Chapter 244 -

Chapter 244: Chapter

Su Yu rubbed the back of his neck, slumping onto a nearby wooden chair with a heavy sigh. "You really scared the life out of us, Mei Mei! Faking an injury like that..."

Su Feng shook his head, pulling a chair closer for himself, though the tight tension in his broad shoulders finally began to melt away. Wenzhe didn’t say a word, but his thumb gently brushed over Yueqing’s wrist, silently checking her pulse just to be completely certain she wasn’t hiding real pain.

Once everyone finally settled down, the atmosphere shifted from dramatic family chaos to quiet seriousness.

Yimei stepped forward, pouring fresh tea for the Su brothers before standing respectfully near Yueqing. She looked at Su Feng and Su Yu, her voice calm and clear. "Young Masters, the General and the Third Prince are already preparing to stop the Empress’s rebellion. Lord Su has also agreed to lend the full support of the Su family."

Su Yu let out another groan, leaning back in his seat. "Of course Father agreed! And of course we’ll support it too, if Mei Mei is staying in this estate, we can’t let some greedy Empress tear down the capital and put her life in danger."

Su Feng nodded gravely, looking at Wenzhe with sharp eyes. "If Father and the Xi family are aligned, our private Su guards are ready to move on your command, General."

Wenzhe gave a firm, respectful nod toward Su Feng. "Thank you, Brother Su Feng. In two days, I will be heading to the north with my father to mobilize the troops. Soon, the Emperor’s birthday will come, and that is the day the Empress will want to take charge and rebel."

Yueqing tilted her head, her brows furrowing slightly as she recalled the timeline. "Wait... His Majesty’s birthday isn’t for another six months, right?"

Su Feng’s expression darkened. "That is the official date, Yueqing. But with the Emperor’s health failing fast and rumors of a secret decree circulating, the Empress won’t wait six months. She will strike much sooner, likely moving her plans up to three months from now."

Wenzhe’s grip on Yueqing’s hand tightened slightly, his dark eyes ablaze with cold determination. "Which gives us three months to position our forces before she moves her chess pieces."

Yueqing looked at Wenzhe’s steady profile, her heart thumping against her ribs. Three months until the capital turns into a battlefield... and eighty-nine days left before my time here is up.

...

Once Su Feng and Su Yu finally said their goodbyes, Yueqing insisted on walking them to the courtyard gates to see them off properly.

As her brothers’ horses trotted down the street and out of sight, the lingering noise of the morning slowly faded, leaving only the quiet rustle of the autumn breeze. Yueqing stood near the entrance, a faint wave of exhaustion suddenly washing over her fragile body.

Before her knees could buckle, Wenzhe stepped smoothly behind her. Without a word, he crouched low, offering his broad, solid back.

"Up," he murmured softly.

Yueqing didn’t hesitate. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms carefully around his neck, making sure not to pull on her shoulder and let him scoop her up onto his back. Wenzhe stood up with effortless ease, shifting her weight securely before taking slow, steady strides back toward her inner courtyard.

The sun filtered through the high oak trees, casting warm, dappled light across the stone pathway.

"I’m coming with you," Yueqing said softly, resting her chin on his broad shoulder, her breath warm against his ear. "In two days... when you go to the northern border with your father."

Wenzhe smiled, a rare, tender expression softening his usually rigid features. He adjusted his grip on her legs gently, taking another quiet step forward. "You want to travel to the cold north with me?"

"I’m not staying here alone while you go off into battle plans," she muttered stubbornly. "Besides, I can help."

"You can come," Wenzhe agreed in a low, gentle voice, his tone laced with absolute affection. "But only on one condition. You have to rest, eat properly, and let your shoulder heal completely before we leave."

"Deal," Yueqing murmured with a small grin. She quieted down for a moment, enjoying the rhythmic sway of his gait, before a sudden thought crossed her mind. She tilted her head slightly. "Where is Dong Li? I haven’t seen him all morning."

Wenzhe’s strides remained steady, his dark eyes looking straight ahead. "Dong Li? I haven’t seen him all day either. He wasn’t at the morning patrol assembly."

Yueqing’s eyes narrowed slightly, a subtle wave of suspicion rising in her chest.

"Hmm... really?" she whispered softly, her mind instantly spinning with questions.

By evening, the sky outside turned a deep, bruised purple. Inside Qianqian’s private quarters, the room was softly lit by three tall copper oil lamps, casting quiet, flickering shadows against the silk wall hangings.

Lanyin carefully set down a silver tray holding a steaming pot of jasmine tea and two small dishes of delicate, fried honey pastries. She stepped up beside Qianqian, taking a soft wooden comb to gently untangle the silk-like strands of her sister’s long hair.

"Qianqian... are you feeling alright now?" Lanyin asked in a low, careful voice, her hands pausing for a brief second. "Yesterday left such a terrible scare on everyone. My heart was practically in my throat when that commotion broke out."

Qianqian stared silently at her reflection in the polished bronze mirror. She let out a small, tired sigh, her dainty hand reaching out to trace the rim of her porcelain tea cup.

"I am fine, Sister," Qianqian murmured softly, a faint trace of bitterness touching her delicate features. "It is just... my grand debut was completely ruined. Everyone was supposed to be looking at me, yet all anyone can talk about today is brother and sister in law."

Lanyin gently brushed a soft strand of hair over Qianqian’s shoulder, offering a warm, reassuring smile through the mirror.

"Do not think like that," Lanyin said softly, pouring a fresh cup of tea for her. "Every young girl wants her debut to be remembered in history... yours definitely will be."

Qianqian let out a small, soft laugh, her lips curving into a gentle smirk as she looked at her reflection in the bronze mirror. Lanyin gave her sister’s hair one final, affectionate pat before turning to leave, closing the carved wooden doors behind her with a quiet click.

Left alone in the peaceful room, Qianqian picked up a honey pastry, taking a tiny, deliberate bite.

A light, rhythmic step sounded near the screen, followed by the faint rustle of dark robes. Dong Li stepped into the room, his eyes instantly finding her.

Qianqian didn’t look up right away. Instead, she set her pastry down, wiped her fingers with a silk handkerchief, and teased softly, "I thought you wouldn’t come to see me."

"I had to make sure the estate was quiet first," Dong Li murmured, his usual playful grin softened by genuine concern as he looked her over. "Are you alright after yesterday? It was complete chaos out there."

Qianqian stood up, stepping toward him with a slow, graceful step. She reached around him to gently click the heavy wooden door shut, locking out the quiet night. Turning back to him, she took his arm and lightly dragged him toward the soft cushion by her tea table.

"Sit down," she insisted softly, pouring a fresh cup of warm jasmine tea and pushing it toward his hands. "You look more exhausted than I do."

Dong Li didn’t sit. He looked down at the steaming cup, then back at her face, a quiet sigh escaping his lips.

"I can’t stay long, Qianqian," Dong Li said gently, stepping back slightly. "I just wanted to see with my own eyes that you were safe and unharmed. Now that I know you’re alright, I have to go, the General and I leave for the northern border in two days, and there’s still too much to prepare."

He turned to take a step toward the door, but Qianqian moved faster.

She reached out and caught the front of his robes, tugging him back toward her. Before Dong Li could ask what she was doing, Qianqian stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arm around his neck, and pulled him down into a deep, lingering kiss.

Dong Li froze in total surprise, his breath catching in his throat as the quiet room fell completely still around them.

Dong Li’s mind went completely blank, his heart pounding hard against his chest from her soft, warm kiss.

When Qianqian finally pulled back, her cheeks were a sweet pink, but her eyes were completely serious. She kept one hand gently resting on his chest, feeling how fast his heart was beating.

"Do your best out there," she whispered softly, her voice filled with quiet emotion. "And please stay alive... for me."

Dong Li looked down at her, suddenly losing all his usual playful words. He swallowed hard, wanting to make a clever joke, but the deep look in her eyes stopped him. In their world, making promises right before going off to war felt dangerous. He did not want to make a promise he might not be able to keep.

So instead of making a promise, Dong Li wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight, warm hug. He buried his face in her shoulder for one long, quiet moment, smelling the sweet scent of jasmine perfume on her skin.

He held her close, letting the hug say everything he couldn’t put into words.

When he finally let go, Dong Li looked at her face one last time. Without saying another word, he pulled his cloak hood over his head, stepped out the door, and disappeared into the dark, quiet night.