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墨書 Inktalez
Nian Gengyao was summoned back to the capital, tasked with managing military affairs alongside Fu Yuan General Yan Xin.
He was granted extraordinary items: a pair of peacock feathers, four dragon-patterned robes, a yellow belt, purple reins, and gold coins. Everyone knew that these were tokens of the Emperor's trust and favor.
"Xiao Man, do you know what kind of people are kneeling on the ground to welcome us?"
Nian Gengyao sat tall on his horse, pointing down at the two officials by the roadside. "This one is the first-rank Governor-General, Fan Shijie, and that one is the current first-rank governor of the frontier, Zhi Li Governor Li Weijun."
Xiao Man, dressed in light armor, smiled and nodded. "In the Great Qing Dynasty, only the Grand General holds such honors!"
Nian Gengyao gazed intently into her eyes, confirming that they were indeed filled with deep admiration. His heart blossomed with joy.
Upon arriving in the capital, a grand procession of thousands on horseback welcomed him, with officials lining the streets for ten miles, bowing and dancing in greeting.
Xiao Man's delicate features appeared slightly pale as she shyly glanced around. Nian Gengyao, however, wore a proud expression as he confidently rode forward.
He wanted her to understand that only he could bestow such honor and affection upon her in this world.
Nian Gengyao took her into the palace, wanting her to witness firsthand how he garnered the Emperor's favor and trust.
Yet, in an unguarded moment as he glanced back, he noticed that since entering the palace, Xiao Man’s gaze had not remained on him.
She kept her head lowered, occasionally stealing glances at him but inevitably looking towards the Emperor as well.
Until that moment, he suddenly realized that the most powerful person in the world was not him.
He fought fiercely on the battlefield because he had to obey the man before him, clad in an Imperial Robe.
The formidable reputation he had earned was also granted to him by this man.
He was the true king of this realm; he could give himself everything or take everything away from himself, including Xiao Man.
This woman who only wished to Submit.
A nameless jealousy burned fiercely in his heart, scorching his very insides.
From that day on, he became aware that deep into the night, he always found himself in the rich Sinking Incense drapery, which seemed to blend with some other scent.
He discovered that every night, Xiao Man, who slept beside him, would occasionally leave the bed to sit at the writing desk. With her delicate hands and slender wrists slightly raised, a small strip of paper would fly towards her after a soft whistle, bringing a pure white dove to carry it away.
He squinted his eyes in bed and silently smiled, revealing a row of neat teeth that gleamed ominously behind the drapery.
In the second year of Yongzheng, winter, December
"It is easy for mortal subjects to seek merit but difficult to achieve success; success is easy, but maintaining it is hard; maintaining it is easy, yet completing it is difficult. If one relies on merit to create faults, it will surely lead to turning gratitude into enmity—this has always been human nature.
You ministers of merit rely on your sovereign to prevent minor issues from escalating into crises; you must recognize opportunities and avoid repeating past mistakes; you must ensure that all officials avoid suspicion and distance themselves from doubts, so as not to lead you to a dead end."
"None of the three can be missing. My lord and I urge caution," he said.
Nian Gengyao held the imperial edict, reading it three times before turning to Xiao Man, who was preparing tea for him. "Xiao Man, what do you think the Emperor means by this?"
Xiao Man paused slightly, a hint of unease flickering across her face. "I have followed my father in practicing martial arts since childhood and have read little. I do not understand these lofty words."
"Is that so?" Nian Gengyao smirked but chose not to say more.
Sensing his displeasure, Xiao Man poured a cup of tea and handed it to him, her hands wrapping around his neck as she spoke in an unusually affectionate tone, "Why don’t you explain it to me, General?"
"The Emperor is warning me not to be overly arrogant!" Nian Gengyao scoffed, surprisingly not responding to Xiao Man's closeness.
Xiao Man quickly shook her head. "How could that be? The Emperor just promoted you last month, granting you a higher rank and allowing Rich Young Master to inherit. The Emperor holds you in high regard; you are loyal to him, so how could you be overly arrogant?"
At her words, Nian Gengyao seemed somewhat pleased as he took her delicate hand in his. "Xiao Man, if the Emperor were to punish me for this, the one I would worry about most is you."
Xiao Man's hand was held aloft by him, and she stared blankly at his wrinkled face before suddenly bursting into tears. "In years past at this time, we were still in Qinghai. In the icy wilderness, on the military training grounds, you wore splendid garments and silver armor, wielding a spear with your bare hands against ten foes—fierce and formidable. I still remember it vividly. No matter what happens in the future, I only want to stay by your side!"
"Is that so?"
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