Feng Yun asked unexpectedly, "You’re not going back to Xijing?"
Ao Qi replied, "Officers should be stationed outside, how can we spend all our ti enjoying the comforts of the capital?"
Yuan Shangyi listened to this answer and seriously nodded her little head.
"General Ao, Xijing isn’t fun, you should just stay in Andu, stay in Huaxi Village."
Had they already beco so close in just a short period of ti? They spoke without a trace of reservation?
Feng Yun smiled, looking at Ao Qi.
Ao Qi said, "I would indeed like to stay in Huaxi. However... as a humble officer, I have military orders to fulfill, and in three days, I must report to Shiguan."
Feng Yun asked, "Shiguan?"
Ao Qi humd softly, he had nothing to hide in front of Feng Yun and Yuan Shangyi, and said gravely, "Yecheng has been restless lately, the Red Armor Army will soon move to Shiguan, to prevent Yecheng from counterattacking."
Shiguan, further east of which lies the territory of Yecheng Imperial Court; it was not strange for the Beiyong Army to make such arrangents.
What was strange was...
Wasn’t Ao Qi supposed to get married?
Feng Yun still rembered that he had accepted a marriage proposal in the Mahe Tribe.
She hadn’t asked just then because she was waiting for Ao Qi to ntion it.
If Ao Qi didn’t ntion it, then she would show so concern.
"What will happen to your marriage if you go to Shiguan?"
The smile on Ao Qi’s face faded, his brows knitted slightly, and he said distantly, "I am still young, there’s no rush. A man should focus on earning achievents and establishing a career, it won’t be too late to consider marriage after reclaiming Yecheng."
Reclaiming Yecheng...
Even Pei Jue thought there was no hope within three years, how long would Ao Qi wait?
In this era, with the situation volatile and wars frequent, people were eager to marry off, and the six marriage rituals were often in na only. Aristocratic families adhered to ritual propriety, marrying later than commoners, but it was not uncommon for n to marry at sixteen or seventeen...
She said, "Can the bride wait that long?"
Ao Qi pursed his lips and pondered for a mont, "She can wait, I guess."
Without elaborating, Feng Yun found it inappropriate to inquire further.
She ordered the maidservants to co in and clear the bowls and chopsticks, sent Yuan Shangyi back to Yangxin Restaurant, and then returned to the study to read.
Ao Qi went to find Ye Chuang and others for a chat.
Back when they were together in the Imperial Guard Camp, no one knew he was the son of Ao Zheng or the nephew of Pei Jue; they were as close as brothers, talking about everything.
Today, the circumstances had changed drastically.
General Ao returning from Xijing, Ye Chuang greatly overjoyed, called upon friends, gathering a bunch of guards for a small drink in the courtyard filled with roses.
The afternoon sun was scorching, yet the flowers in the courtyard blood brilliantly.
Under the shade of the trees, the brothers were playful and cheerful, bringing up Ao Qi’s "heroic act" of agreeing to a marriage on the battlefield, while Ao Qi himself was sowhat disinterested, occasionally glancing towards that tightly closed door.
Entering through that door would lead to Feng Yun’s residence.
Initially assigned to protect her, he often lingered outside her window.
At first, he was reluctant and full of complaints, but later, he would willingly exchange shifts with his brothers, just to guard her closely.
Feng Yun would never know of the many deep nights when she had long fallen asleep, he stood there with his sword, staring at the moonlit shadows, conjuring dreams after dreams, only to have them all shattered...
"Drink up, why aren’t you drinking?"
Ye Chuang nudged him, catching a glimpse of the wistfulness in his eyes.
"Stop looking."
The other brothers teased, unaware of his thoughts, laughing and joking.
"Just got to Andu on the first day, are you already missing your little wife?"
Ao Qi curled his lips into a faint smile and lowered his head to finish the wine in his cup.
It was all bitter.
Throughout the long eight months, he had been restraining himself, not writing letters, not communicating...
Yet those feelings did not diminish as ti stretched on; instead, due to deprivation and too much longing, they beca deeply engraved in his heart.
Ye Chuang said, "You don’t know how many brothers envy you."
Ao Qi glanced sideways, "What are you envious of?"
Ye Chuang raised an eyebrow, "What else could I envy? I envy the military fa you’ve achieved, the limitless prospects ahead of you."
The natural privileges of a noble family cannot be envied, yet Ye Chuang deliberately spoke with a sour edge.
Ao Qi clinked glasses with him and lowered his eyes.
"You don’t know how much I envy you."
Being able to linger outside her window, to guard her all night, to see her as soon as I push the window, to be involved in every little thing of her life...
Ye Chuang sighed softly, lowered his head, and drank without a word.
The others burst into raucous laughter, challenging him, calling him a hypocrite, insisting that he be punished with drink.
Ao Qi said nothing, rely smiled, welcoming all cors.
Having three days off, he had no duties to attend to and could drink freely, so he didn’t avoid anything. He kept eating until dusk turned to night, and by the ti everyone left, his cheeks were flushed red, and he was thoroughly drunk.
"Ye Chuang." He patted Ye Chuang’s shoulder, reaching to take his waist knife, "I’ll take the night watch for you."
Ye Chuang held his hand, "That won’t do."
Ao Qi raised his eyebrows, discontent on his face.
"Why not? What’s stopping it? It’s not the first ti."
He muttered softly, pushing Ye Chuang away, and staggered toward Feng Yun’s house, leaning on the waist knife.
Ye Chuang saw his stumbling steps and hurriedly ca forward to support him, reminding him in a low voice, "Tis have changed; you’re no longer the guard Ao Qi, you are General Ao now."
Ye Chuang emphasized again.
"How dare I allow the general to take on my duties?"
Ao Qi shook off Ye Chuang’s hand, "Having soone take over your duties is a good thing, get out of here."
Ye Chuang took a deep breath and pulled him back, "Ao Qi, listen to , you’ve had too much to drink. Let help you back to rest. Co morning, when you wake up, you’ll understand why..."
"I know. What don’t I understand..."
Ao Qi stared at him, "If you don’t let go, shall I let the little alligator bite you?"
Ye Chuang:...
He slowly let go.
Not because of what Ao Qi said, but because Feng Yun had co over.
The little alligator followed at her heels, ran over when it saw them, and began circling Ao Qi, making affectionate noises, clearly fond of him.
Ao Qi’s legs were weak; he could barely stand. He bent down to pick up the little alligator, steadying himself, then leaned his head on its neck, his head bowed, and after a while, low choking sounds could be heard.
"Only you feel sorry for , little one, only you would feel sorry for ..."
Ao Qi was quite beside himself.
Holding the little alligator, he was tear-streaked.
No one knew what had happened, and all were surprised.
Feng Yun was silent for a mont, "You should all go now."
She had to maintain General Ao’s dignity; otherwise, this incident would beco a joke, ntioned for a lifeti, a stain on General Ao’s reputation.
The crowd complied, exiting one by one.
Ao Qi slumped entirely over the little alligator, weeping uncontrollably.
Feng Yun approached, sighed, "Luckily, the little alligator has grown. If it were still small, you surely would’ve squashed it."
Ao Qi looked down, saw the delicate embroidered shoes appearing in his eyelids, sat down slowly on the ground, holding the little alligator and looking up at her, like a helpless child.
"Lady, I want to go catch fish..."
"Lady, I want to stay and keep the little alligator company..."
"Lady, I want to be your guard, to stand below your window..."
"Lady, I really want to be your cat, your little alligator..."
"Lady..."
"Lady..."
"Lady..."
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