Chapter 207: Grand Finale (2)

Chapter 207: Grand Finale (2)

Shen Fuqing remembered that day—the last snowfall of spring. He stood under the pear tree outside the Xie residence in thin robes, umbrella-less.

The vermilion walls and brown tiles stood in silence, pear blossoms weighed down with cold snow. When the wind blew, the fragrance of flowers wafted through the air, scattering petals across the courtyard. When the carved door opened, Shen Fuqing caught sight of Xie Shu at once.

At that time, the Crown Prince, in brocade robes and a fox-fur cloak, had features warm and exquisitely refined. Seeing him standing under the snow-laden tree, the Crown Prince smiled and called, "Shen Qing."

Years later, Shen Fuqing still remembered the look on his teacher's face when he called him that day. "With snow this heavy, why didn't you bring an umbrella, Shen Qing?" Xie Shu said as he ordered attendants to bring ginger soup to warm him up. "Have some to warm yourself up."

"Teacher, your student is unworthy."

"Take it." Xie Shu chuckled, then pointed to a painting he had just finished on the table. It depicted a snow-covered bridge in spring, a pear tree in full bloom at the bridge's edge, clusters of petals like snow, capturing a scene of abundant spring vitality.

"This painting is a gift for you, Shen Qing."

That day was Xie Shu's last day teaching at the Xie residence. As the wind passed, snowflakes fell softly and pear blossoms quivered. Xie Shu's gaze inadvertently fell on the scar behind Shen Fuqing's ear. The Crown Prince spoke softly:

"A gentleman born in a foreign land is not at fault for his birth. In the future, Shen Qing need not be troubled by your origins, nor need you mind what others think."

"Teacher..."

The ginger soup in Shen Fuqing's hands nearly slipped from his grip. So the Crown Prince had known his identity all along.

Xie Shu smiled and said nothing more. "Take the painting and go." A barely perceptible trace of melancholy flickered in the Crown Prince's eyes. "When we meet again, you need not call me teacher anymore."

With that, Xie Shu turned his back, no longer looking at Shen Fuqing. Outside the window, pear petals drifted down onto the painting. Shen Fuqing respectfully bowed to Xie Shu, then carefully tucked the petal away with the painting. "Your Highness, this servant takes his leave."

Xie Shu's voice was soft. "Go."

Shen Fuqing left. He had arrived in thin robes, braving the snow; he departed draped in the Crown Prince's snow-fox cloak, with palace attendants holding an umbrella over him. When snow covered the steps, Shen Fuqing looked back once more, but Xie Shu was already out of sight.

"Lord Shen, this way, please."

"Thank you, Eunuch."

Clutching the painting, Shen Fuqing walked away through the snow, step by step.

In the blink of an eye, time slipped by, and another year's snow fell.

This was the first year since the Crown Prince's death.

Shen Fuqing burned the painting Xie Shu had given him with his own hands. In the flickering flames, he seemed to see the Crown Prince's gentle, benevolent features once more.

And in the next blink, before him were flying blood, thunderous smoke explosions, and surging mountain floods that buried all of Shen Fuqing's past...

The river tilted and the moon set; the chaos of war finally came to an end.

—

When He Zhao woke, Mengqin already held the chill of autumn. He lay on a soft woolen blanket, his throat so dry it felt like it was about to catch fire.

"Is anyone there?"

The moment he spoke, someone rushed into the tent—Xiao Baiyu, dressed in snow-white robes.

"Zhou Zhou, you're finally awake!"

Xiao Baiyu's voice trembled slightly as he pulled He Zhao tightly into his arms, unable to help himself.

"Cough, cough—thirsty, so thirsty, Senior Brother!" He Zhao's body was limp all over, and held so tightly he couldn't break free, he could only rasp weakly, "Water, water..."

Xiao Baiyu was so flustered with worry that even as He Zhao called for water repeatedly, he held him without moving. Fortunately, Qin Jiao also entered the tent and noticed He Zhao's hands flailing like a spider demon's.

"Divine Doctor Xiao, let Zhou Zhou go quickly—he's about to die of thirst..." Qin Jiao said as he poured tea for He Zhao. When he handed it over, He Zhao drank a large cup straight from Qin Jiao's hand.

"How long was I out? Did we win the Battle of Xiqiao Dam?" Once his throat felt somewhat better, He Zhao asked hurriedly.

"Zhou Zhou has been out for a month," Xiao Baiyu answered.

"The Tianyuan Dynasty won a great victory at Xiqiao Dam," Qin Jiao replied, thinking back on everything that had happened over the past month.

On the day of the great battle, Shen Fuqing, with explosives strapped to his body, had perished together with Wu Tuyin. At the same time, as news of Wu Tuyin's death spread back, Mengqin began to fracture from within. Originally, Mengqin had been formed by the unification of multiple tribes. Three years prior, after Wu Tuyin's first defeat against Xie Nai, there had been rebellions within Mengqin, but all had been brutally suppressed by Wu Tuyin.

Now with Wu Tuyin dead in battle, the remaining Mengqin generals each sought to take his place, or to carve out their own territories as kings. Leaderless, Mengqin was in complete chaos.

Meanwhile, it wasn't just Mengqin that was in turmoil—Tianyuan was too.

After the war ended, Xie Xuanran led his troops back to the capital. Court ministers petitioned him daily, and their memorials fell into two factions: one advocated for continued warfare, suggesting that with Mengqin in civil strife, the dynasty should seize the opportunity to attack again and conquer Mengqin outright to avoid future troubles.

The other faction advocated for peace, arguing that war would bring devastation to the people of both nations. Let the Mengqin fight among themselves—Tianyuan had also suffered great losses in this conflict, and another forceful attack was inadvisable. The priority should be restoring the people's livelihood.

The two sides argued endlessly, each claiming to be right, and Xie Xuanran was deeply torn. Just then, Grand Tutor Wu offered a suggestion to resolve the current dilemma—the two nations should continue marriage alliances.

"Huh? Even in this situation, we're still doing marriage alliances?"

After hearing the background, He Zhao widened his eyes in astonishment, nearly spitting out his congee.

"Exactly what I thought."

Qin Jiao also sighed.

"So who's marrying whom?" After finishing his tongue-twister of a question, He Zhao asked in confusion, "Is it still that Princess marrying into Tianyuan? But the Fifth Prince is already dead?"

"No..." Qin Jiao tried to keep his voice calm, "It's me and Sixth Brother."

He Zhao: "?"

"And he's the one 'marrying' into Mengqin." Qin Jiao closed his eyes, finally delivering this absurd and outrageous piece of news to He Zhao.

"Huh??"

He Zhao was stunned for a long moment before finally blurting out, "A frog perched on a bald man's head—you two really are something else! I never thought you'd marry before me and Senior Brother..."

At that, Xiao Baiyu couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle beside him.

"No, no, we haven't married yet," Qin Jiao tried to explain.

Originally, Grand Tutor Wu's intention was for the former Mengqin Princess to continue a marriage alliance with a Tianyuan prince. But as it turned out, that Princess was Wu Tuyin's biological sister. Upon learning of her brother's death in battle, she would rather die than enter another marriage alliance. And the young Mengqin prince Wuliel was still too young to be of marriageable age.

At that time, Lin Wen had a flash of creative inspiration and thought of Qin Jiao.

Qin Jiao was the son of Wulige, and strictly speaking, he could be considered a Mengqin prince. Having him enter the marriage alliance could barely pass as reasonable. With the idle thought of causing some trouble for his old rival, Lin Wen immediately proposed to Xie Xuanran the idea of Qin Jiao being the one for the alliance.

That very night, Xie Nai entered the palace, and by the next day, the imperial edict announcing the marriage alliance between the Prince of Lingnan and the "Mengqin Prince" was proclaimed to the world.

In truth, the so-called marriage alliance was merely a legitimate pretext. Once the edict was issued, Xie Nai led his "dowry"—two hundred thousand Lingnan Army troops, along with three hundred thousand catties of grain and one hundred thousand catties of tea and salt—into Mengqin. No one could find fault with it.

Under the guise of marriage alliance, they carried out actual takeover. With both benevolence and might applied, Mengqin's internal strife could be quelled, and the people of the world could live in peace.

Now Xie Nai has fully taken over Mengqin with the Lingnan Army, and he suppressed every last one of the generals who had tried to stir up trouble or carve out their own fiefdoms.

If you asked him, he'd say he's not the Prince of Lingnan right now—he's just the husband of Prince Qin Jiao, taking care of family business. This whole move blindsided those generals. Who would've thought the high-and-mighty Prince of Lingnan would be so "flexible" he didn't even mind "marrying in"?

"So when do I get to toast your wedding?"

Just as Qin Jiao was spacing out, He Zhao's words snapped him back to reality.

"Well..." Qin Jiao thought for a moment, "Let's do yours and Divine Doctor Xiao's first."

"That works too, but our wedding date will probably have to be postponed." He Zhao looked at Xiao Baiyu, the little peacock grinning from ear to ear, "Senior Brother, you're gonna have to wait a little longer for me."

"Alright, whatever Zhou Zhou says." Xiao Baiyu replied gently.

"Ugh, you two are so sappy..." Qin Jiao couldn't take it, "No, I need to leave now!"

With that, Qin Jiao lifted his robes and dashed out. Just as he flung open the tent flap, he saw Xie Nai walking toward him.

The mountains stretched out in dark blue silhouettes, thick with greenery. At this moment, the refined and unrestrained young man stood in the glow of the setting sun, as striking as a jade tree, captivating and elegant.

"Xie Nai!"

It seemed as if countless flowers suddenly bloomed in Qin Jiao's heart. He ran joyfully toward Xie Nai, and like a bird diving into the forest, he threw himself into his embrace without hesitation...

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