Chapter 29 “You’re jealous!”

Chapter 29 "Are you jealous?"

The further away from Chang'an, the more dilapidated the relay stations became, and the greater the distance between them.

On this evening, the caravan did not reach a relay station but instead stopped on a riverside meadow with a large expanse of riverbank, where they began to set up camp.

Jiang Congyan had been sitting in the carriage for several days and was quite tired, her body feeling as if it were falling apart. However, Tuo Baxiao's intrusion that night had left her with some lingering unease, so she had deliberately avoided him for a few days. Estimating that the impact had faded, she finally appeared before everyone today.

Jiang Congyan was assisted out of the carriage by Si Zi and slowly stretched her arms to ease her tired body.

At this moment, a golden sunset hung over the mountain peaks in the distance. The warm sunlight cast a gentle, hazy glow over the distant forests. The clouds drifted lazily, and occasionally, birds returning to their nests glided across the sky, creating a serene scene like a landscape painting.

Everyone was busy setting up camp, while Jiang Congyan walked slowly along a level grassy patch by the river.

Suddenly, a burst of excited shouts erupted from the Xianbei cavalry. Jiang Congyan turned to look and saw a group of black-armored soldiers racing away, led by the tall figure of Tuo Baxiao.

The sunset stretched their shadows long on the ground, moving swiftly as they advanced, like a charging giant beast.

Jiang Congyan was somewhat puzzled, and then she heard someone informing Xie Shao: "The Prince of Mobei has taken over twenty men into the mountains to hunt. General, should we intervene?"

The messenger looked at him anxiously, wondering what to do if Xie Shao really ordered them to pursue. They stood no chance in a fight, and if they angered those barbarians...

Xie Shao was also considering the matter.

Hunting itself wasn't the issue, but the person doing the hunting was.

Tuo Baxiao was a barbarian, and they were still within the territory of the Liang State. For him to openly lead his men out in his presence was concerning. If he had any other intentions or if he encountered someone and a conflict arose, it would be a failure on his part as the leader responsible for escorting them.

"General."

Before Xie Shao could make a decision, a clear, cool female voice suddenly broke his train of thought.

He turned around, "Princess?"

Although he had been responsible for Jiang Congyan's escort over the past few days, most of his time had been spent clearing the way, guarding the surroundings, and arranging night watches. He had not been in close attendance and had only briefly seen her twice. They had not spoken before, so her sudden approach surprised him. He quickly noticed her stunning beauty, a flicker of admiration crossing his eyes before he lowered his gaze and looked away.

"Princess, do you have any orders for me?" Xie Shao stood respectfully to the side.

Jiang Congyan did not answer directly but instead asked, "General, are you worried about the Prince of Mobei?"

Xie Shao remained silent, unsure how to respond.

Jiang Congyan continued, "General, you may be overthinking it. With the Prince of Mobei's bravery and the attendants by his side, there should be no danger."

Xie Shao opened his mouth. He wasn't worried about Tuo Baxiao's safety but about other things.

However, the young lady before him seemed to see through his thoughts, and the next moment he heard her say, "The Prince of Mobei might just be bored from the journey and acting on a whim. He likely won't cause any trouble."

Xie Shao, who was already undecided, had no choice but to agree with her words. "The Princess is right." He then dismissed the messenger and decided not to send anyone to pursue Tuo Baxiao.

The air fell silent.

Xie Shao was not good with words, especially when facing a noble princess. He couldn't find a topic to discuss and could only stand quietly, waiting for her instructions.

Jiang Congyan glanced around, "General, may I have a word with you in private?"

Xie Shao raised his eyes, a look of surprise appearing on his serious face.

"Princess, your command is my duty."

Jiang Congyan noticed that from the start, he had answered her with unwavering seriousness and respect, like an employee who only focuses on tasks, oblivious to the subties of human interaction.

She suddenly wondered, with his personality, seemingly incapable of flattering superiors or bonding with colleagues, how did he eventually become the General of Huainan?

Perhaps... the situation had truly reached a point where only he could ensure his own survival, compelling the aristocratic clans to elevate him.

The two dismissed their attendants and strolled to the riverside. The evening breeze gently brushed past, and the river shimmered with rippling light under the setting sun, like dancing golden scales.

Xie Shao didn’t know what she wanted to talk about, standing silently half a step behind her, waiting for her to begin. However, her first words took him completely by surprise.

"General, do you know why you were chosen to lead the escort mission northward?"

Xie Shao’s calm eyes flickered.

Jiang Congyan slowly turned, staring at him unblinkingly.

Xie Shao had indeed thought about it.

He had originally been just a minor Imperial Guard in the court, a somewhat respectable role among commoners, but to the true aristocrats, it was insignificant.

The Imperial Guards protected the imperial city, stood by the emperor’s side, occasionally serving as ceremonial guards. Beyond that, he had no involvement in court affairs.

He had never aimed to influence national matters; he simply wanted to join the military, earn recognition through his own skills, and defend the Liang State. Unfortunately, his humble background denied him even the chance to contribute.

High positions weren’t for commoners, and low positions weren’t for the gentry.

In officialdom, background mattered far more than actual achievements.

With his original background, he could only be an ordinary soldier. Even with outstanding merits, he would forever be trapped outside the divide between the gentry and the commoners, unable to secure a proper role even after years of service. It was only after he rescued an aristocratic clan’s family member from bandits during an outing that the clan, not wanting to appear ungrateful, recommended him as an Imperial Guard.

Being an Imperial Guard wasn’t his ideal, but it was the best option he had at the time.

Xie Shao served as an ordinary guard for three years. Due to his exceptional performance in the annual imperial military drills, he gradually rose to the position of a guard captain, leading a hundred-man unit. For someone of his humble background, this seemed like the peak of his achievements.

Xie Shao had thought so, but half a month ago, during the court's discussion of the escort mission, someone suddenly recommended him.

The escort mission wasn’t a desirable assignment. For Liang State, a marriage alliance was not a glorious affair. Doing well might not bring rewards, but any mishap would make him the scapegoat. The aristocratic officials were unwilling to take on the task, so it fell to him.

For others, it might have been a burdensome duty, but for Xie Shao, it was almost a stroke of luck.

He had long wanted to leave the Imperial Guards but lacked the means. Now, not only had he been transferred to the Traveling Guard Camp, but he had also been promoted to deputy general, rising several ranks. For a commoner, this was the luckiest event in his twenty years of life.

Although both the Traveling Guard Camp and the Imperial Guards were responsible for the safety of the imperial city, their duties were quite different. The Imperial Guards primarily revolved around the emperor, while the Traveling Guard Camp maintained order within and outside Chang'an, even going out to suppress bandits. This filled Xie Shao with hope.

Yet now, hearing her question, something flashed through Xie Shao's mind.

"This humble general does not know," Xie Shao replied, concealing his confusion.

Jiang Congyan slightly tilted her head, looking at the young general before her. His features were regular, his gaze steady, and his golden armor accentuated his tall and imposing military stature. Though he might not match Tuo Baxiao's formidable presence, he still exuded a sense of security.

Most importantly, he was less threatening.

"It was my influence," Jiang Congyan said.

Those simple words struck Xie Shao like a thunderbolt. Even someone as composed as him could not control his astonishment. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the delicate young woman before him.

The riverside breeze gently lifted her stray hair, and Jiang Congyan casually brushed it behind her ear.

"Princess..." Xie Shao was at a loss for words, unsure how to express his complex emotions.

"Do you trust me, General?"

Under normal circumstances, he might not have trusted her, but the events of the past few days had made him hesitate. He knew this Peacemaking Princess was no ordinary person, but could she really have the ability to intervene in court affairs?

With this doubt in mind, Xie Shao suddenly remembered Zhang Zheng and others who had appeared on the road, as well as the incident two days ago when she sent someone to treat the craftsmen. Along the way, the princess had not appeared much, but she always commanded respect. Moreover, behind her was the Marquis of Liangzhou.

"I believe!" Xie Shao said.

He immediately knelt and bowed to her. "I come from modest beginnings. Without Your Highness's support, I wouldn't be here today. Thank you, Your Highness. I’ll ensure your safe escort."

Jiang Congyan watched him and chuckled softly.

This laugh made Xie Shao involuntarily lift his eyes, and then he saw her beauty glowing in the golden sunset. The distant mountains and shimmering river blurred behind her. She stood calmly, her skirt fluttering, her poise unshaken, no less magnificent than her appearance at the banquet that night.

Now, he was personally escorting such a noble lady to a peacemaking marriage. Xie Shao’s heart sank.

Jiang Congyan had originally thought Xie Shao was an inflexible and loyal general, but she didn’t expect him to have some subtle thoughts as well. For example, now, he spoke so openly. He thanked her, but his tone hinted at something more: "I will do my duty, but if you ask me to do something shady, I won’t do it."

"General, rise," Jiang Congyan said, gesturing slightly. "I’m not asking for a favor or trying to manipulate you."

Xie Shao was still deeply skeptical.

He wasn’t eloquent and disliked insincere interactions, but that didn’t mean he lacked the ability to judge people. Yet, he couldn’t quite read this seemingly fragile princess.

"I have something to tell you, General. I worry you might not trust me because I’m a woman," Jiang Congyan said calmly.

"What would you like to say, Your Highness?" Xie Shao became serious again.

Seeing that he was indeed paying attention to her words, Jiang Congyan felt somewhat satisfied.

She stood before him, glancing at the Lüben Guard, then the Xianbei cavalry. Then, in a nearly icy voice, she asked, "If you led a thousand Lüben Guards against five hundred Xianbei cavalry, what are your chances of winning?"

Xie Shao’s expression shifted, as if struck by a thought, and his gaze at her became scrutinizing.

Meeting his eyes, Jiang Congyan realized her words might have led him to misunderstand, so she explained, "Don’t worry, General, I’m not planning to escape the marriage, nor will I actually ask you to engage in battle. I’m just asking hypothetically."

Xie Shao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Just moments ago, he had really thought about what he would do if the princess asked him to help her escape the marriage. He would never even consider it. Risking war and damaging Liang’s relations—he would never allow such a thing, no matter how great the princess’s kindness to him.

But she had no intention of escaping the marriage, which made him feel ashamed of his own unworthy thoughts. He looked away, ashamed of his earlier thoughts.

"Your Highness is noble," Xie Shao said.

"Noble?" Jiang Congyan scoffed, her voice faintly mocking. "Sending a single woman to secure the state—I wonder where the generals are needed."

Her tone was half-smiling, half-mocking.

"..." Xie Shao's face flushed with shame, and he could only lower his head deeply.

He truly should be ashamed. It should be men like him who go to the battlefield to protect the country, but now a weak woman had to be sacrificed to maintain national peace.

Xie Shao clenched his fists, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

"I don’t mean to blame you, General. I just want to know, if you were to engage in battle, what would the outcome be?" Seeing that Xie Shao was so ashamed it seemed he might draw his sword and end his life the next second, Jiang Congyan quickly steered the conversation back, not lingering on the issue of the peacemaking marriage.

She had merely expressed a thought, not expecting Xie Shao to take it so seriously. Such a straightforward person was rare.

Xie Shao finally felt a bit better and began to seriously ponder the question. After a moment, he raised his face and said with difficulty, "We wouldn’t stand a chance."

He wasn’t trying to undermine his own confidence or inflate the enemy’s pride; this was the harsh reality staring him in the face. He wouldn’t spin lies to fool the princess, and besides... this princess was not someone he could easily deceive.

"The general is very honest," Jiang Congyan said with a smile.

She didn’t seem surprised or upset by this.

If she already knew the answer, why bother asking him? Xie Shao couldn't understand her thoughts. Then he heard her ask, "General, how much longer do you think Liang can withstand the barbarians’ onslaught?"

Xie Shao was stunned, forgetting even his decorum as he gaped at her.

Her words unmistakably suggested that Liang was doomed to fall.

As a princess of the state, was it appropriate for her to say such a thing?

The evening wind tangled his hair, but his thoughts were even more tangled.

"The sun is setting." Jiang Congyan turned her head, looking at the sun that had already half disappeared at the horizon, with only a faint glow clinging to the earth. Even the shimmering reflections on the water faded, and the world slipped into silence.

Xie Shao detected a hidden meaning in her words, as if she wasn't just talking about the setting sun but rather that Liang's sun was approaching its end.

He forced himself to push aside his chaotic thoughts and carefully said, "The emperor allied with the Xianbei in an attempt to protect Liang’s territory."

"All alliances are built on strength, and all alliances can crumble. If your sword is dull and you rely on the enemy’s mercy, you’ll only meet your end sooner," Jiang Congyan's cold voice reached its peak.

"General, as a court official, you should grasp the situation better than I do. Think carefully—with Liang’s entire army against the barbarians, can we hold this land?"

In recent years, the barbarians often raided the borders, but only in small skirmishes. The court ministers were convinced they wouldn’t dare invade the south. So while they paid attention to border defense, they didn’t strengthen the defenses. With constant natural disasters and dwindling taxes, military funding was even scarcer than before. Without proper horses and armor, the soldiers’ fighting ability would inevitably decline, and the border defense issues would become increasingly severe.

Even a lowly Metropolitan Commander like him could see these problems. In places he couldn't see, Liang probably had even more enormous and countless contradictions.

Most in the court, even the emperor, hadn’t thought of facing the barbarians with Liang’s own strength. Instead, they fooled themselves into believing Tuo Baxiao could keep the Xiongnu in check, maintaining a fragile peace.

This seemed to be their only choice.

As the princess said, this was like begging for the enemy’s mercy with a blunt sword. Sooner or later, they would pay the price for it.

Xie Shao shut his eyes, pained. The price was too heavy, heavy enough to require the blood of all the people in the world.

"General, are you ready to give up after just a few words from me?"

Xie Shao, immersed in his low spirits, was suddenly interrupted by these words.

He really couldn’t figure out this princess in front of him. The words that saw through the situation and brought despair were hers, and now the mocking words were also hers.

"I am of low rank and humble origin, truly incapable of turning the tide," Xie Shao's voice was muffled, with a hint of resentment.

Even though he had a fervent desire to serve his country and was willing to die on the battlefield, the court didn’t give him this opportunity.

Seeing that she had indeed pushed him to the brink, Jiang Congyan stopped deliberately provoking him.

She turned around, her back to him, looking at the sun that was about to completely disappear. After a long while, a sentence as light as a butterfly's wings floated to Xie Shao's ears with the wind:

"General, you carry grand dreams, but I have a path to the heavens. Will you take it?"

Xie Shao's eyes widened in shock.

A path... to the heavens?

For a long time, Xie Shao's mind was still echoing those words as light as a feather yet as weighty as a thousand pounds.

"After the general returns to Chang'an, you might want to seek out Huan Qilang."

"With frequent natural disasters and constant uprisings, the southern lands might just be the stage for the general's rise."

Xie Shao remained puzzled. Why must he go south? Couldn't he go to the northern passes to fend off the barbarians? And what was the relationship between Huan Qilang and her?

But the princess didn't elaborate, merely asking if he was willing.

Xie Shao hesitated.

By then, the last rays of the sun had completely vanished. The surrounding camps had already been set up, with fires burning in front of the tents, where people were either roasting or preparing food. Some were fetching water from the shallow river, bustling about, creating a lively atmosphere.

Only the gravel beach where they stood was eerily quiet, with no one else around. The faint moonlight and the surrounding firelight enveloped them, casting their silhouettes in a soft glow.

As Tuo Baxiao rode back, he spotted this striking scene from a distance.

Two figures, one slender and delicate, the other broad and robust, with a notable height difference, appeared quite matched from afar.

Tuo Baxiao clenched his fingers tightly around the whip in his palm. His deep green eyes narrowed dangerously, and he exhaled sharply, raising the whip without hesitation and cracking it onto the horse's back.

"Giddy up!"

The steed neighed and bolted forward like an arrow from a bow.

As a martial artist, Xie Shao was more attuned to his surroundings. He immediately caught the sound of galloping hooves and swiftly turned to look, just in time to see an exceptionally tall figure on horseback charging towards him with thunderous force.

He instinctively drew his sword and stepped in front of the princess, but in the next instant, the horse's head was right in front of him.

Just as he prepared to strike, even if it meant offending the Prince of Mobei to safeguard the princess, the man on the horse suddenly yanked the reins hard. The galloping steed came to a sudden halt, its powerful front legs forced upward, and the entire horse reared up. The man's body was suspended horizontally in mid-air, yet his legs remained tightly clamped to the horse's belly, unmoving. He held the reins firmly, controlling the horse beneath him until, after several stomps, it landed heavily before Xie Shao.

The horse's head was right in front of his forehead, its hot breath brushing his face. Just a hair's breadth away from being trampled, Xie Shao stood his ground, not retreating an inch.

Seeing his courage, Tuo Baxiao snorted and pointed at him with the whip, coldly ordering, "Get lost!"

Xie Shao did not move.

The Prince of Mobei had come with ill intentions, and Xie Shao didn't know if he would harm the princess.

Tuo Baxiao's expression grew even darker, appearing more sinister in the already dim night.

Before he could act, Jiang Congyan suddenly spoke, "General, you may go first. The Prince of Mobei might have something to discuss with me."

With that, she stepped forward from the side and stood in front of the horse.

"Yes." Though Xie Shao was uneasy, he could not disobey the princess's command. He could only glance at Tuo Baxiao covertly and retreat to a distance to keep watch.

His position allowed him to neither hear their conversation nor miss any of their movements.

Tuo Baxiao took in all his subtle actions, guessing his thoughts, and became even more displeased.

He was her husband. What right did an outsider have to look at him with such a defensive gaze?

Jiang Congyan stood in front of the horse, tidying her hair that had been tousled by the strong wind, when suddenly her chin was pressed by something hard and rough, still warm.

It was Tuo Baxiao's whip.

He sat high on the horse, leaning down, his strong arm extending to lift her chin with the whip handle, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"You keep your distance from me, but you’re all smiles and chatter with another man."

His tone was sharp with accusation and anger, and with his towering height and muscular build, he looked like a territorial tiger, radiating danger.

Jiang Congyan, standing below, barely reached the height of the horse’s head. She had to tilt her head back to look up at Tuo Baxiao on horseback, exposing her slender, delicate neck. Her fair, delicate face, as if painted by an artist, looked like a white sandalwood flower blooming in the night—beautiful but fragile.

But in her clear, dark eyes, there was no sign of fear. Instead, she faced his scowl with a soft smile, her eyes crinkling slightly.

"You're jealous!" she said softly.

Her soft, melodic voice carried on the night breeze, cooling Tuo Baxiao’s fiery anger in an instant.

"Uh—"

For a moment, he was speechless, unsure what to say.