The Four Saintesses, three have arrived, only Jia Li has yet to return to the ry Court Barracks.

Given her current distance, Horn estimates it will take three to five days for her to arrive.

After all, she was busy suppressing the minor uprisings in the new five counties recently.

No matter how much the officers and Armorers opposed it, Horn still signed the "Treaty of Wolfbridge" in 1451, forcibly halting the war.

The contents of treaties in that era weren’t complicated; they primarily consisted of three conditions.

First, a ceasefire between the Holy Alliance and the Leia Kingdom.

Second, the Leia Royal Family agreed to cede Upper and Lower Seinne County, Red Sand County, Wolfbridge County, and Raven’s Rest County.

Third, the Leia Kingdom would open its market to the Holy Alliance, and no Lords could set up barriers to obstruct the Holy Alliance’s merchant ships and caravans.

It’s not that Horn didn’t want to sign more provisions, but Leia itself is a country where royal power doesn’t extend to the counties.

Internally, even tariffs weren’t unified, so even if they wanted to sign some unequal treaties that relinquished sovereignty, Leia couldn’t accept them or enforce them.

For this reason, although the Leia Royal Family ceded the new five counties to Horn, they couldn’t remove the local nobility and church powers.

Over the two and a half years, the Wild Wolf Army, Fire Lizard Army, and Internal Guard Cavalry have been imitating Horn’s previous actions in Langsande County, frantically besieging noble castles and manors.

Some land and real estate were established as military farms, employing laborers to grow crops, while others were distributed to common farmers.

As for the nobles’ movable assets, they were given as interest and principal to the holders of the Holy War Bonds.

This is quite a lengthy task, with continuous interference from the Leia Royal Family, Demon Hunters, the Oslar Clan, and the church.

Fortunately, after a year of suppressing rebellions, a year of land distribution, and half a year of consolidation, the situation in the new five counties gradually stabilized.

Although still under military control, at least the large and small rebellions have mostly been quelled.

Horn initially thought that Jia Li would arrive no sooner than in three days.

However, just on the second day after Catherine returned, he received the latest news: "She’s arrived? Right downstairs?"

Putting down his work, Horn initially wanted to go out directly.

But he hesitated for a moment, then retrieved a piece of Spring Mechanism from the cabinet, wearing it on his thigh and waist, before going out and taking the Pope’s exclusive spring elevator.

The gears clacked, and the elevator quickly descended to the first floor.

The guard beside him opened the iron door, revealing the entire hall on the first floor before him.

The marble floor on the first floor was a reddish sand-colored disk made of marble in different colors, with fine leaf flowers inside.

A dozen people, dusty and travel-worn, stood in the center of the circle, dressed in the silk short robes and tasseled hats commonly worn by prosperous city dwellers.

Among these townspeople was a figure standing head and shoulders above the rest.

Before Horn could take a clear look, the large dark shadow surged forward.

"Papa!"

In an instant, Horn felt a soft, springy mass hit his face, cold iron hands wrapping around his neck, and plump, solid thighs locking firmly around his waist.

Under the huge impact, Horn suddenly leaned back, bracing his right leg behind him, using newly learned Extraordinary martial arts to barely prevent a fall.

"Eh." Jia Li was taken aback, "Isn’t your back supposed to be bad? Then how could you catch me?"

"Don’t spread rumors; my back is just fine." Horn strained to hold Jia Li’s plump bottom, "As for why I can catch you..."

Before Horn finished, Jia Li reached out and touched Horn’s waist: "You’re cheating!"

On Horn’s waist and thigh was an exoskeleton handcrafted by a Dwarf Grandmaster, even using costly mountain copper springs.

Jia Li immediately lost interest: "I thought you’d broken through to the second stage of the breathing technique, so you could try more positions in bed."

Horn immediately put on a serious expression: "Didn’t I tell you what kind of words can be spoken in public space and what can’t?"

"Hehe, then you can punish me later."

Horn smiled bitterly.

Since unraveling her heart’s concerns and becoming the dominant personality, Jia Li has always behaved this way. Or rather, Jia Li has always exuded this little witch’s demeanor.

Of course, she can’t be called a little witch anymore; Jia Li has reached the age Catherine reached back then.

"Have you checked if anything’s wrong? Is that why you haven’t broken through to the second stage of the breathing technique?"

Horn’s face darkened, pausing for half a second: "There are differences in talent between individuals. Take Jeanne, who didn’t train much, yet she’s at the eighth stage."

Jia Li sharply picked up on Horn’s half-second pause: "You’re hiding something from me; tell me."

Horn shook his head, remaining silent.

It’s about the report on the Great Knight and Angel, known only to a few like Hilov, and can’t be disclosed to Jia Li just yet.

"Alright, you’re hiding something from me; I will inflict torture on you."

Jia Li clawed at him, stuffing Horn’s head into her chest and continuing to arch her back, moving up and down.

"Enough... aw... let me go."

"Torture!"

The monks who had seen this before weren’t surprised, but the representatives from the new five counties were frozen in place.

At first, when they saw Jia Li running out calling "Papa," they were skeptical about which little girl was rushing to see her father.

Then they raised their heads—Jia Li was dashing out!

The purification director, commanding the Internal Guard Cavalry Regiment, leading two great war groups, mercilessly suppressing mobs and nobility, said to be the Moliat’s Jia Li—

Shouting "Papa," wrapping herself onto a plainly dressed man.

That spoiled manner caused many representatives to rub their eyes till they bled, even slapping themselves to prove this wasn’t a dream.

Where was the steel fist Jia Li who crushed skulls with her bare hands?

Where was the bloody Jia Li who hung a hundred people in one go?

Realizing there were outsiders present, Horn quickly tapped her waist: "Let me go, we have serious matters."

"Torture!" Jia Li held on even tighter, magnifying her actions.

With no option, Horn suddenly slapped Jia Li’s bottom with a loud smack: "We have serious matters, release me now!"

The previously unruly Jia Li finally released her grip, gently holding Horn’s hand and softly replying: "Alright."

"Hello, hello, are you representatives from the new five counties?" Horn, holding Jia Li’s hand, stepped in front of the representatives.

The leader initially wanted to salute with the new academic chest beating gesture but raised his right hand at a forty-five degree angle: "Abalalulurila..."

"Don’t be nervous." Horn understood he had seen too many unexpected things, causing a brain shutdown.

"Ababala... ulu..."

"Embarrassing, go and rest; we’ll formally meet tomorrow."

Jia Li’s voice cold and forceful made the representatives stiffen, staggering off the scene.

"Shall we chat in my office?"

Jia Li nodded, and the two stepped on the elevator.

The gear wheels whirred, engaging with clear clacking sounds.

Horn turned: "Did you rush day and night to get here?"

"Yes." Jia Li leaned her nearly two-meter frame on Horn’s shoulder, "I received a message from Cheka. There could be sabotage by Leia, Demon Hunters, Norn, Church, and Royal Court spies at the fourth anniversary military parade of the Thousand River Valley war, so I rushed back early to protect you."

The involvement of Leia, Demon Hunters, and the Church was understandable, but what about the Norn and Blood and Flesh Royal Court?

Before Horn could inquire, Jia Li wrapped her arms around his neck again, exhaling the scent of small lavender.

"...I will tell you everything, but before that, let’s go do what we love doing."

Horn didn’t have time to refuse or explain before Jia Li’s tongue slipped into his mouth.

"Ding dong—"

The bell signaling arrival at the floor rang, and the elevator door slowly opened.

With Jia Li’s body occupying most of his view, Horn still saw behind her two eyes glaring with anger and one face with wolf ears perked up.