Chapter 23: Responsibility (Double Chapter Combined)

It was understandable for the young girl to be in a mood.

The Rou Lan Kingdom had a total of six cities, but only Wu City and Ming City were suitable for civilians to inhabit. The other four cities primarily focused on mineral extraction, with merchant guilds only gathering workers to mine there during seasons with favorable climate conditions.

Now that winter was approaching, those four cities had become deathly silent, completely deserted.

Ming City, with its relatively fertile land and water resources, was Rou Lan’s second largest city and mainly developed agricultural industries. The grain produced each year supplied Wu City and some surrounding uncivilized tribes.

Since Rou Lan became a vassal state of Daliang, part of the military provisions for several garrison troops in the northwest also came from Ming City.

Correspondingly, the northwest armies also provided assistance, organizing troops to offer support whenever natural disasters occurred.

Bai Yao’er had previously forged Zhenbei Wang’s orders to transfer the five thousand troops stationed in Wu City to Ming City under the pretext of disaster relief.

Now that the Rou Lan royal family had changed and Wu City had fallen, Ming City remained undisturbed.

Luo Cheng, general of the Red Feather Army, led the local thousand garrison troops and the five thousand Zhenbei Army soldiers transferred from Wu City, firmly guarding the city walls against foreign invasion.

What chilled the heart was not knowing whom they were defending the city for anymore.

Initially, Xuan Rui only suspected that King Bai hadn’t attacked Ming City after capturing Wu City because he was ambushing nearby, waiting for the reinforcing Zhenbei Army, planning to coordinate with Prince Ka’er to trap him.

But now it appeared that the fall of Wu City had been long planned, deliberately staged for the Emperor and royal relatives to see.

The two factions of his adoptive father and King Bai had already divided Rou Lan between them, leaving no share for the Son of Heaven anymore.

What was lamentable was that, to prevent the royal family from suspecting Rou Lan’s fall, they hadn’t hesitated to sacrifice the lives of five thousand city defense troops.

Could the temptation of power truly drive people to such madness?

Returning to the temple, he received a request for reinforcements from Luo Cheng, the defending general of Ming City.

Since the beginning of the month, many villagers in Ming City’s small villages had fallen ill one after another.

At first, it was thought to be ordinary fever, but as more people died and the infection spread wider, everyone finally realized it was a plague.

In just over ten days, more than ten villages in Ming City were shrouded in the shadow of plague, with the common people filled with anxiety and fear.

When the news reached Wu City, urgently awaiting court dispatch of rescue, the new king had many reservations and hadn’t taken any action.

Luo Cheng had been ordered to garrison Ming City for many years and had deep affection for the local people. In his letter, he earnestly pleaded with Xuan Rui to send reinforcements.

The impact on grain production was secondary; more importantly, Ming City wasn’t far from Daliang’s border. If the plague was allowed to rage unchecked, it might spread to Daliang civilians living along the border.

“The new king is nothing but a petty man who values profit over righteousness, spending his days hoarding gold and silver. Getting him to spend treasury money to treat people and save lives would probably be like taking his life,” Xiao Ziqi said with indignant expression. “His Highness definitely won’t ignore this matter, it’s just uncertain whether the people can wait that long.”

Xuan Rui hadn’t told anyone the information he had extracted from Bai Yao’er. The soldiers all believed that the Rou Lan incident was caused by the Bai family blocking information.

All three northwest garrison armies were under Zhenbei Wang’s jurisdiction, with commanders required to act upon seeing the Military Tally, otherwise it would be considered rebellion.

No matter what, he needed to get to Ming City first.

He composed his expression, his face now betraying no emotion, and said in a deep voice, “In the face of this natural disaster, I, the General, will depart for Ming City immediately. Return to the camp and load several carts with medical supplies, and have Gongsun Meng lead three thousand elite soldiers to follow me as quickly as possible.”

Xiao Ziyan had no doubts and was about to ride back to the camp first when he encountered a young man as elegant as jade approaching. He couldn’t help but take a few curious glances.

This young man had rosy lips and bright teeth, dressed in a light blue silk robe and brand-new deerskin high boots. His stature was slightly smaller than the average man, and his overall demeanor was gentle and amiable.

Xuan Rui had already turned to walk into the temple when the young man’s warm voice stopped him: “Might I ask if you are Seventh Master?”

The soldiers nearby who were packing their belongings, as well as Xiao Ziqi and his companions who had not yet gone far, were all taken aback.

Who would be so bold as to openly seek out Seventh Master?

After all, the original founder of Qing He Dance House was none other than Seventh Master.

At that time, the economic lifeline and intelligence network of Wu City were all controlled by the Zhenbei Army, and even the Rou Lan royal family had to yield to them.

But two years ago, the master behind the dance house suddenly changed to the Bai family, and since then, it had become rare to hear of Seventh Master taking charge of affairs.

The world thought Seventh Master was a single figure, but in reality, it was a branch of the Zhenbei Army, designated by their General to have seven individuals specifically manage various affairs in Wu City.

The young man had brought several large carts of supplies and was carrying a round bundle in his hand.

“I am not,” Xuan Rui replied indifferently, glancing at him briefly as he stepped over the threshold.

The young man quickly dismounted and hurried after him, saying urgently, “My apologies for the abruptness, General Xuan. My name is Bai Cha, and I have a very important matter I wish to discuss with you alone.”

As soon as the young man revealed his identity, the atmosphere around them instantly grew tense.

Xiao Ziqi turned his horse around and rode up to the young man, drawing his saber and angrily rebuking, “Your Bai family has betrayed the nation, and I haven’t had the time to settle accounts with you yet. Since you’ve come seeking death today, don’t blame me for being merciless!”

Seeing the other’s ferocious expression, Bai Cha’s eyes flickered with a moment of panic, but he quickly composed himself.

He clutched the bundle tightly in his arms, his knuckles subtly tightening with force.

Watching General Xuan stride into the temple without looking back, Bai Cha could no longer hold back. He untied the bundle and forcefully rolled it onto the ground.

“General, please look!” His voice was clear and resonant, filled with confidence.

Even Xiao Ziqi, who had been threatening him moments before, was stunned by the scene before him.

This seemingly frail young man had been carrying a severed human head in his arms.

Xuan Rui lowered his gaze and saw the head slowly roll to his feet.

The deceased had broad eyebrows, a prominent nose, and lips that were dark black, as if poisoned.

He turned to the young man and asked indifferently, “Did you kill this person?”

The young man knelt on one knee, paying homage to him in the Rou Lan manner, and said earnestly, “I am Bai Cha, the illegitimate son of the Bai family. Today, I bring my elder brother’s head and ten carts of medical supplies, hoping to discuss with you, General, the great matter of resisting the enemy.”

Before he had even finished speaking, the soldiers nearby burst into scornful laughter.

This young man, with his delicate build, was audacious in his actions and spoke with an inflated tone.

He dared to address “Seventh Master” outright, causing a stir out of nowhere. He had cut off his own elder brother’s head to present as a tribute, and now claimed he wanted to discuss important matters with the General.

Xiao Ziqi, no longer angry, laughed heartily, pointing at him and saying, “General, listen to this. Is this kid even speaking human words?”

After speaking, he crouched down and carefully examined the head for a while. Once confirming the identity, he raised his foot and stomped down hard.

Before the Buddha’s gate, a pool of brains was left behind.

“General, you must not trust that pretty boy,” Xiao Ziqi said as he stood up, only to realize that the General and Bai Cha were no longer in front of him.

Noticing the ten carts of supplies remaining at the entrance, he postponed his return to the camp and followed inside to investigate.

As Xuan Rui entered the eastern wing, he caught sight of a pale pink skirt flashing past the corner. The figure seemed to pause briefly before disappearing again.

His eyes flickered, and he instructed Bai Cha to wait in the tea room first, then quickened his steps to follow.

The petite figure was running swiftly, and he caught up with her in a few large strides, walking alongside her as he said in a low voice, “What’s all this rushing about early in the morning?”

He saw the girl standing gracefully under the lush ginseng tree in the small courtyard, dressed in Rou Lan ethnic attire, her gaze somewhat dazed as she looked at him.

The vibrant green branches complemented her pale pink fringed long skirt, making her appear even more charming and radiant, breathtakingly beautiful.

He had once seen the so-called goddess during Rou Lan’s year-end sacrificial rites and found her unremarkable, but at this moment, he felt that if there truly were a goddess, she would likely look just like the girl before him.

Li Youqing had received this set of clothes from the abbot early in the morning and had struggled immensely to put them on, especially the full set of silver ornaments on her forehead. She had adjusted them in front of the mirror for a long time before coming out, always feeling as if she had worn them incorrectly.

Seeing him staring expressionlessly at her, she touched the agate pendant on her forehead with some annoyance.

He had seen so many Rou Lan beauties; he must be laughing at her inwardly for not even knowing how to wear a forehead ornament properly.

“These things are so troublesome,” she muttered softly, wishing she could just tear off the pendant.

But it was connected to the pearl clasps on both sides of her hair, and the design was intricate—any tugging would cause a sharp pain on her scalp.

“Stop fidgeting,” Xuan Rui said as he reached out to adjust the agate pendant on her forehead. As he drew closer, a faint sweet fragrance drifted to his nose.

The sleeve of his dark-patterned robe brushed lightly against her cheek, and Li Youqing felt a slight tickling sensation, shrinking her neck slightly.

Xuan Rui silently lowered his hand and listened to her complain in a delicate voice, “The General disappeared before dawn. Could it be that he went to see Miss Bai again?”

What nonsense was this? He was momentarily stunned, his brow furrowing slightly.

Seeing his cold and stern expression, as if he couldn’t be bothered to answer her, Li Youqing lowered her gaze to her toes, biting her lip without saying a word.

“Bai Yao’er is Zhenbei Wang’s subordinate,” he said, unsure why he felt the need to explain this, but seeing her expression, he felt inexplicably uncomfortable in his chest.

He noticed her face growing even paler, not only losing color in her cheeks but her entire body seeming unsteady.

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked, a faint irritation rising in his heart. He suddenly felt the urge to pry open her head and see what was inside.

Li Youqing felt utterly devastated at that moment.

Yesterday at Qing He Dance House, she had already guessed that Xuan Rui and Bai Yao’er had a close relationship. Later, seeing the two of them together in the villa, she became even more convinced that Bai Yao’er was connected to the matter he was investigating in Wu City.

Now, hearing him personally confirm that Bai Yao’er was also Zhenbei Wang’s subordinate, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

The entire situation was his fault—

If he hadn’t pressed her step by step, forcing her to acknowledge Bai Yao’er, how could she have exposed her identity and landed in such a dangerous position?

Seeing her body sway slightly, Xuan Rui reached out to steady her, but she sidestepped to avoid him.

His expression darkened as he said, “What happened? Still unwilling to speak?”

Li Youqing, in a state of flustered panic, stepped backward but accidentally trod on her skirt, losing her balance and stumbling forward.

Xuan Rui, who had just raised his arm, lowered it again and coldly watched her fall against him.

Li Youqing collided squarely into his embrace. Lifting her eyes to meet the man’s icy, stern gaze, she choked back her frustration and said, “Xuan Rui, do you have any idea how detestable you are? I hate you the most!”

Watching the young woman’s retreating figure, Xuan Rui clenched his fists, his eyes growing terrifyingly dark.

Turning around and seeing Bai Cha, Xiao Ziqi, and the others present, he gave a slight smirk. “After we return, take turns at the training grounds. This General wants to see if you’ve all grown skilled.”

Hearing this, the onlookers who had been enjoying the spectacle immediately wore expressions of deep misery, their curiosity dampened considerably.

Bai Cha steadied himself and suddenly spoke with utmost seriousness, “General, didn’t you notice? That young lady was jealous just now.”

Before Xuan Rui could respond, Xiao Ziqi couldn’t hold back and chimed in, “Jealous? Jealous of whom?”Noticing the General’s attention, Bai Cha analyzed even more earnestly, ‘Though my eyes are unskilled, I could still tell that young lady had dressed up meticulously today.’ As the saying goes, ‘a woman adorns herself for the one who appreciates her,’ so she must admire the General.”

“Secondly, the General really shouldn’t have… ahem… sought out another woman immediately after spending a night with someone. Even if you did, you shouldn’t admit it! Otherwise, you get the result we just saw. No matter how much you explain afterward, it’ll leave a shadow in her heart.”

Xiao Ziqi nodded in agreement, adding, “That makes sense. It does sound like our General was in the wrong.”

Bai Cha shot a grateful smile at Xiao Ziqi and concluded, “General, you may not know this, but women often say the opposite of what they mean to save face. Especially the phrase ‘I hate you’—its meaning is actually… ahem… well, just interpret it as the opposite of the literal meaning.”

Xuan Rui’s expression turned slightly awkward. He took a few steps forward, glancing sideways at him. “Didn’t you have something to say? Keep up.”

Bai Cha knew his gamble had paid off. He let out a long breath and hurried after him.

~

The water in the purple clay pot had come to a boil. Seeing the guest enter, the young novice monk tactfully withdrew.

Sunlight flooded the outdoors, but a large landscape-painted screen by the window scattered the light sparsely across the floor, making the room feel even colder.

Bai Cha sat upright beside the table, his tea-serving movements fluid and effortless, as if he had formally studied the Central Plains’ tea ceremony.

In recent years, Central Plains culture had increasingly permeated Rou Lan. Many young women had begun eagerly learning the tea ceremony, but men still valued physical strength, and few engaged in such pursuits.

The tea table was rather low, making Xuan Rui’s seating somewhat cramped.

His long legs had to splay to the sides, and even with his knees bent, it was hard not to encroach on the opposite space.

Bai Cha subtly shifted his chair backward. Under the man’s scrutinizing gaze, fine beads of sweat gradually formed on his forehead.

Xuan Rui picked up the teacup and took a shallow sip. His eyes were indifferent, faintly revealing a sharp coldness. “Speak. What do you want from this General?”

Bai Cha, who had prepared half a stomach’s worth of arguments, suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

He had assumed he came to seek cooperation with the other party, believing their relationship to be equal. Yet judging by the other’s domineering attitude, it was clearly impossible.

Moreover, under the man’s sharp gaze, his anxiety only grew.

He had fought hard to secure the position of family head, and now with only his elder brother’s head and ten carts of supplies, he dared to negotiate terms with the commander of the Zhenbei Army…

The other must have seen through his intentions from the start.

But there was no turning back now—

“General, would you like to monopolize Ming City?” He lifted his head, his expression serious as he asked.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he heard a low chuckle rumble in the man’s throat.

Xuan Rui leaned forward, resting his right elbow on his knee, his fingers lightly stroking his chin.

The young man before him was as frail as a mouse—he could crush him with one hand.

Yet he was so intriguing that it was hard to resist toying with him slowly before deciding his fate.

Just as he had been preparing to set off for Ming City, this one had arrived with supplies. It seemed he was a clever mouse indeed.

“Aside from those ten carts of supplies, what else do you have?” Xuan Rui raised his chin slightly, his fingers rubbing against the stubble on his jaw.

Outside, the sun had risen higher, casting a few beams of light across his face. In the interplay of light and shadow, he exuded an air of fierce authority tinged with cruelty.

Bai Cha steadied himself and calmly raised the stakes: “Another fifteen carts of provisions, ready to be delivered to the Zhenbei Army camp at any time… As for gold, silver, and jewels—those vulgar things—I have stored them in several absolutely secure vaults.”

Xuan Rui raised an eyebrow, listening as the young man spoke glibly: “I am willing to dedicate all I have to support your great cause, General, not only out of admiration for your prestige but also with one humble request… Please recommend me to the Prince’s residence, so I may seek a position by Zhenbei Wang’s side.”

～

The journey to Ming City would take two or three days. Deep into the night, around the hour of the Ox, Xuan Rui announced they would set up camp on the road, allowing the convoy to rest for an hour before continuing.

Xiao Ziqi and the others were somewhat surprised. No matter how long the journey, the General had never shown them any leniency before—they had always endured as they must.

This unprecedented decision to let them rest midway was as strange as the sun rising from the west.

Then, glancing at the carriage parked beside the large tree, which the General had been riding alongside all day, they suddenly understood everything.

Bai Cha had never ridden such a long distance before. Upon hearing they could rest, he quickly found a flat spot, crawled into his sleeping bag, and shut his eyes, not caring if the sky fell.

Xiao Ziqi brought over some dry rations and, seeing him curled up like a squirrel, boldly sat down beside him and slapped him on the backside.

Bai Cha, who had been on the verge of sleep, jolted awake at the slap, instinctively crossing his arms over his chest and glaring defensively at Xiao Ziqi.

“What’s this about? I was just waking you to eat. Don’t be so girly.” Xiao Ziqi handed him the dry rations, his gaze fixed on the chest Bai Cha was tightly guarding. “What’s the matter? Got treasure hidden there?”

Bai Cha, startled by the question, seemed to snap out of a dream. His arms dropped weakly to his sides as he muttered gloomily, “The treasure’s all gone.”

“Is that so?” Xiao Ziqi tilted his head to study him, teasingly asking, “Tell me, what treasure?”

Bai Cha pressed two fingers against Xiao Ziqi’s forehead, pushing him away firmly, and took the cold steamed bun with his other hand, taking a bite.

Xiao Ziqi wanted to ask more, but when he saw the fierce glint in the young man’s eyes, he reluctantly shut his mouth.

He rubbed the back of his head, thinking to himself: Wasn’t it just because I yelled at him loudly this morning? And later in front of the General, I gave him plenty of face. Why is he still holding a grudge?

Bai Cha took a few bites of the cold steamed bun and noticed a bonfire blazing not far away, the aroma of roasted meat drifting over. He murmured absentmindedly, “They’re roasting meat over there.”

Xiao Ziqi followed his gaze and immediately stood up. “Wait here, I’ll go tear off a rabbit leg for ya.”

Bai Cha noticed his heavy accent and couldn’t help curling his lips into a smile.

Although all Central Plains people spoke Han language, they had various accents. Every time he heard the authentic northern dialect, he found it quite amusing.

The night was bitterly cold. He curled up and crawled back into his sleeping bag.

For a moment, he remembered how his mother used to say, after she left the Bai family, it would be best to marry a northern man.

But how would those men ever take a Rou Lan woman as their official wife?

Not to mention, he had such a damaged body.

Since he was five, he had been taking secret medicines. Now, ten years later, except for his private parts, there wasn’t a trace of feminine traits left on his body.

After resting for a while, the aroma of rabbit meat wafted to his nose, making him swallow repeatedly.

Just as he was struggling between getting up or not, he heard Xiao Ziqi shouting at the top of his lungs: “Rabbit leg’s here! If you don’t get up now, I’m gonna eat it all!”

Bai Cha sat up and froze for a moment.

Besides Xiao Ziqi, there stood the young lady who had lost her temper with General Xuan this morning.

He had never seen such a beautiful girl in his life. When he looked up just now, it was like seeing a goddess.

Only this young lady didn’t look friendly. She stood with her hands behind her back, coldly examining him.

Her gaze felt like she was trying to peel him open layer by layer, from inside out, making him extremely uncomfortable.

As far as he knew, over the years, General Xuan had received countless women bestowed by the Zhenbei Royal Mansion alone, not to mention the beautiful concubines offered as tribute by various tribes.

This one before him was probably the tribute sent to the General’s Mansion not long ago by the Erhai tribe.

The night temperature was extremely low, yet the girl still wore the same light pink dress from the morning, though she had added a black cloak. No need to guess whose it was.

Bai Cha only lost his composure for a moment before his eyes filled with their usual gentle smile. He nodded at the girl and said, “May I ask what brings you here, young lady?”

Li Youqing looked at her, feeling something was off but unable to pinpoint what exactly.

She heard this person was a Bai family illegitimate child who killed his elder brother to seize the family head position.

Along the way, whenever they encountered inspecting soldiers, he would show the Bai family emblem and use the disaster relief excuse to pass through unimpeded.

She wanted to leave immediately after the Gu poison was removed, and this convoy was undoubtedly the best cover.

In the boundless night, the distant bonfire cast flickering light and shadow on people’s faces.

She suddenly smiled slightly, changing her previous arrogant attitude, and said to Bai Cha, “I wanted to ask if you have any clean water here.”

These carriages are all full now, but when he leaves, they’ll be empty. Then she could choose one to hide in.

Bai Cha seemed to relax, speaking gently, “Please wait a moment, young lady. I’ll go fetch it for you right away.”

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly felt a shadow fall over him and a chill run down his spine.

Turning around, he saw General Xuan approaching with a water pouch. In a fluster, he pulled Xiao Ziqi along and quickly retreated to a distance with his head lowered.

Xuan Rui had just overheard their conversation and was already feeling displeased. Without a word, he handed over the water pouch.

Li Youqing had been quarreling with him all day and expected him to lose his temper, but surprisingly, he showed unexpected patience this time.

Having just eaten roasted rabbit meat, she was terribly thirsty. She took the water pouch and drank a few sips, then said resentfully, “Thank you, General.”

“It’s nothing.” Xuan Rui glanced at her but uncomfortably averted his gaze.

That pretty boy said, “A woman adorns herself for the one who appreciates her.”

Who told her to dress like that today, distracting him the entire day.

 

Did she not realize that in just a few days, they would go their separate ways and never be connected again?

At this critical moment, she had actually fallen for him first—

His gaze couldn’t help but hold a trace of pity. A young girl experiencing her first love, still unaware of the world’s vastness and dangers.

Li Youqing felt several pairs of eyes watching her from the bonfire area and said somewhat irritably, “Let’s go quickly.”

Xuan Rui led the horse over and was about to help her mount when she nimbly swung herself onto the saddle, ignoring him as she urged the horse forward.

The girl’s mounting movement was clean and precise, drawing cheers from the soldiers around the bonfire. One bold soldier even shouted at him, “Boss, aren’t you going after her?”

Xuan Rui clenched his fists briefly before mounting his horse and galloping after her.

Having learned horseback riding and archery from the Crown Prince since childhood and frequently visiting the Royal Hunting Grounds, Li Youqing’s equestrian skills were among the best among noble ladies.

But compared to Xuan Rui, she still seemed somewhat inadequate.

Seeing him easily catch up with her, Li Youqing petulantly cracked her whip again, urging her horse to run even faster.

Xuan Rui maintained the same pace alongside her, his expression calm and unreadable.

It was understandable for a young girl to be emotional. He was five years her senior and should maintain his composure.

They had traveled some distance from the camp when the horses’ hooves began stumbling on the rough gravel, sinking deeply with each step.

Just as Li Youqing was about to whip her horse again in frustration, her arm was suddenly grasped, and in an instant, the man had pulled her onto his own horse.

The moment her back touched his chest, she struggled violently, only to be tightly restrained by his iron-like arms.

His warm breath brushed her ear, but his tone carried a slight chill: “How long are you going to keep this up? Do you expect this General to take responsibility for you?”

Because of what happened this morning, she had been throwing tantrums all day.

Even if she liked him, she shouldn’t be so unrestrained, disturbing everyone’s peace.

Li Youqing was momentarily stunned, not understanding why he would suddenly say such a thing.

Taking her silence as agreement, Xuan Rui said helplessly, “I’ve long been determined to guard the northwest for life. It’s possible I might even die in battle here someday. Someone as young and inexperienced as you should find a more stable match to entrust your life to.”

Seeing her brow furrow even deeper, his eyes darkened: “That marriage prospect you originally had probably won’t work out. When you return to the capital, there will inevitably be gossip. If you’re worried about finding a good marriage, this General can help make introductions—”

He had intended to say he would personally arrange a good marriage for her.

But the words caught in his throat as an inexplicable ache swelled in his heart, making him deeply uncomfortable.

“The General need not concern himself with my marriage prospects.” Not to mention her status as the Third Princess, even with just her looks, she wouldn’t have trouble finding a husband.

So many arrogant noble sons in the capital had tried every means to please her, though she had never deigned to give them a second glance.

Xuan Rui had already decided to drop the subject when he saw her looking at him frankly, her beautiful eyes shining like stars in the sky: “My future husband must be the finest man in the world! I will never settle for less!”

“Is that so? The finest man in the world—” Suddenly, blood rushed to his head, and his voice carried a trace of anger as his arm tightened around her waist: “Are you referring to that young master called Jin Cheng?”

Suddenly recalling that unsent letter, every word and line seemed to overflow with her admiration for that man.

Was this outfit truly worn for his sake today? Were those words spoken this morning really born of jealousy?

He abruptly felt how utterly ridiculous his thoughts had been all day.

To have genuinely believed she held feelings for him—moments ago he’d even entertained the notion that if she truly couldn’t marry because of this, he wouldn’t be entirely unwilling to take responsibility for her.