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After wandering around the camp for half a day, it was clear that Qi Xiaomian took excellent care of the more than fifty thousand soldiers. Their clothes, though not all brand new, were well-maintained, and there wasn't a single rag among them. It was said that in summer they received four sets of clothing, while in other seasons they got two sets. This had been the case for the first three years, and afterward, they received supplies every other year.
The horses were also well-fed and robust. Li Cu remarked that these were Dayu's finest steeds; it was estimated that there were thousands capable of going to battle, along with many pregnant mares and foals. In just a few years, the number of warhorses would surely double.
Li Cu was envious of the Warriors' equipment. "Xiaoxiao, your A Mian is so wealthy! Each of the fifty thousand Warriors has top-notch gear!"
"How could he not be wealthy? He's a major mine owner and has a large trading caravan," came the reply.
Li Cu nudged Sang Qingxiao's arm playfully. "Don't be jealous; it's all going to be ours in the future."
"Not jealous at all," she replied. "It's just too much to handle; it looks exhausting."
Huo Qi pulled Qi Xiaomian aside, reminiscing about their time in the military camp. "Son, while I miss everything about the barracks, I'm really too old for such a simple place now."
"We came here to enjoy life after all this travel; we can't even take a hot shower?"
"I'll take you to where I'm staying," Qi Xiaomian offered.
Huo Qi scoffed. "I won't stay in the barracks; they all look the same."
"Don't worry," Qi Xiaomian reassured him. "I have three places here. Inside the camp, I only have a single room. Outside, where military families live, I have a residence that's half the size of your usual place in the capital."
"And there's another place," Qi Xiaomian pointed towards the towering city wall. "Up there is a general's residence used for office work, observation of Black Flame City, and displaying status. After I took command, I made some changes to it; now it leans more towards residential use. However, it's quite chilly up there year-round."
Before he could finish speaking, Huo Qi dashed up ahead.
Following closely was Li Cu, who had Two Little Treasures excitedly perched on his back.
Yin Can walked alongside Liu Cong on their swords while Misha entrusted Xuan Yin with one as well. Only Silly Beast struggled a bit; unable to fly high, he relied on Sang Qingxiao's talisman and was pulled up by Qi Xiaomian.
Sang Qingxiao affixed a talisman to herself last and flew up with relative ease.
Those watching gasped in astonishment, thinking that only the lady and her family had arrived, but little did they know that each one was an influential figure.
Previously, only Qi Xiaomian had been able to fly up onto the city walls; however, with such powerful allies by his side, the city lord's position seemed precarious after marriage.
Once everyone reached the top of the walls, they marveled at its vastness.
Li Cu exclaimed in surprise, "This is almost as wide as our own estate! One has to admire how people in the past could construct something like this!"
The entrance to the estate exuded an imposing grandeur. Although Qi Xiaomian wasn't fond of this style, he wouldn't easily change it. The estate was divided into two parts: an office at the front and living quarters at the back.
The office area emphasized simplicity, convenience, and seriousness.
In the back residential area, the houses were built to resemble those in the capital, though they were a bit more compact. The rooms had already been allocated in advance, and each was decorated according to personal preferences, making it easy for everyone to find their own place.
After hastily closing the door and freshening up, Sang Qingxiao opened the door to find Qi Xiaomian waiting in the courtyard. He apologized, saying that today had been a bit rushed. He promised to take her to see a little surprise tomorrow if she felt rested.
Sang Qingxiao nodded and asked him if it was possible to see Black Flame City from the city wall. Qi Xiaomian assured her that without fog in the city, it would be clear.
He led her to the edge of the city wall. Sang Qingxiao looked down and was surprised by how clear everything was. "Wow? The layout and architecture here are even more standardized and luxurious than in the capital."
However, the streets were empty, lacking any signs of life. "They've created this themselves," Qi Xiaomian explained. "I've looked into their backgrounds; there aren't many truly vicious and deranged people among them—most are just losers in the political arena."
"They have experienced a series of complex emotions like defeat, anger, and anxiety, yet they managed to survive. In the end, they accepted reality and aimed to live better lives."
"History is written by the victors," Sang Qingxiao reflected. "So it's often difficult to judge these people's morality."
She felt a deep connection to this sentiment, realizing it was somewhat similar to the rise and fall of the Sang Family.
As they continued their conversation, a flash of light caught Sang Qingxiao's attention. Qi Xiaomian looked toward the source of light in Black Flame City and said it came from the Qiao Family, a wealthy family whose ancestors were once among the Seven Imperial Masters. By their generation, they had become entangled in a struggle for the throne.
"It's quite unfortunate," he continued. "Their family always kept a low profile but ended up being unfairly labeled by the victors. Decades later, they were still being blamed but lacked an imperial edict to clear their name."
"The emperor was deliberate about this; most officials in court were students of the Qiao Family. The emperor didn't want them in power but shed only a few tears of regret, telling everyone that since the person was dead, this matter could be considered settled."
Now that the dynasty where the Qiao Family resided had fallen and its royal family nearly exterminated, although they still lacked freedom, the Qiao Family was thriving—perhaps that was some consolation.
The flash of light had come from Qiao Yi, the Third Young Master of the Qiao Family, who loved crafting gadgets and had made a telescope-like device. Sang Qingxiao had seen it before; it provided a clear view. He must have just spotted her with Qi Xiaomian.
"Qiao Yi not only saw you two together," Qi Xiaomian remarked with amusement. "This little gossip spread through all of Black Flame City at lightning speed—there aren't many interesting happenings around here."
"Did you hear? The Demon King is chatting happily with a delicate girl?"
Qi Xiaomian exaggeratedly continued, "Just look at their positioning; it seems like the Demon King is fawning over her."
"I'm so envious! The girls in our city have become like brothers after spending so much time together; I can't muster any interest at all."
"The Demon King is worse than us; how could any girl like him? He must have changed his appearance to deceive her! Ugh, I really can't stand it—let's go stir up some trouble."
Qiao Yi suddenly came up with a serious idea. "It's a good thing that the Demon King has a woman; it means he has a weakness. If we can lure them down and find an opportunity to kidnap her, we could negotiate with the Demon King. Perhaps we might have a chance to escape."
His words resonated with many, although a few remained cautious, reminding everyone of the Demon King's strength. However, their faint voices were completely drowned out by the enthusiasm of the young men.
They had just gathered and were already marching towards the city wall in high spirits.
Qiao Yi stood at the foot of the wall, shouting all sorts of flattering remarks, claiming that they were celebrating Qi Xiaomian's arrival and planning a grand feast in his honor. He even mentioned that he considered himself part of Qi Xiaomian's family and suggested that they could turn it into a wedding celebration as well.
As his words grew more outrageous, the excitement below continued to build. Huo Qi and Li Cu shouted about wanting to go down and have some fun.
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