Chapter 135 “Seems smaller than in winter…”

Chapter 135 "You seem thinner than in winter..."

"You’re going personally?" Jiang Congyan pressed her hand over his, her dark eyes wide with a hint of alarm.

Tuo Baxiao, amused by her reaction, leaned closer with a grin. "What, you’ll miss me? Worried about me?"

Jiang Congyan was annoyed by his teasing and pushed his face away irritably. "Stop joking around."

Reluctantly, Tuo Baxiao straightened. "I am being serious."

She glared at him. "If you lead the suppression yourself, who will hold the court?"

Though the Xiongnu were still fighting Rouran, who knew if they might suddenly attack while Tuo Baxiao was away? Rouran was unreliable too. The Jie in the south had been pacified for half a year, but that didn’t mean they were entirely loyal. And then there was Liang State—Emperor of Liang’s behavior...

Though Xianbei seemed stable and strong, enemies surrounded them on all sides. In single combat, no one could match them, but if multiple fronts attacked simultaneously, the outcome was uncertain.

Oddly, when Tuo Baxiao was in court, she never felt the surrounding threats so keenly. Just having him there made her feel completely safe. Only when he spoke of leaving did her anxiety surge—perhaps it was his boundless energy, his unshakable confidence, his indomitable will, and his undefeated prowess that had unconsciously instilled this feeling in her.

"I’ll lead twenty thousand elite troops to crush the Murong Tribe. Modolou will command forty thousand to guard the Helan Mountain border, Duan Muqi will station thirty thousand to guard against Rouran, and Su Li will keep the Jie in check while guarding against Liang State’s sneak attacks." Tuo Baxiao had already mapped out the troop allocations.

Jiang Congyan listened, mentally calculating. Xianbei’s regular forces totaled about 150,000, with an additional ten thousand new recruits still in training this year. His plan was solid—no matter which side attacked, they wouldn’t be able to overwhelm tens of thousands of troops in a short time. As long as they held out until his return, the situation could be reversed.

The Murong Tribe was one of Xianbei’s largest clans, with a population of roughly two hundred thousand, but they could muster fewer than twenty thousand soldiers. Chigan Balie had taken thirty thousand to suppress the rebellion. A battle-hardened warrior, he should have at least fought them to a standstill, if not crushed them outright. How did he walk into a trap and lose so badly? Perhaps he was unfamiliar with the terrain?

At this thought, Jiang Congyan clutched Tuo Baxiao’s collar. "Bring Zhang Zheng along. The Murong Tribe’s territory is mountainous—their tactics might differ."

Tuo Baxiao snorted, displeased. His rough fingers tilted her chin up. "You doubt me? I’ve stormed Jie fortresses before. The Helan Mountains are rugged too, and I still crushed Wudati Hou there."

Jiang Congyan: "..."

"I don’t doubt you. I just... worry about you."

Hearing this, Tuo Baxiao brightened.

"Worried about me?" His hands cradled her face.

Though discussing serious matters, under his intense gaze, Jiang Congyan’s cheeks warmed. She avoided his eyes and murmured, "Mhm."

"Alright, I’ll bring him to calm your nerves."

His words melted into a kiss.

With his departure in two days and at least a month or two apart, Tuo Baxiao wanted to indulge himself while he still could.

Jiang Congyan weathered three rounds, and even past midnight, the sounds from the bed curtains showed no sign of stopping. Tuo Baxiao held her from behind, insatiable.

The bed was enormous. They had started near the middle, but now she found herself pressed against the inner side, facing the wall and the pale blue silk curtains that occasionally brushed her face.

He sealed her lips with his, refusing any protest, losing himself in this earthly paradise.

Whether from heat or embarrassment, Jiang Congyan’s fair skin flushed a delicate pink, like blooming peach blossoms in spring—soft, tender, a few petals particularly vivid, trembling under the beast’s relentless assault, dewdrops rolling down.

At last, he groaned, tilting his head back with a rough exhale, his scorching chest heaving.

He didn’t let go, keeping her close as he brushed aside the sweat-dampened hair clinging to her neck, occasionally pressing light kisses to her fragrant skin, savoring the afterglow.

After a moment, he suddenly remarked, "You do seem thinner than in winter."

Exhausted, Jiang Congyan lay limp in his arms, nearly asleep. At first, she didn’t register his words. With great effort, she cracked open her tear-blurred eyes and let out a faint, questioning hum.

Tuo Baxiao gave another squeeze and said with certainty, "You've definitely lost weight. Even with me making sure you eat every day, you still slimmed down. If I’m not around, you’ll only get thinner. Any thinner and you’ll disappear—I like you with a little more meat on you."

He wasn’t lying. She was too thin now, especially as the weather warmed and her clothes grew lighter, making her slender figure even more noticeable. Sometimes, it truly felt like a gentle breeze might carry her away.

Moreover, from what he’d observed, she had little appetite half the month, especially during her time of the month.

How could she stay healthy without eating?

Jiang Congyan: "..."

What kind of crap was this?! She wished she could tear the damn man’s mouth off. But she’d used up all her energy in their earlier romps, and now she could barely lift an arm.

She blinked away the lingering haze in her eyes to clear her vision and looked down. His dark, rough fingers contrasted starkly against her fair skin—his palm alone could cover most of her collarbone, making even the fuller curves of her body seem petite under his large hand.

Clenching her jaw, Jiang Congyan scraped together the strength to push his hand away. "If you don’t like it, keep your hands off me."

She had focused all her effort into the motion, but Tuo Baxiao suddenly grimaced, shuddering hard with a sharp hiss.

The next second, his arms tightened around her, his legs tangling with hers.

Only then did Jiang Congyan realize he was still inside her… Feeling him stir, she panicked, fearing he might want more, and tried to squirm forward—only to be pinned in place.

"If you move again, I swear I’ll drop dead right on top of you!" he growled through gritted teeth.

Jiang Congyan froze like a statue, not daring to twitch a muscle.

…

The next day, Jiang Congyan was blessed with full-body soreness, as if she’d gone back to the early days of their marriage, forcing her to fetch ointment for relief.

That bastard!

Lately, he had been gentler, taking his time with her, leaving her just worn out afterward—something a good rest could fix. She had even begun to find some enjoyment in it, and her sleep afterward felt deeper, giving her an unexpected perk.

But last night… He hadn’t asked if she was comfortable or if she could take it, as if his self-control had finally snapped after months of suppression.

Jiang Congyan clawed at the blankets resentfully, determined to freeze him out when he returned that evening.

And he dared criticize her?

Without meaning to, she glanced down at herself. Beneath the thin nightgown, she saw the gentle curve of her body. Almost unconsciously, she lifted a hand and lightly touched it.

Wasn’t this just fine? Where was the "disappear"?

Zoning out for a second, she suddenly caught herself obsessing over the damn man’s words and mentally kicked herself.

This was her body. Whether he liked it or not was his problem.

Besides, she was the one who should complain—his rough hands chafing her skin. Not once had he bothered to take care of them.

With urgent matters at hand, Tuo Baxiao had left early in the morning and didn’t return until late at night.

Jiang Congyan had initially planned to ignore him, but when he said, "I leave at dawn the day after tomorrow," she found herself speechless, allowing him to pull her into his arms for a quiet moment.

On the day the army set out, in the dim light of dawn, Jiang Congyan dragged her exhausted body to dress him in his armor as she had the year before, then walked out of the royal court to see him off.

In the pale morning light, watching his tall, imposing figure astride his horse, Jiang Congyan suddenly felt a sudden worry.

Then she comforted herself—it wasn’t time yet. There were still nearly two years before the original timeline of his fall. He'll be alright.

He would fight countless battles in the future. She couldn’t stop him from going to war just because of her own worries. No matter how deeply he loved her, he would never agree to that.

"Weapons don't discriminate on the battlefield. Be careful." In the end, all her unspoken words condensed into this single sentence.

Tuoba Xiao was touched by her concern. Only at times like this would she drop her usual restraint and openly express her feelings.

He reached into his collar and pulled something out. "The good luck charm you gave me—I’ve kept it with me this whole time. Of course, I’ll return to you safe and sound."

Jiang Congyan's eyes went wide at his action. These charms were normally worn at the waist, but he had tied it around his neck.

"It’s too easy to damage if it’s hanging outside," Tuoba Xiao explained, noticing her surprise, though he didn’t find wearing it around his neck embarrassing at all.

It was much better this way—he could take it out to look at whenever he wanted, and keeping it tucked inside his armor kept it from getting ruined.

"That’s true. War campaigns aren't like peaceful times." Jiang Congyan was both touched and amused.

They shared few more words before Tuoba Xiao finally had to depart.

Facing the direction of the rising sun, he sat straight in the saddle, radiating confidence, carrying the determination and courage to claim the world.

Jiang Congyan watched until his figure disappeared from sight before making her way back slowly.

Tuoba Xiao had left to quell the rebellion, but her life had to go on.

Compared to the previous year, she was even busier now.

Tuoba Xiao was willing to delegate authority to her, and she now had both manpower and a foundation. She was managing all manner of administrative affairs among the Xianbei.

She handled matters fairly, implementing policies that were particularly favorable toward smaller tribes and ordinary herders. She aggressively expanded various trades, and with the Grand Shaman influencing public sentiment, her standing among the Xianbei rose steadily. Almost no one cared about her Han identity anymore.

Jiang Congyan remained in the royal court, following Tuoba Xiao’s prior arrangements to gradually strengthen defenses throughout the territory and coordinate provisions.

Everything was calm.

That night, beneath a starless sky with wind howling, the thin crescent moon was obscured by dark clouds, leaving not a trace of light.

Yet in the silent royal court, several shadowy figures quietly slipped out of their tents, converging at a secret spot as if arranged.

No lamps were lit in the tent, but they could recognize each other by voice alone. After a long discussion, they slipped away before first light.

The next day, on another dark night, a cloaked figure crept into Tuoba Wuxi’s tent.

"Sixth Prince, your ancestry and royal blood are the most deserving of the throne. Are you truly content to live like this for the rest of your life?"

...

The royal court was less than a thousand li from the Murong Tribe.

On the fifth day after Tuoba Xiao set out with the army, Jiang Congyan calculated their marching speed. They were moving quickly—he should have arrived by now and might have already engaged the Murong Tribe. She wondered if he had managed to rescue Chigan Balie.

That day, she had gathered some people to continue discussing logistical matters along the various defensive lines when, suddenly, a rider galloped back to the royal court in a frantic rush. The man was disheveled and covered in blood, charging straight for the royal tent.

"Report! The king led the army to reinforce the front, but they were ambushed on the way!"

"What?" Jiang Congyan shot to her feet, her head spinning.