As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder.
He Yunxiao and his Mengbao are starting to have that kind of idea now.
As they were about to part ways, the two hid behind the carriage, taking one last chance to have some fun.
Meng Qingqian's feelings for He Yunxiao are complex. He Yunxiao is the kind of person who teases her, makes fun of her, and causes her to suffer and cry. But at the same time, he also cares for her, loves her, trusts her, and comforts her… He's the kind of person who can break down her defenses and truly enter her heart.
Without the "antidote," Meng Qingqian and He Yunxiao's relationship would likely have remained at the level of "close friends." However, the poison's arrival, through a series of coincidences, forced them together.
Meng Qingqian's feelings toward He Yunxiao, like her physical condition, have undergone some changes.
Regardless of whether she wants to admit it or not, He Yunxiao is now considered her "man".
Meng Qingqian could no longer treat He Yunxiao with the same mindset as before. Instead, she often communicated with him with the attitude of "you took my body, so you have to take responsibility for me".
Of course, as a pragmatist, Meng Qingqian also agrees with the principle of "responsibility and power being equal." Since He Yunxiao has taken on part of the responsibility of "taking care of her," he must have some "power."
At this very moment, He Yunxiao was exercising his power over his son Mengbao.
This is a street corner outside Jinxian Temple. Although it is late at night and there is no one around, it is still very empty.
He Yunxiao discovered that Mengbao and Nanzhu had significant similarities in their "social anxiety".
Nanzhu's wife is a true social phobic, afraid of crowds and social interaction. Mengbao, on the other hand, is a more extreme version of social phobia – socially inept. (Source: Biquge)
Although the street was deserted late at night, it was exceptionally empty, a place countless people had passed through, a stark contrast to the secluded Jinxian Palace where the two had "detoxified." Furthermore, with Mengbao's guards waiting at the Jinxian Palace gate not far away, it meant that Mengbao, secretly kissing behind the carriage, could be discovered by acquaintances at any moment. This tension made Mengbao particularly prone to emotional outbursts during this kiss.
At this moment, Mengbao's eyes were moist, her face was flushed, and her emotional state was almost the same as when she was detoxifying in the palace.
"I want to go back."
Meng Qingqian was slightly out of breath, but felt that there was little oxygen and she could not breathe properly.
He Yunxiao wasn't so heartless as to bully Mengbao yet. While resisting Mengbao's temptations, he gently patted her back to help her catch her breath.
"Mengbao, don't rush, breathe slowly."
Seeing that Li Qingmeng's breathing gradually became smoother and the redness on her face subsided, He Yunxiao began to instruct her, "Mengbao, this is the second time you've been suddenly poisoned at Jinxian Academy. There's a possibility of a third poisoning. If you feel unwell, immediately have the little bird 'Red Whistle' send me a message, and I'll get to you as quickly as possible. With my lightness skill, I can cross Yinjing in less than a quarter of an hour. Don't leave the city; stay in the city center. If anything unusual happens, send a message immediately. That way, you'll definitely make it in time."
Meng Qingqian blushed slightly and teased He Yunxiao, "You're just thinking about the 'antidote,' aren't you?"
With Mengbao's life at stake, He Yunxiao had no intention of joking. Seeing that she still didn't take it seriously, he slapped her on the buttocks.
"Smack!"
A pleasant, crisp sound rang out in the darkness.
Then the sound wave was blocked by the spherical sound-absorbing barrier of internal force that He Yunxiao opened.
“Li Qingmeng, I’m serious,” He Yunxiao said solemnly.
Although Meng Qingqian was extremely ashamed after being spanked, she was quite happy to see He Yunxiao so serious and caring about her.
"Um."
This time, she didn't argue with He Yunxiao anymore, but obediently agreed to his request.
After explaining the main matters, He Yunxiao escorted Mengbao, who was holding "Moon," back to her carriage.
"Go back and get some sleep. Don't help Meng Qingqian with any more political affairs. Let her handle her own business. Also, you can sleep in late in the morning, but you need to get up and eat breakfast on time..."
Meng Qingqian listened to He Yunxiao's rambling words, and although she didn't intend to do any of them, she still agreed to them one by one.
Once inside the carriage, Meng Qingqian deliberately waited for He Yunxiao to turn around and leave before lifting the curtain to watch his departing figure. Even though it was just a monotonous walk, she watched him with a smile, completely absorbed, until he was out of sight. Only then did she tell the eunuch driving the carriage, "Take a detour back to the palace."
...
While He Yunxiao was having sex, his father, Marquis Wuqing He Yuanhao, was studying a map of the State of Qi in his study.
The Qi army implemented a rotation system.
Every two to six years, local garrison troops would be rotated to serve as border troops to defend against foreign enemies. Every two to three years, border troops would be rotated to the heartland of Qi to recuperate and take on lighter tasks such as suppressing bandits, maintaining public order, and building water conservancy and post roads.
Of course, the border troops were not replaced all at once. They were rotated at a rate of about one-sixth every year and one-third every two years, thus maintaining a considerable combat effectiveness.
The He family's 120,000-strong army was considered the elite of the Qi army. Last year, they were transferred from the border troops to Yanyang County, south of Jingcheng County, on the outskirts of Yinjing City. They were not stationed as a large force, but rather divided into small units of tens of thousands or even thousands scattered throughout the various prefectures and counties of Yanyang County.
Once the order to assemble is issued, it will take at least three to five days to regroup.
It would take quite some time to travel from Yanyang County to Jingcheng County in the north.
Since Qi Jiajun was relieved of his duties as a border soldier, He Yuanhao had returned to Yinjing City to recuperate. In fact, it had been a year or two since he had inquired about border defense matters.
It wasn't that he didn't want to get involved in the border defenses of Qi, but rather that he couldn't. How could the officials in the court sleep soundly if a general who had been relieved of his post and held significant military power frequently inquired about the border defenses?
Although he didn't know the specifics of the border situation, He Yuanhao had a feeling that something bad was going to happen these past few days, and he was constantly on edge. He studied maps day and night, and even neglected his son's engagement.
The border between Qi and Yan is long, so if Yan were to launch an attack, there are roughly three routes to choose from.
The easternmost Yushan Pass, the central Jubei Pass, and the western Luoyue Pass.
The Yan state did not only have these three routes to choose from for its attack; it was just that these three passes blocked the flat roads, and the army's supplies could only be replenished in time by taking one of these three routes. Otherwise, even if the Yan army, carrying only one day's rations, invaded Qi, it would not be able to penetrate deeply and would not be able to form a significant force.
Therefore, if the Yan state wanted to attack, it had to capture one of its passes and control at least one supply route.
The Yan state, located in the north, excelled in cavalry warfare. Entering Qi via Yushan Pass was difficult due to the mountainous terrain, which was disadvantageous for cavalry. Entering via Jubei Pass involved numerous passes that needed to be conquered one by one, which was too time-consuming. Entering Qi via Luoyue Pass, after conquering Luoyue, was a smooth road with only a few small cities along the way. Conquering these cities would allow them to reach the capital, Yin.
The State of Qi was aware of the key points, which is why the defenses and border troops at Luoyue Pass were always the best in Qi.
For the Yan state to break through Luoyue Pass would be even more difficult than attacking Yinjing City.
Even so, military strategy is cunning and cannot be based on conventional wisdom. An attack from three directions is possible.
He Yuanhao quietly observed the map, mentally rehearsing various directions and tactics of the Yan army's attack. It seemed that only by constantly thinking and fighting could he find peace of mind.
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