Zhao Yunshen suppressed his anger, straightened his clothes, and tied his belt before speaking.
"Get up, let's go back to camp!"
Xiao Li was indeed given an important position and was promoted to lieutenant general, serving under Zhao Yunshen.
In a secluded courtyard of the general's mansion, Zhao Yunshen angrily scrubbed himself in the bath. He had almost gotten himself into trouble today; he had even ordered the second-in-command to be dragged away and whipped, but that still didn't quell his anger.
The thought of that ambiguous, mocking gaze made him even angrier.
"Someone come here."
Xiao Si's response came from outside.
"Master, your servant is here."
"Bring Gu Li over here."
"yes."
Xiao Si accepted the order and left.
He shook his head inwardly, thinking to himself that this Gu Liejiang was too unlucky. He had clearly performed a great service by saving the emperor, but his master did not like him. Even if he was promoted, he would not be able to prosper.
When Xiao Li heard that Zhao Yunshen had summoned her to the general's mansion, she immediately realized the reason. She didn't want to see it either. What if he was so poorly dressed that he cut the rope crookedly without looking?
Xiao Li leisurely went to the General's Mansion. After reporting her arrival, she waited for two hours before simply sitting down on the ground and starting to cultivate.
No one paid any attention to her until dawn.
"Squeak~"
The door opened, and Zhao Yunshen stretched. Suddenly, he saw Xiaoli sitting at the door, and he felt a little guilty.
"Cough...cough cough..."
Xiao Li opened her eyes and greeted Zhao Yunshen.
"I wonder why you summoned me, Commandant?"
Zhao Yunshen used the alias Shen Yun in the border town and was serving as a captain.
"Hmm... I invited you to have breakfast. Why are you here so early? Let's go together then."
"yes."
Zhao Yunshen glanced at Xiao Li, who was quite cooperative. "Alright, I'll let him off the hook."
Gu Xiaoyue did not receive Xiaoli's letter, so she could only marry with her meager dowry.
Xie Shuhuai cared about her a lot. Although the Xie residence was not large, he entrusted her with managing all the household affairs.
If you live a peaceful life, even if you can't be as wealthy as before, you can still be a rich man.
Gu Xiaoyue is ambitious; she will not be content to stop here. She wants to climb up and sit in a high position.
Sun Shangxiu was a supporter of the Second Prince, so she encouraged Xie Shuhuai to side with the Second Prince, while she herself showed goodwill towards the Second Prince's wife.
Finally, through her efforts, the Xie family was accepted into the Second Prince's household.
“My husband, the second prince has an advantage over the first prince. His mother has a stronger backing. Trust me, I’m sure I’m right.”
Xie Shuhuai thought Gu Xiaoyue was perfect in every way, and he was truly head over heels in love with her.
"Yes, I'll do as my wife says."
Unfortunately, the good times didn't last long. His Majesty the Emperor fell ill for a long time and ordered the eldest prince to oversee the country. The second prince couldn't sit still any longer.
Late at night, strategists frequently entered and exited the Second Prince's residence. The Second Prince's mother, Consort Xian, colluded with him from within and without to carry out their plan to force him to abdicate.
"Your Majesty, why don't you write the edict of abdication? I'll move with you to the royal hot springs to spend the rest of my life. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Consort Xian did not want to pressure the Emperor, but she was also thinking of her son. Once the eldest prince ascended the throne, she and her son would hardly survive.
The old emperor was so angry that he spat out a mouthful of blood. He forced his frail body to sit up shakily.
"This is treason! I have no son like you. If you want a decree to pass the throne to me, do it in your next life."
Consort Xian's hand holding the handkerchief stopped trembling. Her son was right; that old codger never intended to pass the throne to him.
"Since Your Majesty is ill, please take good care of yourself. Your Majesty will do everything you can for me."
Consort Xian ordered her men to surround the Hall of Mental Cultivation and forbid anyone from visiting it.
The old emperor simply watched coldly, making no attempt to stop it.
At that moment, a commotion arose at the entrance, and the Imperial Guards were forced to retreat step by step, eventually entering the hall.
The eldest prince, Zhao Yunlan, led a team of secret guards in. This was a hidden force entrusted to him by his father, the emperor.
He rarely revealed himself; those who knew him were all dead. Only the emperor and the crown prince knew, and the news was never spread.
Zhao Yunlan never took his second and third brothers seriously, because he knew that his father had always only favored him.
"Take it down!"
The secret guards fought like ten men each, quickly routing the Imperial Guards, and the Second Prince and Consort Xian were captured.
When the prince fell from his post, the emperor was furious. After this incident, the old emperor, perhaps having expelled some stagnant blood, actually began to recover slowly.
As soon as the old emperor went to court, he began to purge the Second Prince's faction. No one could escape, and the court was in turmoil for more than half a month.
Every day, people were dragged out of the imperial palace, and every day, people were beheaded and their heads displayed at the entrance of the market. Blood flowed like a river, turning that land red.
Just like in the story, both the General's Mansion and the Xie Mansion were implicated and exiled to the border.
The maids in the house were all resold, and Chunyan was among them.
Gu Xiaoyue wanted to divorce and return home, but Xie Shuhuai wouldn't let her go.
"Yue'er, I begged for you. We will be together for all eternity. I will not let you go. Even if we die, we will die together."
Gu Xiaoyue cried out, "Husband, please spare me! I'll die if I go to the border. I'll wait for you in the capital, okay?"
Xie Shuhuai simply held Gu Xiaoyue tightly in his arms. He understood what Yue'er liked. She wouldn't wait for him; he had to fight for her himself.
Gu Xiaoyue sought help from the Duke's Mansion, but Gu Qihang dared not take her back, fearing the Emperor's wrath.
Gu Xiaoyue did not return home after all. This time, without Wu Shi's pity for her, she was nothing.
The place of exile was bitter, and the journey to exile was bitter as well. Along the way, Gu Xiaoyue kept cursing, not only cursing Xie Shuhuai for being cold-hearted, but also cursing Gu Qihang and Wu Shi for having no love for their son.
Xie Shuhuai looked at her, his heart unmoved. Yue'er was just not used to it, and he would give her everything she wanted.
Xie Shuhuai has made up his mind to abandon his literary pursuits and join the army. With his martial arts skills honed since childhood, he believes he will find a place for himself in the military.
After three months on the road, Gu Xiaoyue was no longer the frail woman she once was. Her skin had turned wheat-colored, and she had become much stronger. She had survived.
She also figured it out. Her elder sister was also at the border. She would go and seek refuge with her elder sister. Then she could pour out her grievances and return to her former life.
Xiao Li, who was being targeted, was rubbing Zhao Yunshen's back. Ever since they had their little secret, Zhao Yunshen had become much kinder to her.
He even took her to a rare little hot spring to bathe, and had Xiaoli scrub his back. However, Xiaoli never revealed her female identity, and Zhao Yunshen still thought she was a man.
"Gu Li, how old are you this year? You look quite young. Are you married yet?"
Xiao Li didn't even look up. "Reporting to the Commandant, I'm 16 and still not married."
Zhao Yunshen turned around and teased, "Why are you so old-fashioned at such a young age?"
Why are you still wearing your coat? Take it off and we'll shower together. We're both men, what's there to be afraid of? Besides, you've seen me, but I haven't seen you yet."
As he spoke, he reached out and pulled up Xiaoli's clothes. Xiaoli was startled and quickly jumped away.
"Your Highness, this is unreasonable, and I dare not overstep my bounds."
Zhao Yunshen withdrew his hand, showing little interest.
"You know me?"
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