Chapter 103

  "General Yan must have mistaken me for someone else. I do have a name and a surname, but it's not Xia Qing as you mentioned." Qing Xia's mouth curved into a smile, her eyes icy cold, gazing at Yan Hui with a low voice.

  Yan Hui smiled and said, "To be favored by the Third Prince is an honor, a mere Western Sichuan female general would naturally not be placed in your eyes again. However, your military registration has already been recorded in the Western Sichuan army, it's all written in black and white. Our great emperor is sincere and genuine, if you were to openly refuse him, I'm afraid there might be some trouble."

  Qing Xia smiled coldly and said in a loud voice, "I'm a person who's afraid of being poor, afraid of pain, and afraid of not having money. But I'm not afraid of trouble. General, you've known me for some time now. If you still don't believe me, then by all means, come and try it out."

  Yan Hui was taken aback, not expecting her to be by Qin Zhiyan's side. Despite the presence of the two armies and her own identity, she still spoke with such arrogance and sharpness. On the other hand, Qin Zhiyan smiled calmly, as if he had expected Qing Xia to speak in this manner, and didn't mind it at all, remaining silent.

  After the two great armies of Qin and Chu clashed, under the recollection of some people in the Chu Li military camp and the secret investigation of the major families, Xia Qing's name had already spread throughout the world. As the Western Sichuan who most hoped to see Qin and Chu at odds, he had put in a lot of effort into this matter. After a large number of undercover agents hidden in Southern Chu died one after another, it was finally confirmed that the woman named Xia Qing who served in the military camp was actually Zhuang Qingxia, the legendary femme fatale who caused the rift between Qi and Chu.

  Upon learning this news, Yan Hui's interest was piqued. This woman had managed to capture the attention of three exceptional men; if used as a pawn, she would bring great benefits to Xichuan. Moreover, he had spent his life chasing after beauties, touring the continent and leaving a trail of romantic conquests in his wake. Suddenly, a woman with such an extraordinary identity and captivating charm appeared out of nowhere - how could he not be deeply moved? In the past, he had also pursued Bai He because he received intel that Zhuang Qingxia might appear in the White Cicada County. However, due to urgent matters in the Xichuan court, he had to rush back to the capital, which delayed his pursuit.

  The day before yesterday, I met Shi Hang, who escaped from Yao Guan. This young master, although not very capable, has two sisters who look like celestial beings. Yan Hui also had a brief relationship with them in the past. Shi Hang knew he had committed a great crime, so he ran to Yan Hui's place to seek help. To avoid punishment, he pushed all the blame onto Qing Xia and lied that it was because of Summer Qing's delay in battle, reckless advance, and charging into the enemy's formation that led to the failure of the breakout and the loss of food and grass.

  Yan Hui was what kind of person, as soon as he heard it, he knew that this was Shi Xing's one-sided words to escape punishment. However, the two words "Xia Qing" suddenly entered his ears and made him lose all his anger. After a round of investigation, he learned that Xia Qing followed three young men from Bai E County to join the army, and after careful analysis of her performance after joining the army, he finally confirmed that this Xia Qing was indeed Zhuang Qingxia. So when he found out that the soldiers who escaped with Xia Qing's small team all took refuge in Qin Zhiyan's Flame Camp, he wasn't surprised at all.

  On that day, the Xiguan camp was filled with gold and silver, music and dance rose to a high pitch, and Xia Qing was almost jokingly rescued from being ambushed and seriously injured. Qin Zhiyan personally led the Huoziying Hundred Miles Camp to rescue him, and then the incident of sending troops to Bailu Fortress spread throughout the world. Sure enough, on the second day, the armies of Qi and Chu, who were still watching from outside the border, entered the territory of Xiguan and rushed towards Bailu Plain overnight, now less than a night's journey away.

  But he did not expect that the red beauty who had almost caused chaos in the world, Qing Xiaozhi, was a cold and stern woman with whom he had crossed paths twice before. Now seeing her standing beside Qin Zhiyan, one warm and elegant as jade, the other icy and stunningly beautiful, they truly looked like a divine couple, exuding an aura that no ordinary person could match.

  He had seen countless beauties in his life, and those delicate and beautiful women would always quickly drop their guard before him, being captivated by his demeanor and temperament. But a woman like Qing Xia, who was so unruly and untamed, was someone he rarely met. He felt that standing in front of such a woman made all the other beauties he had seen before suddenly pale in comparison, becoming ordinary and dull. He couldn't help but feel a strong interest. Smiling, he said: "Miss is indeed not an ordinary person. It seems that binding Miss with worldly shackles would be shallow of us. I just wonder if you can maintain this extraordinary demeanor when facing the Lord of Chu Li."

  Qing Xia knew that her identity had already been exposed in front of this fox-like man, so she didn't hide it anymore and coldly said: "That's between me and the Lord of Chu State, no need for General to worry."

  "Haha!" Yan Hui suddenly burst out laughing, his eyes narrowing into slits, shining brightly, and his face had an evil glow in the light of the torches. He laughed and said: "Miss is indeed a heroic woman, quick-witted and quick-tongued. Since that's the case, I won't disturb you anymore. Tomorrow at White Deer Ridge, we'll have another battle, and then we can drink and chat with the Third Prince!"

  Qin's flames faintly nodded his hand, his voice low and thick, like a good wine, "General Yan, farewell, I won't see you off far."

  Watching Xichuan Bingma gradually move further and further away, Qing Xia slowly let out a breath, as if she had just fought a great battle.

  Qin's flames slightly lowered his head, looking at Qing Xia's face which had instantly lost its icy and sharp radiance, now looking tired and weary. He reached out to pat Qing Xia's shoulder and softly said: "Tired?"

  Qing Xia heard this and hastily lifted her head, shaking it as she said, "I'm not tired." Seeing Qin Zhiyan's face didn't look too good, she quickly scrunched up her nose and said, "Qin Zhiyan, I'm so cold. Let's hurry back!"

  Qin Zhiyan nodded slightly, and the troops behind him immediately parted to clear a path. Qing Xia and Qin Zhiyan walked shoulder to shoulder towards the main tent.

  As soon as the curtain of the big tent was lifted, a warm and fragrant aroma wafted in, full of medicinal scents. Qing Xia greedily took a deep breath, then went behind Qin Zhiyan to help him take off his thick cloak, placing it on a nearby clothes rack. She then washed a hot, clean white towel and handed it over to him.

  Qin Zhiyan smiled faintly and took it, wiping his face. Suddenly, he saw Qing Xia half-kneeling in front of the bed, wanting to take off his boots for him, and was taken aback.

  Qing Xia saw him shrink back, smiled knowingly, and with one swift motion, she pulled off his leg and removed the snow-white boots, replacing them with soft-soled silk slippers. She looked up at him with a smile, her eyes narrowed into two crescent moons, revealing a set of pearly white teeth, and said: "What's there to be afraid of? Qin Zhiyan's feet don't stink."

  Qin's flames suddenly burst into a smile, pulling Qing Xia's hand and pulling her up to sit on the bed beside him, laughing and saying: "Mischievous."

  Qing Xia's heart warmed up, she really liked Qin Zhiyan's mischievous smile, gentle and warm, just like a sunny June sky without any clouds. Her laughter became more radiant, the smile in her eyes swept across like a vast ocean, her small face had the genuine glow of happiness.

  It's only their third meeting, and the time they've spent together doesn't even add up to a month, but somehow it feels like they've known each other for a long time. Every move they make is in perfect sync, and every smile or frown from the other person deeply touches their heart.

  Qing Xia didn't know what was wrong with her, as if she had been bewitched. She stared blankly at Qin Zhiyan and couldn't move her eyes away from him.

  Qin Zhiyan's eyes shone brightly, like stars, and Qing Xia could clearly see her own face reflected in them. The two slender girls were getting closer and closer to her, carrying a gentle fragrance. Qin Zhiyan's gaze was so soft that it almost drowned Qing Xia in the early spring lake water. All around was quiet, with cool moonlight and majestic border ballads outside the tent, and crackling fire sounds and wispy smoke inside. Qing Xia leaned against Qin Zhiyan's side, looking at his increasingly close face, his bright eyes, and gentle features, feeling like she couldn't breathe. The faint scent of agarwood surrounded her, a fragrance that belonged to Qin Zhiyan - warm, soft, with a hint of bitterness, but mostly mellow and rich. Unlike Yan Hui's pungent perfume or Chu Li's cold sharpness, it was Qin Zhiyan's unique elegant and relaxed demeanor that made people feel comfortable all over, like a gentle breeze on a cloudy day.

  Almost forgot to close his eyes, and his lips were covered with a warm touch. At first, it was just a light touch, carefully exploring, but later saw that the owner of the lips did not dodge, and gently nibbled, tenderly entwining. Qin Zhiyan's hand hooked around Qing Xia's waist, and the other hand pressed against her occipital bone. Qing Xia leaned into his arms, and Qin Zhiyan's kiss fell on her eyebrows, nose tip, cheeks, earlobe, warm and gentle, like a dragonfly landing on the lake surface, leaving a sweet fragrance on her face. Finally, he tested again, entwining around Qing Xia's lips, almost without any defense, prying open her teeth, and entwining her tongue.

  Everything seems so unrealistic, like walking on cloud nine. Qin Zhiyan's kiss is like a clear spring water with a pleasant medicinal scent. Qing Xia seems to be stunned, this is an unprecedented experience, it turns out that kissing the person you like feels this way. No disgust, no boredom, no secretly calculating the time of action in your heart, just staring blankly with wide eyes, like a virgin who has never experienced anything before, foolishly letting the other person take advantage of her.

  Finally, the flower in her heart slowly bloomed at this moment, the long-sealed door was slowly opened, making a creaking sound, Qing Xia's hands slightly clumsily wrapped around Qin Zhiyan's waist, and gently responded.

  Feeling Qing Xia's response, Qin Zhiyan seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then the strength in his hands suddenly increased, holding Qing Xia in his arms, and became more gentle and affectionate. He kissed her face and neck, and gently wandered around her beautiful collarbone. His arms slowly fell back, and finally, with a soft thud, the two of them fell onto the warm bed together.

  Qīng Xià's neck emitted a layer of pink light, as if she was soaking in a hot spring, her body softened inch by inch. She whispered: "Zhī Yán..."

  Qin Zhiyan's eyes sparkled with a warm, sunny light as he gazed at the woman who no longer had any icy chill about her. Her face was soft and beautiful, with an otherworldly quality to it. Qing Xia opened her eyes, dazedly looking at Qin Zhiyan's handsome face, feeling as though her mind was still wandering off somewhere, unwilling to return for a long time.

  "Yima," his voice was soft, with a slight emotional tremble, deeply gazing at Qing Xia's face, and asked softly: "May I?"

  Qing Xia's entire body felt weak, she stared fixedly at Qin Zhiyan's eyebrows and eyes, as if his whole body was emitting a soft, misty light. Those memories of past events that had been sealed away for too long began to vaguely dance in her mind.

  The first encounter between Huán Yì and Qín Zhīyàn was like a heavenly being, throwing a lifesaving straw to her desperate face, pulling her back from the brink of death. From then on, their fates were as if bound by the gods, unable to escape or deviate.

  After that, her self-proclaimed clever designs to rescue him instead recklessly disrupted Qin Zhiyan's plan, trapping him in the desperate situation of the imperial mausoleum. However, he didn't expose her, and the two traveled together, going through life and death, never leaving each other as they struggled through the difficulties of the imperial mausoleum. The long dark corridors, the fiery halls, the icy stone rooms, the golden halls with thick sand, the stinky snake pits, and finally the heavenly peach garden's green wood hall. The yellow spider silk, the emerald bamboo forest, the warm springs surrounded by mountains, the white-clothed man carrying her through that winding and treacherous road, time and again giving her hope for survival, allowing her to maintain her will to live in the crisis-ridden imperial mausoleum, ultimately escaping alive.

  In the midst of the desperate hunt on the barren land, Qin's pale face, his desperate persistence, finally opened up a path for her to escape with her arch-nemesis.

  Later, in the sea of blood outside Yao Guan, he appeared in front of her again like a god. At her most desperate moment, he stretched out his hand to help her, embracing her with a face full of bloodstains and snatching her from the hands of death once more.

  These fragmented memories, like scenes from a movie, flashed through her mind. Qin Zhiyan's gentle smile, soft eyebrows and eyes, husky voice, echoed in her heart, outlining a magnificent picture scroll.

  Finally, she smiled warmly and propped herself up with her elbows. Qing Xia slowly approached him, a warm and moist kiss gently pressed onto Qin Zhiyan's lips, like flower petals in the rain, refreshing and spreading fragrance all over the sky.

  Qin's flames finally let out a long sigh, just like the tightly wound string finally relaxing, and kissed Qing Xia's lips, pressing down on her, warm breath stirring up Qing Xia's thoughts, gradually churning up a pool of spring water.

  In the depths of summer, her snow-white arms wrapped around Qin Zhiyan's waist, responding passionately. She no longer thought about the gap in their status, the span of time between them, war, or separation; she suppressed all the hidden unease and greedily absorbed Qin Zhiyan's warmth, just like a drowning person clinging to the last straw for survival.

  Life is short, I want to grasp something like this.

  It's ridiculous to go after someone like this, disregarding reason and intelligence.

  Qin's flame, Qin's flame, you are my last faith in love. Let me stubbornly, willfully, and wholeheartedly believe in you once more. I won't think about tomorrow, or war, or the struggle for power and gain, or hidden plots and cold arrows. Just let me trust someone completely one more time, trust that you can give me a peaceful heart, complete love, and believe that you are my redemption, the god who washes away the bloodstains and guilt on my hands. As long as you're here, I won't be afraid of anything.

  The buttons on the collar were undone one by one, and Qing Xia's fair skin shone with a lustrous glow like pearls in the warm air. Qin Zhiyan's gentle eyes seemed to be the ocean, suppressing all waves and ripples, slowly approaching inch by inch, lightly kissing Qing Xia's chest, roaming freely on this uncharted territory. His slender hands carefully wrapped around Qing Xia's shoulders, as if embracing the most precious treasure in the world, their lips barely touching with suppressed, low breathing.

  His eyes shone with an unusual light, carrying a rarely seen divine charm, slowly pressing his slightly cool lips onto Qing Xia's body. Like a fish with soft and smooth skin, swimming on her body. Qing Xia's body ignited, with a thread of ***, her fingers tightly clasped on Qin Zhiyan's back, probing into his clothes, stroking his chest, spine, abdomen, slowly moving down, exploring the love and passion he had for her.

  "Hmm..." Qin Zhiyan suddenly let out a low growl, his eyes instantly burning with desire. He stared intensely at Qing Xia, then suddenly leaned down and bit into her tender chest.

  A strange hot current suddenly surged through Qing Xia's entire body, she slightly arched her back, like a dying beast, tightly grasping Qin Zhiyan's waist, her fingernails deeply digging in, lowly humming, and called out like a beast: "Zhiyan..."

  Two flames of fire ignited in Qin Zhiyan's eyes, he gazed deeply at Qing Xia, his breathing was rapid, his blood vessels bulging, and finally he stood up to accept the invitation.

  “Mmm…” Qing Xia suddenly moaned softly, her entire body seemingly burning simultaneously. Qin Zhiyan's flames were gentle yet powerful, carrying his warmth and medicinal scent, filling Qing Xia's body inch by inch. The slight pain was quickly covered up by satisfaction and pleasure. It wasn't intense passion, but rather filled with dense satisfaction and strength, as if every pore on her body had opened up, enveloped in warm spring water, and her internal organs were all filled with warmth. They tightly entwined together, closely attached, full to the brim, overflowing, and mutually warming each other.

  The candles in the big tent were burning brightly, casting a hazy glow that illuminated the men and women under the lights, who looked like celestial lovers floating above the dust.

  The air is filled with warmth and tenderness, red candles dripping red tears, with a gentle breath.

  Qing Xia let out a satisfied low hum, Qin Zhiyan held her plump earlobe, warm breath sprayed on her neck, the voice was hoarse and low, with endless tenderness, close to her ear, calling out her name in a low voice.

  "Emma..."

  "Emma... Emma..."

  Those dreamy voices, like the heavenly music, echoed deep within her nerves, and just like his body, entered the deepest part of hers. Her body was burning hot all over, and his breath was even hotter, as he whispered repeatedly: "Yima, let me take care of you."

  "Take care of you for a lifetime, no one can bully you again, no one can take you away again, just stay by my side, okay?"

  Her tears suddenly overflowed from her eyes, like a string of pearls flowing out, rolling freely on her white cheeks. She nodded hastily, nodding non-stop, tightly embracing Qin Zhiyan's body, burying her head in his neck on the warm bed.

  Qin's flames suddenly lifted her head, kissed away her tears one by one, gently smoothed out her tightly furrowed eyebrows, let out a soft sigh, and tightly hugged her into his arms, as if he wanted to squeeze her into his flesh and blood.

  "Of flames......"?

  Qing Xia finally burst into tears, her mind a complete blank, clinging tightly to his chest. What lay ahead, what the future held, she no longer wanted to think about it. Let her drown in his tenderness, never waking up again, sleeping forever.