But the ingrained idea in his mind was that he was just a pampered little prince with no real skills.
Now, Xiao Lin lets his strength speak for itself; he has the most handsome face and has killed the most enemies.
He became a veritable battlefield demon, feared by all.
He inspired awe and respect in the soldiers of the army.
Little did they know that at that moment, this so-called battlefield demon was pressing down on their general's wrist, pinning him against the door and kissing him passionately.
Yu Tang curled his fingers, trying to clench his fist, but Xiao Lin skillfully spread his fingers apart, forcing him to shake hands with the boy.
Their breaths mingled, and the indoor temperature seemed to rise.
Only when Yu Tang finally found a point of leverage and pushed the person clinging to him away was he able to catch his breath.
"Your Highness, could you please refrain from doing such things suddenly in the future?"
Just after seeing the military doctor off, before the door was even properly closed, Xiao Lin pressed him against the door and kissed him unexpectedly.
Yu Tang was utterly speechless.
If the military doctor sees this, will he still be able to work in Beijiu City?
"No..." Xiao Lin refused without hesitation.
He was clearly not satisfied with the kiss yet. He pursed his lips before continuing, "Unless the general also tells me he likes me and calls me husband, I will not consider not doing this."
He laughed: "Can the general even bring himself to say that?"
Yu Tang couldn't help but grind his teeth.
This kid is so good he can't even bring himself to say it.
What "husband and wife" nonsense, it's so cloying!
Xiao Lin saw his expression, her peach blossom eyes crinkling into a wicked smile.
"But General, now that the war is over, shouldn't you remember our agreement?"
"What agreement?"
When he suddenly brought it up, Yu Tang didn't react.
“Of course, that’s the answer you should give me.” Xiao Lin stepped forward, took his hand, looked at him, and asked again.
"General Yu, would you allow me to become your beloved?"
Chapter 15
He died for the villain for the fourth time (15)
Yu Tang gets a headache whenever this is mentioned.
Xiao Lin's confession was too sudden, which immediately broke the balance that he had been trying to maintain.
He has only one year left before he leaves this world.
In addition, there was the cruel way the system had mentioned its own death.
He felt it was best not to give Xiao Lin any hope in the first place.
"No..." After thinking it through, Yu Tang knelt on one knee, bowed to Xiao Lin, and solemnly refused: "Your Highness, you are the ruler, and I am the subject."
"I believe the best relationship between us is that of ruler and subject, with the superior setting an example for the subordinate, handling official business impartially, and no longer mentioning good or bad people."
"Because I am but a commoner, I am unworthy of Your Highness's favor and affection. I hope Your Highness can forgive my lack of appreciation!"
Yu Tang spoke these words with absolute certainty.
He thought that only by not getting what he wanted and never experiencing pleasure could Xiao Lin let go of this relationship and memory as soon as possible after he left.
That was the best answer he could give.
The room was quiet.
After Yu Tang finished speaking, the atmosphere became terribly somber.
Xiao Lin lowered his eyes and could see the man kneeling on one knee, his head bowed, revealing a section of his neck to him.
It is the most loyal gesture.
It was simply loyalty, devoid of any other emotions.
In the past, no matter what she did, Yu Tang just endured it.
This includes the hugs when sharing a bed, the light kisses when pasting Spring Festival couplets, and the stolen kiss I just stole without regard for the occasion.
Neither of the men showed any signs of anger.
He thought that maybe Yu Tang was also interested in him.
But now it seems that he had been indulging in wishful thinking and delusions all along.
The other party was simply too afraid to reprimand him because of his status.
Xiao Lin covered the fabric in front of his chest with his right hand and gripped it slightly, taken aback by the oppressive pain.
He's used to being cold-hearted and indifferent.
Since Consort Qi's death, he has never experienced heart pain again.
But now it hurts terribly.
Is this what love is?
He used to despise women who ruined their lives because of such fleeting emotions.
Now, however, he is just as deeply entangled as that woman, unable to extricate himself.
The only difference is the man he has his eye on:
He is a young general who has been guarding the border for more than a decade. He has lofty aspirations and is dedicated to the country and its people. He is like the sun piercing through the winter clouds, warm and dazzling.
He is a truly good man.
"General..." he called out to Yu Tang, and when the man looked up, he continued, "Could you give me a chance?"
"I think we can..."
"Your Highness!" Yu Tang interrupted Xiao Lin ruthlessly, "I beg you to punish me!"
Saying this is to tell Xiao Lin that no matter how much he says, it won't make a difference.
He was determined not to accept this relationship.
They didn't even give Xiao Lin a chance to try.
If it were someone else, they might have persisted and pestered them for a while.
But Xiao Lin has seen through Yu Tang during this time.
This person has too many things on their mind and too many things they want to do.
But not a single bit was given to love.
This applies not only to him, but to everyone in the world.
“A wise ruler…” Xiao Lin suddenly uttered this word, closed his eyes, and asked Yu Tang, “Is your wish, General, that the Xiao Kingdom be prosperous, the people live in peace and happiness, and there be no more killing on the border?”
Yu Tang was stunned for a moment, not understanding why Xiao Lin would suddenly bring this up.
But she still answered, "Yes..."
"If I succeed to the throne and accomplish these things, would the general grant me a chance?"
Yu Tang was stunned.
Faced with Xiao Lin's expectant yet pained gaze, the words of refusal stuck in her throat, and in the end she could only sigh.
He replied to Xiao Lin with an "Okay..."
After the war, the five northern cities were desolate.
It doesn't even look like Chinese New Year anymore.
In addition, the promised military rations and pay, as well as compensation for the fallen soldiers, have not been delivered for two months. With this battle, the northern cities have suffered heavy losses and will not recover for at least six months.
Xiao Lin's leg injury has fully healed. Apart from walking a little strangely, it does not affect his ability to perform.
The Battle of Beiwucheng was his claim to fame.
After that, he would also come to the training ground with Yu Tang and train with the soldiers.
Li Wen and Zhao Lin were both trusted deputy generals of Yu Tang, and Xiao Lin always followed them to learn how to deploy troops and how to deal with the enemy correctly on the battlefield.
They got to know each other quickly.
When Yu Tang was away, Xiao Lin would ask them about Yu Tang's preferences and listen to them talk about Yu Tang's childhood.
Li Wen, Zhao Lin, and Yu Tang are about the same age and have been playing together since childhood. They have a lot to reminisce about Yu Tang, and seeing how much Xiao Lin wanted to hear it, they were happy to tell him.
"The general was quite mischievous when he was young. He didn't get along with General Yu, and would retaliate if he was scolded," Zhao Lin said. "Once, the old general beat him with a board because he didn't listen to the teacher, so he drew a turtle on the old general's face while the old general was taking a nap!"
"As it turned out, that afternoon, the old general was going to Wuze Valley to suppress bandits, and he left in a hurry after waking up."
Li Wen laughed uncontrollably from the side: "I still remember the old general's embarrassed look, his face turning completely red, after he was exposed. That was the first time I had ever seen the dignified old general show that kind of expression..."
Zhao Lin: "Yes, yes, after that, we climbed over the wall of the general's mansion and saw the general with his arms outstretched in a horse stance, a bucket of water on his head, two buckets of water in his hands, and a wooden awl under his butt."
If you relax even slightly, you're guaranteed a painful spanking.
Li Wen: "When he saw the two of us, he even yelled for help, hahaha. But who could save him? He only got what he deserved!"
After he finished laughing, he looked at Xiao Lin and Zhao Lin beside him, as well as the soldiers surrounding him, and found that their expressions were not quite right.
He kept his head down and coughed.
I didn't dare look behind him.
He turned his head cautiously and saw Yu Tang smiling at him.
The atmosphere became extremely awkward for a moment.
Although Yu Tang was not the original owner, he still had those memories.
Moreover, these three people exposed his secrets in front of so many soldiers; he could hear their laughter from a great distance.