Su Yue's prediction was correct, the journey was smooth, and there were no more assassins.
"Sister, we'll be arriving in the Capital City soon. Grandfather said we must go to the palace first. I've arranged for someone to directly send you back to the manor, and Grandmother is surely waiting there."
After Xiao Yi and the others came, neither Su Yu nor Su Yu had called Su Yue "cousin" anymore, always addressing her as "sister". Xiao Yi was clever, so that he wouldn't discover anything.
"Oh, okay." Su Yue had never met her paternal grandmother, but she always remembered what her mother said before she died, asking her to be filial to her paternal grandmother. So, Su Yue was very concerned about this paternal grandmother.
"What's wrong? Why do you seem a bit unhappy?"
"No, it's just... the first time meeting my paternal grandmother," Su Yue looked around and found that Xiao Yi was a bit distant from them, "I don't know if my paternal grandmother will like me."
"Don't worry about that, your paternal grandmother will definitely like you. No, your paternal grandmother will cherish you even more than we do."
"Then, big brother, what does our paternal grandmother usually like? Tell me, I want to give her some gifts, but... other than medicine, I don't seem to have anything else."
Probably because she was homesick, Su Yue had a hint of worry.
"Haha, sister, you are the best gift." Su Yu rarely saw Su Yue so troubled, so he found it a bit amusing.
Su Yue knew she was being teased by her big cousin, but she wasn't annoyed. "Then tell me about our paternal grandmother's preferences, I just want to know."
"Our grandmother, she's the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Huaiyang, her status is noble, but she's not as reserved and dull as other ladies of the inner chambers. She likes martial arts, otherwise, she wouldn't have taken a fancy to our grandfather, haha. At home, she's the spoiled one, and at the Mansion of the Zhenguo General, our grandfather also dotes on her, so her temperament is candid, without the affected mannerisms of official women, and she dislikes those the most."
"Our paternal grandmother knows martial arts?"
"Cough! Just... some flower-and-embroidery footwork." Su Yu looked around and said in a low voice, afraid that his grandfather would hear.
Su Yue heard it and laughed, feeling very curious about this paternal grandmother she had never met.
"Anyway, Grandmother is easy to get along with. Oh, right, Grandmother is particularly interested in good food, haha, you can try to please her in this aspect."
Upon hearing this, Su Yue was delighted. She was also very picky about food, and although she didn't cook often, she could make a lot of delicious dishes. Even Xuan Little Four, because of her pickiness, had been trained by her to become a culinary master. Su Yue was already secretly planning the menu in her heart, preparing to make some dishes that her paternal grandmother had never tried before.
"However," Su Yu suddenly paused, "in recent years, Grandmother hasn't been particularly fond of anything, especially thirteen years ago, when my aunt went missing, she was so anxious that her hair turned white overnight."
Su Yue's gaze was deep, and she didn't say anything. Turning white-haired overnight, that must have been such a heartbreaking thing, Su Yue felt even more compassion for this paternal grandmother she had never met.
"But now that you've come back, we are so happy. Sister, you don't know how happy we are to have you."
Su Yu's eyes were red as he looked at Su Yue.
"Big brother, with all of you, I'm also very happy."
The weather today was cool and sunny, just like the mood of everyone at the moment.
"Grandfather, we'll be in the Capital City in half an hour." Su Yu walked beside Su Huan, although the journey had been smooth, they had not let their guard down.
"Good."
Soon, the large army arrived at the city gate.
At this time, the Crown Prince was leading the officials to welcome them at the city gate.
Xiao Shen had a gloomy expression, he had been waiting at the city gate for an hour. Seeing that they had arrived, his expression immediately became more restrained, and he rode his horse a few steps forward, "Congratulations to the Zhenguo General on his return to the capital."
"Welcome back, Zhenguo General!"
"Welcome back, Zhenguo General!"
"Welcome back, Zhenguo General!"
......
The officials also followed the Crown Prince's voice to welcome them, and Su Qian was among the crowd, lightly waving his fan, looking quite carefree.
Su Huan dismounted, bowed and greeted, "Your humble servant greets the Prince."
Xiao Shen only approached after Su Huan had finished his greeting, with a false smile, "General, no need for such formality, first, let me congratulate you on winning another battle, truly our Great Qing's invincible war god."
"The Prince is too kind, your humble servant has only done his duty, it is all thanks to the Emperor's wisdom that brings prosperity to Great Qing."
"Yes, yes, yes, come, the Emperor has prepared a banquet in the palace to welcome the General."
At this time, Su Yu, Su Yu, and Xiao Yi also stepped forward to pay their respects. Xiao Shen's gaze darkened slightly, "The two young masters of the Su family are also young heroes, able to achieve battle exploits at such a young age. But, why is Commander Xiao here?"
"I greet the Prince. I was ordered by Your Highness to come and receive the Zhenguo General back to the capital."
"Oh? The Prince of Jingnan seems to be on very good terms with the Mansion of the Zhenguo General."
"Yes, our Prince has also received the teachings of the Zhenguo General since he was young, and has grown up together with the young masters of the manor, so the bond is quite special."
Xiao Yi responded without any expression.
"Hmm, yes. Your Prince has been in seclusion for these past few years, but the information is still quite timely."
Xiao Shen was clearly displeased, and his expression was no longer under control, while the surrounding officials all kept their eyes down, not daring to speak.
"Let's go, the Emperor must be waiting impatiently in the palace."
"Yes~"
"The main army will be stationed outside the city, the rest of the personal guards will follow me into the city."
"Yes, General."
Su Huan looked back at Su Yue, Su Yue smiled and nodded at him, reassuring him. He also saw Su Qian hiding in the crowd, but didn't say anything, and followed the Prince into the palace. Su Yu and Su Yu followed on either side.
"Sister." After everyone left, Su Qian quickly found Su Yue.
"Third brother, why are you here?"
"I'm here to pick you up. You don't know, this morning before dawn, I was dragged up by Grandmother. She insisted on waiting for you at the city gate, afraid you wouldn't find your way back home..." Su Qian complained with a wronged expression.
"Big brother left someone to guide me, and even if I didn't know, I could just ask someone at the Mansion of the Zhenguo General. "
"Yeah, but Grandmother wouldn't listen. Little Four, you're here too, perfect, come back to the manor with me, they've prepared a lot of delicious food at the manor today."
Su Qian saw Xuan Little Four following behind and immediately greeted him like his own brother.
"Really? Then I'll..." Xuan Little Four got excited.
"No. Today, the little sister is reuniting with the family, you don't need to join the hustle and bustle."
Su Qian cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards Xuan Little Three, "Xuan Medical Master, don't be so distant, we're all family, come along."
"No need, you know I have a manor in the Capital City, I won't go over there. Tomorrow, I'll come and pay a visit."
Xuan Little Four looked quite dejected, "Third brother, I want to go too~"
"Slap!"
"Ah! Third brother, why did you hit me again."
"What's wrong with hitting you? Come with me, wherever I go, you go. Little Five, we'll go first, tomorrow I'll come find you and take you to my place to get familiar with the area."
With that, he pulled Xuan Little Four and left.
"Okay, Third brother, then I'll go to the Mansion of the General today."
"Little Five~ Little Five~" Xuan Little Four kept looking back and calling out to Su Yue as he walked away, making Su Yue amused.
