He Yan stayed with He Sui and He Yunsheng the day before their departure.

When He Yunsheng learned that she was going to Jiuchuan, he was extremely excited and scolded: "I know you are very skilled, but He Yan, that is Jiuchuan. Whether you were in Rundu or Jiyang in the past, at least you were not fighting alone. You have never led troops alone, how can you resist those Wutuo people. Those Wutuo people are cunning and brutal. Once Jiuchuan was broken, they started to massacre the city. You are a woman, if you are really captured..." He Yunsheng shuddered, that was a hell more painful than death.

"He Yunsheng!" He Sui said loudly, "Speak properly."

The young man shut up suddenly, but when he looked at He Yan, his eyes were still filled with endless worry.

No matter how the new recruits of Liangzhou Guards flattered He Yan and told him that He Yan could do anything, in the hearts of the He family father and son, He Yan was always the weak little girl who used to clamor for new clothes and lipstick. A delicate flower plant was moved into the wild. It was lucky to survive the wind and sun. How could this flower plant be allowed to fight and kill?

This is ridiculous.

"The imperial edict has been issued, and the military token is in my hands," He Yan said helplessly, "Yunsheng, calm down. I haven't even gone to Jiuchuan yet, and you've arranged the defeat for me first. If the emperor hears about this, our He family will be in big trouble."

He Yunsheng was speechless after hearing what she said. After a moment, he said, "You are the one showing off!"

"A real man," He Yan teased him, "When the country is in danger, it is time to use people. How can you only think about yourself? Your teachers in the academy don't usually teach like this, right?"

"I don't care about that much," the young man gritted his teeth and said, "I only care about my own family. Besides, if I could go in your place, I would go without saying anything. What's wrong with the court? There are so many men, but a woman is allowed to rush to the front."

He Yan smiled and said, "Yunsheng, what you said is true. Wasn't the General Feihong whom you admired in the past also a woman?"

She patted the boy on the shoulder and said, "I didn't think too much about it, nor did I think that I should hide behind because I was a woman. I just went because I thought I could fight on the battlefield. This has nothing to do with men and women."

"Yanyan," He Sui looked at her, his eyes a little red, but he still pretended to be generous and unrestrained, "Well said. Dad thought so too. You are a child with your own ideas. Since you took the initiative to ask for permission to go to Jiuchuan, you must have a plan in mind. Dad will not stop you. Don't listen to Yunsheng's nonsense. Dad believes that you can beat those Wutuo people to a pulp."

As he spoke, he began to choke up.

If He Sui was not too old and not qualified, He Sui would have followed He Yan to the battlefield with a sword in hand. It would be a lie to say that he was relieved. He only had this one daughter, and he raised her like a treasure. He Yan had secretly gone to Liangzhou Guards before, which had made him worried for a long time. Now he was facing those Wutuo people with real swords and guns. How could he be relaxed?

However, if this is the path He Yan decides to take, the only thing he can do as a father is to support him.

"Dad has wondered in the past whether our He family would have a military commander in the future. But I always thought it would be Yunsheng, and it turned out to be Yanyan." He looked at the girl in front of him with emotion. Who could have thought that the arrogant and frivolous girl who was always clamoring to buy new rouge would now become a heroine who leads an army and goes to the battlefield to fight the enemy?

He was both proud and sad. He was proud that his daughter was so outstanding, and no man in the world could compare to her. He was sad that a girl had to go to the battlefield and face cruelty and darkness that no other girl had ever faced.

However, if she wants to be an eagle in the sky, she should be allowed to fly in the sky instead of being a kite with the string held in her own hands.

She has her own world, even though that world is far away and cannot be touched by him as a father.

"Dad believes that your mother will definitely bless you in heaven." He Sui said.

He Yan looked at He Sui. He Sui was a tolerant and generous father. Even now, he was still thinking about her completely. Even though he felt heartbroken, he would never show it, and he would never use himself as a tool to control his daughter.

How lucky she is that they are her family.

"Don't worry, Dad." He Yan held He Sui's hand. His father's hand was broad and rough, with thick wrinkles on his fingertips from years of hard work. "I'll be back soon after I defeat those Wutuo people."

She spoke each word with pause, as if making a promise: "I will definitely come back."

…

The day before their departure, in the evening, He Yan and Xiao Jue went out and got on a carriage to Fengle Tower.

Lin Shuanghe booked the entire Fengle Building today and invited a few friends to hang out in the building. He has always been a splurge and this time he will go to Ji County with them. He doesn't know when he will be the next time he goes splurge.

When they arrived at Fengle Building, the waiter downstairs led the way and greeted them. When they went up, they saw that only Lin Shuanghe was there. The table was full of food and wine, and there was a copper pot in the middle. Lamb was boiling in the pot, and the aroma filled the air. Lin Shuanghe was talking to the beautiful zither player over there. It was unknown what he said, but it made the girl laugh.

"Brother Lin." He Yan called him. Lin Shuanghe turned around and saw He Yan. His eyes lit up. He walked over and complained, "Why are you guys so late? I've been here for a long time and I thought you weren't coming today."

He Yan looked around and said, "Are we the only three of us?"

There are only three of them, and they ordered such a big table. Lin Shuanghe is really a real spendthrift.

"How could that be possible? I asked Yan Nanguang and his wife to come as well. We are leaving together tomorrow anyway, so today is a good day for everyone and myself. But," Lin Shuanghe waved his fan, "how could Yan Nanguang be so unpunctual? Could it be that he knew he would be on the battlefield tomorrow, so he hid at home and cried today?"

"Lin Shuanghe, who are you scolding? Who is hiding at home crying?" As they were talking, someone's voice came from outside. A few people turned around and saw Yan He supporting Xia Chengxiu walking in. He glanced at Lin Shuanghe and said, "Who is the coward? You are treating us here today, isn't it just to build a good relationship with me, so that I can protect you when you arrive in Ji County, so that you won't be hacked to death by those Wutuo people?" He sneered, "Don't think I can't see it!"

He Yan noticed Xia Chengxiu being supported by Yan Heqi, and asked concernedly, "Miss Chengxiu, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Although she should call Xia Chengxiu "Mrs. Yan", He Yan still prefers to call her "Miss Chengxiu". Xia Chengxiu is gentle and patient, and it is hard to imagine how she would end up marrying Yan He, who has such a bad temper.

Xia Chengxiu felt a little embarrassed when he heard this. Just as he was about to speak, Yan He took over the conversation. He wanted to show off, but he didn't want to show off too directly, so he pretended to be nonchalant and said, "It's nothing, it's just that she's pregnant now, so we should be careful about everything."

"Pregnant?" He Yan was stunned.

Lin Shuanghe said excitedly: "Sister-in-law is pregnant? Come, come, let me see--" He reached out to grab Xia Chengxiu's hand.

Yan He slapped his hand away, protected Xia Chengxiu, and angrily asked, "What are you doing?"

"Take my sister-in-law's pulse," Lin Shuanghe said, "I am a doctor in white clothes, specializing in treating women. Let me see how my sister-in-law's pregnancy looks..."

"Get lost," Yan He kicked him over, "I've asked the palace doctor to check it out. He's fine. Don't bother yourself!"

"Sister-in-law, look at him." Lin Shuanghe held the fan tightly and whispered, "You have to take care of him."

Xia Chengxiu smiled and shook his head.

Yan He's eyes fell on He Yan, who was puzzled. He looked at Xiao Jue who was sitting at the table, and suddenly said proudly: "Xiao Huaijin, I'm a father now."

"I heard it." Xiao Jue answered coldly.

"I became a father before you!" Yan He emphasized again, "I was ahead of you!"

He Yan: “…”

Yan He must have been a fighting chicken in her previous life. What is there to compare? Besides, how long have she and Xiao Jue been married? How long has Yan He been married? Can this be used for comparison? This comparison is too unfair.

He Yan was thinking when Xiao Jue suddenly raised his head and glanced at her.

He Yan: “?”

The next moment, Second Young Master Xiao spoke slowly: "Who told you that you were ahead?"

Yan He's smile froze: "What do you mean?"

"Your son wasn't even born yet, but my daughter could already recite." He stared at the teacup in his hand and curled his lips slightly.

Lin Shuanghe spat out a mouthful of tea.

He Yan: “…”

Xiao Jue was probably talking about the time when she got drunk and dragged Xiao Jue to recite to him in Liangzhou Wei? Lin Shuanghe smiled and covered her face with a fan, saying, "Yes, yes, Huai Jin became a father before you, I can testify to this, it's true! My little daughter is so well-behaved, she can recite everything!"

"How is that possible?" Yan He got anxious when he heard this, and rushed forward in a panic to question, "You can even recite? Your illegitimate daughter? Xiao Huaijin, you actually raised an illegitimate daughter, when did this happen? Well, everyone says that you are arrogant and look down on everyone, but I didn't expect you to be such a vile and shameless person. And you!" He looked at He Yan with hatred and scolded, "You are also a good man who kills enemies on the battlefield, and you can tolerate this? Why don't you chop off this bastard's head with a knife?"

He Yan: "I..."

"Are you afraid that the Xiao family's power will suppress you?" Yan He frowned and waved his hand, "I will support you. We will go and make peace tomorrow!"

Xiao Jue frowned slightly.

"Yan Nanguang," he said calmly, "I don't want to take action today."

"Who's afraid of you?" Yan He rolled up his sleeves eagerly and said, "Come on!"

"Nanguang," Xia Chengxiu shook his head in disapproval and said softly, "Mr. Lin is treating us today, how can we be violent? Besides, Commander Xiao was just joking with you, why do you take it seriously?"

As soon as Xia Chengxiu started talking, Yan He, the fighting chicken, immediately became dispirited and just said, "...Okay."

"The mutton is ready, let's sit down and eat first." Lin Shuanghe asked everyone to sit down. When they sat down, he poked Xiao Jue with his arm and whispered, "Huai Jin, you are really good."

Xiao Jue was too lazy to pay attention to him.

Lin Shuanghe treated the Lin family's money like water and always ordered the most expensive ones. A table of dishes meant a table of money. However, you get what you pay for, and the food and wine at Fenglelou were the best in Shuojing City.

He Yan originally thought that although Yan He was afraid of the inner chamber, he was a military commander after all, so he would be careless and negligent in doing things. Unexpectedly, Yan He really impressed her this time. He remembered better than anyone what Xia Chengxiu ate and drank, and what she couldn't eat or drink. He Yan guessed that when the eunuchs in the palace served the Empress at meals, they probably knew the same thing.

While he was serving Xia Chengxiu, he asked, "Hey, do you know Yang Mingzhi?"

When Xiao Jue heard the name, he didn't react. Instead, Lin Shuanghe paused and asked, "What's wrong?"

"It wasn't like that before," Yan He lowered his voice, "Guangyan agreed to Wu's request to open a market in Wei. Yang Mingzhi, as the governor of Nanjing, objected and almost lost his black gauze hat. I don't know what happened, but I heard that the Yang family had a falling out with him because of this."

He Yan glanced at Xiao Jue and asked, "What happened next?"

"After the Emperor ascended the throne, he admired his behavior very much. He also saw that when he was the governor of Nanjing, he was incorruptible and had outstanding political achievements. He wanted to transfer him back to Shuojing, but Yang Mingzhi refused. Don't look at me, I don't know why he refused." Yan He shrugged, "Although he is in Nanjing now, I think that since His Majesty admires him, he will return to Shuojing sooner or later. The Yang family must be regretting it now. Why didn't I see that old man Yang was such a person?"

No one at the table responded.

"What happened between you two?" Yan He was particularly curious about Yang Ming, and asked Xiao Jue, "What kind of grudge can be so far away? It's been so many years and you still remember it. Xiao Huaijin," he said, "A man should be more generous. What kind of man are you if you are so petty?"

"Shut up," Lin Shuanghe rolled his eyes at him, "I think you're the most naive person at this table."

"I'm not parting ways with my best friend."

"Forget it," Lin Shuanghe said disdainfully, "Do you have any close friends?"

"Lin Shuanghe!"

He Yan picked up a piece of white radish and put it in Xiao Jue's bowl. When the Second Young Master Xiao was not in the military camp, he would usually eat vegetarian food when he ate out, probably because he was bothered by others' unclean preparations. Although He Yan thought he was a little too particular, never mind...everyone has their own habits.

She interrupted Yan He and tried to change the subject, "Ms. Chengxiu, do you hope that the baby in your belly will be a young master or a young lady?"

Xia Chengxiu smiled. She was not particularly beautiful, but she had a gentle and graceful demeanor. She said, "Young Master or Miss, I like them both."

He Yan then asked Yan He: "Where is General Yan?"

"I don't care if he's a young master or a young lady. As long as it's a child born by my wife, I'll love him." When Yan He mentioned his unborn child, his tail immediately flew up to the sky. He said proudly, "If it was born by someone else, whether it was a young master or a young lady, I would hate it!"

He Yan: “…”

This guy is really crazy. I don’t know how other people’s children have offended him.

Lin Shuanghe also asked Xia Chengxiu: "Sister-in-law, have you named the child yet?"

"This..." Xia Chengxiu looked embarrassed.

"I have my own opinion on this," Yan He interrupted, "If it's a daughter, she'll be named Yan Mucha."

He Yan: "...Is this meant to show your admiration for Miss Cheng Xiu?"

"I never knew you were completely clueless about poetry, but now you seem quite smart." Yan He said proudly, "What do you think? Do you think I am good at naming?"

He Yan was speechless.

Yan He probably didn't realize that although it was a good thing for him to love his wife, every time he proudly showed off his love for his wife, he seemed a little, no, extremely stupid.

"You are really good at naming." He Yan was very supportive, "What if it's a boy?"

Yan He looked somewhat uninterested. "Then let's call him General Yan Liang. I hope that when he grows up, he can become an excellent general like his father."

"What kind of person is this?" Lin Shuanghe laughed, "And now he still doesn't forget to flatter himself."

"Lin Shuanghe!" Yan He said angrily, "After you arrived in Ji County, do you still want to survive?"

"Think about it," Lin Shuanghe gave him a bow, "I hope General Yan will save my life when the time comes."

Yan He was satisfied.

He Yan bit the leg of lamb and asked, "But Brother Lin, you're going to Ji County. This is really beyond my expectation. I thought that even if you have to go to the battlefield, you will go to Yunzi or Jiuchuan."

If I go to Yunzi, I can go with Xiao Jue, and if I go to Jiuchuan, I can be with myself. It's not that He Yan is bragging, but when it comes down to it, the relationship between Lin Shuanghe and herself or Xiao Jue is certainly above Yan He. But she later figured it out. At present, Ji County is suffering from a plague. Lin Shuanghe must be going to Ji County because of the plague.

"Sister He," Lin Shuanghe had called her "Sister-in-law" a few times before, but he felt awkward, so he called her "Sister" in the end. He said, "I know your and Huai Jin's abilities. It doesn't make much difference whether I'm there or not. General Yan is different. If I'm not there, and he gets injured or something, what if there's no miracle doctor to treat him and the war is delayed? He himself has very bad relationships with people. If those military doctors take the opportunity to poison his medicine, it would be terrible!"

Yan He was furious: "Lin Shuanghe, I think you are a dog that can't spit out ivory! How could I be injured? It's ridiculous! I tell you, don't beg me to save you in the future, get out of here!"

He Yan knew that Lin Shuanghe was just talking nonsense. He looked like a playboy, but he actually had his own ideas. How could a man raised by the Lin family in Shuojing be a coward who only cared about life and death?

He Yan raised the cup beside her. As they had to leave tomorrow, she didn't dare to get drunk today, so she just switched to sweet rice wine. She said, "Miss Youxian gave us a bottle of Bifang wine earlier, but we shouldn't drink it today. After we drive away those Wutuo people, we will come to Fengle Tower and ask Brother Lin to prepare a table of delicious food for us. Only then will we not waste the wine."

"For now, let's just make do with this little bit of rice wine and wish us all success in defeating the enemy, being invincible, and returning with great success. How do you think?"

"Good!" Lin Shuanghe was the first to applaud, "Well said!"

Xiao Jue glanced at her and smiled.

The five cups collided in the air with a clear and crisp sound, like the sound of weapons colliding, or like the sound of a horn announcing a victory.

“Fuck.”