The two returned to the inn, just as Jun Ce and Wanyan Xue also returned from outside.
"Seventh Brother, I'll hold Liang Xuanting for now. We'll take his life when we return to Shuiyong City." Jun Ce said.
Jun Mo nodded: "This time went quite smoothly. We'll return in two or three days at most. I'll write to Duke Weiguo and the others now, telling them to return to Blue Eucalyptus first."
Jun Ce chuckled: "I thought we'd have a fierce battle in Ningdu, but I didn't expect to capture the mastermind so easily."
Wanyan Xue said: "Not just that, you saved the Southern Jiang young Emperor and helped him quell the rebellion. In the future, if Tianqi faces difficulties, Southern Jiang will surely lend its full support, won't it?"
Jun Mo looked at Su Li. The reason he still wanted to wait a few days was because he knew she couldn't let go of that boy. Only when everything had settled down would she feel at ease.
Over the next two days, Southern Jiang's court underwent a major shake-up. Wang Sui, for his role in exposing Liang Shao, was able to atone for his past transgressions. He never fully revealed the crime of treason. The deployment map was given to Tianqi by Liang Chengnian.
If he didn't admit it, someone would surely investigate further. As a monarch, casually divulging a deployment map was, in itself, absurd. The soldiers and common people wouldn't care if he had some hidden difficulties,
nor would they care if Tianqi would endanger Southern Jiang because of it. They would only think that what he did was wrong. Therefore, Wang Sui and Liang Chengnian tacitly never brought up the matter again.
Liang Chengnian approved Wang Sui's request to retire and return home, and with Fu Yecheng's help, filled the vacant official positions in the court. He was busy from dawn till dusk every day, but he didn't forget the few people outside the palace.
On the third day, Su Li was tidying things in her room.
Suddenly, Liang Chengnian's voice came from outside the door, "Sister."
Su Li rose and exited her inner room, to see Liang Chengnian standing at the doorway. He was dressed in a brocade robe, and though there were dark circles under his eyes, he was still a handsome young man.
"Xiaonian, oh, I can't call you Xiaonian anymore. Your Majesty, why are you out of the palace? Liang Shao has only just been apprehended. There might still be stragglers. This is too dangerous for you." Su Li looked left and right. Seeing no one following him, she said worriedly.
Liang Chengnian smiled. His sister still cared for him so much.
"Sister, please continue to call me Xiaonian. No matter what position I hold, before you, I am only Xiaonian."
Su Li also smiled and said, "Xiaonian, come in quickly."
The two returned to the outer room. Su Li poured him tea.
"Don't worry, Sister. I didn't leave the palace alone. Uncle is downstairs talking with Prince Jing." Su Li knew that Jun Mo had intentionally left them space so that they could bid each other a proper farewell.
"We plan to leave Southern Jiang and return to Tianqi tomorrow. Xiaonian, you... please take care." After spending so much time together, she truly couldn't bear to leave. If Xiaonian were truly just an ordinary orphan, she would definitely take him home with her.
"So soon? Why not stay in Southern Jiang a few more days? I've been so busy these past few days that I haven't had time to properly thank Sister and... Brother-in-law." Liang Chengnian's heart was naturally filled with reluctance.
Su Li smiled, "Since you call me 'Sister,' then there's no need for thanks. I've been away from home for so long, and my family has been urging me to return. Sister will come to Southern Jiang to see you again if there's an opportunity."
Liang Chengnian, having experienced so much, was not one to be indecisive. He took out a token from his怀 and handed it to Su Li, saying, "Sister, please keep this token safe. With it, no one in Southern Jiang will dare to stop you wherever you go."
Su Li took the jade pendant, nodded, and said, "Alright, Sister will keep it safe. Xiaonian, there are not many capable people in the court now. If you face any difficulties, send a letter to Prince Jing and me.
We will definitely help if we can. Sister believes that with your abilities, the people of Southern Jiang will surely live better lives under your governance. You must be a good Emperor, Sister will be proud of you!"
Liang Chengnian nodded heavily and said solemnly, "Sister, rest assured, Xiaonian will not disappoint you!"
"Oh, right!"
Liang Chengnian took out another translucent jade pendant carved with a dragon and handed it to Su Li, saying, "Sister, this is for our Third Brother."
Su Li took the jade pendant curiously. Seeing the characters on it, she immediately refused, "How can this be?!"
The jade pendant had 'Gong He' written on one side and 'Prince' on the other. This was a Prince's jade with a title! How could Yu Ge'er accept such an important jade pendant!
"Sister, you must accept it. Didn't you say you consider me your true younger brother? Then Yu Ge'er is Xiaonian's true younger brother, and it's only natural for him to be a Prince."
Su Li found it difficult. "Though you say that, he..."
"Sister, this is a small token of Xiaonian's sincerity. When the court is more stable, I will go to the capital of Tianqi and meet Third Brother." He had his own selfish reasons. He didn't want to lose contact with Su Li like this. In the future, when Yu Ge'er grew up, if he could come to Southern Jiang, that would be even better.
Su Li could not refuse, so she put the jade pendant and token together.
The brother and sister talked for a long time, until Jun Mo knocked on the door, and they realized it was already noon.
Everyone then ordered a table of good wine and dishes, and sat around the table, regardless of rank.
Fu Yecheng raised his wine glass, stood up, and said, "Everyone, come, I, Fu, toast you all! If not for everyone present, I fear... Come, great kindness needs no words of thanks; everything is in the wine. Cheers!"
Everyone also raised their wine glasses. Jun Mo poured a cup of tea for Su Li, and used tea as a substitute for wine. Everyone raised their cups and drank it all.
Wanyan Xue immediately looked at Jun Ce and said, "Jun Ce! Did you swap my wine?"
Jun Ce looked calm. He said, "Your drinking manners are terrible. When you're drunk, you love to talk nonsense."
Wanyan Xue gritted her teeth. "It's just fruit wine. How can I get drunk?"
"Why not? Last time..."
Wanyan Xue's small face flushed, and she quickly interrupted him: "I won't drink, then I won't drink!"
Everyone chuckled, looking at the two.
Jun Mo smiled, "Third Brother, it seems your good fortune is near." Wanyan Xue hadn't drunk, but her face was even redder. She secretly glanced at Jun Ce.
Jun Ce took a sip of wine and slowly said, "Seventh Brother is overthinking."
Wanyan Xue put away the smile on her lips and coldly snorted, "Prince Jing is joking. My imperial father wouldn't bear to marry me off to another country." Su Li inwardly found it amusing, this awkward pair. They clearly cared for each other, yet insisted on being stubborn.
However, Wanyan Xue was right. With the Northern Flame Emperor and Empress's doting on her, they probably truly wouldn't bear to let her leave Northern Flame. The Third Prince never liked staying in Tianqi, always wandering far and wide.
Going to Northern Flame, he wondered if he could accept it. If the Third Prince truly ended up in Northern Flame, the Consort might die of exasperation. Saved a daughter, but lost a son.
Lunch ended in a lively and joyful atmosphere.
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