Chang'an is good

The main battle line where Xuan Ce's army and the Northern Di army have been confronting each other recently in the Yinshan area is only 200 miles away from the Anbei Protectorate, and can be reached in half a day by fast horses.

On his way back, Cui Jing learned the news that the Bingzhou cavalry had arrived.

However, this news was only based on the movement of Bingzhou cavalry entering the country and was not detailed, so Cui Jing did not know that Chang Suining was also in this army.

The battle with the Northern Di in the Yinshan area was particularly tense and fierce. Cui Jing went deep into the front-line battlefield for many days and was only able to return to the rear army yesterday. He was so busy that he had no time to find out any news other than military affairs.

As for Chang Suining's movements, Cui Jing still knew that she had gone to Taiyuan and was preparing to pacify Guannei Road.

Cui Jing firmly believed that Chang Suining would be able to successfully resolve the troubles in Guannei Dao. He planned to ask the generals of Bingzhou about the situation of Guannei Dao and Chang Suining in person after meeting them.

Thinking of this, Cui Jing, who was riding his horse, couldn't help but speed up his journey.

At this time, Chang Suining had dismounted outside the Anbei Protectorate, and Qin Duhu and others came forward to greet him.

At this moment, there was a lot of noise, and suddenly a long-lost sense of familiarity came over Chang Suining.

She did not recognize this Protector General Qin, but she was familiar with the Anbei Protectorate. She was also familiar with the general beside Protector General Qin, the former General Lu, now General Lu Lao. This general was a respectable man who dedicated his entire life to the cause of guarding the northern border.

The moment his eyes met Chang Suining's, General Lu was in a trance for a moment. When he saluted, his back inexplicably straightened a little, and a smile appeared in his eyes: "I have heard of Envoy Chang Jie's name for a long time. Seeing him today, he is indeed extraordinary!"

Qin Duhu was a little surprised. It was rare for him to hear General Lu praise and flatter someone like this.

But looking at the young girl in front of him, Qin Duhu felt that it was quite understandable. This girl was indeed extraordinary at first sight, and what Mr. Lu said was not deliberately respectful.

Qin Duhu raised his hand and invited Chang Suining to come in.

Halfway through the journey, the wife of Qin Duhu came towards them with two girls. After greeting Chang Suining, she said that she had asked the maid to prepare hot soup for him to wash away his fatigue and invited Chang Suining to go to the front hall to eat after washing away his fatigue.

Since everything was ready, Chang Suining would not refuse the kindness, so he followed the host's wishes and obeyed the arrangements. Accompanied by the two girls from the Qin family, he went to wash and change clothes.

The two girls from the Qin family followed Chang Suining half a step behind them, exchanging sparkling glances with each other, their faces full of surprise and excitement.

After entering the bath room, the two men pushed away the serving maids and personally helped Chang Suining bathe without any explanation. Their enthusiasm made Chang Suining a little uncomfortable.

Chang Suining was taller than the average woman. Due to years of martial arts training and marching, her figure was more upright and her skin was particularly well-proportioned and firm. In the steaming heat, she slid into the bathtub with her straight, slender and powerful legs, leaving only her shoulders and back exposed.

Her shoulders and back were thin and tough, half hidden in the mist, but still clearly defined, with skin and flesh clinging to bones, and clear muscle lines visible, as well as traces of battle wounds.

The skin color of the body, which has not been exposed to the sun for many years, is whiter and more delicate than that of the face, and the battle wounds of varying sizes are therefore more eye-catching.

The two girls from the Qin family saw this, and their original curiosity gradually faded away. Their hands became more serious and respectful, and their hearts were filled with a heavy admiration.

On the other side, Qin Duhu and others, who had just sat down in the front hall for a short while, suddenly rushed out of the mansion to meet them.

Just now a soldier came to report that General Cui has returned.

Cui Jing had set out this morning without sending a message in advance. Protector Qin was surprised and couldn't help but say as he walked, "Envoy Chang entered the palace just before, and Commander Cui returned right after. What a coincidence."

"I don't think it's a coincidence..." A general lowered his voice and said, "It seems that General Cui got the news and rushed back specially!"

Qin Duhu paused and let out a hiss. Judging from the undisguised preference that Grand Commander Cui showed for Envoy Chang Jie every time he mentioned him, it was not impossible!
Everyone exchanged wild glances and walked faster.

When Protector Qin and his companions arrived, Cui Jing and his entourage were dismounting one after another outside the Protectorate.

Qin Duhu immediately spotted the young man who was the most outstanding and eye-catching in the crowd in terms of both figure and temperament, and hurriedly stepped forward to greet him.

"Protector Qin, generals." Cui Jing raised his hand to return the greeting, then walked into the palace with everyone else, asking, "Have the people arrived yet?"

He always spoke concisely and directly, and Qin Duhu was already used to it. He replied, "Yes, I just arrived and am now settling down and welcoming the guests. I have already asked someone to prepare a banquet."

Cui Jing, who was just asking the Bingzhou general, nodded without noticing anything unusual: "Thank you, Protector Qin, for taking the trouble to arrange it."

When the Protector General Qin was about to explain the details of the envoy Chang Jie, General Lu asked, "General Cui must have worked hard in the past few months. Did the general come back today specially?"

Cui Jing: "Yes, the Northern Di army has temporarily retreated a hundred miles away. It is estimated that the Bingzhou cavalry should have arrived by now. We can take this opportunity to quickly deploy the next battle arrangements."

Cui Jing was always meticulously serious when he mentioned the war. Qin Duhu and others were afraid of him, and when they heard such an official answer, the jokes that were on their lips suddenly became inappropriate.

Qin Duhu and his companions believed that they were not the kind of people who did not know the overall situation, so they temporarily suppressed the gossip in their hearts, and faced business with an attitude, and asked questions along the topic of the Yinshan War.

After learning about the battle situation, Qin Duhu reminded: "There is still half an hour before the banquet ends. Does the Grand Commander want to go and wash up first?"

Cui Jing had a simple bath after returning to the camp last night. He had only traveled for half a day today, so the dust only remained on the surface. It was daytime, so he didn't think he needed to take a special shower, so he said, "No need."

Protector Qin nodded, murmured in his heart with some disappointment. It is said that one dresses up to please oneself, but he saw that Commander Cui was quite relaxed.

Alas, a calm and composed man can be so calm and steady like an old dog when facing the person he loves whom he hasn't seen for a long time... He thought he could see a different General Cui.

Protector Qin said no more and invited Cui Jing to go to the front hall where the banquet was prepared.

Knowing that the army must have been tired on the journey, Cui Jing planned to wait for the Bingzhou generals to finish their lunch before sitting down to discuss business.

A copper basin and hot water were prepared beside the hall door. Cui Jing took off his cloak, washed his hands, took the warm cotton towel handed to him by the servant, wiped his face, and then sat down at the top as usual.

There were twelve low-legged dining tables in the hall, six on each side. Two people could sit at each table, but Cui Jing usually sat alone. Due to his status, no one in the Protectorate could sit on the same level with him.

Protector General Qin and General Lu usually sat right below Cui Jing, but at this moment Cui Jing saw that there was an empty table between them and himself, and he wondered who it was left for.

When Cui Jing saw this, he already felt something was unusual.

Immediately afterwards, a group of military generals came in one after another and all stepped forward to salute Cui Jing respectfully.

Those who could come here to attend the banquet must have a high status in the army. And since they were generals from Bingzhou, Cui Jing should have recognized them. However, Cui Jing found that there were several unfamiliar faces among them that he had never seen before.

Cui Jing didn't know what he was thinking about, but his heart was suddenly filled with waves.

At this time, footsteps were heard again outside the hall door. Soon, those generals who had not yet taken their seats turned to face the hall door, and Qin Duhu and others also stood up and saluted.

The hall was noisy for a while, but strangely, Cui Jing couldn't hear anything. It was obvious that his five senses were sharper and clearer than those of ordinary people. He even forgot to react and continued to sit cross-legged, staring at the direction of the hall door without moving.

Cui Jing's vision was mostly blocked by the figure who stood up and saluted. He could vaguely see a hint of blue-white color from the gaps between the figures. He hadn't seen the true face of the owner of the figure yet, but his heartbeat had already become disorderly.

Amid the crowd's calls of "Envoy Chang", the pale figure stopped walking, and then a clear and casual female voice rang out: "...Didn't they say that Grand Commander Cui is here too? Where is he?"

The voice was calm and casual, and the first word it opened was looking for someone.

There were many rumors about the person she was looking for, but she didn't care. She looked past the figures and went straight in search.

Everyone moved to the sides, and some turned to look at where Cui Jing was.

The crowd dispersed like clouds and mist, and the bluish-white figure appeared completely in Cui Jing's sight.

She wore a moon-white skirt and a half-sleeved cape with a green satin base and white fox fur trim. She still only held up her hair with a bronze hairpin. She stood there, fresh and quiet, like the shadow of the moon.

Cui Jing began to believe what Adian said, who once said that his prince had the fragrance of mountains, rivers, sun and moon.

At this moment, Cui Jing felt that she could clearly smell the aura of the sun and the moon. As she approached, the aura also came with her.

Cui Jing stood up slowly subconsciously.

Chang Suining walked over with his hands behind his back and stopped three steps away from Cui Jing. Neither of them raised his hand to greet the other. One of them was too busy to do so, and the other was simply too relaxed to be polite.

When they met again after hundreds of days, Cui Jing presented Chang Suining with a smile that seemed faint but caught his eyes.

There was still two points of astonishment in that smile, and the remaining eight points were the true joy that could not be concealed.

Chang Suining smiled back at him and said nothing more.

Soon, Cui Jing walked out from behind the low table, gave up the seat at the head, and said to Chang Suining, "Sit here."

He gave in calmly, and Chang Suining also responded calmly, nodded, said "OK", and walked forward to sit down.

Cui Jing sat down in the empty seat below her. His posture was still upright, but the aura around him seemed to have changed from the arrogant "nothingness" to the conscious and voluntary "defense".

Taking the initiative to step down from the platform and guard her was the position he chose for himself.

Some people don't seem to be born with the temperament to be subordinate to others. Such people are very rare, and in the eyes of the world, Cui Jing must be one of them.

Such a person, in front of another person, can hide every bit of his unbreakable pride in an instant, and melt every inch of his supreme hardness like a glacier.

This is a unique special treatment in the world, and there is probably no other such treatment in the world. However, it is integrated into his body naturally, as if it should be so and there should be no controversy or hesitation.

Qin Duhu was almost stunned. After a while, he finally reacted - he understood that General Cui didn't know that Envoy Chang was here! He said so!

While Qin Duhu was distracted, Cui Jing looked at him and said, "Qin Duhu, let's start the banquet."

She must have not had a decent meal for a long time since she marched all the way here. At this time, she must be hungry.

Protector Qin came to his senses and hurriedly asked someone to serve the dishes.

Everyone took their seats.

During the banquet, Qin Duhu and others could not help but secretly glance upwards.

Strangely enough, it seemed that General Cui was not smiling, and his facial features were still the same, but he no longer had that fierce energy, and looked quite approachable - before this, they had never dared to imagine that one day they would use the word "approachable" to describe General Cui.

After the banquet, Chang Suining and Cui Jing went to the meeting place together, while Yuan Xiang and a group of Bingzhou generals followed closely behind.

At this time, Cui Jing was able to ask Chang Suining: "Why did you come here in person?"

"I came to see you." Chang Suining walked along, speaking in a normal tone: "I haven't seen you for a while, and I'm worried."

"And didn't I say in my letter that I would come to the North to help you once I have calmed down the chaos at hand?"

"Everything has gone smoothly for me this year, and I have achieved some success." Chang Suining said this with a tone of modesty that lacked sincerity, and said to Cui Jing: "You are busy with the war, so I think you don't know much. Let Yuanxiang tell you later."

Cui Jing's eyes curved slightly: "Okay."

The two talked and walked for a while. Chang Suining saw a piece of inconspicuous coarse linen tied around Cui Jing's waist under his cloak. He knew that it was for his grandfather who committed suicide in the capital.

"Cui Ling'an, are you okay?" At first glance, this question seemed incoherent.

Cui Jing nodded slightly: "Not bad."

He did not say "no problem" but "not bad", which contained a trace of deep sadness that Cui Ling'an would never show to others.

The two walked for a while longer.

The sun was shining brightly today. When passing under an old pine tree, Cui Jing called out without warning, "Your Highness—"

His voice was not loud, and Chang Suining turned to look at him.

The warm golden sun shone on the young man's shoulders. He said seriously, "If Your Highness comes to see me again, please remember to let me know in advance."

Chang Suining: "Why, do you want to make a bed to welcome me?"

Cui Jing did not comment, but continued to say seriously: "If I knew you would come in advance, the days we waited for each other would become auspicious days. I want to have more auspicious days like this to count down."

He was on the battlefield and could die at any time, but he was not afraid of death, nor did he allow himself to be greedy for life. Before his country and family were at peace, trying to have more precious moments was the greatest indulgence he could give himself.

He once said that the meaning of life lies not in a lifetime, but in certain moments.

Now, he hopes there will be more moments like that.

(End of this chapter)