Among the founding generals of Tiancheng, most of them valued those who came from humble backgrounds, and the Mei family was one of them.
This was probably because the Su family was originally a powerful official, and they were well aware that the influence of prominent families was deeply intertwined. Their help would eventually become a hindrance, so they could not leave any hidden dangers in the early stages.
Mei Qiao went to the battlefield at the age of seventeen and had already achieved military success by the age of nineteen, relying on his unparalleled bravery and fearlessness. However, because of this, he did not marry until he was nearly thirty, and did not have children until he was thirty-three.
Mei Ruochong, the eldest son of the Mei family, inherited his father's legacy and was renowned for his martial arts prowess at a young age. He was once a general under Tiancheng. The second and third sons, Mei Ruoxu and Mei Ruozhao, both pursued no official careers, but became idle martial arts instructors.
It is said that Mei Qiao valued his eldest son the most, but Mei Ruo Chong died in battle before he was 28. Mei Qiao's hair turned white overnight and he retired from the court from then on. He no longer cared about the wars, and his temperament became increasingly eccentric and withdrawn. After his old friends in the court returned home one after another, few old friends visited the Mei Mansion anymore.
Xiao Nanhui was one of the rare guests in the Mei Mansion. She was always afraid of visiting someone, not to mention that the other party was of a high status and she needed help from him.
The strange host and the strange guest remained silent for a long time in the cold wind of the first month of the lunar year.
Finally, Xiao Nanhui couldn't hold it in any longer and spoke first.
"I accidentally broke this spear on the battlefield of Bijiang. Fortunately..." She stuttered when she was about to mention the man's name, "Thanks to the guidance of Lieutenant Ding of Yanchi Camp, I came here rashly. I also ask the old general to help me repair the flat string as a spearsmith. No matter how demanding the request is, I am willing to fight for it one by one. Xiao Nanhui is willing to swear here that I will be at your disposal for the rest of my life, as long as..."
"If I ask you to commit treason and kill your loved one with your own hands, would you be willing?"
Mei Qiao's words left Xiao Nanhui speechless.
There are some things she really can't do.
She was a little annoyed, and she didn't know if the other party was deliberately testing her: "Old General, you are so virtuous and respected, why would you ask a junior to do something that is against the will of heaven and earth?"
"Young man, don't always swear. Some oaths you can never fulfill, and if you say them, they are lies."
Mei Qiao's cloudy eyes seemed to be looking at her, but also seemed to be looking through her at someone else.
"This gun, I can't repair. Sir Xiao, please go back."
Xiao Nanhui never expected that the judgment he was waiting for would be such a judgment.
The successive blows made it hard for her to hide her despair. If she had given up on it from the beginning, it would have been fine, but the little spark of hope that had ignited in her was now completely extinguished, as if her heart had died twice.
She lowered her posture, a subtle humility in her voice: "I beg you, old general, to take another look. You also said that this gun was begged from you by my adoptive father. Now if even you say it cannot be repaired, then it is truly useless..."
"If it's useless, just get another one. Don't be obsessed with this one."
Mei Qiao's tone was not harsh, but it carried an unshakable meaning.
Xiao Nanhui stood there for a moment, almost motionless, and then suddenly leaned forward and bowed deeply, as if he was praying to the gods in a temple.
The person in front of her is her only hope. If she turns away, she will have no one to turn to.
"I have no other choice but to ask the old general..."
The old general with white hair and beard suddenly reached out and touched the top of her head.
"A general does not kneel easily. Stand up."
Xiao Nanhui's shoulders trembled, but he finally stood up.
She stared at the broken string and refused to look away, as if it would return to its original shape in the next second.
That was the first gift Xiao Zhun gave her, and also the first gift in her life.
When she was fourteen years old, General Xiao handed the Pingxian to her, told her the significance of the Pingxian, placed the same high hopes on her as on men, and established an agreement between her and him.
In the following years, whenever Xiao Zhun was not by her side, Ping Xian would accompany her into battle to kill the enemy, overcome difficulties, and protect her life.
That wasn't just a gun, it was the connection between her and Xiao Zhun. How could she let it be severed like this?
Mei Qiao saw that Xiao Nanhui had been silent for a long time, his beard trembling slightly, and he fumbled to pick up the pingxian in his hand.
The complicated mechanism in the gun barrel was like a child's toy in his hand, and he took it apart in a few seconds.
"Humans have lifespans, and so do weapons. Your adoptive father must have warned you not to mention the name of this spear in front of outsiders. Do you know why?"
Xiao Nanhui shook his head blankly.
Xiao Zhun never told her the reason, and she always thought that she didn't deserve to know.
"This spear wasn't originally constructed this way. It broke a long time ago. When I handed it to the Xiao family kid, I assumed it was already dead."
Xiao Nanhui was stunned. She never expected that the question she had been thinking about day and night would eventually have such an answer.
Suddenly, she recalled what the emperor had said to her on the way back from Huozhou. He said she didn't know the story behind Pingxian, and that Xiao Zhun hadn't told her the whole truth...
"You're silent, so it seems you don't know." Mei Qiao's voice was filled with a certain understanding that was expected. "Mr. Qing Huai has never mentioned this past event to you, probably because he still feels guilty towards the Mei family."
Xiao Nanhui was a little overwhelmed by the continuous messages.
Judging from their ages, Xiao Zhun and Mei Qiao were two generations apart. Before Mei Ruochong's death in battle, Xiao Zhun seemed to have had no contact with him.
Mei Qiao heard her silence and grinned silently, but there was no warmth in his smile, only the desolation after experiencing the storm.
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