Listening to the Xiao at Midnight

  Liáng Xiá nodded towards Sòng Língyù, and couldn't help but feel a little admiration. As expected of the eldest daughter of the Right Chancellor's Manor, she was young yet able to handle matters with composure, and would surely achieve great things in the future!

  Mu Xiao watched as the troops retreated and also led the crowd back to the mountain stronghold.

  After that, Song Lingyu never saw Mu Xiaoqian again. Later, she learned that Mu Xiaoqian was observing whether there were still courtiers nearby and making amends for the losses caused by the court in these few days.

  Ten days later, Song Lingyu suddenly heard a faint and distant sound of a Xiao. She was slightly startled, who would be playing the Xiao in the middle of the night? She looked out the window, but couldn't resist her curiosity.

  Recently, Song Lingyu found Mu Xiao and told him that she wouldn't run away. After thinking for a long time, Mu Xiao stopped having Mu Qian keep watch at night. After all, Mu Qian was just a woman, and watching over Song Lingyu day and night would be exhausting for her body. Moreover, with the current trend of withdrawing troops from the imperial court, there's no need to guard as tightly as before.

  However, she knew that Mu Xiuzhen had withdrawn Mu Qian, but he would never let his guard down. As long as there was a slight movement, he would immediately get up, after all, she was now the only hostage in their hands.

  The door opened, and the sound of a flute could be faintly heard. Song Lingyu slowly walked in the direction of the flute sound, which was towards the rear mountain where few people lived. She wasn't afraid because this was the territory of the Phoenix Mountain stronghold, and no one would come here to play the flute for no reason. After walking for a long time, the flute sound was no longer faint but very clear. Because it was the beginning of the month, she couldn't see clearly. She could only vaguely make out the outline of the person through the lamp light.

  Judging from his build, he should be a man. At this moment, he was sitting on top of a large stone, so that the weeds that were almost half as tall as him couldn't block him.

  The flute's sound is gentle and lingering, yet somehow it conveys a hint of sorrow.

  Song Lingyu was somewhat curious about what kind of person this was.

  At night, there was a bit of cold wind, which blew up the person's hair, and the hair fluttered lightly in the air, adding to the unreal feeling.

  Song Lingyu was mesmerized by what she saw and took a few steps forward, wanting to get a clearer look at who the person was, but didn't expect the grass under her feet to make a sound.

  "Who?!" The person on the rock turned around and stared tightly at the person standing there looking at him.

  Although the moonlight was unclear, Song Lingyu still heard from his voice that he was Mu Xiaojuan. "It's me, Song Lingyu."

  Mu Xiao's expression slightly relaxed as he said: "It's so late, Miss Song shouldn't be out and about, what are you doing?"

  Song Lingyu met his gaze: "I just couldn't sleep and heard someone playing a flute outside, so I came out to take a look."

  "Tonight is very windy, Miss Song, you'd better go back to avoid catching a cold."

  Song Lingyu, however, was nonchalant and simply waved her hand, then found a clean large rock to sit on: "Master Mu doesn't need to worry about me, I'm just bored with nothing to do, and since there's music outside, it's fine to listen to some tunes when I have nothing better to do."

  Mu Xiao's eyebrows furrowed slightly. Song Lingyu was the thousand-gold daughter of the Prime Minister, and if anything were to happen to her, it could reignite the struggle between the imperial court and the mountain stronghold. "Since that's the case, I won't force the issue either. I just hope that after I finish playing this tune, Miss Song will retire for the night."

  "Good." Song Lingyu readily agreed, initially only coming out of curiosity, but now that she knew the person playing the flute was Mu Xiaojuan, she didn't have much interest anymore. However, if she could listen to him play the flute to calm her mind, she wouldn't refuse either.

  Soon, his flute sound rang out again. The current flute sound is no longer as sorrowful as it was just now, but has a quiet and distant feeling.

  Song Lingyu looked at Mu Xiao's profile, although she couldn't see it very clearly. She couldn't help but feel a little puzzled, what kind of person was he? In her past life, she hadn't paid much attention to this person, so she didn't understand his personality either.

  Now I just think he's a bit hard to figure out. He's obviously a brave and cheerful person, but can play such a sad tune.

  Song Lingyu propped up her head with one hand, and her heart, which had been unable to calm down for so many days, suddenly quieted down.

  She would have to return to the Xiang Mansion sooner or later, and this escape was not a solution. In her memory, it would be half a year before the mountain stronghold would be breached, which meant she had to stay here for half a year. During this time, she couldn't waste any more time, she had to plan carefully what to do in the future.

  Her gaze fell on Mu Xiaojuan's body, and her eyes narrowed slightly.