Chapter 36: Drinking Water

It had truly exhausted him thoroughly.

Bai Cha received thirty lashes before the crowd, her body dripping with fresh blood—a truly gruesome scene.

Xiao Ziqi, considering she was a woman forced to dwell among men where even applying medicine would be inconvenient, personally fetched a carriage and took her to a town clinic for treatment.

Currently, every medical clinic was overcrowded. He had no choice but to plead from one to another until finally, a kind-faced female physician agreed to clear out a small partitioned room for them.

Xiao Ziqi carried Bai Cha inside, placed a pre-prepared bundle beside her, and instructed: “Rest quietly here and recover. Once you’re healed, return to your own territory. Whatever you do, don’t linger around the General or that young lady again.”

Noticing her figure resembled a door plank, making it impossible to associate her with femininity, he added: “When you have time, nourish yourself more.”

Bai Cha lay prone on the bed, struggling to lift her upper body as she protested indignantly: “What right do you have to order me back? I’ve already been punished—why can’t I stay? Do you look down on women? Think women can’t accomplish anything?!”

She had long been prepared—if only General Xuan would give her a chance—

“You don’t understand.” Xiao Ziqi had served in the Zhenbei Army for many years, even longer than Yuchi Meng. After pondering briefly, he spoke bluntly: “The General isn’t someone a woman like you should provoke.”

Bai Cha frowned: “What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing much.” Xiao Ziqi rubbed his nose. Seeing her still resistant, he had to be more explicit: “The General rose from humble origins through blood and steel. The Prince always calls him a brute, but I think he’s more like a ferocious bandit.”

“Did you know? Even if you hadn’t brought those ten cartloads of supplies to the temple that day, the Bai family was already within our grasp.”

Noticing Bai Cha’s skeptical expression, Xiao Ziqi sneered: “The Zhenbei Army is the wealthiest among the three armies—not just because we’re fierce fighters, but because the General excels at managing enterprises. Two years ago, the Prince casually gifted Wu City to Bai Yao’er with a single sentence. But whoever spits out acquired benefits is a dog. The Bai family wealth you imagine is actually an empty shell. So don’t overestimate the usefulness of those warehouse keys.”

Xiao Ziqi continued: “To put it plainly, the General doesn’t care whether you’re male or female. Keeping you by his side or ending your life—it’s all at his whim. If you don’t leave now while you can, are you waiting until that person by his side recovers and comes to settle accounts with you?”

Bai Cha finally understood—he meant she was utterly worthless.

Now that she had offended the General’s favored companion, her life hung by a thread. Escaping was her only option.

“Everyone says General Xuan is an upright, principled hero who keeps his word. He promised to arrange a position for me in the Zhenbei Royal Mansion. If he goes back on his word, what kind of hero would that make him?” Bai Cha recalled that day in the tearoom—though he showed no expression, she could sense he was willing to let her follow him.

Xiao Ziqi could no longer contain himself and let out a derisive “Pfft,” retorting: “Why wouldn’t it count?”

Perhaps feeling it inappropriate to discuss their leader behind his back, he straightened his posture and said seriously, “Do you know the Zhenbei Army initially held the lowest status among the three armies? The General not only led us in battles against the barbarians but also had to navigate dealings with commanders of the Red Feather Army and Border Defense Army, all while contending with those lackeys in the Royal Mansion. I can’t speak for other regions, but here in the northwest, what can someone rigidly upright and overly principled possibly achieve? Wake up—stop talking like a child.”

Xiao Ziqi was no paragon of virtue himself, having picked up a bit of roguishness from the General. He glanced at her disdainfully and said, “That’s why I’m telling you to leave now while the General pays you no attention. Go back to where you belong.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Cha thought to herself, “So this Xuan Rui is no great hero—he’s cut from the same cloth as the Zhenbei Wang.”

All she wanted was to enter the Zhenbei Royal Mansion and fulfill her mother’s unfinished wish. Was that really so difficult?

~

Illness strikes like a collapsing mountain. Li Youqing lay in bed for four or five days, drifting in and out of consciousness. At first, she remained somewhat alert, wary of Xuan Rui taking liberties, but eventually, she became too muddled to resist his ministrations.

She only knew that Aunt Chen came daily to bring her porridge—sometimes with minced meat, sometimes with vegetables—and that three doses of medicine were administered without fail.

Xuan Rui seemed exceptionally busy these days. She was seldom awake, and nine times out of ten, he was absent.

Initially, she thought she could cut corners—drinking half her medicine and hiding the rest. But he proved stubbornly meticulous, inspecting the dregs daily to ensure she’d taken every drop.

If he found she’d consumed less than prescribed, he’d order Aunt Chen to increase the dosage and return in the evening to personally force her to drink the remainder.

After two such episodes, Li Youqing grew genuinely frightened and never dared skip her medicine again.

Eventually, the mere thought of that villain Xuan Rui made her mouth tighten with bitterness, and even her dreams were haunted by him forcing medicine down her throat.

By the sixth day, she finally began to feel better.

Taking advantage of the midday sun, she ventured into the courtyard to stroll briefly and stretch her stiff limbs.

After days in bed, her limbs felt weak, and even slight exertion left her breathless.

The cold air triggered another cough, so she returned indoors before Aunt Chen could urge her.

The aroma of pork bone and radish stew wafted from the kitchen. Noticing Li Youqing’s swallowed anticipation, Aunt Chen cheerfully ladled her a bowl, smiling. “It’s good to see your appetite returning, miss. The General insists you eat well—today I can finally report success.”

Li Youqing had sampled every delicacy imaginable and normally disdained rustic fare. With her bird-like appetite and habit of eating only until seventy-percent full, she hadn’t grown an inch in two years.

But today, with bitter cold outside and the room warmed by a roaring stove, she sat cross-legged on the heated kang, watching eagerly as Aunt Chen brought in the radish and pork rib soup. For once, her appetite stirred.

The meat fell tenderly from the bones, edges glistening with translucent marrow—a truly inviting sight.

She ate with refined restraint, abandoning any bits too troublesome to nibble neatly, refusing to compromise her elegance.

The scene was so pleasing that Aunt Chen, in high spirits, began chattering nostalgically about old times.

Li Youqing had always adhered to the principle of not speaking during meals. Though she found her companion rather chatty, the pork rib soup was so delicious it could make one’s teeth fall out, so she politely nodded from time to time, pretending to listen attentively.

It turned out Aunt Chen was also a pitiable soul.

Five years ago, she and her husband had been engaged in cross-border trade when the Chilu Tribe launched a surprise attack. The Border Defense Army conscripted local men, taking her husband along with them.

The unit formed by the Border Defense Army consisted merely of ragged remnants, no match for the savage cavalry of the Chilu Tribe. They were almost instantly wiped out.

Fortunately, General Xuan received word and led a troop to provide assistance, exterminating all the marauding Chilu tribesmen.

Seeing many households had lost their breadwinners, he first sternly rebuked the Border Defense Army for their inaction, then arranged for the widows and orphans to be escorted to small villages in Ming City.

Not only did he distribute compensation funds, but he also personally helped them acquire fertile land and found local laborers to assist with farming.

Most Daliang people now settled in Ming City were those who had migrated from the border regions during that period, and they still held General Xuan in grateful remembrance.

Noticing Li Youqing had finished the entire large bowl of soup, Aunt Chen felt pleased and quietly took her hand to advise: “Young lady, General Xuan is a military man. Naturally, he’s rougher in that aspect and demands more than ordinary men. But when you get older, you’ll come to appreciate the wonders of it. Don’t be fooled by those pretty boys with their delicate features – those slender arms and legs are practically useless. This old woman speaks from experience when I say: we women should pursue practical benefits!”

Li Youqing froze, and when she realized what Aunt Chen meant, her face flushed crimson.

“No, I’m not—” She wanted to explain that she hadn’t been trying to elope with some pretty boy that day.

But upon reflection, the earlier part of Aunt Chen’s statement was also incorrect, leaving her momentarily unsure where to begin her explanation.

For some reason, his shameless words from that night resurfaced in her mind—

How following him would ensure she never suffered the slightest grievance again.

Covering her cheeks with both hands, Li Youqing recalled all they had been through together, feeling her entire body grow warm.

What nonsense was he spouting? She was a princess – what did he mean by “following him”?

If anything, he should be following her.

Besides, her ideal consort was certainly not some brutal, cruel man devoid of refinement.

What could someone like him possibly understand about romantic pleasures?

Remembering how every kiss was like a violent assault, utterly destroying any mood, she felt both embarrassed and angry.

This crude brute—she would never take him as her consort.

Noticing Li Youqing’s face alternating between pale and flushed, her eyes shy yet sparkling with unusual charm, Aunt Chen suppressed a smile and collected the bowls before stepping out.

～

After recovering from her illness, she no longer felt as cold as before.

But the kang bed was still heated just as warmly. Buried under the quilt, Li Youqing began feeling parched.

Perhaps from extreme thirst, she dreamed she was lost in a desert, walking for what seemed like ages before finally finding a water source.

Eagerly kneeling down, she scooped up cool spring water with her hands and took a drink.

But before the thirst could be quenched, the spring vanished instantly.

With her throat still burning, she foolishly dug in the sand with her hands for a while, but found only dry grit that scraped her fingernails raw.

Just as she was at her wit’s end, something cool and soft pressed against her lips, yielding slightly when bitten and carrying a hint of sweetness.

More importantly, a steady stream of water flowed from it, instantly soothing her parched, burning throat.

It turned out to be a water pouch—

Fearing it might vanish at any moment, Li Youqing quickly clutched it tightly, greedily sucking the liquid inside.

The taste was wonderfully refreshing, even better than Aunt Chen’s bone broth. Unable to resist, she savored it again and again, taking the soft spout deeper into her mouth.

After a long while, finally satiated, she reluctantly let go.

Faint, heavy breathing reached her ears, and an instinctual unease made her furrow her brow. Struggling, she woke from the dream.

Blinking groggily, Li Youqing was startled by the scene before her.

In the dim candlelight, a strikingly handsome face loomed close, its features deep and stern, gazing expressionlessly at her.

Li Youqing gasped softly and scrambled backward.

Noticing his swollen, faintly bitten lips, her mind exploded as if something had shattered.

She had mistaken him for a water pouch in her dream, clutching and biting him relentlessly, even breaking his skin—

But then it occurred to her: if he hadn’t leaned in voluntarily, how could this have happened?

With this thought, she cautiously glanced at his face again.

Only then did she notice that, despite his icy gaze, a faint blush tinged his cheeks, though it was barely visible in the flickering candlelight.

After a long pause, he finally withdrew his hands from either side of the pillow and returned to the recliner by the bed.

Li Youqing pulled the covers over her head and turned toward the wall.

Over the past few nights, she’d occasionally woken to find him resting nearby, but they rarely exchanged words.

Unable to sleep for now, she turned back, lowering the quilt slightly to peek outside.

He had already lain down, his brow slightly furrowed as if sleeping uncomfortably.

The spacious recliner couldn’t accommodate his robust frame; his lean, long legs were crossed, with most of them extending beyond the edge.

Li Youqing inwardly cursed him for bringing this on himself and closed her eyes, refusing to look again.

Yet she had to admit: since realizing he kept watch every night, she’d felt a slight sense of loss and fear whenever she opened her eyes and found him absent.

But when he was nearby, she could quickly fall back into peaceful sleep.

Her throat still felt uncomfortable, so she sat up to reach for the teacup on the bedside table.

Before her fingers could touch the rim, the man lifted the cup and handed it to her.

His arms were long; he didn’t shift his posture while retrieving the cup, his eyes still slightly closed as if not fully awake.

Li Youqing took the cup and drank in small sips, secretly observing his sleeping form.

The water was warm, flowing down her throat and soothing her entire body.

After finishing, seeing him raise his hand again, she obediently passed the cup back.

Once done, he didn’t even open his eyes, simply resuming his sleep.

Having drifted in and out of drowsiness for days and gone to bed early tonight, Li Youqing now found herself wide awake.

Bored, she began picking at the embroidery on the quilt with her fingernails.

Her broken nails were clearly not sharp enough, and she hadn’t had time to trim them properly, so she could only slowly fiddle with the few embroidered threads.

As she picked with increasing absorption, her calf unconsciously extended outside the quilt.

“Are you a cat, sharpening your claws every day?” The man suddenly spoke in the darkness, startling her greatly.

Li Youqing perked up, taking the initiative to say, “I didn’t disturb you this time. If you can hear such a small noise, it only shows you’re not sleeping well yourself.”

Hearing her speak, Xuan Rui felt her energy and spirit had improved significantly, and his heart relaxed.

The previous few nights, she had been burning with fever and delirious, holding onto him and saying many nonsensical things. One moment she would clamor for water, the next kick off the covers, thoroughly exhausting him.

Xuan Rui sat up, pulled the quilt down to cover her smooth calf, then went to wring out a hot towel and returned to wipe her face.