I fulfilled the female supporting role's wish and I succeeded

Deep in the palace, in the magnificent hall, the emperor sat on the dragon throne with a gloomy expression.

He listened to the report from the minister below, his brows furrowed, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.

The emperor expressed great sorrow over General Xiao's death and ordered a grand funeral for him to show his mourning and respect for this meritorious official.

Officials from the Ministry of Rites received the order and began to make intensive preparations for the funeral, aiming to make it grand and solemn to demonstrate the royal favor.

However, in the dark, unknown to everyone, the emperor secretly summoned the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, and he ordered the Jinyiwei in a cold tone to secretly investigate the matter and make sure to find out whether General Xiao was really dead.

After all, General Xiao was in command of a large army and had always been a major concern for the emperor. The threat to the imperial power was too great, making the emperor unable to sleep or eat.

If General Xiao really died on the battlefield, then for the emperor, it would undoubtedly be the best outcome as he had gotten rid of a major worry.

But if General Xiao is still alive, even if there is only a slight possibility, the emperor will never let him go.

The emperor was secretly thinking in his heart that he must come up with a foolproof plan to completely get rid of General Xiao to eliminate future troubles and ensure the stability of his throne.

At this time, Cang Zhou was secretly escorting the "faked-death" General Xiao back to Beijing according to the princess's instructions.

They disguised themselves along the way, avoided official roads, and chose those narrow and winding paths, as cautious as rabbits avoiding their natural enemies.

To conceal their presence, they didn't even dare to dream of a bed in the inn. They could only use the sky as a blanket and the ground as a mat, sleeping with the sound of the wind as their pillow. Cang Zhou looked at the night sky and thought that if the princess knew about this, she would be heartbroken. He would have to accept the reward when he returned.

During the journey, although General Xiao was weak and pale, he still managed to keep his spirits up. After all, he had been on the battlefield for many years and had experienced all kinds of hardships.

He knew he was now a thorn in the emperor's side, and he wished he could remove him immediately. If discovered, not only would his own life be in jeopardy, but the kindhearted Princess Wan Ning would also be implicated. The thought of Princess Wan Ning filled General Xiao with mixed emotions, as if he had sold his life to the princess.

"General, please be patient. Everything will be easy once we return to Beijing." Cang Zhou felt bad when he saw General Xiao trying to endure the discomfort.

"Cang Zhou, do you think... the emperor will really believe that I am dead?" General Xiao's voice was very soft, a little hoarse, and more uncertain.

Cang Zhou scratched his head. How could he be sure? The Emperor's thoughts were harder to find than a needle in the ocean. "General, rest assured. Her Royal Highness is extremely intelligent. She will definitely arrange this perfectly!" Cang Zhou said this, but his heart was beating fast. If this was exposed, his head would be in danger.

"I hope so." General Xiao sighed and looked into the distance with a complicated look in his eyes.

At night, the wind was biting cold. Cang Zhou found some dry wood and built a fire. The flickering flames illuminated the two men's tired faces.

"General, please eat something." Cang Zhou took out some dry food from his bag and handed it to General Xiao.

General Xiao shook his head, showing no appetite. Cang Zhou forced the food into his hands and said, "How can you not eat? You can't let your body collapse. If you do, how can I explain to the princess? Besides, you still need to save your strength to compete with the emperor!"

General Xiao was amused by Cang Zhou. He took the dry food and started eating slowly.

The people of Kyoto had already received the princess's orders and had made careful arrangements for General Xiao's arrival. To avoid alerting the enemy, the escorts made no public appearances. Instead, a few disguised guards quietly led the carriage to a secluded alley.

After several twists and turns, the carriage stopped in front of what looked like an ordinary courtyard. The gate was tightly closed, revealing nothing unusual. Cang Zhou stepped forward and knocked three times, long and two times, in a rhythmic pattern. The door creaked open a crack, and a middle-aged man with an ordinary appearance poked his head out. He glanced around cautiously before letting them in.

The courtyard revealed a hidden world: an extremely spacious manor. Pavilions, towers, rockery, and flowing water were all exquisitely and elegantly arranged, clearly not something an ordinary family could possess. They placed General Xiao in a secret room and heavily guarded it to ensure his safety.

"General Xiao, you can rest and recuperate here. Just tell me what you want to eat and use. Don't be polite! The chefs here are as skilled as the royal chefs in the palace!" Cang Zhou did not forget to chat while settling him down.

General Xiao looked at him and smiled faintly. How could he not know the hardships along the way? This boy Cang Zhou seemed heartless, but in fact he was a meticulous and loyal man.

"Cang Zhou, you have to be more careful." General Xiao warned in a low voice.

"Don't worry, General. Who am I, Cang Zhou? I was born in the Year of the Rabbit and can run very fast!" Cang Zhou patted his chest to assure, then lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "I have to hurry to report to the princess and collect the reward! Her Royal Highness the Princess said that if this mission is accomplished, there will be a huge reward!"

General Xiao shook his head helplessly. This kid never forgets money.

"Go." General Xiao waved his hand.

As soon as Cang Zhou left, a middle-aged man who looked like a doctor came in and carefully took General Xiao's pulse.

"General's pulse condition... is really dangerous. Fortunately, he has been taking care of himself all the way and his condition has not worsened. However, the root of the disease will probably need to be treated for some time." said the doctor.

General Xiao nodded, knowing in his heart that his life was saved and he still had a long life ahead of him.

Cang Zhou returned to the palace and, before he could even stand firmly on his feet, he headed straight for Princess Wan Ning's bedroom. He trotted all the way, beads of sweat oozing from his forehead, but his heart was filled with joy, as if he had a lively little rabbit in his arms.

"Princess! Princess! I'm back!" The voice arrived before Cang Zhou's men. Her voice was so loud that it was probably heard by half of the palace.

Princess Wan Ning Su Luo was sitting at the table with a book in her hand. When she heard Cang Zhou's voice, she raised her head and the corners of her mouth rose slightly.

"You kid, why are you so impetuous?" Su Luo scolded, but there was a bit of pampering in his tone.

Cang Zhou chuckled and scratched his head. "Princess, I'm just in a hurry to report back! General Xiao has been safely delivered to his destination, unharmed! You don't know how thrilling this journey was..."

He began to talk incessantly about his experiences on the road, how he avoided pursuers, how he slept in the open air, and how he "battled wits and courage" with General Xiao... Of course, there was no shortage of exaggeration, making himself sound extremely brave and General Xiao sound... ahem, a little bit embarrassed.