Hello Chang’an

The main front line of the recent confrontation between the Xuance Army and the Beidi Army in the Yinshan area is only more than 200 miles away from the Anbei Protectorate, and can be reached by a quick horse in half a day.

On the way back, Cui Jing already knew 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. Therefore, Cui Jing did not know that Chang Sui Ning was also among this army.

The battle with Beidi in the Yinshan area this time was particularly tense and fierce. Cui Jing went deep into the frontline battlefield for many days in a row. It was not until yesterday that he was able to return to the rear army. Due to his busy schedule, he had not had time to learn about news other than military affairs.

Regarding Chang Suining's movements, what Cui Jing knew was that she had gone to Taiyuan and was preparing to pacify the Guannei Road.

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

Thinking like this, Cui Jing, who was riding on horseback, couldn't help but speed up a little bit more.

At this time, Chang Suining had dismounted outside the Anbei Protector's Mansion, and Qin Protector and others came forward to greet him.

At this moment, the crowd was noisy, and suddenly a long-lost familiar feeling rushed to Chang Sui Ning.

She didn't recognize the Protector of Qin, but the Anbei Protector's Mansion was familiar to her. She was also familiar with the general next to Protector Qin. The former General Lu was now General Lu. The general is a respectable man who devoted his whole life to the cause of guarding the northern border.

The moment his eyes met Chang Suining's, the old general Lu was in a trance. When he bowed his hands and saluted, his back inexplicably became more upright, and a smile appeared in his eyes: "I have heard about Chang Jie Envoy's name for a long time. When I saw it today, it was indeed extraordinary. !”

Qin Duhu was a little surprised, but it was rare to hear Old 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 person was indeed extraordinary, and Mr. Lu's words were not deliberately respectful.

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

Halfway through the journey, Qin Duhu's wife came towards him with two girls. After greeting Chang Sui Ning, she only said that she had asked the maid to prepare a hot soup for washing the dust. She asked Chang Sui Ning to wash the dust and relieve fatigue before going to the front hall. Eat.

Since everything has been prepared, Chang Sui would rather do it than ignore others' good intentions, so the guests followed the host's wishes and obeyed the arrangements. Accompanied by the two girls from the Qin family, they went to wash and change clothes.

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

After entering the soup room, the two of them even squeezed away the maid who was serving. They couldn't help but personally serve Chang Suining to take a bath. They were so enthusiastic that Chang Suining was a little uncomfortable with it.

Chang Sui Ning is taller than ordinary women. Due to her years of martial arts training, her figure is taller and taller, and her texture is exceptionally well-proportioned and tight. As the steam steams, she slides into the tub with her straight, slender and powerful legs. Only Only the shoulders and back were exposed.

Her shoulders and back are thin and tough, half hidden in the water vapor, but the clear outlines can still be seen. The skin and flesh are close to the muscles and bones. You can see the clear direction of the muscles and the traces of battle wounds on them.

The skin color of the body, which has not been exposed to light all year round, is fairer and more delicate than that of the face, and the large and small battle scars are therefore more eye-catching.

When the two girls from the Qin family looked at him, their original curiosity slowly faded away, their hand movements became more serious and respectful, and they felt a heavy admiration in their hearts.

On the other side, Qin Duhu and others, who had just sat down in the front hall for a while, suddenly shouted out of the house to greet them.

Just now, some soldiers came to report that Governor Cui was back.

Cui Jing left this morning without sending anyone a message in advance. When Qin Duhu was surprised, he couldn't help but said as he walked: "Changjie envoy came into the house on the front foot, and Cui Dadu Governor came back on the back foot. What a coincidence. "

"I don't think it's a coincidence..." A military general lowered his voice and said, "It seems like Governor Cui got the message and rushed back here specially!"

Qin Duhu paused slightly and let out a hiss. Judging from Cui Dadu's unabashed preference when he mentioned Changjie Envoy, it was not impossible!

Everyone exchanged crazy glances and couldn't help but walk faster.

When Qin Duhu and others arrived, Cui Jing and his party were dismounting one after another outside the Duhu Mansion.

Qin Duhu immediately saw the most outstanding and eye-catching young man in the crowd in terms of body shape and temperament, and hurriedly walked forward to greet him and salute.

"Qin Protector, generals." Cui Jing raised her hand to return the salute, and then walked into the mansion with everyone, while asking: "Has anyone arrived yet?"

He always spoke concisely and directly, and Qin Duhu was very used to it, so he replied: "Yes, I have just arrived. I am settling down and washing my clothes now. I have already prepared a banquet."

Cui Jing, who was just asking about Bingzhou's general, nodded without realizing it: "Thank you, Qin Duhu, for taking the trouble to arrange it."

Just when Qin Governor was about to elaborate on the Changjie Envoy, General Lu asked, "It is Governor Cui who has worked so hard in the past few months. Did Governor Cui come back specially today?"

Cui Jing: "Yes, the Beidi army has temporarily retreated a hundred miles away. It is time for the Bingzhou cavalry to arrive. We can take this opportunity to make arrangements for the next war as soon as possible."

Cui Jing always had a meticulous seriousness when he mentioned the war. Qin Duhu and others were already afraid of him, but when they heard such an official answer, the joking words swirling on his lips suddenly became inappropriate.

Qin Duhu and others believed that they were not ignorant of the general situation, so they temporarily suppressed the flames of gossip in their hearts, put on a serious attitude, and followed the topic of the Yinshan War.

After learning about the situation of the battle, Qin Duhu reminded: "There is still half an hour before the banquet. Do you want to go and wash away the dust first?"

Cui Jing simply took a shower after returning to camp last night. He had only traveled for half a day today, and the dust only stayed on the surface. It was daytime again, so he didn't feel that he needed to wash off the dust, so he said "No need."

Qin Duhu nodded and murmured with some disappointment in his heart. They all said it was to please one's appearance, but he saw that Cui Dadu was very relaxed.

Alas, a calm and collected person turned out to be as calm and steady as an old dog when facing the person he had not seen for a long time... He originally thought he would see a different Governor Cui.

Qin Duhu said no more and asked Cui Jing to go to the front hall where the banquet was being prepared.

Knowing that the army would have to work hard all the way, Cui Jing planned to wait for the Bingzhou generals to have lunch together before sitting down to discuss business.

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

There are twelve short dining tables placed in the hall, six on each side. Two people can sit on each table. However, Cui Jing is usually used to sitting alone. Depending on his status, there is no one in the Duhu Mansion who can sit on an equal footing with him. .

Qin Duhu and Old General Lu usually sat right next to Cui Jing, but at this time Cui Jing saw that there was an empty space between them and him, and he didn't know who was there. .

When Cui Jing saw this, he felt something was a little abnormal.

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

Anyone who can come here to have a banquet will naturally have a lower status in the army. Since he is a general in Bingzhou, it is impossible for Cui Jing to recognize him, but Cui Jing found that there were several unfamiliar faces among them. Something he had never seen before.

I don't know what he thought of, but Cui Jing suddenly felt a wave of emotion in his heart.

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

The hall was a little noisy for a while, but the strange thing was that Cui Jing couldn't hear anything clearly. It was clear that his five senses were always sharper and more alert than ordinary people. He even forgot to respond and still sat cross-legged, looking motionlessly in the direction of the hall door.

Cui Jing's sight was mostly blocked by the figure who stood up and saluted. He could vaguely glimpse a greenish-white color through the gap between the figure. Before he could see the true face of the owner of the figure, his heartbeat had already become chaotic.

Amidst everyone's shouts of "Chang Jie Envoy", the green and white figure stopped, and then a clear and casual female voice sounded: "...Didn't I say that Governor Cui is also here, where is the person?"

The voice was calm and informal, and the words he spoke were looking for someone.

The person she was looking for had many rumors with her, but she didn't care. She looked past the figures and searched straight away.

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

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

She was wearing a moon-white dress and a half-armor coat with a blue satin base and trimmed with white fox fur. She still tied her hair with only a copper bird hairpin and stood there, fresh and quiet, like the shadow of the moon.

Cui Jing began to believe A Dian's words. A Dian once said that his Highness had the fragrance of mountains, rivers, sun and moon.

At this moment, Cui Jing consciously and clearly smelled the aura of the sun and the moon, and as she approached, the aura came lingering.

Cui Jing stood up slowly and subconsciously.

Chang Suining walked up with his hands behind his back and stopped three steps away from Cui Jing. Neither of them raised their hands to salute. One of them didn't care, and the other was simply relaxed out of not seeing anyone else.

When they met again after hundreds of days, what Cui Jing brought to Chang Sui Ning was a smile that seemed faint but went straight into his eyes.

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

Chang Sui Ning smiled back at him and said nothing.

Immediately, Cui Jing walked out from behind the low table, gave up his position at the head of the table, and said to Chang Sui Ning, "Sit here."

He gave in calmly, and Chang Sui Ning Ying was also very calm. He nodded and said "ok", then stepped forward and sat down.

Cui Jing sat down in the empty seat below her. His figure was still upright, but the aura around him seemed to have changed from a supercilious "nothing" to a voluntary "keeping".

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

Some people are born without the temperament to be inferior to others. There are very few such people, 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 proud bone that cannot be peeled off in an instant, and melt away every inch of supreme hardness like a glacier.

This is the only special treatment in the world, and there will probably never be another one in the world, but it is natural to him, as if it should be so, and there shouldn't be any controversy or hesitation.

Governor Qin was almost stunned, and it took him a while to realize what he was doing - he understood. Governor Cui didn't know that Chang Jie was here! He just said it!

The Protector of Qin was distracted when he saw Cui Jing looking towards him and said: "Protector of Qin, let's have a banquet."

She has been marching all the way here, so she must not have had a decent meal for a long time. At this time, she must be hungry.

Qin Duhu came to his senses and hurriedly asked people to pass the dishes.

Everyone also took their seats.

During the dinner, Qin Duhu and others couldn't help but glance upward quietly.

It's strange to say that Governor Cui didn't smile when he looked at it. His facial features were still the same, but they didn't have the sharpness. He looked quite approachable - they had never dared to think about it before. One day I will apply the word "approachable" to Governor Cui.

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

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

"Let's take a look at you." Chang Suining walked and said in the same tone as usual: "I haven't seen you for a few days, I'm quite worried."

"Didn't I say in my letter that when I calm down the chaos at hand, I will come to the north to help you."

"This year, everything has gone smoothly for me, and I can be considered a small success." When Chang Suining said this, there was a lack of sincerity in his tone, and he said to Cui Jing: "You are busy with the war, and you don't know much about it. Let's go back later. Yuan Xiang tells you to listen."

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

The two talked and walked for a while. Chang Sui Ning saw an inconspicuous piece of burlap tied around Cui Jing's cloak and knew that it was for his grandfather who committed suicide in the capital.

"Cui Ling'an, are you okay?" At first glance, this question sounded a bit confusing.

Cui Jing nodded lightly: "It's okay."

He didn't say "it's okay", but "it's okay". There was a hint of flawless sadness in it that Cui Lingan would never reveal to the outside world.

The two walked for a while.

The sun was very bright today. When passing under a very old pine tree, Cui Jing called out without warning: "Your Highness—"

His voice was low, and Chang Suining turned to look at him.

The golden warm sun shone on the young man's shoulders, and he said seriously: "If Your Highness comes to see me again, remember to send a letter to me in advance."

Chang Suining: "What, do you want to sweep the couch to greet me?"

Cui Jing was noncommittal, but still said seriously: "If I could know in advance that you would come, the days waiting for you will also become auspicious days. I want to have more such good days to count down."

He is on the battlefield and may die at any time. He is not afraid of death and does not allow himself to be greedy for life. Before his family and country are in peace, trying to have more precious moments is the greatest indulgence he can give himself.

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

Now, he wishes there were more moments like that.

(End of chapter)