Her guards

Chapter 240 Hometown
Wei Qiye stood outside Qin'an City, his feelings quite complicated.

The last time I came here, it was snowing heavily; this time, the flowers are in full bloom and the willows are green.

It's not just the seasons that change, but also the flags on the city walls.

The Ma family, who once occupied Qin'an City, has disappeared. Now, the city is guarded by Feng Su, a trusted general of the emperor, and the Yunyang Army flag and the Feng character flag fly over the city gate.

The imperial court appointed Feng Su to be in charge of the administration of Liangzhou and Shuofang, like a knife blocking the way outside Wangyang Pass in Longxi.

Wangyang Pass had to increase its garrison. Even those far away in Longxi City were on tenterhooks, fearing that the Yunyang Army might suddenly launch an attack.

All of this was because of his mistake. For more than half a year, he was punished by being made to do menial tasks, which was both painful and shameful.

No, no, it wasn't his fault, it was Wei Jiao's.

It's all because of this bastard, who recognized a thief as his father and became Deng Shan's dog.

Now that bastard is back.

Deng Shan kicked him back.

A savage glint flashed in Master Wei's eyes; this time, he would teach him a lesson about the power of family discipline.

"Seventh Master Wei has arrived."

The city gate slowly opened, and an official came out to greet them warmly.

Master Wei dismounted, smiled, and walked over to greet him, "Lord Qi." He then asked warmly, "Have my young master and Miss Yang arrived yet?"

The official nodded: "They just arrived. General Feng personally escorted them to Nuanxiang Residence."

Upon hearing the name "Warm Fragrance Residence," Master Wei's smile froze.

This is the original residence of Ma Qing, where Wei Jiao beheaded him.

Thinking of that scene, Master Wei still felt a little nauseous.

That bastard, doesn't he feel bad about bringing bad luck?!

……

……

"Is this Ma Qing's villa?"

General Feng Su of Yunyang entered the courtyard and heard a woman's voice asking a question from behind him.

He turned around and saw the elegantly dressed lady looking around, but because of the veil, he couldn't see her expression.

"Yes..." General Feng was about to answer when a male voice interrupted him.

“This is the place,” Wei Jiao said lazily. “I beheaded Ma Qing here, captured the remnants of the Sun family, and also brought General Feng to Qin’an City.”

"The captain is truly remarkable," the young lady exclaimed.

One boasted and the other praised; the unmarried young couple seemed to be getting along well. General Feng smiled and joined in the fun: "Yes, thanks to Commandant Wei, I was able to take control of Qin'an City, which is a key fortress leading to Longxi... It is now much easier for me and General Wei to work together to safeguard the western border."

He then spoke with an apologetic tone.

"We had prepared an official residence, but the Commandant Wei said he wanted to stay here, so we didn't have time to tidy it up properly. I hope Miss Yang will forgive us."

The courtyard clearly shows that it was hastily tidied up; the houses and plants have been cleaned, but it is hard to hide its desolation.

A row of maids stood outside the main hall. When they saw them approaching, they curtsied.

Although their movements appeared to be synchronized, their postures varied, and some even secretly glanced at the newcomer, unlike disciplined servants.

Most of their gazes were fixed on Wei Jiao.

Mo Zheng could see fear, surprise, and even a hint of joy...

"...After Commandant Wei left, we didn't move again." General Feng continued, leading the two men past the maids and inside. "These are all the servants here. I've already asked Lord Qi to prepare new men to be sent over."

“General Feng, no need,” Mo Zheng said. “I have enough people with me. Besides those who are with me now, there are quite a few more people escorting the dowry.”

"I see," General Feng thought of the palace maids and attendants who had accompanied him when he entered the city.

This Miss Yang was surrounded by people bestowed upon her by the emperor.

He nodded and said okay.

“Also…” he then asked.

Wei Jiao interrupted him: "General Feng, we have traveled for so long, you don't need to worry about the arrangements. Let us rest quietly for a while."

General Feng didn't mind Wei Jiao's rudeness. Being a military officer, he laughed it off and said, "It was my fault. You must be tired from the long journey. Captain and Miss Yang, please rest first. If you need anything, just have someone tell me."

After that, he turned around and left.

Wei Jiao added a sentence afterward.

"When the Wei family arrives, make them wait outside."

General Feng once again readily said "I understand," and left with his guards, all smiles.

Wei Jiao felt much quieter around him. He sat down and glanced at the tables and chairs in the hall: "The original tables and chairs were better than these. They were broken and stained with blood when the murder happened, so they were cleaned up."

These words made the two maids who came in to pour tea freeze.

Mo Zheng sat down next to him and said with a smile, "If you don't like it, we can get a better one. It's not like I can't afford it."

The maids, who had just recovered and taken a couple of steps, froze again, unable to resist stealing glances at the woman wearing a veil.

"Go down." Wei Jiao glanced at them. "Miss Yang has her servants to prepare her food and drink."

Several palace maids who had followed them outside rushed forward to stop them, and the two hurriedly retreated.

"Were they originally servants here?" Mo Zheng asked with a smile. "They've seen you kill people, and look how scared they are."

"I don't know," Wei Jiao said. "They weren't killed by me, so I'm practically a bodhisattva to them. Why would they be afraid?"

Mo Zheng couldn't help but laugh and stood up: "I'm going to choose my bedroom. You don't need to come with me. You came here to kill someone, so you probably don't know where here is more comfortable to sleep."

He smiled again after saying that. "I'll pick one out for you too."

Wei Jiao raised an eyebrow in disdain, watching the girl leave with light steps, surrounded by several palace maids.

Even sleeping requires choosing a comfortable place; it seems one's life is too comfortable.

Wei Jiao smiled slightly, leaned back in her chair, and closed her eyes.

That's good; it means she hasn't suffered too much.

……

……

"That captain is still alive."

"They're actually getting married."

Have you seen that young lady?

"She's said to be a princess, judging from the fact that she's surrounded by people from the palace."

"She must be a princess, she dotes on this captain of the guard..."

“I heard that. She said that if the captain didn’t like it, she would replace all the tables and chairs in his room.”

Because Miss Yang only used the people she brought with her, the original maids were all sent back to the servants' quarters.

Even if we don't use these people, since we live in the same courtyard, we still need to find out who they are.

I just found out through the eunuch that the dancers are kept in this villa.

"...At the time, the captain had driven them to dance in the snow outside, so they escaped disaster when the incident occurred. Later, when General Feng took over and investigated, he found that they had not done anything wrong, so they stayed in this villa."

You can see things more clearly by listening to their words and actions yourself.

No wonder he looked at Wei Jiao with a mixture of fear and apprehension.

He witnessed Wei Jiao kill someone, but he himself survived.

Moreover, it could be said that he escaped death because he was kicked out by Wei Jiao to dance on the snow.

It was indeed Wei Jiao who said that we should regard him as a bodhisattva.

Mo Zheng couldn't help but laugh. Although she already knew their identities, she still came to listen to their words and actions in person so that she could understand them better.

The geisha inside began to murmur again.

"I never expected that the captain would go crazy and bite himself like that, and he looked like he was going to die."

"Sigh, I later heard from those soldiers that the dog collar was sent by the captain's father, who was deliberately insulting him..."

"Really? His biological father? That's terrifying."

"Yes, those guards were talking about it in private, saying that this captain was raised like a dog when he was a child, and that's why he was wearing this collar."

"Oh my god, no wonder—"

So that's how the illness started. The smile on Mo Zheng's face, which was pressed against the window outside, faded, and she sighed softly.

Wei Jiao made a great contribution by capturing the remnants of the Sun family that time, but after arriving in the capital, he was locked up at home and treated by the imperial physicians. Everyone knew that he had gone mad.

And she, in a way, provoked him, witnessing his outburst on the spot…

It turns out that her illness was triggered by her father's actions.

but now.
Mo Zheng lowered her eyes slightly.

Because of his marriage, Wei Jiao was to return to Longxi in person to see his father.

For Wei Jiao, it's hard to imagine the immense mental anguish she must be enduring.

But he agreed without saying anything and brought her along.

……

……

When Mo Zheng returned to the hall, she heard General Feng's voice coming from inside.

Has General Feng returned again?

Mo Zheng looked over.

“…I told them I wouldn’t see them now.” Wei Jiao leaned back in his chair and waved his hand. “Tell them not to bother me.”

"Master Wei said he's here to take you home," General Feng said.

Wei Jiao scoffed, "I can go back to my own home by myself. I don't need him to take me."

"Captain, you should go back. This is a custom before the wedding," General Feng said.

"Rules before marriage?" Wei Jiao frowned slightly, but did not refute further, and looked at General Feng.

"Husbands and wives cannot meet before marriage," General Feng hurriedly said. "Miss Yang lives here, which is like her parents' home. As her husband, you should come from your home to fetch her. You two cannot enter the house together. That is against the rules and is considered unlucky."

Wei Jiao looked at him: "No, is it auspicious?"

General Feng was secretly pleased. Did he care about that?
He nodded hurriedly: "There is such a custom among the people." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a corner of the veil swaying in the wind by the door, and quickly turned around to greet her, "Miss Yang."

Mo Zheng walked in.

“Miss Yang, don’t you agree?” General Feng looked at her and emphasized, “According to custom, the bride and groom cannot meet before the wedding.”

Through the veil, Mo Zheng saw Wei Jiao looking at her.

Her hands, hanging at her sides, clenched slightly.

“Yes,” she said.

(End of this chapter)