"Grandfather, I told you I wouldn't die."
"I'm asking where your injuries came from," Liang Qing sighed.
Liang Xiao pondered for a moment, his face grave, and replied, "The matter began on the day the heavens and earth were created..."
"Slap!"
Liang Yun could no longer contain himself. He slammed the table and roared, "Grandfather, it's all because you spoil him! Look at him now, increasingly disrespectful of his elders!"
Liang Qing signaled Liang Yun to be quiet and said, "Of the Liang family's younger generation, only you three brothers remain. Do not engage in infighting! Since Xiao'er has unspoken difficulties, I will not press him further..."
At this moment, Liang Qing felt his head was splitting.
In fact, in the past, Liang Xiao had always called him "old man." Now that he could be called "Elder Sir" or "Grandfather," he was already very content.
Liang Yun suppressed his anger and said, "Fine. Then, cousin, the imperial decree has been issued. Tomorrow, His Majesty will come to Yanzhou to hold a state funeral for the Heavenly General. You must attend as well."
Liang Xiao shook his head. "I refuse."
"Why?" Even Liang Qing was taken aback.
Liang Xiao expressed his displeasure, "Can I not be allowed to recover in peace? Luo Qingxue has already tormented me seven times these past few days. Can you bear to torment me again?"
Liang Qing sighed. "His Majesty has only recently ascended the throne. This is a time to stabilize the hearts of the people. Our Liang family has received immense favor from the nation. You cannot refuse."
Liang Xiao's face was displeased. "Which bastard came up with the brilliant idea of a state funeral for His Majesty?"
The moment he spoke, Yue Lian, who had been silent behind Liang Xiao, turned pale with fright.
Liang Qing coughed a few times and said, "It was I."
Liang Yun scoffed, "Cousin, do you no longer even regard His Majesty with respect?"
Liang Xiao spoke unhurriedly. "In this situation, a state funeral should not be held. Instead, the populace should be made to believe that the Heavenly General is still alive! Never mind seeing the person alive or the body dead, you haven't even found his General's Seal yet, and you're holding a state funeral? What will the barbarians think of you?"
Liang Yun's face turned ashen, his fists clenched so tightly they crackled.
Liang Qing, however, broke out in a cold sweat. "What you say has some merit. The barbarians might indeed make a comeback... However, the entire court hopes to use this state funeral to encourage all able-bodied men nationwide to enlist and change the past trend of prioritizing civil over military affairs."
"My benefactor's state funeral affects his ability to admire flowers and chase birds, of course he opposes it!" Liang Yun said proudly.
Liang Xiao burst into laughter. "A true man should save himself, not rely on some savior! Unlike you, who are strong and burly yet hide at home, clinging to Grandfather's thigh and crying 'I don't want to fight the barbarians!' Now that the world is at peace, you preach benevolence and righteousness to me? Hypocritical! Coward!"
Recalling his own loss of composure at the time, Liang Yun was filled with shame and had no words to retort. He slunk away from the main hall.
Liang Qing rose and sighed, "Xiao'er, no matter what, the state funeral must be attended. You cannot tarnish your father's reputation. Wear a few more layers tomorrow, and stay at the back of the crowd with Yue Lian. Grandfather is tired..."
Watching Liang Qing's lonely retreating figure, Liang Xiao finally stood up and agreed.
Liang Qing smiled with relief and returned to his room, lost in thought.
A while ago, Liang Xiao had left without a word and returned precisely after the decisive battle.
The shocking wounds on Liang Xiao's body still pained him when he recalled them.
Had he secretly participated in the battle?
The more Liang Qing thought, the more perplexed he became. He took out a silk scroll from his robe.
This silk scroll detailed several routes of the barbarians' southward invasion, all of which passed through Yanzhou City, presented with reasoned arguments.
As soon as news of the barbarian invasion spread, someone shot this silk scroll with an arrow to the city gate.
The prefect, upon reading the scroll, was terrified and quickly organized defenses. In coordination with the Heavenly General who had appeared out of nowhere, they barely managed to block the strongest wave of the offensive, buying time for subsequent defense!
While others could not recognize the handwriting on the silk scroll, Liang Qing was intimately familiar with it.
It was Liang Xiao's handwriting!
"Xiao'er, what exactly did you experience and do during that time..."
Liang Qing murmured to himself.
He also considered another possibility but quickly dismissed his own conclusion.
How could Liang Xiao, a mere dandy, be the Heavenly General who, with seven thousand white-robed soldiers, could defeat a hundred thousand enemies!
But Liang Xiao adamantly insisted that he did not write this silk scroll...
Yue Lian followed Liang Xiao back to the courtyard, her heart still pounding.
"Young Master, you are of a military lineage. You must be cautious with your words and actions. If what you just said were to spread..."
Liang Xiao laughed heartily and waved his hand. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
After speaking, Liang Xiao's expression turned grave, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
His grandfather and the straightforward Liang Yun were different. Liang Xiao felt he had almost exposed himself just now.
"Gaining titles and fame is indeed good, but one must also be alive to enjoy it."
Liang Xiao smiled wryly to himself.
In his previous life, he had traveled everywhere. In this life, he only wished to enjoy a peaceful existence here.
Thinking of this, Liang Xiao couldn't help but sigh again. "That little emperor, he hasn't even been weaned yet, and he's already running around everywhere. I'm being worn to death."
Yue Lian, standing beside him, was so scared her tears almost fell. She quickly covered Liang Xiao's mouth.
"Young Master, are you crazy? You must never say those words again..."
It was said that the current Emperor was only sixteen years old and already possessed the qualities of a wise ruler. Yet, in Liang Xiao's eyes, he was an infant who hadn't been weaned?
At the same time, on the southern official road of Yanzhou City, the imperial procession was advancing towards Yanzhou City.
"Achoo!"
Inside the central imperial carriage, the young monarch sneezed.
"Prime Minister."
A clear voice came from within the carriage.
Prime Minister Wang Canghai rushed over to pay his respects.
"Have you still not found the Heavenly General's remains?"
Wang Canghai couldn't help but shed tears, his voice choked with emotion several times.
"Your Majesty, the soldiers only found the Heavenly General's warhorse. There were bloodstains on a rock in the river. His body must have been swept away by the river long ago. That river is a tributary of the Tian River!"
"I see..."
A faint sigh came from within the carriage. The figure inside hugged herself helplessly, trembling, and sobbing softly.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
In the center of Yanzhou City, the people knelt in unison, shouting "Long live His Majesty!"
The young Emperor, clad in imperial robes, emerged from the carriage.
His face was like jade, his lips were red and teeth white, his brows were like swords, and his eyes were like stars. His expression was one of profound grief.
The Emperor of Da Gan, Xiao Qing!
The assembled populace had gathered here to bid farewell to the Heavenly General on his final journey.
Xiao Qing burned incense and offered prayers, performed the ceremony, and personally read the eulogy.
"The Heavenly General remained loyal to the nation and has now become a heroic spirit. I hope the Heavenly General's name will be remembered for eternity! To this end, according to ceremony, I have bestowed upon him the posthumous title 'Zhongwu' and further granted him the title Marquis Zhongwu. The 'Divine Might Heavenly General' bestowed the other day is of equal status to the Grand General! For all the future generations of Da Gan, only one person will ever receive this posthumous title!"
The gold-plated coffin was lifted onto a high platform by strong men.
No one noticed the bitter smile that appeared on Xiao Qing's lips.
Civil and military officials, commoners, and common people, led by Xiao Qing, began their worship.
After the ceremony concluded, Xiao Qing summoned Prime Minister Wang Canghai and instructed, "I am somewhat tired. I trouble the Prime Minister to preside over the affairs..."
Wang Canghai, observing the Emperor's expression, had already noticed Xiao Qing's fatigue and tears. He quickly agreed.
From the rear of the crowd, a carriage was stealthily approaching.
Yue Lian exclaimed softly, "We're done for, Young Master. You're late again..."