20 NINETEEN

After Lou Sheng presented the armor in front of Li Fei Long, he started to make sure all the preparation met his standard.

As the departure of the troops had already been decided, Jiang Xi Yu felt even more anxious. She always came up with something for Li Fei Long to bring along to the campaign. Because of this, she also made Xiao Gan Zi scramble to manage her requests.

Li Fei Long was trying his full set armor for the last time before he led his brother and Commander Lin out from the imperial city on the next day. Sitting at the front yard, Lou Sheng helped Li Fei Long to make sure that the armor suit was perfectly fit to Li Fei Long's body.

"I still think you need to take Master Gao to accompany you at the war." Walking closer to where the group of men were doing their preparation, Jiang Xi Yu was back trying to insert the proposal into the account.

Master Gao was very skilled in medicine. He brought her back to life so he was the perfect companion for Li Fei Long. If anything happened in the war, Master Gao would be able to straight away save Li Fei Long.

Master Gao suddenly appeared the night before, Jiang Xi Yu thought it was because Li Fei Long was planning to ask Master Gao to join the campaign with him. But it turned out Li Fei Long asked Master Gao to stay at Duan Wang Fu and pose as a scholar that Li Fei Long supported as a disguise to take care of Jiang Xi Yu for him.

Master Gao, Lou Sheng, Ming He and Qian Chang Xin bowed to Jiang Xi Yu in harmony. As Master Gao returned to his seat, Jiang Xi Yu scanned his new appearance thoroughly. His hair was sleek and he wore a scholar outfit. His smile was still cool and calm.

"So, how do I address Master Gao from now on?" Asked in disagreement, Jiang Xi Yu stopped her lotus step right in front of Li Fei Long who stood by and let Lou Sheng fix his armor.

"Wang fei can call me Scholar Gao Xian." Master Gao folded both his hands in front of his chest.

"Gao Xian Gongzhi, words are not enough to convey my gratitude for saving my life. But, please escort wang ye in the campaign. Gao Xian Gongzhi's medicinal ability is on the other level. With Gao Xian Gongzhi there to escort wang ye, at least this could put my feelings at ease." Jiang Xi Yu sounded desperate.

Li Fei Long lowered his hand and caught Jiang Xi Yu's hand. He squeezed her hand as he spoke. "I have all my capable men with me. Who will help you guard the fu, if you decline this idea? Besides, Gao Xian never wanted to intervene in political issues and warfare. With Gao Xian staying here while I am gone, this puts my heart at ease knowing someone capable is making sure you are safe."

Annoyed because Li Fei Long did not understand her worries, Jiang Xi Yu pulled her hand off from him. She scoffed, then took the main seat and moved her target to Lou Sheng.

"General Lou Sheng, do not put the lower tie between the legs too tight." She pointed to Li Fei Long's armor. "It would make it difficult for wang ye to untie it to urinate."

The five men were looking at each other after listening to that mark. The four men followed Li Fei Long who laughed at Jiang Xi Yu's lack of knowledge. Jiang Xi Yu got more annoyed by all of them who seemed very much relaxed about this first war that she experienced.

"Wang fei, we are not supposed to be able to take off these suits of war so easily. If it can be taken off so easily, that means this suit does not properly shield me." Li Fei Long lifted up his hands in the air and showed off his armor in front of Jiang Xi Yu and happily taught her about this fact.

"Then how do you take care of your needs?" Jiang Xi Yu insisted on asking.

"Pardon me, wang fei, but there is a compartment under for that." Gao Xian Gongzhi butted in to help answer Jiang Xi Yu's curiosity. Ming He and Qian Chang Xin could only lower their heads even more to hide their laughter.

"Such a hassle." Jiang Xi Yu sighed as she imagined the scene.

"General Jiang never explained this to you?" This question that came from Li Fei Long made Jiang Xi Yu stuned for a while. Her older brother was a young General in this era. He might have told her old self about this knowledge some days before. But she was not who she was before.

Her eyes were avoiding Li Fei Long and moving from Lou Sheng to Gao Xian Gongzhi. Her mouth blurted out asking Gao Xian a question out of nowhere to avoid Li Fei Long.

"I always wonder how old Gao Xian Gongzhi is." Jiang Xi Yu moved the focus to the other person. She looked back to Li Fei Long. "If the qie shi come to greet me and ask about Gao Xian's identity, we better have the same story to say."

Li Fei Long moved his gaze to Gao Xian as he also did not think that far ahead.

"No one would dare to ask wang fei as no one is higher than wang fei in this fu." Gao Xian answered calmly. He continued again. "As to my original age, to be honest, even I have lost track of how many years have passed since the first day I breathed. The one thing I knew all along is just the day I will stop breathing."

Jiang Xi Yu did not realize she was all ears on that fact. Their eyes locked as the expression she got was Gao Xian's seriousness. "By the time the empire is lead by a woman, at that time my teach arrived."

The bursting laughter filled the air and only Jiang Xi Yu and Gao Xian who did not laugh. Jiang Xi Yu remembered clearly who would be the only empress in history who ruled the whole empire and that would come many many years ahead. The only thing she regretted was that she did not learn the history lesson very well to know what would happen to Li Fei Long afterwards.

She looked at Li Fei Long's face as her mind was trying to remember their dynasty's histories. She knew the dynasty would be prosperous, she knew the temple name of the next emperor, but she did not know who he was.

Would Li Fei Long be the next emperor or would he die as a hero in the war?! At that moment, Jiang Xi Yu deeply regretted that she did not have any interest in reading more in history class.

***

It has been a week since Pan Xi Yin became a prisoner inside her own chamber. Not even once Han Xiu Wen visited her and she was completely sure all of this was Grand Princess Li Liang Rong's doing to torture her.

Her hands were tied up to the ceiling. Her feet were tied open wide so she pissed and defecated there on the same spot. Trace of blood dripping from her hand ties, her tongue tasted bitter as she did not properly eat each day.

Every day Bai Xia came in to give her water to drink, clean her excrement, and offered her some leftover food to eat. In between, pozi would take turn to torture her as their please. They slapped her face, pulled her nails, whipped and flogged her. They said they would only stop after Pan Xi Yi knew her place.

Pan Xi Yin knew that day was different from usual. After Bai Xia left the room, it was not the old cruel pozi who entered her room, instead it was The Grand Princess herself.

Li Liang Rong stepped in along with the head house steward. Pan Xi Yin was exhausted and felt hurting every part of her body. She laughed sarcastically at Li Liang Rong.

"Old woman… if lao ye knows what you did to me, you will… you will fully regret it." Pan Xi Yin chuckled as she choked between her laughs. "I know you have been jealous of me. I am young, fit, and feminim. You are old and too muscular to be a woman. You are afraid I will replace your place in this fu."

With confidence that soon Han Xiu Wen would finally know what was going on and would salvage her away from The Grand Princess, Pan Xi Yin dared to say it out loud. The head house steward came forward and slapped her face hard enough twice on each side. He was the same person who slapped her long ago when she tried to bait on The Grand Chancellor at his courtyard.

She spat out blood clots. Her eyes looked down and saw a tooth fall off from her mouth. Pan Xi Yin grew angry and glared at Li Liang Rong.

"I admire your spirit. Too bad I no longer need your service." Li Liang Rong opened her mouth with her flat expression. Her appearance was grand as she wore a yellow dress which was fully embroidered with butterflies. As if The Grand Princess was celebrating the spring which just started.

In a drastic comparison, Pan Xi Yin's body stank and covered with blood and bruises. The only thing that she wore was just her self confidence.

"As soon as laoye returns to the fu and sees me like this. You will be dead, old woman." Pan Xi Yin hissed angrily.

Li Liang Rong did not move an inch from where she stood. The head house steward retreated as if he understood the timing. In his replacement, someone entered the room. His shadow shocked Pan Xi Yin to complete confusion. She checked Li Liang Rong's reaction but The Grand Princess was as cool as before. Li Liang Rong did not even take a glance for a little bit as her husband walked in calmly and stopped by her side.

Dressed in his official outfit, Han Xiu Wen checked Pan Xi Yin's state in a pitiful face. Pan Xi Yin's heart felt heavy and she started to panic. Han Xiu Wen did not like the person she thought she knew before.

"I know I am old." Clearly enjoying the situation, Li Liang Rong did not want to lose her moment. "Since I was born I never imagined to be pretty. I imagined I would be strong and indeed I became one. I am the strongest and one of the respectful heroes the empire has and you are just my pawn. You are just nobody. You are just an object to me."

Li Liang Rong glanced at her husband. She smirked as Han Xiu Wen nodded at her. "You are here because we, as parents, used you to teach meaningful life lessons for our children." Han Xiu Wen calmly explained the whole situation that Pan Xi Yin was facing. The Grand Chancellor was indeed a scary man.

"How was that even possible when I met Han Hong Yuan by accident on the way out from Luoyang?!" Pan Xi Yin could not believe what she heard. But the appearance of Han Xiu Wen already made her shattered.

"The meeting was unexpected. My son was foolish enough to even consider canceling his betrothal to General Kong's daughter for a prostitute like you." Li Liang Rong told her honestly about their fated correlation.

"I am not a prostitute!" Pan Xi Yin yelled at Li Liang Rong.

Pan Xi Yin spat at her but all that came out from her mouth was blood clots. The blood clots fell right in front of Li Liang Rong's foot. It did not even touch her skin but Li Liang Rong shuddered in disgust.

"A daughter of an ex brothel madam. What makes you not a prostitute? You even offered yourself to him." Li Liang Rong pointed to her husband who grinned in satisfaction.

At that time Pan Xi Yin got the pictures. The couple in front of her set her up to make Han Hong Yuan stop seeing her.

"You kept Han Hong Yuan away from me and led me to…" Pan Xi Yin was in disbelief. The two people in front of her were truly demons.

"My son must feel the pain of being betrayed and heartbroken and my daughter must be wise enough before becoming a wang fei. I used you to teach all of that to them. I used you to exemplify jealousy, lust, ignorance, and greed." Bluntly confessed, Li Liang Rong shouted towards the servant outside, "Let young master and Rui Wang Fei come to this room."

The head house steward answered lightly from outside and Pan Xi Yin's mind ran to think of Han Hong Yuan who did not return back home ever since witnessing herself with his father last time. She did not know Han Yong Yuan returned back to the capital city for Han Yao Ying's wedding day. After she gave it a thought, Han Hong Yuan was supposed to be back to give his sister away on her wedding day.

"Even The Emperor granted The Grand Chancellor to take me as his second wife of the house. Do you think you can get away from fooling The Emperor to grant me the title as the second lady of the fu just to be played by you?" Pan Xi Yin still can defend herself, trying to find loopholes. But her statement made Li Liang Rong and Han Xiu Wen laugh at her like she was making a joke.

"Did you really believe that? Do you really think The Emperor even noticed you exist? Just merely a human being and happened to warm my bed and The Emperor granted you to be the second wife of a household. We know all along a commoner like you would easily get into this trap." Han Xiu Wen mocked her. For the first time Pan Xi Yin witnessed how cunning Han Xiu Wen was.

"That's not real?" Pan Xi Yin was stunned.

She was completely a fool. She thought she was already at least closer to Jiang Xi Yu's status but she was not even there. She was just a pawn. Reality hit her hard. For the first time since she got torture there, her tears started to flown down her face.

"If I am just nothing, then why have you not killed me yet?" Pan Xi Yin sobbed uncontrollably.

Li Liang Rong moved a little bit so the door behind her could slide open. She glazed at Pan Xi Yin before facing Han Hong Yuan and Han Yao Ying entering the room.

"Because I need to use you one more time to teach them the last lesson" Li Liang Rong answered inhumanly.

Pan Xi Yin's eyes met Han Hong Yuan. The man who was loving her dearly, stood there with different looks. With a darker skin tone and much more muscular posture, Han Hong Yuan looked very much shocked seeing Pan Xi Yin.

"Hong Yuan…" With teary eyes, Pan Xi Yin called him in desperation.

The man who used to love her with all his heart was no longer there. Han Hong Yuan kept his mouth shut as his face was getting pale.

"What did you do to her?" Han Hong Yuan could not step even further. Li Liang Rong acted like a devoted mother who closely took care of her son. Her fingers ran down along his hem.

"Mother has to take care of all the stupid things you did." Li Liang Rong put her hands on Han Hong Yuan's chest as if she tried to shield his son. "She was just a commoner. A beauty with greed and ignorance and you happened to fall in love with her. So I did what I had to do."

Han Hong Yuan turned his head towards his father. "And you are part of this too, Father?"

Han Xiu Wen lifted up his chin and gave his back to Pan Xi Yin. "Your mother and I are one."

A simple statement which made Pan Xi Yin feel stuck. The world of the noble was not her world after all. She dreamed about becoming one but she can not be one. Some people were born with fate as a noble, some people were just commonner with simpler lives and could live with simple happiness.

In full regret, again, Pan Xi Yin bursted into tears.

Slowly her tears turned into wailing. Her scream full of pain filled the air. When a hard hit blew her head, her eyes caught a glimpse of shadow. In a second she was unconscious. She hoped she died right there, right at that moment.

***

Jiang Xi Yu felt time passed faster than usual. Only a matter of hours before the rooster crowed and the sun appeared on the eastern horizon. Her fingers laid on Li Fei Long's bare naked chest. She still wanted him to be right next to her for a little longer.

"Apparently, my abilities are reduced. Wang fei is not tired at all and still wide awake." Li Fei Long did not need to open his eyes to know that Jiang Xi Yu has been looking at him for some time.

Sighing deeply, Jiang Xi Yu turned and dropped her back on the bed. Both lied naked. Jiang Xi Yu did not even care anymore to pull up the blanket to cover her breast. She was no longer embarrassed in front of Li Fei Long.

"I am tired but I have many things in my head." Sighed once again, Jiang Xi Yu whispered. "I am still thinking I need to join you but I am also thinking about mufei's condition right now. I am not the only one who worries about you. The qie shi must have been worrying about you too. You are all we got."

Jiang Xi Yu felt movement under the covers. Li Fei Long pulled her body closer as he turned and suppressed her body with his. His face was just right in front of Jiang Xi Yu's. He made her feel his manhood harden on her thigh.

"At this moment, wang ye still can turn hard. Speaking about abilities, I do not think your stamina is reduced." Jiang Xi Yu giggled happily.

Li Fei Long gave a quick kiss on her lips and did not force himself into Jiang Xi Yu. He locked her body with his and was enjoying how soft Jiang Xi Yu's smooth skin was on his.

"I need you to stay and manage the fu." Li Fei Long hummed softly as he was writhing pleasure on top of the soft body that Jiang Xi Yu has.

"After seeing you depart, I will make a visit to the palace. I will check on mufei's condition." Jiang Xi Yu set up her mind.

Li Fei Long bit Jiang Xi Yu right after she whispered her plan. To drown out her voice, Li Fei Long covered her mouth with his hand. He lowered his head and sucked her nipple. Naturally, Jiang Xi Yu arched her back to receive that treatment.

Li Fei Long knew her body really well. He knew which nipple was more sensitive than the other. He knew which spot could create wetness in between her legs. Jiang Xi Yu would miss him badly after he departed.

"Let me serve wang ye tonight." Jiang Xi Yu turned Li Fei Long until his back on the bed. Moving swiftly, Jiang Xi Yu locked Li Fei Long under her. Her knees were on his side. Jiang Xi Yu felt her wetness and it made her feel even sexier than before.

The way she bit her own lips and the way she moves her hips might torture Li Fei Long even more. His hand gripped her waist to pull her down so his tolls could enter her but Jiang Xi Yu held her stance. She shook her index finger as a sign for him to wait for her next move.

Jiang Xi Yu lowered her head down. She was going down and made sure Li Fei Long could see her face slowly approached his hard rocking manhood. Slowly but sure she gave a peck on the tip of the hard tool and Li Fei Long growled.

One more time she gave a peck and before Li Fei Long could growled she put the whole tip inside her warm wet mouth. For the first time she knew how it tasted. Li Fei Long's reaction made her pull her head back but Li Fei Long's hands caught the back of her head and pushed her back to give a second taste.

This time, with the help of Li Fei Long's hands, Jiang Xi Yu went even deeper than before. Her hands cupped the two under the hood. It went naturally as her lust was in control of all her actions.

She knew she was going the right way as Li Fei Long's growl sounded very much louder and louder. Jiang Xi Yu almost choked up but she was happy. She liked it beyond words and the most important part, Li Fei Long seemed to enjoy it.