Having reached their destination, Nan Pei and his companion thanked Ling Yao and the others again before parting ways to attend to their own matters.
Lizhou City was indeed under lockdown. When Feng Shihao presented the token signifying imperial presence, the guard at the gate immediately prepared to report.
Ling Yao cast a subtle glance at him. To everyone’s surprise, the guard halted his movement and retreated as if nothing had happened.
Feng Shihao let out a cold snort. "Let's see what our general is up to."
Qu Linglong absolutely refused to believe that Xiao Shan would marry any woman. She knew too well how much he detested other women, aside from his affectionate and mushy relationship with Ling Yao.
Hearing Feng Shihao's words, she retorted, "Don't worry. The general is too lazy to even put on an act. It's definitely a rumor."
Feng Shihao felt deeply uncomfortable. "Heh, what makes you so confident in him? Men only become settled when they're buried in the ground."
"Then you have quite a bit of self-awareness. If there were only one faithful man left in the world, it would surely be Brother Xiao." Qu Linglong helped Ling Yao into the carriage. "Don't overthink it. Let's go see what's going on first."
Ling Yao nodded. She didn't believe it either, but she was simply displeased to suddenly hear rumors of his romantic entanglements.
The customs in the southwest were relatively open, and the climate was warm. People dressed more lightly. On the streets, women went bare-chested and barefoot, while men wore vests and loose-fitting trousers, their skin tanned a dark hue.
Their group stood out in this environment and quickly drew many stares. Therefore, Qu Linglong had Ling Yao get into the carriage.
As she was about to follow, Feng Shihao grabbed her arm.
"What did you mean just now? In your eyes, am I that insignificant?" His eyes narrowed, and his tone was very low.
"No, you said it yourself. You said that Your Highness is also a good man, unmoved even with beauty in his arms, which is admirable."
Feng Shihao's expression stiffened, and he looked at her sharply.
Qu Linglong had already turned and climbed into the carriage.
The carriage headed directly for the military camp.
Outside the camp, the sentry soldiers moved to surround them. Ling Yao swept them with a glance, and they became as respectful as if they had seen their own general.
It wasn't until they entered the camp that patrolling soldiers stopped them.
Coincidentally, the leader was a familiar face – Yutou, now a centurion in the camp, his full name being Wang Meng.
"Sister Xue?"
Oh my goodness! It really is Sister Xue!
No, this is the current princess, a goddess!
Yutou was so excited he didn't know where to put his hands. Should he salute?
Ling Yao also recognized the young bull-like figure before her, but she couldn't believe it. "Yutou?"
Wasn't this tall, strong, and dark young man precisely Yutou? With his thick eyebrows and large eyes, he was still so spirited. In the half-year since they last met, he had grown so much taller, nearly catching up to Xiao Shan.
What did they eat in the military camp to make people grow so fast?
"How did you grow so much, I almost didn't recognize you!" Ling Yao happily circled him, exclaiming in wonder, and even patted his chest.
It was firm and solid, not stuffed with anything.
Feng Shihao frowned deeply. Was his imperial sister stimulated? To be touching another man.
He mourned for Xiao Shan.
He didn't know that when Ling Yao first met Yutou, he was thin and small, like a child. Therefore, she didn't even consider him a man.
Yutou grinned, a little red-faced. Looking at the group following Ling Yao, heads bowed, brows furrowed, he felt both happy and scared.
Happy because Sister Xue was still the same as before, unchanged, still treating him like a child.
Scared because if Brother Xiao found out, he didn't know how he would be punished. A day of climbing mountains with sandbags tied to him would be unavoidable.
It had been like this when they were in the border town. The brothers in the camp liked to gossip and would surround him, asking about the General's wife. He didn't know how Brother Xiao found out, but he was punished every time he spoke of it, which was miserable.
He nervously glanced around. "Sister Xue, why are you here? Does the General know?"
"Hmph! Where is he? Take me to see him."
Speaking of this, Ling Yao's expression turned stern again.
"The General is at his residence outside, not in the camp."
At his residence? Excellent! He had acquired a property outside!
"Hurry and take me there!"
Yutou looked troubled. "But the General said that unless there's an emergency, no one is allowed to disturb him."
"What nonsense are you talking about! Isn't my arrival an emergency?"
Ling Yao was furious. He was clearly in Lizhou City and nothing had happened, so why hadn't he even sent a letter! He had better have a reasonable explanation for her!
Feng Shihao let out a cold snort. "Is it that Xiao Shan married the Great Princess of Tantai and is living it up outside?"
"How dare you speak such nonsense!" Yutou glared at him, possessing a bit of Xiao Shan's imposing demeanor.
He didn't know Feng Shihao's identity, but seeing that Ling Yao hadn't reprimanded him, he stopped himself from saying more. Instead, he said to Ling Yao, "Sister Xue, the Great Princess of Tantai did come to Lizhou, but it was to discuss cooperation matters. The General..."
"Alright, take me to find him first!"
Only by seeing him would she know what had happened.
She didn't believe Yutou would lie to her, but as a patrol soldier, he might not know certain things.
With no other option, Yutou instructed the soldiers following behind him, "Tell General Du to wait for me when he returns. I'll explain everything to him later."
"Brother, Lizhou is safe now. You don't need to follow me. Find a place to settle down first." Ling Yao said to Feng Shihao and the others.
"That won't do. If he really wronged you, I can still beat him up for you."
Qu Linglong glanced at him. "Alright, can you even beat him?"
Feng Shihao couldn't understand.
What was with this Qu Linglong? She attacked him everywhere during the day, but at night she would shamelessly come to his room, always when he was changing his sleepwear.
What did she want!
He glared fiercely at Qu Linglong, only to see her curve her lips into a smile. She reached out and linked her arm with his. "Your Highness, let's go. I'm tired. Let's find a place to rest, shall we?"
And perhaps catch a glimpse of a handsome man bathing.
Feng Shihao got goosebumps all over.
He wanted to shake her off.
But everyone knew she was his concubine.
He had to endure it.
He also knew that Ling Yao didn't want others to interfere in her affairs with Xiao Shan, so he would let her handle it herself for now.
Only then did Yutou realize Feng Shihao's identity. So he was Brother Xiao's brother-in-law, no wonder he had dared to speak so presumptuously to him earlier!
Fortunately, he hadn't said too much just now.
Ling Yao followed Yutou out of the military camp.
According to Yutou, Xiao Shan was staying at the residence of Lizhou's former garrison general, Dong Chengchuan. For the past month, he and the strategist had not been in the camp, claiming to be researching ways to break the Qirong puppet army.
There were indeed some messy rumors on the streets, all caused by the Great Princess of Tantai's high-profile arrival in Lizhou with her dowry to discuss cooperation.
In reality, Xiao Shan had not agreed to anything.