This day, Liang Xiao, accompanied by Zhuo Xun and Zhuo Yun, and their son Zuo Longcheng, went to the Zhuo family ancestral shrine to pay respects to Zhuo Zifang.
Zhuo Yun no longer cried but spoke with a calm expression, recounting her marriage to Liang Xiao to Zhuo Zifang.
Zuo Longcheng, seven years of age by traditional reckoning, was already taller and more robust than ordinary children. His expression was solemn as he gazed at the tomb of his recently deceased great-grandfather, repeatedly kowtowing.
"Great-grandfather, the Tianri tribe bears an irreconcilable enmity with our Qian tribe; they must pay for their blood debts! Longcheng swears that in the future, I will sweep away the Tianri tribe and uphold the divine might of our Qian tribe!"
Hearing Zuo Longcheng's earnest vows, Liang Xiao and his wife were filled with relief.
This child possessed a keen interest in military affairs.
Zhuo Yun looked at the eloquent child, then at Zhuo Xun, her face full of envy. She then looked at Liang Xiao, blushing instantly.
She too wished for a crystallization of their love…
Liang Xiao squatted down, placing a hand on Zuo Longcheng's shoulder, and looked at Zhuo Zifang's ancestral tablet with deep emotion.
"Zhuo Lingjun, when I married Xiao Xun, I should have addressed you as grandfather, but you preferred that I call you Zhuo Lingjun… Now, peace reigns throughout the land, but to achieve true eternal peace is a long and arduous journey. In my lifetime, I will dedicate myself to maintaining national stability, eradicating the Tianri tribe, and bringing true tranquility to this world."
"This is a race that perplexes even me. If they are not eliminated, who knows when they might return, perhaps then they will bring forth firearms and cannons that the Great Qian soldiers cannot resist… Our Great Qian is vast and resourceful, but we cannot indulge in the dream of being the celestial empire, neglecting progress and becoming stagnant."
"In the process of eradicating the Tianri tribe, the Great Qian will also continually expand its territory. One day, wherever the sun shines and the rivers flow, it shall be Qian territory."
His two wives gazed enraptured at Liang Xiao, who was making his resolute oath. Zuo Longcheng, filled with reverence, nodded slightly, his gaze firm.
He had grown up and now understood that his father was such a monumental Emperor of the Great Qian!
He must assist his father in achieving his grand ambitions!
Upon returning home, Liang Xiao specially visited the stables to see Hong Xiu, and at the same time, check on Bai Ye Fei Ying and Sheng Long Ying.
Hong Xiu was now white-browed and white-haired, yet vigorous and almost always smiling.
The foals born from Bai Ye Fei Ying and the Western Regions' Heavenly Steed had been named 'Bai Long Ying,' and were now cared for by Liang Cangsheng and Zuo Longcheng under Hong Xiu's supervision.
Outwardly, the sixth son, Liang Cangsheng, was mischievous and unruly, but in the stables, like the seventh son, Zuo Longcheng, he was incredibly serious and devout.
"Father, Big Brother Seven and I have agreed that whoever is responsible for a campaign in the future will ride Bai Long Ying!" The seven-year-old Liang Cangsheng's voice was still childlike.
Liang Xiao was even more pleased and looked to Hong Xiu for his opinion.
Hong Xiu understood and said with a sigh, "Bai Long Ying's destiny is still being passed on. This humble monk hopes to continue raising horses for Cangsheng and Longcheng."
Liang Xiao was deeply grateful and secretly relieved.
He had genuinely worried that Hong Xiu, like in films and literature, might reach the end of his destiny and pass away on the spot. While such an ending would be perfect, he hoped Hong Xiu could witness a few more years of prosperity.
New stars were continuously emerging in the Great Qian military.
Meanwhile, in the distant West, the Xiongnu Empire had reached a cooperative consensus with the Tianri tribe, exchanging land with them. They ceded the southwestern and southern parts of the territories formerly controlled by the Xiongnu Empire in exchange for the prosperous western regions.
This territory directly faced all the territories of the Ayub Dynasty.
"Lord Saladin, the assaults from Britain and the Tianri tribe are becoming increasingly fierce; our army truly cannot hold them back!"
Saladin, in his tent, frowned deeply.
"Without the Xiongnu Empire's participation, we are still no match for them; this is the enemy's strength. If only we were as powerful as the Great Qian…"
"Lord Saladin, Britain has rejected our peace proposal and declared that they will annihilate our kingdom and people!"
Another envoy reported, filling Saladin and his men with despair.
"Why can't they see the wolf-like nature of the Tianri tribe, as the Great Qian does?" Saladin gritted his teeth and, after a moment, summoned a subordinate.
"Abdullah, take the strong young men and women and all the children of the Ayub Dynasty and retreat to Central and Southern Africa."
General Abdullah rushed, "And you, my lord?"
Saladin said gravely, "We must remain here and mount a final resistance, buying time for your retreat. Do not hesitate. As long as people remain, even if territory is lost temporarily, you can reclaim it one day. Learn to endure! As the people of Great Qian say, 'A moment's impatience can ruin a grand plan.'"
The situation was critical, and Abdullah could only bid farewell to Saladin tearfully, leading an elite force to escort all the young men, women, and children south.
"Today, we have nowhere left to retreat. Relay the order to the entire army! Let our flesh and blood form the eternal wall of the Ayub Dynasty, forcing the Tianri cavalry to pay the most painful price! One day, the mighty forces from the East will surely avenge the innocent people of the European and African continents and exterminate the Tianri tribe!!"
Within the British royal palace, King Richard I, known as the Lionheart, was dozing on his throne.
"Your Majesty, our soldiers have discovered that the Tianri tribe seems to truly eat people. Are we really going to cooperate with such a race…" Finally, a minister voiced his concern.
Richard I shook his head, "So what? The entire of Britain now knows that the Tianri tribe shares the same ancestry as us. Even if I wished for peace, the British people would not agree. The Tianri tribe is indeed a tribe that migrated across the sea from our Britain two thousand years ago. Do you not wish to see Saladin's head on a banquet table?"
"Fight! No matter how brutal the Tianri tribe is, they cannot harm their kinsmen in Britain. If the Tianri tribe prospers, so does Britain!" The ministers below cheered enthusiastically.
The two great powers, allied, marched east and south, conquering all in their path. Finally, even the Xiongnu Empire's cavalry was invited to join this hunt.
Back home, Liang Xiao was still tinkering with flintlock muskets.
The files, drills, and other tools he held were specially crafted beforehand by Pu Yuan using the Melting God Incense, in preparation for unforeseen circumstances.
After all, the current Great Qian did not yet have the conditions to develop and utilize diamonds and high-strength alloys.
When Zhuo Yun returned home, she could not escape the "interrogation" from her sisters. Flustered and annoyed, she looked at Zhen Mi, who was smiling the brightest.
"Mi'er, it will soon be your turn. Sister, you better remember this well~"
Zhen Mi's face instantly turned red.
She had been so busy teasing Zhuo Yun with her sisters that she forgot she was actually the last one, as Zuo Jing already had a child with Liang Xiao.
On the fifth day, Liang Xiao went to Zhen Mi's room. He opened the door and found it empty, startling him. He quickly asked Xiao Qing for information.
"She's hiding in my room," Xiao Qing betrayed her sister without hesitation.