Female martial arts fanatics only love to fight, while men fight for their lives.

70

Lu Huan knew it very well.

But he could only protect the territory under his feet. The battle that made him famous temporarily stopped the ambition of the northern desert forces to move south.

The trade routes are too long and far, and the areas far from the territory are too complicated.

The ethnic minorities living in the oases deep in the desert each have their own ideas. If they want to completely unify, it depends on whether it is worth it.

"Many foreigners are unwilling to submit to our dynasty, and there is nothing we can do. Did the Duke of Zhenguo travel by caravan? He must have suffered a lot, right?"

Lu Huan mentioned it casually, but he had no intention of prying. Although he knew that she came from the common people, no one knew what she was doing before coming to the capital.

So it sounds like she is doing business?

Lou Xiao blinked, "Fortunately... I followed the main group and didn't suffer much."

She suddenly seemed to remember something. "There is a small village west of the border. There is a shop that sells good mutton. There is a half-dead old tree at the door. It is run by a pair of old sisters. Have you been there to eat?"

Lu Huan thought about it and vaguely remembered that there was indeed such a village "once upon a time".

"I haven't been there. That place..." He didn't know whether to tell her the bad news, "All the villagers in that village have moved away."

Moved away?

"I remember that there were nearly a thousand families who left? Did they surrender to us?" The living environment in the desert outside the border is harsh. If they surrender to our dynasty, at least they will be protected and will not suffer from the war.

Lu Huan broke her fantasy, "They moved deep into the desert and won't come back."

Because of their beliefs, some tribes are indeed very determined to maintain their status no matter how difficult it is. They are afraid of being assimilated or indoctrinated and would rather die than surrender.

Lou Xiao sighed with regret, "Is the water source dried up? When I went there, the situation was already not optimistic."

There is no way to survive if you move to the deep desert. The slightly larger oases are inhabited by tribes, and in the end they will either integrate or... perish.

Lu Huan also knew the difficulties that the village would face in the future. "I hope they can find an oasis that is big enough for them to survive. If they go further north, I'm afraid it will be even more difficult."

The topic became more serious. Lou Xiao lost her appetite even when she saw the snacks on the table. At this time, Jiubai came from outside the pavilion and was stunned when he saw Lu Huan.

She bowed her head and leaned close to Lou Xiao's ear and said, "Miss, they are here."

Lou Xiao raised her head and looked at Lu Huan. Lu Huan stood up and said goodbye, "Since the Duke of Zhenguo is busy, I will not disturb you. Goodbye."

"Okay. See you next time." After Lou Xiao stood up and watched him leave, a few unfamiliar elders walked up the path not far away.

When he saw her from afar, his eyes lit up and he quickened his pace towards her.

Lou Xiao sat down with her arms around her chest, and put on airs again. Jiu Bai swiftly cleared the dishes on the table, talking non-stop.

"Master Yu was captured by the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Household Department when he was looking for the young lady. He looked very unwilling when he looked at me! I think he will come again when he is free later."

This is to give Lou Xiao some psychological preparation.

Lou Xiao was a bit careless and didn't notice his thoughts. "He should be accompanying Old Taishan, right? Is there anything you want to talk to me about, Old Taishan?"

Jiubai paused and sighed inwardly, but didn't dare to point it out.

She glanced at the relatives who were connected to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion through many connections, and seeing the young lady's indifferent expression, she was afraid that they would not be able to get what they wanted.

After finishing the cleaning, Jiubai stood beside Lou Xiao.

He lowered his head and pricked up his ears, doing his best to hide his presence like every well-trained servant.

Whenever Lou Xiao met a so-called "outsider", she would act like a Duke of Zhenguo. She would stand with her back straight and her expression cold, looking unpredictable and difficult to tell whether she was happy or angry.

"This humble servant has met Lord Zhenguo. This humble servant has been a good friend of your father for decades. If he could see your grace with his own eyes, he would definitely be extremely proud!

With you here, the Zhenguo Mansion will surely reach new heights in the future!"

As soon as they met, he hinted that he was the elder and praised her highly. Did he think that as an illegitimate daughter, she would look forward to getting the recognition of the former Duke of Zhenguo?

Before Lou Xiao could say anything, the other party sat down in the place where Lu Huan had just sat.

She kept talking about the unknown "involved person", "That young man has to call you cousin according to seniority. We are all family. Can you please show some mercy and spare him this time? It's all a matter of your words. Everyone in the capital doesn't know that you are deeply loved by His Majesty.

The people in the Ministry of Justice are too rigid. Why didn't they say anything after they arrested someone?"

What a self-acquaintance.

Lou Xiao waited for him to finish his rambling as if he were an elder, then asked indifferently, "So who are you?"

"I, I, didn't Old Taishan tell you? We are all family!" The fat middle-aged man was wearing a wrinkled official uniform. His eyes were vague while he spoke, and he lacked confidence.

Lou Xiao admired the other person's thick skin. "I have been in the capital for a long time, and the only family I have seen is in the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion. What is your name?"

If they were really members of the Lou family, she should have seen them long ago.

He glared and said, "Alas! I don't blame you if you don't recognize me! After all, I grew up outside. Now that I'm in front of you, how can you still say you don't recognize me!"

After pouring tea for himself and Lou Xiao, the middle-aged man picked it up and said to her, "Come on! Drink it and you can't say you don't know me!"

Lou Xiao didn't even glance at him, just looked at him coldly.

Seeing that Lou Xiao was not understanding, he put down his teacup and said, "My daughter from the Ou family gave up her bright future and married into the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. She is the mistress of the Lou family as recorded in the genealogy!

She has a good temper. When she was still alive, she registered the children born by the Duke of Zhenguo and other people under her name. Even Lou Sheng is a legitimate child of the Lou family. "

He looked at Lou Xiao and said, "I don't know what your mother was thinking. She brought you up among the common people to suffer. You should have been raised in luxury in the capital.

Now, I have been labeled an illegitimate daughter for nothing, and I don’t know how many people are laughing at me behind my back.”

I thought Lou Xiao would be angry, but she just calmly gestured for him to continue to see what he had to say.

"As long as you are recorded under the name of Madam Ou, who can say anything bad about you in the future? How can a dignified Duke of Zhenguo have such a stain?"

Lou Xiao took a long time to sort out the confusion. "You mean, you can change the Lou family tree at will? Isn't it in the hands of Old Taishan?"

“If we want to make it perfect, naturally both the Lou family and my Ou family will have to make changes.

When the time comes, just tell everyone that you were born by Madam Ou, but you were taken in as a disciple by a master when you were young and you practiced martial arts outside. Then no one can say that your identity is inappropriate. "

This is the exchange.

She traded her reputation, which was the least important to her but was the most important to the officials in the capital, for the guilt of another person.

Lou Xiao didn't know whether she was angry or she laughed out loud because of stupidity.

"Why would I care what others say about me? So what if I'm an illegitimate daughter? I'm the Duke of Zhenguo recognized by His Majesty himself.

If you think you can control me with just this little thing, you really underestimate me."