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Xiao Rong walked with his eyes lowered. He didn’t know where he was going, he just wanted to walk.

After a few steps, he heard fast footsteps approaching from behind. Xiao Rong frowned and turned to see Dongfang Jin running over, closely following him.

Xiao Rong wanted to say that the camp was safe and there was no need to assign him a guard, but Dongfang Jin probably wasn’t acting on his own. Whoever commanded Dongfang Jin wouldn’t be persuaded by his words.

Forget it.

Xiao Rong turned back and continued walking silently. Dongfang Jin breathed a sigh of relief and then followed along with a good mood.

As they walked, Xiao Rong noticed people’s gazes change. Previously, even strangers looked at him with admiration and curiosity, but now, besides those feelings, there was a secret scrutiny.

Xiao Rong paused slightly. Dongfang Jin immediately stepped forward, about to explain what kind of place this was, when Xiao Rong’s eyes fixed on a general who just came out of the camp tent. The man might have just woken up or been restless inside. After coming out, he stretched hard and then squinted at the surroundings.

After he met Xiao Rong’s gaze, his scalp immediately tightened.

Xiao Rong, however, smiled very happily. “Lord Huang, it really has been many days since we last met!”

Huang Yanjiu: “…”

Wasn’t it said that Xiao Rong never left Qu Yunmie’s side? Which damn informant gave me wrong information?!

Xiao Rong walked over calmly. Huang Yanjiu also curled his lips, but no matter how you looked at his expression, it seemed somewhat stiff.

He cupped his hands toward Xiao Rong. “Heh heh, Lord Xiao, I wonder how you found time today to come to see me.”

Xiao Rong sighed. “Don’t call me Lord Xiao anymore. I am now a commoner and no longer deserve the title of ‘Lord’.”

Huang Yanjiu didn’t know about this matter. Among several allies, only He Tingzhi knew that Xiao Rong had stepped down, but he and Huang Yanjiu weren’t close, so information wasn’t shared between them.

He frowned and if one didn’t look carefully, he really looked like he was concerned about Xiao Rong. “How could this be? Did Mr. Xiao anger the King?”

If so, did this mean he had a chance to win Xiao Rong over?

Xiao Rong looked at him innocently. “How could I dare to anger the King? I simply felt I wasn’t capable enough, so I handed over the position of Governor of Chenliu to someone else. Sigh, in the end, I am still young and cannot bear the heavy responsibility of being a Governor. I don’t know what position the King intends to give me in the future. From my point of view, I can no longer be the Governor of a region, probably I can only manage as a Situ, Minister over the Masses, in the capital, barely managing.”

Huang Yanjiu: “…”

You damn well came here just to show off today, right!

Who doesn’t know the status of Situ is just a bit below the Prime Minister, sometimes even equal. You’re simply crazy. If you want a promotion, just say so, why come here and say all of this?!

Huang Yanjiu was so angry his head hurt, but he still had to continue pretending with Xiao Rong. “Heh, heh heh, then I, Huang, must congratulate Mr. Xiao on his promotion.”

Xiao Rong waved his hand. “Hey, it’s not even settled yet. The King doesn’t know about it. I’ll mention it to him in a few days and see if he is willing to give me this position.”

Huang Yanjiu was numb.

Xiao Rong then cupped his hands and took his leave, not even giving Huang Yanjiu a chance to respond. As Xiao Rong and Dongfang Jin left, Dongfang Jin quietly turned and looked at Huang Yanjiu, who looked completely crushed by the blow, and he couldn’t help but ask Xiao Rong, “Mr. Xiao, why did you say those things to him? Did he do something that upset you?”

Xiao Rong shrugged. “No, I just wanted to annoy him a bit, so I could feel better.”

Dongfang Jin: “…”

Xiao Rong suddenly turned and asked him, “Where is He Tingzhi?”

After a moment of silence, Dongfang Jin decisively pointed in one direction. Although he didn’t understand why Xiao Rong would calm his mood in such a way, Dongfang Jin thought it best to cooperate because he had a feeling that if Xiao Rong couldn’t find the right person, he might just go back and vent his anger at the King. For the peace of the army camp, it was better to sacrifice the Prince of Dongyang.

…

Xiao Rong stayed there for a whole hour. After bullying the unlucky number one and unlucky number two, Xiao Rong chatted with the other allies. Not everyone was as selfish as those two unlucky ones, there were really people who came to avenge the Central Plains.

Although their forces weren’t large, their attitude was truly admirable.

Xiao Rong talked with them about the changes in the Northern Army now, hoping to leave a good impression, so when they faced a choice later, they could decisively side with the Northern Army.

Once he started doing serious things, some thoughts in Xiao Rong’s heart gradually faded. Seeing that the time was about right, Xiao Rong stood up, planning to go back to the royal tent to check.

Not long after he walked out, a soldier came to find him. “Mr. Xiao, General Jian ordered me to find you. People from Chenliu have arrived.”

Xiao Rong was stunned. “People have come? Did something happen in Chenliu?”

The soldier shook his head. “No, everything in Chenliu is fine. It is the Buddha’s Son who has come. I don’t know exactly why, I only know General Jian told you to return as soon as possible.”

Xiao Rong said “oh” and once he heard it was Mijing, he felt relieved. If something really happened in Chenliu, the person least likely to abandon the city would be Mijing.

Still, he couldn’t understand why Mijing came, so he slowly walked back while pondering Mijing’s purpose.

Halfway through thinking, his steps suddenly stiffened for a moment.

Dongfang Jin heard Xiao Rong mutter “bad,” and he wanted to ask what was bad, but just as he turned, Xiao Rong dashed past him like the wind.

Dongfang Jin: “!!!”

Wait for me, Mr. Xiao!

…

Xiao Rong hadn’t run in a long time. When he neared the royal tent, he was gasping for breath, and Mijing happened to come out.

After many days, Mijing was stunned when he saw Xiao Rong. He carefully observed Xiao Rong’s complexion, and after Xiao Rong caught his breath, he suddenly quickened his pace, grabbed Mijing’s arm, and headed toward his own tent.

Mijing was forced to follow, stumbling twice, while the people around them watched, not understanding what they were doing.

Mijing was slightly taller than Xiao Rong, so when Xiao Rong narrowly passed underneath, Mijing’s forehead firmly hit the wooden beam supporting the tent.

Xiao Rong’s mind was full of other things, so he didn’t notice Mijing’s forehead turning red. As soon as he entered, he bluntly asked Mijing, “What did you just say to the King?”

Mijing wanted to rub his forehead, but after hearing this, he lowered his hand. “Nothing much, just inquired about the King’s health and advised him to take care of himself and not be too worried.”

Xiao Rong asked, “That’s all?”

Mijing smiled. “That’s all. The King doesn’t like me appearing in front of him. Even if I had other things to say, this isn’t the time.”

The crisis was resolved, and Xiao Rong let out a heavy sigh. He sat down and then asked Mijing, “So why did you come here? How is it in Chenliu?”

Mijing sat cross-legged opposite Xiao Rong. “Chenliu is fine. The one who has issues is Song Shuo. He has to be busy with official business during the day and worry about your safety at night. Before your letter of safety arrived at Chenliu, he hadn’t rested well at all. When your letter arrived, he fell ill. If it weren’t for Chancellor Gao’s timely return, Zhao Xingzong and I would’ve been exhausted in the palace.”

Xiao Rong pressed his lips. “Was the illness serious?”

Mijing shook his head. “It was just a cold. He was better by the time I left.”

Xiao Rong looked at him. “Then this time you came—”

Mijing lowered his eyes. “I heard about what happened on the day of Mid-Autumn. I wanted to come and perform a memorial service for General Qu and his wife, as well as the other souls of the Northern Army. Also… I heard the Xianbei have allies. Maybe I can help.”

Xiao Rong said, “They’re all prairie allies, not Western region allies. Few of these small countries here believe in Buddha.”

Mijing smiled. “One or two is enough. Even if they don’t believe in Buddhism, they have some contact with the Western countries. If we can win without fighting, why create more killing?”

Xiao Rong looked at him and nodded in agreement. “Indeed. Thank you for thinking so thoroughly.”

Mijing modestly said, “Young Lord Xiao, you need not be so polite. We are both working for the King’s great cause.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

Facing Mijing, Xiao Rong tried to lie less, otherwise he always felt like he was doing something wrong. He rubbed his nose and changed the subject. “There is one more thing I need to ask Buddha’s Son to help with. I already told the Chancellor before, but at the time I didn’t expect the Buddha’s Son to come, so I—”

Mijing looked at Xiao Rong’s hesitant expression and suddenly understood. “Young Lord Xiao means the incident on Mid-Autumn day? Chancellor Gao already warned me not to tell the King.”

Xiao Rong was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed. “So the Chancellor already told you. Then did Buddha’s Son agree to help me?”

Mijing chuckled lightly. “Of course. Although I don’t know why Young Lord Xiao doesn’t want to tell the King, this is your wish after all. I cannot disobey, so I never told the King. Only when General Jian asked if everyone in Chenliu was safe did I accidentally mention it, but informing General Jian should be fine, right?”

Xiao Rong’s expression completely stiffened.

Jian—Qiao—?!

It would be better to tell Yuan Baifu than to tell Jian Qiao!!!

Xiao Rong suddenly stood up, pointing at Mijing with shaking hands. “You, you, you! You did it on purpose, didn’t you!”

Xiao Rong seemed to have a thousand words he wanted to throw at Mijing’s face, but he suddenly realized this wasn’t the time to settle scores with Mijing. He had to hurry and find Jian Qiao!

He felt like he was about to go crazy. “Where did Jian Qiao go?!”

Mijing was startled and answered him, “General Jian has been in the royal tent. He said you asked him to stay and guard the King.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

Damn.

They had driven Xiao Rong to curse, showing how urgent this matter was in his heart.

Xiao Rong immediately turned and ran out, while Mijing looked at his back in confusion. When he could no longer see him, Mijing’s expression changed slightly.

From confusion to calm.

Lowering his eyes, Mijing silently said inside, “Sorry.”

The Northern Army King dying from an enemy’s ambush was something Xiao Rong couldn’t accept, and Mijing was the second who couldn’t accept it. Perhaps their order should be switched. Xiao Rong’s grief came from his binding with Qu Yunmie, he couldn’t accept dying together. Over time, Xiao Rong would understand that not all things in this world were under his control. Even if unbound, he could still die in an accident. If he applied Qu Yunmie’s accident to himself, he would realize it was not completely unacceptable.

As for Mijing, he was the one who truly couldn’t accept Qu Yunmie dying just like that.

Ten years of silence, months of observation, Mijing pinned the future of this world on Qu Yunmie. He sat once again at the gambling table, but this time he was betting on Qu Yunmie winning.

So, sorry, Xiao Rong.

He could no longer afford to lose again.

 

 

Edited by: Antiope

 

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