The morning light was cool, filtering through the window lattice and casting a mottled patch of light across the room.
As usual, Xia Lanshi sat before the bronze mirror.
By now, Xiao had completely taken over his personal grooming in his room.
Little by little, Xiao had taken charge of every trivial aspect of Xia Lanshi’s daily life. Xia Lanshi had never pointed out that almost obsessive sense of territoriality. Instead, he simply let Xiao do as he pleased.
The attendant, worried that all his work would be taken away and he would lose his livelihood, had wisely gone outside to sweep the courtyard.
Xia Lanshi had smiled and teased him once.
“Has Mr. Liuchu forgotten that he has a room in the Southern Courtyard?”
Xiao had merely smiled faintly.
“The bed here is more comfortable.”
Xia Lanshi could only shake his head helplessly, though he also felt that this sort of ordinary daily life was rather nice.
Xiao’s long fingers slipped through Xia Lanshi’s jade-soft hair, gently combing it.
The wooden box on the desk was open. Inside lay two hairpins side by side: one was the white jade hairpin Xia Lanshi usually wore, and the other was the spring-green jade magnolia hairpin that had been taken from the mechanism box only yesterday—the keepsake of Xia Lanshi’s mother.
Xiao’s gaze lingered on the wooden box for a moment. Then he reached inside and picked up the spring-green jade hairpin.
“Would you like to use this one today?”
Xia Lanshi gazed at the gentle pale-purple reflection in the mirror. Emotions churned like the depths of the sea beneath his eyes before ultimately settling into a quiet, cool stillness.
“From now on, use this hairpin every day.”
This magnolia hairpin was, to him, an anchor carved into his very bones.
It symbolized that, in this world, there had once been someone who had loved him with such desperate yet pure devotion, someone who had looked forward to his birth.
That love was a late-arriving touch of warmth in the barren landscape of the first twenty years of his life.
At the same time, the hairpin constantly reminded him that he could never forget what had happened back then.
In her final letter, his mother had written every word through tears of blood, telling him not to seek revenge, wishing only for him to live for himself.
But he was no saint.
After seeing a truth so惨烈, he could not calmly lay down his blade.
He could never forgive those people.
Whether it was the high-and-mighty Sheng Yuanli, whose influence reached everywhere, or Xia Zhongqian, the man who had pushed his own daughter into hell.
Those who had committed crimes should be prepared to face judgment.
Xiao deftly used the hairpin to arrange Xia Lanshi’s hair into a neat half-up style, neither too tight nor too loose. The spring-green jade hairpin sat properly within his jade-soft hair, giving off the gentlest hue of spring.
Once he had finished, Xia Lanshi stood and prepared to head to the council hall for the morning session.
To his surprise, Xiao—who normally had no interest whatsoever in routine military affairs—actually followed behind him today.
Xiao’s current status in the Northern Border administrative office was that of “Guest Official Mr. Liuchu.” Unless Xiao Yuan or Xia Lanshi specifically designated him to attend, he had no need to appear at ordinary meetings.
Xia Lanshi stopped and glanced back at him, a hint of curiosity in his smile.
“What kind of wind is blowing today? Mr. Liuchu actually thought to attend the morning council.”
“Mm…”
Xiao lowered his eyes and gave an ambiguous monosyllabic response.
He did not explain his reason, but as Xia Lanshi looked into those unfathomably deep eyes, a strange feeling faintly passed through his heart.
Xia Lanshi did not ask further. He simply tacitly allowed Xiao to walk beside him.
◇◆◇◆◇
The atmosphere inside the council hall was solemn.
Xiao Yuan sat upright in the main seat. When Xia Lanshi entered the hall, his sharp eyes immediately noticed the crimson figure following behind him.
His gaze paused imperceptibly on Xiao for an instant. A faint flicker passed through Xiao Yuan’s eyes, but he quickly withdrew his gaze without revealing anything.
The morning council proceeded as smoothly as usual.
The commanders of the various camps reported military intelligence, decisions were made regarding the allocation of provisions, and defensive deployments were discussed.
Until a burst of hurried, disorderly footsteps abruptly tore through the solemnity of the council hall.
A personal guard entered in haste, his face pale. He did not even wait for the announcement, but hurried straight inside and dropped heavily to one knee.
“Your Highness!”
Xiao Yuan frowned slightly and asked in a deep voice, “What has happened that you’re so alarmed?”
“The c-capital’s envoy has arrived. He’s already outside the city!”
The moment those words were spoken, the expressions of every military officer and official in the hall changed simultaneously.
Xia Lanshi’s heart tightened.
An envoy from the capital had arrived in the Northern Border, yet they had not received even the slightest warning?
Xiao Yuan’s expression instantly turned cold.
“Who is it?”
The guard swallowed and answered with difficulty.
“It is Lord Qu Detao, the Censor-in-Chief… This time, he has come in the capacity of ‘Inspector of Northern Border Military Affairs’!”
Xiao Yuan’s eyes suddenly darkened, and the pressure around him instantly dropped to freezing point.
Xia Lanshi’s gaze turned equally cold.
This man had come to supervise the army.
“No message came from the capital?” Xiao Yuan asked coldly.
Pei Yi, who was responsible for military intelligence, had an iron-gray expression as he gritted his teeth.
“No. There was no movement at any of the relay stations along the route.”
Chi Banyue immediately shook his head as well, his expression grave.
“Tingxue Pavilion hasn’t sent back a single word either.”
“It’s not that there was no message.”
Xia Lanshi’s cold voice rang through the council hall, carrying a chilling clarity.
“It’s that His Majesty never allowed the message to reach us in the first place.”
The Emperor had made an exceptionally ruthless move.
He had deliberately blocked every intelligence network, allowing the envoy to arrive in the Northern Border like a divine soldier descending from the heavens, catching them completely off guard.
And what was even more significant was that the person he had sent was Qu Detao.
The man’s temperament was cold and rigid. He was famous for being loyal only to the Emperor, and would never be bought by any faction or swayed by threats or inducements.
The Emperor had deliberately sent this “loyal hound of the imperial court” to supervise the army.
There was absolutely no way this was merely about inspecting military discipline.
Xia Lanshi’s eyes shifted slightly, passing over Xiao, who sat in the guest seat.
Xiao was still sitting quietly with his eyes lowered, his expression indifferent, as though none of the shock and tension around him had anything to do with him. There was no way to tell what he was thinking.
But Xia Lanshi knew that Xiao’s unusual decision to follow him today might be because he had foreseen this moment long ago.
Compared with Jiang Zechen, Qu Detao might be somewhat more troublesome, but Xiao should not need to personally appear and confirm things with his own eyes.
An inexplicable sense of foreboding rose in Xia Lanshi’s heart.
And that premonition soon became reality.
Xiao Yuan slowly rose to his feet, his tall figure radiating a mountain-like pressure.
“Let him in.”
Not long afterward, a steady, rigid rhythm of footsteps approached.
A man nearing fifty, with an expression so stern it bordered on harshness, strode into the council hall. His straight vermilion court robes were exceptionally conspicuous.
When Qu Detao reached the main seat and faced the exalted Prince Su, he did not exchange many pleasantries. Instead, he immediately presented an object wrapped in yellow silk with both hands.
In an instant, everyone’s gaze was fixed upon it.
It was—
the imperial edict.
Xiao Yuan fell silent for a moment.
Then he lifted the hem of his robes, slowly walked down from the main seat, and dropped heavily to one knee.
The generals and officials of the Northern Border followed like a row of dominoes being knocked over, all kneeling in unison.
The entire council hall became frighteningly silent.
The generals and officials of the Northern Border stood on either side, while the long table in the center was still covered with maps, and even the sand table representing the military strength of both sides had yet to be cleared away.
And in this council hall filled with the aura of iron and bloodshed, the bright-yellow imperial edict was slowly unfurled.
It looked utterly out of place, yet simultaneously possessed an overwhelming, untouchable authority.
Qu Detao’s expression remained emotionless. His voice was loud and cold as he proclaimed:
“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Hearing that the Northern Border has long been defended without success and that the people have been displaced, We have worried over this day and night. We hereby command Prince Su, Xiao Yuan, to assume overall command of all forces in the Northern Border. Within three months, he is to recover the three lost territories of the Northern Border—Baishui Pass, Duanyun Fort, and Yanqi Ferry. Should he defeat the enemy and render meritorious service, he shall naturally be rewarded according to his achievements. Should he delay and miss the opportunity, he shall be dealt with according to military law, without mercy. Thus is the decree.”
The moment the imperial edict was finished, the faces of the officials in the council hall turned deathly pale.
Pei Yi lowered his head, both fists clenched tightly, the veins on the backs of his hands bulging.
Recover three lost territories in three months?
It was practically a fool’s dream!
Chi Banyue bit down hard on his lower lip, almost drawing blood.
If Prince Su accepted this imperial edict, he would inevitably have to personally lead the expedition.
But there was no option not to accept it.
The Emperor had finally laid his cards openly on the table.
That meant Xiao Yuan had no way out.
Xia Lanshi knelt on the ground, his expression still as calm as water on the surface.
He understood it all too well.
This was not about recovering the lost territories of the Northern Border.
It was laying the groundwork for punishing him later.
This was the Emperor’s deadly move against Xiao Yuan.
The Emperor had finally lost patience.
He had begun to strike at Xiao Yuan.
Behind everyone else, the only person who had not completely lowered himself to the ground was Xiao.
He slightly raised his eyes and glanced at the glaring imperial edict.
Then he indifferently lowered his gaze again.
In those eyes as deep and bottomless as a cold pool, an extremely complicated thought flickered.
The scene before him…
was exactly the same as before.
Nothing had changed.
Xiao Yuan remained silent for a long time.
Long enough that Qu Detao’s brows had already begun to furrow.
Finally, Xiao Yuan raised his head. His voice was calm and utterly devoid of emotion.
“This subject accepts the imperial decree.”
He rose and accepted the imperial edict, which had arrived so suddenly and seemed as heavy as a thousand jun.
Only then did Qu Detao put away the attitude he had displayed while reading the decree. His gaze swept briefly across the various expressions in the hall before he respectfully performed an official salute toward Xiao Yuan.
“Your Highness Prince Su.”
Qu Detao maintained his stern expression.
“His Majesty is concerned about military affairs in the Northern Border. Under His Majesty’s orders, I shall assist in supervising military discipline in the Northern Border from this day onward and report to the capital every month. In addition, I have brought imperial wine, imperial medicines, and an imperial banner bestowed by His Majesty to comfort Your Highness and the soldiers of the three armies.”
The imperial gifts he had brought looked like abundant imperial favor.
But everyone present knew that it was merely for appearances.
Xiao Yuan looked at him indifferently.
“Lord Qu has traveled a long way. You have worked hard.”
Qu Detao did not withdraw. Instead, he directly took another bright-yellow imperial instruction from his sleeve and announced loudly:
“His Majesty sympathizes with the Northern Border soldiers’ hardships and does not wish for us to disturb the military camps. He has already ordered the old Inspectorate Office to be prepared for the temporary residence of this subordinate and the accompanying personnel. Your Highness, I shall go settle in first.”
The moment these words were spoken, everyone’s hearts sank again.
The old office had already been prepared?
The Emperor had completely bypassed Prince Su and arranged everything in advance.
It was as though he were declaring:
The authority to take charge does not belong to Prince Su.
This realm is still ruled by the Son of Heaven.
From the moment Qu Detao turned around and left until his footsteps completely disappeared outside the administrative office, the entire hall remained silent.
No one dared speak first.
In the silence, Xiao Yuan slowly rolled up the imperial edict in his hand and placed it on the long table piled with military reports.
“Everyone, sit. Continue the meeting.”
Xiao Yuan spoke lightly.
His expression was so calm that no one could read his thoughts.
Yet no one spoke.
The sand table remained spread across the center of the long table.
The banners representing the three provinces of the Northern Border were planted throughout the mountains and rivers.
And that bright-yellow imperial edict lay quietly between the military forces of the enemy and their own side.
It seemed that with nothing more than a thin roll of yellow silk, the entire Northern Border—and Xiao Yuan’s life along with it—had been pressed down.
Xia Lanshi stared at the imperial edict on the table for a long time.
Then his voice turned cold as ice.
“Your Highness, this is not a military order.”
Xiao Yuan’s gaze was deep.
“I know.”
“Three months.”
Xia Lanshi looked directly into Xiao Yuan’s eyes, every word sharp as a blade.
“This time, His Majesty has given Your Highness an order that permits only success. But sometimes, success is more dangerous than failure.”
Xiao Yuan looked at the imperial edict lying glaringly on the table. The corner of his hard lips curved into an extremely mocking arc.
“So from the moment this imperial edict left the capital…”
“The Emperor never intended for me to return alive.”
“From today onward, the more beautifully the Northern Border war is fought…”
“The closer I will be to the execution platform in the capital.”
The Emperor did not care whether this imperial edict was militarily feasible.
What he wanted had never been anything more than a legitimate, aboveboard reason to punish him.
◆◇◆◇◆
After the meeting ended, Xiao Yuan calmly gave Xia Lanshi several urgent instructions for preparations, then returned to the rear courtyard alone, carrying the imperial edict that was like a death warrant.
All the way there, he was like an emotionless mechanical construct, frantically calculating every possible dead end and countermeasure that might come next.
How long could the army’s provisions last?
How many troops could he truly rely on?
Where else could supplies be mobilized from?
The Northern Border’s roads, marching routes, the changing weather ahead, and the intelligence networks intertwined among the various factions…
The Emperor had previously given him only thirty thousand troops, while the core standing army of the Cangyuan Khanate numbered at least one hundred thousand.
If the enemy mobilized all its forces, along with the subordinate khanates and tribes, their numbers would reach at least two hundred thousand.
Thirty thousand against two hundred thousand, while also being required to recover all the lost territory.
If he truly mobilized the troops and launched an expedition, there was no doubt he would provoke the enemy.
Even if he still possessed other forces, he could not deploy them recklessly.
He had never feared dying on the battlefield.
What he feared was that the innocent people and soldiers of the entire Northern Border would be buried alongside him.
If he could have another year…
No, six months to prepare, perhaps…
Xiao Yuan tugged mockingly at the corner of his mouth.
The Emperor must have noticed the arrangements he had been making in the Northern Border. That was why he had sent Qu Detao, that loyal hound, to supervise the army and directly issued this fatal decree.
The emperor sitting high upon the throne would not give him time.
Xiao Yuan entered the study with an indifferent expression, casually placed the bright-yellow imperial edict on the long table, and sat down.
He was so absorbed in thought that he did not even notice approaching footsteps.
As usual, after moving the supplies bound for Linbei City into the underground palace hall, Su Muchen came to the rear courtyard of the administrative office as though he knew the place by heart.
He asked the personal guards where Xiao Yuan was. Upon learning that he was in the study, he came straight over.
The moment he crossed the threshold, Su Muchen keenly sensed the suffocating oppression in the study’s deathly silence.
He initially thought Xiao Yuan was not inside, until his gaze swept across the long table and found that dark figure hidden in the shadows.
Hearing the movement, Xiao Yuan finally raised his head.
The moment he saw that the person was Su Muchen, an emptiness suddenly flashed through his heart.
…If he died.
What would happen to Su Muchen?
The next instant, an even more cruel thought slammed into his mind.
If he died, the “Door” connecting the two worlds would immediately close.
And Su Muchen…
would be trapped forever in this man-eating chaotic world, never able to return.
He absolutely could not let Su Muchen remain here!
“Jingyuan, what happened?”
Seeing the almost frightening seriousness on Xiao Yuan’s face, Su Muchen’s heart sank violently. He immediately realized something had happened.
“Mu’an…”
Xiao Yuan quickly walked up to him and firmly gripped his shoulders with both hands. His deep gaze locked onto him, his voice slightly hoarse yet filled with unquestionable resolve.
“You… can’t stay here anymore. Go back. Return to your world immediately!”
“Why?”
The sudden words left Su Muchen shocked and confused.
“Because…”
Xiao Yuan’s gaze shifted away with difficulty, falling toward the bright-yellow imperial edict on the table.
Su Muchen followed his gaze, suddenly broke free of Xiao Yuan’s hands, strode forward, and grabbed the imperial edict.
Line after line of cold writing entered his eyes.
—Three months.
The next second, his mind began calculating at a furious pace.
He came to the administrative office every day to discuss military affairs with Xiao Yuan, so he understood the situation in the Northern Border extremely well.
Thirty thousand troops, minus the capital troops the Emperor had provided.
Linbei City’s defenses were not yet complete.
The newly arrived warhorses had not finished being trained.
There were still eight thousand capital troops inside the city who might defect at any moment.
Supplies, weather…
By the time he had finished calculating everything in his head, the hand holding the imperial edict was already trembling slightly with extreme anger.
The physician’s rationality was completely overwhelmed by fury at that moment.
He simply could not believe that a father, an emperor, could be so ruthless and vicious.
“…What is this supposed to be?”
Su Muchen’s voice trembled with suppressed anger.
“Three months? Is he insane?! This is basically forcing you to go and die!”
He had thought the Sheng family was already crazy enough.
He had never expected the Emperor of Dasheng to be the craziest of them all.
How could there be a father in this world who, for that ridiculous scrap of power, would openly scheme to force his own biological son to his death?
He felt that this entire group of people should collectively report to a psychiatric hospital. If they were sick, they should get treated!
Recovering the lost territories of the Northern Border within three months was simply impossible.
If they could not take them, it would be a capital offense for defying the imperial order.
If they succeeded, their achievements would threaten the Emperor, and they would still die.
It was an absolutely unsolvable dead end.
“He just wants a legitimate reason to kill you.”
Su Muchen turned around.
Only then did he understand why Xiao Yuan had suddenly wanted him to leave.
Because Xiao Yuan—the man who normally carried everything on his shoulders—had already prepared himself mentally to die.
“I’m not leaving.”
Su Muchen stared fixedly into Xiao Yuan’s eyes. The rims of his eyes were slightly red from anger and a pain he could not put into words, yet his tone was more forceful than ever.
Xiao Yuan stared at him in astonishment.
“Mu’an, listen to me. This time is different—”
“No.”
Su Muchen interrupted him.
He strode forward and tightly grasped Xiao Yuan’s cold hand.
His fingertips trembled slightly, but his gaze was more resolute than ever.
“You want me to go back now?”
“And then wait for the day someone comes to tell me that you’re dead?”
“Xiao Yuan, are you underestimating me?”
“No matter what that Emperor thinks, no matter how hopeless this situation is, I will not let you face it alone. We’ll think of a way together. We will survive!”
Xiao Yuan looked at the slender young man before him, who was nevertheless impossibly resolute.
His Adam’s apple rolled heavily, but for a long while he could not say a word.
He clasped Su Muchen’s hand in return, enveloping it within his palm.
The nerves that had been stretched taut by the imperial edict seemed to relax inch by inch at that very moment, almost miraculously.
In truth, he had long since stopped expecting anything from that emperor who was his father.
He had recognized reality many years ago.
That man was only a ruler, and he was only a subject.
So when faced with this death warrant, there had not even been much of a ripple in his heart.
But when he faced this seemingly certain death, there was actually someone who thought not of escaping first, but of how to pull him along and survive together.
He remained silent for a long time.
Then, suddenly, he reached out and pulled Su Muchen into his arms.
He held him deeply and tightly.
His arms wrapped around the other man’s waist and back as though he wanted to press this only source of warmth in the cold world into his very bones and blood.
Recently, because of military affairs, he had rarely gone to Guichen Studio.
But he knew that there was always a lamp lit there for him.
And Su Muchen was that bright lamp illuminating his pitch-black life.
“Let me make this clear first. Even if you force me to go, I’m not going back.”
Su Muchen was squeezed tightly enough that it hurt a little, but he did not struggle. He merely spoke in a muffled voice.
When Xiao Yuan remained silent, he grew anxious again.
“What are you being quiet for?”
Xiao Yuan’s heart softened at his bristling expression, and a low laugh escaped him.
He loosened his arms slightly but continued holding him within his embrace. His smile faded, and his voice was hoarse.
“I’m afraid. Not afraid of dying. I’m afraid that if I die, there will be no one left to protect you.”
He was afraid Sheng Yuanli and Sheng Chengxiu would target Su Muchen.
He was also afraid someone would discover Doctor Su’s true identity.
By comparison, sending Su Muchen back to that peaceful world would at least mean there were laws there, and everything he knew and was familiar with.
Su Muchen grabbed Xiao Yuan’s arm and raised his head, anger and stubbornness filling his eyes.
“If you’re afraid, then stay alive properly!”
“Stop always acting as though you’re ready to die at any moment!”
He could not understand why these people could always put their own lives on the scales so casually.
Xiao Yuan was like this.
Xiao was the same.
Then what did that make him—the physician who had exhausted himself pulling them back from the gates of death?
“I saved you because I wanted you to live, not so I could watch each of you run off and get yourselves killed!”
Seeing Su Muchen looking as though he was about to cry, Xiao Yuan’s heart suddenly ached, as though countless tiny needles had pierced it simultaneously.
He once again wrapped his long arms around him, tightly shielding that slightly trembling body in his embrace. His hand gently stroked the soft hair at the back of Su Muchen’s head.
“Don’t cry.”
“Who’s crying…”
Su Muchen buried his face against Xiao Yuan’s chest and stubbornly denied it, but his heavy nasal tone betrayed him completely.
“Fine. I must have seen wrong.”
Xiao Yuan coaxed him softly, his voice filled with endless tenderness and compromise.
“I promise you. I will do everything I can to survive this situation.”
He paused, then lifted Su Muchen’s face into his hands, his expression utterly serious.
“But you have to promise me this too. If it really comes to that, you will go back through the Door. Don’t make me worry.”
Su Muchen bit his lower lip and did not answer.
Xiao Yuan softened his voice, almost pleading.
“Promise me, okay?”
After a long while, a muffled, extremely reluctant response finally came from his arms.
“…Okay.”
Su Muchen did not want to agree at all.
But he knew Xiao Yuan too well. If he refused, Xiao Yuan would only become even more distracted and worried.
His eyes shifted slightly.
If that day really came—
he had his own plans.
Xiao Yuan lowered his head and pressed an extremely cherished, reverent kiss to Su Muchen’s forehead.
Then he took a handkerchief carrying a faint pinewood fragrance from his robes and gently wiped away the moisture at the corners of Su Muchen’s eyes.
“They’ll be coming over to discuss matters soon.”
Xiao Yuan reminded him softly.
He knew Su Muchen was easily embarrassed. If someone saw him looking like this, he would probably be mortified for several days.
Su Muchen snatched the handkerchief and wiped his face twice. The familiar pinewood scent gradually calmed his heart.
After wiping his face, he still stubbornly added:
“Anyway, I’m not going to let you die.”
“Mm. I know. With Doctor Su here, even Yama can’t take me away.”
A faint smile appeared in Xiao Yuan’s eyes, but his tone was utterly solemn.
“So I will live.”
Before long, footsteps sounded outside the door.
Xia Lanshi and Xiao entered one after the other.
Xia Lanshi’s gaze fell upon the bright-yellow imperial edict on the long table. Then his eyes shifted and passed over Su Muchen’s still-reddened eyes.
He understood instantly, but said nothing, lowering his gaze with great discretion.
Xiao’s gaze also lightly swept over Su Muchen’s slightly red eyes before calmly moving away.
Soon afterward, Chi Banyue arrived at the study as well, his expression grave.
Pei Yi was the last to arrive.
He had just rushed to the camp to make some emergency defensive deployments and came running over with sweat covering his forehead.
The moment he stepped into the study, he immediately noticed the unfamiliar face standing beside Xiao Yuan.
The young man’s clothes and build looked vaguely familiar. His hair was cut short, reaching only to his shoulders, and his entire bearing carried an ethereal, refined quality that clearly did not belong to Dasheng.
Pei Yi froze for three seconds.
After his brain raced furiously, he suddenly realized the man’s identity.
And then his entire body stiffened.
The next instant, he abruptly turned around and shouted at the wall at the top of his lungs:
“This subordinate saw absolutely nothing!!”
“Pei Yi.”
Xiao Yuan’s calm voice came from behind him.
“Turn around.”
“…Yes.”
Pei Yi stiffly turned back, his eyes firmly fixed on the floor, not daring to look anywhere else.
Xiao Yuan looked at him. His tone was calm, yet carried the weight of a thousand jun.
“I trust you.”
Those three simple words caused Pei Yi’s entire body to tremble, and his eyes suddenly grew hot.
The existence of “Doctor Su” was Prince Su’s most dangerous and deeply hidden secret.
Across the entire Northern Border, only a handful of people had ever seen his true face, and no one even knew his real name.
And now, His Highness had told him:
“I trust you.”
What an immense trust and responsibility that was.
Pei Yi drew a deep breath and spoke solemnly.
“This subordinate understands.”
Only then did he drop heavily to one knee, clasp his fists, and speak with resounding force:
“Your Highness, rest assured! Even if I am reduced to dust, I will take this secret to the grave!”
“Rise. Let me introduce him to you again.”
Xiao Yuan shifted slightly, making room beside him.
“This is Su Muchen, Doctor Su.”
Only then did Pei Yi dare raise his head. Curiosity and respect filled his gaze as he looked at Su Muchen.
Looking at the legendary divine physician before him, Pei Yi thought to himself:
Doctor Su really is refined and scholarly-looking. No wonder he usually has to conceal his face.
He quickly withdrew his gaze and respectfully performed a deep salute.
“General Pei Yi pays his respects to Doctor Su.”
Su Muchen felt somewhat embarrassed by the grand display and hurriedly returned the salute.
“General Pei, you’re too polite.”