Painting Doctor Jinhua

Xie Yuxuan immediately stopped her horse and looked at Xiao Xian with some surprise and joy.

"Well... Actually, I was just joking before!" She said a little embarrassedly. Seeing Xiao Xian's slightly surprised and embarrassed expression, she hurriedly explained, "I was joking about letting you marry into my Xie family. I can't really let you, the head of the Lanling Xiao family, marry into my family, right? But..."

She restrained her smile and said seriously, "I'm in love with you, it's true!"

"Xiao Xianlang, if you are willing, when we get to Shuozhou, let my elder sister... no, let Prince Lanling and Princess Lanling preside over the wedding for us, and we will be husband and wife for this life, how do you think?

But I have only one small request, that is... in the future, at least one of our children must have the last name Xie, can you agree to that?"

When talking about the child, Xie Yuxuan's face turned red, which was rare for her, and she shyly avoided Xiao Xian's gaze.

But as she waited in confusion, she heard Xiao Xian reply, "Yes! I agree!"

Xie Yuxuan suddenly raised her eyes and looked at Xiao Xian who was staring at her without blinking with sparkling eyes.

From his starry eyes, she seemed to see some complicated thoughts, including love, compassion, and some incomprehensible relief.

“Although my Xie family was massacred by that beast Hou Jing, and now there are only a few people left, you don’t have to sympathize with me, I’m fine!

I want a child with the surname Xie, and I also want to carry on the Xie family's bloodline!

So I hope you understand!"

Xiao Xian smiled slightly and said, "I can understand!"

After a while, he suddenly asked, "Ah Xuan, what kind of person is your eldest sister?"

"She is a very good person! A very good person. She is studious and smart. Among the descendants of our Xie family, she is the smartest and the most loved by our grandfather. But there is one bad thing about her, which is that she has to handle everything by herself.

She sacrificed so much for our Xie family, and in the end, she even lost her life because of the shameless villain Chen Xu!"

Having said that, Xie Yuxuan seemed to have thought of something and looked at Xiao Xian with a little surprise.

"Do you think she looks a lot like your niece, A-Yu?"

While Xiao Xian was stunned, she continued, "To be honest, I also think she looks a lot like me, so I became sworn sisters with her. This way, I feel like my elder sister is always by my side!"

At this point, he changed the subject and said, "But the dead cannot be resurrected. My eldest sister is gone, and she is gone forever... As a human being, you always have to have a little hope to live better, right?"

"Xiao Xianlang, I know you have lost many relatives in your life, but I also hope that you can live happily and heartlessly like me!

This way we can live up to our loved ones’ wishes!”

Although she said this in a casual way, tears were clearly glistening in her smiling eyes. Xiao Xian's expression changed, and a trace of pity seemed to appear in his eyes. He wanted to reach out to comfort her, but at this moment, Xie Yuxuan suddenly turned his horse's head and said to him, "Wait for me for a moment!"

She rode her horse to the Qingxi Gate, scattered a large stack of papers covered with words in the city, and pasted several of them on the city gate before running back!

Seeing her mysterious look, Xiao Xian asked, "What were you doing just now?"

Xie Yuxuan said: "Chen Xu is now the emperor of the Southern Dynasty, hiding in Taicheng and not daring to come out, but that doesn't mean I'm afraid of him!

I must avenge my eldest sister, so I wrote down everything Chen Xu did on papers and posted them on the city wall. Isn't he a face-conscious person who wants to be a wise ruler?

Then I will tear off his fig leaf and let all the people in Jiankang City know what kind of person he is!

Now I can't reach him, and I can't hurt him, but the pen of a writer is also a sharp sword that kills without bloodshed, and it can always make him angry to death, don't you think?"

Xiao Xian felt a little confused and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. When he turned around, he saw that there was indeed a crowd of people in front of the Qingxi Gate. More and more people were gathering. Some of them even had red faces and were having heated discussions and cursing each other.

"Oh, right, we have to leave quickly, lest Chen Xu reacts and sends troops to hunt us down!"

Xiao Xian nodded, and together with Xie Yuxuan, he led the cavalry to rush towards Jingkou. At this time, a burst of hurried footsteps came from behind, and someone shouted, "Teacher, please stay!"

"Teacher, please wait for us!"

The two men turned around and saw a group of scholars with elegant sleeves running towards them. Led by one man, they all bowed to Xiao Xian.

"Although we don't want you to leave, if we leave you in Southern Chen, you will be suspected by your majesty and end up like the famous scholar Ji Shuye. This is not what we want. So, no matter where you choose to go in the future or what path you choose, we are willing to follow you!"

This man's name is Su Yan. He is considered to be Xiao Xian's most proud student and also the most outstanding among the scholars from poor families. Now he is an assistant teacher in the Imperial College, assisting the doctors of the Imperial College in teaching the students of the Imperial College.

The others all said in unison: "We all want to follow the teacher!"

"The phoenix soars thousands of feet high, looking down at the glory of virtue. The teacher is the phoenix above the nine heavens!"

Although Xiao Xian was very moved, he also said sternly: "You don't have to follow me. I have brought you to school, but whether you can achieve success or not depends on yourselves. After you have completed your studies, you should serve the country and give back to the people, instead of being grateful to me alone!"

"But, there is one thing I still want to tell you!"

"Teacher, please tell me!"

"Zhuangzi once said in his book, The downfall of morality lies in the pursuit of fame, and the manifestation of wisdom lies in arguing about right and wrong. Fame is the cause of mutual oppression, while wisdom is the tool for mutual struggle. Both are like weapons and should not be promoted in the world.

In the past, Jie killed Guan Long and Zhou killed Bigan. These wise ministers all paid great attention to self-cultivation and cared for the people, but at the same time they rebelled against the status of the monarch, so their monarchs killed them because of their wisdom. This was the result of loving fame.

Fame and material benefits are something that even a saint cannot surpass, let alone me?

The same goes for you. Remember who I am today. No matter what the future holds, we should not flatter those who seek to gain power through flattery, but we should also avoid their sharp edges and protect ourselves!

Don't disobey Your Majesty and cause the country to collapse because of my affairs!"

The scholars shed tears in silence.

At this time, Xiao Xian said: "There is another saying: When there is Tao in the world, saints will be born there; when there is no Tao in the world, saints will be born there! This is the human world!"

"Everyone go back!"

As he said this, he looked solemnly at the leading scholar Su Yan: "Su Yan, take them back. Don't mention me in front of His Majesty in the future, and don't say a word for me. Just treat me as a judge of the country. I don't care about the bad reputation! I will clean up the filth in the future!

As for you, the future path will depend on you all!"

Su Yan replied with tears in her eyes: "Yes!"

Xiao Xian seemed to be relieved, so he smiled brightly at Xie Yuxuan and said softly: "A Xuan, let's go too!"

Xie Yuxuan nodded and smiled back, waved his arm and gave an order, and a group of knights rushed towards Jingkou in a mighty manner.

Board the boat from Jingkou, cross the river to Pengcheng, first go to Xuzhou, and then to Shuozhou.

"By the way, you said that your Ah Yu also encountered some trouble. What was it?" On the way, Xiao Xian suddenly thought of this and asked.

Xie Yuxuan said, "You should have heard that Qi State has a new ruler, who is also a licentious and unruly person. When he ascended the throne, Gao Zhan wanted to summon the Prince and A Yu back. At that time, General Yang Zhong of Zhou State attacked, and the Prince did not go back on the grounds of defending the border. But now the Queen Mother has passed away, and Gao Zhan seems to be going crazy. I'm afraid Yecheng will issue another decree to summon the Prince and A Yu back to the court!"

"This situation is somewhat similar to your current situation. If the prince and his men are determined not to return, I wonder if the court will use troops against the border?"

After hearing this, Xiao Xian also frowned and became worried.

"We have to hurry to Shuozhou!"

……

Shuozhou.

Not long after Bai Yi, Xiao Ruoling and others arrived, Yecheng sent an envoy to deliver the imperial edict.

The content of the imperial edict was as expected, ordering Prince Lanling to bring his princess back to Yecheng to pay respects to the Queen Mother. At the same time, His Majesty, in recognition of Prince Lanling's meritorious service in guarding the frontier, specially appointed him as the Grand Marshal and ordered him to return to Beijing to report on his work!

The envoy sent this imperial edict at full speed, and several of his followers died on the way, which shows how urgent the order was.

The position of Grand Commandant was just a nominal one, and its real purpose was to take back Gao Changgong's military power.

"Sister, brother-in-law, you can't go back to Yecheng. Last time, His Majesty of Qi wanted to kill you. It's too dangerous to go back!"

Xiao Ruoling was so anxious that she was at a loss. Xiao Yuanshi and Yuan Rujing saw the danger of the situation and helped to persuade her.

But if you disobey His Majesty's order, it may lead to war!

"Can you at least wait until Uncle Seven arrives before thinking of a solution?"

Before Xiao Xian arrived, Xiao Jinyu and Gao Changgong had already waited for two other people to arrive.

Li Mi and Cui Heng!

In fact, as soon as Li Mi and Cui Heng arrived in Shuozhou, they were shocked by the prosperous and peaceful scene in Shuozhou. In the past, they had only heard that there was no grass in the border areas and there was a serious shortage of food. These border soldiers were also supported by the food and wages issued by the court. But they did not expect that once they entered the city, they saw farmers working in the fields, merchants shouting, and heard the cheers of children. This prosperous and peaceful scene was like a dream and was unexpected.

"So this is what the princess said, she wanted to create a home without any morbidity. It really is like a paradise!"

Li Mi couldn't help but praise.

Cui Heng also looked around and was stunned for a long time.

"I used to think that if you want to achieve great things and seek the throne, you have to do it like Cao Wei usurped the Han Dynasty, Sima usurped the Wei Dynasty, or just like the Gao family replaced the Yuan family, controlled the young lord to take the throne, and used the emperor to control the princes, but the princess doesn't seem to think so!"

Cui Heng also sighed, "Yes, the internal affairs of Qi are corrupt, and most of the officials in the court are from aristocratic families and nobles. Most of them are incompetent and corrupt. The villains are in power, and the virtuous have been squeezed out of the center of Yecheng.

Even if one uses the emperor to control the other princes, the country he gets will still be a sickly one full of holes and corruption.

It seems that the young lady wants to create a peaceful and disease-free country!"

"But will this work? Without the support of the nobles and the great families, how long can they hold out if the imperial court sends troops to attack the border?"

"This requires the will of the people. At least our Cui and Li families will not attack them. If the imperial court really wants to ignore the enemy forces around and attack their own people, then our Cui family will also send troops to support the border!"

"Yes, in fact, it would be better to let the current emperor not send out troops and stay in Yecheng. He should just be a worry-free emperor who only owns Yecheng!" Li Mi said with some hatred.

Cui Heng smiled and agreed, "Maybe it will be just as you said. The emperor is obviously dying. His Majesty is young, cowardly and introverted. He doesn't like to meet with court officials and only knows how to play all day. If this continues, I'm afraid that few court officials will stay with such a useless emperor!"

"Just Jinyang?"

Thinking of the Xianbei forces in Jinyang, Cui Heng felt a little worried, but did not continue.

After the two men entered the city, scholars and soldiers came to ask their identities. After Li Mi told them their names, the scholar immediately went to report to King Lanling and Xiao Jinyu.

When they learned that it was Li Mi and Cui Heng who had arrived, they were both very happy and immediately sent people to welcome them to the office.

"Greetings to Prince Lanling and Princess Lanling!"

"Mr. Li, Mr. Cui, long time no see!"

After Xiao Jinyu and Gao Changgong asked them to enter the house and sit down, Li Mi said with emotion: "Now I understand what you said that day, Princess. You really give us surprises time and time again!"

"And the same goes for the Duke. I never thought this frontier land could be governed so well by you!"

"It's not particularly good. Now we have just barely reached a balance. The people have land to farm and the soldiers have food and wages to use. But after the taxes here are collected, the people can only afford to feed their families!" Xiao Jinyu replied.

"If the border is short of food and money, just tell us. We will definitely be able to help. Besides, your Xinghua Yanyu Tower has had good revenue in recent years. I will give you the account book now!" Cui Heng said, taking out an account book and handing it to Xiao Jinyu, and then said, "By the way, we also asked someone to transport some food and silk! It should be delivered soon!"

Xiao Jinyu was very touched, so she stood up and bowed to them: "Thank you, gentlemen!"

"We have been friends for many years. Why should the princess be so polite? Prince, don't you think so?"

Li Mi said this and turned to Gao Changgong.

"However, this time His Majesty has ordered you to return to Yecheng, and it seems that you cannot refuse. What are you going to do?"

In fact, Li Mi really wanted to say that it would be better to lead the army to rebel! Anyway, the current emperor Gao Wei is just a decoration and is not popular among the people, so it doesn't matter if he rebels against him!

It's just inevitable to be branded as a traitor!

"Then let's go back to Yecheng!"

Unexpectedly, Xiao Jinyu answered like this, and Li Mi stood up suddenly.

"What? Go back? What if Gao Wei wants to kill you?"

"He should have no reason to kill us. If we don't go back, he will have a reason to frame us for treason. Don't worry, Mr. Li, we have a way. It's just that I still need people to defend this borderland against the Zhou army!

So, I have to wait for Xuan and Uncle Xian to come back first!"