Chapter 115.

1
Su E Huang saluted Wei Shao.

Wei Shao glanced at her face and asked, Are you feeling better today?

Su E Huang said, Better.

Wei Shao nodded slightly: Yesterday, Madam invited me, but I had taken
my wife on a trip and returned late, so I could not attend the appointment.
Therefore, I invited you to my home today. Why do you want to see me?

Su E Huang stared at him but did not speak.

Wei Shao waited for a while, then said: If you have something to say, you
can say it.

Su E Huang said, In front of Erlang, I dont want to make any more

pretense. Im not going to lie. Ive come to Jinyang to discuss something.

Wei Shao raised his eyes to look at her.

Su E Huangs gaze revealed a wisp of panic. Erlang, I do not want to hide

this from you, she said, I do not wish to go to Luoyang this time. I really had
no choice. When my husband was still alive, and we were living in
Luoyang, I fell into the eyes of Xing Xun during a flower party that year.
After that, that old thief coveted my beauty. He repeatedly pressured and
seduced me. After my husband passed away, that old thief sent someone
to take me to his residence after I mourned only for a few days. I was
suffering. To protect my innocence, I could only make false indictments.
Later, when that old thief was busy fighting with Yuan Zhe and Liu Kai, I
found an opportunity to escape from Luoyang and returned to Zhongshan.

Wei Shaos eyebrows were slightly wrinkled.

Last year, after the Luli Conference, I returned to Lunu from Yuyang.
Originally, I thought I would spend my life in Lunu, but I never thought that
the old thief, Xing Xun, would still be interested in me. He summoned me to
meet him in Luoyang several times. I had ignored it, but last month, that old
thief sent another letter, but in the name of the young emperor, calling me
to go to Luoyang quickly. Although my family was reluctant, they dared not
disobey the imperial order. That old thief Xing Xun held the imperial
government, and the world scorned him. How can I be willing to be defiled
by him? But under the imperial decree, what can I do? My heart was so sad
and bitter. I was not willing and resentful. At the beginning of this month, I
travel to the south. Halfway, I fell ill from an old disease. Both physical and
mental are in pain. Im sad. The world is large, but there is no place for me
to live

Oh, right, this is the decree issued by that old thief last month to summon
me to Luoyang. Su E Huang handed a yellow silk scroll stamped with a
jade seal.N0v3lTr0ve served as the original host for this chapter’s release
on N0v3l-B1n.

Wei Shao swept a glance, his face sullen: Xing Xun, that old thief, how dare
he force you!

Su E Huang stared at Wei Shao: Unfortunately, my life is weak, coveted by

evil people to this point. Xing Xun has pressed me with the imperial decree.
Now I have to resign myself to my fate. Traveling through Jinyang, I heard
that Erlang was here too. I remembered those feelings when I was young,
so I

Wei Shao got up from behind the desk and walked to the window before
turning around and said, I understand. You can return to Zhongshan. You
dont need to pay attention to Xingxuns pretentious edict. Im on it.

Su E Huang rose and bowed deeply to Wei Shao with a grateful look. Tears
filled her eyelashes when she raised her face. She shook her head, I am
grateful that Erlang is still willing to shelter me in remembrance of our old
feelings. But I know that Erlang has already started a family, and it will be
inconvenient if you clash with Xingxun for me. Back then, I was the one
who wronged Erlang. How can I dare to ask Erlang for such shelter? It is
not the purpose of my visit to Jinyang.

She observed Wei Shao and said: Erlang should know that I was born with
a good omen. The family believes in it, and I was tired of this assertion. I
was convinced and lost my mind when I was young and inexperienced. I
gave up my love for power and married Liu Li. After ten years, I have fallen
into the present situation and woken up from the dream. Everything is just
self-deception! As a woman, my life is not up to me! If Xing Xun wants me
to come to Luoyang, I will go!

Her expression showed a look of determination.

That old thief Xing Xun acted with authority. Although he was a clown, he
could make the worlds lords obey his orders. He is already afraid of you,
Erlang, and now you have won a great victory in the west, how will Xing
Xun allow you to get bigger again? He will try every possible way to
obstruct you. Xingxun will become your enemy in the future. In the past, I
have failed you. This time, I have no choice but to enter Luoyang to serve
that thief. I can act as the eyes and ears for Erlang and pass on the news.
If I have the opportunity to kill Xing Xun, it is an answer to the year I failed
you! In the future, I hope Erlang can take care of my family. I will die but
have no regrets! Two lines of tears rustled down.

In the open hall, there was silence for a while.

After being silent for a while, Wei Shao slowly said: Miss Su, in the past, as
you just said, you were young and inexperienced. I let go of it long ago. You
do not need to carry it in your heart. Sooner or later, I will have a battle with
Xing Xun. It is a world of men. I have my own decision. You do not need to
commit yourself to serve that thief. You can go back to Lu Nu. I will protect
you.

Su E Huang stared at Wei Shao emotionally, choked, and said: Then, I will
be brave enough to accept the kindness of the Marquis! If I cant repay you
in this life, I will return the favor in the next! After saying that, she knelt and
bowed to thank him, her tears falling.

Wei Shao said, Madam, you dont have to do that! Get up quickly!

Su E Huangs eyelashes moved slightly, slowly rose, and said: Erlang, I

know you are always on the road, seldom separated from my sister. It is
difficult for you to get together. I do not dare to harass. I will go back first.
Tomorrow I will return to Zhongshan.

Wei Shao nodded and said, Farewell, Madam. Then he called for someone
to send him away.

Su E Huang wiped away her tears, looked back at Wei Shao, and
retreated.

Wei Shao watched her back fade away, exhaled slightly, and was about to
look for Xiao Qiao when a servant hurried up and said, Marquis, when the
wife of Zuo Feng Yi was boarding the carriage outside the door, she
suddenly became dizzy and fell off the carriage, unconscious.

Chapter 115.2
Su E Huangs fall was not light. Not only did she faint on the spot, but she
was wounded on her forehead. When Xiao Qiao heard the news, Wei Shao
had already asked someone to put Su E Huang in place and sent for a
doctor quickly. The doctor couldnt diagnose anything, but when he heard
Su E Huangs maid say that she suffered from head problems, he said it
was a recurrence of her old disease. She was unconscious because she
fell from a high place. He wrapped the wound on her forehead and
prescribed a medicine to remove blood stasis and activate the blood.

Su E Huang woke up only when it was dark. Because of fatigue and

forehead injury, she naturally couldnt leave and stayed that night. This stay
lasted for three days. On the third day, although there was a scar on her
forehead, she could get down to the ground. With her maids support, she
came to thank Xiao Qiao, saying she could not bother her anymore and
return to the post house to recuperate.N0v3lRealm was the platform where
this chapter was initially revealed on N0v3l.Bjn.

Earlier, I was afraid my younger sister would misunderstand, so I did not

mention that Xing Xun threatened me. I had no choice but to go south. I
didnt want Zhonglin to get into trouble with Xingxun because of me. When
Zhonglin said he wanted to protect me, I tried to persuade him, but he
wouldnt change his mind. He is such a temper since childhood. I had no
choice but to accept Zhonglins arrangement for the time being and agreed
to it. While Zhonglin is not here, I would like to ask my younger sister to
persuade Zhonglin. Dont cross Xing Xun because of me! If there is a
conflict because of me, how can I have peace in my heart!

Su E Huangs face was pale, but her eyes were unusually bright. She
seemed to struggle to speak and said these words one by one.

Then, Xiao Qiao had someone send her out.

As soon as Su E Huang left, Chun Niang was so angry that her hands were
trembling, and she gritted her teeth and said, Did you see that, Lady? The
words she said before she left were provocative to you!

Xiao Qiao did not hear it but asked, Is there still no reply from the Old
Madam?

Half a month ago, when Su E Huang had just come to Jinyang to stay in
the post house, and Wei Shao had not yet returned, Xiao Qiao wrote a
letter to Mrs. Xu, handing it to Mr. Jia and instructing him to send the letter
to Mrs. Xu in a hurried.

Now, counting the distance, there should be a reply soon.

Chun Niang was stunned: Ill find General Jia and ask again.
Three days later, Chun Niang hurriedly found Xiao Qiao and handed her a
reply letter that she had been waiting for some time.

Xiao Qiao asked Chun Niang and her maids to leave. Then, she slowly
opened the tube and poured out the sealed silk scroll. She opened the silk
scroll, read it, lost in thought for a moment, and slowly breathed out.

After Wei Shao stole a few days of leisure, these two days, with Gongsun
Yang and other people returning to Jinyang one after another, he was busy
again. Today early in the morning, he went to the camp outside the city and
returned only when it was dark.

When Xiao Qiao served Wei Shao to undress, Wei Shao wanted to hug
her. She avoided it and said casually, I have not sent anyone to visit the
post house in the past few days, so I dont know how Miss Sus illness is.
Did Husband visit her?

Wei Shao coughed dryly and said, I am busy these days. How can I be
free? Ill take you back to Yuyang after I conclude things here. Grandmother
has not seen you for half a year, so its time to return. As for Miss Su, I will
send someone to escort her away after she has recovered.

Xiao Qiao looked at him and smiled: The water is ready. Husband can go
and bathe. She said and turned around.

Wei Shao looked at her back and quickly stepped after her, hugging her
intimately: I havent seen you for a day. Join me in the bath.

Xiao Qiao lazily said, Ive already bathed. Im a little tired. Ill go lie down.

Wei Shao carried her to the bed and kissed her, but she did not react much.
There was even some boredom. He stopped and said: Ive told you. Xing
Xun threatened her. He forced her to go to Luoyang. She was helpless, and
I told her to return. She also wanted to return to Zhongshan the next day.
Unexpectedly, there was an accident. Let her recuperate for a few more
days, and when she is well, send her on her way. Why do you always
suspicious?

Xiao Qiao closed her eyes and said, I only said I was tired. I didnt say
anything else. You and Miss Su have an old friendship. You can make your
arrangements. I trust you.

Wei Shao stared at her, Are you annoyed?

Xiao Qiao still closed her eyes: No.

You are.

No!

You are annoyed!

Xiao Qiao slowly opened her eyes and met Wei Shaos eyes. He leaned
over and looked at her: Husband has already decided I am annoyed. If I am
not annoyed, it would be my fault.

Wei Shaos furrowed brow gradually loosened again after gazing at her. He
suddenly said, Man Man, Miss Su wants to rely on me now, and I am aware
of it. Last year, on my grandmothers birthday, she sent a letter to me, but I
did not accept it at the time. At that time, I had just married you, we had a
cold relationship, but I had no intention of getting involved with her again,
let alone now.

Xiao Qiao was stunned.

What she said to me is true or false is irrelevant. I have no intention of

investigating it. I know she is now without a husband and has repeatedly
approached me because she wants to depend on me. If I hadnt married
you, I might have taken her because of the love I had when I was a
teenager. But now I am married to you. I knew you were jealous, and I wont
tangle with her. Todays treatment is all because of the affection we had
when we were young. There is no other intention. After she recovers and
can travel, I will send someone to escort her back to Zhongshan.

They looked at each other. Xiao Qiao beamed and whispered, Im not the
one who is jealous!

Okay, okay, Ive wronged you. Man Man is the most generous. Wei Shao
smiled and hooked her nose, Still tired?

Xiao Qiao bit her lip: Still tired.

Wei Shao leaned towards her: Then let me take care of your fatigue for
you.

Xiao Qiao dodged and said, Husband, theres something I have not
mentioned before. I received a letter from Grandmother today, and she told
me about her near-death incident last year. I dont know if I should say it.

Wei Shao buried his face under her neck while kissing her freshly bathed
skin. He immediately stopped and raised his head: What is it?

Last year, before Grandmothers accident, someone had seen Su Xin and
that country marquis wife together. Xiao Qiao spoke while looking at Wei
Shao.
Chapter 116.1
Jinyang Post House.

Su E Huang stayed in this beautiful residence for over half a month.

Although she was recovering from her illness, her clothes, food, and
transportation were all top-notch. Even though it was a temporary
residence, she pasted the walls with beautiful Qi silk.

The postmaster was astonished. And a few days ago, he heard Miss Su
not only related to the Wei family but an indefinable old affair with Wei Shao
in the early years. The postmaster even more valued her and doubled his
service.

Yesterday, Miss Su complained that the candle in her room was dim and
the black smoke smoldered in her eyes. Since there was no refined wax in
the warehouse, the postmaster bought it today and sent it to her. The newly
replaced fine candles are bright without flaws. He inserted nine of them on
top of the copper candlestick, and after lighting it up, the room was bright
as daylight.

Su E Huang was assisted by the servant girl after bathing, wearing a

vermillion robe with an embroidered coat draped on her shoulder. One
could vaguely see a scar on her puffed chest through the thin material.

She sat in front of the dressing mirror and looked carefully at the scar on
her forehead. The wound wasnt deep and revealed a new flesh the size of
a small nail cap. In a few more days, it should be able to recover.

Su E Huang picked a bit of ointment with a jade stick and carefully smeared
it on the wound, then smoothing it with her little finger.

Madam is gorgeous. Fortunately, the fall that day was not serious.
Otherwise, wouldnt it be a pity if it had left a scar? A senior maid of the Su
family flattered Su E Huang.
Su E Huang gazed at her face in the mirror. She was in her beauty phase,
freshly adorned after bathing. Even she felt that she looked beautiful.

Where is Su Xin? She suddenly remembered. She had not seen him since
the evening.

I dont know. The senior maid answered. But secretly, she suspected that he
had gone to the brothel.

Su E Huang also guessed so. Her eyebrows were slightly wrinkled. She
thought that this nephew of hers was helpful. Unexpectedly, when she took
him to Yuyang, he disgraced her at the Luli Conference. Now, it looked like
he was not progressing, and she needed to remind him now and then.

These days, Su E Huang has told him not to go out so as not to cause
trouble for no reason, and he agreed. The other day, she caught him
sleeping with a servant girl of hers in private.

A servant girl was just a lowly girl, as low as mud. If he wanted her, she
would have given her to him. What annoyed Su E Huang was that he hid
his affair from her.

She has been hiding her relationship with Old Jiang and using her. Hence
Su E Huang was suspicious of her side of the people. She scolded Su Xin
and forced him to kill the servant girl who dared to cheat behind her back.

At first, Su Xin felt reluctant, but after she forced him, he stabbed the
servant girl to death. The next day, she announced that the servant girl last
night got ill and died. She was sent out of town and buried in a mass grave.

Su Xin finally calmed down. Unexpectedly, only a few days, he sneaked out
again to hang around.

When he returns, tell him to come to see me immediately! Anger came out
from Su E Huangs eyes. The senior maid answered.
Su Xin still did not return at the end of the day. It was strange. Su Xin has
always been afraid of her. Even if he went out, he would not dare to not
return until this time.N0v3lRealm was the platform where this chapter was
initially revealed on N0v3l.Bjn.

Su E Huangs initial anger over her nephews incompetence and acting

behind her back faded away.

Instead, a feeling of unease replaced it.

She was distracted for a moment. Suddenly, she felt panic and a hint of
ominous omens, as if something awful had happened.

Su E Huang was familiar with this sense of omen. She had a similar feeling
when her husbands brother, Emperor Xuan, died of a violent illness. At that
time, it was the closest moment to her dream. But with Liu Ai and Xing Xun,
who came to the scene one after another, the imperial throne was finally
seated by Liu Tong, the seven-year-old boy. Her husband, who had the
best hope of succeeding to the throne, was placed under house arrest and
lived under surveillance from then on. In that long night of waiting for the
dawn, Su E Huang felt as frightened as this moment, as if something awful
would happen.

She hated this feeling.

She gradually became agitated. She rose from the bed and walked back
and forth in the room.

What could have happened? She thought to herself. She was able to see
that he still had compassion for her. As long as a man was compassionate
towards a woman, then it was good.

It makes her more determined to stay by his side.

Chapter 116.2
This anxiety at this moment made Su E Huang anxious. She carefully
sorted through some of the things she had done in the past again. At last,
she determined that she didnt leave any traces. All the people involved in
the failed conspiracy were already dead.

Even if Mrs. Xu suspected her, Su E Huang was sure that no evidence

could make her unable to retort. As long as there was no evidence, they
couldnt do anything to her.

Su E Huang gradually settled down again.

She sat in front of the mirror and suddenly thought of her nephew, Su Xin.

She stared blankly at the face in the mirror. The woman in the mirror slowly
reveals a hint of a sharp gloomy color in her eyes.

At this time, a sound of footsteps came from outside the door.

The sound of footsteps came abruptly and heavily. One could hear a man
approaching her room as if his feet were stepping on a raging wave of
anger. That sound hit the drums of Su E Huangs ears.

Su E Huangs heartbeat, which had calmed down for a short while, rushed
again, and her expression changed as she stood up from in front of the
dressing mirror and walked quickly towards the door.N0v3l–B1n was the
first platform to present this chapter.

Before she could reach it, the door was pushed open from the outside.

Wei Shao has arrived.

Su E Huangs footsteps stopped in place.

Wei Shaos face distorted with the anger in his eyes. He stepped in with one
foot, and only then did Su E Huang see that he had dragged in her nephew,
who had been missing for a night, in one hand.
Wei Shao threw Su Xin at the feet of Su E Huang like a dead dog.

Su E Huang looked down and saw Su Xin covered in blood as if he had just
come out of the slaughterhouse. He fell to the ground, twisting his body like
a worm, struggling to reach Su E Huang with a blood-soaked hand.

She ordered me to do it.

The broken and shattered voice came out of his broken mouth, barely
recognizable as his voice.

Have mercy on me He passed out.

Su E Huangs eyes fiercely opened to the maximum, and her face suddenly
pales without half a blood color.

You slut, your heart was evil to this extent. How dare you plot against my
grandmother? Wei Shao gnashed his teeth.

Su E Huang looked at Wei Shao in horror. Her teeth chattered. She moved
backward slowly until her back leaned against the beautifully patterned silk
wall. Erlang, I do not understand what you mean by that. How could I have
harmed Grand Aunt? What exactly did Su Xin say to you? I dont know

Bitch! Try calling me Erlang again? Wei Shaos face was blue and horrible.

Su E Huang stopped abruptly.

Your nephew, he just confessed! You and Old Jiang secretly colluded,
brought snake poison from the country marquis wife, asked Old Jiang to
poison my grandmother, and framed my mother. Then you killed the
country marquis wife

Wei Shao said word by word.

When Xiao Qiao said to him that Su Xin had been dealing with the country
marquis wife and suspected that last years grandmother nearly poisoned
matter perhaps related to Miss Sus, Wei Shaos first reaction was disbelief.

He told Xiao Qiao that he had put aside his past and Miss Su had become
a young girl he remembered as a sister.

But from the bottom of his heart, the girl who had accompanied him through
the darkest days of his life at twelve still had a warm and beautiful hazy
impression.

He really could not believe that the gentle girl he remembered would now
do such a thing. For a brief moment, he even wondered if his present wife
was using this situation to banish the shadow of his past from his heart.

That was until he read the letter from his grandmother. At that time, he was
stunned. After he reacted, a sense of shock and anger for having been
deceived seized him.

He no longer doubted!

Miss Su was the one who almost killed his grandmother, whom he
respected and loved most in his life!

He could not allow it!

There was a brief dead silence in the room when Su E Huang suddenly
cried out in grief: Zhonglin! You must not believe Su Xins words! I had good
intentions to promote him, but he hated me so much that he framed me! I
dont know

While she was arguing, two soldiers ran in behind Wei Shao to grab Su E
Huangs arms and carried her outside.
Su E Huang struggled. Her delicate hair was scattered, the hairpin fell to
the ground, and the thin silk dress on her shoulders fell off. She desperately
held her feet. When she passed Wei Shao, with tears streaming down her
face, she sobbed: Zhonglin, have you forgotten when you had a high fever
and were unconscious, I was at your side all night? Have you forgotten that
you once said you would protect me for the rest of my life? Now, you
convict me based on the words of others! You wont even give me a chance
to defend myself?

Chapter 117.1
Let her go.

Wei Shao suddenly spoke as Su E Huang stood up to the threshold. The

air of fury in his body had disappeared, but his expression was still ice-cold.

Su E Huangs hair was scattered, and her clothes were unkempt. Tears
crawled down her face then she fell to the ground in distress. Her flawless
hand was now gripping deadly to the threshold. The blue veins under the
skin on her hand were visible like a spiders web.

Zhonglin! This nephew of mine, last year at the Luli Conference, made a
dirty move and was scolded by me afterward, so he had a grudge against
me. Later, when I asked him to kill the country marquis wife, he was
seduced by that woman and had illicit affairs. The other day, after I learned
that one of my maidservants had hooked up with him and that maidservant
not only belittled me but cursed me behind my back, I punished her
severely, killing her life. I dont know how you learned I wanted to harm
Grand Aunt, but you caught Su Xin and tortured him, so he naturally
complied with your questions and blamed me! He was slandering me!

Wei Shao looked at her but did not answer.

Su E Huang opened her mouth like a fish in a puddle, panting sharply, her
breasts heaving violently, but her mind spinning fast.
She knew that she couldnt be confused by fear at this moment. Once there
was a half-hearted show of fear, it would be her end.

She did not do those things!

All those things have nothing to do with her!

She told herself repeatedly. Then, she gradually believed that this was the
truth. Those strengths in her body that were rapidly dissipating soon
gathered back.

That country marquis wife in Yuyang City, it is true that I asked Su Xin to kill
her. I do not deny that. Do you know why? Because I hate her to the bone!
Back then, she also lived in Luoyang. For some time, I had befriended her.
I regarded her as my friend. We talked about everything. Unexpectedly she
had an adulterous relationship with Liu Li. When I found out about it, I was
furious and went to confront her, but she humiliated me, so I cut ties with
her. She did not stop after that and still met with Liu Li privately. I had no
choice but to ignore it. But I never thought that this bitch fed Liu Li with sex
drugs. When I learned about it, the poison had reached Liu Lis heart. The
medicine is useless. Then, he was sick and died. I lost my husband. How
can I not hate her? Before Liu Li died, he regretted and asked me to kill this
bitch. I had to kill her to fulfilled my late husbands last wish!

She finished in one breath and swallowed a mouthful of saliva with great
effort to moisten her dry mouth and throat. She raised her eyes to meet Wei
Shaos cold eyes.

I did kill the wife of the country marquis, but my relationship with that bitch
is limited to that! As for what you said about her dealings with Old Jiang
and how Old Jiang obtained poison from her to harm Grand Aunt, I dont
know anything about it! I beg you, Zhonglin, dont listen to anyones words!
As for this nephew of mine

Her eyes swept with disgust over Su Xin, who was still on the ground.
Although he is my nephew, his character is lowly with no integrity and
righteousness. Before, I did not know, but now that I have brought him
around, I slowly understand. He only wants to get away and speak
nonsense. He wanted to spit on others. He follows all your questions to
impose this charge on my head

Su Xin woke up from severe pain but still lying on the ground pretending to
be dead. His ears heard the voice of Su E Huang slandering himself. Every
single bone in his body was suffering as if being slaughtered. When he
remembered Wei Shaos cruelty, he shivered and no longer pretended, then
moaned: Marquis I am not speaking nonsense. Although she did not tell
me, I can see that she is bent on marrying you. She hated that the Old
Madam did not like her L1teraryN0v3l hosted the first appearance of this
chapter at N0vel.B1n.

Su E Huangs teeth were itchy with hatred and regret. Because of a

momentary oversight, she put a useless person on her side. When she was
looking in the mirror, the thought of removing Su Xin came to her mind. Su
Xin knows too many things. And it proved that he was not a usable person.
Keeping him was a hidden danger for her in the future. This idea has
popped up several times recently. Only she hesitated and did not make up
her mind.

At this moment, she finally regretted it. Regret that she did not remove this
nephew early. Why didnt he think that the only way he could have a chance
to live was to keep his aunt? She could only blame herself for not being
ruthless enough, which stranded her in this desperate situation.

Su E Huang pounced on him and slapped Su Xin fiercely, shouting: Why do

I have a nephew like you who accuses a person and turns the truth upside
down! She raised her head, and tears rolled down her eyes.

Zhonglin! I admit that I still have old feelings for you. That day, I said that
the fate of my birth trapped me my whole life and made me fall into the
current situation. I regret it a lot! It was indeed my sincere words! I did not
deceive you! When I was young, you were the love of my heart. I also gave
my heart to you, but in the end, I could not resist the family arrangement
and married Liu Li. But you know the torment I suffered in my heart. So
painful! Do you remember that I originally had a beautiful voice? You once
praised my singing voice. At that time, I said I would sing a lifetime for you.
After I married Liu Li, I ruined my voice using the medicine, but I only said I
was sick and used the medicine by mistake. Why did I do that? The reason
is because of the promise I made to you. Although I can not marry you as I
wish, I will not sing for another man for the rest of my life

Shut up! Wei Shao suddenly roared.

Su E Huangs both sides of the snow-white shoulder twitched. Tears rushed

down incessantly and moistened the clothes on the chest. She said: If you
do not want to hear me mention the past, I will not say it. But that day, I told
you clearly. Although I am unfortunate, I have self-awareness. I knew from
long ago that old things are difficult to catch up. Now you are willing to take
pity on me and protect me for the rest of my life. I am already satisfied.
Why would I be so stupid as to murder the Old Madam? Would you be
willing to marry me after the Old Madam is gone? My Grand Aunt treated
me with kindness and love, and I had no grudge against her. There must be
a reason for all the consequences. I did not have a reason to kill the Old
Madam! Also, you said that I instructed Old Jiang to poison her. However,
she has been by your mothers side for decades and accompanied her night
and day. I can hardly even enter the door of your Wei family. How can I
persuade her to work for me?

Wei Shao coldly said: My mothers brother had harmed Old Jiangs son. My
mother was not fair at the time. Old Jiang lost her son, then buried her
hatred and withheld it. Later, you used that and took revenge on her behalf.
She was willing to be driven by you to murder my grandmother and frame
my mother! You poisonous woman, scheming to such an extent, and you
still talk to me about the past!

Su E Huangs eyelids fluttered. Her gradually slowed-down heartbeat

jumped wildly again at Wei Shaos words.
Zhonglin! I dont know where you heard these words! If you have evidence,
I am willing to die by your hand today without a word of complaint! But if
you convict me based on the slanderous words of others, I will not be able
to die in peace!

Chapter 117.2
Su E Huang raised her chin and cried out.

Wei Shao stared at her for a moment. The light under his eyes was dark
and obscure, and it was impossible to understand what he was thinking. He
suddenly said to the two soldiers outside the door, Lock her up in the
dungeon, He lifted his feet and went outside.

Su E Huang cried out in alarm. She heard the tone of his voice without the
slightest emotion, not even a trace of disgust.

She knew about what he said. What the dungeon was like, she was the
clearest. There was also a dungeon in the underground of her Luoyang
residence. The people who were locked in, even if they were strong-willed,
none of them could survive for more than six months.

She still remembered. She locked up the Liu Li favored girl who harmed her
voice for only three months. When she went down to see that woman, she
had become unrecognizable, so crazy that she grabbed the defecate
before her and stuffed it into her belly.

Su E Huangs face paled. She crawled a few steps, grabbed one of Wei
Shaos feet from behind, and refused to let go.

Zhonglin! You cant do this to me! I didnt harm your grandmother! I didnt!
She shouted desperately, tears rolling down her face in bunches.

Wei Shao lifted his foot and broke free of her hand. Su E Huang fell to the
ground.
Who was it? Who the hell said that to you? Is it that Qiao girl? Yes, it must
be her! Zhonglin! How can you believe her words! Have you forgotten how
your father and brother died? They died because of the Qiao family! Have
you forgotten your vow at the temple to wipe out the Qiao family? How
could you be so confused by this Qiao girl, listening to her words and not
believing me? The Qiao family has a grudge against you! They sent her
here because they were afraid you would take revenge later! She would
plot against you!

She had fallen to the ground, sobbing bitterly, but suddenly got up and
shouted at Wei Shaos back, who had already gone outside: All women in
the world are inseparable from men. Either for the heart or for profit!
Zhonglin, think about it! She and Liu Yan from Langya were childhood
sweethearts. They love each other and have a marriage contract. How did
the Qiao family send her over? Make you turned kind and soft, bending to
the pleasure. Youve always been wise. Youll understand if you think about
it. How could she be true to you? She must have other intentions! Because
you cant bear me persecuted by Xing Xun and give me shelter, she
slandered me in front of you

Thats right! She snapped her eyes and got up from the ground with a bolt.

She bribed Old Jiang! The Qiao and Wei families are enemies. The Qiao
family sent their daughter over. Its not as simple as a marriage! The
purpose behind it, Zhonglin, is you to prevent

Wei Shao had already stepped out and strode away but suddenly stopped.
Then, he turned around and returned to Su E Huang with quick steps.

He stopped before Su E Huang, looking down at her with his hands behind
his back, his gaze cold and expressionless.

Su E Huang gasped, unsteady on her feet, and fell back to sit on the
ground, looking up at him miserably: Zhonglin you have to believe me! Dont
trust that Qiao girl! I am the one who is devoted to you
You slut

In just one moment, Wei Shao burst out, reached Su E Huang while
opening his five fingers, clutched her neck, and lifted her whole body from
the ground. His contorted face was fierce and horrible.

You plotted against my grandmother! Even so, my grandmother told me not

to touch you first! If you confess your sin, I might have let you go! I didnt
expect you to be so ungrateful as to frame my wife with such vicious words.

The veins at the corners of his forehead jumped. His knuckles rose abruptly
to close his five fingers. Su E Huang was unable to breathe. Her face was
red, and she rolled her eyes. Her hands danced haphazardly in the air, and
her throat was full of strange sounds.

Just as one of her hands grasped Wei Shaos sleeve, Wei Shao let her go.
Su E Huang fell to the ground, coughing in pain.

How do military regulations punish attempted murder?

He coldly asked the soldier behind him.L1teraryN0v3l hosted the first

appearance of this chapter at N0vel.B1n.

The soldier lowered his head and said, Cut off their nose to mark the
punishment.

Wei Shao said, Do it. His voice was indifferent, then he turned around and
walked away. Behind him, there was an ear-splitting cry of disbelief and
heartbreak. But, it ends abruptly.

Wei Shao had not yet returned at the end of this day. Although it was late at
night, Xiao Qiao was not asleep. She lies on her bed with her eyes closed,
thinking of Wei Shaos furious look when he left and feeling vaguely uneasy.
She tossed and turned until the end of the night when she finally heard the
familiar sound of footsteps outside.
Wei Shao pushed the unlocked door in. Xiao Qiao hurriedly got out of bed,
put on her clothes, and greeted him. Seeing his gloomy face, it seemed his
anger had not yet subsided. She did not dare to ask for details. Only softly
asked him if he wanted to have supper. Wei Shao shook his head, and then
she served him into the bath.

After he came out of the bathroom, they got into bed one after another.
Xiao Qiao closed her eyes for a moment and opened them again. She saw
Wei Shao leaning back with his eyes closed, looking tired between his
brows. After hesitating, she put her hand on his belly, stroking it, and softly
said, Whats wrong with you?

Wei Shao opened his eyes, turned his face, and stared at her. Then, he
suddenly pulled her to his chest while answering the question. Man Man,
have you ever hidden something from me?

Chapter 118.1
Xiao Qiao was stunned and felt strange. His questioning and tonights
events were a bit irrelevant.

After he learned from her that Su Xin had dealings with the country marquis
wife and read his grandmothers letter, he changed his face and went out.

At that time, he did not tell her where he had gone. But Xiao Qiao naturally
knew he had gone to the post house to find Su E Huang, maybe to confront
her.

Until this moment, he returned.

Because they were not ordinary people and the past was involved, thus
Xiao Qiao did not dare to make a judgment. However, judging from his face
when he returned, it did not seem to go well. But no matter what the
outcome, he did not mention a word about Su E Huang after he returned
but asked whether she had something to hide from him.

Strange.
Things she was hiding from him popped up in Xiao Qiaos mind. She had
come from a different life. She knew that in his previous life, he not only
became the emperor but also had a relationship with Su E Huang and
destroyed the Qiao family. She was afraid that in this life, he might turn his
face against her own family one day, so she encouraged her father to
strengthen his army and stand on his own feet. These she could not tell
him, even if he beat her to death.

Xiao Qiao said, Why are you asking me this suddenly?

Wei Shao said, Just answer me. The tone was stubborn.

Naturally, I dont have one. Xiao Qiao didnt even blink when she said.

Wei Shao was still looking at her. His fingers gently touched her face,
tightened his arms then held her tightly in his embrace.

Remember, Man man. Do not deceive me.

Xiao Qiao heard him in her ear, whispering. His hot breath rolled out,
ironing her earlobe.

Xiao Qiaos heartbeat suddenly accelerated a bit. She allowed him to hug
her tightly until she was slightly breathless. Then he began to kiss her. Like
a child tasting candy, his tongue tenderly and repeatedly licked her cheeks
and lips. Her face was wet from licking.

Xiao Qiao wanted to know what happened after he went out tonight.

Su E Huang admitted it or not. And how it turned out. But he seemed to

didnt want to mention it.

Finally, his tongue pried open her teeth. He began to increase in force and
suck on her tongue. She closed her eyes and dismissed the thought of
asking him.
The next day after breakfast.

Xiao Qiao smoothed his lapel before sending him out of the room as usual
while asking casually, Husband, what happened last night? How did it go?

Wei Shao glanced at her. I punished her with the military rule of attempted
murder. Wei Shao responded, his tone flat.

Chun Niang quickly inquired from Mr. Jia about the punishment for
attempted murder in the military rules.

Despite all the speculations, Xiao Qiaos body shivered when she learned it
was cutting the nose. The hair on her neck seemed to stand up, and she
felt uncomfortable. She naturally would not be so saintly as to sympathize
with Su E Huang. No one knew better than herself how scary this woman
was.

In the dream of her previous life, Miss Su harmed Mrs. Xu and Da Qiao to
achieve her noble fate. With the other peoples blood stained her hands,
she climbed into Wei Shaos dragon bed.

Not to mention that imaginary world, in this life, in the real world that exists,
Mrs. Xu had also nearly been poisoned by her.

In addition, the lives of other insignificant people acted as stepping stones

on her way forward. Letting her get the deserved punishment was a must.

What made Xiao Qiao uncomfortable was perhaps the way Wei Shao
treated her. Xiao Qiao felt intimidated and shivering inside.

In Xiao Qiaos letter to Mrs. Xu, she said that Su E Huang had come to
Jinyang and settled down. She then asked if there was any follow-up on the
incident last year.
The letter from Mrs. Xu said that Old Zhong had been investigating.
Previously, there were some clues but without solid evidence. After
searching through Mrs. Zhus memories, they finally found a woman.The
primary upload of this chapter happened on n/0/vel(b)(j)(n).

The woman surnamed Ma. She was a witch claiming to have psychic
ability. People often ask her to connect themselves with the spirits of the
dead.

Mrs. Zhu believes in this, and to communicate with her late husband, she
searches for her. Old Jiang also accompanied her. As a result, the woman
recognized Old Jiang.

Mrs. Ma said that Old Jiang then came alone to seek herself secretly,
begging for communication with her son, who died more than ten years
ago.

Chapter 118.2
Mrs. Ma received the money and staged the ritual. She set up
conversations based on her ability to read peoples minds. Then, she
pretended to be Old Jiangs son and deceived her into believing in it until
she burst into tears.

Old Jiang often secretly finds her and begs Mrs. Ma to be a medium for her
and her son. Mrs. Ma gradually learned the cause of her sons
death.L1teraryN0v3l hosted the first appearance of this chapter at
N0vel.B1n.

Some time ago, someone came and gave Mrs. Ma a lot of money to tell
Old Jiang, under the pretense of her son, that he had died unjustly and
asked her to take revenge for him.

Mrs. Ma was greedy for money and did as she had told. Old Jiang was
convinced and again burst into tears.
Then, when Old Jiang came again, Mrs. Ma summoned her sons soul, Old
Jiang rambled that a nobleman had helped her. The person who killed her
son drowned in the pool. She told her son to rest in peace and reincarnate
early.

Mrs. Ma knew that the person who killed Old Jiangs son was Mrs. Zhus
brother. Out of curiosity, she asked who the nobleman was through her act.

Old Jiang told her son, without any precautions, that the nobleman was the
wife of Zuo Feng Yi.

After Old Jiang left, Mrs. Ma felt terrified. She makes her living in this line of
work and knows that the shade in such a high family is terrible enough to
devour people. Now she has been involved in it herself. Whenever she
thought of the man who had bribed her with money to trick Old Jiang, she
was always worried about getting into trouble. Because she was a loner,
she packed her belongings and ran to another place to resume her old
business.

When Old Zhong visited and questioned her, Mrs. Ma told the truth about
what she knew back then. The relationship between Su E Huang and Old
Jiang finally became clear. It is possible to conclude that the person who
instructed Old Jiang to poison Mrs. Xu is Su E Huang.

At the end of the letter, Mrs. Xu mentioned that Miss Sus mother was her
niece. Although there was less interaction over the years, the feelings still
existed and kinship was unbreakable. Because having Xiao Qiao as her
granddaughter-in-law, she passed this disaster.

The heaven cycle has its cause and effect. She told Wei Shao not to be
obsessed with hurting Miss Sus life. If she still refuses to behave, have
someone send her back to Lunu and hand her to the King of Zhongshan.
Xiao Qiao thought Wei Shao would only imprison Su E Huang, but
unexpectedly, he cut off her nose!

The cruelty was even more frightening to Xiao Qiao than if he killed her
outright. For the first time, she felt her husbands cruelty in person, the man
who slept beside her.

She remembers clearly, just a few days ago, he said if he was not already
married to her, he might accept Miss Su because of the past. The words
were still ringing in her ears, but within a turn of the head, he cut off Miss
Sus nose because of what she had done! For his enemy, he is indeed cruel
enough, and he is also capable of doing it.

She recalled his odd expression when he asked if she was hiding
something. She didnt think much about it after she dealt with it last night.
After thinking about it again, it seems to have a different meaning.

She suddenly felt uneasy in her heart.

This day, because of this news, Xiao Qiao felt gloomy. She was glad that
she had prepared early and advised her father to strengthen his troops
even if Yanzhous troops were still not strong enough to fight those lords, it
was better than doing nothing as in her previous life.

When Xiao Qiao faced Wei Shao at night, her expression was still as usual,
smiling and laughing, but her heart was slightly uncomfortable.

Then, they finally got into bed. Naturally, there was no shortage of things to
do. Since Wei Shao returned from Xihe County, they did it every night. After
he finished, he closed his eyes while kneading Xiao Qiaos breast. He
gradually stopped, but his palm still covered her chest.

Xiao Qiao buried her face in his chest, closed her eyes, and counted the
number of times his heart was beating. After she counted to two hundred,
she quietly opened her eyes, secretly observing him. Try to figure out his
intention behind cutting Miss Sus nose and his question last night.
Something must have happened, but she didnt know it.

Wei Shao suddenly opened his eyes without warning and met her gaze.

His eyes were dark, watery, and flushed with lust. Every time they had sex,
his eyes will become like this. It was quite pretty.

Looking at me? He raised an eyebrow.

Xiao Qiao was unprepared. Her heart poofed as if she had been caught
red-handed. She was about to shake her head. After some hesitation, she
finally asked: Last night, why you suddenly asked me that?

Wei Shao was stunned. Then he said vaguely, Nothing, I just thought of it
and asked.

Seeing Xiao Qiao staring at himself, he coughed: I forgot to tell you. My

business in Jinyang is almost complete. You can pack your things. After
some days, we will leave.

Well go to Xindu first. Stay there for a few days because I have to do
something. After that, well return to Yuyang. He looked at her while saying.

Xiao Qiao froze, and suddenly her mood became happy again.

They had stayed in Jinyang for seven or eight months. During this period of
stay, there was Chen Rui and then Su E Huang. Those unpleasant
memories! Now it is finally time to leave!

Xindu is the city where Xiao Qiao married Wei Shao. Their relationship at
that time was awful. The day after the wedding, he sent Xiao Qiao away.

But strangely enough, Xiao Qiaos impression of that city was always good.
Perhaps it was because she loved the Tantai Terrace in the Xindu Palace,
which allowed her to see from above when she was lonely and frightened.
Even now, when she closes her eyes, she still remembers her image when
climbing up to the Tantai Terrace in the evening and watching the sunset at
the end of the wilderness beyond the castle walls.

She felt happy to be able to go to that city again. Furthermore, she would
also be able to meet with Mrs. Xu again!

Ill pack tomorrow!

Wei Shao nodded and smiled.

Chapter 119.1
Before leaving, Wei Shao said he was actually impatient to ride in the
carriage because it was slow and stuffy. From Jinyang, one must

go through Le Ping County, the ancient Zhao State of Julu, and Anping
County in Jizhou, then arrive in Xindu. It will take ten days, and Wei Shao
fears that she will be bored in the carriage alone. Hence, he will
accompany her. He said it as if he was very reluctant to do so.

Xiao Qiao was touched, yet she shook her head decisively: Husband does
not need to condescend to me. You are better off riding as you wish. I can
not be bored if Chun Niang sits with me. She meant what she said. If she
rode with Chun Niang in the carriage, she saved her energy and would be
comfortable.

If she sat with him. . .

There was no need to mention that she had to serve the master all the way,
and Xiao Qiao could imagine the indescribable things that would happen on
the way. She does not want to.

Wei Shaos gaze is sincere: For Man Mans sake, its okay for me to suffer a
little. And so it was happily decided.
The big carriage was already waiting outside the gate. Naturally, Chun
Niang and the other attendant sat together in another carriage.

Xiao Qiao climbed the carriage and sat, looking through the window at Wei
Shao and Li Chong, Zhang Jian, and Wei Liang, who had come to see him
off, saying goodbye.

Gongsun Yang had already left for Xindu earlier. Li Chong, Zhang Jian, Wei
Liang, and others remained here.

After Xiao Qiao waited for a while, Wei Shao finally turned around and got
into the carriage: Have you been waiting long?

Xiao Qiao nodded: Mmm.

Wei Shao smiled, sat down, put his arm around her, then ordered the
carriage to leave. With the sound of Wei Shao, the carriage moved forward,
taking Xiao Qiao with it, leaving the city where she had lived for half a year.

It seemed that all things that happened in this city were coming to an end.

After Su E Huang wrote a statement about her sins in blood, she returned
to Lunu last night.

The carriage drove out of the eastern city gate, leaving the city behind.
Xiao Qiao leaned in Wei Shaos arms and did not look back.

She was a person who took things as they came. If you live in a place for a
long time, more or less, you will develop some feelings. But for this city, she
does not feel the slightest attachment. She only wants to leave quickly.

A line of carriages and horses slowly traveled toward Lunu, the capital of
Zhongshan State. This line of carriages and horses traveled brightly to the
south, but now it is returning north, gloomy.
The accompanying maids and servants were quiet, their faces even as if
they had lost their lives. They were all slaves and attendants of Miss Su,
the wife of Zuo Feng Yi, who depended on Miss Su for their livelihood.

She was their heaven.

Everyone knows that the daughter of the Su family is born with talent and
has a noble destiny.

Extremely noble, to what extent- it was unknown.

They are convinced and devoted, following her all the way from north to
south. From Miss Sus marriage to Luoyang more than ten years ago until
now.

Last month, when they departed from Lunu to the south, they were still
thrilled beyond belief. Madam, who lived in seclusion in Lunu for half a
year, was finally heading to Luoyang.

When Madam Yulou of Luoyang was at her most beautiful moment, they
still remember the glory and popularity they enjoyed. Even to this day,
everyone still mentions it with honor.

Madam then, once so close to the verdict.

Unexpectedly, Liu Li died, and Madam was widowed. However, even so,
they did not lose faith because their Madam was still there.

No matter what obstacles they encounter, as long as they see her raise her
chin and be proud as a queen, they will willingly bow down at her feet.
Their confidence was swollen once again, full of strength.

That day, their beautiful dream shattered overnight. Everyones eyes were
dark and gray. Ten days later, on the way to Zhongshan, the group began
to falter.
The seeds of doubt about the Madams legendary extremely noble destiny
were slowly breeding and spreading. No one knows what happened to her
during the last days of her stay in Jinyang. But it is said that the Madam
was cruelly punished by the Marquis of Yan, Wei Shao because she had
offended him.

Although it was unknown what punishment she received, rumors had

begun to spread secretly. Madam was disfigured!

Everyone knew what this meant to a noblewoman who had made her name
in Luoyang for her beauty.

Furthermore, after Madam left Jinyang that night in a carriage with her
head covered, she had not shown her face since then. The only way to get
information is to rely on Old Maid Su beside her.

The carriage she was in also had its doors and windows shut tightly,
emitting a sullen dead air. It is like a coffin covered with a beautiful
appearance, uncomfortable to the eyes, even in the daylight. They began
to doubt, worry, and fear.

If this is true, then how about their future?

A few days ago, Old Maid Su severely punished the two servant girls she
had caught talking about Madam behind her back. But still, the rumors
were unstoppable.

On this day, they were resting in Changshan County. It was a three-day

break. Madam stayed in the post house and still did not show her face.

Three days later, when the group became frightened, Madam, who had not
shown herself for many days, suddenly appeared in front of them.

When they saw her, they were all stunned. Madam Yulou had a high bun
and wore fancy clothes. Her makeup was beautiful, as usual. On her face,
she wore a mask in the shape of a butterfly wing. The butterfly mask was
made of red gold thread, laced with precious stones, incomparably
exquisite. It crossed the middle of her face, revealing her beautiful eyes
and red lips but covering the nose.

Not only did it not spoil her appearance but added a touch of mystery.

Her two cold eyes swept from the top of the butterfly mask to all her
servants, who shivered and lowered their heads.

Go to Luoyang. Old Maid Su, at her side, said so.

Chapter 119.2
When Wei Shaos entourage entered the city, it was only two carriages with
dozens of guards in front and behind them. It attracted the attention of
passers-by but did not cause much commotion because they did not know
the identity of the people who entered the city.

The people in Xindu saw that the Tantai Terrace, which had turned dark at
night, was lit up with bright lights like the time the Marquis held his
wedding, and only then did they know that the Marquis had entered the city.

The inaugural upload of this chapter took place via N0/v3l-B1n.

When Wei Shao entered the Xin Palace, Gongsun Yang and Pei Jian, the
Xindu Protector, came to pay their respects at the last minute. Wei Shao
naturally went to meet them.

Xiao Qiao was used to it, knew that he would not return in half an hour,
entered her former residence of Sheyang, and settled in. The servants in
the palace came to pay their respects.

After a while, Chun Niang informed Xiao Qiao that the dinner was ready.
Wei Shao had not yet returned. Xiao Qiao ordered them to wait for him to
return to eat together.
While she was waiting, Xiao Qiao sat down and sorted back through the
letters that Da Qiao had sent earlier.

Half a year has passed since she returned from her south trip. Although
Xiao Qiao and Da Qiao did not have the opportunity to meet again, they
corresponded with each other sometimes.

The road between north and south was long, passing through several
territories, so it was difficult for them to write to each other.

In March, when Xiao Qiao was in Jinyang, she thought Da Qiao had given
birth to a child. She asked about the baby and the war in the Huaishui area.

Two months ago, Xiao Qiao finally received a reply from Da Qiao. In her
letter, Da Qiao said that she had given birth to a son at the beginning of the
year, and Bi Zhi was ecstatic.

When she wrote to Xiao Qiao, her son was barely over a month old. Bi Zhi
loved the child like a treasure and was devoted to her. She was doing well.
But about the war situation that Xiao Qiao asked about, although Da Qiaos
tone was relaxed and only mentioned a few sentences, Xiao Qiao still read
some of Da Qiaos hidden worries.

Da Qiao said after the death of Xue Tai at the beginning of the year, Xue
Tais eldest son, Xue An, came to take revenge and was defeated twice by
Bi Zhi. The third time, the two sides retained each other for many days and
finally fought in Pengcheng. When Bi Zhi was about to win the battle, Yang
Xin suddenly led his troops to attack Lingbi from behind. He rushed back to
defend Lingbi. Yang Xin, who was enemies with Xue Tai, seemed allied
with Xue An this time.

However, Da Qiao also said that the good thing was that Bi Zhi was
well-defended that Yang Xin and Xue An could not defeat him and finally
withdrew their troops one after another. In the meantime, Yang Xin, Xue An,
and Bi Zhi were facing each other in Huai Shui. They were fine and told
Xiao Qiao not to worry.
Now, a few months have passed.

Xiao Qiao read the letter from Da Qiao once more, while lost in thought,
suddenly heard the sound of Chun Niang calling Master outside, looked up,
and saw Wei Shao striding in. She quickly put away the letter.

What are you reading? Wei Shao came close to her.

Xiao Qiao did not want to say much, but when she saw his eyes staring at
her, she thought there was nothing to hide, so she said, A letter from my
sister a few months ago. I read it again. Xiao Qiao stored the letter back in
the box.

Wei Shao looked at her face: What did she say? I saw you lost in thought.

Nothing, Xiao Qiao laughed, My sister gave birth to a baby at the beginning
of the year, and now he should be five or six months old. Its a pity that its
such a long journey. Otherwise, I will go to Lingbi to hold my nephew.

Wei Shao slightly raised his eyebrows: What good about holding other
peoples babies? If you give me a baby, wont you have something to hold?

Xiao Qiao was displeased: How can a sisters child be someone elses
baby? He calls me Aunt!

Okay, okay, I said the wrong thing! Wei Shao laughed.

My sisters letter also mentioned that Yang Xin seems to have allied with
Xue Tais son and is attacking my brother-in-law from both sides. Yang Xin
and the Xue family have been at odds for a long time. How come they are
now in an alliance? Do you know anything about this, Husband? Xiao Qiao
asked in passing.

He knew it, naturally.

Wei Shaos face did not change. The head of the stragglers He looked at
Xiao Qiao and changed his tone: Bi Zhi killed Xue Tai and made enemies in
the Xue family. Xue An intends to take revenge and maybe seek Yang Xins
helps.

After saying that, he saw Xiao Qiao frowning slightly and touched his
stomach, Man Man, just now they dragged me to talking about a bunch of
things. Im hungry.

Xiao Qiao knew that he had always looked down on Bi Zhi. Besides, on
that previous occasion, when he picked her up, he and Bi Zhi had fought as
soon as they met. When she saw that he didnt want to talk about it, she
didnt force him to answer so that he wouldnt get the wrong idea and
thought she wanted him to help Bi Zhi. Xiao Qiao said, Im waiting for you to
eat.

Chapter 120.1
Jizhou has nine counties and seventy-eight prefectures, arching from the
north of Youzhou to the south, straight to the Yellow River region states.
Due to its strategic location, it was a significant place for Wei Shao.

Since the beginning of last year, Wei Shao has been busy with the war in
Bingzhou and the conquest in the west and has not been personally
present in Jizhou. Now that he had finished uniting the west and had
nothing else to do, he naturally had to pass through Jizhou before returning
to Youzhou. He intended to explore the land, meeting with the governors,
county magistrates, and rulers of Jizhou.

The next morning after arriving, he got busy. During the day, Xiao Qiao
could hardly see his face. One after another, the governors of various
places came to pay their respects to the Marquis.
Only on the first night of their arrival did Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao eat dinner
together. Later, for several days in a row, she ate dinner alone.
Wei Shao always returned late from the nightly banquets in the palace.
Xiao Qiao did not expect Wei Shao to bring her here for a vacation or to
create surprises.

When she first started the journey, she felt a remembrance of this place.
After all, this was where they first met and got married. But once she got
here, she extinguished that thought.

Not exactly a disappointment. Anyway, Xiao Qiao got used to passing the
time by herself. During the day, she sometimes climbs the Tantai Terrace
like she used to, watching all sorts of people going in and out of the Xin
Palace.

Or she went out for a stroll.

Of course, Mr. Jia must escort her. Mr. Jia has become familiar with her by
now. He must be at most 25 or 26 years old, but he used to give Xiao Qiao
an old-fashioned feeling. Probably, because he became a lieutenant of the
Huben Army at a young age. To Xiao Qiao, he would never say an
unnecessary word. He would rarely look at her directly.
But now, when escorting Xiao Qiao out, his attitude is still respectful, but
when Xiao Qiao asks him something, he will answer with a few more
words.
……

Seven or eight days have passed. Finally, this day when it was dark, Wei
Shao’s figure appeared in the Sheyang residence. He said his business
was done and would return to Yuyang tomorrow.

Then, they ate dinner together. After the meal, Wei Shao suddenly said,
“These days, I’m busy and do not have time to accompany you. You do not
blame me, do you?”
Xiao Qiao shook her head, “How can it be? I know that my husband is
busy.”

Wei Shao said, “Where do you want to go? I will accompany you.”

Xiao Qiao smiled, “There is nowhere I want to go ……”

“I’ll take you to Tantai Terrace. It’s been a long time since I have climbed it.”

Wei Shao grabbed her hand and led her out.

Xiao Qiao did not say she had just come down from there in the evening.
Seeing his excitement, she complied with him.

Wei Shao took her hand and went out of the Sheyang Residence. Along
the way, the maids and servants bowed and saluted.

He took Xiao Qiao by hand, passed an open hall, and was about to step
out when he suddenly stopped to look back.

“This is where I paid my respects to you.” He turned his face back and
looked at Xiao Qiao.

Xiao Qiao hooked her lips: “You still remember?”

Wei Shao did not say anything but tightened the hand under his sleeve that
was interlocked with hers and led her out.

They stopped at the bottom of the stairs of the Tantai Terrace. The twilight
was heavy, enveloping the towering terrace in front of them.

Wei Shao looked up. The Tantai Terrace is more than ten feet above the
ground, with eighty-one high steps. Every time Xiao Qiao goes up, she will
stop for a moment after climbing a section to enjoy the scenery.
Wei Shao slightly lowered himself. Xiao Qiao looked at him.

“Get on my back.” He said.

Xiao Qiao said, “I do not dare to ride on Marquis’ back.”

Wei Shao said, “You are the only one allowed to ride.”

Xiao Qiao pursed her lips and smiled, so she hugged his shoulder and
jumped on his back. Wei Shao then steadily held her hips and carried her
up to the top of the Tantai Terrace in one breath. Then, he put her down. He
grabbed her waist and sat her on a jade table carved with clouds and
dragons at both ends in the center of the room, with her feet suspended in
the air.

The jade table still has some residual warmth from the daytime absorption.
It warmed Xiao Qiao’s skin through her thin summer clothes.
A deep blue starry sky above Wei Shao’s head gradually became bright.
The summer night wind blew from all sides of the terrace, sweeping the
hair on Xiao Qiao’s temples and attacking his robe.

Xiao Qiao took out a handkerchief and wiped his sweaty forehead. He
pressed his single palm on the table and agilely jumped to sit beside her,
grabbed her wrist, and then gently embraced her.

Chapter 120.2
He embraced her, rubbed his chin against her forehead, and asked, “What
have you been doing these few days?”

Xiao Qiao said, “Not telling you.”

“Say it. Don’t hide it from me.”

“You won’t like to hear it.”

“Say it!” Full of dominance.

Xiao Qiao hummed, “What else can I do? I can’t help but think about how
you treated me when I first came here.”

Wei Shao didn’t say anything.

“Have you forgotten?” Xiao Qiao stretched her hand, spread her finger, and
began to count.

“When paying respects to me, I saw that you were impatience! Not only
was it superficial, you even sneered at me in your heart!”

“You saw it wrong!”

Wei Shao’s voice was calm.

Of course, he couldn’t let her know that when he first saw her at the
wedding, he thought; how could the Qiao family assume they could write off
their old scores by sending over an okay-looking daughter? The Qiao
family was stupid and thought he was as stupid as they were.

“In the bridal chamber, when you were sleeping on the bed, I woke up in
the middle of the night and tried to get a quilt to keep me warm, then I
accidentally woke you up, and you pulled out your sword and pointed it at
me!”

“Didn’t I put the sword away? I even gave up my bed to you.”

Wei Shao’s voice remained calm. He could not tell her he knew she was
scared, but she still pretended calm under the tip of his sword. That look of
hers, even when he thought about it at this moment, he still felt heartbroken
and funny.

“And!”

Xiao Qiao continued to wiggle her fingers: “Early the next morning, you
sent me to Yuyang! Husband, you were heartless ……”
Wei Shao didn’t argue for himself this time. He gazed down at her and
slowly moved towards her, suddenly kissing her lips that were still talking.

Xiao Qiao whimpered twice and struggled. Gradually, she became soft. The
long kiss finally ended and their lips parted.

Xiao Qiao wrapped her arms around the man’s broad and solid back.

“Husband, have you ever regretted marrying me?” She asked him while
tilting her head slightly, her beautiful eyes reflecting the starry sky above his
head. Wei Shao’s heart and soul seemed lost, unable to move his eyes.

“Man Man, when you marry me, do you have me in your heart?” He asked
her in a hoarse voice.

They remained silent, just looking into each other’s eyes.

Wei Shao’s breathing got heavy. Without saying a word, he laid her on the
jade table. Under the afterglow, he pounced on her like a fierce beast.

……

After tidying up their messy clothes, they climbed down the Tantai Terrace.

Xiao Qiao’s legs were a little weak, and Wei Shao circled his arms around
her waist all the way back to the Sheyang residence. A servant immediately
went up and sent word that Mr. Gongsun was looking for the Marquis,
asking the Marquis to meet him after he returned.

Wei Shao’s face showed slight displeasure, but it quickly faded away. He
took Xiao Qiao and laid her on the bed, kissed her red cheeks, and told her
to sleep first and not to wait for him. After straightening his clothes, he
opened the door and went away.

……
Gongsun Yang was waiting in the hall for some time. After learning that Wei
Shao had gone with the lady to Tantai Terrace, he left a message and
waited patiently. He slowly paced around the hall with hands clasped
behind his back, thinking heavily.

Suddenly he heard the sound of footsteps and turned his head to see Wei
Shao had entered with great strides. He hurriedly greeted him. Wei Shao
went in and took his seat. He said: “Sir, do you wait a long time? It’s late.
What do you want from me?”

Gongsun Yang said, “I shouldn’t have disturbed you at this time. But just
now, Yang Xin’s messenger arrived and sent news. I thought it would be
better to report it to you as soon as possible.”

When Wei Shao heard it was related to Yang Xin, his expression
immediately became grave, leaning forward slightly and asking, “What has
happened?”

Gongsun Yang presented a battle report.

A month ago, Yang Xin, following Wei Shao’s instructions, stationed his
troops in Bengdi. Xue An’s army was in Xiaqiu. One in the north and the
other in the south, encircling the head of the stragglers, Bi Zhi.

Bi Zhi was trapped.

Yang Xin thought Bi Zhi was like a turtle in a jar and could not break the
trap. However, he did not expect Bi Zhi would imitate the banner of Xue
An’s Xuzhou army, move to Bengdi, and finally meet up with Yang Xin.

Yang Xin never dreamed that Bi Zhi would dare to meet him. At first, he
misunderstood that it was indeed Xue An’s men, but because he was not
sure what purpose Xue An had led his troops to this place, he hesitated,
and Bi Zhi took the opportunity to attack him. Yang Xin was defeated in this
battle and lost his bannered land.
Now, not only did Bi Zhi have Lingbi, but he also had Bangui in his hands.
Yang Xin was in an unfavorable situation. He could not decide what to do
next, so he sent a messenger to tell him. Wei Shao scanned the report with
a single glance. His face suddenly became gloomy. He threw it on the
ground with a ‘pop’ and said furiously: “Yang Xin is incompetent to this
extent! A mere head of the stragglers, he can’t even handle it!”

Chapter 121.1
“How many soldiers does Yang Xin have? One hundred thousand! How
many does the head of the stragglers have? At most, less than half of his!
And they are just a bunch of gangsters! There are still Xue An’s Xuzhou
soldiers in Xiaqiu! How could he lose this battle?”

Wei Shao haughtily got up with hands behind his back, pacing back and
forth in front of the desk, stepping loudly.

“Ask him how many more soldiers he wants me to give him before he can
bring down the head of the stragglers for me!” He jerked to a halt and
turned back angrily.

Gongsun Yang was a bit surprised.

Yang Xin couldn’t suppress Bi Zhi and lost Xiaodi instead. After learning
about the battle report, Gongsun Yang expected that the ruler would be
unhappy, but what surprised him was that his reaction would be so
extreme.

Since Gongsun Yang assisted him, he has experienced over a hundred

battles of all sizes, conquering numerous cities and territories. But even if
he had encountered a major setback, Gongsun Yang had seldom seen him
so angry.

Moreover, although Xiaodi’s location was significant, as long as there were

no more changes on the Xue An side, even if it lost, there would be no
major changes to the current pattern in the Huainan area. The reaction of
the ruler was really too much.

Gongsun Yang said: “My Lord, don’t be angry. It’s only a momentary
negligence of Yang Xin. And although Bi Zhi just turned up into this world, I
heard that he is brave and his military tactic is excellent. He is now popular
in the Huai Shui area. Countless people want to join him. My Lord should
not underestimate him.” He said while looking at Wei Shao.

Wei Shao’s gaze back to Gongsun Yang. His right hand on the handle of
the sword has drawn the sword out of the sheath a few inches. The sword’s
cold light flashed, and a moment later, with a “clank” sound, he inserted it
back and slowly released his grip.

“Write on my behalf, tell Yang Xin, regain Xiaodi as soon as possible, at

any cost, let that straggler return to Lingbi ……” he paused briefly, “Lingbi
also can not fall into his hands! We must drive him out! If he needs
resources and soldiers, let me know!”

Gongsun Yang was stunned, then hesitated: “Lord, I have something to

say. I don’t know if I should say it.”

“Sir, if you have something to say, just say it.”

Wei Shao’s anger from a few moments ago seemed to fade. He sat again
behind the desk.

“Xuzhou, Yangzhou, Henan, and Jiangxia are indeed important places.

Although Bi Zhi’s status was humble, but cannot be underrated. For the
Lord’s plans for the world, naturally, we can not raise a tiger as a problem.
But to my mind, it may not be necessary for the Lord to make a big move
……” He looked at Wei Shao.

“I heard that the Lady has a sister who seemed married to Bi Zhi. Last year,
General Jia escorted her to Lingbi to meet with the couple. She travels a
long way to meet them. Obviously, she has a good friendship with Mr. and
Mrs. Bi Zhi. It is not advisable to have a relationship with an enemy but to
have a relationship with a relative. Why don’t you consider warning him
instead of war? Not only that, if you can take Bi Zhi under your wing, you
will be like a tiger with wings. Since this is a beneficial thing, why not do it?
Why don’t we stop the war first? My Lord can discuss it with the Lady. I
expect the Lady doesn’t want to see you and Bi Zhi having a war. If Lady
sends a letter or tries to intercede, with the prestige of the Lord, Bi Zhi will
be happy to come to ……”

“Military Advisor! Do you think that everyone is worthy of my

appeasement?”

Before Gongsun Yang could finish his sentence, Wei Shao interrupted him.

His expression was cold. “It’s just a stray bandit leader who occupies a
small place! Why should I be so tolerant? You don’t have to say anymore! I
have made up my mind and will not change it! Just do as I said and send a
letter to Yang Xin!” After saying this, he lifted the hem of his coat, rose from
behind the desk, and strode away without looking back.

Gongsun Yang watched the back of the Marquis disappear with a frown. He
knew very well that after the Marquis settled the north and pacified the
west, there would definitely be a head-on battle with Xing Xun. It was just a
matter of time.

If he wins, his world will be as strong as bamboo.

If he losses, the future of the ‘deer’ is uncertain.

Although the situation in Huai Shui and Xuzhou was crucial, the war with
Xing Xun required the full responsibility of the ruler. Gongsun Yang does
not believe that the Marquis does not know this truth.

When he came to Jizhou to summon all the magistrates and generals some
time ago at the Xin Palace, naturally, it wasn’t for fun. To gather people’s
hearts and minds, plan for a rainy day. Currently, the situation in Huai Shui
obviously can be solved without war.

According to Gongsun Yang, if Bi Zhi refused, it was not too late to fight him
again. However, if they could solve the war without fighting, with the power
of Bi Zhi and Yang Xin, it would be easy for them to eat Xuzhou. Therefore,
the Huai Shui area will be in the pocket of the ruler without fighting. Not
only will he get the land, but he will also get a general like Bi Zhi, who may
be able to compete with General Li Dian in the future. This is a good thing,
but why did the ruler insist on going to war and order Yang Xin to strike
him?

Hearing the Marquis’ words, it seemed he despised Bi Zhi’s origin. Thereby,

he didn’t want to use him. However, Gongsun Yang knew that although he
was arrogant, he had done a commendable job of being courteous to his
men. Otherwise, there would not have been so many good officials willing
to be driven by him. For example, Li Dian, humbly born, was now the first
general under his account. But he was so hostile to Bi Zhi now, which was
really abnormal.

Gongsun Yang pondered for a long time and had a vague feeling in his
heart. He suspects that the ruler was irritated. The Marquis hated the Qiao
family but seemed obsessed with the Qiao daughter. There was even a
sign that he couldn’t extricate himself.

Although it has been some time since Gongsun Yang did not hear him
mention the Qiao family in front of him without gnashing his teeth, with
Gongsun Yang’s understanding of him, he should not be able to let go of
his family feud easily. Bi Zhi is also considered half of the Qiao family.

Chapter 121.2

In the ruler’s opinion, if you are fond of Bi Zhi, it is no different from being
fond of the Qiao family. How could he be willing to give up so easily?
Gongsun Yang could only think so. Otherwise, he really can’t figure out why
the ruler’s attitude is so headstrong and unreasonable about this matter.

In the council hall, Gongsun Yang twirled his beard and slowly paced back
and forth. He also thought about whether he should pass the message to
the Lady. It might be better for her to persuade him than to break his lips.
But he quickly dismissed the idea. The ruler ordered Yang Xin to drive out
Bi Zhi and hid this matter from her. Although the Marquis almost always
listened and treated him politely, and all the generals respected him, his
official position was that of a military advisor. The so-called military
advisor’s task was only monitoring military affairs, the final decision still at
the Marquis’ command.

If it was for any other reason, Gongsun Yang would have risked the charge
of offending him and thought of another way to speak up when the ruler
chose such an unconventional move. But if the ruler picked on Bi Zhi out of
his selfishness, which involves the hatred of the Wei and Qiao family, it was
inappropriate for him as an outsider to disobey the ruler’s intention and act
privately. He was the military advisor. He should focus on military-related
matters. Naturally, it would be best if Yang Xin could successfully conquer
Bi Zhi. If Yang Xin fails, then he should still be able to maintain the current
triangular situation. Even if Bi Zhi had an outstanding ability, he couldn’t
devour all of Xuzhou in a short period, and there will be no significant
impact on the overall situation. After a moment of hesitation, Gongsun Yang
decided to act according to the ruler’s wish.

In the meantime, he can only let him have his way for a while. He will see
how the situation changes, improvise and decide on a later plan.

……

When Xiao Qiao was ready to leave, Wei Shao told her they would stay in
Xindu for a few more days because of a sudden change. He looked as
usual when he spoke, so how could Xiao Qiao guess that his sudden
change was for the war in Huainan? He was a man who was not
convenient to talk to her, so she did not ask, only asked Chun Niang to take
out the already packed clothes.

Once they stayed, another ten days passed. Wei Shao never mentions
leaving again. Instead, she knew that he had sent a letter to Mrs. Xu, who
had already returned to Yuyang, saying that he had to postpone his return
because of the matter. He also said they were getting along very well and
asked his grandmother to rest assured.Xiao Qiao also wrote a letter. She
remembered Bi Zhi and Da Qiao. It was inconvenient for her to ask Wei
Shao about the current war in the Huai Shui area, so she sent a letter to Da
Qiao to ask about their situation. She gave the letter to Mr. Jia and asked
him to send a reliable messenger to Lingbi as soon as possible. Although
the Yellow River separated this place from Lingbi, the distance was much
closer. When she handed over the letter to Mr. Jia, she deliberately asked
how long it would

take to receive the reply. Mr. Jia said if there were no accidents on the way,
it would be enough for a return trip within half a month. After the letter went
out, Xiao Qiao kept waiting for a reply.

……

Half a month later. Lingbi.

Da Qiao lay on her side in bed, shaking the rattle in her hand to make a
crisp sound like rain, teasing her baby sitting in bed.

The baby, nicknamed Li’er, was just over half a year old, fat and white,
loved to laugh, and very cute. He sat beside his mother, attracted by the
rattle in her hand that could make sounds, stretching out a pair of fleshy
little hands and babbling under his breath.

Da Qiao gave the rattle to Li’er. When he heard the sound, he looked at his
mother in surprise and giggled happily. After playing with her son for a
while, Da Qiao saw that he was getting sleepy, then she fed him a full
stomach.
The baby’s soft cheek pressed against his mother’s warm skin, asleep. Da
Qiao looked at her sleeping baby in her arms with love in her eyes.
Suddenly, she thought of her husband, Bi Zhi, who was fighting in Xiaodi
and got worried.

Just a few days ago, Yang Xin attacked again. Although Bi Zhi did not tell
her, she heard Yang Xin come again with great force. Furthermore, there
was the Xuzhou army waiting in the north. Da Qiao was worried. She had
not slept well for several nights thinking about it. At this moment, her son
slept peacefully beside her, and the room was quiet. She slowly got tired
and gradually closed her eyes. When she was in a daze, she felt her face
gently touched by someone’s fingers. Thinking that Li er had woken up, she
opened her eyes immediately and found that her husband, Bi Zhi, had
returned and was now sitting by the bed. It was his palm that touched her
face. And the child was still sleeping soundly beside her. She looked at her
husband’s smiling eyes. Afraid of waking her son, she slowly got up, which
led her into his embrace. Feeling her husband’s steady heartbeat, all the
apprehension and anxiety in Da Qiao’s heart suddenly disappeared.

……

Da Qiao asked her nursemaid to wait on Li’er and went to another room
with her husband.

Bi Zhi carried her to the bed and undressed her. After the lovemaking, Da
Qiao rested on her husband’s shoulder and asked, “How is the war going?”

Bi Zhi embraced his wife and said, “Xiaodi is easy to defend and difficult to
attack, so it is impossible to enter for a while. Don’t worry.”

Da Qiao wondered, “Didn’t Yang Xin have bad relations with the Xue
family? Why is Yang Xin not fighting Xue’s family but making things difficult
for you?”

Bi Zhi said: “I came back to talk to you about this. Yesterday I captured one
of Yang Xin’s lieutenants. After interrogation, I learned something ……”
Da Qiao saw him pause, turned over, and asked, “What is it?”

Bi Zhi hesitated, looking at Da Qiao, and slowly said: “According to him,

Yang Xin seems to have joined the Marquis of Yan.”

Chapter 122.1
Da Qiao was stunned, and then her face showed surprise, “Husband’s

meaning is that Yang Xin is now taking matters into his own hands and

attacking behind Marquis of Yan’s back?”

She climbed up with a bolt, “I’ll go write to my younger sister and ask her to

inform Marquis of Yan ……”

Bi Zhi pulled his agitated wife back and let her lie down while gazing at her

beautiful eyes. He smiled bitterly and shook his head.

“Did I say wrong? Husband, you do not have to feel embarrassed. If my

younger sister knows, she will help us!” Da Qiao looked at her husband in

disbelief.

Bi Zhi lovingly stroked his wife’s hair, pondered, and said, “If my guess is

correct, Yang Xin suddenly turned against me on the order of the Marquis

of Yan.”

Da Qiao was taken aback and looked at her husband in a daze.

“My brother-in-law-” she hesitated, “Why would Marquis of Yan want to fight

against you?”

Bi Zhi did not speak.

……

After learning that Yang Xin had joined Wei Shao, Bi Zhi brooded about this

question repeatedly.

If they talk about their personal grudge, he could only mention the

misunderstanding-fight outside Hu Village when he came to pick up his

wife. At that time, he suffered a small wound on his arm. But Bi Zhi

concluded that he would never mobilize his troops to attack him because of

such minor friction caused by misunderstanding. He would not have been

able to hold such an important military position at such a young age if he

was so narrow-minded, even if he was noble and had many good ministers
and generals under him. Since it was not out of a personal grudge, then it

was for his overall plan.

Bi Zhi had long heard of Wei Shao’s reputation. Not long ago, he took the

remaining power of Pingxi and annexed Feng Zhao. He pointed his sword

at the world and intended to compete for the throne. All of these were

public secrets.

Apart from Wei Shao, there are still Xing Xun, Yuan Zhe, Le Zheng Gong,

etc. These lords have reached that high status, each with soldiers in hand,

and by the time the Han dynasty is running out of gas, which one does not

want to fight for the throne?

But what confused Bi Zhi is why Wei Shao immediately set his eyes on him

after returning from Pingxi. Although he occupied a place and had some

men and horses under his command, his strength was far from comparable
to those of warlords. Lingbi was not like Xuzhou, which was a strategic

location.

Wei Shao left behind many enemies that were clearly more worthy of him to

deal with and directly pointed the spearhead at his little piece of Lingbi. He

really could not understand why.

……

“Husband ……”

Da Qiao was worried but even more in disbelief. Seeing her husband’s

pensive silence, she called out to him.

“Maybe that person is slandering Marquis of Yan and deliberately creating a

divergence? Marquis of Yan married my younger sister. She told me that

the Marquis of Yan treated her very well. You never offended him, so why

did he send Yang Xin to attack?”

Da Qiao was gentle and kind, always thinking the best of people. Wei Shao

was her younger sister’s husband. She did not want this to happen.

Bi Zhi said, “There should be no mistake. I’ve never interacted with Marquis

of Yan, so there’s no cause for disagreement. Perhaps Marquis of Yan

intend to take over Xuzhou, but I am in the way.”

Da Qiao’s heart was suddenly in turmoil, stunned for a while, then

murmured: “If it is true, I do not know if my younger sister knows about this.

If she knows …… I’m afraid she’ll argue with Marquis of Yan ……”

She suddenly climbed up again and grabbed her husband’s arm,

“Husband, return Xiaodi to Yang Xin! After returning Xiaodi, he should not

attack again, right? I don’t want you to fight anymore!”

Bi Zhi said: “I sent a message to Yang Xin yesterday, conveying this

intention. But from Yang Xin’s tone, he seemed to want to take away Lingbi

too before he gives up!”

Da Qiao froze, her face slightly pale.

Bi Zhi said comfortingly: “Ah Fan, I did not tell you about this to not make

you worry. But I’m afraid that if you know about it later, you will blame me,

so I told you.”

Da Qiao looked at him in a daze: “What is your next step?”

Bi Zhi slowly sat up.

“Ah Fan, I wedded you, and now I have Li’er. In this chaotic world, I only

want to have a place to live, to keep you and Li’er safe. If I can, I will leave
everything here and go to the mountains to live in seclusion with you. But I

can’t help it. I’ve come to this point. I can’t just leave everything here and

go away with you. Marquis of Yan may have misunderstood me. Since the

person behind Yang Xin is him, I will talk to him directly. I want to send a

letter to him. Explain that I have no intention to oppose and obstruct his

plans for the world. If there is any misunderstanding, he should consider it.

If he believes me, it is best. If he still sees me as an enemy, I will not be

afraid of him. Even though he is strong, I will do my best to fight back!”

He gazed at Da Qiao and gently took her into his arms.

“But this is a bit sorry for you. From now on, I’m afraid it won’t be as

convenient as before for you to communicate with your sister.”

Da Qiao leaned into her husband’s firm embrace. After a long silence, she

said, “Husband, I will write a letter to my younger sister. Ask the messenger

to bring it along. It would be best if we could solve the misunderstanding

between you and the Marquis of Yan. If not, then I can only ask my sister

for help.”

“I don’t want you to be enemies with the Marquis of Yan. I expect that my

younger sister thinks so too. I didn’t want to bother my younger sister

either. But I thought it was better to let her know as early as possible, lest

things get too big and unmanageable. The last time she came to see me,

from her tone, I thought that the Marquis of Yan was very fond of her.

Marquis of Yan should be willing to listen to her persuasion.”

Da Qiao said.

Chapter 122.2
Half a month has passed.

Xiao Qiao was still in Xindu and had not received a reply from Da Qiao. On

this day, Wei Shao went out early in the morning. Xiao Qiao had nothing to
do. When she remembered the letter again, she sought out Mr. Jia and

asked him.

She asked before, but Mr. Jia only asked her to wait patiently. He gave the

same reply today.

“General Jia, if there is a letter, please deliver it to me immediately.” Xiao

Qiao said, suppressing the disappointment in her heart.

Mr. Jia was busy nodding, not daring to look at the Lady. Even to his death,

Mr. Jia did not dare to let her know that the letter she had asked him to

send before had not even left the gate of the Xin Palace. He was Wei

Shao’s lieutenant of the Tiger Army. In addition to his duty as a protector, all

letters usually went through his hands first. He gave the letter that she

wanted to mail to the Marquis first. He was not acting on his initiative but

under orders.

On the day the Marquis decided to stay at Xindu for a few more days, he

ordered that if she had any letters to send to Lingbi or received from

outsiders, he should forward those letters to him first. He also told him not

to let her know about it. Mr. Jia did not dare to disobey the ruler’s order. He
didn’t tell her that yesterday a messenger came from Lingbi with a letter.

The letter was from Bi Zhi to the Marquis.

Naturally, Mr. Jia did not know the letter’s content. He only saw that after

the Marquis received it without raising his eyes, he threw it into the trash

basket filled with papers and silk scrolls. Periodically, they would be packed

up and burned together.

Mr. Jia did not ask questions at that time. But he knew that Marquis was not

going to reply to the letter. Because he had seen the Lady and the couple

were close when he sent her to Lingbi, he spoke nicely to the messenger

that the Marquis didn’t reply to the letter and sent the messenger away.

“General Jia, I’m sorry to trouble you.” Xiao Qiao said again.

Mr. Jia was busy shaking his head, “I don’t dare. It’s my duty.”

The Lady’s nature was gentle. Although anxiously waiting, she never

showed any dissatisfaction or rebuked him. Her beautiful eyes only showed

disappointment and urged him to pay more attention. If there was a reply,

he should immediately give it to her. To such a gentle lady, Mr. Jia felt more
guilty in his heart. He was even afraid to look into her eyes when he spoke

to her.

Xiao Qiao didn’t notice the difference in Mr. Jia’s expression, smiled and

nodded at him, turned around, and left. Within a few moments, after she

returned to the room, Chun Niang came in and said, “Lady, guess who

came here?”

“Who?” Xiao Qiao was a little confused when she saw her happy face.

Chun Niang didn’t sell herself short either. “That Mr. Zong from before!”

Xiao Qiao was slightly stunned.

“I heard a message saying someone was looking for me and was waiting

outside the side door. I was suspicious of who would be looking for me

here, so I went out to take a look. I didn’t expect it would be Mr. Zong! He

said he was delivering a letter to you on behalf of your sister.”

After saying that, she handed the letter over. Xiao Qiao hastily opened it.

Chun Niang knew Xiao Qiao had been waiting for Da Qiao’s reply.

Suddenly, Zong Ji delivered the letter himself. She was also delighted.
When Xiao Qiao read the letter, Chun Niang laughed at the side: “What did

the letter say? Does it say the baby? It should be six or seven months old

now ……”

Xiao Qiao was smiling at first, but before she finished reading, her face

changed. She read it again from the beginning. Her hands could not control

the slight shaking.

Chun Niang noticed her strange behavior. When she saw her face

suddenly pale, she asked in panic: “What happened? What did the letter

say?”

“Has Mr. Zong left?” Xiao Qiao asked, not waiting for Chun Niang to

answer, lifted her foot, and went outside.

Her hands and feet were shaking so much that when she raised her foot to

step out of the threshold, she tripped over her toes and almost fell to the

ground. Fortunately, Chun Niang held her from behind: “What happened

exactly? Slowly. I’ll help you.”

Xiao Qiao closed her eyes, barely stabilizing her mind. Without saying a

word, she flew to the side door of the Xin Palace.

Chapter 123.1
After Xiao Qiao returned, she sat down and kept lost in thought,

motionless. She met with Zong Ji in the corner courtyard by the side door

and asked questions about the battle in Lingbi. Chun Niang was on the side

and finally understood what had happened.

Zong Ji said that when he was leaving, Yang Xin was attacking Xiaodi, and

Xue An’s army arrived upon hearing the news. But he asked the Lady not

to worry too much. Xiaodi was easy to defend and difficult to attack, and Bi

Zhi had many unconventional plans.

Zong Ji also said he came here yesterday to deliver a letter to the Marquis

from Bi Zhi. But the Marquis did not reply to the letter. Although he didn’t

know the content of Bi Zhi’s letter, it must be related to the battle of Lingbi.

He was still expecting a reply from the Marquis, so he asked her to help

him ask the Marquis again.

The news made Chun Niang very worried. Although Zong Ji said that

Lingbi was safe for the time being, even Chun Niang also felt that Lingbi’s

security nowadays has been in danger.

When the Lady read the letter, her reaction was so strong that she must be

worried about the war situation in Lingbi. Chun Niang guessed that the

content of the letter written by Bi Zhi to the Marquis should be a request for

help. The letter that Da Qiao wrote to the Lady should be the same.

After Xiao Qiao returned, she sat there stiffly. Chun Niang was even more

worried and said, “Don’t worry about it. Master helped us when Xue Tai

attacked Yanzhou. Now, if you talk to him, he will help you to solve the

problem. ……”

“Chun Niang, call Mr. Jia for me!” Xiao Qiao suddenly said.

Chun Niang’s words were interrupted. She looked at Xiao Qiao. Her face

seems to have calmed down a lot. After a slight hesitation, she answered

and went out.

After Chun Niang left, Xiao Qiao closed her eyes and took a long breath.

……

Mr. Jia heard the sudden summons from the Lady and hurried over. He

waited for some time under the outer steps of the inner door of her
residence. He began to feel anxious when he suddenly heard a slight

rustling of footsteps.

Raising his eyes, he saw a familiar figure coming from the other end of the

corridor. His heart jumped slightly, not daring to look any closer, looking

down.

Xiao Qiao stopped at the doorstep. She waited for Mr. Jia to salute her, and

then her eyes fell on his face without saying a word.

Mr. Jia’s heart thumped as she looked at him. His heart felt weak and his

forehead was sweating.

After a long time, he finally heard her voice from above his head: “General

Jia, I haven’t received any reply from the letter I asked you to send to

Lingbi last time. Maybe the letter was lost on the way. Because of the

importance of the matter, I wrote another letter. Please help me deliver it

again, General Jia.”

Mr. Jia first breathed in relief. Guilt flooded his heart. He saw the Lady hand

over the letter tube to him, then he stepped forward and took it with both

hands.
“Thank you, General Jia.” Xiao Qiao smiled faintly at him and turned

around.

Mr. Jia saw the Lady’s back fading away while squeezing the hot letter

tube. His mood suddenly became incomparably low when he remembered

her smile just now.

……

Wei Shao returned in the evening. After dismounted from his horse and

entered the house, Mr. Jia greeted him.

Mr. Jia’s father, a former general under Wei Jing, died in battle. At the age

of sixteen, Mr. Jia joined the Tiger Army. Two years ago, Wei Shao

appointed him as a lieutenant of the Tiger Army, showing his trust. When

he saw Mr. Jia, he entered and casually asked, “Is there anything today?”

“My Lord, there is nothing today ……”

Wei Shao nodded and stepped forward.

Mr. Jia watched the back of the Marquis in turmoil. Sweat stained his palms

when he suddenly remembered the loyalty oath he took ten years ago
when he first joined the Tiger Army. He finally took a few steps after him

and said, “There is only one thing. Lady asked me to send another letter to

Lingbi.”

Both hands finally presented the letter tube.

Wei Shao paused. His eyes fell on the letter tube, took it, entered the

Sheyang residence, and went straight to the study.

He naturally read the last letter he intercepted.

In the letter, his wife mainly asks about the battle between the head of

stragglers, Yang Xin and Xue An. Then, about the couple’s daily routine

and the baby. Wei Shao automatically ignored all of these. What attracted

him was a paragraph she wrote in the letter about her daily routine,

mentioning him.

She said, “…… Xindu was the place my husband and I first met and got

married. Now I am revisiting the same place. I am feeling emotional and

quite happy. My husband and I once climbed to Tantai Terrace at night. The

stars shone brightly, reflecting the dome. That scene was unforgettable

……”
It was these few lines that Wei Shao repeatedly read several times. He

ordered Mr. Jia to intercept his wife’s letter because he did not want her to

know what he was doing behind her back to her brother-in-law. He cut off

her correspondence with the other side, lest she knows the details and to

avoid future problems. But unexpectedly, he read such a paragraph in the

letter. At that time, he felt excited to peek into his wife’s innermost secrets.

She would never talk to him about this. He originally planned to burn her

letter. In case she sees it later, it will be a problem. But because of this

paragraph, he could bear to burn it and hid it in the study instead.

Today another letter from her was intercepted. Wei Shao’s mood at the

moment was curious. He was wondering what she wrote in the letter this

time.

……

Chapter 123.2

Wei Shao took a knife to open the letter tube, then shook out a neatly rolled

silk scroll tied with a green ribbon. He tried to untie the ribbon, but couldn’t

open the knot at once, then anxiously ripped it off.

His eyes fell on the silk scroll, fixed. In the middle of the scroll, only six

large words: Don’t you feel ashamed, Wei Shao? It was immersed in dense

ink and seeped into the fabric. Clearly, the person squeezes great force to

write these six words.

Wei Shao’s eyes fell dead at these words, suddenly returned to his senses

as if stabbed by a needle and jumped up. His action was too hasty, and his

knee hit the desk in front of him, causing the stack of documents piled on

the desk surface to “clattered” and slide to the ground.

He didn’t care about the pain from the knock, jumped off the seat, and

walked quickly towards the front. When he was about to reach the door, it

was pushed open with a “yah” sound.

Xiao Qiao appeared in the doorway with a furious look, and her eyes fell on

Wei Shao’s hand.

Wei Shao followed her line of sight and looked down, realizing he still had

the silk scroll in his hand, and hastily hid it behind him.

Xiao Qiao stepped in and smiled coldly: “Is my writing still pleasing to the

eye, husband?”
Wei Shao’s skin was slightly red, look embarrassed. After they looked at

each other for a moment, he suddenly grinned, threw away the silk in his

hand, quickly walked to Xiao Qiao, and raised his hand to hug her, said: “All

is my’s fault! Don’t be angry! It’s not worth damaging your body! From now

on, I will never dare to ……”

He hadn’t finished his words yet, and Xiao Qiao had already pushed him

away while greeting her teeth.

If in a normal situation, how can she push Wei Shao? She was furious and

full of strength. Wei Shao was caught off guard, moved backward by her

palms to four or five steps, and only then stopped.

Wei Shao stopped his feet and then went forward as if nothing had

happened, reached out to embrace her into his arms, and kissed her head

down. Xiao Qiao struggled. He forcibly kissed, but his cheek suddenly felt

pain. ‘Snapped,’ Xiao Qiao raised a hand and slapped him.

He did not care, pushed Xiao Qiao and pressed her against the wall,

continuing to kiss her while vaguely saying: “Man Man, don’t be angry ……
I know I was wrong. I should not have privately stopped your letter. I will

never do it again in the future ……”

He trapped Xiao Qiao with his arms on both sides and pressed his body to

kiss her. She struggled and finally let out an arm to slap him fiercely again.

This time the slap was heavy, leaving red marks and fingerprints on his

face, and her hands were also hot and painful.

Wei Shao’s face was slapped to the side by her. He slowly turned back his

face and touched his cheek. His dark eyes showed a trace of

embarrassment, looking at Xiao Qiao: “It should be enough, right? You’ve

already slapped twice. It’s only a matter of not sending your letter out,

right? I’ll ask someone to deliver it for you. How about that?”

“Wei Shao, at this time, you still want to lie to me?”

Xiao Qiao called him by his first name in front of his face for the first time.

Her beautiful eyes were unusually bright because of the anger.

“You think I don’t know that Yang Xin has been listening to you for a long

time! You instructed Yang Xin to attack my brother-in-law! The last time I
asked you, you still had the face to pretend in front of me and said a bunch

of nonsense!”

Wei Shao stared at her, his chagrin and embarrassment fading, and

suddenly frowned, “How do you know this? Who told you?” His voice had

taken on a cold tone.

The study room fell silent.

The only sound left in Xiao Qiao’s ears was the sound of her breathing,

which had become rapid due to anger. She still leaned against the wall.

She closed her eyes for a long time and slowly opened them, tilting her

face slightly and meeting Wei Shao’s eyes.

“This is the purpose of you stopping my letter, right? Don’t want me to know

that you’re already dealing with my family.” Her voice was hoarse.

“I know you can’t let go of your father’s and brother’s revenge in your heart.

If you want to strike against my family, fine. I have no right to stop it. But

you should not deceive me like this! On one side, you say you love me,

making me think you are kind and respectful to my family, but on the other
side, you intend to harm them! What exactly do you take me for?”

The anger in her eyes had gone out, dull and lightless.

“Wei Shao, you disappointed me.” Xiao Qiao stared at him and slowly said

word by word.

Wei Shao stared at her, and his breathing gradually became heavy. He

turned around, leaving her behind, and strode towards the door. When

reaching the door, he paused, turned back, and said: “The area of Xu and

Huai is geographically important. I am determined to win! How can others

covet what is in my pocket? If it were not for your sake, I would have asked

Yang Xin to do his best to kill that straggler. I would not let him grow until he

can compete with Yang Xin today.”

He said with a ‘bang,’ flung the door and left.

Chapter 124.1

Every time they quarrel, Wei Shao always disappears in anger. Xiao Qiao

was used to it.

After putting down his last words, Wei Shao ran away. Xiao Qiao’s legs

were so weak that they had lost their strength. Back against the wall, she

slowly slid to the ground. The palm that hit his face was still numb as if

being pricked with million needles, leaving a residual dull pain, just like the

feeling in this part of her chest at this moment. She felt blocked and

panicked. She almost couldn’t breathe. She could not control her emotions

and slapped him twice.

But Wei Shao also slapped her hard, completely waking her up. When their

relationship was thick, she didn’t have an optimistic fantasy that Wei Shao

could eliminate his hatred of the Qiao family in his heart because of her

existence. But maybe he won’t be so ruthless. Or, at least not now.

Now their relationship was so intimate, ah! It was not too much to say that

they were passionately in love. But she didn’t expect him to attack her

brother-in-law, who was not a threat to him, secretly behind her back!

In the future, when he has lost his love for her, what else can he not do?

In Xiao Qiao’s mind, she could not help but remember Su E Huang.

Although she did not see it with her own eyes, she could imagine it. Xiao

Qiao shivered and hurriedly drove the horrible scene out of her mind. Don’t
think about it, don’t think about it anymore. She repeatedly told herself.

Now what she should think was how to solve the entanglement in Lingbi.

In the future, she’d do whatever it takes and never hold any illusions about

Wei Shao again.

She finally settled her mind, slowly held the wall, and stood straight. She

swept across the study and moved towards the desk placed in the middle.

Da Qiao’s letter said that the Marquis of Yan should have misunderstood Bi

Zhi, thus why he allowed Yang Xin to attack. Bi Zhi has sent a letter to the

Marquis of Yan. He intended to clear up the misunderstanding and resolve

the conflict.

Da Qiao also said she did not want her to know about this. But if she saw

her letter, it would mean that the Marquis of Yan had not accepted Bi Zhi’s

offer of reconciliation. She hoped that Xiao Qiao could assist her in some

way. It was the last hope for reconciliation.

Since the two families were married, and she had shown her love for Wei

Shao in front of Da Qiao, in Da Qiao’s opinion, Wei Shao had already

removed the hatred between the two families. That’s why she thought Yang
Xin had attacked them due to a misunderstanding. It was no surprise that

Da Qiao would think so. Even Xiao Qiao also disbelieved when she first

learned the news.

……

After Xiao Qiao came to the desk in Wei Shao, she rummaged through the

pile of documents that had fallen to the floor. All of them were military

information from all over the world, not what she was looking for.

She looked through the study and found the letter she had first written to

Da Qiao stuffed into the middle of a stack of war reports. The only thing she

was searching for was missing.

She looked around the study again, and her eyes fell on the basket of trash

on the floor at the side of the desk. She quickly went over, rummaged

around, and finally took out an unopened letter tube from inside.

Xiao Qiao opened the letter tube, took out the letter inside, unfolded it, and

read it. She finally found Bi Zhi’s letter.

……
Goungsun Yang was in the official room of the government office, drafting

paperwork, writing as fast as he could, when his servant came running in

from outside, saying that the Lady had come.

Gongsun Yang was stunned and hastily put down the pen. He was about to

rise when he saw a purple figure at the door. The Lady has entered the

room. He hurriedly moved forward, bowed, and said: “I do not know the

Lady came. I missed the chance to welcome you.”

He still has the second half of his sentence, “What can I do for you?” The

Lady would not visit him for no reason. There must be something.

Xiao Qiao smiled and said, “Sir, there is no need to be polite. I am here

because I have something important.”

Gongsun Yang invited her to sit and said, “If you have any orders, just send

someone to call me, and I will visit you. How dare I bother you to come

here?”

Xiao Qiao took her seat and said, “I’m not going to lie. I’m here to ask you

for advice on the situation of Lingbi.”

Gongsun Yang was stunned. Xiao Qiao took out the letter in her hands.

“This is a letter from Bi Zhi to Marquis.”

Chapter 124.2

Gongsun Yang was stunned again. He took the letter and unfolded it. After

reading it, he pondered.

Xiao Qiao said: “The letter clearly said Bi Zhi’s intention. He didn’t want to

be the Marquis’ enemy or seize Xuzhou. Lingbi is only the place for him to

stay in this chaotic world. To show his sincerity, he is willing to give Xiaodi

back. However, Yang Xin listened to the ruler and attacked again. It is not

because my brother-in-law is afraid of him but because he doesn’t want to

put me in a dilemma. I know that you are far-sighted and have a clear

vision. You know better than I do whether a place like Lingbi, at this

moment in time, is worthy of such a great effort for the ruler to take it. I

implore you to consider the overall situation and advise the ruler again. Not

to be bent on doing something small and lose a lot. I do not mean to

intimidate you, but the ability of Bi Zhi is obvious to all. If he is forced

without a way out and fights to the end, no one can predict how the

situation in Xuzhou will turn out.”

Xiao Qiao finished speaking and looking at Gongsun Yang.

Gongsun Yang got up from his seat with one hand behind his back while

the other twirling his beard, slowly pacing back and forth several times,

suddenly looking at Xiao Qiao: “Since you don’t want your husband to be

an enemy of Bi Zhi, why don’t you advise him personally? Your words

should be more to his ears than mine.”

“Since I have come to Mr. Gongsun, there are no words I cannot say. You

must know why I married Marquis in the first place. I came here intending

to make amends, and although I have always tried to do my best, I have

not done enough after all. I angered the Marquis because of the incident

with Lingbi, and he left. Yang Xin, on the order of the Marquis, attacked Bi

Zhi not only due to the personal grudge between our families but it was

also about the Marquis’ plan for the world. Now Bi Zhi has written to us to

ask for peace, hoping to remove the misunderstanding, but the ruler

ignored it and did not even look at it. Such behavior is a world away from

sanity. He could not let go of the hatred between the two families. I had
offended him. He would not listen to me if I said more. Therefore, I ask you

to explain the pros and cons and analyze the details for him. Whether or

not you can resolve this conflict, I am still grateful to you.”

Xiao Qiao got up from her seat, went to the opposite side of Gongsun

Yang, and bowed deeply towards him, which caused Gongsun Yang to hold

her hands and return the salute: “Lady, you are too polite!”

After a moment of silence, he said, “Honestly, my thoughts coincide with

those of you. At this time, it is unreasonable for the Marquis to force Yang

Xin to attack Bi Zhi. I have advised him about this matter once before. But

he did not listen. I am honored that you think highly of me and come here

personally. I should try my best again now that I have Bi Zhi’s letter. If I can

succeed, I will be able to relieve you of your worries and save you from

getting into trouble.”

Xiao Qiao thanked him again and said, “If you see Marquis, you can tell me

that I came here to pass the letter from Bi Zhi to you.”

Gongsun Yang nodded.

At that moment came the sound of footsteps on the ground from outside. A

tall purple-clothed figure entered straight. When he saw Xiao Qiao, he

stopped, and his face became cold. His eyebrows deeply knitted but

remained silent. He only stood at the side of the door, proudly turning his

half-face to her.

Not another person. It was the one who just ate Xiao Qiao’s two slaps,

Mighty Marquis Wei Shao.

On the right side of his handsome face, the previous finger marks have

faded away without traces.

Xiao Qiao made a final salute of thanks toward Gongsun Yang, saying, “I

will thus pay my respects, Sir.” After saying so, she passed by Wei Shao

and went out.

Gongsun Yang wanted to see her out, but Xiao Qiao asked him to stay.

Wei Shao twisted his head, staring at Xiao Qiao’s fading back, waiting for

Gongsun Yang to return and salute himself before coldly asking, “What is

she doing here?” A look of disgust hung on his face.

Gongsun Yang invited Wei Shao to take a seat. He first asked him the

purpose of his visit.

“It’s been almost a month since Yang Xin attacked Lingbi. Is there any

news?” Wei Shao furrowed his brows impatiently.

“There is no news from the fast horse. I think the situation is still

maintained.”

Yang Xin’s 100,000 soldiers and Xue An’s Xuzhou army still could not take

over Lingbi. Although it can not be called a failure, it is enough to lose face.

Wei Shao’s face was gloomy and silent for a moment. Then, he coughed,

moved his body, and asked coldly: “What is she doing here?”

Gongsun Yang said, “Coincidentally, the Lady is here for Lingbi’s matter.

Just now, she forwarded a letter to me. She said the letter was for the Lord,

but the Lord did not accept it, so she forwarded it to me.”

Wei Shao’s palm “snapped,” slapped heavily on the desk: “How dare!”

The slap caused the ink stone to jump slightly. Gongsun Yang hurriedly
stood up and apologized: “I have overstepped my bounds! Lord forgive

me!”

“Not you!”

Wei Shao was furious. “How dare she, a woman, be so bold! How dare she

open my letter!”

……

Xiao Qiao came out of the government office and returned to Xin Palace.

Although the schedule kept changing, they had prepared the luggage in

advance. Chun Niang and the maids had already prepared the daily

necessities and clothes.

When Xiao Qiao returned, Chun Niang greeted her and asked uneasily,

“Lady, are you leaving? Not waiting for the master to leave together?”

Xiao Qiao said lightly, “He wants to stay here and wait for Yang Xin to

defeat Lingbi. I can’t wait. I’ll go first.” She ordered people to carry out the

boxes and load them onto the carriage. Then, she climbed up and sat in it.
Mr. Jia worriedly wiped the sweat from his forehead. He appeared at the

carriage’s window and spoke with a stiff head, “You should wait for …….”

When he opened his mouth, he saw Xiao Qiao’s half-face in the window

looking straight at him, then snapped his mouth shut.

Xiao Qiao said indifferently, “If General Jia does not want to escort me, I will

call someone else.”

Mr. Jia said, “How can you say that? My men are all chosen for you. They

are all at your command. We will depart.”

Xiao Qiao closed the window and sat back down. Mr. Jia had no choice but

to give the order to prepare for the journey. Before he left, he quietly sent a

soldier to send a message to Marquis that the Lady had already left for

Yuyang.

Chapter 125.1

Gongsun Yang said, “My Lord, calm down. How can the Lady dare to

disrespect you? She also has difficulties. As she said just now, you are her

husband, and she is not an outsider, so in her position, she does not want
to see the two families fighting. It was justifiable for her to do something

improperly. You should be more understanding.”

Wei Shao’s face sank: “Why do you always speak for her, Military Advisor?

What exactly did she say in front of you? Did she tell you that I was

wrong?”

Gongsun Yang had long experienced that whenever the ruler was

displeased with him, he would change his address from “Sir” to “Military

Advisor,” so he knew he was going against his scales again.

He said: “Don’t misunderstand, My Lord. When the Lady came to me, she

said she had angered you. For fear that you don’t want to hear her words,

she forwarded the letter to me to solve the misunderstanding. I was

employed as a military advisor for many years because of your kindness.

Since I am the military advisor and the situation of Lingbi is not a family

matter for you, I dare to accept the letter.”

“There is no need for you to say more! I have already decided on Lingbi!

Why would I change it because of a woman?”

Gongsun Yang observed him.

The Marquis’ gaze fell in the direction of the door. His eyes were straight,

looking odd. Although his tone was still stiff, it didn’t seem to carry much

anger.

Gongsun Yang could not understand what the Marquis was thinking at this

moment. He presented the letter brought by the Lady to him, saying: “This

is a letter of Bi Zhi. Please take a look at it.”

Wei Shao withdrew his gaze and glanced at it indifferently, not taking it.

Gongsun Yang then unfolded it and read it from the beginning cautiously.

After reading, he said: “About Lingbi, it is unworthy for My Lord to fight.

Previously, I have cited the reasons one by one. My Lord has always been

wise and high-minded. You should be clear about what our priority is. I do

not dare to get in front of your axe. Only talk about Bi Zhi’s letters.”

“Bi Zhi, the head of the stragglers, killed Xue Tai and defeated Yang Xin

twice. He undoubtedly has the talent to become a great general. In his

letter, he didn’t imply his brother-in-law’s status but asked for your

forgiveness if there was some misunderstanding. He initiated to seek

peace with you. Then, why not sell a favor to him? When the heart can
control fairness, it is known as degree, and when it shines in all directions

is called brilliant!”

Wei Shao remained silent.

Gongsun Yang suddenly coughed a few times. Wei Shao’s eyebrows

moved slightly, looking at him. Gongsun Yang waved his hand, trying to

stop coughing: “I still remember, the day before My Lord turned 17 and took

charge of the military administration, the Old Madam called me to talk. At

that time, there were many feelings of joy. Old Madam once asked how I

thought of her. I said, Old Madam is fast and fierce, fast in making a

decision, not afraid of men. But the Old Madam said one thing that I still

remember.”

“She said that the heart of a person is only a grip. It is small, but the

capacity is large. It can swallow the flow of a hundred rivers yet contain the

interests of a world. When I look back on my life, the road is difficult. There

is nothing worth saying, only this feeling that I have.”

Wei Shao was still silent.

Gongsun Yang also silent. A moment later, he heard Wei Shao say coldly:

“Sir, you mean that if I didn’t let that head of the stragglers go, I would be a

small-minded person?”

Gongsun Yang laughed and said, “How can you say that, My Lord? If you

are so narrow-minded that you cannot tolerate people, why do you have so

many good generals under your command who are willing to follow your

orders?”

Wei Shao’s eyes fell on the doorway again, lost in thought. After a long

time, he finally said, “Revise the letter to Yang Xin, retreat.”

Gongsun Yang was overjoyed and said, “Yes, of course.”

Wei Shao got up and went outside. Then, Gongsun Yang saw him off.

When Wei Shao reached the door, he remembered and asked, “When will

Guo Quan’s emissary arrive at Xindu?”

Guo Quan, the Marquis of Jibei, whose territory was adjacent to Yuan Zhe

in Qingzhou, became stronger after Wei Shao’s west unification. Like Yang

Xin, Guo Quan admired him and thought he couldn’t win the world. Before
Yuan Zhe annexed him, he might as well join Wei Shao. When he knew

Wei Shao was now in Xindu, he sent an envoy to express his intention to

join him.

Gongsun Yang said, “Counting the time on the road, it should be soon.”

After sending him down the steps, he thought of the Lady and said, “Lady

was worried when she came. After My Lord returns and tells her the news,

she will be happy.”

Wei Shao stopped walking: “Military Advisor, that head of the stragglers

today, although he wrote for good, how do you know that in the future he

will not oppose me? I did not destroy him and let him go like this because

of your advice. It is not my intention and has nothing to do with a woman.

What does it have to do with whether or not she likes it?”

Gongsun Yang was stunned and said, “What My Lord said is true. My Lord

accepted my humble opinion out of tolerance. The battle of Lingbi was only

out of misunderstanding and already solved. My Lord accepts the goodwill

of Bi Zhi is natural justice! How can it be related to women?”

Wei Shao then ordered Gongsun Yang to stay behind, striding towards the

government office. While his mind was still in a daze, a guard greeted him

and said: “Report to the Marquis. General Jia sent a message, saying that

the Lady had gone on the journey under General Jia’s escort.”

Wei Shao was astonished: “Where did she go?”

The guard opened his mouth and shook his head in bewilderment.

Wei Shao stayed still for a moment. His face suddenly changed, quickly out

of the government office door. Step down the green stone stairs to the

hitching post and climb the horse. The passersby saw a horse galloping

towards the south gate. When they realized the figure on the horse

appeared to be the Marquis, they stopped and looked back.

Wei Shao stopped his horse and looked at the southbound road. He saw

the long road with pedestrians going north and south, but at the end of his

sight, there was yellow dust and no trace of the carriages, so he asked the

officer at the city gate: “Did Mr. Jia escort the carriage out of the city?”
The ruler came in such a hurry and looked furious. The officer looked

surprised and said, “I was here today and did not see General Jia leave the

city.”

Wei Shao turned around, hurried back to the Xin Palace, and entered the

Sheyang residence. The room was empty, not only without people, even

things were missing half. Her daily items were all gone.

Chapter 125.2

Wei Shao yelled for someone to come, and several servants hurriedly

arrived.

“Where is the Lady?” Wei Shao’s voice was stern. A frightened servant

woman whispered, “Master, the Lady has returned to Yuyang.”

Wei Shao remained still.

All the servants in the Sheyang residence knew that the couple’s

relationship was different than when they were first married. Without telling

what happened, the Lady left the Marquis behind and returned to Yuyang.

The servants waited outside the door for a moment, and one of them
looked up at the sky and said boldly, “When the Lady left, the sun was still

hanging, but now it’s getting dark and is about to change. She just left.

There is still time to go after her……” She didn’t have the chance to finish

her words, bumped into the Marquis’ gloomy look, and fell silent.

……

After the afternoon, the sun completely faded, and the sky over Xindu

accumulated clouds and black force. It was not yet the tenth hour, and the

room was already bright.

Wei Shao was alone in the study. The door was tightly closed, but the

candlelight flickered from the wind that came through the window crack.

Wei Shao was somewhat distracted. The military scroll in his hand has

opened on the same page for a long time. He finally threw it, came to the

window, and pushed it open. The wind pounced into his face, curling his

clothes. Behind him, all the candle flames in a row went out.

Wei Shao looked at the sky at the end of his sight in the north. Dark clouds

were pressing down on that side, lightning was tearing through the clouds,

and muffled thunder was faintly rolling.

He was absent-minded for a long time. A drop of bean-sized rain suddenly

dropped to his cheek, followed by the sound of falling rain on the roof. Wei

Shao felt a touch of coolness. Autumn has begun.

……

When it was late at night, the rain was coming down harder. Outside the

window, a flash of lightning kept sweeping through. Another “ka-la-la”

sound, a scorching thunder rolled, almost shattering the human soul.

Wei Shao opened her eyes, turned his face, and looked at the empty side

of the pillow. She was timid and could not listen to such lightning and

thunder. She must have already buried herself in his arms and begged him

for protection if she was here.

Wei Shao’s heart was empty as if have been dug away. Another lightning

bolt tore the night sky, shining half of the Xindu.

Under the booming thunder, Wei Shao’s heart jump. Suddenly, he rolled

down from the bed and quickly dressed. After taking the raincoat, he

pushed open the door and went out. His boots landed on the steps before

the door, trampling the water, striding towards the outside.

……

When Xiao Qiao went out in the afternoon, the sky was still sunny. But the

sun was gradually obscured by clouds after.

Before it reached the time of the You, the sky was as dark, then it rained.

T/N: the time of you is 5 pm-7 pm.

The rain became heavier. After walking along the road for about ten miles

in the storm, they finally arrived at the post house and went inside. The

postmaster prepared a fine room and welcomed Xiao Qiao to stay there.

Chun Niang had brought the blanket. Knowing that Xiao Qiao was afraid of

lightning and thunder, Chun Niang slept with her that night.

But Xiao Qiao couldn’t sleep. With her eyes closed, she covered her head

in the blanket. Until the second half of the night when the sound of thunder

gradually decreased, and she finally closed her eyes.

Suddenly there was another muffled thunder in the distance. Xiao Qiao

woke up with a start, her heart beating wildly. She opened her eyes in the
darkness, and when she heard Chun Niang’s breathing, her heartbeat

slowly calmed down.

She felt her mouth dry and a bit stuffy. Without disturbing Chun Niang, she

gently climbed down from the bed, came to the table, poured half a glass of

water, drank a few mouthfuls, put it down, and then went to the window and

pushed open a small window that was wet from the rain.

A gust of wet wind with late-night coolness brushed toward her. Before you

know it, it’s autumn again. Behind her, there was a rustling sound. It

seemed that Chun Niang was about to wake up. Xiao Qiao closed the

window and climbed back into bed.

When Chun Niang was half asleep, she reached out her arm to touch Xiao

Qiao’s soft body and felt it was a bit cold, so she tucked her into the

blanket.

Xiao Qiao was finally tired. She closed her eyes, listened to the sound of

the rain falling on the tiles above her head, and fell asleep.

After an unknown period, she suddenly felt someone nudging her. When

she opened her eyes in a daze, she saw a dim light in the room, and Chun
Niang had gotten up at some point and was now leaning over, calling her

softly.

“Lady, Master has arrived.” Xiao Qiao heard her say. Her tone contained

some caution.

Chapter 126.1

Mr. Jia escorted the Lady out of Xindu to the north during the day. He did

not dare to be lax during the whole journey. Although the route was under

the territory of the Marquis, the lesson from the previous incident with Chen

Rui was still fresh in his mind. When he thinks about it, he still has

palpitations.

When they sent the Lady back to Yuyang after the wedding, it was also on

this road that an accident occurred. They kidnapped the Lady, and finally,

the ruler ended up attacked Shiyi. He knew that her departure today was

not at the ruler’s will. If an accident happened, he would have to be

responsible. Therefore, he arranged guards near the Lady’s room and

personally guarded it in the second half of the night. On the journey during
the day, he secretly guessed whether the Marquis would send someone

after he knew the news.

The answer came so soon. The Marquis came up personally to chase over

a hundred miles from Jinyang to here on such a late night with thunder,

lightning, and wind. He arrived at the deepest part of the night.

With a rain hat and a straw raincoat, he stepped out of the watery road with

both feet and went straight into the hall. He left a water stain behind him.

Mr. Jia was stunned and knelt on one knee before the Marquis. He bowed

his head, waiting for the Marquis to scold him, but he only asked, “Where is

the Lady?” His voice was indistinguishable from happiness or anger.

Mr. Jia replied. A breeze swept across his face, and when he looked up

again, the Marquis had already walked past his side.

……

Xiao Qiao slowly sat up from the pillow.

Chun Niang draped a coat over Xiao Qiao’s shoulders, looked toward the

door, could not hide her uneasiness, and said in her ear: “Master is soaked
and looks bad.” After saying this, she went outside to Wei Shao, who stood

outside the door.

Wei Shao did not look angry, but his face was void of other expressions

too. There was an aura of oppression emanating from his body.

Chun Niang suppressed the uneasiness that was welling up in her heart.

She wanted to make an explanation for the Lady’s unannounced departure

today that would make the Master calm down. But she couldn’t think of

one.

“Lady is awake ……” Wei Shao’s figure shifted and then crossed the

threshold. The door creaked shut in front of Chun Niang’s face.

……

The candlestick fire was dim. Wei Shao was wet from head to toe. He has

been under the roof for some time, but at the moment, the water droplets

continue to fall from his water-soaked hair along his forehead to his

handsome face. His clothes are clinging to his chest, and the water drops

are falling. He stood on the dry ground for only a while, but a puddle of

water stained under his feet.

Xiao Qiao’s gaze from his face slowly fell to the puddle of water stains at

his feet.

“Take off your clothes! You’re soaking wet!” She said.

Wei Shao remained silent. He did not move.

Xiao Qiao waited for a while and then coldly hummed: “If you catch a cold

tomorrow, do not blame people!” After saying that, she twisted around and

laid on her back facing him. She closed her eyes but didn’t hear any sound

behind her. Finally, she could not resist, opened her eyes, and turned back

slightly. She saw Wei Shao was still like a few moments ago, standing there

with two hands hanging straight. His figure was cast by candlelight on the

wall behind him, motionless, like a hanging shadow.

He seemed hesitant.

She suddenly got annoyed and sat up, lifted the blanket out of bed, and

walked straight to him, frowning: “Since you and I can’t get together, I’ll

return to Yuyang. You stay and continue to do your great work as a ruler.

Isn’t it a good deal for both sides? You came up here in the middle of the

night to disturb my dream. Is it because yesterday was not enough?”

Wei Shao was still standing stubbornly. Only water droplets from his

forehead rolled down, dripping on his straight nose.

Perhaps it was because of the wind and rain in the middle of the night, his

face was slightly pale, and his eyes were bloodshot with a trace of fatigue

between the eyebrows.

Xiao Qiao raised her hand with hatred and stripped him of his clothes: “I

don’t want you to get sick in my place. I don’t want grandmother to find out

later and blame me!”

He obediently let her strip him naked. Xiao Qiao pulled a large towel from

the suitcase and threw it at him. Wei Shao caught it and began wiping his

head, face, and body.

Xiao Qiao took his wet clothes and gave them to Chun Niang at the door.

Chun Niang was attentive and already get a set of clean clothes from Mr.

Jia and was waiting outside. Xiao Qiao took the clothes, returned to him,

and handed them over: “Put them on.” Wei Shao took it and put it on

silently.
Chapter 126.2

“What exactly do you want by coming over like this?” Xiao Qiao’s tone

finally slowed down slightly.

Wei Shao said, “I had asked Yang Xin to retreat.” His first sentence after

entering.

Xiao Qiao was stunned.

“Are you satisfied?” The second sentence carried a trace of anger.

Xiao Qiao did not say anything. The room then fell silent.

The pounding of the night rain on the roof of the house suddenly turned

sharp, and the rustling sound was clear to the ears.

“I am doing this for you.” Wei Shao suddenly said word by word.

“That head of the stragglers is not a part of the world and will be an enemy

to me in the future, a trouble. The military advisor advised me to recruit

him. However, he is half of your Qiao family, so even if he has the ability, I

will never use him!”

“Man Man, since the matter has come to this point, I simply do not hide it

from you. I know you tried to tell me to let go of my hatred. I also want to!

However, this is too difficult for me. Every time I think about the death of my

father and brother, I can’t stop my hatred. I can’t do it!”

Xiao Qiao’s eyelashes trembled slightly, slowly raised her eyes.

“At first today, I thought you had gone back to Yanzhou! I chased you to the

south city gate! Man Man, do you know what thoughts crossed my mind at

that time?” He paused.

“I was surprised and furious. I thought if you leave me and never come

back, then it’s good, I will have nothing to worry about, and I will attack

Yanzhou whenever I want! If I want to destroy the Qiao family, I will do it!”

Xiao Qiao’s eyes widened. The pallor of Wei Shao’s face remained pale

from the rain. Because of his pale face, his eyebrows and eyes were

unusually dark, red threads of blood like a spider web coiled inside his

eyes. The incoming eyes creeped her out.

“So …… you came, what exactly do you want?” She tried her best to

control it. However, the voice that came out still carried a light shiver.
Wei Shao closed his eyes, then abruptly opened them.

“How about you and I make a contract? I’ll grant your wish, and you grant

me as much as I grant you. Listen to my words, give birth to my children,

and do not leave me. Then, from now on, as long as your Qiao family does

not have second thoughts, I promise you that I will not touch them.”

Xiao Qiao’s heart was beating suddenly, almost jumping out of her chest.

She felt cold in the late autumn night, and her skin broke in goosebumps.

But a trace of heat came up in her eyes.

“Fine.” She looked into his reddened pair of eyes and said.

Outside the window flashed a white light. In the distance, above the

mountain, a thunder muffled again. The muffled thunder gradually rolled

and suddenly seemed to explode overhead. Xiao Qiao’s shoulders

trembled. Wei Shao reached out and took her in his arms. They fell on the

bed. He stripped her of her clothes, revealing a soft body. But no matter

how much he caressed her, Xiao Qiao’s body kept shivering.

He kept kissing her, wrapping his hot body around her, and when she

gradually stopped shivering, he let her go and lay on top of her. He was
already hard. If he wanted to, he could have taken her long ago. But he did

not do anything. His eyes were staring straight at her like this.

Xiao Qiao knelt beside him. She slowly raised her hand and took hold of his

‘scorching heat.’ He gasped, and his eyes became redder with blood.

Suddenly he sat up, cupped her head, and pressed her head down. The

‘scorching heat’ pressed on top of her delicate face of hers.

Xiao Qiao stiffened for a moment. She closed her eyes and obeyed him.

Wei Shao’s throat issued an irrepressible excitement of pleasure muddled

sound. Before the outburst, he fiercely rolled over, entering her body.

The moment he entered her body, he heard a sobbing cry in his ears, and

all the anxieties of Wei Shao’s night travel alone in the wind and rain were

gone. She strangled him in a circle of tension and pushed as if to repel him.

He gritted his teeth and entered inch by inch, struggling to move forward.

He finally reaches the end of the top. He pounded her heavily as if to hit

deep into her heart.

Saying something like that, he felt resentful and disgraced. The Qiao family

had laid a beauty trap on him. He knew he was caught in the scheme but
couldn’t help himself. He could only ask for pleasure and satisfaction from

her. She brings enough, more than enough, to make him forget the hatred

in his heart.

Only this way it will be fair.

……

Luoyang.

If you ask the ladies of Luoyang, what is the most fashionable makeup

nowadays? It is no longer the willow-long eyebrows nor the flower in the

forehead but a half mask.

In a luxury carriage strolled in the streets of Luoyang, with a half mask

covering her face, Lady Yulou, who had finished mourning for the late Duke

of Feng Yi, finally returned to Luoyang, attracting countless passers-by to

look back.

After two years, she first appeared at a night banquet at the palace with a

butterfly-shaped gold half-mask over her face. The next day, the ladies of

Luoyang started to follow suit, and it became a trend.

Chapter 127.1

Xiao Qiao tilted her face slightly, looking at the birds on the branch. Behind

her, on the bed, Wei Shao hazily reached out and touched her side. It was

empty. His eyelids moved slightly, suddenly opened his eyes and sat up

with a huff.

The quilt that Xiao Qiao pulled to his shoulder slid down his chest and piled

up on the side of his abdomen. He lifted the quilt and was about to jump out

of bed when he saw Xiao Qiao’s back standing at the side of the small

window.

There was a pause. Wei Shao stopped. Xiao Qiao turned her head, and

their eyes met.

“Come here.” Wei Shao looked at her and said. His voice was slightly

hoarse. Xiao Qiao closed the window and returned to his side. He held her

hand and gave it a slight tug. Xiao Qiao fell to sit, embraced by him.

“I had a good time last night. You had a good time too. Didn’t you?” Wei

Shao looked down at her and asked. Xiao Qiao leaned on his shoulder and

looked up at his eyes, which were still faintly bloodshot.

During the hesitation, her lips opened slightly, and Wei Shao suddenly

didn’t want to hear her answer. He lowered his head and sealed her mouth

with a kiss.

……

In the middle of the day, the door to the room was open. Chun Niang sent

the clothes that Wei Shao took off last night, dried and ironed. After getting

up and having a simple meal, they left the post house to return to Xindu.

Wei Shao asked Xiao Qiao to wait for a few more days. After meeting the

messenger of Guo Quan, the Marquis of Jibei, he would return to Yuyang

with her.

……

Xing Xun was a minister and respected by the young emperor, Liu Tong, as

a ministerial father. His status was high. He treated the palace like his

residence, entering and leaving like he was the son of heaven, calling the

minister as if he was the king. And now, because of laziness to go to the

palace, he ordered the courtiers directly to his residence to discuss court

affairs.
Nowadays, people say Luoyang has two courts, one in the palace and one

in the Lotus Terrace. Lotus Terrace got its name from the gorgeous

residence built in the eastern suburbs of Luoyang with carved walls and

jade masonry. In the middle of the pond in the garden, there was a high

building shaped as a lotus flower with jade stairs inlaid with gold. Inside the

building piled Xing Xun’s wealth and his harem.

Su E Huang has been famous since she married Luoyang more than ten

years ago. When Xing Xun was still outside Luoyang as the warlord, he

heard about the name of Lady Yu Lou from Luoyang.

Besides her beauty, he also heard about her fate. After Xing Xun entered

Luoyang with a heavy army, eliminated the dissidents, and settled the

situation, the first thing he did was meet Su E Huang at a palace banquet.

At that time, she was still the wife of the Duke of Feng Yi. He wanted to

ravish her and wait for opportunities.

How could Su E Huang not see Xing Xun’s thoughts toward her? She was

smart and understood the nature of men.

In her life, she never lost to men. So far, the only one she has ever failed is

Wei Shao. Of course, this is a later story. She knows that Xing Xun has a

heart for her.

Xing Xun has the power of the court. Such a character was fascinated by

her, and her heart was inevitably pleased. But she did not want to let him

get his hands on her. If a man gets a woman easily, he will never take her

seriously!

Although Xing Xun was powerful at that time, after all, he had just entered

Luoyang.

Even though Su E Huang was a member of the royal family, the Han family

was in decline. If she refused to give in, Xing Xun could barge into Feng

Yi’s residence to catch her. After half a year, Liu Li died. Su E Huang was

newly widowed. Three days later, Xing Xun sent someone to pick her up

and take her to Lotus Terrace.

But she still despised Xing Xun. The man she wanted in her heart was far

away in Youzhou. To get that man again, she had been secretly planning
for a long time, so how could she be willing to commit herself to Lotus

Terrace?

She returned to Zhongshan in the name of mourning while Xing Xun was

fighting in Sishui. She left for two years, but now she was back again. Even

though there are many noble women in Luoyang, Lady Yulou’s fame has

never subsided.

Chapter 127.2

After the banquet at the Lotus Terrace, Xing Xun favored Su E Huang in the

inner room.

Currently, Xing Xun lies on the couch, snoring like thunder. The room is

magnificent, and the beauty’s hair is like clouds.

A disgust flashed through Su E Huang’s eyes. She pushed Xing Xun’s fat

body and climbed down from the bed to sit in front of the mirror, looking at

herself, out of focus.

She asked a skilled craftsman to create that golden mask at a high price.

It’s spread across the middle of her nose, hooked tightly to the back of her
head with a soft band. Unless she herself unbuckles it, it will never come off

in her sleep.

She looked at herself for a moment, and her eyes fell on the reflection of

Xing Xun in the mirror. After pondering, she got up and returned to the bed,

shouted, and pushed Xing Xun.

Xing Xun was roused from his sleep and unpleasantly said, “What is the

noise, madam?”

Su E Huang said in a panic: “In my sleep, I saw a golden light suddenly

falling from the roof beam and heading straight for the Prime Minister. I was

awakened and disturbed by the Prime Minister. Forgive me, My Lord.”

After hearing this, he lost all his sleepiness, opened his eyes, and said, “Is

that true?”

Su E Huang said, “How dare I speak nonsense in front of the Prime

Minister? ”

Xing Xun pondered for a while.

Su E Huang kneeled and said: “The dream just now was really clear! It was

as if I had seen it with my own eyes! Why doesn’t the Prime Minister send

someone to the eastern suburbs to see what is happening?”

Xing Xun agreed and immediately sent someone. After dawn, someone

came to report that they had found a thousand-year-old tortoise nail in the

eastern suburbs of the countryside, with nine characters in its shell: ”

Monkey is in the mountain, walking the fortune, king of the world.” They put

the tortoise in a treasure box and asked the Prime Minister to look at it.

Xing Xun immediately called his cronies to gather at the Lotus Terrace. All

the people gathered around to look at it and were amazed. Among them

was Feng Yi, who said, “Sun is in the mountain, and the luck of the walk is

Xun, which matches the Prime Minister’s name. This is an omen from

heaven, saying that the Prime Minister has the destiny to sit in the world!”

T/N: Sun is the monkey, almost the same pronunciation as Xun in Xing

Xun’s name.

Zang Chang said, “The Han Dynasty has run out of steam, the people are

not living well, and the world is full of grievances. The Prime Minister has
the merit of supporting society and the country and defeated Yuan Zhe last

year. The people’s hearts are united, so he should obey the order of

heaven and take the ninth position.”

The rest of the crowd echoed.

Xing Xun was highly distinguished, and the young emperor Liu Tong

respected him as a father. Every time he went to the palace, Xing Xun sat

on the throne, and the young emperor stood aside, trembling. But he was

still unsatisfied and had long intended to usurp the throne.

He had many worries before. But today, the heavenly omen and the voice

of the group moved him, so he left Feng Yi, Zang Chang, and other close

friends to discuss in private and set a date for himself to claim the throne

until late in the evening.

When Xing Xun approached Su E Huang again and tried to remove the

butterfly mask from her face with his hand, she prevented him. She

laughed and said, “Has the Prime Minister forgotten? I told you I met a

witch last year and asked him about my fate. He said I had a noble destiny,

but my fortune was blocked, so I lost my husband and became a widow.

Wouldn’t it ruin my fortune if the Prime Minister took my mask?”

Su E Huang tightly held her mask. Although Xing Xun had suspicions, he

half-believed her pretext, so he did not force her to untie her butterfly mask

but felt that this half-mask added more to her charm. Then, he laughed and

said: “Madam is a wonderful person. Compared to you, the women I used

to have sex with are not worth mentioning! If I become an emperor, I will

welcome you into my harem to live up to the fate of your birth and vision!”

Su E Huang said, “Thank you for your love, Prime Minister. But I am afraid

that although the Prime Minister has received auspicious rites from heaven,

I am afraid that the warlords may not be willing to follow you. Especially

Wei Shao in the north. He will not be willing to bow down and submit.”

Hearing the name Wei Shao, Xing Xun was furious: “Wei Shao, last year on

New Year’s Day ceremony, all the lords arrived, but he did not come! This

year, he drove Feng Zhao and took over Liangzhou. So arrogant, do you

think I can’t do anything to him? I will raise an army to invade Youzhou after

my big event!”

Su E Huang said, “The Prime Minister is a man of courage! I admire you,

and I’m waiting for you to unify the world. Wei Shao is very ambitious, and

marrying Yanzhou Qiao girl is a way to use Yanzhou for his plans to go
south. If you want to attack Wei Shao, you should attack Yanzhou, and you

can kill two birds with one stone.”

Xing Xun looked at her: “I heard you had an old friendship with Wei Shao.

Why do you hate him so much?”

Su E Huang said, “I only knew him when we were children and met him a

few times, so there is no such thing as an old friend. If he is an enemy of

the Prime Minister, he is also my enemy.”

Xing Xun said, “Good! When I reach the ninth position, I will promote you!”

T/N; the ninth position means the throne.

Su E Huang smiled, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Xing Xun laughed, suddenly remembered, and said: “Yuan Zhe’s son Ding

Qu, who joined my account last year, once told me that Wei Shao’s wife

has a rare beauty, and all men in the world will lose their souls when they

see her. I had heard Chen Xiang lost Bingzhou because his son took Wei

Shao’s wife, which led Wei Shao to attack Shiyi to retrieve her back. That

boy, Wei Shao, is very lucky. You met him before. Have you seen Qiao’s

girl? Is she more beautiful than you?”

Su E Huang smiled charmingly and said, “How can I compare my beauty

with Wei Shao’s wife? As for the beauty of Qiao’s wife, if the Prime Minister

could see it in person, it would be better than a thousand words.”

Xing Xun pondered, and his heart grew itchy. He couldn’t wait to take that

Qiao girl and hide her in the Lotus Terrace.

He wanted to see with his own eyes how beautiful she was and how she

could make Chen Xiang lose his decades-old Shiyi and then lose his

fortune to others.

……

Wei Shao took Xiao Qiao back to Xindu in the evening of the same day.

Gongsun Yang was waiting for him at the Xin Palace. Although his face

was without abnormalities, obviously, something had happened.

Wei Shao sent Xiao Qiao back to the Sheyang Residence first, then he

went to the study and asked, “What is it, Sir?”

What awaited him was news that he hadn’t expected to hear before.

Gongsun Yang said, “During the day, the fast horse came to report that Liu
Yan, the king of Langya, had joined the Donghai State and sent troops to

Xuzhou. Xue An, to protect his territory, hastily retreated ……”

Wei Shao felt shocked at first. The king of Langya, Liu Yan?

He finally returned to his senses and looked over at Gongsun Yang.

Gongsun Yang became more cautious: “According to the scouts, Liu Yan

personally went to Lingbi. I suspected that he intends to recruit Bi Zhi.”

Chapter 128.1

Langya Kingdom is in the north of Xuzhou, with Kaiyang as its capital, only

400 to 500 miles from the capital city of Xuzhou. The kingdom is in decline,

leaving only an empty name. Xue Tai did not put Langya Kingdom in his

eyes. He only sent a letter of condolences and congratulatory last year

when the Langya king died, and Liu Yan succeeded to the throne.

However, Xue Tai didn’t know that Liu Yan had been secretly gathering

people for the past two years, storing food, and strengthening barriers. He

was not the same young man exiled in Yanzhou for several years.
Liu Yan has always been secretly concerned about the situation in Xuzhou.

Since the first battle with Xue Tai last year, Bi Zhi has been in his eyes.

When Xuzhou was in turmoil, he persuaded the Donghai Kingdom to join

forces and seize it.

Xue An determined to avenge his father’s death and leave Xuzhou City

empty, which allowed Liu Yan to attack him. When he returned to rescue

the city, he couldn’t save it. Afraid that Yang Xin would take advantage of

the opportunity to attack him, he had no choice but to abandon Xuzhou City

and took the remaining tens of thousands of his soldiers back to Xiapi to

recuperate.

The first thing Liu Yan did was to go to Lingbi to visit Bi Zhi and express his

desire to unite with him.

……

Wei Shao sat behind the desk, his sword resting across it. His long fingers

slowly stroked the dragon pattern. His expression was calm, but his eyes

turned turbulent as if the rain was about to come.

“…… Liu Yan is a Han family nobleman. He was known to be virtuous.

When he was a teenager, he lived in Yanzhou. That said, he had a history

with Bi Zhi. It will be a pity if Bi Zhi joins him. It is not a big deal, but it is

something you can’t ignore. In my opinion, My Lord should take the overall

situation as a priority and let go of the past suspicion, take the opportunity

of this retreat to recruit that Bi Zhi as your own, which is the best policy

……”

Gongsun Yang was chattering away at the side, but what he said, Wei

Shao didn’t listen. His heart and soul focused on the name Liu Yan, his

wife’s childhood sweetheart and her former fiancé. After he married her

with a big wedding, this person still not giving up and snatched her away in

the middle of the journey, which led to the battle of Shiyi and made him

send troops to attack in anger!

With the position Wei Shao reached today, the problem on his mind was

too much. Except for these world war plans, his private emotions are all

tied up in Xiao Qiao’s body. He was captivated by her, losing his heart and

soul. Sometimes he was so affectionate that he turned into clay. The

feelings were like, ‘you have me while I have you.’ But sometimes, his heart
felt so much love and hate that it was hard to be at peace. He had already

forgotten about Liu Yan and never thought that this name suddenly

appeared again in such a surprising way.

The most important thing that stabbed Wei Shao’s heart was that he

wanted to recruit Bi Zhi! No matter how Wei Shao refuses to admit it and

calls Bi Zhi ‘the head of the stragglers,’ he knows in his heart, in Xiao

Qiao’s mind, the head of the stragglers is her sister, Da Qiao’s husband’s.

He was afraid that Xiao Qiao cared more about Bi Zhi than himself!

It was only because of Qiao’s surname! He was a little saddened by this

and felt even more resentful. Last night he walked alone in the rain for a

hundred miles, chasing her to the post house to exchange her willingness

on impulse. He made that compromise for her, which made him unable to

face his father and brother’s spirit.

At that time, he did get her soft and gentle treatment. After the tide of love,

his heart was still missing a corner. Something that always seemed to be

lost. He felt like she was insincere with her calm-sounding ‘fine.’
Only one night has passed, and then something like this pops up. One is

her former fiancé, and the other is her brother-in-law. How will she feel if

that head of the stragglers joins Liu Yan? Will surnamed Liu increase his

weight in her heart?

“…… If the Lord does not want to come out personally, I can ask the Lady

to assist from the side. If you write a letter to clarify the advantages and

disadvantages, Bi Zhi will not move by Liu Yan …….”

Gongsun Yang was still on the sidelines, talking endlessly.

Wei Shao’s face sank. He pushed his sword forward, straightened his

shoulders, and said, “I have my own decision on the matter of the military.

Why should women interfere?”

The former relationship between Liu Yan and the Lady was well-known to

Gongsun Yang. Seeing that the ruler had taken such a stand, he had to

restrain his words.

Wei Shao said: “Order someone to go and investigate the news again. Wait

and see what happens first. As for Xuzhou ……”

He pondered and sneered, “Tell Yang Xin not to move his troops first and

just wait. Xue An lost Xuzhou. How can he be willing to give up? He will

attack the city again. What is the foundation of Liu Yan? Expelled by a

woman like a lost dog and was lucky enough to live in Yanzhou for a few

years. He was not thinking about repaying the kindness but dragging others

down. The small fireflies dare to compete with the stars and the moon. I will

sit back and watch them fight it out.”

He said, got up, and went out.

Chapter 128.2

Three days later, the emissary of the Marquis of Jibei, Guo Quan, and his

party arrived. He was Guo Xing, Guo Quan’s eldest son. He brought six

horses, a gold saddle, and several bolts of satin. Along with the gifts came

a carriage. In the carriage sat two beauties that Guo Quan gave to Wei

Shao. One was good at music, while the other was a good dancer. They

both were virgins and beautiful.

In the evening, Wei Shao hosted a banquet at the Xin Palace to entertain

Guo Xing and his party.

……

Sheyang Residence was several doors from the front hall, but one could

still hear the music faintly from that direction. Because of the large number

of guests, Xiao Qiao transferred servants from the Sheyang Residence to

the front hall to attend to them.

When it was getting late, one by one, some servants returned. Chun Niang

returned from the kitchen with chicken soup. The Lady had always been

unwell when her menstrual came, even though she was better than before,

but on those few days, she felt weak.

After being married for quite some time, her stomach has not moved.

Although Mrs. Xu did not rush and Master was not disappointed, Chun

Niang has always been concerned.

A few months ago in Jinyang, Chun Niang requested medical consultation

from the doctor after Xiao Qiao recovered from her illness. The doctor said

the Lady qi and blood were insufficient and must be regulated slowly.
Chun Niang walked the corridor, and when she reached the corner, she

saw two servants standing at the back, whispering. When she got closer,

she heard their sound.

One said:”…… Marquis Ji Bei sent the two beauties to the banquet to sing

and dance. When I was standing in the corner of the hall, I saw with my

own eyes those two beauties eyes were drifting towards the Marquis!”

The other one said: “This is nothing. I heard from the servant who served

those two women that Marquis Ji Bei intends to relate with the Marquis by

marriage and send a daughter over. The Lady should not know yet ……”

Chun Niang frowned, coughed, walked over, and said, “Do you have

nothing to do and chew your tongue here? Are the rules dead?”

The servants heard the sound and turned around. After they saw the

situation, their face showed panic, hurriedly apologized.

Chun Niang reprimanded them two more times and then entered the room.

She saw Xiao Qiao standing in front of a window. The window faced the

direction of the two servants, so she suspected Xiao Qiao had heard them

and felt uneasy. She called her to come and eat.

Xiao Qiao ate two mouthfuls and then put them down.

Chun Niang persuaded her to eat some more. Xiao Qiao reluctantly ate

another bite but felt uncomfortable, so she pushed it away. She suddenly

felt a surge in her stomach, as if she wanted to vomit. She frowned and

tried her best to hold it back.

Chun Niang saw that she looked different and thought she felt upset due to

their comment, so she advised in a low voice: “Did you hear something?

Don’t mind it. You know in your heart how the Master treats you. It’s only

two servants. Master won’t care about them. Even if the Guo family sent

their daughter over, it would only be a concubine position. Lady, you should

relax. Then, your body will be strong, and Master will be happy ……”

Xiao Qiao was slightly stunned, then smiled and said, “What Chun Niang

said is very true.”

……

In the hall of Xin Palace, there are eight large vermilion pillars. Illuminated

fire canes on the four corners made the hall bright as day.
Wei Shao sat alone in an eastward position, Guo Xing and some

ambassadors in a southward. Gongsun Yang, Wei Quan, and other guests

sat in a northward. The guests and the hosts were all having a good time.

When the two beauties had finished singing and dancing, they came to Wei

Shao’s seat amidst the applause, kneeling to the right and left, each

holding a golden bottle, and poured the wine. After that, they offered wine

to him.

Wei Shao accepted the wine and ordered the attendant to reward the two

beauties. After the beauties paid their respects and retired, Guo Xing

looked at his strategist Xia Hong beside him.

Xia Hong understood and rose to toast Wei Shao while smiling and said:

“Before coming here, I heard that the Marquis of Yan was a promising hero,

champion of the world, and respected by people. Today, I know that the

Marquis of Yan was capable and handsome. My family has a daughter.

Young and beautiful. If you do not mind, we want to send her here to serve

you and your wife to show my family goodwill. What does the Marquis of

Yan think of it?”

Gongsun Yang looked at Wei Shao with a slight pause.

Wei Shao drank the wine in his cup, slowly put it down, smiled, and said,

“Thank you for your kindness. Marquis Guo’s precious daughter must be an

amazing soul. Please tell him I am very grateful but I cannot harm her like

this. I hope he will find another good match.”

Guo Xing and Xia Hong were both stunned.

Wei Shao had already married Yanzhou Qiao’s daughter as his wife, and

everyone knew it. Guo Quan naturally did not have the luxury of marrying

his daughter as his wife. Xia Hong clearly said he was willing to marry his

daughter as a concubine and use this method to strengthen their

relationship. Unexpectedly, Wei Shao rejected it. They looked at each other

and momentarily could not answer the words.

Gongsun Yang had a sour taste in his teeth. Seeing that the Marquis had

finished speaking without changing his face, he poured wine.

He rose to round up the scene.

Wei Quan was the one who contacted Guo Xing and his party per Wei

Shao’s order. Seeing this, through a toast, he said: “It’s not that My Lord

refused your family goodwill. There are also other families who want to

send their daughters for marriage. My Lord did not respond to all of them.

Since he did not respond before, it is not good enough to take your request

today. Although My Lord did not accept your goodwill, he is happy. Don’t

worry about it.”

Guo Xing was slightly relieved, but in his heart, he secretly wondered. It

was not uncommon to see women given away to secure relationships. He

had also heard that Wei Shao and Yanzhou Qiao family had an unresolved

feud. The family had been able to resolve the hatred by marrying their

daughter as his wife. When Xue Tai attacked the Qiao family, they could

avoid the disaster thanks to Wei Shao. They wanted to follow suit and

strengthen their relationship. But he rejected it. They were one step too late

and let the Yanzhou Qiao family get ahead of them.

Chapter 129.1

After the banquet, Wei Shao saw that Wei Quan seemed to have

something to say. He hurriedly waved his hand while saying he was going

to the restroom and left.

Wei Quan chased Wei Shao outside the western mansion, admonishing

him: “My Lord is planning to settle the world. It is right to gather great and

powerful people. Guo Quan took the initiative to send his daughter to

befriend you and seek stability. Lord should have accepted her. Why do you

refuse? I saw Guo Xing’s confused expression. He must be upset. He was

reluctantly calm only after I comforted him with some words. I ask My Lord

to think twice!”

Wei Shao said: “I had already refused. You ask me to ask for it back again?

No need to talk about it anymore. I drank too much wine. I need to go to the

restroom urgently.”

After saying that, he entered the restroom quickly.

Wei Quan’s personality was straight, without considering other people’s

feelings. He needed to say the things he thought should happen before

giving up. Once, to persuade Wei Shao to accept his advice, he chased

him for three days. Wei Shao finally had no choice but to agree.

Wei Shao knew that he had behaved unexpectedly by refusing Guo’s

daughter. So as soon as he saw Wei Quan coming towards him after the

banquet, he immediately went to the restroom.

Unexpectedly, he still came up.

Wei Shao held his breath inside and dawdled for a long time until he could

not hear any movement outside and thought Wei Quan had left before

coming out. However, he was still guarding the door. He turned around to

go inside again, but Wei Quan blocked the way.

“My Lord! Every Lord has one wife and eight concubines! Now that you

have only one wife, it is only right to have a few more concubines. You

should take them!”

As if he had not heard, Wei Shao lifted his feet to leave, but Wei Quan

tugged his sleeve from behind.

Annoyed, Wei Shao turned around and said, “If I take the daughter given

by Guo Quan today, what if another one comes tomorrow? Do you want me

to accept them again? Where do I get the infinite sperm from? No more

words!”

Wei Quan was stunned. Quickly argued: “Lord misinterpreted my meaning.

My original intention is to show goodwill to the Guo family. If you do not

accept, Guo Quan may be suspicious, which is not conducive to

strengthening relations.”

Wei Shao threw away his sleeve and was furious, “How can I rely on a

woman’s skirt to conquer the world?” He said and took a big step forward.

Wei Quan felt that Marquis’ words seemed reasonable but conflicted with

common sense. When he looked up, he saw Gongsun Yang coming from

the other side. He hurriedly went after him and greeted: “Military Advisor!

You came just in time!”

Gongsun Yang came here after drinking some wine and was also in urgent

need. As soon as he saw the figure of Marquis and Wei Quan outside the

restroom from afar, he immediately stopped and turned around to leave.

But Wei Quan had already seen him. Hearing him call himself from behind,

Gongsun Yang had to stop and walk over, smiling.

Wei Quan then repeated his own words just now.

“Does the military advisor think that what I said is reasonable? Should the

Lord accept or not?”

Gongsun Yang glanced at Marquis, whose face was as gloomy as a fog,

and coughed: “Cough …… cough …… this matter should be the Lord’s

thoughts …… Lord should have his own opinions …… ”

Wei Quan had thought that Gongsun Yang would persuade the Marquis.

He didn’t expect him to cough for a long time and say such a sentence.

He repeated: “Why the military advisor does not persuade Marquis? I am

not forcing the Lord to accept beauty. I also know that the Lord is not lustful.

But at the banquet today, the Lord’s actions were inappropriate. Therefore,

I decided to make a bold statement. Why is My Lord not to accept them? I

do not understand ……”

“I’m scared of my wife, okay?” Wei Shao said, angrily lifting his feet and

going away.

Wei Quan was stunned and frozen, his mouth open, staring dumbly at the

back of Marquis until he disappeared. Then, he slowly turned to Gongsun

Yang.

Gongsun Yang waved his hand: “Wei Quan, don’t ask me. I know no more

than you. I’m going to the restroom.”

……

Wei Shao returned to his room in the middle of the night. It was already

late, but it was not too late to return at this hour because of the banquet.

Since Xiao Qiao returned from the post house, she felt weak during the

day. After the banquet, there was no more work for her, so she laid down.

Although she was lying down, she could not sleep. Every time she closed

her eyes, her mind would have a recurrence of that thunderstorm night. Wei

Shao was like a falling chicken that appeared in front of her.

That night, she had tides in her heart, unspeakable fluctuations. When she

married into the Wei family, her only mission was to resolve the hatred

between the Qiao and Wei families from the previous generation.

Xiao Qiao felt urgent to conclude it because she knew what the hateful

founding emperor of the Great Yan, Wei Shao, had done to the Qiao family

in her previous life.

Two years have passed. Xiao Qiao married at fourteen, and now she was

sixteen. In these two years, she started out trembling for fear of taking the

wrong step and saying the wrong word. Finally, she became somewhat

integrated into the Wei family and gained her husband’s favor. Now, she

can even take advantage of his favor and throw a little temper tantrum. But

she never dared to think she could get a guarantee from Wei Shao that he

would not touch the Qiao family.

She knew very well how deep Wei Shao’s obsession to avenge his father

and brother’s death was. He was also a man who was so arrogant and cold

to the point of cruelty, this Xiao Qiao knew it by heart. Therefore, at that

moment, when he suddenly said something like that while staring at her

with his bloodshot eyes, she was unprepared and shocked. Strangely
enough, she was not as relieved as she should have been. Instead of relief,

she wanted to shed tears for him and herself.

Chapter 129.2

He was willing to promise to her, ‘grant me as much as I grant you.’ She

knew how hard it was for him. Therefore, he was qualified to attach those

conditions. It was a righteous thing to do. Even though it will make her

inevitably feel she was like a sacrifice. But perhaps, in the end, he only

wants her heart. He wants her to love him completely.

Xiao Qiao understood this, but she could not do it. The ‘fine’ she answered

at that time was lying to him. She did like Wei Shao, the man who was bad

enough to be hated and good enough to make her soul flutter. But she

couldn’t let go of her heart thoroughly because of his promise. There are

too many variables in the world.

Ten or twenty years was too far away. Therefore, no need to worry about it.

Last year at this moment, how can Xiao Qiao know what she is thinking
about today? She believed that Wei Shao’s promise was sincere. But she

also knew he locked the devouring beast in his heart with his chains. There

was no telling on which day it would break out of its cage because of

something. She was willing to do what she could to repay Wei Shao for this

promise. But she was also waiting for her father to strengthen the Qiao

family, as she had thought previously.

A hatred that relies solely on the love of a woman, combined with a child,

may be able to hold. But it can never be dissolved. Xiao Qiao knows this.

……

Chun Niang knew that Xiao Qiao had not yet fallen asleep and went into

the room to accompany her. Seeing Xiao Qiao in thought, she explained:

“Lady, don’t think much about it. The Guo family ……”

Xiao Qiao sat up and interrupted her with a smile, “I knew that Chun Niang

is the one who thinks more than me!”

Chun Niang laughed and sighed, shaking her head in a self-deprecating

manner, “What you said is true. I won’t talk too much.”

Xiao Qiao said, “Don’t worry, Chun Niang. Husband will not accept Guo’s

daughter.”

As for the two beauties, she didn’t care about them at all. If Wei Shao

encountered the same situation next few years, she could not guarantee it.

But this time, she did not even have to think about it. Her intuition told her

that Wei Shao definitely would not accept them.

Chun Niang was stunned, looked happy, and shook Xiao Qiao’s hand.

When she felt her fingertips cold, she told her to lie down and helped her

tuck the quilt. She turned around to clean up the bowl of chicken soup that

Xiao Qiao had eaten only a few mouthfuls.

When she heard the sound of footsteps approaching, she turned around

and saw Wei Shao enter the room.

Chun Niang called out, ‘Master,’ picked up the leftover bowl and wanted to

leave, but Wei Shao called out to her.

“What is it?”

“Chicken soup.”
Chun Niang said: “It’s for nourishing Lady’s body. She couldn’t eat it, and it

got cold. I was about to take it out ……”

“I’ll eat it.”

Wei Shao picked up the bowl from the tray. Before Chun Niang could stop

it, she saw him gulp it down his belly, put the bowl back on the tray, and

burped.

“Tastes weird!” He smacked his lips and commented.

“No wonder Man Man didn’t eat it. Next time make it tastier. If the chef fails,

then replace him!”

Chun Niang was speechless. While looking at Xiao Qiao, she carried the

tray out of the room.

The last few days, Xiao Qiao’s mind was somewhat restless. Suddenly she

wanted to laugh at this scene of his. She could not resist pulling up the quilt

and covering her face. Her shoulders were shaking due to laughing.

Suddenly the bed sank, and Wei Shao pulled down the quilt. He lied to the

side and stared at her with his eyebrows raised high.

“What are you laughing at?”

Xiao Qiao shook her head.

“Speak!” He made the appearance of a bully.

Xiao Qiao still shook her head.

A few locks of hair spread on her pink cheeks. She looked beautiful and

playful.

Wei Shao looked at her for a moment, fingers reached over and helped her

remove the hair on her face, and said: “Man Man, today Guo Quan sent me

two beautiful women. Very beautiful, very beautiful. One can sing while the

other can dance. Very graceful when she is flying……” He paused. “But I

didn’t even glance at them.”

Xiao Qiao glanced at him and smiled: “How do you know she can fly

without looking?”

Wei Shao paused: “Only a glance.”

He continued, “Not only that, Guo Quan even wanted to send his daughter

to be my concubine!” His expression was furious.

“I already have Man Man, not to mention that Guo Quan family’s daughter,

even Yao Chi goddess, I will never pay more than a glance! I refused on

the spot. However, Wei Quan did not understand the situation. He chased

me all the way, insisting I must take Guo’s daughter! Finally, I sternly

reprimanded him. He retreated in shame!”

He finished, then closed his mouth, his dark eyes gazing at her.

……

He probably noticed her mood was not high in the past few days, plus she

was sickly. Xiao Qiao knew that Wei Shao seemed to be trying to please

her. These few nights, he only held her to sleep. Seeing that she seemed

not very well, he did not demand her.

At this moment, Xiao Qiao read something in his gaze. She looked at him.

She stretched out her snow-white arms towards him, wrapped them around

his neck, and said to his ear, “Man Man knows that husband is good to

me.” Her fragrant lips kissed his cheek.

Wei Shao closed his eyes, took a deep breath of her fragrance, and

pressed down to kiss her lips. Xiao Qiao smelled the smell of his chicken

soup mixed with wine. Suddenly her stomach twitched again. After holding

back for a moment, she pushed him away, lying on his lap and throwing up.

Chapter 130.1

Wei Shao was stunned. Then, he reacted, “What’s wrong? Do you feel

unwell?”

Seeing her lying motionless on his lap, he picked her up carefully and

turned her around. Xiao Qiao softly leaned into his arms and closed her

eyes. “What’s wrong with you?” Wei Shao asked again, touching her cheek

with his palm. It was cold. “I’ll go summon the doctor!”

He put Xiao Qiao gently on the bed, got up, and lifted his feet to go outside.

But Xiao Qiao pulled his sleeve from behind.

“I’m fine,” Xiao Qiao shook her head, “I just smelled the wine on you and

got nauseous, so I vomited.”

Wei Shao was startled, pulled up his sleeve and sniffed, and said, “Damn!

I’ll take a shower and change my clothes ……”

Before his words fell, Xiao Qiao’s stomach was twitching again, climbing up

and lying on the edge of the bed, vomiting again. This time, the vomiting

was severe. All the undigested foods she ate at night vomited on Wei

Shao’s black boots.

Wei Shao’s face changed. While stroking her back, he straightened his

neck and shouted to Chun Niang. His loud voice made all the servants of

the Sheyang residence come at once.

Chun Niang was alarmed, panicked, and pushed the door in. Xiao Qiao lies

weakly on the edge of the bed with a puddle of vomit on the floor and the

Marquis’ boots. The Marquis was beside her with his busy hands.

“Go and summon the doctor!” Wei Shao yelled anxiously.

Chun Niang heard the Marquis shouting worriedly, thought something had

happened, and was terrified. When she ran over, she almost tripped and

fell on the steps.

When she came in and saw Xiao Qiao vomiting, she was a little surprised,

so she turned her head and asked someone to call the doctor, then hurried

to the bedside.

Xiao Qiao finally finished vomiting and was helped by Chun Niang to lie on

the bed and rinse her mouth. Chun Niang used a handkerchief to wipe her

lips.

After vomiting all the contents of her stomach, Xiao Qiao finally felt

comfortable. But she was still a little weak, leaning there with her eyes

closed. The servant came in to clean up the vomit on the floor.

Wei Shao did not change his boots and walked around a few times. Seeing

Xiao Qiao finally stop vomiting, his hanging heart only slightly relaxed.

Then, when he looked at her, her lips had lost their color and looked weak,

he turned to Chun Niang, and his eyes showed his anger: “How did all of

you serve her! At night, you told her to eat unclean things!”

Xiao Qiao opened her eyes, “I’m fine. Don’t be so fierce.”

Wei Shao gave a start and held back. But his face was still ugly.
Chun Niang was also panicked at first. When Xiao Qiao finished vomiting,

she whispered a few questions to her. She learned that Xiao Qiao’s

abdomen did not hurt, which was slightly relieving. Suddenly her heart

thumped as her thoughts moved.

She was Xiao Qiao’s personal maid. She knows every Xiao Qiao’s menses.

This month’s menses has been late for a few days and has not yet come

today. There have been several delays in the past. It could be as short as

four days or as long as half a month. Every time she thought she was

pregnant, it was an empty joy. The Lady has been married for two years,

which was not a short time, and still no news of pregnancy. Chun Niang

gradually also does not hold great hope. Therefore, when Xiao Qiao’s

menses was late for some days this month, she did not think much about

pregnancy. But tonight, she suddenly vomited like this.

Chun Niang’s eyes show happiness, the words are up to the edge of her

mouth, but she swallows them back. Afraid of her wrong expectations

would lead the Marquis to feel disappointed.

Forcibly holding back the words on the edge of her mouth, Chun Niang

turned her head to Wei Shao and said: “Master, do not panic. Lady should
be fine.” Seeing the Marquis walk toward the bedside, she hurriedly got up

and gave way. She was also anxious and went out to wait for the doctor to

come.

Wei Shao sat at the edge of the bed and helped Xiao Qiao lie down.

“What do you want to eat?”

Xiao Qiao vomited until her stomach was empty. She did not have any

desire to eat anything and shook her head. Her face turned brighter than

just now, but her face was still pale and bloodless. Her eyes are slightly

closed and covered with her eyelashes, like a delicate flower affected by

the storm.

Wei Shao felt distressed and wanted to hold her in his arms.

Chapter 130.2

“Then you sleep first. The doctor will be here soon.”

After saying so, he lay on his side with his clothes on the outside of her to

keep her company. His hand reached under the quilt and wrapped Xiao

Qiao’s slightly cold hand in his warm palm, slowly rubbing it.
The room was quiet. Xiao Qiao’s forehead lightly rested on his chin, closed

her eyes.

It was only a short time, but Wei Shao was impatient to wait. Suddenly

there was a rush of footsteps outside. The doctor came in a hurry.

Chun Niang greeted. As she walked, she whispered about the Lady’s

discomfort.

The doctor heard that the menstruation was late and that she had vomited

and had not eaten any unclean food at night, so the first thing that came to

mind was that.

Accompanied by Chun Niang, he hurriedly inside. He saw a tall, majestic

young man wearing embroidered gold robes behind the green screen.

Knowing he was the Lord of the Xin Palace, the Marquis of Yan, Wei Shao,

he was busy saluting him.

Wei Shao’s face was displeased: “Why did you just come? My wife just

vomited and did not feel well. You go and check!” He turned around and

went inside.
The doctor followed the Marquis of Yan into the inner room. He saw a

young woman who looked only 15 or 16 years old lying on a brocade bed.

Her skin was bright and snowy. She was so beautiful that he didn’t dare to

look at her. He sat down on a low stool brought by a servant and put his

fingers on the wrist that stretched out from under the brocade quilt. He

closed his eyes to meditate and calm his breath.

Wei Shao stood aside and stared.

But a few moments, the doctor opened his eyes and smiled: “Like a pearl

on a plate, round and smooth, this is the pulse of pregnancy. The servant

just now said that the Lady’s menstruation is late, which fits the pulse. This

should be a happy pulse.”

Wei Shao was dumbfounded. After a moment, his face slowly turned to

Xiao Qiao.

When Xiao Qiao heard that, she was also shocked for a moment. A sense

of bewilderment arose in her heart.

Wei Shao cast a glace upon her, and there was a brief silence in the room.
Chun Niang was overjoyed and called out, “Master! Can you hear? The

Lady is pregnant! If the old madam knew about it, she would be happy!”

Wei Shao abruptly turned to the doctor: “You did not make a mistake?”

The doctor rose and said, “Don’t worry, my Lord. I have been taking pulses

for more than 20 years. If I make a mistake, you can smash my sign. It’s

just that when I checked her pulse, I felt that her qi and blood were

insufficient. I think she is too young, and it is her first child, so I will

prescribe a prescription to nourish her a little.”

Wei Shao nodded: “Prescribe it quickly!”

Chun Niang kept smiling when she guided the doctor to write the

prescription.

Only the two of them remained in the inner room. Xiao Qiao finally realized

one thing clear from the sudden bewilderment. She was pregnant.

At this moment, her heart suddenly jumped around. A strange feeling that

felt like happiness, but not only that, surges out. She slowly raised her

eyes. Wei Shao was still standing before the bed, looking straight at her.
She moved her body slightly. When she shifted her shoulders, Wei Shao

lunged towards her and hugged her tightly with his arms. Not a word was

spoken, just holding on tightly like this. He squeezed Xiao Qiao’s face

against his chest. With her eyes closed, she felt his heart’s rapid beats. She

heard the sound of blood rushing through his whole body.

“Husband, have you gone silly? Why don’t you say anything?” She finally

opened her eyes, tilted her face, and whispered.

One of Wei Shao’s hands, slowly reaching to her belly, gently stroked it.

“Man Man, is it here, here?”

Xiao Qiao nodded her head.

Wei Shao’s eyebrows twitched. After staring at her stomach for a moment,

he suddenly laughed out loud. Xiao Qiao felt his chest vibrate slightly.

“Man Man! You are going to give birth to my child! I am going to have a

baby too!” His expression was ecstatic and smug. Kisses fell like rain on

her forehead, cheeks, and lips. After kissing her for a while, he stopped

abruptly.
“I forgot! Just now, you smelled me and threw up!” He released her and

carefully put her back on the bed. Then, he got out of bed. He still could not

restrain the ecstasy in his heart and walked out quickly.

Not knowing what he had said, Xiao Qiao heard a cacophony of

congratulations from the servants outside.

Xiao Qiao lay on the bed, closed her eyes, and raised her hand to her now

flat belly, which he had just touched.

A new life, created by her and Wei Shao, unknowingly began to breed in

her body.

How wonderful.

The bewilderment she felt when she first learned the news, and the strange

feeling that she didn’t know what it was, suddenly disappeared. From the

bottom of her heart, she was finally filled with joy, slowly but thoroughly.

Chapter 131.1

Wei Shao did not sleep well all night.

The sudden news that he was about to become a father brought him

extreme excitement; he was also worried that his legs would press against

Xiao Qiao’s stomach because of his poor sleeping posture. He woke up

several times in between. When he woke, he opened his eyes and looked

at Xiao Qiao curled up against him. Wei Shao’s eyes could not move away

from her still serene, girl-like sleeping face.

In his past, it seemed as if he had been suddenly and forcibly torn away

from his childhood memories for more than ten long years. Killing, war, and

hatred took up almost all of his heart. Those hazy attachments that had

brought him painful teenage years dissipated like lightning in the morning,

without a shadow.

At that time, what remained of that teenager was just a faint shadow of a

woman from then on. After that, he subconsciously disliked women near

him. He enjoys killing, war, and revenge. Enjoy the hot blood spurting over

the cold blade to bring him the most specific pleasure. He believed that in

this life, his grandmother was the only woman he could approach from the

bottom of his heart. But now it’s different. He got her.

Wei Shao’s heart was so full of tenderness that he didn’t know how to

express it to her. At this moment, if he had to kneel in front of her while she

proudly raised her chin, and only then was she willing to love him, Wei

Shao felt he would do it. Anyway, she had slapped him several times. He

didn’t care about anything else.

For fear of waking her up, he didn’t dare to hold her too tight but only

slightly tightened his arms so that her soft body and his own were a bit

closer. Then, he rested his chin on her forehead and felt overwhelming

happiness.

He would be delighted if Man Man could give him a son this time. He would

personally teach him to ride a horse, shoot arrows, and fight.

Moreover, the Wei family was short of men. He needs his son to inherit his

position. When he went to the ancestral temple to pay respects to his

ancestors, father, and brother, he would have had more courage with his

son beside him.

But if Man Man gave birth to a daughter first, he would be equally happy.

He couldn’t help but imagine what his and Man Man’s daughter would be
like. He was sure that she would have the same beautiful eyes as her. He

would also love, love her very much. He wanted to win this beautiful

kingdom, let his daughter board the golden carriage, sit on the six-horse

carriage, let all the people prostrate at her feet, and be the noblest and

most beloved little princess. Before closing his eyes and sleeping, Wei

Shao thought about this in his heart.

……

The next day, Wei Shao was in high spirits. He sent a letter to Mrs. Xu early

in the morning about the happy news that Xiao Qiao was pregnant.

Because of her pregnancy and Xiao Qiao’s current physical condition, she

couldn’t go on a long-distance journey. Wei Shao decided to stay with Xiao

Qiao in Xindu for a while. When Xiao Qiao’s body had improved, he would

send her back to Yuyang to give birth.

……

On this day in the late autumn of the second year of Tai’an, Liu Yan, the

king of Langya, visited Lingbi for the third time. Autumn sunshine and

wildflowers filled the road, but Liu Yan was not in the mood to appreciate
the scenery. His purpose was perhaps only the autumn wind and the cold

forest.

In less than two months, this was his third visit to Lingbi. Unlike the first two

times in which he was full of enthusiasm and ambition. This time, the

Xuzhou City he had occupied for just over a month was in danger.

Xue An sent troops several times to retake the city. After battling twice, Liu

Yan ordered the troops to retreat and closed the city’s gate. Everyone

couldn’t leave the wall. He knew that if this fight continued, even if he didn’t

lose, it would harm the 30,000 soldiers and horses he had saved in the

past two years. He could not afford to pay this price.

Therefore, he responded by retreating. But this kind of retreat was not

possible for a long time. He knew this. Without outside help, he would

sooner or later be trapped in a jar. Therefore, a few days ago, taking

advantage of the late night, he quietly left the city through the west gate

under the protection of a few personal guards, took the path, and came to

Lingbi for the third time.

……
In the past two years, he has been waiting for the day when he can be

successful in this chaotic world. In the sleepless nights after waking up

from countless dreams, accompanying him was the bitterness from the

humiliation he could not forget two years ago. The woman he loved, who

should have belonged to him, was possessed by another man.

The Qiao family disregarded the marriage contract, treated him like

nothing, and gave his fiancée to another man. The only reason was that the

man was powerful enough. And what he could take out at that time was just

an empty title, the Langya King.

In this life, he will not be able to forget that scene in the mountain snow.

That was the last time he saw her face. Chen Rui took her from his hands,

and he could only kneel in the snow and watch her disappear from his

sight. It was at that moment that Liu Yan vowed to himself that one day, no

matter where she was and whose wife she was, he would retrieve her.

She belonged to him. Once was and will be until death!

Chapter 131.2

It seemed that he had taken a big step forward. He got Xuzhou and finally

expanded his power out of Langya. At that time, the dream of being closer

to that position in the Thousand Autumn Hall in Luoyang seemed to

become clear than ever before –

He naturally was entitled to that dream. His Liu family originally owned this

world. Among the many sons and daughters of the clan, he was the only

one known as the golden child.

When Emperor Xuan died, Liu Ai and Liu Li fought over the throne. In the

end, one died while the other ended up in prison. The throne was left

empty. At that time, he was 17 and had just returned to Langya from

Yanzhou.

The officials in Luoyang mentioned his name as the most suitable one to

take the throne among the clan. Naturally, those were all just speculations.

Now, with the opportunity of this chaotic world, he has finally come out from

the Langya Kingdom through his hard work and occupied a new territory,
such a good one too. It would undoubtedly lay a solid foundation for his

more ambitious goal if he could swallow Xuzhou.

After thinking about it, he decided to venture out of the city and come to

Lingbi again to visit the man he was so eager to recruit, known as the

green-eyed commander, Bi Zhi.

On the first visit, Bi Zhi was fighting against Yang Xin in the Xiaodi, and he

could not see him. The second time, Bi Zhi politely refused him. The third

time when he came, he hoped that his sincerity could break the golden

stone.

Liu Yan, who had been watching the area of Xuzhou, already realized that

the green-eyed General was extraordinary since his first battle against Xue

Tai. It proved that he had not been wrong in any way.

……

The last two times he came, although Xue An had withdrawn his troops

from Xiaqiu to protect Xiapi, Yang Xin was still attacking Lingbi. This time

when he came, Yang Xin had already retreated his troops. Lingbi was at

peace.
Liu Yan did not know that Yang Xin had surrendered to Wei Shao. Nor did

he know that Yang Xin had retreated on the orders of Wei Shao. His

lobbying was doomed to failure.

On this day, he met Bizhi successfully. He also treated him respectfully

because of his status as a royal family member, treating him politely and

calling him ‘King.’ However, no matter how much Liu Yan persuaded him, Bi

Zhi never nodded his head, like the last time.

Bi Zhi said, “I am just a country bumpkin. I am grateful to the King for his

high regard and three visits. I should have served as a dog and horse, but I

have no great ambition, nor do I have any great skills. I was lucky to be

able to settle in a place. I am satisfied with this. I dare not delay the King’s

great work. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”

Liu Yan was wise and knew he could not force others to do anything. He

said, “I have heard that your wife is the daughter of Qiao’s family in

Yanzhou and that you and the Marquis of Yan, Wei Shao, are

brothers-in-law. I wonder if you have ever met the Marquis of Yan?”

Bi Zhi said: “I have met him once.”

Liu Yan smiled and said, “The Marquis of Yan is a powerful man in the

world, I have heard of him, but I have never met him. General and Marquis

Yan are brothers-in-law, so could it be that Marquis Yan has already taken

a step ahead of me and sought to win your heart?”

Bi Zhi hurriedly said: “Your Majesty is joking. I only met with the Marquis of

Yan last year, so there is no such thing.”

Liu Yan’s eyes flickered slightly. After a brief pause, he said, “When I was a

teenager and in distress, the Qiao House did not abandon me and kept me

for several years. Your wife and I are like brother and sister. I am here

today with a small gift. Can the General allow us to meet?”

……

Da Qiao met Liu Yan in the hall. Liu Yan has a graceful appearance and

has always been gentle and elegant. When he stayed with Qiao’s family in

the early years, he and Xiao Qiao were in love, so Da Qiao had a good

impression of him. He left Yanzhou at 17 years old, and now, after many

years, they are meeting here, and when she thinks about the past, she
feels a lot of emotions. Knowing his old history with Xiao Qiao, they caught

up with each other without mentioning Xiao Qiao in a single sentence.

Each of them talked about the current situation. Suddenly Liu Yan hesitated

and asked, “Dare I ask sister Fan, do you know Man Man’s recent situation

now?”

Da Qiao hesitated.

“Sister Fan, don’t worry too much. I have no other intention. It’s just that I

haven’t heard from her for many years. That’s why I’m asking.”

Da Qiao raised her eyes and saw Liu Yan looking out the window with a

melancholy expression. When she thought of the history of their youth, she

could only sigh that fate had caught up with them.

After some thought, she said, “I’m not going to lie, I’ve been communicating

with my sister …… and she’s doing well now, and she’s pregnant. Thanks

for your concern, King Langya.”

Although two years had passed, Da Qiao could see that Liu Yan still longed

for Xiao Qiao. Therefore, she deliberately emphasized this to dispel his

obsession.

Liu Yan was distracted for a moment. Then he suddenly smiled and said,

“Thank you, sister, for telling me. I have also heard some old stories about

the Qiao family and the Marquis of Yan. I was worried that she was not

doing well there. I am relieved to know that she is doing well. In my heart,

she is my sister, just like you. Can you send her my regards the next time

you write to her?”

Da Qiao said, “Please speak, King Langya.”

“Say …….” Liu Yan lowered his eyes and contemplated.

“Just say, when she and the Marquis of Yan were married and held a

banquet, old memories constrain me, and I did not celebrate the wedding in

time, so I was ashamed. Now that the time has changed, I am enlightened.

I am glad to hear the joyful news, congratulate her, and wish her all the

best. Every word is true from my heart.”

Da Qiao had doubts, but her heart calmed when she heard such words.

She nodded and smiled, “Don’t worry, King Langya. I will convey your

message to her.”

Liu Yan thanked Da Qiao. Then he said goodbye. Bi Zhi sent him out of

Lingbi.

Liu Yan, who had left Lingbi on horseback, stopped after walking a stone’s

throw away, facing north, and stared for a while. Liu Fan, his attendant,

knew that he was still unsuccessful in recruiting Bi Zhi, hesitated and

asked: “Xuzhou is in danger. In addition to Xue’an, Yang Xin is also waiting

closely. Bi Zhi refused to join us. What is the King’s next step?”

Liu Yan retracted his eyes from the north and slowly said, “I heard that even

three-year-old children in Luoyang are singing the nursery rhyme ‘Sun in

the mountain, walking at the end.’ Xing Xun is bound to usurp the throne.

Just wait and see. Once the situation has changed, I could move and make

another decision. ” After saying this, he moved his horse forward and did

not look back.

Chapter 132.1
Luoyang.

On the seventh day of the eleventh month of the eleventh year of the Lunar

Calendar, the astrologer of the Grand Ceremony declared that it was an

auspicious day for all matters.

On the night before the eighth day, the Lotus Terrace was bright. Xing Xun

summoned the officials serving him to hold discussions all night long. He

was sitting on the high platform, looking at the four seats underneath with

delight. The officials were waiting for his orders, and everyone was smiling

and waiting for news.

At that moment, Secretary Wei and Gao Zhun entered hurriedly, kneeling

and offering a piece of yellow silk.

When he opened it, it was the imperial edict from the young emperor, Liu

Tong, to ascend to the throne. He said that he was ashamed of his weak

virtue and was willing to follow the example of the ancient sages by

surrendering the throne to Xing Xun and sealing it with a jade seal.

Gao Zhun also reported that tomorrow, at an auspicious time, when all the

officials and the Prime Minister ascended to the Hall of a Thousand

Autumns, the young emperor would personally help him to ascend the

throne and read the imperial edict of enthronement. When this was

declared, a lot of joy in the Lotus Terrace sounded. The officials knelt and

congratulated him.

Xing Xun was pleased to accept it. Amid all the praise and glory, he saw

the councilor, Zhu Zeng, standing still, looking doubtful.

Zhu Zeng was Xing Xun’s old advisor, supporting him from Henan to

Luoyang, who has considerable seniority. At this moment, when everyone

celebrates, only he does not kneel. Xing Xun was displeased, so he asked

him a question.

Zhu Zeng said: “It is not that the Prime Minister cannot claim the throne, but

the time has not yet come! The Han dynasty is not tyrannical, and the

Prime Minister is already in a position of great authority. If the Prime

Minister took the throne, the world would be bad-mouthing it. All of this is

nothing. I am worried about Wei Shao. The Prime Minister’s hidden worries

will remain as long as he lives. I know that the Prime Minister is also bent

on attacking Wei Shao. We can issue a letter saying he is guilty of

misconduct, and then we can call on the lords to attack him in the name of
the Han emperor. If the Prime Minister attacked him in the name of the Han

emperor, and Wei Shao responded, he would be openly rebelling and

would lose a game before the war began. But, if the Prime Minister claimed

the title of emperor and then raised the war, would this not permit Wei Shao

openly encourage the world to fight against the Prime Minister?”

Xing Xun was displeased: “Why do you say this, to spoil my mood? One

said that no virtue should give way to virtue. The Han emperor was

ashamed of his lack of virtue and could not afford the honorable position,

so why should I not take it? I have 500,000 soldiers and horses, dozens of

fierce Generals who can break the river by throwing a whip. Why should I

be afraid of that kid, Wei Shao? Last month, in the eastern suburbs of

Luoyang, the sky prophesized the new master of the world, which fit my

name. As the saying goes, if you don’t take what heaven gives, a sinner

you will be!”

Zhu Zeng said, “It’s not that I am misleading, but the so-called auspicious

sign from heaven in the eastern suburbs was suspicious. Miss Su’s

intentions are malicious. The Prime Minister must not fall under the spell of

a woman. Otherwise, I am afraid it will be too late to regret!”

Xing Xun has been a lord for half his life and is naturally unconvinced by

these auspicious dreams. But he was bent on becoming the emperor. He

suffered from the unfavorable chances before, hesitating and wavering in

between. Coincidentally, Su E Huang dreams of what he wants, like giving

a pillow to a thirsty sleeper.

Listening to Zhu Zeng’s words made him furious: “Audacious! What is her

intention? If not for the fact that you have been with me for many years and

have little merit, I will severely punish you! I have made up my mind. If you

say anything more, behead!”

Once these words came out, all the officials turned pale and looked at Zhu

Zeng with resentment.

Zhu Zeng pleaded guilty and retreated, discouraged.

Xing Xun had changed from the old days when he first entered Luoyang

and used his talents. Now he was pompous, surrounded by only flatterers.

He believed in Feng Yi, Zang Chang, Feng Zuo, and Ding Qu. All of them

were villainous. Impatient to make Xing Xun abdicate the young emperor

and take his throne, fighting a battle with Wei Shao.

Zhu Zeng returned to his house, his heart disturbed. At dawn, he received

a secret report that Xing Xun had listened to Miss Su’s advice and was

coming to arrest and kill him, so he was terrified. Fortunately, Zhu Zheng

did not have many family members in Luoyang. He immediately ran away

from the south city gate. He wanted to go to Wei Shao, but the thought of

Wei Shao’s ruthless methods of dealing with his enemies made him

shudder, so he turned around and ran to Hanzhong to join the Hanzhong

Marquis, Le Zheng Gong, instead.

……

Xiao Qiao was now in her fourth month of pregnancy and kept vomiting. At

its worst, she can hardly drink water and lies in bed most mornings and

evenings. Fortunately, Chun Niang was there to take care of her, and half a

month ago, Old Zhong also arrived at Xindu from Yuyang.

Old Zhong said Mrs. Xu was delighted to hear the good news. She

specially sent her to attend alongside Chun Niang and reminded her to take

good care of her body.

With both of them taking good care of her, Wei Shao was even more

thoughtful. He held her in his hands for fear of dropping and in his mouth

for fear of melting. Although he was busy with military affairs recently, he

returned to accompany her whenever possible. Although her body was not

feeling well, Xiao Qiao was happy. She sent a letter to Yanzhou to inform

her father that she was pregnant.

In the daytime, a messenger arrived from Yanzhou and sent a letter back

from her father. Qiao Ping was overjoyed and urged her to nurture her

body. He said that Qiao Ci was busy with his military training. When Qiao Ci

returned, he would tell him the good news. He also said that everything

was fine at home and that she did not need to worry and told her to get

along well with his son-in-law. Xiao Qiao read her father’s letter back and

forth several times.

The letter did not explicitly say that, but from her brother’s involvement in

military training, she could see that her father’s side had never put down

what they had discussed before. Her purpose when she advised her father

to be strong was to avoid being a bird in the hall and not to be aware of the

future disaster.
Even with Wei Shao’s reassurance, Xiao Qiao not completely removed her

defenses, but she was much more relaxed. But even so, Xiao Qiao still felt

that Yanzhou should be strong. In such a chaotic world, only a strong army

could turn around in case of an attack, no matter who was coming. It was

better than asking for help every time. After she read her father’s words,

which were probably unintentional, Xiao Qiao felt a sense of peace.

Chapter 132.2

After sleeping all afternoon during the day, Xiao Qiao felt refreshed in the

evening, so she got up and wrote back to her father.

Because of the winter, the day was getting shorter. It was only the middle of

the day, but the sky was already dark. Chun Niang entered the room to turn

on the light.

Old Zhong led two servants to carry the food case inside and set it on the

table, smiling and asking Xiao Qiao to have dinner.

Xiao Qiao asks about Wei Shao. Although he had become busy recently,

he was usually back by this hour. Since she got pregnant, she has been
eating six or seven meals a day. She could not eat dinner too early, so

these days, she waited for him to come back and eat together. But today,

she has not seen him yet.

Old Zhong said, “Just now, Master sent a message saying he would be late

and asked the Lady to eat without waiting for him.”

Since Wei Shao had sent someone back to send a message, something

must have happened. Xiao Qiao didn’t wait any longer and had her meal.

She was afraid of vomiting again, so she stood in the room for a while

before being urged by Chun Niang to lie down.

Wei Shao didn’t return until late. After Xiao Qiao got pregnant, besides

vomiting, she was also very sleepy and spent her days muddled. She fell

asleep in bed while lying and waiting for Wei Shao.

When Xiao Qiao woke up, her ears were quiet, and she didn’t know what

time it was. Without opening her eyes, she felt a hot body beside her and

knew Wei Shao was in bed.

She touched his cheek, drowsy and softly whimpered, stretched like a cat,

raised her hand to grab his shoulder, sprawled bonelessly on his chest

while still closing her eyes, and vaguely asked: “When did husband return?”

“Some time ago.” She heard him say.

Xiao Qiao opened her eyes, looked at the clock in the room, and realized it

was already the middle of the night.

Then she turned to Wei Shao: “So late, Husband is still not sleeping?” Wei

Shao did not answer and gazed at her face.

After a sleep, her cheeks burned up. She was unaware that she looked

gentle and beautiful, attractive.

While trying to resist the desire, he held her flat on the bed, his palm gently

pressed on her still flat belly, smiled, and asked: “Is the little thing

tormenting you today?”

Xiao Qiao leaned back on the bed and shook her head, “I’m sleeping today.

Much better.”
They looked at each other, “But what happened? Why is husband back so

late?” Moreover, she felt that the way he looked at her was a little different

than usual.

“Man Man, for the next few days, I won’t be able to accompany you and our

little thing.” Wei Shao gazed at her and said.

Xiao Qiao was stunned. Subconsciously, she was about to ask what was

wrong, but the words changed at the end of her mouth.

“Is there going to be another war?” She said softly.

“Xing Xun usurped the throne and became the emperor. He has gathered

half a million troops and is preparing to cross the Yellow River to attack

me.”

Wei Shao said these words in a calm tone. But Xiao Qiao perceived a

glimmer of excitement in the deep gaze of his dark eyes.

Xiao Qiao froze. She knew there would be a duel between Wei Shao and

Xing Xun. It would be a battle that would change the tide and determine the

direction of the world. The side that wins, undoubtedly, is unstoppable in its
march to the top of the world, just like she had dreamed of in her previous

life. She knew the results of the battle. But unlike in her previous life, this

battle came so early. It came unexpectedly, several years in advance of her

expectation.

……

Xindu became the temporary pre-war military headquarters for Wei Shao.

The atmosphere in this city became tense all of a sudden. A few days later,

the people finally noticed the endless stream of armor-clad and

solemn-looking generals who had arrived from all directions.

People began to talk apprehensively about whether a new war was about

to start again. They were not wrong in their guesses.

Li Dian, Li Chong, Zhang Jian, and Wei Liang. The Generals under Wei

Shao’s command, who had been through many battles, were informed

within a few days. After making preparations, they were summoned from

Youzhou and Bingzhou and ran to Xindu one after another in fast order.

The army started to move south one after another and set up on the north

bank of the Yellow River. From morning to night, even in the middle of the
night, fast horses were galloping in and out like lightning, delivering all

kinds of news and information to the four gates of Xindu.

In the front hall of Xin Palace, the lights often stayed on late and even

through the night. Wei Shao and his strategists, Generals, and provisions

officers were there to discuss countermeasures and strategies. They had

already prepared for the battle. Although the atmosphere was tense, they

carried everything in an orderly manner.

It was just that Wei Shao became unusually busy all of a sudden. Xiao Qiao

couldn’t see him during the day. He always came back late at night.

Sometimes in the early hours of the morning, not having slept for a

moment, he would be called away by a new message coming from the

Yellow River frontier.

Half a month later, on this day at the end of November, Wei Shao finally

settled on a strategy for the war. With Liyang Ferry in the north of the

Yellow River as the base camp for the war, he built a fortress at Gaotang

and Fanjin as a warehouse. Then, he formed a defensive line to stand by

against Xing Xun’s army two hundred miles along the bank of the Yellow

River.
Three days later, he would be leaving Xindu and led his army to Liyang. On

the same day, Xiao Qiao received a letter from Mrs. Xu. Her letter was

simple and consisted of only one sentence. She said: Send Shao’er to war

on behalf of Grandmother.

Chapter 133.1

Currently, Wei Shao has 400,000 soldiers.

In the north, from west to east, thousands of kilometers above the border

defense line, surrounded by military barracks, laid his nearly 100,000

soldiers.

The warlords of the Han Dynasty were in constant warfare, while the

Xiongnu, a foreign tribe that lived across the Sangan River opposite the

Han people, had been the strongest for a hundred years.

Although their great monarch, Yi Xiemo, was now old and several of his

sons were competing with each other, plus the Wei family’s hooves once

trampled the grasslands of their kingdom, Wei Shao knows very well that

this northern foreign monarch, who rose at the same time as his
grandfather, was one of the few outstanding military commanders he has

ever met in his life.

During the decades of this great monarch’s rule, the Xiongnu population

grew massively. The cavalry expanded from less than 100,000 in Wei

Shao’s grandfather’s time to a claimed 300,000 today.

One must know that war horses were precious. To some extent, the value

of a war horse was much higher than a soldier.

During the decade when the Wei family curbed the south, the Xiongnu,

under the leadership of this great monarch, occupied more than ten

regimes, such as the East Hu, Yemaek, Su Shen, and Loulan, controlling a

large part of the western region, and conquered the kingdoms of the

Quzhe, Li Kun and Li Li.

Even the current Wei Shao had to admit that the Xiongnu’s old and dying

monarch was not an enemy he could take lightly.

The Liangzhou he took from the hands of others can be lost, and Pingzhou

and Jizhou can also be lost. But Youzhou absolutely can not be lost!
The part of the army and horses he left behind in Youzhou was a great wall

to protect the northern border and also a guarantee of his base in the

Youzhou region. No matter what happens in the front, he must not mobilize

them.

Tomorrow, after the ceremony, he will lead the 300,000 troops he can

mobilize to the south, together with the leading forces, ambushing Xing

Xun’s 500,000 soldiers on the northern bank of the Yellow River, a battle of

life and death.

Wei Shao knew that this would not be an easy war. Xing Xun was

headstrong and arrogant, but he must not underestimate his strength. With

the momentum of last year’s victory over Yuan Zhe, Xing Xun must be

aggressive when he goes north this time. But Wei Shao did not feel the

slightest fear.

On the contrary, from the moment he learned that Xing Xun had been

declared emperor and wanted to send troops north to conquer him, the

blood in his body’s veins flowed faster and even boiled with excitement. He

felt unprecedented excitement brought by the war, unlike those small

battles. This war was his first showdown with one of the powerful

opponents in Central China.

Changes in the wind. The nine states will begin a new chapter.

The outline was ready, and only waiting for the ceremony to start tomorrow

morning. At this moment, Gongsun Yang, Wei Quan, and others sat in the

hall while nervously checking the provisions, the ceremony’s orders, and

other seemingly trivial but complicated things.

When it was about to get dark, Wei Shao returned.

His excitement about the war filled his head these days, and suddenly the

little woman who was carrying a child for him came to his mind. His heart

slowly surged with a heavy feeling of pity and reluctance.

He entered the Sheyang Residence, raised his eyes to see the dim light

coming out of the window, and stopped in his tracks.

No matter how late he returned, the lights in this window were always on

for him. He quickened his pace to the bottom of the steps, gestured to the

servant woman on duty to be silent, and gently pushed open the door.
He crept around the screen and saw that she was not lying on the bed.

She was sitting in front of the dressing table with her back facing him.

There was an open letterbox resting on the table. She was looking down as

if she was reading a letter.

When she heard his footsteps coming in, she put down the letter, folded it,

and put it under the box.

Wei Shao went behind her, sat on his knees, held her waist and belly from

behind, resting his palm on her bulging belly, and asked, “Who sent this

letter?”

Xiao Qiao turned her face back to meet his gaze and smiled, “My sister

wrote from Lingbi. General Jia sent it to me just now.”

Wei Shao’s eyes faintly moved, only gave an ‘oh’ and did not ask anything.

A few days ago, Yang Xin wrote a letter saying that the spies had reported

that Liu Yan had gone to Lingbi again, supposedly to visit Bi Zhi. The result

was unknown, only that Bi Zhi sent Liu Yan out of Lingbi. The fact that Liu

Yan visited him three times was a sign of his sincerity. It must be hard to be

unmoved.
“Is Man Man tired today?”

Chapter 133.2

His face came over as he took a deep breath of the fragrance of her hair.

His nose brushed against the soft earlobe and asked softly.

Xiao Qiao glanced at him.

Liu Yan suddenly came out of nowhere to participate in Xuzhou’s chaos.

Since Yang Xin had surrendered to Wei Shao, Xiao Qiao did not believe

that Wei Shao was unaware of this. But he acted as if nothing had

happened in front of her, not mentioning a word.

Xiao Qiao leaned into his chest. “Does husband remember Liu Yan, the

Langya Prince?” She suddenly asked.

Wei Shao rubbed his ears against hers, and his palms went up into her

undergarment, his fingers picking at the tiny clothes.

Hearing this, he gave a slight pause but did not stop, continuing to pick

away the thin piece of fabric wrapping her breast. The slightly stiff palm

covered the tender peaches that became fuller due to her pregnancy.
“Why mention him?” Wei Shao gently rubbed, feeling their softness in his

palm. His tone of voice was still light.

Xiao Qiao forced his hand out of her lapel, turned around, and sat on her

knees opposite him.

“Husband doesn’t ask me what my sister’s letter says, but I want to tell

you.”

Wei Shao’s gaze fell on her face.

“My sister said that the king of Langya visited Bi Zhi three times to ask him

to join him, but Bi Zhi never agreed. My sister also said that Bi Zhi knew

that Yang Xin had retreated out of the will of the Marquis of Yan. Since the

misunderstanding cleared up, he did not want to make any more mistakes.”

“I know that Bi Zhi is a man who respects his promise and keeps his

righteousness. If he does this, do you feel relieved?”

Xiao Qiao did not bother to conceal herself and said straightforwardly.

Wei Shao gazed into her eyes. “I don’t like Liu Yan.” He suddenly said after

a few moments.
What he said just now was not related to what Xiao Qiao said.

“Man Man, he is your former fiancé, and I know you once had a good

relationship with him. Now, he wants to fight for the world. If he is in my

hands in the future, I will never be lenient.”

“Don’t blame me!” His tone was heavy in every word.

Xiao Qiao was stunned. She hadn’t thought of Liu Yan, this person, for a

long time. But at this moment, the memory of the last scene in the dream

about her previous life, together with what happened two years ago after

Xiao Qiao married Wei Shao and was sent to Yuyang on the second day of

her wedding and kidnapped by him on the way, suddenly came back to her.

The odd way Liu Yan stared at her when she politely refused him was still

fresh in her mind. She falls silent.

“In your sister’s letter, did she talk about something else related to Liu

Yan?” Wei Shao suddenly asked again, in a tone that sounded careless.

Xiao Qiao hesitated and was about to shake her head when Wei Shao

leaned forward and reached for the letter she had put under the box.
Xiao Qiao did not expect him to take the letter right before her. Her heart

jumped slightly. Seeing that his hand had touched that piece of silk, she

subconsciously raised her hand and pressed it against the back of his

hand.

Wei Shao quickly raised his eyes and gave her a stare. Xiao Qiao suddenly

realized that something was wrong. Xiao Qiao’s instinct was not to let Wei

Shao see the words of Liu Yan at the end of Da Qiao’s letter. Naturally, with

a major war on the horizon, her intention was not to cause Wei Shao any

more unnecessary suspicion. But if she tried to stop him, it might backfire.

She let go of her hand and said, “If you want to see, just see.”

They looked at each other for a moment, and she slowly released the letter

between her fingers and sat up straight again.

“I want you to tell me yourself.” His tone was full of command.

Xiao Qiao sighed secretly. “There is a message. He said he had put aside

the past and wished me the best of luck.”

“Isn’t that nice?” She said in a relaxed tone.

Wei Shao looked cold and did not speak for a long time, then smiled faintly

and nodded, “It is nice.” After saying that, he opened his arms toward her.

Xiao Qiao then entered his embrace. Wei Shao lowered his head, kissed

her warm lips, and suddenly remembered the rumors coming from the

south bank of the Yellow River about Xing Xun’s statement to capture him

alive and take Xiao Qiao into the Lotus Terrace.

Although he knew this was just a bluff to disturb his mind before the war, at

the bottom of his heart, he was still subtly angry. The lips that cover hers

are getting more forceful.

Chapter 134.1

It was only the beginning of winter, and Xindu was not as cold as Yuyang,

but to take care of Xiao Qiao, the underground of the Sheyang Residence

of the Xin Palace lit up with a furnace. The whole house was as warm as

spring.

Wei Shao’s body temperature was soaring. Since Xiao Qiao was pregnant,

Wei Shao hadn’t slept with her. Chun Niang was afraid that the master
would not know what to do and secretly instructed Xiao Qiao that she must

not have sex.

Later, when Old Zhong arrived, she was also worried that the young couple

was sleeping together and could not help themselves, so she also found an

opportunity to express this meaning politely to Wei Shao. Actually, even

without Old Zhong’s reminder, Wei Shao himself was also careful. Since

Xiao Qiao was pregnant, because all day sickly, she had become a glass

person in his eyes, not to mention that he wanted to sleep with her, even

sleep at night, he had become honest, afraid of his leg hitting her stomach.

It’s just that it’s been so long. It was okay if you did not see, but to look at

the untouchable beauty that belonged to you was torture.

Thinking about leaving in the morning, Wei Shao couldn’t hold it anymore.

He picked up Xiao Qiao in the air and sent her to bed. He fell on her chest

and kissed her fiercely. His hands were not idle, parting her lapel.

Xiao Qiao’s clothes half opened, and a pair of jade shoulders and breasts

popped out, beautiful.

Wei Shao stared at the delicacies, slowly rubbed them, gradually increasing

the force, and buried his head in them. A layer of hot sweat emerged at his

back only after a few moments. He suddenly released her and lay on the

bed, panting heavily, as if he was about to lose his breath, murmuring: “It’s

too hot in this room …… I’m stuffy. I can’t go on. I’ll go take a shower first

……”

He covered Xiao Qiao’s body tightly with the quilt, turned out of bed, and

rushed into the bathroom. The sound of water came from the bathroom.

Wei Shao stayed inside for a long time, forcibly putting down the burst of

fire. Then, he released a long breath, haphazardly put on a robe, and came

out.

He saw Xiao Qiao shrinking in the quilt, revealing only her small face. Her

cheeks were pink, and her eyes closed as if sleeping.

He re-entered the bed, held her in his arms again, and froze. The smooth

and delicate body wrapped in a brocade quilt was naked, shrinking in his

arms, motionless. “Man Man……”

Wei Shao’s heartbeat accelerated again, and the fire that hardly

suppressed came up again. He felt breathless when he saw her eyelashes

slightly fluttered. Suddenly under the quilt, he felt a soft little hand reach

over, swirling and gently stroking his smooth and firm abs.

“Man Man ……”

Wei Shao wanted to move but did not dare, and his voice trembled. Xiao

Qiao’s small hands caress him, slowly going down. Her lips kissed his bare

chest, licking and slowly biting his nipple.

Wei Shao’s body stiffened and moaned.

“Do not make a sound. Do not let them hear it. Also, close your eyes, don’t

peek! If you are peek, I will not care about you! ” Xiao Qiao’s delicate voice

came into his ears.

Wei Shao immediately closed his eyes and looked tense. He forcibly holds

back, not daring to moan. But finally, he still could not resist and issued a

satisfied vague grunt. He was like a cat under the winter sun caressed by

its mistress.
……

At dawn, the lights were bright inside and outside Xin Palace. Li Dian, Wei

Liang, and others with their armored soldier were making their way to the

Xin Palace on horseback, ready to go out of the city.

Xiao Qiao fastened the last latch on the waist of his battle armor for Wei

Shao and smiled, “Grandmother sent a letter asking me to send you out to

war on her behalf. I will wait for your triumph with our child.”

Wei Shao nodded, “Wait for my return with peace of mind!”

“Yesterday, the military advisor reminded me,” he added, as if

remembering, “that I must be careful that Xing Xun will attack Yanzhou. I

thought about it and told Yang Xin to stand by. If the military advisor is right,

I let him send troops to help.”

Xiao Qiao said: “I am grateful to you for your thoughtfulness. I know this is

a critical battle for you, so if Yang Xin has another usefulness, you can

deploy him first. I will write to Yanzhou today to remind my father. They can

ask for help if there is no other way to protect themselves.”

Wei Shao looked at her, and after a moment, he nodded slightly.

“Marquis, General Lei has sent word that all the generals have arrived

outside the palace, so I would like to invite the Marquis to hold a flag

ceremony!”

Old Zhong’s voice sounded outside the door.

“Husband, you may go.” Xiao Qiao smiled.

Wei Shao turned around and walked outside. Suddenly, he stopped walking

and returned to her side, reaching his arm to hold her tightly. With the

strength of the hard armor, it pinned through her flesh and bone inch by

inch. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead. Then he let her go,

opened the door, and strode away.

……

Chapter 134.2

At dawn in the east, Xiao Qiao, accompanied by Old Zhong and Chun

Niang, stood at the top of Tantai Terrace, watching Wei Shao’s army slowly

moving south.
……

At the end of the winter of the second year of Tai’an, after Xing Xun’s army

from Luoyang crossed the Hujuan Pass, they were stationed on the south

bank of the Yellow River.

The two sides looked at each other across the river for half a month. Xing

Xun could not hold back and sent his son, Xing Wei, and Ding Qu to cross

the river by forcing a floating bridge from the Hujuan pass, intending to

obtain Wei Shao’s camp in Liyang.

Wei Shao sent Tan Fu and Leiyan, with only 10,000 men and horses, to

attack with a wave of arrows, forcefully preventing them from crossing the

river. Once the main army of Xing Xun across the river halfway, they

ceased the attack. And Li Dian, Zhang Jian, Li Chong, and Wei Liang led

four waves of ambush troops to kill Ding Qu and Xing Wei.

Ding Qu and Xing Wei were caught off guard and could not resist the

severe attack. They wanted to back to the floating bridge and intended to

retreat, but Wei Shao had burned it. With the boats and bridges destroyed,

there was no way for them to retreat. Xing Wei was shot dead by arrows,
and Ding Qu bravely fought out of the siege with the remnants of the

troops. He escaped a hundred miles before finally finding a boat, forced it

across the river, and returned in defeat.

In the first battle at Hujuan Pass, Xing Xun lost more than 10,000 soldiers.

When he learned about the defeat and lost his son in the first battle, he

pounded his chest in pain and vowed to take revenge to erase the shame.

Half a month later, Xing Xun built the floating bridge again. This time he

learned his lesson and left his men to guard the bridge. He led his army to

cross the river again. This time Wei Shao personally led the battle. With

hundreds of thousands of people from two sides, the war was intermittent,

and each side sustained damage.

Half a month later, a fire rose in Xingyang, south of the Yellow River. Yang

Xin and Guo Quan’s allied forces attack the granary set up by Xing Xun.

Xing Xun’s guards were defenseless, and the fire burned six of ten

granaries.

After the news spreads, the army of Xing Xun was in turmoil. Wei Shao

took advantage of the opportunity to attack, and Xing Xun couldn’t resist.
But with Ding Qu’s help, they finally returned to the south coast. Once

across the river, Xing Xun immediately ordered to burn off the floating

bridge to break the pursuit. After losing in both battles, Xing Xun’s army

damaged their spirits and lost their sharpness.

Unwilling to stop here but did not dare to raise troops, combined with the

increasingly cold weather, Xing Xun ordered the soldiers to set up the tents

and had a standoff with Wei Shao’s army temporarily.

Secretary Zang Chang advises: “Your Majesty now governed the Central

Plains lords. Except for Guo Quan and Yang Xin, the rest are all

submissive. Guo Quan and Yang Xin follow the orders of Wei Shao, plotting

rebellion. Let them get away with it for a while, and then take them after

Your Majesty has settled the situation in the north. Yuan Zhe may have

second thoughts, so Your Majesty should not use him. The remaining

vassals, Le Zheng Gong from Hanzhong, are Your Majesty’s old friend.

Your Majesty is the emperor. He also submitted to Your Majesty. Why not

send an edict ordering him to send troops and help us? First, to strengthen

the army. Second, to deter Wei Shao.”

Xing Xun was pleased to hear that. Then, he sent Zang Zang to Hanzhong

to deliver the order.

……

Hanzhong.

Le Zheng Gong received the decree and respectfully asked Zang Zang to

rest at the post house. He returned to his inner room and summoned his

strategist, Zhang Yan, and Luo Xian. He turned pale and threw the decree

on the ground, furiously spoke, “Xing Xun detained the young emperor in

the western suburbs of Luoyang, overstepping his authority to claim the

empire, and now, after he lost in two battles against Wei Shao, cannot even

cross the Yellow River, how dare he call me to come to his aid?”

Zhang Yan, the strategist, said, “You are lucky. Luoyang must be empty

now. I advise you to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to

seize Luoyang, take it, and hold the young emperor. Then you can call all

the vassals in the name of the young emperor to fight against Xiongnu. By

that time, with Wei Shao in front, and the Lord behind, the two sides attack,

and Xing Xun will certainly die. Once Xing Xun is dead, the Lord has the
great merit to save the king, who dares not to follow the Lord as the

standard?”

Luo Xian also agreed.

When Le Zheng Gong was pondering, he suddenly heard a man at the

door say, “No!” Raising his eyes, he saw Zhu Zeng, who had just come to

join him last month.

Le Zheng Gong was displeased, frowned, and said: “What do you think?”

Zhu Zeng entered the room and said, “I am grateful to the Marquis

Hanzhong for not abandoning me and taking me in. I will be straightforward

in expressing my thoughts. I have been with Xing Xun for many years. I

know this man well. He was headstrong, self-opinionated, and overly

ambitious. However, Wei Shao was young and promising. He commands

elite soldiers and good generals. This person is Marquis Hanzhong’s

enemy. If you let Wei Shao destroy Xing Xun, then Wei Shao will be the

winner. The momentum is like breaking bamboo, unstoppable! Even if the

Marquis Hanzhong occupies Luoyang, I’m afraid it’s not a long-term plan!”
Le Zheng Gong’s light expression gradually concentrated. Seeing Zhu

Zeng stop talking, he invited him to take a seat.

Zhu Zeng took his seat and said: “In my opinion, the Marquis Hanzhong

should send troops to attack Wei Shao. Combine the forces of Marquis

Hanzhong and Xing Xun to destroy Wei Shao first. Once Wei Shao is

defeated, and only Xing Xun left, who is just a bastard, there is nothing to

fear!”

Le Zheng Gong was overjoyed, rose, and bowed, “With your help, I am like

a fish in water! I was too negligent earlier, sir. Please, don’t blame me!” Le

Zheng Gong treats him politely.

Chapter 135.1

In the western suburbs of Luoyang, there was a royal palace called Wu Yan

Palace, which has long since fallen into disrepair. Dirt, grass, cobwebs, and

dust filled the deserted Wu Yan Palace.

The poor Han Emperor, Liu Tong, who had been a puppet emperor since

he was seven, never got a day’s peace of mind. In the past, due to Xing
Xun’s threat, he spent his days in fear and trembling. Then, he was forced

to abdicate the throne and transferred to this cold palace. Xing Xun still

retained his life, but it was only a cover for the world to see. Eventually, he

will kill him. The few surviving close servants by his side spent their days in

fear and misery. After coming here shortly, he fell ill, but how to ask the

doctor for medicine? It’s just a self-inflicted death.

In the first month of the following year, the sky was cold while the ground

was freezing. Liu Tong had been imprisoned here for several months. He

was so sick that he knew nothing about the outside world. On this day, Liu

Tong and his servant, Song Qing, were weeping when they suddenly heard

a chaotic shouting interspersed with the sound of swords from outside.

Thought that Xing Xun had sent people to kill him, he shivered with fear.

Song Qing carried him to the back garden to flee, but within a few steps,

they heard the sound of chasing behind him. They fell to the ground, and

Liu Tong closed his eyes and waited for the swords to kill them, only to hear

a voice shouting: “Your Majesty, do not be afraid! We are here to save Your

Majesty from imprisonment!”

Liu Tong opened his eyes and recognized that they were Marquis Wang Ba

and Minister Dong Cheng.

After Xing Xun usurped the throne last year and raised his slaughter knife,

Wang Ba dared not speak out, only bowing down with the crowd. Later, he

knew that the emperor was imprisoned in Wu Yan Palace, with only three

or two close attendants by his side. He had always been good friends with

Dong Cheng, the minister. A few days ago, he secretly met Dong Cheng,

who said that Xing Xun would kill the emperor shortly. Wang Ba then made

up his mind and secretly dispersed his family first. Today, he led dozens of

his loyal guards, broke into the deserted palace, killed the guards, and

came to rescue the emperor.

Wang Ba and Dong Cheng both knelt and greeted him: “Xing Xun, that old

thief has acted against heaven, and the gods are outraged! I learned that

the old thief wanted to harm Your Majesty, so I took this opportunity to

rescue Your Majesty from imprisonment. Your Majesty may first go to the

Yong Land to join the clan and then send a message to call the world’s

lords to serve you and protect our Han dynasty!”

Liu Tong was only a weak young boy. How can he resist? Without any idea

of his own, he was carried out of the palace by Wang Ba. Seeing a dozen

corpses of the palace guards fall on the ground, he knew that Wang Ba and

Dong Cheng were loyal to the Han family. Under their protection, his heart

slightly settled.

Unexpectedly, not a stone’s throw away, the pursuers came from the

direction of Luoyang. The Northern Palace Guard, Xu Jian, led two hundred

pursuers to catch up.

Wang Ba and Dong Cheng escorted Liu Tong to flee westward along the

wilderness path. Only a few dozen miles after escaping, the pursuers had

already arrived and had them cornered. Shortly, Xu Jian arrived with his

sword in a murderous spirit. Wang Ba was not afraid and protected the

crying Liu Tong. He angrily scolded Xu Jian for being a lapdog and sobbed:

“My 400 years of Han Dynasty has fallen by the hands of the old thief!

Although I lost my life here today, I am still a loyal subject!”

When Wang Ba cried, Dong Cheng looked anxious, looking left and right as

if waiting for someone.

Xu Jian, who couldn’t care less, took his sword and caught Wang Ba’s

collar. Before his sword could fall, an arrow suddenly came from behind

him, hitting Xu Jian in the back of his heart, and he fell dead on the spot.

Wang Ba thought he would die here today but met a turning point and saw

a group of soldiers and horses without banners coming out from a diagonal

direction. The leader was a 24 or 25 years old young man, wearing a red

helmet with dragon pattern armor and a strong horse underneath. His

handsome face was like a crowned jade, galloping towards his direction.

He couldn’t help but freeze.

After seeing that Xu Jian was shot dead and a team of men came out from

the side, the Northern Palace guards resisted for a while and then fled.

The young man dismounted and strode towards Wang Ba and Dong

Cheng.

Wang Ba, who had come back from the dead, was incredulous. He did not

recognize this man and was in doubt. The young general arrived before

him and bowed to Liu Tong, who was still sitting on the ground and said, “I
am Liu Yan from Langya. I am late to save you! His Majesty was frightened,

and I deserve to die!”

Wang Ba never thought that Liu Yan, the king of Langya, would be like a

god descending from the sky to save his people from danger. He went up

to pay his respects.

Liu Yan said: “Although I lived in Langya, I have heard about Marquis

Zhuodu of the Han Dynasty. Please, don’t despise me. I would have liked to

live in peace, but Xing Xun rebelled against the heavens, and the people’s

grievances seethed. I also learned that he imprisoned His Majesty in the

cold palace. I was sad and angry. As a son of the Han family, how can I

turn a blind eye? I grasp this opportunity to come to the rescue, and God

has an eye to let us meet here!”

Wang Ba was overjoyed. Dong Cheng also got up to see Liu Yan. Several

people hurriedly discussed. Liu Yan sighed and said, “The old thief has left

guards in Luoyang. He will surely come after Your Majesty if he knows he

has escaped. This place is not safe. Why not follow me quickly and hit the

road, we will go to Langya first, and then we can discuss the matter in the

long run.”
Wang Ba and Dong Cheng agreed, picked up Liu Tong, then a group of

people hurried towards the east. To avoid the chasing soldiers, they

disguise themselves, eat and sleep in the wilderness, taking a circuitous

route, inevitably suffering many hardships.

Liu Tong was originally sick for a long time, and after some fright, he fell

seriously ill on the road.

On this day, they finally arrived at Yangdu, only a few days away from

Langya. In the morning, Liu Yan, Wang Ba, Dong Cheng, and the others

were outside the room waiting for Liu Tong to get up and go on the road.

After a long waiting, they entered the room only to see the young emperor

had died last night. It was unknown when his breath had stopped. The

people were horrified and looked at each other, howling.

Chapter 135.2

Liang Ji, a loyal subject of the Han family since his grandfather’s

generation, heard the news and rushed to mourn. After the mourning,

everyone agreed for Liu Yan to succeed in the throne.

At first, Liu Yan refused to accept, saying he could not sit on this throne due

to his lack of virtue. Wang Ba, Dong Cheng, Liang Ji, and others knelt and

pleaded hard, then Liu Yan had no choice but to accept.

Langya became the temporary capital of the empire. Then, they held the

emperor’s ceremony, set up a provincial platform, issued imperial edicts,

and announced the news to the world.

The news spread, and the nearby Muping, Donglai, Xiaomi, and other

governors have come to join. While Xing Xun had not yet returned, there

were more than twenty people within Luoyang’s court, including Dou Wu,

the state minister, and Deng Xun, who successively joined Langya and

embraced Liu Yan as emperor. The small dynasty, Langya, was considered

the rightful Han dynasty, while Luoyang became the rebellious capital.
On this day, the ministers met with Liu Yan to discuss conquering Xing Xun.

Wang Ba, Dou Wu, and others strongly advocated that while Xing Xun was

fighting Wei Shao, they should send troops as soon as possible to reclaim

Luoyang. They were all in tears as they spoke with excitement.

Liu Yan verbally agreed to appease the crowd.

When everyone dispersed, Dong Cheng was left behind and asked Liu

Yan, “What is your opinion?”

Dong Cheng had secretly become Liu Yan’s trusted servant two years ago.

He said: “Wang Ba and Dou Wu are just showing off their mouths. Although

various governors had joined Your Majesty, they were only useless small

forces. Your Majesty only has a limited number of troops on hand. Even if

you recover Luoyang, how can you resist if Xing Xun returns? Your Majesty

must refuse!”

Liu Yan looked away and asked, “How do you see the victory in the battle

between Xing Xun and Wei Shao?”

After the two losses, Xing Xun received assistance from Le Zheng Gong. At

the beginning of the year, when the Yellow River was frozen, their

combined forces crossed the river.

At that time, the two sides fought in Gaotang. Wei Shao judged the

situation and retreated his defenses to Muye, followed by a counter-attack,

using the previously constructed defensive corners to suppress the

rampant attack of the allied forces.

Afterward, the weather was harsh. The once-in-a-decade blizzard made the

soldiers and horses on both sides freeze and die. They temporarily stopped

the frontal battle, and each side built their camp in Muye. Now, they are

confronting each other.

Dong Cheng pondered and said: “The old thief’s 500,000 soldiers against

300,000 Wei Shao’s soldiers. His military strength is advantageous, and

now he has invited Le Zheng Gong to join him in the battle. His power is

strong, and his army has crossed the Yellow River. In my opinion, Wei

Shao does not have much chance. I’d worry if Xing Xun wins the war, he

will lead a large army to attack Your Majesty. With your current situation, I

am afraid you will be difficult to resist.”

Liu Yan was silent. Suddenly he asked, “Is there any news from Yuan

Zhe?”

Soon after Liu Yan became the emperor, he sent someone to Qingzhou to

meet Yuan Zhe. But, he had not replied so far.

Dong Cheng was about to shake his head when Liu Fan entered the room

with a letter, kneeling and saying that Yuan Zhe’s emissary had arrived and

was waiting outside the palace for His Majesty to receive him.

Liu Yan took the letter and hurriedly browsed through it. In the letter, Yuan

Zhe said that the Yuan family had been deeply indebted to the emperor for

generations and had always hated that there was no way to repay them.

Now that the Han Dynasty had a new and rising emperor, he was glad and

was willing to lead 200,000 troops to join his command to restore the

country.

After reading the letter, Liu Yan’s eyes moved slightly. Then, he passed it to

Dong Cheng.

After reading it, Dong Cheng was overjoyed. But then he felt worried,

saying, “Your Majesty, I am afraid Yuan Zhe has other plans.”

Liu Yan walked to the window and looked out into the distance. His back

looked tedious and motionless. The two hands gripping the window pane

tighten their grip, tighter and tighter. Until his bones are white and veins are

showing. A terrifying wave raised in his heart at this moment.

After Yuan Zhe lost to Xing Xun the year before, his reputation was swept

away, and hid his light. But even so, the thin camel was bigger than the

horse. His current strength was still far beyond comparison, no matter how

hard he worked. He accepted his lobbying and was willing to come and join

him, so he must have other plans, Liu Yan naturally knows in his heart. But

what does it matter? Many people support him as emperor, but which one

does not have their own thoughts? Maybe for a thousand years of loyalty

and reputation. Or for glory and wealth. He desperately needs Yuan Zhe,

just as Yuan Zhe now needs to borrow his identity to regain prestige.

In that case, why did he not use it? As for the end, who will die, depends on

the individual’s ability. He has been waiting for a long time for this day.

He definitely will not let go of this opportunity. Perhaps, in this lifetime, this

opportunity may not come a second time.

For his kingdom, the humiliation of taking his wife and every sleepless night

when that woman’s silhouette emerged from his heart said that they could

not recover the past. A blazing fire burns his heart and blood, almost

turning his soul to ash at this moment.

“Draw up a decree, appoint Yuan Zhe as the Great General, with the

golden seal and purple ribbon, and come to attend the King at once.”

He slowly turned around and calmly said.

……

In the wilderness, the north wind was howling, the snow was flying, and the

banner flag tied on top of the military camp tent was blown by the gale as if

it was going to break free the next moment.

This place is only 70 miles away from Chaoge, where the legend of the

white banner, yellow battle-axe, and red bird flowing once existed. Now the

sky is cold while the ground is frozen. As far as the eye can see, snow is

everywhere.
Chapter 135.3

It was one of those rare cold, harsh winters in decades. Although the

season has already entered spring, the weather has not shown any signs

of turning warm in February. The bad weather hindered the progress of the

war. There was always news of soldiers and horses freezing to death every

day. The number of frostbite victims was countless. Such conditions

prevented Wei Shao from successfully organizing a frontal battle against

the combined forces of Xing Xun and Le Zheng Gong. The same problems

that plagued him also plagued Xing Xun and Le Zheng Gong. After the last

battle at Gaotang, the two sides did not engage in a large-scale frontal

battle anymore, only a few painless encounters one after another. Nobody

was willing to take the initiative to attack anymore, yet reluctant to retreat.

Now separated by the Yellow River, each side camped and looked at each

other, waiting for the weather to improve and seize the opportunity to give

each other a fatal blow. Such a standoff has lasted for most of the month.

……
The sky began to darken at the time of the 10th(*) hour.

T/N: 5 pm-7 pm

Wei Shao’s boots stepped on the thick snow, emitting a creaking sound,

leaving a deep footprint in the snow. He just came back from the Yellow

River to inspect the terrain. After entering the camp gate, through the last

remaining light of day, he saw a soldier standing straight in the corner of the

camp fence wall, holding a spear in his hand, motionless. A layer of fallen

snow landed on his helmet and shoulders.

Wei Shao stopped in his tracks. Lei Yan ran over quickly. When he

returned, his expression was grave while whispering, “He’s dead.”

Wei Shao looked at the soldier who had died standing. After silence for a

moment, he turned around and entered the camp gate. He had just

removed his snow-covered helmet and cloak when he heard a footstep

outside the tent. Gongsun Yang and Wei Quan had arrived.

Gongsun Yang’s cough recently became worse again. Wei Shao was afraid

he couldn’t withstand the cold, so he deliberately ordered an extra charcoal

fire in his tent to keep him warm.

When Wei Shao saw him come in and coughed a few times before

speaking, he said, “The weather is cold, so if you have something important

to say, ask someone to send a message, and I will go to your tent.”

Gongsun Yang waved his hand and said, “The news came in the daytime.

The retired emperor died, and Liu Yan was crowned emperor by Wang Ba,

Dong Cheng, and others. Yuan Zhe surrendered and was titled Great

General.”

Wei Shao sat behind the desk without moving, only slightly narrowing his

eyes.

Wei Quan said: “After Liu Yan claimed the throne and received Yuan Zhe’s

200,000 troops’ assistance, it is reasonable to reclaim Luoyang. But the

scouts report that he is not moving and not intending to take Luoyang.”

Wei Shao said lightly: “What’s wrong with that? If Liu Yan attacked Luoyang

and Xing Xun returned to protect it, wouldn’t that benefit me? He wished for

me or Xing Xun and Le Zheng Gong to suffer a defeat first, and then he

could take advantage of it.”

Wei Quan said, “My Lord is right. Now the weather is cold, but once the

snowstorm stops, we can start the war, at most not later than the end of the

month. Liu Yan and Yuan Zhe are not enough to be feared, but My Lord

should do his best to fight against the allied forces of Xing Xun and Le

Zheng Gong.”

Wei Shao got up from his couch and paced around the tent for a moment,

then stopped and said, “What do the military advisor and General have to

say about the current situation?”

Gongsun Yang and Wei Quan looked at each other and said, “Xing Xun

has received the help of Le Zheng Gong, and now his men are far superior

to ours, and his soldiers are proud. This battle is not about capturing the

city, so attacking by force is not the best strategy.”

Wei Shao pondered and said: “What you are thinking is the same as me.

Today I went to the Yellow River and climbed up to see the enemy camp

from afar. The two armies were densely packed but walled and separated

by a fence. And the spy informed that a few days ago, there was also a

fight between the two armies ……” He paused. He walked quickly to the

desk, took chopsticks, dipped them into the wine bottle, marking a trace on
the surface, and cut it off in two. “Xing Xun can join forces with Le Zheng

Gong, but I want them separated!”

Wei Quan laughed and said, “My Lord is wise! That’s why I came to see

you with the military advisor. I heard that Le Zheng Gong highly valued his

strategist, Zhu Zheng, but he used to be a member of Xing Xun’s staff. This

Zhu Zeng has much to offer!”

Chapter 136.1

It was late at night when Zhu Zeng was thinking about the war and was

having trouble sleeping. Then, he put on his clothes and went out of the

tent to see that the snow had stopped, the dome was as dark as a bowl of

ink, and the endless camp stretched for tens of miles.

All voices were silent, and the sound of music coming from the direction of

Xing Xun’s central tent was particularly pleasing. Even after such a long

distance, the sounds still intermittently drifted over. The big war was about

to start, so the noise was out of place.

Zhu Zeng listened sideways for a moment, his heart filled with mixed

feelings. Although he left Xing Xun’s side in time and switched to Le Zheng

Gong, his heart inexplicably had some worries.

The big battle was approaching, but Xing Xun was so gullible and arrogant,

listening to songs night and day. Meanwhile, Le Zheng Gong seemed to

retain strength cautiously. Although he did not explicitly say it, Zhu Zeng

saw this point.

The number of allied troops claimed to be double of Wei Shao’s army and

appeared to be strength-crushing, but the leader was arrogant and selfish.

If their opponents were ordinary people, it might not have mattered. Merely

by lining up soldiers, they could have overwhelmed the other side. But now,

the enemy they faced was the northern overlord Wei Shao. Although Zhu

Zeng had not met Wei Shao, he knew all the rumors about the man. If Wei

Shao were an easy opponent, he would never have reached his current

position at 24 or 25.

No one obtained their territory without a fight. Even if you rely on your

ancestors, you have to win the battle, one by one. Wei Shao is a formidable

opponent. No need to care about Xing Xun, but on Le Zheng Gong’s side,
Zhu Zeng decided to find an opportunity to remind him. Since he was

involved in this northern expedition, he had to go all out and seize the

opportunity to destroy Wei Shao’s living forces in one fell swoop to avoid

giving him any chance to rise again.

Zhu Zeng thought about it, turned around and returned to his tent, put out

the light, and went to bed. While he was worried about the war, another

man in another tent not far from his was also sleepless.

As one of Le Zheng Gong’s strategists, although Zhang Yan does not claim

to have the wisdom of planning, he had advised Le Zheng Gong in several

main battles over the years. From the first battle in Hanzhong, he has made

a lot of merits. But now, Zhang Yan feels his position is in crisis. Zhu Zeng

is rapidly replacing him as if he has become the most valued strategist of

Le Zheng Gong. From his standpoint, he naturally wanted Le Zheng Gong

to win the battle of the Northern Expedition. But Zhang Yan knew if Wei

Shao was defeated, then Zhu Zheng’s importance would be irreplaceable.

Thus, he felt some anxiety.

Late at night, he still reads a volume of military books with a candle in his

hand. Suddenly outside the tent sounded a creaking footstep through the
snow, followed by his servant lifting the tent to enter, saying that the guards

at the camp gate reported that a person calling himself Rong Yan was

asking to see him.

Zhang Yan was stunned. Rong Yan was his old acquaintance who was an

official in Luoyang many years ago. Rong Yan was a court officer who

abandoned his post and flew because he had offended Xing Xun. Zhang

Yan was not considered his close acquaintance. But their hobby of carving

gold and stone made them occasionally contact each other. At that time,

Rong Yan lamented a bit about his situation. Later, Zhang Yan joined Le

Zheng Gong. After years of separation, he didn’t expect that he would

come to visit him late at night.

After pondering for a while, he asked someone to bring him inside. When

Rong Yan entered the tent, he smiled happily and said, “It’s been many

years since I parted with Brother Yiliang in Luoyang. How is brother doing?”

Zhang Yan looked at the fake reaction, vaguely guessing in his heart that

Rong Yan should come from Wei Shao’s camp.

He hesitated on whether to call someone to enter and seize him.

“An old friend visited you. Do you want to catch and send me to your

master to claim the credit?” Rong Yan laughed brazenly.

Zhang Yan’s face heated up, said, “Brother Changlu misunderstood!”

The two of them are old friends, and although they had their own master,

they couldn’t kidnap other people. Then he said, “I’m afraid that Changlu is

working for Wei Shao. Now that the two armies are at war, I wonder why

you’re looking for me this late at night?”

Rong Yan changed his smile and looked solemn, saluted to Zhang Yan.

Zhang Yan was busy supporting him to stand straight, said: “Brother, why

do you make such a serious salute? I’m ashamed!”

Rong Yan said in a low voice: “To tell the truth, I came to join the Marquis of

Hanzhong.”

Zhang Yan was stunned.

“Brother, you don’t know that I abandoned my post many years ago to join

Wei Shao. I originally wanted to meet a master to show my life’s ambition.

But Wei Shao only has an empty name, short-sighted and ignorant. He
refused to use me. I am only a marching officer. Now he wants to use

300,000 troops to confront the combined forces of Xing Xun and the

Hanzhong Marquis, which is like hitting a stone with an egg. As the saying

goes, a wise man knows the moment. I can not join Xing Xun, but the

Hanzhong Marquis is like the sky. His future will certainly be like a phoenix,

which my heart yearned for. I hate that I do not have a trickle of merit and

no way to join him. Good thing I learned that Brother Yiliang is now the

trusted officer of Hanzhong Marquis. I was enlightened, so I took advantage

of the night to abscond from the Wei Shao camp to meet Brother Yiliang! I

hope that for the sake of the old acquaintance, you help introduce me to

Hanzhong Marquis.”

He pulled a piece of parchment and displayed it on the desk, saying, “I am

a marching officer. I can go in and out of the main tent. This paper is a copy

of Wei Shao’s battle strategy map. The detail of military strength and

deployment routes of Liyang, Fanjin, and Huangchi’s granary. I want to

present this map to show my determination to serve you!”

T/N: the chapters are getting lengthy, so I had to split them more.
Chapter 136.2

Zhang Yan looked at the map full of informative labels. He was overjoyed:

“My Lord is thirsty for talent. How could he reject you?” After receiving the

map, he immediately wanted to take him to see Le Zheng Gong but was

pulled back by Rong Yan. When he reached the tent’s entrance, he looked

around and whispered, “I have another top secret to tell you. A few days

ago, I overheard the secret conversation between Wei Shao and his

military advisor, Gongsun Yang, outside the tent. They mention Zhu Zeng’s

name in their words. Then, a soldier walked to the side. I was afraid of

being discovered, so I left in a hurry and did not listen to the whole

conversation, only some of it. That Zhu Zeng is unworthy of Xing Xun. After

escaping from Luoyang, he seemed to run to Wei Shao first and then went

to the Hanzhong Marquis. I suspect that he is Wei Shao’s spy!”

Zhang Yan was shocked at first, then overjoyed, grabbing Rong Yan’s

sleeve: “Is this true?”

Rong Yan said: “I am not sure because I did not listen to their full

conversations. But I do have doubts. Originally I did not want to say this to
you. But this matter is important, so I told you first. You can secretly watch

out for Zhu Zeng’s actions lest I ruin someone’s innocence.”

Zhang Yan’s mood was even more excited than when he saw the map.

After walking around the tent several times, he seemed to have made up

his mind, striking his left palm with his right hand, saying decisively, “As my

brother said, this is a matter of great importance, so we cannot have any

doubts! I must immediately report to My Lord. Told my Lord to be more

careful, lest they fall for Wei Shao’s treacherous plan!” After saying that, he

led Rong Yan to the central tent secretly.

Le Zheng Gong rose to his feet. Zhang Yan led Rong Yan to him and

explained his intention, full of praise. Rong Yan came forward to pay his

respects. As a big battle was about to take place, each side sent spies to

find out what happened on another side. Le Zheng Gong collected some

war reports about Wei Shao’s marching layout, but only partially.

Under the candlelight, he examined the map presented by Rong Yan. The

secret information matched their knowledge, so he knew this map was

genuine. The reason why Rong Yan changed his mind was also

reasonable. He believed it immediately. Unexpectedly, Zhang Yan then told

him the matter about Zhu Zeng. Le Zheng Gong was half-convinced. After

contemplation, he suddenly changed his face and threw the map to the

ground, saying: “Did Wei Shao think I am a stupid three-year-old child? You

are appointed by him, pretending to surrender, and want to play a

diversionary scheme! Such a trick! How can you conceal it from me!”

He shouted for the soldiers to go in and tied up Rong Yan. Then, take him

to the gate to be beheaded. Zhang Yan was terrified and hurriedly begged

for mercy for Rong Yan. But Le Zheng Gong did not say a word. His

expression was gloomy.

Rong Yan, tied by Le Zheng Gong’s soldiers and pushed out, did not

defend himself, only laughing. The executioner’s knife was on his neck, but

he was still laughing.

Le Zheng Gong asked people to bring him back and coldly said: “You are

dying but still drooling here! What do you take my military prestige for? But

I always respect the iron bones and tough men. Although you are a spy,

you are worthy in my eyes. If you tell me the truth, I can spare your life!”
Rong Yan stopped laughing and said coldly, his head held high: “If you

don’t believe me, what else can I say? I heard you are a great master with

your indomitable strategy and tactics. When a man is born in the world, he

should take building a career as his priority, so I aspired to do so and risked

stealing Wei Shao’s map to come and join you. I do not expect you to be

suspicious and have a vain name! Far inferior to Wei Shao! I have

misjudged you. But it is too late to regret! If you want to kill me, just kill. Do

you think I am afraid?”

“My Lord! I can guarantee that Changlu is not Wei Shao’s spy! He only

expressed his doubts and also strongly prevented me not to report to My

Lord, lest I mistakenly hurt Zhu Zeng’s innocence! I can testify for Changlu!”

Zhang Yan was beside him, overflowing with emotion.

Le Zheng Gong stared at Rong Yan for a moment, his haze faded, and

suddenly laughed loudly, picking up the map he had just thrown from the

ground, went forward, holding Rong Yan’s arm with both hands and said

joyfully: “I was just testing! Changlu is a true hero. I am impressed by his

bravery! From now on, I have another good minister. This is the blessing of

heaven!”
Rong Yan smiled. He performed the salute again. Le Zheng Gong gave him

an official position. The anxious Zhang Yan reminded him, “Lord, we cannot

delay Zhu Zeng’s matter. We should immediately catch him for

questioning!”

Le Zheng Gong pondered. He abandoned Luoyang and helped Xing Xun’s

Northern Expedition because he listened to Zhu Zeng. The war was

imminent, and Wei Shao was at a disadvantage. At this critical moment, a

surrendered enemy member brought the news that Zhu Zeng was a spy. It

was suspicious, so he deliberately tested it.

At this moment, although he believed that Rong Yan was sincere, he was

doubtful about the matter of Zhu Zeng, or rather, he was incredulous. Then

he said: “Changlu has said just now that he did not hear Wei Shao and

Gongsun Yang’s full words. No need to alarm people first. I have my plan.”

He also instructed Rong Yan not to show his face for a few days.
Chapter 136.3

Although Zhang Yan felt dissatisfied and wanted to catch Zhu Zeng

immediately to expose his face, he didn’t dare to speak out again. Then, he

retired together with Rong Yan.

The next day, Le Zheng Gong summoned Zhu Zeng to his tent. He didn’t

mention last night’s events and only asked about the battle strategy, as if

nothing had happened, talking and laughing.

Zhu Zeng never dreamed that he was under investigation. After listening to

Le Zheng Gong’s question about the war, he cited the failure of Xing Xun’s

army. He strongly advised Le Zheng Gong not to take the enemy lightly and

concentrated on the strength of the troops here, ready for a big battle. Le

Zheng Gong superficially agreed but was secretly suspicious.

After a few days, the blizzard stopped. Le Zheng Gong then intensified his

preparations for the battle. Early in the morning, he heard a clamor outside

his tent. He came out and saw Ding Qu carrying his halberd with a team of

followers, who seemed to be forcing their way in. Le Zheng Jun, his son,

stopped them with his men.

The two sides are at war, and the fight is about to start. Although Ding Qu

has the reputation of being brave and invincible, he is arrogant and cocky.

Now that Xing Xun is the emperor, Ding Qu is even more imposing. The

other day, the two armies clashed because Ding Qu sent people to take the

charcoal from his side. Xing Xun is the emperor, and now that he has

followed him to the army, he can not turn against him. So when he heard

about it, Le Zheng Gong ordered to let him take it. But there is a thorn in his

heart. While holding back his anger, he instructed Le Zheng Jun to back

away: “General Ding came here early in the morning. What do you want?”

Ding Qu strode to Le Zheng Gong and said proudly, “I am here to demand

a head by order of His Majesty!”

Le Zheng Gong was slightly stunned: “What do you mean by that?”

Ding Qu sneered, “Does the Marquis of Hanzhong think that His Majesty is

blind and easily deceived? Zhu Zeng has sinned against His Majesty and

ran to you privately. How dare you shelter him?”

Considering that Xing Xun was near, Zhu Zheng never showed his face,

whether for military banquets or meetings and consultations. Not sure how
Xing Xun knew about this. After thinking a while, he said: “I see. Zhu Zeng

once offended His Majesty. He also suffered a fright. I’ll ask him to write a

letter of apology and present it to His Majesty. General Ding can go back

first.”

Ding Qu shook the halberd in his hand, the iron chain on the back of the

halberd rattled and shouted: “You are just a mere lord. How dare you

disobey the words of His Majesty?”

Le Zheng Gong was here with iron troops and intended to attack Wei Shao.

Even Xing Xun was unworthy in his eyes, let alone Ding Qu. He had

already repeatedly tolerated it. Seeing Ding Qu so aggressive, he coldly

laughs: “General Ding is powerful! After the first battle with Wei Shao at

Hujuan Pass, everyone knows your heroic name! I also admire you very

much.”

Ding Qu was defeated in the Hujuan Pass battle and abandoned his army

to escape. Although he thought it was due to a momentary gullibility, it is

still a great shame. He barely safe his image after he protected Xing Xun

from the heavy siege. He felt humiliated and angry at this time because Le

Zheng Gong publicly skinned him. Looking around, he saw that they were
all people of Le Zheng Gong. After thinking for a while, he dropped a harsh

word and left with hatred and speed amidst the sound of laughter behind

him.

“Father! This shameless and unrighteous villain, why bother with him? I

was just about to beat him out!” Le Zheng Jun was relieved of his anger

and laughed loudly.

Le Zheng Gong told him to tighten the security of the barracks to prevent

Ding Qu from coming again and turned to enter the tent.

Zhu Zeng’s heart was palpitating when he heard the news that Ding Qu

had come to ask for his head. He hurriedly expressed his gratitude to Le

Zheng Gong. Seeing that he said nothing and only stared at himself

strangely, Zhu Zheng hesitantly said: “Lord is worried about offending Xing

Xun by protecting me?”

Le Zheng Gong’s tone suddenly changed: “I heard you went to join Wei

Shao before you joined me?”

Zhu Zeng was stunned: “My Lord is clear about this. There is no such

thing!”
“But I got a secret report that you were a spy sent by Wei Shao to entrap

me!”

Zhu Zeng was stunned and hastily cried out injustice.

Le Zheng Gong listened to him defend himself. He was incredulous and

ordered him to leave first. Zhu Zeng had no choice but to retreat. Once he

left, Zhang Yan, Luo Xian, and others entered the tent. They advised Le

Zheng Gong not to assist Xing Xun in this war.

Le Zheng Gong hesitated, but at that moment, a fast horse delivered a

letter outside the tent. He opened it and was shocked.

The letter was from Le Zheng Kai, the eldest son of Le Zheng Gong, who

was left behind to defend Hanzhong. It said Yang Xin and Guo Quan united

their army and led the troops to Liangzhou through a shortcut. They had

passed Lushi and attacked the Qing Nai Pass in Mount Hua. For fear of

failure, Le Zheng Kai urgently asked his father to return for the rescue.

Zhang Yan was terrified and shouted: “Lord! This is a trick! Zhu Zeng is

indeed a spy sent by Wei Shao! He persuaded My Lord to follow Xing Xun

and send his troops here, pretending to join forces to kill Wei Shao. But in
reality, he is trying to divert the tiger away from the mountain, taking

advantage of the deficiency of Hanzhong’s defense and aiming at

Liangzhou! Liangzhou is Lord’s foundation! We must not lose it!”

Le Zheng Gong remembered that Zhu Zeng kept advising himself that he

could not secretly keep troops and committed fully. He suddenly realized,

no longer having half a doubt, cursed: “Wei Shao, this brat! His heart is so

vicious! He first harms me and then destroys the old thief. He coveted my

base secretly!”

In a moment of confusion, anger, and regret, he immediately ordered

people to tie up Zhu Zeng and pushed him outside the gate to be

beheaded. Then, he urgently summoned the generals and ministers to

gather in the tent and discuss the future strategy.

All people who learned the news were angry and confused. Suddenly,

came a report that when Zhu Zeng was about to be beheaded, a team of

people dressed up as Xing Xun’s soldiers rushed and seized him. They

thought it was Xing Xun’s people, but surprisingly, they went to the opposite

side of the Yellow River Road, Wei Shao’s camp. Afraid of deception, they

did not dare to chase and returned to report the situation.

Chapter 136.4

Le Zheng Gong almost vomited blood from his lungs. He overturned the

table in front of him with one palm and issued an order to attack Wei Shao’s

camp. Zhang Yan and others advise him that Wei Shao was insidious and

he must not to move his troops rashly.

After a long time, Le Zheng Gong’s anger in his chest gradually dissipated.

He walked back and forth in the tent several times, then said: “You all are

correct. This grudge, I’ll remember it! We’ll settle it later! Pass my order,

quickly pull out of the camp, and return to Hanzhong!”

……

Meanwhile, after receiving the news that Le Zheng Gong employed Zhu

Zeng, Xing Xun was unwilling to give up. In the morning, he sent Ding Qu

to the west camp to ask for Zhu Zheng. Ding Qu not only did not get the

man, but they also mocked him. Ding Qu couldn’t put up with his anger and

added dishes in front of Xing Xun after he returned. He said although Le

Zheng Gong nominally surrendered to Xing Xun, he boasted about his

achievements and superiority. Even his son was superior and did not put

Xing Xun in the eyes.

Xing Xun felt upset and immediately asked someone to summon Le Zheng

Gong for questioning. Suddenly, he got a report there was movement in the

west camp. He sent people to see what was going on. The report said Le

Zheng Gong had ignored him and retreated to Hanzhong.

Xing Xun was furious and ordered Ding Qu to catch Le Zheng Gong. Since

Le Zheng Gong had already decided to save his own base, he did not take

Xing Xun’s words seriously. He sent Le Zheng Jun with a lieutenant to hold

the fence at the junction of the two battalions and accelerate his retreat.

Ding Qu wanted to break through the fence, but Le Zheng Jun was not a

soft person. He would not allow him to cross the border. The two sides

immediately began to fight and exchange swords and halberds. The East

and West camps, formerly allied forces, killed each other and stained the

fence with blood. Hearing the news, Xing Xun became increasingly furious,

throwing cups and breaking jars, and ordered the army to form up and fight

with Le Zheng Gong.

Zang Chang dissuaded him and said, “Your Majesty, don’t you know that

there are priorities? The most important person to capture during Your

Majesty’s northern expedition is Wei Shao, which is still not yet done. At

this time, if Your Majesty fails in this internal battle, Wei Shao will reap the

benefits! Since Le Zheng Gong wants to go, let him go. After Your Majesty

has destroyed Wei Shao, deploy the army to conquer Hanzhong, capture

Le Zheng Gong alive, and charge him with the crime of deserting the

battle!” The rest of the men also tried to persuade him.

Xing Sun was convinced and suppressed his hatred. Then, he ordered the

troops to return and intensify their alertness to prevent Wei Shao’s sudden

attack.

……

That night, Le Zheng Gong burned all the food and provisions that were

inconvenient to take away due to the hustle. Overnight, the West Camp’s

tents all over the mountain disappeared into thin air. The snow was ablaze

with fire. The soldiers of Wei Shao’s camp on the opposite side of the

Yellow River can see clearly with the naked eye.

In Wei Shao’s tent, the sound of laughter thundered. Wei Shao was sitting

in the middle. Gongsun Yang, Li Dian, Li Chong, Zhang Jian, Wei Quan,

and others sat beside each other, mentioning the fire in the western camp

across the river, laughing.

“Is Rong Yan safe?” Wei Shao asked, “It is better to return early. Otherwise,

after a few days, when Le Zheng Gong learned that Yang Xin and Guo

Quan only sent five thousand men, I’m afraid he will be disadvantaged.”

“My Lord, don’t worry.” Gongsun Yang said, “I have already coordinated

with him. He has the trust of Le Zheng Gong, and his life is safe for now.

Rong Yan cannot leave yet. If he leaves now, he will make Le Zheng Gong

suspicious and lose all his previous achievements. Once there is a suitable

opportunity, he will return to the camp.”

Wei Shao nodded: “This time, Le Zheng Gong hits the scheme, all thanks

to Rong Yan. The military advisor must remember that he has great merit.

Reward him after the war.”

Gongsun Yang promised.

At this time, his soldiers came to report that Zhu Zeng had arrived. Wei

Shao then had him brought in. Zhu Zeng was tied up and entered the tent

when laughter came from inside. He saw about ten people sitting in the

tent. The candle flame was bright, illuminating a long purple sandalwood

screen. Piles of various documents and papers were on the shelves beside

the screen.

Behind the desk sat a man of only 24 or 25 years old, not wearing a

helmet, a gold crown tying his hair, soft armor with locks and rings, and a

hanging sword in his waist. His face was heroic, facing slightly sideways.

He sat opposite a beardy skinny man, talking and laughing, extremely

dashing. Hearing people report that Zhu Zeng had arrived, the man

stopped joking, turned his face, and looked over him.

Zhu Zeng guessed that this young man should be Wei Shao. He never

thought Wei Shao, the rumored northern overlord, would be such a

distinguished figure with a dragon posture. He was dumbfounded for a

moment. When the young man stopped joking and sat up straight to look

toward him, he felt Wei Shao’s battlefield aura coming to his face. His heart

turned aghast, not daring to look at the man behind the desk. He felt
desperate. Knowing that Wei Shao set up such a chain of traps to frame

him and finally make Le Zheng Gong retreat, he must have guessed that

his strategy of sending troops to help Xing Xun was out of him. He should

hate him to the bone. He was so foolish to fall into his hands, ready to be

executed.

Unexpectedly, Wei Shao got up from behind the desk and went to him,

untied the ropes that bound him with his own hands, and laughed: “I have

wronged Zi Yi to solve my problems. Do you blame me?”

Zhu Zeng raised his eyes and saw Wei Shao smiling, momentarily stunned.

He then looks at the other people in the seat. They were all looking at him,

smiling.

Wei Quan said: “My Lord knows that you have great talent and can’t bear to

see your head cut off by the sword, so he sent troops to rescue you.”

Zhu Zeng was enlightened and convinced, immediately kowtowed, and

said: “I am grateful to the Marquis of Yan. Zhu Zeng willing to join the army,

to serve the Marquis of Yan!”

Wei Shao laughed loudly and ordered someone to get wine for him to drink.

After a few introductions, he asked his soldiers to send Zhu Zeng off.

The rest of the people in the tent withdrew one after another. Finally,

Gongsun Yang was the only one left for questions about Yanzhou.

Xing Xun’s army restrained in this area. When he was at a standstill with

Wei Shao, he ordered Zhou Qun from Ren City, who had attacked Yanzhou

before, to attack Yanzhou again.

Qiao Ping led the army to counterattack and repulsed Zhou Qun. Xing Xun

was upset and sent additional men to launch another attack. Then, the

Green-eyed General sent his troops to assist Yanzhou. After a vicious

battle, not only was Yanzhou saved, but Zhou Qun was also killed in the

chaos. Wei Shao received the news yesterday.

“My Lord does not need to worry much.” The two battles have shown that

Yanzhou has been strengthening its army for the past two or three years

and is no longer weak. They are in the same situation. The weather was

getting better, and the opportunity to fight was at hand.

They talked about the war until it was late at night. Wei Shao himself sent

Gongsun Yang back to his tent. He felt his heart drifting as he returned to

his tent. He turned around, stepping on the creaking snow beneath his feet

as he marched toward the regiment gate. The soldiers outside the regiment

gate saw him coming out and hurriedly saluted.

Wei Shao slightly nodded, untied his cloak, and draped it to a young soldier

of sixteen or seventeen, who still had not yet taken off the childish face.

Wei Shao patted him on the shoulder, then walked out of the regiment gate

and ascended the nearby snow-covered hillock above, engulfed by the

night of the Yellow River Road.

Wei Shao deeply inhaled a breath of cold and fresh air. Then, he slowly

exhaled the foul air in his chest, and finally, his eyes cast to the northern

night sky stood silently for a long time. She should be giving birth soon.

Perhaps he couldn’t accompany her in time for the childbirth. But he would

give this victory as the best gift to her and their child, who will soon come

into the world.

……
Under the envious gaze of his companions, the youth, who received

Marquis’ cloak, suppressed his excitement and gazed longingly at the top

of the hill. To fight for the Marquis, even if the blood stains the yellow sand,

he will not hesitate. The youth said to himself.

T/N: Previously, I translated Zhou Qun as Zhou Army. I was mistaken. Zhou

Qun is the name of a person.

Chapter 137.1

Yanzhou.

This month, an old enemy, Zhou Qun, came twice. The first time, Zhou Qun

attacked alone. The second time, he came with his allied troops. The large

army attacked Yanzhou twice. Qiao Ping led Qiao Ci and a group of

generals to fight against them. On the first encounter, his army defeated

Zhou Qun. Yanzhou soldiers and people had just breathed a sigh of relief,

and Zhou Qun had reorganized his troops to attack again.

This time, Zhou Qun was more powerful and attacked Yanzhou’s gateway,

Juye, with the intention of destroying Yanzhou. At that time, Qiao Yue was
terrified and thought that Yanzhou would never be able to repel the

attackers like last time. He and his advisor, Zhang Pu, suggested they

should go along with the situation and submit to Xing Xun in exchange for

peace.

Xing Xun reigned as emperor last year and established the Jiang Kingdom.

The imperial edict had reached the world’s nine states and ordered the

various vassals. But only a few of them responded. Some were afraid of

the power of obscenity, some still examined the situation, and others had

other plans. Therefore, no one pulled the flag to speak out against it.

However, no one was willing to openly respond to the imperial decree, lest

they take on the reputation of being a rebel. Yanzhou also has the same

response. But the situation developed dramatically and reached this point.

Qiao Yue finally couldn’t bear the pressure and made this decision.

Naturally, there was strong opposition from Qiao Ping.

In Yanzhou, Qiao Ping was now more powerful than ever, and the generals

listened to his orders. Qiao Yue couldn’t argue with him. Qiao Ping told him

he was acquainted with the green-eyed general of Lingbi, who was willing
to lead his troops to help him in the war. Qiao Yue felt doubtful but could

only reluctantly give up.

After several chaotic battles, they defeated Zhou Qun yesterday. Zhou Qun

himself died in the chaotic war. In the short term, Xing Xun will not be able

to launch another attack on Yanzhou. The people of Yanzhou are very

proud of themselves. When it comes to merit, the priority goes to General

Green Eyes.

Yanzhou’s long-time enemy, Zhou Qun, died because the Green Eyes

General intercepted him. If it were not for his help, they wouldn’t win this

battle brilliantly. Yanzhou’s people are all talking about the name of General

Green Eyes and are looking forward to meeting him.

……

On this day, Qiao Ping and his son returned from Juye and rode into the

city, where people welcomed them. But the people were disappointed as

they did not see the green-eyed general accompanying them.

Qiao Yue led people to greet Qiao Ping in front of his residence in triumph.

His face carried a smile. But the smile looked somewhat forced. When Qiao
Yue received Qiao Ping into his house, he asked: “Why the green-eyed

general didn’t come into the city with you today? I’ve heard of him before.

He started as a stranger, and his origins are a bit humble, but as the saying

goes, heroes don’t ask where they come from, so I should thank him

personally for his help.”

Qiao Ping invited Qiao Yue into the study, dismissed his friends and family,

and said, “I want to talk to my brother about this. Honestly, General Green

Eyes is not an outsider. Brother also knows him.”

Qiao Yue did not understand: “Who is he?”

“Bi Zhi.”

Qiao Yue failed to respond and looked puzzled: “Who is Bi Zhi?” He

paused for a moment and then remembered. His eyes suddenly opened

round, showing an unbelievable look: “You mean, the horse slave who

lured my daughter away from home?”

Qiao Ping nodded his head: “Exactly.”

Qiao Yue froze.

“Bi Zhi is outside the city gate at this moment. He wants to see Brother and

apologize for his sins.”

Seeing Qiao Yue’s silence, Qiao Ping advised, “Brother said just now, we

don’t ask the hero where he comes from. They were married without their

parent’s permission, which is improper. But he and my niece love each

other, and there was no choice at that time. I am delighted that my niece

has given birth to a son, a grandson for you. I hope you will accept him and

let go of your past grudges. It will be a blessing for our family and

Yanzhou.”

“How many times has he helped Yanzhou?”

“When Xue Tai attacked Yanzhou, the battle at Juye. Ci’er was in danger,

and he came to the rescue in time. Ci’er was lucky to escape a disaster. At

that time, I did not know that my benefactor was Bi Zhi. When I found out

later, it was inconvenient to tell you, so I did not report to you in time. I hope

you will not blame me.”

Qiao Yue felt distracted for a while. This sudden news made him at a loss

for words. The man he had been thinking about, the horse slave he wanted
to catch and kill, had now returned to him as a benefactor of Yanzhou. In

terms of reason, he knew that Qiao Ping had a point. In a time of turmoil, it

is better to have more assistance. Besides, with his strength today, he is

indeed worth pulling in. But for him to accept such a person who was his

slave as his son-in-law, he felt incomparably aggrieved.

Seeing that Qiao Ping seemed to want to advise him, he shook his hand in

annoyance: “You must be tired. Get some rest first. Let me think about this

matter again.”

Qiao Ping knew this news was a big shock to Qiao Yue, so he didn’t insist

and excused himself.

Once Qiao Ping left, Qiao Yue immediately summoned Zhang Pu and told

him what he had just heard. He frowned and said: “What do you think I

should do? This Bi Zhi, should I recognize him or not?”

Zhang Pu was also surprised, sighing a few times, pondered, and said: “I

wonder if you allow me to say something?”

“Just say it!”

Zhang Pu opened the door and looked around. After confirming no one was

around, he closed the door, then turned back and whispered: “In my

opinion, this Bi Zhi, you should not let him enter Yanzhou!

“What do you mean?”

“You are Yanzhou’s leader and have a high status. But in the past two

years, when one talks about Yanzhou, one only knows the name of Qiao

Ping, the Magistrate of East County. Who mentioned your name? The

people of Yanzhou, in seven or eight out of ten cases, will think of the

Magistrate first when they encounter something. I am worried about you,

Lord, who is kind and generous, values brotherhood, and does not care

about worldly fame. If things continue like this, My Lord can’t keep your

position!”

Qiao Yue’s face was odd, silent.

Chapter 137.2

“I’m not being paranoid, but there are clues to the matter. You should still

remember the lady onetime returned to East County. After she left, the
Magistrate disobeyed your opposition to recruiting soldiers. What does that

mean? In front of the Lord, the Magistrate said he wanted to defend the

county against foreign invasion. But in my opinion, the Magistrate intended

not only to defend against foreign invasion. Now that the effect has begun

to show, the Magistrate introduced Bi Zhi. When I heard your words just

now, it was not difficult to know that the Magistrate has already had some

private dealings with Bi Zhi. Although Bi Zhi is your son-in-law, he is one of

the Magistrate’s men. There is already a magistrate in Yanzhou, and with

another Bi Zhi, what will be your position in the future? You should think

twice.”

Zhang Pu’s words struck a chord in Qiao Yue’s heart.

After hearing this, a cold sweat broke out on his back. “Fortunately, I had

asked you! Otherwise, I was close to leading the wolf into the house! What

you said is correct! Bi Zhi is just a lowly horse slave. How can my Qiao

family tolerate such a son-in-law? My daughter, who has abandoned her

father and ancestors, I’ve long since considered her gone! But … ” He

paused.

“What’s your concern?” Zhang Pu observed the situation from the side.
“I thought that if my niece married Wei Shao, Yanzhou would be able to rely

on her from now on. But Wei Shao cannot even protect himself. How could

he protect Yanzhou? My Qiao family and Xing Xun have always been at

odds. When he became the emperor, Yanzhou was not the only state that

did not respond. He sent Zhou Qun to attack Yanzhou because my family

was related to Wei Shao by marriage. My second brother refused to listen

to me and broke the bond with Xing Xun. Even though he has won two

battles, he couldn’t guarantee that Xing Xun wouldn’t do anything in the

future. If I don’t accept in Bi Zhi, how will Yanzhou be able to survive if Xing

Xun comes again?” He sighed deeply and added, “When I first formed a

marriage with the Wei family, I wanted more support, but now I’m in trouble.

I’m in a dilemma!”

Zhang Pu said, “My Lord is extremely concerned. After Xing Xun became

the emperor, he sent a strong army to conquer Wei Shao. Wei Shao is

already in a disadvantageous position, and now that Xing Xun has gained

the allegiance of Le Zheng Gong, he has added wings to his tiger. Now the

two sides are at war in the Yellow River. The results are unknown, but
anyone with eyes knows that Wei Shao will wane! He is just strenuously

struggling!”

Qiao Yue grew worried and couldn’t sit down anymore. He got up and

walked around the room, sighing.

Zhang Pu looked to the side and suddenly said, “My Lord, no need to be so

anxious. Now there is an opportunity to help you turn the tide.”

Qiao Yue stopped, turned his head, and said, “What kind of opportunity?”

Zhang Pu quickly stepped to the front of the desk and wrote a few letters

with his pen.

Qiao Yue went over and took a look.

“Liu Yan?” He was surprised.

“Exactly!” Zhang Pu nodded. “The former son of Langya, who had received

the grace of the Qiao family, has now ascended the throne. You must’ve

heard of it.”
Qiao Yue frowned. “I naturally know. But what about it? What does it have

to do with me?”

Zhang Pu said, “I’m not going to lie. When Liu Yan lived in East County, I

knew him well. Just a few days ago, he sent a letter to me, asking me to

deliver it to you.” After saying that, under Qiao Yue’s astonished gaze, he

pulled a yellow silk letter from his sleeve and respectfully presented it to

him with both hands.

Qiao Yue hurriedly took it, unfolded and read it. There was a surge of

thoughts that made his fingers slightly trembling.

Zhang Pu talked eloquently, “Xing Xun is notorious, usurped the throne as

emperor, his reputation is improper, the world eventually will attack him. On

the other hand, Liu Yan has all the advantages in the world. He has Wang

Ba, Dong Cheng, Dou Wu, and Deng Xun, all important ministers. This

Yellow River battle will be the momentum. In the future, the nine states will

become two. Xing Xun and Le Zheng Gong accounted for the rebellion,

and Liu Yan led the world as the rightful Han emperor. My Lord, Wei Shao

has offended Xing Xun. Liu Yan, however, is grateful for the saving grace
and has written a letter, holding a high official title, with a vacant position

waiting for him. I say that this is an opportunity. Do you think I am wrong?”

Qiao Yue listened as his eyes gradually emitted a strange light. With hands

behind his back, he excitedly walked into the room several times back and

forth. He suddenly stopped and hesitantly said, “But, my second brother…”

“My Lord, did you forget what I said earlier? Wei Shao is the son-in-law of

the Magistrate. The Magistrate has secretly suppressed you and probably

already intended to replace you. How can you expect the Magistrate to

work with you?”

Qiao Yue’s face was somewhat ugly. After contemplating, he said, “As you

know, the situation is different. If he doesn’t give permission, all my family

members will not listen to me.”

Zhang Pu said, “I have a strategy to offer. My Lord should get rid of Bi Zhi

first. My Lord could decide on this matter. Even if the Magistrate is

unwilling, he cannot refute. After you get rid of Bi Zhi, let your trusted

friends arrest the Magistrate. Declare that he is too sick to govern and take
away his military power, then Yanzhou will return to you. Then, it will be a

matter of time before the Lord has the power to decide.”

Qiao Yue hesitated.

“My Lord! If you are not in charge of the army, you are incompetent!

Haven’t you learned the lesson when you were so merciful and soft that

you lost your position? Wei Shao will lose this battle! Once Xing Xun had

destroyed Wei Shao, the spearhead would be pointed at Yanzhou again.

Yanzhou’s hundred-year foundation will ruin if you hesitate and miss the

opportunity to be protected by Liu Yan! You’re not taking his life. You’re just

restraining him. Why are you hesitant?”

Chapter 137.3

Qiao Yue snorted, gritted his teeth, decided, and nodded: “Let’s do as you

say!”

Zhang Pu was overjoyed and kneeled, “My Lord is wise! Liu Yan is a

brilliant man, and the world belongs to him. If my Lord holds the credit of

supporting him, he will be wealthy and prosper.”

……

On the first day of March, the moon was like an arc.

Within the vast wilderness of Muye, the spring chill was still severe, and the

heavy snow had not completely melted. But between the cracks of the

rocks, the moss has quietly returned to green. The wind echoes in the

wilderness day and night, chanting, and no longer carries a harsh chill. If

one closes one’s eyes, one may smell the taste of spring air. This spring in

Muye, although late, has finally arrived.

Just a few days after Le Zheng Gong retreated, Xing Xun, who had been

confronting Wei Shao for several months, couldn’t delay any longer. At this

dawn, his troops were divided into three lines to attack the enemy camp

along the Yellow River.

Wei Shao’s army, equipped with armor, had been standing by. The bull’s

horn emitted a low and trembling long sound. A great battle, destined to

bleed the floating hill, kicked off. The battle lasted for three days,

intermittently.
More than a thousand years ago, in this piece of land called Muye, a war

that made heaven and earth lose color while the sun and moon had no light

occurred. After that war, someone formed eight hundred years of prosperity

and won a brilliant reputation. But, people are leaving behind stains on the

history books disgracefully. The war souls buried underground for over a

thousand years seem to be awakened again by blood and swords,

moaning, hailing, and breaking out of the dark world. The dragon fought in

the wild, and its blood was yellow. The wind and clouds cried angrily, and

the gods and ghosts wept in grief. Soldiers fought with long spears and

drank blood. Their only thought that exists was to drive the rolling chariot,

wrapped in blood, holding the sword and spear in their palm, following the

flag ahead.

Kill, kill, kill!

……

Le Zheng Gong led the army, crossed the frozen Yellow River by the boat

bridge, and then marched day and night, wishing he could have wings on

his ribs to rush back to Liangzhou.

On this day, he finally arrived at Huashan. But he gradually felt something

was wrong. He did not see any traces of the army marching along the way.

When he asks the people in the villages and towns, they do not know about

the troops that recently passed by.

Le Zheng Gong hesitated. At this time, his scouts finally returned and

passed another message from his eldest son, Le Zheng Kai. After the

investigation, it turned out it was only a false alarm. Yang Xin and Guo

Quan only led 5,000 men and horses, bluffing and pretending to attack. A

few days ago, he led the army to repulse them and let his Father focus on

attacking Wei Shao.

Le Zheng Gong was stunned. He turned around and immediately ordered

someone to summon Rong Yan. However, Rong Yan was no longer in the

area.

Le Zheng Gong finally realized they had tricked him. He immediately

ordered them to turn around and rush back to Muye. But it was too late.
Three days later, halfway to the Yellow River, he received the news that

made his heart aching: on the first day of March, Wei Shao defeated Xing

Xun in Muye.

……

At the end of last year, when Xing Xun crossed the Yellow River to start the

Northern Expedition, he led 500,000 men and horses. At the battle of

Muye, those soldiers burned into ashes. When he fled back to Luoyang, the

remnants of his army were less than 100,000. The rest of his men either

died, wounded, scattered, or surrendered.

Wei Shao had won. Not only did he win against Emperor Jiang, but he also

won against Le Zheng Gong.

Le Zheng Gong sat on the back of a yellow horse, with his eyes wide open,

looking at Muye in the north of the Yellow River without uttering a word for a

long time. It was as if he had frozen into a stone statue.

His son, Le Zheng Jun, and a group of generals knelt before his horse,

anxious.
Le Zheng Jun had never seen such a strange expression on his Father’s

face. He seemed to be sad, angry, crying, and laughing. In the past, even if

he had suffered a great defeat, he never became like this, terrifying.

“Father…” He called out hesitantly.

Le Zheng Gong finally came back to his senses. He withdrew his gaze.

“Return to Hanzhong.” He gave an order calmly. Then he turned his horse’s

head and slowly let it go towards the front. After walking out a few steps, he

vomited a mouthful of blood, fell from the horse, and fainted on the spot.

……

Yuyang’s spring, the breeze was pleasant, the grass was long, and the

birds were flying. Everything was thriving.

Early in the morning, when the first sunrise shone into the window, a crisp

crying sound of a baby falling to the ground, Xiao Qiao gave birth

successfully.

……
Last November, Wei Shao led troops to the Yellow River. Soon after Xiao

Qiao’s fetus had stabilized, she returned to Yuyang safely.

During her pregnancy, she learned one after another about Wei Shao’s

battle along the Yellow River. Mrs. Xu never hid anything because she was

pregnant, whether the news was good or bad.

Since her man has fated to become extraordinary, she should be ready to

bear the consequences, good or bad, as his wife. Although Mrs. Xu had not

said so to her, Xiao Qiao understood this.

It should be the wisdom the old madam gained from her half-life

experience. For this, Xiao Qiao was also grateful. Because she also

wanted to know.

With the child in her womb, she felt like she accompanied Wei Shao

through this long war together. From the disadvantage at the beginning and

then turning the tables, finally, the soldiers will reach Luoyang.

After conquering Luoyang, Wei Shao will be able to return home. When he

returns, their daughter will welcome him.

……

Mrs. Xu carefully took the tiny soft body wrapped in swaddling clothes from

the midwife’s hands. She gazed longingly at the baby’s face.

Although she had just come out from her mother’s body, she already had

long eyelashes, dark hair, and skin that glowed under the sunlight.

“What a lovely, beautiful child!” Mrs. Xu hugged her and whispered joyfully,

her voice flowing joyfully.

“In the ancient Huo Mountain lived a spiritual beast named Fei Fei. If we

raise it, it can eliminate grief. This child will be called Fei Fei.” Mrs. Xu

smiled at Xiao Qiao and said.

Chapter 138.1

Luoyang City’s Peigu Gate, Xiyong Gate, Nanping City Gate, and

Dongzhong Gate, the four city gates, had been surrounded by Wei Shao’s

army. The remnants of Xing Xun’s army in the city were still making their

last stand.

……
After the victory in Muye, Wei Shao listened to Gongsun Yang and others

and decided to take advantage of the victory to kill Xing Xun and take

Luoyang completely.

Xing Xun led the remaining 100,000 defeated troops. On their way back to

Luoyang, he set up two lines of defense at Hujuan Pass and Mount Mang.

However, how could a defeated army stand up to Wei Shao’s fierce army?

During the journey, as if destroying the world and breaking through the

waves, Wei Shao’s army drove straight over Mount Mang, crossing the

rivers and launching the final battle against Luoyang city in only a half

month, hardly encountering any serious opposition.

……

Jade Hall. At the back of the northern palace.

Old Su came stumbling in from outside the hall.

“How is it?” Su E Huang hurriedly asked her. Her heart sank when she saw

Old Su’s dispirited face. However, she still held on to the last trace of hope.
“It’s not good! The guards say that the Nanping city gate has broken, and

Wei Shao’s army will soon reach the palace-”

Su E Huang’s face suddenly changed: “So soon? Where is Ding Qu? Did

he come?”

Old Su shook her head in panic: “There is chaos everywhere. This servant

did not see General Ding–”

Su E Huang pushed Old Su away, calling the guards. While hurrying to the

outside, her skirt stuck on the side of the black-lacquered dressing table,

making a crisp cracking sound. The large bronze mirror standing on the

dressing table shook, then tipped forward and fell, hitting a jewelry box on

the table.

The box fell to the ground. Gold and jade, pearls, onyx, cat’s eye, and

others shattered. Various colored stones scattered out, rolling all over the

floor.

Su E Huang gritted her teeth, fiercely ripped off the skirt, stepped on the

ground full of gems, and ran towards the front. She only took a few steps
when she heard the harsh screams of the palace maids from outside the

hall. She stopped abruptly.

Xing Xun barged in and appeared in front of her. He was wearing a dragon

robe, but blood stained the corners of his robe.

The coronet on top of his head was crooked to the side, wobbling as he

walked, which added some funniness to his distorted face. He held a long

sword in his hand. Blood shaded the edge of his sword, dripping

downward.

“You bitch! Harm me to this point!” Xing Xun gnashed his teeth and forced

himself towards Su E Huang.

Su E Huang slowly stepped back. “Your Majesty, don’t–”

Old Su shouted and pounced on him, pulling the corner of his robe. Xing

Xun kicked her away and stabbed her to death. Then, he chased Su E

Huang after withdrawing his sword.

Su E Huang turned around and ran around the hall. Xing Xun chased after

her with his sword and ran around the pillars.

Xing Xun was fat and exhausted a lot of his energy to killing palace maids

along the way, and these years he was addicted to alcohol and sex. Thus,

Su E Huang could dodge his chasing even after a few rounds.

Xing Xun was panting, growing more and more furious. He threw his sword

at Su E Huang. The sword flew past Su E Huang’s ear and nailed to the

pillar beside her before it trembled a few times, then fell to the ground.

Xing Xun rushed forward, grasped Su E Huang’s neck with both hands and

gritted his teeth while shaking her head hard.

“Bitch! If I hadn’t listened to you in the first place, why would I be in this

situation today? Why did you harm me so much?”

Su E Huang struggled desperately, kicking her legs. But with iron pliers

squeezing her neck, how could she break free?

Her face was bluish, slowly out of breath, and her eyes turned white. With a

“ding” sound, the butterfly mask on her face fell to the ground, revealing her

deformed face.
The wound on her nose decayed because the days were hot when she got

her punishment. Now the wound is healed but left an uneven ugly purple

scar, crawling in the side of the nasal bridge.

This woman had a delicate and charming face, with half of it usually

covered by a butterfly mask. Unexpectedly under the butterfly mask, it was

creepy.

Xing Xun was stunned, staring dead at her mutilated face. The hands that

grasped the neck slowly relaxed.

A moment later, as if he understood something, he again became furious

and viciously slapped Su E Huang.

“Bitch! Your ghostly face must have come from Wei Shao’s hand! You hate

him to the bone, so you bewitch me with your lies?”

He was an invincible lord of the world, but an ugly, ghost-like woman

deceived him. A hammer seems to be pounding from inside as if it wants to

come out of its shell. Even if he broke her into pieces, he could not release

the hatred in his heart at this moment.

With a roar of anger, he opened his eyes and wanted to break her neck.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain, and his body immediately stiffened. The

corners of his mouth became crooked, and his hand began to shake. With

the last strength of his body, he wanted to break this smooth neck, but

suddenly his heart was cold.

There was an extra dagger in her hand. The sharp tip pierced his

emperor’s robe and the flesh, deep into the heart. Xing Xun’s body kept

shaking, his eyes still looked at Su E Huang angrily, and his mouth

released a weird sound.

Su E Huang panted heavily and pushed the hand on her neck. She pulled

out the dagger, stabbed it deeper then stirred it around. Xing Xun fell to the

ground with a bang.

Su E Huang’s face was as white as a ghost, covering her throat. Painfully

coughing a few times, and crawled up from the ground. She saw Xing Xun

staring at her unwillingly, and she sneered: “I thought you were great. I

thought you could achieve something. That’s why I bear the humiliation and

serve your fat body, but you’re incompetent! You can go in peace! Honestly,

I have left a way out. I convinced Ding Qu. He is devoted to me and has
prepared to escape from the city. You’re not thinking about your own

missteps, but you want to drag me along with you? In your dream!”

She spat at Xing Xun’s fat body on the ground, then pulled out the corner of

her skirt, which stuck under him firmly.

Outside the hall came a rush of footsteps.

Chapter 138.2

The maid Su E Huang sent to wait for Ding Qu came hurriedly.

“Madam! General Ding has sent someone to ask you to go to Mau Long

Gate and wait…”

Before she could finish her sentence, she ran into Su E Huang’s mutilated

face. Her eyes opened wide as if she had seen a terrible ghost, screaming

“Ah” and turning her head to run out.

Su E Huang subconsciously touched her face and immediately chased

after her.
The maid heard the footsteps, turned her head in fear, and saw Su E

Huang holding the blood-stained dagger in her hand. Su E Huang’s gaze

was gloomy, and her face was like a severe ghost. The maid’s legs

trembled in fear. She could not run anymore. Her knees went weak, fell to

the ground, crying and begging for mercy: “Spare me! I am loyal to Madam!

I didn’t see anything! I promise I won’t say anything…”

Su E Huang stabbed the maid to death with no expression on her face. She

picked up the mask, put it back to cover her face, and hurriedly ran towards

the Mao Long Gate.

The palace, which used to be full of singing and dancing, fell into chaos

today.

The palace maids ran in all directions while the guards took advantage of

the situation to rob the palace.

With the last few followers left, Su E Huang ran to the North Palace’s Mao

Long Gate in one breath.

The place was empty, and no one waited for her as expected.
In her ears, she vaguely seemed to hear the shouts of Wei Shao’s soldiers

entering the Zhuque Palace Gate.

She became agitated and couldn’t stop walking back and forth on the Mao

Long Gate’s stairs, cursing. The golden beaded hairpins in her temples

constantly trembled with her hurried steps.

“No more waiting, let’s go by ourselves–”

She gritted her teeth, stopped her footsteps, took her followers, and turned

around to flee toward the Mao Long Garden when suddenly there was a

chaotic sound of footsteps behind her.

When she turned around, she saw Ding Qu leading a group of followers

hurrying toward her.

Su E Huang was overjoyed, called “General Ding,” and ran over with her

skirt.

……
Ding Qu has long known the name of Madam Yulou. After joining Xing

Xun’s side, he could see her face in person on one of the palace banquets.

His heart secretly made a comparison.

Although she was far less beautiful than Wei Shao’s wife, she had a unique

style. The butterfly mask over her face made her mysterious. Hearing that

she was Xing Xun’s most favored woman in the Lotus Terrace, he inevitably

had some thoughts. Without Xing Xun’s knowing, Ding Qu soon became

the subject under Su E Huang’s skirt and was devoted to her.

Today, when the city collapsed, he came back in the chaos and saw her

waiting at the Mao Long Gate, so he hurriedly welcomed her and said,

“Madam, come with me! I know there is a passageway from the west gate. I

may be able to fight to find a way out. I will protect you…”

Before his words finished, the yellow-gold butterfly mask on Su E Huang’s

face abruptly fell to the ground when she was running.

Under the beautiful butterfly mask, it was a mutilated face.

Under the dazzling sunlight at noon, everything was clear.

Ding Qu stopped in his tracks in horror. His eyes glared like copper bells.

Su E Huang suddenly felt a chill on her face, looked up, and saw Ding Qu

and his entourage instantly open their eyes wide. She realized she had not

worn her mask correctly, so it fell off in the run. She was shocked,

subconsciously screamed, and covered her face with her sleeve.

“General Ding! Don’t be afraid! I was not like this before! I was a beautiful

woman. Everyone in Luoyang knows my name as Madam Yulou! It’s all

because of Wei Shao! He made me like this! If you take me out of here, I

will help you take over the world!”

Ding Qu stared at her face and could not believe his eyes. It finally dawned

on him why she had never allowed him to spend the night with her. As if

swallowing a fly, his face showed a heavy disgust and contempt, turned

and ran away.

Su E Huang was shocked and immediately chased after him, pulling him by

the sleeve from behind.

“General Ding, I was born with an extremely noble destiny. The

fortune-teller said my destiny is very noble! You have to believe me–”

“Tear” sound.

Ding Qu drew his sword to cut off his sleeve, which she had tugged, and

went away without looking back.

Su E Huang’s followers stared at her face in horror, slowly backed up,

looked at each other, suddenly turned around, and each fled for their lives.

Su E Huang fell to the ground with a pale face. Her fingers clutched Ding

Qu’s cut sleeve, shaking uncontrollably, and shouted: “General Ding, stay!

You know the old thief Xing Xun’s treasures can exceed a country’s wealth!

The gold and silver hidden in the Lotus Terrace is just a hair on his head! I

asked him where he hid the other treasure while he was drunk! If you take

me out of this place, I will repay you with the treasure!”

Ding Qu hesitated, stopped, and slowly turned back: “Are you telling the

truth?”

Although Su E Huang’s face was still pale, she slowly regained her

composure, bending down to pick up the butterfly mask that fell off, put it

back on, and said: “Xing Xun, that old thief used to favor me. Others do not

know, but don’t you know? What’s difficult for me to ask him where he hid
his treasure? If you want to go, go! I will not force you! Lotus Terrace

treasure, from today, belongs to Wei Shao! It’s a pity, the other treasure

buried with me!”

Ding Qu was partially convinced and saw Su E Huang turn around and

leave proudly.

He could not help but waver.

These years, Xing Xun scoured the world’s wealth and had them hidden in

various places. Among them was hidden in Lotus Terrace, which the world

knows.

At this moment, after listening to Su girl’s words, he immediately moved.

Although this ghost-faced ugly woman was hateful and disgusting and had

cheated him to such an extent, he already arrived here. Furthermore, there

was a hidden treasure, so it was better to believe her again. After escaping,

if she has lied to him, it is not too late to kill her.

With greedy thoughts, he immediately changed his face and said: “Madam,

stay! Come with me! If it’s too late, we won’t be able to escape!”
……

The people of Luoyang, who had closed their doors and guarded their

homes, survived a long day with fear.

The sounds of fighting and killing coming from the direction of the city gates

finally thinned out and stopped, changing into the sound of a neat and low

marching pace coming from the main road of Ping City leading to the

palace.

The curfew was imposed in Luoyang that night, and punishment came

upon those who left their homes without permission. When the people

stayed home, they saw a fire rising from the eastern suburbs outside the

city. The fire blazed and burned throughout the night, lighting up the night

sky of half of the eastern suburbs of Luoyang.

The next day, the news had spread.

Wei Shao, the Marquis of Yan from Youzhou, had seized Luoyang. After six

months of being the emperor of Jiang’s Kingdom, Xing Xun died.

Wei Shao’s entire army stayed outside the four gates. Last night, he sent

only two thousand soldiers and horses into the city to control the palace

and the three government offices.

Luoyang Magistrate issued a peace bulletin early this morning, saying that

the Marquis of Yan ordered that soldiers were unallowed to disturb the

citizens. The people finally let out a long sigh of relief.

Immediately after, another news was circulating wildly in the community.

Rumor has it that the wife of the Marquis of Yan, Qiao’s daughter, was

beautiful and charming. Xing Xun once said he would take Qiao’s daughter

and keep her in Lotus Terrace. After the Marquis of Yan conquered

Luoyang, the first thing he did last night was burn down the Lotus Terrace.

Last night’s fire that lit up the night sky of half of Luoyang’s eastern suburbs

was the fire that burned Lotus Terrace to the ground.

Chapter 139.1

From the end of last year, this battle for supremacy in the Yellow River

region between Wei Shao and Xing Xun became the attention of the

world’s lords.
Spies traveled east to west, north to south, sending the latest news to the

lords as quickly as possible.

Qiao Ping was more concerned about the battle than anyone else. He had

never heard Wei Shao call him ‘father-in-law’ even though his daughter had

been married to him for so long. All of Qiao Ping’s impressions of his

son-in-law are still only relying on the words of others. But from the bottom

of his heart, he had unconsciously started to feel affection for the son-in-law

whom he had never met. In several correspondences with his daughter,

when she mentioned this man, her tone was slowly no longer like before,

merely a vague name. Her emotions mixed in between her lines of words.

Qiao Ping was an excellent scholar and military man. Except for military

affairs, he was a great scholar and loved his daughter genuinely. His heart

was much more sensitive than the average father’s. Even if his daughter

did not explicitly say it, he could feel she should have agreed that this man

had become her husband. Not to mention that now, she was about to have

a child. He naturally paid close attention to the changes in the war.

He sent scouts, which sent the latest news about the war to the East

County every few days. There was never any delay.

But after he finished the battle at Juye and returned to the East County, the

latest news was still the same as half a month ago; because of bad

weather, Wei Shao and the allied forces of Xing Xun and Le Zheng Gong

continued to confront each other at the Yellow River. Wei Shao was at a

disadvantage.

Both this news and the matter of the late return of the scouts made Qiao

Ping feel uneasy. He sent out new scouts.

While anxiously waiting for the latest news this day, they were celebrating

Qiao Yue’s birthday and the triumph of Qiao Ping’s father and son.

The Qiao family generals and soldiers gathered at the banquet hall tonight.

During the banquet, people were so excited that before it was over, some

people were sent out drunk one after another.

All the people in the room were cheerful except Qiao Ci. He drank sullenly

and remained silent. Zhang Pu smiled and said: “We are happy to win the

battle. Moreover, it is Lord’s birthday. We should not return tonight without

getting drunk, but why is young master depressed?”

Qiao Ci ignored him.

Zhang Pu saw the crowd looking at him, slightly embarrassed, pretending

nothing had happened, and laughed again: “I have good news. I guarantee

that young master will be happy to hear it.”

Coughing, he cleared his throat and said, “Wang Ba, the Marquis of Zuodu,

is an important minister from the Han family. His family has a beautiful

daughter who is at the age of maturity. The Marquis of Zuodu heard that

you are young and heroic, interested in betrothing his daughter ……”

The hall gradually quieted down. But his words have not yet finished, only

to hear a “pop,” Qiao Ci slammed the wine bottle in his hand on the desk,

sneering: “Who are you? Although my mother is dead, my father is alive.

When do I need you to decide my marriage for me?”

The hall was suddenly silent.

Zhang Pu snapped, his eyes turned to Qiao Yue.

Qiao Yue’s face sank slightly: “Ci’er is rude! How can you talk like that?

That is my intention. You have reached the age of marriage and are the

only heir of my Qiao family. It is time to consider the matter of marriage!”

Qiao Ping said, “I accept your kindness on behalf of Ci’er. I am afraid that

Ci’er may not be able to climb high. We can’t accept the kindness of the

Marquis of Zuodu. Tonight is a rare gathering. It is not appropriate to

discuss this matter here. We should drink our wine!”

Qiao Ping knew when he was fighting Zhou Qun, Liu Yan was crowned

emperor by a group of old Han ministers in Langya, titled Zhengguang. As

the rightful Han emperor, he ordered all the lords to attend to the king and

attack the rebellious court in Luoyang to restore the Han dynasty.

At that time, Wang Ba, Dong Cheng, Dou Wu, Deng Xun, and others ran to

name their voices. Hearing the news of Wang Ba’s intention to connect with

marriage, Qiao Ping was stunned and subconsciously refused.

Qiao Yue looked disappointed and wanted to speak again. Qiao Ci

suddenly got up and said straightforwardly: “Uncle, my marriage is not

urgent. It is not too late to discuss it later. I need to ask you. General Green

Eyes has helped our Yanzhou. No need to mention the past, but Yanzhou

has received attacks twice this time. We would not know what would

happen to Yanzhou today if it were not for General Green Eyes. But why is

Uncle not willing to see and accept him? I don’t understand.”

Juye’s battle was fierce, and Zhou Qun died because of General Green

Eyes’s strategy, which convinced all the Qiao family members.

Unexpectedly Qiao Yue did not accept him. They did not dare to speak out

because of Qiao Yue’s position, but they were somewhat puzzled.

At this time, Qiao Ci suddenly spoke out, seemingly speaking out of his

heart. The crowd turned their attention to Qiao Yue.

Qiao Yue still had a sullen face and did not make a sound.

Zhang Pu said: “How can you be so disrespectful to the Lord? Bi Zhi was

just a runaway slave of the Qiao family. Lord does not punish him is already

merciful. Won’t we become a laughing stock if we accept him again?”

“I only know that the times create heroes! The time has come to accept

such heroes, but instead of accepting them, we are pushing them away

based on their origin! No wonder Yanzhou has fallen to this state and has

to rely on sending women to others to save their noses!” Qiao Ci laughed

coldly.

The moment these words came out, the atmosphere suddenly froze.

Qiao Yue’s face changed.

“How dare you! The older you get, the more disrespectful you are! How

dare you blatantly challenge me for a horse slave!”

Qiao Yue was so angry that he struck his palm on the face of the desk and

shouted sternly.

Qiao Ping was helpless about his eldest brother’s insistence on not

accepting Bi Zhi as his son-in-law. He could only slowly persuade him

again.

Qiao Ping knew that his son had just sent Bi Zhi away and was in a

depressed mood, so he spoke out against Qiao Yue, but he could not bear

to scold him. He said, “Ci’er is drunk. Withdrew!”

Qiao Ci stared fiercely at Zhang Pu, got up from the seat, turned around,

and walked out of the banquet hall.

Qiao Ping said, “Please don’t blame him, elder brother. Ci’er has received

kindness from General Green Eyes. General Green Eyes helped Yanzhou

to solve its difficulties, yet he couldn’t even enter the gates of East County.

He drank some wine just now, so I think he was upset, and that’s why he

caused trouble. I’ll talk to him when I get back.”

Chapter 139.2

Qiao Yue’s face was still gloomy.

Seeing this, all the generals knew they couldn’t continue this banquet

anymore. They were almost drunk, so they got up by two or three, holding

each other out, and dispersed without notice.

The only people left in the hall were Qiao Yue, Qiao Ping, and Zhang Pu.

Zhang Pu coughed and threw a wink at Qiao Yue.

Qiao Yue finally forced a smile and said, “Fine. As an elder, how can I still

be ignorant like Ci’er?”

Qiao Ping thanked him.

Thinking of his son’s angry departure, he was worried and said, “It’s late.

Elder Brother has drunk a lot of wine, so why don’t we rest early?”

Qiao Yue said: “Second brother, wait. You’ve been busy, and it’s been a

long time since you and I have had the time to sit down and drink like we

did tonight. I wanted to take this opportunity to toast you.”

Zhang Pu picked up a wine jug on his table, filled a cup for Qiao Ping, and

offered it with both hands.

Qiao Yue raised his glass and said, “The battle of Juye was a great victory

for Yanzhou, thanks to the work of my second brother. I want to offer you a

toast.”

Qiao Ping was stunned, but he took it and drank the wine in his cup.

Zhang Pu filled his cup again.

“I am aware of my mediocrity. These years, Yanzhou has today’s situation,

all thanks to the hard work of the second brother. I am grateful but also feel

embarrassed. Cheers!”

Although there are often arguments because of different views, at this

moment, when Qiao Ping saw his eldest brother’s words were sincere and

remembered their painstaking efforts all these years that finally had results,

his heart felt a lot of emotion, bowed and said: “Brother, please do not

praise me. What could I have done with my strength if it were not for your

tolerance? I’m the one who should toast to my elder brother.” After saying

this, he drank again.

Qiao Yue seemed touched, raised a third glass of wine, and said, “Very

good. From now on, if you and I are of one mind, we can accomplish

anything!”

Qiao Ping nodded his head and again drank the wine in his cup.

After three cups, Qiao Ping was about to leave, but Qiao Yue said: “Wait a

little longer. I have one more thing to say to the second brother.”

“Please speak, elder brother.”

“I have decided to support the emperor of Han and sever the ties with the

traitor Xing Xun!”

Qiao Ping was astonished: “Liu Yan? Why didn’t you say anything about

this?”

Qiao Yue said slowly, “What do you mean by that? Do I have to ask for your

permission to do something?”

Qiao Ping felt uneasy, and the wine he had just drunk suddenly seemed to

be rolling around in his belly, burning his heart and lungs. His forehead and

back were hot and sweaty in a flash.

“I don’t mean that! I think it’s right to sever the ties with Xing Xun, but

please think twice about joining Liu Yan! The situation in the world is not yet

clear. Yanzhou can protect itself for now. I suggest to wait and see. Not join

Langya.”

Qiao Yue snorted: “Second brother, do you think I do not know what you

think in your heart? You still want to lean on Wei Shao to get a share of his

pie in the future. I advise you, do not hope for anything else! Now that Xing

Xun and Le Zheng Gong’s allied forces restrain Wei Shao in the Yellow

River, he hardly protects himself. You expect him to protect my Qiao family

in the future? Liu Yan is the rightful Han emperor, and the world supports

him. Even Yuan Zhe openly supports him! Our Qiao family was loyal and

virtuous. We have protected people here for many generations. Now we

follow the situation to support Liu Yan. How is this a rash move?”

Qiao Ping suddenly felt tightness in his chest, and his vision turned dark.

Trying to calm his mind, he said, “Brother, has it ever occurred to you that

our Qiao family is related to the Wei family by marriage? Wei Shao is in a

difficult situation, and I should have sent troops to help. Even if we’re not,
there should not be any rash action at this time! Your decision is like

throwing a stone into a well. Where do you want to put my daughter?”

Qiao Yue said coldly: “Second brother, you are saying that you want to tie

my Yanzhou and Qiao family’s life and death to Wei Shao? Wei Shao’s life

is now in danger, and even if he escapes this disaster, there are only two

ways out. Either worship Liu Yan as emperor or stand on his own. If he

worships Liu Yan as emperor, my decision today coincides with his, so why

don’t you nod your head? If he establishes himself as a great emperor,

what is the difference between him and the traitor Xing Xun? If he became

convicted of treason, our family would be affected. How would I face my

ancestors? As for my niece, at that time, she was forced to marry the Wei

family because of the situation, and you were also full of reluctance. Then,

it is not too late to mend the fold. In my opinion, why not take the

opportunity to bring her back so that the two families are completely

separated and save you from being involved in the future!”

Qiao Ping couldn’t hold back and became furious: “I can’t obey your words!

Since you have said it to this point, I will say it straight! You decided to join

Liu Yan because you were certain Wei Shao would lose this battle. You
were afraid Liu Yan condemned you, so you were eager to clear your

name. The marriage between the Qiao and Wei families was your intention.

Now, due to the slightest hint of trouble, you want to renege on your

promise! What is the difference between such behavior with the grass on

the wall (*)?”

(*)T/N: 墨头草, Chinese vocabulary, contemporary words, pinyin

pronounced as qiáng tóu cǎo, a metaphor for a person who is good at

changing positions according to the situation.

Qiao Yue got furious: “How dare you talk to me like that? Do you still see

me as your brother? Don’t forget that I am the head of the Qiao family and

the governor of Yanzhou!”

Qiao Ping said, “I also know that if brothers fight against each other, a great

disaster will come. But this is not something I would agree to! I advise you

not to underestimate Wei Shao. Even if he is at a disadvantage now, he

may not necessarily lose the battle at the Yellow River! The scouts I sent

out earlier have not been able to return, and the information we know now

is only half a month old. The battle is changing rapidly, and the actual

situation is still unknown. I am still waiting for news. I advise you, might as
well have more patience, don’t do something stupid that makes the enemy

happy and harm the relatives!”

Qiao Yue looked gloomy.

“Wei Shao’s troops are already inferior to Xing Xun. With support from Le

Zheng Gong, he suffered defeats at Gaotang. Hence, he retreated to Muye.

The Allied forces would have destroyed him if not for the cold weather. How

can he have the opportunity to turn defeat into victory? I have no children,

and I treat Ci’er as if he were my son. Did I do this for my own sake? It’s for

Yanzhou! You don’t have to say anymore. I’ll tell you the truth. I’ve already

submitted the letter to Langya! You can’t say anything more about this

matter!”

Qiao Ping suddenly felt tightness in his chest. His vision blurred, and feel

countless needles stabbing his eyes. Alarmed that something was wrong,

he sternly shouted: “You drugged my wine -” His eyes suddenly couldn’t

longer see things.

Furious, Qiao Ping overturned the table in front of him. With the remaining

impression of the position, he drew his sword and stabbed Zhang Pu. The

blade slashed Zhang Pu’s shoulder. He screamed and fell to the ground.

Qiao Ping waved his sword again to kill him, but the drug was kicking in.

The long sword shook and fell to the ground, accompanied by the owner.

With the last bit of consciousness that remained, he gritted his teeth and

hissed: “Brother, Yanzhou might be ruined by your hand…”

Qiao Yue was trembling and watched as Qiao Ping gradually stopped

struggling on the ground. He ran up to him to check his nostrils and was

relieved to see that he had only passed out. Then he turned around and

shouted: “What medicine did you put in the wine? Why can’t he see with his

eyes?”

Chapter 139.3

Zhang Pu was stabbed in the shoulder, fell to the ground, covered the

bleeding place with one hand, and felt panic and confusion.
The drug in the wine was from Liu Fan, who said that it was colorless and

odorless. Even though it was several times stronger than the ordinary one,

he put some more because he was afraid it would not affect Qiao Ping.

As expected, Qiao Ping collapsed at this moment. Zhang Pu held back the

pain in his shoulder and said, “Lord, don’t panic. It must be because the

magistrate’s anger attacked his heart. That’s why he couldn’t see anything

for a while. After a few days, he will slowly recover. Your immediate task is

to control him. Tomorrow morning, in the name of the Lord and the

magistrate, you must inform the family generals. Then wait for the presence

of His Majesty to help you control the situation. Who will dare to disobey

the Han Emperor when he comes?”

Qiao Yue reluctantly calmed down and said, “How is Ci’er’s side? Just

restrain him, do not harm him!”

Zhang Pu nodded: “My Lord, I have arranged it. It will be all right.”

……

Qiao Ci angrily left the hall. Under the wind blowing outside, when he

thought of his eldest brother-in-law not being accepted by his uncle, the
second brother-in-law’s battle with the Yellow River, and his inferior

strength, he felt depressed. As the wine surged up, he went back and fell

asleep.

The next day when he woke up, he was locked in his room. The guards

said that the magistrate ordered them to guard here and asked the young

master to reflect on his mistake in the room.

Qiao Ci did not think much of it at first. Last night he did confront Qiao Yue

in public, which is an offense and a great unfilially. It is normal for his father

to be unhappy and ask him to reflect. But soon, he became suspicious.

There were over a dozen guards guarding all the doors and windows. It’s

not like they were watching him having meditation. But it’s more like they

guarded a prisoner. And all of them are people from his uncle’s side.

The more Qiao Ci thought, the more suspicious he became. He

immediately went out but was stopped by the guards. If he wanted to force

his way out, hundreds of guards would come out from the shadows and

trap him to death.

Qiao Ci was furious and fought to break through the gate, rushing to the

courtyard, but was caught and locked up again in the jail.

Once locked up, it was for three days. On the fourth day, Mrs. Ding brought

a food box to see Qiao Ci.

The deputy general that watched Qiao Ci was Chen Shao, Qiao Yue’s

confidant. At first, he refused to let anyone in, saying that he was under the

order of the Lord and that no one could enter or leave. Before he finished

his sentence, Mrs. Ding swore at his face and said, “I don’t care what that

old thing said. I’m bringing some food to my nephew, and you dare to stop

me? If you want to kill, then kill me. Otherwise, I will enter this door for

sure!” After saying that, she walked forward.

The guards did not dare to stop her and watched Mrs. Ding enter. Chen

Shao had no choice but to go after her and ask to see the food box.

Mrs. Ding uncovered the lid with her hands.

While Chen Shao checked the box, Mrs. Ding said coldly: “General Chen,

do you want to check my body too?”

Chen Shao said, “I don’t dare!”

After some hesitation, he thought Mrs. Ding had always been weak and

careless. She raised Young Master as her own son and must be worried

about him. He felt that nothing would happen if he let her in.

He ordered the guards to make way.

Mrs. Ding sneered, took the food box, and went ahead.

Chen Shao ordered people to watch the jail while secretly sending

someone to tell Qiao Yue.

Once Mrs. Ding came in, Qiao Ci jumped on her and asked anxiously,

“Aunt, what happened? How is my father? Why did Uncle lock me up–”

“Bah! That old bastard! Don’t you ever call him uncle again!”

Mrs. Ding cursed with hatred. She grabbed Qiao Ci’s arm and looked him

up and down. Seeing that he was not seriously hurt, she sighed with relief

and said, “I am not permitted to meet your father. I do not know the details,

but that old thing must lock him up!”

Qiao Ci was furious and turned to rush out again, but when he reached the

door, he stopped and slowly turned around.

“Aunt, what happened in the past few days? Tell me!”

Mrs. Ding sighed, “That old man listened to Zhang Pu and joined Liu Yan!

That Liu Yan is at home today!”

Qiao Ci was stunned.

……

Yesterday, Qiao Yue welcomed Liu Yan into Yanzhou. He summoned his

family’s soldiers to worship him as a ruler. Then he said, having agreed with

Qiao Ping, Yanzhou would serve Liu Yan as the Han emperor.

However, because of the suddenness of the matter, everyone was

surprised. Furthermore, everyone had not seen Qiao Ping for two days, so

they were suspicious.

Liu Yan risked his life to save the young emperor from the tiger’s mouth

and flee from Luoyang. But on the way, the young emperor died of an

illness. Everyone knows this story. Now that he has arrived in Yanzhou, the
family head, Qiao Yue claimed to be a minister of the Han Dynasty. If they

question this, they will be considered traitors. In the end, everyone followed

Qiao Yue and performed the salute to Liu Yan.

……

“Aunt doesn’t know what the world is about, but I know that old man

listened to Zhang Pu and joined Liu Yan! Liu Yan took over Yanzhou and

replaced the generals who used to obey your father last night. Don’t be

impulsive! Wait until you can escape from here and tell your brother-in-law

to come to your father’s rescue! Otherwise, if you delay any longer,

something will happen to your father!”

Qiao Ci squeezed his fists and bone knuckles. He panting violently, barely

controlling his emotions. Finally, he nodded and said: “Thank you, Aunt, for

telling me. I have understood. Aunt, please leave quickly, lest they blame

you.”

Mrs. Ding said, “That old thing is heartless and unrighteous. He does not

recognize my daughter and son-in-law, and I do not take him as my

husband, so what blame do I fear from him? There are hundreds of guards
and barriers outside. You couldn’t escape alone. Hold me hostage and kill

your way.”

Qiao Ci immediately refused: “How can I endanger you?”

Mrs. Ding shook her head, lovingly stroked Qiao Ci’s hair, and said, “Don’t

worry. Although that old thing and I have long lost the love of husband and

wife, I expect he would not dare to kill me in public. When we get out of the

city gate, you can escape.”

Seeing that Qiao Ci was still hesitant, she shouted: “Your father’s fate is still

unknown, and Yanzhou has fallen into the hands of others. Do you want

the Qiao family to perish in that old thing’s hands?”

Qiao Ci knelt towards Mrs. Ding with tears in his eyes and said, “Aunt,

accept this nephew’s respect.”

Mrs. Ding softened her expression, helped him to stand up, pulled a hidden

knife from her body, and handed it over, “Use me as a hostage. Let’s go

out.”

……
After Qiao Yue heard the news, he came with his men. Qiao Ci held Mrs.

Ding with a knife around her neck, and they were already at the gate.

Hundreds of soldiers surrounded Qiao Ci and Mrs Ding.

Qiao Yue was furious, charged forward, and shouted, “Ci’er, what do you

want to do? Quickly put down your sword and come back with me!”

“Where is my father? You call him out. I will go back with you after I see

him. Whether fight or kill, it’s up to you!”

Qiao Ci stared at him and said word by word.

Qiao Yue was so guilty that he could not speak.

Zhang Pu at the side said, “Don’t be impulsive, young master. Release

Madam quickly ……”

“I’m talking to my uncle. Who are you to interfere?” Qiao Ci scolded.

Zhang Pu’s face looked embarrassed. Qiao Yue settled down and said, “On

the night of the birthday banquet, your father drank too much wine and fell

on the way back, hitting his head and falling into a coma. Ci’er, do not
worry. Uncle has asked a good doctor to treat him. He will be better in a few

days. Put down the knife and follow me inside. I will take you to visit ……”

Qiao Ci’s eyes swept through a dark shadow. Without saying a word, he

turned his head while holding Mrs. Ding and continued walking towards the

gate.

The guards and soldiers usually served Qiao Ping and Qiao Ci. Today,

although they were unclear about the situation, their heart goes to Qiao Ci.

Furthermore, with Mrs. Ding in his hands, how can they stop him? They

pretend to be hesitant and almost let them go all the way to the gate.

Qiao Ci ordered to open the door. Zhang Pu was anxious and ordered the

soldiers to stop them. The dispersed soldiers gradually gathered around

again.

Mrs. Ding suddenly stopped, turned her head, and shouted: “Your Majesty,

I know you are here! Now you are the son of the Han Dynasty, the emperor,

but do you remember how I treated you when you were a young man in

distress and lived in my house? I don’t dare to think about your Majesty’s

reward, but at this moment, I am being held by my nephew, and he needs

to leave the city, but his uncle refuses to let him go. He will harm me if he

cannot get out of the city. When Your Majesty was crowned emperor in

Langya, people danced and sang, praising Your Majesty as a benevolent

ruler! I know that Qiao Yue obeyed you. Even an ant value its life, let alone

a human being. I beg Your Majesty to save my life for the sake of the past. I

will be grateful!”

Mrs. Ding usually lives in seclusion and rarely shows her face. Now, these

words enter people’s hearts. The soldiers followed Mrs. Ding’s gaze and

looked back as if Liu Yan was behind them.

For a while, within the gates of the Qiao family, which filled with hundreds of

people, not a sound was heard.

A few moments later, Liu Fan turned out from behind the illuminated wall,

attached to Qiao Yue’s ear, and whispered a command.

Qiao Yue had a reluctant heart, but had to obey, viciously stared at Mrs.

Ding, and reluctantly said: “Let him out of the city!

Chapter 140.1

At Luoyang South Palace, inside Taiji Hall. Wei Shao’s coronation.

A few days after the invasion of Luoyang, they wipe out all of Xing Xun’s

party members.

Although the curfew has not lifted, the panic atmosphere in the city

gradually dissipates because of the appeasement and the army has never

entered the city gates.

Yesterday, the markets that were closed for several days reopened one

after another. While the people gradually return to their normal lives, they

are all waiting for one thing: Wei Shao’s coronation.

Not only were the people of Luoyang wondering about this, but some of

Wei Shao’s men were also waiting in anticipation.

Those officials who had surrendered to Wei Shao after the invasion

continued to submit joint statements, piling up on the desk.

Although the contents were varied, there was only one main point: they

believed that Wei Shao had earned his name and should claim the throne.
Gongsun Yang privately spoke to Wei Shao: “Those surrendered ministers

were old ministers who served Liu Tong, then worshiped Xing Xun. Seeing

My Lord had taken Luoyang, they had to follow the situation. Please, don’t

listen to them. It is too early to claim the throne. It’s not a good opportunity.”

Zhu Zeng suggested: “Le Zheng Gong wanted to follow Xing Xun’s steps. I

advise My Lord to wait patiently for some more days. Based on my

expectation, Le Zheng Gong will secretly plan to become emperor after he

returns to Hanzhong. Once they crowned him with the dragon robe, you

can enter Luoyang to take the throne, which is more justified.”

At this moment in Taiji Hall, the debate about whether he should claim the

throne was still rolling.

But Wei Shao had already wandered into the nothingness. The day before,

he had received news from Yuyang. Xiao Qiao gave birth to a daughter

successfully. His grandmother named her Fei Fei.

Fei Fei, forget the sorrow.

Wei Shao imagined his daughter’s soft little body in his arms, and his gaze

unconsciously became gentle. The corners of his lips also curled slightly.
The generals finally noticed the mysterious smile on the Marquis’ face.

They all stopped and looked at him.

Wei Shao looked back at the pair of eyes staring at him, moved his

shoulders, and frowned: “Although Xing Xun died, there’s still Liu Yan in

Langya who claimed the throne, Le Zheng Gong in Han Zhong, Wu Yue

and Changsha in the south. I only conquered a mere Luoyang. How can I

rest easy and claim the throne? No need to discuss this matter again in the

future!”

The crowd fell silent at first, then said in unison, “My Lord is wise. We

obey.”

After the discussion, Wei Shao made Gongsun Yang stay to ask him about

the control and defense of Jingzhao, Zuo Fengyi, and You Fufeng.

Gongsun Yang was somewhat puzzled.

These three places are geographically important as they guard Luoyang.

On the night of the siege of Luoyang, they immediately sent troops to

occupy these places within three days, putting them under control. The
Marquis orders all of the soldiers and generals himself. Not sure how he

suddenly seems to have forgotten and asked him about this.

He was puzzled but did not show it, only said: “My Lord, rest assured. The

three places have been under control and won’t be lost.”

Wei Shao nodded: “I always feel at ease when you do something. There is

nothing for me to do here. I will return to Yuyang first.” After saying that,

seeing Gongsun Yang looking at him, he said, “It’s nothing important. It’s

just that I received a letter two days ago that the lady had given birth to a

daughter for me.” He looked indifferent. “She misses me a little.” He

coughed lightly and added, looking slightly unnatural.

Only then did Gongsun Yang understand what was on the mind of the

Marquis. Holding back his laughter, he said, “Congratulations, My Lord! Not

to mention that the lady has told her thoughts, even if she does not say

anything, My Lord should return after fighting this battle for so long! Don’t

worry, there’s me here!”

Wei Shao smiled: “Thank you, sir.”

After explaining the remaining matters, as soon as Gongsun Yang left, he

immediately called Lei Ze. He summoned several people and prepared for

the journey. Before leaving, he suddenly remembered one more thing.

Wei Shao hesitated before finally deciding and called Wei Liang over.

He dismissed the others, leaving Wei Liang alone.

“My Lord has called me. What’s your order?”

Seeing the Marquis was hesitant to speak, which was usually rare, he

added: “If you have something to say, Lord, just give me an order!”

Wei Shao said, “I want to send you to East County.”

Wei Liang was stunned.

“If I remember correctly, the seventh day of this month is the fortieth

birthday of the Magistrate, Qiao Ping. Send him a birthday gift in the name

of the lady. And send a message to tell the Magistrate that she has given

birth to a daughter and that both mother and daughter are safe.”

Wei Liang was surprised. But he quickly said, “Yes, sir.”

“I ordered you to go there because you went to the East County before and

got acquainted with the Qiao family ……” Wei Shao explained.

“Don’t worry, Lord. I will do the task properly,” Wei Liang smiled, “It’s been

some time since I parted from Qiao Ci. General Li just mentioned him to me

a few days ago. This time, it is the right time to meet him and see how his

martial arts are today.”

“You haven’t been back for a long time, have you? I remember you were in

Bingzhou last year and fought such a battle. Now, you can relax a little.

When you return from East County, I will give you a vacation. You should

go back to see your mother and wife.”

Wei Liang had not returned to Yuyang for a year and a half. He was

overjoyed at the news and hastily thanked them.

Wei Shao smiled and nodded: “There’s nothing else. I will have the birthday

gift sent to you when it is ready.”

……
The next day, in the early morning light, a column of war horses galloped

out of the eastern gate of Luoyang to the north.

Wei Shao embarked on the road to the north. The war was fierce, and he

could not have much leisure time. When he saw the letter, he could no

longer restrain his longing for her and the joy of becoming a father that

overflowed from the bottom of his steel heart. So much so that he felt he

could not hold off any longer.

Le Zheng Gong, Liu Yan, and claiming the throne —

He could put off these things for a while.

He must meet her and their daughter as soon as possible now.

Otherwise, he won’t be able to hold it.

On the same morning, while Wei Shao went north, Wei Liang took a team

of attendants and gifts and got on the road to Yanzhou.

Chapter 140.2

Wei Shao personally selected the birthday gifts for Qiao Ping last night;

pearls, golden cups, ten bolts of silk, and two paintings by famous artists.

Actually, for himself to do such a thing and even order Wei Liang to send it

to Yanzhou, Wei Shao’s heart was uneasy, even ashamed. As if he had

betrayed his father and brother, he felt less and less courageous to step

into the family temple.

However, Qiao Ping was not directly involved in that battle that year. He

was her father, his own daughter’s maternal grandfather. Now that, by

mistake, he has married Xiao Qiao, and now, she has given birth to his

child, the spirits of his father and brother in heaven should be able to

sympathize with him. Moreover, this should also be the will of his

grandmother. He knew that his grandmother would have wanted him to be

able to stop dwelling on his past hatred. He needed to learn to be like his

grandmother, someone with a broad heart.

Once he was on his way, Wei Shao kept reassuring himself. Finally, as the

distance to Yuyang shortened, the conflict in his heart was overshadowed

by the emotion of seeing her and his daughter soon. He stopped thinking

about anything else but joy and anticipation.

……

At night, Wei Shao finally arrived at Renqiu City. If he kept going, he would

reach Yuyang in two days.

Wei Shao felt that he could have continued on his way. But lightning ripped

through the night sky, and thunder rolled overhead. It was raining, and Lei

Ze and others had tired looks on their faces.

Wei Shao ordered them to stop and stay at the Renqiu post office that

night. The journey was light and austere. When Wei Shao arrived, he asked

the postmaster not to alert the Renqiu Magistrate. He would only stay

overnight and continue on his way in the morning.

Lei Ze asked someone to bring the box and put it on the desk. It was more

than a foot high and wide, with beautifully patterned python skin adorning

its surface. Lei Ze did not know what it contained.

Wei Shao himself also felt tired. But his spirit is very high. He was lying in

bed in the post house, listening to muffled thunder rolling across the sky in

the distance with his eyes closed. The rain pattered and fell on the tiles

above his head. He could not help but recall the night of last year.

It was also a thunderstorm night. He chased her alone to the post house

and finally caught her up. He yielded in front of her. And she reciprocated

his desire for pleasure. That night, she showed off her beauty under him.

When he thought about it, the feeling had not yet dispersed. He felt like he

was on a mountain of immortality, the most beautiful world.

Wei Shao’s mouth was dry from the memories. Haunted by longing, he

could not stand himself, simply wanting to continue the journey.

A bolt of lightning struck outside the window. In a flash, blue lightning

illuminated the walls of the post house, the box that sat on top of the desk,

and the sword that sat next to Wei Shao’s.

A thunderstorm followed overhead, exploding, and the beams shook

slightly. A layer of fine dust rustled down from the cracks in the tile roof.
The door of the room suddenly rapped violently. After the thunderstorm, the

sharp rap on the door sounded extra harsh. Wei Shao opened his eyes,

leaped off the bed, and quickly opened the door.

“My Lord, it’s not good! The urgent report from Luoyang just arrived.

General Wei Liang and his party were attacked at the city gate of East

County. General Wei was seriously wounded and managed to kill his way

out, but all his attendants died. The two men, Qiao Yue and Qiao Ping

made statements to the public and led Yanzhou to join Liu Yan!”

Wei Shao’s figure froze.

Another bolt of lightning struck down, illuminating his pale face, which was

white as if it were a stern ghost. He turned around violently and pulled out

his sword.

A green light swept through, and the box on the table cut into two. East

China Sea Pearls, Kunlun precious stones, and Lin Luang’s exotic

treasures, following the blade of his sword, scattered and rolled down to the

ground.
These are the things that Wei Shao took out of the Luoyang treasury that

night before he left. When he saw something that looked good, he put it in.

At that time, he thought even if he couldn’t make Man Man happy, he could

bring it back for his daughter to play with.

“My Lord!” Lei Ze looked at his stiff back and called out worriedly.

Wei Shao slowly turned around and put the sword back into its sheath.

“Return to Luoyang.” His tone had turned calm while his expression was

gloomy and cold.

Chapter 141.1

The Qiao family in East County.

Qiao Yue sat in his study with an ashen face. His eyes were straight, like a

dead person’s. During these days, the news was like a floodgate that had

suddenly opened and kept pouring in on him. He was so shocked that he

could hardly breathe.

It turned out that Wei Shao had already dissolved the Northern

Expeditionary Alliance and won the Battle of the Yellow River. Everyone
else knew this, but he was unaware of it and thought Wei Shao was still

trapped.

What was he doing when Wei Shao took Luoyang?

Because he listened to Zhang Pu, he joined Liu Yan, blinded his brother,

and imprisoned him. By now, Liu Yan had hollowed him out.

Aside from being given the empty title of Marquis of Henghai, which was

nothing, Qiao Yue was horrified to find that Yanzhou was no longer in his

hands. When he thought of the scene that happened a few moments ago,

his hands trembled uncontrollably again.

Wei Liang brought a team to East County today, saying he had come to

congratulate Qiao Ping on his birthday on the Lady’s order.

By the time he learned the news, they had already surrounded Wei Liang.

He killed his way out of the siege and escaped, but his entourage was shot

dead. This order, naturally, was not given by Qiao Yue.

When Qiao Yue heard the news, it was like being hit by a thunderbolt. He

had finally understood something. His heart jumped, a feeling of great

disaster. Suddenly he thought of Qiao Ping, his savior. He reluctantly got up

and hurriedly went to where they imprisoned Qiao Ping. When he reached

the door, the guards stopped him.

Qiao Yue was furious. After pondering, he turned around and hurriedly

went to Liu Yan’s quarters.

During his stay at the Qiao family house, Liu Yan didn’t stay in the mansion

Qiao Yue had prepared but in his old house when he had lived as a

teenager. The old house was in disrepair. At first, Qiao Yue forbade him to

stay there, but Liu Yan insisted, so he had to allow him.

Qiao Yue barged in, but Liu Fan’s men blocked him. He became angry and

called out loudly. Suddenly, Liu Yan’s voice came from inside: “Let him in.”

Liu Fan let him go.

Qiao Yue strode inside and saw Liu Yan sitting with wide clothes towards

the window, playing a game of Go alone. His eyes fell on the board while

his fingers twirled a black piece as if he was thinking about the game.
Qiao Yue held back his anger and said, “This is my Qiao family. I wanted to

see my second brother. Why do you forbid me?”

Liu Yan didn’t look at him. He ‘snapped’ a piece and said indifferently, “The

magistrate has lost his eyesight. I already asked the doctor to treat him. He

needs to recuperate. It is not convenient to see others.”

Qiao Yue’s breath blocked in his chest, and he forced himself to hold it

back and said, “I just heard that Wei Liang got attacked outside the city

gate. Did you do it?”

Liu Yan did not respond. His hand reached out to the jade jar, grabbed a

few white seeds, cupped them in his palm, and slowly played with them.

“Liu Yan!”

Qiao Yue couldn’t hold back and called him by his name. “I’ve been

thinking about this for a few days. I’ve slowly figured it out. Why I never

received any news from our spies back? It’s you who intercepted the

information and manipulated me! I’ve been a benefactor to you! But you did

this to me! What are your intentions?”

Liu Yan looked at him, still calm and collected: “What’s wrong with Marquis

Henghai? It’s only been a few days, yet you’re regretting your decision to

join me. Do you want to seek favor with Wei Shao again? It’s a pity…”

He sighed softly and shook his head: “It’s too late. Everyone knows that

your Qiao family has abandoned the darkness and turned to the light,

willing to serve my Han family. Even if you put yourself down now, as you

did three years ago, and brazenly send your daughter to court Wei Shao,

I’m afraid he won’t be able to tolerate your Qiao family anymore.”

Qiao Yue’s clenched his teeth, and his face slowly turned red.

Liu Yan watched him for a moment and suddenly loosened his grip, and the

few chess pieces he grabbed scattered on the chessboard.

The chess pieces dripped and whirled, emitting pleasant jade scraping

sound, and slowly came to a halt and still.

Liu Yan got off the ground and paced along the wall of the house, slowly

pacing in a circle. Finally stopping in front of Qiao Yue, he smiled and said,

“Thank you, Lord Qiao, for being hospitable and staying with me for so
many days, allowing me to relive those unforgettable days of my youth

again. I should leave.”

Qiao Yue was shocked: “You had harmed me like this, and you’re leaving?”

Liu Yan said, “You’re wrong. Wei Shao long had a rebellious heart. Joining

me, it was a matter of time. How did it become harmful to you?”

Qiao Yue’s cheek muscles on both sides twitched and turned red.

“I know you are afraid that Wei Shao will attack. Don’t worry! Since

Yanzhou is now my Han land, how can I not care about it? I’ve left you a

helper, General Ding Qu, who came with the army a few days ago. Have

you seen him? He will take over the responsibility of the governor for you.

The only thing you need to do is to be careful.” He said indifferently, dusted

off his sleeves, turned around, and left.

……

Liu Yan ran out of the city gates of East County without looking back.

The wind blew in the face, raising his sleeves and the corners of his robe.
He was filled with pleasure from revenge and could not wait to vent his

inner emotions.

All he needed was to buy Zhang Pu, then separate the Qiao family from

Wei Shao. When they meet, there will be a lot of fighting. The walls of

Yanzhou may not be able to withstand Wei Shao’s military front. But what’s

the harm in that? He did not care about the loss of a city. Moreover,

Yanzhou did not belong to him in the first place.

He left his newest member, Ding Qu, to guard the town to let him taste the

real power, a chance for revenge, and show his loyalty. Also, the more Wei

Shao encountered strong resistance from Yanzhou, the deeper his hatred

grew.

After this, how can Xiao Qiao continue to love Wei Shao for the rest of their

life?

Liu Yan suppressed his heart from rolling with pleasure, closed his eyes,

and took a long breath of the fresh air in the wilderness outside Dongxian

City. This whole world, sooner or later, will be returned to the Han family
again. The Qiao girl from the Qiao family in East County can only belong to

him. No one can take her away.

Not even Wei Shao.

Chapter 141.2

Wei Liang was sent back to Luoyang by Dong Mao, the governor of Xu Di,

a city adjacent to Yanzhou. Although the imperial physicians at the palace

did their best to treat him, he couldn’t survive the blood loss and was in a

coma for many days.

Three days ago, Wei Shao returned to Luoyang.

During these days, he did not sleep and stayed by Wei Liang’s side until his

worn-out hand from holding a sword became cold and stiff. When the

doctors saw this, they were terrified and knelt.

Gongsun Yang, Wei Quan, Zhu Zeng, and others have been waiting

outside, not daring to enter. The next day at dawn, they finally heard a

heavy footstep from the inside. The crowd saw Wei Shao appear with eyes

full of blood.
Gongsun Yang suppressed his uneasiness and hurriedly greeted him,

saying: “Lord, I’m afraid there’s been a misunderstanding. The Qiao family

would not be able to–”

“Pass my order to gather the troops. Lei Ze and Tan Fu follow me to

destroy Yanzhou. For the rest of us, stay where you are and wait for orders!

If anyone moves without permission, I’ll punish them!” Without listening,

Wei Shao said word by word, hoarsely. Then, he took a big step and left.

……

The day Xiao Qiao learned the news, her daughter was almost two months

old. She was even more beautiful than when she was first born, like a little

snowball, and when she smiled, her slithery eyes seemed to be blooming

with all the flowers in the spring garden.

Mrs. Xu loved her so much that she had to hug her every day after she was

full for months and tease her to talk. The Wei mansion, which was a bit

empty, was filled with laughter and life as Fei Fei was born and grew up day

by day.
It was a beautiful early summer afternoon. Xiao Qiao was waiting for Mrs.

Xu, watching her put Fei Fei to sleep.

Fei Fei is a very energetic little one. Having had enough to eat, she closed

her eyes, which already had long, curly eyelashes, and slept quietly in her

grandmother’s arms.

Mrs. Xu couldn’t turn her hand for fear of disturbing her, so she got up,

carried her into the inner room, put her on the bed, and covered her with

the blanket.

“Did you receive any letters from Shao’er recently?” Mrs. Xu came out and

asked Xiao Qiao.

Xiao Qiao shook her head.

Mrs. Xu pondered and then smiled: “I think it must be because the Luoyang

side of things is busy, so Shao’er got stuck. That is why he is late to return.

Don’t worry about it. I’ll send a letter to ask about it.”

She sent a letter after giving birth, but there had been no reply from Wei

Shao. The battle of the Yellow River has ended. Even if Wei Shao is too
busy to return, he should be able to send a letter of reply. There was indeed

something unusual.

Xiao Qiao knew that Mrs. Xu was worried that she was worried about

having a daughter who would not be pleasing to Wei Shao. Like Mrs. Zhu,

she said nothing but couldn’t conceal her disappointment.

She felt grateful and was about to say something when suddenly Old

Zhong hurried in from outside and said, “Lady, Mr. Qiao is here.” She

paused, “Mr. Qiao seems to have an urgent matter.”

Xiao Qiao was surprised. It had been a long time since she had met her

brother.

At this moment, she suddenly learned that he had arrived in Yuyang, which

should have been a surprise. But her heart thumped and sank as if

something had happened. Something bad. She immediately looked at Mrs.

Xu.

Mrs. Xu nodded: “Go.”

Xiao Qiao hurried back to the east room and was increasingly surprised to

see Qiao Ci.

Qiao Ci hadn’t closed her eyes for several days and nights in a row, dusty,

with red eyes, haggard and anxious.

As soon as he saw Xiao Qiao, he immediately pounced on her. “Sister!

Something is happening in Yanzhou! Mr. Gongsun told me to come to you!”

……

During these two months, Xiao Qiao also gradually felt something was

wrong. Wei Shao shouldn’t have been late in returning after the war was

over.

However, she could not have imagined that Yanzhou had undergone such

a radical change. Her father’s life was unknown. Her uncle Qiao Yue not

only joined Liu Yan in the name of her father but also killed Wei Liang, who

was celebrating her father’s birthday, causing Wei Shao to attack Yanzhou.

No one dared to stand in his way. The governor of Xingyang, Chenliu, and

other places gave way one after another, and the army seemed to pass

through no one’s land.

“Sister, after I left the city, I went to ask my eldest brother-in-law for help. I

thought the Allied forces still surrounded my second brother-in-law. It turns

out that Liu Yan had already prepared to send Qingzhou soldiers to attack

Lingbi. The eldest brother-in-law couldn’t arrive in Yanzhou in time. After we

arrived at Yanzhou, we learned that Yanzhou had fallen into Liu Yan’s

hands and that General Wei Liang had died. The second brother-in-law

sent his troops to Yanzhou and asked the eldest sister-in-law not to

interfere, or he would treat him as an enemy. I went to see him and tried to

explain the situation, but he did not want to meet me. My second

brother-in-law refused to see me. Mr. Gongsun, the military advisor,

instructed me to come and ask you to think of a solution!”

Xiao Qiao’s heart jumped wildly, and her face suddenly lost all its blood.

After settling down, she soothed Qiao Ci and asked someone to take him

down to rest for a while. Then, she immediately went back to the north

house. Once inside, she kneeled before Mrs. Xu and did not move for long.

“Is something wrong? Get up and talk slowly.” Mrs. Xu’s voice sounded

above her head, as calm and steady as ever, with the power to soothe the

panic in her heart.

But at this moment, Xiao Qiao could not raise her head. She also had no

face to raise her head.

“Grandmother, General Wei Liang died. My Qiao family killed him.” She

said, holding back the tears that were about to come to her eyes.

The room suddenly fell silent. Xiao Qiao kept kneeling, touching the ground

with her forehead, motionless. After a long time, she heard Mrs. Xu’s voice,

which had become a bit raspy, ring out again, “Raise your head! Speak!”

The sound had turned slightly harsh.

Xiao Qiao straightened up and recounted what she had heard from Qiao

Ci.

“Grandmother, Liu Yan manipulated the situation, using my uncle and

father’s estranged relationship to control Yanzhou. My father’s life is still

unknown. I am afraid there are many misunderstandings in between. My

husband is angry and has sent troops to Yanzhou to strike back. My brother

begged to see my husband, but he refused to see him, so he had no choice

but to come to Yuyang for help. I begged Grandmother to allow me to go to

Yanzhou and meet with him to explain the situation. I am not trying to clear
the air for the Qiao family. General Wei Liang and others died because of

the Qiao family, and even if the Qiao family paid with their lives, it would not

be enough to heal the pain of their relatives. There is nothing I can say. I

hate Liu Yan for his evil intentions, and I do not want to let him succeed in

his treacherous plans! Grandmother, please take care of Fei Fei for me for

a few days. I will leave as soon as possible!” She bowed her head again.

“Go. Let Mr. Jia escort you there as soon as possible. I will take care of Fei

Fei.” Mrs. Xu said slowly.

Chapter 142.1

At the beginning of May, Wei Shao’s 100,000 soldiers drove straight to East

County without encountering any obstacles and entered Yanzhou.

Ding Qu fought against Wei Shao on the southern outskirts of Yan County,

a hundred miles away from East County, and was defeated. Wei Shao

ordered the execution of all the captives on the spot, which were Ding Qu’s

soldiers and the Qiao family soldiers.

The news reached the city of East County, and everyone was in jeopardy.
Wang Hui was the former General of Qiao Ping’s army. On the night of the

birthday banquet, he was drunk. When he woke up the next day, he was

locked up.

Then, Liu Yan arrived. Qiao Ci held Mrs. Ding to escape from the city. With

Qiao Yue in charge, he issued the order in the name of Qiao Ping, but Qiao

Ping never showed up.

Qiao Yue claimed that Qiao Ping was in a coma and could not see anyone.

General Hou, General Wang, and others were suspicious. But with Qiao

Yue’s status and Liu Yan being the legitimate emperor of Han, the son of

heaven, they didn’t dare act rashly and held back until now.

After secretly inquiring about the place where Qiao Ping was locked and

taking advantage of the fact that Ding Qu was defeated and retreated, with

Wei Shao’s troops encircling all the four gates and chaos in the city, they

secretly united with the loyalists, sneaked in during the chaos, killed the

guards, and finally saw Qiao Ping’s face.

Seeing him blind, trapped in a crude room. The people and the army

adored the magistrate, but today, he was like a dragon lost in the water,
trapped in the shallows. Everyone is filled with righteous anger and vows to

save him from the trap and duel with Ding Qu to death.

With his eyes poisoned and trapped for many days, Qiao Ping knew there

must have been a change outside. He was anxious but did not expect

things to be worse to this extent.

Qiao Ping asked about the situation inside and outside the city, and

gradually calmed down and said, “Liu Yan has deep intentions. He hates

my Qiao family for breaking the contract, so he is trying to use our discord

to make trouble. I was not aware of this, which led to today’s disaster. Ding

Qu is fierce and not easy to deal with. Moreover, he has carried the name

of the Han emperor to receive the military section, and he has his troops,

so he must have guarded against my Qiao family.”

General Hou anxiously said: “Wei Shao’s troops are already approaching

the city. The day before yesterday, in the battle in Yan County, he killed all

the prisoners, including the Qiao family soldiers. Ding Qu used this to make

a mess. The city’s military and people are all unsettled. They fear being

slaughtered by Wei Shao and can only respond to the battle and defend
the city. If we don’t take action, Yanzhou will be ruined under Liu Yan’s

hand! ”

Qiao Ping pondered.

Liu Yan was no longer the young man forced to leave Langya by his

stepmother’s slander and sheltered by the Qiao family. Today, he left him

alive because he had his intentions. In the end, Ding Qu would use him to

threaten Wei Shao.

If Wei Shao ignores his life and death, it will hurt the couple’s love. But if he

surrenders, he won’t be able to answer his soldiers. No matter the

outcome, it would have been a lose-lose situation for Wei Shao or the Qiao

family.

Liu Yan could set up the game to this point, which means his hatred must

be heavy.

Qiao Ping thought for a while and said: “Ding Qu is a fickle person. I have

heard a little. I planned to lure him to relax his guard first and then give him

a blow. It’s more likely to succeed.”

……

Ding Qu retreated from Yan County into the city, spreading the news of Wei

Shao’s massacre inside, driving the Qiao soldiers to hold the city.

After seeing that all the people were frightened and did not dare to have a

moment to relax, he was slightly relieved and came down from the city wall,

drinking wine alone.

There are many beautiful women in Yanzhou. When he remembered that

Zhang Pu had said that Qiao Yue had a concubine with a beautiful face, he

asked someone to summon the woman to him. The woman came with

trepidation and bowed to him. On closer observation, her eyebrows

resembled those of Su E Huang.

When Ding Qu saw it, he felt even more angry.

The day the city of Luoyang broke down, he took Su E Huang to escape

the chaos, hoping to get Xing Xun’s treasures. But she wanted him to take

her to Liu Yan first. After she settled down, she would disclose the

treasures.
Ding Qu suspected she was evading her responsibilities and wanted to kill

her. But for the treasure, he became a lost dog, and without any choice, he

went with her to join Liu Yan.

Unexpectedly, when Miss Su and Liu Yan faced each other, they were like

old acquaintances. The two of them had a secret talk, and after they came

out, Miss Su became Liu Yan’s guest of honor, protected by the guards.

Not to mention pressuring her about the treasure, even if he wants to see

her again, it is not easy.

Ding Qu knew she tricked him, but now she has Liu Yan as her backer.

There is nothing he can do about her.

He felt increasingly resentful. With fierce eyes, he pulled the woman by

force and tried to kill her when he suddenly heard footsteps at the door. He

looked up and saw Qiao Ping being carried inside by several old Qiao

family generals.

Soon, a dozen or so of Ding Qu’s men poured into the hall.

Qiao Ping said: “General Ding, don’t worry. I can’t see with both eyes now,

and these old men have retired from the military, so they can’t hurt you with

their bare hands.”

Ding Qu settled down and said, “How did you escape? What do you want?”

Qiao Ping said, “I have something for my own interest and for the General,

too. I wonder if the General can talk with me in detail?”

Ding Qu thought for a moment and signaled his men to go out.

Qiao Ping ordered General Hou, General Wang Hui, and the others to go

out, slowly took his seat, and said, “General Ding is on the verge of a big

disaster and still doesn’t know it!”

Ding Qu sneered: “I’m afraid it’s the magistrate who is in danger. Not

worrying about yourself! How dare you threaten me with scary words,

ridiculous!”

Qiao Ping smiled and said, “General Ding’s courage is known to the world.

But Wei Shao’s soldiers, most of them are good at attacking cities. Now, Liu

Yan harmed Wei Liang, provoking hatred between the Qiao and Wei
families. Wei Shao’s army comes with revenge, unstoppable. Even if my

Qiao family is powerful, how long could you defend this city? Once the city

broke, even if General Ding escaped from the siege, his wisdom would be

tarnished again. I feel sorry for General Ding!”

Ding Qu didn’t say anything.

Qiao Ping sighed: “I feel sorry for General Ding, really. Liu Yan is using

General Ding, and you don’t even understand it!”

Ding Qu said, “What do you mean by that?”

Qiao Ping said, “To be honest, Liu Yan had a marriage contract with my

daughter in the early years. But my eldest brother decided to wed my

daughter to Wei Shao. Liu Yan and my Qiao family had a broken contract,

and Wei Shao stood at odds in the middle. That is why he designed to

harm and lock me up and anger my brother. Currently, when Yanzhou was

in danger, Liu Yan left and gave the matter of Yanzhou to you. Do you think

he values you? No! His heart is so deep that he wants the Qiao family to

fight with Wei Shao. He used your ability to hold on to Yanzhou, creating

the illusion that my family is fighting against Wei Shao. With the more
resistance he encounters, Wei Shao will be more enraged, and the more

tragic the situation will be when the city breaks.”

Chapter 142.2

At first, Ding Qu looked wary but gradually focused.

“Even if the Qiao family was wiped out, it was due to the incompetence of

my brother and me. I was to blame. But you, General, are different! You

have a reputation as a hero, and everyone knows it. You joined Liu Yan

because of your loyalty to the Han family. Liu Yan is taking advantage of

you, nominally making you a marquis and giving you the power of Yanzhou.

But actually, he is giving you a hot potato, trying to trap you in a desperate

situation.”

Ding Qu listened with shock, out of a cold sweat.

He thought he had a hero’s reputation, but his fate was miserable. He

joined Yuan Zhe and Xing Xun, all wrong masters. Now, not only did he fail

to build success as hoped, but due to the frequent change of masters, the
world criticized him. Now, he had no choice but to join Liu Yan, whom he

had despised before.

But is Wei Shao easy to deal with? Now, Wei Shao is approaching the city.

Although he gathered the old Qiao family’s forces to defend the city, he

didn’t know how long he could survive.

If the city is broke, even if he bravely kills out, as Qiao Ping said, it will

tarnish his reputation again.

Now, the situation is complicated.

Gritting his teeth, he said, “Things are already like this! What else can I do?

Only to fight Wei Shao to death!”

Qiao Ping shook his head: “General, don’t be discouraged. Listen to my

words. It is a pity that Liu Yan played you. I don’t want the people of

Yanzhou to suffer because of Liu Yan’s treacherous plan. All of this is also

because of my elder brother, Qiao Yue. Wei Shao’s anger was because of

my brother. My brother, who was heartless and unjust, blinded me to take

away my power. He and I have no brotherly love left. I want to kill him and

take his head. Then, I can seek relief from Wei Shao. Wei Shao is my
son-in-law. This matter will be resolved with Qiao Yue’s head and my

daughter’s help. When the battle is over, I will recommend you to Wei

Shao. Wei Shao’s goal is to be the best in the world, and he is eager for

talent, so if you are willing to join us, how can he not accept you?”

Ding Qu was affected, but his face was embarrassed. He said, “I didn’t do

any merit for Wei Shao and only had a deep grudge. How could he be

willing to accept me now?”

Qiao Ping said, “If you kill Qiao Yue, won’t that be a great merit?”

Ding Qu was overjoyed and let go of the sword in his hand, saying, “I am

enlightened by what you have said! I will kill Qiao Yue and cut off his head!”

Qiao Ping said: “No hurry. It is not too late to kill him tomorrow. Where is he

going to escape? Although I can’t see, and I’ve only spoken a few words

with you, I feel like I’ve met a soulmate. Will you share a few drinks with

me?”

Ding Qu naturally nodded his head. They reorganized the banquet and

drank together. During the meal, Ding Qu had a great talk, cursed Yuan

Zhe as narrow-minded, cursed Xing Xun as brutal and headstrong, cursed

Liu Yan despicable villain, cursing all the time. Hearing Qiao Ping’s

explanation, Ding Qu felt his hate increase. Glasses after glass, he became

drunk, and his eyes became hazy. Then, General Hou enters the room and

slashes off his head with a knife without sound. And so, the poor

generation of a brave general died in East County.

After eliminating Ding Qu, General Hou immediately called the old troops,

carrying Ding Qu’s head, and ordered the soldiers to disarm. Most of them

obeyed, but there was also stubborn resistance.

At dawn, they finally extinguished Liu Yan’s forces in the city.

General Hou hated Zhang Pu and took this opportunity to rush to his

residence with his sword, but no one was inside. The house was empty, not

even a servant.

When he entered the inner room, he smelled a strong smell of blood and

saw a headless corpse on the floor. When he saw the body, he knew it was

Qiao Yue, the governor of Yanzhou. He was shocked and sent someone to

inform Qiao Ping. After searching the area, he caught a servant and sent

him to Qiao Ping.

The servant, who was trembling, knelt and said, “Early yesterday morning,

soon after the news of Ding Qu’s defeat came, Mr. Qiao sent someone to

summon Zhang Pu. I saw him carrying a sword angrily and chased Zhang

Pu into the inner room. A few moments later, Zhang Pu left with a package.

I was brave enough to go in, only to see decapitated Mr. Qiao. Wei Shao

attacked the city. I was afraid of being implicated, so I fled in fear. I don’t

know what happened after that. I beg you to spare my life. I’m innocent. I

didn’t kill Mr. Qiao!

Qiao Ping contemplated.

Qiao Yue should have heard the news that Wei Shao attacked the city and

wanted to kill Zhang Pu to vent his hatred. Zhang Pu killed and cut his head

off.

Although Qiao Ping hated his older brother for being confused and putting

Yanzhou in this situation, he didn’t expect him to die at the hands of one of

his most trusted advisors.

He ordered someone to collect Qiao Yue’s corpse. Then immediately stated

orally to write a letter, telling the cause and effect, attaching Ding Qu’s

head.

General Ho offered to meet Wei Shao.

Qiao Ping waited apprehensively for news.

Wei Shao, however, did not even see General Hou’s face. He had not even

read the letter.

Qiao Ping was anxious: “He must think that my Qiao family changed sides

after seeing the situation, killing Ding Qu to beg him, which is why he

insisted on not seeing General Hou. I’d better go to the city to see him

personally! Attack on General Liang was because of my negligence.”

The people hurried to stop him. At that moment, an urgent report came,

saying that Wei Shao’s army blocked the four gates of the county.

From the city head, they could already see the flags.
At the same time, Bi Zhi led his army from Juye, apparently to stop Wei

Shao’s army from attacking the city. The two sides confronted each other,

and there was an imminent attack.

Qiao Ping vomited a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground.

Chapter 143.1

Xiao Qiao set out for the south. She spent most of her time on the road,

except for a stop at the post house to change horses and rest. After seven

or eight days, she crossed the Yellow River and headed for Yanzhou.

The day she finally approached Yanzhou, she heard along the way that the

army of the Marquis of Yan had crossed the border a few days earlier and

must have already reached the East County.

It was a clear early summer evening when she arrived in East County. The

sun was setting in the west, and the golden afterglow spilled over the

boundless wilderness outside the city.

In the evening breeze, banners with the dragon painted on them waved

above the tents of the army camp.

Xiao Qiao did not enter the camp immediately. Instead, she stopped far

away in the north of the city and asked Qiao Ci to go and look for Bi Zhi to

find out the news.

When Qiao Ci returned at dark, he looked slightly more relaxed. He told

Xiao Qiao that his father had regained control of power and killed Ding Qu.

He hopes to clarify the misunderstanding with Wei Shao, but Wei Shao

does not seem to accept it. He was worried that Wei Shao would attack the

city, so he brought his troops here to defend himself.

Fortunately, although Wei Shao didn’t want to meet the messenger, he

never attacked the city. This standoff had been going on for several days.

……

On the way here, Xiao Qiao envisioned many possibilities. The most

frightening scenario was that Wei Shao, in a fit of rage, would overrun East

County and kill her father. If that happened, Xiao Qiao couldn’t imagine

what would be the point of even rushing here like this. Fortunately, what

she feared the most did not occur. The moment she learned the news, the

tensed string in her body loosened.

After relief, she felt a pang of dizziness, and her body swayed. Qiao Ci

hurriedly held her.

“Sister!”

“I am fine. Stay here. You don’t have to come in with me.”

……

“Lady, come with me.” Lei Ze came out and led Xiao Qiao inside.

On the way, he seemed to want to say something but finally said nothing.

He led her to the tent in the middle, whispering, “Marquis is inside.”

When she raised her hand and lifted the tent door, Xiao Qiao’s mood

suddenly became tense again, and her movements became hesitant.

She settled her mind, lifted it, and entered. Inside, the candles brighten up

the tent.

She saw Wei Shao standing before the weapons rack, his back facing her.

He was motionless, like a rock.

She stopped at the tent door, gazing at the familiar back and saying softly,

“Husband, I’m sorry.”

A gust of wind burst through the gap in the tent door behind her, and the

candle flame swayed lightly. Wei Shao’s magnified figure cast on the tent

wall also wavered. He slowly turned around, and his eyes fell on Xiao

Qiao’s face.

The two eyes met. It had been half a year since they had seen each other.

Wei Shao became dark and thin at once. In his expression, there was no

anger that Xiao Qiao expected.

He looked very calm. The calmness is unusual.

In Xiao Qiao’s heart, there was a dull pain in her chest. “Thank you for not

attacking the East County-”

“Return. Take good care of Fei Fei. After all, you gave birth to a daughter

for me. As a reward for you, I will spare Yanzhou. Tomorrow I will withdraw

my troops.” He interrupted her words. The tone of his voice was just as

calm as his complexion, unlike anything he could have said.

Xiao Qiao stared at him in a daze.

After Wei Shao finished, he walked toward the desk to sit down, casually

flipping open a volume of documents and browsing with his head down.

Xiao Qiao stood still, motionless.

At first, Wei Shao was very calm and kept turning over the documents in his

hand. Occasionally, there was a slight clanging of the bamboo pieces.

Gradually, he turned over faster and faster, and the veins on the back of his

hand squeezing the paperwork became prominent.

Suddenly, with a “pop” sound, he slapped the scroll on the desk. The sound

was so loud that the candle flame jumped for a moment.

“You’re not leaving? What more do you want from me before you are

satisfied?” He raised his head and stared at Xiao Qiao, gritting his teeth

and saying word by word.

Xiao Qiao slowly walked to his side and knelt near him.
“Husband, you actually already know, don’t you?” She looked at the hard

lines of his carved side face and asked softly.

Wei Shao closed his eyes and slowly turned his head. The candle flame

was cast in his eyes, causing his pupils to glow with a cold, almost

translucent glaze.

“On my way here, I was worried that you had already attacked the city.

When I arrived in the evening, I found that you hadn’t. At that moment, I

knew it wouldn’t be because of Bi Zhi. If you wanted to take Yanzhou, you

would never have stopped because of Bi Zhi. You must have known there

was a misunderstanding, right?”

……

Wei Shao did not say a word.

Xiao Qiao looked into his eyes: “Before I came, when I said goodbye to

Grandmother, I told her I wanted to come to see you, not to clear the Qiao

family’s name. General Wei Liang’s death is still a mystery. The warriors

who traveled with him innocently died. Everything is related to my Qiao

family. Even if the Qiao family pays with their lives, it is not enough to heal
the pain of their relatives. It is not my vain words. When I arrived and knew

you had not attacked the city, I had no other thoughts but gratitude. I

understand that my family’s lack of virtue and incompetence has led to

many incidents over and over again. I will ask my father to hand over

Yanzhou. I know this atonement is insignificant compared to the fault. You

may not even care about it. But the damage has been done. My father and

I will make up for it as much as feasible. Even if it is insignificant.”

Wei Shao’s expression remained cold. He shook his head.

“You have said so much, and there is one thing right. I have not yet

attacked Yanzhou, not because of Bi Zhi.”

“Do you know why I decided to spare Yanzhou?”

Xiao Qiao held her breath, her heart suddenly beating faster.

Wei Shao cast his eyes beyond the tent door and barked, “Bring him in!”

Xiao Qiao raised her eyes and saw a man in a gray coat being pushed in

and kneeling on the ground with a poof.

It was Zhang Pu, Qiao Yue’s strategist.

His face was as pale as dirt, trembling.

Xiao Qiao was taken aback and quickly turned her head to look at Wei

Shao and saw him staring coldly at herself: “This man, you should know

him, right?”

Xiao Qiao’s heart suddenly pounded wildly. She confusedly looked at Wei

Shao.

From the first word Wei Shao said to her after entering the tent, she had

sensed his abnormality. With something so big happening, from Wei Shao’s

point of view, the Qiao family acted as if the entire family had once again

reneged on their commitment. But he only told her to go back, saying that,

in return for her having given him a daughter, he would spare Yanzhou. At

the time he said this, he was unusually calm. But her instincts told her this

was never a true expression of his emotions. The more calm he was, the

greater his anger behind it.

Chapter 143.2

She didn’t know why he wasn’t furious with her but instead had to cover up

his anger in such a way that made people feel even more uneasy.

At this moment, she vaguely seems to have some understanding. Maybe it

has something to do with Zhang Pu.

But Zhang Pu, what exactly did he say?

Wei Shao got up from behind the desk, grabbed the sword across the table,

drew it, and walked towards Zhang Pu.

Zhang Pu fell to the ground, crawling backward, begging unceasingly.

“Marquis spare my life – Marquis spare -”

A sword light swept by, a head attached to the neck a moment before,

suddenly flew out, rolled to the corner, and then stopped.

A column of blood gushed out in the air. It splattered on Wei Shao’s lapel

and on his face.

Xiao Qiao shrieked and watched in horror as Wei Shao turned around,

carrying the still dripping blood sword, and walked towards her step by

step.

The long-lost memories of the last scene in her previous life’s dream

suddenly flooded back at her. She clenched her teeth to keep them from

chattering.

Wei Shao arrived before her, and a few drops of blood splattered on his

face slightly trickled down. After looking at her for a moment, “ding,” he

threw away the sword.

“This man, bring Qiao Yue’s head to join me. Yanzhou or your Qiao Family,

keep it for yourself. You may go.” He said coldly.

Xiao Qiao forced herself to hold up her legs which had become soft and

wobbly and reluctantly stood up.

“What’s wrong with you? What did Zhang Pu say?”

Wei Shao did not speak.

“Husband–”
“Someone, send her out to me!”

Wei Shao suddenly seemed to burst out, twisted his head, and roared

outward. With his palm, he swept the things on the desk that separated the

two to the floor.

Documents, paperwork, pens, ink, arrows, and tokens, fell all over the floor

in a wretched mess.

Lei Ze entered in a panic, glanced at Zhang Pu’s headless corpse, who had

fallen to the ground, and hurriedly tried to brace himself to pull it out.

“Send her away!” Wei Shao roared again.

Lei Ze froze, and only then did he understand. He looked at Wei Shao.

Wei Shao looked gloomy.

Lei Ze hesitated, “Lady-”

“Please bother General Lei to go out first. I still have something to say to

Marquis.” Xiao Qiao said.

Lei Ze hastily bent down and got Zhang Pu’s corpse out along with his

head.

“Husband-”

“Don’t call me husband!”

Xiao Qiao paused, “What exactly did Zhang Pu say to you ……”

His lips remained tightly closed.

Xiao Qiao’s heart was in turmoil, and her back was already wet with cold

sweat.

She could feel Wei Shao’s anger towards her not only because of this

Yanzhou matter. It seems mixed with something else.

What was it?

She closed her eyes and tried to remember in her mind. Suddenly, she felt

heavily yanked by something. Her eyes snapped open.

“In the year following my first marriage to you, when I returned to Yanzhou,

I had advised my father to be strong and recruit troops.” She looked into

Wei Shao’s sullen eyes.

“At that time, one of the reasons I persuaded my father was to guard

against you.” She said slowly.

At that time, when her father was persuading Qiao Yue, he naturally could

not have said that it was his proposal. But Yanzhou moved precisely from

the time she left.

Zhang Pu, to show his loyalty in front of Wei Shao, said the purpose of

Yanzhou strengthening their army was to prevent him from taking revenge.

Zhang Pu may not have mentioned her. But Wei Shao could have thought

of this. Her face slowly became pale, and her lips faded in color.

She looked at him silently. She did not want to shed tears.

From that day after bidding farewell to Mrs. Xu on the road until the

moment before, she had not shed a tear.

She did not want to cry. She hoped that things had not yet developed in the

worst direction, hoping there was still room for maneuvering.

Until this moment.

Xiao Qiao’s eyes suddenly became hot. She tried her best to hold back.

Finally, she forced that burst of intent back.

“I know what makes you hate me. You hate the fact that I married you to

scheme you. But you and I were united in a marriage for different purposes.

We were in the same bed but had different dreams. At that time, I was

afraid of you and could not believe you. That’s why I advised my father so. I

dare not say I was right, but I can’t say against my heart that I was wrong to

make that decision. After all, none of us can foresee the future, let alone

see what is in each other’s mind, can we? My mistake was that I only

advised my father to be strong but did not pay enough attention to the

hidden problems of my Qiao family and take precautions, which has led to

today’s bad results, the death of Wei Liang and other innocent victims, and

failed to live up to promises you made for me ……”

Wei Shao suddenly sneered. His smile was a bit bizarre.

“I remember clearly, at that time, to pick you up early, I chased you to the

south. You and I at the Wu Chao ferry were affectionate, but it turned out

that your heart ……” He suddenly stopped, disgusted.

“You do not have to say it! From now on, don’t mention anything about your

Qiao family! The Qiao family has taken great pains to marry you here. You

have also condescended to serve me for three years, which is not a short

time, and now you have given birth to a child. I will satisfy you and let your

Qiao family live. Tell your Qiao family, do not offend me again. Next time, I

will not be like this. Don’t think I’ll hold back because I’m concerned about

my reputation! If I want to kill, I will kill. What does it matter to me what the

world says?”

With the palm of his hand, Wei Shao heavily wiped away the drops of blood

on his cheek. But it left a dark red drag mark, making his face look hideous.

He turned to leave.
Chapter 144.1

The window in the south is half open, a breeze brushing across the banana

tree outside through the room, creating a subtle rustling sound.

The smell of bitter medicine was floating in the room. Xiao Qiao took the

bowl from his father’s hand, set it aside, and helped him lie down.

Qiao Ping faintly shook his head.

“Is the Marquis Yan unwilling to take Yanzhou?” He asked.

He’s already gone.” Xiao Qiao said softly.

“It is Father who is dragging you down. I failed to detect your uncle’s

movements in time, which led to this disaster. Also, I did not handle the

situation properly when he sent troops to besiege the city out of anger.”

“It’s not that I can’t give up on my reputation as a county official. Yanzhou is

just a piece of dead land. Even when your great-grandfather was the

governor, we never owned Yanzhou. Our ancestors’ graves were at

Dongting. When your grandfather died, you were still young. I took you and

your mother back to Dongting to guard the tomb for a few years. Dongting
is a vast place in the Chutian, which I still remember. I thought that one day

when you and Ci’er had started your own family and I could let go of this

matter, I would help your mother to return her spirit and live out the rest of

my life in Dongting.”

Xiao Qiao looked at her father in a daze.

“When he came with his troops, I should open the door and surrender. After

his anger was over, he might not make things difficult for the people in the

city. But I did not dare to take the risk. My death is not worth it, but my army

and people should not be responsible for the sins of my Qiao family ……”

“Father, don’t blame yourself anymore. No one is good enough. The matter

has already happened. It is useless to blame yourself. What we should do

now is to try our best to make amends.”

Xiao Qiao helped Qiao Ping to lean on the bed and put a cushion behind

him.

“I know your heart is uncomfortable with General Wei Liang and the fallen

guards. The remains of the bodies are all coffined, and he has taken them

away. When I return, I will do what I can to provide compassion to the

families of the soldiers. Father couldn’t see and is not fit to travel, so I will

go to Luoyang to apologize to General Wei on Father’s behalf.”

Qiao Ping raised his hand and groped, holding one of Xiao Qiao’s hands.

Outside, the sun was shining, and the breeze was smooth. But Xiao Qiao’s

fingertips were cold.

Qiao Ping held his daughter’s hands and sighed, “Has my son-in-law hurt

you?”

Although her father was blind, Xiao Qiao still smiled.

She said, “Father, don’t worry. He is not that kind of person. Although we

had some difficulties this time, it is not because of Yanzhou.”

She hesitated slightly and mentioned that Zhang Pu brought Qiao Yue’s

head to join Wei Shao but was killed by him.

“He had promised me that he would not hold the old enmity of the Wei and

Qiao families in the future. I know it’s difficult for him to let go of his past.

When he learned I had advised Father to guard against him, he became

cold-hearted and wanted to part ways with me, which is human nature.”
She held her father’s hand tightly with her other hand and said, “Father,

please rest assured that everything will be fine. I only don’t feel at ease

about you……”

“Man Man, rest assured. Go back as soon as possible.” Qiao Ping said, “I

am not seriously hurt. Besides, your sister is back. With her around, it will

be like having you by my side.”

……

After the previous incident, Qiao Yue imprisoned Mrs. Ding. She spent her

days with only cold water and gruel.

As soon as Qiao Ping regained power, he took Mrs. Ding out.

Mrs. Ding saw Qiao Yue’s tragic death. Although she hated him for being

heartless, unrighteous, and confused, after all, they were a couple, so she

also dropped tears at that time.

Yesterday, Da Qiao, with her child Li, finally arrived in East County. The

mother and daughter have separated for several years, and now they can

meet.
Mrs. Ding gave her daughter a heavy smack, then took her into her arms

and burst into tears.

Da Qiao knelt, and Mrs. Ding lifted her. They were finally reunited.

Xiao Qiao was at the side, relieved. Looking at them made her eyes hot.

At least this moment, Mrs. Ding, Da Qiao, and Bi Zhi’s reunion is worth

rejoicing.

Like slowly drawing back the strength after drowning in a heavy mood for a

long time, a corner of sunshine finally appears through clouds and fog.

Even if it is only a corner of sunshine, it is enough to support her choice to

embark on the journey home to face the husband she married in this life

because of a long-standing destiny.

……

A few days later, Xiao Qiao arrived in Luoyang. It was her first time on the

land of Luoyang.
A thousand years ago, King Wu set the foundation for the capital of the

Han Dynasty. Frequent wars and changes of emperors did not make this

ancient capital depressed. It was different from other cities because of its

thousand years of history that turned into bones and blood. Even the

breeze of the Luo River carries a hint of fragrant earth.

All the way to the east, Xiao Qiao saw the dense population.

Chapter 144.2

The only trace of war damage she found was the gray and black collapsed

ruins she saw across the Luo River when she passed by the rumored Lotus

Terrace.

She hadn’t seen how tall buildings in jade beams had stood on top of the

ruins just a short time ago.

She did not care about these things. The first thing she did when she

entered Luoyang was take Qiao Ci to Wei Liang.

When she entered the city, Gongsun Yang sent someone to meet her.
She learned a piece of gospel-like news. A few days ago, Wei Liang, who

had been in a coma, had finally awakened.

The one who saved him was a wandering healer, White Stone Old Man.

……

Qiao Ci sprinted in and arrived at Wei Liang’s couch without a word, knelt.

Wei Liang is a hardy man. Although his body is weak, he immediately gets

up to help Qiao Ci.

But Xiao Qiao stopped him.

Qiao Ci said shamefully: “General Wei, please accept my obeisance. My

father initially wanted to come personally to plead guilty. But he had trouble

traveling, so I came on his behalf. Because of my Qiao family, General Wei

and your 16 fellow soldiers suffered a great calamity. Even if I died, it would

not be enough to compensate!” He bowed deeply.

Wei Liang was shocked and said, “Get up, Young Master Qiao! How can I

accept such a big gift from you? I am a martial artist! When I get on my

horse, it’s like carrying my head. Either I kill them or killed by them. I know
what happened in Yanzhou because of Liu Yan. If I want to kill, I’ll kill the

culprit and take his head to pay tribute to my dead brothers! Get up quickly,

and never say ‘plead guilty’ again!”

Xiao Qiao was grateful and bowed to Wei Liang, saying, “General Wei is

righteous. Please accept my obeisance. Even though General Wei said so,

the Qiao family won’t escape the responsibility. When I return, I will let my

family support those innocent soldiers’ families, young and old. I know this

is far from compensating for their pains, but it is the only remedy I can think

of today. In the future, if there is another need, General Wei can tell me.”

Wei Liang refused to accept the bow and said, “On behalf of my brothers, I

thank you sincerely! You should get your brother up quickly, don’t torture

me again!”

Then, Qiao Ci rose and thanked Wei Liang.

Wei Liang laughed, “If one does not die, one will be blessed afterward. I am

blessed afterward, so why should Mr. Qiao thank me?”

Initially, Qiao Ci was frightened in his heart. But seeing Wei Liang’s attitude

towards himself still the same as before, bold, and didn’t have the slightest

bit of ill feelings, his heart slowly settled down.

Wei Liang looked at Qiao Ci and smiled, “Young Master Qiao is more

handsome than the last time I saw him. General Li still remembers the

heroic appearance of Young Master Qiao at the Lu Li Conference and

mentioned it to me some time ago. Now that Young Master Qiao is here,

you must pay your respects to him.”

Qiao Ci hurriedly promised and saw that although Wei Liang seemed in

good spirits, his face was still pale, so he went to help him lie down.

Xiao Qiao said, “I wonder where General Wei is going after recovering?”

Wei Liang smiled and said, “My Lord allowed me to return to visit my family.

If there is no accident, I will return to Liangzhou.”

“I have a favor to ask. I wonder if General Wei can grant it?” Xiao Qiao said

suddenly.

Wei Liang said, “Please speak, Lady. As long as I can, I will not fail you.”
Xiao Qiao looked at Qiao Ci and smiled, “Yanzhou now has many generals

working together to protect it. There is also Green Eyed General. My

brother cannot do anything. I’m afraid he’ll be lazy at home and waste his

youth, so I’d like to ask you, if you don’t mind him, to take him with you

when you go back to Liangzhou. It would be a great opportunity for my

brother to undergo under your command.”

Although Yanzhou has undergone a dramatic change, and Qiao Ping is

blind, many family members worked together to protect it. With Bi Zhi’s

support, even if Qiao Ci is not there, it does not affect the overall situation.

Even though Qiao Ci had experienced several battles with his father, the

battle pattern was limited. It will be great for Qiao Ci to learn from a veteran

like Wei Liang and stay in Liangzhou. Not only to establish a relationship

with Wei Liang and others but also to benefit Qiao Ci.

Qiao Ci did not expect his sister to make such an arrangement for him. He

was both surprised and happy and hurriedly looked at Wei Liang.

Wei Liang was slightly stunned and almost nodded but suddenly hesitated.

Xiao Qiao smiled and said, “I will talk to Marquis.”

Wei Liang smiled broadly and said, “I won’t hide it from you. General Li has

been interested in taking Young Master Qiao away, but he never had the

chance to ask. Now that you have given him to me, he can no longer

compete with me! If you are not afraid of suffering, I’ll accept!”

Qiao Ci, the son of a noble family, grew up in Yanzhou and had heard

about how brave the Qiang soldiers were in Liangzhou, how strong the

people were, and how magnificent the battlefield was. When he heard Wei

Liang’s promise, he was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed to him again.

Xiao Qiao smiled and said, “I’ll leave my brother to you. Please, General

Wei, just beat him, don’t have any worries. He has thick skin. He can stand

it.”

Chapter 145.1

South Palace, Xuan Chamber.

When the Han Dynasty flourished, this South Palace, not far from the Taiji

Palace, was used as the daily residence of the emperors to deal with

government affairs after the court.

Later, the emperor spent a lot of money to build the North Palace, which

took more than ten years. After its completion, its splendor and luxury were

far better than South Palace.

During Emperor Huang’s reign, the living activities of the Han emperors

transferred to the North Palace.

Slowly, the South Palace was abandoned, and the Tai Chang Office

replaced the Xuan Chamber.

After Wei Shao took over Luoyang, he reopened the Xuan Chamber as his

temporary residence.

Xiao Qiao knew that Wei Shao was very busy during the days after he

returned from Yanzhou.

Meanwhile, Le Zheng Gong’s northern expedition was unsuccessful. After

vomiting blood on the way back to Hanzhong, he was so depressed that his

old wounds recurred, and died. After the mourning, the eldest son, Le

Zheng Kai, was crowned and established the Daliang Kingdom. Honoring

Le Zheng Gong as the previous emperor, then he issued a protest against

Wei Shao, vowing to take revenge for the founding emperor of Daliang. Le
Zheng Gong had been operating in Hanzhong for several generations.

Hanzhong, with Liang as the capital, from the Hangu Pass to the west,

occupying Qin, Jing, and Yizhou, with many soldiers and a natural barrier in

the form of Mount Hua and the Shu Road.

Xiao Qiao waited at the side of the corridor outside the Xuan Chamber for a

long time. The discomfort of swollen breasts is again rising in her chest.

Once again, she was reminded that her daughter, Fei Fei, was still at

home, waiting for her to return.

Finally came a sound of footsteps. She saw Li Dian, Wei Quan, and others

come out from the inside hurriedly.

When they saw Xiao Qiao, they were stunned, stopped, and came to salute

her.

Li Dian said, “When did the lady arrive in Luoyang?”

“Today.”

Xiao Qiao looked at the red palace door, “Is the Marquis here?”

“He’s inside.”
Xiao Qiao nodded slightly and went inside.

……

Gongsun Yang was still inside, speaking to Wei Shao: “My mentor heard

that there’s an epidemic in the south. Then, during his journey to the south,

while passing near Luoyang, he learned about the announcement for

seeking medical treatment. That’s why he entered the city. General Wei has

no serious injury. My mentor left early this morning. I struggled to keep

……”

Wei Shao ambled to the threshold and suddenly saw Xiao Qiao walking

toward him. He paused, his gaze fell to her body, fixed a breath, then sank

his face.

Gongsun Yang looked up, saluted, and said: “Lady, the journey is hard. You

just arrived in Luoyang. Why not rest first?”

Xiao Qiao stepped up and stopped before the two, smiling, “Thank you for

sending someone to bring me here. I am not tired.”

Her eyes turned to Wei Shao, and she said, “Can Husband stay for a

while?”

Wei Shao said coldly, “What are you doing here?”

Xiao Qiao said, “I have something to say to you.”

Wei Shao lifted his feet and left.

Xiao Qiao reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

Wei Shao lowered his head, looked at her tiny hands clutching his sleeve,

and then raised his eyes to stare at her, annoyed.

But her two tiny hands, still tightly tugging at his sleeves, refused to let go.

“It will only take up a moment of your time. It won’t delay things.” She said.

Her voice was not high but firm.

Gongsun Yang swallowed his saliva, turning his face away, “Lord, why not

listen to Lady? I will take my leave ……” He hastily bowed toward the two

and left.

Wei Shao stood frozen at the threshold, not moving.

There is no one around. Only a fragrant tree in front of the hall, covered

with a canopy, issued a rustling sound when a gust of wind passed.

Xiao Qiao slowly let go of his hand.

“I just went to visit General Wei Liang. My brother and I traveled together to

apologize to General Wei Liang on behalf of my father.”

Wei Shao’s eyes fell on the fragrant tree in the hall.

Xiao Qiao stared at his stiff face: “Fortunately, General Wei did not blame

us. Before I left, I told General Wei that I hoped he would take my brother

under his tent for training. Thanks to General Wei, he agreed to do so. But

without your nod, he did not dare to take the initiative.”

Wei Shao turned his head sharply.

“Is this something you can decide without permission?” His tone was heavy.

“Therefore, I come here to tell you.” Xiao Qiao said, “I don’t mean anything

else. Things are over at home, and I don’t think there will be much to do in

the next few days. Since my family is guilty of letting General Wei down, it’s
only right that I let him attend to his needs, whether holding a horse or a

saddle for him.”

Wei Shao stared at her.

Xiao Qiao met his gaze: “Naturally, to keep or not to keep him, or how long

to keep him. In the end, you decide everything.”

Wei Shao was silent for a moment. Suddenly, he lifted his feet, his sleeves

brushed the wind, walked down the steps, and was already walking under

the fragrant tree.

Xiao Qiao went after him and stopped opposite him, blocking his way.

Wei Shao finally stopped: “What else do you want?” His tone of voice was

questioning and impatient.

He was more than half a head taller than Xiao Qiao. The two stood facing

each other like this, and Xiao Qiao tilted her face slightly, gazing at his face.

“I know you hate my family for repeatedly reneging on their promise, and

you hate me for being insincere with you. We’re husband and wife, but
secretly defensive. I must say what is in my heart, so whether you listen to

it or not, I must say it.”

“A long time ago, I had a terrible nightmare repeatedly. In the dream, Qiao

and Wei’s families united in marriage. I become your wife. However, it did

not resolve the hatred of the two families as hoped. You are bent on

revenge. In the end, everyone in my family died. Either directly by your

hands or indirectly because of you.”

She closed her eyes, then opened them again.

“With those nightmares, I married you. After the marriage, I care not to

make a single wrong step. Gradually, our relationship melted, but at that

time, no matter how good you were to me, your words and actions always

made me feel pressured, as if the life, death, fortune, and disaster of my

family all depended on your whim, not to mention the dream prophecy that I

could not get rid of.”

“Because of that, I want my family to be strong. Not to be your enemy, but

to think that if one day, when you and I can no longer maintain the love
between husband and wife, my family can protect themselves. Even if it’s

like a mantis, it’s better than sitting around waiting to die like my dream.”

At first, Wei Shao did not look at her. But he slowly fixed his eyes on her

face.

He stared at her, his eyes gloomy, his brows furrowed.

“What I am asking for is only peace of mind.” She slowly said.

Chapter 145.2

“Today, we have come to this point in our relationship. You were right to
scold me for being scheming. But, Husband, in the past, under those
circumstances, how can we talk about love? If there was no love, how
could I trust you with my life and the lives of my family?”

“Even at this moment, I don’t think I was wrong. I never thought you would
make such a concession for me and give me the promise I wanted so
badly. It is only natural for you to hate me.”
“I indeed let you down, betrayed the sincerity of your heart that night when
you chased me to the post house outside Xindu.”

When she said these words, a burst of tightness filled her chest, and her
breasts, which seemed to follow her emotions, swelled.

She turned sideways and released a long breath, waiting for her emotions
to calm.

“I came to apologize to you. For the fact that you had given your sincerity to
me, but I did not react equally.”

“In the past, I entered your house with the heart of a Qiao girl, then from
now on, I am your wife and Fei Fei’s mother.”

When she finished speaking, there was silence around her.

Creamy yellow flakes of fragrant wood fell from the trees, silently staining
the top of her hair and his shoulders.
Wei Shao remained motionless.

“Fei Fei is almost three months old, very cute. I think about her day and
night. I’m going to leave now to return to Yuyang.”

Xiao Qiao abruptly said, nodded slightly towards him, and turned away.

That bloodless, haggard face abruptly turned in front of him.

Wei Shao returned to his senses, looking ahead at the back of the
departing azure-colored shadow.

She walked quickly, her steps getting faster and faster.

In the blink of an eye, she disappeared at the end of the palace road.

……
The carriages are all still parked outside the Zhuque Gate.

Xiao Qiao, accompanied by Chun Niang, left Luoyang quietly, just as she
had come.

At the beginning of June, she returned to Yuyang without any difficulties.

As soon as she entered the house, she changed her clothes, washed her
face and hands quickly, and immediately went to the north house, despite
her tiredness from the journey.

After not seeing her for over a month, Fei Fei seemed to have grown up
again. She opened her beautiful round eyes wide, did not recognize Xiao
Qiao at first, only looked at her.

“Little Miss, your mother is back!”

The wet nurse was anxious and kept reminding her. But Fei Fei still did not
seem to recognize Xiao Qiao.
Xiao Qiao stretched out her hand towards Fei Fei. Her fingers were
immediately caught and held tightly by her.

Her strength was strong, and their skin touched each other.

“Fei Fei-”

Xiao Qiao looked unblinkingly at her daughter’s soft pink cheeks and called
out her name.

Fei Fei immediately recognized the soft familiar voice of her mother and
immediately became joyful, babbling and shaking her little arms. She
stretched out her other hand towards Xiao Qiao, the old silver bells with the
lucky pattern on her wrist emitting a pleasant clinking sound.

Xiao Qiao immediately picked up her daughter and held her tiny body in her
arms, greedily smelling the familiar milky scent emanating from her body.
All the tiredness and soreness instantly vanished. Her heart filled with
tender feelings of pity and regret.
After giving birth, her breast milk was abundant. Fei Fei seemed to prefer to
drink her mother’s milk, so although Mrs. Xu had prepared two wet nurses
before, Xiao Qiao always fed her herself.

After leaving home, she did not want to cut off her daughter’s milk, so
under Chun Niang’s guidance, she would regularly relieve her milk.

At this moment, finally holding her daughter back in her arms again, the
milk gushed out again.

Fei Fei smelled the smell of her mother’s breast and immediately came
towards her breast.

Xiao Qiao took the warm towel to wipe her breasts, nursing her daughter.

Fei Fei’s little chubby hands clung to Xiao Qiao’s lapel, closed her eyes,
and swallowed heavily. Then, she fell asleep in Xiao Qiao’s arms.
Chapter 146.1

Xiao Qiao continued to hold her daughter in her arms and waited until she
was asleep before gently placing her on the bed.

The weather was getting hot, and the little one was so chubby that her neck
and arms were sweaty when she slept.

Xiao Qiao unfolded a thin coverlet to cover her body. Then, she asked the
nanny to look after her and went to Mrs. Xu’s place.

When she arrived at the north house, she went to see Mrs. Xu first. She
only asked a few questions about the journey, then allowed her to see Fei
Fei.

Currently, she is in the garden that Xiao Qiao had built for her, watering a
bush of newly transplanted Jishan Chongtai roses.

The yard was lively, with rose branches, leaves stained with water droplets,
and various colors of flower bones. The fragrance attracted a few fluttering
bees and butterflies. A black moth with golden dots suddenly flew from the
slant and hit Mrs. Xu. “Snapped,” it fell on its back in the mud, vibrating its
wings with a buzzing sound, trying to turn over and fly again, but in vain.

The cat came out from a corner, pounced on it with agility, held it down with
one paw, sniffed it, and played with it. Mrs. Xu took the cat away and turned
the moth over on its back.

The black moth arced through the air and disappeared into the flowers.
“Is Fei Fei asleep?” Mrs. Xu withdrew her gaze and smiled.

“Yes.” Xiao Qiao responded.

“Grandmother …….” She called out again as if there were a million words
in her throat that she wanted to say. But there was no way to speak.

“Pass the shears for me.” Mrs. Xu said.

Xiao Qiao took it from Old Zhong’s hand and handed it up.

Mrs. Xu took the shears and carefully cut off a cluster of decaying leaves
with white insect eggs on them.

“I know all about it.” She said while pruning the branches and leaves. “It’s
good that Shao’er can restrain himself. I heard your father lost his eyesight.
How is he now?”

“He is fine. I believe his eyesight will be fine in the future.” Xiao Qiao held
back the sadness in her heart and said.

Mrs. Xu stopped cutting as if she remembered the past: “I still remember

when your father came to Youzhou, elegant and dignified, I was impressed.
More than ten years, time fleeting, suddenly ……”

A hazy thought suddenly surfaced slowly in Xiao Qiao’s heart. She wanted
to ask this elderly, whom she respected and admired immensely, why she
was willing to accept the Qiao family’s request for favors and let her only
beloved grandson marry a daughter from the Qiao family.
“Shao’er didn’t say when he could return?” Mrs. Xu suddenly asked.

“Hanzhong provokes the war. He should be busy preparing for the war. I’m
afraid that he can not return for a while ……” Xiao Qiao came back to her
senses and responded.

Mrs. Xu’s eyes lingered on her face for a moment.

Xiao Qiao met her gaze without flinching.

“You have just returned. The journey was hard. Go and rest well first.
Tomorrow, carry Fei Fei back to the west house.” Mrs. Xu examined her for
a moment and nodded, smiling.

……

Since ancient times, the military has set up a practice to record the list of
soldiers killed in action to provide compensation to the families after the
war. Although based on ancient law, the implementation only happened in
the flourishing imperial dynasties.

In a time of chaos, and never-ending war, soldiers are fierce and

dangerous, too many people have died, and human life is as cheap as
grass. In the event of a battle, the dead bodies of soldiers piled up.

Moreover, when military food was scarce, they would take the dead
soldiers’ bodies or loot civilians as military food, which was a common
thing.
When fighting and dying have become like eating and drinking, even in the
Wei Shao army, with continuous war, it is impossible to record the name of
every soldier killed in battle. More mothers and wives could only wait day
after day, looking through their eyes until they despaired.

The list of the sixteen guards who died with Wei Liang in Yanzhou is
complete. Some of them were from Yuyang, and all of them came from
ordinary civilian families. The news came to their families with military
compensation. Their death was considered common deaths in action.

Xiao Qiao had prepared an additional compensation from her dowry, which
was enough for the families of the dead guards to live on, and had sent it to
them. She did not go to the family’s home to offer her condolences. The
natural disparity in status dictated that even if the families knew the real
cause of their sons’ or husbands’ deaths, they could only show gratitude.

A few days later, she visited Wei Liang’s mother and wife. Before she and
Wei Liang said farewell in Luoyang, Wei Liang had asked her; when she
returned to Yuyang and saw his mother, she should not tell her that he had
been injured and was in danger.

……

It had been almost a year and a half since they had seen Wei Liang.
Suddenly, they learned that Wei Liang could return home to visit his family
in a few days. Wei Liang’s mother and wife were delighted. They felt
grateful to the lady for visiting them.
When Xiao Qiao said goodbye, Wei Liang’s mother insisted sent her to the
door despite her old age.

On the way home, Xiao Qiao’s heart was filled with mixed feelings as the
smiling faces of Wei Liang’s mother and wife appeared before her eyes a
few moments ago.

The carriage moved slowly through the street, approaching the Wei
Mansion, and stopped at the entrance.

Xiao Qiao was helped off the carriage by Chun Niang and saw a black
horse tied to the tethering post next to the lion stone on the right side of the
gate.

The horse was tall and majestic, with long hooves and a shiny body
drenched with sweat. The horse slave was beside it, wiping its sweat.

“Master’s horse!”

Chun Niang recognized it at a glance and blurted out, her voice full of
surprise.

Xiao Qiao’s heart jumped, and all the blood in her body flowed faster.

When the gatekeeper saw that the carriage had returned, he greeted her:
“The lady has returned! Master also has returned! Almost at the same time
as you!”

Chun Niang took Xiao Qiao’s arm, hurriedly dragged her into the gate,
straight to the west house, and stopped when she reached the courtyard
gate. Her footsteps were a bit fast, and Xiao Qiao gasped after she
stopped.

Outside the house, a line of servants stood at the bottom of the steps. Old
Lin looked at the courtyard’s door and saw Xiao Qiao. She hurriedly
greeted her, smiling, lowering her voice, and saying: “Master is back! He is
in the room! The little Miss is asleep, and Master is beside her, looking at
her without blinking. Aiya, his heart is going to melt ……”

Chun Niang’s eyes showed joy. She continued to lead Xiao Qiao to the
steps, helping her put her scattered hair behind her ears. After examining
her, she smiled and said softly: “You are beautiful today. Go inside.”

Xiao Qiao stopped at the door, fixed her mind, gently pushed it open, and
walked in.

……

Chapter 146.2

The little one who sleeps soundly under his eyes, delicate and beautiful like
a flower, is his daughter?

Wei Shao sat beside the bed, leaning in, holding his breath, and looking
down at the tiny person sleeping.

Soft hair, pale eyebrows, long eyelashes, small nose, with her pink lips
slightly open when asleep, chubby little arms and legs ……

Wei Shao leaned closer and smelled a faint milk scent on her body.
Instantly, his heart became soft, and his heart felt the urge to kiss her
gently. That is the only way to express his love and regret for her. She is
already so old, yet he did not return to see her until now.

Wei Shao opened his eyes wide, greedily gazing at his daughter’s sleeping
face, and suddenly noticed a thin layer of sweat condensing on her nose.
He carefully reached out towards her little face, trying to wipe it.

When Wei Shao’s fingertips almost touched her nose, he turned and saw
Xiao Qiao standing beside the screen, staring at him. A gentle breeze blew
in from outside the window, gently curling the low-hanging carved curtain.
The curtain couldn’t cover the afternoon sun outside the window, and the
few bits of daylight that leaked in scattered on one side of her cheek,
brightening her jade-like skin, and her eyes became clear. She stared at
him quietly, her lips slightly curved upward, with a soft smile.

Wei Shao’s hand paused in the air for a moment. Without meeting her
gaze, he immediately stood up from the edge of the bed and walked
towards the outside. He passed in front of her and quickly disappeared
beyond the threshold.

……

Wei Shao bowed to Mrs. Xu: “It is unfilial for me to return only now to see
Grandmother. How is Grandmother’s health?”

Mrs. Xu had never seen Wei Shao from the beginning of last year when he
went to Bingzhou until now. She was delighted to see his face again, held
his arm and helped him up, examined him for a moment, and said with a
smile, “Good, good, although dark and thin, but good energy. Did you see
your wife and daughter?”

Wei Shao said, “Yes, I did.”

“Your mother has not seen you for a long time. She misses you. ”

Wei Shao said: “I sent someone to tell her just now. I will meet her after
this.”

Mrs. Xu nodded and smiled, “It’s good to be home. I’m fine. Nothing
happened here. How long will you stay at home this time? It is important to
spend more time with your wife and daughter ……”

“Grandmother, I returned because I have not seen Grandmother for a long

time, and my heart misses you. Also, I had not returned when Fei Fei was
born. It was not right, so I returned before the upcoming war. I’m afraid I
won’t be able to stay long. I’ll be leaving in a few days.”

Mrs. Xu stared at him: “Is it to fight the Le Zheng brothers from Hanzhong?”

“No. It’s to attack Langya. I’ll destroy Langya first, then deal with the Le
Zheng brothers.”

Mrs. Xu was slightly stunned. Her expression gradually became solemn:

“What is the reason? Le Zheng Kai issued a protest against you. Why do
you attack Langya first?”

“I know that this time in Yanzhou, Liu Yan stirred…” she hesitated.
“Grandmother misunderstood,” Wei Shao smiled faintly, “I set this strategy,
not for revenge. I have other thoughts.”

Mrs. Xu’s eyebrows relaxed, and her sole eye looked at him with a faint
twinkle, and she smiled, “Tell me. Grandmother will listen.”

“Liu Yan is the emperor of the Han dynasty, and he has set himself as the
rightful ruler. I will take advantage of the fact that Liu Yan is not yet strong,
and the world thinks I want to fight Hanzhong. I will attack him by surprise. I
want to divide my troops into three directions, from Taishan, Pei, and Qiao
County, three places, at the same time to attack Langya and Xuzhou.
Formed a siege, then it will be like catching a turtle in a jar, and Langya will
be destroyed!” Wei Shao’s tone sounded rather indifferent.

Mrs. Xu mused: “This strategy is truly a surprise, unexpected. However,

how will you respond if Hanzhong attacks?”

Wei Shao laughed: “Hanzhong Le Zheng’s family, although their strength is

not bad, there are hidden problems within the real. I heard that several
sons of Le Zheng Gong, who always appeared harmonious, secretly
competed for power. After Le Zheng Gong’s death, it will be like a pack of
wolves without a head. They will be suspicious of each other. Le Zheng Kai
likes to make great achievements. After claiming the throne, he issued a
protest against me. Although he seemed enthusiastic about it, he only does
it because of his face, a helpless move. If I send a generous gift to appease
him and then add a city to show my goodwill, he will give in to the situation.
Let the Le Zheng family be proud of themselves, call themselves emperors,
and fight against brothers. After I destroyed Langya, I’ll attack them with
half the effort. By then, who else can compete with me in the world?”

Wei Shao’s voice brought out a hint of undisguised arrogance.

Mrs. Xu slowly got up from her seat, leaned on her cane, walked to the
window, and stood silently facing the distant mountains outside.

“Shao’er, I count myself as a branch of the Han family. The decline of the
Han dynasty began with Emperor Miao. If you can achieve your ambition,
you must remember that success and failure are related. Justice is not
always the same, those who follow virtue will prosper, and those who go
against virtue will die.”

“I will remember Grandmother’s teachings.” Wei Shao stood up and said

respectfully.

……

Xiao Qiao could not bear to sleep separately from her daughter at night and
brought her to her own bed.

But today, Wei Shao came back. After dark, the nurse carried Fei Fei to the
side room, and Xiao Qiao followed her. As usual, Fei Fei had her fill of milk
and fell asleep sweetly. The nurse urged her softly, “Go, lady. Leave her to
me.”

Xiao Qiao planted a kiss on her daughter’s forehead and instructed the
nurse before she went back to her room.
After meeting Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Zhu, Wei Shao went out and had not yet
returned.

Xiao Qiao took a bath under the service of Chun Niang and changed into a
new summer dress of lake green color. After giving birth, her figure
recovered quickly due to her youth. Four months have passed, her waist is
still the same, and her body is light, not much different from when she was
a young girl. But the breasts are plump. Her old clothes are too tight, and
she made a few new sets. The soft silk material covered her skin, wrapping
her exquisite body completely but also visible at a glance.

Xiao Qiao personally prepared Wei Shao’s bathing clothes and waited for
him in the room. She waited until late, and almost at the end of the day, she
heard his footsteps.

Xiao Qiao greeted him. Wei Shao’s face was expressionless as he stepped
in, swept his eyes over the bed, and turned to Xiao Qiao.

Xiao Qiao softly said, “Fei Fei is in the side room, sleeping with her nanny.”

Wei Shao’s eyebrows knitted as if he wanted to say something, but in the

end, he didn’t. He left her behind and went into the bathroom, closing the
door with a bang.

Chapter 147.1

Wei Shao came back very late. He went straight to the bed without saying
anything after coming from the bathroom.
Xiao Qiao then turned off the light and climbed into bed with him. He
seemed to fall asleep quickly.

Xiao Qiao gradually felt her breasts swollen. She slowly turned over.

Fei Fei’s daily schedule was regular. At night, she would go to bed after
breastfeeding and then wake up once to change her diaper and breastfeed
again. Then, she could sleep peacefully until morning. She listened to the
movement in the side room.

A few moments later, there was a faint cry from Fei Fei. Wei Shao suddenly
sat up, which startled Xiao Qiao.

“What’s wrong with her?” In the dimness, Xiao Qiao heard him ask.

“She’s awake. ……”

Wei Shao immediately rolled out of bed, lit the lamp, and hurried out.

Xiao Qiao put on a coat and followed.

The nurse changed Fei Fei’s diaper and tried to breastfeed her to put her to
sleep.

Since Fei Fei was born, Xiao Qiao brought her up by herself. She liked the
sweet, nectar-like scent of her mother’s milk. The two nurses are naturally
clean and healthy young women, but Fei Fei has not been used to them.
Last month, when she was separated from her mother, she couldn’t eat
well and slept restlessly. Later she could not wait any longer and helplessly
accepted.
These days, once Xiao Qiao returns home, Fei Fei is immediately attached
to the sweet smell that she likes. When she woke up, she couldn’t smell it
again and became restless, spitting out the nipple she had stuffed in her
mouth and crying.

The nurse coaxed her when she heard a push on the door and turned
around to see the master barging in, so she hid her sash.

Wei Shao’s eyes fell on the crying Fei Fei. He came over with a quick step
and reached out to hug her, but as if he was a bit scared, he
subconsciously turned his head and looked at Xiao Qiao behind him.

Xiao Qiao went over and took her daughter, lowered her cheek to her
forehead, and said softly, “Fei Fei is good. Don’t cry. Mother is here.”

Fei Fei slowly stopped crying and gently sobbed. Tears covered her
cheeks, and her two little hands, clutching her lapels, refused to let go.

The nurse nervously whispered, “It is my fault for disturbing the lady …….”

“It’s okay,” Xiao Qiao said, “I’ll take her to bed myself.” She called the maid
to fetch a thin coverlet to cover Fei Fei and carried her outside.

Wei Shao, who was watching in a daze, suddenly returned to his senses,
turned his head, and saw that Xiao Qiao had already gone out, so he
turned around and followed her.

Xiao Qiao returned to the room, saw Wei Shao come in, closed the door,
and stood by the side, so smiled and said: “You want to hug her?”
She carried Fei Fei to him.

Fei Fei just woke up, crying, lying in her mother’s fragrant arms. Now, she
was in good spirits. While nibbling on her hands, she opened her grape-like
eyes, curiously looking at the person who suddenly appeared from
nowhere before her.

Huh? This person looks as if he is a little different from the ones who
usually come and go—

Wei Shao stared at his daughter, slowly reached out to pick her up, and
cradled her in his arms. His shoulders stiffened slightly.

“Use your arm to support her neck here. She’ll be more comfortable, and
your other hand around here, so that–”

Xiao Qiao leaned over and whispered instructions for him to hold Fei Fei.

Wei Shao hugged the soft, pink little person in his arms, looking down into
her eyes that seemed to be sizing him up cautiously, lest he might hurt her
if he wasn’t careful.

The two were close together, separated only by Fei Fei. Suddenly, his
nostrils smelled a sweet smell that he could not say what it was, familiar,
such as the milk scent emanating from Fei Fei’s body, but not exactly—

There seemed to be nothing, but with one whiff, the scent dived straight
into his lungs, so he stalled breathing. Subconsciously, he raised his eyes
and glanced at her.
She did not look at him. Her eyes fell on Fei Fei in his arms. Her cheeks
were bright as a crescent moon, eyes gentle as water, a jade neck exposed
outside the collar, and then—

Wei Shao noticed that after she gave birth, her body was full, and her chest
bulged. As if with a pinch, the water could come out–

Fei Fei stared at the face of this strange man who was holding herself
motionless and lost interest. Instead, she moved her face towards his
chest. It’s hard, not her favorite fragrant soft feeling. She flattened her
mouth and cried out with a “whoa” sound.

Wei Shao was startled and hastily patted her to soothe her.

Fei Fei cried even louder.

Wei Shao’s hands and feet got busy. He was already feeling hot, and now
his forehead was sweating.

“Give her to me.” Xiao Qiao took back Fei Fei, hugging her and patting her
a few times. The little face rubbed aggressively against her mother, eager
to burrow into her arms.

“She’s hungry. I’ll feed her.”

Xiao Qiao turned sideways, slightly avoiding his direct line of sight, and
undressed to nurse Fei Fei.

Fei Fei closed her eyes and opened her mouth to suck hard.
Wei Shao even heard the sound of the little person in her arms gurgling
and swallowing. The knot in his throat followed, and he subconsciously
swallowed his saliva. He stood fixedly on the sidelines, his mouth dry, his
blood gradually boiling.

Fei Fei quickly fell asleep in her mother’s arms.

Xiao Qiao carried her to the crib next to the big bed, bent down, and gently
laid her down, covering her with the blanket. She had just straightened up
when Wei Shao turned around and lifted his feet to go outside. He turned
hastily and kicked a nearby incense pot.

Chapter 147.2

He kicked the incense pot over to the ground, and the incense bones rolled
toward the front, making a loud noise.

Wei Shao’s heart beat like thunder, and holding his breath. He saw Fei Fei
move her arms and sleep again. His voice changed slightly: “You sleep with
Fei Fei …… I suddenly remembered I still got something to do. I go to the
study first—”

He lifted his feet and headed out again.

“Husband, do you not love me anymore?”

He walked to the screen, and suddenly a clear and soft voice came from
behind him.
She came behind him, stretched out her arms, crossed his waist, encircled
him, gently pressed her cheek to his broad back, and closed her eyes.

Wei Shao’s back stiffened. The room became quiet, and only Fei Fei’s
breathing on the crib entered his ears.

Xiao Qiao held him tightly for a moment and forcibly turned him around to
face herself. He did not seem to be resisting being turned around by her.
But the man remained wooden and upright, not even moving a finger.

She tilted her face, and a pair of beautiful watery eyes gazed at him.

“When I returned during the day, I saw your horse parked at the door.
Knowing that you had returned, my heart was happy ……”

She paused for a moment. Her jade arms hooked his neck, stood on tiptoe,
pressed her lips onto his dry lips, and slightly stretched her fragrant tongue.

“Husband, I love you too ……” Murmuring and whispering, her breath was
deep.

Wei Shao’s eyes stared at her. His breathing seemed to have suddenly lost
control completely, becoming steep and heavy, puffing and panting, fiercely
holding her in his arms, opening his mouth, sucking and biting her.

He fiercely crushed her tender lips, his arms clamped around her body,
pressing her tightly against his chest.
Xiao Qiao trembled in his arms, and emotion surged in her belly. Her
breasts protruded, and the milk that Fei Fei hadn’t finished sucking gushed
out, and in the blink of an eye, both of their clothes were wet.

Wei Shao let out a coarse moan in his throat, quickly held her in his arms,
and laid her down on the bed. His five fingers ripped open the sash and
pounced on her, taking her in his mouth and sucking hard.

He buried his head in her chest like Fei Fei, making a greedy swallowing
sound, sucking in turn, refusing to let go of his mouth.

Xiao Qiao closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and curled her toes tightly
together, holding back the tingling sensation spreading rapidly to her limbs
and bones like a light touch of electricity, yet her body was still trembling
uncontrollably.

“Don’t…” She twisted her body, asking him to end this sweet and painful
torture. The trembling, soft voice came to an abrupt end.

As she wished, he let go of the poor two vermilion fruits and pierced into
the deepest part of her body.

Wei Shao resisted the urge to make her reach the end, temporarily
stopping and closing his eyes. The sizzling and restlessness in the heart on
the way back to Yuyang, at this moment, suddenly disappeared.

Her embrace was so warm. Even before doing anything else, Wei Shao
already felt comfortable throughout the body. All pores of his body, in the
moment of being accepted by her, suddenly opened up in anger. He could
not help but shiver. How long had it been since he had experienced such a
wonderful feeling with her?

……

Even that day, when he was besieging the East County, and she came to
him when he was at his angriest moment, he didn’t dare to say the words
that had once rushed to his throat to tell her to return to the Qiao family. He
was scared that she would never return to his side again.

She said she was happy to have him back home and loved him.

She was defensive of him to this point. Was she lying to him once again, or
was she being honest? Hot sweat rolled down his forehead. He was
extremely reluctant to admit it. But at this moment, he knew in his heart that
all his resentment and anger, in front of her, might only end in surrender.
Because he couldn’t let her go anymore.

……

Xiao Qiao slowly opened her beautiful eyes.

“Husband–” She slightly opened her red lips. Her eyelashes trembled, and
her eyes flowed with spring waves like a restrained small beast, rasping
under him, confused and helpless.

Wei Shao’s eyes darkened, gritting his teeth and thrusting her hard. The
sound of her moan blocked her mouth again.

……
When Xiao Qiao woke up, it was still dawn, and Fei Fei was still asleep, but
his side was empty.

Wei Shao had gone somewhere.

Chapter 148.1

Xiao Qiao held her breath and quietly retreated. Fei Fei still slept peacefully
in the room.

Xiao Qiao blew out the light, climbed into bed, and lay down again. She
closed her eyes. Slowly, something moist spilled out of the corner of her
eyes. Before it had time to flow down, she wiped it away.

After a long time, Xiao Qiao finally heard him return to the room. He passed
by the crib and stopped for a moment.

Through the hazy night, Xiao Qiao saw him reach out and seemingly stroke
Fei Fei’s face, followed by a slight rustling sound of undressing, the bed
beside her sank slightly, and he slowly lay back down.

Knowing that he did not want to wake her up, Xiao Qiao closed her eyes
and did not move.

……

Sometimes, time and opportunity are needed to forget the past.

She, for example.

She has spoken the words that ought to be said and done what she
should’ve. She is willing to wait.

……

The fourth day of the month was Mrs. Zhu’s birthday. Since the death of
Wei Shao’s father, Mrs. Zhu has refused to celebrate her birthday.

Every year on this day, Mrs. Xu would ask someone to go to the Golden
Dragon Temple to donate incense and oil to burn merit incense in Mrs.
Zhu’s name and then send a bowl of birthday noodles to the east house.

For more than ten years, it has been the same.

This year, Mrs. Zhu’s birthday was coming up, and Wei Shao happened to
stay at home these days. With a newcomer to the family, Mrs. Xu
suggested hosting a table of birthday banquet for Mrs. Zhu, inviting a few of
her close clan members to come over and have a good time together.

In Mrs. Zhu’s mind, since her husband was gone, she must cut off all
amusement, reflecting her grief. It has been happening for more than ten
years. If she were to celebrate her birthday this year, the previous act of
mourning would be in vain. Therefore, she was not very willing.

It was rare for Mrs. Xu to be so interested in bringing it up this year. At first,

she excused herself but did not dare to disobey too much and reluctantly
agreed.

Thus, Wei Shao stayed for a few more days and set to leave for the fifth
day of the first month after Mrs. Zhu’s birthday.
The fourth day of the month came. The Wei family held several tables for
the birthday banquet. Mrs. Xu, Mrs. Zhu, Wei Liang’s mother, and several
other senior clan elders shared a table, and the rest of the family sat at the
remaining tables.

Xiao Qiao was too young to go to the main table, but since Fei Fei was
around and everyone liked to tease and hug her, she sat at the end of the
table with Fei Fei in her arms.

Mrs. Zhu wore a new blue dress with a dark gold pattern and sat beside
Mrs. Xu. There was a lot of laughter when people toasted to congratulate
her, and her smile drifted a bit. Fei Fei gave her a symbolic hug. When Wei
Shao gave her a toast, she looked at him joyfully.

After the poisoning incident of the previous year, Mrs. Xu did not punish
her, only let her reflect on her mistake without leaking half a word to the
public.

But Mrs. Zhu’s spirit, from then on, was like losing a reliance. For some
time, she was depressed and became more isolated. In the past six
months, she slowly improved, switched to Buddhism, and appeared before
Mrs. Xu.

The Wei family vaguely heard some rumors, so even seeing her tonight this
way, they did not feel uncomfortable. Knowing that Mrs. Xu intends to be
lively, everyone is putting a warm scene.

When Fei Fei grew impatient with being carried around for fun and cried,
Mrs. Xu asked Xiao Qiao to take her back first.
Xiao Qiao excused herself and returned to the west house accompanied by
Chun Niang and the nanny. The weather was getting hot. After coming
back, she helped Fei Fei take a bath. Then Chun Niang carried her out
while Xiao Qiao continued to bathe.

Chun Niang and the nanny were not in the room when she finished bathing
and came out with her clothes on.

Wei Shao had returned at some point and was lying on his back with his
legs crossed, holding Fei Fei on his belly and teasing her.

Fei Fei is four or five months old and has just learned to sit. These days,
she is gradually getting acquainted with her father, sitting on his belly, being
rocked around by Wei Shao’s hands, and giggling with excitement. She
climbed to Wei Shao’s chest, reaching out her tiny hands to touch his nose.
Wei Shao opened his mouth, let out an ‘aw’, and took her hand in his
mouth.

Fei Fei giggles more.

Wei Shao smiled, holding his daughter’s finger and laughing with her.

Fei Fei was having fun with her father, and when she saw Xiao Qiao
coming out, she turned her head toward her and babbled.

Wei Shao loosened his teeth and sat up with Fei Fei in his arms, clearing
his throat: “I’m sweating. I’m going to take a shower.”

Xiao Qiao picked up Fei Fei. “The clothes are ready inside.”
Wei Shao glanced at her, turned over, and got off the bed. Usually, at this
time, Fei Fei had already gone to sleep. After Wei Shao left, she was held
in Xiao Qiao’s arms, ate a few mouthfuls of milk, and gradually drifted off to
sleep, closing her eyes.

When Wei Shao came out, Xiao Qiao had just put Fei Fei to sleep. She
heard his footsteps as he came out, put her finger to her mouth, and
hushed him.

Wei Shao lightened his footsteps and slowly approached. Xiao Qiao held
Fei Fei and gently placed her on the crib, covering her with the blanket.

Wei Shao was beside her, looking down as if scrutinizing Fei Fei’s sleeping
face, and finally straightened up and said, “I’m leaving early tomorrow
morning. Let’s rest?”

Xiao Qiao smiled: “Okay. Let’s rest early.”

……

Chapter 148.2

The lights in the room went out, and darkness fell in front of them. Wei
Shao’s hand reached over and wrapped her around him. His strong palm
tightly squeezed her waist. Fear of waking up Fei Fei, under silent
suppression, they made love.
When they separated, Xiao Qiao was soaked, and Wei Shao lay on his
back beside her, panting heavily. The room was dim, but Xiao Qiao could
still see the outline of his chest rising and falling violently.

Later, they went to the bathing room to cleanse themselves and lie down
again. Wei Shao seemed to have fallen asleep quickly and not moved
again.

Xiao Qiao, however, could not sleep. She opened her eyes and listened to
the sound of the man beside her and Fei Fei’s breathing on the crib not far
away, unable to sleep.

After that night, the relationship between Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao has
been like this one tonight.

Can’t say that it is not good, but even if no one else is around, just the two
of them, even if they do things like that, they can no longer be as intimate
as they were in the past.

In the past few days, the topic they talked about most was Fei Fei. Wei
Shao seemed to be avoiding other matters and had no desire to chat with
her.

Tomorrow morning, he will be leaving again. This time, how long it takes for
him to return?

In the three years since she married him, she has gone from being a
14-year-old girl to Fei Fei’s mother, but they have separated numerous
times. Perhaps these circumstances will continue.
……

Late at night, Xiao Qiao was finally tired and was in a daze. When she was
about to fall asleep, suddenly someone tapped the door.

The knock was very soft for fear of waking Fei Fei. But Xiao Qiao woke up
immediately and raised her shoulders.

Wei Shao seemed to wake up first, went down, and opened the door.

The person who tapped the door was the old servant who was on duty this
night. She was slightly frightened and said softly: “Master, Old Huang from
Madam’s side came, saying that after Madam returned from her birthday
banquet, she had disappeared. I was afraid of disturbing Old Madam, so I
had no choice but to come looking for you.”

Wei Shao was stunned and immediately went back to the house. Xiao Qiao
also heard it, wore her clothes, and lit the lamp.

Wei Shao quickly wore his clothes and hurriedly left for the east house. The
people in that courtyard were all awake, and when they saw Wei Shao
coming, they looked scared.

Wei Shao entered Mrs. Zhu’s room and took a look. The quilt unfolded. It
seemed the person had gone to bed but got up and left in the middle.

Old Huang knelt: “After the birthday banquet, Madam looked drunk, so I
served her to sleep. Madam had the habit of waking up in the middle of the
night to drink warm water, so I came in to refill the water, but Madam had
disappeared. It would be inappropriate to alert Old Madam, so I report to
Master. It’s all this servant’s negligence. Please forgive me ……”

Wei Shao raised questions about a few places, Old Huang shook her head
and said she had already gone looking at those places.

Wei Shao frowned slightly, out of focus for a moment, remembering

something, turned around, and quickly left.

……

Wei Shao pushed open the half-open red lacquer door. The family temple
has incense and candles offered day and night. Usually, there are only two
candles on the left and right of the table.

In the middle of the night, the candle flame wavered in the night breeze,
which did not dispel the shadows, but added a bit of darkness.

When Wei Shao stepped inside, he saw his mother kneeling behind the
offering table, mourning and chanting.

“…… husband, after you left, this Wei family has changed …… Why did
your mother choose the daughter of the Qiao family who had harmed you
and Da Lang? That Qiao’s daughter is a curse! One day, even my son will
……”

She whimpered intermittently, her voice echoed in the empty dark temple,
creepy. Suddenly, as if she sensed something, she turned around and saw
Wei Shao standing outside the threshold. Shocked, her face showed fear,
and waving her hand in panic: “Shao’er, don’t take it to heart! I’m drunk. I’m
talking nonsense. Please, don’t blame me. I have long stopped hating
Qiao’s daughter ……”

Wei Shao looked at his scared mother, and unspeakable emotions welled
in his heart. He stepped inside and said, “Mother, remember to tell the
servants before coming out. It is late at night. Let me send you back.”

……

In the second half of the night, Fei Fei woke up once, and after she fell
back asleep, Wei Shao still did not return.

Xiao Qiao sent Old Lin to the east house to ask, and she said that the
Master had found Madam in the family temple. Madam seemed to be
drunk, and Master accompanied her.

Xiao Qiao no longer waited for him and sent the others to their respective
rooms to sleep. After gazing at her daughter’s face for a while, she leaned
down to kiss her forehead, turned out the light, and went to bed.

She felt tired, closed her eyes, and slowly fell asleep. Her sleep was
restless, and she kept dreaming.

At first, the dream was vague, but then the scene became clear. A young
man in a dragon robe with a distorted face, his gaze wild and desperate,
holding a long sword dripping with blood, was approaching her step by
step.

She cowered on the ground in fear, trying to move backward, but could not
retreat.
Suddenly, the eerie gaze of that young Consort Liu and Zhang Pu’s
severed head seemed to overlap.

Blood spurted toward her, instantly swallowing her whole. She could barely
breathe and kept trembling and crying, constantly telling herself that it was
just a nightmare and to wake up quickly. But no matter how hard she
struggled, she could not wake up. The tip of the sword had already pierced
her chest.

Once again, she felt the terrible experience of having her warm heart
pierced by a cold blade. She had experienced it countless times before in
her dreams and never wanted to have it again.

“Don’t–”

As she hissed and shouted, tears streaming down her face, an anxious
voice suddenly came to her ears, “Man Man! Man Man!”

A pair of solid arms held her tightly, and the nightmare instantly dissipated.

Chapter 149.1

Xiao Qiao slowly opened her eyes and saw Wei Shao’s worried eyes
watching her. He had returned, and the room was bright. She had tears in
her eyes, her cheeks streaked with wetness, her chest and back covered
with cold sweat, and her clothes clinging to her flesh. Even though he
tightly held her in his arms, her shoulders still trembled.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Wei Shao’s voice was anxious, and he held her tighter, lifting his calloused
palm to wipe the cold sweat from her forehead and tears from her face.

Xiao Qiao leaned weakly against his chest, closed her eyes, and shook her
head.

Wei Shao looked at her intently.

“Bad dream?”

Xiao Qiao didn’t say anything.

“Dreaming about what?” He urged, “What exactly did you dream about?”

Xiao Qiao shook her head again. She didn’t want to cry anymore. It was
just a dream, and now that she had woken up, there was no need to be
afraid anymore. But the tears continued to pour out of her closed eyes. The
more he questioned, the more her tears flowed. In the end, she couldn’t
hold back. Her body trembled like a fallen leaf in the autumn wind, and
tears soon wet his clothes.

Wei Shao’s heart was also soaked by her tears, tightly twisted into a ball.

……

After he found his mother in the family temple, he sent her to her room.
When he once again heard his mother’s deep-rooted hatred for Xiao Qiao,
he subconsciously felt opposition and disdain. But the moment he saw the
woman who had given birth to him look frightened and uneasy for fear of
his reprimand, a twinge of guilt welled in his heart. Thus, he stayed with his
mother, whom he had neglected for a long time, and waited for her to sleep
before returning.

It was already the fifth period in the morning. Xiao Qiao was sleeping very
deeply. He didn’t wake her up. He planned to wait until dawn to look at her
again and then leave according to the scheduled plan. In this next battle in
Langya, he was determined to win.

Liu Yan indeed has done great work in Yanzhou but he chose this time to
attack Langya not only for revenge like he told his grandmother earlier. It
was a plan for the world. This kind of war needs to mobilize hundreds of
thousands of people, and the pre-war preparation is a very complicated
and detailed degree, not anyone can imagine. Although Gongsun Yang
Weiquan and others will take care of everything, he still wants to go over
earlier to supervise the army. It was necessary to strike the right blow.
Then, he was awakened by her murmuring in her sleep. Never before had
he seen her so restless in her sleep. At first, he could not even wake her
up.

……

“Man Man, don’t be afraid! I am here!” Wei Shao again held her trembling
body tightly and lowered his head, lips repeatedly kissed her forehead
covered with cold sweat and could not stop whispering to comfort her.

Xiao Qiao curled up in his arms and buried her face in his chest, repressing
the whole thing with a huff and a shrug of her shoulders.

A light ringing of the bell came over.

Fei Fei was awakened by Xiao Qiao’s crying. She stirred her legs and tried
to roll over. After whimpered twice, she still not seeing her mother beside
her, so she cried in aggravation.

Xiao Qiao opened her eyes and wiped her eyes with her sleeve, still
choking, and wanted to break free from his arms and get out of bed.

Wei Shao did not let go. Holding her, he gently laid her down on the bed,
wiped the tear stains on her face with his palm again, and said, “You lie
down.” After covering her up, he got out of bed, picked up Fei Fei, and
coaxed her a few times.

Fei Fei’s feet stirred and kicked, closed her eyes to cry for her mother.

“Give her to me -”

Xiao Qiao sat up.

Wei Shao instructed her not to get up, and opened the door himself to
called out.

Chun Niang and the nursemaid quickly came over.

“Carry Fei Fei out and put her to bed.” He said.

Chun Niang glanced at Xiao Qiao on the bed, and before asking any more
questions, she picked up Fei Fei, who was still crying. The nurse took a
cloak and wrapped it around her, and the two of them retreated out in front
and behind.
Her daughter’s cries seemed to be still in her ears.

Xiao Qiao sat up again and hastily lifted the covers.

“It’s better if I do it, Fei Fei acknowledges me ……,” her voice was still
hoarse and thick with sobs.

Wei Shao closed the door and turned towards her with quick steps, pressed
her back, and said, ” Fei Fei has Chunniang and Nanny to look after her.
It’s fine.”

His tone was not to be questioned. After saying that, he took a soft cloth
towel prepared for Fei Fei to wipe her sweat, sat on the edge of the bed,
wiped the sweat on her neck, chest, and back, finished wiping the sweat,
leaned over, and took her into his arms again.

“What did you dream about just now? How can you be so scared?”

His fingers gently stroked her still red and swollen eyelids with pity and
asked softly.

Xiao Qiao shook his head: “Nothing …… it’s already fine ……”

A thin layer of tears slowly appeared again in her pair of beautiful eyes.

“Talk to me. Say it so you won’t be afraid-”

Chapter 149.2

Xiao Qiao kept shaking her head.

Wei Shao stared at her: “Did you dream again about the nightmare you told
me?”

Xiao Qiao tilted her face up and stared at his face in a daze. Her emotions
suddenly collapsed at this moment, no longer holding back anymore.

Her hands clutched his lapel, sobbing with a broken voice: “There was a
man in a dragon robe, carrying a bloody sword to kill me …… I was afraid, I
was afraid he would stab the sword into my heart, and he was coming
towards me step by step —”

The man in the dream was no longer Liu Yan. His face became blurry. She
could not see, yet she could feel the killing intent on the other side’s
distorted face. A familiar dream seems to become different, which makes it
more terrifying.

She shivered.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here. It’s just a nightmare. I will never let you be hurt -”
Wei Shao caressed her and comforted her.

“…… I also dreamed about Zhang Pu. The blood spurting out of his neck
drowned me, and I couldn’t breathe …… ” Xiao Qiao closed her eyes.
Tears rolled down again.

Wei Shao was stunned. His gaze then showed a heavy trace of remorse.
Tightly hugged her, repeatedly said in her ear: “My bad, that day I should
not be angry and done that kind of thing …… I made you scared … I
promise I will never be so mean to you again. Man Man, don’t be afraid
……” Wei Shao kept comforting. The more he consoled her, the more she
cried.

Wei Shao stopped saying anything but did not relax, holding her like he
was coaxing Fei Fei, patting her back.

Xiao Qiao got tired of crying and finally drifted off to sleep. This sleep is
very heavy. When she woke up, there was a moment of confusion. Then,
the events of last night came to mind. The people of the east house called
away Wei Shao. He found Mrs. Zhu from the family temple and
accompanied her for a long time. She slept over and had that nightmare
that had not reappeared for a long time.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly. She abruptly opened her puffy eyelids and
learned the sky was already bright.

Wei Shao had not left but was still lying in bed, holding her to sleep. She
moved only a little, and he opened his eyes. His gaze was clear, but the
stubbles on his cheeks were a sign that he hadn’t slept well last night.

They looked at each other.

“Aren’t you leaving today? Why didn’t you wake me up?” Xiao Qiao’s voice
still carried a heavy nasal sound. Recalling the scene last night when she
cried in his arms, a trace of shame swept through her heart. She didn’t
even dare to look at him. Dropping her eyelids, she murmured a question.

“I am worried about you.” Wei Shao stared at her and said.

……
Wei Shao canceled his original plan to leave today. He did not go anywhere
and stayed in the room with Xiao Qiao and Fei Fei.

Another night, with its unhurried pace, fell. In the bright room, Wei Shao
was lying on his side, facing inward. Xiao Qiao was on the inner side of the
bed. In the middle of them lay Fei Fei, who had just bathed.

Fei Fei has already forgotten the aggravation of being driven away by her
ruthless father last night. At that time, no matter how she cried, her mother
just did not come to coax her. Now, she was lying in the middle of the two,
happily shaking the little silver bells she wears on her wrist and stirring her
legs contentedly. Hungry, she arched to her fragrant mother, looking for her
to nurse.

Wei Shao silently looked at the scene in front of him. The puffiness of her
eyelids this morning had gone, and her dark hair piled up like a cloud on
the pillow.

Although she was already a mother, the beauty of her face could call any
man to pause for a look, fresh like a young girl. What Wei Shao loved most
was her eyes.

He still remembers the night he married her, when he first met her in the
wedding hall, her beautiful and soulful eyes had left a deep impression on
him. It was the reason why he preferred to touch and kiss her eyelids.

After eating her fill, Fei Fei closed her eyes and fell asleep. Because of
sucking, her neck has accumulated another layer of sweat.
Xiao Qiao lifted her eyes: “Husband, pass me a handkerchief ……” She
half-opened her lips and opened her eyes wide, watching Wei Shao
suddenly lean towards herself and slowly lean over.

Across the Fei Fei beneath her, their lips met together.

Xiao Qiao’s eyelashes trembled lightly. She slowly closed her eyes, bearing
this sudden yet tender kiss.

“Man Man, don’t blame me ……”

The two of them rubbed their noses together, and Wei Shao gasped softly,
“I know I was not a good man for you …… give me some more time,
okay?”

Chapter 150.1

Xiao Qiao slowly opened her eyes. Wei Shao suddenly took her hand and
got off the bed. He brought her to his study.

He enters and lights up the lamp. Xiao Qiao watched in slight confusion.
She saw him take a box from a drawer, the box she knew so well and had
seen just a few nights before.

Wei Shao held the box on the desk, sat behind it, skillfully opened the lid,
and gestured for Xiao Qiao to come closer.

Xiao Qiao slowly walked over. Inside, there was an old banner folded
neatly.
“Man Man, didn’t you always want to know what’s inside the box? It is my
father’s banner. The blood on it was my father’s before he died. I have
been keeping it for many years ……” Wei Shao’s eyes rested on the old
banner, slowly said.

Xiao Qiao held her breath and raised her eyes, looking at Wei Shao. His
gaze was distant and empty as if he had fallen into the past.

“The court ordered my father and your grandfather to attack Li Su together.

Li Su was powerful. Before the battle, the two sides made an oath and
agreed to attack from the east and west at the same time. My father
deployed his troops out of his trust in your grandfather. At the appointed
moment, my father sent out his troops as planned. He believed that your
grandfather would be in place as promised ……”

His eyes fell on Xiao Qiao’s face, his hand slowly squeezed into a fist, a
few veins on the back of his hand gradually protruding and bursting up.

“My father and brother’s enemy is Li Su, your Qiao family is just an
infringement of trust. There are no righteous battles, no need to blame
others if you die in defeat. But do you know? If, at that time, your
grandfather told him to quit before the war, and my father changed the war
strategy, even if he was defeated, the result may not be as bad as that day!
My father and brother died alone in a chaotic arrow trap, and the 50,000
soldiers of the Wei family who were with them were all wiped out. Only a
few thousand remnants returned.”

He closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

“Man Man, imagine, if it were you, could you be indifferent?” He said word
by word.

Xiao Qiao walked towards him, knelt and held his hand, and murmured,
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry–”

Wei Shao’s tightly squeezed fist slowly loosened. “It has nothing to do with
you. You don’t need to apologize.” He was silent for a moment.

“Man Man, I don’t want to hide it from you. I know that the incident back
then had nothing to do with your father, but until today, I still can’t get rid of
my hatred for your Qiao clan. Even when I asked Wei Liang to go to
Yanzhou in your name to send congratulatory gifts for your father, at that
time, I only did that to make you happy ……”

“The culprit of that year’s incident, your grandfather, is dead. I guessed that
my grandmother saw my hatred and obsession, hoping I would be
broad-minded. It happened that your Qiao family sought favor with
marriage, and that’s why she agreed to the initial marriage.”

“Whether my guess is right or there’s another hidden agenda, Man Man,

my nature is vengeful and do as I please. For you, I can endure. But for me
to completely let go of my hatred, it’s too difficult. In my lifetime, I may not
be able to be as open-minded as my grandmother.”

He took away Xiao Qiao’s hands and got up.

Xiao Qiao slipped her hands from the back of his hands. Her eyes followed
his figure and watched in a daze as he walked to the window and pushed it
open, and stood with his back to herself.

“Man Man, I am not a good man. I know that from the time you married me
until now, you have been trying hard. These days, you have been
frightened and aggrieved. I also know that if I can’t let go of my hatred, you
and I won’t be able to be true to each other.”

“Give me more time to think it over.” He turned his head back and looked at
Xiao Qiao seriously.

……

Wei Shao left Yuyang the next day. At the end of July, Wei Shao took Li
Dian to supervise the military of Taishan and station his troops in Zhangqiu
to aim at Qingzhou. Li Chong and Zhang Jian commanded the Peidi
military, aiming at Xuzhou. He himself supervised the Qiao County, aiming
toward Langya. Divide his troops into three directions, intending to attack at
once in separate ways.

The news spread and the world was shocked, never thought that Wei Shao
openly launched an attack on Langya.

The court of Langya hastily dispatched troops and military response.

Besides Wang Ba and Dong Cheng, other people spread words to criticize
Wei Shao for being a rebel and acting against the sky. They called on the
world’s vassals to serve the king to attack Wei Shao together.
After the Langya diatribe spread to the world, in the middle of August, Li
Dian captured Changyi and quickly cut off the connection between the
Langya court and Qingzhou.

At the end of August, Li Chong and Zhang Jian seized Xuzhou. In the first
half of September, Wei Shao broke through Yangdu and pointed his troops
directly at Langya.

The last battle was about to start.

……

Chapter 150.2

The battle in the ancient land of Qi Lu shook all the states. The defenders
of the Tao berated Wei Shao as a rebellious and traitorous son whom the
heavens would condemn.

In the South, Gai Zhao of Yuzhou, Song Ling of Lujiang, Liu Quan of
Jiangxia, and Wufan of Changsha, many local lords, in just one month,
followed the example of the Le Zheng family of Hanzhong and claimed their
respective empires.

The South epidemic has not yet passed, and Huangzhou and Pengze
encountered another disaster. The price of rice rose, and people were
unable to survive. Chen Ying, a Yangtze River pirate, claimed to be the
reincarnation of the King of Heaven through Taoist sorcery and gathered
stragglers under the banner of the Tao of Heaven. They called him Chen
Emperor and crossed the Yangtze River to the affluent Huaiyang, coming
with great force.

The South was in chaos, but in Yuyang, everything was normal. The people
work at sunrise and rest at sunset, and after tea and dinner, they gossip
about the attack on Langya. The influence of the so-called Han family
surnamed Liu had fallen ages ago in the north. Ordinary people’s families
didn’t care about what family name was, only for food and clothes.

During the years of Wei Shao’s unification of the north, the local authorities
selected wise men and women, abolished harsh laws, and reduced
taxation. Amid the chaos, people were sheltered, had enough food to eat,
and lived a peaceful life. They only recognize Wei’s monarch as the sky.
That simple.

……

A famous monk, Jiatan, came to Luoyang from Tianzhu when he was

young and stayed there for several decades, engaged in translating
scriptures and preaching Buddhism.

After Wei Shao occupied Luoyang last year, Mrs. Xu heard of Jiatan’s
name. She sent someone to invite him to come to Yuyang to preach
Buddhism, and Jiatan gladly answered the invitation.

On September 15, which coincided with the annual ceremony of the

Golden Dragon Temple, the monk Jiatan opened the altar to preach
Buddhism. The occasion was even longer than in the past and would last
for seven days.
Mrs. Xu took Mrs. Zhu to the Golden Dragon Temple to listen to the
teachings. Xiao Qiao did not go and stayed home to take care of Fei Fei.
Last month, Xiao Qiao arranged for her to be weaned from breastmilk and
to start supplementary food.

At first, Fei Fei was resistant. But after a month, she gradually accepted the
new food.

On this night, when it was Fei Fei’s meal time, Chun Niang brought a bowl
of minced meat porridge mixed with goat’s milk. After feeding Fei Fei, Xiao
Qiao played with her for a while. In the eleventh period, seeing Fei Fei
getting sleepy, Xiao Qiao put her to bed.

Xiao Qiao felt tired, so she sent her maid off and went to bed, leaving only
Chun Niang in the room with her. She fell asleep and woke up in the middle
of the night.

It was quiet all around.

Her daughter was sleeping steadily, and Xiao Qiao heard Chun Niang’s
even breathing.

Xiao Qiao closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep, but she couldn’t.

Wei Shao attacked Langya, and although he had a rebellious reputation,

his smooth progress and many vassals establishing themselves as
emperors gradually settled the dust.
If there is no accident, at the end of this month at the latest, Wei Shao will
destroy Langya. At that time, seven or eight of the ten points of the world
will be in Wei Shao’s pocket.

What else could stop him from achieving his imperial ambitions?

Before she died in her previous life, Wei Shao was nearly an emperor, and
he would become emperor years earlier in this life. The day he will make
Fei Fei a princess must not be far away. And he won’t touch the Qiao family
anymore. Yanzhou is even more stable now. Even if the city gates are wide
open without a single soldier, no one dares to commit a crime.

Although her father is still blind, judging from the correspondence, he is

broad-minded. And her brother in Bingzhou is good.

Xiao Qiao felt satisfied with her heart. She had Wei Shao’s love and
tolerance, a family, and a lovely daughter. She could not think of anything
else she could ask for. But this night, waking up like this, and many nights
before, she still felt tired and couldn’t sleep.

Finally, she climbed out of bed, slipped on a pair of soft-soled embroidered

shoes, and by the white moonlight coming through the window, came to her
daughter’s crib, looked at the quilt, pulled it for her, and then silently came
to the window and gently pushed it open.

A bright moon hangs high overhead, shining brightly all over the earth. In
the courtyard, the flowers and trees were sparse, the shadows intertwined,
and in some corners, there were occasionally one or two sounds of insects,
making this autumn night even quieter.
Xiao Qiao was leaning against the window, looking up at the moon, and
gradually her arms became cold. Then she realized she had forgotten to
put on her clothes, so she crossed her arms with both hands and rubbed
them gently. She was about to close the window when her eyes suddenly
stopped.

Next to the window planted a mignonette tree. Under the shadow of the
mignonette tree, a figure standing there. The corner was dim, and she did
not notice.

The family’s guards, Mr. Jia, were thoughtful, arranging for guards to be on
duty at night. But at midnight, in such a place as the inner courtyard of the
west house, there will be no guards inside. This black shadow must be an
outsider.

Xiao Qiao’s skin stood. She was about to scream when she saw the black
shadow sway slightly and gallop at her.

Almost in the blink of an eye, the man arrived before her. The moonlight
illuminates the man’s face. Although she hadn’t met him for years, she still
recognized it at a glance.

It was Wei Yan!

Chapter 151.1

Xiao Qiao paused and flew to close the window, but Wei Yan put his palm
on it. His body was as agile as an ape, and he entered the window and
stopped before her.
The moonlight streamed down and fell on the windowsill behind him,
tracing the outline of his body, but his face was like the back of the moon,
hidden in complete darkness. Only a pair of eyes remained, shining with a
faint dark light.

Behind him suddenly rose “ah,” a cry of alarm.

Wei Yan went over immediately and knocked on Chun Niang, who had just
woken up. With a muffled grunt, she fell back.

After that, he walked to the candlestick, lit it, and slowly turned around.

He wore green-colored Han clothing. Even though she had not seen him
for several years, except for a short mustache, his face remained the same
as Xiao Qiao remembered. It’s just that the feeling that comes from him is
not quite the same.

Xiao Qiao smelled the bloodthirsty aura from his body.

His eyes flashed down at her, making her heart thump and her body tense.
She stared at him warily, slowly moving back, protecting the still-sleeping
Fei Fei behind her.

Wei Yan’s eyes swept over the crib behind her.

“Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.” His voice was low.

Between moments, Xiao Qiao gave up the idea of opening her mouth to
call out. In this room, there was only her and Fei Fei, plus the unconscious
Chun Niang. It would be easy for Wei Yan to harm them if he had evil
intentions, even if she called for help.

She slowly calmed down.

“What do you want?” She asked directly. She didn’t ask how he got in.

Although Mr. Jia arranged patrol guards, with Wei Yan’s skills and
familiarity with the Wei House environment, using the cover of the night to
avoid patrols breaking into the inner courtyard was possible.

Wei Yan did not make a sound, only watching her without blinking.

The cool breeze seeped through the window, swept the lamp, swaying the
dim candle flame, and his gaze seemed to waver, rested on her face for a
moment, then her neck, slowly descending.

Xiao Qiao was wearing only a thin white nightshirt with a slightly open
collar, revealing a section of her snowy jade neck.

She turned around, took a purple robe from the bedside hanger and
wrapped it tightly around her body, bowed her head and tied the sash, and
turned around to face him again.

“What shall I call you? Elder brother? Or the Xiongnu General, King Hutu
Kun?” She coldly looked at him.

Under the leadership of Shan Yu, there was the right and left Xian Wang,
the right and left Ri Zhu Wang, and the left and right Jian Jiang Wang, a
total of six people.
T/N: reminder, Wei Yan’s father is one of the Ri Zhu Wang.

In a few years in Xiongnu, Wei Yan displayed remarkable performance and

helped his grandfather, Shan Yu, conquer the old enemy, the East Hu
people. He killed the East Hu King and possessed all the people and
livestock. He also saved the old Shan Yu in this battle, helping him avoid a
crossbow. Old Shan Yu appreciated and made him with the right Jian Jiang
Wang.

A few months ago, when Xiao Qiao went to the north house, the servant
saw her coming and did not announce her like an outsider, so when she
entered the house, she overheard Mrs. Xu and Old Zhong talking about
Wei Yan. Mrs. Xu’s tone was full of longing and hidden worry.

The corners of Wei Yan’s lips tugged slightly, slowly walking towards the
crib, finally stopping at the side of the crib and bending down.

“Is she the daughter of you and second brother?” He examined the soundly
sleeping Fei Fei.

“So beautiful …… like you …….” He gazed at Fei Fei and said in a low
voice, slowly reaching out as if he wanted to touch Fei Fei’s cheek.

“Wei Yan!” Xiao Qiao suddenly raised her voice.

“You barged into the inner courtyard in the middle of the night. I know you
must have an agenda. What do you want?”

Wei Yan’s hand stopped, slowly withdrew, turned around, and walked
towards Xiao Qiao step by step.
Xiao Qiao did not retreat.

Wei Yan finally stopped in front of her, the two of them but an arm’s length
apart. He smelled a fragrance that seemed to come from her.

“You are not afraid of me?” He looked at her steadily. His eyes gradually
seemed to be lost, his expression odd.

Xiao Qiao sneered: “This is my home. Why am I afraid of you? You may
have barged in here because you know your way around and avoided the
guard posts set up by Mr. Jia, but you must not forget that this is the ruler’s
residence! If I shout, even if you can still get away, the Wei family will never
let you go!”

Wei Yan was silent for a moment. His gaze became clear, and he said:
“You are right. There is something.”

He paused: “Liu Yan sent an envoy to the Xioungnu, promising the land of
the River Loop, in exchange for Shan Yu’s iron horses attacking the south,
to ease his Lang Ya’s emergency. Shan Yu didn’t take his words seriously,
but he was old, and the only regret in his life was not able to recapture the
River Loop again. Therefore, he agreed and launched 300,000 iron cavalry
to the south, attack Yunzhong Baideng Valley and three other places ……”

The River Loop includes Huangshui, Taoshui, Sangqian River, and other
valleys. Since ancient times, with its rich grass and fertile land, the River
Loop became the Xiongnu’s coveted land. One of the achievements of the
old monarch in his life was when he just succeeded the throne, he took
away the land from the Han surnamed Liu to herd horses and sheep for
twenty years.

Chapter 151.2

After Wei Shao’s grandfather guarded the north and several battles, they
recaptured the River Loop. In the last twenty years, Shan Yu intended to
attack the River Loop again several times but failed. Even though the iron
cavalry flattened the western region of East Hu, his heart was inevitably
dissatisfied.

Xiao Qiao’s face changed immensely.

Wei Yan raised his left hand to the front and looked at his pinky finger
wrapped in iron.

“When I left the Wei family, I broke my finger and swore that if my
grandmother is still alive, I will not kill a Han Chinese. Although I am a
despicable and shameless person, I still remember the oath I made. I won’t
join this war.”

His gaze fell on her bloodless face: “I resigned from the Wei family and
returned to Xiongnu. Now I am a Xiongnu. Even if I don’t join the war, I
shouldn’t report it to you today. But my grandmother has been kind to me
after all. Therefore, I come to send the message and to make a clean break
with the Wei family’s nurturing kindness. From now on, I am no longer a
Han Chinese. As you said, I am a Xiongnu, Hutu Kun.”

The fainted Chun Niang slowly woke up, letting out a few moans.

Wei Yan looked deeply at Xiao Qiao, turned around, walked briskly towards
the window, and flipped out of it.

Xiao Qiao came back to her senses and chased after him, saying to the
figure in the moonlight: “Since you left, grandmother has been missing you.
Since you here, why didn’t you see her yourself and tell her?”

He barely paused, continued to move forward, and in a blink of an eye, he

disappeared into the night.

Chun Niang finally woke up, sat up violently, looked around, and saw that
the room was bright. Xiao Qiao stood before the window and looked as
usual. Chun Niang felt relief, rubbing the back of her neck, and moaned: “Is
Lady just talking to someone? I was asleep just now, it seems a black
shadow barged into the room, and I was about to scream, and then I did
not know— whether I was dreaming or something happened?”

Xiao Qiao turned around and hurriedly wrote a letter with her pen.

A few moments later, Mr. Jia came in a hurry and said, “Lady suddenly
called me. Do you have any orders?”

Xiao Qiao handed him the letter, “Go to the Golden Dragon Temple and
give it to the old madam now! Don’t delay for a moment!”
……

After dawn, Mrs. Xu came back from the Golden Dragon Temple. Xiao Qiao
immediately followed in and told about the news Wei Yan brought.
Naturally, she skipped the first part, only mentioning the content of his
report.

Mrs. Xu did not say anything, only closed her eyes and sat. A few moments
later, Lei Yan, who stayed at Yuyang, arrived with two generals and a few
assistants.

Besides the border towns, Wei Shao had 5,000 troops in Yanmen and Fan
Yang.

After Mrs. Xu arranged the deployment of troops, she said, “Use fast horse
to inform the guards of the three places in Yunzhong and Baideng Valley to
take strict precautions. If the Xiongnu attack, fight until the reinforcements
arrive! The rest of the military towns respond to each other and inform me
immediately if there is any news!”

Lei Yan got the order and led his men to leave hurriedly.

After the group left, Mrs. Xu was lost in thought and suddenly coughed
incessantly.

Old Zhong hurriedly handed her a handkerchief and rubbed her back.

Since the year Wei Yan left and the poisoning incident, Mrs. Xu’s health is
not as good as it used to be.
Xiao Qiao poured a cup of warm water, waiting for Mrs. Xu to finish
coughing, and handed it to her.

Mrs. Xu took a sip of water and put down the calendars. After calming
down, she smiled at Xiao Qiao and said, “Don’t be afraid. I’d already sent a
message to Shao’er, and soon we will have the troops back. The Xiongnu
iron cavalry is aggressive, but my Wei family’s children also experienced a
hundred battles! We will survive this hurdle!”

Old Zhong looked grave.

Xiao Qiao asked, “Grandmother, how long will it take for my husband to
return at the earliest?”

Mrs. Xu pondered: “With a simple line of elite troops, half a month after the
news arrives.”

“That is to say, at least twenty days. Grandmother, with 100,000 troops left
in Yanmen and Fangyang against 300,000 Xiongnu iron cavalry, even if we
die defending, I’m afraid it will be a difficult and vicious battle.”

Mrs. Xu looked at her with one eye, “You have something to say?”

Xiao Qiao knelt in front of her.

“Grandmother, if we borrow help from the Qiang soldiers around

Huangshui, how many days will it take to get here?”

“Ten days at most ……” Mrs. Xu raised her eyes abruptly: “What do you
mean?”
“Why not borrow troops from the Peihe Qiang? I expect that if you ask,
Yuan Wang will send troops. The Qiang are brave and warlike, no less than
the Xiongnu. If they are willing to come to the aid, even if they cannot
defeat the Xiongnu, they can at least help until my husband returns.”

Mrs. Xu knew very well that with a garrison of more than 100,000 troops, it
would be tough to hold out against 300,000 Xiongnu iron cavalry for more
than 20 days. She did her best to minimize the loss. She said that to Xiao
Qiao only to comfort her.

In Mrs. Xu’s heart, she had already thought of sending mother and
daughter out of Yuyang as soon as possible. When she suddenly heard this
suggestion, she was slightly excited and nodded, “This method is feasible!”

Chapter 152.1

When Wei Shao’s grandfather moved the state’s government from Fanyang
to Yuyang, which was closer to the border town, the intention was to defend
against the Xiongnu.

Shanggu was only three or two days away from Yuyang by horseback, and
if it lost, Yuyang would be in danger.

Therefore, after the messenger departed, meeting with the Yuyang

Magistrate and arranging for the people’s evacuation, Mrs. Xu summoned
Mrs. Zhu and Xiao Qiao to ask them to pack their things and take Fei Fei to
Fan Yang.

“I won’t go if Grandmother doesn’t go.” Xiao Qiao immediately refused.

Anxiety overwhelmed Mrs. Zhu when she learned the news of Xiong Nu’s
southern invasion, and the moment she heard Mrs. Xu make such an
arrangement, she knew Yuyang might be lost. Her face became ashen,
hesitantly said, “I won’t go either ……”

Mrs. Xu slammed her cane and shouted: “I stayed behind to defend

Yuyang. What is the use of you two staying here? You are only adding to
my worries! I have made up my mind. I will not change it! You two take Fei
Fei and go on your way!” Perhaps due to intense emotion, she started to
cough again.

After a few coughs, her breathing was unsteady.

Mrs. Zhu glanced at her cowardly and did not speak again.

Xiao Qiao looked at Mrs. Xu’s gray-haired face and paused, “Then, I will
listen to my grandmother’s words and leave.”

Only then did Mrs. Xu’s expression calm down. She looked at Xiao Qiao
and slowly said, “There will be nothing wrong with Yuyang. I asked you to
leave for safety, don’t worry too much. You should go now.”

Xiao Qiao’s nose was sore. She suppressed the thousands of emotions in
her heart and knelt.

……

The Xiongnu are coming to the south, and Mrs. Xu will stay in town to
defend against the invasion with the army and people. The reinforcements
would arrive in a few days, so the people asked to join the fight. Anyone
who volunteers to fight can go to the government office in Yuyang to
receive armor and weapons. The Yuyang city gates were full of posted
announcements.

However, the Yuyang Magistrate followed Mrs. Xu’s order to open the city
gates within two days, allowing the people to leave Yuyang and return to
the city after the situation had stabilized.

The people of the city did not want to leave at first. Or rather, they did not
want to believe it. The streets and alleys were full of people talking about
this matter. Gradually, some families began to leave the city through the
south gate with their belongings. Panic began to spread as more people left
one after another.

When Xiao Qiao sat in the fast-moving carriage toward Fanyang, people on
both sides of the road went in the same direction as her. From the north to
the south, the two streams of people like a long dragon, pushing
wheelbarrows or walking, mothers carrying their children and sons
supporting their mothers.

Xiao Qiao, Mrs. Zhu, and Chun Niang, who held Fei Fei, sat in one
carriage. The rest of the servants and maids sat in another carriage.

Since Mrs. Zhu came out of the city, she didn’t say a word and was gloomy.
Even Fei Fei seemed to feel the heavy atmosphere of the adults around
her. Contrary to her usual pampered attitude, she obediently let Chun
Niang hold her and stay quiet.
After two days on the road, the carriage finally arrived at Fanyang. They
were welcomed into the city by the Fanyang Magistrate. After settling in,
Xiao Qiao put Fei Fei to sleep on the bed. She was lost in thought when a
servant suddenly rushed over, saying that Madam suddenly lost control and
begging Xiao Qiao to take a look.

After Xiao Qiao asked Chun Niang to watch Fei Fei, she hurried over. Mrs.
Zhu was walking around the room, chanting: “Spiritual tablet! Spiritual
tablet! I forgot to bring my husband’s and Lun’s spiritual tablets! I’ve sinned!
I’ve sinned!”

During the past few days on the road, she was not in good spirits, and now
her face was even paler, with drops of sweat rolling down her forehead and
trembling lips. Her appearance was ugly.

Once she saw Xiao Qiao, she immediately pounced on her, grabbing her
arm tightly: “We haven’t brought your father-in-law’s and brother-in-law’s
spiritual tablets! How can we do this?” Her hands were so strong that they
made Xiao Qiao’s arm hurt.

Xiao Qiao broke away: “Grandmother said that Yuyang would be fine!
Mother-in-law should stay and wait. There will be good news in a few
days!”

Mrs. Zhu stared at her and laughed coldly: “Naturally, you’re not worried!
You didn’t have any good intentions when you married into my Wei family!
Now, since you already got out from the fallen Yuyang, what does it
concern you?”
Xiao Qiao looked at Mrs. Zhu and said, “Mother-in-law, I wanted to tell you
that I am going back.”

Mrs. Zhu was stunned.

“Grandmother is old, and her health is not good. I can’t leave her alone in
Yuyang. But if I insisted on staying that day, Grandmother would not have
agreed, so I sent Fei Fei here first. You settle down here, and I will return
today.”

Mrs. Zhu’s mouth opened slightly.

“Mother-in-law was tired and has not slept soundly. Now that you are here,
please rest and don’t think about it anymore! Don’t worry! The spiritual
tablets of my father-in-law and brother-in-law will be safe!”

Xiao Qiao instructed the servants to take good care of Mrs. Zhu. She was
only seventeen years old, and her face was still childish. But at this
moment, the tone of her voice or the determination in her gaze carries an
undeniable force. Not only the servants but even Mrs. Zhu also said
nothing. They only looked fixedly at her back as she turned away, looking
ashen and disheveled.

……
Chapter 152.2

The news that Wei Yan brought was accurate. A few days ago, 300,000
Xiongnu cavalry crossed the border and attacked three places in the
Yunzhong and Baideng Valley.

Although the defenders have done their best, Wu Wei is determined to win
and send all the elite cavalry with astonishing destructive power. After
several days of defending multiple places, Yunzhong and Baideng people
almost all retreated. Mrs. Xu decided to abandon Yunzhong and Baideng
Valley. Mobilizing all her strength, she guards Shanggu, the defense line
straight to Yuyang, to the death.

Outside Shanggu, a defensive line was set up every 20 miles, with deep
trenches and sharp spears underneath to block the raging Xiongnu cavalry,
turning the horse battle into close combat that was more favorable for the
Wei soldiers. Each line of defense must hold back the Xiongnu for at least a
day.

The Xiongnu must intend to take Yuyang because Shanggu was their key
target, and they launched a severe offensive against the place.

As soon as the war started, Mrs. Xu left Yuyang and rushed to the border
city to boost the morale of the brave soldiers. But after all, she was old, and
after having a rough journey, she fell ill on her way from Yunzhong Baideng
to Shanggu.

For three consecutive days, the sick Mrs. Xu insisted on going to the
battlefield and beating the drums to cheer the soldiers guarding the
defense line. Inspired by Mrs. Xu, the soldiers in defense repelled wave
after wave of wild attacks by the Xiongnu. The scheduled three-day
defense line lasted for five days. It was only on the sixth day that they
finally retreated into the city. On that day, when facing the Xiongnu’s attack,
Mrs. Xu went to the city wall and beat the drums to cheer the soldiers. But
when she descended from the city wall, Mrs. Xu finally collapsed.

She was already old, her health was not good, and overthinking for days,
and now her strength was overdrawn to the limit.

The news of Mrs. Xu’s collapse spread rapidly among the soldiers,
although Lei Yan, who was in charge of the defense, tried to conceal it.

The 300,000 Xiongnu cavalry, day and night, attacked like a tidal wave. The
battle was so huge that it was no exaggeration to call it a thunderbolt. The
main forces of the ruler had not yet returned, and the goal of this battle was
to wait for the arrival of reinforcements. But the pressure of 300,000 Xiong
Nu besieging the city was so great. The Wei family soldiers could hold on to
this moment was relying on a belief.

Mrs. Xu was like their backbone. She suddenly collapsed and did not show
up today, which more or less affected the soldiers’ morale.

Then, news came that Prince Wu Wei, the Xiongnu Left King, personally
rushed to Shanggu to supervise the battle and offered a reward of ten
thousand taels of gold for the capture of Yuyang.

The Xiongnu people were so proud and unbeatable. Outside the northern
city gate of Shanggu, wolf flags everywhere, covering the sky, between the
attack and defense battle, Wei family soldiers with tired faces heard the
sound of the Xiongnu iron armor singing, which faintly spread into the city
along with the wind.

……

Mrs. Xu woke up, slowly opened her eyes as if she heard the
heaven-shattering sound of killing on the city walls, and struggled to get up,
but Old Zhong stopped her.

“How is the battle going? I have to go there myself! Don’t you stop me!”

“… Lady is here!”

Even Old Zhong, who had always been calm and steady, could not contain
the excitement in her heart at this moment, and her voice trembled slightly.

“Don’t worry, Old Madam. Lady has brought the old battle flag from Old
Marquis. She has replaced Old Madam and gone to encourage the soldiers
and motivate them to fight!”

……

The Xiongnu rested for a while and launched a new wave of attacks.
Since last night, the battle had not stopped. The Xiongnu’s goal was to take
Yuyang before Wei Shao returned.

Lei Yan’s eyes were red from killing, and he could not remember how many
times he had repelled the Xiongnu attack with his group of generals.
Raining arrows, flying stone cannons under the walls, the corpses piling
higher, and the Xiongnu’s whistling sound sounded in the ears.

He gradually felt a hidden worry. As the commander-in-chief of this battle of

defense, he understood better than anyone else how crucial the soldiers’
morale was in repelling the enemy’s attack. A little discouragement might
tear the defense line. Once there was an opening, no one could guarantee
what would happen next.

At this time, the war drums, which had been silent since yesterday,
suddenly started to sound again on the high platform behind the wall. The
drums rumbled like thunder rolling, resounding in everyone’s ears.

Amid the fiery thunder that fell from the sky, the soldiers of the Wei family
turned their tired faces, stained with dust, mud, and blood. They saw with
astonishment that a person stood at Mrs. Xu’s place.

Lady had shown herself!

Their young and beautiful lady monarch, dressed in Mrs. Xu’s armor,
succeeded her and continued to defend the city and Yuyang together with
them!

At her side, a big black banner rose with the wind. In the middle of the flag,
a golden tiger’s head was embroidered, with fangs and eyes, as if declaring
the power of martial arts and frightening the soul.

“Listen, Wei soldiers. Forty years ago, your ruler’s grandfather wore this
tiger flag to retake the River Loop from the hands of the Shan Yu so that
the Xiongnu no longer dare to go south to herd horses! Now the Xiongnu
are trying to dishonor its glory. Will you allow it? Reinforcements will soon
arrive, and your ruler will return with his troops! He needs you to hold on for
a while longer! I swear with you in the name of the Lady of Wei that I will
stand here and fight with you until the last moment!”

The Lady’s voice coming with the war drums seemed to overpower the
clamor below the walls.

“No!”

“No!”

The soldiers regained their senses from the shock, their blood boiled, and
they shouted angrily, roaring to the sky.

Chapter 153.1

The battle for the defense of Shanggu has been going on for more than half
a month. Marks left by swords, axes, and fire covered the thick walls of
solid rock. Blood stained the black soil beneath the walls, seeping layer by
layer into the rock walls, and the foul smell of blood filled the air.

The Xiongnu’s attacks came in waves and repulsed back in waves.

A few days ago, the Qiang army of 50,000 men led by Qiao Ci finally
arrived to support the Wei soldiers.

The Qiang army took advantage of the fact that the Xiongnu army had not
had time to defend and break open a siege from the side. The Wei soldiers
inside the city opened the city gates to rush out in formation to fight
alongside the Qiang army amidst the beating of war drums.

The Xiongnu were skilled in cavalry field fighting with heavy troops. They
had been attacking the city for days, and their morale was already low.
Suddenly the situation changed, and their opponents switched their
formation, which made them unprepared.

Because of the unknown number of reinforcements, Wu Wei did not dare to

launch another siege for a while and ordered to organize the team in place,
both to catch their breath and to spy on the enemy.

……

The siege of the city, which lasted for more than ten days, was finally
resolved with the timely arrival of reinforcements.

The soldiers of the Wei family fought bravely against the Xiongnu, with few
soldiers against many. The two generations of Wei’s female rulers climbed
the city walls to share life and death with the soldiers and people. The news
spread to the four corners of Yuyang as if it had wings. More people began
to turn around from the fleeing road and came spontaneously from all
directions.

Men put on armor taken off from those who had died in battle and picked
the blood-stained swords and spears to join the fight.

Women, led by Xiao Qiao, tended to the wounded and brought hot soup
and hot meals in time for the blood-soaked soldiers.
Within a few days, tens of thousands of people volunteer to join the battle
of defense. The military and the people were united as never before,
fighting against the same enemy. Everyone had only one thought, hold on
and never give up a step.

……

Wu Wei began to feel uneasy about the battle. He is the son of Shan Yu,
the Crown Prince of Tuqi. However, his reputation in the royal court had
been inferior to his uncle, King Rizhu, Wu Zhuqu.

When Wu Zhuqu took Wei’s daughter as his concubine, the Xiongnu

people did not think he was disobedient but felt it was an honor. A few
years ago, Wu Zhuqu welcomed his son Wei Yan, the son of the Wei
consort. It was common for the Xiongnu royal family or nobles to have sons
from Han Chinese ancestry. The current king of the royal court, King Yi Qiu
Ruo, and the trusted advisor, King Yi Zhi Zi, are descendants of the
princesses sent by the former Han family to make peace. But these people
couldn’t make Wu Wei feel an unprecedented sense of threat, unlike Wei
Yan. Only in a couple of years, Wei Yan’s reputation had risen to great
heights. Since he conquered the East Hu people, who had been stubbornly
entrenched in the Onion Ridge for decades, and put the East Hu clan into
one of the twenty-four Xiongnu tribes, the Xiongnu people began to call him
Hutukun. Even Shan Yu made him King Jian Jiang – a title that qualified
him to command 10,000 soldiers. Wu Wei was very wary of this.

Therefore, not long ago, when Liu Yan, the Langya emperor, sent an envoy
to express his intention to borrow troops and surrender the Xiongnu, Wu
Wei intervened vigorously and convinced Shan Yu to send troops to the
south under his leadership.

According to his plan, he should have already captured Yuyang. He

intended to wipe out the shame Wei’s family brought to the Xiongnu people.
More importantly, he needed this victory so that Shan Yu, his clan, and the
Xiongnu nobles, who had been questioning him, the Huyan clan, the Xubo
clan, and the Qulin clan, could see what he could do. However, he didn’t
expect the battle process would be so bad.

He failed to seize the opportunity to wipe out 100,000 Wei soldiers in one
fell swoop, allowing them to borrow Qiang soldiers as reinforcements,
missing the best chance to fight. With further delay, if Wei Shao returned
with troops, he was even less sure of the situation. Since he was in charge
of the elite Xiongnu division, he could not afford to lose this battle.

The next day, Wu Wei regrouped his men, and the moment before dawn,
he supervised the formation and poured out his nest, launching another
ferocious attack on the Han and Qiang allied forces on the opposite side.

Kill one person, and get the reward.

Kill ten people, and get a beautiful woman.

Kill a hundred people, and you will get a hundred men.

And if you can break the city and capture the Wei female ruler who beat the
drums to help the battle, you will be given a thousand households and the
title of marquis!
……

The vicious battle continued from morning to evening. Lei Yan and Qiao Ci
defended against death, leading the crowd to resist. The sound of killing
resounded in the ears, and the wilderness near the city gate filled with
corpses.

The Xiongnu stepped on the dense layer of their fellow soldier’s corpses,
erecting ladders and digging the walls. On the top of the city wall, another
soldier would fill in if the other fell.

From the southeast corner of the city gate sounded an explosion

accompanied by a wild cry of excitement from the Xiongnu. A stream of
arrows whooshed overhead, and one fell and stuck in the back of a dead
soldier just half a step away from Xiao Qiao.

Xiao Qiao has long felt no fear. She and two women carrying a basket of
stone cannons continued to ascend the city wall when they saw a soldier
running toward them with blood streaming down his face.

“Lady, come with me!” The soldier roared.

“Is the city about to fall?” Xiao Qiao asked, her voice was hoarse. She had
not closed her eyes for several days, her face white as paper, and her eyes
were dry, but she did not feel tired.

“A hole has opened in the southeastern wall, Mr. Qiao is blocking the gap
with his men, and all the soldiers are ready to fight in the street, vowing to
defend the Shanggu and never give up half an inch! General Jia ordered
me to send the lady away quickly! All the remaining women should also
retreat from the city!”

“Immediately leave through the south city gate! There is no need for you to
stay here anymore!” Xiao Qiao immediately said to the women.

With tears in their eyes, the women knelt to her, got up, and left.

In the battle of defending the city, if it came to this level of street fighting,
Xiao Qiao knew that she would only become a burden if she stayed.

Mrs. Xu was very sick, but fortunately, she was sent out of Shanggu a few
days ago. In the face of 300,000 raging Xiongnu iron cavalry, holding on to
this moment, everyone here has done their best.

She suddenly felt a moment of dizziness. Closing her eyes, she held her
hand on the city wall.

“Lady!” The soldier noticed that she looked different and reached out to
help her but stopped when he was about to touch her.

Xiao Qiao settled down, opened her eyes, and said, “I’m fine. I’ll leave
now.”

Suddenly, at this moment, a sound like a thousand horses galloping came

from the distance. The sound seemed distant but slowly became clear, like
muffled thunder. With the rapid advance of the sound wave, the earth
underfoot and the corner tower of the city wall follow its rhythm, slightly
trembling. The two sides of the battle felt the unusual ground movement
that was becoming clearer.
The Xiongnu stopped climbing, and the Wei soldiers at the top of the city
wall stopped their swords and turned their heads to look at the sound.

After being absent-minded for a moment, Xiao Qiao lifted her skirt and
ascended the steps. She rushed up to the high platform at the city wall and
looked ahead.

In the direction of the setting sun, at the end of the distant wilderness, she
saw a long line of black legions coming rapidly toward the city.

……

Chapter 153.2

On the 22nd day of the arduous battle to defend Shanggu, Wei Shao, the
Marquis of Yan, finally arrived with his army.

……

Wei Yan stopped his horse on top of a high hill and looked at the shadow of
the army in the golden sunset indifferently.

For a moment, he slowly turned his gaze toward Shanggu. The distance
was a bit far, so he could not see her face. He only saw vaguely the blurred
silhouette standing on a high platform. But he knew it was her. No matter
how far away it is, he can recognize her at a glance.

Suddenly, he remembered that year, also like this moment, he had looked
at her back from afar on the Lu Li Terrace with unspeakable obsessions in
mind. Now, she is still the noble Wei’s lady.
But he is not even named Wei Yan. He was lost in thought for a moment
and suddenly closed his eyes. He pulled up his horse’s reins, let out a low
cry, and turned around. His figure slowly disappeared at the end of the high
hill.

……

The city walls of Shanggu were thundering with joy as Marquis led his army
to return in time. The drums thundered, the sound of killing rumbled, and
the Xiongnu, who had climbed half the city wall, fell one after another.

The soldiers opened the city gates widely and came out to kill them. The
battle of Shanggu, which had lasted for most of the month, ended without
any suspense.

Wei Shao returned with the Wei family’s iron cavalry, no less than the
Xiongnu’s, killing with a thunderous fury that reached hell.

Xiongnu lost its military strength advantage. After days of aggression, they
were frustrated, and their low morale instantly fell to the bottom. After
haphazard resistance, the troops were defeated and crushed to the north.
The chase went on until the next day. The Xiongnu soldiers’ casualties and
captives amounted to 100,000.

……

There were many times when Shanggu’s barricade almost broke with one
more charge, but time and time again, the opportunities were lost. The city
was rooted there, only a wall apart, but indestructible.
When Wu Wei crossed the river border and fled back to the grasslands, he
still couldn’t believe it. He was full of ambition, raiding south with heavy
troops, but it would end poorly.

……

Shanggu’s siege was relieved, and the stern and heavy atmosphere over
the city that lasted for many days was gone. The waves of laughter
sounded everywhere.

Xiao Qiao did not have time to rest and immediately rushed to the
temporary treatment center at the city gate to see her brother.

Qiao Ci had been wounded on his arm and back. The army doctor was
treating his wounds. Because of the blood loss, his face was a bit pale. But
he was in high spirits, stretching his arms for the military doctor to wrap his
wounds while talking and laughing with the group of Wei soldiers who had
gathered around him.

“Mr. Qiao, I heard that Qiang girls are charming and affectionate. They take
the initiative to present flowers to show her affection. Mr. Qiao is a talented
man. Have you ever received the flowers?” A sergeant who had just
bandaged his wound asked a question.

After the big battle, men inevitably thought about nonsense.

Qiao Ci does not have the slightest attitude. After leading the Peihe Qiang
and Wei family soldiers to live and die together these days, they had long
since become friends. The sergeant asked curiously, and the side of the
crowd laughed.

Qiao Ci’s face was slightly hot, hurriedly waved his hands. When he saw
Xiao Qiao coming in, his eyes lit up. He happily called out, ‘sister’ and
immediately stood up to greet her.

Xiao Qiao instructed him not to get up. When the soldiers turned their
heads, they saw the lady coming and hurriedly made way for her. The
originally crowded place was instantly quiet, and countless eyes turned to
her.

Xiao Qiao quickly came to Qiao Ci and saw he hadn’t had time to change
his blood-stained battle robe. Looking at his forehead hung a bloody slit,
she felt heartbroken, raised her hand gently to touch it, and asked: “Does it
hurt?”

Qiao Ci grinned and said, “It’s just a small injury! It doesn’t hurt!” When the
soldiers nearby saw this, they were all secretly envious.

“Sister, how are you doing?”

“I’m fine.” Xiao Qiao smiled.

“Lady, how is the old madam now?” A general asked.

Xiao Qiao looked up and saw that many eyes were looking at her. She
nodded at them and said, “The old madam has returned to Yuyang to
recuperate, and she will be fine. Thank you all for your concern. This time,
we can preserve the city only because of your courageous efforts, so I
thank you on behalf of the ruler.”

“We are willing to die to serve you!” A bold sergeant shouted. The crowd
immediately echoed.

Xiao Qiao smiled and looked at the faces of the soldiers looking at her with
eager eyes, and suddenly she felt dizzy.

These days, due to Mrs. Xu’s illness, she did not have a moment to catch
her breath. Previously, she relied on a will to survive. She forces herself to
hold on. When she learned her brother was injured, she hurried to see him.
Seeing that he was fine, she felt relaxed. The string in her body snapped,
unable to support it anymore.

“Sister–”
“Lady!”

With a ringing in her ears followed by a fluttering noise, her body went limp
and collapsed.

Chapter 154.1

Xiao Qiao seemed to have taken a long nap.

In the dream, she felt relaxed beyond words. It was as if she had gone
back to her previous life. She was not a Qiao daughter but a spoilt child
beside her parents, without burdens and responsibilities. She did as she
pleased, and she was herself.

It had been a long, long time since she had felt like this. She was even
reluctant to wake up and wanted to stay in this dream. But deep inside her
heart, a thousand threads vaguely tied her up, and in the end, she could
not fully unleash them.

She kept telling herself that she had to wake up. Struggling, she finally
awoke to the sound of anxious voices speaking in her ears. Gradually, the
muffled sound became clear.

It was her brother’s voice.

“How is my sister?”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Qiao. Lady was overly tired. She should be able to heal
after a few days of good rest ……”
Xiao Qiao’s eyelids moved a little. It was only a few moments, but it felt so
long—-

“She just fainted! Can’t you see?” Concerned, Qiao Ci raised her voice.

Xiao Qiao slowly opened her eyes and found herself lying on the bed with
Qiao Ci shouting at the helpless army doctor.

“Look, Mr. Qiao, the lady is awake!” The military doctor wiped his sweat
and said in surprise.

Qiao Ci turned her head and saw that Xiao Qiao had indeed awakened. He
fluttered over to hold her hand tightly: “Sister, you’re awake! How are you?
You suddenly fainted! You scared me so much ……”

Xiao Qiao felt weak and calmed down, “I’m fine. As the doctor said, I was
just a bit tired. I will rest for a few more moments, don’t worry ……”
Qiao Ci was slightly relieved, “Sister, you should rest well. My
brother-in-law is personally pursuing the Xiongnu and should be back
soon.”

When the siege was over, Wei Shao led his army to pursue the Xiongnu
while the Qiangs and Lei Yan’s soldiers stayed where they were.

Xiao Qiao smiled faintly and nodded.

Suddenly a rush of footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by a

soldier’s voice: “Lady, an urgent report has come from Yuyang. There is an
incident at home!”

……

In the middle of the night, the family temple caught fire. Mrs. Zhu was
trapped and badly burned inside, clutching the memorials of her husband
and eldest son in her arms. As her servants risked their lives to rescue her
from the flames, her mouth continued to chant: “The Xiongnu are coming!
I’ll protect the family temple! The Xiongnu are coming! I’ll protect the family
temple!”
Mrs. Xu had fallen ill earlier and recuperated at the nearby Wuzhong City,
where she was used to living.

……

The time went back seven or eight days ago. Mrs. Zhu finally couldn’t bear
the ordeal and returned from Fanyang to the Wei family in Yuyang.

The way Qiao’s daughter looked and the tone of her voice when she left
Fanyang that day caused Mrs. Zhu to feel overwhelming pressure.

A thought arose within her mind: what Qiao girl could do, she could do
even more. She was the head mother of the Wei family, and she must not
let Qiao’s daughter outshine her, let alone let Mrs Xu and her son despise
her.

That thought pushed down the fear in her heart and, on impulse, set her on
her return journey as a guardian of the Wei family who would live and die
with them.
By the time she returned to the Wei family, the news of the siege of
Shanggu in Yuyang was getting worse by the day.

She hated the Xiongnu and hoped the Wei soldiers in Shanggu would hold
out until her son returned with his troops.

But soon, when word spread through the ears of the people of Yuyang that
it was Qiao’s daughter who had taken Mrs. Xu’s place and stayed in
Shanggu to inspire the soldiers to defend the city and that it was Qiao’s
daughter’s brother who had brought in the Qiang reinforcements, Mrs. Zhu
was stunned and devastated once again.

She understood that her son had always regarded Qiao girl as a precious
jewel and that if she could hold Shanggu after this battle, she might not be
able to take up even half an inch of her son’s heart.

She felt desperate, angry, and bitter. She had trouble sleeping through the
night, and in the depths of her heart crept out a terrifying dark thought.

She wished that Shanggu and Yuyang would ruin so that all of Qiao’s girl’s
efforts would be in vain and that she would be able to exist forever in her
son’s heart as the guardian of the Wei family, even if she died, in her son’s
eyes, her position as a mother would remain still.

Mrs. Zhu was seized by such a thought as if she had been possessed and
could not extricate herself. She imagined over and over again that when
the city of Yuyang broke down, when the beastly Xiongnu burst through the
gates, at that moment she would guard the door of the Wei family temple
with her own body so that her son, Mrs. Xu, and all the soldiers of the Wei
family would see that she, Mrs. Zhu, was the mother who could truly live
and die with the Wei family. That moment would be the most glorious
moment of her life.

She no longer felt fear but instead looked forward to that moment with
increasing fervor. She was all ready for it.

Just the day before, the news of the difficulties in defending Shanggu
reached Yuyang again. The atmosphere that had prevailed in Yuyang since
the Xiongnu’s southern invasion had reached an unprecedented level of
tension, and late at night, Mrs. Zhu suddenly had a dreamy fit.

She ran out of the house in disarray and headed for the family temple while
shouting, ‘The Xiongnu are attacking.’ When she reached the family
temple, she shooed everyone out and bolted the door, and soon afterward,
fire came up from the temple.

……

Chapter 154.2

When Xiao Qiao arrived at Yuyang, the news that Marquis had returned to
Shanggu and that the Xiongnu had retreated with failure had spread
everywhere. The tense and depressing atmosphere enveloping the city for
many days was gone, and everyone was smiling.

Mrs. Zhu, badly wounded by the fire and disfigured, lay there dying with her
eyes hollow.

Xiao Qiao brought medicine and called to her from the bedside. Mrs. Zhu
did not respond at first, and only after a long time did she seem to be
brought back to consciousness, slowly fixing her gaze on Xiao Qiao’s face
and staring at her. Suddenly, she sat up straight from the bed and grabbed
Xiao Qiao’s neck with both hands.

“Xiongnu! Xiongnu! I am the matriarch of the Wei family! With me, you will
not be able to enter the Wei clan’s family temple–” Her eyes shone with a
strange light, and she shouted through her gritted teeth.
Old Huang and the others were horrified, shouting “No!” and rushing to stop
her. It took three or four people pulling and tugging to break her hands
away from Xiao Qiao’s neck.

After a few moments of scratching in the air, Mrs. Zhu’s eyes rolled back
into white and suddenly fell back, her body curled up in agony, her mouth
moaning incessantly.

The medicine bowl shattered, and Xiao Qiao fell to the ground, coughing.

Old Huang hurriedly came to help her.

Xiao Qiao covered her neck and waved her hand, “You go and take care of
her ……”

Suddenly, there was a rush of footsteps from outside, followed by the door
being pushed open.

Xiao Qiao turned her head and saw Wei Shao appear in the doorway. His
battle armor was still on, and blood stained the corners of his robe.

“Master!”

Old Huang was stunned and hurriedly greeted him. She knelt and bowed
her head, not daring to utter another word.

Wei Shao’s eyes fell on Mrs. Zhu’s body on the bed. He paused and
immediately stepped in quickly, sweeping past Xiao Qiao, rushing to the
bed.
“Mother!” His voice was trembling slightly.

“Where’s the doctor? Where is the doctor? Where?” He yelled harshly.

“Master, the doctor was by the madam’s side all last night but just went out
for a short rest. I’ll go and call him…”

Old Huang scrambled up from the floor and went out in a panic to summon
someone.

“Shao’er, is that you? You’ve come back…”

Mrs. Zhu slowly opened her puffy eyelids, her gaze lingering on Wei Shao’s
face as she strained to raise her hand to caress his face.

“Mother, I am not filial. I came late and made my mother suffer like this!”

Wei Shao held Mrs. Zhu’s wrapped hand. His voice was low.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me ……” Mrs. Zhu’s eyes showed relief, and
her mouth held a contented smile as she murmured, “The Xiongnu have
attacked Yuyang. They want to harm our Wei family ancestors. I vowed to
guard the family temple until I die and never let the Xiongnu have their way
……”

Wei Shao bowed his head. His shoulders twitched slightly, and his voice
choked: “I know ……Mother, no need to say anything. Treating the wound
is important ……”
“No, no, I’m fine! I’m fine!” Mrs. Zhu’s eyes suddenly fell on Xiao Qiao
behind Wei Shao, and suddenly her whole body tensed up, pointing at Xiao
Qiao, “Tell her to get out! I don’t want to see her-” She frowned, gritted her
teeth, and a loud lament escaped her throat.

“Mother, calm down!” Wei Shao tried desperately to reassure her.

“Shao’er! You still protect her – she is a Xiongnu! A Xiongnu! There is no

room for Xiongnu in my Wei family!”

Mrs. Zhu’s eyes rolled back, and her whole body kept shaking.

Wei Shao turned back to Xiao Qiao and cast a pleading glance. His eyes
were red and seemed to contain tears.

Xiao Qiao nodded at him and slowly stepped back to the door, leaving. She
returned to the west house and sat alone for a long time in front of the
candlelight.

Chun Niang was still in Fanyang with Fei Fei and would not return if she did
not pick them up.

……

The next day at dawn, when Wei Shao returned to the west house, it was
empty. The servant said that the lady had gone to Wuzhong last night. She
also left a message asking the master to rest assured that she would take
good care of his grandmother.

……
Wuzhong was a suitable place to nurse people. After Mrs. Xu stayed there,
her condition slowly improved. When Xiao Qiao arrived, Mrs. Xu was in
much better spirits than before.

Half a month later, when the news of Mrs. Zhu’s death arrived, Mrs. Xu
could get up and walked into the courtyard with Xiao Qiao’s help. After
knowing the news, she was silent before saying, “A confused person is also
pitiful.”

Chapter 155.1

The long and depressing funeral was finally over.

After returning, Xiao Qiao removed Fei Fei’s mourning clothes, bathed her,
and sat on the bed while shaking a rattle to guide her crawling toward her.

As the mother and daughter played, Wei Shao came in still with mourning
clothes. Seeing his father, Fei Fei, rambled and turned her head to crawl
towards him. When she reached the edge of the bed, Xiao Qiao was afraid
she would fall and wanted to hold her, but Wei Shao came in with a quick
step, caught Fei Fei, picked her up, and lifted her high in the air.

Fei Fei has become more courageous, being held by her father, didn’t not
afraid at all but giggles. Wei Shao held his daughter and teased her for a
few moments, then handed her over to Chun Niang, who had followed him.

Chun Niang took Fei Fei out of the room, leaving Xiao Qiao and him alone.
He took off the mourning clothes he was wearing, climbed into bed, and
wrapped her in his arms.
“Man Man, these days are all thanks to you. It’s really hard on you, and I’ve
wronged you ……” The funeral ceremony was full of formalities. As a filial
son, he was so busy these days that he barely got any sleep, and last night
he even stayed up all night, and at this moment, even his voice was
hoarse. He kept kissing her forehead, her small earlobes, whispering in her
ear.

Xiao Qiao leaned in his arms, raised her eyes, and examined him. His eyes
were bloodshot, and his complexion revealed not only sleep-deprived
fatigue but also gratitude and guilt.

Xiao Qiao smiled, “I didn’t work hard nor feel much aggrieved, but I tried my
best and did my part. Fortunately, the people and the army unified in their
fight, and the Qiang soldiers came to their aid in time, so I could hold out
until Husband came back.”

Wei Shao raised his hand, gently pulled aside a strand of her hair that hung
down in front of her forehead, gazing at her, carrying affection in his hoarse
voice: “I’ve heard that you fainted that day in the Shanggu, and you haven’t
had time to take a rest yet, and these days coincide with my mother’s
funeral. Tonight let Chun Niang and the others take care of Fei Fei. Have a
good rest.”

Xiao Qiao said, “You too, husband. These days, I know you are more tired
than I am. If there is nothing else, rest early.”

“Man Man, being able to marry you is a blessing for me …….” As he was
exhausted, he ended up lying beside her, closing his eyes as he was about
to fall asleep. Xiao Qiao heard him whisper in her ear.
……

Wei Shao slept a long, deep sleep. And when he woke up, it was already
noon the next day.

The sunlight penetrated through the window into the low-hanging curtain,
illuminating the curtain with a slightly blinding light, and playful sounds
made by the nursemaids teasing Fei Fei in the courtyard were faintly heard
by his ears.

Fei Fei’s laughter was high-pitched, carefree, and with such bright
sunshine, making people’s moods involuntarily pleasant. Wei Shao’s lips
curved slightly, closed his eyes to listen to his daughter’s laughter for a
moment, and touched the side of the bed. The quilt was cold.

He then opened his eyes, rolled onto his back, stretched his muscles and
bones, put on his clothes, opened the door, and left.

Xiao Qiao stood beside one of the carved corridors in the courtyard, talking
to a few servants who came to report on some matter. When she heard the
door open, she turned and saw Wei Shao. She then dismissed the
servants, greeted him and sent water and towels to him, served him to
wash up, and then helped him to get dressed.

With no one else around, Wei Shao whispered, “When did you get up in the
morning? I don’t even know.”
Xiao Qiao said, “About the same time as usual. I saw you slept well, so I
didn’t disturb you.” As she spoke, she lowered her head to help him buckle
his belt.

One of his palms climbed up her back, slowly caressing it, gradually
moving downwards, and finally grabbing her waist. His other hand jerked
off the belt she had tied for him, casually tossing it aside, and held her in
his arms, squeezing her soft breasts and pressing them onto his chest.

“Man Man-” He called her softly, kissing the side of her forehead.

Xiao Qiao took away the hand he had clasped around her waist and said,
“It’s time to go to Grandmother.”

Wei Shao touched his nose: ” Okay.”

Xiao Qiao smiled at him and leaned down to retrieve the belt, helping him
tie it to his waist again, saying, “Yesterday I saw Mr. Gongsun, and he said
that after some time, you’re leaving again?”

Wei Shao nodded: “Now the South is chaotic. Many lords founded their
kingdoms, and Chen Ying revolted. Although Langya has ruined, Liu Yan
escaped during the Xiongnu chaos. This time, I took advantage of the
Xiongnu military disorganization, not allowing them to breathe and chasing
them across the Sanggan River hundreds of miles deep to wipe out its elite
and completely knock off their ambition. Xiongnu’s total loss was nearly
100,000 people in this battle. The loss can not be said to be not heavy, but
after this defeat, I expect at least within 12 years, Xiongnu does not dare to
attack again. I must seize this time to stabilize the south as soon as
possible, waiting for the road to the Central Plains to return to one. Once
the world settled…..”

He suddenly stopped, gazing at Xiao Qiao, a trace of guilt in his eyes: “I

can not accompany you at home again. Will you blame me?”

With a slight click, Xiao Qiao buckled his belt and examined it, then raised
her eyes and smiled, “Men have men’s affairs. I also have my affairs. Why
would I blame you for that? You eat something first, then let’s go to
Grandmother’s place.”

……

Mrs. Xu returned to Yuyang from Wuzhong a few days ago. After

recuperating, her health gradually recovered, and she was full of spirits.
Seeing them coming, she let them be seated and asked Wei Shao about
the chaos in the south.

She learned that General Green Eyes was able to stop Chen Ying in the
north of the Yangtze River, which curbed the raging momentum of the
cannibalistic army that was causing panic among the people, and said to
Xiao Qiao: “In the north, your brother leading the Qiang army to help me
defend against the Xiongnu, and in the south, General Green Eyes fighting
against the cannibalistic army to pacified the people’s hearts. Your Qiao
family has produced such twin heroes. Everyone praised them.”

Xiao Qiao said, “Grandmother is flattering. We were born in a chaotic world,

and people suffered, so they tried to help the world. Do not dare to call
them heroes, but my brother and brother-in-law were only trying their best.”
Chapter 155.2

Mrs. Xu gazed at her for a while and sighed: “You are good at everything
but too patient. Understanding is naturally good, but you, child, make my
heart ache,” She turned to Wei Shao, “This time, the siege of Shanggu, if
not your wife thought of the method of inviting Qiang troops to help, if not
your wife inspiring the people and the army, when you returned, Yuyang
may have been ruin by Xiongnu! I don’t need to tell you what you should
do, right?”

Wei Shao glanced at Xiao Qiao, bowed towards Mrs. Xu, and said, “I have
learned Grandmother’s precious teachings by heart.”

Mrs. Xu nodded and said to Xiao Qiao, “This time, you are the first person
to take credit for relieving the siege in Shanggu. If you have any wishes or
desires, just let me know. I will honor them if I can.”

Xiao Qiao knelt and bowed respectfully towards her, straightened up, and
said, “I accept Grandmother’s golden words. In this case, I will boldly say
it.”

Mrs. Xu smiled, “Speak! There is no need to be concerned!”

Xiao Qiao said: ”A few months ago, I corresponded with my father, and
although he was spirited in his words, something is weighing on my heart. If
Grandmother and Husband agree, I want to bring Fei Fei to East County for
a few days. I know that Grandmother has always loved Fei Fei, and I
should not take her, not to mention that after Grandmother’s serious illness,
I should do my filial piety. Therefore, I also know that this is an insensitive
request.”

Wei Shao was taken aback and immediately turned to look at Xiao Qiao,
who gazed at Mrs Xu. His expression was frozen. He subconsciously
wanted to say it was not good but didn’t realize that Mrs. Xu, on the other
side, had already nodded her head, “Permission granted.”

Wei Shao froze, his mouth slightly agape, and paused.

Mrs. Xu said: “Qingzhou Langya had destroyed. Now Shandong was at

peace. You can go. Your father was alone and blind. The mouth does not
say, but the heart must be missing you. Not to mention he never met Fei
Fei. I am already well. Rest assured. You can go back to live there for some
time to accompany your father, which is also filial piety.”

Xiao Qiao kowtowed Mrs. Xu and thanked her.

Mrs. Xu smiled, gestured for her to get up, and said to the frozen Wei Shao:
“Can you manage to spare the time? If you can, put aside other matters
and send your wife back to East County first!”
……

“It was fine, but why do you suddenly want to return to East County?”
Once he returned to his room, Wei Shao immediately dismissed the
servants and asked, looking slightly agitated.

“When my father’s eyes were poisoned, I only looked after him for three or
four days before hurriedly returning to Yuyang. I couldn’t let go of it in my
heart. Now that things have ended here, and you’re leaving soon,
Grandmother is kind and doesn’t mind if I don’t stay with her to fulfill my
filial duties, so I’ll go back to East County to stay for a few days.”
Xiao Qiao sat on the edge of the bed, lowered her head, and folded Fei
Fei’s tiny clothes while explaining.

Wei Shao looked at her, then suddenly stepped forward, sat on her side,
and hugged her.

“Are you angry with me? That day when I returned to the city, I was indeed
negligent, only thinking of conquering the Xiongnu. I didn’t see you right
away. Later, when my mother had an accident, I didn’t pay much attention
to your feelings either. Are you angry with me?”

Xiao Qiao shook her head, “I’m not angry ……”

“Then don’t go back to East County. I don’t want you to go back-”

Wei Shao hugged her tightly as if he was like a child whose beloved toy
had been taken away. Suddenly, he pressed her down on the bed and
kissed her eagerly while his hands began to undo her sash.

A moment later, he stopped and buried his face in her shoulder. His tone
was sultry with a hint of hurt, “You’re still mad at me ……”

“What do you want me to do before you’re willing to stay? Man Man, you
tell me!” He suddenly raised his head, ” What if I don’t leave? I’ll stay to
keep you company for some more time, okay?” He gently shook her
shoulders as if he was pampering her.
Xiao Qiao slowly opened her eyes and smiled faintly at him.

“Husband, I’m not angry with you. We’ve been a couple for several years
and stumbling along the way so far. I know it is difficult for you, but I won’t
hide it from you. It is not easy for me either.”

Wei Shao froze.

Xiao Qiao closed her eyes, her long eyelashes quivered slightly, and she let
out a low delicate sigh. “The way I feel nowadays, it’s relaxed, but I don’t
know why I’m also a bit exhausted. Grandmother has allowed me to be
self-indulgent, and I will follow my own heart for a while.”

“Therefore, I want to go back to East County. Besides visiting my father, my

elder sister is also at home, so I want to stay for some days. I hope that
you, Husband, will be able to fulfill my wish.”
Xiao Qiao gazed at him while saying slowly.

Chapter 156.1

At the end of the month, Wei Shao sends Xiao Qiao across the Yellow
River to Yanzhou, and in less than two days, they will reach East County
within half a day.

At noon, Wei Shao ordered the convoy to stop at a shady spot on the side
of the road to take a break. The guards accompanying the convoy rested
while Chun Niang and the nursemaid brought Fei Fei out of the carriage to
feed her with water and get some fresh air.
Wei Shao turned around, looked at Xiao Qiao’s carriage, dismounted and
walked over, knocked on the carriage, then pulled open the door and said:
“You’ve been sitting there for a long time. Come down and relax your
muscles! We can arrive in East County tonight. A moment’s rest will not
delay our efforts.”

Xiao Qiao bent down from the carriage, and Wei Shao held her arm and
helped her down.

Xiao Qiao stood by the roadside and looked into the distance. Wei Shao
followed her up and handed her an opened bottle of water.

Xiao Qiao took it, drank two sips, and turned her head to smile at him.
Under the midday sun, her eyes were bright as crystal, her forehead and
the tip of her nose covered with a layer of sweat, and her face bloomed like
a hibiscus, beautiful.

Wei Shao could see that the more they near East County, the more relaxed
her mood. On the contrary, his heart felt a sense of loss. He looked at the
cool breeze sweeping her hair. He slightly pulled the corner of his mouth in
response to her and tilted his neck to the bottle she had just drunk. Gulp
gulp gulp gulp, he also drank a few mouthfuls of water. The knot in his
throat rolled up and down as he swallowed. He suddenly choked and
coughed, and a stream of water flowed down, wetting his neck and lapel.

Xiao Qiao took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her forehead
when she heard him coughing. She turned her head to see the situation
and was busy patting him on the back.
Wei Shao bent and coughed twice, stopped, waved his hand, and slowly
straightened up.

Xiao Qiao then wiped the water stains on his neck and lapel for him and
said softly, “Nobody is snatching it from you. What’s the point of drinking it
in such a hurry?”

Wei Shao was silent and stood still, only looking down at her.

Xiao Qiao glanced at him, looked toward the East County city again,
thought for a moment, turned back to him, and said, “The East County is
not far ahead. I’m grateful to you for escorting me all the way. If you have
any inconvenience, you can stop here, and I can enter the city by myself.”

Wei Shao said, “We are all here. I should send you and Fei Fei to your
home. I’ll leave after you are there.”

Xiao Qiao was stunned, raising her eyes slightly to look at him. He turned
his face, and his complexion seemed unnatural, avoiding her attention.

Gazing at him for a moment, the corners of her lips curved upwards
vaguely, and she softly said, “That would be better. Thank you, Husband.”

Wei Shao nodded casually, turned around, and left briskly.

……

After resting for a while, Xiao Qiao carried Fei Fei onto the carriage, and
the group continued on the road.
Wei Shao rode his horse and escorted Xiao Qiao’s carriage. Half a day
later, when the sky was dark, they arrived at the East County city gate.

The city gates had already been closed down by now. The gatekeeper saw
a procession arrive, and when he knew it was actually the Lady who came
to the city, he hurriedly opened the gate and urgently ordered someone to
go to the ruler’s residence to report.

Wei Shao left Lei Yan and others to wait outside the city gates. He rode his
own horse, and with the sound of the horse’s hoof falling on the ground, he
passed under the arched gates of the East County city, heading towards
the ruler’s residence.

After the last incident, East County imposed a curfew to ensure peace. So
far, the curfew persisted. After dark, the people will return to their homes. At
this time, the street was empty, only the patrol officer.

The Qiao House was bright at the moment. Qiao Ping suddenly learned
that Wei Shao had sent his daughter and granddaughter back to East
County. He was overjoyed and surprised, immediately ordered the steward
to welcome him, and asked people to notify Mrs. Ding and Da Qiao, who
were also at home. He hurriedly went to the gate and waited eagerly.

Soon, Mrs. Ding and Da Qiao arrived at the gate, waiting with Qiao Ping for
Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao to arrive.

Soon, at the end of the street, came a few wavering lights accompanied by
the carriages and horses moving forward. The steward, who carried the
lantern, ran back with the wind at his feet, running out of breath, but with a
smile on his face, yelling: “Lord County, it’s the Master, indeed! It’s Master
who has sent Lady back in person! Lady wanted to come back, so Master
sent her back!”

A stone in Qiao Ping’s heart fell to the ground, and Mrs. Ding and Da Qiao
were overjoyed.

Wei Shao’s hatred for the Qiao family goes back a long way. Now, he
personally sent Xiao Qiao back to her home, which was a true joy to
behold.

Da Qiao saw that Qiao Ping couldn’t wait to get down the steps and hurried
to assist him.

Chapter 156.2

Before the carriage stopped, Xiao Qiao had already got out. Wei Shao had
already dismounted and helped her down. He released her hand and
silently watched her stride toward a middle-aged man whose under
assistance. He stood still and did not follow.

“Father!”

Xiao Qiao ran and took hold of Qiao Ping’s hands. Borrowing the light from
the lantern at the entrance, she saw that her father looked good, and joy
filled her heart.

“Man Man is back!” Mrs. Ding came up, smiling broadly.

“Auntie! Sister!”
Xiao Qiao lets go of Qiao Ping and catches up with Mrs. Ding and Da Qiao,
cheerful as they can be.

Chun Niang came up with Fei Fei, who had fallen asleep on the road.
Mrs. Ding knew that Fei Fei had fallen asleep and regretted it so much that
she couldn’t lift the cloak to look at her. She called the servants to lead
Chun Niang and her group into the house.

After a moment of chaos at the door, Qiao Ping stretched out his hand and
groped in the air. Xiao Qiao was busy catching his hand.

“I heard that my son-in-law also came. Where is he?” Qiao Ping smiled.

Xiao Qiao raised her eyes, looking towards the figure not far away. When
she was still in hesitation, Qiao Ping spoke, “Man Man, you take me over.”

Xiao Qiao paused but finally held her father and slowly walked to Wei
Shao.

“My father.” Xiao Qiao said softly to Wei Shao.

Wei Shao looked towards the emaciated face of this middle-aged man who
seemed to resemble Xiao Qiao and was still hesitant. But Qiao Ping had
already taken a step forward, held his hands tightly, and laughed aloud, “I
have long been looking forward to meeting my son-in-law, and today I
finally saw him, so I am very relieved! Quick, follow me! I set up a banquet
in the evening. You and I, father and son-in-law, don’t rest without getting
drunk!”
Wei Shao did not intend to stay for the night, so he entered the city and left
Lei Yan and others outside. Suddenly, he heard Qiao Ping’s generous
invitation and froze. His mouth was slightly open, looked at Xiao Qiao
subconsciously.

Seeing that she was smiling at him, he could not say the word ‘no’ no
matter what.

“Man Man, my son-in-law shouldn’t have come alone. Where is his

entourage?” Qiao Ping asked.

“All are still outside the city.” Xiao Qiao said.

Qiao Ping frowned and said unhappily, “After the arduous journey and
having arrived home, how can you leave people outside the city like this?”

Wei Shao hurriedly said, “Father-in-law, don’t blame Man Man ……”
These words unintentionally blurted out, and Wei Shao was shocked to
realize that he had called the Qiao man before him ‘father-in-law.’

He paused for a moment and subconsciously looked at Xiao Qiao again.

Seeing her eyes wide open as she looked at him, his heart suddenly
trembled, and he didn’t care to weigh about it, saying: “I’m the one who left
them outside the city. Many things waiting in Luoyang, but I wanted to send
Man Man mother and daughter home, so I’ll return— this night.”

Qiao Ping immediately said, “If there are urgent matters, I will not force you
to stay. But if you don’t have to leave tonight, and since you’ve already
arrived home, how can you not come in? It’s not too late to rest for the night
and leave tomorrow.”

Wei Shao looked at Xiao Qiao again.

Xiao Qiao softly said, “If Husband is not in a hurry, it would be better to rest
for the night. General Lei and the others must be tired.”

Wei Shao finally nodded, “Okay.”

Qiao Ping was overjoyed, hurriedly turning back and calling someone to
welcome Wei Shao’s entourage into the city, placing them in the post house
and guiding him inside.

Wei Shao raised his feet and followed Qiao Ping inside. When he arrived at
the steps, he put his hand on Qiao Ping’s arm and whispered, ‘Be careful,’
then led him up the steps with himself.
……
Lei Yan waited outside the city, and after waiting for a long time, he saw
someone out of the city gates. He thought it was the Marquis, but
unexpectedly, the Qiao family’s servant passed a message, respectfully
saluted, and said that the Marquis stayed in the Qiao family this night, so
they should enter the city and rest in the post house.

Lei Yan and others traveled through the dust and were thirsty for sleep, but
since it was necessary to comply with the Lord’s order, they were ready to
go on the road overnight. When they suddenly heard the news, they were
all happy, and a line of people hollering into the city to settle down.
That night, Qiao Ping set up a banquet to welcome Wei Shao. At first, Wei
Shao excused himself but could not resign from the elder’s enthusiasm and
thus accepted.

After Xiao Qiao put her sleeping daughter in place, she met the
now-three-year-old Li’er and caught up with Mrs. Ding and Da Qiao.

On the eleventh period of the night, she returned to her room, but Wei Shao
wasn’t there yet. When she thought that he and her father seemed to be
drinking more than an hour, and his father’s eye condition wasn’t suitable
for too much wine, she didn’t feel at ease and then sought them, only to
find two drunk men.

She heard her father say: “…… My family Man Man, I’m not boasting, oh.
She was beautiful and intelligent. Only a few people can compare to her.
She was only ten years old, but people that asked her for marriage reached
the threshold ……”

Wei Shao “bang” put down the wine cup: “Who dares to steal her from
me?”

Xiao Qiao hurriedly interrupted and said to Qiao Ping: “Father, you are
drunk. Please go rest.” She called for someone to send him back to his
room.

Today, Qiao Ping finally met Wei Shao, witnessed him send his daughter
back to the Qiao family, and called himself ‘father-in-law.’ His mood had
never been pleased like this, and he drank too much wine. When he heard
his daughter’s voice, he laughed and no longer insisted to be carried away.
Wei Shao seemed intoxicated. Seeing Xiao Qiao, he stood up and swayed
a little. Xiao Qiao helps him, but feeling his heavy body and afraid of being
crushed by him, she hurriedly calls a servant. When they arrived at the
room, she stumbled to the bed with him, and as soon as she released her
hands, Wei Shao collapsed on the bed with a ‘thud.’

Chapter 157.1

Wei Shao did not know how he got drunk so fast. Before tonight, he never
knew that the threshold of the Qiao family in East County was easy to cross
and that ‘father-in-law’ was not so hard to call. Everything happened
naturally.

When Xiao Qiao assisted him into the house, and he fell on the soft bed
underneath him, his heart vaguely knew that this room was Xiao Qiao’s
room before marrying him. She spent her maiden days in this fragrance
room, and he felt deeply intoxicated.

He closed his eyes and vaguely heard her and Chun Niang’s whispering
voices and then felt her sitting on his side, wiping his face and hands with a
warm wet towel. This kind of feeling made him extremely at ease. As if the
burden he carried alone finally reached the end of the line, although full of
dust and tired, she waited and accompanied him.

Since that day when he suddenly learned that she was going back to East
County, the uneasiness that had been haunting him made it difficult for him
to eat and sleep, as if she was going to abandon him and then disappear.
His heart felt incomparable tranquility, and his limbs and bones, inside and
outside, completely relaxed and instantly fell asleep.

The next day, Wei Shao slept until the end of the morning before finally
waking up. He opened his eyes, and Luo brocade curtain was in his vision.
The curtain was half hanging, and a pair of purple fish-shaped scented
bags swung under the golden buckles. The bags emitted a light fragrance,
and purple chrysanthemums filled the white porcelain vase on the table.

He slowly sat up and looked around, surveying the elegant furnishings of

her boudoir, then got up and opened the door. Chun Niang, whose waiting
outside, came in with her servants to attend to his waking.

“Where is the Lady?” Wei Shao asked.

“Today’s weather is good, and Young Miss can’t always stay in the house,
so Lady took her to play in the garden. Should this maid call her?”

Wei Shao told her she didn’t need to and searched for Lady himself. After
turning at the corridor, he vaguely heard a burst of laughter. He stopped in
front of a window, and through the hollowed-out window, he saw Xiao Qiao
and the slightly older young woman who had greeted him last night sitting
side by side under the shade of a flowering tree with a mat spread out
under their feet, and Fei Fei crawling on it, and a boy who looked to be
about three or two years old sitting opposite her, surrounded by four or five
servants.

Wei Shao knows the young woman should be her sister, Da Qiao. He saw
Xiao Qiao and her very intimate. They were whispering, and she smiled
softly and leaned on Da Qiao’s body, and her childish attitude jumped into
the eye.

The sunlight sifted down from the gap of the flowering tree and fell on Xiao
Qiao’s face and body. Her eyes shone brightly, her laughter sounded like a
bell, and her face was as beautiful as a flower. For a moment, Wei Shao
seemed to catch a trace of the carefree feeling that only Fei Fei could have
when she laughed, which made people want to laugh along with her.

She had stayed by his side for several years, and he had savored her
gentleness and understanding, which made him very fond of her. But it
wasn’t until this moment that he knew she could smile vivaciously, like a
little girl.

Wei Shao stopped behind the window and looked at her silently, not getting
any closer.
……

After lunch, Lei Yan and the others came and waited outside the Qiao
House. Wei Shao was ready to leave. Xiao Qiao escorted him out and
finally stopped at the side of the gate. Wei Shao hugged Fei Fei and kissed
her several times on the cheek, reluctant to part.

Xiao Qiao smiled and said, “Husband, you don’t have to worry too much. I’ll
take good care of Fei Fei.”

Wei Shao watched his daughter, his gaze gentle and boundless, finally
gently rubbing her soft hair and handing her over to Chun Niang. His gaze
then fell onto Xiao Qiao’s face, wanting to speak.
“Does Husband have any more instructions?” Xiao Qiao smiled.

Wei Shao paused for a while, “Since you’ve returned, you can stay here
without worry for a few more days. I will come here to see you and Fei Fei if
I’m free. If you want to go back, wait for me as well, I will personally send
you back.”

Xiao Qiao pursed her lips and smiled, “Okay, thank you, Husband.”
“You fought a dangerous war, so you must look after yourself even more
outside.” She gazed at him and said softly again.

Wei Shao nodded, his fingers moved slightly, and his arm was about to be
raised when he heard Xiao Qiao say again, “Thank you for last night. My
father hasn’t been this cheerful in a long time.”

Wei Shao was silent before saying, “Perhaps the White Stone Old Man can
still cure Father-in-law’s blindness. I will send someone to search for him as
soon as possible.”

Xiao Qiao said, “Thank you for all your trouble, Husband.”

Whenever he did something for her, she never forgot to thank him, even if
the matter was small. Wei Shao had already gotten used to her way of
talking to him and hadn’t felt anything wrong with it before. For some
reason, at this very moment, he suddenly felt that her ‘thank you,
Husband,’ sounded so harsh.

His mind uncontrollably recalled her carefree smile in the morning under
the shade of the flowers. He hesitantly closer to her and lowered his voice:
“Man Man, we are husband and wife …… from now on, in front of me, you
can do what you want, don’t see me as an outsider, and even more, no
need to say thank you to me for everything!” He felt he was clumsy in his
rhetoric and unable to express his thought. He stopped hastily and looked
at her.

Xiao Qiao seemed stunned, then smiled, raising her eyes and softly saying,
“Okay. I’ll remember.”
……

Chapter 157.2

Qiao Ping, Mrs. Ding, and Da Qiao sent Wei Shao out of the gate.

Wei Shao asked Qiao Ping to stay. Qiao Ping drank too much last night and
got up early this morning, but his spirit looked very good and bright. He
smiled and said: “It’s rare for you to come here. Originally, I had to keep
you for some more time no matter what, but my daughter said you are in a
tight situation in Luoyang, so I can’t force you to stay. I can only look
forward to your next visit. Today, no matter what, I will send you out of the
city.”

Wei Shao busily declined, but Qiao Ping insisted.

Mrs. Ding smiled and said, “You’re in a hurry to leave after staying just one
night, so don’t brush off the Governor’s intentions. It is inconvenient for him
to ride a horse, but a carriage is not a hindrance. The carriage has been
prepared already and is waiting outside.”
Wei Shao looked towards Xiao Qiao and saw her smiling and nodding
slightly, so he had to say, “Thank you, father-in-law.”

Xiao Qiao helped her father onto the carriage, instructed the accompanying
stewards, and stood in the doorway to see them off. She watched Wei
Shao turn back several times on his horse, and his group’s silhouettes
dwindled to a smaller size, finally disappearing along with the carriage that
carried her father.
……
Qiao Ping sent Wei Shao out of the western city gate, going another ten
miles. Wei Shao dismounted and repeatedly asked him to return to the city.
Qiao Ping stopped and ordered someone to help himself off the carriage,
smiling: “I have some words I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t find the
opportunity before. I finally met you yesterday, but you had to go on the
road again today. Can I take this opportunity to talk to you?”

Wei Shao said, “Father-in-law, this way, please.” He took Qiao Ping’s hand
and led him to the side of the road.

Lei Yan could see that Qiao Ping wanted to talk privately with the Marquis.
Hence, he ordered his entourage to return to their positions, leading them
to wait far away on the side.

Wei Shao said, “What is Father-in-law’s order?”

Qiao Ping turned his face and asked Wei Shao to guide himself to face
north.

Wei Shao did not understand but followed his words.

When Qiao Ping met the wind blowing from the wild north, he knelt on both
knees and kowtowed respectfully.

Wei Shao was stunned and said, “What does Father-in-law mean by this?”

After Qiao Ping finished kowtowing, he got up from the ground, saying
solemnly, “On behalf of my Qiao family, I am bowing to the spirits of the late
General Tiger and your brother, not daring to ask for forgiveness, but I am
kowtowing out of my gratitude, for the old madam, and the Marquis’
forgiveness.”

Wei Shao turned his head, looked at a vast wilderness to the north, closed
his lips, and his complexion became grave.

Qiao Ping slowly said, “Back then, my Qiao family caused the death of
General Tiger and his son. The old pain has not yet subsided, but now,
because of my negligence, I almost caused General Wei Liang to be killed,
and I couldn’t express the guilt in my heart. Your generosity has made me
even more embarrassed of this. First of all, my brother’s head was returned
to me so that he could be buried with a full body—-”

“Father-in-law, there is no need to be concerned,” Wei Shao suddenly said

lightly. I am not merciful. The only reason you and I are here today is
because of Man Man.”

Qiao Ping exhaled a long breath from his chest and said, “This is what I
wanted to say to Marquis. When my elder brother decided to seek goodwill
through marriage, he did so not only intending to eliminate past grievances
but also because he wanted to take advantage of Marquis’s power to
protect Yanzhou from the strongest enemies. My eldest brother is very
clever in his calculations. But I could not afford to marry my daughter in
such a hurry. She was the only one I had, and after her mother died, I
wanted nothing more than for her to have a good marriage. To be loved by
her husband and live a happy life. That was my greatest wish. Later, the
situation is beyond my control, and I have no choice but to marry her to you
…….”

Wei Shao slowly turned his head and gazed at Qiao Ping.

Qiao Ping was unaware of this and continued, “I will not hide anything. Wei
and Qiao, the two families, have formed such deep hatred. If you put
yourself in the shoes of each other, I’m afraid I can’t treat the other family’s
daughter well. That’s why when Man Man was first married, there was a
time when I was extremely concerned …….”

“Marquis, she was raised by me and her mother since childhood. Her
mother, unfortunately, died early. I treat her as if she was the jewel in the
palm of my hand. There will inevitably be a failure within a parent’s duty to
raise their child. I was afraid that after she married, she couldn’t fulfill her
duties as a woman and befriend her husband’s family. I didn’t expect Mrs.
Xu to be so kind to take care of her, and the Marquis didn’t abandon her for
her foolishness and treated her with consideration. And now, because of
her words, Marquis would put down his business and send her home
personally. All these things, to my relief, were more than a shame! I’m so
sorry! The doubts I had at the start were nothing more than a measure of
my heart!”
Wei Shao was silent.

Qiao Ping sighed: “I am useless, left with only a body. Life and death, honor
and shame are only smoke in my eyes. The only thing I can not let go of is
my daughter. She was born forbearing. Even if her heart has worried, she
would never reveal half a word for fear of worrying me. Because of this, I
cherished her even more. Today, Marquis is in front of me, but because of
my blindness, I can not see your face. But I understand Marquis’ elegance
and honesty in my heart. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to
solemnly entrust you with the rest of my daughter’s life. I know that Marquis
is not someone to be toyed with, and if one day the golden scales turn into
a dragon, I hope that Marquis will remember the kinship that we have
shared and shelter Man Man for the rest of her life on my behalf, for which I
am grateful!”

After finishing his speech, Qiao Ping bowed deeply toward Wei Shao.

Wei Shao was startled and hurriedly held him back.

Qiao Ping stood straight and smiled, “In that case, I will see you off here. I
hope Marquis will settle the world soon and return peace to the people.”
……

Wei Shao sat on the back of his horse, watching Qiao Ping’s carriage
gradually disappear. He was lost in thought for a long time, then turned his
horse around and headed west.

In the evening, the closest post house is still dozens of miles away, and if
one hurries, one can almost get there before nightfall.
Wei Shao is traveling slower and slower, seemingly distracted. Lei Yan
already perceived his abnormalities, and although doubtful, he did not ask
questions, only slowing down.

There are still ten miles from the post house, but Wei Shao suddenly
stopped his horse at the roadside and said to Lei Yan: “You take people to
the front post house to rest and wait for me to come back!”

After saying that, without explaining further, he turned the horse around,
clamped its belly, and let out a crying sound. The horse received a
message from its master. After being restricted for half a day and finally
able to let go of its hooves, accompanied by a joyful neighing, it sped
towards the front.

Under the astonished gaze of Lei Yan and a cadre of attendants, Wei Shao
and his horse disappeared into the thick twilight on the far side of the road.
……
The sky was dark when Wei Shao arrived at the East County city gates.
The city gate lieutenant heard the call and climbed the city wall. Through
the light of the fire cane, he recognized Wei Shao, who had departed from
the city in the daytime. He was surprised and hurriedly ordered to open the
gate.

Wei Shao passed through the slowly opening gates and sped along the
empty streets under the moonlight toward Qiao House.
……
After dinner, Mrs. Ding and Da Qiao came to Xiao Qiao’s room with Li’er.
Mrs. Ding and Chun Niang were doing needlework. The two sisters, Da
Qiao and Xiao Qiao, talked and played with Li’er and Fei Fei.

When the laughter and happiness filled the room, a sound of footsteps
arose outside the room, and a servant pushed the door and probed in,
”Madam! Lady! Marquis has returned-”

The voices in the room quieted down. Mrs. Ding and Da Qiao turned their
heads. Xiao Qiao was surprised and raised her eyes as well. The door
opened, and Wei Shao was standing in the doorway.
.
Surprised, Mrs. Ding put down the needle and thread in her hands and
stood up to welcome him, “Come in! You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Wait
a moment. Auntie will go and prepare it for you.” She hurriedly went out to
prepare the meal.

Wei Shao stepped in and nodded to Mrs. Ding and Da Qiao, smiled, and
said, “Thank you, Auntie. I am not hungry. I came back because I have
something to say to Man Man.” He looked at Xiao Qiao.

Mrs. Ding was stunned, then nodded and smiled, “Okay, okay, then you
guys talk first. Auntie won’t bother you. If something happens, call me.”

Da Qiao then embraced her son, while Chun Niang hurriedly embraced Fei
Fei, who was babbling with excitement at the sight of his father.

The people in the room quickly dispersed, leaving Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao
facing each other.
Xiao Qiao’s heartbeat quickened as she slowly stood up.

“You ……”

She hesitated and just wanted to ask him what he needed to say to her
when Wei Shao suddenly walked quickly towards her, and when he got
close, he opened his arms and hugged her in his arms.
“Man Man, I have wronged you in the past!”

Wei Shao hugged her tightly and said in her ear.

Chapter 158.1

Xiao Qiao slowly raised her eyes and met his gaze. His eyes looked at her
without blinking under the dark eyebrows, and dark waves slowly
converged inside, noiselessly surging.

The room was quiet, and only the sound of their breathing remained.

Perhaps he embraced her too tightly, so Xiao Qiao gradually felt breathless.
Seeing that he persistently did not release her or did he open his mouth,
she finally moved her body slightly, struggling, “Husband?”

“Man Man, all this time, I’ve wanted to ask my grandmother one thing. Why
did she ask me to marry the daughter of the Qiao family.” Wei Shao finally
said slowly, starting somewhat abruptly.

“But later, I stopped wanting to ask, and it didn’t matter what my

grandmother thought. Now, I’m even more grateful to her. If not for her
insistence, how could I, Wei Shao, marry you as my wife and receive such
a remedy?”

Wei Shao released her and walked over to the window, pushing it open and
taking a long breath towards the night breeze that poured in.
The night breeze blew the candle flame, causing the shadow cast on his
face to become dim.

Xiao Qiao was surprised but didn’t say anything, only looking at him silently.

Wei Shao turned his face and gazed at her. “I told you that I am fond of
you. I did not lie to you. It’s just that; no matter what compromises you
made for me, what efforts you put in, in my case, it all became a matter of
course.”

“Everything is because your Qiao family owed my Wei family. You married
me because the Qiao family begged for my Wei family’s favor. Even if I had
married and loved you all this time, I didn’t want to consider your feelings. I
am good to you, and that is my gift to you. You are grateful to me and repay
my Wei family, and that is a matter of course ……” He paused for a
moment.

“Now, when I think about it, I, Wei Shao, what an asshole!”

Xiao Qiao remained still, her eyes falling fixedly on his face.

“I took your tolerance and pleas for leniency for granted. I also know that
because of your Qiao family owes, no matter how I treat you, you will not
leave me. Moreover, I think I have done my greatest good to you, so I
always ignored your feelings and had accustomed to it.”

“After the battle in Shanggu, my mother died unexpectedly before I caught

my breath. She had been confused all her life and was not a competent
Wei family head mother, but to me, she was a loving mother, and I found it
hard to accept at the time. Until she breathed her last, selfishness and
hatred still occupied her heart. Come to think of it, my mother and I are very
much alike. Although my eyes were not blind, hatred and selfishness filled
my heart. It was difficult for you to handle alone during the Xiongnu
oppression and Grandmother’s illness. But, I only focused on being
immersed in my grief. I once again ignored you, even if my heart felt guilty,
but I always thought you could understand and support me. Until that day,
you did not say half a word to me beforehand, yet you raised in front of
Grandmother to return to the Qiao family.”

Wei Shao once again walked towards her and stopped before her.

“Man Man, at that time, I suddenly felt that you were distancing yourself
from me and wanted to leave me. I knew you would still come back, but this
feeling lingered on me until it made it difficult for me to sleep or eat. Later, I
sent you to the Qiao family. And, yesterday, I witnessed your attitude in
front of your family, and I feel even more uneasy ……”

He paused for a moment, his brows furrowed.

“Although my Wei family is not a cage, in your case, perhaps it will be no

different from a cage; you have been in my family for several years, but
when did I ever see you so at ease?”
“I originally did not want to leave today cause I think I still have unfinished
business. But, you won’t keep me, and I can’t open my mouth to stay
longer. When I left, your father sent me out of the city. He solemnly
entrusted the rest of your life to me. After I went on the road, I asked myself
over and over again, if that day Shanggu city broke down, Yuyang city
broke down, I lost my grandmother, and also lost you, then even if I were to
exterminate all my enemies and won the world with the beauty in my arms,
but there is no second you in the world and no one who can be like you to
call me Husband. From then on, how can there be any joy to speak of in
the rest of my life?”

Xiao Qiao’s eyes slowly overflowed with flickering tears, which gathered
more and more. Finally, a crystalline teardrop suddenly rolled off her eye
socket to her cheek.

Wei Shao gazed at her, raised his hand, and gently wiped the tearstain for
her with his finger.

Chapter 159.1

On the south bank of the upper part of the Kelulun River and the upper part
of the Tula River, under the natural barrier of the Yanran Mountains, there
is a vast land with abundant water, grass, and picturesque scenery. This is
the royal court of Shan Yu, which is known as the Dragon City.

Each fall, the royal court held the ‘Forestry Conference.’ Nobles of the
same surname as the monarch, the Xiongnu distinguished clans, and the
24 clans, including the king of Kunxie, the king of Louwu, the king of Huitu,
and other vassal states, gathered here with their clans on a trek.

During the conference, they held celebrations in addition to reporting the

population to the monarch and offering tribute. This month, tens of
thousands sing and dance, celebrating all night.

This year’s conference, held at the same time as the left sage king, Wu
Wei, led three hundred thousand cavalry to the south. According to the
prediction, Yuyang should be a broken city within half a month. If the dream
comes true, this news will be the most encouraging victory for the Xiongnu
in the last twenty years since the loss of River Loop. Therefore, everyone,
including Shan Yu, was waiting for the war report.

Unexpectedly, after waiting for more than half a month, the bad news came:
Wei Shao blocked the attack on Shanggu and defeated Wu Wei. Finally,
together with the descended members, the total loss was nearly 100,000
soldiers and horses.

Every three people, there will be a person who shall not return.

Shan Yu was furious, stopped the banquet in every king’s tent, and
reportedly privately reprimanded Wu Wei until the latter trembled with fear
and trepidation.

The herders who learned of the news were anxious and uneasy, asking
about the whereabouts of the men in their families who had fought in the
war. Though the conference continued, the atmosphere dropped from the
high point of celebration to the freezing point.
At night, Wei Yan was still drinking in his tent. Several wine pots in front of
him were gradually empty. When he was half drunk, a staggering figure
opened the door and broke in suddenly.

It was the left sage king Wu Wei.

Wu Wei seemed to have drunk a lot of wine. His face was red, and he
stopped in front of Wei Yan, staring at him with bloodshot eyes while
gasping for breath.

Wei Yan seemed to be oblivious and poured another glass of wine.

“Wei Yan! I’ve sent people to check. The days I led the army to the south
and attacked Shanggu, you have not been in the palace! Shan Yu did not
send you out to do anything. Where did you go during those days?”

Wei Yan remained motionless as if no one was in front of him.

Wu Wei laughed coldly: “I knew you wouldn’t admit it! This time, I went
south, well-planned and at full speed, crossing the Sanggan River in just
two days! If someone hadn’t informed the Han people in advance, how
could the border towns make such a comprehensive response shortly? The
more I think about it, the more I feel you are the most suspicious person!
You are originally a Han Chinese who came to my kingdom, ostensibly to
join the Xiongnu, but are a spy sent by the Wei family! If you hadn’t tipped
them off first, why my 300,000 horsemen couldn’t defeat a mere Shanggu?
Do you think I don’t know? Since you came to the royal court, you’ve been
disobedient to me, inciting the Lan Huyan clan to oppose me and plot
against Shan Yu! I’ll kill you ……”
He drew his belt knife and hacked down Wei Yan. However, he was very
drunk, and the blade was deeply embedded in the desk and nailed on the
spot.

Wei Yan’s hand suddenly had a gold dagger. Between moments, the knife’s
blade shook and penetrated Wu Wei’s heart. The entire root of the blade
entered, and only a section of the handle protruded outside.

Wu Wei’s pupils suddenly shrunk, and his eyes opened like a copper ring,
releasing unbelievable lights. He fixedly looked at Wei Yan, that pair of
indifferent gray and black eyes. His mouth opened and closed several
times before finally ‘plopping,’ and he fell at Wei Yan’s feet.

A few of Wu Wei’s guards rushed in at the sound of the noise, were

shocked by the situation, and drew their swords one after another.

Wei Yan sat behind the table, looking indifferently at Wu Wei spasming on
the ground until he stopped. He withdrew his gaze, tilted his neck, and
drank the wine in the cup as if nothing had happened.

The guards looked at each other with fearful faces, slowly backed to the
tent’s entrance, and quickly retreated.

Outside the tent, the autumn wind from the Yanran Mountains was
sluggish, whistling loudly and scraping across the yak roof of one tent after
another. Somewhere in the distance, a night flute played by an unknown
person was vaguely heard, whimpering and indistinct, swirling and twirling,
as if full of thoughts, with nowhere to send them.
A gust of wind suddenly rolled open the tent’s door. The night wind
pounced inside, and between the flickering light of the candles, a beautiful
woman rushed in.

She wore a beautifully embroidered robe, an eight-petal silver flower cap

inlaid with ruby, and leather boots. One word: gorgeous.

It was Wei Yan’s former concubine, Lan Yun.

Miss Lan belongs to the Xiongnu noble clan. Because her brother became
King of Lan, she became the Princess. Due to her pretty appearance, she
got the reputation of the prairie pearl and rejected countless suitors. Lan
Yun was in love with Hu Tu Kun, the General, which was no secret to
everyone.

Lan Yun hurriedly barged in and saw the dead Wu Wei on the ground with
a dagger sticking out of his chest. Her face changed drastically, and she
pounced in front of Wei Yan, saying in a trembling voice: “Did you kill him?
You killed him?”

Wei Yan seemed like he didn’t hear it and poured another glass of wine.
Lan Yun grabbed his wrist and said anxiously, “My brother learned that Wu
Wei had drunkenly come to look for you, so he followed him here. He has
already intercepted and killed Wu Wei’s guards who wanted to report the
news! Before Shan Yu knows, you should go!”

Wei Yan drew back the wrist she had grabbed, his gaze still not turned to
her, and said faintly, “You should return to the Lan tribe as soon as
possible. Here, I don’t need your concern.”
Lan Yun looked at him in a daze. Sadness emerged in her eyes, and she
slowly knelt beside him, ”I know the pain in your heart. In the beginning,
King Rizhu had been looking forward to your return, so he sent me to your
side to serve you and to wait for an opportunity to act. I use the Qiao girl
matter so that you can not face the people of the Wei family, and finally
made you return to Xiongnu. Now, in the royal court, although everyone
calls you Hu Tu Kun, I know that you could not get rid of the mark of the
Han people. I am sorry for you. My status is low. When you spared my life, I
knew I had no qualifications to stay at your side. I have no face to come
back to bother you. But now, Wu Wei has slandered you in front of the
monarch, saying that you leaked the news to Han so that they are on guard
and make him lose. I am afraid that the monarch has already suspected
you, and you have even killed Wu Wei like this! I beg you! You should go
……”

“Scram.”

Wei Yan’s eyes were glowing with red blood, his wine breath spewing, and
he squeezed the words through his teeth.

“Please …… that Qiao woman is your heart demon. Please do not torture
yourself because of her! Are you still not clear? Even if you didn’t return to
Xiongnu, it was impossible to get her in your whole life-”

Chapter 159.2

“Get the hell out of here!”

Wei Yan furiously flung away Lan Yun and kicked over the table before him,
causing the gold cups and silver jars to fall to the ground. His force was so
great that he fractured Lan Yun’s wrist.

Lan Yun’s face paled, and she fell to the corner of the tent, slowly climbed
up with clenched teeth, crying, and said trembly: “Even if you kill me, I have
to say! You are not a Han Chinese Wei Yan anymore! You are the Xiongnu
Hu Tu Kun! Hu Tu Kun’s name is growing in popularity in the royal court. I
beg you! From now on, make a clean break with your past and be a good
Xiongnu ……”

Wei Yan suddenly drew a gold dagger from his waist, sprinted forward, bent
down and clutched Lan Yun’s collar, gritted his teeth, and said, “If you say
one more word, I will kill you!”

Lan Yun looked at him in a daze. His eyes were red and fierce. With a
rueful smile, she said: “Now, when I think about it, the years I spent by your
side before was the only time I am genuinely happy. If you want to kill me,
just do it. It was you who granted this life of mine back then.” She closed
her eyes.
.
Wei Yan stared at her, gasping for breath, his eyelids fluttering
uncontrollably. Suddenly, swift footsteps came outside the tent, and a close
attendant’s voice came in, “Master, someone is coming from the king’s tent.
Shan Yu has summoned you to go over quickly!”

Lan Yun snapped her eyes open, “Don’t go! Although we intercepted the
news of Wu Wei’s death at your hands, Shan Yu’s sudden summoning of
you so late at night certainly put you at a disadvantage! My brother, the
Huyan clan, and the Qulin clan are all in favor of your father! No one wants
to fight the Han endlessly! You quickly go and discuss this with them.”

Wei Yan straightened himself up, his fierce anger gradually calmed, pushed
Lan Yun away, turned around, and lifted the tent’s door, bending down to go
out. A few of his guards were about to follow when visitors from the
monarch tent stopped them.

“Master!” The guards looked at him.

Wei Yan said, “You guys stay. No need to follow me.”

Lan Yun rose from the ground and chased after him, but Wei Yan did not
look back. Under the escort of a line of guards from the monarch’s tent, he
walked quickly towards the royal tent in the distance, which was like a
mountain peak. His silhouette soon disappeared into the darkness of the
night.

Lan Yun helplessly kneeled on the ground, muttering under her breath,
“…… He’s crazy …… Does he not want to live …… ”

She was shocked by the thought that popped into her mind and violently
jumped up from the ground, pushed away the maid who chased after her,
rolled over onto the back of the horse, and flew away.
……

Fire flames blazed in the center of the monarch tent, illuminating the four
walls of gold. It was late at night, but Shan Yu had not rested. He sat in a
jeweled paved white tiger skin gold chair, his eyes slightly narrowed, staring
at Wei Yan.

Shan Yu has already aged. The youth leaned on patricide to ascend to the
throne, unable to escape the baptism of the years and become old. After
the news of the loss in Shanggu, Shan Yu’s state of mind was set back.
The twenty-four kings who came to participate in the conference have not
seen him show up for several days, suspecting him secretly.
But even so, at this moment, the way Shan Yu gazed at Wei Yan still with
incomparable regal power.

“Where did you go during those days when Wu Wei led the army
southward?” Shan Yu coldly asked.

Wei Yan gazed at Shan Yu, slowly kneeling towards him: “I was at
Shanggu.”

Shan Yu’s eyes lit up, and he violently withdrew his palm that grasped the
throne’s rim, sounding morose: “Wu Wei claimed that it was you who tipped
off the Han people and caused his failure in the south.”

“Indeed.” Wei Yan calmly said.

“Not only that, just now, Wu Wei came to my tent to kill me, but I killed him
first. His corpse should still be in my tent at this moment.”

Shan Yu abruptly stood up from the throne, widened his eyes, and pointed
at Wei Yan. His breathing increased rapidly, and suddenly, ‘clang,’ he pulled
out the sword on his waist and strode towards Wei Yan.
“Since you returned to the Xiongnu, I treated you well and did not
differentiate you because you grew up in the Wei family! I also know that
Wu Wei is incompetent. Once I die, I’m afraid I can’t suppress the
twenty-four kings, so it’s not that I haven’t considered abolishing his
position as the crown prince. But why have you returned my kindness with
retaliation? Have you informed the Han people and then killed my son
today?”

Shan Yu questioned sternly, the sword heavily set to the side of Wei Yan’s
neck, fiercely pressure down. The blade immediately cut open his skin,
leading to bright red blood rustling down along the neck, instantly staining
his lapel.

Wei Yan seemed oblivious and fixed his eyes on the fire in the pit. After
being out of focus for a moment, he said, “My birth in this world was
originally unnecessary. Not only did I fail the Wei family’s kindness, but also
Shan Yu’s kindness, non-human and non-ghosts, worse than a pig and
dog. It is appropriate and just for Shan Yu to kill me.”

After that, he bent his knees and slowly knelt, closing his eyes calmly.

Shan Yu looked at him angrily, and his face gradually became ugly. At this
moment, the unkempt Wu Zhuqu rushed in from outside. He looked
anxious, sprinted to the front of Shan Yu, plopped down to kowtow, and
said: “Royal Brother! I am the culprit of all things! I can’t only sit back and
watch Wu Wei take the credit, so I ordered him to leak the news! I also
didn’t like Wu Wei always provoked me, so I ordered him to kill him! If you
want to kill him, just kill me; it has nothing to do with him!”
Shan Yu stared at Wu Zhuqu and smiled coldly: “He committed such a
crime, so he should have been cut into five pieces, but to absolve him of
his crime, you even undertook his fault. Fine, considering he was also a
descendant of my surname, I’ll waive the punishment of splitting him into
five pieces and leave him with an intact body.” He sternly called out to the
guards to enter.

With a burst of chaotic footsteps, the king’s tent door suddenly

outstretched, an arrow pierced towards Shan Yu like lightning, and ‘poof’
inserted right into his heart, drilled through the bone.

Shan Yu’s eyes widened, and his body became stiff. A moment later, the
sword in his palm fell to the ground, and he fell on his back.

Huyan Lie and King Lan had killed all the people outside the king’s tent,
leading the guards to swarm inside and kill all the guards, and then helped
Wu Zhuqu to stand up.

Wu Zhuqu glanced at his dead elder brother but still had his eyes open. He
closed his brother’s eyes and looked at Wei Yan, whose lapel was
bloodstained. He stepped forward and asked quaveringly: “My son, are you
alright?”

Wei Yan opened his eyes, looked at Shan Yu’s corpse for a moment, and
then got up, leaving the crowd.

That night, the news that Wu Wei was afraid of being blamed by Shan Yu
for his defeat, so he killed Shan Yu and was counterattacked by his guards
spread rapidly in the royal court. Twenty-four kings, in their sleep, were
shocked to hear the change and rushed from their respective tents one
after another. After a period of chaotic moments, at the suggestion of King
Huyan and King Qulin, they elected Wu Zhuqu to ascend to the throne
without any objecting.

In the east at dawn, the autumn dew was still deep like a rhinestone drop
onto the tip of the grass leaves. The distant morning fog was dense like a
white veil floating in the wilderness.

Wei Yan’s horse, crossing a pile of last night’s remaining embers from the
bonfire, galloped away toward the front. The horse’s hooves swept up the
white ashes, scattered and fluttered, blowing away with the wind in an
unknown direction. He did not know where the destination was, and his
heart was confused, like a failed person.

There was a time when the desire for power had made his soul burn and
his nights sleepless. Now, he was just one step away from the top of the
summit. He can step this vast and beautiful land under his feet, even the
south, if he longs for it. But he was not interested. In his heart, there was an
unfillable corner. No matter where, he won’t have a place to stay. He was
just an outcast, and he knew it in his heart.

Behind the morning mist, a line of fast horses came. As they were closer,
accompanied by urgent calls, Wei Yan finally stopped.

Wu Zhuqu drove his horse to his side, and Huyan Lie and Lan’s siblings
stopped their horses at the back and waited quietly.

“‘Yan’er! Why do you have to go? Father wants you to stay!”

Wei Yan smiled faintly, “I’ve already helped you get what you wanted and
ascend to the throne. What’s the point of asking me to stay?”

Wu Zhuqu looked at him: “When the royal court settles down, I want to
make peace with the Han Chinese and stop the war. If you want to leave, I
can’t force you to stay. But I’ll leave the position of the Left Virtuous King for
you. Once you think clearly, you can come back, okay?”

Wei Yan said nothing, turned his horse, and galloped forward. His figure
dispersed a cloud of mist.

Lan Yun rushed towards the torn mist and cried, “Wei Yan! I was your
woman for a day, and I’ll be yours my whole life …….”

She hadn’t finished her words, and in a flash, the person and horse before
she disappeared.

“He’ll be back, won’t he?” Lan Yun covered her face and lost her voice.

“Give him some time. He’ll slowly figure it out.” King Lan gazed ahead and
said.

Chapter 160.1

Wei Shao stayed in East County for a few days. Lei Yan sought him, saying
that the military division in Luoyang couldn’t wait for Marquis to return as
scheduled and knew that Marquis had personally sent his wife back to East
County, so they sent someone to inquire about the return date.
After dark, Xiao Qiao went back to her room and saw Wei Shao lying on his
back on the bed, Fei Fei quietly lying on her father’s chest, her little head
tightly pressed against her father’s chin, her little hands and feet hanging
on her father’s chest and abdomen.

Wei Shao closed his eyes, his palm gently resting on Fei Fei’s back as if he
had also fallen asleep. During the day, a family of three outings in civilian
clothes. Fei Fei laughed and made a scene, tired after a fun day.

After bathing Fei Fei and leaving the father and daughter in the room, Xiao
Qiao, Mrs. Ding, and Chun Niang prepared dry food, clothing, and other
things for Wei Shao and his entourage to take on the road tomorrow. When
she finished packing up, she returned to the room to see the father and
daughter actually fell asleep this way.

Xiao Qiao approached gently, only to see Fei Fei slightly open her mouth in
her sleep, and traces of saliva hung down from the corners of her mouth
and dripped onto Wei Shao’s lapel, making it wet.

When Xiao Qiao wanted to carry Fei Fei away, Wei Shao suddenly opened
his eyes, straightened his neck, and slightly raised his head to look at Fei
Fei lying on his chest sleeping and gestured towards her.

Xiao Qiao was stunned, then realized that he had not fallen asleep but was
afraid of waking up his daughter, which was why he had been lying still like
this. Shaking her head, she bent down and gently picked up Fei Fei,
sending her into Chun Niang’s arms as she followed her to the room.

Chun Niang carried Fei Fei out to rest.

Xiao Qiao turned her head and saw Wei Shao still lying there, looking at
her, so she walked over and sat by his side, took a handkerchief and wiped
the drool traces on his lapel, and softly said: ”The things for tomorrow’s
journey and the dry food are all ready for you. You must go on the road
early in the morning, so rest early.”

Wei Shao murmured and held her hand.

It was late at night. At an unknown time, outside, the night rain pattered
down. It was already late fall, and this year’s climate was somewhat
abnormal, and thunder faintly sounded.

Lighted by candlelight in the room, her husband’s solid arm wrapped

around her. Xiao Qiao buried herself in her husband’s arms in the faint
sound of thunder, found a comfortable position, pressed her face against
his hot chest, and closed her eyes to sleep. Suddenly she heard him say in
her ear: “Man Man, there’s something I’ve always wanted to know. It’s just
that you never told me the whole story before. Tomorrow I’m leaving, and I
want you to tell me.”

“Hm?” Xiao Qiao was sleepy, closing her eyes and answering vaguely.

“I have heard you mention your nightmares in front of me twice. I want to

know what your nightmares are about.”

Xiao Qiao opened her eyes. Wei Shao seemed awake and lowered his
head, his dark eyes gazing at her.
“I first learned of your nightmare when I sent an army to Yanzhou, and you
rushed there and told me that you were suffering from a nightmare, and
that’s why you’ve been defending yourself against me. You said that I
destroyed your Qiao family out of hatred. And the second time, I witnessed
the nightmare subdued you, and you were weeping so much that you
couldn’t wake up. After I woke you up, you said that a man in a dragon robe
killed you with a sword.” He paused for a split second as if recalling the
scene.

“Man Man, that should not be all that was in your nightmare. I want to know
all. Tell me, and don’t hide anything anymore, okay?”

“Who was that man in the dragon robe who wanted to kill you?”

“Was it me?” He asked three times in a row.

Xiao Qiao stared at him, not saying a word at first, but finally, slowly,
shaking her head.

“It’s not you.”

“Then who is it?”

Xiao Qiao bit her lips and lapsed into silence.

“What is it? I want you to tell me everything!”

Xiao Qiao closed her eyes. His lips suddenly leaned in and kissed her for a
while before moving toward her ear.
“Man Man, I always felt that you are deeply trapped in that nightmare and
can’t pull yourself out of it. Otherwise, you won’t be so defensive against
me to that extent. Tell me, don’t hide anything, and don’t have to worry
about anything.”

“I want you to tell me all! Who is that person exactly?”

Xiao Qiao’s eyes trembled gently, slowly opening them to meet his gaze.
After hesitating, she finally gathered her courage and softly said, “It’s Liu
Yan.”

Wei Shao’s eyes narrowed slightly, a dark shadow swept through, and his
arms around her tightened, pressing her closer to himself.

“Tell me everything.”

Xiao Qiao took a long breath, “Husband, do you really want to listen? You
won’t regret it?”

“Say it!” Only these words.

Xiao Qiao gazed at him and spoke slowly, “A long time ago, and for some
unknown reason, I had a recurring dream. The dream was clear and
coherent, and when I woke up, I felt those things weren’t illusionary. In my
dream, I was repeating the experiences of my previous life. Just as you
said, it deeply haunted me that I couldn’t pull myself out of it …… ”

“In that past life that I dreamed of, the Wei and Qiao families also formed a
marriage, but the one who married you was not me, but my sister. After
marrying you, she has not been able to win your favor, you loathe her for a
lifetime, and only Grandmother treats her attentively. Unfortunately,
Grandmother passed away in the year she married into the Wei family
……”
Wei Shao was surprised. His eyebrows moved as if he wanted to say
something but held back.

“From then on, my sister had no one to turn to and ended up alone. In my
dream, you married Miss Su and later became the Emperor. During those
years, my Qiao family had already died at your hands, one after another. In
the end, my brother was the only one left. Shortly after you became
Emperor, my sister died in sickness and loneliness, and then you made
Miss Su the empress ……” Xiao Qiao’s tone was calm as she recounted.

Wei Shao’s complexion turned unusually ugly, and looking at her fixedly.
His gaze filled with disbelief and incomparable disgust.

“Tell me about yourself. What about you? Did you marry Liu Yan?”
After a long time, as if he finally suppressed his emotions with difficulty, he
asked, his voice tense, like a string that would break at the slightest tug.

“Yes.” Xiao Qiao nodded.

“I married Liu Yan according to the marriage contract. Then the Han
dynasty broke, and like the present world, a group of surviving ministers
made him the Emperor of a small dynasty. I followed him as his queen, and
it wasn’t long before you chased him and surrounded the city. My brother
died trying to protect me. When you were about to break through the city,
Liu Yan killed his harem in despair, and I swore to live and die with him, so
he killed me, stabbing me in the heart with a sword ……”
Chapter 160.2

Xiao Qiao closed her eyes and opened them again.

“That is the last scene of my previous life’s dream. It has also been in my
dreams ever since, and it kept recurring, making it impossible for me to get
rid of it.” After she finished speaking, she looked at Wei Shao.

Wei Shao’s hands unconsciously squeezed her arm tighter, so tight that
she felt pain. The veins crawling along the two sides of his forehead
seemed like earthworms rippling, and his gloomy eyes stared at her for a
long time.

“So, that’s why you have difficulty sleeping and eating, and from then on,
you regard me as a poisonous snake?” Realizing he was hurting her, he
hurriedly released his hands and slowly asked.

Xiao Qiao sighed softly.

“At that time, I had yet to see your face. Even in my dreams, I have never
met you face to face ……” She raised her hand, her warm fingertips
traveling gently along his stiffened face, seemingly soothing him.

Wei Shao’s complexion finally relaxed.

“But this dream was too real. I can not be unaffected by it, but I can not say
it to anyone. I can only bury it in my heart, wishing it to be only a dream. It
wasn’t until that year when Zhou Qun from Ren City attacked Yanzhou, and
my uncle decided to marry my sister to you, attempting to seek your favor,
that I truly realized that dream of mine might be true.”
“Something similar happened in my dream, so it looked like it was going to
happen.”

“I was afraid, and I knew I had to stop things from going on as they had in
my dream. Therefore, I do my utmost to get my sister and Bi Zhi to leave
home. At that time, I thought that without my sister, there would be no
marriage and that my uncle would accept my father’s advice and ask for a
coalition of troops to fight against Zhou Qun. But I never expected that my
uncle would be so cowardly and hopeless that he would destroy the
marriage contract between me and Liu Yan so that I could marry you
instead of my sister. At that time, it was so difficult to overcome. I entered
the door of your Wei family by mistake and married you, Husband.”

“Husband, you should remember in our first year of marriage, after the Lu
Li conference, Grandmother fell ill, and you’re going on a war. Before your
departure, I tried my best to keep you. I’m afraid something will happen to
Grandmother, as in my dream. Fortunately, she turned out to be fine. After
this incident, I saw the hope of reversing the dream prophecy. However, the
shadow that dreams prophecy brought was too deep, and I still dared not
relax, which led to your great anger later on when I advised my father to
strengthen the army. ……”

Xiao Qiao’s voice quieted down. “Later things, Husband, you know it all
……”

Wei Shao fixed his gaze on her face. The light in the curtain suddenly
dimmed. The candle flame fluttered a few final times as the wax torch
burned out, and the room plunged into darkness.
“Husband ……” After a long moment of silence, she called out to him.
“You had told me that night that you were fortunate to have married me. But
you didn’t know, right, that it was the same for me too?”

In the darkness, Wei Shao remained silent. Suddenly, he embraced her

tightly, so strong that he seemed to crush and embed her in his flesh. Xiao
Qiao felt his heart beating violently. She closed her eyes and stayed still.
……

The night was deep, not knowing what time it was.

Rumble-
Another thunderclap rolled across the distant sky. Xiao Qiao
subconsciously shrank toward the side, but her hands were empty. The
damp night breeze seemed to pour in through the window, ruffling the
curtain in a burst. She opened her eyes, and through the blue lightning that
swept through the night sky, she saw a figure standing before the window
against the night wind and rain.

Xiao Qiao slowly sat up, lifted the curtain swept by the night wind, and
walked behind Wei Shao. The wind swept a portion of night drizzle into the
window, soaking the window sill and spraying on Wei Shao’s body. His
clothes were half wet, clinging to his body, and his skin was cold as if
soaked in water. It was unknown how long he had been standing here like
this.

Xiao Qiao hugged him from behind, pressing her cheek against his broad
back.
“Man Man, in that past life in your dream, did Grandmother already gone
now? Did Su girl harm her? And I was not only blinded by her and took her
in, but also made her the empress?” He suddenly said. His voice was a bit
fluttering, like a person in a sleepwalking.

Xiao Qiao was silent.

“You are not my wife either. You married Liu Yan, you are only a stranger to
me, and the only relationship with me is that you were forced to die under
his sword by me?”

Wei Shao slowly turned around. Darkness concealed his face, and his
current expression was unseen. Only a hoarse voice permeated with a
strong sense of bitterness was heard.

Xiao Qiao softly sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressed
her warm and dry body against his cold and damp chest. She stood on her
tiptoes, pressed her lips onto his cold, rain-soaked lips, and printed a deep
kiss.

“Husband, I did not say anything earlier because I did not want to attract
your unnecessary annoyance. Even if that was a past life, it has all passed,
an illusion only. Everything today is the reality ……”

Another lightning swept through the window, illuminating the two people’s
faces. Soaked in rainwater, Wei Shao’s face was pale and creepy. His eyes
were ghostly and seemed to emit blue light. He took advantage of the
sudden and short-lived bright lightning behind him to stare closely at Xiao
Qiao’s face, suddenly cupped her head with both hands and kissed her
fiercely.

The blue light of the lightning quickly receded, and once again, the room
plunged into darkness. Accompanied by the booming thunder that followed
one another, Wei Shao impatiently undid her clothes, kissing greedily and
urgently running his palm over every inch of her warm skin that belonged
only to him, Wei Shao. Soon, his cold, damp skin’s temperature rose, and
his blood boiled. He couldn’t imagine how blind he would be to establish
the Su girl as his queen.

Even more, he could not imagine that she had married Liu Yan and that she
had been a stranger to him until her death. Furthermore, in her mind, he
was nothing more than a horrible, vengeful man with a blurred face.
Even if it was only past life that existed in her dreams, he found it
unacceptable.

It is unacceptable at all.

Gripped by resentment, shame, and a deep afterthought, his breath came

in sharp gasps. He violently lowered her body to a table by the window, tore
away the restraints from himself, and, like a starving gourmand, pressed
down upon her.

He was not yet out of his mother’s hundred days of mourning, but at this
moment, nothing couldn’t be thrown away. There was only one thought left
in his mind: He had to possess her right now!
Only by possessing her, by actually experiencing the true feeling of her
body imprisoning him, could he convince himself that all those things he
asked tonight were just a nightmare for her!

“Husband – ah…”

Xiao Qiao’s throat overflowed with trembling voices. Before the sound
stopped, another burst of thunder rolling overhead covered it.

The wind beat the open window, snapping against the damp window pane.
Lightning swept across the night sky now and then, and under unceasing
thunder, Wei Shao was almost crazy, grabbing every inch of her body,
wantonly and repeatedly possessing her, destroying her heart and liver,
eating her blood and marrow, and entering her heart and soul.

After a long night, at dawn, the thunder dispersed, the rain stopped, and
the sky cleared.

Xiao Qiao’s cheeks were flushed, and pitiful marks of last night’s loving
abuse by her husband covered her whole body. Exhausted, she lay on the
bed and forcibly awakened while still asleep.

She opened her eyes in a daze, and through the morning sunlight in the
room, she saw that Wei Shao had risen at some point, fully dressed, with a
long sword hanging from his waist, in high spirits, and was looking at her.

She was confused for a moment, then hurriedly braced herself to get up,
but he gently pressed her back onto the bed.
“Man Man, I’m leaving now. You don’t need to see me off. Just feel at ease
at home. When I fetch you next time, the world will return to the land of
Great Yan. You are Wei Shao’s empress, the world’s true empress.”
He leaned over, kissed her forehead lightly with compassion, and
whispered in her ear. Although the voice was low, every word implied
power.

Chapter 161.1

In February of the following year, the temperature of spring was still cold.
On this day, within the hidden sound of the waves, in an unknown fishing
village on the Yellow River coast, a group of people fled hastily into the
mouth of the village.

Years of war had caused this fishing village in the middle of nowhere to
have fewer younger people, only a dozen households, all old and weak,
women and children, with their faces burnt and ragged clothes.

Suddenly, they saw a crowd of people and horses run to the village. The
crowd had fear in their expression as if they were lost dogs. Their hats
were crooked, and their hair was disheveled. Some only had one boot on
their feet, but looked at their clothing, they were clearly the top class of the
noblemen. Among them, there was a woman covered with a gorgeous gold
mask. Gold mask woman fell into the eyes of the villagers, and they felt
strange. The villagers were terrified, calling for their children, and fled at
every turn.
The pursuers behind them got closer, and one could hear the sound of
horses’ hooves landing and killing. An official-like person suddenly fell from
the traveling horseback. Liang Guan rolled to the side of the road and
broke his leg. Zhang Huang called for help, but no one paid attention.
People rolled before him like the wind, wiping out his call for help.

On the opposite side came an old fisherman with a rope on his back, who
seemed to have just returned from the sea. Watching the scene, the old
fisherman turned to escape, but the soldiers coerced him with a knife,
forcing him to take them to the docking place.

The sound of the waves carrying chilling salty sea breeze came to their
faces. The horse’s hooves were stuck in the mudflats, making it difficult to
move forward. Liu Yan and his entourage dismounted and stepped into the
mud, stumbling toward the sea where the moored fishing boats were.

Finally, they managed to escape with the boat. They were all barefooted,
and the mud staining the corners of their clothes. It was a terrible mess.
Their boots stuck in the mud behind them, and one by one, they opened
their mouths to the sky, moaning and hooting in vain.

They pushed the fishing boat into the seawater and forced the old
fishermen to go onboard together. The boat was not big enough to
accommodate the entire group. After Liu Yan, Su E Huang, Liu Fan, Liang
Ji, the former governor of Yangdu who had established as a General, and
his daughter, who had been made queen by Liu Yan, as well as the last
dozen or so soldiers boarded the boat, no more place available.
Wang Ba, Dou Wu, Deng Xun, and others have long lost their usual
dignified appearance, barefooted and abandoned their crowns, their body
stained with dirt. They all kneeled on the beach, looking toward Liu Yan on
the fishing boat, bawling and kowtowing chaotically.

At this moment, Dong Cheng violently pushed Dou Wu, entering the sea to
catch up with the fishing boat, struggling to hold the boat’s bow. His face
was full of tears: “Your Majesty, do not abandon me! Allow me to get on the
boat! I’m loyal and helped you ascend the throne. You can’t abandon me
like this …….” The fishing boat had just gone to the sea and was already
unstable. His grasp on the boat’s bow and tried to climb it up immediately
made it sway.

Liu Fan lay on the bow covered with slippery and greasy stains,
desperately stomping on the back of Dong Cheng’s hand. Seeing Dong
Cheng gritting his teeth and dragging the fishing boat refused to let go, so
he pulled out a belt knife and cut Dong Cheng’s hands.

In the miserable cry, Dong Cheng lost one of his fingers. Instantly, out of
survival instincts, his other hand grabbed Liu Fan’s ankles. Liu Fan was
originally unsteady, and with Dong Cheng’s tug, together they plunged into
the sea.

The tide burst, and they swept away from the fishing boat. Liu Fan did not
know how to swim, and while he stomped to break free from Dong Cheng,
who bent on dragged him, he shouted for help: “Your Majesty, save me–“

Before the words fell, a wave hit and covered him, and in a flash, the two
heads disappeared above the sea.
Liu Yan stood in the boat. The sea breeze blew his robe, and his eyes
fixedly looked toward the pursuers that gradually caught up. His expression
was wooden.

The fishing boat gradually disappeared with the receding tide amidst the
cries of the bereaved ministers on the seashore.

……

In the evening of the second day, Liu Yan and his party, without any
supplies, finally boarded a small island under the helm of the old fisherman.

There were traces of human habitation on this island, with some tattered
fishing nets drying on the beach and the shadows of a few low thatched
huts faintly visible in the distance.

Liang Ji asked Liu Yan to rest and brought his soldiers to seek out the
islanders.

As soon as Su E Huang came ashore, she lay down on the reef and
vomited. Accidentally, the butterfly mask on her face fell off, and the waves
swept it away. Su E Huang screamed, ignoring the waves to chase up, and
finally snatched back the mask.

Drenched and pale as a dead person, she tightly grasped the deformed
mask, immediately wanting to put it back on her face. However, her hands
were trembling terribly, and after a few times, the mask fell off.
Finally, she put it back on with difficulty and almost crawled on her hands
and knees to the shore, then sat down on the near side of a reef, gasping
for breath.

Liu Yan was beside her, his face emaciated, his lips cracked with blood,
motionless, as if he were a clay statue.

Soon, Liang Ji returned with a pot of water and served Liu Yan while saying
there were dozens of households on the island. All of them were fishermen
who fled to the island from the nearby fishing villages to avoid the war. The
soldiers had controlled them, and Liu Yan could rest for a night, and when
they were ready, they would change to a safer boat and then think of
escaping farther away in the morning.

Su E Huang struggled to stand up from the ground and said: “Your Majesty,
the sea road is wide. Wei Rebel witnessed when we left the coastal waters,
yet he could do nothing about it! We can go south, wait until we reach the
south, we could build up our strength, with our identity as the Han
Dynasty’s orthodox emperor, why worry that there are no loyal ministers in
the world? In the future, we will return to Luoyang and kill Wei Rebel in
pieces!”

The breeze was strong, and her voice buzzed with unrealistic sounds, but
even Liang Ji seemed to feel the hope in her words. His disheveled spirit
felt a revitalization, and he looked at Liu Yan.

Liu Yan, supported by Queen Liang, slowly stood up from the stone and
walked toward the highest terrain on the island.
On a flat piece of the ground, dozens of ragged fishermen, men, and
women, young and old, were kneeling. They looked at Liu Yan and Su E
Huang’s party with frightened and confused gazes.

Liu Yan entered one of the largest huts, and as soon as he was inside, he
lay down on the tattered mat, which was barely a bed, spread on the floor,
and closed his eyes, not moving a muscle.

The sky gradually darkened. Outside, the sea wind whistled, making
strange sounds, like a ghost, without stopping.

Liu Yan finally felt tired. He fell asleep, scrunching on the ground. The
moonlight shone through a hole in the roof of the thatched hut, casting its
light on the young and pretty face of Queen Liang, illuminating a remnant of
a tear at the corner of her eye.

Suddenly, the sleeping Liu Yan opened his eyes violently and sprang to his
feet. His sudden movement awakened Queen Liang. She climbed up,
jumped to his side, and said, “Your Majesty, what’s wrong with you?”

Liu Yan opened his eyes wide, staring unblinkingly at the face of Queen
Liang in the moonlight, and gradually felt mesmerized.

Queen Liang tried to call him again, but seeing that he did not respond and
his gaze was bizarre, her heart was shivering, and she slowly backed away.

Liu Yan suddenly pounced on her.

“…… You are my wife …… say, you have to sleep with me in the same bed
and buried in the same hole …….”
Although Queen Liang was the queen, she was not very close to him on
weekdays. When she fell into this situation and felt his tight grasp
accompanied by slurred voices, her heart thumped chaotically. She slowly
closed her eyes and said quiveringly: “Your Majesty, I am already your wife,
must sleep with Your Majesty with the same bed, buried in the same hole
… …”

Liu Yan kissed her even more frantically.

“I know that they forced you! Your family forced you to marry Wei Rebel!
They all deserve to die, deserve to die! But if you change your mind, I will
forgive you and make you the queen!”

Liu Yan’s voice became agitated.

Queen Liang opened her eyes in surprise and said, “Your Majesty, Your
Majesty, what did you say?”

Liu Yan suddenly froze and slowly opened his eyes, staring dead at Queen
Liang underneath him inside the thatched hut.

Queen Liang once again felt scared. She shrunk her body and softly said,
“Your Majesty …… just now you said that I was forcibly married off by my
family to the Wei Rebel …… and said they deserved to die for their
crimes… …My father has always been loyal to you, always. I beg Your
Majesty to be clear about this. ……”

Liu Yan’s eyes flashed, his face’s muscles twitched, his breathing became
cloudy, and raising his hand to strangle her neck.
Queen Liang couldn’t breathe, her delicate neck deformed under Liu Yan’s
hands, her legs stirring, but her struggle was futile. Soon, her eyes became
white, and her whole body went loose.

Liu Yan’s hand finally loosened the weak neck. He rose from the ground to
sit, staring at Quen Liang’s face and her rolled-over white eyes. He
smoothed her eyelids and muttered, “Man Man, you can go first …… Soon,
I will follow you …….”

He was crying and laughing like he was in pain but full of satisfaction. He
could not stop gasping for breath. Suddenly, together with the breeze
outside the thatched hut, sounded killing whistles.

As if stabbed by a needle, Liu Yan jumped up abruptly from the ground,

rushed out of that broken door, and saw Liang Ji shout while running: “Your
Majesty, it’s not good! The big ship of Wei Rebel has pursued us here, and
their men have come ashore!”

Liu Yan looked up and saw that in the direction of the beach where he had
landed during the day, a leaping light of fire staffs flashed at the moment,
reflecting almost the whole beach in a reddish color. In the twinkling of an
eye, fire staffs surround every direction. Under the moonlight, countless
shadows of men and women were rushing toward this area.

The sound of killing rose at every turn, even overpowering the sound of the
sea breeze whistling across the island.

……
Chapter 161.2

Liu Yan was supposed to feel as much fear as Liang Ji and the guards left
around him. However, despair was the only thing left in his heart. From the
end of last year, after the Xiongnu’s unsuccessful sneak attack on Yuyang,
he knew he would fall into this situation eventually. It was just that he did
not expect that this day would come so quickly.

“Quickly go! Bring all the islanders!”

Behind him came Su E Huang’s grieving voice. Liang Ji was stunned, then
reacted and immediately ordered loudly. Those people were tied to prevent
them from taking advantage of the night to rebel. Soon, the soldiers drove
those people to knelt on the ground, accompanied with cries and wails.

Tonight the moonlight was bright and shining the whole island like a snowy
night. Liu Yan saw a man of his age, surrounded by several generals,
walking towards his direction under the white moonlight and the red fire.

In his life, his biggest and most hated enemy was Wei Shao.

Wei Shao had not only taken away his fiancée but also his world.

The funny thing was he never had the chance to meet his enemy.

Until this moment, he finally realized that the man marching toward him as
a victor in the moonlight was the evil curse that Liu Yan could never
exterminate in his life.
He stared at the man who was getting closer, his battle armor glittering with
glowing red light, and a chill sensation ran through his body, causing his
body to tremble slightly and uncontrollably.

“Kill-“

“Kill–“

In all directions, the high-pitched killing sounds mixed with the low sea
waves and whistling night winds surged toward the high ground on the
island.

The soldiers who had crossed the sea with Marquis Yan in their war canoes
to chase them here were all boiling with fervor.

General Li Dian and General Green Eyes attacked and eliminated Chen
Tianwang from the south and north. Chen Tianwang, a scourge from the
south, had caused people terrified because of the cannibalism army. At the
same time, Wei Shao led the army to Bing in Yuzhou, causing Gai Zhaoshi
to surrender. Since then, like a crackerjack, his momentum won’t stop.
Lujiang Song Ling, Jiangxia Liu Quan, etc., has surrendered successively.

In addition to the southern barbarians, the only two regimes left in the
Central Plains were the Hanzhong Lezheng and the small court of Liu Yan.

Le Zheng brothers struggle internally, and Wei Shao could destroy Daliang
in a few days. Liu Yan today was even closer to the eye, like a turtle in a jar.

Destroy Liu Yan, destroy Daliang, then unite the world. Establish a new
kingdom in Nanshan, and a brand-new empire will stand up from the ruins,
no longer need to suffer from the battle. How can one be not full of
expectations with their blood boiling?

“Wei Rebel, listen! These islanders are innocent people. His Majesty did
not want to make things difficult, but you are aggressive! If your soldiers
come one step closer, I will kill all the islanders and fight you to death!”
Liang Ji shouted with all his might towards Wei Shao, who was dozens of
feet away. His words mixed with the sound of the islanders crying and
begging behind him and scattered with the wind.

Wei Shao stopped in his tracks.

Gradually, Wei soldiers handed out orders, and soon, the surrounding
clamor and killing sound quieted down.

“Immediately make way and send His Majesty to the ship–“

Liang Ji was agitated, waving the long sword in his hand as he continued to
shout.

Lei Yan took an iron bow from a nearby archer and pulled the bow furiously.
He penetrated the bow forcefully, and after aiming, he abruptly shot an
arrow. The feathered arrow carried a whimpering sound piercing through
the air and shot towards the distant figure on the high ground.

Liang Ji was hit by an arrow in the heart, screaming wildly, fell to the
ground, and died.

“Liu Yan’s soldiers, listen to the order! My Lord knows that you have no
choice but to follow the orders of others. Surrender at this moment, and
he’ll pardon your sins! If you resist again, we will kill you!” Lei Yan’s voice
was full of vigor, not angry but authoritative.

“Surrender!”

“Surrender!”

The soldiers in the four directions echoed in unison, their voices like
thunder, shaking people’s ears.

Desperate and surrounded, the violent death of their Great General in front
of them caused the last remaining guards completely collapsed. Under the
sound urging them to surrender, they slowly retreated. A person suddenly
turned around and knelt toward Wei Shao and the remaining followed suit.

Wei Shao soldiers cheered and continued toward the high ground.

Su E Huang’s face twisted. Her gaze was frantic, and she suddenly
snatched a crying baby from a fisherwoman’s arms, raised the baby high,
and hissed: “Wei Shao listen, if you do not let us go, I will drop this baby to
death! Aren’t you afraid this baby’s unjustly dead spirit haunts your child?”

Lei Yan was furious. He said to Wei Shao, “This evil woman is vicious. I will
shoot her to death first!”

Wei Shao looked at the crazy-looking Su E Huang and slowly shook his
head.

Suddenly, Liu Yan, who stayed stiff at the side, seemed to back to life and
said sternly: “Wei Shao! You took my wife and then took my world. You and
I are irreconcilable! Today, I know I am no match for you, but to be defeated
in your hands, I am not only unwilling but also unconvinced! You’re just
using your father’s foundation to run the world. What do I have? Although I
come from the royal family, there was no one to rely on. I only relied on my
hard work! I hate God’s injustice! If I were like you and had a good
foundation to rely on, why would I be in such a sorry state? I don’t want to
make things difficult for these islanders! I’ll let them go, but do you dare to
fight with me alone? If I fail to defeat you, I will die without complaint!”

Su Ehuang was shocked and turned back to scold angrily, “Liu Yan, you
useless man! Are you crazy? If you want to die, don’t drag me down!”

Liu Yan, unheeding, yelled again, “Wei Shao, do you dare to answer my
words?”

Wei Shao stared at Liu Yan’s figure in the moonlight for a moment, then
suddenly laughed: “Why not?”

Beside him, Lei Yan and the Commander of the Navy were surprised and
said, “Liu Yan is just a dying man! No need to use a bull’s knife to kill a
chicken. My Lord is a man of gold. There is no need to fight!”

Wei Shao waved his hand and shouted, “All generals listen to my order! I
will duel with Liu Yan. Whether I live or die is up to heaven. If I lose to him,
he can leave on his own. You may not stop him!” When he finished
speaking, he held his sword and strode towards an open space under the
moonlight.
Liu Yan also held his sword, and in the vicious curses of Su E Huang
behind him, he went towards the open space.

……

The moonlight was like water and the sound of waves lapping at the shore.
The green blade was unsheathed, cutting out a cold sword. Liu Yan roared
and charged toward Wei Shao on the opposite side. During these years, in
addition to planning the big plan, he worked hard to practice
swordsmanship.

Countless nights when Liu Yan closed his eyes, he would remember the
day when Chen Rui pressed him with a halberd while he could only watch
as he kidnapped Xiao Qiao. If only he could have today’s ability, that
humiliating scene would never occur.

The humiliation and hatred that Wei Shao had brought to him was far
greater than that of Chen Rui back then. His eyes were red, gritting his
teeth, and using all his strength, he fought without regard for his life. Kill
him! Even if they died together, it was also a fulfillment. However, the
heavens seemed to satirize him, even at the last moment.

Liu Yan’s last crazy fantasy was cut short by Wei Shao’s sword. With an
ear-splitting sound of metal cracking, the long sword in Liu Yan’s hand was
twisted and broken. It split into three pieces and burst out, one of which
pierced into Liu Yan’s left leg unexpectedly.

Liu Yan closed his eyes and opened them again. He saw Wei Shao
standing before him with a long sword. Under the moonlight, his eyes
glowed with a ghostly cold light, suddenly reminding Liu Yan of Suo Ming
Wu Chang.

T/N: Suo Ming Wu Chang is an ancient romance novel written by Hao Yan.
It was serialized in Tangyuan. It mainly describes the marriage between
Jiao Jiao and Bai Ze in the past and present.

Liu Yan’s teeth began to tremble slightly. Just a few moments before, all the
benevolence, sadness, anger, and courage that had sustained him in his
duel with Wei Shao left him rapidly. He didn’t want to show fear, but at this
moment, he suddenly regretted it. Perhaps Su E Huang was right, using
the lives of the islanders as blackmail, and maybe he could still escape and
have a chance to make a comeback later. Such a thought flashed in his
heart.

But before this thought could take shape, there was a stabbing pain in his
chest, and the long sword in Wei Shao’s hand had already pierced into his
heart. He could feel the sharp blade, which emitted a deathly aura, pierce
his clothes and flesh.

“Man Man is my fiancée …… The world is my Liu family s world …….”

He stood straight, his face pale, and squeezed out trembling words.

Wei Shao looked indifferently at his agonized face, the blade of the sword
accurately inserted into the middle of the two ribs, slowly stabbing towards
the lump protecting a beating heart, inch by inch, stopping for a moment
just as the tip of the sword was about to touch that lump.
“Liu Yan.” Wei Shao’s icy voice drifted into Liu Yan’s ears.

“I dare not say that I, Wei Shao, have any virtue or ability to be more worthy
of Man Man than you, more qualified than you to be the emperor of this
world. But there is one thing that I will never do; to take the risk against
world opinion for the sake of one’s interests, to collude with the Xiongnu,
and use the Han people’s land for the foreign race.”

“Although you call yourself the emperor of the Han Dynasty, in my eyes,
you are nothing. I crossed the sea and chased you here because if I don’t
kill you with my own hands, I won’t be satisfied!” Before the words left his
mouth, he exerted force, and the blade pierced and came out through his
back.

Liu Yan held tightly over his chest where blood poured. His eyes were wide
open, his mouth gasped, and his body trembling violently.

Wei Shao drew his sword, and as hot blood spurted from the tip of the
sword, Liu Yan let out a loud cry and fell to the ground on his back.

Wei Shao lowered his head slightly, his face expressionless, and looked at
the spasming body of Liu Yan on the ground.

When the body stopped moving, he closed his eyes and exhaled. He
opened his eyes again and cast his eyes towards Su E Huang, who was
sitting paralyzed on the ground.

Su E Huang’s hair was disheveled, the hem of her skirt was full of sludge,
and she was still holding the crying baby in her hand. Under Wei Shao’s
incomparably grim gaze, she subconsciously crawled back, retreated a few
steps, struggled to get up, and turned around to run away, but the soldiers
blocked her way.

She suddenly lost her voice and cried in pain, kneeling and crawling
towards Wei Shao, trembling and stretching out that sludge-stained hand,
grabbing his ankle.

“‘Er Lang! I know I am wrong! I was blinded and did something worse than
a dog or pig! But what I did was out of my love for you! Er Lang, you have
already punished me heavily before. Please forgive me for the sake of our
relationship! –“

She looked up at Wei Shao, tears rolling down her cheeks, and her mask
was twisted and distorted.

Wei Shao slowly leaned down. His hand probed towards her cheeks and
suddenly grabbed her mask. He squeezed it, and the mask quickly
deformed in his palm, becoming a ball.

Su E Huang screamed, panicked to cover her face with her sleeve.

Wei Shao stared at her expressionlessly, spreading out his five fingers, and
with a poof, the gold mask ball fell to the ground.

Wei Shao turned around and left in stride.

“Listen up, all the villagers, the Central Plains have been stabilized. The
world has returned to harmony, and there will be no more wars in the
future! If you are willing to return to your hometown, you can take the Lord’s
warship and go ashore together!” Lei Yan ordered the soldiers to untie the
ropes binding the islanders and said.

The islanders did not dare to believe it at first. But soon, excitement filled
their faces. After exchanging words for a while, they rushed to Wei Shao.
They knelt and shouted for thanks, helping each other, rushing back to their
homes to pack the household goods, and boarding the warships to leave
the island to return to their hometowns.

……

At midnight, Xiao Qiao suddenly woke up and felt upset, as if something

happened. With a touch of her hand, she met the sleeping Fei Fei. Xiao
Qiao leaned towards her daughter’s warm, soft body and pressed her face
to her daughter’s. Her nostrils filled with her daughter’s milky scent, and
she felt her mood settle down again.

Once again, her eyes closed.

Wei Shao should be back soon—

Before sleeping through the night, such a feeling was born in her heart.

Chapter 162.1 The Grand Finale (1)

That night the moon was bright, and the sea was calm. The warship left the
island that night, and under the guidance of an experienced officer, dozens
of sailors rowed the oars and drove the ship towards the land at an even
speed.
The islanders who boarded the boat together had already settled in. They
looked at the young man’s heroic back in the distance with awe, and the
women coaxed their children, trying not to make any noise. Their faces that
are haggard due to the hardship release a hopeful look.

From yesterday to this moment, only a short day and night, but they had
experienced a lifetime of ups and downs. Thus, they knew that this man
who brought them back to their hometown would be the world’s new king.

These people lived on the island for several years and had never heard of
Marquis of Yan Wei Shao’s name. But out of intuition, they believed that
this young ruler who was willing to stop the siege would be able to bring
them the stability that they longed for.

How could they not feel happy and encouraged?

……

There was nothing more to do. Wei Shao told Lei Yan and the others to
disperse, and he returned to his cabin. He stood before the porthole and
looked up at the starry sky, lost in thought for a long time.

……

T/N : Wei Shao’s dream of past life.

Finally, Yongdu was broke, and the Emperor fled to Shu City. But how to
stop Wei Shao from unifying the world?
The last city also finally broke by him. When his soldiers occupied the city
and celebrated their victory, someone reported that the Emperor had killed
himself in the palace.

Corpses fell all over the place by his feet, the stench of blood floated in the
air, the premises were burning with unextinguished fires, smoke rolled out,
and fearful cries of those captured citizens filled his ears.

He had long been accustomed to all of these. Surrounded by heavily

armored soldiers, he entered the bloody palace.

Several dead women in colorful clothes lie in a pool of blood on the ground,
and a pair of dead women and men lie side by side on the couch.

A trembling old eunuch kneeling in the pool of blood said in a quivering,

dissonant voice that this pair of men and women was the Emperor, Liu Yan,
and his empress, Miss Qiao.

After ordering his trusted eunuch to kill all the concubines, Liu Yan killed the
empress with his own hands and killed himself with poison. Liu Yan’s eyes
were closed tightly, his face was pale, and his facial muscles were
abnormal.

He stared at the deceased Liu Yan for a moment, then swept over to the
woman beside him.

His dead wife’s sister. From the Qiao family, whom he hates.

Her palace clothes on her body are neat. Her left chest had a sharp blade
wound. The blood was still dripping, solidified into purple and black color,
and soaked the gorgeous brocade clothes. It seemed that she experienced
a stab in her heart before her death. The stab was precise and pierced
through her back. However, compared to her husband’s painfully twisted
expression, this dead Qiao woman’s expression was unusually calm. She
only closed her eyes, her eyelashes lowered, as if she had fallen asleep.
Even though she had already died for a few moments, and her body was
cold and stiff, she still looked beautiful. The blood-stained wound on her
chest made her beauty even more poignant and sad instead of damaging
her stunning face.

Enough to impress the heart of the most hard-hearted person in this world.
However, in his eyes, she was only slightly similar to his wife Da Qiao’s
beautiful face and then withdrew.

His expression was indifferent, without any semblance of compassion.

He turned around and left the palace premises under the suppressed
fearful gaze of the old eunuch behind him. He was only thirty years old but
was already at the top. Today, he cleared the last obstacle on his path. So
far, he already shed all his enemies. He wanted them to die, one by one,
under his hands. In this world, no one can compete with him. The beautiful
rivers and mountains of every inch of the king’s land are all for him to have.

He should have been excited at this moment. His soldiers celebrated the
victory, and their wild cheers still seemed to resound in his ears. But for
some reason, he did not feel the slightest excitement.

Perhaps it was because he had already experienced too many such broken
cities and victories before and had long been numb. Clearing the resistant
Emperor was only a goal of his. Now that he accomplished his goal, he
seemed to feel a trace of bewilderment and even loneliness of having
reached the top alone.

Wei Shao strides through the smoky streets of the city, indifferently letting
his soldiers kill, burn and even rape to vent their emotions after breaking
the city. It was as if he had not heard the agonizing cries and groans of the
city’s people, who had helped the dead Emperor resist his arrival and felt
that this was the punishment they deserved. It was only on the next day,
when his prime minister Gongsun Yang, who had hurriedly arrived at the
news, came to dissuade him that he finally gave orders to them to stop.

From the first day of Wei Shao’s ascension to the throne, Great Yan never
stopped fighting. After he returned to Luoyang, he appointed capable
ministers, opened up tax sources, and filled up the state treasury, which
used to fill up military funds to support him in his battle with the Xiongnu.

A few years later, the Great Yan Iron Cavalry finally captured the Xiongnu’s
royal court in Dragon City, driving the Xiongnu people who were living there
far to the north and completely eliminating the area around Dragon City.

He received beauty one after another in his harem, but no one could get his
love. Although he favored them on the dragon bed for some time, the
passion soon became cold. As for the Su girl, he crowned her as the queen
but never summoned her these past years. He only watched those women
fight for his favor coldly. He felt tired of and contempt, and those memories
of the teenage years in his mind had long vanished. His youth memories in
his heart have long since disappeared. Occasionally, when the night was
quiet, he climbed the palace alone, remembering his Grandmother that
died many years ago. Then, his cold and hard stone heart slowly soften
again. Only at that moment would he feel a brief moment of loneliness. A
loneliness that he could not hide. He also knew that if his Grandmother
were still alive, she would not want to see him become what he was today.
But he could not control himself. His Grandmother was gone, his mother
only needed to be honored, the women in the harem could not stop him,
and no one in the world could soften his heart, which had been buried by
hatred since he was twelve. He needed these constant stimulations and
pleasure of conquest.

The year after the pacification of the Xiongnu, he continued to conquest the
Western Regions despite the opposition of Gongsun Yang and the
courtiers. After several years of conquest, he finally achieved his wish. He
managed to take a large part of the western region and integrate it with the
territory of Great Yan.

In less than ten years, he had done the great deeds that no monarch
before him could do. He made the Great Yan Empire flaunt its power to the
four seas. Those praises piled up like snowflakes on his imperial desk, and
he had not yet had time to open and read them.

This year, floods from the Yellow River to the northeast of Henan and the
southwest of Shandong merged into the Si River and finally entered the
Huai River. The torrential flood destroyed countless good fields and
people’s houses, while thousands of animals and people died.
Chapter 162.2

Since the founding of Great Yan, the people have been suffering from
heavy taxation and corvée service. Waves of riots and chaos surged all
over the place. When he finally settled the situation, another bad news
came again.

Wei Shao had to rely on Prime Minister Gongsun Yang to appease the
people. Before Gongsun Yang died of illness in the field, he gave him an
admonition letter saying that due to the consecutive years of war, the state
treasury was empty, the people had grievances, and disaster in all its
forms, and to advise the king to the solve the water problem, to comfort the
people, to stop the war, and be lenient to the people.

Those old generals who followed him to fight for the world have now died in
battle, retired, or discouraged by his dictatorship and no longer dare to
speak out. Only Gongsun Yang was left, and he would still speak up and
advise him, even though Wei Shao had relegated him several times due to
his anger. Now, even the last Gongsun Yang died of illness.

In his heart, he suddenly developed a feeling of complete loneliness.

He was finally moved, stopped the court for three days, and wrote a guilty
plea. However, just when he decided to issue a decree of recovery, chaos
broke again in Baling land. Within the last few months rose thousands of
stragglers under the alleged leader, the Green-Eyed General, that once
rendered to the previous emperor.
Wei Shao was furious. Once again, his beastly heart was out of the cage.
He did not listen to Wei Quan and other people’s persuasion and decided
to go on a personal expedition. Before the expedition, he offered a sacrifice
to heaven in the Huanqiu, swore to suppress this chaos, and after killing
the green-eyes, he will not start the war again.

Full of vengeance, Wei Shao led his army to the south and strangled Baling
army. He was victorious and sang a triumphant song. A few months later,
he fought the last battle with the stragglers in a deserted field called
Wangxiang.

According to the legend, this place was where the spirits of the dead cut off
all the ties of their past lives and looked back at their hometown for the last
time.

The wilderness of Wangxiang turned into a place of the Shura massacre.

Blood stained his battle armor, his eyes were red, his body covered with
sweat, and every pore screamed with drenching pleasure. At last, in the
heat of the moment, when he rode his horse in front, a stream of arrows
like a silent serpent from an unknown direction suddenly tore through the
air and shot towards him. Before his blood-filled eyes saw it, the arrow had
already reached his throat.

He didn’t even have time to react in any way, and with a coolness in his
throat, he felt the cold, hard metal penetrate his soft, unprotected piece of
flesh and plunge straight in.
His figure was still, and the blood in his entire body, which had just boiled to
the extreme, condensed instantly. Only a moment later did he feel the
indescribable pain of having his throat pierced by metal.

The wind rose, the clouds rolled in, and the battle flag fluttered.

The horse underneath him, which had accompanied him for many years to
fight in the south and north, sensed the ominous air, suddenly hissed
uneasily, and threw him off.

He leaned back, planted on the ground, vaguely seemed to see countless

people running in his direction, and panicked shouts filled his eardrums.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty–“

Gradually, the swaying silhouettes and various cacophonous voices that

gathered around him became blurred. The last image printed in his
bloodshot eyes was a blue sky with white clouds above his head. The sky
was blue as a jewel, and the clouds were clean as white shells.

It was alluring.

Why did he never realize this before—

That thought flashed in his mind before he exhaled his last breath from the
tube inserted by the stranger.

……

“Lord! Lord!” This voice was ringing in his ears.

Wei Shao cried out while covering his throat. He sat up abruptly, opened
his eyes, and what fell into his eyes was Gongsun Yang’s dismayed
expression.

Wei Shao’s entire body was soaked in sweat as if he had fished out of the
water. His heart was beating so violently that it was almost ready to pop out
of his throat.

Gongsun Yang was surprised and hastily moved back, saying, ”Was it me
who startled My Lord just now? Please, forgive me, My Lord. The war boat
has docked, but My Lord did not come out of the cabin, so I braced myself
to call you. What happened to you? Are you having a nightmare?”

Wei Shao slowly lowered his hand over his throat, looked around in a slight
daze, and realized he was still in the same cabin as last night. The sky was
already bright. It was probably already the next day at noon. The sunshine
outside the porthole was bright, and on the deck came the sound of
footsteps—

A dream? Fortunately, a dream! He looked sharply at the Gongsun Yang

and stared at him, motionless, in dead silence.

When Wei Shao personally went to chase Liu Yan, Gongsun Yang was
waiting in the harbor. He waited until the warship returned to the harbor and
heard Lei Yan say that the Marquis seemed asleep, probably too tired.

Gongsun Yang felt weird and could not rest assured, so he boarded the
warship to find him. Seeing the strange look on Marquis’ face, even if he
had accompanied him for years, he still felt puzzled at this moment.
Being looked at by Marquis, his hair stood on end. He touched his face
subconsciously and laughed dryly: “Why is the Lord looking at me?”

Wei Shao leaped up from the bed and practically pounced toward him,
grabbing his shoulders with a death grip and shaking them hard.

“Sir, you’re still alive! It’s great!”

Marquis’ hands were strangely strong, Gongsun Yang’s shoulders were in

his grip, and his bones seemed to be cracking. Being shaken by the
Marquis caused him to be dizzy. He forced himself to endure the pain and
said, “What do you mean by this, My Lord?”

Only then did Wei Shao realize that he had lost his composure and busily
loosened his hands, rubbing them together, casting an apologetic glance
towards Gongsun Yang, turning around, and quickly pushing open the
porthole.

A gust of sea breeze with a salty odor rushed in.

Wei Shao closed his eyes, took a long breath, wiped the sweat from his
forehead, turned his head, and said, “Liu Yan has died. I will go to East
County to pick up my wife and daughter.”

Gongsun Yang suppressed the surprise in his heart and hurriedly said:
“Lord, please stay for the time being. I still have a word to say. The
unification of the world has already taken shape. The people of Luoyang
also rejoiced and encouraged. We must put your ascension on the
agenda.”
Wei Shao nodded slightly, “I will send a letter to my grandmother. I will
leave the rest to you, Sir, and then we will discuss the details after I have
picked up my wife and daughter and brought them to Luoyang.”

Chapter 163.1 The Grand Finale (2)

After Wei Shao left East County early that morning, several months passed.

As winter turns to spring, the season is now in March. I

In the spring, the flowers bloom, the weeds grow, the turtledoves brush
their feathers, and the birds descend on the mulberry. Everything was so
vibrant, and on the third day of the third month, the Shangsi Festival came
once again.

ShangsiFestival is the day of purification and spring bath. From the pre-Qin
era to this day, the southern countries had the custom of purifying their
body. Men, women, and children go out of the city to the stream in the
outskirts and dip orchids in water to splash it all over their bodies.
Barefooted, they washed their hair and skin to purify the previous year’s
ominous, wishing to eliminate diseases and for a new beginning in the
coming year.

Shangsi Festival is also a Daughter’s Day. When Xiao Qiao’s mother was
alive, every March, she and Mrs. Ding would bring their daughters to the
Flower God Temple in the south of the city to participate in the Spring
Festival of the Flower God together with the people to pray for her
daughter’s well-being and peace. But since Xiao Qiao’s mother died, the
Qiao family has been in disarray for so many years that the Spring Festival
has stopped.

This year is different. Although the Qiao family has just experienced great
change, as if reborn, the two sisters of the Qiao had brought a pair of
children together to their home.

Two days ago, Bi Zhi also returned from the south, passing through the
East County to visit his wife and children. Mrs. Ding’s mood had long out of
the gloom and has prepared to bring the two Qiao sisters to celebrate the
long-lost Daughter’s Day.

Early in the morning, a carriage decorated with last night’s newly picked
orchids parked outside the gate of the Qiao family. Mr. Jia took the guards
neatly lined up at one side, patiently waiting for the Qiao family women to
go out.

A few moments later, he heard a sound of women’s laughter far away. He

looked up and saw a group of maidservants surrounding Mrs. Ding, Da
Qiao, and the Lady. The wet nurse carried Li’er while Bi Zhi held Fei Fei.

Today, Lady wore light-green colored spring clothes, a cherry-colored silk

thin cape draped over her shoulders accentuated her slender waist, her
large-sleeved embroidered with delicate orchids and grass flowers, her
long black hair combed in a bun behind the head and bind using the same
color of the clothes to prevent the wind blowing. She dressed like a young
girl, beautiful like a pearl. Her companion, Da Qiao, wore a goose-yellow
spring dress with a stone-green shoulder cape, equally bright and beautiful.
The two were laughing and coming side by side with their skirts.
Mr. Jia dared not look closely, busily ordering guards to retreat to the sides
of the gate, waiting with bated breath for the ladies to go out and board the
carriage.

Fei Fei is almost one-year-old. Not only did she become cuter and attract
people to love her, but she could also stand by herself. If someone held
her, Fei Fei could walk a few steps shakily. She started talking last month,
vaguely called out Xiao Qiao ‘A Niang,’ and now her bubbling had already
smooth.

Fei Fei’s hair happened to be very thick. After the one-month celebration
and shaving her fetal hair, now her hair had reached her ears. For her first
daughter’s day, Xiao Qiao carefully dolled her up. She divided Fei Fei’s into
two sides, tied and braided on each side, and adorned with a small silk
bow. Chun Ning made the bow personally for her. It was pretty and
exquisite. Fei Fei dressed in a tender willow-colored skirt of the same
texture and color as Xiao Qiao’s coat today, with small shoes over her feet.
When first carried out by Chun Niang, like her brother Li’er, she held an
orchid tied with a colorful ribbon in one hand while grasping a piece of plum
blossom cake in the other.

Having been at home for some days with her mother and knowing today
she could go out to play with her favorite Li’er brother, Fei Fei felt delighted.
She encountered Uncle Bi Zhi, whom she only knew for two days. She was
not afraid of life and even dived into his arms.

At this moment, Bi Zhi carried her to the front door. Turning her head, she
saw the familiar Mr. Jia standing on the side. Whenever her mother took
her out, this uncle would show his face. So as soon as she saw him, Fei
Fei knew she could go out to play, so she smiled sweetly at him, waved at
him, and gurgled something under her breath.

Bi Zhi then stopped in his tracks. Seeing her cute little face, Mrs. Ding
teased her, “Is Fei Fei trying to talk to General Jia?”

Jia Yin was also very fond of Fei Fei and quietly glanced at the Lady,
seeing that she had stopped walking, and turned her head to look at her
with a smile, so he boldly leaned over towards Fei Fei.

Fei Fei stretched out her chubby little hand and handed him the peach
blossom cake.

Mr. Jia was stunned, and before he could react, Fei Fei had already
withdrawn the small hand holding the peach blossom cake and instead
handed him the small hand holding the orchid grass. Halfway through, she
retracted again. She looked down at the peach blossom cake for a while
and then at the orchid grass as if hesitating.

Mrs. Ding and the servants stopped and turned back, looking with interest
at Fei Fei, who was in a dilemma.

Mrs. Ding smiled and said, “Is Fei Fei reluctant to part with it?”

Before the words left her mouth, she saw Fei Fei already made up her
mind, “Ah-oh,” biting down hard on the peach blossom cake and handing
the rest of the cake and orchid grass to Mr Jia.

Mrs. Ding and the servants were stunned and couldn’t help but laugh.
Even the ever-steady Bi Zhi had a hint of laughter in his eyes.

Jia Yin’s heart was overjoyed, but he hurriedly waved his hand and
seriously said to Fei Fei, “I don’t dare to accept the little Lady’s reward. I am
grateful for it.”

Xiao Qiao couldn’t help but giggle and said, “She wants to be close to
General Jia. She just nibbled on the peach blossom cake, so forget it.
General can take the orchid grass. If General Jia does not take it, she will
yell endlessly, and no one could leave the house today.”

Actually, Mr. Jia didn’t mind eating the rest of the cake that the little Lady
had eaten, but he knew he didn’t have this blessing. He took the orchid
grass in her other little hand with both hands and said respectfully, “This
humble servant would like to thank the little Lady for this.”

Seeing him take the orchid grass, Fei Fei smiled brightly, babbling a few
times under her breath in response to Mr. Jia.

On the side, Li’er saw her sister without the orchid grass in her hand and
hurriedly handed hers over, saying, “Little sister, for you.”

Li’er is very smart but late in speech. Da Qiao was a little worried before,
but unexpectedly, at the end of last year, when he and Fei Fei played
together, he began to speak. Once he opened his mouth, within a few
months only, all of a sudden, he learned a lot of words. As if he would have
spoken before, just stifled inside his belly, unwilling to speak them out.
This sentence, “Little sister, for you.” was so clear that even Da Qiao
couldn’t help but smile and touch his son’s head.

Fei Fei was so happy and took the orchid with the beautiful purple ribbon
from his elder brother and smiled sweetly at him.

……

Chapter 163.2

On this windy and sunny day, several carriages from Qiao Mansion
fishtailed out of the south city gate and headed for the Flower God Temple.

It had been many years since East County’s people saw the sight of the
two beauties appearing together at the Flower God Temple. Today they
could see them again, and the two beauties were stunningly beautiful.

One of them was the wife of the Green-Eyed General adored by East
County’s people. The other was even more remarkable; rumor had been
circulating in the community that the Marquis of Yan, Wei Shao, soon unify
the world, and Xiao Qiao would be the mother of the country.

Today Qiao’s family beauties participate in the spring festival of the Flower
God Temple. The news spread throughout the city, and people flocked to
this place and blocked the road.

Bi Zhi rode in front while Mr. Jia was in the back, and together they
escorted the carriage. When they arrived at the spring brook encircled the
Flower God Temple, the Priest waited at the temple with the deacon and
rushed to meet the entourage.

Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao helped Mrs. Ding out of the carriage, carried smiles
on their faces, and the group went inside with joyful voices.

After worshipping the Flower God, the sisters took Li’er and Fei Fei to the
bank of the Spring Stream behind the Flower God Temple.

Today there are too many people. Besides this stream’s section, many
others may be used for the festival. Thus, for caution, Mr. Jia sealed this
place beforehand and only let a few women and young girls who had
undergone a body check come in. Therefore, it was quiet.

Xiao Qiao came to the bank of the stream, dipped the orchids in the water,
and lightly sprinkled a few drops on Fei Fei’s hair.

Da Qiao did the same thing, sprinkling the water on Li’er’s head. After the
wetnurses brought the siblings to play in the pavilion nearby, Xiao Qiao saw
Bi Zhi come this way and stand at the side of the pavilion. She turned her
head to look at them, smiling and gently pushing Da Qiao while saying,
“Hurry up and go!”

Da Qiao had seen her husband come over but didn’t want to leave Xiao
Qiao behind, so she pretended not to see him. Seeing Xiao Qiao urging
herself, her cheeks slightly warmed up, and she said, “I’d rather be here
with you …….”
Xiao Qiao laughed, and she said, “Brother-in-law will leave again in a few
days. Today is rarely a good day. It’s not like I don’t have anyone to keep
me company. Who cares if you’re here with me?” Saying this, she pushed
her to Bi Zhi’s side.

Bi Zhi said to Da Qiao, “There is a peach blossom forest in front. The

peach blossoms are blooming nicely. Let’s go for a walk?”

Da Qiao looked at Xiao Qiao and saw Xiao Qiao smiling at her, seemingly
urging, and finally hummed.

Bi Zhi smiled faintly, picked up Li’er, and nodded respectfully to Xiao Qiao.
He took his beloved wife, and the three of them slowly headed toward the
Peach Blossom Forest.

Xiao Qiao, with a smile on her lips, watched his family of three fade away.
Chun Niang hugged Fei Fei, facing the stream, and sat on a stone bench
padded with handkerchiefs on the bank.

Yesterday there was a spring rain, causing the water of the spring creek to
rise, unhurriedly flowing from the west to east. The stream is clear, unable
to cover the pebbles and swaying clusters of water plants at the bottom.
The peach blossom tree on both sides is in full bloom. With a gust of wind,
peach blossoms rustle and fall, and their petals float at the stream. The
water flowed slowly, causing small wild fishes to gather and constantly leap
out of the water. It was interesting.

Xiao Qiao smiled as she watched Chun Niang and the wet nurse take Fei
Fei and point out to her the playful fish, gradually walking along the bank of
the stream towards the front, leaving her alone, lost in thought. She
wondered where he was now and how he was doing.

Another gust of wind passed, and peach blossom rain drifted overhead.

Half of it fell into the stream while the other half drifted down on Xiao Qiao’s
skirt.

She picked up a petal of peach blossom that fell on the hem of her skirt,
held it in her palm, sent it under her nose, lowered her head, and gently
sniffed it. When she raised her head, she was stunned.

Right on the opposite bank, ten or so feet away, with the spring breeze
blowing and the colorful fallen flowers, there stood a person.

She was at one end of the Peach Blossom Stream, and he was at the other
end, looking at each other from afar.

He was dressed in wanderer’s clothes, dusty, but his eyes were shining
brightly.

It was as if he had just come here.

It was as if he had already been standing on the other side of the river,
looking at her for a long time, but she hadn’t been aware of it.

When she finally raised her eyes and cast them toward him, his feet
suddenly flowed into the stream, wading toward her.
The stream murmured, wetting the corners of his robes, and the faster he
walked, the greater his pace became, and wherever he passed, gusts of
white foamy waves rose from the water.

Not far away, a few young girls holding a peach branch playing under the
peach blossom tree stopped chatting and surprisedly looked at a
handsome man that seemed to fall from the sky walking toward them. The
young girls’ hearts could not help but “boing boing” jumped up.

Xiao Qiao slowly stood up from the stone bench. The peach blossoms
petals in her skirt fell and scattered with the wind. She stood under the
peach blossom tree on the bank, her eyes unblinking as she watched the
man wade step by step towards her, finally coming ashore and pausing.

“I’m back.” He said as he gazed at her.

Xiao Qiao ran wildly toward him.

He opened his arms without hesitation, picked her up, and held her tightly.

Xiao Qiao’s arms, too, tightened around his waist. She pressed her face to
his broad chest, closed her eyes, and felt the powerful beating of his heart.

Neither of them spoke, only embraced each other like this. Peach blossom
showers rushed, drifting with the wind, and the petals fell on his shoulders
and her hair.

After a long time.

“Husband–” Xiao Qiao finally lifted her face from his arms. In a tone that
carried cries and petulant, she gently called him.

Wei Shao lowered his head, and his fingers gently wiped down her eyes
which flushed with the color of peach blossoms.

“Man Man, the war is over. I’ve come to fetch you and Fei Fei, and we’re
going to Luoyang together. From now on, I will never part with you again!”

He gazed at her and said word by word.

Xiao Qiao’s eyes flooded with misty tears, nodded, and slowly held one of
his hands.

Wei Shao held her hand back. Their ten fingers clasped together.

“I’ll take you to find Fei Fei. She can already call Mother. Do you want to
hear her call you father?”

She turned back and smiled at him, a bright smile daintier than the peach
blossoms that filled the trees above her head.

Chapter 164.1

Epilogue

In June, Wei Shao ascended the throne in Luoyang and became the
Emperor of Yan in the year of Taihe.
Although the world had reunited, many years of war in the Central Plains
had long devastated the people. At the commencement of the Yan
Kingdom, the court reconstructed everything.

The Emperor followed the lenient policies he had adopted when he was in
charge of the north, abolishing the harsh policies of the previous dynasty
and reducing taxes so that people could recover and recuperate. He also
encouraged agriculture and farming, constructed a water conservancy, and
paid attention to the management of the Yellow River. Responding to the
siltation of the riverbed, he recruited capable people to manage the river,
and the Emperor visited Mount Dan with his wife incognito.

Prime Minister Gongsun Yang’s teacher, White Stone Old Man, retired to
the mountain. Last year, he cured Qiao Ping’s eyesight. Currently, Qiao
Ping has stayed in the mountain, neighboring the elder and living in
seclusion.

The Emperor and Queen went to the mountain together to visit Qiao Ping
and ask for advice on water management strategies from the elder.

The Emperor asked White Stone Old Man for advice because when he and
the latter met in Huainan when the dam was in danger, the elder helped
repair the dam and remove the danger successfully.

Although many years have passed since then, this incident has left a deep
impression on the Emperor, and he has not forgotten it so far.

White Stone Old Man was the Mo family’s heir and spent his half-life
traveling the world. Besides proficiency in medicine, he had a deep
knowledge of water conservation. Yellow River, due to the middle and lower
reaches of the river meandering and coupled with soil erosion, has always
been a hidden danger. The former imperial court does not have the heart to
treat the river and let the world in great turmoil. The vassals didn’t care
about the river siltation and let it be. White Stone Old Man cared about the
world, and now that the new king was aware of the Yellow River, he felt
satisfied. Due to his old age, he couldn’t personally supervise the river. But
he recommended Xu Mian, a local river official, who was only a minor
officer but cared about the people’s livelihood.

The Emperor was delighted and talked with the elder under the candles all
night. When he returned to the kingdom, he immediately called Xu Mian
into Luoyang.

In the previous dynasty, to become an official, there were two ways:

recruitment and recommendation. At first, these two ways played a positive
role in recruiting talent. But in the later stage, it became formality and
nepotism.

Xu Mian comes from a humble background, only a minor official in charge

of river management in Cao Yang. He had talent and cared about the
people. But, after several times presenting the water strategy to the court
and requesting the river’s restoration, the court ignored him. Xu Mian was
disheartened. Unexpectedly, after a change in the dynasty, the new king
issued an imperial decree to enlist him as an official in the court.

Xu Mian rushed to Luoyang and was summoned to the South Palace. The
next day, the Emperor promoted him to manage Yellow River’s affairs.
Xu Mian finally fulfilled his lifetime of dreams, kneeling and thankful. After
spending many years clearing and expanding the river, building dikes, and
breaking the hidden dangers, while at the same time, irrigating dozens of
counties of the eastern and southwestern Shandong province, as many as
millions of acres of fields, Xu Mian was honored as Duke Xu by the locals
and praised by the court many times.

In the court, there were Prime Minister Gongsun Yang, Imperial Historian
Wei Quan, and Secretary Zhu Zeng, etc., and the military was supported by
Li Dian, General Wei Liang, and Qiao Ci, who guarded Western Liang, and
General Bi Zhi, who was appointed as Marquis of Jiujiang and guarded the
southern border because of his great merit in fighting against the rebellion
in the south.

The Emperor did not take concubines and appointed Miss Qiao as the
Queen. Everyone knew the Qiao Queen was beautiful and the Emperor’s
wise helper. When the Emperor went to the south, Xiongnu attacked
Yuyang. In a critical time, Empress Qiao, who was not afraid of death,
personally climbed the city wall to inspire the soldiers and people to fight
bravely and preserve Yuyang. The story of her passionate deeds was
passed to the world as a beautiful story.

In the first month of the second year after the Emperor ascended to the
throne, the court promulgated a new policy, announcing the imperial
examination system for selecting officials. People in the world, as long as
they have talent and are willing to serve the court, can participate in the
selection process, and the court will choose the best candidates and
appoint them to official positions.
The strange name of “imperial examination,” from the first day of the
promulgation of the decree, quickly became a hot topic of discussion in the
streets and alleys. Countless white-clothed scholars from humble
backgrounds were thrilled to hear the news because this means that from
now on, they no longer need to wait for a slim chance to be recommended
by a local official to obtain a position.

How many talented people may be able to wait for their dream throughout
their lives? Now with this method of talent selection, although they couldn’t
necessarily realize their dream, at least it was a step closer.

After the decree was issued, the court held the first imperial examination.
The total number of self-nominated people was more than ten thousand.
After a level-by-level selection, the first batch of successful scholars was
born in the Thousand and Autumn Hall.

Chapter 164.2

This group of successful candidates, all of them talented, thoughtful, and

active. After being appointed to an official position, they became ministers
of the imperial court.

A few years later, the imperial examination system completely replaced the
previous system and became the only way to select talents for the imperial
dynasty.

Legend has it that Empress Qiao proposed the system and persuaded the
Emperor and ministers to accept it. Hence, for a long time after that,
Empress Qiao became a legend in the minds of scholars, and many people
competed to compose poems and fugues for her. To be able to list in the
top ten and to be awarded a wine by Empress Qiao at the banquet given by
the imperial palace became the aim of the scholars.

Everyone knew Empress Qiao’s beautiful name, inside and outside of

Luoyang. Not long after, the most controversial discussion among the
Luoyang people was not about how virtuous Empress Qiao was but rather
the Emperor’s fear of his wife.

Allegedly, before the Emperor ascended the throne and was still the
Marquis of Yan in Youzhou, he had feared his wife. Because of the Qiao
Queen’s restriction, the Emperor didn’t dare to take any beauty. Now the
harem was empty, only the Empress one person. Even though there was
no Crown Prince, the Emperor still didn’t expand the harem. All probability,
perhaps, the Emperor was terrified of his wife, and it wasn’t light.

If this rumor was true, then the founding Emperor of Yan was the first
Emperor who feared his wife.

The people enjoyed this kind of gossip about the Emperor and the Queen
but not harbored any malicious minds, only out of curiosity.

How can’t they be uninterested? Gradually, the rumors flow back into the
palace. Even the courtiers were also curious.

Those old generals who had followed the Emperor over the world those
years divided into two factions. Gongsun Yang thought the reason why the
Emperor didn’t accept the harem was out of love with the Empress. On the
other hand, Wei Quan secretly thought that the Emperor was really afraid of
his wife. Now even the citizens knew, leading the Emperor to lose his
dignity. These people had different thoughts but only in their minds. No one
will be stupid enough to go to the Emperor and mention this matter to seek
a bad omen.

A few former ministers who didn’t know that the tiger’s ass was
untouchable and wanted to send their daughters into the harem seriously
wrote memorials about ‘the son of God married twelve women’ and about
the Queen had only given birth to one princess, please the Emperor to set
up a consort, filling the harem.

On the second day, the memorials were returned to the imperial desk with
only a sentence: did you curse me can not give birth to a son?

The ministers was horrified, panicked, and then begged for punishment.
Since then, no one dared to mention the harem.

According to gossip, the Emperor took credit in front of the Qiao Queen for
how he disposed of this matter. When Qiao Queen learned that, she only
laughed.

The Emperor and the Queen have deep feelings for Xindu. For them, Xindu
was a unique place. The Emperor ordered the Xin Palace Tantai Terrace to
be repaired and renamed ‘Jiaxin Palace.’

When the Emperor and the Queen toured the nine states, they passed
through the Xindu residence.
From the establishment of the first day, Great Yan Dynasty entered a
harmonious era. ‘Wise ruler and virtuous queen,’ such words of praise to
describe the founding Emperor of the Great Yan empire.

For the people in the community, the founding Emperor was young and
handsome. According to the people honored to have a close audience with
Qiao Queen, the Queen was beautiful as a goddess.

Such a pair of lovers became legendary, coupled with the widely circulated
‘the Emperor fear of his wife’ rumor.

T/N: The main story ends here. There are still extra stories, and I will
update them slowly. Thank you.

Chapter 165.1

Extra Story: The Daily Life of the Emperor and the Empress (1)

The news of Great Yan’s introduction of the Imperial Examination System

has been received with great joy by all scholars from humble backgrounds.
Some were happy, and some were against it. Those oppositions naturally
came from the old scholarly families whose vested interests have been
threatened. Unfortunately, there was no way to twist the arm. Although the
current Emperor has the reputation of being afraid of his wife and his
administration was lenient, his methods are thunderous. He won’t be soft
when he needed an iron fist, not to mention that he was not like the Liu
family of the previous dynasty, who had to rely on these local clans of
scholarly clans to stabilize their rule, so after a period of chaotic opposition,
the issue has resolved. Also, not all of them opposed the Imperial
Examination System, and it even inspired some scholars. The most famous
representative was Gao Heng from the Bohai clan of Bohai County.

Gao Heng came from a famous family. Although he never joined the civil
service, Gao Heng has the reputation of ‘the crown of Bohai,’ which was
known to everyone. Not long after the imperial court promulgated the
Imperial Examination System and the scholarly clans criticized the new
policy, Gao Heng was the first person who openly expressed his support for
the system. Not only that, but he also became the first scholar in Bohai
County who take the first imperial examination. The news spread and
Bohai County was in a hot discussion.

The Emperor attached great importance to selecting talents and eliminating

fraud. Therefore, the court sent supervisors to the thirteen states. The
relevant officials and scholars involved in the fraud case won’t be able to
protect their heads. In other words, the scholars would rely only on their
own strength.

With Gao Heng’s reputation, if he wants to be an official, he does not have

to use this kind of risky way to enter the civil service. In the view of others,
this move was shocking. Not to mention the willingness to lower his status
to participate in the imperial examinations, but if he were eliminated, it
would stain his reputation.

Gao Bohai’s relatives and friends tried to persuade him, but he did not
listen. Instead of hesitating, he smiled and said, ‘The new dynasty’s system
was like a fresh breeze, and the court had the heart to use talented people.
It was fortunate to meet a clean government and benevolent ruler. How can
you not cherish it and move forward?’

These words spread through the Bohai Sea, and everyone worshipped
him.

Under the ‘star’ effect of Gao Bohai, the other scholarly clans showed their
allegiance to the new Emperor and sent their children for reference. Soon,
it became a trend.

Gao Bohai’s words were stylish and also full of confidence. He really had
the capital to feel confident. He was talented and knew the art of shooting
and riding. Without any obstacles, he passed the country exam and headed
to Luoyang to participate in the last test. He was ranked third with two other
scholars on the final rankings.

The chief administrator of the examination, Imperial Examiner Fang Xi, a

great Confucian scholar, did not dare to make his own decision and listed
the three papers individually, along with all the rest on the list, and
presented them to the imperial court, asking the Emperor organize the
rankings.

……

Late afternoon, the sun shines in the palace.

In the North Palace Huaguang Hall, a gold bronze Boshang furnace slowly
spit curls of incense smoke.
A few palace maids in colorful clothes quietly stood in the corner of the hall,
waiting for the Empress to wake up for lunch.

……

Fang Xi sat upright on an embroidered couch and commented on the test’s

results non-stop.

The Emperor sat behind the desk. He listened to Fang Xi’s comments while
looking at the other choices. He turned the papers between his fingers,
making a slight rustling sound.

Half a year ago, after repeated tests, the artisan of the Public Works
Department finally produced a paper that could replace thick silk and
bamboo slips for smooth writing.

Different from the previous material, the new paper was white and pliable.
Also, it was easy to write on. Compared to thick silk, the cost was much
cheaper.

“Your Majesty, after reviewing and repeatedly analyzing, this old minister
and others jointly elected these three test papers. Among the top three,
Gao Heng …….”

When Fang Xi was talking, light footsteps came from behind. Someone
was running and jumping into the imperial study.

So unruly! This place was the imperial study!

Who is so wanton? How dare they run and jump in front of the Emperor like
this?

Fang Xi stopped and heard a delicate child’s voice: “Emperor Father!”

Turning his head, he looked at the little girl in the doorway.

The girl was only two years old, yet already beautifully sculpted and
loveable, with a cluster of black bangs in front of the forehead, snow-white
skin, and pitch-black eyes. She wore a pink dress, and as if no one else,
she jumped towards the Emperor and climbed his arm. Her milky voice
said: “Father, what are you looking at? “

When the Emperor listened to his marking, Fang Xi felt he was distracted
and unhappy.

Fang Xi felt worried, suspecting that the selection of these three articles
was not following the holy intention, so he had been vigorously explaining.

However, at this moment, he saw the Emperor smile, carrying the little
carrot-sized girl onto his lap and letting her sit in his arms before continuing
to flip through the test papers.

Fang Xi secretly wondered. He naturally recognized that this little girl who
suddenly ran into the imperial study was Princess Changning, the beloved
daughter of Emperor and Empress Qiao.

He had also heard that the Emperor was fond of the princess. Not only
letting her freely come and go in the imperial study, but if the princess
happened to be there when he held a discussion with the ministers and did
not want to leave, the Emperor would let her sit on his lap.

He did not expect that he witnessed this scene today.

Chapter 165.2

Seeing the little princess sitting in the Emperor’s lap, laying her arms on the
imperial desk, resting on her cheeks while slightly tilting her head and
widening her eyes to look at him, Fang Xi could not help but cough dryly.
He put his solemn look, straightened his waist, and continued: “Your
Majesty, especially Gao Heng from Bohai. This person is talented and
deserves the position of the Dingyuan …….”

The Emperor put down the scroll and looked at Fang Xi. After a moment of
silence, he knocked hard on the desk and issued a loud ‘ta’ sound.

Fang Xi froze and stopped.

The Emperor said expressionlessly: “I know. You can go first!”

Fang Xi was reluctant and hastily stood up. He keeps explaining: “This old
minister never had a bit of favoritism. His article not only moved this old
minister, but when the prime minister read it, he also approved of Gao
Heng’s –“

“Withdraw.” The Emperor repeated, his tone even colder.

The little princess turned her head quickly to glance at her father. Seeing
his tense face, she jumped off his lap and ran to Fang Xi’s front. She
looked at him and whispered, “My Father Emperor is unhappy! Last time,
there was a person, my Father Emperor did not let him speak, yet he kept
speaking. He made my Father Emperor upset. Finally, he scolded that
person, so pitiful ……”

Fang Xi scoured his head but couldn’t think of how he touched the
Emperor’s scales. He lowered his head to see the little princess using
sympathetic eyes to look at him. He felt touched, forced himself to show a
smile, bowed respectfully towards her to say thank you, and retreated.

……

Last night, Xiao Qiao accompanied Wei Shao to review the scrolls. She did
not sleep well, so she felt sleepy at noon. Thus, Xiao Qiao went to make up
for her lack of sleep. When she opened her eyes, Fei Fei was not on the
side. Then, she asked the maid where did she go.

The palace maids tied up the layers of curtains that blocked the sunlight,
and the light immediately filled the inner hall.

One of them laughed and said, “The little princess had awake and ordered
the servants not to wake up the Empress, so she quietly got out of bed and
said she wanted to go find His Majesty. Old Chun then sent her there.”

Fei Fei was over two years old and had been spoiled rotten by her father.
Whenever the Emperor and the ministers held a discussion in the imperial
study, if it was not a serious matter, it was not uncommon for the little
princess to suddenly emerge from behind the imperial desk, startling the
unaware Gongsun Yang and the others.
The Emperor not only didn’t think that the little princess was disobedient,
on the contrary, he would carry her and let her sit on his knee. Then, the
ministers could only speak to the crooked head on the table, staring at their
own. Such a scene, the ministers gradually became accustomed to it.

After Xiao Qiao combed her hair and Fei Fei had not returned, she left
Huaguang Hall.

After Wei Shao since ascending the throne, he diligently worked and
reviewed the reports daily. Often, he returned to rest only after midnight. At
this hour, the court must have dispersed. He must be in the imperial study.

……

Fang Xi, in a depressed and incomprehensible mood, walks on the palace

road from the imperial study. When he met Empress Qiao, accompanied by
a group of people in this direction, he stopped at the side of the road,
waiting until she was near, and greeted her.

Xiao Qiao smiled and said, “Teacher is here to see His Majesty for the
matter of the examination?”

Fang Xi also knew that the discussion of the imperial examinations came
from Empress Qiao. The Emperor had always obeyed the Empress. This
matter has long been no secret in the court. In front of her, there was
nothing to hide, and he said: “Precisely. I have just presented the three top
dossiers to His Majesty. As for who will be titled Ding Yuan, it is up to Your
Majesty to decide.”
Xiao Qiao asked, “Who are these top three?”

After Fang Xi reported the name of the other two, he said: “The last person
is the youngest. The Empress must have heard of his name, Gao Heng.”

Thinking of the Emperor’s reaction when he listened to his review, his heart
was still puzzled and tried to convince again: “Forgive me for being bold.
The imperial examinations are a major event. This old minister entrusted
me with this important task. I’m doing my best and do not dare to have a bit
of slackness. In my opinion, Gao Bohai’s article is good. He had a clear
vision and deserved the position of Ding Yuan. But when I mention Gao
Bohai in front of His Majesty, His Majesty seemed to have doubts. It would
be a pity if Your Majesty neglected his article to avoid suspicion. It would
also go against His Majesty’s original intention of opening the imperial
examinations to gather the world’s talents.”

Xiao Qiao naturally knows that Gao Heng also participated in the first
examination. When she heard the news, she felt surprised. Even more
shocked that he could enter Luoyang.

What was in the Emperor’s heart, others didn’t know, but Xiao Qiao could
always guess it. Once she heard it, she knew what was going on.

Looking at the puzzled Teacher Fang Xi of the Imperial College, she smiled
and said, “Even if His Majesty does not take him, he must have his
considerations, not to mention that he has not yet made up his mind.
Please go back and wait for the news.”

After Fang Xi left, Xiao Qiao entered the imperial study.

Chun Niang and a few maids were standing outside the room. When they
saw her coming, they hurriedly welcomed her.

“Princess is inside. When she woke up, she wanted to seek His Majesty.”
Chun Niang whispered.

Xiao Qiao nodded, and as soon as she went in, she saw Fei Fei sitting on
Wei Shao’s lap.

Wei Shao holding his daughter in one hand and holding a scroll in the
other, reading it sentence by sentence to Fei Fei and asking, “What does
Fei Fei think of this one? How about choosing it as the top of the list?”

“But I don’t know it! It’s too hard!” Fei Fei twisted her body in her father’s
lap, looking worried. “That old white-bearded Master that Father drove
away seems knowledgeable. Father, if you don’t know, call the old Master
again ……”

Wei Shao looked up and saw Xiao Qiao coming. His hand paused.

“Mother!”

Fei Fei had been accustomed to calling Xiao Qiao ‘Mother’ according to her
original title. When she saw her coming, her eyes lit up as if relieved,
coming down from Wei Shao’s body and running towards her as fast as she
could.

“Mother! Father Emperor had to read me those words that I couldn’t

understand! And he wants me to help him choose! It’s so hard! Mother,
please help Father Emperor!”
After saying this, she left the Emperor and ran out in a flash.

Xiao Qiao watched her daughter disappear behind the door, turned her
head to look at Wei Shao, and walked towards him.

As if nothing had happened, Wei Shao shoved a dossier to the bottom of

the pile.

Xiao Qiao reached his side and said, “What were you doing just now? You
didn’t ask a teacher from the Imperial College for advice, but you let Fei Fei
help you determine the rankings. What nonsense.”

Wei Shao opened his arm to embrace her and put her to sit on his lap, just
like holding Fei Fei. He lowered his head to her fragrant neck, sniffed, and
vaguely said, “I’m impatient to listen to those old teachers. How about you
help me set it?”

Xiao Qiao glanced at him and laughed, “Okay. Then, I will be overstepping
my bounds.”

Reaching out, she pulled out the dossier he had just put at the bottom.

Chapter 166.1

Extra Story: The Daily Life of the Emperor and the Empress (2)

Wei Shao was stunned but reacted quickly. Before Xiao Qiao opened it, he
grabbed the scroll away from her.

Xiao Qiao looked at him and stretched out her hand toward him.
Wei Shao put his hand that was holding the scroll behind his back and
smiled dryly: “This one is not good. Look at others……”

“I want to see.” Xiao Qiao smiled.

Wei Shao remained still.

Xiao Qiao reached behind his back and drew the scroll in his hand.

Wei Shao clenched it and did not let go. The smile on Xiao Qiao’s face was
gone. “Release your hand!”

Wei Shao’s hand loosened, and Xiao Qiao pulled the scroll from him. She
opened the scroll and browsed through the articles, and her eyes finally
landed on the name column.

Wei Shao suppressed the bubbling sourness in his heart and said, “Gao
Heng’s article is just a pile of empty words. It’s not worth talking about.
What does Man Man think?”

Xiao Qiao put down the scroll.

“On my way here, I met Teacher Fang. I asked him about the examination
papers. His opinion is objected to yours, Your Majesty. According to the
teacher, Gao Bohai deserved Ding Yuan’s position.”

Wei Shao was embarrassed and coughed dryly, “It is not that I am
denigrating the previous dynasty! People like Fang Xi, how can he become
a teacher in the Imperial College? It’s a miscellaneous article. It’s not
deserved the Ding Yuan title! It’s not because of Gao Heng’s fame. It’s just
a shit, and they smell it too …….”

Initially, he had a look of righteous indignation. But when he saw Xiao Qiao
looking at him, his voice gradually softened and finally stopped.

“Go on!” Xiao Qiao, still sitting sideways on his lap, saw him stop and urged
him, raising her pretty eyebrows.

Wei Shao and her looked at each other. He suddenly said, “You’re
intentionally working against me, aren’t you? I’ll be frank! I don’t like this
Gao Heng! Moreover ……”

He squinted at her, “It’s clear he had ulterior motives for taking the test! You
dare to say you don’t know?”

Xiao Qiao stared at him for a moment. She was still tensing her face, but
suddenly she couldn’t hold it in anymore and snorted out a laugh.

“How is it that he has other plans? Say it clearly!” She smirked.

Wei Shao slipped out. He was worried about annoying Xiao Qiao, but when
he saw her smile, he embraced her: “It’s you who want me to say. You don’t
blame me for what I said! I knew that this Gao Heng had ulterior motives for
you! You’re already married to me, but he says you’re like his confidant,
and then he dares to invite you to see the Cloud Gate Cliffs. If he doesn’t
have designs on you, what does he mean? But so many years have
passed, and I won’t bother with him! I didn’t expect that he would come
back now ……” He paused for a moment.
“Come again for what?”

“Come again to attract your attention!”

Wei Shao became more annoyed, “With the Bohai clan’s prestige, if he
wants to be an official, he should have done it in the previous dynasty! He
didn’t come out early nor come out late. He had to come out at this time to
take part in the imperial examinations, it’s obvious that he heard that you
initiated this system of imperial examinations, and that’s why he
intentionally threw himself at you to draw your attention!”

“Aren’t you embarrassed? How many years have passed? Fei Fei is three
years old! How can you remember such a little matter and make a big fuss!
When the imperial examination system first came out, there was a lot of
opposition from the scholarly clans in the world. I know Your Majesty is
wise and doesn’t rely on the local scholarly clans to stabilize the country. If
they were united in their opposition and the local area is unstable, Your
Majesty can’t cut off their heads just because of this. You have to think of a
way to settle things down, right? Gao Bohai not only openly supported His
Majesty but also resisted the pressure to take the examination, which
sealed the mouth of the scholars. What’s the purpose of the Imperial
Examination? To attract talent from all over the world! Now that he’s made it
to the examination based on his talent, instead of rewarding him, you’re
being unreasonable!”

Xiao Qiao stretched a finger and poked him in the chest, “I see that your
heart’s eye is not much bigger than a needle!”
“That’s how I am. It’s not the first day you know it!” Wei Shao grimaced. “If
those scholars make any more trouble and annoy me, there are plenty of
ways to screw them, and there’s no need for him, Gao Heng, to come out
and act like a good guy for me!”

Xiao Qiao furrowed her brows slightly, “Why do I feel that you have the
potential to be a foolish ruler?”

“So be it!” Wei Shao didn’t even blink, “No matter what you say, in any
case, this Gao Heng, I just don’t like him! No matter how well he writes or
how capable he is at ruling the world, don’t expect me to hire him!”

Xiao Qiao stared at him, removed his hands from her waist, stood up, and
said with a wry smile, “As long as Your Majesty is happy. I’ll take my leave
first.” Turning around, she headed out.

There was an unwritten rule if the Emperor and the Empress were in the
same room. The servants must retreat outside.

So at this moment, in the imperial study, there was only the Emperor and
the Empress.

“Stand still!”

“Come back!”

Chapter 166.2

“Wait–“
Xiao Qiao had reached the doorway when footsteps rose behind her.

Wei Shao chased after her, yanking her hand from behind.

“I’ll record him as second! That’s okay, isn’t it?”

Xiao Qiao turned back.

“I can’t give him the top spot! It’s the first examination! Although it’s not
rejecting the sons of scholarly families, the intention of this first place is to
show the world that it’s determined to use talent without restraints. That’s
what you’re telling me! Even if Gao Bohai’s writing is good, taking him to
the top of the list in the first round is against the original intention of the new
policy! I’ll take him as the second place and give him some extra rewards
as compensation for depriving him of the top position!”

“So, are you satisfied?” He had a smelly face.

Xiao Qiao slowly revealed a smile. She stretched her arms around his
waist, tiptoed, and kissed him. Her lips came to his ears, whispering: “My
husband is obviously wiser than Yao Shun, but just now, he preferred to be
jealous, and he is not afraid of people laughing at him …….”

Wei Shao’s face softened.

“In Man Man’s eyes, there is only His Majesty alone. The rest of the men in
the world, there is no one better than His Majesty, and even if there is, Man
Man will never look at him …… more than once.”
Finally receiving the beauty’s words of love, Wei Shao softened. All the
stuffiness immediately disappeared, hugged her back, rubbing his ears to
her temples. Suddenly he remembered something and said: “Man Man, I
know you have always wanted to see those Cloud Gate Cliffs. I promised to
take you to see it but have not yet come to a realization. Why don’t we put
things aside for a while, and I’ll take you and Fei Fei out of the palace?”

Xiao Qiao was stunned and shook her head with a smile, “We are not
required to look at the Cliffs, and you don’t have to go through all the
trouble just for me.”

Wei Shao responded vaguely but holding this matter in his heart. The next
day, he called Gongsun Yang to show him the top three examinees and
mentioned leaving the palace for some time.

Who knows that the words have not finished, yet Gongsun Yang already
sounded a bunch of reasonable reasons to prevent him from leaving.

The Emperor was depressed and could only suppress the idea.

Half a month later, Great Yan’s first imperial examination released the
award list.

Gao Heng from Bohai, who attracted the most attention, won second place.
In this first examination, among the top three, two were poor, while the
other was from a noble family. With such a result, everyone was happy.
Although Gao Heng failed to win the prize, he had achieved his intention.
On that day, the imperial palace held a banquet. The Emperor and the
Empress came together. After many years, Gao Heng finally could meet
the woman who painted and inscribed with him in the Queen Mother
Temple. Gao Heng felt deeply excited.

Empress Qiao had long since become a goddess-like existence in his

mind, and there was no thought of blasphemy. Moreover, with her status,
how could he be disrespectful?

He had no intention of joining the civil service. Gao Heng, the talented
scholar from a scholarly family, proud and mighty, did not even put the
Emperor in his eyes. But the lady of the Marquis Yan, who made him
couldn’t forget about her, was not the same. She was now the Empress. He
heard the court suggest a new system of imperial examinations advocated
by Empress Qiao. When he learned that the scholars opposed her, his
blood immediately boiled, and rush to express his support. Gao Heng was
proud to be able to contribute a little bit to Empress Qiao.

Therefore, at the palace banquet, he knelt by Qiao after toasting. Seeing

Empress Qiao smiling and nodding to him and kindly asking, he felt
excited. His eyes did not have the Emperor for a moment, so he blurted
out: “There are Cliffs in Yunmen, Gate Cloud Cliffs. I made them myself. If
the Empress doesn’t mind, I would like to present it to you as a token of
loyalty. “

The Emperor’s face sank slightly. The Empress smiled and politely refused,
saying she was afraid to take it.

Gao Heng’s face shows regret, but the Emperor’s face is slightly better.
Half a month later, after the Emperor appointed Gao Heng far away from
Luoyang, he finally felt more comfortable. However, in his heart, he always
still thinks of one thing.

Two months later, a huge thing loaded in a big box, drawn by six-horse
carriages, under the command of serious-looking Mr. Jia, escorted by a
team of soldiers, entered Luoyang’s south city gate.

The box looked so heavy, attracting half of the city residents to see it.

What was in the box?

The passersby murmured, and in the end, they all agreed more on one
statement, judging from the weight and the rank of the guards, the box
must be filled with gold, silver, and treasures.

When the passersby’s heated comments drifted into Mr. Jia’s ears with the
wind, his tightly tensed face was on the verge of collapsing.

He was worried that the people of Luoyang knew that inside the box was a
large stone from the mountains. In order to transport this big stone into
Luoyang smoothly, it took a lot of workers and material resources. Actually,
it was just a thing that the Emperor did in order to please the Empress. Will
the people slander the Emperor as a foolish ruler?

Chapter 167.1

“Close your eyes, don’t peek ……”

Wei Shao held Xiao Qiao’s hand while she closed her eyes according to his
instructions. Under the gazes from a group of palace people, he led her
slowly around the Ganquan Pond in the Imperial Garden before finally
stopping.

“Arrived. Open your eyes!”

Hearing his smug voice coming from him, Xiao Qiao opened her eyes.

As soon as she lifted her gaze, her eyes immediately straightened.

This was the Gate Cloud Cliffs!

She stared at this giant cliff in front of her: nearly three zhang in height, four
or five zhang in length, standing in front of her like a small mountain…

To be precise, this was a part of the mountain wall. Although it had been
repaired, there are still traces of residual moss that came from the weather
erosion on the surface.

She turned her head and met the Emperor’s eyes that longed for praise.

“Is this the surprise you said you wanted to give me?”

“Yes!”

Wei Shao had already taken her reaction. She didn’t jump up in surprise?

Did she not recognize what this was?

Wei Shao pointed his finger at the object next to the Ganquan Pond and
emphasized, “The real form of the Gate Clouds Cliff!”

Happy? Moved?

It was nothing, only a little bit of intention.

The Emperor endured, finally holding back these two words that popped
up, watching his Empress from the sidelines, looking forward to more of her
reaction.

Xiao Qiao walked to the front of the cliff, reaching out to slowly touch the
words on the top that was cut one by one as if they carried the scent of
centuries of wind and rain.

“I am afraid that in the short term, I have no time to take you out of
Luoyang. I know you have been thinking about it, so I moved it over, and in
the future, you can look at it anytime you want …….”

No matter how good Gao Heng’s topography is, how can it compare to
this? Dump him to nowhere!

“How is it? Do you like it?”

After a long time, seeing that she was slow to make a sound with her back
to him, Wei Shao walked closer to her and asked.

Xiao Qiao finally turned back.

“Your Majesty is thoughtful, I……”

“Unexpected it!” She weighed her words and laughed.

Xiao Qiao’s reaction made Wei Shao feel lost in his heart, and out of a
need to make amends, he reached out and wrapped his arms around her
waist.

Xiao Qiao looked back at a group of maids on the banks of the Ganquan
pool. Their eyes seemed to casted this way. She gently struggled and
pushed his arm, “There are people around. It’s broad daylight ……”

“Why?”

Wei Shao saw her dodge. Without turning his head, he flicked his hand
toward the people behind him. The maids were busy leaving. He lowered
his head, gently licking and biting her delicate ears, tempting her with his
hoarse voice in her ears: “As long as Man Man like, talk to me, no matter
what, I will help you to get it …….”

Her ears were itchy from him blowing and biting. Xiao Qiao shrunk her
neck, pushed away his face, and smiled sweetly, “Husband treats me well.
It’s just that ……”

She paused. “This cliff has been in the Yunmen for hundreds of years.
Fortunately, it was not damaged when Your Majesty moved it to Luoyang. If
there is some damage, won’t I become a sinner?”

Wei Shao hesitated, “You’re not happy?”

Xiao Qiao shook her head, “I know Your Majesty is doing this for me. How
could I be unhappy? It’s just that I’m a bit worried for His Majesty ……”
“Worried about what?” Wei Shao was stunned.

“If Wei Quan and the others knew that Your Majesty had moved the Cliffs
into the palace to satisfy my eyes, they would impeach me. Wei Quan’s
temperament, Your Majesty, you knew it too ……”

Wei Shao’s heart involuntarily thumped.

Wei Quan’s temperament, no one knew better than him. The scene of
being chased by him to the toilet back then was still fresh in his mind today.

“Don’t bother with him!” He frowned, his tone unpleasant. “I just asked
someone to get you a rock. He even wants to be concerned about this?”

Xiao Qiao sighed, “It’s fine for Wei Quan and the others. Once the Empress
Dowager returns to the palace, she will know about it as well, and if she
asks me, what will I say then?”

Mrs. Xu, the Empress Dowager, resided in Jiade Palace. When Mrs. Xu
was in the palace, Fei Fei had to go to her grandmother’s side daily. A few
days ago, Mrs. Xu took Fei Fei to the Royal Daming Temple, and they
haven’t returned.

According to the original plan, they would be back in two days.

Xiao Qiao grabbed Wei Shao’s dragon robe with both hands and gently
shook it, “If the Empress Dowager asks how the Cliffs got from the
mountains to the Imperial Garden, how will I respond to her, Your Majesty?”

Wei Shao was speechless for a moment.

He forgot about this! At first, he had called Mr. Jia in a huff and waited for it
to arrive in Luoyang without thinking so much.

Now things are delivered, Wei Shao realized he seemed to move a hot
potato into the palace. Not to mention that Xiao Qiao’s reaction was far
from his expectation. It was impossible to hide the Cliffs. As Xiao Qiao said,
eventually, Wei Quan will hear about it. He was Imperial Secretary, and he
had nothing to do. If he knew about this, he would be complaining.

Chapter 167.2

Wei Shao himself was unconcerned, treating his words like winds. At most,
when he was finally annoyed, he would drive him away. But then, Xiao Qiao
will be in trouble. Maybe people would misunderstand and think it was the
Empress’s intention. Furthermore, there was also his grandmother. If she
asked him, it would be hard for him to explain.

“Why don’t …… after Grandmother returns, I will say it’s me who wanted to
appreciate the Cliffs! That’s why I ordered someone to bring it here!”

Xiao Qiao shook her head, “Your Majesty if you say it yourself, will
Grandmother believe it? She must know that you did it for me and won’t
blame me verbally, but in her heart, she will surely think that Man Man
should know better. How dare she let the Emperor do something like this
and didn’t persuade him ……”

It must be that the weather is too hot and the sun overhead is too bright.
After standing like this for a while, Wei Shao felt his back start to warm up.
“What do we do then?” Wei Shao looked at the Cliffs, “I already brought it
all here. Should I send it back?” His tone was full of depression.

After becoming the Emperor, there are still a lot of constraints in his life!

Foolish ruler— Wei Shao suddenly envied those who could do as they
wished in the previous dynasties. He also wanted to be a foolish ruler who
favored his Empress, but why was it so difficult?

Xiao Qiao shook her head, “Such a large cliff, long-distance transportation
is inconvenient. It wasn’t easy to bring it down the mountain and even more
difficult to send it up. Even if we could send it up, I’m afraid we couldn’t
restore the original appearance ……”

She laughed: “How about this? Your Majesty, please send it to Daming
Temple. To let the world could continue viewing the treasure, and ……,”
She pointed to the cliff erosion on the surface, “It placed the mountains for
hundreds of years, and the carvings have already weathered. It has been
transported to Luoyang and housed, so it counted as protecting the
treasures of the previous generations. The Imperial Palace is not far from
the Daming Temple. If I want to see it, I can see it anytime. What does Your
Majesty think?”

Wei Shao let out a long breath, staring at Xiao Qiao, suddenly held her
tightly, fiercely kissed her, pressed his lips to her ear, and softly said: “How
much I loved you never enough ……”

……
Mr. Jia strenuously out on a trip for two months and finally chipped half of
the mountain and sent the big stone into the palace. He has not yet taken a
breath, and that day he received an order to move the things to the Daming
Temple. He was puzzled. However, the order came from the highest boss,
so how dare you question? He hurriedly brought people to take the stone
and put it back into the box, sending it overnight to the Daming Temple.

……

The next day’s early morning, the sky was not yet bright, but the Emperor’s
already ascent the morning court. His seat was not yet warm, and the
Imperial Historian, Wei Quan, could not wait to come out of the line, holding
a water board, kneeling and saluting, then began to preach to the Emperor.
Last night, he learned that Your Majesty sent someone to chip the Cliffs
and deliver it to the Imperial Palace. He said, ‘This is very wrong behavior.
Although everything belongs to you, it doesn’t mean the Emperor can place
things you fancy into the Imperial Palace.’ Wei Quan finished in one
breath, and his mouth became dry.

The Emperor coldly cast a pair of dragon eyes at him, proudly raised his
face, and responded, ‘I did do this, but not as you say, robbing things! I am
heartbroken because local people do not know how to protect the treasure.
The Cliffs were weathered. I brought the Cliff to Luoyang and sent it to the
Daming Temple last night for protection. It is properly protected, and we
can show it to the world after reparation. You do not know the details and
listen to rumors. You defamed the Emperor’s integrity! What is your
intention?’
Wei Quan was dumbfounded, panicked, and threw himself on the ground,
asking for forgiveness. Gongsun Yang and others also pleaded for him. The
Emperor naturally accepted it and graciously said that there was no harm in
it, saying that this was the duty of Mr. Wei and that he wouldn’t blame Mr.
Wei even if he had wronged him.

So, in the end, a song of praises sounded in the morning court.

After the Emperor returned from the court, his mood was ecstatic. He didn’t
go to the imperial study but straight to the bed chamber to find the
Empress, intending to do an intimate session in broad daylight.

The world says being an Emperor was the best, managing the three
palaces and six courtyards. But Wei Shao didn’t want them at all. Since
becoming the Emperor, he became tired as a donkey. He must attend the
court every morning and return to the bed chamber only in the middle of the
night, simply more tired than leading a war.

He only got a few hours to relax and enjoy private time with Xiao Qiao.
After shaving off the ‘normal’ sleep and the time that the little princess
steals from Xiao Qiao, he can only hold the beautiful Empress to sleep that
kind of ‘sleep’ time. And, the time he could do that kind of ‘sleep’ with her
was never enough.

If he didn’t seize the chance, when Empress Dowager returns to the palace
with Fei Fei in two days, he couldn’t be able to act conveniently.
Chapter 168.1

Extra Story: The Cat Emperor And The Uninvited Emperor (1)

Layers of silk curtains block the light from outside Guanghua Palace. Inside
the shady bed chamber, an incense burner exhaled fragrance, and the
pearls held by the phoenix-shaped candlestick seemed to contain clouds.
In the tasseled curtains, the brocade quilt was shining. The double emerald
hairpins on the beauty’s head spread on the pillow while her luscious hair
was scattered, and her jade skin was glowing.

“…… Man Man want me to be faster or slower …….” The Emperor endured
the fire that burned his body, slowed down a little, kissed her closed eyes,
and asked her.

The beauty underneath was blushing, and her feathery eyelashes trembled
slightly.

“Like this?”

“Or like this?”

“I want you to say ……”

“En– …… everything is fine ……”

The beauty finally spoke, and the Emperor felt happy, interlacing their lips.
The dragon root rising and the collision from gold hooks and jade pendant
sounded, interspersed with the beauty’s sobs.
Our wise and mighty Emperor held his pretty Empress to roll on the dragon
bed when the sound of people talking came from outside.

The cat from the Jiade Palace ran out and fell into the Ganquan Pool in the
Royal Garden. The cat was getting older, and it usually not doing much
activity during the day, only sunbathing and sleeping. Today, the palace
attendants do not pay much attention and discover the cat has drowned in
the pool.

Empress Dowager raised this cat for many years. The cat is seven or eight
years old, with a fat body as white as an embroidered ball. Fei Fei, the little
Princess, liked it so much. She would play with it every day. Because they
were going to the temple, they left it in the palace due to inconvenience.

Unexpectedly, an accident happened.

Palace attendants were terrified. When they saw the cat no longer
breathing, they ran to the Empress to report and ask for punishment.
Naturally, the palace guards stopped them outside the Guanghua Palace.

The inner palace was already quiet. At this moment in the afternoon, it was
even more silent. Once they talked outside, the sound was transmitted
inside.

Wei Shao wrapping Xiao Qiao like an octopus. He did not hear what was
said outside, only vaguely hearing the palace attendant’ sobs as if
something had happened. Xiao Qiao opened her eyes and pushed him.
Wei Shao felt disturbed. He was naturally unhappy and said, ‘Ignore.’ But
she kept pushing him, and he had no choice but to stop. Without getting off
the dragon bed, he lifted the curtain with one hand and roared angrily:
“What’s the matter that was so important and risking your heads?”

The guards outside, who didn’t dare to take this matter to disturb the
Emperor and Empress, whispered to the palace attendants to wait. When
they heard the Emperor’s roar, they startled and knelt.

Xiao Qiao heard it clearly and was shocked. That cat had accompanied the
Empress Dowager for many years, and her daughter was also fond of it.

Xiao Qiao herself also liked it and had raised it for many years. Her feelings
were not shallow. But because Wei Shao was allergic, she never allowed it
to enter the Guanghua Palace.

She didn’t expect it to fall into the pool and drown!

Xiao Qiao let out a yelp of anxiety, pushed Wei Shao away, and sat up,
hurriedly trying to put on her clothes.

Wei Shao frowned and forcibly pressed her back down onto the bed.

“Something happened to the cat!” Xiao Qiao pushed him.

“I’ll finish my business first ……”

Wei Shao looked tense, pressed her, and did things ruthlessly. After finally
reloading, he exhaled a long breath, lying on top of her, completely
relaxing.
“…… I’ll be back early in the evening, you wait for me …… I still want to
……”

After finishing his business, he still hugged her with an aggrieved

expression. He never liked that cat and probably didn’t care if it died.

Xiao Qiao rolled her eyes at him, complaining that he was cold-blooded.
She pushed him away, got out of bed, and hurriedly put on her clothes.

Wei Shao leaped from the bed and got up with her, baring his teeth at her,
“I’ll join you to take a look!”

Xiao Qiao hurriedly finished up and came out. There was already a line of
attendants kneeling outside the palace. When the palace staff from Jiade
Palace saw the Emperor and the Empress, they felt terrified and pleaded
for forgiveness.

The weather was still sunny when the Guanghua Palace’s door was closed.
But now, the sky had turned cloudy, the air was dense, and lightning hid
between the clouds. It looked as if a thunderstorm was about to fall.

Xiao Qiao looked up at the color of the sky and hurriedly headed for the
Ganquan Pond. Wei Shao followed her footsteps and descended the steps.
A drop of rainwater hit his face, a little wet and cold.

……

Inside a pavilion by the pool, the palace attendants that surrounded the
wrapped cat hollered and knelt when they saw the Emperor.
Xiao Qiao ran to the side of the cat, carried it into her arms, and called it a
few times. She pressed its stomach. Its two ears drooped down feebly, and
its four fleshy paws didn’t move, looked dead. She was heartbroken and
anxious, and turned back to Wei Shao and said, “What to do? What to do?”

Wei Shao saw that she was about to cry out, distressed, and sternly
scolded the palace attendants for not keeping an eye on the cat.

The palace attendants were already knelt in trembling. When they saw the
Emperor was furious, they felt more fearful and touched their foreheads to
the ground.

Chapter 168.2

Extra Story: The Cat Emperor And The Uninvited Emperor (1)

“Where is the Imperial Doctor? Why don’t you go call the doctor!” The
Emperor gave an order.

A few physicians hurriedly rushed over and saw the difficult situation. They
say, “Your Majesty …… I only heal people—this, this is an animal, I don’t
know how to do it ……”

Wei Shao said, “Treat it like you treat a human being! Hurry up!”

The physicians knew that the cat’s status was more valuable than human.
They did not dare to resist orders, hardened their heads, and worked
together for a while.
Not sure whether the cat was not dead or was the physician saved its life, a
moment later, the cat issued a weak meow.

“Alive– alive!”

All the palace attendants rejoiced. Xiao Qiao was also delighted beyond
measure. Seeing the cat’s fleshy paws move, she almost jumped up in joy,
grabbing Wei Shao’s arm and saying, “It’s alive, it’s alive! Great!”

Wei Shao glanced and said, “It’s good that it’s alive.” Turning his head, he
said to the physicians, “Not bad, there will be a reward from me!”

The physicians wiped their sweat and were busy thanking the Emperor.

Xiao Qiao was overjoyed. The cat was alive but shivering due to cold and
looked very weak. She felt heartbroken and hurriedly wrapped it with the
cloth, picking it up. Wei Shao grasped the cat and said: “I’ll help you to
carry it back!”

Xiao Qiao said, “No need. Don’t touch it.”

Wei Shao said, “There’s no harm. It wraps in cloth! The cat is a bit heavy.
You can’t hold it ……”

He was fighting with Xiao Qiao, and his hand brushed the cat.

At this moment, a flash of lightning swept overhead, and then ‘Kerala’

scorching thunder smashed down, shocking the human eardrums. Nearby
palace attendants cowardly screamed and covered their ears.
Xiao Qiao trembled with the thunder, subconsciously ducked into Wei
Shao’s arms, hugged him tightly, and closed her eyes.

The thunderstorm passed.

Xiao Qiao opened her eyes and found that the dying cat had regained
some strength. It stood from the cloth wrapped around it and opened a pair
of glazed ball-like cat eyes, fixedly looking at her. She was worried the cat
suffered from the cold and did not notice the Emperor was staring at her
with shocked eyes. She released the Emperor, placed the cat on the cloth,
picked it up, turned her head, and said, “It’s going to rain! Let’s go back!”

A palace staff had already opened the umbrella.

Xiao Qiao held the struggling cat tightly in her arms, stopping it from
jumping out, and quickly stepped out of the pavilion. After a few steps, she
saw that the Emperor was still not following her. She stopped and turned
her head, “Your Majesty, it’s going to rain. Why did you still stand here?”

The Emperor, however, as if he possessed, was still standing. His eyes

cast on Xiao Qiao’s face for a long time, and his expression was odd.

“Husband?”

Xiao Qiao finally realized he seemed a bit off and looked at him
suspiciously.

The Emperor suddenly came back to his senses. Without looking at her
again, he said. “This Emperor suddenly remembered political affairs yet to
be cleared. I will go and dispose of them first. The Empress is free to do as
she pleases.”

Rain begins to pour, and he walks hurriedly without waiting for the palace
staff or the umbrella. He strode down the steps and headed to Imperial
Study in the rain.

The servants opened their umbrellas in a panic and chased after him.

Xiao Qiao felt surprised, staring blankly at his disappearing back at the end
of the palace road, sensing that Wei Shao had alienated himself from her.

In front of her, he would never call himself ‘This Emperor,’ and in private, he
would rarely call her ‘Empress.’

What’s wrong with him?

The cat in her arms seemed to be in a restless mood, meowing endlessly

and twisting around uncontrollably. Xiao Qiao returned to her senses,
shook her head, and turned around to return to Guang Hua Palace.

……

Wei Shao howled in his heart. Everything was satisfying him today until that
damn cat came out to stir things up, and then a thunderbolt came down,
and inexplicably, he realized that he had turned into a cat!

No, no, to be exact, his soul went into the cat’s body while another soul
took over his physical body!
He didn’t know what was happening, but between the electric collision of
the exchanging moment, he captured an intention from the other party.

The one who had taken over his body was no one else but himself, his self
from his previous life!

Wei Shao was taken back by Xiao Qiao, forcibly covered in cloth. He was
frantic, trying in every way possible to make her realize that the Emperor
was no longer himself, to remind her never to take that person for himself,
lest he fooled her, but no matter how hard he tried, the only sound he could
make was “Meow–” “Meow-” “Meow-“

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

This fucking cat! This cat is really against him! It usually only eats and
sleeps, and its body full of meat. After jumping a few times, he felt the cat’s
body was weak and couldn’t move. Finally, he only lay back on a fat
stomach, collapsing in Xiao Qiao’s lap, spitting his tongue and gasping for
air.

“Empress, this cat is pitiful. After today’s accident, I see it is not quite the
same as usual.” A court lady said.

Xiao Qiao sighed, “Yes, the little one must have been frightened.”

She picked up the Cat Emperor and stroked its head lovingly.

“I’m your husband ah–“

Wei Shao cried out, meowing.

Chapter 169.1

Extra Story: The Cat Emperor and the Uninvited Emperor (II)

As darkness fell, the palace attendants lit the palace lamps on both sides,
and the continuous lights dispersed the heavy night color that shrouded the
palace.

The Emperor sat behind the imperial desk in the Imperial Study. His eyes
gazed longingly at the candlelight before him, and his figure remained
frozen. He still could not believe what had happened. After dying from the
arrow that penetrated his throat, he returned from death and became his
present self.

Now ‘himself,’ was indeed his own, but it was another different ‘himself.’

In addition to the similarity of being the founding Emperor of Great Yan, this
‘self’ not only unified the world earlier than the former him but experienced
many things differently.
When the lightning struck his body, images of present life reflected in his
mind. Currently, it is the second year of Taihe. Those who had fought the
world along with him were doing well. His generals and his grandmother,
Mrs. Xu, were all still alive. She had gone to the Daming Temple. In the
next few days, she will return to the palace. And Miss Su, his crowned
Empress in his previous life, had tried to poison his grandmother!

……

It’s so confusing. Everything in this world, including this Imperial Study, was
familiar and unfamiliar to him!

He sat alone for a long time. When the sun slanted in the west, heavy
twilight gradually covered the room. After darkness completely engulfed the
night, he was still in the room. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from
the distance, followed by a conversation between a woman and the maids.
The woman’s voice was soft and refreshing, pleasant to the ear. He
instantly discerned the voice. She was the Empress he had seen during the
day, another daughter from the Qiao family!

In his original world, the only impression this daughter of the Qiao family
had left on him was that of a dead, cold, beautiful corpse. Yet here, she
was the queen of another self and not only that, but she was also the only
woman he favored.

With the sound of the woman’s footsteps getting closer and closer, the
memories of being with this woman within the body he had taken over
instantly invaded him like a tidal wave.

In the daytime, that ‘himself’ and she sleeping on the brocade quilt and
enchanting pictures floated in his mind— Perhaps this feeling was born
from the original ‘self’ memory. But when he took over the body and
embraced her due to her fear of thunder, he indeed felt something. Even at
this moment, he still seemed to remember the soft skin in his embrace.

He couldn’t possibly because of a woman’s embrace then give birth to any

strange feeling. But for some reason, his nervousness rose with the
woman’s footsteps.

It had been a long time since he had experienced what it meant to be

nervous. Suddenly his heart was beating faster without his control, and he
felt uncomfortable.
She was the one closest to him, and if anyone found anything wrong with
him, it would be her, and that was why he was nervous about facing her,
consoling himself in his heart.

For a subtle reason that he didn’t even know why, he didn’t want anyone to
know what was happening to him. Anyone. Including the person beside his
pillow.

The Emperor took a deep breath and tried to relax his body, which had
suddenly tensed up just a few moments ago.

……

The cat tossed and turned in front of Xiao Qiao as if it possessed. After
sending it back to Jiade Palace, it scurried back on its own, and the palace
staff couldn’t stop it at all, much less catch it. Lastly, the cat rushed towards
Xiao Qiao and stuck to her, rubbing against her feet, tilting her head to look
at her, meowing softly.

The cat has always been proud and cold. Xiao Qiao had raised it for many
years, but she had never encountered such as tonight’s situation. Fearing
Wei Shao would have an allergic reaction, she forcefully sent it away. For
some reason, when Xiao Qiao looked into the cat’s beautiful eyes and
listened to its pitiful purr, her heart softened. She picked it up and
personally sent it to one of the side rooms next to her chambers, asking the
palace maids to bring its nest and letting it in. Squatting down to stroke and
coaxing it, she said: “The Empress Dowager has not returned yet. Did you
think Jiade Palace is cold? You can sleep here tonight, but do not run
around anymore! If you keep messing around, I’ll get angry, understand?”

Wei Shao was so depressed that he almost went crazy. He couldn’t wait to
hit the wall and knock himself out. But after half a day, he finally realized he
couldn’t escape this predicament.

No one knew what was happening to him. Neither did Xiao Qiao. It would
be a disaster if he was locked up and couldn’t approach her.

That short-lived ghost from last life took his own body. Everything else was
fine, but what he was most afraid of was that he would take advantage of
Xiao Qiao.
Although it was also his own body, and strictly speaking, the Emperor who
took over his body wasn’t considered an outsider, his pretty Empress could
only belong to him, not even himself from his previous life!

Wei Shao knew he could only accept this reality first.

As a matter of urgency, he must win the pity of the beautiful Empress and
find a way to stay in this chamber. That way, he could always seize the
opportunity to guard against any evil attempts by the unlucky Emperor.

“Meow-“

He purred in aggravation, sticking out his tongue and licking the palm of her
hand. The cat’s tongue was wet, hot, and bore soft barbs, and she felt
tingly and itchy when it licked her palm.

Xiao Qiao laughed heartily and shrank back, stroking its head before
standing up.
……

Xiao Qiao told the palace attendants to wait outside and entered the
Imperial Study alone.

The Emperor sat behind the imperial desk with his head bowed, turning
over the folders in his hand.

Xiao Qiao walked towards him and smiled. ”Is today’s matter still not
finished? I saw that you were late in returning. It’s late. Husband, you must
be tired. If there was nothing urgent, let’s go back and rest first. It’s not too
late to read the rest tomorrow.”

She reached his near side, took the folders in his hand, organized and
placed them together with the book on the imperial desk while looking at
him.

The Emperor was surprised and felt uncomfortable. In his past life, no
woman dared to take something from his hand like this, let alone the
folders.
Chapter 169.2

Moreover, no woman had ever called him ‘husband’ and behaved intimately
toward him. Even his first wife, Da Qiao, had called him by the respectful
title of ‘Marquis.’

She leaned closer, and the Emperor’s nostrils suddenly smelled a pleasant
fragrance. His breath involuntarily paused, fixed his mind, and said: “I am
also about to go back to the ……” He stood up and went out.

……

In the bed chamber, the candle was shining bright. The palace attendant
serves the Emperor and the Empress to sleep.

Xiao Qiao lay on the bed with her black hair scattered, covering her
shoulders and arms.

From the time the Emperor entered the bed chamber until he boarded the
dragon bed, his eyes barely rested on the Empress as if deliberately not to
look at her.

“Husband ……” She called him.

“This Emperor is tired.” The Emperor closed his eyes, but in his mind, the
scene when that ‘self’ was not yet finished and promised her this night they
would— His throat tightened, and he could not help but secretly tense up
again.

She seemed to be silent.

A few moments later, the Emperor finally couldn’t help but open his eyes,
seeing her long eyelashes slightly drooping, her eyes resting on his face,
seemingly pondering. His heartbeat speeds up again.

“Empress is still not sleeping?” His voice was a little dry.

Xiao Qiao smiled.

“Husband is mistaken,” she said softly, “I was just going to say that you
seemed like you had something on your mind. Whatever it is, if Husband is
willing, it is possible to talk to me about it.”

The Emperor slowly exhaled and said, “I have no worries. Rest early.”

“‘Okay. I’ll listen to Husband.”

Xiao Qiao smiled at him and fell asleep, obediently closing her eyes.

The Emperor looked at her long eyelashes casting a shadow on her face.
He was slightly out of focus and suddenly saw her eyes open again,
instantly dodge, and their eyes met.

“Husband, you usually call me Man Man. What’s wrong with you today?”
She inclined her face and asked him softly. Her expression seemed to carry
a slight grievance.
The Emperor hesitated, momentarily did not know how to respond. She
smiled again and said: “Forget it. I like whatever my Husband calls me.
Man Man like it.”

This smile makes her face like a spring blossom, charming. The Emperor’s
heart pounded like thunder, staring at her dazedly, unable to move his
eyes.

“Husband has an early court tomorrow. You should rest.” Xiao Qiao smiled
sweetly and closed her eyes again.

After a long time, the Emperor finally withdrew his gaze and slowly closed
his eyes.

He repeatedly chewed her maiden name a few times in his heart and
suddenly felt it was cute.

……

At the deepest moment in the night, Wei Shao was still squatting far away
in the chamber’s corner, borrowing the curtain to hide his fat body, perking
up his ears, and staring in the direction of the dragon bed with wide-open
cat eyes.

Since turning into a cat, Wei Shao felt his hearing and vision were sharper.
No movement in the dragon bed could escape his eyes and ears.

Once there was anything wrong, he was always ready to rush out and
wreak havoc. His Xiao Qiao was oblivious and uninformed. It was a good
thing that the guy still had a bit of self-awareness and didn’t seem as if he
was ready to lay his hands on the Empress.

He from his previous life possessed his current body, and he also became
a cat —-

Furious! Sad!

Wei Shao stared until nearly dawn. With nothing happening all night, he
finally fell asleep. Suddenly, a golden-armored deity stepped on the clouds
and arrived in front of him, calling out, “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, wake
up, wake up!”

Wei Shao opened his eyes and saw the other party was nine feet tall,
wearing a phoenix-winged hooded helmet on his head, his feet stepping on
the clouds, his body clad in golden armor, he had ringed eyes and a lion’s
nose. He looked familiar as if he had seen it somewhere, so he asked,
“Who are you?”

The visitor withdrew his auspicious clouds and said respectfully, “I am the
Golden Armored God under the seat of the Golden Mother Temple. In the
name of the Queen Mother, I have come to see Your Majesty.”

Wei Shao froze, sizing up the other party, finally remembering that a
Golden Armored God did stand in the main hall of that Queen Mother
Temple in Yuyang. He hurriedly said, “You’ve come at the right time!
Someone had seized my body while I was trapped inside a cat’s body. You
quickly help me to get out of it! After I restore my original body, I will
certainly rebuild the golden body for the Queen Mother— No, no, build
another golden temple and make offering daily.”

The Golden Armored God laughed. “Your Majesty, actually, this calamity
was set by the Queen Mother.”

Wei Shao froze and jumped up violently: “I am the true son of heaven! How
dare the Queen Mother go against heaven and treat me like this? Where
have I wronged her?”

The Golden Armored God panicked and said, “Your Majesty rest your
anger. Your Majesty was unaware that you have indeed offended the
Queen Mother.”

Wei Shao said furiously, “How have I offended her? My Grandmother build
that temple of hers! How dare she do this to me instead of doing good!”

The Golden Armored God said, “Have you forgotten, Your Majesty? Who
destroyed that mural in the Queen Mother Temple in the first place?”

It was only then that Wei Shao finally remembered an old story.

When Bohai painted the Queen Mother’s wall statue, he attracted countless
worshipers from all directions. When people talked about Bohai, it was
unavoidable not to mention Xiao Qiao. When the words of praise reached
Wei Shao’s ears, he felt jealous. On a dark and windy night, he sent people
to strip off Xiao Qiao’s inscriptions and unintentionally damage the Queen
Mother’s statue. Therefore, on the pretext of repairing the temple, Wei
Shao finally peeled off the entire mural wall. This matter has passed
several years, and he has long forgotten. He couldn’t help but be
dumbfounded.

“Your Majesty did not know that the Queen Mother was quite fond of this
mural. One day in heaven was equal to one year on the earth. She traveled
to Penglai Mountain only for three days and learned that Your Majesty had
destroyed the statue when she returned. Queen Mother was angry at your
rudeness, summoned the God of Hell, and knew that your sins were too
heavy in your past life. Even though you were fated to be the king, you
should still have one more calamity in this life, and this is the only way to
punish you.”

Wei Shao cried out and pulled at the Golden Armored God, “The karma
that guy created in his past life has nothing to do with me! How is it all
counted on me?”

“He is you. You are him. How can you get rid of it?”

“It’s my fault destroyed the Queen Mother’s golden body …… Answer me!
In the end, how can I solve my predicament?”

“When Your Majesty’s past life soul hostility dissolved, today’s predicament
will be relieved …….”

The sky brightened, and the Golden Armor God’s golden body gradually
disappeared.
Chapter 170.1

Extra Story: The Cat Emperor and the Uninvited Emperor (III)

Wei Shao opened his eyes and realized he was still in the corner of the
chamber. He was still a cat, but the scene just now seemed realistic.

His heart was pounding and felt sweaty – no, he should’ve said his four
paws were oozing with sweat. Wet and hot, very uncomfortable. He
instinctively raised one of his paws to lick it. When he stretched out his
tongue, it came to his mind that he was a human being, an Emperor! How
could he lick his paw?

Trying to resist the urge to lick, he washed his face instead and put away
his paw.

In the fifth period of the morning, shadows appear behind the curtain. The
Emperor is going to the morning court.

Wei Shao peeked through the gap in the curtain and watched as Xiao Qiao
finally escorted the Emperor out of the chamber. He wasn’t interested in
spying on how that former self would become Emperor.

That guy was an avid lover of the Emperor’s profession, loved war, had
little interest in women, and was so diligent that Wei Shao, who always
wanted to steal time to roll in the dragon bed with the beautiful Empress,
was overwhelmed.
He was not worried about that guy arriving here and then thinking about
war. Even if Gongsun Yang and the others won’t be able to give him a
brick, his Grandmother was still there.

The only thing he wanted to do now was to follow his beauty, the Empress,
every inch of the way.

After the Emperor left, Xiao Qiao sat alone in front of the mirror, resting her
cheeks as if she had something on her mind.

Wei Shao silently looked at her back for a moment, couldn’t help but come
out from the corner, went behind her, and gently brushed her feet.

Xiao Qiao lowered her head, and her face showed happiness: “You woke
up so early?”

Wei Shao meowed and leaped onto her lap. Xiao Qiao hugged it and gently
petted him.

Wei Shao was delighted. Although he wished for everything to return to its
original state immediately, it was great to be held in her arms and enjoy her
caresses.

The cat’s meal was cooked-meat, but it was tasteless that he felt like he
could eat a bird in his mouth – because the Empress not allowed any salt
or seasoning added to the cat’s food. The palace staff in charge of feeding
it had been strictly implementing it. He almost spit it out when his first bite
went down.
The only comfort after turning into a cat was probably could get closer to
his beautiful Empress. Wei Shao didn’t go anywhere in the morning. He just
stayed glued to Xiao Qiao’s side.

The palace was silent in the afternoon.

With the recent start of summer and the days growing longer, Xiao Qiao
had the habit of napping. When she slept, Wei Shao squatted on the floor
at the corner of the dragon bed and watched her.

Before he became Emperor, he was in the military, and she was always
away from him. Even when Fei Fei was born, he couldn’t stay by her side.

After becoming Emperor, he was busy with political affairs, leaving early
and returning late. The time he could spend with her was limited.

She never complained, serving the Empress Dowager and raising Fei Fei,
not prideful and extravagant. She advises women about silkworms in spring
and sacrifices to the gods of agriculture in the fall. If he and Gongsun Yang
have conflicting views on political affairs, causing his temper flares up, she
has to step in to save the day—

She did everything an Empress should do.

Through the thin curtain, Wei Shao stared at the sleeping Xiao Qiao on the
dragon bed. Watching, watching, and he fell into a trance. His heart
suddenly came up with a thought. He excitedly turned back and confirmed
that the palace staff was still outside. Then, he jumped up on the dragon
bed and noiselessly came to Xiao Qiao’s feet.
Wei Shao held his breath, raised his paw, and quietly lifted the corner of the
quilt, revealing Xiao Qiao’s foot wrapped in stockings.

Wei Shao went over and sniffed. So fragrant. He could not help but stick
out his tongue and lick her tender toes. Seeing that she did not react, he
boldly licked again. He licked her toes and then the soles of her feet. He
licked happily and boldly. He held her other foot and licked it up, so happy.

In her sleep, Xiao Qiao felt itchy on her feet and shrinking. Wei Shao was
startled and hastily stopped, lying under the quilt motionless, and did not
dare to take a breath.

Fortunately, she was not awake, only rolled over and fell asleep again.

Wei Shao lay under the quilt for a while and finally drilled out his head,
staring at her delicate sleeping face. He came to the pillow, sticking out his
tongue, and licked her exposed breast through a layer of thin clothes.

It was fragrant and soft, causing Wei Shao to be intoxicated. He shivered

excitedly and went over to savor it again when suddenly footsteps sounded
outside the hall.

“Empress, Empress–” The voice of the palace staff came in through the
layers of the curtains.

Xiao Qiao let out a ‘hmmm’ in her throat, her eyelashes fluttering slightly,
finally struggling from her spring sleep, waking up.

Wei Shao giggled and leaped off the dragon bed, hiding underneath it.
“What is it?” Xiao Qiao’s voice still carried a hint of lethargy.

“Reporting to the Empress, General Jia sent a message saying that the
Empress Dowager and the Little Princess returned to the palace a day
early and that they are on their way at this moment and should be arriving
soon.”

Xiao Qiao said an ‘Oh,’ “Did you inform His Majesty?”

“The word has already been passed on.”

Xiao Qiao slowly sat up. She was still a bit disoriented.

When she was asleep, she felt that her feet itched. And now that she woke
up, she felt that her feet were wet, and her chest—

She looked down and saw that the corset was also wet.

She thought about it and asked the palace staff, “Did someone enter the
room just now?”

The palace staff rolled the beaded curtain, “Report to the Empress, no
one.”

Xiao Qiao was puzzled. Suddenly, she remembered the cat, looked down,
and asked again.

The palace staff hurriedly looked around and said: “It seems to be in the
chamber. I do not know where the cat is at this moment.”
Xiao Qiao thought about it, only thinking it was due to her sweat. But she
was worried about the cat running around and getting into accidents, so
she asked the palace staff to look for it. Then, she got up, ready to meet
Grandmother.

……

The Emperor personally went out of the palace to meet the Empress
Dowager’s carriage at the Zhuque Gate. The Emperor opened his eyes
wide to look at the Empress Dowager’s kind face. Finally, he couldn’t hold it
anymore, and ‘Putong.’ Without saying anything, he knelt before the
Empress Dowager, surprising Old Zhong and a group of courtiers!

It was nothing. The most surprising thing was that when the Emperor held
the Empress Dowager’s hand, he actually had tears in his eyes. Then he
buried his face in her lap, refusing to lift it for a long time.

Mrs. Xu was surprised. She only left the palace for half a month. And the
Emperor was so excited to see her as if they hadn’t met for years. While
suppressing her doubts, she gently pats his shoulders to show comfort.

Old Zhong sees this scene and hurriedly leads the group to leave.

After thought for a moment, Xiao Qiao took Fei Fei’s hand and led her to
leave. Fei Fei kept turning back, looking at her father, who was crying on
the knee of her Imperial Grandmother, and after being led out by Xiao Qiao,
she softly asked, “Mother, what’s wrong with Father?”
Xiao Qiao pressed down her suspicions and smiled, “Your father has
something to say to Empress Dowager.”

Mrs. Xu softly said, “Shao’er, what’s wrong with you? Is there something
wrong?”

Hearing this long-lost ‘Shao’er’ from his Grandmother, the Emperor could
no longer hold back and choked up, “Grandmother …… Grandmother—
you still– You’re— it’s good — it’s Shao’er’s fault–“

Mrs. Xu was surprised: “Shao’er, what have you done wrong?”

The Emperor stopped talking. He only shook his head while holding her
hand tightly and buried his face in her lap, as if he had lost for a long time
and finally back home.

Mrs. Xu was confused. But seeing her grandson suddenly become like this,
she had a burst of emotion. Even when he suffered the loss of his father, he
never showed such strong feelings. Without asking more questions, she
slightly bent over to hug his grandson’s broad shoulders, patting him on the
back, silently soothing him.

Wei Shao squatted at the window and saw the Emperor holding his
Grandmother. He was stunned and then secretly snorted: “Fortunately, I am
wise and powerful in this life. If I was like you, how can I survive in this
world? Also, I’ll give you this stupid thing a chance and let you get close to
my Grandmother. I’ll coax my daughter first.”

He cast contempt at the Emperor’s back and jumped from the window sill.
……

After a long time, the Emperor’s emotions gradually calmed down. He

raised his head.

Mrs. Xu examined his slightly reddened eyes and smiled, not asking further
questions.

The Emperor knew he had lost his temper. When he lost his father and
brother at 12, his Grandmother was the only light that illuminated his life. In
his heart, no one can replace her.

At twenty-two, while he was in the war, he lost his Grandmother abruptly.

Although he rushed back, his Grandmother had already been buried. Since
then, no one could suppress the beast of hatred in his heart. He magnifies
his desires and ambitions infinitely, using the conquests of war to gain
constant pleasure until the end of his life. When the arrow penetrated his
throat and fell on his back, he suddenly realized he was tired. What he
once wanted might not be what he wanted, but later, it became a habit.

He couldn’t stop what he was doing. No one in that world could.

He was alone.

Now, his Grandmother, who had separated from him for many years,
appeared in front of him alive, with a loving smile, calling him Shao’er’
familiarly. Love and admiration burst out of his heart, which was hard as
stone, and the shell that had imprisoned it shattered and flaked off, so how
could he not cry?
He was familiar with the taste of blood, but it had been many years since
he had tasted his tears. Today, he finally tasted it again. It turned out that all
the world’s delicacies are not as good as the taste of honest tears.

The Emperor suddenly felt relaxed. He even produced a kind of unreal

feeling, as if all the experiences he had in his last life were just a dream.

Now, he had awakened from that nightmare, and all of this now was the
real world.

“Grandmother ……”

He tried his best to calm his mood, pondered, and explained, “When
Grandmother was not here these days, I had a nightmare, dreaming that
Grandmother left me. We didn’t meet for many years. I also did a lot of
things wrong. I see Grandmother now and couldn’t help it. I lose my
temper.”

Mrs. Xu gazed at him and smiled, “That’s good. Grandmother is fine.

Everything is good.”

Chapter 170.2

Wei Shao was currently playing with Fei Fei. To make his daughter happy,
he supported his fat body, jumping up and down vigorously, rolling all over
the ground. Fei Fei was constantly laughing when suddenly she called,
‘Father.’
Wei Shao subconsciously gave a belch but heard himself ‘meow’ instead.
He turned to see his daughter had left him and ran away.

Not far away, the Emperor’s figure came out from Jiade Palace.

Wei Shao stopped where he was, puffing and panting with his mouth open,
staring at Fei Fei with a jealous gaze as he happily called him ‘Father
Emperor’ while dashing towards him.

“Father!” Fei Fei ran to the Emperor and stopped.

After running for a while, she was slightly out of breath, but her eyes were
bright, and a sweet smile hung on her cute little face as she tilted her head
to look at the Emperor, “Father! When I was in the Da Ming Temple, I
thought of my mother and Father every day!” Her voice was soft.

The Emperor looked at the bean-sized girl in front of him who darted
towards him, and after a slight hesitation, he squatted down and opened
his arms towards her.

“Father!”

Fei Fei flung herself into his arms, and after being picked up by the
Emperor, her soft two little arms wrapped around his neck and kissed him
on the cheek.

The Emperor was stunned by this kiss from the fragrant and soft little
person.

Fei Fei, however, didn’t notice the Emperor’s abnormality in the slightest.
Mother kissed her on the cheek and said it was an expression of affection.
She often saw Father and Emperor kissing Mother’s face. That was
because Father Emperor loved Mother.

She also liked her mother and her father.

“Father Emperor, I just saw you crying ……”

Her heart remembered her Father Emperor’s appearance just now, and she
couldn’t rest assured. She tilted her head to look at him. Inside her beautiful
big eyes, she revealed a color of worry, “Father Emperor, why are you
sad?”

The Emperor could not speak for a moment.

“Father, Fei Fei does not want you to be sad ……”

She stretched out a small hand and comfortingly touched his cheek. Her
eyes suddenly lit up, “Mother said that Grandmother Dowager gave me a
name that means forgetting your sorrows. Mother also often says that I am
the Princess of Worriless. Father, you can talk to Fei Fei if you are sad, and
Fei Fei will help you.”

The Emperor looked fixedly at this little person who had wrapped her arms
around his neck and seriously comforted himself. His heart swells with an
unfamiliar feeling of softness and sourness.

This was his daughter ah, his Wei Shao’s daughter in this life, Princess
Worriless.
He blinked, trying desperately to push back the heat gradually flowing into
his eyes. He smiled, gathering his arms around the little person and holding
her close.

……

At nightfall, the Emperor returned to his chamber. Xiao Qiao personally

helped him undress as usual.

“Where is Fei Fei?”

The Emperor slightly lowered his head, gazing at her face. Hearing the
rustling sound of the clothing material as she undressed, he suddenly felt
the surrounding quietness made his mind restless. After fixing his mind, he
opened his mouth as if he had no intention of asking her.

“Fei Fei has already gone to sleep.” Xiao Qiao responded.

In the daytime, Fei Fei and the cat played crazy in the imperial garden. In
the evening, when brought back by Chun Niang, she was covered in sweat,
and after taking a bath, she fell asleep early.

The Emperor gave an ‘oh’ sound, wanting to say something more, but did
not know what topic to start.

Xiao Qiao helped him remove his clothes, raised her eyes, and smiled,
“Has His Majesty gone to bathe?”

The Emperor did not move, only staring at her, and suddenly slowly raised
his hand towards her cheeks. When his fingers were about to touch her
skin, a white shadow shook behind him. The cat unexpectedly rushed out
of some corner and knocked over a goblet standing on the cabinet.

The goblet fell to the ground with a ‘bang.’

The Emperor stopped his hand. He turned and saw that fat cat squatting
between him and the Empress. It blocked in front of the Empress with its
eyes opened like copper bells, the whole body hairs are erected and eyeing
himself, ready to scratch its claw.

The Emperor froze for a moment.

Empress Dowager had returned to the palace, so the cat should also return
to the Jiade Palace, but it stuck to Fei Fei and was unwilling to leave. Fei
Fei also wanted it to accompany her to sleep, and Xiao Qiao couldn’t do
anything about it. She then called the palace maid to send its nest to Fei
Fei’s chamber.

It should have gone to sleep. Unexpectedly at this moment, it had popped

up again and knocked over things, startling people.

Compared to before, this cat seemed to have become spirited, but its
demeanor was also strange. It always seemed as if it wanted to express
something. It was a pity that it could not speak human language.

Xiao Qiao froze.

The Emperor suddenly sneezed and shrugged his shoulders with a strange
expression. Xiao Qiao immediately understood, knew that the cat was too
close to him, and caused him allergies, hurriedly leaned over and picked up
the cat, loudly called the palace maid to come in, passing the struggling cat
over, and instructed them to close the door of the palace, not to let it sneak
in again.

The cat meowed all the way but was held forcefully by the maid.

Xiao Qiao hurriedly went to wash her hands, fetched the anti-itching
ointment, and told the Emperor to sit down and take off his clothes.

Sure enough, within only a moment, small red bumps covered his neck and
chest.

As if he was very itchy, his mouth hissed softly and reached out to scratch.

“Don’t scratch.”

Xiao Qiao stopped him, dabbed some ointment on his skin with the red
rash, then helped him gently smooth it out.

“Alright, bear with it. It won’t itch anymore soon.” She said, taking the small
jade bottle containing the ointment. When she got up, the Emperor held her
other hand.

Xiao Qiao stopped and turned her head to look at him.

The Emperor was silent, only looking up at her, holding her hand in his
palm, gently kneading it.

Xiao Qiao was slightly stunned, then tried to pull away her hand. “I’ll go put
the medicine bottle ……” she smiled.
The Emperor suddenly exerted a slight force, and with a pull, Xiao Qiao
flung herself into his arms and sat on his lap.

With their faces close together, a burst of hot air hit her face.

“What’s wrong with you?” Xiao Qiao was stunned, the smile slowly fading
from her face.

The Emperor gazed at her without speaking and gently pressed her down
onto the dragon bed, touching her forehead with his lips, slowly moving to
her eyelids.

“You are so beautiful …… so beautiful ……”

Accompanied by kisses, his murmured voice rang in her ears.

Xiao Qiao’s eyelashes fluttered slightly.

His lips gradually moved downwards and kissed her lips. His strength
gradually increased, and when he attempted to pry open her lips, Xiao Qiao
opened her eyes and raised her hand to block his mouth.

The Emperor then kissed her hand gently in response, lifted her face, and
looked at her with a color of delight in his eyes.

“Empress,” he paused for a moment, “Man Man ……” he gently called out
her name, slightly serious, “What’s wrong?”

“You are not that husband of mine.” Xiao Qiao stared into his eyes, “Who
are you?”
The Emperor was stunned, and the delightful color in his eyes slowly
disappeared. He released her and sat up. Silence fell.

“I am me.” The Emperor finally said, sounding a little harsh.

“But not my husband.”

The Emperor raised his eyes and looked at her before finally nodding, “Yes.
I am me, yet not the same me in this life.”

“I was originally dead. An arrow pierced through my throat. But I woke up

again, and the first thing I saw was you.” He said slowly.

Xiao Qiao’s eyes widened. Ever since the thunderstorm that almost
shattered one’s heart and soul, Xiao Qiao was keenly aware of the
difference in the person beside her in the bed. She felt like her husband
was a different person. He was still Wei Shao, yet he was not the same Wei
Shao she was familiar with.

Doubts slowly settled in her heart. Finally, she was unable to resist asking.
His answer clarified all her previous suspicions. She slowly sat up.

“What about my husband?” She asked, trembling slightly.

The Emperor watched her.

“I don’t know how he is. I woke up as me in this present world.

Grandmother is alive and well. I have you, and we have Fei Fei. I look back
on my previous life as if it were a nightmare. In this life, I know how I should
live it.”
“Man Man ……”

He called out her name and held her hand once again. But Xiao Qiao
quickly pulled her hand out.

“You are not my husband.” She shook her head, “Where is my husband?
Where did he go?” She repeated the question.

The Emperor fixed his eyes on her face.

“Are you afraid of me?” He asked her. His voice was soft. “Don’t be afraid
of me. I won’t harm you in the slightest.”

“No. I am not afraid of you.” Xiao Qiao shook her head.

“Then, are you blaming me for killing your Qiao family members in the
past? Don’t worry. I won’t do it again in this life. In my last life, I killed all the
people I wanted to kill, but I never got any real pleasure, much less knew
what relief was like. It was only now that I seemed to understand. I regret, I
also envy, even jealous of this life. It was me all the same, but why these
two me, their situations are so vastly different ……”

His tone gradually became agitated, closed his eyes, and took a long
breath.

Xiao Qiao looked at this handsome face in front of her that she was so
familiar with she could depict it with her eyes closed, and softly said, “It’s
good that you understand. Since you understand, you should return to
wherever you came from ……”
He turned a deaf ear. “I realize that I like you,” he said, “From the first
moment I saw you, I had that feeling. I want to be close to you. You bring
pleasure and satisfaction to my heart in a way that I never felt before– He
may never come back again, or he may have become one with me. For I
am he, and he is me!”

The Emperor’s tone suddenly intensified as he said this sentence.

“You may be him. He also carried your shadow with him in this life. But you
are not the husband I love. This is all just an illusion for you, and when the
illusion is gone, everything will return to its original state.”

Xiao Qiao said.

The Emperor’s eyes gazed at her fixedly, and he suddenly gathered her
into his arms and kissed her lips once again.

“I am him, and he is me. You have to believe ……”

He repeated in her ear, over and over again, with irresistible power.

He wrapped his arms around her, wanting to embed her into his body.

Xiao Qiao’s body trembled slightly at the familiar scent of him surrounding
her, couldn’t resist.

……
Wei Shao had exhausted his strength to climb the bed chamber’s window
sill. With trembling, he poked through an opening, which allowed him to see
this scene on the dragon bed, and immediately exploded in anger.

Robbing his grandmother was fine, but then he looted his little princess.

Although he was unhappy, he barely tolerated it. Yet now, he even wanted
to rob his beautiful Empress from him!

Fuck!

Wei Shao meowed loudly and crashed through the window pane fiercely.
With the scattered flying wood shavings, he leaped, landed, and rolled like
a tiger toward the Emperor that still embraced Xiao Qiao.

……

“Husband! Husband!”

When he heard Xiao Qiao’s voice calling out to him, his blood boiled even
more fervently, his teeth and claws flailing, his throat ho-ho-ho, fighting to
the death. He suddenly felt someone slapped him a few times.

“Let Man Man go!” He roared. He snapped his eyes open and popped into
a sitting position.

Xiao Qiao was lying on the edge of the bed, startled by him and shivered,
almost falling off the dragon bed. She patted her chest and crawled over to
sit on her knees beside him, frowning slightly, “What’s wrong with you?
What let go of me? Grinding your teeth in your sleep and kicking me so
many times!”

Wei Shao’s heart was beating so hard it almost popped out of his throat. He
gasped for air and slowly came back to his senses. He met Xiao Qiao’s line
of sight and then suddenly lowered his head to look down at his hands and
feet, his voice still trembling, “Man Man! Am I a human or a cat? Am I still
there? Touch me, am I me?”

After having been made suffer by him, Xiao Qiao was extremely tired. She
was asleep, but his kick awakened her, and she almost flew under the bed.
When she opened his eyes, she saw that he was lying there with his eyes
closed, gnashing his teeth and looking terrified.

Initially, she was angry, but his pale, sweaty face made her heartache. She
hurriedly took a towel to wipe his sweat. She asked: “What exactly did you
dream of? Scared you into this state?”

“What day is today?” He asked, his eyes still fuzzy.

“The eighth day of the first month.”

“The Cliff was just sent to Da Ming Temple last night?”

Xiao Qiao nodded.

“Grandmother is still at the Da Ming Temple?”

“She shall return tomorrow.”

“We just …… have been sleeping?”

Xiao Qiao unhappily glared at him, “Isn’t you who came back in the middle
of the day, dragging and insisting on sleeping with me ……” She stopped
when he suddenly raised his hand to pinch himself. After closing his eyes
for a while, he jumped from the bed, not caring that he was still naked, and
wildly laughed.

Xiao Qiao was startled by him again and shouted, “Wei Shao! If you keep
going absurd like this, I’ll get annoyed!”

“Man Man! Man Man! Excellent! I’m still me! I was scared to death!”

Wei Shao lunged toward her, knocking her down on the dragon bed.

Xiao Qiao slapped him, but he didn’t care. He hugged her tightly and
incessantly kissed her face, leading her to roll on the dragon bed.

“Man Man, hit me! As hard as you can! Wake me up!”

Xiao Qiao shouted twice before he gagged her mouth.

……

The Emperor and Empress had been in the chamber since mid-afternoon
and had not come out. The Emperor even ordered to send the evening
meal.

The prime minister and a few other ministers sought him for something to
discuss. After waiting a long time in the Imperial Study without seeing the
Emperor, they asked the palace staff to send a message to the Guang Hua
Palace.

“Pass on my words; I have suffered quite a shock today and must rest well
for a whole night! Let’s talk about heavenly matters tomorrow!”

The Emperor was interrupted when he was doing a good deed. He lifted
the curtain and roared outwards.

The palace staff was startled, hurriedly bowing and responding. They were
about to exit when the Emperor seemed to remember something.

“Also, the Empress Dowager’s cat, keep an eye on it for me! It is not
allowed to appear in the Guang Hua Palace! If it comes one step closer, I
will hold you all accountable!”

The Emperor’s roar echoed in the Guang Hua Palace, buzzing for a long
time.

Chapter 171.1

Extra Story: I Want To Grow Old With You

The next day, the Empress Dowager returned to the Palace with Fei Fei.

When Wei Shao got the news, he immediately stopped the meeting with
the ministers to welcome Empress Dowager outside the Zhu Que Gate. He
was so excited when he saw Empress Dowager, and he refused to leave
after sending her back to Jiade Palace and accompanied her for a long
time to talk.
Mrs. Xu thought he had something to discuss with her. She smiled and
said: “Is the Emperor has something to say to Grandmother? There is no
harm in speaking.”

Wei Shao froze briefly and remembered a group of ministers still waiting in
the Imperial Study. He hurriedly shook his head, bade the maids to serve
the Empress Dowager, and then left.

Xiao Qiao, who waited on the side, felt that he was acting strange.

When he returned to the bed chamber at night, they shared a bath, and she
made fun of him. The speaker did not mean it, but Wei Shao’s heart
suddenly thumped, remembering last night’s incident.

Last night he pleases Xiao Qiao in the dragon bed, and Xiao Qiao also
compliments him. The two people lingered for most of the night and finally
tired.

Embracing his beloved woman before going to sleep, he felt satisfied.

At that time, he did not think much, only holding the exhausted Xiao Qiao
and falling asleep.

Being reminded of her at this moment, he felt like he was experiencing a

dream, and anxiety burst from his heart.

Is he still in the dream and has not woken up?

“Man Man…… you hit me again! Hit me!”

Xiao Qiao was just casually making fun of him. Seeing him suddenly look
grave, she giggled and peddled water with both hands, splashing him
coldly: “What’s wrong with Your Majesty again?”

Water splashed on Wei Shao’s face. He closed his eyes and saw her on his
opposite side when he opened them again. In the dense mist, she slightly
tilted her head to look at him with her starry eyes, smiling. He stretched out
his arm to hold her and connected their forehead. His heart suddenly
stabilized, and all the feelings of daydreaming disappeared.

“I’m fine ……,” he murmured, lowered his head, and kissed her lips.

“Man Man, It’s so wonderful to have you in my life ….”

……

Two months later, the Empress was pronounced pregnant.

Mrs. Xu and all the officials were also overjoyed, eagerly waiting for the
Empress to give birth to another dragon heir.

……

In the third year of Taihe’s early summer, in the fourth period of the day,
Xiao Qiao was awakened in her sleep by a vague pain in her abdomen, so
she woke up Wei Shao, who was sleeping next to her.

Wei Shao woke to see she was covering her stomach and curled into a
ball. He bounced up and rolled out of the dragon bed. Without putting on
his shoes, he ran out and yelled: “Empress is going to give birth!”
One shout alarmed the entire Guang Hua Palace.

The Empress’ delivery date was approaching, and the Palace had prepared
early. The Emperor’s roar caused the entire Guanghua Palace immediately
be awakened and inform the Jiade Palace.

Mrs. Xu quickly rushed over. At this time, a few midwives entered the room
and closed the door. The Emperor was guarding the maternity ward and
looked apprehensive yet excited.

When Xiao Qiao gave birth to Fei Fei, he fought in the South. Fei Fei has
already several months old when he returned. He couldn’t accompany her
to welcome the arrival of their first child, and he always regrets it.

This time, he could accompany her, and he felt incomparably joyful. Seeing
that Mrs. Xu had also arrived, he busily assisted her, “Grandmother, Man
Man is about to give birth!”

Mrs. Xu peered at him, saw him smiling, and nodded with a smile.

Wei Shao waited for Xiao Qiao to give birth to their second child with
excitement and anticipation along with Mrs. Xu. As the hours ticked by, he
couldn’t sit still, and his smile gradually disappeared.

Wei Shao had heard of the pain of childbirth before. He didn’t expect that
Man Man would have to endure such pain. He listened to the midwives’
voices in the delivery room, interspersed with her suppressed intermittent
moans and groans. His whole body tensed up tightly.
If it wasn’t for Old Zhong and Chun Niang stopping him, he almost had to
break in several times.

Another cry of pain.

“Do all of you know how to deliver babies or not? It’s hurting Man Man so
much!” He jumped up abruptly with cold sweat on his forehead and rushed
to the door, picking his way towards it and yelling loudly.

The voices inside subsided, presumably because the midwives and the
woman in labor were startled.

Old Zhong and Chun Niang went up in unison, urging him in to rest for a
while.

Wei Shao where unwilling to listen and couldn’t stop walking around the
doorway.

“It’s better for the Emperor to go rest for a while! When the child is born,
you can come back!” Finally, even Mrs. Xu couldn’t stand it anymore and
spoke out.

Wei Shao acted as if he hadn’t heard. Seeing this, Mrs. Xu smiled bitterly
and shook her head.

“Ah–“

At last, when the dawn was almost breaking, he heard Xiao Qiao let out a
prolonged cry of pain through the door. The last bit of blood faded from his
lips, his heart beating like a drum, and he rushed to the door.
“Man Man!” He raised his hand to push the door.

“Ay! Ay! Your Majesty!”

Old Zhong and Chun Niang were startled, hurriedly tugging his left and
right.

A loud and clear baby crying came from the door.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations to the Empress Dowager!

The Empress has given birth to a dragon son, and both mother and child
are safe!” Then, there was the midwives elevated voice of joy.

Wei Shao stopped for a long moment, exhaled, and took advantage of the
fact that Old Zhong and Chun Niang had let go of him in their joy, pushed
the door open, and stepped inside.

The midwife had already wrapped the newly born son in swaddling clothes
and sent it to Xiao Qiao’s side. Suddenly, the Emperor barged right in,
making her shocked. She hurriedly knelt and congratulated him.

Wei Shao came straight to Xiao Qiao’s side and gazed down at her pale
face covered with beads of sweat. Without saying anything, he reached out
and gently held one of her hands.

Xiao Qiao had heard the commotion he had made outside and was not
surprised to see him break in.

At the moment, although she felt tired and weak, her heart was warm.
Turning her face to meet Wei Shao’s gaze, she smiled faintly and softly
said, “Your Majesty, look, our son, Fei Fei’s younger brother. What a pretty
face.”

Wei Shao’s gaze went to the newly born son of theirs in her arms. Although
he had just been born, he already had a high nose and long dark
eyelashes. He was smacking his tiny mouth in his mother’s arms. His
appearance was adorable.

“Man Man, it’s been hard on you.”

In front of the midwives, he bowed to kiss his Empress’s forehead,

happiness welling in his heart.

……

The Empress celebrated the birth of her prince and named him Hong.

Three days later, the Emperor held a ceremony at the Imperial Temple. The
court officials made congratulatory memorials to the Emperor, and the civil
and military officials wore auspicious clothes for ten days and issued an
imperial decree to inform the whole world of the event.

In September of that year, a group of envoys from Wu Zhuqu arrived in

Luoyang. The imperial court made a treaty with the Xiongnu, with the
Sanggan River as the boundary, agreeing not to infringe on each other and
opening several farms at the border. The Xiongnu paid tribute in the form of
good horses, and Great Yan repatriated tens of thousands of prisoners
from the Battle of Shanggu several years earlier.
The day when the prisoners were released, the banks of the Sanggan
River, which had flowed for a hundred years in loneliness, were filled with
the sound of calling and tears. Wu Zhuqu offering a gift to the Empress
Dowager. Among the offering was ‘Hamo,’ a robe made from sixteen pieces
of lamb skin.

In Xiongnu custom, after the marriage of a man and a woman, the mother
of the woman’s family would receive ‘Hamo’ from the man’s family to
express gratitude for her hard work in raising her daughter for sixteen
years.

After the messenger conveyed the gift, Wu Zhuqu was apprehensive, lest
the Empress Dowager not accept the Hamo. Half a month later, when the
Empress Dowager did not return it, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

T/N: reminder; Wu Zhuqu kidnapped Mrs. Xu’s daughter and married her,
and they had a son, Wei Yan.

……

In the fourth year of Taihe, after the Crown Prince turned one year old, one
day, Mrs. Xu called the Emperor and the Empress and told them that she
decided to go back to Youzhou and settle down in Wuzhong City.

That year, the Empress Dowager was almost seventy years old. Although
she was old, she ate a light diet every day. To this day, she personally
plants flowers and weeding the grass, and she is hale and hearty.
The Emperor and Empress were surprised. They both kneel, blaming
themselves for being unfilial and pleading with their grandmother to retract
her order.

Mrs. Xu said she wanted to return not because they were not doing well
enough but because that everything was fine and she could rest assured.

Wei Shao continued to kowtow, but Xiao Qiao looked at Mrs. Xu’s face
thoughtfully.

Wu Zhong City was where she and Wei Shao’s grandfather married and his
burial place. Besides her husband, there were memories of her son,
daughter, and grandchildren there. Half of her life’s past events, or
unfulfilled wishes, are closely related and couldn’t be separated.

Now that she was nearly seventy years old and had made such a decision,
although Xiao Qiao might still find it difficult to understand her feelings, she
would respect her choice.

She kowtowed to Mrs. Xu and said, “Granddaughter-in-law understands.

After sending Grandmother back to her hometown, I will bring my child to
visit Grandmother every year in the future and hope that Grandmother will
live a long and healthy life.”

Chapter 171.2

Mrs. Xu smiled at the Emperor and said, “Shao’er, Grandmother has

always felt that you are not as wise as your wife, and this is still the case.
She understands me, so don’t stand in my way.”
Although Wei Shao was very reluctant, Mrs. Xu had made up her mind, so
he finally agreed.

In September of the present year, when the summer heat was over and
golden autumn was coming, the Emperor and the Empress sent Mrs. Xu
back to the north.

The night before they left, Xiao Qiao took Fei Fei and Hong Er to
accompany Mrs. Xu inside Jiade Palace. As the night wore on, the two
siblings went to bed, and Xiao Qiao sent Mrs. Xu to her bed and knelt in
front of her, unwilling to get up for a long time.

Mrs. Xu gazed at her and suddenly said, “Man Man, Grandmother will go
back tomorrow. I know you have always wanted to know why Grandmother
allowed Shao’er to marry the Qiao family’s daughter.”

“If it weren’t for Grandmother’s support, how can I marry my husband?

Grandmother’s broad-mindedness and compassion are even more than a
blessing for me.”

Mrs. Xu smiled and sighed: “You are so smart. You don’t need me to say
more. You must know what I think. Shao’er was obsessed with vengeance
and not listening to advice. I’m always worried that he will be trapped by his
heart’s demon, unable to resolve his obsession, which may not be a
blessing in his life. The deepest obsession in his heart stems from the pain
of his father’s death when he was a teenager. Therefore, when I learned
that your Qiao family was seeking marriage between two families and
heard Qiao’s daughter’s famous reputation and thought of the old things
……” She stopped.
Xiao Qiao straightened up from her seat and looked up at her.

Mrs. Xu seemed to fall into the memories of the past, sighing: “Man Man,
before your grandfather died, he had sent me a letter, confessed what he
did that year, to be willing to fall into hell, begging after his death, the Wei
family can spare the Qiao family. Grandmother also hated your
grandfather’s betrayal that caused Grandmother to lose a child and
grandchild. But in a chaotic world, what is justice? Which one of us doesn’t
have a human life in our hands? Whoever has not caused others to lose a
husband’s wife or a son’s father? We all must know that this is not fair.
Even if we destroyed the Qiao family, it couldn’t erase the pain and
suffering inflicted. However, if I can use this opportunity to dissolve the
hatred so that Shao’er can get rid of his demons, dissolve his obsession,
and no longer spend the rest of his life in mourning, what can’t I let go of?”

As if she had touched a sentimental feeling, there were hidden flashes of

tears at the corners of her eyes.

Xiao Qiao took hold of her hand and slowly pressed the side of her face
against the back of her warm hand.

Mrs. Xu lowered her head and touched her hair lovingly.

“Man Man, Grandmother is not as good as you think. It was out of my

selfishness that I decided to let you marry here in the first place. At that
time, I thought that if Ms. Qiao could use her intelligence to neutralize my
grandson’s hostility and make a good match, I’ll achieve my wish. If not, it
would only be a sacrifice of a daughter of the Qiao family. Just now, you
said you are grateful to Grandmother. It was Grandmother grateful to you.
Because of your arrival, my Wei family has today’s prosperity, and I can live
to see my great-grandchildren. Tomorrow I will return to the north. From
now on, Grandmother will entrust Shao’er to you. Grandmother is very
relieved.”

In Mrs. Xu’s sole eye, a delighted smile flashed.

“Grandmother! Man Man can’t bear to part with you!” Xiao Qiao choked up
and couldn’t help but jump into Mrs. Xu’s arms.

Mrs. Xu smiled and hugged her, gently patting her back and coaxing her
like a child. Not far away, at the corner of the door, Wei Shao, who had just
come over, stood there while looking at Grandmother soothed her.

……

The next day, the Emperor and the Empress escorted the Empress
Dowager to Wu Zhong City. After three days of accompaniment, the two
reluctantly said goodbye and left.

Wei Shao was puzzled by his Grandmother’s decision. After leaving

Wuzhong City, he felt depressed and unhappy.

Xiao Qiao said that his Grandmother may still have unfinished business in
her heart. This place was closer to her attachment.

Wei Shao was silent, finally nodded, and said that he understood.

The Emperor and the Empress left Wu Zhong, passing by Yuyang, and
stayed in the old mansion for one night.
Early the next day, Xiao Qiao strangely found that Wei Shao, who has
never worshipped ghosts and gods, made a trip to the Queen Mother’s Hall
in the east of the city and not only burned incense in it but also ordered the
Yuyang Magistrate to rebuild the golden body for the Queen Mother, and
the several messengers in front of her statue.

At night, he circled in front of one of the statues of the Golden Armored

God, staring at the god for a long time, looking odd.

After coming out, the two rode in the same carriage. When Xiao Qiao
remembered he peeled off the mural wall, she teased him: “The Emperor
once peeled off the mural wall, now suddenly you repaired the temple. Why
the Emperor suddenly changed his temper? Did you dream about the gods,
and they asked you to atone for your sins?”

Wei Shao still wakes up in the middle of the night feeling afraid, and he
must touch the Empress to confirm that she is right next to him before he
rest assured. Of course, he won’t mention this matter to her.

Being teased by her, Wei Shao snapped and then thought of the dream’s
absurdity. He couldn’t help but laugh, embracing her into his arms, biting
her ear, and said, “Heaven’s secrets are not to be leaked.”

……

Besides sending Mrs. Xu to the north, this trip intended to inspect the river.
At the end of October, the Emperor and Empress traveled to the Yellow
River and passed by Wu Chao Ferry.
Wu Chao Ferry no longer flourished because several dozens of miles away
from the upstream emerges a new pier with large boats, easy to reach and
more secure.

Wu Chao Ferry gradually declines and only has one trip per day. However,
the hostel where the two had stayed that year remained on the shore,
covered with dust.

This evening, the Yellow River sunset dyed the mountains and wilderness
golden. During the day, the last traveler in the hostel had left, and no one
had entered the door for the rest of the day.

The female Boss leaned against the worn counter dozing and suddenly
heard a clattering sound of carriages from far. Presuming the carriage won’t
stop at her place, she resumes her sleep.

But the clattering sound stopped at the door. The Boss opened her eyes
and saw a man and a woman that looked like husband and wife entering
the door. The man was about thirty, handsome, and the woman was
beautiful and looked younger than he was. They were like lovers, and the
initially dull and shabby hostel instantly brightened up.

There are post houses dozens of miles away. The officials and dignitaries
who need to spend the night, all of them would stay there. This kind of
dilapidated old guest house was just for ordinary travelers.

The Boss looked dumbfounded for a moment. After returning to her

senses, she hurriedly entertained them. Knowing they would stay here
together with the entourage, she nodded anxiously. She took them to one
of the cleanest guest rooms, wiping the tables and chairs. Before
withdrawing, she looked at the beautiful woman again.

Xiao Qiao saw the Boss frequently looking at herself, so she smiled at her.

The Boss suddenly slapped her thigh and let out an ‘ah’: ”I remember!
Many years ago, Madam and Master had stayed here because of the
frozen river!”

This young woman was too beautiful and unforgettable. At first glance, she
felt she had seen them before, and when Xiao Qiao smiled at her, she
finally remembered.

Seeing that she still remembered her, Xiao Qiao nodded and smiled, ”Boss
has a good memory. Many years ago, my husband and I did stay at your
place. Today, we are passing by and staying again.”

The Boss still remembered that the couple’s status was noble and
rewarded a lot of money before they left. Unexpectedly, after many years,
this couple would come to stay here again, so she was overwhelmed with
joy and bowed to thank them again and again. She was happy and
chattered on the side: “Thanks to the generous rewards of the Master and
Madam. The ferry is in decline, and I only have a few customers here. It is
hard to hold on. My son and daughter-in-law went to the city with the
reward money to settle down and start a small business. Although the
beginning was difficult, the world is at peace, and no need to go to war. My
son often said he wanted to take us over to live together, but my husband
has been guarding the ferry for most of his life. We can’t leave here. If I
were to leave, perhaps the guests who wanted to stay won’t be able to find
a place to stay, so I thought it would be good karma to keep the place. I
didn’t expect to see you again today. It’s a blessing for me!”

Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao looked at each other and smiled.

Yellow River inspection has ended, and they were about to return to
Luoyang. They suddenly learned that the Wu Chao ferry was in the front
and remembered that year when Xiao Qiao returned to her home, and Wei
Shao picked her up but returned emptyhanded.

Before coming, they heard the Magistrate mention that the Wu Chao ferry
was now dilapidated. They did not expect that the hostel was still there, and
the Boss remembered what happened back then, which led them to
reminiscence.

That night, Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao spent a beautiful night in this
dilapidated but clean guest house. In the middle of the night, Wei Shao
hugged Xiao Qiao, sitting side by side in front of the window, giggling and
whispering, reminiscing about the scene at that time.

Wei Shao suddenly remembered that nameless hill once they climbed in
the snow. He got excited and pulled Xiao Qiao and dressed her. Then, he
carried her on the back of the horse, following the old road to find the past.

Under the moonlight, the horse hooves sounded. Not far behind, a line of
secret guards silently follow.

Wei Shao finally found the hill. Holding Xiao Qiao’s hand, they climbed to
the top again.
Under the moon, Wei Shao tightly wrapped Xiao Qiao, who leaned on him,
his heart surging, and then suddenly let loose a big whistle in the distance:
“I want to grow old with you! I want to grow old with you, to be with you for
the rest of my life! Even if the river dried, I will never lose my heart!”

Xiao Qiao was startled by him, then laughed. Afraid that the guards would
hear his roar, she covered his mouth.

The moment she covered it, her hand paused. She tilted her face and
looked at his excited eyes under the moonlight. Suddenly, she punched
him, scolded him a ‘fool,’ then tightly hooked his neck and kissed him.

……

Man Man, what would I be today if I hadn’t met you? The man said.

But you’ve already met me! The woman smiles.

The moon and the starry sky silently look at this lover at the top of the hill
on the banks of the great river.

The End

T/N: ay, finally completed! Thank you for supporting this novel!