Chapter 59: Taking Initiative

Don’t be afraid, my husband will take care of you.

The so-called wound inspection process made Li Youqing blush like a thoroughly cooked shrimp.

The tent was warmed by a vigorously burning stove. For easier application of medicine, Xuan Rui had left her wearing only a chemise nightgown.

Her injuries were concentrated on her knees and elbows, with scraped palms and a bruise on her calf.

Sitting at the foot of the bed, Xuan Rui retrieved one of her legs from under the blanket and applied cool ointment to the abrasions on her knee.

Li Youqing instinctively tried to retract her leg, but he held it firmly, leaving her unable to move.

Seeing his gloomy expression and apparent bad mood, she muttered, “What’s with this attitude? Putting on that stern face again when I’m injured like this.”

Xuan Rui paused in his ministrations, fingers trembling slightly, before suddenly pressing her forcefully into his embrace. “This General was born with this face,” he said fiercely. “The Princess will have to get used to it whether she likes it or not.”

As he spoke, his hand lightly pinched her waist.

“Alright… alright, I’ll look at it willingly, okay?” Li Youqing, being ticklish, laughed until tears welled in her eyes, desperately trying to push him away with her feet.

Xuan Rui cupped her face and kissed her, the lower part of his abdomen heating up as if ignited by her kicks, directly rolling with her onto the bedsheet.

With their fingers interlocked above her head, Xuan Rui gently rubbed his thumb over her palm, struggling to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

The medicine on her palm hadn’t fully dried yet. “Does it still hurt?” he asked hoarsely.

“Of course it does, it hurts terribly,” Li Youqing replied, always prone to exaggerating minor discomforts tenfold. Now that she knew someone cared for her, she became even more petulant.

Xuan Rui lowered his head to blow gently on her wounds. “It’s my fault,” he said painfully.

Li Youqing freed one hand and pinched his cheek forcefully, teasing him: “Look at you, your skin has aged.”

Having spent years exposed to the northwestern winds and sun, his skin naturally couldn’t remain smooth.

Yet his complexion was truly pleasing, with features so handsome and striking they seemed carved from stone, making one overlook minor skin imperfections.

Li Youqing often touched his face and had naturally noticed this.

Xuan Rui rested his forehead against hers, murmuring softly: “Can’t compare to those pretty boys in the capital.” What, does the Princess have other intentions?”

Seeing he was serious, Li Youqing lifted her head to kiss his face, smiling sweetly: “I only like you.”

Xuan Rui’s restrained emotions suddenly crumbled. He lowered himself to hold her tightly, kissing her deeply as if he could never get enough, repeatedly sucking and nibbling her soft lips while his hand slipped beneath to caress her back.

The rough texture of his touch sent shivers across her skin.

Li Youqing wrapped her arms around his lean waist, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at him: “I like the General most of all.”

“Hmph.” Xuan Rui snorted coldly, biting her lip impatiently while grinding against her repeatedly. “Where did you fall?” he panted roughly. “Does it still hurt?”

Li Youqing fully understood his intentions now. Somehow she didn’t refuse as he lifted the blanket and slipped inside, his large hands gently massaging her body.

“Only my hands and knees hurt,” Li Youqing said with a flushed face, glaring at him coquettishly. “Where are you touching?”

“Why don’t you gain weight around your waist,” Xuan Rui murmured as his hands slid upward, a roguish glint in his eyes before he wrapped his arms around her from behind. “So it all went here instead.”

Her soft, fuller form bumped against his hardness, making Li Youqing wince slightly in pain. Burying her face in the crook of his neck, she murmured, “Are we going to sleep now? Don’t you want something to eat?”

He had rushed back nonstop—surely he hadn’t had time to eat yet.

Xuan Rui didn’t answer. Instead, he took out a black box from his robe, opened it, and presented it to her gently. “Happy birthday,” he said softly.

Inside the box lay a single prayer bead. Li Youqing gasped in surprise, “This is the Nine-Eyed Dzi Bead that governs reincarnation!”

Xuan Rui paused, then chuckled. “You actually believe those legends?”

Li Youqing replied earnestly, “The Holy Ancestor Empress once had a string of these. They were buried with her as grave goods. A year later, Chen’s Daughter attended the imperial selection wearing an identical bead, and she bore an eighty percent resemblance to the Holy Ancestor Empress. As soon as she entered the palace, she gained immense favor.”

“The old-timers in the palace all say Chen was the reincarnation of the late Empress.” Li Youqing lifted the bead, cradling it solemnly in her palm, and murmured, “With this, if I die someday, you might still be able to meet my reincarnation.”

“Damn it—” Xuan Rui’s face darkened, a curse on the tip of his tongue. He gripped her chin and pulled her closer. “It’s your birthday—why spout such nonsense? What’s going on in that head of yours?!”

Li Youqing blinked, tilting her head up to kiss him, but the man unexpectedly dodged her.

Xuan Rui’s displeasure was evident. He grumbled roughly, “I heard this thing could protect you, so I got it for you. But the way you talk, it sounds like a curse now.”

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Li Youqing nuzzled into the hollow of his shoulder and cooed, “If it’s for protection, then the General should wear it.”

“Hmph.” Xuan Rui snorted coldly, eyeing her flushed earlobes as his throat tightened. “As long as you’re safe and sound, I’ll be fine.”

“Really?” Li Youqing kissed his cheek again, pressing her body forward and gently rubbing her knee against him.

Xuan Rui wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her slightly away, and looked down. “Stop moving.”

His body was already taut with tension, but a sliver of reason remained.

He didn’t dare inch closer, afraid he might lose control and hurt her.

Li Youqing, willful by nature, grew annoyed. He was usually insatiable—why was he holding back now?

“Stop pretending—” she muttered under her breath.

Xuan Rui’s expression softened slightly. Cupping her cheek with a large hand, he kissed her deeply and mumbled, “I’ve been traveling for two days. If you don’t mind the grime.”

“Go away, just go—get away!” Li Youqing kicked at him with her legs. Seizing the chance, Xuan Rui slipped off the bed, drawing the bed curtains as he said, “I’ll go wash up and grab a bite first. I’ll be back.”

Listening to his retreating footsteps, Li Youqing hugged herself, curling up as a faint tremble ran through her.

If he hadn’t pushed her away just now, would tonight have been—?

Xuan Rui went straight outside and doused himself with cold water. In the heavy snow, the icy chill soaked him to the bone, dousing most of the fire inside him.

The inexplicable ache in his chest eased a little in the cold wind, but his heart still pounded heavily.

The image from earlier lingered in his mind.

That bitch Bai Cha—

Letting her die so easily was far too merciful.

Xuan Rui had just dried the water droplets from his hair when a new layer of ice crystals quickly formed on it. He was accustomed to this in the past, but ever since there was another person in his bed, he would always wait until his hair was thoroughly dried by the fire before returning.

Just as he stepped out of the bathing area, he saw Xiao Ziqi approaching with a grave expression. “We’ve just received intelligence,” Xiao Ziqi reported, “His Majesty has dispatched an envoy to discuss the northwestern war situation with you, General.”

Xuan Rui straightened his expression. “Who is the envoy?”

“They say it’s the Vice Minister of War, Jin Cheng.”

Xuan Rui’s temple twitched involuntarily as he suddenly recalled the letter Li Youqing had attempted to send to the capital that day.

That damned pretty boy is coming.

“General, should we conceal this matter?” Xiao Ziqi, having committed a grave mistake earlier, now exhausted his mind daily trying to discern the general’s intentions to redeem himself.

Xuan Rui gave him a faint glance before turning away without a word.

Xuan Rui inexplicably felt that the general’s retreating figure appeared too stern and cold—not like someone returning to his gentle haven, but rather like a man heading to the execution ground.

The snow continued to fall, the moonlight dim, washing away the traces of the day’s assault.

Bai Cha was finally dead. Xiao Ziqi had gone to look beneath the city wall earlier and couldn’t help but feel a faint sorrow.

But this sentiment soon vanished entirely. As an officer of the Zhenbei Army, he shouldn’t harbor any sympathy for the enemy.

The situation ahead remained unclear, and he must devote all his efforts to assisting the general.

Over the years, they had essentially become rulers of their territory in the northwest, taking over whichever tribes they conquered and incorporating all resources and military forces into their own troops, only selecting a portion to offer as tribute at year’s end.

Among the three northwestern armies, the Zhenbei Army had expanded and grown the fastest.

With the lesson of the rebel prince colluding with foreign enemies still fresh, His Majesty undoubtedly wanted to use this opportunity to bring the three armies under imperial control. This presented two possibilities: either directly granting military authority to the general, or newly appointing a trusted follower from the capital.

Even Zhenbei Wang had previously been wary of their general—would Emperor Jian also—

Even if someone were sent from the capital to reside permanently in the northwest, what qualifications would they have to command their Zhenbei Army?

～

When Xuan Rui returned to his tent and saw Li Youqing waiting for him on the bed, his heart suddenly softened.

After a moment’s thought, he spoke: “Someone is coming from the capital. They’ll arrive in a few days.”

Li Youqing stared blankly for a moment before responding. Instead of answering, she simply reached out her hand to him and said softly, “It’s so cold. Come here quickly.”

Around her delicate wrist hung a string of perfectly sized prayer beads, making her snow-white skin appear even more striking.

Xuan Rui quickly walked over, lifted the blanket, got into bed and held her tightly.

He had originally intended to remain calm for the night, but her words immediately snapped the tense string in his mind.

“What’s this? Grown a year older and gained some courage?” Xuan Rui grasped her hand—indeed icy cold—and pressed it against his chest to warm it.

Li Youqing frowned slightly, as if having resolved herself. Taking a deep breath, she said, “Didn’t you say it yourself? If we… become intimate, Father Emperor won’t cause as much trouble about the marriage arrangement.”

Someone was finally coming from the capital. Who would command the three northwestern armies would soon be decided.

Regarding the outcome she desired, she still didn’t have complete confidence.

No matter what, she must bring the Wolf King of the Northwest back to the capital, making him her consort and a loyal general devoted to the imperial family.

Having grown up beside Father Emperor and the Crown Prince, she had deeply absorbed one truth through constant exposure:

No matter how loyal and brave a hound appears, if it disobeys its master, it can only be put down—

“Fool.” Xuan Rui wrapped his arm around her waist and gently patted her back. “Don’t overthink it. I’ll satisfy His Majesty.”

“But didn’t you want the Military Tally?” Li Youqing still remembered the scene—how the man had pressured her to repay her debt, declaring that merchants never rise early without profit and he never engages in losing ventures.

After all this time together, she had long recognized his bandit logic. In his bones, he probably held no concept of loyalty to the sovereign.

The Northwest was such a coveted prize, a place where he could gallop freely—why would he easily surrender it?

Perhaps the urgency in her eyes was too obvious, for he noticed it.

“Does Qingqing think this General also seeks rebellion?” He chuckled lightly, his gaze carrying a mix of wildness and cold desolation.

Li Youqing suddenly recalled the falcons soaring over the desert, their eyes gleaming with a similar chill.

She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck, planting a firm kiss on his face, and said, “You wouldn’t, General, would you?”

“Don’t be afraid. Your husband dotes on you so—of course, I wouldn’t.” Xuan Rui cupped her face, leaning down to lick away the tear tracks at the corners of her eyes.

Having galloped through half a lifetime, his only haven of tenderness was her.

If he were to die this time, it would simply be his fate.