Before Xiao Jinghan even reached the capital, memorials impeaching him fluttered onto the emperor's desk like snowflakes. One day it was about flogging a county magistrate, and the next about whipping a prefect...
Previously, the accusations were all baseless, but now they were well - documented. On his way back, almost half of the local officials along the route had suffered at his hands.
"Order the Ministry of Rites not to prepare a welcome ceremony for the first - rank general. When he arrives, tell him to come to the palace immediately to see me," the emperor roared, even throwing things at the little eunuch who had brought the memorials.
Finally, during the New Year's Eve, Xiao Jinghan's carriage arrived in the capital.
The capital was also covered in heavy snow. Pedestrians on the road scurried along with their hands tucked into their sleeves.
"You, a living hero who has achieved great feats in the borderlands, are getting a less grand welcome than when they brought back an empty coffin," Yi Qing joked.
Xiao Jinghan looked at Yi Qing's gloating expression. Wasn't this exactly what she wanted?
"General Xiao, the emperor has summoned you to the palace immediately," Song Jinzhao, a vice - minister of the Ministry of Rites, finally spotted Xiao Jinghan at the city gate.
During the New Year's Eve, the Ministry of Rites was extremely busy. Sending a vice - minister to wait here was already a show of respect for Xiao Jinghan.
"You take the madam home," Xiao Jinghan said as he changed to a horse and rode towards the palace.
Xue Miao'er immediately climbed out of Ghost Lord's carriage and got into Yi Qing's. She gently stroked her chest.
"Is Fang Huai really that scary?" Yi Qing asked, looking at Xue Miao'er's state.
"Scary? He's terrifying!" Xue Miao'er said with lingering fear.
"Hey, you're also a martial artist. You should admire a master when you meet one," Yi Qing knew that Xue Miao'er had been reluctant to share a carriage with Ghost Lord all the way.
"It depends on what kind of martial artist he is," Xue Miao'er replied.
Yi Qing laughed. Although they were both martial artists, Ghost Lord, as a killer, was different from the chivalrous martial artists that Xue Miao'er admired.
The carriage stopped suddenly after traveling a short distance.
"What's going on?" Xue Miao'er lifted the curtain.
"Someone's blocking the way," the coachman tried to detour.
Yi Qing didn't care at first, but a quick glance made her feel that the person was familiar. "Wait a minute," she said, sitting up and looking out through the curtain. It was really Lu Youming.
She was lying on the ground, surrounded by several servants. It seemed that there was a dispute.
Because of Xiao Jinghan's incident, Yi Qing had left in a hurry. She hadn't given detailed instructions about the tasks she had assigned to Lu Youming. Unexpectedly, she met Lu Youming before even reaching home.
"You have to sell this shop today, whether you like it or not. Our Du family is doing you a favor by buying your shop," Du Shulan walked out of the shop and looked down at Lu Youming on the ground.
Lu Youming stood up and patted the snow off her clothes. "This is the capital, under the emperor's nose. Do you still have any sense of justice?"
"Justice?" Qin Miao walked out. "Justice is set by the royal family. My mother is a royal princess."
Yi Qing didn't expect to run into Qin Miao as soon as she returned. Qin Miao was holding her waist, and her belly was quite big.
It seemed that while she was away from the capital, people here had been quite busy.
"Really?" Yi Qing lifted the curtain and let Xue Miao'er help her out of the carriage. "May I ask what your surname is?"
She had already given the princess's weakness to Deng Xiao. How dare the princess's daughter still be so arrogant in the capital?
Qin Miao took a moment to recognize Yi Qing. "It's you."
Lu Youming's eyes lit up when she saw Lady Xiao. Yi Qing glanced at her, and she immediately composed herself. She was the person Lady Xiao had arranged outside and needed to be low - key.
"Are you happy to see me?" Yi Qing asked with a smile.
Seeing Yi Qing, Qin Miao remembered her former face. "You'd better not meddle in other people's business."
"How can something that makes you uncomfortable be considered meddling?" Yi Qing glanced at Lu Youming. "Which of them attacked you?"
"All of them did," Lu Youming straightened her back.
"Miao'er," Yi Qing ordered.
Xue Miao'er whipped her long whip and started fighting without warming up. All the way, she had been dominated by the fear of Ghost Lord. Now that she finally had a chance to stretch her muscles, how could she let it go?
Those people were immediately beaten to cry and shout. They pretended to be dead on the ground, wondering what grudges they had with this girl that she would be so ruthless.
"You..." Qin Miao was so angry that her chest heaved.
"Sister - in - law, you're pregnant. Don't get angry," Du Shulan quickly comforted her while winking at her, trying to remind her.
Du Shulan was the daughter of the Earl of Dongyang. The Earl of Dongyang was a third - rate noble in the capital, relying on his family's legacy to maintain his status. No one in the capital took him seriously.
As soon as something happened to the princess's mansion, he immediately curried favor with the princess. His son successfully married Qin Miao, and he had gained a lot of benefits.
Although the emperor was dissatisfied with the princess, she was still a member of the royal family. So the Earl of Dongyang also rose in status.
"Try to touch me and see what happens," Qin Miao said as she walked up to Yi Qing.
"Who's afraid of whom?" Yi Qing shook out her cloak and supported her waist.
"You..." Qin Miao was surprised to find that Yi Qing was also pregnant. "You must be having a daughter."
"Thank you for your kind words. Our general prays every day for a daughter."
Qin Miao stamped her foot in anger.
"Be careful. The road is slippery with snow. Your sister - in - law is here. If anything happens to you, she won't be able to get away either," Yi Qing didn't bother to deal with this stupid Qin Miao.
Being used as a pawn and still being so complacent, she was just as useless as the princess.
Du Shulan rolled her eyes. If something really happened to Qin Miao here, she wouldn't be able to escape the blame. "Sister - in - law, your body is precious. Don't argue with such messy people."
"Right," Qin Miao said proudly.
Yi Qing looked at her palm and then at Xue Miao'er.
Xue Miao'er almost whipped Du Shulan in the face. She quickly dropped the whip and slapped Du Shulan instead. "Who do you think you are? How dare you call the first - rank imperial - appointed lady a messy person?"
Du Shulan's head was buzzing from the slap. She finally realized that she had just heard the other person say "our general."
In the capital, the only person whose husband was a general and who was a first - rank imperial - appointed lady and could make the princess's daughter afraid was Yi Qing.
She immediately knelt on the ground. Not only her, but even her sister - in - law had to pay respects to a first - rank imperial - appointed lady.
"Lan'er," Qin Miao looked at Du Shulan. "Get up."
Du Shulan didn't dare to.
"Get out of here. Don't let me see you again. I'll beat you every time I see you," Yi Qing said disgustedly.
"Yes, yes, yes," Du Shulan helped Qin Miao and left.
Watching the Du family flee in a hurry, Lu Youming felt extremely satisfied. She thought she had followed Lady Xiao right.
"Madam, you're finally back. Please come in," Lu Youming said obsequiously.
Yi Qing led Xue Miao'er inside. There was a charcoal fire in the shop, so it was quite warm.
"What happened?" Yi Qing asked Lu Youming.
"Previously, I rented this shop as Madam instructed. Madam said not to worry about what to sell. Then something happened to General Xiao, and Madam didn't send any message. So I had to start selling rouge and powder. The business was quite good. But then the Du family took a fancy to this shop. They came with the princess's daughter to force me to sell it," Lu Youming said briefly.