To be honest, under other circumstances, Chi Yan would have been willing to go, but he was worried about Liu Yifu.
But the current situation is special. He always felt that the situation in Yanjing was not clear and that something bad might happen after he left. He was uneasy about leaving at this time.
Moreover, he had never led troops before and was a civil official. There were many people more suitable than him, so there was no reason for Emperor Chongde to specifically choose him. Chi Yan hesitated for a moment before expressing his concerns.
Emperor Chongde said calmly, “Those bandits are nothing but a rabble, not a regular army. Your mission to suppress them is a good opportunity for you to hone your skills. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
Other generals who escaped unscathed couldn't help but chime in: "Yes, Commander Chi, this is a great opportunity to enhance your resume!"
"Commander, His Majesty trusts you!"
Therefore, if Chi Yan were to refuse again, it would seem that he was being ungrateful and betraying His Majesty's trust in him.
Chi Yan left the palace with a heavy heart. He accepted the assignment, and Emperor Chongde generously gave him a day off on the condition that he must set off for Yongzhou the next morning.
He hadn't figured out how to bring it up with Shen Tangning yet. He hadn't felt it when they were together before, but now he always felt that they were apart too often. Moreover, she knew that Liu Yifu's whereabouts were unknown, so she would probably be worried.
...
Shen Tangning was somewhat surprised to see Chi Yan return: "Did you forget something?"
He walked out of the courtyard, wearing a black cloak. His handsome face seemed covered with frost, but when he saw her, the first snow melted, and the coldness in his eyes disappeared.
He took off his cloak and handed it to Xueqing to hang up. Chi Yan was still wearing a bright red official robe, with broad shoulders and a belt around his waist. His eyebrows and eyes were slightly raised, and he looked dashing and handsome.
He sat down, took a sip of hot tea from Shen Tangning's cup, and mumbled, "His Majesty has granted me a day off today."
"Such a good thing?" She smiled, but seeing that he didn't seem pleased and there was a hint of worry between his brows, she immediately stopped smiling. "But what happened?"
Knowing he couldn't hide it from her, Chi Yan straightened up slightly, stared into her eyes, and slowly revealed the truth: "The sand bandits launched a surprise attack, Yongzhou fell, and Liu Yifu led troops to meet the enemy... His whereabouts are currently unknown."
Shen Tangning was stunned, somewhat unable to react: "What?"
So Chi Yan repeated it again.
She was momentarily lost in thought, her mind instantly flashing back to the scene when she last parted ways with Liu Yifu—
Below the city gate, Liu Yi turned back to look at him. He was still wearing a faded blue robe, his figure upright and sharp. Together with her, he watched Chi Yan secretly kicking the corner of the wall, his tone slightly amused:
"Chi Yan is a very good person. Marrying him is a good choice for you."
She smiled and said in an unconsciously affectionate tone, "He is indeed very good."
She glanced up without noticing and saw Liu Yifu staring intently at her, his head tilted to the side. Caught off guard, he seemed flustered, quickly averting his gaze and moving his lips slightly.
"I'm leaving in a hurry this time. I'll treat you properly when I return to Yanjing next time."
She had a feeling that this wasn't what he actually wanted to say, but for some reason, he swallowed the words back.
He has always been such a gentle and meticulous person, patient and restrained, subtle and unassuming. If it weren't for that handkerchief, he might never have let her know his thoughts in his entire life.
She didn't feel offended by such a precious sentiment, let alone develop any feelings of rejection towards him.
Shen Tangning suddenly felt guilty and uneasy. If it weren't for her, Liu Yifu wouldn't have fallen into such a dangerous situation. He had never set foot in Yongzhou in his previous life, so how could he have disappeared there?
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