He remarried after his mother's death, seized power over the world, and slept on the emperor�

The snow-covered northern mountains are a vast expanse of white, making it impossible to distinguish between the sky and the ground.

Ji Ling and Jiang Bingning trudged through the knee-deep snow in the blizzard, the shouts of battle behind them long since swallowed by the wind.

"Your Highness, the Wolf Guards..."

Jiang Bingning turned around, but could only see snow falling all around her.

When they charged out, seven or eight wolf guards fought desperately to cover their retreat, buying them time.

But now, there isn't a single person to be seen.

Ji Ling's lips were frozen purple as he grabbed Jiang Bingning's wrist.

"They will catch up."

His voice was firm, but both of them knew it was just self-deception.

The wind was getting stronger and stronger, almost knocking people over.

With visibility less than three feet, they were completely disoriented.

"No... if we go any further, we'll freeze to death here!"

Ji Ling roared.

He looked around and finally saw a dark cave entrance at the foot of a sheltered mountain wall.

"Let's go! Over there!"

He practically dragged Jiang Bingning along as they moved towards the cave.

In the last few steps, Ji Ling slipped and was about to fall when Jiang Bingning immediately pulled him back, but she herself slipped and fell because of the snow.

"what!"

She cried out in pain and fell to the ground.

Are you alright?

Ji Ling immediately squatted down.

"My ankle...I think I twisted it..."

Jiang Bingning's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and a piercing pain shot through her ankle.

Without saying a word, Ji Ling picked her up and carried her into the cave.

The cave is not deep, but it is enough to shelter from the wind and snow.

Ji Ling gently put her down and carefully took off her boots.

Her ankle was swollen and bluish-purple.

Ji Ling's brows furrowed into a knot.

"Sizzle—"

With a tearing sound, Ji Ling tore a large piece off his inner robe without hesitation.

He knelt on one knee and wrapped the strips of cloth around her ankle, securing the injured area.

-----------------

Inside the cave, a small campfire crackled, providing the only warmth.

But the firewood they had gathered was almost completely burned.

The wind and snow outside the cave showed no signs of stopping.

Jiang Bingning couldn't help but shiver and instinctively hugged her arms tightly.

Ji Ling saw it all.

He was silent for a moment, then shifted his body and sat down next to her.

He reached out and hesitated for a moment, but still pulled her into his arms.

Jiang Bingning's body stiffened instantly.

"Excuse me."

Ji Ling's voice rang in her ears.

"But I can't let you freeze to death."

Jiang Bingning's eyelashes trembled.

She didn't struggle or push him away.

Her stiff body finally relaxed slowly.

----------------

The night was dark.

Jiang Bingning was half-asleep, shivering from the cold.

Ji Ling felt the person in his arms trembling.

He didn't speak, but silently untied his outer robe and wrapped her and himself even tighter inside.

Her trembling finally subsided.

In the darkness, he could smell the cool scent of her hair.

"If we can get back alive..."

His voice was very soft, like a sigh or a promise.

He didn't say the rest.

The person in my arms gradually began to breathe steadily and slowly.

She was so exhausted that she fell asleep.

Ji Ling lowered his head and gazed at Jiang Bingning's sleeping face.

That face, which was usually filled with frost and wariness, now only showed weariness and peace.

He held her like that, not sleeping all night.

-----------------

The next day, the sky cleared up.

The blizzard stopped, and the sun shone on the snow.

When Jiang Bingning woke up, she found herself still leaning against Ji Ling, covered by his outer robe.

Ji Ling, on the other hand, was only wearing a thin inner shirt, and his lips were so cold that they were completely bloodless.

Her heart clenched and she sat up abruptly.

Ji Ling was startled awake by her movement and opened his eyes.

"woke up?"

He smiled, his voice tinged with the weariness of a sleepless night.

"The sky has cleared up; it's time for us to head down the mountain."

He stood up and stretched his limbs, which were stiff from the cold.

"Can you still walk?"

Jiang Bingning tried to move, and immediately gasped in pain.

Ji Ling glanced at her and then squatted down in front of her.

"Come up."

"I……"

"Stop talking nonsense."

Jiang Bingning bit her lip, but in the end she still leaned down and rested on his broad back.

Ji Ling steadily carried her on his back and walked down the mountain.

The mountain roads were especially difficult to travel after the snow.

Her voice was very soft.

I owe you one more time.

Ji Ling paused, a slight smile playing on his lips, his tone tinged with mockery.

"Then I'll spend my whole life paying it back."

Jiang Bingbing's heart skipped a beat, but she took it as a joke and remained silent.

-----------------

Half an hour later, at a secret outpost of the Northern Border Army.

Ji Ling changed into a clean general's robe, his face as cold as ice.

He mobilized this border army, along with all the wolf guards lurking in the north, and they marched back to the northern camp in a grand procession.

However, when they arrived at the camp where they had stayed the day before, everyone was stunned.

The original campsite has been reduced to a charred ruin.

The air was still filled with a pungent, burnt smell.

A terrified officer who remained behind came to report.

"Your Highness... a great fire broke out in the camp last night, the flames were raging..."

Ji Ling's gaze swept over him like a knife.

Get to the point.

"Yes...yes..." The officer stammered, "Lieutenant General Li Chong led his personal guards into the fire, and as a result..."

"What was the result?"

"As a result, the fire was too intense, the roof beams collapsed, and Lieutenant General Li and dozens of his personal guards all perished in the flames."

Ji Ling clenched his fist instantly.

What a tragic end to being engulfed in flames!

What a perfect example of "dead men tell no tales"!

Ji Ling's gaze fell on Jiang Bingning, his voice icy.

"Everyone who saw us arrive at the camp yesterday is dead."

-----------------

Back at the temporary camp, the atmosphere was oppressive.

Jiang Bingning placed the blood-soaked ledger on the table.

"It's alright, Li Chong is dead, but the people behind him are still here."

Her voice was calm.

"As long as this account book exists, the Lin family can't escape. We can plan this further."

She paused, looked at Ji Ling, and a trace of sadness flashed in her eyes.

"But... those wolf guards who sacrificed themselves to hold off the pursuers..."

Ji Ling slammed his fist on the table!

His eyes were red.

"Should we take a longer-term view?"

He spoke slowly and deliberately.

"They killed my men and destroyed my camp."

He suddenly turned around.

"Now, this isn't just your problem anymore!"

"I'll show them what happens to anyone who messes with me, Ji Ling!"

"I will avenge all my fallen comrades!"

Just then, a wolf guard strode in.

"Your Highness!"

He knelt on one knee and raised his arm high.

A magnificent eagle was perched steadily on his arm guard.

"A message carried by a hawk!"

Ji Ling's anger subsided slightly, and he gestured for the wolf guards to fetch the letter for him.

This is a unique military method of sending messages via hawks, and it must be urgent military intelligence coming from the capital or the border.

The wolf guard hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Your Highness, this letter is for Miss Jiang."

Ji Ling's heart sank.

The hawk carrying messages was a secret communication channel in the military.

Why would he send a letter to Jiang Bingning?

Jiang Bingning also looked puzzled as she took down the small letter tube.

He only glanced at it, and his face turned ashen!

There is only one sentence above.

Liu Jingyi is seriously ill!