The cramped tent contained only a bed. The noisy and energetic sounds of training outside could be clearly heard inside, but the tabby cat on the bed was curled up in a ball, sleeping soundly. Even when a black light flashed past the tent flap and a dark shadow silently appeared inside, it didn't disturb the tabby cat in the slightest.
He was a man with wolf-like eyes. He leaned against the tent behind him, arms crossed, silently staring at the tabby cat on the bed. His eyes, which should have been cold and wicked, held a complex expression, with a hint of gentleness that was never seen in his usual demeanor.
Time passed slowly, and finally, the cat on the bed stretched and slowly opened her eyes. In her blurry vision, she saw a man in black leaning against the edge of the tent, and blinked twice in a daze.
"Meow!" Suddenly, the tabby cat let out a startled cry, kicking wildly with her four paws, making a mess of the blankets beneath her. Then, she struggled a few times to get up in a disheveled state and quickly retreated until she reached the corner of the bed and bumped into the tent before stopping. She then crouched down and stared warily at the man.
Lang Yuan watched Ah Hua's movements quietly, a faint smile playing on his lips. Only when Ah Hua stopped did he speak softly, saying, "I heard the woman beside Young Master Li call you Ah Hua, so should I call you Ah Hua, or... Lingxi?"
Ahua's body trembled, her eyes widened, and her wariness deepened.
Lang Yuan waited a while, but seeing that Ahua didn't answer and was only looking at him warily, he shook his head helplessly and said, "I've never understood why you're so afraid of me?"
"Meow!" Ahua meowed warily, still staring intently at Langyuan with a look of ready to attack at any moment.
Lang Yuan sighed helplessly and said, "I've had the seal on you for so long, how come you're still like this?"
Ahua stared warily at Langyuan, remaining silent for a long while before finally uttering two words: "Go..."
Lang Yuan's eyes turned cold. He shook his head and said indifferently, "Didn't you go to find Liang Yihan? What, you didn't find him?"
A hint of sadness flashed across Ahua's eyes, and her voice turned cold as she said, "I don't need your help, get out!"
Lang Yuan sneered and said, "I told you long ago not to go to him. You can't show your true face to others, so in the eyes of those human cultivators, you are a demon. If he really becomes a disciple of the Daoist sect, he will definitely not recognize you. What, did I hit the nail on the head?"
Enraged, Ahua clenched her two front paws, tearing the blanket beneath her into a ball. The pain she had been desperately trying to hide was mercilessly exposed by Langyuan. Her eyes grew even more sorrowful, yet she bared her sharp teeth and snapped, "Even if he doesn't recognize me, what's it to you! Get out!"
A hint of pity flickered in Lang Yuan's eyes. He silently watched Ahua's appearance, knowing that she was trying to hide her sorrow and pain with her fierce exterior.
After a long silence, he spoke softly, his voice low and gentle, and said in a low voice, "You... come with me."
Ahua was taken aback, and her tense body relaxed.
Wolf Source paused for a moment, then continued, "The woman beside the Demon Clan's young master dotes on you, but she is, after all, just a human, and she cannot protect you. Come with me; for your mother's sake, I can protect you."
Hearing Lang Yuan mention her mother, Ahua's eyes grew even more sorrowful, glistening with tears. She fought back her tears, her voice choked with emotion, and said, "Sister isn't human, and I will never go with you. Go... I'm telling you, I've never known you, and you don't know me..."
A flash of anger crossed Lang Yuan's face. He turned around, flicked his sleeve, and left without a word, lifting the tent flap.
Ahua slowly lay down, tears streaming down her face and dripping onto the blanket. She buried her face in her chest, only her weak, choked sobs escaping her lips as she cried out in anguish, "Mother... Liang Yihan..."
The sound carried clearly to the outside of the tent. The black-clad man, who had been standing silently with his back to the tent flap, turned his head slightly to look behind him. His profile was pale, and his eyes were full of tenderness, but he ultimately made no move.
--
War broke out across the Central Plains, with several forces recruiting soldiers and horses in the east, west, south, and north. Some robbed wealthy merchants to raise money and supplies, while others gained the support of powerful families. These forces were like the main characters on a stage, vying to take the stage in the war, one after another, creating quite a lively scene.
Except for the Northern Rong, who were blocked at Huyue Pass, the other forces made smooth progress and conquered large areas of land in just a few months.
At that time, the Dasheng Kingdom had enjoyed a long period of peace. Even during Emperor Yan's reign, the management of the army was not neglected. However, after Emperor Rui ascended the throne, he not only ignored military affairs but also political matters. Moreover, the officials in the court were only concerned with infighting and forming cliques for personal gain. Even the highest-ranking military officer, Grand Commandant Zhang Chao, was so engrossed in the feeling of monopolizing power that he paid no attention to anything else. Who would care about improving the strength of the army?
Apart from a few generals like Xu Wu who diligently trained their troops and whose soldiers possessed some fighting ability, the army in most parts of the Dasheng Kingdom, including the area outside Yingyang City, was of mediocre or even non-existent fighting strength. Because the generals neglected their duties, the soldiers merely went through the motions of daily drills. Over time, even the sharp blades of the spears, halberds, and arrows in the armory rusted, and their armor became covered in dust.
Thus, once the flames of war broke out, the armies of the Dasheng Kingdom across the Central Plains were almost utterly defeated. Many cities surrendered without a fight once the rebels arrived. Reports of repeated defeats reached Yingyang City, causing widespread panic among the officials. Even Emperor Rui lost interest in indulging in pleasures in the harem; he returned to court to handle state affairs and, following Zhang Chao's advice, dispatched troops to quell the rebellions. However, Zhang Chao's orders to mobilize troops were often driven by personal motives. He frequently placed the sons and grandsons of officials who were loyal to him within the army, appointing these aristocratic scions to important positions such as military supervisors.
However, these scions of noble families had no practical combat experience and had not even read many military books. When they came to the front lines with the army, they not only interfered in military affairs and issued unreasonable appointments and orders, but also lived a life of luxury and did all sorts of absurd things. Some of these scions even brought maids with them on the march.
The words and actions of these aristocratic scions aroused widespread resentment in the army, but because of Zhang Chao's indulgence, these scions did not restrain themselves in the slightest, and even the generals in the army dared not question them.
When this news reached Liang Shen, who was on sick leave, he couldn't help but sigh and say, "Zhang Chao has ruined the country!"
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