Chapter 140: Little Wan Wants Company
“Woo woo woo woo, Regent…”
Terrified by the nightmare, Wei Wanlan was trapped in the dream and couldn’t wake up no matter what.
Finally, after a violent shudder, he managed to open his eyes!
He clutched his head and cried messily under the quilt. Lying on his stomach on the pillow, facing the bed surface, he dared not look at the mirror on the bed ceiling again.
But the image still floated clearly before his eyes: Su Jingzhi, dead and buried in the snow, his skin deathly pale and gray, the blood at the severed neck congealed into dark red.
That was the person he liked the most.
Yet his body was abandoned in the snowy wild, never to speak to him again, never to open his eyes again.
Wei Wanlan’s hand gripped the dragon bed’s sheets tightly, clutching them until his palm trembled and his breathing became difficult.
Behind him, the dragon pattern on the mirror glinted with a faint floating light that seeped in, illuminating the pillow surface, warm and elegant.
The Nine-Dragon Mirror was not an evil artifact.
Wei Wanlan froze.
It had once given Wei Wanlan very pleasant experiences and brought him many good dreams.
So, the strange dreams the Nine-Dragon Mirror had created for Wei Wanlan recently only heightened his vigilance.
Wei Wanlan suppressed his sobbing. If he attracted the eunuchs and maids and they saw the Emperor, who had already taken over the government, still crying, it wouldn’t be good.
Adjusting his sleeping position, he lay down again. He rolled over and slept on Su Jingzhi’s pillow, where the woodsy scent was more distinct.
Wei Wanlan began to reflect on why he had achieved nothing in military affairs:
He couldn’t command a war involving thousands of people, didn’t dare offer suggestions to the generals… He was really slacking off on Mission Three.
【Host has advanced the third main mission again.】
Yet, paradoxically, this mission was progressing the fastest.
—Because the Regent was helping.
Wei Wanlan felt dejected.
What did that strange dream signify?
Did the grassland represent the Turks? Did the battlefield represent danger? Then what did the two little milk dogs the Regent gave him symbolize?
Unable to figure it out, Wei Wanlan endured until dawn with his eyes practically closed.
Before, the little sparrow used to wake him up; now, he was waiting for the little sparrow to call him.
He took the initiative to go to the Secretariat and asked Xiao Ji anxiously:
“Can Zhen take the initiative to go see the Regent?”
“Emotionally and reasonably, of course, it is feasible.”
Xiao Ji answered, but Xiao Mengshi was, after all, a more sensitive soul. He noticed the two dark circles under the Little Emperor’s eyes. The Little Emperor had turned into a little panda, yet was eagerly wanting to run to the Ministry of War. His state was obviously worse than yesterday.
Xiao Ji felt he needed to remind him, so he said, “Your Majesty, going on an expedition is a general’s mission.”
Wei Wanlan was stunned.
In that instant, he suddenly noticed something he always forgot:
He always called him “Regent.” He met Su Jingzhi in the court, and their experiences were mostly within the imperial court.
But this man, whose prestige shook the court and the wild, came from a family that rose through military merit. His ancestral trade and main profession were actually on the battlefield.
Since they were going to be together, they had to accept each other’s identities.
Su Jingzhi had once accepted that he was an “enemy” and an Emperor. He also had to accept Su Jingzhi’s other identity besides Regent—General Su, who needed to go to the front lines.
The Great General was destined not to be able to accompany the Little Emperor every moment.
Xiao Ji said, “Last time he went on an expedition to the Turks, he was gone for nearly four months. And that was considered a quick victory. This subject heard from my father that the previous General Su also intended to pacify the border troubles, but it turned into a protracted war. He was on expedition for a full two years; when he returned, his son could already talk.”
Wei Wanlan stared blankly. “Then will Zhen disturb him?”
“No. Inspecting military affairs is also part of an Emperor’s duty. This subject can arrange for someone to announce you in advance,” Xiao Ji replied.
Wei Wanlan nodded. “Then arrange it.”
“Obeyed.” Xiao Ji took his leave.
At this moment, Wei Wanlan drooped his head, saw the tips of his own shoes, and curled his toes.
The Little Emperor wanted to be kept company.
An eagle’s cry came from the sky—
Outside the Ministry of War.
Wei Wanlan looked up and saw the eagle gliding smoothly into the council hall.
Eagles were never seen elsewhere in the palace; they seemed to follow a specific flight path, hiding their tracks as much as possible. Such well-trained eagles could only come from the Great Wei army, used for some military operation.
Wei Wanlan entered the council hall.
The eagle landed on a wooden crossbar beside the huge military map in the hall, obediently extending its claw to let someone remove the wax-sealed military intelligence.
In front of the map was a sand table so grand it took up half the council hall. This sand table was finely crafted, displaying rolling grasslands, mountains, and rivers. Small flags of different colors were planted in various places on the sand table.
After reading the intelligence, the chief officer fed the eagle a strip of raw meat. Then, using a long pole, he moved the small flags on the sand table, pushing some and removing a few others.
Around the sand table stood generals dressed in military attire.
Su Jingzhi stood at the head, with the map behind him and the sand table in front. His hands rested on the redwood edge of the sand table, his gaze fixed on the entire Turkic war situation.
At this moment, the council hall was very quiet.
So quiet that the only sound was the secretary sealing a wax pill and hanging it on the eagle’s leg again, followed by the eagle flapping its wings and flying out to execute its mission.
An Ruyi wanted to announce, “The Emperor has arrived.”
Wei Wanlan put a finger to his lips, stopping him.
He seemed to understand what Su Jingzhi and the others were doing, and suddenly understood why Su Jingzhi simply couldn’t come back.
Because the war situation in the Turkic lands was changing in the blink of an eye:
Antang’s tribe, Ashina Shali’s tribe… and many other tribes harboring their own designs, wanting both sides to suffer so they could become the overlords of the Turks—all tribes were dragged into this chaos.
If one didn’t know the military situation like the back of one’s hand, one simply couldn’t seize the opportunity to strike effectively.
It was just that he was too busy.
Wei Wanlan’s heart felt somewhat relieved.
But the desire to be accompanied and to be close to the other person did not diminish.
He stood sensibly at the door, his figure slightly thin, but the dragon robes exuded nobility. He observed the Regent from a distance, his clear eyes filled with him, hoping the Regent would see him soon.
Wei Wanlan stood there for who knows how long, watched for who knows how much time, only feeling that it wasn’t enough.
What he liked so much was this heroic spirit.
What troubled him was that because he was overly heroic, he was chosen to bear this responsibility and guard Great Wei’s lands.
Suddenly, the next eagle flew in.
The chief officer of the Ministry of War walked to the crossbar to retrieve the eagle. Only then did he see the Emperor standing at the door of the council hall. The Little Emperor hadn’t made a sound, obediently refusing to disturb the generals’ concentration.
But since the chief officer had seen him, he couldn’t stay silent, or it would be great disrespect.
The chief officer held the eagle and bowed down:
“Long… Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor…”
Only then did the generals turn their heads, each showing surprise. The dignified Emperor had actually waited outside for them for so long?
The generals were overwhelmed by the favor and turned to bow toward the door of the council hall.
Su Jingzhi’s gaze withdrew from the sand table. He had been concentrating for too long. Seeing Wei Wanlan standing outside the door, his pupils trembled slightly in their sockets. He discovered Little Wan was looking at him. Those always-clean deer eyes reflected him, as well as the vast territory of mountains and rivers behind him.
Even though his thoughts had just been tethered to the iron horses and frozen rivers, Su Jingzhi’s heart instantly softened into a puddle.
His throat bobbed, and he bowed to Wei Wanlan first.
Seeing the two dark circles under Wei Wanlan’s eyes, he understood tacitly. He actually felt a sweetness amidst the bitterness, and his fatigue diminished by eighty percent.
An Ruyi hurriedly said:
“His Majesty worries about the state. After handling government affairs, he was concerned about military affairs. He just came from the Secretariat and came straight to the Ministry of War…”
After smoothing things over, he brought out the bestowed lunch. This was something Wei Wanlan only learned yesterday: food bestowed by the Son of Heaven was a great honor, and he had to use it well.
The generals’ hearts warmed even more. “We thank the Lord for his profound grace!”
It wouldn’t look good to bring the meal into the council hall to eat.
Great Wei’s generals, designated to accompany the expedition, had also been standing in this council hall for a long time without rest.
Su Jingzhi ordered, “This Prince has military intelligence to report to His Majesty. Generals, take a rest. After three eagles return from the front lines, re-enter the council hall to monitor the situation.”
“The generals obey!”
The generals glanced at each other, then bowed again and withdrew. Their footsteps clanged, echoing in the empty corridor until they faded away.
Tang Tuan left last, closing the door of the council hall.
Only the window was left open.
“Xiao Wan, come.”
Hearing this call, Wei Wanlan took a few steps forward.
With every bit he approached, he quickly looked at Su Jingzhi, dream and reality switching frequently in his mind.
His lips trembled, and he didn’t speak, but his eyes were filled with dependence, moving the Regent.
Su Jingzhi extended his arms and gently lifted Wei Wanlan face-to-face. He carefully placed him on the edge of the sand table—on the redwood he had just been leaning on—letting Wei Wanlan sit facing him, with the mountains and rivers at his back.
Wei Wanlan’s feet suddenly dangled in the air. A bit surprised, his toes wiggled slightly.
Su Jingzhi held him by the waist, afraid he would fall. The large hands against his waist were a bit hot, but Wei Wanlan liked the contact; it made his heart itch.
Without realizing it, he broke into a smile, his legs wrapping around Su Jingzhi’s waist as the two got even closer.
Su Jingzhi’s breathing became noticeably heavier.
The Regent took the opportunity to hold Wei Wanlan’s hand, kissed it gently, and then pressed it against his cheek. “Why stand outside watching? Whatever you want to hear, this Prince will tell you.”
“I wanted to see you,” Wei Wanlan said softly. “Zhen had a nightmare.”
This direct hit almost made Su Jingzhi’s heart stop.
His beloved was just so good, so incredibly good.
Wei Wanlan, with the dignity of an Emperor, stood outside for so long just hoping for him to keep him company.
The strong sense of being relied upon made Su Jingzhi lower his head. He pressed the back of Wei Wanlan’s head and kissed his forehead and lips several times. Unexpectedly, this made Wei Wanlan cry. He hugged Su Jingzhi’s neck, refusing to let go, crying softly with red eyes.
He thought Wei Wanlan was crying because he missed him.
But that was only part of it. Because that dream was too real, and he couldn’t speak of it for fear of disturbing the army’s morale, Wei Wanlan could only keep the sadness to himself.
The closer he was to the Regent, the more he wanted to cry, afraid something would happen to him.
Wei Wanlan was held by Su Jingzhi.
His back was gently patted, enjoying the security of having someone patiently coax him no matter how much he cried. occasionally, he looked up to exchange kisses with Su Jingzhi, nose touching nose, surrounded by the woodsy scent.
He cried for a while longer, and his emotions calmed slightly.
The first eagle flew back.
The eagle flapped its wings, discovering no one was retrieving the secret letter on its body, so it obediently stood on the crossbar. Seeing the two people hugging in front of the sand table, the eagle found it strange too, tilting its head to size them up.
Especially staring at the sniffling Wei Wanlan.
The head tilt was a bit adorkable.
Su Jingzhi chuckled lightly, comforting him warmly:
“Look, Xiao Wan, the eagle is laughing at you.”
Because he had already cried away a third of their time together, Wei Wanlan blinked. But he didn’t get up from Su Jingzhi’s embrace, maintaining this clingy posture as he spoke.
“Regent, Zhen wants to lead the expedition personally.”
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