Qiushuang poured Su Fu a cup of tea. After drinking it, Su Fu lay down again.
Yet the scenes from her dream lingered in her mind like a shadow, refusing to fade.
She recalled what Su Qing had said to her before she was exiled in her previous life: Xiao Junhe had not been killed by the enemy army.
Ever since her rebirth, Su Fu had been thinking about this. In her past life, the Crown Prince had colluded with the state of Xiling. The person most likely to have harmed Xiao Junhe, in her mind, was the Crown Prince…
It wasn’t until dawn was approaching that the utterly exhausted Su Fu finally drifted into a hazy sleep. Even then, her brows remained tightly furrowed; her rest was anything but peaceful.
That day was the sixth of August.
The Great General Who Protects the Nation, Xiao Yinghuai, had been ordered to return to the capital with fifty thousand Black Armor troops. Returning with him was his legitimate eldest son, Xiao Junhe.
Xiao Junhe was the eldest legitimate son of General Xiao Yinghuai and Princess Yongping. Princess Yongping was the younger sister of Emperor Jingwen.
Today, Su Fu wore a dark red gauze dress threaded with silver patterns and gold embroidery. The vivid color softened her usually cool features, lending her a touch of alluring charm, like a flower in full bloom. The exquisite silver threads on her skirt shimmered faintly, like scattered stars in the night sky.
A soft smoky silk sash was tied around her slender waist in a bow, accentuating how delicately narrow it was.
“Miss, you look so beautiful today!” Qiuxue couldn’t help praising.
Su Fu pressed her lips into a smile. “Let’s go.”
Behind her, Qiuxue whispered softly to Qiushuang, “Sister Qiushuang, Miss seems to be in a very good mood today!”
When they reached the gates of the Su Residence, they encountered Su Qing.
Seeing Su Fu dressed like this, Su Qing was slightly taken aback. She herself had dressed up carefully and had been quite satisfied—until she saw Su Fu. Now, she felt completely overshadowed.
With a smile, Su Qing approached. “Elder Sister, are you going out today as well?”
Su Fu paused. “Yes. The Great General is returning to the capital with his army today. The citizens are all going to welcome them. I’d like to witness such a grand occasion too.”
As she spoke, her gaze swept lightly over Su Qing’s elaborate attire. After a brief thought, she understood.
Today, as the Great General returned, Emperor Jingwen had decreed that the Crown Prince and the other princes would go to the city gates to receive him.
In her previous life, Su Qing had already been in private contact with the Crown Prince. Today, she must be going to see him…
“In the past, Elder Sister never liked going out and wasn’t interested in such things. Why join the excitement today?”
Su Fu’s usually indifferent face grew solemn. “The General and those brave soldiers left behind the prosperity of the capital, their parents and families, and went without hesitation to the bitter cold lands of the northern desert. They did so to defend every inch of our Southern Sang territory and protect the countless innocent citizens from foreign invasion.”
“Now that they return, as citizens of Southern Sang, it is only right that we go to welcome them.”
Su Zhe, who had just returned home to fetch something, overheard her words. Surprise flickered in his eyes.
He had never thought that this daughter—whom he had never valued much—could speak such words. Watching the carriage carrying Su Fu and Su Qing depart, he fell into thoughtful silence.
When the carriage reached the bustling streets, Su Qing got off first. “Elder Sister, I’d like to look around over there,” she said, leaving with her maid Xiaoshui.
Su Fu paid her no mind. Taking Qiushuang’s hand, she stepped down from the carriage as well.
Qiuxue led her to a private room in a teahouse that had been reserved the day before. The location was excellent—right beside the official road. As soon as the army entered the city, they would be visible from the window.
It was the hottest part of the afternoon, yet the blazing sun could not dampen the citizens’ enthusiasm.
Both sides of the official road were already packed with people.
Suddenly, a shout rang out below: “The Great General has returned!” The cry split the air like thunder.
The previously calm crowd erupted instantly.
People rose onto their tiptoes, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the legendary general.
Among them were mothers waiting for sons long absent, wives waiting for husbands who had not returned for months. Tears streamed down their faces in excitement.
At that moment, a troop of soldiers clad in heavy black armor appeared at the city gates. Each stood tall and resolute, eyes firm, exuding an indomitable aura.
The mighty army marched into the city in perfect formation, dust rising in their wake.
At the very front rode General Xiao Yinghuai on a powerful black warhorse, long spear in hand. His sharp gaze seemed capable of seeing through everything, inspiring awe.
At once, Su Fu spotted Xiao Junhe riding beside him on a red warhorse.
Clad in black armor, he was tall and straight-backed, his hair tied up with a jade crown. Among the sun-darkened soldiers, he stood out. His skin was fair, hardly resembling a commander who had spent years on campaign.
Aside from the battle-hardened aura that made one shiver, he almost looked like a noble young master raised in the capital.
His deep black eyes were focused ahead, though he occasionally raised a hand to respond to the cheering citizens lining the road.
The crowd began discussing the young general.
“So that’s the young general? He’s so handsome!”
“I heard he achieved great merit this time! They say he led five thousand Black Armor troops alone in the northern desert and captured a city of Xiling!”
“My son serves under the young general,” another said eagerly. “Last month, when famine struck the northern desert, the young general gave half of the army’s provisions to the disaster victims so they could eat. Then he personally led the soldiers into the mountains to gather wild vegetables and hunt game. Not a single person died in that famine!”
Hearing this, a woman sighed, “The young general truly cares for the people. With such a noble status, yet he can do so much for them!”
“No wonder my nephew, who does business in the northern desert, said the people there deeply love Young General Xiao…”
Among the crowd, several unmarried girls blushed shyly when Xiao Junhe waved in their direction.
Su Fu remained seated by the window, watching as the army drew closer, listening to the citizens’ praise of Xiao Junhe.
An inexplicable surge of excitement and pride welled up inside her.
The man she loved was truly such an extraordinary person.
Xiao Junhe suddenly felt a burning gaze fixed upon him. Keen as ever, he quickly located its source.
He looked up toward the teahouse.
When his deep eyes met Su Fu’s, both of them froze.
Why is it her?