After rebirth, I joined forces with my mortal enemy to seek revenge.

Seeing the two of them looking at each other, Yuan Yanchong couldn't help but cough lightly a few times.

"What's the matter, Yuan Zhongcheng?" Pei Jiaoran smiled.

"I wonder when Mr. Pei plans to go back?" Yuan Yanchong looked at her and said in a deep voice, "Aren't you afraid that Chang'an will become a mess?"

Pei Jiaoran lowered his head and glanced at the goldfish bag on his waist, his brows relaxed, "The seals of the Minister of the Central Secretariat are all on me. It's not a big deal if I just sign my name without adding the seal."

After listening to her words, Yuan Yanchong looked at Li Xiujing again.

Before he could speak, Li Xiujing said, "I have other important matters to attend to, and will be leaving Zhaoying soon. Prime Minister Pei and I will not be going back by the same route."

"Will there be a war?" Yuan Yanchong frowned. "If there is a war at this time, it is not a good sign."

Pei Jiaoran sipped his tea and said in a gentle tone, "Whether there is a good omen or not, this war must be fought. I am in charge of the taxes in Jianghuai, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs cannot interfere. Although it is said that we are eating out-of-bounds grain, if necessary, let the local governors spend the taxes sent by the envoys in the states. Next year, this money will be deducted from the taxes that need to be paid, which should not cause too much pressure on the court."

It is impossible to estimate the consumption of supplies in war, and all she can do is to ensure that the front line is worry-free and the rear is well-supplied. The food route from Chang'an to Hexi or Jiannan must be unobstructed.

"Jiannan has been treated like that by you. He has to go through a long journey and may not be completely obedient." Yuan Yan said.

Pei Jiaoran sneered upon hearing this, "Since we have taken advantage of them in terms of money and food, we should give them more benefits."

After hearing her words, Yuan Yanchong said nothing more. He turned around and ordered the officers to carry Wen Shu away, and he took the accompanying imperial censor to investigate the cases and official business of the county government over the years.

Pei Jiaoran and Li Xiujing did not return to the villa either, but wandered around the county town for a while. When it was time for dinner, they returned to the county office.

The meal was already prepared in the public house, and there was no one else except Yuan Yanchong and Wen Shu. Lian Shu hurriedly left after serving the dishes.

Pei Jiaoran glanced at the dishes on the table and smiled, "Don't censors not eat meat when they travel?"

"I'm not on a patrol." Yuan Yan glanced at her, "Hurry up and eat. This wine is a farewell to Li Xiujing. He may lead the Shen Ce Army to war soon."

Smelling the rich aroma of wine, Wen Shu quietly reached out his hand, wanting to pour wine for himself. However, a pair of slender hands snatched the wine jug in front of him and moved it to the other side.

"Lieutenant Wen is injured and cannot drink." Pei Jiaoran glanced at him and said lightly.

There is good wine in front of me, but I cannot drink it. Wen Shu turned his gaze to Li Xiujing, "Xuan Yin, please help me put in a good word."

"I think what Mr. Pei said makes sense." Ignoring Wen Shu's resentful look, Li Xiujing poured Pei Jiaoran a glass of wine and said, "Try it."

Pei Jiaoran picked up the wine cup and took a sip, frowning, "The taste is a little bland."

After three rounds of tea and five flavors of wine, there was little food left on the table.

His eyes wandered over the two of them, and Yuan Yanchong closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He put down the wine cup and glanced at Li Xiujing, signaling him to follow him.

Seeing the two leave, Pei Jiaoran raised his eyebrows and chuckled.

After leaving the public housing, the two walked towards the bamboo forest on one side. Yuan Yanchong finally stopped in front of a cluster of bamboos.

"you two……"

Li Xiujing narrowed his eyes when he heard the question, "What does it have to do with you?"

"You two have been silent for quite some time, which inevitably arouses suspicion." Yuan Yanchong looked at him thoughtfully, "Didn't Li Sikong ask about it?"

Hearing the implication in Yuan Yanchong's words, Li Xiujing's expression remained unchanged. He sneered, "How come there are important people in Chang'an who are interested in my sexual pleasures?"

"No. I'm just curious. After all, you two..." Yuan Yanchong didn't continue the conversation. Instead, he looked as if he wanted to say something but stopped.

With a cold snort, Li Xiujing left in a huff. Yuan Yanchong suddenly came to him, and he thought he wanted to talk about something else. He didn't expect it to be something like this. Could it be that Cui Shao and his people wanted to use the marriage to force her to give up power?

Thinking of this, Li Xiujing's face flashed with worry. He quickly returned to the public kitchen and saw Pei Jiaoran had put down her chopsticks. He put his thoughts aside and walked to her side.

"It's late, let's go back." Li Xiujing said.

He looked at Li Xiujing, then at Yuan Yanchong who came in behind him. Pei Jiaoran smiled and nodded.

After returning to the other courtyard, Pei Jiaoran took off his clothes in front of the screen and was about to go to the bathroom.

"Jiajia." Li Xiujing called.

Pei Jiaoran stopped and folded his arms to look at Li Xiujing, and smiled, "What's wrong?"

"Yuan Yanchong just asked if anything happened between you and me. If so, why haven't you had any offspring for so long?" Li Xiujing met her gaze, "I'm worried that they want to use the marriage to force you to recognize power."

Hearing this, Pei Jiaoran's eyes flashed with sarcasm. Suddenly, he put his hands behind his back and slowly walked towards Li Xiujing, stopping in front of the table and looking down at him.

"So what about Erlang?" Pei Jiaoran asked with a smile.

"I don't care, and I don't want to." Li Xiujing stretched out his arms and put them around Pei Jiaoran's waist. "You need to stay in this world, and this world also needs you."

Pei Jiaoran pursed her lips slightly as Li Xiujing held her. The words of her lover were as beautiful as ever. His eyes were also affectionate and loyal, as if she would be drowned in them if she looked at him for one more time.

But is this really credible? Pei Jiaoran smiled with the corners of his mouth curled up, and bowed slightly. With his face close to his ear, he said in a very faint voice, "Ji Bu is a man of his word. My dear, you are a man of your word, so you should be a man of your word, right?"

"Yeah." Li Xiujing responded.

Warm lips pressed against hers. The next moment, she was pressed on the cold ground. Li Xiujing leaned over. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead. In the autumn night, her forehead was slightly cold. It seemed that the temperature was caused by fear.

Li Xiujing said: "I can keep my promise, please try to trust me a little more."

Lips and teeth moved down, breaths intertwined. The kiss fell on the exposed neck. Under the bright lights in the room, the panting seemed to make the surroundings even hotter.

From time to time, footsteps could be heard at the door. The wind blew in from the half-open window, causing the candlelight to sway.

"It's too bright." Pei Jiaoran murmured.

He picked her up and carefully moved to the candlelight, extinguishing the weak flame. In an instant, they were plunged into darkness, and their passion became even more intense.

With his body sunken on the table, Pei Jiaoran pressed against Li Xiujing's wrinkled clothes and whispered, "Did you break your promise?"

In the dark night, Li Xiujing chuckled, "That doesn't count. The places are all different."

Ignoring Li Xiujing's sophistry, Pei Jiaoran put his arms around his neck. Everything on the table had fallen off, leaving only a wolf-hair brush lying stubbornly on it. Finally, it could no longer withstand the attack of the waves and rolled to the ground.

The autumn wind beats against the window, as if wanting to come in. Watching this intimate exchange of mixed emotions. The dark clouds cover the moon, and the night seems to be very long.