al_squad
patreon
Finest Servant Chapter 618
🕑 Added 2023-11-03 10:01:29 +0000 UTCChapter 618 The Meeting
Sleep eluded him that night. The faces of the Eldest Miss, Yushuang, Qiaoqiao, Xian'er, and Luo Ning, each a vision of beauty, appeared before his eyes one after another. And there was Qingxuan, soon to be a mother, her belly proudly large as she smiled at him with the gentle radiance of maternity, as warming as the spring sun.
Sometimes, his thoughts would drift to Yujia, thirty miles away. Her petal-like face and snow-white temples were like sculptures of ice and jade, hauntingly unforgettable.
Tossing and turning, sleep remained elusive, so he decided to rise early. The camp was shrouded in silence. The patrol soldiers, seeing him stroll out, bowed hurriedly, their eyes filled with respect.
Dawn's first light began to break in the east, signaling the fifth watch of the night. The scorched earth of the nearby battlefield still bore the marks of the recent great conflict, where the remains of countless Turkic people and the valiant spirits of the Great Hua soldiers were now buried under thick layers of sand. Only the hilts of swords sticking out of the ground hinted at the intensity of the past battles.
His twenty-thousand-strong army was encamped here, standing off against the Turkic people some tens of miles away. Everyone was waiting, waiting for the outcome of the negotiations. War or peace, a conclusion was imminent.
Looking northward across the vast silver sands, where prairie and desert merged indistinctly, he could not see the Turkic encampments, nor did he know where Yujia was or what she might be doing.
"Why don't you sleep a little longer?!" Xu Zhiqing's voice, concerned, came from behind him, carrying a light fragrance. She had quietly joined Lin Wanrong by his side.
"I can't sleep," he sighed, turning his head to glance at her, and was momentarily struck speechless. Xu Zhiqing was clad in a light pink gown that accentuated her curvaceous figure to full effect. Her hair was styled high, held with a long jade hairpin, her appearance fresh and elegant. Her beautiful eyes shimmered, long lashes fluttering, the translucent lobes of her ears like delicate jade, and her cheeks blushed with a vibrant, tender beauty.
The meticulously dressed female military advisor had shed her armor for a red dress, embodying both beauty and intelligence, tenderness and fortitude. He gaped, speechless for a long while.
"What are you staring at, you oaf?"
"Did you dress up in this for me to see?" His eyes wide, he scrutinized her from head to toe, nodding eagerly with delight, "It looks wonderful. Truly wonderful! Miss Xu, I love it when you wear dresses; your figure is beyond praise. Those cold armors should never be worn by you."
"It's not for you!" Xu Zhiqing turned her head away, her cheeks burning, clearly her words did not match her heart.
Choosing the day of negotiations with Yujia and Lin San to don this long-missed feminine attire and refresh her look, was clearly meant to signify a stark departure from the Golden Blade Khan. Despite her fortitude, Xu Zhiqing was still a woman, and the little schemes a woman harbors, she lacked none.
Lin Wanrong was no fool; he knew the score as clearly as a blind man knows a soup dumpling by touch. With a grin, he took her hand, "If not for me, then for whom? What a pity, one of the world's utmost beauties doesn't give me face!"
Xu Zhiqing snorted, turning her head with feigned annoyance. Her small hand was fidgeting, but it was caught too tightly; she couldn't free herself no matter how she struggled.
As they playfully bickered, their moment of light-hearted discord was interrupted by a hearty laughter from behind, "Lin San, Zhiqing, you're both here! What perfect timing!"
Startled, Xu Zhiqing swiftly withdrew her hand, her ears burning with embarrassment and her cheeks as if brushed with rouge. She bent over slightly and asked in a gentle voice, "Marshal, were you looking for us?"
The general, smiling, nodded his head and approached at a leisurely pace. Behind him followed Old Hu, Du Xiuyuan, and the others, winking and making faces at Lin Wanrong with indescribable teasing in their expressions, as if mocking him for being caught in a clandestine delight.
Li Tai stood before them, silently scrutinizing Lin Wanrong with a look of profound seriousness on his face. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally let out a deep sigh, "We've been at war with the Turks for so many years, and this is the first time they're requesting negotiations! Whether it ends in bloodshed or swords returning to their sheaths, Lin San, it all rests on you now."
Li Tai's expectations could not have been higher, and Lin Wanrong suddenly felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders increase, perhaps akin to what Yujia must be feeling.
He gave a wry smile and nodded, "Marshal, rest assured. I can't promise how well the negotiations will go, but one thing I can guarantee: I'll make sure that our Great Hua does not suffer any losses."
Knowing Lin San's reputation as a cunning merchant, if he claimed there would be no loss, then a profit was surely guaranteed—a fact known to everyone. Li Tai laughed heartily, "I've heard you've never lost a deal in your business. With your word, I'm greatly reassured!"
‘While you're reassured, I'm filled with concern,’ he sighed silently, shaking his head.
His eyes drifted to Xu Zhiqing, who stood there with a blushing, uneasy face. Suddenly, Li Tai gave a slight smile, "Zhiqing, come here!"
Miss Xu's heart raced as she timidly responded with a soft "Hmm" and walked over slowly. The general grasped her hand and sighed deeply, "For a delicate lady to devote so much to strategizing on the battlefield and to earn such merits for the country is no small feat. Yet, my Li family has delayed your prime years, causing you to spend your time in vain. I truly feel guilty."
"Marshal!" Xu Zhiqing exclaimed, falling to her knees in tears.
Li Tai shook his head and commanded in a stern voice, "Lin San, come here!"
"Oh!" Lin Wanrong quickly replied, hastening to his side.
"Before leaving the capital, I had already discussed with Xu Wei that we must fulfill Zhiqing's wish to bestow upon her a suitable husband of her choice."
Li Tai gave Lin Wanrong a look and slowly placed Miss Xu's jade-like hand into his, "Now, I entrust Zhiqing to you! She is two years your senior; you must take good care of her!"
Lin Wanrong was taken aback, thinking, ‘Marshal, aren't you getting the cause and effect mixed up here?’
Li Tai glared with his bulging eyes, "What are you dawdling for? Do you dare to be unwilling?!"
"Of course not, of course not," he hurriedly gripped the female strategist's hand, chuckling, "I was just pondering when to visit Miss Xu's family to offer the betrothal gifts. That’s why I was momentarily distracted. Please forgive me."
Xu Zhiqing felt a surge of bashful joy and fiddled lightly with his palm, the soft and tender sensation nearly made him lose his soul.
"Since you are so thoughtful," Li Tai said with a nodding smile, "it's all about your sincerity now! Rest assured, as for Princess Chuyun, Xu Wei and I will smooth things over. The princess surely won't want to slight the two of us old fellows, right?"
Qingxuan was not opposed to Xu Zhiqing's character; it was just the concern that her temperament might be too proud, leading to quarrels that could disrupt the harmony of the household.
Inevitably, the worry lingered. Glancing at the military advisor, whose emotions were a mixture of shyness and joy, he couldn't help but cautiously ask, “Miss Xu, if you marry into the family, will you fight with my Qingxuan?”
What kind of question was that?! Xu Zhiqing, annoyed, pinched the palm of his hand and huffed, “Am I some shrew? If she doesn’t start with me, why would I strike her? I'll make sure not to hit her; I’ll just be hitting you, for enjoying yourself too much out there!”
Everyone burst into laughter at her words, which, uttered in annoyance, were louder than intended, turning into a public jest that was heard by all, including the unrestrainable laughter of even Marshal Li.
Xu Zhiqing uttered a small cry and covered her face with her hands, too embarrassed to lift her head. Lin Wanrong, on the other hand, seemed unbothered and laughed heartily, bowing all around, “My apologies, my apologies!”
As dawn broke, with the hint of the morning glow on the horizon and the sun about to rise, it was Marshal Li who ended their playful teasing, “Alright, it's getting late. You and Zhiqing should set off soon!”
The soldiers had already prepared the horses. Lin Wanrong and Xu Zhiqing mounted their steeds, gave a cursory bow to the old general, and rode off. Hu Bugui, Du Xiuyuan, and others followed close behind.
Though it was early morning, the sand swirl continued, yet the feeling was entirely different. Previously, they had been rushing to war, facing life and death, nothing like the ease they felt now.
After a casual meal of dry food, they rode leisurely through the desert. Watching the sun break through the haze of dust, the sky blazed with color, turning their cheeks a rosy hue, bringing them an indescribable joy. Hu Bugui, Du Xiuyuan, and Gao Qiu were in high spirits, chasing each other in the rosy dawn, whistling and shouting, thoroughly enjoying the commotion.
Miss Xu, however, was more thoughtful. Seeing Lin Wanrong in silence all the way, she quickly and gently grasped his hand, conveying a silent but moving sentiment.
They rode on, and gradually the yellow sands receded, giving way to vast expanses of green. The border between desert and grassland was finally within sight.
“Look!” Miss Xu suddenly exclaimed.
The long shelter at the border of the two nations was now veiled with a layer of pink silk. Amidst the shifting sands, the ethereal silk danced in the wind like the sleeves of a celestial maiden or clouds adorning the horizon.
Within the pink silk, flowers bloomed in a profusion of colors—red, white, blue, pink, known and unknown, all freshly picked wildflowers, still with dewdrops, opening cluster by cluster. From afar, it seemed a sea of flowers, like a rainbow carpet carved by the heavens.
At the center of these blossoms lay a sea of fiery red roses, like the resplendent clouds at daybreak. A woman wearing a small felt hat adorned with gold thread sat amidst the red blossoms, her dress casually spread around her. The white at her temples was the most striking color amidst the myriad of flowers.
Against the endless blue of the grassland and the colorful clusters of flowers, the scene looked as if it were from a painting—a beautiful maiden amidst a magnificent landscape. Not only Gao Qiu and the others but even Xu Zhiqing herself was captivated, utterly mesmerized by the sight.
Such resplendent beauty could only be fully expressed by the passionate and fearless nomadic women; they alone had the courage to show their feelings so freely. Would any Great Hua lady dare to do the same? For some reason, Xu Zhiqing suddenly found herself envying these women of the grasslands—their love so intense, their hatred so fiery. Their lives seemed complete, without the slightest regret.
"It's so beautiful!" Miss Xu finally sighed at length. As a woman, her admiration was genuine and heartfelt, but it was unclear whether she was praising the flowers or the person amidst them.
Gao Qiu watched on, deeply moved, and rode up a couple of steps to catch up with Lin Wanrong, whispering, "Brother Lin, look, Yueya'er is waiting for you!"
The beautiful Golden Blade Khan rose from amidst the clustered flowers, her gaze soft, shooting straight into the blowing sand.
The red and green landscape was fiery and vibrant, but the white at her temples added a touch of faint sadness to the warmth.
Lin Wanrong's eyes were moist, "Yes, she is waiting for me!"
He dismounted, his lips trembling slightly. He tried to step forward, but for some reason, his legs seemed as heavy as lead and wouldn't move an inch.
"Go on!" A gentle hand silently grasped his, and Miss Xu's ethereal voice whispered in his ear, "Among all the women in the world, when it comes to steadfast passion, she is unmatched by anyone!"
Lin Wanrong took a deep breath to steady his quickening pulse and began to move forward slowly.
His steps were silent in the sand. Yet everyone held their breath, not daring to exhale.
A hundred paces, eighty, fifty—the dark face became clearer with each step. Except for a thinner frame, even the naughty smile at the corner of her mouth remained unchanged. Yujia held onto the bright red Elisha tightly, her body shaking violently as if sieved, allowing the sharp thorns to pierce her fingers, her blood dyeing the beautiful flowers red, one by one.
The endless clusters of flowers were as beautiful as a fairy tale. With a gentle step inside, the rustling sound ensued. The flowers everywhere seemed to sing, giving an almost surreal sense of dizziness.
Above was a clean, azure sky, and before the eyes, a kaleidoscope of colors, as if one were in the kingdom of flowers. No matter where one looked or stretched their neck, the sight was filled with a medley of reds and greens, fragrant and dazzling, as if the entire world was spinning amidst the flowers—with the beautiful woman sitting quietly at the center of it all.
Her hair, like cascading black waterfalls, spilled over her shoulders, and her crystal-clear skin, bathed in the dawn light, seemed as pure as jade from the Heavenly Pool. Her soft contours were strong yet tender, like a sculpture of ice and jade.
Yueya'er! It was still her, Yueya'er!
But the two new white plum blossoms adorning her temples were like eternal snow, unforgettable across lifetimes.
He felt as if he was suffocating, standing there numb like a puppet, and after what seemed an eternity, he shakily, step by step, moved forward. The endless branches rustled under his feet, the reds and greens swirling. The fragrance was faint, but he could no longer feel it.
Yujia trembled more and more, silent, her gaze fixed on him, her deep eyes filling slowly with mist, as fine as silk. Her red lips continuously murmured to themselves, wordlessly.
Gazing at the crescent-shaped glint in her eyes, Lin Wanrong felt his throat parched. Despite the mere few yards between them, each step seemed to weigh over a thousand pounds, giving him an overwhelming urge to turn and flee in embarrassment. He forcibly inhaled, struggling to move his feet. In the silence, he could hear the rapid breathing of Yujia and his own heart thumping at the same furious pace.
More challenging than moving mountains was watching him approach step by step, entering the midst of the vivid roses. Each resolute footfall seemed to strike directly upon her heart. Nearing, the crystalline moisture in his eyes became visible. Yueya'er's chest heaved in panic, her tears falling silently.
With a fierce cry that pierced the sky, the silence of the Golden Blade Khan finally erupted. Her hands drenched in blood, she violently grasped the fiery roses by her side and, with all her strength, hurled them at the man who approached steadily.
Bunch after bunch, clutch after clutch, the vibrant dew and blood-stained petals fell like a scarlet rain from the heavens, striking his face and body, then silently falling. The fragrance was intoxicating yet heart-wrenchingly sorrowful.
The ground was a sea of fiery red, a blur of petals through tear-filled eyes. She felt completely detached from herself, frantically grabbing and throwing the roses with a whooshing wind, each hit landing fiercely on his face and chest. The strewn stems had become her weapons of assault.
Amidst the splendid blooms, petals fluttered down like a fiery rain. They landed on his face, gentle as if they were Yujia's own hands.
Yueya'er's face was streaked with tears, the roses around her all thrown haphazardly, yet she showed no sign of stopping. Picking up the last flower, she didn’t even look as she lashed out fiercely.
There was a dull thud as the bouquet hit squarely on a broad chest.
Yueya'er trembled violently, tears falling like rain, though she did not look up. “I—hit—you—” she murmured, her strikes on the ever-closer chest faint and almost imperceptible.
With petals flying like rain, Yujia, mustering all her strength, burrowed into his embrace, her fists pounding on his chest like beating a drum.
She wept loudly, her grief reaching the heavens, like a nightingale weeping blood. Her tears, in rolling beads, fell onto his chest.
"I curse the eighteen generations of their ancestors, why do the Turks have to wage war against us?!" Old Gao wiped away the tears from his reddened eyes in anger and said, "Otherwise, Brother Lin and Yueya'er would be such a perfect match!"
Du Xiuyuan sighed heavily and shook his head, "What can I say, if there had been no war, Yujia and General Lin would never have met in this lifetime! Is war good or bad?"
This question was indeed difficult to judge. Hu Bugui smiled and said, "Who cares, we just need to look at the outcome! But now, there's a tough problem to solve, with General Lin and Yueya'er in each other's arms, how shall we proceed with the negotiations?!"
Everyone cast surreptitious glances towards Xu Zhiqing. In this scene, the one with the most complex feelings had to be Advisor Xu.
Miss Xu, expressionless, shook her head, "Negotiate as we must. This is just the beginning! Yujia has become the Golden Blade Khan who led the Turks, would she surrender so easily?!"
As if to prove her words true, a Turkic palace maid rushed through the flowers and knelt beside Yujia with a bow. She whispered, “I report to the Great Khan, the National Tutor has sent me to announce that Left Prince has arrived, and the negotiations with Great Hua are about to commence. Please, the Great Khan, move to the council!”
Yujia hummed softly, hurriedly lifting her head from his embrace, hastily wiping her tears. She gave him a lingering look.
Indeed, it was time for negotiations! Lin Wanrong quickly dabbed at the corners of his eyes. He gave Yueya’er a slight smile, grimacing so fiercely that he looked uglier than a monkey.
Seeing the fresh tear marks on his face, Yujia's gaze softened irresistibly, and she leaned her cheek against his chest once more. The palace maid knelt on the ground, daring not to lift her head.
Another graceful figure crossed the flowers, bowing and kneeling next to Yujia: “Reporting to the Great Khan, Left Prince has arrived, and the negotiations are about to begin. The National Tutor requests your presence!”
With two urgent summons, Yujia sighed softly and slowly stood up. She cast a powerless glance at him and turned to walk away briskly, the two maids hurrying after her.
That girl sure could run! He shook his head helplessly, smiling wryly, but then he heard rustling footsteps behind him. Yujia had actually dashed back like the wind.
Before he could react, Yueya’er glared at him annoyedly, picked up a bunch of withered flowers from the ground, and thrashed his back with them twice, huffing before turning to run away.
These blows were real, delivered without the slightest mercy. Lin Wanrong winced in pain. That girl really didn't hold back! He sighed deeply but found it odd that Yueya’er's mixed expressions of joy and anger, her lovely face with tears, had rooted themselves in his mind, indelible.
"Yujia really hit him?" Du Xiuyuan was puzzled, "She was just crying in General Lin's arms a moment ago, how did it change so quickly?"
"Isn’t it simple?" Old Gao shook his head with a knowing look, analyzing, "Brother Lin held her for so long without saying a word. All that precious time, wasted. Of course, she would be furious! Besides, remember the day Yueya’er stopped his carriage to ask for a kiss and he brutally refused her? To a gentle woman, that's a huge humiliation! Adding all these up, hehe, if you ask me, the Great Khan hitting him twice, that's her being tenderhearted!"
That made sense. After listening to Old Gao’s analysis, it seemed a justifiable act.
"Ah, the heart of a woman, as elusive as a needle at the bottom of the sea," Hu Bugui lamented deeply, prompting laughter from the group, except Xu Zhiqing, who hummed in discontent.
Lin Wanrong slowly folded back, his face showing a peculiar expression, not quite like crying nor laughing. Du Xiuyuan quickly reported, “General, the Turkic envoy has sent a letter, the negotiations are about to start. Shall we go now?”
General Lin nodded solemnly, but Xu Zhiqing caught hold of his sleeve, saying, “Wait, let me see your injury!”
“My injury?” He chuckled, “Didn’t you just check it yesterday? It’s already healed!”
Xu Zhiqing spoke irritably, “Not the old wounds, the ones Yujia just inflicted!”
"Are these also called injuries?" Lin Wanrong laughed heartily several times, but Xu Zhiqing paid no heed, proceeding to unfasten his upper garment. The silk garment, already damaged from an arrow, had not been donned again, revealing two starkly red and swollen marks on his back.
Xu Zhiqing, teeth clenched in anger, quickly retrieved an ointment from her pouch and began to apply it to his wounds, irritatedly saying, "This Turkic woman, how could she strike with such cruelty—And you, not even a whimper as she beats you mercilessly?!”
When Xu Zhiqing called it a merciless beating, then a merciless beating it was! Lin Wanrong hastily replied, "It's of no consequence. I'll simply reclaim double during the negotiations."
"Would you not reclaim your due during the negotiations if you hadn't been struck?" Tears welled up in Xu Zhiqing's eyes, her massaging hands unintentionally pressing harder, "If someone else hit you, could you endure it like this—I think you're clearly just fond of her!!”
The jealousy of a woman defies all reason, and although Lin Wanrong grimaced in pain, he dared not burst her bubble.
"Ah, the heart of a woman, as elusive as a needle at the bottom of the sea!" Seeing the plight of Brother Lin, even Old Gao couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.
Beyond the light gauzy curtains, in front of the long tent on the steppe, more than a dozen Turkic people were standing quietly in wait. Lin Wanrong slowly made his way over, Lu Dongzan had already come forward to greet him with a cupped fist salute: "Master Lin, we meet again!"
"Indeed, Brother Lu," Lin Wanrong replied with a smile, "You look in good spirits today, much better than a couple of days ago!"
You have the nerve to talk about a couple of days ago? Lu Dongzan stole a glance at the silent Great Khan, feeling truly annoyed inside!
"Are you the Lin San who broke Tursun? Still wet behind the ears, what can you possibly do?" A burly nomad stepped forward, bellowing menacingly.
Lin Wanrong chuckled, "Indeed, I am Lin San! Could it be that you are Prince Batur? Ah, quite a distinctive appearance, like having survived a bombardment at Wuyuan!"
Hu Bugui and the others burst into raucous laughter, Batur was fuming, ready to pounce amidst his rage.
"Enough!" A crisp, commanding voice rang out, and Prince Batur begrudgingly withdrew his hand, not daring to act rashly.
Lin Wanrong turned around, his gaze silently falling on her stunning face. Those snow-white temples, sharp as steel needles, pierced his heart.
Yujia's eyes held a trembling gaze, her hands clasped tightly, even her body was quivering.
Silence ensued.
It was unclear how much time passed before both seemed to speak at once.
"General Lin—"
"Great Khan—"
Their voices were soft, yet they cut deeply, and as Lin Wanrong felt a sting in his nose, Yujia had already turned her head away, powerless, as two silent streams of tears fell.
