Chapter 42: I Will Bring You Home
[Ha! He should be grateful he wasn’t chosen earlier, yet he happily jumped into a pot of boiling water!]
Lin Xueyi laughed to herself. [Rong Yunzhou... Rong Yunzhou... Your eyes will be the price for taking that jab at Yanyan!]
Rong Shuyan’s lips twitched ever so slightly as he fought the urge to smile.
"Second Imperial Brother is right, Your Majesty," Rong Shuyan said calmly. "It would truly be a blessing if Second Imperial Brother could go to the border as well."
The moment those words left his mouth, everyone’s eyes widened because no one had expected Rong Shuyan to agree so easily.
Rong Yunzhou himself froze for a brief moment before a look of delight flashed across his face.
He had thought Rong Shuyan would oppose him or accuse him of mocking a disabled prince. Instead, Rong Shuyan had supported him.
The Emperor narrowed his eyes as he looked back and forth between his two sons.
"Two are always better than one," the Emperor said. "Since we are indeed short of capable people, Yunzhou, you may accompany Rong Shuyan to the southern border."
Lin Xueyi was still unhappy when she realized Rong Shuyan would have to go to the southern border no matter what. It seemed the Emperor had already made up his mind, and nothing anyone said would change it.
But at least, if Rong Yunzhou went along as well, perhaps the plot of this novel wouldn’t stray too far from the original.
"Princess Consort Rui," the Emperor suddenly said, turning to her. "This Emperor knows how deeply you care for Shuyan. That is why This Emperor will allow you to accompany your husband to the border and look after him."
Lin Xueyi suddenly felt as though her entire body had cracked like glass.
[You bitter old man! Just because I shouted at you once, you’re sending me to the dangerous border!]
[Damn you! Screw your mother! Screw your father! Screw your entire family... except Shuyan!]
"This Prince would be happy if I were allowed to bring Xueyi," Rong Shuyan replied, giving an answer no one had expected. Even the Emperor looked slightly surprised.
[What?! Yanyan, why?!] Lin Xueyi cried in her head.
She wanted to ask him what he was thinking, but with so many people watching, all she could do was stare at him in shock, her lips slightly parted.
"Good. Very good," the Emperor said with satisfaction. "The Southern Wolf Tribe has become more and more aggressive. You will all leave for the southern border in four days."
Rong Shuyan gave a respectful nod. "This Prince understands, Imperial Father."
Meanwhile, Lin Xueyi kept looking at him with a complicated expression because she simply couldn’t understand it.
Taking her to such a dangerous place made it sound as though he wanted his own wife to die with him.
As they walked back to their table, Rong Shuyan whispered, "Your family will most likely come looking for you while I’m away."
Hearing that, Lin Xueyi blinked several times, trying to understand what he meant.
A moment later, she shouted in her mind. [Oh! Lin Zhengfeng will probably try to pressure me into asking for Lin Chenghao to be released from his punishment!]
Lin Zhengfeng probably wouldn’t hurt her physically, but who knew what kind of psychological warfare he might put on her?
Whether she followed Rong Shuyan to the border or stayed behind in Prince Rui’s Manor and faced threats from others, Lin Xueyi knew she would likely suffer either way.
The only difference was that if she went with Rong Shuyan, she could at least use what she knew from the novel to help him deal with the Southern Wolf Tribe.
"Then I will follow you to the border, Your Highness," Lin Xueyi said. "This Consort may not be of much help, but at least—"
"I will bring you back home," Rong Shuyan interrupted firmly. "That is my promise."
Lin Xueyi’s eyes widened. [Is this... the promise of the Sixth Prince?!]
In the novel, the Sixth Prince was also famous for one thing: he never broke a promise.
Whenever Rong Shuyan gave someone his word, he would keep it no matter what stood in his way. It didn’t matter how difficult the situation was or how much he had to sacrifice.
If he said he would do something, then he would do it.
There had even been several times in the novel when everyone believed it was impossible for him to keep his promise, yet, in the end, Rong Shuyan had always found a way.
That was why countless soldiers were willing to follow him.
It was because they trusted him and because they knew the Sixth Prince would never abandon the people he had sworn to protect.
Lin Xueyi slowly looked at the man sitting beside her and whispered, "If that’s the case, then this Consort will hold Your Highness to those words."
After all, if Rong Shuyan truly intended to bring her home, he first had to stay alive.
But that was easier said than done.
Ever since the Emperor ordered him and Rong Yunzhou to leave for the southern border, Rong Shuyan had been busy preparing everything he would need to survive.
He packed enough medicine to open a small pharmacy, plenty of warm clothes, and countless braziers and bags of charcoal in case the border didn’t have enough to keep him warm.
He also brought a large amount of food supplies that would be difficult to find at the border.
Normally, a soldier had to survive the freezing weather and make do with whatever food was available. But if Rong Shuyan continued living the way he had in the past, there was no doubt he would come back as nothing but ashes.
Besides, Lin Xueyi would be going with him as well, so it would be much better if he brought things that would actually be useful for both of them.
If extra blankets could keep them warm, he brought them.
If better food could keep them healthy, he packed it without hesitation.
If more medicine could save a life, he made sure not to leave a single bottle behind.
To everyone else, it looked like Prince Rui was preparing for a long journey.
But to Lin Xueyi, it looked as though he was doing everything he could to make sure they both came back alive.