Chapter 163 If ​​this isn't love? ...

Zhou Yanling entered the palace to present her memorial, and did not emerge until evening, when she and Lu Donglou came out together.

“You’ve been away from home for three years. It’s a rare opportunity for you to come back to Beijing. There’s no need to rush back. Take a few days to rest.”

The two stood in front of the palace gate, and Lu Donglou, unusually, gave her a few words of advice that could be described as everyday talk.

Zhou Yanling nodded in agreement, her brows furrowing slightly as she asked him with a troubled expression, "Brother-in-law, are you really not coming back with me?"

"The emperor's command is not to be disobeyed."

This time, Lu Donglou did not correct her form of address. He turned to look at the distant northern horizon, where a blood-red setting sun stumbled and fell below the horizon.

"Don't you understand His Majesty's meaning? Only if I leave will she have a chance to ascend to the throne."

“But…” Zhou Yanling clenched her fists unwillingly, “You and Sister Saijin had a perfect working relationship in the Northern Territory, and now you’re replacing her like this? How am I supposed to explain this to her when I get back?”

Do we have a tacit understanding?

It would be more accurate to say that they were mutually exploiting each other.

Lu Donglou's voice suddenly softened, and he gave a self-deprecating smile, "It's alright, just go back and tell the truth. Maybe she's been hoping for me to disappear and never appear in front of her again."

Anyway, even without him, she still has General Chen, General Wang, General Su... so many promising young men from the North, there's bound to be one who suits her better and knows how to make her happy.

He strode out of the palace, leaving Zhou Yanling standing there, furious.

"What are you saying! Do you know that Sister Saijin has already..."

Zhou Yanling stopped talking, raised her hand and bit her sleeve hard as if venting her anger.

No, she promised Sister Saijin to keep it a secret; he absolutely cannot know about that.

She angrily strode off to catch up, and as soon as she exited the palace gate, she saw a very luxurious carriage with royal patterns parked outside.

Zhou Yanling recognized the person and quickly stepped forward to bow in greeting.

"Greetings, Princess Tong'an."

Princess Tong'an smiled and helped her up. After a quick look, she recognized her. "You must be Yan Yi's sister. You left without a word and ran away. I never expected you to achieve such great things in the Northern Desert. You're truly remarkable."

"Your Highness is too kind. It is all thanks to Uncle Liang and Sister Saijin that I was given this opportunity."

Zhou Yanling blushed at the praise, then suddenly remembered, "Is Your Highness very familiar with my eldest sister? I wonder how she has been these past few years, and whether she has suffered any injustices?"

She clenched her fists. Although she was only a minor centurion, she was still someone who could stand up for her elder sister!

"Don't worry, she's now the wife of the Marquis's heir and is pregnant. The entire Pei family treats her like royalty."

Princess Tong'an winked slyly, "In less than half a year, you'll be able to become an aunt."

"My older sister is pregnant? Why didn't she write to tell me?"

Zhou Yanling jumped three feet high and ran away.

Ahhh, she's about to meet her nephew/niece!

The speed was so fast that Lu Donglou, who still had things to tell her, could only look at her retreating figure and shake his head helplessly.

He turned around and greeted Princess Tong'an, saying, "I haven't yet congratulated General Wei on finally returning to the capital to resume his post."

"You're being too polite. The Wei family has benefited greatly from your constant care in the Northwest these past few years. Ah Shao and I will always remember your kindness."

To be honest, she, Wei Shao, Lu Donglou, and Gu Lin were all of similar age and had grown up together since childhood. Even though they were all separated by distance later, the friendship from their childhood was always precious.

A faint warmth appeared between Lu Donglou's brows and eyes, and his voice softened.

"Uncle Wei has been loyal and brave to the country all his life. We can't let such a worthy minister and general be disheartened. His return to the capital this time must have thrilled Wei Shao to no end. Did he cry?"

Princess Tongang feigned anger and said, "Don't make fun of him about his childhood. Ashao stopped crying a long time ago."

Lu Donglou smiled faintly, his face full of disbelief.

"Ugh, how dare you say that to him?"

Princess Tong'an cleared her throat and looked him up and down with amusement. "Lu Donglou, Lu Donglou, I didn't expect you to be such a romantic... Tell me, how far have things progressed between you and Lady Liang? How dare you defy the world and openly support her in court?"

Lu Donglou's face tightened, and he denied it without thinking: "That's not true, don't talk nonsense."

"oh."

This time, Princess Tong'an's face was full of disbelief. Without saying a word, she dragged Lu Donglou toward the carriage.

"Since you've finally made it back to the capital, I've already sent someone to the Duke of Ling's residence to call Ah Lin over. Let's have a good get-together."

Lu Donglou was about to decline, but his sensitive status meant he hadn't been drinking or socializing with people for many years.

"Hey, don't reject me yet."

Princess Tong'an seemed to be able to read minds. She turned to him meaningfully and said, "Believe it or not, whether Lady Liang can take the position of General of the Northern Desert is most likely to fall to me."

Lu Donglou was stunned. Before he could react, Princess Tong'an had already shoved him into the carriage without any politeness.

"Let's go, back to the manor."

...

"Big sister!!!"

Zhou Yanling rushed in like a tornado, picked up Yan Yi, and spun her around on the ground several times.

Pei Jingyi, who entered the room a step too late, saw this scene and his heart skipped a beat. He wished he could cast a spell to make Zhou Yanling disappear on the spot.

"Yanling? You're back?"

Yan Yi was only briefly surprised. When she recognized Zhou Yanling's weathered and rough face, she was filled with joy and indescribable heartache.

My little sister has grown taller and stronger. The muscles in my arms when I hug her are hard and firm, and I don't see any signs of strain at all.

The two sisters were immersed in the joy of their reunion. Finally, Yan Yi noticed Pei Jingyi's sweaty appearance and patted Yanling's shoulder with a smile, "Alright, put me down quickly, or your brother-in-law will faint from fright."

Zhou Yanling reluctantly let go of his hand, turned around and glared at Pei Jingyi with disdain, "Brother-in-law, I know what I'm doing. Do you think I'd drop my older sister?"

"And the child." Pei Jingyi strode forward, anxiously examining Yan Yi's expression. "Are you feeling unwell anywhere? Are you dizzy?"

Yan Yi shook her head and said gently to him, "Husband, I want to drink the almond tea you brewed yourself. Could you go and brew me a cup?"

Pei Jingyi: "...Okay."

He left the room, glancing back several times as he went, and repeatedly reminded Zhou Yanling, "Sit still and talk properly. Don't talk about anything bloody like the battlefield. Don't startle anyone. Don't shout..."

Zhou Yanling rolled her eyes, and only after Pei Jingyi went to the tea room did she snort heavily, "How come I never noticed how annoying he was before?"

Yan Yi smiled and said tactfully, "This pregnancy wasn't easy for me, so it's understandable that your brother-in-law was a little nervous. Don't blame him."

Zhou Yanling thought about it and realized that it made sense. Her sister and brother-in-law had only had one child after three years of marriage, so naturally they treasured it.

However, seeing Yan Yi's rosy complexion and calm demeanor, she knew that Yan Yi was doing well in the Marquis's residence and that the letter had not exaggerated, so she was relieved.

"Big sister, I'm a centurion now, aren't I amazing?"

Zhou Yanling patted the plain silver plaque tied around her waist. The front was engraved with a crouching tiger pattern, and the back was engraved with her name and military rank, which served as her identity document when she was away from home.

She untied the red ribbon hanging from the token and generously handed it to Yan Yi for her to admire.

"I promised you I'd earn more merit and support you, and I've done it. Although I'm only a sixth-rank official, there are plenty of opportunities to make contributions in the Northern Desert, and I'll continue to work hard!"

Yan Yi suddenly put down the token, raised her hand and turned her chin, revealing a faint red scar on the side of her neck.

Zhou Yanling paused, her eyes showing a hint of guilt. She wanted to push Yan Yi away, but was afraid of hurting her with her hand.

"In my heart, even if I had made a great contribution, it wouldn't be as good as your safe return."

Yan Yi gently stroked the healed scar, which still showed its jagged, menacing stitches.

This position is so dangerous. If the blade had been sharper or the blow had been heavier, would she have been able to see her sister come back alive?

"Big sister, don't cry."

Zhou Yanling panicked at the sight of her misty eyes and hurriedly tried to soothe her, saying, "Who goes to the battlefield without getting hurt? I just accidentally got grazed by a stray arrow, and the apprentice who was stitching me up was too clumsy, so he stitched it up crookedly, which is why it looks a bit scary..."

Her voice grew softer and softer, and finally a hint of sadness appeared on her face.

"So many brothers and sisters are gone forever."

The brutality of war can make people grow up instantly, realizing that as long as they can survive, that's the most important thing, and nothing else matters.

With tears welling in her eyes, Yan Yi pulled her into her arms, patting her sister's strong arms gently, and sighed, "Every time you write back, you only say everything is fine. Do you think I'll believe you? How many scars, big and small, are there that you can't see under your clothes?"

Afraid of pressing down on her, Zhou Yanling kept her strength restrained, turning her face to gently press against Yan Yi's lower abdomen, as if she could feel the strong heartbeat of the little life inside.

"Sister, of course I've been injured and suffered, but when I think that as long as I kill one more bandit, the people behind me will have a better chance of getting through the winter safely, their wives will be able to give birth to their children safely, and their cattle and sheep will have many offspring, so that they can multiply and thrive year after year, even in the bitter cold of the border where water freezes instantly, there will be families with laughter and joy, living in peace and contentment, then I'm not afraid of anything."

She looked up at Yan Yi: "These are the principles that Uncle Liang and Sister Saijin taught us. Every time they went out of the city to meet the enemy, they always took the lead and were always the first to charge. They never hid in the rear like cowards. That's why they won the love and respect of the people and soldiers of the Northern Border. Everyone worked together to defeat the Hu bandits and was able to live a good life with enough to eat and wear."

Zhou Yanling recounted everything she had seen and learned during her three years at the border, and all the thoughts and feelings that she had written in her letters home poured out at this moment.

Yan Yi listened quietly, her gaze filled with satisfaction.

It wasn't until Zhou Yanling revealed her plans to return to Beijing with Lu Donglou that things became clear.

"...You mean, Sister Saijin is so capable, but just because she's a daughter, she can't inherit Uncle Liang's military position? What kind of logic is that?"

She angrily took a big bite of the pastry on the table and mumbled, "In our northern border, every household has no shortage of widows, but how are widows any worse than others? When the enemy attacks, they don't care if you are a man or a woman, they will kill you without hesitation. The more you are a woman, the more you should learn to pick up a knife and a gun to fight back, otherwise the outcome will only be more miserable."

Even the imperial court tacitly allows the wife or daughter to take over the position when all the male members of a military household die out. So why can't Uncle Liang and Sister Saijin take their place?

Can there be female soldiers, but not female generals?

"Of course there can be," Yan Yi reassured her, smiling as she said, "and there definitely will be, and more and more."

She believed that Princess Tong'an would not let this opportunity pass and would create a breakthrough for her path to power.

Zhou Yanling's eyes lit up. "Really?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Lingyue pushed open the door and came in, greeting her with a smile, "Sister Yanling, no, I mean Commander Zhou! Congratulations!"

Zhou Yanling hadn't forgotten her older sister's former "arch-enemy" and was about to flex her muscles to intimidate her when Shen Lingyue unceremoniously clung to her, rubbing against her arm in a blissful embrace.

"Sister Yanling, you've trained so well! Look at those muscles, look at those lines, you're going to charm so many young ladies and wives..."

Zhou Yanling: ...

She blushed and pushed Shen Lingyue away, saying seriously, "Don't try to get close to me, I don't like women."

"I know, I know, I'm just admiring it~"

Shen Lingyue chuckled and joined their conversation, her eyes gleaming with gossip.

"My husband said that Lu Donglou suddenly returned to the capital today to petition for an official title on behalf of General Liang's daughter? What's their relationship?"

Zhou Yanling was almost speechless with surprise: "How did you know?"

She never mentioned Sister Saijin and Magistrate Lu in her letters home.

Shen Lingyue blinked: "Is it that hard to guess? That's Lu the Fox, you know. Would he commit His Majesty's cardinal sin for an insignificant woman?"

As soon as Pei Jinghuai returned, he gave her a live broadcast of the brawl at the morning assembly, and her gossip radar went off like crazy!

"Huh?" Now it was Zhou Yanling's turn to get nervous. "Is it really that serious? He just... he just didn't report Uncle Liang's condition in time... We didn't expect Uncle Liang to be so badly injured this time. He's always pulled through before, only this time..."

Yan Yi calmly said, "Lu Donglou is His Majesty's spy planted on the border. He is responsible for monitoring the movements of the border troops. The health of the commander is related to the stability of the northern border. However, he knew about it but did not report it. If His Majesty is suspicious and suspects that he colluded with General Liang and was suspected of conspiring with the Hu people, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he committed a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of his family."

She exchanged a meaningful glance with Shen Lingyue and said, "His return to the capital this time can be described as a death wish, but he still wants to pave the way for Lady Liang... If this isn't love?"

Zhou Yanling's face turned pale, and she slumped into a chair. "Oh my god, it's that serious... But, but His Majesty only transferred him to the southwest to monitor the movements of those chieftains. I thought that was the worst punishment I could get."

That's because you're far away on the border and don't know that the government is about to undergo a major change.

If Princess Tong'an hadn't forcefully emerged from among the princes, prompting Emperor Qingxi to consider a new option and use Liang Saijin as a starting point to test the court officials' attitudes, Lu Donglou's actions would have been nothing short of a moth drawn to a flame, with one life for another being the least of his worries.

Countless thoughts raced through Yan Yi's mind. Finally, she patted Zhou Yanling on the shoulder, comforting her anxious sister, "Don't worry, at least Magistrate Lu is still alive and well."

However, Emperor Qingxi would not feel comfortable leaving him in the northern border.

This is the art of checks and balances that emperors are born with. From then on, he and Liang Saijin, one in the south and one in the north, became each other's check and balance, and also each other's weaknesses.

"Oh? They'll never see each other again?"

Instead of being comforted, Zhou Yanling became even more worried, muttering, "What will happen to Sister Saijin and the child..."

Shen Lingyue almost spat out her tea.

No way, no way, Lu the Fox is moving so fast, he's even had a child?

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Author's note: [Sunglasses] Today's treat is a steamed bun with a pea-shaped bean curd!