As Father and Son Song led Great Qi’s mighty army on their first campaign against Zhaojiang, Pei Lanqing was sitting by the window with Quan’er, practicing calligraphy.
Quan’er had been exceptionally intelligent since childhood, and with Pei Lanqing’s personal guidance, he had already developed excellent penmanship despite his young age. However, Pei Lanqing could sense that his son was distracted today, so he had joined him in practicing ancient clerical script.
Under his father’s watchful gaze, Xiao Yuquan gripped his brush and painstakingly wrote each intricate character. Though his hand still lacked strength, the majestic outline of the characters was already visible.
But when he reached the character for “war,” he repeatedly rewrote it seven or eight times without success, his small brow furrowing tightly.
“Quan’er, are you troubled by something?” Despite his physical limitations, Pei Lanqing reached from behind to grasp Xiao Yuquan’s hand, guiding him to complete the character in one fluid stroke.
Xiao Yuquan stared at the ink on the paper, then turned to Pei Lanqing. “Father, Brother Chi is going to war because of me, isn’t he?”
Pei Lanqing paused slightly, then smiled and smoothed his son’s collar. He embraced him, saying, “Quan’er is still young. There’s no need to worry so much.”
Xiao Yuquan shook his head, burying his face in Pei Lanqing’s chest and murmuring against his father’s neck, “Father, actually… Quan’er is happy, but also worried.”
“I know,” Pei Lanqing said, patting Quan’er’s back soothingly. He spoke softly and slowly, “I was worried too when your Imperial Father went to war back then.”
“Although your Imperial Father was older than Lie Chi, he had no one by his side to care for or protect him.”
Even now, recalling those old days, Pei Lanqing couldn’t forget the torment he had endured. “From the moment I learned he was going to the battlefield, I didn’t sleep soundly for a single night… I kept thinking about stopping him. He would have listened to me.”
“But in the end, I didn’t. Because I knew it was his own ambition. Your Imperial Father was a fierce eagle, destined to spread his wings and soar into the vast sky.”
“But I also know that no matter how far he flies, he will eventually return to my side.”
As Xiao Linye returned to the Imperial Retreat’s sleeping chamber, he overheard Pei Lanqing’s words. His chest swelled with a profound emotion. After composing himself, he entered the chamber with a smile.
“Imperial Father!” Xiao Yuquan immediately dropped his brush and ran to Xiao Linye, throwing himself into his arms.
Xiao Linye embraced his son, but instead of lifting him as he usually did, he handed him a small sword. “Quan’er, I have a gift for you today.”
Quan’er accepted the sword with both hands, his expression tinged with disappointment. “Thank you, Imperial Father… but I can never seem to improve my swordsmanship.”
Since birth, Quan’er had been frail. He excelled in his studies and literary pursuits, but struggled to make progress in martial arts.
Xiao Linye wasn’t disappointed by his son’s words. Instead, he wrapped an arm around him and said, “It’s not important if you don’t excel at swordsmanship. I never intended for you to become a swordsman.”
“What I want is for you to become the finest wielder of the sword.”
Xiao Yuquan blinked in confusion. Xiao Linye pinched his cheek and steadied the small sword in his hand. “Quan’er, Imperial Father has given you the sharpest sword in Great Qi’s future.”
“Song Pingming has won a resounding victory in his first battle. Your Little General Song led two hundred vanguard troops to charge the enemy lines, slaying dozens and quickly gaining renown within the army.”
Xiao Yuquan’s eyes widened in delight. He clutched the small sword tightly and raced out of the hall, shouting, “Imperial Father, I’m going to see him!”
Xiao Linye watched his son’s small figure disappear, shaking his head with a smile as he approached Pei Lanqing.
Pei Lanqing remained seated, a faint smile gracing his lips as he offered his congratulations. “Congratulations on your victory, Ye’er, and on gaining a new fierce general.”
Xiao Linye sat beside him, pulling Pei Lanqing close and resting his head on his shoulder. “Grand Tutor, you’re mistaken. I’ve already given this fierce general to Quan’er.”
He reached out to stroke Pei Lanqing’s belly, his voice deepening. “In the future, with Little General Song’s protection and the support of his own flesh and blood, I can rest assured in passing the empire to him.”
Pei Lanqing simply smiled against his chest, holding Xiao Linye’s hand where he had placed it on his abdomen. “Ye’er, why are you thinking so far ahead? You’re not even thirty yet, and Quan’er still has a long way to go before he grows up.”
Xiao Linye lowered his head to kiss Pei Lanqing’s forehead, then embraced him. “As parents, we always worry about our children’s future. Moreover, Quan’er is the Grand Tutor’s child, born for me. Naturally, I must pave the way for him.”
++++++
While Father and Son Song charged ahead on the front lines, Xiao Linye and Pei Lanqing remained in the rear, directing the Great Qi army’s relentless advance. The Zhaojiang forces crumbled before their onslaught, retreating in disarray.
Within a month, the Great Qi army had reached the Zhao Jiang Royal Capital. However, the Zhaojiang people fiercely defended this crucial city, throwing their entire national army into the fray. Coupled with the capital’s naturally defensible terrain, the two sides reached a stalemate.
Under the moon and scattered stars, it was already past midnight. Xiao Linye sat alone in his military tent, holding a candle that illuminated the location of the Zhao Jiang Royal Capital on the map.
In truth, by deploying more troops and pushing forward with overwhelming force, regardless of casualties, they could quickly capture the city.
If this had been the Xiao Linye who once fought on the battlefield, driven solely by the desire for victory, he likely would have chosen this approach.
But the Xiao Linye before him was no longer the young man who had first ascended the throne eight years ago. His eagle-like gaze fixed on the map, his mind already weaving countless layers of strategies.
He wanted to capture the Zhao Jiang Royal Capital, but he also wanted a true victory.
The final plan slowly took shape in his mind. The flame of the candle in his hand finally ignited the map, gradually reducing the Zhao Jiang Royal Capital to ashes.
Just then, he heard the sound of someone bowing outside. Looking up, he saw Pei Lanqing, draped in a silver-white cloak and supported by several eunuchs, slowly entering the tent.
“Grand Tutor, why are you here?” Xiao Linye set down the candlestick. Pei Lanqing was nearing his due date and carrying twins, making his belly increasingly heavy and cumbersome. Xiao Linye couldn’t bear to see him walking around like this. He hurried forward to support Pei Lanqing, gently guiding him to his own seat with utmost care. The eunuchs discreetly withdrew, leaving only the two of them in the military tent.
“Lie Chi just went to my tent to fetch Quan’er,” Pei Lanqing said, opening the small food box he carried. He took out a bowl of hot porridge. “I knew you must have finished discussing matters here, so I came to check on you.”
“I heard from Tian Rui that you didn’t eat much dinner, so I brought you some congee. Drink it while it’s hot.”
Xiao Linye watched the steam rising from the congee, and a warmth spread through his heart. The heavy irritation he’d felt moments ago completely dissolved in Pei Lanqing’s gentle whispers.
He wrapped his arms around Pei Lanqing from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder. Inhaling the faint fragrance from Pei Lanqing’s hair, he couldn’t resist turning his head to kiss the back of his ear. “Grand Tutor, your words warm my heart more than any food.”
Pei Lanqing shook his head with a smile, picked up the congee bowl, and spooned the congee to Xiao Linye’s lips. “Ye’er, no matter how sweet your words, you still need to eat something.”
“What, do you want me to feed you like I used to feed Quan’er?”
Xiao Linye laughed at this, took the bowl himself, and obediently finished the congee under Pei Lanqing’s watchful gaze. He even imitated Quan’er’s childhood habit of turning the bowl upside down to show Pei Lanqing the empty bottom. “All gone! Grand Tutor, shouldn’t you reward me?”
Xiao Linye had only said it jokingly, but to his surprise, Pei Lanqing leaned in and gently kissed his lips.
Xiao Linye’s hand instinctively wrapped around Pei Lanqing’s waist, carefully drawing him into his embrace as he deepened the kiss.
“Is the situation in Zhao Jiang Royal Capital really that difficult?” Pei Lanqing murmured, resting his head on Xiao Linye’s shoulder and gently clasping his hand. “Ye’er hasn’t been sleeping soundly lately.”
Xiao Linye shook his head, his rough yet burning hand gripping Pei Lanqing’s in return. “It’s actually a small place. If we threw our entire army at it, we could break through the city walls in at most two days.”
“But this battle isn’t just about winning. I want to win gloriously.”
Pei Lanqing understood what Xiao Linye was thinking. He lifted his head from his shoulder, his eyes warm and resolute as he gazed at him. “You already have a plan, don’t you, Ye’er?”
Xiao Linye tightened his embrace around Pei Lanqing, finally sighing heavily. He lowered his head to caress Pei Lanqing’s pregnant belly. “I was supposed to stay by the Grand Tutor’s side throughout his confinement. But this journey has been so arduous, and now we’re on the battlefield.”
“It’s my fault for not taking better care of you.”
Pei Lanqing shook his head, pressing Xiao Linye’s hand against his belly to share the increasingly distinct and powerful movements of their children. “Ye’er has always taken excellent care of us.”
“What I want for us and our children isn’t fleeting peace. I want Ye’er to bring us lasting peace.”
Xiao Linye gazed into Pei Lanqing’s eyes, where a fire seemed to burn, igniting his heart.
“Go, Ye’er. Do what you must.”
“We’ll always be here waiting for you.”
Waiting for you to return to my side once more, victorious and triumphant.
