4408

Chapter 4408: The Bigger Picture

Long Hui forced a bitter smile. "Do you think they'd be willing?"

He assumed Qiao Mu and her group would surely return to Shenzhou now.

"No, you go talk to her."

"Father, aren't you being too optimistic?" Long Hui said helplessly. "Cousin has already broken ties with our Forgetfulness River Dragon Clan..."

"The break is her personal matter with us; the cooperation is for the bigger picture of the three continents," Long Chuyu said with a troubled expression. "Though I haven't had much contact with your cousin, I can tell this child distinguishes clearly between gratitude and grievances."

"She won't destroy the alliance against Heaven's Fate for her own personal desires."

Long Hui suddenly understood. Although his father's health had always been poor, he knew his father was a man of great wisdom.

"Alright, Father, I'll go find them now." Long Hui secretly resolved that no matter how Qiao Mu's companions treated him—with blows or insults—he would endure it all.

Long Chuyu raised a hand and patted his shoulder. "You've been wronged."

Long Hui shook his head, forcing a smile.

Suddenly, a guard's report came from outside the courtyard. Long Hui called him in. "What is it?"

"The Crown Princess and her group went towards Snow Ridge."

"What?" Long Hui was stunned. "How could they go there...?"

Long Hui turned to Long Chuyu. "Father, I'll go find them now."

Dangerous beasts lurked deep within Snow Ridge. Although Qiao Mu's team was large and had many powerful individuals, being surrounded by numerous fierce beasts would likely be troublesome.

Long Chuyu also nodded quickly. "What are they doing there?"

"Oh, right, go call Yun'er," Long Chuyu added.

Long Hui's gaze was slightly complex, but he still nodded, turned to the doorway, and instructed a guard. The guard, however, paused, then quickly said, "Young Master Ding? He seemed to have gone with the Crown Princess and her group."

Long Chuyu was slightly surprised. "What happened?"

Long Hui also couldn't help but frown. "Was he taken by force? Or did he follow them willingly?"

Taken by force? Unlikely! Besides, he had secretly observed that the little poker-faced girl showed no partiality towards Ding Yun, so their relationship definitely wouldn't be that good.

The guard scratched his head. "When this subordinate came over, I only glanced, so I didn't clearly see if Young Master Ding was taken or if he went willingly."

"Father, I'm going now."

"Going where?" Madam Long walked in, shedding her previous warm smile, her eyes flickering with cold light as she mocked, "He followed them willingly. You're so eager to chase after him, as if you care so much about this son."

"You've been back for so long, yet I've never seen you treat him specially. So, you were just wary of me being present and dared not show it; you're truly good at pretending!" Madam Long launched a barrage of sarcastic remarks.

Long Chuyu was choked by her words, finding himself speechless.

"Mother," Long Hui looked at his parents, feeling a bit awkward. As a son, being caught between his parents was genuinely difficult. He couldn't side with his mother in blaming his father, so he just stood awkwardly.

"What's wrong with you now?"

"What's wrong with me? You ask what's wrong with me. What, you, Long Chuyu, kept it from me for so many years, secretly had a son outside, and I'm not allowed to speak?"

Long Chuyu tried to speak but was stopped by a violent coughing fit.

"Father," Long Hui rushed forward, handing him a cup of water.