"Ying'er, wait for me." I walked out quickly, not wanting to wait for him.
It was almost midnight, and I was still holding Yu'er in my arms. Bizhu and the nanny were standing beside me. I knew it wasn't good to keep them around, but I just couldn't let go.
"Ying'er, let Yu'er go to bed. He's still young and needs to sleep more."
Xie Yuancheng walked in with a smile on his face, and his eyes looked at Yu'er with a kind fatherly gaze.
"But."
"Why don't you not come with me? Yu'er is so cute, you should spend more time with him."
With a heavy heart, I placed Yu'er in the wet nurse's arms, stroking his little hand, "Good boy Yu'er, when you grow up, help your mother teach your father a lesson."
Bizhu and her nanny went out laughing; they seemed quite happy every day.
We left before dawn. I originally wanted to see Yu'er, but I was afraid that once I saw her, I wouldn't be able to leave. Sigh, that's the downside of being a mother.
I disguised myself as Xie Yuancheng's guard, wearing a mask and carrying the Phantom Sword. After glancing at the Marquis's mansion, I turned around, mounted my horse, and rode away.
There were also some troops I didn't recognize traveling with me this time; they looked particularly imposing.
The Marquis's mansion was guarded by many skilled guards, and Lin Chao, as the new captain of the guards, was responsible for protecting the mansion.
The morning wind was particularly cold. The Emperor, being somewhat merciful, allowed Xie Yuancheng to leave only after the Lantern Festival had ended.
After walking for a while, I realized that the procession was a bit strange. The flags they were carrying and their clothing were different from when I first came to Linyang.
Could it be that they weren't Xie Yuancheng's soldiers?
As soon as I left the city, my guess was confirmed: they were the prince's soldiers.
The crown prince, also dressed in full armor, rode a horse and looked much more pleasing to the eye than before.
Xie Yuancheng stepped forward and struck up a conversation with him. It was from the conversation that I learned that the Crown Prince had actually planned to go to Sizhou with Xie Yuancheng before coming to Linyang.
The crown prince was also eager for quick success and instant benefits. His way of showing himself off was simply to enhance his image when he became the emperor.
"Yuan Cheng, who is this?"
“She is mine, my new attendant. My wife was worried about me going out this time, so she specially arranged for her to accompany me.”
He really knows how to punctuate sentences perfectly, and he's not worried about being discovered.
"That's wonderful. You have a virtuous wife at home, and your nephew is so handsome. You can rest assured when you're away."
The prince gave me a disapproving look, but I was wearing a mask. Even if he had the keen eyesight of a demon, he wouldn't be able to guess it was me.
Marching and fighting is really not an easy thing. Even just traveling can be exhausting. I really don't know where Xie Yuancheng got the energy to joke with me and make me happy.
He is so perfect, both as a husband and a father, that I sometimes worry he might be taken away from me.
He laughed so hard his eyes almost disappeared when he heard that, saying I was overthinking things after becoming a mother.
When I was possessed by Ji Shuang before, I read about postpartum depression. Could it be that I have it?
But he did his best to find new and interesting things for me along the way, and I gradually calmed down. Fortunately, his wounds had scabbed over and he didn't need to change his dressings, otherwise I would have felt even more guilty.
The main force had been traveling for half a month and had reached the border of Sizhou.
That night, things got a bit too noisy. I was almost driven crazy by Xie Yuancheng; he just had so much energy.
I was so tired that I fell asleep right away with my head on the pillow, but he was still able to get up and go out.
I turned over and heard rustling sounds outside.
Forcing himself to stay awake, he got out of bed and went inside, only to find the Crown Prince and Xie Yuancheng talking. Two grown men, former rivals in love—were they having a late-night chat?
“Yuancheng, it’s only been a few years, and you’ve developed such a peculiar hobby. Your wife is really open-minded; she’s worried about your fatigue from marching and has even arranged a handsome and refined attendant for you.”
"My wife is of course thinking of me."
"But you're being too reckless. There are already rumors circulating in the army. You should make some plans."
"I know, I'll send her away tomorrow."
"Hey, you're so cruel to someone as precious as jade. He's been lying under your pillow for over half a month. He's certainly put in a lot of effort, if not done anything special."
There are plenty of handsome men out there, just find another one.
"Is it because you want to meet with the prince consort tomorrow, and you're worried about how to explain it to him?"
The Crown Prince wouldn't think that the attendant I was pretending to be was Xie Yuancheng's... you know, would he? This guy has quite the imagination, even worrying that the 'Prince Consort' would be jealous! I got bored listening to this, so I went to bed and went to sleep.
I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. Sizhou is in the south, and the weather is starting to warm up, so the nights aren't too cold.
"Ying'er." I heard Xie Yuancheng calling me when I was half asleep, and he even nudged me a few times.
I opened my eyes and was about to rub them when he slapped my hand away.
"Don't rub your eyes unnecessarily, or they'll turn red."
"It's probably around midnight now, go to sleep." I was so tired that it only dawned on me when I fell asleep that he deliberately made a commotion tonight to lure the Crown Prince out to talk to him.
"Ying'er, you and Anshi leave first. We'll meet again tomorrow in the tents outside Sizhou."
I was just about to close my eyes when I heard him say that, and I immediately woke up.
"Then I'll be able to see my father."
"Yes. Anshi is already waiting outside. Let me help you change your clothes."
Overjoyed, I hurriedly got up and dressed, still carrying his special purse from the day I left. But after giving birth to Yu'er, I'm always worried that I've become 'effeminate,' and there are no mirrors here. I wonder if Dad will find it uncomfortable.
"I've made arrangements. Be careful in the tent this time. The Crown Prince is very cunning; don't talk to him."
"I see."
"Also, don't mess with those girls."
"There are no girls in the military camp."
You'll know when you get there.
After I changed my clothes, I still had to listen to his rambling. Luckily, Meng Anshi knocked on the door, and Xie Yuancheng took me out.
We took a different path and successfully avoided the soldiers.
Xie Yuancheng escorted us to the back of the mountain, then led his horse around and rode off in the other direction.
"Anshi, what is Yuancheng going to do?"
"Madam, the Marquis has gone to deal with the 'attendant' who caused the Crown Prince to misunderstand."
I felt a chill run down my spine when I heard that; I really felt sorry for him.
After riding for more than an hour, we entered the territory of Sizhou.
It must be the middle of the night now. I can't believe I still see people burning paper money on the street. Don't they sleep at night?
"Your Highness, let's dismount and walk."
Meng Anshi changed his tune faster than he changed his face; I haven't heard that title in a long time, and I'm still not quite used to it.
As I led my horse, I felt increasingly desolate. There were many people burning paper money along the way, all of them poor and their faces were full of sorrow.
The whole street reeked of paper money; I almost choked on it.
After leading the horses out of that road, Meng Anshi and I remounted.
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