No title, no marriage? Do you think I'm some kind of lapdog?

Lin Ruxue didn't speak, but just looked up at Su Chuang.

Those clear eyes reflected the candlelight, shining like tempered glass.

Su Chuang grinned, reverting to his usual carefree attitude, and placed his hand on her waist:

"What, are you afraid I'll be too ruthless?"

"no."

Lin Ruxue shook her head, her voice soft, "I think... Zhang Liao might not be able to bring himself to do it."

"Can't bring yourself to do it?"

Su Chuang raised an eyebrow. "Then force him to make a move."

He leaned closer, his nose almost touching hers, his breath warm on her cheek.

"A woman like Ye Qingyue will only cause trouble sooner or later."

"If Zhang Liao really wants to join us, he'll have to offer some kind of pledge of loyalty, won't he?"

Lin Ruxue didn't dodge, letting him stay close, but her ears gradually turned red.

"Brother Chuang."

She said softly, "You've actually wanted to kill her for a long time, haven't you?"

Su Chuang's smile faded slightly.

He didn't deny it, but simply raised his hand and gently brushed his fingertips across Lin Ruxue's cheek.

I was only fifteen when my mother died.

His voice was very low.

"That day she was making osmanthus cake for me, saying that when my dad came back, the whole family would eat it together."

"She died that night. Blood was flowing from all seven orifices, and her fingernails were completely black."

Lin Ruxue's heart tightened, and she reached out to grasp his hand.

"The imperial physician said it was an acute illness, but my mother has always been in good health."

Su Chuang grinned, but the smile was cold and bitter.

"Later I secretly examined the dregs of the medicine she left behind... and there was Gelsemium elegans in them."

"Heartbreak Grass..." Lin Ruxue's face paled.

That was a forbidden medicine in the palace; it was colorless and odorless, and you couldn't taste it at all when it was mixed into the herbal soup.

However, when the attack occurs, the liver and intestines are torn apart, and the death is extremely gruesome.

"The maid sent by the Ye family threw herself into the well the next day."

Su Chuang continued, "I have twenty taels of silver in my pocket, just enough to buy a worthless life."

He paused, his eyes gradually turning cold.

"So, Ru Xue, you're asking me if I've wanted to kill her for a long time?"

"Let me tell you, ever since I learned the truth, I've been thinking every single moment about how to tear that bitch to pieces."

Lin Ruxue held his hand tightly; her palm was warm.

"I'll stay with you."

She repeated the sentence as if making a vow.

Su Chuang's throat moved.

He looked down at the face so close to his.

The candlelight flickered on her face, and the blush spread from her ears to her neck, then down to her collar.

Her eyelashes trembled like a startled butterfly, but her eyes were resolute.

"Ru Xue," Su Chuang's voice was a little hoarse, "Are you really not afraid?"

"What are you afraid of?"

Lin Ruxue looked up at him. "Afraid of you? Or afraid of Ye Qingyue?"

"Everyone's afraid."

"I'm not afraid."

She shook her head, a faint smile curving her lips.

"Brother Chuang, I grew up in the palace and have seen more dead people than living people."

"I could crush someone like Ye Qingyue with one hand."

Su Chuang was taken aback for a moment, then laughed.

This girl is usually gentle and kind, but when she gets really ruthless, she can be even crazier than him.

"OK."

He grinned. "Then when Zhang Liao arrives, you keep an eye on him for me. If he can't bring himself to do it..."

"I'll help him."

Lin Ruxue accepted the answer readily.

Su Chuang stared at her for three breaths, then suddenly lowered his head and his lips were about to touch hers.

Lin Ruxue's eyelashes trembled even more violently, but she didn't flinch; instead, she tilted her face up slightly.

Their breaths mingled, the candlelight flickered in the wind, and their shadows overlapped on the earthen wall.

In that very instant.

"My lord."

The sound of Jia Xu's flat, rhythmic voice came from outside the door. It wasn't loud, but it was like a bucket of cold water being poured over someone's head.

Su Chuang froze.

Lin Ruxue hurriedly shrank back, her face flushed.

Su Chuang gritted his teeth, turned his head and yelled towards the door, "Wenhe! You fucking chose this time again?!"

There was three breaths of silence outside the door.

Then Jia Xu's voice rang out again, still in a deathly tone: "My lord, please forgive me, I have important matters to report."

"Come in!" Su Chuang said irritably.

The door opened.

Jia Xu, dressed in a gray cloth shirt, slipped in silently without even lifting his eyelids, as if he hadn't seen anything at all.

Lin Ruxue had already retreated to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), with her back to the two of them, pretending to bend down and straighten her sleeves.

The tips of her ears were still red.

"Speak!" Su Chuang plopped back down on the edge of the kang, crossed his legs, and looked unpleasant.

Jia Xu bowed:

"My lord, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has, as planned, leaked the news of Zhang Liao receiving supplies to Ye Qingyue's spies planted in the army."

Su Chuang's eyes lit up: "Ye Qingyue knows?"

"You should know by now."

Jia Xu nodded.

"According to reports from our informants at Yumen Pass, an hour ago, Ye Qingyue suddenly summoned Yue Xinyang, and the two had a private conversation in the study that lasted for half an incense stick's time."

"Afterwards, Yue Xinyang left in a hurry, taking three hundred personal guards with him."

"Three hundred personal guards?" Su Chuang raised an eyebrow. "To capture Zhang Liao?"

"It should be."

Jia Xu paused.

"Zhang Liao's camp is having an extra meal tonight, and the whole army is celebrating; it's quite a commotion."

"As long as Ye Qingyue isn't blind, she'll definitely be able to find out."

Su Chuang grinned.

He rubbed his hands together, a cold glint in his eyes: "The show is about to begin."

"My lord," Jia Xu looked up, "should we... add fuel to the fire?"

"How do I add it?"

"We have men in Zhang Liao's camp."

Jia Xu lowered his voice.

"I can reveal that Ye Qingyue already knew about his dealings with the lord, and this time she sent troops to capture and execute him as a warning to others."

Su Chuang laughed: "Wenhe, Wenhe, your heart is truly black to the core."

Jia Xu bowed and said, "It is my duty to share the burdens of my lord."

"Then get on with it." Su Chuang waved his hand. "Remember, make the performance convincing, but don't let our people be exposed."

"Here you are."

Jia Xu left as quietly as he had come, even closing the door behind him.

Only two people remained in the earthen house.

Su Chuang turned his head and looked at Lin Ruxue.

The girl had her back to him, her shoulders trembling slightly, whether from anger or embarrassment, he couldn't tell.

"Ru Xue," Su Chuang leaned closer and put his hand on her waist again.

"Look at Wenhe, that old fox, isn't he deliberately trying to make things difficult for us?"

Lin Ruxue turned around and glared at him: "You chose this strategist yourself, so who's to blame?"

"My bad, my bad." Su Chuang grinned. "Then shall we... continue?"

"Continue what?" Lin Ruxue turned her face away. "Who wants to continue with you?"

But she didn't push away his hand that was on her waist.

Su Chuang's throat moved, and he was about to lower his head—

"Report—!"

Another urgent shout came from outside.

Su Chuang froze.

Lin Ruxue chuckled and gave him a real push this time: "Go on, busy Su."

Su Chuang gritted his teeth and shouted towards the door, "What is it now?!"

A Flying Tigers soldier burst through the door, knelt on one knee, and panted heavily:

"My lord! An urgent report has arrived from the direction of Yumen Pass!"

"Ye Qingyue personally led her troops and surrounded Zhang Liao's camp! The two sides are currently in a stalemate!"

Su Chuang's eyes lit up: "They've started fighting?"

"The fighting hasn't started yet, but the tension is palpable!"

The soldier cried out urgently, "Zhang Liao refuses to relinquish military power, and Ye Qingyue is attempting to force her way in. Both sides have already drawn their weapons!"

"Great!" Su Chuang slapped his thigh. "Let's go out and take a look!"

He turned to leave, but Lin Ruxue stopped him, saying, "Brother Chuang, I'm going too."

Su Chuang glanced at her, didn't object, and simply said, "Stay close to me."

The two quickly walked out of the earthen house.

The snow outside has stopped, but the wind is still blowing, and it feels like knives on your face.

On the earthen wall of Wangbeitai, Yue Fei and Zhao Yun were already there, looking towards Yumen Pass.

Upon seeing Su Chuang approach, the two men clasped their hands in greeting: "My lord."

"How's the situation?" Su Chuang climbed up the earthen wall and squinted at the distance.

Flames soared into the sky in the direction of Yumen Pass.

Although they were far away, they could faintly hear shouts of battle and the clanging of weapons clashing.

"A fight broke out."

Yue Fei said in a deep voice, "Zhang Liao's troops number about five hundred, Ye Qingyue led a thousand Divine Might Army soldiers, plus Yue Xinyang's three hundred personal guards."

"The disparity in troop strength is too great," Su Chuang rubbed his hands together. "How long can Zhang Liao hold out?"

"Half an hour."

Zhao Yun continued, "Zhang Liao is brave and his subordinates are mostly veterans who have fought countless battles."

"But Ye Qingyue came prepared, and it was a sneak attack, I'm afraid..."

He paused, then said, "My lord, should we provide backup?"

Su Chuang remained silent.

He stared at the distant firelight, his mind racing with calculations.

We must save them, we absolutely must.

He's determined to have Zhang Liao.

But how to save them is the question.

Leading troops directly to attack would be tantamount to completely breaking ties with Ye Qingyue.

Although the relationship has long been torn apart, the facade still needs to be maintained.

After all, we still need to leave a way out for Emperor Wu.

"Pengju" (鹏举).

Su Chuang turned his head.

"Gather three hundred Mo Dao Guards and one hundred White Horse Cavalry, and follow me."

"Zilong, you take the remaining troops to guard the home base, in case Ye Qingyue uses this as a pretext to lure us away from our stronghold."

"Thirteen," he said, looking at Li Cunxiao, "you're coming with me."

Li Cunxiao, who was yawning while carrying his sword, brightened up upon hearing this: "My lord, do you want to fight?"

"Hit him," Su Chuang grinned, "but don't actually hit him, just scare him a little."

Li Cunxiao scratched his head: "Scare them? That's so boring."

"You'll have to bear it even if it's not fun." Su Chuang patted him on the shoulder. "You'll get your turn to beat him up later."

He then looked at Lin Ruxue: "Ruxue, you stay here."

Lin Ruxue frowned: "Brother Chuang, I..."

"obedient."

Su Chuang interrupted her, "Your identity is special, you cannot show yourself."

Lin Ruxue bit her lip and finally nodded: "Then be careful."

"Don't worry," Su Chuang grinned, "I'm tough as nails."

He waved his hand: "Let's go!"

Four hundred men, like a black torrent, rushed out of Wangbeitai and headed straight for Yumen Pass.

Outside Yumen Pass, Zhang Liao's camp.

The camp was in complete chaos.

Ye Qingyue rode on a white horse, her silver armor gleaming coldly in the firelight, her bright silver spear pointing at the camp gate, her face ashen.

Behind her stood a thousand Divine Might soldiers, bows nocked and swords drawn.

Yue Xinyang led three hundred personal guards to block the rear of the camp to prevent Zhang Liao from escaping.

Inside the camp gate, Zhang Liao, clad in black armor and carrying a large sword, stood at the very front.

Behind him stood five hundred veterans, each with fierce eyes; though outnumbered, their imposing presence was no less.

"Zhang Liao!"

Ye Qingyue shouted sternly, "I'm asking you one last time: will you relinquish your military power or not?!"

Zhang Liao looked up at her, his eyes icy: "General Ye, what crime have I committed?"

"What crime?" Ye Qingyue sneered, "Colluding with the enemy and accepting bribes from the Xiongnu, isn't that enough?"

"Where's the evidence?"

"Evidence?" Ye Qingyue waved her hand, and her guards threw out several cloth bags.

The cloth bag fell to the ground and scattered, revealing white rice and a few pieces of mutton inside.

"This grain and meat were all taken from your camp!"

Ye Qingyue gritted her teeth, "Zhang Liao, what else do you have to say?"

Zhang Liao looked at the grain and suddenly smiled.

He laughed loudly, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

"General Ye."

He stopped laughing, his eyes growing colder. "This food is for the brothers to have an extra meal tonight."

"As for where it came from..."

He paused, then raised his voice: "Don't you know what's going on?"

Ye Qingyue's pupils contracted: "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?"

Zhang Liao took a step forward. "General Ye, do you really think our brothers are all fools?"

He turned around and looked at the veterans behind him.

"Brothers! Tell General Ye, how long has it been since we received our full pay?!"

"Three months!" the crowd roared in unison.

"Is there enough food?!"

"not enough!"

"Where did all this food come from tonight?!"

There was a moment of silence below.

Then someone shouted, "It fell from the sky!"

"Yes! It fell from the sky!" Everyone laughed.

Zhang Liao turned to Ye Qingyue: "General Ye, did you hear that? The grain fell from the sky."

Ye Qingyue's face turned ashen: "Zhang Liao, you're courting death!"

"You're the one who's courting death!" Zhang Liao abruptly interrupted her.

He stared at Ye Qingyue, enunciating each word clearly: "Ye Qingyue, do you really think no one knows about the despicable things you've done?"

Ye Qingyue's hand trembled: "What nonsense are you talking about!"

"Am I talking nonsense?"

Zhang Liao grinned, but the smile was more like a grimace.

"When you and Yue Xinyang were having an affair in the study, did you ever consider that the walls might be listening?"

"When you were embezzling military pay for your own enrichment, did you ever think about your brothers going hungry?"

"When you colluded with the Xiongnu and let them cross the border, did you ever think about the people of the northern frontier?!"

"You shameless woman!"