Chapter 41: You are my best brother; please look after her for me

Xie Lin smiled as he walked over: "Busy person, why didn't you say a word before coming? You made me think thieves had entered the courtyard."

Xiao Jingyuan pressed the corners of his lips: "I just heard you're going to Dan Zhou; I came to see you off. I might not be free tomorrow."

Xie Lin turned his head and ordered: "Chang Shu, go fetch two jugs of wine."

"I'm not drinking; I'll leave shortly." Xiao Jingyuan said.

"If you're not drinking, I'll drink myself." Xie Lin didn't insist, lifted his robe and sat on the stone bench.

Chang Shu went to get the wine.

Xie Lin asked him whether there had been any progress in the recent investigation.

Xiao Jingyuan sat opposite him and said: "We can basically confirm the rebels' hideout; we just need to wait quietly for the big fish to take the bait."

Xie Lin said: "If there's anything I can help with, just speak up; you also need to be careful yourself, don't risk your life to avenge your uncle—Prince Yan has only you as his son."

"I have it under control."

"You've got fucking sense." Xie Lin snorted coldly, "You don't even see how many people you've offended; I'm afraid they all hope the rebels kill you."

"It's fine being the heir of Prince Yan's mansion, but you insist on taking that thankless task; fortunately Xiao Jingyuan has the backing of Prince Yan's mansion, unlike Yuan Zhenfeng back then who had nothing."

"With that status, at least those people dare not act openly."

Xiao Jingyuan still drank two cups with Xie Lin.

Xie Lin glanced at him, inexplicably feeling his mood was off, as if troubled by love, and thus assumed it was because of Song Xizhi.

After thinking, Xie Lin comforted: "Grand Secretary Song may act underhandedly, but he is who he is, and Cousin Song is Cousin Song; she's willing to marry you—could Song Zhang really tie her up?"

"Anyway, Song Zhang is old and won't live many more years; worst case, if he dies, you can go propose to the Song mansion again, and I'll help you break down the door."

Xiao Jingyuan lowered his eyes, drank a cup of wine, his expression unreadable; after a while he said: "Since I entered the Garrison Office, there's no possibility between us, and I don't want to delay her."

Xie Lin remained silent.

All past commanders of the Garrison Office have met bad ends.

Now the news of Emperor Xuwen's serious illness has spread in the capital for over half a month; when he passes, the Garrison Office will lose its protection, the new emperor will ascend, and the Garrison Office will surely be purged.

Even if Xiao Jingyuan were still alive then, he'd likely be exiled to the frontier, never to return to the capital.

Song Xizhi is Song Zhang's most cherished granddaughter; he must have realized this, which is why he decisively abandoned the marriage alliance with Prince Yan's mansion.

Xie Lin sighed, not knowing what to say, and simply reached out to pat his good brother's shoulder.

"You're going to Dan Zhou to suppress bandits for her?" Xiao Jingyuan asked casually.

"Exactly."

Facing his good brother, Xie Lin hid nothing.

Xiao Jingyuan didn't ask further, but lifted his head to look at the magnolia tree above: "Last time I came, this tree wasn't here; was it planted to win her favor?"

"She likes magnolias; I plan to plant a few more, ideally covering a whole patch, so when she moves in she'll surely be delighted." Whenever he spoke of Shen Shuangning, Xie Lin's expression was always gentle.

He rubbed the rim of the cup and chuckled lightly: "But this tree is delicate; it endured the recent wind and rain, yet with a slight neglect the new blossoms fell all over the ground. I suppose flowers are like people—most afraid of being neglected."

"...... Is that so?" Xiao Jingyuan paused his drinking motion, then downed the cup in one gulp.

The strong liquor entered his throat; he thought, why does Xie Lin's wine taste somewhat bitter and astringent?

Xie Lin's handsome face already showed a touch of drunkenness; looking at Xiao Jingyuan, he became especially earnest: "You are my best brother; in my absence, please look after her for me, don't let her be bullied."

Xiao Jingyuan set down his cup, turned his gaze to him, but saw Xie Lin already slumped over the table, his face buried.

He merely murmured from his lips: "But also don't overprotect her—I'm afraid... I won't be done with you."

The next day, at the city gate.

The sky was overcast, and a light drizzle began to fall.

Xie Lin led a thousand elite troops, about to set out for Dan Zhou.

Near the city gate gathered many families, all there to see off the soldiers.

Xie Lin gazed at the thousand troops ready to depart, yet felt hollow inside; he scanned the crowd, but didn't see that familiar figure.

"General, it's time to go."

Xie Lin withdrew his gaze, mounted his horse, tightened the reins, and told the officers: "Depart!"

Just then, Chang Shu's gaze happened upon someone, his face lighting up: "General, it's the Fourth Miss arriving!"

Xie Lin snapped his head back, only to see Shen Shuangning accompanied by her maid Ah Heng pushing through the crowd, her robe's hem speckled with mud, the white plum hairpin in her hair askew.

She ran hurriedly, fine sweat beading on her forehead, glimmering in the rain like a dew-kissed crabapple blossom.

"Ningning!" Xie Lin didn't wait where he stood; he spurred his horse to meet her, his armor softly clinking in the fine rain.

When he drew near, he saw a faint flush on her small face from running.

Xie Lin reined in his horse and said: "Are you stupid? Why run so urgently in the rain?"

"Afraid I'd be late." Shen Shuangning lifted her head and thrust a sachet into his palm: "A newly requested peace blessing from the temple, already consecrated."

Between breaths, strands of hair stuck to her cheek from the rain, "And..."

She hastily pulled out an oil-paper packet from her sleeve: "Dan Zhou's climate is damp, with many snakes and insects; this packet of dampness-dispelling herbs, worn close to the body, might make you more comfortable."

Turns out she went to the temple to get that peace blessing for him...

Xie Lin tucked it close to his body, his throat bobbing; he ultimately didn't dare embrace her in front of everyone, only bending to straighten the hairpin at her temple.

Then he whispered: "I suddenly feel reluctant to leave—what should I do?"

Xie Lin untied the jade pendant from his waist and thrust it at her domineeringly: "Keep it for me; return it when I come back."

Shen Shuangning hesitated a moment, then took it, looking at him: "Be careful in all things, take care."

Laughter came from not far away.

"It turns out the general's sachet at his waist wasn't a gift from his sister at home, but from the Fourth Miss."

"It'll be hard to wrap up without marrying!" that person deliberately raised his voice.

Others chimed in one after another.

Shen Shuangning was already thin-skinned, her face instantly reddened, while Aheng glared at those people.

"I'll punish them with military sticks later—alright, hurry and take shelter from the rain, don't catch a chill." Xie Lin's eyes showed a smile as he softly urged.

At the street corner by the city gate, Xiao Jingyuan stood still in the rain, his paper umbrella swaying lightly in the wind, when he suddenly felt the umbrella handle digging into his palm, making it sore.

Shen Shuangning and Aheng went under the eaves to avoid the rain, watching as the soldiers marched away until the city gate slowly shut, after which they could no longer see their figures.

The jade pendant in his palm still retained a hint of warmth.

Fine rain dripped from the eaves, splashing into tiny droplets on the blue stone slabs, and in a daze it overlapped with her past life—back then she too had held a peace talisman in this way, seeing Xiao Jingyuan off to war at the city gate.

But he was nothing like Xie Lin; when he saw her approach, besides indifference, there was a faint impatience.

"What are you doing here?"

"I don't need these."

"Stop using such tactics to curry favor."

Although he reluctantly accepted her kindness, he made her feel embarrassed in front of everyone, then turned and left without looking back.

Back then she still deceived herself, making excuses for him, thinking he was merely upholding a general's dignity and didn't want his subordinates to see him being teased, hence his coldness.

Until she absentmindedly found another peace talisman in the clothes he had taken off, the scent on it obviously not hers...

Shen Shuangning shook her head, driving these disheartening images from her mind.

"The rain seems to have gotten heavier; I don't know when it will stop." Aheng said worriedly.

She had actually forgotten to bring an umbrella when she went out—how foolish of her!

"It's fine, let's wait a bit longer."

Outside, the rain grew heavier and heavier, droplets falling in strings from the eaves, cold wind blowing the rain onto people, yet the shop behind them had its door shut, leaving no place to take shelter.

Aheng adjusted Shen Shuangning's cloak: "Miss, be careful not to catch a chill."

Across the long street stood a three-story tavern named Purple Morning Pavilion, an auspicious name that officials liked to come to for banquets.

At that moment, shadows swayed in the windows of the second floor; a hand reached out from inside and pushed it open, so the clamor of glasses clinking in the tavern pierced the rain curtain, lively beyond compare.

Shen Shuangning merely glanced over unintentionally, about to turn away, but she seemed to sense something and suddenly lifted her head.

Song Xizhi had a remarkably recognizable face, with brows like distant mountains and eyes like autumn waves reflecting the moon.

And the man sitting opposite her likewise had an unforgettable face.

"Isn't that Xiao Shizi and Miss Song?" Aheng obviously recognized them as well.

Shen Shuangning saw a carriage from the Yan Prince's Mansion at the street corner.

Today Xie Lin went off to war; as his good friend, Xiao Shizi should have seen him off, but instead he had time to meet secretly with a young lady.

He really ought to let Xie Lin know just how much his so-called good friend values beauty over friendship.

Shen Shuangning's heart would no longer stir even a ripple for them.

She was about to withdraw her gaze when she noticed someone staring at her, so she slightly turned her eyes and met a pair of clear, cold, and tranquil eyes.

At the carved window of the Purple Morning Pavilion's upper floor, a man in a cyan robe stood; his face was somewhat blurred by the rain, yet the gaze he cast across the long street sent an inexplicable jolt through Shen Shuangning's chest.

She did not know him.

Yet the way he looked at her carried a kind of heartbreak as if he had lost and then found her again.

Shen Shuangning felt bewildered; she would rather have been overthinking, or perhaps he had mistaken her for someone else.

In any case, she shifted her gaze away, as if it were none of her business.

At that moment, an attendant from the Purple Morning Pavilion came toward the master and servant, holding an umbrella and with another tucked in his bosom.

"Miss, a young master has ordered me to bring you an umbrella."

Shen Shuangning asked doubtfully, "Which young master?"

The attendant recalled that the handsome young master had told him: "If she asks, just say my surname is Pei—I am the third son of the Pei family."