Happy New Order

The war between Daliang and Beirong had just ended. The Daliang army had been recuperating at the border of Yi Prefecture for half a month. They planned to return to the court in a few days to celebrate the victory of the war in Yi Prefecture.

The Battle of Yi Province was the largest war between the North and the South since the establishment of the Daliang Empire. The victory this time was crucial to the internal affairs of Daliang.

Since the establishment of the dynasty, Bei Rong had been eyeing Daliang covetously. They often bullied the people at the border, invaded their territory, and challenged the imperial authority of Daliang. After the victory, Bei Rong not only returned the land that they had occupied, but also paid tribute to Daliang every year. They retreated to the north of the plateau and signed a surrender letter, never to invade Daliang again.

Everyone in Liang was overjoyed, and the five great clans were even more delighted.

Daliang was jointly established by the five great clans, and their power and authority were also in the hands of the five great clans. Among them, the Cui clan of Boling, the Wang clan of Langya, and the Li clan of Xiyue were the three most powerful clans, and they controlled the government. The Daliang Empire had gone through two generations. The first imperial power was the Wang family of Langya, and the second was the Li family of Xiyue, which was also the current imperial family.

Compared to the previous emperor, the current royal family was better at identifying and employing people. Under his governance, the people's livelihood in the four prefectures and counties had improved, and the commercial market was interconnected. He had recruited many capable people from the big families to become officials. He had selected General Qiao Yu, who had led Daliang to victory in Beirong, and put him in an important position.

Originally, the internal affairs of Daliang were controlled by the three families. The two families were assisting each other outside, so the internal and external appeasement was still balanced. However, after the end of the war, the Qiao family of Qinghe rose up and broke the balance of the three families. For a time, the entire court looked at the Qiao family in a new light. The people praised Qiao family as a hero, and Qiao Yu jumped from an unknown general to a big pillar country in Daliang's heart.

The current Qiao Yu was no longer the same as before. The other four great clans 'attitudes towards the Qiao Clan had also gradually changed. From the previous contemptuous and disdainful attitude when discussing political affairs, to the four great clans respectfully giving up their right to speak in the Imperial Court, the Qiao Clan's status was rising day by day.

Not to mention that Mrs. Qiao had a firm foothold in the court, Qiao Yu himself was deeply loved by the people. Some people who admired his military skills were even more worried about his private affairs, such as how the Qiao Manor in Shangyang City was being renovated. Did the older generation of the Qiao family value Qiao Yu? Did Qiao Yu get married and have children…

The elders of Mrs Qiao were annoyed by the questions. They shouted angrily at the idlers," Without a wife, how can you have children?"

The people who were worried about Qiao Yu heard this. His face was full of surprise. He was General Qiao, how could he not have a family now? When they got home, they sent their young lady's birth characters to the Qiao Estate.

After the Emperor learned of this matter, he also came to join in the fun and personally selected from the other three great clans and some newly established small clans. In the end, he sent more than a dozen beautiful and good-looking girls directly into the Qiao Estate and waited for Qiao Yu to return to make his own decision.

When the soldiers of Wing Prefecture heard the news, they sat together in groups of three to five after dinner and began to secretly place bets to see whose little fairy would win their general in the end. For several days, all kinds of noises came from the tent.

Especially on this night, in the two large tents on both sides, laughter continued on one side, but the other side was quiet.

Qiao Yu sat in front of the table and wrote a memorial. The soldier grinding ink beside him heard the sound coming from the tent next door and glanced at Qiao Yu slightly. Seeing that he didn't care, he lowered his head and continued grinding.

General Qiao had always been a man of few words. He had heard the general's words most often about marching and setting up formations, reprimanding the generals, and frowning every day as if he had something on his mind. He rarely saw the general smile. On the day of Beirong's surrender, the general only heaved a sigh of relief. It was not like what Commandant Qiao had said. The general was only in his twenties. He estimated that the general was at least in his thirties with his reserved and steady personality.

Just as he was thinking, the curtain was lifted, and Qiao Duo, Commandant Qiao, walked towards the table with two thick letters in his hands.

" General, two letters came from the Qiao Manor in Shangyang. They are letters…" Commandant Qiao paused when he mentioned the two letters and subconsciously raised his eyebrows to look at Qiao Yu.

The soldier knew why Commandant Qiao was worried. The Emperor had already issued an edict ordering General Qiao to return to the court to accept a large reward. The letters sent by the people of the Qiao Manor at this time were usually to remind the general to pay attention to his words and actions, to put the family first in everything, and to explain the matters after returning to the city. Could it be that the elders of the Qiao family had other instructions? Qiao Yu and the soldier looked curiously at the second thick letter.

Qiao Yu took the letter and looked at it carefully. One of the signatures on the envelope was vigorous and powerful, while the other was beautiful and round. It was obvious that it was written by two people, a man and a woman.

Before Qiao Yu returned to the Qiao Estate when he was young, his parents had passed away. The Qiao Estate only had a few aunts to help out. The letter written by this woman made him very curious about who she was.

He unhurriedly opened the envelope. On the yellow paper, a simple picture of a beautiful girl playing with a dog appeared in front of him. The woman in the picture had a faint smile on her face, and she was as beautiful as Shun Hua.

Qiao Yu's gaze did not stop on the woman's side profile. Instead, he turned to look at the person who signed it at the bottom of the picture, Xiao Yao.

He placed the drawing on the table and asked Qiao Duo in an unhappy voice,"Is there someone surnamed Xiao in the Qiao Estate?" 

Qiao Duo frowned and thought for a moment. He told them about the news he had heard about Shangyang recently. He guessed that the Emperor was choosing a wife for the general and sending the Xiao clan members to the Qiao residence.

Qiao Yu's face sank, and he pressed the small statue on the table with one hand. What wife selection? Who would be chosen as a wife if they were sent this way? Especially when there was such a bold and foolish girl from the Xiao clan who dared to send the little elephant to the border of the Wing Prefecture. It was not difficult to see the will of this girl. How could the Qiao family keep such a girl?

His uncles had always been strict in their actions, and the reason why the Qiao Clan was able to remain stable was precisely because they restrained themselves in many rules, so how could they allow such an oversight?

He opened the other letter with a straight face. He hurriedly read through it and his expression turned cold." Commandant Qiao, pass down the order. Tomorrow, reorganize the army. We will set off for Shangyang the day after tomorrow."

"Yes, sir!"

Qiao Yu watched as the curtains fluttered behind Qiao Duo's departure. It was time for him to return to the Qiao Manor to take a look. All these years, he had been away and had been in contact with letters. He indeed did not know the true situation of the Qiao Clan. Now, Shangyang City was no longer the same as when he left.

The soldier saw that Qiao Yu was deep in thought. He knew that the general was very unhappy about this matter. All these years, the general had always placed Daliang and the Qiao family first. He could be at ease outside because there was someone in charge of the Qiao family. Now, a little girl who came out of nowhere actually wanted to use this method to attract the general's attention. She was indeed bold. What was even more infuriating was that a girl from the Xiao family who had just entered the Qiao residence could actually send a letter to the military camp?

The Xiao clan was a small clan that rose up after the establishment of the Daliang Empire. The fact that the girl surnamed Xiao could send a letter out of the manor and even into the hands of the general meant that the Xiao clan had crossed the line. It seemed that the Qiao manor was not as peaceful and peaceful as the letter said.

This time, the girls of the Xiao clan were probably in big trouble, and the Xiao clan was probably going to disappear.