Chapter 160

At first, Dai Li thought she was dreaming, but the heat and touch on her ear were so real, and the voice that seemed to float across the vast wilderness shed its blurred outer garment.

She finally broke free from her slumber and slowly opened her eyes.

It must be early morning; the rolled window of the small tent was framed with a bright band of light. Occasionally, a breeze brushed by, and the inside of the tent instantly became a bit brighter.

The realization that it was morning flashed by and vanished without a trace. Dai Li looked at the man in front of her, whose palms were pressing and holding her face, and blinked somewhat sluggishly: "Qin Changgeng, you're back..."

After running around outside for a long time, Qin Shaozong was covered in dust.

A short, bluish stubble had sprouted on his jaw, and he hadn't yet taken off his weighty black armor. It was clear that he had been awake for a day and a night without rest, but far from being tired, he was quite excited.

This excitement was similar to, yet distinct from, his past victories over enemy forces on the battlefield. It was as passionate as fire, making the blood in his veins howl and boil; it was also as sharp as a halberd or a cavalry lance, invincible, able to reach the deepest part of the heart.

Qin Shaozong was of a burly stature, with broad hands; normally, he could cover her face with just one hand. But now, using both hands, Dai Li's face appeared pitifully small.

His rough, long fingers brushed over the red mole on her forehead, her thick, long eyelashes, her black eyes that looked like ink pearls, her delicate nose, and her rather vibrant red lips.

Every part was exactly as he liked it best.

In his ears, he seemed to hear Qiao Wangfei's excited report again—

He said that at first, the mistress decided to save herself without hesitation, for which she allied with other provinces, truly or falsely, tying several provinces to the same boat, and then using the power of the masses to break out of Chang'an City.

How she dealt with the military patrol leaders, how she tricked them out of the tokens, and how she subsequently commanded the soldiers to charge the city gates...

All were vividly laid out in his subordinate's account.

Qin Shaozong took a deep breath, his emotions remaining the same. His chest felt as if it held a bottomless sea, and on that sea, a beautiful little boat was riding the wind and waves.

The waves were heavy, the difficulties and obstacles were many. Just when he thought the ship was about to be swallowed, she was able to steady herself above the huge waves with a beautiful posture.

He was happy and proud of her, but at the same time, he felt an unspeakable lingering fear. The times were dangerous, and if she wasn't careful, she would be torn to pieces.

Several complex and slightly contradictory emotions blended together, and for a moment, Qin Shaozong felt as if he had been struck by a tiny bolt of lightning. The muscles on his back tightened and shivered, and every hair on his body trembled uncontrollably.

He traced her features with satisfaction, confirming whether she was warm and intact, "Yes, I'm back."

Perhaps it was an illusion caused by the light, but Dai Li felt that the brown eyes of the man in front of her were like a pool of boiling honey gold.

Scorching, impassioned, and at the same time, as thick as ink that couldn't be melted.

Dai Li had just woken up, her thoughts were chaotic. Being looked at by these eyes, she suddenly forgot what she wanted to say.

Seeing her dazed, with the light red flush of sound sleep still on her face, Qin Shaozong's eyes darkened, and he finally couldn't help but lean down and kiss those red lips.

The elite vanguard, still in a state of combat readiness, was excited and brave, easily slaughtering the unequipped troops until they retreated steadily. After breaking the city, the former was still dissatisfied, not only entering the city to plunder wantonly but also setting fires everywhere in the morning when the sunlight was getting stronger.

The large hands that had been holding her soft cheeks moved downwards, as if to check whether she had any wounds, exploring every part with particular care.

From the neck to the chest, then to the waist and abdomen, and even the two arms were not spared. He almost stroked the whole fox from head to toe, and finally had to lift the big tail to take a look.

When he finally confirmed that she was flawless and that she hadn't suffered any hidden losses last night, the last stone in Qin Shaozong's heart fell to the ground.

His enthusiastic and careful inspection made Dai Li tremble uncontrollably. An invisible fire spread everywhere, first rolling back and forth in her lower abdomen and then churning downwards. After burning everything to ashes, an emptiness swept over her like a tide, making her subconsciously clamp her legs together.

A deep laugh came from above, "Madam worked hard last night, let me comfort Madam."

Qin Shaozong quickly took off his belt and black iron, throwing the two heavy objects aside casually, and then was about to roll onto the soft couch.

When he rolled up, Dai Li accidentally touched his elbow. The overly moist sensation made her slightly stunned. Instinctively feeling that something was wrong, she withdrew her hand to look, only to see a smear of dark red on her fingertips.

The remaining traces of sleepiness and everything else flew far away at this moment. Dai Li sat up in astonishment, "You're injured?"

The man being questioned didn't care at all, just muttered "Hmm" and spat out the ambiguous word "maybe," and then wanted to continue pressing down.

"Go find Ding Lianxi right away." Dai Li forcefully pushed him away and then got off the end of the couch.

"Madam." His voice was hoarse, and he wasn't very willing.

Dai Li didn't look at him, turning her back to him and dressing herself, "Times are different now, a great battle is imminent, My Lord must take good care of yourself."

If this boat in the North capsized, everyone on board, including her and Zhouzhou, Qinian and Rongrong, etc., would not be able to escape.

As soon as the words "My Lord" came out, the man frowned, but it quickly relaxed.

Dai Li's belt was draped over her waist, not yet tightened, when two sturdy long arms reached out from her waist, first embracing her and pulling her into his arms.

The height difference between the two was nearly twenty centimeters, and the top of Dai Li's head just reached his jaw.

Qin Shaozong hugged her, rubbing his chin against the top of her head, "Madam's care is like a spring breeze brushing the face, refreshing the heart and making one linger. I just don't know if this spring breeze will come often in the future?"

This man's jaw still had stiff stubble. When he rubbed against her, Dai Li always felt like there was a wire brush grinding against her head.

A weird feeling.

Dai Li tried to remove the large hands from her waist, "I don't know if it will come often, I only know that you should go out."

Qin Shaozong loosened his grip slightly following her strength, but didn't completely let go of her. Instead, he took the two loose belts on her waist and, maintaining the posture of embracing her from behind, carefully tied them for her.

When the two came out of the tent, Dai Li looked up at the sun, guessing that it was probably early Chen hour, which is seven o'clock in the morning.

It was still early.

Dai Li and Qin Shaozong went to find Ding Lianxi first. When the latter heard that he was injured, his expression immediately changed, but seeing that Qin Shaozong acted as if nothing had happened, he calmed down a bit.

Qin Shaozong directly took off his outer robe and inner clothes.

The military general, who hadn't slacked off for a day, was covered in muscles. His chest muscles bulged, and the smooth and powerful lines tightened downwards, outlining a strong and vigorous waist. The muscles on his abdomen were distinct. After taking off his clothes, he raised his hand to hang them on the wooden rack. As he stretched his arms, the veins and vessels faintly appeared, and a thick sense of masculine power rushed towards her face.

This was a robust male body at its prime, like a sword that had been tempered for a long time, not comparable to a callow youth.

However, this dark-skinned body was now like a palette. Apart from the old scars, there were also some bruises and three or four knife wounds of varying depths.

Dai Li only gave a rough glance before hurriedly looking away, but the slightly turned-up flesh still lingered in her mind, terrifyingly tight, "You, didn't you wear black armor?"

"I put them on later," Qin Shaozong said.

His expression remained normal. He didn't even frown when Ding Lianxi bandaged him, and he even had the leisure to continue talking to Dai Li. "Madam, I'm afraid your title of Lady will have to be delayed a bit."

Dai Li wanted to turn her head, but she forcefully restrained herself. She really couldn't stand the sight of blood, and even felt a little faint from it. "Delayed? Are you sure it's not canceled?"

"What belongs to Madam, no one can take away," Qin Shaozong said in a deep voice.

Dai Li's mind raced.

Listening to his words, it meant he still wanted to enter the capital. But since he came back covered in injuries, he must have fallen out with Dong Zhou last night. How could he enter Chang'an after such a fallout?

Could it be...

"Prime Minister Dong didn't die at your hands yesterday, did he?" Dai Li asked him.

A cold glint appeared in Qin Shaozong's eyes. "The timing wasn't right. Let him live a while longer."

Dai Li was thoughtful, but after a moment, she couldn't think anymore.

It was now early Chen hour (7-9 AM). She had only arrived at the military camp at Mao hour (5-7 AM) last night. She had only slept for a few hours before getting up, and after the initial rush, a wave of sleepiness overwhelmed her.

Dai Li couldn't help but cover her mouth and yawn.

She didn't look at Qin Shaozong, but the latter's gaze had been on her the whole time. Seeing this, he said to Ding Lianxi, "Congjian, for such minor scratches, just treat them casually."

Ding Lianxi knew that his lord had always lacked patience for medical treatment. The fact that he was still strong today was all thanks to his super-strong physique that far surpassed ordinary people.

In the past, he had advised him again and again, but his lord didn't pay much attention. Now...

Ding Lianxi looked at Dai Li, but his words were addressed to Qin Shaozong: "My Lord, a gentleman in times of peace does not forget danger, in times of survival does not forget ruin, and in times of order does not forget chaos. Thus, his person is secure and the state can be preserved."1

The original meaning of this saying was to be prepared for danger in times of peace, so that both individuals and the governance of the state could be secure. Now Ding Lianxi was using it as a subtle reminder.

Dai Li noticed Ding Lianxi looking at her. Her sluggish brain struggled to turn again, and then she looked at Qin Shaozong, her words laced with the irritability of lack of sleep. "The gentleman is bandaging you properly. Just sit there and wait for the treatment. Why do you have so much to say? What are you muttering and protesting about?"

Qin Shaozong: "..."

Ding Lianxi coughed lightly, suppressing the smile that was about to spill from his lips.

Since ancient times, there has been the saying of giving a slap and then a sweet date. Now that the mistress's "slap" had fallen, it was time for him to offer his earnest "sweet date."

However, someone spoke faster than Ding Lianxi. It was Dai Li, who hadn't finished her words: "In my hometown, there was a survey. Combining various indicators, under normal circumstances, a man's lifespan is slightly shorter than a woman's."

Ding Lianxi gasped inwardly, but Dai Li wasn't finished.

She continued, "As for those who don't listen to advice, don't listen to reason, and act recklessly relying on their good health, they will leave even earlier when they get old. The Marquis will be busy with myriad affairs every day in the future, and there will be plenty of times for hard work. Don't you think I should plan ahead for myself?"

Qin Shaozong's face turned completely black, and he scolded sternly, "Absurd!"

It wasn't clear whether he was saying the survey results from her hometown were absurd or that Dai Li's plans were absurd.

The man who usually commanded thousands of troops and horses was very authoritative, and this shout made Ding Lianxi tremble violently.

Dai Li remained expressionless and suddenly turned and walked out without a word.

As soon as she left, Qin Shaozong, who had been sitting, instinctively stood up to follow her, but he was still wrapped in unfastened cloth strips, the other end of which was in Ding Lianxi's hands.

"Ah, My Lord, you can't leave yet!" Ding Lianxi didn't know whether to hold tight to the cloth strip or let it go. Suddenly, he had a bright idea and said, "Your wounds haven't been bandaged yet. If you go back now, the mistress might be displeased when she sees it."

The man stopped in his tracks, the veins on his forehead throbbing a few times, and finally sat back down. "Be quick."

*

Dai Li returned to the small tent, slowly took off her clothes, and got back into bed. It was summer now, and there was still some residual heat on the soft couch. She pulled a corner of the quilt over her stomach, closed her eyes, and went to sleep.

However, before Dai Li could return to see the Duke of Zhou (fall asleep), the sound of the tent flap rustling came, followed by footsteps.

Dai Li's eyelashes didn't even flutter.

Qin Shaozong looked at her lying straight, like an old monk in meditation, and his footsteps hesitated for a moment.

With her eyes closed, Dai Li heard the sound of clothes rubbing. It seemed he had also taken off his outer garment and hung it on the rack.

A moment later, the outer side of the soft couch sank.

That familiar aura swept over and enveloped her. She fell into a solid, fiery embrace. He kissed her cheek and the tip of her ear again and again, pressing against her temples, rubbing affectionately. "Madam..."

Dai Li still didn't open her eyes, only raised her hand to push him. When she couldn't push him, she simply put her hand over her face to fend off the intrusion.

Qin Shaozong's kisses then fell on the back of her hand. As if he couldn't see her block, he continued to kiss a few more times before saying slowly, "Madam, I didn't mean to blame you just now. I just feel that we still have many decades ahead, so it's hard for me to accept you planning a future without me."

This was the truth in his heart, and he felt there was nothing that couldn't be said.

Dai Li kept her eyes closed. "Be quiet, I'm going to sleep."

Instead of being quiet, he chuckled softly and kissed her a few more times affectionately. "Actually, after calming down just now, I was very happy. Madam's words meant you want to grow old with me."

Dai Li: "..."

Qin Shaozong smiled and sighed, "I share the same wish as you, to grow old together with one heart through the cold years."

"It's really impossible to reason with you." Dai Li bent her elbow and nudged him, trying to create some distance between them.

Unexpectedly, a muffled groan came from next to her ear. She froze, remembering the knife wound on him, and ultimately didn't give him a second nudge. "Qin Changgeng, let go of me and sleep on your own side."

"I'm already married, why should I do what lonely people do?" The curve of Qin Shaozong's lips deepened.

Dai Li scolded him a few more times, but it went in one ear and out the other for him, treating it entirely as a spring breeze brushing past his ear.

Already exhausted, Dai Li grew even more tired. Her voice grew softer and softer, until finally only shallow breathing remained.

Embracing her, Qin Shaozong also closed his eyes. After a day and a night of rushing about, now truly relaxed, he quickly fell into a deep sleep.

A good sleep.

...

When Dai Li opened her eyes again, the light outside the rolled-up window seemed a bit brighter. Very rarely, the man beside her was still there when she woke up.

Qin Shaozong didn't have the habit of taking afternoon naps, and he got up at dawn every day for morning exercises, so Dai Li usually didn't see him.

The burly man slept behind her, his breathing falling rhythmically on the back of her neck like a goose feather brushing past, a bit ticklish. Dai Li tried to get up, but as soon as she moved, Qin Shaozong woke up.

Having slept for less than two shichen (four hours), he was already full of vigor and vitality, the exhaustion in his eyes completely swept away. "Is Madam hungry?"

It was about time for lunch now.

Dai Li murmured an "mm," and at this moment vaguely heard someone speaking in a low voice outside:

"Governor Nangong has come to visit with his subordinates. By rights, we should inform the Marquis..."

"But the Marquis only returned at Chen hour. I heard Commander Bai say there were fierce battles last night. The Marquis is probably resting right now."

Dai Li turned to look at Qin Shaozong. "I conveniently brought the Nangong young lady back last night. Her father has come to ask for his daughter now."

Qin Shaozong sneered, "He returned early this morning, yet he only comes to ask for her now. His fatherly love is as thin as paper; he harbors ulterior motives."

Dai Li's mouth twitched, but she ignored him.

The two of them walked out of the tent together.

When Dai Li saw Nangong Xiong, he was speaking with Nangong Zijin. The father and daughter wore differing expressions, and Governor Nangong was stroking his chin, seemingly deep in thought.

Seeing Dai Li and Qin Shaozong arriving together, a glint flashed in Nangong Xiong's eyes. He suddenly said, "Marquis Wu'an, Chancellor Dong unexpectedly struck last night. I had no time to look after the young woman you sent over, the one who claimed to be a concubine from your estate. She is most likely still in the Changle Courtyard. I am truly sorry; I have failed the task you entrusted to me."

Qin Shaozong subconsciously glanced at Dai Li.