CHAPTER 363: CHAPTER 360: SCALDING HOT

Song Xian looked at Xie Liangchen. Sister Chen seemed serious, yet retained a hint of a smile in her eyes, momentarily confusing him, unsure what to say, not knowing whether he felt happy or nervous.

"What’s the matter?" Xie Liangchen said, "Inconvenient to speak? Then I won’t ask any further."

Song Xian, inexplicably anxious, even though he hadn’t done anything wrong, tightened his arm a bit, afraid she would leave in ambiguity, and later sulk over it, while he wouldn’t be able to comfort her in time.

Song Xian said, "The Emperor has no child. The Empress must have someone adopted to inherit the throne. A layer of belly, a layer of mountain, how could the adopted child truly regard the Empress as the mother? Not to mention the Xu Family being external relatives, the Empress naturally has to pave the way for her own. Marrying is merely to make the Song Family Army serve the Xu Family. How could I agree to such a marriage?"

Xie Liangchen nodded, "So General Song declined it at that time?"

Song Xian said, "I had no marriage contract, but found a way to extricate. While Xu Yuanyu was in the North, I had people watch him. Discovering he indulged his men to abduct women, I personally led men to kill Xu Yuanyu’s subordinates, thus clashing with Xu Yuanyu."

Xie Liangchen was surprised, "The Xu Family dared to behave this way?"

Song Xian’s brows flashed with coldness, "That woman wasn’t innocent, aiming to seduce the military leader for silver coin, just a covert prostitute. Yet since it was in the North, I naturally settled the matter, not wronging Xu Yuanyu. In the Capital, I heard Second Young Master Xu indulged his underlings in many misdeeds."

"After this incident, I secretly reported to the Emperor, requesting to resign from my position and not lead troops anymore. Rumors in the court spread that the Xu Family wanted their daughter to marry me to control the Northern army. I would rather bend not break, never letting Song Family Army become an external relative’s tool."

"Imperial Uncle Xu is in the Secretariat. His eldest son’s father-in-law is the Military Governor in Fuzhou. The second son is in the Capital Camp. For an external relative, too much military power, with the North still unsettled, and the eight states unreclaimed, the court still needs me. After the Emperor weighed the situation, the marriage proposal was left unresolved."

Xie Liangchen laughed, "Has General Song met Miss Xu?"

Upon hearing the title General Song, Song Xian, despite being calm, couldn’t avoid feeling a bit flustered. When in private, she hadn’t called him General Song for quite a while.

Song Xian said, "I have attended banquets at Lord’s house, logically I’ve seen her, but have no impression."

Xie Liangchen nodded, "General Song did right, assessing the situation proper like this."

The fire was almost ready. Xie Liangchen rose to check on the stew, but as soon as she stood, she was pulled back, almost sitting on Song Xian.

Xie Liangchen glanced at the door, cheeks slightly red, "What are you doing?"

Song Xian said, "Listen to me finish, then leave, Sister."

Song Xian lowered his voice, moved closer to Xie Liangchen, "Not just Miss Xu. Anyone else, I’d refuse the same. Having heard about my mother’s matter, seeing Song Qizheng’s disgust towards her, home is a place I find uncomfortable. Better off in the army, especially after Grandmother passed, there’s little for me to hope for, hence the reluctance to marry is genuine."

"I have no intention to become like my mother, nor for anyone to walk her path. If having children again, would they not be like me? If there’s anyone in mind, it would be the savior from before, though not a romantic sentiment, merely a wish to repay."

Song Xian finished speaking, holding Xie Liangchen’s hand, "Fortunately, you are the savior. Because of this longing for the savior, I followed you here."

Xie Liangchen intended to tease Song Xian, unaware the conversation would loop back to herself.

Xie Liangchen slightly lowered her eyes, with long lashes fluttering, "Now you still want me to repay the debt?"

Song Xian rubbed Xie Liangchen’s fingers with his thumb. Having held her hand several times, he now noticed a small brown mole on the outside of her wrist, very small and easily unnoticed.

"Yes," Song Xian said.

Xie Liangchen was somewhat surprised, turning her head to see Song Xian lifting her hand, lips pressing onto her wrist.

Song Xian gently kissed the small mole on her wrist, "Marry me early; the debts of both lives will be paid. Afterwards, let me repay the grace of saving my life."

Xie Liangchen blushed, not because she was easily embarrassed, but because Song Xian became more outrageous each time.

Xie Liangchen steadied herself, picking up a cloth bundle beside the stove, revealing roasted pig fat.

Earlier she saw Song Xian coming over, wanting to chat briefly, intending to keep him until the pig fat was heated properly to give him.

Xie Liangchen handed it over, "Have Chang An apply this."

Song Xian took the somewhat scorching hot pig fat, feeling the warmth seeping from his fingers into his heart. His Sister Chen is like this, always attentive in caring for those around her.

Seeing Song Xian staring intently at her, with her reflection in his clear eyes, Xie Liangchen couldn’t resist reaching out to stroke his firm eyebrows.

Xie Liangchen said, "It won’t happen again. What happened to your mother won’t come again, nor a second you."

Song Xian reached out, tightly hugging the person in front of him.

The warm scent of pine embraced her, he softly assured beside her ear, "Alright."

In the yard, Chen Zigeng’s voice echoed, "Second Aunt, is the meal ready? I just checked."

Xie Liangchen pushed Song Xian away hastily, nearly causing him to sit on the ground after crouching too long.

The two exchanged a smile.

Song Xian said, "I’m going to apply the pig fat. I’ll say the same when I see Second Aunt."

"Hmm," Xie Liangchen responded.

Chen Zigeng and Mrs. Gao’s footsteps drew near, so Song Xian finally walked out.

Xie Liangchen looked at the stewing chicken, unconsciously laughing again.

Mrs. Gao spoke with Song Xian briefly outside before entering the kitchen, seeing the chicken soup and Xie Liangchen standing by thoughtfully.

"What’s up?" Mrs. Gao said.

Xie Liangchen tried to recall, "I forgot whether I added salt."

After dining at the house, Song Xian left with his men. Seeing the closed door behind, he couldn’t help feeling somewhat wistful. Before leaving, he already began to miss her, needing to finish matters in the Capital sooner.

With that thought, Song Xian instructed Chang An, "Go to Du Jiedu."

Chang An replied, glanced at the sky, noting the late hour, "Would Du Jiedu have retired?"

Song Xian spoke with certainty, "Capital affairs are busy; the Military Governor wouldn’t retire so early. Let’s go, have someone call at the door."

Just having climbed into bed and covered himself, Du Jiedu suddenly sneezed, a foreboding feeling washed over him.

...

The next day, Xie Liangchen finished breakfast, and the steward at the door reported, "Xu Family’s carriage arrived."

Xie Liangchen settled matters at home, boarded the Xu Family carriage.

Hei Dan and others followed alongside the carriage, exploring the Capital City.

Miss Xu said, "Shall we go directly to the market?"

Xie Liangchen nodded, "Wherever shops are plentiful, let’s head there."

Miss Xu selected several rouge, jewelry, silk shops frequented by ladies, intending to explore these locations before enjoying some snacks at a teahouse.

Miss Xu was about to introduce the shop origins and their splendid items to Xie Liangchen when Xie Liangchen said, "Stop here, let’s start from here."

Miss Xu lifted the curtain, seeing only a small stall on the street, beside which was a fur shop with raw wolf pelts hanging outside, unavoidably appearing gory, causing her to frown.

Miss Xu intended to speak out in objection, but Xie Liangchen nimbly jumped off the carriage.