Chapter 86 Never Apart
After the medicine was brewed, she fed it to the children spoonful by spoonful, her movements as light and delicate as a boneless flower. Little Bean drank the medicine, her fever subsided a bit, and she tugged at her mother's hand, whispering, "Sister Wanning, the medicine is sweet, it tastes so good."
She smiled and gently touched Xiaodouzi's eyes: "It's honey that Brother Pei sent over. When you're feeling better, Brother Pei will bring you sugar paintings too."
The children's eyes lit up when they heard "Brother Pei," and they even became much more willing to take their medicine.
She was busy until nightfall, and only when the children's fevers subsided did she breathe a sigh of relief. Sitting on the stone bench in the courtyard, she looked at the note Pei Zhi had left behind, her fingertips constantly tracing the words on it.
The moonlight made the words "Do not worry" stand out even more clearly.
He feared she would miss him and become anxious. And how could she not be anxious when she missed him? He faced the Turkic army on the border, and he also had to worry about her and the children; he probably wouldn't even be able to sleep well.
Ye Wanning stood up, went into the room, picked up paper and pen, and wrote a line: "The medicinal herbs have all been received, and the boys are all doing well. General, please take good care of yourself and don't worry about me." Then, she drew a small tiger next to it, the one from the armor, "That's more like it."
She wrapped the note carefully and handed it to the guard beside her: "You must deliver this to the general yourself." The guard took the note, leaped, and disappeared into the night. Ye Wanning stood at the door, gazing towards the border, silently praying countless times in her heart, "Pei Zhi, you must be safe. When you come back, I will never be angry with you again, and I will never worry about you again."
The Turks retreated to a valley thirty miles away and set up their main camp. The war came to an end, and the army enjoyed a rare period of leisure.
After dinner, Pei Zhi had a stone table moved to the open space outside the tent, and set out a chessboard and pieces. He then beckoned to Ye Wanning, who had returned after inspecting the defenses, and said, "Wanning, come and play a game of chess with me."
Ye Wanning was taken aback. She had learned to play chess from her mother when she was young, but after her family's fortunes declined, she never had the chance again. She walked over, gazing at the neatly arranged black and white pieces on the chessboard, and smiled, "General, aren't you afraid I'm too bad and will spoil your fun?"
"It's alright, winning or losing isn't the most important thing, it's about having fun." Pei Zhi picked up a black stone and gently placed it in the center of the board. "You play white, you go first."
Ye Wanning didn't stand on ceremony, picking up a white piece and placing it diagonally opposite the black piece. A gentle evening breeze blew by, carrying the scent of fresh grass, and the lanterns outside the tent swayed, casting long shadows of the two people.
Pei Zhi's chess skills were remarkable. He didn't make many moves, but he pressed forward relentlessly. However, Ye Wanning gradually realized that he was letting her win! Several times, he could have captured her white pieces, but he deliberately changed direction, leaving her a way to live.
"Is the general letting me win?" Ye Wanning placed a white piece, raised her eyes, looked at Pei Zhi, and smiled.
Pei Zhi paused in his chess game, his ear tips turning slightly red. "No, it's just that your chess skills have improved rapidly." Pei Zhi avoided her gaze, pretending to look at the chessboard, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.
Ye Wanning knew exactly what was going on, but she didn't expose him, and continued to play her pieces swiftly. As the game progressed, more and more pieces appeared on the board, and the situation gradually became clear—Ye Wanning's white pieces had a slight advantage, but if Pei Zhi's black pieces won another move, they would completely block her path!
Just when Ye Wanning thought she was about to lose the game, Pei Zhi suddenly placed a chess piece down, looked up at her, and a hint of barely perceptible tension flashed in his eyes: "Wanning, let me ask you a question."
"General, please speak." Ye Wanning picked up a white piece but didn't put it down, waiting for him to continue.
"If one day I retire from the army and no longer serve as a general, would you be willing to come with me to Begonia Valley?" Pei Zhi's voice was soft, yet it struck Ye Wanning's heart like a pebble, stirring ripples within. "In Begonia Valley, there are vast fields of begonia blossoms and clear streams. We can build a small courtyard, grow some vegetables, raise a few chickens, and never have to worry about the battles on the battlefield or the intrigues of the capital again."
Ye Wanning's hand, which had been about to strike, suddenly froze in mid-air. The white piece struck the chessboard with a crisp sound that echoed in the quiet night. Looking into Pei Zhi's earnest eyes, her heart felt as if it would leap out of her chest.
The first thing she did after being reborn was to take revenge and protect the children of Ci'an Hall. This had always been her wish, but she had never thought about a life of "retiring from the battlefield." But when Pei Zhi spoke of it so beautifully, she was suddenly moved—living in a courtyard full of crabapple blossoms with the person she loved, far away from all the strife, living a peaceful life, wasn't this exactly what she had always wanted?
"Why did the general suddenly ask this?" Her voice seemed a little tense.
"It's nothing, I just suddenly remembered." Pei Zhi avoided her gaze, picked up a black game piece and toyed with it in his hand, his tone unusually weary. "After all, the battlefield is a battlefield of bloodshed, and no one knows if they'll live to see tomorrow. I just thought, if there's a chance, I want to give you a home, a peaceful and stable home."
Seeing his dejected look, Ye Wanning's heart tightened, and her voice was unusually firm: "Wherever the general is, that's where Begonia Valley is." She paused, then suddenly looked up and met Pei Zhi's eyes. The moonlight shone on her face, making her eyes shine with an astonishing brightness. "If you want to retire from the army and return to the countryside, I will accompany you to Begonia Valley to plant flowers; if you want to continue being a general, I will accompany you to guard the capital and the children. As long as I can be with you, I'm willing to go anywhere and do anything."
Pei Zhi's eyes lit up as if countless stars had fallen into them. He grabbed Ye Wanning's hand tightly, so tightly it hurt her a little, but she couldn't bear to let go. "Really? You really mean it?" His voice was choked with emotion, clearly overwhelmed with excitement.
"It's true." Ye Wanning nodded, then grasped his hand in return. "I've never lied to you."
Pei Zhi could no longer contain himself. He scooped Ye Wanning up in his arms and held her tightly, as if trying to meld her into his very bones. "That's wonderful, Wanning, that's wonderful!" His voice rang in her ears, filled with joy. "Once we've pacified the Turks and dealt with the remnants of the previous dynasty, I'll ask the Emperor to grant us a marriage, take you to Begonia Valley, build you the most beautiful courtyard, and plant the most begonia flowers."
Ye Wanning leaned against Pei Zhi's chest, smelling the faint scent of gunpowder on him, and her heart was suddenly filled with emotion. She knew that Pei Zhi never made empty promises; he always did what he said he would do.
The two sat embracing under the moonlight, completely forgetting about the chess pieces on the board. The wind blew, carrying with it the distant songs of soldiers, and the lantern light entwined their shadows, as if they would never be separated.
After a long while, Pei Zhi finally released Ye Wanning, but still held her hand, his fingertips gently caressing her palm. "Shall we stop playing?" he asked with a smile.
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