After returning to the capital, the eldest daughter saved her entire clan with her medical skills.

Suddenly, a commotion arose outside, a noisy and chaotic scene, creating a sense of impending storm.

The old lady's eyelids twitched rapidly, but she steadied herself.

"What's going on outside? Why is it so noisy?"

His voice was deep and authoritative, with a faint tremor if you listened carefully, as if he had experienced countless storms and was imposing without being angry.

"Reporting to Madam, this old servant will go and find out immediately."

Granny Fang, who was waiting outside the ancestral hall, had a fleeting thought. Sensing that something was amiss, she hurriedly walked towards the outside of the ancestral hall.

"No need, I will go and see for myself."

Ignoring the Buddhist beads scattered on the ground, the old lady looked up and gazed deeply at the shrine, her resolute eyes carrying a slight plea.

Inside are the ancestral tablets of the Xue family.

After the death of the old Duke Zhenguo, in order to prevent the Xue family's sons from dying on the battlefield at a young age like before, she began to eat vegetarian food, chant Buddhist scriptures, and accumulate merit and do good deeds.

Especially since the beginning of winter this year, there have been several heavy snowfalls, and countless houses around Beijing have collapsed under the weight of the snow.

The refugees poured into the city, starving and emaciated, dressed in thin clothes that barely covered their bodies.

Despite the shortage of supplies in the mansion, he still took the initiative to have several soup kitchens built outside the general's mansion, cooking soup for disaster victims and beggars day and night.

They even prepared medicine for treating colds and ginger soup for the refugees to drink.

Over the course of a month, the amount of real money spent was unknown.

Compared with other wealthy families in the capital, the General's Mansion, which was not wealthy to begin with, became increasingly strapped for cash.

Fortunately, thanks to God's blessing, no sons of the Xue family have died on the battlefield in recent decades, which makes them content. Losing a little money is the best outcome.

But today, my prayer beads suddenly broke, and a bad feeling welled up in my heart.

"My Xue family is full of loyal martyrs. Countless sons have died on the battlefield. I hope that our ancestors will bless our descendants to return safely and victoriously."

After saying this, the old lady kowtowed devoutly to the shrine, and then slowly stood up from the prayer mat.

He refused Granny Fang's help and walked out of the ancestral hall with his back straight.

The servant who was delivering the message dared not step into the backyard without permission and waited at the connecting corridor.

"Madam, a messenger from the frontier has arrived with a message."

"I know, please step back first."

The old lady suddenly stopped, swayed and almost lost her balance. Her heart trembled slightly. She slowly straightened her back and waved her hand to dismiss the servant.

In the front yard, a thin, travel-worn man stood anxiously. When he saw the old lady appear at the archway, he immediately went to greet her.

"Madam, I am a messenger sent by the Second Young Master. He personally wrote this letter and ordered me to deliver it to you overnight by fast horse."

The messenger rushed from the frontier to the capital overnight, killing several horses along the way, and barely managed to deliver the letter to the General of the State's mansion before the imperial messenger arrived in the capital.

Upon seeing the old lady, he dared not delay for a moment, hurriedly took out the letter from his bosom, held it with both hands, and handed it to the old lady while bowing.

"Thanks for your hard work."

The old lady slowly took the letter and stroked the envelope back and forth as if it were a precious treasure.

"It's no trouble at all. The Second Young Master instructed me to personally deliver the letter to you."

The messenger knew the matter was of great importance and looked at the old lady with an anxious expression, as if he had something difficult to say.

The old lady's eyes darkened, and she said to the servants in the courtyard, "You may all leave. Granny Fang, go and invite the masters of each household over."

He dismissed all the servants who were sweeping the snow in the courtyard and headed towards the main hall.

"Yes, old lady."

Granny Fang is old, and she no longer needs to do the summons herself.

Today, the old lady specifically asked her to invite several masters, and I had a vague feeling that something big was about to happen.

As Fang Mama stepped out of the archway, she bumped into Qingyan, who had come to inquire about the news. She asked Qingyan to invite the madam over, while she went to the backyard to invite the two young mistresses.

The old lady held great authority in the Zhenguo General's Mansion, and her descendants were all filial. Before long, two beautiful young women entered from outside the door.

"Grandmother, has news come from the frontier?"

The woman in front wore a plum blossom gold hairpin, a crimson purple hibiscus and auspicious cloud pleated skirt, a red cloak, and a snow fox collar around her neck.

She looks gentle and radiant, with the demeanor of a well-bred lady.

She was Fang Lingruo, the lawfully wedded wife of Xue Hengming, the eldest son of the General of the State, and also the eldest daughter of Fang Jiuyuan, the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty.

Compared to the woman who accompanied her, she appeared much more aloof and cold.

Unlike the dark eyes of Han people, her pupils were a light blue, like a vast ocean.

A high, straight nose, a sharply defined jawline, and a tall, slender figure—she resembles a noble orchid or a flamboyant rose.

She was Princess Asri of Persia, and also the lawfully wedded wife of Xue Zheng, the second son of the General's Mansion.

Three years ago, the King of Persia took his daughter Asri, who was known as the most beautiful woman in the Western Regions, on a diplomatic mission to the Chu and Qin kingdoms.

The original intention was to offer her to the emperor of Chu and Qin as a concubine in order to strengthen relations between the two countries.

Emperor Wenzhi already had three thousand concubines in his harem, and countless concubines waited to be chosen each day.

Suddenly faced with such a formidable enemy, the concubines, unusually united, used the power of their respective maternal families to jointly resist the emperor's practice of taking concubines.

It's not that they lack confidence; it's just that Arthur is too beautiful.

Her eyes were a mesmerizing deep blue, her nose was high and straight, her lips were as delicate as rose petals, and her thick hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

In particular, she possesses a stunningly hot figure with prominent curves, quite different from the typical appearance of modern Eastern women, exuding a wilder beauty.

Every detail hits the nail on the head for men.

Even though Emperor Wenzhi was used to seeing all kinds of beauties, from plump to slender, he was completely captivated by Arthur when he first saw her.

The King of Persia was overjoyed, knowing that he had achieved his purpose in traveling thousands of miles to the states of Chu and Qin.

There was not a trace of a smile on Arthur's face; her deep, captivating eyes were filled with profound sorrow.

She disliked this old emperor from the East, who was even older than her father; he was not the man she wanted to marry.

She was only sixteen years old and had many wonderful dreams about her future husband, but he shouldn't be like this at all.

Even if he is the ruler of a country.

To please his beloved concubine, Emperor Wenzhi ordered Xue Zheng, the second son of the General of the State, to perform a sword dance at a banquet for foreigners.

The officials were in an uproar. Xue Zheng, the second son of the General of the State, was a noble young man renowned throughout the Chu and Qin states for his literary and martial talents. How could he possibly perform for the King of the Western Regions?

But the emperor insisted on doing so in order to please his beloved.

All that could be done was to silently express pity and sympathy for Xue Zheng.

The emperor has become increasingly incompetent in recent years.

If one were to risk one's life to offer advice, one would most likely end up like the former Imperial Censor Wang, with one's body torn in two.

Following everyone's gaze, Arthur's eyes fell on the young man sitting in the corner of the banquet, sipping his tea.