080
Before Qin Sang could react, Tan Bi had already grabbed the raised whip and pulled the arrogant soldier off his horse.
The person fell heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust, just as Qin Sang had predicted.
It's just that I didn't do it myself.
Before she could react, the man who had been pulled off his horse had already spun around on the spot and knelt respectfully in front of the horse: "Commander!"
Tan Bi ignored him, his dark eyes fixed on Qin Sang with a hint of amusement: "It's you again."
Qin Sang's back was burning with pain, but she pretended to be nonchalant and said sarcastically, "The soldiers General Tan led are quite impressive."
Tan Bi remained expressionless, looking at Qin Sang without saying a word. At this moment, Xie Wu, fearing that Qin Sang would be bullied, immediately stepped forward and invoked his grandfather's name: "Commander Tan, is this how you provide disaster relief? I'm going to go back and tell my grandfather to come and see for himself."
Tan Bi shifted his gaze to Xie Wu's face. After a moment, he recognized him, but his tone remained indifferent: "The Xie family's?"
Then, turning back to Qin Sang, he seemed to realize something: "You're the new girl from the Xie family, Qin Sang?"
Tan Bi was tall and strong. Riding on horseback, he was like a mountain, and the shadow he cast was enough to engulf Qin Sang.
Before anyone could answer, he bent down from his horse, and without saying a word, he used his large hands to lift Qin Sang onto the horse's back and placed her in front of him.
Xie Wu: "...??"
Qin Sang: "...??"
He tugged at the reins, the horse's head pointing towards the kneeling soldier: "Go and collect your twenty lashes."
His tone wasn't very serious, but it still made people feel as cold as ice.
"Yes!" the kneeling soldier replied with great morale.
Xie Wu watched helplessly as the horse's hooves lifted past him before belatedly taking two steps forward: "Hey? Where are you taking her?!"
The soldier on the ground was sharp-eyed and perceptive. Although he had been punished, he had already picked up on the clues from the brief conversation and immediately turned to Xie Wu: "Miss Xie, it's too chaotic here. Shall I take you back to your residence first?"
Xie Wu looked at him and snorted: "Where is your commander taking these people?"
The man lowered his head even further: "The military medic is skilled at treating whip wounds. The general must have taken the young lady to get treatment."
Xie Wu lifted her foot to follow, but was stopped: "It will be sent back after it is cured, so you don't need to worry, Miss."
Xie Wu was furious, but then she realized that she had heard rumors that her grandfather intended to marry Qin Sang to Tan Bi. Otherwise, Tan Bi wouldn't have acted so rashly after recognizing Qin Sang.
After thinking about it, if Qin Sang could cultivate a relationship with him beforehand, it wouldn't be a bad thing. If she really disliked him, she could still put up a last-ditch effort...
Moreover, everyone in the capital knows that this young and arrogant Commander Tan is extremely arrogant. Countless daughters of high-ranking officials and noble families have come to his door to propose marriage, but he looks down on all kinds of women, regardless of their size. If the Xie family wants to arrange a marriage between Tan Bi and his daughter, Qin Sang is the only option.
However, according to her elder brother, the Tan and Xie families weren't exactly on good terms... So if Qin Sang really married into the Xie family, she would definitely suffer some injustice, and it would be on behalf of the Xie family... Thinking of this, she felt annoyed and shouted at the soldiers, "You! Be nicer to these refugees!"
The man, who had been fierce and menacing just moments before, was now surprisingly docile: "What you say is true, young lady. We will certainly discipline our soldiers properly and ensure they do not commit the offense again."
"..."
Xie Wu: "Mind your own business!"
***
The horse, with its glossy brown coat and strong muscles, carried Qin Sang and Tan Bi through the crowd, gradually slowing down and stopping at the command tent not far away.
Qin Sang felt as if the person behind her was a ball of fire, tightly enveloping her, making the whip marks on her back burn even more intensely.
But she gritted her teeth and endured it. If nothing unexpected happened, she would soon be getting to know this person better, and it would be wise to take this opportunity to learn more about him.
So he took the initiative to start the conversation: "General, this horse is a fine horse."
"Hmm," Tan Bi's muffled voice sounded from above.
"What breed of horse is it?" Qin Sang asked.
"It has no class; I tamed it myself. It's called Jueying."
"Shadowless?" Qin Sang looked down at the horse's jet-black back. "The name suits it well. Where did you train it?"
The person behind her suddenly fell silent. Qin Sang wasn't in a hurry and waited for his answer.
"Are you very concerned about these refugees?" He suddenly changed the subject.
“Alas,” Qin Sang sighed, “I come from a small place and can’t bear to see my fellow villagers suffer.”
Fellow villagers...
She continued with a sorrowful lament, deeply empathetic: "A man as noble and valiant as the general, raised in luxury since childhood, could never understand the suffering of ordinary people, nor know the hunger of starving or the agony of having no cure when sick..."
"..." Tan Bi sneered: "You've ever gone hungry before?"
It doesn't look like it at all.
“I’ve been hungry before,” Qin Sang lied calmly. “The general should also go hungry for a few meals to know what it’s like. It’s truly agonizing, making you want to eat everything you see… Then you’ll be able to understand the suffering of the refugees.”
After he finished speaking, the person behind him snorted disdainfully.
Qin Sang was about to speak again when she felt a warm breath approaching her ear, which made her shudder and her back tense up.
"The Prime Minister wants to give you to me in marriage. Do you think you are worthy?" His low, soft voice rang in my ears.
Qin Sang: "..."
"Perhaps... not worthy." She didn't even know what she was saying.
Silence fell behind him again.
After a moment of silence, she felt a chill behind her. Tan Bi had already dismounted and was standing quietly to the side, holding the reins and gesturing for her to dismount on her own.
Qin Sang felt a burning pain all over her body, and she also felt that the other party was very impolite, doing whatever she was told, what about the face of an immortal?
So she remained seated, looking down at Tan Bi, and leaned slightly closer, observing him intently as her gaze swept over his head, eyebrows, eyes, mouth, nose, ears, neck, and chest...
Tan Bi probably had no experience of being scrutinized so directly by a young girl. Although his face grew increasingly dark and cold, his ears turned slightly red.
"If you have any self-awareness, go back and tell Prime Minister Xie that I have no intention of getting married, and even if I were to get married, it would not be to a woman of unknown origin."
"..." Qin Sang thought for a moment, then prepared to struggle: "It is said that heroes love beauties. Does the Commander think that my appearance is not good enough for you to see?" Her eyes curved, "Then the Commander is really well-traveled."
Tan Bi's deep eyes grew even colder, as if they could unleash a flying dagger at any moment and pierce right through a person.
Qin Sang stared into those eyes and thought of Bai Yiqing.
He was equally stern and aloof, but he was even paler, like someone sculpted from millennia-old ice. Despite his coldness, he still exuded a gentle and refined charm.
But Tan Bi's eyes were filled with a chilling, murderous aura, tinged with bloodlust and violence.
It is clear that there are differences between different kinds of cold.
Qin Sang carefully observed his facial expression, trying to discern his next move from the details. Unexpectedly, he reached out and pulled Qin Sang's wrist, dragging her off the horse.
Qin Sang was caught off guard and her back was yanked painfully. The word "ah" stuck in her throat as she was thrown into a solid embrace, the pain making her scalp tingle.
This is outrageous! They have absolutely no sense of chivalry or respect for women.
The person above scoffed, "Don't you know kung fu?"
Qin Sang looked up angrily, and seeing the faint smile on the other person's face, she gritted her teeth: "All show and no substance, not worth mentioning..."
Tan Bi lowered his head slightly and moved closer to her: "Your use of hidden weapons is so skillful, it's more than just fancy footwork. Do you think I'm blind?"
Qin Sang didn't know if he was blind or not; all she knew was that her whole body ached and her arms were being held tightly by him.
At that moment, she made a decision: she could not marry this man.
If you really want to get married, you have to come up with a thoughtful plan, such as exchanging vows with your partner on the wedding day.
Tan Bi seemed to finally feel that he had the upper hand, and looked somewhat smug. So he finally let go of her and walked straight into the large tent.
***
The tent was built tall and spacious, with a large conference table in the middle and several smaller tables for handling affairs. There were people sitting in front of the smaller tables, but when Tan Bi came in, they all got up and left with just a glance.
The large tent was now empty. Tan Bi walked to the council table, reached out to open a mahogany box on it, and found Qin Sang standing still without looking up. He said, "Aren't you going to come in and apply the medicine? Are you just waiting for the wound to fester?"
Qin Sang thought to herself: By the time you apply the medicine, it might rot even faster.
Tan Bi: "...a secret military wound medicine." He had already taken out a small celadon porcelain bottle, one hand behind his back, the other stroking the bottle, waiting for Qin Sang to come in.
Qin Sang thought for a moment, then stepped inside, walked to the table, and reached out her hand to him.
Tan Bi, however, did not move.
Qin Sang looked puzzled as she stared at Tan Bi.
After a silent exchange, Qin Sang understood; he wanted to apply the medicine to her personally.
Outrageous! You lecherous scoundrel!
She stretched her hand out even further: "If the commander has any miraculous medicine, please give some to me. There is a difference between men and women, so there is no need for the general to do it himself."
Tan Bi continued to rub the small porcelain bottle in his hand, staring at her, but suddenly laughed: "I suddenly feel that what you said makes some sense."
Qin Sang: "??"
"Heroes have always been paired with beauties. Actually, after looking at you a few more times, you are indeed not bad looking."
Qin Sang: "...Hehe, thank you for the compliment, Commander, but I think you're right. My origins are unknown, and I'm truly unworthy of such praise..."
“The eighth day of next month is an auspicious day,” Tan Bi slowly walked out from behind the table. “I will go to your residence to propose marriage. If there is anything you want, just tell me, and we can prepare it for you before we get married.”
Qin Sang opened her mouth slightly, not understanding how this change had come so suddenly.
Tan Bi stroked the porcelain bottle: "What? You think it's been too long?"
Qin Sang laughed: "Marriage requires betrothal, name selection, auspicious date selection, gift presentation, and date setting. All these things are complicated. The eighth day of next month... It's less than a month away. General, are you getting married or kidnapping someone?"
Tan Bi walked up to her and said, "In the military, timing is crucial. Once the opportunity is missed, things can change. So once a decision is made, every second counts. Don't worry about what you've said; I will take care of everything."
Qin Sang looked up at the man. She was small and fell into his shadow, like a sheep falling into the wolf's mouth. Suddenly, she felt a chill run down her spine.
“Alright,” Qin Sang slowly reached out and carefully touched the porcelain bottle, grasping the neck of the bottle but not touching his hand at all. “These things are useless to me, and I can’t make the decisions. Let’s go and discuss it with the elders in the family first.” She took the porcelain bottle from his hand, which was burning hot from his grip.
She held the porcelain bottle in her palm: "I'm going back now, this whip mark on my back... ouch, it hurts terribly."
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