"Yunyu Gege…"

"Yes?"

"… Do you really need to leave so early?"

Bai Yunyu could feel a small hand grabbed the hem of his tunic. He looked down and saw Xu Jiansheng with his frowning chubby face, pouting at him, "Yunyu Gege, do you not like it here?"

"Hm? What do you mean?" Yunyu asked while he checked his belonging. Few left after his house was burned down.

"Do you not like it in Xi mansion? Why do you leave so fast?" Xu Jiansheng's whining voice stopped Yunyu from doing his stuff. He sighed and crouched to be at Xu Jiansheng's height.

He held Jiansheng's shoulder and said, "Jiansheng, Yunyu Gege will have to study at the border. It will take a long time… if ever, for me to return. But trust me, I will send some letters along the way, okay?"

Xu Jiansheng pouted, "When I get bigger, I will go to the military as well!"

Yunyu chuckled and rubbed Jiansheng's head, "Okay, okay, you can do that too. But you should also focus on your study, okay?"

Bai Yunyu was ready to use the carriage to go to the gate, the rendezvous for him and the Imperial troops, so he could go to the border in the north.

Before he left, Xu Jiansheng asked for the last time, "Yunyu Gege… when I'm older, are you willing to be… my wife?"

Bai Yunyu paused for a moment. He looked at Xu Jiansheng, who had such determination in his eyes. As if he was clutching on the only hope that they could be together somehow.

[Pupa, I really don't know how to repay my debt for him. He has helped tremendously in this world, the previous world, and probably many other worlds as well.]

[But he is not the master of the world. He doesn't have any Fatemeter.]

[Pupa: You can just ignore him. His presence bears no significance to our mission. In fact, I think it's better to just ignore him completely.]

[I can't. After so much sacrifice he made for me, I need to repay my debt. If love is what he wants, then I will try to find the way for it. I will compensate him.]

Yunyu crouched again, and this time, he kissed Xu Jiansheng's forehead, "Jiansheng, listen to me carefully. We cannot be together in this world, but in the next world… or when I find the suitable world, I will sacrifice that world and forcefully restart, but I will stay with you in that one timeline. It's okay for me to fail one time, as long as you're happy, okay?"

Xu Jiansheng stared at Bai Yunyu, full of questions in his head, "Yunyu Gege, I don't understand…."

"Just keep that in your mind forever, okay?"

"… Promise me, Yunyu Gege."

"I promise. I will sacrifice a world for you, Xu Jiansheng," Bai Yunyu promised. Xu Jiansheng could only stare at his Yunyu Gege and then nodded.

Yunyu then shifted his attention at Meilan. She was actually around Xu Jiansheng's age, "Meilan, I know our time is short, and you have to witness the death of my father…."

"But remember this, Meilan. I treasure you a lot, that's why I can't bring you. I don't want you to get hurt. You will stay here with Young Master Xu. You will be his new servant. Serve him well, and he will treat you even better."

Meilan was crying as she jumped at her master, "Master Bai… will you return and take me with you later?"

"… I will," Bai Yunyu smiled and kissed Meilan's forehead. "Be good, Meilan."

Yunyu's departure was dramatically witnessed by the people in the Duke Xi mansion because Madam Xu also had such a good impression of Yunyu.

Bai Yunyu smiled at them for the last time before his carriage took off to the gate of the Capital City.

[There is no sign of Huang Shu, Pupa, do you think he will not go with me?]

[Pupa: The probability is really slim. I told you before, this kind of drafting to the border trick won't work.]

[Aish, this is a test for him! If he loves me truly, then he will strip all that rank of Imperial Prince and go to the border with me!]

[Pupa: You're talking about the impossible. He is the most popular and second strongest in position after Crown Prince Huang Bei.]

[…]

Yunyu was in a bad mood after debating with Pupa because 90% of what Pupa said could be true. It was simply impossible for Huang Shu to strip all his ranks just for a Ger.

Because in the second timeline, where he was thrown to the Cold Palace. Huang Shu loved his status as Golden Emperor so much that he became nonchalant over everything but his rank.

So Yunyu thought that Huang Shu should have the same quality in this world as well.

Yunyu sighed as he saw two big carriages used to transport food supply and a smaller one supposedly for his transportation.

Yunyu bowed his head politely at the Commander whom he met yesterday. The Commander then said, "Bai Yunyu, you stay in that carriage. It has been prepared for you. There are many books for you as well, in case you want to study more. His Majesty has a lot of expectation for you, so study well to be a good military strategist."

"Thank you, Commander. I will try my best."

Bai Yunyu hopped inside the carriage, and after a while, the military caravan started moving.

Bai Yunyu sat on the carriage, watching the scenery that he rarely saw in the Capital City. It felt liberating, indeed. But he also missed Huang Shu so suddenly.

It had been a year since they were secretly dating, and everything went so well until two days ago.

Bai Yunyu sighed and then started reading some books to kill time. After almost six hours, the troop was about to rest for a while, so Yunyu asked the coachman, "How long will it take for us to rest?"

The coachman was silent for a moment, then he replied, "Around an hour, Master. We will have a long rest at night."

Bai Yunyu held his breath when he heard this voice. It was so familiar for him. This coachman had the same sweet voice as the man who teased him every day before.

"Y—You, please turn your face at me," Bai Yunyu requested.

The coachman chuckled and then slowly turned his face towards Bai Yunyu behind him. So Yunyu could see his facial features clearly.

Sword eyebrows, deep gaze, defined facial features, and the sweet smile that Yunyu missed.

"H—Huang SHu?!"

Huang Shu chuckled again when he heard Yunyu's reaction, "Why are you so shocked?"

"But why? How can you be here as my coachman?!"

Huang Shu was pleased with Yunyu's reaction. This meant that Yunyu didn't really hate him, just the circumstances around him as the Imperial Prince.

"Well, it is what you see right now. I will be your coachman for the whole trip to the north, don't worry, I'm really good at horse riding."

"Huang Shu… why?"

Huang Shu grinned and replied, "Isn't it obvious? Bai Yunyu, my beloved, I will always be by your side."