Hiding a beauty

Chu Chanyin rubbed his temples, feeling a rare headache. Yin Liu observed his expression and tentatively asked, "Should I stop the young master?"

Chu Chanyin looked up at him. "Can you stop him? Let him come up."

He turned to Zhao Youyi with an apologetic expression, "I'm sorry, cousin, my nephew is really... he might call people out randomly."

Zhao Youyi was a little confused, thinking that no matter what, the child couldn't cause any serious trouble. "It's alright, let him come up. Your cousin hasn't returned for several months, and the young master is just worried about you."

Chu Chanyin didn't know how to answer her for a moment, so he could only nod in agreement.

Before Yin Liu could go and fetch someone, Zhao Youyi saw a white figure rush into Chu Chanyin's arms like a firecracker, her still-childish voice crisp and clear: "Uncle! Did you find me an aunt outside? You're not even coming back to the Prince's Mansion!"

Little Firecracker barely managed to hug Chu Chanyin's waist, tilting her head up to look at him: "Uncle, Uncle, do you miss me?"

Before Chu Chanyin could answer, he turned his head and saw the beautiful older sister standing next to his uncle. She was extremely beautiful, with skin whiter than snow in March. Her plain dress fluttered in the wind, making her look even more ethereal. Her eyes were filled with sorrow, and her attire was very simple, with only a sword at her waist.

"Is this your aunt? Hello, aunt! I am Chu Muqing, Mu as in admiration, and Qing as in green mountains!" Chu Muqing quickly rushed into her arms, her bright eyes blinking as she looked at her.

Zhao Youyi had little experience with children and was a bit flustered for a moment. He instinctively hugged the child and then took a closer look. He realized that the child was exactly like Chu Chanyin when he was a child. He looked about eight or nine years old, but he was not light at all. Fortunately, Zhao Youyi had been practicing martial arts for many years and was able to lift the chubby little boy without any effort.

"Hello, Mu Qing," Zhao Youyi said with a smile, looking at the young version of Chu Chanyin. She felt an overwhelming affection for him, but she was unsure whether she should accept the title of "aunt." Although she had never cared that people around Chu Chanyin called her "princess," it was not a good idea to lie to a child. If Chu Chanyin really found a woman he loved in the future, wouldn't it cause trouble for Chu Chanyin if the child asked her about it?

Fortunately, Chu Chanyin didn't embarrass her for too long. He quickly took Chu Muqing away, saying, "Muqing, have you gained weight again? Don't tire your aunt out. Come to your uncle's place."

Seeing that he accepted the title for her without any hesitation, Zhao Youyi looked at him with some surprise. Sometimes she felt that Chu Chanyin was really too slow-witted. Perhaps he used all his intelligence on military affairs, so he was like a block of wood when it came to romance.

Chu Muqing smiled like a little sun, "No way, Uncle, don't wrong Muqing, Muqing is not fat at all!"

Chu Chanyin patted the chubby little boy in his arms and pinched his plump cheek: "Not fat, not fat. Why is Mu Qing here?"

"Grandpa Clan Chief sent me!" Chu Muqing took out some dried meat from the snack bag she carried with her and handed it to Zhao Youyi. After she took it, she took out a piece from the bag and fed it to Chu Chanyin. "Grandpa Clan Chief was so angry when he found out that Uncle had come to Wanzhou that he smashed his favorite vase. He also said... he also said that Uncle had gotten too bold!"

"You've gotten too bold, haven't you?" Chu Chanyin twitched his lips, looking at him with a mixture of amusement and exasperation as he watched him eat until he looked like a little kitten.

Chu Muqing thought for a moment, then nodded hesitantly, "It seems so, anyway, Grandpa Clan Chief was so angry that his beard turned white!"

Chu Chanyin placed the person in Yin Liu's arms and instructed, "Take the young prince back to the inn, prepare some food for him, and give him a bath."

Chu Muqing, biting into a piece of dried meat, asked indistinctly, "Uncle...when are you coming home?"

Chu Chanyin waved his hand, indicating that he should go back and talk about it later. Yin Liu, carrying this precious little dumpling, fled the city wall as if he were riding on wheels of fire.

The two people on the city wall exchanged a glance, and Zhao Youyi couldn't help but laugh, "Cousin, your nephew is so cute, he looks exactly like you when you were a child!"

Chu Chanyin's brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly: "I wasn't this fat when I was a child!"

Zhao Youyi was amused by his obvious disdain and laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight. She patted his shoulder reassuringly and said, "It's okay. I had almost forgotten what you looked like when you were a child, but seeing Mu Qing reminded me instantly. Cousin was much cuter when he was a child, unlike now, who looks like a schoolteacher, a little old-fashioned!"

Chu Chanyin took a few steps with annoyance, then glanced back at her: "Hey! Zhao Nianwan, you were just as greedy as that kid Chu Muqing when you were little. Every time you stole my snacks, you looked like a little kitten."

Taking advantage of her amnesia, Zhao Youyi pretended not to remember and directly denied it: "Really? How come I don't remember?"

After the two finished their banter, the recruitment under the city wall was almost complete. Xiao Xuan presented the list, which Zhao Youyi carefully examined. There weren't many women with the courage, ability, and means to leave the inner quarters; there were only about a hundred. However, this was much better than Zhao Youyi had expected. He had thought that recruiting female soldiers for the first time would be considered treasonous, but fortunately, the late emperor was alive during a prosperous era with an open social atmosphere. The Zhao family had produced female generals in the past, and they enjoyed high prestige among the people. In addition, the story of her killing Min Guo with a single sword had been vaguely heard, so naturally some people admired her.

Zhao Youyi entrusted the matter of recruiting soldiers in Youzhou to Yun Yue, who was a female bodyguard personally trained by Zhao Youli and a native of Youzhou. Sending her back to her hometown to recruit soldiers would naturally be twice as effective.

The matter was mostly successful, and she no longer needed to keep an eye on the follow-up matters. She sent some people to Xiaoxuan to continue to be in charge of the next round of conscription in Wanzhou. As for the conscription of the Zhao family army, she had handed it over to Zhou Huaiyuan and Zheng Peng. Zhou Huaiyuan was Zhao Youli's confidant, and Zheng Peng was hunted down and even became a cripple in order to convey the truth about Zhao Youli's poisoning. Both of them were trustworthy people.

After dealing with these trivial matters, Zhao Youyi belatedly realized that Chu Chanyin would soon be returning. According to Chu Muqing's description, Chu Chanyin's life in the clan must have been rather difficult. After all, people had always been discussing whether his bloodline was pure. Otherwise, why would he have been sent to his maternal grandfather's family by the late King of Chu at birth and raised as a legitimate son without any support? Many people suspected that Chu Chanyin was involved in the death of his elder brother, Chu Yongxi. However, this matter subsided somewhat after Chu Chanyin requested that Chu Muqing be named the heir apparent.

I wonder if he will face difficulties from his tribe when he returns to Virginia because he helped her?

"Cousin?" Seeing that she was lost in thought, Chu Chanyin called out to her curiously and snapped his fingers next to her ear. Zhao Youyi snapped out of her daze and looked at him.

Chu Chanyin couldn't help but laugh and said, "I see that my cousin looks worried. Could it be that she is reluctant to see me leave?"

Zhao Youyi was silent for a moment, then asked him, "Whether I'm willing or not, can it influence my cousin's decision?"

Now it was Chu Chan's turn to remain silent. This really wouldn't affect him. After all, he couldn't abandon the affairs of Fuzhou, and a fiefdom king couldn't leave his fiefdom for too long. Now that the emperor had overthrown the Song family and held great power, he would probably take action against those who wanted to become vassal kings soon. He had his responsibilities and couldn't stay with her all the time.

Seeing his silence, Zhao Youyi smiled with relief: "I was just saying it casually. It's not like we'll never see each other again. Cousin, there's no need to be sad."

Chu Chanyin recalled their agreement and nodded. In the following days, the two devoted themselves to military training. Chu Chanyin could not show himself, so he could only wear a mask and follow behind Zhao Youyi, offering advice when Zhao Youyi was undecided.

Seeing the two acting naturally and intimately, and recalling Zhao Youyi's earlier statement that she and the King of Chu were merely allies, the soldiers began to look at this masked strategist with growing suspicion. They secretly said that he was General Zhao's kept man, whom he doted on and never left, even taking him along for training.

Zhao Youyi was quite helpless after hearing this rumor. Even though Chu Chanyin covered his face, his gentle, elegant and noble temperament was still impossible to hide, and he was mistaken for her male concubine.

Chu Chanyin didn't seem to care at all, appearing quite pleased with himself: "If I really were my cousin's male concubine, how would she treat me?"

As Zhao Youyi was reading military books in his tent, Chu Chanyin stood to the side, idly fiddling with the tassel of his sword.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Youyi pondered for a moment, looked at his beautiful face, and said earnestly, "I will definitely keep her in a golden house and cherish her dearly."

Chu Chanyin couldn't help but laugh out loud, tapping her military treatise with the hilt of his sword. "Sweet talk."

"Cousin, you don't mind?" Zhao Youyi raised an eyebrow, finding it a bit strange that Chu Chanyin looked so indifferent. After all, Chu Chanyin was a high-ranking and powerful figure, yet he wasn't angry about being labeled a male concubine and even seemed to enjoy it.

Chu Chanyin narrowed his eyes and smiled, "My silly cousin, they don't even know who I am. It would only damage your reputation as General Zhao. Besides, my cousin is stunningly beautiful. It would be my honor to be her male concubine."

Zhao Youyi realized what was happening, angrily swung away his sword hilt, and glared at him irritably.

Chu Chanyin smiled so hard his eyes narrowed, like a fox that had eaten and drunk its fill.

The borderlands are harsh and cold, plagued by constant warfare. The dense forests and craggy rocks make it a formidable and easily defensible land, where countless heroes and heroines have perished.

Princess Yulang lifted the curtain, revealing her stunning beauty. She was born exceptionally beautiful and had been pampered since childhood. Even in her early twenties, her skin looked as delicate as that of a teenage girl. Her rosy lips were more vibrant than the most beautiful red cinnabar, and her wedding dress was as gorgeous as maple leaves, making her look like a flower in full bloom.

"Princess, we're almost at Wanzhou," the maid whispered as she peeked out.

Princess Yulang looked at the scenery that was both strange and familiar, and her heart was filled with emotion. In just ten years, everything had changed. She could no longer find the scenery that she and Xie Lang had enjoyed together when they rode horses together.

“Wanzhou…” Princess Yulang murmured unconsciously. This was the place where Xie Lang had once been stationed, and where the two of them had lived. Now, everything had changed. Xie Lang had been dead for many years, and she was to marry the emperor of an enemy country.

As night approached, Princess Yulang's carriage stopped at the post station for a rest. Due to the emperor's surveillance, she had to wear her wedding dress all day and pretend to be a weak and incompetent princess.

"Please rest early, Princess." The maid closed the door, and Princess Yulang looked at the moonlight outside the window, her expression inscrutable.

The air was silent for a moment, then several dark figures flashed by. Princess Yulang subconsciously took a few steps back, gripped her sword, and scanned her surroundings warily.

A dark figure flashed into the room, pulled off his face mask, and said, "Master's wife, it's me."

Princess Yulang looked at the newcomer in disbelief, "Xiao Yi? Is it really you?"

Since General Xie Bizheng passed away, Princess Yulang has lived a secluded life, detached from worldly affairs. To avoid trouble, Zhao Youyi has feigned illness for many years, rarely venturing out of the house. Even when they meet briefly, Zhao Youyi dares not appear before Princess Yulang, for fear of touching upon her painful memories.

Princess Yulang breathed a sigh of relief, put down her sword, and approached her: "Xiao Yi, what are you doing in Wanzhou? Where is Xiao Cong?"

Upon hearing her mention Chu Chanyin, Zhao Youyi whistled, signaling Chu Chanyin to come in. Due to the strict separation between men and women, Chu Chanyin did not presumptuously enter the princess's room. He only appeared in front of the two of them by climbing over the window when Zhao Youyi summoned him.

Seeing her late husband's carefully nurtured disciples grow up, Princess Yulang's eyes welled up with tears. "You...you've all grown up."

She married Xie Bizheng when she had just come of age. This brilliant young general was the dream lover of many noble ladies in the capital. Unexpectedly, he ended up marrying the emperor's most beloved younger sister, becoming the emperor's son-in-law and returning military power. Unexpectedly, the southern barbarians invaded again, and Xie Bizheng had no choice but to lead the army again. Unexpectedly, he never returned, and from then on, no one called her Yu Niang anymore.

Her beloved elder brother passed away, and the empress dowager, who hated her, supported her young son to ascend the throne and seize control of the government. She went from being the most noble princess in the entire Jin Kingdom to the most ridiculous princess.