"I want to protect my family too." Feng Ao Kuai looked at Nan Hua. "But I don't think I'll be able to do what you do."
Building an individual army on his own.
He had thought about it for some time, but he came to the conclusion that he wouldn't be able to do it. He was different from Nan Hua and even though he had more access to the battlefield, he wouldn't be able to stay in the Capital City for a long time.
His knowledge regarding the political progress would be much slower than her.
Looking at his small cousin, who didn't look much different than any other young girl, he knew that other people would think that he was crazy. But when he looked at her eyes, he felt that this was the best decision for him.
Thus, he thought that it would be better for him to help Nan Hua to build the necessary power. Even if he was just one of the few people who supported Nan Hua, he would show that he would not lose against those who had been at the battlefield for a long time and rise to power.
"Five years at most," Nan Hua said in a low tone.
Feng Ao Kuai arched his eyebrows. "You want to wait for the mess at the court to end first?"
Emperor Yang Zhou was only 17 years old this year and in five years, he would turn 22. Adulthood ceremony was done when someone was 20 years old, which meant that in three years, Emperor Yang Zhou would become an adult. However, he might not be able to take over the court power all at once.
Thus, the buffer of two years that Nan Hua gave was precisely for that.
For them to prepare for the rise of the Emperor and court cleaning. It was only after Fei Yang Kingdom was devoid of any internal problem would they be able to breach outside and claim other kingdoms, become the one and only ruler.
Besides, no one could say for sure whether Emperor Yang Zhou would succeed or not. But the fact that there would be war sooner or later was inevitable. The current situation between kingdoms were not exactly peaceful.
For now… they still maintained civility.
Though, the frontline was filled with skirmish from time to time. As long as it was not that big, it was not usually hyped and ordinary people wouldn't know.
"More or less." Nan Hua turned to look at the various scrolls there. She picked one up and handed it Feng Ao Kuai. "Be careful of schemes."
"Alright."
Nan Hua didn't remember any character named Feng Ao Kuai from the novel in the early stages. There was only one incident in which he appeared where he helped her and Nan Luo to escape.
But then they ultimately failed because Nan Family would not let her off.
In that novel, the protagonist was Long Qian Xing, thus it didn't tell much about regarding the lives of other characters that had few impact to him. Only those who affected him the most would be written.
The original Nan Hua was included in those who didn't have much influence.
She didn't know how the future would be, so she chose to live her life as Nan Hua and accepted those around her as her family members. And in her life, she would protect those who treated her well. She would never let harm fell to her twin brother and her grandfather.
And her cousins…
They should be included as her family members now.
After talking with Feng Ao Kuai, Nan Hua returned to her quarter. Xiao Yun and Mu Yan were helping her to rest properly. They told her that because of the mask she had to take more care of her skin.
Nan Hua was silent and let them do as they wished.
She really didn't understand why they cared so much about her appearance. However, she would never voice it out.
In her opinion, beauty was only temporary. When she grew old, it would be gone.
Not that she had ever grown old, though...
When she died, she was only 17 years old.
Bang!
"I'm so tired!" Feng Ao Si sprawled on his bed after he had finished taking a bath. His entire body hurt after long training with Nan Luo. He had to train with him chasing after him continuously.
It was so tiring.
Feng Ao Kuai looked at his older brother but didn't pay any attention and simply continued to read. Since they were staying temporarily, the two of them were staying in one quarter with his room right beside his older brother. Their mother was at the quarter beside theirs to supervise their action.
"Kuai, what are you talking with Hua'er? It's rare to see you talk so much." Feng Ao Si sat up. From what he knew of his younger brother, Feng Ao Kuai was someone who would not talk with anyone he deemed to be unworthy. It was already a great patience for Feng Ao Kuai to even talk to his idiotic older brother.
"I want to work under her."
"Oh, so you… WAIT! WHAT?"
Feng Ao Kuai looked at his older brother and arched his eyebrows as if asking what was wrong. However, Feng Ao Si looked like he was seeing ghost right now. He knew very well how proud his younger brother was and the only time when the young brat submitted… was when he met with his teacher who was smarted than him.
Even then, Feng Ao Kuai merely being polite and didn't try to flatter him.
Even when their father asked Feng Ao Kuai to become the military formal strategist, he refused. He only wanted to be the temporary one where he would learn the strategy and schemes but would eventually leave.
Their father was absolutely helpless in front of the stubborn brat.
Now, Feng Ao Kuai was telling him that he chose to be under someone else? That was absolutely astonishing!
"Why?" Feng Ao Si noticed the displeasure and quickly clamped his mouth with his hand. He then asked in extremely low tone.
"She's worth it."
Worth it?
Feng Ao Si felt like he was seeing a ghost when he saw Feng Ao Kuai nodding his head towards him. He gazed at the sky and wondered whether the sky had fallen.
"But she's younger than you!"
"Does age matters?"
Feng Ao Si: "…" well, it didn't seem so.
If one was capable, what would their age matter? it was not like they were judging someone based on their ages but their capabilities.
However...
"Are you serious? You don't even want to be under father's command."
"Yes."
Feng Ao Kuai's answer was succinct and simple, but it had given Feng Ao Si everything that he needed to know. His younger brother was serious… does it mean that he would lose all hope to recruit his younger brother into his army in the future?
Feng Ao Si had completely forgotten that his younger brother couldn't even stand him as he pondered over the matter.. There was no way Feng Ao Kuai would even want to stay in Feng Ao Si's army.