In the council hall of the Xu Mansion.
Song Yinghuai frowned slightly and asked, "Where is Second Master Xu?"
Han Fen had just returned from inspecting the city tower. He cleared his throat and reported expressionlessly,
"Just now when I passed by, I heard from the maids in the mansion that Second Master Xu had someone take a washboard into his room. Presumably, he won't be able to come for the council for a while."
Hearing this, Song Yinghuai felt a sudden pain in his knee and fell silent.
Xu Buyue looked a bit dejected. These days, to avoid those glaring scenes, she had chosen to stay on the city tower with Han Fen. She had only returned for the council today.
She moved her lips and asked, "What about Lord Xiao?"
Han Fen's head ached even more. "I heard that the eldest miss has been in an unstable mood recently. Today, she didn't know what sad thing came to her mind and started crying again. Lord Xiao borrowed a washboard from the laundress in order to cheer her up..."
Xu Buyue twitched the corner of her mouth. "What is this washboard? Why do both Second Brother and Lord Xiao rely on it to appease their wives?"
Han Fen looked stupid and cute. "This subordinate doesn't know!"
"Does the prince know?"
Song Yinghuai's knee ached inexplicably again. "...I don't know. Go and ask the laundress in the Xu Mansion if there are any extra washboards?"
Han Fen:??
Does the prince also want to take a washboard to cheer up Caiyu?
He sighed and did as he was told.
Since neither of the two brothers - in - law had arrived on time, Song Yinghuai rubbed his temples and asked,
"Do you know where Sheng Jiangli and his Hu cavalry are?"
At the mention of Sheng Jiangli, Xu Buyue was full of anger and confusion.
"I don't know what he's up to. In three days, he's only traveled a hundred miles. According to the scouts' reports, he's been enjoying the flowers, the snow, and the moon all the way. Our scouts were discovered by the Hu cavalry and captured, but he even ordered them to be released!"
"Fourth Brother, what do you think he's planning?"
Song Yinghuai's eyebrows twitched violently. For the first time, he couldn't figure out the enemy's intention. "...I don't know."
He closed his eyes frustratedly.
Anyway, he didn't dare to fight when crossing the river southward.
Nor did he dare to move westward to pursue Sheng Jiangli and rescue Zhu Xiao.
After years in the army, Song Yinghuai was at a loss for the first time.
He pondered for a moment and then asked, "Has there been any movement among the Southern Army on the Yangtze River?"
Han Fen walked back and continued, "Young Master Lan's water - based deployment is meticulous and ingenious. The newly built warships are extremely powerful. If we don't use Leng Fei's explosives to blast them, we'll never be able to cross the river. But once we use the explosives, we can't guarantee Young Master Lan's safety..."
Song Yinghuai's head ached badly. He paced back and forth in the hall.
After a long time, he stopped in front of the table, picked up a pen, wrote a letter, and handed it to Han Fen.
"During the war between the two armies, envoys are not to be killed. Give this letter to Second Master Xu and Lord Xiao and ask them to sign it in person. Then deliver it to the Southern Army's water - based camp..."
He paused and said, "Remember, deliver it to Young Master Lan in person."
Han Fen took the letter and left.
Xu Buyue hadn't seen Song Yinghuai for many days. She was a bit reluctant to part and stammered, "Fourth Brother..."
She wanted to ask how he and Caiyu were getting along now and if there was still any room for her to intervene.
But Xu Ziyi's advice came to mind.
Xu Buyue closed her mouth abruptly.
Forget it.
She would learn to give up.
Song Yinghuai turned his eyes and landed them on her. "Hm?"
Xu Buyue: "...It's nothing. I just want to ask how your back injury is."
Song Yinghuai moved his shoulder and smiled gently. "It's much better. Don't worry. I'm not useless yet."
Suddenly, Xu Buyue's eyes turned red. "Please cherish yourself more in the future! Don't bet your life. I know you love her, but you should know that there are still many people who love you... If something happens to you, how many people will cry day and night and never forget you for the rest of their lives?"
Song Yinghuai was silent for a moment.
He understood what Xu Buyue said.
People are not plants; how can they be without feelings?
How could he not understand the feelings of this woman who had accompanied him for more than two years and fought side by side with him?
But later he realized that his heart was even smaller than Caiyu's.
It was so small that it could only hold one person.
He was also helpless.
The man pursed his lips tightly and raised his hand.
The warm fingertips landed on the woman's eye - corner and slowly wiped away the moist trace.
Xu Buyue stood still, stunned. She looked up blankly at his handsome features, and her heart tightened.
The man's lips curled slightly. His magnetic voice was a bit hoarse as it rang in her ear,
"Song thanks the princess for her company along the way."
"The princess's request, Song will always remember. From now on, I will surely cherish my life and be careful not to have any accidents... In this way, the princess won't cry day and night."
Xu Buyue looked blankly at his thin lips opening and closing.
"Song assures the princess that he will cherish himself and not let the princess worry. Then, could the princess... forget me for the rest of her life?"
The Princess of Nan'an deserves better love.
Half - window of blooming flowers, a path without a lamp.
Xu Buyue's shadow was projected on the snow - white ground, lonely yet relieved.
When Song Yinghuai returned to the outside of Caiyu's house, the palace lantern inside was swaying through the window paper.
He curled his lips slightly and pinched the washboard in his hand.
Could this really cheer Caiyu up?
He knocked on the door. "Yu'er, I'm coming in."
The wooden door opened, but there seemed to be no one inside.
Song Yinghuai's face changed. He rushed in!
A moment later, there was a "click" sound in the room.
Song Yinghuai was holding a letter on the table in his hand. He roared in panic, "Someone! Lock all the city gates of Pengcheng! Chase Caiyu back!"
---
Two horses galloped like shooting stars towards the western mountain path.
The thick snow behind the horses rose two feet high into a snow mist.
The women on the horses, one in blue and the other in white, were both stunningly beautiful.
They stopped when they reached the outskirts of the Qinling Mountains.
Caiyu tightened the reins and asked tremblingly, "Why don't we go on?"
Qingqing jumped off the horse and said, "The road ahead is icy. It's not dawn yet, and the ice hasn't melted. The horses are likely to fall if they step on it. Let's take a short rest here and wait for the sun to melt the ice before we go."
Caiyu's beautiful face was full of worry. "Will it be too late? I'm afraid the antidote will be delivered to Brother A'li after the time limit."
Qingqing looked at her deeply. "Sister Caiyu, I specifically asked Empress Lü for a second - stage antidote to delay the onset. Neither you nor Brother Sheng will be in danger for the time being..."
"But after we reach the Qin region and find Brother Sheng, if you give him this real antidote, you won't be able to be cured."
Qingqing held her cold hand. "Sister Caiyu, I guess there's only one real antidote for the Heart - devouring Gu. Otherwise, Empress Lü wouldn't have been so nervous when Brother Sheng suddenly drank the poison that day."
"Are you trying to throw your life away?"
Throw her life away?
Caiyu smiled bitterly. "I'm a person who should have died two years ago. If it weren't for Brother A'li's unwavering company, I would have been a pile of bones by now."
"I've stolen two more years from God. That's enough."
If only one of her and Brother A'li could survive, she would choose Brother A'li.
A strong sense of grief welled up in Qingqing's chest.
She knew she was selfish.
She could have silently dissolved the antidote in Caiyu's water cup and let her be cured without knowing.
But how could she watch that man go to his death?
The look in that man's eyes when he left was so determined and sorrowful!
That day, when Sheng Jiangli stepped out of the palace gate, the sunlight on his body was cold.
His back was so lonely, silent like a snow - capped mountain standing on a ten - thousand - year glacier.
Qingqing stood behind him, silent, just staring at him blankly.
After a long time, Sheng Jiangli turned around. Seeing her blank face, he suddenly smiled.
He raised his slender finger and gently wiped it across the girl's face.
The girl's face was as white as jade, her skin was crystal - clear and smooth, with the cold air from outside.
Sheng Jiangli's fingertips were warm. Qingqing was stunned, and her face flushed involuntarily. She stammered,
"Brother Sheng... I'll definitely find another antidote."
"Hehe!" Sheng Jiangli stretched out his hand. There was a hexagonal crystal snowflake on his fingertip. He said with a smile,
"Stupid girl, how many times have you been deceived by Lü Baiwei?"