However, it took a long time for them to reach a decision. Qi Hao couldn't help but ask, "Are you done yet?" Even though he was quite patient, he still became a bit restless. He could even see that they disagreed about something. How long did they plan to let him wait?
Xiao Fang smiled and nodded her head with an apologetic expression, then said, "Wait for a little bit, Da Ge." After that, she talked once again with the others.
Qi Hao could only nod his head. Fortunately, he brought a book along with him and he decided to read while waiting for them to finish. He was certain that she might have an idea but a dangerous one... that was why there was a disagreement between them.
When they were finally done, Xiao Fang quickly sat in front of Qi Hao's eyes while blinking her eyes innocently. Qi Hao naturally knew what this meant --- she would do something that needed his help, not only that, the idea must have been not a good one. She had always been like this since she was a little girl, but it didn't make him love her less.
"Finally done?" Qi Hao asked while closing his book and he turned his attention to their conversation.
"En..." Xiao Fang answered.
"So...?" Qi Hao asked. "What do you want to tell me?"
"Da Ge, I want to go to the capital! I want to go home!" Xiao Fang said full of determination. She wouldn't take 'no' for an answer this time.
Qi Hao raised one of his eyebrows. "Don't you know that it will be dangerous?"
"I know..." Xiao Fang said.
"Then, why do you still want to go?" Qi Hao asked.
"Da Ge, there's a saying... the most dangerous place is the safest one. Has the Han Emperor searched the capital?" Xiao Fang asked.
Qi Hao nodded his head. "The Emperor has searched for you secretly and a few people kept appearing at our house at night for a few times. We pretended that we didn't know anything."Their family was a scholar family, so naturally, their defense wasn't as strong as a military family. That was why no one would feel suspicious if they pretended that they didn't know anything.
Qi Hao added, "The Han Emperor stopped paying attention to our house when the news that you were at Crescent Lake was known by him. That's why he's only tightening the inspection at each gate."
Xiao Fang said, "If I can go inside the capital safely, then I will be safe in our house. Even if I don't go to the capital, he would search for me ah~!"
Qi Hao naturally felt satisfied with Xiao Fang's current personality and judgment. At first, he really had planned to let her stay at a safe place that he had prepared beforehand because he didn't believe that she could protect herself with her rashness. He was just trying to test her after he saw her change of personality. If she was as reckless and innocent as before, it would certainly be dangerous for her to stay inside the capital because it would be easy for people to use her.
Qi Hao asked, "Why did you take so long to come into this conclusion?"
The trio didn't dare to interfere with the conversation between the two of them because they understood what Qi Hao wanted to do. They really felt that Xiao Fang was lucky to have such a good brother. He was trying to hone her! Because of this, they also sighed in relief --- those were also the reasons they disagreed with Xiao Fang's decision.
"My friends didn't agree because it's too dangerous!" Xiao Fang admitted one of the reasons.
"And then? How do you convince them?" Qi Hao asked seriously.
"I made a promise that once something isn't right, I will leave the capital right away! I won't be reckless!" Xiao Fang made a promise.
Qi Hao shook his head. "It's not as easy as that! A simple promise won't suffice!"
"What do you mean, Da Ge?" Xiao Fang asked worriedly. What if her brother also didn't agree with her?
"It's not a good guarantee and from your friends' face, I can see that they still don't feel convinced by you," Qi Hao said. Although Xiao Fang was getting smarter, she still had no experience whatsoever.
Xiao Fang bit her lower lip in guilt because she knew that her brother was right. The others had tried to convince her that it was dangerous and she sometimes couldn't judge the situation or behave correctly. They didn't really believe in her promise but she continued forcing her opinions, thus, they finally relented.
"The danger will start from the moment you try to enter the Capital... so, something will be not right from the start. If you put it that way, then you don't need to go to the capital at all!" Qi Hao said softly, reminding her.
"Then... what should I do?" Xiao Fang asked weakly. She had been confident with her new negotiation skill, but it seemed like she failed ah~! No one believed in her and somehow, it made her heart feel hurt.
"I ask you a question and you need to answer it carefully," Qi Hao said.
"What question?" Xiao Fang asked.
"Are you ready to die?" Qi Hao asked.
Xiao Fang was startled by the sudden question. "What do you mean, Da Ge?"
"Once you step inside the capital, you have to be brave... and accept the possibility that you can be captured by the Han Emperor every second. There's also a possibility that the Han Emperor wants your life!" Qi Hao explained.
"If you have the mindset that you will run once you see something isn't right, you can't do anything useful inside the capital due to your fear. It's better if you stay outside! You just want to go inside because you're sure there will be me and father to protect you, right? Not only that... but also your friends, right?" Qi Hao asked several heavy questions.
Xiao Fang had to admit that he was indeed right and she nodded her head carefully.
"If you think that way, it means that you are selfis.h.!.+" Qi Hao said bluntly.
Xiao Fang couldn't help but cry. "Da Ge! I didn't mean it that way!" Xiao Fang started to realize her mistake --- if she was being this way, she could endanger her friends' life too and she didn't want that to happen!
Qi Hao sighed, knowing that he was always weak when he saw Xiao Fang's tears. "That's why I talk to you about it first... If you want to come back, you can. Keep in mind! You have to follow everything that we planned before --- including your friends. If you have a side plan or better plan, you should discuss with us first!"
Xiao Fang and the trio nodded, after all, they knew that in the Han Capital, they could only rely on Xiao Fang's father power. They also knew that Qi Hao wasn't underestimating them, he only warned them to be careful --- this proved that Xiao Fang's matter was more dangerous than how Qi Hao let on.
Qi Hao wiped Xiao Fang's tears with his sleeve tenderly and said, "The sooner you realize your shortcomings, the better."
Qi Hao's worry didn't come out of nowhere. Xiao Fang was too kind and her kindness was mixed with her innocent personality --- people tended to use her. He had heard everything that happened back at Lin Zhou, didn't Han Xiang also use Xiao Fang's kindness? That was also why he was wary of Xiao Fang's new friends.
He didn't know them and it wasn't wrong of him to be careful. After all, he only cared about Xiao Fang's wellbeing.
Xiao Fang answered, "En... Da Ge, do you have plan?"