rest
In Liangzhou, the dawn breaks later than in the capital, and the air carries the dry, crisp quality unique to the Northwest.
Xu Qingyao woke up to the sound of birds chirping.
Tsukimi had already prepared warm water to help her wash and dress.
Unlike in the capital where she needed to wear elaborate makeup according to her rank, Xu Qingyao simply tied her hair into a bun, adorned it with a plain silver hairpin, and wore a lotus-colored casual dress, making her look much more relaxed.
She had just finished getting ready when Jiang Caiwei's excited voice came from outside the courtyard: "Cousin! Cousin, are you up yet? Let's go pay our respects to Grandmother together, and then go to the morning market!"
Xu Qingyao greeted her with a smile. She saw Caiwei dressed in a neat light yellow riding outfit, her hair tied in a ponytail, looking energetic, and carrying a small food box in her hand.
"These are almond tea and rose cookies that were just made in the kitchen. Let's have something to eat first!"
The two first went to the main courtyard to pay their respects to Madam Jiang.
When the old lady saw the two sisters come together, she smiled from ear to ear. She took Xu Qingyao's hand and asked her carefully if she slept well last night and if she was used to it. She also told Caiwei, "Just take your cousin for a walk. Don't let her play around too much. Your cousin needs to rest."
Caiwei stuck out her tongue and repeatedly assured him.
Once outside Jiang Prefecture, the eastern market of Liangzhou City was already bustling with activity.
The shouts of peddlers, the aroma of food, and the display of all sorts of novelties filled the air with a vibrant sense of life.
Caiwei introduced the products to Xu Qingyao as if they were her own treasures: "Cousin, look, this shop's flatbread is the crispiest! That shop's mutton offal soup has no gamey smell at all! And over there, they sell gemstone beads from the Western Regions, they're so beautiful..."
Xu Qingyao followed her, experiencing the long-lost, pure liveliness of the city, and her mood brightened involuntarily.
She bought several small velvet flowers for Yuejian and herself, and also bought some newly arrived Longjing tea from the tea shop that her maternal grandfather frequented.
It was nearly noon when they returned to the Jiang residence.
Xiao Zhouyan was playing chess with Old Master Jiang at the stone table in the courtyard. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the grape trellis, casting dappled shadows on the chessboard.
Xiao Zhouyan held the black pieces, deep in thought, his profile particularly sharp in the light.
Old Master Jiang, meanwhile, held his teacup, looking calm and composed.
Xu Qingyao didn't disturb them, and quietly stood under the corridor watching for a while.
She discovered that Xiao Zhouyan's chess style was just like his personality: calm and composed, with profound strategic planning, and occasionally revealing a sharp killing move. Her maternal grandfather, on the other hand, was even more cunning, often silently laying traps.
The game ended in a draw.
Old Master Jiang stroked his beard and laughed, "Zhou Yan's chess skills are quite impressive; I almost fell for your trick."
Xiao Zhouyan humbly replied, "It is my maternal grandfather who is too kind."
Upon seeing Xu Qingyao return, Xiao Zhouyan's gaze naturally fell upon her. Seeing that her complexion was much better than the previous two days, and that there was a relaxed smile in her eyes, his gaze softened a bit.
Lunch was a simple home-style meal, but it was prepared with exquisite care. One dish was Liangzhou specialty hand-pulled mutton, stewed until tender and flavorful, with absolutely no gamey smell.
Grandma Jiang kept putting food on Xu Qingyao's plate, saying, "Eat more, look how thin you are."
In the afternoon, after taking a short rest, Xu Qingyao went to the courtyard where Jiang Wanrou lived.
My aunt was skilled at perfumery, so she planted a lot of herbs in the yard.
Jiang Wanrou was arranging freshly picked mint with her maid when she saw Xu Qingyao arrive. She smiled and pulled her to sit down, taught her to identify various herbs, and gave her a sachet she had embroidered herself, filled with calming spices.
“Women tend to be thoughtful and have trouble sleeping, so wearing this might be helpful,” Jiang Wanrou said gently.
Xu Qingyao stroked the delicate lotus pattern on the purse, a warm feeling flowing through her heart.
As evening approached, Xiao Zhouyan suggested taking a walk on the city wall.
The Liangzhou city wall is tall and thick; once you climb it, the view opens up dramatically.
The setting sun casts a golden glow, painting the distant snow-capped peaks of the Qilian Mountains with a magnificent hue, and the entire city of Liangzhou is enveloped in a warm twilight.
Xiao Zhouyan stood beside her, shielding her from the evening breeze. Neither of them spoke, simply gazing silently at the vast and magnificent scenery.
"This place is very nice." After a long while, Xiao Zhouyan said softly, it was unclear whether he was referring to the scenery or the tranquility of the moment.
Xu Qingyao gave a soft "hmm".
Yes, that's great. There's no scheming, no murderous intent, just the ordinary warmth of everyday life and the comfort of family.
She even hoped that these days could last a little longer.
However, she also knew that this was ultimately stolen leisure time.
The undercurrents in the capital will not cease because of their departure, and the system's silence is only temporary.
But before the storm returns, she is willing to wholeheartedly enjoy this rare peace, to take a good breath in the place where her mother grew up, under the protection of her maternal grandparents' home.
*
The peaceful days flowed by like water, and before I knew it, I had been living in Liangzhou for more than half a month.
Xu Qingyao's complexion visibly improved, and although the system was not fully recovered, it was able to perform some basic scans and absorb energy, and was no longer completely lifeless.
Xiao Zhouyan seemed to have completely put aside his affairs in the capital. He spent his days either playing chess with Old Master Jiang and discussing the sights and sounds of the Northwest, or taking Xu Qingyao for walks around Liangzhou City. He appeared to be accompanying his wife to recuperate peacefully.
Beneath the surface of calm, undercurrents never cease.
That day, Xu Qingyao was accompanying Old Madam Jiang in pruning orchids in the greenhouse when the system suddenly issued a faint notification:
[Encrypted carrier pigeon energy fluctuation detected, direction: northwest corner of Jiang Mansion's guest courtyard.]
Northwest Corner Guest House? Encrypted Carrier Pigeon?
He was indeed not completely cut off from contact with the capital.
Xu Qingyao remained calm and continued what she was doing, but she already understood.
Xiao Zhouyan's "vacation" was probably half for her to recuperate, and the other half was a strategic retreat to observe the situation more clearly from a distance from the center of the vortex, and perhaps even... to secretly make arrangements.
In the evening, Xiao Zhouyan returned from the front yard, looking as usual, but Xu Qingyao keenly noticed a faint hint of solemnity between his brows.
"What's wrong?" Xu Qingyao asked softly as the two strolled in the courtyard of the Begonia Garden after dinner.
Xiao Zhouyan paused slightly and looked at her. Under the moonlight, her eyes were clear and calm.
He hesitated for a moment, then did not hide anything: "A letter came from the capital that the Fifth Prince has been making frequent moves recently, winning over many officials who were originally part of the Second Prince's faction, and his prestige in the court is gradually increasing. His Majesty's attitude is ambiguous."
Xu Qingyao was not surprised.
Chu Huaijin was ambitious to begin with; his previous setbacks were merely a temporary respite. "Anything else?"
She felt that Xiao Zhouyan hadn't said everything he wanted to say.
Xiao Zhouyan gazed at the deep night sky and lowered his voice: "A secret report came from the northern frontier. Although the leader of the Black Stone Tribe has been killed, the remaining forces have not been completely wiped out. Recently, there have been signs of them regrouping, and... it seems that there are people from the Li Kingdom operating in the shadows."
Li Kingdom! Yan Zhan!
Xu Qingyao's heart tightened.
The silver-haired guest was executed, and Shen Rou lost an arm, but their alliance with Yan Zhan was clearly not broken.
Yan Zhan is still harboring treacherous intentions and wants to stir up trouble in the northern border region again.
"Is Your Majesty aware of this matter?"
"General Fuyuan has sent an urgent report over 800 li, but the court's attention is currently focused on the Fifth Prince, and... some people question the authenticity of the report, believing it to be nothing more than an exaggeration by border generals who want military pay."
Xiao Zhouyan's tone carried a hint of sarcasm.
Xu Qingyao immediately understood.
Behind this, the Fifth Prince's faction likely played a significant role in stirring things up.
They did not want to see Xiao Zhouyan's power rise again due to the war in the northern frontier, and preferred to suppress their political enemies first, even if the border was unstable.
"What do you plan to do?" she asked.
Xiao Zhouyan withdrew his gaze and looked at her: "We still need to observe further. Although His Majesty is old, he is not senile and will not sit idly by and watch the border descend into chaos. The Fifth Prince... the higher he jumps, the less likely it is to be a good thing."
He paused, his tone softening, "I'll take care of these things. You just need to rest and recuperate."
Xu Qingyao knew he was worried about her health, so she nodded and didn't ask any further questions.
They want to live a peaceful life, but others may not agree.
**
A few days later, several uninvited guests arrived in Liangzhou City.
A group of officials from the capital, carrying documents from the Ministry of Justice, claimed to be apprehending a notorious bandit who had fled to the Northwest and requested the assistance of the Liangzhou government in the search.
This was supposed to be routine official business, but Xu Qingyao received an unusual notification from the system:
[A special energy marker was detected on the target personnel, which partially matches the energy characteristics of previous contacts within the palace.]
A palace spies?
Alarm bells rang in Xu Qingyao's mind.
These people are probably using the pretext of arresting a notorious thief to investigate, or perhaps... have other motives at hand!
She immediately informed Xiao Zhouyan of the matter.
Xiao Zhouyan's eyes instantly sharpened like knives: "It seems that someone is still not giving up and has stretched their reach far enough."
He pondered for a moment, then said to Xu Qingyao, "These next few days, try to stay in the manor as much as possible and minimize going out. I will increase manpower inside and outside the Jiang manor."
However, the other side was clearly prepared.
The group of officials lingered in Liangzhou City for several days, openly searching everywhere, but secretly seemingly inquiring about the Jiang family, especially about Xu Qingyao.
That day, Xu Qingyao was reading in her room when Yuejian rushed in, looking somewhat uneasy: "Madam, outside... there are people talking outside, saying... saying they saw officials asking about your last visit to Liangzhou, and... and about you and the general..."
Xu Qingyao put down the book, her expression calm.
They were definitely after her.
Is he trying to dredge up her old grievances?
Or is she trying to spread rumors of discord between her and Xiao Zhouyan?
"Ignore it," Xu Qingyao said calmly. "The innocent will remain innocent."
Even so, she knew the power of rumors.
Especially in the relatively closed Liangzhou City, if it were to be exploited by someone with ulterior motives, it could seriously damage the Jiang family's reputation.
In the evening, Xiao Zhouyan returned, looking rather unwell.
He said directly to Xu Qingyao, "Those people are henchmen of a secret network under the Fifth Prince. They came here for two reasons: first, to test whether you and I are really recuperating here; second, they probably want to find an opportunity to frame us."
How to frame someone?
“It’s nothing more than some underhanded tactics,” Xiao Zhouyan said coldly. “For example, forging letters that suggest you’re colluding with outsiders, or… creating some kind of accident.”
Xu Qingyao understood.
It seems that those people in the capital, even though they have fled to Liangzhou, are unwilling to let them live in peace.
“Since they’ve delivered themselves to our doorstep,” a cold glint flashed in Xiao Zhouyan’s eyes, “then don’t blame me for being impolite.”
He clearly already had a solution.
The next day, two of the officers, while chasing the notorious thief, accidentally stumbled into the camp of a Western Regions caravan. They clashed with the caravan's guards and accidentally knocked over several boxes of valuable spices being transported by the caravan, resulting in heavy losses.
The caravan leader was furious and filed a complaint directly with the Liangzhou government and the Hexi military governor's office stationed in Liangzhou.
With witnesses and physical evidence present, the two officials had no way to defend themselves. Officials from the Hexi Military Governor's office stepped in, taking a firm stance, demanding severe punishment for the perpetrators and compensation for the caravan's losses.
The official in charge was in a state of panic and had no time to inquire about the Jiang family's affairs. He was busy making arrangements with his superiors and subordinates to quell the incident.
Xu Qingyao knew that this must have been the work of Xiao Zhouyan and his elder brother Xu Zhiyuan. It was a swift and decisive retaliation, using their own methods against them.
After this incident, the group of officials could no longer stay in Liangzhou and left in disgrace.
The storm has temporarily subsided, but both Xu Qingyao and Xiao Zhouyan understand that this is only the beginning.
The Fifth Prince's faction will not give up easily, and Yan Zhan's shadow still lingers in the northern frontier.
Liangzhou was not an isolated paradise; the power struggles in the capital and the covert battles on the border eventually extended their reach here.
Their period of quiet confinement is destined to be anything but completely peaceful.
In the darkness of the night, Xu Qingyao looked at the resolute profile of the man beside her and felt a sense of peace settle down in her heart.
No matter what storms lie ahead, at least for this moment, they stand shoulder to shoulder. The system needs to be restored as soon as possible to better cope with the upcoming changes.
This brief peace can be described as "stolen leisure."
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