Don't be tempted, sir

"Xiao Yuan, I will send Deputy General Zhao to protect you this time. You can use this year's cotton as a bargaining chip. I think Qiang will not refuse."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will leave early and return early to live up to your expectations."

Eunuch Li reported, "Your Majesty, General Shen Changjun is outside seeking an audience."

"Proclaim"

Shen Changjun entered the hall and bowed, "Your Majesty, may Your Majesty live forever."

"What's the matter, Lord?"

"Your Majesty, I heard from my father that Lord Song is going to Qiang to lobby for an antidote for my second brother, so I came here to accept his order and go with him."

Song Xiaoyuan said calmly, "Don't worry, my lord. The Qiang Kingdom will not do anything to diplomats. You should stay and take care of your family."

"Father has returned safely. Father is in charge of the family affairs. Lord Song is running around for my second brother, so I should protect you."

Emperor Yan: "I agree! Fathers are kind and sons are filial, brothers are friendly and younger brothers are respectful, why can't we have peace!"

Eunuch Li came to report again, "Your Majesty, General Zhao Chongtai is waiting outside the palace."

"Proclaim"

"Your Majesty, may your Majesty be blessed with good health."

"Deputy General Zhao, are you willing to go and protect the Song envoys who are going to the Qiang Kingdom?"

"I am willing to protect the safety of Song's foreign envoys."

"Okay! Song Xiaoyuan, Zhao Chongtai, and Shen Changjun, listen to my orders. I order Song Xiaoyuan to be the diplomatic envoy, Zhao Chongtai to be the escort leader, and Shen Changjun to be the deputy escort leader. They will lead a group of people to the Qiang Kingdom. The longest they can go is one month, and they can return quickly."

"Yes! We obey your command and will set off immediately," the three replied.

The three of them immediately went home to prepare. Song Xiaoyuan took Awu to meet up at Shen's mansion, while Zhao Chongtai's military camp assembled the troops at the city gate.

Song Xiaoyuan arrived at the door of Shen's house and saw General Shen and Shen Changjun's wife seeing him off. He dismounted and handed the hairpin to Shen Changjun.

"This is the hairpin your sister left on the carriage last time and has not been returned yet."

Shen Changjun took it and said, "Oh...thank you for that night," then handed it to Wang, explained the situation and asked Wang to return it to Shen Yining.

Then the two said goodbye and rushed to the city gate.

Then a group of ten men rode away into the night.

------

Qizhu took Shen Yining back to the Shen Mansion. Everyone in the Shen family was waiting in the lobby for Shen Rushan and Shen Changqing who had just come down from the court. Old Madam Shen saw that Shen Yining seemed to have lost her soul, and she knew that she had seen something. She didn't know what it was, so she asked hurriedly, "Qizhu, Yining, what did you buy today? Was it fun?"

Shen Yining replied blankly, "I bought some flowers, but they are lost. The flowers are lost."

Mrs. Shen waved and said, "Qizhu, take Yining and sit here."

Zhao Qizhu settled Shen Yining down. After she sat down, she spoke again, "To Grandma Shen, we bought some flowers, but they were so excited to welcome my uncle that they gave them to me."

Old Mrs. Shen smiled kindly and said, "Yes, I donated it! Haha."

The gatekeeper came to report, "Here they are, Grandpa and the Young Master are coming down from court..."

Everyone went out to greet them, with Shen Yining and Qizhu in the front.

Shen Yining watched Shen Changqing come down. He looked thinner and more haggard. Although he had deliberately made up his face, his eyes were full of fatigue...

Seeing Shen Changqing reaching out his hand, the carriage curtain opened again and a young girl came down. She was dressed differently from the Liao people. She was slender and dressed in a lilac gauze dress, with a beaded curtain covering her face and long sleeves fluttering. Shen Changqing helped her get off the carriage, and the two looked at each other with their eyes full of amorous feelings.

Shen Yining felt a little inferior at this moment. He lowered his head to look at his embroidered shoes that had just been hit by the flowers. There was a lot of pollen on them. It looked very dirty, and he couldn't help but shrink his feet.

The woman got off the bus, stood still, and took off the pearl necklace that covered her face. "My name is Yaojiu. I don't know how many etiquettes there are in the capital."

Mrs. Shen said politely, "It's okay, it's okay, just do whatever you want at home."

Qizhu looked at the face under the pearl necklace. Every frown and smile was captivating. Her eyes were breathtaking. She pulled Shen Yining and said, "Although, she is really beautiful."

"Yeah." Shen Yining stared blankly at Shen Changqing taking care of the woman considerately, and felt sour in his heart.

Shen Changqing looked at Shen Yining and greeted him, "Yining, why are you stunned? Do you not recognize your second brother? Or are you too happy?"

Shen Yining came back to his senses and said, "Hello, second brother. Hello, second brother."

Shen Changqing smiled. "Girl, you've grown up in just a few months! You've grown taller! Why are you thinner?"

"Brother, you have lost weight too, but it is due to hard work."

"Yes! It's a bit hard, but it will be fine after a few days of rest."

Mrs. Shen interrupted, "Alright, alright, now that you're back safely, go into the house quickly and don't stand here talking in the wind." She held Shen Changqing's wrist with concern and wiped her tears with a handkerchief.

Shen Changqing patted Mrs. Shen's hand to comfort her. "Mother, it's okay."

Now Mrs. Shen cried even more sadly.

Shen Yining thought her mother was crying because of joy, and she was also infected and wanted to cry.

Shen Rushan tried to smooth things over, "Okay, okay, let's talk about it after we get inside..."

Shen Changqing took Yao Jiu's hand and walked into the mansion.