Move the capital

After Xiao Wan'er completed her renovations, she would frequently appear at the Chang'an County Magistrate's office to oversee his work. The magistrate was tactful and reported his progress to Xiao Wan'er, even though she didn't understand much of what he said.

The Chang'an County Magistrate, who reported every detail and was extremely attentive, and the Shenlong Guard Captain, who pretended to know everything and always had a smile on his face, had a surprisingly good relationship.

At this moment, the magistrate of Chang'an County was actually waiting outside his house to welcome Team A. When he saw Xiao Wan'er getting off the carriage, he walked up to her and bowed to her.

"Captain Xiao, please come in."

The crowd, guided by the Chang'an County Magistrate, entered the banquet hall. The hall was lavishly decorated, and the magistrate had invited a troupe of entertainers to entertain. Xiao Wan'er and the magistrate sat at the head table. Dishes were served one by one, each meticulously prepared, and fine wine was also served.

At the height of the banquet, the Chang'an County Magistrate raised his glass to Xiao Wan'er and said, "Captain Xiao, you have led the team to Chang'an to carry out the mission at the end of the year. You have worked so hard."

Xiao Wan'er also raised her glass in response: "Working for Your Majesty is not hard."

"Haha," the Chang'an County Magistrate laughed dryly, "I have basically completed the task assigned by His Majesty. After the Lantern Festival, Chang'an will be able to immediately welcome the ministers and people who have moved from the Divine Capital."

"That's great. I will report this to Your Majesty when I return to the Divine Capital." Xiao Wan'er replied.

"I hope Captain Xiao can say a few good words for me in front of His Majesty. I will be very grateful." The Chang'an County Magistrate finally made his request.

Xiao Wan'er agreed readily, "Your Excellency is conscientious and responsible in your work. His Majesty will surely appreciate that."

The two men clinked their glasses and drank the wine in their cups. The Chang'an County Magistrate was very happy and called the servants to go up to the ancient tower.

"This Hu pancake is stuffed with mutton and cheese brought from the grasslands. I prepared it just for Lord Xiao. Lord Xiao, please do me the honor."

Xiao Wan'er picked up a piece and put it in her mouth. The aroma of lamb and the sweetness of cheese filled her entire mouth, making her praise it endlessly.

“It’s really delicious!”

After the Lantern Festival, Team A officially resumed work and completed the final work in a few days. After Xiao Wan'er finished her inspection, she led them back to the capital as quickly as possible.

It was already afternoon when they entered the city. Xiao Wan'er disbanded the team and went straight to Taichu Palace.

"What? Everything is ready?" Upon hearing Xiao Wan'er's report, the emperor excitedly stood up and ordered the maidservants beside him, "Quickly, go and get the queen!"

The palace maid walked out of the Zhenguan Hall quickly, and the emperor ordered the eunuch to summon important officials into the palace.

After making all the arrangements, he ordered Xiao Wan'er: "My dear Xiao, please come with me to the Mingtang."

"My dear ministers, I have summoned you to the palace today to announce a piece of great news," the emperor said to the crowd after the ministers had gathered. "Lord Xiao, you go and tell them."

"Yes," Xiao Wan'er stepped out from an inconspicuous corner and announced the good news to everyone in the Mingtang. "My Divine Dragon Guards have completed the renovations of the Taiji Palace and Daming Palace in Chang'an. The Chang'an County Magistrate has also made preparations for the return of the capital. The Tang Dynasty can now return its capital to Chang'an."

Xiao Wan'er's report was like a spring thunderclap, waking the court officials seated in the Mingtang. They scrambled to discuss the specific procedures for moving the capital, while Xiao Wan'er, who had first released the news, retreated into a corner, her eyes fixed on her nose, her nose focused on her heart, and she remained silent, her mind wandering unknowingly.

It was not until the emperor suddenly called her that she came back to her senses and looked at everyone with a confused face.

The leader of the Divine Dragon Guard helplessly acted as a telegraph: "Captain Xiao, His Majesty is asking if you have any suggestions for the selection of Fengming Guard monks to stay in the Divine Capital."

Speaking of this, Xiao Wan'er naturally has a ready-made candidate.

"Your Majesty, I think we can let Team B2 stay."

"Why does Xiao Aiqing want his junior brother to stay?"

Facing the emperor's question, Xiao Wan'er recited her prepared answer: "My junior fellow apprentice is actually a descendant of my master. His other relatives were punished for their crimes by Empress Wu Zetian, leaving him alone. I only hope that this sole descendant of my master can stay out of danger and live out his life in peace."

"In that case, Team B2 will be stationed in the Divine Capital." The emperor finalized the candidates to stay in the Divine Capital.

After the discussion, Xiao Wan'er returned home. Liu Mingyin had already finished her shift and was busy in the kitchen.

"Senior Sister, you're back!" He put down his work and walked out of the kitchen. "When are we going to Chang'an?"

"It's almost there," Xiao Wan'er walked into the kitchen, scooped a whole bowl of water from the water tank, and drank it all in one gulp, "But it won't be us. You have to stay in the capital."

Liu Mingyin paused.

"Is it an order from His Majesty?"

"Your Majesty did order Team B2 to stay on guard, but it was my suggestion."

Liu Mingyin returned to the stove in silence. He said nothing, but Xiao Wan'er could clearly sense his disappointment.

"Junior brother, before Master passed away, he told me the results of his divination. There will be more fighting within the Li Tang royal family in the future, and Chang'an will not be safe. His last wish was for you to stay away from this place of trouble."

"Senior sister, you are working so hard to fulfill Master's wish, but have you ever thought that I also have a wish that must be fulfilled?" Liu Mingyin continued to cook in silence until she had served dinner in the bowls and plates, then she asked Xiao Wan'er.

"If you can break through to the Transcendent Realm and possess the strength to support yourself in achieving your wishes, I will no longer ask you to stay away from fighting."

After Xiao Wan'er finished speaking, she took her share of bowls and plates and left the kitchen, heading straight for the dining table in the main house.

Liu Mingyin lowered her head and brought her and Pei Yingguan's bowls and plates to the dining table.

From that day on, Liu Mingyin's training was like a shot of chicken blood. Whenever Pei Yingguan and Xiao Wan'er had time, he would challenge them to a duel, repeatedly defeating them, but fighting again and again. When they were finally about to leave, the two of them breathed a sigh of relief.

On the day the emperor and his officials left for Chang'an, Liu Mingyin was still required to go to the government office for duty. When Xiao Wan'er and Pei Yingguan left home, Liu Mingyin was no longer at home.

After the imperial decree to relocate the capital was issued, the Divine Capital was called back to the Eastern Capital. A vast stream of people set out from the Eastern Capital's gates, heading west. Those with some wealth took all their possessions with them, with servants flanking their carriages to protect their masters and their belongings. Divine Dragon Guards were stationed throughout the crowd, maintaining order and ensuring safety.

"Sister, come up quickly." Late at night, the emperor's motorcade stopped to rest. Shangguan Wan'er lifted the curtain and called Xiao Wan'er, who was waiting outside, to get in.

Xiao Wan'er climbed into the car through the window and as soon as she sat down, a box of cakes was stuffed into her hand. She opened the box and found her favorite cherry biro inside.

"I asked the eunuchs in the palace pastry shop to make it before I left. Eat it quickly before it goes bad." Shangguan Wan'er said as she picked up a cherry biro and put it in her mouth. Xiao Wan'er was not willing to be left behind and started eating right away.

I have to say, the food produced in the palace is delicious.

"This is truly a great migration," Xiao Wan'er sighed, looking out at the endless stream of people outside the carriage. "Why do emperors throughout history always like to travel back and forth between Chang'an and Luoyang?"

As he was speaking, there was a knock on the car door.

"Captain Xiao, His Majesty asks you to come over!" shouted a Jinwu Guard soldier.

Xiao Wan'er let out a long sigh and had to work again after just a short rest.

"Sister Shangguan, I'm leaving first."

She walked out of the carriage, jumped off the shaft lightly, and then followed the Jinwu Guards to the emperor's carriage.

"Master Xiao is here," the emperor said softly, sitting in the front of the carriage. Seeing Xiao Wan'er finally arrive, he said, "I would like to ask Master Xiao to place the ice inside my mother's coffin."

Indeed, the Empress Dowager's coffin was also moved with the capital. Upon arrival in Chang'an, she would be buried alongside Emperor Gaozong in Qianling Mausoleum. However, as corpses decay over time, ice was added to the coffin to slow the decay. Even so, the odor surrounding the coffin remained unpleasant.

The emperor's order was logical and reasonable; Xiao Wan'er wouldn't refuse, nor could she. She walked to the coffin, condensed her spiritual energy, and then transformed it into strands, allowing them to penetrate the coffin. Then, she transformed the spiritual energy into water, which condensed into ice, filling every crack in the coffin. With her full power, the ice within the coffin became the coldest, largest block of ice she could muster.

"Your Majesty, I have finished the work." She reported to the emperor after the work was completed.

"Xiao Xianchang, go and rest."

His Majesty let Xiao Wan'er leave, but Xiao Wan'er could no longer go to Shangguan Wan'er at this time. She had to use a cleaning technique to remove the odor and then find a place to stand guard.

She comforted herself by thinking that at least the emperor did not burn Luoyang down like Grand Tutor Dong did in the late Later Han Dynasty. He just moved the capital, so she had to bear with it.

There were a large number of people migrating, and the team moved quite slowly. After Xiao Wan'er re-frozen the ice three times, the emperor's carriage finally arrived in Chang'an.

The magistrate of Chang'an County had been waiting for the emperor for a long time. He and his officials stood at the city gate waiting for the emperor. When they saw the emperor, they knelt down to show their loyalty and almost hugged the emperor's thigh.

After a display of benevolence and loyalty, the emperor, accompanied by his empress, concubines, and a group of palace maids, entered the palace, accompanied by the Chang'an County Magistrate. The other officials and accompanying civilians settled themselves. Xiao Wan'er released her consciousness, located Pei Yingguan, and flew in front of him.

"Brother, let's go home too."

In the northeast corner of Yongchangfang, two young men and women walked to the gate of the courtyard in the far corner and stood still. This courtyard was surrounded by a protective formation, but the young woman stepped forward, extended her finger, and tapped the air several times, and the formation collapsed.

The young woman was naturally Xiao Wan'er. She said to Pei Yingguan, who was standing beside her, "The house near the East Inner Palace is hard to find. This house is not big, and the location is not very good. Brother, please just make do with it."

"It's okay," Pei Yingguan didn't mind. "Living in Chang'an is not easy. It's good enough to be able to buy a house here."

The two of them entered the courtyard and closed the door. The new house was only two-thirds the size of the old one in Dongdu, but fortunately, despite its small size, it had everything it needed. Xiao Wan'er had already furnished and cleaned the house during the palace renovations, and overall, it looked perfectly habitable.

This will be their home in the future.