After entering the council hall, Huxiao tiptoed over to sit quietly beside his older brother, Hulie. In his eyes, although his brother was stern and cold-faced, he had a soft heart.
Compared to their father, Huxiao preferred sticking close to his brother. However, because Hulie commanded the Tiger Clan army and was burdened with official duties, he usually stayed at the military camp and rarely came home.
Hulie only returned home once a year around the year-end or for major festivals. Huxiao, on the other hand, was idle from the beginning of the year to the end. He could not wield a blade and only had a rudimentary grasp of literature and writing. While he could have pursued an administrative path, their father dismissed civil matters and valued only martial prowess, leaving Huxiao with nothing to do. He spent his days idling about, reading all sorts of trivial books.
Back when Huxiao was still a cub and Hulie was still studying, their father had been too busy with state affairs to pay much attention to him. Hulie had always stepped in to make up for all that missing care.
Ultimately, deep down, Huxiao still wished his brother could spend more time with him. As for their father, the awe he felt toward him far outweighed any familial affection.
Perhaps because Huxiao's gaze had grown somewhat vacant, Hulie coughed twice behind his hand as a prompt. Huxiao snapped back to reality and inadvertently glanced toward his father, only to see the old man's face darken once more. …
Chapter 275