Xie Mingxu was dressed in dark blue robes that accentuated his tall frame. An agate-inlaid treasure sword hung at his narrow waist, and his entire bearing was one of indescribable nobility, tinged with a faint air of authority.
"We've only been walking a short while, and you're already exhausted? It seems leaving the border has made you lazy." His voice was pleasant, like the sound of a clear spring flowing over stones.
Xie Mingxu held out a hand. "Keep up, or you'll be on stable duty when we get back."
The man in purple clutched his head, begging for mercy. "General Xie, please, spare me! I'm just a useless dandy! The main reason I followed you back to the Capital City was to visit my grandmother. How about this? I'll head down the mountain now and prepare a welcome banquet for you. Just come to my estate when you get down."
With that, he turned and ran, terrified that Xie Mingxu would catch him if he delayed for even a moment.
