When Yan Yixuan raised his head from the papers, he was surprised to find that it was already morning. He blinked to moisten his dry eyes and stretched his body, wincing as joints cracked and popped.

It had been two days since he got together with Ning Wei, and he’d spent most of yesterday sleeping to recover from the exertion. So when the sky darkened, Yan Yixuan didn’t feel sleepy at all and ended up endeavoring through the night to clear the accumulated workload. Now, it was the next morning already, and he still had work pending. With a sigh, Yan Yixuan determined that he’d have to stop taking days off and work harder so that he could roll in the sheets with Ning Wei without guilt.

After a whole night of sitting at his desk and attending to documents, Yan Yixuan realized his body had become unbearably stiff and his eyes had trouble focusing. He decided to take this chance to stroll around, stretch his limbs, and check in on Ning Wei.

Now that he spent his nights in Yan Yixuan’s company, Ning Wei wasn’t as restless anymore and stopped his nighttime patrolling and training. But since the general still wanted to keep himself in fighting condition, he began seeking out Ruan Shu and some of the more skilled guards for practice bouts when he had time during the day.

When Yan Yixuan was tired of sitting at his desk like now, he’d follow the sound of practice blades hitting each other and relax at the side while watching Ning Wei spar. After spending time quietly admiring Ning Wei’s strong body and agile movements, Yan Yixuan would then return to his study while feeling refreshed.

With similar intentions, the young man was now headed in the direction in which he heard the clack of wooden swords.

When he reached the practice field, Yan Yixuan saw Ning Wei in the midst of taking on four guards at once, his expression sharp and focused. The general wore a short-sleeved outer robe that left his muscled arms exposed, revealing pale scars. Sweat gleamed on his brow while his composure remained unshaken. However, his opponents didn’t seem as well, with one already panting so heavily that it seemed he’d drop unconscious due to lack of breath at any time.

Ruan Shu sat on the porch bordering one side of the practice field. The layer of sweat drying on his skin, the sheathed blades resting beside him, and the dust on his boots indicated that he must have already had his turn against the general.

Yan Yixuan went to sit beside Ruan Shu and silently appreciated his beloved’s swiftly moving form that was practically bursting with violence. The young man’s lips curled up in an unconsciously soft smile as his eyes gleamed. He hungrily devoured his lover with his gaze, pausing every now and then on his flexing limbs or twisting waist. This feeling of his spirits rising just by seeing someone was new and fascinating to Yan Yixuan. He never knew it would be this delightful to be in a relationship.

In a quiet voice, Yan Yixuan asked the man sitting beside him, “Brother Ruan, why don’t you have a lover?”

Ruan Shu was supporting himself with his hands flat on the floor behind him while his legs were crossed loosely at the ankles. He lazily blinked at the younger man and returned, “What brought this on suddenly?”

Yan Yixuan earnestly advised, “I’ve found that having a lover is very fulfilling. You should try it too.”

Ruan Shu’s expression softened. His little brother was like a child who’d discovered a tasty treat and wanted to share it with him so that he could be happy as well. Smiling at the thought, he simply replied, “I’m not interested in pursuing romance.”

Yan Yixuan hunched his shoulders and looked down. “Is it because of me? Am I holding you back?”

Flicking his forehead, Ruan Shu warned, “Don’t.”

The young man covered his forehead and grumbled, “What? If you’re holding back due to having to take care of me, then I want to know.”

“That’s not it,” Ruan Shu said helplessly. “I’m just one of those people who has never had, and never will have, any sexual or romantic interest in others.”

Yan Yixuan showed an expression of realization. “Ah… No wonder you weren’t interested in Elder Sister despite growing up with her.”

Ruan Shu felt his eyebrow twitch with incredulity. “What is Sister Yiwen in your mind? Some irresistible goddess?”

Blinking, Yan Yixuan answered in all seriousness, “Of course.”

Arching a brow, Ruan Shu asked playfully, “Oh? What will your friend the empress think of your comment then?”

The young man chuckled. “Sister Nuo long since agreed with it. She’s often expressed her regrets to me that she didn’t know me sooner. Otherwise she could have discovered Elder Sister earlier and courted her before Brother-in-law could get to her.”

Ruan Shu gave up. This pair of friends was really too alike!

Just then, Ning Wei’s voice called out, “Oh my, do I see a certain little fox sitting there spying on my practice again?”

Yan Yixuan flushed and chided, “Ah-Wei! Don’t say that as if I’m some pervert peeking at you while you’re naked.”

Having finished the sparring session, Ning Wei walked towards Yan Yixuan while toweling off his sweat. “You say that, but the way you ogle at me speaks for itself.”

The young man glared at him, but didn’t know how to refute that.

Ning Wei laughed and it made heat seep into Yan Yixuan’s gaze. His beloved general seemed to exude an overpowering masculine charm while standing there with his well-defined arms exposed, emitting the scent of clean sweat as his vivacious laughter rung loudly.

Yan Yixuan’s embarrassment faded and he smiled before offering his hand. “I’m done taking a break. Walk with me back to the study?”

Ning Wei slung the damp towel over a shoulder and took the young man’s hand, pulling him up. Yan Yixuan got up but didn’t let go, and Ning Wei didn’t seem to have the intention of separating as well. Hand in hand, the pair began walking towards the study.

“Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?” Ning Wei asked after several minutes of companionable silence.

Yan Yixuan chuckled. “Can’t I take a walk with my lover every now and then to reenergize after a night of hard work?”

Ning Wei frowned. “You didn’t sleep yesterday night?” He himself had slept so deeply that he seemed to have missed the young man’s departure from the bed.

Yan Yixuan shrugged. “I rested most of yesterday and caused work to pile up during the last couple of days. I didn’t feel sleepy at night, so I decided to clear some of it. The next thing I knew, it was already morning.”

The general’s frown deepened. He didn’t like how much his beloved was pushing himself.

The young man didn’t give him long to worry before nudging him. “So, how are the household’s guards and Brother Ruan in your sparring sessions?”

His forehead smoothening, Ning Wei responded, “They’re very skilled. Especially Steward Ruan. Out of them all, he has the most situational awareness and uses the terrain to the best advantage. He is also proficient in using many tricks and sleights of hand to confuse his opponent.”

Yan Yixuan looked at him curiously. “Has he ever won against you?”

Ning Wei allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. “No.”

Yan Yixuan chuckled. It must irk his competitive Brother Ruan to no end. Or would he instead feel glad on Yan Yixuan’s behalf?

“What were your previous sparring partners like, comparatively?” the young man inquired.

After a moment of thought, Ning Wei honestly said, “It’s difficult to compare. After all, the guards in the household specialize in protection rather than warfare. Steward Ruan might be multitalented, but his fighting method is geared towards buying time and relies more on defense and temporary engagement. However, my previous sparring partners were soldiers I grew up with, and they later became my subordinates and lieutenants. They are more decisive and merciless while fighting and every one of their moves is aimed to kill as quickly as possible. And since we fought in the war together, we are also more familiar with each others’ fighting styles. It’s really difficult to compare them both.”

Yan Yixuan nodded thoughtfully. Speaking of his subordinates… “Ah-Wei, I realize I’ve never asked you about the people who were with you in the army.”

“Do you want to know?” Ning Wei asked.

The young man nodded and earnestly expressed, “As long as it’s about you, I want to know everything.”

Ning Wei smiled. Since they’d almost reached the study’s door, he gestured to it and said, “Why don’t we sit down and discuss inside?”

Yan Yixuan agreed and led the way into the room. The couple settled beside each other by a table situated at the side of the room.

After resting his sword against his chair and leaning back, Ning Wei threaded his fingers together and placed them on his stomach. “Where would you like me to begin?”

Stretching his legs under the table, the young man sighed and thought for a while. “Why don’t you start by telling me about the people you’re closest to? If I recall, you had three lieutenants you trusted and you made one of them your deputy, didn’t you?”

Ning Wei felt amused at how much research his beloved seemed to have done on him. “Yes. Though my deputy, Jian Lan, ended up tiring of the bloodshed and leaving to lead a stable and quiet life with his family. In contrast, Qiu Qingyue loved the chaos and decided to stay in the army, though she’s taken a temporary leave to indulge herself until the next exciting battle. Ke Jing remained behind to take care of my share of the work since he genuinely enjoys logistics and handling numbers.”

Yan Yixuan leaned closer with an intent expression. “Tell me about them.”

Reading his interest, Ning Wei began, “The one I’m closest with is Jian Lan, though neither of us is very expressive. We grew up together even before the war since our fathers were in the same military division and friendly with each other. Because he underwent training alongside me, we have similar qualifications, and our temperaments are also somewhat alike. That combined with my trust in him was what prompted me to choose him as my deputy.”

Ning Wei crossed his legs and resettled himself, then continued, “Jian Lan’s family runs a small restaurant in the capital and he’s very good at cooking. When he, I, and Qiu Qingyue were still low-ranked soldiers, we ended up in the same team due to our tacit cooperation. Once, we were stranded deep in the jungle bordering the southwest of the empire. Jian Lan cooked for us using the meager rations we had, added with what we could scrounge in the wild. He also taught us both how to cook, though our skills were far from stellar. Jian Lan is the dependable big brother of our group.

“We all figured he’d want to take over his family’s restaurant when he retired, but Jian Lan seemed to have more interest in the ingredients themselves than the food. He said he hoped to live in a quiet and secluded area with his family and grow fruits and vegetables in his own garden. After the war, he used his earnings to buy a house in an isolated area near the outskirts of the capital and fulfilled his dream. I visit him every now and then, though I suppose it’s been more than a month since my last visit.”

Pondering, Yan Yixuan asked, “Since this Jian Lan likes ingredients, why just stop at a fruit and vegetable garden? Why not raise chicken and pigs and fish as well?”

Ning Wei smiled wryly. “After the war, he became fed up with meat and prefers not to deal with it anymore.”

Yan Yixuan was confused. “But Ah-Wei…didn’t you once say that your rations weren’t that luxurious? Where did Jian Lan get to eat so much meat that he got fed up with it?”

Ning Wei barked out a startled laugh. “No, he didn’t tire of meat due to eating too much of it, but rather due to cutting up too much of it.”

After a moment of puzzlement, Yan Yixuan’s eyes widened with realization. Well…he supposed soldiers really did play the part of butchers while on the battlefield.

Yan Yixuan sighed, then asked something he was curious about, “When your deputy wanted to leave, didn’t the others try to stop him? By all accounts, he sounds very capable.”

Ning Wei shook his head with a smile. “Jian Lan is as capable as I am when it comes to taking care of the day-to-day functions of the army, which is to say, it’s not as good as our ability to lead troops into battle. I appointed him as my deputy to give my soldiers a leader who could smoothly take my place if I ever fell in battle. But now that the war is over, neither I nor Jian Lan are as essential anymore. In contrast, Ke Jing is now much more suitable and has taken over the role of my deputy. He’s managing the military in my stead now.”

Frowning doubtfully, Yan Yixuan asked, “Can he really take care of the entire army on his own?”

Shrugging, Ning Wei answered, “As the youngest of us, Ke Jing is unrestrained, audacious, and a mischievous little monkey to be sure, but he has a very organized mind and an eye for details. He loves working with numbers and he likes putting things into order. What the empire’s army needs now is someone who can straighten it out, run routine drills to keep it in shape, and handle the everyday minutiae. Ke Jing is perfect for that.”

Yan Yixuan hummed thoughtfully. “He does sound suitable. But will the soldiers’ morale withstand not having you lead them for so long?”

Ning Wei nodded. “I, Jian Lan, and Qiu Qingyue show our faces at the barracks and training fields every now and then. Ke Jing himself is also very popular due to his outgoing personality, so there won’t be any problems. Our current arrangement is one we discussed thoroughly beforehand and it works for us all.”

Yan Yixuan folded his arms and nodded again. “Since this Qiu Qingyue seems to not mind remaining in the army, why doesn’t she stay back and help Ke Jing?”

Ning Wei winced. “It’s really better if she doesn’t. She’s a troublemaker and likes picking fights with the soldiers due to some things in the past.”

“What happened?” Yan Yixuan asked, leaning his head onto his beloved’s shoulder. His neck had tired since he’d kept his head turned to see Ning Wei.

Letting out a breath, the general revealed, “Qiu Qingyue is from a noble household. Though society has become comparatively progressive, her family hadn’t caught up. Qiu Qingyue hated all the little restrictions placed on her by them due to her gender and fought against them as much as she could.

“A few months before her coming of age ceremony at fifteen, the previous emperor had the brilliant idea to seek a marriage alliance with the Qiu household. He bestowed the rank of a princess on Qiu Qingyue to show his sincerity and warm the Qiu family to him. In the end, the emperor withered away before the wedding talks could go far and the prince Qiu Qingyue was to be wedded to was killed by the current empress soon after she ascended the throne.

“The Qiu household had been backing that prince and made a lot of noise when the empress was crowned, so the empress started crushing them slowly. When their power weakened enough, Qiu Qingyue took the opportunity to run away from home and enlisted in the military while she was still in her teens. But though she learned quickly and was one of the most talented soldiers, she was heavily discriminated against for her gender and previous social standing, and had to go through untold sufferings.

“Some of the particularly contemptible soldiers would gang up on her to beat her, tear her military uniform so she would be punished, break her weapons, steal her things and throw them away, or prevent her from eating at mealtimes. Qiu Qingyue tried to deal with it in her usual fiery-tempered and violent way. But when that didn’t work, she resorted to stealing from those that bullied her to make up for what they ruined. After all, she was a runaway and only had the salary of a low-ranked soldier to live on. She couldn’t afford replacing things that often. Her constantly tight budget also ended up causing her to become a stingy and thrifty person, but that came later.

“Back then, after my father rose up in ranks and saw how Qiu Qingyue was being treated, he took her under his wing and punished the perpetrators severely. Qiu Qingyue joined Jian Lan and me and we became a team of three.

“Once I became the general, I let her choose her own troops to lead. Qiu Qingyue chose mostly women or people who she knew had difficulties fitting in. There was a time when we came across a brothel in the border being taken over by enemy soldiers and she led her troops to give them a thorough beating before rescuing the prostitutes. They then ended up joining Qiu Qingyue’s troops and were trained into fearsome spies. That woman collects the oddest of people and still somehow manages to keep her troops’ reputation as one of the strongest.”

Yan Yixuan chuckled as Ning Wei shook his head with a small smile.

“What about Ke Jing?” the young man asked curiously. “How did he join the three of you?”

Ning Wei wound an arm around his lover as Yan Yixuan rested on his shoulder. “Ke Jing was actually recruited by Qiu Qingyue first. Ke Jing is a man born in a woman’s body, so he didn’t feel very comfortable with how the others viewed him in the beginning. Qiu Qingyue noticed it and took him in. When she learned that he had a talent for balancing books and records, she all too gleefully made him her deputy and shoved all the day-to-day paperwork and management to him. We saw him stagger behind her with dark circles under his eyes while he hoarsely spouted off complaint after complaint so many times that we ended up becoming familiar with him. Before we knew it, he became a part of our little group.”

Yan Yixuan let out a small laugh. “They all seem so amusing. I’m grateful you had such friends to accompany you through the dangers of war.”

Ning Wei’s smile turned rueful. “I don’t know if I can claim to be their friend after I went and became the general.”

Frowning, the young man asked, “Why?”

Ning Wei shrugged a shoulder. “We could’ve continued to be friends if I wasn’t the general and they hadn’t become conditioned to obey me. As it is, even when I stop being their general, I doubt they could ever feel equal to me. They will always feel that I’m above them in authority. Even if I’m determined to never abuse that power, such inequality isn’t conducive to a healthy friendship. It can’t be helped, and I’ve stopped minding it long ago.” Ning Wei gave him a smile. “After all, I now have a lovely little fox of a lover and a family I’m steadily growing closer to.”

Yan Yixuan sensed that his beloved truly meant what he said. He gave Ning Wei a one-armed hug in consolation and smiled at him softly.

Ning Wei let the warmth and care in his beloved’s gesture sink into him and felt his own lips pulling up further. “Speaking of those three, I remember them once ridiculing me and saying that as I am, I would probably never find a partner. And yet I managed to find myself such an exceptional lover.”

Hearing the open pride in his tone, Yan Yixuan flushed with pleasure. He straightened himself and tried to put on a serious expression and said, “Since that’s the case, I’ll graciously let you show me off to your subordinates.”

Ning Wei paused in surprise, then chuckled. “How generous of you. But it would certainly be a good thing for you to meet them. I suppose Ke Jing is too far away at the border and I’m not sure where Qiu Qingyue is. So let’s visit Jian Lan then.”

Yan Yixuan’s eyes shone, but his nod was solemn.

Seeing the contradiction, Ning Wei couldn’t help but pull him close to lay a solid kiss on his mouth. Yan Yixuan startled, but quickly wound his arms around Ning Wei and began reciprocating with equal enthusiasm.

Ning Wei suddenly froze and pulled back, leaving Yan Yixuan confused and panting. The young man wiped his lips with the back of his hand and asked with worry, “What happened?”

Ning Wei shook his head. “I forgot that I’m supposed to take you to meet my family again. After I told them that we got together, they wanted to meet you and welcome you as a part of the family this time.”

Yan Yixuan quickly hid his surprise and pressed his lips together. “Well, I suppose we can meet them first and then go visit Jian Lan. Would that be possible?

Ning Wei nodded. “Yes, it will. We can visit my household on the way.”

Yan Yixuan stood up and began neatening his clothing. “Then let’s set off immediately after breakfast. It wouldn’t do if it becomes too late when we go to see Jian Lan.”

Directing a smirk at the desk and the papers on it that the young man seemed to have forgotten, Ning Wei agreed. After a quick meal, the pair thus set out to the Ning household.