Chapter 67 Chapter 67 "You really can't afford to play."
Xue Yuanyin's mind went blank for a moment.
This time, the feeling he gave her with his fingers was a little different from last time. His lips and tongue were soft, moist and hot, and his hands were stronger. He quickly found her sensitive spots and twisted them vigorously there. His technique had improved a lot compared to last time.
I didn't expect that he mastered the trick after just two times. Is it possible that smart men learn things quickly?
Seeing that Zhang Jingxuan was about to withdraw, Xue Yuanyin suddenly stood up and hooked her arms around his neck. Zhang Jingxuan's body stopped in mid-air, and before he could push her away, she had already used the force to sit up.
Looking at his slightly warning look, Xue Yuanyin ignored it, sat on his thighs, lowered her eyes slightly and looked at him, clearly seeing the suppressed desire in his eyes.
It was the first time that Xue Yuanyin saw him from this angle, looking down at him from above.
Perhaps it was beyond Zhang Jingxuan's expectations, and he forgot to react for a moment. Xue Yuanyin supported his shoulders, the chains rustling as she leaned forward. Seeing his eyes suddenly darken, she smiled with satisfaction, more like a provocation than a tease:
"You don't dare to come in, are you afraid that the man will surrender in just half a cup of tea the first time?"
Zhang Jingxuan almost sneered: "You dare to say such things, you are really brave."
Xue Yuanyin raised her eyebrows slightly: "If you are not afraid, then try it."
She placed her arms behind his waist and leaned over to nibble on his earlobe. Her hot and moist breath made the skin on his face and neck itch.
She was like a broken jar after being imprisoned, not caring about any burdens at all, and the only thought in her mind was to enjoy herself as soon as possible. She said vaguely:
"Are you willing to wrong your young master? I clearly saw it has been awake for a long time. Do you think it is inviting me..."
She said this boldly, but she was not very thick-skinned, so she couldn't bring herself to say more obscenities.
Although the force of his palm this time was filled with anger, it still gave her a good feeling. However, this time, when climbing higher, she felt different from the last time. She vaguely felt that her body was still empty, and just being outside was no longer enough to satisfy her.
No wonder books say that superficiality is superficial after all. In that vague emptiness, she actually had the urge to let him come in and try out what kind of ecstasy his outstanding body felt like.
It must have been a wonderful experience...
Xue Yuanyin's mind turned back to her own, and one hand slowly groped towards the belt around his waist. The chain was winding and draped over the mat. However, before she could do anything, he suddenly pushed her away.
Zhang Jingxuan tried his best to suppress the rising heat in his lower abdomen. His clear eyes gradually became filled with a dark color, and his voice was hoarse:
"I disagree."
He rolled over and got off the rush bed, standing beside it with his back to her, looking at the asphalt-colored wall in front of him, trying to calm down his irresistible impulse. After a moment, he said coldly again:
"I don't agree. You better give up on this idea."
He was unwilling to do it, and Xue Yuanyin couldn't force him. She stopped trying to embarrass herself. Her thighs were still sore, so she simply lay on the mat to recover her energy, curling her lips and saying:
"You really can't afford to play."
Somehow this sentence annoyed him again. Zhang Jingxuan turned around and said with anger in his eyes: "You call this..."
He forced himself to hold back the rest of his words. Anger was burning in him, nearly consuming his sanity, but he finally stopped talking. After a while, he slowly calmed down, his face cold, and he said indifferently:
"Since we can't reach an agreement, then you can just follow your own heart and endure the calamity of imprisonment here. Ultimately, it's because I'm not capable enough, and Miss Xue and I can only become strangers."
After saying this, he turned and walked away. The sound of the iron door closing echoed in the quiet prison for a long time.
Xue Yuanyin lay quietly on the rush bed, turned over and faced inward. A flash of pain flashed in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it and finally became neither sad nor happy.
-
Ashlie's words eventually spread widely in the capital.
Faster than anyone expected, the Western Qiang troops gathered together to attack Qintang Pass. Their attack was so powerful that even the people of Sanhe Pass, the second pass in the Great Zhou Dynasty, became uneasy and sent a report of the battle for reinforcements.
If Qintang Pass was the border crossing, Sanhe Pass was another line of defense, further south. The two weren't too close, but not too far either. There had been precedents of Western Qiang herdsmen circumventing Sanhe Pass and launching surprise attacks, so Sanhe Pass was often garrisoned during the war years, fearing they might circumvent the rear and cause the border to be surrounded from both sides.
One urgent report after another asking for support and food was delivered to the desk. The secret report said that several minor frictions had occurred at Qintang Pass, and it was A Shilie who led the Western Qiang troops.
His methods were no strangers to the Zhou Dynasty, including killing people and massacring cities. He loved to wage brutal wars.
A sense of fear spread among the people in the capital. The name of the eldest son of the Zhang family had spread out at some point, and it became more and more widespread. In the end, almost every household knew that the person Ashlie had named was the eldest son of the Zhang family.
Only if he, as a military advisor, goes to Qintang Pass and stops the devil, can this terrifying war be ended!
In the imperial study, the Crown Prince threw one petition after another requesting the eldest son of the Zhang family to accompany the army to the battlefield onto the floor. Finally, he was so angry that he brushed aside the entire pile of petitions and said with his chest heaving:
"They're using public opinion to put you on the spot!"
Zhang Jingxuan was in a bad mood after he was released from prison. He walked into the imperial study and stood there without saying a word. Only when he heard these words did he raise his eyelids slightly. The gentle smile that always appeared on his handsome face had disappeared, and the look in his eyes was silent and cold.
After a while, he said, "Xue Chang is forcing me to join the army."
In other words, he was forced to die under Ashlie's butcher knife.
What a vicious conspiracy. Under normal circumstances, he would not be afraid of it. But at this critical moment, the opponent came up with this plan, which made him feel a little tricky.
I've been thinking about it over and over again these days, but I still can't come up with a good plan that will satisfy both parties.
The prince mistakenly thought that Zhang Jingxuan's implication was that he was worried about the danger to his life if he went on the expedition, and said anxiously:
"Please wait for a while. I will try to find a way to quell the rumors in the capital."
Zhang Jingxuan was silent for a while, then shook his head gently and said, "I'm afraid it won't calm down, Your Highness."
Besides, his fear was never about dying in battle. For the greater good of the nation, he shouldn't have dragged his feet and refused. This went against the Zhang family's ancestral teachings.
However, this was the most difficult dilemma he had ever faced in his life.
The Crown Prince sighed and said, "I will first order my men to count the troops and provisions. Tomorrow, they will go to court to select the commander who will march to Qintang Pass. You... I will think of a plan. If you have a plan, you can tell me first."
Zhang Jingxuan opened his lips slightly, but his voice faltered, and he felt a sharp pain in his chest with every breath. After a moment, he closed his lips and clenched his fists.
He...can't make a choice.
-
When he went to court the next day, the emperor was unable to get up from his bed. As a last resort, the crown prince, who was in charge of the country, went to count the troops heading to the border in person.
After discussion among the ministers, they finally chose the old and highly regarded General Xun. He should have retired and enjoyed his old age, but now because of the emergency on the border of the Great Zhou Dynasty, he put on his armor again and rushed to the battlefield.
The military supervisor was an eunuch who was close to the old emperor and had experience in the battlefield. When he heard that he was facing A Shilie, his face remained calm and he calmly accepted the order to go to war.
The only remaining position is that of military advisor, and the candidate has not yet been decided.
Several glances were cast upwards towards Zhang Jingxuan, the implication of which was already very clear. However, Zhang Jingxuan lowered his eyes and did not respond. The selection of the post of general advisor to the crown prince was postponed for a few days, and then the Minister of War stepped forward again and said:
"Although no Western Qiang troops have yet attacked Sanhe Pass, the veteran general stationed there is past the age of knowing his fate and can barely hold a sword. Who does Your Highness plan to send to lead the reinforcements?"
The prince rubbed his forehead, unable to think of a good candidate. He couldn't let Xue Chang go, could he? He hesitated, pondered for a while, and said:
"Let's first sort out the candidate for Qintang Pass. As for Sanhe Pass... I'll think about it later."
The Minister of War moved his lips, but finally swallowed the name that was on the tip of his tongue.
The Crown Prince dismissed the court meeting and asked the cabinet ministers and the six ministers to come to the imperial study alone to talk about another matter:
"My father is unconscious. The imperial physician is doing his best to treat him, but I'm afraid he won't have much time left. These are turbulent times, and the people are demoralized. I've been up all night, carefully considering the situation, and have decided to ascend the throne early to stabilize the people of the Great Zhou. What are your opinions?"
Several veteran officials in the Imperial Study had no objection.
There have been examples like this in the past. When the emperor was unable to take charge and the country was facing a critical moment, the prince would ascend the throne early with the joint recommendation of many court officials to appeal to the people.
As important officials of the court, they will need to make a joint appeal at that time. Now that it has been agreed in advance, it will just be a matter of picking a date and following the rules.
The Crown Prince said, "Since that is the case, I will order the Imperial Observatory to select an auspicious day. You are all my father's right-hand men. Once I have chosen a good day, I hope you will all offer your advice and support in the court."
Everyone knew the process and nodded in agreement.
After the meeting in the Imperial Study, the Crown Prince summoned Zhang Jingxuan and said, "Prince Yu and Xue Chang have been on the run until now. They are a real thorn in my heart, and I can't sleep at night. Have you obtained the list of Prince Yu's secret agents from the eldest daughter of the Xue family?"
Zhang Jingxuan lowered his eyes, his voice steady and calm as he bowed, "Your Highness, I haven't found out yet."
The prince looked at him and said casually, "I heard that you drove out the jailer I sent to torture him. Is that true?"
Zhang Jingxuan paused for a moment, then said calmly:
"Your Highness, that jailer resorted to lynching, and I have already reprimanded him. As for torture, Miss Xue is the daughter of a general, a woman of unwavering integrity, and is not afraid of such methods. I fear that a hasty execution would backfire, so I intend to reason with her, break her heart, and proceed slowly."
The prince looked at him for a moment, then smiled again:
"What you say makes perfect sense. I'll do as you say. However, the war on the border is pressing, and I'm too anxious to wait that long. If you can't get any information out of her after five days, I'll order her execution and interrogate Prince Yu's secret agents in the capital. If she still refuses to cooperate..."
The prince paused and sighed softly, "If it really can't be done, prisoners with serious crimes should be executed according to the law. Jing Xuan, what do you think?"
After he finished speaking, he smiled and looked at the tall, gentle and handsome minister in front of him.
Zhang Jingxuan did not move, looking at the smooth floor of the imperial study, where his figure was reflected. He looked straight, dignified and clear, unmoved by wind and rain, but slowly tightened, like the string of a bow about to be released.
He clenched his fists, the veins on his arms, hidden by his sleeves, bulging faintly. After a moment, he forcibly suppressed the tension. The hall was quiet, yet it felt like a raging storm, making one's breath choke and choke.
In the silence, he remained silent for a long time, then spoke in a low and slow voice:
"I... obey your order."
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