The New Year soon arrived, and another banquet was held in the palace. This one was much livelier than the last, with noble ladies from various families vying to impress. Ling Yao, aware of their intentions, had no interest in watching. She and Xiao Shan spent the entire night on the city wall, watching the fireworks.
They didn't return to the Fengque Tower until they were exhausted and fell asleep, with Xiao Shan carrying Ling Yao back.
Song Beiting also did not go home. After falling out with the Left Prime Minister, he had already established his own residence and lived alone. Returning home would only mean facing solitude, so he preferred to guard the palace gates and find some peace.
The fireworks gradually died down, and the capital city sank into silence.
A figure emerged from the shadows.
"Rebellious son, are you not going home yet?" The Left Prime Minister's face was half illuminated by the moonlight, the other half hidden in darkness.
Song Beiting remained silent. His relationship with his opportunistic father had reached a freezing point, leaving nothing more to be said.
The Left Prime Minister squinted, appraising him. He was handsome and refined, like jade adorned with orchids, the foremost handsome man in the capital. Furthermore, he was accomplished in both literary and martial arts, upright and proper.
He truly couldn't fathom where his son had gone wrong.
"If you want to win back the Divine Maiden, you should take action. You can't just do nothing. The border is unstable, and Xiao Shan likely won't be able to stay in the capital for long. You still have a chance."
Song Beiting glared at him with sharp eyes. "Shut up!"
"Song Beiting! Do you know how much the Song family has sacrificed to raise you!" the Left Prime Minister gritted out, his voice filled with malice. "You were originally designated the Great Yao Divine Lord by the late Emperor. The Divine Maiden broke the contract first. Are you really willing to let someone snatch away your glory and be discarded like a piece of trash?"
"I don't need the Prime Minister's concern. This commander cannot be a fence-sitter!"
He truly liked her, not for the title of Great Yao Divine Lord!
And his father, he wouldn't care who the Divine Maiden was. In his father's eyes, his son was merely a pawn.
A pawn to climb to the Divine Maiden.
The Left Prime Minister's expression turned grim, resentment simmering within him at Song Beiting's words.
Yes, although he was still the high and mighty Prime Minister, the new Emperor disliked him, and his power had long been hollowed out. He held only an honorary title. He had made a wrong move and found it difficult to recover.
He could only rely on this son.
It was a pity that this son had grown distant from him.
"Do you think Xiao Shan is a good person? Does he truly have the Divine Maiden's best interests at heart? Don't be foolish. This man is deeply calculating, far more cunning than you. He knows that by gaining the Divine Maiden, he can gain the world. He has it all planned out!"
"The palace gates are about to be locked. Prime Minister, please take your leave!"
Song Beiting closed the heavy gate without hesitation, leaving the Left Prime Minister's contorted old face outside.
Xiao Shan was certainly not a good person, but his feelings for the Divine Maiden were genuine.
He had heard how Xiao Shan gently coaxed her, so different from his cold and proud demeanor in public. It was a display of heartfelt care and affection.
He had once caught Xiao Shan scaling the palace walls in the middle of the night to buy her roast goose, hiding it in his robes until his belly bulged like a pregnant woman's, completely devoid of the great general's dignity.
There were many such instances. The more he tracked them, the more despair he felt.
He no longer dared to hope for anything. Just being able to watch her from afar was enough.
After all, he had arrived too late!
After the New Year, the plague in Xichuan was also brought under control. The physicians returned in batches, with Qu Linglong being among the last, escorted back by Du Ling.
Ling Yao had initially thought that her elder brother would personally handle the situation and that their relationship with Linglong might improve. However, the two became even more distant, like ice.
What exactly was going on?
After passing the examinations, Qu Linglong successfully entered the Imperial Hospital. From then on, she was either at the Imperial Hospital or at home, tending to Nan Xing in her small courtyard.
Her elder brother, too, had resigned from his position in the Military Affairs Bureau and taken up a leisurely post. He spent his days indulging in pleasure, attending court when he felt like it, and not when he didn't.
For this, Emperor Mingde complained to her, saying that he was embarrassing the royal family abroad.
It wasn't that serious, but Ling Yao was helpless. Her elder brother was like a prodigal son, and no one could manage him.
"Imperial Sister!"
Lingxi arrived again. Now that she was familiar with Ling Yao, she would often come over to play whenever Xiao Shan was not around.
Her plump, lovable round face had regained its fullness, and she herself had become much more lively.
"I saw brother-in-law leave!"
Qing He, standing nearby, couldn't help but smile. She only thought this in her heart, not saying it aloud like Lingxi.
She too waited until the general was absent to come over, otherwise, she found him annoying.
The general's possessiveness was too strong.
He was jealous of men, women, adults, and children alike.
Lingxi held a small yellow flower in her hand. "Imperial Sister, the winter jasmine in the hall has bloomed. I picked a few for you. Look at them often, and your nephew and niece will be beautiful when they are born."
What did flowers have to do with it? However, Ling Yao did have a concern.
"My daughter must not look like your brother-in-law! So dark and swarthy."
"Then let brother-in-law cover his face, and you just look at him less. Look at the flowers more," Lingxi said, handing the flowers to Yu Liu.
"Lingxi, if the general hears you say that, you won't be able to come here anymore," Qing He teased.
Indeed! Lingxi glanced nervously outside.
Xiao Shan wasn't that scary!
"Princess, don't overthink it. As long as the child is healthy, it's fine if they resemble the general. Perhaps they can become a female general."
"Qing He~" Ling Yao became even more worried. If she became a female general, couldn't she still be a beautiful general? That broad forehead and tiger eyes, if they were on a woman, would be truly terrifying.
As they were chatting, a young eunuch arrived to report, "Your Highnesses, Princess, and County Princess, the Emperor is inspecting this year's martial arts examination at the training grounds. He is asking if your Highnesses would like to watch?"
Lingxi's eyes lit up, and she pursed her lips slightly. Unsure what she was thinking, she displayed a shy demeanor of a young girl.
Qing He smiled, "It wouldn't hurt to go and watch. Princess, you are two months away from giving birth, so you should engage in some appropriate activity."
"Then let's go and see."
Carrying twins was different. Her body was too heavy, and Ling Yao was frail. She looked like she was carrying a large ball, which was alarming.
When they arrived, Emperor Mingde had already prepared comfortable seating. The area was tidily arranged, with snacks and fruits laid out on a table. A large cotton felt tent was erected, and a brazier was lit nearby, so it wasn't cold at all.
On the training field, all the contestants were going through the trials: wrestling, shouting, horses neighing, archery, and shooting.
"Everyone who enters here has overcome numerous obstacles and is the most outstanding martial artist in Da Jing. With a little training, they will become great generals in the future. Our Jing Kingdom will not fear a lack of capable individuals and will not be bullied." Emperor Mingde pointed to the people on the field, appearing very confident in them.
Song Beiting was also on the field, his appearance handsome, his posture upright and imposing, his starlike eyes shining with spirit. He unceremoniously disqualified those who committed fouls.
Lingxi's face was flushed red, her hands clasped nervously, her eyes following that figure back and forth.
There were also powerful and robust individuals on the field, but most were somewhat clumsy. As time passed, they began to be at a disadvantage.
People were truly different.
Even though she didn't understand martial arts, she could discern the skill involved.
She had seen Xiao Shan's agility as he leaped into the air, his speed like the wind, and she knew of his inexhaustible stamina. Compared to him, these men were merely novices.
This was the fierce spirit forged in mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Every inch of flesh and blood had been tempered through brutal hardship, something that couldn't be achieved in a day or two.
Regardless of whether her imperial brother was genuinely naive or hinting at something, at this moment, she declared with conviction:
"Let all the flowers bloom, let them be the pillars of Jing. But there is only Xiao Shan."