Though Yan Jingshu had gone from being the second young master of the Duke’s household to a man of unknown parentage, no matter what his surname was or who his birth parents were, after their marriage, he had only one identity in Jiang Chenghan’s eyes—his fulang, his beloved, the closest person in his life, the one he would spend his entire life with. That would never change.
Yan Jingshu nodded. Though he had long known that no matter what happened, no matter how he changed, Jiang Chenghan’s feelings for him would never waver, hearing these words from him now still brought him genuine comfort and warmth.
The carriage swayed gently, and before they knew it, they had arrived home. With Jiang Chenghan’s company and reassurance along the way, Yan Jingshu’s gloomy mood gradually eased, and he regained some of his spirits. By the time the carriage stopped at their doorstep and Jiang Chenghan helped him down, his face no longer showed any signs of distress.
Since they had spent a long time at the Duke’s residence, it was already late when they returned home, and soon it was time for dinner. Yan Jingshu had experienced many emotional ups and downs today and was mentally exhausted, so he went to bed early after dinner.
Jiang Chenghan wasn’t sleepy, but seeing Yan Jingshu curled up under the blankets alone, his brows slightly furrowed in a pitiful manner, his heart softened. In the end, he resigned himself and climbed into bed, pulling Yan Jingshu into his arms.
Watching Yan Jingshu’s brows relax and his face settle into a peaceful slumber in his embrace, Jiang Chenghan’s eyes filled with tenderness, and the corners of his lips unconsciously lifted in a faint smile.
The next day was bright and sunny. Jiang Chenghan had originally planned to take Yan Jingshu out to lift his spirits, but just as they were preparing to leave after breakfast, a colleague arrived, saying there was urgent business and requesting Jiang Chenghan’s presence at the general’s residence.
“I’m sorry, it seems I can’t accompany you today.” Jiang Chenghan felt deeply guilty for breaking his promise, but since his friend had come in person, it must be something important, and he couldn’t refuse.
“It’s fine. Go quickly—don’t delay official matters. We can go out another day. I don’t mind.” Yan Jingshu had already guessed why the general’s residence was summoning Jiang Chenghan and wasn’t bothered in the least.
Seeing that Yan Jingshu truly wasn’t upset, Jiang Chenghan relaxed slightly. After giving him a few instructions, he hurried off to the general’s residence.
After Jiang Chenghan left, Yan Jingshu kept himself busy. Barring any surprises, Kou Shijun would soon be ordered to return to the border within the next day or two, and Jiang Chenghan would have to accompany him. Before their departure, Yan Jingshu needed to make sure everything at home was properly arranged.
Jiang Chenghan was gone the entire day, only sending a servant from the general’s residence at noon to inform Yan Jingshu that he wouldn’t be back for lunch. Yan Jingshu ate alone and spent the afternoon continuing to pack their belongings. When Jiang Chenghan returned in the evening, he brought news that Yan Jingshu had already anticipated.
The Bei Di, neighbors of Da Qi, had suddenly gone to war with the Danu tribe, who also shared a border with Da Qi. As a result, the border people of Da Qi were frequently harassed. To prevent further trouble, Kou Shijun could no longer wait for the originally scheduled return date in half a month and would soon depart for Ningcheng to reinforce the defenses. Naturally, Jiang Chenghan and his guards would accompany him.
Yan Jingshu, already aware of this, immediately said, “In that case, I’ll have people prepare our luggage now. Since it’s a hurried journey, we shouldn’t bring too much—just the essentials for the two of us. That’ll make packing easier. Tomorrow, I’ll also visit the Duke’s residence to inform Grandmother and Father, so they aren’t caught off guard when we leave.” As he spoke, he stood up to instruct the servants.
But Jiang Chenghan, catching the implication in his words, quickly grabbed his hand to stop him. “Jingshu… are you planning to come with me?”
Yan Jingshu looked at him in surprise. “Of course.”
His natural tone made Jiang Chenghan hesitate. He pulled Yan Jingshu back to sit beside him, pausing for a moment before carefully choosing his words. “The military situation is urgent. When I return to Ningcheng with General Kou, we can’t afford delays. Ningcheng is far, and we’ll likely be traveling nonstop for over ten days, sleeping rough. If you come with me, you’ll suffer a lot. Why not stay here for now? Later, when Brother Xi returns to Ningcheng, you can go with him. The journey will be safer, and you’ll have someone to look after you.”
Yan Jingshu hadn’t expected Jiang Chenghan to actually refuse to take him. In his past life, he hadn’t gone with Jiang Chenghan—but that was because they hadn’t been married yet. Now, their circumstances were completely different. They were already wed, yet Jiang Chenghan still wanted to leave him behind. This was something Yan Jingshu had never considered.
Seeing the confusion and disappointment in Yan Jingshu’s beautiful eyes, Jiang Chenghan’s heart ached. But this wasn’t a leisurely trip—he knew exactly how grueling it would be, and he truly didn’t want Yan Jingshu to endure such hardship.
Yet Yan Jingshu couldn’t accept it. Biting his lip, he insisted, “I’m not afraid of hardship, really. I’m not as delicate as you think. When I was young, my grandfather hired a martial arts tutor for me—I learned horseback riding and archery. Though I had more talent for academics, I never neglected my martial training. I can still ride and shoot.
“And when I studied at Mushan Academy, servants weren’t allowed, so I took care of everything myself. Sometimes, I even went horseback riding and hunting in the mountains with my classmates. I can even start a fire and roast meat… So I don’t need others to look after me, and I’ve never been afraid of hardship. I won’t be a burden to you. Let me go with you, okay?”
Under Yan Jingshu’s pleading gaze, and remembering that he had just learned the truth about his parentage, Jiang Chenghan couldn’t bear to disappoint him. If he left now, Yan Jingshu would be left alone to face the Duke’s household and the Xie family. After much deliberation, Jiang Chenghan decided that as long as he could protect Yan Jingshu, it would be fine.
So, in the end, he agreed to let Yan Jingshu accompany him.
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