Si Ning was glad they were done with the tying when Shen Yu woke up to glare at him. "You know the way you call me, people might think we are long lost, lovers." He couldn’t help but comment as he stood above Shen Yu.
Staring down at him, Si Ning could see the man was quite old, at least in his fifties and because his son died he made a terrible choice by leading his army blindly. Si Ning concluded that Shen Yu must have loved his son dearly."Si Ning!!!" Shen Yu said between gritted teeth.This was another era. He was a General and would act as a General."When did the occurrence of his son losing his life again?" Si Ning asked nonchalantly."Si Ning!!!!" Shen Yu growled, his eyes glaring daggers at Si Ning's nonchalant attitude."The last time we fought along the river five days ago." Chen An replied as Ji Ran started bandaging his bleeding arm.Five days ago... Does that mean he transmigrated to this world five days ago or was it just when he woke up? Did he die when he fell into the sea then he miraculously came to this world? What sort of fate or destiny did he end up with?"General..."Si Ning broke out of his thought when Ji Ran called him. He blinked."General." Ji Ran called again looking worried."General Shen Yu, different things happen at war, I may lose my life and I don’t think anyone will hold you for it." Si Ning explained as he tried to block out his thoughts. "Blindly charging in like that. Shen Yu, you are not fit to be a General." He declared staring down at Shen Yu’s beards that were now stained with soil."Si Ning!!! sounding so ignorant when you and I know if I take your head today Xiu Zhi...!"Before Shen Yu could complete his sentence Ji Ran delivered a sudden blow on his cheek knocking a tooth out.If looks could kill Si Ning knew he would be dead ten times over with how Shen Yu turned sharply to glare at him like he wasn’t the one that just took a blow. Hatred was nothing but a bad foundation to build on but Si Ning couldn’t blame him but only blamed him for not using his army wisely. It turned out to be the best for Si Ning’s army so he had no complaint.Si Ning straightened up and he was glad when he saw at least a quarter of his troops standing on their feet. Some were wounded but still didn’t hinder them from helping the soldiers with the worst wounds. Two soldiers approached him, it was the scarred face man and the other man who was with him earlier at the camp that took care of the body of the spy. Looking at them Si Ning could guess they were friends and there was nothing better than having friends to watch each other backs on the battlefield."General. " They saluted him."We caught eleven soldiers of Xilie but General what should we do with the wounded soldiers of Xilie nation?" The scarred face man asked."We take the eleven home and kill the wounded or pack them with our fallen soldiers." Chen An said."Chen An!" Su Heng lightly hit Chen An’s head."Forgive me, General, it is your call to make!" Chen An fell on one knee and bowed deeply.Si Ning was lost on what to do. It would have been better if Chen An took charge for now. "Gather the dead, we need to clean up and return to camp." He gave his instructions ignoring the scarred face soldier question, he noticed the soldier next to him seemed to want to say something only to look away shamelessly."Yes General.""Si Ning!!!!...." Shen Yu seethed."Knock him out." Si Ning gestured to Shen Yu."Yes General." Ji Ran bowed before giving a powerful blow to Shen Yu which made him collapsed.Seeing how heavy the blow was. Si Ning knew it would take time for Shen Yu to wake up.The scarred face soldier drew out his sword looking like a wolf that was going out to protect its pack, Si Ning had no choice but to call him back. The way he saw him cut a head cleanly off a shoulder was something he doesn’t want to see again."Wait, we treat the wounded soldiers of Xilie." Si Ning concluded."General I do not think that is a good idea." Su Heng said. "First, it’s dangerous to keep them with us, second I don’t think our men will treat them right at the camp also bringing them in as the spoils of war is good if only we have no problem at the camp till we set home."What Su Heng said was nothing but the truth. Si Ning would also love to prevent a Xilie soldier from going berserk at the camp and inflict a wound on their medics or go ahead and spoil their rations."We create space to treat them outside and I with some of my men will personally watch them." Si Ning declared. He had sharp eyes and he was confident of not missing a single fly when the treatment starts."General, you will rest in the tent. I will personally watch them." Ji Ran said too quickly."And me too General." Su Heng added."General! forgive me for not dealing with General Shen Yu fast." Chen An apologized still on one knee. "I will accept any punishment fit for me."It was a sorry sight to see and Si Ning wanted to cry and hug Chen An but he wasn’t able to do so as he felt right there as a General. He knew he was no longer the same when he wasn’t fazed by seeing people dying on the battlefield when he wasn’t afraid as Shen Yu approached him earlier. He wasn’t afraid to fight him but still, he doesn’t know if he had the skill to do so. The training he did doesn’t involve a real sword and he wasn’t ready to embarrass himself and maybe he had always been like this but didn’t know since he never faced a situation like this."You did well Chen An." Si Ning patted him on the shoulder. "Ji Ran take Chen An to the camp for better treatment. Send the medics over to help the wounded.""General I can still be of help." Chen An choked out looking like Si Ning just gave him a cruel sentence."No! You will treat your wound first." Si Ning turned to Su Heng."General!!!" Chen An yelled which made Si Ning almost snapped his neck to turn to him. "Please do not abandon me!!!" He cried out.This was getting annoying at how they think during this era. Si Ning was getting annoyed at how pitiful Chen An looked just like how Ah Dai did. He knew nothing of this world and he had a lot to learn to know how they think.Si Ning took a deep breath. "I will never abandon you." He declared. "How you can help me is to treat your wound Chen An because I will be angry if you faint due to blood loss." He said clearly to make Chen An to understand if would be noting but pain if he faint."General." Chen An stood up his eyes full of unshed tears like Si Ning just showed him a world filled with beautiful flowers."Now go, let Ji Ran take you. You cannot ride a horse in your condition and don’t complain.""Yes General." Chen An and Ji Ran chorused."Su Heng, deal with the situation here and do not ask me any question." It was Si Ning’s way of knowing the next step to take."Yes General."Since he doesn’t know the procedures, the least he could do was let Su Heng handle and act like an unbothered General that trusted his Commanders."What is this!!!" Si Ning yelled staring daggers at the water they didn’t change. Did they think filtering the water won’t make him notice? It’s been three days and he’d been trying not to complain about the little water they would bring for him to take a bath every morning but filtering the water he used previously was nothing but inhumane and as the General, he would not tolerate it. The least he could do in this world that refused to fade was to enjoy it. Soaking in a half-filled tub was getting on his nerves and he always choked down his complaint but seeing the filtered water was the height of his endurance. Chen An rushed in to see Si Ning beside the bathtub staring at it like it was an abomination. "General, what’s wrong?" Si Ning took a deep breath trying to calm his nerves before he jumps on Chen An to chew his head off. "This water is what is wrong, why isn’t it changed. This is the water I used to take my bath yesterday." He complained turn
Looking at the tea set brought by Ah Dai made Si Ning smiled. It was the first clean fine white ceramic tea set he would lay his eyes on in this world and to make things better Ah Dai set up a plate of snacks. "Young master I hope you like it, Ah Dai made it personally." Ah Dai poured him a cup of tea acting like he didn’t just lost his arm. "These herbs when added to the water to bath, will help soothing Young Master’s body." He said bringing out a small pouch to show Si Ning. The floral scent of the tea made Si Ning quickly took a sip and the bittersweet taste left on his tongue made him nodded in approver. Ah Dai proceeded to clean out his bathtub, this time Si Ning didn’t stop him. Instead, he decided neither to question Ah Dai’s miraculous change from a determined man eager to lay his life down for him to a polite docile servant. Si Ning closed the classic book he had been reading to take his mind off being annoyed by the absence of the internet and his
This wasn’t how Si Ning planned his night, he was supposed to have a long nice bath in the bath Ah Dai prepared for him and put on his sleeping robes, take a long nice sleep on the bed Ah Dai managed to spread a thick blanket on that made the bed a little decent making the body pains Si Ning do wake up to a little less but instead he had been reading reports and making the necessary arrangement for their journey back home. Just after Xiu TianZhao left to rest in his own tent and Si Ning’s bathtub was filled up with water. Chen An brought a lot of paperwork for him to go through, from the numbers of soldiers categorized into the ones who had few injuries that could ride a horse, to the ones who had heavy injuries that would have to ride in a cart. From those that had to sit to those that had to lie down in the cart adding them to the number of Xilie soldiers to the amount of the rations they had left, it was a lot of maths for Si Ning that he could almost see steam coming out
"I am not letting Ah Dai go." Si Ning said softly wondering if it was the best decision. Si Ning might not be a great person but he knows right from wrong and after seeing how Ah Dai had to work after losing his arm yet acting like he wasn’t in pain just to please him was something he couldn’t ignore and he wasn’t about to let Ah Dai go because he lost an arm. All the snacks and tea Ah Dai made for him was satisfactory, he had no idea of who made the meals he had been eating but it doesn't taste so good but after Ah Dai woke up and made him tea and the meal Ji Ran brought for him after was delicious and he suspected Ah Dai might have one or two things to do with it. "I heard the arm he lost wasn’t even your fault." Xiu TianZhao stood up. "I will leave you to sort out things but I will still leave Xiao Pei with you and also quit looking at me like that, if I didn’t know you well I will think you are trying to seduce me." Si Ning frowned at Xiu TianZhao’s last
Ji Ran ran in and stiffened when he saw Si Ning that was swinging his hair back and forth. "General.." "Ji Ran..." Ah Dai cried sounding worried. "General." Ji Ran tried to call Si Ning. "General Si Ning..." Si Ning couldn’t blame them for being worried. He was also worried about the headache that was building up. "Ji Ran stay outside." He ordered gesturing for Ji Ran to leave as he poured himself a cup of tea, drowning the semi-cold tea at a time before gesturing for Ah Dai to stand up and take his seat. "Young master please forgive me...." "Tell me Ah Dai, what do you want? a shop, a house to live with your mother, learn a trade, learn medicine, work with me or live beautifully with your mother and get married." Si Ning took his seat, his eyes pleading for Ah Dai to be reasonable. Please be reasonable. Please be reasonable. "Ah Dai only wants the quarters me and my mother stays to be renovated with few added furniture and I w
The next time Si Ning woke up was due to Xiao Pei came to wake him, it took him a few moments to try not to complain or ask to sleep for a few more minutes. Si Ning had to remind himself each time he had to get out of bed that he was General Si Ning of Great Xiu nation, a Young Master and man that had to set an example for his men.Waking up to see it was already bright in the tent almost made him jumped out of bed, he was a bit shocked to see he was dressed in his sleeping robes and tucked in bed. The mattress was so soft and the blanket thick, different from the one Ah Dai provided for him. There was a slightly bitter taste in his mouth. He doesn’t remember putting on his sleeping robes but he clearly remembered being picked up from the bathtub and given something to drink, clearly the cause of the bitter taste in his mouth."General, I have filled up the tub with warm water, we will soon depart it’s already noon." Xiao Pei said as he started folding up t
It was a little comforting that Si Ning could hold series of conversations with Xiu TianZhao without offending him since they were the only ones in the carriage and after taking few cups of wine Si Ning couldn’t keep his eyes open for the major part of the journey. He kept drifting in and out of sleep and when he was unable to control himself and Xiu TianZhao told him to rest. He was finally able to sleep and when he woke up, it was already dark."Oh.. camp yes camp..." Si Ning blinked rapidly to see clearer and he almost yanked the window curtain off only to see that Chen An that was supposed to be riding by the side of the carriage was nowhere in sight."I can see you are so comfortable with me that you could sleep so soundly." Xiu TianZhao said as he folded the paper fan he was holding.Si Ning's cheeks were tinted with red and he bowed to hide his embarrassment. "My apologies.""No no no, what are friends for. I know you will protect me in case
Si Ning only stopped eating after his stomach started to feel uncomfortable and he had eaten almost a quarter of the different dishes and finished the jar of wine. He never thought there would be a day he would enjoy such a wonderful and satisfying meal, the dishes could be compared to five-star hotel dishes. Si Ning took a mental note to ask Xiu TianZhao about the cook. If he was able to make this cook teach Ah Dai and Xiao Pei then he would be able to enjoy eating delicious food for the rest of his life. Si Ning had to sit for a while before standing up to check his surroundings. Looking back at the dishes on the table, he was a little disappointed he had no container to keep the rest.With the lamps hanging on the walkway Si Ning walked slowly till he came upon a small bridge, he was quite feeling like a rich Young Master and the imperial residence reminded him of the luxurious leisure place he was only able to visit once. The constructions were gorgeous and he followed a
The meeting wasn't tense and was going smoothly that Si Ning was glad about the pleasant atmosphere but the problem was he felt eyes on him, even though Xiu Zhicheng was sitting quite a far distance from him with a bored expression while replying and giving orders to the Minister reading their report yet Si Ning could tell Xiu Zhicheng was watching him.Si Ning does not understand why he was being stared at so much, even Shao Lang kept glancing at him with the corner of his eyes. Si Ning knew he looked beautiful but he had always been a beauty so he doesn't understand the stares directed at him and some of the Ministers too kept glancing at him then he concluded that it had to be because Xiu Zhicheng just announced that he would be the Empress in a month time because he doesn't feel any hostility coming from them so he doesn't think he was being stared at because he was yet to give the reply about whether he would sign over half of his army to the Imperial famil
Si Ning's mouth fell slightly because a part of him was telling him that Xiu Yuan was at the front of the courtroom to see him. "Yuan-er?" He never expected that the name he called to sound like a question but he was a bit surprised to see Xiu Yuan so he quickly moved closer to the foot of the stairs, his attention on Xiu Yuan not realising when Xiao Pei, Jiang Ye and the rest of the guards saluted and started to leave.Xiu Yuan jumped up happily and started to wave his hands before clapping then returned to waving his hands to show how happy he was as he laughed then he started to climb down the stairs in a hurry."Your Highness!" A palace maiden shouted in alarm as she hurried off after Xiu Yuan but didn't try to stop him, she only walked behind with her skirt gathered in her hands to avoid tripping, making it looked like she couldn't catch up to stop Xiu Yuan.Si Ning could not believe that Xiu Yuan with his big robes was running towards him, he h
Si Ning raised his hands to allow Ah Dai to tie his belt. He had woken up since dawn but didn't make any move to get out of bed only for him to finally stood up when Ah Dai came in to wake him up for him to get ready to attend the court assembly, even though he doesn't have enough time to soak for long in the bathtub yet he made sure to wash up and even completed his face routine then he allowed Ah Dai to dress him nicely even though his uniform was the same with the rest of the Officials and Generals yet he wanted to stand out and look nice because he would be seeing Xiu Zhicheng, he was still annoyed that Xiu Zhicheng left him to have dinner with his Concubines yet he still wants to dress nicely because he would see him and he hated that part of him that wants him to dress nice only for that purpose.Ah Dai led Si Ning to take his seat and he started brushing his hair out before he started to style it into a half ponytail after adding oil to the edges then he took a gol
No matter how hard Si Ning tried to go to sleep, he was unable to sleep even after trying to empty his mind and made sure he had nothing to think about but still the picture of Xiu Zhicheng laughing with his Concubines while they fed him, drinking wine kept coming to his mind that it was so irritating.Why am I disturbed by this?The most confusing part was that he couldn't figure out why he was disturbed by this or why he had been thinking of Xiu Zhicheng so much to the extent that he wasn't even angry for thinking about him and that was what was irritating him the most. Si Ning wasn't stupid to know that he was attracted to Xiu Zhicheng so he was going to label it as infatuation which means the only thing he needed was time for it to go then he would completely stop thinking about Xiu Zhicheng and finally go back to his daily life of not thinking about sharing affections with someone or making love to them.This thought made Si Ning smiled, giggling with a wic
'Let's meet.' Si Ning turned over the letter to see there was nothing written on the other side of the paper. Even though he knew that was there to it yet he wondered if the real meaning of the two words might be in code because it could be Qiu Bai's way to avoid any attention to be directed at them since he might be aware of their last meeting being exposed to Xiu Zhicheng. Si Ning decided to look deep into each letter after touching the paper and discovered it was just an ordinary paper yet he still tried to look carefully maybe there might be hidden words in the letters as he drew the letter closer to the candle and bent his head for a closer look but after reading it and considering each letter trying to form what code it might mean to form a meaningful sentence and cracking his brain thinking only to end up with nothing. What sort of letter was this containing only two words, no location not even a time to meet. Without hesitation, Si Ning
Si Ning was a bit confused when Ah Dai didn’t make any announcement of Xiu Zhicheng arriving ,he only walked in and closed the door behind him then bowed before heading to light up the lanterns in the room without glancing at Si Ning.This was Ah Dai’s routine every evening when the sunset, he would come into the room to light the lanterns and candles then after he would ask what Si Ning wanted to eat so he could start preparing it so that Si Ning would be able to eat and go to bed early. Since it was a normal occurrence Si Ning didn’t say a word and only watched him while he tried not to wear a disappointed look.When Ah was done, he moved closer to Si Ning and reached inside his sleeve bringing out what seemed like a letter, and stretched out his hand to hand it over to him."Hmm Is that from the Emperor?" Si Ning asked blandly even though he was itching to grab it to quickly read what was written in it, instead he folded his hands and raised
Si Ning stood in front of the mirror checking his face and hair, he nodded as he slightly touched his hairpin, satisfied with how perfect his face and hair was but that wasn’t the reason he was standing in front of the mirror, the problem was with his attire and his indecisive mind so he started turning over and over, checking his robes from his neck down to his feet then suddenly he felt ridiculous as he removed his outer robe and almost run-up to the wardrobe immediately yanking the door opened and quickly threw the outer robe in like he couldn’t wait to get rid of it before closing the door with a satisfied expression and nodded, his hand akimbo before walking back to the table to take his seat.After some time of staring into space, it dawned on him what he just did then he looked down at his robes and he felt like what he was wearing was not presentable enough and Xiu Zhicheng mustn’t see him like that so he stood up to stand in front of the mirror to c
Si Ning withdrew his hand from Xiu Zhicheng’s hold due to the shock and weight of Xiu Zhicheng’s statement. He was trying to have power equal to the Emperor and Xiu Zhicheng announcing to make him the Empress was just the answer to it all but if Xiu Zhicheng takes half of his army to join the Imperial family army, even after marrying the Emperor and becoming part of the Imperial family doesn’t mean he was really part of the Xiu family and he would have no control over the Imperial army which means he would become crippled. It was just as Xiu TianZhao said, the Imperial family were afraid of him having more power than them and the Ministers were also afraid of him having more power than them in the court.Seeing Si Ning’s reaction made Xiu Zhicheng took the hand he withdrew and held it to his chest, rubbing it slowly to gain Si Ning’s attention before using his thumb to gently rubbed Si Ning’s eyebrows in a way to make Si Ning stop frowning.
Si Ning could feel his face heating up because of Xiu Zhicheng that had been staring at him and wasn’t even trying to hide it, this made Si Ning unable to look at him and to avoid meeting Xiu Zhicheng’s eyes, he stared at the kettle instead like it was an interesting piece of item that he was almost counting the flower patterns imprinted on it.For Xiao Pei to bring tea instead of Ah Dai was something Si Ning expected because Ah Dai does act timid and was self-conscious about his arm even though Si Ning never cared about that because Ah Dai had been doing his job perfectly after promising not to strain his prosthetic arm and not bringing tea must have been his way of preventing being an eyesore to Xiu Zhicheng but looking at Xiu Zhicheng, Si Ning doesn’t think the Emperor would mind about something like that, after all Ah Dai losing an arm doesn’t make him less human. Si Ning also planed to take Ah Dai along with him when he moves to the palace because