Chapter 80 Can I be a god again? Suddenly…
Before leaving, Xie Zhuo deployed a large number of troops to guard Yuzhou, making it the safest place in Xichuan during the war. Many officials and scholars from Xichuan who had fled came to seek refuge there.
Xue Mingyao saw a familiar face; it was the headmaster of the academy Xie Qinglang had attended, an old man surnamed Qi. The white-haired old man Qi still remembered her, and came seeking refuge in a sorry state, not forgetting to glare at her, probably still harboring resentment over her taking away his prized disciple.
That day, Xue Mingyao had just finished talking with the families of several officials from Xichuan Prefecture and was walking along the long corridor of the official residence behind the prefectural government office when she unexpectedly bumped into Chen Liangqing.
She smiled at him and was about to walk away when Chen Liangqing called out to her, "Is the princess still avoiding me?"
Upon hearing this, Xue Mingyao stopped in her tracks and said frankly, "What are you saying, Lord Chen? When have I ever avoided you?"
“Princess, there’s no need to hide it. It’s alright if you want to avoid me.”
Because Chen Liangqing had previously avoided Xue Mingyao, he could clearly see whether Xue Mingyao was avoiding him or not.
Xue Mingyao didn't speak again, her dark eyes fixed on him, her delicate nose slightly upturned, as if she were somewhat troubled.
Chen Liangqing met her gaze, his eyes still gentle as a spring breeze, "Princess, would you do me the honor of having a cup of tea with me?"
Xue Mingyao agreed.
The two sat in the hall drinking tea. It was already getting cold in the winter month. Green Branch brought over a charcoal brazier, placed it in the corner and lit it. She stood by and watched the fire without going out.
Chen Liangqing stroked his teacup, a slightly bitter smile reflecting on the brown tea surface. When Princess Yongning had seduced him before, she never allowed her maids to be in the same room with him; now, she was much more careful to avoid suspicion. Her changes since marriage were truly significant.
Xue Mingyao looked Chen Liangqing up and down and found that she could hardly find any trace of Xie Qinglang in him.
How could this be? His profile clearly resembles Xie Qinglang's, especially now that he's making the exact same gesture of stroking the teacup as Xie Qinglang.
Upon further reflection, Xue Mingyao became uncertain about Xie Qinglang's appearance in her mind. No matter how she recalled it, she felt that it was not much different from Xie Zhuo's current appearance.
To say that Chen Liangqing resembled Xie Zhuo is utterly untrue.
This seemed like a good thing; she would no longer feel the slight flutter in her heart when facing Chen Liangqing. So Xue Mingyao's smile became even brighter, and she raised her teacup, saying, "The isolated city of Yuzhou has held out for several days and is now regaining its vitality. Lord Chen deserves the greatest credit. I will toast you with tea instead of wine."
Chen Liangqing drank the tea and said, "You flatter me, Princess."
"You flatter me. I only knew you were a good writer before, but I didn't know you were also such a good official. The people all like you very much."
The governor of Yuzhou was very old. He fell ill from fright on the eve of the city's siege and did not recover for a long time. It was unclear whether he was really sick or just didn't want to get better, but he comfortably continued to hand over this mess to Chen Liangqing.
Chen Liangqing, a young man from a prominent family, handled the affairs of Yuzhou in an orderly and meticulous manner, personally taking charge and showing great compassion for the people. He never shirked his responsibilities, and his good reputation was known throughout the streets and alleys.
“I didn’t expect it either,” Chen Liangqing said. “Actually, I should thank the princess for enabling me to step out of the study and do some practical things.”
"Thank me?" Xue Mingyao asked, puzzled. "What did I do?"
If it weren't for Xue Mingyao's deliberate seduction, which made him see his long-suppressed desires and his despicable cowardice beneath his seemingly upright facade, how could Chen Liangqing have chosen to exile himself to the distant southwest in despair? How could he have tasted all the bitterness and sweetness of life as an official serving the people and rediscovered inner peace?
Standing on solid ground feels much better than being in the clouds.
However, these are not things that Princess Yongning should know.
Upon seeing Xue Mingyao again, Chen Liangqing's calm heart was stirred once more.
"The princess doesn't need to know what she has done. Just like the bright moon, the gentle breeze, the mountains and rivers, their enduring existence in the world is enough to make people grateful."
Xue Mingyao chuckled, "I thought you'd changed a bit. Only you could utter such abstruse and esoteric literary phrases."
"Is that so?" Chen Liangqing smiled slightly. "General Xie never speaks like a scholar either?"
Xue Mingyao was taken aback. "What do you mean by this?"
"General Xie Zhuo, you must have been a scholar before, and you and the princess have known each other for a long time."
Xue Mingyao's eyes widened. "How did you know!"
"Headmaster Qi and I had a chat," Chen Liangqing recounted slowly. "He asked me why the princess was here, and he told me a story about how the princess and one of her students at the academy were in love..."
"Don't try to glorify old man Qi," Xue Mingyao said in a muffled voice. "He definitely didn't say that. He would have called me a troublemaker for sure. And then, how do you know Xie Zhuo is that scholar?"
“I guessed it.” Chen Liangqing’s eyes flickered. “Master Qi mentioned the scholar’s name and lamented that he had disappeared without a trace. General Xie is skilled in poetry and literature and also happens to have the surname Xie.”
And coincidentally, he and Xue Mingyao were a loving couple.
"You're really good at guessing; you've figured out the facts." Xue Mingyao touched her nose, feeling inexplicably embarrassed. "Please pretend you don't know anything; it's not good for this to get out."
Chen Liangqing said gently, "Okay."
He didn't say that he had overheard Xue Mingyao calling Xie Zhuo "Xie Qinglang". He thought that "Qinglang" was Xie Zhuo's unknown courtesy name, which was a fitting match for "flawless jade" and "washing away the dust and filth".
Unexpectedly, Xie Zhuo's unknown identity was not his courtesy name, but rather a past identity and a past romance with Princess Yongning.
The ripples that had just surfaced were quickly calmed down after Xue Mingyao confirmed the suspicion. It turned out that from beginning to end, he had been completely irrelevant to her story with her ex-lover.
Chen Liangqing was willing to accept this result, which allowed him to forgive himself for his cowardice at the time and to sever this thought forever.
"Your fate is sealed on the Stone of Three Lifetimes. Princess and General, you are a match made in heaven. I wish you a long and happy marriage." Chen Liangqing said in a clear voice, looking at the beautiful woman opposite him.
Xue Mingyao beamed, thinking that she should let Xie Zhuo hear this and stop him from being jealous over trivial matters.
Winter came and the days grew colder, and the war seemed never to end.
Battle reports arrived one after another, detailing how many more cities Xie Zhuo had recaptured, where he had clashed with the Wuxi army, how many had been killed or wounded, how many had been captured. The unfamiliar numbers and place names brought a moment of joy with each victory, and a moment of heartache with each defeat. It was a never-ending cycle of wins and losses.
After hearing it so many times, Xue Mingyao stopped thinking about when she could see Xie Zhuo again. As long as she didn't hear that he was injured, that was good news.
Several snowfalls have occurred in Yuzhou, the snow falling in abundance, like scattered jade fragments, covering the rows of black-tiled roofs in the city, creating a beautiful scene.
But Xue Mingyao always felt that the snow in Shengzhou was not as beautiful as the snow in Shengzhou.
Shengzhou is located in western Sichuan. Cen Zongjing was stationed a hundred miles west of Shengzhou and built his residence there. Xue Mingyao met Xie Qinglang on a snowy mountain outside Shengzhou. She spent more than a year with him in her Shengzhou residence, but later she lost all hope in him and didn't want to stay in this place of heartbreak for another day. She fled eastward to the capital, leaving her residence unattended.
Who would have thought that one day she would miss that place?
The snow on Shengzhou Mountain was heavy and white, with frost covering the entire mountain. The sky, clouds, and mountains merged together, creating a scene resembling a fairyland. In this fairyland, a little fairy appeared out of nowhere, her clear and cool presence illuminating the snow-covered mountain.
Xie Zhuo, Xue Mingyao is idly building a snow lion. Could you please be a deity one more time and suddenly appear beside me?
Even as the year drew to a close, Xie Zhuo did not become a deity for her.
Although the chaos of war continues, people still have to celebrate the New Year seriously. The decorations and lanterns are filled with anticipation, and even the worst things will get better after the New Year.
The officials' wives and their families gathered in the hall of the prefectural government office, enjoying a lively hot pot meal. The fragrant seasonings sprinkled on large chunks of meat made everyone's mouths water. Xue Mingyao ate with gusto, finishing a small pot of meat and then asking for another, which surprised and delighted the officials' wives.
Xue Mingyao also felt that her appetite had been too good lately.
As she rested her chin on her hand, waiting for the maid to bring the pot, Xue Mingyao felt drowsy amidst the rising steam, her consciousness gradually drifting away until she finally closed her eyes.
"Madam Xie, how come you fell asleep while eating?" a lady at the table said with a smile.
We haven't even celebrated the New Year yet.
Xue Mingyao slept soundly during her casual nap. When she woke up, as expected, she was in her own bedroom. The moonlight outside the window was as silver as silver, and the red candles inside were glowing.
Green Branch stood by her side, her face beaming with joy. "Master, there's good news!"
Xue Mingyao threw back the covers. "Xie Zhuo's back?"
"No, that's not it." Green Branch grinned. "You're pregnant!"
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