"Young General is quite energetic, still up so early after being chased by Miss Qin Wan all night," Yue Lian praised Liang Xiao with a smile early the next morning.
Liang Xiao coughed a few times and sighed, "That female Rakshasa is indeed not to be trifled with. At least she's not upset anymore, right?" Last night, Yue Lian had asked him to comfort Jian Qinwan, and in a moment of inspiration, he'd decided to retaliate for Jian Qinwan "informing" on him to Mu Xueqin. He'd complimented Jian Qinwan's figure and was chased by her all the way to Mu Xueqin's bamboo house, barely escaping!
Yue Lian chuckled, her face flushing, "It's all your own fault, Young General. Why bring that up of all things..." Before Yue Lian could finish, Liang Xiao covered her mouth. Jian Qinwan was approaching from a distance, glaring at Liang Xiao with a complex expression.
The three of them maintained a tacit silence, no longer mentioning the embarrassing incident of the previous night.
The Tianshan swordsmen, led by Chen Shaoling, selected forty of the best in character and martial arts, who, along with the Liang Mansion guards, would escort Liang Xiao back to the capital.
They finally arrived in the capital the following afternoon.
"Great generals and wise teachers cannot be confined; armies and cavalry avoid the white robes!" Jian Qinwan listened to the children's rhymes echoing in the streets, her heart feeling vastly different from before, filled only with exhilaration. The Heavenly General was a savior she deeply respected, and she had openly expressed her admiration. Now, her heart had been stolen by Liang Xiao, the flower thief!
Liang Xiao did not admit to being the Heavenly General, nor did they dare to confirm it. What if the Heavenly General had merely manifested, possessing Liang Xiao to fight? What if Liang Xiao was just a chosen vessel after the Heavenly General ascended to godhood? If so, she would be disrespecting the Heavenly General and embarrassing Liang Xiao. Even Mu Xueqin, the Medical Sage, remained on the fence about the supernatural, not outright denying it. That day, when she played the zither for Liang Xiao, she had finally spoken her heart, her mind at ease, and no longer feared him hearing her music.
"Mother is right, even if he's not the Heavenly General, he's enough to make me feel inferior..." Jian Qinwan said, on the verge of tears.
Upon hearing of Liang Xiao's return, Luo Qingxue, clutching her zither, rushed out of her chambers and headed for the Liang Mansion. In the courtyard, Jian Qinwan sat at a distance, watching Luo Qingxue nestling in Liang Xiao's arms, her heart filled with a bitter ache.
Since the Tianshan Temple's treasures could not be revealed, Luo Qingxue had previously stated that Liang Xiao need not tell her what he had obtained, to avoid suspicion. Luo Qingxue was only concerned about Liang Xiao's safe return. Even Hong Ren had repeatedly cautioned Liang Xiao not to reveal the two imperial treasures to anyone, lest it stir up trouble.
"You bought so much land, and my grandfather is tallying up our assets and wants to help you..." Luo Qingxue stammered.
Liang Xiao looked apologetic. "Tell him not to worry, and to absolutely not sell any property!" When he returned to the Liang Mansion, Liang Xiao had heard about this. Fearing Liang Xiao would be unable to pay taxes later, Luo Changfeng was preparing to sell off the Luo Mansion's properties, but thankfully Liang Qing had dissuaded him. Liang Xiao repeatedly reassured her, and Luo Qingxue finally relaxed.
"Liang Xiao, Liang Xiao, my zither skills have improved again!" Luo Qingxue could no longer contain herself, hugging Liang Xiao's arm and acting spoiled, not forgetting to cast a provocative glance at Jian Qinwan in the distance.
Liang Xiao smiled with satisfaction and asked Luo Qingxue to play on the spot. After three pieces, Yue Lian and Zhen Mi applauded and praised her excitedly. Even Liang Xiao and Jian Qinwan looked astonished. They had only been separated for a short while, yet Luo Qingxue's zither skills were now better than those of an average musician!
Listening to Liang Xiao's praise, Luo Qingxue pouted, "I practiced before too!"
Jian Qinwan's heart ached, and she sniffed, "It's alright, I suppose. After another thousand or two thousand years of practice, you might be qualified to compete with me."
"Hmph! Big breasts and no brains, looking down on everyone!" Luo Qingxue's face turned red.
Jian Qinwan retorted, "You're the one with big breasts and no brains! You're all the same!"
Yue Lian quickly intervened, "How about this, Miss Qin Wan, why don't you mentor Miss Qingxue in zither skills, and Miss Luo can teach you poetry and lyrics?"
"Absolutely not!" the two girls said in unison, glaring at each other.
Yue Lian softly said, "Miss Luo, Miss Qin Wan, you can certainly get along harmoniously..."
Jian Qinwan glanced at Luo Qingxue. "Fine, call me 'Master' first, then I'll consider it~"
Luo Qingxue shot back, "When I marry Liang Xiao, you can be a concubine, and I might consider teaching you the nuances of poetry~"
Watching the two, their faces flushed and on the verge of a fight, Liang Xiao quickly intervened. Only when Liang Qing arrived did they stop bickering.
"Xiao'er, the Heavenly General manifested in Yanzhou..." Liang Qing said, his voice trembling.
Liang Xiao nodded slightly, offering no explanation. Liang Qing was a shrewd man; he couldn't expose himself at this time. Regardless of whether he revealed himself now, Liang Qing prioritized the safety of his juniors and remained a staunch advocate for war. It was Jian Qinwan, however, who looked at Liang Qing with surprise. She had a feeling that his grandfather might have also discovered something?
Seeing Liang Xiao's calm demeanor, Liang Qing did not press further, merely reminding him, "Go see His Majesty soon, don't let him worry."
Luo Qingxue also added, "And Sister Shuang, she must be waiting for you eagerly!" Liang Xiao nodded repeatedly, though a trace of worry lingered in his heart.
In the imperial study, Xiao Qing looked at Liang Xiao, his face beaming, and was on the verge of tears. "Big Brother must be healed, right?" Xiao Qing murmured.
"He's mostly recovered. He only needs some nourishment and topical medication, and the scars will heal completely," Liang Xiao said, then added, "Little Shuangzi, I..." Before Liang Xiao could speak, Xiao Qing covered his mouth and whispered, "Big Brother, the treasures hidden in Tianshan Temple are relics of the previous dynasty. Our founding emperor left a decree that no one is to reveal them or inquire about them. Unless absolutely necessary, you cannot disclose them, not even to your Little Shuangzi."
Liang Xiao was taken aback. "No wonder Master Hong Ren also reminded me..." Ding Wuyi and Ning Xuejun exchanged helpless wry smiles, but they could guess most of it. The King of the East Sea, who had led the army to victory, would have left behind treasures like weapons, armor, or military strategies. If it were armor or books, Liang Xiao would certainly find them useful.
Xiao Qing, however, looked relieved and overjoyed. "In short, Big Brother has returned safely, and you are still the Big Brother Little Shuangzi loves most. That's enough! Big Brother must have his own secrets, and Little Shuangzi has his too. When the time is right, we can exchange secrets, alright?"
Liang Xiao was touched and nodded solemnly. He then asked, "That being said, Big Brother has one more thing to ask. Little Shuangzi, what are your thoughts on the remaining people of the Daheng Kingdom, also known as the remnants of the previous dynasty?"
Xiao Qing pondered for a moment and then explained in detail. "The remnants of the previous dynasty have always been a great concern for our country! However, there have been no reports of their disturbances in recent years, perhaps because they lost their so-called 'princess' back then. During the Shadow Guard's suppression of these remnants, they found the infant princess of the Daheng Kingdom amidst the flames. According to intelligence, this princess was the last royal bloodline of the Daheng Kingdom."
"But those remnants didn't know that their princess was actually still alive... My father, the Emperor, took pity on her for being young and innocent, and secretly placed her in the care of a loyal minister, allowing her to live under an assumed name for the rest of her life..."
Liang Xiao was startled but quickly realized the implication. Zuo Wushang had said that he had left his own daughter in the fire, substituting her with Yue Lian!