Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 1290: Extra - Xi’er and Xiaoqi - 1_1

The sun rose and fell, leaves turned from green to yellow, and in a blink of an eye, several winters and summers had passed.

Nangong Country was finally conquered completely!

The soldiers of Minze Country were filled with the joy of victory.

Shangguan Xuanjun and Shangguan Xuanyao stood on the golden, magnificent roof of the Nangong Imperial Palace, sharing a knowing smile as they watched the cheering soldiers.

With great difficulty, Nangong Country was finally overcome!

Over five years, wounds had opened up and then healed, healed only to bleed again! Countless people bore countless scars and shed countless drops of blood!

All of this was far from easy!

In a few days, besides the soldiers left to guard, the rest could return to the Imperial Court.

Those conscripted soldiers could go home. Of course, if they wanted, they could stay in the Imperial Army, especially those who had performed well.

After these years of experience, Shangguan Xuanyao’s youthful naivety had worn off. He now exuded a mature, frosty aura, appearing dignified and majestic, a single glance from him enough to make one shudder.

Di Shaowei had not shaved his beard for years, his face full of whiskers, making it hard for anyone to see what he really looked like.

"Fourth Imperial Brother, when are we returning to the Imperial Capital?" Shangguan Xuanyao asked casually, looking at the empty paddy fields in the distance.

His heart was actually extremely anxious! However, over the past few years, he had learned to hide his true thoughts from everyone.

The autumn harvest had ended, and the grain was dried and stored! Xi’er had come of age! He hadn’t attended her coming-of-age ceremony and hadn’t seen her for years, he missed her terribly and wondered if Xi’er missed him as well!

Xi’er is merciless! Over so many years, she barely gave him a word! Shangguan Xuanyao thought bitterly.

Both are siblings from the same womb. Naturally, Shangguan Xuanjun knew what Shangguan Xuanyao was thinking. He glanced at Shangguan Xuanyao, then said, "In half a year."

"Wha -- what? Why so long? Didn’t you say the army will return to the Imperial Court in a few days?" Shangguan Xuanyao’s voice, initially raised in alarm, was promptly brought down to calmness under Shangguan Xuanjun’s gaze.

"We must wait until the situation is stable before we leave. General Di and General Feng will take the army back first."

"......." Shangguan Xuanyao had a thousand whys roaring in his heart!

However, he knew that his Imperial Brother had a perverse delight in seeing him agitated, the more anxious he appeared, the more he liked to oppose him. Shangguan Xuanyao had learned his lesson over the years! Thus, he feigned indifference and nodded, "Alright."

But he couldn’t help cursing inwardly: It’s not alright at all! If he didn’t return soon, his sweetheart would be married to someone else. He would have to remain a bachelor!

"Actually, we only need one general to stay behind to stabilize the situation!" Shangguan Xuanjun gave his Imperial Brother a glance and stated.

Shangguan Xuanyao’s eyes lit up at these words. Suppressing his excitement, he offhandedly nodded, "That’s right, we only need one general to stay and stabilize the situation! The remaining forces of Nangong Country are not enough to threaten us."

His Fourth Imperial Brother is truly thoughtful! He already had a family and children, so he planned to let him return to start his own family!

If he returned now to join Xi’er, by the time his brother returned to the Imperial Capital in half a year, his children would already be calling his brother uncle!

"Then I’ll go back first, and you stay here to preside over the situation! After all, you don’t have a wife and children to worry about!" Shangguan Xuanjun continued.

"......."

Shangguan Xuanyao was so furious that he directly jumped off the roof. His act was so unlovable!

His Imperial Brothers only knew how to bully him because he was young and didn’t know respect for his elders.

Each one of his Imperial Brothers was married, had children and didn’t consider his feelings at all!

Leaving him alone to stabilize the situation here, what if there were any mishaps, he would be the last one left of the line!

Shangguan Xuanyao walked towards his place of rest with a disgruntled heart.

At this moment, his servant hurriedly rushed over, "Master, it’s bad! It’s really bad!"

"What’s bad? I haven’t even started a family yet, don’t curse me!" Shangguan Xuanyao, who had been practicing keeping a straight face under all circumstances for years, finally lost his composure.

"No, news has come from the Imperial Capital, saying that Miss Xi’er is holding a martial arts competition to choose her husband."

"What martial arts competition?" Shangguan Xuanyao didn’t react for a moment, a martial arts competition to choose a husband had never happened in the Minze Dynasty before.

"A martial arts contest for a marriage proposal is exactly what it sounds like! My dear master, haven’t you heard of it? It’s where a ring is set up for people to compete in martial arts. Whoever wins at last gets to marry Miss Xi’er."

Shangguan Xuanyao’s face changed as he heard these words.

A marital contest? Who allowed her to organize it?

Is this an invitation for people to try to steal her from me?!

He immediately rushed to the stable to get a horse, and then rode straight back to the Imperial City!

If his woman was planning to run off with someone else, would he just stay here and wait for that to happen?!

After all, his fourth brother had said that only one general was needed here to oversee the situation!

He had no experience in handling matters of such importance, and, of course, an experienced battle-hardened general like himself was required to be in control!

He doesn’t care anymore! No one is managing his own affairs!

........

Imperial City, Minze Country

The Emperor came to hear that Xi’er set up an arena for a martial arts contest for a marriage proposal.

One morning, he couldn’t help but ask Shen Chengyao, "Shen Aiqing, I heard that your daughter set up a martial arts arena in front of the Four Seasons Restaurant for a marriage proposal."

Shen Chengyao came forward and nodded helplessly, "Your highness, it’s true, my daughter is quite stubborn."

He was nearly driven mad by his daughter! His older daughters Xiao’er and Yun’er were so sensible! Why did his youngest daughter always love to do such strange things?!

A marital contest! I can’t believe she thought of it! If a crude person won, would she marry him or not?!

Shen Chengyao knew his daughter was a beauty addict, who only liked good-looking people!

"Lord Shen, your young daughter really is exceptional, to come up with such a method! But this method is good! In the future, Lord Shen will surely have a world-class hero for a son-in-law! I’m just sorry that my sons are scholars with no martial talents, otherwise, I’d definitely let him participate in the contest! His fame would spread across the four seas!" said the high-ranking official sarcastically.

A maiden should stay properly in her boudoir and wait for her parents to arrange her marriage, instead of publicizing her marital contest. What an unbecoming behavior for a woman!

She didn’t act like a lady at all!

Upon hearing these words, Shen Chengyao replied, "My daughter is too stubborn to be matched with a son of yours who is as talented as Wenquxing. She’s only suitable for uncouth men." frёewebnoѵēl.com

The official didn’t hold a high rank, but Shen Chengyao didn’t want to offend him! Otherwise, he’d have to deal with him nitpicking at his family’s minor issues and complain to the Emperor about him, which would be annoying enough!

Many officials, out of anger, didn’t dare to easily offend the sarcastic official!

Not that they feared him, they just found him annoying!

And they feared their family’s scandals might be exposed.

However, the Emperor laughed, "I find Marquis Shengping’s daughter straightforward and unrestrained! Whoever marries her would definitely have a lot of fun at home!"

It seems my son’s future is worrying! That girl is actually organizing a public marital contest! This clearly shows she’s not into him and indifferent about love!

Sigh! The Imperial Palace is so boring. It wouldn’t be bad to have an interesting daughter-in-law! If I knew she would organize a marital contest, I would have granted the marriage when my son asked me to.

Now the marital contest has stirred up the entire city. If I grant the marriage now, people would think I, as the Emperor, am bullying the ordinary people!

My dear son, I’m sorry!

You better come back soon! Otherwise, you’ll lose your bride, don’t blame your father!

Your father has no idea that your beloved bride is so out of the ordinary!

Originally, the Emperor wanted to grant Shangguan Xuanyao a royal title after he returned from conquering Nangong Country, and then grant him a marriage, adding icing to the cake.

Now it’s more like adding fuel to the fire! Let him choose whether hanging himself is better, or burning charcoal is.

Since he could lose his potential wife, he probably doesn’t have anything to live for!