Making an appointment
After hearing this, her thick eyebrows furrowed into a V-shape, and she looked at the boy with a wronged expression.
"General, must I die?"
"Go on." He ignored Li Xingxiao's words and only wanted to hear what he wanted to hear.
She sighed, held up three fingers, and continued earnestly, "The village is divided into three areas: one for defense, one for civilians, and one for military and financial matters. For the defense area, you only need to break down the main gate or dig down the bundled logs. If you are worried about heavy guard, you can enter through the secret passage."
"Where is the secret passage?" He grasped the key point.
"This is a passage left for the guards of the village; I, as an accountant, rarely go there."
She looked at him with a sly smile, her expression full of ill intent: "This... may require a wise adult to explore on their own..." She even gave him a resounding compliment.
"...Where?" The boy's dark eyes narrowed, and he bent his index finger and pressed it against his lower lip in thought.
Her eyes darted around as she tried to recall: "I've heard that the defense zone connects to the military and financial zone, partly for easy personnel mobilization and partly for quick escape to save our lives. But the military and financial zone is mostly where the head of the household goes, so I can only follow behind them. If..."
She looked at the young man and said, "If someone takes the general in, it won't be a big deal."
Who can take him?
She smiled slightly, her dark circles under her eyes bulging: "Naturally, she is a young lady who misses the general day and night."
“I miss my mother every day?” He rubbed his chin.
"..." She seriously doubted that the person in front of her was an idiot.
"General, I was referring to the young lady." She emphasized the word "young lady."
"Isn't my mother a girl?" He frowned and looked at her with displeasure.
"Yes, yes, yes! It's the young lady." She was afraid that the heat would upset her ancestor, so she forced a smile and said, "I think the chieftain's daughter, Wei Mo, seems to have been secretly in love with you for a long time. Why don't you take advantage of the opportunity to invite her out for fun, General?"
When Wei Mo was mentioned, Peng Feizhe's expression turned somewhat somber, as if he disliked it.
"General, such a good match is before you! Don't miss it, or you'll regret it. What a wonderful girl she is." She was still praising Wei Mo, completely unaware that he looked somewhat displeased.
"Alright..." he agreed somewhat reluctantly.
He hesitated for a moment, then asked softly, "...How do we make an appointment?"
She heard everything clearly, and with a sly smile, she gossiped, "Oh dear, General, you've probably never even touched a woman before!"
"General, you are one of the most handsome men I have ever seen in this world. I have heard of your great name long ago! I have heard that you are the most handsome man in the capital. All the girls in the city long for your gaze day and night. Countless young women love even a single strand of your hair."
She looked at the boy in front of her with disappointment, "If I had the face of a general, I would also..." She raised her hand as if wiping away tears, as if thinking of something unpleasant, and said, "I wouldn't be hated by the person I like, or called an ugly monster."
Looking at the thin boy in front of him, Peng Feizhe felt a pang of pity for his plight.
He didn't say anything for fear of hurting her feelings.
She continued her passionate speech with great enthusiasm: "Until! I met the general! The general did not judge me by my appearance and was willing to take me as his servant! I will follow the general to the death for the rest of my life!"
"Hmm... You're not a bad person. I believe you've just temporarily gone astray, which is why you're where you are now." His voice was slightly deep.
"So! The general is willing to save my life!" Her eyes immediately lit up, and she hurriedly asked.
"Hmm..." She felt a little embarrassed.
"Then I thank you, General!" She clasped her hands in gratitude, and opened her mouth: "General..." Her voice gradually became worried.
"explain."
"General...do you know why so many people come to the village and are unwilling to live outside?"
"Seeking wealth or stability?"
She lowered her eyes helplessly and shook her head.
"No, not at all. The general's status is noble, and he rarely touches the people's livelihood. There are corrupt officials everywhere outside the village now. Many people have no choice but to enter the village, just seeking a stable life. They are all trying to live. But the corrupt officials outside the village want to exploit the people's wealth. Even though the imperial court has not imposed such heavy taxes, they still find ways to collect taxes."
He was taken aback when he heard this. He really didn't know any of this. He was now just a military officer in the court, and most of the people's livelihood was under the jurisdiction of civil officials.
"I only have one request for the general."
"explain."
"If we succeed in breaching the stronghold, please, General, do not take the lives of innocent people. They are all civilians, and they all want peace and stability. There are more than two thousand people in the stronghold, and most of them are..." She looked melancholy.
"I understand. Those who surrender will be spared, those who resist will be executed. I am still willing to spare his life. I will send people to investigate the corrupt official you mentioned."
She smiled, clasped her hands in gratitude, and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your great kindness, General!"
"General, when breaching the stockade, set many fires inside. This will keep everyone busy, making it the perfect time to dig a tunnel into the stockade. The inside and outside must coordinate their efforts; this way, we can break down the gate while minimizing casualties."
He curved his thin lips into a slight smile, clearly admiring the person before him. "Hmm, a good plan."
"General, when will you attack the camp?"
He thought about it.
"The imperial court has ordered me to kill them all within two months. I have only been at the stronghold for a few days now. The original plan was to break into the stronghold within seven days and have me kill the leader first."
She said very seriously, "General, please wait a few days. We haven't finished exploring the camp yet. Rushing to break into the camp would not be good for either side."
Why? Because the number of government troops was far greater than the village's own two thousand. After deducting the elderly, the weak, the sick, the disabled, women, and children, only a little over a thousand were capable of fighting. The enemy's numbers were impossible to estimate accurately, but they were more than enough to wipe out the village.
Moreover, the person before him was no ordinary individual; he was known as a child prodigy, a born genius, and the power he wielded at such a young age was awe-inspiring. He was far superior to some of the older officials in the court.
"General, we can attack from within first, and then coordinate with the outside. The attack on the strongholds can be delayed for a few days. Once we have a clear understanding of the terrain, it will be more advantageous for you."
"Okay." He agreed immediately after hearing that.
"General, you are wise! General, you are majestic! General..." She felt relieved when she saw that he readily agreed.
I thought I might have to talk a lot and even kneel down to beg him, but I didn't expect that I only needed to talk to him.
"Stop flattering me and go arrange a meeting." He was used to hearing these words, but he still felt proud.
"Good! General, I like your decisiveness!" He turned and ran out the door to find Wei Mo.
Beside a stream, a graceful young woman in a blue dress gazes at a peach blossom branch in her hand. Surrounded by beautiful scenery, she sits alone on a large rock. Nearby, a newly blossoming peach tree sends petals drifting down, kissing the stream and flowing into the distance.
It was the Qingming Festival in March, and the dewdrops were falling from the grass sprouts. The bright brown eyes stared at the tender peach blossoms, lost in thought.
"Hey, young lady, why are you all alone here? Did you meet your lover here?" She seemed like a thug, enjoying teasing others.
"What are you doing here?" she asked impatiently.
"Of course I've come to invite you."
Wei Mo frowned, looking disgusted and annoyed: "Get lost."
She walked to Wei Mo's side and said, "I can't leave. I haven't finished the task my brother assigned me yet."
“?” She turned to look at Li Xingxiao.
"When did you become a sworn brother? And who is your sworn brother? What is his mission?" A barrage of questions followed.
She seemed a little proud, her nose pointedly: "Who else could my older brother be! Of course, it's Brother Yilin!"
She corrected him speechlessly, "Yi! The yi of justice! Lin! The lin of majestic and awe-inspiring! And you call yourself a scholar!"
"...Why worry about so much? He's my older brother, that's all that matters. Oh, by the way, is Miss free tomorrow?"
"No."
She spread her hands and sighed, "What a pity! My eldest brother was planning to take the beautiful young lady out tomorrow, but alas..."
When she heard that her brother Yilin wanted to invite her to play together, her eyes immediately lit up, and she quickly stood up and said, "I'm free! I'm free!" as if she was afraid of missing the opportunity.
She put her hands on her hips and smiled helplessly, "Miss, are you putting on a dramatic act?"
She pushed Li Xingxiao's back, trying to shoo her away: "Stop talking nonsense! Go tell Brother Yilin!"
She was pushed forward by the little girl, and after a few pushes and pulls, Li Xingxiao finally stopped being pushed and walked.
She said to Wei Mo, "I know. When you come to see my brother tomorrow, you must do everything you can to win his heart! I heard he has never been with a woman before. Look how pure my brother is."
A blush crept onto the girl's face, mixed with curiosity and confusion. "It was your older brother who asked me out, so why am I... going to see him...?"
She said in a serious tone, "You don't understand! He's so shy. There are so many girls in the village, why did he specifically ask you out? You're the first girl he's ever asked out, what does that mean?"
"Wh...wh...what?" She wanted to know the answer urgently, but dared not ask any more questions.
"That means you're the love of his life! Look at your beauty, Miss! You're absolutely stunning! As beautiful as a celestial being! Your brother was too embarrassed to tell you, otherwise he wouldn't have sent me to tell you. Don't you agree?"
Her face turned even redder, and she felt mostly happy.
Her voice softened as she ran her fingers through a strand of hair beside her shoulder, "That's...no wonder..."
So he liked me too.
"Then I'll go back and share the good news."
"Go on, go on." Wei Mo waved her hand, signaling her to hurry up. Her voice no longer contained the impatience and harshness she used to show Li Xingxiao; instead, it was filled with gentleness.
The next day, a gentle breeze rustled the girl's pink dress as Wei Mo arrived early at Peng Feizhe's house, feeling both excited and embarrassed.
The girl had her hair in a braid, adorned with some flowers; she looked very pretty today. Her thick bangs covered her smooth forehead, and she wore powder around her eyes, giving her rosy cheeks.
Suddenly, the old door creaked open.
The door opened, and a young man stepped out, dressed in plain white clothes, his usual flowing hair now styled in a bun.
The boy was very handsome, with a refined jawline, sculpted features, and cool, dark eyes. His thin lips were slightly curved, making him even more attractive. Warm sunlight bathed the boy's wheat-colored face, and his deep eyes caught sight of the girl in pink.
"I'm sorry, I don't know if I've kept you waiting long?" His voice was kind and gentle.
She shook her head vigorously and replied shyly, "No...no, I just arrived recently."
Li Xingxiao, who was squatting inside, listened to the sounds outside. Why were those two people, who were so fierce yesterday, speaking so gently today?
After the two had walked away, Li Xingxiao came out of the house.
"After seeing off those two devils, I finally feel a little relieved." She stretched and looked at the azure sky and white clouds, praying in her heart.
May God grant you both a chance, and let me leave this situation behind.
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