If Your Highness wanted to take something, you could have simply sent a servant. Why did you have to make the trip yourself and bring the Princess along?
He was afraid that the man wasn't there to take something, but rather to do something else.
But it's already this late, if we don't leave now, we might not catch up with Ziyi and the others today...
As Cui Hao frowned and looked up at the sky, Wei Hong led Yao Youqing back to the main courtyard, slamming the door shut behind them as they entered.
Why would you need to close the door to get something?
Yao Youqing immediately became alert.
"Your Highness? You..."
She had barely started when Wei Hong picked her up and threw her onto the bed.
Even though the bed was soft, Yao Youqing felt dizzy and lightheaded when she was suddenly picked up and thrown down.
When she came to her senses, Wei Hong had already pressed down on her. He first buried his head in her neck and took a deep breath, then kissed her all the way down to her lips. His large hand also slipped inside the back of her clothes and groped around behind her.
Yao Youqing thought he was going to do that kind of thing in broad daylight again, and with so many people waiting outside, so she quickly reached out and pushed him away.
This time, Wei Hong didn't insist and obediently got up. But as he got up, he gently pulled something out of her body.
Yao Youqing realized this and hurriedly pressed her hand to her chest, but it was too late; the undergarment she wore was already in his hands.
She propped herself up and sat up, her face flushed.
"Your Highness, give it back to me!"
Wei Hong made a gesture to give it to her, but pulled it back just as she reached for it, and quickly kissed her on the lips.
"Lend it to me for a bit, I'll return it to you when I get back."
After saying that, he smiled and turned to leave.
He's a grown man; he certainly wouldn't take something like that to wear.
Yao Youqing, her face flushed, grabbed her clothes and stood up from the bed. She chased him all the way to the door of the inner room, calling him several times to return it to her, but he wouldn't listen. Finally, she stomped her feet in anger.
"Take it and don't give it back to me, I don't want it!"
Even when I returned it to her, she didn't want it anymore!
Who knows what shady things he did with her undergarment!
Instead of turning around, Wei Hong waved the bellyband at her with his back to her, laughing loudly. He only put the bellyband in his arms before opening the door and strode away.
Hearing the commotion inside, Madam Zhou was completely bewildered. She went in and looked around but couldn't figure out what the prince had taken. All she knew was that her young mistress was extremely embarrassed and angry, her eyes red with rage.
Cui Hao, who was waiting in the front yard, thought Wei Hong would not be back for a long time, but he came out after only a short while, as if he really went to get something.
He and his companions exchanged glances, but didn't ask any questions. They then mounted their horses and left with Wei Hong.
...
"This awful weather! It's not even winter yet and it's already this cold."
In a camp on the border of Shangchuan, a soldier wearing a cotton-padded coat rubbed his hands together.
The person next to him couldn't help but stomp his stiff feet and breathe on his hands.
"With the weather so cold, those Jurchens are probably going to be restless this year. We're likely to have a fight."
"Let's fight then," the first person said. "We'll take them down one by one, or two by two. It'll be good to warm up, since Grandpa's feeling cold standing here anyway."
The man next to him chuckled, about to say something more, when he saw someone riding a horse approaching in the distance. He quickly shut his mouth, straightened his back, and stood up straight.
"Master Guo!"
The two bowed to the newcomer at the same time.
Guo Sheng dismounted, nodded, tossed the reins to them, and went to the largest tent on his own.
That was the military's meeting place; Wei Hong would work there during the day unless he was patrolling outside.
When he arrived, Cui Hao was away from the accounts, and only Wei Hong was sitting at the desk writing something.
Hearing the noise, Wei Hong raised his head, and the pen in his hand stopped moving.
Is there anything unusual at Changhuai Pass?
Guo Sheng went to inspect Changhuai Pass on his behalf this time and just returned today.
Changhuai Pass is an important pass leading to Cangcheng and other places, so he came directly to report to Wei Hong as soon as he returned.
"It's nothing," Guo Sheng replied. "The weather has been bad this year, and things aren't going well for the Jin dynasty. They had already assembled an army to raid our Daliang, but their emperor is incompetent and has fallen ill."
"The eldest prince and the fourth prince have transferred all the troops that could be called back to the capital in their struggle for power. The remaining troops would be no match for us if they really attacked, so they naturally wouldn't dare to come. Therefore, there should be no fighting this winter."
The struggle for the throne in the Great Jin Dynasty has a long history. Unfortunately, their emperor, like Emperor Gaozong, is a long-lived one. Although his health is not as good as Gaozong's, and he is ill for most of the year, he has not died after so many years. Meanwhile, the ambitions and appetites of his sons are growing, and they are trying every means to seize the throne. Among them, the eldest prince and the fourth prince are the most powerful.
Half of the Jin military power was in the hands of these two men, while the other half was in the hands of the old emperor, who guarded the area near the capital with great vigilance to prevent his children and grandchildren from turning against him one day.
Now that the two princes' troops are heading to the capital, and the old emperor's troops are not on the border, the border is empty, so there is no need for the Liang Dynasty to worry about a major battle.
Wei Hong nodded and then asked him if there was anything else.
Guo Sheng thought for a moment and then recounted the other things he considered important.
After saying that, Wei Hong asked again, "That's all? Is that all?"
Guo Sheng frowned, feeling that the prince was asking questions particularly carefully today, as if he were different from before.
He couldn't understand why it was different, but since the prince asked him, he explained everything in detail, so he told him about all the trivial and unimportant things.
To everyone's surprise, after he finished speaking, Wei Hong asked, "That's all?"
"...That's all."
Guo Sheng racked his brains but couldn't think of anything else, so he answered truthfully.
Wei Hong, sitting behind the desk, looked slightly somber, but ultimately said nothing, waving his hand to indicate that he could leave.
Guo Sheng breathed a sigh of relief and nodded with a smile.
"Then I'll head out first. Many of Douzi, Mutou, and their families have written letters and sent things over. The people from Changhuai Pass asked me to bring them back. I'll deliver them and come right back."
Changhuai Pass was the only way to reach this camp, and in addition to military reports, letters from home and other items also had to pass through there.
Usually, someone will deliver things from there regularly, but if someone goes to patrol, the people there will also have the patrol person bring the things back along the way, so that everyone can wait less time.
Guo Sheng brought back quite a few things on his way back. He came over just now because he needed to report the military situation to Wei Hong. Now he is going back to distribute the things to everyone.
After he finished speaking, he turned to leave, but Wei Hong, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up again: "No need to come back."
Guo Sheng was taken aback and slowly turned around.
Wei Hong continued, "From now on, you'll be in charge of external affairs, and Ziqian can handle the personal care."
Even if Guo Sheng was stupid, he could tell that something was wrong with what Wei Hong said. But having been punished by being sent away for half a year before, he dared not question Wei Hong's words anymore. He could only nod and leave. After leaving the tent, he felt extremely wronged and had no idea what he had done wrong.
After he went out, he ran into Cui Hao, who was returning from his business, and grabbed him, saying, "I was kicked out by the prince!"
He has been by the prince's side for so many years, and except for the time when the princess passed away, he has never been kicked out!
Cui Hao frowned and asked him what had happened.
Guo Sheng recounted everything that had happened in the tent, and then asked him, "Why did Your Highness kick me out? What did I do wrong?"
Cui Hao: "...Perhaps it's because you...aren't understanding enough."
Understanding and considerate?
Guo Sheng thought it was utterly unbelievable when he heard those words.
"I've never been good at understanding people, and I've never seen the prince kick me out before!"
They spoke with such confidence and self-assurance, as if they didn't see anything wrong with it.
"Besides, His Highness always speaks his mind directly and never needs any kind of understanding!"
Cui Hao shook his head and patted his shoulder: "Now we need to."
...
With nothing to do at home, Yao Youqing would occasionally stroll around the streets or visit Li Tai and his wife.
Shortly after Wei Hong left, Li Tai secretly sent someone to deliver a message, saying that Song Shi liked her very much and asked if she could visit her more often.
Yao Youqing had nothing else to do, so she agreed and would run over there whenever she had free time.
Later, Song realized something and said to her, "Isn't it boring to always stay with us old people? If the princess has nothing to do, she can invite some young people to go out and have fun. She doesn't have to always stay by this old woman's side."
The city was prosperous, and many officials and their families owned residences there, with many young women in their households.
With just a word from Yao Youqing, all these people would flock to her and surround her.
Yao Youqing quickly shook her head upon hearing this: "When the prince was here, no one ever sent a letter to see me. But as soon as the prince left, they all came out in droves. Every day, there is an endless stream of people sending letters, and the gatehouse is overflowing with people."
"It is clear that they know the prince does not like to have any private dealings with them, so they want to get to know me when the prince is not around, and then get to know the prince."
"As a princess, how can I disregard the prince's wishes and privately associate with the women of officials' families? It would be inappropriate to be close to some and distant from others, so I might as well not meet with any of them."
“But it’s not appropriate for me to stay in the mansion all day and keep refusing people. So it’s better to come to Auntie’s place to avoid this. I can find something to do and won’t have to face those stacks of invitations all day long.”
As she spoke, she took Song's arm and said sweetly, "Auntie, please don't send me away."
She did come because of Li Tai's words at first, but over time she really liked the couple.
Her mother and brother have both passed away, and she can no longer see her only father because she married into Shangchuan.
Li Tai and his wife treated her very well, being kind and easygoing, making her feel as if she had returned to the days when she was a young lady raised by her parents.
Upon hearing the girl's coquettish voice, Song's heart, which had remained as firm as a rock for many years, melted like spring water, and a smile spread across her face.
"How could I bear to send you away? I'm just afraid you'll get bored here."
Their house was very quiet; including Li Dou, there were only three masters in total.
In recent years, Li Dou has often been away from home following Wei Hong, spending very little time here. As a result, the entire mansion has become increasingly deserted, with only the two old men and servants remaining.
Most of the servants were deaf and mute, and the only one who could play with Yao Youqing was the little medicine boy, Guo'er.
Yao Youqing shook her head: "It's not boring at all. I've learned to identify many medicinal herbs from my uncle and aunt, and I can also do some simple processing. I didn't know any of these things before."
Mrs. Song asked with a smile, "You like these?"
“I like her,” Yao Youqing said, then shook Song’s arm. “I like Auntie even more!”