"Ah Jiu, what are you thinking about that has you so lost in thought?" Long Xuanmo stepped into the room and saw his beloved wife sitting by the window, staring blankly at the garden, oblivious even to his return.
Upon hearing his inquiry, Yang Mengchen suddenly came back to reality and, turning her eyes upon seeing Long Xuanmo’s concerned and slightly resentful gaze, she smiled and rose to her feet, "Wende is back."
Long Xuanmo nodded, pushed down the questions in his heart, and went to the bathroom to freshen up. Moments later, he returned to his wife’s side, sat down, and accepted the cup of clear tea she handed to him, sipping it elegantly. Then he gazed deeply at his wife.
"Wende, how is Deputy General Shao?" Yang Mengchen asked.
Arching an eyebrow, Long Xuanmo’s low voice was filled with a thick note of jealousy, "Was Ah Jiu just thinking of him, so much so that you didn’t even notice my return?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Yang Mengchen retorted coyly, giving Long Xuanmo a reproachful look. "I saw that he actually brought a woman with him, and the Imperial Uncle didn’t oppose it, which I found somewhat curious."
Seeing his wife’s seemingly reproachful but enchanting expression, Long Xuanmo felt a surge of heat in his heart. He set down the teacup and gently caressed her soft, delicate hand, "You are mine; you cannot pay attention to other men. I get jealous!"
Yang Mengchen secretly rolled her eyes, speechless and exasperated. Who would have thought Prince Chen, who was once so noble and aloof, had turned into a pot of vinegar? Whose fault was it?
His Ah Jiu was truly peerless, even the act of rolling her eyes was adorable. Long Xuanmo’s eyes sparkled with passionate tenderness.
"Shao Mingyi is exceptional in both literary and martial arts, and he’s also a brave and skilled warrior with an understanding heart. The Imperial Uncle has said that he is a rare talent for a military commander. The Emperor also intends to let him take charge of the border, so that the Imperial Uncle can return to the capital to recuperate. However, his nature is stubborn and unrestrained; otherwise, he wouldn’t have publicly brought his wife with him this time. You don’t know, but just now in the Imperial Court, the ministers were fiercely debating about this matter. Some said he should be severely punished, while others argued there were extenuating circumstances; no conclusion has been reached yet."
"He must truly be talented to deserve such praise from Wende," Yang Mengchen nodded. "But his temperament still needs further refining. Otherwise, it will be hard for him to go far. It would be best to find him a staff officer who is adept at strategy and has a calculating mind. With time, his fatal flaws might be mitigated."
Long Xuanmo sighed, "My Ah Jiu is indeed far-sighted. I will arrange this matter myself."
"Wende, about Deputy General Shao’s wife?" Yang Mengchen asked, curiosity in her eyes, but an inexplicable nervousness in her heart.
Feeling his wife’s hand, which he was holding, tighten slightly and sensing the calm but complex and uneasy feelings hidden deep in her eyes, Long Xuanmo’s suspicions grew: Why was Ah Jiu so interested in Shao Mingyi’s wife? But he did not show the slightest hint of this on the surface.
"Shao Mingyi, ever since he was a Seventh Rank Second Lieutenant, was once forcefully dragged by his colleagues to the Fragrant Building on the border where he met Chu Dieyi;
Chu Dieyi, though of low birth, was pure and chaste with a natural, unpretentious heroic bearing. Admiring Shao Mingyi’s loyalty and righteousness, the two developed feelings over time. Since Shao Mingyi’s first wife had passed away years ago, he redeemed Chu Dieyi and made her his wife;
Over the years, Chu Dieyi has followed Shao Mingyi at the border and has accumulated many military achievements. The Imperial Uncle once said that with Chu Dieyi’s military capabilities, she could well serve as a military commander. It’s regrettable that the Imperial Court, since ancient times, has never had a female general, hence the idea was dropped."
Long Xuanmo harbored no disdain or prejudice towards Chu Dieyi, and on the contrary, there was a note of appreciation in his indifferent tone.
Well aware of how challenging any deviation from the old ways could be, Yang Mengchen had no intention of promoting Chu Dieyi to a female general out of turn. Yet, she couldn’t help feeling some hesitation and fear.
She hesitated—was Chu Dieyi really that person? Fearing if she wasn’t, how should she interpret this unmistakable feeling Chu Dieyi gave her?
"What’s on your mind, Ah Jiu?" Long Xuanmo asked softly, looking at his wife who was frowning in contemplation without saying a word.
"When I saw Chu Dieyi at the city gate this morning, I felt there was something unusual about her." Yang Mengchen put aside her complex emotions and replied with a smile: "Now that I’ve heard Wende talk about her, I’m even more convinced she’s a heroine who doesn’t yield to men. I would really like to meet her if there’s a chance."
Sensitively perceiving that his wife was troubled, Long Xuanmo did not press further. He believed she would tell him when she was ready to speak, "If Ah Jiu wants to meet her, I can have Shao Mingyi bring her to the Prince Mansion in a couple of days. But Ah Jiu must not be swayed by her nonsensical talk and leave me alone to have fun." ƒreewebɳovel.com
He knew that Ah Jiu’s wish was to travel the landscapes of the world, otherwise she wouldn’t have thought of going to Qing’an Country. And that Chu Dieyi was already a persuasive woman; if she managed to influence Ah Jiu, who knows? Ah Jiu might just drop everything and run off with Chu Dieyi.
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