CHAPTER 8

“I made some pastries for you, husband. Please try them,” Lian Sheng lifted the tray a little higher, using one hand to remove the ceramic lid, revealing several small, delicate pastries.

The pastries were shaped like plump little dumplings, particularly cute.

“I won’t eat them. Take them away,” Yi Qiancheng glanced at the pastries in her hand with disdain.

“Why won’t you eat them?” Lian Sheng asked, curious.

“You’re being overly attentive for no reason—either you’re up to something or you’re trying to deceive me,” he said lazily, raising his eyes. His gaze briefly stopped at her swollen forehead, before nonchalantly moving away.

“You’re right, husband. I do have something to ask,” Lian Sheng blinked, trying to appear obedient and sincere.

“If it’s about Yingdong, don’t bother mentioning it,” Yi Qiancheng’s expression darkened at the mention of Yingdong. Hearing that Lian Sheng had something to ask, he immediately thought of Yingdong. He smirked slightly, his eyes cold, as though ready to flip the tray from her hands and leave without a second glance.

“It’s not about Yingdong,” Lian Sheng quietly pulled the tray closer to her chest. “I just wanted to ask for some medicine. I’m afraid my forehead will scar, and since you don’t like me already, you’ll like me even less if I get uglier.”

“You’re already ugly,” Yi Qiancheng replied with malice.

“Yes, yes, I’m ugly, you’re the most handsome. Every time I see you, my heart skips a beat,” she said, stretching the “skips a beat” in a soft, lingering tone.

“Flattery!” He lowered his head, picking at the pastries with distaste. In truth, all the dumplings looked the same, and he hesitated as his fingers hovered over one after another. It seemed he wasn’t sure what he was doing... or perhaps he was trying to hide something.

“They taste bad,” Yi Qiancheng said bluntly. The dumplings were sweet and sticky, just like her smiling face, and if he had tasted them, he would have found them quite pleasant.

“Then I’ll practice making them better, until you like them. I won’t bother you again,” Lian Sheng said, not angry. She had gotten up early to make these pastries to please Yi Qiancheng. If he didn’t want them, she could eat them herself. She gave a small curtsy, ready to turn and leave.

“Wait, leave the pastries. Since you made them for me, I should be the one to throw them away. The housekeeper will send over the medicine. Don’t walk around with that ugly face of yours, it ruins my mood,” Yi Qiancheng said coldly.

“Yes, husband~” She turned around with a bright smile, her eyes sparkling. The morning sunlight was fine and scattered, but none of it could compare to her radiant smile.

“Don’t speak to me like that!” He snapped, annoyed.

“What tone?” she asked softly.

“Go away.” Yi Qiancheng muttered wearily, not even bothering to look at her. In fact, he hadn’t finished his sentence—he had also wanted to say that she shouldn’t smile at him like that, as though she were trying to seduce someone. It made him feel disgusted.

Yi Qiancheng watched her happily leave, and he thought to himself, whatever she does is useless. Some things were destined. He wouldn’t let Yingdong fall into the hands of the Xiqiang. However, Yi Qiancheng’s eyes grew cold—he wouldn’t make it easy for Yingdong either.

Outside Yingdong, fifty miles away, Lian Qi frowned, feeling uneasy.

They had been resisting the Xiqiang for almost a month. He and his soldiers had been tirelessly preventing the Xiqiang from advancing. Initially, they had been able to hold them off, but recently, the Xiqiang had been attacking in the middle of the night. They would kill anyone in their path, slitting throats mercilessly.

No one knew when they would show up, so every night, they remained extra vigilant. Despite this, the constant attacks had caused fear and anxiety among the troops. After all, no one knew if they would be patrolling one moment, only to have their throats slit by the Xiqiang the next.

Constant defense wasn’t sustainable. People’s spirits would break, and the soldiers’ morale would falter.

They had been guarding the city for so long—it was too passive. Lian Qi tapped his fingers against the map, his sharp eyebrows furrowing as a glint of killing intent flashed in his eyes. It would be better to take the initiative and attack.

Lian Qi knew that he couldn’t wait for reinforcements, and with the powerful and vicious Xiqiang soldiers, he always prepared for the worst. But as he thought about it, he couldn’t help but wonder—if the city fell and he died in battle, what would happen to his sister, Lian Sheng?

Aside from himself, there was almost no one in Yingdong City who would care for her. Even if their father had given up defending the city and decided to cross the river to the imperial capital, he wouldn’t necessarily think of Lian Sheng in times of danger.

Thinking of his cunning smile and clear eyes, Lian Sheng, his sister, Lian Qi’s hand tightened around the map, and a gloomy expression appeared on his face. He had to survive and return, no matter the cost! Because Lian Sheng was still waiting for him.

He had to turn the situation around quickly. In recent days, Lian Qi had felt an unsettling feeling in his heart, as though he were about to lose something important. It felt like his heart was hanging from a thread, suspended at the edge of a cliff, waiting for someone to cut that thread, and then it would fall deeply.

Lian Qi’s voice was low, carrying an unshakable resolve: “Order the attack, tonight we strike the Xiqiang camp.”

The generals responded one by one and returned to organize the night raid. Their target tonight was: to burn the Xiqiang’s food and supplies.

As Lian Qi’s army braced itself for battle, preparing for a counterattack, inside Yingdong City, the city lord received an encouraging piece of news—The second prince had replied to his letter.

Yingdong had previously sought help far and wide, but it had seemed as if his requests had vanished into thin air, with no responses. The city lord, in despair, had already begun to plan an escape route. His options were limited: one was to die defending the city, to become a martyr for Yingdong; the other was to abandon the city and flee by water to the imperial capital before the city fell.

He didn’t want to choose the first option, but the second wasn’t guaranteed to be a safe path either. Abandoning the city would bring shame, and it was a crime punishable by death.

In his desperation, he had turned to Yi Qiancheng for help.

A few years ago, he had seen the young Yi Qiancheng standing atop the city walls. At that time, Yi Qiancheng had been a slender teenager, but his eyes already carried a fierce and ruthless air.

He had looked like a little wolf cub.

Now, that cub had grown into a wolf, strong enough to tear apart the enemy’s bodies and snap their throats. The city lord was somewhat afraid of him, but when he thought of the consequences of the city falling, he gritted his teeth and sent his trusted aide to plead for help.

Who would have thought that Yi Qiancheng would demand one of the Lian family’s daughters in return?

The city lord had sent Lian Sheng to Yi Qiancheng, but he hadn’t expected Yi Qiancheng to have no plans to send troops. The city lord was furious, wishing he could tear that flip-flopping little wolf apart. But now, he couldn’t even leave Yingdong, let alone attack Yi Qiancheng.

He had given away a daughter for nothing, and now he was being toyed with.

No matter how anxious he became, the days continued to pass. Lian Qi was growing weaker and weaker. The city lord’s heart sank to the bottom, and he finally decided to let Madam Sang and his younger son and daughter pack their things. He himself would prepare to board a ship to the imperial capital.

If Lian Qi couldn’t hold the city, he would immediately escape to the capital, even if it meant carrying a lifetime of shame. It was better than losing his life.

But just as he had given up hope, the second prince gave him a glimmer of hope. The city lord held the letter tightly, almost laughing with joy.

The second prince was the most likely to inherit the throne among the imperial princes. A year ago, he had toured the cities on behalf of the emperor, and when he came to Yingdong, he had stayed at the city lord’s mansion for half a month before returning to the imperial capital.

At that time, the city lord had flattered the second prince extensively. It seemed the second prince had a good impression of him, which was why he had responded to his letter, promising to do his best to mobilize reinforcements.

If reinforcements from the imperial capital really arrived, or if the emperor ordered nearby cities to send troops, then Yingdong would be saved!

The city lord was overjoyed and quickly wrote a letter to Lian Qi, detailing the second prince’s promise to help. He wanted to give Lian Qi confidence—reinforcements would come, and he had to hold on!

Still, the city lord worried that Lian Qi would be angry upon learning that he had given Lian Sheng to Yi Qiancheng. Moreover, from the current situation, even if Yi Qiancheng had taken Lian Sheng, he wouldn’t send troops.

He worried that his eldest son might be so enraged that he would abandon the defense of Yingdong.

The city lord bitterly lamented that of his two sons and two daughters, it was always the two most distant ones—Lian Qi and Lian Sheng—whom he had to rely on in the end. His beloved Lian Si Tian and Lian Xi Yue were of no help at all!

Meanwhile, on the way back from Fengmu City to Shaji City, a man in purple robes was lounging on horseback, his legs crossed as the horse moved slowly forward. He had his eyes closed, a dogtail grass between his teeth, humming a little tune.

“Master, are you sure it’s okay to go back like this? Won’t the general and the military advisor be angry?” The attendant cautiously reminded him. They were traveling too slowly; the journey that should take half a month would take a year at this pace.

The man in purple was Fu Chengyu. He opened his eyes lazily, his gaze mixed with a trace of hidden sharpness: “Why hurry? The message has already been sent. The show is about to begin. Can’t I have a few days of peace?”

“But... but you didn’t even make it to the general’s wedding,” the attendant timidly countered.

“Yes, Yi Qiancheng of all people actually got married. I wonder how long his wife will last? Tsk, tsk, I really want to see what that girl looks like. She’s not old, ugly, and terrifying, is she? Ha ha ha!” He couldn’t stop laughing.

“Master, please lower your voice, the general’s men are behind us.”

Fu Chengyu’s cheerful expression slowly faded, but the smile on his lips remained unchanged. He suddenly sat up straight, squeezing his legs against the horse’s sides. The horse neighed and galloped forward quickly.

“Master! Master... why did you leave so suddenly? Wait for us...”

Fu Chengyu smiled once the attendants couldn’t see him. Because, the city where his wife’s family lived was about to fall. He was just a kind-hearted man, rushing back to help her... collect the bodies!

The fierce wind tousled his hair, and Fu Chengyu squinted his eyes, like a sly fox.

“Lian Qi, big brother, hurry home. Your sister’s been taken away!”