Two weeks later.
Shang Shaoyan looked at Shuocheng right in front of her, with sandstorms swirling in the air. She lifted the white veil of her hat, then quickly put it back down.
She paid the remaining balance to the escort agency staff, and also gave them some extra money for their hard work. Then she and Qiao Xiuyu rode their horses toward the city gate.
Qiao Xiuyu followed behind Shang Shaoyan without feeling tired. After all, he had experienced hardship before, and the past two weeks of rushing around was still within his capacity.
When Shang Shaoyan arrived at the city gate, he showed the token of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, as well as Qiao Xiuyu's and his own travel permits. The soldiers guarding the city gate examined them carefully and then perked up: "Princess Heyang, Deputy General Mo is already waiting for you."
Shang Shaoyan didn't say much. She nodded and then led Qiao Xiuyu into Shuocheng.
Shuocheng is a completely different place from Shengjing, Hangzhou, and Shuzhou.
Along the way, the people they encountered were all robust and rugged, with mostly healthy wheat-colored skin that appeared somewhat rough due to the erosion of wind and sand. They did not wear complicated and cumbersome skirts and shirts; both men and women wore more convenient Hu-style trousers and riding boots.
There were also many vendors on the street, but they weren't selling the trinkets like flowers and cosmetics that are common in Beijing. Instead, they were selling sharp weapons such as short knives and daggers.
The wine here isn't peach blossom wine or pear blossom wine, but rather mostly strong liquor. From afar, you can smell a strong, undeniable aroma of wine, slightly pungent, but becoming mellow after a while.
Shang Shaoyan had traveled all over the world in his previous life, so he didn't find it particularly novel and only glanced at it a few times before moving on; but Qiao Xiuyu found it novel, as he had never been to the Northwest before.
Shang Shaoyan let him look around as much as he wanted, and the two walked slowly down the street until they arrived at the residence of Deputy General Mo Xing.
Mo Xing was a man in his thirties, similar to Tai Jian, both of whom were rough and tough. He had worked under Cheng Lingxiu and was very loyal. He respectfully invited Shang Shaoyan and Qiao Xiuyu in, and the three of them sat in the council hall. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they got down to business.
"As you probably know, Vice General Mo, I am here in the Northwest on His Majesty's orders." Shang Shaoyan smiled gently and kindly, appearing to be a true noblewoman from Shengjing, unaccustomed to the ways of the world. "I am deeply moved by the fact that my parents served in the Northwest for many years and would like to see the military camp. I wonder when Vice General Mo would have the time to take me for a walk around the camp?"
Mo Xing hesitated for a moment, but still smiled and said, "Of course I would like to take the county princess to see it, but most of the soldiers in the military camp are men, so it may not be very convenient for the county princess to go."
Shang Shaoyan raised an eyebrow: "I don't care about these empty titles."
Mo Xing still hesitated: "I'm also afraid that those people are too arrogant and might offend the county princess."
Shang Shaoyan pondered for a moment, seemingly thinking about something. Seeing this, Mo Xing assumed that Shang Shaoyan had given up on the idea, and couldn't help but feel a little regretful, but also knew that this was the best arrangement.
Unexpectedly, just as he was about to arrange accommodation for Shang Shaoyan, Shang Shaoyan looked at him with a beaming smile: "It has been quite a while since I have had a spar with anyone. I wonder if Vice General Mo would be willing to exchange blows with me?"
Mo Xing: "...?"
He looked at Shang Shaoyan with some confusion, then presumptuously examined her delicate and slender figure. She didn't seem like someone who could fight, so he couldn't help but gently remind her, "Princess, I am a man of nine feet tall. If I were to spar with you, it would be an unfair victory."
Shang Shaoyan raised an eyebrow and smiled, then looked around before walking towards a chair under Mo Xing's somewhat strange gaze.
Qiao Xiuyu had followed Shang Shaoyan all the way and had seen her persuade people with reason many times. She immediately prepared a handkerchief for Shang Shaoyan and obediently followed behind her.
Mo Xing felt even more confused.
Shang Shaoyan smiled gently at him, then used her soft hands to break off a piece of wood, weighed it in her hands, and easily folded the thick wood into four sections.
Mo Xing: "..."
He stared at Shang Shaoyan in shock, then watched as Qiao Xiuyu expertly wiped Shang Shaoyan's hands with a silk handkerchief and said gently, "Next time, don't pick wood; there are too many thorns, and you'll easily prick your hands."
Mo Xing: "…………"
He pinched his philtrum, then snapped out of his confusion and shock, his eyes gleaming with wild joy: "The county princess is actually born with superhuman strength!"
Shang Shaoyan casually tossed the broken planks aside, then calmly looked at Mo Xing: "Not only that, I can also use whips, swords, knives, spears, daggers, bows and arrows. My swordsmanship is also quite good; my father praised it many times before he passed away. So, Vice General Mo, would you like to have a match with me?"
Since the death of the old Duke and Duchess, Mo Xing has never met anyone who can match him.
He was originally placed in the Shang family army by the late emperor. He was strong, skilled in martial arts, and very proud. However, after being defeated by Shang Xiao and Cheng Lingxiu, he finally accepted his fate. In addition, the couple treated him like a younger brother. From then on, Mo Xing knew nothing about the royal family, only about the Shang family.
After Shang Xiao and Cheng Lingxiu died in battle, he was not unaware that it was the Southern Chen royal family who had taken action. He had been holding back, all for the sake of protecting the Shang family army for the deceased couple.
In the past, he had often heard the couple talk about their two children—Shang Yunlan, the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo, who had a heart condition, and Shang Erniang, the spoiled and unruly princess of Heyang County. He had thought that the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion would fall into ruin because of this.
But now that he had met Shang Shaoyan and discovered that the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion had a worthy successor, he was naturally overjoyed and immediately said generously, "Let's compete, why not?"
Seeing this, Shang Shaoyan smiled slightly: "In that case, Vice General Mo, please choose your weapon first, and I will choose the same one as you."
Vice General Mo was already overjoyed to have met his match and to learn that the Shang family had a worthy successor. Now, seeing Shang Shaoyan's frankness and openness, he felt even more pleased: "How can I suggest that the County Princess choose someone else? I don't mean to belittle you, after all, General Cheng used to beat me so badly that I couldn't get up. I just want to see the County Princess's true abilities, so why don't you choose one of your best skills, County Princess?"
It's most comfortable to talk to straightforward people. Shang Shaoyan laughed out loud: "Alright, I'll comply."
Qiao Xiuyu followed behind Shang Shaoyan, looking at her tenderly, and didn't feel uncomfortable at all for not saying a word from beginning to end.
This caused Mo Xing to glance at him several times, and then, as Shang Shaoyan was choosing weapons, he asked in what he thought was a low voice, "Who is this person?"
Shang Shaoyan smiled, a hint of tenderness in his phoenix eyes: "This is my fiancé, you can call him Seventh Master."
Qiao Xiuyu was overjoyed, and a happy expression appeared on his face. However, he noticed that Mo Xing was looking at him with some disdain: "Fiancé? Is he any good?"
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