Чистое сердце в нефритовом сосуде

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Seeing Cui Lang's slightly surprised face, I glared at him fiercely again, all my tender feelings for him vanished. Just as I was about to turn back, I was startled by his words and stumbled: "Miss, it would be best if you stayed in the house and didn't wander around too much."

I turned around in surprise. How could this seemingly clueless man have recognized me as a woman? But he quickly regained his composure, only a faint mockery and disdain in his eyes made me extremely uncomfortable. I wanted to explain, but he strode away. I was seething with anger. Good heavens, what did he think I was? Disguised as a man to infiltrate certain people's inner circle…

Thinking that it might be this "sweet" misunderstanding, I really wanted to drag him back and ask him clearly what that mocking look meant!

I shook my head, and after taking only a few steps, I saw another red figure parting the flowers and willows, smiling with a beauty that could topple kingdoms. I stopped in my tracks: "Third Prince!"

Shen Zexuan's gaze swept over me. I looked down at myself, covered in mud and withered flowers, looking quite disheveled. I cupped my hands and said, "Huai En's appearance is truly an eyesore for Your Highness. If Your Highness has any instructions, please wait until Huai En changes his clothes before we speak, is that alright?"

Since that day we parted ways on the city wall of Ningzhou, Shen Haoyu and the others have been almost always by my side. Several times on the road, Shen Zexuan tried to get close, but they tacitly kept him away, so we haven't spoken to each other alone these days. I didn't expect to run into them here when I was left alone today. I don't know if Shen Haoyu is intentionally doing something, or if Shen Zexuan is paying attention... These people are giving me a headache. Why does it feel like I'm having an affair with Shen Zexuan?

"Are you hurt?" Shen Zexuan asked. It took me a while to process what he said: "You saw everything?" Shen Zexuan nodded, the hair ribbon hanging from his ear swaying in the sunlight, shimmering with silver light.

I narrowed my eyes slightly, swallowing my anger. These people not only love acting, they also love watching drama...

He bowed and said, "If Your Highness has nothing else, please allow me to take my leave." With that, he turned and left.

Shen Zexuan stepped forward and grabbed me: "Why do you always have to do this?"

I looked at him helplessly: "Your Highness, haven't we already made things clear? Why are you still making things difficult for each other?"

"I won't let go. I'll keep what you returned to me for now, but one day it will return to you. Don't even think that you can easily escape after provoking me." Every word was a subtle accusation and a gentle declaration.

I gave a wry smile: "Your Highness, who exactly provoked whom?" Wasn't it you who inexplicably stole my first kiss? Wasn't it you who confessed to me? Wasn't it you who asked me out on a date? When did I ever provoke you?

"No matter who offended whom, don't even think about escaping." Shen Zexuan gripped my arm tightly with a hint of anger, then released it in a huff. With my arm free, I took a step back to distance myself from him, bowed again, and turned to walk away.

Can't he break it off anytime soon? Hasn't he achieved his goal yet, that's why he's so determined not to let go.

That evening, I had everything prepared when Shen Haoyu returned. As he entered, Shen Haoyu glanced at me, his expression ambiguous. I felt inexplicably guilty, but then, remembering I hadn't done anything to wrong him, I followed behind him with a sense of self-righteousness, helping him take off his outer robe and hanging it on the sandalwood rack before turning to leave. This was the best I could do. Although I had seen him injured in some places, he was now full of energy, so I shouldn't expect that kind of treatment again.

While eating, seeing the almond and pheasant cubes on the table, I couldn't help but think of the almond shortbread in Shen Haoyu's room: "Young Prince, some of the snacks you brought will spoil if we don't eat them soon?"

Shen Haoyu frowned in confusion: "Snacks?" After a while, seeing his brows relax, he thought he remembered, but then he heard him say: "Didn't you eat?"

Me? He didn't say anything. How could I dare to touch the things he brought all the way here?

Seeing me shake my head, Shen Haoyu said, "Why didn't you eat it? That was something I had someone buy for you."

Hearing this, I almost fainted: "Young Prince, how would I know if you don't tell me?" But why is he suddenly being so nice to me again? Thinking of the deliberate kindness Shen Zexuan showed me while I was recovering from my injuries, I couldn't help but shake my head slightly.

“Didn’t I tell you? Maybe I forgot. But it was definitely the night before we left Ningzhou, I had someone go to that Dushui Lane you mentioned to buy it.” As he spoke, Shen Haoyu pointed to the empty bowl in front of him and said, “Soup.”

Resigned, I took the empty bowl, filled it with eight-treasure wild duck soup, and carefully placed it in front of him. Shen Haoyu took a small sip: "Hot." He then put down the spoon and stopped drinking, staring straight at me.

I sighed, picked up the bowl again, blew on it, stirred it, and then placed it in front of him. This time, Shen Haoyu didn't say anything and drank it sip by sip.

What's wrong with this guy today? He's never been so demanding of being waited on like this before!

After finishing the soup, Shen Haoyu smiled contentedly: "It tastes good, you should eat with me too."

"Eat it if you want, do you think I really care about those things? Besides, he's the one who asked me to eat, and the dishes are much better than what we had. But eating alone..." I looked up at Shen Haoyu and asked, "How about we invite Zinuo and the others to eat too?" Anyway, you can't finish all this food by yourself.

Shen Haoyu glanced at me and finally nodded. I immediately ran off to call Zinuo and the others. This guy can be a bit awkward sometimes, but he can also be quite nice at other times.

I stayed in Bozhou for a few days, only to hear that Xuan Ying had attacked the city several more times, but the troops were not led by General Chen, but by Xuan Ying's own men. Meanwhile, General Du and his men had also attacked Yunzhou several times, with both sides suffering losses, but neither side could take the city.

I don't know what plan they finally devised, but at the crack of dawn, everyone was woken up and told that they were going to attack Yunzhou. I was completely confused. What did this have to do with us? When I arrived at Shen Haoyu's room, he was already dressed. I quickly brought him water so he could wash up.

Touching the hardness inside Shen Haoyu's clothes, I couldn't help but ask, "Young Prince, shall we go too?"

Shen Haoyu was brushing his teeth and only gave a vague "hmm." I couldn't help but look miserable. If we were really on the battlefield, swords and arrows would have no eyes. "Young Prince, you're wearing armor, but what about us?" My martial arts skills are terrible.

Shen Haoyu washed his face before saying, "It's alright, we're just watching from a distance, the enemy's arrows can't reach us."

Then why did you secretly wear armor?

Once outside, they learned that General Du had sworn an oath to mobilize all troops in Bozhou, except for the existing garrison, vowing to capture Yunzhou City. With such a grand display, the true arrangements were likely known only to a few key generals. Looking up at Shen Haoyu beside him, he wondered if they would reveal any of these military secrets to him.

Bozhou and Yunzhou are only about eighty li apart, and we arrived in half a day. Surrounded by more than 100,000 troops, with their gleaming armor and fluttering banners, and even Shen Zexuan standing at the front in his silver armor, we, a group of commoners, stood out conspicuously, even though we were mostly hidden by the crowd.

Above the city walls of Yunzhou, the red banner of the Xuan Ying Kingdom flew, its giant eagle seemingly poised to take flight. Beside it stood General Chen's banner, the large character "Chen" written in a vigorous, flowing style, said to have been personally inscribed by the emperor, who still uses it today. Though we were quite a distance away, at least three or four miles, requiring binoculars to see clearly, my heart pounded with nervousness. I quickly covered my face, afraid someone nearby would hear me.

As we drew closer, a frail yet powerful voice rang out in the wind: "Chen Dan, now that you've arrived in Yunzhou, why don't you come out and give the people and soldiers of Youjing an explanation?" We were quite far from General Du, but fortunately, the wind was blowing in our favor, and the old man, using his inner strength, could hear us clearly. Was General Chen also in Yunzhou?

I quickly picked up the binoculars again to look. A soldier next to me gave me a strange look, but after Shen Haoyu hung the binoculars around his neck, he stopped looking at me.

After a while, a surge of heads appeared on the city wall, and then a general with a short beard and a purplish-black face stepped onto the wall. Everyone around him stood respectfully. Was that Chen Dan? The man's lips moved, and his voice was carried by the wind: "General Du, I had no intention of saying anything more, but out of respect for you as a loyal general, I advise you not to risk your life for your emperor too much, or you might not even know how you suffer!"

"General Chen, what do you mean by that?" General Du asked. My heart skipped a beat, and I couldn't help but glance at Shen Haoyu again. Fortunately, he was focused on the city wall and didn't notice me.

But then General Chen laughed heartily, his words filled with deep sorrow: "Since things have come to this, I might as well tell you, since we were once generals in the same court, so you can learn from my experience. I, Chen Dan, have been stationed in the Northwest for many years, with battles and killings almost every year, yet I have never dared to complain, only wanting to help everyone protect this land and homeland. Who knew that the emperor was so suspicious, listening to the slander of treacherous officials, fearing that my achievements would surpass all others, he actually sent people to plot against me, fabricating evidence, wanting to put me to death on charges of treason. If someone hadn't warned me beforehand, I, Chen Dan, would probably have already been escorted to the capital and beheaded. Such an emperor, how can he not chill one's heart? Now that Xuan Ying has invaded, what difference does it make if I welcome them in? It's just that the country has changed hands, but the people are still alive and well. I, Chen Dan, will no longer serve such an emperor!"

General Du clearly disagreed with Chen Dan's words: "General Chen, let's not even talk about whether someone is deliberately trying to break you off from our dynasty. Even if it is true, you are still a subject of Youjing. How can you betray your country?"

Chen Dan did not continue the conversation with General Du on this topic, but simply said, "General Du, if such a thing happens again in the future, please remember what I said today. Now we are each serving our own masters. If war is to break out, I, Chen Dan, will definitely fight to the end!" After saying that, he turned around and strode down the city wall, and the soldiers on the city wall stood in their positions again.

Do not lean against the west railing to lock in the clear autumn. Chapter 78

Chapter word count: 3777 Update time: 09-08-23 18:13

Looking at Shen Haoyu again, I saw him frowning in deep thought, and I also began to have some doubts. Wasn't it the Prince Qing's Mansion that colluded with Xuan Ying Kingdom? How did it become the Emperor's doing? I can't deny that the Emperor did have such thoughts, and of course, I can't rule out that the Prince Qing's Mansion used the Emperor's name. Only the parties involved know who really did it.

As the bugle sounded, squads of soldiers carrying long ladders rushed towards the city walls of Yunzhou, often falling to the ground amidst a dense hail of arrows before they even reached the walls. However, due to their sheer numbers, many managed to break through the arrow barrage, build ladders, and climb the walls, only to be struck down by stones and other projectiles thrown from the walls… Scenes I'd seen countless times on television were playing out vividly before my eyes. My mind went blank for a moment, and all I knew was that those who had fallen could never rise again.

The general commanding from the city wall was another general clad in black armor. It was unclear whether he was a general from Xuan Ying or under Chen Dan's command, but he commanded the more than 100,000 troops below the city with composure, constantly turning the command flag in his hand.