The group of former subordinates gradually fell silent as they listened to his words.
What Xue Shen said was clear to any military officer with a bit of ambition. However, they were of low status and their voices carried little weight. Moreover, the emperor had always suppressed military officers, so even if they had some dissatisfaction in their hearts, they dared not say anything openly. At most, they would just complain a few words in private.
Hearing Xue Shen say this, they recalled the rumors about the power struggle between the Emperor and the King of Qin, and a sense of anticipation arose in their hearts, hoping that the Emperor would truly return the throne to the King of Qin.
If there is a ruthless and war-loving monarch, they will never again be so passive and frustrated when facing foreign enemies during their lifetime.
Perhaps he can still expand his territory and achieve military exploits while he is still young enough to ride a horse and fight.
However, they could only think about these things in their hearts, and no one dared to say them out loud.
But when the welcoming banquet ended and everyone escorted them to the house they had prepared, they were noticeably more familiar and friendly with Xue Shen.
Although the sparring and competition took a lot of time, the welcoming banquet was held early, and when Shen Youying and her party returned to their temporary residence, it was still early.
After his old subordinates left, Shen Mingjiang said to Xue Shen, "You did well tonight. Military officers are stubborn and can only command respect in the army if they are strong enough. Although I have some prestige in the army, if you want to command a large following in the future, you must have the strength to convince and follow them."
He seemed to be talking about today's sparring match, yet he also seemed to be talking about something else entirely.
Xue Shen understood his meaning and nodded: "I understand what my father-in-law said."
Shen Mingjiang nodded, then looked at Shen Xiuyi beside him: "Now that you've returned to Qinzhou, some things can't be avoided. Eventually, news of your survival will spread, and you should start thinking about how to deal with it."
When Zouma was accused of betraying the country, Shen Mingjiang naturally didn't believe it.
However, at that time, Shen Xiuyi's whereabouts were unknown, and there was no way to verify his identity. In addition, the government intended to suppress the Shen family, so they convicted him and the Shen family without conducting a thorough investigation.
Looking back now, everything about this matter seems suspicious.
For example, who exactly was the person who assassinated Shen Xiuyi? And what was their purpose?
Shen Mingjiang looked at Xue Shen: "Since that miracle doctor could heal your legs, he should also be able to restore Xiuyi's memories, right?"
Xue Shen said, "Master Huodong's medical skills are superb, but my brother is injured in the head, so he dares not do anything rashly. He can only take conservative treatment to disperse the blood stasis in his brain."
Upon hearing this, Shen Mingjiang sighed, gave Shen Xiuyi a disappointed look, and said in a huff, "You should talk to your sister more often, so that she can remember things sooner. That way, I can take you back to the capital and clear your name of your past crimes."
After saying that, he threw down Chen Xiuyi and stormed off.
Shen Youying looked helplessly at Shen Xiuyi and said, "That's just how Father is, sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. He only said these things because he was worried about you."
Although Shen Xiuyi has survived, he is now burdened with the crime of treason. If it is discovered that he is still alive, and the news reaches the capital, the emperor, who is currently engaged in a fierce battle with Xue Shen, will surely take this opportunity to deal with Shen Xiuyi.
Although Shen Xiuyi didn't remember the past, he learned a bit about the Shen family's situation while investigating Shen Mingjiang and the Shen family. Even if Shen Youying didn't say anything, he understood what Shen Mingjiang was worried about.
Therefore, he simply smiled reassuringly at Shen Youying and said, "Don't worry, Zhaozhao, I understand."
Shen Xiuyi escorted her to the gate of the courtyard before parting ways with them.
Shen Youying watched his figure disappear into the distance before she and Xue Shenxiang entered the courtyard together.
Having been on the road for the past few days, Shen Youying finally had a place to sit down and rest properly. As soon as she entered the room, she collapsed onto the soft couch as if she had no bones.
Seeing her lazy, kitten-like appearance, Xue Shen squatted down by the low couch and pinched the tip of her nose: "Weren't you so mature and composed in front of your father-in-law and elder brother just now? How come you turned into a spineless mess as soon as you came in the house?"
Shen Youying glanced at him, slapped his hand away, and muttered, "Always making fun of me."
At this moment, Fu Cui brought over hot water and told her to soak her feet to relax.
Shen Youying hummed in agreement, but was too lazy to move. Seeing this, Xue Shen rolled up his sleeves, took off her shoes and socks, lifted her feet and placed them on his lap, gently massaging the soles of her feet.
Shen Youying curled her toes a little, feeling ticklish, and said embarrassedly, "Just a soak is enough."
Xue Shen held her ankle tightly, looking uncomfortable, and said, "Aren't your calves sore? I heard you say your calves hurt last night when you were sleeping. Cramps are more frequent in the later stages of pregnancy. I'll massage them for you, and it will help a lot."
Upon hearing this, Shen Youying stopped trying to pull her feet back and blushed as she softly hummed in agreement.
Xue Shen massaged her feet for a while, tested the water temperature and found it was just right before putting her feet into the wooden basin.
Shen Youying waded in the water and saw him washing his hands with his back to her. His figure was tall and straight, especially his broad back, which made people feel comfortable relying on him.
She couldn't help but press her face against his, hugging his waist and gently rubbing against him.
"Thank you. If it weren't for you, I don't know when I would be able to reunite with my father and brother."
When she was forced to marry Xue Shen by imperial decree to bring him good fortune, she never imagined that one day she would fall in love with him and see him as her support.
Xue Shen paused, turned around and hugged her back, gently stroking her hair: "Why are you thanking your husband?"
He chuckled knowingly, "If Zhao Zhao insists on thanking me, then let's save it for now and repay her slowly later."
His words were clearly not serious, and Shen Youying straightened up and glared at him: "I'm talking to you seriously!"
Xue Shen looked innocent: "Wasn't I saying something serious?"
Unable to argue with him, Shen Youying gave a soft snort and simply focused on soaking her feet, ignoring him.
Seeing this, Xue Shen smiled and sat down beside her, pinching her soft earlobe, and said, "We'll stay in Qinzhou for two days, and then we should set off back to Xizhou the day after tomorrow."
Shen Youying was surprised to hear this: "So fast?"
Xue Shen said, "We've been out for almost half a month now, and it's about time we went back. The gold mine in Xizhou hasn't been settled yet, and it's about time we reported back to Emperor Cheng'an."
Shen Youying calculated the days; it had indeed been quite some time since they had traveled from Xizhou to Tibet and back.
"I'll go back then. I'm just a little worried about Father and my elder brother."
Xue Shen knew what she was worried about and comforted her, "Don't worry, even if my brother has lost his memory, he's not the type to suffer a loss. Besides, your father is here, so nothing will happen."
Shen Youying thought about it and agreed, saying, "Then I'll spend more time with my brother these next two days and tell him about the past. If he recovers his memory sooner, I won't be so worried."
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