Li Shuang pulled out the banner along with the head and tossed them to a nearby soldier, who shuddered as he caught them. “Take it away,” she ordered. “Dispose of that messily written banner, but hang the head on the city wall. That’s where it belongs.”
The soldier acknowledged and hurried away.
Li Shuang watched as the soldier departed, the suspended head swaying with his steps. From the head’s gaunt, emaciated face, it was clear this was no Western Rong general, but likely just an injured soldier or camp follower. As they had suspected, the Western Rong had simply grabbed someone to impersonate a general, probably hoping to lure out their enemy.
However, they never expected that while their intended target did come, not only would they fail to capture him, but also…
Li Shuang gazed into the distance. The Western Rong army had withdrawn, and the flames had died down, leaving only rolling smoke dancing in the pre-dawn sky.
Strictly speaking, the Western Rong army had essentially been driven back by a single person. Such an absurd feat was beyond imagination—even now that it had happened, Li Shuang could barely believe it.
“Everyone, come inside,” Li Shuang called out, and the commanders filed in. Once all were seated, she continued, “While the death of two generals and last night’s fire led to the Western Rong’s retreat, we all know their true strength remains undiminished. Winter has only just begun, and we must not grow complacent.”
With Deer City’s defender Li Zhangyi dead, Li Shuang directly stationed the Longfeng Camp within the city, ordering them to guard it alongside the remaining city garrison. After arranging internal matters, she instructed the scribe to report the situation to the capital immediately.
The scribe hesitated: “General, should we… report the matter of the Black Armored warrior to the capital?”
Silence fell over the tent. All the commanders understood that aside from the earlier skirmish forced by Li Zhangyi closing the city gates, the Western Rong’s retreat had required little effort from the Longfeng Camp. It had all hinged on the terrifying prowess of that single Black Armored warrior.
But… reporting this would be embarrassing for the Longfeng Camp. Their entire force had proven less effective than one mysterious foreigner.
Li Shuang didn’t hesitate: “Report it. There’s nothing to hide.”
With that, matters were temporarily settled. The commanders left the tent, and after the scribe had Li Shuang approve several documents, he too departed with a bow. Once everyone had gone, Li Shuang glanced outside the curtainless tent to find daylight had fully arrived.
The sunlight was harsh—it seemed today would be a rare clear winter day. Li Shuang stood and stretched, her gaze falling to the tent floor where blood from the head had dripped. She suddenly remembered the blood that had fallen beside her as she was leaving the city wall last night.
Perhaps that was when he had brought the banner and headed to her tent. Surely both blood trails were from the head, and the Black Armored warrior must have escaped the Western Rong camp… unharmed?
At this thought, Li Shuang’s eyes focused, and she strode out of the tent, heading directly for the guard camp.
Outside the guard camp, Season Ran, in full military uniform, was sternly scolding a child: “Didn’t I tell you not to wander off? Tell me, where did you go last night?”
Jin An appeared as fragile as a baby chick before the imposing Season Ran, though no one in the Longfeng Camp would think that way anymore…
Li Shuang had intended to watch Jin An’s scolding with folded arms, but when she was still more than ten paces away, Jin An turned as if his whole body was covered in eyes, staring directly at her.
His eyes, which had appeared empty and numb before Season Ran, instantly lit up.
His gaze was so intense and fervent that it caused Season Ran to turn around as well. Season Ran started, then saluted: “General.” Li Shuang nodded in acknowledgment and walked forward with slight amusement. No longer showing any distance, she patted Jin An’s head: “Where did you go last night? Running off to report to that Black Armored warrior you have some mysterious connection with again?”
From what they’d seen so far, the Black Armored warrior didn’t seem to harbor any schemes against the Longfeng Camp—only against her.
In truth, as long as it didn’t involve matters of state or military affairs, Li Shuang was quite tolerant. It was just that this Black Armored warrior’s… way of expressing his intentions was rather strange.
Moreover, his intentions were peculiar—sudden, intense, and bewildering. It left her… completely baffled.
Jin An looked up at her without answering. His silence drew Li Shuang’s attention to his face, and she frowned: “Are you sick?” Li Shuang crouched down and cupped Jin An’s small face in her hands. His lips were pale, but his cheeks were red and hot as if he had a fever.
“Cold fever?”
A child falling ill in the northern frontier was serious. Li Shuang set aside her other questions and ordered Season Ran: “Go fetch the physician.” As she spoke, she lifted Jin An and carried him on her shoulder.
Jin An settled naturally, wrapping his arms around her back and neck, his feverish cheek pressing against her chest near her neck…
So comfortable.
Jin An unconsciously nuzzled the skin at Li Shuang’s neck.
The warmth of her skin against his was so soothing.
Li Shuang remained unaware, assuming it was just a sick child’s unconscious seeking comfort. She carried him into the guard camp, using one hand to lift the tent flap. Inside were about ten beds, and although her guards were the cleanest unit in the camp, they couldn’t completely mask the smell of sweat and the stuffiness from so many people.
Several guards were removing their heavy armor, half-dressed…
The guards hadn’t expected Li Shuang to lift the flap without announcement, and they all froze in place.
Li Shuang coughed once: “Carry on.” She calmly lowered the flap and carried Jin An back to her tent. She laid him on her bed and was about to rise when she found Jin An wouldn’t let go of her neck.
She gently pulled: “Be good, lie down properly, and let the physician examine you.”
“You won’t leave?”
Li Shuang smiled softly: “I won’t leave.”
Only then did Jin An reluctantly release his hold. While waiting for the physician, Li Shuang studied Jin An’s face and finally asked: “Do you remember anything about your parents? Your features don’t seem entirely like frontier people. Could your mother… perhaps be from the Central Plains?”
Jin An shook his head: “I don’t know.”
“All right.”
Just as they finished speaking, Season Ran arrived with the physician. Li Shuang stepped aside and shared her suspicions: “It might be cold fever. He was exposed while walking outside the city. Do we still have medicine for cold fever in camp?”
The physician took his pulse without speaking: “Hmm… this doesn’t seem like simple cold fever. There’s an extreme deficiency with internal heat. It’s more like a fever brought on by serious injury.”
“Injury?” Li Shuang turned to look at Jin An, frowning slightly. “Where did you go last night?”
But Jin An had closed his eyes, sweat beading on his forehead, not answering Li Shuang’s question.
The physician removed Jin An’s clothes, but strangely, after examination, found no visible wounds anywhere—except that the flame pattern on his chest had become more vibrant red than before.
The physician was puzzled: “Not a single wound, how strange…”
“Let’s prepare some fever-reducing medicine for now. Since we don’t have herbs in camp, I’ll send someone to buy them from the city shops.”
After the physician left, Li Shuang had Season Ran purchase and brew the medicine. She helped Jin An drink it, then handled some minor matters before laying her head down at Jin An’s bedside to watch over him. Gradually, she too fell asleep from exhaustion.
Li Shuang had been utterly exhausted these past few days, and now with the Western Rong gone, her mind was at ease. Even in this awkward position, she slept deeply.
She didn’t stir even when, in the middle of the night, the person lying in bed extended his limbs from under the blanket.
After the clear day, the night was remarkably bright, moonlight nearly reaching inside the tent. Li Shuang slept so deeply she didn’t feel her hair falling across her lips.
A man’s strong body gently lifted the blanket, his bare chest marked with intricate crimson flame patterns that extended to the corner of his eye. He bent down, quietly gazing at Li Shuang’s sleeping face, his eyes softer than moonlight.
Gently brushing away the hair from her lips, he leaned down to place a light kiss on them.
He was so happy, his eyes rippling like gentle waves. Touching Li Shuang made his heart tremble with joy. Even if only secretly, just once, then again, and again…
Jin An couldn’t help but smile.
He was so happy he almost shivered with delight.
He wanted so badly to ask Li Shuang if she was happy too. Had his gift made her happy? Although retrieving that head yesterday had nearly cost him half his life, it didn’t matter.
His body could heal quickly, and even if it didn’t, that was fine too.
Look how he had helped her resolve such a troublesome situation, allowing her to sleep so peacefully now.
He gently nuzzled her lips, but after a while, these light touches no longer satisfied him. Jin An carefully lifted Li Shuang onto the bed, covered her with the blanket, wrapping them both together. Then he embraced her from behind.
In this position, his arms were around her chest, and her entire back fitted perfectly against his chest.
This made Jin An feel as though she were his most precious treasure, his softest part, completely and securely protected in his arms where no one could harm her.
He took a deep breath and sighed softly. This was perfect.
He wished he could sleep holding her like this every night, even if it meant sacrificing half his life each day.