Xie Lanzhi obediently opened her mouth and ate the vegetables. She had just swallowed when she ate another bite of vegetables. When Si Xitong picked up the vegetables, there seemed to be a sense of ritual. She first folded the vegetable corners neatly, then rolled them into a vegetable ball inch by inch, and then gently stuffed a small piece of meat inside. When she held it up, her fair and delicate hands held the chopsticks and picked it up, as if she were painting. Her elegant demeanor made Xie Lanzhi momentarily lose her composure. She subconsciously opened her mouth to enjoy both the visual and gustatory pleasure.
I don't know how many times she ate, but Xie Lanzhi finished both plates of vegetables.
Xie Lanzhi patted her belly and said to Si Xitong, "Little Phoenix, would you like to go for a walk in the back garden to digest your food?"
The winter garden is no longer ablaze with the riot of flowers, but the snow plum blossoms, with their resilient spirit, possess a unique charm.
Si Xitong loved plum blossoms. She got up, took Xie Lanzhi's arm, and the two went to the back garden.
The maid who came to clear the dishes saw that the vegetables that were always left over were eaten, and the meat that was never left over was actually left with more than half of it.
The maid exclaimed in astonishment, "As expected of Madam Si, even the Grand Marshal is so kind to her when it comes to food."
Xie Guang and Xie Xia were guarding the southern border when the good news of the fall of Tianjing spread throughout the southern region.
In this battle, Xie's army suffered 12,000 dead, annihilated 50,000 Huang soldiers, and wounded 16,000. The Jin army suffered 50,000 dead, killed 20,000 Huang soldiers, and wounded 20,000. The generals who surrendered, led by the Duke of Zheng, had a total of 50,000 troops, and 14,000 Huang soldiers went missing.
In just half a month, Tianjing changed hands.
Xie Ji spent seven days and seven nights cleaning Tianjing. He stayed in Tianjing and frequently sent urgent letters to Xie Lanzhi, urging her to come to Tianjing.
Inside the Xie Clan Ancestral Hall, the Xie clan would come to worship their ancestors after each battle.
Xie Lanzhi took a bath and changed her clothes. She didn't even have breakfast before standing in front of the memorial tablet and listening to the old man Xie recite the eulogy. The eulogy was recited for about half an hour before it was stopped.
The Xie clan elders standing around all looked proud and upright.
As if Xie Lanzhi stood at the pinnacle, forever undefeated, the younger generation of the Xie family looked upon her with even greater admiration.
The entire Southern Region has almost passed down this battle as a myth. It is said that Xie Lanzhi possesses the magic to transform into a deity and summon heavenly soldiers and generals to descend to earth and save the Southern Region.
After offering three incense sticks before a memorial tablet belonging to Xie Zhengrong, Xie Lanzhi learned that he was Xie Ying's father.
Xie Ying was the soldier he personally trained, and she also personally buried Xie Zhengrong's later years, leaving him with few descendants.
Xie Lanzhi investigated and found that, apart from some elderly people who were unable to have children, there were no other young people in the clan who were closely related to her by blood.
Xie Lanzhi considered Xie Ying's responsibilities and infamy, which she could bear, but she feared she could not fulfill the obligation of having children.
After she finished paying her respects to Xie Zhengrong, an elder from the clan came over with a cane and said, "Aying, we old men have discussed it and we will not leave the Southern Region."
“But you young people have lofty ambitions and must settle in Tianjing.”
Another elder stepped forward; clearly, she was of a higher generation, and the elder gave her his place.
Granny Zong said, “The Xie family should not be confined to the southern region. As the head of the Xie family, you should have a broader vision. I, this old woman, cannot help you, but I will entrust my son Shangguang to your care from now on.”
Xie Lanzhi nodded and said, "Yes, I remember it all."
The other elders remained silent. As Xie Lanzhi walked out of the ancestral hall, a group of Xie clan members, whether scholars or military officers, bowed to her as she passed by.
The moment that tall figure in a dark robe stepped out of the ancestral hall, a gust of wind swept by, making her upright posture seem like a towering peak. Every step she took represented a footprint in the history of the Xie family.
He is an object of reverence and aspiration for the Xie family descendants.
After Xie Lanzhi returned to Chenxiang Mansion, she took off her outer robe, and Si Xitong gracefully came over to take it off for her.
“I just came back from paying my respects. Looking at the Xie family ancestral hall, I was quite moved. Then I thought that Little Phoenix’s ancestors must have been even more glorious.”
After all, it was the temple of emperors throughout history.
Si Xitong was puzzled as to why she suddenly brought up her ancestors, so she followed up by saying, "The Great Jin Dynasty has lasted for two hundred years and has gone through seventeen monarchs. My father was the last one."
Xie Lanzhi fell silent upon hearing this. Si Xitong helped her change into a new outer robe, her movements already very practiced.
In the past, Xie Lanzhi would obediently let her dress up, but today she held her hand and said, "The Great Jin should continue, for example, to the eighteenth generation."
Si Xitong froze.
Xie Lanzhi continued, "I will be stationed in Tianjing, and you will naturally follow me wherever I go."
“I will definitely follow you in death, you don’t need to worry,” Si Xitong said.
"I don't need you to worry about me," Xie Lanzhi said. "My meaning is very simple: as the legitimate heir of the Great Jin, it's time for me to be reinstated."
At the end of the Jin Dynasty, after the death of Emperor Xicheng, the Jin Dynasty was in name only and could be overthrown at any time.
However, none of the direct descendants of the late dynasty are still alive, and the various royal families are still alive and have their own territories. Perhaps the great tree of the late Jin dynasty was broken, but the roots are still there. As long as the roots are there, a towering tree will always grow again.
Even if Si Xitong is only the Lady of the Southern Region now.
The wife officially recognized by the Xie family was Xie Lanzhi.
But when Xie Lanzhi caught sight of Si Xitong's hair being tied up, it was already a symbol of her marriage.
She knew that this identity had once saved her, and now it was her identity as Xie Lanzhi's wife that bound her.
Xie Lanzhi reached out and untied her hair, letting the black strands fall loose and drape over her waist. Si Xitong stared in astonishment at her actions. She then removed the golden hair ornament from her head and the jade pendant from her chest.
Erase the traces of the backyard woman from her body.
Xie Lanzhi took off the silver-white jade crown from the top of her head, inserted it diagonally into her jade crown, and finally inserted a jade hairpin.
She took a step back and looked at her more closely. Gone was the air of a noblewoman; instead, she was a promising young lady studying abroad.
Xie Lanzhi said, "Little Phoenix, Tianjing is not only your hometown, but also your capital."
Si Xitong lowered her head and remained silent, but she obeyed all of Si Xitong's actions and understood her meaning.
When she looked up again, her eyes were no longer filled with confusion, but with unwavering determination.
"Qi Tong will definitely follow the Marshal's lead."
Xie Lanzhi paused for a moment, then stopped arguing with her: "Once Tianjing is almost cleaned up, we should set off. Your brother is also in Tianjing. It's time for the two of you to have a good talk and try to change his personality so he won't act recklessly again."
"Although Huang Mang has not been captured, it is only a matter of time before he is caught."
"I will let you judge him yourself!"
Killing her father's killer had always been Si Xitong's wish. Now she had the opportunity to take revenge, and this opportunity was brought to her by the person in front of her.
She had so much to say to Xie Lanzhi, but when it came to her lips, she didn't know which sentence to utter first.
Si Xitong spoke again, addressing Xie Lanzhi. Not wanting to disappoint her, she changed her words and said, "Lanzhi, I will not let you down."
Xie Lanzhi recalled that in the first half of the original novel, even if it was just to survive, she could handle the wicked, the treacherous, and the difficult. She still could now.
She said with complete confidence, "Little Phoenix will never let me down."
So she shouldn't feel disappointed. She's already content to be able to be the Empress's wife for a while.
Next, she should be allowed to fly away and soar into her own world.
With the good news from Tianjing, the snow in the southern region also stopped. With winter halfway over, the sky welcomed the sun after the snowstorm. The sun was warm and dazzling, illuminating the land.
Tianjing has a new master again, formerly the capricious Huang Zei, and now the infamous Xie Lanzhi.
The people of Tianjing were filled with fear that they might not live to see tomorrow.
In order to appease the people, Xie Lanzhi specially ordered Xie Ji to open the Tianjing granary and keep half of the rice and grain, and distribute the other half to the people of Tianjing.
The people began to trust their new ruler after receiving their share of grain.
Xie Ji released the three kings and urged Si Lei and the others to return to Jin immediately to arrange their affairs before going to the capital. Si Bogong originally intended to go back with them, but Xie Ji stopped him.
Although Xie Ji disliked Si Xinian, he was, after all, the Grand Marshal's brother-in-law, and his status would rise because of Madam Si's favor. Naturally, he had to give him some face.
Unfortunately, this kid was unlucky and collapsed after opening the door for Xie Jun. If it weren't for his loyal subordinates who took him to the Imperial Hospital, where a physician had treated Si Xinian and diagnosed him as poisoned, and the medicine given by the marshal kept him alive, he might have been beyond saving by now.
He's now in a coma, half-dead.
Xie Ji specifically said, "The Fourth Prince's troubles are a bit tricky. We'll deal with them after the Marshal arrives in the capital."
Si Bogong said reluctantly, "I am his only elder. When he wakes up, I will take him back to Qi Jin and teach him properly."
"Seven Jin? Are you out of your mind?" Xie Ji reminded him, "Let's not even talk about whether Si Lei will accept it, he might even try something underhanded. I have great respect for the Fourth Prince's contributions in Tianjing."
"But the court is rife with intrigue and deceit. How awkward is the position of a prince who has no power, no influence, and no father? The gentry of Tianjing have differing opinions on whether the Great Jin Dynasty will fall."
"If it's for Madam Si's sake and with the Marshal's permission, if he were to join my Xie family, the Grand Marshal would grant him a marquisate. But I'm afraid he's still up to no good."
Si Bogong immediately became so nervous that he trembled. He quickly said, "General Right, please don't think like that. The Fourth Prince has no ambition to be restored to the throne. He is still just a child who has not yet come of age."
"Then you'll have to persuade the people who want to restore the country," Xie Ji kindly reminded him. "So you'll have to stay in Tianjing and keep an eye on him."
Si Bogong nodded quickly: "Okay, okay, I'll stay in Tianjing."
Xie Ji added, "Also, the matter of the Fourth Prince's poisoning must not be reported to Madam Si. It can only be reported after he has recovered."
Master Si nodded repeatedly: "It was my oversight. I will take care of Qinian, but I will have to ask you all to keep the matter of the Princess a secret."
Seeing that Si Bogong had been persuaded to stop, Xie Ji breathed a sigh of relief; he had finally fulfilled the marshal's instructions.
Three days later, Xie Lanzhi arrived in Tianjing on time with several thousand people.
Xie Lanzhi rode her horse into the city, dressed in a magnificent black armor.
Xie Guang and Xie Xia waited on either side, while Si Xitong sat in the middle in a luxury BMW.
On the main streets of Tianjing, all the common people were driven away, leaving only Xie Jun and the Jin generals who had surrendered to Tianjing kneeling there to welcome the new emperor to the capital.
The long queue, reflecting a row of shadows, looked as if a giant dragon was roaming on the ground.
The Golden Palace had been cleaned and the dragon throne had been replaced. Outside the palace, former Jin officials and surrendered officials stood in two rows, with Si Bogong and Xie Ji at the front.
Upon seeing the arrival of the luxury car, everyone already knew what was going on. The person inside was clearly Madam Si, whom Marshal Xie had fallen for at first sight.
The legitimate daughter of the Emperor of Xicheng, and the eldest princess of the Great Jin Dynasty. To put it bluntly, she was a princess of a fallen kingdom.
According to the previous dynasty's regulations, all those entering the palace through the East Gate, except for the emperor, were required to dismount. At this moment, Xie clan generals were riding past the East Gate one after another.
Xie Lanzhi was riding a horse, unaware of these taboos.
Xie Guang, with his big mouth, continued to persuade: "Grand Marshal, even the old Marshal didn't get the privilege of riding a horse when he entered the East Gate. Today, you're leading us in openly and generously. It has to be said that times have changed dramatically; things change every thirty years."
"What do you mean?" These words caught Xie Lanzhi's attention.
Xie Guang, seeing that she didn't know, thought she was just being forgetful, so he said, "The east gate of the Jin Palace has always been known as the Emperor's Gate. Except for the Emperor, who has the right to enter using any means, everyone else must dismount and remove their armor to walk."
Xie Lanzhi quickly raised her hand to signal the people behind her to stop.
Xie Lanzhi sat on her horse, pondered for a moment, and then ordered everyone: "You shall all dismount and walk; there is no need to remove your armor."
She dismounted herself, but then got directly into the carriage.
Xie Guang looked puzzled. He obediently dismounted, took the reins of Xie Lanzhi's horse, and then stepped aside.
Xie Ji and Xie Xia understood the Grand Marshal's meaning. They whispered to Xie Guang, "It seems that the Grand Marshal wants to abide by the regulations of the previous dynasty. Her attitude will soon become the new situation in both the inner and outer courts."