146 Xu Ping'an
“Let’s call it peace.”
It was just getting light.
Xie Qi glanced at the sky and put his hand on his heart.
There was a lot of pain coming from there.
He actually didn't know why he was awakened.
I didn't have a nightmare and the wound didn't hurt, but I suddenly felt like I was falling into an abyss, and I woke up with a tremor.
My heart feels empty, as if someone has dug a piece out of it.
Xie Qi got up from the bed and sat in the dim light for a while. Then he lit a weak lamp and reached into his clothes to take out the jade pendant he was wearing.
This was the engagement jade pendant he and Xu Qinghe had received.
But unlike the previous two pieces, this one is not only covered with many traces of bumps and bruises, but is also inlaid with gold, completely embedding the two jade pendants together, making them difficult to separate.
After she left crying that day, he did not chase her. Instead, he picked up the broken pieces of the jade pendant on the ground one by one in the gradually darkening light.
But since the jade pendant had a crack, it could not be restored to its original state. He searched for a long time before finally finding a skilled craftsman who could fill the crack with gold and restore the jade pendant to its original state.
After embedding the two jade pendants together, he always carried them with him, never taking them off whether he was fighting on the battlefield or sleeping at night.
In fact, ever since they separated, he rarely allowed himself to think about her.
As soon as he returned to the southern border, he joined the military camp and began drastic reforms, which kept him busy all the time.
Only when it was late at night and everyone was asleep, the jade pendant on his chest seemed to be burning hot, burning his eyes so much that he couldn't help but think of her.
Xu Qinghe.
Qinghe.
But he might never see her again in this life.
How is she doing now?
I heard that not long after he returned, her carriage also returned to the southern border. But he didn't dare to see her again, not even in secret, for fear that he would regret it if he saw her once.
In fact, the Southern Territory was a land of outstanding people and talents, whether in Lanzhou, Yingzhou, or Jizhou, there was no shortage of outstanding men. He still remembered that when he was young, there were many people who liked her, and they almost lined up from the gate of the palace, around the city, and finally at the door of his Xie family.
Therefore, as long as she wanted, she would not be alone in the future.
But sometimes Xie Qi never dared to think about these things, and sometimes he couldn't help thinking about them.
But what's the point of thinking? She still has her own life path to follow, and he still has his own important tasks to do.
Even if it was for her future safety, he had to completely wipe out Nan Yi.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard outside the tent.
"General, are you awake? I have something important to report."
Xie Qi quickly put the jade pendant away.
"Come in."
The person who came was the deputy general Chen An.
Xie Qi: "What's the matter?"
Chen An said, "General, there was a beggar wandering around the gate of the military camp last night, saying he was here to deliver intelligence."
Xie Qi raised his eyebrows: "Intelligence?"
The so-called intelligence is actually two maps and a portrait.
The map depicts the geographical features of Lanzhou and Yingzhou in the southern border, and even outlines the local customs and important cities.
And that portrait...
Xie Qi couldn't help but feel his hands trembling slightly.
Chen An asked, "General, what's wrong? Is there something wrong with this intelligence?"
Xie Qi shook his head.
The information was correct, but he could recognize the brushstrokes of the painting at a glance.
The portrait was clearly drawn by Xu Qinghe himself.
"Where's the little beggar who delivered the letter?"
Chen An said, "He just threw these things at the entrance of the military camp and then ran away. I have sent people to look for them, but it is dark at night and I am afraid it will be difficult to find them."
Her news always made him panic for no reason. Xie Qi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, he was much calmer.
"How's the news spreading?"
Chen An said, "I've already spread the news that you're seriously injured and incurable. According to your wishes, I've even spread the news that the army is preparing to hold a funeral. However, there's one thing I'm confused about."
"ask."
Chen An then said, "A few days ago, the Nanyi Nation broke the alliance and launched a surprise attack on our southern border. General, you were clearly prepared. Why did you pretend to be defeated and retreat, even getting yourself injured?"
Chen An was his trusted confidant, and he would help him look after the army after he left. So since he asked, Xie Qi told him the truth: "The army suddenly changed its general, and not only the soldiers in the army were panicked, but also the enemy generals. I haven't led the army for a long time, and the enemy doesn't know my strength, so naturally they think the weaker I am, the better."
Chen An thought for a moment and understood: "General, are you going to show weakness so that the enemy can let down their guard?"
Xie Qi nodded and continued, "Besides that, I will be going to Nanyi Country at someone's request. It will take at least half a year and at most a year. They are pressing me hard, but our army is now disorganized and needs time to reorganize."
Chen An understood: "The general is seriously injured and cannot go to Nanyi."
As they were talking, the sky outside had already become completely bright.
Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. The soldiers in the camp miss home but cannot go back. Xie Qi shortens the daily training that lasts until 11:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., giving the soldiers an hour to gather and have fun.
There was a bonfire under the moon and everyone was sitting on the ground.
Amidst the laughter, someone asked Xie Qi for a drink.
Xie Qi threw a stick into the bonfire. After a while, he raised his eyes and said, "When the prince was still here, drinking was forbidden in the army."
The person who spoke immediately said, "But later, when that villain Wei Yiqun, the Duke of Fuguo, was around, he would always let us have a drink or two to satisfy our cravings."
Xie Qi stood up, dusted off his clothes, and said coldly: "As long as you can knock me down, I will let you drink as much as you want."
Who doesn't know that the general was seriously injured some time ago and hasn't fully recovered yet?
Thinking of this, many people are eager to try it out.
But in the end, Xie Qi easily knocked them all to the ground, raising a cloud of choking dust.
He patted his sleeves again and said to the crowd, "I don't care how the Wei thieves used to manage their army. But today, since His Majesty has sent me, Xie Qi, to take over the Southern Border Army, all matters within the army will be decided by me. If anyone disobeys, as long as you can defeat me, you can do whatever you want. Xie Qi has nothing to say. But if you can't..."
He smiled, but his eyes flashed with coldness: "If you can't, then you must honestly abide by the rules I set. If you violate them, you will be dealt with according to military regulations."
The people who started the rebellion got up from the ground in a panic and said "yes" with everyone else in a convinced tone.
After establishing his authority a little, Xie Qi had nothing more to say and could no longer join in the fun with the others.
He looked up at the bright moon above the dome, then walked into the main tent.
After washing up, Xie Qi reapplied medicine to his wound, then lay on the bed, took out the jade pendant from his chest, held it against his heart and fell asleep.
**
At the same time, inside Xu's residence in Ting'an Town, after a long sleep, Xu Qinghe finally opened his eyes tiredly.
She actually didn't remember much about giving birth at night. She only remembered the endless pain that penetrated deep into her bones, the baby's clear cry, and then the nanny's joyful voice.
"Congratulations, ma'am, it's a little daughter!"
She has always liked pretty and cute girls.
And now, she actually gave birth to such a girl.
For the first time, she experienced the magic of childbirth, and she realized that her body could actually give birth to another new life.
Seeing that she woke up, the nanny immediately brought the child to her to see.
Xu Qinghe took a look and frowned, feeling that something was wrong.
She closed her eyes, paused for a moment, looked again, and still felt something was wrong.
Finally, she couldn't help herself and asked, "Mammy, was this child taken away by mistake?"
The nanny was stunned for a moment: "Why do you say that, Madam?"
Xu Qinghe couldn't help but take another look, then hesitantly asked, "...Why is she so ugly?"
Not only is it ugly because it's wrinkled, it's also ugly because it's dark.
She and Xie Qi both look very good, so how could they give birth to such an ugly baby?
The nanny couldn't help but laugh: "Madam, all babies look like this when they're born. They'll look beautiful after a few days. Madam, you're so beautiful and graceful, and thank you, Lord Marquis... In short, the little girl won't be bad either, Madam, don't worry. Look, the little girl's mouth and nose are exactly like yours!"
Xu Qinghe pretended not to hear the name that the nanny called out in a moment of relaxation, and just wanted to go see her daughter.
Although her daughter was a little ugly, she was well-behaved. She must have had a good sleep long ago, and now she was looking at her curiously with her big watery eyes.
Xu Qinghe reached out and touched his daughter's chubby little fist.
"Do you know me?"
I don’t know if my daughter understood or not, she just giggled and touched her fingertips with her little fist.
She looked at her daughter's eyes. The nanny had just said that the child's mouth and nose looked like hers, but who did she inherit these beautiful eyes from?
Of course it was Xie Qi.
She had just experienced a life-and-death crisis, but the man who was thousands of miles away knew nothing.
Seeing her eyes gradually turn red, the nanny quickly said, "Madam, be careful. You can't cry during the confinement period, otherwise you will develop chronic illness in the future. The little girl is so well-behaved, Madam, you should be happy."
Xu Qinghe sniffed and touched her daughter's chubby little face. Seeing her daughter giggling at her again, she finally held back her tears.
After a while, Jing'an came in with swollen eyes and brought in food.
Xu Qinghe had been hungry for a long time and had exerted a lot of effort. He was already starving, but his hands were weak and he needed someone to feed him.
She lowered her eyes and thought of Xie Qi again.
She was really worried last night. Jing'an was right. If something really happened to Xie Qi, Emperor Yongshun in the palace would not be completely unaware of it, and he would not let the Southern Border Army be leaderless.
After she finished her meal, Jing'an said, "Luckily, I didn't go back for the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet. Otherwise, your child would have been born during the Mid-Autumn Festival. If I hadn't been there, I would have regretted it for a long time."
Only then did Xu Qinghe remember that the child's birthday was indeed on August 15th.
It was the Mid-Autumn Festival when relatives and friends should be reunited, but there was only Jing'an by her side.
Jing'an's love is even more precious.
She had slept for the entire day and couldn't fall asleep for a while, so she just teased the child while talking to Jing'an.
"It's the Mid-Autumn Festival, and I should give you a gift, but I don't have anything good right now. So why not let you take a doctor with you?"
"Doctor?"
Jing'an was confused: "What doctor?"
Xu Qinghe said, "I know you like children and have always wanted a child of your own. I met that doctor by chance. He's a famous doctor in the martial arts world who specializes in treating women's illnesses."
"The medicine you've been drinking here lately was all prepared by this doctor. He said your health has improved significantly and you'll be back to normal after a period of recuperation."
Jing'an was stunned at first, and then her eyes were filled with tears.
When the nanny came in, she saw the two ladies about to cry again.
She hurried to pick up the little girl, who was beginning to feel tired again. "I wonder if Madam has decided on a name for the young lady? Even if she hasn't, she'll need a nickname for the masters to call her by."
Xie Qi once coaxed Xu Qinghe to have a child, but Xu Qinghe did not agree, and the two never thought about naming the child.
Later, she lost her child and secretly thought of several, but she just couldn't decide which one she wanted.
After what happened yesterday, Xu Qinghe had made up his mind.
She touched her daughter's sleeping face with her fingertips and whispered, "Just call me Ping An."
Promise of peace.
Perhaps because he knew his own name, Xiao Ping'an smacked his lips in satisfaction even though he was sleeping.
【Author’s words】
Next chapter Xie Qi can come to see Qing He secretly [rainbow fart]
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