Chapter 86 Turks Xiao Yuanshuo spat out a mouthful of soup
A brief silence fell between them. Cui Ying took a breath and ultimately did not let the drool that was about to fall fall.
But her almond-shaped eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Xiao Qiyu, who had dodged to the side, his face showing signs of relief.
"You dislike me?"
Xiao Qiyu was stunned, seemingly not even realizing what had happened, and subconsciously retorted, "No..."
"You're clearly disgusted!"
Cui Ying didn't even bother chewing the dried fruit, pointing her finger at his nose: "Otherwise, why did you run so far? Were you hiding from the plague!"
Xiao Qiyu tried to explain, a vein throbbing slightly on his forehead: "No, Cui Ying, listen to me..."
"I won't listen! I won't listen!" Cui Ying covered her ears with her hands, shaking her head like a rattle drum. "You just don't like me! How dare you dislike me!"
Xiao Qiyu was exasperated by her and took a deep breath, trying to reason with her: "Think back carefully, just now I saw your saliva about to drip down, if I didn't dodge, were I supposed to just watch your saliva drip into my mouth?"
Upon hearing this, Cui Ying immediately released her hand, pointed at him again, and said righteously, "What are you pretending for? You actually think my saliva is dirty? You weren't like this when you ate my saliva before. Didn't you even stick out your tongue eagerly?"
Xiao Qiyu's ears burned at her words, and he retorted, "How can these be the same!"
"What's different?" Cui Ying persisted.
Helpless, Xiao Qiyu simply strode closer to her, pretending to clear his throat: "Come on, try it. If my saliva drips from my mouth, can you eat it? Come and try!"
Cui Ying was instantly disgusted, frowned and jumped back: "Ugh, so disgusting, stay away from me."
"Cui Ying! Can you even speak human language?!"
As the two were arguing heatedly, Cui Ying suddenly froze, her expression stiffening, and her gaze fixed on Xiao Qiyu's back.
Xiao Qiyu noticed her unusual behavior and instinctively turned to look at her—
Second Uncle Xiao Yuanshuo stood with his hands behind his back under the moon gate, a smile on his face. His eyes swept between the two of them. When he realized he had been discovered, he put his fist to his lips, coughed lightly, and said in a very considerate tone, "It's alright, you two go ahead with your business. I'll come back to talk to Qiyu later."
"No rush, no rush!" Cui Ying hurriedly waved his hand, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into, and then tried to slip away. "Second Uncle, you can talk to him slowly. It's too cold up ahead. I'll go back to Qiyun Pavilion to warm up."
At the same time, as if venting his anger, he raised his elbow and poked Xiao Qiyu's side hard, letting out a loud "humph!" before quickly leaving without looking back.
Cui Ying's elbow strike was quite powerful, and Xiao Qiyu almost cried out in pain. When he came to his senses and wanted to retaliate, Cui Ying had already disappeared without a trace, and only Xiao Yuanshuo was walking towards him.
Xiao Qiyu abandoned his usual respectful demeanor and bowed his head in greeting: "Second Uncle."
Xiao Yuanshuo did not mention the scene from earlier again, and instead started talking about serious matters.
“Your third brother has had a falling out with the family since that day and hasn’t returned since.”
Xiao Yuanshuo paused briefly before continuing, "He's stubborn, and he's probably still holding back some resentment. Even if someone else goes to find him, they might not be able to persuade him to come back. You've always been close to him, and you're also calm and collected. Why don't you go and talk to him and ask him to come home first? As a family, it's always better to talk things out behind closed doors than for him to be stuck in a rut outside."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Qiyu nodded without any hesitation, "Second Uncle, don't worry, I will go find Third Brother immediately."
His voice was calm and steady, with an invisible air of reliability that seemed to convince people, as if he meant what he said and could do it no matter what.
Xiao Yuanshuo immediately felt relieved, raised his hand to pat his arm, and breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "With your words, your second uncle can rest assured."
After a short while, Xiao Qiyu rode out of the mansion and headed to the Northern Garrison Command.
No one knows what he said to Xiao Heng, but that very night, Xiao Heng returned to the Marquis's residence.
The study was filled with a fragrant aroma, and the table was laden with food. A pot of perfectly warmed pomegranate wine sat on a small clay stove, bubbling gently with steam.
Xiao Yuanshuo picked up a piece of tender steamed sea bass belly with his chopsticks and placed it on the plate in front of Xiao Heng. His voice was much gentler than usual: "Eat up. Your mother cooked this herself. She spent most of the day preparing it. It's all your favorite food."
He paused, then said in an even softer tone, "There's no one else here today, just the two of us. Let's have a peaceful meal and talk."
Xiao Heng lowered his eyelashes, his gaze fixed on the piece of snow-white fish in the porcelain dish. He neither touched his chopsticks nor spoke. The flickering candlelight cast a faint shadow on his sharply defined profile, where the five bright red finger marks had gradually faded.
Seeing his appearance, Xiao Yuanshuo felt even more guilty. His gaze involuntarily fell on Xiao Heng's cheek, looking at the faint red mark that remained. He hesitated, his voice a little dry: "Does your face still hurt?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Heng still did not look up, and silently replied, "Father, it doesn't hurt anymore."
That short sentence made Xiao Yuanshuo feel even worse.
Xiao Heng was sensible from a young age.
At the age of three or four, while other children were still playing and being pampered by their parents, Xiao Heng already knew that the first thing to do in the morning was to greet his grandmother and parents. He stood up straight and his expression was serious and meticulous when he bowed.
When he got older and entered school, he never needed anyone to supervise his studies. He would often study late into the night by lamplight, and his handwriting was always the neatest and his insights the most unique in the essays assigned by the teacher. He was even more diligent in practicing martial arts, never stopping in the cold winter or hot summer. His palms were blistered and bleeding, and his shoulders were bruised and swollen from the impact of the spear, but he never uttered a sound, just training day after day.
As he grew up, his family never had to worry about his career. At a young age, he gained the emperor's favor and was appointed as the commander of the Northern Garrison. What kind of place was the Northern Garrison? To put it nicely, it was the emperor's commandant; to put it bluntly, it was the court's henchman, used to control the lives of all officials. Mention the imperial prison, and who wouldn't be terrified and grit their teeth in hatred?
However, since Xiao Heng took office, he has carried out a series of sweeping reforms to the Northern Garrison Command. From officials to common people, everyone is convinced of the authority of the Northern Garrison Command.
He seemed to have been born with the ability to control his desires and emotions, silently doing everything he thought he should do, striving to become the pride of his family.
This composure and sense of responsibility beyond his years had once made Xiao Yuanshuo extremely gratified and proud. But at this moment, looking at his son's silent profile, he felt that those qualities that made him proud had turned into a dull knife, slowly cutting into his heart.
"Father shouldn't have laid a hand on you."
Xiao Yuanshuo picked up the wine pot and personally poured wine for his son: "These years your father and eldest uncle have not been home, and your third and fourth uncles have been busy with official duties. The whole family has been supported by you. No matter what, your father should not lay a hand on you."
His tone then turned helpless: "But if you don't take the visible slap in front of so many people, the invisible slap will fall on your grandmother's face."
“It was wrong of me to hit you, but if I had to do it all over again, I would still hit you.”
The crisp sound of the wine being poured into the cup ended, and the magnificent, bright red wine filled the cup, with fine foam rising to the surface.
Xiao Heng listened quietly, and at some point he picked up his chopsticks, casually poking at the fish in the dish. Finally, he picked up a piece, put it in his mouth, and chewed slowly, still remaining silent.
Xiao Yuanshuo pushed the full glass of pomegranate wine toward him: "Don't just eat. This wine is a specialty of the Western Regions that your uncle and I brought back from the northern desert. Try it. His Majesty only got two small bottles. None of us were willing to give them away."
Xiao Heng had no choice but to pick up his wine cup, tilt his head back and take a sip. After tasting the flavor, he subconsciously frowned.
Xiao Yuanshuo laughed and said, "The wine from the Western Regions is all about this sweet and sour, refreshing taste, unlike our wine which is mellow and strong. It takes some getting used to at first."
Xiao Heng put down his wine cup and commented, "It tastes like drinking water."
Xiao Yuanshuo picked up the wine pot and handed it to him, speaking in an exaggerated, childlike tone: "Smell it carefully, I didn't dilute it with water to fool you."
Xiao Heng's expression softened, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
The sweet aroma of pomegranate wine mingled with the steam from the food, creating a rare and comforting atmosphere.
The two exchanged toasts, and after a few drinks, Xiao Yuanshuo said, "Your grandmother has come to her senses. She's old and can't manage so much anymore. From now on, you'll be in charge of everything in your room."
Xiao Heng paused slightly in his chopsticks, then spoke in silence: "Does Father also feel that his son is disgracing the family?"
Xiao Yuanshuo shook his head: "She's just a mistress, she hasn't done anything immoral or oppressive to the people, so how can she be considered a disgrace to the family?"
He paused slightly before continuing, "But it was indeed a bit too much."
"Your fifth uncle caused chaos in the family over a courtesan. When she died of illness, he even wanted to commit suicide, indirectly driving your fifth aunt to her death. This is a knot in your grandmother's heart that she could never untie, her greatest pain. Although she says she doesn't care anymore, this knot in her heart is not so easy to truly untie."
"I know, son," Xiao Heng replied softly, reaching out to pour himself a drink and downing it in one gulp.
“And the seventh brother,” Xiao Yuanshuo changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious, “you and your grandmother are both too indifferent to his feelings.”
Xiao Heng was stunned for a moment.
“Since that day, Qiyu has not said a word or shown any emotion, but Father sees that no one’s wounds are as deep as his.”
Xiao Yuanshuo sighed, "He pushed himself too hard, practicing martial arts like that in the front yard every day. If it weren't for San Niang's constant chatter and laughter around him, keeping him entertained and distracting him, he would definitely have gone mad with his cultivation at that rate."
Silence fell once more in the study, broken only by the crackling of the charcoal fire in the red clay stove.
For some inexplicable reason, Xiao Heng remembered the piece of Qilin black jade.
I think of the empty, desperate look in my brother's eyes before he was beheaded in my dream.
A surge of energy welled up in Xiao Heng's heart. After the turmoil of the past few days, he seemed to have finally returned to the right path and found his balance.
He picked up the wine pot and poured wine for Xiao Yuanshuo, saying nonchalantly, "How long do Father and Uncle plan to stay this time?"
Xiao Yuanshuo casually picked up a pickled duck tongue to go with his wine: "It'll be a few days. The situation on the Turkic side is chaotic. Once His Majesty has officially decided on a countermeasure, we should set off back."
Xiao Heng: "The Eastern and Western Turks were at war with each other and could not tolerate each other. The situation had been settled, so why has it become chaotic again?"
Xiao Yuanshuo was clearly also having a headache. He rubbed his forehead and said helplessly, "The old Khan of the Eastern Turks is old and senile, and he lets his sons fight for power. One of his sons, named Ashina Boktu, was sent to the Western Turks as a hostage in his early years as a gesture of goodwill."
As he was speaking, a sharp glint flashed in Xiao Yuanshuo's eyes: "This boy is no ordinary person. During his time as a hostage in the Western Turks, he suffered all kinds of torture, but not only did it not diminish his ambition, he also won the favor of the Western Turkic nobles with his bravery. Just last year, he united the two forces of the Eastern and Western Turks and fought his way back to the Eastern Turkic royal court."
Xiao Heng frowned deeply: "He succeeded?"
“It’s a success.” Xiao Yuanshuo said in a heavy tone, “He has placed the old Khan under house arrest and declared himself the new Khan of the Eastern Turks.”
"Although the Eastern and Western Turks are still nominally two separate tribes, the connection between the two tribes is much closer than before due to the historical ties between this new Khan and the Western Turk. This man is ambitious and is by no means content with a corner of the country. If he is allowed to fully integrate the power of the Eastern and Western Turks in time, he will surely become a major threat to our dynasty."
Xiao Heng was silent for a moment: "So, Your Majesty's meaning is?"
Xiao Yuanshuo downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, a murderous glint in his eyes: "Your uncle and I both believe that we should take advantage of his weakened state, consolidate the forces of the northern desert, and conquer the royal court to eliminate future troubles. However, His Majesty and several important ministers have discussed this matter. Prolonged warfare will harm the people. The people have only enjoyed a few days of peace and prosperity. Rather than wasting the nation's strength to fight them head-on, it would be better to send envoys to the Eastern Turks, offer them generous benefits, and establish an alliance. This would not only secure a period of peace but also provide an opportunity to reignite the conflict between the eastern and western tribes."
The candlelight flickered in Xiao Heng's eyes, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.
He suddenly asked, "Father, did Ashina Boketu capture the Eastern Turkic royal court around May last year?"
Xiao Yuanshuo nodded subconsciously, and then asked, "How did you know?"
The northern desert is too far from the capital, and even if the internal strife in the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates is severe, it is not easy for news to reach the capital.
Xiao Heng fell silent.
Everything fits together.
The Turkic wolf guard who infiltrated through the Vermilion Bird Gate and was mistakenly killed by Xiao Qiyu was most likely a personal guard of the old Khan.
The Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates were in turmoil, the old Khan was placed under house arrest, and the Wolf Guards fled to seek help.
Everything makes sense now.
"Is the old Khan still alive?" Xiao Heng suddenly asked.
Xiao Yuanshuo, his mouth chapped from drinking, let out a burp and said, "I'm perfectly fine."
"Something's not right."
Xiao Heng said decisively, "Barbarians don't follow the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues. Since the new Khan has attacked the royal court, he will only kill the old Khan to eliminate future troubles. Why should he spare his life? There is only one possibility: the old Khan still has the strength to fight back. Killing him may very well bring trouble."
This was the first time Xiao Yuanshuo had heard this claim. He instantly sobered up, his eyes wide with surprise. After a moment's thought, he said, "You mean, someone in our dynasty has secretly allied with the Old Khan?"
Xiao Heng acquiesced.
Xiao Yuanshuo broke out in a cold sweat and lost his appetite for wine. He quickly poured himself a bowl of hot soup and drank several large mouthfuls to calm his nerves.
Xiao Heng looked at his father quietly and murmured, "The fact that the new Khan is so wary means that the person who colluded with the old Khan must have a large army at his disposal and immense power. And in the entire Great Zhou, only my Xiao family holds the Tiger Tally."
"Father, who is the one colluding with the Old Khan, you or my uncle?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yuanshuo spat out a mouthful of soup.
...
With the first month of the lunar calendar fast approaching, Luming Academy is about to open for the new semester.
Xiao Shu ran to Qiyun Pavilion, clinging to Cui Ying like a boneless snake, pleading, "Good Third Sister, please, please! Just take me out for a walk, I'm about to go back to that cage. I'll go crazy if I don't go out for a walk before going to school, I'll die with regrets!"
Cui Ying hugged the cat and hid all over the house, finally hiding under the bed, but Xiao Shu dug her out and pounced on her, howling, "I won't get up until you agree!"
Cui Ying angrily yelled at her, "Do you think I want to refuse? Your mother is so strict with you, if I sneak you out, do you want to die?!"
Xiao Shu: "I don't care, I don't care! I'm just staying here with you!"
Seeing that she was serious, Cui Ying had no choice but to start thinking of a solution.
If it were just Cui Ying alone, she would have a hundred ways to sneak out and play, but with Xiao Shu with her, her first consideration is safety, so sneaky methods are definitely out of the question.
On a whim, Cui Ying stopped wearing men's clothing and crawling through the dog hole. Instead, she changed her clothes, dressed up beautifully, and went to the Bodhi Hall to cry to her grandmother, saying that she missed home and wanted to go back to the Duke of Wei's mansion. Since the journey would be boring, she decided to bring Xiao Shu along for company.
The old lady naturally agreed without hesitation, nodding and smiling, only instructing that several reliable old women and maids be sent to accompany them.
As the carriage drove out of the Marquis's residence and passed through the bustling streets, Cui Ying called it to a stop. Under the guise of buying gifts, she openly took Xiao Shu for a stroll.
The streets were teeming with people. At her nanny's request, Cui Ying wore a light gauze hat that reached her knees. Looking through the gauze at the unusually large crowds, she asked in surprise, "Why are there so many people today?"
Xiao Shu, also wearing a veiled hat, excitedly looked around at the bustling street scene: "Don't you know? Luming Academy has expanded its enrollment this year. I heard that it no longer restricts people by their place of origin or household registration. As long as you have real talent and knowledge and pass the entrance exam, anyone can be admitted. The exam is about to start, so naturally there are more students from all over the country."
"I see." Cui Ying nodded, tightening her grip on Xiao Shu's hand.
With so many people around, there are bound to be pickpockets and human traffickers mixed in with the crowd, and trouble is bound to happen.
Just as Cui Ying finished thinking, she heard a hurried shout in her ear: "Stop! My purse!"
A slender scholar, dressed in a worn-out gray robe, was anxiously chasing a burly man who was clutching an old blue money bag and trying to squeeze through the crowd to escape.
The scholar was not only thin, but he was also carrying a pile of scrolls that he had just borrowed from the bookstore. He was clearly unable to move freely, and his back view revealed his anxiety.
Upon seeing this, Cui Ying didn't think twice and instinctively shoved Xiao Shu into the old woman's arms, telling her to "keep an eye on the girl." Then, lifting her skirt, she leaped down, stepping on the shoulders of several pedestrians, and like a dragonfly skimming the water, landed in front of the thief.
She extended her fair palm and said, "Give it to me."
The thief, panting heavily, stared blankly at the young woman in front of him, who wore a veiled hat and rich clothes. Without thinking, he threw a punch and shouted, "Get out of my way!"
Cui Ying delivered a sweeping kick, his heel striking the opponent's most vulnerable ankle.
Caught off guard, the thief cried out in pain and fell heavily to the ground.
Cui Ying snatched the money bag back with a swift and clean motion, eliciting a murmur from the surrounding crowd.
On the other side, the scholar finally arrived, carrying scrolls, panting heavily. His fair skin was flushed, and his upturned eyes stared blankly at the scene before him, seemingly unable to come to his senses.
Cui Ying tossed the money pouch into the scholar's arms, her voice coming through the veil, clear and with a touch of dashing spirit: "Handle it carefully, lest someone snatch it away again."
After saying that, he turned around, got into the car with Xiao Shu, and left.
The thief was escorted away by patrol guards who rushed to the scene after hearing the commotion, and the crowd gradually dispersed.
Only the thin scholar remained standing there, clutching his money pouch tightly, staring blankly in the direction Cui Ying had left.
On the carriage.
Xiao Shu complained to Cui Ying, "Why did you bring me back so quickly? I haven't had enough of shopping yet."
Cui Ying casually removed her veil, her tone calm: "There will be plenty of time to go out later, but not today. There are too many people. If a kidnapper takes the opportunity to abduct you, finding you will be like looking for a needle in a haystack. You will never be able to go home again."
Xiao Shu suddenly shivered and muttered, "It's not that scary..."
But he was clearly much more well-behaved and stopped complaining.
Looking at the people coming and going outside, Xiao Shu suddenly seemed to remember something and turned to Cui Ying: "By the way, Third Sister, don't you think that young scholar you just saved looks a bit like my Seventh Brother?"
"Xiao Qiyu?"
Cui Ying was casually picking up a piece of walnut pastry and chewing on it when she recalled the appearance of the scholar from earlier. She subconsciously frowned and asked, "Does it look like him?"
Xiao Shu nodded emphatically: "Very similar, just a bit shorter and thinner than Seventh Brother, but he has a gentler appearance. I think he's prettier than Seventh Brother—"
Before Xiao Shu could finish speaking, Cui Ying subconsciously interrupted, "Who said that? I think Xiao Qiyu is much better looking than him. You have bad taste."
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Author's note: I instinctively protected my husband's baby [shy]
It's a one-on-one relationship from beginning to end, there won't be any melodramatic love triangles, don't worry.
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