The arrival of the Jiangnan Iron Cavalry completely shattered the last vestiges of the rebel alliance's fighting spirit.
What had once been a siege was, overnight, transformed into a slaughterous counterattack!
"Jiangnan Iron Cavalry?"
Liang Xiao, who was in the midst of battle, heard the roars of the defending soldiers within the city and was both surprised and delighted.
With this, the situation was decided!
Feeling somewhat weary from the fighting and concerned about revealing his identity, Liang Xiao decided not to wait for his troops to join forces with the Shadow Guards. He decisively issued an order: "Let's retreat back into the city first!"
Gongsun Dingjun, aware that his men were exhausted and wounded, did not dare to be careless. The five hundred cavalrymen immediately followed Liang Xiao back into the city.
The routed rebels, in no condition to face their onslaught, steered clear of Liang Xiao's contingent, each man fleeing for his life as if their legs were too short.
Halfway back, Bai Ye Fei Ying suddenly halted, and Liang Xiao dismounted.
"Is the General injured?!"
Gongsun Dingjun and the others were startled and rushed to dismount and offer assistance, but Liang Xiao had already remounted his horse.
"Return to the city!"
The five hundred men rode back into the city at their fastest pace.
"Hail our Heavenly General of Divine Might!"
The defending soldiers, having achieved victory, were in tears as they knelt on the ground, welcoming the Heavenly General's triumphant return.
Zhuo Zifang, also kneeling, suppressed his tears as he gazed at the silhouette of the Heavenly General on horseback, his heart pounding wildly...
That figure, those eyes, they were so alike!
Liang Xiao merely waved to the crowd, produced the Heavenly General's token, and declared loudly, "Orders are like mountains; you must not follow!"
As everyone watched in surprise, Liang Xiao had already vanished into the distance.
"Where is the Heavenly General going?" many soldiers anxiously asked.
Zhuo Zifang came to his senses, his eyes darting around. He then shouted, "Everyone, take a short rest and assist in mopping up the enemy. The Heavenly General's affairs can be discussed later. Orders are like mountains!"
The soldiers straightened their resolve, nodded, and after a brief rest, some charged out of Luzhou to assist the Shadow Guards and Jiangnan Iron Cavalry in hunting down the remaining enemy forces.
Ding Wuyi also spotted the Heavenly General returning to the city, and he immediately became anxious. He handed over command of his troops to the captains and rushed back to the breach in the city wall.
"Commander Zhuo, where is the Heavenly General?"
Upon hearing Ding Wuyi's urgent inquiry, Zhuo Zifang paused for a few breaths before replying, "He left alone moments ago and disappeared. Let's resolve the battle first..."
Ding Wuyi was taken aback and could only nod. His heart filled with questions, he asked, "Where is Young Master Liang Er?"
Zhuo Zifang gave a wry smile, "I ordered Liang Xiao to retreat earlier. I don't know how he is doing..."
Now, Zhuo Zifang himself was filled with doubts and could only focus on finishing the battle.
Unable to meet the Heavenly General face-to-face, Ding Wuyi was speechless. He could only return to the battlefield, venting his frustration on the fleeing enemy.
Meanwhile, Jian Qinwan and others were already waiting for Liang Xiao in the stables. Hong Xiu had opened a back door for Liang Xiao in advance, while the Heavenly Mountain Knights and the female soldiers of the Dingguo Marquisate stood guard outside.
Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian looked on with eager anticipation, and tears welled up in their eyes as they finally spotted a white figure flying in the distance.
After Liang Xiao entered, Hong Xiu immediately locked the back door and bowed to Liang Xiao with his palms clasped together, "Marquis Anguo, your benevolence is a blessing to all living beings."
Liang Xiao sighed, "I must thank the two masters for gifting me the halberd and the horse, as well as my mother-in-law and father-in-law for the armor and sword. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been this easy."
Without the Tianlong Pocheng Halberd and Bai Ye Fei Ying, Liang Xiao would not have dared to be so reckless on the battlefield. He would have opted to harass from the periphery, as human strength is finite and susceptible to being overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
With the Tianlong Pocheng Halberd that could slice through iron and Bai Ye Fei Ying that could charge through anything, and both of them clad in sturdy, lightweight armor, they had achieved such results!
Mother-in-law and father-in-law?
Jian Qinwan, who had been weeping, blushed as she gazed at Liang Xiao with deep affection.
When Liang Xiao removed his helmet, revealing his sweat-drenched face and smiling at them, Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian once again burst into tears.
"See, I've always kept my word to you. When I said I'd return victorious, I meant it. I still have to come back to tell you ghost stories." Liang Xiao tried to appear relaxed.
"Young Master is the best!" Yue Lian sobbed.
Jian Qinwan also wiped away her tears and nodded obediently, her heart still pounding. "I thought... the next time, you must be careful!"
She had wanted to warn Liang Xiao not to take risks, but she worried that she might interfere with his future strategies and inadvertently harm him. Thus, she could only remind him to be safe.
Liang Xiao laughed heartily, "I've tested Fei Ying's jumping power, it's incredible. Don't worry, I never take unnecessary risks."
Upon hearing this, Jian Qinwan gazed at Liang Xiao resentfully, "You scared me so badly. How are you going to compensate me..."
Liang Xiao laughed and reached into his chest, then pulled out his hand. "Look!"
Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian looked intently.
In Liang Xiao's hand was a small flower, no taller than three feet.
Jian Qinwan looked as if struck by lightning, staring blankly at Liang Xiao.
"I picked it for you along the way. It's a flower that blooms amidst war and blood, nurturing victory and hope."
Liang Xiao's gentle words, spoken as if he were finally relieved of a burden, finally broke through Jian Qinwan's last defense.
Among all the blossoms in the world, could any compare to this one, blooming with such deep affection?
Jian Qinwan clutched the flower and, weeping, threw herself into Liang Xiao's embrace. "You are such a fool. You don't owe me anything anymore! Don't ever take such risks for me again!"
Liang Xiao smiled and nodded. Then, remembering Jian Qinwan's fastidiousness, he tried to pull away. "Wait, I'm covered in sweat and blood, I'm dirty..."
Jian Qinwan simply pushed his hand away and hugged him tighter, sobbing uncontrollably in his arms.
Liang Xiao stopped resisting and looked at Yue Lian. "My dear Yue Lian is so good, she didn't run around."
Yue Lian, also crying, rushed into Liang Xiao's embrace, sharing him with Jian Qinwan, each holding onto him tightly.
Liang Xiao held the two girls, his eyes filled with tenderness, his fatigue seemingly vanished.
As for the wound on his arm, which had been hastily disinfected and bandaged, it was of no consequence to him.
What was he fighting so hard for, if not to protect his home and country, to secure a warm and peaceful haven for his family and nation!
With the situation stabilized, Hong Xiu also removed his armor with a sigh of relief. He continued to clean Liang Xiao's armor, robes, and the horse's saddle, and feed Bai Ye Fei Ying, his expression solemn, as if performing the most sacred of tasks.
"Thank you for your hard work, Master."
"Compared to Marquis Anguo's efforts for the common people, I am but a mere speck."
After a brief exchange, Liang Xiao changed into the robe brought by Yue Lian and returned to his courtyard.
Seeing the sweat and blood from him staining Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian's faces, Liang Xiao felt a pang of heartache and wiped them repeatedly.
The two girls lowered their heads shyly, their hearts pounding like frightened deer.
"I've boiled a lot of hot water. Do you want to take a bath, Young Master..." Yue Lian asked softly.
"Yes, so that they won't come looking for me and discover something is amiss," Liang Xiao replied with a smile.
"I need to wash too," Jian Qinwan mumbled.
Liang Xiao looked at Jian Qinwan's shy expression, recalling her usual haughty demeanor, and couldn't help but say, "Why don't we do it together?"
Jian Qinwan, who had been muttering to herself, suddenly trembled and lowered her head. "Re-really want to...?"
Liang Xiao's face flushed, and he stammered, "Perhaps not yet. I just finished fighting, and my blood is surging. I'm afraid I might get a nosebleed."
He did not want to force Jian Qinwan to yield to him on this night of triumph, especially since she was already considered his nominal woman. He wanted to give her the most relaxed, most natural opportunity.
Jian Qinwan, embarrassed, hid behind Yue Lian, covering her face and daring not to look at Liang Xiao.
"Senior Brother, I just saw the Heavenly General run into Marquis Anguo's courtyard..." A junior disciple whispered to Chen Shaoling outside Liang Xiao's residence.
Chen Shaoling, who had been looking excited, was startled. "Really? Could it be that the Heavenly General has manifested through Marquis Anguo's body? Do not spread this for now. Let's get Marquis Anguo's opinion first!"
The junior disciple nodded repeatedly.
After finishing his bath, Liang Xiao returned to his courtyard with Yue Lian.
"I'm going to accompany Xiao Xun. Young Master, try your best..." Yue Lian said, her face red, before fleeing back to her room.
Liang Xiao mused for a moment, then pushed open the door to his room. He saw Jian Qinwan sitting on the edge of the bed, her body trembling, her face flushed crimson.