Chapter 660: The Unspoken Understanding Between Husband and Wife

The night in Chang'an has deepened to its darkest, and no star or moon is visible on the horizon.

Only a few camp and office lights dot the ink‑black sky like flickering candles in the wind, trembling on the verge of going out.

Chen Yan and Zhu Yi spurred their horses through the silent streets; the hooves clattered on the stone slabs, a crisp tap‑tap that rang especially clear in the empty night.

Now in Chang'an, the daytime heat still lingers into the early morning, still clinging to a lingering stifling warmth.

The night breeze passes, bringing no coolness; instead it stirs up dust, mingling with the faint scent of vegetation from the city walls, pressing on faces and making the air feel suffocating.

He had just finished issuing orders at the Mingjing Office, and on his way back to the mansion, he first detoured to the Left Martial Guard camp to verify with the general the roster of troops and the weapons inventory for tomorrow's expedition...

He then hurried to the Capital's Chief Administrator's residence to hand over state affairs to the acting official Qin Zhao.

When all matters were settled, he returned to the Duke of Wei's mansion, and the horizon was still an impenetrable black.

Only the two red lanterns before the mansion gate swayed gently in the night wind, spreading a warm yellow halo that illuminated the stone steps.

Chen Yan walked lightly through the courtyard.

The pomegranate tree in the courtyard was in full bloom, its dense foliage casting dappled shadows in the lamplight, and occasional cicada chirps pierced the silence.

He still carried a layer of dust and a faint scent of sweat; the gravity of the earlier council and the urgency of the military dispatch gradually settled with each step toward home...

Only a trace of fatigue and concern for his family remained.

The moment he pushed open the bedroom door, a faint fragrance of orchid and iris brushed his face, starkly different from the hot, dusty air outside.

Inside, an oil lamp flickered, its warm yellow light gently flooding the room, making the elegantly arranged inner chamber even more tranquil.

Just as Chen Yan stepped through the door, before he could shed his cloak, a voice as gentle as spring water called from within: "Husband."

The voice carried a subtle yearning and worry—it was his wife, Pei Suiwan.

Chen Yan felt a warmth in his heart; the prior toil seemed largely dispelled by that call, and he replied, "Suiwan."

He quickened his pace, passed through the outer room, and entered the inner chamber.

Pei Suiwan sat on a low stool beside the bed, clad in a moon‑white nightgown of soft fabric that traced her slender figure.

Her skin was as white as jade; her unadorned face glowed warmly in the lamplight, long lashes fluttered like butterfly wings, and her eyes were full of concern as she awaited her husband's return.

Seeing Chen Yan enter, she quickly rose and greeted him.

Chen Yan stepped forward and, in the flow, took her slightly cool hand.

Her fingertips carried a hint of coolness, stark against the heat of his palm, yet it gave him a sense of steadiness.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?" his voice was low and slightly hoarse, his gaze resting on her slightly weary yet bright eyes, his tone full of tenderness.

"I heard you went to Tian Guan Fu for a council, and I've been worrying, waiting for you to return," Pei Suiwan said, shaking her head lightly, leading him to sit at the bedside, her other hand naturally resting on his shoulder, gently kneading his tense muscles.

She paused, then asked, "But what major event occurred?"

Chen Yan leaned against the bed rail, closed his eyes, and let his wife's gentle kneading spread the fatigue.

He gave a slight nod, and when he opened his eyes, a weightier seriousness appeared: "Hmm, a matter of great magnitude…"

Pei Suiwan's movements halted; she lifted her gaze to him, seeing his solemn expression, a vague foreboding stirring within her.

Chen Yan grasped her hand, his fingertips lightly tracing the delicate back of her hand, and slowly recounted the gist of the Tian Guan Fu council.

His words were concise, yet each carried great weight.

Pei Suiwan, after listening, froze, eyes full of shock, and instinctively asked aloud, "Qi State has raised a hundred thousand troops and allied with the Rouran to attack?!"

She was born into the He Dong Pei Clan, and from childhood heard elders speak of border wars, knowing well that Qi State and Great Zhou are age‑old enemies, and the Rouran are the tiger‑wolf forces of the steppe.

Now the two nations have joined forces, a hundred‑thousand army pressing at the border—far from a routine skirmish.

Her brows knit instantly, full of unmasked worry, and her voice trembled: "It's been over ten years since the great victory at Yubi under Wei Zhuoguo, after He Liuhun's defeat and death; though there have been minor frictions, there has been no war of this scale since…"

"Is a great war between these two nations about to erupt again?"

Chen Yan let out a soft sigh, his gaze turning to the pitch‑black night outside the window, a flash of complex emotion crossing his eyes.

He recalled the carnage of the Yubi battle, He Liuhun's bitter end, and the relative peace along the border for the past decade, now all seeming poised to be shattered by this sudden war.

"Since He Liuhun's defeat at Yubi, ending in a resentful death…," he began slowly, his tone tinged with reflection, "it really has been over ten years without a major war!"

Pei Suiwan listened quietly, pressed her soft lips together, her gaze fixed on Chen Yan's sharply defined profile, and, with a tentative yet already certain tone, said, "Husband, this war concerns the nation's fate; the Grand Preceptor, that old man, should have appointed you as a general, right?"

Chen Yan turned his head, meeting her worried gaze, and nodded calmly, his voice firm and unquestionable: "Of course!"

He paused, then added, "And also Ying Xue's father…"

"We, as father‑in‑law and son‑in‑law, each command a force, operate separately, and go together to repel the enemy!"

Pei Suiwan's worry surged like a tide; she reached out, gently clasped Chen Yan's arm, her cheek pressed to his shoulder, her voice choked slightly, "Husband, the Qi army is fierce and battle‑hardened, this time well‑prepared; we must not be careless at all…"

"We must be careful, extra careful!"

Chen Yan's heart softened; he swung his arm around her, giving her back a gentle pat.

Feeling her warm body and slightly trembling shoulders, his resolve gradually gave way to a touch of softness.

"I will," he whispered, his voice gentle yet firm, "Suiwan, don't worry!"

Pei Suiwan nodded in his arms; when she lifted her head, her eyes were calm again, though a lingering worry still traced her brows.

She looked at Chen Yan, her gaze clear and resolute: "I will wait in Chang'an for your triumphant return, husband!"

"Everything at home, husband, you need not worry; I will manage the mansion's affairs, look after Jian and Shuying, so you have no concerns on the front line!"

A hint of tenderness flickered in Chen Yan's eyes, then his expression grew solemn, and his tone shifted abruptly: "However, before we depart, I have one more matter to entrust to you…"

Pei Suiwan, seeing his grave demeanor, felt a chill and hurriedly asked, "What is it?"

"If the husband commands, I shall certainly obey…"

Chen Yan released his hold on her arm, stared into her eyes, his gaze full of deep meaning, exhaled a breath of stale air, and solemnly instructed word by word: "After I leave, you must each day bring Jian and Shuying to Jin Wang Fu to pay respects to the Grand Preceptor!"

Pei Suiwan, hearing this, startled slightly, then a flash of understanding crossed her eyes.

Born among the Six Surnames of Guanzhong, she was well‑versed in court intrigue, and naturally grasped the deeper meaning of his words.

Her husband commanded troops abroad, holding the military‑civil authority over the six northern border prefectures and the right of Convenient Action.

With such heavy authority in hand, even the Grand Preceptor's trust could not fully allay his concerns.

Let her take her two children to Jin Wang Fu each day to pay respects; on the surface it is observing the proper etiquette of younger generations, but in fact it places the family under the Grand Preceptor's watchful eye, using the family as collateral so the Grand Preceptor can be at ease.

It declares that the Chen Family has no ulterior motives, being devoted solely to Great Zhou, and will never raise troops for self‑aggrandizement.

It is a silent pledge, and also a prudent self‑preservation.

A trace of bitterness flickers in Pei Suiwan's heart, but more so is her understanding and support for her husband's far‑sighted scheming.

She nods lightly, her gaze fixed back on Chen Yan, her tone calm yet unmistakably resolute: "I understand!"

"Husband, rest assured. Every dawn I will personally take Jian and Shuying to Jin Wang Fu to pay respects, so the Grand Preceptor knows the household is all well, and so you can fight on the front lines without any worries!"