She was dizzy from Zhang Yu's kisses, not even sure when her clothes had been undone, until Zhang Yu thrust into her and she let out a soft moan. It had been so long since they'd had this… and Zhang Yu was a little impatient, so A-Hao couldn't help but cry out in pain. Zhang Yu didn't move, but remained inside her, gently kissing her lips to let her adjust. He then kissed her pointed chin, a wave of tenderness washing over him.
After a while, feeling the person beneath him ease, Zhang Yu slowly began to move. Ahao didn't cry out in pain again, and his movements became faster and faster, thrusting in and out of her deeply. Perhaps driven by longing, both of them were somewhat frantic, demanding from each other, their passion indescribable, their tenderness boundless. But in such a place, Ahao dared not make a sound, only wanting to kiss Zhang Yu, leaving several marks on his body.
When the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, both of them were covered in sweat. Ah Hao, held in Zhang Yu's arms, was panting. Her hand happened to be on Zhang Yu's waist, so she reached out and touched it. Zhang Yu was already lean, and now she could feel his ribs. She couldn't help but sigh, "Your Majesty has lost quite a bit of weight." Zhang Yu reached out and covered one of her breasts, saying in a teasing tone, "You too, these have shrunk..."
Ahao frowned and removed his hand, saying softly, "I have to get up and go back. I can't stay in your tent for too long." Zhang Yu quickly tightened his arms, pulling her tightly into his embrace, and apologized with a smile, saying to her, "You still like me, it's alright, I don't mind." Ahao looked up at him and snorted, "I really have to go back. You should rest well."
He lowered his head and kissed A-Hao's forehead before saying, "I've missed you so much. It'll probably be a long time before we meet again. Let me hold you a little longer; we'll have dinner together later." Although he desperately wanted to keep A-Hao, he couldn't, especially since he had matters to discuss later. Even holding her now felt like a luxury; he had to cherish it. Hearing this, A-Hao let him hold her without further struggle.
The two spoke quietly for a while, but before Zhang Yu mentioned they would eat together later, Ahao was taken by him again, leaving her feeling even more sore and weak. He seemed to know this, and even massaged and kneaded her for a while. Ahao thought that being served by His Majesty the Emperor was actually quite comfortable... It wasn't until they had washed up that the two finally ate together. Afterwards, Zhang Yu didn't keep Ahao any longer and sent her back, each going about their own business or resting.
·
Inside the imperial palace of the capital of Dayuan, King Ji Heng of Dayuan listened to the reports from the front lines. His brow furrowed slightly, then relaxed. His gaze sharpened as he looked at the assembled officials in the hall, and he asked in a calm voice, "What do you say?"
Daqi's sudden offer of peace and a marriage alliance, though seemingly unlikely to be simple, is still perplexing in its current escalation. The capture of three cities in just over a month is hardly a good sign for Dayuan.
“Your Majesty, General Nie Zhiyuan of the Great Qi is indeed a talented individual and should not be underestimated. Lord Zhao is an official of the Great Qi and must have had considerable contact with General Nie. I believe Lord Zhao can provide support in this battle.”
The speaker was an elderly minister who looked to be in his fifties or sixties, but his tone was not very friendly, especially the sharp look in his eyes when he looked at the man he was referring to, Lord Zhao. He didn't have a good impression of this young man who had defected from the Great Qi Dynasty, and besides, betrayal was something that could happen twice, yet the current emperor was willing to use this person.
Upon hearing this, Ji Heng looked at Zhao Jian, the heir apparent of the Anping Prince who had come from Daqi to seek refuge with him. Zhao Jian had shown considerable sincerity when he joined Dayuan, and Ji Heng had known of him for a long time. At that time, he had also had some contact with Zhao Jian's father, Zhao Liang. Zhao Liang had attempted to usurp the throne, but unfortunately failed.
With Zhao Liang dead, Zhao Jian, the heir apparent, was destined for a bad end. He sought refuge in Dayuan, hoping for a way to survive while also pursuing other goals—such as returning to Daqi, seizing the throne, and avenging his father. He didn't particularly care about Zhao Jian's specific intentions, as long as his ideas didn't harm Dayuan, they hadn't crossed his bottom line.
Zhao Jian, who stood with his head bowed to the side, did not look at anyone. He simply took two steps toward the center, bowed slightly, and then said, "But if Your Majesty gives the order, I will do my utmost and die for you." His tone was neither sincere nor insincere, but rather as if he was simply stating his position.
Sensing that Prosecutor Zhao might have his own ideas, Ji Heng then said, "Tell me about it."
"Yes." Zhao Jian acknowledged his words before continuing, "The last time Daqi and Dayuan formed a marriage alliance was twenty years ago. This time, Daqi not only formed an alliance but also used it as a cover to launch a war against Dayuan. In just over a month, they have captured three cities, and now their army is stationed near Qingxuan Mountain, undoubtedly preparing to continue their attack. Although Nie Zhiyuan is a brilliant strategist, he lacks experience and has never been so bold before. In my humble opinion, this time it is likely that Emperor Yanjia is personally leading the expedition."
Zhang Yu personally led his troops to invade Dayuan. In the past, he wasn't entirely sure if that matter had truly come to a conclusion. He had probed Zhang Yu before, but hadn't gotten any particularly definitive results. He had only assumed that Zhang Yu shared his own thoughts, and Zhang Yu's advance dispatch of men to Tongcheng to intercept him could be considered evidence of this. Zhang Yu's true intentions towards Dayuan, however, completely exposed his true nature.
How could someone like him willingly let half of the Great Qi's territory be occupied by Dayuan... He was bound to take it back. Zhang Yu probably didn't know what happened afterward. His memories of his past life stopped at the moment before his death; he knew nothing about what happened afterward. So Zhang Yu must be the same. He died in that water dungeon, remembering how he had treated him, and would surely seek revenge.
Thinking of this, a hint of resentment flashed in Zhao Jian's eyes. His current predicament was inextricably linked to Zhang Yu. If Zhang Yu hadn't intervened and allowed him to take Song Shuhao away, he might have considered abandoning some of his ideas. However, Zhang Yu used Song Shuhao as bait, deliberately luring him in with the sole purpose of taking his life; therefore, it was destined to be a fight to the death.
Most of the others in the hall showed some surprise upon hearing Zhao Jian's words. The Emperor of Daqi had personally led the campaign, yet this hadn't been discovered at the front lines. Ji Heng, however, remained calm, showing no sign of surprise. After Zhao Jian finished speaking, he continued in a low voice, "What are your thoughts?"
Zhao Jian finally raised his head slightly, but still didn't look at anyone. He then said to Ji Heng, "Your subject is willing to rush to the front lines immediately and contribute my meager strength to the stability of Dayuan." Since Zhang Yu had already come knocking, he naturally had no reason not to accept the challenge. In his previous life, Zhang Yu had lost to him; what chance did he have in this life?
Ji Heng nodded almost imperceptibly but did not speak, which meant he had not made a final decision. The old minister who had spoken earlier, seeing that Ji Heng seemed hesitant, hoped that he would not believe Zhao Jian's words and was about to speak when Ji Heng cut him off.
"In that case, you shall depart today." Ji Heng smiled at Zhao Jian. There was an eerie look hidden in that smile. One glance at him was as if one were being coiled by a cold and extremely dangerous python, making one unwilling to move or make any sound, for fear of losing one's life.
...
After discussing the matter, Ji Heng did not leave immediately but remained in the imperial study. Not long after, a palace servant came in to report that Lady Xie requested an audience, which he granted. A moment later, Xie Lanyan entered from outside. Ji Heng did not look at her but asked, "What is it?"
This woman was also someone he had picked up from Daqi. At that time, his men went to Tongcheng to pick up Inspector Zhao, and he also infiltrated Daqi for other reasons. He happened to be resting in a dilapidated temple on the outskirts of Tongcheng, waiting for his men to finish their business.
The woman, fleeing for her life, stumbled upon the dilapidated temple where he was resting. When he saw her, she was in a terrible state, seemingly barely alive, and was still being chased. If he didn't help her, she would surely die.
But he still saved her once, probably because he was in a good mood at the time. After saving her, he discovered that she and Zhao Jian were old acquaintances, which was quite interesting, so he simply took her in. He then learned that she had once been a concubine in the imperial harem of the Great Qi Dynasty, and that she had actually managed to escape on her own, which was quite amusing.
Aside from her slightly weak constitution, she was otherwise quite good, so he simply took her in as a concubine. Unexpectedly, at twenty years old, she was still a virgin; no wonder she ran away from the Daqi harem. Ji Heng felt he could understand Xie Lanyan's thoughts. To be guarding an emperor with so many women, only to find he was impotent… what was the point of guarding him then?
Xie Lanyan stopped ten steps away from Ji Heng, bowed, and then said, "I heard that His Majesty has sent Lord Zhao to the front lines?" She spoke directly and did not hide the fact that she knew something. This was not the first time she had done this in front of Ji Heng.
"Reluctant to part with her?" Ji Heng smiled and asked Xie Lanyan, seemingly not truly regarding her as one of his concubines, but rather as someone else entirely. However, everyone in the Dayuan harem knew that the Emperor favored this Xie Lanyan, who had appeared out of nowhere, and often stayed in her palace.
Xie Lanyan smiled and said, "I don't care if he dies." Then she added, "In my humble opinion, it would be best for Your Majesty to personally lead the expedition. We can take down the Emperor of Daqi in one fell swoop, and then we can launch a counterattack. Perhaps we can even march straight to Lin'an and annex Daqi."
She knew Ji Heng was capable, and he was definitely no less than Zhang Yu. In her past life, it was he who personally led the expedition, which greatly helped the Prince of Anping's rebellion. What use would sending Zhao Jian now be... After a moment of contemplation, Xie Lanyan smiled and said, "If Lord Zhao really goes, I'm afraid he won't come back alive."
"Why? You seem to really want him dead." Ji Heng was still smiling, but now he looked directly at Xie Lanyan and said, "Aren't you old acquaintances? I wonder if Lord Zhao will be hurt if he hears you say that?"
"It's not that I want Lord Zhao to die, but Lord Zhao has a fatal weakness in someone else's hands, so naturally he'll be ruthlessly attacked. If he gets distracted on the battlefield, it wouldn't be surprising if he loses his life." Xie Lanyan commented on Zhao Jian's life and death in a calm tone.
If Zhang Yu were to personally lead the army, Song Shuhao would likely be among them. Would he not use someone so easily manipulated to lure Zhao Jian out? What does affection matter? Eliminating future threats is probably more important. As long as Zhao Jian remains in Dayuan, how can he ever feel at ease?
Ji Heng seemed somewhat interested, but Xie Lanyan stopped talking and didn't explain. Ji Heng replied, "It's fine if you don't explain, but the way you're doing this makes it seem like you're deliberately reminding us that something might be wrong with him, and that we shouldn't let him lose his life."
Xie Lanyan smiled again, "There's nothing wrong with Your Majesty thinking that way." She really didn't want Zhao Jian to die too easily. It would be fine if he fell into Zhang Yu's hands. On one hand, he would suffer endless torment, unable to live or die, and on the other hand, he would have to watch Zhang Yu and Song Shuhao being affectionate in this and that way. He would be tortured both physically and mentally. It sounded pretty good.
Ji Heng smiled enigmatically. Xie Lanyan had uttered some rambling words and then withdrew. Ji Heng seemed completely unconcerned, letting her go as she pleased, and it was impossible to tell whether he had taken her words to heart. However, considering that the Emperor of Daqi was personally leading his troops to attack Dayuan, he was somewhat inclined to meet this person.
·
The army rested at Qingxuan Mountain for seven days, during which Ahao only met Zhang Yu once. Ling Xiao slept for two days and finally recovered, looking much more energetic. He even ate more and started laughing and joking again. Since there was no fighting these past few days, the seriously wounded were left to recuperate in the previous city, making things a little easier for Ling Xiao, as he didn't have many wounded soldiers to care for.
After resting, the army broke camp and continued its advance. It wasn't until they reached the next city that Ahao learned Zhang Yu hadn't rested like them. He had secretly led 5,000 elite troops, employing a clever strategy, first successfully killing over a dozen generals defending the city, then breaking through the 50,000-strong Dayuan garrison and capturing the fourth city. The arrival of the main army was essentially to hold the line and prevent an immediate counterattack.
But this time, it was truly time for rest and recuperation. Ah Hao had heard that reinforcements from Dayuan had arrived, and things would likely become much more difficult. The army entered the city, and the civilians who could escape had already fled. Those who remained did not encounter any danger. Zhang Yu issued an order that no one should arbitrarily attack ordinary people, nor should they forcibly seize women or money. The soldiers strictly adhered to this rule, and as long as people behaved themselves, there was no trouble.
Soldiers with grim expressions stood guard every three steps and sentries every five, keeping a tight watch on the streets. Of the five thousand elite soldiers Zhang Yu had led, some were inevitably wounded or killed; the injured were all housed in a large mansion awaiting treatment. Ling Xiao was busy again, and A-Hao went to help her. Things that used to be shocking, even if still shocking now, no longer evoked fear or trembling. After seeing them so often, one becomes numb, beyond one's control.
Ling Xiao was specifically responsible for treating the seriously wounded soldiers. One soldier had a deep, long cut in his back; even before the wound had been cleaned, the bone was almost exposed. But both Ling Xiao and Song Shuhao had seen many like this. The man was carried on a wooden plank to a clean room. Ling Xiao had someone bring in a pot of brewed medicine, which the man drank, while he himself prepared other remedies.
Song Shuhao saw Ling Xiao take out a set of tools, inside which were long, thin needles, but unlike ordinary embroidery needles, they were curved. This was the first time she had ever seen them. Ling Xiao didn't avoid her; his expression was serious. After the wounded soldier drank the medicine, he seemed to have fallen unconscious. Song Shuhao helped the soldier clean his wounds, washing away the blood and removing the rotten flesh around the wounds, but the soldier seemed to feel nothing, not even uttering a groan.
Once Ling Xiao was ready, she began using special needles and thread to stitch up the soldiers' wounds. Song Shuhao was amazed and incredulous, but she didn't think Ling Xiao was joking... She had heard before that Ling Xiao had a unique method for treating the wounded that was more effective than ordinary methods, and this must be it. It felt like mending torn clothes with an embroidery needle; could wounds really be treated like this?
Song Shu watched as Ling Xiao focused intently on the needle and thread and the wound, yet her movements were swift and precise, her technique unique and unlikely to be easily learned. If it were that simple, she would have taught it to others; how many of them couldn't do embroidery and mending? Ultimately, they were different. She remained silent, but if Ling Xiao asked for help, A-Hao would assist her.
When it was finally finished, Song Shuhao watched as Ling Xiao tied a knot, cut the thread with scissors, and really did the finishing touches of a seamstress's job. The soldier's back wound had been stitched up and was no longer as gruesome as before. What seemed easy was not so easy after all. Ling Xiao only breathed a sigh of relief when she finished, her forehead still covered in sweat, even though Ahao had wiped it for her several times along the way.
"What did he drink? He seems completely unconscious." Ahao asked curiously as she helped Lingxiao sit down to rest for a bit. Tea had been prepared in advance, and Ahao poured Lingxiao a cup. She then asked if she was hungry and took out a scallion pancake wrapped in oil paper from her bosom for her to eat.