The next day, Xu Mian woke up. She had been particularly sleepy recently, so she got up lazily. "A

Yan?"

When Yan was not there, Xu Mian was about to put on a coat when she heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"I am Qingluan, who is by the side of Prince Jin. I have something to say to the Crown Princess."

Xu Mian hesitated for a moment and opened the door.

Qingluan had to sigh that a beauty is a beauty. Even if she had just woken up and had not washed or put on makeup, she was still breathtakingly beautiful. She

was wearing a long white gauze dress that dragged on the ground, with curved eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, long eyelashes curled up, and plump red lips...

Qingluan couldn't help but stare at her for a while, and Xu Mian asked softly, "Qingluan, why are you here?"

Her voice was as gentle as an oriole, with a charm that was not delicate or artificial.

Qingluan presented a delicate small cloth bag, "This is what the master asked me to give to the Crown Princess."

Xu Mian was stunned and did not take the embroidered bag immediately. Since she had made up her mind, she should not break the ties.

Qingluan stuffed the embroidered bag into her hand, "Crown Princess, please accept it, otherwise the master will be very sad. He is already very sad."

Xu Mian held the embroidered bag in her hand, raised her eyes to see Qingluan's expression, and asked, "Do you like Ah Jun?"

Qingluan was speechless for a moment, and did not say no, which was an admission.

Xu Mian felt sad, but then she thought she should be happy for Shi Jun, "Are you going down the mountain today?"

Qing Luan nodded, "We'll leave right away."

Before she left, she said, "Crown Princess, I hope you can be as resolute as last night in the future."

Xu Mian opened the embroidered bag and took out a red string with jade beads inside. There was a word engraved on each jade bead.

From left to right, there was a sentence, "Mian Mian, peace and joy."

Ah Jun, I finally let you down, I'm sorry.

Tears fell on the jade beads, Xu Mian closed the door, leaned her head against the door, and cried with restraint and difficulty.

Tell yourself that from the beginning, she was married to Shi Yan, Shi Jun came later, and she was originally Shi Yan's wife.

He hit his head and said to himself, "It's my indecision that made Ah Jun so uncomfortable. It would have been better if I had been determined to keep a distance from him from the beginning."

Xu Mian, how can you love two men? You are too greedy!

Shi Yan pushed the door outside, but it didn't open. He called, "Mian Mian? Are you in there?"

Xu Mian ran to stuff the jade beads and red rope into her flannel bag.

"I'm coming, Ah Yan, wait a minute."

He wiped his tears again, calmed down, and opened the door.

How could Shi Yan be hidden from her red eyes? He didn't ask any more questions, holding chicken soup and some snacks in his hands.

"Mianmian, you must be hungry. I just went to the kitchen, thinking that you can drink hot chicken soup as soon as you get up."

Putting the plate on the stone table, Xu Mian hugged his slender waist from behind and put her face against his back.

Shi Yan stroked her hand, "Mianmian, I have good news for you."

Xu Mian wiped her tears on his back and was pulled into his arms to sit down.

"What is it?"

Shi Yan pecked her cheek lightly, "Tomorrow we will set off to return to the capital. I have already sent a letter to inform my father and mother."

Xu Mian hugged his neck without saying a word.

"Mianmian, if you like Lingshan, let's come back to visit it someday."

"Yeah, I miss my mother and Xuelian a lot."

Shi Yan fed her chicken soup and coaxed her, "Mianmian, let's walk slowly on the road and just treat it as a sightseeing trip, okay?"

Xu Mian felt better and fed him buns.

"Ayan, it's better to go back to the palace earlier, so I can rest assured and take care of the baby. Besides, you have been neglecting the government for such a long time."

Speaking of returning to the capital, Xu Mian was a little worried, "Ayan, will the emperor and mother believe that the child is yours? There is a month difference in the due date."

Shi Yan said firmly, "I have thought about it a long time ago. When the time comes, I can say that your pregnancy is unstable and you have given birth prematurely. Besides, no one will question it with the words of the empress dowager."

Shi Jun has been in the mountains these days. Shi Yan was worried, fearing that Xu Mian would accidentally tell him that the child was his. Fortunately, she didn't say it.

Kissing her little red lips, "Mian Mian is so good, don't worry about anything, leave everything to me." The queen mother

was worried about Shi Yan's situation after returning to the palace this time, so she took Shi Wu back to the capital together.

The next day, the mighty team left Lingshan.

Yun Hao said, "Your Highness, we take the official road. At the slowest speed, we can return to the capital in about six or seven days."

The Queen Mother and Shi Wu were sitting in the carriage in front.

Shi Yan and Xu Mian were in the carriage in the back. "A Yan, I'm so sleepy."

Xu Mian lay down softly. There was a narrow couch in the carriage, but she insisted on sleeping on Shi Yan's legs.

Shi Yan liked her clinginess and hugged her with his strong arms. "Mian Mian, sleep peacefully, don't worry about the unstable road."

Xu Mian hummed and fell asleep in an instant.

Shi Yan glanced at her belly, which seemed to have grown a little bit bigger. It was really magical. He lowered his head and listened closely, and only heard the gurgling sound of food digesting in Xu Mian's stomach. He

secretly analyzed, how old are the children? If they are older, will the two children be squeezed and deformed?

When they arrived at the border of Xuzhou and were about to reach the city, a group of people suddenly appeared and chased the two children and beat them.

Shi Yan lifted the curtain and saw them, and ordered: "Go and save the two children."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Yun Hao led people to drive away the group of people. The two children ran up to thank him, "Benefactor, do you want to go to my house? My house is very big."

Shi Yan said: "You're welcome, you can go home quickly."

I thought it was over, but unexpectedly, after a while, a tall and strong man came with the children.

Through the curtain, he asked, "Is it you who saved my child?"

Shi Yan lifted the curtain. Huh? Why do I feel that this person looks familiar?

The man immediately knelt down and said, "Your Highness, I am honored to be your servant."

Shi Yan remembered and said with a smile: "It's General Zhang. Are you from Xuzhou?"

"Yes, I have been living in Xuzhou since I retired. If Your Highness doesn't mind, please stay at my house tonight so that I can fulfill my duty as a host."

Shi Yan pointed to the carriage in front and said, "General Zhang, please go and ask the Empress Dowager."

General Zhang heard this and said, "The Empress Dowager is here too? I will go to pay my respects to her right away."

The group did not stay in the inn tonight, but went to the Zhang Mansion.

"Your Highness, the Empress Dowager, and the Crown Princess are honored to have visited my humble home. Please come in."

The Empress Dowager said, "General Zhang has made great military achievements. Even now, his prestige in the army is admired. Prince, you should have a good chat with General Zhang."

Shi Yan understood and said, "Yes, Empress Dowager." While

having dinner in the courtyard of the Zhang Mansion, Shi Yan asked, "General, who beat your grandson today?"

General Zhang said, "It was the most powerful local gentry. He wanted to seize my son's land after I retire and leave."

Even without saying it, Shi Yan could guess that the gentry was backed by the local officials who condoned him.

"Don't worry, old general. I will ask the governor about this matter tomorrow."

Old General Zhang and his son knelt down and said, "Thank you, Your Highness. If Your Highness needs me in the future, I will go through fire and water for you without hesitation."

Shi Yan helped him up, "Please stand up, old general."

Recruiting old General Zhang was equivalent to having power in the army. Shi Yan was very happy. He

went back to the house to rest, but saw Xu Mian pouting and looking angry.

"Mian Mian, what's wrong?"

Xu Mian pushed him away with her delicate hands, "Why did you smile at General Zhang's granddaughter just now?"