2. Miss Shen
◎"I've come to see what my future husband looks like."◎
Two days later, on the deserted official road in Jinzhou, a line of heavily armored cavalry galloped past, their hooves thundering like lightning.
The man at the head of the group had his cloak fluttering in the wind, and his fierce horse, clad in heavy armor, galloped like a wild beast, panting heavily as it sped off into the distance.
Behind them stretched a vast, flat wasteland, with nine out of ten houses empty and few inhabitants. The gray sky was inverted on the ground, and the official road stretched all the way to the horizon.
After a day-and-night raid, Xiao Pingchuan and his party arrived at the capital city of Tu'an.
Beneath the towering city gate, the guards looked as small as ants. Xiao Pingchuan handed the token to Xu Youcai, signaling him to go and greet them.
Soon, the central gate of the city tower slowly opened.
Inside the city, the people queuing to leave through the side gate all stared wide-eyed. It was well known that the main gate of the capital was generally not opened unless it was for members of the imperial family or high-ranking officials.
Everyone craned their necks to look at the dark doorway, eager to catch a glimpse of the emperor's true face.
Soon, the thunderous sound of horses' hooves came from the gate, growing louder as it approached. Then, a column of heavily armored cavalry shot out of the gate, reined in their horses in front of the main street, and stopped. The spirited horses neighed, their hooves rising high and then falling heavily, but the riders remained as still as mountains.
"Wow, these young men are quite impressive. What's their background?"
"I don't know, I've never seen the central army have such momentum."
"Could it be..." someone whispered, "Could it be that guy who went south, that ruthless killer?"
"It's him."
The city guards who had personally opened the city gates were now watching Xiao Pingchuan and his men and whispering amongst themselves.
"The Black Flag Army is damn impressive."
"That's right. When other state troops come, they all have to obediently dismount and line up outside the city. Only they open the middle gate and ride straight in. What a great favor that is."
"What's there to envy? You risked your life for this. Alright, get back to work."
Once the heavy cavalry entered the city, they could no longer ride at high speed.
"Dismount." At Xiao Pingchuan's command, more than ten riders behind him dismounted in unison. "Lead your horses and walk. Do not collide with civilians."
"yes."
Xiao Pingchuan brought his deputy general Xu Youcai and strategist Chai Shun with him on this trip south. Chai Shun was the cunning strategist who had analyzed things so logically that day.
The procession was halfway through when it was suddenly stopped by a carriage parked in the middle of the street.
The carriage was simply decorated, but the carriage itself was quite large. When it was parked, it took up most of the street, and it was clear that the procession leading the horses could not pass through.
For a time, the two sides were deadlocked.
"Who's in the car? Please move aside so we can pass," Chai Shun said.
They thought no one would pay attention to them, but to their surprise, as soon as they finished speaking, the coachman jumped off the carriage, turned back, lifted the curtain, and bowed respectfully.
Xiao Pingchuan frowned slightly.
His senses are more acute than those of ordinary people; as soon as the curtain was lifted, he smelled a faint fragrance.
The scent is strange; it's not the usual sweet smell of aromatherapy, but rather a sweet and slightly bitter aroma that is faint and not unpleasant.
Soon, a woman emerged from the carriage. Her long, flowing white dress hung loosely on her body, obscuring her waistline. However, the curves of her slender shoulders accentuated her graceful figure, and her long, jet-black hair cascaded smoothly down to her waist, swaying gently in the breeze.
The woman steadied herself, looked up, and a chorus of gasps rose and fell around her.
Xu Youcai slowly opened his mouth wide and whispered, "My goodness, has a fairy descended to earth?"
Chai Shun: "Shut your mouth, don't embarrass yourself!"
Xu Youcai quickly covered his mouth.
"Miss," Chai Shun said from afar, clasping his hands in greeting, "may I pass by?"
The man opposite seemed to have grown tired after standing there for a while. He lazily relaxed, sat down in the front of the carriage, and said in a gentle tone, "I'd like to say a few words to your general. I'll leave when I'm done."
Xu Youcai's eyes lit up and he looked at Xiao Pingchuan.
Chai Shun took a half step back and respectfully took the reins from Xiao Pingchuan's hand, his movements extremely swift.
Xiao Pingchuan looked straight ahead and took two steps forward. He was dressed in black, with his hair tied in a high ponytail, and his whole body exuded a wild and powerful vitality.
"What is it?" he asked.
The woman looked at him openly, her gaze unwavering, then smiled faintly, took out a lotus-colored sachet from her bosom, and leaned forward to hand it to him, saying, "General, this sachet was personally made by me; it can relieve depression and calm the mind."
Xiao Pingchuan didn't answer or even look at it, and coldly said, "I'm already engaged."
In Daliang, when a woman gives a man a sachet, it usually means that she is in love with him and wants to be with him.
However, although the people of Daliang are known for their open-mindedness, it is unheard of for someone to give away sachets on the street, let alone in such a high-profile manner.
“Ha,” the woman chuckled again, “I know.”
Xiao Pingchuan was too tall; even sitting in the carriage, she had to look up at him, and her neck started to ache after a while. So she simply leaned back lazily, resting her hand against the carriage wall, as if to say she wouldn't let him take it unless he did.
Those around could no longer contain themselves and whispered, "This woman is really bold."
"Tsk tsk, if I were her parents, I would be ashamed to death."
"I heard that General Xiao's betrothed is a country girl?" the woman continued. "A country girl is probably not good enough for the general. How about the general take a look at me?"
Xu Youcai excitedly grabbed Chai Shun's arm and asked repeatedly, "What did she say? What did she say?"
Chai Shun stomped his foot, shaking off his hand, and stepped forward to help Xiao Pingchuan out of the predicament, saying, "On behalf of my general, I thank you for your kindness, young lady, but this marriage is decided by His Majesty..."
"Has the general ever married?" the woman interrupted him.
Chai Shun: "......"
He shook his head.
“You have no experience with this, so your general will have to do it himself,” she said, her legs dangling in the air, swinging back and forth. “What did the general say?”
Xiao Pingchuan frowned slightly: "A beautiful jade is matched with a bright pearl; the young lady will surely find a good man."
The woman tilted her head to look at him, her smile gradually fading.
She braced herself against the carriage shaft, jumped down, walked gracefully to him, and looked up, saying, "My beloved is right here."
The two stood facing each other. Xiao Pingchuan was more than a head taller than her, and his body was twice her size.
Xiao Pingchuan looked down at her, his gaze falling on her hairpin. It was a silver hairpin, simple and elegant, without any complicated patterns, and seemed to be longer and sharper than ordinary hairpins.
Her long hair cascaded down her back, held in half with only one hairpin, without any other extra decorations.
Yes, she wasn't wearing any makeup; the only striking colors on her were her crimson lips and dark eyes.
"General?"
After waiting for a long time without receiving a reply, the woman reminded him.
"Sorry." Xiao Pingchuan snapped out of his daze and took a half step back.
The woman, however, didn't seem to mind. She took half a step closer and slowly said, "Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Chen Suqin, and my nickname is Zhaozhao."
Xiao Pingchuan was somewhat puzzled.
Chai Shun's lips twitched, and he leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Bestowed marriage, Shen Suqin, the second daughter of the Shen family."
Not far away, Xu Youcai coughed loudly.
Shen Suqin glanced at him mischievously, then looked away, and moved the sachet closer, saying plaintively, "Zhaozhao has fallen for the general at first sight."
Sending the sachet was a spur-of-the-moment decision, just to test Xiao Pingchuan's character. I never expected him to be so upright as to be much more so than I had imagined.
Furthermore, she had originally thought that the legendary Northern God of Slaughter would be a rough and fierce person, with a tall and strong physique and a domineering and arrogant manner. However, she never expected him to be a handsome, wild, clean, and upright figure, which made her take a second look.
Xiao Pingchuan finally glanced at the sachet, but still showed no intention of accepting it.
Chai Shun quickly reached out to take it from him, stumbling back into the line with his left foot tripping over his right.
"What do you want to do?" Xiao Pingchuan asked directly.
"Look at what my future husband looks like."
"Finished watching?"
"I've finished reading it."
"Then make way."
After saying that, he turned around and was about to go back to the group.
"General, I have one last thing to say," Shen Suqin called out to him.
Xiao Pingchuan stopped and turned around.
"How heavy is the heavy sword that the general usually uses?"
Xiao Pingchuan's face went blank for a moment, "...Sixty-four jin."
"Oh, that's quite heavy." Shen Suqin waved his hand. "General, we'll meet another day."
Having said that, she lightly flipped herself onto the carriage with a light touch of her toes.
Soon, the vehicle turned, clearing the way.
"Let's go!" Xiao Pingchuan ordered.
At this point, they went their separate ways, brushing past each other under the gaze of the crowd, and then walked in opposite directions down the long street, gradually disappearing into the distance.
Only after both sides had disappeared from sight did the street return to its usual bustling state.
The crowd, who had been holding back for so long, seemed to suddenly come alive and gathered together, asking each other about the background of this woman from the Shen family.
"It turns out to be Shen Jinghe's second daughter, born out of wedlock and raised in the countryside, from the family of the Prince's son-in-law Shen. I never thought such a beauty could be raised in the countryside."
"She looks no less beautiful than a noble lady."
"What good is good looks? With her background, tsk tsk, she's practically a phoenix rising from the ashes. No wonder she's in such a hurry to find her husband."
Everyone knows that the second daughter of the Shen family was born into a illegitimate family.
It is said that when Shen Jinghe was on his way to the capital to take up an official post, he passed through Fuliang Mountain and fell off a cliff, but was rescued by a country girl.
Six months later, the country woman, heavily pregnant, came alone to the Shen family. Lord Shen immediately wanted to send her back, but the princess, being kind-hearted, decided to keep her.
However, the princess was also pregnant at the time, and the two were only a few months apart. As soon as the second young lady was born, she was sent back to the countryside to be raised because her birth chart clashed with that of the legitimate young lady, and she has been there ever since.
"They're quite a good match, aren't they?" someone chuckled. "That God of Slaughter was also born a peasant. If you ask me, these two couldn't be more suitable."
"However, I heard that General Xiao has an affair with the eldest daughter of the Shen family, but I don't think it's true. The eldest daughter of the Shen family is a famous talented woman in the Liang Dynasty. She is the only female disciple who was exceptionally admitted to the Imperial Academy. She would definitely look down on this peasant."
While the group was whispering amongst themselves, Xu Youcai and Chai Shun were exchanging glances.
"Go ahead and ask."
Why didn't you ask?
"I dare not."
"Coward!" Chai Shun said angrily, holding out the sachet with both hands. "General, would you like to take this back?"
Xiao Pingchuan glanced down at it; the sachet was elegantly colored and embroidered with delicate flowers.
Xu Youcai chuckled: "This is the first time I've ever seen a woman's sachet. You can't find such a rare thing in the Northern Territory. Let me take a look first."
But before his smile could fade, his expression changed, and he whispered, "Someone's coming."
Sure enough, a contingent of imperial guards suddenly rushed out from all directions.
The Imperial Guard was an inner force that guarded the imperial city. They generally only operated within the palace walls and rarely ventured into the outer city.
At the same time, Shen Suqin's carriage turned into a quiet alley.
She got out of the car, looked around, and then slipped into a small courtyard.
"how?"
A man came forward.
“It’s alright, worth cooperating with,” Shen Suqin said. “Now you can rest assured. Let’s take our resources and leave the pass tonight, or I’m afraid it will be too late if we delay any longer.”
“I know, the caravan is all arranged, let’s set off now,” the man said. “Once you get to the northern border and get rid of Xiao Pingchuan, I’ll come back for you.”
"Um."
After saying that, the man turned to leave, but after taking two steps, he remembered something and turned back, saying, "I'll leave you a few tens of thousands of taels of silver as pocket money. I heard that Xiao Pingchuan is dirt poor, and I'm afraid you'll suffer if you follow him."
Shen Suqin shook her head, "No need, the restaurant is making money every day, you don't need to worry about me not having money to spend."
"Who knows how much longer we can hold out? You know what the Great Liang is like now: the fields are barren, there are refugees everywhere, and people are even exchanging children to eat. Meanwhile, the Shatuo in the north are strong and well-equipped."
"We should be like Lao Yang and the others, setting sail and clearing customs early, so we wouldn't encounter these troublesome things."
"Alright, Mother, if you keep nagging, the sun will set." Shen Suqin interrupted him.
"I told you not to call me 'mother,' I'm not your mother. I won't nag anymore, okay? I'm leaving now. Be careful in the capital by yourself... Never mind, forget I said anything. Who can get the better of you?"
"Let's go quickly."
After seeing the man off, the maid Ju Tao came out from the backyard and stood quietly beside her.
Shen Suqin looked up at the azure sky. The vast and distant sky hung overhead, with drifting clouds, creating an unreal sense of tranquility.
She has been here for many years, and occasionally she still feels disoriented, as if all those years of peace and tranquility were stolen.
In that apocalyptic world, the sky was always gray, everyone was wary of each other, and they fought to the death for a bite to eat.
She was ruthless and intelligent, and managed to survive for over a decade before dying when the base was destroyed.
When I transmigrated, this body was only seven or eight years old. It probably starved to death, and was emaciated.
Now, ten years later, she still feels no sense of belonging and always feels like an outsider, with nothing she does making sense.
"What do you think of General Xiao, Miss?" Ju Tao asked.
Ju Tao was a maid to outsiders, but the two were like sisters to each other.
What do you think?
Ju Tao recalled the cold-hearted person and said, "Aside from being tall and having a good-looking face, he was just average-looking."
Shen Suqin laughed: "Don't underestimate him. In the third year of Jingkang, 200,000 Shatuo troops broke through Jinzhou and approached the Liangzhou border. They could trample the Central Plains with their horses just across a mountain. The Shatuo leader Zhu Xie Zhishen boasted that he would drink from the Yangtze River within three days and stop its flow with his whip. The people of Daliang were in a panic, and the court was full of calls for peace. Only Xiao Pingchuan stood on his horse with his sword drawn, contemptuously laughing at their wishful thinking. He was only sixteen years old at that time, dressed in fine clothes and riding a spirited horse, a dashing young man."
"And then what?"
"Later, not to mention three days, three years passed, and the Shatuo not only failed to advance an inch, but were also driven back step by step to the north of the Shule River." Shen Suqin seemed to see the battlefield filled with smoke and fire before her eyes, and her voice became even softer. "Zhu Xie Zhishen was wounded and fled for his life. He was chased all the way to the Lingwu Royal Court of the Shatuo by Xiao Pingchuan's Black Flag Iron Cavalry, and has not dared to show his face since. Xiao Pingchuan was not yet twenty years old when he was awarded the title of General of the Cavalry for his military achievements."
Shen Suqin did not explicitly state what happened next.
After the defeat of the Shatuo, the Black Flag Army, which could fight against hundreds of enemies with one, transformed from a motley crew of refugees into the third largest military force independent of the central and outer armies, and became the object of contention among various forces.
"Alright, it's getting late, let's go back to the Shen residence."
"yes."
Before long, the carriage came to a stop in front of the Shen residence.
A middle-aged woman with a serious face stood at the door. Directly in front of her was a brazier with flames half a meter high.
Shen Suqin got out of the car and gazed silently at the woman across the brazier.
The woman pointed to the brazier and said coldly, "I am Granny Gui, the governess of the household. To avoid bringing bad luck into the house, please come in, Miss."
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