Chapter 5, Age
Chengduo removed the single layer of clothing she was wearing, pulled her hand around his neck, and embraced her cries and shivers. Chengduo rarely kissed women, but this time was an exception; he was seldom gentle with women, yet this time was an exception.
The East gently said, "I naturally know. I just wanted to inform you."
The force of her bite on his shoulder gradually lessened, and she slowly leaned back from his shoulder, her usually clear eyes now gazing at him in a daze. The deep and profound look in his eyes faded, yet they remained clear as they looked at her. He noticed that her once sharp gaze had turned into a mere fragility, and he leaned down to kiss her lips. He deepened the kiss, receiving her faint response. She felt his comforting intention and began to truly sob. He observed that her once sharp gaze had turned into a mere fragility, and he leaned down to kiss her lips. He deepened the kiss, receiving her faint response. She felt his comforting intention and began to truly sob.
Outside the tents, the whistle signaling the end of the drill was heard, and the soldiers gradually dispersed back to their respective tents. This was indeed the first day of the New Year, and everyone was somewhat elated, with the sounds of chatter and laughter rising even higher than usual, mixed with folk songs and jovial banter
The handwriting on the note is elegant and fluent, with just a few words stating: "Sister Jin respectfully presents this, Brother Wu, your labor is acknowledged: Yesterday, the court approved the battle, deploying 100,000 shrimp soldiers and several crab generals, as per your arrangements. I hope for a swift victory and wish you peace in the army. Yours sincerely, Jin."
Cheng Duo nodded: "Thank you for informing me"
Cheng Duo found that the report took longer than he had imagined; by the time he finished reading, he had already heard the third drum strike. He slightly raised his head, still pondering the official document sent to him by Prince Cheng Xian, who was stationed in Yunzhou. The tone was understated and formal, discussing the situation of the Hu people launching an attack along the front line in Yunzhou following the surprise raid in Yanzhou.
The East, still unhurried, said with elegance: "This is where you are mistaken. The Rooster belongs to Yin Metal, how can it withstand so much Wood? Metal can generate Water, and the color of Water is black. His complexion is dark and gloomy, which is due to the excessive presence of Water."
Cheng Duo silently gazed at her for a while, then stood up and walked over to sit on the mat beside the food table at the side of the tent
Zhao Sun advised from the side: "It's just a few words, why are you making such a fuss? Mr. Dongfang and Miss Mingji are esteemed guests of the prince, and we can at least be considered half hosts. On this first day of the new year, everyone is watching the spectacle."
Cheng Duo heard that he was truly angry, so he did not step forward but instead moved aside, hiding in the corner of the tent. From the gap in the crowd, he saw Yang Youlin standing opposite Dongfang, with Ming Ji hiding behind Dongfang, wearing a playful smile.
When Chengduo woke up, the daylight had already brightened, shining into the tent. He knew it was late, yet he lay still. The woman was still buried in the quilt, soundly asleep. As he moved slightly, she buried her head and burrowed into the darkness, lazily and sleepily like a kitten. Chengduo silently gazed at her for a moment, then quietly got up and put on his clothes
He purely wanted to comfort her, yet deeply felt comforted himself
Yang Youlin has always been unable to outtalk others, not even Zhao Sun, let alone a mischievous girl. It seems that today he can no longer endure, and there is no need to endure any longer. He then said in a loud voice: "Your sister is talkative and sharp-tongued; she is a girl, and I will not argue with her! Since you are her brother, I will only debate with you!"
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Cheng Duo tilted his head to take a look, quickly grabbing it and folding it into the books on the table behind him. Since it was a private letter, Cheng Jin teased him inside with some playful remarks, which was somewhat disrespectful, so he smiled and said: "My younger sister has already arrived in the capital, and the letter brought by my attendant was carelessly scribbled; it was my oversight to place it there by mistake." At the same time, he sorted out the imperial edict and handed it to him
She slowly stood up from the mat, walked to his side, and lowered her head. Chengduo gestured for her to sit down, and she sat on the ground. He handed the plate to her, and she took a piece of the bread he had cut, nibbling on it slowly, eating at an extremely slow pace. Even with such careful chewing, she still found it difficult to eat. Chengduo then brought over a half-full cup of leftover goat's milk and placed it on the edge of the table. She glanced at him again, seemingly wanting to confirm that it was for her, before picking it up and sipping it in small mouthfuls, taking a long time to finish the piece of bread. Chengduo then brought over a half-full cup of leftover goat's milk and placed it on the edge of the table. She glanced at him again, seemingly wanting to confirm that it was for her, before picking it up and sipping it in small mouthfuls, taking a long time to finish the piece of bread.
Hearing him speak, Dongfang understood that in the military, seniority and capability were of utmost importance. As a newcomer, he was receiving special treatment from Chengduo, which might not sit well with the soldiers surrounding him, especially Yang and Zhao, who were only restrained by Chengduo's prestige. Moreover, considering Yang's straightforward nature, he would not easily accept an apology; it would require some provocation to truly stir him.
Chengduo felt as if she wanted to see into her own heart, and suddenly became very displeased. With a wave of her sleeve, she extinguished the light. She took off her outer garment and got into bed, embracing her to sleep. The firelight in the tent dimmed, with only the brazier on the ground still flickering faintly. The person in her arms breathed evenly and slowly fell asleep, but Chengduo, gazing at the top of the tent, still had no desire to sleep
Chengduo stood up with several reports in hand, circled around the desk, and was about to walk out. As he stepped forward, he suddenly saw a gray shadow on the ground, unable to stop his momentum, he simply leaped, jumping a distance of half a zhang. Looking back, he remembered that it was the woman with the indifferent gaze sent by King Xiu Tu, whom he had asked Zheyi to bring over. He lifted the curtain and called out to Zheyi, who hurried over. Chengduo handed him the documents and instructed him to send them down overnight, and to bring back some food.
The East received the imperial edict, but did not open it, only asking: "One hundred thousand?"
He stood in front of the desk, glanced at the military newspaper he had read last night, no longer looking at the librarian, gathered his hair with his hand, and walked straight out of the tent. The bright sunlight shone on him, and he felt refreshed. He took a deep breath twice, called for Zheyi, and said without any emotion: "Get her out of here." After saying this, he did not wait for Zheyi to respond and turned to leave.
Cheng Duo followed Dong Fang into his tent and thought to himself that it was somewhat inappropriate not to have intervened when Yang Youlin was about to take action. Therefore, he did not allow him to speak first and instead asked, "Brother Ran, how have you been finding your stay here these past few days?"
Cheng Duo asked what was strange. Dongfang Dao replied: "Someone has gone through my belongings."
Uncertain how much time had passed, the person in his arms began to tremble faintly, her breathing becoming erratic. Chengduo realized she was crying. He lay still, listening quietly as she slowly transformed into a fish struggling in a net, caught in a nightmarish panic and fear. Chengduo turned over, pinning her beneath him, cupping her face and shaking it gently, whispering: "Wake up"
Turning back, Chengduo saw the blanket on the ground lying still. He walked over, grabbed a corner, and pulled it. The person beneath the blanket was startled awake by the sudden light, slowly coming to consciousness. She slightly turned her head and saw Chengduo, blinking her eyes a couple of times before gradually sitting up. The expression of confusion and unawareness on her face transformed into calmness after she woke up, accompanied by a hint of coldness, as she silently gazed at the fire basin. Chengduo looked at her. Her eyelashes cast shadows on her elegantly straight nose, and the firelight illuminated her pale face. The expression of confusion and unawareness on her face transformed into calmness after she woke up, accompanied by a hint of coldness, as she silently gazed at the fire basin. Chengduo looked at her. Her eyelashes cast shadows on her elegantly straight nose, and the firelight illuminated her pale face. She was still wearing that snow satin garment, but the marks had faded, indicating that it had been washed. She was barefoot.
After exchanging more than ten moves, he transformed his palm into a fist. This time, Dongfang did not evade, extending his five fingers to grasp his fist and pulling back. At first, Yang Youlin felt as if this punch had struck cotton, a force sinking like a stone into the sea, followed by a lingering strength that pulled him, causing him to stagger forward a few steps, but ultimately he managed to steady himself.
As time progresses and years alternate, even in this icy world and amidst the tension of conflict, the joy in people's hearts cannot be hindered
Everything in the camp was as usual. He walked to the west end and noticed a crowd gathered not far away. Chengduo couldn't help but frown; just as he was about to approach, he suddenly heard a voice from the east saying, "Although Mingji is mischievous and playful, she is still a child at heart. General Yang has something to say, so there is no need to get angry." Upon hearing this, Chengduo immediately knew that Mingji had once again provoked Yang Youlin.
Seeing his expression, Dongfang understood that he had his own plans, so he slowly pressed the document back into the stack of papers: "I don't think we can engage in battle in the near future; we should wait until spring when the snow melts. During this period, it would be advisable to rectify military discipline and conduct training exercises."
How do you know that someone has looked through it
Cheng Duo asked in surprise: "What can be lost with the map and the book?"
Chengduo nodded, "One hundred thousand." Seeing Dongfang lost in thought and silent, Chengduo continued at a measured pace, "I plan to claim two hundred seventy thousand."
In battles between two armies, the number of troops is often rounded to an integer for the sake of intimidation. This is a common practice in military strategy; however, Cheng Duo specifically chose the odd number twenty-seven, which seemed rather pretentious and further blurred the line between truth and falsehood.
At this moment, the sound of the drum had already struck four times. The night was calm and the wind still, with silence enveloping the surroundings. On such a quiet New Year's Eve, Cheng Duo had lost count of how many he had experienced. This should have been a day of celebration, yet he buried himself in paperwork, unseen by anyone. He wondered why he thought of bringing her here today; he did not particularly desire her, or rather, he wanted to see her.
At this moment, Yang Youlin's expression was anything but gloomy; if his eyes could shoot fire, the Dongfang siblings would have already been engulfed in flames. He immediately raised his hand and pointed at Dongfang, saying: "The General has summoned you here; why do you bully others so excessively!" Before he could finish his words, he struck out with a palm. Ming Ji did not turn around; instead, she leaped backward gracefully, landing lightly on the ground while still smiling and saying: "The force is too heavy. Being overly strong will lead to future difficulties."
I did not say much either. I said... I said that Brother Yang's name seems to indicate a lack of wood in his birth chart, which is why he needs to supplement it. However, he always has a gloomy expression, likely because the metal of the Rooster in the middle is suppressing him. The people nearby listened to her clear and melodious voice, and although she spoke with great conviction, it was amusing, yet they did not dare to laugh, only Zhao Sun let out a soft "hee".
As the eve of the New Year arrived, the weather was dry and cold. Cheng Duo remained vigilant against potential sneak attacks from Hu Di, not allowing any relaxation; instead, he intensified the scrutiny at each post. He himself sat in the inner tent, reviewing the reports from the past ten days. The Eastern faction had drafted several regulations, which were disseminated throughout the army to maintain discipline, and rewards and punishments began to be reported back in succession.
Zhao Sun looked towards Dongfang, clasped his fists, and smiled slightly before following Yang Youlin. Ming Ji took a couple of steps forward, seemingly about to speak, but Dongfang shot her a fierce glare, causing her to hold her tongue. The soldiers watching were quite astonished, seeing such a handsome and elegant scholar as Dongfang, who, without a single move, had rendered Cheng Duo's subordinate general speechless and made him leave. They all gasped in surprise and shook their heads, gradually dispersing.
Cheng Xi is the younger brother, and his position is beneath Cheng Duo. In the documents he received, there was not a single word of greeting. This lack of warmth from Cheng Duo is not surprising; after all, brothers within the royal family are not particularly close, and he and Cheng Xi cannot be said to have any friendship. What he finds strange is why this time the emperor has assigned him to command the troops of Yanyun in Yanzhou, while Cheng Xi remains in Yunzhou without moving, which makes him vaguely feel that there is some ulterior motive behind it
The East has smiled
The East also does not m. hetushu. comcom mentioned the matter just now, smiling gently: "It's a habit. It's just that something strange happened in this tent while I was away yesterday afternoon."
Cheng Duo could speak a little of the Hu language, but he was too lazy to do so. This woman was originally taken by the Xiu Tu Wang, and it was unclear where she was from; who knew what language she could understand. Lowering his head to cut the food, he couldn't help but glance at her again; her eyes were clear and calm. Cheng Duo himself did not know why, but he raised his hand and beckoned to her.
The Eastern figure suddenly turned around and said to Chengduo, "General, may I have a word with you?" Upon realizing he had been noticed, Chengduo had no choice but to step forward. As soon as Mingji saw Chengduo, she immediately became obedient and respectfully bent her knee to him. Chengduo smiled and said, "Why are you being so polite? If you don't tease me, it makes me feel uneasy with your courtesy." Mingji blushed and stood silently beside the Eastern figure.
When Zheyi entered with food, he saw Chengduo sitting to one side, gazing at the woman on the ground. His expression was not cold or serious; rather, it contained a hint of curiosity. Zheyi placed the food in front of Chengduo, who said, "You can go down now, no need to wait here." The tent was filled with the aroma of food, and Chengduo began to cut into the meal with a dagger
Yang Youlin felt a gentle pat on his left shoulder. When he turned around, Dongfang had somehow moved behind him. His left shoulder sank, and he turned to strike at Dongfang again. Dongfang remained composed, effortlessly evading the attack. Yang Youlin quickened his pace, attacking from both sides, yet he always fell just short by a hair's breadth, unable to land a hit on Dongfang
Upon her arrival at the military camp, Ming Ji found everything to be quite novel. The soldiers in the camp were captivated by such a lovely girl, who looked around with curiosity every day, making everything seem even more refreshing. Ming Ji was also quite approachable; as long as one did not provoke her, she would respond generously. Since Cheng Duo had given orders, who would dare to offend her? Thus, she maintained a relatively harmonious relationship with others in the camp, except for Yang Youlin. Ever since their first encounter, she had been at odds with Yang Youlin. Therefore, she maintained a relatively harmonious relationship with others in the camp, except for Yang Youlin. Ever since their first encounter, she had been at odds with Yang Youlin.
Thus, Chengduo submitted a memorial in response to the imperial decree and issued orders, commanding over one hundred thousand troops, claiming a total of two hundred seventy thousand, to deploy and arrange their forces along the Yan and Yun front. It was the height of winter, and although the Hu people resented it, they did not dare to advance lightly, resulting in a stalemate between both sides.
After years of military life, he was more accustomed to using a knife rather than chopsticks. She lifted her head to take a glance, not at him, but at his food, and then quickly focused on the fire pit, as if she were intent on warming herself. Chengduo said, "Come here." She raised her pair of glancing eyes to look at Chengduo, yet remained still, seemingly unable to understand.
Her tranquility possesses a calming magic, intricate, profound, and enigmatic. In youth, when faced with setbacks, one often seeks to express their grievances; yet as one ages, the desire to speak often wanes. This woman seems like a natural mute. She harbors no desire to speak, nor does Cheng Duo; she does not possess the despair of giving up, and Cheng Duo similarly does not.
Turning back, Dongfang spoke to him in a loud voice: "Ming Ji has been mischievous and disrespectful, and has offended you many times in recent days. My guidance has been inadequate, and I now apologize to General Yang on her behalf." As he spoke, he deeply bowed to Yang Youlin. Yang Youlin listened in a daze, said nothing, returned the bow, and turned to leave.
Ming Ji busily feigned a moment of realization: "So that's how it is"
Eastern Dao: "Not lost, it seems this person is curious, rummaging through one by one; it appears he is habitually curious, often going through others' belongings, thus everything is placed back in its original order."
Zheyi walked in carrying a rolled gray blanket. Chengduo did not look up or glance over, simply saying, "Put it down." Zheyi then placed the blanket on the ground, bowed slightly, and exited. Chengduo continued to read the memorial in his hands, stacking the ones he had read from the left side of the desk to the right. The blanket on the ground stirred slightly, and a delicate, fair foot slowly emerged from underneath. As the foot touched the ground, it retracted slightly, as if sensing its direction, and then moved a little closer to the brazier. The blanket stirred again, and the fair foot emerged once more, delicate and beautiful. As it touched the ground, it retracted again, sensing its direction, and shifted closer to the brazier. The edge of the blanket was slightly loose, and the person beneath seemed to find the firelight too bright, tightening the blanket around herself, outlining a woman's graceful curves, and then remained still.
Dongfang slowly said: "Ming Ji, what did you say to General Yang?"
Cheng Duo gazed intently, the brocade pattern on his dark green attire contrasting with the lights, seeming to roll up and flash away as he moved his wrist. His hair was half-dry, tied back, and dampened the precious mink fur on his shoulders. Cheng Duo's focus was unwavering, his complexion under the firelight losing some of its sharpness and youthful vigor, gaining a touch of tranquility and calmness.
She suddenly opened her eyes; there were no tears in them, but a sharp hatred that sent a chill through Cheng Duo's heart. Before he could delve deeper, she had already bitten down hard on his shoulder. Cheng Duo instinctively grabbed her hair, feeling the immense force with which she bit, as if she wanted to sink her teeth into his bones. He could have easily knocked her unconscious or pushed her away, yet inexplicably, he did not do so. Instead, the hand that held her hair gradually relaxed, as if to comfort her, and he even heard himself softly say, "Alright, alright." He could have easily knocked her unconscious or pushed her away, yet inexplicably, he did not do so. Instead, the hand that held her hair gradually relaxed, as if to comfort her, and he even heard himself softly say, "Alright, alright."
Cheng Duo threw a plain cloth over. She glanced at him again to ascertain its purpose and found a hint of coldness in his eyes, so she silently wiped her hands and mouth clean. Once she finished wiping, Cheng Duo scooped her up and tossed her onto the bed. She looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze. The man had an expression she was very familiar with, but at that moment, it was not Cheng Duo.