The young general and the prince, who was to be married off, fell in love at first sight!

Chapter 176 Oh dear, all alone in an empty room! How miserable!

The unique welcoming ceremony at Xidaying made Lin Shiming feel as if he were back in the old days.

Then, having readjusted to his new identity, General Lin, with his unique interrogation skills, brought out the group of audacious individuals who dared to plot against him.

"Everyone stand still!"

Lin Shiming gathered the group of disheveled and defeated people together, a slight smile playing on his lips. He pulled out the newly received letter from Lin Shihe from his sleeve and twirled it a couple of times.

"They've gotten too bold, daring to scheme against me."

"Ahem, General, it was Wang Gui's idea!"

"You're talking nonsense! It's clearly Zhang Si!"

"you--"

"Shut up, all of you!" Lin Shiming grinned maliciously, holding up the envelope in his hand. "No matter who came up with this idea, watch out, whatever punishment my brother gives me today, you'll all have to come with me!"

The group immediately erupted like water into hot oil.

"No, General! Who can keep up with you!"

"Spare me, General! I truly dare not do it again!"

"Quiet!" Lin Shiming deftly tore open the envelope in his hand. "All's fair in war, is that it? Today, I'll teach you a new one—military orders must not be disobeyed!"

*

Lin Shiming stayed at the West Camp for three whole days, feeling right at home. The military training in the camp was lively and bustling from morning till night, which made him forget about Lu Yuxi, his "gentle haven," and immerse himself only in the exhilarating days of sweating it out.

Lin Shihe, who had anticipated this, sent another letter urging him to set off for Yizhou. Only then did Lin Shiming reluctantly pack the luggage that had been prepared for him and head south while it was still early.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuxi in the imperial palace also began the final arrangements and preparations.

Mirror Lake and Bright Hall.

Lu Yuxi sat behind her desk, engrossed in handling various matters, oblivious to everything else, focused solely on being a working person.

Meanwhile, the real decision-makers in Changping were leisurely sitting on a couch with the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo, enjoying tea.

"As expected, Minister Lin is farsighted." Emperor Longyun took a sip of tea and felt refreshed. "Separate the two of them, and look how capable the Crown Prince has become! He's now worth three people."

Lu Yuxi, who was not far away, paused in her writing.

"...I wonder how the Crown Princess is doing out there. I heard she seems to be having such a good time that she doesn't want to leave?"

Lu Yuxi tightened her grip on the pen.

"Shi Ming really loves freedom, so he probably forgot about Yu Xi a long time ago, right?"

Lu Yuxi was about to reach her breaking point.

"Oh dear, all alone in my empty room! How miserable!"

“Father!” Lu Yuxi put down his pen, walked over in a few steps, and said slowly and deliberately, “If you really have nothing better to do, you can approve these memorials yourself.”

"Minister Lin, look at me, look at me! I'm really getting old and people dislike me. Even my own son dislikes me when I say a few words."

"Father——"

"Eh? I remember receiving a letter by carrier pigeon at Shenshi (3-5 PM) today. It seems to have been written by Shiming?"

"Father!"

Lu Yuxi was eager to get the letter, but Emperor Longyun clearly refused to give it to her.

The father and son faced off across the table.

Lin Shihe, who had been silently sipping his tea, finally couldn't stand it anymore.

"Your Majesty, the matter is not yet resolved, how can you be so relaxed?"

As he spoke, he took the secret letter from the table beside him and handed it to Lu Yuxi.

Lu Yuxi glanced gratefully at Lin Shihe, then took the secret letter and turned to leave without hesitation, ignoring the unfinished memorial.

Emperor Longyun immediately stood up anxiously, "Hey! If you leave, who will approve this memorial?"

It's a pity that Lu Yuxi left so quickly that Emperor Longyun didn't give him a chance to stay.

"Father, you can decide for yourself."

Emperor Longyun, who had failed to stop the person, glared and angrily sat down again.

"Look what you've done! You've made me lose a hard-working laborer for nothing."

Lin Shihe, who was being reprimanded by the emperor, was not intimidated at all, but instead chuckled lightly.

"Your Majesty, you've been talking so much today, it seems to me you're nervous."

Emperor Longyun shut his mouth.

Lin Shihe's words seemed to suddenly stir up a flood of old memories.

Outside the window, a gentle breeze rustled through the treetops, and the leaves whispered. In a daze, Emperor Longyun seemed to see a scene from the past, where he accompanied Crown Prince Huamin as they read and practiced calligraphy under the window.

My young son speaks innocently, and my beloved wife is by my side.

"So many years have passed in the blink of an eye."

Time is like running water, fleeting.

Emperor Longyun suddenly chuckled.

"You guessed wrong. I'm not nervous, I'm calm."

Perhaps it's a new beginning for Lu Yuxi, so he might be nervous or worried about what's to come, because thousands of new days and months await his exploration. But for Emperor Longyun, an old friend, it's an end.

He can finally reach the ending he has been waiting for.

Lin Shihe understood. But he still sighed and tried to gently dissuade him, "Your Majesty, you shouldn't dwell on the past."

Emperor Longyun did not rush to answer him, but got up and walked to the window, looking up at the green summer outside.

For a fleeting moment, Lin Shihe suddenly felt like a ghost trapped in the past, with the sunlight of a new day never shining on him.

Some people move forward, and the past is nothing more than an inexplicable nostalgia when they occasionally look back; others, however, can never move on.

Emperor Longyun also did not want to come out.

Time will eventually erase the traces of the past, and there are only a few people left in this world who accompanied Lu Yuxu as he grew up.

"Shihe, you and Yuxi have a new future, and Qiongzhu has already forgotten the past. So I can't forget. If I forget, who will remember my lovely and sensible child?"

Cute, sensible, childlike.

Emperor Longyun's voice gradually softened.

At this moment, Lin Shihe suddenly realized that the emperor in front of him was also an ordinary father and husband, carrying the weight of a family.

“Your Majesty,” Lin Shihe said calmly, “Uncle, we can see the ending for him.”

The room fell silent again.

After an unknown amount of time, Emperor Longyun chuckled softly.

"Alright. It's normal for an old man like me to be a bit heavy-hearted. How old are you? Why are you looking so serious? If you continue to look like you're half-dead, I'll punish you."

"His Majesty--"

"Alright, get out of here! The Crown Prince has quit, but I still have to review these memorials."

The emperor's orders are never to be refused. Lin Shihe had no choice but to rise and bow.

"My minister retire."

Emperor Longyun did not answer or turn around, but simply waved his hand to indicate that he could leave.

Just as Lin Shihe turned to leave, Emperor Longyun glanced at his retreating figure.

Lin Shihe and Hua Min grew up together and were inseparable. If Hua Min were still alive, he'd probably be just like this kid, right?

His parents are alive and well, he has a beautiful wife and young children, he is busy with state affairs, and occasionally he has to clean up the messes of his troublesome younger brother.

Sigh, why doesn't anyone believe it?

He really wanted to take the child and bring him to himself.