Leaving for three months and returning to Jiangning was already deep autumn in September.

  The autumn in Jiangning is not distinct, the hot summer has passed, and there are a few hints of autumn, but it only lasts for ten or twenty days. The weather suddenly cools down, and the fallen leaves mixed with dust swirl on the ground, as if indicating that a longer and harsher winter is approaching.

  Lin tied his leg injury, inconvenient to ride a horse, reclining on the soft couch of the carriage, looking at the bleak autumn scenery outside the window. Liu Yue'er leaned against Lin's shoulder and dozed off, while Xiao Man also completely lacked the self-awareness of a personal maid, resting her head on Lin's thigh and talking to him.

  Liu Yu'er didn't care about her either, but this kind of intimate action, she couldn't do it in front of Xiao Man.

  Xiao Man gazed out the window, lost in thought. She turned over and looked at the scenery outside the car window, her chest pressed against Lin Xie's inner thigh.

  "What's on your mind?" asked Xiaoman in a soft voice.

  Through the brocade flower quilt, Lin Xie could still feel that Xiaoyao had developed a bit of a figure. He moved his leg slightly to relieve the numbness caused by Xiaoyao's weight on it, and felt somewhat reluctant to part with the feeling of her youthful and tender body pressed against his thigh. "I've been thinking about many things," he said, "and I thought I had gotten a bit of a lead, but after further consideration, it's still all mixed up. It's unlikely that I'll be able to rest well when we return to Jiangning."

  The bells hanging from the horse's neck outside the carriage jingled, and the wheels creaked.

  She turned her face sideways, resting on the pillow. Lin Xie looked at her long eyelashes under which her eyes sparkled like a clear spring. Her nose was straight and her lips were rosy red, complementing her pale, translucent cheeks, making her look even more delicate and alluring. A strand of hair scattered across her cheek, and her youthful, exquisite face had a hint of innocent charm.

  Lin Xuan stretched out his hand and swept her disheveled hair to the back of her crystal-clear ears, while Xiao Man grabbed his hand and pressed it against her smooth face like jade, closing her eyes as if savoring the slight tingling sensation brought by the calluses on Lin Xuan's palm. Her slender fingers slipped into his sleeve and gently stroked his scarred arm.

  The carriage jolted, and Liu Yue'er woke up with a start. She saw Lin Xie's hand stuck to Xiao Man's cheek, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she adjusted her position, stretched out her hand to hold onto Lin Xie's arm, and leaned her head closer to his.

  They left Jiuyang and traveled by land from Danyang Prefecture back to Jiangning. Accompanying Gu Wu Chen, they took a detour to visit the areas that had been severely ravaged by the East Sea bandits this time. The number of people who were separated from their families, lost their homes, and died was countless. Thinking about it again, there were almost no places in the Central Plains that were safe havens. Liu Yue'er only hoped to stay by Lin Xuan's side and no longer had any other wishes. Especially after Lin Xuan left Jiangning, there were often ominous messages coming from time to time. She and Xiao Man couldn't leave the river mouth, let alone go to Lin Xuan's side to guard him and take care of him. They were worried and fearful, relying on each other for survival. Who would care about Xiao Man sharing a man with her? She thought that she should let Lin Xuan take Xiao Man as his concubine as soon as possible, so that she could treat Xiao Man as a sister in a legitimate and proper manner.

  Lin Xiang was enjoying the two soft bodies pressed against his, each with a slightly different tenderness. Liu Yu'er's body was more voluptuous, with a prominent chest and rounded hips, exuding a womanly charm that was hard to resist. He felt Liu Yu'er wake up, took her hand in his, and grasped it together with Xiao Man's, so that he could better understand what he needed to hold onto in the chaotic times ahead.

  A sudden unusual rapid horseshoe sound came from afar, someone outside shouted: "Mr. Lin, we are about to arrive at the Jiuyong Bridge, sir asks if you will enter the city?"

  "Ah, we've arrived at the Ninth Pot Bridge," Lin Xuan looked out of the carriage and saw a small school guard riding a horse to talk to him. He replied, "I'll go over to speak with the adults right away, you go ahead..."

  Liu Yu'er and Xiao Man moved to sit in another horse carriage, Lin had a leg injury that hadn't healed yet, it wasn't convenient for him to get off the horse, so he sat in the carriage and let Ao Canghai and Zhao Hu accompany him to go forward and talk to Gu Wu Chen.

  From the remnants of the bloody battle at Ji Yang, Min Yong recruited soldiers and Gu Wu Chen's escort cavalry recovered to over 300 people.

  A large number of dead and wounded had been sent back to Jiangning for burial or treatment, many horses were lost in the fierce battle at Jiyang, less than half of the men rode horses, but the survivors of the bloody battle still had many problems such as insufficient training, however, their bravery was far superior to before.

  Yang Pu sat on his horse, looking at the cavalry troops he led behind him, and couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion: to fight bloody battles without collapsing morale is what makes an elite force. A truly elite army isn't one that's trained, but rather one that's forged in blood by outstanding generals like Lin Xie.

  Behind the mounted patrol was Zhao Hu's prison guard, plus Lin Xie's entourage and more than 20 civilian guards who had surrendered to Lin Xie in Ji Yang, totaling 156 people. The team size is much smaller than the mounted patrol, but Yang Pu sat on horseback and looked back at Lin Xie sitting in a carriage and rushing forward, only then did he realize that although the two teams of men and horses had been traveling together since Ji Yang, there was a clear boundary between them.

  Yang Pu thought to himself, perhaps Lin Xie was too independent and self-sufficient, causing the adults to feel apprehensive and creating a rift between them. If Miss could marry Lin Xie as his wife, just like how Tang Hao had respected the adults by marrying his daughter to him in the past, then the relationship between father-in-law and son-in-law would be strengthened, and there should no longer be any estrangement between them.

  Lin tied up the horse carriage and rushed to the front, lifted the curtain of the front carriage, moved to the door of the carriage, and said to Yang Pu: "Yang Shu, is the master looking for me?" He also nodded to Gu Siyuan who was riding a horse beside him.

  "It's been more than three months since you left Jiangning, come back to the manor with me and have a couple of drinks." Gu Wu Chen lifted the car window curtain, revealing half his face as he spoke to Lin Xuan.

  "I'm such an eyesore like this." Lin Mou pointed at his own legs which were still wrapped in bandages and said with a smile.

  "What's the harm in that? Let Zhao Hu find two men to carry you in," Gu Wu Chen said with a smile, "It's just sitting and drinking wine, there's nothing inconvenient about it."

  "It's better to obey than to show respect." Lin Xie said with a smile.

  Gu Suiyuan slightly restrained Lin Xiang, letting him sit in the horse carriage and go forward to talk with his father, while he himself retreated and rode horses side by side with Yang Pu, Ao Canghai, and Zhao Hu.

  Zhao Qinmin sat in a carriage behind, looking at everything in front of him through the gap in the curtain.

  Zhao Qinmin could see that after the fierce battle with Ji Yang, Gu Siyuan had been intentionally imitating Lin in his words and actions.

  Gu Suiyuan not only paid attention to the concerns of the Jiayang civilians who were recruited into the mounted patrol, but also learned how to win people over with his gentle and courteous demeanor. He himself was from Jiayang and had always insisted on riding horses, even taking lessons from Yang Pu during rest periods, and was able to endure hardships. In the past, he would not have been willing to ride alongside people of much lower status than him, such as Zhao Hu and Ao Canghai.

  Zhao Qinmin smiled slightly, pulled up the car curtain and didn't listen to Lin Xuan and Gu Wudian chatting in front. He knew that for a long time, Gu Wudian would rely heavily on Lin Xuan in many matters, but who doesn't have some private thoughts? As long as Gu Siyuan can endure hardship and has ambition, why wouldn't Gu Wudian cultivate his own son to take over?

  The situation in Jiangdong is still severe, and it is even more necessary to publicize the victory of Ji Yang to boost morale. Lin Xuan and Gu Wu led the procession into the city, and all the officials of the Chachashi Department, including Chen Yuanliang, Zhang Yubo, Liu Xilin and other officials of the Gu system in Jiangning, as well as military officers, came to Donghua Gate to welcome them. Even Wang Xueshan, the prefect of Jiangning Prefecture, sent a representative to greet them.

  Zhao Hu led the Wu soldiers and the Jiayang civilians who had defected to Lin Xie, escorting Liu Yu'er and Xiao Man directly back to the river mouth. Ao Canghai led the Wu guards to follow Lin Xie into the city for a banquet.

  Gu Wu Chen wants to show Lin Xuan's outstanding contribution in the Battle of Ji Yang, and asks him to ride together with himself into Donghua Gate. Lin Xuan naturally insists on not doing so, and follows Yang Pu behind them. Under the escort of the Eastern City Garrison infantry and cavalry, they go straight from Donghua Gate to the south of Tianhan Bridge, Gu's mansion. Due to his leg injury, he cannot walk, and directly changes into a soft sedan chair to enter the mansion.

  *********

  Inside the mansion of the Gu family.

  "Mr. Lin is truly majestic," said Cui Junxian's personal maid, Cuier, who had rushed back from the front courtyard after hearing the news and was chattering excitedly to Cui Junxian, "According to Wu Xiazi, at the foot of Ji Yang City, the bluestone that Mr. Lin sat on seemed to have a divine aura, and the pirates' arrows would inexplicably curve away when they reached it, not even scratching Mr. Lin..."

  "Nonsense," Gu Junxun reached out to pinch Cui'er's cheek, wanting her to sit honestly under the candlelight and tell him the news she had gathered. "If it really didn't hurt at all, why would he let people carry him into the mansion to drink?"

  "Are you afraid, Miss? Don't worry," Cui'er said with a smile. "Lord Lin's legs are inconvenient, but his spirit is good, and his eyes seem to be carrying thunder when he looks at people. According to Wu Niangzi, in the battle under Ji Yang City, Lord Lin beheaded more than 20 pirates with his knife, piling their heads behind him like a mountain; anyone who dared not listen to orders and retreated without permission was also beheaded by him and piled on the other side. The servant Tong Gui was killed by Lord Lin himself because he was afraid of battle, and it was said that he was executed according to military law. I just don't understand why Lord Lin didn't spare his life, considering he was brought over by the mistress and had served beside the old master for so long? It's a pity that Tong Gui died at Lord Lin's hands. Later on, everyone became more aggressive in the battle, and the pirates didn't seem as fierce as imagined. Even if they were going to die, they refused to retreat behind the rocks and endured for four days. If Lord Lin hadn't ordered everyone to return to the city to rest, they would have continued to pursue the pirates with all their might. It's a pity that Ninghai Town got so much credit instead. Everyone felt it was a waste. Hearing these stories makes me feel like Lord Lin is a killing demon king. Aren't you afraid?"

  "What's there to be afraid of?" Gu Jun's slender white fingers supported her delicate chin, gazing intently at the crackling candle flames as she spoke softly, "It's precisely because they're guarding outside like a murderous demon king that the city won't be ravaged by pirates; you think Lord Lin is ferocious? Wait until the pirates break into the city and you'll find them a hundred times more ferocious than Lord Lin. Lord Lin may be the pirate's murderous demon king, but he's also the guardian angel of the people inside the city."

  "Alright, I know I shouldn't speak ill of Master Lin in front of you. I'm just telling you what I heard from outside. Do you have to argue with me?" Cui'er said with a smile, "You say when Master Lin will send someone to propose, Miss is already so eager..."

  "What are you muttering with your tongue?" Gu Jun's face turned red with anger, and she stretched out her hand again to pinch Cui Er's cheek, "Which dog eyes of yours saw that I was impatient?"

  "What's the point of being fierce with me? I've heard that the two women in Master Lin's room are quite formidable. You know how to bully me now, but be careful when you go out, no one will help you deal with those two women." Cui'er was about to slip out of the room when she accidentally bumped into Mrs. Gu who was standing outside the door.

  Mrs. Gu slapped her daughter's personal maid, scolding: "You do things and speak without any rules or decorum, not like a young lady at all."

  "Mother, Cui'er was just joking." Gu Junxun hurriedly helped Cui'er make an excuse, using her eyes to signal to the pale-faced Cui'er to leave first.

  "What nonsense are you talking about? Are these words also something you can talk nonsense about?" Madam Gu's eyes were stern as she glared at Cui'er and said, "Next time, if you dare to talk nonsense again, I'll tear your mouth apart."

  Cui'er retreated like a cold cicada, and Gu Jun Xiang also sat down on the side with a wronged expression, not making a sound. However, in the inner house, no one could go against her mother's will, so she endured and didn't argue back. She had originally thought of pretending to coincidentally run into Lin Xuan, but now she gave up on that idea as well.

  ***************

  PS: Seeking red tickets, brothers who have finished reading this chapter, just click twice in the middle of the book's homepage.