That year, Xiao Jue led the Nan Fu Army to Jingzhou. Although people knew that Second Young Master Xiao was talented in both the pen and the sword, he was still young and could not take on such an important task. Zhao Nuo was the military governor of Jingzhou. He was lustful, greedy, and ignorant. When Xiao Jue first arrived in Jingzhou, he did not take Xiao Jue seriously. He often joked around and was very rude. In the battle of Jingzhou, Xiao Jue led the army to the battlefield. Zhao Nuo was afraid of death and gave wrong orders, causing many innocent soldiers to die. Xiao Jue saw that he was so arrogant and ordered people to tie him up and take him away.
Zhao Nuo's father was the Minister of War and he had been in Jingzhou for many years. Naturally, there were many people who came to plead for him. There were many high-ranking officials and nobles who came to persuade him. However, Xiao Jue was young and had no relatives.
"He is the military governor of Jingzhou and his father is the Minister of Revenue. Many people in the court have good relations with the Zhao family. If you offend him, you will not be able to do anything in the future!"
Xiao Jue was not moved. He only smiled contemptuously and said, "Just the Minister of War is so arrogant. Even if he becomes the Prime Minister, I will still execute him."
Three days later, Xiao Jue led the army to surround Zhao Nuo's residence. He pushed Zhao Nuo to the tombstone of the dead soldiers and beheaded him.
"The Zhao family and the Xiao family were actually related to the Cheng family." Cheng Li Su recalled, "That Zhao Nuo, logically speaking, should be related to us. My mother personally wrote a letter to ask Uncle to be lenient. "
"But Uncle did not listen." He smiled. He looked a little helpless and a little proud.
"Military Governor Xiao's actions, isn't he afraid that someone will try to sow discord in front of His Majesty?" He Yan thought, "His Majesty will also be dissatisfied."
"As expected of my brother, he asked the same question as me." Cheng Li Su said happily, "I also think that Uncle's actions are too rash."
After a long time had passed, that young man had put away his flirtatious ways and became introverted and steady. He became the high and mighty commander-in-chief of the Right Army. Cheng Li asked, "Uncle, aren't you afraid that His Majesty will be estranged from you because of this?"
The young man was reading a book. Hearing this, he smiled and said, "He wouldn't dare."
The emperor didn't dare, but it wasn't that the courtiers weren't afraid.
In reality, this was indeed the case. Even though the powerful officials in the imperial court spoke ill of him, and the Minister of Revenue wrote one memorial after another to the throne room asking for punishment, in the end, the matter was left unsettled. It was because Xiao Jue had led the Southern Mansion Army and defeated the Southern Barbarians like a hot knife through butter.
Emperor Xuanwen was not blind. He knew how to choose between a dead provincial governor and a one-in-a-million talent.
However, Emperor Wen Xuan did not dare to punish Xiao Jue, but that did not mean that there would not be any rumors. The Minister of Revenue, Zhao Tong, and Xiao Jue became enemies. Those who were on good terms with Zhao Tong naturally did not want to see Xiao Jue doing well. Those who were on good terms with the Xiao family also distanced themselves from Xiao Jue.
Firstly, his personality was cold and strict. He could even order his own relatives to be beheaded without mercy. Secondly, he was arrogant and did not even care about the emperor. It was inevitable that he would offend others in the future. One day, he might even implicate his friends and family.
The Cheng family and the Xiao family were close relatives, so they didn't break off contact. However, compared to Xiao Jue, they preferred to interact with Xiao Jing.
"My mother told me not to get too close to Little Uncle," Cheng Li Su said, "She said that he doesn't care about family ties."
He Yan thought for a moment, "Military Governor Xiao is not that kind of person."
"I know," Cheng Li Su smiled, "I always knew."
The Xiao family had two young masters. The eldest young master was calm and gentle. When they interacted with each other, it was like a spring breeze. He was friendly and warm-hearted. Everyone loved him. The second young master's appearance was outstanding. However, for the sake of fairness, his personality was not very likable.
Furthermore, after killing Zhao Nuo, Xiao Jue's reputation as "Jade-faced Military Governor, Young Killer" spread. Others did not dare to look up to him. Of course, Zhao Tong added fuel to the fire. However, Xiao Jue himself also left behind many rumors. For example, when his parents were buried, he did not shed a single tear. He was busy fighting for military power in the throne room. He did not even spend the seventh day of the funeral, leaving Eldest Young Master Xiao to clean up the mess by himself.
Every time the relatives gathered together during festivals, he did not like to talk to them. He only hurriedly left after meeting them.
Cheng Li Su still remembered that it was a summer day. Eldest Aunt Bai Rongwei was hosting the relatives of the Cheng family. The Xiao family did not have many people nowadays. It was rare for it to be so lively.
Cheng Li Su also went. At that time, Xiao Jue had already been bestowed the title of General Fengyun. He had just turned 18 and returned to Shuo Jing.
The women were all eating snacks and drinking tea in the main room. The men were discussing politics with Xiao Jing. Cheng Li Su looked around and did not see Xiao Jue.
He was very naughty when he was young. Everyone around his age did not like to play with him. Cheng Li Su looked for fun. He ran to the Xiao family's backyard and saw a cat with a colorful face. He chased after the cat and ran behind a screen inside the ancestral hall.
It was summer and the weather changed quickly. In the evening, there were already dark clouds above the city walls. Thunder rumbled and suddenly, heavy rain poured down.
He held the cat in his arms and wanted to go out. Suddenly, he heard footsteps. Someone came in.
Cheng Li Su secretly poked his head out from behind the screen and saw his mysterious uncle walk in.
The young man was wearing a round satin robe with a golden crown on his head. He had a graceful appearance and was like a glittering jewel. When he was young, he liked to wear white robes. Now that he was older, he only liked to wear dark clothes. It made him seem even colder and harder to understand.
Xiao Jue walked into the ancestral hall. He picked up three incense sticks and lit them.
Cheng Li Su's eyes widened.
There were all kinds of rumors about Xiao Jue. Cheng Li Su heard that Xiao Jue never lit incense for his parents. He was a heartless person. But now, it seemed that the rumors were not completely true.
He moved slowly but carefully. First, he dusted the incense burner and wiped it clean with a cloth. Then, he lit the incense sticks and inserted them into the burner. Niao Niao smoke rose from the burner and dispersed in the air. He did not leave. He did not say anything. He just stood there with his eyes lowered. No one knew what he was thinking.
The summer weather was hot and humid. Water vapor came in from the outside. It was sticky and the thunder was louder. The young man narrowed his eyes. His expression was calm. The rain outside washed the eaves, but inside the house, it was unbelievably quiet. Cheng Li didn't understand what was going on, but he felt that the atmosphere was strange. He didn't even dare to breathe loudly. He hugged the cat and sat behind the screen with his cold uncle for more than an hour.
After a long time, the rain stopped. Xiao Jue left the ancestral hall.
From the time he entered the ancestral hall to the time he left, he only lit three incense sticks. He did not say anything and did nothing. He just sat there quietly. But these three incense sticks made Cheng Li Su feel that under his uncle's cold appearance, there was a different gentleness.
He was not the heartless person that others said he was.
There were many people in the world who hid their true feelings under their cold appearance. It was not that there were no such people, but they were not good at expressing themselves.
Others always said that Cheng Li Su was still like a child, naive and ignorant. However, in the eyes of a child, he was able to distinguish between good and evil. He did not think that this uncle of his was as mean as his mother said. He liked this uncle more than Eldest Young Master Xiao.
"My uncle is very powerful." Cheng Li Su looked seriously into her eyes and said, "If you stay with him for a long time, you will also like him."
He Yan laughed and couldn't help but rub his head, "I know. I knew it a long time ago."
Thousands of miles away in Shuo Jing, the Spring River was also full of sparks.
The water lanterns reflected on the water and under the water. It was impossible to tell the difference between heaven and earth. Today, it was drizzling. Above the water lanterns, there was a small paper cover to prevent them from being extinguished by the rain.
In the ancestral hall of the Xiao fu, someone was burning incense.
Ever since Xiao Zhongwu and his wife had passed away, the number of servants in the general's fu had decreased greatly. There were only two young masters, and Xiao Jue was often away from the fu. In the end, it was only Xiao Jing and his wife who did not need so many servants. Normally, it was quiet, but when he looked at it occasionally, it was a little cold and cheerless.
Xiao Jing wore a jade-colored robe. He was as tall and warm as bamboo. When he stood next to Bai Rongwei beside him, anyone would praise them as an immortal couple. Niao Niao, the autumn rain continued outside. A cool wind blew. He took off his cloak and covered Bai Rongwei with it. In a warm voice, he said, "The weather is cold. Be careful not to catch a cold."
"I'm not cold." Bai Rongwei smiled at him and said worriedly, "I wonder what the weather is like in Liangzhou."
"Tonight is the Hungry Ghost Festival." Xiao Jing looked at the drizzle in the courtyard and said, "If Huaijin was here, it would be good."
"He won't come to the ancestral hall." Bai Rongwei shook her head. "He won't enter the ancestral hall."
"He will enter." Xiao Jing's answer was very certain.
Bai Rongwei looked at him with surprise. "But I've never seen him before …"
"It's raining today, and there's thunder." Xiao Jing smiled. "He will enter."
"Rubi, I don't understand." Bai Rongwei did not understand.
"When Huai Jin was very young, he was brought to the mountains by his father and was taught by an expert." Xiao Jing held her hand and said softly, "Throughout the year, we only see him a few times. He has a proud personality. Mother does not like him to play with knives and sticks. In reality, the relationship between Huaijin and Mother has never been good. "
Madame Xiao was the Empress Dowager's niece. That year, it was the Empress Dowager who had bestowed this marriage. Xiao Zhongwu was handsome and powerful, and Madame Xiao liked him very much. But after the marriage, the conflict between the two gradually came to light. Madame Xiao was a delicate flower that grew up in the house. She could not bear the slightest grievance. Xiao Zhongwu was after all a military officer. He was not as attentive as the son of an aristocratic family. Although he had never taken a wife, sometimes it made Madame Xiao unhappy.
During the years when the two of them quarreled most fiercely, it was because of Xiao Jue.
Madame Xiao did not want her two sons to become martial artists. Swords and arrows had no eyes on the battlefield. She herself did not like killing and was a gentle and kind Buddhist. At that time, Xiao Jing missed the best opportunity to practice martial arts because of his health. He had no other choice. Xiao Jue, on the other hand, had been regarded as the future successor by Xiao Zhongwu since young.
Madame Xiao did not want her son to follow in Xiao Zhongwu's footsteps. But for the first time, Xiao Zhongwu, who had always been obedient to Madame Xiao, did not listen to his wife's advice.
The son had been separated from his mother for too long. Although they were related by blood, they were still unfamiliar with each other. Moreover, Xiao Jue was not as obedient and gentle as Xiao Jing when she was young. Sometimes, she would even show a rebellious side. Facing this cold and arrogant son, Madame Xiao did not know how to get along with him.
Madame Xiao tried to be friendly with Xiao Jue, but Xiao Jue's reaction was also indifferent. Madame Xiao liked to drink tea and discuss poetry, but Xiao Jue liked to practice swordsmanship and ride horses. Although Xiao Jue was also good at poetry, the one who accompanied Madame Xiao in the end was Xiao Jing.
"My mother told me in private that she was actually a little afraid of Huaijin." Xiao Jing said, seemingly amused. "After that, she did not deliberately talk to Huaijin. The two of them were always very polite to each other."
"Huaijin was actually very pitiful." Xiao Jing's smile became sad.
"My father was cold and hard. He did not tolerate Huaijin at all. I only found out later that he suffered a lot on the mountain. If he did not tell us, we all thought that he was living a good life. If it were me, I probably would not have been able to hold on for long. "He laughed self-deprecatingly.
Bai Rong patted his hand comfortingly. "Nonsense. You can do well too."
Xiao Jing recalled the year when Xiao Jue came down from the mountain. He asked his younger brother, "How was it on the mountain?"
The youth stretched lazily and smiled lightly. "Not bad."
The three words "not bad" hid all the hardships he had suffered. All that was left was a high-spirited Second Young Master Xiao.
"Others say that a strict father and a loving mother. My father was strict with him, but my mother was not always by his side. When she finally came back, she was overly polite because she was afraid of him. My mother thought that he liked sweets, so she often made osmanthus sweets for him. Huaijin would always eat it clean. Even I was fooled. Later, his close followers said that Huaijin did not eat sweets. "
"Because this was the only way my mother could express her love for him, he ate it. Even if he did not like it, even if no one asked him what he liked to eat."
Bai Rong sighed slightly and did not say anything.
"Although I was his elder brother, I did not seem to have helped him much. Others always said that he was heartless and that he was not as good as me. However, they do not know that the reason why I can be the honorable Eldest Young Master Xiao today is because he bore a lot of burden for me. I know this, and he knows it too. " He smiled bitterly. "Now, I regret that my father did not let me join the military. If I did not become a civil official, perhaps I would be the one to bear the burden of the Xiao family today. Huaijin does not need to be misunderstood by others. "
"We all know that Huaijin is doing this for you." Bai Rong said softly, "Father and Mother will know too."
Xiao Jing looked at the memorial tablet in the ancestral hall. He said, "When Huaijin was young, he was not close to Mother. He would go out every two or three days. In fact, he cared about Mother."
"My mother was timid and easily frightened. She was most afraid of thunder. Every time there was thunder, if Huaijin was at home, he would find an excuse to go to Mother's room to sit. Every time Mother saw Huaijin, she would think about how to get along with Huaijin and forget about the thunder. When the rain stopped, Huaijin would leave. "
"At first, I did not understand. One time, there was thunder and rain. I was outside with him, but he suddenly said that he had something important to do and had to return home. When he returned home, he said that he wanted to eat osmanthus candy. Mother was busy cooking for him. I suddenly understood that Huaijin was just afraid that Mother would be frightened by the thunder, so he deliberately found an excuse to come back. "
Bai Rong heard this and also laughed. She shook her head and said, "Huaijin is really …"
"Unfortunately, Mother did not know Huaijin's feelings for her until she died," Xiao Jing said bitterly. "If she had known, perhaps she would not have ended up like this today."
Bai Rong Wei held his hand tightly. "Mother's spirit in heaven will understand."
"He accompanied Mother when she was alive and after she died. As long as he was at home, whenever there was thunder and rain, he would come to the ancestral hall to accompany Mother. " Xiao Jing smiled slightly. "This is a secret. I did not tell anyone. I think that Huaijin also did not want anyone to know."
Xiao Jue was too proud. He did these things like the spring rain, silently moistening things. He did not ask for any results. But in the end, if one thought about it seriously, he felt that he was the one who was owed the most.
"So you said that if he was in Shuojing today, he would also come to the ancestral hall to accompany Mother." Bai Rong Wei understood.
"He is that kind of person." Xiao Jing smiled.
The smoke in the incense burner floated into the air and slowly dissipated without a trace. The people of the past had become the past. The unspoken care and companionship would no longer have a chance to be explained.
"Rubi, you have to know," Bai Rong Wei pulled Xiao Jing's hand and said gently, "Huaijin did these things to protect Xiao family. Right now, Huaijin is far away in Liangzhou. Prime Minister Xu's faction still sees Xiao family as a thorn in their side. You have to be more alert and not let Huaijin's efforts go to waste. "
Xiao Jing stilled slightly and then smiled. He said, "Of course I know."
"I know that you care about Huaijin." Bai Rong Wei's voice softened. "But I also care about you. Huaijin has taken on many responsibilities, but are you not the same? Prime Minister Xu is secretly suppressing Xiao family and finding fault with you. You are careful at every step in court. How can you be relaxed? "
"You don't have to worry." Xiao Jing smiled. "The most difficult time has passed."
Bai Rong stilled for a moment and then smiled. "You are right."
The rain did not stop. The courtyard in Shuojing was soaked. Thousands of li away in Liangzhou, there was someone leaning on the window in a daze. His fine black hair fell on his shoulders, smooth and cold like silk. His expression was indifferent. The sound of a flute came from the distance. Someone was playing a tune from his hometown. As he listened, he softly smiled.
This smile contained a bit of self-mockery and loneliness. After a moment, he closed the window and isolated the night outside.
The light in the room flickered slowly, reflecting his starry eyes. On the table was a long wooden tray. Scattered rice grains were piled on the tray. The rice grains were different and small flags made of red cloth were inserted.
Shen Han, Liang Ping, and the other instructors were all in the room. They surrounded the table and stared at Xiao Jue's movements.
"Governor, these are the places to put the flags? Isn't there too many? "
"Not too many." The youth's figure was like jade. He held a chess piece and pointed at the red flag at the top. "In seven days, the flag battle will take place on Mount Baiyue."
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