Rebirth: Find a General as Your Backer

Lately, every night after the princess has fallen asleep, Zhou Qi would climb alone onto the roof of the palace. She would lie there quietly, gazing up at the starry sky, night after night, as if the stars could read the myriad thoughts in her heart.

When the princess went out, Zhou Qi would quietly hide in the shadows, following her like a shadow, silently protecting her mistress. She deliberately avoided everyone's gaze and refused anyone's approach. Her aloof and distant appearance was just like when she first came to the princess's side.

Every time Xue Huai came to see her, she deliberately avoided him, not giving him any chance.

Lately, she has been thinking a lot about the past, about those unbearable things. The more she thinks about them, the more she feels that she is not good enough for Xue Huai.

Looking at Zhou Qi like this, Xiao Tao was filled with worry and couldn't help but whisper to Xiao Mei beside her, "Look at General Zhou like this, it's really heartbreaking. Why won't she accept Young Master Xue? Young Master Xue is so outstanding, he doesn't have the airs of a noble young master at all, he's gentle and polite, he's clearly a good match for General Zhou."

Xiao Mei, upon hearing this, also looked bewildered, equally unaware of the reason. The two women simultaneously turned their gazes to He Qin, for among them, aside from the Princess, He Qin was the most intelligent and astute; perhaps she could know something about it.

He Qin sighed softly and said slowly, "General Zhou has her own inner conflict, which she needs to resolve herself over time. Young Master Xue is indeed a rare good person, but General Zhou may feel that she is not worthy of him in some ways." He Qin could understand General Zhou's inner struggle, just like herself. Being able to accompany the Princess was already deeply satisfying, and she dared not ask for anything more.

Now that General Zhou has met someone she also admires, He Qin sincerely hopes that she can find happiness.

“General Zhou is so outstanding, how could she not be worthy of Young Master Xue?” Xiao Tao was full of indignation. In her heart, General Zhou’s excellence was beyond doubt. General Zhou was a woman who could fight on the battlefield and win the position of general. How many people in the world could match such ability? So when she heard He Qin say that General Zhou was worried that she was not worthy of Xue Huai, Xiao Tao really couldn’t agree with it.

Seeing this, He Qin smiled and teased, "Silly girl, if you can't figure it out, why don't you ask Xuan Chen? Maybe he can give you the answer."

"I'm not going to ask him!" Xiaotao said angrily, looking unconvinced.

Xiao Mei sensed the teasing in He Qin's words and couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle. Xiao Tao and Xuan Chen were a perfect pair of bickering lovers; every time they met, there was bound to be some playful bickering. But it was obvious to everyone that Xuan Chen was actually giving in to Xiao Tao most of the time, though Xiao Tao herself hadn't realized it yet.

Seeing this, He Qin said no more. She knew that in the capital, most people held prejudices against female generals. The glory earned through bloody battles on the battlefield was utterly insignificant in the eyes of powerful families. They valued family background more, and whether it could help one's career. It was just that Xiao Tao was simple-minded and had not yet seen through many of the ways of the world.

Xiao Tao watched Zhou Qi's increasingly forlorn figure, her heart filled with heartache. However, her own princess was also exhausted lately, dealing with various affairs every day; just handling the household accounts alone had left her mentally and physically drained. Xiao Tao really couldn't bear to trouble her princess with Zhou Qi's matter any further.

That day, Su Lianxue was looking at the mountain of account books with a headache. She had been looking down at them for a long time, which made her neck sore and painful.

She gently raised her head, her fair face showing exhaustion, and couldn't help but rub her sore neck. Xiao Tao, who was watching all this, felt a pang of heartache and immediately walked quickly behind the princess, carefully and gently massaging her neck. Although her technique was slightly clumsy, it was full of concern.

"Xiao Tao is getting better and better at serving people now," Su Lianxue praised, noticing Xiao Tao's thoughtful actions. Normally, Xiao Tao and Xiao Mei have very different personalities; Xiao Tao is lively and outgoing, and compared to Xiao Mei, who excels at meticulous service, she is indeed slightly inferior in these areas.

But Xiao Tao has her own unique skills. She can always get along well with all sorts of people by virtue of her excellent social skills and obtain a lot of useful inside information from them.

Seeing Xiao Tao take the initiative to serve her so attentively today, Su Lianxue knew that Xiao Tao must have another reason for doing so. However, she deliberately didn't point it out, wanting to tease Xiao Tao and see how the girl would explain herself.

Recently, the owner of the clothing store sent someone to report that he had received a very mysterious and large order. The buyer was very generous and specified that a batch of clothes should be made using the store's most expensive fabric. However, the buyer was low-key and had an unpredictable identity, which made the owner uneasy. After weighing the options, he quickly sent someone to inform the princess.

So today, Su Lianxue came to the clothing store, wanting to personally learn about the mysterious buyer.

"Wishing Your Highness a speedy recovery!" Manager Li caught sight of Su Lianxue entering the shop and immediately greeted her with a broad smile. He quickly stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and displayed humility.

Manager Li has been navigating the business world for many years, honing his shrewd and resourceful skills, making him a first-rate business expert.

In the past, no matter how difficult the situation, he could always handle it calmly and make decisions based on his wisdom and experience. However, the recent order his shop received really made him uneasy.

This order was huge, with the generous buyer specifying the most expensive fabric in the store. However, the buyer was extremely secretive, and their identity was shrouded in a thick fog, making them difficult to ascertain.

Having experienced the ups and downs of the past, Manager Li knew how to do business in the capital. If he encountered some powerful people deliberately causing trouble, it could be a real problem.

He was filled with gratitude towards Su Lianxue for being able to live such a life. If it weren't for the princess's help and acceptance of them, he couldn't imagine how difficult their lives would be now.

Since the princess's misfortune, the shop has changed hands, making it very difficult for these old people to survive. The owner would always cause trouble for no reason, and even try to frame them, so they could no longer stay in the shop.

After Su Lianxue took her seat, Manager Li personally brewed a cup of fragrant tea, his movements practiced and respectful. As the aroma of the tea rose, he carefully recounted the whole story, his words filled with worry and caution.

Su Lianxue nodded slightly, listening attentively to Manager Li's explanation. After he finished speaking, she fell into a brief moment of contemplation before slowly saying, "Manager Li, there's no need to worry too much. Since this is business that came to us voluntarily, we should proceed according to the usual rules. However, if you notice anything unusual during the transaction, please inform us immediately."

"I will obey the Princess's orders!" Manager Li hurriedly replied, his tone revealing his trust and obedience.

……