Chapter 249: Revealing Heart and Mind

Seeing Jiang Jiang Mingyu in high spirits, Tian Jiu finally reported.

"My Lord, this is our army's battle report." Tian Jiu handed a sheet of paper to Jiang Jiang Mingyu, his face beaming with joy. "We annihilated nearly 8,000 enemy troops, while suffering only 2,000 losses ourselves. This is a great victory!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu took the battle report, read it carefully once, then said with a smile: "Good, good! General Tian, you have earned great merit. Tonight, I shall hold a banquet to celebrate your success!"

Tian Jiu hurriedly said modestly, "My Lord overestimates me. This is all the result of your wisdom and martial prowess. Your subordinate has merely contributed a little effort."

He paused for a moment, then asked, "My Lord, why did you order the army to stop at the thirty-li pursuit point just now? If we had pursued a few more li, perhaps we could have annihilated the entire enemy force!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu shook his head and said, "General Tian, you also know that we are now deep in enemy territory with no reinforcements. If we greedily seek glory without regard for consequences, we will instead be ambushed by the enemy. Although Fei Hou is dead, he still has many subordinates. They may set up ambushes along the road, or seek reinforcements from other parts of Jingzhou."

"We cannot take rash risks; we must advance steadily. There are still many obstacles ahead in Jingzhou, and we must handle them carefully. If we encounter a powerful enemy or a dire predicament, we will find it difficult to extricate ourselves."

Hearing Jiang Jiang Mingyu's analysis, Tian Jiu felt somewhat unwilling in his heart, yet he knew his words were reasonable. He could only nod and say, "My Lord speaks truly; your subordinate overthought it. Please forgive my presumption."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled, patted his shoulder, and said, "General Tian, you need not blame yourself. You are a fierce general of our army, and I have recorded your merits in my heart. Return to camp and rest first; tonight I still have matters to discuss with you."

Tian Jiu acknowledged with a sound, then took his leave.

That night, Jiang Jiang Mingyu sat in his tent, contemplating future strategy. Gazing at the starry sky on the horizon, he pondered how to attack the core region of Jingzhou.

Zhang Zhang Jiaqi accompanied him on the side, ever vigilant against any potential changes.

"Miss Zhang," Jiang Jiang Mingyu suddenly turned to Zhang Zhang Jiaqi and asked, "Do you think my decision to halt the pursuit just now was overly cautious? If I had pressed forward more boldly, perhaps we could have directly stormed into Jingzhou."

"What Elder Brother did was certainly the wise course," Zhang Zhang Jiaqi affirmed. "Greedily pursuing the enemy would only plunge oneself into crisis. Elder Brother will surely advance the front line step by step, giving the enemy no opportunity."

Hearing Zhang Zhang Jiaqi's words, Jiang Jiang Mingyu felt somewhat comforted. He asked again, "What do you think Fei Hou's mood is now, having learned of his defeat?"

"He must be terrified, having lost all hope!" Zhang Zhang Jiaqi said mercilessly. "If Elder Brother launches one more offensive, Fei Hou will be utterly destroyed!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded, a trace of resolve flashing in his eyes. He said, "Then let us fight again tomorrow, for the sake of all people under heaven."

Zhang Zhang Jiaqi also nodded and said, "I will always accompany Elder Brother and serve Elder Brother Jiang!"

The two exchanged a smile, then continued discussing military affairs.

"By the way, Elder Brother Jiang, this was brought by a messenger from Huicangzhou," Zhang Zhang Jiaqi said. "It is a letter from Miss Liu Liu Yifei written to you."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu took the letter, opened it, and saw that it read:

"Jiang Lang:

Since you departed for war, I have worried day and night about your safety. Hearing that you have repeatedly earned merit, my heart is filled with both joy and concern. I am joyful that you can serve the country and the people, yet concerned whether you will return safely. I know Miss Zhang assists you; she is a clever and capable woman, and you should cherish her greatly. But you must also remember that there is still one person in this world who will forever wait for your return. That person is me.

Once you return, we can hold our wedding. I have already begun preparing my wedding dress and dowry. I long for that day to arrive, for the moment we meet and embrace. I hope you can end the war soon and return safely. I am waiting for you here.

Liu Liu Yifei"

After reading the letter, a trace of tenderness and expectation flashed in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes. He put the letter away and said to Zhang Zhang Jiaqi, "Thank you for delivering this letter for me."

Seeing his expression, Zhang Zhang Jiaqi felt a pang of bitterness in her heart. She knew his feelings for Liu Liu Yifei were profound and unfathomable, and she knew that in his heart she was merely an assistant. Yet she still could not bear to give up; she still wanted to strive once more.

"Elder Brother Jiang," she called softly, "the matters you entrusted have been handled, and the messenger has already set out for Huicangzhou to report."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled slightly: "You have worked hard, Zhang Jiaqi. Without your presence by my side, our army could not have achieved today's victory."

Hearing the praise, Zhang Zhang Jiaqi's face flushed, her heart trembling uncontrollably—Could Elder Brother Jiang have perceived her affection for him? She dared not meet Jiang Jiang Mingyu's gaze, and only replied in a low voice, "This is merely my duty; Elder Brother speaks too heavily."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sensed her unusual state and understood her inner thoughts. Zhang Zhang Jiaqi harbored feelings for him that surpassed friendship, but he was already betrothed to Liu Liu Yifei beforehand and could not betray her after her long years of assisting him in various places.

Thus Jiang Jiang Mingyu spoke: "Zhang Jiaqi, we both know that Liu Liu Yifei and I have been betrothed since long ago; we have been like siblings since childhood, with deep affection..."

Hearing this, Zhang Zhang Jiaqi's heart tightened. She knew the relationship between the two and understood the efforts Liu Liu Yifei had made for Jiang Jiang Mingyu. Yet she could not suppress her unwillingness—After she had fought north and south for Jiang Jiang Mingyu, was her contribution worth nothing at all?

"Elder Brother Jiang, I do not care about these things," she summoned her courage and looked directly at Jiang Jiang Mingyu. "You know how much I care for you; you understand my feelings..."

As she spoke, Zhang Zhang Jiaqi's face turned crimson with shame. In this era, for a woman to confess her feelings to a man was truly no easy task.

Yet Jiang Jiang Mingyu was still startled by her directness. He had not expected Zhang Zhang Jiaqi to reveal her heart so openly, and for a moment he felt at a loss and guilty.

"Zhang Jiaqi, we are both people of the Jianghu..." Jiang Jiang Mingyu tried to reason further.

"What else are you saying?" Zhang Zhang Jiaqi interrupted him, her tone agitated. "Liu Liu Yifei toils and hustles for you; does my contribution count for nothing?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sighed: "Zhang Jiaqi, I know your feelings and see them clearly. But I truly cannot betray the long-standing efforts and trust Liu Liu Yifei has placed in me..."

Anger burned in Zhang Zhang Jiaqi's eyes; she felt her love and devotion had been slighted by Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

"Very well, since it is so, I shall no longer pester you!" Saying this, she turned and ran, leaving Jiang Jiang Mingyu standing silently in place.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu knew his words would inevitably hurt Zhang Zhang Jiaqi, but a short pain is better than a long one; it was far better than endless entanglement in the future.

He believed Zhang Zhang Jiaqi would surely understand; she would find a more suitable destiny for herself. For now, he could only sigh deeply, turn, and depart.