Сокровищница Цзянху

Глава 37

You Tong shook her head and smiled, "So what if you cry? Why think so much? Although we haven't known each other for long, we get along remarkably well, and I consider you a friend. If there's nothing else at home, why don't you stay at my house a few more days and keep me company?" After saying that, she smiled bitterly, "You know, besides Madam, I'm the only woman in the house. I don't even have any sisters to talk to. Wen Yan is about to get married at the Cui family's house, so I can't keep bothering her."

Before Ya Zhu could hesitate, Qing Dai quickly agreed for her, saying with a smile, "That would be wonderful! The pastries in Madam's residence are exceptional. Ya Zhu, don't forget to learn their techniques and make them for your elder brother later. I guarantee he'll rave about them."

Seeing that Qingdai had agreed, Yazhu could no longer refuse, so she bowed her head and agreed, and then instructed Qingdai on how to tell the Third Madam after returning to the mansion.

Having finally managed to keep Yazhu here, Youtong went to find Xu Cong in a fit of rage as soon as Qingdai left. She had specifically chosen his day off so that he could find an opportunity to come and say a few words, but instead, she waited all day and didn't even see a trace of him.

When Youtong hurriedly entered Xu Cong's courtyard, she saw him pacing back and forth in the yard, muttering to himself, seemingly out of nowhere. Startled by Youtong's sudden appearance, Xu Cong blushed, scratched his head sheepishly, and whispered, "Sister-in-law, what brings you here?"

You Tong stomped her feet in exasperation, angrily saying, "You...you really are..."

Xu Cong knew he was in the wrong, and looked at You Tong pitifully, saying shyly, "I...I dare not go."

Xu Cong, who is usually so energetic, would unexpectedly back down at the last minute. You Tong was furious and wanted to give him a good beating, but since he was her brother-in-law, she had to consider Xu Wei's feelings and could only grit her teeth and curse him.

Xu Cong didn't retort, letting You Tong scold him. Then, he whispered and pleaded, "Sister-in-law, could I... could my brother stay with me for a while..." Before he could finish, he was scared off by You Tong's fierce glare. He turned around and went into the house, saying loudly, "I'm going back to change my clothes."

In the end, Xu Cong still didn't dare to appear alone. He waited until Xu Wei returned to the mansion before dragging him along, pretending to come and get something, and only then did he meet Ya Zhu. He was so nervous that he almost fell, but Ya Zhu only nodded politely to him, not recognizing him at all.

Seeing this reaction, not only Xu Cong, but even You Tong felt a little uncertain. Xu Wei also told her privately that Xu Cong might be interested in her, but she wasn't reciprocating. You Tong was also helpless. If Ya Zhu wasn't interested in Xu Cong, she couldn't just blindly play matchmaker, especially since Madam Xu was standing between the two of them.

Once she understood this, You Tong's desire to play matchmaker faded. Poor Xu Cong was extremely anxious, but dared not tell You Tong anymore, so he could only plead with Xu Wei. Although Xu Wei was also annoyed that he had let him down at the crucial moment, he was still his brother. Seeing that his face had turned pale, he couldn't bring himself to be ruthless. He then persuaded You Tong to let Ya Zhu stay for a few more days, so that the two of them could meet a few more times.

Since Xu Wei had spoken, You Tong naturally couldn't refuse, and politely asked Ya Zhu to stay at the mansion for a few more days. During this time, the Third Madam of the Gao family took the opportunity to visit, bringing gifts, mostly local specialties from Qiantang—practical and inexpensive. Meanwhile, good news came from Qing Dai's side: the Gao family still had quite a few ready-made black chicken-wing furniture pieces stored in Qiantang, with fashionable styles. You Tong quickly told the Second Madam, who was overjoyed, thanking her sincerely while immediately sending people to Qiantang to transport the furniture. The Gao family, being very attentive, knowing it was the Cui family's daughter getting married, sent the items back to the capital without hesitation.

80. Attempted to steal a chicken

In February, Wenyan got married. Although the Sun family was not as prominent as the Xu family, they were still wealthy, and the wedding was quite dignified. The Cui family's repeated extravagant weddings drew sighs from the people of the capital, who marveled at their family's long-standing tradition of wealth and influence.

However, the Cui family gradually became more low-key. The second master specifically instructed the people in the mansion to be careful and not to cause trouble in the capital. The second branch was fine, and Cui Weiyuan naturally didn't need to worry about it. But Weitai was a troublemaker. He used the Cui family's name to indulge in drinking, gambling, and whoring outside. Not long after arriving in the capital, he caused quite a few incidents.

Since the Fourth Prince was also in the capital, it was naturally not the Second Prince's place to discipline his son. However, the Second Prince would still give the Fourth Prince a warning in private. The Fourth Prince also knew that the capital was not like Longxi, and Wei Tai could not be allowed to act recklessly. He specifically instructed his wife to keep a close eye on Wei Tai and kept him locked up in the mansion for quite some time, not allowing him to go out.

At first, Wei Tai obediently stayed in his cell, but later he became somewhat rebellious and secretly escaped several times. He finally managed to escape once, but was caught and brought back after just one drinking session. He was severely punished by the Fourth Master and was bedridden for two days. Seeing that her son had been wronged, the Fourth Madam felt sorry for him and kept calling him her precious darling.

Even after being beaten, Wei Tai remained unruly, shouting that he had learned of a conspiracy. The Fourth Master and Fourth Madam, however, did not believe him. It was Cui Weiyuan who overheard this during a visit and, after the Fourth Master and Fourth Madam left, solemnly questioned Wei Tai, wanting to find out what really happened.

Seeing that someone finally believed him, Wei Tai became smug and began to praise himself at length. Only when he noticed Cui Weiyuan's impatience did he quickly change the subject, rambling on, "The day before yesterday, didn't I sneak out to a tavern to drink alone? When I was a little tipsy, I heard people talking in the next private room, talking about some young marquis and that woman from the Xu family. I thought to myself, isn't the Xu family our in-laws? That woman from the Xu family must be our ninth sister…"

Cui Weiyuan frowned, a sense of unease flashing through his mind. He tried his best to suppress it and asked in a deep voice, "Did you hear what they said clearly?"

"Of course!" Wei Tai shuddered, a smug and excited expression on his face. He exclaimed, "When I heard that, I couldn't drink anymore. I immediately pricked up my ears and pressed them against the wall. Good heavens, just as I expected, those bastards had no good intentions..." His eyes shone brightly as he vividly recounted what he had overheard in the restaurant that day to Cui Weiyuan. Then he spread his hands and said, "I was originally going to go to the Xu residence to report the news immediately, but as you know, my old man caught me as soon as I stepped out the door. No matter what I said, he thought I was lying."

Did they say which day it was?

"Which day?" Wei Tai paused, scratching the back of his head uncertainly. "I didn't quite catch that—hey, where are you going?" Before he could finish speaking, Cui Weiyuan had already hurriedly gotten up and rushed out of the house. Seeing him about to leave, Wei Tai panicked and, clutching his backside, rushed out after him, shouting, "I'll go with you—"

...

February 19th is the birthday of Guanyin Bodhisattva. Every year on this day, Madam Xu would go to the Guanyin Temple outside the city to worship Buddha. In the past, she would lead a large group of maids and servants alone. Although there were many people, there was no one to talk to. This year was different. Early in the morning, You Tong packed her luggage and went out with her.

The road was crowded, and the carriages on the official road outside the city formed a long queue. The Xu family's carriage was in the middle of the front, with Madam Xu and You Tong each riding in one carriage, one in front of the other.

The carriage suddenly stopped after traveling for a while, but no one knew what had happened on the road ahead that had blocked the main road. Madam Xu and You Tong waited in the carriage for a while, but there was no sign of the traffic clearing up. Just then, there was a tea stall by the roadside, and the hot water in the kettle was steaming. Madam Xu thought for a moment and simply asked the driver to pull the carriage over so that everyone could rest in the tea stall for the time being.

You Tong naturally dismounted from the carriage as well, and had a cup of tea and some snacks with Madam Xu. Only after the road ahead was clear did she get back into the carriage. They had only gone a few steps when the horses pulling the carriage suddenly went mad and galloped off onto a side road. Everyone was shocked. The Xu family servants who were guarding the carriage were about to spur their horses to give chase when a large herd of wild horses suddenly appeared from nowhere, charging wildly and blocking the road ahead.

After everyone finally managed to scare the horses away, the carriage carrying Youtong had already vanished without a trace...

On You Tong's side, the carriage sped along, the driver having already jumped off. As it passed through the grove, the carriage jolted violently, and then someone could be seen sitting on the outer seat. Then, with a "poof," a stick of incense was thrown in from outside, and white smoke immediately filled the small carriage.

The carriage struggled along the bumpy mountain road for over an hour before finally arriving at a courtyard. As soon as the carriage came to a stop, someone immediately came out to greet them, asking in a low voice, "Was the journey alright?"

Someone replied in a low voice, "Of course, it doesn't even matter who made the move." There was no concealment in their voice.

The man immediately became delighted, laughing repeatedly, "Good! Good! The young marquis will surely reward you handsomely later! This woman, hmph—" He snorted coldly, turned around and beckoned to the people in the courtyard to lead the carriage through the gate. As they passed through the gate, the servant leading the horse couldn't help but crane his neck to peek into the carriage, only to be smacked hard by the steward, who scolded, "Don't you even know who's in this carriage? Is that something you can just look at?"

The servants responded meekly and dared not do anything further. The steward, however, thought for a moment, then chuckled sinisterly and secretly lifted the curtain to peek inside. A faint scent of incense lingered in the carriage, and through the wisps of smoke, a woman in fine clothes could be vaguely seen leaning against the carriage wall, her eyes closed, clearly having been unconscious for some time.

Knowing that the woman was brought here at the young marquis's special request, the steward dared not look at her for long. He quickly lowered the curtain, ordered the servants to drive the carriage into the courtyard, and then went to the inner room with a big smile to ask the young marquis for credit.

"Did you look closely?" The young marquis leaned back on the couch, squinting at the steward, and asked again, "That woman is very cunning, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

The steward patted his chest and said, "My lord, don't you trust me with my work? That sleeping potion was specially bought from the southern barbarians at a high price. It can even knock out a cow. No matter how capable that woman is, she'll be completely immobilized by the drug. Whether she lives or dies is entirely up to you."

The young marquis pondered for a while, and seeing that there was nothing unusual outside, he felt relieved. A ferocious look flashed across his face as he stood up, leaning on a short cane, and slowly limped out of the house.

The carriage stood quietly in the center of the courtyard. The servants had already discreetly retreated. The steward, with a beaming smile, bowed as he led the young marquis forward, saying smugly, "It's all thanks to your strategic planning, Your Highness. If it weren't for your idea, this woman wouldn't have been caught so easily."

As they spoke, the man had already reached the carriage. The steward, with a fawning expression, suddenly flung open the curtain. The young marquis narrowed his eyes, and a flash of silver light appeared before him. He knew something was wrong, and as he hurriedly retreated, it was too late. Two chilling longswords were already at his neck.

"Young Marquis, it's been a long time." Xu Wei smiled politely at him, his face sincere. If it weren't for the long sword in his hand being held to the young marquis's neck, his expression would truly resemble that of close friends reunited. Cui Weiyuan, standing to the side, was far less polite. His face was practically icy cold. With a slight twitch, the dagger in his hand, pressed against the young marquis's neck, slashed a large gash across his throat, and blood immediately flowed down.

Upon seeing this, the steward was so frightened that he trembled all over, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground, having fainted from fright.

The young marquis, however, remained calm. Although his life was in the hands of others, he gritted his teeth and refused to beg for mercy. Instead, he sneered, "So you were prepared all along. However, you two are far too confident. Although you two are skilled, two fists can't beat four hands. I have hundreds of servants lying in ambush outside my manor. If you hurt me, you'll have to pay with your lives."

Cui Weiyuan glanced at him coldly without speaking, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes. Xu Wei, however, maintained his smile, saying with genuine sincerity, "Young Marquis, what are you saying? Weiyuan and I are both officials; we know the laws and regulations better than anyone. We would never carry out an execution in private. As for today's matter—" His tone shifted, his face suddenly turning serious, and he said coldly, "Naturally, His Majesty should uphold justice."

Everyone knows that the young mistress of the Xu family is the adopted daughter of the Grand Princess. If this matter were to be brought to court, how could the Grand Princess easily forgive him? Not only would the young marquis be in danger, but the Wu family would likely be implicated as well. Thinking of this, the young marquis's face turned ashen. He hardened his heart, suddenly feeling an urge to fight to the death. Just as he was about to order the soldiers surrounding the manor to attack, a soft, slightly amused voice came from inside the carriage, "Young marquis, aren't you wondering how we found out?"

"We're all in your hands now anyway, so what if we know?" The young marquis swallowed back the command that was on the tip of his tongue, his hand trembling slightly, and sneered coldly. Though he said this, his face showed a look of confusion, indicating that he was indeed puzzled.

You Tong then told him in detail what Wei Tai had overheard about their plan, and then laughed and said, "Young Marquis, you are indeed careful and cautious, but it's a pity that you don't manage your subordinates well. How can such shady matters be discussed casually outside? As the saying goes, walls have ears. If you don't even understand this principle, how can you succeed?"

Upon hearing this, the young marquis was so angry his mouth almost twisted in rage. He always prided himself on being cautious, and he consistently discussed this matter in his study, dismissing even his trusted attendants and maids, all to prevent the matter from being leaked. He never expected that all his efforts would be ruined by an unreliable servant.

“Young Marquis, there’s no need to be upset,” Xu Wei said with a smile. “Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. We’ve only lost two matches. We’ll try again later.” He spoke so lightly. If this matter were to be brought to court, the young marquis would probably never be able to recover in his lifetime. What would he have left to fight against him?

The young marquis looked ashen-faced, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something, but Xu Wei ignored his reaction and continued his rambling. Several times the young marquis wanted to order the soldiers outside to attack, but each time the words caught in his throat. These men were no pushovers; if a fight broke out, his life would likely be forfeit…

As they hesitated, a clear whistle suddenly rang out from outside the manor. Xu Wei and Cui Weiyuan exchanged a glance, smiled at each other, and breathed a sigh of relief. The young marquis was greatly surprised, but quickly realized what was happening and trembled with anger. They hadn't been trying to chat with the young marquis; they had only been stalling for time.

"What's outside—"

“The Imperial Guards.” Xu Wei gave him an innocent yet sincere smile. “They really are the Grand Princess’s personal guards; they arrived very quickly.”

81. Pregnancy

Everything went smoothly. Due to the huge difference in status, the young marquis didn't even have the will to resist and silently let Cui Weiyuan put him into the carriage.

“The Wu family is really in trouble this time—” Cui Weiyuan said with a smile, but before he could finish speaking, he saw Youtong suddenly sway twice and then fall limply to the ground. He was startled and forgot to move, staring blankly as Xu Wei caught her and jumped into the carriage.

“You…You Tong…” Xu Wei’s voice trembled slightly, as if someone was beating a large drum in his heart, one beat after another, making it hard to breathe. Cui Weiyuan stood there for a while, and only after breaking out in a cold sweat did he finally come to his senses. He didn’t go into the carriage, but got into the horse-drawn carriage, cracked the whip, and drove the carriage towards the capital.

You Tong has always been healthy, so why would she suddenly faint for no reason? The doctors all say that people who are usually healthy can become seriously ill once they do. Xu Wei's mind was in turmoil, and all he could think about at that moment were these kinds of random thoughts.

"No...nothing should happen..." Xu Wei lowered his head, his eyes stinging and welling up with tears, but this wasn't the time to cry. He wiped his face and pressed on You Tong's philtrum. Before he could apply any pressure, a soft moan was heard. You Tong slowly woke up, half-closing her eyes and glancing at Xu Wei groggily. She weakly whispered, "What happened to me?"

"Youtong!" Xu Wei was both surprised and delighted to see her suddenly wake up. He stepped forward, covered her head and face, and carefully examined her before asking, "Are you feeling unwell anywhere? You suddenly fainted just now, it scared me to death."

You Tong touched her head blankly, her eyelids opening and closing. "I'm just sleepy and have no energy." As she spoke, she slowly closed her eyes again, and in the blink of an eye, she fell asleep again.

Seeing that although she was weak, Xu Wei's complexion was still rosy, and he was no longer so anxious. He gently stroked her forehead without saying a word.

Cui Weiyuan drove the carriage so fast it was practically flying. It took nearly two hours to get there, but only one hour to get back to the capital. The carriage was jolting violently, so Xu Wei had to carefully hold You Tong to avoid waking her.

As soon as they entered the Xu family's gate, Cui Weiyuan rushed down to call the servants to fetch a doctor, while Xu Wei carried the sleeping You Tong out of the carriage. The servants in the mansion heard the commotion outside and came out to see what was happening. When they saw Xu Wei carrying You Tong into the house with a stern face, they assumed that You Tong was injured and were immediately terrified. They quickly went into the inner courtyard to fetch Madam Xu.

As soon as You Tong lay down, Cui Weiyuan brought the doctor over. Both of them were covered in sweat. The doctor with gray hair was being pulled by the neck by Cui Weiyuan, making him breathless and his face was deathly pale.

This Doctor Liu was an acquaintance of the Xu family. He was always the one to treat anyone in the household who had a minor ailment, and everyone treated him with utmost courtesy. He had never been treated so rudely before. He couldn't help but feel resentful, but he wisely kept quiet—especially after seeing the young mistress of the Xu family in bed. Doctor Liu was even more grateful for his caution. General Xu wouldn't concern himself with a doctor's feelings while his young mistress lay in bed.

Doctor Liu coughed lightly, signaling to Xu Wei to make way so he could reach the bedside to take the patient's pulse. He waited for a while, but the person by the bed remained unresponsive. Frustrated, Doctor Liu carefully squeezed to the side, chuckling awkwardly, and said, "General—"

Xu Wei turned around abruptly, his face showing a moment of confusion and bewilderment, but he quickly came to his senses and made way for a small space, but he did not let go of You Tong's hand, still holding it tightly.

Dr. Liu was somewhat embarrassed by the intimate behavior of the young couple, but he did not show any inappropriate expression. He walked forward with a normal expression, sat down on the small stool by the bed, took out a small cotton pad from the medicine box, and gestured for Xu Wei to place You Tong's hand on it.

Everyone in the room stared at Doctor Liu, afraid of missing any fleeting emotion on his face. But Doctor Liu remained calm, his lips slightly pursed, his eyes half-closed, his breathing slow and steady, neither speaking nor moving, until everyone's hearts were in their throats, when he suddenly let out a soft "Eh—".

Everyone's hearts leaped at his cry, and all eyes were fixed on him, unblinking. Xu Wei opened his mouth as if to ask a question, but no sound came out. Then, Doctor Liu frowned, his face showing a serious and focused expression, and he made a "hmm" sound, but it was unclear what it meant.

After what seemed like an indescribable long time—or perhaps to those inside—Doctor Liu finally released his fingers from You Tong's pulse, slowly put away the small cotton pad, and then stroked his long beard with a solemn expression.

"Young Madam—" Doctor Liu's gaze swept over the faces of everyone in front of him without changing his expression, all of whom were filled with anxious and restless emotions. "She is not ill." He smiled with narrowed eyes. "Congratulations, General, the Young Madam is pregnant."

With a loud "whoosh," the room erupted in cheers. The servants nearby cried out in delight. Madam Xu, who had just reached the front door, only heard the last sentence and was so overjoyed she couldn't speak. Cui Weiyuan immediately reacted, offering sincere congratulations to Xu Wei…

Only General Xu was caught off guard by the overwhelming joy. He stared blankly at everyone, then at the sleeping You Tong on the bed, his expression like that of a silly teenager.

Seeing his embarrassing state, Madam Xu was both angry and amused. Not wanting to scold him in front of so many people, she quickly stepped forward and pinched him until he woke up from the pain. Then she said, "Look at you, you silly thing. You don't look like someone who should be a father."

Xu Wei chuckled twice. He was now the shrewd and composed General Xu again, first giving Doctor Liu a generous reward, then carefully inquiring about all the precautions to take during pregnancy—his attentiveness was so meticulous that even Madam Xu herself was impressed. Cui Weiyuan quickly took his leave, saying he needed to return home to report the good news—after all, the Cui family was You Tong's nominal maternal family.

After sleeping for a while, You Tong finally woke up. Xu Wei was right beside her, along with Madam Xu and several maids. Everyone was smiling at her, their eyes filled with obvious joy. You Tong was a little startled by this scene. She blinked and looked at them, completely puzzled.

"Youtong, you're awake," Madam Xu said first, her voice gentle and soft, as if afraid of startling her. She wasn't usually like this; she was always energetic and loud, and her voice was often a little excited when she spoke. "Here, some freshly made chicken soup, drink more."

You Tong felt a little uneasy and turned to look at Xu Wei, trying to discern something from his expression. But Xu Wei had the same expression as Madam Xu, his eyes so gentle they could melt water, which only made her more restless.

But she didn't ask a question, suppressing her doubts, and obediently drank the chicken soup. Xu Wei even gently wiped her mouth for her. You Tong remained silent, looking at Xu Wei uneasily, her eyes wide open, her hands tightly gripping the blankets to hide her nervousness. She knew her own body well; although she hadn't rested well for the past two days because of the planning, it certainly wasn't to the point of fainting—she suddenly remembered Cui's passing; she too had fainted in the courtyard one spring morning, then fallen ill and never recovered, passing away not long after.

Her appearance somewhat caught Madam Xu's attention, but pregnant women are always a bit emotionally unstable, just like she herself had been years ago. Madam Xu very understandingly dismissed the servants and returned to her room, leaving the couple a quiet place to talk. At times like these, a husband's concern is always especially important.

As soon as Madam Xu left, You Tong's face fell. She lay on the bed as if all her strength had been drained, biting her lip. After thinking for a long time, she asked with difficulty, "What disease do I have?"

Xu Wei exclaimed "Huh?" and looked at her with a strange expression. He had completely forgotten that he hadn't yet told her this incredibly good news. You Tong repeated it again, her voice firm, yet tinged with a slight sob.

Xu Wei then realized that You Tong had misunderstood. He was both amused and exasperated. He quickly told her about her pregnancy and gently stroked her flat stomach, which showed no signs of pregnancy. He said softly, "You Tong, we have a baby. It's right here."

You Tong covered her mouth to try and suppress her joyful cry, but her flushed face and bright eyes betrayed her emotions. They had been waiting for this child for a long time. "Is...is it true?" After a while, she finally spoke in disbelief, stammering.

"Dr. Liu said it's only been a little over a month. You haven't been resting well these past few days, which is why you fainted." Xu Wei didn't answer her directly, but instead smiled and said, "You might be sleepy for the next two months, and you'll also experience morning sickness after a while. It'll get better after the first three months." He seemed to be more experienced than You Tong in this regard.

In any case, news of Youtong's pregnancy spread quickly. The Cui family immediately sent over a lot of gifts, and the Second Madam and her two aunts came to visit in person. Wenyan, who had just married, also came, staring at Youtong's belly with great excitement for a long time. The Grand Princess was also delighted, showering her with gifts.

Not only them, but even Xu's relatives started making moves. The two women who had visited last time saw that Youtong was resting at home during her pregnancy, and their minds immediately started working. They kept running to the Xu residence, and one even subtly mentioned to Madam Xu that she had a beautiful and gentle niece. Madam Xu was so angry that she didn't bother with formalities and had them kicked out.

General Xu was living a very comfortable life, without having to think about anything. He didn't want to worry about the war on the frontier, nor did he have to care about what kind of conspiracy the Wu family was plotting. In fact, ever since the kidnapping of the young marquis was exposed, the Wu family had been stripped of their military power by the Grand Princess and had never recovered. He only had to think about how to nourish You Tong's body and what kind of porridge to cook at night.

You Tong is in good health. Apart from being sleepy, she didn't experience any of the morning sickness or nausea that other pregnant women go through. She had a good appetite, a rosy complexion, and seemed even more beautiful than before she was pregnant.

However, these good days did not last. In April, heavy rains lasted for more than ten days, causing the Yellow River to breach its banks and flooding several counties in the east, leaving people homeless. To make matters worse, the King of Qi rebelled.

You Tong thought Xu Wei would be sent to redress the injustice, and there weren't many military generals in the court at the moment. Among the younger generation of generals, besides General Cheng, only Xu Wei and the eldest son of the Shen family were capable of undertaking this important task. But in the end, the Grand Princess chose the eldest son of the Shen family.

Since Shen San led his troops to the Northwest, almost everyone thought that the eldest son would be sidelined. But he suddenly regained power, which puzzled everyone. However, they quickly understood. With a formidable enemy at hand, it was of course most important to cooperate in fighting the enemy. Who knew what he would do after the rebellion was quelled?

The eldest son remained calm and composed as always, as if the imperial decree were nothing out of the ordinary. He accepted it without a word and led his troops out of the capital, as if the previous inactivity had never happened. When Xu Wei spoke of him to You Tong at home, he couldn't help but sigh and repeatedly praised his perseverance.

They thought the matter was settled, and Xu Wei could stay by You Tong's side until the child was born. But soon, their plans were disrupted again. At the end of April, news of battles on the northwestern frontier came frequently, with the northwestern army suffering repeated defeats. In the end, news even broke that Shen San had been killed in battle.

When the news reached the capital, it was met with widespread grief. Needless to say, the Shen family was devastated, and the people of the capital were also filled with anxiety. If the northwestern border fell, the Xiongnu would be able to sweep in unimpeded, and the Central Plains would likely be plunged into bloodshed and turmoil for decades.

This time, You Tong knew in her heart that even the child could not keep Xu Wei.

Sure enough, on the third day of the fifth month, an imperial edict was issued, appointing Xu Wei as the Grand General of the State, leading an army of 100,000 to the north to resist the enemy.