Mistakenly Marked the Madly Beautiful Princess - Chapter 39

“Still no news?”

Fu Huayi spoke these words with visible impatience as she glared at the soldier below.

The soldier lowered his head even further and replied, “Yes, Marshal.”

Receiving the same confirmation once more, Fu Huayi waved him away irritably.

She had been stationed here for seven days now, waiting all this time for news waiting for the imperial court’s order to attack so she could storm into Hongshui Town.

But after all this waiting, nothing had come.

She had finally received word that Lu He, that demoness, was in poor health, and seizing this opportunity would greatly increase her chances of victory.

Just then, another person lifted the tent flap and entered. Seeing Fu Huayi’s furrowed brow, she walked over and began massaging her shoulders.

“With the Marshal’s might, why trouble yourself with such worries?”

Fu Huayi sighed. “Delays breed complications. I can’t shake this feeling of unease.”

The Xin Dynasty was not entirely united within. The radical faction clamored year after year to march north, while the moderates, intimidated by the authority of the Rong Dynasty’s Grand Princess, vehemently opposed launching a war.

If not for the news suggesting that Lu He, that demoness, might not survive, they would never have mobilized troops.

Could it be that the moderates had changed their minds and were now obstructing from within?

Fu Huayi’s expression darkened uncontrollably. In a fit of rage, she slammed the table with such force that everything on it jumped.

“Calm your anger, Marshal.”

The woman behind her remained composed, unhurriedly continuing the shoulder massage. After soothing her, she spoke softly, “If Lu He were truly unharmed, we would have heard by now. Moreover, she’s in a hurry to hold the military examinations, which suggests our informant’s intelligence is accurate.”

“And even if Lu He were to come, General, you would have nothing to fear from her.”

Comforted by these words, Fu Huayi’s mood improved considerably.

She cast off her gloom and laughed arrogantly. “You’re right.”

Not long after, another messenger arrived, entering and kneeling on one knee. “Report! The enemy’s city gates have opened, and someone is challenging us before the formation!”

Fu Huayi’s spirits lifted. She pushed away the hands massaging her shoulders. “Did you see who it was? Li Min or Lu He?”

“Reporting, General, it’s an unfamiliar young general in red, who calls herself Ling Yue.”

Fu Huayi frowned, then recalled who this Ling Yue was.

The top military examination scholar, the second daughter of the Ling family.

If she remembered correctly, Ling Yue was two years younger than her and a favorite of Lu He.

Fu Huayi’s hands trembled slightly. Boasting in private was one thing, but facing Lu He head-on, she had little confidence of victory.

Not wanting to show fear in front of her subordinates, Fu Huayi pressed further, “Is she alone?”

“Yes, she is the only one.”

It wouldn’t do to ask more. Fu Huayi decided not to engage personally, instead sending one of her junior officers to test the waters.

Ling Yue had requested a spear from Li Min. Clad in silver armor and mounted on a red steed, she held the spear at an angle, her heroic aura accentuated by the determination in her eyes.

She stood before the city gates, the Lu banner above whipping fiercely in the wind.

Not only were the Xin Dynasty soldiers unfamiliar with Ling Yue, but even the soldiers on the city walls didn’t know her well.

All eyes were fixed on Ling Yue alone. She showed no fear; instead, she felt a sense of nostalgia.

Though the time, place, and people had changed between her past and present lives, some things remained the same.

In her previous life, there had been no military examinations to prove her worth. When she first stepped onto the battlefield, she had faced countless skeptical gazes.

The enemy’s mockery only made her calmer. With a single move, she wounded her opponent’s horse, then followed with a spear thrust to the throat.

The terrified and enraged gazes of the enemy seemed to flash before her eyes once more. Ling Yue closed her eyes, struggling to steady her trembling hands.

After taking a deep breath, she finally managed to control the excitement-induced shaking.

She glared at the enemy camp and shouted, “Fu Huayi, you incompetent coward! Do you dare face me in battle?”

“Deploying your troops but taking no action are you afraid of the might of our dynasty’s Grand Princess?”

“Dealing with you doesn’t require Her Highness’s presence! I alone am enough!”

“Your grandmother, Ling Yue, stands right here! Are the warriors of the Xin Dynasty all cowards? Is there no one brave enough to claim my head?”

Her taunts soon provoked a reaction. With Fu Huayi’s permission, a general charged out.

The man was massive, wielding twin hammers, his face covered in a thick beard, eyes wide with fury. “Insolent cur of the Rong Dynasty! Watch as I smash your head into a pulpy mess!”

Ling Yue appeared much smaller in comparison, causing those on the city walls to watch with bated breath even Li Min.

Gripping the edge of the brick wall, Li Min leaned forward anxiously. She recognized the opposing general, a man of immense strength, skilled with twin hammers. Li Min had once crossed blades with him, and her sword had shattered under his might. Had she not dodged swiftly, she would have lost her life.

Feeling indebted to Ling Yue, Li Min grew even more anxious, silently praying for her safety.

Unfazed by the burly enemy, Ling Yue sneered, “You reckless brute, spouting empty boasts? Today, your blood shall anoint the banners of the Rong Dynasty!”

Enraged, the enemy general spurred his horse and swung his hammer at Ling Yue’s head. She ducked, maintaining distance as she thrust her spear. Unlike others, the general didn’t evade but clamped the spearhead between his hammers.

The immense force sent vibrations through the spear, yet Ling Yue held firm. Instead, she leaped from her horse, using the spear as leverage to deliver a swift kick to the side of his face.

Stunned by the pain, the general released her weapon. Seizing the moment, Ling Yue aimed a direct thrust at his throat.

The general raised his right hammer to block, but Ling Yue’s spear tip slithered like a serpent along the hammer’s surface, striking upward. A life-threatening instinct made him duck, and the blow only knocked off his helmet.

From being on the defensive, Ling Yue seized the offensive. Her strikes were swift, powerful, and precisely aimed at vital points. A single lapse in focus could mean death by her spear.

Finally, she spotted an opening. With a sweeping strike, she injured the general’s horse’s leg. The horse whinnied in agony, collapsing forward and throwing its rider to the ground.

Ling Yue didn’t hesitate. As she had in her past life, she drove her spear into the general’s throat, ending the duel.

She lifted her spear, wiping the bloodied tip on the fallen general’s clothes, then pointed it toward the enemy lines.

The wind tousled her long hair, the red ribbon woven within dancing wildly. Her eyes blazed with arrogance as she declared, “Next.”

Silence fell over the battlefield, soon broken by thunderous cheers from the walls of Hongshui County.

At first, the shouts were chaotic, but they soon unified into a roaring chant: “General Ling is mighty!”

Li Min straightened up, a mix of envy and exhilaration surging through her. Thrilled that the Rong Dynasty had such a warrior, she raised her arm and joined the chorus: “General Ling is mighty!”

The cheers were so loud that they even overshadowed the bleak atmosphere in the city. The common people looked up one after another, and those nearby saw the usually unsmiling soldiers on the city walls looking excited, shouting incessantly.

Qing Niao was treating the wounded in the city when she paused her work and glanced toward the noisy commotion. Without a second thought, she understood what was happening and couldn’t help but smile before turning back to bandage the injured.

One of the wounded, however, was quite curious and asked the person beside him, “Who is General Ling?”

Another person, leaning against the wall of a dilapidated house, was equally puzzled by the day’s events and replied in confusion, “I’m not sure. Isn’t the garrison general General Li? Is there a General Ling?”

After finishing the bandaging, Qing Niao wiped the sweat from her forehead. She had been working nonstop since she opened her eyes that morning, and now, at last, she had a moment to rest. She stretched comfortably.

The people she had helped expressed their gratitude repeatedly: “Thank you, Doctor Yun. You truly have the heart of a bodhisattva.”

Qing Niao shook her head modestly. As she packed her things, she said, “You flatter me. Remember to rest well and avoid overexerting yourselves in the coming days.”

Just then, someone recalled that Doctor Yun had come from Rongjing and might know about this General Ling. So, they asked her, “Doctor Yun, do you know who this General Ling is?”

Qing Niao had finished packing all her belongings into a bamboo basket, which she then slung over her shoulder. Hearing the question, she smiled, her eyes crinkling. “Of course, I know.”

She didn’t elaborate further, only glanced once more at the high-spirited soldiers and said, “You’ll be hearing her name often from now on.”

Returning to her temporary lodgings, her first task was to check the pulse of the “Living King of Hell” in the Princess’s room. As soon as she entered, she noticed that the Princess had not changed her clothes, and her hair was loose and uncombed.

When the Princess’s gaze fell upon her, Qing Niao felt a pang of guilt. She had taken one step into the room but, frightened, retreated immediately. “Ah, Your Highness, hello! I’ll be on my way now,” she said, turning to flee.

“Stop.”

Qing Niao froze instantly. She turned back with great difficulty, forcing a strained smile. “What is it, Your Highness?”

The Princess smiled with extreme gentleness. “Come in and sit for a while.”

Would sitting down cost her her head? Qing Niao entertained the thought briefly but knew the Princess wouldn’t go that far. Trembling, she walked in and sat down, adopting an ingratiating tone. “Is Your Highness feeling well?”

The Princess took a sip of tea from her cup. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

Qing Niao felt her hair stand on end from fright. Knowing that playing dumb was useless, she smiled bitterly. “You had a nightmare, why blame me?”

Seeing her confess without being pressed, the Princess set down her teacup and smiled. “Oh? When did I say I was blaming you?”

Qing Niao felt a headache coming on. She decided to appeal to their long-standing friendship. “Xiao He, we’ve known each other for so many years. Please act normal and don’t scare me.”

“You should have woken me up yesterday.”

With all the commotion last night, Qing Niao, who lived next door, couldn’t possibly have missed it. Yet she had done nothing, simply watching as Ling Yue stayed by the Princess’s side all night. When the Princess woke up in the morning, she saw Ling Yue slumped by her bedside, stammering and hesitant to speak. With so many people in the residence, a simple inquiry would have revealed what had happened.

She had had a nightmare? And she had held Ling Yue’s hand, begging her not to leave?

Crack!

Overwhelmed by agitation, the Princess crushed the teacup in her hand.

Qing Niao was instantly terrified. She hurriedly pried open the Princess’s hand, carefully picking out the shards of porcelain. Unable to contain her frustration, she exclaimed, “You really are something!”

The Grand Princess calmed down and decided not to pursue Qing Niao’s mistake.

She clicked her tongue impatiently. “Tch.”

After a while, she sighed and asked, “Do you dream? What do you dream of?”

Qing Niao paused, as if those images were swirling before her eyes again. She closed her eyes and said softly, “I dream of heavy rain and the sound of crying in the rain.”

Her own, others’, she couldn’t forget them.

As if sensing the strange atmosphere, she smiled and added, “I have a feeling that Ling Yue will leave a significant mark in the history of the Rong Dynasty.”

The Grand Princess glanced at her, then looked into the distance. A smile touched her lips as she thought of Ling Yue. “Naturally.”

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