Qin Yining had always been alert, and now that she was in her late months of pregnancy, she slept even more lightly. Almost as soon as there was movement at the back window, she opened her eyes.

Pang Xiao woke earlier and reacted faster, already leaping up with the short sword hidden under his pillow in his hand. Fearing rash action might fall into a diversionary trap, he only took a defensive stance and cautiously protected Qin Yining’s side.

Just as Qin Yining was about to call for help, Pang Xiao covered her mouth with one hand while carefully listening with pricked ears.

Qin Yining’s long lashes fluttered as she looked up at him curiously.

Pang Xiao’s tense muscles relaxed. He put away the short sword and whispered with a low laugh near her ear: “It’s Alan. He probably has something to say to me. You rest first, I’ll go to the back and speak with him briefly.”

Qin Yining breathed a sigh of relief and whispered equally softly: “Alright. It’s cold at night – wear more layers.” She wanted to get up to help Pang Xiao find an outer robe.

Pang Xiao gently helped her lie back down: “Don’t get up. I’ll find something to wear myself. You finally have some sleepiness – rest quickly.”

Pang Xiao covered Qin Yining with the brocade quilt, bent down to kiss her forehead, then found a robe to casually drape over himself. He put on soft-soled cotton shoes for indoors and went around the screen to the washroom at the back. Lifting the curtain, he saw Ji Zeyu’s tall figure standing by the window with his hands behind his back.

“Alan, you came.”

“Mm.” Ji Zeyu turned around. The moonlight outlined the bright and shadowed contours of his stunningly handsome face, with a faint smile playing at his lips. “Did I disturb your rest?”

“No. I guessed you would come, so I didn’t sleep soundly.”

Hearing this, the smile at Ji Zeyu’s lips deepened. He wore night clothes, his face appearing as lustrous as mutton-fat jade in the darkness.

Pang Xiao also smiled. Of the three of them, at least Ji Zeyu hadn’t changed.

The two casually grabbed small wooden stools to sit on. Both had crawled through mountains of corpses and seas of blood on battlefields, so they didn’t mind such environments. The damp bathtub beside them wouldn’t affect their conversation at all.

“I’ll keep this brief.” Ji Zeyu lowered his voice: “This place where you’re staying has quite a few of His Majesty’s spies around. Just getting in here took considerable effort. It shows His Majesty doesn’t completely trust you.”

“I know. I’ve discovered those spies but haven’t had them removed.” Pang Xiao smiled. Whatever Li Qitian did or said now seemed unable to hurt his heart anymore. “I’m leaving soon. I can’t guard this place constantly. If I remove this batch of spies, there will be new ones. Alerting them and angering His Majesty would make me worry he’d harm my family instead.”

Ji Zeyu smiled: “Don’t worry. I’ll arrange people to watch this place. Though some brothers accepted His Majesty’s rewards this time, most refused.”

“The situation is the same here.” Pang Xiao smiled with some helplessness: “His Majesty understands people’s hearts well in his actions. But it doesn’t matter. We know what he really wants to do anyway.”

Both simultaneously thought of recent events.

After much deliberation, they had saved Li Qitian, yet before Li Qitian could even warm the throne again, he had already dispersed part of their influence. Though not seriously damaging, it was enough to chill their hearts.

However, for Ji Zeyu and Pang Xiao, this didn’t affect their upcoming plans.

“You’ll also go north soon, right?”

“Mm. I’ve made preparations and am just waiting for His Majesty’s orders.”

Thinking of the northern situation, Pang Xiao couldn’t help frowning deeply, his brow forming knots.

Si Qin had come prepared and joined forces with Tianji Zi. Though he trusted Ji Zeyu’s abilities, he still worried about his safety.

Si Qin was a person with evil intentions, while Ji Zeyu wasn’t treacherous and cunning. He feared Ji Zeyu might use normal thinking to gauge someone like Si Qin, completely unable to predict his moves and falling into traps instead.

Seeing Pang Xiao’s worry, Ji Zeyu smiled: “I’ll be fine here. If I go north, I might regain command of the Longxiang Army. Even if not leading the Longxiang Army, I’m very familiar with all northern conditions. The Tatar matter is urgent, so His Majesty won’t make things difficult for me and will definitely provide power support. It’s different from your situation of being weakened – you needn’t worry about me at all.”

“Though you say that… forget it, as grown men, there’s no need to be so naggy. I am indeed worried about you. But I also know you have things under control. Si Qin is cunning and vicious. After ascending the throne through such means, he’s eager to avenge A’na Ri Khan. You know, people with guilty consciences always do extreme things to cover themselves.”

“Si Qin is indeed cunning. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.” Ji Zeyu looked at Pang Xiao with smiling eyes. He understood all of Pang Xiao’s concerns, because he was equally worried about Pang Xiao, his trust even more undisguised. “I’ve dealt with Si Qin for so many years – I know some of his methods.”

“He also knows your methods.”

Ji Zeyu nodded in acknowledgment: “Yes, we’re mortal enemies. But this battle is unavoidable. If we can’t stop the Tatar iron cavalry, Great Zhou will be ruled by foreign tribes. Those people are accustomed to plunder. Seeing our fertile, rich land, how could they think about letting people rest and recover? They’ll only intensify their plundering. The suffering of all living beings will be almost inevitable, even more terrible than being ruled by Great Yan’s incompetent emperor.”

It was rare for Ji Zeyu to speak so much at once – only when facing Pang Xiao would he open his heart like this.

When they originally conquered the world together as three sworn brothers, though Li Qitian changed greatly after ascending the throne, Ji Zeyu had never changed toward him.

Every time Pang Xiao was with Ji Zeyu, he could relax and lower his guard, not worrying that one inappropriate word would bring disaster.

Both couldn’t help but relax, even their perfectly straight posture – a habit formed over many years – loosened.

“Don’t just worry about me – your journey south is equally fraught with crisis.” Ji Zeyu sighed: “The people in Yan Dynasty’s former capital hate you no less than those old diehards in the capital. And you’re traveling with family. Though Yuchi Yan lacks great talent, he has no shortage of people hoping to restore the country who help him strategize. That place is Great Yan’s territory, yet you’re entering enemy ranks fighting alone…”

As Ji Zeyu spoke, he increasingly felt Pang Xiao’s situation was already difficult, only regretting he didn’t have three heads and six arms to help Pang Xiao through this crisis.

Pang Xiao could feel Ji Zeyu’s concern. He stretched out his arm to pat Ji Zeyu’s shoulder: “Good brother, I know all about your care. Actually, speaking plainly, whether south or north, the current situation is very pessimistic. With this parting, we don’t know what circumstances we’ll meet under next time. We can only wish each other well.”

“Yes.” Ji Zeyu smiled: “We’ve long placed life and death aside – dying wrapped in horse hide isn’t a bad thing. But now that you have attachments, you must work even harder to stay alive. If you encounter any difficulties, you can send someone to find me anytime. You know how to contact my people.”

Pang Xiao nodded, moved: “You too. Contact me anytime – you know all about my people.”

“Mm.” Ji Zeyu also nodded.

The two men looked at each other, both worried about the other.

As they thought, men fighting on battlefields might find dying wrapped in horse hide a kind of honor. But now that Pang Xiao had a woman he hoped to spend his remaining life with and their child was about to be born, Pang Xiao could no longer be as carefree as before.

Indeed, when men have attachments, they become weak. But for Pang Xiao, this kind of weakness felt sweet as honey.

The two discussed the northern and southern situations in low voices. Pang Xiao shared all the crises and countermeasures he could think of with Ji Zeyu, and Ji Zeyu likewise detailed his speculations about southern conditions to Pang Xiao.

When their discussion of military matters became heated, they almost couldn’t control their volume, only suppressing themselves for fear of their voices alerting the spies outside.

Only after completely exchanging intelligence, seeing it was getting late, did Ji Zeyu rise to take his leave.

Pang Xiao stood by the window, watching Ji Zeyu’s figure disappear into the night, and only after a long time did he collect his mood and return to the bedroom with a light sigh.

Actually, both he and Ji Zeyu had deliberately avoided the heavy, suffocating topic.

Neither could guarantee they would have the chance to meet again alive.

But being military generals was just so helpless. Who told them to be born in chaotic times?

Pang Xiao returned to the bedroom quietly. Fearing the cold air on his body would startle Qin Yining, he stood at the door for quite a while, ensuring he was no longer cold before tiptoeing back to bedside.

His and Ji Zeyu’s lowered conversation hadn’t disturbed Qin Yining at all.

Looking down at Qin Yining’s sweet, well-behaved sleeping face, Pang Xiao’s heart was already surrounded by warm, soft honey water. He lightened his movements and quietly lay beside her. Knowing she was in front, he didn’t get too close, watching her from a distance.

No matter how much irritation there was, as long as he stayed by Qin Yining’s side, Pang Xiao could quickly adjust his mood.

Even just to protect Qin Yining and their child, this southern journey could only succeed – it could not fail!

Pang Xiao and Qin Yining’s party set off the next day. Qin Yining sat in the carriage, not daring to look directly at the tearful Sun Shi and Meng Shi. She only smiled at Qin Huaiyuan, nodded to Cao Yuqing standing not far from Qin Huaiyuan’s side, then pulled down the warm curtain.

When the convoy left the city gates, even heaven seemed to feel the sadness of parting, as fluttering snow began to fall.

Pang Xiao sat upright on horseback, presented his travel permit at the city gate, and slowly led the convoy away from the capital.

Lu Heng, wearing a gray squirrel cloak, stood inside the city gate with half his face hidden in his hood, expressionlessly watching the carriage carrying Qin Yining slowly drive away before turning back.

“Master, it’s cold. Please take care of yourself.” His attendant solicitously held up an oiled paper umbrella to shield from the snow.

Lu Heng didn’t answer, only walked expressionlessly on the blue brick road. After a long while, he said: “Are the people in Liang City all properly arranged?”