It gets cold early in Li City. As soon as September arrives, the cold sets in. Yi Qing becomes too lazy to go out. She even stops going to the pharmacy shops she used to frequent.
The matter of opening the border market has been settled. It's time for them to set off, but Bai Chengyi hasn't returned yet.
"I'll go and pick up Brother Yi myself tomorrow. You stay at home and wait for me," Xiao Jinghan said as he watched Yi Qing act like a little lazy cat lately, either curled up in the lounge chair or on the bed.
"I'll go too," Yi Qing said, thinking that Jade Butterfly Mountain must be even more beautiful at this time.
Xiao Jinghan tapped Yi Qing on the nose. "Didn't you say you didn't want to go out?"
"That's because you weren't going out with me," Yi Qing said. She would occasionally sweet - talk Xiao Jinghan, hoping to "rot his teeth" so he couldn't enjoy food outside.
The wind outside was cold, but the carriage was warm. Xiao Jinghan put one arm around Yi Qing while using the other to review documents. Yi Qing nestled in his arms, watching him. Eventually, the swaying of the carriage lulled her to sleep.
Xiao Jinghan came across a document. It was about a marriage alliance proposed by the Northern Di. To his surprise, he was the one they wanted to marry into their family. He carefully glanced at Yi Qing and then closed the document. Fortunately, she didn't see it.
Aunt Xue and Bai Yutang were still in the Jade Butterfly Hall. The unruly life of Princess A Zha had also changed Bai Yutang.
She and Aunt Xue had gone to look for her family, but due to the war, her family was nowhere to be found. They might have passed away, and she had nowhere else to go.
When she saw Yi Qing, Bai Yutang took a slight step back. No one had expected that they would meet again under such circumstances.
"Lord Bai is in the backyard," Aunt Xue bowed, breaking the awkward silence.
Xiao Jinghan took Yi Qing to the backyard. It was even quieter than before.
"I won't go in," Yi Qing said, standing at the door.
She wasn't familiar with Bai Chengyi, and it wasn't appropriate for a woman to be present when men were talking.
Xiao Jinghan took off his cloak and put it on Yi Qing before turning to push open the door.
There was a simple new tomb in the yard, built by Bai Chengyi himself. Now he was sitting there motionless, like a puppet.
"Brother Yi," Xiao Jinghan called out.
Bai Chengyi took a deep breath. "Are we going back to the capital?"
"Yes."
"I won't go back for now," Bai Chengyi said, looking at the tombstone.
"Duke Di and Sister Yi are very worried about you."
"I've always considered myself a care - free person, causing countless troubles for others. I used to think the court was unfair to me, but now I realize I was just being too self - centered and never considered others' feelings," Bai Chengyi said.
Over the years when he couldn't move, Bai Chengyi had thought a lot. Now his hands couldn't hold a weapon anymore, so he couldn't return to the military camp. He didn't know what he could do.
Yi Qing was walking around boredly outside. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bai Yutang walking over and then kneeling down directly.
"What are you doing?" Yi Qing asked, looking at Bai Yutang.
"I'm sorry for what I did before," Bai Yutang said sincerely.
Yi Qing didn't kill Bai Yutang because of Bai Chengyi. Otherwise, considering what Bai Yutang had done, Yi Qing would have wanted to kill her hundreds of times. "I don't plan to forgive you."
"Then I'll kneel until you do," Bai Yutang said.
"This kind of threat won't work on me," Yi Qing scoffed. "Besides, we won't see each other again. What's the point of me forgiving you or not? Do you suddenly want to ease your conscience?"
As she said this, she realized that Bai Yutang had other motives.
"Now that I'm all alone, I want to follow the General's wife," Bai Yutang kowtowed.
Yi Qing knew that since Bai Yutang had been to the capital, she probably didn't want to stay in Li City anymore.
As long as Yi Qing forgave her, others would also forgive. With her connection to Bai Chengyi, she wouldn't be mistreated in the capital.
"Then I order you to guard Princess A Zha's tomb in the Jade Butterfly Hall," Yi Qing said, looking at Bai Yutang.
Bai Yutang's eyes flickered.
"What? You don't want to?" Yi Qing sized up Bai Yutang.
At this time, Xiao Jinghan pushed the door open and saw Bai Yutang and Yi Qing there.
"I'm willing," Bai Yutang immediately kowtowed when she saw Xiao Jinghan.
Xiao Jinghan didn't know what they had talked about. He walked straight to Yi Qing's side. "It looks like it's going to snow. Let's go down the mountain earlier."
"He's not leaving?" Yi Qing was surprised.
"Brother Yi needs some quiet time," Xiao Jinghan didn't force Bai Chengyi.
The two of them went to the front to prepare to leave. Snowflakes as small as salt grains fell rustlingly, quickly covering the ground with a white layer.
"It's dangerous to go down the mountain like this," Xiao Jinghan thought that Yi Qing would suffer on the way.
"Then let's stay here for one night. It will be easier to walk when the snow has accumulated a bit," Yi Qing also knew this.
Aunt Xue and Bai Yutang prepared food for them. When it snowed, the world was a hazy expanse of whiteness. Even at night, there was a faint glow.
Bai Yutang came in with a tray. "It's boring on the mountain at night. Madam Xiao used to collect medical books, and there are some here. Madam Xiao can use them to pass the time."
Yi Qing thought that Bai Yutang was being so obedient because she still wanted to leave here. "Put it here."
Bai Yutang put it down. "The rooms are ready," she said and then retreated.
"What does she want?" Xiao Jinghan helped Yi Qing pick up a medical book. "This is in the Northern Di language. Can you understand it?"
"Can you?" Yi Qing of course didn't understand.
"Sure."
"Then I'll trouble the General to read it for me," Yi Qing said, looking flattering.
Xiao Jinghan just smiled without saying a word. Yi Qing had no choice but to kiss Xiao Jinghan on the chin.
"One kiss per page," Xiao Jinghan said, smiling triumphantly.
Yi Qing playfully put her hand into Xiao Jinghan's arms. Anyway, Xiao Jinghan couldn't do anything to her now.
"Does Madam want to help me?" Xiao Jinghan whispered in Yi Qing's ear.
Thinking of her hands that couldn't even hold chopsticks properly, Yi Qing immediately tried to pull her hand back, but Xiao Jinghan held it down and picked her up horizontally and walked away.
"Pack up all the medical books in the Jade Butterfly Hall and take them away tomorrow," Xiao Jinghan ordered.
Yi Qing's ability to dig her own grave was getting stronger and stronger. Seeing how exhausted Yi Qing was, Xiao Jinghan put on his single - layer clothes and picked up his sword and went out, which made Yi Qing laugh.
"You're still laughing," Xiao Jinghan said, looking at Yi Qing dissatisfied.
"It seems we're going to have a little girl soon," Yi Qing laughed even more when she saw Xiao Jinghan having to endure it.
Not long after, strange sounds came from the next room. As soon as Yi Qing heard them, she became alert. Apart from Aunt Xue, Bai Yutang, and their own men on the mountain, all the people they brought were men. Who would do such a ridiculous thing?
She thought about it and laughed, finding this whole thing quite interesting.
"The General is so powerful, ah, ah..." Bai Yutang's voice got louder. "Does the Madam know the General is here?"
"If you dare to tell her, I'll kill you right now," a voice said.
"Giggle..." Bai Yutang laughed. "So the General likes it like this. Yutang will die without regret."
Then the sounds got even more intense.
Yi Qing crossed her arms and looked at the door. There was a faint smile on her lips, but her eyes were icy cold.