Gu Qian pulled Qiu Yan over and took her wrist.

"Yan Yan, are you tired?"

Qiu Yan pulled her hand away, afraid that the dirt on her hands would soil Gu Qian.

However, Gu Qian didn't care and still took Qiu Yan's hand.

When he was in the military camp, Gu Qian always missed Qiu Yan, but never as much as he did today.

"Gu Qian, you're still awake."

In the sweltering heat of midsummer, she was drenched in sweat.

She got up and walked towards her courtyard, with Gu Qian following closely behind.

"How can I sleep if you're not asleep?"

Why are you dressed like this today? Why are you dressed as a man? Gu Qian felt that Qiu Yan's cold and aloof temperament was even more apparent when she was dressed as a man.

"To avoid unnecessary trouble," Qiu Yan said, explaining that she dressed like this to prevent He Lin from harassing her.

"Yes, that's good. Prevention is better than cure."

Gu Qian and Qiu Yan were on the same page. He knew that his Yan Yan would never let herself get into trouble.

"Yan Yan, let's go eat first."

"I'm not hungry, I just want to take a shower."

"How can you live without eating?"

"It's too late, I don't want to eat anymore."

"Eat some, and I've already prepared your bathwater."

At Gu Qian's insistence, Qiu Yan drank some rice porridge.

After finishing the porridge, she went into her room, closed the door behind her, and removed the filth from her body.

Gu Qian stopped and stood silently outside the door.

A quarter of an hour...

Half an hour passed...

Half an hour has passed...

Gu Qian finally couldn't wait any longer and knocked on the door, "Yan Yan, Yan Yan, are you done washing up?"

However, there was no response.

Gu Qian, anxious, finally broke through the barrier and peered inside.

Qiu Yan, however, was asleep in the bathtub.

"Yan Yan..." Gu Qian called out again.

Sleeping like this won't do. It's uncomfortable, and what if she gets water...? "Yan Yan..."

Gu Qian really wanted to break down the door, but Qiu Yan was completely naked at the moment, so he didn't dare.

He was afraid that Qiu Yan would misunderstand him when she woke up, and then blame him.

"Yan Yan..." Gu Qian knocked on the door.

Qiu Yan finally woke up at his calls.

How did I fall asleep?

She got up, dressed, opened the door, and looked up at the sky.

"It's already past 1 AM, Gu Qian, why aren't you asleep yet?"

"I'm worried if you don't sleep."

Gu Qian stretched out his arms and gently pulled Qiu Yan into his embrace. "Yan Yan, I'm sorry."

Qiu Yan leaned on Gu Qian's shoulder, looked up at the bright moon in the sky, and said, "Why are you saying sorry all of a sudden?"

"It's all because of me, that woman, that..."

"No," Qiu Yan interrupted Gu Qian.

"Qi Yuan is unaware of our relationship, nor does she know my identity as a daughter. The reason she sent people to hunt me down is because she verbally provoked me at Xingyue Tower today and even overturned my dining table. So, I taught her a lesson."

After hearing this, Gu Qian felt even more strongly that this woman could not be kept alive.

"You did the right thing." He agreed with Qiu Yan's approach.

"Shangjin City is really big. I walked for half a day and then worked half the night. My legs are sore."

She no longer mentioned the assassination attempt, her voice languid and weary.

"It's much bigger than Bai Yang's." Gu Qian said gently, then picked up Qiu Yan and placed her on the bed. He then took off her shoes and socks and massaged her feet.

"Rest when you're tired."

Qiu Yan lay flat on her back.

"Gu Qian, how's the search for saltpeter going?"

It's too hot outside, she wants to make ice.

"My men have found raw saltpeter ore in the Western Regions and are currently mining it."

Gu Qian had received news about the nitrate a few days ago, but he only confirmed it today.