Ning Xuejun frowned. "It is said that the relics of the former King of the East Sea are stored there..."
King of the East Sea!
The master and servants could not help but feel solemn when this name was mentioned.
The founding territories of the Great Qian and Great Liang dynasties both originated from the former Great Heng dynasty, indicating the vastness of its territory.
The initial territory of the Great Heng dynasty was even smaller than that of the current Great Qian.
It was precisely because the King of the East Sea campaigned tirelessly, expanding the territory for the Great Heng dynasty, that the Great Heng dynasty later saw ten thousand nations pay tribute!
However, good times did not last. The King of the East Sea was attacked by an assassin at his 50th birthday banquet and died with deep resentment!
For several hundred years after that, the rulers of the Great Heng dynasty declined, and officials acted against the people's will, causing widespread discontent. Rebellions erupted across the land, eventually leading to the coexistence of the former emperor of Great Qian and the former emperor of Great Liang, dividing the land.
One could say that the position the Heavenly General holds in the hearts of the Great Qian people today was once the position the King of the East Sea held in the hearts of the Great Heng people!
The King of the East Sea's name was etched in history. Neither the Great Qian nor the Great Liang dynasties' histories slandered him; instead, they heaped praise upon him, extolling his peerless loyalty and urging officials to emulate him.
Legend had it that after the King of the East Sea's death, a portion of his relics was entrusted to the successive eminent monks of Bodhi Temple. Even the imperial family of Great Heng had no right to inquire about them—this was an imperial decree from the Great Heng emperor.
When the founding emperor of Great Qian went to Bodhi Temple to confirm the relics, out of respect for the King of the East Sea, he also ordered the protection of the place. Later emperors of Great Qian dared not interfere.
After all, Bodhi Temple was a sacred Buddhist site. The King of the East Sea enjoyed great prestige among the populace, and with the founding emperor's guarantee, the emperors of Great Qian naturally did not wish to alienate the common people over this matter.
"The Saintly Physician would never plot rebellion, yet she asked my elder brother to go to Bodhi Temple. I fear she wants him to retrieve the relics of the King of the East Sea," Xiao Qing said with concern.
The relics had been passed down to this day. Only the founding emperor and the eminent monks of Bodhi Temple knew what precisely these relics were!
For a hundred years, the Great Qian dynasty had even specially arranged a troop to protect Bodhi Temple.
Ding Wuyi sighed, "The Saintly Physician, though seemingly eccentric, possesses great wisdom. This unusual act must have a reason. Does Your Lordship recall what this old subject said? After the Saintly Physician examined Liang Er Gongzi's injuries, she lost her composure and asked him what his relationship was with the Heavenly General..."
Under the surprised gaze of Xiao Qing and Ning Xuejun, Ding Wuyi finally voiced his lingering doubt. "Could it be that the Saintly Physician also believes Liang Er Gongzi might be the Heavenly General?"
The master and servants fell into a tacit silence. After a long while, they could only offer bitter smiles.
The more outstanding Liang Xiao's literary talent and governance abilities were, the further they seemed from the invincible image of the Heavenly General...
Xiao Qing took a deep breath, her voice trembling. "Elder Brother, he would never betray his Xiao Shuangzi and Shuang'er, right..."
Ning Xuejun and Ding Wuyi were taken aback, then nodded in unison.
Nothing in the world was absolute, but they were willing to believe!
"After all, Liang Er Gongzi is a pillar of support protected by the Heavenly General," Ning Xuejun consoled.
Xiao Qing's face then lit up, her worries vanishing, her eyes filled with tenderness. "I truly wish to know what kind of relics could command such reverence from our ancestor, be passed down through generations at Bodhi Temple, and be protected with their lives! But now, what I care about most is Elder Brother's safety..."
Two days later, Liang Xiao, accompanied by Yue Lian, Jian Qinwan, and Zhen Mi, met with Luo Qingxue to inform her of their plan to travel to Yan Province.
"I want to go too, but..." Luo Qingxue glanced at the ancient zither on the table with hesitation, then glared at Jian Qinwan.
Jian Qinwan said proudly, "Your talent is dull. No matter how hard you practice, you'll never surpass me!"
Luo Qingxue pointed at Jian Qinwan and huffed, "Liang Xiao, the more she disdains me, the more I will surpass her!"
Liang Xiao burst into laughter. "Qingxue, learning the zither cannot be rushed with a desire for immediate results. Remember, the zither cultivates the heart."
The zither cultivates the heart?
Jian Qinwan looked at Liang Xiao in surprise, her heart skipping a beat.
He could actually grasp the true essence of the zither?
The zither cultivates the heart, but my heart... it seems to have been stolen by this fellow Liang Xiao!
The more Jian Qinwan thought about it, the deeper her resentment grew. She gave Liang Xiao a disdainful glance.
"I understand, I..." Luo Qingxue lowered her head, like a little girl who had done something wrong.
Liang Xiao gave Luo Qingxue another head pat and chuckled, "It's good that you want to learn the zither. Of course, I will support you. Just stay at home and don't run around. You know, I've offended many noble families recently. I look forward to hearing you play when I return."
Luo Qingxue shyly agreed, then provocatively stared at Jian Qinwan. "Female Rakshasa, you'd better protect Liang Xiao well, or I'm not done with you!"
Jian Qinwan glanced at Luo Qingxue. "Oh."
Watching the two in a standoff, Liang Xiao felt a headache coming on.
When Liang Qing learned that Liang Xiao was going to Yan Province to inspect his fief and visit the骠骑将军 (Piao Ji Jiang Jun - Cavalry General) in the north, he repeatedly cautioned Liang Xiao to be careful. He also dispatched the steward Liang Wen and twenty guards from the manor to accompany him.
Hua Xiong also followed Liang Xiao, leaving Pan Feng to look after the people at the manor, especially Zhang Yang's frail wife, Lady Yang.
"Second Brother, if you return late, I'll send you the next round of wine sale earnings to Yan Province!" Liang Yun said solemnly.
He had originally wanted to go to Yan Province with Liang Xiao to buy land, but Liang Xiao had told him to buy cheap land from landlords selling in the capital area.
Looking at his third brother, who was becoming increasingly mature and steady, Liang Xiao smiled with relief. He patted Liang Yun's shoulder and returned to pack his belongings.
In the past two days, Liang Xiao had visited the palace once. Ning Xuejun only took him to see Princess Ning Shuang.
Liang Xiao could not see his Xiao Shuangzi, so he had to hand a letter to Princess Ning Shuang, asking her to deliver it to "her imperial brother." Xiao Qing smilingly agreed.
Yue Lian and Jian Qinwan set off for Yan Province with Liang Xiao. The accompanying steward Liang Wen and the Liang manor guards observed their surroundings.
Because of Liang Xiao, the Liang manor was bustling with visitors every day. However, the north gate was relatively deserted, allowing Liang Xiao to depart with ease.
Amidst the crowd, Zuo Wushang stared intently at Liang Xiao's carriage. "How cautious is this young man Liang Xiao? How can I secretly meet with him and the Princess..."
He had already discovered that Liang Xiao's carriage seemed to be covered with a layer of painted iron plates. Perhaps there was another layer inside the carriage, which was clearly designed to prevent assassination by crossbow bolts and blades!
He had betrayed the barbarians in secret for the sake of his own princess, yet Liang Xiao's caution made it impossible for him to approach the princess even half a step!
Now that Liang Xiao had left the north gate, Zuo Wushang was filled with doubt and immediately mobilized his subordinates to track the trajectory of Liang Xiao's convoy.
Liang Xiao shared a carriage with Yue Lian, while Jian Qinwan shared one with her maid, Diao'er.
Inside the carriage, Liang Xiao fell into thought.
He had tried to probe Jian Qinwan indirectly and discovered that even she did not know what treasures were in Bodhi Temple.
But the Saintly Physician was adamant that there was a treasure Liang Xiao needed the most!
The convoy proceeded towards Yan Province at the fastest pace. Soon, over twenty swift horses caught up with the convoy from behind.
The guards of the Liang manor looked back vigilantly, only to see a man at the forefront with a handsome face and a strong, burly physique.
The man looked back at his companions. "Are you sure this is Marquis Anguo and Junior Sister's convoy?"