“Brother!” Ye Shengxiao exclaimed, jumping up from his seat.
However, Xiao Zhanbei, who was representing the King of Wucheng, didn't spare him a single glance. He simply stood there with his eyes downcast, completely unresponsive to his beloved brother's fervent calls.
“Could it be that General Xiao has been possessed by someone? Or perhaps he's been ensnared by some mind-controlling蛊虫?”
“Lu Mingxuan, have you been reading too many storybooks? My brother is the God of War of Great Xia. Even if such despicable things exist, they wouldn't be able to get close to him!”
Meanwhile, Madam Yan, who had come to watch, although not fully understanding, managed to grasp key words. "My lord, is that the Xiao family’s young man? He's grown so much in the blink of an eye!"
"Madam, perhaps you should wipe your drool before you speak, lest it stains your clothes," Mr. Yan said as he handed her a handkerchief. He then turned his attention to Lin Moyuan on the other side.
To avoid being recognized, Lin Moyuan had not only changed into a different outfit but also donned a veiled hat. As many people from the martial world were present for the match, his attire didn't seem out of place.
“Little cub, while I haven’t had dealings with General Xiao, as the son of the old General Xiao, his character is beyond reproach. His actions must have a hidden reason.”
"I know."
"Don't just say you know, little cub. Make sure you don't hold a grudge when you return to the capital. I’m telling you, if you want to hold your position firmly and for a long time, you must treat the Xiao family well. You must not emulate your mentally challenged father, who was always suspicious of this person and wary of that one, ultimately alienating everyone around him and becoming truly alone.”
“Uncle, your advice is well-taken. Moyuan will keep it in mind.”
“Just remembering isn’t enough. You need to think of excuses in advance, so as not to disappoint the loyal Xiao family.”
A general’s unauthorized departure was a violation of military orders, a capital offense. Not only had Xiao Zhanbei gone missing without explanation, but he had also appeared to support the King of Wucheng. If Lin Moyuan were to misjudge the situation and classify Xiao Zhanbei as a supporter of the King of Wucheng, thereby punishing him, it would be a moment of joy for enemies and sorrow for friends. Thus, Mr. Yan couldn't help but add a few more words.
At the same time.
Yan Tinghao, on the platform, clicked his tongue repeatedly. “General Xiao, when did you arrive at Wolong Mountain Villa? My lord hadn’t even started looking for you yet, and you’ve already shown up?”
“I apologize.” With a cold utterance of these three words, Xiao Zhanbei twirled his spear and charged directly at Yan Tinghao.
While parrying with his sword, Yan Tinghao yelped, “No way! General Xiao, are you serious? Your subordinate is a constable from Shuntian Prefecture. Even if you don’t know me, General Xiao, you must know Lord Lin, right? Lord Lin is a rare upright and good official, so General Xiao, you must have been deceived by the King of Wucheng. General Xiao, you don’t know, that King of Wucheng is truly wicked. Not only did he capture me recently, threatening my parents, but he also chained me up like an animal. And not only that, he locked me in a boudoir filled with pink, feeding me lavish meals every day. I suspect he’s trying to disgust me to death, or perhaps cause me to be unable to defecate and die of constipation! You say his intentions are so sinister, how can he possibly be a good person? So General Xiao, please don't be fooled by the King of Wucheng's smooth talk!”
“Noisy!” With that, Xiao Zhanbei intensified his attacks. Fortunately, the skill Yan Tinghao had exchanged for his wits was not weak, and he fought back with his full capabilities against Xiao Zhanbei. The two of them were locked in a stalemate for an hour, neither gaining the upper hand.
Lin Qingge, who had already devoured two large platters of melon seeds, nudged Leng Ningyue with her elbow. “Madam, who do you think will win between them?”
“Is there any doubt? It’s the Xiao family’s young man, of course!” It wasn't Leng Ningyue who replied, but Madam Yan, who couldn't stop wiping her drool.
The sun hung high in the sky. Just as everyone thought the two on the platform might fight until the end of time, Lu Huaiying’s figure silently appeared beside Lin Qingge and whispered a few words. Lin Qingge immediately shouted, “General Xiao, look behind you!”
However, Xiao Zhanbei didn't turn around. Instead, Yan Tinghao, who was fighting him, feigned a move and stopped. “General Xiao, my lord asked you to look behind you, hurry up and look!”
Perhaps it was Yan Tinghao’s sincere gaze that made Xiao Zhanbei have to lower his spear and look back. Although the venue was noisy and crowded, Xiao Zhanbei’s eyes immediately fell upon the figure that haunted his dreams. Strange to say, when he was rescuing people in Qingzhou, they had spent almost every waking hour together. Yet, he hadn't recognized her. It wasn't until Zhan Fang mentioned encountering Miss Dieyi in front of the Shi Mansion that it dawned on him. After so many years, his young lady had grown even more beautiful than he had imagined, no, a million times more beautiful… Would she be angry with him? Angry that he hadn't recognized her immediately? Angry that he hadn't found her all these years, leaving her to suffer? Excitement and guilt warred within Xiao Zhanbei, rooting his feet to the ground. Only his dark eyes, filled with inexplicable emotions, stared unblinkingly into the distance. Yan Tinghao, unaware of the Great Xia God of War’s complex emotions, also craned his neck to look in that direction.
“Oh, isn't that Miss Dieyi? Why are there a group of children surrounding Miss Dieyi? I haven't heard of Miss Dieyi getting married either.”
As Yan Tinghao was muttering, Miss Dieyi in the distance turned and left. Seeing this, Xiao Zhanbei cupped his fist, uttered, ‘Constable Yan has peerless martial arts, this general concedes defeat,’ and then turned his spear and pursued her.
???
Everyone’s eyes widened in unison, their minds filled with question marks.
“My lord, what exactly is going on?” Returning to the stands, a bewildered Yan Tinghao couldn't help but voice the collective confusion.
“It’s like this~ After Dieyi left Qingzhou, she passed by a small village and encountered child traffickers buying infant girls. Dieyi, being a soft-hearted person, couldn't bear to see those infant girls end up in such a fate as she had, so she wanted to use her own money to buy them from the traffickers. Those traffickers, seeing Dieyi’s beauty, plotted against her. Fortunately, Dieyi knew martial arts and sent those traffickers fleeing in disarray!” The speaker was Ye Buqun, who had traveled all the way from Luozhou to join the fun.
“However, even if those infant girls were sent home, they would likely be sold to another group of traffickers within a few days. So, Dieyi decided to take them back to Tianji Pavilion. Unexpectedly, a group of people suddenly appeared on the way. Dieyi’s Qinggong was excellent, so escaping was not a problem. But to force Dieyi to comply, that group of people took those infant girls hostage. Dieyi, unwilling to see those infant girls perish, had no choice but to go with them. Who would have thought that those people intended to use Dieyi to coerce General Xiao into serving the King of Wucheng? Fortunately, my lord was wise and saw through the King of Wucheng’s scheme. However, I never realized that someone as unfeeling as General Xiao would abandon fame, principles, and everything else for personal affection~”