"Your Majesty, I suspect it was the deputy general Liu Yangao. He doesn't behave well on weekdays, but he doesn't seem like a kind person." Ye Feng recounted the incident as he recalled seeing him bullying the soldiers behind their backs.
Fu Yuheng didn't have any impression of this person, but he had heard of his name. It was said that his hometown was in Kyoto, but his family was in decline, so he joined the barracks to make a living. Fortunately, he had practiced martial arts since he was a child, so he managed to get a position as a deputy general.
"Is Liu Yangao back with you now?" Fu Yuheng frowned.
Ye Feng shook his head, "No." He told him the current situation at the border, but kept the matter of the Ninth Prince hidden. Fu Yuheng obviously did not expect that he would hide things from him, so he did not ask much. "Are you injured?" He looked him up and down, but did not find any blood on him.
"I am not injured. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty." Ye Feng bowed.
After the two finished talking, Eunuch Sun came out from behind the screen. He vaguely heard the conversation between the two, but seeing that Fu Yuheng was thinking, he did not dare to ask.
When Ye Feng came out of the palace, the first person he thought of was the person he had been thinking about, Li Ruotong. However, there were so many people in the palace that he did not dare to see her openly. He had to call a palace maid to take out a jade bracelet from his bosom and told the maid to deliver it to Concubine Qi, and stuffed a tael of silver into her pocket.
The maid had been in the palace for quite some time, so she was not surprised by this incident. She collected the silver and went straight to Concubine Qi's courtyard.
The news that Guard Ye and General Shen had returned to Beijing had already spread. Li Ruotong had always been concerned about Ye Feng's condition, and had received the news early. However, she heard from the servants that he was discussing matters with the emperor, so it was inconvenient to disturb him.
As he was pacing anxiously in the yard, he saw a palace maid with an unfamiliar face trying to come in, but was stopped by the guards at the gate.
"Wait! Let her in!" Li Ruotong's face was filled with joy. At this time, apart from Ye Feng's matter, she really couldn't think of any other reason that would make the palace maid come to find her.
"But did someone ask you to hand over something to me?" Li Ruotong's eyes were shining and her tone was a little lighter.
The maid was stunned at first, but then she came to her senses and took out the jade bracelet from her arms, "This is what Guard Ye asked me to bring to Your Majesty." The maid lowered her eyebrows and secretly glanced at Li Ruotong's expression. She guessed that the two might have an unusual relationship. Her ears turned slightly red, and she didn't know whether she was frightened or embarrassed.
Li Ruotong snatched the bracelet from the maid's hand, as if she was admiring a rare treasure, "He... but what else did he say?" He looked at her expectantly, waiting for her answer.
But the maid's words obviously disappointed her. "No, Guard Ye just said that he must hand it over to the queen."
With just one sentence, the palace maid felt the atmosphere around Li Ruotong become depressed. "I understand. You can leave." Her mouth was slightly pulled to one side, and her whole face was full of displeasure.
But she still had to go. This was the secret code between them, so she was asked to meet him at the rockery.
She had already dressed up carefully beforehand and was just waiting for him to send her a message.
“That way, it should be fine…” She muttered softly, her eyes swaying from side to side, a blush spreading like a sunset glow.
It was already getting late in the day and it was gradually getting cooler.
Ye Feng stood under the rockery, having waited for a long time. He hadn't seen her for many days, and he didn't know if she was happy or if she thought of him. At this moment, he saw a familiar figure walking towards him. "Ruotong..." Her voice was low and hoarse, and she was choked up a bit.
Even though he was known as the number one guard, in front of her he was just a man being led by his beloved.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting." Li Ruotong felt his burning gaze and felt even more shy. Her entire face was slightly hot and the handkerchief in her hand was tangled. "Are you injured? Did you take good care of yourself in the barracks?"
Suddenly thinking of where Ye Feng had been these days, he became worried again. The person in front of him had become a little thinner than before, and even his cheekbones were much more prominent.
Seeing her searching all over his body, Ye Feng was moved. He pulled the person in front of him into his arms, wishing he could rub her whole body into his flesh and blood and become one with her.
“Feng…” Li Ruotong comforted him gently, but the tears accumulated in her eyes betrayed her emotions.
The two talked for a long time until the sun set. Li Ruotong finally adjusted her mood and looked at Ye Feng innocently, "Feng, if it is not necessary in the future, don't do such dangerous things, right?"
Ye Feng glanced at her who was leaning against him and nodded. However, this was just to reassure her. His identity meant that he was destined to be unstable. Besides, there was no such thing as necessity or non-necessity. If the king wanted his subjects to die, then they had to die.
"Have you been to Sister Xianfei?" Li Ruotong suddenly exclaimed and patted her forehead. She was so busy being affectionate with Ye Feng that she forgot about her. I'm afraid she is still worried about him. After General Shen returned to the capital, he went back to the mansion. No one has told her how serious General Shen's injury is.
"I will send someone to inform the Concubine Xian, don't worry too much." Speaking of this, Ye Feng felt guilty. General Shen was seriously injured, and it was all because of his poor protection. From an angle that Li Ruotong couldn't see, a hint of decadence flashed in his eyes. He was the number one guard, but he couldn't even protect one person.
The night gradually spread, and it was not a good idea to stay any longer. If they were seen by other palace servants, Li Ruotong would be the one who got hurt in the end. So they did not stay any longer and went back, but each of them had their own thoughts.
Li Ruotong was happy, but Ye Feng was worried.
"Your Majesty, a servant brought word that the general's health is no longer serious, but he still needs to recuperate well. I hope Your Majesty won't worry too much." Lianyun pushed the door open, her tone filled with joy and relief.
At this time, Shen Qingwan was pouring a cup of tea and bringing it to her mouth. When she heard the words, her hands shook and the whole cup of tea spilled on her body. The corners of her mouth could not help but curl up, not caring about the water stains on her body at all, "Got it, wait for me to thank the person who brought the message."
Lianyun sighed. Her queen was just like that. She never cared about her situation. Although she agreed with her, Lianyun hurriedly took a handkerchief to wipe the water stains off her body.
"Your Majesty, now that the general has returned safely, you should go to bed early." He helped Shen Qingwan to the bedside, and did not retreat until Shen Qingwan nodded repeatedly.