Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

Douya walked slowly down the corridor, clutching the bag of sugar-coated pastries tightly in her arms. Her heartbeat was like a drum, and her breathing was strangely rapid. Ningxiang's words had already roiled her heart, and now, seeing the master, it was even more turbulent. Such a complicated and embarrassing feeling would probably take some time to calm down.

When she reached the door of Huangfu's coffin, she paused, as if possessed by a mysterious force, looking at the oil-paper package in her hand. She stood there for a long moment. Finally, as if angry with someone, she quickly peeled back the oil-paper, broke off a small piece of the pastry, and stuffed it into her mouth. The sweetness melted on her tongue, but she couldn't taste any joy. Instead, her heart felt even more turbulent. Under normal circumstances, she would never have overstepped her bounds.

"Madam..." She pushed the door open and said in a low voice, "The master sent you a snack."

……

The next morning, when it was still light, many people had gathered outside Gaoyang City.

Zhang Jingwei led the servants in the front yard and waited in an orderly manner by the roadside. The atmosphere was solemn and quiet.

Today is the day Mu Tou leaves.

He came suddenly. He had a big fight with Jiuer that day, and now Jiuer refused to show up when he was about to leave.

Mu Tou carried the heavy axe on his back, and his arms were stuffed full of dry food and dried meat prepared by Zhang Liu.

"Master," he said in a hoarse voice, with reluctance, "This time... Mu Tou is really gone."

Zhang Jingwei tried to remain calm and wanted to be more relaxed, but he couldn't help himself in the end. He quickly turned around and wiped the corners of his eyes with his sleeves: "I didn't want to be so nagging, but..." The words choked in his throat.

Mu Tou smiled innocently, trying to dispel his homesickness: "The spring recruitment is almost over. If I don't go now, it will have to be delayed until the autumn recruitment."

Like taxation, conscription was a key metric for evaluating local officials. To facilitate the use of males to offset taxes, the spring and autumn tax season coincided with conscription. If a household could not afford the tax, they would send a male adult to the army to offset the tax.

Zhang Jingwei took a deep breath, turned around, and cursed with red eyes: "I know. You are a stubborn donkey, just like my horse! If you are determined, no one can pull you back."

Mu Tou nodded heavily: "Thank you for your help, Master."

"Here's a letter of recommendation to General Gao," Zhang Jingwei pulled out a wax-sealed letter from his bosom and stuffed it into Mu's arms. "With this, at least when you go to the military camp, people won't look down on you and you'll suffer less."

"Thank you, young master!" Mu Tou carefully put the letter away.

"I gave you silver, but you refused to accept it," Zhang Jingwei said with a tone of blame and more worry. "If you are short of money, don't force yourself to bear it. Write to me immediately and I will send someone to deliver it to you."

"No, young master," Mu Tou waved his hand quickly, "I heard that the market town in Wuzhou is prosperous and the military pay is generous, enough for us."

Qian Ming, standing by, couldn't help but interrupt, his tone urgent: "You blockhead! Being an official naturally requires a salary, but after all the deductions, how much is left for you? Don't be silly! If you really encounter difficulties, if you don't want to bother the young master, just send a message to us brothers! Do you understand?"

Mu Touhan smiled and nodded: "Don't worry, Brother Lao Qian! When have I ever been polite to you guys?"

Liang Dahai and he were brothers who had struggled out of the most miserable Chaiyuan together. At this moment, his eyes were already red, and he was crying loudly: "Wood... I heard that Wuzhou was fighting fiercely with the Rong people. You... you better not use all your stupidity! When it's time to run, we have to run! You are fast on your feet, those Rong people will definitely not be able to catch up with you! No matter what, come back alive! The young master will definitely protect you!"

Mu Tou laughed and pounded his chest. "Da Hai! Can't you hope for the best for me? What if I do something great? I get a job, and then when I come back, you might even kneel down and call me 'Sir'!"

Liang Dahai cried and laughed, nodding repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes! Lord Mu! I'll wait!"

Wang Ergou was calmer. He stepped forward and patted Mu Tou on the shoulder. "I've already sent someone to scout the way for you. Go east along the Great Wall Pass. It's unobstructed. I won't say much else. Take care!"

Mu Tou suppressed his smile and said solemnly, "Er Gou, I'm gone now. You have to take good care of him. He doesn't like to sleep at night, so just turn off his light. If you do it a few times, he'll go to sleep."

Wang Ergou bit his lips tightly and patted his shoulder, but he couldn't help but shed tears.

The new guard, Jia Dayong, also clasped his fists and said, "Brother Mu, although we haven't been together for long, I am your successor. Don't worry, I will protect the young master at all costs!"

Mu Tou nodded: "With Brother Hanzi's words, I feel much more at ease."

It was already bright daylight, and he couldn't help but look towards the city gate again and again, the anticipation in his eyes gradually dimming: "Jiu'er... hasn't she come yet?"

At this time, Sun Yaolang sighed, walked up slowly, and stuffed a small cloth bag into his hand. "Boy, if you really can't bear to leave, then don't leave. Stay, and I might... help you two get married."

Mu Tou tightly grasped the cloth bag and shook his head, but his eyes were extremely firm: "Auntie, I... I am unwilling to live like this for the rest of my life..."

Sun Yaolang looked at him and finally nodded. "That's what a sensible person would say. My silly girl has already cried her eyes out at home. Here are the pills she made for you. She said it's her own secret recipe. As long as the injury isn't fatal, one pill will bring you back from the brink of death. There aren't many, so I hope you don't need any of them."

Mu Tou took the still warm medicine bottle and bowed deeply to Sun Yaolang.

He turned around abruptly, wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, took a deep breath, and shouted into the distance: "Let's go!"

After saying this, he picked up his axe and strode eastward. Less than ten feet away, he heard Zhang Jingwei's cry from behind: "Wood! Come back alive!"

Mu Tou didn't look back, but his shoulders began to shake violently, and his face was covered with snot and tears.

Suddenly, as if remembering something extremely important, he turned abruptly and ran back, shouting at all the people who were seeing him off, "Master! Everyone! My...my last name isn't actually Mu! My last name is 'Wulianha'! My full name is - Wuliangha Amu!"

Zhang Jingwei was stunned for a moment, then nodded vigorously with red eyes and responded loudly: "I remember! Bad Hamu!"

"It's Wulanha Amu!" Mu Tou corrected with tears and laughter.

"Remember! Get out!" Zhang Jingwei cursed and laughed while waving his hands.

Mu Tou knelt on the ground, kowtowed heavily to Zhang Jingwei, then stood up and strode away without looking back.

This time, he really left.

……

Traveling eastward along the ancient Great Wall pass, Mu Tou gradually met fellow travelers and scattered recruits on the road. He finally had company and felt less lonely.

After walking for about half a day, and almost out of Gaoyang County, a familiar, petite figure suddenly caught my eye, her shoulders twitching, beneath a withered tree beside the road.

"You big fool..." A voice with a heavy crying tone came.

Mu Tou was shocked and could hardly believe his ears: "Jiu'er?!"

Huangfu Ling was leading a horse, standing not far behind Jiuer, and said softly: "She will come to see you eventually, so I will send her here."

Mu Tou quickly bowed to Huangfu Ling: "Thank you, Madam!"

Jiuer raised her red and swollen eyes and looked at him: "Big fool... remember to write to me."

Mu Tou scratched his head in embarrassment: "You've already called me a fool... I can only recognize those few words, but I'm afraid I can't write a letter..."

"I don't care!" Jiu'er's tears welled up again, and she said stubbornly in a sobbing voice, "I want to know your news all the time! If you dare to lose contact, I will go to the military camp to find you! If I can't find you in the military camp, I will go to the ends of the earth to find you! Uuuuuuuuu..."

Mu Tou looked at her, his heart aching: "What if... I have already..."

"No!" Jiuer interrupted him suddenly with unquestionable determination, "I won't allow anything to happen to you! You won't allow anything to happen to you! Do you hear me?"

Mu Tou looked at her, nodded heavily, and promised: "Okay! I promise you!"

The next moment, Jiuer suddenly threw herself into his arms, and Mutou subconsciously hugged her tightly. In Huangfu Ling's slightly surprised and smirking eyes, Jiuer stood on tiptoe, with salty tears, and kissed his clumsy lips deeply.

The wilderness wind swept across the ruins of the Great Wall, blowing the clothes of the two people, but it could not blow away the deep affection and concern at the moment of parting.