The carriage procession slowly followed behind.
The shadow of the Western Xia Mission grew smaller and smaller.
By the time the three sloppy ghosts who ran out of Bai Fang Pavilion finally caught up.
The Western Xia Mission was nowhere to be seen.
The three of them stared at each other, unable to say a word.
"They’ve... left already?" Monster looked shocked.
Rat retorted with annoyance.
"Of course they’ve left, were they supposed to wait for us?!"
"It’s all my fault, I drank too much last night!"
Beside him, Tiger also muttered with his head down.
"I’m to blame, I shouldn’t have lost control!"
"I drank too much, too!" Rat lowered his head.
"If we had known, we wouldn’t have drunk!" Monster regretted.
"If we had known? How could we have known?!"
"Now we didn’t even get to see Brother Ye one last time!"
Rat felt quite upset inside.
The other two had nothing to argue with, so they all hung their heads.
"What’s wrong with you all?" Suddenly, someone came over and asked.
The three of them looked up and were instantly delighted.
"Big brother?"
"It’s big brother!"
"Why are you here, big brother?"
Xia Tingfeng smiled faintly.
"I’m the Emperor’s personal guard. With the Emperor here, naturally, so am I!"
The three suddenly realized and nodded.
Rat asked again.
"Big brother, why weren’t you there last night? Did you see Brother Ye off?"
Monster was also curious.
"Yes, big brother, even though Brother Ye joined us last, he fought alongside us!"
"You should have seen him off, big brother!"
Tiger nodded in agreement on the side.
Xia Tingfeng laughed freely.
"Didn’t I just accompany the Emperor to see them off?!"
"It’s just I was on duty, so I couldn’t show my face!"
"Anyway, it’s the thought that counts!"
After all, the Western Xia Mission had not yet left, and nothing was more important than the Emperor’s safety, wasn’t it?
After hearing this, the three exchanged bewildered glances and were speechless.
"Big brother, you’re being too dismissive! We’re brothers who owe each other our lives!" Rat protested.
Monster wore a face of sorrow too.
"Yes, big brother!"
"Brother Ye even asked about you last night?!"
How come to you, Brother Ye seemed so insignificant!
Tiger also felt a bit unjust for Ye Tang.
’We’re all brothers, why couldn’t you see him off?!’
Xia Tingfeng leisurely glanced at them and gave each of them a punch.
"You brats dare to complain about me?!"
"If I had left last night, what about the Emperor’s safety?!"
He couldn’t just ignore the Emperor’s safety.
"But... big brother, you’re not on duty for the full twelve Shi Chen, you can switch shifts, right..." Monster said pitifully.
Xia Tingfeng’s face darkened, and his tone grew heavier.
"Enough!"
"We’re not saying goodbye forever, we can see each other again in the future. Why be so sentimental?"
"Come on, I’ve just finished my shift, let’s go drink!"
Switch shifts?
What a joke.
Last night was Western Xia Kingdom’s final night in Capital City.
Who knew if they might pull something?
He couldn’t trust anyone else with the Emperor’s safety.
As for Ye Tang.
He had thought about seeing her off.
But now their statuses were vastly different, not to mention the difference between a man and a woman.
Moreover...
Xia Tingfeng recalled the way Ye Tang looked at him, always feeling there was something else in it.
So it’s better not to meet.
Not meeting means no longing, which is best for her!
The three were dumbfounded by the scolding.
Seeing big brother’s expression, none of them dared to say more.
Finally, it was Rat who shifted the mood, rallying everyone.
"Hey, big brother is right, we’re not saying goodbye forever!"
"If we want to see her, we can just go visit!"
"Right, let’s not dawdle, we’re real men!"
"Come on, let’s go drink!"
"Big brother, you didn’t come last night, so you have to treat us today!"
Tiger looked around and also switched sides.
Pulled Monster along.
"Come on! Let’s go drink!"
After drinking too much last night, I didn’t even get to sleep with a pretty girl!
Monster glanced around, finally putting away his aggrieved look, and followed along.
Xia Tingfeng saw they finally understood and smiled again.
"Alright, I’m treating today!"
"Great!"
The three responded and walked with Xia Tingfeng.
It’s not about blaming, just can’t blame!
...
In the palace.
Zhao Junyao returned almost at midday.
He had been worried about the Western Xia Mission and had numerous court matters to attend to.
It all added up, keeping him busy until late at night.
He hadn’t even entered the harem much.
Even when he did, he just went to Duanning Palace to sit for a bit.
He couldn’t possibly attend to everyone else.
Now that the Western Xia Mission had left, he finally had some free time.