Transmigrated as the Villainess, She Made the General Blush - Chapter 102

Chapter 102

Outside the Chancellor’s Mansion, Xiao Pingnan, who had been busy to the point of exhaustion lately, was already waiting early, chatting with Xiao Zhenxi.

Both men wore perfectly measured smiles. From a distance, they looked like the picture of brotherly affection; from up close… well, they were also quite harmonious.

When Xiao Wangshu and Xiao Fuguang arrived, this harmonious scene was what they saw from afar.

At that moment, Xiao Hong also happened to arrive with Fang Qin’er, followed by the other four concubines of the mansion’s inner court.

Among those four, the neatly and smartly dressed Concubine Zhang walked the fastest, nearly overtaking Xiao Hong and Fang Qin’er in front of her.

It wasn’t hard to see that she was truly desperate to see her son.

“The Third Young Master is back!”

Outside the gates, some sharp-eyed servant shouted first. Xiao Pingnan and Xiao Zhenxi immediately looked up toward the street.

Xiao Hong and his group quickened their pace significantly, while Xiao Wangshu and Xiao Fuguang simply broke into a jog out the door, joining Xiao Pingnan and Xiao Zhenxi to welcome him.

On the street, a young man riding a warhorse had long, sharp brows and a nose like a hooked beak. His wheat-colored skin bore the weathered look of the frontier’s wind and sand.

Behind him, two Lieutenant Generals roughly his age followed on horseback.

Seeing the brothers he hadn’t seen in a long time, Xiao Dingbei let out a hearty laugh, flipped off his horse, and strode over to punch Xiao Pingnan on the shoulder.

“Second Brother!”

Xiao Pingnan laughed along, patting Xiao Dingbei twice on the shoulder. “Third Brother, it’s been a long time.”

“Second Brother, you’ve been back in the capital for years since leaving the battlefield. Now your way of speaking is getting more and more refined,” Xiao Dingbei remarked. He then walked over and picked up Xiao Zhenxi and Xiao Fuguang directly.

Holding the two young boys, one on each side, Xiao Dingbei didn’t seem to find it difficult at all. He even had the leisure to bounce them slightly.

“You two are growing so fast. By the time I return next year, I’m afraid I won’t be able to lift you both.”

“Third Brother!” Xiao Fuguang and Xiao Zhenxi called out together.

Xiao Wangshu also stepped forward, curtsied, and said, “Third Brother.”

Xiao Dingbei looked at her, slowly setting Xiao Zhenxi and Xiao Fuguang down. His tone wasn’t particularly friendly as he asked her, “Fourth Sister actually has the time to come pick me up this year?”

Last year, this Fourth Sister of his had been chasing after who-knows-who outside the mansion. He hadn’t even seen her more than a few times during the entire New Year holiday.

Originally, the two of them had disliked each other since childhood, bickering every day. Once that person surnamed Mu got stuck in the middle, their sibling affection had dwindled to almost nothing.

He was only two years older than her-they were close in age-so there was no way he was going to pamper her like Second Brother did.

Xiao Wangshu wasn’t annoyed by his tone. She smiled and asked, “Did Third Brother go to the frontier to sell vinegar?”

“What do you mean?” Xiao Dingbei asked.

The smile remained on Xiao Wangshu’s lips as she replied, “What Third Brother just said was sour enough to kill the enemy forces.”

“Pfft-” Xiao Fuguang was the first to burst out laughing.

Xiao Pingnan and Xiao Zhenxi followed suit, raising their hands to cover their mouths.

“Well, Fourth Sister, you’ve certainly grown some backbone. Not going to chase after that Mu Mansion scion anymore?” Xiao Dingbei asked crossly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Xiao Wangshu remained composed and asked back, “Is he even worthy?”

Xiao Dingbei was slightly surprised to hear this, but on the surface, he still shrugged with an air of stubborn indifference. “How should I know? I wasn’t the one chasing after his heels before.”

“If Third Brother really wants to know, you could actually try chasing him yourself,” Xiao Wangshu said, her smile unchanging.

Xiao Dingbei’s face began to turn livid.

Seeing the two of them about to clash like a needle against a stalk of wheat the moment they met, Xiao Pingnan stepped in to mediate. “Alright, Third Brother, Fourth Sister. There’s no need for siblings to fight this much.”

Xiao Fuguang also pulled Xiao Wangshu aside, whispering a reminder in her ear, “Sister, Third Brother just got back. Why are you being so stubborn?”
Third Brother guarded the frontier, enduring hardships and exhaustion, and Father often felt indebted to him. Consequently, whenever Third Brother returned each year, Father was exceptionally tolerant and indulgent toward him.

Today was the first day of Third Brother’s return, yet for some reason, Sister was being stubborn again, picking a fight with him at a time like this.

Xiao Wangshu didn’t take it to heart at all, saying with a straight face, “My sibling bond with Third Brother was forged through bickering. Don’t worry, Little Brother; if I didn’t needle him a bit, Third Brother wouldn’t know what to do with himself.”

“Fourth Sister, don’t speak so loudly. I’m not deaf,” Xiao Dingbei said, standing nearby and picking at his ear.

Xiao Wangshu turned to him with a beaming smile. “It’s good that you heard me, Third Brother. It saves me from having to say it twice.”

“Wangshu.”

Fang Qin’er and Xiao Hong walked over together. She looked at Xiao Wangshu with a hint of disapproval and asked, “What did I tell you? It’s one thing to bicker with your third brother normally, but can’t you pick your moments?”

“Mother, Third Brother and I have been fighting like this since we were children. I’m sure he’s used to it. If I didn’t talk back today, what fun would he have talking to himself?”

Hearing Xiao Wangshu’s words, Xiao Dingbei let out a dry chuckle.

“Fourth Sister truly has a silver tongue. Why don’t you come to the frontier with me after the New Year? I feel like that mouth of yours could provoke the enemy troops to death.”

“Dingbei, what nonsense are you spouting!” Concubine Zhang walked to Xiao Dingbei’s side and scolded him in a low voice.

Hearing her reprimand, Xiao Dingbei didn’t dare bicker with Xiao Wangshu anymore. Like a child who had done something wrong, he lowered his head and replied, “I’ll stop talking, Mother.”

Caught in the middle of them, Xiao Hong raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Back to the mansion.”

“Yes.”

The group bowed and complied one after another, following behind him as they swarmed into the Chancellor’s Mansion.

On the way in, the friction between Xiao Wangshu and Xiao Dingbei’s gazes continued.

To be precise, it was a one-sided glare from Xiao Dingbei, while Xiao Wangshu only occasionally returned a smile.

Xiao Pingnan walked between the two of them, a smile fixed on his face, acting like a blind man who couldn’t see a thing.

Xiao Dingbei glared at Xiao Wangshu for a long while, but her face maintained that same indifferent smile, making him feel as if he were punching a bale of cotton.

The silent confrontation yielded no results, and Xiao Dingbei’s eyes began to ache. He simply withdrew his gaze and started chatting with Xiao Pingnan. “By the way, Second Brother, I heard you’re marrying the Tuoba Little Princess. Congratulations! When is the wedding date? I hope I’m not too late?”

“Of course you aren’t late. We specifically waited for your return to hold it. The twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month is an auspicious day for marriage. After Xin’er joins the family, we’ll have one more person in the mansion for the New Year. She has a lively personality, so it’ll be quite festive.”

“Well, that’s wonderful!”

At this moment, Xiao Dingbei had no idea how close the relationship between Tuoba Xin and Xiao Wangshu was. He was still secretly hoping that his soon-to-be second sister-in-law might be able to keep their fourth sister in check.

Xiao Pingnan didn’t continue discussing his marriage. Instead, he changed the subject and asked, “By the way, Third Brother, Father often asks you to return to the capital for a post instead of laboring away at the northwest frontier. Why are you still unwilling to return?”

With one of their own guarding the northwest frontier, Father was naturally at ease. However, this task could easily be assigned to other kinsmen; there was no need for Xiao Dingbei to be stationed there year-round.

Furthermore, Concubine Zhang was the daughter of the current Governor of Yuezhou.

The current Governor of Yuezhou had only been a military officer in Yuezhou back then. When he encountered Father’s forceful seizure of military power, he had been very sensible, surrendering to Father and offering his daughter to establish a marriage alliance.

Later, when Father took sole control of the government, he conveniently promoted that military officer, who eventually became the current Governor of Yuezhou.

Yuezhou happened to be one of the states on the northwest frontier of Wei.

With Xiao Dingbei stationed at the northwest frontier year-round, training troops at his maternal grandfather’s side for so long, it was inevitable that people would start to wonder.