Seeing Liu Jinghong cast an approving and appreciative glance at Jing Zhe, Murong Xi, lost in thought, suddenly asked, "General Jinghong, you must be very happy to have such a younger brother, right?"
"..."
Liu Jinghong was taken aback, and a blush rose to her face.
"Hmm, it's alright..."
"How enviable."
Murong Xi spoke sincerely, his gaze calm as still water, but his tone unusually firm.
"..."
If she envied herself and wanted a younger brother like him, that would be understandable, but this younger brother was no ordinary younger brother…
Although Murong Xi wouldn't know about this, Liu Jinghong still felt something was off, as if she knew everything.
She planned to ask Jing Zhe a proper question when no one was around, but instead changed the subject, saying, "Since the Western Frontier royal family and the heavy cavalry regiment have both suffered heavy losses, they will probably be too busy to attend to anything else for a long time. Your Majesty need not worry. You must be exhausted after spending the night in the desert. Why don't you go into the city to rest first, and I will host a banquet tonight to welcome you back!"
Having escaped unscathed from the Western Frontier Heavy Cavalry Regiment, Chu Xia felt it was time to celebrate.
To everyone's surprise, Murong Xi refused outright: "General Jinghong, thank you for your kindness, but there's no need. I plan to set off immediately after entering the city and head to Jingzhou as soon as possible."
"This...isn't there a need to rush? We should at least get some rest for the night."
Liu Jinghong asked in surprise.
“General Jinghong, I came from Yueyao Kingdom with the mission of a marriage alliance in Jingzhou. I have already been delayed in Liangzhou for many days and cannot delay any longer. Moreover, not everyone in this city is like General Jinghong, who hopes that I will stay.”
"..."
Upon hearing this, Liu Jinghong and Chu Xia both turned to look at Jing Zhe, and Murong Xi, whether intentionally or unintentionally, also looked over.
Jing Zhe said with dissatisfaction, "Why are you all looking at me like that? It's as if I don't want the Empress to stay—besides, I'm no one to the Empress. Whether I want to or not, can I influence the Empress's decision? Of course not, right? So why are you all looking at me like that?"
Jing Zhe argued his case logically, but fearing that Murong Xi might actually lose her mind and stay behind, which would be a waste of his time with Liu Jinghong, he deliberately said the last sentence.
As expected, Murong Xi snorted coldly after hearing this.
"Young Master Jing is overthinking it! Although I am grateful for your help, I will not consider anyone's opinion whether I stay or leave!"
Murong Xi's arrogant attitude returned: How could I possibly listen to you?
Jing Zhe breathed a sigh of relief, especially when he saw Liu Jinghong's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxing.
"So... has the Empress really made up her mind?"
Liu Jinghong asked another question, her gaze fixed on Murong Xi's face, as if trying to catch some emotion from her expression.
Murong Xi felt a little nervous, inwardly cursing herself for losing control of her emotions. Why did she act like this in front of her?
So he said with a straight face, "Yes, it's decided."
Knowing that further persuasion was futile, Liu Jinghong looked up at the sky and suggested, "It's almost noon. Why don't I have someone prepare some simple food? The Empress and the Holy Maiden can eat first, and then we can set off!"
"No need!"
Murong Xi secretly glanced at Jing Zhe and saw that he hadn't looked at her properly since meeting Liu Jinghong. She was filled with indignation and said coldly, "Thank you for your kindness, General Jinghong! However, my mind is made up. I will get some dry rations in the city and set off for Jingzhou immediately. General Jinghong, there's no need to persuade me any further!"
"Oh well!"
Liu Jinghong said helplessly, "I will have someone prepare some dry rations for the Empress to eat on the road!"
"Thank you very much, General Jinghong!"
After Murong Xi finished speaking, he entered the city without looking back.
Chu Xia glanced at Murong Xi, then at Jing Zhe, and then jogged after him.
...
After the two left, Liu Jinghong turned around and looked at Jing Zhe.
Feeling uneasy under her constant stare, Jing Zhe chuckled awkwardly and asked, "Fifth Sister, what are you looking at?"
"Look at you."
Liu Jinghong said earnestly, "I'm trying to find out why Empress Yueyao is so unwilling to see you, and why she refuses to even have a meal before leaving Liangzhou?"
"..."
Looking at Liu Jinghong's expression, Jing Zhe couldn't guess what she was thinking, nor did he want to challenge a woman's intuition. For the sake of his happiness in the near future, Jing Zhe sincerely said, "Actually, the reason Empress Yueyao acted this way was because I hugged her..."
So Jing Zhe half-truthfully said that in order to escape from the heavy cavalry camp as soon as possible, he had no choice but to carry Murong Xi back.
"Fifth Sister should know my character. I am not the kind of person who would deliberately take advantage of someone out of lust. The reason I did that was for the safety of Empress Yueyao."
Jing Zhe spoke with great righteousness, but he didn't quite convince Liu Jinghong, who looked at him without saying a word.
"What, does Fifth Sister not trust my character?"
Liu Jinghong nodded seriously: "I don't believe it."
"..."
Seeing Jing Zhe's discomfiture, Liu Jinghong's lips curled up, and she patted him, saying, "The Empress is leaving. Although she forbade us to hold a farewell banquet for her, it's still only right that we see her off!"
"oh."
Jing Zhe followed slowly. He was now somewhat afraid to face Murong Xi, feeling that her slightly resentful eyes held a lot of inexplicable emotions.
Upon entering the city, he was surrounded by numerous disciples and followers who showered him with concern and care.
At this moment, Jing Zhe realized that he had left in too much of a hurry. He was only thinking about finding the envelope on Hu Yanlie, but forgot to find the three martial arts manuals on Babu. So he apologized and said it apologetically.
The three of them waved their hands repeatedly upon hearing this.
"Master, it's alright. We've already memorized those martial arts manuals; we can recite them from memory!"
"Besides, now that we've joined Master's Heaven and Earth Sect, we can just practice the sect's techniques. As for those martial arts, we don't need to practice them!"
Yes, yes!
After Wang Fujun and Huang Kun finished speaking, Feng Da immediately chimed in.
Jing Zhe waved to them, chatted for a while, and made up his mind that it wouldn't be too late to take back the martial arts manual when the heavy cavalry regiment came again.
Murong Xi acted quickly; she went back and got into the carriage without even changing her clothes.
Liu Jinghong saw them off outside the east gate of the city. Chu Xia glanced back twice and said, "I was hoping to thank Young Master Jing in person..."
Liu Jinghong was also a little embarrassed. She had originally called Jing Zhe to come over together, but as they walked, no one was there anymore.
"Oh, here it comes..."
Chu Xia glanced at it again and said.
"Let's go in early summer!"
At this moment, Murong Xi also glanced at it, then lowered the carriage curtain and said in a cold voice.
————
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