"Wait!" Xiao Qing quickly stopped Liang Xiao from picking up the bowl.
"You don't want to become sworn brothers with me?" Liang Xiao asked, confused.
"No, it's not that..."
Xiao Qing stammered for a moment, then suddenly remembered something and quickly said, "You must promise me one thing first, and then I'll become sworn brothers with you!"
"Ask anything!"
Xiao Qing feigned seriousness and said, "Since you want to recognize me as your sworn brother, you should be honest with me about some things! That poem His Majesty praised, you actually wrote it, didn't you?"
Seeing Liang Xiao hesitate, Xiao Qing quickly added, "No matter how you answer, I will keep it secret for you and won't cause you any trouble!"
Liang Xiao then relaxed and said, "That's right."
Even though they had anticipated it, Ding Wuyi and Ning Xuejun's eyes were still full of surprise. Any dissatisfaction they had felt about Liang Xiao's abrupt actions vanished.
Xiao Qing was immediately overjoyed. He tried to calm himself and said, "Her Highness the Princess said that although the poem seems complete, it vaguely gives a sense of unfinished thoughts. Why is that?"
Liang Xiao mumbled, "That little girl is quite clever... Actually, there's another one that can be merged with this poem."
"Since you consider me a brother, give me the full version as a welcome gift!" Xiao Qing said happily.
Liang Xiao pondered for a moment and nodded, "It's not impossible, but you must not tell anyone, including His Majesty."
Xiao Qing chuckled inwardly and nodded repeatedly, "Don't worry!"
"And definitely don't tell that shrew of a princess!" Liang Xiao pouted.
Upon hearing this, Ding Wuyi and Ning Xuejun almost couldn't hold back their laughter.
Xiao Qing felt a surge of embarrassment and anger: How am I a shrew?
But "tricking" Liang Xiao was the priority now. Xiao Qing didn't bother to argue and nodded like a pecking chick, "I will keep this poem safe, and without your permission, no fifth person will know about it!"
Liang Xiao didn't say another word and turned to get a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Xiao Qing quickly stepped forward to grind the ink for Liang Xiao.
"Your Majesty? Perhaps we should do that?" Ding Wuyi reminded him.
How could they allow the Son of Heaven to demean himself by grinding ink for a commoner!
Xiao Qing looked at the two of them with a hint of grievance.
The two of them were stunned and instantly understood, saying no more.
Even the ink had to be personally ground for Liang Xiao, because Xiao Qing wished for Liang Xiao's poem to be written solely for him, and for no one else!
What possessiveness!
Liang Xiao held the brush in his right hand, and with a flourish of ink, the two merged poems appeared on the paper.
[A battle scene fills the waters and land,
The people toil, what joy in wood and straw?
Don't speak to me of titles, I implore,
For one general's triumph, ten thousand bones lie sore.
Legends speak of battles, gods in sorrow weep,
Strong armies cross the banks, their vigil they still keep.
Who claims the Azure River always peaceful flows?
Recently, it runs with blood, as everyone well knows.]
Looking at the complete poem after the merging of the two, Xiao Qing's heart churned like a stormy sea!
In a daze, Xiao Qing felt as if he were on the battlefield of the Yan Prefecture, where seven thousand white-robed soldiers charged into the enemy ranks, shattering the invincible barbarian iron cavalry of ten thousand. The heavens darkened, gods grieved, and blood flowed like a river!
"The Azure River, its waters are azure, so it refers to the Heavenly River?" Xiao Qing mused inwardly.
At this moment, tears welled up in the eyes of Xiao Qing and the other two. They finally understood why Liang Xiao had rebuked the scholars and ladies at the poetry gathering.
The only one who truly understood General Tian was Liang Xiao!
"How heroic, how full of concern for the nation and its people! This old body can almost see General Tian in his white robes, sacrificing himself to protect the country..." Even the usually indifferent Ning Xuejun was moved, fortunate that her mask concealed her expression.
Liang Xiao, filled with emotion, handed the complete poem to Xiao Qing.
Xiao Qing then requested Liang Xiao to have it framed on the spot before handing it to Ning Xuejun. Excitedly, he pulled Liang Xiao to the doorway to continue their brotherhood ceremony.
Liang Xiao laughed heartily, "From now on, you are my sworn brother!"
Xiao Qing's expression changed, and he said urgently, "No, I want to be the elder brother!"
Liang Xiao smiled, "We are both eighteen. I was born in February, what about you?"
Xiao Qing blurted out a lie, "I was born on the first day of the first lunar month!"
He had already lied about his age by two years, so what was there to fear!
Liang Xiao's expression shifted, and he said sternly, "How do you think your talent compares to mine?"
"I have to admit I'm inferior..." Xiao Qing grumbled.
"Let's decide our brotherhood by talent. I'll be the elder brother, and I'll lead you! It's settled then!" Liang Xiao roared with laughter.
Xiao Qing was left speechless and could only nod.
Ding Wuyi and Ning Xuejun exchanged glances, offering helpless wry smiles.
One remained impassive, the other shamelessly manipulative, they were truly...
Suddenly, Xiao Qing remembered something and asked, "Aren't we supposed to say 'We don't seek to be born on the same year, month, and day, but only to die on the same year, month, and day'?"
Liang Xiao shook his head, "I am destined to have a shorter lifespan than you. You cannot die with me. After I die, if you can assist a wise ruler, support the nation, and treat the people well, then I will not have lived in vain."
His current injuries were not the main problem. The problem was that in the future, he would still have to face invasions from various countries and fight on the battlefield!
Xiao Qing did not understand his meaning but nodded, "Let's drink then!"
He was the ruler of a nation, and indeed, he could not casually die with someone else, for if he did, the Great Gan Kingdom would fall!
Just as Xiao Qing was about to move, Liang Xiao was the first to pick up the bowl, drink half of it, and then hand it to a stunned Xiao Qing.
Liang Xiao smiled, "Drink, half each, and our bond will remain."
Xiao Qing was bewildered.
Ning Xuejun and Ding Wuyi watched the backs of the two with strange expressions.
Looking at the half-full bowl, Xiao Qing's heart warmed. He lifted the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.
Liang Xiao, with heroic spirit, slung an arm around Xiao Qing's shoulder and laughed heartily, "From this day forward, you and I are brothers!"
Xiao Qing, caught off guard, blushed as if his face would drip water. He quickly composed himself, "Mm..."
"Then, you call me Elder Brother, and I'll call you Little Frost, how about that?" Liang Xiao suggested.
"Little Frost?" Xiao Qing blinked in surprise.
Liang Xiao laughed heartily, "How is it? Cute, right?"
"Cute?" Xiao Qing and the other two were stunned.
"Isn't it cute?" Liang Xiao countered.
Xiao Qing fell silent for a moment, then tears streamed down his face, and he covered his face and wept.
Liang Xiao was startled and quickly said, "Don't be sad. If you don't like it, I can change it."
Xiao Qing choked out, "I'm just weeping with joy... It's so good to have you. From now on, I won't be lonely anymore! Right?"
Liang Xiao asked doubtfully, "Aren't you always with His Majesty? How can you be lonely?"
Xiao Qing, thinking quickly, replied, "His Majesty is, after all, the ruler, while you and I don't need to care about formalities."
As he spoke, Xiao Qing suddenly felt a pang of worry.
Yes, I am ultimately the ruler. If you find out in the future, will you still be willing...
Liang Xiao seemed to understand and patted Xiao Qing on the shoulder, comforting him, "No matter what the future holds, in the days to come, with me as your Elder Brother, you won't be lonely. Because you will always be your Elder Brother's Little Frost!"
"Really?"
"Really!"
Only then did Xiao Qing break into a smile, happily calling out, "Elder Brother!"
Liang Xiao was also elated and immediately invited Xiao Qing to sit down and chat.
They talked late into the night, discussing matters of state.
As Xiao Qing listened to Liang Xiao speak eloquently and explain those three essays in detail, he secretly rejoiced.
Ning Xuejun and Ding Wuyi had remained behind Xiao Qing the entire time, their eyes filled with complex emotions.
Their lord was finally no longer lonely...
But was this sworn brotherhood just a farce?
In the future, when ruler and subject met, how would this young man face his lord?
And if he discovered that his lord was a woman, how would he react?
But at that moment, they couldn't bear to disrupt the atmosphere between the sworn brothers and could only let things proceed.
"I should return to the palace!"
Late at night, Xiao Qing stood up, preparing to take his leave.
Liang Xiao said, "Didn't you say His Majesty is wise and grants you ample freedom to come and go without reporting? How about this, you stay here tonight, and we brothers will sleep in the same bed, and talk until the end of time!"