Chapter 108: In Deep Water and Burning Fire

In the vast council hall, the bright candles flickered, yet only two people stood. At the upper seat, a tall, slender man whose face was hidden slightly lifted his head and quietly gazed at the map of the ten‑thousand‑mile rivers and mountains.

Standing at the lower seat, Cheng You wore a blank expression, his eyes locked firmly on the figure above; after a while he inhaled deeply and said, "Your Majesty, I have finished my report."

"Is that so?" Wei Lingfeng replied lightly, turned around with an air of utter nonchalance, then suddenly smiled faintly and muttered, "In a single night we annihilated the Yin Country Vanguard Unit; within ten days we executed a sowing‑discord scheme that made Meng Kuo grow a grudge against Yin Ziheng; in less than a month we drove the Yin Yao Allied Forces from Fengyou back to Yueyang, turning defense into offense. Heh… truly worthy of Qi Ran. Xiao Yifei must be having a terrible headache now."

Wei Lingfeng paused briefly, his smile unchanged, lowered his eyelids to look at Cheng You, his eyes holding an unfathomable depth, "Cheng You, do you know? He need not have been so arrogant, so widely known. He merely used this method to tell me, to tell Xiao Yifei, that he has returned—Xiao Qi Ran… has returned."

"Your Majesty…" Cheng You glanced at him, then quickly bowed his head, voice trembling, "The Empress's side…"

"Cheng You!" Wei Lingfeng's smile deepened, he brushed his sleeve lightly, his hands naturally resting behind him, and said calmly, "Even if I had to speak, I would tell her myself, so you need not worry."

"Yes… yes, Your Majesty!" Cheng You knelt with a thud, as the young emperor swept past him, stirring a cool breeze, and he couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

I was half‑asleep when I felt someone lift me, which wasn't surprising; when I opened my eyes, I was indeed met with that handsome face.

"Wei Lingfeng…" I murmured, my voice a little hoarse, "Did today's military council end this early?"

I shook my head, focused on him, frowned slightly, and on closer look he seemed more gaunt with each passing day.

He smiled, habitually ran a hand through my disheveled long hair, and said softly, "During the day you teach the medic girls and treat the wounded; at night I always see you hunched over writing strange things. Isn't it tiring?"

"Of course I'm tired!" I flicked my numb arm from sleeping on a pillow, forgetting that he had brushed aside my question with a casual tone, "But a few of those medic girls are truly meticulous and clever; they're now basically able to guide others in my stead. You sent so many hidden guards to me, which was actually wasteful. So I let them gather herbs. And those wounded soldiers—when they first saw me they were always trembling, but now…"

My body was suddenly pulled into his embrace, the hold warm yet carrying a barely perceptible tremor. My words halted at that moment.

"Bing Yi…" Wei Lingfeng clasped my waist with one hand, pressed my head against his chest with the other, the faint scent of sandalwood laced with dragon‑scent filling my nostrils. His voice was gentle and low, "I can grant you the utmost freedom, not interfere with your actions, if you wish. I can swear to love only you, cherish only you, for a lifetime, if you'll be my wife. I will trust you unconditionally and never deceive you. So… even so, you still refuse to stay by my side?"

I… was stunned. No matter who uttered those words, I wouldn't have been this shocked. Yet the person before me was Wei Lingfeng—the emperor who never bows, never compromises, forever lofty. He was actually pleading with me, even… whispering sweetly to me.

My eyes grew hot and wet, my heart ached to the limit, yet I simply could not accommodate her. I could only clench my fists and, choking, repeat over and over, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

Before the Yi Country Yueyang battlefield formation.

"Young master, it's time to eat." Xin Hui pushed the door open, unsurprised to see the handsome young lad bent over the desk reviewing documents.

The youth lifted his head and gave a slight smile; the smile, shimmering in the candlelight, seemed dreamlike, leaving Xin Hui stunned for a long while.

Then the youth pointed to the empty desk beside him, spoke, his voice clear and pure as the sky after rain, "Put it down. By the way, bring Ruo Bin in for me."

Xin Hui quickly replied "Yes," turned to leave, and just as she was about to step through the doorway she suddenly turned back and asked the question that had plagued her for days, "Young master, you know the lady is now at the Qi Country border—why don't you go find her, instead…?"

The youth—Qi Ran—who had been staring solemnly at the map, relaxed his expression, then broke into a brilliant smile like the first glimmer of moonlight, saying, "Every time it's me waiting for him; this time it should be her waiting for me."

Looking up at Xin Hui's shocked, frightened expression, he couldn't help but brush his hand across his temple and laughed, "I was kidding you. I just want to wrap everything up, then go find her. Only then can I be with Bing Yi without any ties."

"But… but…" Xin Hui lingered in stunned silence, then couldn't help whispering, "The lady is now with the Emperor… Prince Qi, young master, aren't you afraid…?"

"Afraid she'll be taken away?" Qi Ran smiled faintly, gathered the long hair that had fallen from prolonged desk work, tied it up; his unparalleled visage remained calm and unruffled yet shone with an indomitable light, "Of course not. Since Bing Yi said she would return to my side, she will naturally return to my side."

"Even if… she really were taken away," Qi Ran's smile tightened, his blue eyes bottomless, "I could just take her back. Xiao Qi Ran's place in Bing Yi's heart is irreplaceable; I still have that confidence."

Finishing, he looked up at Xin Hui, his voice gentle, "So you and Ruo Bin need not worry about me any longer; those harmful deeds, I will not do again."

Xin Hui's eyes reddened, her voice choked, "Young master, if the lady saw you now, she would be very happy, very happy…"

After speaking, as if afraid of being seen shedding tears, she hurriedly turned and left, even her silhouette carrying a hint of relief.

Be a bit kinder to yourself? Qi Ran smiled and shook his head, yet the corners of his mouth curled with a touch of tenderness, a hint of sweetness.

"Qi Ran, he's back."

"Bang—" The tea cup in my hand slipped and fell onto the table; I quickly steadied it, warm droplets splashing on the back of my hand. I was stunned for a moment, then looked up and asked softly, "Returned… what does that mean?"

Wei Lingfeng turned, perched on the edge of the bed, a cryptic smile at his lips, still showing no sign of the earlier dream‑like lapse.

"Scout reports—no! Perhaps it should be said that today the world knows that Yi Country, pressed to the brink by the Yin Yao Allied Forces, suddenly turned defense into offense, retook Fengyou and pressed straight toward Yueyang. I ask, aside from Qi Ran, who else possesses such ability to reverse the tide in a desperate situation?"

A twitch flickered at the corner of my mouth; I thought, these two brothers truly are no ordinary men.

Don't think I don't know how miraculous it is that Wei Lingfeng has managed to hold on to this level for a whole year.

Two great powers whose strength rivals Qi Country, two monarchs whose military strategy is peerless, plus the underground overlord Bing Ling; under the pressure of these three forces, they still could not bring Wei Lingfeng down, which speaks to his extraordinary resilience.

But… even the strongest person cannot go a whole year without a moment's rest; relying solely on himself to support two nations, a sky, for an entire year—he must eventually grow weary, right?

I looked up and saw him habitually pressing his own temple; his clear, slender ten fingers reflected his increasingly gaunt, handsome face. This habit… when did it first develop?

"Does your head hurt?" I stepped closer, moving behind him, and said gently, "Let me give you a massage."

Wei Lingfeng gave no reply, simply released his hand, allowing my slender fingers to knead his temples, sometimes lightly, sometimes firmly.

From behind, his long, dense eyelashes lightly covered his eyes, and they trembled faintly with my movements. The two eyebrows, graceful as distant mountains, unconsciously knit together. I couldn't help but pause one hand and gently smooth the deep frown on his forehead.

My hand's back was suddenly pressed, the palm flat against his smooth, slightly warm forehead. A deep voice resonated, traveling through my palm to my ear.

"Bing Yi, if I were not the Emperor, would you stay by my side?"

I thought for a long while, then finally answered honestly, "No."

He tightened his grip on my hand, his voice even lower, "What if the first person you met was me, not Qi Ran?"

"I…" I wanted to tell him that there are no 'ifs' in this world, but what finally slipped out was, "I don't know."

Life is bound to love‑obsession, this hatred has nothing to do with wind or moon. I suddenly felt so sad I wanted to cry. Qi Ran, are you doing well? After I made that decision, will you still forgive me?

I lifted my hand to press the two rings on my chest, recalling that distant world, the forever‑gone relatives, and a fresh pang in my chest. Even so, could you still forgive me?

A sudden searing pain shot through my wrist; I staggered and fell into Wei Lingfeng's arms, where he held me tightly, tightly. His voice whispered in my ear, "I will not let go; no matter what, I will never let go again!"

When I woke the next day, the sun was already near noon, and Wei Lingfeng was nowhere to be seen. I left the inner chambers and walked toward the barracks, gradually sensing an odd atmosphere. The palace maids and eunuchs who used to smile and salute upon seeing me now kept a wide distance. Their expressions were not fearful but seemed on the verge of speaking, yet unwilling to reveal anything to me.

Reaching the barracks, I seized a strikingly beautiful young woman and asked, "Yun Xia, tell me exactly what happened."

"Mother… Empress…" Yun Xia forced a smile, "It's nothing! Surely… you're just being sensitive, Empress…"

I frowned, realizing they were treating me like a fool. Just as I was about to ask again, a wounded soldier suddenly lunged in front of me, crying, "Empress, please save me…"

"A Jie!" the chief military doctor snatched the wounded man and shouted, "Did you forget the Emperor's order?"

He said, also forcing a smile uglier than a cry, and whispered, "Empress, you're overthinking. Whatever the matter, the Emperor will handle it."

I ignored him, turned directly toward the despondent Liu Jinhong, and said calmly, "Speak, I can at least promise you won't die."

Liu Jinhong stared at me blankly, and after a while said dejectedly, "You cured Ying Yue's illness; even if you had to take my life as repayment, that would be fine. But regarding this matter, Ying… Empress, you'd better not know about it."

I was stunned, a wave of unease rising inside me, my expression turning extremely solemn as I said coldly, "You won't tell me? Fine, I'll go to the city walls myself to see the truth!"

"Ying Ruo, you can't go!" Liu Jinhong shouted in alarm, his face turning ashen like those around him.

I stopped, turned, and quietly looked at him. Patience? I have plenty.

After a long while, Liu Jinhong finally let out a long sigh, steadied his tone and said: "Fu Junmo has bound and forced to kneel the citizens of Trade Prosperity and Hidden Wing Twin Cities outside the city walls, issuing an order to the emperor: if you do not hand over…… Yingruo you, in three days, the slaughter will begin."

"Hand me over?" I stared blankly at the ashen-faced soldiers before me, yet they looked at me with hopeful, bright eyes. A boom rang in my head, as if a pot had exploded. For a moment I didn't know what to say or how to react.

"Boom—" a heavy sound rang out, followed by cries and groans. I was locked in a tight embrace by a pair of long, strong arms. That embrace was stiff, scorching, familiar, yet it trembled worse than yesterday and held me tighter than yesterday.

"Don't kill him." My voice was hollow and powerless, clicking out like a machine: "It was me who made him say that."

Above, silence lingered for a long time before the voice came: "All right." Steady and stable, naturally domineering, except for a trace of panic that could not be concealed no matter what.

I buried my head in his chest and suddenly laughed foolishly: "Wei Lingfeng, what are you worried about? Don't you know what kind of person I am? I'm not a bad person, but I could never be the sort of hero who sacrifices himself for others."

I lifted my head to look at him, ignoring the disappointed, contemptuous gazes of the surrounding soldiers and medics, and flashed a gorgeous smile: "Trading my life for others', even if it were thousands or hundreds, what fool would do that?"

I heard the gasps, the silent curses, the despairing sobs around me, and the smile at the corners of my mouth grew ever more brilliant.

Wei Lingfeng stared at me intently, his clear, deep eyes flashing with an unforgettable deep feeling, then he suddenly pulled me hard…… hard into his embrace, holding me tight.

That embrace was painful and pitying. Was it because he felt pain for me?

I suddenly found it funny again—why would he feel pain for me? I exhaled, my voice calm and cold, almost unrecognizable even to myself: "Well then, you needn't worry at all, nor hide anything from me!"

Before the Yueyang battlefield of Yi State.

"What?!" Wen Ruobin jumped up from his chair, shouting, "You say we're to sneak through the Ice Ling Defense Line overnight to Qi State?"

Qi Ran glanced at him without lifting his head, his pen still moving, and said offhand: "Exactly. If you're worried about Xin Hui, persuade her not to go with me."

"No way!" Xin Hui straightened her back with a swish, declaring firmly, "This time I must go see the young lady, and she will surely be delighted to see me."

Qi Ran paused his pen, still not looking up, a gentle, indulgent smile touching his lips, his voice gaining a note of approval: "That's not bad; let's go together. Remember to bring Bing Yi's strange bundle."

Before Xin Hui could cheer, Wen Ruobin let out a lament, clutching his head: "Qi Ran, this isn't just a matter of who goes or not! If you leave, what will become of the Yueyang battlefield here?"

Qi Ran smiled leisurely, his cheerful, innocent expression and voice making Wen Ruobin want to punch him on the spot. He pointed to the diagram under his pen, shrugged, and said: "So, am I not just laying out your battle plan for the next few months? Unless Xiao Yifei arrives in person, they won't easily notice that we've changed commanders at the front."

"And what about the layers of barriers in the Ice Ling?" Wen Ruobin barely restrained the urge to strike him, grinding his teeth: "Do you really think that just you and the non‑martial Xin Hui can make it smoothly to Qi State?"

Qi Ran lowered his head to add the final stroke, looked at his completed deployment diagram with a satisfied smile, then lifted his head and said: "If I say we can, you'd surely not believe me. But if we add Bu, you ought to be confident we have the ability to reach there safely."

"Bu…… kill?" Wen Ruobin blinked, murmuring, "Has he also returned?"

"If the heart is free, the body basks in the endless wind; to wander the world without parting." The peerless face reflected the brilliant sunlight outside the window, warm and comforting, making one unable to help but smile happily.

He said, his voice like bubbles rising in a hot spring, like green bamboo drifting in a water cup, pervasive and soaking: "The Wu You group cannot lack any one; Bu will naturally come."

How long is three days? Three days is 72 hours. Three days is 4,320 minutes. Three days is 259,200 seconds. I know three days can be long or short, but I only feel it's not enough.

Thundering drums came from outside the hall, mingled with shouts filling the sky. Outside the hall, a sudden cry rose from the palace maids and guards; I knew another soldier or officer, kneeling in the scorching sun outside my hall begging, had fainted.

I can imagine their anxiety, pain, even despair. Among those civilians, how many are the relatives of these soldiers! By day, Fu Junmo drags them out to bake in the sun beneath the city walls; if they faint, they're carried inside to be replaced by another shift. At night they gather before Hidden Wing City to sing their hometown folk songs; if they refuse to sing, they are beaten. The singing, the groans and wails, echo throughout Xin Yuan City, audible everywhere.

What does "surrounded by Chu songs" mean? These past few days I have come to understand it perfectly clear.

The assaults came wave after wave, day and night without pause. Those youths, at the front, showed not a hint of hesitation, not a shred of retreat, and never doubted their loyalty to the emperor. Yet at night I could hear them stifling their sobs, clearly far away yet still audible.

"Blocking the people's mouths is worse than blocking a river." Even Wei Lingfeng couldn't stop it; the soldiers who clung to a sliver of hope came to plead and kneel outside my hall. Yet he would not allow it either, permitting no room for compromise, refusing to let anyone use me to barter for his people.

Whose fault is it? I chuckled, my hands flying as I wrote, holding not an ancient brush but my own steel pen. Since I started carrying a pistol on my person, I've also carried this steel pen. That way I can work at top speed. Yeah! Whose fault it is, it's nothing to do with me. All I know is that now I must seize every moment.

"What have you been busy writing these past few days?" Wei Lingfeng's voice came from outside the door, teasingly relaxed, masking a hint of fatigue: "I haven't seen you stop."

"Just medical texts and the like; they'll be done soon." I replied without looking up, my hand moving, my mind elsewhere.

Seeing him reach for my paper, I hastily grabbed a nearby book and slapped it down with a "Pa—", then said sternly: "Not yet; after all, it's meant for you—you'll find out tomorrow."

Wei Lingfeng smirked, walked around the desk, stood beside me, and said gently: "Why don't you rest properly? Your complexion is so exhausted."

My eye sockets suddenly moistened; I lifted my head to look at him, my heart repeatedly asking: Are you exhausted? Am I exhausted for you?

However, after collecting myself, I let out a faint smile and said: "Does your head still hurt? Shall I give you a rub?"

Wei Lingfeng nodded, sat in the pear‑wood chair I had offered, and relaxedly closed his eyes.

Weary, powerless, bitter… I flexed my fingers skillfully, yet my gaze remained fixed on that young face that had weathered vicissitudes. This emperor who never falters before people, this emperor who had long forgotten how to be weak—only now did he reveal such fragility.

Wei Lingfeng, even if only for this, I cannot ignore your struggle and pain!

"Bing Yi, enough." Wei Lingfeng seized my wrist, lifted his eyes slightly to look at me, and said softly: "I'm much better now."

I nodded, tried to pull my hand back, but he held it fast, and I whispered: "Wei Lingfeng…"

"Bing Yi, you won't leave me, will you?" He looked at me, asking word by word, a question I could not answer.

I pressed my lips, tried to withdraw my hand, but could not speak. My wrist tightened; I gave a low cry, and felt the world spin three hundred sixty degrees. In a daze I opened my eyes to find myself facing that handsome face, those eyes deep as black jewels.

"Everything, I can endure, as long as you stay by my side."

"Endure…?" I murmured to myself. Wei Lingfeng actually says "endure" too?

Before me it darkened; his scorching lips, loaded with endless love and desire, pressed against mine, rolling, sucking, entwining. Even the lips could feel the cracked lines beneath that scorching heat.

I did not move, did not resist, gently closed my eyes; tears slid from the corners of my eyes, dripping onto the back of my hand clenched on the chair's edge—scorching…… scorching……

Sorry, sorry…… Wei Lingfeng!

Tomorrow marks the deadline of the three‑day order.

(End of chapter)