Chapter 68: Going to War "My general, you must return safely."...
"I have made up my mind. I will send troops to the northwest immediately."
Lieutenant General Lin stood up suddenly, and the stool was knocked to the ground by his military boot straps. Several lieutenant generals behind him also stood up.
Fang Yilan sat in the main seat without moving an inch, while the north wind whistled and swept the military flag outside the tent.
Lieutenant General Lin's Adam's apple rolled up and down. "I dare you, General, to reconsider! If we divide our forces to the northwest, with only 30,000 troops stationed in Linzhong, how can we withstand Ruining's attack?"
Lieutenant General Wang grabbed the teacup on the table and took a sip of the cold tea. "General, you know better than me. If the Northwest Army moves, Linzhong will be a piece of fat meat on the chopping block! Once Linzhong is captured, our food supply will also be threatened."
Lu Qi looked at the intricate layout on the sandbox, shook his head and sighed, "If this move goes wrong, the consequences will be disastrous."
Fang Yilan's voice was so soft that it sounded like she was just chatting casually. "The tablets in the Fang family ancestral hall are all for those who died defending the northwest. We cannot sit idly by and allow the northwest to suffer."
She knew the difficulties involved, and she had never thought that when she was standing in this position, she was not thinking about what would happen if she died, but she did not want the northwestern territory to fall into the enemy's territory.
Fang Yicen silently wiped his sword. He glanced at Fang Yilan and suddenly said, "I'll go."
"What they want is to make it difficult for the Fang army to defend both ends." The candlelight cast a tiny shadow on Fang Yilan's eyelashes. "Emperor Jingwen must be colluding with Xiling, otherwise Xiling wouldn't be able to attack so quickly. They're forcing us to the northwest."
If they don't go, they will lose the support of the people. If they go, not only will they suffer a joint attack from Ruining and Xiling, but Linzhong will also be in danger.
The tent suddenly became so quiet that one could hear the crackling of torches.
"You don't need to persuade me anymore." Fang Yilan's fingertips traced the edge of the sand table, and he raised his head with a comforting smile. "Don't worry, I have already made arrangements for the defense of Linzhong."
She didn't wait for anyone's response, picked up her cloak and walked out, but she didn't see the figure waiting outside.
Zhuang Gu guessed who she was looking for and suddenly lowered his voice: "Young Master Zhao went south."
Fang Yilan narrowed her eyes and caught a glimpse of a blurry figure near the southern horse farm, its dark robes almost blending into the night. She nodded at Zhuang Gu and headed in that direction.
...
"My lord, the northwest is in trouble, and the Fang family army will surely come out in full force. As long as you ask to stay behind in Linzhong, General Fang will definitely agree! This is our godsend opportunity to get rid of the Fang family!"
Zhao Huaixu's voice was a little cold: "Then what? Wait for them to fight each other, and then we can just sit back and reap the benefits?"
"My Lord, you are the legitimate one! If you kill the emperor and restore your status, you can board the plane with full authority. If General Fang is still alive, you can give her gold, silver and jewelry, and she will be second only to the emperor and above all others..."
“That’s enough!”
The edges and corners hidden under Zhao Huaixu's gentle eyebrows suddenly became sharp.
Wan Xi couldn't help but feel a little panicked and took a step back, but he still advised, "My Lord! Why are you so emotional? Are you really going to accompany the Fang family to their deaths? Have you forgotten the deceased Crown Prince?"
"If the Crown Prince were still alive, he would surely rescue the refugees from the northwest first. You are loyal to the deceased Crown Prince, not me. Why not find a swaddled baby? Wouldn't that be more to your liking?"
"My Lord...I...that's not what I meant..."
Zhao Huaixu suddenly took a half step back, and the moonlight cast a silver edge on his outline.
"Starting tomorrow, you don't have to follow me."
Wan Xi stood still with his hand outstretched, watching Zhao Huaixu's figure disappear.
Zhao Huaixu walked ten steps away and suddenly stopped to look in the direction of the central army tent. The candlelight there was like a dying star, its faint light flickering under the dark sky.
Suddenly, there was a slight crackling sound from the grass leaves. Zhao Huaixu grabbed the soft sword at his waist in a flash, but suddenly let go when he smelled a familiar breath.
Fang Yilan leaned against the hitching post, standing in the shadow three steps away, his silver armor gleaming coldly under his ink-black cloak.
Zhao Huaixu had put on his usual gentle expression, a smile spreading across his eyes as he asked, "Have you finished discussing this?"
"Yes, I'm afraid you'd get lost alone." Fang Yilan tilted her head and looked at him with a smile.
"Why did you come so far alone?" Fang Yilan suddenly approached, her nose almost touching his Adam's apple, but she could not find any flaws in his smiling eyes.
Zhao Huaixu remained calm and raised his hand to tighten the laces of her cloak again: "I just waited for you for a long time, and I was a little bored, so I took a walk alone."
Fang Yilan looked at his expression and did not question him again. She just nodded and took his hand.
"Let's go home."
Zhao Huaixu looked at the flickering light in her eyes and chuckled, "I will obey the general's orders."
He looked at Fang Yilan's shadow, which was elongated by the torch, one step in front of him, and suddenly hoped that this road back to the camp would never end.
...
After the lights were turned off, the sound of the wind outside the window suddenly weakened, and Fang Yilan's lips landed on Zhao Huaixu's neck before the moonlight.
She bit open the ties of his pajamas with a deft touch, and her tongue trailed kisses down his collarbone, soft as falling snow.
"Alan..." Zhao Huaixu's last words were broken in the entangled breaths, and his palm clasped her neck.
Fang Yilan pried open his teeth, and the sigh and unfinished words that escaped from Zhao Huaixu's throat were all held between her lips and teeth.
Zhao Huaixu leaned back and pushed her back into the quilt. He kissed her fiercely, his teeth rolling over her lower lip, causing blood to ooze out, but his thumb gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
...After lingering for a long time, Zhao Huaixu wanted to withdraw.
"Don't stop." Fang Yilan arched her body, panting and biting his shoulder again.
Zhao Huaixu's lips moved close to her ear and he asked, "Why did you suddenly change your temper today?"
This time he kissed very slowly, his tongue stroking her upper jaw with a bewitching itch, his sweaty palm pressed against her spine, obeying her wishes and pushing her back.
Fang Yilan nestled in the quilt and muffledly said, "Yuan, I hope you can guard Linzhong for me."
Zhao Huaixu paused, his smile frozen on his face: "Alan is going to leave me again, right?"
"Yuan..."
"No!" Zhao Huaixu stood up, the moonlight suddenly illuminating the red corners of his eyes: "Alan, you know exactly what I fear most."
"The battle in the northwest will be tough... I..."
"Every time I fail to keep an eye on you for even a moment, I experience the torment of almost losing you." Zhao Huaixu suddenly grabbed the back of her head and pressed it against his chest: "Even if Yama comes to claim your life, you must take your last breath in my arms."
Fang Yilan heard the sound of his heartbeat shattering in the night watch, mixed with his trembling breathing, and said in a softer voice: "Yu'an, I will try my best to survive."
Zhao Huaixu stroked her messy long hair, his Adam's apple rubbing against the top of her head, his voice still trembling: "Then let me watch you in person."
"I don't want to be separated from you..." Fang Yilan raised her head suddenly, tears welling up in her eyes, "but I don't feel at ease leaving it to others... If Linzhong City is lost, the Northwest Army will be cut off from retreat..." She suddenly fell silent, digging her nails deep into his arm.
Before she could finish her words, Zhao Huaixu sealed her lips with his, a kiss surprisingly salty and bitter: "So tonight is your compensation for me?"
Fang Yilan tilted her neck back to endure the almost violent rubbing. Her eyelashes were wet as they brushed across his cheek. She uttered a few words between her breaths: "Yuan, if I come back safely..."
"I don't want to hear this. I want you to come back and tell me in person." The candlelight cast a shadow on his brow, and the red in his eyes became even darker.
Fang Yilan, however, was not as he wished: "When I come back, we can get married, okay?"
After a long while, Zhao Huaixu finally buried his face in the crook of her neck, a wet feeling rising up in his body: "If this is what you want, I promise to guard Linzhong for you."
"When you come back...I will take back everything I owe you with interest."
"good."
Fang Yilan's hand that was caressing the back of his neck suddenly tightened, and she tilted her head back to seal his lips. The kiss tasted of rust, and it was unclear who had bitten whose tongue.
The morning light pierced the window paper, revealing Fang Yilan's sleeping face sunken into the soft pillow, a few red marks still visible on the side of her neck. Zhao Huaixu, however, remained awake all night, using his final moments to etch her image into his mind.
Who knows if this will be the last time we see each other.
As the battle horn sounded, Zhao Huaixu leaned over and kissed her between the eyebrows, waking her up: "My general, you must return safely."
...
Fang Yilan assembled 150,000 cavalrymen and stood in a solemn manner under the banner, ready to march to the northwest.
Looking at the soldiers around him and his family members coming to see him off, Fang Yilan also looked at the figure on the city wall from afar.
The Adam's apple under the Qingya mask rolled slightly. Fang Yicen glanced around and then looked back while adjusting his wristband, but he still didn't see the figure he was looking forward to.
He thought that the man would at least come to see Fang Yilan off, and he could take the opportunity to see her again.
Suddenly, a round pebble hit the bronze mask and rolled to the side of the black boots.
He followed the path the stone had taken and met the watery almond-shaped eyes behind the old locust tree. He tightened his grip on his sword, took a deep breath, and walked toward the aqua-blue figure.
Yuan Qingjun was shrouded in the mottled shadows of the locust tree, her skirt stained with grass debris. She handed over two indigo cloth bags. "Here are the medicines I prepared. Could you please give one to Yilan?"
"Why don't you go see her?"
Yuan Qingjun stuffed the package into his arms, looked up and smiled: "I don't like experiencing these separation scenes."
Fang Yicen choked. When he was in the capital, every time before going to the battlefield, he would shamelessly go to Yuan Qingjun to say goodbye. He would watch his beloved girl cry with red eyes in his arms, and coax his heart to soften and melt. He would not leave until the horn of departure stopped sounding.
I didn't know how to respond, but I also wanted to take advantage of the last moment to look at her, so I could only respond dryly: "Yeah."
Yuan Qingjun exhaled and calmed himself down: "General Fang, can you make a bet with me?"
"What's the bet?"
"If you return victorious..." Yuan Qingjun's fingertips brushed the edge of his mask, "I want to see General Fang riding a white horse through the streets of Shangjing, letting everyone in the capital know you're still alive."
Fang Yicen looked at the dark clouds rolling in the northwest sky. This was destined to be a very difficult battle. If he really survived, everything would basically be settled. Perhaps he...
"Okay, I promise you." Fang Yicen responded in a hoarse voice.
When Yuan Qingjun heard his agreement, she smiled and added, "If we lose this game..."
"I swear I will completely forget that Fang Yicen even exists in this world. How about that? Isn't this what you've always wanted?"
The bronze mask suddenly fell to the ground, raising a cloud of dust three feet high.
Fang Yicen grabbed Yuan Qingjun's wrist and pressed her against the tree trunk. The scar on her face was gilded by the morning light, and she looked like the boy she was a few years ago.
He brushed his thumb across the teardrop mole under her eye and kissed her: "Qingqing, you are the best girl in the world."
"I will try my best to survive for you. I also imagined that one day... I would be worthy of you."
"If I really die... forget me."
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