"Liu An?" Xiao Lin frowned, then nodded: "Okay, I understand, I'll be right there."
Thinking of something, he turned around and said to Yu Tang, "General, come along too. After all, we'll all be in the same boat from now on."
If I encounter problems I can't solve, I'll have to trouble the general for advice.
“Okay…” Yu Tang agreed.
They brought out the wheelchair that hadn't been used for a long time, and Xiao Lin sat in it while Yu Tang led him to the front hall.
His eyelids drooped, and he looked listless.
The man sitting in the chair saw Xiao Lin, his eyes widened, and he walked over: "Your Highness, I am a guest of Lord Liu's household, my name is Wang Jue."
He looked Xiao Lin up and down, his gaze heavy with sorrow: "Your Highness, is that rumor true? You really... really..."
"Um……"
This was the first time Xiao Lin had met this person, so he dared not let his guard down.
"Lord Liu sent you to see me, is there something you need?"
"Yes, there are some things..." He glanced at the servants around him and Yu Tang behind Xiao Lin, and gestured for Xiao Lin to dismiss everyone.
"Xiao Si, take your men and go out."
Yu Tang spoke up, and Xiao Si led the servants out, closing the door tightly behind them.
Wang Jue was still hesitating when Xiao Lin spoke up: "Lord Wang, please speak freely. There is nothing that General Yu cannot hear."
“Alright…” Wang Jue gritted his teeth and finally revealed his purpose to Xiao Lin: “Your Highness, I have come here to…”
Half an hour later, the door to the front hall opened.
Wang Jue came out in a hurry and left quickly.
Xiao Lin and Yu Tang remained in the hall in silence.
"The dike in the south city was damaged, destroying people's houses and flooding farmland, but the national treasury was so empty that it couldn't even produce three thousand dan of disaster relief grain..."
Xiao Lin's voice was cold: "My father was truly a good emperor."
He lowered his eyes and continued, "And in the northern border, when war raged, those cowards in the court didn't utter a single word."
Even the military rations were saved up by the people of the northern city through their meager resources, living frugally on their barren land.
"Liu An was a reasonable man; he knew that if the Xiao Kingdom continued like this, it would only face destruction."
"By coming to me now, you've saved yourself and helped me as well."
After saying that, he turned to look at Yu Tang: "General, it seems that even the heavens are on my side."
"In the capital, as long as Scholar Wang obtains the last piece of evidence, he can exonerate Zuo Xiang from his previous case. At that time, the general and I will lead the northern army to cooperate with Liu An and others from within and without, and we will surely be able to rightfully take over the capital and force that tyrant to abdicate!"
His voice was cold, yet full of confidence.
Yu Tang looked at Xiao Lin, but then remembered what the system had told him before.
Before Wang Xueshi could obtain the evidence, Beijiucheng had already been surrounded by the combined forces of three countries.
After that, only Xiao Lin led the Northern Army to break through the imperial city.
Without him...
Yu Tang knelt on one knee, concealing the emotions in his eyes, and bowed, saying, "Your subject will certainly give your full support to Your Highness!"
Xiao Lin didn't notice his strange behavior; he was still happy to hear that Liu An had come to him for help.
He stood up and helped Yu Tang to his feet: "General, we've finished training the troops today, would you like to have a drink with me to celebrate?"
Yu Tang nodded: "Okay..."
Spring has arrived, the weather has begun to warm up, and the wind no longer has that biting chill.
That evening, Yu Tang had Xiao Si set up a table in the courtyard and brought out some aged wine from the cellar, filling the cups for the two of them.
"Your Highness, let me first offer you a toast," Yu Tang said, "wishing you a speedy fulfillment of your wishes."
Northerners traditionally drink from bowls, but Yu Tang held his bowl high, tilted his head back, and drank it down with great respect.
Xiao Lin propped his head up and looked at him, his gaze fixed on Yu Tang's gently bobbing Adam's apple, his eyes darkening.
Why is this man so attractive no matter what he does?
Xiao Lin closed his eyes briefly, suppressed the evil thoughts in his heart, and restored his upright and kind expression, replying to Yu Tang: "I should thank the general for giving me a chance to turn things around."
Northern liquor is strong, and the two drank and chatted, getting quite drunk in less than half an hour.
To be precise, Yu Tang got drunk.
Xiao Lin was faking it.
While drinking, he used his other hand under the table to force out the smell of alcohol with his internal energy.
Her face was still flushed, and she deliberately acted drunk, pulling Yu Tang's hand and looking at the man with bright, sparkling eyes.
"General Yu..." He slumped on the table, shaking his head. "How... how come there are two General Yus?"
Yu Tang was also quite drunk, although he didn't seem to be very intoxicated.
But my mind went blank, and I was slow to react.
He laughed, "Because, Your Highness, you...you've had too much to drink..."
Xiao Lin leaned closer to Yu Tang and laughed, "Hahaha, General Yu, are you... are you drunk too?"
"No, I didn't drink too much..."
It's a common problem for all men to deny they've had too much to drink.
Yutang was no exception.
Even though she wasn't thinking clearly, she insisted on not being drunk, a fact that Xiao Lin noticed.
The boy's smile deepened.
"General, I took my medicine last night and remembered some things..."
Xiao Lin finally got to the point, his fingers resting on the front of Yu Tang's clothes, and said, "I vaguely remember that day when you saved me in Wuze Valley, it seemed... it seemed like you kissed me..."
"I don't know if this is true... I just wanted to ask the general..."
Yu Tang's mind was blank; he only caught the word "kiss" and mumbled, "What kiss?"
“I said…” Xiao Lin’s hand pointed backward, gently cupped the back of Yu Tang’s neck, leaned in, and placed a light kiss on the man’s lips.
Then, she looked up and asked him, "General, did you kiss me like this that day?"
Chapter 21
He died for the villain for the fourth time (21)
Yu Tang was still in a daze and didn't feel anything when he was kissed.
He saw that Xiao Lin's face was very close.
Such a beautiful face, with dark, almond-shaped eyes smiling at him, her pupils reflecting only him.
Some hazy memories slowly resurfaced.
The black-clad youth in my dream seemed to overlap with the boy before me.
But she looked at him with a very sad gaze and spoke to him.
Master, I miss you.
"General? Did you hear what I said?" Xiao Lin's voice broke into Yu Tang's consciousness.
Yu Tang pursed her lips, her heart aching for some unknown reason.
He reached out and touched Xiao Lin's brows and eyes, his eyes filled with sorrow and longing, and called out a name: "Yuan'er..."
He seemed possessed, speaking completely unconsciously.
He leaned forward, embraced the boy in his arms, and murmured, "I'm sorry, Yuan'er, your master is so sorry..."
Xiao Lin was stunned.
The smile on his face froze, then slowly faded away.
Who is Yuan'er?
What other masters are there?
Jealousy ignited in his heart, and Xiao Lin's facade crumbled instantly.
He pushed Yu Tang aside, supported the man's body, and asked him, "General, who is Yuan'er?"
"Don't you not have anyone you like?"
"Why bring this person up now?"
Xiao Lin tried to control his emotions and not want to frighten Yu Tang, but he couldn't help it; his eyes were filled with a fierce light.
“Wei Yuan…” Yu Tang murmured blankly, “His name is Wei Yuan…”
Before the words were finished, a cacophony of sounds suddenly filled my mind, like the tolling of bells or the chanting of Buddhist scriptures.
Yu Tang shook his head, and when he came to his senses, he couldn't remember what he had just said.
As the alcohol took effect, he remembered the things that had been weighing on his mind for the past few days.
Looking at Xiao Lin, she called out, "Your Highness..."
"I don't want you to take your medicine anymore..."
"What two personalities? You're clearly both of them, and neither of them is bad..."
He grabbed Xiao Lin's arm and said to him, "If you don't want to sit on that throne, then don't. If you want revenge, then take revenge... Besides, a wise ruler doesn't mean he doesn't kill, but rather that he kills those who deserve to die and protects the innocent."
"So, I've never looked down on the other you, and I even want to apologize to you."
"I shouldn't have said such harsh words... I was just... just afraid that if I accepted your favor... then... then..."
Yu Tang gritted her teeth, her eyes slightly red: "If I die, you will be sad."
These words had probably been swirling in my mind for far too long.