Chapter 140: When Shall We Depart?

She looked truly innocent.

Shen Sinian: "..."

He might as well believe her for the time being.

The letters home from Shen Yi were mostly to report that he was safe and to put their minds at ease, instructing Shen Sinian to take good care of the Duke of Zhen’s estate. In the past, when he went on campaigns, he would also include a few words about Shen Jinyu, telling him to behave and not cause trouble.

However, over the past period, he had witnessed the changes in Shen Jinyu, so he would occasionally offer a few words of praise.

As the weather grew colder and winter set in, Shen Nanyuan became less inclined to go out.

Not long after the beginning of winter, the event Shen Yi had anticipated finally came to pass.

The Sangluo suddenly pressed against the southern border, seizing several cities in succession. The ministers supporting the Second Prince and the Third Prince debated fiercely in the imperial court, until finally, His Majesty dispatched the Third Prince to lead the army to war.

The Prime Minister proposed that Shen Sinian accompany the Third Prince south, and His Majesty agreed.

Once this news emerged, it spread throughout the entire capital. On one hand, there was concern about whether the Third Prince, who had only returned to the palace this year, had the capability for such a task. On the other, people reasoned that since His Majesty had sent him, he must have had some understanding of the Prince's abilities. With the eldest son of General Shen accompanying him, they felt there was little to worry about.

Regardless of who went, they were defending the borders and protecting the people, so for a time, the populace developed a strong sense of affection for the Third Prince.

Shen Nanyuan only learned of this after Jinzhu told her. Her heart immediately sank, and she hurried to Shen Sinian’s courtyard, arriving just as he returned from the morning court session.

Shen Sinian wore his usual devil-may-care expression: "You heard?"

Looking at him, it seemed he had known all along that he would be sent to accompany Xiao Yan south. Shen Nanyuan paused: "You foresaw this situation?"

As Shen Sinian walked into the house, he continued: "It wasn't me who foresaw it; it was Father."

He walked to the table and poured a cup of hot tea. "There is an undercurrent of rivalry between the Second Prince and the Third Prince. If one can achieve merit in battle, it will surely bring them one step closer to the Eastern Palace. This is a good opportunity for the Third Prince."

"Besides, compared to the Second Prince, the Third Prince is the better candidate."

He shrugged: "As for me... I cannot let the Second Prince see that I am on Xiao Yan’s side, so I went to the Prime Minister privately and asked him to suggest to His Majesty that I accompany the Third Prince south."

In this way, in the eyes of the Second Prince, he was simply forced to go.

Shen Nanyuan could not help but take a deep breath: "When do you leave?"

"As soon as possible, likely in the next two days."

He spoke lightly, but Shen Nanyuan was worried to death. Yet, the words she wanted to say remained unspoken. Since it had already been decided, they must have thought it through long ago, so nothing she said would make a difference.

This was the path they had chosen for themselves.

But it was, indeed, a path that had to be taken.

Shen Nanyuan’s lips parted slightly, and after a moment, she sighed: "Since you are leaving in a few days, hurry and pack your things. I will go out of the estate and buy some food for you to take on the road."

Shen Sinian raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked at her.

He had expected her to say something else and had already prepared his answer, but her unexpected words left him truly stunned. A moment later, he nodded with a faint smile.

Thinking about it, Shen Nanyuan understood him; she naturally knew that this decision had been long considered and firmly made.

That was why she had spared him those words.

His heart could not help but soften. He reached out and patted Shen Nanyuan’s head, his voice deep yet filled with immense gravity: "Don't worry. Aside from Xiao Yan, who can match me, no one else in the entire capital can surpass my martial arts. Even on the battlefield, I will certainly be fine."

Shen Nanyuan forced a smile onto her face and gave a soft acknowledgment.

Shen Yi had not been on his campaign for long, and now Shen Sinian was also leaving the capital to head south. These people out there defending the country were her closest kin.

Yet, despite the Duke of Zhen’s estate being so loyal and devoted, His Majesty remained suspicious.

Previously, he had betrothed her to the Second Prince, and every letter Shen Yi wrote home had to be sent to the palace first before being forwarded to the Duke’s estate.

His Majesty appeared to dote on and trust the Duke of Zhen’s estate, but in reality, how much sincerity was mixed into that trust?

Shen Nanyuan stood under the long corridor, watching the white snow falling across the courtyard, a sense of melancholy enveloping her.

After winter began, the days were much shorter. By the time they finished dinner, the sky had already turned completely dark. Only the lanterns in the courtyard cast a faint, ghostly glow, though the snow tonight made the courtyard look a bit brighter.

The snow continued to fall, fluttering like goose feathers, descending in a constant rustle. Qingrui said: "Miss, it's cold outside. Let's go back into the house."

Shen Nanyuan paused, then nodded in agreement. She turned, walked through the corridor, and entered the house.

Jinzhu had long since lit the silver-frost charcoal, and the room was warm and cozy. She took off her thick cloak and sat on the soft couch, picking up the double-fish carving she had yet to finish, meticulously continuing her work.

Usually, Shen Jinyu could finish such a simple trinket in an hour, but she had been working on it sporadically for days, and it was still not quite complete.

But it was nearly finished.

Looking at it, she felt a sense of accomplishment.

The weather was cold, so at night, Shen Nanyuan told Qingrui to go rest early. She herself had no desire to sleep, so she thought for a moment, put her cloak back on, and walked out. Looking at the heavy snow, she strolled slowly into the courtyard.

In truth, she loved snowy weather.

Before she had transmigrated into this book, she lived in a place where it rarely snowed, so she had a deep fondness for snowy days.

The snow was heavy. She reached out her hand, and snowflakes landed in her palm, instantly melting into droplets.

It was somewhat cold.

Her eyes curved into a smile, and she tilted her head slightly. The snow, like pear blossoms, swirled and fluttered, completely enveloping her under the vast, snowy sky.

It was quiet, hazy, and pure.

Like a goddess scattering flowers, the snow fell endlessly from the dome of the sky.

Yet, amidst this haze, a blurred figure in the distance walked toward her, stepping through the white snow, one step after another. In the thickening snow and the dim, yellowish candlelight of the night, he gradually became clear, cool, and lucid.

His familiar, handsome face appeared through the layers of snowflakes. His dark, lustrous eyes seemed to contain an infinite galaxy, brilliant and dazzling, as if all the colors around them had faded, leaving only him etched into Shen Nanyuan’s vision.

Snowflakes covered him from head to toe.

A chilly wind blew up, lifting his hair and obscuring her view, but in the next second, a warm, large hand brushed past her cheek, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.