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墨書 Inktalez
Proverb There are clouds, and the dragon has a reverse scale; touching it will lead to death. Every person in the world has their limits, whether they value their wives, treasure their wealth, or pursue power. Once they encounter obstacles, they will retaliate with death.
For Xu Zhen, although wealth and power cannot be regarded as worthless, his woman and brothers will always come first. This is because these two are the belonging of Xu Zhenzhi, the bond he shares with this great Tang world, which no one can sever. However, those who cause harm will face Xu Zhen's relentless revenge!
As for Zhou Cang, having been shot by a Cold Arrow, Xu Zhen believes in an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Yet, Niu Jinda dares not speak out and can only endure this anger, hoping that Xu Zhen will calm down.
Xu Zhen pays no heed to Niu Jinda, returning to the barracks with Brothers to rest and recuperate. However, her heart feels icy. This seemingly prosperous Tang dynasty is actually rife with undercurrents; human hearts are unpredictable, filled with various conflicts and deceit. The sense of national honor she once felt has diminished significantly.
People always have selfish short-sightedness. If it weren't for the life-and-death bond with Li Mingda, if it weren't for the current Sage's favor towards him, and if he didn't still need to rely on royal power to achieve his ultimate plan, he truly would not want to fight for the Tang dynasty any longer.
The night was long. Although he bore a Hidden Arrow, such pain was merely like a tickle to Zhou Cang, unworthy of mention. Instead, because Xu Zhen stood up for him, he felt deeply moved, and many Brothers also felt warmth in their hearts. If there were strong liquor to accompany them, they might have drunk themselves into oblivion; however, due to Niu Jinda wanting to seize any incriminating evidence against them, they refrained.
Upon returning to the barracks, Xu Zhen reflected on her conversations with Zhang Jiunian and many Brothers. Remembering how Li Wushuang and Zhang Suling stood firmly by her side made her heart stir with emotion. After some thought, she headed straight to Li Wushuang's tent.
This girl was skilled in martial arts and very cautious of others. Given the conflict that had occurred during the day, she had to be particularly vigilant. Hearing movement outside, she quickly drew her knife in defense and shouted, "Who goes there!"
Xu Zhen had anticipated this girl’s alertness and hurriedly called out, "It’s me."
Upon hearing Xu Zhen's voice, Li Wushuang relaxed and opened the tent flap. Just as she was about to ask a question, Xu Zhen walked right in.
Her face immediately flushed red. Although she had disguised herself as a male soldier and was accustomed to fighting, she was still an unmarried girl. Recently, she had developed complicated feelings towards Xu Zhen. How could she be alone in a room with her?
Just as she was about to scold Xu Zhen to leave, unexpectedly, Xu Zhen began to undress!
"This shameless scoundrel truly has no shame! So you’ve been coveting me for quite some time! Do you really see me as an easy woman?" Li Wushuang’s face turned crimson; her chest heaved with emotion—half out of indignation at Xu Zhen's frivolous behavior and half due to her inner turmoil!
As for how this inner struggle arose, even she could not articulate it clearly. She only knew that a warm current surged from deep within her body, awakening feelings akin to dew on peach blossoms—moistening yet confusing her heart with excitement.
After all, she was just a sixteen-year-old girl. Although she had reached the age for marriage discussions, her understanding of matters between men and women was still vague. Experiencing such intoxicating feelings firsthand left her hesitant and bewildered.
However, she was born a Royal Master, well-educated and proud of her status. How could she tolerate the shameless behavior of the Xu Zhen? She immediately kicked the Xu Zhen in the back!
"Vile thief! How dare you commit such filthy acts in front of me, Princess!"
The Xu Zhen was caught off guard and was knocked to the ground, landing face-first in the dirt, utterly humiliated. Her anger surged like a raging fire!
It was precisely because of today's provocations from Niu Jinda and others that she worried about Li Wushuang's safety. She thought about how this girl was unpredictable; if one day she followed her into battle and something went wrong, how would she explain it to Li Daozong?
With this in mind, the Xu Zhen considered giving her personal Golden Silk Armor as a gift, fearing that holding onto it might incite jealousy among her Brothers. Moreover, there was also Zhang Suling, and she didn't want to appear biased. Thus, she entered Li Wushuang's tent to remove the golden armor for her.
Unexpectedly, Li Wushuang regarded her as a rogue, and this impression had never faded since their first meeting! Even though she spoke on behalf of Li Wushuang's father in court and got involved in this war for her sake, it did nothing to change how Li Wushuang viewed her!
Thinking of this, the Xu Zhen was filled with rage. She swept Li Wushuang off her feet with a kick, wrapped her arms around her waist, and pressed her down to the ground with a fierce expression, threatening, "Yes, yes! Xu is indeed coveting your beauty, Lady Li! Tonight I am here to take your virtue; what will you do about it?"
Li Wushuang did not expect the Xu Zhen to be so direct and was momentarily stunned. Her beautiful eyes widened as she stared at Xu, unsure of how to respond!
While she hesitated, the Xu Zhen placed her hand on Li Wushuang's chest. Only then did Li Wushuang realize that the Xu Zhen was not joking. Terrified, tears streamed down her face.
Seeing Li Wushuang cry made the Xu Zhen's lips twitch slightly. Ultimately, she stood up, turned her back to Li Wushuang, and said, "You're too young; I find you unappealing. I’ll look for someone older! Hmph!"
Li Wushuang felt a mix of shame and anger. Remembering what the Xu Zhen had done made her chest burn with indignation. Hearing that the Xu Zhen intended to harm someone else made her think; aside from herself in the army, there was only Zhang Suling left!
She had interacted closely with Zhang Suling and relied on each other; how could she allow the Xu Zhen to ruin Zhang Suling? She wiped away her tears and rushed out of the tent with a knife.
In that moment of hesitation, the Xu Zhen had already entered Zhang Suling's tent. Inside, illuminated by candlelight, Zhang Suling was actively helping the Xu Zhen undress!
Li Wushuang suddenly realized that although Zhang Suling was free-spirited, to the Xu Zhen, she was no different from a servant. How could she refuse the Xu Zhen like Li Wushuang did?
Upon realizing this, Li Wushuang felt a sudden emptiness in her heart, deeply troubled yet unwilling to leave, only able to watch the silhouette in the tent from afar.
Xu Zhen did not expect Li Wushuang to follow her. Anger surged within her; she had intended to gift the golden armor to protect Li Wushuang, but was disheartened by how the girl viewed her. In her disappointment, she handed the armor over to Zhang Suling.
Zhang Suling was not particularly skilled in martial arts, but she was very clever and adept at escaping. With the golden armor, she felt secure. Being a quirky girl, she had previously played the role of Xu Zhen's stand-in multiple times for realism, even learning many of Xu Zhen's secrets. Besides her identity as a traveler, it seemed that Xu Zhen had no reservations about Zhang Suling and was quite open with her, comparable to Caesar!
Moreover, having grown up in a brothel, Zhang Suling had encountered many officials and was skilled at reading people's expressions. She understood that while Xu Zhen appeared frivolous and reckless, she was actually kind-hearted and gentle. Zhang Suling felt increasingly close to Xu Zhen, finding in her a sisterly dependence after a lonely childhood.
Xu Zhen appreciated Zhang Suling's perceptiveness. After gifting her the golden armor, she left the tent but could not shake off the image of Li Wushuang's tear-streaked face from her mind.
Li Wushuang noticed that Xu Zhen did not linger long before exiting the tent. Seeing no embarrassing scene in the silhouette eased her heart slightly. She hurried into the tent to comfort Zhang Suling but was taken aback to find Zhang Suling had removed her outer armor and donned the golden armor instead. Under the flickering firelight, it shone brilliantly, making her look stunningly beautiful.
"Peerless Sister, how does this golden armor look? My Lord just gifted it to me; it truly fits my heart!" Zhang Suling laughed cheerfully, her beauty radiating like a celestial being against the backdrop of the golden armor.
Li Wushuang suddenly looked up and asked in surprise, "He... he came to gift you the golden armor?"
"Yes! What else could it be..." Zhang Suling widened her eyes and then recalled Li Wushuang's implication. She laughed unabashedly and continued, "My Lord is charming and dashing; while he wouldn't dare claim to be handsome, he is indeed a rare sight. He has a good nature and treats people gently. If he truly... truly had that intention... I would be more than happy!"
Zhang Suling playfully covered her mouth with a laugh. Li Wushuang forced a smile but felt a deep discomfort in her heart. If only she hadn't held onto her prejudices against Xu Zhen all along, that golden armor would have been hers.
Having come from nobility, she had seen countless treasures before. Yet now she regretted wasting Xu Zhen's kindness and causing an unpleasant situation that left her feeling uneasy.
In silence, she decided not to linger with Zhang Suling any longer and returned quietly to her quarters. Regret washed over her for what she had done; she felt wronged on behalf of Xu Zhen and began to resent herself.
As such thoughts consumed her, the night stretched on painfully long. Just as fatigue began to set in, sounds of gathering horns echoed outside the tent. Li Wushuang suddenly awoke with a start, quickly donning her gear and grabbing her sword before rushing out.
The troops had already assembled in one place; Niu Jinda sat proudly atop his horse fully armed while all soldiers appeared spirited and eager for action. It seemed they were preparing for a night raid on Songzhou!
The Xu Zhen was in no good mood. After returning to the barracks, she fell into a restless sleep, only to be called awake again. Upon hearing that Niu Jinda planned a night raid on Songzhou, she immediately became alert.
If it weren't for the strategist Murong Hanzhu by her side, Niu Jinda's night raid on the enemy camp could have led to a decisive victory, just as recorded in the Historical Records, where Niu Jinda took advantage of the Tibetan Army's unpreparedness to launch a surprise attack, killing over a thousand men. The Zanpu was shocked upon hearing this news, and with the morale of his troops declining, eight ministers committed suicide. Consequently, he ordered a retreat and sent envoys to Chang'an to apologize and request another marriage alliance, which Taizong agreed to.
However, the situation was different now. With Murong Hanzhu strategizing nearby, Qizong Nongsan would surely strengthen their defenses. If they rashly attempted a night raid, it would only lead to their own troops being ambushed along the way.
The Xu Zhen pondered deeply and set aside her recent conflict with Niu Jinda to voice her opposition: "I do not agree with this night raid! I just visited Songzhou during the day and saw how many enemy troops were deployed along the way. The enemy is already on guard; if we proceed with a night raid, it will only invite disaster!"
Niu Jinda was not inclined to listen to the Xu Zhen. The conflicts they had experienced during the day fueled his hatred towards her. With his confidants inciting him further, he believed that if they launched a night raid on Songzhou, he could claim all the military achievements for himself, leaving the Xu Zhen without any credit and becoming a laughingstock among the troops.
Alternatively, he could use the Xu Zhen's unit as vanguard to draw out all of the enemy's ambushes. He would then strike from behind with his own forces, using her troops as bait to ensure a devastating victory over the Tubo Army.
Thinking about the glory of monopolizing military achievements made Niu Jinda feel elated. With familiar faces like Changsun Wuji in court speaking on his behalf, he was sure he could rise among the ranks of top generals!
With this in mind, he disregarded the Xu Zhen and asserted his authority as Commander. He said to her, "I have already devised a strategy; Commander Xu should refrain from further comments! For now, go prepare the horses and lead our troops ahead as vanguard!"
He deliberately referred to her as Colonel Murong Xiao instead of General, reminding her that as a commander of troops, she must follow Niu Jinda's orders.
Upon hearing Niu Jinda's command, the Xu Zhen felt a chill run down her spine. It wasn't fear of an opponent like him that troubled her; it was having teammates who acted like fools!
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