Heart-to-heart
After successfully breaking out of Huangtiandang, Wanyan Zongbing retreated to Jiankang, but saw a huge black army blocking the way forward. The military flag with the word "Yue" hanging on it was fluttering in the wind.
Wanyan Zongbing suddenly felt that something was wrong. He had just escaped from the tiger's mouth, but fell into the wolf's den. The Yue Family Army was a more terrifying team than Han Shizhong. Wanyan Zongbing felt a chill on his back and hurriedly organized the Jin army to welcome them.
Yue Fei led his troops to attack fiercely. At this time, the anti-Jin militia rushed out from behind the enemy. Under the pincer attack from both armies, the Jin soldiers were defeated. Hundreds of surrendered soldiers were killed. Wanyan Zongbing fled with his armor and weapons abandoned. Corpses were everywhere within a dozen miles.
After many twists and turns, Wanyan Zongbing succeeded in crossing the river to the north despite the loss of many soldiers and generals. After escaping death, Wanyan Zongbing laughed and said, "Han Shizhong and Yue Fei were no better than him. They didn't even take my life." After laughing, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh. For the sake of his reputation as the "No. 1 War God of the Jin Army", he had to pretend to be fearless in front of his subordinates. In fact, he had already lost his three souls and seven spirits. He was able to escape death this time only by luck.
Although the Song army was defeated at the Battle of Huangtiandang, it was the first time, after repeated setbacks against the Jin army, that the Jin army was completely routed, forcing them to flee north in panic. This crucial battle greatly boosted the morale of the Southern Song soldiers. The Song-Jin War had entered a period of stalemate, moving from the Jin army's massive offensive into a period of stalemate. The Jin dynasty's overwhelming advantage in the early stages of the war was gradually weakening. The Song army's heroic performance at the Battle of Huangtiandang offered the suffering people of the Southern Song a glimmer of hope amidst the gloom, strengthening their resolve to resist the Jin army.
The once invincible Jin army no longer dared to cross the river from the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River to the south. Instead, it shifted its offensive focus to the western front and competed with the Southern Song Dynasty for Sichuan and Shaanxi.
Han Shizhong took Liang Hongyu back to Jingkou. After arriving in Jingkou, he immediately invited a doctor.
After examining the patient, the doctor said, "The rocket that entered General Liang's body was only an inch away from injuring his heart."
Han Shizhong looked at the injured Liang Hongyu with mixed emotions. She had risked her life to block that arrow for him. What could have driven her to such a length? Could it be... that she liked him too? This thought excited him immensely. The turbulent emotions that had kept him awake all night finally cleared up. She liked him. Otherwise, why would she not risk her own life to block that arrow for him? After realizing this, the desert-like loneliness in his heart suddenly became lush and green, filled with uncontrollable joy. The unbearable loneliness that had gnawed at his soul like a million ants for countless nights vanished in an instant.
"Hongyu, you must get better." He held her soft, boneless hands and placed them against his face, whispering softly in her ear. The soft touch made him feel like he was in the clouds.
At this time, a servant reported: "General, a guest named Asen wants to see you."
Han Shizhong immediately let go of Liang Hongyu's hands. He must have come here because of Liang Hongyu's injury. He also thought of the provocative look Liang Hongyu had given him that day when they were chatting and laughing on the ship. That look had made him feel troubled all night. Now, he could finally let him have a taste of the torment of jealousy. So he straightened the corner of his clothes and said, "Let him in."
After Asen entered the room, he didn't greet him, but ignored him as if he were air, and ran directly to the bedside and shouted: "Sister Hongyu, what's wrong with you? Wake up!"
Han Shizhong deliberately coughed a few times to remind him of his neglect.
Arsen then turned around and saw Han Shizhong standing in the house. Knowing he had been impolite, he bowed to him and said, "Arsen greets General Han."
"No need to be polite."
"How is Sister Hongyu?" Asen asked worriedly.
"She's fine for now. The doctor told her to take good care of herself." Han Shizhong glanced at Asen, hoping to see a hint of jealousy or resentment in his eyes, so he said, "Don't worry, I will take good care of her. Besides, she blocked the arrow for me."
Arsen's expression didn't change at all when he heard this. It wasn't what he had hoped for.
"Oh, thank you, General Han. I will leave after Sister Hongyu wakes up. General Han, you go ahead and do your work." After saying this, Asen walked towards the bedside without paying any attention to Han Shizhong beside him.
Han Shizhong was furious when he saw this boy being so rude. "I told you I'll take good care of her. This is my residence. Please leave."
Asen then looked at Liang Hongyu lying on the bed reluctantly, turned around and left. After all, it was someone else's territory and he could not be willful.
After Asen left, Liang Hongyu finally woke up from her coma. She wanted to turn over, but she felt a bursting pain in her chest and couldn't help but screaming in pain.
Han Shizhong looked over and saw Liang Hongyu waking up. He couldn't help but thank the heavens for finally waking her up. He immediately went over and said, "Hongyu, your wound hasn't healed yet. Lie down and don't move."
When Liang Hongyu heard the name "Hongyu", she was shocked: Why did he call her that? What kind of crazy was he?
"Why is General Han called that?"
After Han Shizhong saw her lying down, he stared into her eyes and asked, "Hongyu, don't hide it from me. You like me, don't you?"
Liang Hongyu looked at Han Shizhong's fiery eyes, and her heart trembled, but she still turned her eyes away and said stubbornly: "No, General, why do you say that?"
Han Shizhong stared into her eyes and said affectionately, "If you didn't like her, why did you block that arrow for me?"
"General Han is the commander-in-chief of the entire army, so naturally we must do our utmost to protect him. Any other general would do the same." Liang Hongyu argued cleverly.
Liang Hongyu didn't want to reveal her love for him too soon, because she hadn't yet discovered Han Shizhong's feelings for her. If he didn't like her, saying "I like you" would not only add to her sadness, but would also hurt her self-esteem. She didn't want her self-esteem to be trampled on by anyone, even if that person was someone she liked.
When Han Shizhong heard this, his joy was shrouded in dark clouds again, but he changed his mind and decided that no matter whether she liked him or not, he would make her his own and did not want her to be possessed by another man. Just when he saw her standing with another man, his heart felt as painful as if it were stabbed by thousands of swords. If she belonged to another man, he could not imagine how sad he would be.
So he looked into her eyes and said, "Hongyu, listen carefully, this general is attracted to you."
Liang Hongyu was stunned for a moment. Was this a dream? But the pain of the wound was still clearly visible.
She asked in disbelief, "But I... I used to be a prostitute. Doesn't the general mind?"
Han Shizhong said affectionately: "This general cares about you as a person, not your identity."
Why did this sentence sound more sweet than any honeyed words? Although she had never been self-deprecating, she could not help but feel inferior when facing the person she liked.
Even though she was still innocent, the words "official prostitute" were still deeply engraved in her heart, becoming a stigma of shame. Even though she was now a general, she still did not want to recall her experience in Zuixinlou. Even if she died on the battlefield, she wanted to wash away the shame of the past.
Seeing that Liang Hongyu did not reject him, Han Shizhong continued to test her: "Since you did not reject me, I will take it as your consent."
Liang Hongyu nodded and said, "General, please don't regret it."
Han Shizhong was so happy when he heard this that he was at a loss for words. He hugged Liang Hongyu tightly.
Liang Hongyu only uttered a "hiss" sound and said, "General, you hurt me."
Han Shizhong finally realized that he had touched the wound on her chest when he hugged her. He couldn't help but blame himself and said, "I was so happy that I didn't consider that you were still injured. Lie down and rest first." After saying that, he helped Liang Hongyu lie down.
Han Shizhong sat on the edge of the bed, holding Liang Hongyu's hand and refusing to leave, looking at her with a silky look in his eyes.
Liang Hongyu felt very uncomfortable when he looked at her, and her face turned red all the way to her ears.
Han Shizhong looked at her flushed face and said anxiously, "You have a fever again. Why is your face so red?" As he said that, he touched Liang Hongyu's forehead.
Liang Hongyu felt extremely embarrassed and blocked his outstretched arm, saying, "I'm fine, but if you keep looking at me like that, how can I rest?"
Han Shizhong then let go of Liang Hongyu's hand and said, "Then you rest first, I will come to see you later." After saying that, he turned around and left reluctantly.
Liang Hongyu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although she had been involved in prostitution, this was the first time for a young lady like her to receive a confession of love from the man she loved. She had to sort out her messy and excited thoughts.
Is he really attracted to me? That heroic young general.
She remembered the first time she had met him. It was at a victory banquet in Jingkou. While the other officers and soldiers were drinking and flirting with courtesans, he sat alone in a corner, drinking silently. His face was filled with sorrow, his brows slightly furrowed, not as if he had won a victory, his expression of joyful jubilation. Even as he sat there, drinking silently, he remained erect and graceful, his demeanor exceptional. That lonely figure remained etched in her mind.
Later, she sent Qiu Feng to investigate his background. She heard that he had joined the army at the age of seventeen, had made great achievements, and was a young hero. There was even a story circulating among the people about him catching a wild horse with his bare hands:
Legend has it that one year, a wild horse ran from Erlang Mountain and attacked passersby. The government posted a notice, saying that anyone who could subdue the wild horse would receive a generous reward. One day, Han Shizhong happened to be passing by. Without saying a word, he took down the notice and ran up the mountain with his bare hands. Soon, a long neigh was heard from behind the ridge, and a wild horse with a white mane jumped out from the ridge. When the wild horse saw Han Shizhong, it rushed towards him. Han Shizhong waited for the horse to rush down the hillside and jumped onto its back. Seeing this, the wild horse raised its front hooves in the air, trying to throw him off. Han Shizhong clamped his legs together and grabbed the horse's mane with both hands. The wild horse ran and jumped wildly, all the way to a cliff. Seeing that both man and horse were about to fall into a deep ditch, Han Shizhong punched the horse's back several times, and the wild horse stopped just one step away from the ditch.
When she met Han Shizhong in Jingkou, he had single-handedly killed dozens of enemy soldiers and captured Fang La alive, thus defeating the rebel army. However, when escorting Fang La to the capital, his superior, Xin Xingzong, a close confidant of Tong Guan, stole the credit, leaving him to drink alone at the celebration banquet that day.
When she heard about his heroic deeds, her admiration for him was even greater. She was accustomed to seeing men in the entertainment industry who only cared about women and had no ambition, so she naturally admired Han Shizhong's heroism. However, because she was determined to avenge her blood feud at the time, she had not truly examined her own heart. Now, thinking about it, perhaps she had already fallen in love with him at first sight that day in Jingkou, and from then on, no other man in the world could catch her eye.
She once thought that if he didn't like her, she would never marry, dedicate herself to the Song Dynasty, and be a female general defending her country.
But he said he liked her, and how lucky she was to have met someone who shared her feelings and cherished her during these troubled times. Thinking of this, she felt very happy and soon fell asleep.
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