Chapter 101

Chapter 101

"Who closed it?" Minghe inquired.

Dànzi shook his little head like a rattle: "I don’t know."

Xiao Yu's voice came just in time, "Xiao Zhongzi, take care of Minghe and Dànzi."

Xiao Zhongzi responded promptly, "Yes."

Xiao Yu added, "Minghe, Dànzi, read some books for a while. I'm busy now."

"Uncle, what are you busy with?" Dànzi asked.

Minghe also questioned, "It's so cold, what could you be busy with?"

Xiao Yu didn’t answer.

Xiao Zhongzi quickly intervened, "Xiao Ziqing will tell you when he comes back in a little while."

That's right!

The two children then stopped worrying and started flipping through comic books on the table.

Xiao Zhongzi stayed by their side, taking care of them.

Outside the east wing room, Xiao Yu was kissed again by Pei Yanli.

It was a long while before the two of them stopped, both panting.

In the light cast by the east wing room, Xiao Yu clearly saw Pei Yanli's handsome face, the joy and tenderness in his dark eyes. He looked for a while before asking, "When did you enter the palace?"

"Just now," Pei Yanli replied.

Xiao Yu asked, "Has the entire army entered the capital?"

Pei Yanli answered, "No, I came alone."

"You—"

"I missed you," Pei Yanli, who had lived for over twenty years without knowing what love felt like, had just confessed his feelings to Xiao Yu before leaving for the frontier. Busy times were manageable, but in moments of idleness, Xiao Yu's image filled his mind.

After annihilating the main force of the Hu people, his longing to return intensified. Yet, with unfinished duties, each day felt like a year. He had experienced the sweet and bitter taste of love.

Leading the army back, the closer he got to the capital, the less he could control his longing. So, while his men were setting up camp, he rode back as fast as he could.

Xiao Yu, suddenly serious, said, "You're being reckless. Does His Majesty know about this?" According to the customs of Dajing, someone like Pei Yanli who had earned military honors should rest outside the city for a day and then enter the capital grandly in broad daylight to receive the people's cheers and enhance the royal family's prestige. Otherwise, it would be punishable.

Pei Yanli laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" Xiao Yu asked, very seriously.

Pei Yanli held Xiao Yu's hand and kissed it, saying, "I'm laughing because you're adorable."

Xiao Yu frowned, "Be serious!"

Seeing that Xiao Yu was about to get angry, Pei Yanli hurriedly explained, "Don't worry, I've already seen His Majesty."

Xiao Yu's anger dissipated, and he asked, "What did His Majesty say?"

"His Majesty allowed me to come see you. I'll leave the palace shortly to join up with Lu Ming and the others, and formally enter the palace tomorrow morning," Pei Yanli said, embracing Xiao Yu again.

Xiao Yu hugged back, "We've been apart for so long, one more day doesn't matter."

"It matters to me, I care. I just wanted to come back and see you as soon as possible," Pei Yanli buried his face in Xiao Yu's neck, breathing in his warm, faint scent, finally finding solace for his long-standing longing.

Xiao Yu's heart swelled with joy.

"Heartless," Pei Yanli suddenly said.

"Who are you calling heartless?" Xiao Yu asked with a smile.

"Just say you missed me once." Every time Pei Yanli wrote about his deep affection in letters, Xiao Yu would reply with his daily life. Although he loved reading about Xiao Yu's days, he longed to hear some sweet nothings from Xiao Yu.

"You're already back, why bother about this now?" Xiao Yu let go, intending to have a proper discussion with Pei Yanli.

Pei Yanli held him tighter, "Just a little longer."

So, Xiao Yu continued to hold Pei Yanli, smiling.

After a while, they finally let go of each other, holding hands and looking into each other’s eyes.

Xiao Yu asked, "Where is the army stationed?"

"Twenty li outside the city," Pei Yanli replied.

"That's quite far. You should hurry back and get some rest."

Pei Yanli asked with a smile, "Are you sending me away?"

"I want you to rest properly," Xiao Yu said, rising on his toes to plant a kiss on Pei Yanli's face.

Pei Yanli turned his head, capturing Xiao Yu's lips in a kiss, prying open his mouth, catching his tongue, and then entangling it with his own. After a long time, he reluctantly pulled away.

Xiao Yu stood at the door for a long time, hearing Minghe and Dànzi's quarrel before turning to enter the east wing room.

When Minghe, Dànzi, and Xiao Zhongzi looked at him, they all paused in surprise.

Xiao Yu, puzzled, asked, "What's wrong?"

Minghe pointed at Xiao Yu's face, "Uncle, your face is so red."

"And your lips are swollen!" Dànzi added.

Xiao Yu touched his hot cheeks and slightly swollen lips, and seeing Xiao Zhongzi stifling a laugh, he shot him a glare.

Xiao Zhongzi quickly straightened up and regained his composure.

Xiao Yu explained, "I just ate something, and it was very spicy. It burned me."

"What was so spicy?" the two children, ever curious, asked.

"Of course, it was chili peppers," Xiao Yu replied evasively, worried the children might probe further. He quickly pointed to the books on the bed to change the subject, "Which book are you two reading?"

The attention of the two children was quickly diverted.

Xiao Yu then spent some time discussing books with them, followed by washing up, and after crawling into bed, he held the two children and told them stories until they fell asleep.

Lying in bed, he touched his own lips, feeling a sweet happiness, making everything around him seem wonderful.

He looked out the window, eagerly hoping for dawn, knowing that he would see Pei Yanli as soon as the day broke.

Gazing out, he didn't realize when he fell asleep, and when he hazily opened his eyes, the outside was still dim. He joyfully got out of bed and started to get ready.

While having breakfast with Minghe and Dànzi, Xiao Zhongzi rushed in excitedly, exclaiming, "Xiao Ziqing, General Pei has entered the palace!"

"So soon?" Xiao Yu stood up in surprise.

"Yes, His Majesty has ordered the Crown Prince to go and welcome him immediately," Xiao Zhongzi said.

Xiao Yu asked, "Can I go too?"

"Yes, Eunuch Qian said even us 'small fries' can go to witness the grandeur of General Pei and General Lu. Of course, you can go," Xiao Zhongzi said, beaming with joy.

"Then let's go together," Xiao Yu suggested.

Xiao Zhongzi glanced down at Minghe and Dànzi.

The two children were hungrily stuffing buns into their mouths.

Xiao Yu said calmly, "No rush, let’s go after you finish eating."

The two children still finished their breakfast very quickly.

The group hurried out of the Princes' residence.

On the way to the San Gong Gate, many palace servants were running excitedly.

"The General is back."

"Can you all go to see too?"

"Our master allowed us to go and take a look."

"General Pei won a great victory, everyone wants to share in the joy."

"Yes, indeed."

"Hurry up, if we're late, the corridor will be crowded, and we won't even see the General's shadow."

“……”

Caught up in this lively atmosphere, Xiao Yu and the others started running too, and soon they saw Emperor Yongxi.

Xiao Yu said to the two children, "There’s His Majesty, go quickly."

Minghe and Dànzi ran over to greet the Emperor and joined him.

Seeing that Pei Yanli hadn't arrived yet, Xiao Yu slowed down, but then he heard some strange comments amidst the noisy crowd.

"Huh, why are there two Xiao Ziqings?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"I just saw one up ahead, and now here's another one?"

"I saw it twice too."

"You must be seeing things."

"Look, is that the back of Xiao Ziqing?"

"That's not Xiao Ziqing! It’s Master Fang!"

"Right, that’s Fang Ru'an from the Ministry of Works!"

"But he looks so much like Xiao Ziqing."

“……”

Fang Ru'an?

Similar?

Xiao Yuanping said the same thing yesterday, even mistakenly hugging Fang Ru'an's leg.

Xiao Yu looked ahead and saw a man in pale blue clothing not far away, with a fair complexion, slim and tall stature, conversing with someone beside him politely and gently... Indeed, there was a resemblance. He suddenly understood why the Zheng brothers repeatedly mentioned Fang Ru'an – to bother him.

Yes.

His mind was filled with clichéd notions like 'doppelgänger', 'reunion after a broken mirror', 'rekindling old flames', leaving him feeling frustrated.

At that moment, Pei Yanli appeared at the entrance of the San Gong Gate.

The crowd stirred.

Fang Ru'an quickly turned to look, his gentle eyes unable to hide his affection.

Pei Yanli dismounted his horse and, along with Lu Ming and other soldiers, walked over imposingly. His first glance was towards Fang Ru'an.

Fang Ru'an was visibly excited.

Pei Yanli paused, then hearing Emperor Yongxi's call of "Yanli", he quickly diverted his gaze and led the soldiers to pay respects to the Emperor.

"Rise!" Emperor Yongxi solemnly praised and encouraged the soldiers.

The soldiers shouted in unison, "Protecting our country is every man's duty!"

Emperor Yongxi proclaimed, "Well said! You will be richly rewarded!"

"Thank you, our Emperor. Long live the Emperor, may he live for ten thousand years," the soldiers chorused.

The atmosphere in front of the San Gong Gate was solemn and uplifting.

Emperor Yongxi stepped forward and grasped Pei Yanli's hand, "You have worked hard!"

Pei Yanli replied, "Your Majesty, it is my duty."

Emperor Yongxi led Pei Yanli towards the San Gong Gate.

Pei Yanli looked around and finally caught sight of Xiao Yu, his eyes lighting up.

Xiao Yu's mood suddenly lifted.

Pei Yanli smiled and reassuredly followed Emperor Yongxi.

"I am Fang Ru'an, at your service, Xiao Ziqing," a new voice said.

Xiao Yu turned to see Fang Ru'an standing beside him, with a gentle expression. "What can I do for you, Master Fang?" Since Fang Ru'an, as a Langzhong in the Ministry of Works, was a rank below him, Xiao Yu did not need to return the courtesy.

"Please take care of this," Fang Ru'an handed over a sachet.

Xiao Yu realized that his sachet had fallen off at some point. He took it and reattached it to his waist, saying, "Thank you, Master Fang."

"There's no need for thanks," Fang Ru'an said, looking away from the ghost-work bead on Xiao Yu's waist, "I should be going now."

Xiao Yu nodded.

Fang Ru'an left with a smile, showing no surprise at their similar appearances.

Xiao Yu suddenly felt stifled again. He had wanted to talk to Pei Yanli, but since his return to the capital, Pei Yanli had been occupied with handover matters and meetings with Emperor Yongxi and other court officials for two consecutive days.

Even Minghe and Dànzi were attending these meetings and had no time to return to the Princes' residence for meals.

Early on the third day, Minghe and Dànzi went to Qianxin Hall again.

However, they returned shortly afterward, bringing news with them.

"Uncle, Uncle Pei fainted from fever last night," Minghe said seriously.

Xiao Yu was alarmed, "Why did he have a fever?"

Dànzi replied, "Father said he's injured!"

"Is it serious?" Xiao Yu asked urgently.

"Don't know, the imperial physician went to see him last night," Dànzi said.

Although they had a warm reunion the day they met, Xiao Yu hadn't noticed any injury on Pei Yanli. He asked anxiously, "Where is he now?"

"At the General's mansion!" both children responded.

Xiao Yu hurried to Qianxin Hall to get a pass to leave the palace from Emperor Yongxi, then handed the two children over to Xiao Zhongzi. He left the palace directly for the General's mansion, announced his name, and the gatekeeper immediately let him in.

Without any interest in admiring the grandeur of the General's mansion, he walked straight ahead.

"Xiao Yu!" Lu Ming suddenly appeared, "What brings you here?"

"How is Yanli's injury?" Xiao Yu inquired.

"He's been bandaged and there's no serious harm. He just needs to rest," Lu Ming said.

Relieved, Xiao Yu replied, "Then I'll go see him."

"Xiao Yu!" Lu Ming called out, "Maybe you should wait a bit."

Puzzled, Xiao Yu asked, "Why?"

"Well... there's a visitor," Lu Ming said awkwardly.

If there was a visitor at this time, it wasn't likely for official matters. Xiao Yu ventured, "Fang Ru'an?"

Surprised, Lu Ming then realized, "Oh right, he just returned from Jiangnan and is now a Langzhong in the Ministry of Works. Have you met already?"

"Yes," Xiao Yu nodded.

Lu Ming paused and advised, "What happened between him and Yanli is in the past."

"I know," Xiao Yu replied. "I came to see Pei Yanli."

Lu Ming relaxed a bit, "That's good."

"Can I go see him now?" Xiao Yu asked.

Seeing Xiao Yu's understanding, Lu Ming replied, "Let's go, I'll take you there."

Xiao Yu followed Lu Ming to a room with the door ajar, where he saw Pei Yanli sitting on the bed and Fang Ru'an on a stool beside him, both engaged in what appeared to be a harmonious conversation.

"Yanli," Lu Ming called out.

Pei Yanli and Fang Ru'an both looked over.

Seeing Xiao Yu, Pei Yanli immediately tried to stand up.

Fang Ru'an pressed down on Pei Yanli's shoulder, "Yanli, you're still injured, don't move rashly."

Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow, then walked in with Lu Ming.

Fang Ru'an quickly withdrew his hand.

Lu Ming said, "Fang Ru'an, it's been many years, you can't just talk to Yanli. Come chat with me too."

Fang Ru'an smiled, "Let's go."

Lu Ming winked at Xiao Yu, then left with Fang Ru'an.

After walking for a while, Fang Ru'an suddenly said, "Lu Ming, I left my token in Yanli's room, I'll go get it."

"Go ahead, I'll wait here," Lu Ming responded without much thought.

Fang Ru'an quickly retraced his steps, slowing down as he neared Pei Yanli's room. Through the half-open door, he saw Pei Yanli stretch out his arm, pulling Xiao Yu into a tight embrace, speaking with an unprecedented gentleness and affection, "Why do you always start with scolding people?"

His heart tightened, and he involuntarily clenched his fists.