Chapter 80 Do you want to kiss me?
Xiao Heng sniffed and squeezed out two tears. "After talking with Thirteenth Brother today, I suddenly realized that my life is actually quite miserable."
Lu Jinlan frowned. "Thirteen was an orphan from a young age, unloved by his mother and father. He was beaten by his master as he grew up, and in the end, his finger was chopped off. He only had six months of good life after that. After talking to him, how did you come to the conclusion that your life is miserable? Do you, a young prince of Qu Kingdom, have it worse than him?"
Xiao Heng was speechless for a moment, then quickly said, "He told me that's all in the past, and he's doing very well now. Lord Kong dotes on him, and he's even pregnant. Unlike me, who's been reduced to a prisoner..."
Lu Jinlan turned over impatiently. "Didn't you come here yourself? I told you long ago not to regret it if you suffered. Now you regret it, right? Don't be sad. Your royal sister will send someone to pick you up in a few days."
Xiao Heng grew increasingly angry as he listened. What kind of charming and talented woman was she? She was utterly clueless about romance. Was she genuinely oblivious, or was she just pretending?
Xiao Heng glared at her several times in the darkness, and said angrily, "I have no regrets, and I don't want to go back now."
Lu Jinlan muttered, "Didn't you say it yourself? You have such a hard life..."
"My life is miserable because of you." Xiao Heng said stubbornly, steeling his heart, and leaned over to hug Lu Jinlan tightly from behind.
His high nose rubbed against the back of her neck, and he said pitifully, "If you hug me, I won't feel so bitter."
Lu Jinlan sighed, hesitated for a moment, and patted the arm around her waist. "Let go."
"I won't let go unless you say you hate me."
I hate you.
Xiao Heng took a deep breath. "You're lying. I don't believe you."
Lu Jinlan chuckled softly, "Alright, I don't dislike you. But the connections between people are mysterious, and you can't force them."
Xiao Heng was taken aback. "What would happen if I forced it?"
"If we force it, we might not even be able to be friends."
Xiao Heng was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Who wants to be your friend? Whether you love me or hate me, you can't treat me like this, as if I'm a stranger."
He suddenly pressed down on her, their noses touching, gazing deeply into each other in the darkness.
He took a deep breath, his eyes moist, his voice hoarse, "I heard that if you're unsure whether you like someone, try getting very close to them and see if you feel like kissing them."
Xiao Heng moved closer, his warm lips almost touching the corner of her mouth. "I'm sure I like you, I want to kiss you. What about you? Does your heart really feel nothing for me?"
Lu Jinlan's breathing faltered for a moment. She looked into his eyes, her heart filled with complex emotions. "I'm not touching you because it's for your own good."
Xiao Heng ignored her questions and simply asked, "Do you want to kiss me?"
Their breaths mingled, their rising body temperatures seeping through their thin nightgowns, making it difficult to tell who was hotter. Lu Jinlan swallowed unconsciously, her gaze lingering on his lips, yet she still tried her best to remain rational.
She told him, "Your family and I are on the opposite side, and I could become your mortal enemy at any time. While there's still time, don't walk into a foreseeable tragedy."
Ignoring his pleas, Xiao Heng stubbornly asked, "Do you want to kiss me?"
Lu Jinlan licked her lips. "You should know that even if I take you, I will not soften my stance towards the people of Qu Kingdom because of you."
Xiao Heng's eyes reddened. "I know. So, you want to kiss me..."
Her soft lips forcefully silenced his unfinished words, her tongue parted his teeth and sucked hard, the unfamiliar sensation leaving the man's mind blank.
He awkwardly tried to imitate her and responded enthusiastically, but soon he began to enjoy it and became completely absorbed in it.
The nightgown was quickly thrown to the ground, and the hot, humid breathing became increasingly rapid, creating an atmosphere of eroticism within the tent.
Suddenly a voice came from outside the tent: "Reporting to the general, Lord Yu has come to visit late at night. The commander-in-chief requests that you come to the command tent for a private talk."
Lu Jinlan took a deep breath and said loudly, "Okay, I'll be right there."
She rubbed the head that was resting on her chest. "Get up and help me change."
Xiao Heng gritted his teeth, his brows furrowed, and he got out of bed, seething with resentment, to get her clothes and shoes.
After Lu Jinlan left, he stood outside the tent, wrapped in a cloak, gritting his teeth as he looked in the direction of the commander's tent.
Thirteen taught him three steps: playing the victim, serving, and letting things take their natural course.
He had finally completed one and a half steps, but was abruptly interrupted at the crucial moment.
Kong Luan was patrolling when he saw him standing there dumbfounded. He kindly advised, "The night breeze is so cool. Go back to your tent and wait for the general."
Xiao Heng asked her, "Is the Lord Yu who just arrived Yu Jifang, the governor of Beizhou?"
Kong Luan: "I think so. Why are you asking this?"
"I hate her."
Xiao Heng flung the curtain back into his tent. Kong Luan scratched his head, puzzled. "Lord Yu is a good person, why hate her?"
*
When Lu Jinlan entered the command tent, he found that many generals had arrived, including Xiang Ruzhen and Yan Wuxin.
Lu Jinlan cupped her hands in greeting, "Mother Marshal."
Song Jingxiao nodded and said, "Everyone is here. Lord Yu, tell us about your situation."
Lu Jinlan sat between Xiang Yan and Yu Jifang, listening to Yu Jifang say, "Two hours ago, I received news that the Ling family army outside Beizhou City had been defeated and was defending Qiulong Pass. The defeat report will probably not come out until tomorrow morning, but an hour ago, Ling Xin, the commander of the Ling family army, sent people into Beizhou City to prepare for the retreat to Beizhou."
Yu Jifang said with great sorrow, "General Song, generals, once Qiulong Pass falls, Beizhou will be in grave danger, and the hundreds of thousands of people in Beizhou City will be in danger. The Ling family army is no longer reliable. I have come here late at night to earnestly request that you think of a way to save Beizhou! On behalf of the people of Beizhou, I kowtow to you all."
"Lord Yu, you absolutely mustn't!" Song Jingxiao hurriedly ordered someone to help her up.
Yu Jifang is now a high-ranking official of the second rank, yet he speaks out for the people in such a humble manner, which moves everyone present.
Song Jingxiao was extremely reluctant, but also said with difficulty: "Lord Yu, you know that our Song family army and the Ling family army are irreconcilable enemies. Although I am the Grand Marshal of Jingbian, I can only command the 300,000 troops under my command."
“The Ling family army may not dare to attack the Jiang Kingdom's army, but they may not be afraid to attack us. If I forcibly lead my troops to intervene, it will be without legitimacy. If the Ling family army launches a mutiny, our army will be attacked from both sides, and the consequences will be unimaginable.”
"The army I command is His Majesty's hope for restraining the Ling family army, and also the hope of the people of the five border states. If something happens to the Song family army, the Jiang, Qu, and rebel armies will advance unimpeded, and half of Hua's territory will be in danger of being lost. At that time, not only will the people of Beizhou suffer, but half of the country's people will be plunged into misery."
Yu Jifang looked up and sighed deeply, her eyes filled with sorrow, tears streaming down her face and wetting the newly grown white hair at her temples. "Isn't this a dead end? Am I supposed to watch Beizhou City turn into a wasteland?"
She hesitated for a moment, wiped away her tears, and said with a resolute look in her eyes, "So be it! In the end, it's nothing more than the city falling and people dying. I will live and die with Beizhou. Pretend I never came today, farewell."
"Wait a moment!" Lu Jinlan stepped forward and stopped Yu Jifang. "Please wait a moment, Lord Yu. I have a way that we can try."
Song Jingxiao frowned and said, "Lan'er!"
Lu Jinlan pleaded, "Mother Commander, please let me try. Let me take over Prison Dragon Pass."
Song Jingxiao frowned deeply, "But this is a dead end!"
Lu Jinlan hurriedly said, "Then let me break this deadlock."
“As the General Who Guards the North, it is my duty to guard the northern border. If even a civil official like Lord Yu has the determination to live and die with the northern state, how much more so should we military generals? I have the Emperor’s decree and the authority to command the Prisoner Dragon Pass. No one is more suitable than me.”
Song Jingxiao shook her head repeatedly, "But Qiulong Pass is beset by internal and external troubles. Hundreds of thousands of Jiang Kingdom troops are at the city gates, and the Ling family army is wavering within. At that time, anyone standing by your side could be waiting for an opportunity to take your life. Who is a loyal subject? Who is a traitor? How can you tell?"
Lu Jinlan said, "Those who follow me to kill the enemy are loyal, and I will certainly recruit them to my service. Those who turn against me and kill me are traitors, and I will kill them."
Song Jingxiao frowned, and Xiang Ruzhen quickly stood up and said, "General, this humble general is willing to accompany General Lu to Prison Dragon Pass."
Yan Wuxin hurriedly replied, "This humble general is also willing! Commander, we will stand together and will not give the thieves any opportunity to take advantage of us."
Before he finished speaking, three or five more generals stepped forward and said in unison, "This humble general is willing to accompany General Lu to Prison Dragon Pass."
Song Jingxiao sighed helplessly, "Since you insist on going, I will send 50,000 troops to bring you back."
Lu Jinlan said happily, "We don't need so many people. I have studied the terrain of Qiulong Pass these past few days. The area inside the pass is not large. If we take 50,000 people there, plus the existing garrison, the place will be very cramped, and the required food and fodder will double. It will also make it seem like I am afraid of the Ling family army. Mother Commander, you only need to give me 3,000 elite soldiers and allow me to select some people to go with me."
Song Jingxiao had no choice but to nod. "Yue Chan, gather three thousand elite soldiers and go with General Lu."
"Yes." Yue Chan immediately accepted the order and went out to muster the troops.
Lu Jinlan called Xiang Ruzhen and Yan Wuxin, along with several generals who had just stepped forward, and also named familiar and reliable classmates such as Sun Lewen, Chu Yishu, and Wu Qiongmeng, to go together.
Yu Jifang expressed her deepest gratitude before leaving.
To avoid any unforeseen complications, the army began cooking at midnight. Lu Jinlan ordered everyone to pack their belongings and make sure they reached Prison Dragon Pass before dawn.
While preparing the meal, Lu Jinlan called over Kong Luan and Zuo Suizhi. She got straight to the point: "We're all old acquaintances. Our journey to Prison Dragon Pass is fraught with peril, and we'll inevitably face several bloody battles. I'd like to ask if you'd be willing to come with me?"
The two hurriedly replied, "We are willing to go with the general."
Lu Jinlan smiled and said, "Let's think about it some more, especially about you."
She looked at Kong Luan and said, "Thirteen is pregnant. If anything happens to you, he will probably blame me."
Kong Luan laughed and said, "That man is ignorant. If he has any complaints, I will definitely teach him a lesson. Besides, he may not want me to stay. If I don't go, he might think I'm afraid of death and blame me for not going with the general. We soldiers always have our heads on our shoulders, no matter where we fight. Please let me go."
Lu Jinlan nodded, "Okay, then go back and pack your things."
As soon as Kong Luan left, she said to Zuo Suizhi, "I have always believed that with your abilities, you should have been selected for the academy back then, but unfortunately, fate had other plans. It is my regret that we were not classmates."
"Now that we have the opportunity to fight side by side again, I appoint you as the commander of a thousand women, and from now on you will be on equal footing with Le Wen and the others. I hope you understand that you have never been inferior to the emperor's disciples, neither in the past nor now."
Tears welled in Zuo Sui's eyes. She tried her best to control her surging emotions and choked out, "Thank you, General! With your words, I would gladly give my life, even if it meant my death."
Lu Jinlan patted her on the shoulder, "Go ahead."
A short while later, Xiang Ruzhen and Yan Wuxin finished packing and found Lu Jinlan. Yan Wuxin asked, "We're leaving now, what about your young master?"
Lu Jinlan lowered her eyes, then said firmly, "The Qu people will take him back. Don't worry about him. Let's prepare to leave."
*
Xiao Heng lay on the bed fully clothed, waiting for Lu Jinlan to return, and unknowingly fell asleep.
When he woke up, there was an extra blanket on him. He vaguely felt that something was wrong. When he looked up, he found that Lu Jinlan's armor and usual clothes were gone.
Xiao Heng's heart tightened, and he immediately ran out of the tent, asking a familiar guard, "Where is General Lu?"
"General Lu has gone to guard the Prisoner Dragon Pass."
"Prisoner Dragon Pass?" Xiao Heng muttered to himself, "No, I have to go find her!"
The guards quickly stopped him. "General Lu has instructed you to stay in the camp and wait patiently. Chizhou City has replied that someone will come to pick you up in three days."
"I'm not going back. Where is General Xiang? I want to see General Xiang!"
"General Xiang and General Yan have both gone to Qiulong Pass with General Lu, and even Lord Kong has gone. You should stay here quietly."
Xiao Heng returned to his tent in frustration, and could vaguely hear the guards talking outside.
"Oh, I've heard that Prisoner Dragon Pass is an unlucky place."
"How so?"
"Think about it, even dragons are imprisoned, let alone humans? That place is the tomb of famous generals and heroines. General Lu, it will be very dangerous for you to go there!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Heng rushed out immediately, shouting, "I want to see the Commander!"
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Author's Note: Writing this chapter makes it hard not to hate the people who invented Chinese characters. Why does the character for "奸" (jiān, meaning treacherous/adulterous) have the "女" (nǚ, meaning woman) radical? I tried to find a replacement, and the character "佞" (níng, meaning treacherous/flattering) came to mind, but it also has the "女" radical! Forget it, I don't need to use it anymore. PS: Update time is set to 21:01:02. You won't have to wait so long anymore. I might be fixing bugs at other times.
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