Min Wenqing, as the youngest general in Yanbei, possessed a handsome and scholarly appearance that made him look like a man of letters. Yet, he carried a resolute and decisive air, tempered by the trials of battle, which set him apart from both scholars and warriors, giving him a uniquely distinguished presence.
Originally sipping tea and joking with the attendant by his side, Min Wenqing looked up as Xiao Jinglin entered. He immediately set down his tea bowl, stood up, and smiled, his bright eyes curving into crescents. "Commandery Princess."
Seeing this smile, Xiao Jinglin couldn’t help but frown inwardly, thinking: I wonder what this cunning fox is plotting. I must tread carefully.
Princess Xiao adopted the noble and aloof demeanor she reserved for outsiders, giving a slight nod. "General Min."
Min Wenqing gazed at Xiao Jinglin, a faint smile playing on his lips.
The two took their seats as host and guest.
Once seated, Xiao Jinglin waited for Min Wenqing to state his purpose. To her surprise, he began by rambling about the weather in Yan Prefecture, then shifted to the crooked tree outside the west gate of Jiajing Pass, which had been struck by lightning and now teetered precariously, showing no intention of getting to the point.
Though Min Wenqing’s voice was deep and magnetic, his words humorous and well-organized, making him a pleasant conversationalist, Xiao Jinglin gradually grew impatient and interrupted, "General Min, do you have nothing better to do?"
"Why would you say that, Commandery Princess?"
Xiao Jinglin cast him a cool glance. "If you weren’t idle, why would you chatter with me like the women in the inner quarters, gossiping about trivial matters?"
Min Wenqing’s smile stiffened briefly before giving way to a hint of helplessness. He thought, How is it idle talk to ask about your health when the weather in Yanbei has been so unpredictable lately? And that crooked tree outside Jiajing Pass—I’ve often seen you stop and gaze at it, clearly drawn to it. Now that it’s on the verge of perishing at the border, how is it idle talk to inform you?
But Min Wenqing kept these thoughts to himself. He was a refined man, preferring subtlety and the elegance of speaking three parts while leaving seven unsaid.
After a brief pause, he finally smiled warmly and said, "There is one matter of business—the marriage of Deputy General Zhou and Lieutenant Qiu Hong."
Xiao Jinglin’s expression softened, and she began discussing the matter earnestly with Min Wenqing. As they were both military commanders, even such a significant life event was handled with greater efficiency and fewer formalities than among ordinary people. In no time, Xiao Jinglin and Min Wenqing had settled the matter.
Once this "business" was concluded, Xiao Jinglin stood up and nodded. "If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave."
Min Wenqing couldn’t help but smile wryly, rising as well. "When will you return to Jiajing Pass, Commandery Princess?"
Xiao Jinglin frowned thoughtfully at the question. "I still have some matters to attend to and will need to stay in Yunyang City a while longer. I’ll have to rely on you to manage things at Jiajing Pass for now."
Min Wenqing should have accepted this with a smile and taken his leave. Instead, after studying Xiao Jinglin for a moment, he asked with a smile, "What matters do you need to attend to, Commandery Princess? Do you require my assistance?"
Xiao Jinglin’s frown deepened, seemingly annoyed, but she replied, "Just some personal matters. I can handle them myself. Thank you, General."
Min Wenqing lowered his head with a smile, then, as if on a whim, looked at Xiao Jinglin and said, "Could it be that you’re staying to attend the wedding of the Yun Family’s eldest son?"Xiao Jinglin remained expressionless and silent for a moment before replying coldly, "General Min, you are overstepping your bounds."
Min Wenqing instinctively lowered his gaze slightly, concealing the emotions in his eyes. A faint smile curled at the corner of his lips, yet his tone remained gentle. "We have known each other since our youth, so naturally, I care a little more than others. Why is the Commandery Princess so angered?"
Xiao Jinglin replied calmly, "I am not angered. It is simply that private matters are private, and official matters are official. I do not wish to discuss my private affairs with the General."
Min Wenqing looked at the indifferent Xiao Jinglin, his expression growing somewhat complicated.
If it were someone with an impulsive temperament, they might have retorted: What does the Yun Family's Eldest Master's marriage have to do with your private affairs? But Min Wenqing was, after all, not an impulsive person. He had already regretted asking that question the moment it left his lips.
With a soft sigh, Min Wenqing forced a smile. "I have overstepped. Please forgive my offense, Commandery Princess."
Xiao Jinglin remained expressionless. She nodded as if about to leave, but just then, someone entered from outside to report that Eldest Master Yun had arrived.
Xiao Jinglin pressed her lips together, standing still without moving, though her brows involuntarily furrowed.
Min Wenqing glanced at Xiao Jinglin, smiled, and instead regained his earlier leisurely demeanor.
Yun Wenting soon entered. The moment he saw Xiao Jinglin, his gaze softened noticeably. He stepped forward to greet her.
Xiao Jinglin looked at him and nodded in acknowledgment.
Min Wenqing chuckled softly. "Eldest Master Yun, it has been a long time."
Yun Wenting seemed to notice Min Wenqing only then, nodding with a faint smile. "Indeed, it has been a long time, General Min."
A brief silence fell over the room. Though it lasted only a moment, Xiao Jinglin still sensed a hint of awkwardness.
It was Yun Wenting who broke the silence. "General Min, have you come to Yunyang City on official business this time? How long do you plan to stay? On several previous occasions when you visited, I wished to invite you for a drink but never found the opportunity."
Min Wenqing glanced at Xiao Jinglin. "I had originally planned to return to Jiajing Pass with the Commandery Princess in a few days, but she just mentioned she still has some private matters to attend to, so I..." At this point, Min Wenqing curved his lips slightly and did not continue, though his words seemed to imply he intended to wait for the Commandery Princess to finish her business before leaving with her.
Yun Wenting fell silent for a moment, his gaze shifting to Xiao Jinglin.
Xiao Jinglin pressed her lips together and instead addressed Min Wenqing. "General Min, you should return to Jiajing Pass first. Do not delay official matters."
Min Wenqing's smile stiffened slightly.
Yun Wenting, however, brightened, his eyes fixed on Xiao Jinglin.
Xiao Jinglin said coldly, "Since the two of you get along so well, you should chat and reminisce. I have matters to attend to and will take my leave." After saying this, without looking at anyone, she expressionlessly walked past Yun Wenting and left.
Yun Wenting stared blankly at her retreating figure, motionless for a long while.
Min Wenqing chuckled softly and returned to his seat, sitting down.
Yun Wenting glanced at Min Wenqing, his previously gentle gaze turning somewhat cold. "General Min, please inform me before you leave so I may see you off properly."
Min Wenqing sat leisurely and replied, "Thank you, Master Yun. However, with your joyous occasion approaching, how could I be so inconsiderate? It is only a pity that I fear I will not have the chance to drink your wedding wine."Upon hearing these words, Yun Wenting did not glare angrily at Min Wenqing, nor did he show any displeasure. His expression remained cold: "Min Wenqing, it's been a long time, and you're still as annoying as ever."
Min Wenqing, upon hearing this, instead narrowed his fox-like eyes into a smile, his tone quite amiable: "Likewise!"
Yun Wenting gave him a cold glance and turned to leave, only to be stopped by Min Wenqing.
Min Wenqing stood up, walked slowly to Yun Wenting, and said softly with a smile: "After leaving Yan Prefecture this time, the Commandery Princess will likely be stationed long-term at Jiajing Pass. You should know that defending the border and protecting the homeland has been her lifelong wish since childhood. As her cousin, shouldn't you be happy for her? The sea is vast for fish to leap, the sky high for birds to fly. The scheming and intrigue within your families only bring her pain. So... Yun Wenting, you should let go, because you are not suited for her."
Yun Wenting said coldly: "If I'm not suited for her, then you are? Min Wenqing, don't think I don't know what you're plotting."
Min Wenqing raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What am I plotting? I don't even know. Why don't you tell me?"
Yun Wenting looked at Min Wenqing and said calmly: "Although the Min family has always been loyal to the Yanbei Prince's Mansion, many of the newer military officers are unaware of this history and simply regard the Min family as traitors who defected from the Xianwang Residence. Over the years, despite your continuous military achievements, if not for the Prince's constant protection and favor, you would likely struggle within the Yanbei Army, wouldn't you?"
Min Wenqing's smile faded, and he narrowed his eyes slightly.
Yun Wenting gave a somewhat mocking smile, the coldness on his face like a sharp blade, completely unlike the gentle and refined demeanor he usually displayed: "Why did your grandfather insist that you and Lin'er study martial arts under the same master back then?"
A chill crept into Min Wenqing's expression: "What do you mean?"
Yun Wenting met Min Wenqing's gaze: "Min Wenqing, don't treat others as fools. Although Lin'er never speaks of these things, she understands them perfectly well in her heart. Do you know why, despite being her senior brother for several years and having a close relationship with her, she has always kept her distance from you? Because she knows the purpose behind your grandfather's arrangement for you to get close to her—it was merely to solidify the Min family's position within the Yanbei Army!"
Not a trace of a smile remained on Min Wenqing's face. Without his smile, the gentle and refined scholarly air about him vanished entirely, replaced by the fierce aura tempered on the battlefield, unleashed without restraint. He appeared even more intimidating than those with fearsome looks.
Such a Min Wenqing, staring intently, was chilling to behold, yet Yun Wenting continued to regard him coldly, without the slightest flinch.
After a long moment, Min Wenqing finally reined in his imposing presence, his expression gradually returning to normal. He even curled the corner of his mouth into a slight smile: "Yun Wenting, what gives you the confidence to think that everyone else is insincere except you?"
Yun Wenting, however, nodded, his gaze carrying a hint of pity as he looked at Min Wenqing: "Perhaps you are no longer insincere now, but it's already too late."
Upon hearing this, Min Wenqing's smile froze on his face.Yun Wenting did not look at him: "Back then, I thought it wasn't the best time for us to be together, because I understood better than anyone what kind of life she truly desired. Yet at that time, not only could I not fulfill her wishes, but I could only burden her with the trivial matters of the inner household. So I chose to leave Jiajing Pass first."
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