Yan Beimo looked at her unruly and untamed fox-like appearance, smiled, and unintentionally revealed the arrogance of an emperor in his eyes.
Chu Changning was charmed by his smile. She retorted with a sarcastic remark, but her body went limp and she nestled in his arms.
She thought she must have been attracted by his good looks.
When are you leaving?
Yan Beimo carried her to a small couch in the inner hall and said slowly, "In a few days."
Chu Changning lazily leaned back on the jade pillow, kicked him in the leg, and said fiercely, "Don't come any closer."
He raised an eyebrow, grabbed her ankle, and pulled her back. She was thrown over by the force and straddled him.
Chu Changning's eyes turned red with anger, and she opened her mouth and bit him fiercely on the shoulder.
"That'll teach you to bully people."
Yan Beimo didn't care, kneading her soft flesh, "Are you coming with me or not?"
She paused, thinking of Ayu, cleared her throat, and whispered, "My son and I are waiting for you at home."
The air around them fell silent for a moment. A cool hand lifted her chin, and their gazes met in the air. His voice was unreadable.
"You've always only had him in your heart."
"---"
Seeing that she didn't speak, Yan Beimo tightened his grip on her waist, causing her to hiss in pain.
Just over a month after the Emperor of Qi's wedding, he was about to embark on a northern expedition, adding a touch of desolation to the red silks hanging everywhere in the palace.
As autumn deepened, the nights in Jiankang were chilly, and the pond in the garden, illuminated by the waning moon, appeared desolate and bleak.
Chu Changning hadn't seen him for several days. There were many matters concerning the previous dynasty, and he stayed in the imperial study, where the lights were on every night. She went there yesterday, but he had gone to the military camp and she didn't see him.
I wonder if that petty person is still holding a grudge against her. She's leaving tomorrow, and it's so late, she's not even going back to her palace.
"Your Majesty, it's getting cold, please wear more clothes."
Taozhi saw that she was standing slenderly by the pond, so she took a cloak and wrapped it around her.
Chu Changning turned around, handed her the bait, and asked, "Did Xiao Yan write to you?"
"Yes, they built a secret agency in Chaoge and secretly opened a restaurant to trade intelligence."
"Do you want to go to Chaoge?"
Taozhi was taken aback, and quickly said, "This servant wants to stay by the princess's side and serve her for the rest of her life."
Chu Changning chuckled, "Silly girl, it's time for you to get married."
Her face flushed, and she thought of that person. She lowered her eyes and remained silent.
"Chaoge is not far from Jiankang, so you can come to see me anytime. I also visit Xin Palace when I have nothing to do, so we can see each other often."
“Going to Chaoge and becoming a restaurant owner, living happily with Xiao Yan, would be better than staying by my side.”
Taozhi was originally a bodyguard, whose mission was to protect her master and live her life in the shadows. But the master she met was a princess who cared about her for a lifetime, which made her feel a little bitter.
Chu Changning knew that in this chaotic world with its strict class system, human life was as worthless as grass. She couldn't change the injustice of the world, but she could make life better for the people around her. Shuangyue was no exception. If she found someone she liked, she could ask for a favor for her.
"Then when Your Majesty returns, this servant will go to Chaoge."
After His Majesty left, the princess was bored in the palace, so she could keep her company and talk to her.
Chu Changning naturally had no objections. He glanced at Tian'er, thinking that his son should have returned from the training ground, and then went to the front hall.
After crossing the winding covered bridge, a group of people could be seen walking along the palace road in the distance.
"Mother."
Ayu, with her sharp eyes, immediately spotted the person standing under the upturned eaves. A glint of light flashed in her dark eyes. She was about to run over when she remembered the crowd following behind her and held back.
Chu Changning smiled as he descended the stone steps and slowly walked towards them.
"Your Majesty, we pay our respects."
"Get up."
Although Ayu is young, Yan Beimo is extremely strict with him. He found a tutor to guide him in his early education, and he also had to go to the training ground in the afternoon to learn by observation. He had no free time all day.
Chu Changning felt very distressed. After casually asking a few questions to the adults, she took her son's hand and headed towards Xuanming Hall.
Are you tired?
Ayu tilted her head back and smiled, "Not tired."
What did you watch today?
Ah Yu recounted everything she had seen and known, word by word, with clear and sharp reasoning. Although there was some childish naiveté, she had a very sophisticated way of speaking.
Chu Changning was somewhat taken aback and chatted with him in a soft voice.
Peach Blossom and Frost Moon, who were behind them, also chatted and laughed for a while, and the group returned to the palace in a lively atmosphere.
Ayu knew that her father was going to the north, and as soon as she entered the palace, she started looking around for people.
"Mother, where is Father?"
Chu Changning glanced into the inner hall, but didn't see anyone, which annoyed him; he was used to having a bad temper.
She thought this to herself, but smiled and patted her son's head.
"Father is busy, so let's not bother him."
Upon hearing this, a hint of disappointment flashed in Ayu's eyes, but she didn't say anything. After having some late-night snacks, Chu Changning took him to the washroom in the warm pavilion to wash up. After putting her son to sleep, she returned to her bedroom.
The hall was empty and quiet, without a sound.
Chu Changning went to the bathhouse at the back to bathe by herself, and came out wearing a thin gauze dress.
Palace lanterns were lit in the four corners of the hall. She picked up a military book and lazily leaned back on the soft couch to read it. The warm lamplight illuminated her beautiful eyebrows and eyes, making her look even more gentle.
The moon was high in the sky, and it was past midnight. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, glanced at the silent palace gate, her eyes blazing with anger, put down her book, and went back to bed to sleep.
The Imperial Study.
Several members of powerful families and former high-ranking officials emerged wearily from the hall, which was as bright as day. Several generals from the north recounted the battle situation in the north.
Yan Beimo, with a cold and stern expression, flipped through the report on the northern war and spoke calmly to Xuan Yao below.
"Go to Chaodong and gather the 350,000 troops of Chaodu. Get to Yuanbei as soon as possible. The rest of you go directly to the northwest to provide support."
"yes."
Zhongyuan, sitting at the lower end, interrupted.
"Your Majesty, the opponents in this Northern Expedition are the Northern Emperor and the young master of the Western Regions. Neither of them are easy to deal with. This is a list of generals that I obtained during my trip to Qin Nan. These men can be put to use by Your Majesty."
Yan Beimo took the booklet handed to him by the eunuch, glanced at the sky outside, and then lowered his eyes.
"Go and get ready."
"yes."
After everyone left, Night Hawk handed the dossier to Cui Linyuan.
Yan Beimo put down his teacup, a hint of coldness flashing across his eyes. His voice was gentle, yet it sent chills down one's spine.
"Keep an eye on these people. If they make any moves before I return, kill them on the spot."
Cui Linyuan glanced through the documents a few times, thought of the Yan clan members, and felt a headache coming on. Then he thought of the young prince, paused, and spoke.
You only have one son.
Yan Beimo understood his meaning, tapped the table lightly, and tugged at the corner of his lips, "One is enough."
"---"
Cui Linyuan said no more, picked up the dossier, stood up, and said lazily.
"I'm going to be busy again."
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