Chapter 10 The Past
After Wang Shaowei came out of Mrs. Xiao’s Songhe Hall, he quickly went to Xiao Mo’s study.
As the leader of the imperial guards of the Twelve Guards, Xiao Mo, in addition to his official duties, would occasionally be assigned to help the emperor investigate things secretly.
Therefore, it is not surprising that he, the leader of the imperial guards, secretly appeared in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
The Chengguo Mansion has been stationed in the northern border for generations, and so is Xiao Mo's father, the eldest master of the Xiao family who is also the Duke.
It was Xiao Mo. The emperor called him back because the three of them, the father and son of the Xiao family, were stationed at the border, and he, as the crown prince, was already old and still unmarried.
But after he came back, he was not idle and soon took on the position of leader of the imperial guards.
People at that time only saw the prominence of the Chengguo Mansion, but this prominence was not something that came out of thin air.
Since the Xiao family was founded, there have been brave and warlike people in almost every generation. Even the men of the Xiao family are not inferior in literary talent and strategy.
Just talking about Xiao Mo, he had already demonstrated his ability as a military commander on the battlefield.
This time when he returned to the capital, although he was in charge of a group of imperial guards who did not need to fight for the time being, he was entrusted with the mission of defending the imperial city and had to take all parties into consideration. He was currently highly valued by the emperor and had almost become the old emperor's right-hand man.
Wang Shaowei came to see him today because of the previous incident in Huzhou.
The two of them discussed business for a while. Wang Shaowei thought about what he had just seen in Songhe Hall and naturally mentioned Xu Shuyao and her brother. "I really didn't expect that they were actually coming to seek refuge at the Duke's Mansion. Did you really not know that back then?"
"I really don't know." The 19-year-old young man frowned and thought for a while before he remembered the person his cousin was talking about.
Wang Shaowei's mind flashed back to that face that was as charming as a lotus. Although she was wrapped in a long gown, her features were incredibly delicate and beautiful. When she thanked him, her eyes seemed to be full of autumn water, and her words were soft and playful, "What happened to cousin Xu's family?"
He felt a little regretful after asking the question. How could he know considering that his cousin usually didn't care about women?
As expected, when she raised her head, she saw Xiao Mo glanced at her unexpectedly, so she said uncomfortably, "Don't think too much. I just lamented that it's really too difficult for a girl to bring her brother to Beijing alone."
During the more than half a month on the boat, the few times she appeared were all covered by a veil, and Wang Shaowei had no idea that she was such a young and gentle lady inside.
Xiao Mo glanced at him and said in a very calm tone: "She is smarter than you, put away your useless sympathy."
Between the two of them, Wang Shaowei was always the one at a disadvantage. He seemed to have gotten used to it, but they were only two years apart in age.
Xiao Mo is the eldest grandson of the eldest son of the Chengguo Mansion. He was highly anticipated before he was born and was destined to be the crown prince from the moment he was born.
When he was born, the emperor's decree to appoint him as the crown prince arrived at the Duke of Chengguo's mansion.
This prince who was highly expected by the people around him did not disappoint. He was smarter than others since he was a child. In the words of Wang Shaowei's mother, he looked serious, but he was actually harboring a lot of evil intentions behind the scenes.
When he was a child, Xiao Mo was quiet and seemed distant towards people and things, but these kids liked to ask him for advice when they encountered problems.
Often, if you listen to him, even if you cause trouble, you can still get away with it cleanly.
The elders were unable to do anything about him, so they had to take their own children home and give them a severe scolding. Wang Shaowei received many beatings from the marquis for this.
Therefore, it is no wonder that the Queen Mother evaluated her nephew in this way.
Of course, that was all in his early years. Xiao Mo matured early, and when he grew up, he didn't like to play with them anymore.
When he was twelve or thirteen years old, he saw his father going to the border and wanted to follow him, but the Duke did not allow him. Unexpectedly, at such a young age, he had to follow his father by sticking to the bottom of the carriage all the way and survived by starving to death.
The child was lost, which made everyone in Duke Cheng's mansion very anxious. Later, an urgent report was sent from the border saying that the prince was now marching and fighting with the Duke, and asked the family not to worry.
Zhenzhen was so frightened that Madam Xiao and Wang almost fainted.
But the Duke always kept his word and no one dared to offend him. Wang could only shed tears every day and curse her husband in her heart. What she worried about most every day was receiving urgent news from the border.
In this way, at the end of the year, the young man returned safely.
He was tall, thin, and dark-skinned. He would cry and scold himself if caught by his grandmother or mother, and he would never dare to do so.
Because the young man said that he might leave at any time.
After such a kind greeting, he really did not go to the border again after the New Year.
No one dared to ask him, for fear that the boy would run away if the matter was mentioned.
When he was sixteen, Xiao Mo went to the border for training again. As soon as he arrived there, he showed amazing military talent.
Not only was he familiar with maps of various places, he was also very good at deploying troops. Occasionally, he would secretly lead his soldiers to study mechanisms and traps, which greatly reduced the casualties of the Dayan Dynasty soldiers.
In the following two years, Xiao Mo made several more military achievements. It was said that he returned to Beijing this time to resolve the prince's lifelong affairs.
Wang Shaowei's mind moved, "I heard my fifth brother mention Sister Jingshu some time ago. She is still so easy to talk to. You know..."
Before he could finish his words, he saw the young man who was originally sitting there had already started to walk out. Wang Shaowei smiled helplessly and took a few more steps. "Hey! What are you thinking? After all, you two were engaged as children?"
Before he could finish his words, he saw Xiao Mo in front of him turning around and saying, "If you have nothing else to do, go back!"
Wang Shaowei looked at him and shook his head, then he really stopped. After the man walked away, he slowly walked out of the study and went back home.
Xiao Mo was sitting in a pavilion in the mountains, his indigo brocade robe casually draped over his body, revealing his plain white inner garment at the front, perfectly outlining the slender waist of a martial artist.
The maid Zhichun stood at the back and saw her master looking into the distance with an indifferent expression. The glow of the setting sun half-covered his eyebrows and eyes, revealing an indescribable loneliness.
She paused for a moment before stepping forward and saying, "Master! The old lady sent someone over, asking you to come over."
Zhichun was born with beautiful eyebrows and eyes, and a graceful figure. Even the guards hiding nearby couldn't help but glance at her several times. But the prince didn't even turn his head, and only said lightly: "I know."
In Songhe Hall, after hearing the maid's reply, Mrs. Xiao closed her eyes and let the person behind her continue to massage her shoulders and back.
Not long after, word came from outside that the prince had arrived.
"Grandson meets grandmother. I heard that grandmother called me?" The voice was clear and seemed to contain a hint of smile.
"Well, you wouldn't have come if I hadn't called you?" Mrs. Xiao snorted after saying this.
Xiao Mo had a sullen smile on his face: "Look at what you said! How can this be possible?"
After saying that, he motioned the maid behind the old lady to stand aside, and he began to massage her shoulders.
Madam Xiao patted his hands: "Gentle! Gently! My old bones can't stand your tossing."
The young man stopped awkwardly and sat down opposite Old Madam Xiao.
The room was silent for a moment before the old woman said, "Even if you're avoiding me, I still have to tell you. What are your plans for the Shen family's marriage? Why don't you tell me the truth here?"
Xiao Mo replied respectfully: "It's up to Grandma to arrange!"
But the old lady looked at him with a calm expression, neither happy nor angry.
She suddenly felt sad.
This child is too cold. She wants her eldest grandson to get married and have children as soon as possible, but she also hopes that he can find someone who is truly warm-hearted.
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