, then what about Dad? Dad suffered so much injustice in the Li family. Now they want him to get along well with the Li family child. Have they ever considered Dad's feelings?"
Li Wuya responded, "Without value, naturally there's no need to emphasize or be considerate. In their eyes, recognizing Dad is already enough. As for feelings and emotions, it's not them suffering, so who cares?"
Li Erya put down her chopsticks too. "Since they don't value Dad so much, why don't we just not recognize them? If they're going to recognize, but not treat him well, what's the point?"
Li Wuya laughed, "Sister, didn't you hear what the steward and the nanny from the Shi family said? The Shi family values their bloodline, not Dad himself."
Li Erya angrily said, "If that's the case, next time the Jiang family comes, don't let them in. Just tell them that we don't recognize this kinship."
After saying that, she left the table without finishing her meal and went straight to her room.
Seeing this, Li Wuya exclaimed, "Sister, your body is your own. Don't punish yourself for others' mistakes."
When Li Sanlang left too, Li Wuya looked at the table full of dishes and sighed, "So much food. How can I finish it? The weather is so hot; I don't want it to spoil."
At that moment, Li Wuya missed her gluttonous younger brother, Li Qilarong.
With him around, the food definitely wouldn't go to waste.
Two hours later, Li Wuya had managed to finish most of the dishes on the table. With her belly bulging, she tidied up the table and then called for Li Erya to go to Madam Qiao's place for lessons.
Once they left, Li Sanlang also went out to the escort agency.
Having previously worked at the horse ranch, he now managed the horses at the escort agency. The head of the agency had acquired a good horse a few days ago, which hadn't been tamed yet. Li Sanlang wanted to give it a try.
Li Changsen and Jin Yue'e didn't return home until it was dark. Once home, they called their children over: "The Shi family wants us to return to the capital. How do you feel about it?"
Li Sanlang looked at his younger siblings and said, "Whether to recognize or not, it's all fine. We'll listen to Dad."
Li Erya replied, "Not recognizing doesn't matter to me."
Li Wuya chimed in, "Wherever Dad is, that's where our home is."
Li Qilarong, who still didn't understand much, said, "I don't have an opinion."
Li Changsen sighed softly, "The Shi family holds the title of Earl, their social status is several levels higher than ours. Recognizing them would benefit your future."
Li Sanlang responded, "We don't need them. We can make a name for ourselves on our own."
Li Changsen let out a sigh, "Dad believes in you all, but... it's too difficult."
After running escorts for these past months, he had gained a deeper understanding of the various cities along the border. Almost all the good places were occupied by wealthy families with high status. For ordinary folks like them, accumulating wealth was no easy task.
Just like at Die Ridge Pass, because he lacked a good background and connections, even though he killed more enemies than anyone else, he could only be a minor company commander.
For such a capable child as Sanlang, his spot in the Prefectural Martial Academy was still taken by someone else.
Yes, he could take the exam again next year, but the occurrence of swapped examination quotas was concerning. He didn't have much confidence in the Prefectural Martial Academy in Rongcheng.
In Rongcheng, opportunities were too scarce.
Even if Sanlang entered the Prefectural Martial Academy, he would still end up on the battlefield.
He knew too well the dangers of the battlefield. Did he really want his children to walk that path?
If there was no other way, they would have to grit their teeth and bear it. But now that there was a better path, he didn't want his children to follow in his footsteps.
Going to the capital, even if Sanlang became a successful martial scholar, his options would expand.
Li Changsen looked at Li Erya, Li Wuya, and Li Qilarong once more.
Li Erya would be turning fourteen this year and would reach marriageable age next year. Once she reached that age, she could officially get engaged. If they returned to the Shi family, their matchmakers would surely find her a better match than they could.
Then there were Li Wuya and Li Qilarong. They were still young, with a few more years of education ahead of them. Their future would undoubtedly be much brighter than staying in Rongcheng.
Li Wuya glanced at her parents' expressions and could tell they had already made up their minds for their sakes. After a moment of thought, she said, "Recognizing them is fine, but the precondition is that Dad shouldn't suffer any injustice."
Li Changsen gave a wry smile, "The Shi family holds a noble title, and they are willing to recognize me. I don't have any grievances."
Li Wuya responded, "Dad, that Li family child is still with the Shi family. I know you're willing to endure for our sake, but we don't want to."
Jin Yue'e scolded Li Wuya, "Your father is doing this for your own good. What's there to be unwilling about?"
Li Wuya argued, "Mom, think about it. If we just casually return to the Shi family, allowing them to give vague introductions about Dad, we'll surely face criticism from others."
"And that Li family child, who's taken over our place, will remain unscathed. On what grounds? Dad is the victim here, so why should he have to bear these criticisms?"
"Moreover, if the Li family child continues to stay with the Shi family, when we go there, we'll definitely be compared. From parents to siblings, no one will be left out."
"The Earl's mansion must be different from what we're used to. Imagine being constantly compared and measured up against others!"
Li Changsen furrowed his brows. It seemed he had oversimplified the issue. He had thought that enduring a little injustice himself would be enough, but he hadn't anticipated so many complications.
Jin Yue'e worriedly asked, "Then what should we do? Should we really not recognize the Shi family?"
Li Wuya rubbed her chin, "The Shi family, as an Earl's mansion, recognizing them would indeed have significant advantages for us."
"However, in all things, there are pros and cons. By returning to the Shi family, we can gain some benefits, but at the same time, we might also have to give up something else."
"High-ranking families are most concerned about their own interests. If we can't bring benefits to the Shi family and have no emotional connection, over time, we might become bothersome. We'd be living at the mercy of others, which would be tough."
"But whether this matter is good or bad is really hard to determine. So, Dad, you don't really need to make a decision so quickly."
"Today, we've already expressed our stance to the Jiang family. We can return to the Shi family, but we must do so with integrity and legitimacy, not accepting any fabricated excuses."
"Let's see how they respond. Especially the Shi family, they'll always be biased toward that Li family child. Even if we return, it won't be easy for us."
Li Sanlang chimed in, "Dad, you really don't need to worry about our future. We care more about you."
"Not recognizing the Shi family might make our lives tougher, but as long as our family works together, we can still lead good lives."
Li Erya and Li Qilarong nodded in agreement.
Li Changsen looked at his four children with emotion and held Jin Yue'e's hand, "With all of you by my side, heaven has been kind to me."
After being persuaded by Li Wuya's explanations, Li Changsen stopped being so conflicted about recognizing the Shi family. In the days that followed, their daily routines remained unchanged despite the Jiang family's presence.
Jiang Anbang, upon realizing that the Li family was handling the situation so calmly, grew somewhat anxious. He wanted to personally talk to Li Changsen, but considering Jiang Antai's instructions, he had to suppress his eagerness.
Let's wait a little longer. Maybe the Changsen family hasn't made up their minds yet.
"Sis, there are people guarding the entrance of our alley every day. Could they be sent by the Jiang family to monitor us?"
Li Qilarong, having returned after his classes, immediately sought out Li Wuya. Over the past few days, he encountered different unfamiliar faces at the entrance of the alley every day.
Li Wuya replied, "As long as they're not bothering you, why do you care so much?"
Li Qilarong glanced at Li Wuya, who was focused on her writing, "Sis, you really don't want to recognize the Shi family, huh?"
Li Wuya looked up at Li Qilarong and smiled, "No, if it were up to me, recognizing the Shi family would have more pros than cons for us."
"In our family, Dad has abilities and strength. The four of us are also quite exceptional. Once we go to the capital, it's like a dragon returning to the sea."
"But you know, besides having the skills, we also need a platform to showcase our talents."
"With abilities and a platform, gaining status and position becomes much easier."
"Leaving other matters aside, recognizing the Shi family would mean you and your brother could avoid struggling for another twenty years."
Li Qilarong was puzzled, "Since there are so many benefits, why did you advise Dad to not bother with the Jiang family?"
Li Wuya put down her brush, "Qilarong, remember when I told you that the competition between people starts from the first encounter?"
Li Qilarong nodded, "I remember."
Li Wuya continued, "The Shi family doesn't want to give up the Li family child. They casually found an excuse to want Dad to come back, and the Jiang family is also siding with them. By doing this, they are testing Dad's limits."
"If Dad compromises, at first they might think he's been wronged. But over time, they'll start feeling that Dad benefited greatly from returning to the Shi family. After all, the gap between our family and the Earl's mansion is quite significant. They'll then happily let Dad continue to suffer."
"Being able to endure such suffering, if there's any conflict between Dad and the Li family child in the future, it's likely that others will advise Dad to back down."
"One step back leads to many more steps back."
"I advised Dad not to engage with the Jiang family to show them, the Jiang family and the Shi family behind them, that we can stand our ground."
"After the ninth day of the sixth month, the Jiang family stopped showing up at our door. You think they're doing that? They're waiting for us to come knocking."
"Now it's about who can remain more patient."
She hummed disdainfully, "Recognizing the Shi family has many advantages, but we're not bound to it. By not taking shortcuts, we can still achieve the life we want."
Li Qilarong scratched his head, "Can we really outmaneuver them? Since the Li family child was carefully raised by the Shi family, they definitely won't want to give him up."
Li Wuya picked up her brush again, "Whether they give up or not is their choice. Returning with dignity and legitimacy is our bottom line."
"Qilarong, this is a dispute between Dad and the Li family child over their status. With a legitimate status, when we return to the Shi family in the future, we can hold our heads high."
"Dad is the victim here. He shouldn't return to the Shi family in an unclear manner, becoming a target for others and enduring their criticisms."
Li Qilarong nodded, "I understand." After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Sis, with the way the Shi and Jiang families are acting, I don't want to recognize them either."
Li Wuya paused, "The Shi family's attitude is somewhat uncertain. The steward from the Jiang family came to Tianling Tun over a year ago to investigate our family, but then the matter was dropped."
"Jiang Erlaoye visited our house last month, and from his appearance, it seemed like he had just found out about our existence. After he left, it took less than a month for the Shi family to send someone."
"I speculate that the first one to discover us was Jiang Dalao. But he kept it to himself. Later, Jiang Erlaoye found out and told the Shi family."
"As soon as the Shi family learned, they sent people. Judging from the timing, the Shi family seems to value Dad's bloodline."
"The last time we had a confrontation with the Jiang family and left without resolution, they must have written to inform the Shi family. Let's wait and
see, let's see what decision the Shi family makes."
"Let's see if they value the adopted son they raised or their own flesh and blood more."
"We also need to pay attention to Dad and see if he really wants to go back to the capital to see his biological parents. If he does, there might be a way."
Li Qilarong asked, "What way?"
Li Wuya smiled, "The Shi and Jiang families value the Li family child because of his worth. If we can demonstrate that we have even greater value than him, who do you think they'll choose?"