Chapter 423

She steadied herself, walked to the desk, and picked up her brush to write a reply.

"I am honored by your invitation, and I, Qingshuang, dare not accept it lightly. I have long yearned for the autumn scenery of Qujiang. Since I have received the General's kind intention, how could I, Qingshuang, dare to refuse? Tomorrow at the hour of the sheep, I shall await your arrival outside the gate of Ci'en Temple. Sincerely, Qingshuang!"

The reply was quickly sent off.

When Dou Wen and the head of the Fu family received the news, they were indeed overjoyed, praising Fu Qingshuang for her measured grasp of the situation, and immediately set about arranging the various details for the lake tour the next day.

How to give the two more opportunities to be alone, how to let Fu Qingshuang further comfort Luo Feng, and even hinting that she could "inadvertently" mention the "favorable reviews" and "expectations" the Guanzhong scholar-gentry had for Luo Feng.

Fu Qingshuang listened silently to her uncle's repeated exhortations, the doubt in her heart buried deep away, her face remaining that cold, calm mask as if everything were under control.

She knew she had no way back.

Regardless of whether there was Luo Feng's sincere affection ahead or a terrifying trap, she could only continue walking forward and play the role her family had assigned her well.

However, in the deepest part of her heart, she quietly made a decision.

Before confirming certain things, she would not report this suspicion to Master Dou and her uncle.

She would observe and judge for herself.

The next day at the hour of the sheep, outside the gate of Ci'en Temple.

Luo Feng had changed into a more casual blue long robe, wearing no armor, only a decorative short sword at his waist, which made his posture appear even more upright.

He arrived a quarter of an hour early, standing with his hands behind his back under an ancient tree outside the gate, his gaze seemingly sweeping casually over the endless stream of pilgrims and tourists, but in reality, he had already taken in the positions of the several hidden sentries arranged by Wang Hou.

Fu Qingshuang arrived on time.

She had changed into a light green dress today, covered by a moon-white cloak, her hair simply styled with only a single pearl hairpin.

Seeing Luo Feng, she stepped forward and bowed: "I have troubled the General to wait for a long time."

Luo Feng returned the bow, trying hard to make his expression appear soft and even a bit awkward: "Miss Fu is too polite; I have only just arrived. The autumn scenery is quite good; shall we... go for a walk by the Qujiang Pool?"

"I shall follow the General's arrangements," Fu Qingshuang replied softly.

The two walked side by side along the main road in front of the temple toward the nearby Qujiang Pool, their personal attendants and maids deliberately falling a distance behind.

At first, the atmosphere was slightly silent.

Luo Feng racked his brains to find some elegant topics, only to discover that apart from military and political affairs, he really didn't have much ink in his belly. After holding it in for a long while, he finally blurted out: "This autumn... the sky is quite high."

Fu Qingshuang turned slightly to look at him, and seeing his brows slightly furrowed, as if he were truly struggling with how to chat, the trace of doubt in her heart faded slightly.

She took up the conversation: "Indeed! The autumn air is crisp and clear, the perfect season for climbing high and looking into the distance. The General is busy with military affairs, so it is rare to steal a moment of leisure."

"Indeed! It is rare!"

Luo Feng followed her lead, sighed, and began to inadvertently reveal his troubles, "All day long it is either defense or paperwork, or else some... trivial matters of bickering and shirking responsibility. Sometimes I truly want to throw it all away and find a quiet place..."

He paused, as if realizing he had spoken out of turn, and hurriedly said: "Ahem... I have spoken out of turn, Miss, please do not take offense."

Fu Qingshuang's heart stirred. This lament about "trivial matters of bickering and shirking" and "wanting to throw it all away" was of a piece with his previous mood of being exhausted from dealing with things, and it sounded quite authentic.

She said softly: "The General shoulders heavy responsibilities, so it is natural to be weary. But the word 'quiet' may be too much of a luxury for the General. To be able to support a peaceful world for the people of a region—even if there are troubles, it is worth it."

Luo Feng looked at her, warmth of being understood flowing in his eyes.

In reality, he was trying hard to recall the expression of his subordinates occasionally smiling foolishly at letters from home.

"Miss is always so understanding! I am a rough man who does not understand those twists and turns; I only know that if I have decided on something, I should do my best to do it. It is just... sometimes the direction is right, but the road is hard to travel."

He once again expressed his predicament obscurely, wanting to achieve further progress.

The two had reached the bank of the Qujiang Pool.

There were quite a few tourists, but compared to spring, it was much quieter.

They strolled along the lake, Luo Feng continuing to play the role of the confider, his words a mix of truth and falsehood, containing both the real exhaustion of military affairs and the deliberately revealed helplessness regarding certain constraints.

He tried hard to make these complaints sound like the straightforward grumbling of a military general, rather than well-considered accusations.

Fu Qingshuang listened quietly, offering timely comfort, quoting classics, and unburdening Luo Feng's heart.

Her responses were as appropriate and insightful as ever, and subtly pointed toward the meaning of holding fast to one's original heart.

Luo Feng also showed that he was deeply encouraged, his words gradually increasing, and he even began to ask what books Fu Qingshuang read on a daily basis and what scenery she liked, attempting to make the conversation appear more intimate.

However, he asked somewhat stiffly, and when responding to Fu Qingshuang's words, he would occasionally reveal the subconscious conciseness and decisiveness of a soldier, which was slightly out of sync with the image of a military general who had fallen into a gentle trap.

Fu Qingshuang keenly captured these subtle inconsistencies.

For example, when she mentioned a certain poetry collection, Luo Feng's eyes were clearly blank, yet he forced himself to continue the conversation.

When she spoke tactfully about a certain piece of scenery in Chang'an, Luo Feng's first reaction was whether the terrain there was conducive to defense or not.

These small flaws might be overlooked by someone immersed in the fantasy that "Luo Feng has fallen in love," or they might be dismissed as the true nature of a military general.

But Fu Qingshuang already harbored doubts, so she observed with extra care.

They toured the lake for nearly an hour, the atmosphere appearing harmonious.

Upon parting, Luo Feng seemed to summon his courage and said to Fu Qingshuang: "I have felt much more at ease after talking with you today. In the future... if I encounter difficulties again, may I... ask for your advice again?"

He once again made a request for subsequent interaction, his eyes earnest.

Fu Qingshuang was silent for a moment before saying softly: "If the General does not find me shallow, I... shall naturally tell you everything I know."

The answer remained reserved, but it left room for maneuver.

In the carriage returning to the residence, Fu Qingshuang leaned back in the carriage, closing her eyes to rest.

Today's Luo Feng—enthusiastic, frank, reliant, and even somewhat clumsily ingratiating—looked exactly like a military general who had developed an admiration for a talented woman and was in a predicament, longing for understanding.

If Master Dou and her uncle were to learn the details, they would surely believe that success was imminent.

But those subtle flaws, those stiff transitions, those occasionally revealed sharpness and purposefulness...

Returning to the Fu residence and facing her uncle's eager questioning, Fu Qingshuang lowered her eyes and recounted the events of the lake tour, cutting off the beginning and the end.

She omitted her own observations and suspicions, choosing only the positive parts where Luo Feng confided his troubles, showed reliance on Qingshuang, and proposed asking for advice again.

When Dou Wen and the others heard this, they indeed clapped their hands and laughed, repeatedly saying "Our plan is successful," and immediately drafted a letter, preparing to urgently report this major progress to Luoyang once again.