Chapter LXXIV - Three Hours Apart
The letter became famous inside Prince Rui's estate.
Unfortunately for Prince Rui.
Because by midnight:
Steward Zhou had heard about it.
Qingyu had heard about it.
Half the servants had heard about it.
The guards were trying very hard not to laugh.
The terrifying Prince Rui— the empire's most feared general—
had ridden three hours north and immediately sent:
This prince already misses you.
Hopeless.
Absolutely hopeless.
—
Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, Prince Rui sat inside the first military camp looking entirely serious.
As though he had not embarrassed himself at all.
Military commanders surrounded a large campaign table while reports arrived continuously.
Enemy cavalry sightings. Supply inventories. River crossings.
War.
Real war.
Yet somehow—
Prince Rui kept glancing toward the camp entrance.
One commander finally gathered courage.
"Your Highness."
Prince Rui looked up.
"What?"
The commander hesitated.
Then:
"Are you waiting for military intelligence?"
Silence.
Prince Rui answered calmly:
"No."
The commander immediately regretted asking.
Then Prince Rui added:
"This prince is waiting for a reply."
The entire command tent froze.
Reply.
A reply.
From Princess Rui.
Several officers looked spiritually exhausted immediately.
Because apparently their commander had reached the battlefield and somehow become worse.
Not better.
Worse.
Dangerous man.
Very dangerous man.
—
Back in the capital, Shen Li sat beneath lantern light with Prince Rui's letter resting beside her.
And despite herself—
she kept rereading it.
Three hours.
Only three hours.
The realization warmed and hurt simultaneously.
Then Qingyu entered carrying tea.
The young maid looked suspicious.
Very suspicious.
"Princess Consort has read the letter six times."
Shen Li calmly lifted her teacup.
"This daughter has not."
"You have."
Silence.
Then Qingyu added:
"His Highness truly became unreasonable."
Shen Li almost smiled.
Only almost.
Then she reached for paper.
Brush.
Ink.
And began writing.
—
Far north, snowstorms swept across military camps.
Prince Rui finished reviewing battle formations shortly after midnight.
The commanders finally escaped.
Leaving only silver wolf guards nearby.
Then hoofbeats echoed outside.
Fast.
Urgent.
Prince Rui looked up immediately.
A messenger.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The guard entered quickly.
"Your Highness."
Prince Rui already knew.
Of course he knew.
Then the messenger presented a sealed letter.
Princess Rui's seal.
The entire tent temperature changed instantly.
The messenger had never witnessed someone open correspondence so quickly before.
Impressive.
Terrifying.
Then Prince Rui unfolded the letter.
And read.
Your Highness,
This daughter believes traveling three hours and immediately writing complaints demonstrates poor military discipline.
The journey is not miserable.
Your Highness is simply dramatic.
This daughter misses Your Highness too.
Please eat properly.
— Shen Li
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The silver wolf guards watched carefully.
Then froze.
Because Prince Rui smiled.
Not slightly.
Not briefly.
Actually smiled.
Warmly.
The guards immediately looked toward the ceiling.
They had families.
They wished to survive.
Then Prince Rui folded the letter carefully.
Far more carefully than military maps.
And quietly:
"Princess Rui misses this prince too."
The statement sounded suspiciously pleased.
Very pleased.
Dangerous man.
—
Unfortunately, the warmth lasted only moments.
Because another messenger arrived.
This one from the border scouts.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Prince Rui's expression sharpened.
The general returned.
The scout knelt.
Snow still covering his cloak.
Then:
"Your Highness."
"Enemy forces crossed the western ridge."
The command tent cooled immediately.
Prince Rui stood.
War maps unfolded.
Commanders summoned.
The battlefield prince emerged completely now.
Cold. Focused. Terrifying.
Then the scout continued:
"Additionally..."
"We intercepted enemy correspondence."
Prince Rui looked up.
"What correspondence?"
The scout hesitated.
Then:
"Someone inside the capital has been communicating with enemy agents."
Silence crashed through the tent.
Because suddenly—
the war wasn't only happening at the border.
It was happening inside the empire too.
Prince Rui's eyes darkened.
Dangerously.
Then very quietly:
"Bring everything."
The scout obeyed immediately.
And somewhere deep inside—
a terrible suspicion began forming.
Because if enemy agents had allies inside the capital...
Then Shen Li might be in far greater danger than anyone realized.
—
That same night, far away in Prince Rui's estate, Shen Li woke suddenly.
No reason.
No sound.
Just instinct.
The room remained quiet.
Snow drifted outside.
Yet an uneasy feeling settled heavily inside her chest.
Danger.
Something was coming.
She didn't know what.
Only that the peace after Prince Rui's departure felt far too fragile.
Then unconsciously—
her fingers brushed the black jade bracelet around her wrist.
And for the first time since he left—
Shen Li wished she were already beside him.
Not in the capital.
Not in the palace.
With him.
Wherever he was.
Because somehow—
distance felt more frightening than war itself now.