About half an hour later, Zhao Zhi put away his pen with satisfaction and instructed Nan Xing to dry the letter and the drawing, then carefully fold them and hand them to Su Mu.
As Nanxing collected the letter, she glanced at its contents out of the corner of her eye.
"To my beloved Prince Consort: Since our parting, my longing for you has only grown stronger. I think of you whether I'm walking or sitting. I miss you and yearn for you, but alas, your heart belongs to another..."
Nanxing couldn't help but give the princess a thumbs up in her heart for such a blatant expression of her love and longing.
Upon receiving the reply, Su Mu hurried to Chaoyang County.
The Prefectural Governor's Office of Chaoyang County.
Shen Hanshan and Prefect Xu Hui were planning a sneak attack while facing a huge sand table.
His ostensible purpose in coming to Chaoyang County was to oversee the construction of Princess Chaoyang's residence, but in reality, he was acting on a secret imperial edict to strengthen the border defenses between Chaoyang County and the southern part of Yun Dynasty.
Inside the prefectural governor's mansion in Chaoyang County, Shen Hanshan and Xu Hui were intently gazing at the sand table before them.
The Chunsheng County of Yun Dynasty and the Chaoyang County of Da Xuan are adjacent to each other, separated by a river, and have a long-standing tradition of trade.
The city is bustling with activity, filled with people and merchants, but it is also a melting pot of all sorts of people, with undercurrents swirling beneath the surface.
Shen Hanshan stood before the sand table, his gaze sharp as a hawk's. He lightly traced a line on the sand table with his finger and said in a deep voice, "The trade between Chunsheng County and Chaoyang County involves frequent exchanges of people, and the people involved are a mixed bag. We must be vigilant to prevent treacherous villains from taking the opportunity to cause trouble and incite conflict between the two countries."
Xu Hui nodded solemnly, “General Shen is absolutely right. Please rest assured, I have secretly selected a group of elite men who will either disguise themselves as merchants or blend in with ordinary people. Once any suspicious behavior or furtive individuals are discovered, we will take immediate action to arrest them and interrogate them thoroughly.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Hanshan nodded slightly. "That's excellent. The new emperor of Yun Dynasty has just ascended the throne, and there are many things to be done in the country. They certainly do not want to antagonize our Great Xuan at this time. Although our Great Xuan has enjoyed peace for a long time, the fighting spirit of our soldiers has not diminished. However, war is ultimately an important means of solving problems in the political life of a country. It can bring stability and prosperity to the country, but excessive use of force and militarism will only lead to the decline of the country."
Xu Hui deeply agreed and sighed, "Yes, it is fortunate that Yunchao and Daxuan have lived in peace for more than ten years, and the people live and work in peace. I hope that this peaceful and prosperous era can be maintained for a long time. If the flames of war are reignited, no matter who wins or loses, it will be the innocent people who suffer in the end."
Their eyes met at that moment, and they both saw the determination and conviction in each other's eyes.
They deeply understand that they bear the responsibility not only for the peace of the two countries, but also for the well-being of countless people.
A gentle night breeze blew through Chaoyang County, carrying the moisture from the river behind the county governor's mansion and a hint of imperceptible coolness.
But the chill could not dispel the persistence and passion in their hearts.
Shen Hanshan glanced at Xu Hui out of the corner of his eye, thinking to himself: Zhao Yi really knows how to choose people. Xu Hui is a steady and reliable person, and good at planning. He will definitely be a capable assistant to the Princess in the future.
Wait, why did he think of the Eldest Princess?
Shen Hanshan quickly gathered his scattered thoughts.
Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats rang out outside the prefectural governor's mansion.
Su Mu dismounted, walked through the covered corridor, and went straight to the two men, presenting them with the letter and the drawing.
"Your Highness, a letter from His Highness!"
Seeing this, Xu Hui wisely made an excuse and went back to his room first.
Shen Hanshan received the letter and strode back to his room.
"Is everything alright at the manor?" he asked as he walked.
"The mansion was robbed, but after taking inventory, we found that nothing was missing," Su Mu replied, panting heavily.
Shen Hanshan paused, and subconsciously asked, "Is Your Highness frightened?"
Su Mu shook his head: "No casualties."
Upon entering the room, Shen Hanshan slowly unfolded the letter by candlelight and softly read aloud: "To my beloved consort:
Since we parted, my longing for you has only grown stronger.
I think of you whether I'm walking or sitting.
I miss you and long for you, but alas, your heart belongs to another.
I think of you, your brows like stars and your eyes like swords; I long for you, your back as broad as a mountain.
I long to meet you in my dreams at Mount Wushan.
I long for the day when we can be together again.
May you be well, and never forget this kindness.
Also attached is a small portrait of you.
After reading the letter, Shen Hanshan's face turned bright red.
He slammed down the letter and quickly opened the portrait that had been sent with it. The moment he unfurled the scroll, his anger ignited instantly, burning fiercely, almost bursting out of his chest.
"Zhao Chunhua!"
Even if they are husband and wife, what kind of wife paints the kind of picture of her husband!
Shen Hanshan felt utterly ashamed; he still had a sense of shame! If such a portrait were to get out, how could he ever face anyone again? In a fit of rage, he tore the portrait to shreds and then slammed it to the ground. This Zhao Chunhua had gone too far!
When Su Mu returned from the outhouse, he saw Shen Hanshan, furious, holding a letter above the candle flame, about to light it.
Although he had doubts, he dared not say anything.
He stood to the side with his head bowed, and after a moment, Shen Hanshan put the letter away again. He even picked up the portrait he had torn to pieces on the ground and casually put it in a box.
"Your Highness, is there anything else you require?" he asked cautiously.
Shen Hanshan shook his head. Su Mu was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something, "By the way, Your Highness, did you see the messenger His Highness sent to deliver the message?"
"Letters related to the theft from the mansion?" Shen Hanshan asked in return.
Su Mu nodded.
Shen Hanshan shook his head.
The next moment, he suddenly raised his head, his expression grave, and said, "Su Mu, you stay here to cooperate with Lord Xu. I need to return to Lingyang. The Prince's residence is probably being watched. Your Highness, you may be in danger."
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