Song Yanshu followed Qin Zhichu silently, keeping a polite distance of about one meter. He remained silent all the way with a deep look on his face. Qin Zhichu stopped walking and turned to look at Song Yanshu behind him. A playful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he jokingly said, "Duke, are you going to take me back to the academy?"

Song Yanshu seemed to wake up from his deep thoughts and realized that he had walked such a long distance with Qin Zhichu. He stopped and said with a little embarrassment: "Miss Qin, please don't blame me, I... I was just a little distracted."

Qin Zhichu chuckled and said, "It's okay, it's okay. I'm already very grateful that the Duke has agreed to continue teaching the children."

Song Yanshu said calmly: "Miss Qin, since I have already sent you here, I will not send you off any further. Be careful on your way."

Qin Zhichu nodded and said, "Please go back, Duke. See you the day after tomorrow."

After saying that, Qin Zhichu smiled slyly, turned around and got on the carriage following behind. Song Yanshu stood where he was, watching the carriage leave before turning back to his mansion.

When Princess Dunchun returned to the palace, she saw her son coming back and asked hurriedly, "Shu'er, has Miss Qin returned?"

Song Yanshu nodded. Princess Dunchun looked at him and asked expectantly, "What do you think of Miss Qin?"

Song Yanshu glanced at Princess Dunchun and said, "Mother, I'm a little tired and want to rest." It was obvious that he didn't want to respond to this boring question.

Seeing that her son was unwilling to say more, Princess Dunchun said angrily, "Shu'er, even if Yuan Ying is a good man, he has become someone else's. You are already thirty years old, and it's time to think about your own life."

Song Yanshu couldn't help but feel annoyed when he heard what Princess Dunchun said. He knew his mother's painstaking efforts. Since Yuan Ying got married, his mother had been talking about his marriage every day, and she wanted to marry any woman for him.

"Mother, I know." Song Yanshu said helplessly.

Princess Dunchun sighed and softened her tone, "I'm not forcing you to get married right away, I just hope you can think about it carefully. The best way to forget a relationship is to start a new one."

Song Yanshu was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Mother, I don't think about love at the moment. I just want to take back the military power in the northwest for my father. This is his life's work." After that, he turned around and went back to his room, leaving Princess Dunchun alone in the hall sighing secretly.

At this time, Murong Xuanyi happened to come over and saw Princess Dunchun sitting in the hall, feeling sad, so he stepped forward and asked with concern, "Aunt, what's wrong with you?"

When Princess Dunchun saw Murong Xuanyi, she immediately showed joy: "Xuanyi, why are you here?"

Murong Xuanyi said, "I came here to see Yanshu for something."

Princess Dunchun said quickly, "Shu'er just went back to his room to rest, saying that he was a little tired. You can go to his room to find him. Xuanyi, you came just in time. Please persuade him to get married soon, so that I can feel more at ease."

Murong Xuanyi looked a little unnatural, and nodded: "Don't worry, aunt, I will find a chance to have a good talk with Yanshu. Don't worry too much and take care of yourself."

Princess Dunchun sighed and said, "The debt of a child is the most tormenting. Alas! Fortunately, you have started a family now. Your mother will definitely be very pleased if she is still alive."

Murong Xuanyi's expression turned colder, and he said coldly: "Although my nephew has started a family, he cannot be filial to his mother. I think my mother must have many regrets."

Princess Dunchun saw this and said quickly, "Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. Go find Yanshu."

Murong Xuanyi responded and turned to walk towards Song Yanshu's room. When he arrived at the door, he knocked gently, and Song Yanshu's slightly low voice came from inside: "What's the matter?"

"It's me, Xuanyi." Murong Xuanyi replied.

The door creaked open, and Song Yanshu appeared at the door, still looking a little tired. He looked at Murong Xuanyi with a bit of indifference, and the two of them were speechless.

After a while, Murong Xuanyi finally broke the silence. He whispered, "Yanshu, I really hope we can still be like before." Thinking back to that time, Song Yanshu always followed him like a little follower, and the relationship between the two was so good. He really didn't want their relationship to become so estranged.

Song Yanshu's eyes dimmed slightly, and he sighed softly, "Yes, but now we are all grown up." As he spoke, he moved aside to make way for the door, "Come in."

Murong Xuanyi walked into the room and his eyes fell on a bottle-like object on the table that he had never seen before. Seeing this, Song Yanshu quickly put the object away and put it in the drawer.

Song Yanshu looked at Murong Xuanyi and asked, "Are you looking for me for something?"

Murong Xuanyi nodded slightly, and then explained to Song Yanshu in detail the current situation of Li Yongjun in the southwest.

Song Yanshu was a young talent, born in a military family. He was indignant at Li Yongjun's behavior. He said angrily: "Li Yongjun actually dared to collude with the foreign enemy Western Qiang State!"

Murong Xuanyi continued, "He is now using illness as an excuse to disobey the emperor's order and refuses to return to the capital. I plan to execute him secretly. But if I do so, the Southwestern Army will be leaderless and fall into chaos, and the Western Qiang Kingdom will definitely take the opportunity to invade."

Song Yanshu nodded upon hearing this, then looked puzzled: "What is your intention in telling me this?"

Murong Xuanyi said: "The Southwest Army urgently needs a strong general to lead it to calm the troops. After much thought, I think you are the most suitable. What do you think?"

Song Yanshu shook his head and said firmly: "Xuan Yi, my only wish is to regain the Northwest Army for my father. As for the Southwest Army, you should find someone else."

Murong Xuanyi's eyes flashed with complex emotions when he heard this. He walked to the window, looked at the vast sky outside, and sighed softly: "Yanshu, I know what you want, but this matter is serious. If Li Yongjun's affairs are not handled properly, the border will be unstable and the people will not be safe. The military power in the northwest is important, but the major plan of the country needs you and me to share."

He turned around, looked at Song Yanshu firmly, and continued, "I am not forcing you. If the Southwest Army can have a general like you in charge, it will be as stable as a rock and resist foreign aggression. And you may be able to use this as an opportunity to regain the Northwest Army in the future."

After listening to this, Song Yanshu remained silent, his eyes deep, as if he was weighing something. After a moment, he slowly said: "Xuan Yi, let me think about this matter again. I know the importance of the Southwest Army, but the interests involved are complicated, so I need to think carefully."

Seeing that he did not refuse outright, Murong Xuanyi felt relieved. He patted his shoulder and said, "Okay, Yanshu, I'll wait for your reply. But no matter what, we must come up with a countermeasure as soon as possible, otherwise the situation will only become more difficult."

Song Yanshu nodded, his expression solemn: "I understand. However, if this matter is to be accomplished, we still need to plan carefully and lay out the plan carefully to ensure that there will be no mistakes."

The two discussed the details for a while until night fell, and then Murong Xuanyi stood up to say goodbye. Song Yanshu saw him to the door, and looked at his receding back, feeling mixed emotions.

He knew that once he took this step, there would be no turning back, but he also knew that for the sake of his family, country and the world, he had to stand up.

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