"General?"
"Let's just hurry and chase them, forget everything else."
Qi Yuanshan truly didn't want to go to the Meng family for a meal with these two.
But…
He really couldn't understand why Governor Yan always went to the Meng family to freeload whenever he visited Eagle Beak Cliff. Did he not consider himself an outsider?
The next day, General Liu found an excuse to return. As the highest decision-maker of the entire Northern Border Army, he had to consider the entire Northern Border and couldn't stay at Eagle Beak Cliff indefinitely.
As he left, he cast reluctant glances in a certain direction before mounting his horse and departing with his personal guards.
Qi Yuanshan was completely bewildered, what was wrong with General Liu? Why did he keep looking back?
General Liu: If only I could say I’ve taken a liking to your son’s spear.
In the following days, Yan Yi spent his days chatting with Uncle Meng at the Meng family home and his nights at the Thousand Household Office.
Liuzi didn't need him to follow him; he accompanied Qi He to the seaside every day.
This season was the most comfortable for digging for seafood. Liuzi had become addicted to it, spending his days with off-duty soldiers on the beach, frantically digging for seafood.
When the wind picked up and the tide came in, if Qi He didn't shout a few times, Liuzi wouldn't even come back to shore.
This led Qi He to murmur to his wife when he went home these past two days.
"Wife, you wouldn't believe it, but that Master Liuzi is even more mischievous than Ning'er when he gets to work."
"How could that be?" In Fu Xin's understanding, those who joined the Embroidered Uniform Guard were all deeply thoughtful individuals.
"Hmph, wife, you don't know. Master Liuzi follows us to collect seafood every day. Even when the tide comes in, I have to call him several times before he comes back. Several times, I thought he had a problem with his ears."
"He's almost twenty, he shouldn't be so indiscreet."
Fu Xin didn't know that this was only the second time Liuzi had been to the seaside.
The first time he came to the seaside, under Yan Yi's leadership, he was too busy having "close contact" with the Japanese pirates to have time to play.
This time, with nothing to do, his true nature emerged, and he wanted to play to his heart's content.
Especially now that there was an added task of collecting seafood, he was so enthusiastic that he almost forgot his own name.
Qi He had also told him that he would take these dried goods back with him, so how could he not pick them up with all his might?
…
In the courtyard of the Meng family, the flowers on the cherry tree had long since fallen, and small, soybean-sized green fruits were exuding vibrant life.
Yan Yi sat opposite Uncle Meng, refilled his tea, and then revealed a little of his thoughts to the elder.
Grandpa Meng hadn't expected that Yan Yi would actually consider leaving the imperial court, and he looked at him solemnly.
"Uncle Meng?" Yan Yi wanted to ask Uncle Meng for his advice and to come up with a plan that would suit him.
But this concerned a man's entire life, and the elder was unusually silent.
Yan Yi also knew he was putting Uncle Meng in a difficult position, so he compromised by saying, "I want to stay in Liaodong for a few more days."
"That's good. Liaodong at this time of year is full of lush vegetation and is a good season. Lord Yan can absolutely indulge himself in the natural scenery."
The elder's words had a profound meaning, essentially saying: Accept what fate brings, and settle into it.
Relax yourself for the time being, don't think about anything else, travel more, see more, and perhaps you will gain a different understanding.
Yan Yi: Uncle Meng's words seem very reasonable.
One must be truly advised. Starting tomorrow, he would travel around. What was wrong with that?
Grandpa Meng hadn't expected that Yan Yi would take his words to heart with just one sentence.
In the following days, Yan Yi watched the sunrise by the sea, the sunset on the mountaintop, and even watched the children in the town playing.
Liuzi: When did our masters become so idle? When they left the capital, Master Liu was still begging the master to return early.
Now, looking at him, he felt as if their master had not only gone wild with enjoyment but had also gone completely astray.
Today, on the hillside, he stayed until the sun went down.
Oh dear, if he hadn't urged him to return, their master might have sat there all night.
What else did the master say? What would happen if he came here to guard the border?
At that time, he had even boldly replied, "Master, are you here to replace General Liu?"
The master had replied humorously, "My command ability on the battlefield is not as good as Miss Fu's."
"Really!"
"Have you ever seen Miss Fu lose a battle she participated in?"
"It seems not."
"Not 'it seems'. Miss Fu has participated in battles that have all been victorious."
Speaking of Miss Fu, Liuzi also perked up.
"Miss Fu is truly amazing. I wish I could fight another tough battle behind her. Hahaha, fighting with Miss Fu is truly heroic and cloud-piercing."
"Your master and I think the same way. However, from now on, we can no longer call her Miss Fu; we must address her as Young Madam Qi."
"Hmm. Qi He must have burned a pillar of incense as thick as a thumb in his previous life to be able to marry Miss Fu as his wife in this life."
"This is also a matter of perspective. Some people don't have the courage to marry Miss Fu, fearing she might kill them."
"Miss Fu is a good person."
"This has nothing to do with whether she's good or not; it's about some people having ill intentions."
With the master's hint, Liuzi immediately thought of certain people.
"By the way, Master, I wonder how things are in the capital recently?"
"Everything is fine. Your mother is looking for a match for you."
"My mother is always worrying needlessly. I don't want to get married yet."
"Your mother has set her sights on the second daughter of the Guo family, but that girl is a bit young. I don't know if the Guo family will agree."
"Which Guo family?"
"It's the Guo family from your alley. If you disagree, I'll send a carrier pigeon back now and tell them you're unwilling."
"Master, your subordinate is willing."
There were no mirrors here, otherwise, Liuzi would definitely see his lips stretching to his ears.
"Really willing? You just said you didn't want to get married."
"Hehehe, I was just kidding."
A true man knows when to yield and when to stand firm. For the girl he liked, Liuzi was willing to bend.
Besides, there was nothing to be ashamed of. He believed that many men would do the same.
Yan Yi saw that he was genuinely fond of her and didn't say anything more.
Liuzi wished he could sprout wings and fly back to the capital right now. He had to strike while the iron was hot and finalize this marriage to feel at ease.
He then hesitantly asked Yan Yi, "Master, when are we returning to the capital?"
"I still want to stay a few more days."
"Ah?"
The higher Liuzi's lips had curved up earlier, the lower they drooped now.
"...You want to go back now?"
"Not quite now, but at least by tomorrow morning." Liuzi, in his haste, had blurted out his true feelings.
"…" Yan Yi really wanted to stay a few more days. He had been wandering around the town these past few days and occasionally heard people mention Dragon City.
Dragon City, it was said to be a mysterious place, not far from here. It was inhabited by powerful individuals, and Miss Fu… Young Madam Qi's senior brothers and sisters also lived there.