At the next morning court session, His Majesty appointed Yuchi Che as the general, Yuchi Zhao as the deputy general, and Yun Jiangli as the military advisor, and transferred the former Yingzhou Army’s General Jing Yuan as the commander of the left front and the former Shenzhou Army’s Deputy Commander Ge Yumin as the commander of the right front.
Three days later, they set out from the north gate and led 70,000 troops to aid the northern border.
Although the Emperor’s decree mentioned 70,000 troops, if they add up the 30,000 garrison troops in the north, there will be a total of 100,000 troops this time.
The number of troops is equal to that of the enemy’s coalition forces, but the enemy’s army is originally a combination of several parties. Not to mention the combat effectiveness, there are inevitably various loopholes in military morale and management.
Therefore, they were all extremely confident about this northern expedition.
After Yun Jiangli came out of the palace, he went directly back to Prince An’s mansion. Although he had been appointed as a military advisor, he actually had more interactions with the two brothers of the Yuchi family, and he did not need to go to the army so early to do an inventory and sorting in advance.
He had agreed with Yuchi Che that he would stay at home and accompany the little prince wholeheartedly in the next few days.
.
Yan Muning knew that Yun Jiangli would enter the palace today, so he got up early before dawn.
The little prince was so sleepy that his eyelids kept fighting, but he insisted on tying Yun Jiangli’s hair himself. It was not until he saw the carriage go far away that he yawned and went back to the warm pavilion to catch up on his sleep.
At this moment, Yun Jiangli just entered the mansion and saw Chen Mo discussing something with the old Steward Zhou in the front yard, so he walked up and asked, “Is Xiao Wangye in the bedroom now?”
“Young Hall Master.”
Chen Mo turned around and saw him and hurriedly responded, “His Highness is sleeping in the warm pavilion right now.”
Yun Jiangli nodded after hearing this and stopped walking towards Yan Muning’s yard. He turned around and ran towards the yard where the old hall master lived.
He estimated that this should be the time when his old man practiced Baduan Jin everyday without fail.
As expected, as soon as he stepped into the small courtyard, he saw the old hall master standing in the middle of the courtyard, punching slowly with a fat white… ball on his shoulder.
“What did you feed it again?”
Yun Jiangli pointed at the old man’s shoulder helplessly, “It’s so fat that its legs can’t be seen anymore.”
He was talking about the white bird that Yan Muning brought back from Jinzhou. It was originally kept in the flower house in the backyard, but later on, because the little bird was greedy, it even dared to peck at the flower seeds.
It happened that after the old man of the Yun family came to the Prince’s mansion, he liked this little thing very much, so he told the little prince to keep it in his small courtyard and give it to the little prince to play with every now and then.
This little bird has been living a very comfortable life since entering the mansion, and it no longer looks like it did when he first picked it up and brought it home.
After being raised for so long, its white fur has become shiny, and it has not grown in size, but its body has become more rounded. Yun Jiangli always complains about it every time he sees it.
“Not fat, it’s just that its fur is thicker in winter.”
The old hall master continued to practice Baduan Jin and glanced at Yun Jiangli: “Why don’t you like the little bird?”
Yun Jiangli did not respond. He could not admit that he had been jealous of a fat bird.
He sat casually on the stone bench in the yard and said, “I will follow the army to the north in three days.”
“I know. I have already ordered all the useful people in ‘Xuezhu’ to go there in advance. It will be useful if you have more information there.”
The old master slowly withdrew his posture and waved at him, “Come inside.”
Yun Jiangli followed the old hall master into the living room and sat at the tea table. Seeing his old man go into the inner room, he took some tea leaves and brewed them first.
He lowered his eyes and saw the little white bird staring at him with a pair of black and small eyes.
“Tsk.”
Yun Jiangli poked the little bird’s head in a rather childish way.
The old hall master came out with a square box and handed it to him, saying, “The military physician accompanying the army this time was also a disciple of our Renji Tang. I also asked Jian Shuang to follow you. He is good at treating external injuries, so it is most appropriate for him to follow you this time.”
“No need, the Renji Tang in the capital still needs Jian Shuang…”
Yun Jiangli frowned and looked at his father.
“Hey, this old man is in the capital, why would we need him?”
The old hall master waved his hand to interrupt him, complaining with some dissatisfaction, “Why, just because this old man has been less involved in the past two years, do you really think I’m old?”
Yun Jiangli has been unable to argue with his own father since he was a child, so he had to keep silent.
“Alright, I don’t have any more instructions for you.”
The old hall master pointed to the box and said, “Emergency medicine and antidote. You know how to use them without me saying anything. You have always been cautious. I am relieved. If there is anything, discuss it with the two boys of the Yuchi family. Don’t worry about the family, I will take good care of Xiao Wangye for you.”
It seemed like he hadn’t heard his father talk so much in years, and Yun Jiangli felt a little sad.
He was always a man of few words and was even less good at expressing himself to his father, so he could only personally serve the brewed tea to him with both hands.
The old hall master took the teacup with a hearty smile and did not forget to tease him: “You have really changed a lot in this year. Why are you shy in front of me?”
Yun Jiangli stood up expressionlessly, picked up the box, turned around, and prepared to leave.
At the end, he still reminded him with concern: “Drink less alcohol.”
.
Yun Jiangli entered the warm pavilion quietly but found that the little prince had woken up. Ying had just woken up and was sitting on the couch rubbing his eyes in a daze.
Hearing the noise, he raised his head stupidly and gave him a soft and sweet smile: “Ah Li, you’re back!”
Yun Jiangli, who was so fascinated by the youth’s smile that he couldn’t take his eyes off him, stood there and stared at him for a long time before nodding and saying, “Yeah, I just went to my father’s yard.”
“Ah! Why don’t you wait for me to go with you? I want to go see the white sparrow!”
The little prince pouted unhappily.
Yun Jiangli: “……”
It’s that fat bird again!
It was a little hot in the warm pavilion. Yun Jiangli took off his outer robe and sat on the edge of the couch. Yan Muning came over very naturally, leaned in his arms, and asked softly, “Has the date for the expedition been set?”
“Three days later.”
Yun Jiangli held him on his lap and let him lean on him more comfortably.
The little prince wrinkled his nose, “Ah, how come so fast? Then you have to go to the army in advance?”
Yun Jiangli shook his head and raised his hand to help the little prince smooth his long hair that was messed up by his sleep: “I have already made an agreement with Yuchi Che that I don’t have to go in advance. I will stay at home with you these few days, and I won’t go anywhere.”
When the little prince heard this, his round eyes curved into crescents with joy.
In the past three days, Yun Jiangli had been almost always by Yan Muning’s side, and the little prince was happy to have someone to feed him, coax him when he slept, and even hold him when he went out for a walk.
But no matter how much they accompanied each other and how reluctant they were to part, these three days passed quickly.
The night before the departure.
Yun Jiangli bathed the little prince early in the morning and then hugged him and lay on the bed.
The flickering candlelight in the bedroom cast the two people’s figures leaning against each other on the bed curtains, inexplicably adding a hint of melancholy.
“Have you packed your stuff?”
Yan Muning asked in a low voice.
Yun Jiangli tapped the tip of the little prince’s nose and said with a smile, “You have to put things in every day. If I still don’t pack properly, you might have to put yourself in the luggage too.”
“Hmph, I would like to…”
The little prince muttered.
“Xiao Qi, I’ll leave Du Zhong and Lao Qi to you…” Yun Jiangli held the youth’s hand, rubbing it in his palm.
Yan Muning shook his head: “I don’t need them! They are the ones you are used to, so you must take them with you for me to feel at ease. I have people around me, not to mention that the Old Hall Master is at the mansion too, and Physician Zhang is also at the mansion. What else do you have to worry about?”
After saying that, the little prince raised his head slightly and kissed Yun Jiangli’s jaw loudly: “You only have one mission! That is to return triumphantly as soon as possible.”
Yun Jiangli hugged the youth tightly in his arms and said gently, “Alright.”
The two seemed to have endless things to say, but they didn’t know where to start. After a moment of silence, they leaned close to each other and exchanged a kiss full of love.
The kiss lasted for a long time, until Yan Muning turned around with a dizzy head, leaned softly in Yun Jiangli’s arms, trembling slightly.
Yun Jiangli let go of the lips that he had rubbed until they were red and began to peck the youth’s forehead, cheeks, and nose tip gently…
After a while, the little prince suddenly raised his hand and tightly grasped the big beauty’s collar, pulling him towards him, and kissed him again.
Yan Muning was particularly proactive this time. He explored his lover’s breath clumsily but passionately and even bit his lips without knowing how to do it. He also imitated Yun Jiangli and put one hand on the back of his head, pressing him forcefully towards himself and not allowing him to dodge.
How could Yun Jiangli dodge?
He let the youth hum and bite like a kitten.
Although he was about to become a father, he was still as youthful as when they first met. His clothes were rippling rapidly, his eyes were red, and his round eyes were full of water. Every part of him seemed to have thrown out a handful of little hooks, hooking his heartstrings and his soul, making him unable to stop…
On this night before their farewell, they didn’t know how many times they kissed each other nor how long they kissed.
It seemed that they had to kiss each other after talking for a few sentences in order to gain the strength to continue.
They seemed like a pair of young men who were in love and restrained themselves from being polite. Apart from kissing and hugging each other, they did not do anything else. It seemed that as long as they could be close to each other, they would be the infinite strength to support each other.
……
It was already late at night.
Neither of them mentioned the time, they just snuggled together and looked at each other quietly.
The child in the belly seemed to have woken up, moving slightly, reminding the two fathers of his existence.
Yan Muning held Yun Jiangli’s hand and placed it on his belly and said softly, “He’s awake, talk to him.”
“Alright.”
Yun Jiangli touched the youth’s round belly through his soft undergarment.
Yan Muning leaned against his shoulder affectionately, rubbed it, and said, “I won’t give the child a nickname, tell me when you come back.”
“Alright.”
“We’ve already agreed, you have to send someone to deliver news to me every ten days.”
“Alright.”
“The wedding clothes will be ready when you come back. Don’t become too ugly when you’re back. Otherwise, I will regret it and will not marry you.”
“Alright.”
“My short blade is with you, right? Take it with you, just like I am by your side, protecting you.”
“Alright.”
“Ah Li, I can’t bear to part with you. I personally asked for the imperial edict for you, but now I am so reluctant to part with you…”
Yun Jiangli was silent. His eyes were sore and his chest was inexplicably tight. He hugged the youth tighter. He felt the youth sticking to his ear and whispering softly.
“Yun Jiangli, I’ll wait for your triumphant return.”
“Alright…”
🥺 now I’m apprehensive….