Based on the military advisor's understanding of the military commander, he would never commit the crime of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country. However, looking at the long spear in front of him, the military advisor frowned and asked, "Are you sure this spear belongs to him?"
General Mu's tone was very certain. "It must be his. I have a deep memory of this small inscription."
The military advisor pondered for a long time but couldn't figure out why this long spear would appear in the palace of the Kingdom of Xiangyun. He handed the spear to Shen Danqing and instructed, "Take this long spear back and ask Heqing to find Shen Yunfeng. Try to probe Xiangyun Rou."
Mentioning Xiangyun Rou, Shen Danqing looked a bit uncomfortable. He took the spear, hesitating to say something but then stopped.
The military advisor happened to turn around and didn't notice. General Mu saw it. He gently patted Shen Danqing on the back and comforted him, "Go and discuss with Heqing first. Don't be afraid. Your grandfather will support you. Just do whatever you want."
Shen Danqing was feeling anxious because of Aunt Yun in his family. With General Mu's reassurance, he felt a bit more at ease.
As night fell, Shen Heqing returned to his residence exhausted. He and Shen Danqing shared the same room. Shen Danqing had already prepared warm water and dry rations for hunger in advance.
Shen Heqing gulped down a large mouthful of warm water and then ate a few bites of dry rations.
"Did you find it? Did Shen Yunfeng take Xiangyun Rou there again?" Shen Danqing felt a bit sorry for Shen Heqing but couldn't help asking the thing he was concerned about.
Mentioning Shen Yunfeng and Xiangyun Rou, Shen Heqing's expression was a bit strange. After a long silence, he finally said, "The people of the Kingdom of Xiangyun were reluctant to tell us the location of the granary. The official in charge of the granary would rather burn the granary to death than give it to us. It was Xiangyun Rou who stepped forward to persuade them."
Shen Heqing took out something from his bosom and handed it to Shen Danqing. It was the key to the granary of the Kingdom of Xiangyun.
Seeing the key, Shen Danqing's heart trembled. He looked up and met Shen Heqing's eyes. Both of their gazes conveyed the same meaning.
Xiangyun Rou was crazy, and Shen Yunfeng was really capable.
This was not the first time Xiangyun Rou had contributed. When attacking the Kingdom of Xiangyun, whenever they encountered someone who resisted desperately, Xiangyun Rou would go and persuade them. Then those who had resisted desperately would give up resistance, and the city would be captured by Dayong.
Shen Heqing recalled today's scene and felt even more deeply. "Xiangyun Rou was originally reluctant, but Shen Yunfeng whispered a few words in her ear, and then she went to persuade them."
"The person I sent to monitor them said that Shen Yunfeng could always make her happy. He also described the scene of you being filial to them after we returned to the capital."
The last sentence was a bit scary. Shen Danqing asked in confusion, "Who? Me being filial to them? Me being filial to my mother and Aunt Yun?"
Shen Heqing looked at Shen Danqing sympathetically. "It's under Shen Yunfeng and Xiangyun Rou."
These few words left Shen Danqing's mind blank. He couldn't associate himself with those two people.
Shen Heqing wasn't too surprised. With Baozhu's help, he had seen the letters exchanged between Shen Yunfeng and Xiangyun Rou with his own eyes. He also knew about Shen Yunfeng's promise to give Shen Danqing to Xiangyun Rou.
But knowing it was one thing, and seeing it with his own eyes was another.
Shen Heqing patted Shen Danqing on the shoulder. "Bear with it. Grandfather told me before that after we return to the capital, he will find a way to deal with Xiangyun Rou. Now she can't die yet. The better we treat her, the more it can show Dayong's tolerance."
"Speaking of this, I remembered that those letters were from more than ten years ago. How did Shen Yunfeng meet Xiangyun Rou and fall in love with her so deeply?"
During this campaign, Xiangyun Rou had contributed a lot. She really couldn't be killed now. But Shen Danqing's mind was full of the thought that he would become Xiangyun Rou's child. He complained, "Can't they have a child of their own? They're not too old."
Shen Heqing continued to comfort him. "Maybe they can't... Shen Yunfeng is in good health. He must be fine. I haven't heard that Xiangyun Rou can't have children. Should we investigate?"
The Princess of Jingning was afraid that Shen Yunfeng would die before the imperial examination, so she checked his pulse every few days and made nourishing medicinal food for him.
Shen Danqing nodded. He was a bit scared. With Xiangyun Rou's stupid nature, if she directly proposed to adopt him here, the military advisor might really agree in order to appease the people of the Kingdom of Xiangyun and let him act for a few days.
Just thinking of those two people made Shen Danqing feel sick. He remembered what the military advisor had told him, took out the long spear and handed it to Shen Heqing, and briefly told him what had happened.
Shen Heqing took the long spear and looked at the night outside. He pondered whether to go and ask now or find an opportunity tomorrow. After a simple thought, he chose to go and ask now.
He had seen Shen Yunfeng and Xiangyun Rou today and felt sick. If he postponed it until tomorrow, he would have to feel sick for another day. It was better to solve it today.
When the army had just entered the royal city, Shen Yunfeng was arranged to stay in Xiangyun Rou's Yunrou Hall. When Shen Heqing rushed there with the spear, Shen Yunfeng was comforting Xiangyun Rou.
He held Xiangyun Rou's hand and said softly, "You've worked hard these days. After we return to the capital, I'll prepare an eight - sedan chair and welcome you into the house in grand style. How about that?"
Being married into Shen's family by Shen Yunfeng was almost Xiangyun Rou's obsession in this life. She nestled into Shen Yunfeng's arms and said timidly, "My dear Shen, now that the Kingdom of Xiangyun has been destroyed, you're the only one I have left."
"You said back then that you would never let me down in this life, but you left me and went home. Soon after, you married a wife and had children..."
Shen Yunfeng felt heartache when he heard this and explained, "My dear Rou, it was an unexpected situation. I had no choice."
"Back then, as soon as I returned to the capital, I happened to meet Mu Lanyue. She was the only daughter of General Mu, and the late emperor was worried about her marriage."
"At that time, General Mu was still in his prime. He was guarding his deceased wife and didn't remarry. The emperor wanted to keep Mu Lanyue in the capital as a hostage, but he was afraid that someone from the royal family would marry her and have wrong thoughts. So he recognized her as his adopted daughter and conferred the title of Princess of Jingning on her."
"There were many talented young men in the capital, but few were worthy of Mu Lanyue. The late emperor thought for a long time but couldn't find a suitable candidate. Until one day, when the late emperor made an incognito visit and passed by the prime minister's mansion, he saw that I was very good - looking. He casually mentioned Mu Lanyue. My father understood his implication and said that I didn't like girls like Mu Lanyue and politely declined the emperor."
"But the late emperor was overjoyed. Originally, he was worried that my father was the prime minister and General Mu held military power. After learning that I didn't like Mu Lanyue, he secretly investigated. At that time, my friend was getting better, and I was going to come back to find you. I even bought rouge and powder specially. The late emperor believed my father's words and bestowed the marriage on me and Mu Lanyue."
It was the first time Xiangyun Rou had heard the truth of that year. She didn't expect it to be so complicated. She stroked Shen Yunfeng's face with her finger and shed tears of heartache.
Seeing that Xiangyun Rou believed him, Shen Yunfeng also breathed a sigh of relief.
Of course, the truth was not like this. He was deceived back by the butler with the excuse of being sick. The butler was fine. The reason he didn't come back was that Shen Qingshan asked him to pursue Mu Lanyue.
Although Mu Lanyue had been raised elsewhere and had just returned to the capital, she was good - looking and well - behaved. Shen Yunfeng really liked her.
However, their happy days didn't last long. After Mu Lanyue was pregnant, Shen Yunfeng felt lonely. He went to a friend's mansion to have fun. He saw Aunt Yun with a slender waist and her name was Yun'er. He thought of Xiangyun Rou. Drunk, he took her back to the mansion.
Since then, Mu Lanyue had been much colder to Shen Yunfeng.
Inside the hall, Shen Yunfeng was telling lies to coax Xiangyun Rou. Outside the hall, Shen Heqing was listening sideways, his face slightly solemn.