Young Prime Minister, a Hermit

Chapter 111

At six o'clock in the afternoon, the sky was still bright, the air was crisp, and the visibility was high.

Feifei, Yihan, and I were having dinner at Ximu Restaurant, the largest restaurant in Shangyong City. The hall on the second floor was smaller than the first floor, but much cleaner and more elegant, and of course, the prices were much higher. The three of us sat by the window, watching the people coming and going on the street below, chatting idly.

"The tea leaves are too coarse, and the dregs haven't been removed properly," I said.

"The pastries are a bit too greasy, it's not good for you to eat too much, young master," Yi Han said.

"It doesn't taste good," Feifei said.

"Sigh..." The three of us sighed silently.

"Report—!" A thunderous shout came from downstairs. The familiar voice reminded me of that trembling mustache. He knelt down in front of me and said nervously, "My lord, an urgent report from the southwest: 30,000 additional troops have suddenly appeared on the walls of Woyang City, averting a crisis at the last minute. Now, the Marquis is once again caught in a fierce battle."

I said "Oh" again, still grappling with the thought of whether I should just marry a high-class chef, and casually replied, "Has Yang Qian stopped his attack?"

The man with the mustache nodded, his face full of indignation: "It's a pity that the Marquis was almost able to storm the city and avenge General Ling! He is now stationed ten miles outside Woyang City."

This guy with the mustache is so innocently cute. Even an idiot could see that Yang Qian, Ling Chu, and I were at odds, yet he was still lamenting for them in front of me. Does he really still expect me to send troops to help them?

After the mustache disappeared, the atmosphere in the restaurant suddenly became cheerful and lively. They whispered to each other in low voices with a look of satisfaction, glancing at me timidly from time to time.

I smiled naturally as I peeled a shrimp for Feifei, then wiped my hands with the hem of his brand-new shirt. I turned my head slightly to watch him lift the black silk cloth and put the tender white shrimp into his mouth to chew.

At seven o'clock in the evening, the streets of Shangyong City were lit up, and the shadows were everywhere, creating another splendid scene.

Yihan walked behind us, carrying two fancy lanterns and a large box of osmanthus cakes, looking rather helpless. Feifei held my hand, which was warm and sweaty, clearly having a great time.

I looked up at the sky; the moon and stars, though few, slowly became hazy, as if veiled by a thin mist. The weather in Shangyong changes later than in Woyang City. It seems the moment Mu Shuangshuang has been waiting for has finally arrived.

Feifei took a few steps, then, seeing she couldn't drag me anymore, turned back and called out in dissatisfaction, "Yu..."

I quickly snapped out of my daze, tidied his wind-blown hair that was sticking out from under his black veil, and said softly, "If you're tired, go back and rest."

Feifei shook her head repeatedly, gripping my hand tightly. I shook my head helplessly and smiled as I continued walking forward, thinking to myself: Even if you're willing to go back, I can't leave for now; the play I have to play... isn't over yet.

Feifei's grip on my hand tightened suddenly, and he said in his deep, even naturally alluring voice, "It's not easy for Yu to stay with me like this, I don't want to go back."

I stared blankly at the man beside me, who was much taller than me. At such a mature age, he possessed such a pure and innocent soul, and a deep-rooted persistence, yet he never acted coquettishly towards me, nor did he ask for more affection. It made me feel a deep sense of pity and tenderness for him.

"Does Feifei have any wishes?" I asked with a gentle smile. "You can make a wish on the holiday."

If I could, I would do everything in my power to fulfill all your simple wishes; if I could, I would hope that you would always live as happily and contentedly as you do now.

At eight o'clock in the evening, the fog gradually thickened. Fortunately, there were not many cars and horses at night, and the warm yellow lights illuminated the road, so the streets were still as noisy and lively as ever.

The three of us sat down to rest in front of an open-air porridge stall. Before long, three bowls of steaming hot wheat porridge were served. But on such a hot day, just seeing that "white smoke" made us lose our appetite.

It's rare for Shangyong to have foggy nights like this. People wore anxious, fearful expressions. In ancient times, when people believed in ghosts and spirits, unusual weather was always associated with divine punishment or reward. In fact, I've never experienced a foggy night myself. If Yihan hadn't taught me how to identify various unusual weather conditions, I wouldn't have been able to deduce it.

I wonder how things are going on the battlefield over there. Hopefully, pigeons won't be ineffective in this fog. Just as I was lost in thought, I heard the voice of the man with the mustache carrying from afar, piercing through the human wall and the thick fog, reaching my ears with precision better than ultrasound. I couldn't help but shake my head and sigh. Although I told you to report to me regularly, I didn't expect you to do it so ostentatiously!

The man with the mustache glanced disdainfully at the anxious Fengyin people around him before kneeling down, his face beaming with pride, and announced: "Victory news from the Southwest! Mu Shuangshuang fell for Marquis Ningbei's trap and launched a night attack on our army, but was swiftly defeated by the Marquis, who was well-prepared. She fled into the city in such a panic that she didn't even have time to close the city gates. The Marquis has breached the city in one fell swoop, and Mu Shuangshuang and Mo Li have escaped to Zidu. Woyang City has been captured by our army!"

I casually tossed my hair, which was damp with mist, and said nonchalantly, "Yang Qian ordered widespread looting as soon as he entered the city, and even sent troops to hunt down Mu Shuangshuang and the others, is that right?"

The man with the mustache was taken aback and stared at me blankly: "How did you know, sir?"

I scoffed: "What's so surprising about that? Mu Shuangshuang has decimated Yang Qian's army of nearly 80,000. Given Yang Qian's character, how could he not seek revenge? It's just a pity that he has fallen right into their carefully woven trap."

Everyone, including the man with the mustache and the commoners who overheard me, looked on with surprise and doubt. I shook my head and smiled, fiddling with the slowly cooling porridge in my bowl. I took a sip, and surprisingly, it tasted quite good. Just as I was about to call the owner out to ask how such an ordinary-looking porridge was made, the rapid clatter of hooves echoed from the far end of the street.

Yihan and I exchanged a glance, and we saw the same meaning in each other's eyes—finally, it's here!

"Report! Urgent report from the southwest! After our army entered Woyang, they scattered and looted. Suddenly, tens of thousands of Wind Chant Soldiers rushed out of the city. Our army may not be able to withstand them." The soldier who arrived was a little out of breath and spoke anxiously, but his face was very calm. He was obviously a member of the Asura Dark Camp.

Before I could answer, another series of chaotic and rapid hoofbeats reached my ears. I glanced at Yi Han. He quickly walked into the thick fog and returned moments later, dragging a man covered in wounds.

The man, barely alive, knelt before me, sobbing uncontrollably: "My lord, I beg you to save the Marquis! He's trapped in Woyang City by 30,000 troops, and his fate is unknown. I... I risked my life to rush out and beg for help, my lord..."

"Report—!" A more urgent voice interrupted him, "Reporting to my lord, news has just arrived from the southwest. The 20,000 troops that the Marquis sent to pursue Mu Shuangshuang have all been ambushed and plunged off a cliff in the thick fog."

"Report—, Your Excellency—" Headache! How could this go on without stopping? Four people have already knelt before him. Is this a court assembly? The man was breathless, trembling all over, and said in a trembling voice, "The Wind Chant Banner has been raised again in Woyang City... My entire southwestern army... has been... completely annihilated!"

A slight chill ran through me. Although I had foreseen Yang Qian's defeat, hearing the words "total annihilation" so bluntly still sent a shiver down my spine. Eighty thousand against one hundred and sixty thousand—a battle of overwhelming odds—and she had ended it so perfectly. Mu Shuangshuang, Mu Shuangshuang, you truly are worthy of Zi Mo's final scheme!

At this point, it was impossible to casually drink porridge. Although she was somewhat reluctant to part with the delicious wheat porridge, she turned to look at the grief-stricken soldier who was almost fainting from crying for help: "What's your name?"

The man replied in a trembling voice, "I am Song Hu, a servant in the Marquis's household."

I nodded: "Then Song Hu, if you still have the strength, go to the military camp and choose a thousand-man team to go to the border of Xinyang and Woyang to find your lord. If you can save him, that would be good. Even if you can't, at least you can give him a proper burial."

With tears in his eyes, Song Hu knelt down solemnly and kowtowed three times to me, respectfully saying, "Thank you, Prime Minister!"

I sent all the soldiers who came to report back, and I took out two strings of copper coins, put them on the table, and called out, "Boss, check please!"

The surrounding people seemed to only then realize they had just heard some news, and cheers and celebrations came from afar, rising and falling in waves. Of course, in front of me, they only dared to exchange their proud joy with their eyes, while also being careful to avoid being discovered, so their expressions were somewhat strange.

The owner rushed over, carefully took the copper coins I put down, and then kept glancing at me with a puzzled look. After a while, not only the owner, but many customers in the porridge stall were also looking at me with strange eyes, clearly not understanding why I could be so relaxed and carefree even after Jin Yao's crushing defeat.

I stretched and stood up, a lazy and nonchalant smile on my face: "Yihan, Feifei, you've had enough fun, let's go back."

Feifei's sweaty hand gripped mine tightly again, which was frustrating... Actually, in the summer I miss Yihan's hands more; they're cool and sweat-free, with smooth palms, yet covered with a thin layer of calluses that feel very sexy. Feifei's hands, perhaps due to Yunyan's drug modifications, have become as smooth as silk, warm and soft, and often slightly damp.

Speaking of their hands, they were quite different from Xu Lie's long, slender, and fiery hands, which were perpetually dry.

My thoughts paused slightly, and I shook my head with a helpless smile. When I was out of the sight of the crowd, I said in a voice so soft it was almost a whisper: "Order the three armies to be on standby and prepare to attack Fangling City."

Yi Han nodded decisively and replied to me in a cold and indifferent voice: "Yes, young master."