Rebirth of a Star General

141-145

Chapter 141

     The room was silent for a moment, and Liu Buwang's voice interrupted He Yan's recollection.

"What about you?" He asked, "A He, how did you become like this now? Did you disguise yourself? Young Master Qiao shouldn't be your husband. "

It was a long story. He Yan lowered his head and smiled, saying, "Master, I'm not He Rufei anymore. I'm He Yan. That person … is my superior. We came to Jiyang to find someone, so we pretended to be husband and wife. As for disguising myself, I didn't disguise myself. I look like this now. I can't come back to my original appearance. "

Liu Buwang thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "I see."

He was always like this. He had a sense of propriety when it came to other people's affairs. If other people didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't deliberately inquire about it. In some people's eyes, this would seem a little cold, but for He Yan, not asking about it was already the greatest blessing.

After a while, Cui Jiao knocked on the door and walked out, still holding the little girl's hand.

This little girl seemed to have worn off the effects of the drug and was able to walk with more strength. Her face had been washed clean, and she looked like she was only a little over ten years old. She was beautiful and quick-witted, and her eyes were as moving as black jade, slim and elegant. Cui Jiao combed her hair with long braids, which were the favorite style of Jiyang girls. Her hair was braided to the front and hung down to her chest. There was also a circle of small bells. Her clothes were red riding clothes, which she asked the housekeeper of the Cui Residence for. When she walked over, the jingling sounds were delicate and cute, and she looked more valiant and heroic than ordinary girls.

Liu Buwang looked at her and was slightly absent-minded.

He Yan asked with a smile, "Have you eaten?"

Cui Jiao looked embarrassed. "Madam, the little miss refuses to eat."

He Yan asked, "Why don't you eat? Aren't you hungry? "

The little girl turned her head to the side and ignored her words. She was quite arrogant.

"Maybe because she ate something wrong before, she doesn't want to trust others anymore." Liu Buwang chuckled and looked at the little girl. "Little girl, since we have saved you from the thieves, we won't hurt you anymore. Otherwise, we wouldn't have brought you back to the residence. You can rest assured. If you don't believe me, we can eat together. This way, you won't have to go hungry, and you won't have to worry about any problems. "

Liu Buwang's gentleness always carried a faint alienation. In addition, his manner was natural and elegant, so it was easy for people to have a good impression of him, and this little girl was no exception. She stared into his eyes for a while, then said, "Alright."

In the end, his attitude softened.

He Yan heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly asked Cui Jiao to prepare some food that children like to eat. Cui Jiao retreated as she was told. Liu Buwang said with a smile, "What's your name?"

"Xiaolou." In front of Liu Buwang, the little girl was less arrogant and more well-behaved.

"Good name." Liu Buwang said with a smile, "Which family are you from? How did you get kidnapped?"

At this point, Xiao Lou shut his mouth and refused to say anything more.

He Yan and Liu Buwang looked at each other. This child was quite defensive. They didn't know what he had encountered before.

While they were thinking, Xiao Lou's gaze fell on the long zither on the table. She looked at it for a while and asked Liu Buwang, "Is this your zither?"

"Good taste," He Yan thought. "She can tell at a glance that this kind of romantic thing doesn't suit me."

"Yes."

"Can you play the zither?"

Liu Buwang answered, "Yes."

"Play a song for me," Xiao Lou said.

"How can this child be so good at ordering people around?" He Yan didn't comment. Although Liu Buwang carried a zither with him, he rarely played it. When He Yan was his disciple, he also asked him to play. But Liu Buwang refused every time.

But this time, Liu Buwang's answer was beyond He Yan's expectations. He just looked at Xiao Lou gently and smiled, "Okay."

He Yan said, "… Master?"

Whose master was he?

"What do you want to hear?" He even asked Xiao Lou gently.

Xiao Lou played with the braid in front of her chest and shook her head, "I don't know. You can play whatever you like best."

He lowered his head and seriously asked Xiao Lou for her opinion, "Is' Slow Time 'okay?"

"I haven't heard of it." Xiao Lou nodded, "Play it!"

He Yan was speechless.

Liu Buwang was more obedient to Xiao Lou than to his disciple. If it weren't for the age difference, He Yan would almost suspect that Xiao Lou was Liu Buwang's long-lost daughter.

The little girl sat on the high platform with her feet up and down. Liu Buwang put the zither on the table and sat down in front of the table. He wiped his hands and plucked the strings.

He Yan actually rarely heard Liu Buwang play the zither. Occasionally, when he got up in the middle of the night to go to the outhouse, he heard the faint sound of the zither. He thought he had bumped into a ghost and was so scared that he trembled. Later, he plucked up his courage and went to take a look, only to find that it was Liu Buwang.

When she was young, she didn't understand why Liu Buwang wanted to play the zither in the courtyard in the middle of the night. She only felt that the sound of the zither was indescribably sad. Later, after experiencing many things and gradually growing up, she gradually understood that her master was also a person with a story. In Liu Buwang's past life, there might have been such a person who engraved a deep stroke in his experience, so that he could only miss her through the sound of the zither at night.

Now that they hadn't seen each other for many years, the sadness and loss in his sound of the zither were even deeper.

Willows in the West City softened in spring. Moving the sorrow of separation, it's hard to stop the tears. Still remembering the affection, it was once tied to the boat. What happened on the green field and the red bridge that day, the people disappeared, the water flowed empty.

Youth doesn't flow for young people. Hatred lasts for a long time, when will it stop? When the catkins fall, as soon as I climb the stairs, the spring river is full of tears, endless and sorrowful.

Xiao Lou was young, so he didn't know that the sound of the zither was sad. He only felt that the sound of the zither was pleasant and romantic. However, He Yan felt that Liu Buwang seemed to be bidding farewell to something in the sound of the zither. Something was about to leave his life, mixed with reluctance and loss, and would never come back.

Lin Shuanghe and Xiao Jue had entered the room at some point. Lin Shuanghe walked to He Yan's side and whispered, "Sister, your master plays the zither really well. It's as good as Huaijin. It's just a little too sad. "

Even Lin Shuanghe could hear it. He Yan sighed slightly. However, even though she had been Liu Buwang's master for many years, He Yan also felt that she had never really entered Liu Buwang's heart. She didn't know what kind of person Liu Buwang was and what he had done in the past, and Liu Buwang didn't mention anything about it.

He was like a person who had abandoned the past, but he wasn't serious about the future. He was so casual that he seemed to be able to leave at any time without leaving any traces.

After the song "Slow Time" was played, the sound lingered in the room. Xiao Lou looked at him and suddenly clapped. She smiled and said, "I once heard my grandmother play this song, but she didn't play it as well as you. You played it much better. What's your name? "

Liu Buwang patted her head and said, "You can call me Layman Yunlin."

"That's too long." Xiao Lou wasn't satisfied with his answer. "Isn't your surname Liu?"

Lin Shuanghe agreed with Xiao Lou's words and said, "It's really good. Even in Shuojing, it can be ranked among the top. It's just … "He looked at He Yan and asked in confusion," Sister He, I don't want to criticize you, but your master's zither skills are unparalleled, and your 'husband' is extremely elegant. How can you play the zither like this? Didn't your master teach you how to play the zither? "

He Yan said expressionlessly, "My master only taught me martial arts. As for my husband … "

Xiao Jue stood beside her and raised her eyebrows slightly, waiting for her to continue.

He Yan cleared her throat and said, "You can just play it for me. Why do I have to learn this?"

Lin Shuanghe, "…"

After a while, he nodded and said, "It's really an irrefutable reason."

Cui Jiao served the dishes. He Yan had already eaten with Xiao Jue, so only Liu Buwang and Xiao Lou were eating together. Xiao Lou didn't seem to like eating with others. She showed discomfort several times. She probably let Liu Buwang eat with her because she didn't want to worry that there was no poison in the food. Liu Buwang also understood the little girl's thoughts. He only took a little bit of each dish with his chopsticks and stopped eating.

Xiao Lou was very picky with her food, but she still ate some rice.

He Yan breathed a sigh of relief and said to Xiao Jue, "Now we're waiting for Lord Cui to come back. Ask whose child she is and send her back."

Speaking of the devil, Zhong Fu's voice came from outside, "Lord, Young Master Qiao and Miss Yuyan have already returned and brought back two guests. They are now eating in the room. Young Master Qiao seems to have something to ask Lord Cui. "

Then, Cui Yuezhi's rough voice came, "Got it."

The door curtain was lifted and Cui Yuezhi's voice came from behind the door, "Huanqing, Yuyan, you're back? Do you have something urgent to ask me? Her Highness summoned me early this morning. I can't stay in the mansion for long. I have to go out later … "

His voice stopped abruptly when he saw Xiao Lou's face. He was stunned for a moment and his voice changed a little, "Young Highness, why are you here?"

Xiao Lou, the little girl who had been arrogant since He Yan brought her back, put down her chopsticks and looked at Cui Yuezhi. She raised her chin and said proudly, "Cui Zhongqi, you're finally here."

Young Highness?

Everyone in the room was very surprised.

Cui Yuezhi took a step forward and half knelt in front of Xiao Lou. His voice was very anxious, "Her Highness summoned me early this morning and said that Young Highness disappeared last night. Her Highness was very worried. Why is Young Highness here?" He turned to look at He Yan, "Yuyan … what's going on?"

He Yan also wanted to know what was going on. She had already guessed that this little girl's identity was not ordinary, but she never thought that she would be "Young Highness".

"Last night, Yuyan and I fell asleep on the Fallen Firefly Boat. Early in the morning, we were planning to hire a carriage to return to the mansion. On the way, we encountered Young Highness being kidnapped and saved Young Highness from the hands of criminals. "Xiao Jue answered Cui Yuezhi on behalf of He Yan," Among the people who kidnapped Young Highness, one of them is dead and the others escaped. When Yuyan and I rescued Young Highness, we didn't know who they were. "

Hearing this, Cui Yuezhi was shocked and asked Xiao Lou, "Young Highness was kidnapped? Does Young Highness know who they are? "

Xiao Lou didn't seem to want to mention this matter and said impatiently, "How would I know? As soon as I left the mansion, I met them near the canal. I didn't think they were bad people, but who knew … "Speaking of this, he said angrily," They have evil intentions and deserve to be killed! "

Cui Yuezhi asked Xiao Lou again, "Young Highness, are you hurt?"

"No." Xiaolou muttered, looked at Liu Buwang, and pointed at him, "I was almost killed by someone, but this person, this … Lay Buddhist Yunlin saved me."

Only then did Cui Yuezhi see that there was a stranger in the room. Seeing that Liu Buwang had an extraordinary bearing, he bowed deeply and said, "Thank you for saving me. May I know your name?"

"This is my Master Wu," Xiao Jue said lightly, "He taught me martial arts back then. We haven't seen each other for many years and didn't expect to meet each other in Jiyang. Uncle can call him 'Yun Lin'. "

"It turns out to be Mister Yunlin." Cui Yue was stunned, and he had a better impression of Liu Buwang. He said, "I'm going to the mansion to send His Little Highness back. Mister Yunlin might as well go with me. If Her Highness knows that Mister saved His Little Highness's life, she will definitely thank Mister."

Liu Buwang smiled slightly and said to Cui Yuezhi, "Yunlin has long been an outsider. Yunlin appreciates your kindness. As for the reward, forget it. When I saved Young Highness, I didn't know that Xiao Lou was Young Highness."

This kind of capable person probably had a bit of a proud and aloof temperament, which Cui Yuezhi could understand. Besides, he was Qiao Huanqing's Master. There would be plenty of opportunities to befriend him in the future, so there was no hurry. The most important thing now was to send Mu Xiaolou back to the mansion. Mu Hongjin was about to go crazy.

Cui Yuezhi said to Liu Buwang, "In this case, I won't force you."

Liu Buwang smiled and nodded.

"Young Highness, do you still want to eat?" Cui Yuezhi looked at Mu Xiaolou, "If you're done, follow me back to the mansion. Young Highness will be very happy to see you safe and sound. "

Mu Xiaolou jumped down from the stool and said, "Got it. Prepare a soft sedan." With that, she was about to go out with Cui Yuezhi. When she passed by Liu Buwang, she stopped and asked unwillingly, "You really don't want to go back with me? Will my grandmother reward you with a lot of gold? You can have whatever you want. "

Liu Buwang bent down and gently rubbed her hair, "It's fine as long as Young Highness is safe."

Cui Yuezhi was a little surprised. Mu Xiaolou had been spoiled by Mu Hongjin since she was a child. She was very picky about others, but she was very close to Liu Buwang. They were both martial artists, and Cui Yuezhi could feel that Liu Buwang's kung fu was not shallow. If this person could stay in the mansion and accompany Young Highness, he could accompany Young Highness and protect Young Highness.

But these things had to be discussed after seeing Mu Hongjin. He turned to look at He Yan and Huanqing, "Yuyan, Huanqing, pack up and immediately follow me to the mansion. You saved Young Highness, so Her Highness must have a lot of questions to ask you. Sooner or later, you will have to go to the mansion. Why don't we do it today? "

He Yan and Xiao Jue looked at each other. He Yan said, "Okay, Uncle."

Cui Yuezhi took Mu Xiaolou out. He Yan said to Liu Buwang, "Master, you stay in the mansion first. If there's anything, wait for us to come back." She was afraid that Liu Buwang would leave without saying goodbye after returning to the mansion, so she told Lin Shuanghe, "Brother Lin, please take care of my master first. Don't let him act alone."

Liu Buwang looked at her and smiled helplessly.

Lin Shuanghe immediately understood He Yan's meaning and said, "No problem. I guarantee that when you come back, Master Liu will still be like this. Not a single hair is missing."

He Yan was relieved. He asked Hongqiao to comb his hair again, changed into clean clothes, and washed up. Then, he followed Xiao Jue out of the Cui Mansion. As he walked, he asked Xiao Jue in a low voice, "Commander in chief, why did you say that my master is your Master Wu?"

She also said "Layman Yunlin" instead of "Liu Buwang".

Xiao Jue raised her eyebrows, "Your master seems to be very unwilling to reveal his identity. If he says that he's my master, at least people won't be suspicious. "

That was true. He Yan was thinking about it when he suddenly heard Xiao Jue say, "But your master's identity is not simple. He seems to be an old acquaintance of Her Highness."

He Yan was horrified, "How can that be?"

"The way he looked at Mu Xiaolou seemed to be looking at someone else through Mu Xiaolou. If I'm not wrong, he should be Her Highness." Xiao Jue said unhurriedly, "As a disciple, how come you don't know anything?"

"He didn't tell me anything!" He Yan couldn't hide the shock in his heart. Liu Buwang and Mu Hongjin were old acquaintances? This was the most shocking news he had heard today! But He Yan faintly felt that what Xiao Jue said might be true. Liu Buwang's gentleness and doting towards Mu Xiaolou, the sadness in the zither, and his refusal to go to the Prince's Mansion with Cui Yuezhi seemed to indicate one thing. At least, Liu Buwang was not completely unrelated to the Mu Family.

But what exactly was their relationship?

He didn't get an answer to this question. Cui Yuezhi had already urged them to set off for the Prince's Mansion.

Mu Xiaolou sat in a soft palanquin, while He Yan and the others sat in a carriage. Cui Yuezhi personally escorted them, and the guards were all wearing armor and carrying swords. It was probably because Mu Xiaolou had said that she was kidnapped yesterday, which made people feel that Jiyang City was not as peaceful and safe as it seemed on the surface.

The Prince's Mansion was located north of the center of Jiyang City, and it occupied a large area. As soon as they arrived at the gate of the mansion, soldiers came up to interrogate them. Cui Yuezhi took them into the Prince's Mansion. He first took Mu Xiaolou in, then asked He Yan and Xiao Jue to wait in the outer hall. He would call them in later.

He Yan and Xiao Jue sat in the outer hall. Feeling bored, He Yan asked Xiao Jue, "Governor, do you know Princess Mengji?"

"I don't know much about her." Xiao Jue lazily said, "I only know that King Mengji had a son and a daughter. His eldest son died before he was 18 years old. At that time, King Mengji's position was not very stable."

If his position was not stable, he needed to unite forces to consolidate it. His Majesty was benevolent, but there were always confidants who did not like the vassal kings' power. They wanted to eliminate all the vassal kings in Da Wei.

In the end, Princess Mengji married the son of an important official in the imperial court. Her husband was a member of the imperial court, so he could monitor Jiyang City at any time to see if there was any rebellion. It was also because of this that King Mengji was able to keep his position as a vassal king.

However, the son of the official, who was Princess Mengji's husband, died of illness not long after Princess Mengji gave birth to a son. Their son also had the same problem as their father. He was born with a congenital deficiency, so their daughter died when she was young. Therefore, there were only Princess Mengji and her granddaughter, Mu Xiaolou, in the current King Mengji's residence.

He Yan was not particularly curious about Mu Hongjin, but after hearing Xiao Jue's words, he knew that this person might be an old acquaintance of Liu Buwang. He had some expectations and wanted to know who had appeared in Liu Buwang's past life. Liu Buwang treated Mu Xiaolou so well. If a man treated a little girl well, it was very likely that it was because of this little girl's family, if it wasn't because of his gentle nature.

After the two of them sat for a while, a maidservant in gauze clothes with braided hair came forward with a smile and said, "Please come with me. His Highness wants to see you."

He Yan and Xiao Jue stood up and followed the maidservant inside.

As soon as they entered the residence, they were surprised to find that the interior of the residence was bigger and more spacious than it looked from the outside. It could be said to be magnificent. The color of the residence was mainly red, and the railings and pillars in the residence were carved with myths and legends about the Water God. In the backyard of the residence, there was even a bronze statue of a bare-chested goddess riding a kun and traveling in the sea.

The weather in Jiyang was hot, unlike the bitter cold in Liangzhou. It was only spring, and when the sun shone in the morning, it was a little hot. Copper basins filled with ice cubes were placed in the four corners of the courtyard, so it didn't feel hot and was cool and pleasant. As for the flowers, plants, and trees, they gave off the same feeling as Jiyang City: prosperous, lively, ostentatious, and proud.

After passing through the courtyard and the long corridor, the maidservant stopped in front of the King Mengji's residence and said with a smile, "Please come in."

He Yan and Xiao Jue stepped in and felt that their eyes suddenly brightened.

The main hall was very wide, and there were columns carved with the pattern of the Water God in the four corners. Above them, there was a painting of auspicious cloud patterns. The floor was covered with a thin blanket, which was as clear as gauze and decorated with some gold, sparkling. For a moment, He Yan felt that the legendary Dragon Palace was probably like this.

It had a kind of wild and mysterious beauty to it.

There was a main seat in the hall and side seats, but there was no one on them at the moment. The princess wasn't here?

While He Yan was puzzled, he heard footsteps coming from behind the hall. Then, someone walked out from the high seat at the back of the hall.

It was a very beautiful woman.

She was very tall and thin. She was a little old, but she didn't look like a beauty past her prime. She wore a red robe, and the corners of her robe were embroidered with the shape of waves with gold thread. Her black hair was combed into a long braid, and she wore a small golden crown on the top of her head. Her skin was very white, but her eyes were very dark, and there was a hint of red at the corners of her eyes. Her facial features were gorgeous and deep, but her expression was a little cold. Even though there was a slight smile on her lips, it was a smile that was high and mighty. It was as if she was standing on a cliff, and it was a frosty flower that bloomed brilliantly and coldly. One could only look at it from afar and not approach it.

It was rare to see a woman with such a threatening aura. She was already very beautiful, but her arrogance made her beauty a burden.

Mu Hongjin walked out slowly and sat down on the high seat in the middle. She looked down at He Yan and Xiao Jue.

He Yan tugged at the corner of Xiao Jue's clothes, lowered his head, and said respectfully, "Greetings, Your Highness."

No one answered for a long time.

Just when He Yan thought that Mu Hongjin would continue to remain silent, Mu Hongjin spoke. Her voice was also very cold, gorgeous, and unbridled. It seeped into people's hearts.

"I don't know why the Commander-in-Chief of the Right Corps is so free that he didn't hesitate to disguise himself as someone else to come to Jiyang."

Chapter 142

     "I didn't know why the Commander-in-Chief of the Right Army was so free that he didn't hesitate to disguise himself as someone else to come to Jiyang."

He Yan thought, "Have I been discovered? Judging from her tone, she didn't seem to have just discovered me. "

He looked at Xiao Jue again. She wasn't surprised at all. She just smiled lazily and said, "Your Highness, is this how you treat Little Highness's savior? You're denouncing them?"

"They're guilty," Mu Hongjin said coldly, "You're not innocent either. You can't have come to Jiyang just to see if I'm doing well."

"It seems that Your Highness is doing well." Xiao Jue raised her eyebrows. "But it's not necessarily the case for the other people in Jiyang City."

Mu Hongjin sat on the high seat and stared at Xiao Jue for a while. Then, she suddenly smiled. With this smile, the cold and unapproachable look just now suddenly melted a lot. She leaned back against the soft cushion and pointed to the guest chair beside her. "Sit down. Don't say that I've neglected a guest from afar."

He Yan thanked her and sat down with Xiao Jue on the side seat.

This was Princess Mengji, Mu Hongjin. He Yan looked at her and felt that she was different from what he had imagined. Before coming to Jiyang, He Yan's impression of Princess Meng Ji was that she was a bit older, kind, dignified, and steady. Later, he guessed that she might be Liu Buwang's old acquaintance, so he thought that she might be a straightforward and righteous person. However, he didn't expect that Mu Hongjin in reality was so beautiful, powerful, domineering, and unrestrained.

"Your Highness …" He Yan hesitated for a moment before asking, "When did you find out?"

"Do you think that it's so easy to enter Jiyang City, or do you think that I'm just a decoration? You can't even see through this." Mu Hongjin stroked a translucent ruby ring on her finger and said lightly, "I've known since the first day you entered the city. That idiot Cui Yuezhi can't see through it, but it doesn't mean that everyone is as stupid as him. I was waiting to see what you were up to, but since you saved Xiao Lou, I won't beat around the bush with you. "

She looked at Xiao Jue and said, "Tell me, Military Governor Xiao. Why did you come to Jiyang City?"

"I'm here to find someone." "His name is Chai Anxi," Xiao Jue said, "He used to be my father's subordinate. After the Battle of Mingshui, he disappeared. I found his whereabouts, he is in Jiyang. However, no one has been found yet. As for the Cuiwei Pavilion, it was burned down half a month ago. " The corners of his mouth curled up slightly. "Since Your Highness already knows our identities, I would like to ask for Your Highness' help. With Your Highness' help, it shouldn't be difficult to investigate someone in Jiyang City."

Mu Hongjin's smile faded slightly. "Military Governor Xiao couldn't have foreseen this day and planned to use my hands to do things for you, right?"

Xiao Jue smiled.

"How dare you!"

He Yan was secretly speechless. They were in Mu Hongjin's territory now, and they didn't have any soldiers with them. Xiao Jue not only didn't tuck her tail between her legs, but also dared to talk back to Mu Hongjin. Even He Yan felt that her attitude of asking for help was too much, let alone Mu Hongjin.

The young man said carelessly, "Uto has infiltrated Jiyang City. Your Highness must be very distressed these days. Chai Anxi might have clues about Uto. Your Highness helping me is helping yourself. "

Mu Hongjin stared at him. "Why should I believe you?"

"You won't lose anything if you believe me." Xiao Jue's voice was calm. "It depends on what Your Highness is most worried about."

The hall was silent for a moment, and slowly, the sound of applause could be heard. Mu Hongjin clapped her hands and stared at Xiao Jue. It was hard to tell whether it was fear or admiration. She said, "General Fengyun really lives up to her reputation. Even if you don't become a general, you can still do a good job as a counselor."

"Your Highness is overpraising me."

Mu Hongjin stood up and said, "You're right. Uto has infiltrated Jiyang City. I've been worried about this for a long time. But how can you prove that the person you're looking for knows about Uto's clues? "

"Jiyang City has always been easy to get out but difficult to get in. Chai Anxi has infiltrated Jiyang for many years, and Uto has entered Jiyang as if there's no one there. There must be a connection. In Your Highness's mansion, there must be someone among the officials of Jiyang who colluded with the Uto to create loopholes in Jiyang City. It must be done by one person. Whether it's Chai Anxi or Uto, they both used the Uto as an excuse to enter the city. " Xiao Jue said calmly, "Your Highness wants to clean up the Uto, but with Your Highness's current ability, it's already difficult."

Mu Hongjin smiled. "Oh? Why would I be difficult? "

"Because of Xiao Lou."

Mu Hongjin's smile faded.

He Yan understood the meaning of Xiao Jue's words. After King Meng Ji's wife passed away, at least she left behind a son who was able to hold the position of King. However, after her son passed away, she was only left with a granddaughter who was still young. Although a woman could inherit the position of King and become a princess, if it was that simple, Mu Hongjin would not have been married off to the son of an important official in the imperial court to stabilize her power.

The huge mansion was only supported by two women, a pair of grandmother and granddaughter. Many people were eyeing the mansion covetously. With internal and external troubles, Mu Hongjin would not be as relaxed as she looked.

"Military Governor Xiao is wise and observant." Mu Hongjin sighed. "Ever since my son passed away, the people in Jiyang City have been unstable. Xiao Lou is still young, so she can't take on big responsibilities. The aristocratic families have already formed their own factions and have fallen apart. They're like loose sand, so it's easy for others to take advantage of them. However, "she paused and looked at Xiao Jue." Uto has infiltrated Jiyang, so I'm afraid that the situation in Da Wei's Central Plains will not be stable. "

"Your Highness is wise."

"So," Mu Hongjin raised her chin slightly. "Do you want to work with me?"

"If Your Highness is willing," Xiao Jue smiled slightly. "I'll be happy to."

Mu Hongjin nodded. "I'll send people to search for Chai Anxi's whereabouts in the city. If he's still alive, I promise you that I'll be able to find him no matter where he hides. However, you have to promise me. "Her eyes flashed with a hint of cunning." General Fengyun is said to be a godly strategist. You and I will work together to solve the Uto's predicament in Jiyang City. "

This time, she used "I" instead of "This Highness", which meant that she was putting herself on the same level as Xiao Jue in order to seek cooperation.

Xiao Jue nodded. "Of course."

Since she had already spoken, Mu Hongjin's face was no longer as cold as before. She even showed a friendly smile. "Cui Yuezhi asked you to come all the way to the palace and waited in the outer hall for a long time. I'm sure you haven't eaten yet. Since you're here, you should eat before you leave. Xiao Lou will change his clothes so that he can personally thank you. " She looked at He Yan again with a hint of interest in her eyes. "However, I didn't expect that Military Governor Xiao would choose a married man to come to Jiyang. Is this person … your lover? "

He Yan almost choked on his own saliva. He knew that the people of Jiyang were straightforward, but he was still surprised that the princess was so direct.

Xiao Jue glanced at her and said lightly, "No, she's my subordinate."

"Subordinate?" Mu Hongjin smiled and said, "But I heard from Yuezhi that you went to the Water God Festival together yesterday. You even walked across Lovers' Bridge for her and rode on the Firefly Boat. With Military Governor Xiao's temperament, he wouldn't be so accommodating to a subordinate. As a subordinate, isn't it a little too bold to make such a request? "

He Yan pondered in his heart. She was implying that she should restrain herself in the future. After thinking for a while, she bowed and said respectfully, "He Yan will listen to Your Highness's teachings. He will be careful with his words and actions in the future and will not cause trouble for the Governor."

Mu Hongjin was stunned for a moment. She looked at Xiao Jue. "You really are a subordinate."

Xiao Jue was silent for a moment. She said calmly, "Your Highness, please don't laugh at my incompetence."

"It's fine. That's your business." Mu Hongjin stroked her hair and said, "I'll go find Cui Yuezhi first and tell him to help you find someone. You two wait here for a moment. "

After saying that, she stood up from the high seat and slowly disappeared into the back of the hall.

He Yan waited for her to leave before he breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't know why, but he always felt that he couldn't be too relaxed in front of Princess Mengji. It was probably because her aura was too strong, making it difficult for people to ignore her.

"Governor, why did you admit it so quickly just now?" He Yan touched Xiao Jue's elbow. "You didn't even try to quibble."

Xiao Jue sneered. "Not everyone is a liar like you."

He Yan shrugged and changed the topic. "But this Princess Mengji is really good. She discovered us the moment we entered the city."

"I didn't intend to hide it from him." Xiao Jue said carelessly. "Cui Yuezhi can still be perfunctory. How can a woman who can stabilize Jiyang City with her own strength be so easy to fool?"

"Yes." He Yan agreed with her words. "Women are not easy to fool when they don't act on their emotions."

But if they like and trust someone, it would be too easy to be fooled.

Xiao Jue glanced at her and said slowly, "But some women are not easy to fool, and they like to deceive people."

He Yan: "…"

She said, "What you said is meaningless. Who's deceiving you?"

As they were talking, a maid from the Prince's Mansion walked in and said, "Please follow me. His Highness invites you to eat in the banquet hall."

He Yan and Xiao Jue then walked to the banquet hall.

The banquet hall of the Prince's Mansion was also very big. Although the walls and ceiling were painted with colorful paintings and the floor was covered with bright-colored blankets, because there were very few people at the long tables, it was still a little empty at first. The magnificent emptiness made people feel even more lonely.

Mu Hongjin sat on a small couch at the long table and said, "Sit."

He Yan and Xiao Jue sat down at the table.

"I don't know what you like to eat, so make yourselves comfortable." Mu Hongjin seemed to be a little tired and leaned against the soft cushion. "I asked Cui Yuezhi to go back first. It's not convenient for him to talk here."

Cui Yuezhi still did not know Xiao Jue and Xiao Jue's identities, so it was indeed inconvenient for him.

The food in the Prince's Mansion was not much different from the food in the Cui Mansion. However, He Yan was not very particular about food. He was happy as long as there was something to eat. He immediately thanked Mu Hongjin and picked up his chopsticks reservedly. He also remembered that the person in front of him was Princess Mengji, so it was not good for him to be presumptuous. Therefore, he ate more politely.

Mu Hongjin looked at Xiao Jue. "Military Governor Xiao, if the Uto sneaked into Jiyang, what is their motive?"

"Da Wei."

That one sentence made He Yan's action of drinking the soup stop, and he instantly felt that the delicious food was tasteless.

"Once the Uto gains power and attacks Jiyang, the first thing they will do is to cut off the water supply of the canal. The cities along the river will be affected by the disaster. There will be no food or money, and the merchants will go on strike. The Central Plains will be in chaos. Then, they will head north, enter the capital, and attack the palace, "he said calmly." There is nothing more natural than this. "

Mu Hongjin was silent for a moment before she said, "Military Governor Xiao makes it sound so easy for you to say such a shocking thing."

"Because it's about to happen." Xiao Jue said, "Not now. Early on, during the battle between father and the Southern Barbarians at Mingshui, there were already clues."

"Southern Barbarians?" This was the first time Mu Hongjin heard of this. She was puzzled. "What does it have to do with the Southern Barbarians?"

"There is a traitor in the imperial court who colluded with the Southern Barbarians in the past. Unfortunately, the Southern Barbarians' rebellion was quelled, and the Uto Kingdom was far away. It has been peaceful all these years, and it has been accumulating power in secret. Therefore, 'he' changed his target of cooperation from the Southern Barbarians to the Uto Kingdom. Jiyang is the first city to be used to claim credit. "

Mu Hongjin placed her hand on her chest and frowned. "Jiyang has not fought for many years."

"Allow me to ask." Xiao Jue asked, "How many soldiers are there in Jiyang now?"

"Less than twenty thousand."

He Yan frowned when he heard this. Less than twenty thousand was not a number that could make one feel at ease. After all, there were more than twenty thousand Liang Province Guards.

"Doesn't Military Governor Xiao have the Southern Prefecture Soldiers under his command?" Mu Hongjin asked. "Can the Southern Prefecture Soldiers be transferred to Jiyang?"

"It's too late," Xiao Jue said.

He Yan and Mu Hongjin were both stunned. Mu Hongjin said coldly, "Is Military Governor Xiao exaggerating to scare us?"

"Your Highness already knows the truth. If it wasn't urgent, "Xiao Jue's expression was still calm." Your Highness wouldn't have been kidnapped during the Water God Festival. "

Mu Xiaolou was a part of their plan. However, they coincidentally encountered He Yan and the others, and the plan was disrupted. It could be imagined that if He Yan and the others hadn't appeared that day, and Mu Xiaolou had been successfully kidnapped, there would be two outcomes. The first was that the news of Her Highness' disappearance spread, and the entire Jiyang City was in a state of panic. The princess would no longer have an heir, and the people's hearts would be in chaos. The aristocratic families would cause trouble, and the people hiding in the dark would take the opportunity to stir up trouble and directly take the throne. The second was even simpler. They would use Mu Xiaolou as a bargaining chip to negotiate with Mu Hongjin. If Mu Hongjin doted on this granddaughter, she would directly hand over the throne. Then, the other party would be able to take over the entire Jiyang City without expending a single soldier.

Regardless of the outcome, it was not something that the current Jiyang City could bear.

"You mean …" Mu Hongjin asked.

"Let's prepare for a fierce battle," Xiao Jue replied.

This topic was too serious. Everyone in the banquet hall was silent for a moment. At that moment, a crisp voice rang out. "Grandmother!"

It was Mu Xiaolou.

Mu Xiaolou had already changed her clothes. She was also wearing a bright red robe with golden lotus flowers embroidered on it. It was gorgeous and exquisite. She didn't wear a golden crown. Her two braids hung down in front of her chest and there was a little ornament on her forehead. She looked like a young Mu Hongjin, a girl from a different race. However, compared to Mu Hongjin's domineering beauty, Mu Xiaolou was more delicate and arrogant.

After returning to the familiar residence, Mu Xiaolou was no longer as silent as she was in the Cui residence. She ran over like a little bird and jumped onto Mu Hongjin's soft couch. She nestled beside Mu Hongjin and asked, "Grandmother, why isn't Cui Zhongqi here?"

"Cui Zhongqi is busy." Mu Hongjin was much more affectionate when facing Mu Xiaolou. She smiled and patted her head. "Your saviors are here. Hurry up and thank them."

Mu Xiaolou turned her head and looked at He Yan and Xiao Jue. After a while, she said in a small voice, "Thank you for saving me."

She didn't want to lose face.

He Yan didn't argue with her and asked Mu Hongjin, "Little Highness, how did you end up in the hands of those bad people that day? Could it be that those bad people had infiltrated the residence? "

If that was the case, those bad people were too daring.

Mu Hongjin looked at Mu Xiaolou. "You say it yourself."

"It's nothing." Mu Xiaolou looked at her grandmother's expression. After a while, she said, "I wanted to go to the Water God Festival and didn't want the guards to follow me, so I left the residence. On the way, I met those people who said they could help me get on the Firefly Boat. After I got on the boat, I couldn't move after drinking tea. Then I met you. "

She said it lightly, probably because she was afraid of being scolded by Mu Hongjin. It could be assumed that she had experienced many dangers. However, it was normal for a child of this age to want to play. Mu Hongjin only had this one granddaughter. She was usually very strict, afraid that something would happen to her. It was reasonable for a child to want to go out and play by herself.

It was just that her luck wasn't too good and she had been targeted early on.

"I really have to thank you." Mu Hongjin sighed. "If something really happened to Xiaolou, I don't know how to continue living."

"Your Highness, please don't say that. Little Highness is blessed by the heavens. Even if she didn't meet us, she would have met someone else. She will definitely be safe."

Mu Xiaolou heard this and muttered, "It wasn't you who saved me in the first place. It was this uncle who saved me." Then, she looked at He Yan. "That uncle isn't coming today? When can he come? Go back and tell him that I want to see him. Can he come to the residence to play with me? "

It was the first time Mu Hongjin had heard of such a person. She asked in confusion, "What uncle?"

"It's an uncle who looks like an immortal." Mu Xiaolou became happy and gestured to Mu Hongjin. "He's very tall and wears white clothes. He's very strong. When I was caught, he knocked over the knife as soon as he appeared! He has a sword and a qin on his back. "

Mu Hongjin's expression gradually stiffened.

He Yan complained incessantly in his heart. He only hoped that this little ancestor would stop talking and not continue. However, Mu Xiaolou seemed to have a good impression of Liu Buwang. Speaking of this, she beamed with joy and wished she could tell Mu Hongjin everything she knew.

"He also knows how to play the qin. He played the qin for me. It's the song that Grandmother often plays. But he plays it much better than you. He said that the song seems to be called 'Slow Time'. Grandmother, why have I never heard you mention the name of this song? Is it really called that? "

Mu Hongjin looked at Mu Xiaolou and slowly opened her mouth, her voice dry. "Since you've seen him, do you know his name?"

"I asked him," Mu Xiaolou replied. "He said he's called Layperson Yun Lin, but I heard them all call that person Master Liu. You should ask him. "Mu Xiaolou pointed at Xiao Jue." Layperson Yun Lin seems to be his master. I heard Cui Zhongqi ask. "

Mu Hongjin looked at Xiao Jue. "Is that so?"

He Yan was so nervous that his palms were sweating. He heard Xiao Jue reply, "Yes."

The banquet hall inexplicably became dull. Mu Hongjin didn't speak and just leaned on the couch. She didn't even notice Mu Xiaolou. Her gaze gradually drifted away, as if she was recalling a distant memory. There was no room for anyone else in her eyes.

He Yan thought to himself, From the looks of it, Mu Hongjin and Liu Buwang are not only old acquaintances, but also have a deep relationship.

After a long time, Mu Hongjin came back to her senses and said indifferently, "I know."

She didn't say that she wanted to see him again, nor did she ask about Liu Buwang. It was as if this person was just a passerby who she had forgotten after hearing his name. Her expression returned to calmness, and for a moment, the gloominess also dissipated. She seemed to have returned to the aloof and unreasonable Royal Highness when they first met.

It would be better if she kept asking, but she just let it go. He Yan became suspicious, as if there was a restless cat constantly scratching his heart. Finally, he couldn't help but ask, "Are Your Highness and Layman Yunlin old acquaintances?"

Xiao Jue glanced at him with a warning look.

He Yan didn't care. Liu Buwang was also her relative. Now that she could finally catch a glimpse of Liu Buwang's past, how could she give up? Besides, Mu Hongjin's expression … At least she wasn't an enemy of Liu Buwang.

Mu Hongjin didn't expect He Yan to suddenly ask this. She looked at He Yan, and He Yan looked at her generously. After a while, Mu Hongjin smiled and said, "Military Governor Xiao, your subordinate is really bold."

Xiao Jue's gaze was clear and indifferent. "Your Highness, please forgive me."

"I haven't said anything yet. You don't have to be so anxious to defend her." Mu Hongjin smiled slightly. "It's just that no one has dared to ask this question for many years."

He Yan found it strange. Was she really an enemy?

If she was an enemy, why would Liu Buwang treat Mu Xiaolou so well? After all, Mu Xiaolou and Mu Hongjin were too similar. Facing a face that looked like an enemy, he wouldn't be gentle.

"Actually, it's no big deal to tell you." Mu Hongjin said lightly, "Many years ago, before I got married, I once sneaked out of the prince's mansion." She glanced at Mu Xiaolou and said gently, "Just like Xiaolou yesterday."

"But I was very lucky. I didn't meet any bad people. Instead, I met a young man who just came down from the mountain."

Her beautiful eyes stared at the painting on the wall in the distance. The painting was like a young girl sitting under a flower tree and weaving a garland. The large peach color was bright and beautiful, just like the spring day of that year.

"I admired this young man, so I pestered him and followed him with the excuse that I was penniless and had nowhere to go."

It was also the first time Mu Xiaolou heard about her grandmother's past. She widened her eyes in surprise.

"It was the first time I fell in love with someone. Naturally, I was very sincere. However, that young man already had a sweetheart and didn't like me. He was also very cold to me. Father told me that the marriage was set and they would get married in a few days. So I begged that young man to take me away. "

He Yan was so surprised that he couldn't speak. Princess Mengji was really bold to elope before marriage.

"On the day of the appointment, he didn't come." Mu Hongjin said lightly, "I was found by Father's people and returned to Jiyang to get married."

"After that, I never saw him again."

Chapter 143

     After Mu Hongjin finished speaking, her expression didn't change, as if she was talking about someone else's matter.

He Yan didn't feel good. She thought for a while and said, "Maybe … Householder Yun Lin didn't come that day because he had something to do. I also made an appointment with someone, but I was delayed by something urgent, so I missed the appointment. "

"There's nothing urgent, there's no misunderstanding." Mu Hongjin smiled and said, "He told me this himself."

He Yan didn't say anything else, but he felt that what Mu Hongjin said wasn't the whole truth. If Liu Buwang really had someone else in his heart, ever since He Yan met him, he had never seen any other woman. He had also never heard him mention anyone's name. Speaking of which, Mu Xiaolou was the one with the most different attitude, and Mu Xiaolou was Mu Hongjin's granddaughter.

"Young people always think that they're the unique one." Mu Hongjin smiled and said, "I was the same when I was young. But I don't know that being unique or not depends on who sees it. In that person's eyes, I'm just the one who doesn't catch his eye among thousands of people. "

"Your Highness, the person you're talking about is my master?" Xiao Jue asked.

"As Xiaolou said, I can't think of anyone else." Mu Hongjin said, "It's just that I didn't expect him to come to Jiyang …"

He Yan thought to himself, 'Princess Mengji guessed wrong.' According to the lady boss of the teahouse, Liu Buwang not only came to Jiyang this year, but also every year in the past … However, Liu Buwang didn't come to Jiyang for Mu Hongjin, right?

What's this? Is it better not to meet? '

Mu Xiaolou curled her lips and said, "That person really has no taste. Grandmother is the most beautiful and powerful person in the world, but he's actually willing to let her down? Is he blind? I think he shouldn't be called Householder Yun Lin, but Householder Who Has No Taste! "

"You." Mu Hongjin poked Mu Xiaolou's head and scolded with a smile, "You're so young, but you know what it means to let someone down?"

"He won Grandmother's favor, but not only is he not grateful, but he also doesn't take it seriously. If this isn't letting her down, then what is? Serves him right for not being able to marry Grandmother. I don't want my grandfather to be such a person. "Mu Xiaolou said angrily. She was a child and spoke without fear. It was probably because when she was born, Mu Hongjin's husband had already passed away. Since she had never met him, she didn't have any feelings for him. Thus, when she spoke of this matter, she didn't have any scruples.

"Sure." Mu Hongjin smiled and hugged Mu Xiaolou. "Then, our Xiaolou's future husband must cherish Xiaolou and never let her down."

"Of course!"

He Yan didn't feel good when he saw the happy and harmonious appearance of the grandfather and grandson. There were thousands of different kinds of people in the world, and the number of people who were destined to be together was like the grains of sand in the Ganges River, innumerable. However, if you were misunderstood and couldn't say it out loud, that would probably be the most regrettable kind.

Even the precious delicacies couldn't make her happy. After eating with a heavy heart, Xiao Jue and He Yan got up and said goodbye to Mu Hongjin.

Mu Hongjin nodded.

When she turned to leave, He Yan finally couldn't help but look at Mu Hongjin and ask, "Your Highness, since you already know that your old friend is now living in the Cui Mansion, why don't you ask about his current situation and his experiences over the years?"

From the beginning until now, ever since she knew that Liu Buwang was the person who saved Mu Xiaolou, Mu Hongjin had played down the past and never mentioned this person again, as if Liu Buwang had nothing to do with her.

Mu Hongjin was slightly startled, and then looked at He Yan and said lightly, "That's all in the past."

"As for now, he and I have nothing to do with each other."

After the meal, He Yan and Xiao Jue said goodbye to Mu Hongjin.

After leaving the mansion, He Yan couldn't help but look back at the vermilion gate of the mansion and said hesitantly, "Your Highness, do you really only treat my master as a stranger now?"

Xiao Jue said, "Love is deep and hate is deep. People who have really let go will not deliberately forget something."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," he raised the corners of his mouth slightly, "Lady He really doesn't know how to observe people's expressions when it comes to love."

Was this a blow to her? He Yan thought, Besides, how could he blame her? In her previous life, she didn't have any occasion to carefully figure out other people's thoughts, except for the enemy generals. Besides, women's minds were delicate. If a woman really wanted to hide her feelings, she would definitely not let others see through her.

"You speak as if you know very well," she retorted.

"A little better than you."

He walked forward leisurely, and He Yan hurriedly followed.

In the empty hall, the woman in the red robe and golden crown slowly walked up the steps and sat down on the high seat.

After Mu Xiaolou finished her meal, she was taken back to her bedroom to rest by a maid. Mu Xiaolou had also received quite a shock yesterday. As a child, she was very tired and sleepy, so Mu Hongjin had someone send her some soup to calm her nerves. Fortunately, Mu Xiaolou was only frightened and not injured.

Jiyang was plagued by internal and external troubles. Uto was among them, and the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the city were in her hands. The current situation really couldn't be considered gratifying. This was originally a mess, but Mu Hongjin actually thought of another name in her heart.

Liu Buwang.

She really didn't expect that after so many years, she could still hear the name Liu Buwang from other people. She also didn't expect that Liu Buwang would dare to enter Jiyang City again.

If Mu Hongjin was young, she would definitely stand in front of him, look down at him condescendingly, and ask him to get out of her territory. But now, she didn't have such an impulse, and she didn't even want to see him.

On the small table next to the high seat, there was a carved bronze mirror. Cui Yuezhi had found it for her from a merchant. The mirror was extremely thin, and the carvings were extremely beautiful. There was an emerald green opal inlaid on the wooden handle at the bottom. She had always liked complicated and gorgeous things, so she kept it with her every day. Mu Xiaolou always said that this bronze mirror looked old-fashioned, but Mu Hongjin didn't think so. She held the bronze mirror in her hand and looked at the person in the mirror.

The woman in the mirror was extremely beautiful. She didn't know when even her makeup had to be as dignified and exquisite. There was a touch of light red at the corners of her eyes, which made her beauty look cold and gorgeous. Her lips were also red and slightly pursed, which made her look restrained and cold.

She reached out to stroke her hair. The maids all envied her for her long black hair. Even at this age, she didn't look old. But they didn't know that every morning, she would ask her personal maid to comb her hair carefully under the sunlight, find out the white in her hair, and pull them out one by one.

As long as she was still the princess, she would always be young, beautiful, noble, and powerful. She would trample all the restless and restless people under her feet and accept everyone's respectful and sincere gazes.

But …

She was old after all.

Mu Hongjin looked at herself in the mirror. Once upon a time, her face was clean and she never put on makeup. Her eyes didn't have the domineering and fierce look now. That girl's eyes were always curved, and when she smiled, she revealed her white teeth. She was brash, hearty, and carefree.

Her thoughts flew back to many years ago, so long that she couldn't remember which year it was. At that time, Mu Hongjin wasn't the red-robed and golden-crowned "princess". She was the only daughter of King Meng Ji, the apple of his eye, a seventeen-year-old girl.

The seventeen-year-old girl was full of imagination about love and the future. When she suddenly learned that her marriage was set and she was going to marry the son of an important court official, her first reaction was fierce resistance.

The old King Meng Ji, her father, looked at her with some guilt, but his tone was undeniably firm: "You must marry him to stabilize your position as princess."

"I don't want to be a princess at all," Mu Hongjin snorted, "I don't want to use my marriage to exchange for this position. I'd rather be an ordinary person!"

Her resistance wasn't taken seriously. Perhaps it was just a child's willful quarrel, or perhaps, King Meng Ji knew very well that even if she resisted, there would be no result. The position of a vassal king was unstable. If he wasn't careful, no one would be able to escape.

Mu Hongjin slipped out of the prince's residence late one night.

She had a strange temperament and had long yearned for the life of an ordinary person. She took a horse whip, changed her appearance, and left Jiyang City that night.

The Mu Hongjin of that year was older than the current Mu Xiaolou, and also more intelligent and shrewd. She didn't suffer any losses along the way. She went all the way to the foot of Qiyun Mountain.

Qiyun Mountain's mountain path was steep. Bystanders said that there was a barren mountain at the top. However, there was a lush peach forest at the foot of the mountain. It was spring, and the peach blossoms were bright and full of romance. Mu Hongjin was not far from the peach forest when she encountered a thief.

Generally speaking, if a girl who was alone didn't disguise herself, it was very easy to encounter a thief with bad intentions. If the girl was a beautiful girl, it was even more difficult to avoid. There were many stories of heroes saving beauties in dramas, and they all originated from this.

Mu Hongjin ran and ran, and when she ran under a peach tree, she accidentally sprained her ankle and had nowhere to hide.

The thieves grinned and came forward, like catching a turtle in a jar. If this was in a drama, at this time, the hero who saved the beauty would appear.

The hero who saved the beauty did indeed appear.

"Stop."

At this critical moment, someone's voice was heard. It was a clear male voice. Mu Hongjin looked back and saw a young man in white slowly walking over. His long hair was tied up in a bun with a white silk cloth, and he carried a zither on his back. He had delicate features and an otherworldly appearance, as if he didn't care about the secular world. He blocked in front of her.

The thieves were stunned at first, but then they laughed. They thought that this young man looked weak and was just trying to stand out, so they quickly told him to get lost. Mu Hongjin also felt some despair. He looked more like a zither player than a hero.

However, the young man just stood there calmly and didn't move.

The thieves flew into a rage out of humiliation and wanted to make the young man suffer a little. It wasn't until the young man pulled out the long sword at his waist that Mu Hongjin saw clearly that he actually had another sword.

The young man in white was indeed a hero, and he was also a kind hero. His swordsmanship was extremely high, but he didn't take those people's lives. He just stopped and beat them until they fled.

Only the two of them were left under the peach tree. In the crimson red, Mu Hongjin looked at the other party. The young man's eyes were calm and indifferent, and his robe was spotless. However, she knew that he was not a zither player, but a chivalrous hero. He jumped out of those thrilling dramas and appeared in front of her like a divine soldier descending from the sky. He was the young chivalrous hero who saved her.

The panic just now faded away, and she smiled with curved eyebrows and eyes. "Thank you for saving me. My name is Mu Hongjin. What's your name?"

The young chivalrous hero seemed to be a little surprised by her sudden cheerfulness. He paused and said, "Liu Buwang."

The girl from Jiyang was cheerful and bold, enthusiastic and forthright. Mu Hongjin looked at him with a distressed expression, but a trace of craftiness flashed through her eyes.

"Young Chivalrous Hero Liu, I sprained my ankle and can't walk anymore. Since you've saved me, I'll help you to the end. Carry me on your back!"

The person in the bronze mirror smiled slightly, and her gaze gradually became distant. When she recalled the peach blossoms that year, she would unconsciously smile.

She didn't hold the bronze mirror tightly and accidentally dropped it on the ground.

The sound alarmed the woman on the high seat. She bent down to pick up the bronze mirror and was slightly startled. There was a crack on the smooth surface of the bronze mirror because of the fall just now. It was very slight, and if one didn't look carefully, it wouldn't be discovered.

The smile on her lips faded. After a while, she put the mirror aside.

After all … it was difficult to repair a broken mirror.

When they returned to the Cui Residence, it was already evening, and Cui Yuezhi hadn't returned yet. He Yan was afraid that Liu Buwang would leave without saying goodbye, so the first thing she did was to look for Liu Buwang. When she found him, she found that Liu Buwang was playing chess with Lin Shuanghe. Both of them liked to wear white clothes. Lin Shuanghe looked like a fine young master in a chaotic world, while Liu Buwang looked like a noble and otherworldly swordsman.

Seeing that He Yan had returned, Lin Shuanghe said, "Young Master, Madam, you're back! Mr. Liu's chess skills are too good. I, Liu Buwang, have such high chess skills, but I can't even last ten moves against him. How many rounds has it been? Young Master, why don't you play chess with Mr. Liu and help me win a round? "

He Yan silently rolled her eyes in her heart. It wasn't that she was bragging about her master, but there was nothing that Liu Buwang wasn't good at. He was talented in both civil and martial arts. With Lin Shuanghe's mediocre skills, he could deceive girls in brothels, but compared with Liu Buwang, it was simply an insult to Liu Buwang.

She walked to Liu Buwang's side and said to Lin Shuanghe, "Since you've lost so many rounds, Brother Lin should go back and practice well before the next round. I still have something to talk to my master about. Let's talk about it later! "After saying that, she pulled Liu Buwang up and walked into the room.

Lin Shuanghe looked at He Yan's back, leaned close to Xiao Jue, and asked curiously, "Why are you in such a hurry? What's wrong with my Sister He?"

Xiao Jue said, "She went to listen to a story."

"What story?" Lin Shuanghe was puzzled, "Did you see the princess in the mansion? How was it? Did she make things difficult for you? "

Xiao Jue chuckled and didn't answer. She didn't make things difficult for him, but … He Yan's gaze fell on the door that was closed by He Yan. It was just that this trip was probably an accident for Mu Hongjin, Liu Buwang, and even He Yan.

Cui Jiao was about to go in with the tea, but was stopped by Xiao Jue. His gaze fell on the teapot on the tea tray, and he said, "Change a bowl of brown sugar water, hot."

Cui Jiao nodded. Xiao Jue turned around and saw Lin Shuanghe staring at him with a strange gaze. He frowned, "What are you looking at?"

"Xiao Huaijin," Lin Shuanghe looked at him seriously, waved his fan, and said, "You're finished."

"You're sick," he replied indifferently.

In the room, He Yan pressed Liu Buwang to sit down at the table, and he sat down as well.

She had a lot of questions, such as Liu Buwang's previous words about tracking down the Wutuo people, as well as Jiyang's current actions. However, the first thing she said was, "Master, I just came back from the mansion and met Her Highness."

Liu Buwang looked at her.

He Yan hesitated for a moment before saying, "Princess Meng Ji seems to be an old acquaintance of Master."

Liu Buwang said, "Yes."

He admitted it so quickly? She was stunned for a moment. Since he was so frank, did it mean that there was nothing between them? He Yan realized for the first time that he was so talkative that he even wanted to know about other people's private affairs. But if it was about Liu Buwang, she couldn't help but want to know what kind of past her god-like, seemingly emotionless master had.

Perhaps it was this past that made him seem more worldly and more like an ordinary person.

"Princess Meng Ji said that she once admired Master, but Master has another love in his heart." He Yan simply said it in one breath, "Back then, Princess Meng Ji wanted to escape from the marriage and made an appointment with Master, but Master didn't come, so she returned to Jiyang and got married."

Hearing this, Liu Buwang was still expressionless, and no one could tell what he was thinking.

He Yan said, "Master, is this true?"

She always felt that with Liu Buwang's chivalrous character, who would bury the corpses when he passed by, if Mu Hongjin really begged him, he would definitely take her away. If he didn't intend to take her away from the beginning, he wouldn't have made an agreement with Mu Hongjin at all.

Why did he have to do something unnecessary?

"It's true," Liu Buwang replied lightly.

He Yan was surprised. "Why?"

"This is the best choice for her." Liu Buwang said, "As Princess Meng Ji, she should bear her due responsibilities, and Jiyang is her responsibility."

"But …" He Yan was still unwilling to give up. "Is it because of this that Master didn't take her away, or is it because of other reasons? Does Master really have another love in his heart? "

For so many years, she had never seen Liu Buwang mention any woman or anyone he loved. To put it bluntly, if that "lover" was no longer alive, at least Zhongyuan would pay respects to her every year during the Qingming Festival. But no, there was nothing.

Liu Buwang didn't answer her and just looked at He Yan with a smile. "Is she … doing well?"

Was she doing well? He Yan couldn't answer this question. The current situation in Jiyang City was really not good. But from a certain point of view, Mu Hongjin was married and had a granddaughter. At least she wasn't as lonely as Liu Buwang.

She could only say, "Xiao Lou is her granddaughter."

Liu Buwang smiled and didn't say anything.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became silent and stagnant.

Outside, Cui Jiao knocked on the door and said, "Madam, the sweet soup with brown sugar balls is here."

"Why do you still like sweet things?" Liu Buwang came back to his senses and laughed. "Go out and drink the sweet soup. I want to be alone for a while."

He Yan hesitated for a moment, then stood up and said, "Master, I'll go out first."

She left the room, and the door was closed behind her.

The night in Jiyang was also warm, not as cold as the north. The wind blew in from the window, causing the shadows of the trees to sway slightly. It was like the fog on Qiyun Mountain.

Liu Buwang had no parents. He was the youngest disciple of Daoist Yunji on Qiyun Mountain. Daoist Yunji was extremely outstanding. He lived far away and adopted a group of orphans as his disciples. Liu Buwang was ranked seventh and was called Little Seven.

The teenagers practiced martial arts on the mountain. When they were 18 years old, they had to go down the mountain to gain experience. When Liu Buwang went down the mountain, his senior brothers all came to see him off. He was proud and simple, and his nature was pure and honest. Everyone was afraid that he would be deceived at the foot of the mountain. Before he left, they gave him a lot of advice, which made him impatient.

Every teenager felt that their future was bright, and that they could root out evil in the world and take care of injustice everywhere. There was nothing that could humiliate their temperament or defeat their persistence.

Liu Buwang was the same.

Who knew that as soon as he went down the mountain, he would see evil people bullying a weak woman in the peach blossom forest at the foot of the mountain? Liu Buwang stepped forward, drove away the evil people, and was about to leave, but the woman stuck to him like a dog-skin plaster. He couldn't get rid of her.

He still remembered the first time he saw Mu Hongjin. She was so beautiful and charming that one more look at her would make him blush. Her two braids hung in front of her chest. She blinked at him and said in an innocent voice, "Young Hero Liu, I sprained my ankle and can't walk. I'll help you to the end. Carry me on your back!"

He was shocked by her self-righteous words. He took a step back and said, "No."

"Why not?" Mu Hongjin said, "Aren't you a young hero? Young heroes all have to do this. "

Young heroes all have to do this? Liu Buwang didn't understand when he was a teenager. He had been living on the mountain and didn't know the ways of the world, so he didn't know whether what she said was true or not. But looking at her confident look, Liu Buwang thought that maybe … the people at the foot of the mountain were all like this. Was he making a fuss over nothing?

As he thought about it, he saw Mu Hongjin cry out with a bitter face, "Ouch, ouch, it hurts when I move."

He was displeased that she was so delicate. Even Taoist Yunji's daughter, his Junior Sister, wasn't so delicate. He had no choice but to bend down and say, "Come on up."

Mu Hongjin climbed up happily.

The girl's hands held his neck tightly. Her warm body was close to him, and he could smell the fragrance of her hair. Liu Buwang felt very uncomfortable. He wanted to refuse, but it was too late. He could only accept his fate and say, "Miss, where do you live? I'll take you back. "

"I don't have a home." The girl's voice was pitiful. "I was kidnapped here. My home is far, far away. I'll follow you from now on. I'll go wherever you go. "

Liu Buwang was so shocked that he almost threw her off his back. "What do you mean I'll go wherever you go? Why do you want to follow me? "

"Since you saved me, of course you have to be responsible for me to the end." Mu Hongjin said confidently, "Otherwise, you can take me back to my home. My home is in the Shuo Capital, which is far away from here. Can you take me there?"

Liu Buwang, "…"

He really didn't expect that he would save such a big trouble when he saved someone. Were all the people at the foot of the mountain like this, and all the women at the foot of the mountain like this? No wonder Eldest Senior Brother told him before he left, "The women at the foot of the mountain are tigers." Even tigers were scared away by a firecracker. Why couldn't he get rid of this woman?

As if reading his mind, the girl leaned close to his ear and said, "Don't be afraid. I don't eat much, and I won't cost you much money. If you take me with you, I won't be a trouble."

"I beg you, young hero."

Chapter 144

     In the past 18 years of Liu Buwang's life, he had never interacted with a woman except for his little junior sister. Even his little junior sister was gentle and polite. He had never seen such a fierce weirdo. His senior brothers said that he was pure and honest, which was true. He put on airs, but he was repeatedly helpless against Mu Hongjin.

He couldn't get rid of Mu Hongjin, so he thought that he would wait until he finished his business and then take her to Qiyun Mountain. As for how to deal with her, he would let Daoist Yunji decide.

Suddenly, there was a gentle and soft girl beside him, which made Liu Buwang very uncomfortable. But soon, this discomfort was diluted by anger. Mu Hongjin wasn't like what she said, "I don't eat much, and I won't spend much of your money. I won't be a problem if you take me with you."

Mu Hongjin indeed didn't eat much, but she spent a lot of money. She was too picky. She had to choose the best restaurant to eat, dress beautifully, and live in an inn. Fortunately, she had her own money, which was very rich, so she could afford it. Not only that, but she also shared it with him generously. "Young hero, the roast duck of Wu Fanglou is really delicious. Try some!"

Liu Buwang frowned and looked at her. "Didn't you say that you were abducted? How can you have so much money on you? When the abductor abducted you, he must have been so kind that he didn't search you, right? "

Mu Hongjin was stunned and said apologetically, "You found out. Well, in fact, I wasn't abducted here. I …" She leaned close to Liu Buwang and whispered in his ear, "I ran away from my marriage."

Liu Buwang looked at her in surprise.

"It's true! I didn't lie to you. My father wants to marry me to an old man who is older than him. Look at me. I'm so young and beautiful. How can I marry into a tiger's den? I heard that the man is a pervert. He had married three wives before, but they were all tortured to death by him. I had no choice. "She pretended to cry and covered her face with her sleeve." I just didn't want to die so miserably. "

Liu Buwang was skeptical. "Nonsense. Since you have so much money on you, it can be seen that your family background is not bad. Why did your father marry you to such a person? "

"That person's family background is even bigger than ours!" Mu Hongjin said aggrievedly, "Don't you know that the higher the official's rank, the higher the official's rank. He took a fancy to me and wanted me to be his wife. My father had no choice. But I didn't want to. I escaped in the middle of the night. If they caught me, I would be dead. So, Young Hero, please don't leave me behind. "

Liu Buwang said angrily, "I'm not your husband." She made it sound as if he had abandoned her. They were strangers he had met by chance. If her family really found Mu Hongjin and they wanted to take her away, what reason did he have to stop them?

"That won't do." Mu Hongjin grabbed his hand. "You saved me, so you should be responsible for me. If you leave me behind halfway, I'll die sooner or later. It's better to die now. Come on. "She snatched the long sword from Liu Buwang's waist and put it on the table. She looked at Liu Buwang and said aggressively," It's better to die under your sword than to be tortured by that bastard. Young Hero, kill me! "

There were people coming and going around. When some people saw them like this, they all pointed at them. Liu Buwang immediately blushed and said angrily, "What nonsense are you talking about!"

"If you don't promise to protect me all the time, I'll always be like this."

The young man was instantly overwhelmed. How could there be such an unreasonable woman in the world? However, she had said everything, and he couldn't even refute her.

After a while, he was defeated. He gritted his teeth and said, "I promise you."

Forget it. It would only take more than a month to gain experience at the foot of the mountain. After more than a month, he would take her back to Qiyun Mountain. Daoist Yunji had his own way. At that time, no matter how arrogant this woman was, they wouldn't meet again.

Hearing this, Mu Hongjin immediately smiled. She suddenly approached him, looked at his face, and said, "Actually, there is another way. As long as I get married now, that rotten old man won't be able to do anything to me. I see that you're handsome and your swordsmanship is outstanding. You're even better than that person. Why don't you marry me and we'll both be happy? "

The girl smiled lightly, and her eyes were as moist as a mountain stream, clearly reflecting his figure. The young man in white was startled. He jumped up as if he had been bitten by a snake and reprimanded, "Who wants to be happy with you!"

"Oh." Mu Hongjin spread out her hands regretfully. "That's a pity."

That's a pity.

Suddenly, there was a "clang" sound beside his hand, and he came back to his senses. He didn't know when his fingertips had accidentally touched the strings on the table, shattering his memories.

He was stunned for a moment, and the clear and cunning voice of the girl back then seemed to appear in his mind. She kept calling him "Young Hero", which made him impatient and upset.

After a while, Liu Buwang lowered his head and smiled faintly.

They were all gone and couldn't be chased. It was just adding to his sadness.

He Yan also had something on his mind because he met Mu Hongjin in the prince's mansion during the day. That night, he didn't sleep well. He tossed and turned in bed and didn't fall asleep until the middle of the night. Fortunately, he didn't wake up Xiao Jue.

Because he slept late at night, he woke up a little later the next day. When he woke up, he didn't see Xiao Jue. Hongqiao smiled and said, "Young Master went out early in the morning and told me not to wake Madam up."

He Yan said, "Oh," and asked Hongqiao, "Did he say where he was going?"

Hongqiao shook her head.

He Yan got up and washed up. After eating, he walked to the courtyard and saw Liu Buwang making tea. Lin Shuanghe was sitting on the side and admiring.

"Master." He Yan went over and called.

"A He." Liu Buwang smiled and said, "Do you want to drink tea?"

"No." He Yan waved his hand repeatedly. Liu Buwang's skill in making tea looked quite intimidating, but the tea he made had always been very bitter, similar to medicine. Although she wasn't afraid of suffering, she wasn't someone who would ask for it. She immediately said, "I'm going out for a walk. You guys continue, continue."

He Yan smiled and walked away.

When she arrived at Jiyang, if it wasn't for something, her days would be very boring. If it was in the past, she would have practiced martial arts to strengthen her body on such a good morning and good weather. Unfortunately, she was wearing women's clothes now, so it wasn't convenient for her to do this. She was even more afraid of being exposed. After thinking about it, she could only give up.

While she was regretting, Cui Jiao hurried over and said, "Madam, a guest is here!"

"If there's a guest, then so be it." He Yan was puzzled. "What does it have to do with me?"

She wasn't the owner of the Cui Mansion. She was obviously a guest. Even if there was a guest, it wasn't He Yan's turn to welcome her.

"No." Cui Jiao carefully looked at her face. "You know this guest. She's the daughter of Ling Dianyi from the Dibo Hall. She came to the mansion today and said that she came to have fun with you."

He Yan was puzzled. Ling Xiu? Was she very close to Ling Xiu? They didn't even talk much. Their relationship wasn't close enough for them to visit each other, right?

"Madam, do you want to go and take a look?"

He Yan sighed. She had already come to the house. How could he close the door and not meet her? Forget it. He would just go and meet her for a while and see what she was up to.

In the small garden, several young girls were sitting together. They were all dressed up and were beautiful. They were even more beautiful than the spring scenery in the garden. They were chattering and laughing, and their voices were like orioles. Just looking at them was really pleasing to the eye.

Concubine Wei stood in the corridor and wrung her handkerchief angrily. She said, "These people are really too much. They're bullying our Yuyan!"

Second Concubine Wei was putting nail polish on her fingers. The bright red color of the nail polish made her fingers look especially slender and white. "It can't be helped. Who told Young Master Qiao to be so handsome? Our Jiyang hasn't had such a person for many years. His age is just right. If I were ten years younger, I would also give it a try. "

"Try my ass!" Concubine Wei was so anxious that she cursed. "Be careful or I'll tell Master!"

"Good sister, I was just saying. Why did you take it seriously?" Second Concubine Wei laughed. She carefully looked at the nail polish on her fingers under the sunlight. "There are so many wolves chasing after a piece of meat. I'm too lazy to deal with them."

"Miss Yuyan is so pitiful." Third Concubine Wei liked to be sad. She covered her heart with her handkerchief and sighed with a frown. She said with some empathy, "So many people have their eyes on her as soon as she arrived in Jiyang. If she continues to stay in Jiyang in the future, will her days be good? Although she is young and beautiful now, if other women were to appear in front of Young Master Qiao every day, how long would Young Master Qiao be able to last? A man's true feelings are too easily changed. They can't withstand a few words from a vixen. "

"Who are you scolding?" Second Concubine Wei glanced at her. "Do you dare to say that in front of Master?"

Third Concubine Wei pretended not to hear her and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

Fourth Concubine Wei was the youngest and used to be a street performer. She always laughed heartlessly and asked while eating melon seeds, "That depends on whether Young Master Qiao likes his wife or not. I quite like Miss Yuyan. She doesn't have the delicate air of a young miss. Last time, she even helped my servant carry the bucket. It was the first time I saw a master helping a servant. How nice! "

"That's terrible." Third Concubine Wei made a fuss over nothing. "Men all like gentle and timid girls. Carrying a bucket … She didn't let others look down on her and think that she was born to be treated carelessly."

Fourth Concubine Wei was dissatisfied and spat out the melon seed in her mouth. "What do you mean look down on me? I used to be a street performer and carried five water vats at a time. Master still liked me very much. What gentle and timid? Master didn't have the patience to deal with someone like you who would have a headache and fever every few days!"

"Enough, stop arguing." Concubine Wei's head hurt from their argument and she reprimanded them. "We are talking about Miss Yuyan now!"

"In any case, she is quite miserable." Third Concubine Wei muttered. "You see, Miss Ling isn't easy to deal with. The other girls aren't that easy to deal with either. Young Master Qiao is born beautiful, but he treats people very coldly. I don't think he cares much about Miss Yuyan. Sooner or later, something will happen. "

"Third Younger Sister." Second Concubine Wei glanced at Third Concubine Wei. "Do you know why you are the least favored among the four of us? It's because you don't have good taste. "

Third Concubine Wei glared at her angrily. Tears welled up in her eyes and she looked like she was about to cry again.

"That Young Master Qiao's temperament is indeed cold and he doesn't seem to care much about Madam Qiao. I don't know why. Perhaps there were no feelings before marriage? However, from his behavior these past few days, it's clear that he likes Madam Qiao. Ordinary people's love isn't a big deal, but this kind of person's love is. "

"There is a kind of person who is unmoved, but once he is moved, there is only one person in his eyes." Second Concubine Wei raised her finger and smiled like a vixen imparting her experience. "No matter how many other girls are beautiful, they are all in vain in his eyes."

"Qiao Huanqing is this kind of person."

When these words came out, everyone was silent for a moment. This kind of man was probably what women yearned for. For a moment, they were speechless.

After a long while, Concubine Wei opened her mouth and asked, "Do you mean that we don't have to help?"

"Help what?" Second Concubine Wei smiled carelessly. "That Qiao Huanqing is very protective. Why don't we make a bet? I'm afraid that Wen Yuyan's husband will stand up for her before she is in trouble. "

When He Yan arrived at the small garden, a gust of fragrant wind hit him in the face and he almost fainted from the smell.

He didn't know why the women of Jiyang liked to wear fragrant pouches so much. It was fine if it was just one person, but when many people crowded together, it was like a cloud of powder.

For a moment, He Yan missed Xiao Jue's Moon Qilin Fragrance very much. It was faint and light. It was just right.

"Madam Qiao is here." Ling Xiu stood up and smiled at her.

He Yan didn't know any of these girls except for Ling Xiu and Yan Min 'er. He thought for a moment and said, "I heard that Miss Ling specially came to see me?"

"You don't have to be so serious." Ling Xiu smiled and said, "It's just that today's weather is good and we have nothing to do. We are sitting together and chatting. We thought that since Madam Qiao is here, we might as well go together. Madam Qiao won't find us disturbing, right? "

"I won't." He Yan smiled and snorted in her heart. Even though she wasn't sensitive to women's affairs, she could tell that this group of people had ulterior motives. They weren't here to see her. They were clearly here to see Xiao Jue.

As expected, Ling Xiu's next sentence was, "Why don't I see Young Master Qiao?"

"My husband went out early in the morning." He Yan smiled very amiably. "He might not be back until late at night."

What right did they have to see him whenever they wanted? He was the Commander-In-Chief of the Right Corps of Da Wei. Of course, he couldn't just let anyone see him. If he didn't allow them to see him, then he didn't allow them to see him.

When Ling Xiu and the girls behind her heard this, they instantly looked disappointed.

He Yan smiled and said, "Didn't Miss Ling specially come to see me? Why, you're not joking, right? "

"How can that be?" Ling Xiu regained her senses and affectionately pulled He Yan's hand and sat down at the stone table in the courtyard. "Quickly, sit down. My father and Official Cui have a very good relationship. In the past, I often came to the Cui residence to play. However, I never had a sister and it was rather lonely. It's good that Madam Qiao is here. In the future, when Ah Xiu comes to the Cui residence again, I don't have to worry about not having someone to talk to. "

He Yan thought to herself, How is this looking for a sister? She's obviously here to see a handsome man. Xiao Jue should come and see what she meant by being more serious and deceiving than her.

He Yan sat down in front of the stone table. To be honest, she didn't know these people at all and didn't know what to say. She just casually picked up some fruits to eat and planned to sit here as a decoration and listen to them talk.

Unfortunately, since the other party was here for Xiao Jue, and Xiao Jue wasn't here, this "madam" couldn't possibly be spared. As they spoke, the topic of conversation landed on He Yan.

"I heard that Madam Qiao is a famous talented woman in Hu Province. Previously, I really wanted to hear Madam Qiao play the guqin. Unfortunately, I was stopped by Sir Qiao in the end. Now that I think about it, I feel regretful," Ling Xiu said with a smile.

He Yan smiled and said, "What's there to feel regretful about? Didn't my husband also play a piece?"

"But Sir Qiao said that his guqin skills weren't even one-tenth of Madam's." Ling Xiu stared into He Yan's eyes. "It's really hard to imagine."

Yes, it was really hard to imagine. He Yan thought to herself, Xiao Jue's lie was a little too exaggerated. Now that she heard it from someone else, she felt embarrassed.

"My husband's praise is a little too much." He Yan poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip. "My guqin skills are about the same as his. If you listen to him, it's equivalent to listening to me. "

"How can that be?" Ling Xiu obviously didn't plan to let her off so easily. "In Jiyang, we admire talented people the most. Since Madam has the talent to swallow the phoenix, you shouldn't hide it. The weather is good today. Why don't we pick up some poems here? Firstly, it's interesting. Secondly, we can see Madam's talent. "

Here it comes, here it comes. He Yan was annoyed. Why did Ling Xiu ask him to either play the guqin or compose poems? Did she have to play chess or write calligraphy if she said that she didn't know how to compose poems? He Yan thought to himself, 'Even if this lady is attracted by Xiao Jue's appearance and admires her, she should be targeting Xiao Jue. For example, she should be showing off her skills in front of Xiao Jue. Why is she making things difficult for me? Is it possible that Xiao Jue will like anyone who makes things difficult for me? '

Once was fine, but every time was the same. He Yan didn't want to play this kind of game with them anymore. He only smiled and said, "Today, I don't want to compose a poem, nor do I want to play chess. Of course, I definitely won't play the zither."

There was no room for negotiation at all. He directly rejected Ling Xiu.

No matter how clever Ling Xiu was, she didn't expect He Yan to say that. After a while, Yan Min 'er, who had been silent all this time, snorted and mocked, "It's said that women in the Central Plains are graceful and polite. I think Madam Qiao's way of speaking is like our Miss Jiyang. Very straightforward."

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do." He Yan smiled.

"Madam Qiao, are you looking down on us?" Ling Xiu lowered her head and asked uneasily.

"It's not that I'm looking down on you," He Yan said doubtfully, "It's just that I don't want to today. Didn't you say that Miss Ling is a talented lady? Why can't you understand a simple sentence? Is it difficult to understand what I said? "

He Yan would have asked them to come out and fight if they were men looking for trouble today. However, it was not good for a woman to do such ungentlemanly things. After thinking about it, she decided that it would be better to use the title of Evil Rakshasa to make these ladies understand that she was not to be trifled with. After being frightened, they would naturally not come to her door and ask her to play the guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting again.

Ling Xiu looked at her in a daze and did not say anything. When the other ladies saw this, they were dissatisfied with He Yan. It was probably because Ling Xiu was very prestigious among them. When Ling Xiu was wronged, all of them wanted to stand up for her.

A lady with a slightly louder voice said, "Madam Qiao refuses to do this and refuses to do that. Could it be that she doesn't know how to play the guqin? The so-called title of a talented lady doesn't live up to its name. That's why she shirks it every time. "

"How is that possible?" Another lady seemed to be deliberately playing along with her. She said in surprise, "That Young Master Qiao is not an ordinary person. He plays the guqin so well. It's obvious that he's an elegant person. He was already very wealthy in the past. Now that he's acknowledged his ancestors, he'll be a person of status in Jiyang sooner or later. I heard that Madam Qiao is also from an ordinary family. If she doesn't have any special skills, what does Young Master Qiao like about her? "

Yan Min 'er smiled insincerely and said, "Beauty. Speaking of which, Madam Qiao's skin is as white as jade. She's as beautiful as the moon."

She emphasized the words' skin as white as jade '.

He Yan was speechless. She seemed to be talking about Xiao Jue. How could she be blamed for that? What kind of logic was that?

"Beautiful as the moon. There are so many beautiful ladies in Jiyang. Isn't Ah Xiu beautiful? She comes from a good family, has a gentle personality, and is brimming with talent. If that's the case, Ah Xiu is the one who's compatible with Young Master Qiao. "

"Don't talk nonsense," Ling Xiu said with reddened eyes.

He Yan had finally experienced how bold Miss Ji Yang was and how direct she was with her words. But what did they mean by this? Ling Xiu was a pure and innocent lady. Xiao Jue was now a 'married man'. Did they want her to be Xiao Jue's concubine? Or did they want her to step down to make way for Ling Xiu? Was there something wrong with her brain?

"We didn't say anything wrong. Madam Qiao, you won't be liked by your husband sooner or later." The lady with the loudest voice laughed and said, "Madam Qiao, please don't blame us for not being nice with our words. We're only saying this because we treat you as our own. Don't treat us as outsiders. "

Oh, since they couldn't do it openly, they were trying to sow discord?

He Yan had been with Xiao Jue for a long time and had learned a thing or two about his ability to scold people without using any vulgarities. He immediately shook his head and smiled sweetly. "Don't treat us as outsiders, don't treat us as outsiders. I know that all of you have good intentions. However, you're worrying too much. "

"My husband treats me very well. Even if I don't know how to play the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, he wouldn't blame me at all, let alone if I didn't know how to play the zither. I have a bad temper, and I get angry and ignore people easily. My husband, on the other hand, would always be patient and coax me. He would cook noodles for me and take me to buy noodles. He would remember every word I said. He even remembers things like menstruation better than I do. " He Yan glanced at Ling Xiu and saw that Ling Xiu's expression was not good. He felt proud and spouted more nonsense. "What's so difficult about learning the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting? When I'm unhappy, my husband will use his skills to make me happy. What you've seen is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more that you haven't seen. "

Outside the courtyard, Xiao Jue had not reached the garden. She had just turned the corner when she heard He Yan's pretentious sigh. He used a disgusting and sickening tone to speak.

"Sigh, such an outstanding and unreasonable man only dotes on me. He can't tolerate anyone else in his eyes. What can I do?"

Chapter 145

     Fei Nu, who was behind her, was speechless.

Xiao Jue felt her eyebrows twitching. She had just returned to the Cui residence and had not had time to change her clothes when she heard from Cui Jiao that He Yan was dragged to the small garden by Ling Xiu. She knew what a woman like Ling Xiu was up to. However, He Yan did not know anything about women. She thought about it and decided to put out the fire first because she was afraid that Ling Xiu would be taken advantage of.

Who knew that as soon as she arrived, she would see Ling Xiu so proud of herself and did not seem to be taken advantage of. The other women were so angry that their faces turned green.

She wasn't too stupid. Xiao Jue was both angry and amused, so she didn't go forward. She simply stood at the corner of the garden and looked at her coldly. She wanted to hear what other shocking crazy things this person could say.

On the other side, Second Yiniang showed a knowing smile. She pointed at the figure at the corner of the garden and said, "Look, someone is here to protect her."

"It's true." Fourth Yiniang clenched her fists and said, "Second Sister, you are so good at judging people. I admire you!"

"It's hard to say who he will help." Third Yiniang was not satisfied with her wrong judgment and said, "What if Qiao Gongzi sees Ling Xiu's beauty and changes sides?"

Yiniang Wei frowned and said, "If you don't know how to speak, then don't speak!"

Second Yiniang laughed in schadenfreude.

On the other side, He Yan was still speaking with assurance, "That's why I said to my sisters, you must learn the four arts of zither, chess, calligraphy and painting. However, you must learn them to make yourself happy. If you only want to make a man like you, then you should learn how to control your husband. Before I was married, I was also very fond of romance. However, after I got married, I felt that everything was just fleeting clouds in the valley. Only the trick of controlling a husband is truly powerful. "

"Really?" This group of girls was not too old. Although they were a little annoying at times, they were not so scheming. Since they could write their thoughts on their faces, they were naturally not scheming. One of the girls asked, "Then tell us, what is your secret to controlling your husband?"

He Yan coughed and said seriously, "I am ashamed to say that I do not know what my technique of controlling my husband is. Back then, I only met my husband once at the Lantern Festival. I didn't even know him. The next day, he came to propose marriage and said that he would marry no one but me. Actually, I didn't want to get married so early, but he was so infatuated that he told me he wouldn't marry anyone but me. If I didn't agree to marry him, he would commit suicide by jumping into the river. I thought that since it was a human life, I might as well do a good deed. Moreover, you also know a saying, 'a strong woman is afraid of a pestering man'. He kept pestering me, so I married him. "

"I've thought about it. There's only one trick to controlling a husband. First of all, you have to have a face that can make people infatuated at first sight and want to marry no one else but you." She combed her long hair that hung in front of her chest and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Of course, this is not something that everyone can do."

"Secondly, you must like him less than he likes you. Men and women were generally evenly matched. In small matters, there would always be someone who had the upper hand and someone who was at a disadvantage. This is just like fighting a war. It's not a good thing to always place too much importance on your lover. If you treat yourself well, there will naturally be someone who will love you. " He Yan made up such nonsense that she almost believed herself. "I've never fawned on my husband, but he doted on me like a pearl or a treasure. This is the result."

"Thirdly," He Yan said in her heart, 'I can't make up the third one. She smiled slightly, "Good people are rare. Everyone has to open their eyes and look carefully. Rather than staring at someone else's, it's better to open your eyes and raise a new one. "

Fei Nu secretly glanced at her master. Second Young Master Xiao was leaning against the wall. His smile was slightly cold and his eyes were filled with ridicule. Fei Nu thought, 'This Lady He said something about a strong woman being afraid of a pestering man. Their young master is a pestering man? And he kept pestering her? He really knew how to flatter himself! '

Second Yiniang stopped cracking melon seeds and stared at He Yan. She said in surprise, "So it was me who made a mistake? I thought he was someone who didn't know about the inner courtyard. I didn't expect him to be an expert. Wonderful! "

"Although I don't quite understand what she said," Fourth Yiniang scratched her head, "it sounds very impressive."

He Yan's heart calmed down a little. He felt that since he was reborn, he had seen a lot of the world with Xiao Jue. He had even learned a lot about talking to people and talking to ghosts. Of course, this nonsense right now was enough to scare these little girls into a daze.

However, in a group of people, there were always one or two who were not easy to fool. Yan Min 'er looked at her and said sarcastically, "Do you really think that people will believe what you said? Young Master Qiao dotes on someone? And pesters you? Does Young Master Qiao look like this kind of person? "

When she said this, the few young ladies who were still in a daze recalled Qiao Huanqing's cold appearance and immediately became clear-headed. No matter how they looked at it, Qiao Huanqing didn't look like the kind of person who would pester Wen Yuyan.

"You must be lying!" The loud-voiced young lady said.

"I'm not." He Yan was very sincere, "Our relationship as husband and wife is very good, so good that it's beyond your imagination. Just a few days ago, during the Water God Festival, we even walked on Lovers' Bridge. I'm afraid of heights and didn't want to go at first. However, when my husband heard that people who cross the bridge together will not be separated for the rest of their lives, he forcefully carried me over. If I hadn't sternly refused, he might have had to walk on it three times, destined for three lifetimes. "

Xiao Jue, "…"

He couldn't bear to continue listening. He only felt that it was inconceivable. How could there be such a person in the world who could tell such a lie without blushing or panting? She was so serious that it made one's hair stand on end.

"What's wrong with that?" The young lady at the side was unconvinced, "So many people walk on Lovers' Bridge …"

"We even look at pictures together," He Yan said.

Ling Xiu didn't understand, "What pictures?"

"Spring …"

Before she finished speaking, a light cough was heard. Everyone turned to look and saw a young man slowly walking over. He was so elegant that he could be in a painting and was as handsome as jade. It wasn't the first time they had seen him, but every time they saw him, they couldn't help but be mesmerized by this person's appearance and praise him in their hearts.

When he passed by He Yan, his beautiful eyes fell on He Yan, revealing a hint of warning.

He Yan also forgot what he was talking about. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Xiao Jue say faintly, "Yanyan, what are you doing here?"

Yanyan?

Ling Xiu was stunned. It wasn't uncommon for couples to call each other 'Xiao', but it was always done in private. In front of everyone, unless their love was so strong that they didn't have any taboos.

He Yan's breath was stuck in his chest and he didn't know what to say. Although he knew that Xiao Jue was calling Wen Yuyan's' Yanyan ', it was such a coincidence that she also had a' Yan '. Thinking about it this way, he seemed to be calling her' Yan Yan '.

She replied blankly, "Just … drinking tea and chatting."

Xiao Jue nodded and stared at her with a pair of sparkling black eyes. He smiled slightly and said in a gentle voice that made her heart tremble, "Can you accompany me back to the room to sit?"

"Sit for what?" He Yan was extremely unaccustomed to him speaking like this. She only felt that the surrounding gazes were like knives, "sou sou sou" flying towards her. It was really depressing. Just now, she was here bragging about how favored she was, but in return, she only got a "liar". Moreover, Xiao Jue didn't say much. He only put a gentle gaze on her, and she received so many jealous gazes.

Who wouldn't say that Second Young Master Xiao was amazing?

"Play the zither with me." The young man's face was as beautiful as jade and his eyes were as bright as the stars. His hair was soft and cold, and it hung on his shoulders. He reached out and gently rubbed He Yan's hair. He really doted on her.

The people around them wanted to push He Yan away and stuff their heads under the young man's hand.

"O … okay." He Yan composed herself and stood up. When she looked up again, she also had a shy expression, "Sisters, I'm sorry. My husband wants me to go back and play the zither with him." She sighed again and said with annoyance, "It's true that a fierce woman is afraid of a pestering man."

He Yan turned around and leisurely walked away with Xiao Jue. The people behind them looked at each other. After a while, Ling Xiu flung her handkerchief, gritted her teeth and wiped her face. Yan Min 'er was startled, "What's wrong?"

Ling Xiu was so angry that she cried.

The plate of melon seeds was empty. Fourth Concubine clapped her hands and said with dissatisfaction, "That's it?"

"If you want to watch, go find a book." Concubine Wei rebuked, "Do you think Young Master Qiao is here for you to watch a show?"

"Don't say, this is much better than the show in the Lovesickness Class." Second Concubine rested her chin on one hand, "Watching from afar, when Young Master Qiao protected his wife, it was quite moving. Watching it made me want to … "

"What are you thinking?" Concubine Wei said, "Don't cause trouble for me."

"Good sister, I'm just saying." Second Concubine smiled flirtatiously, "At our age, even if we want to spend time with someone under the moonlight, there's no one to support us."

Third Concubine did not say any sour words, only muttering, "Madam Qiao's luck is quite good to find such a husband."

"With this brain of yours, why do you only think that Young Master Qiao is not bad?" Fourth Concubine rolled her eyes, "I think that Madam Qiao is also an interesting person. If you were surrounded like that just now, you would have cried and jumped into the river. Look at her, what is called 'four taels of force against a thousand catties'. The art of controlling a husband is not simple. You should learn more, Third sister. "

At this moment, He Yan, who had the enviable "art of controlling a husband", was on the way back to the courtyard with Xiao Jue.

On the way back, He Yan did not dare to breathe loudly, nor did he raise his head to look at Xiao Jue. He did not say a single word. Without a doubt, since this person had appeared at that time, it was obvious that this person had not just arrived. It was possible that this person had been standing behind for a long time. The words that she had said to smear Xiao Jue's reputation had most likely been heard by Xiao Jue.

It was all the fault of that group of girls who were too talkative. They were so noisy that she did not hear Xiao Jue's footsteps. She did not know what Xiao Jue was thinking right now, but she knew that he must be very angry. What should she do to appease his anger when she returned? Apologizing before he gets angry?

Just as she was thinking, the courtyard was already in front of her. On the way back, He Yan and Xiao Jue saw Lin Shuanghe standing in the courtyard, talking to a servant girl. Lin Shuanghe, this lecher, said something to his new servant girl, which made her blush and laugh.

When he raised his eyes, he saw that He Yan and Xiao Jue had returned. Lin Shuanghe greeted them, "Young Master, Young Mistress is back? Where did you go? "

He Yan replied awkwardly, "I drank some tea. Let's talk about it later."

She followed Xiao Jue back to the room. As soon as she entered the room, she bumped into Xiao Jue and almost fell into his arms. Xiao Jue looked at her indifferently, reached over her body, and closed the door behind her.

He Yan: "…"

"Sit." He turned around and sat down at the table. His calm tone made He Yan feel that he was denouncing him.

He Yan quickly sat down in front of him.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Xiao Jue raised his eyebrows and looked at her with a faint smile, "Weren't you very talkative just now, Fierce Girl?"

He Yan was shocked. So he heard it!

She said, "Commander in Chief, you know that they come to find trouble with me every few days. I can't stand it, so it's just a temporary solution. Can I ask, when did you arrive, and how much did you hear of what I said? "

Xiao Jue sneered, "What's the difference?"

"The difference is in the content of my apology."

Xiao Jue stared at her for a while, then said, "Lady He, do you not care about your own reputation, or do you not care about my reputation?"

"I'm sorry," He Yan apologized sincerely, "But I think, now that we are Young Master Qiao and Miss Wen, it should be fine to make our relationship more intimate. After all, it's normal for husband and wife to be intimate. "

Xiao Jue couldn't take it anymore, "Are you talking about intimacy?"

"Isn't it?"

"If I didn't come over just now, what were you going to say? What did you and I look at?" He was well-educated and couldn't bring himself to say those two words.

However, He Yan was obviously not as particular as him. He said straightforwardly, "You're talking about the Spring Map!"

Xiao Jue pinched her forehead, "You don't have to say it so loudly."

He Yan lowered his voice and asked doubtfully, "We looked at the Spring Map together, which means that we have a very good relationship. What's wrong with that?"

Back in the days when they were in the barracks, the men had expressed their friendship with their lives. Most likely, they had shared their treasured treasure maps with their brothers. If they didn't have a good relationship, they wouldn't lend it to them even if they begged. It was even more so between husband and wife. When two people looked at the Spring Map together, it was like they were glued to each other.

Xiao Jue's face darkened. He asked slowly, "Who told you that looking at the Spring Map together means that we have a good relationship?" What kind of person was this? He Sui taught his daughter how to say such things. She didn't even know what to say and what not to say. Did she know that if he didn't appear today and stop her from saying what she was going to say next, what she said would be enough to shock everyone in Jiyang City?

"I …" He Yan suddenly stopped talking, "That's what I think. Also, after you looked at the Spring Map, you said that we had a good relationship. There wasn't any estrangement because of it, right? "

"When did I look at it?" Xiao Jue's face turned pale.

"You looked at it at that time," He Yan insisted, "It's still a look. We've already looked at it together. "

He was slightly annoyed, "I didn't look at it."

"You did."

"I didn't."

"Forget it," He Yan said, "If you say you didn't, then don't."

Xiao Jue felt a headache coming on. She was the one who was talking nonsense. Why did it seem like she was the one who was being unreasonable?

"You're talking nonsense. It's fine if you don't take our reputations seriously, but you'll also ruin Qiao Huanqing and Wen Yuyan's reputations." He sneered slightly.

He Yan thought for a moment and said, "I understand. I won't tell anyone that we looked at the Spring Map together."

"I didn't look at it with you," Xiao Jue emphasized again.

"Then can I look at it myself?" He Yan was puzzled. Why was Xiao Jue still brooding over this matter?

"You're not allowed to look at it yourself." He raised his eyebrows and warned coldly, "Do you know what you said just now? You're a fierce woman. "

He Yan coughed and choked on his own words. She pleaded softly, "Commander in Chief, don't call me a fierce woman. It sounds like you're scolding me."

"Oh?" Xiao Jue said with a faint smile, "But I saw that you were quite happy when you said that I would marry no one else but you. If I couldn't marry you, I would jump into the river. Lady He isn't tall, but I didn't expect you to have so many tricks up your sleeve. "

"Isn't that to prove that your heart is as firm as a rock?" He Yan said helplessly, "I just wanted them to give up. Otherwise, they would come to find trouble with me every few days. Who could stand that? You can use your beauty to commit crimes. The unlucky one is me. Commander in Chief, you have to have some sympathy. "

"I don't have any sympathy?" Xiao Jue was so angry that she laughed. If it weren't for the fact that he wanted to help her out and teach Ling Xiu and the others not to do useless things, he wouldn't have had to do so in front of others. Even now, he still felt uncomfortable.

"Why should I have sympathy?" He said indifferently, "Don't you have the ability to control your husband? You only need to hook your finger to make your husband dote on you. It sounds like your husband is more pitiful. "

He Yan didn't know what to say.

"You have a face that makes people want to marry only you." Xiao Jue's lips curled into a playful smile. She stared into her eyes and said slowly, "He loves you like a jewel and a treasure, but you don't love him as much as he loves you. You pester him, but he doesn't change his infatuation and insists on being with you for three lifetimes. Fierce woman, aren't you a little too heartless? "

He Yan had goosebumps when he heard her call him a "fierce woman". She quickly moved the stool closer to Xiao Jue and grabbed his arm. She said righteously, "That's right! Our Commander in Chief is such a beautiful person. How can she be the one who pesters him? Other than you, no one else has the right to be called a fierce woman. If you want to be with someone for three lifetimes, don't even mention crossing a bridge, you can even cross a mountain of swords! No one can be heartless to you, no one! "

"That's not what you said just now." He said slowly.

"What I said just now was a lie. I'm speaking the truth now." He Yan said, "You have to believe me!"

The girl's eyes were clear and firm, just like the wild cat he met in the courtyard. When its tail was stepped on, its fur would explode, but when it jumped up to be patted, it would be exceptionally obedient.

A hint of a smile flashed across his eyes, but it disappeared in a flash. He said lightly, "In the future, don't read such nonsense." He paused and said, "Let's forget about this matter."

He Yan was greatly relieved. This person was really not easy to fool. All he did was make him sound a little … less cold, and he got so angry. It seemed that Second Young Master Xiao really cared about his image in other people's eyes.

He Yan thought about it and said, "Commander in Chief, don't just look at these things. Before this, I also said a lot of good things about you. For example … I said that you are proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and that you are omnipotent. Next time, you must perform well in front of them to prove that what I said is true. "

Xiao Jue sneered, "Am I a street performer?"

"… That's not true." He Yan scratched his head. He thought for a while and said to Xiao Jue, "But next time, if something like this happens again, and there are still people who don't know how to read the situation and come looking for trouble, Commander in Chief, you must cooperate with me and show that we are a loving couple. Maybe this way, they will know how difficult it is and retreat, and stop looking for trouble."

Xiao Jue raised her eyebrows, "Cooperate?"

He Yan nodded.

He glanced at He Yan, "If you beg me, I can consider it."

He Yan said, "Please, Commander in Chief."

Xiao Jue, "…"

She actually said it out loud so easily? He frowned slightly, and a mocking smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, "You are so spineless, and you call yourself a fierce woman."

"I told you not to call me a fierce woman." He Yan was angry, "Commander in Chief, you are really childish."

"Oh." He raised his eyebrows and said word by word, "Fierce woman."

"Childish!"

However, after the incident in the garden, it was unknown whether He Yan's words had an effect, or whether Xiao Jue's indifferent performance of doting on his beloved wife had an impact. For two days in a row, the entire Cui Residence was very quiet. There were no more young ladies from Jiyang City who wanted to drink tea and chat with Madam Qiao.

Hong Qiao took out the 'teardrop gauze' from the box and said, "Today, Madam will enter the Prince's Residence, wear this."

He Yan nodded, "Okay."

Princess Meng Ji held a banquet in the Prince's Residence today, and He Yan and Xiao Jue attended. She said that there would be guests, but they didn't know who they were. Cui Yuezhi was still a little confused, "Why did Her Highness invite the two of you, but not me?"

He Yan knew that in Mu Hongjin's heart, her and Xiao Jue's identities had already been exposed. If Cui Yuezhi was also present, it would be inconvenient for them to talk. But there was an important guest, and she and Xiao Jue were invited to accompany them. Why? Did they know the other party?

But they couldn't figure it out. They would know when they arrived at the Prince's Residence. After Hong Qiao dressed He Yan, He Yan went out. Xiao Jue was already waiting outside, talking to Liu Buwang. These days, Liu Buwang wasn't around during the day and only came back at night. When he came back, it was too late. He Yan had already fallen asleep, so he didn't have time to talk to Liu Buwang. Now that she saw Liu Buwang, she had to go out again.

"Master," she said.

In fact, there were several times when He Yan wanted to ask Liu Buwang if he wanted to see Mu Hongjin. But after all, it was someone else's business, and he couldn't interfere too much. Besides, only he knew what had happened between the two of them.

Liu Buwang smiled and nodded at her, "A He, be careful."

He Yan nodded. Now that there might be Uto in Jiyang City, there might be people who had seen Xiao Jue. It was never a bad thing to be careful.

Fei Nu and Chi Wu followed them as coachmen. Lin Shuanghe stayed in the Cui Residence, so he didn't have to go with them. He Yan and Xiao Jue got on the carriage. He Yan asked, "Commander, today, Princess Mengji specially asked you and me to go to the Prince's Residence for the banquet, but she didn't ask Cui Zhongqi. That means she was worried about our identities. But there are important guests coming. Could it be that … the important guests know our identities? Who are they? "

Xiao Jue lowered her eyes. The emotions in her eyes were unclear, and her voice was extremely flat.

"People from Shuojing."