"The army has not a scrap of fabric to ward off the cold, while the Pri Minister has gold to build houses. Rewards and punishnts are unclear, people are treated as worthless. With such a muddled leader, why should a general be loyal like a dog or horse?"
Pei Jue grasped her hand, his gaze becoming slightly heavy.
"Years of constant warfare have depleted the treasury. According to old practices, the Northern Yong Army should levy food and taxes locally..."
This was Jin Country’s Imperial Court’s rationale.
After the Northern Yong Army occupied places like Wanning and Andu, they should have, according to tradition, levied food and taxes locally to fund military expenses.
In other words, they should feed off the land as they fight.
However, because of Pei Jue’s warti policies, which included land distribution and tax exemptions to relieve the people, the common folk’s lives improved but military expenses were reduced.
Feng Yun felt that this was Pei Jue making excuses for Li Sangruo, she snorted with laughter and looked at him:
"In my view, this is the Imperial Court’s warning to the general. They don’t want you to act unilaterally in the future."
Pei Jue was silent.
Feng Yun bent down to pick up so food for Pei Jue and tried to feed him.
Pei Jue frowned and turned his head away, resisting.
Feng Yun’s hand hovered in mid-air, insistent on feeding him.
Pei Jue was silent for a mont before finally opening his mouth.
Feng Yun smiled as she brought the food to his lips, the sharpness in her eyes shattering, her voice like a gentle breeze.
"When a strong general serves a weak state, it’s only natural for the Imperial Court to be wary of the general. But the hearts of people are made of flesh; the soldiers have followed the general through life and death on the battlefield, and to end up with their food and warmth being skimped on, isn’t that coldhearted?"
After speaking, she saw Pei Jue furrowing his brows, then smiled again.
"Doesn’t it taste good?"
Pei Jue said, "It’s delicious."
Feng Yun knew so things couldn’t be rushed, especially for soone as stubborn as Pei Jue. To have him betray the Great Jin Dynasty and Li Sang was probably much more difficult than convincing his elder brother to break with Xiao Cheng.
She knew she couldn’t hurry him, nor could she press him too hard, as too overt intentions could backfire.
Thus she said no more, but leaned in close, breathing out a fragrance.
"There’s sothing even better, General. Do you want to try it..."
Pei Jue looked down as a small hand grasped the bulge below his abdon.
The young lady gazed up at him, her eyes as soft as if they were dripping with tenderness, gently stroking, "I’ll attend to the general well tonight."
Pei Jue: ...
Wasn’t it her period?
Feng Yun boldly t his gaze, looking at that stern face and deep eyes, suddenly feeling very excited, and with a secret squeeze, she sighed soundlessly with her lips, "so big."
Pei Jue’s breath tightened, and he gritted his teeth, "Lady Yun..."
That little hand moved gently and slowly, and with tickling sensations transmitted through the fabric, he almost instantly awoke with arousal.
"This is the military camp."
"I understand," Feng Yun leaned forward slightly, her slender waist twisting, revealing a tempting view of her chest, her delicate, pale, tender skin almost glowing, utterly provocative.
Pei Jue reached out to embrace her, but the young lady slipped away, stood up, and elegantly curtsied to him.
"General, co back early tonight."
Having said that, she flitted away lightly like a butterfly.
Pei Jue watched her retreating figure, pinching his fingers together.
The light touch left a sensation like smooth cream on his skin.
He looked down at the eager arousal beneath his belly and closed his eyes slightly.
"Zuo Zhong."
Zuo Zhong stepped forward and bowed, "Here at your service."
Pei Jue told him what Feng Yun had said earlier, and commanded in a deep voice.
"Send soone to Mingquan Town."
-
Night fell, and a light rain began to fall in Xinzhou City, the temperature dropping suddenly as if to freeze people to death, with no pedestrians visible on the streets, and even Chunng Hall had closed its doors early. Even the young sea creatures were cold enough to shrink into Feng Yun’s bedding, only sticking out their heads.
A charcoal stove was lit in the room, wafting a faint, elusive fragrance.
Feng Yun looked at the rain outside the window and called to Xiaoman.
"Prepare the water, I want to bathe."
She calculated the ti; Pei Jue should be arriving soon.
After a thought, she instructed Xiaoman to heat more water on the stove just in case.
Xiaoman humd in agreent, her cheeks flushed.
She was gradually beginning to understand that the General would co to be intimate with the lady, and then more hot water would be needed...
Thinking of those sounds that made her blush, she left with flushed ears, inexplicably thinking of the Left Guard...
And then, he appeared before her.
"Xiaoman, is the lady present?"
Xiaoman thought she was seeing things, hallucinating.
It wasn’t until Zuo Zhong bowed to her, speaking again to remind her.
Xiaoman snapped back to reality, so embarrassed she stamred, "She is, she is... The lady asked to prepare water... Xiaoman to prepare water for the General..."
The more she spoke, the more confused she beca.
She felt even more embarrassed.
Zuo Zhong didn’t seem to understand, or perhaps he did, as he looked with surprise at the blush on her face and said, "Please announce my arrival, I have urgent matters to report."
Feng Yun, who had heard their exchange from the inner room, was sowhat amused.
After dressing, she draped a cloak over her shoulders and ca out, asking carelessly, "Left Guard, what brings you here?"
Zuo Zhong lowered his eyes and perford a respectful bow.
"The General has urgent business in Pingyang, and sent to inform the lady that he will return to Xinzhou City in several days; there’s no need for concern."
What was he doing in Pingyang at this critical juncture?
Feng Yun was puzzled, but she did not press further and simply nodded with a smile.
"Understood."
Zuo Zhong bowed again hastily and then hurried off.
Xiaoman saw Feng Yun standing there motionless and asked cautiously,
"Lady, shall I still prepare the water?"
Feng Yun glanced at her, "Just because the General isn’t coming, does that an I no longer need to bathe?"
Xiaoman sensed the lady’s poor mood and responded with an "Oh," pursing her lips as she went down.
The night was cool, and the wind blew sharply against the windows, wailing.
That night, Feng Yun found it hard to sleep, tossing and turning restlessly.
Aozi seed to sense his master’s mood, exposing his belly to her, eyes round and belly up, not moving at all.
Feng Yun stroked its soft belly, not knowing when she fell asleep.
As the dawn broke the next day, the rain had not stopped.
After breakfast, Feng Yun had Ge Guang call Cong Wentian to discuss the affairs of Mingquan Hall.
Unexpectedly, Ge Guang brought back another piece of news.
"I heard that the Imperial Court suddenly issued a decree last night," Ge Guang said.
Feng Yun’s heart skipped a beat, "Do you know what it was about?"
Ge Guang replied: "The Empress Dowager has co to Xinzhou and has ordered the General to Pingyang to greet her."
Pingyang lay midway between the Central Capital and Xinzhou. It was still another two hundred miles from Andu County—coming from the Central Capital, one must pass through Pingyang—
With ti still before the armistice talks, summoning the General to greet her from such a distance, Li Sangruo knew how to throw her weight around.
As for Pei Jue...
He was truly devoted.
Even knowing she was waiting, he left without looking back.
Feng Yun’s lips curved into a light smile, her eyes cool, an inexplicable rage flaring in her heart.
Those scenes she hadn’t thought of for a long ti, the sight of Li Sangruo in the Andu Villa with his body covered in indecent marks, suddenly leaped into her mind.
"Lady!"
Daman called to her from under the eaves, holding an umbrella.
"General Ao seeks an audience."
Feng Yun: "Do not admit him."
Her face was expressionless, her voice extrely cold.
Daman jumped, closing the umbrella, then spoke in a low voice, "The servant girl saw General Ao with a fish, saying it was for Aozi, to feed Aozi..."
Feng Yun lifted her eyelids, kept silent for a mont, then let them fall again.
"Let him in."
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