083

Jingzhou, the military camp

"Little Sister Lin! The General is calling you!"

A woman dressed in simple clothes with a rosy complexion finished bandaging the wound of the person in front of her and called out loudly, "Okay, I'll be right there!"

Half an hour later, Lin Xiaomei lifted the tent flap. "General, you wanted to see me?"

Lin Qing, standing in front of the sand table, looked up at her and asked, "I heard you can read?"

"Yes." Lin Xiaomei scratched her head a little embarrassedly. "My father used to be a private tutor, and I learned a lot from him."

Lin Qing: "Do you still remember where you live?"

"I only vaguely remember it being in the Northwest." A moment of desolation flashed in Lin Xiaomei's eyes: "I got separated from my parents while fleeing the famine, and I couldn't find them anymore. If it weren't for you saving me that day, General, I probably would have been raped to death by hooligans long ago."

"When I woke up, I couldn't remember anything."

"Now that you're in my camp, train hard." Lin Qing stepped forward and patted her on the shoulder. "It's all in the past. Don't be discouraged, you'll find it sooner or later. Now I'm giving you an important task."

"Can you write a manifesto?"

"Huh?" Lin Xiaomei was stunned for a moment.

Thinking she didn't understand, Lin Qing coughed lightly and explained in simpler terms: "We have to rebel, but you can't write it as 'rebellion,' understand?"

"We should denounce the Zhou royal family for oppressing the people, and also take down those dishonest ones. Then we can secretly promote our lord."

Lin Xiaomei swallowed hard: "I understand, General. Who is our lord writing?"

Rebellion! This was the first time she had participated in one in her seventeen years of life, and she was a little excited.

"My lord..." Lin Qing mumbled the name but still didn't want to say it: "My lord isn't actually that important. The most important thing is to show the lord's strategist."

"ah?"

"You remember, we have this female army that has saved countless women, and we must remember Miss Song's kindness."

Lin Xiaomei: "Alright, is Miss Song our lord?"

Lin Qing: "...No."

What's with that little bit of regret in my heart?

...

"Where did you hide her?!" Chen Hejun grabbed Zhou Yuanrong by the neck, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.

"I said...I don't know..."

Lu Shangwen, who had just stepped outside the hall, clicked his tongue inwardly and pulled back the leg that had been halfway in.

He opened the fan and fanned himself, inwardly thinking that he should stay out of this mess.

The sky over Luoyang is truly dark, and the hearts of men are unpredictable.

He still felt more at ease in Qinglong Village.

Speaking of which, when will he be able to go back...?

The two people inside the hall were unaware of his thoughts and were both in a state of mutual destruction.

Zhou Yuanrong gasped for breath, coldly glancing at Chen Hejun, who was coughing up blood. "You think I wouldn't have a backup plan?"

"Chen Hejun, I do need you to ascend to the throne. But you may not be my only ally."

Chen Hejun pulled the short blade from his abdomen, blood gushing out, but he seemed oblivious. "Heh, kill me, and do you think the Northwest will still listen to you?"

Just as the two were still at an impasse, Qu Rong suddenly walked in.

He didn't look at Marquis Wu'an, who was leaning against the wall, but walked straight to Zhou Yuanrong and said something like a thunderclap.

"Princess, the southwest has rebelled."

"Who? Yu Baizhou?" Chen Hejun laughed out loud. "Zhou Yuanrong, your retribution has come."

"No matter how many times I say it, Zhou Zihe's disappearance has nothing to do with me!" Zhou Yuanrong said sternly, "Do you think you can get away unscathed just because Yu Baizhou has rebelled?"

"Now I'm in the same boat as you!"

“You’re in cahoots with the devil. Go find your allies.” Chen Hejun staggered to his feet: “I’ve had enough.”

He was going to find his wife.

Chen Hejun: "Don't send anyone to follow me. I already gave the order before I returned to Luoyang. If anything happens to me, the Northwest will surely rebel."

Zhou Yuanrong: "You!"

Lu Shangwen, standing outside the door, clicked his tongue and shook his head again.

See?

The little rope broke, and the grasshopper flew away.

Before she could listen any further, the palace doors suddenly opened. Chen Hejun stepped out, his dark eyes fixed on her: "Your master is Yu Baizhou?"

Lu Shangwen's body stiffened slightly, but his expression remained unchanged: "What is the Marquis talking about?"

Aren't we in the same boat?

"Stop pretending, I don't want to play games with you." Chen Hejun said coldly, "Make him hand over my wife, and name your terms."

After saying that, he strode away like the wind.

A snapping sound suddenly echoed in Lü Shangwen's mind.

That's it, his rope has broken too.

The grasshopper flew away again.

“That’s how it is,” Lü Shangwen said, staring nervously at Song Ling. “Second brother, I don’t think I’ve failed the mission, right?”

Before Song Ling could speak, the middle-aged man feeding the pigeons mocked him, "It didn't count originally, but it does now."

Lü Shangwen: "What do you mean?"

After writing the last character, Song Ling smoothed down the brush with her sleeve, and looked up with a complex expression in her eyes: "He's bluffing you, didn't you realize?"

Lü Shangwen: "? Impossible! I specifically checked and there was no one following behind."

But no sooner had he finished speaking than Shijiu's voice came from the doorway:

"Young lady, the Marquis of Wu'an has come to pay his respects."

Song Ling glanced at the frozen Lü Shangwen, "The people you brought are coming with me."

Lü Shangwen: "...Oh."

My face hurts a little.

-

"I never expected that the person behind him would be you."

Marquis Wu'an still remembered the first time he met this woman. At that time, he couldn't figure out her true purpose. Now that he saw her, many of the mysteries in his heart began to be solved.

"That batch of grain was delivered by you."

"Did you tamper with Zhou Yuanrong's letter as well?"

"Alas, you're wronging my apprentice." The man, still feeding the pigeons, said leisurely, "I had someone tamper with the letter; she didn't know."

"But my apprentice is clever; he immediately put it to good use..."

Song Ling's lips twitched slightly. "You go out first, my pigeons are going to die from being fed by you."

So the man carried the grain sack in one hand and the pigeon in the other and went out to feed them.

Marquis Wu'an withdrew his gaze and said with certainty, "You've played a very big game, but you're overthinking it. From beginning to end, I have never had any intention of rebelling."

"I don't care who becomes the emperor, whether it's Zhou Chengyu, Zhou Yuanrong, or Yu Baizhou."

Song Ling sneered: "My lord, don't act so high and mighty, putting on airs like you're bestowing favors. There are plenty of people who say one thing and mean another. I don't need your promises, nor do I need you to give up your chance to seize the throne."

"It's about making you realize that you don't have a chance to sit in that position."

Ignoring her sharp words, Chen Hejun asked in a deep voice, "Is my wife in your hands? I want to see her."

“Alright.” Song Ling chuckled. “But you should be prepared, my lord, that the Fourth Princess is now just like a child.”

Chen Hejun's face was ashen: "What did you do to her?"

"Please, Lord Marquis, investigate first, lest an innocent person be wronged." Song Ling said, "If I hadn't saved your wife in time, she wouldn't just have amnesia, she would have been poisoned into a fool long ago."

“Zhou Yuanrong is far more ruthless than you; she shows no mercy even to her own sister.” She stood up, a smile playing on her lips. “I suspect she must have told you that the Second Prince poisoned her?”

Chen Hejun understood everything; his wife's coma was caused by Zhou Yuanrong.

-

Zhou Zihe was sitting on a small couch by the window reading a storybook when she saw Song Ling coming over. She hurriedly greeted her with a smile, "A-Ling!"

But when she saw the tall figure behind her, she paused, a little scared. So she leaned close to Song Ling's ear and asked, "Ling, who is he?"

"Xiao He..."

Chen Hejun's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his eyes reddened.

Zhou Zihe was surprised for a moment, her ears turning red from the intimate way she was addressed.

So he continued whispering in Song Ling's ear, "Who is he? Why does he call me that?"

“He is your…husband.” Song Ling hesitated for a moment, then gently ruffled her hair. “He wanted to come and take you home.”

Song Ling sighed inwardly. If it weren't for the conflicting interests of all parties, Zhou Zihe's personality would indeed suit her taste. After all, Zhou Zihe's personality after losing her memory was like a cat's—quirky and unpredictable.

"I don't want to!" Zhou Zihe's eyes widened. "Are you going to throw me away? I don't know him!"

"And he looks really old, he's definitely not my husband."

Chen Hejun felt as if his heart had shattered into pieces. His wife didn't recognize him anymore, and even... complained that he was too old. Everyone used to say that he was old enough to be caring.

Zhou Zihe threw a tantrum and kicked Song Ling and the other woman out.

Song Ling sighed, rubbing her forehead: "You've seen it yourself, this is just her temper now. If you're willing, spend more time with her, and maybe she'll remember things from the past."

"What are the chances of her regaining her memory?" Chen Hejun stared at the door. "Does she need to take medication?"

“She is still recovering, so I don’t recommend taking any medication.” Song Ling shook her head slightly. “My master examined her pulse and said there is a 30% chance she will regain her memory.”

What do you think?

Chen Hejun looked away: "Then we don't need to take the medicine. That's fine too."

"I need to ask you to take care of her for a while."

Song Ling knew that he no longer intended to be her enemy. "Take her back to the Northwest when she accepts you."

Chen Hejun looked at her: "I thought you would imprison me. Now the whole of Luoyang is under Lü Shangwen's control. Killing me would be as easy as turning your hand."

"Isn't it ridiculous that a young general who could defeat the Northern Barbarians in his teens died in the scheming of imperial power?" Song Ling said confidently, "Since I was able to let you return to the mountains, I have the leverage to control you."

“You are more familiar with the Northwest, and I don’t want the people to suffer from war and hardship again.”

Chen Hejun's eyes flickered slightly, and a sense of admiration for this man rose in his heart. He asked softly, "Is your lord General Yu?"

Song Ling smiled slightly, neither admitting nor denying it.

He simply said, "Zihe has always wanted to go to the city tower to play. Your Excellency will take her there in a few days."

"Maybe we'll see some other scenery."

"Regarding Zhou Yuanrong's ascension to the throne," Song Ling said calmly, "I hope that Your Excellency will expedite this matter and allow her to serve for a few days."

"As for how you, Lord Marquis, wish to take revenge afterward, that is up to you."

Chen Hejun sneered: "You really are going to great lengths to pave the way for him."

“Your Excellency is wrong again.” Song Ling smiled, his hands behind his back. “I’m not doing this for him; I’m doing this for the future.”

"Ah Ling?"

Hearing the sound, Song Ling turned around and saw the door behind her suddenly open. Zhou Zihe poked her head out and asked softly, "I'm hungry, are you still angry?"

Will she get angry and stop feeding her?

Zhou Zihe blinked. "Will you provide dinner tonight?"

"Here you go!" Song Ling stepped forward with a smile. "What would Zihe like to eat?"

Before Zhou Zihe could speak, Chen Hejun chimed in, "How about Eight Treasure Duck?"

"Huh?" Zhou Zihe looked at the man in surprise. "How did you know what I wanted to eat?"

The girl asked sweetly, "Actually, Uncle, are you my dad?"

Ah Ling always guessed wrong what she wanted to eat, but this man guessed it right away!

Chen Hejun's expression cracked: "...Uncle?"

"……father?"

Song Ling suddenly turned her back, trying hard to suppress the urge to curl her lips into a smile, but in the end she couldn't help it.

"Hahaha………"

"I'm sorry, I was rude..."

Song Ling covered her mouth and walked away.

Zhou Zihe, still suspicious, asked, "What is A-Ling laughing at?"

Chen Hejun tried to calm his surging blood and said gently, "Xiao He, I am your husband..."

"impossible!"

Chen Hejun asked in bewilderment, "Why is it impossible?"

Zhou Zihe glanced at him and said, "You're too old."

Chen Hejun: "I'm not old."

Zhou Zihe: "How old are you?"

Chen Hejun: "...Twenty-nine."

!!

Zhou Zihe's almond-shaped eyes widened: "You still say you're not old? I'm only seventeen! How could I possibly be interested in you! You could have given birth to one of me by now!"

Before Chen Hejun could explain anything, the woman slammed the door shut with a "bang," and shouted to Song Ling, "A Ling, hurry up and throw this strange person out!"

"And don't forget my Eight Treasure Duck!"

Seeing Chen Hejun's embarrassed expression, Song Ling laughed even harder, forcing tears to come out of her eyes.

"Is it that funny?" Chen Hejun approached with a dark face: "Is there any medicine that can restore memories without harming the body?"

Song Ling pondered for a moment, then said, "I'm sorry, I really don't have any."

“Oh, right, Lord Marquis,” Song Ling patted the arm of the person next to her, “Don’t forget to buy Eight Treasure Duck. Zihe said she wants to eat it.”

Although Song Ling had gone far away, her faint voice, neither too loud nor too soft, reached Chen Hejun's ears:

"Old man~"

Chen Hejun: "..."

Isn't this woman supposed to be aloof and cold? How come she's so touching?