"Recruiting talent inevitably costs money, perhaps we should prepare more funds?" Ning Xuejun suggested.
Xiao Qing went along with the idea, nodding, "As you command!"
Ning Xuejun reminded him, "The Master is the most important. The imperial physician said the Master must take good care of his health and not overexert himself. After all..."
"Alright, alright, old mother, stop talking. I know..." Xiao Qing quickly covered his face.
In the basement of a civilian house in Luzhou, Zuo Wushang was discussing important matters with Hong Qu and Hong Jie under the dim candlelight.
"Liang Xiao and the Princess have both arrived in Luzhou. Marshal, this is a great opportunity for us!!" Hong Qu was so excited that blood rushed to his head, as if success was within reach.
Zuo Wushang sighed, "Since the Princess is in Luzhou, we are rather hesitant to act! If the Princess were to meet any mishap, wouldn't all our efforts be in vain?"
The brothers lowered their heads in silence.
When the Princess's whereabouts became unknown years ago, everyone proposed Zuo Wushang become the new emperor of the Great Heng Dynasty. Only Zuo Wushang strongly opposed it, firmly believing that the Princess was still alive, simply because that jade pendant had not surfaced.
"Then what should we do now?" Hong Qu was anxious.
Hong Jie sighed, "Marshal, even if not for the Princess, we should withdraw from the uprising in Luzhou..."
"Why?" Zuo Wushang asked, confused.
"Liang Xiao is a cautious person. If he dares to come to Luzhou so openly, he must have some reliance. He probably has an elite force secretly protecting him. Who knows, the Heavenly General might 'appear' in Luzhou again!"
Zuo Wushang and Hong Qu's hearts trembled.
The uprising in Luzhou was planned with Hong Jie's involvement, yet he was now strongly opposing it!
"How should we find an excuse to withdraw?" Zuo Wushang asked.
"Of course, we cannot withdraw openly, but we must stay out of it and fish in troubled waters. Under no circumstances should we be the first to charge to our deaths!"
Hong Jie paused, then said gravely, "We will contribute fifty thousand taels to bribe those bandits and use them for our own purposes. At the same time, let them wear our armor and fly our banners. The Return Spring Sect might not even notice anything amiss. We, however, can watch from the sidelines. If it succeeds, we will seize the opportunity; if it fails, we will flee to Jinling."
"Yan Jun might be difficult to fool," Zuo Wushang sighed.
"That will depend on the Marshal's ability to rally support," Hong Jie said unhurriedly.
Zuo Wushang smiled slightly, slowly stood up, and said, "Then we will watch from the sidelines and fan the flames! After all, even if the Great Heng Dynasty is restored, the Return Spring Sect remains a scourge. There are only a few hundred compatriots in Luzhou. Our presence in the rebel army will neither add nor subtract much."
In a secret chamber in a residential house south of the city, core disciples of the Return Spring Sect were gathered.
Ye Qingyi and Yan Jun were both present!
"Qingyi, the man who hurt your heart is also in Luzhou," Yan Jun said with a light smile.
Ye Qingyi's expression was indifferent. "That is in the past. I was merely following orders. It's just that Liang Xiao is incorruptible, not easily swayed by beauty. Did the Sect Master not also fail to sway him?"
Yan Jun's face was covered in frost. "Therefore, he and Zhuo Zifang must both die in Luzhou!"
Ye Qingyi asked without hesitation, "How are the preparations going? Let's not have any oversights again in the end."
Yan Jun snorted coldly. "Of course, it's foolproof! With the support of the Gongyang Clan of Jiangnan, this Luzhou must be taken as a stepping stone to control all of Jiangnan, advance directly to Jinling, and thus contend for the world! You should also go and inform your Marshal to prepare early."
Ye Qingyi nodded and turned to leave. With her back to the crowd, a bitter smile finally appeared on her face.
She had already decided to focus on the grand cause of restoring the nation, but...
That peerless and extraordinary man who could earnestly tell her stories of immortals, made her feel respected by a man for the first time in her life.
Would he truly die in Luzhou?
The next morning, Liang Xiao and Jian Qinwan came out of their room and were startled to find Qin Xin already waiting at the door.
Jian Qinwan quickly linked her arm through Liang Xiao's.
Qin Xin gave the two a meaningful glance and walked over to open the box on the table.
The Sunset Bow lay quietly within, along with several boxes of Dragon Tooth Arrows on the floor.
"The Master considered that there have been many bandits appearing in Jiangnan recently. With Marquis Anguo's archery skills, combined with the Sunset Bow to suppress the bandits, perhaps he can kill enemy leaders and demoralize the enemy!"
Liang Xiao picked up the Sunset Bow, nodding in satisfaction. "Master is truly thoughtful!"
These few boxes of Dragon Tooth Arrows should contain over a thousand in total.
Dragon Tooth Arrows were slightly heavier than ordinary arrows, and only powerful bows like the Heaven Shaking Bow or the Sunset Bow could use them.
When Liang Xiao learned that he intended to prepare some for Nan Jiyun, Gongsun Jing immediately sent people with several boxes of Dragon Tooth Arrows to the northern military camp without a second word.
"My Master is very thoughtful, isn't she?" Qin Xin rarely smiled, then changed the subject. "I also hope Marquis Anguo will not give my Master any cause for worry. During this period, we are ordered to protect Marquis Anguo and Miss Qinwan, and to take care of your daily lives."
Jian Qinwan: ...
"Alas, it's all because I'm too filial. I'm really getting more and more unable to deal with Master."
The person in question completely disregarded his shameless demeanor and, after speaking, did not forget to put his arm around Jian Qinwan's shoulder.
Jian Qinwan merely blushed and dared not speak!
What protection and taking care of their daily lives meant was clearly to observe whether she and the "flower thief" had "consummated their marriage." How could anyone bully her like this... she would be bullied to death by this annoying flower thief again!
With Qin Xin and the others present, she dared not casually retort to this hateful flower thief!
Most of the Tian Shan knights and the female soldiers from the Marquis of Dingguo's estate had gone from overt to covert, gathering information about Luzhou for Liang Xiao.
Since Liang Xiao had already made a public appearance, the hundred-plus guards of the Liang Mansion no longer disguised themselves and were stationed around the mansion Liang Xiao had rented.
This mansion was right next door to Li Jinyu's and was the largest and best in Luzhou's prime location, costing Liang Xiao a full thousand taels.
Zhuo Zifang and his grandchildren also lived here, to avoid any awkward encounters with Li Jinyu.
"The Female Painting Immortal is going to the capital with Marquis Anguo?"
Upon receiving the news, the painters from the Luzhou painting workshops all expressed their regret.
The Female Painting Immortal had been living in obscurity for years, and now that she had finally dared to show herself, she was leaving?
"Marquis Anguo is recruiting painters for a bookshop in the capital, with generous treatment!"
Another piece of news spread, and painters eagerly applied.
Firstly, it was because of the reputations of Li Jinyu and Zhuo Xun, and secondly, the treatment offered by Liang Xiao was indeed very good, more than double that of the highest-paying employers in the past.
Liang Xiao also quietly arranged for his mansion staff to recruit workers, preparing to open a bookshop in Luzhou.
After spending a night with Yue Lian, Zhuo Xun now looked at Liang Xiao with stars in her eyes.
No matter what Liang Xiao said, Zhuo Xun nodded obediently, "Mm-hmm, mm-hmm."
Liang Xiao, standing before her, was not a consumptive invalid, but a man of many great deeds!
Tuntian (agricultural reclamation), smallpox prevention, Yan Prefecture defense, East Sea bandit suppression, Qu Yuan plow...
The young girl, experiencing her first love, looked as if she were about to faint into Liang Xiao's arms at any moment, which made Yue Lian chuckle.
Zhuo Zifang also completely relaxed, happy as a seventy-year-old child, his words full of joy.
Looking at her infatuated disciple, Li Jinyu even felt a little "jealous" and couldn't help but ask, "The fame of Marquis Anguo is like thunder in my ears, but I have always been puzzled about one matter. If I may be so bold as to ask: it is rumored in the marketplace that Marquis Anguo was once an unlearned dandy. How did he suddenly become famous a few months ago, achieving countless deeds worthy of being passed down through generations?"
Li Jinyu's heartfelt words also awakened Li Xiuyun and the others.
This was also why many people in Jiangnan believed Liang Xiao to be the Ghost King Liang Xiao.
Even Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian fell into thought.
Especially Yue Lian, who spent her days with Liang Xiao, felt a degree of curiosity.
Her young master had never participated in military campaigns before, so why was he the invincible Heavenly General of the world...