Feng Yan knelt on one knee and bowed solemnly to Zhu Yu: "Your subordinate thanks Your Highness for saving my life!"
Zhu Yu nodded calmly: "Get up. You are the Prince's chief bodyguard, and there are many things that need your attention. Even if it weren't you, I would have saved someone else."
Lu Xiaoyun smiled silently and said to Feng Yan, "Take good care of your injuries. Ayan has some good medicine. Remember to follow the doctor's advice and get well soon."
"Yes, Master. There is one more thing. Today, His Majesty officially issued an edict appointing General Qi Shaocheng as the commander of the Northern Talisman Army, and the Tiger Tally has already been handed over to General Qi."
Lu Xiaoyun and Zhu Yu exchanged knowing smiles. Qi Shaocheng had indeed lived up to their expectations, obtaining the Northern Army Tiger Tally in just a few days.
"Did Father Emperor say when the Northern Fu Army will return to the Northwest?"
Feng Yan shook his head: "No, but judging from the Emperor's words, it seems that the Emperor intends to transfer the Xishan Military Camp away and replace it with the Beifu Army. However, the Emperor is still hesitant, as if he has not completely trusted General Qi yet."
Lu Xiaoyun and Zhu Yu exchanged a glance. It seemed that the old emperor's paranoia had returned. The Duke of Yingguo supported the Xishan Military Camp, and the Duke of Yingguo was also the maternal grandfather of the Third Prince Zhu Chen. This meant that the Xishan Military Camp was essentially in Zhu Chen's hands.
Zhu Chen is ambitious. If one day he wants to force the emperor to abdicate and rebel, he can easily surround the entire city of Shengjing with his 150,000 troops in the Xishan Military Camp.
Therefore, after receiving the Northern Army Tiger Tally handed over by Lu Xiaoyun, the old emperor conceived this idea.
However, the old emperor was not entirely at ease with the Northern Army and Qi Shaocheng, so although he appointed Qi Shaocheng as the commander of the Northern Army, he was still hesitant.
Lu Xiaoyun and Zhu Yu both understood this, after all, Qi Shaocheng had been by Zhu Yu's side for ten years, and it wasn't something that could make the old emperor completely at ease in just a few days.
If that's the case, then we must do something to completely put the old emperor at ease.
Lu Xiaoyun thought of the Lantern Festival after the New Year.
Every year on this day, the old emperor would go up to the city tower to light lanterns. The largest lantern was lit by the old emperor himself, in order to pray for good weather and peace for the Great Zhou Kingdom that year.
In order to gain the old emperor's trust, why not do something on that day?
Lu Xiaoyun looked at Zhu Yu and saw that he seemed to be considering something as well, so she didn't voice her thoughts.
After Feng Yan left, Zhu Yu suddenly said to Lu Xiaoyun, "When the Duke of Zhenguo and his son return, I will accompany you on your homecoming visit. No, you should accompany me on my homecoming visit."
Zhu Yu coughed awkwardly. Since Lu Xiaoyun married him, this series of events had occurred before she even returned to her parents' home.
However, he himself knew that even if that incident hadn't happened, he would never have accompanied Lu Xiaoyun on her return visit to her parents' home.
He was filled with remorse when he recalled how he had thrown her into the pond on their wedding day and then forced her to kneel in the dead of winter.
He still felt guilty towards the original owner of the body. Now that he was a woman, he would find a suitable time to go to a temple and light an eternal lamp for her.
Ganlu Temple is out of the question; that place is truly disgusting.
Lu Xiaoyun smiled faintly: "Okay, I'll accompany you on your homecoming."
She emphasized the words "returning home" very much.
Zhu Yu's lips twitched as he glared at Lu Xiaoyun. Seeing her looking at him with amusement, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.
His eyebrows curved, and his smile was radiant, like the gentle and warm sunshine in winter.
Lu Xiaoyun felt a tingling, numb sensation.
Zhu Yu's smile was quite handsome, and for some reason, his heart skipped a beat, so he quickly looked away.
"Lu Xiaoyun, there's nothing wrong with being a woman, right?"
What does this mean? Does Zhu Yu not want to switch back?
But she had already promised Ayan.
After Zhu Yu finished speaking, he gently placed his small, fair hands on Lu Xiaoyun's large hands.
Her hands were warm, and Zhu Yu greedily curled her small hands into her large ones.
Lu Xiaoyun gently withdrew her hand and instructed Li Feng, who was waiting in the distance, to bring Zhu Yu a hand warmer.
Zhu Yu's face was grim as he looked down and fiddled with his fingers.
Lu Xiaoyun's gaze fell on the jade bracelet on Zhu Yu's wrist: "Five days, and we've lost several hundred points. At this rate, I reckon we can get them back in four or five months."
Zhu Yu lowered his head and remained silent. It wasn't that he didn't want to switch back; he wanted to switch back as soon as possible, so that he would have enough ability to protect Lu Xiaoyun.
But once she switches back, she wants to leave him.
These past few days, whenever he thinks about this, he feels as if his heart has been ripped out.
He never imagined that one day his heart would be filled so completely by a woman.
Moreover, her father and brothers are about to return, and she has a younger brother named Ayan, so she no longer needs her protection.
How ridiculous, he made himself the superfluous one.
Zhu Yu looked at Lu Xiaoyun and called out, "Lu Xiaoyun."
"Um?"
Will you miss me?
"What? Aren't we together every day?"
"I mean later. After we switch back, you and Ayan will leave the Prince An's Mansion, right? Will you miss me then?"
She hasn't left yet, but whenever he can't see her, he can't erase her from his mind.
Lu Xiaoyun remained silent; she hadn't decided yet, but it was highly likely they would leave Shengjing City.
Although these few months have brought quite a stir, life is decades long. When she thinks about or mentions these things unintentionally after these few months, they will just be a story. Zhu Yu is just a passerby in her life.
Zhu Yu stared at Lu Xiaoyun's face, and seeing that she remained silent for a long time, he knew that he was indulging in wishful thinking.
He slowly stood up, leaning against the wall as he walked into the room: "You can go now, I need to sleep for a while. Once we've switched places, I... I'll let you go."
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