He Yan accompanied Song Taotao for a stroll until the evening before heading to the inn.

There was a vendor selling candied haws on the road. The straw man was covered with red candied haws, which looked sweet. He Yan took out the last few copper coins and bought a few strings from the vendor. He took the largest string and handed it to Song Taotao: "Are you hungry? Eat some of this first to fill your stomach. We'll have something good to eat when we get back to the inn."

Fortunately, she was thinking about what to do if Song Taotao wanted to eat in the restaurant and she didn't have enough money. Fortunately, she was too full in the morning and the girl was picky, so she didn't want to eat anything along the way. She just sat down and drank a few cups of tea and ate two cakes, which cost her a few copper coins.

Song Taotao took the candied haws and looked at He Yan: "Thank you for your hard work today." After a pause, she continued: "Actually, there is nothing good to visit in Liangzhou City, and the things are just average. If it wasn't for avoiding Second Young Master Xiao, I wouldn't have let you accompany me until so late."

"Huh?" He Yan also took a string of candied haws, bit one and put it in her mouth. The hawthorn was sour and the honey was sweet. The combination of sour and sweet made her mouth water. He Yan felt that she hadn't eaten such childish things for a long time. She asked: "What? Don't you like Governor Xiao?"

"It's not that I don't like him, it's just... a little scary." The little girl pouted, "It seems that everyone becomes very inferior in front of him."

He Yan was amused when he heard this. Inferiority complex? Song Taotao was like this because he was too young. He Yan smiled and said, "But he is good-looking and powerful. Don't young girls like this?"

When he was young, many girls would secretly come to the door of Xianchang Hall every day to see Xiao Jue. He Yan had never seen a girl who didn't like him. Song Taotao was already very special.

"I'm different from them." Song Taotao snorted, "They only care about appearances, but such a cold person who can't say sweet words will make life miserable. I don't like this, I like gentle ones," she sighed maturely and said with regret, "Mr. Xiao is a good person, but it's a pity that he has already married."

He Yan put a hawthorn in his mouth and almost choked on it.

What? Xiao Jue still wanted to be the uncle of his nephew's wife, but he didn't know that she actually wanted to be his sister-in-law!

Song Taotao was worthy of being the person who almost became her "little fiancée". She looked at people so differently. He Yan said: "Actually, Governor Xiao is quite gentle sometimes... but there are not many people who don't like him as much as you do." She was moved in her heart and wanted to get something out of Song Taotao's mouth, so she asked, "Do you know that General Feihong is now as famous as him? Have you ever met him?"

"General Feihong?" Song Taotao asked, "You are talking about the eldest son of the He family, right? The one who said before that he had a wound on his face and couldn't see anyone, and who always wore a mask and pretended to be serious?"

He Yan: “…”

"It's rare that he wears the mask every day for ten years. I saw him before I ran away from my marriage. He had taken off the mask at that time and looked okay. Do you know why he wears the mask?" Song Taotao asked.

He Yan: "Why?"

"Of course he was looking for a gimmick to attract attention. You see, he took off his mask early or late, but he took it off before the emperor bestowed the title on him. He said that he had the help of a miracle doctor to heal the scar on his face, but how could a miracle doctor heal so that not even a scar could be seen? For so many years, everyone knew that Mr. He was ugly and horrible, but suddenly he took off his mask and turned out to be a handsome man. How bizarre! So his original 50% appearance became 70%."

He Yan couldn't help but applaud Song Taotao in her heart. What he said made a lot of sense. If she wasn't the one wearing the mask, she would have almost believed that what Song Taotao said was true.

"So how do you think General Feihong compares to Governor Xiao?"

Song Taotao answered without thinking: "Of course it's the Second Young Master Xiao. The young master of the He family is not as handsome as the Second Young Master Xiao!"

Well, in this world people still judge people by their appearance.

He Yan said shyly, "I have never seen General Fei Hong. He and I have the same last name. I have always wanted to see him in person. I wonder if I will have the chance in this lifetime?"

"Of course there is a chance, but the eldest son He is now very much valued by the emperor. Before I left Beijing, His Majesty often summoned him to the palace. Before his cousin passed away, the eldest son He did not attend the court for a few days, and His Majesty gave him a lot of gifts."

He Yan's smile was a little forced: "Are you talking about Grandma Xu?"

"Did she marry someone with the surname Xu? I'm not sure. I don't know her name either. This sister wasn't in Shuojing before. Few people in the capital knew her, and she didn't have any sisters. All we know is that she was General Feihong's sister. She got blinded by a strange disease only a year after she got married. After she became blind, she was strolling in the garden in the mansion. The servants didn't notice her and she fell into the pond and drowned." Song Taotao sighed, "How pitiful. With General Feihong as her brother to rely on, she shouldn't have had a bad life. It can only be said that she had a miserable life. What was her name? He something? Oh, I really can't remember."

He Yan thought to herself, her name is He Yan, but unfortunately, this name is destined to be drowned under the name of Feihong General He Rufei. The world only knows her as the born weak lady of the He family who was sent to the manor to be raised, and the younger sister of General Feihong. No one remembers her name.

"What about Master Xu?" He Yan asked, "What happened to him after Grandma Xu died?"

"I don't like to hear these things when I'm at home. I vaguely remember my sisters mentioning that Miss He's husband was very depressed for a while after Miss He died. He was really in love. But who knows about this kind of thing?" Song Taotao was insightful beyond her age. She said, "When can you take a man's words seriously? You never know if he is still thinking about you today, but he will welcome a new person into the house tomorrow."

He Yan smiled bitterly: "What you said makes a lot of sense."

"Why are you asking me all of a sudden?" Song Taotao said, "But I really don't know much. If you really want to know, you should ask Mr. Xiao Er. They are both military commanders and colleagues, so they should know more than me."

He Yan thought, isn't it because he is afraid that Xiao Jue will be suspicious? He already doesn't consider her as his own. If Xiao Jue asks about the He family, he might find out everything about her. If he doesn't find out anything, his identity will be exposed first, and he won't even be able to stay in the military camp. That would be a loss.

While they were talking, they had already reached the door of the inn. He Yan and Song Taotao went upstairs. Song Taotao said, "Thank you so much for coming today. I'm going to go in and change clothes and rest for a while. You can eat with me later."

He Yan smiled and said, "Okay."

Although this girl has the habits of a young lady and likes to give orders to others, she is not annoying. After she left, He Yan did not return to his room, but knocked on the door next door.

Today is a good day. Someone in the room answered: "Come in."

As soon as He Yan entered, he saw Xiao Jue sitting at the table. He was wiping the guqin in front of him with white silk. He Yan looked closely and saw that it was the Wanxiangqin that she had crushed.

"Commander-in-chief, has the zither been repaired? Is it intact?" He Yan walked over and asked in a low voice.

Xiao Jue asked lazily, "What's the matter?" He looked like he didn't want to say more to her.

He Yan took his hands out from behind his back and said, "Look! I brought you a gift today! Although I accompanied Miss Song to buy things, I was still thinking about you in my heart. This candied haws is for you!"

Xiao Jue glanced at the candied haws in her hand and said, "Take it."

It was so inhumane. He Yan said, "Don't do that. I've tried it before. It's so sweet!"

"I don't eat sweets." He said indifferently.

He Yan looked at him and thought to himself, what are you pretending for? When they were together in Xianchang Hall, this man carried a small sachet with him. When a boy he was dating tried to steal it, he protected it tightly. He Yan thought it was some kind of treasure, but later he found out that it was just a bag of sweet-scented osmanthus candy.

He went home two days a month, and when he came to Xianchang Hall again, his sachet was full again. A man who had always been obsessed with sweets since his youth now told her that he didn't eat sweets. Was he not complaining that this was bought with two copper coins?

"If you don't want to eat it, give it to Brother Fei Nu." He Yan put the candied haws into the pen holder on the table, then changed the subject, his expression softened, and he said with a flattering smile: "Commander-in-chief, I have something else I want to discuss with you."

Xiao Jue looked at her with a calm gaze.

He Yan continued shamelessly, "I am accompanying Miss Song out today. Miss Song wants to buy clothes and jewelry. She has already spent all the money she won in the flag-winning competition. I thought Miss Song is your niece's wife, so she is your relative. I should not pay for buying things for your relative, but I am sincere to the governor, so how can I let the governor spend money? It's just... I don't have any money now. If Miss Song wants to buy something else, can you give me some money? I don't want to lose your face if I go out to buy things without money, right? Uncle? Uncle?"

The boy smiled in an especially flattering way, his eyes sparkling with cleverness, like a fox cub he had hunted in his youth. It would bite people, but when begging for food from people, it was especially well-behaved and docile in casual clothes.

Xiao Jue looked at her coldly, unmoved.

He Yan asked: "Is it okay?"

The man responded ruthlessly: “No.”

"...Really?" She was still unwilling to accept it.

"no."

He Yan straightened up and stared at him hatefully. When she joined the army in her previous life, she heard someone say that the moment a person truly grows up is when he starts to borrow money. He Yan now believed it very much. She was so humble, but Xiao Jue was so rich, but he didn't give her anything. He must be targeting her on purpose!

Xiao Jue raised his head, his expression calm, and mocked: "I still remember that I am not your uncle. Have you forgotten that Song Taotao is Cheng Lisu's fiancée, not yours?"

After thinking about this for a while, He Yan finally understood. She said, "You don't think that I am..."

Xiao Jue lowered his eyes and continued to wipe the body of the piano. "I hope you still remember who you are."

He Yan almost cursed in his heart. Look, is this human language? Is Xiao Jue afraid that he will snatch Cheng Lisu's fiancée? What a joke. If she hadn't left home on her own initiative, how could Cheng Lisu have this fiancée now? And, Xiao Jue only wanted to be someone's uncle. Did he know that the girl wanted to be his sister-in-law? She wasn't interested in this. What did he know?

He Yan was angry in her heart, but she said with a fake smile: "Of course I remember who I am. I am He Yan who won the first place in the Liangzhou Guard Flag Competition." She emphasized the word "first" and added: "If the governor doesn't want to give me money, then forget it." She turned around to leave, but suddenly remembered something. She turned around and grabbed the candied haws on the table, "The governor doesn't like sweets anyway, so I'll take this candied haws and eat it myself."

She took a big bite as if to vent her anger, and walked out while chewing with a "crunching" sound, mumbling in her mouth: "What right army commander? He is just a stingy old man..."

Xiao Jue: “…”

Fei Nu, who was outside, just came in and heard these words. He looked at He Yan's back as he walked away, and turned around and closed the door in confusion.

Xiao Jue raised his head and looked at him.

"Master, he..."

"Nothing," Xiao Jue interrupted him, "Did you gain anything today?"

Fei Nu shook his head: "He Yan has been with Miss Song the whole time. He didn't do anything that day. He just walked around the street, bought things and drank tea. He didn't meet anyone."

Xiao Jue nodded: "I understand."

"Could it be possible that the person he met with was not from Liangzhou City?" Fei Nu asked, "I always feel that this He Yan is a little strange."

Not to mention his extraordinary skills, he was a new recruit but he knew the formation, but he was not caught. It can be seen that his attitude towards Xiao Jue was really bold. Ordinary people... wouldn't be like this, right?

"He's by my side, so nothing will go wrong. Tell Chiwu to pick him up here."

"Young Master, do you want Chi Wu to stay with Miss Song?" Fei Nu asked.

Xiao Jue nodded: "Yuan Baozhen will soon arrive in Liangzhou, and Song Taotao is not suitable to go with him. There is no good meeting, no good banquet," he said calmly, "We must be fully prepared."

Fei Nu responded: "I understand."

…

The next few days were very pleasant.

Maybe it was because they spent too much time walking around on the first day, and Song Taotao's hand injury had not fully healed, so she was too lazy to go out these days. Xiao Jue and Fei Nu were still often away during the day, so He Yan couldn't leave Song Taotao alone in the inn, so he had to accompany her.

The little girl was easy to coax. She listened very seriously when she was told about some strange people and strange things she encountered when she was in the army. When she got tired of listening, she ate something downstairs in the guest inn. The day passed by. He Yan really wanted to go out with Xiao Jue and the others and find out some news, but they didn't take her with them. It was obvious that they were trying to exclude her. After a few times, He Yan was a self-aware person and was too lazy to move forward.

This trip to Liangzhou was not planned. The only hope was the Supervisor Yuan Baozhen. He Yan had never been so eager for someone to come. Fortunately, three days later, Mr. Yuan finally arrived in Liangzhou City.

This morning, Fei Nu brought someone over.

This was also a young man dressed like a guard, named Chi Wu, who should also be Xiao Jue's confidant. He came here to take Song Taotao away.

"You can't stay here for the time being. Chiwu will send you to a safe place. I will come to pick you up after the matter in Liangzhou is settled." Xiao Jue said.

Song Taotao looked at He Yan: "Then... Master Cheng won't come with me?"

The other people's eyes immediately turned to He Yan, especially Xiao Jue, whose eyes were extremely cold. He Yan immediately understood the meaning of "deal with your own troubles".

She had no choice but to stand up and said to Song Taotao with a smile: "I have to do something with Mr. Xiao Er, so I can't accompany you for the time being. Don't worry, this... Big Brother Chiwu will protect you."

"What's the matter? Is it dangerous?" Song Taotao asked again.

He Yan felt embarrassed, but also touched. The child's love was not in vain, and he even asked her if she was in danger. She smiled and said, "We have Second Young Master Xiao. It's not dangerous, not dangerous. Don't worry."

"Then you must be careful." After Song Taotao gave her this warning, he walked away, looking back every few steps.

He Yan turned around and met Xiao Jue's mocking gaze. She said, "I really didn't do anything..."

Xiao Jue turned and left, and He Yan hurriedly chased after him, "Uncle, don't worry. Although Miss Song only asked if I was safe and didn't ask you, it's definitely not because she thinks you are too cold and hard to approach. I am kind, gentle and likable, so don't take it to heart!"

"Shut up." Xiao Jue stopped and looked her up and down with a scrutinizing gaze, sneering, "If you have the heart to talk nonsense, why don't you think about how to not wear a camisole at the dinner party. After all, Cheng Lisu is the young master of Yousi Zhilang's mansion, and you," he glanced at her meaningfully, "are you pretending to be one?"

After saying this, he left without looking back. He Yan was stunned for a moment before she realized that this person was mocking her again. She yelled at Xiao Jue's back, "What's wrong with Yousi Zhilang!"

After all, she is also a young master from the He family, so who is not an official? She has been pretending to be a young master from a wealthy family for so many years, so what can't she pretend? Tonight, she must let Xiao Jue look at her in a new light.

…

At the Liangzhou city gate, a horse-drawn carriage stood out among the crowd.

The carriage was very ornately decorated, with the finest embroidery on the outside, embroidered with a large landscape. There was also a white crane in the grass, and its eyes were made of black crystal, which was particularly delicate and interesting.

Someone lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked out, and after a moment, the curtain was lowered.

Yuan Baozhen covered his nose with a handkerchief and said, "The wind and sand in Liangzhou City are really strong. It's much worse than the capital."

He is now over 40 years old, and in fact he is about the same age as Sun Xiangfu, but compared to Sun Xiangfu, he is much better maintained. His clothes are neat and exquisite, his face is white and beardless, and he smiles when he speaks, looking very friendly.

"You say, Xiao Jue came to this place, isn't that asking for trouble?" he asked the people around him.

Next to him sat a man who looked like a guard. He had an ordinary look and a thin body. If it weren't for the thick rope on the palm of his hand, others would have thought he was just an ordinary servant.

"I don't know." The guard replied.

"Forget it. Anyway, we're going to meet today. I'll ask him in person after we meet." Yuan Baozhen said with a smile, "Hey, are those people from the Sun family coming up ahead?"

Sun Xiangfu came in person to pick them up.

Yuan Baozhen showed a satisfied smile on his face, "Not bad, not bad, this Sun Zhixian is very polite."

Sun Xiangfu looked at the stopped carriage and wiped his sweat. Originally, although he could not neglect the inspector Yu Shi when he came to Liangzhou, he would not go to the city gate to greet him. But now he has offended Xiao Jue, if he offends Yuan Baozhen again, he will have no way to survive. He still hopes that Yuan Baozhen will support him and make Xiao Jue suffer. Naturally, he has to put in 120,000 efforts to please the man in front of him.

As soon as Yuan Bao stopped the carriage, Sun Xiangfu came to greet him and said, "Master Yuan, I am sorry for not welcoming you from afar and being negligent. Please don't blame me."

"That's not the case," Yuan Baozhen said with a friendly smile, "I see that Lord Sun is very friendly, Lord Sun, you don't have to be so polite."

The two chatted for a while, and Sun Xiangfu said, "In that case, please go to my house and rest first."

Yuan Baozhen came to Liangzhou to stay temporarily at Sun's residence. The two of them boarded the carriage prepared by Sun Xiangfu. In the carriage, Yuan Baozhen asked, "I heard that the commander-in-chief of the right army has already arrived in Liangzhou. I wonder if he is at Sun's residence now?"

"Commander Xiao is staying at an inn in Liangzhou City for the time being, saying that he has important matters to attend to. He just arrived at your house tonight. By the way, I have something else to ask for your help, Lord Yuan."

Yuan Baozhen's eyes moved, but he kept smiling as before and asked, "What is worrying Sun Zhixian?"

"It's the matter of Governor Xiao. My unfilial son accidentally bumped into Governor Xiao's nephew before. I'm afraid Governor Xiao will be resentful towards me because of this. Since we have hosted a banquet tonight to welcome Lord Yuan, I hope Lord Yuan can mediate and resolve this misunderstanding." Sun Xiangfu looked embarrassed.

Although he did not say what it was, Yuan Baozhen could guess it. A county magistrate who was so powerful in Liangzhou would not raise a good son. Xiao Jue's nephew was the young master of Yousi Zhilang. If the two of them had a conflict, I'm afraid Young Master Sun would suffer.

He thought this in his heart, but said: "I think Sun Zhixian is taking this matter too seriously. Governor Xiao is not an unreasonable person. If it was an accidental collision, just explain it clearly. Why is he still holding a grudge?"

"That's what you said," Sun Xiangfu wiped his sweat and said with a smile, "But didn't Commander Xiao... deal with Zhao Nuo in the same way back then?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Yuan Baozhen's face changed.

Everyone in Wei knew that Xiao Jue beheaded Zhao Nuo, the eldest son of the Minister of Revenue, in the stele hall. But it was too long ago, and people thought he was just young and hot-headed, so they gradually forgot about it. Now that Sun Xiangfu mentioned it, Yuan Baozhen remembered it again. When Zhao Nuo got into trouble, the first person Minister Zhao found was actually Xu Xiang. Xu Xiang handed over the letter, and Minister Zhao went to the Golden Palace and cried in front of His Majesty. His Majesty was sympathetic, but he did not punish Xiao Jue.

"If you don't cut down trees from their roots, they will grow again; if you don't block water from its source, it will flow again; if you don't eliminate disasters from their roots, they will cause chaos again." At that time, Xu Xiang only said this: "If I don't get rid of this boy, he will become a great trouble to me in the future."

They all wanted to get rid of Xiao Jue as soon as possible while he was still young, but since he led the Southern Army to the Southern Barbarians, they no longer had this opportunity. His growth rate was amazing, but in just a few years, the person who killed Zhao Nuo, who was considered unreasonable by the world, would now be considered normal by others.

This is what Xiao Jue has achieved in the past few years.

He is much more powerful and younger than Xiao Zhongwu.

"Sir, Sir Yuan?" Seeing Yuan Baozhen's strange expression and silence, Sun Xiangfu didn't understand and spoke nervously.

"Nothing, I just thought of something else." Yuan Baozhen said with a smile, "Since Governor Xiao is coming to the banquet tonight, I will talk to him for you. But I don't know Governor Xiao's temper. If he doesn't listen to me, don't blame him."

"Of course," Sun Xiangfu said gratefully, "I am very happy that Lord Yuan is willing to ask for it."

Yuan Baozhen smiled and shook his head, his mind already flying elsewhere.

No matter how powerful Xiao Jue is, he came to Liangzhou just to get rid of this big threat for Prime Minister Xu.

Hope all goes well.

…

In the evening, He Yan was about to go out with Xiao Jue.

They were going to Sun Xiangfu's residence, so they had to send Song Taotao away. Otherwise, if Sun Ling saw Song Taotao, or Song Taotao saw Sun Ling, something might go wrong.

Because she was going to a banquet, He Yan deliberately changed into a very "Cheng Lisu" dress, a honey-colored robe with a red carp embroidered on the corner. Cheng Lisu looked cute and innocent in this dress, but He Yan looked different in it, looking a little bright and open, but still a handsome young man. She also picked a hairpin of the same color and put it on her head, and did not forget to pick up the folding fan, half-opened it and placed it across her chest, and then looked at the person in the bronze mirror, feeling quite satisfied.

After tidying up, He Yan stepped out of the door. As soon as he walked out, he saw Xiao Jue standing at the door.

He also changed his clothes. It was a dark blue brocade dress with a double crane pattern. Today he did not wear a golden crown, but only a red sandalwood hairpin. It looked simple, but if you looked closely, the material and embroidery were all top quality. He was born very handsome, and in this outfit, he looked less cold and more handsome. With a jade-like and golden appearance, he was indeed a dignified and elegant nobleman.

He Yan thought to himself that the bright and beautiful boy had finally grown into such an elegant and handsome man. He looked like he hadn't changed, but he also looked completely different from the past.

Xiao Jue turned sideways and met He Yan's slightly dazed gaze. He curled his lips and said, "Wipe your saliva clean."

He Yan wiped it subconsciously, then came to his senses: "How could it be?"

"You look like a fool." His words were full of disdain. "Do you still want to hide this from Yuan Baozhen?"

He Yan was not convinced when she heard this. She opened her folding fan in a very romantic way. She walked to Xiao Jue, smiled and whispered, "If I were in Shuojing, I wouldn't dare to mention the title of governor, but at least I should be on par with Master Cheng. Otherwise, why did Miss Song only tell me before she left, and not you?"

The boy's eyes were full of smiles, and his eyes were as bright as stars, but he still couldn't stop being silly. Xiao Jue mocked him, "Because you are stupid."

"What?"

"Fools always need reminders."

He Yan frowned, "Uncle, do you particularly dislike me?" Will this person die if he doesn't squeeze himself for a day?

"You are my nephew, how could I dislike you?" Xiao Jue glanced at her with a half-smile and ordered Fei Nu, "Let's go."

——Digression——

Yanyan: The collapse of adults starts with borrowing money