As soon as Jiang Hanyuan spoke these words, it was like undeniable proof of identity.

The nearby soldiers who had been watching and waiting no longer hesitated, and all bowed in salute.

This news had already spread quickly. When the soldiers heard that someone suspected to be the Regent Prince had entered the camp, who didn’t know about his relationship with the female general, and who wasn’t curious? Except for those who were drunk, the rest who could still walk were all flocking toward the main tent. Seeing this, some at the back, who couldn’t even see what the person in front looked like, also randomly followed in bowing.

This large camp that had been echoing with cheerful voices and laughter moments before quickly became silent, filled with people bowing on the ground. Xiao Linhua, seeing that fierce deity had arrived, had already retreated backward, head lowered, afraid of being seen by him.

In front of the main tent, near that cluster of blazing, leaping flames, only the Regent Prince and his wife remained standing.

Shu Shenhui’s gaze left her, looked around, took a slight breath, then spoke: “Everyone, rise! This prince has come on the orders of the current emperor. This northern journey has two purposes: first, to inspect the border; second, to supervise the war. This battle was truly not easy, yet in less than two months, we achieved complete victory. This is entirely due to the brave fighting of all the soldiers present today! When this prince returns to the capital, I will certainly report our victory to the emperor, and the court will reward merit accordingly!”

When his words ended, the soldiers all beamed with joy.

For soldiers like them, who were far from the imperial court and guarded the border year-round, the personal arrival of the Regent Prince at such a frontier battlefield was already a tremendous surprise. To have him witness their victory was an even greater honor. Everyone thunderously expressed their gratitude. Many veterans present also recalled the Regent Prince’s youthful northern inspection years ago, becoming even more excited and shouting, “Long live the Regent Prince!”

“Where is the Regent Prince? Has the Regent Prince truly come?”

Zhou Qing, due to his injury, had refrained from drinking tonight and had retired to his tent early. Hearing the news, he came running, pushed through the crowd, strode forward quickly, and immediately bowed, saying excitedly: “This humble officer Zhou Qing pays respects to Regent Prince Your Highness!”

Shu Shenhui’s gaze fell on his face, and with just one look, he nodded: “This prince remembers you. When this prince inspected the Yanmen border years ago, you were already a capable officer beside the Great General. A few days ago, I saw the Great General at Yanmen, and he told me about your situation along with the victory report. That this Eight Tribes war could be decided so quickly is largely due to your merit. That Great Wei has brave and excellent generals like General Zhou who fear not death—how could we worry about not winning battles!”

After praising him, he also inquired with concern about his injuries.

Zhou Qing was both excited and ashamed, choking back tears: “Your Highness overpraises me. That this war could be decided quickly, this humble officer contributed not an inch of merit. Moreover, it was thanks to the Princess’s power in defeating the enemy that I was fortunate to survive that day.”

Shu Shenhui stepped forward and personally helped Zhou Qing up, telling him to recover well from his injuries. Zhou Qing repeatedly agreed.

Shu Shenhui then ordered everyone to rise and continue the feast, not to be constrained by his arrival.

Zhang Mi, true to his name, was a man of careful thought. He guessed that the Regent Prince entering the camp alone tonight was probably for the female general. Considering that the couple had just married at the beginning of the year, and after less than half a year, the female general had returned to Yanmen—there was the saying that brief separation was better than a new marriage, especially for newlyweds. Seeing the situation was about right, he also spoke up, ordering all soldiers to disperse. Only then did everyone reluctantly leave, looking back with every step. Seeing Yang Hu still standing there, not leaving, his eyes fixed on the Regent Prince, not knowing what he was thinking, truly lacking in proper etiquette, he pushed him. Only then did Yang Hu turn and leave without a word.

At this time, the Great Hehe King also arrived.

Although the Regent Prince had said he didn’t need attendants, how dare the Great Hehe King truly be so neglectful? Seeing it was getting dark and the Regent Prince still hadn’t returned to the city, he came with Xiao Lixian. After paying respects, he said he had prepared lodgings for the couple in the city where they could rest at any time.

Shu Shenhui didn’t speak immediately, only looked toward Jiang Hanyuan.

Jiang Hanyuan smiled slightly: “You’ve traveled a long distance and must be very tired. Why don’t you return to the city and rest well tonight? On my side, I’ll be breaking camp to return to Yanmen tomorrow morning, and I’m afraid there are still matters tonight, so I should remain in camp.”

“The Princess speaks wrongly!”

Zhang Mi glanced at the Regent Prince and immediately smiled as he interjected.

“Breaking camp and departing—such matters can be left to General Zhou and me. Moreover, His Highness has come seeking the Princess, surely there are matters to discuss. It’s inconvenient to speak here.”

“Right, right! Zhang Mi speaks correctly. Leave it to me, Old Zhou! Such matters—why should the Princess worry about them? Go handle your business!”

Zhou Jin also caught on and patted his chest as he chimed in.

Jiang Hanyuan paused, smiled at Zhou and Zhang, thanked them for their trouble, glanced at Shu Shenhui, and walked outside.

Shu Shenhui followed amid the respectful farewells behind him.

The two left the camp under countless watching eyes from all around. The Great Hehe King and his son accompanied them, leading the pair to their lodgings. Right near the quarters where the young emperor was staying, they had prepared another quiet place for the Regent Prince and his wife to stay temporarily tonight.

After entering, Shu Shenhui dismissed the servants waiting at the door, personally closed the door, slowly walked back, and finally stopped in front of Jiang Hanyuan.

There were no other people around anymore. Bright candles illuminated them as they stood facing each other, initially both silent.

Jiang Hanyuan slightly lowered her eyelids, her gaze always falling on his clothing.

“Your Highness must be tired. I’ll have someone bring water to serve Your Highness in bathing.”

After a moment, she was the first to break the silence. Her eyes didn’t look at him; her gaze passed over his shoulder to fall on the door to the outer room. After speaking, she was about to step away when she saw his shoulder move slightly.

“It’s nothing, I’m not tired.” He finally spoke. “Sisi, I have something I want to say to you.”

She stopped and looked toward him.

“I learned of something some days ago.”

She waited for him to continue.

“Last autumn, at Huguo Temple, you were there that day too. Liu Xiang told me.”

Finally, he said slowly.

Jiang Hanyuan hadn’t expected him to open with such words. She immediately looked up and met his gaze.

Her first reaction was that Liu Xiang might be punished for this, so she immediately said: “That day, he was originally unwilling to let me enter. I forced him using my father’s old favor.”

“Don’t worry, Liu Xiang is fine, nothing happened to him—” He gazed at her and continued.

“There’s another matter I think you’re probably also concerned about. It’s regarding Wu Sheng. His illness has recovered. Although I cannot release him as an ordinary person as you wished, as long as he behaves himself, I can guarantee to you that your friend will also be safe.”

Jiang Hanyuan looked at him, and after a moment, the corners of her lips curved slightly in a half-smile: “Thank you for telling me. This counts as good news.”

He remained silent, looking at her for another moment.

“I was wrong.”

After that preamble, he finally said this sentence that had turned over in his heart countless times—the sentence he had to say after seeing her.

“That night, I shouldn’t have used your friend to test you, shouldn’t have said those words, and shouldn’t have left you and walked away by myself. You must have been very hurt. Sisi, please forgive me. Also, that day at Huguo Temple, the words I said to Wen Wan must have caused you great misunderstanding as well. But toward her, it’s truly not what you think—”

“Sisi, I don’t know how to explain so you’ll believe me.”

“I will pity her, am willing to help her, and I even admit that, just as you heard that day, if there hadn’t been all those early changes, I probably would indeed have married her later. But times have changed—everything is different now. I met you. What I feel for you is completely different.”

He seemed momentarily unable to find the right way to express himself, pausing briefly. “She is indeed very good, but when I can’t see her, I don’t think of her. You’re different, Sisi. When I can’t see you, I think of you, extremely so, even when my heart is still angry with you. After parting with you like that last time, I regretted it.”

“Sisi, please forgive me—” He took a step toward her.

“Your Highness need not explain anymore!”

Jiang Hanyuan interrupted his confession somewhat urgently.

“Regarding the Wen family girl, I remember Your Highness mentioning it to me once before, and I said then that I believed you. It’s the same now.”

“If Your Highness feels you were wrong that night and wants my forgiveness, then I’ll tell you again—I forgave you long ago. I wasn’t hurt either. Your Highness is overthinking it. Moreover, afterward, I reflected on myself. Some of my actions at the time were also inappropriate. Taking this opportunity, please also forgive me.”

Shu Shenhui froze momentarily.

Jiang Hanyuan smiled slightly at him: “All these matters are already past for me.”

“I hope Your Highness will also be like me and not take them to heart. In the future, do what should be done. Compared to the important matters Your Highness and I initially agreed upon, such small matters are truly insignificant. Your Highness handles countless affairs daily and truly needn’t be distracted by this.”

After speaking, she looked around at the room’s furnishings, glanced at that bed, and withdrew her gaze.

“Your Highness is extremely fatigued from travel—I can see it. What you need most is rest. I won’t disturb you.”

After speaking, she smiled at Shu Shenhui, nodded to him, then turned and walked outside.

Shu Shenhui felt as if he’d been struck by a club to the head, completely unprepared. He watched her retreating figure, seeing that she was about to open the door and leave. Dejection, unwillingness, confusion, and perhaps some jealousy—various emotions churned in his heart.

That stormy night was past, but he still hadn’t emerged from it, suffering greatly.

And her? Away from him, she was happy.

Before his eyes appeared that scene of her sitting casually on the ground in front of the main tent, holding a sword to strike the table, laughing heartily.

Why? She had so disturbed his heart, then just left when she wanted to, abandoning him alone to sink.

He could bear it no longer, stepped forward to catch up, reached out his hand, and grasped her wrist.

“I was wrong. I schemed against you at first. After marrying you, I also didn’t fulfill a husband’s duties to satisfy you in everything. But I already know I was wrong, and I’ve apologized to you. You’re so good to everyone. Your subordinates, Xiao Linhua, Jian’er, even strangers… Why, only toward me, are you so heartless?”

The red bloodshot veins in his eyes from travel fatigue had become even more intense at this moment, making even the corners of his eyes appear red.

Jiang Hanyuan looked at the man before her.

He was just like this, stubbornly gripping her hand, not letting her go, a pair of bloodshot eyes staring at her, teeth clenched, using his once-again hoarse voice to ask her word by word.

Jiang Hanyuan gazed at him for a long time, and finally said softly: “Your Highness, I might as well speak truthfully—I also had some feelings for you. Those few days we spent together in Qiantang were probably the happiest days of my entire life. I also like your mother. If my mother were still alive, I think she would probably be just like her. But such happiness has no foundation. With the slightest change, it becomes like flowers in a mirror, moon in water, a mansion built on sand—gone in an instant. This point has already been proven. The current troubles already far exceed any happiness that could be gained—how dare I speak of a lifetime?”

“Your Highness, ask yourself, what exactly do you like about me? Do you truly like me, Jiang Hanyuan, as a person, or is it because you can’t completely possess me that you can’t forget and won’t let go?”

“What kind of person, Your Highness, is some of your youthful past—I roughly know. But you don’t understand me at all. You don’t know what kind of person I am. You also don’t know my past. No matter how much you say, these few pitiful feelings you’ve developed for me because of this marriage cannot make me trust you, much less make me willingly tie all my remaining years to you. Yet now you’re forcing me to dig out my heart and give it to you. Is there such reasoning in this world?”

She shook her head and withdrew her hand.

“Things are very good as they are now! I don’t want any more changes!”

She said this with emphasis.

…

Outside the city at the military camp, with the departure of the Regent Prince and the general, the feast also began to conclude. Zhang Jun and Yang Hu had always been close, and the two usually shared a tent. Not seeing him return, he looked around and found him near the camp entrance.

He was lying back against a large stone, a withered grass stem in his mouth, eyes gazing at the night sky overhead. Zhang Jun went over and pushed him: “Drunk? Lying here, drinking the northwest wind? You’ll freeze to death soon!”

Yang Hu spat out the grass seed from his mouth and lazily turned to sit up.

Zhang Jun dragged him back to the tent while saying: “I think you’re really drunk. I heard you questioned the Regent Prince tonight? When he asked you questions, you didn’t even respond? Fortunately the Regent Prince was magnanimous and didn’t hold it against you…”

He turned his head and glanced toward the city: “But honestly, the Regent Prince and our general do seem well-matched! When we first heard the general was going to marry him, quite a few people in our Qingmu Battalion disapproved. Just now I made a round—they’re all saying it’s good!”

Yang Hu said nothing, left Zhang Jun behind, and strode toward the sleeping tent. At this moment, a messenger arrived on horseback outside the camp entrance, calling loudly: “Message from Yanmen! Is General Changning here?”