Chapter LXXXIV - Northbound
The decision was made before dawn.
Not publicly.
Not formally.
Simply—
inevitably.
—
Snow covered Prince Rui's estate in a blanket of white silence.
Most of the household still slept.
Yet lanterns already glowed inside the western residence.
Preparations had begun.
Quietly.
Carefully.
Without hesitation.
Because Shen Li was going north.
—
The news reached Steward Zhou first.
The old steward stood frozen for several seconds after hearing it.
Then sighed.
Deeply.
The sigh of a man who had expected this outcome all along.
"His Highness will either be relieved..."
"Or destroy the entire northern frontier."
Qingyu nodded immediately.
"Probably both."
A fair assessment.
Very fair.
—
Meanwhile, Shen Li reviewed travel arrangements alongside the Black Sparrow.
An absurd situation.
Completely absurd.
Only weeks ago the woman had been an unknown enemy.
Now she sat calmly across the table helping plan a journey.
Life was strange.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
The Black Sparrow pointed toward a northern trade route.
"Avoid the western road."
Shen Li looked up.
"Why?"
The assassin's expression darkened.
"Too many eyes."
Simple answer.
Terrifying answer.
Then:
"The people watching Prince Rui expect soldiers."
"Officials."
"Messengers."
Her gaze sharpened.
"They don't expect a wife traveling under relief authority."
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Because for the first time—
being underestimated became useful.
—
That afternoon a letter arrived from the north.
Prince Rui's handwriting.
Immediately recognizable.
Immediately dangerous to Shen Li's composure.
She opened it.
And instantly smiled.
Because the first sentence read:
Princess Rui,
This prince strongly suspects the northern weather hates him personally.
Hopeless.
Absolutely hopeless.
Then she continued reading.
The humor faded gradually.
Because beneath the complaints—
she noticed something else.
The handwriting looked tired again.
Sharper.
More rushed.
And near the end:
The military situation remains stable.
Therefore Princess Rui should not worry.
This prince repeats:
Do not worry.
Silence.
Shen Li lowered the letter slowly.
Because Prince Rui only repeated things when worried himself.
Dangerous man.
Very dangerous man.
—
Far north—
Prince Rui stood atop a captured fortress wall.
The battlefield stretched endlessly before him.
Snow.
Mountains.
Smoke rising from distant villages.
Winter war.
The worst kind.
Then a scout approached.
Urgent.
Again.
Always urgent lately.
Prince Rui accepted the report.
Read.
And froze.
Only briefly.
Enough.
Then:
"Repeat that."
The scout swallowed.
"Relief caravans from the capital have begun mobilizing."
Silence.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then:
"Princess Rui's relief initiative received approval."
The winter wind seemed to stop.
For one dangerous second.
Because suddenly—
Prince Rui understood exactly what that meant.
Shen Li.
Traveling north.
Toward him.
Through winter roads.
Through enemy activity.
Through active war zones.
The report nearly crumpled in his hand.
Then one commander made the mistake of looking pleased.
Huge mistake.
Because Prince Rui immediately turned toward him.
"Why are you smiling?"
The commander blinked.
"...Princess Rui is coming?"
Silence.
Then Prince Rui answered:
"Exactly."
The commander became confused.
Wasn't that good?
Apparently not.
Because Prince Rui continued:
"This means Princess Rui will travel through territory containing spies, assassins, and military conflict."
The commander's smile disappeared instantly.
Correct reaction.
—
That night—
Prince Rui wrote the longest letter of the war.
By far.
Four full pages.
The silver wolf courier looked exhausted simply carrying it.
The contents included:
warnings,
instructions,
weather concerns,
road concerns,
food concerns,
horse concerns,
blanket concerns,
and approximately thirty-seven reminders to be careful.
At the very bottom:
Princess Rui,
If you are already traveling north by the time this letter arrives...
This prince requests advance permission to be worried.
Excessively worried.
— Rui
Hopeless.
Absolutely hopeless.
—
Back in the capital—
Shen Li finished reading the travel manifests.
Then quietly looked toward the dark northern horizon beyond her window.
Somewhere out there—
Prince Rui waited.
Fought.
Worried.
Missed her.
Just as she missed him.
Then softly—
almost like a promise—
she whispered:
"Wait for this daughter."
Outside—
snow continued falling.
And for the first time since their separation—
the distance between them had finally begun to close.
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