Hu Xiaotian felt deeply reassured. Beneath the beautiful exteriors of his beloved women lay hearts willing to accept one another, and that mattered most. Although Long Xiyue was broad-minded, Qin Yutong's concerns were not without reason. Since she had made her choice, he ought to respect it.
When morning came, Jian Rongxin and Tang Qingxuan were still sound asleep in sweet dreams, their fair legs entwined, but Hu Xiaotian had already quietly slipped away. Basking in the morning light over Sandbar's pastures, he spurred his horse across the green grassland and could not help reciting aloud, "Softly I left, just as softly I came..."
On the distant horizon, a brilliant red sun was slowly rising. A party of riders was approaching him, led by Zhuge Guanqi. Zhao Wusheng and Zhan Peng rode to his left, with Visa and Yan Nujiao to his right. At the sight of Hu Xiaotian, they all cheered in unison.
Hu Xiaotian laughed heartily. He had intended to meet them in Eastern Liang Commandery, never expecting them to come as soon as they received the news.
After greeting Hu Xiaotian, Visa and Yan Nujiao immediately left to join Qin Yutong and the other women. Hu Xiaotian and Zhuge Guanqi's group sat down on a nearby rise, facing the morning sun.
Zhao Wusheng first gave Hu Xiaotian a brief report on recent developments. After the ice had broken in Hu Xiaotian's relations with the Imperial Court, the old atmosphere of drawn swords and bent bows between them and Great Kang had eased, greatly reducing the pressure on their defensive lines. Great Yong now had too much trouble of its own to exert any pressure on them.
Zhuge Guanqi said, "I forgot to congratulate you, my lord. Your trip to the Kang Capital resolved the crisis, and Great