In the face of this urgent military situation, King Yan wielded the authority to bypass the need to wait for the imperial court’s opinion on such a matter. He took command of Guo Xiao’s 100,000 troops and set out to address the crisis. The urgent report prompted King Yan to summon commanders Feng Su, Gao Zhen, and Yang Jingzhong, instructing them to reorganize the army and depart immediately. He then tasked Wei Yang and Wei Luo with preparing food and provisions. Wei Luo was to accompany the supply convoy the next day.
Leaving the palace under the watch of Princess Xu, King Yan donned his armor and set out.
Wei Yang and Wei Luo worked tirelessly to prepare food, completing the task by the late hours. After a final check, Wei Yang sighed with relief. He turned to Wei Luo and said, “You haven’t eaten after a busy day. Come back to the palace with me. Bid farewell to your son Wu Lang, especially your wife who is pregnant. She must be quite anxious right now.”
Wei Luo nodded, imagining the worried state of Yin Hui at home.
The two brothers mounted their horses and returned to the palace from the guard. Wei Yang visited Princess Xu first, while Wei Luo hurriedly made his way to the east harem. From a distance, Chengxin Hall was still illuminated.
Anticipating to see his wife anxiously waiting for him, Wei Luo was surprised to find only An Shun’er in the front yard.
An Shun’er reported, “Third Master, Madam has instructed me to pack your bags. You can leave at any time.”
Wei Luo suggested, “Ask someone to send it to the guard first.”
An Shun���er promptly went to make the necessary arrangements. When Wei Luo arrived at the backyard, he noticed Yin Hui emerging from a side room. Their eyes met, and Yin Hui, displaying surprise, swiftly ran towards him, just as he had imagined.
However, Wei Luo felt a twinge of concern. Why was she running when she was pregnant?
Yin Hui, too, didn’t want to run, but considering this was the first time the couple had been separated due to war, she decided to maintain composure. If she appeared too calm, what would Wei Luo think?
“Move carefully!” Wei Luo said disapprovingly as he opened his arms and embraced her, halting her rush.
Yin Hui clung to him tightly. “Are you leaving soon?”
Wei Luo gazed into the dark night and replied, “I’ll depart at dawn tomorrow morning. Did Xiao Heng already go to sleep?”
Yin Hui shook her head. “He hasn’t slept yet. I didn’t tell him, but without you here, he would be restless. It’s better to be by his side.”
Wei Luo patted her on the shoulder. “Wait for me in the house. I’ll go see him too.”
Yin Hui agreed.
Wei Luo spent almost two quarters of an hour in the room before returning to find Yin Hui. Yin Hui assisted in undressing him, saying, “Lie down on the bed since you’ll leave early tomorrow morning. There won’t be time to rest while you’re on horseback.”
Observing that Yin Hui’s clothes were still neatly arranged, Wei Luo asserted, “I’ll manage on my own. Take care of yourself first.”
Despite Yin Hui’s initial hesitation, she swiftly removed hers and approached to assist him again. Soon, the couple lay on the same quilt, Yin Hui resting on his shoulder and holding him tightly with one hand.
“Are you only transporting food, or will you also be on the front line?” Yin Hui inquired.
Wei Luo comfortingly stroked her hair. “It depends on my father’s arrangements. But regardless, don’t worry. Take good care of Xiao Heng and the baby. I will return safely.”
Yin Hui’s thoughts drifted to her previous life.
In her previous life, Yin Hui did not get pregnant again, and that night, Wei Luo had only urged her to take good care of Xiao Heng. She felt distraught, but had no opportunity to voice her worries and fears.
Back then, she was gripped by fear, terrified that her beloved would meet his end on the battlefield, and anxious that Xiao Heng would lose his father. During that time, Wei Luo became her deity. He spent six months on the battlefield, and for six months, she kept a vigilant watch over him.
Now, despite the changes brought about by her rebirth, Yin Hui found herself feeling a bit frightened. Life’s uncertainties meant that the course of the battle might not unfold exactly as it did in her previous life. Perhaps a general from the Kingdom of Jin would swing his sword a bit harder, causing Wei Luo’s demise, or maybe a soldier in the current dynasty might run a step faster or slower, causing an arrow meant for the enemy to strike Wei Luo instead.
The possibilities were many.
Yin Hui earnestly hoped for Wei Luo’s safe return so that their two children could have a stern yet affectionate father, and she could once again have a husband to converse with. Despite his stoic exterior, he wasn’t as bad as the other brothers in the palace. Even if something were to happen to Wei Luo, she believed she could still care for their children. However, their current home would only be complete when Wei Luo returned.
“Don’t worry about us; focus on protecting yourself,” Yin Hui whispered, her tears dampening his shirt, their coolness seeping into his skin.
The light still illuminated the room as Wei Luo propped himself up, observing the tears streaming down her face continuously. She was beautiful, and even in her tears, she possessed a kind of beauty that moved him deeply. At that moment, Wei Luo could only sense her profound love for him. Among the many women in that world, apart from his mother, she was the only one who regarded him with such sincere concern.
An inexplicable surge of emotion overwhelmed him. Wei Luo leaned in, planting kisses along the trails of her tears until he reached the corner of her lips. After a momentary pause, Wei Luo kissed her.
A fleeting image of Wei Yan and the flirtatious woman crossed Wei Luo’s mind, but it was quickly replaced by the memory of her, her lips fresh and delicate after indulging in cherries.
She was unlike other women—free of pretense and endearing. While others might be cloying and irritating, she exuded sweetness and allure.
Yin Hui’s eyes snapped open in surprise, her long eyelashes sweeping across. Wei Luo sensed something and paused. The two locked eyes, and Yin Hui blinked before suddenly kissing him on the cheek.
It was an experiment of sorts—Yin Hui wanted to see if Wei Luo would wipe it away, to gauge whether he would act on impulse or truly overcome his previous superficial tendencies.
In response, Wei Luo leaned in and kissed again.