I will never lose my temper with her again, nor will I hide anything from her. Moreover, I will never stop her from doing what she likes.
What a deep temptation!
If it had been Caiyu two years ago, she would have fallen head over heels without hesitation like a moth flying into a fire.
But now, there was a barely visible glint of tears in Caiyu's eyes. She shook her head and said,
"My lord, I won't go with you."
"Brother Ali has gone to the capital for a report. When I get to the capital, I'll wait for him outside the city..."
Song Yinghuai's fingertips were ice - cold. They felt stiffer than the snowflakes all over the sky. Listening to her whispering about her future plans:
"After this war is over, I'll marry him, have children, and retire to the mountains with Fan'er and Aye."
The dull pain in Song Yinghuai's heart never ceased. There was a faint glimmer of water in his eyes, which melted together with the snowflakes on his eyelashes. His voice was hoarse as he forced out each word with difficulty,
"... Then what about me, Yu'er? What should I do?"
"My lord, the princess is a good girl. She has accompanied you for two years."
"Brother Ali has accompanied me for these two years. I can accept him, and you can accept the princess too." Caiyu choked with sobs and said, "My lord, I beg you to escape!"
If he didn't escape and something really happened to him...
How could she marry in peace for the rest of her life?
Song Yinghuai felt that the pain in his heart at this moment was even more severe than when his shoulder blades had been pierced that day. He finally managed to find his voice again, but the food in his hand was unconsciously crushed to pieces.
"Yu'er, I can't accept the princess... I can't do it." His eyes were blood - shot and his voice trembled. "Yu'er, don't marry him, okay? I really will change. I swear I really will. We... we will be a good match."
Caiyu was silent for a moment.
Just when Song Yinghuai thought there was a glimmer of hope, Caiyu stood up and said,
"My lord, try again. Try with the princess."
"Yu'er!"
Song Yinghuai panicked and grabbed the corner of her clothes as she turned to leave.
The moment the little girl turned around, he felt as if she would never appear again.
His fingertips trembled violently. The panic in his heart was overwhelming, making it impossible for him to think.
His Adam's apple rolled violently, as if he was making an important decision.
After a moment, he asked bitterly, "... If you really want to marry him, could you... take me with you?"
Caiyu suddenly turned her head and looked at him in shock.
For a moment, she couldn't digest Song Yinghuai's words.
"What... What do you mean?"
Song Yinghuai's eyes were dull and defeated, without a trace of fighting spirit. "Wherever you two go, I'll follow. If you ever think of me, could you come and accompany me?"
It was only at this moment that Song Yinghuai finally realized.
Caiyu would never turn back.
No matter whether he used his life or anything else to try and change her mind, she was determined to cut all ties with him.
She was always so decisive and heartless.
But he simply couldn't let go.
Caiyu staggered back a few steps in shock, looking at Song Yinghuai as if she didn't know him.
How could he come up with such a suggestion?
In the whole state of Ye, no man could accept such an idea, could he?
"My lord... What... What are you talking about?" Caiyu shook her head frantically. "Are you crazy..."
Song Yinghuai also thought he was crazy.
He actually could accept sharing a place with Sheng Jiangli!
He took a deep breath and asked, "I only ask you one thing. Will you agree? If you do, I'll promise to escape right away."
"No!" Caiyu's head was buzzing. All her judgment and thinking ability were blown to pieces by Song Yinghuai's proposal. She turned around and ran away. "It's impossible! Brother Ali would never accept it either! My lord, I... You, calm down first... I'll leave now!"
Watching the fleeing figure, the last glimmer of light in Song Yinghuai's eyes went out. A bitter smile appeared on his lips.
Still not okay?
He had been so humble, but she still refused to agree?
In the tent, the snake on Li Muge's lips was finally pried off by everyone working together.
Everyone gasped in horror.
The lips of Minister Li of the Ministry of War were swollen like a huge sausage, with two blood holes on the upper and lower lips respectively, oozing blood beads.
Li Muge covered his mouth and howled. He couldn't even say a complete sentence, just rolling on the tiger - skin rug.
No one knew whether the snake was poisonous or not. For a moment, they were in a complete panic.
The soldiers on the march did carry some wound medicine, but none of them knew how to detoxify!
Finally, out of desperation, they just smeared some wound medicine on Li Muge's lips.
The medicine was not suitable for the condition, and Li Muge felt even more pain. His cheeks were swollen like a pig's face, and his eyes were squeezed into slits.
Seeing that the situation was not good, they had to break camp overnight and rush to the nearest city to find a doctor.
Unexpectedly, because of the recent war, most of the doctors and many ordinary people in the city had moved back to the countryside to avoid the disaster.
They didn't even care about the people on the prisoner carts. They marched southward in a hurry until they reached the large city of Langya, which bordered Pengcheng. Finally, they found a doctor who specialized in treating snake venom.
By this time, they had been jolting for half a month. In their panic, no one had noticed that Li Muge was still alive after being bitten by the snake for so long.
It was just that Li Muge's lips had become more and more rotten due to the improper use of other medicines.
When the doctor removed the veil and took a look, his hands trembled in fright.
Was this... still a normal human face?
Half of that face was already in a state of decay, puffed up and white. The lips had been corroded, leaving only the white teeth showing.
The doctor endured the nausea in his stomach and examined the patient. Then he said to the people around Li Muge,
"This official has a mild poison on his lips, and there is no poison in his body... It's just that the external wound is seriously rotten, mainly caused by the improper use of medicine. I'll prescribe some new ointment to remove the rot and promote the growth of muscles. Let it grow slowly!"
Li Muge couldn't speak at all. He just winked at the person in charge beside him.
The person in charge immediately understood and asked, "Is there any way to restore the official's face to its original state?"
If the face of the Minister of the Ministry of War was ruined, how could he accompany the emperor?
The young emperor was timid. If he saw Li Muge's terrifying face, he would surely not be able to bear it and would surely distance himself.
The doctor looked embarrassed. "The flesh has rotted and fallen off. It's probably impossible to grow back. I'll do my best."
After this ordeal, Li Muge had completely forgotten about torturing Song Yinghuai.
Since he needed to apply the ointment, they stopped in Langya. The prefect of Langya arranged accommodation for them.
Li Muge moved into the prefect's residence, while the others stayed in the official post - house.
Even Song Yinghuai was arranged in a post - house.
The prefect of Langya, entrusted by the King of Langya, was quite polite to Song Yinghuai and arranged a private room for him.
Hearing that a person with pierced shoulder blades was powerless, he secretly removed the shackles on Song Yinghuai's feet without telling Li Muge, leaving only the shackles on his hands. He also ordered someone to prepare hot water for him to take a bath.
Song Yinghuai remained silent throughout.
Since Caiyu had rejected him last time, he had been sitting in the prisoner cart listlessly.
Only when Caiyu came to deliver food every day and persistently tried to persuade him to escape would he repeat his question about whether he could leave with them.
If Caiyu didn't agree, he would close his eyes and say nothing more.
The maids prepared the hot water and were about to approach him to undress him when the man finally uttered a single word from his thin lips: "Get out!"
The maids were so frightened by his icy voice that they shrank back and immediately fled in a hurry.
Only then did Song Yinghuai slowly take off his clothes.
Because no one had taken care of his back wound, it had only barely healed. There were still dark - brown scars running from the back of his neck to his waist.
The two shoulder blades had not fully healed either. The pierced wounds were still fresh and bloody.
He stepped into the bathtub and sat down, looking dejected.
Pengcheng was just ahead, but Caiyu showed no sign of giving in.
If she really insisted on not being with him, what on earth could he do?
There was a rustling sound outside the house, like that of a little mouse. Song Yinghuai slightly raised his eyes and tightened his lips.
He knew it was still that girl.
She must be worried about him or still trying to persuade him to escape.
Song Yinghuai suddenly remembered the scene when Caiyu had served him in the bath.
The man's fingertips twitched slightly. Finally, he couldn't help but pick up the plate with soap beans beside him and throw it on the ground.
The sound of shattering was ear - piercing.
Caiyu, who was hiding outside the door, rushed in anxiously -