Sima Hui put on a forced smile as a courteous reply to the military officer.
Xiao Hongyu was following right behind He Changdi. He chuckled and whipped his horse onward to keep up with his superior officer.
After rushing to the frontline as reinforcements, they had managed to defeat the Tuhuns while keeping their losses to less than ten percent of the Right Wing Army. It was considered a major victory, so most of the people on the way back to the camp were in very good moods.
The soldiers who had gotten kills on the battlefield were beaming with joy. Xiao Hongyu had forged forward bravely in battle, so he had also contributed quite a bit to their victory.
The atmosphere amongst the triumphant troops was relaxed. It was likely the best they had felt since the war had started. Thus, they weren’t as hasty to get back as they had been on the way to the frontlines. Only He Sanlang’s squad was rushing back like their lives depended on it.
“Brother He, is there something urgent going on?”
He Changdi was dressed in a full set of black armour with a grey cloak whipping about in the flurry of snow-speckled winds behind him. Upon hearing Xiao Hongyu’s question, He Sanlang turned to glance at him before replying, “Your sister-in-law is coming to the camp today.”
What?! Xiao Hongyu’s eyes widened in surprise!
“Sister-in-Law is coming today?”
He Sanlang shot a look at him as if he were an idiot.
“Brother He, why didn’t you say so earlier?!” Xiao Hongyu fretted and whipped his horse’s rump. His mount neighed before sprinting forward like a shooting star.
He Changdi’s expression darkened and he urged his own mount on to chase after Xiao Hongyu.
That stupid brat. Chu Lian was his wife! Why was he running back so quickly? Was he already sick of living?
Actually, what Xiao Hongyu was racing after wasn’t Chu Lian herself. In his mind, Chu Lian was equivalent to delicious meat and porridge instead.
There was still quite a bit of distance between the frontlines and the border troops’ camp.
The two brothers started chatting idly on the way back.
“Brother He, why did Sister-in-Law come to camp?”
“The Empress Dowager’s decree,” He Changdi replied very succinctly. He was still a man of few words.
Xiao Hongyu was smart enough to understand after a moment of thought, so he nodded.
“Brother He, I really admire Sister-in-Law. My father had to threaten me with a stick to make me go to the northern border and join the army! It’s an amazing feat for a young lady like Sister-in-Law to come out to a place like this.”
Xiao Hongyu’s casual words made He Changdi stiffen up. His originally icy expression dropped a few more degrees.
However, Xiao Hongyu was just too oblivious to realise that his simple words had roused a hive of bees in He Sanlang’s heart.
All of a sudden, Xiao Hongyu seemed to have recalled something. The joy that had been on his face completely disappeared, only to be replaced with embarrassment.
Xiao Hongyu hesitated for a moment. Then, he asked, “Brother He, Sister-in-Law won’t be going to our tent, right?”
He Changdi frowned as he replied, “Brother Guo should be bringing your sister-in-law over there. What’s wrong?”
Upon hearing He Sanlang’s answer, Xiao Hongyu cried out in anguish. He then tried to glance secretly at He Sanlang. Unfortunately, when faced with He Sanlang’s gloomy stare, he didn’t dare to hide anything and confessed exactly what he had done.
“What! Say that one more time!” He Changdi wanted to kick this stupid fellow right off his horse.
“Brother He, just forgive me this once. I didn’t do it on purpose! I was just afraid that Brother Guo would come and search our tent! How about I lend you that lewd book later on? Anyway, I hid it really well. Sister-in-Law won’t be able to find it at all.”
He Changdi’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He didn’t even want to bother talking to Xiao Hongyu anymore.
Xiao Hongyu followed behind He Sanlang obediently. He knew that he had really done Brother He dirty this time.
However, there was also a shred of dissatisfaction in his heart. Xiao Hongyu felt that he hadn’t done anything wrong at all.
All of them were already married, and Brother He’s wife had even come thousands of miles to visit him. The two of them were probably going to exchange sweet nothings with each other once they met. He was the only single man in the group; were they going to bar him from looking at some lewd drawings to release all his pent up pressure?
Xiao Hongyu felt that instead of He Sanlang, he was the one who had suffered some grievous harm.
