The next day, Jing Mu returned to the army camp to make preparations, leaving Shu Changyu to pack his own belongings. They would be leaving within the next two days.
Shu Changyu had not expected him to be in such a hurry. Just yesterday, he had said that he wanted to stay in Huzhou for a few more days and even mentioned going to see the white embankment and drooping willows.
However, thinking about it, with his army of more than a hundred thousand men, every day they remained in Huzhou meant consuming another day’s worth of Huzhou’s provisions. It was even more impossible to bring such a huge army of more than a hundred thousand men along to tour West Lake. It was clearly impractical, and probably just something he had said casually.
Before departing, Shu Changyu called Kong Qing over to him.
“I don’t know how many times you’ve acted on your own initiative,” Shu Changyu said. “But I can’t give you this opportunity again. When we return, you can either go serve the Old Madam or stay by the Young Miss’s side. If you want to leave the residence and establish a family and career, I can arrange that for you as well.”
Upon hearing this, tears immediately fell from Kong Qing’s eyes.
“Master!” Kong Qing cried. “I don’t want to go anywhere. I only want to stay by Master’s side! Please forgive Kong Qing this once. I promise I won’t ever…”
Shu Changyu rubbed his brow and shook his head.
“No need. Once there is a first time, there will be a second. I don’t want to take that risk again.”
Kong Qing stared at him blankly.
“I don’t need anyone attending to me personally anymore. Besides, with Jing Mu around, it wouldn’t be convenient either,” Shu Changyu said frankly. “Xunzhi is at the age when she needs someone to look after her. I’ll feel at ease leaving her to you to raise.”
Upon hearing this, Kong Qing cried as she continued pleading with him.
Just then, Jing Mu walked in wearing dark-black armor.
“Are you packed?” He acted as though he had not seen Kong Qing at all and walked straight toward Shu Changyu. He initially opened his arms as if intending to embrace him, but halfway through, he withdrew them. Regretfully, he said, “My armor is cold and hard. You’re wearing so little, so I’d better not.”
Shu Changyu smiled. “There wasn’t really much to pack in the first place.”
Jing Mu said, “We shouldn’t have to leave this early. I only told you yesterday that I would take you around and have some fun here, and now I have to break my word.”
Shu Changyu froze for a moment, then smiled. “Yesterday, I thought you were just saying it casually. I didn’t realize you were serious.”
Jing Mu clicked his tongue unhappily. “How could I casually say something to you? I’m telling you, it’s because…”
He cleared his throat, deliberately leaned close to Shu Changyu’s ear, and whispered mysteriously, “It’s because something happened in the capital!”
Shu Changyu’s eyes immediately widened.
Jing Mu continued, “The news came last night. If we don’t return, I’m afraid Jing Shao’s enthronement ceremony will already be over.”
The next moment, Shu Changyu raised his hand and smacked him hard on the head.
“Why didn’t you tell me about something this important?” Shu Changyu demanded angrily. “And you still have the time to joke around here? Why are you bringing so many people with you? Travel light and return to the palace first.”
“Hey, don’t be so anxious!” Seeing him about to leave, Jing Mu quickly hooked an arm around his waist and pulled him back. “There’s no need to hurry. During this campaign to suppress the bandits in the south, the late Emperor was worried and gave me half of the Tiger Tally he held. Now, most of Great Qi’s army is in my hands, while the rest is in your father’s hands. No matter how capable Jing Shao is, he can’t turn the imperial palace upside down.”
“You…”
Jing Mu continued smugly, “My 150,000 troops are very useful. If Jing Shao tries to kill me halfway there, I can simply establish myself as an outlaw on the spot and raise an army in rebellion.”
“You do nothing but fool around!” Shu Changyu scolded him softly.
Then he pursed his lips and thought for a long while.
If things were truly as Jing Mu said, with most of Great Qi’s army in his hands, then there really was no need to panic. But once Jing Shao ascended the throne, he would be the legitimate ruler of the country. Any action Jing Mu took would then make him a rebel attempting to usurp the throne.
“But there’s another troublesome matter,” Jing Mu said with a frown.
“Hmm?” Shu Changyu looked at him.
“That Zhao Langzhi,” Jing Mu said. “Jing Shao claims he was his own traitor. He took advantage of their friendship to drug Emperor Qian Ning and then framed him for it. On the night the incident happened, Zhao Langzhi disappeared without a trace. We don’t know where he is now.”
Shu Changyu froze.
Then he suddenly grabbed Jing Mu’s sleeve.
“If this matter really has something to do with Zhao Langzhi, then my guess was correct,” Shu Changyu said in a low voice. “That Zhao Langzhi… is probably also someone who returned from the future, just like us.”
He was about to explain his reasoning when he suddenly saw Jing Mu’s expression change. His expression was strangely abnormal.
Jing Mu blurted out, “That’s impossible.”
Shu Changyu frowned as he looked at him.
Jing Mu then seemed to suddenly realize something. He looked at Shu Changyu and asked, “How… how did Grand Tutor know?”
Shu Changyu felt somewhat suspicious. He felt as though Jing Mu seemed to know something about their rebirth. However, Shu Changyu did not think too deeply about it. After only a moment of hesitation, he continued, “In our previous life, when Dan Yao told me about him, she mentioned some of their past together. Zhao Langzhi in our previous life seemed quite different in personality from the one in this life. Furthermore, in our previous life, before Dan Yao married into the Chancellor’s residence, he had never come to the capital.”
Shu Changyu frowned. “I already had some suspicions because these trajectories were different. But since he hadn’t done anything yet, I temporarily put him aside.”
He fell silent for a moment.
“If he really has colluded with Jing Shao, then there’s a very high chance that he is like us…” Shu Changyu said. “I imagine he still bears a grudge over the fact that I married Dan Yao in our previous life. He’s targeting me.”
At this point, Shu Changyu sighed tiredly and shook his head.
“Sure enough,” Shu Changyu said. “The things I thought were shortcuts in my previous life were actually all ways of creating trouble for myself. This is also a lesson for me. It’s all my fault…”
Jing Mu suddenly interrupted him.
“How could it possibly be your fault? He’s seeking revenge against me.”
Shu Changyu looked at him.
Jing Mu said, “It was me who separated the two of them and sent them to opposite ends of the world in our previous life. It was also me… In any case, it has nothing to do with you.”
Shu Changyu frowned as he watched Jing Mu, who was clearly somewhat agitated.
After a moment, Shu Changyu smiled. He raised a hand and stroked Jing Mu’s hair, soothing him.
“All right. Why bother drawing such a clear line between things at a time like this? No matter what kind of person he is, we can deal with him together. Isn’t that enough?”
However, Jing Mu was clearly not reassured by his words. He frowned irritably and said, “You don’t need to worry about it anymore. I’ll take the troops back to the capital. You can go take a trip around Jiangnan. By the time you return, I’ll have everything arranged.”
After saying that, Jing Mu turned around and was about to leave.
If Zhao Langzhi was also reborn…
Then he knew everything Jing Mu had done in his previous life.
If he did not die in this life, what would happen if Shu Changyu found out?
Shu Changyu had been given another chance at life in this lifetime, believing that Heaven had granted him an opportunity. Ever since returning from rebirth, he had asked for nothing except to live openly and honestly, with a clear conscience.
But if he found out how Jing Mu had come back to life…
He would certainly never forgive Jing Mu.
Yet Shu Changyu suddenly grabbed him.
Jing Mu turned around and saw Shu Changyu standing there, smiling helplessly, as though he were coaxing a child throwing a tantrum.
He released Jing Mu’s sleeve, then took his hand and pulled him back.
“What’s wrong?” Shu Changyu asked with a smile. “You’re thinking of me as far too fragile. I’ve experienced things like this before in our previous life. What are you afraid of?”
Jing Mu pressed his lips together without speaking.
Shu Changyu simply looked at him.
“Put your mind at ease,” Shu Changyu said. “How could I let you face this alone? Whatever happens, you have me. No matter what happens in the capital from here on, I’ll be with you.”
At this point, he laughed softly.
“Look, I already left you alone in the capital for three years. How much longer do you want me to leave you there?”
Those words seemed to shake Jing Mu immensely. Like a foolishly oversized dog, he stared blankly at Shu Changyu. His eyes were exceptionally clear, as though they had been washed clean by melting snow from a mountain, crystalline and pure.
In a low voice, he said, “I don’t want to be separated from you anymore.”
“Then isn’t that settled?” Shu Changyu said. “We won’t ever be separated again.”
Before he could finish speaking, Jing Mu pulled him fiercely into his arms and held him tightly.
Shu Changyu had not expected such a reaction from Jing Mu. Before he could recover, he felt Jing Mu turn his face and press it tightly against the side of his neck. His warm breath fell against the back of Shu Changyu’s ear.
“Then, Grand Tutor has to promise me,” Shu Changyu heard Jing Mu say softly, “that no matter what happens after we return, Grand Tutor cannot abandon me.”
Shu Changyu laughed. “I promise you.”
He did not know what Jing Mu was afraid of. Although he could not figure it out, he still felt sorry for him. Too many things had happened between them, and subconsciously, he had always regarded Jing Mu as a completely innocent child.
Thus, even Shu Changyu himself did not realize just how much he wanted to spoil this person.
As soon as Jing Mu finished speaking, Shu Changyu immediately agreed. Yet Jing Mu still refused to let the matter go.
“Grand Tutor must remember what you promised me today.”
“I’ll remember.” Shu Changyu smiled and lightly kissed the tip of his ear. “Looking at you like this today, even if I wanted to forget, it would be difficult.”
Jing Mu’s arms were wrapped around him so tightly that Shu Changyu’s arms began to ache. He raised a hand and stroked Jing Mu’s back.
“Let go of me first. I have something to give you.”
Jing Mu gently loosened his arms.
Then he saw Shu Changyu take something emerald-green from his sleeve.
It was actually one of the two halves of the broken jade pendant.
At some point, Shu Changyu had had it polished and smoothed again, then attached tassels to it, turning it into a uniquely shaped jade pendant.
Seeing that Jing Mu was wearing armor and therefore could not wear the jade pendant, Shu Changyu placed it in Jing Mu’s hand.
“Here. Half for you and half for me. With them tied together like this, can you feel at ease now?”
Jing Mu held the jade in his hand and only then noticed that Shu Changyu was wearing an identical jade pendant at his waist.
It was the other half of the jade pendant.