Surviving in the General's Mansion - Chapter 116

The meal left all the officials at the banquet flushed with passion and excitement.

In the end, Huyan Lie never said whether he was willing to remain in Huaxia in an uxorilocal marriage.

Pasang guarded every word and action even more carefully, afraid to make a sound lest they keep her behind to marry Cheng Zhesong.

As soon as the banquet ended, the two hurried back to the relay station.

Cheng Zhesong also climbed into his carriage and left beneath the hostile gazes of the assembled military officers.

“Pah!”

One bearded general became angry all over again when he remembered Cheng Zhesong’s words and spat to the side.

An acquaintance beside him shook his head and pulled him away.

Madam Xiao kept one arm tightly around Xiao Yaqing while stroking her daughter’s hair with the other.

“It’s all right now, Yaqing. Huyan Lie is about to leave. We don’t need to be afraid anymore!”

Xiao Yaqing did not know whether to laugh or cry. Her mother was soothing her like a child.

“Mother! I wasn’t afraid. Didn’t His Majesty say he would never send anyone into a marriage alliance?”

Madam Xiao nodded, her eyes red.

She had nearly fainted the moment Huyan Lie named her daughter. When he tied Yaqing to relations between the two nations, her worry had become unbearable. She had been terrified that Guangji might be careless for one moment and let Huyan Lie lead him into a trap.

Thank goodness Guangji thought quickly!

It was only logical. Since when did the victorious nation send someone into a marriage alliance with the defeated one?

And who knew what wicked intention Cheng Zhesong harbored?

“Husband! What was Cheng Zhesong trying to accomplish with those words?” Madam Xiao complained to Xiao Huan. “Why doesn’t he marry the Tujue princess himself?

“It is fortunate that Guangji is reasonable. Otherwise, would our Yaqing not have been married far away to Tujue and tormented there?”

Xiao Huan’s teeth itched with hatred as well.

“Hmph! He might want to marry her, but the question is whether she would agree!

“That old thief tried to plot against my daughter. I refuse to believe he failed to see that Huyan Lie wanted our family’s method for producing alcohol!

“This is treasonous collusion with the enemy. He should be beheaded!”

Madam Xiao asked indignantly, “Then is there truly nothing we can do to him?”

Xiao Huan sighed.

“That old thief was already concealing his depths when the late emperor still lived. He is a consummate smiling tiger.

“Even now, no one has managed to seize any evidence against him. He severs every trail too quickly!

“But Yaqing, do not worry. Father will never let him off. I will certainly make him pay for what happened today!”

Warm emotion softened Xiao Yaqing’s heart. Her parents had been even more frightened than she was.

She rested her head on Madam Xiao’s shoulder.

“Father, Mother, you don’t need to worry. In the future, Yaqing will make sure no one can even suggest sending me away!”

Her parents exchanged a look.

“Whatever Yaqing wants to do, go ahead and do it. No matter what happens, your father and mother will stand behind you and bear it!”

“Father…”

Early the next morning, the First Prince of Tujue and Princess Pasang led their people out of the relay station and began the journey back to Tujue.

After finishing her lessons for the day, Xia Heng returned to her room and began performing a money-grabbing dance.

Today was the first day of the eleventh month. It was time for the monthly lottery again.

Both weekly spins before this had yielded only the guaranteed prize. She felt it was time to try a little superstition!

Xiao Yaqing sat nearby, yawning as she watched her dance.

She had stayed up half the night talking to her mother after returning from the banquet yesterday. In the end, her father had even been driven to the study to sleep. She was still tired now.

If this creature had not told her in advance that today was the monthly lottery and asked her to share some luck, Xiao Yaqing would have slept until afternoon and then gone directly to the shop.

Though she had no idea what luck she possessed for Xia Heng to borrow…

Xia Heng solemnly rubbed Xiao Yaqing’s forehead twice. This was the aura of the heroine of this world!

“Spirits of heaven, spirits of earth, Lord of Wealth, show your might!

“Bless me! If I can’t draw a computer with a built-in data connection, at least give me a Fruit phone! A game console will do if all else fails!

“Draw!”

After finishing her chant, Xia Heng finally pressed the lottery button.

“Congratulations! Lottery reward obtained: Fruit Phone ×1. The reward has been issued. Please check your inventory!”

When Xia Heng remained motionless for a long time, Xiao Yaqing poked her shoulder.

“Well? Is the draw finished?”

Xia Heng seized her hand.

“The aura really works! Hahahaha!”

Seeing how excited she was, Xiao Yaqing calmly pulled her hand free.

“What did you get?”

Xia Heng stepped in front of her with a mysterious air and produced a rectangular object from behind her back.

“Ta-da-da-dah!”

“Holy crap! A Fruit phone!”

At the sight of the real object, Xiao Yaqing sprang up excitedly as well. Xia Heng patted her shoulder with the composure of a transcendent master.

She knew it. No one could resist the temptation of a phone. No one!

Xiao Yaqing took the phone and examined it closely.

“It’s powered by magic energy? It doesn’t need charging for ten years? Is that real?

“Ah, it can’t access the internet, but calls and messages still work. It’s a little like an old brick phone, except it can also take photographs.”

Xia Heng pulled her own phone from system storage, and the two huddled together to study them.

“It does more than an old brick phone. It has weather forecasts and maps too. Look…”

They tested calls, text messages, and every other function. By the time both phones contained no fewer than ten selfies, Xiao Yaqing finally closed the camera with great reluctance and prepared to return the device to Xia Heng.

“Why are you giving it back? What am I supposed to do with two phones by myself?”

Xia Heng shoved it back into her hands.

“But this is far too valuable…”

Xia Heng rolled her eyes.

“Is it more valuable than the twenty thousand taels you and Aunt Xiao gave me?”

“That’s different!”

Xiao Yaqing pushed the phone back into Xia Heng’s hands.

“How is it different? We’re the only two people here who know how to use this thing. Who else could I give it to?”

The two passed a single phone back and forth, looking very much like relatives refusing and returning a New Year red envelope.

“Then I’ll pay you for it!” Xiao Yaqing said, her eyes brightening.

“Oh, spare me! Is it easy for your family to earn money? You’ve already handed me twenty thousand taels for nothing!

“Is twenty thousand taels a small sum? How long would it take me to earn that much on my own? I treat you as family, yet you’re treating me like an outsider?

“Hurry and keep it. This way, we can contact each other anytime. We can send messages, leave notes, gossip, and share pictures!”

After Xia Heng’s barrage, Xiao Yaqing finally accepted the phone. Then she said excitedly, “I can’t even imagine how happy we’ll be now that we have phones!”

Xia Heng gave her a knowing smile.

“You must keep it hidden! Don’t let anyone discover it.”

Xiao Yaqing patted her chest.

“Don’t worry. I’ll put it in a pocket inside my underclothes. No one will ever find it!

“We’ll use it to talk tonight after I return home!”

“Okay!”

They acted at once. Xiao Yaqing set the phone to silent mode in Xia Heng’s room, placed it in the inner pocket of her underclothes, then put her fur coat on over everything. Nothing showed.

“I’ll go now! There is still business at the shop today. Watch your phone—I’ll message you later!”

“No problem! Standing by at all times!” Xia Heng replied.

Both women had new toys, and excitement flushed their faces red. As Xia Heng saw Xiao Yaqing off, they happened to encounter Deputy General Zhang returning. He even asked what had made her so happy.

“It’s a girl thing. You wouldn’t understand even if I told you.”

After answering, Xia Heng ran back to her room, impatient to send Xiao Yaqing a message. Even if Yaqing could not read it now, she could do so once she got home.

At last, Xia Heng was no longer playing in single-player mode!

Deputy General Zhang remained where he was, scratching his head.

Girls truly were difficult to understand.

By the time Xiao Yaqing left the shop, dusk was falling. She rolled her shoulders and neck, climbed into her family’s carriage, and prepared to chat with Xia Heng by phone after returning home.

The thought alone was exciting!

But why did the surroundings seem to grow quieter the farther the carriage traveled?

Xiao Yaqing lifted the window curtain and looked outside.

Where was this?

This was obviously not the road home.

She pulled aside the curtain at the front of the carriage.

“Zhuzi! Where are we going?”

A large hand reached in from outside and clamped over her mouth.

Before losing consciousness, Xiao Yaqing caught sight of a stranger at the reins.

Where was Zhuzi? What had happened to him?