Chapter 57 Conditions

Do you haggle like this with the Crown Prince too?

Although Xiao Ziqi had suffered severe injuries, his life wasn’t in danger. What infuriated him was that Bai Cha had managed to escape.

After hastily bandaging his wounds, he rushed to kneel before the General’s tent to plead for punishment. The entire camp followed suit, kneeling behind him.

Yuchi Meng passed by with the Xiaoqi Camp soldiers, sneering coldly, “To be brought to such a state by a woman – you’re really something, Xiao Ziqi.”

Xiaoqi Camp and the Divine Strategy Camp had always been rivals, with Xiaoqi Camp often being overshadowed by the other. This time, Xiao Ziqi had committed a grave error, forcing Yuchi Meng to accompany the General to clean up the mess – an utterly humiliating situation.

Xiao Ziqi knew he had made a terrible mistake, but the General remained silent and hadn’t specified any punishment, leaving him deeply unsettled.

Being scolded by Yuchi Meng actually made him feel somewhat better.

When Xuan Rui returned from bathing, he found his tent surrounded by people, yet the lights inside were off.

Remembering her previous instructions, Xuan Rui quickened his pace. He heard Xiao Ziqi loudly confessing, “General, I shouldn’t have clung to life, but thinking I shouldn’t die by an outsider’s hand, I shamelessly returned. I beg you to grant me death.”

“Go die somewhere else.” Xuan Rui ignored him, passing through the crowd as he said coldly, “After you recover, report for fifty military lashes.”

“Thank you, General!” Xiao Ziqi bowed deeply, his bandages staining with fresh blood, yet his spirits lifted considerably. Satisfied, he allowed his subordinates to help him away.

Xuan Rui hurried into the tent and found her lying quietly in bed, her breathing even and steady.

Despite all the commotion outside, she hadn’t woken – proof of her exhaustion.

Just then, Liu Shi softly called outside the tent, “General, may I ask if the lady has retired?”

Xuan Rui stepped out and saw her holding a bowl of wontons. “Did she not eat dinner?” he asked gravely.

Liu Shi replied truthfully, “The lady had no appetite all day, and didn’t even drink water tonight. Fortunately, you returned overnight, otherwise who knows how long this would have continued.”

“Have the kitchen keep it ready for when she wakes,” Xuan Rui said, his chest aching. He went out to patrol the camp.

When he returned and saw the tent lights on, he hurried inside to find her already awake, sitting dazedly on the bed, her face pale.

Liu Shi stood nearby holding the bowl, looking helpless.

Seeing Xuan Rui return, Liu Shi looked as if she’d found salvation. “General, the lady still refuses to eat.”

Noticing the cold sweat on her forehead, Xuan Rui sat down. “Where does it hurt?”

Li Youqing looked at him, her eyes suddenly reddening, but she remained silent.

Remembering something, Xuan Rui placed his palm on her lower abdomen, gently massaging. “Is it here?”

Li Youqing shook her head, guiding his hand slightly higher.

“That’s your stomach.” Xuan Rui frowned, taking the bowl from Liu Shi. “You may go.”

“Yes.” Liu Shi breathed a sigh of relief and left.

Sitting on the bedside, Xuan Rui gently embraced Li Youqing and sighed. “If you’re angry, take it out on me. Starving yourself only harms your own health.”

“Has Zhenbei Wang escaped?” Besides his safety, this was what concerned Li Youqing most.

Ignoring her stomach pain, she stubbornly fixed her gaze on him.

“No.” Xuan Rui raised an eyebrow. “He can’t leave. At most, this outing led him to acknowledge a daughter.”

“What do you mean by that?” Li Youqing asked in surprise. “Are you talking about that androgynous—”

Xuan Rui often felt the little one was too clever. With just a slight hint, she could grasp the whole picture.

And precisely because of this, he couldn’t help but worry more.

“Bai Cha claims to be Zhenbei Wang’s flesh and blood and presented a token that Lu Zhan had given to her mother years ago.” Xuan Rui had only just learned why the other party had been so persistent in wanting to meet Zhenbei Wang.

Li Youqing lowered her head in thought but didn’t press further, seemingly uninterested in topics related to illegitimate daughters.

Xuan Rui, still concerned about her stomach, coaxed her gently, “We can discuss these matters tomorrow. For now, you need to eat something, or you’ll feel worse later.”

With that, he scooped up a small wonton and brought it to her lips.

Li Youqing pushed his hand away directly, pouting, “I said I can’t eat.”

Xuan Rui followed her movement, patiently persuading her, “After you eat, you can write a letter. I’ll have it delivered to His Majesty along with the memorials, so he knows the little princess is doing well in the northwest.”

“Are you serious?” Li Youqing unconsciously opened her mouth, and he slipped a wonton inside.

“Seriously.” Xuan Rui felt somewhat desolate inside, but it didn’t show on his face as he eagerly fed her another bite.

Seeing her eat several in a row, he couldn’t help but smile bitterly. “Does Qingqing really want to go back that much?”

Ever since being with her, he had been constantly conflicted.

Unwilling to let her go, yet unable to bear making her suffer alongside him.

Lately, he had become increasingly attentive to her every move.

He knew she disliked the northwestern climate—how she covered her face with a light veil whenever she went out, how she pretended to eat a few bites of Aunt An’s cooking at every meal because it didn’t suit her taste, and how she slept restlessly each night, waking at the slightest movement from him in the morning.

Li Youqing wrapped her arms around his neck and said sweetly, “I do, but I’ve already decided to wait for you to finish the war and return to the capital together.”

Xuan Rui froze for a moment before pulling her into a tight embrace.

They had never held each other so closely, as if trying to merge into one another’s very flesh and blood.

“Are you ever afraid when I’m not around, Qingqing?” A dull ache spread in Xuan Rui’s heart. Never before had he worried about someone day and night like this.

Li Youqing thought of the embarrassment and unease she felt whenever she was alone in the camp and nodded. “I’m afraid of being left alone, but I’m even more afraid that Father Emperor will punish you.”

Her words were somewhat disjointed. Xuan Rui lowered his gaze and looked at her inquisitively.

Li Youqing met his eyes calmly and said softly, “What the General said earlier wasn’t entirely wrong. Even if you capture Zhenbei Wang alive, Father Emperor may not necessarily trust you. The chances of reward and punishment are equal. If I stay, at least it will increase your odds of success.”

Since meeting him, she had always been the one being protected.

But this time, she wanted to use her identity as a princess to help him achieve his aspirations.

“If what the General desires is promotion, wealth, and honor, escorting me back to the capital would suffice. But I know General Xuan would never abandon his grand ambitions. I… am willing to wait for you.”

Xuan Rui remained silent for a long time. At this moment, the feelings in his heart were indescribable.

A dark, icy corner within him was suddenly flooded with a warmth that initially felt deeply unsettling.

But soon that warmth grew, transforming into a blazing fire.

It took all his strength to suppress the trembling and feign nonchalance as he said, “Enough of that. Finish your wontons first.”

“What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy that I’m staying with you?” Li Youqing tilted her head and lifted her chin, indicating that his bowl was already empty.

Xuan Rui’s gaze flickered before he replied solemnly, “I don’t need your company. When His Majesty’s decree arrives, I’ll personally escort him back to the capital.”

Li Youqing looked surprised, hearing him speak in such a measured tone: “Since… we’ve already consummated our relationship, His Majesty likely won’t create obstacles to our marriage.”

“What consummation? There’s no such thing! What nonsense are you spouting?” Li Youqing’s face flushed crimson as she hit him hard, chiding, “That doesn’t count at all!”

“Really doesn’t count?” Xuan Rui lowered his head to kiss her lips, his voice softening: “Think carefully – did it happen or not?”

“You… why are you being so fussy tonight? Have you taken the wrong medicine?” Li Youqing couldn’t help feeling bewildered.

She truly didn’t understand his change – in the morning he’d been roaring like a vicious wolf, yet now he was voluntarily offering to escort her back to the palace.

“Is that so.” Even he found his own thoughts rather ridiculous.

He desperately wanted to claim her as his own immediately, leaving no opportunity for anyone else to covet her.

Li Youqing leaned against his chest and said earnestly, “In this world, aside from Father Emperor and Imperial Brother, it’s the General who treats me best.”

“Oh.” This statement didn’t make him feel particularly special.

Seeing his displeased expression, Li Youqing didn’t understand why he always grew jealous of Imperial Brother, so she added: “I like the General most.”

Xuan Rui’s eyes brightened as he patted her head: “Your Highness’s coaxing skills are first-rate. This general will tentatively believe you.”

“Who’s coaxing you? But… you do have areas for improvement that you could work on.” Li Youqing blinked, hooked her arms around his neck, and leaned closer to say: “For example, you mustn’t keep a stern face when speaking with me, especially not like this morning when you were both fierce and unreasonable.”

“I promise it will never happen again.” Xuan Rui responded seriously, while making his own request: “Your Highness must also promise me a few things.”

Li Youqing never allowed others to set conditions with her, widening her eyes: “Tell me what they are first, and I’ll consider it.”

Seeing her cunning expression, Xuan Rui couldn’t resist lightly flicking her forehead as he raised an eyebrow: “Do you bargain like this with the Crown Prince too?”

“How could that be? The Crown Prince is the heir to the throne – I naturally treat him with careful deference. It’s only because General Xuan is my closest person that I act this way.” Watching his expression gradually soften, Li Youqing slightly narrowed her eyes, smiling like a cat that got the cream.

Xuan Rui shook his head and said: “First, from now on we must discuss matters properly – you can’t use tears to manipulate me anymore.”

Li Youqing immediately flushed red, biting her lip and glaring at him like a cornered little beast ready to bare its claws.

Ignoring her displeasure, Xuan Rui continued: “Second, no matter how serious things get, you must never stop eating and drinking like you did today.”

Li Youqing muttered under her breath: “That was only because you made me angry.”

“I’ve said it, and I won’t do it again.” Xuan Rui buried his head in the crook of her neck, his tone sounding somewhat dejected: “This place isn’t like the palace, where there are crowds of people attending to you every moment. I don’t trust the maids hired from outside either, so for now, please be obedient, alright?”

All the hardships she had endured by his side—in the future, he would repay them tenfold, a hundredfold.