Yan Ge smiled and said, “General, Minister Luo Wei, there’s no need to be nervous. Let me finish speaking first. I don’t mean to boast, but in terms of martial arts, perhaps only the general can match me in this entire camp. If I go down personally, even if there is danger, I can still come back in time to report.”
“No!” Minister Luo Wei anxiously said, “Yan Caiqing, you know how much the Emperor values you. If something were to happen to you, how can I explain it to the Emperor?”
General Wei Chi also added, “Exactly. Yan Caiqing, you should stay up here.”
Yan Ge thought about how he secretly snuck down south this time, which had already made Huangfu Yuchen angry. If Huangfu Yuchen found out that he took such a risk and went into the valley, he didn’t know how furious he would be. He pinched his chin and said helplessly, “Fine. But I can’t help but worry if I don’t go down personally. If only he were here…”
Just as he finished speaking, he heard a familiar sigh in the air, and then he felt a light touch on his head.
He suddenly turned around and looked at the man standing in front of him with a smile. He blinked his eyes in disbelief, but the man was still standing in the same spot, and still looking at him with a smile.
Everyone present silently went down to their knees and bowed their heads.
“Yuchen? Is it really you?” Yan Ge looked at Huangfu Yuchen in astonishment. Even as he grabbed Huangfu Yuchen’s wrist, he still found it hard to believe. Wasn’t Huangfu Yuchen supposed to be in the capital? Why was he here? He had thought that Huangfu Yuchen might come after him, but he didn’t expect it to happen so soon.
“Who else would it be?” Huangfu Yuchen touched his face. Feeling that it was a bit cold, he held Yan Ge’s face with both hands and gently rubbed it.
“I…” Yan Ge couldn’t find the words for a moment. He could only stare at Huangfu Yuchen, his heart pounding. The happiness and bitter sweetness of seeing the person he missed in the next second overwhelmed him, and he didn’t know how to express himself.
“Hehe…” His expression made Huangfu Yuchen happy. The longing he had accumulated while enduring the absence of his loved one was relieved at this moment, and he opened his arms to his beloved.
Yan Ge wrapped his arms around his back and couldn’t help but smile too. Suddenly, everything became clear to him, and he raised his head in Huangfu Yuchen’s embrace. “I remember now! You were here all along, right? I felt something was off that day in General Wei Chi’s study but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Now I finally understand what was wrong.”
“What was wrong?” Huangfu Yuchen kissed the tip of his nose.
“It was the chair,” Yan Ge said. “In terms of rank and position, when General Wei Chi and Minister Wei discuss matters, the general should be in the main seat, and Minister Wei in the side seat. But that day, as soon as I sat down, I felt that the second chair in the side seat was warm, as if someone had sat there. It meant that before I arrived in the study, there were actually three people in the room. You were sitting in the main seat, and General Wei and Minister Luo Wei were in the side seats. Am I right?”
Huangfu Yuchen nodded with a smile, “Smart.”
“Of course,” Yan Ge replied proudly. He leaned closer to Huangfu Yuchen’s ear and asked tentatively, “I snuck away secretly, weren’t you angry?”
“I was angry,” Huangfu Yuchen casually said, “but I could only sulk on my own. I’m not angry anymore.”
Yan Ge chuckled and stole a few glances at him. He found that Huangfu Yuchen really wasn’t angry and felt relieved. He tightly held his hand, and said generously, “I missed you a lot these past few days. I even wrote you a letter and had someone deliver it to the capital.” At this moment, he still didn’t know that a “bad news” was waiting for him in the capital.
“It’s here with me,” Huangfu Yuchen recalled the contents of the letter—it was a description of their journey in detail, the interesting things and delicious food in Nanrun City, and his beloved’s longing for him. A gentle smile appeared on his lips, and he kissed Yan Ge’s forehead.
Yan Ge narrowed his eyes and suddenly remembered that everyone was kneeling. He quickly gestured to Huangfu Yuchen.
Huangfu Yuchen said, “Rise.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Huangfu Yuchen said, “This time, I came to the southwest secretly, so it must not be publicized.”
“Yes.”
Huangfu Yuchen then waved his hand to signal everyone to continue with their own business.
Yan Ge dragged Huangfu Yuchen into the military tent, “Since you came a long time ago, why didn’t you show up?”
Huangfu Yuchen remained silent for a moment. “Because of my identity, you can only operate within the capital. I didn’t want you to feel like I was trying to confine you. If I hadn’t heard you say that you wanted to see me, I still wouldn’t have appeared.”
Yan Ge was both moved and distressed. He glared at Huangfu Yuchen with a hint of reproach. “If I hadn’t mentioned that I wanted to see you until the day we return to the capital, would you still have stayed hidden?”
Huangfu Yuchen nodded. “Arrive quietly, leave quietly.”
“I never felt that you were confining me,” Yan Ge said seriously.
Huangfu Yuchen smiled and hooked his lips. “It will be fine, baby. When Prince Yunxi is old enough, we can unload our burdens and go wherever we want.” He was luckier than anyone else to have such a fulfilling love. It was a happiness that could not be replaced by anyone or anything.
Yan Ge nodded with a smile, feeling more and more fortunate. Huangfu Yuchen could be domineering at times, but within his domineering nature, there was also tenderness, thoughtfulness, and indulgence. He would not let anyone take Huangfu Yuchen away from him.
The two of them stayed in the military tent for a while before appearing outside.
General Wei Chi and Minister Luo Wei had been waiting there. They approached them.
“Your Majesty, Yan Caiqing.”
Huangfu Yuchen said, “General Wei Chi, prepare yourself. Tomorrow morning, Yan Caiqing and I will accompany Minister Luo Wei down.”
General Wei Chi and Minister Luo Wei were greatly shocked.
General Wei Chi said, “Your Majesty, you are of great importance and must not expose yourself to danger!”
Luo Wei also said, “Indeed. Your Majesty, someone as important as you should not risk yourself. Leave this matter to me. I will investigate it thoroughly and provide you with a satisfactory answer.”
Huangfu Yuchen said without a doubt, “No need to say more. My mind is made up.”
General Wei Chi and Luo Wei exchanged glances, their expressions showing disapproval. However, Huangfu Yuchen was resolute, and they did not dare to say more. Seeing Yan Caiqing’s indifferent expression, it was clear that he would not help persuade him.
General Wei Chi could only say, “Yes, I will make the preparations.”
“I will assist.” Luo Wei said.
After the two officials left, they both sighed in unison.
General Wei Chi frowned and said, “Minister Luo Wei, can’t you try persuading His Majesty again?”
Minister Luo Wei shook his head. “I think it’s unnecessary. Although His Majesty is young, he is not impulsive. He must have the confidence to ensure his safety before he made that decision. You and I can only focus on preparing the equipment.”
General Wei Chi said, “That’s all we can do. Minister Luo Wei, it will be up to you to assist His Majesty and Yan Caiqing when you reach the valley. I will handle all the matters above, so you can rest assured.”
“General, please rest assured as well.”
Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen led Bai Guan and Yunyi to the side and had someone bring grass for them. They personally fed them.
“How is Bai Guan?” Huangfu Yuchen asked. “Did it cause you any trouble along the way?”
Yan Ge patted Bai Guan’s back and smiled. “It runs fast and steady. I’m very satisfied with it. It’s also very satisfied with me. It never threw a tantrum. What about Yunyi? It didn’t really fly, did it?”
Huangfu Yuchen chuckled. “No, it didn’t. Yunyi is a wild horse caught in the mountains by the locals so it hasn’t been tamed yet. Because I was in a hurry to chase after you, I didn’t have time to tame it. I only mounted it after leaving the capital and as soon as I got on, it tried to throw me off, but with its strength, how could it resist me? No matter how much it resisted, I stayed on its back. Bai Guan has a fierce temperament, while Yunyi is proud. Throughout the journey, it never gave up resisting until two days before arriving at Nanrun City when it finally submitted. It has finally accepted me as its master.”
Yan Ge could imagine how intense and determined Yunyi’s resistance had been just by listening to him. He reached out and stroked Yunyi’s head. “A good horse needs a good owner to achieve its ideals and travel far and wide. Rest assured, your owner will not mistreat you.”
Huangfu Yuchen laughed.
Yunyi was also intelligent. It probably saw the close relationship between Yan Ge and its master, so when Yan Ge touched it, it didn’t dodge.
Huangfu Yuchen smiled with satisfaction and took out a comb from his saddlebag to groom their horses. He handed another comb to Yan Ge.
The two of them chatted and laughed while grooming their new horses. As the sun set, the yellow rays of light turned them and their horses into a warm silhouette painting.
The soldiers in the distance inadvertently saw this scene and couldn’t help but smile faintly.
Deng Mande ran over, panting. “The servant pays respects to Yan Caiqing.”
“Eunuch Deng is here too. No need for formalities.”
Deng Mande: “I came to ask what His Majesty and Yan Caiqing would like to eat tonight?”
Huangfu Yuchen gestured for Yan Ge to decide.
Yan Ge said, “Let’s have hotpot. It’s convenient and warm.”
“Yes, I will instruct the kitchen staff.”
…..
The next day, as dawn broke, breakfast was prepared in the kitchen.
After having breakfast, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen changed into casual clothes. Minister Luo Wei ordered a hundred Imperial Guards and the group set off for Cuncao Valley. This time, everyone’s preparations were more thorough. They prepared ten long ropes, tied to the top ten skilled Imperial Guards.
Following the rope that was tied to Ah fei before, they climbed down the valley.
Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen were agile, so they were the most relaxed. The protruding rocks and soil on both sides became their footholds, and they descended over ten feet with each jump. Although Luo Wei, the Minister of War, had not been on the battlefield in recent years, his martial arts skills were still sharp, and he was quite nimble.
As they proceeded, they observed that both sides of the soil wall were bare, without any vegetation. However, they could see traces left by the previous groups on the raised mounds, proving that they had indeed descended into the valley through this route.
Yan Ge said to Liao Hui, a soldier of the Imperial Guard beside him, “Shout something upwards and see if they can hear it.”
“Yes!” Liao Hui shouted loudly, “Can the people above hear us?”
“We can hear—”
The reply from above dragged on for a long time, indicating that the other party’s voice should be very loud, but it sounded low to them.
Luo Wei was somewhat puzzled. “We’ve only descended about twenty feet. Normally, we should be able to hear their voices clearly.”
Yan Ge pointed at the tooth-like protrusions on the soil wall and said, “As everyone knows, we breathe in air, and sound travels through the air. These protrusions block the propagation of sound, so it becomes weaker. If we continue to descend, the distance will increase, and there will be more protrusions. We won’t be able to hear the voices from above at all, and they won’t be able to hear our voices either. It’s not a supernatural phenomenon, so there’s no need to panic.”
“I see.” Everyone suddenly understood.
Huangfu Yuchen said, “Let’s pick up the pace and go to the end of the rope first.”
“Yes.”
Fortunately, it was a sunny day. Despite the obstruction of the rock formations above, there was still light shining down, which did not affect their vision. After nearly two incense sticks’ worth of time, the group arrived at the bottom of the valley. At this point, they shouted again, but there was no response at all.
They walked forward for a dozen steps, and a cave that was about two feet tall and could accommodate a carriage appeared in front of them. Ah fei’s rope led into the cave, and its destination was unknown.
Minister Luo Wei cautiously said, “Your Majesty, Yan Caiqing, please let the Imperial Guards lead the way.”
The Imperial Guards were responsible for protecting the members of the royal family, and both Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen did not insist. They took two steps back and let four Imperial Guards walk in front.
Being at the back also had its advantages. If any issues arose, they could promptly assist the people in front.
