The imperial edict arrived at the Qi residence in no time, and a brutal beating was inevitable. Qi Jingxuan had only been married a short while before he had to go to the battlefield; such was the helplessness of a military general.
Several ladies and the entire Qi family lined the gate to see them off.
"What are you thinking about, General? It's time to mount your horse," Xu Yunchuan reminded him.
"It's nothing, I was just thinking about our wedding day." Everyone assumed Qi Jingxuan was reluctant to part with his newlywed wife. But who knew that the high walls of the Qi family mansion had imprisoned him for four whole years? He had come from the vast grasslands to this ruthless Qi family mansion on his wedding day, and hadn't left for four years. Even when his father was seriously ill, the old lady didn't give him a word, leaving him to die alone in the suburbs.
Thinking of all this, Qi Jingxuan stepped forward and cupped Ruan Yumu's face in his hands. "I'm sorry you've suffered these past few years. I'll make it up to you and take good care of you in the future." It was unclear whether he was speaking to Ruan Yumu or to her body.
Ruan Yumu took the opportunity to slip him a note and whispered in Qi Jingxuan's ear, "General, there are some brilliant plans on this note. If you encounter any problems on the battlefield, you can open it and take a look."
Qi Jingxuan smiled and remained silent.
The general, who had fought on the battlefield, stroked her face with his calloused hands, unsure whether he was reluctant to part with Ruan Yumu or with his former body.
"Deputy General Xu, let's go!" Qi Jingxuan suddenly turned his head and said fiercely, as if he was thinking of the general's past mistreatment of him.
"How long will it take to quell the rebellion on the border?"
"The army set off yesterday. General, we should follow at full speed and arrive in five days."
Qi Jingxuan nodded thoughtfully. "What's the battlefield like?"
"General, what's wrong? It's because war has broken out everywhere, the mountains and fields are desolate, the winter winds are howling, swords are flashing, and corpses are strewn all over the ground." Xu Yunchuan looked at the general in front of him and felt a sense of unfamiliarity. Why was he so melancholy and sentimental?
What happened to the injury on your hand?
"Oh, this? It's from when I first joined the army, when I was just a frontline infantryman. I was so shocked by the brutality of war that I was slashed by the enemy for a moment. No big deal, though. Thanks to my agility, I fought my way out of the encirclement. I just have a scar. Who in the army hasn't been wounded?"
Yes, war is cruel. Recently, Qi Jingxuan also discovered that his body was covered with sword and knife wounds, which shows that protecting the country is not just talk.
"Several near-death experiences have finally given me experience. In critical moments, I can always protect myself with my vigilance. But if I really can't beat them, I will back down. After all, as long as I'm alive, I can always fight again."
Listening to Xu Yunchuan's nonchalant words, Qi Jingxuan felt that the battlefield was no simpler than the backyard. Perhaps this was where men and women divided their roles; men had their battlefields, and women had theirs.
“I remember Ruan Yumu is also very skilled in martial arts. I actually taught her when we were at the horse farm. I reckon she would be just as good as you or me in battle.”
"What's with all this sword and spear stuff? If you hadn't married her, I doubt she'd ever gotten married. Hahaha!"
Putting aside personal grudges and Qi Jingxuan's fickle nature, she still admired him for his years of service in protecting the country.
"Yes, women!" Qi Jingxuan sighed as he spoke. It wasn't easy for her when she was holding on in the manor. Back then, Qi Jingxuan was just a minor general with a meager salary. After the old general died on the battlefield, the court's compensation was in the hands of the old lady, which was absolutely untouchable. The second and third branches of the family were always waiting to see her fail, and her spendthrift sons would have ruined the Qi family long ago if it weren't for her good management. Supporting the Qi family with her frail body was no easy feat, but only Ziling truly understood her hardships.
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