C132

"If you send people to search, you must find the whereabouts of these three people no matter the cost."

Tan Zhao received the order and immediately ordered.

If these three people were not found out, they would become a hidden, fatal weakness. If someone told them about it openly, it would lead to a lot of trouble.

That night, the soldiers who failed to enjoy the New Year's Eve and couldn't return home for the Lantern Festival could only hold back their anger, unable to vent.

He had traveled so far and he hadn't hit anyone. He had just picked up his stick and hit the cotton, and there was no reaction at all.

Xiao Qian took care of the feelings of the soldiers below and passed down the order for them to set up a feast and drink wine.

Xuan City, Spring Leaf Alley.

Su Zhi was using a pair of chopsticks to poke the Soup Dumplings in the wok when the pair of chopsticks pressed down.

He repeated the process mechanically, as if he was in a daze.

Dan Xue pushed Bi Yue, who was beside her, and gave her a look.

The two maidservants looked at each other and asked, "Madam, how is the Soup Dumplings?"

"Ah?" "Oh, oh, oh, okay, okay."

Only then did Su Zhi react. With an embarrassed smile, she used a spoon to scoop up the noodle soup that was about to rot from the pot.

She initially thought that Xiao Qian would be back soon, so she prepared an extra serving. However, even now, there was no sign of him. The person who had received the news had been temporarily left outside the city.

It was still cold and the snow had fallen a few days ago. What was His Majesty thinking? He didn't care about the military strength, so he wasn't afraid of the soldiers' complaints.

"Take the Soup Dumplings out."

Not only would Xiao Qian not come back for the new year, he would not even be able to come back for the Lantern Festival.

Su Zhi felt somewhat wronged for him. The bigger a person's position was, the harder it would be to do things for them. He also thought about how much her family's general had accomplished for the Great Wei.

This one was tasteless. Mother Ding also sighed, and seeing that Su Zhi's face didn't look too good, she didn't dare to show it.

After the family ate the Soup Dumplings, they tidied up the dishes in a depressed manner for a while before returning to their own rooms.

Deep into the night, Su Zhi coaxed the two children to sleep and turned off the lights as well.

She was still awake when a shadow flashed past her window, so fast that she thought she was seeing things.

Su Zhi rolled over and forced herself to sleep.

"Ah Zhi."

A man's voice came from behind. Su Zhi shuddered and opened her eyes.

He saw Xiao Qian, who he hadn't seen for a long time, squatting beside the bed with a gentle smile on his face.

Perhaps because he had traveled a long way, he felt a bit tired. There was a black stubble on his chin and he seemed to have lost a lot of weight. Under the bright moonlight, only his eyes were still bright and burning.

Su Zhi could not believe her eyes. If this man did not like climbing over walls in the middle of the night the most, she would have definitely mistaken her for overthinking things and hallucinating.

"General?" She reached out to touch the man's face, not knowing what to say.

"It's me, I'm back."

Xiao Qian stretched out his hand to wrap around her soft pancreas and rubbed it against his cheek.

Su Zhi saw that the water stains on the front of his clothes had not dried yet. They should have been caused by the falling snow.

She sat up quickly and untied his cloak.

"Quick, take off your clothes." In case of cold. The last few words had yet to come out.

Xiao Qian chuckled, "I didn't think that Madam would become so bold after so many days." Don't be in such a hurry, we have an entire night's worth of time, just take it slow. "

Su Zhi's hands froze and her face turned red. She wanted nothing more than to kick him out. What nonsense was this man spouting?

"If it wasn't for the fact that the child is still here and I'm afraid of causing too much trouble, I really want to swallow you whole without even leaving behind a bone."

"You … What nonsense are you spouting? Quickly shut up. "

Xiao Qian took off his wet clothes, removed his shoes and socks, and slipped into the blanket. His long arm went around the woman's slender waist to kiss her.

"Be quiet, don't disturb the child."

The man didn't say anything and just tenderly and lovingly kissed her.

The stubble on her chin caused Su Zhi to feel numb. It was itchy and painful.

After waiting for him to make a ruckus and be willing to talk properly, only then did Su Zhi impatiently ask about his situation.

"There have been some bad things said recently in the Imperial City. I'm worried that you've been framed by a traitor."

Xiao Qian kissed the palm of her hand, comforting her, "What are you afraid of? It'll be fine."

"Are you sure? The military power has been handed over. "

"Is that a military talisman, not a military power? The authority to control hundreds of thousands of soldiers is still in your husband's hands." As for the army talisman, it might not be a bad thing to return it. "

The Huns suffered a great loss of vitality and had been much more obedient lately.

Even though it was hard to endure in the dead of winter, he didn't dare to risk his life to breed trouble at the borders of the Wei Province.

Without the use of force, the best place to collect these tokens would be in the hands of the emperor. Without the use of force, the best place to receive these tokens would be in the hands of the emperor himself.

Su Zhi snuggled into his embrace. Hearing him comfort her like this, the depression in her heart eased up quite a bit.

"Then what are your plans?"

Xiao Qian embraced the girl in his arms and laughed softly. "Rest for a few days and improve your relationship with my wife."

Su Zhi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She pinched him, the strength in her grip was neither painful nor itchy. "I'm telling you something serious."

"Isn't this serious?"

Forget it. This man had been in the battlefield for a long time, so his schemes wouldn't necessarily lose to others. No matter how worried he was, it was useless. Since he couldn't interfere, he wouldn't pursue the matter.

The two of them spent the night together after a long separation. After Su Zhi fell asleep, Xiao Qian put away her playful look and pursed her lips, looking at the pitch black night sky, deep in thought.

Early morning the next day. The morning assembly.

Emperor Wei Wu sat upright on the Dragon Throne and looked down at the hundreds of civil and military officials standing below. His expression was complex and difficult to fathom.

"Three big live people have disappeared just like that? This is the good news that Great General Xiao has brought us? "

The man on the high seat didn't get angry, instead, he looked at the officials below and asked, "Where is Xiao Qian?"

The eunuch stepped forward and whispered, "Your Majesty, General Xiao is waiting outside."

"Let him in!"

The eunuch bowed his head and shouted loudly, "Pass!" General Xiao Gan and General Xiao! "

As soon as his voice fell, a man walked in from outside the hall. He was clad in armor and did not wear a hat. Under everyone's gaze, he walked forward and knelt on one knee, "This humble official pays his respect to Your Majesty!"

Wei Wu Emperor sneered. "General Xiao, are you having a good New Year?"

Xiao Qian's expression didn't change as he replied, "We can help His Majesty share his worries. Naturally, we cannot be too greedy."

"Then tell me, did you share our worries?"

He had to make up for it with military pay and punish anyone. He had agreed to the conditions set by the imperial court before he left, but when he returned, he told him that he hadn't caught any of the three bandits.

Wei Wu Emperor's face turned darker and darker as he stared at the man kneeling on the ground with a deathly glare. "Why isn't my beloved official saying anything?"

Xiao Qian straightened his robes and knelt on the ground to pay his respects. "Your Majesty, this humble subject has not been able to properly handle this matter. I should not have caused Your Majesty so much trouble by allowing these criminals to flee." This humble subject humbly requests the king to take back the rewards, and to take back the power wielded by the three armies! "

After those words were spoken, the hall exploded into an uproar as hundreds of officials whispered to each other.

Wei Wu Emperor's sword-like eyebrows twitched. Although he didn't understand it, the anger on his face had dissipated quite a bit.

Xiao Qian's face was filled with lament as he spoke again, "As a general, bringing a soldier to suppress your former subordinates is a dilemma to begin with. This humble subject had wanted to convince the thieves to leave so that they wouldn't escape unnoticed. This subject is anxious, I am unable to think of a meal or tea, I plead His Majesty to punish me! "

Xiao Qian had already taken back the military emblem, but now that he had taken back the military authority, he actually wanted to become a general without any actual authority? Wei Wu Emperor stared at the man kneeling on the ground in fear and trepidation, yet he forcefully swallowed the blame that came out of his mouth.

"Your Majesty, General Xiao is truly extraordinary. General Xiao is right, we should take back the military power in order to convince the masses. "

Wang Wenhui stepped forward and secretly sneered.

It was a wise move to use this move to advance. If it was said that there was no danger at the border, then Xiao Qian's theory would be courting death. However, he was confident that the king would not take back his military power.

Wei Wu Emperor narrowed his eyes and looked coldly at the two groups of ministers who were secretly competing with each other.