With a solemn expression, Meng Wan felt increasingly flustered, but she remained silent and obediently followed Huangfu Mi into the house.
As soon as they entered, Huangfu Mi hugged Meng Wan tightly. Although she couldn't see his expression, Meng Wan could clearly feel him trembling, his whole body shaking.
Meng Wan felt a sense of panic. This situation seemed familiar, yet different. "What on earth is going on?"
“Wan’er, I’m sorry—” His voice trembled. “I know you are in pain right now and need me by your side. But there is turmoil on the border, and the Huachao has launched another surprise attack. Our generals have been killed or wounded countless times. I cannot stand idly by in this situation. Just now, Father summoned me to the palace, and I volunteered to lead the army into battle.”
Meng Wan's body trembled, her face instantly turning deathly pale: "To...to go to war?"
What she cared about was not that he couldn't be by her side, but that she was worried about him. Since he was sent out, the situation must be very urgent. Although Meng Wan knew he was capable, going to war was no small matter. He had no experience in leading troops. Would he really be alright if he went out like this?
"Wan'er, I'm sorry. You can hit me or scold me as you please. I know it's my fault for leaving you at this critical moment, but..."
Meng Wan interrupted him, gently touching his lips with her finger. She then smiled and said, "Silly boy, what are you saying? National affairs are of utmost importance. How could I get angry over my own selfish matters? But the situation is perilous. Are you really sure you have no problem?"
"I can only do my best." Huangfu Mi frowned, his handsome face filled with worry. It wasn't that he was worried about his own abilities, but that he was afraid that the slightest negligence would lead to disaster.
"Huangfu Mi--" Meng Wan became even more worried upon seeing this, but Huangfu Mi smiled, reached out and touched her cheek, and then chuckled: "Don't worry, with you waiting for me at home, I will definitely come back."
The little flowers in the corner were in full bloom, dotted with white and red, glowing with a hazy radiance under the last rays of the setting sun. Meng Wan watched them quietly, feeling the halo of light spreading outwards, filling her eyes with its brilliance.
"What's wrong?" Seeing her in a daze, he thought she was still worried, so he waved his hand in front of her eyes.
Meng Wanfang snapped out of her reverie, then gently shook her head. Gazing at his handsome face, she smiled slightly, and after a long while, uttered only three words—
I'm waiting for you!
--
That night, the two slept in each other's arms. When they woke up the next morning, Huangfu Mi was no longer by their side. His presence still lingered in the air, but the other side of the bed was empty.
Meng Wan raised her eyes. She had agreed last night not to see him off, and that she wouldn't be so sad. But if she didn't see him off, wouldn't she feel regret?
Meng Wan got out of bed, tidied herself up, put on a coat, and went out. The wind was a bit chilly; it seemed like just a few days ago it was still so warm, but in the blink of an eye, autumn was approaching.
Meng Wan stood atop the slope, gazing down at the roadside flowers that hadn't yet faded, just like yesterday when he held her in his arms. His broad chest gave her a sense of security, and she could hear his soft murmur in her ear, "Wan'er, you must take good care of yourself while I'm gone. Do your best to make things joyful, but if there's any danger, be sure to evacuate immediately and wait for me to return."
Meng Wan squinted. The wind was a bit strong, making her eyes sting. Through her hazy vision, rows of well-trained soldiers walked over. The road was crowded with people on both sides. The two rows of soldiers marched in neat rows. Under the scrutiny of the crowd, they were like a cold winter wind, their faces completely expressionless.
Among the crowd, Meng Wan spotted Huangfu Mi riding a horse in the center at a glance. His golden armor was spotless, and the setting sun made his figure appear even more elegant and handsome.
His long, ink-black hair cascaded over his white robes, held back only by a brocade ribbon. His sharply sculpted features exuded a cold aura. Sunlight bathed him, casting a golden halo around him. He tilted his head slightly, his expression serene and peaceful, his thin lips forming a beautiful, enigmatic smile. His deep, unfathomable eyes narrowed slightly in the sunlight, a glint of shrewdness that commanded respect.
A surge of emotion welled up in Meng Wan's chest, and she felt an urge to burst into tears. 'This parting is uncertain, and I don't know when I will return,' all she could do was wait.
Seemingly sensing Meng Wan's gaze, Huangfu Mi suddenly turned his head. Even from that distance, he could still clearly see Meng Wan standing there like a sculpture.
It was as if everything had suddenly stopped; the two of them stared at each other silently, as if nothing around them existed, and only the two of them remained.
Meng Wan wiped her face, which was dry. At this moment, she couldn't shed any tears. Instead, a faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips. It was so faint, yet it spread gently and gradually into Huangfu Mi's heart.
He raised his hand and placed it on his chest, patting it lightly twice. He didn't know if Meng Wan had seen it clearly or not. Little did he know, Meng Wan was already in tears, watching the figure recede into the distance, her tears falling uncontrollably.
"The couple's deep affection is evident in the fact that the princess herself came to see them off. Such sentiments are truly touching!" A female voice suddenly sounded from behind, sighing softly, seemingly expressing emotion, yet also carrying another meaning.
Meng Wan turned around and found Fu Qingcheng standing behind her, gazing leisurely in the direction the army had left, a smile playing on her lips.
That smile was exactly like the one she had given me when we first met. She smiled in that same almost imperceptible way, as if all the scheming and plotting were contained within that smile.
Meng Wan frowned slightly: "The depth of affection is not something others need to say. Instead of caring so much about me and the prince, Miss Qingcheng should go to war with the prince. Even Miss Liancheng has gone, so why did you stay behind?"
"Because I have more important things to do--"
With a light laugh, she uttered a sentence that carried a hint of conspiracy. Meng Wan saw through it all and couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Fu Qingcheng then said, "By the way, the Princess must be very sad about Huanyan's death, right? Seeing the Princess sad, I'm actually quite happy!"
The last few words faded away as she turned and left, but Meng Wan could still hear them clearly, and she froze.
What did she mean by that? Could it be... that Huan Yan's death was related to her?
--
With this thought in mind, Meng Wan could no longer stay still. Seeing that Huangfu Mi and his entourage had already gone far away, she turned around and returned to the Prince's Mansion.
To protect Meng Wan's safety, Huangfu Mi specially kept Hua Jiuye behind. Now, Meng Wan called him over: "Do you know which princes are going to the front lines this time?"
She hadn't asked before because she was worried, but now that she saw what Fu Qingcheng said, she had some doubts, so she asked Hua Jiuye to ask her.
Hua Jiuye hesitated for a moment, then said, "It's probably only the Prince and the Fifth Prince..."
"What about the eldest prince?"
"There hasn't been any major news, except that a couple of days ago he voluntarily took out his entire year's salary, saying he was exchanging it for provisions for the border soldiers. For this, the Emperor praised him highly."
Upon hearing this, Meng Wan frowned.
"Your Highness, is there a problem?" Hua Jiuye asked tentatively upon seeing this.
V62 Intrigue Unfolds (Part Two)
"Your Highness, is there a problem?" Hua Jiuye asked tentatively upon seeing this.
Meng Wan did not answer, but bit her lip and pondered for a long time before saying, "I know that Huangfu Mi has secretly cultivated some people. You should go and take them to meet with Huangfu Mi immediately, and make sure to ensure his safety."
“But…” Hua Jiuye was intelligent and understood the clue in Meng Wan’s words, but she was still a little conflicted. “The prince ordered his subordinates to protect the princess. If we leave now to join him, I’m afraid the prince will scold us.”
"If he blames me, I will take full responsibility. Just do as I say, and go quickly!"