Extra 7 Lu Qian returns to Beijing

There was a ground dragon burning in the main hall, with warm fragrance and purple smoke curling around.

As soon as Song Lingyi entered the hall, she saw the little princess crawling around on the imperial desk, making the memorials a mess. Xiao Mingyi didn't care and just watched from the side.

"cough."

With a light cough, the father and daughter both looked at her.

The little princess babbled and dropped the imperial seal, wanting to be held by her mother.

Song Lingyi walked over and saw that the little princess's newly cut coat was covered in ink. Her eyes turned cold and she glanced at Xiao Mingyi, as if asking, "Is this how you take care of your daughter?"

Xiao Mingyi felt guilty and explained, "Yan'er insisted on playing with the jade seal and started crying if I didn't give it to her. I couldn't do anything about it."

"You can't give it to me even if I cry. Look at how dirty she is. Does it look good?"

“…”

The little princess was completely unaware of what was happening and was still babbling anxiously for a hug. The next moment, Xiao Mingyi picked up her soft little body and comforted her.

"My dear, your mother thinks you are dirty, so your father will hold you."

Song Lingyi gave the father and daughter a cold look and said, "You just spoil her. You even let her play with the imperial seal. And this memorial is thrown around randomly. Have you approved it?" As she spoke, she asked the eunuchs to clean up the imperial desk.

"I've just finished marking them." Xiao Mingyi pinched the little princess's soft cheek with one hand and wiped the ink off her body with a cotton handkerchief with the other hand, making the little princess giggle.

The eunuch silently brought a chair and placed it beside the imperial desk. Feng Tong went outside to fetch freshly brewed tea and presented it to the Empress.

Song Lingyi took a sip of hot tea and interrupted the "father-daughter smile" between the two with a smile.

"Your Majesty, we have a great victory in Youzhou. My brother has made great contributions. I would like to hold a celebration banquet for him in Linde Hall. What do you think?"

Xiao Mingyi's expression remained calm as he handed the handkerchief to the eunuch, saying calmly, "The Queen is thoughtful, but it's almost the end of the year and the palace is busy with affairs. We also have to arrange the New Year's Eve banquet..."

A blatant refusal, fearing the Queen's displeasure, he changed the subject, "I'm just worried you'll get tired."

Song Lingyi remained silent for a long moment. She glanced over with her dark eyes, and said in a coquettish tone, "It's just a palace banquet. It's not tiring. I'm just worried that someone will remember the old incident and refuse to let it go."

Feng Tong, who was standing beside him, was startled. He glanced at the emperor's calm expression, breathed a sigh of relief, and gestured to the other eunuchs to lead them out.

There were only three people left in the hall.

Xiao Mingyi placed the little princess back on the tidied imperial desk and leaned back in his chair with a casual attitude, his expression indifferent: "Since you know what he's thinking, and you're so eager to hold a grand palace banquet to celebrate for him, isn't Ah Li afraid that his evil intentions will revive?"

It's only been three years.

He knew very well what Lu Qian was thinking when he gave up the wealth and splendor of Kyoto and ran to Youzhou to join the army.

Upon hearing this, Song Lingyi's face darkened and she put down the teacup in her hand.

There was a soft "pop" sound.

Even the little princess who was crawling around on the imperial desk paused for a moment and looked at her mother with her big black eyes.

The hall was quiet for a moment. Song Lingyi said nothing, stood up, picked up the little princess and was about to leave.

Rather than being persistent, Xiao Mingyi was more afraid that she would sulk without saying anything, so he quickly chased after her and stopped her, "Okay, okay, okay, why don't you do it?"

Song Lingyi turned her head away and ignored him.

The little princess in her father's arms giggled with joy when she saw how anxious her father was.

Xiao Mingyi gently tapped her nose and whispered, "You little bastard, still smiling? I've loved you so much in vain."

These words sounded like they were meant to imply something. Song Lingyi frowned slightly and turned to look at him. "Forget it. I don't dare to embarrass His Majesty. It's just a celebration banquet. It would be the same if we held it at the Duke's Mansion."

A hint of embarrassment flashed across the man's eyes. He put his fist to his lips and coughed lightly: "What I just said was indeed inappropriate, but I said this because I am worried..."

"What are you worried about?" Song Lingyi raised her chin slightly, her tone revealing her concern. "He's successful in his career now, and I'm married with a daughter. What else could possibly happen?"

This person is usually calm and composed, but when he meets Pei Zhao and Lu Qian and brings up things from the past, he becomes jealous.

In fact, she was not angry, she was just retreating to advance.

Seeing Xiao Mingyi pursed his lips and remained silent, Song Lingyi knew that he was still upset. She placed the little princess in his arms and said seriously, "Alright, Lu Qian is my brother and also Yan'er's uncle. The Duke's Mansion has been very kind to me. My brother has returned triumphantly, and I, as his younger sister, haven't shown any appreciation. If others see this, they might think I'm ungrateful."

These words gave the man a way out.

Xiao Mingyi's thin lips curled slightly: "The Queen is so graceful and kindhearted. Who would dare to gossip about you?"

After saying that, he teased the little princess who was spitting bubbles in his arms.

Even though the celebration banquet was finalized, there were less than seven days left before Lu Qian arrived in Beijing. Song Lingyi transferred many palace maids to the six departments to help and made arrangements in full swing.

…

Kyoto had several heavy snowfalls again.

In the middle of the twelfth lunar month, the army was stationed in Tangshan, and Lu Qian arrived in Beijing at noon the next day.

The Duke and his wife, along with their entire family, were waiting at the gate to greet them. When the old lady saw that her grandson, who had not been home for three years, had changed his playboy ways and become a general wearing armor and guarding the territory, she cried with joy and even ate half an extra bowl of rice at lunch.

Lu Qian had received news of the palace's celebratory banquet before he arrived in Beijing. Near the hour of You, a carriage with a lantern bearing the Chinese character "Lu" rumbled toward the imperial city.

The sky was dull and gloomy in the deep winter, and luxurious carriages were parked in an orderly manner in front of the palace gate.

The guests invited tonight were all high-ranking officials and relatives of the imperial family in Kyoto. Knowing that Lu Qian had returned victoriously and was in the emperor's good graces, the high-ranking officials and dignitaries all vied to curry favor with him, fearing they would neglect this new nobleman.

Lu Qian stood beside the carriage with his arms folded, ignoring the compliments and looking aloof.

Soon, the Pei family's carriage also stopped in front of the palace gate. The elders of the Lu and Pei families exchanged warm greetings. Pei Ling and Lu Yu also had some sisterly conversations to share. Only when Pei Zhao and Lu Qian's eyes met, there was a strong hint of tension.

In the end, it was Pei Zhao who spoke first, breaking the awkward atmosphere.

"General Lu, are you all right?"

Lu Qian lazily raised his eyes to look at him, his lips slightly curved. "I should be the one asking this question. They say that impoverished places produce unruly people. It's really surprising that Master Pei was able to return to the capital safely and be promoted to the position of Chief Censor."

There was a hint of amusement and leisure in Ruifeng's eyes.

"Oh?" Pei Zhao smiled. "No matter how dangerous Qizhou is, I don't need to fight there. Swords are merciless, and if you're not careful, you'll lose limbs. Seeing you achieve fame and return safely to the capital will also make my uncle and aunt feel at ease."

Lu Qian sneered inwardly.

Peace of mind?

Who knows what this dead fish-faced guy is thinking? I'm afraid he just wants him to die outside.

The two of them had their own thoughts. The eunuch who was welcoming the officials' wives came forward with a smile and led everyone into the palace.

It gets dark early in winter, and it is already dusk before the hour of Xu.

The Linde Hall has stacked brackets and is brightly lit.

Before the banquet officially began, Hong Ju stood on the white marble steps and looked out. She saw Lu Qian walking among a group of young officials. She quickly stepped forward and saluted, saying, "General, my queen is waiting for you in the side hall. Please follow me."

Several young officials cast envious glances. Everyone in Kyoto knew that the emperor favored the empress. With a sister like Lu Qian, there was no need to worry about his future. He had become a general at the age of twenty. Perhaps in a few years, he would be promoted again.

A quarter of an hour later, Lu Qian followed Hong Qu into the side hall.

There was a charcoal basin burning in the hall, candlelight was bright, and the palace maids nodded and stood quietly.

Dongdong——

In the quiet environment where you can hear a pinhole, the sound of the rattle is particularly abrupt.

Lu Qian walked in slowly, his eyes looking through the beaded curtain, and vaguely saw a graceful and elegant woman sitting on the soft couch behind the curtain, wearing a gorgeous robe and a red crown.

"My lady, the general is here."

Hongju happily lifted the pearl curtain.

Song Lingyi turned her gaze away from the little princess and looked at Lu Qian who was standing outside the bead curtain.

As time goes by, the young man who was once full of vigor and vitality has lost his youthfulness and grown into an adult man. His body wrapped in a brocade robe also has the mighty and strong body that a man who marches and fights should have.

After two breaths of silence, Lu Qian lowered his gaze and bowed respectfully, "Your humble servant Lu Qian greets the Empress."

Perhaps it had been a long time since they last met, Song Lingyi's eyes were filled with tears. "No need to be so polite, please sit down."

"Thank you, Queen."

Lu Qian straightened up, slowly raised his eyes, and cast them inconspicuously at the little princess nestled in Song Lingyi's arms. Coincidentally, the little princess was also looking at him, and she even stopped shaking the rattle and smiled sweetly at him.