Even through the fabric, he could clearly feel her skin moving against him.

Keeping her by his side was driven by a man’s natural desires.

But reason still prompted Li Mu to make the decision to send her back to Jiankang as soon as possible.

There were many reasons.

She still harbored reservations about him, wavering uncertainly.

The conditions here were too harsh.

Especially after experiencing last night’s surprise attack, his decision had originally been so firm.

But at this very moment, reason suddenly vanished.

Soft fragrant jade throwing herself into his embrace, his eyes stung red by the vivacious beauty before him.

Li Mu felt his blood surging throughout his body, unable to endure any longer, wanting only to have her.

Not only did he not put her down, but he tightened his arms, stopping the girl in his embrace from struggling to leave him.

Before Luoshen could react, her back felt a chill as she was pressed against the wall.

“Hey—what are you doing! Let me go quickly!”

She was both panicked and nervous, pushing him hard, hitting him, and scolding him while looking up.

He said nothing.

Thrust hard.

In the dim corner of the room, behind the damp curtains, Luoshen no longer had strength to struggle.

The two pale legs that had been kicking wildly slowly dropped down, finally hanging powerlessly on either side of that man’s strong waist.

Sudden hurried footsteps sounded outside.

Qiongshu and several other drowsy maidservants, awakened by Luoshen’s earlier screams and the sound of the door breaking, hurried over.

The door had fallen to the ground.

The desk was overturned.

The lamp was still lit in the room, but no people were immediately visible.

Only behind the wet curtain in the corner did there seem to be some movement.

“Miss, are you alright?”

Qiongshu called out, frantically running toward that corner, when suddenly a man’s voice came from behind the curtain: “Nothing happened. Madam was just frightened by a roof rat. You go out first.”

Li Langjun’s voice.

Qiongshu hesitated.

“You may go. I’m truly fine… he… just helped me catch the rat…”

After a moment, a woman’s voice came from behind that curtain.

Soft, with a tremor, unsteady breathing.

Qiongshu, being older, felt her face grow slightly warm. She quickly signaled to the others, helped set up the door and desk from the ground, and withdrew.

Behind the curtain, Li Mu looked down to see her jade arms softly hooked around his neck, her dark head also limply leaning against his chest, eyes tightly closed, body motionless. He took a long breath, finally suppressing his still churning desire, lifted her again, wrapped a garment around her, emerged from behind the curtain, laid her on the bed, and covered her with blankets.

She had been frightened earlier, stepping barefoot on the ground, and her feet had gotten somewhat dirty.

Li Mu took a cloth, sat by the bedside, and while wiping her feet, said: “I came back earlier to tell you something. Tonight near the city gates might not be peaceful. You were just frightened last night, and I was afraid you’d be scared again, so I came back to inform you first. If you hear any commotion, don’t be afraid. I’ve made arrangements—nothing will happen.”

Luoshen had originally been both shy and angry, still feeling some lingering pain in her chest, plus an indescribable feeling of her heart racing, her whole person still dizzy. After being held to the bed, she kept her eyes tightly shut. Suddenly hearing him speak this way, completely different from his manner behind the curtain just now, she couldn’t help being somewhat surprised.

She slowly opened her watery eyes: “Is it related to the Jie people who attacked us last night?”

Li Mu nodded.

Having cleaned one of her feet, he switched to the other, continuing: “The man I captured last night is named Hou Li, eldest son of the nearby Chouchi Hou clan. Calculating the distance, the Hou clan’s people should arrive tonight. I’ll personally guard the city walls through the night. I’m afraid you’ll have to make do sleeping like this for tonight. Tomorrow I’ll have people repair the door and go through the room thoroughly, blocking up all the mouse holes too.”

He finished cleaning her feet and tucked them back under the covers.

“Sleep. I’ll go now. I’ll have Qiongshu sleep with you tonight.”

He gazed at her for a moment, leaned over, reached out to pull up the blanket that had slipped down slightly, covering an exposed section of her shoulder, then stood up and lowered the bed curtains.

Luoshen curled up under the covers, watching through the curtains as his figure left the room.

Soon after, Qiongshu came in.

Another sleepless night.

In the first half of the night, Luoshen lay in bed with wandering thoughts, unable to sleep. In the second half, as she gradually grew tired and drowsy, suddenly from the eastern part of the city came faint sounds like soldiers shouting and making noise.

Yicheng was still an empty city. Within a radius of over ten li, including residents and Li Mu’s soldiers, there were only two or three thousand people total.

So the city was exceptionally quiet at night. Although the Governor’s residence was some distance from the east gate, such commotion could still be heard.

Though she had Li Mu’s specific instructions, how could Luoshen possibly sleep peacefully?

As soon as she heard the noise, she immediately got up, ran out, climbed to the highest watchtower in the Governor’s residence, stood on top, and gazed toward the east gate.

In that direction, red firelight could be seen rising in the originally pitch-black night sky.

The shouting sounds came intermittently.

Luoshen couldn’t help feeling anxious. Persuaded by Qiongshu to return to her room, she remained restless, lit candles, and sat up waiting for dawn.

When the sky began to brighten, the commotion from the city gate direction finally quieted down.

Gao Huan woke in the second half of the night due to pain from his wound and also heard the unusual sounds from the city gate. Unable to get up himself, he sent an attendant beside him to gather news. The man finally returned saying that last night the Hou clan had mobilized five thousand men to attack the city, fought for half the night, but unable to take the city, withdrew several li away at dawn.

The siege crisis was temporarily resolved.

…

Atop the city walls, the soldiers already showed fatigue on their faces. Suddenly seeing the governor who had shared the night watch with them climbing the wall and approaching, they all regained their spirits, standing straight without exception.

Li Mu climbed the watchtower, gazed for a moment toward where the Hou clan troops were resting and camping, then came down and ordered the soldiers to drink water, eat, and rest in place while he entered a corner tower.

Inside the corner tower, tied with ropes to a pillar was a man with deep eyes and a high nose—precisely Hou Li, whom Li Mu had captured.

Sun Fangzhi was guarding him, playing with a dagger in his hands. Seeing Hou Li glaring at him and constantly spitting out incomprehensible words, knowing he was cursing, how could he endure it? He put down the dagger, went over and kicked him. Hearing him curse even more viciously, he took a water-soaked rawhide strip, wound it around his body several more times, pulled tight, and angrily said: “You dead Jie dog, if not for orders, I’d have killed you long ago! Keep cursing!”

The rawhide cut deep into flesh, lodged at Hou Li’s neck. Hou Li was strangled until his face turned red and eyes bulged, but refused to submit, still mumbling curses. This time he actually used crude Chinese, gritting his teeth: “You wait, when I return, revenge!”

Sun Fangzhi was startled, then laughed coldly: “You bird Jie dog, worry about being able to return first! So tough—when Governor Li caught you the night before last, why did you immediately order your men to withdraw?”

Hou Li didn’t speak Chinese well but could roughly understand. Knowing he was mocking him, he felt both hate and annoyance. Just as he was about to curse again, he suddenly saw a figure standing in the doorway, recognized Li Mu, stopped, and glared at him angrily.

Sun Fangzhi turned back, hurried forward, pointed at Hou Li and said: “This Jie dog has been cursing ever since being brought down from the city wall. If we need to keep his dog life, cutting his tongue should be fine!”

Hou Li understood the words “cut tongue,” his face changed, and he broke out in curses again.

Li Mu smiled, said to Sun Fangzhi: “You guarded the city half the night last night—go rest. Leave this to me.”

Sun Fangzhi knew he must have business, nodded, made a threatening gesture at Hou Li, then walked out.

Li Mu stood before Hou Li, studying him.

Hou Li at first held his neck stiff, but remembering that scene, couldn’t help feeling both regret and anger, cursing in Jie language: “Li Mu, you treacherous man! I only regret listening to your smooth words. What kind of hero are you! If you have the ability, release me and I’ll battle you again!”

Li Mu casually picked up the dagger Sun Fangzhi had left behind and walked before Hou Li.

Hou Li stared at the dagger in his hand, remembering the earlier talk of cutting tongues, angrily said: “You dare?”

Li Mu smiled, went around to his back, and cut the binding ropes.

Hou Li’s hands and feet were suddenly free. Somewhat disbelieving, he stood there, watching Li Mu with wary eyes.

Li Mu said: “Hou Li, it’s not that I don’t keep my word. But your brother brought people and attacked the city without a word. You saw it yourself. Looking at your brother’s stance, he may not really want to attack the city, but rather seems to want to use my hand to eliminate you.”

Hou Li’s sore spot was hit again.

The night before last, caught off guard, he had been captured by Li Mu.

How could he have easily submitted then? Though faced with a sharp sword, thinking that his numbers matched the other side’s, plus they had fierce beasts assisting, he figured even if Li Mu captured him, he wouldn’t dare harm him. He had originally intended to resist, but was swayed by Li Mu’s words at the time, finally submitting.

Li Mu had said: “If you don’t do as I say, I’ll kill you immediately. At worst I’ll fight your few hundred men again—I might not lose.”

“But if you die, your brother can smoothly take position and replace you.”

It was this one sentence that seized his vital point.

He was the eldest son of Chouchi’s Hou clan, also the heir apparent, but his birth mother was not of the same tribe—she was from Kucha, incomparably beautiful, skilled in music, good at playing the barbarian pipa, but had died young.

Only because his father Hou Ding remained devoted to his mother’s memory and felt deep guilt, over the years, though his position was constantly challenged by his brother Hou Jian, and Hou Ding had several times considered deposing him, he had managed to maintain his status until today.

Hou Jian’s mother came from Chouchi’s great Gan clan, surpassing him in both scheming and ability. Hou Li was quite wary of this brother who had secretly always wanted to seize his position.

This was also why he had concealed this from his father Hou Ding this time, eager to achieve merit with Li Mu.

He hadn’t expected to be captured so easily.

In that situation, he knew Li Mu was threatening him.

But he knew even more clearly that if he didn’t comply and this Han man really killed him, he would die, and the happiest person would probably be his brother Hou Jian.

How could he be willing?

He had no choice but to submit then, enduring the humiliation and following Li Mu’s words, ordering his men to return quickly and report the news to Hou Ding.

Li Mu’s original words were to have the Hou clan come to Yicheng for discussion, saying that though the Hou clan had previously followed Northern Xia as enemies of the Southern Dynasty, they hadn’t committed excessive evil deeds. He was willing to turn swords into plowshares and continue having no interference with each other in the future.

But unexpectedly, at midnight, his brother Hou Jian led troops and arrived. When Hou Li was pushed onto the city wall, while shouting loudly about breaking the city to save his brother, Hou Jian simultaneously ordered continued arrow attacks on the city.

Now with Li Mu hitting the mark again, his heart filled with resentment, momentarily speechless, his face extremely ugly.

Li Mu said: “I repeat—your Chouchi Hou clan, though also Jie people, were once subjects of our Dayu. Even after following Northern Xia, you committed no heinous crimes. You and I, Li Mu, are not natural enemies. But your brother Hou Jian not only incited your father to be enemies with Dayu, I’ve also heard he disregards ancestral feuds to seize your position, colluding with the Xianbei Gu Hui clan, advising your father to serve the Xianbei Jin state. Such an unprincipled, shameless wretch—if he really seizes your heir position, in the future, will there still be a place for you in Chouchi?”

The Gu Hui clan was another fierce tribe among the Xianbei people besides the Murong clan. Their power once occupied all of Longxi. Their tribal chief Gu Huilong had abilities comparable to Murong Xi, had once been enfeoffed as Western Jin King by Dayu, and had even better fortune than the Murong clan. Taking advantage of Northern Xia’s crisis, he summoned old subordinates back to Longxi, waging war extensively with unstoppable momentum, rebuilding the Jin state, proclaiming himself emperor. Now he was directing troops toward Chang’an, intending to capture this military-political center of Northern Xia in Longxi in one stroke, completely bringing Longxi under Jin state control.

The Chouchi Hou clan had only tens of thousands of troops. Because their territory was close to Great Jin, they relied entirely on the Chouchi mountains where they had lived for generations as a barrier—easy to defend, hard to attack—which allowed them to maintain their existence without being destroyed.

Hou Li also knew that recently, the Gan clan had frequently brought Xianbei people to see his father, advising him to submit to the Jin state to avoid destruction. His father’s attitude wavered uncertainly. His heart filled with even more resentment, he gritted his teeth: “This is my family affair. I’ll resolve it myself. What concern is it of yours?”

Li Mu said: “Originally it was your family affair. But if your Hou clan submits to the Xianbei Jin state, you become my enemy, Li Mu. As they say, distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors.”

He looked at Hou Li.

“Young Master Hou, I’m willing to help you eliminate your brother. You help me—have your father break relations with the Jin state and form an alliance with me. In the future when I defeat Jin and destroy Gu Huilong, you’ll forever be King of Chouchi. In this world, no one will compete with you for this position. What do you think?”

Hou Li was stunned.

Li Mu smiled slightly: “You can consider it slowly. When you’ve thought it through, just find me.”

“Don’t forget—your brother is still outside the city right now, waiting for your head.”

After speaking, he turned and left.

Hou Li stared at his retreating figure, his face alternating between red and white. Suddenly he chased a few steps and shouted loudly: “I’m willing to form an alliance with you! Tell me what I should do! I’ll comply!”

Li Mu stopped, took a letter from his chest, and placed it on the desk.

“Young Master, you may return today. Please trouble yourself to deliver this letter to your father, saying that I, Li Mu, am new to this place and haven’t paid my respects—it was my discourtesy.”

He pushed the letter over.

Sun Fangzhi was guarding outside when he suddenly saw Hou Li stride out. Startled, he was about to step forward and draw his sword to stop him, but unexpectedly Hou Li suddenly stopped, spat a thick glob of phlegm at him, and said in poorly articulated Chinese, “Governor Li is a contemporary hero. For his sake, I won’t quarrel with you.” After speaking, he strode away proudly.

Sun Fangzhi hurriedly dodged, barely avoiding the attack. Looking toward Li Mu who had followed out, he was extremely surprised: “Jingchen, why release him?”

Li Mu climbed the city wall and said: “Just watch—the siege can be lifted.”