That night, she dreamed of a phoenix covered in red flames, soaring freely in the sky and calling out to her.
It seemed to be expressing a longing. Her longing.
Chapter 8 She was already Madam Xie
The following day, the record of the night's service was sent to the Xie clan ancestral hall. The elders of the Xie clan personally confirmed the date when Si Xitong served Xie Lanzhi in bed, and then recorded it in the Xie clan's private record.
Only high-ranking members of the Xie family and their wives were eligible to be included in the family history.
Before long, Elder Zong passed the red seal of Madam Xie to Xie Guang.
"Marshal, Elder Zong specifically instructed me to present the red seal to Madam Si."
Xie Guang held a rectangular cinnabar-red brocade box with a solemn expression, inside which lay a red seal.
He waited at the entrance of Chenxiang Mansion with a group of generals' wives.
When Xie Lanzhi woke up, she saw a group of elegant, unfamiliar women looking at her with concern.
Xie Guang stood in the middle like a friend to women.
She understood the significance of these elders' visit. She said with satisfaction, "When I have time, I will personally extend my greetings to Elder Zong."
"Marshal, you're too kind. Military affairs are busy, and you have no time to manage the household. These matters can be handled by us elders." The leading general's wife bowed again and said, "Greetings, Grand Marshal."
It seems that both within and outside the clan, even the elders can only address her as the Grand Marshal.
She felt a chill run down her spine as the ladies scrutinized her. These elders probably didn't recognize her; otherwise, she might have been exposed.
Fortunately, Xie Ying had an eccentric personality, and apart from her fierce subordinates, no one knew her. Most people avoided her identity and feared her. No one dared to approach her.
If her act of marrying the Empress and sharing meals with her had occurred in any other family, her reputation would probably have been ruined long ago.
She was Xie Ying, which is why she received special treatment. Because she was Xie Ying, no one dared to object.
Furthermore, setting aside self-interest and Xie Ying's reputation as a tyrant, her appearance and figure were completely devoid of any delicate charm. In modern times, with diverse aesthetics, she could easily find a partner. But in ancient times, she would likely have lived a lonely life.
She faced Xie Guang and the others, and there was movement behind her, indicating that the Empress was already dressed.
She turned her head and saw the Empress in a dark blue robe, transforming from a beautiful woman into a handsome young man.
Xie Lanzhi couldn't help but exclaim, "It's absolutely beautiful!"
"Thank you for your praise, Marshal," Si Xitong said with an elegant nod.
Si Xitong's attire caused Xie Guang and his wives to look rather uncomfortable. However, since Marshal Xie had a taste for this kind of thing, they dared not say anything.
The lady leading the group stood out, and she asked in a loud voice, "This, this is the First Madam?"
Xie Lanzhi explained the reason for her visit: "Madam, I am going to the military camp with you today, and this outfit is just right."
"I see. You truly deserve to be recognized by the ancestral hall and are a heroine among women. You and the Marshal are a match made in heaven," the lady said.
This lady instantly reminded the other ladies present of who the woman was who had cut off General Huang's right arm. They dared not voice any objections.
Xie Guang's expression softened.
Xie Lanzhi took notice of this lady; once she spoke, everyone else seemed to accept it as a matter of course.
That's really impressive.
Everyone quickly noticed Si Xitong, who had a red sword—Xi Xian—tucked at her waist.
The fact that "Xi Xian" is one of the Xie family's master swords, and is currently worn on Si Xitong's waist, is enough to prove Xie Lanzhi's high regard for her.
Xie Guang lowered his head, and the group of generals' wives began to whisper among themselves.
Before these people could even finish their discussion, she directly ordered, "Bring up the red seal of Lu Han."
Xie Guang lowered his head, walked slowly to Si Xitong, and presented the red seal.
Si Xitong hesitated.
She whispered in her ear, "Little Phoenix, from now on you will be the master of the Red Seal."
With the red seal in place, from now on no one will dare to call her the daughter of the fallen emperor, but rather the wife of a high-ranking marshal!
The Empress's father died last year, and as his daughter, she has not yet completed three years of mourning, so she cannot get married during the mourning period.
The Xie Clan Ancestral Hall took this into consideration, but it didn't actually have to be three years. They would just symbolically observe the mourning period for a while, and after the seventeenth day of the first year of the Western City Emperor's death sacrifice, they could choose an auspicious day to marry her.
Xie Lanzhi has to protect the Empress, so she must get married. She can back down when the Empress finds her true love.
So she kept encouraging her: "What does this mean? Think about what I said last night."
"I understand." There was no more hesitation in Si Xitong's eyes as she accepted the red seal.
The moment Hong Zhang was captured, everyone bowed to her and said, "This humble general Xie Guangxia, a member of the Xie family, pays his respects to Madam Si."
The lady replied, "Thank you, Madam Wang, for greetings, Madam Si."
"Today, my husband and I delivered the red seal to you, Madam, to convey the Xie family's ancestral rites. From now on, Madam Si will learn from Madam Wang how to manage the affairs of Chenxiang Mansion."
This lady and Xie Guang were actually husband and wife. No wonder she was so poised and confident.
Si Xitong also performed the junior's greeting: "The Si family will certainly abide by the teachings of our elders."
Wang was very satisfied. After whispering to Xie Guang, she led the ladies out of Chenxiang Mansion.
She didn't know what Wang Shi had said to Xie Guang, but Xie Guang said, "Marshal, you can rest assured about the inner courtyard. My wife will definitely teach Madam Si how to manage it well."
The backyard was not a place for the Empress. Seeing that the Empress maintained a polite smile and showed no other emotion, she suddenly felt a little disappointed. But thinking about it carefully, she had only known the Empress for a few days, so how could she think that the Empress would be jealous?
Of course, this was to avoid any misunderstanding from the Empress.
She said intentionally, "This commander doesn't need beautiful women, or even men. From now on, I will forbid any attractive person from entering the backyard."
As she finished speaking, she secretly glanced at Si Xitong and their eyes met. A smile flashed in her eyes.
Xie Guang thought it was being addressed to him, and just as he was about to respond, Xie Lanzhi ruthlessly pushed him away.
Xie Guang: ......
Seeing the fleeting smile on the Empress's face, she breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed the Empress had taken her words to heart.
Then, she made an inviting gesture to Si Xitong and said, "This general is going to inspect the military camp. Would you do me the honor of accompanying me, Madam?"
"I am willing." Si Xitong hesitated for a moment, maintaining the proper distance, but unexpectedly Xie Lanzhi took her hand in her palm.
The two walked out of the courtyard side by side, with Xie Guang silently following behind, ignored by everyone.
Upon leaving the residence, a tall carriage stopped in front of her. The horse railing was about a meter high, making it difficult to get in. She had someone bring over a stool to help the Empress into the carriage.
Unexpectedly, Si Xitong leaped into the carriage first, and she turned around to pull her up, saying, "Marshal, hold my hand."
Xie Lanzhi was stunned. She pushed back the stool, and in front of the Empress, her pride suddenly flared up. She imitated the Empress and leaped forward to Si Xitong. As soon as the toe of her boot touched the ground, the momentum made her fly like a missile, directly pressing down on Si Xitong. The two of them fell into the car.
Si Xitong was eventually pinned down on the cushion. She looked at her; her waist-length hair was spread across her chest, her face buried in it, and a strand of hair was still stuck to her lips. Her eyes were squinting; she was clearly disoriented from the fall.
Si Xitong finally couldn't help but let out a soft "tsk..."
"This...this!" Xie Guang watched as the marshal made a mistake right in front of her, for the sake of her image.
He decisively drew his knife and struck the coachman on the head, blaming him: "Today we should have prepared a horse, but you actually pulled a carriage to take the marshal to the military camp. You made such a mistake. Ignoring the fact that you have been pulling carriages for more than ten years, you have produced such a terrible performance."
"Also, this is a private matter between the young couple, and must not be shared with outsiders! Otherwise, don't blame this general for being ruthless."
The coachman was so frightened he was completely disoriented, saying, "Yes, yes, it's all my fault."
Inside the car, Xie Lanzhi adjusted her posture, trying to maintain her dignified image, but she lacked any real persuasiveness.
Because she wanted to show off in front of her, she ended up falling flat on her face, making it difficult for her to laugh.
When she was embarrassed, she didn't forget to salvage her image: "This gentleman is not so rash."
"I know all that." Si Xitong smiled and took the initiative to close the distance, skillfully putting his hands on her arms.
The familiarity overwhelmed her; how could the Empress have adapted so quickly in just one night?
She asked incredulously, "Qitong, you've come to your senses?"
Si Xitong looked straight at the carriage curtain and said, "This concubine will not fail the Marshal's teachings."
She was even more excited than she was when she said that, and added, "Besides that, you also need to adjust your mindset and build your network as Mrs. Si."
"After that..."
Before she could finish speaking, she saw the Empress suddenly turn her head, her gaze filled with complex emotions, and call out to her, "Marshal."
She asked in confusion, "Hmm?"
"Why do you want to teach me these things?" Si Xitong replied, "What virtue or ability do I possess?"
When the Empress spoke, a hint of melancholy always lingered in her bright red eyes, making her shut her mouth. Perhaps she should first cultivate the Empress's confidence, eliminate her pessimism, and help her establish a healthy, optimistic, and positive mindset before she could complete her transformation.
Then, as if nothing had happened, she said, "No need to rush."
"Little Phoenix, I will wait for you. Wait for you to open your heart."
“Coincidentally, last night I dreamt of a spirit bird covered in flames, which kept circling around me and singing.” Si Xitong suddenly spoke, then looked away.
This surprised her slightly.
Clad in flames, a spirit bird, a firebird—is that a phoenix? She paused for a moment, then understood, and smiled silently.
Her worries were unnecessary.
The Empress has begun to pull herself together.
Upon arriving at the military camp, to avoid tarnishing her image, she dismounted with great care, her boots barely touching the piles of mud and sand.
Every general in the camp ran out and lined up, shouting excitedly, "Marshal, the Marshal has finally returned to the camp!"
Chapter 9 Her archery skills are superb
"Return to your respective camps for training!" she commanded expressionlessly, dismissing all the generals.
As she walked into the military camp and stood on the drill ground, she looked at the densely packed soldiers, layer upon layer. They all looked fierce and menacing, clearly veterans of the battlefield. Their restless aura was like that of a herd of bulls, and she felt that if a red cloth were thrown into the crowd, these guys might actually start clashing with each other.
She asked Xie Guang to lead the way, intending to inspect a few places before finding an excuse to return home.