Chapter 231: Arrival - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 231: Arrival

“Doing something like this, it seems that Princess Changlin’s punishment hasn’t made you sober up, has it?” Bai Chaoran was the first to get angry, though he kept his voice low.

Bai Sifu, considering the situation and not wanting to speak openly outside, said to her, “Get in the car, we’re going home!”

No wonder she had come along; it wasn’t just to see the second young master off but to send her beloved Young Master Wen as well.

Yet, he hadn’t appreciated it at all, making her a laughingstock.

Bai Sihan, with tears in her eyes, couldn’t understand why the suitor she adored had turned away so suddenly. Faced with the anger of her uncles, she felt it was better not to return to the Bai family’s residence, fearing another scolding.

Upon entering the examination hall, Feng Jinlin and Yin Canwen were separated and placed in different examination rooms, with several rooms in between them. Wen Mengsheng was closer to Yin Canwen, only three rooms apart.

Wen Mengsheng held a grudge against Yin Canwen, not forgetting how his father had compared him unfavorably with Yin. He smiled insincerely and said to Yin Canwen, “Master Yin, you should answer well. Otherwise, if you ruin your future, who knows if you’ll still be able to be on such friendly terms with Feng’s second young master.”

His words were filled with mockery and provocation. Yin Canwen gave him a faint glance and walked firmly into his examination room, leaving Wen Mengsheng with an infuriating view of his back.

“Good for you, Yin Canwen, so high and mighty. I’ll see if you’re still smiling when the results come out!”

The next five days were quiet in the examination hall, filled only with the faint scent of ink and paper.

While the exams were taking place in the Eastern Capital, the army of the Western Expedition had been moving intermittently for over a month.

They had traveled more than halfway, and with just seven or eight days remaining to reach Liangzhou, Xiao Mu Qian’s urgency turned into calm.

They had been receiving news from Liangzhou along the way.

Hearing that the Northern Di army had remained inactive, many soldiers under the Ninth Prince’s command had exaggerated their glory.

They spoke of how the enemy was frightened and paralyzed at the thought of the 'War God' arriving, and that the Northern Di were nothing but insignificant; once they reached Liangzhou, they might not even need to fight, as the enemy would be terrified just seeing the Ninth Prince’s flag.

Xiao Mu Qian had listened to this flattery all along, initially with disdain but now with numb indifference.

In contrast, General Su maintained a calm demeanor, as if the flattery had not affected him.

He suspected that the Northern Di must be plotting something else. Given their nature, how could they possibly let go of the rich Liangzhou so easily?

The army’s progress was quite fast.

Xiao Mu Qian had originally thought they might reach Liangzhou by April or May, but the pace was quicker than expected.

However, he wasn’t foolish enough to think that the swift march had anything to do with the support for Liangzhou.

He had accidentally witnessed the Ninth Prince receiving a secret letter, which he could not read, but noticed that after reading it, the prince was overjoyed and immediately ordered the army to advance rapidly.

Then, the so-called military advisor, Master Du, was summoned to the tent for a long discussion, after which the advisor seemed to have disappeared, and no one knew where he had gone.

Xiao Mu Qian’s doubts were soon resolved when the secret agents from Prince Ding's residence quietly contacted him.

He learned that the reason for the accelerated march was related to the rumors released by the prince. His worries were almost dispelled.

Now, he wanted to rest and recuperate, ready to replace his uncle and other soldiers once they arrived in Liangzhou. It was evident that they had been on high alert for a long time.

In the main tent, the soldiers were still drinking and toasting around the Ninth Prince. Xiao Mu Qian, disliking the scene, excused himself, claiming dizziness, and left.

The Ninth Prince, Xiao Yunli, had no particular feelings toward his cousin. They had rarely met since childhood. As long as he could fight and bring him military achievements, nothing else mattered.

With his thoughts faded, he continued drinking.

Outside the tent, the sky was full of stars.

As they moved closer to the northwest, the stars in the sky grew denser, casting a mysterious and peaceful light.

Xiao Mu Qian stood in the cool breeze, and many of his worries and frustrations were carried away by the wind. He thought of the happy times he had spent in Liangzhou.

“Uncle, you must hold on until I arrive.”

He silently thought.

Seven days later, the grand army arrived in Ganzhou.

Ganzhou was the administrative center of the four northwestern states. The Governor of the Northwest, Shan Yan, had been waiting at the city gate for some time.

Upon seeing the Ninth Prince’s flag, he led the local officials and wealthy merchants in a respectful greeting, proclaiming, “Welcome, Ninth Prince.”

The grandeur of the welcome was as if he were not leading an army to the rescue but hosting a grand reception.

The soldiers following the Ninth Prince were quite pleased, thinking they had chosen the right master and would surely achieve great success in the future!

Xiao Mu Qian, meanwhile, scanned the surroundings for his uncle Xiao Ji’s presence.

The carriage axle of the Ninth Prince, as it rolled over the bluestone-paved ground, made a faint sound. The local earthy aroma mixed with the scent of meat and wine wafted to everyone’s noses.

Beyond the red city walls, the view was of continuous towering mountains, capped with white snow. This was the only region in the four states that resembled the southern Yangtze River, thus avoiding much of the dust and sand.

The Ninth Prince, from behind the curtain, could not see the outside scene. However, Governor Shan Yan, seeing this, loudly announced, “I, Shan Yan, Governor of the Northwest, greet the Ninth Prince.”

The officials behind him also called out, “We greet the Ninth Prince.”

The uniform and loud voices reached Xiao Yunli’s ears, filled with excitement.

He envisioned the day he would ascend the throne, with such overwhelming acclaim all for himself, his eyes gleaming with greed as if he were already the exalted emperor.

“There’s no need for extra formalities, Governor.”

“Your Highness, it is our fortune to have you lead the army to relieve Liangzhou’s plight. We have prepared a welcoming feast in the city, and the soldiers need a good rest.”

This kind of tactful approach was exceptional. No wonder his grandfather praised this person; he clearly had good insight.

He then said to the others, “In that case, the army will rest in Ganzhou for two days. Liangzhou isn’t under attack yet, and it has indeed been a long journey.”

“Understood.”

The soldiers’ voices were thunderous. The Ninth Prince casually glanced around and noticed that next to Governor Shan Yan, there was a little girl who seemed out of place.

She was dressed in a pink coat and a white rabbit fur cape, with her hair tied up in matching bows adorned with gold foil and pearls, looking very cute.

She appeared to be only seven or eight years old. Despite the grand occasion, she wasn’t frightened at all, maintaining a calm and composed expression. This intrigued the Ninth Prince.