In the evening, inside the Military Headquarters office, frontline military affairs had always been a matter that could not be delayed. After Yu Changxuan had finished processing several frontline military reports and instructed the confidential office secretary to immediately dispatch several important orders, his aide-de-camp brought in dinner. Having been busy all afternoon, Yu Changxuan had no appetite at the moment. He waved his hand, dismissing the secretaries and advisors who had been working alongside him all afternoon to go eat. Then, he turned to Wu Zuoxiao beside him and said, "Have Director Gu come in."
Wu Zuoxiao went out and soon returned with Gu Ruitong. Wu Zuoxiao then left again, closing the office door behind him. Yu Changxuan remained seated and asked, "Was the fire at the Ye family deliberately set or an accident?"
Gu Ruitong replied, "I told Miss Ye it was an accident."
Yu Changxuan looked at Gu Ruitong and asked, "Who did it?" Gu Ruitong fell silent, his face showing a troubled expression. Seeing his demeanor, Yu Changxuan let out a cold "hmph" and said, "Could it be that some influential figure is targeting an ordinary woman like her? The Mou family? The Chu family? Or the Tao family? Or perhaps the Dragonhawk Gang from Xinping Island has come to Golden Mausoleum to cause trouble? Whoever it is, I want them dead—"
Gu Ruitong blurted out, "Commander!"
Yu Changxuan raised his eyes, his sharp gaze piercing beneath his jet-black hair. His face was cold, his handsome features now carrying a sharpness and severity never seen before. He sat there, staring at the hesitant Gu Ruitong, and asked word by word, "Tell me clearly, who exactly did it?"
Ye Pingjun woke groggily from her sleep once again. It was already dark outside.
She turned her head on the pillow and saw several nurses in white standing by the bed. One of them, noticing she had opened her eyes, bent down and asked with a smile, "Miss Ye, are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
Pingjun shook her head. The nurse then pressed a hand to her forehead and turned to another nurse, saying, "She still has a slight fever. Let’s take Miss Ye’s temperature and blood pressure again. I’ll go fetch Medical Officer Dai." Ye Pingjun watched as the nurses bustled around her like a revolving lantern. One nurse stepped forward to take her temperature. Lying on the pillow, Pingjun whispered softly, "Where is this?"
The nurse smiled and replied, "This is the Military Headquarters."
Pingjun took a soft breath, and a fine layer of sweat broke out on her forehead again. Struggling to ask another question, she hesitated. The nurse, having witnessed the commander carrying this woman back during the day and remembering clearly how attentively he had cared for her, understood how much the commander valued her. She smiled again and said, "This is Commander Yu’s room."
Hearing this, Ye Pingjun felt a wave of relief wash over her, and she immediately settled down. A faint smile slowly curved at the corners of her lips. She lay in bed and closed her eyes. A nurse nearby asked, "Miss Ye, do you need anything?"
Pingjun shook her head slowly, her sweat-dampened hair clinging to her temples. Her fever had not yet fully subsided, and now that her tense nerves had finally relaxed, she closed her eyes wearily and murmured, "It’s nothing. I’m just too tired and want to sleep a little longer."When Yu Changxuan arrived, she had not yet awakened.
The room was dimly lit by only a small desk lamp. Several nurses rose to their feet upon seeing him enter, about to address him, but Yu Changxuan gestured for them to remain quiet. Understanding his unspoken cue, the nurses withdrew as he approached Pingjun’s bedside.
Yu Changxuan leaned over to gaze at the sleeping Pingjun. Her slumber was deep and peaceful, her sleeping posture intimately familiar to him—she lay slightly on her side, her right hand resting by the pillow, fingers curled gently inward. He took her hand in his. It was soft, warm, and delicate, as if it might break at the slightest touch. He pressed her palm against his cheek, the warmth of her skin against his like the tenderest caress of an infant. In the softest whisper, he called, "Pingjun."
Still lost in dreams, she murmured a drowsy "Mm," her eyelids too heavy to open. He slowly bent his head, burying his face beside her cheek and kissing her gently. The lamplight cast a warm, hazy glow, illuminating the aged rosewood antique furniture, the dark wood latticework, and the pristine white walls with mottled shadows. Only his deeply bowed head remained shrouded in darkness, concealing even the expression on his face.
By the time Pingjun woke again, it was already the next morning. Her fever had completely subsided, though a fine sweat still beaded her forehead. Feeling warm all over, she realized she was held in someone’s embrace. Lifting her eyes, she saw him still asleep, exhaustion etched between his handsome brows. He had not removed his outer coat, the gleaming insignia on his military uniform dazzlingly bright, the stiff sleeve buttons pressing uncomfortably against her shoulder.
This reunion felt as though a lifetime had passed between them.
She stirred slightly. Having grown up in the military, he was a light sleeper and woke almost instantly. Seeing her silently watching him with wide-open eyes, he smiled and said, "I actually woke later than you." Yet she remained quiet, simply lying there gazing at him. After a long moment under her steady scrutiny, he chuckled, "What? Don’t you recognize me?"
Pingjun lifted her hand, her fingers gently tracing the line of his thick, dark eyebrows, then slowly trailing down to the bridge of his straight, high nose. "I recognize you."
As she spoke these words, her eyes suddenly reddened. "What’s wrong?" he asked. Pingjun’s eyelashes fluttered soundlessly, and tears began to fall. Choking back a sob, she whispered, "I’ve lost my mother."
Yu Changxuan’s gaze stilled for a moment before he reached out, pulling her tightly into his embrace. In a low, tender voice, he murmured, "You have me now. I will cherish you for the rest of my life." His words, gentle yet resolute, carried the weight of all they had endured—the twists and turns, the hardships—now finally replaced by this quiet togetherness. None of the past mattered as much as the warmth of this moment.
Pingjun looked intently at him and asked softly, "Do you not blame me anymore?"
He knew what she referred to but only smiled faintly, leaning close to her ear to whisper tenderly, "I’ve missed you so much. Let me hold you."He opened his arms and embraced her. Pingjun’s eyes grew warm, and she let out a silent sob. But then she heard him say teasingly, "As long as the green hills remain, there’ll be no shortage of firewood. You’ll have to bear another one to make it up to me."
Pingjun’s face flushed instantly, and she pushed him away with all her might. Yu Changxuan took the opportunity to gently press his hand against her forehead and said with a smile, "Your fever has finally broken. I still have some military affairs to attend to later. Stay in bed today—this place isn’t like Golden Mausoleum. It snowed a little yesterday, and it’s bitterly cold outside."
She nodded and pointed outside, saying, "It’s snowing." Yu Changxuan turned his head to look out the window in the direction she pointed and chuckled, "That’s not snow. It’s pear blossoms planted in the courtyard." She looked more closely and indeed saw a few snow-white petals blown against the window by the wind.
Seeing her captivated gaze, Yu Changxuan noticed the small lamp by the bed was still on—it had been lit all night. But in the daylight, it no longer shone as brightly as it had in the dark. The bedroom was quiet, and in this tranquil scene, he suddenly murmured softly, "It reminds me of a line from a poem I learned as a child: 'Hardly had the lamp warmed when rain tapped pear blossoms behind closed doors.'"
She turned to him and asked, "You still remember poems from your childhood?" Yu Changxuan laughed, "I’d forgotten most of them. Who likes such tedious stuff? But after my father caned my palms thirty times, I remembered." Recalling his childhood, he added with a smile, "At the time, my grandfather was still alive. Seeing my father beat me, he felt so distressed that he tapped his cane on the floor and scolded my father, saying, 'Our Yu family only needs to remember eight words: wrapped in horsehide, brains spilled on the ground. Why bother with pear blossoms and closed doors? Are you planning to sit for the imperial exams?'"
His words sent a shiver down Pingjun’s spine, and she hurriedly covered his mouth, saying, "Amitabha, enough, enough! Just remember the line about 'rain tapping pear blossoms behind closed doors.'" He laughed, leaned in, and kissed her palm. Her face flushed, but he pressed closer, aiming for her neck. Embarrassed and blushing deeply, she retreated into the blankets, saying, "Stop fooling around. Don’t you have military affairs to attend to? Hurry up and go."
Seeing her complexion had improved significantly compared to the day before, Yu Changxuan knew she had been deeply troubled and sorrowful over the past few months. Now that he finally saw a smile on her face and they were reunited after a long separation, he was reluctant to let her go. Playfully, he tugged at her blankets and said, "It’s so cold outside. Let me lie here a little longer."
Pingjun pushed him away, and Yu Changxuan laughed again, "I remember another line—this one’s good. My father didn’t cane me for it. I glanced at it once and remembered it." Pingjun asked curiously, "Which line?" He grinned and replied, "The spring night is short, the sun rises high; from then on, the king no longer holds early court." Pingjun’s face reddened, and she whispered, "Ugh, you... really... a dog’s mouth doesn’t produce ivory." No sooner had she spoken than he pounced, wrapping his arms around the blushing Pingjun and her blankets. As they laughed and tussled, a knock came from outside, and Wu Zuoxiao’s voice called out, "Commander, Division Commander Yang is here, waiting in the operations room."Yu Changxuan was utterly dejected. He lay back on the bed helplessly, staring at the ceiling without saying a word for a long time. Seeing him like this, Pingjun said, "Hurry up and get up." Yu Changxuan replied, "Do you think if I stay quiet, he’ll just leave?" Pingjun couldn’t help but laugh and pushed him forcefully, saying, "Go on, get out of here. Stop pestering me."
A few more knocks came from outside the door. Yu Changxuan shouted irritably toward the door, "I heard you! What’s with all the knocking?"
Wu Zuoxiao retorted confidently from outside, "I was afraid the Commander might pretend not to hear! It’s not like you haven’t done that before!"
Pingjun lowered her head and smiled. Yu Changxuan had no choice but to get up from the bed and head to the adjacent washroom to freshen up. Shortly after, he walked out and saw Pingjun leaning against the headboard. He added, "I’m leaving now. I’ll come see you tonight. If you need anything, there’s an aide-de-camp outside—just call for him."
Pingjun nodded, and only then did he walk out. As soon as the bedroom door closed, his voice could be heard, clearly irritated, "Knock, knock, knock—I’ll chop your fingers off later!" Wu Zuoxiao laughed and replied with something, though it was unclear what he said.
Pingjun leaned against the headboard, listening as his voice gradually faded away. She turned to look out the window and saw the pear trees in the courtyard, their branches heavy with lush blossoms. A light layer of snow still clung to the branches, creating a scene of white brocade drifting with fragrance, like jade blossoms piled with snow.
Pingjun gazed absently at the pear blossoms for a long while before finally smiling faintly.
Boulder Reed, Silk Vine Tall Tree
In early June, Xiao Beichen of the Xiao Family north of the river and Yu Changxuan of the Yu Family south of the river surprisingly shared drinks and laughter, addressing each other as "Third Brother" and "Fifth Brother.Their reconciliation through laughter astonished both domestic and international opinion. Yet, this peace brought great fortune to the people and stability to the nation.
After the peace agreement, the Xiao Army retreated to Tiger Sun Pass, while the Yu Army stationed heavy troops at Xiangping Pass. Yu Changxuan was promoted to Commander of the Ninth Military District with the rank of Lieutenant General, garrisoned at the strategic town of Xiangping Pass. To the north, he suppressed the Xiao Family across the river, forming a standoff with the Xiao Army stationed at Tiger Sun Pass. To the south, he wielded military power, intimidating Jinling. From then on, although the Mu and Tao families in Jinling were well-established, they dared not act rashly against the Yu Family.
Following the peace agreement, the chaotic infighting among domestic warlord factions eased. The Xiao Clan Warlords and the Jinling Government entered a rare period of peace. Ultimately, it was a case of two tigers on one mountain—neither able to overpower the other, forcing a temporary coexistence. The Yu Army at Xiangping Pass and the Xiao Army at Tiger Sun Pass began to recuperate and rebuild. There were even rumors that along the confrontation frontlines, soldiers from both sides bantered and exchanged taunts from within their respective fortifications.
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