Just as General Qi closed his jaw, he heard whimpering sounds beside him.
He turned to look and was startled, then asked in a voice full of incomprehension: “…Military Supervisor Zhou, what’s wrong with you?”
Since becoming military supervisor and accompanying Chu Zhao to the frontier, Zhou Danmo had followed the principle that not causing trouble was success. He never interfered with military affairs, only reviewing what required the supervisor’s personal attention. The rest of the time, he enjoyed the scenery and painted inside the pass, maintaining good relations with the camp’s officers and soldiers.
Now he was crumpling his robe, his face full of agony as he watched Shen Ziqin and Chu Zhao embracing. His voice was distorted: “Why don’t I have a brush with me? I want to paint this right now!”
General Qi: “…”
Fine, it seemed to be a scholar’s passion for artistic expression. He didn’t understand, but he respected it.
Shen Ziqin and Chu Zhao embraced each other. Chu Zhao wanted to meld him into his own bones but feared hurting him-it was truly a dilemma that tormented him.
Chu Zhao asked hoarsely: “Why didn’t you tell me in advance?”
If he had known, he would have gone to meet him much earlier.
Shen Ziqin nestled in his embrace, feeling the warm breath as Chu Zhao spoke. The emptiness from their days apart was finally filled by this embrace. He sighed contentedly, eyes closed, completely satisfied.
“A surprise for you,” Shen Ziqin said playfully, which was rare for him. “How is it?”
“You certainly surprised me,” Chu Zhao couldn’t help but rock him in his arms, nuzzling his cheek firmly, making both Shen Ziqin’s cheeks and ears turn red. “Of course, the joy is even greater.”
Shen Ziqin’s face warmed from the nuzzling, but he was reluctant to pull away, laughing softly.
They had been discussing military matters, and provisions and supplies had just arrived, so it wasn’t appropriate for them to stand at the camp entrance for too long. The two separated from their embrace, and Chu Zhao took his hand as they walked inside: “Come, we were just in council. You can join us.”
Halfway there, Chu Zhao suddenly stopped: “Oh no.”
Shen Ziqin thought something had gone wrong with official business: “What’s wrong?”
“I just sent my reply letter to the post station. I don’t know if it’s been sent out yet.”
Chu Zhao slapped his forehead in frustration and was about to call Hei Ying to intercept the letter at the post station when Shen Ziqin caught his hand.
“It doesn’t matter. Let them send it. What you’ve written is mine,” Shen Ziqin held his palm. “You can tell me what you wrote, and I’ll read it again when we return to the capital. Different experiences, also very interesting.”
Chu Zhao laughed freely: “All right, as you wish.”
He led Shen Ziqin to the soldiers: “Let me introduce you. This is Shen Ziqin, Marquis of Yin’nan, and also my consort. He has come to deliver supplies to us.”
Everyone bowed in unison: “Greetings, Consort.”
Shen Ziqin also temporarily released Chu Zhao’s hand and returned the greeting as a court official. His role here was first as a civil official conveying the court’s orders. As for being the consort, though it was a more significant title, in Chu Zhao’s domain, it became more personal.
Shen Ziqin took a box from someone behind him, opened it, and revealed the imperial yellow edict and the tiger tally.
“Prince Qin, receive the edict,” Shen Ziqin said. “This edict is issued by Prince Rui, the regent, and the Grand Secretariat, with special instructions that kneeling is not required when receiving it.”
Upon seeing the imperial edict, everyone else had prepared to kneel, but hearing Shen Ziqin’s words, they straightened up again.
Oh, this was wonderful-receiving an edict without having to kneel was quite comfortable.
After Shen Ziqin finished reading the edict, he took out the tiger tally and was about to hand it to Chu Zhao, but Chu Zhao didn’t rush to receive it.
Shen Ziqin: ?
Just as a question formed in his mind, he saw Chu Zhao smiling at him, then dropping to one knee.
Shen Ziqin was startled, at a loss for what to do. Holding the tiger tally, he couldn’t pull Chu Zhao up, so he could only bend down and urgently whisper: “What are you doing? Get up quickly!”
Chu Zhao knelt on one knee, yet it didn’t diminish his gallant bearing at all. He looked up, revealing his sharp jawline, gazing at Shen Ziqin: “You’ve come so far to surprise me, to bring me military authority. I should have some sense of ceremony.”
Chu Zhao: “I kneel to you willingly.”
Shen Ziqin’s ears turned so red they could drip blood: “You…”
He struggled to maintain a facade of calmness, but his gaze nervously swept over the faces of those around them. Everyone wore teasing expressions, especially the soldiers. Someone even whistled: “Your Highness is bullying the consort-how shameless!”
“Exactly, exactly!”
Zhou Danmo remained silent, but his eyes had transformed into a camera, clicking away. He would draw all of this when he returned!
This was what Shen Ziqin had mentioned during their previous discussion about storybooks-what was that term? An iconic scene, yes, that was it!
How precise!
Shen Ziqin could barely maintain his composure. He thrust the tiger tally into Chu Zhao’s hand and quickly pulled him up. Chu Zhao smiled: “Thank you, Consort, for bestowing the tally. I’ll go win battles for you.”
Shen Ziqin glanced at him with red ears but couldn’t help the smile that appeared at the corners of his mouth. Chu Zhao stopped teasing him-this wasn’t the place for too much playfulness. He led everyone back to the council hall to continue their previous discussion.
As for the delivered supplies, people in the camp had already taken charge of them.
Entering the council hall, Chu Zhao had Shen Ziqin sit down. He and the soldiers gathered around the sand table, standing.
“Continuing from before,” Chu Zhao became extremely serious. “The east has cut off their supplies, and our provisions have arrived. It’s time to fight. Tomorrow we’ll send troops to recapture Yuanwang Camp.”
General Qi was boiling with enthusiasm and was about to salute and pledge when Chu Zhao calmly lowered his hand: “Don’t rush. Listen to me. For this battle, I will lead the troops from Yuanwang Camp and Mingsha Pass.”
Hearing this, everyone was taken aback.
But they didn’t rush to speak. If the prince arranged it this way, he must have his reasons.
Chu Zhao had been calmly waiting for them to ask, but seeing everyone deep in thought, waiting for him to continue, he paused: “Why aren’t you asking for the reason?”
Clearly, they were all surprised.
The others looked confused: “Well, Your Highness must have your reasons. We’re all waiting for your explanation.”
Chu Zhao: “…”
Well, he had wanted to show off a little in front of Ziqin, but his subordinates were too respectful, preventing him from doing so.
With his display of grandeur failing, Chu Zhao secretly glanced at Shen Ziqin from the corner of his eye, only to find Shen Ziqin already looking at him.
And it was an open, focused gaze.
Chu Zhao cleared his throat, straightened his back even more, and continued speaking.
Shen Ziqin held a faint smile. He truly loved seeing Chu Zhao in this confident, spirited state.
“Without Yuanwang Camp, we’ve lost our eyes deep in the grassland. With the eight major tribes united, besides those stationed at Yuanwang Camp, they might gather other forces and take the opportunity to attack us.”
General Qi’s expression became solemn: “We indeed haven’t had news from the Eagle tribe’s territory for a long time. If they gather and move south from there…”
Chu Zhao said: “That’s why you need to stay at Yueshan Pass to guard our rear.”
Chu Zhao pressed a flag onto Yueshan Pass on the sand table: “You must hold it for me.”
Here were Great Qi’s people, and his consort.
Chu Zhao would certainly prefer to stay by Shen Ziqin’s side, but he couldn’t neglect the overall situation for personal feelings. Him going out to fight while General Qi stayed to defend was the most appropriate arrangement.
Originally, Chu Zhao had been confident of victory in this battle, but with Shen Ziqin’s arrival, he became somewhat nervous.
But he didn’t let anyone see it.
Shen Ziqin had come to this place surrounded by weapons, and Chu Zhao was more concerned than if he himself were on the battlefield.
Worried, yet also drawing unstoppable courage from his beloved.
The attachments of the human world, the thread tying oneself down, were nothing more than this.
After discussing military matters, everyone dispersed. Chu Zhao took Shen Ziqin out of the camp for a walk inside the pass.
Shen Ziqin said: “Teach me to ride a horse.”
So Feixue carried the two of them toward a high mountain within the city.
The mountain wasn’t particularly high, and the path was easy, but during wartime, almost no one came up here. Standing on the mountain, one could see the endless grassland outside, and in the distance, the faint silhouettes of great mountain ranges, seemingly at the edge of the sky, unreachable.
The guards, as instructed, didn’t approach the summit, keeping watch below and giving them space.
Shen Ziqin and Chu Zhao dismounted and stood under a tree at the mountaintop.
A deep, distant wind swept through their robes, racing toward the horizon.
Chu Zhao’s mood was greatly improved by Shen Ziqin’s arrival: “When the battle is over, I’ll take you galloping across the grassland. That’s true exhilaration.”
“I’ll wait.”
Shen Ziqin was also moved by the vast, boundless landscape, so different from the central plains. Indeed, even a single breeze could broaden one’s heart.
He turned his head to look at Chu Zhao: “You need to go to Mingsha Pass to mobilize troops, so you have to leave today?”
“I’ll go tonight and depart tomorrow,” Chu Zhao took his hand. “If the barbarians truly come to attack Yueshan Pass or Tianque Pass, after we recapture Yuanwang Camp, we can still turn back and surround them.”
Chu Zhao gently caressed Shen Ziqin’s jade-like smooth hand: “Any pass could see battle. Leaving you anywhere wouldn’t completely set my mind at ease, I…”
The anxiety that others couldn’t see, Shen Ziqin knew well.
He squeezed Chu Zhao’s hand: “I won’t go anywhere. I’ll wait for you right here.”
“I’ll never again laugh at those who become timid and fearful after finding someone they care about,” Chu Zhao sighed deeply, smiling helplessly. “It’s just too much.”
The taste of it-one truly knows its power only after experiencing it.
Shen Ziqin pressed his lips together. There was no one around, only Feixue under the tree leisurely grazing, swishing its tail contentedly. He said softly: “In the capital, I missed you very much.”
“I missed you too. In my letter, I also said I wanted to show you the moon outside the pass.”
Chu Zhao clearly hadn’t fully emerged from his wistful state. Shen Ziqin steeled himself and suddenly wrapped his arms around Chu Zhao’s neck, kissing him on the cheek.
Chu Zhao’s contemplative expression froze.
“I’ve come in person,” Shen Ziqin said, his face red, eyes rippling with clear light in the frontier landscape. “Rather than worrying about other things, why not tell me exactly how you missed me.”
…That would be a long story.
But Chu Zhao was a man of action.
So he chose to cup the back of Shen Ziqin’s head, bringing their breaths together, and told him properly with his mouth.
Feixue snorted, seeing the two humans sticking together with audible sounds, “talking” intimately. Not understanding, the horse stamped its hooves and moved to the other side of the tree to continue grazing.
Meanwhile, the two were so engrossed in their “conversation” that after so many days apart, their emotions were hard to contain, and naturally, someone’s legs grew weak from the heat.
The mountain was cooler, and before climbing, Chu Zhao had wrapped a cloak around Shen Ziqin. But now Shen Ziqin felt too hot and tugged at the cloak’s string. Chu Zhao simply leaned in and bit the string.
With a tug and pull, the cloak fell open, spreading on the ground.
Shen Ziqin was also embraced and slowly lowered onto it.
“I have to march tonight…” Chu Zhao’s breathing grew heavier. “I must rest beforehand to gather my strength. I won’t be able to bother you then. You asked how much I missed you-I missed you to death.”
His finger pressed against the corner of Shen Ziqin’s eye, his voice hoarse: “I want you now, is that all right?”
Shen Ziqin’s eyes reddened at the corners. Indeed, he also wanted Chu Zhao very much.
With autumn waves in his eyes, his fingers softened by Chu Zhao’s earlier “missing,” he said softly: “All right…”
Chu Zhao leaned over, covering his eyes, blocking out the daylight.
With the sky as their canopy and the earth as their bed, the grass and trees swaying, the wind now swift, now gentle, the swan raised in the capital gracefully extended its neck, caught by the lion, and indulged freely on the grassland.
High sky, light clouds, dizzying and entrancing, disturbing my spirit.
…The mountain was truly not cold-it was too hot, melting hot.
When Chu Zhao brought Shen Ziqin down from the mountaintop, the guards below had been waiting respectfully for some time.
They noticed that the two were riding differently now.
Going up the mountain, Shen Ziqin had been in a normal riding posture, but now he was sitting sideways, his entire weight supported by Chu Zhao.
He leaned against Chu Zhao’s chest, eyes closed in a light nap, his posture peaceful and satisfied.
Chu Zhao rode slowly. His gaze only held the warmth of sunlight when looking at Shen Ziqin. With one hand, he gestured to the guards to be quiet, telling them to lower their voices.
Was the consort sleeping because he was tired from the journey?
Understandable-keep quiet, don’t disturb the consort, shh-
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(advanced chapters available on kofi)
