But Suzhen dared not indulge her emotions too much, fearing he might notice something. She slowly raised her head and smiled: “I’m tired from walking – carry me on your back.”
“What propriety is that!”
Lian Yu frowned in response. With people coming and going around them and soldiers constantly passing by to greet them, it was indeed improper. Suzhen huffed, but saw he had already crouched down.
When she rarely acted coquettish, how could Lian Yu not find it sweet as honey? What did commander’s dignity matter?
Suzhen climbed on with a smile as he steadily supported her and strode forward.
Suzhen hugged his neck tightly, resting her head on his shoulder and occasionally blowing air on his neck. Lian Yu’s skin felt hot and itchy, inevitably stirring some restless thoughts, so he threatened: “Keep causing trouble and I’ll throw you off.”
Suzhen giggled mischievously, leaning forward to bite hard on his face.
“Dirty, I really will throw you off now.”
Though he said throw, one hand patted her bottom while holding her even tighter.
Passing soldiers bowed from afar then quickly withdrew, not daring to disturb them.
Behind them, Qilin looked uncomfortable holding Lian Xi, who had slept soundly but wet his hand. Azure Dragon just laughed: “These two have completely forgotten our little ancestor here.”
“We’re used to seeing them like this.” Two people caught up from behind, one of them speaking.
Qilin hastily handed over the child to see Xiao Zhou approaching with a teasing smile on her face, while the other was White Tiger. The two had just gone below to arrange the welcoming feast and were now catching up.
White Tiger quickly took the child. She had Lian Xi’s small clothes in her back bundle. Xiao Zhou took out the clothes as several people busied themselves changing clothes for this little ancestor at a roadside pavilion.
“White Tiger, you can see between our lord and his wife – no one can come between them.” Xiao Zhou suddenly spoke quietly.
White Tiger was silent for a while before answering softly: “I know. In the future, I’ll treat our lady the same as our lord…”
“That’s best.” Xiao Zhou nodded. Seeing everything was arranged, she picked up the child and walked ahead.
“What’s wrong with her? That cheerfulness earlier looked fake.” Azure Dragon asked.
White Tiger lowered his voice: “Probably about Wuqing and the princess. I just heard her asking Iron Hand and the others if they’d received news from Wuqing…”
Their voices were extremely low, but Xiao Zhou’s ears were sharp and she still heard. She held Lian Xi tighter, frowning as she watched the two figures ahead. If her worries were only about herself… that would be better.
When Suzhen returned with Lian Yu to the commander’s residence, the Lian brothers had already arrived and were kneeling in the courtyard with thorny branches dramatically strapped to their backs. Seeing her enter, they called “Sister-in-law” with guilty expressions. Suzhen found this somewhat amusing, and her anger completely dissipated. But Lian Yu felt differently, saying: “Go inside and rest. Don’t come out, and don’t try to persuade me – persuasion would be useless.”
“Alright.” Suzhen truly didn’t intervene, readily agreeing and calling back to the brothers: “Good luck to you both.”
Lian Jie smiled bitterly: “We deserve this.”
Suzhen entered the room. The interior was almost identical to Lian Yu’s former imperial hall. She walked to sit at the writing desk where an extremely large map covered the surface, densely marked with ink and cinnabar circles and notations – his military map!
She gently touched it with her hand. Lian Yu…
Her heart began aching again. At least she had to accompany him through this part. Even though she believed time would eventually heal his pain, during this period, she dared not imagine.
Every look, every movement of his – she could feel clearly that he could not be without her.
Sounds of fists and feet clashing came from outside, occasionally with muffled grunts. She sighed – she had to let him vent. As time passed, the grunting sounds clearly weakened, but the striking sounds didn’t stop. Her heart jumped in alarm – was he going to beat them to death?!
Suddenly, crying reached her ears. Her heart stirred as she quickly walked outside to see Xiao Zhou entering the courtyard holding Lian Xi, who seemed startled awake by the fighting sounds and was crying without question.
In the courtyard, the Lian brothers had been beaten into a heap, collapsed on the ground with blood on their bodies and mouths. Lian Qin’s face looked no different from a pig’s head. The thorny branches had long been thrown in a corner. Lian Yu stood in the middle with hands behind his back, his facial lines as coldly stern as when facing Murong Shu, even more vicious and sinister.
Hearing the sound, he quickly glanced at her, then his gaze fell on Xiao Zhou: “Give Xi’er to my wife.”
Xiao Zhou immediately nodded. At this moment, she wouldn’t dare plead for these two gentlemen. Just as she was about to walk toward Suzhen, Suzhen was faster, already taking several steps to receive Lian Xi.
Lian Xi, seeing her mother, slowly stopped crying and lay in her mother’s arms, looking rather seriously at the two strange men on the ground.
This expression somewhat resembled Lian Yu when he was deep in thought. Suzhen said to her husband: “She’s like you.”
Lian Yu looked at his daughter, his gaze softening slightly, but his voice was still cold: “Take the child inside.”
But Suzhen carried the child to the Lian brothers’ side and stuffed her into Lian Jie’s arms: “You two take turns holding her. Don’t tell me no.”
She turned back to the man in the center of the courtyard: “I won’t persuade you, but beat them if you must – just don’t make our daughter cry.”
Lian Yu’s brow furrowed as he looked at his wife with displeasure. Though the Lian brothers still felt extremely guilty and were willing to accept punishment, knowing Suzhen’s intention, they cooperated by remaining silent.
Suzhen said no more, telling Xiao Zhou “I’ll find you later,” then returned to rest inside.
Before long, Lian Yu entered with a stern face. Suzhen was already lying lazily on the soft couch in the front room. Seeing him enter, she smiled slightly: “Where’s Lotus?”
“You know perfectly well – Old Seven and Old Nine took her to play.”
He answered coldly, then sat down at the writing desk.
Suzhen got up and went over, putting her face close to his.
Lian Yu acted as if he didn’t see her, picking up the military map to study. Suzhen leaned down to kiss him, but he remained unmoved, adjusting the inkstone and grinding ink. Suzhen, finding herself ignored, was about to withdraw and leave when she had barely taken a step before being pulled back from behind and pressed onto his lap, his lips and tongue immediately following fiercely to block her mouth—
Completely different from her earlier dragonfly-touches and light pecking, his carried desire and punishment… Suzhen soon couldn’t resist, clutching at his clothes and feeling something hot rising beneath her. Her face burned as she struggled to get up – it was already evening and she still had to find Xiao Zhou.
Though Lian Yu wanted release, considering her long journey, he gritted his teeth and held back, lifting her up and carrying her back to bed.
“Sleep a while. I’ll call you for the evening meal.” He whispered in her ear with a bite: “Don’t provoke me again, otherwise…”
Suzhen smiled, contentedly watching his slightly stern expression.
Suddenly she heard footsteps, and the bed immediately sank slightly.
He had brought the map over, placing it on the small table in front of the bed, apparently intending to work here. Her heart swelled with tenderness as she reached out to embrace his waist.
He stroked her hair, then lowered his head to study the map. Suzhen knew this war would begin soon, that his burden was heavy, and that he was a diligent person, so she didn’t disturb him, turning over and closing her eyes to rest.
But despite her physical exhaustion, her heart was troubled and she had little desire to sleep. Yet she dared not move, fearing he might notice something.
“Something on your mind? Isn’t pretending to sleep tiring?”
His voice suddenly sounded faintly above her head, nearly scaring her to death! She immediately sat up.
He looked at her with a slight frown.
How could he tell when she was facing away from him!
But she had never been able to match him in wit, strength, or reading expressions. Just as her heart was panicking, seeing it was already dark, she had a sudden inspiration: “I made plans with Leng Xue and the others…”
Indeed, this “guilt” temporarily let her get away with it. His gaze darkened but he said nothing, looking at the map for a long while before saying heavily: “Take Zhuque with you. Come back for the meal – I’ll wait for you.”
Suzhen laughed heartily, kissing his face: “Go together?”
“Go together or not?” He raised an eyebrow.
She quickly escaped like she was fleeing.
…
Lian Yu looked at the gradually darkening room without immediately lighting a lamp. He knew clearly she held no romantic feelings for Leng Xue, but Li Zhaoting would forever be his hatred – he couldn’t bear to see any other man harbor the slightest feelings for her. This possessiveness, if it were before, even he couldn’t have imagined it. But after experiencing this near-year of life and death separation, he only wanted her to stay by his side constantly, within reach whenever he looked up or extended his hand. Just thinking of her nearly dying silently and miserably in the palace while he could do nothing… his blood would boil and go mad!
If he lost her again, he couldn’t guarantee what terrible things he might do!
Xiao Zhou’s room was not far from the commander’s residence. Suzhen found it by asking the duty soldiers.
The courtyard gate wasn’t closed. Suzhen called out at the entrance and Xiao Zhou quickly responded, but strangely her voice faintly carried a trace of panic.
“Huaisu, wait for me a moment. I’ll come out right away…”
She was about to enter when the other person called out loudly, then hurriedly emerged.
“Do you have business here?” she asked.
“No.” Xiao Zhou shook her head, then reached out to embrace her: “Huaisu, you’re finally back.”
Suzhen patted her back, saying quietly: “Yes, I’m back. Now that I’m back, I don’t want to be separated from you all again, but… tell me, how much longer can I stay? Your master… doesn’t know, does he?”