PROOFREAD BY AFREANA

Chapter 90.2

An Ruochen coldly said, “Do you want me to kick you out?”

An Ruoxi bit her lip and muttered in aggravation, “What kind of elder sister would be so short-sighted? The General did a terrible thing, something evil people do.”

An Ruochen said, “I’ve already asked. The General is not interested in taking your life, only preventing you from being used to plot against me. Brother Lu will give you an antidote every month, and you will be fine. If you don’t believe me, you can find a doctor in the medical center.”

“I did. The doctor can’t see anything wrong.” An Ruoxi looked unhappy. “Our sisterly bond is not deep, but I thought carefully. I never harmed you.”

“Yes, it’s just that your mother bullied my mother and made her suffer. Then when I was beaten and scolded by Father and promised marriage to Master Qian, you were delighted and sneered at me.”

An Ruoxi’s face flushed with heat: “So now the wind and water have turned, and it’s my turn to show up at the door for you to sneer at me.”

“It really makes people happy, doesn’t it?”

An Ruoxi bit her lip and said, “Then, after you’re done rejoicing, help me think of a way. I want to marry Young Master Xue.”

An Ruochen glared at her. Where is your self-restraint? An Ruoxi looked at her blearily, and An Ruochen really didn’t have the patience. “I will inquire about the Xue family. If it is really suitable, I will think of a way for you.”

An Ruoxi breathed a sigh of relief.

When Big Long returned to Zhonglan City, he did not enter the Purple Cloud House but went to the Governor’s residence first.

Governor Yao Kun heard the report and hurriedly rushed to the hall to meet with him. He was shocked to hear Big Long say that Huo Mingshan ventured into the country to discuss the  relationship between the two countries.

“Prime Minister Huo who negotiated peace seventeen years ago?”

“Precisely. He has no official position now but has the South Qin Emperor’s order in his hand to check things out. Technically, he could be considered an envoy.”

Yao Kun agreed with Big Long’s strategy. “I will welcome him into Zhonglan City with great ceremony and send someone to deliver a memorial to the Emperor to explain the cause of his visit. Let the court’s officials help to lobby so that Mr. Huo can smoothly face the Emperor to present his case. At any rate, for this matter to reach the capital could take several days, providing a delay. By then, we still have a chance to crack the case of Mao County, the misunderstanding at the border, and the spies in Zhonglan City.” He thought about it and sighed, “If we can stop the war, it would be the best.”

“I hope so. Please prepare as quickly as possible, My Lord. And send someone to the capital today. Also, send two more envoys to visit South Qin.”

Yao Kun thought about it and nodded. It was not polite to visit just like that. Since they had accepted the South Qin’s envoy, naturally, they must complete the scene. They should send two envoys over to explain the affairs, clarify the truth, and stabilize the situation. “This is all about wiping Mao County Shi Pingqing’s ass. The trouble he caused on his end still needs my help.”

But if Yao Kun disposes of it well, then in the future, when it comes to dividing merit, this one will be his. “I’ll quickly report to Shi Pingqing and ask him to stabilize East Ling and refrain fromcausing any more trouble at this turn of events. East Ling is a small country with a weak army. If South Qin does not move, they would never dare to start a war. Furthermore, it looks like East Ling instigated this and wanted to take advantage of the chaos. I must let Shi Pingqing take a closer look at the situation.”

Big Long said: “Then, My Lord, prepare as quickly as possible. Prepare the rites and the welcoming party. The bigger, the better. Come to the general army camp tomorrow to pick Mr. Huo up.”

Yao Kun agreed. They discussed so and so, and after that, Big Long took his leave. Yao Kun did not dare to delay and hurriedly sent someone to call the county executive official, the local chief executive official and magistrates of the surrounding counties to come over to discuss the matter.

After Big Long returned to the Purple Cloud House, without further delay, he quickly summoned the officials, asked about the city’s official business and explained the matter of Huo Mingshan entering Zhonglan City on his way to the capital to see the Emperor. The defense and guarding arrangements, etc., as well as Mao County security’s instability, the impact on their Pingnan County defense, what if East Ling and South Qin join forces, and how to deal with it. He ordered not to delay the various reports, informed the military depots to report the military situation, and asked the other counties’ military generals to declare the military status to prevent any trouble.

After explaining everything, Big Long went out of the court hall and was about to visit An Ruochen, but he saw her waiting outside.

“I heard the General has returned. I also heard the General is rushing to leave, so I waited here.”

Big Long laughed out loud. Seeing An Ruochen made his heart feel peaceful. “It is quite rushed, so what do you want to say to me?”

An Ruochen calmly pulled out three letters, “This one is to report on official business. I have made adjustments to some of the staff in the building. This one is for private matters, the status of the wedding preparations that I discussed with the Governor’s wife. General, don’t worry. The General is busy with military affairs, so we won’t hold the wedding anytime soon. Moreover, even if you and I have a wedding in Zhonglan City, we must still go through the necessary ritual. How could the capital’s side set up a gift list in such a short time? It needs a lot of time to prepare those things. You can rest assured to guard the border and deal with the military situation.”

This explanation is similar to the tactics he used on Huo Mingshan. First, buying some time and then dragging to find a turnaround. “Miss An Ruochen.”

“Yes, General.”

“Only attack, not retreat, remember?”

“I Remember. Isn’t this the list of what needs to be done on your side? I’m meticulous.”

Big Long looked at the third envelope: “What about this one?”

“This envelope is the intention to attack and not retreat.”

Big Long raised his eyebrows high, his eyes glowing, “Love letter?”

“It’s a few requests for the General.”

Big Long: “……”

“Is the General going back to the barracks?”

Big Long lost his temper: “Is this supposed to drive me away?”

“I am heartbroken that the General is running around, but it would be bad if I delay the General from attending to your business. You can go back and read these letters slowly.”

Big Long furrowed his eyebrows, she’s saying heartache with her mouth, but showing no practical action. “You come here.” He had a commanding tone.

An Ruochen went over. Big Long held her in his arms, stroked her head, and educated her, “If you want to show that you don’t like to part with me, you should be like this when you send me off.”

“Okay.” An Ruochen didn’t refute, reaching out to hug him around the waist.

After hugging for a while, Big Long really had to go. He wanted to kiss her but was concerned about the many guards around watching, so after having thought about it he only said, “I’m leaving.”

“Okay.” An Ruochen followed Big Long to the place where his horse was. Big Long got on the horse, and she also brought out Zhangu. It wore a saddle as well.

Big Long raised his eyebrows.

An Ruochen pursed her lips to hide her shyness: ”I want to go for a ride. Otherwise, my riding skills will get rusty. It just so happens that I also want to go towards the East City Gate’s end.”

Big Long glared at her. An Ruochen pretended not to see, hopped onto her horse, and asked seriously, “General, which way do you want to go? Are we going the same way? If so, let’s go together. We can still talk.”

Big Long clamped Rufeng’s belly, urged the horse to Zhangu’s side, and turned to look at An Ruochen: “Miss An Ruochen, aren’t you getting more rogue?”

An Ruochen was unyielding, “I’m obviously quite reserved.”

Big Long laughed out loud, laughing so hard that An Ruochen couldn’t help but giggle along as well. Then Big Long lowered his head and kissed her lips, “Miss An Ruochen, I am almost unable to hold back. Keep holding yourself well.”

An Ruochen stared at Zhangu’s head with a reddened face, not daring to look at the surrounding situation. In her ears, she heard Big Long say, “It’s on the way. Let’s go.”

An Ruochen couldn’t help but smile again. Her face was like a peach blossom, and her eyes were bright. She urged her horse to follow Big Long and set off.

On the way to the East City Gate, she talked to Big Long about her sister’s marriage. He seemed not surprised or perhaps not interested, only passively responding. An Ruochen felt that he was preventing her from mentioning the poison matter. She was interested yet said nothing.

When Big Long rode his horse away, An Ruochen was reluctant to part with him and watched him from the roadside for a long time.

Big Long rode out for a while and turned back. He saw her standing in the same position. His heart warmed, leading the guards to rush back to the barracks. All the way back to the barracks, he didn’t look back. But he thought his girl was disobedient and didn’t act according to common sense.

After returning to the barracks, Big Long conveyed the good news to Huo Mingshan; everything has been negotiated properly, allowing him to wait with a peace of mind for tomorrow to enter the city, where the Governor will welcome him with courtesy as an envoy. The two of them talked some more.

Then, Big Long returned to his tent. He took out An Ruochen’s letter and read it. The first official letter wrote that she transferred some staff to the building. Some were sent to the outside, and some new people joined. It was to cover the matter of Lu Daniang entering the Purple Cloud House and contact some people in the city to test the situation. She also said she had not found the person who handed her the note but selected three suspicious people. She found the residence of two of them but had not found useful clues. On the other hand, the third one appeared in the Zhaofu restaurant, shook off the tracking twice and has not been seen since then. She intuited that this person was the most suspicious. However, this person was medium-sized, with slender eyes and a round face, completely different from Young Master Min’s appearance. She didn’t dare jump to conclusions without clues. In addition, she needed money to set up a safe contact point in the city.

Big Long read the letter and burned it. He always knew that An Ruochen must have her team of secret agents, but she did not take the initiative to tell him the details, and he did not pursue it. She had learned well, memorizing and using what he and Xie Gang had taught her. Xie Gang was not present, but she managed to do things without moving one person and one pawn in the building, just like a one-man show.

Big Long looked at the second letter, which contained the wedding’s trivia, and also listed what he must do. Big Long copied it and ordered it to be handed over to the postman to deliver it to the Long House in the capital to his second brother, Long Yue.

The third letter, which Big Long was very much looking forward to, is the ‘only attack and not retreat intentions.’ If it is not a love letter, what else can it be?

Having opened and read it, Big Long’s eyebrows raised high. He really cannot use ordinary ideas to think about his An Ruochen. The letter told him to take care of military affairs and fulfill his duties as a fiancée, such as writing a letter to send a message saying he missed her, etc. The point was the second part asking him how much his salary was and mentioning that it takes money to investigate the spies. But if she always withdraws funds from the account room, it would arouse suspicion, so she hoped that Big Long would give her money under the guise of matching her dowry or give her his salary or something. If his money was not with him, then is there any way to solve her money shortage crisis?

Big Long has lost his temper completely.

Only attack and not retreat! She was really brave to attack, ah! Money, money, money! Yet, she still has the nerve to say she was reserved!

Big Long held the letter and  laughed with a hearty ‘hahaha’. How can this girl be so pleasing to him? It’s so pleasing! So happy that he wanted her to copy a hundred times “I like General Long Teng” and send it to him to stick around the tent.