"This general has won numerous battles, and now you want to watch me?"
Ling Ku's dissatisfied voice rang out from inside the room, and the guards around him all lowered their heads and remained silent, which made Ling Ku's anger rise even more.
"I'm speaking, why aren't you responding? If that's the case, you should all go back to your camps. I don't need guards here who can't hear me."
"General, Dr. Mei has instructed that you need to rest in bed now."
Upon hearing this, Ling Ku was so angry that his nose almost twisted out of shape.
Chang Qing was drinking victory wine in the palace, while he had to lie in bed drinking plain porridge? Ling Ku had never encountered anything so frustrating!
Just as Ling Ku's feet were about to touch the ground, a voice rang out from outside, "General Ling, may I come in?"
Upon hearing Qin Ke'er's voice, Ling Ku accidentally fell off the bed, startling Qin Ke'er outside. Qin Ke'er immediately knocked on the door, "General Ling, are you alright?"
"fine......"
Ling Ku fell hard, frantically gesturing to the guards to help him up, saying, "Miss Qin, please wait a moment."
"Quickly, help this general to bed. These... and those... tidy them up quickly." Ling Ku said in a low voice, while tidying his hair.
After everything was tidied up, Ling Ku suddenly slapped his forehead. Wait, why was he panicking when Miss Qin was here?
Thinking of this, Ling Ku cleared his throat and said, "Please invite Miss Qin in."
Even Ling Ku himself didn't realize that his voice was trembling and his expression was more tense.
His eyes darted around, but he dared not look in the direction of the doorway.
"General Ling."
Qin Ke'er, dressed in a pale yellow dress, entered Ling Ku's peripheral vision like an elf. In that instant, Ling Ku felt that the dark and boring room had been illuminated.
"Miss Qin...is there anything I can help you with?"
"Of course." Qin Ke'er bowed slightly to Ling Ku. "His Majesty ordered me to keep an eye on General Ling, so naturally I cannot disobey the imperial decree."
Qin Ke'er blinked, glanced around the desolate room, then clapped her hands with a smile. Immediately, a row of eunuchs entered the room, each holding a bouquet of flowers.
"General Ling said he would find me some flowers from the Imperial Garden, but he left the next day." Qin Ke'er smiled happily. "However, I am a magnanimous woman and will send you some flowers instead."
Ling Ku stared blankly as Qin Ke'er directed the eunuchs to place the flowers in the right positions and then had the windows of the room opened. Ling Ku's vision was still somewhat blurry.
In that instant, he seemed to feel the vibrant spirit of spring.
"General Chang said that you, General Ling, are most afraid of taking medicine?" Qin Ke'er stared at Ling Ku. "I just saw this bowl of medicine being taken away untouched. Could it be that what General Chang said is true?"
"If we listen to him, we'll ruin our lives!"
Ling Ku immediately spoke up, "I am... I am physically strong and will recover without taking medicine."
Furthermore, people who spend years on the battlefield, whose injuries don't they endure by sheer willpower? They can't just take medicine whenever they want.
Chang Qing, that scoundrel, actually lied to Miss Qin?
"Please go and warm up the medicine from earlier and bring it back." Qin Ke'er said softly to the guard, then stood a foot away from Ling Ku's bed.
Why doesn't General Ling dare to look at me?
Ling Ku's throat began to feel dry, and his heart was pounding like thunder.
......
"Miss Qin, you don't need to care about me so much; it will affect your reputation."
Ling Ku struggled for a long time before finally managing to utter these words, making the guards beside him anxious for him.
"Reputation?" Qin Ke'er tilted her head. "The Qin family sent elites to rescue the general, and even gave the token to the Empress Dowager. I also personally went to the palace gate to welcome the general. If we're talking about reputation, my reputation has already been damaged."
Ling Ku still dared not meet Qin Ke'er's gaze; his palms were already sweaty.
"Miss Qin, it's not too late to pull back from the brink."
"Ling Ku, what do you mean?"
The smile on Qin Ke'er's face gradually faded, and the spring breeze slipped into the room through the window, making the flowers sway.
“Miss Qin is still young. She came to Dayu for a marriage alliance. As for me…” A hint of gloom flashed in Ling Ku’s eyes. “Miss Qin, please don’t let me hold you back.”
So you don't like me?
Qin Ke'er involuntarily took a step back. For the first time, she was truly experiencing the stirrings of love. She was filled with prayers for Ling Ku's safe return, and now she was filled with joy to accompany him as he recovered.
She never imagined that Ling Ku would...
“Miss Qin, the reason why I, Ling Ku, have not married yet is that I am determined to marry the person I love most in this life. I would rather be single than settle for less.”
"I understand." Qin Ke'er reached out and wiped her face haphazardly, trying her best to maintain the demeanor of a noble lady. "Thank you for informing me in time, General Ling. If I, Qin Ke'er, am to marry, I must marry someone who is completely devoted to me."
"If there's nothing else, I'll be going now."
Qin Ke'er fled as if escaping, leaving Ling Ku sitting on the bed in silence for a long time.
How could I not be tempted?
Well-read, discerning right from wrong, bold and courageous... how could he not want to possess such qualities that he was so fascinated by in one person?
If we're talking about falling in love, he probably fell in love much earlier.
That's why he agreed to send the flowers.
But he was a military general, and he didn't know when he would be buried on the battlefield. Now he was all alone, so how could he selfishly pick such a bright and beautiful flower?
That's enough, that's enough.
The light in Ling Ku's eyes gradually faded, and he seemed to have all his strength drained away.
Why does it hurt more than being shot with an arrow to reject a woman you're attracted to?
A few moments later, a bowl of medicine was handed to Ling Ku. Ling Ku waved his hand weakly, "Take it away, I won't drink it."
"General Ling, please drink it."
Ling Ku's expression instantly turned to disbelief. He looked up abruptly at the person who had arrived, and it was actually Qin Ke'er!
"Miss Qin?"
"Did you think I left?" Qin Ke'er's eyes were red and she looked extremely pitiful. "I just heard you sigh, Ling Ku. What you said just now wasn't true."
"I......"
"Take your medicine."
Qin Ke'er placed the medicine on the bedside table. "Even if we have no connection, I still cannot disobey the Emperor's decree. I will not bother you again once you have recovered."
Ling Ku drank the medicine in one gulp, and the bitterness made him frown.
Qin Ke'er suddenly paused, her gaze falling on a blood-stained piece of cloth. This cloth wasn't...
"This fabric is stained with blood and is dirty. I'll throw it away for the general," Qin Ke'er said, as if she didn't recognize the fabric at all.
Ling Ku's eyes flickered slightly. "No need. After all, it's a piece of cloth that saved my life."
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