CH 41

It unexpectedly turned out to be like this! 

Cao Gang’s ten fingers squeezed tightly into the weeds in front of him.

He had already had doubts in his heart before, and had been carefully paying attention to everything between the two of them. Others could not see the clues, but how could Cao Gang be unable to see it? Even if a person’s interpersonal encounters change, the mentality is still more or less retained. In his previous life, he followed him for ten years, naturally no one knows more than him how the Red Tiger King reacts when his mood fluctuates.

He was deeply worried, and when he saw the two of them riding out of the camp one after the other, he followed them all the way out. Following the traces of the horse’s hooves, as a result, this was the scene he saw.

He couldn’t help but be torn with anxiety.

His wisdom was hard and strong, pure and guarded, he was not a man who drowned under someone’s skirt like that. But looking at the scene in front of him, his heart couldn’t help but think secretly the Red Tiger King has been bewildered into losing his heart and soul on focusing on what’s most important. But that unique appearance as upright as a clean jade during the daytime unexpectedly has this seductive side to him as well. Looking at Red Tiger King’s obsessive fanatical appearance that looked as if he had lost his soul, he’s afraid that if that person tells him to go die, he would really do it for real!

To make Baosi* smile, King You of Zhou unexpectedly lit a fire beacon during a Fenghuo show**. If a man is in love, he would certainly be muddleheaded! 

* Baosi: King You of Zhou’s concubine.

** King You lit beacons that means they are getting attacked to make Baosi who usually doesn’t smile to smile. This makes other people think he’s lying and when they do get attacked, it became a problem

Cao Gang was very anxious. He glanced at them again and his heart jumped heavily——he simply couldn’t bear to look at it.

The king who was indifferent to the worldly affairs seemed to have dropped down so low now to be like an extremely greedy dog sticking his head in that dirty and nasty place. Arching his face sharply, accompanied by that changing sobbing tone, Cao Gang’s heart pounded and he hurriedly covered his face and quietly retreated. 

He crept away for a long time, waiting until the obscene and delicate movements behind him could hardly be heard, and then he let go of his hands and feet.

His chest rose and fell violently, he clenched his fists—something he was worried about had happened.

The Red Tiger King was obsessed with a person and it was a clever soul from the previous life that used his own body to trap Ni Lie. 

He doesn’t know what was between them, is it only lust or….. are there feelings involved.

If it’s the latter….Cao Gang couldn’t help but draw a breath of air.

In his previous life, he had thought that the Red Tiger King was heartless, but after the destruction of the city, he could still do so much for a palace girl who had been kind to him as a child, let alone this person.

Remembering the terrifying and furious appearance in his previous life, Cao Gang couldn’t help but feel a sharp pain in his head.

This is tricky!

***

The wind and waves were calm.

Two horses kicked their legs, snorted their nose not far away, and occasionally lowered their heads leisurely to eat grass peacefully under the moonlight.

Li Yuanmin had a piece of cloth covering his back. Lying on Ni Lie’s sweaty chest, his black hair was scattered and placed aside, revealing half of his snow back. Ni Lie caressed it, occasionally grabbing a handful of black hair and placing it on the tip of his nose to smell.

Li Yuanmin blushed, the corners of his eyes were still dripping with the pleasant lingering effect of the **. He snorted, as if bored while using his fingertips to stroke the cyan color of his chin. He grew up very fast, a day without shaving and he would already be full of beard. If he’s full of beard at this time, it would certainly make him hurt and itch everywhere. This time it was obvious that when he came, he dealt with it carefully.

His heart turned soft, he couldn’t help but raise his face and use his lips to touch that bright and clean chin. Ni Lie lowered his head, involuntarily sucking his lips. The two people pecked and kissed, full of tender feelings. Ni Lie flipped his body over before deepening the kiss. 

The sticky lips parted inch by inch, then Ni Lie’s sweat-stained upper body was propped up. He spread his arms to his chest pocket, took a piece of white thing folded into a square.

Li Yuanmin grabbed it: “What is this? ”

After seeing the familiar underwear, Li Yuanmin’s originally red face became even redder, “Return it back to me…”

He tucked his underwear behind his back so no one could see it.

Ni Lie sighed for half a day before he said, “What I wanted that day was a handkerchief.”

Li Yuanmin’s breath was hot, but he bit his lip and asked, “Could it be that you don’t like it?”

The person in front of him did not answer, only looked at him. He looked at him so much that Li Yuanmin’s body turned hot from head to toe, he resentfully pushed him, then did he hoarsely say: “How could I not like it.”

He moved a little closer, touching his hair. His breath poured onto Li Yuanmin’s face, and said, “Every day at this border… Does Your Highness know what I have done? ”

Li Yuanmin was too ashamed to say what he could have done, it was definitely something obscene that could not be said. One had to know that he was entangled with him earlier and Ni Lie’s big head coming in and sniffing him manically and fiercely, it was both hot and painful.

But for no reason, pity arose in his heart: “I should have come earlier.” 

He put his hands on his shoulders and raised his chin against his forehead.

Ni Lie Adam’s apple moved. Suddenly he turned and tilted his head, with his forearm lying across his eye socket.

For half a day, he hatefully said: “I can’t stand it anymore.”

Li Yuanmin’s heart was sour, pretending not to understand Ni Lie’s meaning, and only forced out a smiling face, “Idiot, aren’t we good now?”

”He wrapped his arms around his waist, his eyes watery: “Look, we can hug each other now.”

Ni Lie suddenly removed his forearm. An incomprehensible emotion floating in his eyes, he turned over violently and pressed Li Yuanmin under him, but when he saw the person in front of him frown slightly, he quickly wrapped his arms around his neck, showing a loving expression.

Ni Lie’s heart tightened and ached, there was an indescribably feeling in his stomach. He clearly requested for something outside of his boundaries, but he still indudged and offered everything to him without holding anything back.

There could be no one else in this world who would love him dearly like this.

Ni Lie’s breath slightly trembled, a strange indescribable sourness filled his heart. He leaned down. The thick wheat colored arm passed around his thin waist, making the slender snow-colored body tightly wrap into his arms, with his head buried deep within his neck.

The tip of Li Yuanmin’s nose was also sour and his eyes were red, he only steadied his body before patting his head: “In the future, I will find more opportunities to come over.”

They can’t be together in the eyes of the world in a bright and upright way, and those affections that were buried deep within the bone marrow cannot be allowed to see the light at all. They will be like this forever——How could he have nothing to complain about but naturally he can’t say anything about it. He can only suppress it back while using his body to coax him: “Tomorrow we can find an opportunity to sneak out again, I will follow whatever you want to do to me, alright?”

It was he who changed his life and also gave him a love that could not be announced to the world. He did not regret it at all, for this child who he had personally raised, as long as he had something, he would give it to him.

The young man lying down in front of him stopped talking. He reduced the weight that weighed down on Li Yuanmin before burying his face deep into that fragrant neck.

It was already deep in the night but both of them were reluctant to go back, reluctant to let go of this peace in the open willfully, but in the end they had to return painfully to the station of reality.

Li Yuanmin looked at the depressed youth walking in front, his heart was about to be crushed into pieces by his appearance.

***

Early the next morning, the campfire that burned all night only had carbon ash remaining. The embers scattered with white smoke disappeared into the slightly cold morning wind.

Following the heavy sound of the bugle horn, the barracks gradually became lively.

Ni Ying, dressed in a suit, called out at the tent door: “Your Highness.” 

It took a while before a voice came out from within the tent: “Ah Ying? Come In. ”

Ni Ying opened the curtain tent and went in. She found that His Highness had changed into new clothes today, not wearing the one prepared before the bath yesterday, and his neckline was very tight, as if he was afraid of the cold.

Ni Ying got closer and found that there seemed to be a little mark on his neckline, and couldn’t help but frown.

“Was Your Highness bitten by mosquitoes? ”

Li Yuanmin touched it uncomfortably before tightening his neckline: “Perhaps.”

“Lingnan’s mosquitoes are quite **. The weather is also cold.”  Ni Ying muttered and complained. She looked at Li Yuanmin again, and found that his face was glowing, his lips were rosy, with some light powder on his snow-white cheeks, looking like it was roughly applied. She couldn’t help but envy him. 

“However, I think Your Highness Gege slept very well last night, since your complexion looks really good.”

Li Yuanmin’s face was hot, he quietly changed the topic and asked about her day.

How could Ni Ying not get used to it, she’s like a fish in the water. She chattered with Li Yuanmin about what she had seen in the past two days.

Since the county garrison stationed themselves at the border, they wantonly annihilated several strongholds so that there was no more issue with barbarian invaders. The whole territory of Lingnan was restored to its former tranquility. Earlier this morning, there was a grateful old woman from the next village bringing fresh melons to the camp. Although it was politely rejected by the soldiers of the rear camp, she still insisted on leaving them here.

Ni Ying was also treated as a member of the county garrison, and was pulled by the old woman to express her gratitude repeatedly, which made her heart feel very pleased.

“By the way,” Ni Ying said excitedly, “Our county defenders have a new accountant, he’s a lot more skilled than the previous one.”

“Oh?” Li Yuanmin casually replied.

“Yes, he’s from the capital, what is his name again…. Cao Gang?”

Ni Ying thought about it for a while, and clasped her hands together: “Yes, it is Cao Gang, who was originally a teacher of the Five Classics of Confucianism. I heard he offended someone and was demoted to be a commoner now and was picked up by brother.”

She sighed, “I didn’t expect that among the rough people in our county garrison, there was actually a talent who scored top at the palace examination!” 

She spoke happily when she saw Li Yuanmin stare blankly in a daze.

“Your Highness Gege, what is wrong with you?”

Li Yuanmin sobered up, pulled the corners of his mouth, and patted her head: “Nothing.” 

“I’m a little hungry,” he instructed, “Can you go and check if breakfast is ready?”

Ni Ying swiftly went out.

As soon as the light dimmed, Li Yuanmin took a few steps back and slowly sat down on the bed.

Cao Gang, the military counselor of the Red Tiger Army, it was said that he was as clever as a phoenix, possessing wisdom like Zhuge, the general under the Red Tiger King in his previous life. The two people seized the opportunity amidst the unstable situation to breach through the capital and overturned the dynasty.

But why were they involved again in this life?

Li Yuanmin’s heart was uneasy. Remembering all of those predestined matters, he couldn’t help but show a grave expression. 

He had also been taught by Cao Gang as a child, and during his time in the Imperial School where he had been suffering from the bullies, he had also taken care of him. He was grateful for this, but later it was also him who assisted the Red Tiger King in breaking into the city. Li Yuanmin’s heart was quite complicated for this teacher who he did not have much interaction with.

How did he end up in Lingnan? How did he end up in A Lie’s troops for no reason? It seemed as if he recognized his master.

After thinking about it for half a day, he took a deep breath and suppressed this uneasiness–A Lie was no longer the brutal Red Tiger King of the previous life. He only harbored good intentions to use his tall and strong body to protect the Lingnan’s commoners’ peace. He would never again raise the butcher knife to slaughter innocents like in his previous life.

With this in mind, he settled his mind slightly, rubbed his brow, stood up, and walked outside the tent.

Just out of the tent, a lean middle-aged man was there, holding a picture book in his hand, and when he came out, he respectfully bowed his head.

“Your Highness, this is the map of the border you asked for yesterday. ”

He raised his head and stared intentionally or unintentionally into Li Yuanmin’s eyes, “I was late in sending you this document, I hope Your Highness won’t blame me.”

Li Yuanmin slightly pursed his lip, for half a day, before he took the map from his hand.

“We haven’t seen each other in years, I trust you have been well since we last met. Teacher.”

Li Yuanmin gently said.