Chapter 868: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 868: The Death of Chen Ji (2)
Mo Yan leaned into the man's embrace, feeling slightly constricted but reluctant to push him away. She allowed him to hold her. Her fingers absentmindedly played with the man's long, black hair, making her own fingers appear even more delicate, creating another temptation in the man's eyes.
In the next moment, the playful hand was gently caught in the man's large palm, his touch warm and dry.
"One day apart feels like three years," Xiao Ruiyuan thought, finally unable to resist the longing in his heart. After almost a month without seeing her, he had come to her. Now, holding the woman in his arms, the emptiness in his heart was finally filled.
Mo Yan didn't voice it, but she too had missed him, craving the warmth of his firm embrace as she quietly listened to the beating of his heart.
After a long while, they finally parted. Hand in hand, they walked over to the sofa and sat down.
Mo Yan studied his features closely, noticing that he seemed a bit thinner, and with concern asked, "Have you been busy lately? Did you forget to rest again?"
Being cared for was always a pleasant thing, especially when it came from a loved one. Xiao Ruiyuan's lips curled into a smile, and his deep voice sounded like fine wine. "Recently, the western regions have been unstable. His Majesty has ordered me to closely monitor the movements of the Qiuci Kingdom. It's been busier than usual."
Mo Yan's heart tightened with worry. "Could there be a war? Will you be sent to the frontier again?"
Xiao Ruiyuan gently stroked her brow, attempting to soothe her anxiety. "It's not necessarily going to escalate into war, and I likely won't be sent there. Don't worry, Yan'er."
Mo Yan felt a bit relieved but still had some doubts. "But Qiuci is a small kingdom. Since the establishment of the Great Chu, it has been a vassal, and for over two hundred years, it hasn't threatened the border. Why is this happening now?"
At this point, Mo Yan paused and glanced at Xiao Ruiyuan. Seeing that he was listening intently, without showing any sign that she shouldn't be discussing matters of state, she felt a small spark of happiness.
Unaware of her feelings, Xiao Ruiyuan continued explaining. "The King of Qiuci is critically ill, and several of the princes, encouraged by a powerful minister, are fighting for the throne. This minister intends to overthrow the royal family, so he's deliberately stirring up trouble at the border, hoping to use the Great Chu to eliminate the obstacles in the royal family."
Mo Yan hadn't expected such a complex situation and couldn't help asking, "Since His Majesty knows the minister's intentions, what does he plan to do?"
Xiao Ruiyuan smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming with a commanding light. "Do nothing."
Mo Yan quickly understood and nodded. "That's the best approach. No matter who ends up with the throne in Qiuci, as long as it doesn't threaten the safety of our borders, it's fine."
Although Qiuci was a small kingdom, it was an important buffer, especially considering its proximity to a fierce nomadic tribe. If Qiuci were to fall, that tribe would inevitably pose a threat to the Great Chu's borders. Because of the fear of the Great Chu, the tribe had always refrained from large-scale invasions of Qiuci.
While small-scale skirmishes were manageable for Qiuci, when they couldn't handle them anymore, they would often sacrifice some of their food in exchange for temporary peace at the border.
Since the situation was not directly related to them, the two of them soon set aside the discussion about Qiuci.
Mo Yan then remembered that she hadn't yet shared the good news of her father's success in the imperial examination. She sat up straight, her face beaming with pride. "My father won the title of Huiyuan this time. Pretty impressive, right?"
Seeing her smug expression, Xiao Ruiyuan's gaze softened, and he replied with a smile, "father-in-law has always been exceptional."
The words "father-in-law" flowed so naturally and smoothly from his mouth, as if he had said them countless times before.
(End of Chapter)
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