Shocking! The actress was dragged to the regent's bedchamber every night.

As soon as she finished speaking, Su Wuli glared at him.

That glare was so soft and weak that even she herself felt it had no intimidating power.

He then threw off the blanket, got out of bed, put on his shoes, and squatted down next to the pile of boxes in the corner.

The neckline of her inner garment was slightly open, revealing a section of her collarbone.

She rummaged around for a while, then pulled out a few things from the bottom and came back.

Yu Chen was looking at his bare shoulders; the undergarment she had thrown at the foot of the bed was lying there.

Su Wuli placed the things on the low table and looked up to see the man with his upper body bare.

She reached out and picked up the undergarment from the foot of the bed, tossing it to him. "Don't catch a cold..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Chen took the bag but didn't put it on.

Su Wuli glanced at him, didn't urge him, and picked up the ointment to open the box.

She turned around and saw him getting up from the bed. He was picking up his outer robe and then walking over to drape it over her shoulders.

The robe was very large, hanging from her shoulders down to her calves, completely enveloping her.

She didn't push him away, but reached out to gather her robe and tie her belt.

"Please sit down first," Su Wuli said, pointing to the bed.

Yu Chen glanced at it and sat down.

She picked up the iodine and ointment and walked over, bowing slightly to the man.

However, because of last night...

Her back was a little sore, and she couldn't stand it anymore and straightened up before she even started.

The next moment, Yu Chen reached out and grabbed her waist, pulling her into his arms and making her sit on his lap.

Su Wuli instinctively tried to get up by supporting herself on his shoulders, but his arms tightened around her.

"That's convenient."

Upon hearing this, Su Wuli looked down at her position sitting on his lap.

He secretly grumbled to himself, "Where is this convenient?"

She expressed her protest with her eyes, but Yu Chen didn't respond.

Or perhaps he deliberately didn't answer.

He even whispered a reminder, "I'm about to leave."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chun swallowed back her rebuttal.

Then her gaze fell on his shoulder.

The ring of teeth marks was clearly visible in my eyes, one after another.

Anyone who didn't know better would think he was being abused by someone.

Su Wuli first disinfected all the teeth marks, then squeezed out some ointment and applied it to the deepest mark.

While applying the ointment, she observed the man's expression, only to find that he didn't even frown.

She spread the ointment with her fingertips, applying it from the edge of the mark towards the center.

Suddenly, her skin twitched slightly under her fingertips.

Su Wuli paused, then asked softly, "Does it hurt?"

Yu Chen shook his head and said in a hoarse voice, "Continue."

"Oh." Su Wuli nodded, then changed to another mark.

I applied a little and then spread it out.

As her fingers slid across his shoulder, through the thin layer of ointment, Su Wuli could clearly feel him tense up slightly.

She stopped and looked at him again, but couldn't see anything unusual.

Then he bent down and continued applying the medicine.

After applying the ointment to the entire ring of teeth marks, it dried quickly in the cold weather, forming a thin film.

"Okay." Su Wuli got off his lap and took his undergarments.

I offered to help him put it on.

Yu Chen raised his arm and told her to put on the sleeves.

Su Wuli stood in front of him and helped him straighten his collar and tie the straps.

She then stepped back and looked at his collar, then stepped forward and tugged at the left side of his collar until it was symmetrical before stopping.

Then he turned around, packed his things up, and put them back in the box.

Turning around, Yu Chen also walked over and stood in front of her, raising his hand to take off her outer robe from her shoulders.

He then picked up her outer robe and put it on her.

Then he picked up the armor and shoulder guards and fastened them to his shoulders.

Yu Chen reached out and tucked the stray hairs from her forehead behind her ear. "Someone will bring breakfast over in a bit. Eat by yourself, don't wait for me."

"Um."

Yu Chen then bent down, picked up the military treatise from the low table, lifted the tent flap, and went out.

…………

Noon.

The charcoal fire was burning brightly in the main tent.

Several deputy generals sat on either side, with a map spread out on a low table.

Yu Chen sat in the main seat, the metal plates on his shoulder armor gleaming dimly in the candlelight.

The curtain was lifted, and Shadow Falcon walked in, bending down, followed by a person in a dark brown robe.

The man stopped, glanced around the tent, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

He then cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, drawing out his words, "Regent, I have long admired you."

The visitor was none other than the envoy from Kitahara.

Yu Chen leaned back in his chair, raising his chin slightly.

The Shadow Falcon stepped aside.

The messenger took a letter from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

Shadow Falcon took the letter and placed it in front of Yu Chen.

Yu Chen did not open the envelope immediately; the sealing wax on the envelope bore the emblem of the Northern Plains Royal Court.

"Won't the Regent take a look?" The messenger straightened up and tucked his hands into his sleeves.

Yu Chen looked at him, his gaze sweeping across the envoy's face.

He didn't speak.

The messenger waited for a while, his smile faded, and he took a step forward.

"My king said that war between our two countries has caused immense suffering and death. If the Regent is willing to cede five cities to the south and pay tribute every year, my king can guarantee the Regent's life."

He paused, lowering his voice by half an octave, "My king can also deal with the Regent's rivals in court."

Yu Chen picked up the envelope, turned it over to look at the sealing wax on the back, and then put it down again.

"Cease the land, pay tribute, and spare my life?" He read these words aloud.

The envoy nodded, and the smile on his lips widened again, even more so than before.

"The Regent is a wise man; he should know that this is already the greatest sincerity he can offer."

Yu Chen leaned back in his chair, his eyes dark and gloomy.

He glanced at the messenger for a moment.

The envoy's smile slowly faded, but not completely.

Like a dog whose tail has been stepped on, wanting to bare its teeth but not daring to.

"Go back and tell your king," Yu Chen said slowly, "He can't afford to fight, and he won't give up an inch of the city."

After saying that, he pushed the envelope over the edge of the table.

The messenger looked down at the letter without reaching for it, then looked up at Yu Chen.

His mouth opened and closed again, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down several times.

"Regent, have you thought this through? My king is doing this because—"

"I've thought it through," Yu Chen interrupted him.

The envoy stood still, his smile completely vanished.

The wind outside the tent grew stronger.

The messenger had to bend down, pick up the letter from the table, and stuff it into his sleeve.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, then turned and left.

The Shadow Falcon followed them out.

The curtains were drawn, keeping the wind out.

The tent was quiet, and none of the lieutenants spoke.

…………

the other side.

Su Wuli spent the entire morning in the tent struggling with her decision, but ultimately decided to go out.

Because of the teeth marks she had left on her lips, Su Wuli rummaged through the box and pulled out the pack of face masks.

She looked at herself in the bronze mirror on the low table. Her mask covered half of her face, leaving only her eyes visible.

The scab on my lip, which I had bitten myself through, was well hidden; you couldn't see it at all.

He then took a deep breath, lifted the curtain, and went outside.

The snow outside has stopped.

Several soldiers walked over to her from the opposite direction, their eyes fixed on her face.

Su Wuli lowered her head guiltily and shrank her face further into her collar.