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After sending Pei Guanjing back to his room and having him sit on the bed, Ye Chen was about to leave when he was suddenly grabbed by the hand.
Pei Guanjing looked at him with reluctance, gently shaking Ye Chen's hand as he said, "A Chen, won't you stay and chat with me for a while?"
Ye Chen frowned slightly, forcefully pulling his hand away and curling his lip. "You were just making such a racket; Dad must have woken up. You just asked me to stay with you—aren't you afraid he'll hit you?"
Pei Guanjing chuckled. "My father-in-law has already left. The situation at the front is urgent; reinforcements from Lan Prefecture have arrived, and the spies working with Lin Prefecture have been identified. He doesn’t have time to waste here."
Upon hearing this, Ye Chen's expression froze for a moment, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes. He immediately turned around and hurried out to find Liu Jin. Bursting into the room, he scanned the area but found no trace of Liu Jin.
Ye Chen sighed softly; it seemed his father was anxious and had left in such a hurry.
Returning to Pei Guanjing's room, Ye Chen was about to sit down and have a proper conversation when he noticed Pei Guanjing staring at him intently, his lips pressed together in silence.
Pei Guanjing’s expression seemed neutral, but Ye Chen knew this was a sign that he was in a good mood.
The place where his father was staying was a private residence for the guards. With just the two of them alone here, didn’t his father worry about his safety? How could he leave him alone with Pei Guanjing?
Recalling how Pei Guanjing and Lou Yu had reluctantly killed Wang Xiangzi to quell the anger within the army, Ye Chen found that over the past two years, much of his resentment had faded. Perhaps it was because he had grown colder himself; he even felt that there was a slight justification in their actions.
Ye Chen smiled bitterly as he poured himself a glass of water slowly, taking a small sip. The cup he used was the same one Pei Guanjing had been using.
Noticing the faint scent of pine from his lips, Ye Chen raised his gaze directly towards Pei Guanjing, just about to speak when Pei Guanjing suddenly interrupted him.
Sitting up straight with anticipation, he said, "A Chen, when do you think we should get married?"
Ye Chen was caught off guard by this interruption; his train of thought shattered as he recalled this point.
Indeed, their wedding date had arrived. According to Tianqi law, he could marry—provided Tianqi still existed.
Now that various factions were rising across the land, if his father were victorious this time, then the Lin Prefecture army would pose no threat. However, he would ultimately become a pawn in the game of power. As the link between King Huai'an and the Regent, he truly was the best medium—a unique token of alliance.
For a moment, the two sat across from each other at the table in silence.
Pei Guanjing's fingers gently tapped on the table, his gaze occasionally flickering towards Ye Chen.
Pei Guanjing dreaded this calm demeanor of Ye Chen, feeling inexplicably distanced from him. He found himself rambling about their past experiences. Recalling the days they spent together in the Military Camp of Lan Prefecture, despite the awkwardness, arguments, and cold wars, he mostly cherished the times when Ye Chen was by his side, accompanying him in diagnosing patients, identifying herbs, and seeking his guidance.
But what could he do? Those days were long gone and would never return.
Ye Chen, observing Pei Guanjing's unusual insistence on marriage, felt a pang of discomfort in his heart. The memories of their time together suddenly felt bittersweet for reasons he couldn't quite grasp.
Seeing Ye Chen's lack of response, Pei Guanjing grew anxious and quickly asked, "A Chen, do you not want this?"
Ye Chen suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed intently on Pei Guanjing. With a tone laced with determination, he asked, "I just want to know if you would be willing to live like we are now, finding a small village and spending the rest of our lives peacefully?"
Pei Guanjing fell silent.
He lowered his head, furrowing his brow. This was something he had once wished for in his heart—if only he could live a simple life with Ye Chen, that would be the best.
Yet humans are peculiar beings; after spending so long in high positions and becoming accustomed to power, it becomes difficult to let go once one knows its benefits.
Moreover, he remained troubled by Lou Yu's covetous gaze towards Ye Chen. That brash young man had now become a significant threat to them.
In today's world, aside from the alliance between the Regent and King Huai'an, Lou Yu from Cangzhou was the most capable contender for the Sovereign of Nine Five position.
Thus, in this chaotic era, it seemed there would no longer be a stable place for him and Ye Chen. Even if he were to seize control of the realm, would there still be a secure place for them?
However, his silence had completely extinguished Ye Chen's hopes.
Ye Chen said nothing more; he turned away slowly and left the room with heavy footsteps.
Pei Guanjing quietly stared at the cup of water Ye Chen had drunk from, remaining silent for a long time.
The bright moon hung high in the cup but was stained crimson; dark shadows swirled within it like reflections teetering on the brink of collapse.
The next day, Ye Chen prepared a meal and brewed medicine for Pei Guanjing as usual, placing it in front of him before turning to leave.
After two years of not doing manual labor, he was initially a bit clumsy, but he quickly regained the familiar feeling, much like when he was in Sun Family Village. He couldn't help but wonder how his old friends were doing now, and whether Sun Mao still had snot hanging from his nose as before.
This was already Ye Chen's third winter in Chongzhou.
Just like the first year he arrived, the snow here fell thickly, accumulating to nearly half a foot on the rooftops. From a distance, the entire mountain range was completely covered in white, and as far as the eye could see, there was no end to the road.
Inside the house, a stove was burning—this was a common sight for country folk during winter.
Pei Guanjing changed his own wound dressings. After Ye Chen gently placed the ointment in front of him, he quickly turned to leave. From his back, it was clear that he was still angry and did not wish to speak to Pei Guanjing.
King Huai'an had not informed when he would come to take Ye Chen away. With the heavy snow falling, the roads were blocked, and it would likely take them quite some time to arrive.
Pei Guanjing opened the window, and the biting cold wind rushed in with swirling snowflakes, hitting his face hard. Yet he seemed oblivious to it, fixated on Ye Chen's room across from him.
Inside, the candle flickered gently, casting Ye Chen's silhouette. It appeared that he had not yet fallen asleep. But after a while, the flickering flame slowly extinguished, and Ye Chen's figure vanished from beside the bed.
Pei Guanjing closed the window and slowly walked over to sit by the fire. For the first time, he truly felt that even though Ye Chen was so close, their hearts seemed worlds apart. This feeling of being so near yet so far must be what they call "the distance of a thousand miles."
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