Na Zhan remained silent for a long time after her question, gently holding her hands. “Waiting for you.”
Youjia smiled, “Then, Your Majesty, please wait for me in my courtyard from now on, alright?”
Na Zhan was taken aback and held her tighter. Under this lonely Jiema tree, they seemed so isolated and helpless.
Some people in life will have many lovers,
Yet none of them is their true love.
While others in life,
Love only one person,
And can never be moved by another encounter!
Yet the most helpless thing is, this choice…
Comes only once in a lifetime!
To the north of the snow plain, the Tiandu banner fluttered wildly in the wind. King Jingting, clad in black armor, had already marshaled his troops and was ready to march.
This was the first time he would face Na Zhan head-on. His heart was filled with uncontrollable excitement, eager to know which of them could truly dominate. General Ji Hua was even more restless this time, anxious to avenge his previous humiliation. He and Liao Zhen each led 70,000 troops, flanking His Majesty on the left and right. Soon, the opposite dunes began to darken like spilled ink, as layer upon layer of a vast sea of black shadows approached. Red-clad cavalry were in the middle of the formation, and at the highest point, King Zhan Na Zhan faced Qing Yun across the tens of miles between them, exuding an aura of power in all directions.
They glared at each other fiercely, their gazes piercing through wind and sand, through soldiers and generals. This was a contest between kings, wagering dignity, blood, tears, and ideals.
The military strength of Yunpei was not to be underestimated. They possessed the largest population in the desert, the biggest oasis, and the most complete military strategies. From the moment Na Zhan diverted Ruo Wen’s attention, he had already gained an absolute advantage in troop numbers, battlefield position, and psychological warfare. He aimed for a complete victory, to utterly crush his opponent, to ensure they couldn’t cause trouble for a long time. He wanted to force King Jingting Huo Qing Yun to once again lock down his country for decades, unable to appear before him.
“Your Majesty, they outnumber us. We need to fight a circuitous battle,” Miao Jing stood beside Qing Yun, roughly assessing the situation. “The snow plain is ready!”
Qing Yun’s gaze flickered slightly. “Mang Liu… still no news?” he asked casually.
Miao Jing, always observant of moods, had noticed His Majesty’s restlessness since learning of Ruo Wen’s departure, repeatedly inquiring about it. He lowered his head and replied, “Not yet, but it should be soon.”
“No matter the circumstances, report to me immediately as soon as there’s any news!” Seeing that the vanguard of the Yunpei army opposite showed signs of attacking, Qing Yun clenched his fist. “Tell Suo Zana to prepare. I want to push their battle line inward!”
Miao Jing nodded.
Meanwhile, in Zhun City.
If Huang Beishuang truly owed Qing Yun for his carefree love, she had now repaid it in full.
Upon entering Zhun City, the weaker soldiers of the Fentian army sought water. Within three hours, nearly a thousand men were dead or injured. Only the men of the Kuang Battalion remained unharmed; their leader hadn’t drunk water, so how could they drink first? But this delay led to the discovery that the water in Zhun City had been poisoned at some point.
“Leader!” Man Hu looked at Ruo Wen, who was still holding Huang Beishuang in his arms. “The water is poisoned!”
Ruo Wen tightened his grip and looked down at the woman who was barely breathing. After running all night, she couldn’t endure any more jostling, and the wound on her chest showed signs of worsening. “Order this: Collect all the clean water from the soldiers’ canteens! Bring it to me!”
Man Hu lowered his head and replied, “Leader, we’ve already searched. There’s none left!”
Ruo Wen frowned, “How far are we from Fentian?”
Man Hu replied, “Even riding fast horses, would take three days!”
“Rest for two hours, then travel day and night. We must return to Fentian within three days!” Ruo Wen jumped down from his horse, carrying Huang Beishuang. Her dry, pale lips pressed against his chest, but no matter how violently his heart beat, it couldn’t wake her tightly closed eyes.
Ruo Wen quickly carried her into a room and laid her on the bed. Man Hu and the others hurriedly stood to the side.
“Water…” Huang Beishuang began to mumble in her sleep.
Ruo Wen’s eyebrows shot up. Without a word, he drew his sword halfway, swiftly cutting a deep gash across his left palm. Hot blood gushed out.
He put his hand to Huang Beishuang’s mouth. “Drink!”
Perhaps it was the scent of blood that roused her. She turned her head in disgust, but Ruo Wen, growing impatient, forcefully covered her mouth. She must have been desperately thirsty, for she didn’t struggle long before gulping down the blood.
“Tsk…” Ruo Wen winced a bit from her sucking. He looked down at her for a long while, brushing away the sweat-soaked hair on her forehead, and surprisingly chuckled, “How does my blood taste?”
Man Hu, Lang Tou, and the others stood nearby, watching this scene with sudden embarrassment. It was a strange feeling. Their leader often sought pleasure with women in public, so why did they feel so awkward watching this time, even though he wasn’t doing anything?
“What are you looking at? Get out!” Ruo Wen seemed annoyed too, glancing at his subordinates standing to the side. Then he looked at Ge Xinwei and Ruo Lanfei, “You two, out as well!”
Ge Xinwei looked at him sorrowfully before being the last to leave the room. Her jade hand gently closed the door, as if inside was a secret not meant to be seen.
“How am I different from her?” She stood dazed at the door, talking to herself.
“The eye color is different, right?” Ruo Lanfei laughed, “Looks like there’ll be one more person in bed from now on!”
Hearing this, Ge Xinwei let out a scornful laugh, “Foolish!”
Of course, it wasn’t just these three women who stood awkwardly at the door, but also Lang Tou and Man Hu, their eyes as wide as cows’.
“What should we do? I want to see what the leader will do!” Man Hu scratched his head frantically as if going crazy.