Chapter 90 Sis and Sis

Chapter 90: Big Sis, Little Sis

The young officer lifted the tent flap, holding his breath as he presented the sealed letter. Yet Lu Feng did not open it. With a glance, he ordered, "Call Ling Xiao in."

After the Princess Consort went missing from the general’s residence, the Prince of Qi was furious and had General Ling Xiao punished with fifty military lashes. The general had not been seen in public for days.

Relieved, the young officer quickly fetched General Ling Xiao, who had been waiting outside. Without hesitation, Ling Xiao knelt on one knee, clasped his fists, and said, "This general has failed. I await Your Highness’s punishment."

—A clear sign of no progress.

The Princess Consort had vanished from the general’s residence, and Ling Xiao bore the lashes without complaint. Once recovered, he immediately dispatched search parties, narrowing the scope to a few border towns. However, further investigation was still needed.

After the incident at the general’s residence, Lu Feng no longer placed his hopes in others. He sent out most of the men he had brought from the capital, faster than Ling Xiao’s scouts.

He had already identified the city where Jiang Wanrou was being held.

Ignoring Ling Xiao’s admission of fault, Lu Feng jutted his chin, signaling him to open the Turkic letter. "Read it."

His expression was inscrutable. Days of relentless warfare had left his black armor stained with blood, his cold eyes streaked with red veins, and his jaw covered in short, coarse stubble. An aura of bloodlust clung to him.

Silently, Ling Xiao opened the letter. Despite the diplomatic language, the Turkic’s ulterior motives were clear: the Princess Consort was a *so-called* ‘guest’ in their royal court, and they demanded the Prince of Qi withdraw his troops and release Turkic prisoners before further negotiations.

Clenching his fists, Ling Xiao suppressed his fury. "They push too far! This is an insult!"

The letter made no promise to return the Princess Consort once Lu Feng complied—only vague talk of "further discussions." Clearly, they intended to use Jiang Wanrou as leverage, testing how far they could push Lu Feng.

And Lu Feng despised nothing more than being threatened.

Watching Lu Feng’s face, Ling Xiao hesitated. Wei City was heavily guarded—Lu Qingling and the others had lived there safely for years. But with the war intensifying, the front lines left no room for distractions, and a disgruntled maid in the general’s residence had colluded with outsiders, creating an opening.

After ordering the fifty military lashes, Lu Feng had not berated him further, but Ling Xiao still felt ashamed to face him. After a long pause, he asked, "Your orders, Your Highness?"

For Lu Feng, this was a dilemma.

His decisive victories against the Turkic had turned the tide of war, earning the court’s scrutiny. To protect Jiang Wanrou’s reputation, Lu Feng had suppressed all rumors. But if he suddenly withdrew his troops, the truth would inevitably spread. Even if the Turkic released her, Jiang Wanrou’s life would be difficult—even with Lu Feng’s protection.

Yet if he refused… Ling Xiao, stationed long in the north, had never heard the rumors of the Prince of Qi’s devotion to his consort. But after these months together, he understood Jiang Wanrou’s importance to Lu Feng.

Lu Feng did not believe in gods, yet he always wore a jade talisman at his waist. Once, Ling Xiao had asked about it, and Lu Feng had smiled. "Your A-mei gave it to me. I couldn’t refuse her."

Mentioning Jiang Wanrou softened his sharp features, his tone a mix of exasperation and pride. "She swears by this superstition. If I don’t wear it, she sulks and argues with me."

"Won’t scold or discipline her—she’s become so pampered. Ling Xiao, learn from me: don’t indulge Qingling too much."

Ling Xiao had seen the Princess Consort—poised and dignified, without a trace of arrogance. It was clear their bond was deep. After all, even Lu Qingling, the composed "general’s wife" in public, only showed her "pampered" side to those closest to her.

…

Ling Xiao felt even more guilty. He couldn’t decide either. Glancing at Lu Feng, he saw only a cold smirk. Without even asking about the letter’s contents, Lu Feng growled, "Keep fighting."

To think they could manipulate him—pure wishful thinking!

Ling Xiao hesitated. "But the Princess Consort—"

"Hmph. Do you think retreating would save her?"

Lu Feng’s face was grim. Though exhaustion reddened his eyes, his mind had never been clearer.

"Fight! Break their spirit. Only when they’re terrified will they hesitate to harm her. If I retreat, they’ll grow bolder."

Too much love brings great sacrifice; hoarding invites ruin. He couldn’t let anyone figure out she was his Achilles’ heel.

Lu Feng also knew she was currently with Pei Zhang.

Jiang Wanying’s rambling lies before her death, along with Pei Zhang’s sneaky yearning for Jiang Wanrou, drove Lu Feng over the edge. It was his doing that Pei Zhang was sent far from the capital.

He had originally intended never to let Pei Zhang return to the capital. Since he liked that godforsaken border town so much, he could stay there for the rest of his life!

What happened afterward took him by surprise. Despite all his precautions, the two still crossed paths. Lu Feng had expected to explode in anger, but the moment he learned the news, the first emotion that surged in his heart was relief.

Pei Zhang was cunning. With him around, her life should be safe.

As for the other trivial details, Lu Feng refused to dwell on them. The last time she had disguised herself as a young officer and come to the camp, she had clung to his neck and teased, "Hurry back to see me, won’t you? Your lady pines for you daily in the estate."

Lu Feng closed his eyes. He wanted her—only her, the one who could speak and laugh, the one who was alive.

Ling Xiao was still in the dark, and Lu Feng certainly wouldn’t let it become public knowledge that his wife was with another man. Though Ling Xiao saw the logic in Lu Feng’s words, he couldn’t help but feel that Jiang Wanrou’s life was being put at risk.

"This..."

Seeing Lu Feng’s murderous glare, Ling Xiao quickly swallowed his words. Lately, Lu Feng had grown increasingly unpredictable, quick to lash out. Everyone around him walked on eggshells, afraid to make even the slightest mistake.

Ling Xiao was afraid too—not of punishment, but of Lu Feng acting impulsively and doing something irrational.

This battle had drawn the attention of the entire court. Lu Feng had advanced with unstoppable momentum, achieving great victories, but rumors of his massacres and mass executions of prisoners had also spread far and wide. Those book-drunk fools had even dared to openly issue denunciations, condemning the Prince of Qi as cruel and tyrannical, his methods brutal, his army devoid of righteousness.

Ling Xiao sneered inwardly. They had too much time on their hands. Tie those sanctimonious scholars to the battlefield for a couple of days, and they’d learn their lesson. But though scholars were useless in most things, they were experts at stirring public sentiment. Perhaps a few other princes were also fanning the flames behind the scenes. Lu Feng had already been known as Yama’s Envoy, but now his reputation for ruthlessness had grown even more fearsome. The common people shook like leaves at his name, too terrified to utter a word.

Ling Xiao didn’t bring up Jiang Wanrou again. After a pause, he asked, "What should we do with the newly captured prisoners? The Turkic forces have offered ten thousand taels of gold—"

"Slaughter them."

Lu Feng’s expression didn’t flicker. "Tell them," he said coldly, "if they don’t want to negotiate, then we fight! I, Lu Feng, have always loved conquest. If they want to drag this out, I’ll grind them into dust!"

Ling Xiao wanted to argue, but the words died in his throat at the sight of Lu Feng’s darkened face. He gave a crisp salute and exited the tent to relay the orders.

A young officer asked, "Which general should lead the troops?"

"Liu—"

Ling Xiao suddenly stopped, remembering that Liu Yuenu had volunteered to search for Lady Jiang and had been out of contact for days.

"Have Commander Su take charge," he said gruffly. "Prepare ink and paper for me."

He needed to send a message to Liu Yuenu. None of the others were as skilled as she was—perhaps she had made some progress.

***

Ling Xiao’s letter vanished without a trace, but Liu Yuenu did, in fact, find someone.

In a nameless backwater village, an old wooden windmill creaked at the entrance. Further in, round-topped tents were scattered across the land. A wiry, agile woman, carrying half a wild boar on her shoulder, strode into one of them.

"Sister Rou [Jiang Wanrou], I’m back."

Inside the tent, a warm brazier burned. The ground was covered with thick, durable felt, and the ceiling was embroidered with a colorful eagle in flight. Animal hides and bones hung along the inner walls. Jiang Wanrou, wrapped in a soft sable fur, lay listlessly on a Hu bed [a collapsible nomadic couch].

At the sound of the voice, she startled, and the rabbit in her arms darted away, disappearing from sight.

The rabbit’s fur was white, dusted with frosty gray. Winter rabbits were hard to find, and this one—the closest match to her lost pet, Snowball—had taken considerable effort to catch.

Liu Yuenu rolled up her sleeves and dipped her fingers into the water. The water had turned icy.

She said, "Wanrou Sis, have you washed up? Should I heat up more water for you?"

Jiang Wanrou shook her head. She stood up, cupping Liu Yuenu's icy hands in hers, and sighed, "No need. You've worked hard, Sis."

The two had lived here for over half a month, with Liu Yuenu taking care of everything—food, clothes, supplies. She was just as skilled as Lu Feng, able to hunt plump game in winter, gather warm firewood, and even speak the Turkic tongue. Hidden in this remote village, they had avoided the notice of pursuers.

When Jiang Wanrou first saw Liu Yuenu, she was stunned. Pei Zhang had urged her to flee, but the area was heavily guarded by skilled experts. For a delicate lady like her, slipping past unnoticed seemed impossible.

Pei Zhang had walked her through the patrol schedules, pointing out the weakest spots, teaching her how to evade detection. He provided her with dry grass and oil. In the dry winter air, it was easy to set a fire and cause chaos.

Amid the confusion, Jiang Wanrou escaped, following Pei Zhang's route south toward the border city of the Qi Dynasty.

Pei Zhang had gone over every step in his mind, anticipating every possible obstacle she might face. He considered every scenario and devised countermeasures, yet in the end, he hesitated.

Traveling together would draw too much attention, and he had to stall Chen Fu, preventing him from joining her. A sheltered woman like her—delicate, beautiful, alone in a foreign land, dodging pursuers—it seemed like a pipe dream.

After days of deliberation, he envisioned the dangers she might encounter and abruptly scrapped the plan. Too reckless. There had to be a safer way. Just then, the mute girl brought their meal—this time with a bowl of sweet water.

Then Liu Yuenu appeared.

She was the first to notice Jiang Wanrou's disappearance. Driven by some private motive, she kept Ling Xiao in the dark, sending his men on a wild goose chase. Following the trail, she alone found Jiang Wanrou.

With Liu Yuenu's skills and Pei Zhang's plan, their escape went off without a hitch. Jiang Wanrou assumed they would soon return to the Qi Dynasty, but instead of heading south as Pei Zhang had directed, Liu Yuenu led her further north, stopping at this remote village.

In Jiang Wanrou's mind, the Turkic people were savage and ruthless. Yet here, she found peace and tranquility. A winding stream ran through the village, its shallow waters revealing smooth pebbles beneath. At dawn, women knelt by the bank, pounding laundry, their laughter ringing out despite the language gap. Children herded lambs, their cheeks rosy as they cracked whips, urging the bleating flock forward.

Liu Yuenu's hunts often yielded more than they could eat, so she shared the surplus with neighbors. Kindly aunts brought them millet and cloth. The men hunted; the women washed and cooked. Aside from the language, these villagers were no different from the simple folk of the Qi Dynasty.

Here, there were no power struggles like in the Prince of Qi's manor, nor the vast loneliness of the general's estate. The neighbor girl would come skipping over to have her hair braided, bringing her smooth, pretty pebbles—Liu Yuenu told her this was their way of showing affection.

Though Liu Yuenu was young, she could wash clothes, cook, hunt, and gather firewood, making Jiang Wanrou—a noble lady who couldn’t carry a load or lift a hand—seem delicate and useless. When Jiang Wanrou tried to help, Liu Yuenu stopped her, her phoenix eyes full of sincerity:

"Sis, I can take care of you."

They had been here for half a month, and Jiang Wanrou had been cared for till her lips were rosy and teeth pearly, her porcelain skin untouched by hardship, her hair glossy black. Liu Yuenu had kept her promise.

Jiang Wanrou sighed softly. Watching Liu Yuenu roll up her sleeves to start cooking, she called out, "Sis, let’s chat a bit."

Liu Yuenu loved chatting with her. She also adored listening to her sing. In her free time, Jiang Wanrou had learned an off-key Turkic lullaby and once sang it: *Little lamb, white fleece, tired from hopping all day, the sun sets, the moon rises, hurry back to the warm pen to sleep.*

It made Liu Yuenu burst into tears.

This heroic female general now seemed like a true little sister, snuggling into her arms and murmuring, "Sis, let’s stay together forever, okay?"

Jiang Wanrou patted her back with a smile but didn’t answer. Smart as she was, even if she hadn’t noticed at first, how could she not understand Liu Yuenu’s intentions after all this time?

This place was nice, and Sis treated her well—but she still had Lu Feng, her stepmother, and the children. Over the past month, Lu Feng must have been going crazy looking for her.

She had to go back.

Looking down, Jiang Wanrou said gently, "Sis, I miss Snowball."

Liu Yuenu’s phoenix eyes creased. She stood and checked the cold stove and pots before replying, "Sis, I’ll cook first, then go out again this afternoon."

Rabbits were already scarcer here than in the Qi Dynasty, and most wild hares were patchy gray and white. Despite searching daily, she still hadn’t found one with pure white fur.

"That’s not what I meant—wait, are you hurt?"

Jiang Wanrou immediately pulled Liu Yuenu's hand out. Her palm was rough, calloused from blade work, and now a fresh crack split it, revealing a bloody gash.

Liu Yuenu glanced at it, her tone indifferent. "It's nothing. Doesn't hurt a bit."

The winter air was dry, and cracked palms from washing clothes and hunting were common. If Jiang Wanrou hadn’t pointed it out, she wouldn’t have even noticed.

Jiang Wanrou scowled at her and snapped, "It's bleeding! You're not some iron woman—how could it not hurt?"

She picked up the hot water from the stove. Liu Yuenu, afraid she might scald herself, wanted to take it from her but hesitated at the sight of her stern expression. Hovering nervously behind her, she watched as Jiang Wanrou dampened a cloth with the hot water and said, "Your hand."

Liu Yuenu quickly held out her hand. The warm, soft cloth wrapped around her rough hand. Jiang Wanrou looked at her and asked, "Still doesn’t hurt?"

"No—"

Seeing Jiang Wanrou’s displeased expression, Liu Yuenu backtracked quickly, "It hurts."

"Then don't forget it hurts! You’re not made of steel—how can you treat yourself like this?"

Jiang Wanrou pressed the warm cloth against her hand for a while. Coincidentally, a neighbor had given them a small jar of lard the day before. Carefully, she applied it to the wound and tore a strip of white cloth to wrap around it.

She instructed, "The wind’s been strong these past two days. Stay inside and don’t go out."

Liu Yuenu usually obeyed Jiang Wanrou, but at times she could be stubborn. She shook her head. "I’ll find you a rabbit."

She already felt guilty for making Jiang Wanrou put up with this place. If all she wanted was a rabbit, she had to make it happen.

Jiang Wanrou sighed softly. After securing the bandage, she looked up at Liu Yuenu.

"There’s no need. What I want is my Snowball. Even if you find one that looks exactly the same, it won’t be Snowball."

"Just like..."

She looked into Liu Yuenu’s beautiful dark blue eyes and said gently,

"Sis, I’ll always remember your kindness for protecting me all this way. You’ll always be my good sister."

"But no matter how much I look like your sister, I'll never be her."