Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

Frost covers a thousand miles, and winter snow begins to accumulate.

A layer of gray clouds covered the sky above the capital, and pedestrians trudged past below, leaving behind patches of lifeless icicles.

Su Zhi's belly was getting bigger and bigger, and in this kind of weather, she could only stay at home and warm herself by the fire.

Xiao Zong has been gone for so long, not only is she worried about him, but even Madam Qin couldn't sit still and sent someone to ask if any letters had been sent back.

I didn't even think about it.

This mission, ostensibly to suppress bandits, is actually aimed at resolving the troubles in the southern border region. A slight misstep could alert the enemy, so Xiao Zong is cautious and will not allow anyone to find fault with him.

Xu Muxin braved the snow to come, waved away the two maids who were helping her brush off the snow, and turned to bolt the door.

"Zhao Xuanguang is returning to the capital!"

Upon hearing the name, Su Zhi found it completely unfamiliar and asked, "Who?"

Xu Muxin plopped down on the couch.

"Oh my! The Empress's niece, General Zhao's only daughter—Zhao Xuanguang!"

"It's her!" Su Zhi exclaimed. "Her ability to return to the capital means that everything is going smoothly with Xiao Zong, which puts my mind at ease."

Su Zhi paused, then looked at her with a smile, "You're quite well-informed."

Xu Muxin's eyes flashed, and she stammered, "I heard it from someone else."

Actually, Yan Qiao "happened" to meet her on his way back to the capital, wrote a letter, and sent it to her by express horse.

After much thought, she decided to conceal the details to avoid Su Zhi teasing her again.

"His Majesty has suspended court for three days now, I wonder if he can..."

Su Zhi didn't continue speaking. Xu Muxin sighed silently. Although her uncle was not a wise and virtuous ruler, he worked diligently and tirelessly throughout his life and was ultimately worthy of the title of emperor.

If he doesn't survive until Zhao Xuanguang enters the capital, this struggle between the emperor and empress will come to an end.

Su Zhi lowered her eyes, "I never expected that Eunuch Fu was the Empress's man. Fortunately, Xu Dahai asked the Empress Dowager to intervene and detain the Empress in Kunning Palace. Otherwise, who knows what kind of trouble might have arisen."

"The Empress is truly ruthless. She poisoned the man she shared her bed with day and night without hesitation." Xu Muxin pounded her fist in regret. "If Pu Hong were in the capital, we would still have the ability to save him. Unfortunately, he is now thousands of miles away, and distant water cannot quench immediate thirst!"

“We can’t just sit here and wait to die,” Su Zhi said, gripping Xu Muxin’s hand tightly. “We have to arrange the marriage before General Zhao returns to the capital.”

Xu Muxin shook her head. "The Empress's own niece, the Flying Kite General appointed by the court, her husband must be of noble birth and cannot hold any power. Just selecting a candidate is enough to give the cabinet a headache. Moreover, the marriage involves state affairs, so we cannot interfere."

Su Zhi covered her eyes with one hand, her mind racing with thoughts.

Of the princes, only the Prince of Jin is suitable, but His Majesty wants him to inherit the throne, so he will definitely not agree.

After the Duke's succession, he would not pursue an official career and would not marry a female general whom the emperor feared. Most of His Majesty's sons and nephews are already married, so who else is capable of taking the position?

Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck her.

"How old is the Ninth Prince's son?"

Xu Muxin felt utterly hopeless. "Fifteen years old, Zhao Xuanguang is ten years older than him."

Eyes facing each other.

"..."

"..."

Su Zhi paused for a moment, then said, "Never mind, I didn't ask."

The snow outside was falling even heavier, and Xu Muxin didn't want to disturb her pregnancy, so she left despite the wind and snow.

In the afternoon, an important person arrived uninvited.

"I wish to marry General Zhao, and I ask Madam Xiao to mediate on my behalf."

Su Zhi looked listless, her face paler than the snow falling from the eaves.

"You two are not a good match, and besides, I am but a lowly person, who would listen to the words of a mere woman?"

"The cabinet may not trust you, but Lord Feng is upright and incorruptible, and people still listen to what he says."

"I do not have a close personal relationship with Lord Feng."

The man chuckled softly, a hint of certainty in his nonchalant gaze.

"Lord Feng promised that since Xiao Zong is not in the capital, he would be willing to look after you. As far as I know, you haven't fulfilled that promise yet, have you?"

Su Zhi pinched her knuckles, her smile forced, "You're right."

Seeing her distracted look, the man said gently, "I don't want to pressure you. Think it over carefully and then give me your answer."

Su Zhi had her maid see the guest off, while Su Ziyuan, carrying a pair of snow rabbits, walked through the flower hall and brushed past the man.

He glanced back a few times, then went inside, dropped the rabbit, and went around the fire to ask who the visitor was.

The woman teased the rabbit with candied fruit, but instead of answering, she urged it to roast the fruit quickly so it could warm up and help her with her business.

"It eats grass, don't feed it random things, or it'll die!"

Su Ziyuan retrieved the rabbits, instructed the maid to build a burrow for them, and then immediately went to run errands for Su Zhi.

As darkness fell, Su Zhi received a reply from her father, containing only three simple words: Promise him.

The miserable Su Ziyuan had just wrung out the snow water from his trousers when he received a new task from his aunt: to drive to the Feng residence.

The following day at noon, Li Kai regained his senses for a moment and approved the cabinet's proposal that the wedding ceremony be handled jointly by the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Clan Court.

When the imperial decree reached Zhao Xuanguang's ears, the carriage had barely passed Shuozhou when Dou Zhao, fearing she would elope, sent people to monitor her day and night.

Yan Qiao advised him to relax, "Even with a packet of muscle-relaxing powder every day, it's difficult to commit suicide, let alone run away?"

Dou Zhao said worriedly, "The medicine is all hidden in her food. What if she didn't eat it and it was all an act?"

"The dishes that were cleared away were all empty. If she didn't eat them, could they have been eaten by rats?" Yan Qiao patted his shoulder. "As long as the green hills remain, there's no fear of running out of firewood. The women of the Zhao family won't kill themselves over a marriage!"

"Really?"

"Really, believe me."

The wind on the southern border is like damp crepe, cold yet gentle.

Qiu Peng took the longevity lock from Xiao Zong's hand, and asked with a sigh, "Is he alright?"

"He was injured before and has been recuperating at my residence. Otherwise, I would have brought him to see you."

Qiu Peng glanced at him sideways, "You would be so kind? If Chen Qing came to Fuzhou, I would never let him leave. But his affection for you far surpasses that for me, his elder brother. So he's stuck in the capital for life, and can only be used as a bargaining chip to keep me in check!"

Xiao Zong slightly curled his long fingers and tapped the wall bricks as a warning.

"Without me, you wouldn't have become a great general, and he wouldn't have become a bargaining chip."

"So you guessed all along that the Zhao family army would one day fall apart?"

Xiao Zong's gaze merged into the dark night. So what if he guessed? He was still trembling with fear, walking on thin ice, causing his beloved to worry about him!

"You should go back first. I want to be alone for a while."

He ruthlessly chased him away, and Qiu Peng touched his nose, "Fine."

Less than fifteen minutes after they calmed down, the soldiers guarding the city shouted, "The flag of the Zhao family army, it's the general! The general has returned!"

"Quickly! Open the city gates!"

Xiao Zong snapped out of his daze, stopped the soldiers, and issued an order: "No one is to open the city gates without my command. Anyone who disobeys will be executed on the spot!"

Everyone suddenly realized, "That's right, the young general was thrown onto a carriage by Xiao Zong and sent back to the capital to get married."

The Zhao family army now obeys General Qiu, and General Qiu follows Xiao Zong's lead. How could they dare to disobey Xiao Zong's orders?!