As befitting his noble status, the Crown Prince could not reside in the simple military camp.
The former City Defender Li Zhangyi’s mansion had temporarily become Sima Yang’s temporary palace. The arrangements had largely been settled, and the newly appointed City Defender received Sima Yang with great trepidation. By the time Li Shuang and her party arrived at the mansion, Sima Yang was already seated in the main hall, having heard numerous reports from the new City Defender about recent events.
The City Defender emphasized the valor of the Changfeng Camp warriors and the city garrison troops, but only briefly mentioned the mysterious black-armored figure who had played such a crucial role.
Unexpectedly, Sima Yang’s first question wasn’t about anyone else but rather about this mysterious black-armored person.
Li Shuang had returned to the military camp to change and prepare for contingencies, which caused some delay. By the time she arrived at the City Defender’s mansion, the new City Defender was stammering, unsure how to report these seemingly outlandish events to the Crown Prince. Li Shuang’s arrival provided him a perfect opportunity to shift the burden: “Your Highness, General Li has a much clearer understanding of the battlefield situation than I do. Perhaps she could speak on my behalf.”
Sima Yang took a measured sip of tea before speaking: “You are the City Defender of Lu City. Though it was a wartime appointment, you should still bear your responsibilities. If you cannot even clearly explain such significant events in Lu City, what use are you?”
The City Defender immediately fell to his knees in terror, repeatedly kowtowing and begging for mercy.
Li Shuang remained silent until Sima Yang, annoyed by the noise, dismissed him, finally bringing quiet to the hall.
The hall wasn’t particularly spacious. Only a few deputy commanders had accompanied Li Shuang inside, while the royal guards stood watch outside—a much smaller gathering than the earlier reception outside the city.
Sima Yang set down his teacup and casually gestured for Li Shuang to take a seat before speaking: “I left the capital just as the Western Rong army was pressing our borders. Though I rushed here as quickly as possible, taking less than half a month, the Western Rong had already withdrawn, leaving me with nothing to do.” His demeanor softened considerably when addressing Li Shuang, and he looked up at her with a smile. “It seems my worry for you during this journey was unnecessary.”
The ambiguous tone of his words caused Qin Lan, standing behind Li Shuang, to imperceptibly tighten his hands at his sides, keeping his head down in silence.
Li Shuang immediately stood and saluted with clasped hands, bowing deeply: “Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. We were blessed by heaven’s protection and remained unharmed.”
Her formal manner gave Sima Yang pause. After a moment of silence, he bade her rise and proceeded to discuss routine matters such as Lu City’s defenses and inquired further about the mysterious black-armored person.
However, beyond the black-armored warrior’s outstanding performance on the battlefield, there were no leads regarding their identity or whereabouts. Sima Yang could only instruct Li Shuang to have her people investigate thoroughly. Everyone wanted to secure the services of such a person—if they could be convinced to stay with the Changfeng Camp and serve the Great Jin, it would certainly add wings to a tiger.
Once official matters were concluded, the City Defender’s mansion began preparing a welcoming feast for the Crown Prince.
Li Shuang found an excuse to leave early. On the way back to camp, Qin Lan quietly asked beside her, “Will the General attend tonight’s welcoming feast?”
Li Shuang glanced at him, knowing that the perceptive Qin Lan had likely noticed her reluctance to spend more time than necessary with Sima Yang. She sighed: “With the Crown Prince personally visiting Lu City, I must attend the welcoming feast and receive him properly, lest troublemakers spread rumors about discord between ruler and subject.”
She had to attend, not to see the Crown Prince, but to maintain stability in the borderlands. Though Lu City was far from the imperial court, the political struggles there could easily extend to the frontier.
The former City Defender Li Zhangyi had been the Prime Minister’s man, and though Li Zhangyi was dead, the Prime Minister’s influence in Lu City hadn’t been completely uprooted.
The Prime Minister was the Third Prince’s maternal uncle and had always supported him at court.
Li Shuang’s father had intricate connections with the Empress’s family, and having watched Sima Yang grow up, naturally protected him in all matters. Now that the Emperor was aging, the struggle for succession at court was intensifying.
Sima Yang’s arrival at the border could either bring glory through achievement or provide ammunition for the Prime Minister’s faction to impeach him if he failed. Even if Li Shuang wasn’t thinking of Sima Yang’s interests, she had to consider the General’s Manor. Their fortunes were linked—though she hadn’t participated much in capital politics, she understood this principle well.
She needed to protect the Crown Prince well in Lu City, ensure his safe return, and preferably help him establish military merit. Only then could the General’s Manor receive the greatest benefit.
“Prepare my formal attire, and tell all the commanders to dress formally as well. We must make a proper showing at tonight’s welcoming feast.”
Qin Lan bowed in acknowledgment.
Back at camp, Li Shuang experienced stabbing pains in her lower abdomen. Despite drinking plenty of hot water, the pain wouldn’t subside. She spent most of the afternoon claiming fatigue and requesting not to be disturbed while she rested.
As she lay in bed clutching her stomach in pain, voices of argument arose outside.
The guards were scolding someone: “The General said not to disturb her, you little brat! How dare you be so presumptuous!”
“Don’t think I won’t hit you just because you’re a child!”
Li Shuang squinted toward the outside just as the curtain was pushed aside and little Jin’an burst in, followed by two guards. Seeing Li Shuang lying in bed, they immediately lowered their voices: “You little rascal, come out!”
“Shh! Don’t disturb the General!”
Li Shuang responded hoarsely from beneath her blankets: “It’s fine, let him in.”
The guards, hearing Li Shuang’s hoarse voice and assuming they had woken her, didn’t question further and withdrew. Jin’an scampered to Li Shuang’s bedside with his small arms and legs, pulling down her blanket slightly to reveal her pale, sweating face. He immediately panicked and asked in a very careful, quiet voice: “Are you sick?”
“Just some stomach pain, it’s nothing.”
But Jin’an was very worried: “I can smell blood on you. Are you injured? Where are you hurt?”
As he asked, being so young, he looked almost ready to cry from concern. Li Shuang found it amusing but also noted that this child could smell blood on her—his senses were indeed much keener than ordinary people. However, this particular blood… was rather difficult to explain.
“It’s nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me.” Jin’an’s expression grew serious, though his childish features prevented him from looking truly stern. “The smell of blood on you is very strong. I could smell it from far away.”
Li Shuang felt a headache coming on. How was she supposed to explain this to a little boy? After some thought, she said: “Yes, I have a minor ailment. Don’t tell anyone, but have Ji Ran take you to the market to find an herb shop run by someone surnamed Lu. There’s a Miss Lu there—find her, and only tell her, quietly explain my symptoms, then bring her here to see me.”
Li Shuang planned to attend the welcoming feast tonight, but in this much pain, Sima Yang would surely notice and question her. She was trying her best to avoid excessive interaction with him. Her only hope was to take some medicine and endure through the night.
“Alright.” Jin’an agreed, raising his sleeve to carefully wipe the sweat from her forehead.
Li Shuang stared at him, momentarily dazed.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, then ran out quickly.
Li Shuang patted her forehead, thinking she must be somewhat delirious from the pain. For a moment, looking at little Jin’an, she had thought his gaze resembled that of the person who had kissed her last night.
Jin’an found Ji Ran, who immediately sprang into action upon hearing it was the General’s order, to take Jin’an to the Lu family’s herb shop. Lu Xin was grinding medicine when they arrived, but before she could blush at Ji Ran’s appearance, a small child ran over and pulled at her sleeve, making her crouch down.
The child moved close to Lu Xin and explained Li Shuang’s symptoms. Lu Xin paused before reacting: “Ah.” She coughed slightly, blushing. “Wait a moment, I’ll get some things.”
Lu Xin moved efficiently without delay, but on the way back to the military camp, while Ji Ran walked quickly and Jin’an even faster, Lu Xin struggled to keep up. Yet Ji Ran still asked her: “What did the General ask you to do?”
Lu Xin rolled her eyes around: “Oh… the General said she was feeling fatigued and wanted me to press some acupuncture points.”
This explanation was satisfactory, and Ji Ran asked no more questions.
Finally reaching the military camp, they had all worked up a sweat despite the winter cold.
Ji Ran remained on guard outside the tent while only Lu Xin and Jin’an entered. Seeing Li Shuang sleeping in bed covered in cold sweat, Lu Xin immediately frowned: “How did it get so severe?”
Jin’an felt a pain in his heart: “How severe is it?”
Lu Xin wanted to lift Li Shuang’s blanket but, glancing at Jin’an, said: “I need to remove the General’s outer clothes to apply acupuncture.”
Jin’an looked at her with an expression that seemed to say “Then hurry up and do it.”
“Even though you’re young, you still need to leave,” Lu Xin shooed him out. Though Jin’an was extremely reluctant, he was pushed outside. He could be willful about other things, but when it came to Li Shuang, he feared doing anything that might cause her trouble.
Instead of waiting by the entrance, Jin’an circled to the other side of the tent closer to Li Shuang’s bed. With his exceptional hearing, he could hear Li Shuang’s pain-filled moans inside, and it felt as if his own heart was being torn apart.
Before, when he was far from Li Shuang, he would feel as if his heart was being hooked and torn open, driving him to rush to her side without rest. But now, even while staying by Li Shuang’s side, he felt this same pain, yet this time, he couldn’t bear to leave her even for half a step.
Even if they flayed him with knives, he wouldn’t move half a step away.
She was inside, she was in pain, and he wished he could take it upon himself instead.
But there was nothing he could do.
This pain continued for a long while until Li Shuang’s breathing finally steadied inside. Only then did Jin’an nervously enter. The guards outside thought Miss Lu was just giving the General a massage, and since the General seemed to particularly protect this boy, they merely glanced at him without interfering.
When Jin’an entered, Li Shuang had already sat up in bed, and Lu Xin had given her a medicinal tablet to dissolve in her mouth.
Li Shuang looked at Jin’an, smiling and beckoning him: “Come here.” She raised her hand to rub the still-dazed Jin’an’s head. “Thank you.”
Jin’an just stared at her intently: “Are you better now?”
“Yes, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Jin’an lowered his head, grabbing her hand: “Don’t be in pain anymore in the future.”
Li Shuang felt warmth in her heart and smiled gently: “Alright.”