Firefly Journey

Chu State, Yunzhou.

When the Seven Gods attacked Chu, in order to resist the allied forces, the Chu court issued an edict to conscript soldiers on a large scale and form a new army.

After the war ended, the massive new army began to lay off personnel, and after several rounds, less than a quarter of its original strength remained.

Those who remain are the cream of the crop.

The soldiers were recruited in Yunzhou. After the war, the Chu court ordered the new army to return to Yunzhou to garrison. While ensuring daily training, they were also required to engage in production, which was essentially a form of land reclamation.

Unexpectedly, a few years later, war broke out again. An envoy from Chu Ting arrived. Duan Feibai, the highest-ranking officer of the new army in Yunzhou, selected the best soldiers in the army to support Shenyuan on a chosen day.

While they were called experts, everyone understood that only those with extraordinary abilities were allowed to sit at the table. After all, ordinary soldiers on the front lines, facing physically robust monsters, would be killed instantly, let alone fight them.

There weren't many superhumans in the new army; most of them served as officers.

"Lord Duan, the Emperor's decree has been issued, why haven't you carried it out yet?"

Princess Qingjia, Lü Hongxiu, has grown into a beautiful young woman. She has been dispatched by Emperor Zhuang with an imperial decree to come to Yunzhou.

Of course, Emperor Zhuang was not doing this willingly. With so many ministers in the court, it was hardly her turn to run errands.

However, everyone in the Chu Kingdom knew that Emperor Zhuang was strict with the Crown Prince but doted on the Princess. He couldn't resist Lü Hongxiu's persistent pleading and let her have her way.

Lu Hongxiu traveled a long way to Yunzhou, naturally with ulterior motives.

She is anxious!

Seeing that his sister-in-law, the Crown Princess, is about to hold her baby, while his own plans are still far from being finalized, how could he not be anxious?

Ever since she reached marriageable age, all the important officials, princes and nobles in the court have coveted her.

She was the emperor's only daughter. If any family welcomed her into their home, it would be like a golden phoenix moving into a chicken coop, and the whole family would rise to prominence.

Xue Ruyue, the Minister of War of the Great Chu, even swallowed his pride and proposed marriage to a younger member of his family, only to be dismissed by Emperor Zhuang with the words "it's up to her."

Unwilling to give up, Xue Ruyue secretly approached Zhao Zheng and Simpson Budd. One was the Crown Prince's tutor and the Emperor's teacher, the most trusted person of Emperor Zhuang, and the other was the person Emperor Zhuang valued most. With their help, Emperor Zhuang should agree, right?

Contrary to expectations, Zhao Zheng said he was too old to receive guests. Simpson did meet with him, but it would have been better if he hadn't.

Upon learning that he was trying to curry favor with the emperor, she immediately changed her attitude, ignoring his expression and pointing her finger at him while hurling insults.

Finally, Simpson said leisurely, "How can the Dragon Girl marry my son?"

Xue Ruyue should have been furious; Simpson's words had completely humiliated him. But after his initial anger subsided, Xue Ruyue realized that Mr. Simpson was actually saving him!

The younger generation of the Xue family are all incompetent and immoral, and are indeed unworthy of Princess Qingjia. There are also rumors that Princess Qingjia has someone she likes.

Xue Ruyue carefully pondered Simpson's words and suddenly realized that if the Dragon Girl could not marry the dog's son, then who should she marry?

Jiao.

What is a jiao?

Looking across the entire Chu court, who is the dragon?

I'm afraid all the court officials would have only one answer: Duan Feibai, the son of the fallen captain Duan Tiexiong!

Everyone knows that Duan Feibai is highly valued by Emperor Zhuang and his son. Don't be fooled by his current posting as an official outside the capital; it's just to increase his seniority. Once he returns to the capital, he will surely be entrusted with an important position. He might just be the next Zhao Zheng, or the next Simpson Budd!

Emperor Zhuang must have wanted to marry his princess to him. His most valued son-in-law was his son-in-law. As the saying goes, a son-in-law is like half a son. Emperor Zhuang was indeed shrewd and calculating.

Xue Ruyue never mentioned the matter again, and even advised the younger generation in his family that if they had the opportunity, they should try to get along well with Duan Feibai, as it would be good for their future careers.

Duan Feibai smiled wryly and said, "I have already instructed my men to do so, and we can set off tomorrow."

"Oh, I heard you're living a very comfortable life back home. Many high-ranking officials and nobles in Yunzhou are vying to curry favor with you, and some even want to marry their daughters of marriageable age to you?"

"Your Highness, it's their business to curry favor with me, I didn't agree to it!" Duan Feibai quickly tried to prove his innocence.

"You keep calling me 'Princess,' don't I have a name?"

"Your Highness is of noble birth, and I dare not presume to address you as such."

"Very well, I command you to call me by my first name, without my surname!"

"How can this be allowed? Heaven and earth have their boundaries, and human society has its rules. How can I disregard them..."

"Shut up, are you going to yell or not!"

Duan Feibai looked troubled, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, "Hong... Hongxiu."

Lu Hongxiu immediately beamed with joy, as if she had just eaten a candied fruit; her expression changed as quickly as the weather.

"You have to keep calling me that from now on."

"My lord, my lord, I obey the decree."

"It's okay, go and do your work."

Duan Feibai breathed a sigh of relief, wiped non-existent sweat from his forehead, and turned to leave.

"stop!"

Duan Feibai stopped in his tracks, thinking to himself, "What are you up to now?"

"Father said that Orlando can lead the men there this time. My uncle will be there to meet you, so you don't need to go."

"Perfect timing! I haven't been out for a long time. Now that I'm in Yunzhou, I want to travel around, especially to see the local officials, nobles, and gentry. I want to see just how beautiful their daughters are!"

So beautiful you'll forget all about home?!

"My minister obeys."

……

……

After leaving the mansion, Duan Feibai felt much more relaxed, but he didn't harbor any resentment. On the contrary, a faint smile was on his lips that he couldn't help but smile.

The smile lasted until he met Orlando.

Orlando, who had gone from wielding two swords to wielding a single sword, looked at him with a face full of spring fever and chuckled, "People from Chu often say that no girl doesn't yearn for spring, but I think that even if you're not a girl, or even a woman, you can still yearn for spring."

Duan Feibai frowned: "Explain yourself clearly."

"I heard that an envoy from the imperial court has arrived. Is it Princess Qingjia?"

"H-how do you know?"

Orlando said disdainfully, "Look at your smug look, how hard do you think you are to guess?"

"Don't talk nonsense."

"Yes, yes, I was just talking nonsense. I don't know who stays up late at night, practicing calligraphy and painting in the study, and doesn't dare to let anyone see."

"You spy on me?"

"I wouldn't dare, I'm just looking after you for your mother."

"Heh heh, my mother hates thieves the most, you're finished!"

……

……

As soon as Duan Feibai left the study, Lü Hongxiu immediately revealed her true colors, abandoning her dignified demeanor and bursting into laughter.

"This guy is still so easily amused."

With nothing to do, Princess Qingjia paced back and forth in her beloved's study. By sheer coincidence, she spotted a cabinet that appeared to be locked but was actually unlocked.

With the idea that what's his is mine, and that we'll all be family from now on, she opened it.

There is a painting and a calligraphy scroll inside.

The woman in the painting bears a striking resemblance to her.

The calligraphy copy reads: "How dare a frog in a well peek at the bright moon?"

Lu Hongxiu thought for a moment, picked up her brush, ground the ink, and added a sentence in a straightforward manner:

"A lone moon shines in the night."