I only wished to take up my fiefdom, but my elder brother forced me to rebel.

Liang San Niang carried her curved knife and walked out of the hall.

He Zhanghuai stood there, watching her back, without moving for a long time.

He originally came to take people back.

As soon as they entered the palace, before they could even take anyone with them, they were stunned by a secret imperial edict, and now they have to fight Liang San Niang.

As Lu Yuan passed by him, he casually patted him on the shoulder.

"Young man, try to think more positively."

"There are plenty of good girls in the world, don't fixate on the one I'm looking for."

"I felt pretty bad when she beat me up for the first time."

He Zhanghuai turned and stared at him.

"Does His Highness the Crown Prince often get beaten by her?"

"You wouldn't understand the joys of married life."

Lu Yuan left after he finished speaking.

He Zhanghuai's face turned dark.

Half an hour later, at the Imperial Guards' training ground.

Lu Cangqiong hadn't originally planned to come, but after hearing that Liang Sanniang was going to fight that young general from Northern Liang, he ended up bringing Zhou Fu with him.

The reasons are quite legitimate.

The envoys from the Northern Liang Dynasty were having a martial arts contest in the palace, and the emperor had to be careful to prevent any trouble from happening.

As for the fruit and snacks that Zhou Fu had brought over, that was just a side effect.

The first competition was mounted archery.

He Zhanghuai joined the army at the age of sixteen, and his greatest skill was riding a horse.

Five arrows were fired, four of which hit the bullseye, and the last one split the shaft of the previous arrow in two.

The imperial guards around couldn't help but shout "Bravo!"

Liang San Niang also used five arrows.

All five points were correct.

The arrow shaft wasn't broken.

He Zhanghuai looked at the target and finally a smile appeared on his face.

"Third Sister, your archery skills are still the same as before."

Don't be so smug.

Liang San Niang turned her horse around, "No one will set up targets for you on the battlefield."

In the second round, they switched directly to wooden swords.

Two horses passed each other in the middle of the training ground.

In the first round, the two knives clashed, and neither gained the upper hand.

In the second round, He Zhanghuai suddenly changed his attack from a chop to a thrust, his wooden knife aimed straight at Liang Sanniang's wrist.

Liang San Niang was prepared, so she slung her body close to the horse's back to avoid it, and then swung her knife at his side with a backhand motion.

He Zhanghuai sheathed his sword to block, but his warhorse was pulled a few steps to the side.

Lu Cangqiong's eyes lit up.

"This girl is really good."

Lu Yuan said smugly, "My daughter-in-law."

"I know!"

Lu Cangqiong glared at him. "Did you need to remind me?"

In the third round, neither of them probed any further.

He Zhanghuai ultimately fought several more real battles.

The swordsmanship wasn't fancy, but every strike was aimed at incapacitating the opponent.

After being forced back twice, Liang San Niang suddenly spurred her horse and forcefully cut in from the side.

The two horses were almost touching.

He Zhanghuai hadn't expected her to go this far, so he quickly stopped.

In that instant, Liang San Niang's wooden knife was already at his shoulder.

At the same time, He Zhanghuai's knife stopped in front of her.

Both of them can continue.

If it really happened on the battlefield, the only outcome would be mutual destruction.

He Zhanghuai glanced at the wooden sword on his shoulder and slowly put his own sword away.

"You're still so reckless."

Liang San Niang also sheathed her sword.

"I've never changed."

"It's you guys who always think I should change."

He Zhanghuai gripped the wooden sword, and after a moment asked, "Are you really doing well staying here?"

Liang San Niang did not answer immediately.

She recalled how, when she first arrived in the capital, she was constantly on guard against Lu Yuan.

She recalled that when she made her demands, this man didn't laugh at her, a princess, for dreaming of vying for the throne.

She can still practice swordsmanship, handle military affairs, and still curse Lu Yuan whenever she wants.

Aside from this scoundrel's occasional erratic behavior, it seems no one really forced her to become some kind of virtuous and gentle housewife.

"At least it's better than the life that others have arranged for me."

She provided the answer.

These words silenced He Zhanghuai.

Did he lose?

No.

If the fight really goes on, he's confident he can gain the upper hand after a few dozen more moves.

But so what?

Even if he beats Lu Yuan down today, does that mean Liang San Niang will go with him?

will not.

The answer was already clear the moment she stepped out of the Qian Yuan Hall.

Liang San Niang dismounted, and as soon as she took a step, her brows suddenly furrowed.

The last touch was too forceful; the horse harness grazed the side of my leg, and a small patch of blood seeped through my clothes.

She wanted to keep walking, but Lu Yuan had already arrived in front of her.

"Where are you hurt?"

"fine."

"Bleeding is considered nothing?"

Lu Yuan bent down and picked him up.

Caught off guard, Liang San Niang instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.

"With so many people watching, put me down!"

"Fine, I'll watch it."

"I have to pay them to hug my own wife?"

The surrounding imperial guards immediately looked away.

Lu Cangqiong coughed twice and turned to eat the fruit.

He Zhanghuai stood there, watching the two enter the guardhouse next to the drill ground.

His expression was complex.

Back in Beiliang, when Liang Sanniang was injured, she never allowed any man to touch her.

Once, when she was stabbed in the shoulder, the army doctor had just reached out when she kicked him out of the tent.

Now, although she was cursing, her hand was still on Lu Yuan's shoulder.

On this point alone, he has already lost.

He Zhanghuai suddenly remembered his childhood.

When Liang San Niang fell off her horse for the first time, she scraped her knee but refused to let him help her up. She insisted on getting up and getting back on the horse by herself.

At that time, he thought that as long as he became strong enough, he would eventually be able to stand by her side.

Only now do I realize that some positions cannot be won simply by being quick with your sword or horse.

Inside the duty room.

Lu Yuan placed Liang San Niang on the soft couch and reached out to shoo her away.

"Get out, I'll handle this myself."

"The injury is on the surface, what do you think?"

"I'll have Ah Zhu come."

"She went to fetch the female doctor."

Lu Yuan took the medicine and squatted down in front of her.

Liang San Niang immediately became alert.

"What do you want to do?"

"Apply the medicine."

"I don't need you!"

She grabbed her skirt and, who hadn't even flinched when facing the wooden sword, now had her ears turn red.

The wound was located on the upper side of the leg.

If we let this bastard handle it, what's the difference between that and losing face?

Lu Yuan chuckled at her expression.

"You weren't this well-behaved last night either."

Liang San Niang's eyes widened.

"Shut up!"

"Okay, don't move."

Lu Yuan reached out and moved the torn outer layer of her clothing up a little.

Liang San Niang stiffened and immediately grabbed his wrist.

"If you go any higher, I'll chop you down."

"The knife is on the outside."

"I'll use my teeth."

"Then be gentle in a bit."

Liang San Niang almost laughed out of anger.

But as soon as the medicine touched the wound, she still gasped for breath.

"pain?"

"nonsense."

"Bear with it."

Lu Yuan quickened his movements.

Liang San Niang couldn't stand it anymore and reached out to press down on his shoulder.

"Slow down..."

Just then, footsteps came from outside the door.

He Zhanghuai had originally intended to check on the injuries, but upon hearing the words "slow down" from inside, he stopped at the doorway.

Then Lu Yuan said something else.

"Don't squeeze so tight, it's hard for me to apply the medicine."

He Zhanghuai's face instantly turned dark.

Inside the house, Liang San Niang was so ashamed she wanted to kill someone.

"Lu Yuan!"

"I was talking about legs, what were you thinking?"

"Get out of here!"

He Zhanghuai, standing outside the door, closed his eyes briefly, then turned and left.

If he listened any longer, he feared he might actually draw his sword.

He had only taken a dozen or so steps when a follower from the Northern Liang came running towards him.

"Young General, urgent news from the border!"

He Zhanghuai took it, and after reading it, his face suddenly darkened.

Not long after, he returned to the duty room.

This time, he didn't go in, but only said through the door, "Third Sister, Uncle has sent a letter."

The fighting inside the house stopped.

"What did he say?"

He Zhanghuai gripped the letter tightly.

"The 100,000-strong army will not retreat."

"unless……"

He saw you with his own eyes.