Lin Yi looked at Gu Fang in front of her, as if catching a glimpse of a shadow of his former self—the Great Qian War God who, before being broken by plots and pain, could still laugh calmly before thousands of troops and win every battle. She had imagined that version of Gu Fang: sharp, confident, and impossible to ignore in any crowd.
She could actually understand Huang Xining's concerns. Gu Fang was never one to be confined to a pond; even if he now held back his edge, his mind, skills, and potential influence remained unfathomable. Exposing their half-hidden relationship to his eyes was equivalent to handing him leverage. If things changed in the future, Gu Fang turning against them would put them in a very passive position.
But in Lin Yi's heart, she was unwilling to see Gu Fang as a potential threat or schemer. She remembered how, when she first arrived, he had been acutely aware of her unease, gently offering her tolerance and a sense of security without making a show of it. She remembered his kindness in quietly taking in retired soldiers who had been wounded and lost their futures, giving them a last haven. She remembered how, when she came up with ideas that could benefit the people, he had supported her without hesitation, regardless of cost.
She couldn't believe that the same Gu Fang would ever turn a cold blade on them. Her Gu Fang was noble and upright, his mind open and clear; her Gu Fang was a man of character, like a lofty mountain. She trusted him—not blindly, but based on every bit of knowledge and feeling accumulated bit by bit.
As her emotions swirled, Lin Yi couldn't help but ask softly, "Husband, will you always stand by my side? Even if, later on, what we do might touch on some deep-rooted things?"
Gu Fang didn't answer immediately. He reached out, his fingertips lightly brushing her cheek. After a moment, he said slowly, "Xiaoyi, I won't ask where you came from, nor what you and your fellow disciples intend to do. But I know your heart. You are not someone of ill intent. If what you plan truly benefits the people and helps the world, then I have no reason to oppose you."
His voice was not loud, but every word was clear. "I may not fully understand your path, but I will make sure you see me here when you look back. As for the rest, you are my wife. Protecting you and letting you do what you want and need to do is my duty. Why ask whether I stand by you?"
Lin Yi gazed at Gu Fang's calm eyes, and the last trace of gloom brought by others' doubts quietly dissipated.
The light outside the window danced on Gu Fang's sharply defined profile, and the spirited smile from earlier had not yet completely faded. Lin Yi found herself staring until Gu Fang raised an eyebrow again, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "What? Am I that captivating?"
Lin Yi snapped back to reality, not flustered but nodding bluntly. "Yes, you're handsome anyway, but that look just now was even more dazzling. I was completely smitten."
Gu Fang's smile deepened. "Being able to captivate Xiaoyi is my honor."
But Lin Yi seemed to have discovered something new. She studied him closely, unable to resist asking, "Husband, I feel like you've changed a lot recently. Have you come across something joyful?"
Gu Fang chuckled softly. "Joyful recently? Marrying you is the greatest joy." Seeing Lin Yi pouting as if to say 'here you go again,' he dropped the playful tone and said more gently, "Actually, I've always been a bit flamboyant and restless by nature, not as subdued as I've been lately. It's just that after my injury, I was struggling to get better, feeling weighed down and unable to do much, so I forced myself to rein my personality in and became quite withdrawn. But since marrying you, Xiaoyi has brought me so much unexpected joy and light. Maybe it's because I'm feeling lighter at heart that the stagnant air in my chest, which has been pent up for so long, has quietly dispersed. Once a person relaxes, their nature naturally shows."
Lin Yi's eyes grew brighter as she listened, and she said happily, "So this is your true personality. I thought before that you, the invincible War God, should have a particularly dazzling personality. Could it be that your current personality changed after the injury? I've been imagining what your original personality must have been like, how attractive it must have been."
Gu Fang waved his hand, his expression relaxed. "My personality being flamboyant or not has nothing to do with winning or losing battles. To be honest, many of my fellow military officers are actually more low-key and open-minded than I am. I am the odd one among them."
Lin Yi blinked, suddenly inspired, and lowered her voice to guess, "Could it be because they've all tasted defeat before, so they don't feel comfortable being arrogant?"
Gu Fang was amused by her serious guess. He reached out and lightly pinched her cheek, pretending to frown, but his eyes were full of laughter. "You can't say that carelessly. Victory and defeat are common in war; you can't judge people by that." He withdrew his hand, a hint of recollection in his expression. "The reason I'm flamboyant might be because everything went smoothly for me since childhood. Whether learning literature or martial arts, leading troops or deploying formations, I always seemed to grasp things more easily than others. Plus, my parents doted on me extraordinarily and never strictly constrained me." He couldn't help but laugh at himself and shook his head. "Growing up in such an environment, I was an out-and-out bossy little guy, a thoroughly spoiled young master, often giving my elders headaches."
As Lin Yi followed Gu Fang's words, she carefully painted a picture of him as a child. With his current handsome and elegant features, he must have been a delicate, jade-like, beautiful child. The thought made her cup her face, a loving smile spreading across her lips, her eyes becoming dreamy: Oh, just imagining that scene is a bit too much...
Gu Fang felt a little creeped out by Lin Yi's obviously dazed expression and her eerie, doting smile. He asked, puzzled, "Xiaoyi? What are you thinking about?"
Lin Yi snapped out of it, her smile turning even more affectionate. In a tone as if coaxing a little kitten, she said, "I was thinking, what would you have looked like as a child? You must have been such a super cute little bun! White and tender, chubby cheeks, big bright eyes, speaking in a baby voice, with rosy lips and white teeth—like a glutinous rice dumpling come to life!"
Gu Fang: "..." He, the Great Qian War God, the General Gu who made enemies tremble—when had he ever been associated with words like cute, bun, or baby voice? This imagination was absurd.
Speechlessly, Gu Fang pouted and glanced away, then said casually, with a hint of mockery aimed at regaining the upper hand, "You naturally won't get to see me as a child. But then..." He changed the subject, his gaze falling back on Lin Yi's face, implying something, "If we work hard, maybe in the future we can see a child who looks or behaves a lot like you, or a lot like me. Then you'll have a rough idea."
【【【Highlight: He's just talking big! Nothing of that sort has happened!】】】
"Great!" Lin Yi's eyes lit up instantly, almost blurting out with eagerness, "No time like the present! Husband is right. Such an important matter should be arranged early. Tonight we'll—Mmph!"
She didn't finish her sentence because Gu Fang, quick-eyed, covered her mouth gently with a smile. The expression of helplessness and amusement on his face was even more evident. He shook his head inwardly: It seemed that when it came to bluntness, he had never gotten the upper hand with this girl.
Looking at her eager expression, ready to spring into action, Gu Fang finally chuckled. "Whatever Xiaoyi likes. But let's not rush into having children. You're still young; getting pregnant too early isn't good for your health. Besides, bearing too many children takes a toll on a woman's body."
Lin Yi blinked, curious. "How do you know it's not good for me to get pregnant too early?" She suddenly understood—no wonder whenever things got intense, Gu Fang always held back at the last moment. He was concerned about that. "But aren't most women my age already having children?"
"I read it in books," Gu Fang replied calmly. "Princess Hezheng gave birth to eight sons. She died the day after her last childbirth, at just thirty-six. Consort Wei gave birth six times and died at forty-nine. Empress Zhangsun had seven children and also passed away at thirty-six."
Lin Yi: "..." Those examples were indeed specific and shocking. She didn't know whether to admire Gu Fang's research or complain about how alarming his examples were.
"So, you don't want us to have children too soon, and you don't want too many?" Lin Yi sorted out his meaning, but even more surprised, "But isn't it said that many children bring many blessings and prosperity to a family?"
Gu Fang raised an eyebrow, his expression calm. "Emperor Zhao of Western Han, Emperor Cheng, Emperor Ai; Emperor Renzong of Song, Emperor Zhezong, Emperor Gaozong, Emperor Ningzong—all died without heirs. An emperor commands the whole realm and has many consorts, yet still ends up without descendants. How much more so for ordinary people? The fate of having children cannot be forced, nor is more always better. Instead of chasing numbers and depleting one's foundation, it's better to let nature take its course and focus on upbringing. One or two good children, filling your arms, is enough."
Lin Yi was stunned, looking at Gu Fang with admiration. She suddenly remembered a study she had read, which mentioned that in long ancient history, less than 20% of men actually left descendants, yet the obsession with many offspring ran through almost all of agricultural civilization and even continued to this day.
She sat up straight, raised her hands in a salute, and said sincerely, "Impressive, husband! I never expected you to have such insight. Your thinking is beyond the limitations of this era!"
Gu Fang's voice was very soft. "Sometimes I think, if life is ultimately empty, then the passing on of lineage is just empty talk."
Lin Yi's heart jumped. She keenly caught the unusual indifference in Gu Fang's words. She immediately sat up straight, looking at him with concern. "Husband, are you okay? Why did you suddenly say something so strange? How can life be empty? Every day we live, the scenery we see, the people we meet, the joys and sorrows we feel—aren't they all real?" Alarm bells rang in her heart: Oh no, could her Gu Fang be suffering from depression? Was it because of the huge gap after his serious injury? She had to ask Huang Xining about it when she got back. Even if he didn't seem like a psychologist, he was at least a doctor; he would know more than her.
Gu Fang looked up, meeting Lin Yi's worried eyes. Instead, he smiled gently. "I just meant that many worldly constraints and others' opinions don't need to be taken too seriously. Putting too many shackles on yourself only adds trouble."
The reasoning was sound, but Lin Yi felt something was off. People usually comfort others by saying 'life is short, enjoy it' or 'don't listen to the beating of the rain against the forest leaves'; they wouldn't directly say 'life is empty'. That didn't sound like open-mindedness—it seemed like a hidden form of self-denial. No, she definitely had to talk to Huang Xining, even if he could give her some preliminary judgment or advice.
Author's Note: In ancient times, the vast majority of people actually couldn't leave behind descendants. So if any little baby accidentally transmigrates to ancient times, they must be open-minded about having children.