Days at the Luo family passed by in this manner.
Shen Xin and Shen Qiu were never ones to stay idle. Every day, they trained troops on the simple drill ground outside the Luo residence, naturally working with the remaining vanguard of the Shen Family Army. These soldiers were originally just cooks and the like, suffering daily under Shen Xin's relentless drills, while Shen Xin himself grew increasingly frustrated with their performance.
Luo Xueyan was busy visiting relatives and friends all around. Xiaochun City was where she had spent her childhood and youth, and there were many close friends from her girlhood days. Every day, she took Shen Miao along to visit old acquaintances, and before she knew it, Shen Miao had become acquainted with a whole circle of ladies.
At first, as a delicate young lady from Ming Qi, everyone was extremely careful in attending to her. She was served the most exquisite food, given the finest silk threads, treated to an endless variety of pastries, and even the flowers and plants were trimmed more meticulously than before. Previously, those noble daughters who came from Fixed Capital to Xiaochun City often had quite the temper, so everyone feared they might accidentally displease Shen Miao. However, after she had stayed for a while, they realized their worries were unfounded. Shen Miao adapted to Xiaochun City remarkably well and never demanded any special treatment. Occasionally, hailstorms would hit Xiaochun City, and Shen Miao would merely watch with curiosity, showing no fear.
As time passed, the Luo family gradually let their guard down around this cousin. Among the four younger members of the Luo family, Luo Ling and Luo Sa had already taken up posts in the garrison and were rarely seen at home. Luo Tan and Luo Qian were the ones who stayed home more often. Luo Tan had made peace with Shen Miao after receiving a Western-style mirror as a gift, while Luo Qian, lively by nature and practically a grown-up version of Su Minlang, pestered Shen Miao daily for stories about Fixed Capital.
In Xiaochun City, Shen Miao no longer had to dwell on matters concerning Fu Xiuyi, and her mind became much clearer. She began treating Luo Qian like a younger brother.
One day, Luo Qian and Luo Tan came to Shen Miao’s courtyard again to see her. Unlike Fixed Capital, where one could spend months exploring its countless shops, Xiaochun City was small, and after a few days, there was little left to see. Shen Miao stayed in the residence, and Luo Qian and Luo Tan, likely bored, came to chat with her.
Luo Qian munched on the Jiangnan-style pastries specially prepared for Shen Miao by the kitchen and said, "Yesterday, I went to the drill ground to watch Cousin Qiu train the troops. Though the soldiers weren’t much, Cousin Qiu’s martial skills were incredible! And the guard Mo by his side—I couldn’t even last a few moves against him. Cousin, could you ask Cousin Qiu to teach me a few moves?"
Shen Miao smiled. "If you want to learn, just ask Eldest Brother directly. I’m sure he’d agree."
"Really?" Luo Qian, with his youthful exuberance, brightened immediately. It was strange—most young noblemen from Fixed Capital were arrogant, and their early experiences often made them crafty beyond their years. But the younger generation of the Luo family was different. Take Luo Qian, for example—sincere, straightforward, and brimming with the innocence of youth, he was easy to like.
"Cousin," Luo Qian, who had grown quite fond of this gentle and pretty cousin, already treating her as one of their own, continued, "Cousin Qiu’s martial arts are truly a sight to behold. Is he the best in Fixed Capital? No, no—he must be the best in all of Ming Qi! Eldest Brother and Second Brother are among the finest here, yet they still lose to Cousin Qiu."Luo Tan, who had been flipping through a picture album on the side, finally couldn't take it anymore. She bit into an orange and rolled her eyes at Luo Qian. "Are you really this ignorant? Don’t say you’re from the Luo family, and don’t call me your sister—it’s embarrassing."
The constant bickering between Luo Tan and Luo Qian was something Shen Miao had long grown accustomed to. Sure enough, Luo Qian immediately retorted, "What do you know? How am I ignorant? Are you saying Cousin Qiu isn’t the best?"
"South Xie, North Shen," Luo Tan drawled lazily.
Shen Miao froze. Luo Tan, looking smug, shook her head and said, "Everyone knows the two great military aristocratic families of Ming Qi: one is the Shen family of the Grand General of Might, your aunt and uncle, and the other is the Xie family of Marquis Lin'an Manor. Cousin Qiu is the pride of the Shen family, but I’ve heard that the young Marquis Xie of the Xie family is also exceptionally talented. Grandfather once had the fortune of meeting Young Marquis Xie and later said, 'This young man is no ordinary person; one day, he will soar to the heavens.'"
"Grandfather... met Young Marquis Xie?" Shen Miao asked hesitantly.
Luo Qian also chimed in, "Yeah, Sis, how come I didn’t know about this?"
"All you know is eating—how would you know?" Luo Tan rolled her eyes at Luo Qian and continued, "I heard it was when Grandfather went to discuss military strategies with Marquis Lin'an and happened to see Young Marquis Xie in the tent. After meeting him, Grandfather sighed in admiration. I wanted to ask more, but Grandfather told me to stay away from him, saying Young Marquis Xie was a dangerous man not to be trifled with."
Shen Miao lowered her gaze. She hadn’t known that Luo Sui had met Xie Jingxing. But if even Luo Sui could recognize Xie Jingxing’s extraordinary nature... Before she could finish her thoughts, Luo Tan asked, "Little cousin, speaking of which, you grew up in Fixed Capital—you must have seen Young Marquis Xie before, right?"
Shen Miao paused, then nodded.
"What does he look like?" Luo Tan grabbed Shen Miao’s arm excitedly. "Is he as breathtakingly handsome as the rumors say, like an Immortal? Even more handsome than Brother Ling?"
The "Brother Ling" she referred to was naturally Luo Ling. Among the three Luo brothers, Luo Ling was gentle, Luo Sa was fierce, and Luo Qian was lively—all of them handsome. But because Luo Ling was the most mild-mannered, he was considered the most "handsome" of the three.
Shen Miao replied, "Not as handsome as Cousin Ling."
"Ah?" Luo Tan let go, her face full of disappointment. "But I heard that Young Marquis Xie is incredibly good-looking, with a charm so captivating that women swoon at a single glance. He’s not even as handsome as Brother Ling?"
Luo Qian gloated at her. "What matters most in a man is ability, not looks. Besides, even if that so-called Young Marquis Xie were looking for a wife, he definitely wouldn’t pick someone like you." He grinned at Shen Miao. "He’d naturally go for a gentle and lovely girl like our little cousin."
Luo Tan and Luo Qian immediately started squabbling again.
Shen Miao rubbed her temples as she watched the siblings quarrel, feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation. She hadn’t expected Xie Jingxing’s reputation to reach even Xiaochun City. Her thoughts drifted to Xie Jingxing, who had likely arrived in the northern border by now. This was his first time leading troops into battle under the title of young marshal. Though she knew his prowess in warfare, the memory of his fate in her past life made her heart clench involuntarily.Forget it, Shen Miao shook her head, dispelling those inexplicable thoughts from her mind. In the past, she had thought Xie Jingxing was most skilled in military strategy and formations. But in this life, after crossing paths with him, she realized his true expertise lay in maneuvering behind the scenes like a chess player. With such a composed and astute mind, he was bound—bound to overcome any adversity.
Time flew by, and Luo Tan and Luo Qian stayed with Shen Miao until dusk. The sky began to darken. By the ninth and tenth months in Xiaochun City, the grasslands outside the city would dry up, while heavy rains frequently fell within the city walls. Unlike the rains in Fixed Capital, Xiaochun City’s downpours carried the scent of wind and sand, fierce and unrelenting. The dark clouds seemed to swallow the entire sky, plunging the world into near-nighttime darkness in mere moments.
Luo Tan glanced at the sky and said, "Not good. It looks like hail is coming again."
"Why hasn’t Uncle returned yet?" Luo Qian also stood up, frowning.
Though The Luo Family Army had disbanded, the city still needed guards. On ordinary days, Luo Lianyin and Luo Liantai worked in the guard corps. After Shen Xin arrived, he also brought Shen Qiu along to help. They usually returned by dusk to have dinner together at the residence, but today, they still hadn’t come back.
Shen Miao looked outside and suddenly thought of something, her expression turning grim.
Noticing her change in demeanor, Luo Tan assumed she was afraid and found it odd. "Little cousin, are you scared of the hail? It already happened a while ago, and you weren’t afraid then. Why are you frightened now?" She patted Shen Miao’s shoulder reassuringly. "Don’t worry. We’ve lived here for years, and hail is common this time of year. There’s nothing to fear."
Shen Miao didn’t seem comforted by her words. Instead, her expression grew even more troubled. Even the usually carefree Luo Qian sensed something was wrong. He looked at her in confusion. "Little cousin, why are you so tense? Are you worried about Uncle? It’s fine—" Before he could finish, shouts came from outside. It was a Luo family servant, who stumbled in his haste, calling out, "Young Master, Miss, Cousin, the mistress asks you to come to the main hall at once!"
Luo Tan was taken aback and frowned. "What’s happened?"
"The Turks are raiding again! The old master took the two lords and General Shen to the grasslands. The two young masters are still in the residence. With the weather turning, the mistress wants you all to gather in the main hall." Though the servant was urgent, his tone wasn’t panicked—clearly, such incidents had happened many times before, and he was accustomed to them.
Luo Tan stamped her foot angrily. "Damn those Turks!"
Luo Qian turned to Shen Miao. "Little cousin, come with us first. It’ll be fine." Even now, he didn’t forget to reassure her.
Shen Miao nodded. By the time they reached the Luo family’s main hall, many people had already gathered. Yu Shi and Ma Shi were both there, visibly relieved when they saw the three arrive. Ma Shi, likely trying not to frighten Shen Miao, walked over and took her hand. "Jiaojiao, you’ve never seen hail this heavy before, have you? Don’t worry. We’ll stay in the hall and chat for a while. It’s been so long, and you’ve never told us about life in Fixed Capital." She deliberately avoided mentioning the Turks. Yu Shi, gentler in nature, also smiled and added, "That’s right. We’ll have hotpot with mutton tonight. I wonder if Jiaojiao will like it."Xiaochun City bordered the grasslands. When the Tujue people weren't raiding, they would trade livestock for daily necessities. The sheep and cattle were robust; freshly slaughtered mutton was sliced thin, and when placed in a small boiling pot, the tender slices cooked almost instantly upon contact with the water. Dipped in a bit of spicy sauce, the flavor was utterly delightful. Luo Tan had wanted Shen Miao to try this hot pot mutton before but feared she might not be accustomed to it. Unexpectedly, the topic came up today.
Clearly, they were trying to distract Shen Miao from dwelling on other matters. Shen Miao smiled faintly at Yu Shi. The Luo family always went out of their way to show their kindness.
The Tujue people's stronghold lay deep in the grasslands. Whenever they pursued them, the current manpower of the Luo Family Army was insufficient. All able-bodied men of the Luo family had to mobilize. However, this year, with Shen Xin, Luo Xueyan, and Shen Qiu joining, along with Luo Lianyin, Luo Liantai, and even Luo Sui, the situation improved somewhat. The only ones left to guard Xiaochun City were the Luo family. Originally, Luo Ling and Luo Sa were supposed to go, but since Shen Xin and the others had joined, they stayed behind in the city.
Outside, the sky had darkened. Luo Tan bit her lip tightly, visibly frustrated. Her home was raided every year, and no matter what, it was hard to feel at ease.
Most of those in the hall were women, along with some maids and servants. Bailu and Shuangjiang quietly handed Shen Miao some pastries left from noon, urging her to eat a little.
A pot had been set up in the hall, and the kitchen was busy slicing mutton. The boiling broth emitted a mouthwatering aroma, but no one was in the mood to enjoy it.
Luo Qian, feeling somewhat hungry, noticed the pastries beside Shen Miao and walked over to sit beside her, picking up a piece to eat.
Shen Miao stared at him unblinkingly. Luo Qian, unnerved by her gaze, finally scratched his head and couldn't help but ask, "Little cousin, why are you staring at me? Are you scared?"
The two of them sat far enough from Yu Shi and the others that their conversation couldn't be overheard. Shen Miao said, "Cousin Qian, why is Grandfather unwilling to rebuild the Luo Family Army?"
Luo Qian froze.
"That day, when he heard me speak, Grandfather got angry. It can't just be because there's no money to support the army, right? Cousin Qian, can you tell me the reason?"
Luo Qian's eyes darted around, avoiding Shen Miao's gaze as he stammered, "What reason could there be? It's just a lack of funds. Don't overthink it, little cousin. Without money, how could we possibly rebuild the Luo Family Army?"
Shen Miao continued to watch him quietly. Her eyes were clear and bright, devoid of any hidden emotions, yet their sheer honesty was disarming. It made lying in front of such a gaze feel like a sacrilege.
Luo Qian, after all, was a lively young man with a good relationship with Shen Miao. He finally relented and whispered, "Little cousin, this matter isn't spoken of in our household. But since you're family, I'll tell you. Just don't let anyone else know. If my parents find out I told you, I'll surely get a beating."
Shen Miao nodded."In fact, you're not the first to bring up the idea of reorganizing the Luo Family Army," Luo Qian said. "The real decline of the Luo Family Army began shortly after Auntie was born. At that time, the Luo family was already in decline. Grandfather was full of unfulfilled ambitions, and seeing him depressed all day, Grandmother suggested reviving the Luo Family Army."
"Grandfather already had this thought in mind, and with Grandmother's encouragement, he immediately began preparations. But back then, we were short on funds. Grandmother said the same words to Grandfather that you did, cousin—raising an army should bring fame. As long as we won battles, the Emperor would take notice of this army and naturally allocate funds, solving the financial problem. So Grandfather volunteered to lead a campaign at the border."
Luo Qian sighed. "As for the outcome, I'm sure you've already guessed, cousin. Grandfather suffered a crushing defeat and became a laughingstock. The Luo Family Army, already weakened, never recovered from this blow. Most importantly, while Grandfather was away at war, Grandmother fell seriously ill. To keep him from worrying, she forbade the family from telling him. By the time Grandfather returned in defeat, Grandmother had already passed away."
"Grandfather always felt that he had failed to fulfill his promise to Grandmother. Even after his own passing, he would have no face to meet her in the afterlife. All these years, he hasn't reorganized the Luo Family Army simply because he lacks the courage to confront his past failure." Luo Qian set down the pastry in his hand and looked at Shen Miao. "Cousin, I know you want to restore the Luo Family Army to its former glory, but we Luos don't seek fame and glory. My mother always said to cherish those before us. If Grandfather could turn back time, he would never have gone to war but would have stayed by Grandmother's side instead. So if it makes Grandfather happy, it doesn't matter if the Luo Family Army remains in decline."
Shen Miao looked at Luo Qian in surprise. She hadn't expected such thoughtful words from someone usually so carefree. The Luo family's upright, kind, and benevolent nature was indeed no pretense.
Hearing this story from Luo Qian left her with mixed emotions. The once-renowned general's most devastating defeat—was it due to overconfidence or uncertainty about the outcome? Shen Miao believed Luo Sui hadn't feared losing the battle itself; what he couldn't bear losing was his wife. Choosing glory over his ailing wife had dealt him a harsh blow in the end. No wonder his expression had darkened so quickly when she'd spoken those words—the general's deepest wound had been reopened.
"But would Grandmother truly be happy seeing it remain in decline?" Shen Miao suddenly asked.
"Huh?" Luo Qian turned to her, puzzled.
Shen Miao smiled. "If I loved someone, and he was a hero, I would want him to wield the finest sword, ride the fiercest steed, lead the bravest soldiers, and earn the most glorious achievements. I wouldn't want him to suffer injustice. If Grandfather is suffering now, wouldn't Grandmother's heart ache if she knew? If it were me, mine certainly would."Luo Qian was left somewhat dazed by Shen Miao's words. Putting aside everything else, hearing a girl speak so openly about "admiration" in front of him, a man, was rather startling. Ma Shi had described Shen Miao as a delicate girl from Fixed Capital who needed gentle care, likely shy and demure. But now, it seemed there wasn’t a trace of shyness in her—she was even more forthright than Luo Tan.
As he was thinking this, a servant outside called out, "Young Master, the Second Young Master has returned!"
Everyone turned to look at the hall entrance, where Luo Ling and Luo Sa, the two brothers, had just arrived. Outside, the air was damp, as if rain was imminent. Their clothes seemed slightly dampened, and both appeared somewhat travel-worn, having just returned from the garrison.
Yu Shi immediately instructed the servants to pour tea for them. Luo Sa downed his in one gulp, while Luo Tan rushed forward to ask Luo Ling, "Brother Ling, how are things outside?"
"Looks like hail is coming, so we’ve already urged the townsfolk to take shelter indoors. Everything outside is prepared," Luo Ling replied with a smile. "Second Brother and I will stay here tonight. This hall is sturdy enough—no need to worry."
"What about Father, Uncle, and Grandfather?" Luo Tan pressed.
Luo Sa frowned. "They haven’t returned yet."
Before Luo Tan could say more, Luo Ling, noticing Luo Qian and Shen Miao approaching, quickly interjected, "It’s fine. They’re probably just busy tonight and will return tomorrow." He changed the subject. "Something smells delicious—are we having hotpot mutton tonight? Cousin hasn’t tried these dishes before. I wonder if she’ll like them."
Shen Miao walked up to Luo Ling. At eighteen, Luo Ling had the same handsome features as Luo Lianyin but inherited Yu Shi’s gentle and considerate temperament—a stark contrast to Luo Sa’s harsh and difficult demeanor. Shen Miao asked, "Cousin Ling, have the city guards been properly deployed?"
Luo Ling was taken aback by her question but answered, "Everything’s arranged."
"How many guards are stationed in the city?" Shen Miao pressed.
This time, even Luo Sa’s gaze fixed on her.
The elders, Yu Shi and Ma Shi, were too far away to hear their conversation. Luo Qian asked, "Why do you ask, little cousin? With hail coming tonight, no one’s likely to enter the city."
"Thirty in the east, thirty in the west, and ten in the north—seventy in total," Luo Ling answered patiently.
"Is it usually this many?" Shen Miao asked.
After a brief hesitation, Luo Ling replied, "Normally, there are more. But Father and the others have reassigned some today, so the remaining city guards are fewer. Still, seventy should be enough—nothing usually happens in the city. And as little cousin said, with this weather, no one will likely come in."
The Luo Family Army had limited manpower. To pursue the Tujue, they had taken every available soldier, leaving the city guard stretched thin. Of course, Xiaochun City had remained peaceful for years, and the city guards were mostly used to catch fugitives or petty thieves—hardly a critical force.
Luo Sa studied Shen Miao for a moment before suddenly asking, "Are you afraid the Tujue will attack?"
His words stunned everyone. Luo Tan’s mouth fell open, and Luo Qian asked, "Second Brother, what are you talking about? Why would the Tujue attack?"Luo Sa let out a cold laugh, staring unblinkingly into Shen Miao's eyes: "Didn't my little cousin say on the very day she arrived that the Turks have both ambition and strength, so why couldn't they invade? Is this what you're afraid of?"
Luo Sa's temperament was somewhat aggressive. Meeting his sharp gaze, Shen Miao nodded: "Exactly, this is precisely what I fear."
"How could that be?" Luo Tan interjected. "Never mind whether what you said would happen or not, today Father and Uncle have gone to the grasslands to pursue the Turks. How could those Turks spare any effort to attack Xiaochun City? If they truly had such ambitions, wouldn't they have found a better opportunity earlier?"
"Luring the tiger away from its lair isn't a tactic only the people of Ming Qi know how to use," Shen Miao said coolly. "Although the Turks are nomadic, they're not fools. After coexisting with the citizens of Xiaochun City for so many years, do you think they wouldn't have learned a thing or two? Even weasels can mimic human behavior—unless the Turks are idiots, they would have picked up some tricks long ago."
Shen Miao's uncharacteristically cold demeanor surprised everyone. After a moment of silence, it was Luo Ling who spoke first: "Little cousin, is this your own speculation, or... have you received some news from somewhere?"
Shen Miao had been constantly worried about the Turks attacking the city, and today she seemed particularly unusual. Everyone had noticed this—only a fool wouldn't see that something was off. Simple fear was one thing, but if she had obtained some other information, that was another matter entirely.
"Intuition."
"Intuition?" Luo Sa laughed instead of getting angry. "Little cousin, this isn't the time for jokes."
"Have the two of you, after serving in the city guard for so many years, not learned the principle of preparing for unforeseen dangers?" Shen Miao's expression grew solemn, the gentleness in her eyes fading as determination surfaced. "If the Turks really do attack, being prepared in advance would naturally be for the best. If they don't, Xiaochun City avoids a calamity—isn't that also a good thing? Must we only prepare after disaster strikes? If you can't even grasp this simple logic, no wonder the Luo family is in decline."
"You—" Luo Sa was instantly furious. Luo Tan and Luo Qian also looked displeased.
Luo Ling, however, studied Shen Miao for a while, his expression unchanged, still as gentle as before. He cupped his hands toward her and said, "Little cousin speaks wisely. We were indeed slow to realize this. But given that the city guard is short-handed—an indisputable fact—what would you suggest we do, in your opinion?"
On the surface, this was a question, but in reality, it was throwing the thorny problem back at her to test her capabilities. Shen Miao inwardly scoffed—this gentle cousin of hers wasn't as magnanimous as he appeared.
She replied, "If it truly comes to this, we can't magically conjure more people. The Turks are coming prepared, so naturally, we're no match for them. After all, I'm just a woman with no martial skills. Rather than taking risks, it's better to ensure our own safety. Cousin Ling, why not gather more guards at the Luo residence's entrance? If trouble arises, at least we can hold out for a while."
Her slippery response left everyone stunned again. After speaking so passionately, why was she now acting helpless? For a moment, the younger members of the Luo family couldn't understand Shen Miao's intentions.
Luo Sa was the most frustrated, glaring at Shen Miao, wanting to vent his anger but finding no justification. He sat to the side, his face dark with rage.
Luo Ling gave Shen Miao a meaningful look and unexpectedly said, "Then we'll do as little cousin suggests."
Everyone sat back down in the hall. For some reason, Shen Miao's words had made the atmosphere tense. Even Luo Qian and Luo Tan seemed nervous. Only Ma Shi and Yu Shi remained oblivious, still instructing the kitchen staff.
When night had fully fallen, one of Luo Ling's guards suddenly requested an audience. Luo Ling allowed him in, and the guard, looking anxious, whispered a few words into his ear. Luo Ling's expression changed abruptly, and he turned sharply to look at Shen Miao.Shen Miao was leisurely sipping her tea.
－－－－－－Off Topic－－－－－－
All three brothers are very handsome, well said, but I still choose Brother Xie╭╯╰╮..
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