Qin Huaiqiu opened his sleepy eyes and stared blankly at Sikong Ting sitting by the bedside for a while. Then he slowly sat up and asked, "What time is it now?"
"In a little while, it'll be time for dinner," Sikong Ting said as he ruffled Qin Huaiqiu's hair. Frowning slightly, he added with concern, "I heard from Qin Lan that you've been feeling drowsy lately. Is it because of the previous poisoning? Should I ask the imperial physician to check on you again?"
Qin Huaiqiu shook his head. "It's normal to feel drowsy after being poisoned. It'll get better after some time. But Your Majesty, why did you come back so late? Have you been in the imperial study for a long time?"
Just thinking about the argument with Dou Yuan and Wu Qiuyang in the imperial study gave Sikong Ting a headache. He knew that sooner or later he would have to agree to let Qin Huaiqiu lead the troops to replace Qin Feng. But it meant sending the person he loved most to a battlefield thousands of miles away. That was why he had been delaying the decision. He simply couldn't bear to let him go.
But Dou Yuan had also said that to prevent an emergency in the military, there wasn't much time left for Sikong Ting and Qin Huaiqiu to be together.
"Your father led the troops to war, and he won the first battle handsomely," Sikong Ting said with a smile. "Do you know about this?"
Qin Huaiqiu's eyes lit up. "Really? But Qin Lan told me that Father was up against a small contingent of the Loulan army. Father is very good at fighting the Loulan people. Your Majesty, please don't worry."
Sikong Ting looked at him and said, "I heard that you once went to the battlefield with your father?"
Hearing Sikong Ting bring up this topic, Qin Huaiqiu sat up straight. He was always interested in such topics, so he smiled and said, "Yes, it was just a few years ago. I went with my father to attack the Loulan army that was harassing the Protectorate General's Office. I led the troops to burn their supplies."
"Your father... seems to have been cultivating you all along?"
Qin Huaiqiu nodded. Admiration and affection for Qin Feng showed in his eyes. "Father has always taught me everything he knows. He hopes that I'll become a heroic general like him. Father once said that when he grows old and weak, he'll hand over the Qin family army to me."
Sikong Ting's eyes darkened. After a moment of silence, he asked, "If you were in your father's position now and were asked to lead the troops to fight against the Xiongnu and Loulan, how confident are you?"
Qin Huaiqiu was stunned. He looked at Sikong Ting in disbelief. "Your Majesty... do you want me to lead the troops?"
Sikong Ting stared at him silently for a while. Then he pursed his lips and nodded.
"Do you remember what I promised you before?" Sikong Ting seemed to sigh. "I said at that time that I would make your 'brother' a famous general through the ages."
Qin Huaiqiu held his breath.
A famous general through the ages. What an attractive title.
After Yaze Bu left, he learned from Qin Lan that his father had already led the troops to war. Although he was still young, he had long been trained by Qin Feng to be an experienced warrior in leading troops to fight. On weekdays, Qin Feng, Nie Rong, and other generals taught him martial arts. Coupled with the military books treasured in the Qin Mansion... For Qin Huaiqiu, he was now like a well - prepared soldier who had been biding his time for a long time, just waiting for an opportunity to show himself.
But he also knew the reason he was staying in the harem. It was because of Qin Huailian's elopement. Moreover, his current relationship with Sikong Ting had become like this. Otherwise, he might have escaped from the palace with Qin Lan and gone to the Protectorate General's Office to help his father the moment he heard that Qin Feng had led the troops to war.
Now that Sikong Ting had brought up this matter himself, apart from being surprised, Qin Huaiqiu felt more longing and yearning.
Now that his identity had been exposed and he had told Sikong Ting about Huailian's elopement and disappearance, from another perspective, he actually didn't have to be restricted in the harem by the identity of Qin Huailian anymore. Did this also mean that he could break free from this restriction and return to the Protectorate General's Office?
Which martial artist didn't miss the sword and spear?
Which child of a military family didn't miss the battlefield?
Qin Huaiqiu felt his breathing quicken. He stared into Sikong Ting's eyes, waiting for his answer.
Sikong Ting seemed to let out a long sigh. He reached out and pinched Qin Huaiqiu's face, saying softly, "Since I promised you, how could I go back on my word?"
Hearing this, Qin Huaiqiu was extremely excited.
He suddenly grabbed Sikong Ting's hands with both hands and called out tremblingly, "Thank you, Your Majesty..."
Sikong Ting looked at him, then pulled him into his arms and whispered, "So how will my concubine thank me?"
Qin Huaiqiu smiled. He reached out and wrapped his arms around Sikong Ting's neck. During this period, he had practiced this action so skillfully that it was almost a habit for him now. He tightly held the back of Sikong Ting's head and passionately kissed his lips.
The two kissed passionately, lingering and tender, their lips and tongues intertwined.
Sikong Ting was aroused by his kiss. He rolled over and pinned Qin Huaiqiu down, pressing his whole body tightly on the bed. Then he reached out and touched his waist.
Qin Huaiqiu closed his eyes, seemingly enjoying Sikong Ting's touch, and let out a comfortable moan.
"I can allow you to lead the troops, but I need you to agree to one condition," Sikong Ting gasped as he nibbled on Qin Huaiqiu's earlobe and whispered.
"Um... what condition?" Qin Huaiqiu turned his head slightly from his passionate kisses and asked.
"I want you to come back alive," Sikong Ting seemed to make a great determination. His actions became a bit rough and forceful, pinching Qin Huaiqiu painfully. "I'll give you one year to wipe them out. Otherwise, no matter what, you must come back."
"How can you be like this..." Qin Huaiqiu sighed. "That's the combined army of the Xiongnu and Loulan..."
"I don't care..." Sikong Ting bit his neck.
If they couldn't be wiped out within a year, it only meant that the enemy was strong enough. He didn't want Qin Huaiqiu to suffer in that hell anymore. If the task wasn't completed within a year, he would transfer Han Yushan to the Protectorate General's Office to continue leading the troops in the war, and then let Qin Huaiqiu be transferred to guard the relatively safe Hetao Plain, or simply arrange Qin Huaiqiu in the imperial guards so that he could see him every day.
Of course, he couldn't tell Qin Huaiqiu his considerations clearly.
"What do you want me to come back for?" Qin Huaiqiu held Sikong Ting's face and asked.
Sikong Ting trembled all over. He looked into Qin Huaiqiu's eyes and said shiveringly, "Qiu'er, don't you want to see me?"
Qin Huaiqiu looked at him, his eyes quietly tracing his features. Suddenly he smiled and said softly, "I do."
Sikong Ting felt a warm feeling all over his body. His throat tightened, and his voice carried a hope and joy that he didn't even notice. "Then I'll marry you at that time."
"I'll make you my queen," Sikong Ting looked at him and made the most sincere vow.
"How can a man be a queen?"
"I don't care," Sikong Ting said domineeringly and recklessly. "This world is mine, and you're mine too."
After saying that, he reached out and lifted Qin Huaiqiu's clothes. His cold fingertips covered Qin Huaiqiu's lean abdominal skin, making him shiver all over. Qin Huaiqiu seemed to realize what was going to happen next. Although he knew that this was inevitable, he really wasn't mentally prepared yet. So he pushed Sikong Ting's hand away and said with a blushing face, "Don't..."
Sikong Ting gritted his teeth. He looked at the person beneath him with burning eyes, seemingly strongly suppressing his desire. After a long time, he finally let him go, slowly sat up, and said in a muffled voice with his back to Qin Huaiqiu, "Let's have dinner. Mother sent some mung bean cakes. Come and try them."