Yun Wenfang felt someone wielding a blade slashing toward his neck. He knew how he should dodge to avoid it, but his body was increasingly beyond his control, growing slower and slower. Yet his thoughts had never been clearer. The surroundings became very quiet, all the sounds of clashing weapons drifted far away from him, leaving only that deadly blade drawing ever closer.

Yun Wenfang smiled slightly, but he did not close his eyes. It wasn’t because he felt he would die with eyes wide open in indignation, but rather that the blade edge slashing toward him could not make him feel fear or retreat. Moreover, he thought of Ren Yaoqi.

Yun Wenfang had thought that at this moment, what should come to mind would be that scene from over ten years of midnight dreams – Ren Yaoqi kneeling and begging him to spare her. But it wasn’t so. What he recalled were all her smiling faces in his mind. Yun Wenfang’s gaze became very gentle, his hand moved slightly as if wanting to reach toward somewhere, until he remembered that not one of Ren Yaoqi’s smiles had bloomed for him.

Of course, Ren Yaoqi had smiled at him before, but those distant, indifferent smiles made his teeth itch with hatred every time he saw them. So in the end, even such perfunctory smiles she withheld from him. When facing him, she was always guarded, impatient, wishing she could pretend not to see him at all.

Yun Wenfang suddenly felt somewhat weary, not the exhaustion of physical depletion, but despair and helplessness welling up from the depths of his soul. He closed his eyes.

“General—” The personal guard stumbling to protect him from behind was filled with rage, his eyes bloodshot. He no longer tried to parry the blade slashing toward himself, but used his last strength to hurl himself recklessly toward Yun Wenfang.

The sound of the blade piercing flesh had already numbed everyone present. The gushing blood merely stained the few feet of ground beneath their feet red.

“General—”

Yun Wenfang fell. The soldiers who had been desperately holding their ground no longer saw that figure fighting valiantly against the enemy. Their gazes began to grow somewhat vacant, and some collapsed to the ground due to exhaustion of strength and spirit.

Just at this moment, when the entire army was about to be annihilated, the sound of battle cries suddenly came from outside the forest.

A soldier who had secretly approached Yun Wenfang, wanting to sever his head and take it back to claim merit, hadn’t even raised his blade when an arrow from who knows where pierced his heart with one shot and nailed him to the trunk of a tree ahead.

“Reinforcements from the Yanbei Army have arrived—”

Someone shouted this, causing the imperial army that had originally wanted to rush forward and eliminate all these remaining Yanbei soldiers to instantly fall into chaos. At first they thought someone was shouting nonsense in the confusion. But when they saw those soldiers in Yanbei Army armor entering from outside the forest, all they could think of was to turn and flee.

Outside the forest, Xiao Jingxi, in soft armor, sat on horseback, gazing distantly toward the direction of Yunyang City.

Tongde stepped forward and said, “Young Master, there’s only a small contingent in the forest. General Zhu has already led men inside. The battle should end soon.”

Xiao Jingxi said nothing.

Tongde continued: “The Prince just sent someone to report that Eunuch Lin, who came with General Zhang, has requested a ceasefire and promises to withdraw troops immediately.”

A young general following behind Xiao Jingxi quietly scoffed: “Calling for a ceasefire when they can’t win – that’s their usual style. But do they think our Yanbei is a place where they can come and go as they please? Their thinking is rather too optimistic!”

“General Zhu has returned!” Tongde had sharp eyes and saw Zhu Ruomei leading people out of the forest, carrying someone on his shoulder.

“Is this… General Yun?”

Xiao Jingxi looked toward the person Zhu Ruomei had carried out. That person’s face was covered in blood, and he looked utterly wretched, as if he had been soaked in bloody water and then pulled out. His features were almost unrecognizable, but quite a few people present still identified him.

Zhu Ruomei said to Xiao Jingxi, “This subordinate found him under a corpse. He still has some breath, but he’s breathing more out than in.”

Xiao Jingxi frowned, then dismounted and walked to Zhu Ruomei to check Yun Wenfang’s pulse. After a moment, he sighed and instructed Tongde: “First, treat his wounds. Then send him back to the city and have a physician do his utmost to save him.”

Tongde acknowledged the order, then immediately took Yun Wenfang from Zhu Ruomei’s hands. The army physician carrying a medicine box also ran over. However, army physicians generally had broad but not specialized medical skills. The only physician in the Yanbei Army who was skilled in treating external injuries had gone with the Prince of Yanbei.

When that physician saw the wounds on Yun Wenfang’s body, he drew in a sharp breath, then shook his head. Without saying anything, he began treating the large and small wounds on his body.

Xiao Jingxi glanced over and reminded: “First use acupuncture to stop his bleeding, then send him back to the city as quickly as possible.”

The physician immediately acknowledged, thinking to himself that although this might cause someone who had lost too much blood to go into shock from poor circulation, it was still better than dying on the road from blood loss before even reaching the city. It was a matter of treating a dead horse as if it were alive – it would depend on this young master’s fortune.

After giving the physician this instruction, Xiao Jingxi said to Zhu Ruomei: “I leave this place to you. I’ll return to the city first.”

Zhu Ruomei saluted solemnly with a stern expression: “This subordinate receives your command!”

Xiao Jingxi gave instructions to several other generals, then mounted his horse and headed toward Yunyang City with his guards.

After Xiao Jingxi’s party had disappeared completely from sight, someone coughed lightly and said quietly: “Doesn’t the Young Master look like he’s yearning to return home?”

Zhu Ruomei had sharp ears and heard this. His eyes widened: “You little rascal, what nonsense are you spouting! Is the Young Master someone you can casually gossip about? Looking for a beating!”

That deputy general straightened his expression and was about to accept blame, but saw Zhu Ruomei roll his eyes: “You don’t even have a wife – what do you know! This isn’t called yearning to return home, this is called ‘fearing delay in returning’!”

Everyone was stunned, then burst into laughter. That deputy general also scratched his head and grinned foolishly.

The Princess Consort of Yanbei had already returned to the Prince’s residence. When she saw that Ren Yaoqi was safe and sound, she breathed a great sigh of relief, then immediately began reorganizing the residence’s order. Dowager Consort Yun was also sent back to her own Lanxi Palace.

“Miss, your complexion doesn’t look too good. Would you like to rest on the bed for a while?” Sangshen asked.

Ren Yaoqi had not slept all night, so naturally her complexion wasn’t very good. Fortunately, her temperament was resolute, and from beginning to end she had tried hard to control her emotions, so it hadn’t affected the child in her womb.

Ren Yaoqi also felt she should rest for a while. Although she felt she definitely wouldn’t be able to sleep, for the sake of the child, she still had Sangshen attend to her as she lay down on the bed in the inner room. Just like last night, she closed her eyes to rest her mind.

She didn’t know how much time had passed when Ren Yaoqi heard the sound of curtains being lifted, followed by barely audible footsteps. She thought it was Pingguo or some little maid coming in. Since Sangshen and Nanxing, who were guarding beside her, made no sound, she didn’t pay attention either.

Not until that person walked to her bedside and stopped, their shadow blocking the light streaming in from the south window, did Ren Yaoqi furrow her brow. Her eyelashes fluttered as she was about to open her eyes, but that person sat down beside her bed. Before she could open her eyes, she found herself in a warm embrace.

Ren Yaoqi’s body stiffened, then a soft smile appeared on her face. Without struggling, she nuzzled gently against the person’s neck: “You’ve returned?”

This ordinary sentence sounded as if that person had simply gone out to handle some small matter in the morning and returned home in the evening.

The person’s response was to tighten their embrace, holding her close.

The maids in the room had somehow all withdrawn. Ren Yaoqi quietly let Xiao Jingxi hold her for a while, then opened her eyes and raised her head to look at him.

Xiao Jingxi was somewhat thinner than when he had left, and azure stubble had appeared on his chin. Ren Yaoqi raised her hand to stroke his features inch by inch. Though she said nothing, her movements were full of tenderness that only the two of them could appreciate.

“I’m sorry…” Xiao Jingxi spoke, his voice low and hoarse.

Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi smiled and leaned forward to kiss his lips voluntarily: “No, thank you.”

The two gazed at each other, both understanding the meaning in the other’s words.

Xiao Jingxi said sorry because he felt he had put Ren Yaoqi in danger, and when she needed him most, he hadn’t been by her side. He had also made her worry for so long.

She said thank you to express gratitude for his keeping his promise to return. As long as he came back, nothing else mattered to her.

Xiao Jingxi couldn’t help wanting to kiss her, but as soon as their lips touched, he straightened up again, somewhat annoyed: “I should have changed clothes before coming in.”

When Xiao Jingxi returned, the only thought in his mind was to see her, to see her as quickly as possible, to see that she was safe and sound. So he had almost walked non-stop back to Zhaoning Palace, leaving behind even those who wanted to come in and announce him. When he saw her for the first time, his heart finally settled.

Xiao Jingxi realized that he had entered the room travel-worn and dusty, and felt very regretful. His journey hadn’t been easy, and he had inevitably been stained with the smell of blood. So before Ren Yaoqi could say anything, he got up and quickly walked out.

Ren Yaoqi looked at his retreating figure with some helplessness, but wore a gentle smile on her face.

Ren Yaoqi had originally wanted to wait for Xiao Jingxi to return and talk with him for a while, but this time, for some reason, as soon as her head touched the pillow, she unknowingly fell asleep.

When she woke up again, the sky had already darkened. A candlestick was lit on the kang table by the south window, its weak, soft light making the room seem peaceful and tranquil.

Ren Yaoqi reached out to touch the space beside her, but felt emptiness. She immediately sat up, looking somewhat bewildered.

She seemed to have dreamed that Xiao Jingxi had returned.

Pingguo, who had been keeping watch nearby, quickly walked over: “Miss, you’re awake? Would you like to eat something? The Master instructed the kitchen to prepare congee, This servant will…”

Before Pingguo could finish speaking, she saw Ren Yaoqi raise her head to look at her. Her words couldn’t help but pause. Pingguo, who everyone considered not clever or adaptable enough, changed the subject: “The Master was in the room accompanying you earlier, but was just invited to the study by Tongde not long ago.”

Ren Yaoqi smiled: “I understand. I’m hungry.”