Chapter 49 Chapter 49 "Yun'er, I found you."...
Capital city.
After the army returned to the capital, Xiao Ye won a brilliant victory on the battlefield again. The gold, silver, jewelry, silks and satins awarded by Emperor Wucheng were moved to the Hou Mansion in boxes one after another.
Emperor Wucheng held a grand banquet to reward the generals who went on the expedition. Xiao Ye was still in mourning and could not drink alcohol, so he left the banquet early and returned home. He was feeling depressed and went to the empty Hengwu Garden.
The moonlight was clear, Xiao Ye leaned against the door and looked at the night sky, while Shu Yun's little cat was spinning around at his feet.
He shook the wine pot and poured wine into the glazed green lotus cup. She drank from the same cup she had drunk from before, and her protruding Adam's apple slid slowly down her throat as the wine entered her throat.
"Brother, drinking too much is harmful to your health."
Xiao Ye seemed to hear Shu Yun's voice and turned around, but the dormitory was still empty and there was no sign of her.
She disliked the smell of alcohol on him. Xiao Ye discarded the wine jug and stepped into the house under the dim candlelight. Everything was exactly as it had been before she left the mansion, not a single bit changed. He took off his shoes, lay down on her bed, and turned around to hold the clothes she had worn.
Even if there was only a trace of her scent left, Xiao Ye was happy to do so. He pressed his face against the soft fabric, as if she was gently caressing his cheek. In bed, she liked to kiss his face.
Xiao Ye had slept in her bed for many days, and he could only fall asleep when he smelled her scent.
The recovery of Huainan was delayed for more than half a year, and Xiao Ye instructed his subordinates to "neglect their duties" and let Siqin go at night.
Siqin had been locked up in the house and had no idea what was happening outside. After escaping from the house, she did not dare to stay. As soon as the city gate opened during the day, she immediately left the city.
That day, Fu Feng came to report, "My subordinates secretly followed her. She boarded a ship heading south and went to Nanzhou."
Nanzhou.
Xiao Ye frowned and gently stroked the cup with her fingertips, suddenly remembering that her biological father was first demoted to Nanzhou.
Xiao Ye ordered sternly, "Send more people to Nanzhou. Dig deep to find her! Bring her back to the capital!"
"Yes!" Fu Feng reported what Xiao Ye was most concerned about, and then told him another thing, "The people we sent out have discovered traces of the remnants of the rebels in Nanzhou."
Nanzhou, is it Nanzhou again?
They all went to Nanzhou.
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According to the laws of this dynasty, upon the death of a parent, a son must resign from office and observe a twelve-month mourning period for his parents. During the war, Emperor Wucheng reinstated Xiao Ye. Now that the war was victorious, Xiao Ye, despite not yet completing his mourning period, appeared at court. Shen Zhao, a deputy minister of the Ministry of Works, submitted a memorial impeaching Xiao Ye.
The position of Minister of Works had been vacant for a long time. After much deliberation, Emperor Wucheng decided to move Shen Yanzhi from Duzhou back to the capital. His son Shen Zhao had a talent for construction and was promoted by Emperor Wucheng to be the Deputy Minister of Works.
Shen Zhao hated the Xiao family. When his memorial to Xiao Ye went unanswered one day, he submitted a new one. "The war has subsided, but General Xiao hasn't resigned yet. He continues to observe the remaining mourning period for the old marquis. This is truly unfilial."
An echo echoed in the hall. Emperor Wucheng looked at the memorial he handed over and put it aside.
Eunuch Fu entered the hall carrying a whisk and reported, "Your Majesty, Marquis Anlu is requesting an audience outside the hall."
Emperor Wucheng: "Speak."
When Xiao Ye entered the hall, Chen Zhao secretly rolled his eyes at him and stood in the hall with his eyes lowered.
Xiao Ye said, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects. According to spies, Li Ce, a remnant of the rebel faction, has appeared in the territory of Nanzhou. I request your permission to proceed to Nanzhou and eliminate the remaining remnants."
Shen Zhao frowned.
The palace returned to tranquility. Xiao Ye continued, "Since ancient times, loyalty and filial piety have been difficult to achieve. The Xiao family motto says: 'Loyalty and filial piety are difficult to achieve, so the country should be prioritized.' I, your humble servant, was ordered to suppress the rebels, but I failed to capture the fleeing Prince of Huainan. This is my fault. I still have half a month left of mourning, but the remnants of evil have not yet been eliminated, and I fear trouble will arise. I beg Your Majesty to give me a chance to redeem myself."
Shen Zhao frowned and rolled his eyes secretly.
Emperor Wucheng waved his hand and said, "I approve."
Xiao Ye: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Emperor Wucheng looked at Shen Zhao and asked, "Mr. Shen, do you have anything else to report?"
Shen Zhao bowed and said, "I will take my leave."
"I will also take my leave and leave for Nanzhou today."
Xiao Ye bowed and left the Purple Palace. Chen Zhao had already walked down the stairs.
The two were childhood friends, but because Xiao Ye's father Xiao Song took someone else's wife, the Shen family suffered misfortune. Shen Zhao broke off his friendship with Xiao Ye and they became enemies from then on. Xiao Ye wanted to reconcile with him, but Shen Zhao remembered every little thing the Xiao family had done.
Outside the palace, Shen Zhao's carriage suddenly broke down. He was worried when Xiao Ye walked towards him and said, "Are you going to the Ministry of Works or back to the Shen family? I'll give you a ride."
"I dare not accept the favor from the Marquis. If I do, I will end up with my family destroyed." Shen Zhao started to leave, but after a few steps, he was so angry that he turned back and said, "Xiao Ye, I said that year that if we meet again, we will be enemies."
"Your sister..."
Chen Zhao: "How dare you mention my sister to me? It's been eighteen years. My mother got sick after giving birth that year, and my sister's whereabouts are still unknown. We don't even know if she's alive or dead. This is all thanks to your Xiao family!"
Shen Zhao left in a rage, kicking Xiao Ye's carriage along the way. Ever since his mother became pregnant, he had been looking forward to the birth of this child. A brother or a sister would be fine, too. But because of that disaster, his mother's maid had taken her away to protect her newborn sister. They'd been searching for her for eighteen years, but there was still no news. The worst-case scenario was that something had happened to her.
But Shen Zhao didn't believe it, his sister must still be there.
My younger sister just turned eighteen this September. She might have gotten married, or she might be looking for a husband. She lives in a place far away from the capital where she is cut off from news.
…
The remnants of the rebels fled to Nanzhou. If Shuyun was in Nanzhou, she would be in danger. Xiao Ye did not delay and immediately set off for Nanzhou.
Before leaving, the doorman brought a letter from Nanzhou. Xiao Ye scanned the envelope and found it was written by his sworn brother Zhao Mucheng.
This sworn brother of his in the military camp, an orphan, had fought through life and death with him on the battlefield. After the victory in the battle against the Nanman, Zhao Mucheng went to Nanzhou to serve as a judicial officer. How come he had become a mere county lieutenant now?
When Xiao Ye arrived in Jinyang County, there were still six days before Zhao Mucheng's wedding.
Zhao Mucheng was overjoyed when he saw Xiao Ye at the ferry. "I'm delighted to hear about your great victory. Congratulations on your success."
Zhao Mucheng and Xiao Ye boarded the carriage and headed for the county town. Zhao Mucheng said, "It's really great that you, my brother, can be the officiant of my wedding."
"I will leave after your wedding. The remnants of the rebels have fled to the southern provinces, and I have been ordered to come here to wipe them out. Every county must be investigated." Xiao Ye asked, "Have there been a large influx of new faces in the county recently?"
Zhao Mucheng said, "Since the pacification, civilians have been coming in and out of Jinyang County. Brother, do you have any portraits of the rebels? I've asked my men to keep an eye out."
Xiao Ye handed Li Ce's portrait to Zhao Mucheng and said, "Have the painters at the county government make a few copies, and have the constables patrolling the streets keep a close eye on it."
Zhao Mucheng glanced at the portrait, folded it up and put it away.
Xiao Ye did not stay at Zhao Mucheng's house, but found an inn to rest.
The proprietress of Fuyuan Inn arranged for him to stay in the upper room of the second floor, the Tianzi room. When passing by the upper room of the Yunzi room, Xiao Ye suddenly stopped.
Xiao Ye asked, "Is anyone living in the upper room of the Yunzihao?"
The proprietress shook her head, "It's empty."
"I'll live in this room. Fufeng." Xiao Ye pushed open the door of the upper room of the Yun room and motioned Fufeng to put his luggage in.
Xiao Ye entered the house, looked around, opened the tightly closed window, and could overlook half of the street from the second floor.
Zhao Mucheng sighed, "Speaking of this room, Miss Shen and I first met here. There was a misunderstanding at that time."
Xiao Ye paused slightly when he heard the word "sink" in a trance, but he didn't take it to heart. He didn't care about other people's affairs. He reached out and pressed the open window down a little, leaving only the lower half open. He sat down and poured a glass of water.
Zhao Mucheng had great respect for Xiao Ye and had long considered him his own brother. "Brother, you've been traveling so long, please rest at the inn. I'm going to go on duty. I'll go back to the county office and have someone copy your portrait. We'll reminisce tonight."
Xiao Ye nodded, and Zhao Mucheng left the room.
Xiao Ye instructed Fu Feng, "Go to the county town and see if there is any trace of Shu Yun."
Jinyang County is not big, and we will know whether she is here within two days.
Xiao Ye rested in his room for half an hour, then left the inn and wandered around the county town. The streets were bustling with activity, with peddlers carrying their wares on their shoulders, stopping and starting to walk.
After Zhao Mucheng handed the portrait to the painter for copying, he went to the street for inspection and saw Shuyun choosing braided ropes at a street stall.
He walked over and asked, "It's cold, why are you out on the street?"
Shu Yun put down what she was holding, frowned slightly, and said, "It's a bit stuffy in the house, let's go out for a walk."
When she woke up this morning, her heart was in turmoil. No matter what she did, she couldn't calm down. She always felt that something was going to happen, so she thought of going out for a walk to try to calm her mind.
Probably because the wedding is coming soon, so I'm nervous.
Shu Yun asked, "Brother Zhao, when will your sworn brother arrive in Jinyang County?"
Zhao Mucheng smiled and said, "I'm here today! I'm stopping by the Fuyuan Inn."
Shuyun wondered why she didn't stay at his house, but it was good that she was here.
"The wind is cold, be careful." Zhao Mucheng gathered Shuyun's cloak, touched her icy hand, held her hand and blew away the warm air.
Shuyun smiled and put her warm hands into her cloak, "This way you won't be cold."
People were coming and going on the street, and the November wind was chilly. Shuyun only felt Dao Senhan's cold gaze falling on her. She looked up uneasily and caught a glimpse of a familiar face in the crowd.
Shuyun's breathing became stagnant, and she took a step back in fear, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, filled with fear.
Zhao Mucheng supported Shuyun and looked in the direction of her frightened gaze. He saw his brother walking towards him with a gloomy face, looking at the hand that was holding the woman with a sharp gaze.
"Brother?" Zhao Mucheng asked Shuyun, "Do you know each other?"
Xiao Ye searched hard for Shu Yun. Who else could the soft and gentle woman next to his brother be but Shu Yun?
"I don't know him!" Shuyun's palms were sweaty with nervousness. How could Xiao Ye be Zhao Mucheng's sworn brother? Her mind was buzzing, and she felt like the sky was falling.
Shu Yun couldn't be caught again, so she forced herself to remain calm. She was now Shen Yun, not Xiao Shu Yun. "Brother Zhao, is this young man your sworn brother?"
Shu Yun clenched her hands tightly inside her cloak, suppressing her fear. She smiled faintly at the gloomy face and said, "My daughter Shen Yun, from Huainan, is nice to meet you, brother."
Xiao Ye said word by word, "Chen, Yun."
Shu Yun bowed slightly and looked at Zhao Mucheng, "I'll go back first."
Shuyun lowered her eyes, walked around Xiao Ye and left in a hurry, her heart in her throat. No wonder she was so uneasy today.
She was panic-stricken and didn't know what to do for a moment.
How could Xiao Ye be Zhao Mucheng's sworn brother? He was clearly trying to avoid him, yet he was found.
Xiao Ye looked at the departing figure, suppressed the hostility in his eyes, and said leisurely: "Shen Yun, what a good name, it sounds very much like my future wife."
Zhao Mucheng felt that the atmosphere was not right, but when he heard these words, he was delighted, "Brother-in-law is getting married?"
Xiao Ye turned around and patted Zhao Mucheng's shoulder heavily, "Please invite my brother to the capital to attend the ceremony."
Xiao Ye smiled faintly, "Your sister-in-law's name is Shuyun, which is also Yun."
Zhao Mucheng's eyes darkened and his expression changed slightly.
…
After returning to the house, Shuyun was restless, anxious and frightened. She counted the days on her fingers.
Six days later, it was the auspicious day for her and Zhao Mucheng to get married.
Are they still married now?
Until nightfall, the house was calm and peaceful. Xiao Ye did not come looking for her, and Shuyun felt relieved a little.
The night wind was cold, and Shuyun heard footsteps outside the house. The sound did not seem to be from a maid.
"Qingshan? Chuhe?"
Shuyun called out but there was no response. Cold sweat broke out on her palms and her heart suddenly rose to her throat.
"It's my brother."
A familiar male voice came from outside the house, and then the tightly closed door was pushed open. A pair of clean brocade boots stepped into the house, and a man in a black robe walked towards Shuyun.
"Yun'er, make it easier for brother to find you."
"You've got the wrong person. I don't know you." Shu Yun forced herself to remain calm and scolded, "You're trespassing at night. Please get out immediately!"
Xiao Ye didn't leave, but approached her with a cold face. Shu Yun was terrified and retreated, shouting, "Qingshan! Chuhe! Someone come!"
Xiao Ye pressed on step by step and said in a cold voice: "They fell asleep after hearing my sister's spring message in the snow."
The dim candlelight cast his tall shadow, gradually covering Shuyun. Her throat was dry and she struggled to speak.
"I don't know what you're talking about, please get out!"
"Chen, Yun." Xiao Ye stretched out his long arm and pulled the retreating woman into his arms with great force. He pressed her in front of the dressing mirror. The woman's frightened face was reflected in the mirror. "If this isn't my sister, then who is it?"
"Yun'er has a butterfly-shaped birthmark on her right shoulder."
His fingertips moved from her shoulders, slid slowly along her collarbone, and then moved down to rest on her chest.
Xiao Ye pointed his finger at the ravine and looked up at the mirror. "And here, there's a small red mole. Don't you like it when your brother sucks and bites it?"
Shuyun leaned against the dressing table, her cheeks turned from white to red, and the tips of her ears became hot.
The palm that was against her lower back suddenly closed. Xiao Ye was very familiar with her body and whispered in her ear, "Yun'er, I found you."
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The author has something to say: This article has a private setting: the mourning period is one year [Please]
When the hero found the heroine, the mourning period had already passed.
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