PROOFREAD BY AFREANA

Chapter 45.1

Zong Zeqing nodded vigorously. Yes, yes! He was wise and bravely killed the enemy’s General! It’s just that the General speaks too fast, without half a pause, it’s hard to say whether Miss An managed to understand.

An Ruochen did listen to some confusion, only clear about the part where he has gone missing and returned three days later with the enemy general’s head.

“And then!” Big Long continued to speak, his voice changed, intoning the speech with clear rhythm: “The whole battalion of soldiers was stunned and was about to come forward to praise General Zong’s bravery. But General Zong suddenly jumped, hugged my leg and started howling all the while wiping his tears and snot on my pants.”

The chicken breast in Zong Zeqing’s hand fell off, his mouth opened wide, and his whole body shocked. General! Are you helping to tell the story or teasing the bravest and most intelligent general under your command? The point is that he became famous for this battle and got ‘the Tiger General’ title! Hmm, but the atmosphere is not right. It seems inappropriate for him to add this himself. Still, he has to say something! This heroic deed cannot be ended with a ‘snotty nose and tears,’ ah!

“Ah, right.” Zong Zeqing’s face became serious: “This brave and clever General here ultimately got the emperor’s award. What I wanted to tell Steward An is to not worry about whether your choice is right or wrong. Who knows what will happen afterward? Damn it, if I had died in that battle, then it would have been reasonable. If I had retreated, someone with ulterior motives might have tricked me. If you think it’s right, then do it. Afterward, if the results are good, you will reward yourself. If the results are not good, then summarize and improve. After all, there is always a next time. As long as people live, there will be another chance. In this world, how can everything be as you wish?”

After Zong Zeqing finished, he saw the glow on An Ruochen’s face, which made him a little smug. Damn it, only today he found that he was too good at talking, quite eloquent. No, he was always eloquent. Otherwise, how could he be appointed by the General? But the General looks a bit serious. It seems that today’s matters have been quite unpleasant, making him so busy that he returned only at this time.

On the side, An Ruochen did feel encouraged. She said: “Thank you, General Zong. But I have one more question.”

“Go ahead.” Zong Zeqing raised his head and chest.

An Ruochen looked at Big Long and then at Zong Zeqing. Big Long raised his eyebrows, intuiting that this question should be interesting.

“When you hugged the General’s leg and cried, did you still carry the enemy’s head or did you throw it away somewhere along the way?”

Zong Zeqing: “……” General, I caught a glimpse of you laughing! This is the result of your story! How can he remember whether he carried the head or not, ah? Such an embarrassing thing as holding the General’s thighs while crying, he had forgotten all about it, okay? Moreover, he was not crying because he was afraid but because he got overexcited to return to the team and was grieving over the loss of his good brothers in that battle.

An Ruochen looked right and left. Is there any problem with this question? She was really curious, ah. If it is Mr. Storyteller, he would have described this action on three pieces of paper.

“General, ah.” Zong Zeqing decided to change the subject. It should be time to divert the attention to Steward An. “Steward An had a bad day and was waiting for you to return to report the incident. Look at how late you are back. Hurry up, listen to what Steward An has to say before the moon goes down.”

“Really? In what way did it not go well?” Big Long leveled up and took this over.

“Ah?” An Ruochen reacted, glanced at the wine bowl and chicken legs in her hands, and hurriedly put them down.

Big Long turned around and walked away, while An Ruochen intuitively followed. Zong Zeqing breathed a sigh of relief, subconsciously trying to remember whether or not he was carrying the head.

After walking a few steps, Big Long took out a handkerchief and gave it to An Ruochen. An Ruochen took it, remembering that her hands were full of grease and her face flushed red as she hurriedly wiped them. While she was wiping her hands, she sneaked a peek at the General, who lowered his head and did not seem to look at her.

An Ruochen sighed in her heart. Why did she have to make a fool of herself every time they met on the training grounds?

For a while, as the two were walking, Big Long did not say anything. An Ruochen also did not speak. Big Long didn’t go toward the courtyard but strolled into the Purple Cloud House, and An Ruochen followed behind. As she watched the General pondering over some issue, she wondered if he also had a bad day at work. The other side was already unwell, and here she was, adding more trouble. Still, the General was very handsome even when walking with his head down.

“Why aren’t you speaking?” Big Long suddenly said. He watched their shadows next to each other and wondered why this girl remained silent.

An Ruochen was counting her steps and found that the General’s legs were much longer than hers, but she could keep up without much effort because he was deliberately slowing down. Just as she counted her steps up to five when he took only three, she heard the General’s question and  refocused on the matter at hand that was actually important, hurriedly relaying the story of today’s events in detail.

“Sick?” Big Long was surprised, but the reaction was not that strong. He was so calm that An Ruochen suddenly felt like eating a pill of confidence. Sure enough, nothing is difficult with the General. “General, what should I do?”

Big Long pondered over it and said, “Xie Gang went to investigate a matter today and should be able to return tomorrow. When he returns, and I learn the result of the investigation, then I’ll decide on this matter.”

An Ruochen had an ominous feeling: “General, did I do something wrong?”

“Hasn’t General Zong already comforted and enlightened you just now?”

This tone is somehow strange. An Ruochen pursed her lips. Since he wasn’t blaming her, she assumed she had not done anything wrong. “So, what about the head?”

Big Long stopped and turned his head to look at her. “Steward An, will you keep drilling when you are drunk?”

“No.” An Ruochen tilted her head with an innocent look, “Never got drunk and never drilled.”

Under the moonlight, her face was red and bright with a slightly drunken stupor. Her eyes were so bright that the stars in the sky lost their color. Big Long retreated a step before saying, “Look at your appearance. You are drunk.”

“No.” An Ruochen frowned.

“Go back to sleep.” Big Long suddenly seemed upset, turned his head, and walked away.

An Ruochen was at a loss as to what caused him to be upset. She just didn’t admit that she was drunk! This already made him unhappy. Fine, then. She’ll admit it. “General.” An Ruochen took a few steps to catch up and turned a corner, but Big Long’s figure was nowhere to be seen.

Is he running? Amazing! He disappeared so quickly. An Ruochen shook her head and decided to obey and return to sleep. She wasn’t drunk, but now her mood was much better. The General’s handkerchief was still with her, so she would help him wash it after she returns. She felt so much better. There may be good news tomorrow, and things may not be so bad.