With the deputy general leading the way, Zheng Quchi could only keep his words brief.
She called Fu Rong aside and said, "Just send some cooks to do this. I have other things that I need you to do right away."
Fu Rong was startled to realize something was amiss. Meeting her bright, piercing eyes, he saw the seriousness and solemnity in her gaze and knew it must be something important.
He immediately abandoned his usual inquisitive style and agreed without hesitation: "Please give your orders, Madam."
Zheng Quchi leaned close to his ear and whispered something for a while, then asked him, "Did you understand?"
Fu Rong nodded thoughtfully: "I understand, but..."
When Zheng Quchi saw him open his mouth, he quickly stopped him: "I don't have time to explain to you. Just do as I say. If there is any mistake or accountability, I will take full responsibility."
——
The makeshift camp was about one or two kilometers from the front line. The lieutenant rode her to the checkpoint, explained the situation, and let her pass. He then dismounted and led her onward.
Before long, they saw the location of the troops ahead—a standoff in front of the trenches.
Ahead, smoke filled the air. Soldiers were tidying up the barricades and trenches they had set up. There were few casualties, so there was no need to clean up the fallen bodies and weapons. However, the weather was getting colder and colder, and with night approaching, people would freeze if they stood still for too long.
So the troops used patrols to stretch their bodies, reinforce fortifications, and find things to do to rouse their spirits.
Because of the chaotic flow of people, the presence or absence of even one person rarely attracted attention, so the arrival of the deputy general leading Zheng Quchi did not garner much attention.
Although Zheng Quchi was inconspicuous in the gloomy environment on the front line, a general not far away, dressed in armor with a dragon and jade scale, standing alone on horseback like a jade tree branch, stood out with his clear black and white silhouette and calm demeanor.
He and his generals were using the high ground to assess and discuss the situation in the Northern Abyss Kingdom...
As the deputy general ran forward to report, Zheng Quchi stood quietly in place, looking up at his direction.
It's strange, really. Even though they have the closest relationship in the world, she always feels like she doesn't really know him. She watches him from afar, thinking about the past and the present, observing him with eyes free of narrow-mindedness and prejudice...
He has absolutely no commanding presence or heroic demeanor. If he had to name a style, it would be a funeral style.
Others fight with a fierce will to survive, risking their lives to protect others. But looking at his dark eyes and his pale, snow-white skin, which seemed to have a broken, glass-like quality, there was also a strong desire to destroy, as if he wanted to take others down with him, making it hard to breathe.
...cough, she covered her mouth, interrupting her wild thoughts and wild speculations.
Yuwen Sheng had been listening casually to his deputy's speech, but after a few words, he suddenly blinked and turned his gaze away from the Beiyuan army.
Even though everything was so dull and lifeless—a leaden-gray sky, dark brown earth, soldiers in dark armor—only one person stood there, like a beautiful koi carp specially rendered in a black and white ink painting…
So vibrant and bright, so lively and beautiful.
A group of soldiers had just passed by Zheng Quchi, carrying something, which briefly obscured her figure. When there was no longer any obstruction in front of her, she looked back at Yuwen Sheng, only to find herself meeting his intense gaze.
He pinpointed her location with unerring accuracy.
For a long time, deeply.
Zheng Quchi felt his skin begin to burn and his whole body become uncomfortable. He said something to someone and then rode his horse down the high ground.
The horseshoes pounded the ground crisply and rapidly. A strong gust of wind swept across the distance and the crowd. Just as the shadow loomed overhead, a force swung Zheng Quchi around the waist and lifted him off the ground.
Before her gasp could even leave her throat, she was already sitting on the hard back of a horse.
A pair of cold, hard, and powerful arms pulled her into their embrace.
A strong personal aura assaulted her senses; there was no life, no blame, only the question: "Why are you here?"
He seemed to rub his face against hers, the smile on his lips revealing undisguised intimacy and joy.
Zheng Quchi: "..." Goodbye, the iron sheet rubbing against the steel sheet is going to produce sparks.
After regaining his senses, Zheng Quchi lightly bumped him with the back of his head. Both of them were wearing helmets, and the bump made a crisp sound.
"Let go, let go, I can't breathe."
What's he doing? She had just mentally complained that the two of them were an unfamiliar couple, and he suddenly put on this show of "deep affection between husband and wife." Was he trying to make her reflect on how much of a scumbag she was?
Yuwen Sheng released her. Zheng Quchi then sensed something was amiss around her. Turning her head, she saw that the people who had been moving around were now staring blankly at them like statues, clearly shocked.
Zheng Quchi took a deep breath: "Dismount and let's get down to business!"
——
"So you dismantled the entire enemy's iron barricade?" Yuwen Sheng asked, raising an eyebrow.
Zheng Quchi took off his helmet and brushed his messy hair aside: "Right, how can I know how its internal structure works if I don't take it apart?"
She briefly recounted what had happened to her to Yuwen Sheng, focusing mainly on the "iron horses" brought by Gongshu Jiruo, which would determine the outcome of their upcoming battle.
Upon hearing this, Yuwen Sheng smiled, his deep, dark eyes revealing a myriad of demonic influences, and said softly, "You're really reliable. So, now that we know how it works, can we defeat it with the weapons we have?"
Zheng Quchi was very honest and said directly, "I'm afraid that won't work."
"Why not?" he asked directly.
Zheng Quchi could only explain it to him like this: "It's like you have a sharp knife in your hand. You can use it to cut trees and wood, but if it's a stone or a mountain, wouldn't it be very difficult? This iron horse, though decorated with wooden planks, is actually a lump of iron, heavy and powerful, which cannot be blocked by swords or knives."
She gestured with her hands, making them look very lifelike.
"What about the ballistae?"
"Crossbows are mainly used against ordinary foot soldiers, cavalry, and vanguard troops, and are not very effective against heavy machinery like iron horses."
Little did she know that while she had pulled off an "unexpected" move, the other side also had a "sudden" one up their sleeve.
"You came all this way not just to tell me how indestructible this iron horse is, were you?"
Yuwen Sheng's understanding of her sometimes surprised even Zheng Quchi.
Zheng Quchi admitted, "That's right, I already have some initial ideas on how to deal with it, but I need to discuss the specific measures with you..."
Seeing that her breathing was full and vigorous, and that her bright, sparkling eyes were particularly lively, Yuwen Sheng asked with a strange smile, "Are you... excited?"
Zheng Quchi seemed a little stunned. After a while, she said, "Not long ago, Gongshu Jiruo said he wanted to compete with me on the battlefield. He is considered the top mechanic and craftsman among the seven kingdoms. Just thinking about being an opponent of such a person... makes my blood boil."
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