Liang Xiao held the brocade pouch, his face full of curiosity.
Xiao Qing explained in detail.
It turned out that Zhuo Mingfeng had left behind a brocade pouch years ago, and only the High Ancestor of Da Gan had seen its contents. Since then, it had been kept secret by successive emperors.
According to Zhuo Mingfeng's last words, if a sage or emperor capable of ushering in an era of peace and prosperity, dedicated to the nation and its people, appeared in later generations, this brocade pouch could be handed over.
Liang Xiao, filled with doubt, took out the brocade pouch and opened it. Inside, he found an old piece of cloth and a bronze ring.
The ring was faintly inscribed with the words "Jian Ningyue."
"The wise men of later generations may take this letter and token to visit the patriarch of the Xichuan Sword Clan."
This simple sentence plunged Liang Xiao and Xiao Qing into a moment of surprise.
"Why would we need to bring a token and Prime Minister Zhuo's letter to visit the Xichuan Sword Clan?"
Xiao Qing explained, "Jian Ningyue, according to unofficial histories, was a certain female patriarch of the Xichuan Sword Clan. She and Prime Minister Zhuo also had a passionate entanglement..."
Liang Xiao fell into silence.
Were romantic entanglements a tradition dating back to the founding of Da Gan?
Xiao Qing pondered for a moment, then exclaimed, "Perhaps it's related to the Sword Clan's ancestral treasure? But that treasure has already been absorbed by Brother Xiao..."
Liang Xiao seemed to understand, "Perhaps this ancestral treasure has the effect of improving one's physique, but it comes with some risk, or there was only one in existence, which is why each patriarch of the Sword Clan had to carefully seal and hand it down. It's possible that the ancestral treasure was meant for Prime Minister Zhuo back then, but he didn't accept it. It seems only the Spring Return Cult, which destroyed the Sword Clan, would know about this."
The Sword Clan had been annihilated. Jian Nanfeng, who survived, was too young at the time to even understand the origin of the ancestral treasure.
Liang Xiao now had another reason, more compelling than any other, to destroy the Spring Return Cult.
According to Liang Xiao's speculation, Zhuo Mingfeng might have later been entrusted by the Sword Clan to await the so-called "wise men of later generations."
After Liang Xiao handed the brocade pouch back to Xiao Qing for safekeeping, he went to check on the bookshops and sugar workshops.
During the months when sugarcane was ripe, sugar workshops across the land had stored vast amounts of white sugar, supplying all regions. Some were even transported to Yanzhou as military provisions.
The Ouyang family was still stubbornly acquiring books from the An Guo bookshops.
The Duanmu family's sugar workshops suffered greatly. Large quantities of maltose had to be sold at a reduced price. Later, they decided not to produce sugar unless there was a large order from a client.
However, what truly made Liang Xiao wary was the grain trade in the northern regions, managed by the Duanmu family. He had to seize control of it as soon as possible.
The news of Liang Xiao's victory, which resulted in seventeen thousand beheadings, also reached the Chess Sage's chess academy.
One day, Zhuo Yun, the second daughter of the Zhuo family, sat gazing at the chessboard, deeply troubled.
Opposite Zhuo Yun sat a masked figure, only revealing a pair of eyes, with faint wrinkles visible at the corners.
After a long while, Zhuo Yun said softly, "Aunt..."
"How many times have I told you, call me Uncle!" the masked figure opposite said, narrowing their eyes. The voice was clearly feminine, but they sounded displeased.
"Alright, Uncle... Is it true that the Marquis of An Guo beheaded seventeen thousand people in one battle?" Zhuo Yun asked timidly, while subtly observing the other person.
She could never understand why this senior, despite clearly being a woman, insisted on being called a man.
"It's true," the senior nodded, their voice clearly laced with dejection.
Zhuo Yun lowered her head, feeling somewhat at a loss.
"Such a great hero must surely be surrounded by beautiful women. One more or one less makes no difference, and he won't trouble me anymore, right?" Zhuo Yun finally spoke her mind, adding, "When Sister Li Xin, who is from Da Liang, heard this news, she actually fainted from admiration..."
"You did well! That father and son are not good people, there's no need to get entangled with them emotionally! If Liang Xiao dares to come to Da Liang, I won't give him a good look." The senior's voice was low.
Zhuo Yun asked timidly, "Senior is a good person, you came specifically to protect me. However, lately, judging by your tone, you seem to harbor great hatred for the Marquis of An Guo's family?"
The senior said gravely, "Years ago, Liang Xiao's father, Liang Anguo, came to Da Liang for his travels. I was still a young maiden then. He publicly spanked my backside and then fled back to Da Liang overnight. I have remained unmarried my entire life!"
Zhuo Yun almost choked. She seemed to understand why this formidable senior insisted on posing as a man. The matter was clearly not as simple as the senior described...
The Ouyang family was busy transferring farmland, but since some of the land was undeclared, it was difficult to sell. They had to ask the Duanmu family for help.
Duanmu Chao, the patriarch of the Duanmu family, promised to help the Ouyang family, utilizing their business channels to find employers for these undeclared farmlands.
At this point, the Duanmu family also hoped that Liang Xiao would go bankrupt soon.
The Ministry of Justice was urgently investigating the matter of trading with barbarians and selling out the country. However, as Liang Xiao had predicted, the Ministry of Justice scoured through all the intelligence and found not the slightest trace.
Liang Xiao's General of Chariots and Cavalry had established his own office. The strategists recruited from various regions could now officially be granted positions within the General's mansion.
The Marquis of An Guo's mansion was now adorned with the plaque of the General of Chariots and Cavalry's mansion. Most of the strategists worked here.
As the court was still in the process of acknowledging merits and auditing, and the Yanzhou garrison was resting and awaiting the crossbows from the Ministry of Armaments, Liang Xiao remained in the capital and personally inspected the Ministry of Armaments. Only after confirming everything was in order did he feel at ease to return to the Western Palace villa to be with Xiao Qing.
The three northern territories were not in a hurry to advance into Helan Mountain. Instead, they were preparing crossing tools and calculating the freezing and thawing times of the Tian River to ensure foolproof planning. This way, even if they had to retreat due to unforeseen circumstances, they would not do so in haste.
Furthermore, the soldiers of Yanzhou had earned merit and captured vast amounts of supplies, which required a period of digestion.
The quenched steel method had significantly increased Da Gan's steel production capacity. The quality of the steel produced was also better than that of bin iron, making it the primary material for crafting weapons and armor in Da Gan from then on.
In the warmth of the covers, Xiao Qing nestled in Liang Xiao's arms, her face filled with reluctance. "Brother Xiao, you must be extremely careful when you go to Helan Mountain..."
Liang Xiao looked at his obedient and gentle wife, and couldn't help but pinch her small face. "Not just Helan Mountain, but Yanzhi Mountain and Qilian Mountain as well. Da Gan will take them all. Then, depending on whether our supplies are sufficient, we will advance into the great desert and drive out the barbarians!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Qing, who had been somewhat worried, had her beautiful eyes filled with a watery sheen. "Yanzhi Mountain and Qilian Mountain..."
If those two mountain ranges could be reclaimed, Da Gan could easily trade with the Western Regions!
However, to conquer the three mountains would be a pipe dream for anyone else.
But this was her beloved. Nothing was impossible for him!
The captured barbarian equipment and horses could also be used to form a light cavalry force, effectively allowing the army to sustain itself through warfare.
The soldiers in the north, especially in Yanzhou, deserved no less than the highest rewards.
Listening to Liang Xiao's soft explanations, Xiao Qing's cheeks flushed, and she giggled, her eyes sparkling with adoration.
Seeing Xiao Qing embrace him tightly and fall asleep contentedly, Liang Xiao felt even more pity and guilt.
In front of others, she was an empress, but in reality, she was merely a fragile woman who relied on him and the four great ministers for everything.
One day, the swordsman Ren Changfeng returned to Tianshan overnight and knelt before Jian Nanfeng, bringing astonishing news.