After hearing her explanation, Xie Lanzhi felt less bitter. She held her hands and pressed them against her chest. Si Xitong felt her heartbeat; it was beating very fast.
She asked, "Was it your mother-in-law who arranged this marriage for you?"
Si Xitong nodded: "Mother only cares about the sisterly relationship and believes that aunt can protect me."
"That's all in the past, and Mother has regretted it before. But as her daughter, I must keep the promise I made."
"Promise? What promise?" Xie Lanzhi didn't realize she had used a little force with her hands, causing Si Xitong to raise her eyebrows slightly. After Xie Lanzhi reacted, she released her and gently placed her hands on Si Xitong's shoulders.
Her eyes were full of worry.
Si Xitong sensed that she might have misunderstood.
She said, "You are my wife."
“Very good, I like that.” Xie Lanzhi began to mentally prepare herself; whatever the promise, she would accompany her to fulfill it. However, before hearing the answer, she asked a question: “Fu Feng, promise me.”
"If Wu Shang and I both fall into the water, you must save me first."
Si Xitong: "......"
"You'd better say yes!" Xie Lanzhi asked with a serious expression, posing a question that was both funny and exasperating.
Si Xitong smiled and said, "Okay, I will definitely save Lanzhi first."
Then she recounted the promises left by her predecessors one by one.
Si Xitong's mother and Wu Shang's mother were sworn sisters. One was the daughter of a prime minister of a country, and the other was a member of the ancient royal family of the Northern Region, holding a very high position in the Northern Region's royal family.
Wu Shang's mother was named Yelü Lanzhi. In her youth, she fell in love with Wu Shang's father, Wu Zhoujun.
Upon hearing the name Wu Zhoujun, Xie Lanzhi was taken aback. Was he the woodcutter who saved the little phoenix? So he wasn't an ordinary woodcutter after all!
Why didn't you tell me back then?
Si Xitong said regretfully, "I didn't know the identity of my benefactor. He is my mother's sworn brother. I only found out about this recently."
It turns out there are such deep connections between people from the past.
Before her death, Qin Jing, the mother of Si Xitong, was worried that her husband would not be able to take good care of her daughter, so she asked Yelü Lanzhi to arrange a marriage to secure a future for her daughter.
Yelü Lanzhi was getting old, and she feared that she would be unable to fulfill her promise to Qin Jing after she passed away. So a year ago, she notified the military strategists who had long been living in seclusion, hoping that they would come out of seclusion and protect Si Xitong.
The military strategist did not personally lead the expedition but instead dispatched six inner disciples, known as the "Sun and Moon Universe Unpredictable Strategist." These six individuals entered the Western Guard a year prior, and through observing Si Xitong, they recognized her abilities and revealed their identities, thus gaining her trust and favor.
In return, Qin Jing's promise to Yelü Lanzhi allows Yelü Lanzhi to make a condition, which Qin Jing will then help fulfill.
Unfortunately, Qin Jing left too early, before Lan Zhi could even make her demands.
Lan Zhi is fifty years old this year. In the late Jin Dynasty, being over fifty was considered a very old age. She was older than Qin Jing, and now she was about to close her eyes, leaving behind two sons with Central Plains surnames still in the Northern Region. The Northern Region's royal family was also targeting the Ancient Mother Clan, fearing that the Ancient Mother Clan would easily replace Yelü Beiluo's lineage in name.
The Hu people transitioned from a matrilineal to a patrilineal system only three hundred years ago, and the matrilineal system has always been at the center of power, influencing the fate of the Hu people. The Hu people's royal families still revere the mother at their core, especially with the waning power of the matriarchal system. The traditional faction among the Hu people has even formed a group within the organization advocating for the preservation of the mother and restoration of the ancestral lineage.
As the only maternal clan member, Yelü Lanzhi was pushed to the forefront by the traditionalists and was feared by the Beiluo faction.
Bei Luo dared not disrespect Yelü Lanzhi, but he often used her two sons' Central Plains bloodline as a pretext. Secretly, he had already begun targeting Wu Shang and Wu Yuejun. (Liu Dan)
Both mothers made a promise to protect each other's children.
Xie Lanzhi's sour feeling vanished instantly after hearing this, replaced by a warmth she felt for her family.
She was deeply impressed by the greatness of the two mothers.
Yelü Lanzhi is now seriously ill and bedridden, and will soon pass away, so she hopes that after she is gone, someone can protect her two sons.
"So you immediately blockaded the Northern Region and cut off its food supply routes for your aunt's two sons?"
Si Xitong shook her head: "It's not just for them, but also because Bei Luo has been quite restless lately. He has been in close contact with Anshan in private. Although I don't know what they're planning, it certainly won't be anything good."
Xie Lanzhi said, "You should force the nobles of the Northern Region to send a representative to make peace, preferably the Wu Shang brothers, they certainly won't dare to refuse."
"Also," she paused, unsure how to tell the little phoenix, "I can occasionally peek into Aqina's dreams. I don't know if it's a cheat code given to me by the Heavenly Dao. It's pretty useless."
Seeing that she seemed hesitant to speak, Si Xitong assumed she had something difficult to say.
Xie Lanzhi couldn't help but tell her her secret: "You might find it absurd to tell you, but I can indeed see Aqina's actions in my dreams."
"It's like a convenience bestowed by God."
Si Xitong had witnessed Lan Zhi's internal strength before, so she wouldn't be surprised if she had other special abilities now.
"Did you see something?"
Xie Lanzhi told her about hiding Anshan in Weidu and about having a third body double.
She further analyzed, "I think the third stand is a bit different. If a stand can extend one's life by three years, Artur has already died once, then it was Anzan's turn, and then the little girl."
"There's a specific order to their substitutions."
Si Xitong thought about it and realized it wasn't simple. If what Lanzhi said was true, it meant that Anshan had been hiding in Weidu since the destruction of opium and hadn't left, and the Xiongnu were searching for him everywhere. They might even have sent out a fake Anshan to mislead everyone.
“An Shan is very cunning,” Si Xitong said. “But his whereabouts have already been exposed.”
Xie Lanzhi said, "I have already sent Xie Xia to keep an eye on things secretly. Once we spot any trace of the Huns, we will be able to find the real Anshan."
Anshan is basically unable to escape now, and the two of them are curious about who that little girl is.
As long as Anshan isn't caught, the little girl will be fine for the time being. Xie Lanzhi suddenly remembered that she hadn't seen Lanzhang Palace's little tail when she entered the palace.
She casually asked, "Where's Shang Guang?"
Si Xitong said, "I sent him to raise pigs."
Xie Lanzhi felt somewhat helpless. Si Xitong told her, "It was the head matriarch who asked me to transfer Shang Guang to Bingzhou."
"We can't interfere too much in the affairs of the younger generation; we can only leave it to their own fate."
"He's been too well protected." Xie Lanzhi thought that since he was being asked to raise pigs, so be it. Anyway, there weren't many wars left in the world, and if any were to break out, they would all be major wars.
The inevitable result of the historical process is unification.
Thinking of Xie Ying, Xie Lanzhi had no new instructions for the time being. The victory in this battle against Yue was basically secured, and the Hu and Xiongnu were now stuck in several key positions, so they were bound to launch a counterattack.
It's just a matter of time.
The two had finally managed to meet, so naturally they didn't want to talk about business anymore; they should spend the day enjoying each other's company.
Xie Lanzhi suggested going to the hot spring in the rear palace. There was a hot spring pool in the rear palace, which was dug when the retired emperor was alive, but was later abandoned by the late emperor who also forbade the concubines from using it privately.
She had been wanting to go for a soak ever since she heard about the hot springs, since she figured she might as well leave it at that.
Xie Lanzhi winked at Si Xitong, sending an ambiguous signal.
Si Xitong's cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded: "You go first."
Xie Lanzhi cupped her face and kissed her, then she opened the door and ordered Xiaoxiu to prepare clothes, wine, and snacks for the back hall.
Si Xitong also wanted to spend some time alone with Lanzhi and temporarily escape the hustle and bustle outside.
Zhang Changle suddenly came to the palace to request an audience.
Si Xitong let him in. As soon as Zhang Changle entered, he saw his master's brows and eyes relaxed, as if something happy had happened, and he felt he had come at the wrong time. But this matter was important.
He said, “Your Highness, it is true that someone from the Northern Regions sent representatives to negotiate peace, while our people are spreading rumors in the Northern Regions that the Northern Khan, Beiluo, broke the alliance with the Xiongnu, which is why Your Highness broke the alliance between the North and the South.”
"Now that the 30% of the profits given by the first party are not going into Luochuan, the nobles of the Northern Region have suffered huge losses, but they are afraid of Li Li's strength and dare not make any rash moves."
"Actually, the Northern Region could take this opportunity to launch an attack. I originally wanted to send troops to attack, but Bei Luo heard that the Yue Kingdom had been defeated and even Aba Na was going to cooperate with Marshal Xie. He was afraid that the Northern Region, which is close to the delta, would turn against him because of Aba Na's cooperation with Marshal Xie. If he attacks Li Li at this time, he might be attacked from both sides."
After Zhang Changle finished speaking, he couldn't help but marvel at how Marshal Xie's battle had enabled His Highness to develop a multi-faceted and advantageous strategy, all of which were based on the authority the Marshal had gained by fighting his way out of the Yue Kingdom's borders.
The other states witnessed how Yue, possessing advanced firearms, could annihilate the Shi Kingdom overnight and then be wiped out by Marshal Xie within a month. This intimidated the other states and gave them a sense of security; as long as His Highness fulfilled the alliance, the states were temporarily safe. Even if they were afraid, they dared not show it in their actions.
“Now, even members of the Yelü clan are questioning Beiluo. It’s a pity that Beiluo is stubbornly insisting on a marriage alliance with the Xiongnu.” Zhang Changle couldn’t understand that old man Beiluo. Instead of addressing the current predicament, he was thinking of marrying off his daughter to curry favor with the superior state. It was simply foolish. But if there were huge profits to be made behind the marriage alliance, it would explain Beiluo’s motives.
Si Xitong pondered for a moment, and finally she asked Zhang Changle to arrange for Riyue to urge the traditional faction in the Northern Region to appoint a new representative as soon as possible.
Wu Shang has now been brought over by her and arranged to stay at Prince Dun's residence. Currently, Master Si is living at Prince Dun's residence. Master Si has met Wu Shang before, and their relationship is fairly good.
Soon, Xiao Xiu came over to remind you: "Your Highness, the Marshal is urging you to go there quickly!"
Si Xitong put down all her duties and went to the rear palace in a sedan chair. The palace was very large, and it took a quarter of an hour just to get to the rear palace. There were three buildings near the rear palace: Hanzhang Palace, Hanguang Palace, and Yongguang Palace.
As she passed by Hanzhang Palace, she made a point of having someone stop. She glanced at the palace, noting its desolate and cold atmosphere. The plaques were new, and the interior was shrouded in darkness. It seemed as if the light from outside was forever blocked from reaching the inner hall.
Si Xitong was momentarily lost in thought.
She felt that Han Zhang Palace looked familiar. She had never been here when she was a child, so she shouldn't have any impression of it. She had never even seen it before, but when she saw Han Zhang Palace, she had a strange sense of familiarity, as if she used to come here often.
Si Xitong didn't think much of it. She went to the hot spring in the back hall. Screens were erected around the hot spring, and water mist swirled inside. There were also sounds of people splashing around in the pool.
She went around the screen and saw someone leaning against the marble edge of the pool, their legs moving restlessly, paddling like a little duck. They were completely oblivious to their own brute strength, splashing water everywhere around them.
Xie Lanzhi was still as happy as a child.
As Si Xitong loosened her belt, she helplessly reminded her, "Can you please take a shower quietly?"
"Quiet?" Xie Lanzhi looked up and her gaze immediately became intense.
Si Xitong paused upon seeing this. Oh no! She had just given her a signal, and she had already forgotten about it.
Looking again at Xie Lanzhi's pink skin after soaking in the water, the undisguised love in her eyes, and her restless body slowly swimming from the edge of the pool to her feet, she crawled forward and pinched her ankles.
Si Xitong: "......"
Looks like I can't escape it today.
A commotion erupted in the back hall, lasting for a long time. Laughter and cheers filled the air.
An hour later, Xie Lanzhi dressed and carried Si Xitong to the prepared room in the back hall. Si Xitong was so tired that she could barely keep her eyes open. She nestled in Xie Lanzhi's arms and reminded her, "You haven't eaten anything today. Remember to eat."
"I'll wait for you to wake up so we can eat together," Xie Lanzhi said with heartache, a little regretting having troubled her. She knew perfectly well that Little Phoenix had been busy with official duties lately and hadn't had much rest.
"Next time, cut it by half an hour." She blurted out, and Si Xitong immediately opened her eyes. She was still tired, but she glared at her immediately: "Did I tell you to cut it!"
Si Xitong knew this person well; he always kept his word and made decisions for others without ever asking for her opinion. They were both still young—how could they possibly restrain themselves in such matters? She didn't want to!
Xie Lanzhi was about to reply to her.
Si Xitong then decided, "From now on, I will be in charge of giving orders in this matter."
Xie Lanzhi was speechless. Afterwards, they went inside. Si Xitong lay on the bed, turned over the new bedding, and pointed to a spot inside the bed for her: "Go warm up."
Xie Lanzhi: "..."
The two masters were enjoying a rare moment of leisure, and naturally, no outsider dared to disturb them. Outside the palace, the situation remained tense, and despite all efforts to coordinate, nothing could outweigh the swift victory of a war.
Zhang Changle received reports of embezzlement cases from his undercover agents in various places. In his eyes, the embezzlement cases were a minor matter. The trouble was that the migrants in various places were not stable. Migrants from the same place had formed a local force and were in conflict with other migrants over territorial divisions.