Chapter 1886

Xue Lingjun walked down the gangway, but unexpectedly saw among the crowd greeting her the figure of Li Chenzhou; she could hardly believe her eyes, she blinked hard, confirming it was Li Chenzhou without doubt. Although Li Chenzhou's lips bore a faint smile, his gaze was extremely gloomy.

It was no surprise for Li Chenzhou to appear at Miyang Water Fort, as he was the Supreme Commander of the Three Armies needing to inspect military affairs; in fact, Bei Jiang's forces had been completely monopolized by Weichi Chong, making it difficult for outsiders to intervene. After Weichi Chong returned to Yongdu and suffered repeated assassination attempts, he resolved to tighten control, and upon returning to Bei Jiang he greatly strengthened his grip on the army under the pretext of strict military discipline, eliminating many rivals. Li Chenzhou could only accept this situation, for Weichi Chong's position in the Da Yong army was irreplaceable. Thus Li Chenzhou could only turn his attention to other parts of the forces, especially the navy.

After Xue Lingjun bathed and changed clothes, Li Chenzhou came to pay a visit. She dismissed the maidservants, sat before the mirror and calmly combed her long hair, watching Li Chenzhou slowly approach in the mirror, and said softly, "I never expected you to come fetch me!"

Li Chenzhou stopped about five feet away from her, silently gazing at Xue Lingjun's back, and said in a low voice, "I happened to be inspecting the navy here, and I never expected you to arrive at this time."

Xue Lingjun looked at Li Chenzhou in the mirror and smiled: "I thought you had come especially for me, but it turns out it was just a coincidence."

Li Chenzhou said, "You don't want me to come?"

Xue Lingjun said, "You're so busy, handling myriad affairs, I dare not hope..." After a pause she added, "This time I failed to complete the mission."

Li Chenzhou said, "As long as Black Hu fails to ally with Dakang, this trip can be considered successful."

Xue Lingjun sighed, "I haven't even met the Yongyang Princess."

Li Chenzhou said, "It doesn't matter; after all, your purpose in going to Kangdu wasn't to see her!"

Xue Lingjun's hand paused for a moment, then she vigorously combed her damp hair; her scalp felt a prickling pain, for she had inadvertently pulled out a few strands. Realizing Li Chenzhou's earlier remark had another meaning, she said softly, "You think I went to Kangdu to see whom?"

Li Chenzhou chuckled, "Why must some things be spelled out so clearly?"

Xue Lingjun turned around abruptly, coldly staring at Li Chenzhou, and asked, "Have you heard some rumors?"

Li Chenzhou said, "Wind does not rise from a hole for no reason!"

Xue Lingjun sighed, slowly rose to her feet, and said, "I don't care what outsiders say; I only care what you think."

"I do care!" Li Chenzhou clenched his fists, his eyes fixed on Xue Lingjun, his gaze seeming ready to ignite at any moment; his expression sent a chill through Xue Lingjun's heart.

Li Chenzhou slowly approached Xue Lingjun and said, "You and Hu Xiaotian are nothing but lingering feelings!"

Xue Lingjun shook her head, "I am heartless to begin with, so what lingering feelings could there be? Chenzhou, don't believe those boring rumors; they are deliberately spread to drive a wedge between us and create a rift."

Li Chenzhou gave a cold chuckle, "I know every move you make in Kangdu—when you met Hu Xiaotian, how long you talked, and even that you spent a night together at Mingqing Pavilion."

Xue Lingjun widened her eyes in astonishment, stammering, "What nonsense! You actually had someone follow me!"

Li Chenzhou said, "If your heart is clean, why fear being followed?"

Xue Lingjun snapped, "I naturally have nothing to fear; I'm pure and innocent, so what is there to fear?"

Li Chenzhou sneered, "Pure? You don't even deserve the word—over the years, the shameless lovers you've had are too many to count!"

Unable to contain her anger any longer, Xue Lingjun raised her hand to strike Li Chenzhou's face, but he seized her wrist; she shouted angrily, "Let go of me, don't let this slut dirty your hand!"

Li Chenzhou's anger had reddened his eyes: "I have given you my whole heart, yet you are still unsatisfied!"

Xue Lingjun fumed, "Li Chenzhou, I've had enough of you! I am not your wife, nor your exclusive property; what I do outside and who I am with need not be reported to you. From now on, you are you, I am I, and there will be nothing between us."

Finally admitting it?

Xue Lingjun painfully shook her head, straining to break free from Li Chenzhou's ever-tightening grip; in matters of the heart Li Chenzhou is almost unreasonable, and she cannot fathom how someone so wise could have such a great flaw in his feelings.

Did you and Hu Xiaotian in Kangdu do something wrong against me?

Xue Lingjun snapped, "I have done nothing to disappoint you; what I do with him need not be explained to you..."

"Slut!" Li Chenzhou suddenly raised his hand and gave Xue Lingjun a hard slap, knocking her off balance so she fell to the ground, her forehead striking the corner of the dressing table and blood pouring out.

Seeing Xue Lingjun so badly injured, Li Chenzhou's agitated emotions finally calmed; he rushed forward and embraced her, saying, "Lingjun… you… are you alright? I didn't mean to…"

Blood blurred Xue Lingjun's eyes; she looked at Li Chenzhou, furious yet laughing, and let out a chuckle.

Li Chenzhou was instead startled by her expression; he extended a finger to tap her acupoint to staunch the bleeding, anxiously saying, "I'll go fetch a doctor right away—I trust you, I trust you..."

"What do you trust me about?"

Li Chenzhou said, "I trust that you are pure with him..."

Xue Lingjun shook her head, "You guessed right—I have rekindled my old romance with him, and I like him."

Li Chenzhou's face turned pale instantly; he pretended not to hear, and said softly, "I'll go get a doctor… your… your forehead is injured."

Xue Lingjun clearly realized her true wound was internal; she finally understood why Jian Rongxin chose to leave Li Chenzhou, and she chuckled, "You don't want to hear this? You were just eager to know? I'll tell you—I'm a slut; how could a slut place her heart on a man, especially when this man is utterly incapable? Do you hate Hu Xiaotian? Are you jealous of him, because you simply can't compare to him?"

Li Chenzhou raised his hand.

Xue Lingjun fearlessly met his gaze: "Besides beating women, what else can you do? You disgust me; I have never felt satisfied being with you."

Li Chenzhou burst into a furious roar, he suddenly shoved Xue Lingjun to the ground and tore at her skirt desperately; she lay motionless, staring at the ceiling like a corpse, while tears streamed incessantly from the corners of her eyes.

Li Chenzhou's madness suddenly subsided; his face turned an unprecedented pallor as he staggered to his feet, fury and jealousy destroying all his masculine self-respect, even his most basic capability.

Xue Lingjun realized what had happened to him, and a hint of contempt curled her lips.

Another update, Zhangyu writes as much as he writes, the first day of the month, the countdown to the end, those with monthly tickets, come cast your votes! (To be continued~^~)