Close the Door and Beat the Dog!
Lan Jinxiang was a woman who had been through many trials and tribulations, yet she was still shocked speechless for a long time by Song Yinghuai's domineering and ruthless plan.
After a long while, she sighed in awe, "Father always said that Your Highness is a prodigy among the young generals. But since we've never cooperated with you on the battlefield, we couldn't truly understand what Father meant back then. Hearing Your Highness's words today, I finally get it."
"With someone like Your Highness in Daye, our national gates will surely remain firm, the Yan region will surely be recovered, and the Tatars will surely be eliminated!"
Putting aside the emotional factor regarding Caiyu, she now had an overwhelming admiration for Song Yinghuai.
But Song Yinghuai gave her a deep look and asked with difficulty, "Has Miss Lan ever thought about what you'll face once the plan is put into action?"
Lan Jinxiang's eyes flickered slightly.
Of course, she had thought about it.
Once the Crown Prince died in Qin and Jin, and the Tatars happened to be stationing their troops outside the pass at this time, Emperor Guangwu would surely suspect that the Tatars and the Kings of Qin and Jin were colluding to kill the Crown Prince and plot to attack the city.
In such a situation, Emperor Guangwu would not only stop treating her as an honored guest but also turn her into a prisoner.
He would use the Tatar Queen Mother as a hostage to negotiate with the Khan.
However, in the face of national interests, what was her life in the eyes of the Tatars?
Once the two countries went to war, she would lose all her value.
This life...
Lan Jinxiang quietly lowered her long eyelashes, covering all the turbulent thoughts in her heart.
She took a deep breath. When she raised her eyes again, her beautiful face was full of determination. "Father taught us Lan family children that the interests of the country and the people should always come first. None of the Lan family's children are afraid of death! You can just implement your plan!"
Song Yinghuai was deeply respectful of her selfless answer.
He suddenly stood up, bowed with folded hands, and gave Lan Jinxiang a deep salute. "I, Song, hereby thank Miss Lan for your sacrifice."
Lan Jinxiang dodged his salute sideways and said calmly, "I have a condition. I only hope that you can protect the lives of the Lan family, and also Shu'er. I want you to treat her with your life and never let her down."
After Song Yinghuai finished talking with Lan Jinxiang, as he walked out of the door, he ran into Xiao Rencheng and Xu Ziyi.
Xu Ziyi looked up and saw a man coming out of Lan Jinxiang's room. Immediately, his face turned green. "Your Highness, the Prince of Yan, what were you doing with Xiang'er?"
His tone was full of strong jealousy.
Song Yinghuai gave a soft laugh and his eyes were mischievous. "Second Master, don't think wildly. I'm concerned about Miss Lan San. Naturally, I just came to discuss national affairs with Miss Lan Er."
Xu Ziyi was stunned for a moment and then felt embarrassed.
He seemed to have overreacted.
Song Yinghuai looked up at Xiao Rencheng, who shrugged helplessly.
He had met a man who put love above everything else. When drinking, this man kept talking about Lan Jinxiang. After just three rounds of drinks, he couldn't sit still anymore and insisted on coming back to find her.
He had tried his best to delay him.
Song Yinghuai smiled. It didn't matter that he came back. Anyway, the matter was settled.
He quickly walked to Caiyu's residence. Standing outside the door, he knocked and said, "Yu'er, are you in there?"
After a long while, there was a faint sound of footsteps inside.
When the door opened, Song Yinghuai saw the little girl with her head slightly lowered and her evasive eyes. His heart skipped a beat again. "Yu'er, can I... come in and talk?"
He thought that Caiyu's blurted-out worry at the drill ground today meant that she had forgiven him.
But now, judging from her reaction, she was still angry.
This time, her anger seemed to last a long time, and even Song Yinghuai felt uneasy.
After all, what he had done that day was really excessive. It could even be called beastly behavior.
Thinking back on his impulsive actions that day, he also regretted it deeply.
Caiyu gave a soft "um" and stepped aside, then turned around and walked inside.
The next second, the door behind her closed, and her back was encircled by someone from behind. The familiar cold and sharp aura of the man rushed into her nose.
Caiyu stood still, feeling this long-lost tenderness.
Song Yinghuai buried his head in her neck and shoulder. His voice was low and a bit tired as he rubbed against her earlobe. "I'm sorry. I made you suffer."
These days, he knew that he had hidden too many things from Caiyu.
But some things were like the wheels of history, constantly rolling forward and couldn't be stopped.
He couldn't let anyone or anything interfere halfway to increase variables, so he had no choice but to let it continue moving forward according to his plan.
It wasn't until this matter was completed according to his plan.
So, although he saw the grievances Caiyu suffered, he had no time to take care of them, let alone explain things to her halfway.
Now, finally, things were beginning to take shape, and the Crown Prince would soon fall into his plan.
Everything was under his control, except for the person in his arms, who made him feel more and more out of control.
"Yu'er, calm down." The wound on Song Yinghuai's body was still painfully tearing. The wound under his outer robe was still oozing blood because it hadn't been treated. He closed his eyes tiredly and hugged the person in his arms tightly. "I'll explain it to you. I definitely will."
Caiyu felt that the body holding her from behind was getting heavier and heavier, just as heavy as her mood.
An explanation?
Actually, it wasn't necessary.
She wasn't that stupid. She was just kept in the dark about many things, which made her feel confused.
Now, thinking back on all the clues left along the way, she could also guess the general cause and effect.
It was hard to say who was right and who was wrong.
But what she knew was that the constant accumulation of contradictions between them had shattered their pure feelings.
Now, the truth and the reasons didn't matter anymore.
What she needed was to leave and be Lan Jinshu again.
"My Lord, are you tired?" Caiyu turned around in his arms and faced him, pressing against him. "Let me help you rest, okay?"
She chose to change the topic, but in Song Yinghuai's ears, it was like celestial music.
He opened his eyes in surprise and nodded repeatedly. "Okay, I'll rest... Can I rest in your room?"
"Um, rest here." Caiyu said calmly.
She had already smelled the blood on Song Yinghuai's body. He needed to have his wound treated.
"Okay, then stay with me."
Probably because he hadn't felt such a gentle Caiyu for a long time, Song Yinghuai was flattered. He just did as she said.
He obediently lay down. Seeing Caiyu turn around to leave, he panicked and quickly grabbed her hand and sat up again. "Where are you going?"
For some reason, he always had the illusion that if she turned around, it would be a lifetime.
Caiyu turned her head and looked at him gently. "I'll go find some medicine to treat your wound."
"I don't need it." Song Yinghuai refused without thinking. He always felt empty. "It's just a minor injury."
"My Lord." Caiyu frowned disapprovingly. "You can't be willful."
Seeing that she seemed about to get angry, Song Yinghuai immediately let go of her hand. "Then go quickly and come back quickly."
Caiyu turned around and walked out of the door. She asked the people at the post station for some hemostatic and disinfectant powder and gauze, and soon came back.
When Song Yinghuai saw her come back, the heart that had been hanging finally settled down. He let her little hands fiddle around on his body.
The warm and soft fingertips seemed to be wandering in front of him. The extremely slight touch made a faint current run through him. It climbed up his long neck from in front of her and then gathered on top of his head.
The man's eyes gradually deepened. He really wanted to impulsively invite her.
He raised his hand and held the little hand that was applying medicine to him. He hesitated and said, "Yu'er, can I... can I..."
He was afraid that if he made the request, Caiyu would be reminded of that bad experience that day.
But probably because he hadn't been in such a mood and environment for a long time, his impulse at this moment was really strong.
Caiyu looked up and met his wolf-like eyes. She immediately understood what he meant.
Her fingertips trembled, and she quickly pulled out the hand that was being held by him. She refused, "My Lord, you're injured. You can't."
Song Yinghuai met her cold eyes, and the fire in his eyes gradually went out...