Under Yan Yuanheng’s stunned gaze, Shi Tingyun said calmly, “You are twenty years old. It is not unusual for you to have a side concubine.”

Seeing how calm Shi Tingyun was, Yan Yuanheng had no choice but to force himself to be calm: “You are a little older than me. Why are you ……”

Shi Tingyun felt a flat stone in his hand and hit the water diagonally in a series of drifts: “I’m not like you.”

Yan Yuanheng paused, thinking of what Shi Tingyun had told him about his heart, and became speechless.

He inclined his head, looking slightly gloomy.

Seeing the stalemate, Shi Tingyun tried to reconcile the situation by saying, “I wonder how the Southland princess looks like.”

Yan Yuanheng wooden face: “…… don’t know.”

Shi Tingyun simply turned to business: “After the agreement to stop the war was made, the banner county near Cangjiang sent hundreds of jars of old wine, and father said that the soldiers of the main camp would be drunk tonight.

Yan Yuanheng : “Hmm.”

Shi Tingyun laughed: “You won’t be able to drink it, so I’ll just tell you and you’ll get your fill.

Yan Yuanheng : “…… hmm.”

Shi Tingyun never minded Yan Yuanheng’s one-word answers; he had been heavy-hearted since he was a child, and was silent for no other reason than that he was thinking or listening.

Shi Tingyun was about to say more when Yan Yuanheng opened his mouth first.

”I will not marry her.” Yan Yuanheng said sullenly, “I don’t want to marry someone I don’t know.”

”That’s the end of it.” Shi Tingyun laughed, “Many of Wangcheng’s daughters are kept in deep chambers. Which of those unmarried daughters we know so well, who love to write poetry and play ball, aren’t looking for Yuan Zhaoge?”

He looked at Yan Yuanzhao, who was fighting a flock of geese not far away, and said with a smile: “…… If I were born a woman, I would also love Yuanzhao. Most of the women in the deepest halls do not love him, they think he is frivolous, but after playing with him for some time, they will know that Yuanzhao has a funny nature, knows how to advance and retreat, has a stable position, and is looking for someone with one heart, so he can be a good match.”

Yan Yuanheng hangs his head, not even bothering to say “hmm” and respond to the story.

Shi Tingyun, as if remembering something, gave an interested “huh?” Yuan Heng, are you talking about Qiu Ying, the daughter of Minister Qiu? You have met her since she was a child, and although she is in the girls’ school, she has been a fellow student of ours, and is of comparable status and age. …… I think that must be her.”

Yan Yuanheng had thought this before he went to the border, but to have it broken by Shi Tingyun, even in a joking way, made him feel as if he was on fire.

His voice sank, “I never knew, I never knew, that Su Chang had such compassion for the ladies of the city of hope.”

Shi Tingyun : “Isn’t this for you to see?”

Yan Yuanheng gambled, “I don’t want any of them, the princess of the southern border or the daughter of Qiu Xiang.”

Shi Tingyun : “So what do you want?”

Yan Yuanheng : “I ……”

He paused.

What exactly does Yan Yuanheng want?

His eyes were faintly hot, and he lowered his eyelashes, thinking of his mother, who was still living in misery in another palace, and of his ambitions – the kind of ambitions that every prince secretly has.

Yan Yuanheng was already in the emperor’s good graces, and at such an advanced age, he had not yet left the palace to build a house, but remained within the palace to educate himself, and after the battle of Zhennan Pass, in which he beheaded Pa Sha with a single sword, he had risen to unprecedented heights.

It would be difficult for any prince to look up to him again.

He should marry the daughter of Minister Qiu. He should marry the daughter of the Minister of Qiu, who is a first-rate daughter and has the tacit approval of his father.

My father had expectations, but my mother had even more expectations of her ascension to the ninth heaven and her lifelong ambition, the dream of her family and country.

These things do weigh a thousand pounds, but compared to Su Chang ……

…… But why compare it to Su Chang?

What does he, Yan Yuanheng, think of his best friend, whom he grew up with, as?

Su Chang is waiting for his response while he imagines spending his life with him in a military camp in a frontier land?

Yan Yuanheng The tip of the tongue grows sour.

In the past few days, he has been minding his own business, but only now, spurred on by a woman he has never met, a woman he has forgotten what she looks like, has he realised that his feelings for Su Chang are not quite right.

But what can be done about it.

Can he, as a prince, openly marry Shi Tingyun? Can he give Shi Tingyun a promise of one life and one life only?

In this respect, he is even worse than the sixth royal brother.

If Shi Tingyun had had an affair with himself, his reputation would have been ruined. A hundred years later, when Shi Tingyun is mentioned again, the world will not talk about his merits, but only about the affair between a young general and an imperial son, about his looks and his “flattering skills”.

But if it is not made public, should he live under shame for the rest of his life?

Yan Yuanheng’s heart and eyes are chilled by the river breeze.

When Shi Tingyun saw that he had been silent for a long time, he asked again, “May I ask the Thirteenth Prince what he wants?”

Yan Yuanheng 垂目半後，起头，看到天望。

Shi Tingyun followed his gaze and saw long clouds like scales, moving with the wind, a thousand shapes and images, racing back into the empty realm.

He said, “Remember the poem we recited as children.”

”There is nothing in the mountains, but there are many white clouds on the ridge. I can only delight myself, but I cannot hold it for you.”

Shi Tingyun : “Yes. A poem by Tao Hongjing.”

Yan Yuanheng called him, ” Shi Tingyun.”

Shi Tingyun raised his eyes.

Yan Yuanheng : “I was just thinking that there are thousands of people in the world, and I am not the one who deserves to stay with Xing Yun.”

Before Shi Tingyun could return to his senses, Yan Yuanheng got up, bowed and turned away.

His heart twisted and ached with every step he took.

Perhaps, by the day Stop Cloud finds his intended, his own heart will die with him on that day.

As Yan Yuanheng walked faster and faster, he reached into his pocket and took out the wine jug with the laurel carved on it, clutching it to his chest.

It was Shi Tingyun’s, and after drinking it himself, he tossed the jug to the soldier, forgetting to claim it back.

Yan Yuanheng wanted Shi Tingyun to come to him to ask for it, but it was left until today.

He didn’t know what he had in mind when he came to Shi Tingyun today with this jug of wine.

But it didn’t get delivered either, so what’s the point of thinking about it.

…… He can’t even give a jug away.

Clutching the jug, Yan Yuanheng falls into a deep self-loathing.

–his avoidance, in the end, had nothing to do with those speculations.

Shi Tingyun probably didn’t like him at all.

If Stop Cloud was truly pleased with him, what could he not do?

Yan Yuanheng fled quickly back to the camp, entered the tent, sat down on the side of the couch, took out the wine jug, rubbed it carefully in his palm for a while, and then, out of nowhere, gripped the jug tightly, uncapped it with the silver pouch, closed his eyes, and poured it into the spout in one go.

The two little black turtles he kept seemed to feel something and floated out of the Xiaochizi with their two little round heads, surveyed him for a while and crawled back into the pool with a grunt.

Shi Tingyun looks at Yan Yuanheng’s back, speechless for a moment.

As he mused, Yan Yuanzhao returned, surprisingly covered in goose feathers, carrying in his hand the neck of a large goose, its beak covered with sharp teeth and its palms tied up with his belt.

…… did catch one back.

Yan Yuanzhao’s long hair was already in disarray, so he simply freed it and draped it over his shoulders: “A mere goose, you think your Sixth Master can’t catch it back?”

Shi Tingyun : “Not two as promised?”

Yan Yuanzhao spat at him, “Fuck you, easy for you to say, you go and catch two.”

Shi Tingyun laughs.

Yan Yuanzhao put the goose in a pile and started to panic again, “When I go back, I’ll raise a flock of geese in the backyard and then trick Jinrou into telling her to go catch them.”

He paused and added, “But I have to stay with her. Otherwise she’ll have to be bitten and cry.”

Shi Tingyun wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes and thought, “It’s true.

This is probably the love of Yan Yuanzhao.

Yuan Zhao looks prodigal, but his heart yearns for stability.

He had also met Jinrou and knew that she was not a vulgar woman, and that she could develop feelings for Yuan Zhaoge just by being with him.

But then I wonder when Yuan Zhao will recognise his own heart.

Yan Yuanzhao and Shi Tingyun pluck the goose feathers together.

He dusted his knees down and said, “Yesterday, Yuan Heng managed to borrow some local clay cigarettes from some soldiers.”

Shi Tingyun hmmm.

”You mentioned it idly at dinner yesterday that there are always birds chirping these days, making it impossible to sleep.” Yan Yuanzhao said, “He was playing his flute not far from your tent yesterday, playing all night and using a long pole to chase the birds away.”

He continued, “That smoke is strong. As you know, he had to rely on smoking that stuff to refresh himself as he set his daily routine to get up and rest his body.”

Shi Tingyun said, “What do you mean by that?”

”It’s okay, it’s a joke.” Yan Yuanzhao shrugged lightheartedly, “He’s just a fool. Li Yeshu has been transferred to General Shi’s side, so he can just find two other soldiers to chase the birds. What’s so unsettling about leaving it to them?”

Shi Tingyun kept his mouth shut.

Yan Yuanzhao propped up one knee and said, “The Sixth Master never fights for what he can’t have. But what I can get, I will never let go. If I like it, I don’t care what the world says, I’ve got a hundred years of pleasure, and it’s not something those fools can enjoy. A hundred years from now, the words that are indiscriminately spoken will be reduced to ashes even after a thousand years.”

Chi Xiaochi asked on Shi Tingyun’s behalf, “You have been given pleasure, but what if the other man has only brotherly love for him?”

Yan Yuanzhao didn’t care: “Then we have to make it clear. If you say you understand, you’ll be a brother for life; if you don’t, you’ll be confused for life.”

It doesn’t matter if Shi Tingyun understands, but Chi Xiaochi understands that it is indeed time to leave.

Around …… he had almost cashed out the physical warehouse and even set up a second spare card warehouse.

At midnight, the main camp was alive with song and dance.

The soldiers of Southland origin sang Southland folk songs, and the Chinese Southerners sang Huangmei opera and commentary in a northern dialect.

Shi Tingyun and Yan Yuanheng are nowhere to be seen amidst all this hubbub.

In the cool autumn breeze, Yan Yuanzhao found Shi Tingyun near the barracks.

He was walking back and forth, his boots making a small watery sound on the wet, soft mud.

Yan Yuanzhao was already drunk and reached out to pull him away: “What are you doing? Let’s go drink.”

Shi Tingyun looked at the hand he was holding and then looked up at his eyes for a moment to make sure that they were warm and that there was a light in them before he let go.

He said, “Patrol, lest an enemy invade by night.”

”Where’s the enemy?” Yan Yuanzhao was angry and amused, “The southern border has surrendered and withdrawn its troops for a hundred miles, besides, only the main camp is celebrating, the outer perimeter extends out for ten or so miles, no safer.”

Yan Yuanzhao gave him a hand: “Go, go, go, go, Yuan Heng, let the horses go in the evening, and I don’t know where they went; those lieutenants, all of them respecting me, are boring, but it’s better to drink with you. Let’s go ……”

Before the words left his mouth, he reached out to touch Shi Tingyun’s palm and noticed something was wrong, and when he touched Shi Tingyun’s forehead, his face became even more unpleasant: “Are you going to die? You’re burning up like this and you’re still out in the wind?”

Shi Tingyun’s pair of peach blossom eyes burned with a straight watery glow as she looked at him steadily, “…… Yuanzhao.”

”Zhaoge, my ass.” Yan Yuanzhao unceremoniously yanked him towards his tent, “If this is known to your husband ……”

At this point, Yan Yuanzhao gave a jolt.

…… “Mr. His Family”, who was it again?

Yan Yuanzhao’s personality is such that if he can’t figure it out, he won’t think about it.

Walking up to the tent, Shi Tingyun glances at the raised curtain.

He remembered that when his benefactor left today, he was unsure of the safety of the barracks and had lowered the curtain when he left the tent to inspect it.

He pushed Yan Yuanzhao: “Just send it here, you go and drink. I’m not burnt out, I can take care of myself.”

Yan Yuanzhao said suspiciously, “You’re not going on patrol again, are you?”

Shi Tingyun coughed twice and smiled, “Are you going to send me to bed then.”

Yan Yuanzhao, disgusted beyond belief, pushed him on the back: “Get lost, get lost, get inside. Master Liou sees you roll.”

Shi Tingyun took a deep breath, leaned down into the tent and lowered the curtain.

Without lighting a candle, he took two steps towards the memory of the bed, and his high-heated body fell into an embrace filled with the scent of wine.

The embrace came from behind and enveloped him very hard.

He heard a familiar voice, but not a familiar accent: “Is that Su Chang?”

Shi Tingyun’s heart softened slightly: “The Thirteenth Prince.”

Half an hour later, he called again, ” Yuan Heng .”

His body ached from the fever and he had no energy to use, so when he noticed Yan Yuanheng was drunk, he was picked up and placed on a couch.

Yan Yuanheng didn’t make any sudden moves, and after putting him to bed, he sat down on the edge of the bed in a dignified manner, looking straight at him, his eyes burning.

Shi Tingyun: “Yuan Heng, you’re drunk.”

Yan Yuanheng took the empty jug out of his pocket and slipped it into Shi Tingyun’s hand, “No. I’ve drunk so much and I’m not even drunk.”

Shi Tingyun turned weakly to his side and smiled at him, “Well. The thirteenth prince is of great capacity.”

Yan Yuanheng meekly, looking a little dejected, “No, I only drank half a pot.”

Shi Tingyun’s throat was sore, but he couldn’t stop laughing.

Yan Yuanheng said seriously, “Don’t you laugh. I have something to give you.”

Shi Tingyun leaned over his arm: “What is the gift, come and show it to young General Shi.”

Yan Yuanheng gestures to the empty jug.

Shi Tingyun, curious, took the jug and shook it against his ear, finding nothing but a little residue of water rattling inside.

He couldn’t help but think of the book Yan Yuanheng had given him last time when he was drunk, which also contained a small flower that had gone to an unknown destination.

Shi Tingyun asked Yan Yuanheng in a hoarse voice, “What is the gift?”

Yan Yuanheng sat on his knees beside him and said, “I went and climbed to the top of Mount Baiyun and filled a pot of walking clouds to come.”

Shi Tingyun’s heart pounded and he looked up at him.

Yan Yuanheng said, “Xing Yun stopped and was caught by me. So can you listen to me and talk.”

Shi Tingyun barely managed to hold up half of his body and smiled softly, “Well. You say, it’s listening.”

Yan Yuanheng looks at him, blinks once and blushes a layer.

Blink a little more and your eyes get a little red.

Yan Yuanheng opened his mouth and said, “I used to, have a dream.”

Shi Tingyun : “Hmm.”

Yan Yuanheng : “In my dream, I reached the age of ears and ears.”

Shi Tingyun could not help but smile, “Well, the thirteenth prince lives a high life.”

Yan Yuanheng, his eyes starry, said with a single word: “In my dream, at that time, I was surrounded by you.”

Shi Tingyun also stopped talking and looked straight into his eyes.

A drunken man and a man with a high fever, both with watery mist in their eyes.

Each has its own beauty when viewed through the fog.

It was only after a long time that Shi Tingyun spoke again: “The Thirteenth Prince is really greedy, it is not enough to dominate Shi Tingyun for ten years, how long do you want me to be your companion?”

Yan Yuanheng grabbed the corner of his coat and gave it a gentle shake: “Time-companion reading, Time-companion reading. Yan Yuanheng has one thing he doesn’t understand, may I ask for advice.”

Shi Tingyun looked at the rarely childish Yan Yuanheng with tears in his eyes, “Go ahead.”

Yan Yuanheng With a little cry, he asked, “…… How do I have to love you for you to like it?”

Neither of them knew who kissed whom first.

The sash unravels in layers and drops to the floor with a rustling sound.

Rolling hot bodies pressed together, it was no longer possible to tell who was feverish.

Shi Tingyun opens his mouth, bites the right sleeve of Yan Yuanheng’s loincloth, pulls it down along the contours of his shoulder and drops another kiss on the exposed right arm.

Shi Tingyun said softly, “Yuan Heng, Yuan Heng, do you know that for some time after death, people can really hear what other people are saying and doing?”

Yan Yuanheng propped his hands on the side of Shi Tingyun’s ears and stared at him, a little helpless, a little confused, just following his instincts and kissing the knot of his throat one by one.

”So I know.” Shi Tingyun clasped his ten fingers and said, “…… Yan XIII likes Shi Su Chang , Shi Su Chang knows it.”