What hit you was a mixture of the faint scent of ink and a cold aura emanating from him.

"General." She bowed her head in greeting.

"No need for formalities." Zhao Muyun gestured to the chair beside him. "Sit. Is there any new news from the Night Watchmen in Jiangnan?"

He thought it was official business.

Fan Bingbing neither sat down nor answered immediately.

She raised her head and looked directly into Zhao Muyun's eyes.

Those eyes were as deep as an ancient well, and though they showed some weariness, they remained clear and wise.

These eyes have been the guiding light of her faith during countless times when she faced dire situations.

“General,” her voice was soft, yet carried a desperate courage, “I have come tonight not on official business.”

Zhao Muyun was slightly taken aback and looked at her.

“This humble servant… has some words that have been hidden in my heart for many years. If I do not speak them today, I fear there will never be a suitable opportunity again, and I fear… I will regret it for the rest of my life.”

Fan Bingbing's fingers were tightly clasped together, her knuckles turning white.

"Go ahead," Zhao Muyun said, her voice softening.

“Since the assassination of Hou Zongmin in Xiazhou and the subsequent breakout, the General personally rescued me from the pursuing army and entrusted me with important responsibilities. It has been nearly three years since then.”

Fan Bingbing's eyes were slightly red.

"For the past three years, I have lived on in this world for the sole purpose of fulfilling the mission entrusted to me by the General, and watching the General gradually rebuild the country and restore the nation."

"Having infiltrated the capital for two years, every time I delivered intelligence, every time I narrowly escaped death, what sustained me, besides loyalty, was..."

"I was hoping that one day I would see the General recapture the capital and that the world would return to the peace that the General had hoped for."

She paused, tears finally streaming down her face, but stubbornly refused to look away.

"I know my past is shameful; I was just a lowly spy who couldn't see the light of day. I shouldn't have had such delusions."

"But...but I was so deeply in love that I couldn't control myself. That night...after that night, I knew even more that my heart had already fallen, and I could never take it back."

"Today I dare to speak out, not because I ask for anything, but simply... I just want to tell the General that I, Fan Bingbing, am willing to be the sharp sword in the General's hand for the rest of my life, serving him faithfully and following him through thick and thin."

Even if... even if I can only stand in the shadows forever, watching your light, I will have no regrets.

His words fell like pearls, clearly audible in the quiet study.

After saying these words, as if she had used up all her strength, Fan Bingbing lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, awaiting the final verdict.

It could be acceptance, estrangement, or... complete rejection.

Zhao Muyun remained silent.

He looked at the woman in front of him, and in his memory she was still that girl outside Xiazhou City, covered in blood, but with eyes as fierce and stubborn as a wolf.

Years of time have honed her into one of the empire's most secretive and sharpest blades, and also allowed her to bury her softest emotions deep within her heart until today when they finally emerge.

He is not heartless.

After years of fighting and teetering on the brink of death, how could one be completely unmoved?

But with the heavy burden of the nation on his shoulders and the mountains of corpses and seas of blood beneath his feet, he had long since suppressed his personal emotions to the extreme.

He was actually aware of Fan Bingbing's feelings, and his decision to keep her with him that night was not entirely without emotion.

However, with so many things to deal with afterward, there was no time to attend to anything else.

At this moment, listening to her candid and open confession, the taut string in Zhao Muyun's heart seemed to be gently plucked.

Beneath the hard shell, a complex warmth welled up—a warmth tinged with pity,感慨, and more…

A long-lost, ordinary feeling of excitement.

Perhaps because he had been away from his family for too long, Zhao Muyun got up and walked to Fan Bingbing.

Fan Bingbing felt his approach, her body stiffened, and her heart pounded like a drum.

Without a word, Zhao Muyun reached out and gently lifted her chin, making her look at him with her tear-filled eyes.

His fingertips were rough, calluses from years of wielding swords and drawing bows; their touch on her delicate skin sent a shiver down her spine.

“Bingbing,” he called her by her name for the first time, no longer by her official title, “I know your feelings, and Ruolan also told me. You’ve had a tough time these past few years.”

A few simple words brought tears to Fan Bingbing's eyes once again.

"I, Zhao Muyun, have long ago dedicated my life to this country and its people."

His voice was deep and clear: “The road ahead is long and fraught with danger. Perhaps I will never have the peaceful life that ordinary people have in my entire life.”

"This road is rugged and treacherous, fraught with danger. Are you... really willing to follow it all the way?"

Fan Bingbing nodded vigorously, choking back tears, and said, "I'm willing! As long as I can follow the General, I'm willing to go through fire and water, even to the underworld!"

Seeing the unwavering determination in her eyes, Zhao Muyun's last lingering doubts vanished.

He bent down and gently kissed away the tears on her face, his movements more tender than ever before.

“Then come with me.” He whispered in her ear, “From now on, you are no longer just Fan Bingbing, the Night Watchman. You are also my woman, Zhao Muyun’s woman.”

Fan Bingbing was stunned; she was instantly overwhelmed by immense joy and disbelief.

She gripped his sleeve tightly, as if she had grasped the support of her entire life.

That night, the light in the study stayed on very late.

Unlike previous official discussions, these were whispered murmurs, two souls finally finding a haven to lean on in the midst of chaos.

Outside the window, the breeze was still blowing, but the pear tree quietly blossomed with more buds under the moonlight, its fragrance growing stronger.

......

Several days later, at the Imperial General's temporary residence in the capital, in the White Tiger Hall.

This place was originally Ma Zongliang's council hall, but now it has become the core location for Zhao Muyun to handle important military and political affairs.

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