Hearing this, Yan Fuzhi sensed that Meng Tinghui was different from before and couldn’t help but frown, asking, “What’s the matter with you?”

Meng Tinghui shook her head and said, “I remember when Commissioner Shen returned to the capital, it happened to coincide with General Di’s marriage to the Shen family’s daughter. At the wedding banquet, Commissioner Shen drank too much and told me many things about you. I can see he truly loves you. You shouldn’t doubt him anymore. If I were you, with the chance to be with the person I love, I would willingly give up family and business.”

Yan Fuzhi seemed to understand something, and her voice lowered: “Is the Emperor not treating you well?” Seeing that Meng Tinghui didn’t respond, she became even more certain and said with slight annoyance, “If the Emperor treated you well, how could he assign you this dangerous mission to Jin Gorge Pass? I advise you to suppress those feelings early. After all these years of hard work, what was it all for? What have you gained from it?”

Meng Tinghui smiled gently. “Yes, you’re right. In the future, I won’t think about these unrealistic matters anymore.”

Yan Fuzhi pushed the agate cup toward her, offering her the peeled grapes inside, and said earnestly, “After you return from Jin Gorge Pass, don’t be so eager to take on such dangerous assignments. If you find life at court unsatisfactory, why not request a prefecture from the Emperor and return to Chao’an?”

She nodded slightly, carefully eating the grapes from the wine cup. “I will.”

Under the vast night sky, she suddenly recalled scenes from when they were at the Women’s Academy—one in a red dress, one with a wild spirit. How strange that they had become friends, yet in all these years, she had never regretted having her as a friend in this life.

Thank you for always caring about me all these years.

If I disappoint you in the future, please don’t be angry with me.

Suddenly, a maid approached with small steps and whispered in Yan Fuzhi’s ear: “Young Miss, the servant at the door just reported that Commissioner Shen has returned and is standing outside the residence.”

Meng Tinghui heard this but pretended not to, keeping her head down.

Yan Fuzhi bit her red lips, wanting to ignore it, but then thought of what Meng Tinghui had just said, and hesitated.

After a long while, she finally frowned and stood up, saying to Meng Tinghui, “There’s something at the entrance. I’ll be back shortly.”

Meng Tinghui nodded with a smile. “It’s fine. You don’t need to rush back to accompany me. I happen to be feeling tired and will go to my room to rest. We must leave the city early tomorrow morning, and I wouldn’t want to delay matters.”

Yan Fuzhi stared at her intently, stamped her foot, and walked quickly toward the front of the residence like a gust of wind.

Shen Zhishu was indeed standing under the eaves outside the Yan residence, his tall silhouette motionless.

In the early summer night, she felt herself trembling.

He heard footsteps and turned to see her. A smile appeared in his calm eyes, making the surrounding night scenery seem brighter.

“What is it?” Her tone tried to be harsh but couldn’t manage it.

He walked closer to her and said, “Tonight, when I went out of the city to meet Official Meng, I suddenly felt that both you and I are so ungrateful.” Seeing her expression change, he curved his lips slightly and continued, “War rages in the northern territories, with families torn apart and loved ones separated at every moment. My sister is far away in the capital, newly married but with her husband leading troops into battle, not knowing when they’ll meet again. Official Meng is on a mission to Jin Gorge Pass, separated from the Emperor by thousands of li, uncertain if she can safely return to the capital. Compared to them, how fortunate are we, yet how ungrateful!”

Her throat tightened, and she couldn’t refute his words.

He reached out to brush her wind-tousled hair behind her ear and said with a gentle laugh, “The future is unpredictable. If someday we face death’s parting, wouldn’t it be too late to say these things then?”

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, clear and transparent, as she watched him draw closer.

He reached out to take her hand and said, one word at a time, “Yan Fuzhi, I think I’ve been too arrogant, too proud. I don’t think I’ve ever told you that I truly, sincerely love you.”

The cool couch inside the room was comfortable, with evening jasmine filling the chamber. The wind blew the beaded curtains, making a soft, pleasant sound.

Meng Tinghui reclined on the couch, counting the small beads on the curtain in the darkness. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight… Your Majesty, do you know how much I love you?

The next day was overcast, with thick clouds hiding any trace of sunlight.

She hadn’t slept all night. By the fourth watch, she had already risen and packed everything properly. At daybreak, she went to the side courtyard to find Huang Bo, intending to leave without saying goodbye before Yan Fuzhi woke up.

On the way, she encountered two maids hurriedly carrying things inside. Upon seeing her, they blushed even more, stammering and moving aside.

Meng Tinghui grew curious. “What’s happening?”

The maids dared not refuse to answer and said in an even softer voice, “We’re… we’re bringing clothes for Commissioner Shen.”

Meng Tinghui immediately understood and felt somewhat embarrassed. She coughed lightly and said, “Hurry along then.”

Not long after, Shen Zhishu strode out with a composed demeanor, without a trace of embarrassment on his face. He nodded slightly to her and Huang Bo. “All the arrangements for troops and other matters were made last night. Are you leaving now?”

Meng Tinghui replied, “Yes, we’re leaving now.” She glanced inside and said softly, “Tell her when she wakes that I’ll see her again when I return from Jin Gorge Pass, before I head back to the capital, to bid her a proper farewell.”

Shen Zhishu lowered his eyes, his lips curving slightly. “Very well. She’s extremely tired and probably couldn’t get up to see you off anyway.”

Huang Bo had initially been confused, but seeing the current situation, he understood three or four parts of it. Feeling somewhat awkward, he turned and urged, “Official Meng, it’s still a long way to Ting Prefecture. We should leave early.”

Meng Tinghui understood and gave Shen Zhishu a faint smile: “Thank you for your trouble, Commissioner Shen.”

They went to find Tang Cheng at the official post station, and by the time they left the city, the Imperial Court Guards and troops from Shen Zhishu’s Transportation Commission office were already formed in ranks waiting.

When Meng Tinghui got into the carriage, Shen Zhishu personally lifted the curtain for her and said in a low voice, “Take care.”

She looked at him once, a hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth, but didn’t reply with even half a word before entering the carriage directly.

From Qing Prefecture to Ting Prefecture required three days and two nights of continuous travel.

Because it had previously been surrounded and attacked by the northern Jian army, the outer walls of Ting Prefecture were covered with stone pits and fire marks. Although there was no worry of war now, the imperial troops had all been sent northward, and the remaining soldiers hadn’t had time to repair these battle-worn places.

As soon as they entered the city, they saw in the distance a row of gleaming brass halberds, accompanied by a purple-black military flag fluttering in the wind, quite imposing.

Although she knew that Di Nian would send people to Ting Prefecture to meet her, Meng Tinghui had never expected that he would send Song Zhirui to lead troops here personally.

As early as the winter of the 25th year of Jide, when she came to Chao’an to quell the rebellion, she and Song Zhirui had become acquainted. Therefore, upon seeing the imperial troops under his command, she felt a sense of reunion with an old friend, which immediately made her feel more at ease. She thought that this must be one of the reasons why Di Nian had sent Song Zhirui to meet her.

Under the yellow earth and blue sky, these troops had dust-covered armor, but everyone’s eyes still carried the residual ferocity of bloodshed from the battlefield. Even standing motionless outside the city, they made the Imperial Court Guards before and behind her not dare to underestimate them.

Huang Bo rode his horse quickly forward to verify military tokens with the other side, then returned to escort her.

When Meng Tinghui entered the formation, Song Zhirui had already come out to meet her, smiling slightly: “It’s been a long time, Official Meng. Have you been well?”

She pressed her lips together and said, “General Song, you’ve worked hard.”

Song Zhirui turned and gave a low command, and immediately a soldier presented a letter. “A personal letter from General Di. Please read it, Official Meng.”

Meng Tinghui took it as instructed, looked at it, and then smiled: “How could I doubt General Song?”

Song Zhirui bowed and asked, “Do Official Meng and Official Tang wish to rest for a day in Ting Prefecture city, or shall we immediately proceed to Jin Gorge Pass?”

Without thinking, she replied, “There’s no need to rest. Order the Imperial Court Guards to form ranks with General Song’s troops, and then head north to Jin Gorge Pass.” She turned to give Huang Bo a few instructions, then said to Song Zhirui, “The military situation inside and outside Jin Gorge Pass is precarious. General Di did not keep General Song at the front to guard against the unexpected, but instead sent you here to escort me northward. This truly makes me deeply uneasy, and I dare not delay even a moment.”