Huai An took the letter and asked, "For General Gu?"
Gu Ying nodded and asked again, "Can the Qilin Army deliver this letter directly into General Gu's hands?"
Huai An uncomfortably scratched his head, looking a little guilty, "General Gu's tent...also has my people."
Gu Ying frowned in irritation, "The Crown Prince's hands...reach so far?"
Huai An pulled his mouth into a smile and quickly made excuses for his master, "My Lord only does this to facilitate matters. Rest assured, madam, the Crown Prince only inserted people into General Gu's tent to protect the General's safety. He has no other intentions! Hehehe, madam, I'll take this letter down right away!"
"Go on then," Gu Ying said helplessly with a smile, waving her hand.
Huai An slipped away from Changfeng Pavilion like a loach.
Only then did Gu Ying remember that in her previous life, Jiang Yin had deliberately shifted the blame for her father's disastrous defeat and treason to the Crown Prince.
Back then, she had no impression of the Crown Prince apart from that one night, and since he had forced himself on her, she didn't have any good feelings towards him. She was convinced in her heart that the Crown Prince and Jiang Yin were birds of a feather...and also caused the downfall of her father.
If she hadn't become the Crown Prince's wife in this life, how would she have known that he was the best man for her?
Fortunately, heaven had taken pity on her and allowed her to have her present relationship with the Crown Prince.
Gu Ying's mouth curled up slightly as she smiled and went to the study to join the Crown Prince for dinner.
It was just the two of them for dinner tonight. Gu Ying told Zhao Changdu about the impending Qiang invasion in the form of a dream.
After listening, Zhao Changdu's long lashes fluttered as he calmly said, "What else did Ying dream about?"
Gu Ying picked up a piece of bamboo shoot and curved her eyes with a smile, chatting leisurely, "I dreamed that the Crown Prince and Father won a great victory together and triumphantly returned to a hero's welcome from all the citizens along the streets. The Crown Prince brought back the Qiang princess, entered the palace to meet the Emperor, and she married as part of a peace treaty between the two countries, agreeing not to fight each other for ten years."
There was no joy on Zhao Changdu's face. His long pupils narrowed slightly as he asked, "Anything else?"
Gu Ying didn't notice the subtle change in the man's expression. She just laughed and said, "Nothing else. I just had this dream out of the blue last night. I don't know why I would dream about this. Maybe because I miss Father so much that I dreamed about Father and the Crown Prince fighting the enemy together."
Zhao Changdu's mouth tightened and his brows furrowed slightly.
Gu Ying looked up. "What's wrong, A Du? Not eating anymore?"
Zhao Changdu put down his chopsticks and looked deeply at the little girl by his side.
The Qiang had long intended to invade Dong Li. The Qiang troops had been harassing the borders for half a month. Although no war had broken out yet, it was only a matter of time.
Since his return to Yueyang, he had been sending military reports to Bianjing every three days.
Only he, the Emperor, the Minister of War, and Prince Duan Li Hao knew about these military secrets.
His little girl was living in the rear palace. She worried about her relationship with her mother every day. How did she know about these military secrets from beyond the border?
Could she really have dreamed it?
Zhao Changdu frowned. He had never believed in gods or Buddhas. He didn't believe there were any supernatural things in this world that could let a woman thousands of miles away dream so clearly about the time and details of a great battle.
He suddenly remembered what had happened in Yueyang.
She had said that one day she would tell him the secret about her.
Since Gu Ying had said this, it meant there was indeed a secret about her that he could not find out...
What exactly was the secret about her?
What was the relationship between that secret...and Jiang Yin?
The man felt even more irritable. After Jiang Yin's death, the feeling of being unable to control things did not disappear.
Although Gu Ying was still before his eyes, accompanying him by his side, he always had the illusion that he would lose her.
Thinking of this, Zhao Changdu's frown grew even tighter.
Gu Ying waved her little hand in front of him, "What's wrong with you, A Du?"
Zhao Changdu came back to his senses. He grasped her little hand tightly and said heavily, "It's nothing. I was just thinking since the Qiang intend to invade my country, Dong Li can't just sit back and do nothing."
Although she had expected there would be a day of parting, Gu Ying still felt a little sad in her heart. She bit her lip and hesitated before asking, "When does A Du plan to depart for the border?"
Zhao Changdu pulled her to sit on his lap, his arm circling her slender waist. He chuckled, "Does Ying not bear to part with me?"
Gu Ying lifted her chin, her clear eyes flashing as she frankly admitted, "Yes, I can't bear to part with the Crown Prince."
Zhao Changdu's expression froze, his big hand stilling on the girl's waist. His heart stalled for a moment, complex emotions on his face.
Going to the border was something the Emperor had been discussing with him.
He was worried the little girl would overthink things, so he had been hiding it from her, planning to bring it up at an appropriate time.
But he didn't expect her to take the initiative to mention it herself.
Gu Ying smiled brightly. Her small hand stroked the man's tall nose bridge as she considerately said, "But I also know that for the sake of the people of Dong Li to avoid the scourge of war, I can't convince myself to make the Crown Prince stay in Bianjing...The Crown Prince is Dong Li's God of War. The soldiers at the border are all waiting for the Crown Prince to return, and there's Grandpa...he's getting old and his health is not what it used to be. Only if the Crown Prince goes can he assist Grandpa."
The little girl's tone was sad and despondent, but she was so sensible, speaking righteously of family, country and the people's livelihood. She didn't consider herself, a pregnant wife waiting for her husband's company.
She knew in her heart that he would leave, yet she never complained or made troubles for him. She even considered things for him, helping him plan the timing and telling him her dreamt dangers for him to avoid.
Once he left for the border, it might be months before he could return. But she meekly and tenderly told him, "Don't worry A Du, just go. I'll obediently wait for you to come back home."
How could his Ying make his heart ache like this?
Zhao Changdu was silent for a long time, softening inside. Eventually he stroked the little girl's soft hair and sighed, "After the Cold Food Festival, alright?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Ying's eyes reddened slightly. She nestled against the man's chest, rubbing her cheek on his brocade robe, and whispered tremulously, "Alright."
Her soft body was in his arms, yet Zhao Changdu's heart ached terribly. His big hand gripped her waist tightly, wishing he could fuse her into his marrow and take her with him anytime.
But he knew he couldn't. The little girl was pregnant and couldn't endure the long journey's jolts.
Moreover, his fight with the Qiang was a life or death battle.
If he could win a complete victory as the little girl said, that would of course be best. But if not...he didn't want the little girl to take the risk with him, much less see her sad and heartbroken.
The corner of his mouth quirked up and he kissed the tip of the little girl's nose. He had already made the best arrangements for her in his heart.
He had personally written a letter of divorce and left it at Prince Duan's mansion. He had also put all his shops, land, and most of the Duke's mansion's assets under her name.
If he died on the battlefield...and could not return.
This letter of divorce would be delivered to her. She could choose to remarry someone else anytime...
