The battle was completely over after half a month. Because Zhong Shijie was under guard and cut off from all contact with the outside world, the Southern Border Army was quickly defeated by Prince An, and the Southern Border King's brother-in-law, General Chenghua, was captured alive.
In order to get back the general, the King of the Southern Territory submitted a letter of request for peace, which was soon submitted to the Emperor's case. In the end, Daliang and the Southern Territory signed a 20-year non-war treaty, and the Southern Territory even presented a large amount of jewelry, money, and their sturdy war horses.
As for the cities in the southern border, the emperor said he did not want them. Although the southern border borders Yanzhou, the nearest city is several hundred miles away, which is not convenient for stationing troops or delivering messages. It is better not to send troops to the southern border and be controlled by them, so as to avoid the loss of the generals he has carefully trained.
After the southern border suffered heavy casualties, Prince An returned to the capital after handling the follow-up matters. As soon as he returned to the capital, Zhong Shijie was interrogated by the three courts. Because the evidence in Prince An's hands was solid, he could not defend himself, and soon he was put in the death row to wait for the autumn execution. Concubine Wan in the palace was also demoted to Lady Zhong, and the third prince was sent to Concubine Yun by the emperor.
Concubine Yun was an old friend who had served the emperor before he ascended the throne. She had many old grudges with Concubine Wan, but because her family was just an ordinary minor official, she had always been suppressed. Now she is proud of herself. Although she will not abuse the third prince, she will not be a help to him in the slightest. The power of the Zhong family has been completely disintegrated. Even if he really wants to start a rebellion in the future, he will have no power to use.
Xiao Yunrou was quite satisfied after hearing the news from the palace. It was only after Prince An returned to Beijing that he learned that Zhong Shijie had colluded with the Southern Border. In his previous life, the one who colluded with the Southern Border was the Crown Prince, so it must have been done deliberately by the Zhong family. Zhong Shijie had been imprisoned, so if the Crown Prince had not been convicted of colluding with foreign enemies, he would not have been deposed by the Emperor in a few years.
Xiao Yunrou tapped the table for a long time with her jade fingers, but she couldn't figure it out, so she had to put it aside. After all, there were still many years to go, and with Aunt Liu around, Pei Lingfeng's secret guards had already started to keep an eye on her. She didn't believe that she couldn't find any clues.
Xiao Yunyan risked his life to collect evidence of Zhong Shijie's crimes. Prince An recounted his merits in court and asked the emperor to reward him. The emperor valued the Xiao family, otherwise he would not have allowed Xiao Hongyu to enter the inner cabinet before he was fifty. He also admired Xiao Yunyan very much. With Prince An's request and his great contribution, the emperor waved his hand and conferred Xiao Yunyan the title of Weiyuan Earl, granted him the Earl's Mansion, and sent a large amount of rewards to the Xiao family.
Xiao Yunyan was conferred the title, which added glory to the Xiao Mansion. For a time, the Xiao Mansion was bustling with people. People who wanted to marry Xiao Yunyan came in waves, but they were all turned away by Xiao Yunyan in a neutral manner.
Su was both happy and worried when she saw this scene. She was happy that Xiao Yunyan could achieve such success without relying on his family, but she was worried that he was seriously injured and had not yet married at the age of 25. Su was unwilling to let Xiao Yunyan go to the battlefield again.
However, Su's worries disappeared half a month later. All the problems in the southern border were solved, and Xiao Yunyan told Su in person that he was going to marry. This made Su very happy, and she quickly asked her servants to prepare. But when she found out who he was going to marry, Su became uneasy again.
"Yan'er, are you sure she is the one you want to marry?" Su was hesitant, with many thoughts swirling in her mind.
"He saved my son's life. After this time, my son put aside his preconceived prejudices and found that although she was not the wife he had imagined before, he felt very relaxed with such a person around him."
Xiao Yunyan used to think that his wife was gentle, virtuous, well-educated, and could accompany him. However, there have been women like this over the years, and most of them in the capital were taught this way, but he never had a moment of attraction. This time, his life was hanging by a thread, but he found that nothing could compare to the most sincere heart. What he wanted was a heart of true love.
"Since you have made up your mind, I will not hold you back. Wait until I talk to your father and then go over there to let him know."
Xiao Yunyan did not make any comment. When Xiao Hongyu returned home, Su hurried to the front yard to tell him and then sent someone to deliver the marriage proposal to the Prime Minister's residence, fearing that Xiao Yunyan would change his mind and not marry her if she was late.
When Xiao Yunrou received the news, she was in Zhining Courtyard. She was stunned when she heard the news from the nanny sent by Su. She looked at the nanny in disbelief:
"You just said that big brother and Miss Xue are engaged? Is it Xue Lin?"
The nanny smiled and nodded. Even Shen and Ye came to their senses. Everyone knew that the daughter of the prime minister's mansion had been infatuated with Xiao Yunyan for many years, but he never responded. She was already an 18-year-old girl. How could she marry Xiao Yunyan after being ill for several months? Su was very active. In just three days, she not only found out what Mrs. Xue was thinking, but also exchanged engagement letters between the two families and even set a wedding date.
"Is this what your wife meant?" Shen didn't believe it.
"It was our Master's idea. He told his wife in person. His wife was shocked for a while, and only after she was sure that the Master was not joking did she propose to the Prime Minister's wife."
Whether Shen believed it or not, it was a fact. Shen wanted to marry Shen Qingqing to Xiao Yunyan, but it didn't work out. But now a woman with Xue Lin's temperament and reputation could marry him, which made her feel uncomfortable. Think about it, Shen Qingqing was just a concubine. Although she gave birth to a son, she didn't have a husband. Moreover, Zhong Shijie colluded with foreign tribes, and the whole Zhong family was imprisoned, including them. Xiao Yunyan now has a title and is favored by the emperor. His status is higher than a few years ago. Shen wanted to beat her feet and beat her chest for not grabbing such a good marriage.
But now that the matter has come to this, Shen Shi will not use those inferior means to interfere, and can only regret it. Ye Shi also felt sour after hearing this. The Xiao family is in its heyday and has an alliance with the Prime Minister's Mansion. The family behind Xiao Yunrou is becoming more and more powerful, and its position in the Marquis' Mansion is becoming more and more unshakable. She dare not play any tricks to offend.
Xiao Yunrou seemed oblivious to Ye's jealous look and just smiled and said:
"I understand. Congratulations to eldest brother for me when you get back. I'll go back and have a look when I'm free in a few days. My eldest brother has finally got engaged. My mother must be very busy. Mommy, please go back and help."
The nanny smiled and took the reward back to the Xiao Mansion. Shen was a little absent-minded and asked casually, "Why didn't any news leak out before? Your eldest brother just returned to Beijing."
Xiao Yunrou nodded. Although she couldn't figure it out, this wasn't her own courtyard. With Shen and Ye around, it was difficult to ask. Although she was surprised that Xiao Yunyan's wife was not the woman in his previous life, she could accept it. She thought about going back in a few days to ask for clarification. And Xue Lin? It was really different from the previous life.
However, before she returned to the Xiao Mansion, Pei Lingfeng came back in the evening and solved Xiao Yunrou's doubts.
"Are you saying that it was Xue Lin who saved my brother in Yanzhou?" Xiao Yunrou widened her eyes in disbelief.
Pei Lingfeng smiled and held the person in his arms, whispering the news he heard from Xiao Yunyan today.
Xiao Yunrou sighed after hearing this, and her favorable impression of Xue Lin increased rapidly.
"It's really hard for her. She grew up in the capital, but she traveled thousands of miles alone for my eldest brother. I don't know how much she suffered on the way to Yanzhou. No wonder Mrs. Xue has been in a bad mood in the past two months. If a daughter of any family takes risks alone for a man, she would want to kill that man. Fortunately, the trip was safe, and my eldest brother was saved by her so that he could be safe."
"Yeah. People in the capital haven't had a good opinion of her for so many years, but in the end there was still a good result." Pei Lingfeng also lamented Xue Lin's infatuation.
"My eldest brother's marriage is settled, and mother can finally put her mind at ease. Now all that's missing is Yaer. My eldest brother, who is so picky, can get it done, so Yaer won't be bad in the future either." Xiao Yunrou thought optimistically. Pei Lingfeng didn't know what he was thinking of, and his eyes flashed.
"Well, my aunt will definitely have a good home in the future, don't worry."
Pei Lingfeng thought about the clues he had discovered and curled his lips slightly. Many things in this life are different, but they are all developing in a good direction. He looked at his beloved wife in his arms with gentle eyes, and his heart couldn't help but feel a little hot. He lowered his head and kissed Xiao Yunrou's red lips, holding her low cry in his mouth, and brought her to the bed.
The news of Xiao Yunyan and Xue Lin's engagement soon spread throughout the capital. People who knew Xue Lin well were very surprised. They had never thought that Xue Lin would really marry that man who was like a banished immortal. Even Xue Lin was dizzy.
She went to Yanzhou only because she overheard her father talking to someone in the study about the dangers in Yanzhou. She was worried and ran out of the house to chase the army without paying attention to etiquette. She didn't think about having any intersection with Xiao Yunyan. She just wanted to listen to the news every day in Yanzhou and know that Xiao Yunyan was safe and sound. That day, she woke up from a dream and felt as if her heart was crushed. That's why she followed her feeling to the place where Xiao Yunyan was being hunted. Unexpectedly, she met Xiao Yunyan who was seriously injured.
For the next month, she was also dazed. Since she entered the city with Xiao Yunyan, she could only watch silently and could not help at all when Xiao Yunyan came to the other courtyard every few days. Later, when Xiao Yunyan returned to Beijing, he was busy with court affairs. Although Mrs. Xiao came to her once to express her gratitude, she thought that was it. She was imprisoned by her mother, but she did not regret it. She just didn't expect Xiao Yunyan to propose to her.
She asked Xiao Yunyan if he married her because he saved her life, and if so, she would rather not marry him. But Xiao Yunyan just smiled and didn't admit it, but he would send her some of her favorite cakes every day. It was not until she asked Mrs. Xue that she cleared her dizzy mind.
Yes, Xiao Yunyan is such a proud person, how could he marry her just for saving his life? A generous gift, a favor, the Prime Minister's Mansion will not say anything. He has not married for many years, if it is not his own will, who can make him compromise?