The man’s voice, cold and sharp, echoed across the ship.
Ye luan was held tightly in his embrace, the force so strong it felt as though he wanted to tear her apart and weave her into his very ribs.
She could feel the wound on her shoulder throbbing.
With a deafening roar, cannons fired, and the entire river surface erupted in flames.
Columns of fire ascended, accompanied by a pungent smell.
Ye luan was pinned down by him, her body trapped as he covered her ears, his voice sinister and deranged.
“He’s actually willing to trade fourteen border cities for you. And you still dare to say there’s nothing between you?”
Consumed by jealousy, he had completely lost his reason.
Ye luan suppressed the pain and said indifferently, “He’s deliberately provoking you.”
Xie Bei Han would never cede border cities for her. He likely wanted to see Xiao Chi Zhan, this madman, lose control.
She wanted neither of these men.
Heaven, open your eyes and strike them dead.
They were all heartless lunatics.
“The Prince is usually astute. Can’t he see this petty trick?”
Xiao Chi Zhan looked down at her coldly. “Whether he’s telling the truth or not, I know better than you.”
Ye luan licked her lips. “I hate him.”
On the girl’s delicate face was an undisguised coldness and disgust, her foxy eyes chillingly indifferent.
Xiao Chi Zhan smiled, a triumphant grin appearing on his originally sinister and fierce handsome face.
He slightly loosened his grip, still covering her ears, forcing her to look at the battlefield ablaze with cannons.
“Yes, I hate him too.” He paused, kissing her cheek. “We are truly a couple.”
Ye luan: “----”
War, blood, and corpses spread across the entire river.
Huo Dao, seeing his lord agitated, quickly advised, “Your Highness, there will be more opportunities. We are currently trapped in Youzhou, and our military strength is insufficient to contend with Xiao Chi Zhan. Once we leave Da Liang, we can return to retaliate.”
“Moreover, if a war breaks out on the border, you’ll need to personally go to Zhongzhou and cannot be delayed in Da Liang.”
Zhongzhou was an independent state situated between the borders of Da Liang and Bei Qi, not subservient to either of these great nations. It was a small, independent country.
If the two nations were to go to war, Zhongzhou would undoubtedly become cannon fodder. It was essential to find a powerful nation to rely on.
If Bei Qi were to attack Da Liang and seize Zhongzhou, their provisions and military supplies would be complete, allowing them to fight for two to three years without issue.
Xie Bei Han was well aware of these implications.
This was Youzhou, and he was on their territory, so he naturally couldn’t be as arrogant.
But—
He couldn’t help but raise his spyglass, his gaze fixed on the figure of the girl clad in a white robe, the corners of his lips curling upwards.
“Truly unwilling.”
Xiao Chi Zhan’s woman!
She was indeed a tough opponent.
“Heh, if I could snatch her and make her fall in love with this prince, how delightful that would be.”
The desolate moonlight cast upon the sea, a gentle breeze carrying the rich scent of blood.
The man narrowed his eyes slightly, inhaling deeply as if enjoying it, his voice indifferent and bloodthirsty.
“Has Jing Zhi returned?”
“The young master is gravely ill and is still on his way.”
Xie Bei Han raised an eyebrow. “His illness will at most drag on for another two months. Prepare a coffin for him.”
Cannons from all directions exploded, shaking the heavens.
Huo Dao urged, “Your Highness, if we don’t leave now, we won’t be able to.”
“What are you afraid of? He won’t kill me in broad daylight. The danger will be after we leave Youzhou.”
“Your Highness means that Xiao Chi Zhan has secretly sent people to hunt you down outside.”
Xie Bei Han let out a cold, faint laugh, remaining silent.
He gazed at the girl across from him with his spyglass, a slight smile on his lips. “Little girl, I’ll see you in Zhongzhou.”
“Go.”
The warship, flying vibrant banners, departed rapidly under protection.
Xiao Chi Zhan watched them leave with cold eyes, a bloodthirsty glint hidden within.
Xue Ren immediately understood.
“Yes.”
Tan Tai Ye raised his chin and added, “Also, lay an ambush along the route to Zhongzhou.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s go back.”
On the way back, dawn was about to break.
Xiao Chi Zhan held Ye luan as he sat on a stool, a jar of wine in his hand. “You don’t need to go to the border anymore. The war won’t start. Write a letter to Wei Shi Tong, ordering ten thousand troops from Jingzhou to harass the Bei Qi border.”
“This Xie Bei Han, his actions are so unpredictable. What do you think, will he make a surprise return and attack us?”
Hearing Tan Tai Ye’s words, Xiao Chi Zhan smiled coldly.
“He’s definitely headed to Zhongzhou. Just wait and see, Emperor Ming Ji will soon send me an invitation.”
Tan Tai Ye said, “Before, you sent so many hidden assassins, but none of them could kill Xie Bei Han. His elite unit, the ‘Blood Robe Emissaries,’ is not to be underestimated. I fear this time it will be difficult to succeed.”
Xiao Chi Zhan raised an eyebrow. “Sooner or later, I will tear him limb from limb.”
Hearing this, Tan Tai Ye glanced at Ye luan, who was lowering her eyes and remaining silent, and chuckled as he drank, saying nothing.
The river surface was eerily silent, a scene of desolation.
Corpse floated downstream with the current, emitting a pungent odor.
Xiao Chi Zhan embraced the person beside him and asked, looking down, “Sleepy?”
Ye luan nodded, remaining silent.
He immediately stood up, scooped her into his arms, and walked towards the ship’s cabin. “Let’s go to bed.”
The room in the cabin was very warm. As soon as she leaned against the bed, Ye luan’s eyes closed in sleepiness.
Xiao Chi Zhan removed the white robe she was wearing and casually tossed it onto the floor.
The girl’s bright little face was very pale, and the wound on her shoulder had reopened, revealing traces of red.
His brow instantly darkened. He reapplied medicine and changed the dressing.
“So delicate. You actually dared to stab yourself.”
As he spoke, he reached out and caressed her cheek. “Am I that terrifying? To scare you like this? I won’t do anything to you.”
Ye luan was far from asleep. Although his voice was low, the room was so quiet that every sound could be heard, and she could hear him.
A part of her wanted to laugh.
He wouldn’t touch her now, but he would torment her heart, using the lives of others to force her to compromise, to make her fear.
Though she wasn’t a good person, she didn’t want innocent people to die for her.
It couldn’t be helped.
As long as he saw her dead with his own eyes, he wouldn’t harm others anymore.
Until then, she wanted to make this man fall madly in love with her.
Xiao Chi Zhan, when I die, please don’t cry. Laugh harder in your pain.
The ship docked.
Xiao Chi Zhan sat by the bed, looking at the deeply sleeping girl. He ordered someone to buy a clean skirt and襦, changed her into it, and then carried her away.
He didn’t ride a horse. Holding her, he got into a carriage and slowly returned to his manor.
Although the carriage moved slowly, Ye luan still woke up. She didn’t move, sitting in his embrace with her eyes slightly closed.
“Awake?”
“Mhm.”
Xiao Chi Zhan lowered his head and kissed her. “We’ll sleep more when we get back.”
Ye luan opened her eyes, hooked her arm around his neck, and smiled, “Hearing you talk, are you going to Zhongzhou?”
“I will take you there. Don’t even think about running.”
After speaking, she gave him a playful glare. “I already told you, I’m not running. Can you stop doubting me all the time?”
“You are cunning, like a fox. I have to be cautious.”
Ye luan pouted and said playfully, “I want to accompany you to Zhongzhou. It’ll be fun, how great would that be.”
Xiao Chi Zhan was stirred by her words and couldn’t help but lean down to kiss her.
“I hope this is your honest truth.”
He kissed her greedily, inhaling her scent, as if he were addicted. Ever since he encountered this woman, he had become infatuated.
It didn’t matter.
He liked this feeling.
She would be his cage bird, and his alone.