Chapter 895

First Volume, Chapter 895: Within, the Liang Emperor; Without, the Qin Marquis

Li Xiaolan had endured a life of hardship; even under the Qin Family's protection, she constantly faced pursuit by the Da Liang Empress, rendering her naturally cautious and never trusting anyone easily.

Even within the Qin Family, Li Xiaolan remained hyper-vigilant; no matter what arrangements the Qin Family made for her, she never hesitated, obeying immediately—as if proving her worth, hoping the Qin Family would not drive her away.

Li Xiaolan's maturity was heart-wrenching; Qin Feng gently stroked her cheek, his gaze unwavering, his voice tender beyond measure: "You need never worry again. The entire Qin Family is your family, and I am your anchor—no matter if heaven cracks or earth dries up, I will never betray you."

Hearing Qin Feng's vow, Li Xiaolan smiled knowingly, placing absolute trust in him.

She lay against his chest, listening to the strong, steady beat of his heart, feeling for the first time in her life that she was truly alive.

Sensing Li Xiaolan's tender affection, Qin Feng was reminded—he had been away from home too long; two daughters still waited faithfully at home. He must resolve matters with the Di as soon as possible and return to reunite with his family.

Qin Feng silently resolved to settle affairs with the Northern Di before the New Year, so he could return home to celebrate the holiday with his family.

…

In the Jingji region of Da Liang, a vast procession marched along the Official Road toward Jingdu.

This force of thousands, led by Wang Jun and guarded at the rear by elite Northern Border soldiers, was tightly protected at its core by Palace Guards—defending their most vital target: the Liang Emperor.

The Liang Emperor sat inside the Jade Dew Carriage, gazing at the snow-covered Jingji land, his heart stirred with emotion.

Since his eastern hunt, he had been away from the capital for months; too much had transpired—but thankfully, all was now settled. With the "compromise" of the Central Plains Imperial Party's Li Zheng, this brutal yet brief internal rebellion had finally ended, and the Liang Emperor could finally return to the capital he had longed for.

"After months away, Jingdu remains unchanged."

"It seems, whether I am here or not, the Da Liang realm hardly notices."

Hearing this, Zhang Xiuye hurried to comfort him: "Your Majesty, why speak so?"

"Your Majesty is the soul of Da Liang. Your temporary stay at Taishan was for the greater good. Now that heaven is settled, your return to the capital is the people's deepest wish."

"Though no one came to greet you upon entering Jingji, the unimpeded journey signifies that the entire Jingji Region longs for your return."

"As for why it was so quiet, surely there is another reason?"

The Liang Emperor chuckled softly, saying nothing—for his return to Jingdu owed itself to the Qin Family's "leniency."

The Liang Emperor knew well: when he was trapped at Taishan, it was the perfect moment for the Qin Family to strike. He had barely a thousand guards and a hundred Palace Guards; had Qin Feng given the order, he could have been sacrificed within half a day.

But Qin Feng did not do so. On the contrary, during his entrapment at Taishan, he received the finest care; and after Li Zheng's defeat, the Brocade Guard immediately sent word, ordering the Liang Emperor to return to the capital.

Now, who could still claim the Qin Family harbored disloyal intent?

Anyone in this world might rebel—but the Qin Family never would.

Even though the journey back to the capital was silent and empty, the Liang Emperor felt utterly at ease, not a trace of worry left.

After two days of slow travel, the walls of Jingdu City finally appeared before the Liang Emperor's eyes—just as before, the entire capital was eerily quiet, showing no sign of welcoming him back.

The Liang Emperor couldn't help muttering to himself: "Is my return to the capital truly so insignificant?"

Just as the Liang Emperor felt a faint unease, a squad of a hundred Tianji Camp Guards, armed to the teeth, ran toward them.

Their Captain knelt and bowed, shouting: "We humbly welcome Your Majesty's return to the capital."

The Liang Emperor couldn't help laughing: "So someone did come to greet me—though this display hardly qualifies as anything but meager."

"Where are all the ministers of Jingdu?"

The Tianji Camp Guard Captain offered no hesitation, immediately explaining: "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Rites had planned a grand procession to meet you on the Official Road, but was stopped by Qin Family's Second Young Lady."

Qin Family's Second Young Lady? The Liang Emperor raised an eyebrow: "If I recall correctly, Qin's Second Brother, Liu Hongyan, is a commoner—why does even the Ministry of Rites obey her?"

To avoid misunderstanding, the Guard Captain quickly explained: "Grand Commandant Qin is still in the Central Plains Imperial Party's territory and cannot return in time. All affairs of the Qin Family and Tianji Camp are now overseen by Second Miss and Miss Xie. Thus, whenever major matters arise, the Ministry of Rites consults the Qin Family. Since the Patriarch is absent, Second Miss currently holds overall command."

"Second Miss said the Central Plains brought good news: Li Zheng was subdued without a single soldier raised. If this continues, we can launch an attack on the Lin Family by spring."

"But war costs silver. The war reparations from the Northern Di have yet to be fully paid. With winter's bitter cold, the people across the land suffer hardship. The Ministry of Revenue and the Qin Family have jointly funded relief efforts, distributing winter grain and other materials to the people. In just one month, nearly three hundred thousand li of silver have been spent."

"Sending a large procession to greet Your Majesty along the road may be proper etiquette, but it would waste manpower and resources. Thus, Second Miss advised simplicity—save wherever possible, to prepare funds and materials for next year's campaign against the Lin Family."

Learning the full story, the Liang Emperor exhaled a long, relieved breath.

So that was it. The once cold and heartless Liang Emperor felt a faint warmth.

Though he was not in Jingdu, every matter was managed with precision; next year's rebellion plans proceeded steadily; even the care for the people's winter survival was arranged so thoughtfully.

The Liang Emperor felt unprecedented ease—having the Qin Family as his pillar, guarding the Da Liang realm, he could finally rest.

Thinking of this, the Liang Emperor smiled and nodded: "Well done. Once I settle matters in the palace, I shall summon Qin Second and Miss Xie for joint rewards."

The Liang Emperor suddenly remembered something and asked softly: "How many have the Tianji Camp Guards expanded to now?"

The Guard Captain did not hide it—it was no secret—and answered immediately: "Three thousand total. One thousand stationed in Beixi County, five hundred deployed in the Northern Di region, five hundred serving alongside the Brocade Guard, and one thousand in Jingdu."

The original three hundred Tianji Camp Guards had expanded tenfold.

In the past, the Liang Emperor would have exhausted himself, unable to sleep.