Upon hearing these words, Lu Wenru’s refined face was filled with sighs for a moment. After hesitating for a long while, he finally couldn’t help but say, “Master, why do you torment yourself like this? No matter how much you do, you’ve already had a falling out with Princess Zhongshun previously, and there’s no possibility anymore. You’re a practical person, so why make things difficult for yourself over someone you can never have?”

How could Lu Heng not understand this principle? But matters of the heart cannot be controlled by reason, no matter how much one possesses. Perhaps he also understood in his heart what he should do, but when it came down to it, he still couldn’t help but worry about that person who would never accept him.

“I know what you mean. I’m just following my heart. Whether she knows or not doesn’t matter anymore. Anyway, in her heart, I’m already an irredeemable rebel who betrayed the people. Whether I do well or poorly, she won’t care anymore.”

Hearing Lu Heng speak this way, Lu Wenru felt indescribably bitter in his heart. The once high-spirited young talent famous throughout the capital, the most gifted Second Master of the Lu family, had now fallen to this state.

The current situation was absolutely related to Lu Heng’s obsession with Princess Zhongshun. If he hadn’t been infatuated with an impossible person from the beginning, how could his judgment in his actions have become so biased?

Lu Wenru had followed Lu Heng for so long, always maintaining his habit of absolute loyalty and never speaking out of turn. Therefore, although his thoughts were quite rich, he wouldn’t show it on his face, merely nodding quietly without saying more.

Lu Heng stood with his hands behind his back, looking into the distance, as if this way he could see through the mountains to Qin Yining far away in Jingang.

And these days, Qin Yining’s life had also been somewhat difficult.

By the beginning of autumn, the weather in Jingang gradually grew cold. Qin Yining’s belly grew ever larger, and she became increasingly lethargic.

After more than half a year of effort, Jingang’s autumn harvest had yielded results this year. The people had courageously weathered the natural disaster, the city gradually regained its prosperity, and Qin Yining’s food and provisions had gradually improved. However, while her appetite had been good when she was eight months pregnant with twins, now she was lazy about eating and lazy about exercising. Even her daily walks required Bingtang and Ji Yun to force her before she would reluctantly get up and go out for a stroll.

“Princess, it won’t do for you to be so lazy. When we’re free, we should walk around the courtyard several times. This way, delivery will be easier in the future.” Bingtang supported Qin Yining’s arm, smiling as she advised, “You’re just too worried now. All day long, instead of thinking about how to properly rest and recuperate, you put all your thoughts into preparing provisions for the front lines. How can this continue?”

“That’s right.” Ji Yun supported Qin Yining’s other hand, nodding repeatedly in agreement and teasing, “His Highness specifically arranged for Master Xie to come precisely for the matter of provisions. Master Xie is absolutely excellent at strategic planning. If you entrust the matter of preparing military supplies to the old gentleman, are you still not at ease?”

Qin Yining chuckled, her face, free of cosmetics, had grown considerably rounder due to Bingtang’s careful nurturing during pregnancy, making her smile even more radiant. “You two little hooves specialize in teasing me. If Master Xie heard this, he’d surely think I don’t trust him. Master Xie has followed His Highness much longer and is so meticulous in his work—how could I not be at ease? I’m just worried about His Highness and don’t know what I can do for them.”

Bingtang shook her head and sighed, “Princess, both pregnancies have been difficult for you. Not once have you had peaceful times to focus on proper rest.”

“But Princess is remarkable. This time it’s twins again. If His Highness knew, who knows how delighted he’d be.”

Qin Yining lowered her head and gently caressed her highly protruding belly, shaking her head: “I haven’t planned to tell him yet. This pregnancy was uncertain at first—I wasn’t sure if it was truly a pregnancy pulse. Later, my belly was much smaller than during my first pregnancy, and Bingtang couldn’t tell from the pulse whether it was twins. Only recently, when my belly grew larger and larger, could we confirm it. I’m also afraid there might be some mistake that would make him happy for nothing. He’s on the battlefield, walking on knife’s edge every day—how can he be distracted by such matters?”

Bingtang and Ji Yun both understood Qin Yining’s feelings. The people they held dear were also fighting on the battlefield every day. They too often worried, not knowing if they would be injured, whether they could eat their fill and stay warm. Yet these women could only stay in Jingang, unable to approach the front lines. Even if they went, they couldn’t help, so they could only try to be careful in their actions and not add to their worries.

Ji Yun smiled as she comforted Qin Yining, “Princess sometimes overthinks, but His Highness might actually enjoy worrying about you. If it were someone else, His Highness wouldn’t bother to think much about them.”

Qin Yining smiled, “Now is precisely when the battle situation is critical. Though he doesn’t tell me, don’t the conditions at the front still reach our ears? The Longxiang Army hasn’t completely escaped danger even now, provisions are insufficient, and both Lu Heng and Si Qin are skilled strategists. Their current battle situation is truly perilous.”

“Look at you—here you go thinking about these things again when everything was fine. We’re all just women anyway. Even if we worry, what help can we provide?” Bingtang smiled, then covered her mouth and whispered, “In the future, if you give birth to twins, not to mention how delighted His Highness would be to know, even if the Emperor and others learned of it, they might become jealous.”

“What’s so amusing about this?” Qin Yining said helplessly, “This jealousy might even become our trouble. We’ll need to be even more careful in our actions in the future.”

Ji Yun and Bingtang both sighed somewhat. Other women with pregnancies were well cared for at home, peacefully nurturing their pregnancies and awaiting delivery. Only their Princess had to worry about so many matters while constantly being on guard against potential conspiracies.

“Princess, why don’t we secretly move away to avoid those people’s attention?” Ji Yun inquired in a low voice, her eyes seemingly sparkling with little stars, very expectant.

However, Qin Yining said, “The enemy is hidden while we are exposed. Even if we moved elsewhere, we can’t be sure whether they’ve followed us or not. By then, we might be more easily ambushed. It’s better here as things stand.”

Caressing her highly protruding belly, Qin Yining’s eyes were full of anticipation and tenderness, “I just want to safely deliver the children. Once they’re safely born, whatever we need to do can be done more nimbly.”

“Princess, rest assured, it will certainly happen.” Bingtang and Ji Yun said with certainty.

Xie Yue had procured a batch of provisions and supplies and brought the list before Qin Yining.

“Princess, please review this to see if there’s anything we need to supplement?”

Qin Yining reclined in an official’s hat chair, lowered her head to flip through several sheets, then smiled: “Master Xie is always meticulous in his work. I see absolutely no problems. These can be transported now.”

“Good. As autumn gradually grows cold, His Highness and they have now recaptured lost territory, fighting all the way to near Tianmen Pass. I imagine it won’t be long before they can rescue the Longxiang Army trapped in Tianmen Pass valley, and the Great Zhou forces will only grow stronger.” Xie Yue smiled, “At that time, His Highness and Duke Dingguo will respectively lead the Huben Army and Longxiang Army again. Even if the Tatars have a hundred Lu Hengs supporting them from behind, they still couldn’t withstand these two godlike armies.”

Qin Yining nodded in agreement. Thinking of future battle conditions, although they still needed to proceed step by step, at least the prospects were promising.

After the provisions were transported, another month passed before Qin Yining received news from the front lines.

“His Highness and Duke Dingguo’s cooperation is simply perfect, seamless! The Longxiang Army has returned under Duke Dingguo’s command, and the Tatars have been driven out of Tianmen Pass, retreating to defend Tianshu Pass!”

“Tianmen, Tianshu, Tianlang, and Tianyu—these four great passes are the Great Zhou dynasty’s barriers. Once we successfully drive them out of Tianyu Pass, that will be true victory.” Qin Yining felt victory was in sight, even her breathing seemed clearer. Perhaps with the end of the sweltering summer and arrival of cool autumn, even though she carried a nearly full-term belly, she still felt refreshed and clear-headed, with a promising future ahead. She was no longer as lethargic as before, and her spirits had improved tremendously.

This truly made Bingtang and Ji Yun breathe a sigh of relief.

Qin Yining hadn’t told Pang Xiao about the possibility of giving birth to twins again. But Bingtang had mentioned it in her letter to Huzi this time.

So when Huzi saw this passage, he directly grabbed the letter and went to the main tent.

Pang Xiao, Ji Zeyu, Ma Cheng, and Gao Wenliang were discussing what to do next while studying a map when they heard urgent footsteps outside the tent. Everyone alertly looked up.

Huzi burst through the entrance only to realize he’d been somewhat too rash. He quickly hid the letter behind his back and smiled awkwardly.

Seeing it was Huzi, and noticing his conflicted expression, Pang Xiao couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong? Is there some matter?”

“Your Highness.” Huzi touched his nose, “This subordinate was rash. It’s a private matter. In my urgency, I barged in. Please forgive me, Your Highness.”

Pang Xiao had intended to scold him—after all, this was a military camp, not the Prince’s mansion where Huzi could be as presumptuous as he pleased. But remembering that he’d received a letter from Qin Yining this morning, along with ones from Bingtang and Ji Yun, Pang Xiao’s heart tightened.

Could it be that Huzi had seen something in the letter?

He quietly said to Ji Zeyu and the others, “Excuse me for a moment,” then quickly walked toward Huzi, gesturing for him to follow him outside.

Once outside the main tent, he asked in a low voice, “Speak. What happened?”

“Your Highness, Bingtang’s letter today says Princess is carrying twins!”

“What?” Pang Xiao’s voice suddenly rose, causing everyone in the tent to crane their necks to look.

Huzi pointed to a sentence in the letter: “It’s true! Bingtang says Princess’s health isn’t as strong as last year, but fortunately, she’s not wandering about displaced. Delivering twins shouldn’t be a big problem. She’s been busy preparing recently and is very busy. The next time she writes to me will be after the young master or young miss is born.”

As he spoke, he counted on his fingers, then laughed heartily: “That’s right—the next letter we receive will be Princess’s good news!”

Pang Xiao stood stunned as if struck by thunder, and after a long while, murmured, “She actually didn’t tell me.”

Huzi was startled, only then realizing that Princess had refused to mention this matter in her letters, and couldn’t help feeling embarrassed.

It seemed he had spoken out of turn.

But such joyful news should be known by His Highness. Presumably, Bingtang’s mention of it in her letter also hoped His Highness would know of this matter. He was constantly by His Highness’s side—telling him was equivalent to telling His Highness.