“Long time no see?” Qing Yun’s eyes playfully scanned over the man in front of him. He leisurely sat down, took a sip of tea, and gave him a sideways glance with his eyebrows slightly raised, “I wonder when you and I have met?”

Hearing Qing Yun’s words, the expression on Qi Yue’s face collapsed at a speed visible to the naked eye. He opened his mouth to explain, but this time his brain also slightly sobered up, so he did not directly name his identity.

The military commander saw that there was still a remedy for the matter and immediately settled the bill and pulled Qi Yue away.

Looking at the back of Qi Yue and others who left in a hurry, Qing Yun held a cup to block the smile at the corner of his mouth. He would like to expose the man’s identity and arrest him for a good time in prison, but he also knows that Qi Yue holds the Northern army. If something happens to Qi Yue, the Northern army will definitely fight to protect the master. In that case, it would be bad to cause unnecessary disturbances.

In addition, he rushed to Xiangzhou to treat the problem and had no time to play with this man.

Qi Yue returned to the camp, and the military commander surrounded him with painstaking persuasion, almost to his knees: “My General, you should not let your feelings run wild. In case those guards recognize you and me today……”

“So what if we are recognized? Or do you really think that Xiang Feng did not recognize us?” Qi Yue glanced at him and walked to the table to sit down.

After leaving Qing Yun’s presence, he was still the same majestic and cautious Northern General. He knew in his heart that by looking at the youth’s expression, he had definitely guessed their identities. However, he did not expose them. Instead, he smiled and made that kind of performance.

Thinking about the young man’s incomparably soulful eyes, Qi Yue’s face couldn’t help but flush with a smile.

“No……wait……” the military commander is a little confused. He was puzzled as he looked at the General, “General, you said he had recognized us, so why not immediately arrest us?”

“We did not deliberately disguise ourselves. From our bodies and faces, it was obvious that we were not ordinary farmers. Also, you walked in a strict formation, making you look like people from the army at a glance. With his intelligence, how could he not see it?” Qi Yue smiled and looked down at the news from the capital scouts in his hand. He then replied to the military commander, “As for why he didn’t arrest us today, it’s because he is different from that Third Prince and doesn’t want to start a war for no reason.”

""

“Imagine if you and I were arrested. What would the Northern army at the border do if they knew?”

“Then it would definitely be a revolt.” The military commander figured it out in a flash, then shook his head towards Qi Yue, “It’s a pity for such a person to follow that Grand Prince with a bad reputation.”

Qi Yue did not respond to his words and just looked down seriously at the things in his hands. Sure enough, the Imperial army in the Capital did not have any movement. Although the court rumored that the Grand Prince went to Xiangzhou to control the flood, no one saw the scene of the courtiers sending off the Grand Prince in the Capital and only two carriages left from the city.

He raised his hand and threw the paper on the table. Qi Yue’s face was gloomy, and his eyes were unkind. The slight good feeling that rose in his heart because of the rumors that the Grand Prince had gone to Xiangzhou to treat the flooding dissipated.

He knew that during the period of the assassination as well as the turmoil caused by the Third Prince, the cautious Grand Prince would never leave the Capital rashly. However, he still did not expect that the news was spread only to create momentum for himself, and the one who really went to Xiangzhou was Xiang Feng.

The environment in Xiangzhou is difficult. There is flooding, and it may be followed by an epidemic, so how dare he send Xiang Feng there? Could it be that if his own health is not good, Xiang Feng’s is better?

During the fight with the youth before, Qi Yue found that his physical foundation is extremely poor. It seems that he grew up soaking in a jar of medicine. Even careless cultivation of internal force will bring a significant burden on his body.

But the more this is, the more it makes people feel that the young man’s wisdom and martial arts skills are not easy to come by. Qi Yue believes that a talent like Xiang Feng deserves a good offering from anyone, rather than disregarding his health and sending him to the troubled Xiangzhou to control the flood.

Qi Yue’s heart could not help but feel more ill will towards the Grand Prince. He had only heard of the Grand Prince’s poor character, but now he had actually seen it.

He waved away the military commander. Qi Yue sat alone in the tent until midnight. Then, he changed into his nightclothes and left the camp silently, dashing towards the inn he had returned from earlier.

Arriving at the inn, Qi Yue circled around it, jumped lightly to the second floor, and soon found the room where the youth was.

Because throughout the inn, only one room is still lit.

Qi Yue ambled outside the window and looked in. He saw the young man sitting at the table, examining the letter in his hand by the dim candlelight.

Why is he still awake at this moment?

Qi Yue’s slightly stern pair of eyebrows could not help but frown, and he flew in through the window.

Although landing silently, he still immediately drew the attention of the young man.

His voice, slightly hoarse from staying up all night, immediately rang out, “I didn’t expect that the titled Northern General would repeatedly be reduced to an assassin?”

Hearing the youth call out his name accurately, Qi Yue immediately laughed out loud. The low laughter that belonged to him alone echoed in the room, drawing a sideways glance from the youth at the table.

Qi Yue removed the scarf covering his face and walked over towards the young man, his tone pleasant: “You really recognized me long ago.”

He approached and saw the thin clothing on the youth. He immediately frowned, and his serious black eyes flashed with worry. Then, he took it upon himself to bring the thin blanket on the bed and gently draped it over the youth’s body: “It’s late at night, how can you still be awake?”

Because I know that you, this fool, will definitely come over in the middle of the night, of course, I can not sleep.

Qing Yun looked askance at him, holding the thin blanket on his shoulders. In the other worlds, this man has always taken care of him in every way, but in this world, the two do not often encounter each other because of their positions.

Qi Yue bent down and glanced at the letter in the hands of the youth. Some words related to the imperial government came into his view. He was afraid of arousing the youth’s suspicion, so he immediately turned his face away.

Although the young man belonged to the camp of the Grand Prince, Qi Yue always felt that he and the youth were definitely not in a hostile relationship. He could not even raise half a guard against him and had a desire to be close to him.

What is he taking the young man for? Qi Yue does not know about love and only thought of the intelligent youth as his lifelong confidant. Therefore, despite the extreme proximity and his heart being on fire, his mind was unclear.

“I wonder what General Qi came here tonight for?” Qing Yun raised his face and looked at the man, “Could it be to assassinate the Grand Prince again?”

He stressed the word “Grand Prince” and thought he had given enough hints to Qi Yue, but he saw the man frown and looked at him and said solemnly: “Xiang Feng still wants to lie to me? The Grand Prince is still in the Capital, right? He said that he went to the disaster relief, but in fact, he asked you to go to Xiangzhou instead of him.”

Qing Yun’s forehead could not help but throb. How bad was this man’s impression of the Grand Prince to not be able to recognize him by now? Looking at this man’s serious look, Qing Yun was simply so angry that he wanted to laugh a little.

The man’s hand on his shoulder tightened again as he sighed: “I’m afraid you didn’t listen to what I said before.”

As he said this, he sat beside Qing Yun and looked into his eyes. His words were sincere: “With your talent, Xiang Feng, there is a place for you in the world. Why do you have to plan for that tyrannical and despicable prince?”

Oh? Tyrannical and despicable? Qing Yun raised his eyebrows. He did not expect that until now, he still has such an image in the man’s mind.

Qi Yue noticed Qing Yun’s strangeness and only thought that he was upset because he had denigrated the eldest prince, so he poured out all his worries. “You are now devoted to planning for him, not only going to Xiangzhou to accumulate fame for him but also helping in political affairs. But have you thought about how he will treat you after he ascends to the throne? Isn’t the best example what happened to those outstanding officials during the founding period?”

Qi Yue’s animosity towards the first prince grew even more as he spoke. Even a bit of inexplicable sourness emerged.

Qing Yun rested his elbows on the table, with one hand on his cheek, watching the man’s bitter persuasion to him.

He was highly mixed up in his heart. On the one hand, he was unhappy because of the man’s slander of the “Grand Prince”, and on the other hand, he felt touched by the genuine concern in this man’s words.

He really did not expect this man to be so sincere for him after only seeing him twice. The man has taken care of him in every life, and Qing Yun simply wondered if he had seen this man before he crossed over.

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This person started to get distracted after his painstaking persuasion?

Qi Yue’s heart can not help but surge a helpless cry and laugh. He reached out to pinch the youth’s delicate chin to call him back to his senses. But, the tip of his thumb accidentally touched the youth’s soft lips, and a soft wet heat startled Qi Yue to immediately withdraw his hand.

Qing Yun was also taken aback by Qi Yue’s action and could not help but withdraw his body and reprimand, “Impudent!”

Qi Yue turned his right finger. The softness almost passed into his heart from his finger, and it exploded his mind with a buzzing sound, where he could not clearly hear what the youth was saying.

The two were silent for a long time until the ambiguous air dissipated. Qi Yue began to open his mouth to continue to persuade the youth.

Opening his mouth, he was startled by his hoarse voice. He coughed lightly before continuing: “The trip to Xiangzhou, Xiang Feng must be careful. I heard that the governor here scraped the people’s money to deal with the imperial envoys. The set of despicable means is comparable to the Grand prince …… ”

Hearing the man’s words, Qing Yun’s figure gave a faintly unnoticeable pause, and his phoenix eyes almost turned round, with some cat-like cuteness.

What does that mean? This man dares to compare that Xiangzhou governor with him?

Heh. He even dared to mention the governor of Xiangzhou. It seems that his old husband has a deep impression of that person?

Seeing the youth’s expression, Qi Yue’s heart could not help but be heavier. Xiang Feng actually believed in the Grand Prince? Hearing him slander the Grand Prince made him so angry?

He twisted his fingers, and his anger towards the Grand Prince rose exceptionally high in his heart.

Remembering the so-called marriage engagement on the man again, Qing Yun flung his sleeves in anger and said sarcastically: “General Qi has the face to mention the Governor of Xiangzhou? You have worked so hard to say all this, but you are only trying to draw me in for the Third Prince, right?”

With a fiancée and loyalty to the Third Prince, the man’s status in this world is really great!

Hearing the youth’s angry words, Qi Yue hurriedly explained, “I consider Xiang Feng as my confidant. I hope Xiang Feng will listen to my words.”

Qing Yun’s anger has not yet dissipated, and he was stunned by Qi Yue’s words.

A confidant? This man has slept with him for several lifetimes, and now he tells him that he only cites him as a confidant?

He stared coldly at the man who continued to persuade him, thinking that this man was extremely satisfied with his fiancée, so he could only be reduced to a confidant?

Qing Yun was furious. The pleasure that rose in his heart because of the man’s care was suppressed by his anger, so he reprimanded him without even thinking: “Go away!”

The young man’s words made Qi Yue’s heart feel a stab of pain. He opened his mouth to speak but saw that the youth was obviously angry. Qi Yue could only stop for fear that he might hurt his body from anger: “It’s already late today, so you should rest early and not stay up late again.”

Turning his head to look at the youth’s back, Qi Yue left through the window with mixed feelings.

He ran wildly in the night. If someone were to look at him, they would find that this man’s eyes were red at this time, and his eyes were filled with jealousy.

Qi Yue turned his head to stare in the direction of the Imperial city, and a vicious sneer seeped out of his heart. He wanted to know what talents this Grand Prince had that he could make Xiang Feng follow him with such devotion that he couldn’t even stand a bad word about him!

In Jing Yang Palace, Emperor Hong Ming was in a coma for a day and a night before finally waking up.

It was dawn when he woke up, and the reddish haze shone in from the window, reflecting on the bright yellow veil. Eunuch Su was sleeping on the floor. Emperor Hongming was lying on the bed, not making any sound, only glancing out the window to see the vibrant haze.

What he saw and heard before he fell into a coma had already been digested by Emperor Hongming. He could not deceive himself that they were all false.

He has lived his whole life, thinking that the older he gets, the more majestic and intelligent he becomes. However, he did not expect to be played as a fool by a woman. Not only did he wrong his late wife, but he also drifted away from his most beloved son.

At this time, Emperor Hongming’s dignity as an emperor has been shattered to pieces. He is just an ordinary dying man, regretting the rampant arrogance throughout his life.

Looking slightly sideways at the now desolate Jing Yang Palace, Emperor Hongming did not feel a sense of anger as usual. Instead, a wave of sorrow emerged.

He could feel his own resentment and discontent. Who could see the resentment that caused Yuan Yuan’s death back then and the bullying that Sa’er suffered when he was young and weak because of his neglect?

As an Emperor, he was fooled by a woman, Concubine Shu. He was confused by the appearance of the Third Prince, mistaking gravel for precious stones. As a husband and a father, he not only failed to protect his beloved wife but also indulged in the similar appearance of Concubine Shu after the death of his wife. He only cared about his own comfort and placed his lonely son to suffer in the palace.

He still thought he was affectionate enough!

Eunuch Su woke up with a tilt of his head. He hurriedly climbed up to check the Emperor in bed. Once he saw Emperor Hongming awake, he was ecstatic and said, “Your Majesty you……”

But after carefully looking at Emperor Hongming’s expression, Eunuch Su’s words stuck in his throat.

The aged Emperor had a sad look on his face. His old tears fell down the jade pillow and left a mark on the bright yellow bed sheet.

“Su Mingde, what kind of life does an Imperial son who is disliked by the Emperor lead in the palace?”

Emperor Hongming’s old voice came. Eunuch Su’s expression was difficult, wanting to console but unable to do so. He was afraid of bringing greater stimulation to Emperor Hongming by speaking the truth, so he could only mumble out: “Your Majesty……this …..you, don’t you already know this?”

Emperor Hongming’s current situation is still a little better than that of the Grand Prince back then. After all, although the Grand Prince imprisoned him, a bowl of medicine was provided for him every day, so the servants in the palace still did not dare to bully him.

As for the Grand Prince, who was the least favored at the time…

Hearing Eunuch Su’s words, Emperor Hongming laughed hoarsely: “Yes, I know, how can I not know?”

He raised his hand and gestured for Eunuch Su to help him up: “This child is letting me feel it personally, ah.”

Emperor Hongming remembered that he always reprimanded the eldest prince for being too deep-minded. Now he thought that he misunderstood every move of Sa’er. He was bullied by the Third Prince, so how could Sa’er look happy?

Eunuch Su hurriedly helped Emperor Hongming up. His expression was even more complicated when he heard Emperor Hongming’s words. The various actions of the Grand Prince since he forced the palace finally connected in his mind.

Eunuch Su could not help but let out a deep sigh. Who would have thought that this powerful move to force the palace was not about the throne but only a child’s revenge on his father?

This move seemed ruthless at first glance, but it felt highly emotional after digging up the details.

As soon as Emperor Hongming sat up, he immediately felt a pang of weakness in his body, and he knew that his body had almost reached its limit. But after looking at the rising sun outside the window, Emperor Hongming gritted his teeth and sat still.

He still had things to do. He could not fall down.