Transmigrating into Murong Fu, may you have many children and much happiness.

"Brother, I really envy your life."

The sun was already setting, and most people had already left their seats.

Prince Duan was taken to a separate courtyard by the women, while the other three retainers, seeing the turmoil, took their adopted son and daughter to an open space far from the estate for training.

Looking at the noisy banquet, Qiao Feng reflected on his own life and couldn't help but sigh.

Murong Fu patted Qiao Feng's broad shoulder, and the two drank a cup together, saying:

"Brother, didn't you become the Southern King of the Liao Dynasty? Why aren't you happy?"

A bitter look appeared on Qiao Feng's face as he said:

"Brother, you know me. I, Xiao Feng, am a rough man. I don't pursue fame, fortune, or flattery."

The Southern King was lucky; it was the Liao Emperor's trust in me, but...sigh...

After we parted last time, I wanted to take your advice, my brother, and go to the Liao Kingdom for a visit.

I went to Yanmen Pass first.

Yanmen Pass was an important town on the northern border of the Song Dynasty. Of the more than forty passes in Shanxi, Yanmen was the most formidable. Just a few dozen miles outside the pass lay the territory of the Liao Dynasty, so a large number of troops were stationed there.

I didn't want to be questioned by the guards at the pass, and finding it troublesome, so I took a detour through the high mountains west of the pass.

Upon reaching the top of the ridge, the view was vast and desolate, with cold forests stretching endlessly. I couldn't help but feel lost.

Haha, on my way there, I heard my companion say that during the Warring States period, Li Mu, a general of the Zhao state, and Zhi Du, a general of the Han dynasty, both garrisoned Yanmen Pass to defend against the invasion of the Xiongnu.

If I am truly a descendant of the Xiongnu and Khitan, then all those who have invaded China over the past thousand years are my ancestors.

But I, Xiao Feng, spent the first half of my life serving the Song Dynasty, slaying countless Khitans. I know who killed my parents, yet I can't bring myself to take revenge...

"Heh, so in that case, I, Xiao Feng, am an unfaithful and unfilial person."

When Qiao Feng finished speaking, his eyes were bloodshot, clearly indicating that he was extremely saddened.

Murong Fu didn't say anything. He knew that only Qiao Feng could figure out this problem himself. He put his arm around Qiao Feng's shoulder and tightened his grip. The two clinked glasses and drank it all in one gulp.

it is more than words.

Qiao Feng continued:

"Then I found the stone wall that supposedly had my father's last words engraved on it."

But all I could see was a section of the mountain wall that was naturally smooth and clean, but on a large patch of rocks in the center, there were marks of axe and chisel. It was obvious that someone had deliberately erased my father's handwriting.

Just as my anger was rising, I heard the cries of women and children...

It turned out that the Song army was returning on horseback, and each of them had also abducted a woman. All the women and children were dressed in the clothing of the Khitan people.

Several Song soldiers reached out and groped the Khitan women, committing obscene and vile acts that were utterly despicable and unspeakable. Some women resisted, and were immediately met with shouts and beatings from the soldiers.

Behind them were soldiers who drove hundreds of cattle and sheep like livestock, along with more than ten Khitan women.

I overheard some Song Dynasty soldiers talking about how they were gathering hay, sending the best-looking women to the commander, and then going to plunder more to distribute to the brothers tomorrow...

I never realized that our Song army was just as shameless and despicable as the Khitan soldiers!

As Qiao Feng spoke, he shared another bowl of wine with Murong Fu and continued:

Suddenly, a Khitan woman held a baby in her arms and cried loudly.

The Khitan woman reached out and pushed away the hand of the Song soldier beside her, then turned to comfort the crying baby.

The officer flew into a rage, grabbed the child and threw him to the ground, then spurred his horse forward. The horse's hooves trampled the child, instantly rupturing his intestines.

The Khitan woman was so frightened that she was speechless and couldn't even cry out.

The officers and soldiers burst into laughter and swarmed past.

I, Qiao Feng, have only heard of the Khitans taking pleasure in killing Song Dynasty infants, but I have never actually seen it.

But that day, I actually witnessed Song Dynasty soldiers taking pleasure in killing Khitan infants.

An old Khitan man who came later saw the child's corpse on the ground, suddenly cried out, rushed over and hugged the child's corpse, kissing it repeatedly and crying out in grief.

Although I don't understand his language, seeing his expression, I guessed that the child trampled to death by the horse was his relative.

Seeing him howling like a desperate beast, wanting to fight the Song soldiers to the death, I couldn't bear it, so I saved them all, killed the soldier who killed the baby, and drove away the remaining Song soldiers.

Looking back at the old man, he was already dead, stabbed several times, but I noticed his clothes were torn, and there was a wolf's head tattoo on his chest that was exactly the same as mine...

I revealed the wolf's head tattoo on my chest, and several young men shouted, also revealing their chest tattoos—all identical wolf's heads... Only then did I truly believe that I was a Khitan, not a Song person; that my surname was Xiao, not Qiao.

Qiao Feng's tone grew increasingly bitter. Ignoring Murong Fu, he drank three bowls in succession and then said:

"At that moment, the wolf head on my chest felt like it weighed a ton, making it hard for me to breathe."

I then ran wildly northwards...

Later, he encountered the Jurchens and happened to save a Khitan, with whom he became sworn brothers. Unexpectedly, that person turned out to be Emperor Yelü of the Liao Dynasty.

I later distinguished myself in suppressing the rebellion for him and was thus appointed the Southern King...

Having lived in the Liao Kingdom for so long, I've come to realize that although the people of Liao were more rugged than those of Song, they also possessed human warmth and compassion.

I just remembered what you once said to me: "The people of Song, the people of Liao, the people of the world..."

Murong Fu listened for a long time, and then said:

"Brother, now that you are the Southern King of Liao, are you worried about the war between our two countries?"

Qiao Feng nodded and said:

"Yes, after spending a long time with His Majesty, I have discovered that he is a great ruler, which has inspired me to have even greater ambitions to achieve great things."

He appointed me as the Southern King so that I could prepare his troops for a possible southward invasion of the Song Dynasty!

Although I am a Khitan, my feelings for the Song Dynasty remain unchanged, and my affection for the people of both the Song and Liao Dynasties has only grown stronger. I cannot bear to resort to violence again, only to have innocent civilians harmed!

"Brother, do you realize where the root of this problem lies?"

Ultimately, it's the King of Song, the King of Liao, and their henchmen... heh, their interests are different from those of the people.

......

Qiao Feng and Murong Fu drank together until late at night. If Murong Fu hadn't been getting married the next day, the two brothers might have talked all night long.

The next day, Murong Fu changed into his wedding clothes early in the morning, rode a tall white horse, and went to the villa to fetch his bride.

A Zhu, dressed in red, sat in a bridal sedan chair, accompanied by music and celebration along the way.

Inside the village, everything was already adorned with gold and red decorations and all preparations were complete.

After a series of rituals, Murong Fu led A'Zhu to pay respects to Heaven and Earth and their ancestors, followed by mutual bows. A'Zhu then went to the bridal chamber to rest, while Murong Fu had to attend to the guests.

Duan Yu, sitting below the stage in clean clothes he hadn't worn in a long time, was completely bewildered and asked:

"Mother, is the bride on the stage my sister?"

Dao Baifeng rolled her eyes at Duan Zhengchun and said:

Don't ask me, I don't know.

Ask your father and your several good aunts!

Duan Yu was picked up by Abi and several maids this morning, supposedly to attend his sister's wedding.

Duan Yu was initially happy to see that Abi still remembered him.

But when he heard about his sister, he thought of Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling, and suddenly panicked. Could it be that one of them was getting married?

He was filled with anxiety and uncertainty along the way, but thankfully, his mind was mainly on the fairy sister, otherwise he would have been contemplating suicide.

After asking, I learned that the bride's name was Azhu, which is why I asked the question earlier.