Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Within the vast and majestic pass, the nighttime drinking continues.

Wu Shiwei and the others never expected that Jia Lian, who came from a powerful family in the capital and appeared to be a refined and cultured man, would have a drinking capacity that was no less than that of them, military officers from the frigid borderlands.

Despite their deliberate efforts to get him drunk, Jia Lian has not yet become intoxicated or shown any disrespect over such a long period of time.

It should be noted that by this point in the banquet, many generals had already shown signs of intoxication, their shouts deafening. In contrast, Jia Lian, who remained calmly seated and spoke clearly, displayed far better composure than the others.

As a result, all the generals abandoned their contempt for Jia Lian and, in their drunken ramblings, began to regard him as a brother!

That's the rule in the military. There aren't many twists and turns. If you like someone, you're brothers. If you don't like someone, even if they have immense power, they'll still ignore you.

The military officer surnamed Zhu, who had been the most enthusiastic critic of Jia Lian, strode up to Jia Lian with his wine cup in hand. After sharing a drink with Jia Lian, he laughed loudly and said, "In my life, the people I admire most are straightforward people! The people I despise most are those pretentious sissies."

You are indeed different from others, I, Old Zhu, admire you!

I heard that you are heading to the Oirat Mongols, and that you made a special trip westward here to avoid harassment from the Sao Dazi. It is still over a thousand miles to the Oirat royal court. I see that you have not brought many soldiers with you. If you encounter any troublemakers on the way, your wealthy soldiers will not be of much use.

"No doubt about it, I, Old Zhu, have brought out thousands of my most valiant men to protect you. I guarantee you'll be safely delivered to the Oirat. With my soldiers here, even if we encounter some troublemakers, it'll be a good opportunity for our men to have some fun!"

This man was completely drunk and his speech was incoherent. If it weren't for the occasional glint of cunning in his shifty eyes, one would probably think he was just talking nonsense while intoxicated.

Jia Lian glanced at the man's fat head and big ears, and was about to speak when someone next to him started to tease him.

"Zhu Da Nao, don't think we don't know what you're up to."

You've been cooped up in the pass for too long and can't stand it anymore. You heard from the General that he needs to select men to escort the princess and the imperial envoy to the Oirat Mongols, so you're taking this opportunity to flatter the imperial envoy and snatch this job from us?

You look so beautiful!

When Lieutenant General Zhu Dahe saw that his scheme had been exposed, he simply threw a tantrum and said, "Bullshit! You surnamed Sun, you're just trying to beat me in everything because you joined the army two years earlier than me."

Last time, those damned Oirat barbarians disguised themselves as little sluts and caused trouble on the border. They robbed hundreds of people of their heads. By the time we arrived, they hadn't even had a sip of soup!

Sun and Moon Splendor

"This escort of the princess to the Oirat is clearly going to be fruitless. If you dare to try and take it from me again, I'll twist your head off and use it as a football."

Upon hearing Zhu Dahe's words, all those suitable to lead the troops and escort him could not help but express their fervent pleas, eager to seize this rare opportunity to lead their troops out of the pass.

Protecting the princess for a while might not be considered a great achievement, but what if they encountered a band of bandits or brigands on the way...?

Hey, killing bandits is nothing... According to the General's rules, the spoils are split 50/50.

So, as long as you can go out, there's always a chance to get orders. And if you land a big one, that's awesome.

Looking at the generals arguing heatedly before him, and recalling the soldiers he had seen both inside and outside the pass, even if Jia Lian was unwilling, he had to admit that the fighting power of these border troops was indeed incomparable to the officers and soldiers of the capital garrison he had brought.

It wasn't a matter of physique or time of enlistment, but rather the fierce courage and fighting spirit within him.

Last year, during the battle against the Tatars, he could clearly sense that the guards around Prince Teng were far less efficient at killing enemies than the fierce soldiers under his uncle Zhang Leng.

After everyone had finished arguing, Wu Shiwei asked Jia Lian with a smile, "Nephew, you have also seen the situation. I received orders from the Ministry of War to dispatch two thousand elite troops to escort the princess out of the pass before she left, until the army of the Oirat royal court came to meet her."

"Nephew, which of the generals present would you like to accompany you as your bodyguard?"

As soon as Wu Shiwei spoke, the generals who had just stopped arguing immediately began to express their flattery to Jia Lian.

Looking at these burly men shouting "Choose me!", Jia Lian felt a pang of shame and bowed to them, saying, "I am new here and do not know the situation in the army. How can I make decisions on my own?"

This matter should naturally be decided and arranged by General Wu.

"Regardless of which general takes on the duty of protecting the princess, I will cooperate wholeheartedly with him to ensure her safety on her journey."

"Haha, my dear nephew is right. In that case, let's discuss this matter again tomorrow. Tonight, let's just drink to our hearts' content!"

Putting aside the important matters for the moment, just as the banquet was reaching its climax, a eunuch from the princess's side came to report that the princess had something to say to Jia Lian, asking him to come to the temporary palace.

Upon hearing that it was a princess, everyone suppressed their drunkenness, and the scene temporarily quieted down.

Jia Lian thought for a moment and said, "Go back and report to the princess that it is too late today and I have drunk too much wine. I am afraid that I may have offended the princess."

If the princess has any instructions, she may simply send someone to give them, and I will do as she says.

"I will personally apologize to the princess for any disrespect I may have shown her tomorrow after I have sobered up."

Jia Lian spoke these words out of a sense of prudence.

However, others had to look at Jia Lian differently. To be summoned by the princess late at night—what an honor and prestige! How dare Jia Lian refuse?

Could it be that he's so arrogant that he wouldn't even give the princess face just to drink?

The eunuch, clearly encountering someone defying an imperial decree for the first time, said with some displeasure, "General Jia, have you thought this through? This is a summons from the princess; do you dare disobey?"

"Um?"

Jia Lian gave him a cold glance, his eyes, tinged with alcohol, filled with murderous intent.

He was polite to Wu Shiwei because he wanted to leave himself an escape route.

This does not mean that anyone can offend his authority.

It is no exaggeration to say that, holding the imperial sword and being ordered to leave the capital, no one within a thousand miles had the right to order him around.

The eunuch was startled by Jia Lian's sudden expression. As he backed away, he suddenly realized that they were no longer in the capital.

If one offends Jia Lian in this remote and impoverished place, it would be easy for him to take one's life.

Although he was the princess's person, judging from the princess's attitude towards Jia Lian, it was clear that he would not create a rift between himself and Jia Lian for her sake.

"Yes, this servant takes her leave..."

Ultimately, for the sake of his own life, the eunuch did not dare to directly offend Jia Lian's power, and turned away with his head down.

Everyone was astonished. Wasn't it said that eunuchs with physical disabilities were the most arrogant and vengeful? This eunuch, who clearly had some rank, was actually frightened into retreating meekly at just one glance from Jia Lian?

Only then did the generals seem to remember that Jia Lian was an imperial envoy sent out of the capital by imperial decree, wielding the Shangfang sword, and had the power to execute local officials below the third rank without prior approval.

In other words, anyone below the third rank would die in vain at Jia Lian's hands. As for finding a plausible reason afterward, that would be a simple matter for Jia Lian…

As a result, those generals who had previously mocked Jia Lian couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

Jia Lian dared to disobey even the princess's decree. If such a person were to truly hold a grudge against them, it would be something that people like them could not contend with.

Even Wu Shiwei couldn't help but glance at Jia Lian a few more times, thinking to himself, "The imperial envoy isn't scary; what's scary is someone like this whose true intentions are unclear, yet who seems to have endless confidence."

"My dear nephew, you truly live up to your noble birth; your conduct is courteous, measured, and measured. I'm sure Her Highness the Princess understands your good intentions and will not blame you."

"By the way, nephew, I have a few points I'd like to remind you about your trip to the Oirat royal court."

Wu Shiwei casually offered an explanation for Jia Lian's disobedience to the princess's orders, then lowered his voice and said, "The Oirat royal court is different from our Great Wei. The troops are basically controlled by the Oirat king and a few princes."

"The Oirat king is nothing to worry about; he's an old, unambitious good-for-nothing. But you should pay more attention to his sons, especially this third prince."

"Oh, what do you mean?"

Jia Lian's expression shifted slightly. He thought to himself that Wu Shiwei and others had been guarding Ganning Pass for many years, so their understanding of the Oirat Mongols was probably more accurate than that of the imperial court.

If he's willing to offer guidance, it's much better than groping in the dark on your own.

"King Navarre has eight sons, five of whom are already adults, and it is said that each of them is ambitious for the throne."

The most famous of them all was the third prince, who was the most ambitious.

Rumor has it that he is determined to unify eastern and western Mongolia, annex the territory of our Great Wei, restore the glory of his ancestors, and establish another Mongol Yuan Dynasty.

"As far as I know, most of the small-scale conflicts and wars that the Oirat have launched against our borders in recent years have been the work of this third prince..."

As Wu Shiwei spoke, seeing Jia Lian's furrowed brow, he added, "However, my dear nephew, you don't need to take this too seriously. It's just wishful thinking on the part of those traitors. The Oirats, let alone rebuilding the Mongol Yuan dynasty, are now far weaker than the Tatars."

Otherwise, the Oirat king would not have submitted to our dynasty.

Jia Lian nodded, but a sense of unease crept into his heart.

If this third prince had such great ambitions, why did the Oirat king send him to the capital to make peace? Why was such important news not conveyed to him while he was in the capital?

Jia Lian didn't think Wu Shiwei was deliberately deceiving him, because he couldn't figure out why Wu Shiwei would do that.

It seems he underestimated the third prince of the Oirat.

Thinking of this, Jia Lian felt a sense of unease about his upcoming trip to the Oirat Mongols for no apparent reason.

"The princess has arrived."

Just as Wu Shiwei was telling Jia Lian about the situation at the Oirat royal court, a servant announced from outside the main hall.

Wu Shiwei and the others were slightly taken aback, but immediately stood up. Before they could go out, they saw Princess Zhaoyang, dressed simply, strolling in.

"Your Majesty, we respectfully welcome Your Highness."

Princess Zhaoyang raised her hand slightly, glanced at Jia Lian first, and then smiled at Wu Shiwei, saying, "I heard that the General is hosting a banquet here, so I came uninvited. I hope General Wu will not take offense."

"We dare not presume. It is the greatest honor for us that Your Highness would grace us with your presence."

"General, you're too kind."

Princess Zhaoyang slowly walked up to the main seat, looked at the crowd gathered before her, and said with a smile: "Unless you generals disapprove, my ambition since childhood has been to be like you, to don armor and fight on the battlefield."

I never imagined that my first visit to this border fortress would be in such a way...

Fortunately, I finally got to witness the military might and formations of my soldiers beyond the Great Wall and experience the magnificent scenery of the desert. It was much better than spending my whole life in the capital.

"Today, I am honored to be part of this grand gathering. If you generals would not mind, would you allow me to take a seat and share a drink with you all?"

Princess Zhaoyang's words were cheerful and confident, immediately shattering everyone's perception of her as a delicate and frail princess.

Hearing the respect she showed for the soldiers on the frontier, the group of roughnecks immediately felt a surge of goodwill towards her. So much so that these clearly drunken, burly men transformed into meek lambs, their faces contorted, unable to utter a single word.

Wu Shiwei reacted the fastest, quickly ordering his servants to bring clean cups and chopsticks, and respectfully inviting Princess Zhaoyang to take a seat.

Seeing Princess Zhaoyang sitting unceremoniously on his tiger-skin chair, he felt no anger at having his seat taken; instead, he felt a great sense of honor.

Overjoyed, he happily ran to sit in the seat that the Oirat prince had previously occupied.

"This time, when I and several thousand people accompanied me entered Ganning Pass, we were fortunate to be received by the generals, which caused us a great deal of trouble."

Hereby, I would like to offer a toast to all the generals.

"No, no..."

Seeing Princess Zhaoyang raise her wine cup to the crowd, the generals who had been shouting so loudly just moments before now looked like newlywed brides, unsure how to react. They could only follow their leader, Wu Shiwei, and stand up to drink the wine.

Poor General Zhu, in his nervousness, tripped over a low table. In his haste to steady himself with a wine cup on the table, he lost his balance and almost tumbled down the steps.

Normally, his colleagues would have laughed at him, but this time they ignored it.

Princess Zhaoyang, on the other hand, laughed generously, making General Zhu, who had stood up again, blush even more, turning his face a deep purplish-red.

Although Jia Lian knew that Princess Zhaoyang's main intention this time was to catch them off guard, he still couldn't help but admire her methods in managing to subdue these unruly generals so easily.

If this woman were a man, the very structure of the Great Wei court would likely have been completely different because of her.

"This second cup is for General Jia, and I must offer it to him separately."

The journey was long and the personnel were numerous; the general took care of them throughout the trip.

"You have done a great service, and I thank you, General."

As a civil official, Xiang He was deliberately teased by the generals and was knocked out after only a couple of drinks, and had to be carried away.

Therefore, it was not surprising that Princess Zhaoyang thanked Jia Lian alone.

Jia Lian frowned, puzzled as to what Princess Zhaoyang intended to do.

Their relationship wasn't exactly close, but it wasn't so distant either.

Along the way, whenever they arrived at a scenic spot, Princess Zhaoyang would dress up and enjoy a simple visit.

And during this time, he was always by her side.

As time went on, while we might not say that feelings of love had blossomed, they at least admired each other and could even be considered close friends.

He had drunk quite a bit tonight, and since the Fourth Prince had forced him to drink, he had vowed never to drink again, so he couldn't help but hesitate for a moment.

Princess Zhaoyang smiled and said, "I didn't know the general was drinking here, so I sent this servant to summon him. I apologize for disturbing you."

Is it possible that the general is still angry with Zhaoyang, and therefore unwilling to even give her this much face?

Ok?

The others vaguely sensed that something was amiss.

How could such a graceful princess be so polite to Jia Lian? Could it be that Jia Lian truly relies on his power and doesn't respect the princess?

Based on Jia Lian's previous intimidation of the eunuchs around the princess, some people couldn't help but make connections and immediately looked at Jia Lian with hostility.

Others, more astute in their observations, noticed that the princess, with her youthful appearance, and Jia Lian were a perfect match. However, the princess's tone carried a hint of resentment; could this be a case of the concubine being interested but the man being unmoved?

Thinking about it, I can't help but be amazed, and at the same time, a little jealous.

Jia Lian took a deep breath, raised his cup, and said, "Your Highness is too kind. I am simply not a good drinker."

With that, he downed the wine in his glass in one gulp.

Princess Zhaoyang smiled and took a sip of wine, then deliberately said with a smile, "General, don't be modest. I know your drinking capacity."

"General Wu's hospitality is truly rare today; General, you mustn't embarrass us, the generals of the capital."

As he spoke, he deliberately glanced at the generals inside the hall.

Those with good judgment immediately realized it.

Her Highness is angry that Jia Lian disobeyed her summons and is deliberately picking a fight with him.

As the rumors said, women are all petty, even the seemingly peerless Princess Zhaoyang is no exception.

As a subject of the Great Wei Dynasty, how could I not be mindful of the Emperor's intentions!

Thus, one by one, the officers, filled with jealousy and resentment, decisively rebelled. They were eager to fight and vowed to avenge the princess.

……