“I’m the only daughter in my family. If he doesn’t love me, who will?”
Seeing her matter-of-fact attitude, Xiao Lingshou understood to some extent how her personality had developed.
Lu Ming continued, "But my father is very fierce. I usually don't dare to reflect on my behavior in front of him. When I was a child, I was disobedient, and my father couldn't bear to hit me. He just threw me into the army camp. He didn't even pick me up when I fell and hurt myself. Later, I became afraid of him. Your father must be even stricter, young master?"
Xiao Lingshou was taken aback.
Lu Ming continued, "Of course it is. My dad is like this even though I'm a daughter. Your family must be even stricter. I've seen you reading a lot a few times, and I felt like you were a little tired."
Whether Lu Ming's words were intentional or unintentional, they had already reached Xiao Lingshou's ears. He smiled faintly and said, "Of course, one must be diligent."
"But don't overwork yourself." Lu Ming glanced at him and whispered, "I'll help you from now on."
Xiao Lingshou gave a slightly helpless smile.
Lu Ming also felt that she was being shameless and was too embarrassed to say anything more. She silently ate her wontons, and then suddenly remembered something and said to Xiao Lingshou, "By the way, I have already learned to play 'Phoenix Seeking Phoenix' which you taught me last time."
"Is that so?"
Listening to Lu Ming's lively voice, Xiao Lingshou unknowingly finished the food in his bowl, leaving behind two sets of bowls and chopsticks, and the two walked together in the morning light.
On the way back, Lu Ming relaxed a lot and even took the initiative to ask, "Your Highness, are you also going to see General Meng off later?"
Xiao Lingshou nodded, and Lu Ming said, "I might be going later too, so we'll be meeting again."
"Where is Chang Lili? Is she going to see Meng Yuxiu off?"
Lu Ming paused for a moment, then mumbled, "Probably, she's quite reluctant to part with General Meng."
Xiao Lingshou didn't seem to care much and didn't ask about the topic again. He escorted Lu Ming to the Lu residence and stopped outside, saying, "I won't go in."
As soon as he entered the Lu residence, chaos ensued.
Lu Ming nodded, jumped up the steps, called out to Xiao Lingshou, and said, "Next time you can't sleep, remember to come find me here, I'll treat you to wontons."
Xiao Lingshou waved for her to go inside.
Lu Ming returned home with a big smile on her face.
It was still barely dawn when her father got up, wielding his red-tasseled spear with great skill, creating dazzling spear flowers in the air.
"You brat, what are you doing sneaking out again?"
Lu Ming, who had been sneaking away, was caught red-handed. Hearing his father's angry shout, he was so frightened that he immediately stopped.
Lu Ming felt guilty: "I just went out for a stroll."
She had actually gotten up quite early, but not to go for a walk. However, she didn't dare to tell her father the truth and kept her head down to avoid Vice General Lu's discerning eyes.
Fortunately, Deputy General Lu did not notice anything amiss. He put the red-tasseled spear back and said, "The general is leaving the capital today. You will come with me to see him off."
Lu Ming immediately agreed, went back to change her clothes, and went with her father to the camp on the outskirts of the capital.
At this time, the troops there were already well-organized and ready to go, awaiting orders at any time, displaying a solemn and magnificent imperial aura.
Meng Yuxiu stood at the front, riding a black horse. He was not wearing armor, and his imposing aura was as if he were about to lead a thousand troops into battle, inspiring awe.
Just before departure, Xiao Lingshou came from the palace to see them off.
Meanwhile, other military commanders from the capital also arrived, including Chu Moyu and Hu Cheng.
After Xiao Lingshou and the other eunuchs finished reading the imperial edict, they presented Meng Yuxiu with the two jade ruyi scepters given to them by the emperor. They then bowed and gestured for him to depart, glancing around at the surroundings.
So many people came, but Chang Lili was nowhere to be seen.
He had thought Chang Lili would come today.
After thinking it over, Xiao Lingshou watched Meng Yuxiu's men leave in an orderly and powerful manner, then turned and left with his men.
Before he had gone more than a few steps, a figure caught up with him; it was Lu Ming, whom he had met that morning.
Meanwhile, Chu Moyu was also puzzled as he couldn't see Chang Lili around.
Given Chang Lili's personality, he assumed that Chang Lili would definitely send Meng Yuxiu off today no matter what.
Hu Cheng did the same; he originally planned to arrest Chang Lili under the pretext of being a traitor as soon as Meng Yuxiu left.
Chang Lili hasn't appeared yet, and searching the forbidden area requires the emperor's permission. He currently has no evidence, and he doesn't know if the emperor will agree...
In an instant, everyone left the camp on the outskirts of the capital with different thoughts in mind, and the place that had been bustling with noise just moments before suddenly fell silent.
One group of people and another group of people went their separate ways in opposite directions.
Meng Yuxiu didn't bring many people this time. They were all selected Jingwei soldiers, a total of twenty-one. He personally chose them all. They were skilled in riding and archery. When they rode their horses on the road, they had the momentum and majesty of an army, which attracted the attention of other people on the official road as they raised dust.
In a teahouse conveniently located by the roadside, passersby resting nearby were discussing among themselves: "Is that General Meng?"
"It seems that all the teams he leads are so majestic and disciplined."
"What is he going to do? Is he heading to the Northern Barbarians...?"
"He is going on an inspection tour on behalf of the emperor. The northern barbarians have his troops stationed there, so a war is unlikely."
While the common people continued their conversation, four people at a table in the corner of the small teahouse exchanged a silent glance: "Meng Yuxiu."
These three words caused a hint of hatred to flash in the eyes of everyone else at the table, as if they were wrapped in scimitars.
They spoke in the border dialect: "Has he left the capital?"
"It must be him; they all look like his personal guards."
"Ha, coming to the capital without Meng Yuxiu was definitely the right decision."
"But Meng Yuxiu didn't bring many people with him this time, isn't that an opportunity?"
“Exactly. If we kill him, the Yun Kingdom without Meng Yuxiu will be truly interesting.”
These people were masked, with high noses and deep-set eyes, unlike people from the Central Plains.
However, in recent years, other countries from the border have also come here to do business, so it's not unusual to see foreigners. Therefore, the people around only glanced at the foreigners talking and did not pay much attention to them.
No one noticed that not long after these people left, a hawk swept across the sky and flew north.
Meng Yuxiu led his team forward for half a day before stopping in a small town to rest.
According to his strict military discipline, they could reach Duanzhou by tomorrow, and he would inspect the first city.
The group entered a small restaurant in the town and almost filled all the tables downstairs.
Seeing that they were all dressed in martial attire, the waiter approached them timidly and asked, "Where are you from, sirs? Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Bring out some good wine and dishes. Bring out as many tables as the brothers have." Meng Yuxiu's subordinate placed two heavy silver ingots on the table, and the waiter greeted him with a "delicious!" and turned away briskly.
They weren't wearing armor when they left the capital, and now that they're far from the capital, no one knows their identities. Even those secretly watching them wouldn't guess that their journey was so fast.
The waiter would never have guessed that the person he was entertaining today was actually a renowned general from the Yun Kingdom.
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