Chapter 225: The Name of Military Advisor (1)

That feeling of being doted on, but actually not being respected at all, made Gu Yun's heart very uncomfortable. She understood that Su Ling wanted to protect her, but did he ever ask her if she needed this kind of protection? She didn't know if women in this era felt that living in a harmless world created by men for themselves was happiness, but she didn't think it was. If Su Ling wanted a woman to be obediently kept at home, he shouldn't have chosen her!

Gu Yun pressed his hand holding the pen, forcing him to stop writing. Su Ling sighed, knowing she wouldn't give up so easily, and turned around again, facing Gu Yun's cold eyes directly. Gu Yun asked coldly, "You are worried that if I go together, there will be danger, and I will be injured, right?"

Su Ling's hawk-like eyes flashed. Why was she asking this?

"Answer me."

"Yes." Gu Yun's persistence forced Su Ling to answer.

"You understand the feeling of worrying and caring about someone, right?"

"Yes." What exactly did she want to ask?

"You understand even more the torment of knowing that the person in your heart is experiencing danger, yet being powerless, right?"

"Yes."

"Since you understand, why do you want me to experience it again?"

"You—" Did she mean that he was the person in her heart? Staring at Gu Yun's serious eyes, Su Ling's heart jumped violently. Was she confessing? All along, it was others who called her the General's wife, and it was he who kept her in the General's Mansion. He really didn't know if she had him in her heart. Su Ling was almost holding his breath, waiting to hear what she would say next. That kind of anticipation was something he had never experienced before.

Su Ling stared straight at her with his black eyes. The anticipation and tension flowing from his deep eyes, like the twilight sea, encouraged her. She took a deep breath and whispered, "I will also worry, also care, also feel uneasy. It is precisely because this naval battle is dangerous, and because you have no confidence, that I want to face it with you even more. Even if we experience danger, it will no longer be a state of powerlessness. At least we both have the opportunity to try to protect each other. I will never be a woman who obediently hides at home waiting for your protection. If you want to regret it now, it's still not too late." Qing said, love with your heart. Her heart told her that she liked this man, so she also wanted to protect him.

She wanted to protect him? Su Ling was dazed for a moment. Since he understood things, the responsibility given to him was to protect Qiongyue, protect the Su Family Army, and protect his brothers. No one had ever said they wanted to protect him, and no one dared to say it. Yet she said she wanted to protect him? Su Ling wanted to laugh, but couldn't. His heart felt full of something, as if it were about to overflow.

With a long arm, he wrapped his arms around Gu Yun's waist and pulled her to sit on his lap, tightening his arms. Only by doing this could he calm the waves surging in his heart. "You are my, Su Ling's, woman. This will not change. Anyway, don't even think about this matter!" He wouldn't let her go, never.

The hand across her waist almost wanted to knead her into his body. His love words were always mixed with threats, which wasn't something ordinary people could handle. Gu Yun leaned slightly on Su Ling's shoulder and asked with a smile, "Can I go together now?" She should understand what he meant, right?

"No." This time the answer was warm and soft, no longer cold and hard, but the meaning was still the same.

Gu Yun stiffened all over, raised her head from Su Ling's arms, and met his smiling eyes. She punched him in the chest and roared, "Su Ling, you bastard!" Pushing him away, Gu Yun ran out without looking back.

Damn Su Ling, playing with her! If she couldn't go to the East Sea this time, her name wasn't Gu Yun!

She never knew how to hold back her strength. Su Ling rubbed his painful chest, but a joyful smile always remained at the corners of his mouth.

In the flower hall of the Prime Minister's Mansion, a man wearing a dark blue eunuch's uniform stood in the center. Perhaps out of habit, perhaps because the person standing in front of him was a general with outstanding military achievements, or perhaps because the atmosphere in this room was a bit strange, the man always kept his head slightly lowered and said respectfully, "The Emperor has an imperial decree: tomorrow is the full month of the Prince, a banquet will be held for the officials, and General Su and Miss Qing Mo are invited to enter the palace for the banquet at the hour of the Rooster (5-7 PM)."

Gu Yun stood beside Su Ling, expressionless, but her whole body was filled with an aura that said "don't provoke me." Su Ren and Han Shu stood far away at the door. The Emperor had already approved the General's memorial, and they had just been discussing military supplies and battle preparations, preparing to set off in three days. Who knew that the palace eunuch would suddenly come to announce the decree, and specifically stated that Qing Mo had to be present. Now it was good, the entire flower hall was filled with the faint smell of gunpowder. Gu Yun was still clutching the Ice-Refining in her hand. Could they not hide far away!

Su Ling raised his hand lightly and said, "I know. We will be there tomorrow. You go back and report."

"Yes, this servant takes his leave." The eunuch, who was good at seeing which way the wind blew, immediately retreated.

Su Ren and Han Shu looked at each other, considering whether to disappear temporarily. Before they could move, Gu Yun had already moved first. At the same time the eunuch went out, she also lifted her foot to leave.

Her wrist was grabbed by Su Ling. Gu Yun's footsteps paused. Su Ling sighed, "Still angry?" He was very worried about Su Yu's safety and had sent people to search for his whereabouts with increased intensity. For the past few days, he had been busy with military supplies, and she seemed even busier than him, training troops every day, never mentioning the matter of following the army to fight again, and never giving him a good look.

Gu Yun slowly pulled back her hand and replied coldly, "I'm very busy. If you still want to continue talking about not letting me follow the army to the East Sea, you don't have to say it. Your meaning has already been expressed clearly enough."

"Qing Mo!"

The low roar behind her was full of helplessness and annoyance. Gu Yun acted as if she hadn't heard it and walked out of the flower hall. Han Shu stared at her back, which was as fast as the wind, and asked in a low voice, "General, did Qing really agree not to follow the army to the East Sea?"

Returning to the desk and sitting down, Su Ren shook his head, "I don't think so."

Han Shu, who felt the same way, also echoed, "Mm, I also think Qing is not someone who gives up so easily!" Sweeping his gaze over Su Ling's liver-colored face, the two closed their mouths at the same time, saving the General from venting the anger he received from Qing on them.

Qiongyue's winter wasn't considered cold. The palace banquet was held in the Imperial Garden. The garden didn't have the colorful flowers of spring and summer, but it wasn't desolate. The lush evergreen bushes added quite a bit of vitality to the winter. Many people came tonight, almost all officials above the third rank were there. Officials brought their wives and daughters, and looking over, it was all people, magnificent clothes, and intertwined cups. Gu Yun and Su Ling were arranged on the right side of the main seat, opposite Lou Xiyan and Zhuo Qing. The two men nodded tacitly and then moved their gazes away. Gu Yun and Zhuo Qing both had bored expressions.

"The Emperor has arrived."

Not long after, a sharp, high-pitched shout from a eunuch came from afar. The noisy garden suddenly became quiet. Gu Yun narrowed her eyes to look. Walking alongside Yan Hongtian was a well-maintained woman, covered in jewelry, with an arrogant expression on her face. The Empress and Qingfeng walked behind them. Being able to squeeze the Empress into the back row, that woman should be the Empress Dowager Lou Suxin that Su Ling mentioned, right?

"Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress Dowager! Greetings to the Empress and Consort Qing." The neat and loud shouts of the officials made Gu Yun jump. There were at least several hundred people in this garden, yet they were in unison, which showed they were well-trained on weekdays.

"Rise." Yan Hongtian was in a great mood today, waved his hand, and sat down in the main seat.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Everyone returned to their seats. Gu Yun looked at Qingfeng. The Empress Dowager and the Empress sat on the left and right of Yan Hongtian, while she could only sit beside the Empress. The child was held by a wet nurse, but was not sitting behind her, but was arranged beside the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager teased the child from time to time, and Qingfeng could only watch from afar.

Gu Yun had seen Qingfeng once. In her memory, she was tall and thin, with arrogance and stubbornness in her bones. Having just given birth to a child, she had gained weight, her sharp face had rounded out a bit, her eyes were no longer so sharp, and she had become much more peaceful.

"Today is the full month of the Prince, a banquet is set for the officials. You don't need to be restrained. Drink this cup with me." Yan Hongtian raised his cup, and everyone followed, shouting, "Congratulations to the Emperor, congratulations to Consort Qing, long life to the Third Prince."

It was the same old congratulations again. She didn't know if Yan Hongtian was tired of hearing it, but Gu Yun was already impatient. She originally thought she could see the child and chat with Qingfeng when she entered the palace today. Now it seemed it was impossible. Drinking the wine in her hand in one gulp, Gu Yun asked in a low voice, "When can we leave?"

Picking up a piece of pastry and placing it on the small plate in front of Gu Yun from the side, Su Ling said, "It's still early." He thought he was impatient enough, but he didn't expect her to be even more bored with this kind of socializing.

Gu Yun cursed in a low voice, grabbed the wine pot, and poured herself another cup of wine. When she raised the cup, Su Ling's slightly deep voice sounded in her ear, "Drink less, this wine has a strong kick." Her hand paused, but Gu Yun still drank the wine in the cup in one gulp. Su Ling's sword-like brows furrowed slightly, but he didn't stop her. She had been angry for long enough; she hadn't given him a good look for six days. Her indifference gave Su Ling an unprecedented sense of frustration.

Although Gu Yun drank that cup of wine, she didn't pour any more. Opposite, Qing and Lou Xiyan were whispering. She put down the cup and propped her chin, looking around boredly. Directly in front of the garden was a large lake. Under the illumination of the lanterns by the lake, the water surface was sparkling. By the lake, palace maids were placing small paper boats by their feet, with half a candle burning on the boats. The small boats were slowly put into the lake, drifting toward the distance with the ripples, flickering, very beautiful.

"Recently, pirates in the East Sea are rampant. General Su will lead troops to suppress the bandits. I am taking this banquet today to see General Su off. When the General returns in triumph, I will celebrate for the General again."

Gu Yun was lost in thought looking at the small boats on the lake. Yan Hongtian suddenly spoke. Su Ling stood up instantly and replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Congratulations to General Su for an early victory." The echoing voices came from all directions. Everyone's eyes were focused on Su Ling and Gu Yun. Gu Yun could only sit up straight, lowering her head slightly to pretend she couldn't see everyone's strange gazes.

"General Su is going on an expedition, I suppose Miss Qing will also follow the army? A husband singing and a wife following, it's truly enviable." Xin Yuening said loudly.

A clear female voice suddenly rang out. The people at the banquet were slightly stunned, looking at each other but not daring to answer. Since ancient times, there was no reason for women to follow the army, but the one who spoke was the Empress. The officials who had just raised their cups sat down quietly, watching the changes.

In the group, the one whose expression changed drastically was not the person involved, but Qingfeng beside the Empress. Little sister had been weak since childhood, how could she follow the army! The Empress suddenly popped out such a sentence, it must be ill-intentioned.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 226 =====

(End of chapter)