Chapter 46: This Woman is Really Something

Looking at Xiao Yanyan’s expression, Li Xiao was also a bit baffled.

But noticing that Xiao Yanyan’s gaze was constantly fixed on this short saber, Li Xiao couldn’t help but ask tentatively.

“Miss Xiao, is there a problem with this saber?”

Xiao Yanyan shook her head gently, sighed slightly, and when she looked up at Li Xiao, there was a touch of gratitude in her eyes.

“Thank you, Li Xiao!”

Li Xiao was slightly stunned; it was just a saber!

Although forged from Wootz steel and gold, considering Xiao Yanyan’s status, it might not be that precious.

Not enough to make Xiao Yanyan suddenly become so emotional, right!

“Do you know what these two characters mean?”

Xiao Yanyan stroked the two characters on the blade and said in a quiet voice.

“Characters?”

Li Xiao looked at the place her finger was touching.

Li Xiao had noticed these two characters before, but he didn’t recognize them.

He guessed they might be Karluk characters!

“This is Khitan script, a person’s name.” Xiao Yanyan gave Li Xiao the answer.

Khitan script?

Li Xiao suddenly realized, no wonder!

Then it seemed this saber wasn’t Karluk, but might come from…

Li Xiao looked deeply at Xiao Yanyan.

The woman continued to look down at the golden saber and said softly: “This saber is a relic of my mother.”

“It was given to her by my grandfather when she was born.”

“These two characters on the blade are my mother’s milk name.”

“After my mother passed away, I always carried it with me.”

“It’s just that not long ago, on the battlefield of the Northern Mountains, I accidentally lost it.”

Xiao Yanyan looked at Li Xiao and said: “So, Li Xiao, thank you for helping me find it back.”

Hearing this, Li Xiao was also a bit dumbfounded. When Xiao Yanyan’s mother was born?

Holy crap, this is an antique!

Maintained quite well, not showing any traces of time at all.

It seemed both Xiao Yanyan and her mother cherished this saber very much.

Li Xiao shook his head gently and smiled: “It’s nothing; this is also your profound blessing.”

“Your grandfather and mother are protecting you from heaven!”

The effect was even better than Li Xiao imagined.

To Xiao Yanyan, the value of her mother’s relic was definitely far greater than an ordinary golden saber.

Although curious about what these two Khitan characters were, thinking it was her mother’s milk name, Li Xiao felt embarrassed to ask.

“Regardless, I owe you another favor.” Xiao Yanyan held the golden saber in her arms and looked at Li Xiao solemnly.

She, Xiao Yanyan, would avenge grievances and repay kindness.

Previously at the Dragon Bone River, Li Xiao led people to save her life, and now he helped her retrieve her mother’s relic.

She already owed Li Xiao two favors.

“Alright, although I don’t care, if you insist shamelessly on repaying me, I can only reluctantly accept it.” Li Xiao shook his head and said.

“Pfft~”

Xiao Yanyan burst out laughing, the grief for her mother largely washed away: “Reluctantly? Young age, big airs!”

“I’m just stating a fact.” Li Xiao chuckled.

Jokingly said: “Among us Han people, the best way for a woman to repay kindness is to devote her life to him.”

“Hmph glib tongue~ ” Xiao Yanyan scoffed, naturally understanding Li Xiao was joking.

But these words also made her heart skip a beat. For a moment, a special emotion surged, but she immediately shook her head secretly.

Absolutely impossible.

Next, the relationship between the two became more harmonious. During the chat, Xiao Yanyan’s laughter could often be heard, as if she was very happy.

This woman also seemed to have found a target to confide in, unknowingly telling Li Xiao a lot.

Her parents died shortly after she was born; she didn’t even have any impression of them.

After becoming slightly sensible, the only thing she remembered was her grandfather’s constant coldness and annoyance towards her.

Fortunately, her eldest brother loved her very much and took care of her in every way.

After her grandfather died, the lives of the siblings underwent earth-shaking changes. Those who once curried favor with them began to mock and suppress them.

It wasn’t until her brother grew up and slowly took over part of the political legacy left by her grandfather that the siblings’ situation began to improve.

So, although Xiao Yanyan was titled a princess, in reality, it wasn’t easy.

Even worse than children of herdsmen like Li Xiao, whose childhoods were more carefree.

It wasn’t until very late that the two went back separately.

Walking out of Second Uncle’s house, Li Xiao looked at the night sky and took a deep breath, suppressing the thoughts in his heart.

“This woman..”

“Is really something.”

Li Xiao looked back; Xiao Yanyan’s figure was no longer visible, so he could only shake his head secretly.

For now, this woman could only be observed from afar.

Just as he was about to find Huang Xiu’er to dispel some heat, passing by his own door, he vaguely heard his grandmother crying inside.

Li Xiao reined in his horse and shook his head gently.

“Forget it.”

“Wait a few days; it’s not appropriate now.”

Saying that, he walked into the house.

Sleep.

The next day, Li Xiao got up relatively late; it was almost noon.

First, he went to check on Second Uncle’s injury.

As soon as they returned to Hexi Fortress last night, the Old Master immediately helped him clean the wound and cut away the rotting flesh.

The Old Master was also handy with treating such external injuries.

The most important thing next was to ensure the wound didn’t get infected again.

So, Li Xiao continued to extract allicin.

Soaked in water, pouring it into Second Uncle’s mouth continuously every day.

The bactericidal effect of allicin was average, so he could only make up for it with quantity.

After doing all this, Li Xiao left home and rode his horse to wander around the village.

“Fortress Lord, have you eaten?”

A middle-aged woman stood in her courtyard and greeted Li Xiao from afar.

“Just ate.” Li Xiao smiled.

“Aunt Zhou, what are you doing?”

The woman pointed at the cattle and sheep in the yard with a face full of smiles and said: “Just distributed cattle and sheep, crowding the yard full. I’m preparing to expand the sheep pen.”

“Too many, really not enough space.”

Although complaining, Aunt Zhou’s tone was full of pride and happiness.

In the Battle of Sanhe Fortress, both her husband and son participated, and they were distributed quite a few cattle, sheep, and spoils of war.

In the Battle of Hou Village, her son also participated, and similarly was distributed quite a few cattle and sheep.

Too many, the yard was almost not enough.

This could be considered a happy trouble.

“Hahaha, if you really can’t take care of them, hire some people to help you look after them.” Li Xiao said.

Comparatively speaking, the people of Sanhe Fortress and Hou Village only had meager assets.

Being idle was being idle; if they could help the old Hexi people herd and earn some remuneration, it would also be a good thing.

For the development of Hexi Fortress, the integration of herdsmen, and common prosperity, Li Xiao thought quite a lot.

After leaving, he met many people greeting him on the road.

It could be clearly felt that it was different from before. After these two battles, the people of Hexi Fortress held more awe for Li Xiao.

Previously, most people called Li Xiao directly ‘Da Long’.

But now, except for a few elders, more people addressed him as ‘Fortress Lord’.

This showed that Li Xiao’s prestige had been thoroughly established in Hexi Fortress.

Completely relying on his own ability to convince everyone, not just because of the face of the Old Master and his father like before.

“This feeling is quite good.”

Li Xiao smiled faintly and continued riding his horse, strolling around the village.

Like a lord inspecting his private territory.

However, when he came to the east side, he found a familiar figure.

“It’s her?”

It was the girl Li Xiao saved in Sanhe Fortress.

He still remembered that the sky was dim at that time, and he didn’t see her appearance carefully, only remembering a dirty little girl.

Now, even though she had changed greatly, washing away the dust on her body, looking like a different person from then, Li Xiao could still recognize her at a glance.

She is giving a sense of a youth’s white moonlight (first love/ideal girl).

However, at this moment beside the girl, there was another woman.

Wearing tattered men’s clothes, from the exposed places, one could see bruises and stains all over her body.

Walking barefoot on the cold muddy ground with two long legs, feet covered in mud and blood, hair disheveled, looking like a wandering ghost, her appearance and age completely indistinguishable.

At this moment, she was grabbing the girl excitedly and shouting something loudly.

(End of this chapter)