Bai Siruo smiled. Although she missed Xiao Muqian, she wasn't that inseparable from him. From her perspective, she could see the two of them drinking. Liang Luo was straightforward, downing his drink in one go, while Princess Huaran hadn't drunk a drop, pouring it all into her handkerchief.
Was she afraid that the Empress would deliberately harm her?
Bai Siruo didn't know, but she understood that this princess would be no easy opponent.
After realizing this, she decided it was best to avoid these entanglements. After all, the Bai family had never intended to take sides. With Prince Li's return, Prince Ke's envy, and the First Prince's faction and the Ninth Prince's faction about to engage in a power struggle.
At the banquet today, everyone's attention was on Princess Huaran and Liang Luo. Few people paid attention to her, Xiao Muqian's soon-to-be fiancée. This was for the best. So, after sitting with her aunt and mother for a while, she claimed to be drunk and suffering from a headache and left the席.
She couldn't wander around the palace. After receiving the Empress's consent, the three of them left the palace ahead of schedule and returned to the Bai mansion.
Unexpectedly, they ran into Xiao Muqian at the entrance.
A man and a horse, with a faint scent of wine about him, he smiled as he watched their carriage return.
Bai Siruo saw him from afar through the curtain and was overjoyed. If there hadn't been elders in the carriage, she might have jumped out.
When the carriage stopped in front of the mansion, Bai Siruo was the first to alight.
Princess Wenyi and Madam Lin, the eldest madam, pursed their lips and chuckled. They were young lovers, after all, and their feelings couldn't be hidden.
So, before they could speak, Bai Siruo asked, "Why are you here?"
Xiao Muqian smiled. He couldn't say much in front of the elders, so he only replied, "I'm not good at drinking, so I left early, thinking I'd try my luck and see if I could meet you."
Then he bowed to the two elders.
"Muqian greets the eldest madam and aunt."
"Good child, you've traveled day and night to return and attend this celebration banquet. Are you tired?"
"I'm fine."
The two smiled. Young people had good health; they weren't afraid of such exertion.
Madam Lin then said, "In that case, please come into the mansion and have some sobering tea before you go."
Her suggestion was entirely for Bai Siruo's sake. Although the two were engaged, it was late and dark, and it was better not to chat at the entrance. If someone saw them and caused any gossip, it wouldn't be good for Bai Siruo.
"Yes, Muqian respectfully accepts your kind offer."
Although his words were addressed to Madam Lin, his eyes were fixed on Bai Siruo.
They hadn't seen each other for months, and the circumstances of their parting were such that their feelings, which hadn't been very intense, had brewed much melancholy and longing during these months.
Madam Lin and Princess Wenyi were delighted to see this scene. After entering the Bai mansion, they both feigned headaches, leaving Bai Siruo to entertain Xiao Muqian, and then retired to their respective rooms.
In the flower hall, a servant brought the sobering soup.
Xiao Muqian hadn't drunk much; he had pretended to be drunk to leave. However, fearing Bai Siruo's worry, he drank the entire bowl before stopping.
"How are you? Are you injured?"
"Don't worry, I will take care of myself when I go out to battle."
"That's good. How is the northwest?"
"It's recovering well. With Second Uncle there to oversee it, I expect it will be even better than before in a year or two."
Hearing this, Bai Siruo's worried heart finally relaxed. She grinned and said, "That's good. I haven't been to Liangzhou yet. I'd like to see the vastness and the endless grasslands you speak of someday."
"You're willing to return to Liangzhou with me?"
Xiao Muqian was a little surprised. In his eyes, he had always thought Bai Siruo was bold and forthright, but she was a noble lady raised in Dongdu City. He thought she wouldn't be able to endure or like the wind and sand of the northwest. To his surprise, she had expressed a desire to go. Xiao Muqian looked at her with shock.
"What's there to it? I've long decided. If you were to remain in Dongdu City, I would wait for you at home. If you were to be transferred to Liangzhou, I would go with you. We will never be separated again."
For an unmarried woman to say such a thing, Xiao Muqian knew how much determination she had made. He stepped forward, took her delicate hand, and said.
"Good, I don't want to be separated from you again either."
Their relationship became much sweeter after this.
A嬷嬷 sent by Princess Wenyi, who was standing outside, heard this and quietly left with a smile.
After returning to Princess Wenyi's room and reporting the matter, she was not as happy as expected.
"I only have one daughter. If she really goes to the northwest, won't I not see her for many years?"
Since Bai Siruo was born, she had never left home. Although her daughter would eventually marry, she had always thought she would marry within the capital, making visits simple.
Muqian was the child she had chosen after much deliberation. At the time, she thought he would remain in Dongdu City, but she didn't expect him to plan to return to Liangzhou. Thinking of her second brother, who hadn't married or had children for decades and was hiding in Liangzhou, she felt a bit annoyed.
"Alas, for the sake of a woman, he can bear to abandon our entire family and go to Liangzhou for so long. Second Brother truly is..."
The嬷嬷 beside her had been brought from Prince Kang's mansion and naturally knew what Princess Wenyi was referring to.
But as a servant, she couldn't interject and could only listen silently without a word.
Therefore, Princess Wenyi planned to find time to have a good talk with her sister-in-law, preferably to persuade Xiao Muqian to stay, which would be good for everyone!
While Bai Siruo and Xiao Muqian were engrossed in their affectionate conversation, General Su, who had also pretended to be drunk and returned to the Su mansion, heard upon entering that Su Cheng had run off again, this time to Jinling City. His anger flared.
"This rebellious son! From childhood to adulthood, there's never been a time he hasn't made me worry. Even Feng Er knows to settle down and work for the court, bringing glory to the family, but he's always fooling around!"
As he cursed, he took the sobering soup offered by his wife.
Madam Su, however, comforted him wholeheartedly. "Forget it, that child's nature is restless. You saw how badly he was beaten last time, and within a few days, he was out of bed and fooling around again. Just consider him a troublemaker we gave birth to. Master, please relax."
General Su sighed. No matter how disappointing Su Cheng was, he was still his own son.
However, it was precisely because of his recklessness that Emperor Qi's suspicion of him was not so deep.
After all, he was old and weak and would eventually retire. Su Cheng's lack of ambition had indirectly protected the Su family's peace for generations.
No one would look for trouble with a rake, especially since Emperor Qi was quite pleased with the situation.
Thousands of miles away, Su Cheng, who was plotting against Liang Quanbin, suddenly sneezed. He rubbed his nose, and Yang Zhao beside him chuckled.