Disclaimer: I'm translating this novel for fun. I can't promise 100% accuracy, but I'm doing my best to try to make this coherent. Leave a comment if there's anything confusing and I'll try to fix it. If you enjoy the translation and want to support me, tip me a Kofi at https://ko-fi.com/infinite

~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 61 Upsurge

Li Xiao didn't even leave yet, Song Song was already starting to feel unwilling to part with him.

The road to the front lines was long. This trip will most likely take 3-5 months at least, maybe even as long as an entire year. If the situation was worse than they thought, who knew if he could even come back.

Song Song didn't say anything, but he had a dream deep in the night. He dreamt that Li Xiao was plotted against and killed on the battlefield. When the row of troops returned victoriously, they carried a coffin back to him. Song Song was crying his heart out against the coffin in his dream, until someone called him: "Song-er? Song-er? Wake up."

Song Song slowly opened his eyes. The pillow beside his head was wet with tears. Li Xiao cupped his tearstained face and said with furrowed brows: "What's the matter? Had a nightmare?"

Song Song looked at him for a while, unfocused, until he realized that just now he was dreaming, then nodded his head weakly.

Unable to resist smiling, Li Xiao helped him wipe away his tears and said in a warm voice: "What did you dream about?"

".... can't say or else it'll become real."

Li Xiao didn't force him. He laid back down, then poked at Song Song's soft wet cheeks: "It's almost daybreak. Let's sleep a little more."

Still submerged in the panicky feelings of the nightmare, Song Song scooted closer in Li Xiao's embrace. The movement seemed full of yearning. Li Xiao wrapped his arms around him and asked: "Did you dream that I died?"

Song Song's face froze, and he chided angrily: "Don't talk nonsense!"

His wangfei was apparently pretty superstitious.

Li Xiao smiled and said: "Okay. I won't. I won't."

Holding tightly onto Li Xiao's clothes, Song Song felt somewhat uneasy in his heart. Li Xiao couldn't resist teasing him again: "Was I lying in a coffin in your dream?"

Furious, Song Song's fingers abruptly pinched him hard on the waist. Li Xiao flinched in pain. He looked up and met Song Song's tear filled eyes and said regretfully: "This husband was wrong. Don't cry ah."

Song Song was so angry he didn't want to bother with him, but Li Xiao started kissing him: "I heard that if you dream about coffins, you'll be promoted in your job and get rich. Who knows, when I come back, maybe we'll have both."

Song Song had his eyes closed, really wanting to ignore him, but also wanting to grab on to a beautiful vision of the future, so stuffily gave a reply: "En."

Li Xiao will be leaving soon. He didn't want to throw a temper at Li Xiao right now.

It was impossible to procrastinate on military matters. Very quickly, the day for departure arrived. Song Song got up early to make him something to eat. When he came back, Li Xiao was still lazily dawdling in bed. He looked towards his wangfei with half-opened eyes: "Song-er is a really good wife and loving mother."

Song Song glared at him and threw towels at him to wash up: "First eat something."

Li Xiao accompanied him for breakfast. Then Song Song grabbed his heavy armor to help him put it on. Li Xiao spread out both arms and watched Song Song circle around him busily. His cute and adorable appearance really made Li Xiao's heart beat.

Song Song helped him straighten out his body armor all the while fermenting on thoughts of their impending separation. He barely managed to suppress his surging tears when he suddenly heard Li Xiao call him: "Song-er."

Song Song acknowledged with a hum and asked: "What is it?"

"Nothing." Li Xiao's gaze was gentle: "I just wanted to call you."

Song Song 'oh'd in response. He brought Li Xiao's sword over and carefully tied it to his waist and said: "This armor is really heavy."

"It's not that heavy to me." Li Xiao kind of wanted to embrace him in his arms, but he remembered that the armor on his body was hard and cold, while his wangfei's body was soft. It probably wouldn't feel comfortable for Song Song, so he didn't move.

Song Song smiled and said: "I'll send you off."

"Okay."

The two left together, one riding the horse, one riding the carriage. Song Song lifted the carriage curtain, his gaze landing on the man riding in the front. The corner of his eyes couldn't help but redden again. As if he had a 6th sense, Li Xiao turned his face and looked back. Song Song hastily dropped the curtains, sniffled, and then carefully wiped away the hint of tears at the corner of his eyes. He forced a smile and then lifted the curtains again to look out---

And suddenly saw a big face leaning closer.

He jolted from the shock: "You .."

Riding on the horse, Li Xiao had slowed to travel parallel to the carriage. Just now he had stuck his face right outside the window curtain. Seeing he gave Song Song a scare, he drew back and said with a smile: "Crying again?"

"No."

Li Xiao looked like he had long since been used to leaving. He didn't reveal any hint of reluctance. Song Song didn't want to affect the man with his mood.

However, for the rest of the ride, he continued to have the window curtain lifted. His gaze secretly landed on Li Xiao. The more he looked, the more he felt unwilling to part. Hand falling over his abdomen, Song Song's expression seemed somewhat dazed.

He knew that he shouldn't think like this, but at the moment, he really had a thought: Wouldn't it be great if the person leaving right now wasn't Li Xiao. Wouldn't it be great if Li Xiao could stay with him forever.

Outside of the city, the troops were already ready for departure. The other princes also came to see Li Xiao off. When they were about 5km away, Li Xiao finally looked towards Song Song's carriage and said: "Alright. You can return now."

The careless expression that he maintained since the morning finally revealed a slight change. Hesitantly, Song Song stuck his head out from inside the carriage. The corner of his eyes and his nose were red. His face was tender as if it was just washed with water. Li Xiao's solemn expression softened. He got off his horse and walked over. Song Song was also helped off the carriage and heard Li Xiao say: "Let's just stop here. Don't go forward anymore."

Song Song nodded, hesitated briefly, then took out a red jade sword tassel from his sleeve: "I just made it the last two days. It's not very pretty, but I found this jade from my dowry. There's no specific meaning but the pattern has an auspicious sign for safety. Please take it with you, your highness."

What he really wanted to give Li Xiao was something memorable to remember him by, so that when the man saw it, he could think of Song Song. However, back then in the Song family, he was bullied. Anything he owned with some price was stolen. The ornaments that he wore constantly since his youth had all disappeared without a trace. He could only pick out some from the dowry and finally settled on this jade that had the most comfortable color.

Although that jade was called red, it actually was embellished with some golden yellow, looking extremely like the color of the rising sun. On a cursory glance, the color distribution wasn't very even or exact, but the quality of the jade was extremely good. No matter by sight or by touch, it felt very smooth and soft.

Li Xiao looked up, Song Song already walked over and hung it on his sword: "Be careful on your trip."

He took two steps back and gave Li Xiao a slight smile. The look in the other's eyes gradually intensified, as if frantically brewing over something. Song Song felt that, in the next second, maybe he could see a watery shine in Li Xiao's eyes.

"Wait for me to come back."

"En." Song Song smiled again. Li Xiao reached out to touch his face lightly, the reluctance in his heart growing stronger. However, he finally turned around, climbed on his fine steed, and left with his whip in hand.

Song Song uncontrollably followed after him a few steps. Li Yang walked towards him and said: "Brother-in-law has no need to worry. Big brother will return safely."

Song Song nodded. He continued to watch Li Xiao's figure until it disappeared from his view, then said goodbye to everyone and entered his carriage.

When he sat inside, his face was instantly covered in tears.

That day when Li Xiao had carried him away, all he planned was to gain Li Xiao's favor, have the child, and no matter what, stop walking down the same path as his previous life.

When he got married, he thought he would live respectfully with Li Xiao, a life of mediocre indifference. He would complete his duty as wangfei, placing Li Xiao before everything. When Li Xiao said he liked him, he only felt rejoiced. When Li Xiao pampered him, he also only felt rejoiced always thinking about how to repay the man to match the debt of gratitude that he owed.

He thought of their relationship as just ordinary partners passing the days together. Of course, looking at their married status, no one else was as intimate as they were, but that's where it stopped.

He thought that with Li Xiao gone, he could manage everything neatly, without difficulty. When he came back, there would be no change to the king's estate. That would be the best.

But only now did he discover that he wasn't a very qualified wangfei. He couldn't even manage his own feelings well.

He suddenly really missed Li Xiao very much. Missed his face, missed his voice, missed his broad shoulders and warm arms.

He started to worry about Li Xiao. Worrying if he'll be cold, if he's hungry or not, if he'll get sick, if he'll get injured. Even though he knew Li Xiao was very outstanding and very cautious, not to mention he also had memories from the previous life, this worry did not disappear in face of reason.

Not long after Li Xiao led the troops out of the capital, the people sent out by the Prime minister's estate came back with news: "It's confirmed that he's left the city. Jinwu camp is completely empty."

"Next, all we need to do is draw away the military forces from the imperial tutor's estate." Qin Ning reflected and said: "Watch what Song Song is doing carefully."

Song Song seemed completely unaware of the plot rolling along secretly behind his back. Li Xiao's departure looked as if it didn't affect him at all. He still spent most of his time behind closed doors, not going outside. Occasionally, he would take a look at his shops.

Ever since what happened last time, it was no longer convenient for Qin Ning to see the empress. The empress could only use the excuse that Prime Minister Qin had not recovered yet to frequently visit the Qin estate. The siblings gathered together in a hall. Qin Ning's face was somewhat solemn: "Li Xiao left, but there's no way he wouldn't have increased the amount of forces around the king's estate to protect Song Song. However, the estate actually remained as before. Even the secret agents left with him. The only person beside Song Song is Bai Yan."

"Is this a feint?" The empress said: "But Li Xiao really did leave."

"Who knows. Maybe this is only Li Xiao's diversionary tactic, to purposely scare us so we don't dare to rush."

They just finished saying this when someone suddenly brought more news from outside. When Qin Ning finished listening, he started laughing: "The emperor summoned Ping wangfei into the palace. He said that since Li Xiao isn't here, he wants Song Song to visit the empress dowager every five days at a set time to chat."

The empress instantly understood: "Every 5 days at a set time? This is to covertly protect him."

Since Song Song had to visit the empress dowager on a set schedule, if anything happened and Song Song didn't show up, then the people in the palace would immediately notice the disappearance. The empress felt some loathing in her heart: "That old bastard."

"We're not in a hurry to kill him. As long as we do it before Li Xiao returns, there's no way he won't die."

Qin Ning's excessive use of the estate's funding quickly reached Xu Hou's ear. She was a prudent and careful woman. Although her temper was explosive, her thinking was very meticulous. If there were anything changes in the account book, she could tell with just one glance.

"2nd brother suddenly moved all of this gold, what is he using it for?"

Qin An was terrified she'd get angry, so was forced to answer: "Big brother only said he needed money. He never said what it was used for."

Xu Kou felt odd in her heart. The last few days Qin Ning really used an excessive amount of money. She had a suspicion in her heart, so asked her maids to pay little more attention. She quickly received news: "These last few days, people frequently entered and exited from the backdoors. I secretly took a glance. From those people's shoes, I guess they must be important government officials."

Xu Kou's face instantly had a big change.

Suppressing her emotions, she sat inside the room with a solemn expression. When Qin An returned from outside, she ordered servants to close the door tight.

Seeing her close the door, Qin An's heart skipped a beat: "Kou-er. What's going on here?"

"Your big brother recently used so much money, is it to form a coalition?"

She threw the matter out straight to the point and saw Qin An's strange face color. Instantly she became furious and charged towards him. Scared witless, Qin An hastily covered his head. Xu Kou was absolutely pissed: "Li Xiao just brought troops away, and he starts doing this. Just what is he planning to do?!"

"This, this I really don't know. Wife, wife please calm down."

Xu Kou grabbed him and dragged him over: "Do you really not know what's going on or are you pretending not to know? Qin An, your big sister is nuts! Your big brother and your father are idiots. You can't get involved with them, do you understand?!"

"I understand." Qin An knew she was worried about himself and hastily agreed quietly. When Xu Kou saw his response, she instantly felt even more anxious and angry. She said: "From now on, if your big brother wants money, tell him to come find me."

Qin An's expression seemed to hesitate. Abruptly, Xu Kou recalled what the empress said to her before: "What exactly are you hiding from me? If you won't say, then I will go from house to house and ask back all the money your brother gave out as gifts. My face is thick. I'm not afraid of feeling shame."

"No, you can't!"

Xu Kou's expression turned colder: "Looks like you really do know their big plan."

"I "

"What are you stuttering for? Hurry up and explain!!"

Qin An's face looked miserable from her demands: "Li Xiao's influence has grown big now. Brother said that we definitely can't allow Li Xiao to take the throne."

"Why does it matter if he ascended the throne? What does it have anything to do with you or I? We're both business people, so" Xu Kou seemed a little embarrassed for once: "no matter what your brother and sister did, we won't be implicated."

What she said was the truth. People will always get their revenge and people will always return their debts. As long as she, Xu Kou, was present, then the emperor's debt was present. Li Xiao wouldn't harm her, so naturally wouldn't harm Qin An. Just as she said, Qin Ning and Qin Qinghe will taste the consequences of their actions, but it has nothing to do with Xu Kou and Qin An. Even if they lose their current family status, as long as their lives remain, everything will be fine.

Qin An's eyes flashed a hint of remorse, as if he also never thought things would head in this direction. He said with difficulty: "Wife, you don't understand if it was just Li Xiao ascending the throne, then everything would be fine. But the problem is with how much he dotes on Song Song. The day he becomes the emperor, and Song Song becomes the empress, he definitely wouldn't let me go."

The suspicions in Xu Kou's heart rose again: "What do you mean?"

A month after Li Xiao left, Song Song went out to inspect his store. When he left the estate, he suddenly met a woman who bowed deeply to him: "My name is Xu Kou. Pleased to meet you, wangfei your highness."