stonecrandall Chapter 956: The daughter who loves military uniforms more than red dresses!
Chapter 956: The daughter who loves military uniforms more than red dresses!
Perhaps it's just Gao Yao's casual comment on a dish during a meal, perhaps his preference for a particular book in his spare time, or perhaps a fleeting interest in the local customs... These fragmented pieces of information, pieced together and analyzed, could become clues to his thoughts and intentions. With these clues, when recommending candidates and explaining the pros and cons, one can naturally better cater to their preferences and increase the chances of success.
Gao Yao wasn't happy about this, but he couldn't completely eliminate it. As long as people had relationships, emotions, and selfish motives, these networks of information and connections formed around the center of power would inevitably exist. All he could do was maintain the final decision-making power and try to balance the forces of all parties, preventing any one from overextending itself through the power of the harem.
It is precisely under these considerations that Lu Su's courtyard appears particularly precious and unique to Gao Yao.
Unlike the elaborately crafted luxury and elegance of other concubines' residences, Lü Su's courtyard seemed to possess a natural tranquility and warmth. The furnishings weren't the most opulent, but every detail was thoughtfully crafted. The maids were composed, their expressions less rigid and more gentle. More importantly, here, Gao Yao could temporarily unburden himself of the king's burdens, freeing himself from the constant vigilance of wit and the painstaking deliberation behind every word.
"Daddy, watch this!"
Just as Gao Yao, lost in his thoughts, slowly walked into the courtyard, a clear, bell-like sound suddenly rang out, shattering the silence. Then, he saw a small wooden spear, fearless and unflinching, thrust straight at him.
Gao Yao was startled for a moment, then a helpless yet doting smile spread across his eyes. He didn't dodge at all, but instead cooperated perfectly, letting the tip of the wooden spear press against his abdomen.
"Ah..." Gao Yao let out an exaggerated cry of pain, his body leaning back, holding the small wooden spear, and sat down directly on the bluestone floor, with an expression of "unbearable pain" on his face. "Princess Yunna's attack is so powerful! Daddy, I am no match for her! Surrender, surrender!"
However, at the other end of the wooden spear, the little girl, about seven or eight years old, holding the "weapon," with a heroic look in her eyes, showed no joy at having defeated her powerful father. She stamped her feet angrily, her lips pouting, her bright eyes filled with unhappiness.
"Daddy, you're fooling me again! I'm already a grown-up kid, but you're still treating me like a three-year-old... You're not serious at all!"
The "disgruntled" little girl before him was none other than Gao Yao's second daughter, Gao Yunna, born to Lü Su. She had just turned eight this year. Of all Gao Yao's children, this was probably the one that gave him the most headaches, yet also the one that made him feel most at ease.
The other princesses either learned to be gentle and chaste like their mothers, or, like their eldest brother Gao Lin, learned etiquette early on. Only Gao Yunna seemed to be born with a boldness that rivaled that of men. From the moment she could walk, she had shown little interest in jewelry, hairpins, and cosmetics, but instead was filled with a curiosity about wooden swords, slingshots, and saddles.
Gao Yao himself was not a pedantic person. He thought it was not a bad thing for his daughter to have some heroic spirit. He would even teach her a few simple moves and tell her simplified versions of the stories of Hua Mulan and Mu Guiying.
Unexpectedly, this talk caused trouble. Little Yunna seemed to have found her life's direction, constantly talking about how she wanted to be like those heroines when she grew up, riding a steed, wielding a spear, fighting in battle to protect her country. This made Gao Yao laugh and cry, but also a bit worried—after all, he didn't want his daughter to ever have to experience the cruelty of the battlefield.
But conversely, among all the children, it was only this second daughter, a skilled swordsman, who allowed him to experience the purest, most unrestrained father-daughter bond. She wasn't as cautious as Gao Lin, nor as reserved as the other children due to his status. In her eyes, "Daddy" at this moment was perhaps more like an intimate friend with whom she could play and be defeated. This unimpeded intimacy was exactly what Gao Yao desperately craved amidst the arduous administrative tasks and complex interpersonal relationships.
"Yes, yes, it's Daddy's fault. Our Yunna is a grown-up girl now, a heroine." Gao Yao stood up from the ground, patted the non-existent dust on his robe, and smiled as he took his still sulking little daughter into his arms.
"How about this? To show Daddy's sincerity and to ensure our little hero is truly capable of fighting in the future... er, to strengthen his body, Daddy will find you a real martial arts master who will teach you systematically. How about that? But let's make it clear: martial arts training is extremely arduous. You have to train in the coldest days of winter and the hottest days of summer. You can't complain of fatigue, and you can't give up halfway. Are you willing?"
When Gao Yunna heard this, her eyes lit up instantly, as if they were filled with countless stars. The slight unhappiness she had felt before was immediately thrown out of her mind. She nodded vigorously, as if she was afraid her father would change his mind, and shouted, "Yes! I do! Thank you, Daddy!"
As she spoke, she excitedly threw the small wooden gun in her hand aside, stretched out her arms and tightly hugged Gao Yao's neck, and "smack" a kiss on Gao Yao's cheek. The crisp sound and wet touch made Gao Yao's heart soften instantly.
As for letting Gao Yunna practice martial arts, it is both true and false. Practicing martial arts is not that simple, and not everyone has a system. Gao Yao relies on martial arts and years of persistence. If there is only the skills given by the system, and Gao Yao does not practice and really fight in the battlefield, then the skills will be useless. The existence of the system is crucial for Gao Yao to have the current martial arts value, but Gao Yao's own efforts also seem to be absolutely not to be ignored.
Is it because Gao Yunna is a child that she is asked to practice martial arts? She is only enthusiastic for a short time and will give up after a little hardship. It is fine if Gao Yunna lets the girl suffer a little hardship and then give up.
Gao Yao laughed heartily, bent down, and clasped his daughter securely in his arms, then walked straight into the courtyard. Seeing this, the maidservant behind him hurried forward to brush off the dust that might have stained his robes from where he had just sat down, but Gao Yao casually waved her hand to stop her. At this moment, he simply wanted to savor the heavy dependence of his daughter in his arms and the unreserved joy she felt. The king's majesty and the court's disputes were temporarily isolated from this peaceful courtyard.