Beitang Ao returned after noon.
Lin Yanyan had finished incense offerings and was going to visit relatives in the city.
Beitang Ao had no interest in such door-to-door New Year visits, and Lin Yanyan did not dare to force him, so she went alone.
Beitang Ao rode his beloved horse Moxue back, seeing snowflakes falling again from the sky, thinking of the person still kneeling in the Shenmei Courtyard, feeling gloomy and unsettled.
No matter what, the matter of the child could not be changed.
He had already committed an unforgivable sin by hiding the pregnancy from him for so long; now wanting the child back was absolutely impossible! Beitang Ao did not return directly to the inner courtyard but personally led his horse to the stable to groom and dust off the snowflakes from its body.
A figure silently appeared behind Beitang Ao and softly said, "Gate Master, the matter has been taken care of!" Beitang Ao nodded lightly without speaking or turning around, continuing to stroke his horse's mane.
Like when it came, without a trace, the figure instantly left, not even leaving a shadow behind.
Everything happened in an instant.
If someone had seen the scene just now, they would have thought they were hallucinating, seeing a ghostly shadow for half a day.
Returning to the room, Beitang Ao deliberately avoided the front courtyard and went back through the stable's backyard.
He knew that Yan Feili was definitely still kneeling in the front courtyard at this moment.
He didn't want to see him; it upset him! Yes, upset! Although Beitang Ao appeared calm on the surface, inside he was restless and troubled.
This was something he had never experienced in his twenty-two years.
During the six months since leaving the main headquarters, Beitang Ao had deliberately tried to forget everything about that day.
But the more he tried to forget, the clearer the memories became.
Although he was unconscious at the time, the intense pleasure coursing through Yan Feili's body was deeply imprinted in his mind.
The tightness and warmth of Yan Feili were completely different from that of a woman.
So much so that when he was at the Marquis's residence in the capital of Mingguo, facing many beauties sent by the monarch, he felt no desire at all.
Beitang Ao liked women, especially beautiful ones.
But he was not lustful, nor addicted to carnal desires.
In his eyes, women were merely tools for continuing the family line.
Even his fiancée, Lin Yanyan, was no exception.
It was just that Lin Yanyan was of noble status and clever; she would be his legitimate wife in the future.
After returning to the main headquarters, at the annual banquet, Beitang Ao was full of spirit, with a beauty by his side, completely ignoring Yan Feili.
Later, when Lin Yanyan got drunk, Beitang Ao escorted her back to her room. When he came out, he intended to return to the banquet and drink with his brothers.
But passing by Yan Feili's bamboo garden, he suddenly felt a pang in his heart, recalling that Huaxiangyan from the East Gate had told him earlier that Yan Feili was unwell and had left early.
Yan Feili was always in good health; how could he suddenly be unwell? Beitang Ao thought for a moment, but still concerned about Yan Feili, he entered the bamboo garden.
Unexpectedly, hearing moans, he entered the bedroom and saw Yan Feili lying on the bed with his legs spread wide, held down by Huaxiangyan and Qiu Yeyuan.
Anyone seeing the scene would naturally think of something obscene.
Beitang Ao was no exception.
But before he could scold this capable subordinate for such a shameful act, Qiu Yeyuan's words shocked him! Beitang Ao, unstable in childhood but well-read and knowledgeable, had seen many essays and records.
He was intelligent and had a photographic memory. Seeing that Yan Feili was indeed in labor, he was stunned for a moment before memories of the Maya tribe's records surfaced in his mind.
Yan Feili struggled through the night and actually gave birth to a baby boy.
Beitang Ao glanced at the birthmark on the child's chest and understood everything.
This matter was incredibly unbelievable and beyond imagination.
Beitang Ao thought carefully for a whole day, and that night personally took the child away.
Now Yan Feili was kneeling in the front courtyard, and Beitang Ao naturally knew what he was asking for.
Annoyed that Yan Feili had hidden the matter of the child from him and openly came here to plead, Beitang Ao decided to ignore him for the time being.
"Master, Doctor Qiu requests an audience."
A servant reported.
"Master Beitang…" Before the servant could finish, Qiu Yeyuan had already barged in.
"Doctor Qiu, what is the matter?" Beitang Ao waved his hand, dismissing the servant, then sat at the high wooden sandalwood table and sipped tea.
This Qiu Yeyuan was not only the divine doctor of the Four Heavenly Gates but also the younger brother of Lady Nangong, Qiu Yelan.
Out of respect for his second brother, Beitang Ao had to give him some face.
Qiu Yeyuan, anxious and worried, disregarded his status and barged in, only to see Master Beitang leisurely drinking tea, which made him even more anxious.
"I apologize for intruding, Master!" "Doctor Qiu, no need for formalities. Just speak your mind!" "Master, I don't know what mistake General Yan has made, but why is he being punished to kneel in the front yard?"
Beitang Ao said coldly, "I did not punish him; he chose to kneel there himself."
Qiu Yeyuan was startled by this.
"If you don't believe me, Doctor Qiu, you can ask him yourself!" Beitang Ao saw the flicker of doubt on his face and said displeasedly.
"General Yan is already unconscious and cannot hear me!" Qiu Yeyuan was sweating profusely, stamping his feet anxiously.
He had just found Yan Feili with great difficulty but saw his pale face, stiff body, numb mind, and no response to his calls and questions.
He reached out to pull Yan Feili up but was pushed away stubbornly; Yan Feili still knelt there as if he did not recognize who was in front of him.
Qiu Yeyuan knew he was delirious, his thoughts scattered, barely holding on with a faint will.
"What!?" Beitang Ao was shocked, put down his teacup, stood up, and looked out the window.
He saw Yan Feili kneeling far away, his head and shoulders covered in snow, his black hair spread out like ink on white snow, like a brushstroke on a white canvas.
"Master, I cannot speak much about the North Gate matters.
But General Yan has always been humble and cautious, and has contributed much to the Heavenly Gate… No matter what mistake he made, please, for his loyal years of service, persuade him.
You know, kneeling in this heavy snow so soon after childbirth could be life-threatening!" Qiu Yeyuan pleaded with a healer's heart, wanting to save a life.
Beitang Ao had not considered the effects of Yan Feili kneeling after childbirth, but hearing Qiu Yeyuan's words, he realized it was indeed inappropriate and quickly went outside.
As a faint cold fragrance approached, a pair of white soft leather boots appeared before his eyes.
Yan Feili stiffly lifted his head.
Beitang Ao saw his expression; though emotionless, his heart stirred.
He recalled the night they first met, the look in Yan Feili's eyes.
At that time, he felt that young, handsome general had eyes that did not match his status—black like a spotted deer.
Those eyes revealed loneliness, longing, and sorrow.
Like a puppy about to be abandoned by its master, begging for the last caress and pity.
So, somehow, the words "Do you want to come with me?" slipped out easily.
Now, those eyes showed even more sorrow, but the hopeful light had been replaced by a faint despair.
"Feili, get up!" Yan Feili slowly shook his head, feeling a wave of dizziness from the slight movement.
"Master, please… I beg you…" Yan Feili pleaded hoarsely and tremblingly to Beitang Ao.
"No!" Beitang Ao refused again before he finished speaking.
Despair surfaced in Yan Feili's eyes.
Beitang Ao softened his tone: "The child has been sent away; I won't harm him.
But you will never see him again in this life!" Yan Feili's eyes instantly went hollow, his whole body shuddered, and he collapsed forward.
